Sailor Moon NeoStars: What the Future Holds (REWRITE)

CHAPTER 2

Love - in All Its Different Forms

Author's Notes: Erm . . . Yeah, I'm really sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out, but I hope it is worth the wait. It isn't nearly as long as chapter one, but then, that was two chapters put together. I have decided that, in the course of this story, I would like to at least have the chance the "introduce" the "Chibi-Senshi" who will be some day take the place of the current "Sailor Senshi." I mainly plan on doing that through flashbacks, and hope it doesn't take away from the storyline itself. If I do it correctly, hopefully, it will add to it. . . In any case, I hope you like Chapter 2 of "What the Future Holds," and as usual. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!

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FireSenshi2 - Lots of Laughs. That makes since. Mamoru and Usagi are by far my favorite couple in the Sailor Moon world, except for a few I've personally made up of course. Hehe. The next installment is up, and I hope you like it as well as the last.

Kotaroh - Thanks so much for reviewing again! I hope this chapter will be worthy of yet another review! "Winks."

Traser SyberJedi - Gotta love positive reviews. Love you lots! And I hope to see you next chapter.

Imortal Sailor Cosmos - WOW! Love the detailed reviews. If your stories are half as detailed as your reviews, then you must be an AWESOME writer! ; I tried to find out as much about the manga as I could before rewriting this fic, but as I haven't actually been able to read them, I would LOVE any information you could give me about the Senshi - particularly about their ages and how old Hotaru is since she was reborn again. . .

Imortal Sailor Cosmos - Yeah, I thought it would be a cool idea for Chibiusa to finally come into her own powers instead of just always remaining so weak. Hmm . . . Maybe I should have kept some of the pink…but I thought it might clash with the green/blue thing. ; Hehe - Oh, well. Too late now. As for the "Venusian Prince," I plan on addressing that, but it will likely not be until the very, very end of the story. Oh, and the "Boomerang" thing was suppose to be the real translation of Sailor Moon's "Moon Tiara Magic" according to a website I looked at. . . I could have gotten it wrong though. . .

Imortal Sailor Cosmos - Hehe. I did say I would respond to each of my reviews, so hear is my response to "each" of your reviews. LOL - I think it is SO AWESOME that you actually have all of the American manga - even thought I think they should have just kept the Japanese names. I never saw the real point in changing them in the first place. Oh, and I'm aware of the thing with the general's stones - - I plan on using that in one of my future fics that follow this storyline. I hope you will be reading those stories as well.

Prometheus Firebringer - You know wouldn't believe how long it took me to spell "Prometheus" correctly in my word document….Ahm, anyways. Mamoru with green hair? That kind of paints a funny picture in your head…but I have no idea where it came from. I fixed it when I combined the first to chapters though. As for the "Mary Sue" thing, erm. . . I am not sure exactly who "Mary Sue" is, but if you meant don't make the new characters just like the originals, no worries. I don't plan to. I just need the chance to do some more character development on the various new characters. Hope you'll review again. :D

Eternal Lady - Erm. . . Yeah. I would have to agree with you on the idea that my second chapter was a bit slow. I hope combining the first two chapter amended that problem for you. I kind of like the way it turned out in the end. I tried not to do that in this chapter, but I also wanted to do some character development. Trying to find a balance between the two was a bit difficult. Tell me how I did if you can, okay?

InsaneDreamer - I probably didn't update as soon as you would have liked, but I hope it was worth the wait anyways. I hope to get the next chapter out fast, but as usual it depends on my schedule, my reviews, and how fast my ideas start flowing. Hope you'll stay with me and continue to review. Thank a million!

(Chapter Starts Here)

""Hum…" Prince Triston murmured inaudibly in his sleep as his future mother carried him into the extra bedroom of the apartment Usagi and Mamoru now shared. A few weeks after Usagi graduated from high school, Mamoru finally built up enough courage to face Tsukino Kenji and Ikuko - but mostly Kenji - with his desire to marry their daughter. After much discussion and a series of personal questions from the overprotective father, an agreement was made and an official date set exactly two and a half months in the future. The wedding was beautiful, and Usagi had even convinced Sailor Pluto to invite Chibiusa back for a short one-week visit to be the flower girl for her "older cousins" wedding. The young couple had been living together in this quant two-bedroom apartment for exactly 3 months now.

Settling Triston into the bed, Makoto tugged her son's shirt up over his head tossing the item over a nearby chair. She then pulled the comforter up tucking it under his arms much as she had seen Usagi do for Chibiusa many times in the past. Brushing a few stray stands of forest-brown hair back from the young man's face, Makoto sat on the edge of the bed starring down at him in awe. 'My son. . .' She thought with a proud and yet still uncertain grin. The whole idea of this young man being one of her children felt a bit unusual, and yet in a way it didn't.

'I wonder who his father is?' The Jupitarian couldn't help but wonder. Who did she know that had that shade of shaggy brown hair? Or those facial features? Well, there was Shinozaki-kun; He had brown hair, didn't he? Kino Makoto thought this over, but somehow it just didn't feel right. "We are just friends." She told herself with a small laugh. He was like a brother to her; the idea of marrying him just wasn't something she could picture in her future. But, who else did she know that might bare a resemblance to her future son?

Makoto thought it over as she brushed the young man's wavy brown hair back again to be better able to study his facial features; some of them were her own, of course, but many of them weren't. 'Nephrite had that kind of wavy brown hair.' A voice inside her suggested willfully. Flushing slightly, Makoto brushed this thought off as impossible. Nephrite was dead - all the generals were - ever since their battle with the dark kingdom all those many years ago. Besides, Triston looked nothing LIKE Nephrite . . . Right? Right.

Makoto shook her head giving up the idea of figuring out just who her future husband might be - at least for tonight. For all she knew, his father might very well be a man she hadn't even met yet. With a small sigh, she stood up making her way back towards the living room to join the rest of the group. 'I have a son. . .' She thought again with a smile as she made her way into the living room. In a way, she was glad to know that her first-born would be a male-child. Being a bit of a tomboy herself, it would make life a lot easier - at least, that's what she told herself.

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In the mean time, Hino Rei and Damien had made their way to the other side of Jubban district and up the sky-high steps of the Hikawa Jinja shrine. The Martian prince sat with his legs hanging off the edge of the porch, loosing himself in deep thought as Rei went inside to locate the first aid kit. A grin passed over the young man's face as he wondered vaguely if Chibi-Venus in the future had found the harmless little garden snake he'd buried in her bed sheets earlier in the day. Damien snickered, an amused smirk crossing his face. Ok, so maybe not so deep. . . To bad he wouldn't be around to see the look on her face when she found it. Laughing light-heartedly to himself, Damien leaned lazily back against a pillar to wait for Rei-san's return.

Rei found the first aid kit in the bathroom and her infamous broom in the closet. Smiling lightly to herself, she picked up both carrying them outside with her. The raven-haired eighteen-year-old beauty stopped in the doorway on her way out, stealing the moment to watch her future son from a distance. 'Something about that mischievous laugh is annoyingly familiar.' She thought eyebrows furrowing as she tried to remember just exactly where she had heard that particular laugh before. 'Jadeite' A voice in her head told her. Rei's eyes narrowed at this. 'Like that would ever happen. Even if he wasn't dead, I would never forgive him for what he did.' Besides, it couldn't be his laugh. It must have been someone else's that she knew. . .

Rei looked back over her son once more smiling while at the same time shaking her head. 'He is going to be a handful to raise. I can see that already.' Setting the broom up against the wall, Rei stepped out onto the porch just moments before Damien noticed the feminine -shaped shadow hovering over him. Leaning his head back, Damien cocked an eyebrow at Rei and her broom before plastering a willful grin on his face. "I am not falling for that look." Rei told her future son while settling into a place next to him on the edge of the porch. "You are a trouble-maker. I can see it in your eyes."

"Meh." Damien grumbled sulkily for moment, before his face brightened again. There was a twinkle in his eyes as he turned in Rei's direction. "Yeah, so. . .no one here knows any of my tricks yet, except Small Lady and Triston and Antiny. Besides, I never hurt anybody." Rei sent him a pointed look as she proceeded to open the first aid kit searching through it for the items she was in need of. "Err . . . except that one time . . . and that was an accident!"

"Right . . ." Choosing not to comment further, Rei reached for her son's wrist pulling it forcefully towards her so she could get a better look at the wound he had taken on his arm. Damien blinked, a certain measure of surprise showing on his face, as the sudden action caused him to grow silent. He watched his future mother curiously as she pushed his sleeve back studying the ice-burn briefly before turning back to the first aid kit. Without releasing her hold on Damien's wrist, Rei used her free hand to open a bottle of peroxide wetting a cloth with it.

Frowning, Damien crinkled his nose against the strong alcoholic smell of the open bottle. "Itai . . . Ouch!" Damien protested as Rei placed the peroxide-covered cloth over the burn, holding it there. He winced at the stinging sensation the peroxide caused at the site of the wound. "What do you think you are trying to do?" He whined at her through gritted teeth.

"What does it look like I'm trying to do?" Rei countered shaking her head disbelievingly at him as she poured a bit more peroxide over the wound to kill the rest of the infection. Damien winced a second time. "At least now I know all that tough-guy stuff is all an act. Quit being a baby." Rei told him with a grin, putting the peroxide back up in its place, proceeding to apply some cooling ointment before wrapping the area with a bandage. Damien blushed at her words while rolling his sleeve back down. Again, Rei smiled as she shook her head at him. "Don't worry. I won't tell your friends what a baby you are about a little peroxide." Damien glared at her. "Come on. Let's get you settled in one of the extra bedrooms."

"Hai." Damien agreed letting his annoyance over the matter blow away with the wind as he got to his feet and followed Rei into the temple. Stretching his arms over his head, the young Martian prince let out a long sleepy yawn. "Err . . . Rei-san?" Damien waited for Rei to turn and look at him before questioning. "You wouldn't "really" tell Small Lady or Triston or Antiny about that would you?"

Smiling, Rei shook her head in a negative. "Iie. Do not worry. I won't tell them a thing." Leading the young man up to a spare bedroom, Rei unlocked the door pushing it open for him. "You can stay in here tonight. Get some sleep. We can go and check on your friends then if you are still worried."

"Who said I was worried?" Damien questioned proudly as he entered the bedroom plopping down heavily on the bed to make it bounce beneath him. Still standing in the doorway, Rei didn't respond but raised a knowing eyebrow in Damien's direction. Damien met her gaze starring her down for a moment before sighing and nodding his agreement. "Hai, I would like to make sure Triston-kun and Small Lady are alright as soon as I can."

Rei nodded smiling briefly at him. "Get some sleep." She repeated before pulling the door shut and heading back to her own room to settle in for the night.

"Hai." Damien answered through a sleepy yawn as he took a brief glance around the room he was staying in. It was a small but comfortable guest suite with a simple set of blue sheets and comforter on a queen-sized bed. There was a chest of drawers, a Japanese-style table, a soft chair in one corner, and a fan overhead. Being a bit on the hot-natured side (in more ways than one), Damien reached for the cord that would turn on the fan before stripping down into his boxers and collapsing onto the bed pushing himself underneath the covers once more.

As he lay there hovering in those few brief moments between consciousness and dreaminess, his mind wandered back to those times he had visited Hisaki Akako at this very shrine in the future. The girl, that would one day take his mother's place as the Sailor Senshi of Mars, was by far one of his favorite people in all of Crystal Tokyo. He thought she was awesome - a very unique and special girl. Even her name was awesome - at least in his opinion. It meant literally, "red flames." The Hisaki family had taken over care of the Hikawa Shrine as Grandpa had eventually become unable to do so by himself. He smiled vaguely as he drifted off to sleep, mind still on the Martian girl he still hoped to get his first kiss from. . . .

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"Introducing Chibi-Mars, AKA Sailor FireStar"

A young girl with flaming red hair that normally fell down just past her shoulders to her upper back, blue-grey eyes, and a slightly-pale, cream-colored complexion smiled as she made her way slowly up the many steps to the Hikawa Shrine. Today, she had half of her long-hair pulled back into a three-tiered ponytail with a few loss strands falling down around her face. She was dressed in a blue-jean skirt and green tank-top with a pale-blue short sleeved jacket of a thin fabric that went over it. It was an outfit picked out for her by Rei-sama that consistently earned her positive comments. Rei-sama was one of her all time favorite people. She lived at the Crystal Palace with Neo-Queen Serenity, but came constantly to speak with her father and to check on the temple she was still the owner of; the Hisaki Family just took care of it for her.

Hisaki Akako smiled when she thought about her idol. Her father said that he believed the reason Hino Rei came up to "check on them" so often was because she actually missed the old place. Akako didn't care why she came really; she revealed in the Fire Senshi's regular visits and looked up to her as a semi-mother figure. Akako's own mother had died in an accident many years before, along with her grandfather, and an unborn baby boy. Much as she hated to admit it, she didn't miss the baby's absence nearly so much as that of her mother and grandfather. In fact, if her father didn't mention the little tike ever so often, she would never have even been completely aware of his existence in the first place. . .

Akako's blue-grey eyes held a distant, unfocused look about them as she placed her hand on the cold railing running up beside the steps, using it to guide her on her way up to the temple she knew as her home. The "accident" as it was so nicely referred to had happened at the temple many years before, over 700 years actually…when Crystal Tokyo was still young and rebels of the Neo-Queen's reign still ran freely throughout the kingdom. That, of course, was before she had banished them all to Nemesis. Akako remembered it all to clearly. . . A bunch of rebels had shown up at the temple. They set a large section of the place on fire in hopes of getting to the Senshi on a more 'personal' level.

It was the flames of the untamed fire that had claimed Akako's sight (and oddly enough, it would also be the flames that would help her learn to see beyond her blindness in later years.) Most of Akako's memories of the "accident" were vague at best, as she had been physically around the age of four at the time, but the part she did remember was as clear as if it had happened only yesterday. She remembered the scorching heat lapping at her body. . . her mother trapped beneath a fallen pillar calling weakly out to her not to stay, but to try and escape. . .collapsing in the hallway. . .and then, another voice. A voice, as intense as the fire itself, cut through the roaring of the flames - - calling out her name. "Akako-chan? Is anyone still in here! Oh. . .when I get my hands around the rats who did this, they are going to wish they had never been born!"

Akako didn't recognize the voice or the image approaching her in the flames, but still the young child called out weakly to the form in the distance. "He-help! Help me, please!" There was the sound of heavy footsteps…someone running in her direction. Please, let it be someone come to pull her out from this nightmare. . . . She remembered vaguely being lifted up by a figure in a red-satin mini-skirt, laying limping in the woman's arms to weak to respond or even completely comprehend the questions that were being sent in her direction.

She remembered the image of the woman most vividly - - how the woman's hands were cool despite the intensity of the inferno - - the way the fire seemed to burn in her eyes as she looked down over the quite-possibly dying child in her arms, and over the state of the temple - - but mostly, the way the flames seemed to part around her. It was as though the flames welcomed her as one of their own, as if she were a flame burning all on her own. She remember the change in the fire, or perhaps just the change in her perception of it. So long as she lay protected in the woman's arms, the fire no longer seem so frightening. It no longer burned at her skin; rather, it seemed to envelope them with it's protection.

They headed back into the room where her mother and grandfather lay, both having been dead just moments before the woman from the flames had come to their rescue. Their wasn't time to worry over pulling the bodies from the flames. The child she carried needed a doctor, and she herself had to get out before the other Senshi attempted to came in after her. She was safe behind the fiery inferno, but her fellow Senshi wouldn't be as lucky. A voice called out from the doorway of the temple. The child she carried against her chest groaned in her arms. Another pillar fell down next to her. The fire may not hurt her, but a building clasping in on her certainly would. There was no more time; she had to go now. As they made their way towards the exit, Akako looked up into the woman's face one last time. . .looked deeply into the flames that burned in her eyes. She'd always remember that face. . . . It was the last one she'd ever see. The child finally passed out in Rei's arms just as they were exiting through the doors of the temple. . . .

The images faded to the back of Akako's mind as she reached the top of the temple steps. Forgetting about the woman from the flames that had saved her in her youth, she hoped Rei-sama might have come for another visit today. Interestingly enough, Akako had never made the connection between Rei-sama and the Senshi in the Flames that had saved her all those many years ago. If Rei-sama had come, Akako knew exactly where to find her - the Fire Room. And if had not come, there was always the possibility that her son, Damien had come instead. Akako blushed faintly. Seeing Prince Damien would certainly be a fair trade off for not seeing Rei-sama. Breaking into a run, she rushed up the front porch steps and down to the door that lead into the Fire Room.

Akako didn't think herself to have nearly the ability Rei-sama or Prince Damien did in reading the flames, nor was she as strong-willed or outspoken. Still, she did her best to follow the example she got from Rei-sama. Sliding the door to the dark room slowly open, she stepped silently into the room enjoying the feel of the fiery energy that filled the place. This temple was full of energy - mostly Martian energy. It was this energy that helped her to guide herself around her home without aid or a "seeing eye dog" to guide her. Crystal Tokyo as well was full of the various planetary energies. She rarely had any problems getting around. Still, her faithful and playful pup Chloe was always their for those times when she was reminded that not every object had an energy signature around it.

As she slid the door closed once more, Akako made note of another energy signature in the room. Akako's face broke into a wide grin. 'Damien-kun…' Her thoughts grew silent as she listen to his quiet chant in front of the flames. Not wanting to interrupt him, she removed her shoes before approaching, sitting on her knees beside him - - in front of the fire - - More than anything, she enjoyed listening to Rei-sama or Damien do their chanting.

"Sun, Moon, Stars, Light."
"I am flame; flame is light."
Sun, Moon, Stars, Light."

"I am fire; fire is sight."

"Sun, Moon, Stars, Light."

"I am flame; flame is light."

"Sun, Moon, Stars, Light."
"Soul of Fire; Strength to fight."

"Soul of Fire; Strength to fight."
"Fire soul . . . Fire soul. . ."

Akako listened more closely as Damien trailed off. A smiled grazed her face as she listened to him shifting in her direction. She was, unfortunately, unable to see to bright smile that grazed his face, but felt it as he brushed his hand lightly against hers. "Ohayo, Akako-chan." Prince Damien greeted in a teasing voice. "I was wondering if you were ever planning to return. . ." Akako flushed, and yet grinned. She enjoyed his presence. . . at least as much as she enjoyed his mother's. . .

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Back at the Chiba apartment in the 20th century, Prince Triston remained in a state of peaceful unconsciousness resting calmly beneath the thick comforter. The cares of his waking hours seemed to slip right down between the folds of the sheets as though they too were in need of a long night's rest. Shifting in his sleep, the young Jupitarian gripped a small section of the comforter pulling it with him and up around his broad and bare shoulders.

But there was at least one person in that household who had yet to find the pleasure of such restfulness. Slipping silently into the quiet bedroom, a familiar pink-haired youth reached for a small wooden desk-chair setting it gently down at the side of the bed. "Oh, this is all my fault." The young princess murmured despairingly as she climbed up into the seat. Silent tears pushed at the edge of a worrisome burgundy gaze. Laying her head down on her arms, she watched the rising and falling of the young man's chest.

Small Lady could still remember the moment the attack had come in her direction . . .the moment next when Triston had jumped in front of her, taking the hit for her. The tears the princess was holding back finally broke loose as she saw the image play through her mind once again. "Gomen." She apologized softly although she was quite aware the leader of her guardians couldn't hear her heart-felt words. "Gomen-nasai, Triston-kun. I - I never meant for you to get hurt for me. I couldn't bare it if anything ever happened to you." At this point, Small Lady was glad it was just her and him in the room, and in a way also glad that the man she was pouring her heart out to was in fact fast asleep.

"I - - care about you, Triston-kun - more than I have about anyone, except Mama and Papa. I've never felt like this before. . .even around Helios. I believe I loved him. . . but it wasn't the same as this." Small Lady startled holding her breath as Triston shifted in his sleep. Her heart pounded in her chest; he hadn't actually "heard" any of that - had he? The young prince murmured something inaudibly in his sleep before finally settling back down. No - - No, he hadn't heard a thing, thank goodness. Small Lady breathed a small sigh of relief.

Continuing to watch him in his slumber, she couldn't resist - couldn't stop herself as she found herself reached out a single trembling hand in his direction. Gently, she brushed her cool hand across his warm forehead, sending just enough energy there to cause his Jupitarian birth insignia to appear on his forehead. She smiled as soft locks of brown hair fell loosely over her hand, as though caressing her skin. "Please don't die, Triston-kun. . . .Please don't ever die for me." The Small Lady pleaded ever so gently with him, her voice taking on a tone quite unbefitting one who only "appeared" no more than eleven years of age, if that. "If it came to that, I don't think I could ever forgive myself." Silence reigned as she toyed absently with a lock of the young man's hair.

"Small Lady-sama?" A gentle voice questioned a moment later, startling the young lady out of her thoughts once again. Her first instinct, of course, was to pull her hand away from Triston's forehead starring at him in fear that he might have awakened, and she would then be stuck trying to explain just "what" exactly she was in the process of doing - - - but Prince Triston remained in peaceful slumber. Glancing slowly back in the direction of the only slightly ajar doorway, Small Lady blushed at the presence of the mercurian prince, her older friend and guardian Antiny. Just how much of what she had said had Prince Antiny actually heard?

The young mercurian starred at her for a moment before shaking his head and turning back to shut the door again with a soft, "click." Small Lady watched as Antiny headed for the closet, pulled his shirt off, and hung it up on a spare hanger. Shutting the closet door gently, he headed back towards the bed pulling the covers back on the side opposite Triston. He considered just sleeping in his boxers as he usually would on a hot summer evening, but with the young lady there he was far too embarrassed to do so. He quickly decided that sleeping in his pants would be a small price to pay in the wake of avoiding embarrassment. Small Lady continued to stare at him as he climbed into bed next to Triston.

Sighing, Prince Antiny finally took the time to turn in her direction with a pointed look. "Have you ever considered just telling him how you feel?" He glanced from Triston back to Small Lady. "Perhaps, at a time when he can actually 'hear' you?" The deep blush and look of disbelief that crossed the young lady's face gave the Mercurian prince all the answer he needed. Shrugging, Antiny shook his head at the pair before lying down the call of slumber becoming stronger in his ears. Stealing as much of the comforter back from the sleeping Jupitarian as he could, Antiny turned in the opposite direction gripping the sheets tightly in his hands to prevent his friend from claiming them all as he remembered being down at various times in their early childhood years. "I do hope you do not plan on watching over us all night long, Small Lady-sama. It is bound to get boring after a few hours." Not even bothering to wait for her response, Prince Antiny slipped quickly and silently into slumber.

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Author's Notes: Well, that's it. It is FINALLY complete, and once again I hope it was worth the wait. I really wanted to try and do some much needed character development in this chapter - mostly on the Martian side of things - as well as try to develop the relationship between Triston and Small Lady. Tell me what you think, okay? As always, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! More reviews mean more inspiration and (usually) faster chapters from the author. I'll try and have the next chapter out in two to three weeks, pending a decent set of reviews. See you next chapter!