Sailor Moon NeoStars: What the Future Holds (REWRITE)

CHAPTER 5

A Quick Glimpse of the Future

Author's Notes: Hey again, everyone! It seems as though I have gotten more regular with my updates for my active stories, but my chapters have gotten really, really short. I really am sorry about the shortness of the chapters, but with my life as chaotic as it has been, I just haven't had the time to put a whole lot of scenes into each chapter and I don't want to rush through the scenes, just so I can progress the story faster. So . . . please bare with me for the next couple of weeks, and I will start putting out longer and hopefully better chapters. Next chapter, I actually plan on trying to get them OUT of Mamoru's apartment. The boys get to meet their father, so the Shitennou will be involved and we also get to see everyone's reaction to Usagi's recent "change."

Thanks a Million! And as usual . . . PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!

(- - - - - - - - - - - -)

(Story Starts Here)

Zoisite frowned, concern evident in his emerald green-eyes, as he made his way through the hallways of the Crystal Palace. His long blonde hair was pulled back as it usually was, in a low ponytail starting at the base of his neck. Sighing, he racked his brain for possibilities of what might have possibly happened to his son, Antiny, and the others with him. Unfortunately, most of the possibilities he was coming up with were negative. Triston of Jupiter, Damien of Mars, and even the Small Lady had disappeared all with him. "It has been almost twenty-four hours. They should have contacted by now." He looked to the blonde-haired man beside him

"You worry too much." Jadeite replied, although he himself was also beginning to get concerned over the welfare of his eldest child. What if something really had happened to them? Pushing these thoughts to the back of his mind, Jadeite shook his head and grinned with forced confidence as they turned down the hallway that led to the main control room. "Since you are going on duty anyways, we can check and see if the computer has picked up anything." He suggested just as the sound of an alarm going off filled the hallway.

"What is going on?" Zoisite questioned over the sound of the alarm, as he made his way to the control room at a quick pace.

"Apparently, someone just broke into the main computer base."

The two men exchanged a brief glance before entering the control room. Zoisite headed over to the computer-panel, while Jadeite stopped to deactivate the alarm. Throwing in a few commands, he realized that someone had indeed broken in and was trying to make, or force, contact with them. Opening the view screen, Zoisite noted – with relief – his son's face come up on the screen. "Antiny, where have you been?" He questioned anxiously. "Is everyone alright?"

Antiny smiled somewhat fondly at the man's concern as he nodded his head in assurance. "Hai, Dad. We are all here, even Small Lady. Triston is a bit woozy, but otherwise everyone is fine. Small Lady decided to escape from the battle by throwing us back into the 20th century." Antiny motioned to the loveseat where Mamoru sat, a shocked expression playing across his face.

Zoisite smiled affectionately back at his son. All those years he had spent stuck in a stone on Mamoru's desk, he never imagined he would have the chance to become a 'real' part of his prince's life, much less have a family to call his own. "Dad," It was a word he never did quite get tired of hearing. To this day, he wasn't wholly convinced that he justly deserved it, although he certainly wasn't complaining. As these thoughts passed through his mind, it took a few moments for his son's words to fully register.

"Jadeite . . . Zoisite . . ."

"The 20th century," Jadeite questioned as he turned to meet the shocked gaze of his Prince and Master (For those who don't know, "Master" is what the Shitennou called Prince Endymion in the manga. This story is manga-based, so don't get offended if/when I am using the term between them). 'Ah, now I understand what happened.' Getting over the initial shock, Jadeite couldn't help but chuckle lightly at the expression playing across Mamoru's face. "What is the matter, Master? You look like you just saw a ghost." Jadeite's saffire eyes danced playfully, happily, even as he continued to assure him. "We are as solid as you are."

"You got your lives back. But how," Mamoru murmured as he thoughtfully studied the two men on the screen. Although they usually tried not to show it, it was clear that the Shitennou of his time were restless and discontented, and how could he blame them? The Senshi and even he, himself, had been reborn and redeemed multiple times. Even after turning on Serenity while fighting Sailor Galaxia and Chaos, the Senshi were able to return to their lives. But, his own Shitennou had gone down the wrong path once, and it chased them down to death in two lifetimes. Now they were stuck, not able to rest and yet not truly able to enjoy life as he would have liked them to.

When he looked at the two men on the screen, however, Chiba Mamoru was given a completely different picture. Not only were they very much solid and clearly an active part of palace life, but there was a distinctive 'life' about them both – a life that sadly seemed to be fading from the 20th century Shitennou the more that time went by. He had feared by the time the 30th century came about, their spirits might no longer be with him at all. Sailor Pluto had made it clear that the future is never set in stone, but if this peak at the future was any indication, maybe . . . His men were always around when he, himself, needed guidance or help of any kind. Was there a way he could now help them in return? Was there a way to restore them a chance for a real life? If there was a way, now that he knew it was at the very least a possibility, Chiba Mamoru was determined to find it.

To see them alive and living out their lives was exactly what he would have wished for them. The Jadeite he saw on the screen had clearly rediscovered his old playful streak, and his son had plainly inherited his knack for getting into trouble. When he thought about it, it was easy to see which of the boys had Jadeite's genes in him. And one look from Zoisite to Antiny made it clear that the two had a very close relationship, even if he clearly seemed to take after his mother, Mizuno Ami. Inwardly shaking himself out of his revere, Mamoru smiled at the two men on the screen. "It is good to see you two . . . like this."

"This must be a bit of a shock for you, ne Prince?" Zoisite questioned, noting the flow of emotions going through the man's face as he had been silent.

"A bit," Mamoru agreed. Glancing back at the closed bedroom door, he wondered what exactly was going on in there. Hopefully, they would take a bit longer for he wasn't sure any of the girls were quite ready to know just exactly who they ended up paired with in the future. They didn't even know about the four precious gems which held the souls of his four Shitennou. "So, all of you got back together with the Senshi?"

"Well, some of us did . . . not all." Jadeite offered with a small grin. "You will just have to wait and see."

Noting Mamoru's backward glance, Zoisite frowned briefly before nodding in understanding. "We should probably end this before the girls come out and see us, right?"

Although reluctant to end the conversation, Mamoru nodded his agreement. "Hai, I do not think they are quite ready to know about you guys yet, Zoisite. And it could very well cause a change in the future if we don't." Zoisite nodded thoughtfully, while Jadeite sort of frowned at this. It had taken such a long time for them to get their lives back. He liked the way things had turned out for them; he certainly didn't want to risk loosing it by a careless conversation. "Antiny, we will send someone back to pick you up as soon as we can, but it may be a day or two. I will have to talk to your mother about it."

"Hai," Antiny agreed. "We will be waiting for you. Goodbye, Dad."

Damien grinned mischievously as he looked Jadeite through a sparkling gaze. "Hai, we wouldn't want to be causing havoc in the 20th century, now would we?"

"Stay out of trouble." Jadeite warned, but grinned as he said it. Reaching out, he pressed a button to end the communication. The image on the projector went dead and Antiny closed his computer setting it down on the coffee table.

Prince Triston, whom had stayed silent throughout the short conversation between the two Shitennou, their master, and their children, turned to Mamoru now with a curious gaze. "Not to butt in, but . . . what did you mean earlier when you asked if the Shitennou had gotten their lives back? Are they not alive in this time?" The young man questioned curiously. He couldn't help but wonder why it was the man seemed so shocked to find the Shitennou alive and well in the future. Certainly, there had to be a reason behind it? Antiny and Damien also turned in Mamoru's answer, now curious as to what the answer might be.

Mamoru took in a breath, thinking this over for a moment. It wasn't an easy topic to explain with words. Where did you even begin to explain the situation the Shitennou had gotten themselves into? It was then that he had an idea. "Would you like to meet them?" He questioned, with a small smile. Seeing the living proof that there was a possibility of their regaining their freedom sometime in the future would have to be enough to lift their spirits, right?

"Hai," Antiny agreed.

"And get the chance to see my Dad before he was old as dirt?" Damien questioned with a grin. "I'm in."

"Trying to keep 'you' out of trouble is bound to make anyone old." Antiny muttered.

"What was that?"

"Oh . . . nothing at all," Antiny grinned and Triston snickered at the indignant look on Damien's face, just as the door to the bedroom was pushed open.

(- - - - - - - - - - - -)

Author's Notes: I really hope you enjoyed the chapter, short though it was. Please, please, please review! Reviews make me want to update quicker. ;)