Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: Woo! An update within a year! Sorry again for the long absence, the last year was pretty rough and I had a lot of trouble getting back into writing. Thankfully I'm back in the swing of things finally! Thank you to everyone reading and feel free to leave feedback and let me know what you think. And now, on with the story!

Chapter 12: Unbreakable

-Crystal Tokyo: Distant Future-

Setsuna stood on the balcony, listening to the wind and staring out across the city. It was late afternoon but the thick cloud cover had darkened the sky to near blackness. The days were becoming shorter and she knew it was only a matter of time before everything went dark.

"There's been another youma sighting."

Setsuna nodded, resting her hands wearily on the railing in front of her. "Perhaps it's time we set a regular patrol of Old Juuban."

Luna leapt up and sat on the railing beside her. She sighed tiredly. "It's not near the labs this time, they're closer to the palace."

Setsuna frowned, staring out in the direction of the royal greenhouse. "I see."

"I've sent Haruka with a small team to look into it," Luna continued. "But we don't have the resources to fight this indefinitely." Setsuna nodded, lapsing into thoughtful silence.

After a long moment, Luna cleared her throat. "It may have been a mistake," she said slowly, "sending Hotaru away."

Setsuna looked down at the railing, letting her fingers play along the smooth translucent surface. "What choice did we have? We couldn't let Chibi-Usa go alone."

"I know, but without her…" She let the words hang between them.

Setsuna didn't reply. She knew how important Hotaru was, more than the girl herself did. The destruction that guides the talismans. Bringer of darkness. Destroyer of worlds. And she knew the risk of sending her away. But it was worth the gamble, because the alternative was unthinkable. She'd lost them all once, lost everything, and she wasn't ready to watch it again.

"What should we do?" Luna's voice brought her out of her dark thoughts.

"Hold on," she replied simply. "We have to trust that they'll come back to us. We just have to hold on until they do."

-Jupiter: Distant Future-

Hotaru sat on the cabin floor, happy to be warm and dry for a change. She, Ami and Makoto were sitting in a loose circle around the fire crackling in the hearth.

"She brought us back from the dead," Makoto stated softly.

"No," Ami replied, staring into the dancing flames. "She doesn't have that kind of power. But, it was close." She shivered despite the warmth of the hearth.

They both glanced over their shoulders and Hotaru followed their gazes to the hammock in the corner, where Chibi-Usa had been sleeping since their arrival.

"It took a lot out of her," Ami observed. Makoto nodded but said nothing as she returned her stare to her loosely clasped hands.

Ami turned instead to Hotaru. "How did she do it?"

Hotaru shook her head, tearing her gaze from the sleeping princess. "I don't know."

Makoto studied her for a moment. "No idea?" Ami frowned, looking between them before settling on Hotaru as well.

"About Chibi-Usa? No." Hotaru could feel herself bristling and tried to keep her feelings under control. It had been a long day and she was too tired to have this conversation with them.

"What about everything else?" Ami asked cautiously.

"What exactly are you asking?" Hotaru snapped, getting to her feet. "She's the one you should be talking to."

"So, you've told her everything Setsuna told you?" Ami's tone was neutral but her eyes held a challenge.

Hotaru glared at her, before turning sharply away. Without a word, she strode across the room and roughly yanked the blanket from her pack. She could feel the other's eyes on her, but ignored them as she settled onto the floor next to where Chibi-Usa was sleeping. She leaned back against the wall, sitting so she was facing the others, and pulled the blanket over her knees. She pushed her conflicting thoughts to the back of her mind and let the sound of Chibi-Usa's even breathing lull her to sleep.

Ami stared at Hotaru's form, half hidden in the shadowy corner, before turning back to the fire. She still had questions; there were still so many things she didn't know. Hotaru wasn't going to tell her anything, she still didn't trust her. Right now, a part of Ami didn't blame her. She looked down at her hands. Just like after she'd returned from Mercury, she imagined she could see blood stains on her fingers. This time, however, it wasn't the blood of faceless innocents.

Her gaze lifted to Makoto. She was examining the hole in her shirt, the edges stained a reddish brown. Ami had done that. She remembered how it felt to train her scope on the woman before her, aiming with the intent to kill. She could still feel the icy blade as it slid into Makoto's body. It had been so easy, like a hot knife through butter. Makoto's blood had mixed with the rain so it didn't even feel warm. It didn't feel real. It chilled her to the very soul to realize what she was capable of.

Makoto looked up at her. She could see the words the soldier wouldn't speak. Being together like this should have given her peace. Happiness. Something. How many nights had they sat together in front of the hearth in the palace, silently enjoying each other's company? The silence now was oppressive, black as the darkness that had filled them.

"You should get some sleep," Makoto said softly. Her voice sounded raw, but her expression was gentle.

"You, too. We've got a long walk tomorrow." Ami wanted to say more. That she was sorry, that she'd missed her. That she was still angry and there was still so much she didn't know. Instead, she stood up and went to retrieve her blanket from her pack. She laid it out near the fire and curled on her side so the flames warmed her back.

"Ami?"

She turned enough to see Makoto spreading a fur on the floor nearby. She sat down and contemplated the other side of the room, where the other two slept. "That was Usagi's crystal, wasn't it." Ami nodded, feeling a lump in her throat at the thought. "Is she…?"

"She's sick."

Makoto dropped her head and Ami saw tears in her eyes reflecting the firelight. "Because of us?"

Ami sat up, wrapping her arms around her knees. In truth, she did blame herself. If they'd been stronger, resisted the darkness and stayed with her, maybe none of this would be happening. Ami wondered for the millionth time if there was something, anything, she could have done to prevent all of this. "I don't know," she said instead. She wanted to believe it was something else, something she couldn't have stopped. But she couldn't meet Makoto's eyes as she said the words. And she knew Makoto didn't believe her.

Makoto laid back, linking her hands behind her head. "I… I'll see you in the morning."

Ami didn't reply as she curled back to her previous position. Hearing the simple words from the woman she used to love was a small comfort. At least they had that. After more than a decade alone, it was something.

Hotaru awoke to light streaming through the muddy windows and warmth against her side. She looked down to where Chibi-Usa was cuddled against her, asleep on her shoulder. She couldn't remember when the princess had joined her on the floor, but she smiled as she curled her arm more tightly around her.

Makoto was awake, quietly working in front of the fire. Ami was awake as well, sitting in the opposite corner. The visor across her eyes cast a faint glow around her as she typed something on her computer. The only sound was the tapping of rain on the roof. It sounded quieter than it had the night before; hopefully the storm was almost past.

Chibi-Usa stirred, curling more into Hotaru. She snaked an arm around her waist and yawned against her neck.

"Morning," Hotaru murmured, keeping still as she looked down at the princess.

"Good morning." Chibi-Usa smiled sleepily at her, looking adorable and tousled. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine."

Chibi-Usa straightened, blushing as she glanced at the empty hammock behind her. "Sorry if I woke you last night, I had a bad dream…"

Hotaru smiled at her. "You didn't, don't worry. You know I'm always here if you need me."

Chibi-Usa gave her a grateful grin as she stood up. "Good morning," she said louder, addressing the others. The two soldiers looked over and gave her forced smiles. She padded across the room to see what they were doing.

Hotaru got up slowly and stretched, trying to unlock her sore muscles. Even with her awkward sleeping position, she felt much better than she thought she would. She watched Chibi-Usa as she leaned over the pot Makoto had been stirring. She chattered cheerfully to the taller woman and Makoto smiled as she answered. It was almost like yesterday hadn't happened.

As Chibi-Usa moved to sit beside Ami and read over her shoulder, Makoto hesitantly approached Hotaru. "I made breakfast if you're hungry." She held a bowl out to Hotaru like a peace offering.

Hotaru looked up at her, studying her for a moment. Her tangled hair had been brushed out and hung in waves down her back. She was wearing a tee shirt and tan leggings, making her look smaller than the patchwork armor she'd worn before. Her skin was tanned, making the dark circles under her eyes less visible. Her eyes were cast down, focused on the wooden bowl in her hands, but when they flicked briefly to Hotaru's she couldn't see any trace of the darkness lingering in them.

Hotaru accepted the bowl with a small nod. "Thanks." Makoto gave her a half smile and turned to go. "Makoto?" She turned back with a hopeful expression that she quickly schooled. "We should leave soon. Make sure you've got everything packed that you'll need."

Makoto's face fell but she nodded as she turned away. "I already did," she said, gesturing to the front door. A hiking pack and blanket roll were leaning against the wall. "I'm ready whenever you are."

Hotaru considered saying more, but the events of yesterday were still too fresh. Instead, she settled back on the floor and tried the stew Makoto had made. After days of dried food, it was heavenly. She devoured it in minutes and stood to get a second helping.

Chibi-Usa beat her there, grinning happily as she ladled another scoop into her bowl. "Isn't this good, Taru?" Hotaru nodded, smiling at how happy Chibi-Usa was with everything this morning. There were things they needed to talk about, but they could wait a little longer.

The rain had dwindled down to a light shower by the time they reached the edge of the village. Chibi-Usa felt a flood of relief as she stepped out of the mud and up to the rubber flooring. Soon they would be back in the comfort of their ship, getting ready for the next step. She couldn't wait to have real food again and sleep in a real bed.

They'd talked very little in the last two days beyond small talk to pass the time. When they'd passed the fallen tree, Ami had seemed like she wanted to say something, but the look of remorse on Makoto's face had stopped her. Chibi-Usa hoped that, once they were back on the ship, they would be willing to talk about everything that had happened.

She looked over at Hotaru as the soldier stomped her feet on the edge of the path, shaking loose some of the excess mud. Something was wrong, beyond what had happened in the woods. She'd withdrawn after Mercury and Chibi-Usa had thought that, given enough time, she would talk to her. But her silences were even longer now and Chibi-Usa couldn't help but recall her words. Setsuna had told her there was a chance they wouldn't be able to save the Senshi. Neither of them had mentioned anything like that to the princess. Chibi-Usa had always felt a strong bond to Hotaru, her best friend and protector, but now an inkling of doubt had taken root. Would Hotaru hide something like that from her, in the name of protecting her?

As they entered the village, everyone was working just like last time, but they seemed less organized now. Looking around, she saw heavy branches scattered across the pathways and laying on the buildings. Shingles littered the ground where the wind had torn them from rooftops. One of the buildings was crushed under a thick limb that had fallen. Apparently they'd been hit hard by the storm as well. A few people glanced at them as they passed through, but no one seemed to realize who they were. It wasn't until they reached the center of the town that someone called out to them.

"Sailor Mercury, you're back!" The man who had helped them before hurried up to them. He was muddy and unkempt, wringing his hands as he approached them.

"Is something wrong?" Chibi-Usa asked, stepping past her friends to greet him.

He glanced over his shoulder and grimaced. "Well, Ma'am, this storm was the worst we've ever seen. There's a lot of damage to the buildings and…" He trailed off as he looked past her. His eyes widened in fear and he took a sharp step back. "Sailor Jupiter." He jerked into a half bow and backed away further. "Ma'am, was there something we could do for you?"

Around them, people were stopping what they were doing to stare. Fear was coming off the crowd in waves and, when Makoto moved out from behind Hotaru, the people cringed away from her. She held up her hands, causing a ripple in the crowd as people flinched at the movement. "I'm not… I'm just passing through." The people stood frozen, staring wide-eyed at her.

"You're leaving?" A young woman asked timidly as she stepped forward. Makoto nodded and whispering broke out around them.

Ami let her eyes drift over the crowd before falling on Makoto. Her arms were crossed defensively and her head was down. She looked defeated all over again. Ami moved closer and put a hand on her arm as she addressed the crowd. "We appreciate everything you did for Sailor Jupiter over the years. We're leaving but we want to thank you for all of your help during our visit."

People were looking more concerned than before at her words and she sighed inwardly. She was definitely the wrong person to comfort a crowd of frightened villagers. They milled uncertainly, no one daring to speak. Finally, a younger boy raised his hand. Suppressing a smile at the gesture, Ami tilted her head to him, inviting him to ask his question.

"You're all leaving?" Ami nodded and he glanced at the older man behind him. "But what about…" the man silenced him with a small shake of his head.

Ami noticed many people glancing off to the right and she tried to follow their gazes. In the distance, she could hear raised voices. "What's wrong?" she asked, looking around at the crowd.

A few moments of shuffled feet and sideways glanced followed, until finally an older woman stepped forward. "One of the trees, Ma'am." Ami raised her eyebrows. The woman glanced around at her fellows for support and took a deep breath as she approached the Senshi. "A tree was badly damaged during the storm. We've been trying to steady it, but nothing is working. It's in the residential area and if it falls…" She let her words hang there as she stared at Ami imploringly.

"Show me."

They were lead along a winding path through the village but Ami could see the problem long before they reached it. High above their heads, several villagers were climbing one of the trees. Stakes pounded into the wood supported a latticework of ropes that looped and crossed all the way up. She saw that they were lowering a twisted black shape down to the ground with pulleys.

"What happened?" Chibi-Usa asked at her shoulder. "What is that thing?"

"One of the converters if I had to guess," Ami replied. Her attention was higher, where the machine had been attached. It appeared to have been struck by lightning from Makoto's super-charged storm. The wood where it had been attached was charred and split by a deep crack that snaked down the tree trunk to the level of the rooftops. As she watched, a violent tremor ran through the tree and the crack dipped a little lower. Her gaze returned to the villagers working above. They'd been clutching their safety lines but after a moment returned to their task.

"It's going to break," Ami murmured, pulling out her computer to analyze the damage.

"We're getting some support beams to steady it…" someone volunteered behind her.

It wouldn't be enough, Ami knew. The crack split straight through the heart of the wood. Sooner or later, the weight would be too much and the smaller section would break off and crush anything in its path. Frowning, she shut her computer and turned back to the villagers. They were looking at her with childlike faith, as though sure that she would have an answer for them.

The flooring shook beneath their feet and for a moment, Ami thought the tree had fallen already. But then the climbers appeared behind her and she realized they'd simply set down the heavy ruined machinery. "What should we do with that, Ma'am?" one of them asked. "Can it be salvaged?"

"I… I don't…" Ami wanted to step back from them and their overwhelming faith in her. It was simply one more thing that she didn't have an answer to. A sudden hush from the crowd drew her attention. They were focused behind her and she spun to see what had alarmed them.

Makoto had stepped off the path to stand against the trunk, holding a hand against the bark.

"What are you doing?" Ami asked, moving closer. She moved down to the ground as well but kept a few feet of distance between them.

Makoto didn't answer as she knelt down, keeping one hand on the rough wood and plunging the other into the mud at her feet.

A light breeze tossed her hair around her shoulders and brought the fresh scents of the forest to them. Ami felt a light misting of rain against her skin and, far away, a rumble of thunder. This wasn't the menacing roar of a storm, however, more like the coming of a spring shower.

Makoto fingertips began to glow a soft green and slowly the color spread around her hand. Ami was startled by the creak of shifting wood and the feeling of the earth moving beneath her feet. As she watched, bright green shoots sprouted from the ground all around the tree. Slowly, they grew and branched out, becoming thick vines. The ropes the villagers had hung snapped and fell as the vines snaked beneath them. More grew around the thick iron spikes, tightening around them until they were forced out of the wood and hung suspended where they'd been extracted. The vines crept higher and higher, tightening around the trunk as they went. When they disappeared into the canopy, Ami dropped her gaze to the base of the crack instead. She could see tiny roots sprouting from the broken wood, stitching the pieces together like a piece of torn fabric. There was a long moment where the whole tree glowed a bright, piercing green before Makoto stood and the light faded.

Ami stood with the villagers, as slack-jawed as the rest of the amazed spectators at what they'd just witnessed. Makoto straightened and her shoulders rose and fell as she took a long breath. One of her palms was covered in bleeding scrapes and the other black with mud. She turned slowly and it seemed to take an effort to climb back onto the platform with them. She let her gaze travel over the villagers, waiting for their reaction.

The man who'd helped them stepped closer, head tilted back as he stared upward. The little boy who'd spoken earlier followed him, but his gaze was trained on Makoto. "Wow," he said quietly.

"Amazing," an older woman agreed. Then everyone was cheering and laughing, some even crying with relief. The crowd surged forward to surround Makoto, each eager to thank her.

Ami stayed back, watching with a mix of feelings. Of course she was happy for them, and Makoto. But a small part of her couldn't help a twinge of jealousy. The villagers were smiling and patting her on the back, touching her hands and just wanting to be near her. Their savior. It was as though they'd forgotten everything that had happened over the years. No matter how much she tried to help people, Ami knew they would never treat her like this. Like a hero.

A hand brushed her arm and Ami found Chibi-Usa watching her carefully. She certainly had a bit of her father, Ami thought as she tried to keep her feelings from showing in her expression. She had his calm perception, his ability to see right through someone's defenses to the pain beneath.

Thankfully, she did no more than give Ami's hand a reassuring squeeze and a soft smile. "We should probably get back to the ship," the Princess said, leading her forward. "We've still got a lot of work to do."