Some premises:

- I decided to set the story six months after the battle against Galaxia. It means Usagi and the girls are now 17 years old, Mamoru 20, Jadeite 21, Nephrite 22, Zoisite 19 and Kunzite 28.

- If you already read some other stories of mine, you'll find some aspects about the Shitennou reminding my past stories (about their names and lives). But I am going to shape them better. You'll also find a totally new aspect about the future, though. ;-)

Thanks for your reviews! Thanks lija: you were right, some sentences of the past chapter were weird (so I fixed the chapter)

ACT 1 – STARTING THE CHASE

Minako crossed her arms around her waist, lowered her head and closed her eyes, "OK. We don't know where to start. I wonder if the Shitennou are in Tokyo, somewhere, though. They could be everywhere. I hope they aren't abroad." She sighed and turned to Artemis and Luna, "Can you find their position?"

Artemis and Luna were on the couch during Mamoru's revelation, silently listening to him and observing the Senshi's reaction, their presence so discreet to the point of invisibility. Until Minako's direct question.

Artemis looked at Luna and they both shook their head. Artemis spoke, "No. Luna and I were assigned to the Moon Kingdom; we have no connection with the Shitennou." He stared at Mamoru, "You are the only one being connected with them."

Mamoru nodded, "Right. But actually I am not able to sense them, maybe 'cause they have no memories of their past, so their energy isn't apparent yet. I don't think they are distant, anyway. I sincerely believe they were re-incarnated in Tokyo during this Century, like us; I think they would have bumped into us, at some point, if Queen Beryl hadn't found them before we could meet them."

Makoto smiled, "You're right. We bumped into each other, after all, because we were destined to meet along this new life. I perfectly remember the first time I met Usagi; an apparent casual meeting that changed my destiny."

Minako winked, "You should say you met your destiny, instead."

Rei had a soft laugh, "Speaking of Usagi, we can perfectly talk about bumping."

Usagi frowned, "Rei-chan! Are you implying I am clumsy?" Then she burst out laughing.

Makoto stood up, raised her right arm and rolled up her shirt's sleeve, "Come on, let's find them. We can't wait until they bump into us."

Ami nodded and smiled, "But Tokyo is so big. It won't be easy to find them with no hint." She turned serious and stared at Mamoru, "You talked to their spirits several times, didn't you? Did you ever ask them about their life before Beryl caught them? Did they ever say something about it?"

Mamoru sighed, "Unfortunately, no."

Artemis jumped down the couch and came closer Mamoru, "Did King Endymion give you some advice in order to find them? Did he explain why the Shitennou are so important for the future Crystal Tokyo? He didn't say anything about them when we traveled to the 30th Century, during the Black Moon's attack."

Mamoru stoop up and walked to the window, looking at Tokyo's skyline tingeing red in the sunset, "I don't know, Artemis. I really don't know; King Endymion told me the Shitennou are fundamental for the future peace. And I have to find them."

CRYSTAL TOKYO

King Endymion observed Sailor Chibi-Moon and the Sailor Quartet training.

Kunzite approached the King, "They are becoming really strong."

King Endymion spoke slowly, his tone serious, "They are the protectors of the future Crystal Tokyo. Serenity can't be a Senshi any more; Chibiusa is going to take her role and the Sailor Quartet are going to take the same role of Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Mercury."

Kunzite nodded, "A new generation of Sailor Moon and Sailor Senshi. The future peace will depend on them."

A shout of joy. Sailor Ceres ran to Kunzite, "Hey daddy, did you see it?"

Kunzite laughed, "Good job, Ceres, good job. You are becoming as strong as your mother."

King Endymion smiled sweetly at Kunzite and Ceres.

Chibiusa needed the Sailor Quartet the way Neo-Queen Serenity had needed the Inner Senshi when she could transform into Sailor Moon. After the Sailor Quartet were recruited by Nehelenia and finally defeated during the 20th Century, they were reverted into their stones (the Amazon stones) and the stones given to Neo-Queen Serenity by Sailor Saturn. When Usagi gave birth Chibiusa and finally ascended to the throne as Neo-Queen Serenity, she finally found a way to revive those stones, giving Chibiusa some close friends (the way Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Mercury had been her close friends), giving the Inner Senshi the joy of motherhood, and giving the Sailor Quartet special parents. When Chibiusa finally took her role as Sailor Chibi Moon, the Sailor Quartet took their role as guardians of Sailor Chibi Moon and regained the memories of their past life, role and origin.

Chibiusa was the daughter of King Endymion and Neo-Queen Serenity; the Sailor Quartet were the daughters of the Inner Senshi and the Shitennou; Diana was the daughter of Luna and Artemis: King Endymion observed Sailor Chibi Moon and the Sailor Quartet training, he smiled, he knelt down and caressed Diana, "The future depends on you, do you know, kitty?"

Mamoru stared at the skyline, trying to remember any word of King Endymion and any possible hint.

He slipped his hands into his jeans' pockets and he thoughtfully half-closed his eyes, as if he could see the Shitennou from his position.

Kunzite, Jadeite, Nephrite and Zoisite, where are you?

Kazuo Kitamura tapped the pencil on the pile of homework of his students.

He rested the pencil on his desk and stirred. He stood up and walked to the window, staring at the sunset and at the students leaving Moto Azabu High School.

The bloody sunset turned the silver of his hair into a shade of pale red.

"Kitamura. Are you still here?"

Kazuo turned to his colleague; he glanced at the empty teachers' room and smiled, pointing at his desk, "I think I am going to spend the evening on this." He took the pile of homework, put it into his bag and left the room.

"You are a genius, Satoru-san!"

Satoru Minami closed his laptop and smiled. He stood up while his classmates circled him.

He walked to the class' door, his long and loose ponytail gently swinging on his large shoulders as he moved. Before to leave the room he stopped, turned to his classmates and winked, "Don't worry, tomorrow I am going to show you some more tricks in order to solve this kind of problems."

While he walked along K.O. University's corridor, he could still hear the voices inside his classroom referring to him as the "genial student of computer engineering".

Outside the University, he watched up at the sky and smiled at the red fusing with the dark blue of the evening sky.

"You'll become a great lawyer, Akanishi. You are a shark. Do you know?"

Nobuo Akanishi smirked, "A shark? Really?"

The girl folded her arms around her waist, "Really. A shark."

Nobuo laughed.

The girl kept on talking, "Are you planning to take the role of your father, in the future?"

Nobuo's laugh melted into an annoyed snort; he caressed his long brown hair, "I have nothing to do with my father. It doesn't matter if I am going to become a lawyer, like him. I am different than him, I'll be a different kind of lawyer." He stirred and looked up at the sky, "Stop talking of my father and look at the sunset; it's beautiful."

The air filled with the high-pitched voices of the children running outside the kindergarten while their parents waited for them.

Jun Higashi had a big sigh.

"Are you tired, Higashi-kun?"

Jun smiled at the old teacher of the kindergarten, "Just a bit, Watanabe-san."

Mr. Watanabe gently patted Jun's shoulder, "Children are really lively, but you are going to get used to it. You started this job just six months ago, didn't you?"

Jun nodded.

Mr. Watanabe walked to the kindergarten's gate, "It's time to go home, Higashi-kun."

Jun watched the man leaving and said goodbye. He looked up at the sky and smiled, "What a beautiful sunset." He inhaled the fresh air and finally left the kindergarten, the breeze caressing his short blond hair as he ran to his home.

Kunzite, Jadeite, Nephrite and Zoisite, where are you?

Mamoru had a deep sigh and turned round while Tokyo, outside the window, was wrapped into the night.