AN-edit: Okay so after fighting with the story exposition and more seamless writing for the past... however long it's been I've officially given up. You now get one more POV, completely unedited and possibly incomprehensible, trying to explain everything I wanted to put into Queen Serenity's mind in this final chapter. But I'd never been able to get something I was satisfied with, so yay, you get garbled trash inserted in my story in an attempt to convey her feelings about ending the world.. rather than just hinting at it through Rei's visions. Have fun. Tell me if it sucks. lol.

Epilogue: When She's Gone

To see a world in a grain of sand

And heaven in a wildflower

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand

And eternity in an hour.

- William Blake

REI

My head was aching when I finally rolled out of bed that morning, a sharp stabbing sensation behind my eyes that I hadn't felt since Minako and my grandfather had helped me to control my visions. I fought back a groan as I pulled on my clothes, pausing to brush a kiss against Minako's forehead.

"Where are you going?" She murmured sleepily. I brushed my hand through her hair hoping that she'd go back to sleep.

"Just to do my training." I told her, doing my best not to get overly concerned by the reemergence of these headaches. I wasn't going worry until I knew what this was about.

"The morning after your wedding and you don't even take a break." Minako commented, a teasing tone seeping in to her voice. I smiled as she rolled over and brought her lips to meet mine.

"Good morning." Minako told me before kissing me again. The connection between us lessened the pain of my headache. I let myself melt into the kiss a bit until Minako pulled back again.

"Good morning." I greeted in return, a soft smile on my face.

"Alright, well, I got my morning kiss, you can go if you want." Minako muttered, grabbing my pillow and curling around it.

"Sleep well Minako." I told her as I left the room.

ARTEMIS

I looked across the room at Luna and the High Queen, not really sure why we were meeting. Setsuna made a noise of annoyance from where she stood at my shoulder.

"I don't see why I'm here, we both know you're not going to listen to me." Setsuna commented, her gaze focused on Serenity.

"I was hoping for your help on this matter." Serenity replied calmly, gesturing towards the other person in the room – the Elder God; who, as far as we could tell, had decided to become a mortal child.

"If you do not take my advice I don't see how I can help you. It would be illogical on my behalf, I would be working against the best interest of..."

"Against your own best interest. I have the best interest of the galaxy in mind. If you refuse to help me, you may leave." Serenity said firmly.

Setsuna turned on heel and left the room behind her. I looked back at Luna and the High Queen.

"What's this about?" I asked, feelings more wary now that Setsuna.

REI

I settled down in a quiet corner of the courtyard, mentally preparing myself for my meditation... and the visions I was expecting.

After several deep calming breaths I closed my eyes and allowed myself to be sucked into the root of my headache.

I spiralled through the initial chaos of the vision, not doing anything to fight back against the disorienting blur of words, sights, and sensations that were assaulting me. I knew from experience that allowing them to wash over me was the best course of action, fighting would only cause me pain.

My world was disjointed and chaotic, blending my past, present, and future together. The plains of Mars, torn by war; it was just the reality of my home world. A queen dying on her throne as her kingdom crumbled. My heart stuttered, it was the High Queen. Once I had wrapped my mind around that the vision chanced again. The legendary Moon Palace deteriorated until it became a smoking ruin.

The familiarity of the vision settled around me, I had seen this before it had just been out of context.

A mottled blue orb hung in front of the vastness of space. Still recognizably Earth... but it was wrong somehow. Some intuition was telling me it was a different world, a new place, a new time. Sensations gripped me again, the lightheartedness of emotion through my bond with Minako. An echo of Michiru's laughter. A smile twitched at my lips. The hints that echoed out to me from this new world didn't seem so bad.

My mind barely had time to recognize this though before everything stopped, flashing me back through time. The new world deconstructing and devolving itself until I was faced with the Earth I knew today. The moon hung silver in the sky, while just beside it was Earth. Then all the light around me turned red as the Moon was consumed by blood. Until the only thing watching with me was the sheen of a blue ocean in the sky... even as it fell into the darkness with the disappearing sun.

Then in the last rays of light, I saw the High Queen; her hands dripping with red then there was total darkness, with her voice left to echo around me.

"End it."

Two simple words were all it took in the end. Our defeat, our death, came not from the enemy... but from someone we had trusted to ensure our survival. It came from the one person we had put our faith and conviction in.

It was a cruel betrayal, we had all sacrificed so much... and then the one we fought for turned around and destroyed what was left.

QUEEN SERENITY

Shattered worlds. Death and dying.

Pain.

Have to fix it.

The lingering glances, unwilling to admit, even to themselves, that they are hurt – wounded – by the trials we'd put them through in this attempt at killing a god.

Attempting.

Failing.

It will be back, we're left with nothing but open wounds and scattered people.

No force. No army.

Not any more.

We are weak. And we will lose.

It would be a kindness at this point, a mercy, to offer a second chance. To reforge the bonds stronger than before, entrust them with the future, send them forward to a time where the battle will be fair.

Can't...

Can't let them remember.

Remember so much pain; agony as their worlds are massacred, sleepless nights fraught with demons. Thrashing, coiled int the sheets unable to escape.

No. Better a lie than the truth.

Small mercies, even if it means some sacrifices.

Some things must be changed. For the good of the future.

The Source must be protected at all costs. They can't remember. They will make it work, make it right. In that far distant future, they will win.

They must.

REI

A flicker of reassurance nagged at my mind, pulling me towards a more distant future, towards my second chance.

Setsuna eyes met mine as I came out of the vision, my eyes watering as they adjusted to the bright light of the palace garden.

"So that's really how it ends?" I asked. Setsuna didn't reply verbally but her eyes betrayed the truth. This was what we'd been working to save?

"Are you going to tell the others?" She asked with a heavy sigh, it was obvious that she hadn't wanted things to end up this way... but she hadn't been able to bring herself to stop it.

"That would change the future wouldn't it?" I asked rhetorically, I didn't need an answer for that one. Of course it would change the future, well, everything except the end. We would still die but it would be a true end, not the beginning of a rebirth. "I won't tell them. This is the way it's supposed to be. I saw it before, I just wasn't aware the High Queen would be the one to..."

I paused giving a heavy sigh. I had never thought that the High Queen would be the one to kill us.

"I just assumed that it was Beryl. The visions... they weren't warning me away from her. They were warning me what would happen if I didn't join her." I muttered, mostly to myself. Setsuna gave me a look that said the gods acted in mysterious ways... And that even to her their actions were indecipherable.

"Why won't you tell them?" She asked, taking a seat beside me on the ground; content to simply watch the branches above us sway in the wind.

"Some burdens aren't meant to be shared, Setsuna. You know that better than anyone." Setsuna nodded. "We'll be reborn, I know that much at least. We may as well let the others celebrate peacefully and without worry. If we interfere there may not be the chance for rebirth, at least this way we'll all see each other again. We can try again."

Setsuna met my eyes.

"You have too much hope." There was sorrow and a bit of judgement in her gaze as she said this. I shook my head.

"No. Not hope. Faith. I believe in those around me – you and the others have proven yourselves. Even if my trust has been broken by someone else... that doesn't diminish my belief in the rest of you. We'll get it right next time."

"Then I pray that your faith is not misplaced." Setsuna told me softly, unable to meet my gaze. Her voice was sad.

"It isn't."

MINAKO

When Rei and Setsuna ambled into the common room later that day I could tell something was off, Rei seemed somehow different than she had early that morning. But when she took a seat at my side and wrapped her arm around my shoulders I didn't feel the need to ask her about it. The subtle brush of her emotions against mine told me everything I needed to know. That there was nothing for me to worry about. Even if Setsuna didn't take her usual seat next to Haruka and instead curled up on one of the window seats.

I leaned my head against Rei's shoulder as I watched Ami and Makoto discussing their upcoming wedding. Lately they had been struggling more with the whole idea, their parents both had very different ideas on how things were supposed to go. I heard Rei give a bit of a chuckle as she watched the discussion unfold.

"I'm happy Prometheus didn't give a shit about the ceremony, it made things so much easier." She whispered in my ear.

"You two practically let my mother commandeer the whole ceremony." I pointed out, my voice slightly teasing. "It sets a nice precedent for the future, its nice to know that we can push you two around."

Rei laughed.

"Don't expect it to be like that all the time." Rei told me, her voice playfully warning. I smiled, looking over at her just as Makoto let out an annoyed groan, muttering something about idiocy, politics, and protocol.

"Maybe you should just elope and get it over with." Rei suggested in a tone I didn't quite recognize, Haruka's head swung around – finally aware of something other than Michiru. There was a flicker of amusement from Setsuna at this. Ami looked a bit annoyed at Rei's input but Makoto's eyes lit up.

"Could we?" Makoto asked, looking over at Ami with hope in her eye. Ami hesitated before frowning, glancing at Michiru as if for help.

"No." Ami said firmly. "Diplomatically, it would..."

"Isn't there a Mercurian precept about about forgiveness and permission? And how one is better than the other?" Rei interjected, I could see a bit of a sly smirk on her face. Ami turned to face her, looking a bit annoyed. Haruka was uncharacteristically quiet, watching the conversation with narrowed eyes as if she were trying to puzzle something out.

"You know as well as I that this is not the kind of situation it refers to." Ami stated, doing her best to remain calm. Her frustration with Rei was still glaringly obvious though. Michiru looked like she wanted to kick Rei.

"Yeah but we both know I'll have trouble understanding that distinction..." Makoto interjected before the two of them could debate the matter further. It was then that I saw Rei's smirk grow bigger if that was at all possible. "We've got a perfect excuse so... Ami, will you marry me?"

"I.. What?" Ami asked turning her attention from Rei to Makoto, I turned my gaze to Rei; seeing the expression of satisfaction on her face. Had this been the outcome she'd expected when she'd brought up the Mercurian precept?

"Marry me." Makoto repeated with a shrug, I found myself holding my breath. I could feel the others emotions swirling about me, a confusing jumble that I was a little too preoccupied to sort through.

"You're being ridiculous." Ami said, her expression unreadable and her emotions on lock down. "We're already getting married – the treaty..."

"Ami." Makoto interrupted, I could feel her emotions swirling about. Calm, even if they weren't exactly clear.

"I don't want to do this for them, I want to do this for us. There's no one else I'd rather end up partnered to. No one I'd rather have with me for the rest of my life." Makoto said. "You're the responsible and logical one Ami, and I'm irrational and impulsive one. I just want you to trust me on this one, this is what's right for us."

Makoto let the silence fall between them for a moment while she gave Ami time to consider what she'd said. Then she took a deep breath, maintaining eye contact with Ami as she reached down and took her hand.

"Ami, will you marry me?" Makoto repeated, her emotions saying that she'd drop the matter if Ami said no, she'd let the political marriage run its course and everything would be fine between them but she wanted to know Ami's real thoughts first. Ami bit down on her lip, her consideration only took a second.

"Yes." Ami answered with a hint of a smile on her face. Then she was swept up in a hug by Makoto, her arms settling around her taller partner's waist.

The rest of the group just smiled and watched as our two friends savoured their embrace. After a several moments they eased apart, both looking a touch embarrassed over the fact they'd had this conversation in front of us.

"Makoto proposed, you owe me fifty credits Haruka." Rei pointed out lazily, but instead of looking at Haruka though she was smiling at Ami. For a second I thought that she was simply trying to ease their embarrassment but then Haruka's voice replied.

"Bet's off, you cheated." She argued, Michiru elbowed her in the ribs clearly unhappy with how she had been betting on their friends relationships.

"Rei never mentioned proposing, just eloping." Surprisingly it was Ami who had spoken up in Rei's defence. Haruka started to grumble but at Michiru's glare she stopped.

"Which I am holding you to, by the way." Makoto said, kissing Ami's cheek softly. "So how are we doing this? Finding the nearest minister and getting them to ordain the wedding? Or..?"

Ami laughed.

"I really don't care, just find someone so we can stop worrying about the political headache this Treaty turned out to be."

Rei was smiling, nearly laughing at the two of them.

"You two are both over thinking this. You do realize that under Lunar law there are three in this room alone who are eligible to solemnize your marriage, right?" She prompted. Ami looked thoughtful for a second then confused.

"I mean there's Minako and Haruka, a military leader and a planetary ruler...but who's the third?" Ami asked. Rei laughed.

"Well, technically under the Empire's Charter of Rights and the amendments made to the Religious Freedom Act, Section 10.5, paragraph 3..." Rei started, then Michiru clued in.

"You're considered Head Priestess of the Bonehunters, the religious leader, because you're Ares' Avatar. You're the successor to Menoetius' legacy." Michiru finished, Rei shrugged.

"Prometheus and my grandfather got in an argument and he pointed out that technically, legally, speaking I outranked him. He got a good laugh out of that one, my grandfather was not impressed." Rei told her, a bit of a wry smile on her face.

I felt a kind of vindictive pleasure as I imagined Prometheus explaining this to Rei's grandfather... I still hadn't forgotten the way he'd treated Rei. Some times I thought it was because it reminded me too much of the way I'd treated Rei... I frowned.

Rei reached down and took my hand in hers', sensing my vaguely guilty emotions.

"Anyway," Rei continued. "I think Haruka would be the soundest choice if you're still worried about the diplomatic side of things. Having the Imperator do the rites.. well, I'd like to see the idiots in the Lunar Court argue that one."

"You saw this happening didn't you? That's why you took that bet." Haruka laughed. "Now I'm pretty sure that's cheating."

"You have no proof." Rei retorted, relaxing back into the seat next to me. This time when I managed to pick up on Setsuna's emotions they were bittersweet, fond but almost nostalgic some how. I glanced back at Rei, when she still seemed content I let my sense of misgiving fade. I trusted her, if something was wrong she wasn't telling us for a reason.

REI

I was just about to suggest they get on with the impromptu wedding when I heard footsteps echoing their way down the hall towards us. I paused, frowning as I heard the choked noises that came when someone could no longer hold back their tears. The door swung open, Hotaru was sobbing as she entered the room. My plan for them dying in blissful ignorance went out the window.

"I'm sorry..." She cried, repeating the words over and over again. I stood from my seat next to Minako and wrapped my arms around Hotaru's shoulders. I needed to offer her what the others couldn't. I needed to offer her salvation, a way to rid herself of the guilt and responsibility. I could take that burden from her at least.

"No Hotaru, it wasn't your fault." I told her, kissing her forehead lightly. "I was given a choice and I let this happen. It's not your fault."

I could feel Setsuna's sympathy, she could finally understand my earlier actions. She hadn't realized that I had been aware Hotaru's guilt and heartbreak.

Hotaru was no longer sobbing in my arms but she was shaking heavily.

"You may have been the weapon used but I'm the one who didn't stop it, I'm the one responsible." I whispered. "I have no regrets in this choice, Hotaru. You'll have a family in the next life who will love you for who you are. There should be no sadness today. Your essence is that of Rebirth, not Destruction. Don't ever forget that."

I could feel Hotaru nodding, her hands clenched around my shirt as her arms wrapped around me.

"Thank you Rei." She whispered as her forehead came to rest on my shoulder.

We both let go of each other at the same time. Michiru met my eyes. A slow sadness filled her eyes. She knew what was about to happen.

Michiru walked over slowly and took Hotaru's hand in hers. She met my eyes again, her hand gently caressing my cheek before she moved back.

"It's really happening, isn't it?" She asked, I nodded.

"Thank you for trying Rei." Michiru said. I then realized that she knew I had tried to let them die in blissful ignorance. Nothing escaped her, did it?

I nodded again, unable to find the words, and turned to face the other three people in the room. It would be harder to get them to understand, I couldn't convey to them that each of their people would be reborn. I couldn't properly convey that Earth, that tiny blue planet, would one day hold almost eight billion people, there was no way for them to truly understand.

There was no reason to go to Serenity or Endymion, for they had already been told by the High Queen that their love would be eternal, and that was what mattered to them. Convincing Hotaru had been easy, she held nothing dear except for us. Setsuna had already known, and Haruka and Michiru's planets had been ravaged beyond the point of salvation. The other inner guard still valued their relationships and homelands. It was now just a matter of their faith... in me.

A cursory glance at their faces showed exactly what I had expected to find. Ami looked coldly calculating, having already figured it out. Makoto's face show confusion and a rare aggression I'd seen in her only once before. Minako looked suspicious as she watched me, as if she had a guess as to what was going on. I needed the right words to allay their fears and doubts.

"She ordered the destruction of...everything?" Ami asked, her voice cracking slightly. Makoto glared at me, her eyes demanding that I both lie and tell the truth at the same time.

"Only the physical." I replied.

Makoto and Ami's retorts were jumbled as they both tried to make themselves heard. I had never before seen Ami so furious, nor Makoto so hurt.

The gist of their outbursts was that neither of them would abide by her decision, nor did they trust the Queen to make decisions any longer.

I looked at them, fully aware that Minako had yet to say anything... I was also acutely aware of the fact her eyes had never left my face. I took a step closer to the three of them, unconsciously reaching for Minako's hand, as well as asking silently for her trust. I was heartened as her fingers entwined with mine, giving me everything I'd asked for. She trusted me with out hesitation, she loved me without hesitation.

"The only way to go against her decision would have been to kill Hotaru." I told them quietly, deciding to confront them with the true cost of going against this. "I am unwilling to kill another child, especially if that child is Hotaru, and none of you would have been able to do it."

Shamed recognition of my words appeared on their faces as the realized what they would have been asking me to do. And that recognition was followed by acceptance for the inevitable.

"As for trusting the Queen, she thinks we will be reborn into a new world. I'm not going to ask you to trust her because I don't, I only ask you have faith in me. We will be reborn, I know this. I've seen it."

Makoto's face relaxed into a smile, Ami leaned her head against her shoulder. She was quietly coming to terms with this.

"Faith huh?" Makoto asked. I nodded. "Well, that I can do."

Then she chuckled.

"Of course the Head Priestess of the Bonehunters would ask us to have faith..." Makoto quipped. I rolled my eyes.

"Low blow." I murmured, a small smile fighting its way on to my face Ami whispered something in Makoto's ear, which for some reason caused Makoto's ears to turn pink. Makoto nodded, kissing her cheek.

Minako squeezed my hand, trying to convey something. I glanced at her, her eyes flicked to the balcony door. I nodded and together we left the room.

Minako released my hand to shut the balcony door behind us, giving us some privacy from the others.

"Do you believe everything you told them?" Minako asked quietly. I nodded.

"Of course I do. This isn't the end Minako." I told her.

"It could be the end of us though! What if we never get to this point again?" She whispered. There was a pause, then she spoke again, so softly I could barely hear her words. "I don't want to be alone."

"You won't be alone. Never. Your mother preformed a ceremony between us binding us as soul mates. We'll never be truly alone or apart. I'll be with you, just as you'll be with me. Forever." I told her. Minako looked up at me. Her eyes were searching.

"Why didn't she tell me?"

"Because it will stop you from becoming one with the goddess Aphrodite. Your mother didn't want you to have to choose between her and I, so she chose for you. And I wouldn't have it any other way, I want to spend the rest of my existence with you. We Martians are a possessive people." I told her with a small smile.

Minako's lips claimed mine as the moon darkened. Her forehead rested against mine as life began to vanish, the world was washed red with blood and the Moon Kingdom began to crumble around us.

"I love you Minako and I will always find you. I promise." And with that, we died. Painlessly and with hope.

The End.

We are one, after all, you and I, together we suffer,

together exist and forever will recreate each other.

- Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

AN: Well, that took a whole lot longer than I had hoped it would. And I'm talking about the whole thing not just this update. That being said this story isn't quite over, there's still the somewhat-prequel and the sequel. There's a lot I'm still unhappy with about this story, mostly side plots that didn't get fleshed out but maybe some day I'll get those all addressed. (Originally there was a lot more story about Rhode, Minako, Haruka, and Hotaru... along with more emphasis on the Gods and the effects of their influence on their respective planets: such as the bloodwrath Rei feels, Minako's empathic abilities, and michiru's bond with Rei, among others.) But hey, there's only so much I could work it while making this story... this story. Anyway, it was fun. Let's do it again some time. KR out.