...

There's no use to try and suppress
It's always there reminding
The one wound that never forgets
Open and undying
Always alive, always inside

And no one comes out the same
Love always leaves a mark
The scars give it all away
Burned in your heart
Love will leave a mark

Kimi slammed her palms hard against the desk and her hands swung violently; sending the pile of newspapers and other information flying all around. Nothing was going her way! Jed had still to find The Princess and she was getting nowhere all together in her plan. Her fists clenched tightly as she stood there breathing deeply and her face was a shade of red darker and her eyes seemed to glow a slight purple.

Mamoru was resisting her more and more as time continued, and he was drifting away from her. Recently his recoil from her touch and resistance to her kisses had increased, but Kimi could find no reason for it other than he was not falling as easily as he should. Even with the amount of magical influence increased on his heart, it appeared to have no effect other than to keep him from leaving her, but that was a flimsy connection. With one bat of the eye from The Princess, he would be gone in a heartbeat. Kimi screamed and she kicked the papers on the ground. That stupid echo of love embedded in his heart was impossible to drown out. That damn Moon Princess! She would rather have Endymion dead than back with that little pest!

Jed had to improve his search. Kimi had to kill her! It was the only way to ensure Endymion did not awaken from his sleep and remember.

A knock on her office door forced Kimi to breath in deeply and attempt to calm herself down.

"Come in." The door opened and Jed walked into the lion's den. Kimi's eyes flared as her anger escalated. "Have you even started searching for her?!" She asked enraged. Jed knelt down in front of her apologetically, and his head was bent downward.

"Forgive me for my slow movement in this, Queen Beryl, but I have a suspicion: Sailor V." He said and Kimi stared at the newspaper at her feet, the masked menace staring up at her with the flashy smile Kimi hated but the public loved. The mark of The Moon was embedded onto her forehead, and the power of the moonlight flowed from her fingers. "From what I can remember, I believe she is The Princess we seek." Kimi's breathing was rapidly and hard. It was possible. Kimi had been watching the masked Senshi since her arrival, and she knew it could very well be her, but Kimi was not so sure. "I have begun sending out my own Youmas in order to drag out Sailor V into the daylight," he said, "but in the chaos, other Sailor Senshi have appeared." Jed looked up at Kimi who stood there still unappeased. "This was unexpected, but it does not matter. It has only given me more pieces of the puzzle in order to see the bigger picture."

"Bring Sailor V to me." Kimi snarled. "I will know when I kill her if she is The Princess." The Silver Crystal would be within her soul, if not, then Sailor V was not The Princess. Jed bowed her head again.

"Yes, My Queen." With that he rose to his feet and began to make his way to the door.

"Oh, and Jedeite..." The man turned back to face her. "Don't disappoint me." Kimi's eyes glared at him and the power of hatred flowed within her. "If you are wrong about Sailor V, I would not want to be in your shoes." Jed bowed.

"I will be sure."

Jed had to be sure.

If he failed then there was no telling what Kimi would do to him. How horrible of a death would he experience, he wondered. If he were to fail then she would surely awaken one of the others, and Jed could not let that happen.

Ever since Kunza had confronted them they had kept close and had kept the other informed in all of their plans. Kunza would stay close to Mamoru: to keep him safe. And so far, the safest place was right there in Kimi's grasp. Kimi would not hurt him if he remained under her thumb of influence, and if he tried to leave, and go after his Princess, he would be utterly crushed. Kunza had to keep him safe, and Jed had to trust that. It was Kunza's duty. Just like it was Jed's duty was to keep Kimi from awakening the others, and to ensure that the situation rolled over quickly and as quietly as possible. The only way to make sure of that was to destroy The Princess. It was the only way to keep Mamoru safe from Kimi's rage.

Happiness? That was a different story, but Jed could not risk Mamoru's death. Jed had been reborn to protect him and to make sure the past was not repeated. The death of The Prince must not happen, and if Jed had to kill The Moon Princess in order to prevent it, that was one price to pay.

Jed sighed as he sat down at his desk and rested his head against the back of his chair. It was the only way, but the burden was still difficult for Jed to bear without reassurance. Kunza kept telling him he was right, but that was Kunza. It was their duty, and Kunza knew it. The silver haired man was always sacrificing his own happiness for duty, and had always seemed to find it easier than the rest had. Jed just wished there was another way to go. A way that would lead to both Mamoru's safety and happiness. Jed sighed once more as he lifted his head and picked up the phone to start his work all over again.

Every night was the same thing:

V would call, and Sailor Moon and Mercury would charge forward to help. And always, always, they defeated the monster: things that Sailor V and Luna continually called Youmas.

Tuxedo Kamen came around to help them on most occasions, and he no longer broke into stores. That was some relief for Sailor V, and it helped that she no longer had to waste time on chasing after him. His presence in battle still disturbed her, and the urge to protect him still haunted her, but she could push it away with the need to protect Sailor Moon overpowering it.

The first night Mercury had come along with Sailor Moon, Sailor V had been surprised beyond belief.

"Mercury?!" She had recognized her at first glance. That beautiful blue, sleeveless fuku helped in recognizing her, but the real give away was the blue visor that went across her eyes. Before another word could be offered between them though, the battle had begun as the Youma had spotted them, and Mercury lifted her hand to remove her visor. She had apparently already found a weakness.

"Sailor Moon, you stay near Sailor V." Mercury had cried as she lifted her hands into the air, and Sailor Moon had obeyed her. The battle had been mostly Sailor Mercury offering cover for them, and the other two attacking offensively. Once the battle had ended with the Youma destroyed into a pile of ash, the three of them had escaped to the rooftops and Sailor Moon had been able to ask a question that Sailor V had suspected was coming ever since the two other Senshi had blocked her from the Youma's path.

"V-chan, who are?" Sailor V froze in her tracks. This was her time to completely enact her charade, and to take Serenity's place as the main target. "Are you The Princess we have been searching for?"

"Yes," Sailor V could not look them in the eyes as she spoke, but she tried to remain strong. If she let on that she was lying, then it would be more difficult to keep them safe. "I am Princess Serenity." Sailor Moon smiled brightly at this and hugged Sailor V.

"I'm so glad we found you!" Sailor Mercury, though, stood silently with a blank expression on her face. It was as if she could see through Sailor V, and it caused Sailor V to shiver. The look left Mercury after a moment as she pulled out her computer.

"I have connect my computer to Sailor Moon's new communication watch." She said and she began to press buttons. "I can create a link between our objects and one of your choice in order to keep in better touch." Mercury looked up from her computer and Sailor V summoned her transformation pen.

"Use this." Sailor V said as she handed it over to Mercury, and the Senshi hooked it up to the small super computer.

"I can create a link so we can communicate both ways, and in extreme emergencies I can access your exact location." Sailor V had only nodded, but Sailor Moon seemed more enthusiastic.

"Mercury, you're so smart!" She said smiling brightly, and Mercury had allowed herself to smile too.

"It's actually rather easy." She said pushing the complement aside.

"For the Soldier of Wisdom, I would hope so." Sailor V was pierced by the glance she received from Mercury; her eyes were like icy water.

"Yes." Mercury said shortly.

Minako sat down on her bed with a loud sigh.

"Rough fight?" Artemis asked as he jumped up onto the bed next to her. Minako sat staring up at the ceiling.

"Sailor Mercury has awakened." Artemis' mouth opened partially in surprise. "She came today with Sailor Moon."

"That's great!" Minako turned her head to face him and she was frowning. "Well, not great that whoever this is awoke someone else, but its great that at least now one of you is close to Sailor Moon at all times." Minako nodded and closed her eyes in exhaustion. "They think you're Serenity, right? Just like we planned?"

"Yeah." Minako said softly trying not to fall asleep on him, but she was just so tired. "I just hope I can keep it up." The cat rubbed up against her and she hugged him as she drifted into sleep.

The sight the man's smile made Rei's muscles tense. Why did he have to be there every single time she turned around?! And why? Why did he have to pop by The Shrine every single time he was nearby? Couldn't he leave her alone?

The first time he had walked onto The Shrine's grounds, Phobos and Deimos had gone ballistic! The two crows had scrawked and circled around him, but oddly enough, the two crows had not swooped down to attack him. Instead they had listened to Rei when she had called out to them, and had made themselves comfortable on the tree near him, and they had watched him walk towards her. His presence sent shivers down Rei's spine, but she could not turn him away.

"How can I help you today?" Rei's voice had been as stern as she could make it, but he just continued to smile arrogantly, and Rei pushed back the urge to smack it off of his stupid face. The strange mixture of auras all around him made her weary of being around him for too long, but he seemed in no hurry of leaving.

"Just thought I drop by. I don't know, meditate or something." Rei had laughed inwardly at that. He didn't mean that genuinely at all, or at least she had thought. She didn't know if she would be able to keep her cool if he continued to walk around like he owned the place, and if he thought he could go around mocking her and the religion she had devoted her life to he was greatly, and she meant greatly, mistaken! As time passed by though, it seemed that his interest in The Shrine, and Shinto itself was not entirely made up of the pure need to annoy her. He first walked around aimlessly, but then, slowly, his questions came. At first she only wished to get rid of him, but then she began to feel as if his questions were truly genuinely. As they talked about The Shrine's importance, the spirituality involved, the charms and amulets, Rei felt a connection being made, and it scared the living daylights out of her.

"So, you meditate often, I mean, if you're studying to be a priestess, I guess you would." Rei had nodded in agreement. "So Tarot cards and the likes? We have those back in The States."

"I use the sacred fire to do most of my readings." Rei answered honestly. "I do use Tarot cards on occasion, but the fire speaks to me in a way I can't describe, in a way that feels more accurate and... just right."

"Sacred fire? Not just some creative name I take it." Rei had paused before leading him into a deeper part of the shrine and opened one of the doors to reveal the blazing fire. "How do you use this to do readings?" His question was again in genuine interest, and Rei sighed as she gave into his curiosity. It felt strange, and almost like an invasion of privacy to allow him to enter the long room containing the fire, but there was also a sense of interest in Rei's heart as to why all of this was fascinating him so much. He sat down on one of the mats next to the fire and Rei sat facing it.

"I look into it, and the visions appear to me."

"Just like that?"

"Well, no. I have to meditate first, and then I concentrate... its not always clear as to what I'm seeing, and sometimes I never find out. Sometimes I don't see anything."

"See anything today?" Rei sat the silently. She had been using the fire constantly in order to try and clear her thoughts, and interpret her dreams and visions, but all she hade ever been able to see was the foggy image of a symbol, but it was too uncertain for Rei to make out. No matter how hard she tried, the symbol refused to become clearer, as if it were waiting for Rei to do something, or to remember something. "Rei?" Rei turned towards him, her eyes flaring angry.

"Hino-san." She corrected violently, and he blushed a bit.

"S-Sorry. I forget honorifics sometimes. We don't use them back home." Rei was not appeased.

"So call me by my family name." Rei said still in anger. Hearing him say her name in such a personal way, and in such a personal place, had felt... Rei couldn't even decide how to describe it. It was foreign, but then again familiar, and Rei feared that, in the deepest part of her heart, she had like it. As if it belonged on his lips. Rei's heart beat faster and she began to grow even more angry; at him and herself.

She didn't know him, and he didn't know her! He had no right to call her something so personal. No one would ever grow that close to her again. Not ever! She had watched what love had done to others all around her, and she knew from personal experience the grave aftermath it had on the heart. She didn't need it! She didn't need a lover, or even friends for that matter! Rei would not open herself up to such humiliation once more! She would never, ever love again!

"Rei-chan..."

Rei gasped in horror as the voice called out to her again and it was as if it had been right there; being whispered in her ear.

"What's wrong?" Jed asked urgently, and again with a genuineness Rei now hated. She needed to hate him. With his evil presence and connection to the dark visions, Rei just needed to hate him.

"I want you to leave." Rei said in a deep voice and anger still permeated her whole being as she sat there with her eyes downcast. "I want you to leave, and don't ever come back. Don't even think about it." Jed sat there unmoving. Rei looked up at him and his eyes were shut as he sat there. "What are you doing?"

"Shh," He said softly. "I'm meditating." Then his legs crisscrossed, and he held up his hands in the most ridiculous fashion with his pointer finger and thumb connected at the tips. "Ommmm..."

Rei wanted to punch him all the way to Mars.

"That's not how you actually meditate!" She shouted, her anger exploding. Yet it was actually the first time he had even tried to mock her since coming up the stairwell. His one eye opened.

"What do you mean? You see it all the time in movies." His voice was not serious at all anymore. Rei's fist balled and she grabbed at her skirt tightly as she tried to stop herself from actively hurting him.

"I'm going to seriously hurt you..." She growled. "Just leave!" Jed's other eyed opened and he smiled at her; that damn cocky smile!

"Then how do you do it?" He asked. Rei's eyes closed and her face formed her irritated expression.

"I don't meditate in front of other people." She seethed through gritted teeth. Jed sat silently and she did not hear him move. "Please," she said again with her muscles remaining tense and rigid, "leave."

"Please," He said this time, and Rei's eyes opened. His plea was once again genuine and carried no hint of mockery or jest. "I really, really, would like to know how to meditate. I'm going through some very hard stuff at the moment, and... it would give me something to help calm myself." Rei watched him in silence for a moment, he looked almost sad at the moment, and worn even. Jed smiled a bit. "Please?" He repeated. Rei sighed as she turned to face the fire once more. Clasping her hands together she lifted her two extended pointer fingers to her chin and closed her eyes once more. She heard Jed move beside her in order to face the fire as well.

"Just," She paused. She wasn't about to give him a 101 on meditation, but she started with something easy. If it was peace he wanted, then she would try her best. "imagine yourself in a place. A place you may or may not have been before. A place that is calm and peaceful." Jed was silent beside her. "Have something?"

"Yeah, I think so." Rei breathed in deeply, and she heard him imitate her. Letting go the breath, Rei opened her right eye to peek at him to see how serious he was taking this. Jed's eyes were closed, but his face was hardened and serious. Rei had never noticed that before. When that cocky smile faded away, his face formed that harden mask almost instantly. "What now, Hino-san?" Rei closed her eye again and tilted her head downward.

"It depends. If you want peace, just keep breathing and let the place carry you. If you want something deeper, like to think out something, just focus your thoughts on that and that alone."

"Okay." They sat there silently, and Rei herself began to find her own center. Usually this room and the fire were enough, but Rei's mind drifted to another scene. A garden full of blooming red roses, and Rei could have almost sworn that she could smell their sweet sent. Suddenly, Rei felt as if the meditation was no longer a meditation, but a vision. Because, as Rei stood there, she made out someone calling to her and she turned in her vision to face him. The man from before stood there, the man that looked so much like Jed, and he was smiling that same cocky smile she hated and, though she refused to admit, loved so much. He was talking to her, but Rei could not make out the words. She only knew that she should be embarrassed at having been found out.

"Hino-san?" Rei's eyes opened with a gasp, and she found herself actually turned in her position and facing Jed. "Are you alright?" Rei looked around herself, and hazily she remembered that they were inside.

"I'm fine." She said hastily pushing back some of her hair, and then she smiled up at him. "So, how did you do?" Jed shrugged.

"I think I'll get the hang of it, but perhaps its best if I stick to getting advice from other people." Rei laughed, but it was forced.

"Then you'll have to meditate on their advice." She reasoned and he laughed, actually in a genuine nature.

"Yeah, I'll be sure to come to you for help." Rei frowned, and his smile only brightened.

"I think you should leave." Rei said again finally. Jed sat back and crossed his legs again.

"Why this time?" Rei looked away from him and stared deeply into the fire, as if it might show her another scene of destruction that would support her wanting to go on hating him.

"Because you're a pest." Rei jabbed and she turned back to him, but he was no longer smiling.

"Can I ask your advice on something?" Rei felt her muscles tense up again, and he leaned forward again and rested his elbows on his knees.

"I guess." The look in his eyes was ripping through her, and she wondered if this had actually been the reason he had come in the first place.

"If you had to decide on someone's safety and happiness, what would you chose?" Rei frowned. That was a stupid question.

"Safety, of course!" Jed sighed and his head dropped. "Well, of coarse I would work to ensure both." Rei added quickly, and he shook his head.

"There doesn't seem to be any way to do that though." Rei shifted in her sitting position.

"Well, you can't give up." She reasoned. "How much do you love this person?" Jed looked up once more and met her gaze. His eyes were again serious and a cold fire blazed in them.

"I would die for them." He said. Rei's mind jumped into overdrive at that statement, and she felt her heart ache. It was as if... as if Rei knew what that felt like. As if their was someone she was suppose to love that much.

"Rei-chan..."

Rei's back stiffened, but she forced herself to push forward in her thoughts.

"If that is true, then I'm sure you'll find a way to make it both work out. Giving up your own happiness for theirs." Jed shook his head sadly.

"Its not that easy. I don't think even me dying to self would help, and my death would be even more useless." He sighed and Rei sat there helpless, but at the back of her mind she felt like she may have had a similar conversation before, but she could not place where or with whom.

"Then do everything you can to keep them safe." Rei said. "As long as their safe, there is a chance for them to be happy again." A part of her heart knew that this wasn't true in every case. The harrowing scream of that single blond as she raced forward filled her again, and she wrapped her arms around her waist subconsciously as she heard it. The room felt more chilly with that vision in her mind even with the Sacred Fire raging beside her.

"You sure?" Jed asked, and Rei nodded.

"Their safety is your number one concern. At first they may not forgive you, but in the end, I'm sure they will see that what you did was necessary." Jed nodded and his hand was at his chin; like he was thinking. Then he smiled at her.

"Thank you, Hino-san." Then he stood up and bowed deeply. Rei watched as he turned, and as she turned back to the fire, a voice broke her concentration.

"Who are you?" Rei gasped in horror as she raced upwards towards the door.

"I'm sorry, I was just talking to Hino-san. My name is Jed." Rei cursed under her breath. Why? Just why did this happen to her?

"You were talking to Rei-chan?" Grandpa's voice asked incredulously. "In that room?" Rei groaned and she stepped out into the hallway.

"Yes, and he was just leaving. He was only seeking advice, and I needed to meditate." It was her best defense, but Grandpa was already beaming from ear to ear. Rei just wanted the day to be over! But it was far from it as Grandpa took charge, and to Rei's dismay, he made Jed feel right at home.

And both seemed to make it their ultimate goal to keep Rei as irritated as possible...

Makoto walked upwards to The Shrine alone. Their study group wasn't until another half hour or so, but Makoto hadn't come to study. She had come to get some things off of her mind.

As she arrived at the top of the hill, the air around her felt thick like before a storm. The two crows sat restlessly on the tree next to The Shrine's shop, and Makoto walked forward knowing that this was where Rei would be, and so would Jed.

From the first time she laid eyes on him she had felt it. It was an electric spark, a warning in her soul, and the air around her would grow heavy. His eyes were always cold, but burned like fire, and his mere presence sent Makoto into a strangely protective mode. She had always had a purely protective instinct, and it had always gotten her into trouble. Bullies didn't stand a chance when Makoto entered this mode, but this Jed hadn't actually done anything wrong that she knew of to warrant her reaction. Just his presence set it off, and it was the strongest Makoto had ever felt it. Makoto wasn't like Rei, she could not read a person's aura, or intents, but something inside Makoto had marked him a threat, and Makoto always listened to her instincts. No matter how much trouble it got her into.

"Mako-chan..."

Makoto looked back towards the steps, but she knew already that no one would be there. The woman was solely in her head, but the desire to protect her, this phantom woman, was just as strong as if she were real. Makoto sighed as she approached the little shop near The Shrine, and sure enough, Jed stood bent down over an array of charms and amulets. Rei stood behind the counter, her face molded into its usual irritated expression, and Makoto wondered why she didn't just tell the man off. Why not tell him to leave and not come back?

Rei noticed her and she smiled brightly. Jed stood up straight holding one of the charms, and his eyes caused Makoto's right fist to ball up tightly. The other clutched the strap of her bag.

"Time for our little study group already?" Jed asked looking at his watch, and then he turned back to Rei. "Sure this one will help?" Jed asked, and the smile left Rei.

"Of course." She said as if she were offended he would even ask. He looked it over again.

"Doesn't look like much of a ward to me." He grumbled, and Makoto noticed something new in his eyes; he was exhausted. There were bags starting to form under his eyes and Makoto's right hand went to her own cheek where the powdered make-up covered her own set of dark circles. Jed looked back up at Rei with that arrogant smile of his, and then he bowed slightly. "Won't keep your friend waiting." He said walking towards the door. "See you Hino-san." Jed nodded his head slightly in greeting towards Makoto. "Kino-san."

As soon as he was out the door, they heard the two crows start to scrawked at him, but they knew they would not swoop down and attack him. He had already made his presence at The Shrine something of a common place in the last week and a half, and the crows had begun to accept his peculiar presence. Rei, had seemed to have come to the same acceptance: there was no getting rid of him. No matter how hard Rei tried.

"Wards?" Makoto asked raising her eyebrow curiously as she stepped forward and leaned against the case Jed had just been peering into. "What happened to meditating, and... I don't know, whatever his past excuses have been?" Rei sighed and she rubbed at her temples.

"He says he hasn't been sleeping well. I think he has nightmares." Makoto looked at the array of charms in front of her, and it seemed like they had one for everything. Rei looked at the clock in the back of the room. "You're here early." Makoto nodded.

"I would have to admit that Jed-san is not the only one who has been having sleeping trouble." Rei sighed and sat down on the chair behind the case.

"Join the club." She said, and Makoto looked up at her. She looked just as exhausted as Makoto felt, and that was saying something. "Nightmares? Or just not sleeping?" Makoto rested her chin on her hand.

"I wouldn't call them nightmares." Makoto reasoned. "They are not frightening or disturbing, they just..."

"Won't let you sleep." Makoto nodded, and Rei smiled sadly. "I know the feeling. Unfortunately, we have nothing for that. If its not an evil spirit, then they don't do much." Makoto offered her a small smile.

"I understand." Makoto said truthfully, but in her heart she felt a bit disappointed. Like she said, the dreams weren't anything serious, but they had begun to distract her even during the day, and the woman's voice...

"Mako-chan..."

It was growing louder each time, and Makoto even thought, it might even be growing more sad and desperate.

"I dream the same few dreams every night. In the same order." Rei sat there thinking a moment.

"Then there must be something important your mind is trying to tell you." She concluded. "Dreams carry a lot more weight than most people say. Mine almost always carry significant meaning. Sometimes even life shattering." Rei paused and then she laughed nervously as she tried to encourage Makoto. "Not that yours has to be that serious."

"Mako-chan..."

"Maybe they are." Rei laughed at Makoto's serious tone.

"They can't be too bad!" She said. "If you dreamt the dreams I have, then I would say to worry!" Makoto sighed. She felt that her dreams were that serious.

"I never dreamed before these dreams started." Rei bit her lip.

"Well, you're a better judge then me on how important these dreams are than I am. After all, they are your dreams." Rei said realizing how serious Makoto was actually taking this. Rei leaned forward. "Perhaps I can help you... interpret them or something." Makoto shook her head. The dreams felt too personal to be shared. In fact, they felt more like memories, but that was crazy considering that in one of them... the Earth shone brightly in the sky above her. Then there was the one with the woman calling out to her.

"Mako-chan..."

There was an underlying sense of anguish in the woman's voice, but Makoto could do nothing to ease her suffering except to find her, but she had no clue as to how to begin. She didn't even know if she was real or not.

"Mako-chan..."

Makoto frowned. No. She was real. Makoto knew her, and she knew Makoto. There was no sense of doubt in her mind. She just had to find her, and this Silver Crystal. Once she did, the anguish in her voice might begin to fade; just a bit.

But if the woman was real, then how did Makoto explain her other dreams? Did that mean they were real too? Rei said they might be important if she kept dreaming them, but could Makoto actually consider it? There were images of a man with long brown hair and dreamy blue eye; much like her old Sempai, but that was not the most shocking of the dreams.

Makoto would spend much of the night afterwards trying to figure the dreams out, and then it would always lead her back to hearing the woman's sad calling. Makoto knew without being told that the answer to all of these things lay in finding that woman and The Silver Crystal.

"Makoto-chan?" Rei's voice cut through her thoughts and Makoto smiled up at her.

"I'm fine. I was just thinking." Rei stood up and began to walk towards the doorway.

"Well if the dreams still keep coming, just know that I'm right here to help you interpret them." Makoto nodded, but she felt like that would not help her. She just needed to act. "Come on, we gotta get ready for this study group. I'm not sure if I have enough food to feed Usagi let alone the rest of us." Makoto smiled and lifted up her bag.

"I've got your back."

The two crows had given out a peculiar scrawk as Rei and Makoto set up the snacks on the study table, and Rei rushed to the doorway to see what had caused their sudden aggravation.

"Phobos! Deimos!" Rei rushed outside, and Makoto stopped what she was doing to view the commotion.

"Rei-chan! Help me!" It was Usagi's voice and when Makoto peaked her head outside she could see the two crows swooping down around her, and Ami swatted at them with one of her large books.

"Phobos! Deimos!" Rei's voice was harsh, and the two crows flew upwards as they saw Rei grab hold of a nearby broom.

"Rei-chan!" Usagi cried happily, and Makoto ran forward towards them.

"Usagi-chan are you alright?!" Rei cried desperately, and then she froze. "Luna..." Usagi's arms had opened up to reveal a medium size black cat with a crescent moon bald spot, or, marking. Makoto wasn't sure what it was exactly. Not fur, but not skin. It was almost like a shiny metal.

"I'm okay, and so is Luna." Usagi said happily. "Arigato, Rei-chan!" Rei pet the cat's head gently and slowly, and Makoto looked back up at the crows who had taken up their threatening position above them. It was so weird to see them like that for anyone else besides Jed.

"Who is that Usagi-chan?" Makoto asked with a forced smile as she bent down to pet her as well.

"Mako-chan!" Usagi cried happily.

"Mako-chan..."

"This is my cat, Luna." Makoto laughed at Usagi's enthusiasm, and to push off the woman's sad voice.

"Well hello there, Luna-chan!" The cat mewed happily and Makoto stood up straight.

Usagi and Ami seemed to be in a particularly good mood that day, and Usagi actually appeared to be semi-interested in her work, but Makoto's mind drifted off into the world of her dreams.

"Mako-chan..."

It was growing; just as Makoto had suspected. The longer Makoto sat there, the more intense the woman's voice grew. The other girls didn't seem to notice Makoto's quiet mood, but Makoto made sure she continued to smile and occasionally she would interject a comment or two. And Rei seemed to give her enough opportunities with her constant bickering with Usagi.

Usagi turned towards Makoto with wide eyes after Rei's latest jab, and there were exaggerated tears.

"Mako-chan!" Usagi had wrapped herself around Makoto and pointed at Rei. "Are you going to let her say such hurtful things?!" In truth Makoto hadn't really heard what Rei had said.

"Usagi-chan, I won't always be there to fight your battles." Usagi had stuck out her bottom lip in a pout, but Ami had laughed softly beside them.

"She's right Usagi-chan." Luna mewed in Ami's lap as if to agree, and Usagi had let out an exagerated whine.

"Waah! You two are just as mean as Rei-chan!" She said, and then she turned back sad eyed towards Makoto. "They are always working me too hard! Making me study and other mean things!" She cried, and Makoto thought it just a little strange that she would include Luna in that statement, but this was Usagi after all, and she was always making an incredible scene. Makoto just patted Usagi's head comfortingly like she might be the cat in the room. Then she smiled at Luna in Ami's lap.

"I'm sure Luna is just full of pressing commands!" Makoto said jokingly, but Usagi nodded quickly, Ami laughed, and Makoto swore she thought she saw Luna's eyes sparkle mischievously.

After that, not much studying took place anymore, and the food slowly disappeared along with the sun that had begun to set. Luna mewed softly as she rubbed against Usagi, and the girl smiled as she picked her up.

"I think Luna's right." She said. "Its about time we get going home." Luna mewed again, and Makoto nodded in agreement. The night was coming, and soon it would be time to go and be enveloped once more by her dreams. Rei followed them to the top of the steps, and Phobos and Deimos stayed diligently at their post above them. "See you later, Mako-chan! Rei-chan!"

"Mako-chan..."

Makoto waived and the group separated at the bottom of the steps, and Makoto walk unhappily towards her house knowing how empty it would feel without them and with just the echo of the woman's voice as company.

Stepping into the grocery store to waste a bit of time, Makoto piled several containers of spices and in season vegetables into her basket absentmindedly. It was when she was walking up to the counter to pay that the world exploded into chaos.

Notes: Rei is a very different character in the anime than her manga counter-part. Anime Rei is completely boy crazy! Manga Rei, she has no interest: none, zero, nada! Her heart was broken by her father's assistant. She had thought, she had known, them to be kindred spirits, and he betrayed her by taking an arranged marriage in order to gain more power in the government. She had also seen what her father had done to her mother, and she just didn't want anything to do with men. Interestingly enough, in "Parallel Sailor Moon" she seemed to be happily married, but who knows what shaped her in that world?!

My Rei is a strange combination of both the manga and anime Rei. She fights with Usagi, but keeps her cooler outer shell around others. And she is very, very intuitive and a mystic. We miss out on that with anime Rei. Yes we get her apocalyptic dream and fire readings, but that's pretty much it.