58: "Forever, and Ever"

A lot can happen in three weeks, though given the circumstances, that was really quite an understatement. In time Usagi would learn that her Mesopotamian "counterpart", Nanna, had been killed fighting the Demon King Ravana, though he had not perished easily, and not without taking hundreds of foul lives with him, including Ravana's. The other Senshi, soon led by Tuxedo Kamen, had fared well against the hoard and their ruler, but it was the gods who dealt the final blow. Once he fell, his remaining survivors fled, or were otherwise blotted out by a few parting blasts. With Nergal and Ereshkigal gone, only Ea remained of that divine company, and he did not remain long.

Ea did what he could to repair all of the damage: to the land, its structures, and the Senshi, but expanded most of his power revitalizing Sailor Moon, who had really gotten the worst out of the whole affair, despite only being involved in a handful of fights. But the rest of Japan would tax him beyond his means—and besides, he noted with grim wisdom, this was no longer his time or his land. Long ago he had theorized his kinsmen had made an error in their return and subsequent conquest, but even with his insight, he had not fully convinced himself of this until sometime after Nergal's appearance. He had turned adamant when Nergal himself left, and now that most of the damage caused by his contemporaries was undone, there was nothing left to keep him.

In spite of everything that happened, the Senshi were a little sad to see him go. But go he did, and not without remorse: both for what he did and what he did not do; Ea had a strong desire to see the rest of the world, and visit the land where mortals once worshiped him. All of that was over, though, and this was a new age: "For if thy kind still has a need for gods," he said right before vanishing forever, "they have no need of us." His sad smile lingered well after the light he exuded faded, and then no others of their kind ever set foot upon the earth.

Not surprisingly, Takashi Hino soon became instrumental in the reconstruction efforts. He used his position as Senator to gain enormous funding and support, throwing it right back where it was most needed. While Rei still had some issues concerning her father, time had softened her view, and gave her a new sense of respect for the man. She even went so far as to help him, when she could, and with her celebrity status as Sailor Mars now known the world over, was able to help her country even more than her father. She eventually quit her job, but never fully abandoned politics, instead choosing to juxtapose her knowledge and status into her new work as a full-time spokeswoman. She even got to sing, act, and dance on stage, finally fulfilling a lifelong ambition.

Minako followed Rei's example in celebrity benefit and outreach almost to the letter, but could never bring herself to fully abandon her duties as dishwasher for the Tokyo subsidiary of Makoto's restaurant. It naturally became popular thanks to their owner's and employee's status, and Makoto found herself blissfully rooted in the city. Minako spent quite a lot of her time planning for her wedding with Ami, but she had no desire to change her way of life, or ever roam the earth again, excepting in the company of her most beloved. Makoto herself was constantly shining with happiness, announcing many months later the possibility of a third child—the more the merrier, she stated.

Ami definitely never let her new-found celebrity status get to her head; in fact, she usually kept out of the public eye, preferring her privacy and her practice. At times she would visit the same coffee shop that had started the whole affair, usually entertaining one of her friends or family. Just before her wedding, she received word from her father, who would be flying in to attend. He didn't presume to give her away, and she never asked; Saeko had those honors. On an interesting coda, Ami's mother soon announced she was dating again, though not yet ready to reveal the person to her daughter. The way she mentioned that it was "a person" led her daughter to make some rather interesting theories, but she kept them to herself with a kind of restrained joy. No doubt all would be made clear when her mother was good and ready.

Having chased and cared for "crazy blondes" for many years, Setsuna found it oddly appropriate that she was now taking care of "a sane dark-haired girl". She threw herself into Rei's affairs whenever the mood struck her, but she mostly concerned herself with her fashions. She briefly made enemies with Minako by mending fences with her former manager, but got on her good side again when she stated that Minako would be "strictly local" from now on, and knew a lawyer or two that would ensure this, should a new deal ever emerge. It didn't, at least not from that angle. Occasionally, Setsuna would completely vanish, and would not be seen for weeks, sometimes months at a time. All the Senshi knew where she was going—or rather, when—and in fact, on more than one of these occasions, she took Rei with her.

A "vacation," they called it.

Usagi couldn't help crying at Shingo and Hotaru's wedding, but she shed tears of joy when it came time for Ami and Minako to do the same, so at least she was fair. The duo briefly moved away so that Hotaru could finish her schooling, but then they came back, even though there were more opportunities outside Tokyo. It seemed they just couldn't bear to be apart from their loved ones (even Shingo smiled a little as he glared at his older sister), and besides, Hotaru added with a grim smirk, what if Sailor Saturn was needed again? The Senshi would be positively lost without her.

Very little could be said of Haruka and Michiru, except that they returned to their normal lives. Michiru wormed her way into one Philharmonic orchestra or another, while Haruka's maneuvers were considerably more fast-paced. They seldom kept in contact with the others, though Michiru still loved swimming with Ami, and Haruka still loved racing with Minako (in Unazuki's arcade). One time, Usagi of all people pulled her over for speeding, and got a heap of flirting for her troubles. Haruka was coldly stuck with a stiff penalty for hers, but Usagi tore it up with a smile on her face three days later.

Naru and Umino soon moved in together; Usagi and the other Senshi kept in close touch with them for the rest of their lives. Unazuki regained control of the Crown Arcade and Fruit Parlor, and it remained a favorite meeting place for the Senshi for many years, ultimately becoming wildly popular because of this. The Ayakashi sisters slowly expanded their cosmetics industry, but never achieved the fame or influence of their contemporaries; however, in time, Bertier and Ryo were married. Haruna Sakurada continued to teach at Juban Middle School, and to dream of romance, even though she found considerably more success in one field. She and Reika Nishimura became close friends, and eventually found jobs as professors in Kyoto. Shinji and Ikuko Tsukino remained more or less the same, though Shinji's job eventually made the transition to virtual print. He worked alongside Kotono Sarashina to cover the months-long report of what would be later known as "the Gods Visiting Tokyo Incident". Ikuko attempted to stay away from the media, but since she was the mother of the heroic Sailor Moon, it was naturally difficult.

Nastya settled some affairs in Japan before returning to Russia. Ami never saw her again, but they corresponded sometimes. The last she heard, Nastya had begun a serious relationship with a famous Russian filmmaker, and there was rumor of a live-action movie adaptation of the Senshi's exploits. Ami was outwardly excited, but secretly, she hoped it would never come to pass. The old animated programs that were made so many years ago still had a charm that nothing could surpass.

And as for Usagi, well...

…...

"Hey," she smiled, poking her head into Chief Hari's office. Harisvatta smiled back, putting her work on pause as she invited the young woman in.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice, Tsukino. I hate pulling you away from your vacation, especially after all you've done." Usagi snorted and waved dismissively at her.

"Bah! Three weeks is long enough. I finally caught up on all my video games and social obligations—and Mamoru even paid me back a little for all that time he was away. He still wouldn't discuss where he's been all this time," she grumbled, "the jerk." Hari raised her eyebrows.

"Your boyfriend?"

"Yeah, for better or worse. What can I say, I'm a sucker for him. But he's always been a sucker for me, one way or the other. Whatever kept him away so long must've really been serious. Anyway, what did you call me out for?"

"What indeed?" she sighed, standing up and giving Usagi a folder. "You've been given a promotion—several, actually. In all honesty, even this much is an insult. If I had my way, you'd have a pension big enough to let you retire immediately and spend the rest of your life in comfort, but the Commissioner thinks it's good morale to have a Sailor Senshi on our team."

"I kinda agree with him," she smiled, taking the folder eagerly, glancing over the documents. The figures she would be pulling in were astounding; she would even have command over several branches, including the ones with Asagiri, Asanuma, Hayashida, and Toha. "I wasn't sure about this job when I first started, but I really think it's what I want to do—at least for the near future. Anyway, I tend to get a little slovenly and air-headed when I don't have something to do." She offered a self-depreciating smirk, which the chief returned.

"That isn't the real reason behind our meeting, though. I'd like to give you something." She presented Usagi with a brand-new police-issue cell phone, the latest model with all the applications, bells, and whistles any self-respecting modern officer could ask for. "It's all paid for, too," she added: "Text plans, data plans, talk, email, video, music, lifetime warranty, upgrades, you name it, for as long as you need it. This will make your friend Hino's phone look like those old rotary devices."

"Sweet!" she grinned, unable to suppress her elation. Anything that allowed her to immaturely one-up Rei was okay by her. The phone buzzed, playing a brief instrumental of the old animated Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon theme. Usagi tentatively answered it, meeting the chief's smiling eyes.

"If you need something a little more subtle, I can text a crescent moon photo to you."

"Cute," she grinned, "very cute."

"I figured it would be a good way to get in touch with you. For non-police-issue work, you realize." Her expression became serious; she put her phone away. "I'll not lie to you, Tsukino. I hope I never see the Senshi again, for as long as I live. In fact, I hope they never have any reason to come back."

"Yeah," she whispered, smiling softly. She knew what her boss meant. And deep down, despite what Nergal had said to her, she hoped for the same.

"Not that I wouldn't cheer for them if they should grace our presence again. If that does happen..." She gestured to the phone, and Usagi understood.

"So...what? I'm like Batman now? Maybe you should've given me a red phone instead."

"I have a choice of casings you could look into," she smirked. The two women smiled at each other, then Hari drew in a deep breath and returned to her desk. "But seriously, Tsukino, don't feel like there's a deadline for you to return. Enjoy your time off as much as you want."

"Thanks, but I'm good. Is there anything else you need?"

"No..." She trailed off, so Usagi went for the door again. She paused as Hari called out to her. "Except maybe a personal question, if you don't mind. Say...the Senshi never have a reason to come back. Suppose this truly is the last we've heard of Sailor Moon and company. What would you do if that happened?"

Usagi paused. She had been asking herself that same question ever since the moment she first transformed into the beautiful guardian. To this very day, she had maintained the same answer.

"I don't really know. But ya know what?"

She turned around and smiled sweetly at the older woman. "I think I like it better that way."

the end

CREDITS

Obviously a labor of love like this would never be possible without a source material, so major thanks go to Naoko Takeuchi, for the original concept and manga, and Kunihiku Ikuhara, for directing the anime. The story, settings, and characters of Sailor Moon and Sailor V have been a huge inspiration for countless people for twenty years and going strong, and I have a feeling, or at least a hope, that it will continue to inspire people, long after works like this have become silly and obsolete. After all, Goonies never say die.

I would like to thank both and for hosting this story (even if I did duck out of the latter midway through), and all the people who read, but never reviewed. If I didn't enlighten, educate, or inspire you, hopefully I have at least entertained you.

Several webpages went to the making of this story, one of which I have unfortunately forgotten, but the majority of my story could not have been made without Wikipedia. For those who have exhaustively scoured and recorded Sailor Moon lore so that everyday people like me could access it freely, they have my undying gratitude.

Several reference books were critical in shaping this story: the "Yokoso! Japan: Visit Japan Pocket Guide" was instrumental in helping me make everything geographically, visually, and historically accurate; the Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology was my Bible for everything Japanese, Mesopotamian, and other world myths; and finally, Mythology for Dummies was crucial for filling in all those holes and answering questions I had up until the very end. It's safe to say I could not have written this story without them.

I would like to thank Big Dave's erotic fanfic "Venus Love Shower", for as horrendous as it is, was nevertheless the main impetus behind my choice to put Ami and Minako in a relationship. Similarly, I would like to thank Kirika's more respectable "Absence" for influencing my decision to put Rei and Setsuna together. As for any other pairings, they are either canon (like Makoto and Motoki) or of my own design (Hotaru and Shingo).

MANY thanks to all artists, musicians, etc., who made all the songs mentioned in this story. I deeply regret not being able to actually have a soundtrack to this thing, but what can you do? Also, big thanks to anyone that ever had any relation whatsoever to Dick Dale. Please understand, I only put him in here out of respect.

I would like to thank everyone who asked questions or pointed out flaws and holes in the story. You have made this a better piece of work.

I would like to prematurely thank Cloveras for the "upcoming" fanart of Sailors Mercury and Venus, which should be coming to Deviantart just as soon as I can scrape together some money for a commission (or, if this is the future, thanks Cloveras! It's awesome and sexy!).

And in the order that they reviewed, I would like to personally thank the following:

LoveInTheBattleField, Mz. Hyde, Themaidenvirgo, Sailor sun 1234, Silver moon starlight Angel, sailormoon2398, , angeljme, Arcticmist, GhostWriter73, Lady Frozen Rose, AM, James Birdsong, Babsy-chan, buttaflykissesxoxo, Mahira, Bright Anarchy, Jovian Sun, maire 53, graceling42, bladerchickoo1, Sailormoon1129, Kaylen Cooper, Selentis-neko, c83gilles, Starlight1812, Light Penguin, thundercrash, Sailor moon fan, Devoted fan, Vchanny, Ashen Author, MySarcasticGreenCrayon, Darth Brando, rezzy1, DarkVega1, and all the guests and anonymous users (with more likely to come). Your involvement meant the world to me. As for those who have stuck it out with me from the heady beginning to the bitter finale (can you believe I started this beast in July 2012? That's almost two years!), thank you for your patience and devotion. You deserve far better than I could ever say or give.

If you are interested in any other fiction I've written, be it "fan" or original, give me a PM and I'll run through a list of personal recommendations. You might think they all share this quality, but they don't.

Oh—and don't be deceived by those two words above the credits, folks, because there's one final coda!

Epilogue

Parking her moped on the sidewalk, humming blithely to herself, Usagi figured that now was as good a time as any for Mamoru to make up for his long absence. She called his number as she climbed the stairs up to her apartment, and paused just long enough to fish around for her keys and make an exchange.

"Yo, moon face! Still on vacation?"

"Nope! Just got home from work. Listen, I think it's high time you took me out on a date. It's really the least I deserve, considering."

"You deserve a lot better than that, dumpling, but I'd be happy to oblige. Just let me know when and where."

"Yeah, hold on a sec; let me get settled in first. I'm at my place."

"Oh?" Something about the inflection of that word sounded very peculiar, but she shrugged it off. Usagi put her key in the hole and turned, but found her door was already unlocked. Carefully, she opened it, and was startled to discover two people sitting at her table, a man and a woman approximately her own age, regal and beautiful and eerily familiar. The man was clothed in white; the woman, black, and they both bore a strange crescent mark on their foreheads.

It didn't take her long to realize who they were.

"Artemis! Luna!"

"Oh, she's here," Artemis said, smiling as he laid down a mug. They were drinking tea; she could smell it from her doorway. "Welcome home, Usagi! Long time no see!"

"Ah...I'll say!" she gawked, unable to muster anything else. And what an understatement that was! She had not seen hide nor hair of them in ages. "Whah...what are you two doing here? And where have you been all this time?!"

"Succinct as ever, I see," Luna replied, smirking as she always did when making light of Usagi's emotional outbursts. But there was a fondness in her face that no airs could hide. "The short version is that we've been with Mamoru—so, naturally, when he came back, so did we."

"Oh." Again, all she could think of. She clutched the phone in her hand, the man in question waiting for her on the other end. "And where was that?" The two of them paused to consider this, then looked to each other, their expressions deep.

"We could explain everything, but it might be better if we showed you," Artemis said. "After all, it's a serious situation, and it involves you as well. All of you."

While she was weighing their words, she heard Mamoru calling for her. Slowly, she put the phone to her ear again.

"Is everything all right, dumpling?" Usagi swallowed.

"Hey, Mamoru?"

She smiled feebly at her visitors, clutching onto her brooch with her other hand.

"Slight change of plans."