Electricity surrounded Archane. It seemed to originate from the air and collect around her. It struck her over and over, causing an explosion each time it hit. The Senshi watched as the great mass of power tore at the youma and then added their own attacks to it. The attacks joined and became a swirling mass of color that ravaged Archane. After a few seconds the youma was weak and broken and as the Celestial attack dissipated, Archane died and turned to dust.

"Makoto!" Younger Venus ran to where Makoto had fallen and knelt next to her. Serenity had laid Makoto on the ground, but still had one arm under her neck to support her. Makoto covered the dark spot of blood that was rapidly spreading across her fuku. "Makoto-san, please don't die!" Kimeko pleaded. Serenity stared at her friend while she slowly opened her eyes. The other Senshi rapidly approached and also knelt beside the fallen Senshi.

"Is she… dead?" Makoto's breaths came as ragged inhales with rapid exhaled. She was steadily growing weaker and her agony was increasing.

"Yes, Mako-chan, she's gone, you beat her," Serenity replied trying to hold her voice firm.

"I'm sorry, Ami-chan… Hotaru-chan…everyone," Ami looked up from Makoto's wound. "I really wanted to stay here in the future with all of you. I didn't mean to…break my promise to Small Lady. Or to you my dear Queen." Makoto felt warm in Serenity's arms, but still a cry of pain escaped her lips. "I tried to give up my loneliness… thank you for helping me."

"Don't talk, Mako-chan," Uranus said desperately.

"Pluto, you know why this happened…you felt my pain and I thank you for that," Makoto's voice was becoming weaker.

"Forgive me, Mako-chan," Pluto said desperately.

"It wasn't your fault," Makoto replied with another cry of pain.

"Damn it!" Mercury closed her eyes and her tears flowed down her face. "I can't heal her," She said in a pitiful tone.

"You're dying Makoto-san, you promised!" Younger Venus shouted half angry half heart broken. "You're far to good a person to die."

"You should be proud…of what you've done…today." Makoto's eyes closed.

"I couldn't save you," Kimeko cried.

"Promise me, all of you…that you'll find happiness," her voice faded and she opened her eyes a small amount. "You were the best friends I ever had…" Makoto's joyful green eyes sparkled for one last time and closed for good. Serenity felt Makoto go limp against her arm and she pulled her dead friend close to her chest, crying into her brown hair. The others saw and knew. Mercury buried her face in her hands and began to sob. Neptune moved closer to Uranus and the boyish Senshi hid her tears in her loves shoulder.

"Makoto-san! Makoto-san!" Venus pulled her daughter away from the tragic scene ad cradled her in her arms. The two Venus's cried and Kimeko looked from underneath her mother's embrace back to Makoto. "I couldn't save you." Saturn went to her adopted parents and hugged Haruka -papa around the middle. Serenity felt Rei put her arms around her shoulders and she raised her head to look into Rei's tear filled eyes.

"I only just got her back, Rei-chan, after a thousand years and she's already died for me again!" The Senshi mourned for the one they had lost even Pluto felt the tears running down her face, she had failed.

A voice echoed softly through Jupiter's, no, Makoto's mind. She searched for its origin, but it evaded her vision. She soon realized she couldn't see, couldn't feel, nothing was her own. < Who was I? > She thought. < It feels so warm here; I hope I never have to leave. > The voice echoed again. < Who is calling me? No! Go away, leave me, I don't want to be with anyone, it only brings pain. > She tried to ignore it, but the voice drifted closer and finally stood in front of her. < Who is calling me? > She asked again. Makoto finally couldn't ignore the voice any longer and listened to what it was saying, formulating the faint words in her mind.

"O…ka…san." It stopped echoing and played softly in front of her. Makoto couldn't recognize it and listened harder. "Oka…san. Oka-san!" The voice suddenly came clear and Makoto heard it in her mind pure and innocent. "Oka-san? Where are you Oka-san?" The voice was so close, but still Makoto couldn't find its origin.

"Who is calling me 'mother'?” Makoto's voice made no physical sound. "I don't remember, I don't want to remember. Let me rest here."

"Mama, I've found you at last," the voice said. "Open your eyes, Mama," it said softly. At the words, Makoto suddenly felt her physical body return and slowly opened her eyes. Before her stood a young girl dressed in a tattered green fuku. The girl had a pale reddish, brown hair and stormy green eyes. She seemed to shimmer as Makoto gazed at her. Makoto looked around and found herself on a familiar world. The sky was a grayish, clear blue. The normal angry orange clouds that had been their every other time were far and in between at the peaceful moment. Makoto knew she recognized this serene place, but no memories were coming to her. All she felt was the warmth and the inner peace for once.

"Who am I?" she asked the girl. "What's happened to me?"

"You died, Mama and now you're here with me," the young girl sat down close to Makoto, "But you can't stay here."

"Why not?" Makoto said carelessly. "Everything here is so perfect and peaceful."

"Don't you here them, Mama?" she asked softly.

"Who?" Makoto turned her attention to the girl finally.

"Those who care about you the most. Listen closely, you can hear them crying for you," she said. The two went silent and emptiness set in. Makoto struggled to hear and ever so faintly did the voices drift to her, sorrowful voices.

"Why is their sadness in this place? What are they saying?" Makoto asked.

"They mourn because you left them. They cry for you to keep a promise, so that they too may keep their promises," the young girl explained.

"Promises? Tell me who they are?" Makoto asked.

"I'm sorry, Mama, I can't for I too must keep a promise," the girl started to fade.

"Are you leaving me?" Makoto asked.

"We both cannot stay here," the girl became fainter.

"You keep calling me, Mother? I don't like being here alone daughter." A cold breeze swept past. "Always alone." The breeze brought the painful voices closer. "Daughter?" Something clicked in Makoto's mind. "U…sa…gi…chan."

"Can you here them now?" The girl had become only a voice again.

"I can! Usagi-chan, Minako-chan, Ami-chan, Rei-chan, Haruka-chan, Hotaru-chan, Michiru-chan, and Kimeko-chan!" Memories flashed through Makoto's mind and she remembered more. "The best friends I ever had." She remembered how much it hurt. "Pluto? Setsuna-chan do you blame yourself? Everyone! I hear all of you!" She searched harder for lost memories. "I don't want to forget them all now! Not after everything we've been through. I can't forget them!" Makoto stood up as if it would help her find the missing parts. "I can't rest here, I won't break my promise to Queen Serenity or the other Senshi."

"So you must make the choice now, this is a paradise, but you will be alone, they are your friends," the voice said.

"I died in front of them after promising to stay forever. There is not a choice. I want to be with them!" Her daughter reappeared and Makoto felt all the pain return.

"Now you'll live and truly go home, Mama," her daughter said.

"My daughter, what of you?" Makoto collapsed to her knees, but looked up to see her daughter's fuku repair itself and she seemed to glow.

"My task is finally done," she whispered and knelt down to hug her mother. "Don't you ever leave me again, Mama." She stood up again. "Pluto!" she yelled. "Setsuna-san! Its finished. Take her back!"

Pluto found herself unable to leave Jupiter's side. She had hoped so much that she could've saved Makoto's life, but despite her attempt, Makoto was still the only one who could kill the youma, only at the cost of her own life. Pluto's tears fell onto the dead Senshi and she felt sick. < What now? I don't know what to do. > Setsuna wanted so much to leave and disappear back into the emotionless safety of the Time Stream, but she couldn't. As one of Makoto's friends and being the cause of her death, Pluto forced herself to stay by her side. She felt like she would die as she took on the burden of all the other Senshi's tears. Her eyes suddenly went wide. < Who was that? > She thought.

< Pluto…Setsuna! > She heard the voice echo in her mind.

"Sakura!" The other Senshi turned away from Jupiter and looked at Pluto with confusion.

< Setsuna, its finished! Take her back. > Sakura said in her mind.

< It's not possible. > Pluto thought.

< It is! Send her back!!! > Sakuya cried desperately. < She will die here! > The Senshi and Serenity watched as Pluto held her time staff high in the air. The Garnet orb glowed brightly.

"What're you doing, Pluto!" Saturn stood up and tried to approach her.

"Sakura, I hope you're right," Pluto said and she opened the time gates.

"Pluto!" Someone shouted as the light was bathed in warm bright light. Serenity was blinded, but she felt Makoto's body disappear just as the Time Stream swept over her.

"Jupiter Star Power Make-up!" Makoto finally managed her transformation.

"I won't let you!" The youma plunged the blade towards Makoto's heart, but something stopped it just inches from her chest. Something pulled the youma off of Makoto. "What the…?" The youma growled. Makoto looked up and saw the youma facing a woman that she was sure she knew. The tall female warrior look injured through the side, but her facial features showed no sign of discomfort. Instead her mouth was set in a half grin. The woman grabbed the youma and Makoto had to shield her eyes as the bright lightening electrocuted the monster into nothing.

"I saved you from a far greater pain, Archane," the woman mumbled to herself. Makoto and the strange woman stared at each other, although her vision was blurring, Makoto saw the woman's injuries disappearing.

"Thank you, Mako-chan," Makoto didn't realize what she was saying as she slid down the wall from her fatigue. The woman smiled at her. Sailor Moon suddenly burst in the room, but stopped, shocked as the woman turned and disappeared.

"Mako-chan, are you alright?" Sailor Moon ran to where Makoto was sitting and helped her onto the couch.

"Yeah, thanks to her…I forgot her name," Makoto mumbled lowly. "I know I just knew it." Makoto cleared her mind and sat back. "I hope she's alright, she looked hurt." Sailor Moon looked at Makoto in surprise.

"What is it?" Makoto asked as she saw the stare.

"I could've sworn that she looked exactly like you, a couple years older, but definitely you," Sailor Moon said seriously. "Ha! What am I talking about? I guess it couldn't have been you!" But Usagi wasn't satisfied and neither was Makoto. "Are you okay, Mako-chan?" Sailor Moon asked again with great concern. "I was so afraid for you."

"I should be okay," Makoto laid a hand on her bleeding shoulder.

Sailor Moon was tying a bandage around Makoto's shoulder when the other Senshi came back from fighting the youma on the street.

"Hey, Usagi-chan! Where did you skip off to? We could've used your help you know," Rei said irritated. This drew them into a big argument so no one noticed Pluto hiding in the shadows.

< Keep safe, Mako-chan.> She thought and disappeared back into the Time Stream.

"Majesty?" Serenity looked up from her throne, she couldn't seem to remember what she'd been thinking about. She looked down at her ancient friend that stood before her. "What is wrong, your Majesty?" The woman quickly approached her green eyes full of concern. Serenity touched her cheek and felt the tears running down them.

"I don't know." Serenity approached as well and wrapped her arms around the brown haired woman. "I feel like I just got you back, like I lost you in a dream." Serenity couldn't explain the sudden feeling of loss she felt for Jupiter. She didn't understand them herself, but she found it relieved the feeling to pull Makoto close to her.

"I'm here, my Queen. Don't worry I'm not going anywhere." Makoto was struggling with the reasons behind Serenity's sudden burst of emotion. Makoto thought.

"Of course not, Mako-chan." Serenity let go of her friend and wiped the tears from her face.

"If you wish I can return later," Makoto offered.

"No! No, I don't want you to go," Serenity smiled. < I feel like you've just return to me even though you've been with me for the past thousand years. > Pluto was observing from the shadows, only she knew what once had happened. There was a sudden commotion and two young girls burst into the chamber.

"Kimeko! Sakura!" Jupiter said sternly to the two Younger Senshi. They snapped to attention. "What are you doing?" When they didn't reply a smile spread across Makoto's face. She tried to hide it with a false irritated look. "Alright what did you do to Uranus this time?" She asked and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Sakura and Kimeko looked at each other and tried to contain their laughter.

"Where are they!!!!!!" Uranus roared from somewhere in the hall. They ran forward and hid behind Makoto, laughing. Makoto tried to turn around and face them, but they continued to hide. Serenity laughed as Uranus entered drenched with what she hoped was only water. "Begging her Majesty's pardon, but I'm going to kill those two," Uranus said.

"Mama!" Sakura laughed and continued to hide behind the older Senshi.

"Oh no, you're not hiding behind me. I'm not going to bear Uranus's wrath," Jupiter said quickly. Serenity was laughing hysterically now at the scene.

"Venus and Jupiter are going to be short one daughter in a minute," Uranus said

"You two better run," Makoto said and the two darted from behind her and down the hall, Uranus close behind.

< Everything is as it should be for you, Mako-chan.> Pluto thought. < I'll still live with the burden though. Never again shall I do something like this. Serenity-sama seemed to still retain some of the memories, but I think she would want to know at least a bit. What happened shouldn't be completely forgotten anyway. > Pluto stepped back into the Time Stream and all was finished.

What decision did you make Mako-chan . . . ?

What makes you so different from me and the other Senshi is that you are still alone. . .

Sailor Saturn