Epilogue:

"Hotaru, Where are my inner core?" Serenity asked the Senshi before her.

"I'm not sure, Majesty. They said they had things to deal with before they could truly rejoin you." Hotaru watched the worried expression pass over the Queen's face. "I wouldn't worry, Majesty, I have a feeling they have only just returned to where things have been left unfinished. I imagine their lives held much suffering that they have to now confront alone."

"I suppose," Serenity said with a wavering sigh.

"Have faith in them, Majesty. They'll return to you, I guarantee it," Hotaru smiled at the Queen. Serenity understood the wisdom in Hotaru's words and relaxed.

"You're right, Saturn thank you." Serenity sat back in her throne only to wonder what pains her friends would have to face before they could return to her.

Ami Mizuno:

"Ami-san, you've returned!" Korin ran up and greeted Ami as she walked into her office. "You came back alright, I was so afraid."

"Yes, I'm back," Ami said softly.

"What about your friends? Makoto-san? Is she alright?" Korin asked quickly.

"Yes, I found her again. Everything seems to have turned out well," Ami sighed.

"The evil is gone then?" Korin asked as she followed Ami towards the beach.

"Yes, we destroyed all of it. It will never threaten Earth again. We had our revenge," Ami replied.

"You've finally accepted it then," Korin said with a smile.

"What?" Ami sat on the sand and waited for Korin to explain.

"I can tell that you've forgiven yourself for my friend's death. I asked Makoto-san to help you understand that you couldn't be responsible for everyone else's life. Since Makoto-san had the experience of the doctor dying while saving her I figured she would be able to help you discover that you can't die for everyone." Korin looked over the ocean. "I feared that you would drive yourself to your own death if you tried to save other's lives before your own. A person can't live that way."

"You're incredible, Korin-chan," Ami said with a smile.

"You won’t be staying with me, will you?" Korin said a little sad. "You found something to end your loneliness."

"I did, but that doesn't mean I will forget you," Ami replied. "I owe my life to you in a way. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't accepted me."

"You'll still come back to teach me how to be a doctor, won't you?" The smile returned to Korin's face.

"Of course," Ami replied.

"Then I have a gift for you." Ami looked over as Korin's hands began to glow a light purple. "You don't need this to burden you anymore." Ami watched the light touch her arm and cause her scar to slowly disappear. Ami felt a strong warmth come from Korin's power as the scar healed and her arm looked as if it had never been touched.

"When did you learn this?" Ami asked shocked.

"It never seems to work unless someone truly needs it. Remember your promise to teach me how to use it correctly," Korin said cheerfully. Ami laughed and nodded her head.

"I will, I promise," she said.

Rei Hino:

Rei was greeted warmly by Soichiro as she walked up the steps of the temple. She had to admit she was grateful to see him.

"Rei-san!" he cried, "I was so afraid!"

"Idiot, did you really think I wouldn't come back?" she said softly.

"I didn't know," he admitted.

"Well, I'm alright. So you don't have to worry," she replied.

"You seem different, Rei-san. What happened to you?" he asked as they walked towards the temple.

"Different? Is it a bad thing?" Rei asked curiously.

"No, no," he replied quickly. "You just seem happier and you haven't hit me yet," he added with a laugh.

"Want me to?" she said threateningly.

"Ah no, that's okay." He moved away slightly. Rei just smiled. "But seriously, did every thing turnout alright?" Rei smiled at the concern in his voice.

"Yes, I don't think I have felt more at peace in years," Rei replied.

"What do you mean?" Soichiro asked.

"Please, don't let it worry you. I have to make peace with one thing before I go though," Rei said.

"You're leaving again?" he asked.

"I owe someone my life and love, but I will not be far from you if you need me." Rei turned towards him and gazed on him with soft, but strong eyes. "Be strong Soichiro, you'll be a great priest someday and you won’t need me to become it." She kissed him on the cheek and walked into the temple. Soichiro swallowed his emotion and watched the beautiful priestess disappear into the temple.

"Being great is meaningless without your love, Rei-san," he said quietly and turned away from the temple.

Rei knelt before sacred fire and felt its power flow through her. "I must make peace with my inner flames of hate or I shall never be able to be happy again," she said to the flames. The fire blazed and she watched it dance and throw shadows across the room. "How do I do this?" she prayed. She looked down at the blood on the floor that marked the day she had first come to the temple. It was a part of her she didn't want to forget, but she didn't want it to over shadow her forever either. The blood was a part of her so as the flames caused it to disappear from the floor she too felt the scar on her side fade into a memory.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Makoto Kino:

Few had taken notice to Makoto as she walked through the small town that had once feared her so much. She had still refused to allow Ami to heal her, determined to keep her promise to the small girl, so she had her arm bandaged and in a sling. Whether or not the people recognized the strange woman in the trench coat as she passed did not matter to Makoto, she had to face something far more important than them. She passed quickly through the village and entered her silent forest. It seemed like ages since the day she had fought with Minako in the ring of beautiful cherry blossom trees, but it only seemed like yesterday when the young doctor had died for her. She went to one of the cherry blossom trees and stopped in front of it looking at it intently. The wind picked up and pulled the trench coat off her bandaged shoulder. The blossoms swirled about her as she pulled the coat back in place. She knelt before the tree and pulled a rose from inside her coat.

"I hope one day you'll forgive me, but I do thank you for what you did. I wouldn't have found them if you hadn't." She began to cry as she laid the rose at the base of the tree.

"I don't think he ever blamed you, no one blames the ones they love." Makoto looked up as she heard the voice and turned to see the young woman she had encountered twice before.

"You are the only one here who's ever understood me," Makoto said.

"I am a descendent of his sister, the story has been in my family for years, but only entrusted to certain members," the woman replied softly. "You must not blame yourself for his death because he'll blame himself for that as well as your pain." Makoto stood up.

"My pain?" Makoto asked.

"Your scar, you remember what he said." The woman watched as Makoto nodded her head slowly. "He won’t forgive himself for that."

"He was the only one who cared for me when I had lost everything," Makoto replied softly.

"But you've found happiness again, allow him one moment so that you may both be at peace." Makoto turned back to the tree and laid her hand on its trunk.

"Thank you," she whispered. She suddenly felt a warmth flow over her and the side of her face felt fuzzy. Makoto touched her face as the scar faded away. The presence of the doctor was all around her. "Rest peacefully until I can see you again." Makoto breathed a deep sigh as the spirit floated past her on the wind.

"I love you," the winds whispered so only her ears could hear. "As I promised."

"I know." Makoto turned back to the woman who was watching with deep interest.

"The story's finally ended, I'm glad I lived to see it." The woman hesitated, "You never did know his name." Makoto cut her off.

"When we meet again I'll ask him, but until then…" Makoto just shook her head with a smile on her face.

"You are very special, all of you." The woman turned and left the silent forest.

Minako Aino:

The winds were just as violent as they had been for the past one thousand years and they pulled at Minako’s clothes and hair as she walked towards the familiar house in the middle of the flatland. She approached quietly and could hear the joyful sounds of the children inside the small house and some outside, but not yet visible. Minako finally came to the wooden fence that she normally sat on when watching the children she loved so dearly. She set her backpack down and with ease climbed the fence and sat again. For once the wind didn’t seem so cold, but instead felt refreshing and full of life.

“Was it foolish to be alone for so long because we just didn’t know?” she whispered to herself. It was so troubling all of a sudden that all of them, all her friends, had been separated for a thousand years and not once known the others were alive. “Is it worth living with those memories?” she sighed deeply. She was overjoyed to find Usagi once again, but, despite her words, she still felt guilt for things she knew she had no power over. “How foolish of me,” she whispered. The continuous breeze became slightly different and Minako felt a presence behind her. She turned around and saw little Wren watching her silently with large, curious eyes.

“Minako-san, you came back,” he squeaked softly.

“Yes, I did.” She tried to smile for him, but feared it came across looking sad. “I’ve unfinished business here.”

“But then you’ll leave again, won’t you?” He sniffled slightly and walked towards her. She reached down and lifted him into her lap, hugging him around the shoulders. “I don’t want you to go.”

“I need to go back to where I belong, Wren,” Minako tried to explain.

“But you’re my family. My sister, my mommy, and my guardian that’s what you always said. Don’t you care about me anymore.” He buried his face into her shirt and began to whimper softly.

“Oh course I still do, you know that, but…but this family doesn’t need me anymore. I’ve been with you all a very long time to repay a debt, but more because I needed you all, but now I must return to the family that I lost, they need me now, just like I needed yours.” Minako smiled softly trying to comfort him. “You’ll be able to grow up and have a family of your own someday.”

“I don’t want to without you, Minako-san. I’ll be afraid,” Wren cried in a muffled voice. She pulled him up and nimbly jumped from the fence and set him on the ground. Then Minako turned to her backpack lying on the ground, and rummaged around in it for a moment. She gripped something and pulled it out of the dirty old bag.

“Now listen, Wren, life can be really scary sometimes, but we all have to get through it. You were scared when the monster attacked you right?” He nodded numbly keeping his eyes fixed on the unknown object concealed in her hands. “Whenever you feel afraid remember me with this.” She opened her hands to reveal the small figure of Sailor V that had been on display in the store so many weeks ago. “I’ll always be your sister, mommy, but most of all your guardian, always watching you to make sure you’re okay and I’ll never forget you either.” She held the small figure out to the small child and he took it delicately looking from it to his protector with wide eyes and recognition.

“I won’t forget you either, Minako-san,” he whispered as he hugged her around the neck. As Minako hugged the child she knew she wouldn’t trade the memories she’d had with this family for all her pain and sorrow, it had taken her far to long to realize that. Tears began to run from her eyes and she drew in a breath, a sigh of relief as she hugged the child.

“Minako-san?” Wren said softly and pushed away slightly, “It’s disappearing.” Minako looked down to see where he was gently touching the scar across her collarbone. It was fading into nothing as they watched. “What does that mean?”

“It means I don’t need it anymore, I can move on,” she smiled at him and stood up. “I must go, Wren.” She patted him lightly on the head and picked up her bag. “You be good.”

“I will, Minako-san, and one day I’ll come visit you, when I’m big!” he called after her gleefully.

“Thank Kami-sama, they’re back.” Serenity breathed a sigh of relief as her Senshi entered the royal hall. She then composed herself as they stopped in front of her. “I trust you all managed to deal with whatever you needed to do, and have decided to join my court once more,” she asked hiding any worry in her voice.

“Undoubtedly, Majesty,” Minako answered for all of them a smile on her face.

“Then you will have to get acquainted with my family, the other Senshi, and the rest of my court.” She looked them over, they seemed changed since last they met, burdens lifted from their ancient shoulders. They seemed to shimmer like a hallucination of joy before her.

“We can hardly wait,” Minako replied, again for all of them. The others seemed to be silently communicating to their leader either that or they all knew exactly how the others felt. They were a single unit, meant to be together and determined to serve their Queen as best they could.

“Good.” Serenity paced slightly in front of her throne, watching them. Why were they suddenly all right? Didn’t they feel any pain over what had happened to them? Serenity knew better, of course they were not all right and neither was she and they knew it. It was her turn to deal with the past, but she would not have to do it alone like they had.

“It’s good to have you all back. I’m sorry, but it’s been so long I fear if you leave my sight you’ll disappear again…” she stuttered trying to smile. A few tears coursed their way down her soft cheeks. They all approached surrounding her in an impenetrable aura of strength and comfort.

“No, Majesty, this is where we belong and no matter how far away or how long we are separated from one another we are, with you will always be home…”

So…what you all think? I suppose if you stuck with me for this many paragraphs of tripe you had to get something outta of it. Anyhow I hope you did enjoy my story, though it took me while to get this epilogue done. Doesn’t that epilogue just wrap it up nice and sweet? ^_^ *sniffle* Well if you are inclined feel free to e-mail me and tell me whatever came into your head while reading this. I’d be terribly grateful, I love fan or flame (be nice) mail. Keep a look out, cause if you like my Jupiter stories (yeah right -_-) I gotta knew one coming soon called “Beloved” In this one our dear Mako-chan falls in love *sigh* sounds pretty generic, well it’s got a crazy sad twist to it. So check it out when I get it up, I guarantee some tears…well maybe ^_^’ Ja! for now

Sakura-san =^^=