Sailoruranus was the first to have reached the source of the expedition.  Instead of finding Sailormoon and the enemies however, the place was empty.  Traces of the crystal power partly heated the sides of the walls.
 “Wha—“ Sailormercury gasped when she and the others rejoined Uranus.  “Where is Sailormoon?”

 “The divine rule made it impossible for us to be linked with the people of the Moon.”
 “I have gone to Earth many times to seek the breeze and the green of the trees.  There was never anything as true and wonderful like it in the Moon.  This is where I have met Endymion.  Even before the alliance.”
 “We have formed an alliance with Queen Serenity of the Silver Millenium in order to pursue peace.  She had announced it in a special celebration in the Moon Kingdom, a fitting tribute to peace.  But Queen Beryl resurrected Queen Metallia from the prison that Queen Serenity bound her.”
 “My mother thought that the Earth would be corrupted under Beryl’s care.  That was when the alliance was broken.”
 “You had your respective lives, as Kings of various parts of the Earth.  You allowed yourselves to be subjected to Beryl’s power so that your own power may increase and that you can successfully defend the Earth and all those you love.”
 “Her powers tried to possess you every now and then, I remember.  And you tried to fight the spell.  That was probably why they cannot understand why you said your goodbyes to my friends.”
 “I tried to warn you repeatedly.  You tried to fight Beryl and told her to take back your added powers, but she was more powerful.  She took away your memories and made you pledge your allegiance to Metallia. Do you remember this?”

  Jadeite slowly opened his eyes and found himself within a large golden void.  Kunzite, Nephrite, and Zoisite were standing by his side.
 “Do you remember this, minna?”  He had recognized Prince Endymion, with his tuxedo replaced by the black armor of his master and carrying his trusty sword.  The Princess of the Moon was by his side, the Silver Crystal shining brightly as she held it. It seemed like they were all covered in haze—very surreal as in a dream.
 “Prince Endymion-sama!”  the generals said in unison as they bowed before their master.

 Sailorsaturn noticed a glimmer of silver and gold a little farther from where she stood.  This must be another portal that the Princess has disappeared into.  The glimmer that she saw grew increasingly and magnificently.  “L-look…” she told the others dreamily as she admired the light.
 The light eclipsed in a brief instant until the glare revealed Sailormoon and Tuxedo Kamen.  The other senshi were delighted to see both of them reappearing.
 “Sailormoon!”  Sailorvenus called out and ran to her.  “Are you all right?”
 Sailormoon nodded and smiled.  “I am all right, minna.”
 “Sailormoon…” Sailormercury asked shyly.  “What has happened to our… enemies?”
 “Beryl is gone,” Sailormoon smiled.  “All our enemies are ultimately… gone.”

 “Is he still alive?” She shook her head in frustration as she leaned on the pillars of Hikawa Jinja. Wonders never cease as her vision last night.

 Would it be a tragic thing to do if she could just hope and wish that he was still okay? But the vision of the woman controlling the storm was too much for her. And it came at the wrong time when she was at her most vulnerable. She felt the tears welling in her eyes.
 Then, she felt the force touch her again.  The brightness of the Earth above her seemed to be a comforting sight… the Earth?  Where is she?  She then turned to the entrance of the veranda and covered her mouth with her hands to mask her surprise.
 The visitor walked at a pace she most completely remembered. Like that in the flames.  Like the intruder hiding in the pillars.  Slowly, he stepped into the light and his eyes grew large with surprise upon seeing her.  She released her breath heavily when the light unmasked who he was.  A hint of pale light playing in his dark blonde hair and the calmest stare from his sharp blue eyes. At last, she can assure herself upon seeing him.  He is alive….
 

 “I shall be unlucky today,” Rei sighed when she learned of her fortune.  Besides, her luck hasn’t changed over the week anyway.  Usagi didn’t tell her yet of what had happened during the yesterday’s encounter with the Dark Kings.  The storm must’ve taken over them completely.  There would be other visions and possible coincidences all in a mix-up of unresolved pasts.
 Rei admitted that all these are nothing but confusing!  Why is it that she is seeing the Silver Millenium once again?  There was a side to the old kingdom that she hadn’t known before.

**************************

“It is amazing,” Jadeite murmured.  “That I still feel the guilt up to this day.”
The image of Hino Rei floated in the orb in the center of Beryl’s dimension.  Jadeite only stared at her image once.  When he turned his eyes away, he was sure that he would always see her anyway.  Still the same kind of arrogance and straightforwardness.  She hasn’t changed.
“You wouldn’t understand, Princess,” he whispered.  “I have to push you away.  I can’t let her get near you.”

Lightning flashes.  Makoto’s eyes marvel at the streak of light suddenly appearing in the heavens.
“A storm?  Will it rain?”  she asks herself and hears thunder afterwards.  Makoto glances at her watch and wonders at the time.  He is not usually late.  She quickly runs towards the torii pillars.  There is a shrine overlooking the lake where she always talks with him and watches the sunset.
But she is too late.  The shrine will still be a long step up and rain has begun to fall.  He won’t probably come, Makoto thought sadly.  After the last encounter with Eternal Sailormoon, he won’t be lucky enough to survive it.  Didn’t she see the faint golden light rise to the sky?  That was the power of two crystals!  What is she doing thinking he will come and meet her again?
Finally, she has reached the opening of the building.  Now, shielded from the drizzle, the rain reminds Makoto of another memory.  Senpai… Earthen showers blurred her view when she watched him leave. It seemed like he had vanished rapidly into the rain and she couldn’t hear his steps.  It was as swift as his goodbye.

“The Silver Millenium has broken ties with the Earth.”
“It’s just as the divine rule ordained—people from different planets must not fall inlove with each other,” she sighed.  “Now, Queen Serenity understands why this should not be broken.”
“We have already broken it.”
She nodded.  “So, we are enemies?” she tried to smile when she asked as though it were only one of their usual conversations.  As though the view of the Earth that she admired had no cloud of darkness in it, just as she hoped it in him.
“We are on different sides,” he had told her.  “But you shall always be the same to me.”
 

How far away in her past has she drifted?  It was a different memory.  Makoto smiled a little at this mistake.  One could still enter the shrine but the roof out here can still shield her from the rain.  She sat down on the floor.  “It looks like it would rain some more,” she told herself.
Makoto was right.  The rain fell harder and the showers hit the pavement so hard that its many little splashes created a white mist that blurred the view of the gardens in the shrine.  It would be a good decision to enter the shrine building now as Makoto can’t help but be sprayed by the splashes of rain on the pavement.  When she stood up, she saw an unknown figure near the torii pillars, walking towards the shrine.
“Hmmm…?” Makoto wondered.  Who would walk in this rain?
In the meantime, the figure continued towards the shrine. He was sure that he would find her here—the first place anyone would think for shelter.  What kind of conversation would this turn out to now when the sunset she admired so much would not be as admirable in this drizzle?  He saw her standing at the entrance of the shrine, her chestnut hair all laid down without her usual pony tail, taken down because she was drenched in the rain.
“Nephrite…” Makoto was awed with surprise to see him.
Nephrite walked casually towards her without paying attention to the rain. He continued his gaze on her as if to affirm her doubts that he is not a wandering spirit.  He knew this same expression of the Princess of Jupiter—like a spectacle of wonder and surprise in her eyes as the day she first saw the magnificence of his planet in the Moon Kingdom’s veranda.

  Images of the storm, the dark and the light from the Moon.  The intruder hiding in the pillars and the image of the stranger in the flames—they are both the same. The color of their eyes and the expression of their faces were very much familiar.
“Their auras are the same,” Rei whispered to herself.  How can this be?
But Rei has neglected one point in all these similarities.  Even when she summons help from the kuji meditation, it would not help her.  The flames danced wild and furious on the pedestal like her very own character.  In the heart of the flames, she noticed its faint center.  The most infinite blue… she regrets to forget whose eyes they belong to…
The following morning, Phobos and Deimos were awakened by the early opening of the doors of Hikawa Jinja.  Careful footsteps and refined movements, they had both sensed the presence of their mistress.  Even when they felt her tense heartbeat, Hino Rei always walked in the same dignified and proud manner… along with the toss of her hair.  She always kept her composure and that worked conveniently for her, too, since no one knew of her troubles.
It is decided that it was not the time to tell her.  Maybe in a matter of time, she would figure out things on her own.
“I’m going for awhile, Phobos… Deimos,” Rei bent down and winked at them.
Where was it again?  Rei tried to recall where Eternal Sailormoon had last been.  Why are there so many things she has to remember?  She resolved that she has to return there.  Nothing seems to have helped her.  If she could only touch those walls, maybe some of its remaining energy would flow into her and help her answer all these questions.
When Hino Rei reached the place of the last encounter, that side street was nearly deserted.  It was no doubt that the generals chose this place to charge on the head of the Silver Millenium.  The charred walls were evident of the battle.  She examined the walls and raised her hand to touch it.
Nothing.
Beneath her side however, a small sparkling object managed to get her attention.  It was a small blue-green jewel with a golden clasp.  By its sparkle, it was surely authentic.  Rei felt the smoothened texture of the gem in her hands and wondered about its owner.  She was sure that whoever owned this would never let it go because its coral facets were beautiful and… hypnotic… as if there was a spell in its sparkle and she was seeing the alignment of the planets around the sun covered by a dark powerful mist… and then, slowly retreating from a shining light.  It was as if it had the power to lock the owner’s sight in such a small a gem.
At least Rei did not go home that afternoon empty-handed.  She held the gem in her hands like it was her only consolation.  Would the sacred fire help her again?  She sighed and held her treasure to her cheek.  Blue… the same as his….
Rei’s thoughts had been interrupted by what she saw halfway through the stairs of Hikawa Jinja. She exhaled heavily from the tension in her chest.  Too much surprise and relief.  Why is he so fond of appearing this way?
“Ohayoo, Hino-san!”  Jadeite greeted softly.