Author's Note: I had hoped to be finished the entire rewrite before I posted this, but if you consider there are three books already in the series, I guess it makes sense that it's taking forever. So, here's the plan. I am editing each of the stories already posted for age and content. Making sure everything is done right. BUT... I am also reworking the series and gearing a slightly altered version to teens. Basically, it's the story without the lemons and the really hard to read stuff has been smoothed down a little. Tell me what you think.

So here's what you need to know. As I finish updating a story I will put it in my notes in the following posted chapter for that story. That way, if you want to read any added scenes or see the changes you can. I will warn you, there are already a lot of added scenes throughout the first book, so I will let you know when I post that.

Announcement: The newest book in the series should be out within the hour. It is entitled Shadows of Destruction: Search for the Holy Grail. Go take a look when you've finished reading this!

Makaiju
The Promise of the Rose
Epilogue
New Beginnings

February 26
Continued

Germatoid had him. There was never going to be an escape. He was trapped within his own mind, a prisoner who could never be freed.

"Bring me the girl," the entity ordered. "Find her. Bring her. She is mine."

"She's my child," Dr. Tomoe whimpered. "She's just a little girl."

"Are you breaking your word?" a new voice came into his mind, twisting and tormenting him. Before his eyes he could see something that was not there. It was a massive ball of dark energy with waving tentacles streaming out. And yet he was still at the school and could clearly see his laboratory around him. Covering his ears, he screamed.

"The talismans unlock the grail," the voice whispered, reminding him of a snake. "Take the talismans and unlock the grail. There will be destruction. Mistress 9 will rise from the ashes."

"Don't make me do this," he pleaded.

"You must. We fulfilled our part of the bargain. She lives and breathes because of us! Now it is time to do your part. Send out my Daimons. Find the talismans. I want that grail."

Dr. Tomoe screamed, unable to stand the pain of the voices in his head. He collapsed to his knees, coving his head with his arms, and sobbed.

Ronnie twisted her hair in her hands feeling anxious. The people around her were complete strangers, and yet... she felt more comfortable with them than many people she'd know for years.

"Everything is going to be alright," the tiny blonde girl said rubbing her hand over an obviously swollen belly.

Ronnie gulped. The girl looked like a strong wind would knock her over, and yet she could tell now that it truly was Sailor Moon. And the others who were gathering around her were all familiar from the news. She'd watched the Sailor Senshi hour. Had even envied them their powers. And they were saying she belonged with them. Did that mean she had powers?

The red-haired man had shifted her so that she was sitting on a low couch across from the girl. So far all she had managed to do was stare. She was so young. The black-haired teen hovered over her protectively, while the bluenette had finished with the IV and was tickling the belly of a small girl with bubble-gum pink hair and eyes.

"You're safe. That's what matters most in this moment," the blonde continued. "That boy will never find you here. And with a little magical help, he will never find you at all."

That caught Ronnie's attention. "How?"

The girl, Usagi, held up what looked like a pen. "With this. It's the disguise pen. Or sometimes I call it the Luna pen since she gave it to me. Watch."

She handed the pen to the green-haired woman who had named herself Esmeraude. The woman held it up and whispered, "disguise pen turn me into an old woman." Ronnie stared in shock as the girl glowed for a moment and then her appearance changed. She looked to be in her late forties, still incredibly beautiful, and there were silver streaks in her hair.

"You're not old," Ronnie said softly.

"I am for our kind," Esmeraude explained. "Those connected to Crystals age differently. The older we get, the slower we age. In the time I came from, the Queen, who will one day be Usagi, was over a thousand years and looked to be perhaps twenty-four. And still popping out babies," she added with a grin at the tiny blonde, who stuck out her tongue in reprisal.

"Oh." There wasn't much else she could say.

"We've also used it to hide some significant changes in our looks to anyone who does not know and willingly protect our secret," Usagi said softly. "Watch." She closed her eyes and a moment later Ronnie could see that her hair wasn't actually blonde. It was silver with bright pink tips at the end. The same shade as the hair of the little girl now sitting on the bluenettes' lap.

"Wow."

"The trick is in the wording. For instance, if I were to hide you, I would say, 'Luna pen, please hide Ronnie's true appearance from the one who hurt her and any who would tell him where she was,' or something along those lines. And the enchantment doesn't wear away unless you will it to. Not me or someone else. You. That means you could walk right by that evil snake and he wouldn't know it was you."

"Really?" Ronnie asked, feeling more hopeful than she had in months. "It would really do all of that?"

"Hai," the girl said. "I am assuming that you have family and friends who are worried about you. We know a few officers who can get them a message that you are safe, but until that monster is found I don't think it's safe for you to go home yet. Would you be okay staying with one of us for a time? The Ayakashi sisters and the Gem brothers are all together. You could stay with them, or you could go to the Jinja. Grandfather Hino has said it won't be a problem. Then there are several available rooms with our other friends."

Feeling a little overwhelmed, Ronnie didn't immediately answer. Whatever she chose it would need to be somewhere safe. By the way the others hovered around the little blonde, her money was on staying with her being the safest place possible. She stared at the girl, then peeped from the corner of her eye at the red-haired man. She also felt safer because he was there, though why that was she couldn't say. Part of her wanted to be wherever he was. Still, she was not over what James had done to her and she wasn't sure she could handle trying to start a friendship, or anything more, with the boy.

"Could I stay here with you?" she asked, not sure if there was even room.

"Yes," the black-haired boy said. "You can always change your mind and go to one of the other places though. No one will make you do anything you don't want to do."

"Except this once," Usagi said. "I have to do one thing before that promise can be kept. I'm going to ask you to trust me. Can you do that?"

Ronnie nodded her head. The blonde wouldn't hurt her.

"Make sure the blinds are closed," the blue-haired girl called out. A man with silver hair and one with dark blue hair went to the windows and it quickly grew darker in the apartment. Ronnie shivered, wondering what was happening.

"Henshin yo," the girl said.

Ronnie felt herself lifting up off the couch and covered in swirling lights that were a beautiful shade of brown, reminding her a bit of bronze, and she spun lightly as she hovered several inches off the floor. Her eyes closed as power washed through her. When it was over Ronnie looked down at herself. She was wearing a fuku similar to what the Senshi wore, though slightly longer. It had a brown skirt, ribbons, and collar. She held a staff in one hand with an eight-pointed star at the tip.

"What is your name?" Usagi asked.

"Pegasia Warrior," Ronnie said. Then she breathed out in shock. "Pegasia Warrior. I really am one of you."

"With the ability to meld metal to your will I would think," the black-haired boy said. She wished she could remember his name. She knew he was Tuxedo Kamen, but she couldn't remember the names they had all given her.

"Why do you say that?" Pegasia asked, curious.

"Look at the cuffs you were wearing," he suggested.

Checking her wrists, she found no cuffs. She looked down at the floor and saw them. Bending to grab one she gasped. On the portions of the cuff that had been attached to the metal bars on the bed, the metal was twisted angrily. And on the parts that had been on her wrists as she had changed into this new form, the metal had simply melted away.

She didn't even realize she was crying until the red-haired man handed her tissues. He looked nervous and slightly awkward, which went a long way towards making her feel less nervous and awkward. "Arigato," she whispered, unable to look away. He had the most incredible eyes.

It wasn't long after Usagi sent Ronnie into the guest bathroom to freshen up that Setsuna appeared. She looked good. Well-rested and happy. Usagi forced her growing bulk up off the couch to hug her. "How are you?" she asked.

"I'm good. You look positively radiant."

"Thank you," Usagi grinned. "I have to say your younger self is glowing quite a bit lately too. Did it all work out the way it did originally?"

"Hai." Setsuna laughed. "It was adorable finding out like that. I'll never forget Haruki's reaction."

"I don't think anyone will," Usagi said leaning against the older version of her friend. This was the Setsuna who had come back in time just to bring her a milkshake. She was special too. "So what were you up to?" she asked, curious in spite of herself.

"Oh I was just setting something in motion, that's all," Setsuna murmured. "Don't want to mess up the timeline or anything, so I can't go into detail."

"Chibi-Usa napped a little. Chibi-Mamo tells us she's been having a visitor in her dreams."

Setsuna laughed. "Raising magical children is a whole different kettle of fish than those without powers."

"Very true." Usagi looked over at the twins who were now snuggled up to Minako and Kunzite who had come over after learning what had happened to Ronnie, and Ail and An. "It's been a rather busy day for us. We had to leave in the middle of our visit."

Setsuna only nodded. "Kids, it is time to go. Give your parents hugs."

Usagi held tight to her future children for several minutes, as did Mamoru. They both clung to them, but eventually they stepped back and watched as Setsuna disappeared with a child's hand in each of hers.

An's eyes blinked open and she stared up into the brilliant pink leaves Mother held aloft. Flowers bloomed up and down the lengths of her branches and she swayed slightly in a late afternoon breeze. The sun shone down in little cracks between the leaves, occasionally making An close her eyes to block out the light.

"Where am I?" she wondered. This was certainly not the pocket dimension they'd hidden Mother in. "What happened?"

"Oh thank goodness you're awake," said a teenaged boy, moving into her field of vision. "Mother said what Usagi and Mamoru did was enough, but you've been sleeping for hours and hours."

This was too much information to be taken in all at once. "What?" she asked, feeling confused.

"Do you remember me?" the teen asked.

"Yes. Fiore."

He let out a huge sigh of relief. "That's good. Ail does too. Um. So those flower people you found were Kisenian blossoms. They escaped when I killed the rest. I'm so sorry. I was under the control of one for a very long time and she had my mind all twisted. I thought attacking the earth was a good thing. Everything was so messed up in my head. But then Usagi and Mamoru helped me to see what was happening, so I destroyed Xenian and I thought I got the seedlings, but apparently I missed a few."

"Then they were from space," An said. She had to admit she was relieved. If those flowers were all over this planet then everyone would be in danger.

"Hai. And it's my fault both of you got hurt. And a lot of people and animals and plants died because of it too."

He looked so sad as he spoke that it broke An's heart. She slowly sat up and hugged him. "Everything will be okay," she promised, though she wasn't sure how she knew.

"Um, Usagi wanted me to tell you she would like to talk to you. She needs to tell you what they've done to hide you. And Mother wants to talk to you as well, but she said to make sure you didn't have a headache first."

"Usagi?" An asked. He'd mentioned her several times.

"She's Sailor Moon," Fiore confessed. "She helped me rescue you and she and Mamoru, or Tuxedo Kamen, healed Mother. Now she's in a much better place." He pointed out and An took her first real look at her surroundings. They were at the edge of a large clearing. Less than twenty feet away was a small brook and Mother's roots were soaking in the water. "This is on the property of the Hikawah Jinja, so it's a safe place where no one will try to harm Mother."

Mother herself shook slightly, wiggling her branches. She looked like she was enjoying the sunlight, the water, and the good soil. Feelings of contentment filtered through to An and she couldn't help smiling. So Makoto had been right then. Sun, water, good soil, and love. A delighted laugh burbled up out of her. Mother was safe and An no longer felt angry and vengeful. She didn't know exactly what Usagi and the others had done, but she was free of the all the negative emotions that had been beating at her mind for so many years.

End Book Three
Book Four: Shadows of Destruction: Search for the Holy Grail
Prologue and Chapter One Will be Posted Today!