A/N: So… what is this? Honestly, I don't really know. A product of melancholy, perhaps, and something to get the old creative juices flowing. But it comes from an idea. What happens when a magical girl grows up?

Warnings: Femmeslash, but nothing overt

15 Years Later

It had been years since the last time they had fought together. Setsuna had told them that Galaxia would be the last major threat that they would face together, though the occasional daemon, youma, or other baddie would crop up just as a leftover of previous incursions. Usagi remembered the last fight like it was yesterday.

The Senshi had heard that a monster was attacking a small resort hotel in northwest Tokyo. They arrived in force, Inner and Outer, mainly because they were all completely bored and even a small fight was a chance to stretch their legs and use their powers. The monster was nothing more than a leftover daimon, probably a sleeper egg that had been left during the Mistress Nine encounter, and took very little time to destroy. The Senshi congratulated each other on job well done, and made plans to meet at the Temple the next morning for a debriefing. It was the last time they had seen the outer senshi.

The next morning, Usagi awoke and looked to the window, where she saw Luna stretched out in a sunbeam, her usual spot to sleep. She greeted the cat, who didn't respond. Her sleep addled mind realized something was different, but it wasn't until the cat jumped down that she realized that, while Luna wore her usual collar and tags, the crescent moon sigil on her forehead was missing. No amount of pleading for a reponse would get the cat to talk, and indeed the animal seemed amused by her owners antics.

Barely even bothering with breakfast and dressing for the day, Usagi ran to Rei's temple, finding a hyperventilating Minako holding an equally unresponsive Artemis. The other two inner senshi arrived, and when Ami tried to reach for the Mercury computer she was unable to access her hyperspace pocket. Maybe it was a premonition, but silence reigned in the temple for a long moment when she announced this. They all quickly recovered and tried to get their henshin wands, communicators, or anything else they could think of with the same result. Usagi, usually able to access the power of the Ginzuishou with merely a thought, found her powers blocked.

Panic was probably a good word for what they were all feeling about now.

Usagi quickly called Setsuna's number, but only got a recording stating the number was not in service. She called Mamoru who agreed to drive them to the Outer Senshi's home, but they arrived finding the house occupied by a family with two small children, who seemed to have been there for years before. They seemed concerned but very confused when Usagi broke down into tears on their doorstep.

That had been fifteen years before. The five inner senshi, who refused to stop thinking of themselves in that manner, spent months trying to find some hint of their previous lives. The evidence and newspaper clippings proved that people remembered the Sailor Senshi, so they dismissed any idea of tampering with time. The longer time went by, the harder it became for them to stay strong.

Mamoru cracked first, stating that he had to go back to school and he would keep in touch about it. Calls turned to letters, which turned to a postcard a month, which then stopped completely. Usagi's relationship with her prince, foretold to last for a thousand years, ended when he found a girl at his school in California and married her.

Usagi was 33 now, studying history and political science at the post graduate level at university. She hadn't seen any of her old friends in months, since they had gotten together for Christmas. It seemed sometimes to her that they were forgetting the things they had done together. Makoto and Minako were both married now, Makoto happily carrying her second child. Ami had lost herself in medical school, working hours that sometimes barely allowed her to sleep, then began working emergency medicine. It seemed she never left the hospital anymore. And her dear Rei would stare into the distance, holding a broom in her hand, not sweeping, not doing much of anything. She learned years before that the sacred fire was no longer granting her visions, not since the powers of Mars had left her. Artemis had been left with Minako's parents when the girl had started travelling the world shortly after high school, and Luna just disappeared one day, 12 years ago.

Coming back from class on a windy Thursday evening, she heard screams coming from a side street as she passed by. For a moment, she was 15 again, her hands going to find the broach on her chest, her lips ready to call her transformation phrase. Reality caught up with her, and she realized that it wouldn't happen. Still, her old instincts wouldn't let her ignore the cries for help, so she hustled towards the sounds.

He blood ran cold when she arrived. For there, fighting what looked to be a giant lizard, stood a blonde girl in a Senshi uniform. No, not JUST a senshi uniform. The uniform of Sailor Moon. HER uniform.

"Use your tiara, Sailor Moon!" came a cry from the ground, and with an icy feel of betrayal, she turned to see a black cat with a crescent moon sigil on her forehead. The girl nodded, a stony expression on her face, and with a cry of "Moon Tiara Action!" a golden discuss flew to the monster, separating its top half from the bottom. The battle over, the energy drained from the people around returned quick, and Sailor Moon gave a victorious cry. The cat ran to congratulation her, but as it jumped onto the senshi's shoulder, it happened to glance in Usagi's direction. It froze, seeing the older girl standing there, stock still among those recovering from the attack, then it bowed its head and whispered something to the other girl who jumped to a rooftop and vanished from sight.

Usagi couldn't move for almost 20 minutes, as she stared at the destruction around her, and at the smoking pile of ash that the monster had been. She tried several times to call the crystal to her, failing each time.

A hand on her shoulder made her turn, to see Rei standing next to her. She fell into the other girls arms and begin to cry. There was so much she didn't understand, so much to say, but all she could get out was "Why?"

Rei rubbed her back and whispered, "I don't know. Mina called me last week, telling me that she had seen what she was sure was Sailor V running around the streets of Beijing of all places, but she thought it was a decoy and didn't think of it." The girl paused, hesitant to continue, but the pressed on, "We got a new miko at the temple last week. She's a little firebrand, really, with a temper on her like… well, like the sands of Mars itself. She can read the fire too, like I used to." Her voice cracked slightly. "I think its only a matter of time before she starts disappearing at random times."

"I don't understand." Usagi whispered, and Rei could only nod, and hug her friend again.

She allowed herself to be held for a few minutes more, then wiped her eyes. "We need the others. Everyone we can find. Setsuna is a loss, I have no doubt, but the others… we need to get them together."

"Usagi… princess. No offence, but, what good will that do?"

Usagi stared into the distance, then shrugged. "I don't know, Rei-chan. But, I need to see them, one more time. If you can find Hotaru, or 'Ruka or Michiru, get them to come, but the others have to be there. Next Saturday morning at your shrine. If they need plane tickets, tell them to call me."

Rei nodded, hearing the command in her friend's voice, then smiled slightly. "I wish I had seen this side of you before, Usa-chan. I'd have followed you to hell and back."

"You did, Rei-chan. You did."

"Maybe," Rei replied, sass clear in her voice, "But I've had smiled more about it."

Usagi stuck out her tongue, causing Rei to do the same, then they both giggled. Rei turned to go, then stopped as Usagi called her name.

"Rei-chan… if you can't find them- If they won't come… Come back to me? Don't… don't you leave me too."

"I could never leave you, princess." Rei whispered, turning and running her hand down her cheek. She blushed at the raw emotion in Usagi's eyes, then turned back, running down the street to her shrine.

The intervening week was as close to hell as Usagi had experienced since it was her in that uniform. She watched the news, and kept her eyes open, seeing patterns emerging in the attacks of whoever this enemy was, even trying to approach this new Sailor Moon, or the brown haired Sailor Mercury that had joined her. Each time, she was rebuffed, either by them jumping away or by them simply ignoring her as they fought. Luna pretended she didn't exist.

When Saturday morning finally arrived, she Rei and Makoto chatting quietly, Minako and Ami sitting on the sofa together. The years had been kind to Minako, who still appeared on the music circuit now and again. Makoto was a mother, and her figure reflected it, no longer a lanky amazon type, she had added some padding to her curves, though none would ever call her overweight, especially given the "baby bump" she was sporting. Ami was the most changed, her blue hair bound in a tight braid running all the way down her back, her face pinched, and her eyes looking very tired. Rei looked much the same as always, a mane of raven hair running down her back, her miko robes long since replaced by the robes of a full temple priestess.

"I sent Yuka, that's my new miko" Rei said off the curious looks, "into town for some supplies for me, but told her to take her time, and go to see a movie or something if she wants."

Usagi nodded, then looked around. "The outers?" She asked.

"Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru were all killed in a car accident 3 days after we discovered our powers gone." Ami said sadly, "I found the records at the hospital this weekend. There was a great deal of alcohol in their system."

The girls all stiffened at the news, though the passing of the outer senshi did not affect them as it would have all those years before. The news was sad, but not entirely unexpected.

"Who are these girls?" Makoto asked. "I saw them on the news on Friday."

"Moon and Mercury," Ami said bitterly. "The newscasters were saying how remarkable it was that they hadn't seemed to age a day since their last sighting."

Rei shivered suddenly, causing Usagi to place a hand on her arm. "Are you alright, Rei-chan?" she asked.

Rei nodded, a tear sliding down her face. "I think Sailor Mars has just been…. Recruited." She said sadly.
"No doubt Yuka will be some time before she arrives."

Makoto sighed, then stood. "Girls… I'm sorry. This is very sad for all of us, and I know that it hurts. But its over now. We're not who we were. Apparently they don't need us anymore." She picked up her purse, and headed to the door. "I love you all, I want you to know that. Usagi" she sniffled a moment, her voice cracking, "Usagi, you are, and always will be, my princess. But I have a child to take care of. Another on the way. I can't live in the past, and I certainly can't become Jupiter again." She looked around sadly, then left the temple, pausing at the door. "I'll be glad to meet any of you for dinner, or tea, or just to go shopping. But not for this. Please don't bring it up again."

Ami watched her leave, then turned to go as well, not even bothering with a speech. Minako followed behind her, stopping only to hug Usagi and whisper in her ear, "We all love you, princess. Please don't be sad."

Finally it was only Rei and Usagi, alone in the kitchen of the shrine. They stared at each other for a long time, until they heard the gate opening. They looked out and saw a limping Yuka entering the gate, staring at a cylindrical object in her hand, which seemed to vanish with the flick of a wrist. She entered, calling out a greeting to the shrine, which was returned by Rei.

"Good evening, Hino-sama" the girl said, staring at the two women before her.

"Good evening, Yuka-chan. Did you have a good evening?"

"It was… eventful."

Rei and Usagi shared a long, sad glance. "No doubt it was, Yuka. The furo is still heated, you may wish to soak for awhile before you go to bed. Don't forget your duties in the morning."

"Haaiii" The girl said, turning away. She paused, then turned back around, regarding Usagi for a long time. "Do I know you, ma'am?" She asked, finally.

"No." Usagi said quietly. "I don't think you do."

The girl nodded, and left to soak her no doubt aching body. Rei turned to Usagi, then looked at her teacup.

"Do you think we'll ever find out?" Usagi whispered.

"I don't know." Rei responded. "I just don't know."

Rei lead Usagi by the hand to the back porch, where to two stared up at the crescent moon, Usagi held in Rei's arms.

"Don't leave me." Usagi whispered. "Don't you leave me, Sailor Mars."

"Never,Princess." Rei whispered, "Not until the moon falls into the earth."

Usagi turned around, and held Rei's cheeks in her hands. "Don't leave me."

Rei leaned down and kissed her, acting on a desire that had been burning in her ever since she had been the one coming home that first night, staring in wonder at the pen of Mars in her hand.

"Don't you leave me" Usagi whispered again when the kiss broke, tears running down her face. "Don't…"

"Marry me." Rei whispered.

Usagi just nodded.

Outside the window, a black cat with a crescent moon stared into the window of the temple. Of all the girls, throughout all the centuries, that Luna had created as Sailor Moon, Usagi was probably her favorite. She had seen the girl grow from an almost useless crybaby, into a girl that would have been worthy to become the crowned Queen of Crystal Tokyo. She wanted to go in there, and confess everything to the girl. Grant her the abilities that had been stolen back from her when she and her friends were no longer 'useful.' But she couldn't. Not this time. Not ever.

She jumped down from the temple to leave, and as she moved into the distance, she saw an emergency vehicle, heading from what she knew would have been a fatal car accident. The news the next morning would no doubt be reporting on the death of a very popular singer. Then, sometime later, an expectant mother would suffer some sort of accident, or possibly have some major complications in her pregnancy. A temple priestess… she turned back again to look at the shrine- a temple priestess would fall. Then a doctor.

And then, just as always, a girl who had carried the weight of the world on her shoulders, would die from something as simple as a heart attack, or a strange accident, never seeing the immortality she was promised, or the utopia she fought so valiantly for. It was always difficult when the Sailor team survived the threats that they were called to handle. They were always brought to the team in the same order, a rank system that had fallen away millennia ago, and, in the same way, so they would be un-made. Pluto was a creature of habit that way.

Luna sadly walked back towards the home where her latest charge lived. The girl was very sweet, more dedicated than Usagi had been when she was first created, but didn't have that spark. She wasn't sure that she'd survive the coming fight. The new Mars, though, was just like her processor, the spitting image of the original Sailor Mars. No doubt in a few decades, she would walk this road again, when the girl, current miko of this temple, became too old, too inflexible, too quick to question. Sailors had to been teenagers, who would believe without hesitation the idea that, when the fight was finished, there would be a Crystal Tokyo, waiting in the wings, ready to bring a new Utopia to the planet. That Love and Justice would triumph over evil, in the name of the Moon.

Maybe she'd ask Pluto to hold off a year before taking the last three down. The current enemy was nothing to worry about, and so there wouldn't be too much risk in giving those poor girls a chance at a small amount of happiness. Meantime, she had a Jupiter to find.

End Notes:

OOC? Of course they are. Telling any kind of dark Sailor Moon story will guarantee that. But there you. Now I'm gonna get back to my main stories again. Really.