* * * *

Glancing in the mirror, Moshi brushed her ponytail one last time before she adjusted her purple bow. She smoothed the wrinkles out of her purple dress as she slipped her feet into her matching shoes. Her hand went to her ear where the pair of daisy earrings she usually wore were gone. Sighing she sat on her bed, thinking of Hoshi again.

Deep in thought, she didn't hear her mother coming up the stairs calling for her. She didn't look up until Miko entered the room. "Dear Kami-sama, Moshi, I've been calling you for the last ten minutes!" Takanera Miko said as she brushed her bangs out of her face. "I still have to shower and do my hair. I need you to finish preparing downstairs before everyone arrives!"

Moshi smiled weakly to her mother. "Gomen ne Okaa-san, I'm just a bit tired I guess." She stood up and followed her mother back downstairs. Miko was having a party, celebrating her promotion at work and her return from France. A promotion meant more money, but also her having to travel much more. She'd invited Moshi's friends and their parents, plus a few other people from work.

As Moshi cleared a spot on the table for another bowl of chips, Miko emerged from her room glowing and smiling. Her light perfume filled the air. Moshi sniffed and smiled, she liked the smell of her mother's perfume, it reminded her of the roses in the Celestial Gardens.

The doorbell chimed and Moshi rushed to open the door. The first guests of the evening were Hino Rei, her grandfather, and Yuuichirou.

"Konban wa Moshi-chan!" Rei called out as she walked in, her red skirt swished with a flourish..

"Konban wa Rei-chan," Moshi said with a grin.

In no time, Rei's grandfather was trying to hit on Moshi's mother. Moshi sighed and clapped her hand to her forehead as the doorbell chimed again.

"Help yourself to some potato chips!" Moshi said as she pointed Rei and Yuuichirou to the table.

Moshi ran back to the living room and opened the front door. The second guests for the evening were the Tsukino family. An excited Usagi bounced in, giving Moshi a bearhug.

"Konban wa Tsukino family!" Moshi said beaming a wide smile. Ikuko smiled as she took her husband by the arm and walked in.

"Konban wa Ikuko!" Miko called out as she spotted her friend enter the house. The two women began to chatter as the men in the room looked for something to do.

Moshi smirked and nudged Shingo in the ribs. "Oi, Shingo-kun, looking for something to do?"

Shingo nodded. "Yeah, I'm bored..."

Moshi giggled a bit. "Come with me!" She led Shingo upstairs to her bedroom. Pushing him over to the TV she clicked it on and turned her Nintendo on. Hearing him gasp in excitement, she knew Shingo would be up here for the night.

The doorbell chimed again, calling her attention to her important matter. Racing back downstairs, she skidded to a halt in front of the door. She flung it open expecting another large brood of people. Standing in the light of the porch light was Makoto standing alone. With a serene look on her face, she smiled. "Konban wa Mo-chan," she slightly whispered.

Moshi's face lit up. "Mako-chan, onegai come in!" She took Makoto by her arm and led her into the house. "Potato chips by the table, Rei-chan and Usagi-chan are already here!" Makoto smiled again and nodded, heading over to the table of food.

Before another thought could enter her head the doorbell chimed again. Feeling like she was stuck in a warp, she opened the door again. This time it was Ami with her mother and Minako with her parents. Greetings were said, and everyone was present for the party.

Moshi let out a sigh of relief, finally she could sit down. She glanced around the room, as usual Chibiusa and Usagi were arguing about something. Rei and Minako looked as if they were plotting something. Ami had found a quiet corner and started to read a calculus book she had tugged along. She could hear the excited cries of Shingo upstairs playing a video game. She looked at Makoto, who only stood quietly at the table, poking a few potato chips around on her plate.

Moshi stood up and walked over to Makoto. "Mako-chan, Daijoubu?" She asked, her face filling with worry.

Makoto laughed a phony laugh. "Daijoubu!" She tried to fake the small smile she placed on her face.

Moshi frowned, her violet eyes flashing. "I know what it is, I felt the same way when I saw Usagi's and Minako's too-san."

Makoto sighed, her green eyes filling with tears. "It's just...I'm always the one going solo at such parties."

Moshi leaned her head on Makoto's shoulder. "Mako-chan, it's not your fault." She suddenly snapped her head up. "I say to hell with this, lets go see a movie or something!"

Makoto smiled a bit more. "You mean leave your mother's party?"

Moshi shrugged apathetically. "Hai, let's go!"

The two spent the next ten minutes rounding up their friends. Slowly moving towards the door, they each crept out one by one. When Moshi finally left the house last, closing the door behind her. They screamed out loud and ran down the steps giggling wildly.

They sprinted to the corner and turned it in a flash. Stopping to get their breath, they laughed madly about what they just done. After getting their breath from the 200 mile run, they decided they would go to the new multi-plex downtown to see a movie and then to their favorite cafe for shakes afterwards.

* * * *

"Total Confusion!" Supersailorparadise screamed as she released her attack. a dark purple cloud struck Imitar, rendering him confused for a few moments, giving Sailorutopia her chance to become the Utopian Knight.

"Knight power, Come to me!" she called as her all white fuku, much similar to that of Supersailormoon's, transformed into a purple armored suit with a cape. On her face, a mask of white appeared as her Dawnbringer appeared at her side and her bracers of life appeared on her wrists.

"Neo Life Force!" Sailor Neoearth yelled as her attack crashed into Imitar's shapeless mass. With a confused scream, he shrank back into the corner of the room.

"Where did he come from!" Paradise yelled. They were sitting down to dinner when Imitar suddenly barged in and began to create havoc.

The Utopian Knight snarled, "I don't care, but I'm about to send him back where he belongs." She wielded her sword, the Dawnbringer. Swiping it above her head in a arc, a tail of yellow light followed. Her bracers started to glow brightly as she held her sword in her hands. She walked over to the shuddering mass and held the sword over her head. "Utopian Sword Illumination!" She wailed as she leaped. Imitar suddenly moved out of the path of the blade into another corner. Confused by his sudden move, this left him a chance to attack.

He pinned the Knight against the wall, as his hand wrapped around her throat. She gasped as she called. "Neoearth, go get me!"

Leaving her mother and her sister to battle Imitar, she embarked on the long trip to the time portal where Sailor Pluto sat alone.

* * * *

Minako laughed as Moshi acted out another part of the crazy movie They just saw. "That had to be the dumbest part ever!"

Moshi shook her head as she laughed. "I think the dumbest one was the Knights of Ni!"

"Ni Ni!" Usagi said before she busted out with laughter.

Rei snickered a bit. She pointed to Usagi and screamed. "A Rabid Usagi! RUN AWAY RUN AWAY!"

Ami laughed as tears poured from her eyes. Makoto laughed also as She pulled out her handkerchief to wipe at her eyes.

As they walked to their favorite cafe for their shakes, Makoto pulled Moshi behind the rest and whispered to her, "Arigato, Mo-chan, you sure know how to cheer a girl up."

Moshi smiled. "We both were needing cheering up, now let us drown our cheer with shakes!"

Behind them, a girl dressed in a Juuban fuku silently followed. Her green eyes narrowed as she tried to focus on the girls.

The bell on the door chimed as they entered the cafe. The manager smiled as she saw her favorite customers approach the counter. Over in a corner booth sat three women, deep in conversation. Usagi turned to look at the menu above their heads when she spotted them.

"Hey, look!" Moshi said, pointing at one of the tables. "It's Haruka-san-tachi!"

Haruka looked up from her cup of coffee. "Look, it's the get along gang," she joked.

Michiru smiled at the group of girls. "Why are you all out so late?"

Setsuna raised a dark eyebrow. "And dressed up at that."

The six girls turned red. "Ano, we're just coming back from a movie, that's all!" Usagi said, stammering slightly.

"Dressed like that?" Haruka asked. "I'd love to see this movie theater, maybe Michiru could play during intermission."

Michiru and Setsuna snickered at the expressions on the their faces. They talked to the Inner Senshi for a few minutes while they had their shakes and sundaes. Without noticing the time, an hour had already slipped past and it was getting late.

"We better get back to the party," Ami said as she looked at her watch.

Moshi nodded. "Hai, lets go, Minna."

"Ja ne, Haruka-san, Michiru-san, Setsuna-san!" the six chorused as they left the parlor.

"Still feeling funny now?" Haruka asked Setsuna.

Setsuna nodded. "If anything, talking to them has increased my worry."

"I just wish we knew what was going on," Michiru said.

* * * *

They slowly walked back to Moshi's house. A thought nagged at Moshi in the back of her head. She didn't want to upset the others, but she had to talk to someone. She tapped Ami on the shoulder and slowly pulled her back.

"Ami-chan," Moshi said, looking at Ami.

"Nani, Mo-chan?" Ami asked, her blue eyes filled with concern.

Looking down at her hands, Moshi twiddled her thumbs. "Well...I have an odd feeling...something isn't right. Don't you feel it?"

Ami closed her eyes for a moment and slowly began to nod. "Somehow, I feel it too."

Rei heard the conversation and slowed her walking pace to match Ami and Moshi's. "Hai, I feel it too. Something is out of balance."

"What are we going to do?" Moshi said as she looked to her friends for answers.

Ami shrugged. "There's nothing we can do until we know what's wrong."

Rei knitted her eyebrows. "Ami-chan, some day we'll have to have a discussion about your tact, the lack thereof."

Makoto busted out loudly. "You mean the odd feeling I've been getting all day?"

Moshi sighed. "Hai Mako-chan."

Usagi looked around in bewilderment. "Odd feeling? Nani?"

Rei inwardly moaned. "Oh boy, you mean you're not getting an odd feeling that something isn't right?"

Usagi shook her head so that her ponytails started to fly around her head. "Iie, I've felt nothing!"

Moshi slapped herself on the forehead again for what seemed to be the fifteenth time tonight. "Oh Kami-sama, what are we going to do with her!?"

Usagi frowned and glared at Moshi. "If you'd just let me finish!"

Moshi smothered a chuckle. "Well continue then!"

"I was going to say, I have felt something but I wouldn't call it odd," Usagi said.

Rei's eyebrows flew towards her hairline. "Oh really."

"Yes really!" Usagi said, sticking her tongue out and pulling one eyelid down.

Usagi's actions enraged Rei and before anyone else knew it, the two were caught in a tongue war with Moshi stuck between them.

Behind them in the shadows, the girl dressed in the Juuban fuku still followed at a close pace. She pushed her black bangs out of her eyes as she crouched behind a tree, keeping an eye on her targets. "Maybe not tonight, but for sure tomorrow," she thought as she stood up and ran away into the night.

Finally reaching Moshi's house, the six friends slowly crept up the front stairs. Moshi went to put her key in the door when it flew open.

Standing before her with eyes of brown fire was Miko. "I'm dead!" Moshi thought as she waited for the hand of punishment to slap her silly.

"Where in the name of Kami-sama have you girls been! We've been worried sick about you!" Miko roared, folding her arms and turning her eyes into chips of brown ice. Behind her were the enraged parents and for a brief second, Makoto was a tad glad she was solo at the party.

As if sensing Makoto's thoughts, Miko turned on her. "Don't even ponder it, young lady. I will gladly include you in this bawling out!"

Makoto's face flushed. She felt like Miko had read her mind. She gave Moshi a worried glance and shrugged in defeat.

"If it wasn't for Chibiusa who told us where you were...I ...just ...ooo...Moshi!" Miko sputtered at a lost for words. Her cheeks were a bright red with anger and strands of her hair was sticking up. Usually when her mother sputtered and called her by her full name, Moshi knew it was either death or dismemberment. She would prefer the former...it would be faster.

"Before you kill me!" Moshi yelled, to break her mother out of her sputtering rage. "I had to get away, Mako-chan was feeling bad. I didn't want her to feel bad, so we left!" She folded her arms, trying to look brave.

Miko's eyes softened, she remembered Moshi telling her about how Makoto's parents were killed in a plane accident. She suddenly knew that her being around everyone else's parents made her feel a bit sad. "Gomen ne, Mo. You just made me upset walking off like that!"

Feeling like the governor had called, Moshi walked in with her friends in tow. "I'm hungry! FOOOOOOD!" she said as she broke for the table.

Usagi's ears perked up. "Did she say food, outofmyway!" She ran past Rei, following Moshi's trail.

The party for the rest of the night was fun, the parents went into a separate room where they had their drinks and conversation, while the girls stayed with the food and discussed their usual topics.

* * * *

"Ohaiyo!" Usagi called as she ran into class, late again as usual.

"Ohaiyo, Usagi-chan!" Moshi and Naru said in unison. They looked at each other and began to laugh.

They worked quietly until the bell for lunch rang. Usagi and Moshi ran with their bento in their hands, heading for their usual seat under the oak tree.

"Konnichi wa Mako-chan, Ami-chan." Moshi and Usagi said as they sat down to their lunches.

Makoto and Ami smiled. They watched to see the spread Moshi brought with her today. Her large bag bulged with food, she cackled as she pulled out her first treat of the afternoon. A sandwich.

"Uhoh here comes hurricane Moshi!" Ami said as she scooted away so she wouldn't get food on her.

"Hey are you trying to say I'm a messy eater?" Moshi asked with a mouthful of bread and meat and cheese. Makoto icked as breadcrumbs splattered on her skirt.

At another tree, a figure watched the girls as they ate. Moshi sensed a pair of eyes on them. She turned and looked, and there was the girl who was following them last night, watching from behind a tree.

"That's it!" she said as she threw her sandwich back in her bag. "It's one thing to stare, but not while I'm eating!"

"Oh no, she saw me!" the girl thought as Moshi stomped over towards her. Her black ponytail pumped up and down with every step.

"Say, why are you staring at us?" Moshi asked as she put her hands on her hips.

The girl smiled. "Okaa-san," she whispered.

Moshi's eyes went blank. "Okaa? Shi, is that you?!" she asked as she looked closely at the girl, Shi was a taller than her, nearly Makoto's height. She looked into the girl's green eyes. Green? Miko had green eyes, not Moshi. If her eyes are green, that means... "Oh Kami-sama!" Moshi said as she fell backwards in a faint.

Moshi hit the ground with a loud thud. Miko kneeled next to her mother. "Okaa-san, Daijoubu!?"

"She fainted!" Makoto said as she leaped to her feet and ran over. Ami and Usagi quickly followed.

"Dare?" Usagi asked the girl who was next to a comatose Moshi.

"Atashi Miko!" she said, happy to see Usagi again. "You don't remember me?!"

"Dear lord, you're big!" Ami said. Her eyes wide in disbelief.

Miko giggled. "Well I am 16 now, I was sent back to retrieve her. " She pointed to the prone figure lying on the ground.

"Imitar--" Makoto whispered. Saying the name finally registered what that odd feeling was. "That's why we didn't know what was happened. It was something in the future!"

Miko's green eyes narrowed as her voice turned serious. "Okaa-san sent me back to get her. We cannot defeat him alone, he's somehow too powerful for us alone."

Moshi moaned as she sat up. "Guys, you wouldn't believe the dream I had. I saw Miko and boy was she huge!"

Miko smiled and poked Moshi in the shoulder. "It was no dream, mama!"

Moshi slowly turned, fearing what she might see. "EEP! So it wasn't a dream!"

Miko nodded. "I have to go. I'll go to Rei-san's. Go there after school and I'll fill you in." She stood and ran out of the courtyard, waving as she vanished out of sight.

"Sugoi," was all that they could say.

* * * *

"I wish Neoearth would hurry back!" Supersailorparadise said as she heaved another attack at Imitar. "No matter what we do, he keeps coming back!!!"

Sailorstarneptune attacked Imitar also, her fountain of water seemed to do no damage to the insane morpher. "I hope she hurries also, we can't spare no more time!"

* * * *

"....so I have to go with you now?" Moshi asked. She couldn't believe she had to go to the future to help herself and her children.

"What could I possibly do, I'm weaker than the rest of you!"

Miko shook her head. "We need the power of the cyber armor. You can take an attack better than any of us can."

Minako entered the room, wondering what the urgent meeting could be about now. "Konnichi Wa Minna-chan!" she called out as she put her bag in the corner and kicked off her shoes.

Miko's eyes lit up as she saw Minako. "Minako-san!" she yelled as she rushed over and almost pounced on Minako.

"Eek! I'm being attacked!" Minako cried. She looked up into the face of a grinning Miko. "Miko-chan, that's you?!"

She nodded, her black hair flying. Ever since Minako gave her the red bow, she'd been wearing her hair like her idol, red hair bow, and all.

"I'd hate to interrupt this, but I've made my decision, " Moshi said, breaking the two out of their conversation. "I've decided. I will go back, but it will have to be tomorrow."

Miko nodded. "That's fine, you know 1 day here equals about an hour or so in the future. Although you may suffer from the time change, if you go into the future."

"It's for the Earth, I have to do it. It's my right as a Senshi," Moshi said, squaring her shoulders. "Minna, I want you all there when I leave."

"Even Mamo-chan?" Usagi asked.

"Even Ru-chan," Moshi answered.

* * * *

"Good move Paradise!" Sailorstaruranus said as she pushed the desk against the door. Paradise had smacked Imitar with her super attack of Sweet Dreams, an attack that puts its victims to sleep. Now snoring soundly in the locked room was Imitar. This gave them some time before Moshi and Miko could arrive from the past.

* * * *

The next day, they gathered at the back of Rei's temple. Dressed in her school fuku, Moshi stood in front with Miko, ready to jump into the future. Her henshin star glittered in the early morning sunlight as

Mamoru walked over and gave her a hug. "Odaijini Midget, kick his butt!"

Moshi sniffed. "I will Ru-chan. Take care of Miko-mama for me, just watch out for her."

He nodded, wiping a tear from his eye. Usagi was next, she clung to Moshi like static cling. "Usagi-chan, I know you'll take care of Ru-chan for me."

Makoto walked over, her eyes already filled with tears. "I don't want to think the unthinkable, but I can't help it."

"If I die, all existence of me will be wiped away. You'll forget me. It won't be too bad, you wouldn't even know I existed," Moshi said.

Makoto sighed. "Then I'd like to say, Moshi, you're one of my best friends. It's like we're working on the same page."

Moshi felt her eyes starting to leak also. "Mako-chan, you're my best friend also," She whispered, they fell into each other's arms, sobbing softly.

She walked over to Rei and put an arm around Rei's shoulders. "Rei-chan, even though we do fight. I wouldn't hesitate fighting by your side any day."

Rei smiled, her eyes filling with tears also. "Mo-chan," she whispered. They hugged each other fiercely, gripping tightly.

Minako started blubbering loudly as she walked over to Moshi. Moshi snickered a bit as her and Minako embraced.

She then walked over to Ami, who was rubbing her face, as if trying to push back the tears. "Ami-chan," Moshi whispered as she wrapped her arms around her.

"Mo-chan.." Ami said before her throat closed with tears.

She walked back over to Miko, her blue skirt fluttered in the spring like breeze. Looking ahead, Miko removed her time key and unlocked time's door.

"Ja ne, Minna! Itte marimasu!" Moshi yelled as she waved her hand high above her head.

"Itte rasshi!" Makoto called as she waved back. "Odaijini.." She said under her breath as Moshi and Miko walked into the portal. There was a flash of bright light as the portal vanished, leaving them alone.

"Onegai, Kami-sama, Moshi mamotte," Makoto prayed as they turned and walked back into Rei's temple, silent, with nothing on their minds but their friend, who may never come back.

The End

Next Chapter: Chapter 23: Showdown... Part 2

-chan -- suffix added to a name to denote affection

-san -- suffix added to a name to denote respect (Mr or Ms)

-sama -- suffix added to a name to denote highest respect (princesses)

Atashi -- I

Dare -- who

Daijoubu -- Are you ok/it's ok

Gomen nasai -- I'm very sorry

Hai -- yes

Henshin -- transform

Itte marimasu -- I'm going and I'll be back.

Itte rasshi -- Go and do come back.

Ja ne -- later

Kami-sama -- God

Konban wa -- good evening

Konnichi wa -- Good afternoon

Mamotte -- protect

Minna -- everyone (all you people)

Nani -- what

Odaijini -- take care

Ohaiyo -- Good morning

Okaa -- mother

Onegai -- please

Otoo -- father