Uhh.. well. Wrote this really quick too... decided to just post it as the
"nameless sailormoon fic." :) I'll try to think up a suitable name later..
after the thousands of revisions I know I'm going to have to do... -_-;; Well,
anyway, once again, read, tell me what you think... :)

BTW, Kitiara, I loved your "Edge's Quest" fic... where could I get the other
chapters?

TNT,
~ice (who thinks she sent the last 'fic out to the wrong addy... and thinks
someone should kick her for it ^^;;)
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[Nameless Sailormoon Fic; previously "A Questionable Future.."]
Chapter 2
[insert standard disclaimers..Naoko-san is kewl, etc.]
------------------------------------------
      Four lines of women dressed in gray and white sailor fukus stretched out
in the courtyard in front of the crystal palace, standing rigidly, their
expressions blank. A cry suddenly rang out from across the courtyard, and the
women all snapped their hands to their brows in a sharp salute simultaneously.
A new line of women filed out stoically into the courtyard, these dressed in
the fukus of the Inner Senshi, and stopped directly in front of the first line
of women.

      "Senshi Ioda," the woman dressed in the red and blue fuku barked out
pointedly at the girl before her, "You know the drill."

      The girl fidgeted. "Um... yes, Neo-Senshi Moon." She cleared her thoat
nervously, then stepped out of her line, and raised both her arms. The women
clad in gray and white fukus parted until there was nearly a metre between
each of them. "Senshi... attack!" Flares of energy sprung from each and every
one of the women's hands and swirled around them like dark clouds. Senshi Ioda
looked questioningly over at Moon, who gave a nod. She brought her arms down
and immediately, the clouds of energy vanished.

      "Well, Daburu?" a woman with ashen-colored hair spoke up, sounding
bored. The woman wore a green and pink fuku, the colors of Jupiter.

      Moon looked at her sharply, but all Jupiter continued to do was study
her nails, her expression one of blatant disinterest. A look of anger flashed
in her eyes, but she turned back to Senshi Ioda without a word. "Kaisha Ioda,
I hereby promote you to High-Senshi, Class C. Make sure to get these troops in
tip-top shape before General Mars comes." She calmly strode off, leaving a
baffled Ioda to stare after her.

      "She's a woman of little words." Jupiter shrugged, and looked over at
Neo-Mercury. "Tell her what needs to be done." 

      Mercury nodded. "Are you going after Daburu, Emmeline?"

      The woman made no response except to stride in the direction Moon had
taken.


      "What is the matter with you?"

      "My mother is missing."

      "No, she's not."

      "...."

      Emmeline had perched herself precariously on the ledge just beneath
where the conversation was taking place, a conversation which she had
deciphered was taking place between Neo-Moon and the Elder Senshi Venus. She
had found that she could learn quite.. interesting things while perched on
that ledge. For instance, she had learned of the Elder Jupiter's affair...

      "Where is my mother, Minako?"

      'On a first name basis..' Jupiter was fairly surprised. She wouldn't be
caught dead calling an elder by their first name... at least, calling the
Elder Mars by her first name would get her a slash across the face.

      "Daburu, you... you wouldn't want to know."

      Emmeline shifted uneasily. Venus' tone was getting to her. 'What in the
world is so special about Daburu Mizuno's mother, anyway..?'
------------------------------------

      Makoto Kino was floating. Not literally, but something very close to it.
She glided through the halls wearing a soft smile that none of the servants
had ever seen her wear before. And clutched in her hand, instead of the
customary cigarette, was a long bluish feather, that she kept brushing against
her face. Her brown hair still fell softly past her shoulders, but it looked
orderly and beautiful, instead of the usual unkempt.

      "L-Lady Kino?" one servant finally spoke up hesitantly as Makoto walked
past her. "Are you.. feeling alright?"

      Makoto stopped for a moment, and blinked, and the servant fumbled with
her hands nervously. "Oh! Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for asking." The servant's
mouth dropped open as Makoto continued on her way.

      It was not long before a hand reached out and grabbed Makoto by the
scruff of her neck.
------------------------------------

      The garden was beautiful as always. Birds chirped, dewdrops glistened,
and leaves danced merrily with the occasional breeze. An array of flowers
blanketed the ground, giving off a pleasant, soft scent. 

      But there was one woman who didn't notice.

      At first glance, one might have mistaken her for a blob of darkness. A
flowing mass of black energy. But as the hood over her was lowered, a head of
snow-white hair came tumbling out, light green eyes glinting. This was the
Lady Faustine. And she was here for a purpose.

      The man she had come to see didn't notice her presence until he was
nearly upon her. He halted abruptly at first glance, gaping, then quickly fell
to one knee. 

      "I am honored to be allowed to be in your presence, Lady Faustine." He
had considered calling her queen... but had decided against it, as he knew the
moment those words would come out of his mouth they would be dripping with
sarcasm.

      "Of course, dear.." she murmured, touching his chin lightly, and forcing
him to look up at her. "Now what is your name?"

      "Shinju Menboku, mistress." He hoped she wouldn't detect the annoyance
in his voice.

      She frowned, slightly, then roughly pushed her lips onto his. He made a
startled sound, and wrenched himself from her grasp. 

    "I...uh.. am very sorry, Lady Faustine, but," he tried to control his
anger," I can't--"

      She was on him in a flash, toppling him over, and pinning his body to
the ground with her own weight. Her eyes smoldered as she looked into his
large brown ones. He didn't struggle, but could barely contain his fairly
boiling anger now. 

      "Nothing..." She frowned deeper, as she trailed her hands across his
chest.

      "Dammit, get off of me!" She gave a startled little yelp as he threw her
off of him, but hung suspended in midair rather than tumbling to the ground.
She vanished for one moment before reappearing again, directly in front of
him. Shinju had a peculiar feeling in the pit of his stomach, and wondered
with some detachedness if he was going to die.

      He waited.

      And waited.

      Yet Lady Faustine did nothing but stare.

      Finally, she opened her mouth to speak.

      "Who are you really, Shinju Menboku?" And she disappeared into thin air.
------------------------------------

      "Ho..taru?"

      Makoto looked at her with mild alarm, while rubbing the back of her
neck. 'How long has she.. been gone?'

      "Hello, Makoto." Hotaru's violet eyes glowed eerily in the darkness of
the closet she had pulled her fellow ex-senshi into. "It's been awhile."

      'The answer to my unspoken question?' Makoto furrowed her brow, her good
mood momentarily lost. "So? Why are you back?"

      Hoatru shrugged. "Where are the others?"

      "Who do you mean? The rest of the.. 'Ex-Senshi'?" Makoto answered
sarcastically, at the same time automatically fumbling for a cigarette from
within her pocket. Upon finding one, she stuck it in her mouth forcefully, and
willed a small lightning bolt to spew forth from her finger. The cigarette was
instantaneously lighted. "Rei's.. somewhere. Minako's somewhere around too,
and Michiru. Ami's disappeared... you know the rest." Makoto took a long drag
from her cigarette, and Hotaru looked at her oddly.

      "Those are bad for you health, you know," she commented rather dryly,
which produced a snort from Makoto. 

      "Only thing that's kept me going.." she shrugged.

      Hotaru's tone turned suddenly serious. "We never speak of Pluto."

      "What is there to speak about? She abandoned us, or don't you remember?
Not that long after Mamoru died.." Makoto sighed heavily, causing a cloud of
smoke to waft in Hotaru's direction, which only caused Hotaru to blink.

      "And.. Haruka?"

      Makoto fidgeted uncomfortably. "Whatever. This couldn't possibly be what
you wanted to talk about, could it?"

      "No." Hotaru smiled, a rarity in itself, although it was a bitter one,
and produced an envelope from within her jacket. "_This_ is what I came here
to talk about.."