DISCLAIMER: All characters except Ryu and shadow woman belong to the creators of Sailor Moon

Makoto rushed into the classroom, finding her seat a full ten minutes before the bell was supposed to ring. She wasn't afraid to be late, but she was afraid to be seen. Makoto was taller than most girls, and very self consious about her height. As she sat there, she noticed a guy she'd never seen before. Her eyes glazed over and her jaw went slack. "He's so cute...", she sighed. It wasn't until he turned, smiling and blushing slightly, that she realised she had spoken aloud.

It was later that day at lunch when she next saw him. She stared at the table and wished she was invisible. Unfortunately, it didn't work. "Hi, can I sit here?" The boy smiled two rows of perfect white teeth. Speechless, all Makoto could do was nod. "My name's Ryu", he said as he sat,"Nice to meet you...""Makoto", she blurted, finally recovering the ability to speak. "What are those?", Ryu asked suddenly, pointing at Makoto's lunch box. "Muffins", Makoto answered brightly. "Try one! I baked them myself!"

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"Why didn't you tell me?", Makoto demanded tears streaming down her face. "Would things have been the same between us if I had?" Ryu had just told Makoto that he was an exchange student; he was returning home next week. "Listen, Mako. I care about you, I really do, but this wasn't meant to be yet. Remember what I told you? That night we almost..." He had told her then that they weren't ready for that kind of relationship. But he hadn't told her why not. "If it's meant to be", he whispered in her ear,"then we'll find each other again."

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"Jupiter Oak evolution! Jupiter felt the power of the attack surge through her, draining her energy. As always, she was shocked to see that the youma was still standing after such an attack. Then, watching Sailor Moon vanquish the monster, she wondered what kind of power it took to weild such an attack. But, more than that, she wondered why sailor moon did it. The people she protected were mostly unappreciative. They thought of her as some sort of comic hero. Even those who were more appreciative still had no idea how often she had risked her life and even died for them. Why did she do it?

Late that night a strange shadow passed over the city. People shivered in their sleep and children whimpered softly. The shadow seemed to be searching for something. Suddenly it stopped, seeming to tremble with delight. The shadow took the more solid form of a woman. The woman was neither old nor young. Her long blonde hair blew in the wind and her blue eyes twinkled coldly. She stared through the window at a tall young girl, too tall; her legs and arms were not completely covered by her pajamas. The woman smiled without humor. "In this child will I plant my seed",she whispered," Her energy is great; I will be well fed." A black globe appeared at her fingertips and descended into the sleeping girl.

Makoto found herself running down a long dirt road. She stopped, confused. 'How did I get here' she wondered as a small breeze ruffled her short skirt. She smiled, noticing she had on her sailor fuku. Then she frowned. Sailor fuku? What was so important about that? Why was she even wearing it? She thought hard but only came up wth... Sailor Jupiter? But it was only a flitting thought. She had no idea what it meant and in a moment the thought was gone. Confused and shaken, Makoto continued to run, deciding that she wouldn't find any answers by just standing there.

Makoto wasn't sure how long she had been running, but she stopped when she saw the four girls suspended in air, wearing outfits like her own. 'Do i know them?' No answer came to her. Suddenly, someone she did recognize appeared, floating in the air above the four girls. "Ryu!", she shouted happily. Suddenly, a large blast of white-hot energy emanated from Ryu's fingertips, throwing her to the ground.

As she painfully picked herself up from the ground, she noticed something different about her old boyfriend. His eyes glittered coldly and he wore a hateful sneer on his face. "You betrayed me!", he ground out, his voice as cold as ice. "You've let these girls replace me in your heart." "No! Never!", Makoto shouted fervently, her teary face lifted to Ryu. "I love you.""Prove it" His gaze was relentless as he pointed to the still suspended girls. "Kill them." Makoto lifted her arms, remembering an attack, one that would surely obliterate all four of them at once. She smiled coldly. Why should she pity them? They had taken Ryu from her! One of the girls, a blonde with long pigtails, suddenly looked up at her. "He's lying to you. We are your friends." It wasn't the girl's words, or even the single tear that rolled down her cheek that stopped Makoto. It was her eyes. She looked deep into those orbs of blue and found no malice. Only... forgiveness. She was resigned to her fate, and yet she forgave. "Why do you hestate?! Kill them now!", Ryu shouted. Suddenly Makoto staightened, prepared to attack. But Ryu's satisfied grin soon became a horrified shriek. "Towering Pine Purification!"

Suddenly Makoto was awake, but she knew she had not had any ordinary dream. The smoldering reains of a youma lay upon her floor. 'Is this what it feels like...?' Makoto felt totally drained. She suddenly didn't envy Sailor Moon's power one bit

It was the afternoon of the next day, and Makoto and Ami were eating lunch. It was Makoto's end of a bargain they had made. In return Ami had helped her with her math study. Ami suddenly asked," Do you think you could do it? Sacrifice your life and never know if any one cared?" "If I had to. But I don't envy her. She's resigned, she knows it has to be done, so she forgives the people who don't appreciate it." Ami was a little shocked by such a thorough answer, but she didn't comment.

THE END