Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor moon, there, I said it, okay.


After Anima Mates
Rebirth Act I

The headquarters of Ginga Television and indirectly, Shadow Galatica's earth base, had seen better days. The battle between Sailor moon and the three Star senshi vs. Galaxia had turned the building into a complete ruin, not a single window left intact or room undamaged by the golden queens use of Chaos's power.

Even several neighboring buildings had taken direct hits, with a mall baring the brunt of it as a direct attack had caved in a vast part of its roof, water and gas seeping into the air and ground lazily as the first few police and fire fighters arrive on the scene to take in the damage of the latest clash between light and darkness.

As such, it served as a perfect place for the four seemingly small glowing gems to converge in, their glow brightening as the souls stored within reclaimed what they had once given up on, their life and freedom.

Reforming first, a tall, richly tanned woman with long, finely groomed yet still wild red hair were the first to open her eyes as her body finished forming. A sharp intake of air marking her return to life as she gazed at each and everyone of her companions reforming around her, her last memory being the destruction of her body as it was drawn into a black hole, the only thing saving her, ironically were the one thing that had doomed her from the start, her surrender to Galaxia.

Her soul had escaped the black hole simply because it hadn't been there, she had died, her body torn to shreds as Galaxia bracelets were crushed, but her mind had been pulled back into her star seed rather then get imprisoned.

Feeling a soft hand on her shoulder, she turned her head to gaze into more a where eyes of ocean blue eyes framed by the familiar x shaped facemask. "Siren." Indeed it was her heated rival and absent minded friend from Shadow Galatica, the tall, pale skinned woman with the well-groomed blue hair.

Letting a soft smile form on her lips, the blue haired woman wrapped her arms around the red haired on. "Crow, you're okay, I feared that."

"Chuu, what happened?" The voice of another lost comrade ruining thier momeny, they couldn't really see if it was a girl or woman that had spoken, her height being only about half their own, and the childish behavior mixed with her rather grown up looking body had even confused them at times.

Then Crows eyes snapped onto the remaining person in the room as she sat up, her mouth thinning until it was just a line on her face. "Tin Nyanko!" Her legs propelling her upwards as a primal rage rushed through her body. "You killed me!"

A startled Tin Nyanko letting out a gasp as slim, yet powerful fingers closed around her throat and began to throttle her mercilessly as several insults were hurled at her. "Cro... Crow." The faint whispered word full of surprise, and a hint of regret. "I... Galaxia killed...sorry"

The few others Nyanko managed to speak sparking memories within Crow, but not enough to fully release her choke hold on her opponent.

Around the room, two other pair of eyes latched onto the scene, as memories rushed through clouded head. "Killed, we, I were killed." Siren began as she rubbed her head, a headache forming as her last few moments under Galaxia's rule flashed through her mind.

From her place, Iron Mouse had a similar expression as she too experience the fear mixed in with the horror of remembering her death. "Galaxia, she, she killed me, even after I had learned who that senshi was."

Turning her head around, she gazed out of the broken window, and into the moon lit sky above. "Did she lose to them?"

Releasing Tin Nyanko, Crow stood up in her full height, red hair tumbling down around her as she regarded her left wrist with a shocked expression. "It's gone, the bracelet." Her eyes gazing around at the ruined building, taking in the sight of destruction, a familiar and yet, unknown look to it, the clear lack of darkness left behind by Galaxia when she finished ravaging a planet lacking this time, thus giving the place a less, tainted feel. "We're, free."

Sharing a quick looked around, each of them slowly reached into their sub space pockets, feeling their long since used items of transformations. "We are no longer her slaves."

Holding up a small, fiery red wand with feathered wings on it, Crow smiled as she felt power rush through her again, an old, yet clearly remember phrase tearing its way to the surface of her mind. "Coronis star Power, Make up!" As the last word fell from her mouth, she felt the last remains of Sailor Lead Crow shattered.

Her gaudy leather uniform shattering as a small skirt and top took its place, long boots with tight drawn laces forming on her legs as her whip fading away. "Sailor Suited Protector of love, Sailor Coronis!" her Tiara, or what passed for one glowing as a red gemstone formed at the tip of the metal feather on it.

Around her, the others had a similar experience as they each held a small wand, power flowing through their fingers as they held them up above their heads.

"Mermaid star power, Make up!" Feeling her uniform getting torn apart, Siren, no, Mermaid felt her old uniform reform as she once again accepted the power of her home world again. a ocean blue skirt with light stripes forming as a white and blue top wrapped around her upper body, her X shaped tiara glowing as the golden star on it shattered, a simple tear drop shaped blue gem forming in its place. "Sailor Mermaid!"

"Chuu star power, Make up!" Not much changed about Iron Mouse's uniform, the only major change being the black colored parts turning into a light gray color, with the small tiara wrapping around her head gaining a white gem stone in its center. "Sailor Chuu!"

"Mau star power, Make up!" The same went for Tin Nyanko as her suit turned completely white where it had been black, the healing started by sailor moon finishing on its own. The gem added to her tiara, a nice dark purple color. "Sailor Mau!"

As their transformations ended, the former Anima Mates faced each other, the last remnants of Galaxia's evil faded away as they gazed at each other. "Freedom." But even as they spoke the word, they knew they were far from free, Galaxia no longer ruled them, but the actions of their past still spoke loudly. "We betrayed them!"

The shared words ripping into each of them, as they knew the truth behind it, they had given up on their pride as a Senshi, sold out their former comrades and home worlds to survive. Chuu, Mau Mermaid and Coronis were planets of darkness now; nothing remained after Galaxia had finished with them.

Galaxia, they had followed her on her quest of destruction through the galaxy, attacked and stolen Star Seeds left and right to prolong their own survival.

Lowering their heads, it wasn't Coronis or Mermaid, who spoke, but rather Chuu and Mau who somehow managed to mutter out the question at the same time.

"What do we do now?" The weight of that simple question filling the air around them as their mood took another dive, they were free, but on a planet they didn't really know, Galaxia, their former leader, strongest sailor senshi they had know, had been defeated, by the senshi of this planet no doubt.

They were free indeed, free to live on a world with enemies, and a fading hope to ever see their home worlds restored to life again.

TBC:

AN: A short story I suddenly wanted to write out of the blue after getting subjected to four hours worth of the Sailor Stars season. Don't know when I will update it, but remember, reviews will encourage me to write more.