SailorStar9: New fic, a Sailor Moon/Prince of Tennis crossover. Bet you guys haven't seen this one before. (Grins). A Fuji/Ami fic, deal with it. Anyway, the prologue starts off during episode 45 of Sailor Moon. Read and review.

Disclaimers: I own nothing. Well, except the pairing I think.

Prologue

Sailor Mercury's POV

Usagi's face was incredulous. I lowered my hand, every bit as surprised as Usagi was at the sudden slap I had given her. I knew why she was surprised: I am Ami, the sweet, gentle girl who had probably never slapped anyone in her life.

Yet I had just slapped one of my best friends, the one I was duty-bound to protect. Her cheek was red where my hand made contact; I had put the full force of my anger and grief behind that slap.

As quickly and as suddenly as my anger had come, it faded. I fought my tears.

"I'm sorry." I said quietly. My sorrow was as great as hers, but I still remembered what Mako-chan died for. "But you can't let Jupiter's death be in vain." I continued, deliberately using Makoto's senshi name, hoping that it would drive home my point. We- Makoto, Minako, Rei and myself- had lost our human identities as soon as we remembered who we were in the past: sailor soldiers born to protect our princess.

And to protect this world we live in.

My computer beeped, gaining my attention. I ran my eyes swiftly down the screen, my heart pounding as I read what it had to tell me.

"They're coming back." I thought quickly, making my decision. "You three go ahead. I will stop them here." My voice was filled with the confidence I did not feel. I controlled my fear as best as I can.

They were clearly shocked. Sailor Venus was the first to voice her protest. "But-"

But my mind was made up. I knew that I was useless to them. I was the most expendable in the group. I had nothing left to offer to them but my life.

"From this point on, your offensive powers are most important." My powers were defensive, and the weakest. "That means the three of you."

"Ami-chan, you aren't..."

I read the fear in Usagi's eyes and instinctively tried to reassure her. "I won't die, Usagi-chan. Don't worry about me." I smiled at her, but I could see that my attempt that putting her fears to rest was unsuccessful.

She was crying now, and my heart broke. I almost relented, but I clung to my determination with the tenacity of a drowning swimmer to a float. I could not give in just because the one person I love most in the world was crying.

"Go." Here my voice was almost harsh. If they did not go soon, it would be too late, and Sailor Jupiter's sacrifice was for nothing. I would not let that happen, I promised myself and her ghost silently. "Go." I repeated firmly.

Rei's eyes met mine. I pleaded with her to understand, and she did.

"Come on, Usagi." she chided, taking the crying girl by one arm. Venus, perhaps because she had had more time to think about our duties than the rest of us, also understood, but without needing to meet my eyes. She took Usagi's other arm.

I could see the panic in Usagi's eyes as she realized that Venus and Mars were not going to help her. She was so sad, I wished things could have turned out differently.

Venus and Mars led her off firmly. I just stood alone, not doing anything. I wanted to run after them, wanted to take Usagi in a hug and promised her that I would never leave her, but my feet remained rooted to the ground. I saw her turning her head around so that she could see me, right until the three of them disappeared into the cold, white landscape.

My computer beeped again. The youma had arrived, but I did not see them. What I saw instead was someone from my past: a someone who gave me the blue sapphire dolphin I wore around my neck. An image of Fuji Syuusuke, his handsome face beaming at me, inviting me to run to him and hug him.

"Syuusuke-kun...?" And then I realized that this was a cruel trick they were playing on me. He was an illusion, trying to lure me into a trap. I smiled scornfully. Do they really think that they could fool me with his image? It had been a long while since I last saw him, five years in fact.

I twisted my earring and my visor flashed into existence across my eyes. Scanning the illusion, I was startled as the ground before me erupted violently, spilling forth a stream of lava. I reacted instinctively.

"Shabon Spray!"

I had stopped the lava, but one of the youma formed a large ball of lava and flew towards me. If that ball of lava hit me, I would surely die.

"Shabon Spray!"

This time, I used my attack in a way I had never done before. I used it to encase myself within a sphere formed with my magic to protect me from the heat of the lava. A bright flash of hellish orange and red and I was trapped inside the ball, and before I could react, my arms were seized roughly by two of the youma.

I screamed as they attacked me. The pain was so bad, worse than any pain I had ever felt before. I could feel myself weakening rapidly. I knew I would die soon.

I have failed.

I was fighting unconsciousness. My vision was edged with blackness, a darkness that was spreading. And the youma would use their illusions to kill my friends.

No. I will not let that happen. I will not go easily, I won't die for nothing.

The youma who caused the illusion floated before me, its face contorted in a triumphant, gloating smile. Anger as deep and strong as it had never been before in my life filled me, but at the same time I was filled with frustration. What could I do? I was helpless, my arms held tightly by the youma. I could not even cast another Shabon Spray.

Information still scrolled across my visor and I saw that the source of energy for the illusions came directly from a stone that was embedded in the youma's forehead.

With all the strength I could muster, I raised the hand that was holding my computer. "This is the last time I use this." I whispered, a fleeting sense of affection for it passing over me. With a brief feeling of regret, I smashed the computer against the stone on the youma's forehead. It shattered.

So did my world. A deep, intense pain tore across my body before I felt myself falling, light as a feather. A tear tinkled down my eye, dripping onto the dolphin pendent I wore around my neck. The said pendent glowed a gently watery blue before dying down.

Goodbye, Syuusuke.

I could not keep my eyes open any longer and they slipped close.

End of Sailor Mercury's POV

Meanwhile, Fuji Syuusuke, a second-year in Seishun Gakuen, gasped and awoke from his sleep.

A flash of dread crossed his heart as he quickly stumbled out of bed and opened his window.

A cold breeze blew into his room and knocked a hour-glass from his study table. A black cat's meow was heard outside.

Syuusuke shivered unconditionally. He had a very bad feeling about this.

SailorStar9: Well forgive me for not writing a summary for this one. I don't know how to describe it. Read and review.