Hey minna-chan! I'm surprised at myself for posting a new story so shortly after the last one. Well, this is a one-shot that I wrote in one sitting. It was sort of a spur of the moment thing…I suddenly wanted to write it in the middle of studying for my history quiz! Lol. Maybe it was because I was studying about the beginning of World War One? It sort has some similarities to what this story is about doesn't it?..oh well, maybe not. Anyways, enjoy!

Oh! And please, please, please review! Your comments, suggestions and even criticism are always greatly appreciated. Thank you!

She was exhausted from the hours of battle. Her energy had been drained completely from trying to bring the youma down. She sighed as she felt the soft material of her sheets brush against the bruised skin on her left shoulder. Shutting her eyes for a minute, the scene from less than an hour ago appeared in her mind, as she clutched to the material that seemed to be the only thing that was giving her comfort and protection at the moment.

--

She screamed in pain as she felt the sharp blades thrown by the youma cut into her skin. Her fuku had done nothing to lessen the damage and was now stained with spots of blood. They were everywhere, the wounds—her arms, stomach, legs. Groaning as she was being thrown onto the ground by the strong force, she found no strength to even lift her head up to see if her fellow senshies are okay. Gasping for breath as her hands unconsciously clutched to the ground in pain…

"Mars fire!" she heard the familiar voice of her friend boom. So Sailor Mars was the only one still standing. But it was obvious she wouldn't be to hold off the youma by herself much longer…

suddenly a rose was thrown before her. It was him again…

"Sailor Moon are you okay?" He knelt down to her side, it only took him a split second to contemplate the sight of the almost unconscious girl before him. "Stupid question…" He shook his head to himself before she had time to gather enough strength to answer, and flew off to finish the battle started by the scouts.

--

She forced her eyes open, trying to ignore the pain from her wounded body. But it was the pain inside that was much harder to endure. Her heart was mixed with so many different emotions. She didn't know what to think; her heart had told her so many times to trust Tuxedo Kamen and his ways, but how much about him does she know really? Maybe Luna was right—he could be an enemy that was using the scouts for his own purposes, instead of trying to help them for all she knows, which would explain why he had taken the crystals. But something within her told her the opposite; He just can't be…because if he was, then she definitely wouldn't be able to handle it…

Because she was slowly falling in love with him.

She had tried to pull herself out of the mess before she would drown, but it could not be helped. This feeling…was indescribable. Her feelings for Andrew could not even come close to what she was feeling for this mysterious man that had saved her life so many times…like he had done tonight. It sounded strange, but sometimes she could not help but to feel that there was something so familiar about this man behind the mask, whoever he was…something she could never quite put her finger on.

She sighed…who knew being Sailor Moon would be so hard? At first the idea of being Tokyo's newest superhero was…well, exciting. But experience from the past few months or so had taught her it wasn't merely that. There were still so many Negaverse monsters to be fought, crystals to be collected, and new enemies to be faced. Yet she was already worn out…both physically and mentally. Tonight, the battle had been won in the end, but at what cost? She needn't to look around to find the answer—her wounded body and the extreme pain endured was the proof. So were the other scouts. They too, had went home tonight knowing this wasn't the last life-death situation they'd face as the Sailor Scouts.

The battle had been won, but this was merely the beginning of a long and hard war. And she didn't know how much of this she could take—it was a physically demanding job, but more importantly, what she had seen and felt as Sailor Moon was eating her alive inside. The times when she was but a carefree and innocent average fourteen year old trying to pass math was long behind her; she had already seen too much of what greed, jealousy, and the fight over power and control can do. And her confusions about her own feelings have matured and refined her as well, as she learnt something valuable: love can cause pain as well…just like what she felt for…him.

It was times like this that she wondered why she even bothered. Was it really worth it? She knew this was her job, but…why her? Why was she the one to find the Princess, and why was she the one that had to protect this city? Why was she the one to cross paths with Tuxedo Kamen…?

She was so tired of this life. Yet this was her destiny. This was her life.

She carefully turned to the other side, trying to ignore the pain on her left arm as she did, and glanced at the electric clock. 2:03. It read. It was the hour when most of Tokyo city was in deep sleep, all except the senshies and maybe some work-aholics.

Sometime between her thoughts, it had begun to rain, hard. The sounds of raindrops were heard from her room, pounding her windows in a casual rhythm. She looked out, and saw the rain trickling down the windows. The moon, for some reason, was no where to be seen tonight…there was nothing but a dark sky…just like when she went to battle tonight. The weather outside was exactly like how she felt—sad and dull and gloomy…

She wondered what he was doing at this hour.

After gazing at the rain falling outside for a few minutes, her eyelids began to feel heavy.

This is my job. This is my life…my destiny. She sighed once again, slowly repeating the sentences in her mind. And she was slowly beginning to accept it too. Maybe tomorrow morning she will wake up and feel better, and maybe she would fully accept this, and be grateful for the responsibility that she was given…

Maybe she will tomorrow…but for now, she was so exhausted, and so tired of this life…

She shifted her body a little, letting the soft material of her sheets gently embrace her limp body, before she let slowly her heavy eyelids shut…'My life…my destiny…' and the petit blonde was now in deep, peaceful slumber, just like the rest of Tokyo, all except for one man…

On the rooftop of a nearby apartment building, Tuxedo Kamen was standing, lost in his own thoughts about the blonde he'd saved earlier that night, as the pouring rain drenched his costume along with some blood. Looking down at the now peaceful city being that was being cleansed by the falling rain, he shook his head to himself. 'Tomorrow morning it will start all over again…' Deciding it's time to get some rest himself, he climbed down from the rooftop and flung onto a balcony on the twelfth floor, then opened the screen door from behind him and walked into his own apartment.

Well, what do you think? Like or no like? Please let me know by clicking the little blue button at the left bottom of the page that says: review to the left of it. Your reviews are always appreciated, yup, even the flames! I take them as uh…motivating criticism! So please…(commercial voice) give a review…and make one little girl very happy this week. And it won't even cost you one cent! (audience gasps)

Okay I think you get the point…

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