Disclaimer: I do not own SM, but I do own this story, and its OC's


Chapter 2: Left Behind

Rei sat in front of the sacred fire, sweat beading down her face. She has been searching for her lost friend. Her mind's eye held a picture of a bouncy 16 year-old girl, with long blond pig tails done up in odangos, and shimmering blue eyes full of life and mischief. With the picture complete in her head, the fire priestess grabbed the two items beside her. A bowl of dust that was once a powerful transformation broach, and a broken moon wand. The battle in which Sailor Moon died was still fresh in her mind. It had only been a couple of weeks, but the feeling that she was missing something just wouldn't leave her. The others may have accepted what happened, but not me, never me. Usagi may have been a klutz and an idiot but she promised that she would survive no matter what she was facing, that she would always come back. Rei thought as more tears of anger or grief she wasn't sure, flowed down her face.

-Flash back-

Sailor Mars stared down furiously at Sailor Moon. They had been training and Sailor Moon had tripped, again.

"Usagi you are never going to become a better scout if you continue to trip over every little pebble in your path!"

Sailor Moon looked down at her lap ashamed. "I'm sorry Rei, I'll try harder next time." She said trying to calm down the fiery senshi, only for it to seem to have the opposite effect.

"No Usagi! There is not always a next time! One of these days you are going to be alone, where we can't get to you, and you will have to stay alive! Do you understand!" Mar's yelled her voice full of anger.

Moon who had been sitting quietly, stood until she was face to face with Mars. Her eyes showed understanding and unshed tears. "Oh Rei" Usagi whispered softly her arms moving to embrace her friend. Mars didn't fight the hug, instead pulled Moon closer. Moon moved so that she could whisper in Mar's ear. "I promise you that I will always come back, even if the fight is hopeless and I am all alone. I promise as Sailor Moon your leader and as Usagi Tsukino your friend."

Mars was in complete shock when Moon pulled back with a determined expression on her face. And she knew that in that moment that what she said was the truth. She would always come back.

-End of Flash back-

The first week after Usagi's battle with Atlas had been the hardest. None of the senshi knew what to do, or how to explain Usagi's disappearance. It got even harder when Motoki and Mamoru started demanded what happened. Finally it was agreed upon that they would tell their families the truth.

-Flash back-

Everyone gathered at cherry hill temple, their daughters had something to tell them. Among the confused family members were two young males. The Tsukino's were the last to arrive, and once they were there the girls stood up. They walked to the center of the room, each feeling a little unsure of themselves.

The girls looked at each other wondering how they would start. It was shy little Ami who decided to take the initiative. "You are probably wondering what you all are doing here." she started in a quiet tone, waiting for nods before continuing. "Well we think its time that you all know the truth, the whole truth." She stopped here no longer sure of what she should say.

Rei seeing her friend hesitate decided to step in. "We're the Sailor Senshi, and so was Usagi."

Silence followed that statement no one truly believing what the priestess had just said. Seeing their doubtful expression, Rei made a motion to the girls. Then as one they pulled out their henshin pens and transformed, filling the room with an array of color. Soon Sailor Venus, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Mars was standing before them.

The first one to react was Mamoru who stood up and stormed out of the room. That opened the flood gates of questions.

-End of Flash back-

They later found out that Mamoru was Tuxedo Kamen. Which answered one of her question of where he was when Sailor Moon was under attack. He had been knocked unconscious when he tried protecting Usagi, ironically enough.

It was during week two that everyone agreed that Usagi was never coming back. Well everyone but me, I know she still lives. Because she promised and Usagi Tsukino always keeps her promises.

Again Rei closed her eyes and focused on the items in front of her. They may be useless now, but they still held hints of Usagi's aura. The fire flared once giving her an image of a white room, then nothing. A frustrated growl escaped her lips. She just couldn't understand, she was doing everything right, so then why was she getting things so wrong. Even when she had tried to find her leader the night after the attack all she got was some trashed alley way.

At first she thought that must've been where Usagi was but when she tried to locate the place she couldn't find it. Then when she fell asleep she had vision's of a young man with curly blond hair and blue eyes. In her dream he kept telling her soothing words, his smile warm and some how familiar. It was this if nothing else that made her believe something was wrong with her, but she still kept it to herself.

She had stopped telling everyone that she was still looking for Usagi. They all thought that she had lost it, searching for someone presumed dead. She was tired of getting their sympathetic looks full of pity, but she continued anyways.

Ami started to focus more on her studies, trying her hardest to forget the world outside. Makoto would cook constantly, then she would bring the food to the Tsukino's. Mina ignored everything she was taking it hard. She wasn't just missing Usagi, but Artemis and Luna too. Motoki just worked all day, only taking time out to check on everyone, before going right back. Mamoru threw himself in his studies, alternating with his Karate classes. All of them had given up on ever seeing there lost loved one again.

Rei wiped at the tears running down her face, before letting her head fall. She needed her best friend back. "Please Usagi if you can hear me, we need you. They may not believe that your out there somewhere, but I do. You made me a promise remember, you will always come back." Rei swallowed the lump forming in her throat before standing up and walking to her bedroom.


Usagi sat up in her bed, and glared at her fireplace. She was really starting to get annoyed as her friend unknowingly sent her yet another vision, or what she liked to call "updates." Geez Pyro can't you meditate at a more godly hour? Usagi thought to herself.

Huffing slightly she fell back onto her bed, and looked out her window. The moon was full tonight, but she couldn't feel any comfort from its silver glow. For the last couple of weeks she had been getting visions from Rei. The senshi of Mars has been unknowingly telling her of what had been going on back home. She was surprised the first time it happened.

She had been sleeping when she had a dream that her friends had called all of their families, hers included, and told them of their secret identities. She could remember her family's reaction from heart. Her brother had thought it amazing until he remembered that both Sailor Moon, and herself was dead. Her Mother had just broke down and cried, while her father had accused her friends of lying.

Then the visions would come when she was awake, each one about something different. After awhile she was able to connect the dots with Mars and her sacred fire. Usagi had thought about telling her guardian cats turned human parents, but thought better on it. They would tell her that it was a trick done by the enemy to bring her out of hiding. But she didn't care if it was, she would rather have the pain of knowing then the pain of not knowing.

She closed her eyes and thought over the images she had received tonight. It was mainly the same, except their was desperation in this vision that wasn't in the others. That's when she heard a familiar faint voice.

"Please Usagi if you can hear me, we need you. They may not believe that your out there somewhere, but I do. You made me a promise remember, you will always come back."

Usagi felt the tears trickle down her checks. Oh Rei, I am so sorry. Closing her eyes she reached across her linked to her fiery friend and projected that thought. She needed them to move on and not wait for her to return.

She wanted to tell them that she, Luna, and Artemis were fine. That do to their bag of magic Luna and Artemis were able to buy them a house and set them up a bank account, and a little flower shop. That they were driving her crazy with English lessons, and that Ami was right, that she should have paid more attention in English class. She also wanted to tell them that she would never be able to transform into Sailor Moon again, that her fighting days were over.

However she couldn't tell them any of that, not while Atlas was still out there. Luna and Artemis made it clear that he doesn't know that we lived, and that alone might be the only reason why he hasn't attack the others yet.

Turning on her side she tried to force herself to go back to sleep. Tomorrow she had her first Karate lesson. It was under Luna and Artemis's orders. Since she couldn't transform anymore she needed a new way to defend herself. Even thou she couldn't even defend herself as Sailor Moon.


"Oh Rei, I am so sorry."

Rei shot up in her bed, when she heard Usagi's voice call out to her full of regret and sadness. The words "I am so sorry." Kept repeating in her head. At first she just sat there not sure if she had imagine it but then she remembered the night before, when she had been meditating in front of the sacred fire. She had called out to Usagi, and she had asked her to come back.

I am so sorry.

Again she heard the words, only this time it broke her. She started to cry, scream, anything to help release the building emotions inside of her. Before finally collapsing on the ground, crying silently, staring blankly at her walls.

That's how her grandfather found her. He tried to coax her into moving or even talking. However nothing worked she just stayed put, broken. After trying and failing a couple more times he called her friends, they hadn't visited much since the big reveal but his grand daughter needed them now more then ever.

Ami was the first to arrive, since she was the closet. She walked down the halls that once used to be familiar to her, to Rei's room. When she got to her door she saw Rei's grandfather, she greeted the man and made a move to go in, but was stopped. She looked down at the hand on her arm, absently she heard several footsteps behind her.

"I know you girls don't talk much anymore, but I hope that you can still help her. She hasn't been eating well. Most of the time she just sits in front of the sacred fire, meditating. And today she woke up and well…." He stopped there not sure how to describe his grand daughter's behavior, before deciding it best to show them. He opened the door allowing them to enter.

Ami and the others which included both Mamoru and Motoki, were shocked when they finally entered the room. Rei was laying on the floor both her legs pulled against her body, her arms wrapped around them protectively. Her hair that normally was beautiful and had a healthy shine, was oily and in disarray. Her skin was a sickly pale color, and her body looked malnourished. Her beautiful lavender eyes that were usually full of fire were dull and lifeless. Her cheeks had trails from tears that had long stopped falling. She seemed empty.

Mina who hadn't said a word since Usagi's disappearance walked cautiously towards the raven headed teen, afraid that any sudden movements might cause her to run. When she was by Rei's side she kneeled, then carefully reached out and moved one of her raven tresses from her face. "Rei?" Came Mina's cracked voice from disuse.

The teen didn't stir, just continued gazing at the wall in front of her. Mina looked at the others, with a silent plea for help. Makoto and Ami came and sat next to Mina. Each of them calling her name, however none of them could bring her back from whatever corner of her mind she seemed to have seek refuge.

Mamoru and Motoki watched silently as the girls tried calling for their friend, neither sure of what to do. Mamoru just couldn't understand what happened to them, everything was wrong. Mina the usually bubbly talkative blond had stopped talking and going out. Today was the first day in four weeks that he had heard her voice. Makoto who was sweet like the goodies she made had started fighting with any one she came in contact with. Ami became even more shy to the point where she was more of a recluse, than anything. Motoki barely smiles anymore, his jokes became more force. And Rei whose fire was as vibrant as the sacred fire she called upon, was curled up in a ball waiting for death.

He couldn't take it anymore, if he was going to get through this then he needed his friends back to who they used to be, starting with Rei. In a few short strides he was standing before Rei. He knelt down and gently using one of his hands pulled her face till she was looking him in the eyes. He let his eyes search hers for any sign of the fiery teen she used to be.

Rei was surprised when she found herself staring into pools of blue. At first she had thought that Usagi was back, but then realized it was Mamoru who held her eyes. First she was going to go back to her numb state, but something in his gaze stopped her. He had the same determined look Usagi would get when she was trying to help a friend. She felt the lump in her throat return, as more tears streaked down her face. Then she was launching herself into his arms, crying "She's gone, She's really gone. She promised…but she's gone." over and over again.

Mamoru was more than shocked when he felt Rei cling onto him for dear life. He felt his own tears fall when he finally understand what she was mumbling through her tears. He then felt Mina's arms wrap around them, then came Ami, then Makoto, and finally Motoki. Each had tears in their eyes, as the fire priestess continued to cry.

"She's gone."


A/N: Okay so I am sorry but this one is really depressing. But I had to tell you what happened to the others. And ya next chapter will be more happy, and Usagi meets some new friends in Karate class. YA!

Please Review! Its my life source!

-Sue