A/N: And now the true first chapter of the story! Parts of this chapter will look familiar to those who have read my other crossover story Aquamarine, also starring the relatively unknown character known as Kousagi Tsukino, though in this story her name is Kousagi Chiba. (She takes her father's last name.) Also, Kousagi's apperance in this story and her back-story are all derived from conversations I've had with my friend Princesa De La Luna. She introduced Kousagi's character to me and we both thought that she looked a little too much like Rini/Chibiusa originally, so we changed it up so she'd look a little more like Darien/Mamoru. So you'll finally know what she looks like in this thing. (Though technically you know already because of the cover image...)

Warnings: This chapter doesn't have anything from Dragonball Z in it. Also, I use a mix of the Japanese and English names for the Sailor Moon characters. Serena instead of Usagi, Michiru instead of Michelle, etc. And we're still in Kousagi's point of view for now.

Special thanks to Princesa De La Luna and Pyromania101 for inspiring this story.

Also, I dedicate this chapter to my good friend Light-Sakura for always supporting my new projects now matter how crazy, ridiculous, or just flat-out random they are. You have my thanks and appreciation soul sista.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or Dragonball Z.

Chapter 3

The Journey Started on a Midnight Dreary

Many years earlier

March 12th, 2041

12:00 a.m.

The night is eerily dark tonight. The stars that usually light up the sky aren't out and the moon is black, signifying the start of the next moon cycle. Within the palace walls of the mystic kingdom of Crystal Tokyo, I, Kousagi Chiba stand, staring out of my bedroom window, putting off my departure from this place for a routine trip. In my reflection I see the features of the two people responsible for my existence. Aquamarine eyes framed with long lashes, thick raven locks falling midway down my back, flawless pale skin, full lips, high cheek bones, and a cute button nose are features displayed in my reflection.

Life should have been easy for me.

I was born into a royal family. From the time I was small I had servants all too willing to follow my every command. Among those servants I have eight fearless bodyguards who've been assigned to protect me, not to mention that I have an older sister who's constantly worrying over me.

My father was the king over the entire world. He could have given me anything I asked for and more if he had wanted to. No one defied him and no one questioned his decisions because he was an honorable man. His only weakness lied in his concerns for my sister. He would do anything to protect her and give up anything to ensure that she never faced the hardships he did.

Unfortunately, reality intervened and made him helpless. As powerful as my father was and still is, he couldn't conquer the bindings of death.

And he couldn't bring my mother back from the grave.

Neo Queen Serenity was my mother's royal title, but on a day-to-day basis she went by the name Serena Tsukino. Actually, a good while before she became queen of the world she was just a young high school student trying to find her way while fighting crime every now and again as Sailor Moon. Sailor Venus, known only to me and my sister as Minako Aino, is always telling me about my mother's adventures and pinheaded moments. Her nickname was Odango, or meatball head according to Sailor Mars a.k.a. Rei Hino. She would always start on a rant about how my mother was never on time, ate far too many sweets, and couldn't keep her mouth shut on any occasion. As the two of them told their stories along with the other six sailor soldiers, my sister Chibiusa (though she'd rather be called Rini for some odd reason), would laugh and exchange her memories of what mom was like.

I would have loved to share in those memories, but the truth is that I've never met my mother.

That's why I find myself preparing to take a routine trip that will take me a good twenty-five years into the past, nine years before I was born, and nine years before my mother's death.

My life should have been a life with prestige and privilege, but that was never the case. Yeah, I have some servants and bodyguards who are close to being my friends. My big sister looks out for me and has never let me down. Even though I'm positive I'll end up being a little taller than her, I'll still look up to her and see her as the mother figure in my life.

But the one thing I want…the one thing I'll never have is my father's love.

The truth of the matter is this. My mother was only supposed to have one child as an heir to the throne of Crystal Tokyo. It was all part of some mystic law of destiny. If a moon queen became pregnant and gave birth to a second child, a second girl specifically, it would be the death of her. This second child's strength would prove far too powerful to be controlled. This second daughter would bring about the end of the world.

Sailor Pluto, Rini's guardian and the keeper of time, told my mother this. Judging by the fact that everyone thought of my mom as a meatball head, I'm fairly certain Sailor Pluto explained this over and over again until she was convinced my mother understood. Thinking about it now almost makes me laugh because I know my mother was a brilliant woman despite her flaws.

More than that though, my mother was brave and defiantly protective until the bitter end. Despite the harsh truth that some of the Sailor Soldiers and my father wanted me aborted, she stood by me and accepted death as her fate. Even though I was nothing but a gathering of cells, she loved me with all of her heart.

I live only because she loved me.

When my mother died, there was a great outcry in the world. She had been a beacon of life and love for people all over this crazy planet not to mention that she had saved the universe a couple of times. Losing her was a cutting blow to the hearts of millions and even more so for the people who loved and respected her most. From that day forward, people looked upon me as a demon. Yes, I am hated by all, excluding a handful of people who wished to honor my mother's memory, including my sister, Sailor Mars, Sailor Venus, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Saturn. The other Sailor Soldiers have decided to protect me, but they won't say much to me because they despise what I symbolize. I'm the monster that will bring ruin to the world.

My father is the same way. Not once have we ever exchanged a decent conversation with one another and I know that we never will. He tried to be a father to me. He stepped down as king and allowed Chibiusa, ugh, Rini to rule the kingdom to raise me without distractions. I've always commended him for giving it his best shot, but he could never hide the truth from me and often lashed out despite himself. I don't hate him for it, nor do I feel any hostility toward him for anything he's done to me physically and emotionally. After mom died, a piece of him died as well, probably the best piece. In any case, the result of his drastic change is my fault.

For this reason and others, I decided that I would devote my life to helping people. Destiny would not decide my fate or the fate of the world. I spent years secretly training and developing the powers that connect me to the moon and the earth, even sealed off my darker powers using a forbidden spell from an old book hidden behind a loose tile in the back wall of the castle library. I focused all of my energy into making a new legacy for myself and maintaining the legacy my mother had left behind.

Unfortunately my efforts weren't enough. Twelve years after my mother's death, war broke out in the kingdom. Rini tried her best to maintain the peace, but there was no appeasing the people of the planet. They didn't trust her as they had trusted my mother, mainly because she made no attempt to hide her love for me even knowing the destiny that awaited me. A group of terrorists and even members of our own army created new war machines for the sole purpose of destroying us. After my sister prevented a ruthless coup d'état within the ranks of our government, Sailor Soldiers beyond the solar system came to earth, seeking vengeance for the death of my mother.

I would never be able to forget the faces of the enraged Sailor Starlights. They stormed the palace walls with a legion of warriors behind them. More of our own turned against my sister and many lives were lost as a result.

I became Sailor Earth on that day.

It happened when I stumbled into the throne room, having barely escaped Sailor Star Healer's last attack on me. She had dealt a blow to my head, causing blood to leak into my right eye. My left leg had been slashed open as well, hindering my movement as it bled out. The vision in my left eye was blurring in and out, making me drift between blindness and dulled sight.

Even though I was halfway blind and weak, there was no mistaking what lied beyond in the throne room. Sailor Star Fighter stood in the center, holding a white star-shaped device in her hand. My sister had lain on the floor, her white dress stained with blood.

Blinking away tears I took another faltering step into the room. "Chibi…usa?"

Her crimson gaze had immediately turned towards me, since I was the only one who called her by that name. "Kousagi-chan…run away…"

Sailor Star Fighter had turned her sharp sapphire gaze at me. Her outfit was all black. Black short shorts, black v-neck top, and black boots that went up to her thighs. The woman's raven hair was tied in a low pony-tail at the back of her head. "So, this is Princess Kousagi Terra Selene. This is the little demon that killed my Odango."

I flinched at the words, but my eyes never left my sister. "What did you do to Chibiusa-chan?"

Rini lifted herself into a sitting position, allowing me to see the full extent of her wounds. There was a long cut across her chest and burn marks on her arms and legs. "Stop…don't…Fighter!"

Fighter barely glanced back at her. "You know as well as I do that this must be done at some point. I cannot trust the task to you for she has bewitched your heart."

I heard footsteps come up behind me. "We will rid your soul of the curse that consumes you."

My gaze snapped backwards to find both Sailor Star Healer and Sailor Star Maker behind me. I moved away, taking backward steps further into the throne room as terror filled my soul.

Leaf green and violet eyes stared down at me in complete revulsion. The two of them poised themselves for an attack.

"This is for the sake of your world," Fighter stated, her footsteps echoing in the room. I watched as Maker took a few steps to the left of Healer. There had been an almost mocking grin on her face in that moment because she knew that I had nowhere left to run. All the routes for escape had been effectively cut off.

I turned to face Fighter again. "Please wait. Don't do this! My mother wouldn't want…"

"Enough!"

Fighter's shout of rage shut me up. I couldn't bring myself to say anything anymore. The three scouts from beyond the solar system were going to kill me and that would be the end of the story.

"Stop it! Leave my sister alone!"

It was then that Fighter made her final mistake.

In a fit of rage she sent an attack towards Rini.

"Star Serious Laser!"

"Noooooo!"

My screams of distress fell on death ears for Fighter did not show mercy. The electric shots slammed into Rini, forcing her already wounded body into the marble wall with a sickening bang.

There was a sorrowful look in Fighter's eyes as my sister slumped over, her blood staining the white marble. For a long moment I stared at her, watching for the rise and fall of her chest, but I couldn't see past the tears that had gathered in both of my eyes.

"Chibiusa-chan…"

From there I can't really remember everything that happened. Fighter had nodded for Healer and Maker to prepare themselves for another attack. This time they would be aiming all of their rage towards me.

My gaze had been locked on the floor. The little pride I had forced me to keep the tears that fell from my eyes hidden, but it didn't do me much good because sobs began to wrack through my body.

"You won't have to suffer for much longer," Fighter stated.

"We shall end your existence in all realms forever," Maker added.

"For you should have never been born."

Healer's words sent my blood boiling. I knew that others felt this way about me, but no one had ever dared to say it to my face. If that weren't enough, these monsters had hurt my big sister to the point of near death.

"You call me a demon," I stated, the sobs subsiding almost abruptly, "yet you are the ones who commit malevolent and sinful acts. That's so…hypocritical."

"We do this for the sake of the universe…"

"Shut up!" I screamed, cutting Fighter off before she could finish. With fire burning in my soul I stared the woman down with the eye I could see out of. "How dare you come into my home, threaten my family, and then pass it off as some kind of holy mission! My mother would have never stood for this and I won't stand for it either!"

Suddenly a bright golden aura surrounded my right hand. I glanced down, noting the small stream of energy as it thinned out into a loop around my wrist.

"What's this!?" Healer had shouted from somewhere behind me.

My eyes widened as the light dimmed, revealing a thick silver charm bracelet. Three different charms hung on it but only one of them continued to glow brightly. The charm was in the shape of a sword.

"Prepare to attack! Kill Kousagi!"

From there everything goes blank, but I know what happened thanks to Rini. She told me that I transformed into Sailor Earth and that I channeled my powers through a mystic sword to kill the Sailor Starlights. Then I saved her by using my powers to stabilize her condition until a doctor arrived an hour or so later. A few days after that, Rini went on to conquer the rebellious people and found a way to restore order.

In other words, in a fit of blind rage I killed three people. Granted they were trying to kill me, but I still felt awful about it.

Throughout that year, more battles forced me to become Sailor Earth and my second senshi form, Princess Sailor Earth. I have a third senshi form that I've used once, but similar to when I used my first senshi form for the first time, I can't remember the transformation or what happened afterward.

Not that it really matters anyway. I've tried to escape it, but war and death will always be a part of my life and someday, whether I like it or not, I'm going to bring about the end of the world. Trying to fight it is meaningless.

That's why from time to time; I travel back to the past looking for my mother as she was before she died. Sailor Pluto is always telling me that I shouldn't interfere with the past, but I never listen to what she says. I never listen to anyone aside from my sister and the few Sailor Soldiers that have earned my trust.

In the timeframe I'm about to visit, my mother moves from place to place a lot because it happens to be the year she first took her throne over the world…or at least that's what Rini is always telling me. In any case, searching for my mother during this period is difficult because she's never in the same place at any given time. So far I've had absolutely no luck in tracking her down.

Now, given the choice I would go back further in time, but doing so is risky…too risky. Going back too far would put Rini's existence in jeopardy. In the timeline I'm traveling to, she's only six years old.

My dream is to find my mother and tell her the truth about her future. If I can convince her to stray away from having a second daughter, she'll be able to live a full and happy life with my father and Rini. Peace will reign supreme and I'll disappear from existence, thus ensuring the safety of the planet.

In hindsight, the reason I go on living is to put an eventual end to my existence. Sometimes I wish that my powers hadn't kicked in nearly two years ago. At least then the world would already be saved.

Still, finding my mother and speaking with her has been my ultimate goal. Somehow, someday I have to find her…if only I could escape from my self-appointed job as guardian of Crystal Tokyo. If I could do that I'd be in the clear. I could go on searching and find my mother in no time at all.

Unfortunately, my father won't allow me to abandon my responsibilities, which means that I have to limit my trips to once a month to keep everyone from figuring out my plans…especially Rini. That girl would stop at nothing to protect me…just like our mom had.

With a sigh I turned away from the window to finish packing up my black duffel bag. Leaving now will give me exactly twenty-four hours to search through the timeline for her. I get the feeling that today will be the day I finally see her, finally give her the message she needs to hear.

Maybe that's why I'm so hesitant all of a sudden, because I know that after today...I won't exist anymore.

Shaking my head I throw in my favorite black zip-up sweat-shirt and a pair of dark-wash jeans. "That'll be for the best. Your existence has caused nothing but pain in this world." Another sigh escapes me as I zip up the duffel bag and sling it over my shoulder along with my sword; the same one I've used in battle after battle: Crimson Shakugan.

You could say that I'm heavily influenced by anime in that regard, naming my sword. In fact, its purpose and origin are derived practically from the same concept that's in the classic Bleach manga and anime. The sword manifested after I became Sailor Earth for the first time and works to channel my elemental powers in all three of my senshi forms, mainly fire since I'm really terrible at controlling it. Inside my mind, the sword represents the spiritual embodiment of my soul; however, the physical form of my sword has always been shrouded in a black fog, the only feature visible being its crimson red eyes. To add to the mysterious nature of this sword, the spirit inside doesn't seem to know anything about itself aside from the fact that it's female, so I gave her a name that's influenced by an anime known as Shakugan no Shana.

Thus, Crimson Shakugan was born.

My love for manga is something I picked up from Mina and Rei. The two of them are shameless otakus. They're constantly talking about the newest manga series when we all have time to relax, which isn't often in these times of war. If they aren't talking about that, their gossiping about hot guys in magazines. You'd think they'd be too old for that given that these women are in their forties now...how they manage to still look like twenty-year olds is definitely puzzling.

With any luck though, I won't have to ponder about how that worked out for much longer.

Slowly I push open the tall French doors leading out of my room, praying that they won't creak.

"Creeeeeeeeeak..."

My expression probably deadpanned at the sound. "Of course...how I'm surprised by this spout of bad luck is beyond me."

With a quiet groan slipping through my lips I turned to push the door closed. The creaking sound echoed down the long, dimly lit hallway. Glancing down the sides of the hall I take quick steps forward, hoping the outer planet twins didn't hear the sound. Haruka and Michiru, Uranus and Neptune respectively, are like hawks during the night hours. Each and every sound finds a way to reach their ears, making it difficult to keep anything secret. I've managed this long though, so there's no way I'll let them catch me.

If they heard anything, that leaves me with about ten minutes to get out without the chance of being spotted...

"And just where do you think you're going?"

My eyebrows knitted together in annoyance as my sister's voice registered in my ears. Yeah, I may have forgotten to mention that Rini's bedroom is right next to mine. Normally she sleeps like a rock, but there are a few occasions when she'll stay up all night, working overtime on royal regulations and other such political nonsense. In any case, while the situation of her catching me in the middle of leaving to travel through time had never happened before, she has caught me leaving my room a few times in the past. If that door creaks and she's awake, Rini automatically checks up on me.

Turning around I clear my face of all emotion, wracking my brain for a believable excuse.

"Well," Rini asks, placing one hand on her hip and the other on top of her head of cotton candy locks which hung gracefully down toward the floor. She wore a loose white nightgown over her body and reading glasses in front of her eyes, making her look studious despite the clear exhaustion in her expression.

Smiling, I answered with the usual bravado. "I'm just going to get some training in. Like you, if I can't sleep I may as well get some work done..."

Rini's crimson eyes narrowed. "Kousagi-chan, it's only a few minutes past midnight. You normally stay up late watching anime until at least three."

Crap! "Yeah, well, tonight I want to get some training in," I countered, turning away from her so she wouldn't see the panic rising in my eyes. Through the vibrations in the ground I can feel when someone is approaching and right now Haruka and Michiru are on the move, headed in this exact direction.

"Kousagi, you're already training ten hours every day as well as guarding the city," Rini stated, taking a few steps toward me as I zipped up the front of my teal fur-lined jacket. "You shouldn't push yourself so much. Even a fierce warrior needs rest in order to stand tall against an enemy."

Normally I would argue that resting allowed an opportunity for the enemy to gain the upper hand in battle, but my time was running out. If my math is right, only seven minutes stand between me taking my routine trip through time and space or being found out, questioned, and locked in my room by the two outer scouts. As of now, Sailor Pluto is the only person who knows about these trips of mine. She feels that the past is already set in stone, that nothing can be done, but not once has she ever attempted to stop me. The other scouts, not knowing the whole picture, would definitely attempt it and my father...

I rather not think about what he might do to me should he ever find out. Like I said before, he tried his best to set aside his feelings of hatred toward me. However...

"D..don't worry," I muttered, inwardly cursing the slight stutter due to the horrific visions of father's past physical abuse fluttering through my head. It's one of the few things Rini has no knowledge about and for that I'm exceedingly grateful. Still, now isn't the time to reflect on the past. With any luck, it'll be erased by the end of the day.

"I'll be fine." Inclining my gaze over my shoulder I winked at Rini one last time, inwardly saying all my goodbyes and wishing her all the happiness she can soak up. "See you tomorrow." With that said, I took off in a sprint, hoping against all hopes that six minutes would be enough to escape this turbulent world for the day...maybe forever.

Fifteen minutes later

My breaths were erratic as I collapsed into the fragrant fields surrounding the outskirts of the city. Escaping the palace grounds without being caught by the outer twins had been a brutal task this time around thanks to Rini's interference. I had to run an extra two miles as a precautionary measure.

"You sound pathetic."

"Shut up," I muttered, sucking in deep breaths while clutching my sheathed sword a bit more tightly in my hand. "You're an inanimate object who really shouldn't talk...ever..."

"I resent that!"

Rolling my eyes I pushed myself up on my elbows, concentrating my energy on catching my breath while the spirit of my sword continued to rant on and on about me being the most disrespectful person she'd ever had the displeasure of knowing. The insult pretty much backfires on her though because we're ultimately the same person to a degree. Every comment she makes ends up being a double-edged blade.

"Hey, I can hear you're inner monologue stupid! Quit it!"

Without a word to the spirit I stood up, having mostly caught my breath. I glance in all directions, looking for any signs of Haruka and Michiru, but my eyes don't catch anything. Closing them, I concentrate on feeling the pulsations in the ground. Immediately I sense all the creatures beneath the surface, but ignore their life force, honing in on two of the many energy signatures I've memorized.

A smile comes to my face when I open my eyes. "Good, they're still inside the palace. Perhaps they're questioning my sister on where I've run off to. Hopefully she bought my excuse. The last thing I want is for her to know the truth of what could happen tonight..."

"Hey Crimson," I began, resting the sheathed blade over my right shoulder, "I get the feeling that today's going to be our last day together."

I could hear Crimson scoffing and if she had a face she'd probably be smirking. "What makes you say that? Do you believe we'll find your mother today?"

Nodding I reached into the pocket of my black skinny jeans. "Yeah, I do," I answered verbally, retrieving the time travel pen Pluto gave me about two years ago. It's a thin golden rod with an aquamarine crystal orb that matches my eyes, surrounded by thin gold rings.

"What will you do when we do find her?" Crimson questioned. "You aren't just going to blurt out that she dies trying to give birth to you, right?"

Well, actually, that about sums up the plan I had before this moment. Of course, now I realize that finding mom was one thing and convincing her not to have me is another. Rei's always saying how stubborn my mom was back in the early days of her reign, how she did what she felt was right even if everyone else thought it was a bad idea. I'm a living reminder of that stubbornness, but somehow...someway I must convince her that nothing good can come from my existence.

My life means nothing to me. My life only holds meaning for the few who respected my mother's wishes to the bitter end.

Many times I've considered suicide, but that would do no good either. Suicide won't erase the past nor will it create a better future. After all...

My gaze darts into the towering structures of Crystal Tokyo: the capital of the entire planet. This kingdom flourished when my mother ruled it. Her pure-hearted nature and selflessness kept it afloat, kept it from turning into monarch-dictatorship in the eyes of the people. She didn't rule with an iron fist, instead choosing to rule with love and compassion.

Rini rules in a similar way, but she doesn't have the support of the people. In a one-world government, the support of the people means everything. Without it, that government begins to crumble in on itself, all the territories turn on each other, bringing about a war that consumes the entire planet.

Crystal Tokyo, Japan is the center of the world, but it is also the center of bloodshed and despair.

This all started because my mother refused to destroy me before I could destroy her. I've lived well, and I have some good memories along with some terrible ones. Being able to live at all has been a blessing but it's been a curse as well, in more ways than one.

That's why...that's why I have to go back to the past, to stop my birth from happening. If I can prevent that single event, I would have saved my future from an endless war, and all the lives I took, whether they deserved their fate or not, will be restored.

"I can atone for those sins..." the thought trails off, a familiar presence distracting me as a glow of purple light brightens up the forest a few feet behind me. Well, Pluto has arrived to crash the party.

I twist my body to face her as she emerges from the shadows. Her wise, magenta eyes gaze warily at me. The pace of her walk is slow, agonizingly so, but I don't make a move or utter a word. By now I'm used to her routine speech about altering with the space-time continuum and how everything done in the past alters the state of the future and what not. The first time she spouted the nonsense I argued my case with every ounce of passion I could muster. The second time I argued once more, but with less fervor than before, anticipating that she'd let me go. Since then, there's been no argument. She makes her case, then allows me to go about my business without trouble.

"Greetings, Sailor Pluto," I began, latching my sword behind my back before reaching down for my duffel bag. "You're early. Normally you wait until I've started traveling through time before giving the speech on the dangers of altering time and space." Once my bag was secure over my left shoulder I folded both of my arms over my chest. "I guess the sooner the better, since I don't plan on..."

"Kousagi, I've come to give you a warning," Pluto interrupted, her dark green locks flowing in the sudden gust of wind. "It's important that you listen."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes as I moved to place my hands on my hips. "Come on Pluto, you spit this same line every time..."

"Postpone your trip to the past until tomorrow night."

Okay, that's a new one. "Why? What's the matter?"

Pluto sighed, her magenta eyes falling toward the grass beneath our feet. "Someone else intends to cross through the gates of time tonight. This traveler comes from a dimension completely separate from ours, causing for a truly dangerous situation if not handled with care. Under such circumstances, I absolutely forbid you to travel tonight."

"Forbid me?" I questioned, narrowing my gaze. "Last time I checked, danger is no issue for me. Three weeks ago I took down an army singlehandedly." I raised the time travel pen over my head. "Besides, to complete my single mission in life, I'll face any danger. No cost is too great."

"It's not that type of danger Kousagi," Pluto answered, taking a few steps closer, while lifting her Garnet rod. The red orb inside it glowed. "Please, you must trust me. You can't travel through the gates of time tonight. You can wait until tomorrow, can't you?"

"In hindsight I could," I thought, lowering my arm. I'm not impatient. Waiting until tomorrow wouldn't normally be something I'd take issue with. After all, I know that Sailor Pluto is trying to protect me for Rini's sake. She doesn't want me to get hurt. Whether she actually cares about me or not is debatable, but if anything were to happen to me...it'd kill Rini.

That is, unless I succeed in my mission once and for all. Then she won't remember me and she'll have her mother back. Of course, waiting one more day won't hurt, right?

Wrong.

Unfortunately, waiting until tomorrow is out of the question. I don't know if Sailor Pluto knows this or not, but I learned pretty quickly that I can only travel through time during the New Moon, thus adding another reason for limiting these trips to once a month. My powers are directly affected by the moon and are at their strongest during the Full and New Moon phases, but again, I can only travel through time using the pen Pluto gave me during the New Moon. Why? Quite frankly I don't know and neither does Crimson for that matter. I only know this much through trail and error, but if I have to guess, it's probably due to the seal I placed on my powers to keep them from lashing out of control.

Even with the seal they're a hindrance to me in some way.

"You know what we have to do, right?" Crimson questioned from inside my mind.

I nodded, lifting my arm again as the sword charm on my bracelet began to glow.

Pluto's eyes widened, but she moved her body into a fighting stance. "Kousagi..."

"I'm sorry," I cut in, feeling the familiar magic surround me. "I can't let you stand in my way tonight. With any luck, I can erase all the pain I've caused to my family and the few friends I have. For once, I can do some good for them." A sad smile lifts the corners of my mouth. "If reaching that goal means fighting you I'll do it because in the end I know that leaving now instead of tomorrow is for the best. I can't explain how, it's just a feeling, but too strong of a feeling for me to ignore."

Of all the lies I've had to come up with over the years, that one is definitely the absolute worst. Everyone knows not to mix the truth with lies that aren't believable. Seriously, a feeling too strong to ignore? Anyone who interacts with me on any level knows I don't base my actions solely on my feelings.

A sigh fell from her lips. Clearly she didn't buy it-only an idiot would-but she wasn't about to question me on it because no matter the excuse, once my mind is made up, there's no way to stop me. Sailor Pluto understands this about my personality, if nothing else.

"Very well." There were no more words exchanged as she swung her rod over her head, preparing for her Dead Scream attack.

That was the last thing I saw before my energy consumed me.

"EARTH CRYSTAL POWER!"

A/N: And that ends this chapter. So these first three chapters have been all about Kousagi. Since parts of her personality, appearance, and back-story are basically AU, it may be difficult to relate to her at first. That's why, next chapter, I plan on switching it up! Don't know what I mean, well, there'll be more DBZ in it, that's for sure! Maybe some humor too if I can find a way to fit it in, all this angst is totally crazy. Anyway, thanks for reading. Please review.

Also, on a final note. From these first three chapters, told in a backward order, you know that Kousagi's feelings do change over time, but have no idea of the circumstances that brought about those changes. In the next chapter and the chapters to come, you'll find out. Plus, there's more to Kousagi's back-story that I conveniently threw in but didn't delve into much...yet. Mainly, the abuse Kousagi received from her father. (In the canon he would never do this, but I'm pretending that after Serena died, the man loses his mind to some degree.)