A/N - Wow, I literally have no excuses for being so late with this upload - except that life happened. Thank you to all those who have read my story recently and reviewed, it really helped motivate me to pick up where I left off. Even though I have tonnes of work that needs doing for college - since American university likes to pile it on, I'm going to try and update as soon as I can. Because I like writing this story, and it helps me escape from all the work.

Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou to all those who have reviewed. The Snow Rain, Guest, Taeniaea, LadyShard, LightLessStar, Chibi Tsuki Hikari, sweetypie15, bur bur, rainstormslove, Luna in Bloodland, animenerd210, Sisi Snape, BittaBitta, Moon Mage Goddess, tontied, Aruyn, Usagi Uchiha, 16, Guardian of Winter, Mammon Daughter and Sakurayuuki19. You are all wonderful and it really means a lot you've left such positive reviews and encouragement.

So this chapter is sort of a filler, but has some important elements in it I guess. There will be action later, but there is kinda some Loki/Serenity here. I hope everyone is in character, and hopefully you'll see why Loki has such mixed feelings about Usagi.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, but wish a Sailor Moon Avengers Crossover would be made into a movie! Anyway... on with the chapter.


Chapter Four - Not So Moonlit Stroll

The best thinking has been done in solitude. The worst has been done in turmoil - Thomas A. Edison.


Usagi cradled Chibi-Chibi in her arms steadfastly and manoeuvred herself to take the brunt of Galaxia's attack. She closed her eyes, waiting. But her eyes shot opened at the pain stricken shrieks that suddenly filled the air. Usagi could only gaze on in horror as her friends' star seeds were untimely ripped from their bodies.

"No" Usagi breathed, unable to take her eyes away. Her vision began to blur with unshed tears. She just couldn't believe what she was seeing. She wouldn't believe it. How many more times would they have to sacrifice themselves for her? She felt unworthy of their fierce loyalty, compassion and friendship. If she had only realised the intent of Galaxia's attack was to kill, then her friends would still be alive. Usagi broke down, unable to control herself anymore. The pain was just too much. Tears streamed down her porcelain cheeks like rain on a windowpane. She crawled, like a defeated creature, to the bodies of her friends which were beginning to disappear.

"Everyone… why?" she breathed, gazing into their vacant eyes.

"Because you are important to us" Minako choked out, her voice failing her.

"We can leave you all our hopes" Makoto's hand tried to reach out for her princess, but she was too weak.

"We'll be with you, we believe in you" Ami said, her eyelids closing in a final farewell.

"No… you can't. Please… don't leave me – I can't do this without. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" Usagi cried, her voice breaking with each word. The pain of losing her dearest friends was too much for her to bear.

"You are… too sweet… be strong" Rei said, and with her last ounce of strength held onto the hand of her closest friend.

"But you promised… you all promised we'd stay together" Usagi sobbed.

"I'm sorry I can no longer protect you" Rei's voice trailed off. Her words were quiet but full of poignancy. Usagi always thought her friends would stand beside her, but now she was faced with the harsh, dark reality that she was all alone. The bodies of her beloved friends faded, drifting away from here, the spirits lost to the Galaxy Cauldron.

"No!" Usagi screamed. Her voice cracked painfully, as she cried with all her might for the loss of her friends. It was all too much and had happened too often. Was she really so useless? She barely even felt the brunt of Galaxia's attack push her back. She was too numb, too hollow, too blank. There was just nothing there except the grief. With an almighty cry that shook the atmosphere, Usagi broke down once more.

"No!" Usagi cried as she awoke, tears streaming down her face and body laced with sweat. She must have fallen asleep soon after dinner. For once in her life, she hadn't had much appetite and excused herself early. Breathing heavily, she gazed about the room and held a hand to her beating heart in an attempt to calm herself down. She knew that memory would haunt her forever; it had burned itself into her mind. It was painfully fresh.

Usagi placed her feet gently upon the floor and pushed herself out of bed. She recalled a time she had to force herself out of bed. At this point it just seemed too easy. She had never thought she could become an insomniac, and yet she didn't want to sleep for fear of the same memory returning. She was lonely and cold as she stood upon the balcony and looked at the stars. The constellations were so different from those she had viewed every night on Earth. It brought another wave of homesickness to her already weary heart. Had she really made the right choice? Only time would tell.

Careful not to make a noise, Usagi closed the door gently behind her. The moon had always put her at ease, but it was absent tonight. Instead, a walk would help calm her down and she knew exactly where she wanted to go. She needed to see for herself if Loki could be saved.

Loki gazed up at the ceiling of his cell, uninterested and bored. Sleep brought no comfort to him for his thoughts drifted to his upcoming trial. Now that Odin, was no longer preoccupied with their unexpected visitor, he would focus on the trial. He still couldn't believe that day's turn of events. The Lost Princess had returned. Though, she wasn't of their kingdom Serenity had always been welcome. It was the same now. So why was Loki not received with the same courtesy and love? The answer lay in his vile heritage. He was a monster, and would always be a monster. Everyone had known it even before he did. He was always different, always the black sheep, the Dark Prince, the unwanted, undesired second-rate substitute to Thor. She on the other hand was light itself. He found her despised her for it - for being so innately and unwaveringly good. She hadn't changed a bit, not really. Even though she looked battle-weary, pained and grief-stricken, the warmth radiated off her. How could she having gone through so much turmoil remain so unspoiled, while he was the opposite?

Loki had no clue what to expect from his trial, but he knew he would receive a harsh and severe, even deadly, punishment. He doubted even Thor could change the mind of the All-father even if he desired to. But his brother's weakness for having faith in him might just save his life. He was always the preferred one. Suddenly, Loki's ears pricked up as he heard the sound of a door opening. He figured it might be his brother come to visit after some wine. They still celebrated his victory in Midgard… and Loki found his fists clenching at the thought.

"My lady, I'm afraid this area is prohibited and you may go no further" one of the guards said.

That – he was most certainly not expecting.

"Is that so?" Usagi challenged as she squared up the guards. Despite her small stature, she held a commanding presence about her. Without waiting for a response, she made to walk past the guards but they blocked her path.

"My Lady, it would unwise to venture further. Behind this door lies a monster who deserves nothing but the punishment he'll soon receive" the other guard warned.

Usagi blanched at their cruel words. The Youmas she had battled were monsters by all accounts, and Loki was no monster to her.

"Behind that door is a childhood friend. I would be grateful if you let me past so that I may look upon him again" Usagi replied.

"My Lady, he is not the man you once knew. He isn't even of Asgard" the guard spat the word as if it were a disease. To hear these words shocked her to the core. She had always believed Loki to be of Asgard… but even if he was not, that was still no reason to judge someone. Loki should be judged by his actions alone – not his birthplace.

"I am not of Asgard and I am not treated with such disrespect. Would you kindly let me past, for I have no plans to leave until my demands are met" Usagi replied, her tone firm but kind.

After a moment of staring each other down and silence, the guards finally relented and allowed her to pass. Usagi continued down the hallway until she came across a large, human sized cage. Her heart clenched to see someone she once knew in such a condition.

Loki could hear footsteps echo through the hall. He had a sickening feeling he knew who it was and was keen to avoid them. Being the perfect illusionist he had been (before he was stripped of his powers) he pretended to be asleep.

As Usagi neared the cage, she saw Loki was asleep. She was grateful for this since his lips were sewn shut. He might have protested against her presence… His face was haggard, gaunt and sickly pale. He had large, dark circles under his eyes, which were a horrid mixture of black, blue and yellow. He looked ill, ragged and emotionally tortured. Being as slim and petite as she was, Usagi easily slipped through the bars. She silently thanked Asgardians for being so broad, muscular and tall – it had allowed her a most easy entrance.

She knew it was wrong, to trespass on him in such a vulnerable state but she felt an overwhelming need to be close to him. Earlier that evening over dinner, Thor had reminded her of some of their childhood memories. She even recalled numerous ones of herself and Loki. It brought a small smile to her face as she remembered how they would swim together in the lake, ride on horseback through the fields and villages. They would climb trees, swap stories, play games and watch Thor and the Warriors Three train. They had grown up together, and Usagi saw them as an extended family.

Usagi knew what it was like to be alone, especially now. Of course at dinner she had felt most welcome and knew she would come to see Asgard as the second home she had as a child of the White Moon. But, right now, with all that had happened there was a hole in her soul. It felt as though the all the suffering she had endured was trying to her tear her apart. That was another reason she had sought out Loki. She knew he must be feeling the same way too. She had seen the torture on his face earlier that day and she wanted nothing more than to comfort him in ways she could not do for herself.

Loki could feel the presence of someone near him, and realised it must be Serenity. He wasn't surprised she could get through the bars of his cage, but was shocked that she had dared come to visit him inside his prison. Surely his simple-minded brother and pitiful friends would have told her what he did. Why did she have to do this to him? To visit him in his vulnerable state like some sort of saint to nurse him into salvation. He didn't want it. He didn't need it. He wanted to subjugate Earth, and the sooner he found a way out, the sooner his goal would come to fruition.

"Oh Loki… what has happened to you" Usagi whispered as she knelt beside him. She took hold of his hand and grasped it gently.

Loki almost gave himself away the moment her hand touched his. Immediately, he felt great warmth spread from his hand through the rest of him. It was a feeling or reassurance, something to make him feel safe and comforted. He despised it. He was a God, and did not need her charity. He had cared for her once, but now saw how naively optimistic she was. It was pathetic – just like everyone else. Clearly spending so much time on Midgard had weakened her considerably, as it did Thor. Who knew mortals could have such a profound effect on people? He didn't see it. All he saw was a self-destructive, vile race of weakness. He could easily dominate their minds, as he had done in Germany. He would return with a vengeance and seize Midgard. And if this tragic reincarnation of his once beloved Serenity cared for her life, she would not interfere. This pitiful human version of the Moon Princess he had once known was just another reminder of how things could never return to the way they were. The fact she was human was a source of great anger. It reminded him of his failings and shortcomings – the very reason why Odin had never praised him, or commended him for anything! Midgard would no longer be her world, but his. And once he had Midgard, once he proved himself a force to be reckoned with, a ruler to be feared then he could take anything he wanted.

Usagi's thumb traced circles around the back of his hand and she gazed upon him. He looked so peaceful in that moment; she briefly wondered what caused him to appear so serene. Would Asgard accept him once more if he truly repented? Could he really be saved? She knew deep down in her heart Galaxia did not desire all Chaos had planned. There was a part of her clinging to the hope she could be saved, that Chaos could be exorcised from her body. That was why Usagi had risked her own life to save her. But, sitting beside Loki now she saw he was a completely different person from the young boy she had known. Of course she knew things would change. She wasn't the Princess she once was. She had made a sacrifice to become something much greater. Usagi wished she could save him the same way she had saved Galaxia. But there was darkness in his heart that weighed heavily upon him. It was a heart so full of hatred, vengeance and rage that she feared even the light of hope might not reach him…


So yeah, I hope Loki isn't too confusing. I feel like he would be thrown for a loop with her presence. Since she said her mortal name is Usagi - he probably associated her more with Midgard since she's been there. And also he's a dark twisted soul in need of a hug. I hope Usagi is in character I just feel like she would be the one to go and find someone in their solitude and hope to help them. Yeah... anyway thoughts and all are super appreciated.

Hopefully I'll be back with another chapter soon. I do like writing.

Yeah, thanks for reading. Have a great weekend everybody.

Kiwi