Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.
Sweat was trickling down her forehead as the bright white glow encircling her intensified. In the next instance, the light vanished to reveal a heavy breathing Sailor Moon. With a scowl on her face, she stared disapprovingly at her shaking hands.
'Tsk, it still requires too much energy and only three Nijizuizhous has been collected,' she thought when she suddenly sensed a familiar energy.
"You should be guarding the Time Gate Pluto," Sailor Moon said as she turned to face the time senshi, "I'm doing just fine."
"You and I both know that's not true princess," Pluto replied with sorrowful eyes, "It had never been your nature to harm others. You shouldn't---"
"Enough Pluto! We've been over this and I have made up my mind," Sailor Moon said as she averted her eyes, "I have had enough of watching everyone always sacrificing themselves to keep me safe. I refuse for the outcome of this battle to be like all those other times."
The feelings of guilt, loneliness and worthlessness washed over her as she recalled each time she was left alone because her loved ones threw themselves in harms way to protect her. Then there was the most recent battle against Galaxia. Right before her eyes...her closest friends were killed right before her very eyes. To top it off she found out only moments later that her Mamo-chan had also been killed. The Outers, Inners and her soul-mate all gone in just the blink of an eye!
'Anything is better than that emptiness,' she thought as she fully turned away from Pluto who was one of her friends that had experienced death in the battle with Galaxia.
"You are to guard the Time Gate until Chaos is sealed, but you already know that since I took away your ability to go to my time," Sailor Moon said in a commanding tone.
"It is our duty as your senshis to protect you princess. Not only that, but we do so by choice. You are important to us not because of you status but as a friend who saved each of us from loneliness. We value your life the most," Pluto said in a final effort to change her princess's mind.
"That may be true, but to me, my life is nowhere near as precious as each of yours," Sailor Moon replied giving Pluto a sincere smile before disappearing.
Reappearing in her room, she reverted back into her civilian form. Immediately, Usagi collapsed on top of her bed no longer hiding her fatigue. It takes too much energy to keep the three Nijizuizhou carriers alive especially when she only holds Gesen's energy, The task would be mush less tiring if she had Bokushi and Bakene's energies as well.
'I have to gather the other four's energies or I won't last long enough to seal Chaos away,' Usagi thought when someone began knocking on her door.
"Oi Odango-atama, you got two friends waiting for you at the door," she heard Shingo yelled out.
"All right I'm going you brat," Usagi replied making sure to use her usual annoyed tone.
'I wonder which two came,' she thought as she made her way downstairs toward the door.
Turning a corner, Usagi saw her mother talking to Haruka and Michiru. Seeing her daughter approach, Ikuko said in a semi-scolding tone, "Why didn't you tell me you planned to eat out with your friends tonight?"
"Please don't blame Usagi," Michiru said in her polite tone before Usagi could vice hr own surprise, "It was kind of a last minute decision. None of us had seen this ahead of time."
Looking at the two girls, Usagi understood the double meaning behind Michiru's words. Seeing as she would have to face them sooner or later, Usagi decided to play along.
"I'm sorry mama. You know me always forgetting things," Usagi said with a goofy grin then facing the two girls, "Let me change and I'll be right out."
---
After leaving the Tsukino residence, Haruka drove them to a hill top to talk. At the arrived spot, one could see a clear view of Tokyo. It was a breath taking sight with all of Tokyo's glowing lights, but they were not there to sightsee.
"So I suppose the others told you two what happened," Usagi said in a detached yet serious tone as she leaned against a railing.
"Yes, but we want to hear what you have to say," Michiru said as Haruka continued to remain silent with frustration and disbelief in her eyes.
Giving a shrug, Usagi turned to stare at the view before saying in an emotionless tone, "There's really nothing to add. I am collecting the Nijizuizhou's energies to seal away Chaos."
"No there is something you're not telling us," Michiru said with narrowed eyes.
"What makes you say that," Usagi asked in a bored tone.
"Because you don't sacrifice others," Haruka shouted, "You who would protect an enemy would never sacrifice others!"
"People change," Usagi calmly repeated what she told the Inners, "Sacrifice is needed to seal away Chaos."
"But that's just it. Ami told us that the carriers should die from having the Nijizuizhou's energy taken from them, yet none of them are dead," Michiru stated as she noticed Usagi slightly stiffened from her words, "You're not telling us everything. What are you really planning?"
"I don't know what you are inferring. I plan on retrieving the remaining Nijizuizhou energies. Whether they die of not is not my concern. If they survive, good, but I will not hesitate because they may die," Usagi said using the coldest tone she could muster.
Michiru studied Usagi with a calculating gaze. She saw determination in her princess's eyes that demanded they take her words seriously, yet she could catch just the tiniest glimmer of guilt and sadness in the depth of Usagi's eyes.
'Something just doesn't add up,' Michiru thought as she glanced toward her partner.
Haruka, who always had little control over her temper, was visibly shaking with rage and frustration. The words coming out of this girl's mouth were not something her princes would ever say! This could not be the same girl who stopped them from killing Sailor Saturn, the warrior of destruction, even at the risk of the world's end just because she did not believe in sacrifice.
"It doesn't matter if both of you think I'm lying. Like I said, sealing Chaos is priority, so don't interfere," Usagi said when her expression suddenly hardened, "I have nothing else to say."
Then to the surprise of the two Outers, Usagi was engulfed in a white light that vanished as quickly as it came. When the blinding light dispersed, Usagi was no longer there.
"It's just like what Ami told us. She learned to use the Ginzuishou in a different way," Michiru said as she turned to face her partner, "Apparently she's serious about sealing Chaos, but she's hiding an important factor from us. You saw how she was trying to conceal how tired she really was didn't you Haruka?"
Haruka gave a nod before saying with narrowed eyes, "We will find out what she's hiding. The little rabbit got another thing coming if she really believe we wouldn't interfere. We will always be her protectors whether she likes it or not."
Sailor Moon stood on the balcony of Yumeni Yumeno's apartment and was about to enter the half opened sliding door when she suddenly took a step back. At the spot she had stood only a moment ago was a single red rose.
"I see, so you were in charge of guarding Yumeno-san," she said unsurprised.
Looking up, Sailor Moon saw Tuxedo-Kamen standing on a balcony rail. Although his eyes were hidden behind his mask, there was a disapproving frown on his face. He leapt down and stood across Sailor Moon on the balcony with another rose at hand.
"I didn't want to believe what the girls told me," he said in a sad tone.
"Funny. That's what everyone keep saying," she replied locking away any emotion that may give her away, "And I'm tried of repeating myself. People change and I'm no different."
"Usako don't do this. We will find another way to defeat Chaos," Tuxedo-Kamen pleaded.
"There is no other way," then in a colder threatening tone, "Now leave. If you choose to interfere, I will not hesitate to knock you out."
To prove her point, her hand began glowing with white energy as she directed it at him. Stunned by her words and action, Tuxedo-Kamen stared at her with a shocked expression, but the shock soon turned to hurt and anger.
"Even if you threaten me, I will not stand down because the Usako I love would not want me to. Like her I will risk my life to protect the innocent," he declared as he readied himself to dodge.
"Have it your way," Sailor Moon replied with a frown.
'I'm sorry Mamo-chan, but I have to take Yumeno-san's Nijizuizhou energy quickly. I can already sense Chaos approaching,' she thought as she released a light blast of energy at him.
Side stepping the blast, Tuxedo-Kamen threw his rose aiming to hit her hand that held the Crescent Moon Wand. In a quick motion, Sailor Moon caught the rose and crushed it in her hand.
"Usako," he whispered as the rose petals were scattered by the wind.
By crushing the symbol of their love, he felt like his heart has also been crushed by her hand.
"Didn't I already say that you wouldn't be able to stay my Mamo-chan anymore," Sailor Moon said as if she hadn't done anything of significant even though her heart was crying from grief.
Using his moment of shock to her advantage, she sent another blast of energy straight at him. Even though the blast was small, it held enough power to send Tuxedo-Kamen falling back causing him to yell out in surprise. Not giving him a moment to spare, Sailor Moon immediately binds his arms and legs with a circle of light immobilizing him. As he was about to demand her to free him, the balcony door slid completely open and a worried looking Yumeno stepped out.
"What's going on here? I heard loud noises and---," she began before her gaze fell on the two on her balcony.
"No get back inside Yumeno-san," Tuxedo-Kamen yelled.
Not giving the confused artist a chance to respond, Sailor Moon held out her Crescent Wand as it began to glow green. Suddenly, Yumeno felt herself growing weak as the same green glow emitted from her body and concentrated to her chest.
"NO USAKO STOP," Tuxedo-Kamen shouted in desperation as he struggled against his binds to no avail.
As soon as the green glow entered the Crescent Wand, the artist collapsed. Sailor Moon paid no attention to the unconscious artist not wanting to reveal her guilt and sorrow. Instead, she observed the green glow combine with the red glow she had already collected.
"I got what I need. You can get her to the hospital if you want," she said without looking at Tuxedo-Kamen as his binds came loose.
Without another word, Sailor Moon leapt off to the rooftop and started making her way home. She did not want to be here when Chaos arrived. She was in no condition to face him and since she already collected the energy of the Nijizuizhou Bina, Chaos could do no additional harm.
'Now remains three more,' she thought as she felt her heart become heavier, 'Reika, Urawa and Rei's grandfather.'
A single tear slid down her face as she apologized in her heart for what she was going to do, 'It is the only way. I'm sorry but this is the way it has to be...at least until Chaos is sealed. Then I'll take their place.'
A/N: For those who may be confused about the sacrifice thing, the sacrifice is about how the people who got their Nijizuizhou energy taken should be dead, but as Michiru had pointed out their not since they are all just in a coma. Well hopefully things aren't too confusing.
Now it's time for Usagi to collect the energies of those that are close to her friends. Remember? Urawa is the guy that Ami likes. Reika is Motoki's girlfriend. And the last one is obvious. Well 'til next time.
