((Sorry this took so long, I just got back from vacation. Here's the rundown: I don't own Sailor Moon. I do however own several of the characters who are going to appear hence forth, including but not limited to Sailor Darkstar and Sailor Nova. The Dark Mercury idea is from the Sailor Moon live action show, but I put my own twist on it. Please R/R and enjoy or in the name of Mercury, I will punish you.))

There were tears in Makoto's eyes as she gazed down at Ami.
"This is what you want?" she said quietly, barely a whisper. "Is this what you want, Ami?"
Ami's eyes were cold and dark as she stared up at Makoto.
"What is your answer?"
"I…I…" Makoto closed her eyes, Usagi, I'm sorry… "I'll join you…"
Ami said nothing, she only stared at her strangely for a few moments. Then she spoke softly.
"You would betray the princess? You would betray the rest of the Sailor Warriors?"
"For you…yes."
Ami stepped back and nodded at the creature behind Makoto. The youma came to stand beside her, dripping acid as it came. Makoto's eyes widened at the sight of the creature that had been behind her.
"Well then…this should prove interesting."
She took Makoto's hand in her own and took her to the Dark Kingdom, leaving behind only the result of a meeting between a bag of cookies and acid.
Kame-sama, I hope I did the right thing…was Makoto's only thought.

Usagi looked across the table at Rei and Minako. There was something different about them today. Rei was almost…happy. Usagi shook the idea from her mind and attempted to focus on their current problem.
"Alright…Ami is still with the Dark Kingdom and now you're telling me that Makoto has disappeared?"
Rei nodded slowly.
"I went over there to see her after school and she wasn't there."
Usagi nodded.
"I didn't see her in school today and I assumed she was sick."
Luna licked a forepaw, deep in thought. They were down two scouts now…this could in theory get very bad, very fast. Especially if her theory proved correct.
"The best thing we can do right now," said Luna slowly, "is watch for her. When she returns, monitor her behavior…"
"You think she's been captured too, then. Like Ami…"
"It is the most likely hypothesis at current."

Usagi looked downcast as she walked home. It was horrifying to think that they had lost another sailor warrior to the Dark Kingdom. Makoto of all people, you would think she'd have been able to put up a fight…but apparently it hadn't been enough. Usagi was so deeply immured in her worry, she didn't notice the two figures moving towards her on the otherwise deserted streets. With her typical luck, Usagi managed to slam right into the girl who was skipping along backwards. Falling to the sidewalk, Usagi looked up, half expecting to see Mamoru. Instead she saw a teenage girl struggling to her feet and a teenage boy half helping her up, half glaring with barely concealed rage down at Usagi.
"Seiji, I'm fine, Seiji. Stop glaring at the poor girl, at was an accident." She then turned to Usagi, a bright grin on her face. "Hi there, I'm Nastuko and this is my brother, Seiji. We just moved here."
Usagi took in their juuban high uniforms and smiled.
"You go to Juuban High? I go there! I'm Usagi Tsukino. How long have you lived here? Where are you from?" Usagi continued on, happily questioning away, not really noticing that she wasn't getting any answers.
"Seiji, stop it."
"She could have hurt you, Natsuko."
"I'm fine, now stop it."
He glared at the clumsy blond one last time before directing his icy stare on the sidewalk. Something beeped and Usagi glanced at her cell phone.
"I've got to go. I'll see you at school tomorrow." She ran some distance down the street before turning to wave. "Bye-bye!"
Natsuko waved back and then turned to her brother.
"See now, she was nice. You should really give people a chance, Seiji. Not everyone is…one of them."
A shadow crossed her eyes with those words and she looked away.
"No, Natsuko…but you can't be sure who is. Even they seemed kind when they first arrived at our home."

Ami leaned against the wall, looking up at Makoto. The taller girl looked positively overwhelmed. A slight smile crossed Ami's face, she had Mako-chan here with her now.
"Makoto, welcome to your new home." Amy stepped closer to Makoto, wrapping her arms around her. "We can be together forever now."
Makoto looked down, tears in her eyes, not knowing if what she saw before her was her Ami or Dark Mercury, not knowing if this sudden show of affection was a trick like before. All she could do was hope she could bring Ami home…and that Usagi and the others would forgive her if she had to fight them. She touched Ami's cheek lightly, her fingers tracing down until they rested under her chin, then she leaned down and kissed her, slow and hard, taking in every bit of her. Ami felt that surge inside her, that part of her she was trying to suppress. It was growing stronger. She had thought that if she had Makoto in the Dark Kingdom with her, this part of her would be satiated and leave her alone…but instead it had gained strength. She answered Makoto's kiss with ardor and leaned against her.
"Makoto…" she whispered when their lips parted, leaning her head against Makoto's chest. "I'm…sorry."
Makoto didn't hear Ami's words, so soft they were. She held her tight and then, with only an ounce of sarcasm in her voice said.
"Shouldn't you be introducing me to your master or something?"
That snapped Dark Mercury out of it.
"I have no master." She snapped. "Kunzite gave me these powers, but I don't serve him or his queen."

Rei stared into the fire, feeling the warmth of Minako against her. It was a new sensation, viewing the fire with another so close.
Darkness…darkness….Ami was there. She was screaming. There was a shadow. Rei tried to get a better look, to identify the shape before her. Makoto burst in and drove back the darkness. She held Ami close, rage suffusing her being.
Minako gasped and Rei's trance broke. She gazed at Mina, confused, and then it dawned on her.
"You…you saw it too?"
"What happened to her?"
Rei turned slightly and grabbed her by the shoulders.
"You saw it??"
"Yes, I saw it. What happened to Ami?"
Minako's eyes were wide and terrified, with tears showing in them. It had shaken her, and Rei's reaction hadn't helped. Rei bit her lip, she hadn't meant to frighten Mina but no one else had ever seen what she saw.
"I…I don't know…." Then she continued in a voice that was barely a whisper. "You really saw it?"
"I saw….something…" The blond shook her head, confused and overwhelmed. "I thought I saw Ami…but…only a flash of…it looked like her…"
"And it was all dark around her?"
"It was…"