No Greater Love
By: Bethany
Originally Released: 8/2003
Revised: 7/2015

Chapter 6 – Changing Truths

I tried to hide my shock, for all the good it was doing. A million questions ran through my mind at once. The most dominant was - how did he find out who I am? Followed by - does he know who everyone is? And of course, there was - what do I do now?

And honestly, if I had had time to think about it, this shouldn't have came as such a big shock. I mean, after all, the enemy seemed to always have a way to find things out with more ease than use. Why should now be any different?

So denial hadn't worked, what was my next step? Mamo-chan had told me that they had fought Daiki and how strong he was. But at the moment I didn't see where I had another choice. I glanced around at my surroundings, trying to determine my best course of action. I could stay here, near the water and trees and use them to my advantage for hiding. Or I could run for the field where I could get him out in the open, and hope that someone saw us and got the word out about the fight. Either way I would have to deal with the possibility of police.

While I was trying to figure out a plan, however, Daiki was approaching fast. The more I dodged him, the more determined he became. Where was Ami when I needed her? She would come up with a plan and I wouldn't be at a loss. And then it hit me, I shouldn't be so dependant on my guardians! I was Sailor Moon, it was high time I started to act like it.

With my mind made up, I turned towards Daiki suddenly. In his surprise, he stopped and I took the moment to jump up, putting all my strength into my kick. I managed to kick him in his left eye, but to my surprise, he didn't fall. In fact, if anything, I only made him madder. "Kisima!" he screamed, holding one claw up to his eye. Blood was seeping out from under his claw, dripping down his face and staining the white fur on his stomach crimson. "Argg!" he howled, jumping at me. I managed to dodge him and he tripped over a tree root and fell face down. With a small prayer, I jumped up in the air and brought the heels of my boots down on the back of his neck.

At the same moment I came down, he turned over and I was thrown off his back. I braced myself for the impact, but one never came. I shook my head, peeking out from under my closed lids to see what or who had caught me.

"Leave it to you to get in trouble the second you're out of our sight," Uranus said, shaking her head like she was scolding a child.

I rolled my eyes, standing up. "How'd you know where to find me?"

Daiki, really not looking concerned that he was out numbered, stood up again. Before my astonished eyes, he slapped his palm in the air and a ball of green energy came hurling through the air at Uranus and I. We dodged it, the tree we were standing in front of blasting into a million pieces. I felt a shard of wood stick in my side and I fell to one knee, biting my lip to keep from screaming. I pulled it out quickly, yelping as I did. The cut didn't look very bad, but I really didn't have time to examine it before another tree blew up.

"World Shaking!" Uranus screamed, hitting the ground with her fist. The blast of yellow power surged at Daiki, hitting him in the side. He was dazed for a moment, but didn't fall. "The Prince told me to follow you," Uranus said, running over to me. When she saw the opening into the fabric on my side she stopped. "What happened?"

"Piece of the tree," I spat, grinding my teeth together. "I'm okay, it's nothing." I held pressure on it with my arm, but the pain was nearly cutting me in two.

"Let me see," the Senshi of the Sky demanded, but I couldn't pull my arm away. I shook my head, glancing behind her. She turned just in time to push me to the ground and roll both of us away from another strike of green power.

By this time I was thinking the wound must be worse than I originally thought. When Uranus and I rolled to a stop, I nearly couldn't see, the pain burned through my entire body and my vision blurred. I bit my lip so hard I could taste the blood to keep from screaming. I felt Uranus pick me up just before I passed out.

I awoke again just as we were descending the stairs into our hide away. "Mamoru-san!" Uranus yelled. I opened my eyes further, my side actually felt numb. My feet and hands were freezing though, so much that when Uranus laid me down on the bed if I had had the strength I would have pulled the cover over me. As it was, I was having trouble focusing my eyes.

"What happened?" Mamo-chan demanded, trying to see the wound. He attempted to pull my arm away and the pain brought my senses to an abrupt height. I screamed out, arching up off the bed and shaking my head. I saw Mamo-chan flinch and put his hands on my forehead. "Shhh, I'm sorry. It's going to be okay."

"When I found her she was fighting Daiki, he blew up some trees and she said that one of the shards went in her side," Uranus explained while watching my reaction worriedly.

I saw Ami at the foot of the bed, her computer in hand and her visor over her eyes. "There's a deep puncture, it looks like it's near her lung, but thankfully didn't do any damage there. She is loosing a lot of blood." On the other side of the bed, Setsuna pushed past Haruka, a first aide kit in her hands.

Mamo-chan bent over me, looking into my eyes. I could see that my pain was hurting him just as much as it was me. "Usako, listen to me," he pleaded, a frightened look clouding his eyes. "I'm going to have to pull your arm away and it's going to hurt bad, okay?"

I felt my tears dripping down my neck before I even realized I was crying. I bit down on my bottom lip and nodded. Mamo-chan took hold of my arm and quickly ripped it away from my side. I felt fresh blood begin to pour from the wound so quickly I wanted to faint. Somehow I managed to hold on to consciousness and I felt Mamo-chan press a towel against my side.

"This is going to be impossible while she's transformed. Her suit is designed to protect her body and it sees us treating the wound as causing injury to her," Setsuna explained as she prepared a needle to sew up the opening.

I reached up and squeezed my broach to let the transformation go. As soon as I did, the pain increased - something I hadn't thought possible. Again I felt myself try to pass out but I struggled to stay awake, fearful that if I closed my eyes it might be forever.

"Stay with me, Usako," I heard Mamo-chan whisper as he came back from washing his hands. "I'm going to have to clean this and then sew it up, but I don't have anything to numb the pain." His voice was thick with emotion and when I glanced up at him. Determinedly I pushed my tears back. I could be strong, for him.

Fifteen stitches and a lot of pain later, Ami suggested I redo my transformation to help the healing go along faster. I did so, the suit applying enough pressure to the area that it didn't hurt as much.

Gently Mamo-chan picked me up while Minako and Rei changed the bed sheets. When my husband laid me back down, I closed my eyes in relief that it was finally over.

An odd feeling washed over my body. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and a chill ran down my spine, causing my entire body to shake. I turned slowly, searching the street around me. People rushed around me, oblivious it seemed, to the fact that I was standing still. Small snow flakes fell down from the white sky, never ending in all directions, they blew in circles before landing on the Earth.

I didn't remember it happening, but I just knew that I was alone. Among all the people who passed me, none took notice of the tears on my face or the pain in my heart. I stumbled through the streets, staring at every passing face to see if one could be Mamo-chan or one of my guardians. But it never was... just a blurring storm of snow and strangers and I was utterly alone.

I felt a raw pain in my side, burning like bee stings through my body until I doubled over in pain. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing left my throat. I tried to scream over and over until my throat became raw from the effort, and as I fell to the cold sidewalk someone finally stopped, bending down. "Please," I begged silently, lifting my tear filled eyes towards the helping hand. But it wasn't a friendly worried face that greeted me, it was Daiki. His lust obvious on his face, and his tongue slithering over his lips.

"Chiba Usagi," he hissed, grabbing my arms and forcing them to my sides. "You are mine. You belong to me and all that love you will die by my hand." I shook my head, trying to pull away but my body refused to obey my commands. I felt his claws yanking up my dress, groping all over my body as I tried, but failed, to escape.

"My Usa," he whispered. "Mine. You are mine. Usa... Usa..."

"...Usako..."

I blinked back my tears, shaking my head in denial of what he was going to do. I have to save myself. Please, someone help me... A gush of warmth traveled through me, and down my legs as a warm light bathed me in its glow.

"Usako!"

I threw my arms out in front of me, my fists aimed for anything in their path. They were caught easily and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get them free. "NO!" I screamed. "Don't! Please, don't!"

"Usako, hey, it's me," I heard a familiar voice say. I managed to open my eyes, a harsh light making everything blur. But even has hazy as it all seemed, the feeling of being safe in Mamo-chan's arms washed over me and I collapsed against my husband's chest, tears pouring from my eyes. "Shhh," I heard him whisper. "It was only a dream, I'm here."

The reality of the dream still kept a firm hand on my body, causing me to shake uncontrollably. I could feel my skin crawling from the memory of Daiki, his hands feeling over my body in places only my husband had ever touched me. I felt violated, dirty - no matter how many times I told myself it was a dream. Nothing but my fears being played out in my head. Nothing more...

I reached my hands up, tracing the familiar shape of Mamo-chan's face over and over, down his neck and chest. Seeing him wasn't enough, my mind needed more. It wasn't until he pulled me tight against him, crushing my lips with his own that I found the strength I needed to forget my mind's tricks. My tears subsided and my heart finally stopped pounding. A dull ache on my side reminded me of my earlier encounter. "Mamo-chan," I mumbled, inhaling his scent deeply.

"Shhh, it's okay. It's okay," he whispered in my ear. "I'm here." He laid down, my body still cuddled up against his own. I fought sleep for hours it seemed until exhaustion set in, sending me into a dreamless sleep.

It wasn't the sun that woke me the next morning, gently telling me that I had one long nightmare that was finally over. Instead it was the light of the small computer desk across the room, and the clicking of the keyboard. This wasn't a nightmare, it was real. I dreaded sitting up to face another day of this hell. I tried to move, but Mamo-chan's strong arms were wrapped tightly around me, his face pressed in my hair.

Ami, sensing my awareness, turned in her chair and smiled as brightly as her worn and tired face would allow. "Good morning Usagi-chan. Are you feeling better?" she asked, her eyebrow rising up worriedly. "I heard you moaning in your sleep and then Mamoru-san comforting you. Don't worry, we won't let anything happen to you," she said, winking and turning back to her computer.

I could tell by her nervous actions something was bothering her. I unraveled myself from Mamo-chan's arms and stepped quietly past the sleeping Senshi on the floor to sit beside the Soldier of Wisdom. I glanced at the computer screen, but the figures made no sense to me. "Anything new?" I asked as casually as I could manage.

Ami pulled out the disk that Mamo-chan suspected to be the time devise that started the chain of events of yesterday. She sat it on the table in front of us. With the press of a button on it and a brilliant silver light began pulsating from the center of it. "This is the time devise that Heioko made." She placed a pencil in the light and then looked at me.

"Nothing's happening," I remarked. I expected it to disappear into thin air, but nothing happened.

"Exactly," Ami replied, turning the machine off. "I tested it over and over again, but there was no damage sustained, that I can see. From what I have gathered about this devise, it never worked. Heioko never discovered time travel, or even space disbursement."

I looked at the disk, but it looked like nothing more than a laser light. "But how can that be? Didn't this machine explode, sending us into this alternate reality? If this didn't cause it, what did?"

"Well, I've been studying that. But I think we need to have everyone awake to hear what I found..." She again took on the mask of worry that I saw when I woke up. I bit my thumb nail, staring at the small disk that I believed to be the source of our problems and perhaps the key to their undoing. Would anything be as it seemed?

It took a few minutes to wake everyone up. Minako and Makoto both looked like they were dead to the world even after we got them to sit up. Hotaru stretched her thin arms up, yawning at the same time while watching everyone with little interest. I sat down next to Mamo-chan on the couch, waiting for what news Ami had to deliver. Setsuna appeared as if summoned by a silent command and stood next to the couch solemnly.

Ami, looking more like a school teacher than the doctor she longed to be, pushed her glasses up into her hair and began pacing back and forth as she spoke. "I spent most of last night studying the devise Heioko made and I've come to the conclusion that he did not succeed in creating a time travel devise." She stopped, gathering her thoughts for a moment. "I took the information I had from what Mamoru-san said about the explosion at the lab, compared it to the energy that seems to be moving across the Earth and the times seem to coincide. I preformed a scan on the energy and received the data from it about an hour ago."

While Ami pulled up a computer screen, Mamo-chan cast me a nervous glance and sat forward, his hands clasped in front of him. Ami looked like she was about to deliver grim news when she turned back to us, so much so that I found myself holding my breath. "The energy moving across the Earth is negative energy, and from what I can tell - it's alive."

"Nani?" Haruka bellowed, looking to Michiru questionably. "But anything like that would have been picked up on Michiru's mirror, and there was..." Her arms dropped to her side suddenly when she realized what she was saying. "The night before last... the energy next to the moon..."

"Didn't disappear, but only hid its life force long enough to sneak into Earth's atmosphere undetected," Ami confirmed, sitting down and reaching her hand out to scratch Luna's head.

Setsuna sat on the edge of the couch, idly twirling her Time Staff while she spoke. "Evil entities have a way of seeking out persons with malevolent intentions to fulfill their need. Theologically speaking, if Daiki were in the lab, trying to experiment with the disk at the same moment the energy came across Tokyo; and if it sensed something useful to its own plans in him, it may have joined his body."

"Which would explain why he looks the way he does," Michiru concluded, involuntarily shivering at the memory.

"But what about the explosion?" Minako questioned.

My husband sat back, exhaling deeply as he did. "We do experiments on anything from cleaning solutions to rocket fuel - if there was a spill and the right chemicals mixed, we could have been blown to the Moon..."

"Or into another Time Stream," I mumbled. Realization of just how bad our situation was finally dawning on me. Ami wouldn't come up with a wonderful solution and we'd all wake up to normality. There was no promise of a future when our reality was based on chemicals that just happened to have been mixed.

Haruka looked deeply disturbed by whatever she was thinking. I watched as she placed her arm around Michiru, almost like she was looking for a life raft in the sea of uncertainty we were all thrown in. "Ami, you said that the energy was reversing, coming back over the Earth? What could that mean?"

"My scientific guess or my guess as a Sailor Senshi?" Ami replied promptly.

"Both," Haruka and Michiru said at the same time.

"Scientifically, I would say it was reversing itself and everything would be back to normal within the day," she replied, too quickly for my taste. "As a Sailor Senshi, I would say it's coming back to do battle with us."

"Why?" Minako mumbled.

"Because that's the line of work we are in," Hotaru answered before Ami could. The Genius Senshi nodded her agreement.

My daughter giggled happily; unaware that her entire world was coming down around her while she splashed in the tub. I poured baby shampoo in my hand and began washing her hair, laughing when she crossed her eyes while trying to catch suds that came down her nose. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. When you're not happy, my skies are grey," I sang lightly, running my fingers down her soft face.

Her huge blue eyes, so much like Mamo-chan's, stared at me intently as I sang to her. "You'll never know dear, how much I love you, so please don't take my sunshine away."

"Sun," she sang softly as I said the word. It was the only word in the entire song she ever choose to sing with me, not that I minded. "Yay!" she cheered, clapping her hands and sending suds flying everywhere. I laughed, wiping a bubble from my face.

"Encore," a deep voice said from behind me. I turned around to see my husband leaning against the door frame, his eyes twinkling as he clapped lightly. "Please continue, Mrs. Chiba."

I felt my face turn red as a blush crept up my neck and settled on my cheeks. I smiled, shaking my head at him and began rinsing Chibi-Usa's hair.

"I'm going to run up to the university and see if I can find anything else," he told me, walking further in the room and reaching out to tickle Chibi-Usa's stomach. "I want you to stay here with the children," I started to argue when he put his hands up, effectively cutting me off. "You are hurt, and you are not going," he said in a tone that left no room for discussion.

I sighed, wrapping a towel around Chibi-Usa and standing up with her. "Demo, Mamo-chan.."

"No buts," he stated, placing his hands on my face and kissing my lips gently. "I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you. And I don't want to find out."

"I'm a Sailor Senshi, you can't protect me from everything," I told him softly.

"Watch me," he replied and kissed my lips again. "I love you," he mouthed before going out the bathroom door. As he passed through the door frame, he changed into Tuxedo Kamen and in a few seconds I heard the door above close.

I sighed and came out of the bathroom to dress Chibi-Usa and find both the children something to eat. The room was empty of everyone except Shingo, Luna and Artemis. I felt useless, sitting here watching the children when I should be with the Senshi, helping find out what we can do to stop this new enemy. But there was nothing I could do. In making sure that no one else was around to watch the kids, Mamo-chan had insured that I stay put.

I picked out a pair of pink overalls and white shirt for Chibi-Usa and dressed her. As I was tying a pink ribbon in her hair, the only door to the room opened, revealing Sailor Mercury. She looked behind her to make sure no one followed and then descended the steps quickly. Puzzled, I watched her take out her small computer and turn it on.

"Mercury, what are you doing?" I asked curiously as the light beam from her computer bathed my body.

She sighed, looking exasperated for a moment. "Usagi-chan, I have something that came up on my computer yesterday when I scanned your wound. Something that I didn't tell anyone else about."

I began to worry as she typed away on her computer, telling me nothing else of what she found. Finally my patience wore out. "Mercury, would you mind telling me what it is you're doing?"

The Genius Senshi bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling. She seemed confused about if she should be happy or not, which only proved to make me more nervous. "Usagi-chan," she finally said. "When was your last period?"

My face fell instantly. I had been irregular all my life, and that hadn't changed since Chibi-Usa was born, so I had paid it no attention. But when someone as smart as Ami is standing before you, scanning your body that could only mean one thing. "I'm pregnant?"

A fleeting smile crossed the Senshi of Mercury's face. "It would appear one month or so along," she said, shutting her computer with one hand and meeting my gaze. "Have you been getting sick? Overly tired, maybe?"

I thought about all the sleeping I had been doing over the last couple of days, and then when I threw up yesterday... but I had blamed it all on nerves. I told Ami about it and she nodded her head. "I could see where you would think it was nerves and the situation we are now in. But since Chibi-Usa, well, I know how to read what I'm getting on my screen and you are most definitely pregnant."

"The battle with Daiki yesterday didn't..." I began, afraid to think of the harm I had put my unborn child in without knowing it.

"No, everything's fine, so far. Just be careful, okay?"

I shook my head. "Ami-chan, you sound like your mother when you talk like that," I accused playfully.

"Thank you," she replied and headed back towards the door. "See you later."

"Ja," I mumbled, although I'm not sure she heard me. My mind was doing a mile a minute. Another baby? Chibi-Usa was barely a year old. I had wanted to put some space between our children, at least two or three years. But somehow, that didn't matter. The idea of another child thrilled me, only leave it to me to have such timing.

I looked down at the pancakes and syrup I had made for the kids and put my stack back on the plate. So much for junk foods, it was time to eat like a pregnant woman again.

It wasn't until nearly five hours later that anyone came back to our hide away under the arcade. I was rummaging through the cabinets, looking for something to make for dinner when I heard the door above slid open and footsteps making their way down the star well. Haruka plopped down on the sofa, her head rolled back and her eyes closed.

Michiru came in and sat beside her, looking exhausted. Within minutes of each other Minako and Makoto came in, sitting down in chairs, looking equally tired and more than a little worried.

I walked over to the living room area, Chibi-Usa toddling up beside me. "Where is everyone else?" I asked, looking back up at the empty staircase.

Haruka looked at me as she bent forward and placed her head in her hands. "Captured," she mumbled so faint that I barely heard her.

Never the less the words found my hearing, sending a strange feeling over my body. My heart began to pound, even though my thoughts were still blank. I shook my head as if she had just spoken the words of a mad person. "What did you say?" I questioned, putting one hand on a table to steady myself. "I thought you said they were captured..."

"That's what I said," Haruka stated dully, raising her battle worn eyes up to meet mine. She had a faint stain of blood coming from the corner of her mouth and her eye looked swollen and the faintest hint of a bruise was beginning to color her jaw.

I quickly came around the chair and sat down hard in it, my fists clinched tightly. "Where.. when? I-I, what happened while you all were gone?!" I demanded, my voice nearing hysteria. I laughed, sounding nearly insane myself. "You must be joking, Ami-chan... Ami-chan wouldn't let that happen. And... and Rei-chan... Mamo-chan..."

Minako looked up from her own hands, tears captured in her eyes, making them shine. "Usagi-chan, I'm sorry. We tried to save them, but they were gone so quickly it was all we could do to get away and back here. But we can get them back, ne Haruka-san?" A lone tear fell from her eye, but she wiped it away quickly.

Haruka leaned back again, not looking any of us in the eye. I felt my teeth start chattering like I was sitting on ice, my body felt cold and alone... I had felt this way before, but when? When... last night...

"...all who you love will die by my hand..."

I felt a scream rise up in my throat at the haunting words that came back to me now. Had that been a dream? Or a warning that I paid no heed to? Could I have stopped this?

"The truth is," Haruka finally said, stopping my thoughts from continuing. "Is that without Ami's computer, I'm lost on how to find where they are. We have Michiru's mirror, I hope that is enough."

Haruka?! I wanted to scream. What is wrong with her? What had she seen that made her act so helpless? What happened out there today? I pushed back my natural instinct to panic and wiped the tear trails from my face. That was my friends and my husband out there, nothing short of death would stop me from finding them.

Hard core determination ran through my veins as I stood up, slapping my palm against the wooden coffee table loud enough to make Mako-chan jump. "What are you talking about? We are Sailor Senshi, and our friends need our help! We can't sit here and talk, we have to act."

Minako lifted her head up, and as I turned I saw Michiru staring at me with an odd glint in her eye. I walked over to the computer I had seen Ami on just this morning and sat down, turning it on. Luna jumped up on the desk, watching as I typed in words that I didn't even know that I knew. They came from a part of my memory that until this very moment had stayed dormant inside me.

With my fingers flying over the keys, I pulled up a diagram of the energy mass and its location. And with the small map on the computer screen, I understood what had happened. The energy mass had settled over Tokyo. I continued typing, looking for anything abnormal in the mass that could be a hide out. "You battled with this today?" I asked, though it was more of a statement.

Makoto pointed to Tokyo Gardens where a massive built up of energy was harbored. "There," she said. Her eyes took on a far off look as she spoke, remembering a battle she seemed to wanted to forget. "It was everywhere, but we couldn't see it. It knew Ami-chan could tell where it was with her visor, and it took her first. Mamoru-san had her hands, trying to pull her back out and then... then they both disappeared. No doorway, no evil laugh - only silence and empty space. I tried to attack it, Usagi-chan, I tried," she mumbled, her eyes wide.

I looked up from the computer, tears in my own eyes. "Mako-chan, it's not your fault. We'll get them back," I told her, I only hoped I was right. She said no more, and I asked no more questions. It was plain from the look on all four Senshi's face that they had watched helplessly, one by one, as the others were pulled away. No, I didn't have to ask any more questions, this story now told itself in my mind.

I sat on the side of the only bed in the room and tucked Chibi-Usa and Shingo in. As I bent down and kissed Shingo's forehead, and then my daughter's, I thought about what I was about to do. If they woke up during the night, I wouldn't be here. I would be out trying to fight an unseen enemy for their future.

Chibi-Usa yawned, her blue eyes watching me curiously. I kissed her head again and pulled the covers up to her chin. "Goodnight my babies," I whispered. "I love you."

"Papa?" Chibi-Usa questioned, looking around the room. "Papa?"

I took a deep breath and tried to push back my tears. "Papa will be here to kiss you later, okay?" She didn't reply, but didn't look mad about it like she did when Mamo-chan occasionally worked late and didn't get home until after her bedtime. Tonight she looked like she understood that he would be here if he could.

"Sing?"

Shingo turned over to face Chibi-Usa and his lips turned up slightly. "Yeah, Mom, would you sing a song for us?"

I sat down on the side of the bed and brushed the strains of strawberry colored hair away from Chibi-Usa's eyes. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. When you're not happy, my skies are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. So please don't take my sunshine away..." I finished, softly.

With her eyes closed, Chibi-Usa repeated "sun" and slipped off to sleep.

Shingo watched as I stood up and pulled my locket out. I started towards the living room when I heard him call my name. When I turned around, he was sitting up on the bed. "Be careful Mama," he whispered. "I love you."

I ran back over to the bed, wrapping Shingo in my arms and hugging him so tightly to my chest I'm sure he had problems breathing. "I love you so much Shingo, you know that, right?" I asked desperately.

He nodded his head and I let him go, pulling the covers up over him once more. He rearranged the blanket over Chibi-Usa and crawled closer to her. "Don't worry Mom, I'll take care of her," he told me and I felt tears fill my eyes again. With a small smile I left my children and went upstairs where the remaining Senshi was waiting for me.

Naru looked completely confused when I stepped out of the door under the video game and showed her down the steps. "I'll explain everything later, okay? Just take good care of the children."

Naru nodded her head, watching me until I reached the top of the steps and disappeared beyond. I let out a deep breath and shut my eyes, saying a small prayer.

"Ready?" Haruka asked. I nodded my head, following her to an alley beside the arcade where we henshined into our Senshi forms. The city looked peaceful as night settled and people stayed inside. But we knew of the darker secret that lay under the surface. The danger and evil that encircled our lives.

We stayed to the rooftops mostly, to avoid being seen by people on the streets and roads as we made our way towards the site of the earlier battle. What would normally be a warm night in April was now alive with a blustery wind that howled through alleyways and cut into one's skin. I paid no attention to the cold as I jumped to the next rooftop.

I had decided against telling the Senshi that I was pregnant. The information would only add something else to their list of worries and we had enough to deal with at the moment. The same protective barrier that I wore while fighting pregnant with Chibi-Usa had wrapped itself around my body again when I henshined, it would have to be enough. I had always assumed that my body wouldn't allow anything to happen to my unborn children while I was Sailor Moon form, anyways. If what Ami said was true, the Silver Crystal would protect my child like it had protected Mamo-chan and I in our first battle.

The park came into view and we stopped to review our plan before proceeding. The area was thick with fog, and the air felt weighed down by it. Uranus looked from the park to us and exhaled deeply. "Okay, here goes."

We each jumped to the street below and cautiously started towards the park. The fog seemed to thicken around us, so much that when I looked around me for the other Senshi, I could only see their shadows. As I walked on I felt a sensation run up my spine, the feeling of being watched by someone. I stopped, turning my head to see behind me.

In the shadows, following us, was a tall figure of a man. When I stopped, he stopped also. There was something strangely familiar about his shape, but still I took fighting stance. "Who are you?" I demanded.

"Onegai, don't attack me," the deep voice said and I felt my breath catch. I would be able to pick that voice out of a group of a thousand men. It was the voice that proclaimed love for me, played with our daughter and swore to protect us.

With a speed not unlike that of a track star, I ran as fast as my legs would carry me towards him. "Mamo-chan!" I cried, wrapping my arms around him as tightly as I could.

"Sailor Moon?" Uranus called behind me. Mamo-chan wrapped his arms around me, but it wasn't the same embrace I had felt a million times, or the same smell as what I had grown accustomed to. I backed up slightly, searching the blue eyes that looked at me in confusion. It was Mamo-chan, but it wasn't. This man didn't have the eyes my husband had, or the same expressions.

"Mamoru-san?" I heard Sailor Venus ask as she approached, her voice full of disbelief. "But..."

"This is not Mamo-chan," I choked, detaching myself from this man and backing up. I bowed quickly, my heart aching to see this replica of the man I loved, if only in appearance. "Gomen nasai," I muttered and backed up to stand next to Jupiter. She placed her hand on my shoulder reassuringly.

The man stepped forward, his eyes boring into mine. "I, eh, there had been some talk about some strange women around town. And I followed you," he shook his head, obviously not having the collectiveness that my Mamo-chan had. "I'm sorry, my name is Chiba Mamoru, I usually would keep my nose in my own business but, at the moment, I'm wanted by the police for a kidnapping I know nothing about. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" he asked me.

I covered my mouth with both hands, shaking my head and turning to face Jupiter. Not looking into those deep blue eyes, I tried to think without my reasoning becoming clouded.

"Chiba-san, there has been a misunderstanding," Neptune told him, her voice flowing and believable where I would probably only stutter and start crying. "I'm very sorry for any problems we have caused you, but we are currently rectifying the problem. So, if you would please excuse us."

Jupiter put her arm around my shoulder and Uranus and Neptune followed behind us as the man was covered by the fog between us. My heart ached so badly I wanted to just fall to the ground and cry, but determination wouldn't allow me to drown in self pity and heartache.

"That was freaky," Venus mumbled as we walked away. "He looked exactly..."

"Not to me," I replied, sniffling back my tears. "That wasn't my husband. And to think, somewhere in this world the rest of our alternate selves are living, unknowing of who they really are. Sad, I think."

"Sad? Why?" Neptune asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Because I wouldn't trade the people in my life for anything," I answered honestly.

Jupiter squeezed my shoulder and nodded her agreement. The conversation might have continued, but for the giant gust of wind blasting down on us from the heavens, and the fog clearing in its path. In front of us was a six foot rat, it's red beady eyes shining in the moon's rays. Daiki had completely been taken over by whatever transformation had begun, no signs even resembling human were left to view. I swallowed hard, taking a step back.

"Thank you Senshi, for leading Usa to me and saving me the trouble of finding her," he hissed, stepping towards us.

Uranus, Neptune, Jupiter and Venus stepped in front of me in a fighting stance. I heard Uranus grumbled deep in her throat, just daring him to continue towards us. "We weren't leading her to you. We came to take back our friends. The only way you are getting to her is over our dead bodies," she stated lowly.

"Consider it done," he replied and jumped up in the air at Uranus. Venus pushed me out of the way, sending me rolling in the grass. I looked up in time to see Uranus jump up into a tree.

"Venus Love-me Chain!" a blast of golden hearts shot across the clearing and around Daiki's legs. He swayed, but didn't fall before he broke out of them and came running at her.

I stood up, looking for a way to attack him without giving him enough warning time to come after me. Jupiter ran in from the left side, knocking Venus out of Daiki's path before he caught up with her. "Supreme Thunder!" The electricity hit him dead in the chest, the force knocking him backwards and into a tree. "Now Sailor Moon!" Jupiter yelled, helping Venus up off the ground.

I pulled out my scepter and began to call forth power from within myself. When I reopened my eyes, my entire body was glowing silver. "Moon Princess..." I pointed my weapon at Daiki just as he was starting to get up and let lose. "Halation!"

It seemed like an eternity passed and still Daiki fought against my power and continued trying to stand up. As he struggled, Jupiter's electricity lit up his body with fire, burning his fur and flesh. Still he advanced towards me as I held my ground. "World Shaking!"

The planet shape of yellow power surged forth and hit Daiki and he fell to one knee. His mouth snapped open to let a howl of pain that echoed through out my head escape his lips. The stench of burning flesh reached my nose, but determinedly I pushed on. "Crescent Beam!" Venus called, also attacking.

Finally he fell, his body burning until nothing but the raw stench of dying animal and ashes were left. I fell to my knees, letting out a deep breath of relief. That part was finally over.

I looked up to the other Senshi and saw Neptune holding her mirror out, moving it around the area. Just as I stood up to join them, a smile broke out on her face. "I found it," she told us. In front of the ashes of Daiki's body Neptune's mirror shined on a large oval doorway. "His powers were coming from whoever is behind this. When he died I was able to focus in on it and kept it open with my mirror. But we don't have too much time before it closes again, hurry!"

Without a second thought as to my safety or what may lie ahead of me on the other side of the portal, I jumped through it. Behind me I heard the other Senshi call out for me and then all went quiet.

-End Chapter 6.

So, I've had to work the last few nights, and work on a project that is taking time away from writing (how dare life and responsibility get in the way of writing!) I guess since they pay me, I should do my job. So that's what took so long. Sorry about the delay.

Thank you all for reading, I would love to know your thoughts (I'm not paranoid that no one has reviewed, honestly...!) I hope you are enjoying the story as much as I enjoy writing. And reading. Someone else's story, and I hope she doesn't mind me plugging for her, but I have read nearly all of Antigone's work and it's amazing! I'm hooked! Makes mine look like crap, but that's ok!

See you all next chapter!

God Bless,
Beth