A/N: Moshi moshi, mi-na! Sorry for the lateness of this update, but the curse of DOA 4 on Xbox Live struck me (Pathetic, I know..)I hope all of you are enjoying the story so far. Not that I would know, since I don't receive any reviews (BIG HINT) T-T. Anyway, I thought should warn everyone that the fic will be taking a darker turn for the next few chapters. I just finished writing chapter eleven, which is actually pretty light in comparison to the next two, but I still don't think I'll nix the darker theme just yet. Here is chapter nine, the darkest so far. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Sailor Moon and all of its related properties, Naoko Takeuchi does. I'm just an adoring (actually a little on the obsessive side) fan who writes stories based on the series.

Sailor Moon and the Shadow Warriors

Chapter 9: Usagi's Depression

"Chibi-Moooon!!!" The name she had screamed earlier that day still rang through her mind as she lay on her bed. Upon losing her future daughter, Usagi had sunk into a pit of depression something very out of character for the normally cheerful teen. Then again, what the outer senshi had said to her earlier didn't exactly help her current situation, as she kept repeating their harsh words over and over again in her mind.

----Flashback-----

"It's okay, Usagi. We tried our hardest to save her. There was nothing we could do to help," Ami, still in her senshi uniform, said trying to console her sobbing friend even though she was on the verge of tears herself. "No! No, it's not!" Usagi, who also remained in her senshi uniform, wailed. "Usagi, calm down," Rei pleaded, hoping her friend would stop crying sometime soon. "How can I be calm at a time like this?! Chibi-Usa is dead and it's all our fault!" "Usagi, it's not-" Minako began, but was interrupted by a masculine voice (that still has a feminine touch) from behind. "She's right. It is all your fault," the voice said.

The Sailor Team turned to face the outer senshi. "There's no need to be so harsh. We tried to the best of our abilities to save her," Makoto said sternly. "Then your best obviously wasn't enough," Michiru said coldly. Rei looked at her pigtailed friends eyes widening with further despair and was not about to stand for it. "What's with you guys? I though we had gotten over our differences," she pressed. "We did, but that was because we thought you guys' had become capable senshi. Evidently, we were wrong," the sea-green haired senshi answered. "Hear us out, please," Ami began. "Sailor Moon has proved time and time again that she can succeed, even under seemingly impossible circumstances."

Setsuna listened to what the blue haired senshi said, but Chibi-Usa's capture had hit home. She had formed a strong bond with the future princess and to lose her, the only person who had ever lifted her spirits when she stood solitary guarding the Gates of Time, was especially hard. "I'm sorry, but we will be working separately from the five of you from now on," she stated, making the intentions of herself and her group clear. "Hotaru, you too?" Minako asked, hoping the youngest of the outer senshi would take their side. The senshi of death and rebirth looked down and remained silent. "I think that's your answer," Haruka said, lacking any warmth in her voice. On that note, the outer senshi took their leave.

-----End Flashback-----

As she finished replaying the day's events in her mind, Usagi han't realized she had been crying the entire time she was lost in thought. She put her hand up to her soaked cheek and wiped the last of her tears away. "I've got to stop this. Maybe calling Mamo-chan will help," she reasoned.

Gathering up her strength so she didn't reveal to Mamoru that she had been crying. Usagi made her way over to her phone and called her boyfriend. His phone rang four times before going to his answering machine. "Moshi moshi. This is Chiba Mamoru. Sorry I can't come to the phone right now. Please leave a message after the beep." The phone beeped and Usagi could feel her hold on her emotions breaking. Her voice sounded cracked and like it was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. "Moshi moshi, Mamo-chan. Sorry to bother you. You're probably loaded with homework and other college responsibilities." Usagi found herself crying again in the middle of her message. "But I just really needed to talk and-" "Usako?"

The depressed teen was speechless. She knew what she was going to say in her message. She was going to tell her future husband about how stressed out she was and about the unfortunate loss of their future daughter a the hands of a new enemy. Now that he was actually on the phone, saying what she truly felt seemed so much harder. Compassonate person she is, she didn't want Mamoru to miss his second chance at studying abroad becase of her. Still, she just needed to tell him what's been going on.

"Usako? Are you there?" Mamoru asked after a full three minutes of silence. "Hai, I'm here, Mamo-chan," Usagi answered, her reaction a little delayed. "What's the matter, Usako?" "I've just been really stressed out lately. What with school and this new enemy and..." "New enemy? When did ths happen?" "They showed up about two weeks ago."

Usagi's eyes welled up with tears at the thought of the havoc wreaked by the Shadow Warriors. Mamoru smiled to himself. "I have all the confidence in the worl in you, Usako," he said reassuringly. "You shouldn't...." the person on the orter end of the line remarked dejectedly. "What?" "Oh, nothing..." Usagi said, having not realized the words actually slipped out of her mouth. "No, it was definetaly something."

The young woman did not know what to say to this. She didn't want to lie to her boyfriend, but at the same time she didn't want to reveal anything that had the potential to make him stop his studies and return home. "Usako?" The sound of Mamoru's voice filled with concern snapped Usagi out of her trance-like state. As she finished weighing out the pros and cons of each decision, Mamotru assured her that she could tell him wahtever was on her mind without consequence. Hearing his calming words was all the frazzled teen needed to pour her soul out.

Tears flowing in streams, she explained everything. The death of one of her best friends, Unazuki, the wickedness and familiarity of their foes, the battles faced thus far, ad finaly the loss of their one and only future daughter. The college student listened closely, taking it all in. His heart was pulled at its strings with sympathy for his girlfriend and regret that he wasn't there in his time of need. He decided he would no longer stand by and let her suffer.

"Usako," he started, interuppting her sobs politely, "I'm going to catch the next flight to Tokyo. I should be there in a week. Can you hold on that long for me?" This was precisely hat Usagi didn't want to hear. "No! You can't leave! You have to continue studying in the United States!" she protested. 'Selfless as always,' the future king thought to himself. "We can't let anymore people die. You can't handle this on your own," he said, trying to reason with her. "But I'm not alone! There's Venus and Mercury and Jupiter and Mars and-" she shouted, desperatlely trying to convince her boyfriend to stay put. "Usako...." "Mamo-chan...." "Yes."

Coming to the conclusion that she was getting nowhere, Uagi relented and told him that it was okay that he comes, but to make sure he didn't end up the same way he dd when Galaxia was around. "Okay, Usako. Aishteru. See you soon..." he said. "Love you too, Mamo-chan, see you soon." With that, they both hung up. "Please stay safe on the airplane, Mamo-chan," Usagi prayed before falling asleep, exhausted from all the energy spent on crying.

A/N: Yay! Mamoru is coming back! ^-^ I'm sorry once again for the extreme lateness of this chapter. To make it up to you guys, I've written another oneshot, and should have it posted either tonight or tomorrow. Also, I just finished writing the first chapter of my very first yaoi fic! It will have a very different feel form this story, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. I should be posting it at some point in the next week or so. I might write the second chapter before posting, though. Anyway, R&R please! Ja ne!