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Usagi giggled as she hung her nicely framed autographed picture on the wall beside her be. Her giggle died and slowly she frowned as she thought of the moon. She focused on the little of the castle she could see and then closed her eyes. Slowly she let her imagination fill in the rest of the image; all elegant curves and white marble flowing seamlessly from the sky to the moon surface.

A silent tear slipped down her cheek as the picturesque castle was slowly turned into the ruins that remained on the moon. Her blue eyes flew open as she tried to banish the image from her mind, but even with her eyes open she could see the ruins of the ancient kingdom. She blinked quickly and turned away from the picture to view the rest of her moon themed room. The crescent shapes and bunnies made her heart ache for that ancient past, for all the silent wishes left in ashes upon its white surface. And for one brief moment she had a desperate urge to redecorate. She breathed deeply and let the moment slip into the silence. The silence stretched as she slowly forced a cheerful smile to her lips.

She kept her smile in place and left her room. Slowly, her eyes looking over the images hanging on the wall, Usagi walked towards the stairs in a daze. Halfway down the stairs, Usagi's little brother spotted her and dropped his glass of water. The two siblings stared at each other for a moment before Shingo looked away. He opened his mouth to say something, changed his mind and ran to the kitchen. Usagi closed her eyes and re-ascended the stairs to pull a hand towel from the linen closet. 'Shingo.'

She cleaned the mess of water and broken glass with minimal cuts. After dumping the broken glass in the small garbage can by the door she slipped her shoes on and quietly left the house. Usagi started walking towards the park to clear her mind. 'I miss the days he would tease me, or beg to spend an afternoon with me. Oh Shingo, I miss those moments so very much.'

Once Usagi reached the safety of the park she wondered to the spot Peruru had breathed his last breath. She frowned at the sorrow etched into the area and forced a smile to her lips. Slowly, almost afraid, she started to twirl in a dizzying circle. She forced her mind from the darkness and the temptation to give into tears.

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Rei frowned as she walked into the hospital to visit her friends. She wanted to leave and never come back, but she knew she had to see what had befallen her teammates while she was busy not talking to her father. A tear leaked from her eye and she hastily brushed it aside as she entered the elevator.

Once the elevator hit the correct floor she stepped off and slowly walked to the first room number to visit Haruka and Michiru. The two girls were covered in bandages and bruises and silently staring at opposite walls. Haruka turned to look at her and Rei caught sight of her arm in a sling. "Hey Rei."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you fight," Rei mumbled, her eyes downcast. Haruka laughed slightly and Rei looked up. The blond was grinning happily as she swung her legs off the bed. Rei watched as Haruka unsteadily walked o her side and embraced her in a weak hug.

"I'm grateful that you're safe Mars. We need at least one of us able to stand and fight. Good luck… and if you need us you better call," Haruka whispered. Rei smiled shakily and hugged the older girl carefully before escorting her back to her bed.

"You just get better, I don't plan on fighting on my own for too long. You take care of her Michiru, don't let Haruka aggravate her injuries, 'kay?" Rei said as she stepped back.

Haruka nodded as she closed her eyes. Michiru looked across the room and focused on Haruka before answering, "I'll look after her. I promise, Rei. Thank you, and take care of yourself."

Rei nodded and left the room and walked confidently to the next room. She stopped outside and cautiously touched the handle, fear and uncertainty returning. 'This is ridiculous, I shouldn't be afraid…but I am. I'm more afraid to face them, my friends and teammates, than having to confront my father. I…I can do this.'

Rei squared her shoulders and walked into the room and froze. Sitting on Hotaru's bed was a tall brunette who was waving her arms and talking slow and fast. The conversation stopped when Ami shouted, "Rei!"

Rei turned her attention from the glowering brunette to the grinning bluenette with a dark sigh. Calmly Rei walked to Ami's bed and hugged the girl. Her voice was barely audible as she whispered, "Ami we need to talk scout business."

Ami laughed and pushed Rei back slightly before she said, "Rei this is Kino, Makoto, our Jupiter. Makoto this is Hino, Rei, our Mars."

The two slowly walked to the center of the room, both silently evaluating the others worth in a fight. The silent staring contest went on for a few moments before Hotaru interrupted. "We have a huge problem. It would appear our enemy is resurrection the souls of the lost seven great monsters. The difficulty is we can't destroy them, only revert them to the human form they hold before Naru releases the crystal."

"We can only use the Crescent wand to return them to their Human form, but it's still unclear whether or not Naru can reverse our work with her black crystal." Ami added as she pulled out a pocket-sized computer. Her gentle eyes brimmed with concern as she placed it on her bed. The Crescent wand followed shortly and Ami looked at the two uninjured girls. "Furthermore the monsters are so strong it nearly kills us just to get an opportunity. You'll need to work together, and maybe Kunzite can…"

"Kunzite can't help. He's here too," Rei interrupted. When the three girls didn't say anything Rei added, "He was attacked yesterday at the temple…The prayer tree was turned into a monster. A friend of Kunzite's helped me and my birds' fight it off; but Kunzite and the boy were hurt really badly. I was planning on visiting them next. Sorry, looks like it's the two of us… and Minako. We'll be careful, and I promise, no looking for trouble, or hunting Jadeite."

"Just be careful. Hopefully Michiru and I will be out in a few days, Haruka and Hotaru will be here for at least a week. My mom will probably limit the amount of things Hotaru and I do for the next couple weeks, but we'll be there as quickly as we can." Ami added.

Hotaru nodded in agreement and said, "Take care of each other. We've already asked Urawa to look into the black crystal and Naru's limits with it. He believes he can find out whether or not we'll have to kill those who hold the crystals…I hope it never comes down to that."

"Agreed," chorused three voices.

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Mamoru frowned when he saw Usagi and the over-eager artist conversing in the back of the Crown Arcade. He waved at Motoki, who was whistling behind the counter, and walked over to Usagi's table. Once Usagi spotted him she waved happily and motioned for him to come closer.

"Mamoru!" Usagi said happily as she pulled herself from the booth to hug the tall boy. Mamoru returned the hug with a shy smile that disappeared as soon as the artist looked at him with a knowing smirk. Usagi released Mamoru and slid back into the booth leaving room for Mamoru to join them if he wanted. He slipped in to booth and glared across the table causing the young artist to giggle happily.

"Hello Mr. Chiba. Usagi's told me about you. I was hoping to talk you into posing for a picture with Usagi. Oh please say yes, you'd be just perfect. It'll only be for a little while! Please?" Yumemi begged. Usagi turned to look at Mamoru and frowned slightly.

"Please, Mamoru. I really want to help Yumemi with her picture, please?" Usagi begged. Mamoru continued to look at the artist who pulled a desperate look. He looked away, and right into Usagi's pleading eyes. "Please?"

"…alright." Mamoru said. Usagi squealed happily and hugged Mamoru tightly. He grinned as he watched Yumemi stand and join Usagi. Mamoru ducked his head slightly to hide his blush as the two girls released him. They all settle back into their seats and the two girls giggled over his embarrassment.

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A smile spread over Yaten's face as he watched Minako twirl in a yellow sundress. The girl looked happier than he'd ever seen her and he was glad he was allowed to see her joy. The blond suddenly stopped spinning and walked a jagged line to stand in front of him. His smile grew as he murmured, "Hello Beautiful."

Minako giggled and hugged Yaten before gently kissing his lips. Yaten pulled her closer and enjoyed the moment. Setsuna stood next to the couple and cleared her throat to catch their attention. Yaten blushed and pulled away and Minako turned to grin at Setsuna. A soft giggle left Minako lips before she said, "My everything is not defined by the fights, or they're outcomes; it is defined by me… and by me alone; my choices, my hopes, my dreams, my family, my friends, my indescribable everything. I like that."

Setsuna giggled and pulled the blond from Yaten's lose hold to pull her over to the raging band, Pharaoh. The group seemed to be arguing over which song to close with that night for their fist big gig. Minako settled on the grass between Rika, the bands keyboardist, and Sai. She listened to them rattle off a few songs before she said, "You're closing with Someday's Dreamer. Make sure they scream for an encore, and that song will get it. Besides it'll be fun."

Setsuna nodded and Yaten settled behind Minako with a mischievous grin. Setsuna shook her head slightly as Yaten wrapped his arms around Minako's waist and pulled the blond onto his lap. The band's singer, Yumeji complained, "Someday's Dreamer ain't finished yet."

Minako and Yaten turned resolve filled eyes on the boy and said as one, "Then finish it."

The band members looked to their manager then quickly looked away as she voiced her opinion, "Close with Someday's Dreamer or don't show up at the studio tomorrow."

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Naru frowned at the black crystal resting beside the red and yellow rainbow crystals. She knew them, the monsters wrapped within the crystals. Their histories were written into the crystals and she could read them. She saw their hatred, their anger at being defeated, imprisoned. 'I have two crystals. I know two stories, stories that I can use to my advantage. I can learn all they knew, read all they wanted, and revel in their hatred…but do I want to? Do I need to read their lives, see their lives as they lived them, know why they chose as they chose?'

"Naru-chan. Are you alright love?" Nephrite asked as he gently wrapped his arms around the smaller figure. Naru relaxed into her lover's arms and smiled slightly. He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead before he whispered, "Something's wrong love? Talk to me, and I'll help, please let me help."

"The … there are times, moments when the darkness of here is blocked from by the song of light…. I look into those rainbow crystals, and there hidden in the smallest facet a song hides. I can hear her voice, the Moon Princess's song, and I…I can almost see her." Naru whispered. She felt Nephrite's arms tighten around her and she pulled her eyes from the three crystals.

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Three days of silence left Makoto anxious so she left her apartment and headed outside. Her thoughts were in a chaos as she ran towards the park intent on spending the afternoon running aimlessly through the park. She fed her anger into her stride and kept going long after her muscles started to scream from overuse. Her lungs ached and she had a stitch in her side by the time she stopped.

Makoto collapsed to her knees beside the lake and gasped. She held a hand over her chest and bowed her head until it was resting on the cold cement pathway. A kind voice asked, "You alright Miss?"

Her head raised slightly as she rasped, "'M jus' fine…"

The other person hovered for a few moments before they were called off by someone. Makoto slowly raised her head and looked at the sunset view. She smiled weakly at the picture and slowly forced herself to her feet. Slowly she turned and walked towards her apartment where her brother was probably waiting.

Just past the Crown Arcade she heard screaming and raced towards it, her hand already going for her transformation pen. In a nearby parking lot a monster hovered in the air over a frightened couple. The monster's soft white wings and sweet appearance sent shivers racing down Makoto's spine as she tried to convince herself to step into the fighting and protect the couple. Even the sight of the floating red haired girl she knew had summoned the monster to collect crystals for some unknown evil could restore any of her previous courage. Makoto backed away terrified and leaned against the wall as she watched the tall man step in front of his petit girlfriend. Makoto tried to steady her breathing and overcome the terror but it seemed to echo in her bones. Closing her eyes she slid down the wall and let the tears fall freely unable to move any further at the moment.

"Usagi run!" a deep voice yelled. The sound of footprints racing past convinced Makoto to open her eyes and gaze out at the fight once more. The boy had been knocked aside by one of Vena's white wings and she was now standing on his stomach. Slowly Makoto pulled out her cell and with shaking fingers called Rei. "Rei…there's a monster in the parking lot in the Crown Arcade parking lot. Come quick."

Upon hanging up Makoto changed to Sailor Jupiter and forced herself to turn the corner. She tried to glare at the monster, even as her knees quaked. The boy was struggling to remove the monster's foot from his chest, but she just leaned all her weight on the foot he was under until he stopped squirming. The monster stepped off the boy who curled on his side slightly and coughed trying to draw much needed air into his lungs.

"Supreme Thunder!" Sailor Jupiter whispered hoarsely. A weak lightning bolt struck the redhead, who staggered and faded into a dark portal while glaring darkly at the boy on the ground. Jupiter closed her eyes as the monster turned its attention to her and pulled several feathers from her wings. The feathers each drew a knife before the knives and feathers flew at Sailor Jupiter.

Her eyes flew open and she looked over at the monster. The boy was still struggling to breathe properly as the monster started walking towards her. Frowning she watched the blond she'd thought safe creep up on the monster while holding a metal pole. Jupiter stood and shouted "Supreme Thunder!"

Her attack hit first and startled the monster just before Usagi slammed the pole into Vena's head. Jupiter raced forward, her fear cast aside by and instinctually need to keep the blond from harm, and threw Vena to the side before she could turn to the couple. "Get out of here quickly! I'll handle the monster."

The couple took the advice and they staggered out of the parking lot, the man leaning heavily on the Usagi as he continued to wheeze painfully. Jupiter watched the couple as the man tried not to lean on Usagi who was clearly struggling. Once they were gone Sailor Jupiter turned to the monster and slammed her fist into monsters face. Fright and adrenaline fueled Sailor Jupiter on as she threw Vena into a parked car which suddenly caught fire. Jupiter grinned at the fiery scout of Mars and together they turned to look at the monster. Mars growled deeply and yelled, "Fire Soul."

"Mars, is Naru a redhead?" Jupiter asked. Mars nodded and glared at the monster as it rose to its feet again. Jupiter groaned softly and said, "There was a redhead here."

Mars turned from the monster and looked over at the other scout and scowled. She pulled out the crescent wand and tossed it to the green clad scout. "Your demon…"

Jupiter nodded and looked over at the monster and her glare darkened. "It's time for you to leave forever Vena! Moon Healing Escalation."