A/N: Sorry it took so long, but it's here. Sorry the fight scene isn't that good. I suck with that kind of stuff. Thank you all for being so patient! And I dedicate this chapter in loving memory of John Michael, the first person to read my writing and tell me it was worth something. I know he's singing with the angels.
Her pale hand gripped the scythe as she pointed it towards him. "It is because of you I have lost all that I love. First it was my friends and my family on the moon, then it was my life and my friends on Earth, and now you come here to take it all away once I have finally found it all once more. I don't think so." A dark light began to wrap itself around the tip of her scythe. Endymion scowled.
"His sacrifice was in vain. That fool will never have you if I can't! My mother drove me to this then and it is now Duo that I fight! I will have you!" His dark eyes flashed menacingly yet she stood still, staring at him.
"I shall put you away once and for all Chaos. You shall be locked into the cauldron for the last time; I will not have to see you again. I may have made a mistake the first time because I allowed my feelings to come in the way but this time I assure you it won't happen again. You shall die." Her stature shocked Apollo and Hiiro. They had never seen this side of her before. She was frightening.
Trowa stood off to the side, gazing at the new form of Usagi. She never ceased to amaze him. Wufei stared at her, emotion filling his dark eyes. If he lost her again he wouldn't know what to do. He prayed this new form would be enough to finish the job. Quatre's gaze became one of confidence and trust. He had to learn that she was no longer the little sister he had protected so long ago. She had grown up, more than he'd ever know or understand. It was time to let go. And last was Hiiro. His heart and mind had finally come to the agreement that they had to move on. He just hoped that she lived through this so he could become close to her once more. But he had to admit; he was scared of losing her once more.
Shinigami stared at her from his place on the ground. His vision was beginning to blur on him, although he could still make out her form. Why had he been such a fool? He was so eager to find her he hadn't thought about the consequences of his deal. Now he was mortal once more, his powers lost through his betrayal. But it didn't matter. As long as Usagi was alive and safe he was happy. But his sacrifice was going to be in vain. She was going to die in this fight, he just knew it. He watched as she threw a beam of electricity at Chaos only to have it bounce off of him. His malicious laughter echoed throughout the hall. Their surrounding began to change as the floor became black crystal and the buildings and such faded away into the vast darkness of space, the sun still hidden. Chaos built an energy ball in his hands and threw it at Usagi. She dodged the attack, the ends of her now flowing hair becoming singed.
"I'm stronger Usagi, I've had a few years to gain my strength back. And guess whose star seeds I used? Yes, the Starlights. And their Princess' seed was most appetizing. She added more strength to me than I think I have ever consumed." He smirked as he saw Usagi tensing in anger. "Does my tale upset you? Ah, what pleasure." Chaos' face curled into a smirk. Cosmos' eyes were wide with shock and pain. That's why they'd never come back to see her. That's why Seiya had never kept his promise to return to her. Angry tears streamed down her face as she lifted her scythe into the air, holding it as she had often held her power tools from her previous forms.
Chaos chuckled before throwing a bolt of power towards her. Dodging quickly she kept up her defense as he rained attacks down on her, narrowly missing each and every one. As she evaded the attacks she threw ones of her own, hoping to stall him for a moment. She needed a moment to gather her power for her last and final attack. It wasn't flashy but it was the strongest thing she had and it was most certainly going to put him out of his misery. One thing that Chaos always did was underestimate her. And with Endymion as his form it only made it worse. Neither one knew what power she held within her. For each time he threw an attack she would build up more power, storing it away for his death. Finally he relented, smirking down at her. Standing regally she stared at him, allowing her power to gather fully. A dull fire surrounded her, sweeping upwards.
"I am a light in this darkness, guiding others to shelter from the storm that is this world. You have once again disrupted our attempt at peace and I shall stand for it no longer. In the name of the Dark Cosmos I shall banish you once and for all!" Lifting her scythe high she tilted her head up as well. "Deep Space Destruction!" (A/N: corny, but what else am I supposed to call it? lol)
Her eyes flashed red before the dark fire consumed the blade of the scythe. She moved in a way that was similar to Sailor Mars' Flame Sniper and her own Moon Escalation attack (A/N: I think that's what that attack is called. The one where she makes the silver circle with the moon scepter and then shoots the little moon thingies. Ya know…um, yeah). When she stopped the fire on the top of the scythe flamed around her in a circle, exploding and sending fireballs outwards. Chaos laughed at her.
"Still as foolish as ever! And your attacks are still as pathetic as before!" As he laughed Dark Cosmos smirked.
"You sure about that?" The flames surrounded Chaos, forming a solid black sphere of living flames around him.
The fire filled the sphere, consuming Chaos. He screamed desperately as Shinigami and Cosmos' power attacked him full force. His screams soon ceased and Dark Cosmos removed the shield she had around the pilots before the attack finished. With a grunt she fell to her knees, dropping the scythe as she went. Vaguely she heard the shouts of her friends, and his name. Duo. Was he all right? Would he live? She prayed he would. After all, it was her fault he had become the Shinigami and it was her fault he was near death. Moaning in pain she felt herself being lifted into someone arms. Briefly she opened her eyes to see herself back in the mansion, with its tall stained glass windows.
"Get Rashid! We need a doctor now!" It was Trowa's voice she heard screaming. Yet, he sounded so distant.
Glancing down at herself she was shocked to see her silvery blood pooled on her lap, dripping off onto Trowa's arms as he ran down the halls. Her mind spun as she thought about it. Had she been hit? But she had dodged all of Chaos' attacks. What had caused her to bleed like this? It was then she noticed the scratches on her arms and the large wound in her chest. Reaching up she touched Trowa's face, startling him. She saw the dried tears on his cheeks. Had he cried for her? He seemed to run even faster, turning corners like a speed demon.
"Where's Duo?" Her voice sounded alien to herself. It cracked whenever she tried to lift it above a whisper.
She felt her body being lowered and watched as Quatre and Wufei ran past her. Then she saw Hiiro. In his arms was an unconscious Duo. Tears came to her eyes as she saw him lowered onto the table next to her. It didn't matter where they had taken them or what they were doing. What mattered was that Duo looked as if he were dead. His pale skin was white as chalk, there were dark circles around his eyes and blood was pouring freely from his chest and wounds on his arms. There was a small stream of blood coming down the side of his face as well.
"I'm so sorry…" Tears escaped her eyes as she felt herself losing strength. Her transformation began to fade, returning her slowly to her Cosmos form and then to each stage beneath that. Soon she was left in her clothes from that afternoon.
Had it really been only a few hours since all of this had started? Only a few days since she had even met all of these people? It was impossible. All of this had to have been a dream. She'd wake up to find herself in Tokyo once more where she could stroll through Juuban Park on her nightly rounds or sit in the rubble that was once the Crown Arcade. She wouldn't have to watch another person she loved die. She would be able to watch over the people she had sworn to protect millennia ago. Life would be easy again and she'd be alone. Yet, did she really want to be alone again? She'd found her guardians, her best friend's brother, and her friends from the past, her brother and her true love. Did she want to give it all up? Did she want to send them all back into the recesses of her mind just to be alone without a care?
"Usagi! Usagi stay with us!" Wufei's voice brought her mind back into focus and she realized her vision was starting to blur. He gently shook her shoulders as she felt herself being hooked onto machines. Not again. She didn't want to go through this again. Being weak was for fools. When she saw Wufei's worry she smiled slightly.
"Crying for an onna Wufei? Surely you haven't stooped that low?" His eyes softened at her attempt to make him smile. For a moment her vision blacked out again. When she was able to see once more she realized it had been more than just a minute. There were doctors all around her and she was no longer on a plain table. She had bright lights all around her and there was a beeping noise in the background of the voices.
"Usagi!" weakly she turned to see Hiiro. Reaching up she grasped his wrist.
"Duo, is he alive?" She could barely focus. Had she said that out loud? Had he heard her? Was she awake?
"Duo is—Usagi? Usagi!" Hiiro watched as her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she began to convulse. The doctors around him began shouting things he couldn't understand. Suddenly he was being forced out of the room.
"No! Usagi!" The only response he got was the heavy metal door of their private operating room slamming in his face.
