Chapter 13: Crazy love

Disclaimer: I do not own sailor moon! Naoko Takeuchi does!

Most people would say that they don't remember much or that their memory is fuzzy. Some say it so they don't have to take the blame for what they did, as if by omitting this and omitting that, no one will find out the truth. Others recant the day's events amounting to nothing but a blur. There are days when I wish I could say that. Days when I wish I didn't remember the day with such clarity.

The guilt eats me alive every day. Even if I wanted to remember the day as a blur, it still wouldn't change what happened. It wouldn't change my failures as a warrior. I am shaken by the thought that, because of my mistakes…my friends met their deaths.

It has become my burden to bear. Not only because I am guardian of time and space and therefore immune to such shifts in the time space continuum, but because I allowed this to happen. I was careless! All the loss and suffering were because of me and my inadequacies as a senshi…or so I told myself every day.

Even though locked in my icy prison, each day became none the less easier to bear. Even more so, because I was now rendered helpless. Unable to reach out warnings. Unable to change history to prevent this from happening. Had I only been stronger. Had I only been more in tune to my surroundings. Had I…

It was like any other ordinary day, boring and even more boring. That's one of the many "perks" to being guardian. Occasionally, some intruder manages to enter space time but usually they pose no threat and are eradicated promptly. My time is mostly spent guarding the door. It is a solitary existence, one of loneliness…as it has been for the past thousands of years.

Many wonder how I am able to live such an existence but I merely shake my head. It is my duty. It is what I was born to do and I sealed my fate when I swore my allegiance to the queen of the moon and now, the future queen of Tokyo. It would have been completely lonely if not for the few visitors I often get or the few chances I get to leave the door and venture out into the world.

Today however, I did not leave the door nor did I get any visitors. At the very least, I had expected the Future queen's daughter to come marching through those doors with complaints about an unfair mother or father. Or perhaps one of my friends, either present or future, would offer me an invite for some tea and cake. But no. Today was quiet.

As I stood my post, I began to feel the heaviness of my duty weigh upon me. Something about today made me feel more of this weight than I would have liked and it bothered me. I thought nothing of it and assumed it to the stress of my existence. Guarding the door of time wasn't the world's easiest job. It was lonely, but high pressure. One must always be on guard at all times. It was my duty to protect it and make sure no one passed. To make sure no one affected the past, present, or future.

And then, with in the blink of an eye, I was down. As if an arrow had grazed my arm. I didn't even hear it or sense it. I sensed no one. My eyes immediately darted around for any disturbance but I came up blank. I even scanned the area for anyone who may not carry a signature aura…that perhaps through some random stranger managed to wander through when the young princess came to visit me and this random stranger got lost.

Still, I saw no one; however…my arm drew blood. Even if only slight. If this was someone of threat, I would have sensed a negative aura but I sensed none. If this was a mere mortal who happened to get lost, he would be an easy target to apprehend. Or maybe, it was just one of those random energy storms passing? But enough to cause bodily harm? In all my years of being guardian, not once has an energy storm possessed enough concentration of energy to cut like a knife.

This seemed deliberate. The object which had grazed my arm was no where in sight nor could I recall picking up on any energy reading at the moment my arm was maimed. What ever this was, it came at an ungodly speed…one which was too fast for even my guardian abilities to pick up on.

I quickly ignored the stinging in my arm and the blood trickling down and immediately stood my ground. Someone was here, I just knew it. Even though I could sense no one and all seemed perfect and normal, there was someone here. At the speed that this object hit, my only assumption was that he, she, or it…was someone of a threat.

With in mere seconds of standing to my feet, another object ricocheted my elbow, and another brushed lower down on my arm, ripping the fabric of my glove. I didn't have time to even think about reacting because once again, I was hit. This time, on my hand.

The staff which I always kept by my side, had fallen to the ground. My hand…burning and going numb. Someone was after me. Possibly with an intent to kill? I still couldn't be sure. I still couldn't pick up on any negative energy. What the hell was going on!

And again, in less than 5 seconds, I could hear feet. The running of feet faster than a speed I could comprehend. It was faint. Who ever this was, knew how to be light and agile. Knew how not to be sensed or caught. What they didn't comprehend…was the skill of a trained warrior.

Again, only a few seconds passed before my staff was obtained by the unknown assailant. Their face was too dark to make out except for what appeared to be long strands of hair. The unknown figure darted away quicker than the eye could catch…that is. A human eye. I barely caught a glimpse of the direction the assailant had darted but it was enough to see what they were doing.

Before they even had a chance to reach for the precious garnet orb, I whispered my attack.

"Dead…scream"

A bright flash of light flared out in all directions from the orb, causing the attacker to scream in pain as they covered their eyes with one hand. I whispered my attack again, this time a little louder and with more vigor. The staff clamored to the floor and I took my opportunity.

As I was now running away with my staff, I turned my head, curious as to who would come to steal such a valuable item. In the wrong hands, this staff had the power to unlock time itself and unravel the very threads which held it together. The power instilled with in the round maroon orb was enough to hold the past, present, as well as the future. With it, the door of time could be unlocked and anywhere you wished to travel, was at your finger tips.

The figure was still in shadow except for two ominous looking eyes that shone bright red. I could feel a sense of urgency, a sense of power and it felt different than any evil that had ever come forth. This power felt oddly different. Almost obsessive. The kind of crazy obsessive that scares you and makes you fear for your life. All I could do was keep running, keep my time staff safe.

I couldn't attack what I could not see. Every time my eyes darted around me, I saw nothing but darkness but I could still feel some presence. Sweat beaded down my face in panic and fear. I felt like I had been drawn straight into a horror film and I was on the run from a psycho killer.

Has this been any other evil, I would have faced it head on and fought but this. This reached into the depths of your soul and rattled your bones. Every so often, I could hear a laugh and I could feel someone darting around but no matter. I still stood my guard.

After only another minute of running, I was struck down again. In my back. Before I had a chance to fall to the ground, another attack aimed at my hand. And again. And then again at the garnet orb atop my staff. The force of said attack was so precise, it flung my orb several feet away from me.

It all happened so quick that my brain didn't have time to register what was going on. The speed at which I was attacked, left me absolutely no room to counter attack. Who ever this was, was determined not to leave any openings. I had never ever experienced anything of such speed and agility. Milliseconds before I hit the ground, one last attack hit me.

I painfully lifted my head and neck and saw a feminine looking figure take the orb in her grasp. I tried to vocalize my attack once more but I couldn't speak. My good hand reached toward my neck and touched blood!

The female began walking toward me and slowly, I could make out her face. Long locks of red hair tangled around her face, bright red nails reflecting the light given off by the orb. Her eyes reflected a scary undertone. One of a crazed mad woman who had a mission. What that mission was, would change every resolve in my body.

" I will KILL you!" she screamed. "I will make SURE no one stands in my way!"

Again, I tried to summon my attack but the wound inflicted to my throat was too much to bear.

"SHE TOOK WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MINE!" she got close to me and with her power, she lifted my bruised and battered body from the ground. I could see tears streaming from her face.

"I WILL make sure that he never falls in love with her. I will make sure he never gets to hear her name. Never gets to know that she ever existed! She will die by MY hands! With out her existence, then he WILL love me"

Her facial features became clearer. Her eyes were deep, speaking volumes of hurt, pain. Woven with in the tears were hints of rage. Of an anger that reached further into the soul than one could have imagined. Her face seemed vaguely familiar, as if I had seen her somewhere before. I wasn't sure if I was just being delirious from the pain of the attacks or if there was some truth to what I was seeing.

Then, she slapped my face.

"Don't you look at me with those eyes of pity! I don't need it! I never came in second! I will never EVER come in second! His heart will forever belong to me as it should have been!"

I tried desperately to break free but her attacks had hit me with such force. I still couldn't speak and when I tried, I only coughed up blood. When her face came right in line with mine I could make out every feature and it was then that I started putting two and two together.

"As soon as you are out of the way, I will kill her! She will never know existence! HE WILL NEVER GET THE CHANCE TO KNOW HER! HE WILL ONLY LOVE ME!" and she waved her hand and sent me flying.

Just seconds before I hit the door, I felt a wave of fresh power surge through my body. I had hit my resolve. My duty to protect the princess overpowered every last pain inflicted in me. This was my resolve. As long as I lived, I would let not a soul lay a finger our princess.

"Chronos…TYPHOON!" I shouted, ignoring all the pain and bruises.

The woman let out a horrifying scream as the orb released even more power than I had ever thought possible. The orb crashed to the ground, the woman's hands now seared and burnt. Her power hold on me released and I fell to limp to the ground.

With ever ounce of energy in me, I managed to stand on my feet.

"You will not touch her. Not one finger!" I staggered toward my staff and the orb. "You already lost and there is no way you can win again!"

"You are wrong!" She stood up wearily, but slowly managed to heal the burning on her hands.

Just before I reached my staff, she released more energy and shot me down on the ground, as well as shooting both my staff and orb away from me.

She soon picked up on my resolve to protect the princess and her attacks became stronger. She hit me repeatedly, trying to get through my defenses and take me down, but I would not let her win. The princess must be protected but the longer the fight drew on, the more she realized that she had to up her power.

This was unlike any other fight. She was quick. Quicker than I ever imagined. Before I had chances to even attack, she was at my back ready to slice me open. I knew I needed help in this fight but before I could even send out a call to my fellow allies, she had me down again. I had absolutely no time to react, no time to think.

We were both getting weaker, my resolve to protect kept me going and her determination to kill me kept her going as well. We were at each others throats, each one ready for the kill.

As we fought, I tried to piece together how she could have managed to come together once more. When our princess had fought her up at D point with her fellow allies, she vanquished her to the depths of hell, never to return again! There was no way she could have-…

Then it hit me. During all this, she kept screaming that she would kill her. Kept screaming that she would have him and that she would get what she should have had. That he was hers all along and that the princess had bewitched him into falling in love.

She kept shouting like a psychotic maniac who had lost her mind. You know, the kind of deranged where you know the person needs help. Possibly therapists, psychiatrists, and meds? But the fact that she had an ungodly amount of power made her that much more dangerous.

She had truly lost her mind. She had become so delusional; believing that she truly could have what was not hers. Somehow, it had become strong enough to bring her back from the dead?

Her forehead was beading with sweat, as was mine. Blood was trickling down from every wound inflicted during the battle but neither of us would let up. We were getting weaker. She knew every move before I made it, as I did with her.

The fight lasted no more than 5 minutes but it seemed like the longest 5 minutes of my life. I was not holding back, and when she knew how determined she was, did not hold back as well. I was alone in this fight, as she was too quick for me to react and call for help.

By the end of the 5 minutes, we had both drained each other of nearly every reserve we had, we were both bruised and battered but the fight wouldn't end until one person was dead but neither of us had enough energy to go for the kill.

One last burst of energy came through her hands and shot me to the ground. I was far too weak to defend at this point. When she saw me on the ground, she shot crystals at my hands and feet, anchoring me to the ground. She gasped and then started to cough up blood as she fell to her knees. She was weak, as was I and any more use of energy could kill either one of us.

If I could have called forth my Orb, I could have used what little energy I had to draw out more power from the orb to refuel myself but I was drifting in and out of consciousness and everything was a blur. Sensing this option, the red haired witch reached for the orb and began to replenish her lost reserves. She didn't garnish much, but it was enough to put her back on her feet.

Unsteady, she walked toward me to pick up my staff. Sweat fell from her face, mixed in with blood. Her hand was shaky as she mustered the energy to lift the staff and connect the orb back on. It shone brightly, offering a little more energy to replenish what was lost.

"…Beryl…don't…you…dare…" I said in a slow and shallow breath.

I could barely see her through my tears. Blood was trickling from my forehead, as well as the many gouges made to my arms and legs. Pretty soon, I could bleed to death.

"If I had the…energy" Beryl wheezed " I would kill you now, but you put up a good fight…I didn't expect it. I didn't realize that your precious princess had brain washed you…"

"Don't you DARE…speak of our princess...that way" I spat.

"No matter. She will soon be dead and soon, she will not exist. I will have what was mine all along. And then soon, I will be back to kill you."

I tried desperately to break free from my shackles, but it only served to make me weaker. My vision became blurry and the last thing I saw was Beryl slowly walking toward the door, raising the staff, and opening it.

I am not sure how much time had passed but when my regained consciousness, I was still trapped on the floor. I was still far to weak to break free but piecing what had already happened, I knew Beryl was just as weak as I was when she shackled me to my prison on the floor.

I closed my eyes and called forth to my mother planet, drawing on what ever energy reserves it could give me. It wasn't much but it was enough to stop the bleeding. At least if I was no longer at risk of bleeding to death, I could focus more of my attention on replenishing what energy I had lost in battle.

I could tell that the crystalline shackles were barely holding me in place, since the energy Beryl used to pin me down was at it's weakest. I knew I had to concentrate harder to regain more of my energy because if my hunches were right, Beryl would return.

She was going back in the past to kill the object of all her hatred. That much was true. Some how, I sensed that it was the driving force behind every motive but I knew no more than that. With her, I sensed urgency, desperation and an obsessive need to get what she felt she was denied long ago.

She would into the past and kill our princess. Based on what she had already been spewing from that wretched mouth, she already knew that destiny was already in play and Serenity would be born in the 20th century and that killing her on the moon as she had already done was a moot point. She would do it at a point where she would never have known existence. Several options would arise from that:

She could then wait out until the man she had always loved, reached the proper age so she could then make him all to herself.

She could kill the princess and then find the Prince and steal him away.

She could come back to the door, finish me off, and then use the staff to re-direct time to a different future where the Prince was of age and she could be with him as her heart desired.

Option C seemed like the most logical option. I sensed in her this great urgency. This lack of patience. I highly doubt she would have the patience to wait 16 years or so until he matured into a fine young adult. Nor did I see her wanting to take care of a young child and be his mother. She wanted him. All of him. To love him until "death do us part". Coming back to the door would be quick, fast, and easy.

It seemed like hours I spent lying on the floor, concentrating on regaining my strength. On the plus side, Beryl had been so weak, that her final attack wielded little power in holding me down. On the down side, I was just as weak myself so gathering the energy to melt through the crystal took great effort.

I eventually was able to free my hands but it would be another several minutes before I had the energy to sit up and free my feet but once I did, I crawled slowly toward the door…having no energy to stand on my own two feet. I slumped behind the door, out of breath and weak. In order to conserve energy, I powered down into my civilian form.

Finally free, I was able to concentrate harder on healing my wounds and gaining strength. I still had no energy to call out to my fellow comrades but at this point, I wasn't sure if it would even be worth it. Beryl might have already done her deed, thus, changing the course of history. I was too weak to be able to sense anything and it scared me.

What if Usagi was already dead? What if she DID go with option A? The thought of losing someone very precious to me brought tears to my eyes. I slammed my fist into the ground, angry that I was too weak to do anything about it. At this point, I only had enough energy to stand on my own two feet, and that was only if I leaned against the door.

"I'm sorry my princess. I couldn't protect you. I have failed as a guardian…" Tears streamed down my face. I cried for what was lost and furious at my failures.

It wasn't until moments later when I picked up on a faint energy and my tears stopped. She was coming back! It WAS option C! Though weak, I stood my guard and did not falter. I knew she would need the staff again to re-direct time and that could be my chance to sneak up and take her by surprise! If I could get back to the past soon enough, I could prevent Beryl from going in for her kill.

I wasn't sure if she was still just as weak as I was, or if the orb was giving her more power, but I couldn't think of that. I would fight until the very end. I kept my self hidden behind the door, keeping sure to lower my energy so she would not sense it.

Then…I heard her familiar laugh.

"It is done!" she cackled. "She is no more!"

Once again, I felt a surge of power lift with in my heart at the revelation that she had indeed killed our princess. I could feel my mother planet offering her power and I felt a searing heat surging through out my body. Soon, that familiar black shirt, bows and white bodice framed my body and I was back in my guardian form. Her death would not go in vain.

I darted from around the door with such speed, it caught Beryl off guard. Still having no strength for any attack, I decided on hand to hand combat was my best option. I could sense that beryl was still slightly weak and that perhaps I had the upper hand!

I kicked the staff out of her hands and quickly went around her back. My arm wrapped around her neck in a choke hold and my grip tightened.

"How DARE you kill her! YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR MISDEEDS!" My voice trembled between cries.

"You…were…supposed to be…dead!" Beryl desperately tried to free herself.

"You have murdered someone MOST precious to me!"

"I did what was RIGHT! She didn't belong to him!"

"You're delusional!"

"She bewitched him!" her hand reached for my face and with a swift motion, she dug her nails to my cheek and scratched.

I screamed in pain as blood trickled down and beryl ran away. This time, my rage was coursing heavily through my blood and I could feel myself getting stronger, stronger than I had ever felt before. I lifted my hand to the air and with in seconds, I had summoned my staff to me.

"NO!" Beryl shouted. "I WILL NOT LET YOU WIN! HE WILL BE MINE!" and again, her energy had spiked to another peak.

I shouted another dead scream. Not able to think straight, I used my attack at full force and it drained a considerable amount from me. This attack was at full force and should have knocked beryl out cold but I could sense that during her time in the past, she must have strengthened up a bit. Beryl merely fell to her knees but I could tell she still wasn't strong enough to use any energy.

I ran up behind her and placed the staff at her neck, attempting once again to choke her to death. I knew that I was still weak and that any magic attack I used, would deplete any energy I had just gained back. My only course of action was to refrain from attacks as long as I could until I replenished enough energy to use several attacks.

"You were supposed to be DEAD!" I shouted through my gritted teeth.

"Love never dies…" Beryl grinned

"Your whole BODY was destroyed! I witnessed it through the door when Serenity destroyed you!"

Beryl had managed to break free of another choke hold but I could tell that she too was weak and couldn't use any energy. We were both in the same boat.

As we engaged in hand to hand combat, her story began to unravel.

When Prince Endymion chose to save Sailor Moon rather than kill her, Beryl snapped. Ruling the earth no longer became an issue. Endymion had chosen his princess and it was too much for her to bear. All she cared about now was destroying the object of his love. She assimilated with the energy source Metaria to become a super being in hopes that once and for all she could destroy this object that seeded her deep hatred.

All she ever wanted was her Endymion and she would have him at any cost. She was so delusional that she believed that he loved her and that he was the one being brainwashed by this evil princess. She was his. She loved him. And she would make sure that he returned that love.

When Serenity finally defeated the evil queen, her body fell to dust but a part of her still beat feverishly with her unrequited love for her prince. It was enough to keep her barely alive.

Her heart continued to beat for him, and eventually, she was able to find a host body in which to reside. That would explain why she looked familiar. She must have chosen a body which resembled her former one.

She was still very weak from her battle with princess serenity, but it gave her ample time to "warm up" and exact her revenge on the princess so that she could take what was truly hers. The only way to do so, was to go into the past.

Timing couldn't have been more perfect. Through a turn of events, the Sailor Soldiers, along with a young pink haired child, were making their way up through the heavens toward my door. Beryl had somehow managed to sneak through into my dimension and hide herself away in a far corner, gathering energy and formulating her plans.

It was uncertain how long she had been at rest here, but it was enough. With the vast emptiness around me, it was no surprise that she was able to lay wait until her time came. She had to. After facing death once before, she needed to be patient and gather all the energy she could and then some otherwise, attacking on the fly could mean her death yet again.

Through our combat further, I was able to find out more about her murder on the princess. The mere mention filled me with rage and I could feel my energy climb even higher.

Apparently she had gone far enough into the past to wreak some real damage. It filled me with an unsurpassed rage. How could she! Usagi was barely a few hours old! She didn't have to go in for the kill! Just a simple disease! To a baby! JUST A BABY!

Her words continued to go on. Her voice elated that the princess was now dead and Endymion would never have a chance to met her. Every word spat out of that wretched mouth…now DARE she!

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I fought with every ounce of my heart. I knew deep down that history was changed in extreme ways. Every punch, it was for the princess. Every kick, was for the princess.

Every word she spat from that acidic mouth of hers only served to make me even angrier. The filth she was spewing about Princess Serenity was an outrage.

Finally, she had gone too far.

"She doesn't deserve an ounce of life! As soon as she had been infected, I let the disease eat away. I could hear the little baby and her piercing cries of pain. How DARE she take breath in this world. How dare she be born when she didn't deserve it! And yes! I picked up that baby and slapped her in the face to stop her crying. Her face disgusted me."

"When the doctors had finally said that the disease would kill her, I figure why not do the deed sooner! That god damn face kept laughing at me through each cry. I couldn't STAND it so I took my fist and ripped out her heart. It still beat in my hand. Satisfied that I had did what I came to do, I left a dead baby in a bloody bassinet and a still beating heart on the floor. She is DEAD and there is NOTHING you can do about it!"

Something inside me snapped. I grabbed my staff and with the speed of a cheetah, I aimed my staff right at Beryl's face. I don't even remember what it was I shouted but it had apparently been something of tremendous power. The entire dimension had been lit like an explosion and every inch of the place was filled with bright light.

I had no idea how much time had passed but the next thing I knew, I was breathing heavy and the bright light had waivered off. A slight grin escaped my face, feeling as if I had triumphed but I would soon stand corrected.

There she stood. Grinning maniacally, her arms crossed at her face and her palms out. I could feel it and my eyes brimmed wide with fear. The energy she had now lacked was now coursing through her veins.

That bitch! She absorbed my attack! How could anyone be this powerful!

Seconds later, she took that same attack and shot it in my direction. Acting out of pure adrenaline, I did the only thing I could think of. I swung my staff like a bat as I shouted out another attack.

It appeared that the attack had left Beryl near dead, as she stood her ground ready to pass out. When I swung my staff, the energy from it was sent flying in her direction. The energy from her attack managed to pass through my staff, half of it causing a heat so great, it burned my hand and caused me to drop my staff on the ground.

When my attack had hit a now weakened Beryl, it caused her to scream out in pain as she was sent flying backward. With the door still open, she fell through it and the miles it was until she hit the ground where ever it decided to leave her.

When the rest of her attack hit me, it started up at my feet until my entire body was trapped in an icy prison. I could feel my body start to go numb and soon, I could do nothing but think. Trapped in a prison with nothing but my own thoughts. As I looked outward, I could see the door closing in front of me and my staff lying beside me.

Sorry this took so long guys! Life came up, My A.D.D comes up and makes me forget. Just you know..shit. Life. Plus, as I was writing this, I was happy with the first half…then the middle I started to go BLEH with but I didn't feel motivated to change it, and the last half I am ok with. Overall, I don't care much for this chapter.

Let me know what you think. Constructive crit is OK as long as it is not bashin and being mean and stuff. Also, if you…a dedicated reader…a fan of this story…find that I have not updated in forever and a day, please please PLEASE don't hesitate to send me a message on this site.

Often times, I reach periods in my life where creative writing just falls to the back burner and I forget to write…but a nice reminder may help me get back on track…plus, I like to know that my readers still yearn for more!

Again, I hope the next chapter comes soon, but no guarantees.

(p.s: I apologize for any grammatical errors. I just wanted to get this damn chapter done and I don't feel like giving 2 shits about checking e_e; )