It was slowly slipping away. It was all beginning to piece together again. While one world was falling the other was being reconstructed. He hovered above the Tokyo Bay, watching the love of his life submerge beneath the saline waves.
Her blood was on his hands, he was her killer but he had to do it. It was his duty. Death before dishonor. He then turned to the pier, his eyes locked onto the only three to welcome him back from his exodus to Hell, his best friend Haruka, the senshi of death and destruction Hotaru; unconscious in the arms of his enemy.
Haruka stood transfixed before Leo, she couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. She felt disapointed in herself for not being the one to finish Setsuna for betraying them and shocked that Leo had been the one to actually do it kill Setsuna. Setsuna was the love of his life and he had gallantly slain her without a second thought.
"Leo!" Haruka shouted, excited to see her friend alive. Angry that she missed her chance at vengeance. Pitying him for what he had to do.
Leo turned to his friend as he slowly descended and landed softly on the pier. "Mesno," Leo said, staring a hole through the villian.
Mesno stood gallantly before Leo, daring the royal guard to make a move. With Hotaru in his arms, he felt invincible in the presence of a man with only a quarter of his power. "Leo," He smiled arrogantly. He also had the unconscious inner senshi on the ground, ready to use in anyway he desired.
"What do you want Mesno?" Leo asked, drawing his sword and pointing it at Mesno's heart.
"Everything that you don't," Mesno said indifferently. "But I must say, I'm happy you're back. I started to think that I didn't interpret the prophecy correctly."
"Enough talk," Haruka snapped, bracing herself for an attack. "Let Hotaru go."
"Oh," Mesno groaned, holding onto Hotaru tighter, "But she's so cute," He smiled, kissing Hotaru on the forehead.
Haruka gritted her teeth. "Leo…let's kick his ass." She suggested with a smile, It would be just like old times again.
Not saying a word, Leo turned his back on Mesno and Haruka.
"What are you doing?" Haruka asked.
"Hehehe," Mesno smiled, sensing the moment of weakness. He pointed at Haruka, firing a wave of crimson lightning from his fingertips.
"Aarrgh," Haruka grunted as the electricity surged through her and knocked her on her ass. Shockwaves still running through her body, Haruka shook it off and struggled to her feet. "Leo…what are you—why?"
Leo glanced over his shoulder at Haruka, his best friend and said, "…You're just as guilty as he is," before turning on heel and walking right past Mesno and leaving the docks.
"Leo!" Haruka called after him. Wondering exactly what he meant by that. The electricity still crackling through her body, zapping her blood vessels as she watched him disapear in the distance.
"And then there were three," Mesno said, pondering what he should do to Haruka now. He carefully lowered Hotaru on the crowd, careful to make sure she didn't feel any pain or discomfort. "Now," Mesno smiled, cracking his knuckles. "Amuse me, you said that you were going to kick my ass. Is that right?"
Haruka gritted her teeth, trying to blot out the pain. She jumped to her feet and charged at Mesno, her fingers rolled into a fist ready to strike when suddenly Mesno vanished, disappeared.
"Hehehe," Mesno's cackled, "You're out of your league girl. Fighting a dumb bitch like you isn't even worth my time."
Where was he? Haruka wondered. Therewas no way to tell. Haruka shook her head and rushed to Hotaru, grasping her daughter's shoulders and shaking her, "Hotaru, wake u-" Haruka began when she felt something hard slam against her.
Haruka went flying until she crashed into a nearby gantry crane and slipped into unconsciousness.
Slowly, Hotaru opened her eyes. (Where am I?) Hotaru wondered, sitting up slowly.
Still at the docks. Sailor Saturn answered. So Leo's back. This should be interesting.
(Whatever.) Hotaru thought getting to her feet.
"Uratoh," Mesno breathed, "Can you hear me?"
Hotaru shut her eyes. That voice, it sounded so perfect, as if it was something she'd heard before and was destined to hear a million times more. "…Yes /Yes."
"Good," Mesno nodded.
"…Where are you/Where are you?"
"Where I can see ya," Mesno chuckled playfully.
Suddenly, Hotaru's transformation pen lit up, radiating an ultraviolet light. The uniform of Sailor Saturn vanished in a flash of violet light and in its place was the six-layered dress only worn by the royal family of Saturn. "What's happening?" Hotaru gasped.
Slowly, Mesno faded back into sight. Dropping his invisibility and making his way for Hotaru.
"Is that really you?" Saturn gawked, a single tear falling from her eye.
"It is me," Mesno smiled. "We waited so long," Mesno sighed, "Uratoh."
Hotaru quickly turned her back to Mesno. "I'm not Uratoh."
"Uratoh," Mesno said, placing his hands on Hotaru's shoulders carefully and running his fingers over her soft pale skin, "We could disapear together….just like we planned." He moved closer, his lips grazing her earlobe, "I've looked for you…for so long…through time and space."
Hotaru gasped, why did his words do this to her. She could feel her core beginning to boil. "Don't touch me," Hotaru snapped breathlessly as she pulled away from him and spun around, glaring at him.
"We can fade away together…for good. No more pain for either of us. Anima Sol will make it all go away." Mesno said with a smile. "Help me do it Uratoh," He pleaded, reaching for her. "You know you want to…you promised me."
Hotaru stared spellbound by the strange feeling in not just her heart, but also in Sailor Saturn's heart.
Mesno grasped Hotaru, pulling her into a tight hug.
Hotaru gasped deeply as her transformation pen began to glow again and the dress of the princess of Saturn faded in its place the uniform of the senshi of destruction was.
What was she feeling? Were those feelings hers? Saturn's? Or both?
"Hotaru!" Haruka yelled.
Hotaru shook herself awake. Back to reality, the words he'd whispered in her ear during the abrupt hug still in her mind.
"You okay?" Haruka asked.
"Yeah," Hotaru nodded. "Just one of Mesno's mind tricks."
Are we gonna do it? Saturn asked.
(I don't know.)
Suddenly, Haruka pulled Hotaru into a tight hug. "Hotaru," Haruka sighed.
"I'm fine," Hotaru lied.
"Whatever," Haruka groaned, releasing Hotaru from her embrace. Slightly embarassed by how emotional she had just been, Haruka just couldn't help herself.
"What are we gonna do?"
"Find Leo," Haruka suggested. "He can bring back your mom….and Usagi," Haruka said this with a bit of poison on the tip of her tongue; clearly illustrated she and Leo weren't on the best terms at the moment.
Hotaru smiled. Finally everything would return to normal or would it?
He'll do it. You know he would. Saturn said.
"That bastard," Haruka shouted, noticing that the bodies of the inner senshi had vanished. "He must have taken them with him."
(We'll do it.) Hotaru suggested as the words of Mesno's ultimatum replayed in her mind. 'Prove your loyalty to us Uratoh. Prove it. Bring me one hundred human's you've killed.'
(Papa.) Hotaru thought helplessly as Haruka led them out of the dock. (I'm sorry.) She raised her glaive, pointing it at Haruka's back, "Silence Wave!"
"Wha-" Haruka gawked when suddenly a wave of violet energy washed over her. "Hotaru…what are you-" She said before being knocked unconscious by the attack.
"I'm sorry papa," Hotaru sighed, "But I have to do this…," Hotaru said, kneeling down and kissing Haruka's forehead before leaving the docks.