*hides* Mamoru is gone. Is he dead? Maybe. You'll just have to wait to find out! Also, you know what's really bothered me forever? That the Shitennou were condemned to being rocks like… Forever. In the dream arc when they're in Elysion Saturn runs over with the gems of the Amazon quartet and is like "zomg sailor moon and Endymion save these guys!" And they're all "Kay, nbd." Wouldn't that have been a good time for Mamoru to be like "oh HEY speaking of rocks, Usako, I have these four rocks… They're kind of my protectors, kind of a big deal. I know they majorly betrayed us twice, BUT they also told us how to defeat Metaria and I've been brainwashed and making out with someone hell bent on destroying the world – including our daughter, wtf – every damn arc and you always bring me back." I think the Shitennou seriously get shafted. And I understand it'd be too many characters to have running around in the stars arc, but at least throw them into the 30th century to awaken there. I mean… Come on.

Rant over. Enjoy the chapter.

Mamoru… Mamoru was gone…

Usagi's throat felt tight as she walked home from school, hugging her school bag close against her chest.

Is this what it means to be the Princess? Are we never going to be free to love each other, will we always be doomed because of who we were?

It's so unfair.

"Odango?" Haruka's voice interrupted her train of thought, a hand tilting her chin to face him. She looked away, tears peppering across her cheeks. "Odango, whenever I see you your eyes are filled with tears."

She just nodded, offering a watery smile. "I suppose you're right, Haruka. I used to be a cheerful person," she mused, wiping her eyes.

"You look like you carry the weight of the universe on your shoulders, Odango."

She laughed humorlessly, shaking her head. "You have no idea."

…

The night was loud enough, the amount of people rushing past her normal enough, the neon lights of the Juuban district bright enough to feel like any other night. It wasn't though – there was an energy humming through the air, a buzz that reverberated through her ribcage that told her tonight was the night. Tonight everything would come down to her and her ability to fight, to put everything she'd learned over the past two years into practice. Tonight there was no room for mistakes, for moments of insecurity or self-doubt.

Tonight, to be honest, she was scared out of her mind.

"Look," Minako whispered, pointing to the deep red orb in the sky. "What is it?"

"It's a blood moon," Rei replied solemnly. "Our battle is nearer than we thought." Usagi followed Minako's finger to where it pointed towards the angry surface of the moon. It cast a red glow over her silver hair as she clutched her hands over her heart. Endymion…

"So we draw them out, let them come to us!" Mako said fiercely, cracking her knuckles. Rei and Minako nodded in assent, their sailor fuku drenched in red.

"No! We can't fight this battle here. Too many people would die," Ami shook her head adamantly, squeezing her earring so her visor covered her eyes. A series of data and calculations appeared before her eyes, indicating the damage that would be done to their dimension if they tried to fight the Dark Kingdom here. "We wouldn't succeed."

"Will we anywhere?" Zoisite interjected in his soft voice, eyes fixed on Ami's shoulder. "Maybe not, but we have to try. We owe Endymion that much." Kunzite placed a hand on his shoulder, grounding him. Just because he'd already come to terms with what was ahead didn't mean his fellow Shitennou had, even if they'd pledged to follow his lead.

"Then where…?"

"We go back to the moon. We finish this where it started all those years ago." Usagi interrupted Makoto, peeling her eyes away from the full moon. The senshi nodded in agreeance, closing their eyes and holding out their hands. The Shitennou dispersed themselves between the senshi, the empty spot where Mamoru would have stood between Minako and Usagi blaringly empty.

"For Mamoru," Minako whispered, clutching her friend's hand. Usagi nodded, squeezing Minako's hand in appreciation. "For Mamoru." She took a deep breath, trying to ready herself for what was about to come.

"Wait!" a voice called out as Luna sprang forward and launched herself into Usagi's arms. Usagi stumbled back as she wrapped her arms fiercely around the cat, pressing a kiss to the crescent mark on her forehead. "I believe in you, Usagi."

"Thanks, Luna," she replied gratefully, squeezing her close one last time before gently setting her back down on the pavement. "Okay. Moon prism power!"

"Venus love power,"

"Mars fire power,"

"Jupiter thunder power,"

"Mercury water power,"

"TRANSPORT!"

Take us to the moon, Usagi thought, concentrating hard on the image. She clutched Jadeite and Minako's hands like her life depended on it while the air rushed past her, threatening to rip them apart. It wasn't until her boots hit the moonrock and she stumbled forward that she dared herself to open her eyes.

The image of a bright white palace flashed before her vision momentarily as she took in the barren scenery before her. Crumbled columns in a dull grey littered the landscape, the air stale and heavy.

"Where are we?" she whispered, reaching down to let some of the dust sift through her gloved fingers. "I remember pristine white, not lifeless grey."

"Mare Serenitatis," Sailor Mercury whispered, visor across her eyes as she ran rapid calculations in her head. "We are approximately 32.36 kilometers from the Moon Kingdom."

"Where there were once rose gardens there is nothing but ashes," Usagi whispered, brushing off her hands as she stood. "This was Beryl's doing."

"Yes, and it will be the fate of the Earth as well if we don't defeat her," Rei responded in a sharp tone. "We don't have time right now to stand and reminisce. We have to move forward – we don't know yet what awaits us."

"Agreed," Kunzite nodded, turning to face Minako. He placed a gloved hand on her cheek, eyes solemn. "A time will come in the near future where I will sacrifice my life to save yours, as we've talked about," he began calmly, Usagi's eyes widening in horror. "All four of us will. I need you to keep this," he continued, pressing a pale pink gem into Minako's hand.

"What? No, don't talk like that, no one needs to die," Usagi replied firmly, looking to Minako in desperation. She simply nodded, clutching the gem in her hand.

"I will guard it with my life." Beside her, Jadeite, Nephrite, and Zoisite exchanged a look with Kunzite then followed suit, the other senshi taking the gems without argument.

"Promise me that when the time comes, you won't stop me," Kunzite continued, gripping Minako's hands in his.

"Stop it, no one else –" Usagi pulled at his shoulder desperately, eyes wide. "I promise," Minako nodded, the heels of her orange shoes lifting off of the ground as she pressed her lips to his.

"Looks like you've finally made it," a cold voice drawled, sending a shiver down Usagi's spine. Beryl towered ahead of them, the ground cracking around her as she slammed her staff into the ground. "Now, I'd like to remind the four of you of a little thing that happened many years ago when you sold your souls over to me," she grinned, Kunzite's face determined as he stepped forward, the other three Shitennou flanking his side.

"While you live you own our souls, Beryl," he countered, hand on his sword. "But we will die before we join your side, so keep whatever offers you had planned to yourself."

"No," Usagi gasped, fighting against Minako and Rei's grips on her arms as they held her back. "No they're going to sacrifice themselves. No! Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite… Kunzite, no!" she screamed as Beryl laughed, four women appearing at her side.

"C'mon, Usagi, we have to go!" Makoto pulled her with them, breaking into a run. "We can't just leave them? How can you just turn your back on th –"

Smack!

She gaped as Ami's hand came into contact with her cheek, eyes wide as Ami's cheeks filled with red. "I'm… I'm sorry, Usagi I didn't… it's just you have to understand that we aren't turning our backs, this is one of the most painful things any of us have done. We have already had to watch them die in one lifetime, don't make us do it again."

She was met with four sets of shining eyes, gold, turquoise, amethyst, and green searing into her.

"Defeating Beryl, and ultimately Metaria is going to be the hardest thing we've ever done," Rei whispered, giving a sad smile as she touched Usagi's cheek. "You have so much love inside of you, Usagi, and that's great – it's what makes you so special. But you have to realize things –" The fire senshi shook her head, stopping herself from whatever she had been about to say. "C'mon, we have a long journey ahead. We have to find the main palace, and we have to track down the Phantom Crystal still, remember?"

Usagi nodded, clutching her heart as a blinding light filled the sky. The gems in each of the girls hands glowed brightly then flickered, hovering just above their hands before disappearing inside their compacts.

"Come on," Minako whispered, lacing her hand through Usagi's. "One step at a time. We're here with you until the end."

"How sweet," A voice interrupted, a figure appearing before them. A slender woman in a pale blue leotard and thigh high boots blocked their path, arms crossed over her chest. Her pale hair was twisted back in a braid, an upside down black moon glistening on her forehead. "Luckily for you, the end is fairly near."

"Who are you?" Ami challenged, pinching her earring as her visor appeared across her eyes.

"I am Beruche, of the Black Moon Clan."

Usagi stared at the inverted black crescent between the part in her icy blue hair. "Black moon clan? But I've never heard of you," she replied truthfully, unintentionally sparking the woman's ire.

"Well you wouldn't have, would you, princess. We were banished by Queen Serenity," she spat, glaring at Usagi, "and left to rot on the dark side of the moon while the Moon Kingdom prospered and thrived in the Silver Millennium. Until that fateful day when we followed Beryl to it's destruction."

"You're being tricked and used," Rei laughed, stepping ahead to block Usagi. "How stupid are you people? You think that Beryl will cast you a second thought if she succeeds in her plans?"

Beruche glared, clasping her hands together. "How dare you, you impertinent brat. Here is where you meet your end, Sailor Senshi."

"Not if I have a say in it. I am Sailor Mercury, douse yourself in water and repent! Shine snow illusion!" Mercury yelled. A flurry of razor sharp snowflakes wrapped around her slender body until she extended her arms, sending them flying at Beruche. "Go! I've got this, I'll meet up with you in a moment."

Mars and Mercury exchanged a long look before Mars gave a nod, pulling Usagi with her.

"Wait, what are you doing? We can't just leave her… Mars!" She yelled, pulling at Rei's arm. A scream behind her sent a chill down Usagi's spine as she desperately tried to break free of Mars' hold to get back to Ami.

"Ami-chan, no!" she screamed, fighting against Rei to no avail. She couldn't leave Ami behind, she wouldn't. Enough people had died for her already.

In the distance Beruche pushed herself up from the ground, standing on shaky legs. "Dark… water," she gasped, a stream of water surrounding Mercury as she gasped for air.

"Ami-chan!" Usagi called out desperately, tears filling her eyes as Rei tried to pull her away.

"Sparkling… hail!" she called out, the razor sharp pieces of ice cutting across Beruche in her weakened state and shattering her to pieces. Rei froze as Ami collapsed to the ground, Usagi using the temporary distraction to break free and run to Ami's side.

"Ami," she whispered, running her hand through her drenched hair. The water senshi coughed, blood splattering her glove as she tried to hide her hand from Usagi's view.

"Usagi… you were supposed to keep going," she sighed, voice raspy. She coughed again, eyes fluttering closed.

"Ami! Don't close your eyes, you can't close your eyes," she sobbed, shaking her shoulders. Her eyes fluttered open again as she forced a smile, a trembling hand clutching Usagi's.

"I'm sorry… we didn't have that much time… together," she whispered, eyes filling with tears. "But fighting by your… side… was the best thing… I'd give my life all over again, just to know yours was safe."

"Please Ami, we'll teleport back home, we'll get out of here. Everything will be okay… Please just get up. Please."

"Usagi," Minako placed a hand on her shoulder, gripping it gently. "Come on Usagi, we have to go."

"But we can't… we can't just leave Ami here."

Ami reached forward, pulling her compact from her chest. Her transformation fell away in a sprinkling of water droplets, her bulky sweater and knee length pleated skirt out of place on the surface of the moon. "I'm always with you, Usagi. Don't… forget that." Her body began to shimmer, fading away as Usagi grasped at the air.

"No, Ami!"

Makoto and Rei pulled her to her feet, dragging her away from the cracked ground where Ami's body had laid moments before. The bright blue compact glowed in her hand before a blue light disappeared inside her own compact.

"Please, you guys, we have to go back. We're not ready for this!" She glanced back over her shoulder, as if expecting Ami to run up behind them any moment, a deep look of concentration on her face as she calculated the surroundings.

"Stop it, Usagi," Makoto scolded firmly, pulling her along. "This is our destiny. If we don't fight for Earth, who will? There will be nothing left to fight for, everything we love and cherish will be gone."

Ami-chan… Ami-chan I'm so sorry I couldn't save you. Maybe I can take comfort in the idea that you and Zoisite will be reunited now, that you can finally be together in peace.

Usagi inhaled shakily, blowing a kiss over her shoulder. Ami would not die in vain, she would make sure of it. With renewed determination she let Mars and Venus pull her along, Jupiter leading the way as their shoes kicked up moon dust. The landscape was eerily silent, the black sky studded with billions of stars.

I wonder what it was like here, long ago, when times were peaceful, Usagi mused, pressing her hand over her compact. How beautiful it must have been…

"Usagi, look out!" Makoto cried, leaping to push Usagi out of the way as the ground below her rumbled. A tornado sprang from the ground, enveloping Makoto as Rei scooped up Usagi and started to run.

"Mako-chan!"

"Flower hurricane!"

Pink rose petals whipped from the tornado, slicing across the woman's hands and abruptly stopping her attack as Makoto crashed to the ground.

Her dark green hair was cut short, her slender figure encased in a form-fitting dark jade dress, gloves covering her elbows.

"I am Petz, third of the Four Sisters. You will pay for what you did to Beruche," she glared, gathering a ball of lightning between her hands. "Dark Thunder!"

Makoto screamed as her back arched, the thunder attack sending a course of electricity through her body. Gasping for air she pushed herself up with her scorched arms, bringing her hands together. "You think… your lightning works against me?" she panted, smirking at the furious woman. "I'll show you lightning. Sparkling wide pressure!"

The woman screamed as Makoto's lightning surrounded her, body glowing bright green until she exploded in fragments on the moonrock.

"Mako-chan!" Usagi ran to her side, a look of relief washing over her. "Mako-chan, you're okay. You were so brave… Mako?" She shook her shoulder lightly, eyes filling with worry. "Mako, Mako open your eyes, it's not funny anymore. Open them!"

The thunder senshi's green eyes fluttered open with effort, a tired smile gracing her lips. "Are you going to make a scene like this," she panted, voice hoarse, "every time one of us dies?"

"Don't say that," Usagi whispered, wiping her eyes furiously. "You're not going to die, Mako-chan."

"You were my first real friend, Usagi. Honor that by not lying to me now," she murmured, pressing her rose compact into Usagi's hand. "I'll see you again, I know I will."

"Mako-chan, please," she cried weakly, her will to fight fading as Rei once again pulled her to her feet and urged her forward. The pink compact glowed before disappearing into her own compact, Mako's body glittering as it faded slowly into the air.