*** Hello everyone! Next chapter is ready, and it´s the longest in a while already! I have to thank you all for your support, really! I´m recieving lots of reviews lately and that just feels so great...! So please, continue telling me how do you like how the story is going :-) I hope you enjoy the read! Kisses to you all ***

*** Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its original characters. I am just using them to end the story as I would have loved it to end ;-) ***

CHAPTER 29 - PURIFICATION

Rei dragged as she could Oodachi´s heavy unconscious body towards a very small shed that the shrine had in the garden for storing wood, garden tools and other junk.

When she finally arrived, she placed him on the only free spot on the floor, after moving away a pair of boxes. She was sweating all over and her arms ached due to the effort, but she did not even feel it. Everything that mattered to her now was to save Oodachi´s life.

She rummaged in the huge pile of boxes stored there trying to find something that could be of use for her. She found an old matting that she managed to place underneath his body, to try to keep him as warm and comfortable as possible. Not finding anything else, she decided she had to return to the shrine to get some first aid, clean sheets and cloth, a cushion for his head, and some fresh water. But first of all, she decided to check on his wound.

She kneeled beside him where his chest was bleeding, and checked his temperature by placing her hand on his forehead. He was burning with fever, as she had guessed. She then ripped his other time stylish shirt.

"Oh…God…" she couldn´t help saying out loud, when she saw how awful the wound looked.

It was deep, wide, and had started becoming infected on some parts. Rei couldn´t help tears coming to her eyes again.

She frowned and furiously rubbed them away. She needed to be strong. For him. To save him. It was not the time to cry like a helpless girl, she was not like that.

She stood up and gave him one last glance before swiftly leaving the shed. She hated to live him alone, but she needed to go get something to cure that wound.


She went into the kitchen through the shrine´s back door and then silently went through the corridor to her room. She picked a set of clean sheets, a blanket and a pair of cushions before going into her bathroom where she looked for anything that could be useful in her medicine cabinet. She went to the kitchen again and filled a big bowl with fresh water.

When she was about to leave, she stopped a second, placed everything on the kitchen counter and walked slowly towards the main room.

"Ah! Rei-chan!" said Usagi happily when she saw her come in.

"Hello… everyone" she answered with a thread of voice.

"How are you feeling?" Ami asked, concerned. They had not seen Rei in almost all day.

"Uh… not very good…" she announced "Actually, I came to tell you I am going to bed right now… my head feels like it is about to explode…"

They all looked at her with concerned eyes.

"Ok… go get some rest, then" Ami said "Do you want me to bring you an aspirin?"

"No! I mean… no, it´s fine… I already got some now. I just want to sleep all night long."

"Fine… we´ll try not to make noise"

"Thank you" she said with a faint smile, and then left the room walking heavily.

When she was out of sight, Minako asked.

"She does not look that good, does she?"

Ami made a concerned face as only reply.

"Do you think she will be able to fight tomorrow?"

"I don´t know… I´m not sure…" Ami answered

"Awww great then! This is getting better every minute! Now we are counting three out!" Yaten spat

"Oi Yaten! If she´s ill, it´s not her fault!" Seiya scolded him

Taiki narrowed his eyes at this comment. He was starting to have his own idea about Rei´s illness.

"Do you think it´s that bad, Ami-chan?" Usagi asked

"It does not look like it, but we can´t be sure…"

"Can it be the enemy´s doing, somehow?" Haruka pointed out and they all looked up. They hadn´t thought about it.

"I do not think so" Galaxia answered "The enemy could end up having control over her soul after what happened, but not her body. It should be just a common illness."

"Which will end up having the same result… if she has a fever, she cannot come to fight. It would be really dangerous if she passes out in the middle of combat" Ami said.

"It might even be a good coincidence after all. It is also dangerous to bring along to the battle someone that could be controlled by the enemy at a certain point" Galaxia said

"That´s quite… drastic" Haruka pointed out

"Well, let´s not think like that" Usagi said, not wanting to talk about Rei that way "If she sleeps all night through, most probably she would feel perfectly tomorrow morning!"

Their conversation was then interrupted by a subtle knock in the door.

"Oh!" Minako exclaimed happily, checking the time on her watch "That must be Motoki-oniisan!" She said and hopped towards the door.

Yaten made a frown.

Everyone stood up to welcome the guest, and after a minute, Minako was back at the room pulling Motoki inside from the hand. He was stunned by all the people there: he recognized Ami and Usagi, and also that famous racer and her girlfriend the violinist, which he had seen around the arcade before. Apart from them, he was shocked to see the famous Starlights trio, a dark-haired and light skinned younger girl, and a knockout lady whose copper and golden wavy hair had him hypnotized.

"Come on in! Don´t be shy!" Minako insisted "We won´t harm you!"

"Well, as long as he behaves…" Haruka muttered, making Motoki´s face turn completely pale.

Michiru giggled.

"Haruka-san!" Usagi scolded her "Don´t scare him!" She then walked cheerfully towards him and greeted him.

"Oi, what´s with this guy? Why´s he so familiar with the girls?" Yaten whispered in Seiya´s ear.

"Jealous?" Teased Seiya with a smirk, before joining the girls and greeting the newcomer, leaving Yaten frowning even more and mumbling to himself.

"Hi, I´m…"

"Seiya… Kou…" Motoki ended his sentence

"That´s right, man!"

"Yeah… I recognized you and your brothers…" Motoki said and then looked at Usagi "Why are they here? Are they also… do they also…"

"Have powers? Yes, they do. Everyone in this room does, actually" said Usagi casually, with a sincere childish smile.

"Oh God…" Motoki was truly afraid.

"Good afternoon, Motoki-san" said Ami, bowing before him slightly as a greeting. Sorry for our rudeness and for involving you in such a situation, but you were our only hope…"

"Ami-san…" he said, blushing slightly "It…It´s fine…"

"Thank you" she answered with a smile.

"Shall I show you around the shrine and tell you where everything is?" Minako offered "I´ll then guide you to Mako-chan´s room"

"That would be great, thanks" Motoki answered, happy to get out of a room so crowded with strange people with even stranger unknown and potentially dangerous powers.

"I´m coming too!" announced Usagi, following them out of the room.


After showing him the kitchen, the bathroom, the living and other important rooms he would be using the next days, they ended up in front of Makoto´s room door.

"Well, she´s in here…" Minako announced.

Motoki swallowed hard while she opened the door.

"Come on in" she said softly, once inside.

It was already dark outside, and the room was only being lit by a soft old fashioned lamp on a small table between the bed and the window. The room was spacious but crowded with shelves full of books and pieces of furniture that did not match or looked like they belonged there. Beside the end of the bed, a big two-seat leather sofa had been placed, and curled on top of it, Motoki saw those two cats that always went with the girls.

"Go…good a…afternoon…" he said to the cats, while sweatdropping. He had been told they spoke, but he couldn´t help feeling tremendously ridiculous.

Both cats raised their heads, and he noticed something like a smile in their furry faces.

"Good afternoon, Motoki-san" the black one answered politely.

Motoki turned pale blue and gasped. So they actually did talk! That was the most surrealistic situation he had ever lived, for sure!

Usagi came into the room as well, and closed the door behind her. She then walked towards the cats, sitting in one of the arms of the leather sofa.

"Motoki-oniisan, these are Luna and Artemis, our guides, mentors and good friends" she introduced, pointing at each of the cats when she said their names.

"Nice to talk to you at last" Artemis said as a greeting

"Thank you for this favor…" Luna added

"Nnnn…no problem" he said, blushing.

Minako walked towards the wooden headboard of the bed which had rose-like carvings surrounding all its contour, and looked down at the person lying motionless on the bed with tender sad eyes.

"Well, here she is" she said, not moving her eyes away from her. She still felt tremendously guilty.

Motoki timidly walked the few steps that separated him from the bed. When he reached it, what he saw reminded him of the prettiest yet saddest fairy tale.

Makoto was lying there, her slim long figure discerned through the thin soft bed sheet that covered her body up to her generous chest. Her bare arms rested at the sides of her torso, with her hands intertwined over it. Her smooth skin looked paler than usual, and her chocolate brown wavy silk hair was completely loose around her, falling gracefully over the pillow and the mattress, making a beautiful frame for her delicate face. Her expression was calm and still, her otherwise lively olive eyes closed.

She looked like the Sleeping Beauty.

Motoki couldn´t help blushing, which Minako noticed gladly, stifling a smile.

"So…" he started, after a pair of minutes in which he couldn´t help staring at her unconscious friend "You say she… she´s… fine?"

"Yes, for the moment." Usagi started "She´s…"

"…asleep. A bit like the Sleeping Beauty" teased Minako, ending Usagi´s sentence.

Her comment made Motoki blush even deeper.

"She´s in a kind of comma, and she needs some… special medicine we need to get for her" Usagi explained

"And… has a doctor examined her?"

"Well… it´s… magical kind of medicine the one she needs" Usagi clarified

"Oh" Motoki said, gasping "I see…" He did not manage to get used to these magical things.

"You just need to make sure she´s fine… and that she remains like this until we return"

"Ok, don´t worry about her."

"Luna and Artemis will also stay here with you, and help you with anything you may need, magical or not" Minako said, winking an eye.

"Great, ok"

"Motoki-oniisan…" Usagi said

"Huh?"

"Thank you very much for this. It means a lot to us. We´d never be grateful enough"


Hikawa Shrine gardens

Rei was spending the night at the shed, beside Oodachi, taking care of him as much as she could manage: changing the blood-soaked bandages she had placed over his wound, putting refreshing towels on his feverish forehead, and checking his pulse and breath every now and then. She was getting more and more anxious, since she was seeing how the robust warrior was withering little by little before her eyes.

But she could not do much more. It was a very severe wound, caused by magical powers, and she really knew that it was not going to heal that easily. She had had faith in his physical strength and his good shape, as well as in his magical abilities that she had thought would end up healing him, but she now saw this was not going to happen. He was too weak to even use any power he may have. It was too late.

Rei threw flying the bandages she was carrying, and let herself fall back desperately till her back hit the wooden shed wall, her blood stained arms hanging loose to her sides and silently crying rivers of tears.

She was helpless.

There was nothing she could do for him.

He was going to die in her arms.

And she could do nothing.

Or… could she?

A thought came to her mind like a lightning bolt, igniting the flame of hope with an idea. It was a small flame, but by thinking it over and over, that flame turned into a fire that burnt wild in her mind, not letting her think about anything else.

It was a tremendous risk, but she had to try. She was desperate. For him, she would do anything. Even lose her friends or her position as a senshi.


Hikawa Shrine

When Usagi went out of Makoto´s room, leaving Motoki there ready to sleep on an improvised bed on the floor beside the brunette sleeping senshi, she went straight to look for Seiya. They had not had the chance to be alone after their return from the incredible journey they had made to their past lifes.

She found him in the backdoor wooden stairs of the shrine, sitting alone while staring into the night sky.

"Seiya…" she called softly

He turned around with his natural elegance, making her shiver just with his piercing deep blue glance.

"Odango…" he answered, both his eyes and lips smiling sincerely happy to see her.

She walked towards the three wooden steps and sat beside him.

"It´s all set. Motoki will do great taking care of Mako-chan, I´m sure" she updated him

"I´m glad. He looks like a good man. You had a great idea with that pretty head of yours" he said, playfully pushing her forehead back with his forefinger. She giggled.

Then, their eyes met, and a deep serene silence fell over them, only interrupted by the soft howling of the summer night breeze through the tree branches and the music played by several playful insects calling each other across the big shrine gardens.

Both of them started blushing. Their faces really close, their eyes sweetly bathing on each other´s glance. Usagi was the one to look away first, as embarrassed as she could get knowing how her desire for him was showing all over her face.

"You know…?" she said, to start a conversation "I know we´re in the middle of some big war against evil and so, but I somewhat feel everything is going great, and we will solve it all soon"

"Is that so?" said Seiya, spirited by her comment

"Yes!" she said, lively "Mako-chan is being greatly cared for, the rest of us are safe, and my biggest concern now which was what was going to happen with ChibiUsa, you know, my future daughter… is now being solved by Setsuna, who is risking her life to rescue her! She´s such a good friend...!"

"I´m very happy for you, Odango. I can tell how much that little girl means to you. And I am really willing to meet her" Seiya said with a sincere smile.

Usagi blushed "You… you are?"

"Of course! All that matters to you, matters to me"

Usagi blushed even deeper. What Seiya had just said meant so much for her that she was sure he did not realize how important it had been. It was a topic that had worried her ever since she had decided she would love Seiya freely… ChibiUsa was Mamoru´s daughter, and she feared how Seiya was going to act towards that. But once more, he did not disappoint her at all.

She smiled broadly and said.

"Even if it´s not the right time… I feel very happy, Seiya. And it´s thanks to you"

Seiya smiled and passed his arm through her shoulders, dragging her closer to him and giving her some of his warmth.

"I don´t know if the time is right or not, but I always feel the happiest person ever when you are with me, Odango".

Usagi was overwhelmed with happiness when with him.

"Seiya… I love you" she said timidly, looking right into his deep blue eyes.

"Me too, Odango. Forever." he said, while moving his hand towards the delicate skin of her neck and gently pulling her head towards his, until their lips met in a sweet soft kiss full of love.

Usagi then rested her head on his shoulder, sighing with happiness, while he wrapped her around with his strong arm.


From inside the kitchen´s window, which faced directly towards the stairs where the lovers were sitting, Michiru was distractedly observing them with a glass of white wine in her right hand, from which she sipped elegantly from time to time.

"Aahhh, now you´ve become a peeping Tom?" said a well-known voice behind her, while she felt a firm arm slowly following the contour of her slim waist until it encircled it like a snake.

Michiru closed her eyes while showing a sneer. She knew perfectly who the owner of that firm yet delicate arm was. And she loved it.

"Not really…" she just answered "I was just admiring how happy they look"

"Heeee…" said Haruka "Michiru being conscience-stricken?"

That made Michiru´s smile fade away. As expected, Haruka knew perfectly how she was feeling.

"Maybe… a little"

"That´s unusual" teased Haruka in a sexy whisper, while tucking her lover´s hair beside her ear and moving her face parallel to hers from behind until their cheeks were touching.

"Well, I know I did the right thing, but this time is different" continued Michiru.

"Is that so?"

"I had to tell her that ChibiUsa was going to be fine and that Setsuna had only left to save her and then return… because had I not, Usagi would be totally devastated and unable to fight. And we need her… she´s the key to save the Galaxy, she´s the pure light of hope. But…" she hesitated, but then felt the tightening of her lover´s embrace from behind giving her strength to continue, as she always did "…but it somehow doesn´t feel right this time. I have never seen a love as true as the one those two share before… and I hate to be telling her lies about it…"

"Ohhh that´s true… you belong to Seiya´s fan club too…" mocked Haruka

"Haruka!" she protested, rubbing her nose with her lover´s neck and burying her face there "I´m being serious about this!"

Haruka chuckled and kissed her white forehead.

"Haruka…" started Michiru again "How do you think Usagi will react when she finds out that there´s nothing Setsuna or anyone can do to save ChibiUsa, and that she will not exist unless she stays with Mamoru?"

"Hmmm… that´s a tough question…" said Haruka, with thoughtful eyes "As much as I hate to admit it, I can also see the love you are talking about… and I also want her and Seiya to stay together forever" she added, looking through the window at the embracing couple on the stairs "I have never seen Koneko-chan as happy as when she´s with him…"

"Haruka…" said Michiru in a whisper, surprised by her stubborn lover´s confession.

"As you said to her… let´s have faith…"


Hikawa shrine gardens

It was already past midnight and everyone at the shrine was sleeping. They had decided that they will be leaving early the next morning, directly towards the park to try to find the entrance vortex and confront the enemy as soon as possible to save their friend and the whole Galaxy.

Rei tiptoed inside the shrine through the kitchen´s back door and went through the long wooden corridor as subtly as a cat, barely making any noise at all. She then stopped before one of the wooden panel doors and opened it as softly as she could, only the gap necessary to slip inside. Then, she closed it behind her and waited in silence.

Nothing.

No one had noticed her for the moment.

She stayed like that until her eyes got used to the darkness in the room, and she was able to more or less spot what was in there. She was in one of the big guest rooms, where her friends had established camp when they all came to live at the shrine. Since there was only a small bed beside the window, the girls had arranged two mattresses on the floor, and were sleeping across them, covered by some blankets. Ami was curled on the leftmost corner, covered up to the neck in her own blanket. Occupying all the rest of the length of the mattresses were Minako and Usagi, disorderly lying over them, their blankets tangled and their arms and legs spread everywhere. A double soft snoring resounded through the room.

Rei sighed… poor Ami to have to sleep with those two.

She then crawled towards the rightmost side of the mattresses, right where Usagi´s head was almost hanging over to the floor.

"Usagi-chan…" she whispered in the faintest voice. No answer.

"Usagi-chaaan" she repeated a little louder, with no changes "Oh, for God´s sake…" she murmured, and pinched the blonde´s nose with her fingers.

Usagi´s face color started changing, from pale to red to bluish… When Rei was seriously starting to get worried and about to free her nose, Usagi suddenly stood up and gasped for air loudly.

"UAAAAAAHHH!"

Rei leaped to cover her friend´s mouth with her hand, while she gestured for her to be quiet with the other one.

"mmmhh!" Usagi muttered

Rei removed her hand.

"Rei-chan!" whispered Usagi "What… what are you doing? Are you feeling fine?"

"Shhhhhhhh" repeated Rei, hearing Ami moan, almost waking up "Please come with me for a moment… I need your help"

"My help?" Usagi repeated, still not fully awake "Wha… what time is it…? Is something wrong? Shouldn´t we wake…"

"Shhhhhhhh" said Rei again "Please follow me… Silently" she emphasized

Usagi flushed slightly like a child scolded in class. She shut her mouth and followed Rei out of the room and into the kitchen.

Rei was rummaging inside a cupboard while Usagi rubbed her eyes sleepily.

"Moooo Reiiii… you woke me up in the middle of the night! What´s going oooon?"

"Here, wear these" Rei said, placing a pair of wooden miko sandals in front of Usagi´s bare feet.

"Huh? Why do I need to wear…"

"Follow me" Rei said interrupting her and opening the kitchen door towards the shrine gardens.

Usagi was absolutely puzzled but something on Rei´s expression made her follow her into the dark spooky garden with no further complaining.

It was summer but it was late at night and the air was damp, making the cool air go through Usagi´s thin cotton sleeping camisole and cause her shivers. The dense dark garden barely lit by the almost full moon was not helping either. Usagi could almost not see a thing, finding her way only by following the sound of Rei´s footsteps.

Suddenly, the trees ended and Usagi could see a clear patch of garden where a small cozy wooden shed was standing alone.

"Aw, cute! I didn´t know this was here!" she said, overwhelmed by how fairy-tale-like the place looked "What is it?"

"It´s the shed where we store wood and garden stuff"

Usagi sweatdropped. "And what did you say you needed my help for exactly? Do you plan me to start gardening at two in the morning?"

"Follow me inside" Rei announced, ignoring her comment "But please, don´t freak out"

Usagi was puzzled.

"Freak out?" she asked, while getting inside the shed after Rei "Why should I fr….."

She froze.

Lying over the floor, covering almost all the free space in the cottage, was that man.

That man she had first seen at the Fruit Parlor, saving Rei from falling. That man that had attacked and almost killed Seiya and her, and that had then attacked Rei herself. That man was Oodachi, the War Rider. The enemy for which her dear friend Rei had risked her life, and had almost lost it. The man with which her friend had been truly in love. He seemed to be unconscious, and his clothes and the blanket over which he was lying were covered in blood.

Usagi was so shocked that she could barely speak, her expression shaken and turning suddenly pale.

"R…Rei…chan… this… is…"

"Please don´t yell…" Rei said, kneeling beside him and tenderly checking his pulse once again, and visibly sighing relieved upon finding it "Let me explain..."

Usagi saw her friend and understood. How she moved around him, that look in her eyes… Rei still loved him, as she said she would. Usagi´s look softened too.

"Rei-chan…" she whispered, feeling pity for her friend. She then took a hold of herself, took a fast determination and kneeled in front of Rei, at Oodachi´s other side.

"How did this happen?"

"Usagi-chan…" said Rei stunned, looking at her while she arranged the blankets around him. She knew Usagi was comprehensive, but she had expected more resistance towards the idea of having hid the enemy and trying to save his life.

"He… he suddenly appeared around the gardens this afternoon…" Rei answered shyly "He was severely wounded and could barely walk…"

"Did he say something?" Usagi asked

"N….no" answered Rei with a thread of voice, after a too long pause.

Usagi looked up at her friend and saw she was blushing.

"Ok…" she just said, with a faint half smile.

"He soon passed out, and has not woken up since. He´s losing a lot of blood, his pulse keeps getting weaker and weaker…"

"I see…"

"Usagi-chan… I need to save his life!" Rei said suddenly, pleading and crying.

Usagi was shocked at first, and then her eyes turned comprehensive.

"We should… take him to hospital…" Usagi started, but saw Rei shaking her head vigorously. "Or at least call Ami-chan to see if she can do something about that wound…"

"Nononono…" Rei was saying "No! She won´t understand, no one would!"

"Rei-chan… Perhaps if we explain…"

"No, Usagi. You can understand because you have also suffered for love, and fought for an impossible love when everything indicated it was not meant to be. But no one else would"
"Rei-chan…"

"This wound is not normal… It was caused by Taiki´s attack. No hospital will be able to heal that, and believe me, Ami would not understand us trying to heal the one that confronted her and Taiki… and us… Our enemy. She would think rationally, and she will drag me away from him and let him die…" she said, sobbing "I can´t let that happen, I can´t let him die! I gave my life for him once, and was ready to die happy with my decision. When I woke up and was healed but he was no longer there, I was a living corpse. My life has no meaning without him. I started living again the moment Taiki suggested he might be alive, and I completely came to life when he found me… My life has a meaning again, Usagi. I love him, I still do. I never stopped doing so, and I will do whatever it takes for him."

Usagi didn´t know what to say.

Rei suddenly grabbed her hands in hers, and looking her at the eyes she begged.

"Please, Usagi, I need your help! You are the only one that can save him!"

"M…me?" replied Usagi, surprised

"Yes! Galaxia told us these days that it was you who healed us all with some new power!"

"She did? Well… It… looks like it… but I´m not even sure how that happened…"

"Usagi, I was about to die back then at the battlefield. I know it, I felt it. And your power healed me and saved my life… Only you and the pureness of your heart can perform a magic like that"

"But I´m not sure how to…"

"I need you to try, please. Use it on Oodachi, purify him. You are his only hope. You are MY only hope, Usagi."

Usagi´s eyes turned watery. She understood her friend perfectly. How she felt, what she felt for him… her despair… She wanted to help him, she truly did. But she didn´t know how.

"Please, I beg you to save him…"

Usagi finally nodded.

"I´ll try"

Rei´s eyes lightened up with hope, and she threw her body over Oodachi to hug her friend.

"Usagi-chan!" she yelled "Thank you…!"

Usagi then stood up, and moved as far from the unconscious man as she could in the small space they were in.

"Let´s do it right away. He does not seem to have time to spare" Usagi said before taking out her golden brooch.

"Moon Eternal, Make Up!"

After a beautiful dance of lights and feathers that transformed the blonde princess, Eternal Sailor Moon appeared before the couple. She looked one last time towards Rei.

"Are you completely sure about this?"

"Completely. I have never been surer in my entire life"

"I don´t know if this will work with… him" said Sailor Moon, avoiding any other words coming to her mind, like enemy, or Rider, or evil, or any other.

"I know, but we need to try"

"Ok then" said Sailor Moon, and then slowly closed her eyes.

She did not know how to do this, so she decided to improvise.

She left her mind blank and concentrated.

The last and only time she had used this power, it had been to save Seiya. She had seen him in danger and something inside her had burst out causing a huge light that had saved them all. As Seiya himself had told her, it was her love for him that had triggered the magic.

She could use that, perhaps.

She could focus on Rei´s strong love towards that man, and use it combined with her power to call upon her healing power.

Without even opening her eyes, she extended her left gloved hand before her.

"Come, Rei. Hold my hand" she said, in a soft and sweet voice.

Rei was shocked but obeyed. A white halo was starting to form around Sailor Moon, surrounding her completely and making her look like an angel. As soon as she grabbed her hand, the halo moved around her too, and she was transported away.


"Wh…where are we?" Rei suddenly asked, her voice being returned to her ears, her body feeling light as a feather. She was surrounded by pure whiteness.

Then, as if a dense mist suddenly started clearing out right in front of her, Sailor Moon appeared. Her expression was serene, her eyes tender, and was showing an enigmatic half smile. The wings of her outfit seemed to float and move swiftly with an inexistent wind, the same as her long strands of hair, as shiny and golden as ever. Rei had not noticed before, but she was still holding her hand.

"Your love for him is so true and intense…" said Sailor Moon, with a velvet voice "I can feel it…".

Rei´s cheeks turned rosy. Somehow, she felt like Sailor Moon had reached her heart, and was witnessing exactly what she was feeling. It was kind of… uncomfortable, since no one had ever been so close to her heart. But it was her dear friend, and she was doing this and risking it all to help her, so she did not mind. She did not fight against that sensation, but she helped it by opening her feelings to her.

All of a sudden, a whirlwind of many tiny shining bubbles came flying towards them at an incredible speed, surrounding them both and then gathering on the space between the two girls. Rei saw Sailor Moon smiling satisfied, as if she was expecting them. The bubbles then came together to form a dazzling halo that then dimmed its brilliance to show the most beautiful staff Rei had ever seen. She was overwhelmed by its beauty.

Sailor Moon grabbed the staff with her free right hand, and as soon as she did, they were back at the shed in the shrine´s gardens. Right where they had started.

"What was that just now?" asked Rei, utterly surprised

"I´m not sure… it´s what happened last time as well, when I wanted to save someone I love…" she tried to explain "I supposed if your desire to save the person you love was strong enough, it will also give me the necessary power to summon this new staff" she said, looking at it satisfied and passing her hand softly over its carved silver rod.

"I see…" said Rei

"Rei-chan, do you trust him?" asked Sailor Moon all of a sudden

Rei looked at her with an interrogative expression

"I mean…" Sailor Moon explained further "If we succeed, do you believe that he won´t attack you as soon as he´s healed and has his strength back?"

"I trust him, I believe in him. Don´t ask me why, but I do. My heart tells me so."

"So, you are completely sure about healing him?" said Sailor Moon

"Yes, I am. Completely" announced Rei

"Ok then, if you trust him, I do too. Let´s do it"

Rei moved towards Oodachi and kneeled beside his head, while taking one of his hands in hers. She was really nervous about how this was going to result, and if it was even going to work. She knew he was a magical creature, an evil magical creature, and she was not sure if Sailor Moon´s magic would work with him as it had worked with them.

Sailor Moon moved to stand at Oodachi´s feet, facing the couple, and fixing the staff on the floor before her, she called upon its power.

"Starlight Moonlight Love Salvation!"

The staff shone and a huge expansion wave of power burst from its moon shaped tip and lightened the entire room up for an instant. When touched by the light wave, Rei felt an indescribable and overwhelming sensation of pureness invading her whole body. She silently prayed for that power to purify as well the man she loved with all her heart, and save his life.

Right after that, darkness returned to the shed. Sailor Moon fell to her knees, exhausted by the usage of the still new power and then automatically detransformed, becoming Usagi again. She was breathing hard, and small drops of sweat had covered her forehead.

"Usagi-chan!" exclaimed Rei, running the few steps that separated her from her worn out friend "Are you ok?"

Usagi dedicated her a not too convincing smile "Yes…" she said in between puffing and panting "I´ll be fine in a minute… I… I just need a little rest"

"Usagi…" murmured Rei with worried eyes. Her power was incredible, but it had a cost.

"How… is… he?" she managed to ask

Rei looked back at Oodachi. She had jumped in Usagi´s rescue as soon as she saw her friend falling after using her magic, and she had not had the chance to check on him. She stood up and returned beside him. She checked his pulse, his breath, and she carefully lifted a little the end of his torn shirt, to look at the wound.

Usagi was looking at all this, expectant.

"Well… there are not much changes for the moment, but… somehow… his pulse feels… stronger"

"Does it?" said Usagi satisfied "Well, this magic does not appear to be immediate, since we took quite some time to heal as well, and we even had the help of Galaxia´s sleeping spell. But if you feel it´s going in the good direction, maybe my magic has been able to heal him after all"

"Sure" Rei said, smiling sincerely

Usagi returned the smile, and stood up. When she did so, she felt a little dizzy and moved several footsteps around trying to stabilize herself while grabbing the wall with one hand.

"Usagi!" Rei yelled, when she saw her almost fainting.

"I´m fine… I´m fine…" she repeated like a mantra "I think I should go back and lay down a little…"

"Of course"

Usagi headed towards the door, and right before leaving, Rei called her once more.

"Usagi-chan?"

"Huh?" she answered, turning around to face Rei, who was still kneeling beside Oodachi.

"Listen I…" she started. She did not know how to tell her friend and leader what her heart was urging her to do "…I need to stay with Oodachi now. He´s still weak and we do not know up to what extent he´s been healed so… he might need me"

"Of course, I can return by myself, don´t worry…"

"No, I mean… I need to stay until he completely recovers"

"Oh" said Usagi, turning around completely towards her, surprised.

Rei´s eyes turned watery. She knew that what she was saying was a crime and she did not even recognize herself saying such a thing… she was betraying her friends and leaving them alone when they needed her most, but… she just couldn´t leave him.

"I cannot leave him… I know I am betraying you girls, but he needs me the most right now… he does not have anyone else, and he may not make it without me…" she swallowed hard before saying her next words "Therefore… I cannot go with you to confront the enemy tomorrow morning" she was now crying freely while she pronounced those words.

"Rei-chan…" Usagi said and then nodded "I understand. It´s fine. I´ll make something up to tell the rest of the girls for now… but you´ll have to tell them about this after we return"

"Of course" said Rei, smiling a little "And sorry for this"

"No need for sorries. I understand. I´d probably act the same way"

Rei smiled a little wider.

"Take care, then. And take care of him" said Usagi as a farewell

"Of course. And you take care of yourself and all the girls, and make sure to vanquish that stupid Apocalypse and come back soon"

"It´s done" said Usagi, and started leaving.

"Usagi!" yelled Rei once again

Usagi peeked inside the room.

"Yes?"

"I could never thank you enough for what you have done"

Usagi smiled once more, and then left without saying a word.