Choices

By: ShadowQueenGalactica


Disclaimer: I do not own anything affiliated with Sailor Moon. I do not own the rights to any of the songs related to Sailor Moon.

Author's Notes: This is one of my older stories, going through and trying to fix all the cringy typos. I'm also going to be adding some scenes that I thought the original was seriously lacking. Hope you guys enjoy the revised version of Choices.

Revised: 5/16/2021

Authors Note: There's been a lot of revisions in the chapter in regards to scenes and dialogue. This is going to be a long one! I hope you all enjoy the changes! Happy Reading! :)


Review Replies:

JSanyaz: Thank you so much for your review, I'm so glad you're enjoying the revised version. I'm so happy with it, I feel like the first version was so rushed and lacked a lot. Hope you enjoy this chapter! :) So sorry about the long wait!


:: Chapter 9: Final Showdown::

(The Following Morning)

Startling herself awake, Usagi felt her stomach drop as she looked at the clock on her nightstand seeing it was almost five in the morning. 'No!' She thought with panic, realizing she'd overslept, fearing it was already sunrise. Looking over at Seiya who was still peacefully sleeping, she stifled her giggle seeing his backside was exposed from where he was lying on his stomach, still naked from their lovemaking during the night. Grabbing the discarded clothing from the floor, she quietly dressed in her rush remembering Rends words clearly in her mind.

(Flashback)

"If you want this back, then you'll meet me with the child to discuss the terms of an exchange." Rend sneered, glaring down at the young woman. "If you do not bring me the child by morning's first light, I will destroy this brooch." He calmly explained, watching in interest when seeing fear shine in her eyes for a brief moment. "What good will you be to the child, if you cannot defend that little brat without your power?" He jeered, chuckling as tears streaked her cheeks. "You're nothing without this brooch, just a powerless terran."

"Where?" Usagi demanded, tears shining in her eyes, her gaze downcast with defeat.

"The construction site near the Starlight Tower. Come alone, or I'll make you learn the true meaning of pain." Rend warned, turning his head as he sensed the Starlight approaching. Extending his hand out, he smirked as he released a weaker attack, easily blasting the Starlight back as she desperately ran towards them.

"No!" Usagi's strangled cry escaped her lips, tears streaking her cheeks as Sailor Star Fighter was violently thrown back by the attack. Looking back over as Rend took a threatening step forward, she glared up at the man refusing to show him any fear.

"Such tenacity you possess for a terran." Rend jeered, smugly raising his brow as a chuckle escaped his lips. "You've heard my terms, the choice is yours now, my dear." He smirked before abruptly vanishing.

(End of Flashback)

Slipping her shirt on, she stood silent for a moment, her gaze drawing in Seiya's sleeping form one final time, in case it was her last moment to see him. 'I love you, I'm so sorry, but I have to do this alone.' She sadly thought, not noticing him stir lightly in his slumber from her mixed emotions affecting their soul bond. "I love you." She softly stated, tears streaking her cheeks as she quietly made her way towards the door.

Silently opening the door, she glanced back one final time to watch Seiya turn on his side reaching out for her in his sleep. Feeling her guilt grow, she brushed a few stray tears from her cheeks before slipping out of the bedroom.

Kneeling beside her school bag, Usagi quietly opened the bag rummaging around until she found her spiral and a pen. Making her way towards the kitchen, she stopped and glanced back towards Kikyo who was resting peacefully in her small bed, clinging to her bunny.

Resting the spiral on the table, she wrote a quick note, leaving the spiral on the center of the table as she grabbed her car keys that were still lying on the counter. Spotting her jacket hanging by the door, she slipped the jacket on, tucking the keys into her pocket. Confirming both the Cosmic Brooch and Disguise Pen was in the jacket's pockets as she hurried out of the apartment, not wanting to be followed or caught leaving by her friends nor Seiya. 'I love you, Sei-chan.' She thought, tears shining in her eyes as the door quietly clicked shut behind her. Softly sighing in relief that she'd managed to leave the apartment without being noticed, she drew in a nervous breath before hurrying forwards in the direction of the elevators knowing she needed to hurry and reach the construction site before first light.

Stepping into the elevator, Usagi watched the doors shut, her heart pounding in her chest, stomach nervously twisting at the thought of what was awaiting her. 'I have to face him, I have to do this by myself.' She thought with fierce determination, knowing she would be facing Rend on her own without the help of the ginzuishou.

Leaning against the wall of the elevator, she tightly shut her eyes, as she tried to calm her erratic breathing and slow the pounding of her heart. "I can do this." She sternly told herself, abruptly opening her eyes as the familiar ding sounded once more before the elevator doors opened to the lobby.

Soon making her way out of the apartment complex, Usagi shivered at how cold it was in the early morning, the street lights the only source of lights as she made her way towards her car. 'What time is it now?' She worriedly thought, glancing up at the star-filled sky noticing the soft pinks and oranges, revealing the first signs that the sun would soon be up taking the darkness with it.

Unlocking her car with the keyless entry, Usagi started the car turning on the heat to help remove the chill of the car. Driving onto the empty street, she glanced at the clock on her stereo, her stomach lurching, seeing it almost five-thirty. 'I need to hurry, daylight will be here soon.' She worriedly thought as she stopped at a traffic light.


Feeling her tension grow more as she drove in unnerving silence, Usagi shakily exhaled as she allowed her tears to fall, her small bout of courage gradually depleting the closer she neared the construction site. 'This is for the best, I have to prove that I'm capable of protecting myself.' She thought, not wanting to swallow her pride and ask Haruka and the others for their help. 'They would never let me live this down if they knew the enemy has my brooch.' She thought with shame.

Spotting the construction site in the distance, she blinked her tears back knowing she had to remain strong, and not allow Rend to see her fear once she faced him. 'This has to work, I just have to stay focused.' She thought with determination the light changing as she continued to drive towards the site once more.

Parking her car a block away from the construction site, Usagi shakily exhaled as she tucked her car keys into her pocket. Getting out of the car, she glanced around the empty sidewalks, noticing an alleyway she could use to transform into her disguise. Ducking into the dark alleyway, she nervously glanced around, removing the disguise pen from her pocket. Raising the small pink pin above her head, she summoned the power of the pen before calling upon its power.

"Moon Power, turn me into Eternal Sailor Moon!" Usagi called out, closing her eyes, as she could feel the warmth of the power of the pen surrounding her, changing her clothing into her sailor fuku.

Opening her eyes as the power's warmth vanished, she looked down in awe at how the disguise was identical to what she wore as Eternal Sailor Moon. "Amazing." She stated in awe, her happiness faltering momentarily when she could feel the only major difference.

Resting her hand on the fake brooch on her bow, Usagi frowned at the cool touch of the metal, not feeling the familiar warmth of the ginzuishou shielding her, protecting her from the upcoming danger. "I hope this works." She nervously muttered, knowing she would be facing Rend defenseless, without the assistance of the ginzuishou, she would be facing him as Tsukino Usagi.

Nervously exhaling, she pushed down her fear the best she could, mustering all her courage as she swiftly ran forwards from the alley running towards the construction site ready to show Rend she wasn't going to back down, not until she had her brooch back. "I can do this." She stated with fierce determination.


Standing atop of the tall crane, Rend boredly scanned the city below looking for any sign of the terran or the child. 'The coward isn't going to show.' He thought with irritation, holding his hand out as he summoned the brooch. Tightening his hold on the brooch in his anger, he abruptly turned as he heard a familiar voice shout out at him.

"How dare you take what doesn't belong to you!" Usagi announced as she stepped from the shadows revealing herself. "In the name of the moon, I will punish you!" She stated, striking her signature pose trying to pour as much confidence in her pose as she could spare, her nerves already shot as her stomach tightly twisted with fear.

"Impossible!" Rend sneered watching Eternal Sailor Moon step from the shadows and struck her pose as she glared up at him. Swiftly leaping down from the top of the crane, Rend angrily looked at the Sailor Guardian. "How is this possible?" He angrily demanded, his hold on the brooch tightening in his anger. "I have your source of power, you wretched pest!"

Forcing a laugh at the enemy's comment, Usagi looked at Rend relieved he had fallen for her guise. Feeding off the sudden boost of confidence in the success of her plan, she scoffed at his angered demand. "What you have in your hand is just a duplicate, I can easily regenerate my brooch in the event of this happening." She smugly boasted, smirking as Rend angered more at her explanation.

Watching the Guardian's movements, Rend felt his anger ease as he sensed something different about the Guardian's energy level. Feeling how weak it was compared to when he faced her the previous day at the park, he waited until she was done boasting before he spoke.

"No, it's not." Rend casually stated, with a shake of his head. Noticing fear flash in her gaze, confirming his suspicion, he chuckled as he continued to speak. "Something is off about your energy, I can sense it." He stated, noticing her smug demeanor falter slightly before she recovered the facade. "I can see through this farce of yours."

"What are you talking about?" Usagi demanded, struggling to keep her courage as she was beginning to regret her plan. "You're wrong! Do you not see that I'm Eternal Sailor Moon?" She snapped, stomping her foot in her frustration.

"No, you're not." Rend chuckled, as he tilted his head in curiosity. "I don't know how you look like her, but I can see through this lie. You're just that weak terran playing dress up." He sneered, smiling more as she took a nervous step back, briefly turning her gaze towards the exit.

'This isn't working!' Usagi thought with panic. 'I should have told someone I was here.' She thought, suddenly realizing her mistake for going alone. 'What was I thinking!' She frantically thought, tears shining in her eyes.

"Where's the child?" Rend impatiently asked. "I told you to-"

"I told you, you would never have her!" Usagi abruptly interrupted, glaring up at the man.

"Then you know what will happen, I told you my conditions." Rend said, extending his hand releasing his attack onto powerless Sailor Guardian, wanting to see if his suspicions were correct about her.

'Dammit!' Usagi thought with panic as she narrowly jumped out of the way of the attack, avoiding its destructive path. Turning her head at the sound of an explosion, she looked in shock as a large bulldozer lay in ruins, easily destroyed by the attack. 'I should have re-thought this!' She thought with panic. Nervously standing, she drew in a deep, calming breath, knowing she would need to find a better tactic if she wanted to get her brooch back.

"Why are you not fighting back?" Rend jabbed, as he wickedly chuckled at how nervous and scared the blonde looked having narrowly avoided his attack.

"I'm not wasting my energy on these pointless attacks." Usagi jeered back, then immediately regretted her words as he suddenly appeared in front of her. Taking a step back too late, she cried out in shock and pain as he suddenly had a tight hold around her throat.

"I should break your pretty little neck." Rend sneered glowering at the Sailor Guardian. Laughing at her feeble attempt to break his tight grip free from her neck, he chuckled as he teleported them atop of the crane. Seeing her eyes widen with fear, he watched as she quickly abandoned her attempts to break free, tightly clinging to him instead. "Just as I suspected." He chuckled. "You're not really in your Guardian form, are you?"

"Please...don't…" Usagi rasped, struggling to speak from the tight grip around her neck as tears streaked her cheeks. Looking into his eyes, she saw the dark gleam as he wickedly smiled at her, relishing in her fear of falling.

"What's the matter?" Rend asked, stepping closer to the edge of the crane. "Nothing to break your fall, is there?" He jeered, smiling as her eyes widened in terror and alarm as he released his hold on her.

Feeling her eyes widen in fear as Rend's grip around her neck began to loosen, Usagi released a heart-wrenching scream as the tight grip suddenly released, sending her to hurtle towards the ground below.

Knowing the impact was going to kill her, Usagi tightly shut her eyes as she felt herself hurtling to the ground below. 'Sei-chan.' She heartbrokenly thought, never noticing her body glowing in the warmth of her power as her royal insignia appeared, surrounding her in the soft white glow.

Abruptly opening her eyes to the familiar warmth, Usagi was shocked to see she was wearing her long flowing white gown. Realizing she'd transformed into Serenity, she tightly closed her eyes, focusing on the energy within her as feathered wings appeared, abruptly stopping her mid-fall.

"No!" Rend sneered, rage shining in his eyes. "Why will you not die!" Watching the royal glare up at him, as she ascended towards him, he extended his hand out to the winged woman, releasing a more powerful attack, destroying a large excavator below when she dodged the attack.

"Give me back my brooch!" Princess Serenity commanded as she watched Rend release a torrent of attacks. Dodging the majority of the attacks, Princess Serenity screamed out in pain when one of the blasts struck her shoulder, throwing her violently back onto the ground below.

Laughing as he watched the royal violently crash onto the ground below, Rend teleported to the ground below, standing a few feet from the young woman. Noticing she wasn't moving, he wickedly smiled, knowing she was probably unconscious from the force of the blow.

Nudging her with his foot, Rend chuckled as he watched her head slump slightly to the side from the forceful nudge. Taking notice of the severe burn on her shoulder as a result of his blast, he smirked as he knelt beside her. Roughly taking her chin, he forced her face forward inspecting the royal insignia on her forehead. "Who are you?" He curiously muttered not recognizing the insignia.

Releasing his forceful hold on her, Rend watched her head slump back to the side as he stood. "I'm going to have some fun with you before I kill you." He muttered as he wickedly smiled. Walking towards a stack of iron beams lying on the ground near him, he quietly sat and patiently waited for the young woman to wake so he could begin his fun.


Awaking with a start, Princess Serenity felt a moan of pain escape her lips as her mind finally caught up with her acknowledging the fiery explosion of pain in her shoulder as it throbbed and ached with searing pain.

Shakily sitting up, she hissed out in pain as her movement only made the pain worse. Forcing herself to look over at her shoulder, Serenity felt tears fill her eyes, her stomach churning as she looked in shock at how badly her shoulder was burned and charred from the attack she'd sustained from Rend. 'This is bad, I need to get out of here!' She thought with distress, her heart dropping and stomach painfully twisting in fear when she heard Rend speak.

"Finally, I was wondering when you would wake." Rend jeered, as he stood and calmly walked towards the blonde once more. "Who are you in this form?" He demanded.

"Princess Serenity of the White Moon Kingdom." Serenity proudly stated, fighting back the urge to cry out in pain as she shakily stood, glaring up at the man responsible for her injury. "I command you to return my brooch."

"You command me?" Rend asked in amusement, bursting out into laughter. "I am a mercenary, I only follow commands of the highest bidder." He stated, as he wickedly smiled at the Princess that stood before him. "You must be the one Apollo-san was sent to retrieve, I see he's not following his orders." He chuckled in amusement, smirking when he saw her shocked look.

"How do you know Apollo-chan?" Princess Serenity demanded, watching the man wickedly chuckle at her question.

"What lies has that fool told you, Princess?" Rend sneered, smirking at her questioning gaze as he slowly and cautiously grew closer to her using his words to distract her from his subtle advancements.

"That you and the others attacked Kinmoku and killed the King and Queen." Princess Serenity spat, watching Rend raise his brow a smile of amusement spreading across his lips.

"You know quite a bit, how interesting." Rend jeered, chuckling with amusement. "Do you know the reason for the fall of the Kinmoku royals?" He asked, wickedly smiling when he saw her questioning gaze. "I'm going to kill you, so it doesn't matter if you hear the truth or not." He smugly stated.

"The Kinmoku Princess, her grandfather hired me and the others to assassinate the royal family." Rend proudly boasted. "The same Kingdom, Apollo-san is trying to recruit you to protect."

"You're lying!" Princess Serenity shouted, tears shining in her eyes, taking a step back in her shock as she shook her head with disbelief.

"I'm not lying, Princess." Rend sneered. "The Kinmoku King was not meant to die that fateful day, the fool jumped in the path of Sitha's blade to spare his Queen a quick death. Our orders were to only kill the Princess, the Queen, and her cowardly Guardians."

"Why?" Princess Serenity demanded, tears streaking her cheeks. "What did Kakyuu-sama and her Guardians do to wrong your King?"

"King Draco-sama did not approve of his son's marriage." Rend spat, wickedly chuckling. "It seems you are bewitched with the Kinmoku Guardian, just as the Prince was bewitched by the Kinmoku Princess." He said watching tears shine in her eyes.

"Your King will not accept this relationship, you fool. You would be wise to surrender their whereabouts before you swear your allegiance to him and his Kingdom. The King will not be so lenient to offer a fast death as we have." He chuckled, smiling as he could see he was breaking her down emotionally. "If you do not wish to see your Kinmoku lover suffer a fate worse than death, you will allow me to offer them a quick painless death. It will not be pleasant if I return them to the King as he requested."

"I won't let you harm them!" Princess Serenity shouted, tears streaking her cheeks.

"Who will stop me? You aren't capable of defending yourself, what good are you to them?" Rend sneered watching in curiosity as she closed her eyes, clasping her hands as if in silent prayer, her royal insignia flaring with power.

Watching her extend her hand out, Rend watched in shock as the brooch he was holding suddenly surged, releasing a current of energy to crackle around the brooch causing it to fall from his grasp as he cried out in pain.

Holding his stinging hand, he looked up at the Moon Princess, rage shining in his eyes. "I don't care if you're the chosen one, you're going to pay for that, you little bitch." He sneered, watching the brooch vanish mid-drop, before appearing in her hand.

"I want to see you try now." Princess Serenity smirked, ignoring the pain in her shoulder as she raised her brooch, calling out her transformation. "Moon Eternal, Make-Up!"

Chuckling with amusement as the Princess transformed into the Sailor Guardian once more, Rend extended his hand out summoning his sword. Lunging at the Sailor Guardian, he watched her summon her tier in time as she easily deflected the attack. Noticing her wince in pain as she blocked the blow of his sword, he knew he could use her shoulder injury to his advantage in the fight.

Continuously lunging and striking, Rend smirked in enjoyment as the Sailor Guardian was struggling to keep up with his swift, powerful blows. "What's the matter?" He jeered, noticing her panic increase with each blow. "You should give up." He taunted.

"I don't give up!" Eternal Sailor Moon stubbornly shouted, trying to ignore the painful, crippling throb she felt as her shoulder was jarred by each blow she was able to block from Rend's sword, as she continued to block strike after strike.

Smiling as her moves were becoming more delayed as she became fatigued, Rend wickedly chuckled as he increased his blows, waiting for an opportune moment to strike. Seeing she left herself open as she raised her arms to block another blow of his sword, he wickedly smiled, angling the sword as he brought it down in one swift move, the blade slicing into her side where she left herself vulnerable for the attack.

Wickedly laughing at her agonizing scream as his sword sliced into her side, he watched her tier clatter to the ground, as she clutched the jagged cut along her waistline. Chuckling in amusement as she dropped to her knees, he watched as tears streaked her cheeks, her shocked gaze meeting his. "I told you, I would make you pay." He jeered as he brought his foot down in a crushing blow against her hand as she began to reach for her tier. Looking down at her with a dark, wicked glint in his eyes as her pained screams echoed amongst the silent construction site, he felt a smile spread across his lips satisfied by her screams.

Feeling an agonizing scream escape her lips as Rend crushed her wrist under the weight of his boot, she fought past the overwhelming need to blackout, her stomach churning as she felt and heard the sickening snap of her wrist breaking under the crushing blow of his boot. "Stop!" She begged, tears streaking her cheeks, as a choked sob escaped her lips as the heel of his boot dug further into her broken wrist.

Cradling her broken wrist against her chest as soon as he lifted his foot, Eternal Sailor Moon cut her eyes up at him as she felt anger rising within her. "Y-You're going t-to pay for that." She threatened, her voice wavering as she fought back her tears not wanting to show him how much pain she was truly in.

"You still think you're going to stop me?" Rend mocked, as he laughed at the Sailor Guardian's foolish notion of thinking she would be able to stop him. "You're going to regret your decision for not bringing me the child." He jeered as he stepped menacingly closer towards her.


Tiredly yawning as he pressed the small button on the coffee maker, Yaten groggily rubbed his face as he leaned against the counter listening to the welcoming sounds of the coffee brewing. Smiling as the room began to fill with the rich aroma, he walked towards the fridge, removing the creamer.

Grabbing two cups from the cupboard, he knew Usagi would soon be joining him since she was normally up around the same time as him. Glancing at the clock on the microwave he saw that it was almost seven o'clock. Hearing the soft click of the coffee maker, he turned to lift the coffee pot as he prepared himself a cup of coffee.

Sitting down at the table, Yaten stifled a yawn, taking notice of one of Usagi's spirals sitting in the center of the table. Scooting the spiral out of the way, he turned his gaze out the balcony's glass door, looking out at the early morning sky tinted in pinks and oranges, the early morning rays shining into the apartment. Taking a sip of the hot beverage, he turned his head at the sound of footsteps approaching. "Morning, Usagi-chan." He greeted, then turned in surprise when his brother spoke instead.

"Morning, Yaten-chan." Taiki muttered as he tiredly walked into the kitchen, a yawn escaping his lips. Grabbing the extra cup off the counter, he stifled another yawn as he prepared himself a cup of coffee. "Usagi-chan must still be asleep." He muttered, taking a sip of the hot liquid, sitting to the right of his brother.

"You're up early." Yaten teased, noticing his brother seemed deep in thought about something.

"I had trouble sleeping, I kept getting this uneasy feeling early this morning." Taiki responded, looking down at the cup of coffee sitting in front of him with a deep frown, unable to figure out what had caused the sudden unease.

"I did too." Yaten quietly stated, running a hand through his unkempt hair. "I don't know what could be causing this uneasiness."

"I don't know either." Taiki murmured as he tiredly sighed. "I wonder why Usagi-chan isn't awake yet? Normally you two are already arguing about something by now." He stated in mirth, watching Yaten smile at the comment.

"I can't help it, if she doesn't want to accept when I'm right about something." Yaten smugly stated, lifting his cup to his lips as he took another drink of his coffee.

Smiling at his brother's smug reply, Taiki glanced over as he could hear their Princess shuffle in her bed, her soft yawns and groggy murmurs escaping her lips as she began to stir from her slumber. After a few moments, he could hear the shuffling of her feet as she quickly made her way towards Seiya and Usagi's bedroom.

"I'll get her." Yaten stated, chuckling with amusement as he stood. "I don't want her to disturb Usagi-chan, she must be exhausted since she's not awake yet."

"Or she's preoccupied with something else." Taiki casually stated, hearing Yaten chuckle more at his comment.

"We definitely don't want the Princess seeing that." Yaten chuckled, scooping the toddler into his arms before she could make it down the hall. Carrying her back towards the kitchen, he heard her soft whimper as she reached back in the direction of the bedroom.

"My Usa-chan!" Kikyo wailed as tears began to streak her cheeks. "Down, Ten-chan! DOWN!" She bellowed, as she loudly began to wail for the blonde. "Usa-chan!"

"Your Usa-chan is still sleeping." Yaten snapped, sighing in exasperation as their Princess began one of her infamous temper tantrums. "Are you hungry?" He asked, hoping to divert her tantrum to the enticement of food. "Perhaps some pancakes for breakfast?" He asked, watching the toddler immediately sober up from her tantrum, and happily smile at the mention of her favorite food.

"Cakes!" Kikyo happily stated, an excited smile replacing her grumpy demeanor.

"Alright, pancakes it is." Yaten chuckled as he carried the toddler towards the kitchen. "Your Usa-chan has spoiled you rotten." He muttered, smiling when he heard the bedroom door open moments later. "Sounds like you succeeded in waking your Usa-chan." He chuckled, lowering the toddler from his arms. "Go see her, you little pain." He instructed, watching the toddler happily rush in the direction of the hall and he continued in the direction of the kitchen to prepare breakfast.


Dragging herself across the ground with her uninjured hand, Eternal Sailor Moon forced herself to push past her pain, knowing she couldn't give in to the pain or her exertion. 'A little further!' Her mind urged, as she shakily brought herself to raise up onto her knees in search of her tier. Spotting her weapon, she felt a small smile tug at the corner of her swollen, split lip. "Don't stop." She muttered, in a feeble attempt to give herself the motivation to keep pushing forwards.

"Where do you think you're going?" Rend chuckled in amusement, appearing behind the Guardian with a light chuckle. Bringing his foot down in one swift blow, he slammed the heel of his boot into the center of her back, her scream of pain bringing a smile to his lips. "I told you we weren't finished." He sneered, watching in disappointment as she remained lying on the ground, her face buried against the ground. "Have you finally given up?" He jeered, chuckling as he walked forwards.

Crying out from the force of the blow, Eternal Sailor Moon roughly collapsed forwards, her head striking the ground. 'I can't take much more of this.' She bitterly thought, her body radiating pain as she fought to stay conscious. 'Sei-chan.' She heartbrokenly thought, trying to seek him through their link to feel their soul bond one last time.

Unable to connect to their bond, she felt her tears fall knowing the connection was still new, not yet strong enough to reach out to him from such a distance. 'I love you.' She heartbrokenly thought, wishing she could have felt the warmth and love one more through their shared bond.

Burying her face against the ground in defeat, Eternal Sailor Moon allowed her tears of anguish to silently fall as her mind urged her to run and flee, her body no longer possessing the strength or will to comply. 'I have to finish this, I can't let him hurt them.' She stubbornly thought knowing Rend would only continue his pursuit for Kikyo and the Starlight's if she did not stop him once and for all.

Feeling him roughly jerk her up by her hair, Eternal Sailor Moon screamed out in pain as he blasted her forward once more with his attack. Tightly closing her eyes, bracing herself as she hurtled forwards, she cried out at the intense pain, as she slammed into one of the support beams of the building that was being erected on the site.

'I- I can't do this anymore!' Eternal Sailor Moon thought in defeat, knowing her body couldn't withstand many more hits from Rend. No longer having any other choice, she swallowed her pride summoning her communicator. Forcing herself to sit on her knees, she drew in a shaky breath, her lungs burning and aching in protest from her broken ribs. Looking down at the small pink device, her vision blurring, she grew frustrated as she struggled to hold and press the distress button with her uninjured hand. 'You don't have a choice!' Her mind urged. 'If you don't do this, he'll kill you!'

Not knowing how much time she had before Rend would strike again, Eternal Sailor Moon let a soft sigh in relief escape her lips as she managed to finally press the small panic button on the communicator. Not knowing who would answer first, she felt a wave of relief wash over her when seeing Michiru appear on the small screen. Watching her friend's calm expression immediately turned to shock at the sight of her, she felt tears well in her eyes at the worry and panic in her friend's voice.

"Usagi-chan! What happened?!" Michiru cried out in shock at the sight of her battered Princess. "Where are you?" She demanded, her heart sinking and stomach tightly twisting at the sight of her injured friend.

Feeling tears streak her cheeks, Eternal Sailor Moon desperately looked at her friend on the screen as she tearfully spoke. "I need help." She tearfully pleaded. "Please Michiru-chan, I'm at-"

"Tell me where you are!" Michiru urged, then cried out as her friend's demeanor suddenly changed, shock maring her face before the communicator slipped from her friend's grasp giving her the view of the ground as the device clattered to the ground below. "USAGI-CHAN!"

Feeling the communicator slide from her hand dropping to the ground below with a small clatter, Eternal Sailor Moon looked down with shock seeing the blade of Rend's sword protruding through her just below her sternum.

"Usagi?! Answer me! Where are you?!" Michiru's panicked demand echoed as the communicator dropped to the ground. "Haruka-chan, we need to go now!" She shouted as she alerted the others.

Looking up at Rend in disbelief, Eternal Sailor Moon felt a soft moan of pain escape her lips as the sword was roughly jerked from the wound. Clutching the new wound as tears streaked her cheeks, she could taste the coppery tang of blood in her mouth as she remained hunched over, her hand tightly covering the wound, unable to stop the steady flow of blood as her gloves and uniform stained redder with each passing moment.

"You're pathetic, a weak excuse for a Sailor Guardian." Rend sneered, as he extended his hand, preparing the final blow. Watching her look up at him, he was surprised to not see fear but anger shining in her eyes. "Such a fire you possess, not backing down no matter how much you've been knocked down." He jeered, an amused chuckle escaping his lips. "No matter, your time is limited now, you will slowly bleed out and I will enjoy watching you draw your final breath as the light leaves your eyes."

"No…" Eternal Sailor Moon weakly stated, tears streaking her cheeks as she felt a weak smile tug at the corner of her lips. "Y- you will die with me." She stated through short gasps, using the last of her strength to raise her hand and brush her fingers over her brooch.

Tightly closing her eyes, she used the last of her power to summon her ginzuishou, its warm energy pulsating around her as it was released from the safety of her brooch. "Silver Moon...Crystal Power!" She weakly shouted, pushing the last of her strength and power into the attack as a powerful blast of energy expelled from the ginzuishou surrounding both her and Rend.

"No!" Rend angrily shouted watching in shock as the warm energy burst forth from the small gem consuming him and the Guardian completely. Shouting out in pain, he angrily looked at the Sailor Guardian one last time before he was consumed by the intensely bright light of the attack. "Damn you!"

"Kikyo-chan...you-you're finally safe." Eternal Sailor Moon murmured, before weakly slumping forwards onto the ground the ginzuishou still held tightly in her hand, its once bright and vibrant exterior a dull hull of what it once was. Closing her eyes, she allowed her tears to streak her cheeks as darkness quickly began to consume her. "It's done…"


"Tai-chan!" Kikyo happily greeted her Guardian, as she and Seiya entered the kitchen. Happily running towards the balcony door as Seiya lowered her from his arms, she excitedly slapped her hands against the glass door startling some small birds away. "Birds!" She excitedly shouted.

"Kikyo-sama, you should be nicer to those poor birds." Taiki chided the child, smiling when she turned to look up at him with her innocent gaze.

"Taiki-chan is right, they're going to hold a grudge against you." Seiya chuckled, as he filled his cup with coffee.

"Is Usagi-chan, still sleeping?" Taiki asked, taking a sip of his coffee trying to hide his smile when Yaten made his usual comment.

"Usagi-chan must be exhausted, after what you did to her last night." Yaten teased, prompting a blush from his brother. "You two can be so damn loud." He muttered, smiling more as his brother turned a deeper shade of red from the comment.

"I'm sure Kikyo-sama will wake her, if-" Taiki stated, his brother interrupting him before he could get another jibe in.

"What do you mean, Odango was up before me." Seiya stated, abandoning his coffee as his stomach nervously twisted. "Is she not here?" He demanded, watching his brothers both look at him with shock and disbelief.

"No, we thought she was still in the bedroom with you." Taiki responded, turning to look at his brother only to accidentally knock his coffee cup over as he turned. "Damn." He cursed, watching in regret as the coffee was quickly pooling under Usagi's notebook. "She's going to kill me." He muttered, frantically looking for something to dry the spill. "I need something to dry this, it's going to ruin her notes." He ushered, moving aside as Yaten quickly stepped forwards to clean the spill.

"Here let me get it." Yaten stated, grabbing a dishtowel and rushing forward to save his friend's notes. Patting the spiral dry from the dripping liquid, he carefully turned the spiral over, his stomach nervously twisting when seeing the note Usagi had left for them on the table. "Damn her!" He cried out as he read her words. 'Why didn't I see this sooner.' He angrily thought, his guilt consuming him, knowing he had nonchalantly tossed the spiral aside that morning not giving it a second glance.

"What is it, Yaten?" Seiya demanded, quickly walking to where his brother stood. Taking the spiral from his brother's tight grip, he felt his stomach knot with apprehension as he saw his girlfriend's handwriting on the spiral. "No." He gasped, dropping the spiral as he felt an unimaginable wave of fear crash down on him. "I- I have to find her!" He cried out, running from the kitchen to get his transformation brooch from the bedroom.

Walking towards the fallen notebook, Taiki silently lifted the spiral from the floor, his breath catching as he looked down in shock at the message their friend had left for them. "No, she- she can't do this alone." He stammered in his disbelief as he read her message once more.

I'm getting my brooch back from Rend, I have to do this alone. Don't worry, I'll be careful, I promise. -Usagi


Leaping from rooftop to rooftop, Sailor Neptune stopped as she caught a glimpse of a bright energy expelling in the distance. 'No!' She thought with panic, recognizing the source of energy as the ginzuishou. "Princess." She gasped as she swiftly ran forwards, leaping across the rooftops of buildings. 'I need to hurry, she could be hurt!' Her mind urged as she pushed herself to run faster.

Nearing a construction site, Sailor Neptune leapt from the final rooftop gracefully landing atop of a street light preparing to jump over the tall fence that blocked the site from public entry. Standing in shock at the extensive damage that had laid waste to the construction site, she pushed her uneasiness aside as she leapt from the street light.

Gracefully leaping over the tall fence, she quietly landed inside the site, immediately taking notice of a destroyed bulldozer. Staying alert, she kept her senses on high alert, anticipating she would be walking into a trap. "Where is she?" She worriedly muttered, taking notice of a pile of beams, as she caught a glimpse of something metallic reflecting under the early morning sunlight. Gasping in shock when spotting Eternal Sailor Moon's tier lying near the pile of beams, she ran towards the tier, kneeling down and lifting the abandoned weapon from the ground. 'She must be nearby.' She worriedly thought, tears shining in her eyes, her stomach dropping at the sight of her friend's dried blood on the weapon.

Glancing around the site, Sailor Neptune felt unimaginable fear grip her, her stomach tightly twisting as she caught sight of her Princess. Feeling the tier slip from her hands, she stood in shock at the sight of Eternal Sailor Moon lying face down, motionless on the ground. "No." She gasped, pushing herself to run as fast as she could to where her friend lay.

Reaching her Princess in a matter of moments, Sailor Neptune dropped to her knees, resting a shaky hand against the center of Eternal Sailor Moon's back, trying to feel for any signs of breaths. "Eternal Sailor Moon, can you hear me?" She tearfully asked silence her only answer. "Usagi-chan, please wake up. Please we need you, don't do this to us." She tearfully urged, seeing how pale and bruised their friend's face was. "What did he do to you?" She tearfully asked, carefully rolling her friend onto her back. Gasping out in shock, she covered her mouth, shaken when seeing the painful wounds her friend had sustained during her fight. "You stubborn fool, you shouldn't have done this alone." She angrily stated, tears streaking her cheeks. Knowing her friend was too injured to move, she summoned her communicator knowing Sailor Saturn was needed to tend to their friend's wounds.

Summoning her communicator, Sailor Neptune wiped away the tears from her cheeks as she swiftly pressed a small garnet button, moments later watching Sailor Pluto appear on the screen.

"Have you found her?" Sailor Pluto worriedly asked, seeing the distress in her friend's gaze. "What is it?" She urged.

"She's hurt Sailor Pluto, I need Sailor Saturn here now." Sailor Neptune pleaded, her eyes glistening with tears as she struggled to keep her tears at bay.

"Where are you, Sailor Neptune?" Sailor Pluto demanded, glancing over towards Sailor Saturn to see worry shining in the teen's eyes, her gaze turning back to the communicator as Sailor Neptune spoke.

"I'm at the construction site near the Starlight Tower." Sailor Neptune responded, sighing in relief as Sailor Pluto spoke.

"We're not far from there, we'll be there shortly." Sailor Pluto responded, her voice eerily calm, her eyes betraying her calm exterior, already shining with tears before the communication ended.

Alright, please hurry." Sailor Neptune urged, lowering the communicator as soon as the screen went dark. Drawing in a deep shaky breath, she closed her eyes trying to contain her emotions as she prepared to contact Sailor Uranus.

Lifting the communicator once more, she pressed the small navy blue button, after a few moments, she watched Sailor Uranus appear on the screen. "Ruka-chan, I found her." She attempted to calmly state, her voice wavering slightly at the end. "She's hurt, I've contacted Sailor Pluto, she and Sailor Saturn are on their way now to tend to her wounds." She explained, struggling to keep her tears back, as Sailor Uranus demanded her location. "I'm at a construction site near the Starlight Tower." She calmly responded, watching Sailor Uranus nod before the screen went dark.

Resting the communicator down onto the ground next to her, Sailor Neptune gently caressed her friend's cheek allowing her tears to finally fall in a steady flow. "What were you thinking, fighting alone? You should have called us sooner." She demanded, feeling her grief turn to anger. "Why?! Why must you be so stubborn?" She angrily demanded, her body tensing as she sensed a new presence appear.

Abruptly standing at the new presence, Sailor Neptune nervously glanced around the site, fearing the enemy had returned for their Princess. 'I won't let that bastard take you.' She angrily thought as she summoned her talisman, ready to defend her Princess with her life. "Where are you?!" She demanded, growing more at unease when the unknown presence refused to reveal themselves. "Enough! Show yourself, you coward!" She angrily shouted, her grip tightening on her talisman.


"Where is she?" Sailor Uranus worriedly muttered as she clenched her fists at her side trying to push down the feelings of dread that were causing her stomach to painfully twist. Scanning the area from the rooftop she was standing on, she kept her eye out for any sign of a fight. 'If anything happens to her.' She worriedly thought, her stomach tightly twisting at the thought of losing their Princess.

Sensing movement, Sailor Uranus turned her head, her jaw angrily clenching when seeing Sailor Star Fighter leaping from the rooftop across the street from hers, not yet taking notice of her. "Damn her, why did she not stop Neko-chan?" She angrily seethed, not understanding why the three men who occupied her friend's apartment had allowed Usagi to leave and face the enemy on her own. 'You're not worthy of her.' She angrily thought, not caring if Mamoru had commanded them to not interfere with Usagi's choice. 'He's not my Prince any longer, I only take orders from Neko-chan.' She angrily thought, her clenched fists glowing as she summoned her attack.

"World Shaking!"

Angering more as the Sailor Starlight easily dodged the attack, Sailor Uranus summoned her talisman next, tightly clutching the sword as she charged the Starlight. "Why?!" She angrily shouted, tears shining in her eyes as she brought her talisman down in one swift blow, narrowly missing Sailor Star Fighter. "Why did you allow her to fight alone?" She angrily demanded, her rage keeping her unfocused on the fight.

"I didn't let her leave! She left sometime during the night when we were sleeping!" Sailor Star Fighter angrily shouted back, as she narrowly dodged another blow from Sailor Uranus' sword. "If I had known, I would have stopped her!" She insisted, tears shining in her eyes. "Please! We're wasting time by doing this!" She urged, not wanting to waste any more time on the erratic sandy-haired blonde.

"You're lying! All you care about is your own Princess!" Sailor Uranus sneered, as she extended her arm, summoning her attack once more. "World Shaking!"

"Star Serious Laser!"

Crying out as she was roughly thrown back from the force of two attacks colliding, Sailor Star Fighter shakily stood, gasping as Sailor Uranus was suddenly in front of her. Groaning out in pain as Sailor Uranus brought her fist up into her abdomen, she weakly dropped to her knees as the breath was knocked from her.

Clutching her stomach, Sailor Star Fighter coughed and wheezed as she struggled to get her breaths back before Sailor Uranus could make another move while she was down. "Why...why are you doing this?" She angrily demanded, glaring up at the volatile Guardian. "We should be looking for Odango, not fighting one another!"

"We shouldn't have to be searching for her in the first place!" Sailor Uranus sneered, glaring down at the Sailor Starlight with hate and distrust. "I don't know what you said or did, but her future is gone because of you! We spent years tirelessly trying to protect the timeline to ensure Crystal Tokyo would be erected and-"

"I did nothing to persuade her! She made the choice to be with me! She chose me, over Mamoru-san!" Sailor Star Fighter shouted back, angrily glaring up at Sailor Uranus. "I'm not going anywhere, not unless she tells me otherwise." She sneered, watching Sailor Uranus only anger more at her words.

"We will make sure you leave this planet!" Sailor Uranus angrily swore. "You're not welcomed here, you will never be-"

::Beep Beep::

::Beep Beep::

Summoning her communicator as it began to beep, Sailor Uranus watched Sailor Neptune appear on the small screen. "Did you find her?" She demanded, her stomach dropping when seeing how distraught Sailor Neptune was, the anguish in her lover's tear-filled eyes. "Where are you?" She demanded, silently nodding as Sailor Neptune tearfully gave her the location. "I'll be right there, stay with her. Try to keep her conscious until Sailor Saturn and Sailor Pluto reach you." She commanded, swiftly leaping from the rooftop leaving Sailor Star Fighter alone.

"Damn you!" Sailor Star Fighter angrily snapped, as she swiftly went in pursuit of Sailor Uranus who already placed a reasonable amount of distance between them. 'I'm coming for you, Odango, please be alright.' She worriedly thought as tears filled her deep blue eyes. 'I won't let them keep us apart, not this time.'


"I can't believe she would take off like that." Yaten muttered in frustration as he continued to pace the living room, trying to ease his anger and apprehension. "Perhaps I should go out and help look for her."

"No, we need to stay here with the Princess in case it's a trap." Taiki insisted, adjusting his headset awaiting any new information from Sailor Star Fighter. "Her Guardians are looking as well, Fighter said she spotted Sailor Pluto and Sailor Saturn while she was searching." He reminded his brother, watching Yaten nod as his agitation only grew with each passing moment.

"I don't like this, I just have a bad feeling." Yaten grumbled as he exhaled in frustration. "She knows how dangerous this enemy is, why would she go alone?" He snapped.

"I don't know." Taiki quietly responded, shaking his head in frustration, gently lifting Kikyo from where she was perched on his lap. Sitting her onto the seat next to him on the couch, he stood, needing to find something to help busy his mind as they awaited any news about their missing friend. "Seiya-san will find her, then you can lecture her all you want when they get home." He stated, trying to lighten his brother's mood.

"I should give her a swift kick in the ass for pulling this stunt." Yaten muttered, abruptly turning when hearing a knock on the door. "About time." He sighed, rushing towards the door, expecting Seiya and Usagi. "You damn baka, you-" He snapped, his words cutting off when seeing Yumiko standing on the other side. "What do you want?" He sneered, glaring at the blonde.

"Good morning to you as well, Yaten-san." Yumiko responded in mirth, wondering why he already was receiving such hostility so early in the morning from the Kinmoku Guardian. "Is Usagi-chan awake, I need to-"

"She's not here, she took off sometime this morning to face Rend." Yaten spat, watching Yumiko look at him with shock.

"What?" Yumiko incredulously asked. "Dammit, do you know where she is?"

"No, her Guardians and Star Fighter are looking for her now." Yaten explained, seeing the worry and panic in the blonde's eyes as he tried to remain calm, silently nodding his head to the information.

"I'll find her, I'm going to assist in the search." Yumiko swore, closing his eyes as his clothing melded into his armor.

"Bring her home if you find her." Yaten demanded, watching the Celestial Warrior silently nod.

"I promise, I'll bring her straight here." Apollo swore as his armor appeared, abruptly vanishing from where he stood to go in search of his missing friend.

'Please be alright, I don't think Seiya-chan will survive this if he loses you.' Yaten desperately thought, as he abruptly shut the door his worry only increased more for his missing friend.


'Is she purposely trying to lose me?' Sailor Star Fighter thought with annoyance as she tried to keep up with Sailor Uranus. 'She knows where Odango is, I'm not letting you outrun me!' She thought with fierce determination, knowing she had to find Usagi. 'Please be alright, I will never forgive myself if anything happened.' She desperately thought, shaking her head to clear her thoughts knowing she had to keep her focus on Sailor Uranus and not lose sight of the sandy-haired Guardian.

Noticing Sailor Uranus abruptly stop, Sailor Star Fighter immediately stopped, tense, but readying herself in case Sailor Uranus was preparing another attack on her. Watching in shock as two energies collided in the distance, she recognized one of the energies as Sailor Neptune, the other a familiar energy. "Is that..." She trailed off suspecting the counter-attack came from Apollo.

Noticing Sailor Uranus swiftly rushing forward once more, Sailor Star Fighter hurried forwards as well, no longer needing to keep up with Sailor Uranus, now knowing where she would find Usagi. Pushing herself to run faster, she leapt forwards from rooftop to rooftop, no longer caring that Sailor Uranus was soon out of sight. 'How does she run so fast?' She thought with awe, knowing the Sailor Guardian was exceptionally fast.

Spotting a construction site in the distance, she pressed her hand against her communicator, Taiki's voice soon responding. "I think I found her, Taiki-chan."

"Where is she?" Taiki urged, shushing his brother when Yaten tried to speak.

"There was an attack in the distance. I think Apollo-san and Sailor Neptune are facing off." Sailor Star Fighter responded, hearing Taiki sigh out in annoyance.

"Of course they are,-" Taiki muttered, shaking his head in annoyance. "-those two always attack first, ask last."

"Tell me about it." Sailor Star Fighter muttered, angering at the thought of the same tactic Sailor Uranus had used on her earlier.

"Yumiko-san was here earlier, he told us he would bring Usagi-chan to the apartment if he finds her." Taiki stated, hearing Sailor Star Fighter softly sigh before she spoke. "Don't intervene, let him bring Usagi-chan here if she's injured. The others will only interfere if he tries to help in their presence."

"I won't interfere, I should be there shortly, I'll update you again as soon as I find her." Sailor Star Fighter responded, smiling at Taiki's words knowing she wouldn't have hesitated to attack Apollo as well if Yumiko had not confessed who he really was.

"Bring her home and be careful." Taiki urged before the communication ended.

"I will." Sailor Star Fighter stated as she ended the communication. Pushing herself to run faster, she felt her stomach lurch as a heavy feeling invaded her senses, pressing down on her chest, leaving a dull empty ache. 'Something's wrong, why can't I still feel her through our link?' She thought with apprehension, unable to shake the ominous feeling that something bad had happened.


Summoning her talisman, Sailor Neptune stood ready to face the threat, willing to lay down her life to defend her Princess. "Where are you?!" She demanded, growing more at unease when the unknown presence refused to reveal themselves. "Enough! Show yourself, you coward!" She angrily shouted, her grip tightening on her talisman.

"It's just me." Apollo calmly stated as he teleported nearby, staying at a safe distance for the moment, anticipating the Guardian to respond with hostility. Feeling his heart drop at the sight of his friend, he felt tears begin to streak his cheeks as he stood in stunned silence. "You promised." He murmured in his shock, remembering his friend's words so clearly the day before.

(Flashback)

"Usagi-chan, you need to be careful around this threat." Yumiko cautioned, frowning at his friend's attempt to play off the injuries she'd sustained in the fight. "You're lucky your injuries were not life-threatening."

"I'm alright, Yumiko-chan." Usagi insisted, raising her head to look into her friend's worried gaze.

"Usagi-chan, whatever your planning, let me help you, I don't want you to get hurt." Yumiko implored, watching his friend look at him with surprise before she stubbornly smiled at him to conceal her surprise.

"I'm not going to get hurt, I know what I need to do." Usagi responded, hearing his gentle sigh before he silently nodded his head.

"I am your appointed Guardian, Usagi-chan, I'm sworn to protect you, until you command me otherwise." Yumiko stated, taking her hand into his as he brought her hand to his lips placing a gentle kiss onto the back of her hand. "I don't want to see you get hurt, what kind of protector would I be?" He asked, smiling at her response.

"You're doing a wonderful job, my friend. I know I'm a handful, I've always been a handful, even to my Guardians." Usagi admitted, watching Yumiko smile at her words. "I'll be alright, I promise." She assured him, tightening her hold on his hand that was still holding onto hers.

Smiling at her promise and reassurances, Yumiko gently sighed before releasing his hold on her hand as he silently stood. "I'm going to see if I can find Rend, if I do, I'll get your brooch back, I swear it."He promised, watching her tearfully shake her head, fear, and concern in her gaze.

"No." Usagi tearfully insisted, watching her friend look at her with surprise. "Please don't do this alone, I don't want you to get hurt." She pleaded, tears shining in her eyes knowing she couldn't have anyone around when she faced Rend. "I want to go with you if you find him."She stated instead, hoping to avoid more suspicion from her friend by the plea.

"You're defenseless right now, Usagi-chan, it would be far too dangerous for you to face off against him." Yumiko insisted, watching his friend stubbornly shake her head.

"It's my brooch, I have to get it back." Usagi stubbornly insisted. "This is my fight, not yours."

"So you are up to something?" Yumiko observed, watching his friend abruptly look at him with surprise. "You are, aren't you?" He asked in shock.

"No, of course not." Usagi nervously responded, forcing a scoff as she waved away his accusation.

"You're a terrible liar." Yumiko chuckled, watching his friend scowl at his comment.

"I am not." Usagi quipped, smiling when Yumiko raised his brow at her in amusement.

"Please Usagi-chan, please don't do anything without me to assist." Yumiko pleaded, growing serious as he rested his hands against her shoulders looking into her surprised gaze. "I will form a plan that will get us closer to retrieving your brooch, until then, please try to stay out of trouble. Rend is a dangerous mercenary, he will not show mercy to those who stand in the way of his orders."

"I promise" Usagi quietly responded, growing uneasy as her friend looked into her gaze searching for the truth in her words. "I'll see you tomorrow, I- I'll get my Guardian's involved only if the plan requires their assistance." She instructed, watching Yumiko nod in acceptance.

"Tomorrow then." Yumiko responded, looking at his friend with a grateful smile before he vanished from the bedroom.

(End of Flashback)

'Damn you, I won't let you fool me like this again.' Apollo angrily thought, closing his eyes as he focused on his energy. Teleporting closer, he watched Sailor Neptune tense, her hold tightening on the mirror she was holding. "I can heal her, let me pass." He calmly spoke, angering as Sailor Neptune grew more rigid and defensive as he approached.

"No!" Sailor Neptune sternly shouted. "I won't let you touch her, Sailor Saturn is on her way to heal her." She insisted, watching the blonde scowl at her warning.

"She's not going to make it in time if you make her wait!" Apollo urged, sensing his friend's life force was quickly fading. "Please, allow me to heal her." He pleaded, watching her direct the mirror towards him, readying her attack.

"I said, stop!" Sailor Neptune warned, glaring at the outsider. "You're not really from our planet, where are you from?" She demanded. "Are you from Kinmoku as well?"

"She doesn't have time for this!" Apollo angrily shouted, angry that his friend's Guardian was trying to distract him to allot more time for the others to arrive. "Her life force is fading, I need to save her!"

"I already told you, Sailor Saturn will tend to her!" Sailor Neptune stubbornly shouted back.

"It will be too late by then!" Apollo responded back, angrily clenching his fists at his side with frustration. "You will risk her dying, by forcing her to wait! When I can help her now!"

"You're not from our realm." Sailor Neptune spat, glaring at the blonde. "You're not to be trusted until you prove yourself trustworthy!"

"Yet you're allowing your Princess to live with four outsiders." Apollo jeered back, his fists clenching in his anger as he glared at the Sailor Guardian.

"They have proved themselves to be allies." Sailor Neptune calmly responded, watching the young man scoffed at her response. "Who are you really? How do you know so much?" She demanded.

"I'm her appointed Guardian, I have sworn to protect the Guardian of the Cosmos." Apollo responded, a smug smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth when watching Sailor Neptune gasp at his words as she narrowed her eyes at him more with suspicion.

"Lies! She is not this Guardian you speak of, what else have you been telling her?" Sailor Neptune angrily demanded, glancing towards her Princess then back to the armor-clad warrior. "Show me who you really are?!"

"My real name is Apollo, my King sent me to this realm to our Champion home, where she belongs." Apollo calmly explained, his brow smugly raised as he continued. "I plan to return Usagi-chan home, where she will accept her role as Sailor Cosmos and awaken as the legendary Guardian of the Cosmos."

"No! We won't let you take her from us!" Sailor Neptune angrily shouted, stancing as she pointed her talisman at him. "She will never-"

"You have no say in this Guardian!" Apollo sneered, interrupting Sailor Neptune's protests. "It will be her choice if she will leave with me or not, not yours!"

"She's not going anywhere with you!" Sailor Neptune angrily swore, channeling her power into her talisman as she shouted her attack. "Submarine Reflection!"

Extending his hand, Apollo easily deflected the attack before vanishing from where he stood. Appearing behind Sailor Neptune, he grabbed onto the unsuspecting Guardian before she could react, teleporting them both away from Eternal Sailor Moon.

Appearing a safe distance from where he left his friend laying, Apollo raised his hand at Sailor Neptunes back releasing his attack onto the Sailor Guardian, her body hurtling forwards from the force of the blast. "I'm sorry, but I must help my friend." He angrily stated, teleporting to where Eternal Sailor Moon still lay, her life force holding on by a thread. 'Don't give up, Usagi-chan. Please keep fighting, I can't lose you.' He desperately thought, dropping to his knees as he reached his friend.

Screaming out in pain at the sudden attack, Sailor Neptune cried out as she roughly struck the side of a cement truck. Crumpling to the ground, she felt her vision blurring as she weakly looked up to see Apollo kneel beside Eternal Sailor Moon. "Get- get away from her!" She weakly shouted, before collapsing onto the ground unconscious.

"Usagi-chan." Apollo gently stated as he dropped to his knees beside Eternal Sailor Moon. "Why didn't you call for me?" He asked, gently caressing her pale cheek. Resting his hand over the wound below her sternum, he closed his eyes focusing on his power.

Feeling his power weaving through his friend, mending the internal damage done by Rend's blade, he could feel the tedious process begin to mend the extensive damage of the wound. Furrowing his brows as his head began to pound from the energy he was pouring into the wound, he kept his eyes tightly shut not wanting to break his focus on the life-threatening wound. "Please don't die on me. You have so much more awaiting you." He pleaded, tiredly opening his eyes to see the wound had successfully mended, leaving a dark red scar against her delicate flesh

Brushing his fingers over the fresh scar, he tearfully smiled as he inspected her body for which wound would need the most attention next. Soon resting his hand over the deep jagged cut along her waistline, he winced as he could see exposed muscle, blood still oozing from the garish wound. "After this is done, I'm not letting you out of my sight." He snapped, now understanding why her Guardian's were so overbearing and protective of his friend. "You would have died, to spare any of us from being hurt or worse." He softly stated, briefly smiling at his friend's selfless act. "You truly are meant to be the savior of the Cosmos." He murmured, pressing his hand over the jagged cut. Closing his eyes, he poured his energy into the deep, jagged cut, beginning the process of carefully mending the wound closed.

Ignoring his fatigue and the pounding of his head as he raised his hand from the fresh scar along her waistline, Apollo pushed past his exhaustion knowing he still needed to tend to the burn on her shoulder. "Usagi-chan, can you hear me?"


Frowning when she didn't give any kind of response to his words, Apollo gently caressed her cheek, looking down at her with worry. "Why won't you wake?" He worriedly asked, brushing his thumb against her bruised, swollen lip. "You shouldn't have gone through this alone." He guiltily stated, tensing and looking up as he sensed a new presence approaching.

"Get away from her!" Sailor Uranus angrily sneered, gracefully leaping down from the infrastructure of the building.

"What happened?" Sailor Star Fighter demanded as she appeared moments later running forwards in her panic. "Is she alright, Apollo-san?" She desperately asked, pausing her steps as Apollo carefully lifted Eternal Sailor Moon into his arms.

"I'm taking her home, it's safe to move her now, I need to tend to her other injuries." Apollo insisted, gently lifting his friend into his arms.

"You're not taking her anywhere!" Sailor Uranus sneered, glaring at the man. "Who are you?!"

"It's Yumiko-san." Sailor Star Fighter snapped with an exasperated sigh, watching Sailor Uranus look at her with anger.

"You knew!" Sailor Uranus angrily accused.

"Not until yesterday, after the attack at the park." Sailor Star Fighter stated, sheepishly smiling as the Outer Guardian turned her murderous gaze onto her.

"There was an attack?!" Sailor Uranus nearly shrieked, seething in her anger. "Were you not planning to tell us this?!"

"How could we?!" Sailor Star Fighter spat back in frustration. "You were giving Odango the cold shoulder!" She quipped, not noticing the irritation in Apollo's gaze as he grew tired of watching them argue.

"I'm taking her back now, I'll see you back at the apartment, Seiya-san." Apollo announced, irritation laced in his voice as he vanished from the construction site.

"Dammit!" Sailor Star Fighter angrily cursed, as she swiftly turned her anger onto the sandy-haired blonde. "Don't you dare blame this on us, this is just as much your fault as it ours!" She sneered, not caring if anyone spotted her as she leapt up into the air, her body glowing before she vanished in a streak of light using her Sailor Teleport to return to the apartment.

"This isn't over!" Sailor Uranus angrily shouted, her fists clenched as she turned to go in search of her partner. "Sailor Neptune!?" She worriedly called out, as she navigated her way through the construction site. "Michi-chan, where are you?" She worriedly stated, gasping when she spotted her lover lying on the ground. "No!" She cried out rushing forwards in her panic.


::::

(Flashback/Dreamlike State)

Standing in the middle of a throne room, Eternal Sailor Moon looked around the dark throne room with unease. "Where am I?" She asked, a feeling of unease causing her stomach to twist. Glancing towards the large floor-to-ceiling window, she smiled as she noticed a shooting star streak across the night's sky, the sight easing her fear somewhat.

Walking towards the window to admire the night sky, she gently pressed her hand against the window, feeling the coolness of the night against her gloved hand. "Why am I here?" She asked, turning her head to inspect the empty room. Looking up at the banners strewn throughout the throne room, she gasped when she recognized the symbol. In the center of the red banner was an olive branch stitched in a golden thread, with a seven-pointed star stitched in silver. 'It can't be!' She thought, taking a step back as she looked around the throne room more closely, suspecting she was on Kinmoku.

Turning her head at the sound of muffled talking, she noticed a shadow of movement pass outside the throne room doors. Rushing towards the doors, she cautiously stepped out of the throne room, curiously peeking out and smiling when seeing Yumiko, no Apollo walking beside another Warrior clad in similar armor. Deciding to follow her friend, she noticed they were quietly talking amongst one another in hushed tones as they walked down the grand hall.

Looking around the large palace in awe as she silently followed behind them unnoticed, she looked at the Guards posted throughout the palace, wearing armor similar to what Yaten had worn the night he arrived on Earth. 'I'm on Kinmoku.' She thought, wondering if she was in the past and if so, why she was sent there.

Snapping from her thoughts, she turned her attention forward at the sound of a door opening, Apollo and the other warrior entering through the door. Slipping into the room before the door quietly shut, she smiled wanting to see what her friend was like before they met on Earth. 'He looks so different, more disciplined, less carefree like he is now.' She thought, noticing the stern and serious look on his face as he spoke.

"What is so important?" Apollo demanded, his voice still quiet but not hushed like it had been in the hallway. "The Queen is expected to give birth tomorrow, I will be escorting our King throughout most of the day to-"

"The King wants you to move forward with the plan, the brooch has been reacting more erratically, it continues to call out to its keeper." The Warrior abruptly interrupted.

"What? For how long?" Apollo demanded with surprise, angered that he was not being informed of the changes in the brooch's power. "The King has not shown any notions of me leaving so suddenly, why now? Why is it important that I leave n-"

"The King grows impatient with his son, he did not approve of this union between his son and Kakyuu-sama." The warrior stated, nervously shifting a moment. "He insists you leave at once so he can deal with his son and put an end to this folly of a marriage. When you return with our Champion, the King will have her deal with the loose ends."

"She's not going to come willingly, she was betrothed to the terran Prince in her former life. Who's to say she is not already married in this life?" Apollo demanded, irritated, that his King was not putting more thought into the plan.

"The King does not care, kill the terran Prince and bring her by force if you must." The Warrior stated, nonchalantly shrugging. "The King wants her located and brought home at once, he has other plans for her as well."

"What might that be?" Apollo asked, raising his brow in amusement.

"Our Kingdom will need a new heir, since the Queen and her child will die soon, our Prince will need a new Queen by his side." The Warrior stated, reaching into his pocket and revealing a brooch with the royal sigil. "Do whatever you need, say whatever you must to get her to transform. The King does not care how, but you must persuade her to leave. Once she transforms, she will not be able to take any other form."

"It should be easy enough." Apollo smugly stated, taking the brooch. "If the rumors are true of the Moon Princess, she will be easily deceived." He chuckled. "There's one Guardian amongst Queen Kakyuu-sama's guards, a particular Starlight that likes to talk about her time on that futile planet." He smirked. "One of my spies has been gathering valuable information so I can hopefully gain her trust without much delay."

"You need to have her brought here before the other plan is set into motion." The warrior insisted.
"The King hopes that bringing the Moon Princess will help his son overcome his loss, once his family has been slain."

"When will this take place?" Apollo asked, uncaring and indifferent to the plan at hand.

"The King will allow his son some time with his new family, but he is not planning to wait long before he makes his strike." The Warrior urged. "This is why it's pertinent now, that you leave and try to locate the Moon Princess. We cannot wait long, you must make haste in finding her."

"I will leave tomorrow night, it may seem suspicious if I leave before the birth of the Princess." Apollo grumbled, sighing out in frustration. "I wish he would send someone else to do this." He muttered, as he quietly left the large room. "How am I supposed to find the reincarnation of Princess Serenity-sama." He muttered, walking towards the door in an irritated huff.

Feeling tears streak her cheeks, Eternal Sailor Moon stood in shock over her friend's betrayal. 'I- I've defended him all this time.' She heartbrokenly thought, looking down in shame for easily falling into place in their plan. "No." She sternly stated, her fists clenching at her sides as she tried to find a reason to defend him still. 'That isn't who he is now.' Her mind argued, not wanting to accept that her friend was also involved in the deaths of Kikyo's parents. 'He knew all this time what they were planning to do to Kikyo-chan.' She bitterly thought. "I'm such a fool." She heartbrokenly muttered, tears streaking her cheeks as she wept.

::::


"I'm alright." Sailor Neptune weakly stated, her head and back still throbbing with pain as Sailor Uranus gently helped her sit up. "Where's-"

"He took her back to her apartment." Sailor Uranus responded, lacing her fingers with Michiru's as she looked into her pain-filled gaze. "How long has she kept his identity from us?" She snapped, her jaw clenched in irritation.

"Ruka-chan." Sailor Neptune gently stated, watching her lover look down. Reaching up, she caressed her cheek smiling up at her. "Our Princess has every reason to keep this from us." She patiently stated, knowing her lover wasn't going to like her words. "We've given her every reason to not open up to us." She said, lowering her gaze in guilt. "We have pushed her over and over again, trying to micromanage her into becoming who we expect her to become."

"So it's our fault she's with him now?" Sailor Uranus challenged, watching Sailor Neptune smile in mirth.

"No, she did that on her own accord." Sailor Neptune responded with a chuckle. "We are partially responsible for this. We've made her feel that she can't ask us for help. She shouldn't be afraid to ask her own Guardians for help." She painfully admitted, closing her eyes at the thought of her injured Princess. "Did he help her? Is- is she alright?" She worriedly asked, easing as Sailor Uranus nodded her head.

Nodding her head, Sailor Uranus watched a soft sigh of relief escape Sailor Neptune's lips. "She's going to be alright, we'll go to her as soon as Sailor Saturn tends to your injuries." She stated,

"Sailor Uranus!"

Turning her head at the sound of her friend's voice, Sailor Uranus watched Sailor Pluto and Sailor Saturn breathlessly arrive.

"What happened?" Sailor Saturn worriedly asked as she knelt beside the two women she considered parents.

"I'll be alright." Sailor Neptune assured the teen, a smile spreading across her lips. "Your Haruka-papa is just overreacting." She stated, wincing in pain as Sailor Uranus assisted her in raising. "We should be with Usagi-chan, she-"

"We will go to her as soon as you're healed." Sailor Uranus stubbornly insisted, looking up at Sailor Pluto as she spoke.

"Where's the Princess?" Sailor Pluto worriedly asked, frowning when she did not see their friend. "We noticed Sailor Star Fighter earlier, does she have her?"

"No." Sailor Uranus angrily snapped, clenching her fists in anger. "Yumiko-san, no that's not right, he said his name was Apollo." She corrected herself as she continued. "He took Usagi-chan back to her apartment. Something isn't right and we need to figure out what it is, before she's hurt again, or worse."

"I'll go to her." Sailor Pluto stated, watching Sailor Uranus nod. "I don't want to leave her unattended any longer than we must." She insisted.

"I'll contact Sailor Mars and tell her to go to the apartment as well." Sailor Uranus stated, glancing down to see Sailor Saturn was tending to the more severe cuts Neptune had sustained from her fight.

"I'll contact Sailor Mars, tell her to meet me at the apartment." Sailor Pluto responded, as she swiftly left to check on their injured Princess.

"How bad was she?" Sailor Saturn worriedly asked, frowning when she watched Sailor Neptune avert her gaze. Nodding her head in understanding, she softly exhaled as she closed her eyes focusing on healing Sailor Neptune. 'How have we allowed it to get to this point? Our own Princess hesitates to ask us for our help.' She sadly thought, fighting back her tears.


"Why won't she wake?" Yaten worriedly asked, sitting on the edge of the bed as he looked down at his slumbering friend.

"I don't know." Apollo responded, his voice thick with exhaustion. Adjusting his cape as he sat on the edge of the bed near his sleeping friend, he reached out gently resting his hand against his friend's pale cheek. "I healed her injuries, she should be awake already." He snapped, lowering his hand from her cheek when he noticed Seiya tense from the gesture. "I'm sorry, I don't know what else I can do." He apologized, wishing he could do more.

"Perhaps she's drained from the fight, it must have taken its toll on her power." Taiki suggested, gently lifting Kikyo into his arms to prevent her from crawling onto the bed. "Shh…" He soothed, as Kikyo began to whimper, reaching for the blonde. Turning at the sound of the apartment door opening and roughly shutting, he could hear the sound of hurried footsteps.

"Where is she?" Rei worriedly demanded as she entered her friend's bedroom, her stomach dropping at the sight of her friend still in her bloodied uniform. "Usagi-chan." She gasped, tensing when seeing the armor-clad warrior sitting beside her friend. "Who the hell are you?" She angrily demanded, looking at the blonde in anger when he chuckled. "You know what, I don't care, I can deal with you later." She snapped glaring at him as she walked towards the bed. "Move aside." She commanded, watching the blonde smile in mirth as he quietly complied, surrendering his seat to her.

"How bad were her injuries?" Rei asked, turning her worried gaze towards Seiya. Watching tears fill his eyes, she could see the guilt in his gaze, tearing away at him as he silently shook his head. 'He's blaming himself.' She thought, seeing how conflicted he looked.

"I almost arrived too late." Apollo grimly answered instead, watching Seiya bury his face against Eternal Sailor Moon's neck as he shakily exhaled, another losing battle as his tears began to fall once more. "I've healed her injuries Rei-san, but she isn't showing signs of waking."

"She's probably drained, Rei-chan, she was fighting alone." Taiki gently added, watching Rei tearfully nod her head, brushing a few stray tears from her cheeks. "It's best that we allow her to rest and gain her strength back."

"Taiki-chan is right, we should let her rest." Yaten urged, watching his brother silently shake his head.

"I'm not leaving her side, not until she wakes." Seiya stubbornly stated, brushing some stray tears from his cheeks as he looked at his brothers.

"I'm not leaving this apartment until she's awake, the others will be here soon." Rei stubbornly insisted, as she lifted her friend's hand into hers, her white gloves still stained with blood. "Why did she meet him alone?" She angrily demanded. "What the hell happened?"

"Rend took her brooch." Seiya softly stated, tears shining in his eyes. "I don't know why she went alone, Rei-chan. I don't understand why she thought she needed to do this on her own." He explained. "If I had known what she was planning I would have stopped her."

"We all would have." Yaten added, looking over at his slumbering friend. "The baka." He snapped, tears shining in his eyes. "I see now why you all are so hard on her. She's-"

"So damn stubborn." Rei interrupted, tearfully chuckling as she wiped some stray tears from her cheeks. "She's always been like this, if she sets her mind on something, nothing will stop her."

"I think she was wanting to spare anyone else from getting hurt." Apollo softly stated, closing his eyes as his armor faded back into his clothing. Ignoring his throbbing head, Yumiko turned his head at the sound of Rei's shocked gasp.

"Yumiko-san." Rei gasped, shocked to see Usagi's classmate stood in place of the armor-clad warrior. "How- I- I don't-"

"There's much we need to discuss, Rei-san." Yumiko interrupted the raven-haired miko before looking at his sleeping friend. 'I can't do this, I can't rip her away from this life.' He guiltily thought, knowing his choices from his past were relentlessly haunting him, the longer he spent his time around the young Kinmoku Princess and her three Guardians. 'I'm just as responsible as those monsters who ripped her family away. Now I'm trying to rip Usagi-chan away from her family.' He thought, seeing how much his friend loved and cared for the four Kinmoku refugees.

"We'll be in the living room if you need us, Seiya-chan." Yaten quietly stated, not wanting to disturb their slumbering friend. Watching his brother silently nod his head, he turned his gaze towards Yumiko noticing the man was deep in thought, almost looking conflicted. "We should talk." He simply stated, not allowing any room for argument, before turning and walking towards the door.

"My, Usa-chan." Kikyo whimpered, tearfully looking back at the young woman as Taiki carried her out of the room.

"It's alright, munchkin." Yumiko said, silently following behind the two Kinmoku Guardians, watching the toddler briefly turn her attention towards him. "Your Usa-chan is sleeping." He assured the child, watching the toddler's bottom lip quiver slightly before she began to loudly wail.

"That is if Kikyo-sama doesn't wake her first with these tantrums." Yaten muttered as they exited the bedroom, knowing their Princess was going to be a little terror until their friend woke.

Halfheartedly smiling at his brother's comment, Seiya tearfully exhaled looking down at the blood-soaked glove his fingers were laced through. "She didn't have to do any of this alone, I would have helped her, Rei-chan." He softly stated, pain laced in his voice.

Hearing the pain and anguish in his voice, Rei averted her gaze back to her sleeping friend as she peacefully slept. "She's sacrificed so much to be with you." She stated, her voice sharp and cold for a moment. "We have fought, and died so many times to protect what you stole from us, from her." She insisted, wanting to be angry with him. "

"What did I steal from you all?" Seiya sharply asked, not wanting to argue with the miko. "If you don't tell me, I'm sure I'm going to hear about it from Haruka-san." He bitterly muttered, not in the mood to deal with the blonde.

"Her child, our future, our peaceful utopia." Rei softly stated, her voice almost a whisper as she unknowingly tightened her grip on her friend's hand for a brief moment.

"Her child?" Seiya asked, eyes wide in shock, his stomach dropping at the accusation.

"Chibi-Usa." Rei tearfully stated, a sad smile spreading across her lips. "She was going to be Mamoru-chan and Usagi-chan's daughter." She explained, a stray tear streaking her cheek. "We found out about their child when Chibi-Usa came from the future, she was hiding from a threat that attacked the future city, Crystal Tokyo where Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion peacefully reigned."

"She- she never told me." Seiya sputtered in his shock, feeling as if he'd been punched in the gut from the news. "I-"

"There's nothing that can be done now to fix it, the future has been lost." Rei sharply responded, cutting her gaze towards him. "She and Mamoru-chan both strayed, and now everything has fallen to ruin." Softly exhaling, she silently shook her head as she looked over at Seiya. "Do you want to know what makes all of this hurt the most?" She tearfully asked, watching Seiya silently look at her in question. "She's my best friend, my sister in arms, my Princess." She began in a softer tone, tears streaking her cheeks. "She kept all this from me, and I don't know why." She stated, feeling hurt and betrayed by her friend's actions. Pausing for a moment, she sadly shook her head, choosing to remain silent.

"Please, Rei-chan." Seiya insisted again, bracing his heart for miko's cruel, harsh words. "You must believe me when I tell you this." He pleaded, looking into her tear-filled gaze. "I swear to you, I did not know about her daughter. If I had known, I-"

"She must really love you, if she chose you over her future." Rei interrupted the man, her voice thick with emotion. Feeling tears streak her cheeks, she brushed them away as she looked over at the stunned man. "I'm only going to say this once." She warned. "If you ever hurt her, you will not only suffer my wrath but the wrath of all eight of us Guardians." She threatened, her gaze growing cold for a moment. "She's changed an entire course of history for you, everything going forward will be in the unknown." She explained. "This choice she's made will either lead us into the path of peace we were promised or possibly lead us to a life of endless battles."

Silently standing, Rei gave her friend's hand a gentle squeeze hoping her Princess could sense she was there with her. 'I'm here, Usagi-chan, we're all here for you.' She thought, knowing no matter her friend's choices, she would always be there to support her friend. Resting her friend's hand against her side once more, Rei silently walked towards the door.

Gently pressing his lips against the back of her gloved hand, Seiya felt fresh tears well in his eyes before they silently streaked his cheeks once more, his heart panging at the sight of how weak and fragile his beloved looked lying on the bed. "Odango, please wake up." He heartbrokenly pleaded, his grip on her hand tightening. "I'm right here, I'm not leaving your side, not until you wake up and I can see you're going to be alright." He swore, resting his head against the pillow next to hers, fighting against his fatigue caused by his emotional exhaustion.

Sadly smiling at Seiya's gentle pleas, Rei quietly opened the bedroom door, stepping out into the hall to give her two friends some privacy. Closing the door behind her, she made her way towards the living room and stopped when seeing Setsuna quietly standing at the end of the hall, awaiting her. Smiling as she could hear Kikyo's desperate pleas for Usagi, she sadly smiled looking up at her older friend. 'Poor baby, she doesn't understand what's going on.' She thought, wishing the small toddler could understand the severity of the situation.

"How is she?" Setsuna worriedly asked, watching the raven-haired miko lower her gaze, tears shining in her eyes.

"She's resting." Rei softly stated. "She won't wake though, could it be-"

"She's faced a difficult battle alone." Setsuna interrupted, her eyes holding a haunted look for a moment. "She will need to regain her strength from the power she expended using her ginzuishou."

"How long?" Rei worriedly asked, her voice wavering as she spoke. "How long will it take before she wakes?"

"That is up to her, her power is drawn from her life force." Setsuna grimly responded. "The more she uses, the more time she will need to regenerate the power she's expended."

Silently nodding her head, Rei worriedly glanced back towards the bedroom door turning her attention back to the Time Guardian as she softly spoke.

"The future we knew is gone, this new future will be re-written." Setsuna grimly began. "I don't know what hardships will befall our Princess, but we must be prepared." She cautioned, noticing a smile tug at the corner of Rei's lips.

"At least we have more help now." Rei commented, looking towards Taiki and Yaten. "Surely with eleven Guardians protecting our Princess and the Earth, we will not have to worry about very many oncoming threats."

"Fifteen Guardians." Setsuna corrected her friend, a smirk gracing her lips. "You forget I can still see glimpses of the future, there will be four others who will become allies with us in time."

"Who?" Rei asked in shock, watching the Time Guardian look at her with a small mirthful smile.

"Now, Rei-chan, you know I'm forbidden to disclose this information." Setsuna responded, watching the miko frown as she silently nodded her head, reluctantly accepting her words.


"My, Usa-chan!" Kikyo wailed as tears streaked her small cheeks. Wriggling to try to get out of Taiki's arms, she brought her hand back abruptly smacking him across the face in an attempt for him to release her. "Down!" She shouted.

"No ma'am, we do not hit." Taiki sternly stated as he abruptly lowered the toddler from his arms, her face twisting into a scowl in her frustration. Sighing in exasperation as the small toddler sprinted forwards in an attempt to run back towards the bedroom, he watched Yumiko quickly lift Kikyo into his arms prompting another tantrum.

"DOWN!" Kikyo wailed, her small frame shaking as she screamed and cried, growing more frustrated that she was being kept away from the blonde in the other room.

"It's going to be alright, Kikyo-chan." Yumiko calmly spoke, hoping to ease and soothe the child. "Your Usa-chan is sleeping right now, we need to let her sleep, so she can feel better." He explained, smiling at the child's innocent reaction.

"Sleep?" Kikyo repeated, tilting her head to the side.

"Yes, your Usa-chan is sleepy, it's time for her to sleep." Yumiko repeated watching the small toddler turn her gaze towards the bedroom, then back to him with a questioning gaze.

"Night-night?" Kikyo asked, pointing towards the door while looking up questioningly at Yumiko.

"Yes." Yumiko said, smiling at the small Princess. "Usa-chan has gone night-night." He said gently chuckling at the childish term he'd just used. "We need to be quiet so she can sleep." He urged watching the small girl press a finger against her lip and shush him.

"Shh…" Kikyo shushed while pressing her small finger against her lips.

"Shh…" Yumiko mimicked as he nodded his head. Hearing a forceful knock on the door, he frowned when sensing who was outside the doors. "The other three are here." He calmly stated, watching Yaten walking towards the door.

"I'll get it." Yaten said as he hurried his steps to answer the door. Unlocking the door, he immediately stepped to the side as Haruka angrily entered the apartment. "Where is Neko-chan, is she alright?" She demanded.

"She's in her bedroom, she's-" Yaten said hesitating for a moment.

"She's what?" Haruka demanded, abruptly turning and looking at Yaten with an intense gaze.

"She's not waking up." Yumiko provided, watching the blonde angrily look at him as she angrily rushed him. "Put the child down, you coward." She angrily sneered, fists clenched in her anger. "I should knock you back into your realm for what you did to Michiru-chan."

"She wasn't allowing me to heal, Usagi-chan." Yumiko defended himself, glaring at the blonde. "When I found her, it was almost too late. I did what I had to, to save my friend." He insisted, tears shining in his eyes at the thought of his unresponsive friend.

"Haruka-chan, stand down." Setsuna gently stated as she and Rei walked forwards from the hall as Michiru and Hotaru silently entered the living room, standing near Haruka.

"Where is Usagi-chan?" Hotaru worriedly asked, watching Yaten point as he spoke.

"Her bedroom, something is preventing her from waking." Yaten worriedly stated, watching Hotaru look at Setsuna, the two exchanging a brief look before a nod was exchanged, the teen silently walking forwards in the direction of the bedroom.

Silently shutting the apartment door, Yaten walked forwards, watching Michiru gently rest her hand on Haruka's shoulder as she gently spoke something into Haruka's ear immediately calming her.

"Who are you?" Michiru demanded, glaring at the young man who attacked her. "I knew there was something you were keeping from Usagi-chan. Are you the reason she was hurt today?" She accused, her glare cold and resentful.

"I'm the reason she's alive." Yumiko snapped back, glaring at the teal-haired woman. Stopping himself before he said anything more, he softly exhaled, knowing he was not going to get anywhere with a hostile approach. Drawing in a deep breath, he lowered Kikyo from his arms as he spoke. "My real name is Apollo, I'm one of King Draco's personal Guard's. I reign from the Celestial Realm, where Kinmoku also reigns." He explained, watching the small Kinmoku Princess run to her bed, smiling as the toddler sat down and snuggled with her stuffed bunny. Turning his attention back towards the four women, he closed his eyes allowing his armor to phase onto him once more.

"My King sent me here to find the keeper of the Cosmic Brooch, the champion of the Celestial Realm." Apollo explained, watching Haruka angrily clench her jaw at his words before she angrily interrupted him.

"Your King is mistaken, Usagi-chan is Eternal Sailor Moon, she's not who you think she is. Our Princess is meant to defend this Solar System, to fight alongside us." Haruka angrily stated, turning her head as Michiru spoke next.

"How long has she known this?" Michiru demanded, starting to understand why Usagi was so insistent about spending time with Yumiko.

"I told her after I healed her wounds from Sitha's attack at the university practice field." Apollo responded, watching both Haruka and Michiru anger at his words.

"She lied to us, she told us she didn't know who had come to her rescue." Rei softly stated, hurt that her best friend had kept another secret from her. 'She doesn't trust me to keep secrets anymore.'

"Are you really surprised?" Haruka scoffed towards the miko, shaking her head in disappointment and anger. "She's changed since she's met him, he's been manipulating her this entire time, turning her against us."

Feeling her words sting, Yumiko knew there was a partial truth to her accusation. Before he could defend himself, he watched Haruka turn her accusing eyes towards Taiki and Yaten. "Why did no one tell us about the attack at the park yesterday?"

"You're not going to blame us on this." Yaten spat, glaring at Haruka. "She didn't want to tell you about the attack since Michiru-san told her to stay out of trouble, that you two were giving her some space."

"Yes, to stay out of trouble with him." Michiru retaliated, motioning towards Apollo. "We did not want a repeat of Halloween." She jabbed, not noticing Apollo blush at the mention of the incident.

"We would never turn our backs on her! We're her Guardians, we are sworn to protect her!" Haruka insisted, seething as she glared at Yaten for his accusation in his comment.

"We could argue about this all day." Taiki sternly interjected, watching the group turn their gaze towards him. "What matters is Apollo-san made it in time to help Usagi-chan to heal her injuries." He said watching Michiru and Haruka scowl slightly at his comment. "She's alive, that's all that matters right now. Our brother isn't going to let this happen again, we don't know Usagi-chan as well as you all do. We honestly didn't know she would do something so-"

"Foolish, headstrong, pig-headed." Rei seethed as she interrupted Taiki, anger shining in her tear-filled eyes. "That's who she is, Taiki-chan. When she puts her mind on something, there's no changing it. Not unless she sees for herself that she's making a mistake."

"Rei-chan is right." Michiru agreed, a sad smile spreading across her lips. "Our Princess has endangered herself on more occasions than we would like to admit." She said, a tearful chuckle escaping her lips. "It took her being on the brink of death before she finally called us in for help." She said, her fists clenching at the haunting memory of her friend's brief communication earlier that morning. "We almost lost her today because of this stubborn streak of hers."

Knowing Taiki had made a valid point, Haruka released a sigh in frustration before extending her hand out towards Apollo. "We will consider this a truce, without your help we would have-"

"She almost died because of her." Apollo spat, briefly turning his accusing gaze towards Michiru. "I offer my assistance and I'm treated with open hostility and threats." He snapped, angrily slapping her extended hand away. "I don't want your forced apology or-" He snapped, then abruptly grew silent as he heard the bedroom door open and quietly shut as Hotaru silently exited the room, her expression sullen from the sight of their sleeping Princess.


::::

(::Kinmoku: Flashback/Dreamlike State::)

"What's going on?!" Eternal Sailor Moon cried out watching as guards frantically rushed past her, some running through her in her ghostlike state. Seeing she was in the palace halls of the Kinmoku palace, she looked around at the chaotic scene before her, sensing the panic and urgency in the air.

"The palace! It's under attack!" A guard shouted in his panic.

"Has the Queen's Guardians been notified?" Another questioned, watching many of his men rush the halls ready to defend the palace and its royals.

"Yes, Healer is escorting the Queen to the throne room, Maker is retrieving the King, and Fighter is already in the throne room with the Princess." The first responded as they began to discuss their lines of defense.

"Seiya…" Eternal Sailor Moon gasped, abruptly turning and running in the direction of the throne room, the guard's conversation giving her the location of her lover and the Kinmoku Princess. Rushing past guards and through them, as the guards hurried towards the throne room, Eternal Sailor Moon forced herself to run faster, her heart racing, adrenaline pumping at the thought of harm coming to either Fighter or Kikyo.

Running the long stretch of hall she turned the corner and cried out in shock at the sight of bodies strewn along the hall, slain guards lying in their own pools of blood where they'd been cut down. Looking up as she heard someone whistling a soft tune, she gasped in shock seeing the first warrior who had attacked her at the park shortly after Kikyo's arrival step from the shadows of a pillar with his sword drawn, blood still dripping from his blade.

Summoning her tier, she jumped in fright as an injured guard stumbled through her translucent state. Realizing time had somehow fast-forwarded, when recognizing the injured guard from only moments before in the hall, she stood in stunned shock as the guard valiantly raised his own sword and charged the invader. 'He's not going to make it!' Her mind cried out in fear, watching in shock as the guard rushed the Warrior, his sword drawn, ready to defend his Kingdom.

"For our Queen!" The guard shouted, charging the man.

Screaming out in horror as the guard was violently cut down by the warrior's sword, Eternal Sailor Moon felt a sob escape her lips as she watched the guard crumple to the ground, his blood pooling around his lifeless corpse. "No…" She gasped, her gaze turning towards the closed doors of the throne room with realization. "This must be the day Kikyo-chan loses her parents."

Feeling her heart stop as she saw a brilliant flash of red energy radiate from under the door, she heard Kakyuu's horrified screams sound moments later muffled through the door, before the warrior in the hall turned and burst through the ornate double doors.

"What the hell is going on?!" The warrior demanded, storming into the throne room, stopping in shock when watching the Kinmoku King shield the Queen in time as Sitha swung her blade in her blind rage, striking the King with a lethal blow. Watching blood splatter across the Queen, he smirked as her horrified scream echoed, unable to mourn her husband's death before Rend delivered the lethal blow moments later.

"Tadao-san, the Princess!" Sitha angrily screeched. "The Queen cast the little brat in a lantern! Seek out the wretched scent, and kill her as soon as you find her!"

"No!" Sailor Star Fighter shouted in her grief, snapping from her shock as she turned and looked at her sisters. "Split up!" She commanded, watching Sailor Star Maker and Sailor Star Healer begin to glow with power, preparing to use their Sailor Teleport.

"Kill them!" Tadao shouted, realizing too late that the Kinmoku Guardians were fleeing. Watching the silver-haired Starlight vanish first in a bright streak of light, he was forced to watch as the brunette Guardian vanished moments later, the raven-haired Guardian boldly taking a moment to speak to them.

"You won't get away with this! We will avenge our fallen Queen and King!" Sailor Star Fighter shouted in her grief, her body glowing. "Star Serious Laser!" She shouted, sending out her attack and using the distraction to flee the palace.

Watching Sailor Star Fighter vanish in a streak of light, Eternal Sailor Moon weakly dropped to her knees turning her tear-filled gaze towards the slain Kinmoku royals. "I'm so sorry." She tearfully stated, her head dropping as her shoulders shook with her sobs. "I wish I could have known, I would have spared you all this grief." She whimpered through her heart-wrenching sobs.

"Tadao-baka! What the hell are you still doing here?!" Rend shouted in his rage. "Go find the child, contact us the moment you find her! You're our best tracker, don't fail us!"

"I swear, Rend-san, I'll find the little brat!" Tadao swore as he abruptly vanished.

"What were you thinking?!" Rend angrily demanded, turning his enraged gaze towards Sitha. "We were hired to take out only the Queen, Princess, and those damn Guardians!" He lectured the seething woman. "Now we have only one of our targets disposed of, a casualty, and three missing targets!"

"We'll find them!" Sitha spat back, her fists angrily clenched at her sides. "King Draco-sama is a fool if he thought his son would stand idly by and watch his family die!"

Cracking a smile at her comment, Rend chuckled as he casually sheathed his sword once more, looking down at the lifeless corpses of the royals. "Let's go, our mission is done here, we need to find that brat before her Guardians do."

"She's still a babe, she's weak and defenseless, she'll be an easy target if we can find her before her Guardians. We should focus our search on her first, if we kill her, the Guardians will lose hope and they will be easier to take down." Sitha smirked, as she and Rend vanished from the throne room.

Bringing her tearful gaze up as Rend and Sitha vanished from the throne room, Eternal Sailor Moon forced herself to look at the lifeless body of Kakyuu. "Why?" She tearfully asked, her grief-stricken eyes glancing towards the fallen King for a moment. "Why am I seeing this?" She bitterly asked, then cried out as her world became dark once more before she was cast into more darkness. "No! Please, no more! I can't take much more of this!" She begged as she felt herself hurl deeper into darkness once more. "Please! I don't want to see anymore!"

::::


Feeling his grip tighten around Eternal Sailor Moon's hand as Hotaru leaned over the sleeping Guardian, Seiya watched with anticipation as the dark-haired teen pressed her hand pressed gently against the sleeping Guardian's forehead, her eyes closed, focusing on the power within her. Watching Hotaru's body begin to glow a gentle, soothing violet, Seiya turned his tearful gaze to look at Sailor Moon's still form, frowning when there was no reaction to the power.

Waiting with anticipation, Seiya turned his gaze back to Hotaru, watching in worry as the teen's brow furrowed slightly, almost as if she was struggling with something. After a few moments, her demeanor calmed, returning to normal as she continued to try to find a way to awaken her sleeping Princess.

'Please Odango, please wake up.' Seiya desperately thought, tears shining in his eyes. Watching Hotaru's eyes suddenly open with a start, he watched her look down at Eternal Sailor Moon for a brief moment, worry shining in her eyes. "What is it?" He demanded. "Is she-"

"She's not in any kind of danger, Seiya-san." Hotaru assured him, watching the young man ease for a brief moment, smiling as a soft exhale escaped his lips. "She's trapped in her own mind right now, she's searching for something, I could only make out small glimpses." She said as her brow furrowed for a moment, still confused by the blurred and hazy images. "As soon as she finds what she's looking for, she'll wake."

"How long will it be?" Seiya worriedly asked, drawing Eternal Sailor Moon's hand against his chest, his heart breaking more at the thought of being parted from the sleeping blonde even longer. Gently caressing her cheek with his other hand, he tearfully looked up at Hotaru with a pleading gaze as he spoke. "Is there anything else we can try? I just want her to wake up, I want to see that she's alright." He pleaded, the pain thick in his voice as a stray tear streaked his cheek. "I need to know that she's safe."

"She's safe, I assure you." Hotaru insisted, seeing the torment shining in the young man's eyes. "You really love her, don't you?" She asked, watching him smile as he silently nodded, his voice wavering as he spoke.

"Yes." Seiya softly stated as he kept his gaze on the resting Sailor Guardian. "I would do anything for her, I would lay my life down if it meant no more harm ever coming to her."

Smiling at his words, Hotaru quietly stood before she made her way towards the door. "I'll check on her again later, right now all we can do is wait." She softly stated, glancing over her shoulder to see Seiya silently nod his head before he lay on his side once more beside her slumbering Princess. Quietly exiting the bedroom, she smiled as she watched Seiya rest beside her friend once more as the door gently clicked shut.


"How is she?" Michiru worriedly asked, turning at the sound of their Princesses bedroom door opening. Hoping to see their Princess exit, she felt her heart sink more as Hotaru silently exited the room alone, her gaze down before lifting her violet gaze to look towards Yumiko as she spoke.

"Her wounds have all been healed, she only had some minor bruises and cuts." Hotaru calmly spoke, turning her grateful gaze towards Yumiko.

"I'm sorry for leaving those, it took a lot out of me healing the larger wounds." Yumiko apologized, lowering his gaze in guilt. "I was struggling to stay focused by the time I healed her shoulder, I couldn't push much more of my energy into healing her-"

"There's no need to apologize, I can only expend so much of my energy before I grow tired also." Hotaru responded, then frowned when she noticed the glare both Michiru and Haruka gave her. 'Why did I just tell him that?' She thought, flushing with embarrassment.

Chuckling at her embarrassment, Yumiko flashed her a charming smile, brushed some stray strands of his hair back from his face as he spoke. "Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one then." He chuckled, giving her a playful wink as she blushed more.

'The baka is just as bold as Seiya-chan with the flirting.' Yaten thought, noticing Haruka looked like she wanted to pummel Yumiko into the ground for his flirtatious behavior towards Hotaru.

"Haruka-chan, we don't have time for this." Setsuna insisted, a sternness to her voice that immediately sobered Haruka to cause her to look at her with concern. "We need to speak privately." She insisted, glancing towards the guest bedroom.

"You can use our room." Taiki suggested, when he noticed Setsuna glance towards the guest room that was now his and Yaten's room.

"Thank you." Setsuna calmly spoke, as she motioned Haruka and Michiru to follow. "This must be discussed only with them." She quietly spoke to Rei, her voice low enough for only the miko to hear her. "They have not yet accepted-"

"I understand." Rei softly stated, interrupting the Time Guardian. "I've already warned him." She said with a proud smile.

"I would have been surprised if you didn't." Setsuna replied with an amused smile, watching the raven-haired miko smile more. "You've always been the most protective of the Princess." She said watching Rei look at her in surprise. "Asides Haruka-chan of course." She said with a gentle laugh.

Watching Setsuna turn and enter the bedroom moments later, Rei stepped aside as Michiru and Haruka quietly entered the bedroom, the door quietly shutting as soon as Haruka entered. 'I wonder what she's going to tell them?' She curiously thought, turning her worried gaze back towards her friend's bedroom door. 'Please, Usagi-chan, please come back to us.' She desperately thought a soft sigh escaping her lips.


"What is this about Setsuna-chan?" Michiru worriedly asked as soon as Haruka shut the door.

"I need to know if I can trust you two with what I'm about to tell you?" Setsuna asked, changing the subject. "Will you accept what I am about to tell you?"

"Yes." Haruka responded with a curt nod, not sure if she was going to like what Setsuna had to say to them. Watching their friend silently walk towards the window looking out for a short moment, she heard a soft exhale escape their friend's lips before the Time Guardian spoke.

"That child has made a mess of things." Setsuna began her gaze holding a deep sadness. "As soon as she arrived, the timeline began to undergo dramatic changes. Everything we have known, everything we have sacrificed to protect for our Princess was lost to us within a matter of days."

"You've known this entire time, that everything was going to be altered?" Michiru asked in shock, feeling as she'd been punched in the gut. "Why did you not tell us or at least warn us?

"I am not permitted to discuss these changes, not even to our Princess." Setsuna sadly stated, before turning to look at her two friends. "When this child appeared, that is when I began to notice the rifts and changes in our Princess's future with Endymion-sama." She began with a sad exhale. "The choices Usagi-chan and Mamoru-chan both made have deeply impacted the timeline further. Crystal Tokyo is no more, we must accept their decision to no longer be together and embrace the new timeline that is being created in its place. We cannot interfere, the future that is currently being paved is extremely delicate, everything needs to be decided by our Princess now. Her choices now will either pave a foundation of peace, or a life of endless fighting."

"There's nothing we can do to sway either of them, is there?" Michiru sadly asked, watching Setsuna grimly shake her head.

"No, as I said, this new future has not yet stabilized, our Princess must still make one final choice, this choice will finalize the timeline." Setsuna cautioned watching Michiru and Haruka exchange a worried glance. "We all must accept that our Princess has chosen to be with Seiya-san." She urged, noticing Haruka's immediate scowl. "We all may not accept or agree to whom she's chosen to reign at her side, but it is still her choice."

"He's not a Prince." Haruka spat, her jaw clenching. "He will never be good enough for Neko-chan, I will not-"

"Haruka." Michiru scolded, looking at her girlfriend in surprise.

"His status as a Guardian does not make him less worthy to be with our Princess." Setsuna calmly spoke, watching Haruka stubbornly look away, turning her attention out the window. "This is no longer the Silver Millenium." She said, a small smile spreading across her lips, mirth in her voice as she spoke. "Even if it were, do you think we would have been able to persuade our Princess of her choice of suitor otherwise?"

"No." Haruka and Michiru both stated in unison, a deep sigh escaping their lips as they thought of their stubborn Princess.

To Be Continued…

Revised: 5/16/21


Whew! This was a long one, had to cut this one off here, or it was going to be even longer, so it will be continued in the next chapter! I added quite a bit to this Chapter! Hopefully, the next chapter won't take as long to update! Thanks to everyone who has been reading/following/reviewing! It means so much, knowing you're enjoying the story! :)

-ShadowQueenGalactica