A Matter of Time

by Crunchysunrises

*New: Chapter 7* Taking place after Stars. The Ginzuishou sends Usagi strange dreams of her past, which helps sent into motion a chain of events that leads to new enemies, unexpected allies and uncovers a centuries old secret.

3. Battles

Remember: Be kind and understanding to the newly budding fanfic writer. Sailor Moon and the associated characters do not belong to me but to incredibly rich and powerful people who would make no profit by suing me for using their wonderful characters. This is a work of love not a work for profit. All characters and plots that I make up do belong to me so do not steal them or I will be forced to send my Death Fuzzies after you. Remember you have been warned…

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CHAPTER 3

Zoisite bit his thumb. He had formed dozens of plans with which he could use to gather energy and he had discarded them all. They had all been workable. Even the yoma could understand and carry them out. There had only been one flaw in all of them. The flaw was that he had no idea how the senshi had changed over time. The phrase 'faced and defeated assorted enemies' however, did not sound very promising. All in all he was very frustrated about this entire matter.

The thought, 'I wish that Kunzaito-sama was here to help me,' hit Zoisite like a blow. He had only been separated from his beloved for a few hours but he was already feeling the loss keenly. He hated to think how Kunzite must have felt after his…death. Desperately he tried to force his thoughts back to his task.

"Zoisite, why haven't you gotten to work on collecting energy yet?"

Zoisite jumped and spun around at the voice. "Forgive me, Sir." He managed. "I have already come up with many plans for the collection of energy but all of them have a major flaw. The flaw being that I have no idea how the Sailor Senshi have grown and changed since my…death."

"Is that all?" After having a negligent gesture directed at it, a wall of the room lighted up with scenes of a battle. "The wall will show you all the scenes of the different battles that occurred while the yoma were collecting energy for the revival of yourself and your companions." The battle changed on the wall. "Study them carefully as they should give you an idea of the progression of things." He turned to go, then paused. "Oh, Zoisite don't ever kill Sailor Moon while on one of your energy gathering expeditions. It would go over very badly with me. Even worse than you're trying to kill Tuxedo Kamen did with Beryl." Then he was gone. Muttering under his breath to himself, Zoisite turned toward the wall.

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For awhile, Hisui had been looking for the chance to speak to Ami alone. He knew that most of the Sailor Senshi were hostile towards him to some degree. Usagi was the only one who was firmly a friend to him and even seemed to trust him without a shadow of a doubt despite the fact that she had the greatest incentive to hate him. She had decided at some point that the past was behind them and that they were friends now. Ami seemed to be following her lead, at least to some extent.

Makoto and Minako were friendly and even showed a sense of camaraderie towards him. Neither was openly hostile towards him and both seemed to have some slight sense of faith in him. The key word in that was 'slight'. He had no idea how far their faith and good will extended and, after seeing the two in battle, he was feeling no real interest in finding out. Despite the fact that the two were, in some respects, dangerous to his health he liked them, much to his own surprise. Both were open with the fact that they thought that he was incredibly good looking and both made a point of teasing him about it mercilessly with eyes that sparked and danced at his apparent discomfort with their attentions.

Hortoru and Setsuna were neither hostile nor friendly towards him, merely unfailingly polite. Both pairs of eyes followed him carefully though, as if watching or waiting. Hortoru's eyes were always compassionate and understanding, although guarded. He didn't understand it, but somehow she was a comfort to him. Setsuna's eyes on the other hand were a mystery. They revealed nothing about her or her reactions to him. Unlike Hortoru however, Setsuna didn't make him comfortable in the least. She made him nervous, edgy, and oddly excited. He really didn't understand her-or himself when he was around her for that matter.

Luna and Artemis were wary and cautious although they were polite and to a very slight degree friendly. He really didn't have a clue as to what they thought of him and sometimes he wondered if they even knew what they thought of him.

The three that were giving him the most trouble, however were Rei, Haruka, and Michiru. All three didn't trust him in the least and seemed to go out of their ways to make his life as difficult as possible. With eyes as hard as stone they watched him like hawks, almost as if they expected him to betray them at any moment. He knew that their behavior troubled Usagi a great deal and for a reason that he couldn't quite figure out he wished that the three would keep their prejudices about him to themselves or, at the very least, hide them from Usagi. He suspected that these feeling about Usagi's peace of mind somehow extended from the fact that she was his first, and as far as he could remember, only true friend. Sure he and Nephrite were as close to being friends as friendship came in the Dark Kingdom but that had nothing on his friendship with Usagi. Sometimes the feelings and the faith that she had in him, and openly displayed to all, frightened him. That he returned those feeling to some degree, although not as openly, frightened him even more badly.

Unbidden, an image of Setsuna's eyes floated to mind. She had been talking with Usagi in the clearing after all the battles of the day before. For once he was able to see emotions in her eyes. Her eyes were filled with wisdom and understanding as she looked at the younger girl. A deep and abiding love for the tiny blond swirled there with a fierce and unyielding loyalty. He knew that Setsuna was bound to Usagi with a bond that he couldn't even begin to comprehend, yet a part of him irrationally wished that even a fraction of those feeling would swirl through her eyes when she looked at him.

He wrenched his mind away from the thought of Setsuna's deep red eyes and dragged it back to his more pressing problem of Usagi and Ami. He had a desperate need for answers, and only two people that he could really ask. Usagi seemed to have unfailing belief in him and his redemption. Ami was nice, although slightly wary at times, and she seemed to like him. Ami was certainly the most logical of two and the most likely to give him a full account of the events since his entrapment. So when he had remembered that she attended a juku, he decided that he would never get a better opportunity to talk to her in private. Patiently he stood outside the door to the juku and waited.

Women passed him and gave him appraising glances that for some reason made him incredibly uncomfortable. Just before the juku was going to let out, one of the women approached him. Brightly she smiled at him as she drew nearer and Hisui began to suffer from a mild panic attack. He had seen female yoma look at him that way before, one named Teteisu standing out in his memory in particular. He wondered what had been happening to him. He had only known the Sailor Senshi for a few weeks but already he could see major differences in himself. The way in which he was handling this situation, for instance, was a shining example to him of the changes that had been occurring since he had awakened in Sailor Moon's lap. Before he would have trod all over her and her feelings contemptuously with out a single care as to how she may have felt about it. Now he wasn't sure exactly what he should do about her.

Hisui considered teleporting himself away from this woman and her rather predatory smile but remembered at the last second that he needed to talk to Ami as soon as possible. A serious panic attack began to set in and he fervently began to pray for something, anything, to save him from this woman. Someone somewhere seemed to hear his prayer and took pity on him. The doors to the juku burst open and a flood of students began to flow out, effectively cutting him off from her. Breathing a sigh of relief, he watched carefully for Ami.

When Ami eventually came out, Hisui grabbed her forearm. Ami made a little noise of surprise and whirled to see who had grabbed her. Seeing whom it was she relaxed and smiled at him while allowing him to pull her from the throng of people.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as soon as she was close enough.

"I need to ask you to explain something to me."

"What?"

"Come on." He pulled her down for awhile the street, then let go of her.

Ami waited for a bit until they were more or less alone on the street. "So what's up?"

"Ami-san, what happened after I was put into Eternal Sleep?"

Ami blinked. "A great many things." She thought a moment. "I know someone who can explain it far better than I. Come on." She turned to go down a certain street. Hisui hurried to catch up. "Wait! Who are we going to see?"

"Mirchiru-san. She can show you what happened since your demotion."

"How Ami-san?"

"You'll see." She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Anyway, my friends call me Ami-chan."

A faint smile tugged at Hisui's mouth. "Only if you'll be my friend and call me Hisui-kun."

"Deal, Hisui-kun." And they sealed the pact with a smile.

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Makoto was slowly walking home from the market, her hands full of groceries. Patiently she waited for the crosswalk sign to turn green so that she could cross the street. When she finally got the signal, she carefully stepped off the curb, watching her feet and the sidewalk for any chance of taking a fall. Of course this caused her to miss the man slowly sauntering in front of her, whom she walked into the back of. As she recoiled from the shock of impact, she teetered unsteadily until large hands grasped her around the shoulders firmly and steadied her. "Thanks."

She glanced up into piercing blue eyes framed by short wild chestnut hair and instantly recognized the face. Blushing furiously she tried to pull away. The man let go of her only to relieve her of some of her packages. "Here, let me carry some of those."

"No, that's alright! You don't have to!"

"Yes as a matter of fact I do."
With that he led her from the street. Makoto caught up and they walked in silence for a few moments.

"Thanks again for steadying me back there. I would have fallen and dropped everything."

"It was my pleasure."

Makoto looked at her from the corner of her eye. "You said that you had to help me back there. I don't want you to feel as if you're under some sort of obligation."

He smiled a stunning smile at her. "That didn't come out right did it? What I meant was that if I wanted to be a gentleman I should help you carry your bags."

Makoto looked at him suspiciously. "You just made that up."

"Well yes. Actually, I was kind of hoping that I could get you to forgive me for what happened in the clothing shop."

"Oh." Makoto thought it over for a moment. "Sure, I could forgive you. One condition though."

His eyes narrowed. "What's that?"

"You come home and have dinner with me." Makoto was shocked at her request. 'What am I doing?' she asked herself in amazement. 'He wouldn't hurt me. I know that but…what can he possibly think about a girl who asks him home after knowing him for a grand total of less than an hour?'

He laughed easily. "Again, it would be my pleasure."

They strolled on in companionable silence. Casually the man said, "You know, I don't believe that we even know each other's names."

Makoto looked at him in surprise for a moment. "You're right you know." She put her share of the groceries on a handy wall. He followed suite.

Makoto thrust out her hand. "I'm Kino Makoto."

Gently he took her hand in his, reversed the grip, and kissed the back of her hand. Standing up straight he released her hand and looked down into her started face. He smiled internally. "It's a pleasure to have formally met you Kino-san. I am Tellosummo V. Aequila."

"It's a pleasure Tellosummo-san," she murmured as he gravely bowed to her.

"Now that the formalities are over, let's go to my place."

"As you wish." He picked up his share of the packages and some of hers. If Makoto noticed she didn't say anything about it. They continued on their way chatting amiably. Eventually they reached Makoto's apartment and Makoto began to fish for her keys. "If you don't mind, what does the V. stand for in Tellosummo V. Aequila?"

"It stands for Ventum."

"Oh." Makoto looked up triumphantly. "I found them." She inserted the key and held the door for her helper. They got in the elevator and Makoto punched the number for her floor. "So what do you like to eat?"

He grinned. "Anything that you've got to stop moving."

Makoto laughed as she thought of whom that particular statement would be characteristic of. Aequila cocked an eyebrow at her. "What?"

"You remind me of a very good friend of mine."

"Oh?" Aequila's eyes narrowed cautiously. He had thought he was getting someplace with her. "Who would that be?" he asked as they exited the elevator and made their way down the hall to stop outside of Makoto's apartment door.

"Usagi-chan."

Aequila smiled in relief. "You know you probably shouldn't have asked me home to dinner with you."

Makoto, her back to Aequila, froze in the act of turning the key. "Why not?"

"Well, I could be someone who meant you harm. I could have run into you for the express purpose of doing you harm."

Makoto swung around almost dropping the packages that she carried. Fiercely she looked up into his serious eyes. "No." She was trembling. "No. You would never ever cause me harm. I don't trust many people out of hand, but I do trust you. That has got to mean something."

"You're right of course." He whispered. "I just want to be sure that you know what you're doing."

He was acutely aware of how close she was to him and that all he had to do was tip his head down a little bit to steal a kiss. Her sweet scent rose and intoxicated him. Her large green eyes were fierce and her cheeks were stained red. She was, in a word, beautiful. Just then she tossed her reddish-auburn ponytail, "I can take care of myself."

"Of course you can." He found himself replying. 'But I want to take care of you,' he added silently in his mind. He wished he knew her better so that he could have taken advantage of that perfect moment for stealing a kiss.

Makoto turned around, opened the door, and ushered her guest into her spotless apartment. "Come on. I'll get you a drink and put this stuff up."

"No need for the drink." He protested. "I'll help you."

"You don't know where any of it goes though."

"I'll manage. If I need help I'll ask you."

Makoto looked dubious but nodded and in a short time everything was in its proper place in Makoto's small kitchen. "It's just as I've always maintained. All the best cooks keep their supplies in almost the places," Aequila declared in satisfaction.

"Are you a cook?" Makoto asked excitedly.

"A poor one. Actually I'm terrible but I enjoy trying to cook."

"Well, if you enjoy it, you've already conquered an army of problems." Impulsively she added, "I could help you to get better at cooking." Almost shyly she added"That's if you want me to."

"Thank you. I would love to learn to cook under you."

Makoto opened a drawer and rummaged for a moment before pulling out a spatula and a large blue apron. "Here."

He looked at her quizzically. "What's that for?"

She threw a dazzling smile of her own at him and his heart went wild. "No time like the present to start teaching you." Then she was off, pulling things out of various drawers and cupboards. For a moment Aequila hung back.

He grinned to himself as he surveyed the small kitchen's working space and its owner, already at a counter. 'This is going to be a fun evening,' he decided before going to stand next to Makoto at the counter.

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Ami and Hisui stopped in front of a huge skyscraper.

"Is this where Kaioh-san lives?"

"At the moment. She and Haruka-san have many houses. At the moment though, they're living in the penthouse here."

Ami pressed a button next to the intercom. "Yes?"

"Haruka-san, it's Ami-chan. May I come up?"

"Sure. Hold on a moment." The door buzzed and Hisui opened it.

"Thanks. I'll be up in a moment."

"See you then Ami-chan."

Hisui laughed and held the door open for Ami. "It's nice to know that I guessed correctly."

Ami cocked her head. "Guessed correctly about what?"

"Guessed correctly that Kaioh-san and Tenoh-san are a couple."

"You already know! How?"

"They have all the signs, that's how."

"I didn't know that there were signs for that kind of thing."

"There are if you know what to look for." They got into the elevator and Ami push a floor button. The doors hissed shut, and the elevator started to hum as it began its ascent.

"By the way, Setsuna-san and Hortaru-chan are staying with them at the moment."

"What?" Hisui's stomach started to churn as the image of Setsuna's face flashed through his mind adding to the discomfort that he already felt over being in such an enclosed area.

"The four of them are staying together. They're just like a family." Ami peered at him closely. "You're looking rather pale Hisui-kun. Are you feeling well?"

"I don't like enclosed places anymore." For a moment his eyes roamed around the small elevator. Hastily he went back to the previous subject. "Don't Meioh-san and Tomoe-san have anywhere else to stay?"

"Yes. It's rather complicated but the most salient point of the whole matter is that whenever there's trouble, the four of them live together. Both Hortaru-chan and Setsuna-san have other places where they can stay, but both are choosing to live with Haruka-san and Mirchiru-san at the moment."

"Oh." The elevator stopped moving and the doors chimed before they slid opened. Ami stepped out and knocked on a door. Michiru opened the door wide at Ami's knock.

"Hello Ami-chan."

Hisui came up behind Ami. Mirchiru's eyes hardened instantly but she greeted him formally and invited both of them in. Haruka emerged from a back room with Hortaru and Setsuna. After the greetings and formalities were over and everyone was sitting comfortably, Haruka looked at Ami piercingly.

"I assume that this isn't a social visit. What's going on Ami-chan?"

"Nothing, really. This is a call more in the way of an explanation for Hisui-kun."

"Oh?"

"He wanted to know what happened after his deposition. I thought it would be easier for both of us if he watched it happen in the Sacred Mirror."

Mirchiru smiled at her. "Wouldn't that take awhile?"

"Yes, but it would take significantly less time for him to watch it in the Sacred Mirror." Ami smiled slightly. "It would also save me a sore throat."

"Besides," Hortaru added softly, "It's time that we knew what happened before our awakening as Sailor Soldiers."

The other Outers blinked and Haruka and Mirchiru exchanged a look. Setsuna slowly began to nod. "She's right."

Mirchiru nodded and summoned the Sacred Mirror from her subspace pocket after sitting on the couch. The others gathered around her. Hortaru squeezed between Mirchiru and Hisui on one side while Haruka sat on the other side of Mirchiru. Ami and Setsuna stood behind the group on the couch. Mirchiru craned her head around so that she could look at them. "Will the two of you be able to see?"

"We'll be fine." Ami assured her.

"Besides Ami-chan and I already know most of the story."

Mirchiru nodded and bent her attention and will on her mirror. Slowly an image began to resolve itself in the mirror.

It was of Usagi sleeping. They watched as an alarm went off and Usagi flung herself out of bed to become a blond whirlwind that demanded in tragic tones why no one had woke her up. Dashing out of the house she ran down the street towards her school, her long pigtails whipping behind her. A small black cat that was obviously Luna got in her way, interrupting her momentum and sending her crashing to the ground in a heap. Usagi quickly got to her feet and checked herself and the cat over while telling the cat to watch where it was going. She noticed a pair of Band-Aids in a x over the middle of cat's head. Gently she pulled them off, causing a short but brilliant flash of golden light. Usagi was obvious startled by this and nearly fell over again but managed to catch herself.
Just then a group of boys came up and demanded the cat from Usagi who cuddled the cat close to her chest while reading the group of boys a stern lecture about being kind to animals. The boys listened to her, replied with something rude, and ran off. Usagi shouted at their retreating forms and gave the cat another cuddle before setting it on the sidewalk.

She advised the cat to be more careful as the cat jumped onto a nearby wall. In the distance a clock chimed and with a slight shriek Usagi sped down the street leaving a bemused cat in her wake. The cat watched the girl for a moment before seemingly deciding something and leaping off of the wall to follow the retreating girl at a distance. They watched Usagi arrive late and try to slip into class unnoticed only to trip over a boy's foot and catch herself with a clatter on the desk of a girl with short chestnut hair and blue eyes. Blushing furiously Usagi slid into her own seat while the teacher accosted her about being late again and assigned her an after school detention for the next day. They watch Usagi throughout the day as she forgot homework, pigged out on her lunch, had various minor accidents, did badly on a test, and lost her temper with Umino time and again.

"Was Usagi-chan really like that?" Hisui asked incredulously.

"Yes." Ami laughed fondly. "Usagi-chan was certainly a handful in those days. She still is to some degree but she's not as bad as she was then."

They watched as Naru dragged Usagi and her unnoticed extra shadow on a shopping trip to cheer Usagi up about her grade. Eventually Usagi and Naru went to OSA*P, the jewelry shop that Naru's mother owned, and commented on the strange way in which Naru's mother was behaving. They watched Usagi meet Mamoru as she was leaving and the verbal sparring that followed. Usagi went home only to get thrown out by her mother for having bad grades. Usagi stood outside the door wailing.

Haruka winced. "I'm glad that she doesn't do that so often."

The scene in the mirror shifted suddenly and the group got a close up of Usagi's face. On her forehead faintly shone a golden crescent moon. Usagi's mother relented saying that the only reason that she was doing such was that Usagi was wailing so loudly at such a high decibel that she was going to cause the neighbors to complain. Usagi went inside, flopped on her bed, and went to sleep. The black cat crept onto the sleeping girl's windowsill and with a flash of her crescent beam caused the window to fly open. Neatly she leapt onto the girl's chest causing her to shoot upright.

The cat twisted in midair, landed on the bed next to the girl and proceeded to introduce herself to the girl who promptly fell off the bed. Luna finally managed to persuade the pair of huge blue eyes peeking over the edge of the bed that their owner was not going insane and that she really was a talking black cat sent to guide Usagi. Luna tricked Usagi into transforming for the first time and talked her into remaining as Sailor Moon when she informed Sailor Moon that Naru was in trouble. They watched Sailor Moon's first battle and the first appearance of Tuexdo Kamen. The mirror went on to show all the trouble Usagi got into as Sailor Moon when she was solo and then to explore the awakenings of the other Inner Senshi, save Venus, and the trouble that they got into with Sailor Moon.

"Usagi-chan seems to have an almost supernatural attraction to our ploys," Hisui remarked thoughtfully as they watched Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen in the elevator after defeating Nephrite's lion. Nephrite was busy telling them how they were going to die.

"The only one who was almost as bad at the time was Naru-chan but she seems to have grown out of it." Ami agreed.

"But isn't it odd the way Usagi-chan seemed to develop urges to do the things our plots were hinged on after we set our operations up, even though she had no inclination towards them before?" Hisui persisted thoughtfully.

"She always claimed that the man in charge was cute," Ami replied with a shrug causing Hisui to flush.

"But she very rarely made attempts to get a date with him." Setsuna jumped in.

"She was mostly interested in Tuxedo Kamen."

"And Mamoru-san." Ami remarked absently while turning over an idea.

"The mirror didn't show that." Hortoru replied.

"That's because Usagi-chan refused to admit to it. For the longest time Mamoru-san had no idea that he was Tuxedo Kamen. Then he started having blackouts and strange dreams that he'd had since childhood grew more detailed and more intense. He started having suspicions but no real proof until Zoisite. During all of this though, Mamoru-san was desperately trying to impress Usagi-chan and, for the most part, he failed miserably. When he did impress her, Usagi-chan refused to admit it-at least to him. We senshi were another matter." Ami laughed but her eyes remained far away. "He would do anything for her. As Tuexdo Kamen he saved rest of us for Sailor Moon's sake. As Chiba Mamoru he thought of the rest of us more as little sisters than anything else and still does for that matter. Usagi-chan was the only one of us that he was ever truly interested in."

"She didn't tell Naru-chan about him and everything else?" Hortaru asked.

"No. Usagi-chan understood that it was safer for everyone to keep Sailor Moon a secret. As for telling Naru-chan about Mamoru-san…" Ami trailed off as they watched Nephrite dance with Molly before sending a part of his evil into her. "She needed someone to listen to her problems at the time." They settled into silence to watch what was to unfold.

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Minako rolled over on her bed and sighed deeply in her sleep. A single tear trickled down her cheek. One hand stiffened and pointed while Minako murmured something harshly. Her other hand was flung out and Minako rolled over.

Everything was falling down around her. Her land and her people were being annihilated. A great fury welled up in her and she fought even more fiercely. Where were the others? She needed help. She reached out along her bonds to the others to call for help but ran up against a wall of confusion, pain, and a fury that matched her own. Even Sailors Mercury, Saturn, and Pluto had succumbed to battle rage.

She felt cold all over as she used the tip of her sword to rip open the abdomen of one of her opponents. Not for the killing, she had been prepared since childhood to kill in combat, but for what that could mean. Sharply she brought her mind back to her present situation and the fact that she couldn't keep this up for long. She needed someone to watch her back. A trio ran at her from the left and a duo from the right. She ran to meet the duo half way.

"CRESENT BEAM!"

She shot a short swift laser from one forefinger and one of the pair became another pile of mush on the battlefield that had once been the main road in one of the most beautiful cities on her planet. The other traded a few sword strokes with her before she almost contemptuously ran him through with her blade. Frantically she kicked the lifeless form from her blade. 'Too deeply,' she thought. The trio was upon her as she pulled her sword free. She crouched in a defensive posture as they prepared to do battle. A silver discus flew over one of her shoulders and left three small piles of dust before returning over her other shoulder. She swung around to face her unasked for help.

A senshi such as she had never seen stood there. The body of her uniform was white but her skirt had three-layers the top white, the middle golden, and the bottom white, instead of the usual skirt of the Sailor Senshi's color over the color of the Moon Princess, white. Her white gloves were trimmed with silver, and over her wrists was a silver band that sported a golden crescent moon. She wore the white boots, which were also trimmed with silver, the inverted points of which also sported a golden crescent moon. Her fuku had no sleeves and the cloth over her shoulders was also golden, the edges embroidered with silver. In the middle of her chest was a broach, a silver heart with a golden crescent moon pointing up into the heart on the tip, the entire thing was surrounded by delicate snowy wings. For earrings she had golden crescents and a silver choker snuggly encircled her throat in the center of which was a tiny crescent. Where her skirt began was another golden crescent surrounded by a silver disc, from which came nine strands of color that wrapped around her hips. Where they met in the back a pair of silver ribbons started that blew around her legs. The mysterious Sailor Senshi had deep sapphire eyes, which were partially hidden behind a snowy mask and deep crimson lips that were curved into a slight smile as she regarded Venus regarding her. Her light hair was done up in the royal hairstyle of the Moon Family. In the fringe of it on either side of her face, feathers were twined and where her hair was done up in buns on either side of her head, golden jewels were caught up in the center of them. The final touches were the golden Crescent Moon in the center of her forehead and the pair of pristine wings that were folded behind her shoulders, both of which only the royal line of Selene was adorned with. 'Who is she? Her hair looks like a cross between distilled sunlight and distilled moonlight. She is as tall as my princess is.'

"You cannot were that uniform." Venus said automatically. "Nor can you wear the mark on you head, the wings at your back, or the colors around your hips."
The other girl laughed. "Yes I may. I am the Senshi of the Moon. It is my right and honor to wear this uniform, this hairstyle, this mark, these wings, and those colors. I do not dishonor the Moon Princess, nor the planets." She recharged the discus.

"MOON DISCUS!"

She threw the discus that was hovering over her outstretched hand. It whizzed around them in a circle, touching and dusting the nearest of their enemies before returning once again to hover over her hand.

"I never said anything about your hair."

"You said it with your eyes. It was a silent reproach."

"You were never mentioned by my princess nor her mother, the Moon Queen." Venus saw a group approaching over the over the other senshi's shoulder.

"VENUS SHOWER!"

The volley of crescent beams shot over the other girl's shoulder and riddled the enemies. Where they had been standing, there were now piles of mush.
"As is the way it has been since times unremembered. I am the senshi that appears only in the direst of events." She pulled the legendary Moon Blade from subspace. "Come on. We can discuss this some other time. Right now we have things to do." She held her sword out. Venus met her eyes for a moment, then nodded slightly. Swiftly she brought her own bloody sword up and crossed blades with Sailor Moon. "I don't know who you are or what your motives may be. For the moment though, we are allies Sailor Moon. Later may be another matter."

"Agreed."

Shoulder to shoulder they turned and waded into the battle. It was as if they had known each other forever. They moved as one through the enemy ranks. Suddenly a figure flashed in the corner of Venus's eye. She spun to get a better look and brought Sailor Moon up short. "What's wrong?"

"I…I thought that I saw someone I knew."

"This is a battle on your home planet. You're probably surrounded by people that you know."

"No. This is different. I thought that he was fighting for the enemy." She pointed with her sword. "Let's go this way."

Sailor Moon hesitated. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. If there's a traitor, I need to know."

Sailor Moon nodded uncertainly but followed anyway. Ferociously they hacked their way through the enemy ranks. "Who are we looking for anyway?" Sailor Moon panted.

"A man that I love." Venus replied grimly. "A man that's dead."

They cut a ruthless swath through the ranks of their foes towards a tall man with long pale hair. He was standing on a knoll of rubble, directing his troops with a sword. Venus got a good look at him and stumbled. She stood there, staring. Eyes wide, hair plastered to her head and back with sweat and blood, both her own and others, and her tattered uniform sticking to her body, she was the essence of being forlorn. The torture that seeing this man lead her enemies was openly displayed on her face. In an instant it hardened and became as stone. "I'm going to kill him." she grated in a low dangerous voice. Her hand tightened on the hilt of her sword and she readied a magical attack. "I'm going to kill him." She summoned the power…

And woke up with a start. Trembling and panting Minako sat up and dropped her head in her hands. 'Why don't I know? When I wake up I remember about everything except the man. Who is he? Did I kill him? Why did he betray me? It's like that with all of my memories of that life. I can't remember scrapes of things. I want to remember everything. I need to remember. I need to.'

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Usagi sat in the command center on her favorite chair. It was well cushioned with a high back and wheels, but instead of doing her favorite thing in it, namely sitting on it and spinning around in circles, she was sitting quiet still. 'Almost motionless,' the Boss reflected as he watched her. 'What a strange, almost unnatural thing to see Usagi-chan do.'

She smiled faintly as she looked at the glowing crystal that floated over her cupped hands. It sang to her as it always had. When it had been hidden in her body, it had sung its songs to her in her dreams. When it had been freed from her body, it had sung to her endlessly, night and day. Partly it had been that they were united again in this life and partly that it wanted to help relieve the ache it her heart when Mamoru had been taken by Queen Beryl. It had tried to comfort her then, in the face of what they had known was happening to Mamoru.

When she had had to face Sailor Galaxia the Ginzushiou had melded with her heart crystal, becoming one with her. Now she could understand the Ginzushiou even better than before. The language they had shared had been deeply involving before, yet it was nothing compared to the one they now shared. She laughed at the joy the crystal expressed at being held by her and she replied just as joyously. Part of the reason that she never parted with the broach that customarily held the Ginzushiou was that she could barely bear to part with this source of unconditional love, acceptance, and support. Even if the broach were stolen, the Ginzushiou wouldn't be. It simply wouldn't allow that to happen to it. Although the broach did have a high sentimental value on it in her eyes, mostly because it had been made for her by her senshi through their love, acceptance, and loyalty to her, it was not mandatory for her to have. The crystal wouldn't allow it to be stolen either though.

*Are you the one returning all my previous memories to me? *

The crystal hesitated a moment, then *Yes. *

*Why? *

*You will need them to win this war. To help heal old hurts and prevent unfortunate misunderstandings that will lead to grievous accidents. * It whispered to her.

*Need them to win? Why? And how will they help me to 'help heal old hurts and prevent unfortunate misunderstandings that will lead to grievous accidents'? *

The crystal did not answer. Instead it cheerfully sang to her about what a wonderful day it was today.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

In front of the sacred fire in the Hiwaka Jinja knelt a dark haired maiden in the traditional robes. Her eyes were closed and she was deep in meditation. The fire crackled and burned in front of her, causing the shadows in the room to dance. To anyone else that would have been all the noises were, but to the maiden they were much more. To her it was a language.

Rei's eyes flashed open. It was going to happen soon. She could already feel the dark energy amassing in Tokyo. She closed her eyes and concentrated deeply. Muttering an ancient charm, she set out to find out who the enemies that were coming were and who lead them. Among the other more minor signatures, she could feel a more powerful signature. Zoisite was coming.

'He's dead,' a small voice in her head insisted.

'Obviously not.' The rest of her mind replied. 'If Sailor Moon could bring the lot of us back from death, it's possible that someone else could do it too.'

She now bent her mind to the task of finding out where. She sank into her meditation. An answer came to her. It would happen in the park. Her eyes snapped open. She thanked the fire, then flipped open the cover of the watch she was never without. Using it she hailed the all the other senshi. She smiled slightly and grimly. This time they would have the element of surprise.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

"How old were the lot of you when you faced Queen Beryl-sama and her great leader?" Hisui asked numbly.

"All of us were fourteen. Minako-chan was the oldest among us and Usagi-chan the youngest."

"You were so young. Even younger than I guessed."

"We knew what we were doing. It was the mission that we had sworn ourselves to and the reason for our awakening as Sailor Senshi." Ami smile slightly. "Even Usagi-chan knew in her heart what the outcome of that day was probably going to be although she denied that it was the truth as long as she possibly could."

"And when you faced the Dark Moon Family?" He asked.

"We were all still fourteen. We all turned fifteen around the time that Hotaru-chan first met up with Usagi-chan and Chibiusa-chan. We Inner Senshi are all sixteen now. Hortoru is fifteen and Haruka-san and Mirchiru-san are seventeen."

"When we first met, I always assumed that you-" Haruka began but was interrupted by five watches simultaneously going off. Ami whipped her minicomputer out. "Ami here with the Outer Senshi and Hisui-kun." An image of Rei appeared on the main screen of the minicomputer.

A cheerful voice blared over the communicator in the minicomputer, "Usagi here."

"Minako here." Her voice was unusually sad.

"Are you alright Minako-chan?" Usagi asked anxiously.

"I'm fine Usagi-chan. I just had a bad dream."

"Are you-"

"Luna and Artemis here. What's shaking?" Artemis cheerfully interrupted.

"Well-" Rei began.

A voice whispered, "Makoto here."

"Mako-chan, why are you whispering?" Usagi asked curiously.

"There's somebody over here. I'm in the bathroom."

"Oh. Who?"

"We have things that are slightly more important than Makoto's social life at the moment. Things like an approaching attack led by Zoisite."

"Zoisite!"

"He's dead. Remember?" Usagi said in disbelief.

"Ogondo Atama, if you could bring all of us back whose to say that someone else couldn't do the same with others." Rei snapped in exasperation.

"It would require vast amounts of energy." Ami said thoughtfully as she began to type madly. The image of Rei shrank and was sent to one corner of the computer as Ami's present work now dominated the main area of the screen.

"That would explain that day that was one huge yoma attack and then not a sign of a single yoma until now." Haruka mused.

"Can we discuss this after we met up in the park? Preferably while we're waiting for the yoma and Zoisite to appear!"

"Sure thing Rei." Usagi agreed before shutting her communicator off.

"See you gals there." Minako signed off.

Makoto sighed deeply. "I'll see about getting rid of Aequila-san. Would one of you mind calling in about three minutes?"

"I will," Rei promised.

"I may be a little late but I'll be there." Makoto shut off.

"We're going." Haruka informed Rei.

Ami stopped working, shut her minicomputer off and stood up with the other women.

"MERCURY CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

"URANUS PLANATARY POWER, MAKE UP!"

"NEPTUNE PLANATARY POWER, MAKE UP!"

"PLUTO PLANATARY POWER, MAKE UP!"

"SATURN PLANATARY POWER, MAKE UP!"

'How come their different music styles and choruses don't jar? They're all different so you think that they would but they don't. They just sound richer and more full.' Hisui wondered idly during the seconds that it took for them to change. 'Wish I knew what happened when they change.'

After the change, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Saturn moved towards the door, but the Outers seemed to hesitate for a moment.

"Come on. The others may need us." Sailor Mercury urged.

"We're coming." Sailor Uranus fixed Hisui with a hard look. "I still don't trust you. Stay out of this battle."

"If we see you there," Sailor Neptune added coldly, "we won't hesitate to fight you too."

With that they disappeared through the door. Sailor Pluto hesitated for a moment then followed them. 'At least she didn't promise to fight me,' he consoled himself.

Saturn looked at him sympathetically for a moment, "They'll learn to trust you one day. You have to prove yourself to them somehow, and that's never easy." The she turned and left. Sailor Mercury cleared her throat and he stopped staring after Sailor Saturn. She looked distinctly embarrassed. "I'm sorry. They never trust anyone at first and-"

"It's alright, it's not your fault. Weren't you the one who told them to hurry? Now you're going to have to run to catch up." She nodded, threw him a faint smile and then ran after the others. He regarded the closed door and came to a decision.

"Well they just won't see me will they?" He muttered rebelliously.

In a flash of swirling energy he too was gone.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Makoto walked back from the bathroom with a heavy step but managed to plaster a smile on her face. As he stirred a bubbling pot of tomato sauce Aequila studied her through his lashes.

'She looks like she received bad news.' He realized what he was thinking and scoffed at himself. 'Who receives bad news in a restroom?' Makoto smiled at him with false cheerfulness, as she put her apron on and began to create a tossed salad, lecturing him the entire time. 'It's almost exactly what I would say to someone who couldn't cook.' He smiled wry at himself. 'Well I did ask for lessons. I wonder what's bothering her.'

The phone began to ring and Makoto lunged across the room to get it.

"Kino Makoto speaking."

"Well are you satisfied?"

"Yes. What did you say happened?"

"You're almost as bad as Usagi-chan." Rei sighed deeply then made her voice sickeningly sweet. "Oh well if you want to play it that way. Mako-chan I'm in trouble and need your help. I'm at the nearest park. Please help me."

"Sure. I'll be right over."

"Thank you so much!"

"Bye." Makoto hung up. She took her apron off.

"I'm sorry Aequila-san. That was a close friend and I'm needed immediately. Please excuse me."

"Hey no problem." He said with false cheerfulness and carefully controlled facial features. Desperately he thought, 'Of course a girl like her has a boyfriend. What was I thinking? Still I can't give up so easily.' Out loud he said thoughtfully, "You know, if you don't mind I could stay here and keep things from burning."

She lit up. "Really?" Then she thought it over. "It might take me awhile and I barely know you. I can't ask you to wait up for me in my apartment."

"That's alright. I'm offering. I won't leave this room. Here," he fished around in his pocket and came up with a pair of handcuffs and a key.

She looked at him puzzled, as he proceeded to handcuff himself to the oven door. "What are you doing?"

"I'm handcuffing myself to your oven door and giving you the key." He pushed the key into hands that numbly accepted them. "Why?"

"So you know that I won't go rummaging through your apartment while you're gone."

"What if something happens?"

"Nothing will. I'm a big boy so I know better than to drag my sleeve through a burner. Now hurry up you're going to be late."

She nodded uncertainly, allowing herself to be persuaded. She stopped outside the door. "See you in a bit."

"See you." He called back as she shut the door. When he was sure that she was gone, he regarded the pot he was stirring and it's contents. "There are far, far worse things than to be handcuffed to an oven in a tall auburn haired beauty's apartment," he informed the bubbling tomato sauce cheerfully. He thought a moment. "I certain hope that her father or protective brothers don't find me before she returns though. It all probability it would be messy and quite painful for me."

He looked speculatively at the door. "I wonder who her boyfriend is."

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Sailor Moon tiptoed into the park. She paused for a moment and reflected before nimbly leaping into a nearby tree. When Rei had called she had been avidly watching Tarzan, and gorging herself on popcorn in the command center. The Boss had laughed at her and yelled at her for eating so much. He hadn't really meant it though. As she looked down from her perch she suddenly wished she had listened to him. Or at the least cut back a little. She sighed deeply. This wasn't getting her anywhere.

She looked speculatively at the surrounding trees and grinned. She had been wondering if it was possible to swing from tree to tree, or at least jump. It might be impossible, or near enough, for an ordinary human to do if apes hadn't raised them but she wasn't an ordinary human. She was a Sailor Senshi. If the worst happened the trees were pretty close together so she could catch herself if she didn't quite make it. She rubbed her gloved hands together then got on her toes and jumped.

She caught herself easily on a thick tree limb and hung there for a moment before smoothly pulling herself up. She laughed happily and continued on her way in that fashion. She was well into the park when she was abruptly hit overwhelmingly by evil.

'The Dark Kingdom. Rei-chan was right.' She concentrated for a moment. 'There are so many. They're all over the park! I don't know if the others are here yet. What am I going to do?' She took several deep breaths and tried to squash her rising panic. 'It's perfectly all right Usagi-chan. So you're out numbered by evil creeps from the Dark Kingdom that happen to be spread out all over the park and who are incidentally following the orders of someone who was really dead up until a very short time ago, but you do have some advantages. You're small, and fast, and really good at being a Sailor Soldier, and extraordinarily beautiful. You can definitely take control of this situation…at least until the other Sailor Senshi show up.' Having thus assured herself, she went after the nearest yoma.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

He raised himself up on one elbow and regarded his date with a worried frown. She smiled up at him, her blue eyes shining, and her brown hair spilling around her head loosely. Her blouse loosely lay against her chest and her rumpled skirts were draped around her legs to the ankles. "Are you sure you don't want to go some place?"

She laughed at him and drew him down to lay next to her on the picnic cloth. "Positive. I want to lay here with you." She snuggled closer putting her head on his shoulder and drawing his arm around her shoulders.

"And you aren't too tired after your trip?"

"I took a nap on the plane so I'm fine. Now tell me a story."

"What shall it be about?"

"Mmmm…I don't know. Something romantic with lots of adventure."

"That doesn't narrow it down much." He thought a moment. "Okay, once upon a time…"

While he was telling his story, Reika began to do suitably distracting things. Motoki paused in his story telling. "Reika-chan, please stop that. It's making it hard to think."

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

"Reika-chan-"

There was a low growl from a few feet to their left. Motoki spun around and peered sharply into the lengthening shadows with Reika peeking over his shoulder. There stood a feminine figure in diaphanous forest green robes that flowed around her in the slightest eddies of the breeze. They made a gown of sorts that had no sleeves and flowed around her ankles. The entire thing was belted with a wrought gold belt. Her skin was aquamarine in color. She had pointed ears and fangs that jutted over her blood red lips. Her eyes were also blood red and they sparkled maliciously at the couple. They stared at each other for an instant.

"I have come for your energy and maybe even your life," she hissed and slowly started towards them.

The pair scrambled to their feet, Motoki placing himself directly between the yoma and Reika. "Stay away from us," he warned. The yoma's face scrunched up for a moment then she blew a red bubble that sped towards the two. Before either could move it hit them and with a loud SPLAT popped. She smirked as it covered the two from head to toe with glowing red goo. Both struggled frantically to escape. The yoma laughed hoarsely. "Or what little man? Will you hurt me?" She laughed again.

"He won't but I will!"

The young voice sang out over Motoki and Reika's heads, from the boughs of the tree that until recently they had lain under. A shadowy figure leapt from the branch on which it had been crouching, somersaulting over the heads of the humans to land between them and the yoma. From somewhere music began to play and a moon appeared behind the head of the senshi as she began her customary speech gestures.

"I am the Beautiful Sailor Soldier Sailor Moon, soldier of love and justice." She paused for emphasis. "Lovers should be left free to enjoy each other's company during a precious date, not terrorized by a yoma who obviously has no manners. I cannot forgive you for such an inexcusable crime against lovers. In the name of the Moon, I will punish you!"

"Will you now? I think not!" The yoma spat a volley of red bubbles.

Sailor Moon spared a glance to the immobile forms behind her. Motoki and Reika were already sagging against their bonds, rapidly being drained of their life energy. That one look of the two was enough to make her reach a rapid decision that she didn't really like. Skillfully she dodged the oncoming bubbles as she headed directly toward the yoma. Grimly she smiled as she heard the popping of the bubbles around her. Sailor Moon began to glow.

"MOON PUNCH!"

Accurately she hit the yoma on the chin. The yoma reeled backwards and Sailor Moon decided to follow it up. Her glow increased.

"MOON KICK!"

She kicked the yoma squarely in the ribs. The yoma went flying and hit a tree hard. Groggily she shook her head but Sailor Moon was having none of that. From her space pocket she called forth the Eternal Tier.

"STARLIGHT HONEYMOON THERAPY KISS!"

With a shrill shriek the yoma stiffened and glowed. With blinding radiance for a moment she shone before being replaced by a pile of dust. A tiny wind sprang up and the pile of dust was blown away. Sailor Moon turned away and ran back to Reika and Motoki. Both were pale with their skin drawn tightly against their skins. The red goo continued to glow and they continued to be drained.

"This should have stopped with the death of the yoma! Why hasn't it?"

In a panic Sailor Moon reached out to Motoki with the thought of pulling it off of him. The moment that her gloved fingers got within a few millimeters of his drooping form though, she felt her own energy being drained. Hastily she snatched her own hand back.

"What do I do? Luna! Where are you? I need you!"

She paused for a moment, as if hoping against hope that the black cat that was her guardian and aide would appear and help her but no one came. She slumped, closed her eyes and put her head in her hands. The images of Motoki and Reika had been burned into her mind though and she could still see their pathetic forms. Slowly though they began to fade to be replaced by an image from her dreams, her memories of another life.



She was with her mother in a dojo reserved expressly for the royal family of the Moon. The room and walls were white, in one corner was a pile of mats and in another corner was the doorway to a large room that was lined with weapons. That other room even had racks holding weapons because there were so many. She and her mother stood at the far end of the room across from some stray dummies. Both had abandoned their customary clothing in favor of short white tunics that were belted with soft leather cords and high white boots.
"My Daughter, concentrate on an image that you are most comfortable with. Something that you are good with and can maneuver easily."

Selenity thought a moment about her life and what she would like to use. A game of discuses that she had played earlier in the day came to mind and she smiled. She had won, but then she almost always did even when she faced opponents that were far larger or strong or more experienced than she. She would use a discus as her first weapon.

"I have one."

"Good. Concentrate on the image in your mind." Princess Selenity closed her eyes. "Concentrate on how it feels, its shape, its size, its weight, how you use it. Think about it and only it as you pool your energy. What is around you is irrelevant. Concentrate on nothing but your object and pooling your energy." The young Moon Princess began to glow with a soft silver light. "Now direct your energy down your arm and into the object that you have firmly in your mind." A silver discus began to form over her hand. Selenity opened her eyes to see the tiny discus over her hand. "Mother! Mother, I did it! See! I did it!"

"Selenity focus! You aren't finished yet." Princess Selenity took a deep breath and nodded. "Now, it easiest to perform an attack if you have words to focus on. Words that will let you work through them and shape them to complete your task. You can do an attack without words but words make it much easier and help you to focus. Choose your words for your first attack carefully Daughter."

Selenity thought carefully for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I think that I have the perfect words Mother."

"Good. Now scream them and aim your tiara at one of the dummies. Keep what you want to happen firmly in mind as you direct your tiara." Princess Selenity nodded.

"MOON DISCUS!"

With those words she let the tiny discus fly from her hand. It flew directly at the dummy in front of her, hit it, and returned to hover over her hand. Where the dummy had been was a pile of dust, which became scattered about the dojo as a tiny wind sprang up around it.

Queen Selenity turned to regard her daughter. "My Daughter, you will one day be a great senshi. One of the greatest to ever live." She smiled proudly and moved swiftly to embrace her daughter. The tiny discus disappeared and Selenity returned her mother's hug. As Queen Selenity hugged her daughter, Princess Selenity asked quietly, "Is it all right that it turned to dust?"

"Kitten, it was perfect." Queen Selenity held her daughter at arm's length. "But we have got to work on the discus and your theory."

Princess Selenity groaned and made a horrible face at the work that she sensed. Queen Selenity laughed at her.



Sailor Moon's eyes snapped open then shut again and with her mother's words echoing in her head she began. Carefully she formed the discus over her outstretched hand, ignoring the plight of the two humans that she had come to love. With one eye she critically looked over the medium size silver discus that floated over her outstretched gloved hand.

'It will have to do' she decided.

"MOON DISCUS!"

Just before it would have hit the helpless pair, she shouted another command as she focused on her creation.

"DUST!"

The silver discus sailed even closer then burst into tiny motes of silvery dust. As the dust landed on the pair the red goop disintegrated into nothingness. Sailor Moon rushed forward and checked their pulses. They were alive. Barely. Absently Sailor Moon stuck a finger in her mouth as she thought. They needed a hospital but in their present condition they would never survive-even if they were to be teleported to it. Another memory surfaced.



She was sitting under a tree with Princess Hermesia, heir to the throne of Mercury. She herself was dressed in a light pink frock with white stockings and pink slippers. The frock had white embroidery along the hem and along the neck and the hems of the sleeves that gently brushed her elbows. Her companion wore a tan frock with a wide aquamarine belt, aquamarine stockings, and tan slippers. Hermesia was looking incredibly tired to her guest. She was slumped against the tree with her dark blue eyes almost closed beneath drooping eyelids. Even her hair looked tired as it lay lifelessly against her head and the tree's trunk. Princess Selenity looked at her friend and playmate in concern. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Hermesia tried to smile reassuringly at her. "I'm just dreadfully tired."

"Why?"

"I've been working hard."

"At what?"

"I've been studying to become a healer and a senshi. Either occupation would take a great deal of time and effort to learn but both together are murderous."

"Hermesia! Are you still taking your lessons and doing your duties as the High Princess of Mercury?"

"Of course. I would never fail to prepare for one of my greatest duties."

"How can you push yourself so hard? Aren't you worried that you're hurting yourself?"

"Sel, my mother and the Master-of-Arms and the Master Healer are watching me carefully. They'd know if I was hurting myself doing all this. I'm just tired and bruised, which is to be expected."

Selenity was still deeply distressed. "Herm, why are you doing this?"

A strangely fierce look crossed her face. "Someone, a friend, that I love dearly needs me to."

"Any friend of your is a friend of mine. Let me help!"

Hermesia genuinely smiled at her friend this time. "Thank you Sel, but you can't help with this."

A thought struck her. "Herm, have you been taught how to heal someone who has an aching body that isn't really hurt too badly and make that person less tired?"

"Of course-Sel I am not teaching you!"

"Why not? It's the only way I can help you!"

"I'd have to teach you! What if I teach you incorrectly and you get hurt?"

"That won't happen. You're a wonderful teacher and you always manage to get what you want into my head and get me to remember it correctly. Everything will be fine."

"I don't know Sel."

"Either you teach me, or I'll fumble my own way through and we'll both get hurt."
Hermesia sighed. "I'll do it but listen carefully and do exactly what I say."

Selenity nodded. "Of course." She closed her eyes.

Hermesia thought for a moment. "Concentrate on pooling your strength in you center." Selenity nodded her head and thought 'It's like creating a discus.' Roughly she pushed the thought aside as she began to glow with a silver light. Hermesia continued, "Now, with your mind's eyes look at my body. Establish contact with it." Selenity did as she was told to do.

With her mind she reached out and peered at Hermesia. Her friend's body was so exhausted that it made Usagi ache to think about it. Her friend had always been a brilliant shimmering blue in her mind's eye, as if frozen. Now she was a dull blue with an inner shimmer. 'As if she's melting.' Gently she reached out with her mind and established a link with her friend's body. "Think about the way that I look and feel to you right now, and what is wrong with me looking and feeling this way. Concentrate pooling your energy and me. Concentrate on nothing else because at the moment nothing else matters." Selenity nodded. "Now this is easiest to do if you're touching the person that you want to heal," Selenity took Hermesia's hand in both of hers. "This is the point where you can't stop after you start. When I tell you-wait until I do-you have to feed your energy down your arms, into your hands, through your hands, and into me. Do it slowly so neither of us suffers shock. Concentrate on washing my hurts and tiredness away. To give me more energy, fill me with a little of yours. Do this slowly and don't give me too much. If you aren't careful we could both die of this. Please Sel, change your mind. Don't-"

It was too late. Selenity, having sensed her friend's change of mind, had begun her healing. Slowly she sent her energy from her pool down her arms, into her hands, through her hands, and into Hermesia. She concentrated on a refreshing bath that washed away her friend's pain and tiredness. "Hermesia, how do I know when to stop giving you energy?"

"I'll seem to fill up or get brighter or something along those lines. To end the giving slowly force your energy back into yourself the way that it came, then break the link with my body. After that allow the remaining energy to dissolve into the world around you." Hermesia saw her friend nod to tell her that she understood. "Full healers know how to do it without affecting the world around them, but neither of us are full healers.

Selenity concentrated and sure enough Hermesia did. Hermesia went from a dull blue with an inner shimmer back to a brilliantly shimmering frozen blue. Selenity smiled then halted her energy. Slowly she forced the energy back the way that it had come and held it in the pool while she removed her link from Hermesia's body. Slowly and with infinite care she allowed the energy to go. She shone even more stunningly for a moment before becoming regular Selenity again.

Selenity opened her eyes to find that the tree they were sitting under was now in full blossom and had scads of a variety of flowers budding under it where earlier the tree had had no blossoms and no flowers under it. She looked around, slightly tired and dazed, to notice that the same thing had happened all around them in a perfect circle for about five meters. "What happened?"

"Your energy caused them to burst into flower." Then she was in a fierce hug from Hermesia. "Don't you ever frighten me again that way! I nearly had a heart attack and died when you started your healing that way!" She laughed. "Thank you Sel." She pulled back for a moment and looked Selenity in the eyes. "You have a natural way with healing. You could be a great healer one day."

"Really?"

Hermesia nodded. "Really."

That was something to think of later and talk over with her mother.

Selenity returned her friend's hug. Hermesia broke the hug and stood up. With twinkling eyes she looked down at her friend. "Selenity, I have an idea for how to spend the rest of the day."

"Oh really." Hermesia helped Selenity up. "How?" she asked when they were face to face.

"Swimming."

Selenity groaned. "Only if you promise not to drown me."

Hermesia laughed. "Of course."

"Of course what?"

"Of course I won't drown you…too many times."

Selenity put on a pouting face and asked in a tiny voice, "That's the beast deal I can hope for?"

"Yes." Hermesia assured her with mock sincerity.

"Then," a mischievous glint entered Selenity's eyes "you're going to have to catch me first!"

With that she dashed off leaving a gaping Hermesia. Hermesia shook herself and chased after her friend. "I'll get you Selenity! Then see what all this running around will get you!"

Selenity's giggled drifted back for reply.



'It couldn't hurt to try.' Sailor Moon mused. 'Although I wish I could remember how a full healer would do it. She knelt next to Motoki and took one of his hands in both of hers. She glanced at Reika's still form. 'She used to be a yoma and before that…something else. He's human and much more fragile. Either way she has way more energy to give up,' Sailor Moon rationalized. With that she bent her mind to healing Motoki, replaying the lesson in her mind that she had received so long ago. When she was done, Motoki groaned feebly and stirred slightly. Sailor Moon gently placed a hand on his shoulder, lie easily for a while. I'll take care of everything." Then she moved on the Reika. As she had thought earlier, Reika was far more than she seemed. Shoving that to the back of her mind she worked on healing Reika. When she was done and was allowing her energy to dissolve into the area around them, Sailor Moon became aware of Motoki peering over her shoulder. When her energy had dissolved, she turned to Motoki. "I thought I told you that I had everything under control."

"You did, but I was worried about Reika-chan." He was half-explaining and half-defiant. Sailor Moon smiled. "She's fine now." Reika groaned and instantly Motoki started forward. Sailor Moon got out of his way and looked around.

Everything within a fifteen-foot radius had burst into bloom. Sailor Moon winced. Another time she would have admired the beauty of it but at the moment it troubled her. Every yoma and senshi for quite a distance would have felt the amount of energy that she had used to have such a side effect. She looked at Motoki and Reika and winced again.

It would have been hard enough to get out of here without having to protect them all the way. Even if she did a half-teleport, like she had in the Dark Kingdom, she would be weak and vulnerable on the other side and she couldn't risk that with the two humans along. Nor could she leave them. That only left one way in her mind. She was going to have to fight her way out with them.

She knelt beside them. Motoki was holding Reika and reassuring her. Reika was still lying on the ground, her head and shoulders in Motoki's arms, and Sailor Moon suddenly realized that Reika probably couldn't get up just yet. Although she had a great deal more energy than Motoki, she had had to cling to life on her own while Sailor Moon had healed Motoki. Sailor Moon had taken quite a bit longer than necessary healing Motoki because she had been afraid of hurting him. She had healed Reika the same way she had Motoki but she had given Reika less energy than she had Motoki, trusting in help from Reika's ability to heal her and believing that she needed every ounce of energy that she had. While concentrating on those thoughts she had forgotten that Reika probably need a lot more energy that Motoki did to survive. That had been a mistake. If she filled Reika with a portion of her energy she would only make the yoma come faster and there was no guarantee that they wouldn't arrive during the healing. Now she was slightly stronger but either she or Motoki was going to have to carry Reika.

"We have got to get out of here." She turned to Reika "Can you stand?"

"Why do we have to leave?" Reika asked.

"The two of you were dying but I wouldn't let that happen and used a lot of energy in the process. The other yoma and senshi in this park will have felt it and are, even as we speak, headed this way."

Reika tried to sit up unaided and fell back down, only to be caught by Motoki. "I guess not." she replied dryly to the earlier question.

Sailor Moon frowned and Motoki added, "We can't leave her!"

"Of course not!" Sailor Moon was suddenly irritable and for the first time she wondered what Motoki thought of the mysterious Sailor Moon. A hurt and angry look crossed her face as she blurted, "What do you think I am?" Just as suddenly she changed her mind. "Don't answer that."

"Why can't we wait here for the other Sailor Senshi?"

"If we do we're trusting that they'll make it here before the yoma do and that if any of the yoma appear that I will be able to deal with them alone." She checked mentally for the other Sailor Senshi and the yoma. "As it stands we Sailor Senshi are greatly outnumbered and the yoma are much closer to us than any of the other Sailors." She concentrated on Reika's worried face and spoke to Motoki. "Can you carry her? I would but if you can I should deal with what will be stalking us."

"There's only one way to find out." Carefully he gathered Reika up in his arms and stood. He wobbled for a moment but managed to stand firmly. Motoki nodded his head decisively. "I can carry her."

Sailor Moon nodded, "Good." She did a quick mental scan for the telltale dark energy of the yoma and stood up. "Come on. Let's go this way." With that she led Motoki off to their left.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Sailor Venus slipped into the park under the cover of late afternoon shadows and crouched under a nearby tree. She allowed her senses to roam the surrounding area as she knelt there. The park was overwhelmingly filled with the presence of the Dark Kingdom. On the far side of the park she could feel something that made her smile. Sailor Moon was already in the park. She frowned worriedly. Sailor Moon had apparently decided to go after the yoma that was nearest to her position. 'What if Sailor Moon can't handle it alone?' She roughly shook off the thought. 'Of course she'll be able to handle it!' Still, Sailor Moon was the point that she decided to head for. There were several yoma between them of course. That meant she would have to deal with them as she worked her way over to Sailor Moon. Fiercely she grinned. 'I imagine the yoma will soon regret not being mentally equipped to working in large groups.' She flashed herself her trademark V mentally and laughed before leaping to her feet and running towards the nearest yoma.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Makoto had found a handy alley so now Sailor Jupiter was running and leaping rooftop to rooftop toward her ultimate destination: the park. As she ran she noticed familiar figures on the ground also running towards the park: Rei-chan and the guardian cats. Swiftly she leapt from her rooftop into an adjacent alley. As Rei ran by her arm snapped out and grabbed her fellow senshi by the arm. Rei stopped, spun, and relaxed as she saw who it was. Then she immediately started glaring heatedly.

"Don't do that! I nearly had a heart attack!"

"Sorry. Don't you think you had better change?"

Rei glared at her for a moment more then nodded.

"MARS CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

Out of the alley and onto the rooftops leapt two Sailor Senshi and two guardians where there had been one Sailor Senshi before.

"I certainly hope there are some left for us when we get there."

"I think there will be. It certainly felt like a large party of yoma and very spread out. If nothing else Zoisite will probably be there when we get there."

"Good. I'd hate to miss alone time with Aequila-san for a wild goose chase. I ought to get something out of the whole mess."

Mars laughed. "What were you doing together anyway?"

"Cooking dinner."

"Ahhh. The old 'Get a Man Through his Stomach' tactic. I should have guessed. So how did you get him to leave?"

"I didn't. He's still in my apartment looking after the sauce."

"Jupiter!"

"He's handcuffed to the stove," Jupiter replied defensively, "and I've got the key in my subspace pocket." Mars started laughing so hard that she had to stop running and sit down on the rooftop. Jupiter stopped as well. "It's not that funny!

"Yes it is!"

Jupiter looked at her friend that was laughing so hard she was crying and the guardians that were rolling around on the rooftop with laughter. "I did not handcuff him to my oven. He handcuffed himself to the oven." She paused, then yielded to her growing anger. "We're going to miss all the fighting if you keep this up! Pull yourselves together!"

"Hold on a moment." Mars regained her composure then got to her feet, still grinning. "Alright I'm ready, let's go."

Jupiter picked up the cats put them on her shoulder, and then they started running again. "If we've missed all the fighting because you felt the need to sit in the middle of a rooftop and laugh, I'm going to be very disappointed."

"If we do it'll be your own fault for telling me that you handcuffed your date to the stove!" Mars retorted.

Jupiter growled and ground her teeth. "Well, hurry up!"

With that she increased the pace and both senshi were forced to stop talking and save their breath for running.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

The Outer Senshi and Sailor Mercury ran towards the wall of the park and leapt over it easily. Mercury had her visor on and was rapidly scanning schematics of the park and those currently in it. "Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus are already in the park. They seemed to have already picked their yoma and have already started to engage their opponents. They're both doing fairly well." She paused. "There are several yoma quite close to us."

"Lead the way, Mercury."

Mercury nodded and ran a little faster so that the others flanked her. Swiftly she led them to a clearing. In the clearing a gang of street toughs stood facing four yoma. On the ground between the two groups lay motionless members of the human gang. The gang members were in various ready positions with knives, chains, metal bars, and cudgels.

In face, form, height the yoma were all the same with trim figures, huge Cyclops eyes, tiny noses, and vast mouths. The first had bright red skin and a malicious orange eye. She was clad in skintight orange pants and a loose short sleeve shirt that bared her midriff, both articles of clothing complimented her eye in color. The second had orange skin and a brilliant purple eye. She wore a short loose skirt that swirled around her thighs and a tight bikini top, both of which was the same color as her eye and once again complimented it. The third had brilliant purple skin and a blazing green eye. She wore a loose sleeveless one-piece dress that was belted at the waist, ended around her thighs and was blazing green in color. The fourth and final yoma had blazing green skin and a brilliant red eye. She wore loose pants that were tight at the waist and ankles and a tight sleeveless vest that clung to her upper body, both garments were bright reds like her eye. All of them were barefoot.

"Look sisters, more playmates." Purred the yoma in the tight pants.

The gang members started and turned to look at the new entries. Some breathed visible sighs of relief while others only got tenser. The senshi shared tight smiles and began to assume a group pose. In the background music began to play. Sailor Mercury stepped forward as the air around her turned dark blue and shimmered.

"I am the Beautiful Sailor Soldier, Sailor Mercury, Soldier of Love and Intelligence."

Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune stepped forward as one to the immediate right of Sailor Mercury, and stood back to back, positioned so that the others in the clearing could see their profiles. A deep blue, almost black, descended around them and merged with Sailor Mercury's background, deepening and enriching it.

"In a New Age acting Beautifully, Sailor Uranus."

"In a New Age acting Gracefully, Sailor Neptune."

Sailor Pluto moved forward to stand a little to the left of Sailor Mercury. As she moved she spun her Time Staff over her head smoothly. With each movement of the staff a black color was flung out of the staff, mingling with the backgrounds of the others.

"In a New Age, the Sailor Soldier of Revolution, Sailor Pluto."

She stopped spinning her Time Staff and planted the end of it firmly in the ground at a slight angle and turned to the side, showing her profile. Lastly, Sailor Saturn strode forward to the place between Sailor Pluto and Sailor Mercury spinning, flipping and twirling her Silence Glaive dexterously. Where she stepped wisps of dark purple began to float up from the ground. Soon they had enveloped the entire group and were adding their color to the color that had already been created.

"In a New Age, the Soldier of Destruction and Rebirth, Sailor Saturn."

She spun her Silence Glaive one more time as she stopped at Sailor Pluto's back and turned to the side, swinging the shaft of her Glaive over her shoulder and Pluto's, to show her profile. Sailor Mercury extended her right arm and pointed an accusing index finger at the group of smirking yoma women.

"We are the Sailor Team, for disturbing the peace of the park, we will punish you!"

"How wonderful! That was really, really cool! Do it again!" The yoma in the baggy pants was jumping up and down and clapping her hands. "Please!"

The yoma with the short skirt looked at her sister and snarled in annoyance, "Navitas, they're going to kill us! That entire production means that they want to fight us and destroy us! There won't even be a body left among us if they win!"

The first turned and glared at the Sailor Senshi furiously. "You never said that! Not through that entire thing! What kind of scam are you trying to pull on us!"

If this were an anime, the Sailor Senshi would have face-faulted, getting tiny pinprick eyes, huge mouths, and square faces. But this was not an anime, so all they did was look flabbergasted. Sailor Uranus was the first to recover. "Well why do you think we're doing this? It isn't to entertain you as you run around taking people's energy!"

"She has a point." The yoma in the one-piece remarked urbanely. She was the one with bright purple skin and the blazing green eye. "Since you were polite enough to introduce yourselves, we will introduce ourselves." The yoma in the short skirt made a noise of protest that was cut short by a look from her sister, who proceeded as if nothing had happened. "I am Potentia. My sister in the short skirt and the bikini top with the purple eye and orange skin is named Irascor." The introduced yoma inclined her head grudgingly. "My sister with the bright red skin and orange eye dressed in the tight pants and short shirt is called Vitiosus. She is the eldest of us." Mockingly the yoma in question bowed to them. "And of course our youngest sister with the green skin and red eye, wearing the loose pants and tight vest, is Navitas." The last yoma grinned. "Nice to meet you!" She cocked her head. "Now that the formalities are out of the way, we should really get down to business."

Both the Sailor Senshi and the yoma sisters got into fighting positions. Vitiosus narrowed her eyes, "So Sailor Mercury, when did you switch Sailor Senshi groups?" She sneered. "Did you become too good for them?"

"Or did Sailor Moon throw you out?" Irascor asked nastily.

"SHABON SPRAY!"

Immediately the area became shrouded with thick fog. The sisters moved back-to-back and peered into the fog warily. "Hey! No fair!" shrieked Navitas. "We can't see!"

"Isn't that a pity." Mercury replied with mock sincerity.

"Now that's a funny thing," Uranus remarked thoughtfully. "I can see just fine."

With that she flew forward and punched Irascor in the nose, hard. At the same moment Neptune flowed toward the yoma and kicked Navitas in the stomach, solidly. Both females fell. "Pigs!" Vitiosus screamed. Her voice rose in pitch and volume until it was a high pitched screech that drove daggers of pain into her adversaries' brains. The Sailor Senshi staggered under her influence and Neptune and Uranus, to whom most of the attack was directed, fell to their knees. Sailor Pluto marshaled her strength and will.

"DEAD SCREAM!"

The greatest irony about the attack was that she intoned it so softly. Her attack flew at her screeching opponent and hit her directly sending her crashing into a nearby tree. Potentia looked at her fallen sisters, then back at the Sailor Senshi through the dissipating fog. Neptune and Uranus got to their feet as Potentia put on her most charming smile. "Those were not very nice things to do to my darling sisters." She remarked gently. "Not very nice at all. Irascor's nose in bleeding profusely and I think it may be broken. Dear Navitas cannot get up, her stomach pains her so." She spared another glance toward Vitiosus. "Poor Vitiosus seems to be unconscious. Those are not very lady-like things to do. They are terrible things to do to friends," she scolded in her mellifluous voice. Saturn bowed her head and silent tears tricked down her cheeks as she clutched her Glaive. Potentia's soothing voice continued and senshi after senshi fell to her voice. Irascor got her nose to stop bleeding and Navitas got up. Vitiosus was brought around and the other three sisters began to gather around Potentia. Preparing to attack the defenseless senshi and finish the incapacitated gang members, they began to gloat horribly among themselves.

'This isn't right!' Mercury's mind gasped to her. A memory of Usagi and the other Inner Senshi at a picnic with her flashed in her mind briefly. Then the memory of another yoma with an enchanting voice who had used a similar tactic on her during the war with the Dark Moon Family came to mind. 'Not then and not now!" She braced her mind and readied her powers, deliberately keeping her eyes heavy lidded. 'How convenient that her voice attack compels us to look at her.'

"DOUBLE SHABON SPRAY FREEZING!"

In mid sentence Potentia was turned into an ice statue, her face assured of victory, and her mouth agape. The other senshi shook themselves out of their trances. Realizing what had happened, their faces hardened.

"WORLD SHAKING!"

Sailor Uranus shattered the ice statue. "Potentia!" The remaining sisters crowded around the shards of their sister. Vitiosus turned hate filled eyes on the Sailor Senshi, opened her mouth…

"DEEP SUBMERGE!"

…And got a mouthful of seawater while being hurtled into another tree. Irascor and Navitas ran to their fallen sister. Navitas seemed to know that turning both of their backs on the Sailor Senshi would give them the opening that they wanted, so she glance at Vitiosus before fixing her eyes on the soldiers. A movement out of the corner of her eye reminded her of the human gang. A cruel smile played on her lips as she turned toward them. She raised both of her hands and balled them into fists before splaying all her fingers at once so that they pointed at the gang members. From each finger shot a tiny ball of green flame that rapidly grew. Sailor Saturn threw herself in front of the gang, fallen and standing members. Swiftly she raised her Silence Glaive and braced her small body.

"SILENCE WALL!"

The green flames hit the invisible wall of Saturn and were absorbed into it. Rapidly Navitas spun and directed the same attack at the other soldiers.

"DOUBLE SHABON SPRAY FREEZING!"

Bubbles met flames and both were destroyed. Navitas howled in fury and frustration. That distraction gave the Sailor Senshi their opening to move against her.

"DEEP SUBMERGE!"

"WORLD SHAKING!"

Navitas was thrown against the same tree Vitiosus had been thrown against. Realizing their predicament, Irascor rose to her feet. She made a circling motion with her forefingers causing a circle of purple flames to rise around the tree. Higher and high they licked, until they were the same height as the tree. "You will never get through my wall." She jeered confidently. "I will wait until you leave and then let my shield down. After that my remaining sisters and I will finish what we began!"

"WORLD SHAKING!"

The shield deflected the attack and caused it to destroy several of the nearby trees. The yoma laugh raucously. Sailor Mercury scanned the fire shield with her visor then nodded crisply. "This shield is not like Sailor Saturn's. If we attack it with enough energy, it should overload and destruct, allowing the attack to kill those who are being protected by it." The sailors shared looks, then turned to the flames.

"SHINE AQUA…"

"DEEP…"

"WORLD…"

"DEAD…"

Irascor realized what was going to happen and began to scream. Navitas and Vitiosus both struggled vainly to get to their feet, calling out for the panicking Irascor to help them.

…"ILLUSION!"

…"SUBMERGE!'

…"SHAKING!"

…"SCREAM!"

The tree and the yoma women around it were annihilated. A blackened pit marked the spot where they had been. "There was a little overkill on that one." Mercury remarked critically.

"'Better to have too much than too little,'" Saturn quoted.

Mercury nodded her assent, then turned to the fallen members of the gang, scanning them with her visor. She frowned. "Something isn't right about this." she fretted.

"What?"

"Well Sailor Uranus, when a yoma is killed the energy she or he holds is mostly returned to the original owners of the energy in a very noticeable way almost instant. At the moment the energy is still missing, in fact it's still being drained from the victims." More frantic typing, then a pause. "They're going to be dead if we don't do something!"

Sailor Saturn knelt next to one of the fallen humans. A purple glow encircled her hands as she laid them on the boy. Her eyes were closed and a look of intense concentration settled on her face. The purple glow spread and covered the entire body for a moment, and then the boy shakily sat up. He clutched his head for a moment trying to remember something then, as it came to him, scrambled backwards.

"Where are they? Where did they go?"

Another gang member grabbed his shoulder. "The Sailor Senshi killed them all. It's all right now so don't worry."

Sailor Saturn shakily got to her feet a stumbled toward the next fallen. Sailor Uranus grabbed her elbow and steadied her. Sailor Saturn threw a grateful smile at her and leaned against her as Uranus helped her to the next. "Let me help you." Saturn looked up at her in surprise so Uranus continued. "You're Saturn yet you're already tired from the healing of one of these foolish boys and you have several more to heal. Use my energy." They sat down next to the new boy.

"If I take your energy I won't be any different from those yoma."

"Yes you will." Mercury disagreed as she came to stand over them. "The yoma took their energy but Uranus' energy will be freely given." Mercury paused. "Unless you happen to feel that Sailor Moon is a yoma at heart." Sailor Saturn started, her large eyes becoming huge, and Mercury smiled down at the younger senshi. "Sailor Moon uses our energy when we offer it to her and you obviously don't think of her as a yoma. Why should the rules be different for Sailor Moon and Sailor Saturn?"

Saturn laughed ruefully. "You've got me there. I'll use Sailor Uranus' energy."

Mercury's smile grew as she began taking readings. "When you think that you've used up as much of Uranus' energy as you think you can use without taking too much, you may use my energy." Uranus started to protest and Mercury glared at her fiercely. "Whatever foolishly stubborn Sailor Uranus may say."
Uranus bit back her protest and Saturn giggled while nodding. 'I've never seen anyone but Mirchiru-mama make Haruka-papa be quiet and do as she's told. Most people don't realize that Ami-san is a lot stronger than she appears.'

Thus the healing proceeded, Mercury taking readings while Uranus and Saturn healed, the healing color now being predominately navy blue with strands of dark purple intertwined. Then Mercury took over Uranus' position, the healing color reflecting the change in senshi aiding Saturn. They had just finished healing the fallen humans when an overwhelming sense of Sailor Moon's energy washed over the Sailors. They exchanged worried looks then turned to the gang that they couldn't just let loose.

"I suggest that you boys stop hanging around the park at night." Uranus started.

"You might find yourself in situations like this that you can't handle." Neptune agreed.

"We can take care of ourselves." One member sneered belligerently.

"I'm sure you can." Neptune looked significantly at the boys that had been healed by the senshi. "But some of your members can't." Some of the gang shuffled nervously.

"By the way, Sailor V is in town at the moment," Mercury added. "I would hate to have to tell her that she's needed to keep the civil peace."

Now the gang members looked really apprehensive. Even the rude youth that had talked to Neptune was trying to obliquely scan the trees.

"Didn't Sailor V suggest that we start taking care of the criminal element in Tokyo as a means to keep in shape for the yoma?" Saturn asked the question innocently enough but her eyes were glittering.

"Yes, she did." Mercury looked significantly at the boys and at some bulky shapes badly concealed beneath the dark tree limbs. "But I'm sure the boys were just borrowing those things in the bags. I'm positive that they were going to return them, not keep them or sell them. Those yoma just interrupted them." She paused as if a thought just struck her. "Weren't you boys?"

"Of course Sailor Mercury!" One boy yelped.

"We were just going to do that!" Another agreed helpfully.

"Good. Just to be on the safe side though, so none of the shadier characters among you don't plan to double cross me, I'll be checking up on you. You may not see me of course, but I will most certainly see you. If that's all right with you?"

"Of course it is!" They were all nodding vigorously now even the rude boy.

"We'll be going now…to return the stuff! Bye!" With that the boys as a mass swarmed to the items beneath the trees and ran off with them. Faintly the mutters of "I'm going honest this time!" and "Never again!" Could be heard. One boy remained though. He had been one of the ones healed by Saturn, Mercury recalled. He looked nervously at the warriors in front of him.

"Thank you! For everything!" He blurted before darting after his companions.

The stunned senshi looked at each other. Sailor Moon's energy blasted through the clearing, overwhelming them. They started.

"He almost made me forget about that." Uranus muttered. "Mercury?"

"Already on it." She had her visor out and was turning in a large circle scanning the surrounding trees. "She must have been using colossal amounts of energy to be able to saturate the entire park. Come on this way." She started to lead them.

"Sailor Mercury! Sailor Moon's in the opposite direction!" Sailor Uranus exclaimed.

"I know but she can't stay there. Every yoma and senshi in the park knows where she is right now. She has two humans with her so she can't stay and fight, nor can she risk a solo teleport. She has to get the humans moving. Then she has to clear a path for them to the edge of the park. I'm going to lead us to a point on the path that she is most likely to take, and hopefully get us there ahead of her. Now come on!" With that she took off in the direction that she wished to go at a ground eating pace. The Outer Senshi exchanged wry looks before racing after her.

"She's certainly not shy when she knows that she's right." Neptune remarked as they ran. Uranus snorted in agreement.

"There is nothing soft about her when it comes to the safety of the Princess." Pluto agreed with a slight smile.

"There is a great deal more to Sailor Mercury than anyone ever gives her credit for." Saturn added before they got down to the serious business of following Sailor Mercury's lead.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Sailor Venus looked up as she felt an overwhelming surge of Sailor Moon's energy and was nearly hit by one of the two yoma she was engaging. She dodged, pausing to regard her opponents for a moment. They were a brother and sister team and even looked like each other to a degree. They both were very dark of skin, and had shockingly fair hair. The female of the pair was slight while her brother was huge and hulking. Unfortunately for them neither possessed a magical attack. While they could drain energy, they could not attack anyone with their own energy, relying, instead upon physical combat. She noted that the female yoma, Velox, seemed mesmerized by Sailor Moon's energy signature. The sensible thing to do would be to allow her to remain entranced, deal with her brother, then come back and deal with her. She grinned to herself…

"VENUS KICK!"

…And kicked the mesmerized Velox in the head. That woke her up. Snarling at her rude call back to battle, she turned to Sailor Venus as her twin brother, Vis, lunged at Sailor Venus who barely managed to leap out of the way of his body. Unfortunately that put her directly in the way of Velox, who was rapidly descending on her with a disgusting smirk. Sailor Venus regarded her narrowly. 'I am not letting anyone who gloats that openly receive the honor of killing me. Unfortunately, I don't really have time to aim right now so…'

"VENUS SHOWER!"

"…I'll just aim in her general direction and hope to hit something." Velox was reduced to green mush where she had once been in mid-step toward Sailor Venus. Vis, seeing what had happened to his twin sister, howled insanely and charged Sailor Venus bodily, this time with no though for personal safety, only vengeance. Venus leapt out of the way of that attack and scarcely managed to avoid the rapid following attacks. Eventually, breathing hard, she managed to steer the fight close enough to the surrounding trees to leap up into the bows of a particularly sturdy one. Shrieking the yoma leapt to follow her into this new battleground…

"CRESCENT BEAM!"

…And became a twin pile of mush that fell and hit the ground with a sickening splat. Venus nodded her head satisfactorily then peered around, looking for humans that had been drained of energy. "Looks like I'm not going to have to lug anyone to the hospital!" She crowed to herself happily.

Another surge of Sailor Moon's energy blasted through the park. "Sailor Moon!" Sailor Venus started to run towards the origins of the energy. 'Sometimes having partial memories comes in handy.' She mused in her head. 'I'm fairly certain that none of the other senshi can locate each other without Luna, Artemis, or Ami's minicomputer.' She shook her head irritably. Out loud she gasped, "Hold on Sailor Moon! I'm coming!"

Then she bent all her efforts towards sprinting and locating.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Sailor Moon's energy rippled through the clearing where Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter were battling. They looked at each other to confirm whose energy that was, although both already knew, then turned fought more furiously than before if that was possible.

They were fighting a pair of yoma who claimed to be sisters although they looked nothing alike. The first was eight feet tall and an unwholesome shade of mustard yellow. With three gleaming cherry red eyes and a huge tongue that continually licked her slivers of lips, she was all together disgusting. This yoma looked like a large blob of jelly dressed in a huge sheet that was wrapped around her bulky form many times and went by the name Siyr. She definitely lived up to her looks. Already she had absorbed two of Mars' attacks and squelched out of the way of one of Jupiter's.

The second was the exact opposite of her counterpart. Thin as a rail, she had eyes that took up half of her face, a small forehead, a bulbous nose, and tiny thin lips that were continuously set in a hard line. Her skin was lime green in color and she had hard bronze eyes. She wore tight top and pants that were eye wrenching in blue and yellow pinstripes and accented her bony frame and the sharp angles that poked out from it. Her name was Crau.

At their distraction over the energy, Crau lunged at Sailor Jupiter with a surprising amount of speed and threw her at a tree. Jupiter turned as she sped at the tree and managed to hit the tree with her side rather than her head, as the yoma had intended. Mars was instantly standing over her friend. Grimacing Jupiter got to her feet.

"Siyr is afraid of you." Mars hissed.

"Really?"

"Yes. She absorbed my attacks but dodged yours."

A volley of mustard-yellow jelly blobs flew at the two senshi. Nimbly they dodged the attack, then got back together and continued their discussion.

"That's promising. Unfortunately, I don't think Crau is afraid of either of us."

"What if I send my soul bird and an ofuda at Siyr then you fry her?"

"Sounds workable. What about Crau?"

"That's tough."

"I don't suppose that you could do two birds at once?"

"No."

"Let's deal with Crau first, then we can work on Siyr."

"Okay. I'll send the soul bird at her, then you can follow my attack up."

"I'll be a distraction while you charge your ofuda."

"Right."

With that Jupiter leapt over Mars' head as Mars got out an ofuda.

"Rin, pyou, tou…"

Siyr and Crau had regrouped while Mars and Jupiter had made their plans. Seeing Jupiter heading straight for them, Siyr disbanded her shape and tried to sink into the ground. Jupiter called her lightening and ran it between her hands.

"SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!"

Swiftly she hit the ground with her electrified hands and the ball of energy she held in them. The surge of lightening that she sent through the ground stopping the retreat of Siyr into the ground. The yoma reformed above ground, writhing and shifting shapes in her agony. Jupiter absently listened to Mars chanting as she moved toward Crau.

"…shai, kai, zen…"

Crau feigned left, then darted to the right, trying to outmaneuver Jupiter. Jupiter flipped out of the way, landing a punch on Crau's midsection as she did. Crau yelped and clasped her midsection with one hand, but did not double over. In the other hand a ball began rapidly to form. It was waxy and seemed to form, melt, and reform over her hand as she made it larger.

"…retsu, shai, zen…"

Jupiter watched her warily. Crau threw her ball. As it flew through the air toward Sailor Jupiter, it became a net of fine waxen threads. Between the threads electricity and fire snapped and leapt. Jupiter tried to dodge out of the way, but she and Crau were too close. She would be hit by the edge of it at the very least.

"Akouryou taisan!"

Over Jupiter's shoulder flew the charged ofuda.

"FIRE SOUL BIRD!"

Following the ofuda over her shoulder, a bird of pure fire flew. Screaming battle cries, it rapidly caught up with the scroll and enveloped it, becoming one with the scroll. The bird burned through the waxy net and continued on its way toward the yoma. The yoma was entranced by the bird and couldn't move. The bird shrieked and the yoma, sensing its fate, began to screech mindlessly. The bird finally impacted the yoma, causing her to be thrown back several feet. She sat up dazed.

"SUPREME THUNDER DRAGON!"

From Jupiter's body an undulating dragon emerged, roaring. The dragon swiftly crossed the clearing where it struck the yoma squarely. The yoma shrieked one last time as the lightening surrounded her before she was gone. Where it had been was a disgusting black mess.

The other yoma, Syir, had managed to get to her feet during the battle and was trying to escape the fatal clearing. Mars caught her movements out of the corner of her eye.

"FIRE SOUL!"

The yoma leapt backward at the unexpected attack but then, seeing that it was only fire, she squelched forward again, this time much more rapidly. Mars' seeing her and that backward leap proved to be her undoing though.

"SUPREME THUNDER!"

Jupiter's attack hit her, hard. The yoma shrieked for one endless moment before she too was a black mess on the ground.

"You used a little more power in that than you usually do."

"I just wanted to be sure that that attack finished her."

"I told you that there would probably be enough yoma to go around."

"You can never be too certain, Mars."

Mars shook her head. "You're incurable. This isn't the first yoma that we've dealt with since we got here yet you're still worried that we may be missing out."

Jupiter laughed at her companion's disapproving looks. "Admit it Mars. You like fighting as much as I do."

Mars continued to look disapproving and Jupiter laughed harder causing Mars to color. Luna and Artemis joined the two then. "We can continue this another time. Right now Sailor Moon may need us."

Mars nodded worriedly, suddenly all business. "I know."

"How do we find her?" Jupiter asked.

"We can show you." Artemis reassured the girls.

Sailor Moon's energy rippled through the clearing once again. This time the senshi could see that Sailor Moon's energy caused the crescent moons on the cats' foreheads to glow and emit beams of light until it passed.

"She's got to be in serious trouble if she's using that much energy!" Jupiter exclaimed.

"We've got to hurry! Let's go!" Luna demanded frantically. With that the small group set out at a dead run.

'Ogondo Atama, if you've gone and let yourself be killed, I'll…I don't know what I'll do. I never told you but I really can't imagine this world without you in it.' Mars' thoughts turned toward religion and she prayed. 'Please let everything be all right. Please let us get to her in time.'

Sailor Mars increased her speed.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

He was running through the trees frantically looking for Sailor Moon with all of his senses. 'The ability to teleport is highly over-rated.' He fumed. 'Whenever you really want to use it, you usually can't. It's only when your dreading going somewhere that you can teleport there.' His mind turned toward something that had been bothering him since his trip to the penthouse of the estimable Kaioh-san and Tenoh-san. 'Why didn't she offer to heal me of the dark energy?' He didn't like where that train of thought lead him so he dropped it and shoved it and everything relating to it to the back of his mind.

His mind drifted back to the battle he had just witnessed between the Sailor Senshi and the yoma sisters. There had been a few times in the battle when he had nearly given himself away. Luckily he had waited a moment or two and they had solved the problem themselves. He hadn't really been worried about Sailor Neptune or Sailor Uranus; after all they didn't want him around. He had been very worried about Sailor Mercury, Sailor Saturn, and Sailor Pluto. 'Now I know why that idiot in the tuxedo with the cape has such terrible entrance lines.' He thought it over for a moment and shuddered at the remembrance. 'No. There is no excuse for his entrance lines. Not even being worried sick can explain those things he uses to announce himself.'

He felt some power and absently tested it. It was hers. Instantly he changed courses and put all thought of men in tuxedoes with incomprehensible entrance lines from his mind. As he came closer he took to the trees for a better vantage. Alighting on a tree branch, he squatted down to see what was what.

She seemed to glow as she stood with two humans behind her, their backs to a particularly large tree. Her bottom skirt was in tatters and the second seemed to be in danger of following the first skirt's path. The puffy sleeves that she wore had been slashed and were now sad pools of fabric on her shoulders. The gloves that she had worn for as long as he had known her were now being held together by threads and were almost as discolored as her boots now were. Despite it all, her hair was in it's accustomed buns and pigtails and, although it had grime on it, her face was calm and collect. The glorious eyes that she used to show her every emotion now radiated concentration, determination…and fear? Not for herself, she could handle herself in a fight if she had to, but for the two humans behind her. Across from her in the clearing stood a group of yoma.

The group was made up of both male and female yoma. Darkness seemed to hover about them so that aside from their forms they were almost indistinguishable in the growing darkness. Still, they nagged at his mind and a fingered of fear slid down his spine. Hovering over them was a languorous Zoisite. Hisui winced and suddenly decided that it was time to become Jadeite again. Fervently he wished that he had a uniform. 'Unfortunately my old one only makes me look pathetic.' He thought a moment. 'Zoisite was always terrible at illusions. I don't think he would notice if I wore an illusion of my old uniform.' Carefully and slowly he built the illusion around him before tying the finished product off. 'After all it wouldn't do to let him know that I'm here ahead of time, would it?'

"Give up Sailor Moon. There's no way you can win."

"Never Zoisite!"

"Just give me the humans and walk away. It's not much to pay for your life."

Jadeite started. 'Zoisite shrinking from killing anyone in his way? What is going on?'

"I'll never give you these or any other humans!"

Zoisite gestured at the vague yoma. "Take them from her!"

"Yes lord. We will obey." The voice was melodious and might have even been pleasant if there had not been an undercurrent of chill and darkness. It was almost a sound that embodied the chill and darkness of the grave. "It will be a pleasure to take the life of one who enjoys it so much."

"Don't touch Sailor Moon!" Zoisite's voice was suddenly very shrill and panic-stricken. Urgently he leaned forward toward the yoma group. "Just take the humans from her." Realizing how his words sounded, he tried to regain a measure of his lost composure. Casually he leaned back and put on a haughty air and indifferent expression. "I mean, she's mine. The Master has plans concerning her."

"We understand." The voice was as calm and had as little emotion as before, yet Jadeite got the impression that she was mocking Zoisite.

The shadows parted and revealed a group of seven yoma. There was one who was obviously the leader of the group. She stood a little to the forefront and a little apart from the others. To say the least she was beautiful. She had ivory skin and long dusky hair that tumbled around her waist with the fringe brushing her crimson eyes. She wore a simple black dress that resembled a caftan. The sleeves were short and the hem brushed her calves. The neck revealed only the tips of her collarbones and she wore neither jewelry nor makeup. It her right hand she held a si that resembled the weapon carried by the Grim Reaper in pictures. She appeared to be barefoot.

At her right shoulder stood a shadowy figure. Shadows seemed to cling to his form so that only his outline was visible to the casual observer. From his outline one could tell that he wore utilitarian clothing that, while loose, did not impede his movement in any way. His hair was short and all one could tell was that he carried a huge knife. The oddest thing about this ninja like figure was the fact that he too was barefoot.

At her left shoulder stood two little girls who were holding hands. The first was diminutive, angular girl. She had long ebony black hair that brushed the back of her legs and clouded green eyes. Her skin was lightly tinted with a sickly green color underneath which she was deathly pale. She wore a scarlet skirt that ended just above her knees and a scarlet turtleneck that had long sleeves and ended around her hips. She wore a woven red belt around her tiny waist. Her companion was also petite with sky blue hair that brushed her shoulders and misty gray eyes. Her face had been powered until it was white and she wore makeup over the powder that made her appear to be crying. She wore a brown shift like dress that had short sleeves. The sleeves and hem of the dress were badly frayed and she carried no visible weapon. Both little girls were also barefoot.

Behind them stood a pair of evil looking men. One man had short wild coal black hair and wide orange eyes that dance with an insane light. He wore a tight black vest and trousers that appeared to be leather. At his waist a black whip was secured. The most frightening thing about him though was the expression that he maintained, one that was half a grin and half a grimace. His partner looked like a walking corpse. His flesh, from which his bones protruded, was moldy green in color and he was bald with huge black eyes. His clothing, which was ragged and tattered badly, barely covered his skeletal body. He carried no physical weapons. Both men were followed the example of their companions and were also barefoot.

Jadeite bit his tongue hard in order to keep silent but his mind exploded. 'How could he do that? How could he awaken them! I thought that even Zoisite had better judgement than that! Is he insane or just plain stupid? That lot is insane with their bloodlust and uncontrollable besides. Each one of them has far too much power for someone as unstable as any one of them is! They could turn on him at any time and destroy him!'

Sailor Moon had taken in the looks of her opponents and now she readied herself and her challenge.

"I am Sailor Moon, Beautiful Sailor Suited Soldier of Love and Justice! You have disrupted the peace of this park making it unsafe for those who would visit it. A trip to the park should be full of fun and laughter, not fear and death! I cannot forgive this! In the name of the Moon, I will punish you!"

"Pretty words girl, but you don't frighten us!" Sneered the man with the leather outfit.

"Be civil. She was kind enough to tell us, who she is and what she stands for. We should at least return the courtesy." The little girl with the crying makeup gently chided her older companion. Surprisingly, he was quiet, as she had asked. The little girl now looked at Sailor Moon rather sadly. "Let me introduce myself and my companions. I am Kikyoku, Warrior of Serious Depression. I can persuade the strongest willed person to commit suicide out of sheer hopelessness." Gently she pulled the little girl she was standing with forward by her hand. "This is my twin sister, Gekidoku. Warrior of the Deadly Poisons, my twin can kill with only the smallest of gestures." The newly introduced girl twirled a dagger that appeared out of nowhere for emphasis. Gracefully Kikyoku gestured to the man in the black leather with her free hand. "Of course you have already met my youngest older brother, Sado. A master of unkind words, my brother is the Warrior of Sadism. He can sap the self-assurance from even the most self-reliant of people with very little effort and a great deal of glee." Swiftly he unlimbered his whip and cracked it overhead maintaining his look of grimacing while grinning. Smoothly her hand moved to the man who looked like a walking corpse. "My next older brother Ekirei, is the Warrior of Plagues. To come in any form of contact with him is to touch death. Even a single whiff of his breath is certain death for most people." He grinned and winked while flourishing a bow. Kikyokyu moved on to the remaining man to be introduced. "And of course my oldest brother the Warrior of Shadowy Assassinations, Shikaku. My brother can efficiently murder any man or woman or child alive no matter what the security happens to be and will suffer no remorse for his actions no matter how dishonorable they may be." The little girl grandly flourished her arm and bowed to the last member of their group. "My oldest sister and our grand leader the Warrior of Death, Zetsumei. My sister can cause the death of anything she wishes. She is the most powerful among us and the most feared by our enemies." Zetsumei bowed her head in recognition of her younger sister's introduction, then stepped forward and twirled her si over her head obligingly before returning to her place. " We are the Shiin Family of Ate!" Kikyokyu finished triumphantly.

Zoisite had noticed Sailor Moon's eyes had been growing with each word.
"Are you willing to reconsider your refusal to give up the human couple?"

Sailor Moon snapped back to herself. "No way scum!"

Jadeite unobtrusively moved closer to Sailor Moon's position but still off to one side. Not so close that he would be noticed but close enough to give aide if needed.

Zoisite sighed. "So be it. You members of the Shiin Family may do with the couple as you please after you have drained their energy. Do not harm Sailor Moon for she has been marked by the Master as his." Zoisite paused for a moment. "Be careful in your dealings with the woman. She used to hold one of the greatest warriors of our kingdom locked up inside her. Beryl said that Sailor Moon destroyed the warrior but she was wrong about a great many things."

"Of course." Zetsumei agreed.

"Report to me when you return to the Dark Kingdom." He ordered before disappearing in a flurry of cherry blossom petals.

"Of course." Zetsumei agreed again.

Shikaku started the battle off by lunging at Sailor Moon as soon as Zetsumei finished speaking. Frantically she dodged his flurry of kicks and punches. Sado and Kikyokyu took the opportunity to advance on the humans. Motoki placed himself between their advance and Reika.

"No! Please don't. Save yourself."

Desperately Reika tried to move from her lean against the tree to stand next to Motoki but she was still too weak. With a sob she fell to her knees and leaned against the tree. Kikyokyu began to talk to the couple. "Your man friend seems to have realized that escape is not an option. You are both fated to die here and now despite Sailor Moon's best attempts to save the both of you."

Motoki clenched his fists. "Nonsense! There is no such thing as fate! Everyone makes their own choices as to what their future will be!"

Kikyokyu laughed then. "Do you really believe that?"

"Yes!"

"Well you might consult Sailor Moon about your beliefs. You might be surprised."

"What are you talking about? What would Sailor Moon know about fate?"

"Do you think that she would have willingly chosen to put her life in danger for a planet of ungrateful humans who probably don't even like or trust her? I think not! I most certainly wouldn't!"

Despite her own problems, Sailor Moon managed to steer her battle back toward Reika and Motoki. Rolling out off the way of a particularly vicious thrust of Shikaku's knife, Sailor Moon did not even bother to get up before readying and launching an attack of her own.

"MOON DISCUS!"

Swiftly she threw the discus that appeared over her hand at Shikaku. He narrowed his eyes and regarded the attack for a moment before straightening and planting his feet more firmly. 'He thinks that I mean to attack!' Sailor Moon suddenly realized. 'So he thinks that I'm silly enough not to know that he can easily withstand that attack. He doesn't realize that I didn't form the discus to try to annihilate him. I really don't have the time or energy to spare for such things.' True to Sailor Moon's predictions, Shikaku caught her discus easily.

"ENCIRCLE!"

As commanded, the discus became a silver binding that wrapped itself around Shikaku many times from his shoulders to his ankles. Shikaku lost his balance and fell on his side with a resounding thud. He glared hatefully at Sailor Moon for a moment before deeply concentrating. Sailor Moon did not even wait to see what he was going to do. Instead she turned her back on him and ran toward the human couple. The shadows around him deepen and he began to glow with a gray light. The silver bindings began to glow with the gray light and gray electricity began to crackle between the man and his bindings. Gasping in pain, Shikaku quickly powered down and glared even more furiously at Sailor Moon's back. Sensing his intense glare she threw a parting remark over her shoulder, "Sorry pal, but I already thought of that move!"

Motoki was on his knees, his hair in his eyes and his eyes streaming tears, sightlessly staring at the ground in front of him. Reika, her breath ragged from her exertions, had managed to crawl to his side. Her eyes were clear and her face dry as she gently placed a hand on Motoki's shoulder. Kikyokyu failed to notice how unaffected Reika was. She laughed as she took the lead. "The two of you put up a better fight than I thought either of you would but I have broken stronger wills." She reached them and leaned forward to brush Motoki's hair out of his eyes with her fingertips. Reika looked up at this child who was not a child and her mind exploded. Summoning reserves of strength that she did not even know that she had, she lunged forward and hit the girl so hard that she crumpled on the spot. Reika kicked the small girl away from them so hard she rolled a foot or two away.

"Kikyoku!"

Two things happened simultaneously as a result of this action. Sado ripped his whip from his side, uncoiled it, and flicked the tassel of it at Reika's unprotected face. Sailor Moon darted between the two, raising one of her forearms over their heads. The tassel of the whip struck and coiled around her forearm, biting deeply into the flesh. Sailor Moon cried out as Sado began to drain her energy. The other thing that happened was that Gekidoku smoothly formed a pair of her poison daggers and threw them at Sailor Moon's exposed side. As quickly as Gekidoku had moved, Jadeite had moved more quickly still. The moment he had seen Gekidoku's hands begin to move, he had made his countermove. Ripping a dagger from his boot, he threw himself out of his tree toward Sailor Moon. As his tumble brought him to Sailor Moon, he cut the end of Sado's whip with his dagger and gathered Sailor Moon up in his arms. Twin blossoms of pain bloomed in his back as they fell in a heap on the ground. Sailor Moon looked up at him through widened eyes that held a terrible fear. For him he realized. Gently she reached up with one hand and touched his face.

"Jadeite?" She whispered uncertainly.

He smiled down at her weakly. "That's the greatest flaw in your fighting technique. You never watch your back for treachery." He passed out.

"Jadeite?" No response from the man on top of her. "Jadeite!"

Carefully she wriggled out from under him and was confronted with a terrible sight. Protruding from his back were twin daggers that she recognized as belonging to Gekidoku, blood oozing out from around them to pool on his back. Reika and Motoki were where she had last seen them. Gekidoku and Sado were checking a dazed Kikyokyu over while Zetsumei and Ekirei were trying to free Shikaku from her earlier attack. She had several important decisions to make and only a few seconds to consider them and their results. Jadeite was dying of the poison daggers and she wasn't sure whether or not to pull them out. On the one hand more blood would flow out of the wounds but on the other hand it would stop the poison flow into his veins. She needed to use what was left of her energy to sustain him until help arrived while still managing to protect Reika and Motoki. Worriedly she gnawed her lower lip, torn. Unbidden from the past, her mother's voice spoke to her with advice given long ago. "Remember that the Crescent Moon on your forehead can be used for many purposes my daughter. Attacking and defending as well as calling your Sailor Senshi." And from another occasion her mother's clear voice echoed in her head. "A kiss is a very powerful thing. Many do not realize how powerful a single kiss is."

'Powerful enough to save Jadeite?' She wondered silently. 'Only one way to find out.'

Sailor Venus arrived in time to see Sailor Moon's Crescent Moon grew hot on her forehead and began to flare with golden light fringed with silver.

"MOON DISCUS!"

The Shiin family looked up at her in surprise as the silver coil around Shikaku disappeared in a silver glimmer. They were in time to see her Crescent Moon explode with light and power. Around the Sailor Soldier, Jadeite and the human couple a column of light and power formed that acted both as a beacon and as a defense. With a snarled curse Sado lurched to his feet and threw a handy rock at the column. The rock was instantly vaporized. Helplessly they watched as Sailor Moon ripped her lowest skirt into a pair of bandages. With infinite care she placed one over one of the wounds on his back before easing the dagger out of his back. She repeated the process with the other dagger. Holding the makeshift bandages tightly, Sailor Moon eased Jadeite onto his back. Carefully she leaned down to his slack, pale face, holding her hair back from her face and kissed Jadeite deeply. She allowed her hair to fall around herself and Jadeite like a curtain of sunlight and moonlight combined shielding them from view. Everywhere the other Sailor Senshi looked up to see the Crescent Beam of their princess explode into the sky.

Zetsumei studied the column now surrounding their prey. "We can easily overwhelm this. Sailor Moon is tired and expending too much energy keeping the man alive to keep this up for long." The others nodded. Sailor Venus didn't like the way their thoughts were turning. 'It's time to step in.' She decided as they formed up in a line.

"CRESCENT SHOWER!"

A rain of her crescent beams descended on the members of the Shiin Family, scattering them.

"I don't know who you are but your intentions are very clear. I won't let you hurt her! Warrior of Love and Beauty the Beautiful Sailor Soldier, Sailor Venus is here!"

"Look around Sailor Venus." Ekirei spat while nursing a burned arm. "The Sailor Soldiers in this clearing are sorely outnumbered here."

Two figures materialized on the branches of a tree while around the edges of the clearing five shadowy figures appeared.

The taller of two in the tree called down, "Really? I didn't know that, did you?"

"No. Let's do a headcount." They moved into the light revealing their identities.

"Warrior of Storms and Nature the Beautiful Sailor Soldier, Sailor Jupiter, has arrived!"

"Warrior of Flames and Passions the Beautiful Sailor Soldier, Sailor Mars, is here!"

The figures around the clearing stepped forward into the light created by Sailor Moon's Crescent Beam as they introduced themselves.

"Warrior of Water and Intelligence the Beautiful Sailor Soldier, Sailor Mercury, has appeared!"

"Summoned by a New Age, Beautiful Sailor Soldier of the Seas, Sailor Neptune!"

"Summoned by a New Age, Beautiful Sailor Soldier of the Wind, Sailor Uranus!"

"Summoned by a New Age, Beautiful Sailor Soldier of Time, Sailor Pluto!"

"Summoned by a New Age, Beautiful Sailor Soldier of Death, Sailor Saturn!"

Sailor Venus looked around and pretended to count something on her gloved fingers. She looked up at Ekirei. "I have some pretty conclusive evidence that the Sailor Senshi outnumber the members of Shiin Family in this clearing."

"We could easily beat you!" Ekirei snapped back getting into a battle stance.

"Ekirei, no." Zetsumei interposed herself between her brother and Sailor Venus. "You and I are fine to fight but others…"

Slowly Ekirei nodded. "As you say."

Zetsumei swung her si over her head causing a black mist to envelop her family. "This doesn't end here, Sailor Senshi. No one crosses the Shiin Family who doesn't regret it deeply." They began to fade and the mist began to disperse. "Remember that." The mist dispersed and they were gone.

The senshi finally had time to turn their full attention to Sailor Moon.

"What is she doing?" Mars demanded loudly.

"She appears to be kissing him." Uranus replied dryly.

Neptune looked at the pair critically. "She's really doing a very good job of it. I suggest taking notes."

Uranus raised an eyebrow and looked at her partner. "Are you implying that I'm loosing my edge?"

"By kissing him, she's transferring large amounts of her energy to him." Mercury had her visor on and was scanning both Sailor Moon and Jadeite while typing on her computer. "There's some sort of virulent poison in his bloodstream. She's sustaining him and blocking the spread of the poison but he needs healing and fast."

Saturn looked at Jadeite nervously. "I've never done anything with poison before. I wouldn't know where to start."

"It's okay. I can guide you with my computer and visor to help us."

Sailor Pluto stepped forward. "Sailor Saturn, you may use my energy to heal him."

"Sure. Thank you Sailor Pluto."

Mercury frowned at her computer. "We haven't much time. Let's get to work."

Saturn and Pluto nodded before following Mercury to Sailor Moon and Jadeite. The others all looked at each other for a moment before shrugging. "Let's go check on Reika-san and Motoki-kun." Jupiter suggested.

"Let's." Venus agreed.

Slowly the group made their way to the two people in question. As they neared the pair, everyone soon realized that something was the matter. Motoki wasn't moving or responding to a frantic Reika. He remained motionless, staring at the ground.

"What's wrong with him?" Jupiter demanded.

"I don't know!" Reika's voice was loud and bordered on the verge of open panic. "He hasn't moved since she spoke to him."

"She?" Venus asked. "Who is she?"

"That wretched child!"

Neptune knelt next to the distraught woman and put comforting hands on Reika's shoulders. "We weren't here for most of the battle. We only arrived toward the end so we don't know whom you're talking about. Please calm down and answer our questions. We will help him but we need to know what happen first."

Reika nodded slowly and dried her eyes. "Well…" she began. Slowly, even falteringly, Reika told the story of their encounter with the Shiin Family.

"Is it just me or does this 'family' strike you as bad news?" Jupiter asked the general group.

Sailor Mars looked at the two cat guardians. "Can you help him with a Lunar Mind-meld?"

Luna and Artemis looked at each other.

"I don't know." Luna confessed. Reika jumped and paled when the dark cat spoke.

"Neither do I." Artemis looked at Motoki. "It certainly wouldn't hurt to try."

"Right." Luna agreed.

The two concentrated for a moment, then their Crescent Moon flared and a beam shot for their foreheads. The beams merged before hitting Motoki right between the eyes.

'Where Usagi-chan's is…' Jupiter thought absently.

Everything was silent as the two cats worked. They must have come to a silent consensus, for abruptly, almost as soon as they started, their beam faded and disappeared.

"It's no good." Artemis announced sadly.

"We can't get through to him." Luna agreed unhappily. "When his mind was under attack from the girl, to protect it, he closed it off from the world."

"We told him that it was safe now but he doesn't believe us." Artemis continued. "If we tried to force the issue, we could do more harm than good to him."

"Why didn't the girl's talking affect me?" Reika asked. "I was as vulnerable as he was, wasn't I?" There was silence as the Inner Senshi looked at each other uneasily and the Outer Senshi assumed blank expressions. "Well wasn't I?"

"Not exactly." Sailor Venus began gently. Venus knelt by Reika's side and comfortingly put her arm around the woman's shoulders. "Reika-san you were born with protection from some kinds of Dark power. In most ways you are just like an ordinary person, but in other ways you are very different."

"Why was I born with protection?"

Before anyone could think of an answer, everyone heard a masculine groan from across the clearing. Almost as one they all turned to see Sailor Moon break her kiss with Jadeite and all but fall back. The golden column disappeared instantly into silver motes that rapidly dispersed. She smiled at him. "I'm glad that you're alright."

"Thanks to you four." He looked at them all. "Thank you very much."

"Hey, no problem!" Sailor Moon put a hand behind her head. "Just don't scare us like that again."

"Sailor Moon!" Reika called. "Please, I need your help!"

Sailor Moon scrambled across the clearing to Reika and Motoki. "What do you need?"

"Look at him, he hasn't moved since the battle. The cats," she gulped but plowed on, " say that he closed it off to protect it from the attack. They did something-"

"The Lunar Mind-meld," Venus interjected helpfully.

"-But it didn't work. Can't you do something for him?"

Sailor Moon opened her mouth to say that she couldn't do anything for Motoki's mind that Luna and Artemis combined couldn't do but the painfully hopeful and trusting expression on Reika's face stopped her. Instead she said something quite different.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Of course. I understand that you aren't promising anything." But the expression remained on Reika's face. Sailor Moon's eyes firmed with determination and she nodded sharply before closing her eyes. Only then did she realize something. 'I don't know how to do the Lunar Mind-meld! What am I going to do?'

Just then something light landed on her shoulder.

"Sailor Moon listen to me. I'll guide you through this. Now concentrate your mind into a tiny point, and push it out toward Motoki-kun. Be gentle and patient. When you touch his mind you will almost instantly hit a wall. Motoki-kun is behind that. Good luck."

Sailor Moon silently mouthed, "Thank you."

Sailor Moon did as she was instructed. Her forehead grew hot and a beam shot from her Crescent Moon to his forehead.

Motoki, locked securely behind the wall he had built in his mind, felt an intense burst of warm light outside the walls. The light was joyous and warm and managed to exclude trust and love. The light touched his walls in a way that he found comforting.

*Motoki-kun? *

*Who's there? *

*Me, Sailor Moon. Motoki-kun, everything's fine now. Please come out. *

*No! I don't trust you! *

The light was startled. *What? Why? *

*I don't know who you are or why you protect humans against evil! Why should I trust you? *

*I don't have any reason for you to trust me, except that I say that I truly care about the people I protect. As to who I am and why I protect…I am the Warrior of the Moon and it is my duty to fight evil and protect. *

*Sure. *

*Motoki-kun--*

*Don't call me that! I don't know you and we aren't friends! *

*As you say. * The light seemed saddened. *Anyway, they're gone. You need to come out. You're scaring your girl. * The light projected a scene of a crying Reika. *Please. *

*I said I don't trust you! *

*Everyone needs to trust someone sometime and you need to trust me now. * The light changed to Sailor Moon's last look of Reika before the mind-meld. *For her sake. *

He snarled. *That's not fighting fair! *

*We aren't fighting! I only fight my enemies and you aren't my enemy. *

He sighed. *I'm coming. *

*Good. Wait a moment for me to leave. *

*Right. *

The Lunar Mind-meld ended. The first thing to smash into Sailor Moon's awareness was her bone weary tiredness. Gasping she fell backwards…and into the supporting arms of Sailor Mars. Tiredly she manages a tiny smile for her friend.

"Busy night, huh Sailor Moon?"

"Did we get them all?"

Sailor Mars looked at Sailor Mercury, "Well, did we?"

Mercury tapped for a moment after scanning for a few minutes with her visor. "There are two on the far side of the park. Who wants to come with me?"

"I do!" Venus crowed.

"Me too!" Jupiter added.

"I'm going. Uranus will stay with you." Neptune winked at her partner. "Let's go."

The four sailors disappeared into the night.

Reika was leaning close to Motoki's face. "Motoki-chan? Motoki-chan?"

Suddenly his eyes blinked rapidly, then he leaned forward intently, his hands shooting up to grasp her shoulders tightly. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

"No. I'm fine."

Wordlessly he held her tightly to his chest. Abruptly Reika burst into tears.

"I was so worried about you!"

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" Gently he rocked her.

"It's a beautiful sight, isn't it Sailor Moon? Sailor Moon?" Sailor Mars looked at the petite soldier in her arms and smiled. "You're always falling asleep on me."

Sailor Uranus laughed. "Neptune must have known and left me to carry her."
Delicately she picked up her leader. Mars went over to the remaining senshi and Jadeite.

"You look exhausted, Saturn. Let me give you a hand."

Saturn smiled up at her. "Thanks." Mars gave her a hand up. As she stood, Saturn's legs trembled, threatening to give out. Swiftly Mars picked her up. Saturn looked at her in surprise and Mars laughed. "I may not be the strongest Sailor Senshi, but I'm strong enough to carry you…for awhile anyway."

Sailor Pluto stood up. "Need help, Jadeite?"

"Regrettably no. The three of you did a very good job of patching me up."

"You will still need to rest." Saturn quietly informed him.

"It is thanks to Sailor Moon that you are alive at all."

"For which I will thank her…just as soon as she wakes up, Sailor Pluto." He looked at Reika and Motoki for a few moments. "I suggest that we keep all the rest of the business for later when the other Sailor Senshi are here. Right now, let's escort these fine people home."

"Us?" Motoki warily asked.

"Of course."

Motoki opened his mouth to say something. Without even looking at him, Reika put two fingers over his lips. "We would be honored."

"Then as soon as you are one your feet we shall go." The couple scrambled to their feet.

Slowly the group walked from the clearing and out of the park.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Ami flopped on her bed with her book satchel. Tiredly she rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. 'I am exhausted! What time is it anyway?' She dragged her wrist up to eye level, then groaned audibly. 'It's only eight thirty and I'm ready to call it a night.' She rolled on her side and regarded her book satchel. 'I still have all my homework to do too.' She bit her lip. 'It is Friday night. I could do my homework tomorrow morning and study extra hard for slacking tonight.' She smiled, 'besides I could invite the others over to study with me. It would be nice to have some company and I could make sure that Minako-chan and Usagi-chan are do their homework and do it correctly.' She nodded to herself, 'that's what I'll do. All I have to do now is get myself ready for bed, then go to sleep.' She laughed out loud. "I'm starting to sound like Usagi-chan!" She said to no one in particular. Slowly she got out of bed and slowly went through her nighttime ceremony for going to bed. Just as she was going to turn her bedside lamp out, the only light on in the room, her phone rang. With uncharacteristic fury she glared at it as it blared on her desk. "Stop it!" She commanded it; "I want to go to bed now." It rang despite her wants. On the fourth ring she heaved herself out of bed, across the room, and snatched the offending receiver up. She took a moment to compose her voice.

"Hello?" She asked coolly.

"Hi! This is Ryo Urawa." He sounded distinctly tense and nervous.

"Oh hi!" Instantly Ami was able to forget most of her earlier weariness. "It's been a really long time. I almost thought that you'd forgotten me. Are you in town?"

"No chance that I'd forget you. But yes I'm in town. That's kind of what I called you to talk about." He paused for a moment. "Can we get together, say tomorrow night?"

"I'd love too. Where should we meet and at what time?"

"How about 7:30 at the Tokyo Tower?"

Ami felt a twang of foreboding. 'Nothing ever works out right when it happens at the Tokyo Tower. He'd laugh if I told him that we couldn't meet there because of a silly superstition that I've just made up, though.' Instead she said, "That's great. I'll be there."

"That's good." He sounded relieved, but still uncomfortable. "Look, I've got to go. See you tomorrow at the Tower at 7:30."

"Right. Don't worry so much! You'll be gray before you reach thirty. See you tomorrow night at the Tower."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Carefully Ami put the receiver back in its cradle and sat there for a moment. Then she started to laugh happily. "This wasn't such a bad day after all!" Still laughing she ran across the room and hopped into bed. She climbed under the covers and turned off her bedside lamp. "Now," she informed the darkness around her, "I've got to remember t invite the others over tomorrow." She smiled in the blackness. "Won't they be happy and excited for me? Especially Minako-chan and Usagi-chan." Another thought came to her. "Got to remember to invite Hortoru-chan now that she's her correct age again." She smiled, her mind becoming fuzzy with sleep, "Goodnight my friends. Sleep well…"

And then Mizuno Ami, known to some as Sailor Mercury, was asleep.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Here are the translations if you need them…
Tsukino Usagi = Serena = Sailor Moon
Mizuno Ami = Amy Anderson = Sailor Mercury
Hino Rei = Raye Hino = Sailor Mars
Kino Makoto = Lita = Sailor Jupiter
Aino Minako = Mina = Sailor Venus
Meioh Setsuna = Sailor Pluto
Tenoh Haruka = Sailor Uranus
Kaioh Michiru = Sailor Neptune
Tomoe Hotaru = Sailor Saturn
Chiba Mamoru = Darien Shields = Tuxedo Kamen = Tuxedo Mask
Luna = Luna
Artemis = Artemis
Jiyuujin Hisui = Jadeite = Jedite
Nephrite = Nephlite = Nephlyte
Zoisite = Zoicite = Zoycite
Kunzite =Malachite
Rubeus = Rubeus
Safir = Sapphire
Prince Demando = Prince Diamond
Furuhata Motoki = Andrew (from the arcade)
Reika = Rita
Ryo Urawa = Greg
My Characters:
Tellosummo Ventum Aequila = (vice versa) = Eagle from the Top of the World
Potentia = Diplomatic
Irascor = Wrathful
Vitiosus = Vicious
Navitas = Energy
Vis = Force
Velox = Swift
Siyr =
Crau =
Kikyoku = Serious Depression
Gekidoku = Deadly Poisons
Sado = Sadism
Ekirei = Plagues
Shikaku = Shadowy Assassinations
Zetsumei = Death
Shiin = Death
Ate = Discord