(**QUICK NOTE** The suffix "-chan" is used between close friends, or in this case of the chapter, for a use of endearment, or directed to their boyfriend.)
Everything after that was all shaded with gray. Their Princess Kakyuu had appeared, and left as quickly as she came. Their stomaches ached from sobbing so hard, and there was nothing left to do. Next thing they knew, there they were, in front of the magnificient Galaxia, along with the inner senshi; the outers in another room.
- - - -The outer senshi were trapped, watching the whole event on television screens, Haruka narrowing her eyes. "This is torture," she said in angst.
Michiru nodded as she crossed her arms. "This isn't a fair fight."
Hotaru slowly placed her hand into Haruka's, and Haruka was slightly surprised. "Oh, little one, don't be scared," she said with an encouraging smile.
Hotaru looked up at her with wide eyes. "How can I not? Our princess is in there, her life at risk."
Michiru looked at Haruka, while Haruka held Hotaru closer. "I know." She messed up Hotaru's hair in a playful manner. "I'll always be there for you, Hotaru, I'll never do anything to hurt you." Hotaru looked up at Uranus. And she believed.
Chibiusa gasped as she caught a glimpse of the battered Starlights and the senshi. "Is that.. Is that..?"
Setsuna nodded, as she pulled Chibiusa to her side in a motherly fashion. "Yes, that's Seiya, Taiki and Yaten."
Chibiusa slowly placed her hand to her mouth, as she knew that this is one of the strongest enemies they ever faced before. She turned to hug Setsuna, and buried her face into Pluto's skirt. "Will they.. be alright?"
Haruka and Michiru exchanged uncomfortable glances with Setsuna, anticipating what she would respond with. "We'll see, Small Lady." She looked up at the television sets with glossy eyes. "We'll see."
- - - -"What are you doing here?" Taiki hissed in the direction of the senshi, still bruised and blistered from Galaxia's blows.
Ami looked back at Taiki and replied, "To help." She smiled an encouraging smile, though Galaxia knocked her down swiftly and accurately. She had aimed for her stomach, and it had got her right on target. She lay on the floor, winded from the attack.
Star Maker, Taiki, ran to Sailor Mercury's side quickly. "Don't you dare touch this girl!" she threatened to Galaxia, who merely chuckled at the attempt to save her friend.
"Pathetic. All pathetic," she murmured, as she rested her hand on her head. "I can't believe I was even concerned about your strengths when Mamoru mentioned you."
Usagi's eyes glimmered as she echoed, "Mamoru?" Seiya, Star Fighter, looked at her bitterly, wondering what in the world Galaxia meant by this remark.
Galaxia smirked and said in a sour tone, "Ah, yes, you're close with this guardian of the Earth, aren't you?" She held his starseed in her hands, as she presented what had happened on the plane.
Usagi started to cry, but very softly, mourning for the man she was destined to live with forever. Seiya stepped up to Usagi, and placed her arms around her carefully. "Odango," she murmured, barely above a whisper.
Everything went so fast after that. All the Starlights knew was that Galaxia was becoming impatient with all the emotional events, and that she aimed to kill the three of them. Then, without a moment's notice, Minako, Makoto, Ami and Rei hurled themselves in front of the Starlights, shielding them from her wrath. It was a gruesome sound, everyone heard. Like a swift, deep knife swiped through someone's tender skin.
The senshi fell to the floor, their starseeds glowing on top of them. Usagi ran to Rei, as she cried for her to stay with her longer.
The senshi started to glitter, as they were slowly fading away. Taiki ran to Ami's side, and held her in her arms. "Ami," she sobbed, as her tears dropped onto Ami's suit.
Ami raised her arm, to caress Taiki's face, and whispered, "You never answered my question." She presented her with a weak grin, her eyes still full of wonderment.
Taiki looked down to her in amazement, replying softly, "Why did you do this? Why for us, after the way we treated you and Sailor Moon?"
Ami twitched from the pain, and clentched her hands in pain. Taiki held her hand, as she hoped this moment will never go away. "It's because," Ami started to answer. "It's because, Taik-san.. I love you." And with that final note, she rose to the air in beautiful sparkles, while Taiki grabbed the air greedily. Tears fell down her face freely, as she cried, "Ami-chan! AMI-CHAN!" She fell to her knees, burying her face into her hands.
Makoto and Minako were the next to go. Seiya looked at them with sympathetic eyes, as Makoto murmured, "Take good care of her, Seiya." Minako added quietly, "She's our beloved princess." They too, disappeared into numerous shimmers and glimmers, as Seiya bent her head down in depression, knowing that two of the most respectful senshi had been taken away.
All that was left was the guardian of Mars, Rei, held in Usagi's arms. Usagi cried, as she held her in her arms. "Don't go, don't leave me here.." She remembered that time, just a couple of evenings ago, when they were all gathered in Rei's temple.
[Usagi smiled a weak smile and hugged her beloved friend. "Rei-chan.. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Rei's eyes filled up with tears, as she held her friend in her arms, in the dark corner, alone. "And I, without you.."]
Rei twitched, and smiled, remembering that night as well. "You're such a crybaby, Usagi-chan, you'll never change."
Usagi hugged her friend, who was still there in whole, simply starting to fade away. "Rei-chan.. I need you, stay here with me.."
Yaten ran to her side, as Usagi slowly slid Rei into her arms, while she sat there beside the two. "Rei-chan," Yaten slowly whispered, as her eyes were starting to water up.
Rei slowly smirked, looking into her eyes. "If only this moment would last forever," she thought yearnfully, clutching to Yaten's hand, wishing not to leave.
"Don't go, Rei-chan," Yaten whispered under her breath, only loud enough for Rei to hear.
"Before I," Rei flinched again in the burning pain, "Before I go.. I want you to know I.. I.. I love you."
Yaten opened her eyes, as tears streamed down her face. "Rei-chan."
She started to glimmer, and fade away. "Usagi-chan, I believe in you. I know you won't let me, or the other senshi down. Remember that," she sighed. She then turned to Yaten. "Yaten.." she faded away slowly. "Yaten.. chan.."
She gasped as Rei disappeared, recognizing that Rei had called her Yaten-chan.. She sobbed as she held her face in her hands, wishing they had more time together.
Usagi just sat their in shock, in silence. Staring at the emptiness in front of her. "Rei-chan..." she quietly said, barely above a whisper. She pounded her fists on the floor. "REI-CHAN!" she shrieked, her sobs being caught in her throat. "Rei-chan, don't leave me.."
- - - -After all the outers had withered away amongst shimmers and shines like the rest of them, the Starlights and Sailor Moon had overcome Galaxia with all their force and might. It had been a glorious victory, and immediately, the Starlights' eyes filled with tears, as they saw all the senshi come back to life. As they were all standing in a circle, with Sailor Moon in the middle, Rei looked down at Yaten.. She winked, knowing that her princess would come through for them all. However, Seiya looked anxiously at Mamoru, this man that Usagi had talked days on end about, but then immediately stopped.
Mamoru approached Usagi to hug him, and she politely hugged him back, with no emotion, looking down at the weak StarFighter. Mamoru sensed something was wrong, and asked.
"Just shock," Usagi chuckled, trying to cover up her guilt.
- - - -It was sunset. The Three Lights stood before the group of senshi, wishing them well off for their journey to restore their planet with Princess Kakyuu.
Taiki slowly took Ami aside, as he stroked her hair between his long and slender fingers. Ami whimpered, knowing that he would be gone much too soon. "Ami-chan, I wish I had met you earlier."
She looked up at him with a know it all type of smile and responded, "But that's impossible, Taik-chan. Science doesn't turn back time." She had used his own statement against him.
Taiki chuckled and replied, "Romance works wonders."
Ami sighed, and buried her fast into his chest. "I'll miss you with all my heart."
"Don't," he murmured. "I want you to be happy here. Don't miss me. Just.." he tilted her chin up to meet his face. ".. remember me."
Ami sobbed, and clutched onto him, as they stood their for several more moments.
At that same time, Yaten was having a talk with Rei. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, as he rocked on the balls of his feet. "So.."
Rei laughed, feeling a deja vu of the time they had in the closet together. "So," she responded, in a playful manner.
Yaten placed a crooked smile on his face, and whispered, "Is it true what you said?"
Rei looked up at him with questioning eyes. "When I said what?"
Yaten slipped his hands out of his pockets, and reached to grab her's. "That you love me."
Rei's eyes filled with tears, as she blinked them back in embarrassment. "Of course. I do now, and I will until the last ocean runs dry."
Yaten couldn't resist, and placed her scarlet lips on his, for one last passionate embrace.
Usagi pulled Seiya aside, far away from the hearing distance of her friends. "Seiya-chan, please don't go." She clutched his hands sadly, wishing to keep her there forever.
Seiya looked down, and realized that the ring that Mamoru had gave her wasn't there. "Odango, where's your ring?"
Usagi looked down in guilt and replied, "In my room somwhere." She looked up to meet his eyes again. "I don't love him anymore, Seiya-chan. I love you."
Seiya grinned a bright smile, as he looked down into her glossy eyes. He looked around, and his grin faded away. There was Mamoru and Chibiusa, playing around, seemingly in a game of tag. They were so perfect together. She giggled as he chased after her, obviously able to catch up with her, but letting her get away. Mamoru's eyes were filled with love of his daughter, and Seiya realized that he wouldn't give the world up for the relationship he shared with Chibiusa. "Seiya-chan?" Usagi interuppted his thoughts.
Seiya looked down in despair, as he would be regretting what he would say for the years to come and go. "Odango. I have to go." His eyes started watering up, but he knew that it was vital that he didn't show his emotional side right now.
Usagi looked at him with concerned eyes, and drew closer to him. "But.. I thought you loved me, Seiya."
Seiya looked off to the distance, at Mamoru and Chibiusa once again. He avoided her eyes by all costs. "Love can be very misleading at times, Odango." He swallowed down that lump in his throat, as he slipped his hands from her grasp. He knew what he was doing was for the best. There was no other choice; no other alternative.
He walked to his waiting Princess Kakyuu, as Usagi followed on a few moments later, obvious that she'd been crying with her bloodshot eyes. Yaten and Taiki joined up with Seiya, as they looked longingly at their loves, who only displayed a proud smile, masking their disappointment that they were to leave.
Princess Kakyuu gave a smile to the senshi and whispered, "Thank you."
She disappeared, as did Yaten and Taiki. Seiya was the last to go, as he gave one last look at Usagi. She was sobbing, looking at him with watered eyes. "You have a family, Odango," he thought to himself. "A man that loves you with all his heart and soul. And a daughter who will make a perfect addition to your family." He looked down and sighed. "It's not my place to destroy it." As he was prepared to disappear to his long journey, he gave one last look at Usagi. "I love you, Usagi-chan."
THE END