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**DISCLAIMER: All characters from Sailor Moon are the property of Naoko
Takeuchi, Pioneer, Cloverway and any other companies holding rights.
All other characters are the property of the authors of this story and
may not be used or reproduced without consent.**
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Fallen Stars
by
Lady Archanna & Archmage

~~~~~~~~~~
Part 3
Chapter 2
~~~~~~~~~~


The setting sun cast a red shadow over the city, causing the crystal palace to
shimmer with a bloody glow. In the once proud heart of the city there sat the
ruins of what had been the center of everything, a true masterpiece of
architecture. Now it stood crumbling, forgotten and shunned; the house of
memories better left forgotten.

In the center of the coliseum, a lone figure stood on the very spot where
the Princess of Crystal Tokyo had last been seen. The silver blade of a deadly
glaive sparkled with the burning, dying light of the sun. The one that held it
stood statue still, the only movement from the purple skirt of her fuku and her
straight, black hair that the wind clawed through, carrying the scent of death
on its wings.

Severe violet eyes wavered, tears slipping silently down pale, white cheeks as
Saturn cried. Rebirth and healing were her powers, destruction and death her
curse. This she accepted with open arms, prepared to do what was necessary; yet
now her heart broke for the loss of a single girl. "Chibi-Usa-chan." Saturn's
small voice seemed to ring loudly through the deathly silent field. Her hand still
around the staff of her glaive, Hotaru knelt down and then winced in pain as the
wound in her stomach protested the movement. A single white-gloved hand reached
out to rest palm down on the dirt, and beside her hand she noticed a small stone
that was now blackened and cracked. When she moved her finger to touch it, she
felt something from the stone, some sort of enclosed energy that seemed to react
to her. She wasn't sure what it was, but she had a feeling it might be a
clue to something. Picking it up and holding it lightly in her palm, she noticed
a small amount of heat radiating from it.

As her eyes moved from the stone she could make out the distorted images of
footprints, and she realized with a sinking feeling that they were those of
Chibi-Usa. This was the last place she'd stood when Reignfire grabbed her.
Saturn closed her eyes tightly, trying to banish the final image of the
Princess from her mind, the look of utter fear and pleading in her eyes when
she realized what was happening. "How did we let this happen?" Hotaru asked,
her voice low and full of anger as her hand tightened around her staff. "How
did we let him take something so precious from us without even trying to fight
back?"

"Because it happened too fast," a soft voice answered. Hotaru didn't turn to
see who it was. She already knew.

"Michiru, that's no excuse." Saturn replied, standing and brushing her hand
off on her skirt.

"I know it's not, Hotaru-chan. I know." Michiru's voice shook slightly. It
hurt her to see the younger senshi in so much pain. "Chibi-Usa knows we didn't
allow her to be taken. She knows we tried."

"But we didn't!" Hotaru snapped, turning to meet Michiru's gaze. "That's the
whole point. We didn't try! We didn't do anything but sit here and watch while
that monster took her!"

"You know that's not true, Hotaru." A deeper voice chided as a tall
blonde-haired woman came up beside Michiru, hazel eyes regarding the
senshi of death with love.

"Isn't it?" Hotaru questioned, hugging her glaive in front of her like a
shield as fresh tears began falling down her face.

"Hai," Haruka responded, stepping toward the girl and bending slightly to
meet her eyes. "However hard it is for any of us to accept this, there was
nothing we could do." Haruka saw Saturn wince, saw her body tense. "There was
nothing more that we could do. Reignfire made sure of that when he set the whole
thing up."

"I-I…" Hotaru's eyes rose to meet Haruka's, her lips trembling as she fought to
hold back the flood of tears that was ready to pour forth.

"It's okay, Hotaru-chan," Michiru was suddenly beside the girl, wrapping her arms
gently around her shoulders as worried aqua eyes met Haruka's. "Let it out, little
firefly. Let it out."

"Chibi-Usa!" Hotaru sobbed, her arms wrapping tightly around Neptune's neck and the
glaive falling to the ground with a clatter. She cried long and hard, mourning the
loss of the light in her life, the one person that had always shown her the path
through the darkness that had plagued her heart for so long. She barely noticed
Haruka's arms joining Michiru's, encircling her and holding her gently.

"It's okay, Hotaru-chan. We will get her back. Somehow we'll manage to return her
to where she belongs." Haruka promised as her voice cracked, but she held back the
tears with desperate will. She would not cry.

"Serenity won't rest until Chibi-Usa is back, and you know that," Michiru added,
feeling Hotaru's sobbing dying down though her breathing remained ragged.

"Y-You're right," Hotaru hiccupped, reaching up to wipe the tears from her eyes,
ashamed at having reacted so harshly. She had to be brave and she had to be strong,
now more than ever. This was no time for tears; this was a time for action. Michiru
and Haruka felt the girl pulling away, and they loosened their grips to allow her to
bend down and retrieve her fallen weapon. When her eyes finally met theirs they were
hard and set, her mind decided.

"We will not sit back any longer and allow Reignfire to call the shots. We can't
afford it." Hotaru said sternly. "There's more riding on our victory than just a
city and the lives of the people that inhabit it. There's the life of the Princess,
and if we lose that I have a feeling we're going to lose everything."

Michiru gasped and exchanged a concerned glance with Haruka, not knowing how to
respond to the younger senshi's statement. Saying that they could still win without
regaining Chibi-Usa implied that they had doubts on whether or not they could
accomplish such a task. Agreeing would mean that they too could see a possible
end to the world they knew drawing dangerously near.

"I'm returning to the Palace. I've got something I need to talk to Sets about."
Hotaru turned abruptly, her eyes scanning the sight of their last miserable failure
and then realized she still held the stone in her hand. Tucking it safely away in a
small pouch at her side, she closed her eyes and sparked out of existence, leaving
in her wake the two women that had been mother and father to her shocked and worried,
wondering what was going to happen.

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

Rod took the steps from the situation room three at a time, checking his war-hammer
to ensure it was within easy reach. He was so focused on his task that he almost ran
down Sol, who was climbing up the stairs at a brisk trot. "Damn!"

Sol glanced up at his friend, noting the battle gear. "What's happening?"

Rod grimaced. "Riot, second precinct."

Sol stared at him in disbelief. "Riot?"

"You heard me. Going to help, or just stand there and stare like a moon-struck cow?"

Sol winced, shifting himself into his battle gear. "Let's go." The stairwell
flickered with light, and they were gone.

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

"We need to get these people under control!" Venus yelled over the din of
screaming voices that rose from the square below. She and Jupiter stood on
the roof of one of four buildings that sat on the perimeter of the Galactic Plaza.

"No? Really? I thought this was normal," Jupiter snapped, wincing at the hurt
look that flashed across the blonde's face. "What do you propose we do?" Venus
looked down at the spreading chaos below and shook her head. She had no idea how
they were going to handle this.

Light flickered beside them as Rod and Sol snapped into view. Glancing down at the
street, Sol gasped in astonishment. "Hell on earth!"

Rod gave him a grim smile. "Not a bad description, actually." Below them, masses of
people swarmed across storefronts and through shops, leaving only shattered
destruction and the bodies of the trampled in their wake.

"How are we going to get this under control?" Venus asked no on in particular,
her hands clenching into fists at her side.

"Venus, come in." Mercury's voice came over the communicator, rushed and full of
static. "The crowd is moving north ... we have to try and head them off."

"North?" Jupiter echoed, her stomach sinking, emerald eyes moving toward the
indicated direction and falling upon the crystal facade of the palace. "This
is not good."

Another crackle of static hissed over the com-link. "This is Dragon. Mars is
getting some odd feelings from just east of the crowd. Neptune and Uranus are
going to join us in checking it out. Guard detachments are between the crowd
and the palace. There shouldn't be a problem."

Rod gave his soulmate a significant look. "Not a problem at this time, he means."

Glancing at the others, Sol looked down at the tactical display built into his
armor. "I'm going to go join them. You three want to meet up with the guard? I'm
sure they could use the stiffening."

Venus glanced at her husband and nodded, not wanting to split up, but knowing the
problem was too big for them to move as one group. "Okay, just keep us informed."
She reached out and quickly squeezed Sol's hand. "And call us immediately if you
need backup."

Sol smiled. "Com's in the helmet, dear. I'll yell if I need you."

"Be careful," Venus whispered, stepping back to allow Sol room to transport.

The air sparkled, and he was gone with a quiet flicker. Seconds later he reappeared
on Rei's left, just behind Haruka. "Arrow reporting in. What have we got?"

The fire senshi glanced over at Sol, her face fixed in a grim expression. "We're
not sure yet. All we know is that there's something dripping with negative energy
shadowing the crowd."

Sol glanced past her shoulder, engaging the magical sensors built into his armor,
then whistled. "You aren't kidding. Whoever he is, he's certainly not treading
lightly."

Uranus gave a grunt of disgust, quickly scanning the wreckage around them. "That
he's not, and if we don't stop him he's going to take down half of Crystal Tokyo
before the sun sets."

"He's moving again." Neptune's voice rose in warning, sapphire eyes gazing into
the smooth glass of her talisman.

Nathan leaned over, trying to look past her shoulder. "Can you get a look at him?"

"I-I'm not sure." Neptune's eyes narrowed as she focused more of her energy into
her mirror, asking it to reveal their enemy. The glass began to crackle with light,
and slowly a picture began to form. "I think ... Damn it! Whatever he is, he's got
a wall of psychic energy around him that won't let the mirror through. We can feel
him, we can follow him, but we can't see him."

"Well, at least we're not fighting totally blind," Uranus commented bitterly, her
fingers flexing around the hilt of her sword.

Nathan grimaced, shifting his spear up. "In any case, that crowd's not getting any
quieter. Let's go have a talk with the man."

Rei glanced at Neptune and nodded, a pained expression on her face. "Yes. We need
to do this now, because our friend isn't getting any weaker." The fire senshi's
face had paled slightly, feeling the evil energies in the air almost doubling.
"He's getting stronger."

Sol blinked, looking at his scanners in disbelief. "It's almost like he's feeding
off the anger that's coming off the crowd."

Just then there was the boom of a large explosion, and the sounds of angry cries
became nearly deafening. "Sounds like he's about to get a good feeding." Uranus
cursed. "Let's not waste anymore time!"

Nathan raised his hand. "Teleport on my mark. Three. Two. One. Mark."

Mars and Neptune nodded, both Senshi preparing themselves to come face to face
with the monster whose deadly intentions they'd both read. Without another word,
the group blinked out of existence. The crackle of light brought them back to
reality a half-dozen feet behind a hunched figure in the robes of a monk. The
man turned, hidden within its brown cowl, and raised a broken voice to them.
"Greetings, my lords and ladies. What brings you to my humble abode?"

Nathan glanced around the crumbled ruins of what might once have been one of
the extensive monasteries that had ringed this section of Tokyo. "Excuse us,
brother, but we are seeking an enemy of the city."

Rei's eyes narrowed as she scanned the wreckage, her eyes lingering over the
robed man before them. 'He's here, Nathan, and he's close...'

Nathan's combat sense kicked into high gear, scanning every fragment of the
room for danger. 'I don't see him....'

Neptune's fingers tightened around the handle of her mirror, turning in a tight
circle in an attempt to weed out their adversary. Haruka stepped forward, hazel
eyes trying to make out the face behind the dark brown hood. "Have you seen
anything come through here-?"

"Uranus!" Neptune gasped as she turned to face the man, her mirror blazing
bright with light as it revealed the true form beneath the robe. "Look out!"

The monk straightened, and there was a horrific tearing sound as the robe
shredded under the ebony black claws that tore from inside it. A blast of
fire erupted from the cloud of shredded cloth, blasting toward Haruka with
deadly speed. Neptune's eyes widened as her lover just barely managed to leap
out of the attack's path. The blonde landed four feet to the left in a crouch,
sword drawn and ready to attack. The creature laughed, a booming bass sound
that rattled off the walls as it straightened to its full height and stretched
massive armored shoulders. Black claws clicked against each other, and ebony
pits of eyes stared out of the crimson-skinned face. "Hello, Senshi. I hope
your wills have been properly filled out and filed."

A wave of fire lashed out, washing towards them in a blast of heat. Sol threw
up an energy shield around them to block the flames as best he could, but he
could still feel the heat through his armor. Neptune blinked, a brief sense
of relief passing through her as Uranus was once again at her side. "Let's see
if we can't cool him off a little." she said, raising her mirror and aiming it
at their attacker. "Submarine Reflection!" she called, and a wall of water
surged toward the beast and encircled him. The water hit the wave of fire,
dousing it in a cloud of steam ...and from that cloud a deadly set of black
claws erupted, slashing for Michiru's throat. There were sparks as the blade
of Uranus' sword came down on the claws, blocking their decent and holding
them at bay long enough for Neptune duck out of the way.

"Mars Fire Storm!" Rei cried, aiming her attack at the monster's now exposed
side, hoping to get him far enough away from Uranus so he didn't slice the
senshi in two. The fire slammed into the thing, then washed over him without
effect. The creature laughed, voice ringing off the walls.

"Fool. Did you really think to harm Veros with fire?" Almost casually grabbing
Haruka's sword in his claws, he wrenched it free and then slammed it into her
gut before turning towards Rei. Claws gleamed dangerously ... and then Veros
staggered back as a blast of golden energy slammed into an armored shoulder.

"Back off the lady, scum!" Sol's eyes sparkled as he advanced, readying another
volley of energy darts in his hand.

Veros snarled, eyes flashing as the red glow in the black armor he wore faded.
The reverse-bent knees he walked on might have looked awkward, but they gave
him an animal grace as he shifted to meet the new threat. "Very pretty. Any
substance behind that flash?"

Sol growled, armor gleaming with deadly power. "Let's find out..."

Uranus staggered backward, her vision swimming as a fire burned deep in her
belly where her own blade had sliced into her. With great effort she managed
to bend down, her fingers closing around the hilt of the sword. The room began
to spin for a moment and she found herself down, crouched on one knee and trying
desperately to hold onto consciousness. Through the haze she saw Veros' back to
her, and she could hear Sol's voice challenging him. Using what strength she had
left within her, she aimed her sword at him. "Space Sword Blaster!" she called,
the attack hurtling with deadly accuracy at his exposed back before she fell to
the floor, unconscious.

Veros growled, lunging toward Sol, then almost casually sidestepped the oncoming
attack blazing in from behind and allowed it to slam into Sol an instant before
his claws slammed home. Sol hit the floor with a resounding crack, chest burning
with pain at the force of the double blow. He was only half-aware of the partially
melted state of his breastplate, but the feeling of residual heat was burning his
chest harshly. 'Son of a bitch!'

To the water senshi, the moment her soulmate fell to the ground the world seemed
to have come to a standstill. It seemed like an eternity that she stood there,
watching the deep crimson of Haruka's blood spread over her white fuku. Then
she felt a rush of heat, and heard a cry of pain as Sol fell. Her head snapped
around and her eyes fixed on the form of Veros, hatred burning within their
depths. Once again she leveled her mirror at the beast, and once again she
fired, but this time her attack was fueled by grief, anger and hatred. "Die."
she breathed, watching as the attack struck home.

The wave of water and force threw Veros into the opposite wall, and he came up
with a hiss as his eyes met Michiru's. "For that, little one, you'll pay dearly."

"I don't think so!" Mars growled, violet eyes narrowing. "Mars Flame Sniper!"
she called, but instead of aiming the attack at Veros she aimed it at the already
crumbling wall behind him. The impact sent it, and the roof above, falling in on
him with devastating force. Veros lunged forward, barely dodging the falling beams,
and came up with a devastating combination of blows that only Nathan's supernaturally
enhanced battle-sense let him block.

"Damn! How the hell are supposed to hit him?" Mars cursed, as Neptune moved beside
her, both Senshi waiting for another opportunity to attack. 'We can't do anything
while he's so close to Nate.' Rei swore under her breath, her heart twisting as
she watched helplessly while her husband fought for his life. Spear and claws
twisted in a deadly dance, warriors fighting with every tool available to them.
There was a sickening crack and Nathan doubled over gagging as Veros stepped
back and readied his final, decapitating blow. The claws gleamed, starting to
fall, and then Nathan swung himself around in a foot sweep that bought him just
enough time to scramble out of reach.

Seeing the opening the two Senshi acted immediately. Neptune launched a stream
of water at Veros' exposed back once more, giving Rei the chance to move to
Nathan's side. 'Why do you have to be so damned valiant all the time?' Rei
chided silently as she moved beside her husband, eyes narrowing at Veros.
Closing her eyes for the briefest moment, she summoned her power into a
single attack aimed for the ground at Veros' feet, causing the ground beneath
him to heave and crack while a wall of fire rose to surround him.

Veros stumbled, hissing as the wave of fire collapsed around him at his
command. "I'll teach you all, you pathetic fools." Fire crackled in his
hands, ready to strike with deadly force, and then he froze as though some
unseen voice called his name. Razor teeth worked with frustration as the
flames died in his hands and he straightened to his full height. "Consider
yourselves lucky, fledglings. Next time you won't be able to count on a
summons from my master to save you." Space warped around him, seeming to
fall inward until nothing remained but a void. There was a soft pop, and
he was gone without a trace.

"That was an utter and complete..." Rei began, shaking her head in frustration
as she moved to examine Nathan's injuries more closely.

"Disaster?" Neptune finished, tears in her eyes as she moved beside her
fallen lover and was relieved to see the blonde's chest moving with each
breath. She lived, but from the amount of blood pooling about her Neptune
wasn't sure for how much longer.

Nathan grimaced, pulling himself to his feet and wincing at the feeling of
broken bones grinding in his ribcage. "We need to get Haruka to a doctor,
fast."

Sol moaned, rolling onto his side and wincing at the feeling of seared skin
on his chest tearing itself from partially melted armor. "You don't look so
hot yourself, pal."

Rei shook her head, glancing at Sol. "Neither do you, and you're going to be
in worse shape when Minako sees the condition you're in."

"Speaking of the others, shouldn't we let them know what's happened?" Neptune
spoke up, gently brushing Haruka's hair off her forehead. "We're going to need
their help." Neptune's voice cracked, tears threatening to fall from aquamarine
eyes.

Nathan took a deep breath, trying to think past the pain in his chest. "Yeah.
Rei, get on the com to Hotaru and tell her to get here ASAP." Another deep
breath brought on a groan as broken ribs scraped against vulnerable organs.
"And ask the others if the crowd is calming down any."

Rei nodded silently, pulling out her communicator, pressing the button that
would alert all the Senshi. "Minna ... we've run into some trouble. We've got
three people down, all seriously injured. Saturn, Mercury, we need you here
ASAP." Rei pressed a button that would send their location to all the other
Senshi, and closed the communicator. Now all they could do was wait.

Within a few minutes, the air around them came to life as Senshi began
appearing. First Saturn, whose face paled when she saw Haruka lying on the
floor with Neptune's hands covered in her lover's blood. Immediately she set
to work, kneeling beside the senshi and healing her wounds. The rest of the
Senshi arrived soon after, their faces strained from dealing with rioting mob.
From what Rei could gather over the hum of voices that surrounded her, the mob
had calmed just moments before she'd called them. She nodded, realizing
that with Veros' disappearance, the driving force behind the riots had vanished.

The fire senshi watched with an odd sense of detachment as Ami set to work
on her husband, trying to ignore the frown that appeared on the water senshi's
face as she scanned his injuries. To distract herself she turned to where Venus
and Sol sat on the floor, the blonde's arms around her husband and tears coming
to her blue eyes when she realized how close she'd come to losing him.

Slowly the Guardians regrouped themselves, took care of the wounded and got
them ready to be brought back to the palace. As Rei stood, her eyes never
leaving Nathan as he rose shakily to his feet with Rod's help, there was a
knot in her stomach. Once again they'd discovered and faced the enemy, and
once more they were returning to the palace injured and without anything to
show for their efforts. No information, nothing. She had to wonder if the
queen's orders and plans were up to handling the situations they found
themselves thrown into. For the first time since she'd taken on the powers
of the Sailor Mars, Rei found herself doubting her Queen.

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

The sound of footsteps echoed loudly in the empty stairwell as a small figure
in a simple black dress moving slowly downward, ashen complexion and tired
violet eyes telling of the exertion of the past few hours. Hotaru's hand
grasped the banister tightly as she made her way down from the sickroom,
desperately needing a breath of fresh air and a moment of rest. She'd spent
the past six hours working diligently to help heal the wounds of the Senshi
and Knights.

She looked at her hands and could swear she still saw the dark red stains
left by Haruka-papa's blood when she'd placed them over the gash in the
woman's abdomen. She sighed heavily, remembering how pale Michiru looked
when she'd left her sitting beside the blonde's bed waiting for her soulmate
to awaken. She felt so cold, so lost, so tired that it would be so easy to
just sit down and give it all up, but she couldn't. There were greater
things than her own pain driving her on, people that needed her.

Something warm settled about Hotaru's shoulders as she walked, the half-felt
impression of arms holding her. 'It's all right, lady of my heart.'

Hotaru stopped short, blinking in surprise at the faint sound of whispering
in her ear. Looking around, she tried to find the source of the sounds but
was startled to find the stairwell deserted save for her. She held her breath
for a moment, hoping the voice would return as something within the recesses
of her mind told her she wanted it to. After a few moments she shook her head,
giving up. 'I'm just tired,' she told herself as she made her way to the bottom
of the stairs and out into the fresh air of the courtyard.

"Hotaru-chan." Setsuna's soft voice greeted her, wine-colored eyes carefully
observing how worn the young girl looked.

Hotaru managed a weak smile as she met the Time Senshi's gaze. "They're all
going to be okay."

Setsuna nodded, watching carefully as the girl collapsed into one of the four
wicker chairs that sat around the small white table. "What about you? How
are you doing?"

"I'm ... I'm fine." Hotaru replied, withdrawing a small stone from her pocket
and absently turning it over in her fingers.

Mark's eyes fastened on the stone from across the table, voice growing rapidly
hard with grim fear. "Is that what I think it is?"

Hotaru looked up at him in surprise, the stone held between her thumb and
forefinger. "What are you talking about, Mark? It's just a stone."

"Don't recognize it?" Mark reached out and lifted the stone, the cracked colors
tumbling randomly within its surface. " Think back to a party a few days ago."

Hotaru looked more closely at the stone and suddenly gasped, realizing that
Chibi-Usa was the last person she'd seen with it, except then it had been
dangling from a silver chain with its surface smooth and shining. Mark nodded.
"That's right. It's her wardstone. Meaning that wherever Chibi is, we can't
find her; more importantly, whoever he is that has her knew enough to look
for it."

Setsuna's eyes closed, not wanting Hotaru to see the tears that rose in them,
her hands tightening on the armrests of her chair. When she reopened her eyes,
they were cold and held no emotion in them. "He's managed to best us every time
we've faced him. His intelligence has never been in question."

Hotaru blinked, the sudden change in Setsuna's voice unnerving her. "That doesn't
mean there's no hope, it just means that finding her will take a little longer,"
she ventured, but even she could see how little hope that statement held.

Mark's voice was grim. "Let's assume for a minute we can find her, which I doubt
we can. Every time we've fought him, we've come out with casualties and no
results. Zero for two. So how are we expecting to beat him in his own stronghold?"

"We can't just give up! We'll find some way to do it. We have to, for Chibi's
sake!" Hotaru's voice rose, desperation clear in her voice and in her eyes
when they turned to look at the Time Senshi. "We won't give up on her,
will we, Setsuna?"

"I ... I-" Setsuna bit her lip, trying to hold back the emotions that
threatened her composure. "We'll do what we can, Hotaru-chan, but
we must face the possibility that ... that we might not succeed."

Mark grimaced. "Question is, what happens if we don't?"

"That is not an option." Serenity's voice was firm, even if she still
looked tired and worn as she stepped into the courtyard and her crystal
eyes carefully regarded those assembled.

Mark took a deep breath. "Not to be disrespectful, your majesty, but our
opponent has shown the ability to twist people's emotions. What happens
if he uses Chibi as bait or a hostage?"

"We will get my daughter back. We will return her safely home," Serenity's
eyes fell on Setsuna's, blue meeting magenta. "We have to get her back,
right, Puu?"

Setsuna cringed inwardly, hearing the pleading behind the Queen's question.
She was looking for reassurance, for some small thread of hope to grasp onto
that her daughter would indeed be returned to her. Unfortunately, that was
something Setsuna could not give her. "We will try, Majesty."

Mark's voice pressed quietly in her mind, gentle but firm. 'We'll fail, won't
we Sets?'

Setsuna's eyes suddenly filled with tears, and she felt the control she was
fighting to maintain slipping away as she looked into Serenity's eyes. She felt
something inside her tearing slowly, shattering like brittle glass. 'Gods...'

"Setsuna?" Hotaru's voice was soft, seeing the pain on the woman's face,
something she'd never seen so evident on the normally unreadable Time
Senshi's face. "What's wrong?"

Mark leaned forward, ignoring the others to take Setsuna in his arms. "Oh,
Sets." Serenity felt her legs weaken as she watched Setsuna cry, the woman's
body shaking within her lover's embrace. Her chest seemed to tighten, and suddenly
it was hard for her to breath as a realization crashed over her, threatening to
drown her.

"Setsuna, tell me the truth. Are we going to get Chibi-Usa back?" Serenity demanded,
leaning her hands on the table for support. "Tell me, damn you! She's my daughter!
I have the right to know!"

Mark's eyes flashed, rising to meet Serenity's. For an instant all respect vanished,
only fierce protectiveness remaining. "Serenity, enough. She can't tell you, and if
you don't know that then you haven't been paying attention for the past thousand
years."

Serenity winced as if she'd been slapped across the face, her lips tightening
as she looked at the Knight and met his gaze. "Then I will hold her silence
accountable for my daughter's life, if she can't even look past her duty long
enough to help save the one person in this world I know she would sacrifice
anything for."

Hotaru winced at the harsh words, barely recognizing the voice that came from the
Queen's lips, so full of anger, frustration and despair that it sounded alien.
Her small hand closed around the stone as she tried to maintain control. "Serenity,
please."

Fury burned in Mark's eyes, his voice rising dangerously. "I appreciate your pain,
Serenity. But realize this. Setsuna's first duty is to the universe as it is; indeed,
to the whole of creation. If you don't understand how badly having to stand by
and let happen something she would give her life to stop hurts her, then to hell
with you and your petty kingdom."

Through the haze of tears, Setsuna heard Mark's words and cringed, squeezing
her eyes shut tightly. "I'm sorry, Majesty. I'm so sorry..." Setsuna sobbed,
cursing her own weakness but at the same time not caring.

"I ... I..." Serenity looked at the Time Senshi, as if just seeing her tears
for the first time. "My gods ... Sets..." Serenity's hand flew to her mouth.
"I'm so sorry...." Serenity backed away from the table, blue eyes wide in
shock. "I'm sorry..." She turned and ran back into the palace without another
word.

Mark gently lifted his eyes to Hotaru, the fire in them burnt out to ashes of
bitter sadness. "I'm going to take her back to our rooms. If you need us, we'll
be there." Lifting Setsuna in his arms, he gently carried her down the steps as
her tears continued to soak into his cloak.

Hotaru watched in stunned silence as Mark carried Setsuna away, her mouth
hanging slightly agape. 'What the hell was that?' he asked silently, still
trying to sort out the surge of emotions that had collided before her. Two
of the few people in this world she knew and trusted had just turned into
complete strangers before her.

"Serenity doesn't scream, she doesn't place blame," Hotaru whispered, her
eyes focusing on the stone she held in her hand, "and Setsuna doesn't ...
doesn't cry...."

The voice that spoke behind her was quiet as a whisper but infinitely sad.
"Reality has a way of changing that, heart."

"Yes it d-..." Hotaru's voice died in her throat when she realized she was
not alone. Slowly, without a word, she turned her head toward the sound
of the voice but found only the empty courtyard.

"Hello?" She called, her voice low, not feeling endangered or frightened but
definitely intrigued. She'd responded to the voice as she would have to the
voices of any of the Senshi, a sense of familiarity ringing in the sound.

There was no answer, but a feeling of warmth seemed to rise around her.
The stone on the table flickered slightly, something seeming to move in
its depths even as she had the distinct feeling of arms wrapping around her
waist. Violet eyes widened as her body reacted to the phantom touch, a
small shiver passing through her. As the initial shock wore off, her eyes
closed slightly, something strangely comforting in the unseen force enveloping
her in calming warmth. 'Why does this feel right?' Hotaru asked herself, feeling
her tears and her fright melting away.

'Time divides but cannot sunder, beloved.'

"Who are you?" Hotaru breathed once more, not wanting to disturb the eerie
silence that blanketed the courtyard but wanting to find answers.

A soft laugh filled her mind, gentle and laced with love. 'You'll remember
in time, my love.' The sense shifted, fading away. 'You'll remember.'

Hotaru released a sigh of disappointment as she felt the unseen embrace
disappear, the soft words echoing in her mind. "What happens if we don't
have that much time left?" Hotaru asked aloud, her hand closing around the
small, cracked stone and putting it in her pocket. "What if time's running out?"

The silence held no answer, only an echo of her question.

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

The pitch blackness that blanketed the room seemed to shift and tear, twin
sparks of amber light appearing out of nothing. Suddenly the darkness seemed
to flee from an orb of silver light that grew, revealing the slim form of a
woman, honey-colored hair sweeping down her back. Ruby lips curled into a
spiteful smile as the light illuminated the face of the Princess below, tear
stains still apparent on her porcelain cheeks.

"Time to wake up, small one." Siren's voice suddenly boomed through the sleeping
girl's mind, causing red eyes to snap open, a cry of surprise escaping her mouth.

"What?" Chibi-Usa shook her head, feeling it spin as she sat up too fast and
her limbs protested the movement.

"Good morning, child." Siren greeted her, amber eyes sparkling with pleasure at
the confusion that ruled Chibi-Usa's thoughts.

"You!" Chibi-Usa's voice stuttered, her mind still trying to decide if she still
dreamed or not; the lines between reality and illusion had blurred long ago.

"Yes, me." Siren lowered herself carefully to the floor beside the bed, eyes
locking on the Princess's. "Would you rather it be one of my pets? Or Dameon,
perhaps?"

Chibi-Usa shook her head vehemently. "No! Please." She hated the pleading sound
of her own voice, wishing she could be stronger.

"Oh, you're strong enough, small one." Siren smiled, sitting on the edge of the
bed, noting how the girl drew away from her. "Why are you so frightened of me,
child?"

Chibi-Usa didn't answer, instead she simply looked at the woman sitting before
her with confusion for a few moments.

"Is it because of my strength?" Siren's eyes flashed and her amulet glowed with
a dull light. "Is it because of the rigors I've put you through, the lessons I've
forced you to learn?"

Images suddenly flashed before Chibi-Usa's eyes. Images of her sitting in a
chair, unable to move, forced to watch as Siren's minions made short work of
some of their prisoners. Her eyes closed tightly as the screams once again
filled her ears. She remembered Siren looking at her, giving her a choice.
She could make their screams end, she could make it all stop. All Chibi-Usa
needed to do was kill them, end their suffering and misery for all time.
Chibi-Usa felt tears rise in her eyes as she demanded she couldn't, that
she couldn't take the life of an innocent. Siren's laughter had rung through
the small room, off the cold stone walls, soon to be drowned out by the
screaming victims.

"Or is it because I can offer you something that you've never before
experienced?" Siren's voice lowered as she leaned closer to the princess,
their faces inches apart. "Something you desperately want to experience again?"

Sensations once again flooded Chibi-Usa's mind, along with emotions that
caused her equal amounts of pleasure and disgust. Memories of unseen hands
on her, a voice so familiar whispering in her ear, telling her things she'd
thought she'd never hear. Even though she knew it was an illusion, even
though her mind screamed for her to fight it, that it was not her love that
kissed her, that held her, that made her forget about everything else, still
her body responded and let it happen. Even afterwards, when she saw beside her
Siren's glowing amber eyes glimmering with amusement rather than the loving gaze
of her soulmate, she still wanted more.

"I-I'm not scared!" Chibi-Usa screamed, her voice breaking as she turned her
back to Siren, not wanting her to see the tears in her eyes. "I can't be."

"You can't be?" Siren's eyes sparkled. "Oh, but Princess, I think you can and
I know you are."

Chibi-Usa's fingers dug into the soft mattress as she felt Siren probing into
her mind, unable to stop it. "You're wrong!" she shrieked again.

"Oh, I don't think so." Siren smiled, her hand reaching out to rest gently on
Chibi-Usa's shoulder. "But you don't have to hide it from me, little one. I
won't shun you because of it, I will teach you to overcome it."

Chibi-Usa shuddered, Siren's words echoing in her mind. "Overcome it?" she
repeated, her voice low as a sudden calm fell over her.

"Yes. Reignfire and I will teach you, rather than shelter you. We will let
you chose your own path. We will let you turn your back on what the cruel
fates have laid out for you; we will give you a freedom you yearn for." Siren
moved closer, her lips just inches from the girl's ear. "You simply need to let
it happen."

Chibi-Usa felt the woman's warm breath on her skin and a shiver ran down her
spine, every nerve suddenly surging to life. "I don't believe you!"

"I won't desert you, Princess." Siren's voice lowered to just above a whisper,
heavy with unspoken promises. "I won't ask you to be what you're not; I'll ask
you to be what you've always desired."

Chibi-Usa felt her mind fogging, her eyelids growing heavy. Siren's words resounded
in her mind over and over again, ringing with some sense of twisted truth. A truth
that some part of Chibi-Usa wanted to believe more than anything.

"Look at me, Princess." Siren's command was gentle as slim fingers reached out to
turn red eyes to meet amber ones, locking on them unwaveringly. "We will not turn
our backs on you, no matter what you do."

Tears rose in the Princess's eyes, her lips trembling as her mind warred with
itself, relief and fear going head to head as she felt Siren's presence
surrounding her.

"You will be given the power you need to protect yourself, to take things into
your own hands." Siren's voice softened even more, caressing the girl with every
word. "You've felt that power before; this time, it will be yours to keep if you
allow us to give it to you."

Chibi-Usa's mind was suddenly filled with faded memories of a battle in which she'd
fought against the Senshi, against her own mother and father. However, instead of
the disgust and shame that memory tended to dredge up there was only yearning, a
desire to once again hold that raw power in her hands and be able to fight her
own battles.

"This time your mind will be free, not enslaved," Siren whispered as her hand
gently stroked the girl's face, her other hand moving to Chibi-Usa's lap. "This
time you won't simply be a tool, a puppet; this time you'll truly be free of all
the shackles that have held you, free to do as you please."

Red eyes closed, her grip on the sheets beneath her loosening as her body relaxed,
Siren's touch and words calming something within her and allowing her to look at the
two paths that lay before her without guilt or a sense of responsibility. Instead
she was aware only of her own desire, her own burning need for something that had
always been denied her and set off limits.

"I-I want..." Her words were barely more than a whisper, tears slipping slowly from
beneath closed eyes.

"What do you want, child? Tell me and I will make it yours." Siren whispered, moving
closer as her arm snaked around Chibi-Usa's waist.

"I want to be free...." Chibi-Usa breathed, a shiver passing through her as she felt
Siren draw closer. The other woman's touch radiated with an enticing promise of what
was to come, something that part of Chibi-Usa wanted while another one cowered at the
thought.

"Free of what?" Siren pressed, her lips just inches away from the girl's face.

"Of everything." Chibi-Usa replied, a small sigh rising as she felt Siren's lips brush
hers ever so lightly.

"Of this?" Siren asked, flooding the girl's mind with images of battles fought
centuries ago, of a cage masked with shimmering crystal, invisible shackles hidden
beneath a crown she would one day be forced to wear.

"Yes." Chibi-Usa breathed.

"What about this?" Images once again filled Chibi-Usa's mind. Faces flew by, faces
of Senshi with whom she'd battled time and time again, Senshi that had always
sheltered her, always been there to keep her out of harm's way whether she needed
it or not. In their eyes she saw not love but pity, disgust and belittlement.

"Gods, yes!" The princess's voice rose, her words ringing through the room.

"And finally, what about this?" Siren's hand had slipped to Chibi-Usa's shoulder
and she held it firmly, feeling the girl flinch at the final blast of memories
Siren shot back at her.

Shimmering sliver hair and piercing blue eyes looked down at Chibi-Usa, looked
at her as if she was a child. Silently that gaze demanded that she sit silently
by and allow this Queen, this proclaimed angel on earth choose her path for her,
no matter how lonely and unfulfilling it appeared. She looked into her mother's
eyes and for a moment saw an empty shell, a person that lived only to direct the
destinies of others, to make sure that they didn't experience the same pains, the
same tears, the same losses; to make sure they existed in a fine glass shell from
which they would never be able to truly experience life.

"Yes. I want to be free of that...." Chibi-Usa sobbed quietly.

"Good." Siren's lips twisted into a cruel smile. "Turn your back on them, turn to
Reignfire and you will be free, finally and truly free." Siren carefully loosened
her grip on the Princess's mind and waited.

Suddenly the image of Neo-Queen Serenity changed; no longer did the eyes appear
empty, no longer did Chibi-Usa feel the overwhelming resentment toward her. Instead
she felt the warm, safe love her mother offered; the unshakable faith she held in
all those she love; the desire to do whatever was necessary to make sure that
everyone was happy.

Chibi-Usa's hands snapped up to hold her head, a war breaking out as she tried
to sort through the opposing memories and feelings that surged up as Siren further
lessened her influence on the Princess's mind. Her mind fought to sort through
everything, trying desperately to find what was true and what was false, trying
to find something to cling to.

"Princess, you're fighting a losing battle." Siren whispered softly, holding the
girl's head so when confused red eyes opened they met hers.

"What?" Chibi-Usa gasped.

"You're fighting a losing battle. You're trying to find the false thoughts, the
lies that have been put into your head." Siren's voice rose slightly, taking on
a mocking tone. "But what you don't understand is this: I've placed nothing in
your mind. I've only helped to bring forward things you've had locked so tightly
away that even you didn't know they were there."

"I-I don't understand...." Chibi-Usa's head shook slightly.

"You don't want to," Siren corrected, her fingers digging into the girl's face.

"No! You're lying!" Chibi-Usa cried, her chest heaving as she continued to fight
to regain control of her thoughts, to once again make them her own.

"They already are, my child." Siren smiled wickedly. "You just have to decide
which ones you choose to obey. The ones that will set you free of everything
that holds you into a life you don't want, the ones that grant you a freedom
that you've never before imagined. Or do you chose the ones that will lock you
forever behind the gate of a crystal cage and condemn you to a death that will
mean nothing because you will have lived, not for yourself, but for someone
else that wishes to control you?"

Chibi-Usa's eyes widened, her sobs suddenly stopping. Her eyes searched Siren's
for some sign of deception, for something that would tell her this wasn't
happening, that would tell her the woman's words were nothing but lies meant
to twist her mind. She looked, and all she saw was a reflection of herself in
the amber orbs, and a dark promise that every word spoken was true. Every word.

"NO!" Chibi-Usa screamed, tearing herself out of Siren's grip and falling face
down on the bed, sobbing into the pillows.

Siren's eyes glittered with satisfaction as the Princess fell apart before her,
as the carefully constructed walls in her mind came tumbling down. True, Siren
had helped, and true Siren had managed to increase the impact of each memory,
each emotion the girl felt, but Chibi-Usa didn't need to know that. Slowly she
rose from the bed, a smile spreading across her lips as she took one final glance
at the sobbing girl. "It's time," Siren whispered just before the air came to
life and she disappeared, leaving Chibi-Usa to suffer at the hands of her own mind.

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

The dress shoes clicked softly on tile, drawing the eyes in the small concourse
of the shattered Solar Wisdom mall to the shadows of the open door. A flash of
silver and flame flickered as a lighter snapped open, and then the soft glow of
a cigarette illuminated the narrow face of a man. Thin eyebrows lowered above the
man's piercing eyes as gaunt cheeks drew on the cigarette, then rose toward slightly
graying hair as thin lips exhaled a ring of smoke that hung for a moment before a
neatly trimmed beard before sinking from view. "A pity, all this."

One of the men along the wall grunted sourly, gesturing to the gaping hole in the
wall that opened onto the street. "I'll put that up for the understatement of the
year. What I want to know is where the Senshi were when those things appeared and
tore this place apart at the seams."

"I'm just a simple businessman. Government matters are quite beyond me." The man
in the doorway gestured with the cigarette, silvery buttons on his suit gleaming
slightly as he moved out into the light. One of the women blinked in surprise at
the elegant three-piece suit, the embroidered vest and the leather briefcase.

"What's your business?"

"Oh, this and that." Setting the briefcase carefully on a broken pillar, the man
gave her a smile as smooth as polished glass. "I sell interesting things that I
happen to come across."

A young man in a somewhat bedraggled blue suit leaned forward curiously. "What
have you got?"

The man looked the youth up and down, sharp eyes seeming to size him up in an
instant. "Let me see." Opening the briefcase and reaching into it, he came out
a moment later with several small tubes and a portable injector that looked like
it had been bought from a medical supply shop. "You look a bit on the worn side,
my friend. Trouble sleeping?"

The youth shrugged, painfully aware of the dark circles under his own eyes. "You
have to admit, our current situation doesn't lend itself to peaceful repose."

"Here. This should help take the edge off." A quick motion and the tubes changed
hands before the youth even really thought about it. "A sample. If you'd like more
or want to share it around, my contact's on the card."

The give and take of sample goods continued for several minutes, and might have
gone on longer if the sounds of many approaching footsteps had not pulled attention
through the gap in the wall to the woman who walked slowly down the empty street.

Long white pigtails swung down across bare shoulders and the shimmering purity of
the long white dress whose hem was now smeared with dust and blood. Blue eyes held
a near-immeasurable sadness as they looked out over the devastation that lay around
her, the empty street that slowly filled with those from the surrounding buildings
and the silent crowd that walked behind her. Slim, girlish, good-hearted to the
point of naiveté; she was all of these, but more. Somehow, in those wide eyes and
that diminutive figure, throbbed the beating heart of Crystal Tokyo. The very ruins
themselves seemed to throb with her presence as she passed by, her people following
with silent awe and respect that even tragedy had been unable to break. As her eyes
passed over him, the man closed his briefcase and quietly slipped back into the
shadowed doorway. Turning back for a final glance at Serenity, the avatar of Gluttony
smiled with a razor-edge in his penetrating eyes. "You're a worthy opponent for my
lord. A pity you don't have the slightest clue how to use the power you have." The
cigarette flared for a moment as he tossed it aside, dying as it fell to the pavement.
When the small girl chased through the empty doorway a few minutes later, she didn't
even notice the tiny piece of paper-wrapped tobacco she crushed beneath her heel.

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

Darkness crackled in the air for a long moment before coalescing into a tall figure
almost blacker than the void from which he stepped. Ebony robes swirled in the gentle
breeze, the dying sunlight seeming to soak into the cloth without a trace. Reignfire
stood for a handful of heartbeats looking out over the city, then leaned out over the
larger pile of rubble on which he stood to look at the people who strode about their
lives below.

"Pitiful, aren't they?" Siren's voice was full of contempt, her hair sparkling as
golden as her eyes in the fading light. She moved up beside him, her fingers playing
with the obsidian amulet about her neck.

Reignfire's eyes sparkled with deadly amusement. "You'd almost think they believe
their petty little lives will go on uninterrupted."

Siren laughed. "Poor deluded fools." She watched a couple move below them, their
young faces creased with worry that had not been there a few scant weeks ago. "I'm
sure their Queen would love to keep it that way, though. Keep them in the dark even
as their world falls to pieces around them."

Reignfire looked at her, gesturing out over the city. "I think it's time we made that
a bit more difficult, don't you?"

Siren's eyes gleamed with evil intent as they met his, a smile sliding across her lips.
"I couldn't agree with you more, my Lord. The question is how best to accomplish that
particular task."

Reignfire's eyes glowed brightly, and there was a ghost of a smile in his voice. "Oh,
I think you'll be quite pleased." Below them, there was a crackle of energy near the
human couple as a gate opened and a pack of hell-hounds erupted from it. Razor-edged
claws flashed, and as the screams began to rise from below them, Reignfire turned back
to Siren. "How do things proceed with our guest?"

Siren's attention was momentarily riveted to the scene below her, both entranced and
disgusted by the ferocity with which the beasts ripped the couple to shreds.
Reignfire's words finally registered in her mind, and shaking her head slightly
she turned back to him, the images still seared into her mind. "She's doing quite ...
well. I've managed to nearly break her." Ruby lips curled into a satisfied smile. "It's
always amazing to me how many insecurities and fears these humans hold within themselves
and how utterly easy it is to exploit them."

Reignfire's eyes gleamed as they pierced hers, looking into her soul with an almost
casual ease born of long practice. "You're enjoying yourself."

"Immensely, my Lord." Siren's smile widened, not turning away from his probing gaze.
"She's been extremely ... entertaining, shall we say."

His mind slid across hers, an embrace that went beyond word or touch to encompass her
entire being. 'Indeed...'

A small shiver of pleasure passed through Siren as she felt their minds meeting and
merging, enjoying the feeling of unseen arms embracing her. "I cannot thank you enough
for giving her to me. I will certainly be disappointed when my work with her is through."

Reignfire smiled in her mind as he drew back from the link, turning to glance down at
the hell-hounds as they split off and vanished into the alleyways of the city. "I
think it's time we returned home, my lady."

Siren's smile faltered a bit as she felt him draw back, but she nodded and pushed her
disappointment to the back of her mind and locked it away. "Yes, I've still got some
more work to do on our little Princess if we want her ready in time."

Reignfire's eyes gleamed. "I have just the thing." The universe collapsed around them
and they were gone.

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

'This isn't happening… this isn't happening...' Serenity's mind screamed as she tore
through the corridor, the few guards stationed in the doorways glancing at her
worriedly. It wasn't often they saw their Queen in such utter despair.

'Mamo-chan!' Her mind cried, blue eyes closing to blink back tears that still
streamed down her face. 'Gods… where are you?'

She forced her mind to stop spinning long enough for her to find him, and she
turned toward his office, her chest burning from lack of air. When she reached
his door, she pushed through it, sending it hurling into the wall behind her
without even noticing the bloody hand prints she left behind.

He was on his feet in a heartbeat, his arms wrapping around her and holding
her tight. "I'm here, Usako."

"Oh, Mamo-chan!" Serenity sobbed, burying her face against his chest, her arms
wrapping tightly around him as her body shook with sobs. 'It's ... it's horrible!
There was so much blood, and ... and all the people, and I couldn't do anything!'
she cried into his mind, her thoughts whirling at a mile a minute.

He tried to soothe her as best he could, gently drawing the memories into his own
mind only to grimace in horror at the images imprinted on his wife's soul. 'What
in the name of the gods?'

Even in her soulmate's arms, the images still terrified her, still cut her to the
core. Serenity could still smell the burnt flesh and the coppery stench of the
blood that had soaked into the ground, turning it nearly black in color. She'd
been out in the city, trying to take stock of how much damage had truly been
suffered at the hands of the enemy. Just as she'd entered a small alleyway, she'd
heard the screams.

'Gods ... the screams were so loud.' Her head shook, the sound still echoing in her ears.

Stroking her hair he lowered them to the couch and pulled her gently into his lap.
'There wasn't anything else you could have done, my love. Your quick action saved
even more from being killed."

Serenity pressed herself as close to her husband as possibly, hoping that in doing
so she could push the memories out of her mind. When she'd emerged from the alley,
she'd come upon a scene straight out of her worst nightmare. Two beasts, like those
they'd fought in the stadium when they'd faced Reignfire, were in the center of the
plaza, their snarling mouths and razor sharp claws dripping with the blood of their
victims.

She must have cried out when she'd seen the utter horror, because one of the beasts
turned to her, a chunk of flesh hanging from its snout and growled at her. The low,
animalistic sound sent a spike of fear into her heart and she'd acted almost
immediately. She'd raised her crystal, and with a single word the entire area
had been bathed in silver light. When it cleared all that remained were the torn
and broken bodies of the innocent victims.

Endymion stroked her hair, kissing her tear-stained cheeks. "You did you best,
love. What else was there to do?"

"But I'm supposed to be the one protecting them from that sort of thing. I'm
supposed to be making it so that something like that can't happen!" Serenity's
voice was ragged, her breaths coming in uneven gasps. She was the one that they
looked to for protection. That was her duty, her destiny, and so far she was
doing a horrid job of it. She hadn't even had the ability to save the single
life that the beasts spared, a small girl who'd been thrown to the side when her
attacker had grown tired of her. She lay in a pool of her own blood, her right
arm set at an impossible angle and tears falling from frightened hazel eyes.

Serenity heard her sobs and had immediately rushed to the girl's side, kneeling
down beside her, not caring about the blood that soaked into her gown. As she
moved the child's head carefully into her lap, her mind registered the sounds
of movement behind her, of muffled sobs as people emerged from their hiding
places to see the aftermath of the attack. She could still here a man's voice
pleading with her to save his daughter; she could still see his face before her,
eyes begging for this one thing, this one act. Serenity felt her heart breaking
as she felt the child draw her final breath, knowing that healing her was beyond
even the great Queen's powers.

Endymion rocked her in his arms, wishing her somehow had the words to wash her
pain away. As it was, all he could do was try and wrap her in his love as best
he could.

"I've failed them." Serenity breathed, her eyes closing as she felt something
inside of her breaking, dying. "Mamo-chan, I've failed my people. I've failed
Crystal Tokyo. I've failed Earth. I've failed Chibi-Usa. I've failed everyone...."
Her words were eventually lost, replaced by the soft sounds of her sobs.

"Oh, love." Endymion's hands caressed her shoulder, his mind brushing her as he
tried to form the words to comfort her. "You've done all there is to do. What
more could you have done?"

Serenity blinked, pulling back to look at him. "I could stop this. That's what
my duty is, to stop this type of thing before it starts. Before so many innocent
lives have been lost, before those I love are forced to pay the price."

Serenity shuddered, still remembering the whispers of the people that surrounded
her as she handed the dead child to her father. She could still hear his cries of
anguish, and she could still feel the looks of betrayal and disappointment the
people had given her. Their mighty Queen, the woman they entrusted their very
existence to had suddenly lost her position of power in their minds. Their angel
of hope and mercy had fallen to earth right before their eyes.

Endymion stroked her face, looking down into those haunted blue eyes with a gaze
that spoke love and understanding. "You can't always save everyone, my love. Even
when you want to."

"That's... that's...." Serenity's eyes closed and she shook her head, trying to
find the words. "That's just not acceptable! So many people have put their
lives in my care!" Serenity's hands rose before her eyes, and for the first time
she saw the blood staining them. "My gods." Her eyes went wide and she suddenly
forced herself out of Endymion's arms, jumping to her feet and staggering backward,
eyes focused on the dark red stains on her palms.

He gently rose to his feet, taking her hands in his, seeing the red smear over his
palms and not caring. "We'll find him, love, and when we do he'll pay for this."

Serenity watched her hands disappear into Endymion's, love radiating from his touch
and his words, managing to seep through the landslide of pain she was buried behind.
"And until then more innocents die." she whispered, her eyes rising to meet his, and
she found herself silently making a wish she hadn't made in nearly two millennia. She
found herself wishing it would all just go away, that Reignfire, his minions, Crystal
Tokyo, the crystal and all the responsibilities it entailed would all vanish and leave
her in peace.

Endymion gently gathered her into his arms, not caring about the blood that stained
his suit. 'I know, my love. I've had that particular thought more than a few times
today. Still, we'll make it. We always have before.'

Serenity nodded slightly, her breathing still ragged, her body still shaking. She
trusted the man that held her more than she trusted any other being in this universe,
and she knew that together their strength was immeasurable. She knew all this and
still the thought that had crossed so many people's minds over the past weeks managed
to take hold in her mind, sinking its claws deeply into her subconscious. What if they
couldn't? What if this was the exception? 'What if this is the end?' Endymion looked
into her eyes for a long moment, but could find nothing to say.

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

Darkness coiled and twisted within the abyss, swirling about the throne in its heart
like the reach of some tremendous creature. Red eyes glowed in the void, the only
light within the entire room. Large ebony doors slowly swung open, two forms entering
silently. A set of golden eyes found red ones, a smile playing across ruby lips, while
the other entered the room with eyes downcast and shoulders slumped slightly, and
inside the pink-haired head a storm raged.

'She's ready.' Siren's voice rang confidently in Reignfire's mind as she and Chibi-Usa
came to a stop in the center of the room.

A soft glow rose around the throne, and the man upon it stood in a hiss of black robes.
"Good evening, my servant."

Chibi-Usa's mind told her to remain silent, reminding her she served no one, but still
she heard her own voice speak; it sounded as though it echoed from the bottom of a well
miles below her. "Good evening, my Lord." When she spoke her voice stayed low, her eyes
still focused on the floor.

Red eyes gleamed with deadly power. "I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying your time
with us."

Chibi-Usa only nodded, her hands clasped in fists at her sides. 'I don't know if I'd
call it enjoyment,' she thought bitterly, memories of punishments beyond her worst
nightmares flashing across her mind.

"Oh, you seem to have come through alive and well."

Siren's eyes narrowed. 'Watch it, little one.' Siren's voice burned into her mind.
'You will show proper respect to your Lord.'

Chibi-Usa flinched. "I'm sorry, my Lady." she said aloud, her body beginning to
shake slightly.

"She's done very well, Lord. Very well." Siren's voice was soft, her eyes sparkling
in anticipation. "I believe you'll be pleased."

Reignfire rose slowly, walking down the steps with the steady glide of a stooping
hawk. "Do you remember who you serve, Princess?"

"I ... I...." Chibi-Usa's mind spun, part of her wanting nothing more than to give
in but another part still holding on, still wanting to fight. "I serve no one."

Reignfire's eyes sparkled. "Little one, are you such a fool that you think I do not
have you utterly? Your friends and family have abandoned you, Chibi-Usa."

"NO!" Chibi-Usa cried, her voice rising, her eyes meeting his. "They wouldn't do that!
They ...they wouldn't!"

Beside her, Siren smiled and shook her head slightly. "Oh, wouldn't they?"

Reignfire's eyes met Chibi-Usa's, a flood of images rushing into her mind. Death,
carnage, rampant destruction in the streets of Crystal Tokyo. His voice rang in her
mind. 'They're too busy trying to save their fool's paradise to care about you,
little one. They've abandoned you.'

"Gods!" Chibi-Usa gasped, her knees shaking as the images flashed across her mind,
as she watched the city that was her home crumbling. "But my mother wouldn't
abandon me! She wouldn't give up, she never gives up...." she sobbed.

"Your mother? The Queen?" Siren laughed. "She's the one that allowed you to be
taken; she's the one allowing her city to fall to ruin." Siren's eyes flashed
and suddenly Chibi-Usa saw her mother, kneeling on the ground, holding the bloody
body of a child in her lap. "Does that look like someone who will be able to save
you?"

"No!" Chibi-Usa's voice trailed off, tears falling freely down her face as she felt
something inside her breaking, cracking like a breached dam beneath a wall of water.

Reignfire's eyes burned into hers relentlessly. "You are mine, servant. Now and forever."

"I'm ... not." Chibi-Usa's words were barely more than a whisper, her breathing
growing labored as her mind twisted, trying desperately to hold onto her hope.

'We will not abandon you, little one. Ever.' Siren's voice was soothing in her
mind, and Chibi-Usa felt a familiar flood of warmth wrap around her body.

Reignfire's mind surrounded her at the same time, a nearly crushing force battering
at her defenses. 'You are alone. Serve me, and we will support you.'

Alone. That word echoed over and over in Chibi-Usa's mind. 'I can't be alone. I
can't...I'm not strong enough.' she sobbed as her body began to shake.

'You can't survive on your own, small one. We'll protect you.' Siren's voice once
again broke through the tumult of her thoughts, an almost calming force promising
sanctuary, so much truth behind her words.

"I can't...." she repeated aloud, tears falling silently to the floor.

Reignfire spoke again, voice gentle as a spider's kiss. "Kneel, servant."

'No!' Chibi-Usa heard a small voice insider her screaming, wanting her to refuse,
wanting her to fight it, but it was too small and she was too weak. All resistance
would gain her was more pain, more punishment, and for what? Nothing. There was
nothing left to fight for, nothing left to hope for, and her heart knew it. Her
soul knew it, and she felt a small piece of it die as she sank to her knees
at Reignfire's feet.

Reignfire's mind pulsed into hers as she knelt, smashing weakened defenses and
burning itself deep into her. When he spoke again, his voice resonated both inside
and outside her mind. "Rise, servant."

Had anyone been in the Princess's bedchambers, they would have seen what looked
like a lightning storm centered around the silver brooch on her bed. As Reignfire's
mind burrowed into hers and he took root within her being, the silver crystal, the
unbreakable stone, the symbol of Sailor Moon's power, of the Princess's life, cracked
down the center; the two halves clattered out of their place. As the broken crystal
rolled lifelessly on the bed, the fragments turned black and crumbled, turning into
little more than blackened ash.

As the crystal shattered, within the mind of the Princess the eternal light she held
within her heart slowly went out. The little girl that had been, that had loved life,
which had so much joy collapsed into the recesses of her mind, locked away forever
behind an impenetrable wall. Slowly, the former Sailor Moon rose to her feet. When
her eyes rose to meet those of her master, they no longer held the same sparkle; they
were dark and empty, a mirror of the abyss around them.

"My lord," The voice that came from Chibi-Usa's lips was low, no longer musical or
light. She spoke with utmost respect, bowing her head to gaze at the floor once more.

Reignfire's voice rolled out over the room, echoing in her mind like crackling
thunder. "Are you ready, my servant?" There was a crackle of energy as a man
appeared in the room, pulled by the massive claws of Veros and the slimmer hands
of Dameon.

Chibi-Usa nodded silently, her eyes drifting toward the prisoner as a glimmer of
anticipation rose within the red depths. Slowly she stepped toward him, his gaze
meeting hers, and in his terrified brown eyes she saw a flicker of hope as he
realized who she was.

With a silent command from Reignfire, Veros released the man and shoved him roughly
forward. The prisoner stumbled a moment, nearly falling to his knees, but he held
himself up as he kept his eyes fixed on Chibi-Usa's. A hesitant smile played on his
lips as she moved closer, only to falter moments later when he saw the cold look in
her gaze. "Take him," Reignfire instructed.

Chibi-Usa looked at him confused, then she watched the man's face twist in a grimace
of pain as Reignfire's mind took hold of his nervous system. The man's knees finally
buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor at Chibi-Usa's feet. His screams echoed
through the chamber, but instead of terrifying her they invigorated her; she watched
with utter fascination as the man writhed beneath Reignfire's unseen touch. Chibi-Usa
felt a surge of power within her, and at once she knew what he wanted of her.

"Now it's your turn, servant." Reignfire instructed, handing over the control of the
man's mind to her. Chibi-Usa felt a rush pass through her like she'd never experienced
as she felt the man's life in her hands, and a smile twisted her lips as she felt the
utter control she had over him. Just by using the power of her mind she could make him
scream louder and higher, or she could bring him down to where he thought it might be
over.

'I love this.' she thought to herself, red eyes gleaming like fire.

Reignfire smiled in her mind, gently laying his hand on her shoulder. 'Let me show you
something.' He reached out and twisted a set of nerves in the man's side, sending spasms
of pain through his chest so violent that his muscles began to tear his organs apart
from the inside out. 'You see?'

Chibi-Usa nodded silently, her smile growing larger. 'Like this?' She tentatively
reached out and copied Reignfire's motions, a shiver of pleasure rushing through her
as she saw the man spasm in reaction. "I want to learn more, Lord," she said aloud,
her mind screaming for further instruction.

Reignfire's mind caressed hers, showing her ways to twist and bend and manipulate the
mind in her control. Screams of pain erupted as the man's body began to tear itself
apart from the inside out, one agonizing breath at a time.

Siren watched the two closely, the smile faltering on her lips as she watched Reignfire
instruct their new pupil. The gleam in her eyes darkened for a moment before she
pushed the feelings down. 'No use getting upset yet. She's still young, naive; he
needs to lead her.'

Chibi-Usa laughed as she watched the man before her writhe in agony, his body
destroying itself from within at her command. She watched and she drew great
pleasure from it, but something inside told her there was more that she could
gain. "I want..." Chibi-Usa began, her face growing serious for a moment as she
realized she didn't know what it was; all she had was a flash of an ebony wand,
nothing more.

Reignfire smiled. 'I know what you want.' Reaching into her mind, he sent a flash
of instruction and a complex gesture. 'Now take it.'

Chibi-Usa's eyes lit up and her lips parted with desire as she followed Reignfire's
instructions, concentrating on her goal. 'I want it,' she thought, her body tensing
with need. There was a brief moment when she thought it wouldn't work, when the man's
screams suddenly ceased, the room echoing with silence. Then she felt it, the warmth
surrounding her, filling her.

"Gods, yes..." Chibi-Usa whispered, a gentle shiver passing through her body as she
once again revisited the ecstasy of the dungeon so many days ago.

Reignfire's eyes glowed as he stepped past her and glanced at the broken corpse of
the man. "Our guest's plaything seems to have broken. See that she gets another,
Veros."

The crimson-skinned creature bowed, flashing a needle-toothed smile. "Of course,
my master."

Chibi-Usa braced herself for the weakness that she thought would follow, but none
came. Instead she felt more alive than she'd ever felt in her entire existence.
"Thank you, my Lord." She turned to Reignfire, eyes gleaming. "That was a pleasure
indeed; I can't wait until the next lesson."

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Special thanks goes out to all those that have made this possible, including
Soul for doing the first round of edits and helping with our sometimes horrendous
spelling and typing skills, and Liz for doing the final round, making sure everything
fits and correcting the little mistakes we'd never pick up.

Additional thanks to my wonderful beta readers - Lena and Mako the 38th. Your
questions and feedback helped me make this even better. And of course, thanks
to all the readers that have writen and commented on Fallen Stars. You're part
of the reason we do this. ^.~

Fallen Stars has been a year in the making, hopefully it lives up to all expectations.
Feel free to contact us with any praise, comments, moans, groans or suggestions.
Feedback is a good thing. ^_^

Email: fallen_star715@yahoo.com
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