Part X

 

All around them was darkness and the horrible rumblings of the concrete of the city. Fighter struggled to pull Sailor Moon up onto the stable ground which she was sitting on. Fighter was met with a warm embrace from SM and all of the fear she had left her body at that moment, but it wasn't over.

 

"You insolent little fools." Maleficent came up behind them hacking and choking on the dusty air. She was in pretty bad shape and didn't appear to have much strength left. ". My sister. my beautiful little sister. you killed her and now I will kill you. Sailor Moon!" Maleficent tucked her arms around her body and began to glow with a dark aura.

 

Fighter looked at SM to see what her reaction was and to her surprise she saw her looking up defiantly at the woman. Fighter knew that she herself had no strength left to fight and if she tried to intervene she would just become a burden on SM's ability.

 

SM stood up strong and firm, not wavering at all under Maleficent's glare. "You tried to ruin this planet and all of the people on it that I love. I will not allow you to do any further damage to anything that I hold dear. I'm sorry but this is where it ends." SM held her tier up above her head with both hands and secured her hold on it. Fighter watched, half crippled below.

 

Maleficent laughed a bit at her remark and caused SM to falter a bit. "You are a walking contradiction." SM stopped what she was doing to give Maleficent a puzzled look. "The planet and people you love? Don't make me laugh. If you loved all of them so much then why did you leave them?"

 

SM's arms slowly started to lower from above her head. Fighter noticed her falter and became more concerned. Was she doubting herself? No, not now, she couldn't.

 

Maleficent laughed once again as she continued her lecture of Sailor Moon. "I don't understand why you were so mad that my dear sister posed as you in your absence. You left that life behind, why should you care if some one else should take it up?"

 

Fighter stared straight at Maleficent who seemed to be growing stronger by the minute. Her previous injuries began to heal and she looked as though her full strength would be returned to her. If SM kept stalling then there was no way they would be able to defeat her. Her thoughts were broken when she heard a whisper from SM's lips.

 

"What was that?" Maleficent asked sarcastically cupping her ear to hear better.

 

SM stood shaking while looking down at the ground holding her tier. Her eyes rose up and met with Maleficent's. Fighter could have sworn she had seen Maleficent cringe. "I said I was wrong." SM said with confidence. "Even though I made a mistake, it's not too late to fix it though." She brought her tier back up above her head and this time it didn't seem as though she was going to be deterred this time.

 

"I've taken care of all of your friends, all of those innocent people that you claim to love. They're all gone." Maleficent stated her previous deeds, but didn't have the same conviction that she possessed with many of her earlier statements.

 

SM smiled at her as her tier began to glow. "No, they're not gone. The Starlights told me that as long as I believe no one can ever be gone." The look of shock on Maleficent's face was priceless as the melodic voice of SM ripped through the damp dark sky.

 

"SILVER MOON CRYSTAL POWER KISS"

 

There was no escaping the blast and Maleficent knew it.

 

The Earth ceased and an eary stillness hung in the air. SM dropped her arms to her side when her attack and the brilliance of her power was gone. She fell to her knees and placed her hands in front of her on the ground. Fighter did her best to make her way over to her. It looked like she was crying until Fighter picked up her chin and saw that she had a smile on her face. "I'm back." Is all that she said before wrapping her arms tightly around Fighter.

 

"I knew it wasn't you." Mars said stumbling up from their left. The quiet moment was now invaded by the sound of footsteps coming up from all around them.

 

The planetary senshi along with Healer, Maker and Tuxedo Kamen stood around the two on the ground. SM smiled warmly at them all, but most of all at Mars. "Thank you for believing in me."

 

"I always will." Mars smiled back as she watched SM get to her feet and help Fighter to join her side.

 

One by one the senshi dehenshined. Lastly were Fighter and SM. Before she changed SM shot Fighter a smile. When her transformation faded Kenada stood before the group. Everyone's mouths dropped open except for Seiya, Yaten and Rei's.

 

"What's going on?" Haruka asked half supporting Michiru on her shoulder.

 

"If you are Usagi, then who was the girl that was staying with Rei?" Makoto asked the question that she was sure was on everyone's minds.

 

After a long explanation of the whole situation and a recap of the events leading them up to where they were now, Kenada ended with an apology. "I'm sorry." He looked down at the ground below his feet, not wanting to make eye contact with any of them. He was too ashamed of what he had done. "I hope you all understand and can someday forgive me, especially you Mamoru." His eyes lifted up to meet with Mamoru's.

 

To Kenada's surprise Mamoru's face displayed a smile. "Of course I forgive you. I wish you had said something about it to me, or any of us for that matter. I was feeling the same anxiety but also didn't know how to express it. I'm just sorry that those feelings had to lead to your disappearance for so long."

 

"Yeah, we'll always be here for you. No matter what!" Minako chimed in still holding her stomach.

 

Kenada's eyes left Mamoru and scanned the group to witness their expressions of happiness. They truly weren't mad at her and it looked as though they understood after all.

 

"I must say that I was more than surprised when Seiya found a boyfriend that she liked more than you. Who knew?" Yaten shrugged because for some reason the mood just got to her and put her in a good place.

 

Kenada smiled and looked at Seiya standing next to him. His smiled faded just before he was about to speak. With his words his face dropped. "I'm sorry Seiya."

 

"For what?" She asked incredulously. If anything, she should be the one who is apologizing.

 

Kenada's eyes locked with Seiya's. "I'm sorry because I can't live this lie any more. I'm not Kenada. I'm Usagi. and it's time that I started accepting that responsibility instead of running away from it."

 

Seiya smiled a fake smile. "What are you saying?" She asked jokingly but tears were starting to form in her eyes. She knew that if Kenada changed back into Usagi there was no hope of them having a future together. She was to be Queen in the future and beside her on the throne she would need a King and not another Queen.

 

Seeing tears in Seiya's eyes after all of this ripped at Kenada's heart more than anything else ever could. He didn't want to do this but it was the only way. "I seem to be sorry for a lot lately. but I'm not sorry for anything more than what I'm about to do." Kenada said just before leaning forward and kissing Seiya. "Goodbye." He said and began to glow.

 

The others could see the light reflected through the tears in Seiya's eyes as she said goodbye to Kenada forever. Usagi now stood before the group looking exactly the way they remembered her, but with the saddest expression they had ever seen on her face. "I guess destiny won after all." She said before she turned her back on Seiya and walked away.

 

Seiya stared blankly in the direction that Usagi and the other planetary senshi had just walked off in. When they were gone from her sight and she was surrounded only by Yaten and Taiki she fell to her knees and hung her head.

 

Yaten looked at Taiki with sympathy in her eyes. There was nothing they could do to ease this pain and they seriously doubted that Seiya would ever heal from this.

 

~@~@~@~

 

The morning broke through the windows of the small apartment and sprawled itself out on the covers of Usagi's bed. Soon she would give up this apartment, it held too many painful memories that she couldn't bare to live with from day to day. It would have been different if her friend, her love had died, but no, she was still very much alive and Usagi still couldn't be with her.

 

With that though Usagi closed her eyes once again trying to succumb to the powerful world of sleep but with no luck. This was something that she had to face today, tomorrow and for the rest of her life. There was no evading it. She pushed the covers off of her and brought her feet down to rest on the wooden floor. She made her way to the bathroom to clean herself up a bit.

 

The mirror reflected a face that seemed so alien to her yet so familiar at the same time. "Get used to it Usagi. When you look in the mirror Kenada will not be there." She told herself as she bent her neck down to search for her toothbrush. Next to hers was another toothbrush and a further glance to the side revealed a compact, mascara and other various make up items.

 

Usagi paused with the toothbrush in her mouth as she gently fingered the items. Sadness once again struck her and a loss so great that it was almost unimaginable snuck into the deepest depths of her soul. She felt her legs and the rest of her body become weak and knew that she wouldn't be on her feet for much longer. Usagi leaned back and sat on the edge of the tub behind her.

 

With her head cradled between her hands and her eyes glued to the floor she didn't notice the presence in the doorway. "Odango?"

 

Usagi's head snapped up at the sound of the voice and that name. It was Seiya, she was standing in the doorway just looking at her with confusion. "Did you come for your stuff?" She asked glancing briefly at the conglomeration of makeup on the vanity.

 

Seiya looked over at what she was talking about and then back to Usagi. "Yes, I came to get my things. but I also came to see you." Seiya walked over to Usagi to kneel down beside her but before she could Usagi stood up in front of her.

 

"Well I guess I'll help you then." She said walking past Seiya and never once looking her directly in the eye. "I'll be leaving here soon too, so I might as well get rid of as much stuff as I can to make the move easier."

 

Seiya didn't bother to follow her but just stood in her place. Usagi soon realized that she wasn't behind her and stood still. It seemed like an eternity went by while she was just standing there. The tears welled up in her eyes and before she knew it she was running down the hall towards Seiya.

 

Seiya graciously opened her arms to receive her Odango in them. They stood like that for a while with Seiya holding on to Usagi's shaking form and Usagi holding Seiya tighter than she had ever held anything in her life. "Odango."

 

"I'm so stupid. I had you with me that entire time and I don't think I ever really appreciated you the way I should have until now when I'm about to lose you. again." Usagi pulled her face away from Seiya's chest and looked up at her face for the first time since she had gotten there.

 

"Odango." Seiya's eyes showed the many tears that she had cried over this whole ordeal.

 

Each line that was etched in Seiya's beautiful face from the path of a tear was also now etched in Usagi's heart. "I don't care. I don't care how the future turns out. what kind of future would it be if I couldn't be with you?" She asked still adoringly looking into Seiya's eyes. "I want to be with you. no matter what. the whole damn world can fall apart, as long as I have you." Usagi smiled through tears of her own as she stood on her toes to bring her face up close to Seiya's.

 

Seiya's sore eyes searched Usagi's face to see if this was real. When she saw the smile on her face and the love in her eyes she knew that it was. Before she could think about it anymore she felt Usagi's lips press firmly against hers. She wasn't about to let her go again and she would try and hold on to this moment for all of eternity.

 

The moment had to end sooner or later and when it did neither of them opened their eyes. Usagi placed her head back on Seiya's chest as Seiya's chin rested on top of her head.

 

Usagi's head jerked up suddenly in shock as she quickly freed herself from Seiya's hold. "What?" Seiya asked put off by her sudden movement.

 

Usagi just stared at Seiya with wide eyes and a smile broke out on her face. Seiya was confused to say the least until he looked down at himself. "What happened?" He said noticing the change in his voice.

 

"You'll be happier this way, ne?" Kakyuu said coming up behind him.

 

Seiya and Usagi both looked at Kakyuu with amazement. Both nodded their heads in agreement before joining in another embrace.

 

"Oh God, you could wait until we leave couldn't you?" Yaten said with his hand on his forehead.

 

"What you're male now too?" Seiya asked still dumbfounded.

 

"We both are." Taiki said coming up from the open door. "Kakyuu thought we'd be happier this way." He smiled.

 

Kakyuu looked at her Starlights. "The only reason that I wanted you to be girls when we came back to Earth was because I wanted to see whether or not your love would survive any obstacle." She said plainly. "I know now that it can and I know now that I could never stand in the way of your hearts again." Kakyuu walked up to Taiki who was still standing near the doorway. "I'm sorry though for causing you pain my Starlight. I'm sorry that you lost Miss Mizuno's heart because of my actions."

 

Taiki smiled at Kakyuu to let her know that it was alright. "I'm sure she's happier this way, and I know now that it wasn't really meant to be."

 

"Yeah, and if he was with Ami then what would he end up doing about his new obsession with Makoto?" Yaten added in rolling his eyes.

 

"But Yaten how come you decided to be a male?" Usagi asked just now really joining the conversation.

 

Before Yaten could answer a loud thud was heard on the floor just in front of Taiki. Minako was lying face first on the ground. Yaten went over to help her up. "Sorry guys." She giggled. "I was just too excited."

 

"As usual." Yaten said helping her brush off.

 

"Oh I see." Usagi said rather sarcastically. The group had a good laugh but for once Yaten didn't get all defensive about the situation and instead looked at Minako with a smile because she was standing there absolutely clueless.