Changed Destiny

by Black Beyond

Previously posted under the penname Black Rose on ASMR. An AU fic. The Pluto before Setsuna watches the destruction of the Silver Alliance and decides to use her ultimate weapon to change destiny. Beryl has taken control of earth and it's up to Usagi to b

2. The Second Half... wooooo.....

Ah, the second half...



"I can't believe I did that." Usagi moaned.
They were all at the mansion, including a still
baffled Makoto.

"Usagi, it's okay..." Makoto whispered.

"No, it's not. But we still have this
problem. The world comes before all my problems."
Usagi said with false cheerfulness.

"He's holding a middle school hostage."
Haruka shrugged. "We attack."

"And he blows the school up. What are his
demands?" Ami argued. Michiru turned around to a
small TV and hit play on the built in VCR.

"... and they shall remain in the school
until the senshi show themselves." Nephrite said,
his cold blue eyes staring emotionless at the
camera. Michiru hit stop.

"Just show ourselves?" Rei asked.

"I say Venus and I lay low, since they don't
really know we're on the team yet." Makoto spoke
up. She had adjusted to the group quickly.

"They've caught sight of me before." Minako
contradicted.

"But Mako can't go alone." Usagi murmured.

"You're not going up to Nephrite. They may
have figured out who you are. We can't take a
chance on losing you." Haruka said stubbornly.

"In case you hadn't noticed, Ruka, there is a
four million yen reward on MY head. If they bring
you in, they'll get a 'Good Job', and a pat on the
back." Usagi retorted.

"You're the princess. You're not putting
yourself in the center of a trap. Not again."
Michiru said.

"I think--" Ami began, but stopped.

"Think what?" Rei asked, after a long
silence.

"I think... that Usagi's disguise pen...
could make one of us look like Sailor Moon. They
wouldn't notice if, say, only Sailor Moon and two
senshi went up. They wouldn't care if Venus,
Uranus, and Neptune weren't there. Since you're new
to the team, they'd think you'd abandoned us." Ami
said hesitantly.

"That's a good idea." Luna said, finally.
"But who would play Usagi?"

All eyes went to Minako.

"I would." She said instantly.

"NO!" Usagi protested.

"Yes." Minako said calmly.

"But Minako-chan..."

"No. In one hour, three Sailor Senshi will
appear at the school gates. Four senshi shall sneak
in the back, unnoticed." Haruka said.

*******************



"It's been almost two hours." Nephrite
growled. Was he wrong to think the senshi would
give themselves up for a school of kids?

If he failed again, General Zoisite would
take over. And everyone knew how power hungry
Zoisite was.

"Nephrite, sir." A soldier stood attention at
the door. "Sailor Moon and two of her senshi have
surrendered. They say the newest members of the
senshi have ran away, and will not give themselves
up for a snotty bunch of brats." He said. "Their
words, sir."

"Good. Where are they?" Nephrite used all his
control to keep from jumping up and down.

"At the front gates, sir."

"Good." Nephrite walked swiftly to the Gates,
where several soldiers were sneering at the senshi.
It was Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Mars
that stood there.

Sailor Moon looked a bit... odd.

"Glad to see you've surrendered. It will be
all the quicker death." He smirked.

"Merc?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Ok." Mercury answered. Nephrite raised an
eyebrow.

Surely they weren't smart enough to...

"VENUS PRISM POWER MAKE UP!" 'Sailor Moon'
yelled. In the blink of an eye, Sailor Venus stood
in pace of Sailor Moon.

"You've been foiled, my dear. VENUS ADOR!"
She yelled, knocking the bewildered Nephrite back
into the building.

"MARS SPIRALLING VORTEX!"

"AQUA HALLUCINATION WHIRL!" Three youma and
two soldiers fell under the surprise blows. Venus
pulled out her dagger and went for the soldiers.

The real Sailor Moon was inside, taking out
anyone who went up against her. Jupiter was
covering her back, while Uranus and Neptune took
the second floor, letting the kids go.

"This is fun!" Jupiter laughed, as another
youma went down under her 'Zeus Thunder Arrow'.

"Fun? Great. We've acquired another insane
senshi." Sailor Moon knocked out a soldier with her
staff.

"Last room." She said, watching the excited
kids run out, followed by grateful teachers.
"Wonder how the others are doing."

"Come on. We better go help Venus, Merc, and
Mars. They can't handle all those by themselves."
Jupiter half smiled.

"Dammit! What's they do, put all the youma up
here? WORLD SHAKING!" Hordes of youma and soldiers
kept rushing at them. They had worked themselves
into a corner.

"DEEP SUBMERGE!"

"Michi..."

"I don't know, Uranus. Call for some back up.
SUBMARINE REFLECTION!"

"Fine." Uranus hit a button on her
communicator. "Let's hope, Michi."

**********************


Ever had one of those horrible days where you
think nothing else can go wrong, and then suddenly,
a mountain falls on top of you?

That's what Nephrite was feeling, only in
place of the mountain were five angry senshi, all
staring at him.

To his delight, he heard a beeping noise, and
two seconds later, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Venus
ran off into the building.

Maybe this day was going to turn out better
after all...

"You, General Nephrite, have committed many
wrongs against my kingdom." Sailor Moon spoke
first. "I have no wish to kill, but I see it
necessary in this battle, where you, the enemy,
have an advantage.

"However, I also see your weaknesses. You are
all weak, greedy people who jump at the slightest
mention of power." She slammed her staff into the
ground in anger.

"Sailor Moon, finish him." Mars urged.

"Yes." Jupiter agreed. Nephrite shank against
the wall. If they attacked, he'd have no chance.

"No." Sailor Moon said, her eyes narrowing.
"I will not kill an unarmed man, even if he be my
mortal enemy. I allow you to leave, and to carry a
message with you to Queen Beryl.

"Tell her, the princess is after her." She
said coldly. Nephrite puzzled at her riddle.

"And if I won't go?" He said definitely.

"Jupiter?" Sailor Moon asked. It was more of
a command than an order.

"ZEUS THUNDER ARROW!" The lighting bolt hit
the wall a millimeter from his head.

"Even though you've won this battle, I shall
win the war." Nephrite glared at them, before
disappearing.

"Is he... *gasp* dead?" Uranus asked, as they
came up, beaten badly.

"She let him go." Mars's voice was full of
wonder.

"Who did?" Neptune questioned.

"I did. I needed a message sent, and so it
has been. I cannot kill HIS protectors." Sailor
Moon whispered.

Senshi: 1. Beryl: 0.

*******************



"My Queen." Nephrite appeared in Beryl's
chambers.

"What is it, Nephrite? I thought you wiser
than to approach me after *another* failure." Beryl
demanded, her red hair tangled, bags under her
eyes, clothes rumpled; she had not slept for days.

"A message, My Queen, that Sailor Moon has
sent through me to you." Nephrite answered,
wondering if he'd be alive five minutes from now.

"huh?"

"She said, the princess is after you. I do
not know what this me--"

"THE PRINCESS?!" Beryl's terrified shriek cut
through the rest of his sentence. He fell back,
surprised by her outburst.

Zoisite and Kunzite watched their Queen
become hysterical, ranting about the moon.

"What did you say?" Kunzite demanded. He was
the oldest and wisest of the generals. He was also
the most powerful, and one of Beryl's most trusted
advisors.

"Sailor Moon said to tell Beryl that 'the
princess was after her'. I've no clue what it
means, but Queen Beryl apparently does."

"You fool! Weren't you paying any attention
in briefing?" Zoisite thundered.

"Wha? Why?"

"The princess. Princess Serenity of the Moon,
you imbecile. As I recall, Queen Serenity's dying
words were, 'My daughter shall destroy you, wicked
one,' referring to Beryl, of course. It means that
Sailor Moon must know who and where the princess
is. And if the princess has the Silver Moon
Crystal, we might as well begin digging our
graves." Kunzite rolled his eyes like Nephrite was
the stupidest creature alive.

"The main reason Beryl's so upset, even
before you told her the moon princess was back, s
that we have no records on Sailor Moon. There was
rumor, in the Silver Millennium, of a ultimate
senshi, that was aligned with the moon and stars,
that no one could defeat.

"But it was just that, a rumor. We never
thought it true until the raid was broken." he
finished.

"And, the inner guardians have been awoken.
With two outer senshi. When they fight as one, the
inner protectors of the Princess are nearly
invincible. We only defeated them that once because
we were able to break them up, distract them."
Zoisite added. "And the inner senshi are even more
powerful, especially Sailor Uranus and Sailor
Neptune. they are a deadly duo."

"Why am I left out of this?" Nephrite asked.

"Because you're too obsessed with your star
charts." Kunzite answered.

"One more thing. If Sailor Saturn, or Sailor
Pluto appears, don't tell Beryl.

"They are the ones able to destroy the world
in a few simple words." Zoisite words fell on
Nephrite's stunned ears.

*****************************



"I'm sorry I can't remember if I can heal,
Haruka. That looks nasty." Usagi murmured, pointing
to the open gasp on Haruka's leg. Haruka managed
to give her a quirky grin.

"You could try, Odango-chan." She whispered,
raising her eyebrows. Michiru firmly pulled Usagi
away from Haruka and turned on Ami.

"How many painkillers did you give her?" She
demanded of the girl.

"About 50mgs." Ami whispered. "I didn't know
it'd get her high."

"Come on, out of the room, people, before
Haruka says something." Michiru tried to usher them
out. She had almost succeeded, when...

"Hey, minna!" Haruka called weakly. "Did
anyone ever tell you Michiru has the cutest little
birthmark that looks like a rabbit under her --"

"OUT!" Michiru yelled.

"Where?" Artemis asked, innocently. Luna
smacked him upside the head.

"Hentai."





"Motoki, have you seen Odango Atama-baka
around? She hasn't been to the arcade in almost two
weeks. Mamoru asked, searching futilely for the
blonde.

"Why? Do you *like* her?" Motoki was not his
usual happy go lucky self.

"No-- just worried." Mamoru answered,
although his heart told him otherwise.

"I don't know. One of her friends-- Naru?
Nara? Something like that-- well, anyway, she told
me Usagi hasn't been to school either. She mother
has been saying she's sick-- but..." Motoki turned
away. "I think otherwise. Sick for TWO weeks?"

"What do you suppose, then?" Mamoru asked.

"I don't know. I just know that Usagi
wouldn't stay out of school because she's SICK.
She'd be in here, at least. And haven't you
noticed? None of her friends have been coming
around either." Motoki turned nonchalant away,
leaving Mamoru with his thoughts.

'What if Odango is in trouble? I know she
didn't get that cut by a dog-- and Rei Whatever was
mussed up too.

'I bet her mother knows what going on.' He
concluded. He threw some yen on the counter and
almost ran out of the store.

" This isn't funny." He said to himself. "Her
own mother's covering for her, meaning it's bad.
Her friends have also mysteriously vanished. Either
the Dark Kingdom is just being a bunch of eechis
and are collecting girls, or something else..." A
memory tugged at the back of his mind, threatening
to surface. Mamoru didn't notice. He was trying to
find a logical explanation.

As if.

However, he came up with many that his
desperate mind was able to accept.

A dog with really sharp teeth.

She really was sick.

A bus hit her.

Aliens got her.

A love sick man eating fish got her.

And so on, through a list that got more and
more ridiculous as it went on, if possible.

But the moment Ms. Tsukino opened the door,
and Mamoru caught a glimpse of her tear stained,
miserable face, all his ideas went down the drain,
and he barged in past her without a word.

"Tsukino-san." He began respectfully, but she
stopped him with a hand.

"You want to know about my daughter." She
stated.

"Y-yes. Watashi wa Chiba Mamoru
desu." He said, grateful he didn't have to explain.

"Chiba-san, I can tell you what happened in
three sentences: She came in. She grabbed her
stuff, said goodbye, that some people were after
her. She left." Ikuko said. "Please don't tell
anyone she's gone-- she begged me that, but I can't
tell anyone else... and I've seen you with her...
she seems to like you-- I can't even tell Kenji
what happened!" Ikuko sobbed.

"She just left?"

"Yes."

"Thank you, Tsukino-san. I'll try to look for
her."

"Thank you, Chiba-san."

*************************


"She must be so worried." Usagi murmured,
walking in circles around the huge mansion.
Worrying about her mother, and her friends.

What if her mother got worried and turned her
description in to the authorities?

Her description matched Sailor Moon's
exactly. She could imagine the report...

Long blonde hair pulled up in buns on either
side of her head... big blue eyes... height,
weight..

Damn!

She had to at least make sure her family was
okay.

She scribbled out a quick note on the pad of
paper on the table and pull out her Luna Disguise
Pen, and quickly henshined into a girl with light,
lilac-colored hair and reddish eyes. She pulled a
trench coat on.


That would keep any senshi outside from
recognizing her, because the others were allowed
out, but she was constricted to the mansion,
because she was the princess.

She'd rather be a beggar.

She ran from the mansion with a vengeance, and
for a few blocks she ran faster than any human had
a right to.

She wasn't human.

She slowed down, noticing the people staring
at her.

Up ahead, she saw Mamoru, searching through
the crowd, like he was looking for something.

Someone.

Suddenly, Usagi just knew he looking for her.
She knew she was the target of his concern, and
that he would probably find her.

Just walk right past him... he can't see
through the trench coat, and even if he could, he
cant see through the disguise.

Maybe.


"I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm
okay...." Mamoru heard the girl with strange hair
chant to herself. He felt an immense energy level
coming from her.

What was wrong with her?

"Excuse me, miss, is anything wrong?" He
asked. The girl spun around, her large scarlet eyes
full of terror and fear.

His every instinct told him something was
wrong.

"No... I'm fine." She stuttered, and turn to
run.

"I don't believe you." He said, using the
same level voice he used with Rei, and then again

with Usagi.

"I'm in a terrible hurry..." The girl
murmured, afraid to look at him.

"I don't believe that, either."

"I am." She whispered. Her voice was close to
tears. "I have to go check on someone-- and get
back before they know I'm gone. They'll track me
down, and it's the last thing I need." She
murmured, almost to herself, because, for a split
second, she had forgotten about Mamoru.

"Why?" His voice cut into her jumbled
thoughts.

Like someone had hit her with a stone, she
realized she was an actor.

He was the dashing hero in disguise.

She was the damsel in distress.

She fought down a giggle. This was her debut.
Come on, Usagi, play it out good. He hasn't a clue
who you are.

Let's see if those acting lessons on the moon
paid off.

"I have to go..." She said, sounding
flustered. "You might be one of them... they'd kill
me... I can't stay... please, sir. Let me go." She
tugged at her arm, that Mamoru had grabbed.

"No. You're in trouble. I want to help." He
said simply.

Play it out good...

"Just let me gooooo!" She said, sobbing. "If
they notice I'm gone..."

"What's your name?" Mamoru asked. She stared
at him.

"I'm not telling you."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know you... people are after
me... you might be one..."

"I'm Mamoru."

'I knew that.'

"Neko." She said, and then clamped a hand on
her mouth, like she hadn't meant to say that.

"Neko, huh? Coincidence. I'm looking for a
girl named Usa."

"Usa? As in rabbit?" She smiled.

"Usagi, actually. You haven't seen her, have
you?" He asked. 'Neko' let out a strangled gasp,
and jerked away from Mamoru, and began running much
faster than he could ever hope to.

"That's one career I could consider. Acting."
Usagi mumbled, as she approached her house.

She couldn't go in... couldn't knock...
couldn't do anything. She just had to wait.

And wait she did. For two hours, she crouched
in the tree outside her house, until she grew tired
and jumped gracefully to her bedroom window, pulled
it open (wondering why it wasn't locked), and
climbed inside.

It was just as she left it.

"I miss you, room." She whispered. She walked
over to the mirror and looked at the face that
wasn't hers.

She had to keep it, at least for now.

She heard the sounds of someone washing the
dishes, of Shingo playing the Nintendo, of Kenji
cursing as he burned his fingers lighting a fire.

Normal sounds.

Sounds of a life she could not have.

That was it. She crept silently over to her
desk and pulled out a piece of paper, and began
writing.

Whether she would leave it or burn it, she
knew not.

*******************



Ikuko walked up the stairs to check on her
daughter's room, hoping that maybe, Usagi would
have came back.

She held her breath as she opened to door,
slowly.

Nothing.

Another disappointment. It wasn't new.

Wait. The window was open. Strange. How did
that happen?

"I must have, earlier." She said to herself
as she crossed the room and closed it, pulling the
curtains shut. She turned to leave when a flash of
red caught her eye.

Something red was on Usagi's desk.

She picked it up. It was a single, red rose
without a flaw anywhere.

Underneath it was a letter.

She began to read:

-Mom,
I'm sorry I ran out like that, but you can't
understand the trouble I'm in. I was almost caught
to-day, so I'm pretty sure you can at least under-
stand part of the danger. Remember, don't tell any-
one. Because no matter what they look like, they
could very well be my enemy. I know you told Mamoru
and I'm not angry, but be more careful! Mamoru saw
me to-day, but luckily he didn't know it was I. I
love you, very much, and that's why I'm doing this.
I'd tell you everything, but it's impossible right
now. The people I'm with will protect me, whether I
like it or not, so don't worry. I'm watching you...
you won't get hurt. I'll come back someday... after
Beryl is gone.

I can tell you who's after me now, it's Beryl.
Queen Beryl. She's after me because I'm a threat to
her, because I know too much. She does not know my
name, and it is important it stays that way because
she will have you killed, just to see me suffer.
Be careful...

-Usagi-



"Beryl!" Ikuko gasped. She tore the letter
into many pieces so if there was a search. they
wouldn't find it. She held her head high.

No more tears. If it was Beryl Usagi was
running from, then Ikuko would remain silent.

If someone could take Beryl down, Ikuko was
confident it was Usagi.

****************



"Where have you *been*?" Haruka screeched,
the moment Usagi walked in the door. Usagi felt her
ribs being crushed as Haruka nearly squeezed the
life out of her.

"Breathe... must breathe..." Usagi gasped.

"Haruka's been going off the wall, and we've
had to listen to it. Where *have* you been?" Rei
whined.

"Dead, okay?" Usagi muttered, and ran up the
stairs. Haruka stared after her and then looked at
Michiru, who nodded.

"Did I miss something?" Minako asked.

"Usagi went to check on her family." Ami
said, who caught it too.

"She loved her family, even after she learned
the truth." Luna murmured.

"My mother... it wasn't hard leaving her...
she was always caught up in the hospital... she
probably hasn't even noticed I'm gone... we would
go for days without seeing one another. It was like
I never had a mother at all." Ami mumbled.

"And grandpa... he loves me, but..." Rei
began, and trailed off.

Makoto just stared at them.

"My parents didn't care." Minako said simply.

"I was disowned." Haruka said, after a
pointed glare from Michiru, who said the same.

"I can guess why... I'm sorry." Artemis said.

"Hmm. Is it a coincidence?" Luna wondered.


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




"The universe is a vast place, my daughter."
A woman, shadowed so her face cannot be seen,
stands in front of the starry sky, reflected by the
lake's waters.

"But Mother... I am one... The Darkness is
winning..." Another girl, her head bowed, says.

"Do you believe you can win?" The woman asks.

"N-no." The girl replies.

"There's your problem, then."

"What? it doesn't matter what I believe. If I
fight, I win, or I loose." The girl said, sounding
surprised... and maybe a bit hopeful?

"No, no. Do you truly believe that if you
don't think something will work when you make it,
that you'll do your best. Come here." The woman
said. The girl moved slowly and without sound the
the woman's side.

"Now, I shall tell you a secret."

"Really?"

"Yes. Now, look." The woman opened her hand.
In her palm lay a glittering light.

"What is it?" The girl marveled.

"I don't know. You tell me."

"It looks like a star. Like a star with many
points, all shining for something..."

"Maybe that is what it is. And look around
you." the woman said. The sky and lake faded away.

The were standing by a galaxy, all yellow and
oranges and reds and purples, in the vast dark blue
emptiness, gorgeous, beauty beyond any poet's
description.

"Now, tell me which is the more beautiful."
The woman said.

The girl looked from the plain, white star
that did not seem so glittery, to the billions and
billions of stars of different colors, all forming
that array of hues. She decided.

"I like that one." She pointed to the white
star. The woman smiled.

"I'm very glad you think so. Now, look at our
galaxy." She motioned to their surroundings. "It is
made up of these, little, insignificant stars.

"But once together, look at how they shine!
Look at the colors, and the sheer beauty of it
all!"

"What purpose does this have, Mother?" The
girl asked.

"Look carefully. Tell me how many white stars
you see." The woman replied. The girl searched for
what seemed like many minutes.

"None."

"Ah-ha. You are not looking hard enough." The
white star disappeared from the woman's hand, and
she pointed to the very center of the galaxy.

"There it is. It is beautiful, is it not?
That star... it is the force that keeps the human
race alive. If that star dies, all is lost. It is
the life."

"And what does this have to do with me?" The
girl asked.

"You are that star, just as I was. My
dearest, if we die-- so does everyone else. The
blood of Eternia must live forever, no matter what.
If the blood is no more..." The woman trailed off.

The sound of an explosion filled the air. The
sun exploded in a super nova, a spectacular sight
to behold...

...If the meaning wasn't so crystal clear to
the girl.

"If I die...." The girl looked at the ruin
the explosion had left.

"But if you believe you can win, you shall.
No matter what." The woman smiled. "For I know, in
my heart of hearts, you can and you will win. Not
for yourself, not for me, not for your earth...

"Then why?" The girl asked.

"It will be just to prove Queen Beryl, to
prove the shadows, to prove the blackness, that
someone *IS* stronger...

"It will be to show the smallest of flowers
that the sun will shine tomorrow, with it's healing
rays and life-giving light...

"It will be because of the beautiful, spicy
scent of a spring morning...

"It will be, my dear, for life..."

******************



Usagi woke with a start, remembering her
mother's words.

"For life." She repeated, a warmth replacing
the chill in her heart.

Yes, for life. She wanted life. She wanted
life to go on, forever, never to cease.

"I will fight, Mother. I can win. Beryl will
not go unpunished for her cause in the destruction
of life.

"I will fight, Mother. Only, I shall do it
different...

"I will fight for life..."

//

Usagi woke up, so to speak. She got one
reality check, by the dream that had been given to
her by the mysterious senshi, but it had only
pulled her half-way to the surface.

Now, she knew that this could not simply be a
game, as it had been for her.

No, this was all-out, black vs. white, World
War II, Armageddon war. Soon, when their
identities were revealed, and oh, she knew
eventually one of them would slip, it would be hard
core battle.

So, she trained. And trained. For a month
straight, they did nothing but train, only going
out to bust up the occasional raid. Killing the
youma became easier and easier.

Usagi trained with a mysterious man, who's
name was Hin. She alone knew who he really was, and
his presence was kept a secret by her from the rest
of the senshi.

Her strength grew. And grew. Until it seemed
that she could defeat Beryl easily.

Usagi knew that wasn't right, even though Hi
told her she could probably walk up to Beryl and
knock her flat on her back. Beryl didn't get to
such a position unless she had a catch.

They just didn't know what.

Usagi was forbidden to leave the house, under
any circumstances, because it was her life that the
world hung upon.

This time, she didn't argue, but they did
allow her to, every so often, go check on her
parents, and leave a rose for her mother.

Sometimes it was red, sometimes pink, and
once, a white rose.

Usagi liked stealing in.

It was Ikuko's way of knowing her daughter
was okay. Sometimes there was two, maybe three
roses a week. Sometimes there was only one, or
none.




*****************





Kenji was concerned about his wife. Shingo
thought Usagi's absence was great at first but soon
missed his sister.

Ikuko never missed her daily trip up the
stairs.

"Iku-chan." Kenji said at last, one day as
Ikuko began to climb the stairs.

"What is it?" She asked, eager to see if a
rose was left that day.

"You've been going up there every night...
you will not tell me where my own daughter is...
not even if she's alive. I'm worried, not only
about Usagi-chan, but about you." He said, trying
to get her to look at him.

"Ken-chan, please... you know I can't. Not
until she says so." Ikuko mumbled, immediately
knowing she had said the wrong thing.

She didn't know why she wouldn't tell her
husband or son about Usagi. There was just
something inside her that said, No! You can't!
Lately, Ikuko had noticed that the gut feeling was
sometimes right.

Why chance it?

She knew Kenji worked with the government,
but they'd never discussed it, so Kenji could very
well be loyal to Beryl. If she told him, and if it
was so, he might tell Beryl, and Usagi had told her
that it was absolutely necessary no one was gone.

"Fine, Kenji. I'll tell you. Usagi's at a
camp with her friends. She asked me not to tell you
about it because you might make her come home. It's
an Arts and Humanities camp." Ikuko hated lying,
but Beryl was ruthless.

Kenji relaxed.

"Make her come home? Why? As long as she's
having a good time." Kenji began to read the paper
again and Ikuko stole up the stairs.

The first thing her eyes saw was the rose.

The second thing was...

A knife, covered in blood, a note attached.


***************************



"Minna, we need to attack. Go on offensive.
I'm sick of waiting in the dark, until they decide
to attack." Usagi said, bored. They were gathered
around the dinner table, eating.

Ami's fork dropped to the plate with a
clatter.

"I'm hearing things," Rei muttered. "because
I swear I just heard Usagi say--"

"I mean, flat out, insane-o, brutal, guerilla
warfare." Usagi interrupted.

"Okay. Usagi, just how much aspirin did you
take?" Makoto asked gently.

"No, she's right." Haruka and Luna said at
the same time.

"Wha?!" Michiru squeaked.

"Yes. A straight out attack would catch them
off guard." Luna explained, to the shocked senshi.
"They expect us at raids, so they are prepared to
fight. But if we go into one of *their* places, and
catch them where they think they're safest, we'll
get more and send out a bigger threat."

"So it will work?" Minako asked doubtfully.

"Minako, Minako, Minako." Usagi shook her
head. "Of course. I'm going to kick Nega-butt."

"Aren't we confident, Ms. I-can't-even-kick-
butt-in training." Rei smirked.

Usagi smiled to herself. In order to throw
them off, she'd been doing awful in practice with
the senshi.

None of them noticed how well she fought the
youma.

Well, except Luna.

************************



"In all the worlds, in all the galaxies, no
race was ever so beautiful and powerful as the
Jukans.

"They had the power of the stars. They
learned to create wondrous objects that, concealed
inside them, had energy, and power, beyond any.

"Their planet, Juka, was gorgeous and
flourishing. They were first in intelligence,
grace, fighting, power, beauty, you name it.

"But, as they say, Power corrupts itself.
Finally, the downfall of the Planet Juka was
inevitable. And did it *ever* fall.

"Think of a puddle. How it's water is like a
sheet of magic, strong, placid.

"Then someone throws a rock in it and
everything's gone. That's what happened with Juka.
No one knew exactly how it began. Slowly, just
about everyone was taken by Dark Forces and turned
to black beings.

"The royal family, and a very few other who
had not been corrupted, the first that carried the
blood of Eternia, were able to escape, barely. With
them they took several items, amongst them a Silver
Crystal." Usagi was dreaming again, watching a
beautiful stretch of starry universe, a galaxy. A
voice, full of tears unshed, told a sad tale.

"They came to this Solar System, that they
called Juka II, because the planet Earth reminded
them of their destroyed home. But the earthlings
were afraid of the strange, beautiful people.

"But these were primitives, you see. Little
more than apes. The Jukans realized this, and left.
They instead, created a wonderful kingdom on the
moon and the other planets, each person taking a
planet for themselves. The Ary gave them power to
create a race of people, and the Jukans were
allowed to pick the traits of the people of their
kingdoms.

"Each of them were allowed to take some of
the items saved.

"Queen of Mercury decided to have her people
quiet, intelligent, and peaceful. She chose a harp
that controlled the forces of Ice and Water. She
also took a computer.

"King of Venus was a vain man, and wished his
people to be beautiful, shrewd, but beautiful. He
took a wreath in the shape of a heart, and a chain
of hearts. He took the Crescent Beam, although he
had no use for it, and though The Crescent Beam was
originally intended for the Moon Kingdom.

"Queen of Mars wished her people to be gifted
mages, or psychics. She took a bow and arrow, that
had the power of fire. She also took the Celestial
Rings, that controlled the zodiac to a point. Also,
a phoenix that could be summoned.

"Queen of Jupiter loved nature, but also had
a love for storms. She wanted her people to love
the lightning, not to fear it. She took the Wreath
of Laurel, and The Thunder Dragon. She had the most
power of the inner planets.

"King of Saturn was a pale, but smart man.
Since he knew none of the others wanted to have
control of such things, he took the Silence Glaive
and the powers of Death. He knew that this would
make him quite powerful, a thing he did not desire.
So, he put a curse on the glaive, making the owner
pay a lethal price when it's full extent was used.
His people were mages, powerful and deadly. Not
even Queen Mars's talents matched his in the gift
of healing.

"Queen of Neptune was a quiet beauty. She was
smart, but not to the point of Queen Mercury. She
loved the oceans, and wanted her people to be like
them, as feisty and unpredictable as the sea. She
took the Trident, as well as the Aqua Mirror, the
Mirror of Truths.

"Queen of Uranus was a strong woman,
Amazon, if you will. She wanted her people, to
be able to take whatever came their way, but to be
good hearted too. She wanted them to be able to
make the ultimate sacrifice if needed, but should
know the limits of kindness. She took the Space
Sword, and said whatever else was needed they could
figure for themselves. Her people were truly
independent.

"King of Pluto was a sad man, and took what
was left, although it was more deadly than Saturn's
powers of death and life.

"He took Time. He took the Gates, and the
Garnet Staff. He wished his people intelligent, but
not book smarts, like Neptune and Mercury. He
wanted them to realize how dangerous the little
things were. He wanted them to know that all
decisions have a huge influence, even if it's just
what to wear that morning." The voice paused,
searching for a way to word it.

"He wanted them to do the impossible. He
wanted them to understand life."

"I see." Usagi murmured.

"The true blood of Eternia, King of the Moon,
took the Silver Crystal, the Sword of Artemis, and
many other things. He wanted his people to be
everything and more. It was his people that would
control everything. He wanted them to never be
corrupted."

"He is one of my ancestors?" Usagi inquired.

"Yes, the first of the line of Serenity. His
name was Etern, but he had a daughter, and named
her Serenity. We called the bloodline Eternia,
because it is Eternal.

"Ever since, the line of Eternia's first born
was always a girl, and was named Serenity. Your
mother was Serenity XXI, and received her title at
the peak of the millennium." The voice said,
emotionlessly.

"So I would have been Serenity the twenty-
second?"

"Yes. The line will always be true to the
owner.... Princess.... you must live forever... and
so you are blessed, or cursed, with a power that no
one has ever been given. Not even the Mistress of
Time.

"The moment you picked up the locket, you
were immortal."

************************



Mamoru walked through the streets, head down,
just walking, with no purpose or zest.

Like his life.

Lately, he'd been having dreams, of a girl in
shadow, telling him he must find her, to release
her from her spell.

And another dream, telling him of a battle,
between senshi and evil, where the senshi lost.

Whether this was past or future, he didn't
know. He really didn't want to know, either.
Because he couldn't bear it if it was future.

He didn't want the truth.

As long as he could be ignorant, so be it. As
they say, Ignorance is bliss.

Or was it?

"Maybe if I followed the senshi..." He said
to himself. Yes, then he could see who they were...

No. Even he could see the unfairness in that.
it wouldn't be fair to see their identities and
them not know his, but he had no desire to tell
them Tuxedo Kamen was a twenty year old doctor
named Chiba Mamoru.

He changed his thoughts to the surgery he had
scheduled to tomorrow...

He hadn't time to scream before a shadowy
figure came out of the shadows and covered his
mouth so his scream could not be heard.



/'

"What?!" Usagi cried, sitting up in bed, a
scream caught in her throat.

"Usa, please. It's only me." Hin came over
and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Hin? Oh... it was a dream." Usagi moaned.
"Damned dreams."

"I'm supposing you know now." Hin said
softly.

"Know? Oh, yeah. That's what freaked me out,
not you." Usagi gave him a weak smile.

Hin stood about six foot, around Haruka's
height. He had strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes
that were cloudy, as though he was thinking about a
far away place. He was built for battle, not an
ounce of fat on his body.

"And what do you think of it?" he asked,
looking away, at the door, ready to hide if he
heard footsteps.

"I don't want it." Usagi said immediately. "To
live forever, even after my friends die? No, I'd
rather die tomorrow than live forever."

"Don't say that!" Hin said fiercely.

"Geez. It's a joke. Not really like I have
choice. I suppose I can use it to my advantage."

"Just remember Usagi, some things can make you
wish you could die... and if you want something so
much you can feel it-- be careful what you wish
for."

"I don't need you telling me too." Usagi got
up and slipped on a robe over her nightgown. "I've
enough trouble wi--" She never got to finish her
sentence. A wave of pain came over her and she fell
to her knees, holding her head. Hin rushed to her
side.

A simple, yet clear answer came into her
mind.

Help!

It was Tuxedo Kamen. And he was in trouble.

"Hin... Tuxedo Kamen..." She whispered,
pushing him away.

"Yes, I feel it too. Your friend is in
trouble, Princess. Should we wake the senshi or go
alone. I will protect you."

"I don't think they'll come anyway. Let's go,
before they hear the racket and wake up. MOON
SILVER POWER MAKE UP!" She transformed, and then
together, she and Hin headed to the source of the
trouble.

Tuxedo Kamen.

************************



Mamoru struggled, lashing out and hitting
nothing but air.

"Be still, I tell you. Be still. I am a
friend!" A man's voice hissed. Mamoru debated, and
decided to stop fighting him.

It was useless, anyway.

He felt the strong arms release him,
hesitantly. Mamoru spun around to face his
attacker, adrenaline rushing through his body.
Reaching for the magic rose that would give him
extra strength.

He was looking at the face of Kunzite.

"A friend?!" Mamoru nearly shrieked.

"I am not who you think I am! My name is
Kage, my Prince. It has taken me a great while to
determine your whereabouts. I am here to fight with
you, to destroy the Dark Kingdom that has unjustly
made a clone of me." Kage spoke with a slight
accent, and his tone was softer, kinder, than the
general's.

"A clone?" Mamoru felt like believing his
story.

"Yes, sire. A clone. Do you not know the
history of the Dark Kingdom?" he continued as Mamoru
shook his head. "Well, it is a very long story, but
to make matters short, because we've company on the
way, you were Prince of the Earth and I was your
main protector. I've not proof, but I hope that you
can believe me."

"Well, a few months ago I'd said you were
completely loony, Kage, but... since then, my
life's gotten a bit... *strange*, so I'm gonna
believe you." Mamoru smiled. His gut told him to
trust Kage, and lately, he'd figured out that his
gut was usually right.

Usually.

"My Prince, as I mentioned, two people,
approaching at an abnormal speed, are headed this
way." Kage said, but Mamoru frowned at him.

"My name is Mamoru, or..." He henshined.
"Tuxedo Kamen. Not 'Prince'."

"You always did dislike titles."

"Alright. Hide... until they get here. Let's
see who they are before we kick butt." He said,
jumping onto a window sill above his head. Kage
shrugged, donned a fuku somewhat like Prince
Endymion's, only white on silver, instead of
Endymion's silver on black, and seemed to disappear
among the shadows.

Three minutes later, Sailor Moon and Hin ran
into the alley.

"Dammit, I know this is it. Now, where's
Tuxedo Kamen?" Sailor Moon murmured.

"It was probably a panic situation, Pri-
Sailor Moon. He saw something that made him panic."
Hin said.

Up above, Tuxedo Kamen wondered how Sailor
Moon knew where he was, and who that *guy* was with
her.

Kunzite stood in shocked realization of who
Hin and Sailor Moon were.

"Wait. There is something..." Sailor Moon
slammed the end of her staff on the cold concrete.

"Who's there? In the name of the Moon, I
demand you show yourself."

Kunzite was cornered.

"Only if you remember, my *princess*, I am
not who I appear to be." He said kindly, and
appeared from the shadows. Hin looked confused, but
Sailor Moon stepped forward.

"Not who you appear to be, eh? You appear to
be Kunzite." She said forcefully. "Where is Tuxedo
Kamen?!"

"Safe."

"Sailor Moon, this is not a general. the
energy emitted from him is good, white. Look." Hin
pointed out. Sailor Moon nodded.

"Yes, you're right. This must be the real
Kunzite. I never did believe they were evil."
Sailor Moon looked at him. "You know who I am?"

"Yes."

"Then don't tell anyone. Where is Tuxedo
Kamen, anyway?"

"Above you." Kunzite looked at the caped man,
who climbed down from his perch.

"Great. Do you know *what* time it is?!"
Sailor Moon yelled. "It's two in the morning! I
just had a nightmare to end all nightmares, and
then I come all this way, because Hin and I think
you're in danger, to see you with Kunzite! Geez!"
She turned to leave.

"W-wait!" Tuxedo Kamen yelled. She turned
half-way.

"What?" She asked, noticing that Hin had
disappeared.

"Do you, by any chance, know where a girl
named Tsukino Usagi is?" He asked.

"No." Sailor Moon ran.

Why on earth would he want to know about
*her*?

She ran in the direction of her mother's
house, a rose clutched in her hand.


**********************



Ikuko stared at knife as though it were a
youma. What could it mean? Did they know her
daughter was hiding from Beryl? Or worse, was it a
ransom note?

She hesitated before taking the few steps
required and slowly reached toward the knife.

As though it had a life of it's own, Ikuko
swore the knife turned and nicked her, drawing the
tiniest bit of blood from her finger.

"Yike!" She yelped. She grabbed the note from
the knife, leaving it in it's bloody splendor.

Quickly, she began to read:


Mama,
The knife will cut you, as you noticed. But
fear not, for it won't do it again. That knife has
very powerful mage properties, and will protect
you.

I was here tonight, and I listened as you lied to
Kenji. I am sorry you must, but you must at least
suspect he is quite loyal to the queen. He knows
about the 'rebels', and he will turn me, and even
you and Shingo in, no matter who you are. Those who
work with Beryl learn ruthlessness fast.

The sight of the dagger must have frightened you,
but I've got to go. You're coming now. Use it to
protect yourself...

Usagi.

*********************



"I am the last of the Jukans, right?" Usagi
knew this was not a dream. She had been awake when
she had disappeared from her friend's eyes.

She knew this because she heard their
startled gasps and screams.

Now, she was in a land of mists and shadows,
where you could everything and yet nothing.

That was what she had been told once... by a
woman who's face she remembered not.

"Yes, that is true. But it does not have to
be." A woman appeared from the lavender fog. She
was tall, with dark colored hair and startling ruby
red eyes that flashed in the mistiness. She wore a
senshi fuku of dark, murky colors, and held a staff
in shape of a key with an orb at the top that was
the same shade as the woman's eyes.

"I see, but I do not." Usagi said slowly,
forcing the words from her lips. "I see why I must
fight, but I do not see why I must kill. I sense
you are the one that can give me that answer."

"At one time, princess, I might have been,
but no more. My name is Sailor Pluto." The fog
began to disappear.

"No. I can remember a bit about Sailor
Pluto... she looked like the woman in my dreams,
and you do not look like her." Usagi was confused
at the sudden realization of the person in her
first of many dreams.

"Ah, that was the one before me, the one
responsible for the mess." Sailor Pluto smiled a
sad smile.

"She apologized."

"The world is in danger. But, I have not
brought you here to discuss this. I need to give
you something." Pluto said. "Normally I would not
interfere this way, but the warps are in need of
help."

"Sailor Pluto, one day, after we have won
this war, I shall help you find peace." Usagi
promised, as Pluto pressed something into Usagi's
hand.

It was a stone. It looked like an ordinary
piece of rose quartz, but Usagi felt it to be much
more.

"It was the greatest triumph of the Jukans.
Something more powerful than life or death, but
concealed in a form so common that none would ever
recognize it for what it truly was." Pluto
murmured.

"It is the Moon Heart Stone. It controls the
Heavens."


**********************


The senshi and cats were busy being worried
out of their minds when Usagi reappeared in her
bedroom, the small pink crystal clutched so tightly
in her hand she feared it would shatter.

She held in her hand enough power to take
over the universe and keep it so without
opposition.

But the only thing the worn out girl wanted
was to go *home* and sleep.

And by the moon, she would.

"I will defeat Beryl." She whispered. "I
will."

She calmly walked down the stairs, and
laughed at the chaos before her. Ami was working on
her computer with a rage, Rei was meditating,
Haruka and Michiru were henshined, weapons ready.
Minako was talking to the cats, while Makoto stood
aside, looking like she wanted to laugh too. Usagi
wove through the mess and up to her.

"Usagi, will you just look at them?" She
asked.

"I know. You get teleported away and chaos
erupts." Usagi sighed, mockingly. "What will I
ever do?"

"Well, begin by telling them you're here."
Makoto suggested. "Before they kill themselves."

"MINNA!" Usagi shouted at the top of her
lungs.

Silence.

"USAGI!"

*********************



"You mean, that is the key to the downfall of
Beryl?" Haruka asked skeptically. "That's a bit easy,
after what we've been through."

"I know." Usagi nodded. "That's why I'm going
to try it on a general first." Suddenly, she felt
Hin's presence. "Minna, I'm *yawn* sleepy. Why
don't we all hit the sack for tonight and kick some
butt tomorrow?" She faked.

After a few suspicious glances, the senshi
grudgedly agreed, and Usagi bounded up the stairs,
taking them three at a time.

"Real sleepy, isn't she?" She heard Rei's
sarcastic reply.

She didn't stop until she was in her bedroom,
door slammed behind her.

"What's up?" She asked.

"Not much, Hime-chan. But--" Hin looked
troubled as he walked from the shadows of the
furthest end of the room.

"What did you find out, Hin?" Usagi asked,
recognizing the tone of voice.

"I think I have found Zoisite, in his reborn
state. We need to get to him before the Dark
Kingdom does."

"Zoisite. He will be a big help if you're
right. Where?" Usagi asked, henshining.

"At the edges of the city."

"That's not too far if we run. Do we want to
go alone? or should I get a senshi...?"

"One of them, and one who can accept things
quickly and keep their mouths shut." Hin said.

"Mako-chan." Sailor Moon muttered. Hin
nodded, and he and Sailor Moon slipped down the
hall, opening Makoto's door slowly.

The brunette was looking out the window, but
quickly turned at the creaking of the door.

"Mako! Shush, and henshin. We'll explain on
the way, Kay?" Makoto nodded, a million questions
blooming in her mind, but she kept her mouth shut;
she knew Usagi would tell her. She quickly
transformed and followed her princess and the
strange man out of the house and into the
mysterious beyond.




***********************



"I see." Jupiter said finally, as they drew
closer to the spot where Hin claimed he saw
Zoisite.

Sailor Moon told Jupiter all about Hin, the
clones, and everything else she thought necessary.
Jupiter listened attentively, and soon her questions
were answered.

Except one.

"Does Tuxedo Kamen know who you are, Usa?"
She asked. Sailor Moon stopped running. Her gaze
turned to the full moon that hung in the sky.

"I really don't know, Mako."

"Come on. Here is his home." Hin motioned
urgently to a modest looking house that sat at the
end of a long street with no cover. it would be a
mad dash to make sure no one saw them and called
the cops.

Jupiter and Sailor Moon knew this.

"On the count of three. Don't stop until you
reach the house. Knock politely, and then run in
past him." Hin whispered.

"Okay."

"1... 2... 3!" They took off, running faster
than any had ever seen. They were a blur.

In seconds, they reached the door, and it was
Jupiter who knocked.

After a few noises inside and a couple of
crashes and cruses, the door was yanked open by an
extremely pissed-off man.

The senshi nearly knocked him over as they
charged into the house, Hin pushing the man a few
feet back as Sailor Moon slammed the door shut with
her staff.

"Sailor Senshi..." he muttered, amazed.

"Do you know who you are, sir?" Jupiter
asked.

"My name is Zoe... but in the past..." he
trailed off.

"Good. You know that you were Zoisite." Hin
smiled.

"But I'm not that pathetic excuse of a
clone!" Zoe persisted.

"We know. Believe me, Zoe, we know." Sailor
Moon grinned, but a serious frown over came her
face quickly.

"We need your help, Zoe..."






The senshi were waiting in the living room as
Sailor Moon, Jupiter, and Zoe approached the house,
Hin having left.

The had been awake ever since Rei had sensed
Jupiter and Sailor Moon leaving, and awoken them
all.

They waited patiently for their return, ready
to chew the two out.

Luna and Artemis sat in a corner, pondering
why they would have left so suddenly.

The door knob turned.

Everyone tensed.

Usagi walked in first, followed by Makoto who
was dragging a man in a trench-coat, his head
lowered so they could not see his face.

"Usagi! Where have you been?" Ami asked,.

"Minna, I've someone for you to meet, but I
want everyone to remain seated. If anyone so much
as moves or throws an attack his way, you will have
to deal with me." Usagi growled. Haruka raised an
eyebrow, wondering who usagi could be so protective
of.

"Come on, Zoe. Show them who you are." Makoto
urged. Slowly, ever so slowly, the man raised his
head.

An outraged gasp went through the room.

"Zoisite?" Rei uttered.

"No!" Usagi, Zoe, and Makoto all shouted at
once.

"No, not Zoisite. He's not a general. Not a
general, got it? This is the *REAL* Zoisite, from
the Moon Kingdom. The generals are just clones.
I've seen the true Kunzite, too. One of my friends
is looking for Jadeite and Nephrite. But none of you
must ever doubt that Zoe is not who he says. I
believe him and that should be proof enough for
you. If not, well, Mercury, scan him." Usagi said
to Ami, who hesitated for a minute before taking out
her small blue computer and hit a few keys to open
the scanning part. Everyone, including Zoe, held
their breath for the results.

Memories breaking through in her mind, Ami
looked up, smiling.

"He's completely void of any negative
energy." She said, trying her damnedest to keep the
tears from flowing.

"Well, I suppose he can fight?" Haruka asked,
standing up.

"Yes..." Makoto didn't know what Haruka and
getting at.

"Well then. Welcome to the team, Zoe."

*****************************



"Everyone got it down? It's now or never."
Sailor Moon tensed.

This was no hit and run attack.

It was no raid.

They were all there, even Tuxedo Kamen and
Kage. Zoisite had gotten a hold of them and they
had planned it carefully. The picked a night when
they knew all three generals would be there. Along
with a mountain of soldiers.

BUT...

No youma.

General Kunzite hated youma, so when he was
around, they scattered. So, the odds were more or
less in the senshi's favor. A lot of scared to
death humans and three super-youma. And two of
those super-youma would be very surprised and
venerable to their real counterparts.

The plan was: Tuxedo Kamen, Sailor Moon, and
Uranus to go for Nephrite. Zoe and Mercury went for
Zoisite. Kage and Venus went for Kunzite. The rest
of the senshi were to cover the other's backs and
killed any who opposed.

Good plan.

Sure it was...

"Yeah, let's do it!" Jupiter was giddy will
barely suppressed glee.

"Who gave her sugar?" Neptune demanded. The
others laughed nervously.

"Come on, senshi. Let's move. I say if we
just walk right into the meeting room, they'll be
most surprised." Sailor Moon said, and they took
off, right through the front doors. The people who
were going for the generals rushed on, but those
who weren't stopped and began firing attacks.

Was Luck finally on their side?

**************************


The three generals jumped up as the doors
burst open, and senshi began to jump into the room.

"STOP!" Sailor Moon screeched.

Everyone came to a dead halt. Kunzite and
Zoisite stared in shock at their counterparts.
Nephrite swallowed nervously, knowing quite well
that they were out numbered.

"Go!" Sailor Moon whispered.

Zoe and Mercury leapt for Zoisite.

Kage and Venus went for Kunzite.

Tuxedo Kamen and Uranus started for Nephrite,
but Sailor Moon stopped them.

"Go help the others. I know it's not in the
plan, but I want to try something." She said.

"But Sailo--" Uranus started.

"Uranus, do not argue with me. Go." Sailor
Moon ordered. Uranus sulked out. Tuxedo Kamen
stared at Sailor Moon, his azure eyes on fire.

"You're going to get yourself killed." He
hissed.

"No, I'm not. Go help them, Tuxedo Kamen, or
I will not hesitate to kill you." She said icily.
His jaw went slack, but he backed from the room.

Sailor Moon faced Nephrite.

Nephrite looked at Sailor Moon, realizing the
girl told the others to leave so he would have a
fair chance.

He wondered why she had done that.

"Shall we tango?" Sailor Moon asked. Nephrite
didn't know what to do. She had some secret... a
power..., Nephrite was sure.

"Why not?" He asked, smirking, his face the
stoic mask he had trained it to be.

"You're scared, Nephrite." Sailor Moon half
smiled.

"Never!" Nephrite took out the sword
concealed behind his back and went for the blonde
girl. She rolled out of the way, whirled around, and
hit him over the back with her staff.

Pain surged through him, but he ignored it
and went for a low blow.

She was nicked, just barely. She took a swipe
at him and missed.

He brought the sword down heavy on her, only
to be blocked by her staff.

She aimed a blast at him, but he countered
and the two canceled each other out.

They broke apart, both panting.

"You're better than I thought." Nephrite
smiled.

"Heart!" Sailor Moon whispered. The stone
appeared in front of her. She reached out and put
it in the center of her staff. it glowed with
pinkish energy.

Nephrite took a step back. This looked like a
common rock, but the energy he felt was immense...
stronger than anything he had ever felt before.

"Eternal." She continued. The glow was even
stronger now. The generals stopped fighting, as did
the senshi, to watch it.

"Oh. no." Nephrite whispered.

"Cleansing." Came the final word. Instead of
the pain he expected, there was this wonderful
white light that beckoned him...

Nephrite exploded into dust, at the exact
time the crystal did.
Sailor Moon smiled. She knew exactly what

would happen to the gem, and it's what she wanted
to happen.

She twirled the staff around and stuck the
ground with it. She turned to see Minako.

Not Venus, Minako.

Laying on the floor, her arm at an unnatural
angle, out cold.

"Let's go, Zoisite." Kunzite whispered. he
had gotten a good look at the girl, and recognized
her.

Zoisite mumbled something, and they
disappeared.

"Minako!" Kage yelled, and knelt by her side.
Mercury began scanning her, and affirmed that the
arm was indeed broken.

"That bastard..." Kage whispered, meaning
Kunzite, Of course.

"It's okay, Kage." A new voice said. They all
turned to see a girl of no more than thirteen
standing there, a deadly glaive in her hand, her
senshi fuku was in blacks and purples, a gray
crystalline in the center of her bow.

"Who are you?" Zoe asked, but Sailor Moon
fell back a step.

"I'm Sailor Saturn."

"The Dark Messiah." Sailor Moon whispered.

*****************************


Sailor Moon stared at Saturn.

Saturn stared at Sailor Moon.

"Perhaps we shall talk later, my princess."
Saturn smiled, and arched an eyebrow. She was void
of, and yet completely full of, emotion.

"Y-yes." Sailor Moon stammered, but she
asserted herself and turned to Zoe and Mercury.

"See if the others need help. If there's more
than you can handle, comeback and get me." She said
softly, and the two ran, confident in their
princess and the new senshi.

Kage was looking at Saturn, a memory
struggling to reach his conscious

"Can you help her?" He pleaded. Saturn
inspected the arm, laying down the razor sharp
glaive.

"Of course. It's a clean break. Kunzite, no
matter what the body, always knew how to fight. I
hope you remember what you taught." She smiled
briefly at him before gently putting her hand on
the broken spot.

A soft purple light filled the air around
them, and then it was done. Saturn took away her
hand.

"She'll be weak, and she's not going to wake
up for a while. Stay and protect her, Kage. I know
you shall." Sailor Moon said, then pulled Saturn
away.

"Sailor Saturn."

"I'm awake, Hime-sama. I know it was not to
be, but the lines have been altered to greatly that
soon, there will be no hope. I awakened myself and
Pluto told me who I was and told me to come here to
help. I will not use the Power of Death, I promise,
unless I see need to."

"Well, then, that answered my questions and
answered my demand. Shall we go help?"

"Yes, because they need it. There is a great
many youma out there, although the soldiers have all
been killed." Saturn got a determined, almost
sinister glint in her eye. "I killed a few on my
in, but your protectors need help."

"Youma?"

"Yes, Kunzite permitted them to fight as soon
as you entered."

"Dammit!"


***************************



"SILENCE GLAIVE APPLY!" Saturn shouted,
taking out about five of the vile demons. Mercury
and Zoe had almost max power, but it was obvious
the others were struggling. All had wounds, some
so-so, some not so good.

"MOON!" Sailor Moon screamed in a whisper.
She brought the staff above her head with one hand.
At the crescent moon at the end, a golden glow
appeared.

"ABSOLUTE!" She twirled it around twice, and
then slammed it into the floor with a sound that
shook them all.

"CHAOS!" The room was enveloped in a dark
white glow, almost gray but not quite.

The youma began screaming, an animal like
howl that they knew would haunt their dreams. They
crumpled to the ground, easy targets for even the
weakest attack. They were soon vanquished.

Saturn went from person to person, taking
care of the worst, Sailor Moon helping.

Then, she told them the fate of the crystal.
Saturn smiled faintly, while the others stared,
open mouthed in shock.

"Then all is lost..."

"No! Sailor Mercury, if you *ever* say that
again..." Sailor Moon searched for a suitable
punishment. "Oh, I don't know... I'll make you
watch Barney re-runs."

"No! Not Barney!"

***************************


"Princess." Saturn pulled Sailor Moon into
the kitchen, as the other senshi were all in the
living room, still henshined as Tuxedo Kamen and
Kage were there.

"Please, Saturn. Call me Moon. Sup?" Sailor
Moon asked.

"You destroyed that crystal on purpose,
Sailor Moon. I know it." Saturn looked a bit
confused.

"Yes, yes I did." Sailor Moon admitted. "I
was wondering if someone figured it out."

"Why? You could have taken the Dark Kingdom
out in one great swipe... but you destroy the very
weapon that could do so."

"Saturn, I'm not a warrior. I was never meant
to be. But I do know that if I will win this war,
I will only do so in a far battle. I'm not going to
die, though. Didn't Pluto tell you? I'm a god. I
could stick a damned knife into my heart and
nothing would happen. I'm going to live forever,
how wonderful!" Sailor Moon groaned.

"Yes, she told me." Saturn said quietly.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Well, aren't you going to give me some big
lecture about being insane, then send me out?" She
spoke to the girl like Saturn was an older woman,
not the twelve year old she was.

"No, Hime-sama. I respect your courage, and
decisions."

"hello?" Kage walked in the kitchen. "Sailor
Moon, Usa, I've something to tell you, against my
prince's will, but I think it proper for you to
know." He said, and whispered something into her
ear.

Sailor Moon's face went completely white, and
drew in her breath with a gasp. She clutched at her

throat with her hand, and jerked away from Kage.

"You're sure?" She gasped.

"No, I just live with him." Kage replied
dryly.

Sailor Moon let out an oath unfit for
children's ears, and then ran from the room, her
staff giving her leverage. The senshi were startled
as she rushed by them, a blur.

She didn't stop running until her breath was
gone, and the only because her legs felt ready to
give out.

She supposed she suspected it all along. It
was only obvious, the way Mamoru looked for her
even after she had been gone for a very long time.

"Yes, you know now." A voice from behind her.

Hin.

"You knew?"

"I know a very much, my Princess. Yes, Tuxedo
Kamen is Prince Endymion and Mamoru Chiba. You knew
or know all of them."

"I suppose I knew."

"You did. But as you have been told before,
only what you believe is, *is*."

"I hate that."

"It's true, nonetheless."

"I don't know anymore, Hin. I just don't
know..."




Two months.

Two months of Usagi avoiding Mamoru, Sailor
Moon avoiding Tuxedo Kamen. She was careful to
never speak to him, and if it was necessary,
standing on the opposite side of the room. She
didn't tell anyone she knew who he was.

The youma and soldiers stopped doing raids.
All their buildings had maximum defenses. The
senshi attacked only when necessary, or when they
felt like it. Ami, Hotaru, Usagi, and Michiru
planned strategies, while the others developed
their powers better.

They had found Jake, who was the real Jadeite,
and Neo, who was the true Nephrite.

General Zoisite had been-- eliminated from
command. General Kunzite was working alone, but he
never appeared at their attacks.

"Guys." Sailor Moon called for everyone's
attention. She looked troubled, but the senshi,
protectors and Tuxedo Kamen looked at her, all
wondering what she had to say.

"Minna, this is a good plan, and I don't want
anyone to say a word abut it unless they have a
*REAL* reason not to do this. Tsukino Kenji holds
a top position in Beryl's Kingdom."

"Sailor Moon, what are you going to do?"
asked Jupiter, an alarmed look on her face.

"In order to threaten Beryl, I say we kidnap
him." continued Sailor Moon. She shot a glare at
the senshi, who had automatically opened their
mouths to protest. The generals fell silent, all
looking at each other.

Tuxedo Kamen spoke up.

"I can't." He said. "He is the father of a
friend of mine."

Everyone but him and Sailor Moon groaned.

"Really? Well that means you'll be sitting
this one out, Tux." Sailor Moon said, speaking to
him directly. "Because Mercury has a plan all
done. I know all the security mechanisms in the
house. Tsukino Ikuko will help me. Tsukino Shingo,
the boy, is not to be harmed, as well as Ikuko. Do
not harm Kenji unless it is necessary. Everyone
got it?" She looked around the room.

They nodded, but Tuxedo Kamen left in a fury.

"I'll go first." Sailor Moon murmured,
detransforming. "Mama will let me in, and I'll
tell her what we're going to do. She'll stay back,
and I want Uranus and Neo to go in. Uranus, go for
my papa. Neo, if I say it's safe, I want you to go
to his study. I'll help Uranus, and Mars? If one
of us isn't out into two minutes, I want you and
Neptune in. If they need help, I want you guys to
be on guard. He might be able to call back up."
Usagi said as she pulled on a black coat and hood
that hid her face.

"We'll be following you, Hime-san. Be
careful." Jake grinned.

Usagi ran out the door, heading for home.

*****************


Ikuko looked out the kitchen window, worrying
about her daughter. There had been no note or rose
for two weeks, and she didn't know what to think.

The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" She called to her husband, who
was reading his paper. He grunted a reply. She
made her way down the hallway, and took off her
apron before opening the door.

A figure in black stood there.

"Hurry." The figure said, and closed the door
behind her as she stepped in. "Mama, be quiet."

"Usagi!" Ikuko gasped.

"Yes, mama. It's me. No, don't call Kenji. I
can't stay."

"Oh, please, Usagi. I've been worried." Ikuko
pleaded.

"I know. The last few months have been
hectic, Mama. But listen. In about ten minutes,
two of my friends are going to bust in. They're
going to kidnap papa. You and Shingo must not get
in the way. I promise, he won't be harmed."

"But Usagi... he's your father!" Ikuko
breathed.

"Not really. Now, come on. They'll be coming
in the front door." Usagi ushered her mother down
the hall a ways.

"Usagi, what have you been up to? I haven't
heard from you in a long time." Ikuko tried to
smile.

"We've made a dent, mama. It's not a big one,
but three generals are dead, and Kunzite's scared
out of his mind. I've been working with the
senshi." Usagi told her.

"Senshi!"

"Yes. Senshi. Sailor Uranus and Neo are
coming..." Usagi said, just as the door was flung
open. Uranus went through. Usagi pointed her to
the den.

"Neo!" Usagi hissed.

"Nephrite..." Ikuko whispered.

"What, Hime-san?" Neo asked.

"Neo, do me a favor. Go upstairs, and turn
left. the first door you see is Kenji's study. I
want you to go and get anything that looks
important. Now!" She pushed him in the direction
of the stairs.

"Gotcha." He ran up the stairs so fast it
seemed as though he were flying.

"Mama, do you know of anything?" Usagi asked.

"No... your father doesn't talk about Beryl."

"Oh."

"Dammit!" They both heard. Usagi went to the
doorway and looked in.

Uranus and Kenji were fighting. Kenji had a
knife, and Uranus was struggling to keep her
temper in check as to not blow the man's head off.

"Uranus, keep him occupied!" Usagi shouted,
and pulled out the staff. She ran behind Kenji and
swung.

The staff connected with a sickening crack.

Kenji dropped like someone had dropped an
anvil on him.

Uranus thanked her, and picked Kenji up and
slung him over her shoulder like a sack of
potatoes.

Neo came down the stairs, a strong-box in his
hands.

Ikuko watched as Neo and Uranus ran off.

"Gomen Nasai, Mama. I had to." She apologized
and put her staff up.

"Is it necessary, all this?" Ikuko asked.

"I don't know, I really don't. But I'll keep
a senshi watching over the house, because they're
going to question you horribly. Jake will have
first shift. He looks a little like Jadeite, but
he's good, Mama." Usagi said.

"If you must go..."

"I must. Good bye."

**


A few blocks away, Usagi ducked into an
alley, where the now, tied and gagged Kenji was
sitting, still out. Usagi quickly henshined and
told Jake about her plan and Ikuko. He nodded and
immediately left.

"He's coming to." Mercury whispered.

"Neo, you, Zoe and Mercury head back. Go over
those documents. Mars, knock him out again-- no!
Not like that, baka-chan, with the chloroform!"
Sailor Moon shook her head.

"Who wants to carry him?" Jupiter asked.

"Not me!" Saturn, Venus, Mars, Neptune, and
Sailor Moon said immediately.

Kage looked around.

"Fine. I'll carry him. Geesh."



**********************



Kenji woke up with a terrific headache. He
groaned, before his eyes adjusted to the dim
lighting of where ever he was.

"Where am I?" he tried to say. With the gag,
it sounded like, Mrphf mr r?

"He's awake." Sailor Uranus whispered.

"Great. Another problem." Neo murmured.
Sailor Moon motioned for them to shut up

"I'll do this. If I stumble, someone
interrupt." She whispered.

"Mrhfhrmrpf!!" Kenji yelled against the gag.

"Shut up." Sailor Moon said, thumping her
staff against the floor as she walked closer to
him.

The senshi watched her, wondering what she
would say to him, her earthly father.

"Tsukino Kenji, Konichiwa. If I take off your
gag, will you scream?" She asked, in a cold voice.
He glared at her as he shook his head. She pulled
the gag off harshly.

"Sailor Senshi." He spat.

She felt her heart break.

"Yes, Sailor Senshi." She said. "Will you
tell us what you know about the Queen? Or will you
remain silent? It's okay, either way. We have very
gifted mages. I will simply have Sailor Mars read
your mind. And she will see far more than you
want." Moon bluffed. Mars couldn't really read
minds, she could just tell basic emotions.
Neptune's mirror might see something, but truly,
she was the only one with such abilities.

"Liar." Kenji snorted.

"Fine. We will attend to that later." Sailor
Moon pulled up a chair so that it was facing
Kenji, and sat down. "I just want to know what
Queen Beryl has told you about us. We have a right
to know, you know."

"She said that you were conniving witches that
would kill us all if given the opportunity." Kenji
said arrogantly.

"Oh, really? Then do tell me, Kenji, why did
we spare your life? Or the lives of your wife and
son?" Sailor Moon asked.

"You killed my daughter." Kenji said.

Sailor Moon's face went white.

"That is a lie, Mr. Tsukino. We fight to
protect your lives. We risk our own to break up
raids and destroy the youma that killed so many in
the Great War. We do not, under any circumstances,
kill civilians." Sailor Moon said. "Where your
daughter is, Mr. Tsukino, I truly, just don't
know." She said truthfully.

"Why do you do it?"

"I would have told you, not so long ago, that
it is really to save your lives from Beryl. But, I
can't do that. Because I respect you, even if you
are on our enemies side. Beryl killed my mother,
my father, my family. She killed everyone I knew
and loved. She sits on a throne that rightly
belongs to another. I fight to avenge those
people."

"Everyone?" Kenji whispered.

"Everyone, Tsukino-san. It was so very long
ago, a thousand years to the day, almost. My
mother was a very special person, Kenji-san. She
was a very powerful woman, but used it for good.
My fiancé died, my friends, my advisors and
mentors, my whole life. I died too, just to be
reborn on a world that was taken over by the woman
I despise. I don't expect you to believe me."

"You died?"

"Yes."

"Sailor Moon, do you know where my daughter
is? Her name is Usagi." Kenji asked.

Sailor Moon turned away.

"Not really, Tsukino-san."

"Not really?"

"I thought I did, but... obviously not."

"Oh." Kenji sighed, and for an instant, he
looked like an old man.

"I'm sorry. Please, Kenji, will you help us?"

"Sailor Moon, Neo has something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"It's about the.... you know..." Mercury
flushed.

"Oh. Um... Jupiter, talk to him. Don't let
anything slip, but tell him what you know about my
Kingdom." Sailor Moon chose the senshi she thought
least likely to blow her cool and slipped from the
room.

"Hime-san!" Neo was pale, and breathless. He
held a paper in his hand.

"What's wrong, Neo?"

"Beryl.... beryl... She's planning on
attacking Tokyo!"





A pool of red. She was laying in a pool of
red liquid... but was it? It wasn't water, she
could vaguely remember that water was blue, or
green, not red.

What kind of water was red?

Blood. It was blood. Was it her own? No, she
didn't appear to be hurt. She didn't feel hurt.

It all came rushing back to her. She felt
like she had been hit with a ton of bricks. She
propped herself up, to see a bloodbath. Soldiers
and youma, all dead, laying, blood stained on
their faces, rips in their stomachs that showed
glistening pink intestines, some with no heads,
veins and arteries coming from their necks.

What had she done?!

"What is this?" She asked, hysterical.

"Hime-chan." Hin appeared in front of her. He
helped her up.

"Did I do this?" She asked, shakily.

Hin nodded, gravely.

"Yes, you did. This was one of the main base.
I've no idea how you managed it, Princess. You ran
from the house, after Neo told you all the
details, and automatically came here. I watched you
fight for a while, before Tuxedo Kamen came and
helped you, although he kept yelling about how
this was a suicide mission. I fought after he was
knocked out. Do you remember now?"

"Oh, my god." She whispered. She did remember
now. How she came here in her rage and fury at
Beryl to kill the men who would do it. She
remembered...

"Mamoru." She ran and knelt by his side. She
was relieved at his ragged breathing. She hugged
him, crying.

What had she been thinking when she came
here?

"Hime-san, You have defeated half of Queen
Beryl's main forces." Hin said quietly.

"You and Tux helped." Sailor Moon said,
in-between her sobs.

"I killed less than ten. Tuxedo Kamen maybe
got a few soldiers. His roses and cane isn't
much."

"How could I have done this, Hin? This was
murder...."

"No, Usagi." Hin watched silently as Sailor
Moon sobbed, still hugging Tuxedo Kamen. The man
was breathing, of course, but had been knocked out
cold as one of the youma flung him against a steel
beam.

Beryl had ordered her forces to attack the
city, to slaughter as many as possible. Kenji
hadn't known about this; it was in an envelope
that he was not allowed to open until it was too
late.

Tuxedo Kamen stirred slightly. Sailor Moon
didn't notice it, but Hin did. he disappeared,
just as Mamoru came to.

The first thing he saw were blonde odango.

"Sailor Moon." He whispered, but she didn't
hear him; she was sobbing over her memories.

"Sailor Moon." He sat up. Moon jumped,
startled.

"Mamoru!" She yelped, then clamped a hand
over her mouth. She jumped away from him.
"Wha?" He was still a little distorted by the

terrific throbbing in his head, but he could have
sworn he heard her say his real name.

"Mam--! Tuxedo Kamen, I'm so sorry... are you
hurt?" She asked, helping him to his feet. He
looked at her suspiciously.

"I've go to go..." Sailor Moon turned and
fled, leaving Tuxedo Kamen to wonder how she had
figured out his identity.



*********************


"I'm a failure, Mother. I'm so sorry. I
tried..." Princess Serenity wept to the moon. She
was in her full princess attire, standing at the
edge of the dock, gazing at the moonlit sky.

"Princess, what do you mean by failure?"
Sailor Pluto asked gently, appearing behind the
girl.

"I killed, Pluto. Killed." She sobbed. "I've
been killing all along. Isn't there a better way?"

"If there was... you would find it. But you
killed in self defense. They would have killed the
city, and you stopped that. It will be a long
while before Queen Beryl has the power to attack
again. She is weak right now, Hime-sama."

"I do not wish to kill."

"I know. but there is nothing I can do."

"Nothing?" Serenity asked. "Nothing? Are you
sure, Sailor Pluto. You could go back in time and
prevent this mess from happening."

"If you only knew how easy that would be, My
princess. But I cannot. You must go back, own up
to your actions, and be the leader they need you
to be."

"I am not meant to be a warrior!"

"You were. Look at your spirit, child."
Sailor Pluto said softly. A dark red light
appeared in front of Sailor Moon, and slowly took
form of a sword, it's blade silver and the hilt
gold, a moon engraved where the two met.

"A sword..."

"Not just any sword, mind you. Do you know of
the legend?

"Any one of the Etern Blood that has a soul
that can take shape of the Eternal Sword is a
warrior that none can defeat. You must believe,
Sailor Moon, my princess. Reach out and take it.
If you believe it is there, it will be so." Pluto
smiled.

Princess Serenity hesitantly reached towards
the wonderful blade, her azure eyes closed in
concentration. Her fingers slowly touched the cool
surface of the hilt, and a beautiful warm feeling
surged through her body. She felt free, uplifted.
Her soul healed, and her mind became clear.

Her eyes opened, no longer a pure, midnight
blue, but a dark blue-silver. Her hair went from
it's straw blonde to a whitish-silver color,
darker than that of her eyes.

A moon appeared on her forehead, only to be
shifted and reformed so that it was a full moon
with an infinity symbol inside.

Her dress changed dramatically, going from the
frilly white princess dress to an elegant, yet
simple dark blue gown that touched the ground.

"I feel... different." She said slowly. Her
voice had a slight accent to it that made her
words sound like music.

"You now carry the soul of Etern, as you did
before, only stronger. Serenity XXI, your mother,
had only a smidgen of the blood in her body. there
was doubt you had it at all. Now it was if you
were his own daughter." Pluto waved and
disappeared.

Serenity looked around her.

She felt that her senses had been heightened.
She saw more, heard more. She felt strength within
her body, almost twenty times of what she was as
Sailor Moon.

The sword remained in her hand, until she put
it away in her sub space pocket. She began the
walk home, not sure of what they would think of
the new her.



**********************



"She just ran off?" Mars raged.

Tuxedo Kamen had returned to the senshi's
house, and told them of the fight. At first they
didn't believe him, until both Neptune and Mercury
affirmed it.

Now they were yelling at him because he let
Sailor Moon run.

"Well, I was in a bit of shock, ya know, and
my head felt like crap because I was thrown into a
steel beam!! And the shock was because she knew my
name!"

"Well, she just killed a LOT of people, and
she's always hated killing in the first place!"
Luna yelled at him.

"She's probably off sobbing somewhere."
Artemis suggested.

"I'm right here, Artemis." Serenity said,
from the doorway. "I am sorry to have run off like
that, Tuxedo Kamen-sama. Minna, you should not
have blamed him for such." She said, her accent
quite noticeable.

They stared at her, open mouthed.

"I think I'm seeing things." Uranus raised an
eyebrow. "And hearing things."

"Luna, do you recognize me?" Serenity asked.
Luna and Artemis were on the verge of passing out.

"Eternia." Luna whispered.

"She's got the symbol, alright." Artemis was
first to recover his senses. "Usagi, you have the
true blood of Etern. More so than I have ever
seen." He admired.

"Pluto said I was the one with the Eternal
Sword. I was the one that was not defeatable. I am
already immortal, and now this?" Serenity shook her
head, while Tuxedo Kamen drew in the information.

"The sword." Luna murmured. "I thought it was
just a legend."

"Like the dress, Usa." Venus grinned.

"And the whole silver eyes and hair thing is
way radical." Jupiter gave Usagi a V for Victory sign.

"Your power level is beyond the Mercury
computer." Sailor Mercury gave up her scan.

"My princess." Saturn bowed quickly.

"Usagi!" Tuxedo Kamen exclaimed.

Zoe, Neo, and Kage, who had been speechless
until that moment, face faulted.

"My prince, I think it's time we should
leave..." suggested Kage.

"Yes, I need to go relieve Jake of his
shift..." Neo slipped out the door and was gone.

Zoe looked around, but could think of
nothing, so he dove and hid behind Mercury.

"Explosion." Mars mouthed to Venus.

"Yes, I am, Mamoru." Serenity said. "What do
you think of it? The Queen of the universe is just
a klutzy fifteen year old." She said, anger
growing for no reason. "And do you see now that
Beryl is evil? I hope Kenji does."

"That reminds me." Uranus spoke up. "Kenji
gave us some very valuable info about the security
systems of the Dark Kingdom after Neo showed him
the papers. Your father is at home now, Jake is
still there."

"Really." Serenity looked down at her dress,
at the sleekness of it. "I do believe I like this
dress better. At least I could actually fight in
this. That stupid frilly one was ridiculous." She
sighed, and looked back at Tuxedo Kamen.

"I don't know what you remember about the
past, mister, but if you care to remember, it IS
in the past." She said, although, strangely, it
hurt to say the words.

"But--" He started. Serenity held up a hand.

"No. You will remember that." She ran up the
stairs, powering down as she did so.

"I can't fall in love... I can't." She
whispered.

************************


A field of flowers.

Lovely, blue and pink flowers that gave off a
fragrance so heavenly one thought you were
actually in heaven.

A girl, with blonde hair pulled into odango
and sky blue eyes that sparkled in excitement
wearing a white, frilly dress ran from a man with
dark hair and the deepest midnight blue eyes in
armor. They laughed, and Usagi could tell they
were having a wonderful time. The man caught the
girl and they both went rolling in the grass, and
when they stopped, they shared an earth shattering
kiss...

Usagi sighed. She recognized the couples
quite clearly, and remembered the day.

The scene changed, drastically.

The same man, only he had a serious,
determined glint in his eyes. He faced off against
a creature more horrible than fear itself. She
stood a thousand feet tall, with har as red as
blood and eyes the most peculiar shade of yellow.
Evil energy radiated from her.

With one mighty blow, the wicked woman
crushed the man, Prince Endymion.

Princess Serenity, the girl from before, ran
for her fallen lover, and got to his side just in
time for him to whisper good bye.

Serenity cried out in anguish and brought his
sword to her stomach...

The scene changed again.

And again.

Some of them were happy, some of them not.
Each of them depicted a bit of the Silver
Millennium. Each time Usagi remembered more, and
learned things she didn't know.

She woke up, a scream caught in her throat
and her mind swimming with images.


*************************


Mamoru had returned to his apartment that he
shared with Kage. He thought about how the senshi
had given up their families to fight.

He had been a bit surprised at Usagi's
outburst, and her new look.

What was so important in the past?

"Kage." He said. Kage spun around so fast
Mamoru was afraid his head would fly off.

"What?"

"What did she mean, about the past?" he
asked, and watched Kage face fault.

"Heh heh... um... no clue?"

"Get real. You know exactly what she was
talking about, so did the senshi. What did she
mean?" Mamoru pressed.

"My prince, this is not a good topic..." Kage
tried to back away.

"I don't care, Kage. What did she mean?"

"Well... I've no clue of how to put this to
you, so... in the Silver Millennium, in the past,
you and the princess... were um..."

"Spit it out, *already*." Mamoru grumbled.
He can be soo dense.


"You were engaged, my prince. Lovers." Kage
sighed, face red.

"WHA?!" Mamoru choked.

"Yes. That's right. Now breath, before I have
to tell the funeral parlor what kind of flowers to
put at your wake."

"We were..." Mamoru trailed off, and began
banging his head on the wall.

Thump Thump Thump.

"Duh Duh Duh!" Mamoru realized it. Finally.
The reason for his feeling about Usagi.

"Huh?"

"Nothing, Kage. Thanks for telling me."

***************************


"I am the world. I *am* the world. I am the
*world*. *I* am the *world*." Beryl chanted,
trying to sooth her nerves.

She knew she was losing. They had just gotten
word of the main part of their forces being
defeated by Sailor Moon herself, with hardly any
help.

The problem was, she didn't know who Sailor
Moon was. There was old saying she had heard once,
Know your friends. Know your enemies better.

But they didn't know a thing about Sailor
Moon.

Three of her generals gone. Three fourths of
her army vanquished. The energy reserves were low.
Metalia was becoming more and more angry with her.
Kunzite was babbling about four men who were exact
copies of the generals.

She had a good reason for stress, if you ask
me.

"My queen, Kunzite wishes to see you." one of
the lower ranking youma said, timidly.

"Fine, fine." She murmured, and went back to
chanting.

"My Queen." Kunzite announced his presence.
Beryl looked up.

Kunzite was swearing the biggest smile. Like
he had found out a secret and couldn't wait to
tell.

"What is it, Kunzite?" She snapped.

"I have some interesting news."

"And that would be? I hate mysteries,
Kunzite!"

"We have discovered Sailor Mercury's
identity, along with Sailor Venus's, my queen."

This was good. Beryl jumped up in her seat,
her full attention aroused.

"Sailor Venus's true name is Aino Minako.
Unfortunately, we have no records of her what-so-
ever, so that is a dead end."

"And Mercury?"

"Her real name is Mizuno Ami."

"Mizuno? Don't we have a--"

"Scientist, yes. Her mother."

"How was this information obtained?"

"I had one of my scouters follow her."

"Do we have a lead on the other senshi's
identities?"

"Yes. We checked the cameras. Apparently,
just after the senshi appeared, Mizuno-san
acquired some new friends. Tsukino Usagi, Hino
Rei, Aino Minako. And she as been sighted with
Ten'oh Haruka, and Kaioh Michiru, and Kino Makoto."

"So? These do not prove that they are Sailor
Senshi."

"Yes, but all of them have been reported as
runaways, except for Tsukino Usagi, and she cannot
be reached. She hasn't been to school for many
months." Kunzite smiled. "AND, she fits the
description of Sailor Moon exactly."

Sailor Moon!

"You have my permission to take any course of
action necessary, but you are not to kill Sailor
Moon when she has been captured. I wish to deal
with her myself." Beryl had a feeling she'd sleep
easy tonight.


****************************



It had taken Usagi a good while to fall
asleep again after the onslaught of memories.

Now she sprang awake again. Before she could
think, she grabbed the locket.

"MOON SILVER POWER MAKE UP!" She screamed.

Nothing happened!

She looked at the locket in shock. What was
wrong with it? Why couldn't she transform? Did her
blood effect it... yes, that must be it.

But how would she transform?

An idea seeped into her mind, a whim of a
thing, but she had nothing to loose.

"MOON CELESTIAL POWER MAKE UP!" A magical
light came and hid her from view, though no one
was watching.

There were no real changes to the fuku
itself, but the locket had been replaced by the
Silver Crystal, but the crystal itself was a
bluish color, not the clear crystal she
remembered. She wasn't alarmed, she felt it was
right. Her hair and eyes were different. In her
hand was the staff, but the sword was at her
waist, sheathed.

A new power was running through her body, the
eternal power.

She ran through the house, pounding on doors
with all her strength. Saturn was the first out,
like she had been expecting it. The other came
out, unhenshined and sleepy.

Haruka was downright cranky.

"What the hell are you doing, waking us up at
this UNGODLY hour?!" She yelled.

"Minna, henshin yo! They've discovered our
identities, they're going after our families."
Sailor Moon yelled.

In a flash, they all pulled out their henshin
sticks.

"MERCURY PRISM POWER MAKE UP!"

"VENUS PRISM POWER MAKE UP!!"

"MARS PRISM POWER MAKE UP!"

"JUPITER PRISM POWER MAKE UP!"

"URANUS CRYSTAL POWER MAKE UP!"

"NEPTUNE CRYSTAL POWER MAKE UP!"


****************************



"We're too late." Sailor Moon murmured, as
she saw the devastation that was her house.

The door was smashed in, and there were burn
marks on the floor just inside.

"Do you-- do you want to in?" Mercury asked
hesitantly.

Sailor Moon narrowed her eyes and shoved back
all her feelings, all her emotions, locking them
away in some hidden part of her mind.

"Uranus, Neptune, Zoe. Go look for Neo and
Jake. Mercury, Jupiter, Venus. Come with me
inside. Saturn, Mars. I want you to look for any
leftover enemy. If there's not too many, crush
them. If you believe you can't handle them, call
some of us." She said coldly. She pulled out her
rapier, waiting for something to come flying out
at her. DARING something to oppose her.

She walked over the splintered door, not
flinching at the blood nor the reek of youma. She
looked in each room, her eyes trailing over the
dead body of her earthly father. He was half
buried beneath a couch, so all she could see was
the blood pooled around him.

"Gods." She murmured. She spun around.
"Jupiter! Venus! Go to your houses immediately...
oh, right. Jupiter... would you mind going with
Venus since you don't...."

"Of course." The two senshi ran out.

"Mercury... get Zoe and head to your place."

"Okay, Sailor Moon. Will you be okay?"
Mercury asked.

"Yes. GO on now. Maybe some of them can be
saved." As soon as Mercury turned around, Sailor
Moon tapped the watch on her wrist.

"Minna, everyone who wants to save their
family, go for it. I can finish up here."

"I'm staying." Uranus said, as did Saturn.

"I've no family to save." Neptune said
simply.

"Will someone go with Mars, then?"

"I will." Saturn answered.

"Alright. Ruka? I've found my father... he's
dead."

"And we've found Neo and Jake. Jake's... out
of it, and Neo looks pretty bad. He was thrown up
against the side of the house or something."

"Wake them up and tell them to heal
themselves. I'm going to go through the rest of
the house and find the others. If they're dead...
I'll be out in a sec." Sailor Moon turned her
communicator off.

She already knew what she would find. Some
part of here new abilities were too good for her.
She felt no life in the house. Not an ounce.

She didn't want to see Ikuko.

She turned and ran out, choking down the
tears.

'I'm sorry, Ikuko-mama. I broke my promise...
I'm so sorry...'


************************

Three days later~~


What was found at the other houses was just
as bad as at Usagi's. Bodies torn to shreds. All
of them had arrived too late. Saturn and Mars got
to the temple just as the soldiers were leaving.

In a rage, Mars had burnt nearly all of them
to dust. Saturn managed to calm her and together,
they deleted the little group.

Ami's mother was dead, the apartment in
flames. Luckily for her, she never saw her
mother's body.

Minako shrugged off her mother's death like
nothing. Her mother had never been supportive of
her and abused her. But still, somewhere in her
heart of hearts, it hurt to see the pool of blood
around the dismembered body.

Jake just had a concussion, whereas Neo have
some cracked ribs and some internal injuries.

Both were so-so.

"Senshi, we must do something." Usagi toyed
with the Eternal Sword, twirling it around
nervously in her hands.

"Like what?" Makoto asked.

"Well, I, for one, am sick of sitting here
watching you guys mope!" Haruka stood up.
"Alright. That witch killed your families. And
yet, here you sit, just waiting for something to
happen. Well, let me tell you, nothing's gonna
happen unless you make it!"

"Well said, Ten'oh-san." A new voice, melodic,
with an accent like Usagi's, said. They turned to
see a girl with waist length hair so sky blue it
looked white. Her eyes were silver, and she was in
a senshi fuku with light gray bows and a lavender
skirt.

"Who are you?!" Minako yelped.

"I am the soldier that represents all the
tears spilt by those who have cried for the lives
of ones lost to the abyss. I am Sailor Sorrow!"
She announced.

Usagi ran forward and embraced the girl in a
hug.

"It's about time! I sent that message two
days ago, Div!" She exclaimed.

"Well, excuse me for having to travel through
four solar systems!"

"Uh... do you two know each other?" Haruka
asked.

"This is Divinity. She's very distant
relative of mine from the Yujlid System. She's the
only senshi there, but they are at peace, so I
sent for her help."

"Yup! Divie here to brighten things up! Come
on, minna, let's get to work. Before I left, I had
Jared, my advisor, arrange a plan..."

************************




"It's insane." Rei said immediately.

"I like it!" Haruka said at the same time.

Usagi rolled her eyes at the both of them.
Divinity's plan was a good one, with an approach
they hadn't even dared think about.

They would allow themselves to be captured.

"No." Ami and Zoe said at the same time.

"Right." Michiru agreed. "They have
permission to kill us on sight. If we turn
ourselves in, there's no way we'll come out
alive."

"Except for me." Usagi murmured.

"What do you mean?" Makoto asked.

Divinity stared at Usagi, and shrugged. Usagi
looked at all of her senshi and generals, trying
to decide.

"I can't die." she said. "I'm immortal.
Bonafide` goddess. Can't die."

"Duh." Saturn rolled her eyes. But the others
were stunned.

"Oh, come on! Surely one of you remembered
that once a mortal has became Eternia, they're
immortal!

"Hey. Where the hell is Kage?" Minako asked.
The others looked around, realizing that Mamoru
and Kage were indeed missing.

"Dammit, we never though to tell them
about... you know." Haruka muttered.

"They'll be here any minute." Div said. Sure
enough, about two seconds later, the door opened
and Tuxedo Kamen and Kage walked in.

"Boy, have we got some news for you!" Hotaru
giggled.





"We absolutely can't allow ourselves to be
captured. That's a biggie. But we now have enough
power to at least attempt to take Kunzite and Beryl
head on." Mamoru pointed out. It was the day after
Sailor Sorrow's arrival, and Tuxedo Kamen and Kage
had both been filled in.

Both also felt like dookie because they
hadn't been there when everything happened.

"But we can't all go." Mercury added.

"Why not?" Jake asked.

"Because of the strain on our powers."
Divinity answered. "Teleportation, at best. takes
the teleporter along. To take five extra people
would be murder."

"So the generals and Tuxie sit this one out."
Hotaru summed up.

"Yup." Serenity stood up, looking dramatic in
her eternal form. "I'm all ready to go. We've had a
good rest, and I've had a power up that will us an
advantage." She raised the sword.

"You're right." Rei said. "We leave the guys
behind--"

"Since the guys would probably screw up
anyway." Haruka cut in.

"Hey, just because you're jealous..." Neo
grinned.

"Jealous?! I'll show you jealous, you pompous
little arrogant--!" Haruka leapt at Neo, and they
went rolling over in a fight. Makoto and Michiru
sighed.

"Just when you think they've grown up."
Michiru shook her head.

"Hey, Ami-chan, do you think Neo's cute?"
Makoto asked, stars in her eyes.

"I think Zoe is..." Ami replied.

"Yeah..."

"Hey! You two! Snap out of it!" Rei
complained to Makoto and Ami, who were staring at
the fighting Neo, and Zoe, respectively.

"Rei!" Makoto whined.

"Rei likes Jake. I've seen her staring at
him." Minako whispered. Rei turned bright red.

"Well, you're in love with Kage!" She
retorted.

"So? We all know that... right, Kage?" Minako
asked. Kage turned pink and began stuttering.

"Come on, minna. Do we do this tonight?"
Serenity asked.

"We really need a good night's sleep, Ren,
first." Divinity pointed out.

"Yeah, I bet Haruka and Michiru are gonna
sleep REAL good!" Jake yelled. Haruka turned bright
red, abandoned her fight with Neo and went for
Jake.

"AHH!" Jake yelled, and jumped out of the
way. Haruka began chasing him around the room while
Michiru went into the kitchen, muttering about
Aspirin.

"Hey! Quiet down!" Hotaru yelled. Haruka and
Jake went to opposite corners of the room, sulking.

"Okay. Next time that happens, Haruka, I'm
taking your henshin stick." Michiru put her hands
on her hips.

"Michi!"

"I will."

"Alright, everyone. Up to bed. Now." Serenity
was aware of Hin's presence in the room.

"But I thought--" Ami began.

"No... Div's right... we need to sleep first.
SHOO!" She yelled. Everyone scattered from the
room. Serenity turned around, and sure enough,
there was Hin.

"My princess." He said, kneeling.

"Get up, Hin. Where are you been? It's been a
long time since I've seen you." She asked, pulling
him to his feet. She gave him a hug, and refused to
let go.

"I've been away. I just now learned about
it... I'm so sorry I wasn't there." Hin said, his
eyes on the floor.

In the doorways, minna was watching,
silently.

"Hin, you couldn't have helped, anyway. We
tried, and that was what mattered." Serenity smiled
weakly.

"But--"

"Hin, don't be sorry." Serenity hugged Hin.
"And you missed all the good stuff. I got this
freaky cool sword." She said. Hin grinned.

"You never let anything get you down, huh,
Usa?"

In the doorway, Divinity was struggling to
keep Mamoru from running out and strangling the
strange man in Usagi's arms.

"Hell, Hin. If I did that, I'd be dead and
buried a year ago."

"Yeah, well." He leaned down to whisper in her
ear. From the senshi's point of view, it looked
like he was kissing her. Mamoru was purple in the
face.

"My princess, I do believe we have company."
whispered he.

"Really? Is Mamoru among them?" She
whispered back.

"The prince? Uh... yes."

"Hin.. what should I do about him?" Serenity
whispered.

"Well, acknowledging his presence would be a
start."

"You!" Serenity pushed away from him. "You
know exactly what I mean, Hin."

"And I told you I'm no expert in those
matters!"

"Baby!" Serenity stuck her tongue out at him.

"Darn. I thought they were gonna kiss."
Minako whispered, disappointed. Mamoru glared at
her. If looks could kill....

"My princess, you know what will happen if
you allow the senshi to follow you into Beryl's
Palace." Hin said, his eyes narrowed.

"I know, Hin! But I can't really tell them
that! This has to be in between Beryl and myself!"

"Like hell it will!" Haruka stepped out.
Serenity smiled gently, looking so much like her
name if it were not for the deadly rapier in her
hands.

"Haruka, you do not know how much I
appreciate your concerns. But I cannot allow you to
walk into a death trap that only I may walk out
of. Besides, I must fight alone. There may be
explosions that will kill you all."

"Usagi, we will not let you go alone." Ami
said.

"We are at our best as one." Makoto chimed
in.

"You will need our help, Usa-chan." Minako
gave Usagi a V for Victory sign.

"You cannot go alone." Michiru and Hotaru
said at the same time. The generals had dragged
Mamoru into the living room, and you could hear
Mamoru yelling at them.

"What's up with him?" Serenity asked sweetly,
knowing very well what was wrong.

"Ren!" Hin said sharply.

"Who are YOU, anyway?!" Rei asked.

"Rei-chan, leave him alone... please."
Serenity pleaded. "I don't get to see him often."

"I am Hin, of the Star Warriors." Hin said,
looking at each of them. they were not exactly as
he remembered them, but he had to remember that
rebirth had a tendency to do that.

Haruka and Michiru were pretty much the same,
he noted. As was Hotaru. But the rest of them...
they were different. Including his princess.
ESPECIALLY his princess.

The princess he knew on the moon was a whiny,
weak little slip of a thing.

The princess here was strong, and determined.
She was stronger than anyone Hin had ever seen, or
heard of. Inside that delicate body of hers was
the power of many suns, he felt it.

"I really should go now, Hime-sama." Hin
said.

"No!" Divinity and Serenity yelled at the
same time.

"Hin, stay with us. You can teleport too. You
can help fight." Divinity pointed out.

"I am not allowed. Like Pluto, my direct
interference is forbidden. I can visit, make
myself known, even train a warrior, or go so far as
to awaken them, and maybe even take a few soldiers
out, but fighting against the master of the enemy
is not allowed. Good-bye." He vanished.

"Dammit, Div! Why'd you have to suggest
that?! Every time I suggest fighting, he gets all
uptight. Like hell he's not allowed to fight. I saw
him take on a youma once." Serenity started to pace
the room. "I thought my plan would work... use him
to make Mamoru jealous as hell..."

"WHAT?!" All the senshi, Div included,
yelled.

"What?" Serenity asked.

"YOU LIKE MAMORU?!" Rei looked ready to
strangle the other girl.

"You didn't tell us?!" Minako looked
outraged.

"He is the prince. Whether either of them
want to admit it, they're soul mates. Destined to
be." Hotaru muttered.

"You like Hin!" Minako said, her jaw hitting
the floor.

"WHAT?!" Hotaru yelled.

"You do! Hotaru and Hin, sittin' in a tree,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes Love, then comes Marr--"

"Shut up, Minako!" Hotaru ran after Minako,
who was yelling the song at the top of her lungs,
running through the house.

"That was-- interesting." Haruka commented.

"Listen, guys. Hin's not been wrong yet. I
can't let you guys get killed. Especially not you,
Divinity. Your people would kill me."

"As if that was possible." Div said under her
breath.

"I'm going." And to prove her point, Haruka
henshined.

"I'm with Uranus." Rei said, and one by one,
they all henshined. Serenity slowly sheathed the
sword and leaned on her staff.

"This is the only way you're leaving,
Princess Serenity. With us." Mercury said.

"But--"

"No." Mars grasped one of Serenity's hands.
They formed a loose ring. Uranus held out her hand
for Serenity's other.

Sighing, Serenity put the staff up. Maybe Hin
was wrong... they were all strong.

Maybe they could win without loss.

Maybe.

One by one, they powered up, calling out
their planet's names. Then, in a final burst of
power, Sailor Moon yelled the final two words:
Sailor Teleport!

They disappeared from the room, leaving the
five men to hope and pray...

****************************


The senshi reappeared in a large cave, bigger
than the mansion. It was darker than black. Mars
stared at the nothingness for a few minutes then
realized she was the only one who could do
something about it.

"Hold on, minna." She called, hoping the
others were with her. "I'm going to light things
up a bit."

"Good." She heard Serenity to her right. Mars
figured, since she hadn't the slightest where any
of them were, that the best way to go, was up.

"MARS SPIRALING VORTEX!" She yelled, throwing
her tornado of flame above her head, and the room
was lit up for a few seconds.

Almost to good to be true, a line of torches
were on the red-- oh, no.

"God." Mercury whispered.

The walls, were in all reality, gray stone.
But you could not tell it from looking at them.
They were stained scarlet, soaked red, with--

"It's blood." Sailor Sorrow said, her voice
loud in the deafening silence.

"By the gods... this place is hell." Jupiter
said, her voice far away, her eyes glazed over.

"Not even close." Serenity narrowed her eyes,
and the staff was in her hands. "Hell is a ways up.
This is Heaven compared to what we're in for."

"How do you know?" Venus wondered.

"Because, the worse battle I've ever been in
was ten times worse than this. Facing Beryl will be
a thousand times worse than my worse battle. So, in
comparative terms, this is bliss."

"I too, have seen much worse." Sorrow added.

"I don't believe we've even imagined this."
Uranus whispered, looking at the rotting bodies and
skeletons pinned up to the wall, Roman crucifixion
style. The smell was nearly unbearable.

On the floor, here and there, were skeletons
that looked almost human, but they were twisted
beyond recognition.

"Youma." Saturn realized.

"This is the most disgusting place I've ever
seen, even in my nightmares." Neptune announced.

"Thank you. We don't receive many
compliments." A voice almost as putrid as the room
echoed. Serenity looked up to see Kunzite hovering
over them.

"It wasn't a compliment." Neptune said, as
she took out her mirror.

"Kunzite, Sailor Mercury does have the power
to destroy you!" Serenity said. Kunzite's eyes
narrowed at this. "Leave now." The moon princess
told him.

"Beryl herself decreed that only the Moon
Princess posed any treat to her." He said,
confident. "And I see not the princess." Mercury
choked back a giggle.

"Oh, really." Serenity raised an eyebrow.
"Girls, do we know where the princess is? The Moon
Princess too. Hmm. I don't recall hearing of her."
She said, in a mocking tone of voice. "Idiot! I am
Princess Eternia, or, as you know me, Princess
Serenity." Inside, the girl didn't want to fight
this clone of the man her friend loved, and hoped
to scare him off with this information.

"Ha! Everyone knows of the princess's blonde
hair!" Kunzite crowed.

"Like Sailor Moon's." Saturn suggested.

"Why... yes... just like Sailor Moon's..."
Kunzite's face went pale in shock. "You're not
telling me..."

"Oh, yes." Serenity stood forward, her
warriors falling back. Sorrow looked at the
soulless demon, and wondered how anyone could be so
completely under a person's control.

"Kunzite, clone of the Earth General Kunzite,
protector of the Prince of Earth, I am your worst
nightmare." Serenity smiled an odd half smile. "I
am Tsukino Usagi, Sailor Moon, Princess Serenity,
and Princess Eternia, Immortal of the Heavens, and
the Eternal Warrior." She said, taking from it's
sheath the Eternal Sword of her ancestor, Etern. It
blazed with all the light that Beryl so futilely
tried to conceal.

"You are the One." Kunzite whispered. He
knew, in every once of his body, that death was
behind him.

"I merely am, Kunzite. I am. That is all."
She said, throwing both sword and staff to the
ground with a clatter.

"What?!"

"Hime-san, what are you doing!"

"Usagi?!" Her friends cried out at her
foolish action. But Serenity just gazed at Kunzite
as he smiled coldly, gathered all of his strength
and power, and threw it at her, blowing the senshi
back into the red walls, and leaving a crater in
the floor.

Kunzite laughed as the thick smoke and dust
billowed up, and the senshi gasped and stared in
horror.

Serenity was most assuredly dead.

The smoke thinned, gradually, and as it did,
the shapely form of Eternia became cleared.

The laughter caught in his throat.

"I am immortal, Kunzite. You cannot harm me."
She said, her eyes sad and her face steel. She
pointed one hand, palm facing him.

"And I die." Kunzite thought.

"In the name of the Moon, Kunzite, accept
your punishment." She said, her words clear and
strong, piercing the darkness. A clear, silver beam
of light shot from her palm and hit him square in
the chest, searing a hole through his body, and
turning him to dust in a nano second. He had not
time to cry out.

Venus and Jupiter stared at the pile of the
dust, as the others did anything but.

An enemy, defeated, without effort or weapon.
How powerful was their princess.

"My friend, we should continue." Sorrow broke
the silence, her silver eyes looking dull.

She alone knew the effort it had cost her
friend to destroy this enemy, with the face of the
man that Serenity thought of as her older brother.

"Yes..." Serenity whispered, sheathing the
sword and climbing out of the hole in the ground.
Her staff she used as a crutch, for she hadn't will
to walk.

"This is only the beginning, isn't it?"
Uranus whispered.

"I'm afraid so." Saturn felt the end... the
end of all.

**************************


Beryl paled considerably at the news of her
demolished general. Kunzite, her last, strongest,
and most capable general, dead. And what worried
her most was what the new one... the one in blue,
said before she killed him.

The blood of Etern. Etern. How she despised
that name with all her mortal soul. Metalia told
her of Etern, and how any who was his kin would
most definitely be the fall of the Dark Kingdom.
Especially the girl with the Eternal Soul.

It was only coincidence, perhaps, that this
girl, was also a warrior. Sailor Moon. They had
most definitely made a mistake in killing the
families of the senshi. Beryl knew now that this
only made them stronger.

The Dark Kingdom's revenge was sweet, but
cocoa also looks sweet... but it's bitter as hell
if you taste it. You must add sugar, and sugar was
the light that would destroy Beryl's world.

"That imp of a girl is immortal. She has the
full blood of Etern. My Kingdom... Metalia... what
should I do?" She asked the glowing purple-red
thing in front of her.

"Don't whine at me, Beryl." It growled back.

"We cannot defeat her-- please, Metalia, give
us the power to defeat her."

"You want power? Fine! Power you shall have!"
Metalia roared, breaking loose from her prison and
killing Beryl, taking Beryl's body for her own.

"And now, my pathetic princess, you deal with
me."







"I feel an evil power... it's huge." Sailor
Mars whispered, as they were sure that they had
begun to make their way to the main cavern.

This Nega-verse... it was a paradox within
itself... some of the caverns were gorgeous, and
made you want to stay there forever to gaze at the
murky hues of the flowers, but some of the caverns
were like the first, horrible stuff that could and
probably would give them nightmares for the rest
of their lives, if their previous experiences
didn't.

"Good. Beryl has taken her own life, then."
Sailor Sorrow said gravely, and Serenity frowned.

"I thought that perhaps she wouldn't--"

"You mean Beryl's killed herself?!"
Uranus's voice was incredulous.

"We knew she would." Saturn said.

"WHAT?!" Venus, Mars, Mercury, and Neptune
yelled.

"Of course." Serenity said. "Beryl never
would have enough power to defeat me. She had to
do something. We really don't know what she did,
but we do know that Beryl would never have the
power to defeat any of us. Beryl is quite weak."

"Weak?!" Uranus repeated, and swung her arm
in an arch, to turn their attention to the gore of
the room. "You call this WEAK!? I really don't
want to know your definition of strong."

"Haruka." Serenity sighed. Her silver eyes
were full of sadness from memories that no one
should have to remember, and from wisdom no being
should have. "I must call Beryl weak, for compared
to the power we must now face, Beryl is, in
comparative terms, like an ant is to a human
compared to this new force."

"Oh, wonderful!" Mercury hit her head
against the reddened wall.

"Then we really don't have a chance."
Neptune realized.

"As so I said." Serenity sighed.

"I will die. My people will understand."
Sailor Sorrow smiled. "Anything for the
Lunarians."

"No." Saturn said. "I must demand, with or
without your permission, Princess, that the others
except you, I, and perhaps Divinity stay."

"What!?" The senshi spoke out as one.

"She's right." Sailor Mercury said. "If
they do not make it, the city must have
protection."

"It makes sense... but I can't leave you to
die!" Jupiter spoke for what seemed like the first
time since they had entered the Underworld.

"I won't do it! I'll die first!" Uranus
said stubbornly.

"You very well might." Serenity said, her
eyes narrowing. "Haruka, you still think this is
a game. It's not! This is my fight, not yours! My
war, not yours. You didn't start this. I did. You
don't need to die for me, Sailor Uranus."

"But it is our duty." Neptune spoke up.

"No." Serenity said, shaking her head.

"What do you mean?" Mars asked.

"I have but you in too much danger already.
I will not have you die for me. Good-bye, My
senshi. There will be another if I do not return."
She whispered, and then the mark on her forehead
blazed so brightly that the senshi were forced to
look away.

When they were able to see again, they were
looking into the stunned faces of the generals and
Tuxedo Kamen.

"That idiot!" Divinity screeched.

Serenity had left it to herself to face
Queen Metalia.

*******************


Serenity looked at the place where her
senshi had once stood. She wondered if she was
strong enough to kill Metalia... she wondered if
she should bring Saturn back. Saturn was hard to
kill, so maybe...

"No. I will not put them in a suicidal
position." Serenity said aloud, and quickly walked
through the rooms, keeping her head down, not
looking at the gore strung around the rooms. With
each step, she knew she was growing closer to the
Main Hall, where Metalia waited for her.

Metalia. The one who had destroyed her soul
and will to live.

She felt no pity for the creature.
Every time she told herself she would reform, take
the war for what it was. And yet she still carried
pity for the enemy.

She felt no sympathy for Metalia. And
neither did she feel any for Beryl, who had so
unwittingly given her life and body to the witch.

She was angry. Dead-through angry. And not
just, 'Give me back my purse' angry, we talking
'Alright, you killed my mom and now you're going
down, and then you whip out a machine gun' angry.

Yeah. I think you get it.

And this machine gun was a small, yet very
potent, ginzuishou. And this anger was past, you
killed my mom. Because Beryl had killed both her
mothers. And both her fathers. And destroyed both
her lives. And had once again separated her from
her lover. And had ruined the world, once again.

So... if you can actually imagine that...

"METALIA, SHOW YOURSELF!" Serenity called,
as she stepped into the main room. A spindle of
dark energy appeared and a twisted version of
Queen Beryl appeared.

"Aw, my little moon princess, we meet at
last." Metalia's voice was dripping with honey-
sweet venom.

"Drop the act, witch." Serenity said
coldly. "You're mine."


************************


Somewhere, deep inside of Metalia's mind,
she shuddered. The pure raw emotion that was in
this fragile princess's eyes, and the way she held
up the Silver Crystal showed Metalia she was a
warrior.

Metalia was afraid.

Queen Serenity had not frightened Metalia.
Nothing had. It had been a cinch to defeat the
Silver Millennium. A few well placed spies, a few
clones here and there, and bu-boom.

Queen Serenity had surprised Metalia,
though, when she had used the sacrifice ritual and
gave her life to seal Metalia away in the Dark
Kingdom and send the souls of the senshi forward.
But Evil always returns, and sooner or later,
Metalia supposed, you found a weak link.

She had led Beryl to believe that this was
the weak link. She herself had believed it was. No
Serenity, no senshi, no opposition. It had been
like squishing ants.

"In your dreams, Moon Girl." She replied,
not showing an ounce of her fear.

But Serenity knew.

"You're afraid, Metalia. You're afraid. And
soon, you're not going to be. Because whether you
kill me, or whether I kill you, soon, both of our
fears are going to be gone. Whoever sits on the
throne after this will be completely free of
threats." Serenity said, holding the crystal in
front of her.

"Let's go."

"You'll never win, Moon Brat!"

"We'll see. ETERNAL MOON COSMIC POWER!"

"Raaaaaaaaa!" Metalia met the white power
with her own dark power.

Silence.

Then, a sound came that a super nova
couldn't match. An explosion of white against
black.

For a full minute, the powers blazed, the
dark beginning to overpower the white.

"Noooo!" Serenity screamed. "My friends!"

**************************



Together, they heard a voice cry out.

"Nooooo! My friends!"

"It's Serenity!" Tuxedo Kamen gasped.

"Senshi, join hands. Lend her your power."
Divinity said softly, watching the inners and
outers form a rough circle.

One by one, they called out their powers.

"Mercury Prism Power!"

"Venus Prism Power!"

"Mars Prism Power!"

"Jupiter Prism Power!"

"Uranus Planet Power!"

"Neptune Planet Power!"

"Saturn Planet Power!"

"Powers of the planets..."


Far away, Serenity heard their cries, and
added her own to theirs.

"Powers of the Moon..."

Together, though miles apart, they screamed
one word in perfect union.

"UNITE!"

*********************


Metalia screamed a death cry as the Crystal
Absorbed the power and sent all out at her,
overpowering her and reducing her to nothing but
dust.

For many hours, Serenity sat on her knees,
catching her breath and her strength.

Finally, she returned home.

The world was safe.

They had defeated the evil.



*buries her face in her hands, embarrassed and muttering* I can't believe I actually wrote that ending. Oh my god. Unite? UNITE? How cheesy... and corny...

Yeah, I know, what a sucky ending. You don't have to tell me, I know. But hey, at least I'm giving you the long awaited sequel. Look for the first bit of it soon, okay? And I'm not posting it until this has at least twenty reviews, just to let you know! ^_^ I'm evil, yes, I know. You may kiss my bunny collection now.

Mistress Hecate
Aka
Black beyond