The Death Scout

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Disclaimer: Although I wish and wish, I don't own Sailor Moon…

Chapter 15: The Beginning of the End

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The next morning, after searching the rest of the house, Bob and his sisters found the two remaining girls asleep in the middle of the library, Sakura clutching a crystal about half the size of her hand. They immediately checked to see if the two were still alive.

"She's alive." Raven sighed in relief, kneeling over Sakura.

"Her too." Magnolia had been secretly hoping Sage would not be alive. (Ancient grudge, I'm told)

"What do we do now?" Angel asked.

"And I wonder why Pluto isn't here already." Bob added, "And where the other two are. Because, unless I'm mistaken, there were a total of four of them."

Suddenly a time portal opened and out stepped a frowning Pluto holding a small child by the ear in each hand, "Because I was dealing with these two."

"Who – Sakura?! Sage?!" Raven stared at the two youngsters, "But…"

"They can't die. As soon as they finished the ritual, they went back to their own time. Sailor Outer Moon can't die and she was using that ability to keep her alive." Pluto indicated who she was talking about by a pinch on the respective ear, "Since the ritual called for their live," She pinched both ears, "They were both 'dead', but they were instantly alive again. Since it wasn't actually time for this process to start over, they instantly grew to the age of four. Now, they will be a year older every day until they are back to the way they had been, at the age of 25." Pluto's explanation had been accentuated by cries of protest from the two she was holding.

"But it worked and things are going to be just fine!" Little Sakura whined.

The Sakura and Sage that had been lying on the floor began to wake up. "Wha…?" Sage mumbled when she saw everyone.

"It worked!" Was the first indication they had that Sakura was also awake.

"Of course it did!" Child Sage retorted, earning herself a pinch, "Ow!!! That hurt!"

"Of course it did!" Pluto pinched again, "Now be quite until you are addressed!"

"What happens now?" Magnolia was doing her best to keep from laughing.

"These two are to stay here and help fix things, those two don't know all the details," Pluto nodded at the 16 year old Sakura and Sage after giving the two in her hands another pinch, "And you four are to come back with me. Back to your own time."

"Yes!!!" Raven, Bob and Angel exclaimed.

"Finally." Magnolia rolled her eyes at her younger siblings.

Pluto pushed the two girls at the older forms of themselves, "Be careful and don't take your eyes off them. You have an hour after school gets our to straighten things out!" Then Pluto motioned and Magnolia, Raven, Bob, and Angel walked through the time portal that was still there, followed by a pissed off Sailor Pluto.

*~*~*~*

"…and that's why we are here." Little Sage finished with a 'humph'.

Serena, sitting on the couch listening, had showed up as soon as school had let out.

"That was not a smart thing to do! Both of you know what could have happened!" Luna had shown up with Serena, "What would you have done if it didn't turn our so good?!"

"We had to try!" Little Sakura countered.

"We knew we had to leave before the end came, so we did what we had to!" Little Sage added.

"We both know all the cad that could have happened from calling upon the crystal too soon, so don't think we came to the decision easily!!" Little Sakura put in.

"But it was our only choice if we were to be of any help!" Little Sage continued.

"Because these two," Little Sakura pointed at the two sitting behind her, "Aren't strong enough to do jack shit!!" (Imagine…a four year old little girl…^-^)

"Watch your mouth!" The older Sakura reprimanded.

"Just shut the hell up! Unless you want to finish explaining!" Little Sage snapped.

"Serena. This now belongs to you. Use it only when going up against Queen Lagaia. There will be one more time far, far in the future where your descendants must use it, so keep it safe forever." Little Sakura pulled out the Ultimate crystal and handed it to Serena, "You must use it only ONCE."

"Why must I use it only once?" Serena was being her typical blonde self.

"Just never use it more then once. If you do, you will be killed." Sakura said the last part softly.

Serena gently took the crystal and held it gingerly, "I can't."

"You don't have a choice." Older Sakura's eyes were full of sadness. Everyone (including Luna), except Little Sakura developed anime question-marks around their heads and looked a Sakura quizzically. "I remember what my mother told me about the Crystal from the Silver Millennium."

"Time to go." Sailor Pluto appeared out of nowhere.

Both little girls made faces before moving in the direction Pluto indicated. The older two laughed, Luna smiled (the best a cat can) and Serena sat where she was, staring at the immense power in her hands.

*~*~*~*

"…the Ultimate Crystal." Serena had explained her meeting with Sage and Sakura, and then pulled out the magnificent crystal.

"So how are you going to get to her?" Raye asked the question no one knew the answer to.

"With this Crystal." Serena surprised everyone, "I was told that it will lead me to my foe…as long as I know who he or she is."

"When do we go?" Mina was up, ready to leave that instant.

"You guys don't go. Only I go." Serena continued before anyone could interrupt her, "It is too dangerous for us all to go."

"But we are the scouts!!!" Lita jumped up next to Mina, "You can't go without us!!! Otherwise, how are we supposed to do our job and protect you?!?!"

"You are to stay here!!! I am the future queen, not you, so you will listen to me!!! Is that understood?! You will help me more by staying here, not going with me!!! If you all went, I would be afraid for your lives, while with you all here, I know that you will be safe from immediate danger!!!" Serena blew up, then calmed, "Now, if you wish to question my authority, you will face off with me and we will see who rightfully belongs in the throne! Is that understood?"

Lita and Mina both sat down hard when Serena finished, and all four scouts just stared at their leader in shock. Even the cats had their mouths hanging open. Serena then turned and stormed out.

*~*~*~*

"So, Luna, what do we do now?" A stunned Amy questioned after her shock wore away.

"I don't know…" Luna trailed off, "…Go with her in spirit…but we have to stay here like she ordered…"

"But there's got to be a way we can help her!" Lita looked as if she were about to go grab Serena and hurt her.

"You mustn't." Pluto's voice sounded from all around them, "Things are already messed up enough. If you follow, then the consequences would be dire. You must do as Luna instructed."

*~*~*~*

Sitting on her bed, in her room, Serena examined the crystal. She could feel the power radiating from it and couldn't find one flaw in its surface.

'I should go back and apologize to everyone. What was I thinking? I need them for this…' Serena argued with herself, 'But if I let them go with me, then I would have to worry about them…it could end up a repeat of when I went up against Queen Beryl…' She countered herself. 'No. I must go alone. I can do it alone and not endanger their lives. And if I fail, they will have a chance to fix things.' Serena gripped the precious gem in her hand, getting up to leave. "Mom…I'm going out for a while…I'm going to stay the night at Sage's. See you later!"

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That's the end of this chapter!!!