"Ah, come on Jeddy!" Usagi exclaimed, pulling on the man's arm, grinning madly.  "I'm sure that the woman was truly interested in you!"  She grinned even wider at Jedeite's annoyed look.  They were strolling downtown Seattle, using the excuse of shopping.  Usagi had an itch to get away from the others, and she hadn't been to visit her favorite's malls in so long.  After all, seven years is a long time.

He sighed, and couldn't help but perk up at Usagi's happiness. When she had arrived back from Japan, she had been so miserable, she seemed like an entire new person.  But now, she was so happy, like her old self.  It almost made him –almost, not quite- forgive those she had left behind, including the enemies currently threatening the Earth.

Another point he thought often of.  Before meeting Usagi, he had lived with his friends, not really understanding, nor caring, about the battles Sailormoon and the senshis were fighting.  But now, the danger was up close and personal, he was almost, afraid.  He could not remember a single time he had ever been truly afraid, before meeting this silvered moon bunny.

Usagi's laughter cut off abruptly, and she stopped dead, eyes blank.  Jedeite tugged urgently on her arm, trying to snap her out of it, but she remained unseeing.  He pulled off of the busy sidewalk, and carried her to the nearest café, attempting to revive her the entire time.

It took nearly five minutes, but she finally blinked, and her eyes lost their glassy look.  She immediately began swearing, quite fluently, dropping from English into Japanese quite easily.  Jedeite rocked backwards slightly, trying to think back to the last time he had heard someone so angry.

Usagi finally calmed herself, and pulled Jediete with her as she quickly exited the building.  "Come," she said, not bothering to elaborate.

Damn, Jedeite sighed, there goes happyUsagi.

"What the hell is with these monsters?" Sailormars cried, blasting another one with her fire.  "They just appeared out of nowhere!"

"Yeah, just like us!" Sailorjupiter replied glibly.  She launched another blast of thunder grinning maniacally as a few droids exploded.  "Maybe they followed us!"

"Highly unlikely," Sailormercury replied, scanning them even as she froze them, searching for clues to their previous location.  She could only tell that they were indeed from the Black Moon, the name their current enemies had taken for themselves.  Not good not good not good... she chanted in her mind.  She blasted another that was getting far too close to Jupiter, and looked around, taking in the state of the others.

Venus was on her feet, but barely, her sword out in front of her.  She had a long gash down her leg, but she was fighting hard.  Jupiter was now laughing insanely, as she blasted droids left and right, but she appeared alright.  Ami was unable to follow Prince Endyimion's movements as he worked his way though the army, and so she was unable to assess his health.  Probably alright, she thought, he never seems hurt even when each of us are down for the count.

As her eyes wandered over Mars, she noticed the pale tone of her friend's face, and her grew wide.  They had forgotten that Rei wasn't completely suited to the power of the crystal, and that she was not as adept as their princess at wielding it.  But here the fiery soldier was, battling with all she had, alternating between the crystal and her own fire.  But she weakening, and Ami tried desperately to get to the other soldier.  She had to warn her!

Just as she killed the last of the droids around Mars, she felt something hit her in the back, and all was black.

"No!" Usagi screamed as she saw Mercury attacked from behind.  She didn't move any more then three steps from her hiding place when the bleu haired soldier had been snatched by a suddenly-appeared-Beritie.  She jumped into the fight anyway, lashing around her with pure force as she fought out her grief.  The remaining droids died under her anger, and she couldn't help the sweet satisfaction that welled up in her at the sight of the barren former-battlefield.  But that won't save Ami any sooner, she berated herself, and looked around her truly for the first time since seeing her friend taken.

"Aw shit," she cursed, in English at the sight of three remaining senshis and one Prince who were watching her with eager surprise.  "Shit shit shit."  She backed away quickly, her face going blank, and felt Jedeite approached her, still hidden, from the treeline.  She thanked whatever listening deities that the abandoned park was truly that, abandoned, and no civilians had been attacked.

She reached out with mental arms to Jediete, a move that all five of them had practiced between themselves, and felt him pulled her to him, effectively helping her disappear.  They quickly made their way back to their apartment, leaving the senshis behind.

Damn.

"Was that really her?" Mako asked, letting her transformation go.  "She seemed so, well, different."

Minako sighed.  She should have seen this coming, but clear-voyance was Rei domain, not hers.  "Of course she is different.  Photo-Usagi was a great different then our Usagi, remember?"  she sat down, ignoring the dust all around her.  "I think we should concentrate more on finding Ami, and where the hell these monsters came from.  Maybe they will lead us to Ami-chan."

Rei joined in, and they mapped out a plan, beginning with finding a hotel room for the four –hopefully, five once again- of them.  They ignored the dazed Endymion, who was still staring after Usagi, in the direction he had last seen her.

Usa~ko...

Oh, this is fun!  Sorry it took so long to get out, but I blame it all on school.  (Even though it didn't stop me from working on my GW/SM fic, I know.  Shh…)  I am attempting to finish this fic for thanksgiving.  I've even got the plot mapped and everything.  And remember, reviews make me happier, and a happy me will not drop this fic in digust!