The Pulse

Part 14

Author: SANTA CLAUS! Duh, it's me baka!

Wow! As of now, this is the longest ficcie I have ever written, not counting the Tenchi series thingy I wrote that got deleted when my hard drive crashed *sighs* So much lost…Anyways. Well, Pluto fans, here's her big part. Now, as we look at the pattern, who wants to guess that by the end of the chapter, she won't be alive? Muhahahahahaha. *deep breaths* Sorry. Okay, just so you all know, there is one more big twist in this story, so don't give up hope that your fave character won't live to the last chappie! Okay, long enough intro. Don't own the anime.

-Nyneve

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"Ready?"

"For what?"

"I think we'd better head down there."

"Yes, you're probably right. I saw what will happen, and by the end of the day we are going to have five very confused young men on our hands."

"It's kind of a shame. If the Senshi hadn't fallen in love with them, they wouldn't be dead."

"Well, that's the way it goes, isn't it? Let's go."

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Trista stared out the window at the gardens below her. Everyone had agreed that it was for the best that she stay at the Quatre's house. However, she had gotten into about six arguments with the boys that morning alone about whether or not she should accept Night's challenge.

Sure, it was absolutely insane to fight her just for something stupid like revenge. Why sacrifice herself for that?

Because you know you have to Trista answered herself. She knew exactly what would happen. She would lose the fight, the Gods of Time would appear to explain everything, and then…

She bit her lip. She couldn't bear to think about what would follow. Not when she had made the biggest mistake of her life by falling in love.

Sighing, she left the woods to go see her friends. She had visited them the night before, but it didn't seem to be enough.

Inside, she saw the four beds in a row, with the four girls lying on top of them, unconscious. Raye, Amy, Mina, Lita. All there, in one second, gone in the next. Oh, they weren't really dead. But their souls were dying. In a matter of time they would be nothing except empty, comatose shells of humans.

And what would that make the others? Quatre, Duo, Heero, Wufei, and Trowa. Would they ever learn their true destiny? Not to fight, but to kill? To die?

"Trista," a soft voice called. The Guardian of Time spun around to find that she was not alone. Trowa was standing by the doorway.

"Oh, you startled me," she murmured, taking one last look at her friends before she approached him. The wandered down the halls and out into the sunny weather.

Neither of them said anything. It was funny like that. Maybe it was because both of them hardly ever spoke that both of them felt so close. The only communication they needed was the occasional reassuring hand squeeze.

Finally, they sat down together under a tree. Trista leaned against the weathered trunk. "I've decided to accept Night's challenge."

Trowa studied her closely. He had sensed from the very beginning that she was separate from the other girls. She seemed so much older, and wiser. Somehow he knew that if she made the decision to fight, she had made the right one.

"I'm coming with you then," he said.

"You can't do that for me Trowa. It's pure luck that none of you have been killed so far. If Mina and the others went down so easily, what's stopping you?" she replied.

"Nothing. But I won't let you go in there alone. I can't lose you Trista," Trowa said solemnly, gently caressing her cheek. "I need you with me."

She closed her eyes as she lay her head on his shoulder. "I know you do. And I want to be there for you. But we can't always get what we need. If we did, there would be no pain or suffering in the universe. It would be unreal. That's not what life is Trowa," she murmured. And the golden silence that had given them the bond was resumed.

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That evening, Trista pulled on her trenchcoat and went into the living room where the others were waiting.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye. If I don't come back…" she was cut off.

"If you don't come back neither are any of us," Duo said firmly. She stared suspiciously at him.

"Trista, what Duo means is, we're coming with you. All of us," Quatre replied calmly.

"Why?" Trista asked, realizing there was no way to change their minds.

"Because, it's our only opportunity to bring Night to justice. It's as much of our battle as it is yours," Wufei growled. Trista looked at them one by one, realizing the pain they all went through when they saw the Senshi lose.

Trowa, I hope I don't cause you that pain Trista thought. "All right then," she said out loud. "If you're all coming, I'll teleport us. Hold on though. It can get pretty rough."

Suddenly, the room melted away and was replaced by a gray vortex that spun around. They seemed to stay in it for about a minute, then the vortex was replaced by the clearing where they had all first met.

"Well, here we are," Duo said grimly. "Wonder where Night is."

"Right here," said the demon in question, as she jumped down from a tree, grinning broadly. "Nice to see you Pluto. You've made it so convenient for me too. Bringing the remaining Shard-bearers with you."

"If you lay a hand on them I swear…" Trista glared daggers at her.

"Well, I can't make any guarantees after your death, but just so you know I'm an honorable woman. I promise not to hurt your annoying friends while we fight. And just to prove it," she raised her hands and a bold of black energy shot out of them and formed a dome around the pilots.

"What the H*** is this?" Duo yelled, reaching out to touch the dome. The energy had solidified into something hard and clear.

"It's a shield. It'll protect you from any stray attacks that may come from Pluto or myself. And when one of us dies, it'll break and you'll be free," Night explained, then turned to her opponent. "Now then, if you're ready?"

Trista nodded, then pulled out her henshin pen. "Pluto Crystal Power! Make-up!"

The silver column surrounded her and when it cleared, she stood in her outfit, grasping onto her staff.

"Good. Let's begin. Ebony Blindness!" Night called out. As she did, smoke appeared in the clearing, causing everything to go black as night. Inside the dome, it remained light, but no one could see outside.

"Where are they?" Quatre asked, looking outside the dome. There was a scream, and suddenly, a red light appeared in the darkness.

"Pluto Deadly Scream!" came Trista's voice, and the purple orb of energy blew all the black smoke away. She was wounded, but still fighting. Night grinned.

"Oh, did I hurt you? I'm sorry. I just couldn't see you in the dark. But now that it's better, I can aim better can't I?" she remarked. Raising her hands, a silver staff topped with a midnight blue orb appeared. It was almost identical to Trista's.

"Like it? Inspired by the Time Staff, of course," Night replied. But in the midst of her cocky speeches, she saw that Trista too was more than ready to attack. Unfortunately, she saw it just a little too late. The orb had blasted her into a tree.

Trista smiled slightly, hoping her opponent was finally beaten. But it was too soon to celebrate. Night had staggered to her feet, barely alive.

"So I will die. But your goal is not reached. I will kill you, and Death shall be victorious. Screech of Morrigun!" she barely managed to call out. A black sphere of energy flew from her staff as she fell to the ground and evaporated. The dome shattered, and the pilots ran forth.

Trista closed her eyes, and let Destiny run its path. The orb smashed into her, sending her into oblivion.

Moments later, Trowa reached her. She was unconscious, and still clutching the Time Staff desperately. Carefully, he lifted her into a sitting position.

The others watched silently.

"So all five of them are gone, huh?" Duo asked a while later. But then something strange happened. Trista's body began to glow dimly. Soon, she was nothing but a collection of glittering purple particles that flew off into the night sky. She was gone.

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Told ya. But like I said, don't give up hope! There's one more plot twist! R+R everyone!