Lifelines
Rei
By : MakotoJade

**The following is a stream of consciousness story. The thoughts take place within the mind of one Rei Hino as she watches her friends die during the final battle with Beryl/Metalia. I remember watching the episode as Rei stared off into the distance, and I wondered what was running through her mind. This is one interpretation.**

Sailor Mars stared at the sight; it wasn't happening! It couldn't be... NOO! She wanted to yell out the word, but she couldn't do it, her mouth wouldn't form the word... Not Minako! It should have been me, now I'm the only one left-

Sailor Moon was sobbing, screaming. Why is this happening? Luna trained us, we practiced! These demons are strong- oh so strong, but we are stronger! ... we were stronger ... Her mind went into a flashback as the events of the past weeks came to her...

And as the four of them stared, Usagi, Sailor Moon hovered in the air for a moment, and then her costume shredded and reformed. A brilliant white light flashed... and then a Goddess stood in Sailor Moon's place. Sailor Mars gasped along with the others. Then the Goddess opened her eyes, and immediately fell to her knees calling Tuxedo Mask. Zoicite blasted energy at her, but with a word from her mouth, the Goddess summoned enough force to slam him against the wall across the room. He fell to the floor. In the next few moments, a memory exchange went on between the Goddess and her dying prince, and then she was Sailor Moon once more... and fainted. The others rushed to her side - And Sailor Mars found herself holding Tuxedo Mask, shaking him, begging him to wake up... until he was abruptly snatched by Beryl.

The emotions caused by that moment now resurfaced. Sailor Mars found herself glaring for a moment at her sobbing leader... Why did she deserve him? None of them deserved any of this, and it was all… ALL because of her. Why her, why ALWAYS her? The flashbacks continued...

They were desperately trying to get out of the tower. Sailor Moon was weak... and whining... and then Kunzite was there, ready to attack. Venus and Jupiter tried, but to no avail. Then Sailor Mars stepped forward as a raging blaze of hatred filled her, and attacked... but he simply batted her and her attack away and she found herself semi-unconscious. She could vaguely sense Mercury trying to protect the newfound princess, but then her defiance was quashed as well. Sailor Moon was alone, cowering in fear. Then... almost telepathically, Minako reached out to Sailor Moon, encouraging her. Deep within the body of Sailor Jupiter, Makoto
encouraged Sailor Moon as well. Although Rei felt they were dead already, she joined the chorus and added her bit. But as Ami finished her words...

Sailor Moon seemed to change, she stood, and alone "For my friends", with nothing but love in her heart and mind, "For our UNIVERSE!" defeated Kunzite.

She was strong... occasionally, but weren't they always helping her out? Sailor Mars turned and grabbed the distraught Sailor Moon and pulled her, stumbling, up the side of the snow-covered hill they had been standing near the base of. Then she stopped at the top, staring off into the distance , as another memory came... no... not one memory, but a rush and jumble of many memories...

Usagi had been so jealous when Rei and Mamoru had gone out on dates... why? Was it not petty jealousy but that, pressed down, behind other things, shadowed by Usagi, lay the memories of a Princess, longing for the man she loved? Then there was the utter and absolute devastation which Usagi went through... and still was going through, every waking moment of every minute of every day since that shard had ripped through Tuxedo Mask.

Rei knew she liked him, thought she might have loved him, but as she saw that devastation... she knew she would never have been like that... that total and utter destruction... even as Usagi laughed, there was a pain behind her eyes.

They had been on a snow covered hill not long ago and Usagi had pulled that locket out and played it... Rei probably would have bashed her head in had not she seen where Usagi had pulled the locket from... the left breast pocket of her shirt... over her heart... They had no time for that, no time! But yet, there it was…

And then the most vivid memory shimmered into existence. The teleport to and vivid recollection of the Moon Kingdom and Queen Serenity. Seeing Endymion and the Princess, and their love for each other. Kunzite attacked them and they were too weak. Jupiter, Venus,
Mercury, and Mars Powers combined could not stand long against Kunzite's assualt. And, then, as they, who felt they were strong fell to their knees, she stepped out of their protection and batted back Kunzite's lethal attack, killing him... not a glimpse of fear passing her features
the entire time, she wanted to save her friends...

The insight slammed into Sailor Mars. She was wrong, so totally and utterly wrong. Usagi was stronger than she ever would be... her heart was bigger, more loving, then all of theirs combined. And, with that strength of heart, she could defeat any enemy. Because of that damnable optimism and eternal belief in all that was happy, beautiful, shiny, and cuddly-fuzzy in the world, she would always triumph in the end.

She was strong... oh so strong... She deserved Mamoru more than Rei ever would... And not only that, but if there was even the slightest chance that the world would be saved in the end… Usagi would be the one to do it.

Sailor Mars realized that Sailor Moon had been shaking her, begging her to go back, to train more, to fight later… I don't want you to die Rei!

Inside Rei burst into tears, outside Sailor Mars turned to Sailor Moon, with a love in her eyes and explained to her that she alone was the only one strong enough to defeat Beryl. She told Sailor Moon that it was time for her to go. Then she smiled, turned, and ran to fight.

In her last moments as the darkness consumed her, satisfied at how many she had taken down with her, she wished with all her might that Usagi had known how great she was... and she wished she had given her a hug good bye.