(Version 1.2)

SailorsPathfinder : Love and Without

By : MakotoJade – makotojade@hotmail.com

Episode 11 : Change your mind?

            Kino Makoto wasn't what you would call a genius, but she wasn't dumb. 

Average grades, could usually grasp the situation easily... usually...

            "We're WHERE?!?!"

            "On the other side of the galaxy."

            The brunette shook her head, "But, Rei... that's impossible, I mean...

isn't it?"  She looked crazily around, "I mean, it looks different... but a

different PLANET?!?"  She looked at the purple grass surrounding her, "This

could be America... they always have new things... you know, purple grass, green

flowers... hey, and it could just be some really bad pollution-- "

            "Two moons?  C'mon Makoto, I doubt even America has two moons."

            Makoto looked up into the night sky.  "Yeah, well... it just doesn't

feel any different... all I remember is blanking out, and it didn't feel like I

was out for that long... are you sure?"

            "Ami's computer is."

            She sighed, "Okay, well, I guess that's right then... still is weird-"

            Suddenly they both heard a scream from across the field.  Rei looked over

towards where the sound had come from, and then turned back to Makoto with a

sigh.

            "Well, I guess Ami helped Usagi put two and two together."

            "Oh, you mean Mamoru, and how he's probably around here somewhere," Makoto

supplied.

            "Yeah, though I'm beginning to doubt that notion of mine."

            "Why?"

            Rei sighed, "Well because of the different circumstances... sure, it was

all done by crystal, but when we were taken, we were taken by youma.  From what

Usagi says, Mamoru was taken into the crystal after an image of a girl appeared

on the side and was talking about something... a girl and a youma aren't the

same thing.  Plus, I've been thinking about the crystals.  Now, I don't remember

too much about night Mamoru died-- disappeared, but I think that crystal was

different in some way... shape, size... I'm not sure.  But then... how many

people go around snatching other people in crystals.  It just doesn't make

sense!"

            Makoto closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them again, "You might

be right about different crystals.  I'm not sure, I didn't get a good look at

that crystal at all that night.  But as for youmas and girls... you're right, I

wonder if--"

            She was cut off as Usagi suddenly appeared next to the both of them,

"Guys... Ami says Mamo-chan might still be alive and out there somewhere!!  We

have to go look for him, please!!"

            Rei sighed, "Usagi, we have to stay here for awhile, help the other Senshi

teach the rest of these girls about their powers."

            "Whhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyy?!?"

            Rei stifled the urge to yell at her not to whine and went on, "Because

they are scared, and they need our help, and besides, we don't know what's

outside the fence.  There might be a battle coming that we need to fight, and

they all need to be ready."

            The blonde pouted, "Oh, that's what Ami said..."  She then got up and

walked a little ways away from them and sat down, her back to them.

            Rei sighed, and almost turned to Makoto to say something again... and on

second thought looked over to Usagi... she looked fine... no...  Rei looked over

at Makoto. The other girl nodded.  The both got up and walked towards

Usagi.  Halfway there, they could hear her soft sobs...

            Rei knelt down in front of her and hugged her.  The blonde hugged her back

and sobbed into her shoulder.  Makoto knelt beside them, hands on her knees.

            "I-it's ju-just that h-he... I thought he was g-gone... an-and now," she

paused and sucked in a breath, "Oh-oh Rei... I-I want to go f-find him... if

he's alive... I-I have to see him... have to..."  the crying took over again. 

            Makoto smoothed her hair as Rei continued to hug her, "It'll be all right,

Usagi-chan, you'll see, it'll be all right..."

            *            *            *

            Risa wandered about the soldiers.  They were screaming, laughing... but

there were bodies all around.  So sad to lose so much to win... win... WE

WoN!!!  Hydra is dead, we can all live--

            "RISA!!!"

            She spun towards the voice calling her.  A Pathfinder waved her arms over

her head, "QUICKLY!!!  It's the aliens!!"

            Aliens... No!!  Ann and Alan!!

            Risa sprinted over to where the other girl was.  She paled at the sight...

"Oh, Alan..."

            Alan looked up at her, blood flowing down his face from a gash on his

forehead, one of his eyes was swollen shut, his clothes tattered, he looked

severely beaten up... and he cradled the unmoving Ann in his arms... "Risa...

Risa, we have to get back to the tree... quickly... Ann is.. dying..."

            Risa stood in shock for a moment, thought about something she had heard

long ago, then swore and sent out a mental call for some other Pathfinders.  She

turned to the girl whom had hailed her, "Listen, you get three others to help

you, and you take these two back to the camp QUICKLY and help them go where they

need to go, and to do what they need to do, understand?"

            Two Pathfinders jogged into view.  "But Risa, camp is so far--"

            "Teleport."

            "Tele-- but how?!?"

            As the two arrived, a fourth girl appeared and began to come closer, "Join

your energy, form a matrix around them," she waited until the fourth girl was

standing near before she continued.  "One of the things I was taught about in

the past was to teleport others with the help of other senshi.  Hold hands and

form a circle around them, then visualize a sphere about all six of you,

glowing, luminous, encompassing all of you.  Then, just as you would when you

teleport, visualize the place you are going, and then go.  I have never done it,

but in theory it should work perfectly, try it now... and HURRY!!"

            The one girl nodded, but the first still looked at her, "But why don't

you--"

            "Because I have to look for the others, and for the off-worlder whom

helped us, if these two were fighting, he must have joined the fight as well--

now go!! they need attention, and fast!!"

            She looked to Alan, "Go... save her."

            Alan didn't even look up at her, but merely nodded and held Ann carefully.

            The four girls formed a circle around them, and then they began to glow.

            Risa stepped back and watched as each of them extended their powers,

somewhat shakily, and attempted to connect with each other.  As power touched

power, they intertwined and strengthened, and slowly a sloppy circle formed,

then it strengthened, growing stronger, brighter, tighter; until the light was

so great Risa had to look away.  And then, with the slightest whooshing noise...

they were gone.

            Good luck...

            Now where the hell is everyone else.

            *            *            *

            Sage slowly opened her eyes.  Her body ached in a variety of different

places, and in places she didn't know she could feel pain.

            She carefully pushed herself up into a seating position and looked around

her..

            "Good Goddess!!"

            She was surrounded by wreckage, tons of it.  She slowly looked around as

she remembered what had happened.  Leeota must have set off the bomb, but

how... only I knew how to take the armaments off...

            Suddenly another thought occurred to her, if all this wreckage was around

her, why wasn't she a part of the wreckage?  She should be dead.  And then she

noticed a mysterious fact... there was a circle in the wreckage... a circle

around her, just big enough for her body... but she was safe, and none of the

wreckage had been able to fall on her... as if someone had been protecting

her...

            "LEEOTA!!!"  Sage called out into the semi-darkness of the wreckage. 

"Leeota!!!"

            She got to her feet.  Climbing through the nearest amassing of steel and

rock, she continued to call her friend's name as she searched.

            "LEEOTA!!"

            *            *            *

            Endymion slowly pushed himself up to his feet, he was racing Hydra in his

mind; for if she got up before he could... it was all over.

            They tied.

            She slashed down at him with her sword.  "Foolish tricks you try.  How did

you do that?"  she demanded.

            He countered her blows.  "Do what?"

            "Stupid fool.  How did you knock us halfway across the field?  You didn't

harm me in any way, and you knocked yourself down in the process.  Such fools

humans are."

            "You were human once."

            She snarled and spat at him, swinging for his head, "Damn FOOL!!!  I asked

you a question!!"

            Endymion shrugged as he swung away and struck out at her, "I didn't do

anything, I believe the Pathfinders did though."  He grinned, "Look at your

castle."

            She glared at him... and then her eyes suddenly widened.  Continuing to

fight, she struck his right side harder until he was forced to move around in

order that she might see her castle...

            And screamed.  "NO!!!!!!"

            He was still grinning when the first wave of power struck him as Hydra

abandoned her sword suddenly and attacked him with her orange energy.  The

powerful blast carried him halfway across the field, charring his armor and

burning parts of his clothes.

            Endymion struggled to get up, but suddenly she was standing over him.  

"DAMN YOU!!!  DAMN YOU ETERNALLY!!!  YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED LONG AGO,

AND NOW I WILL FINISH IT!!  DAMN YOU ALL!!!"

            Endymion saw the orange power erupt from her hands... only to be

intercepted by a burst of potent red energy.  The contact of the two powers

caused an explosion, burning his skin, and blinding him.  But it was a

diversion, and he scrambled to try and move.  The earlier blast had hurt him

severely, but he managed finally to roll a few meters away.

            For only a moment did he wonder what had happened, when he heard Risa's

voice, "You, witch, were supposed to die, and you WILL NOT kill my friend!!"

            He turned, blinking hard to make his eyes work again, to see Risa

standing, facing Hydra, hands outstretched to attack; he was about to cry out to

her to run, for there was no way her power could equal Hydrazite's... when he

noticed about ten Pathfinders behind her, and another seven behind Hydrazite.

            The queen swore, and screamed in rage-- and suddenly jumped into the air,

a black portal opening above her head, "YOU WILL NEVER WIN!!!"

            She was gone.

            Endymion saw Risa, exhausted, fall to her knees, then look at him.

            "Risa.." he said weakly... and then went unconscious.

            *            *            *

            Swimming... swimming in green.  Too much of it... no air... drowning.  A

voice. Hard to hear.

             There is so much I have to do, 

              But I have enough to spare to help you... 

              They need your help, and he will too...

            Such a beautiful voice...  Breathing... something bringing her up from

below, pushing her back to the surface.... air... swirling... thoughts...

sounds... her name...

            *            *            *

            Sage tripped again and fell into a tangle of wires, burning herself and

cutting up her legs even more.  "OW!!!  Why does this have to HURT so MUCH!?!?!" 

She pulled herself over another piece of metal and called out again, "LEEOTA!!"

            "Sage?"

            Sage spun, looking around, "Leeota?"

            "No... It's Clasiea."  Sage turned to see a Pathfinder in purple uniform

behind her.

            "Oh, Clasiea..."  But it wasn't one of the normal Senshi uniforms... it

was a uniform of a guardian.  Suddenly a thought occurred to Sage.

            "Why are you here?"

            The other girl shook her head, "Not sure, I guess because while the others

were all celebrating... it occurred to us to look for Leeota... and you."

            "Us?"

            "Me, and Keeta, Janite, Darna, Ol--"

            Sage interrupted her, "All of you are guardians, right?"

            The girl stopped and nodded.  

            It's like they were all called here... Leeota must be alive here

somewhere...

            Suddenly, as if to respond to her thought, she heard a weak voice...

"Sage?"

            Both Sage and Clasiea's eyes lit up as they looked at each other and then

together called, "Leeota?!?" 

            "Here," came the weak reply.

            Sage rushed to the spot and began to pry rocks up, Clasiea joining her in

a second.  After a few moments, they finally pulled two of the heavier rocks

away and uncovered her.  

            Sage winced as she saw the way Leeota was twisted in the rocks.  But,

surprisingly... somehow... as they pulled her out, nothing seemed to be broken. 

She was just very weak, battered, and bruised... and she looked like she had

been severely sunburned.

            "What happened?!?" asked Sage, "How did you set it off, what did you

do?!?!"  She and Clasiea supported her as Clasiea directed them towards the edge

of the wreckage.

            Leeota smiled softly, "I figured out how to use my greatest power."

            Sage gaped at her, "But you-  you never-  That's why you look so burned!!"

            "You went into that room and never came out... heard you scream... went

in... too many of them.  Had to save you, and kill all of them... used my

power."

            Sage shook her head, "You could have died..." 

            Leeota simply smiled, "Had to save you... who would I have to torment me?"

            Tears formed in Sage's eyes as she controlled the emotion in her voice,

"I'm gonna have to yell at you later, running into a room, when I specifically

ordered you not to.  Disobeying your elders once again..."  She trailed off and

then looked at Leeota, "Thanks."  

            The younger girl grinned at her.  "No prob."

            Then she wiped her eyes and continued, "By the way... how did you set off

that bomb?"

            Clasiea piped up, "Hey, Sage, she's a little tired here, maybe you

shouldn't make her talk so much."

            "Oh... oh yeah."  They reached the edge.  Sage looked around.  "Lotsa

happy people... where's Risa?"

            Suddenly a Pathfinder ran up to her, "Sage!!  Risa... she fought...

Hydra's STILL ALIVE!!"

            "WHAT!?!?  Where's Risa?"

            *            *            *

            Hydra pushed herself up from the dirt.  It had been awhile since she had

teleported last, and she never was good at landings.  As she stood up and

brushed herself off, dark thoughts filled her mind...

            I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!  DAMN THEM!!!  All of everything was in that

castle... there are still the other bases around the world... but... DAMN!!!

            She looked around.  She had teleported to the nearest place she could

think of... and the best place for her to be at...

            She strode up to the doors of the farming facility.  The DarkNite at the

door immediately bowed and then let her in.  She walked through a short hall,

and then emerged into the central room.  Everything in attendance looked up.

            At once, they all gasped and bowed.  She looked around until her eyes

landed on her general in charge of this mission... and, it seemed, her only

general, now.  Damn them!!

            "General, you may rise."

            The General stood up, "Yes, my queen.  May I ask why we are graced with

your presence."

            "The castle is gone."

            Several youma gasped, yet all remained bowed to the floor.  Good

discipline...

            The General gaped, "Surely, my queen, it cannot... how-"

            "The vermin.  They struck, and somehow destroyed it.  That is of no

concern now, however.  Is my army prepared?"

            The General paused for a moment, taking the news in, and then speaking,

"Why yes, my queen.  Three hundred from around the galaxy."  His eyes lit up for

a moment, "Oh, and I think you'll really enjoy this... one of them is Sailor

Moon... Princess Serenity."

            Hydra knew how wide her eyes were, and how excited she would sound when

she shouted, "Show her to me!!"

            The General shouted a command to one of his DarkNites, when suddenly, in

her excitement, Hydra had an idea, "WAIT!!  Wait... how are you dropping them in

to the pen?"

            The General looked at her, confused,  "Well, from a portal about eight

feet above the ground-"

            "Perfect!!  I never was good at landings anyways..."  She paused for a

moment to think... and then laughed...

            "SO PERFECT!!!!!!!!!"

            *            *            *

            Sage pushed her way through the crowd of senshi surrounding Risa... only

to have Risa push past her.  "Hey-- wait!!"  she called as she turned to follow.  

            When Risa reached the edge of the crowd she turned around and yelled,

"WHAT?!?!" only to notice that it was Sage.  "Oh!  Sage, sorry... it's just...

Damn!!  We tried so hard, too...  And then, well, look--"  She motioned behind

Sage.

            The green haired Senshi turned, and saw Prince Endymion's lifeless body

being slowly lifted by three other Pathfinders.  She gasped and turned back to

Risa, "What happened?!?  And what did they mean Hydrazite is still alive?!!?"

            "She is alive, Sage, I saw her fighting Endymion... she wasn't in the

castle for some reason... and she about killed him... oh, Mamuru..."  She gazed

beyond Sage again.

            Sage looked back and saw four Pathfinders surrounded in a sphere of light,

Endymion held in their arms... and then they teleported.  With now even more

confusion in her mind, Sage turned to look at Risa, to ask her how those senshi

had just teleported with a non-senshi... and stopped as she looked into Risa's

eyes.  Her friend continued to stare at the spot Mamoru had just disappeared

from.  And there was emotion... fear for him... and love... so much love...

            Oh GODDESS Risa!!  You fell in love with him!!  Don't you know who he

is!!

            Risa turned then to look at her and sighed, "Come on, we have to see what

our status is, and then get back to the camp.  There is a lot to do."

            Sage suddenly remembered her insight from earlier and said, "Wait a

minute... what about Ann and Alan?  Where are they."

            Risa sighed and her shoulders seemed to fall even further, "Come on, I'll

tell you on the way."  

            *            *            *

            Minako sighed as she showed the girl her transformation pen once again. 

"See, you have one too... We all do.  If you think about it hard enough, it will

be in your hand, or in your pocket..."  She motioned putting her hand in her

pocket and pulling out the wand, "See!  Wow!!  It's there!!"

            The other girl simply stared at her.

            Minako sighed and stood up, "Don't worry, I'll figure out how to tell you

yet..."

            She turned and walked over to where Rei was sitting watching Ami fiddle

with her computer.  The Rei looked up at her.  "Well?  How goes the training of

the new senshi, oh great leader of the inner Moon System Senshi?"

            The blonde groaned and punched the other girl in the arm, "Oh, hush, and

stop it with the great leader crap, I can't help it if these girls think I'm

famous or something."

            "Oh but you love it don't you?  They copy everything you do, they love

you!"

            Minako glared at Rei, then pulled down one eye-lid and stuck her tongue

out at

her, "Nyah.  Shut up!"

            Suddenly both of them heard several, "Nyah"'s and looked to see about

seven girls pulling their eye-lids down and sticking their tongues out at each

other or Minako.

            Rei was rolling around on the ground in a hysterical fit.

            "SHUT UP!!"  Minako cried in despair.

            Seven "SHUT UP!!"'s could be heard echoing her.  

            Now Rei was laughing so hard, she couldn't even get a sound out, her body

just shook, and tears streamed from her eyes.

            Minako leaned over her and whispered, "Please!!  This is not funny!!"

            Rei gasped for air, and started to say something, but took one look at

Minako, and burst into another fit of laughter.

            Minako groaned and then stormed off and walked over towards Usagi and

Makoto. 

            Usagi had her finger on one of the girl's foreheads, her eyes were closed

and she was chanting something.

            After a minute, she pulled away her finger and opened her eyes.  The other

girl then opened her eyes and looked at her.  "Princess!!  Where am I... wait a

minute... I thought--"

            Usagi smiled and motioned to Makoto, "She'll answer your questions, I have

to go help the others."

            The other girl smiled, "I understand, my Princess.  And it is so good to

see you alive!"

            Usagi nodded and smiled and moved away.  Makoto then came over to the

girl.  Minako walked over to Usagi.  Her friend looked over to her and smiled,

"Hey Minako-chan."

            "So you figured out how to give their memories back?"

            "Yeah, Makoto and I talked about it, and then I transformed into my

Princess form, and it just seemed obvious how to do it."

            Minako looked at her, "And you can do it in your normal form, too?"

            Usagi nodded, "Yeah, and it's a good thing, because it takes me a lot of

energy to transform into my Princess form, and a lot of energy to stay that

way... and it takes a lot to do this to each girl's mind.  So doing it in my

normal form helps a lot..."  

            She sighed, and Minako noticed circles under her friend's eyes.  "Hey,

girl, you okay?"

            Usagi smiled and looked as if she was about to say 'yes', but then she

frowned, "No, I wish I was looking for Mamoru, I am tired... and I'm starving!!"

            Minako pointed over to one of the far fences, "There is like a weird mash

to eat that is in a bowl like thing over there.  One of the first things Ami did

was to look for food, because everyone was starving.  She made sure it was

edible, and it is.  It just keeps appearing, almost like we're farm animals or

something."

            Usagi nodded, "I know, and I've eaten it, and it's nasty.  I still eat

it... but it doesn't fill me at all... I eat tons of it... it doesn't do a

thing, I'm still hungry."  She closed her eyes, "Oh, what I wouldn't do for

nachos, or a strawberry shake... or a pizza!!"

            Minako grinned at her, "Don't worry, we'll get back, and I'll have a pizza

party at my house!"

            Usagi turned to her, "You'd better keep your word on that or I--"

            There was shouting coming from the other end of the field.  Another

senshi?  Minako thought.  Ami said that we reached 300 girls and that's when

the drops stopped happening... why 301?

            Suddenly she saw a glint of armor, a flash of a cape... and dark hair.  

            She gasped-- Just as Usagi screamed and sprinted away.

            "MAMO-CHAN!!"  Her heart-aching cry ripped through the field.

            *            *            *

            Rei couldn't believe her eyes.  A portal had just opened from above, and

Prince Endymion had just fell through.  He hit the ground, and then pushed

himself up to his feet and looked around.  Other senshi were shouting at him,

and towards Usagi...  "Mamoru..." and just as the words escaped her lips,

Usagi's cry tore at her heart.

            Faster than humanly possible the blonde raced through the field and dove

into his arms, sobbing.  "MAMO-CHAN!!"  She cried.  

            Rei wanted so desperately to run into his arms as well, but her mind

wouldn't let her feet take a step.  For the longest moment, she couldn't take

her eyes off him.  But then, she suddenly SAW him... was not just gazing at him,

but SAW what he was doing.  His arms still at his sides, he stared in disgust at

the girl clinging to him, sobbing.

            What the hell?

            A thousand possibilities went through her mind.  Loss of memory had

happened before... but... Dammit!  Go with your old instincts, Rei... you

thought he was dead--

            She turned to Ami and whispered, "Ami!!  Scan him!"

            Her friend looked at her, bewildered, "What?  Look, Rei... he's alive!!"

            Rei shook her friend by both shoulders, "WAKE UP!!  Ami!"

            Ami seemed to look at her for the first time, "What?"

            "Look, it's not him, at least I'm pretty sure it's not him, so scan him

with your computer, see if it is!!"

            Ami looked at her confused, "But, why--"

            "JUST DO IT!!"

            Ami instantly brought up her computer, hit a few buttons... and gasped...

"You're right!!  It's not... and whatever it is... it's energy pattern matches

that of... oh no...!!"

            "What!"

            "Of the denizens of the Dark Kingdom."

            Rei screamed, "USAGI!!  GET AWAY FROM HIM!!  HE'S NOT ENDYMION!!  RUN!!"

            *            *            *

            Usagi's heart had never known so much pain and joy... she couldn't believe

it... how was it possible.... but she didn't care... as long as he held her...

but wait... he wasn't holding her...

            Then she heard Rei scream.

            What?

            Usagi looked up into his eyes, "What do they mean?  I don't--"

            "Shh..." he said, "Don't let them change your mind..."  He leaned down to

kiss her, and she closed her eyes and leaned up towards him... she so longed to

feel his lips on hers... Just before they connected, she heard him whisper, "Let

me..."

            She only thought about that for a split second... before she could no

longer think at all.

            *            *            *

            Rei watched them kiss, and then Usagi pulled away and looked up at him.

            And suddenly he was no longer he... nor a "he" at all.  A woman with

vividly bright orange hair turned an grinned at Rei.  

            "SHIT!!!"

            As Rei cried out, other screams went up around the field.  

            The woman simply laughed, "You must be Sailor Mars... far to quick for a

human... far to cleaver."  She turned to Usagi, "Well, dear, now why don't you

be a good little Princess and do my work for me..."  She motioned at all of the

senshi, "They think I'm bad, why don't you change their minds?"

            Usagi was suddenly Princess Serenity, and turned away from the woman.

            Her eyes were dead... blank.  She raised up her scepter and began to

chant.

            With a flash of insight, Rei realized what was going on.  She raised up a

hand towards the Princess, "No Serenity!!  NO!!!"

            And then there was a blinding flash of light... and she couldn't think of

a single thing to do... or even think... for that matter...

            Her mind simply echoed one thought.

            DO AS HYDRA COMMANDS, PATHFINDERS MUST DIE

End Ep. Eleven.

(Version 1.2)