.::´¯`·..·´Chapter Three`·..·´¯`::.

"Oh, baby," said Usagi quietly, "I'm sorry, I know I over reacted." They had driven up a winding mountain road to a high class restaurant Mamoru had to practically give a limb to get a reservation. Mamoru had gotten the corner table for them, and the leaned in close and talked softly.

"Honey, it's okay," said Mamoru. "I probably would have reacted the same way. If I saw you on a date with another guy, without an explanation, I'd probably feel the same way." Usagi nodded thoughtfully, and decided now was not a good time to tell Mamoru that Luke had invited her out for mini golf – a strange thing that had apparently come over here from America – the next evening. Mamo-chan might take it the wrong way. "She and I really weren't do anything," he continued. "I just kept her so late, and I think she lives alone, Usagi. I know what that's like, you know?" Usagi nodded.

"Yes."


"I just didn't want her to have to go back to her apartment all alone with no food. And it's not like I spent money on her – I had gift certificates." At this, Usagi laughed.

"Oh, Mamo," she said with a smile. "I love you, and your rationalization." She winked and he sighed, relieved. He had thought that he was going to lose her.

"I love you, too," said Mamo with a smile.

"How long will you love me?"

"Now that's a silly question," said Mamo. He squeezed her leg. "I can't imagine not loving you, Usagi. At least until next Tuesday," he teased.

"For real, Mamo, how long?"

"Forever, Usagi. Only death can part us," he said. She leaned against him, murmuring to herself.

"I'll toast to that," she said, raising her glass. "Until death do us part."

.::´¯`·..·´¯`·..·´¯`::.

Haruka breathed hard. "You won't get away, Sailor Moon!" She shouted out a transformation, and continued following the girl who, except for her normal Sailor Moon guise as apposed to Eternal Sailor Moon guise, could have been Usagi's twin. Sailor Moon jumped over a fence, and Haruka vaulted after her.

"Will you just leave me be?" asked Sailor Moon. "Haven't I suffered enough?!"

"What the hell!" said Uranus. "You're not even the real Sailor Moon! Evil is not tolerated in this System, let me tell you!"

"Oh, what do you Senshi know if evil and injustice?" Sailor Moon turned to face Sailor Uranus. Her voice was loud and angry. "What makes you think you know anything?"

Sailor Moon turned, and Uranus took a running leap at her, tackling the girl to the ground. "Who are you?" said Uranus, shaking the girl violently.

"Who are you? How can you ask that question? Don't you understand?"

"No!" exclaimed Uranus. "I don't and I don't think any of us do."

"Let me go!"

"Why don't you just detransform? I'd never hurt a civilian." Sailor Moon scowled, and, surprising Uranus, punched her squarely in an eye. Uranus reeled back, and Sailor Moon squirmed away. "Moon Beam Paralysis… STRIKE!" Uranus was hit with an attack the likes of she had never felt. Her limbs became heavy and rigid as she fell to the ground.

"We could have been sisters," said Sailor Moon, and, shaking her head sadly, dashed off. Moments later, Uranus came out of her stupor, but it was too late.

.::´¯`·..·´¯`·..·´¯`::.

"She's not normal!" said Haruka with wide eyes. Michiru reached for her hand; she hadn't ever seen Haruka this spooked. They sat on the couch while Haruka related the story to Michi.

"I just don't understand it," said Michiru, putting a bag of ice over Haruka's eye and holding it there gently.

"She sure packs a killer punch," said Haruka, forcing a smile.

"Does it hurt a good deal?" asked Michiru, concerned.

"Don't worry about it," said Haruka. She rubbed her sore back and stretched her arms toward the ceiling. Michiru frowned. "What is it?"

"I don't know, Ruka… It's just seeing you so frightened – "

"I'm not scared," said Haruka, flexing a muscle and winking the eye that wasn't swollen.

"Scared of what?" asked Setsuna. She hung her white lab coat near the door and ran a hand through her hair. She was tired. The evening at the observatory, though it was only midnight now, had felt long.

"There's another Sailor Moon," said Haruka, trying to speak levelly and calmly.

Setsuna laughed, but her laugher turned nervous and anxious, and finally stopped all together. "What do you mean?" she asked softly, but she knew exactly what was happening. She tried to inhale through her constricted lungs.

"Setsu?"

"No," she said, "Keep going," she put a hand on a table to steady herself.

"Well, Ami actually called for you yesterday, and told us about it then. A monster appeared, a strong one," said Michiru.

"And? What does this have to do with another Sailor Moon?" Setsuna snapped at Michi. Haruka glared.

"Well," said Michiru, continuing more tentatively. "The monster was powerful, even too powerful for Usagi, maybe, though she didn't get the chance to find out."

"Why?"

"Because another Senshi showed up. Another Sailor Moon."

"Honestly? Have you seen it?" Sestuna's face lost color. Haruka took off her ice pack.

"Oh, I've seen her, alright. Pesky bugger." Setsuna inhaled sharply.

"She's not just some shape shifter?" she asked.

Haruka shook her head. "I think she was too powerful for that. She had this paralyzing attack - - my limbs were completely immobile!"

Michiru added, "Ami-chan said that Usagi was knocked out for much of the day because of the monster, and the other Sailor Moon destroyed it with one attack." Setsuna's stomach churned, and she shook her head, disbelieving. Finally she said,

"It can't be! It just can't! How could she find out?"

"What?" asked Haruka.

"How could she know? It's just impossible! She was never meant to have any recollection of anything that happened back then! Impossible!" she said, collapsing on the couch, babbling to herself. "That's the only word for it. Not implausible… IMPOSSIBLE! It just can't BE!"

Haruka and Michiru were taken aback. "Setsuna?"

Setsuna took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She held her head in her hands for a moment, before speaking. "I can't say anything until I see her. I don't want to reveal what is not necessary..."

"If it's this important, we ought to know, regardless!" said Haruka.

Setsuna looked to her friends, with wide, scared eyes. "It could change all you ever knew."

"We can handle it," said Michiru softly, comforting. "We're your friends, Setsu, whatever it is, we wont tell any one before you want us to."

"Trust us," added Haruka. All the color had left Setsuna's face now. She inhaled deeply and slowly, and clasped her hands together as she spoke.

"It was never supposed to be known to any one, save three, that on the day Neo Serenity was born, she was not born alone. There was Serenity, and Selene. I should not even know this – but Selene and I, for a while, were like sisters. She lived with my Aunt Destiny. She trained, day and night. She had powers like none could believe. Even if people had known of her existence, they couldn't have possibly believed it. The righteousness, the goodness she had along with all that power! I – I loved her."

"Wait – " Haruka arched an eyebrow, and Setsuna managed to laugh.

"Not like that. She was my sister. But I could tell no one ever, on pain of my life. That is why I was sent to guard the gates of time," she said softly. "Such a lonely existence, all for her sake, because she could never be known! And they were afraid that she would be known… She was a goddess!"

Haruka inhaled sharply. "A what now?"

"She was no normal Senshi. She had powers and goodness like a Goddess."

"Then why is she doing this?" asked Michiru. "Why would she be coming after us?"

"She didn't hurt Usagi, did she?" asked Setsuna. Michiru shook her head. Setsuna looked to Haruka with a half grin. "And Ruka-chan, I'm sure you did nothing to provoke her."

Haruka grinned. "Hey now, let's not point fingers."

"But it still doesn't quite fit," said Michiru. "Its like she wants to take Usagi's place."

"I almost understand it," said Setsuna. "She's a Goddess, she's always been apart. Her life has been denied for more years than man has the ability to count. Since prehistory she has had no history, nor a future. She has probably come to seize what is her own…" Setsuna frowned, standing. She wandered across the room, followed steadily by three eyes (Haruka's left eye had swollen shut.) "It just can't BE!" she murmured, and they heard the door to the kitchen slam. Michiru and Haruka were silent, and the sound echoed a very long time.

.::´¯`·..·´¯`·..·´¯`::.

They were heading back into the city now. Usagi had fallen asleep on Mamoru's shoulder, and he shifted carefully. He smiled at her face, so pale and serene in the moonlight. He let out a sharp cry and swerved his car suddenly. Usagi was thrown against the door, and she screamed. A lurching monster was in the center of the road. "Mamo!" she cried as they swerved off the road and onto the shoulder. Mamoru hit his head with a hard thud against his window. Usagi opened her door and rushed out to battle the beast.

"Moon Eternal – "

"Usagi, hold your horses," came a voice. "I've been chasing this sonofa for five blocks!" Sailor Moon was panting. Usagi stumbled back, confused. "No!" she exclaimed.

"Moon Eternal – " Sailor Moon shoved Usagi to the ground, Usagi landing roughly. She hit head on the car door handle, and blood trickled down her temple.

"Moon Scepter Annihilation!" she heard Sailor Moon's cry, and a bright light flashed that hurt her already aching head. "Moon Beam Paralysis! Scepter Annihilation!" This monster was stronger than the other. Mamoru was stirring, and when he saw what was happening, he took flight from the car and ran to the aide of Sailor Moon. She smiled toward him, though she was banged up. "Tuxedo," she whispered. He defended her person as she aimed several more attacks. Soon the monster was nothing. He took her in an embrace, smiling.

"We've still got it!" he exclaimed.

"Oh yes, my love," whispered Sailor Moon, pulling Tuxedo Kamen close. Their breath was hot in each other's mouths as they shared a kiss, soft lips pushing away from each other and tongues barely touching. Out of the corner of his eye, Tuxedo caught a glimpse of something stirring. Usagi was blinded by tears, but she had seen enough. "How – " she didn't finish her sentence. She snatched her purse from the car, and dashed the few blocks to her house. Tuxedo's mouth dropped, as he looked back to Sailor Moon, who was frowning.

"I'm sorry," she said, and she looked like she meant it. "How can I help loving you, though?" She backed into the shade of the trees, and before Tuxedo could interrogate her, she was gone.

He got back into his car, mouth still dropped low, disbelieving. How could he have done that? In front of Usagi? He sped away recklessly, unthinking, uncaring.