Chapter 3: Which Once Was Sought...

Usagi, Rei and Luna all sat at the round table in the middle of

the meeting room. "Why don't you just see him?" Rei asked suddenly,

breaking the silence that had held them for several moments now. Usagi

looked to her, starting to say something, but quickly dismissing the

thought of arguing with her. "I know I should.." she said, resting her

head down upon the tabletop. She was drained, it seemed, not really

having the strength nor the ambition to actually do anything. "Well, if

you aren't going to see for yourself, stop acting like a child." Rei

scowled, turning her head in disgust,"Princess." turning just enough

to offer Usagi a heated glare. This was enough to grab Usagi's

attention, to what effect known only to her as she merely stood from

the table, walking up the small stairway and out of the Crown.

"Rei-chan.. you were right." Luna added carefully, as if afraid that

Usagi might hear. "I never said I wasn't."

Makoto stopped to catch her breath, collapsing onto a near

bench as she passed through the park. "This is hopeless." she

admitted to herself, sighing loudly. "Usagi-chan, I'm sorry." Kino

Makoto, desperate to see her friend's happiness from a once lonely,

desolate life before meeting the senshi. It was this reality that

fueled her as both a friend and soldier. She began to stand, even as

tired as she was. "Ma..ko-chan." an almost wickedly sweet voice called.

Makoto eyes grew large, turning quickly as she had no doubt as to who

the voice belonged to. "Ami-chan!" she called, the nega-tranced, former

soldier stood there, a devious smile upon her lips. "All alone out

here, Mako-chan..." shaking her head as she began to near her,

swinging her arms rather innocently. "It's most fitting," Ami ended.

Makoto took a few careful steps back,"Ami-chan.. no.. you have to stop

this!" Ami only smiled, steadily walking towards her. "You aren't the

prey of choice... but you'll do. You all have to die either way. You

should be honored to be the first," that same mischevious smile showed

itself as Ami went into her henshin stance. "Ami-chan don't!" "Dark

Power ... Make-Up!" Ami entered the henshin sequence that would leave

her as the reborn soldier of the Negaverse, Dark Sailor Mercury. "I

won't fight you, Ami-chan!" Mercury merely laughed, raising her hand

skyward, dropping it quickly to reveal a sword carved of pure Ice.

"Then you may not last five minutes."

"No more!" screamed Mamoru, his voice dripping with agony. He

hung loosely from the ropes he'd been binded with, his head lowered

to the floor. "Endymion.. quitting? No.. I don't want to remember you

like this. Where's the man that showed no compassion for his people?!"

bringing the whip down upon his back once more, warranting another howl

from the imprisoned figure. "Enough." another voice called. The female

that had been standing in front of Mamoru faded into nothingness,

leaving only the trails of spent nega-energy in its place. Mamoru tried

with all he could to look up, to see the face of the real enemy. "My

dear Endymion.. all that was said was true.." stepping from the shadows

would be the form of Queen Beryl, the dark attire that she adorned

almost glowing in the radiance of her even darker smile. She brushed

the tips of long, crimson colored nails along his chin,"Do you not

recall?" as she snatched his chin into her hands. "You'll be sure to

remember when I am done." she hissed, reaching down to take the fallen

whip into her own hands. "Beryl." commanded a masculine voice that

protruded from the shadows. "We should have this man killed." the voice

belonged to the general, Kunzite. Beryl turned to him, noticeably

offended at the way he would speak to her. "Learn your place, Kunzite!"

He smirked devishly, tilting his head in her direction. "Master no

longer holds any purpose." Mamoru squirmed some in the bindings,

"Master?" recalling what Zoisite had been telling him. "If he remembers

it will bring us nothing but pain!" Kunzite yelled, the echo of his

voice drawing the attention of others, primarily a close Nephrite and

Jadeite. "Kunzite I will allow no such disrespect from you. Your

only concern is the princess and the Ginzuishou." she said sternly,

staring him down in his place. Kunzite displayed the playful smirk once

more. "As you wish." offering nothing more than a cynical bow before

turning away. Mamoru looked up as he recognized the last of what was

said,"Princess..." quickly passing flashbacks of himself and Usagi,

dreams he'd had of the Princess and the determination he had himself

to get his memories back. "You don't need to worry about the princess

my love." Beryl said quietly, gripping the hold of the whip strongly.

"There's only you and I now." drawing her arm back and bringing it

down upon the already tattered form of Chiba Mamoru.