What's with the rapid updating? I have no idea. But I don't think anyone's really arguing with the new chapters showing up. I just really feel like writing this story. It might be the fact that I won't stop playing a certain two songs over and over again. I do so quietly so I won't annoy the other members of the household. Alas, most of the time now when I write, I just listen to one song over and over again. I think I have all the German words to '99 Red Balloons' memorized by now and I don't speak one word of German. Oh well, that's a completely different fanfic altogether…

Just a note: Okay, I don't know the exact rules of the Sailor Teleport, other then what I mention in the story and I'm taking AU privileges and saying I can do whatever I want.

More Notes: (PLEASE READ THIS ONE) 'Game Endless' comes from the Sailor V manga. It's what appears on the screen of the Sailor V game so that she can go into headquarters. (Which as you might know from the Sailor Moon manga are located under the Sailor V machine.) This will make one of the scenes make much more sense for you guys.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or Codename wa Sailor V or anything else.

Warnings: Sad chapter. But hey, at least we get Kaitou's story…

----------------

Close Your Eyes

Chapter Twenty-One

----------------

After discussing it with Luna and Artemis, the two cat guardians said that they should go to the D point of the North Pole by way of the Sailor Teleport.

"But wait, the Sailor Teleport can only take one extra person." Artemis pointed out as they all sat outside Rei's shrine. It was night time now and with the winking stars above them and the wind rustling peacefully in the trees, it was hard to imagine that a great evil was present on their planet.

"Prince Endymion has his own powers." Luna argued. "I think he wouldn't be an extra person. And so does Kaitou Ace."

"I guess I didn't really think about that." Artemis nodded his head. "Then the Sailor Teleport would be best."

"Everyone has to transform." Luna explained to them. The five Sailor Senshi nodded at each other and then held their hands up, four henshin pens and a broach in the air.

"Moon Prism Power!"

"Mars Power!"

"Mercury Power!"

"Jupiter Power!"

"Venus Power!"

"Make-UP!"

When the Sailor Senshi were done transforming, they saw that Tuxedo Kamen and Kaitou Ace had both transformed by this time. They were both wearing masks and while Mamoru was holding a rose, Kaitou was holding a card in his hand, obviously ready for an attack. With a small gesture the card disappeared.

They all joined hands, forming a large circle and began to concentrate all their power. Everyone focused on the goal, which was going to the D point of the North Pole, to stop the Dark Kingdom once and for all.

"Sailor!" Luna yelled sharply.

"Teleport!" Artemis finished and light surrounded each one and went towards the sky in a rainbow of color. They were lifted off the ground and then, they were gone. Artemis and Luna looked at each other seriously.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" Luna asked him, obviously worried.

"I think so." Artemis gave her a small reassuring smile.

-------------------

Usagi was so warm, bathed in light, and then she felt horribly cold. It was like she had landed in ice water, it was so cold.

"It's freezing!" Minako declared, obviously unhappy about the weather conditions.

"It's the North Pole." Rei reminded her. "Not exactly a summer vacation spot."

"Remind me to kill whoever designed these outfits." Makoto rubbed her arms with her hands, trying to retain some of her body heat. Ami pulled out her visor and checked around with it.

"It's in that direction." Ami declared, watching her visor light up and the data readings going by her eyes. "We'll have to walk."

"Let's hope we don't get lost." Makoto looked around with a slight sense of panic at the idea. Everything was white here, it would be impossible to tell where they were going if they didn't have Ami and her visor.

"We probably won't get lost." Rei said, her tone was full of warning.

I have a horrible feeling…something bad is going to happen…

----------------------

Beryl watched the scene in her crystal ball and flew into a rage. Had there been any of the Shittenou left, she probably would have killed them at that moment. How could this happen? How could they have turned Endymion back?

She doesn't deserve you…she never could…

"Doom and Gloom Girls!" Beryl snapped at the crowd of apprehensive youma who were obviously terrified for their lives. What appeared to be five women stepped forward, all with wings and bright, colorful skin.

"Beryl-sama?" The leader asked carefully.

"You will destroy the Sailor Senshi." Beryl commanded them. "Especially the Moon Princess!"

"Your wish is our command." The five Doom and Gloom Girls said together.

----------------------

"We've been walking forever…" Minako trailed off, she was weary of walking in the wind and snow and ice.

"We'll be there soon." Ami replied, trying to keep morale up among her comrades. Usagi was huddled into Mamoru's cape as she walked along so she was a little warmer then the others.

"Makoto-chan?" The male voice made them all turn. Makoto had a disbelieving expression on her face as she saw a tall young man with a kind smile and gentle eyes.

"Sempai?" Makoto blinked in her eyes in confusion but his image did not fade.

"Sempai?" Minako turned and whispered to Rei who only shrugged and shook her head.

"Makoto-chan, come here…" The boy opened his arms. "I've missed you so much."

"Makoto-chan!" Ami called out in alarm, her visor showing her the truth of the matter. "Don't go near that thing! It's not human!"

"What?" Makoto had already started to go forward when she turned her back to look at Ami. This was her mistake. The illusion changed into a winged woman who shot tentacles out at her and grabbed a hold of her limbs.

"Makoto!" Usagi stepped forward in horror as Makoto struggled to go forward against her bonds. The winged woman tugged sharply and Makoto went flying back and four other youma women with wings surrounded Makoto as she fought with the first one.

"We've got to help her!" Minako declared.

"How will we hit them without hurting her?" Rei asked as she watched the winged women.

"Just attack!" They heard Makoto gasp. "Don't worry about me!"

"We can't just attack!" Usagi looked terrified of the idea. "We have to think of another way!"

"There is no other way!" Makoto yelled at them. "Get them now!" They all hesitated, unsure of what to do. Makoto herself was angry. Not at them, they were her friends and asking them to go ahead and attack with her right there was asking them a very hard thing.

She was angry at being tricked, at being stupid, at these youma for using the one thing against her that she thought would no longer hurt.

Sempai…you're my weakness…

She was supposed to be the strong one and here she was, trapped by these youma while the others tried to figure out some plan. Makoto refused to let this happen and so suddenly turned on her captor, no longer trying to get away from her.

So the rest of you can go on…

"SUPREME THUNDER!" Makoto screamed and the lightening hit the youma as the other youma quickly moved out of harms way by going under the ice and snow. But as she was wrapped around in this creature's tentacles, she was electrocuted as well, large amounts of electricity were running through her all at once.

And then there was a huge explosion and when it cleared, Makoto was hanging upside down from a huge thing of ice; the monster she had wanted to kill was dead. She knew she was dying, she knew she was fading from existence. She looked at her fellow Senshi and her princess.

"Makoto!" Usagi cried out and she fell to her knees. "Makoto!"

"Go on Usagi-chan…" Makoto gave her a weak smile. "You have to keep going…"

And Makoto's eyes closed, her whole body going limp at once. Rei turned her head away to hide her tears. Ami was stricken with grief. If only she had warned Makoto sooner...Minako had tears running down her own face, and Usagi was outright crying, something they all wanted to do

But now was not the time. They couldn't let Makoto's death be in vain.

"Come on Usagi." Minako tugged on Usagi's shoulder but Usagi just jerked away from her.

"No, I can't." Usagi shook her head. "Not without Makoto-chan…it's not right…if Beryl wants the Ginzuishou, she can have it! I just want Makoto back!"

In a moment that shocked everyone, Ami walked forward purposefully and smacked Usagi across the face. Usagi held her cheek and looked at Ami with eyes full of tears.

"Are you going to make Makoto's death mean nothing?" Ami asked the blonde-haired girl. "We have to keep moving." Ami's eyes were serious and anyone could see that Ami was trying her best to hold back her own emotions.

"Ami's right." Mamoru knelt down by Usagi. "We do have to keep going, for Makoto's sake."

Usagi sniffled and wiped her face before standing up slowly. They ushered her forward but she turned to look at Makoto one last time, laying there on that large thing of ice and having a hard time coming to terms with the idea that Makoto was dead.

It's not supposed to be this way.

They began walking again but soon, a small blinking light on Ami's visor showed that the winged youma were following them. They were under the ice.

"Everyone, go on without me." Ami told them, stopping and turning to face the youma who were approaching through the ice.

"We can't just leave you here Ami-chan!" Usagi protested right away. "After what happened to Makoto-chan…"

"Please, I have to hold the youma back so you can go forward." Ami spoke in a pleading voice. "Just keep going, I'll catch up with you." It was a lie and everyone present there knew it was a lie. "Go! Do you want to wait for them to attack us all?"

They reluctantly left the blue-haired Senshi there by herself. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She was scared, terrified really, but she had to do something.

"Come on…" Ami whispered, her whole face felt numb from the cold.

One burst out of the ice and grabbed a hold of her legs. Before she could react, it pulled her down and she went under the ice as well.

---------------------

A huge explosion, similar to the one that had followed when Makoto had done her attack, resounded around them. Usagi whipped around and started trying to run back but Mamoru grabbed her arms and pulled her back.

"There's nothing you can do for her." Minako told the hysterical princess. "We have to keep moving."

"What's the point of going on?!" Usagi asked her, she could barely see through her tears. "What's the point without them?"

"The point is that you have a duty!" Rei told her, her voice as fiery and passionate as the element she drew power from. "You have to save the world from the Dark Kingdom! You have to protect the people of Earth! How are you going to do that if you want to give up now and go home?"

"I just want them back…" Usagi shook her head and Mamoru let go of her. She seemed unable to move from that spot but Minako saw that the ice underneath her was glowing blue and so she ran, shoving Usagi out of the way as one of the youma burst out of the ice.

It grabbed Minako and flew up in the air with her. Kaitou stepped forward, throwing one of his cards. It cut through the hand of the youma and it promptly dropped Minako.

Kaitou ran forward and caught her in his arms.

"Minako-hime! Are you okay?" Kaitou asked her.

"I…I think so." Minako nodded and he put her back on her feet. They looked at each other and a clear understanding past between them. Minako looked down, not able to watch Usagi's face as she spoke. "Rei, Mamoru, take care of the princess."

"Minako-chan, you can't!" Usagi cried. "Don't leave me!"

"I have to." Minako looked up and into her eyes. "This is the way things have to be Usagi. It's not me that has to fight the Dark Kingdom, it's you. Mamoru and Rei will be with you."

"Good luck my friend." Rei grabbed Usagi's arm as she spoke to Minako. They shared a smile, the last smile between them and Rei turned, pulling Usagi after her. Usagi did not want to go.

"I won't!" Usagi tried to dig her heels in. "I won't leave Minako here! I don't want her to die!"

"Tsuki no Hime…" Kaitou set his face. "I will be here with Minako-hime, she won't die alone."

Two of the winged youma burst out of the ice around Minako and Kaitou and Rei had to yank Usagi back sharply. Mamoru grabbed Usagi's arm and they both tried to pull her away from Minako and Kaitou who were pushed against each other by the youma.

The tentacles surrounded them and Minako knew the youma were attempting to smother them to death.

I don't die so easily…

"Kaitou…" Minako struggled against the crushing power of the tentacles that seemed to want her ribs to break. She wanted to tell him so many things at that moment but she didn't know where to begin.

It seems like so long ago…I had to win the audition and be the love interest in your phony movie…I didn't know you were the enemy…I thought you were the love of my life…

"In the language of flowers," Kaitou handed a dahlia to her. "It means fickleness." He leaned over, pressing his lips against her cheek.

"I ask of you earnestly, don't be unfaithful…"

I was confused then, I thought you might be the special person who was haunting my dreams, crying out for my help. The one I was so protect.

"The ace of clubs." Kaitou pulled a card from the deck. "A crossroads in fortune, do you love me?"

"I-I love you!" Minako declared, not understanding his abrupt question.

"A lie." Kaitou said while dropping the card to the ground.

That's when I realized that I wasn't the Ai no Megami…I never committed myself just to love. I had to be Sailor V and I had to find my one special person and protect them. Everything got so confusing…

"I love you, don't I?"

Then the attack happened and I had to fight. I protected you the best I could but then as you seemed convinced that I really loved you…that's when I figured out that you weren't the person I was meant to protect.

And you disappeared.

Kaitou tried to brace himself against the pain but it was so much. Minako was looking at him with her large blue eyes and he couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking in these final moments. Was she thinking about the past? And the way it had all crumbled to pieces?

I said that I would be the one to defeat you. I was finally powerful enough that you would notice me but it was all wrong. I told you that I was Danburite and then that I was Adonis, your mystical lover. The person you were destined for.

But you hadn't noticed me in our last life…I was just a foot soldier, no rank, nothing to stand out among the many who wanted to catch your eye. You were devoted to your princess and I wanted you to be devoted to me that way.

When you sell your soul to the Dark Kingdom, can you really be surprised when the evil they put in you takes over and you're forced to attack?

The beam of light fired from Sailor V hit him and he fell backwards, over the ledge.

"There is only one fate…my path ends without ever reaching you…that is my fate." Kaitou said hopelessly as he fell but Minako reached down and grabbed his hand.

And in that moment, I knew that there was only one thing left to do. I had to assure you that you would never have to choose between your love for your princess and your love for anyone else.

The ace of hearts flew up in the air and tore itself apart.

"I'll tell your final love fortune; your love will be hopeless for all eternity." He couldn't understand her horrified expression. Didn't she realize how he had helped her?

His body faded away as she tried to hold onto him.

"I wish things would have been different for us, Minako-hime." Kaitou pulled out his final card. The Joker. The suicide attack.

"Maybe one day…in another lifetime…" Minako gave him a sad smile. "Things will be different…"

Then Minako focused all her power together at once. "Crescent BEAM!" And there was a huge explosion of light as her attack and Kaitou's suicide attack combined, killing the two winged youma around them.

A large thing of ice had exploded from the ground and their bodies hung from it, just close enough that Kaitou could reach up his hand and touch hers one last time.

"She can have the Ginzuishou!" Usagi covered her face, unable to see the sight of the two dead bodies. "Beryl can have it if that's what she wants!"

"I'll…" Minako's voice was faint by there, fading slowly. "I'll never forgive you if you do…"

This is it for Sailor V…

Game Endless…

Mamoru and Rei pulled on Usagi, they had to keep moving but Usagi wanted to grieve over her fallen comrades. Tears were pouring down her face and Mamoru wanted to be able to stop and let her weep but he knew that they couldn't waste the deaths of the Sailor Senshi.

"Look, there's the entrance." Rei sensed the last evil presence waiting for them. Waiting for her. Mamoru and Usagi stared at the cave, with the faintly glowing light coming from it.

"We're almost there Usako." Mamoru tried to tell the blonde-haired girl who looked far from being consoled. "We have to go on."

"How can you just walk away Rei?" Usagi asked the raven-haired senshi.

"It's not any easier for me than it is for you." Rei told her in a pained voice. "But this is what Minako and the others wanted. We swore way back in the Silver Millennium that we would lay down our own lives for you and we have to keep that promise."

A light suddenly appeared in front of them, a ball of light that turned into the elongated shape of a sword. It was Venus' sword, recognizable at a glance.

"Mamoru-san, you should probably take it." Rei seemed very grave as she said this. Mamoru stepped forward and took hold of the sword. "It's not that much further, you and Usagi-chan can make it."

"Rei…you're not…" Usagi's face crumpled up again. "You're going to come too, right? We're all going to get there together…" Usagi already knew that this was not how it was going to happen, that Rei was going to stay put.

"You and Mamoru will get there together." Rei gave her an encouraging smile. "I'm going to help you get there. Go on."

"Baka. You're our princess. You think that means you can do everything? Only you would blame yourself. Baka…"

Rei-chan…even though you were mean to me…you really cared about me…

How do you expect me to leave you like this?

Usagi couldn't help herself and threw her arms around Rei, hoping that the raven-haired girl wouldn't make her leave. She didn't want to think about the others, dead and by themselves…she couldn't stay to grieve over them because they had forced her on.

"Gomen nasai." Rei's voice was tight as though she was going to start crying. "Gomen nasai."

And then she shoved Usagi away from her roughly and Mamoru took hold of the hysterical girl who cried out for Rei but Rei shook her head at Mamoru.

"Go!" She ordered. "Mamoru…protect her…only you can now…"

Makoto, Ami, Minako…I'll be joining you soon.

Just one last fight before I go.

As Usagi left her, Rei felt the evil presence above her and tried to use her attack before the winged woman. "Fire Soul!" But the winged woman dodged and dived down, pinning Rei to the cold, hard ground.

But this youma made one mistake, and that was not to pin Rei's arms. Rei fired her attack, engulfing both her and this screaming youma.

The last one…Usagi can get there safely now.

I wanted to reassure her and tell her that everything was going to be okay.

But I don't know if it will be…

Good-bye Usagi-chan…

--------------------

The manga version of events is a little more hectic and it's only implied that the Sailor Senshi died because get this, Naoko was told by her boss that she couldn't kill the senshi. I read it in the new notes at the end of the re-released Sailor Moon manga. She was really mad when she saw the anime version, which blatantly killed them off and she had to be really vague about it.

I had to pull direct quotes from the translations of the Sailor V manga for the story to make sense between Kaitou Ace and Sailor V. The only reason I am angry at Kaitou Ace is really just because the ending is so sad because Minako is so sad when he dies. I wanted them to somehow pull through but knew it wouldn't end up happening as Sailor V is the prequel of Sailor Moon and she isn't with him then. (Though there are several moments in the manga where it shows Sailor V holding an ace of hearts but that doesn't really count.)

So I did the anime thing. It's more emotional right there in the anime then it is in the manga in my opinion. And I know, I know, Ami and Makoto, the poor neglected characters. I don't find it easy to write about them, I have no idea why. Minako and Rei just come more naturally to me…I guess that's just the way it goes. Usagi cried a lot in this chapter...small wonder I suppose but I kept thinking about just knocking her out so they could get there easier but then decided against it. Please review!