Mercury Twilight and Executioner's Law

by KingofMercury

Executioner's Law begins on Chapter Nine. Chapter Eighteen is now up. Sailor Moon and Executioner square off in a high-stakes main event. The prize? The future of Tokyo!

8. Epilogue

EPILOGUE: MERCURY FALLOUT!



Sailor Moon looked out from atop the Tokyo Tower over the rest of the city. It was the best vantage point from which to inspect the damage. Virtually no part of the city was untouched by disaster! Buildings were toppled, fires raged out of control in some quarters, every window it seemed was broken, and cars were strewn like confetti, not a few of those were in pieces!

The worst part about it all was the cries of the people. The city's officials and some of her teammates had done an excellent job of evacuating everyone while they fought Dark Mercury, but hundreds were still dead or injured. Thousands more were missing, buried in wreckage, or else just lost, wandering somewhere in the city. The citizens of Tokyo had begun to filter back in as soon as the Sailor Scouts assured the National Guard the crisis was over. The people had been jubilant at first, but that joy was squelched by the fact that over half the people in the city had lost their homes, and one out of every five had probably lost someone they loved.

Television signals had returned to normal after the 'Gorgonite' was destroyed. Birdie said that the size of the vessel might have blocked TV signals from getting out of the city, preventing transmissions of any kind. Of course that meant that once the TV signals returned, the News Reporters would inevitably take to the streets and seek out answers to their questions. They would jockey like lions over a carcass to see who would create the best coverage of the aftermath of Dark Mercury. Sailor Moon knew her team- mates were talking to the press right now, but she just couldn't face them. She was still wracked with grief from losing three of her friends. Before the end of the week she might yet lose four or five. Alan and Ann were listed as critical by Doctors and taken to a Field Hospital they'd set up on the Suburbs of Tokyo.

Sailor Moon shivered, but not because of the wind. The faces of Hotaru, Raye, and Saiya haunted her thoughts.

She remembered Sailor Nova Proxima approaching her.

"Sailor Moon?" she had asked.

"Yes?" asked Serena. "What is it?"

"I have a message for you, from Sailor Starfighter," Proxima replied. "It was the last thing she said before she took her own life. She wanted me to tell you that she loved you very much."

"Saiya's.. dead?"

Proxima nodded somberly. "She died to take down the 'Gorgonite'. She. saved my life. She probably saved us all."

Sailor Moon nodded silently then burst into tears. Saiya may have been immature and annoying at times, but she was as good a fighter and an ally as they came. To hear those words from Nova Proxima had touched her heart. The weight of losing three people as good at heart as those who had sacrificed their lives to ensure victory pushed Serena practically to the edge of insanity. Of course, there was nothing she was feeling right now that Sailor Mercury probably wasn't feeling, times ten.

Amy had been holding back her emotions though. Even after the battle, she acted coolly, albeit as sad about their loss as anyone else. But Serena didn't need to be a genius to know that she was holding back an ocean of grief. She couldn't begin to imagine the strain of knowing that it was the embodiment of all of Amy's dark emotions that had taken the lives of her three friends, not to mention Neo-Queen Serenity and all the billions of people from future times who had been crushed by her might! Mina had told her that Amy had even felt briefly suicidal after hearing the story Sailor Pluto told them between battles. She needed to go to Amy sometime in the next few hours and try to get her to let out her pain. After all, holding all her feelings in had been what led to Dark Mercury in the first place.

She heard a footfall behind her, and she glanced over her shoulder at Jedite. The blonde haired general was still wearing his uniform from the Negaverse, but he seemed eager to remove it. Jedite was instrumental, Serena had heard, in the Japanese counter attack that had wiped away the remnants of the Black Moon Fleet.

"Jedite," Sailor Moon acknowledged. "I thought you were at the Press Conference with the others."

Jedite shook his head and went over to stand next to her. He walked a bit unsteadily because of the slope of the Observation Deck due to the tower's listing. "No, I have nothing to offer the Press that the Senshi can't provide. Besides I thought maybe you needed someone to talk to.

Sailor Moon looked at him. "You were..worried about me?"

Jedite blushed slightly. "Worried is such a strong word," he protested stubbornly, looking away from her. "If you don't want to talk to me I'll go if you want.."

"Thank you, Jedite. Don't try to be so cold. You're a bad liar."

Jedite smirked. "So what's on your mind?"

Sailor Moon sighed. "A lot of things. Most importantly I'm wondering about the future. So much has changed.. Nothing will ever be the same again.. We may have beaten Dark Mercury, but in some ways she has won. I'm sure Pluto told you the future is no more. Time is literally rewriting itself starting from this moment in time. It's scary, living in a world that no longer has a destiny."

"True, it is unnerving," Jedite conceded. "But it's all in the way you look at things. We may not have a destiny, but thanks to you and your friends, we DO have a future. Thanks to you and Trista I have a future now. The future is what you make of it anyway. Think of this as a second chance. I mean now Amy has a chance to NOT become Dark Mercury. Don't you think that's a comforting thought at least?"

Serena smiled. "That IS pretty comforting. But I don't think Amy realizes that."

Jedite had to agree with that statement. He looked down at Tokyo and shook his head. "For now the future is uncertain. Tokyo will be a long time recovering from this war. It's important that you and I see this, you know? From this vantage point. We're going to have to serve as witnesses for our friends."

"Witnesses?"

"What I mean to say is, get a good look now. Remember what you see from this point on. The rest of us are going to need you and I as witnesses in the months to come. We're going to need to remember this, because we'll need to know just what it is exactly that we'll be blamed for."

Sailor Moon was shocked. "BLAMED FOR?!"

Jedite only nodded. "Yes. It may seem rather illogical, even downright idiotic, but the people and officials of Tokyo are going to want a scapegoat for this disaster. They may consider you girls heroes for now, but I guarantee you, that will change. The only thing that is uncertain is when exactly that will happen."

"Why would they turn against us like that?" Sailor Moon couldn't swallow this, but she found she couldn't dismiss it either. Jedite, as a former General, probably knew way more about the behavior of masses than any of her friends put together.

"Because the enemy is gone. All trace of her is vaporized, you said. The fleet she commanded is vaporized.. her Flagship now lies at the bottom of the Pacific, unrecoverable. With no one else to blame they are going to point the accusing finger at you and your Senshi. It will begin slowly at first, it will probably start with the media if I'm any judge, and then it will permeate in the masses later on. You'll all go from heroes to pariahs in a matter of weeks or months, take my word for it."

"I can't believe that, Jedite," Sailor Moon tried to shake off the feeling of dread that was growing inside her. What if he was right? His argument was certainly sound.

"The others are all sure of it, Serena," Jedite insisted. "Why do you think Galaxia and the Nova Senshi left so soon with the Starlights. They left almost the second the battle ended. There would seem to be no reason to do so, except the fact that they are off-worlders, and would be the first ones to fall to the blame. It makes sense, Sailor Moon, you just don't want to accept it!"

Serena thought back to that morning. The Sun was barely rising in the East as Galaxia stood before the Earth Senshi. She and her kind were dressed in Space Suits, ready to go back to their ships still sitting in orbit and leave for Kinmoku. Serena DID think it kind of odd that she would leave so soon without even helping with the rescue efforts.

"It is not from a lack of caring, Sailor Moon," Galaxia explained to her. "But it's complicated. One day you'll understand how it is. We cannot stay and help any longer. But before we leave, Sailor Moon, know this.. We will meet again someday. Until that time I am proud of what you did last night, standing strong in the face of such a monster as Dark Mercury. You have earned my respect, and that is something I do not give lightly. You make us all proud."

Galaxia and the rest left after those words were spoken. Even now Sailor Moon was wondering why she left so hastily. Now Jedite was giving her a reason, but it was NOT the reason she was expecting to discover.

"You're right! I can't accept this!" exclaimed Serena. "I can't believe they would just abandon us to such a fate like that!"

"Sailor Moon, you act like they're your friends or something, but they're not!" Jedite argued. "They may have helped you against Dark Mercury but only because it was in their best interests to. Do you think they would have stepped in if Dark Mercury hadn't threatened all of existence? They have their own problems to worry about! Galaxia doesn't have the time or the patience to get involved with you girls. In fact considering your history, I'm amazed they showed up at all!"

"What does THAT mean?!" Serena freaked.

Jedite looked like he regretted saying it, but it was too late. "I guess you don't remember it. That's not surprising. You don't know the HALF of what went on back then but then I don't blame you. It's not something a mother would be willing to tell her daughter."

"Jedite, you're not making any sense! What happened?! What is this deep dark secret you're suddenly hinting at?!" Serena was feeling deeply frustrated. "What does it have to do with my mother?"

"The Moon Kingdom was born over half a million years ago," Jedite explained calmly. "What memories you do seem to have are all idyllic and rather fuzzy remnants of a previous life. What little you actually know came from your feline friends. The Moon Kingdom was founded by a bunch of Senshi who were kicked off Kinmoku because they had tried to transform Kinmoku into something it wasn't: an EMPIRE! Your distant ancestor was responsible for many deaths and she was exiled to this Solar System. It was she who founded the Moon Kingdom. You are a direct descendant of that person. THAT is why Kinmoku owes you NOTHING! Do you understand now?!"

"SHUT UP!!" Serena screamed. She turned and began pounding his chest with her fists. "JUST SHUT UP! That's not true!! The Starlights, they would have come to our aid regardless of their political standing! Galaxia was happy with me that I saved the Universe from Chaos!"

"Then why did she treat you all like children when she arrived to fight Dark Mercury? She told you to step aside and let her handle it. You may not have noticed, but her tone was that of a mother to her children. She honestly had no idea you guys had it in you to beat Dark Mercury. And that was probably another reason she left so quickly. The fact that she couldn't do the job and you guys did. She was embarrassed. So she packed her bags and left you to catch the flak. I can't understand why you refuse to see the truth."

Sailor Moon shook her head, tears were in her eyes. "No. You didn't hear what Galaxia's last words to me were. You have it all wrong. Maybe at first she didn't think I could beat Dark Mercury but she realizes it now. And she's NOT embarrassed about it! Because she told me herself that she was PROUD of me! And I could tell that she meant it! I don't know who told you this stuff! It's BULLSHIT!!"

Jedite turned away. "Pluto told me.. Are you questioning the word of one of your own Senshi, Sailor Moon? Maybe SHE needs to lay it out to you. You obviously don't trust me enough yet to take MY word for it. I'll go and tell the others you're just fine. Sorry I bothered you."

Jedite left the deck and soon his footsteps down the metal staircase faded away. Sailor Moon was left with his last words still hanging in the air around her. Sailor Pluto had told him what he just said?! But why?! Why didn't she tell HER?!! Didn't she, as a direct descendant of the Royal Family of the Moon, deserve to know her Kingdom's own History?! Bloody though it may be?!

Serena looked back out at Tokyo numbly. Trista.. If this is true.. Why didn't you tell me?!

* * * *

Despite repeated pleas from the Senshi to slow down and talk one at a time, the Press was trying to ask as many questions as possible at the same time. Whenever this happened, Sailor Pluto would close her mouth and scowl at the crowd until they got the message and quieted down.

"So what you're saying is," said one Reporter, "that this Dark Mercury hated Sailor Moon so much that she came back in time to kill her everyday?"

"I wouldn't put it quite that way, but yes," replied Pluto.

"What did Sailor Moon do that pissed her off like that?" asked another.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not at liberty to discuss the private lives of the Sailor Senshi at this time. Next question."

"Where are the other nine Senshi who helped you guys fight her?"

Sailor Pluto replied, "One of them is dead. The rest are already headed back to their home world."

One Reporter raised her hand: "Besides the damage to Tokyo, what else has this woman done? In other words, you said you lost some friends. Could you tell us who died in this battle?"

"Sailor Saturn, who died as a result of a kamikaze maneuver that didn't work as planned; Sailor Mars, who died in the process of taking away Dark Mercury's main weapon; and Sailor Starfighter, who died in order to destroy the Mother Ship's Reactor. There are several of us who are also hospitalized even as we speak."

"Now," said Pluto. "We will hear a prepared speech from Sailor Mercury on the battle. I would ask that no questions be given until the speech is over."

Sailor Mercury walked onto the podium. Her face was ashen gray, and her hands trembled slightly as she ascended the stairs. Sailor Pluto took her seat with the rest of the scouts.

"Would it be too much to ask if we all observed a moment of silence for those who gave their lives so that Tokyo could be saved?" The members of the Press and the audience nodded and bowed their heads in respect. For a moment, there was silence, but then it was over all too quickly.

Sailor Mercury gulped. She wasn't very good in front of crowds, and the message she was about to deliver would shock her friends as much as it would the Press. But she knew this had to be done. She knew there were things that the audience, the entire world, needed to be informed of, even at the risk of destroying her reputation forever.

"It is to my great sorrow that I must come before you and reveal what I am about to reveal. However, it is essential that you know the whole story. Though the rest of my teammates would object, the truth will have to come to light sooner or later.

"Therefore, I will tell you all that I know about the enemy whom we defeated just 12 hours before. Dark Mercury comes from the 40th Century. Her mission apparently was to destroy Sailor Moon, and create a new reality for her to rule by destroying this one. None of you have any idea how close she came to achieving victory."

Sailor Uranus leaned over to Sailor Neptune. "What's she revealing that they don't already know?" she whispered.

"I believe she's just getting started," replied Neptune.

"I am aware that you knew this from the accounts of my teammates," Mercury continued. "However, what you are unaware of is the fact that Dark Mercury was ME! She was my future self from the 40th Century!

Sailor Pluto jumped to her feet. "NO, Sailor Mercury!!" she exclaimed.

Sailor Mercury plowed on. "She was in love with the Kamen named Tuxedo Mask, the same Tuxedo Mask who helped all of you evacuate from the battle zone last night. Unfortunately, Tuxedo Mask was betrothed to marry Sailor Moon, and so she couldn't have what she most desired." Sailor Pluto's chin had dropped, and her face was white, but she sat down. A haunted look was in her eyes.

"As the years passed, Sailor Mercury became more and more emotional and extreme. She began to dislike Sailor Moon, and to plot against her. One night, an asteroid carrying dark energy from the distant world of Nemesis landed on her planet and poisoned her soul. She suffered a breakdown in which her good side was destroyed forever, leaving only the hatred and evil she had collected over the centuries. In the 40th Century, she betrayed the Sailor Scouts and murdered them! She then went on a campaign back in time to kill the Sailor Scouts and tear the fabric of reality asunder. She was finally stopped here, and if she had won, you would all be bowing to her power right now!"

The Press couldn't contain itself! The crowd exploded into questions and comments. Cameras flashed from all over. Reporters frantically began taking notes in their note pads. The entire crowd was in chaos from this unbelievable account, and the Sailor Scouts sat there, looking shocked. A few scowled at Sailor Mercury, taken aback by her unannounced revelation of the future. If this didn't turn the people against them, then nothing would!

One of the Reporters jumped on that thought. "So what you're saying, Sailor Mercury, is that if not for you guys, Dark Mercury may never have existed?"

Sailor Mercury shook her head. "No. That is not what I meant. I don't want you to place any blame on my friends. The Sailor Scouts as a group are not at fault. Indeed they should be commended for sustaining the losses they've sustained, and still managing to stop a force more powerful than imagination."

"What about what we lost?" asked a woman in the back, in indignation. "We suffered from this far more than you! The Sailor Scouts don't have to worry about homes and family members lost!!" The rest of the crowd began to second her.

"The utter NERVE!!" Sailor Venus protested. "They obviously don't think WE have personal lives too, do they?!"

"What can we do? We can't tell them any of that without telling them who we really are now, can we?" Sailor Neptune calmed her down. "I don't know what Amy is thinking but I'm sure she'll do the right thing. Just sit back and let her do her thing."

Before the protests could gain momentum though, Sailor Mercury interjected her voice once again. "I am truly sorry about all your losses! Please, hear me out!" The crowd slowly quieted again. "I am truly sorry about all those who died needlessly! I am beyond sorry about the damage, the missing people, the billions of dollars in economy this country will suffer as a result of this catastrophe! I cannot express my apologies enough that some of you may never have a home here again! I cannot express how it feels to see you all victimized and hurt by this! No one feels this way more than me, but make no mistake, it is not the fault of the Sailor Scouts! They have given their all to save all of you time and time again!"

"Who should we blame then?!" asked the first reporter. "This Dark Mercury is dead!"

"It is no one's fault!" Sailor Mercury pressed on. "The people dead and wounded; The people who lost something in the battle zone.. The dead Sailor Scouts.. The dead rescue workers and police officers and paramedics, and so on.. All the demolished property and fires and explosions.." Sailor Mercury's voice broke and she hung her head in shame. "That... That is no one's fault... but my own."

The crowd's momentum suddenly went still. They stopped yelling and looked at Sailor Mercury, shocked. Her friends were either in tears or gazed at the speaker with eyes full of pity.

"Are you saying you are taking the blame for all this?" asked a Broadcast Journalist with a microphone held out toward the speaker.

"Let's face it," said Sailor Mercury. "Dark Mercury was born because of me. She is every dark emotion that I've ever felt, magnified and multiplied by hundreds. If I were never a Sailor Senshi, then none of this would ever have happened! You would all be going about your daily lives normally right now if I had never even touched the power of the planet Mercury! No, my friends, all the destruction and suffering is my fault and mine alone! I strike all responsibility from the rest of my teammates, for they sacrificed three of their own beloved comrades to stop me! It is a responsibility I will carry all the rest of my days!"

The crowd stayed silent for another heartbeat after Amy finished. A few were deeply moved, others were busily writing as much down as they could, the rest were so overwhelmed by this information they just stood there in shock.

"I don't believe her!" Katsie sobbed quietly. "She just stood there and directed all their blame and anger at herself! She'll never be able to show her face in public again!"

"There was a point to this, other than the fact that you all needed to know the truth," Sailor Mercury said, wrapping up. "And that is this: I hereby resign as a Sailor Senshi. I will leave the team, and this place forever, and if I never wield the power of Sailor Mercury ever again, then the monster called Dark Mercury will surely never arise again to do any harm."

Again the questions came like an avalanche, but Sailor Mercury backed away from the podium. She didn't even look at her teammates as she turned to leave. Sailor Jupiter went to intercept her, but Sailor Pluto held her back and shook her head.

"We need to end this," said Pluto. "I think they have enough to work with. They can't accuse us of withholding anything they absolutely needed to know."

Sailor Jupiter relented. "I just... I just don't want her to do this. I know she went out on a limb to take the blame for the destruction, but someone has to tell her that she doesn't need to quit."

"I doubt she's in the mood to listen," said Venus. "Let's just get out of here like Pluto said. "We still have a lot to do."

The Mayor of Tokyo stepped up to the microphone and asked the Senshi if they were finished with the conference. Sailor Pluto affirmed and together they flew away.

* * * *

They all agreed to meet where they had last time, next to the Ocean, and talk of their next move.

"What were you thinking, Amy?!" exclaimed Amara, pacing back and forth. She always got like this when she was surprised or agitated.

"Amara, calm down!" said Michelle. "You're not making this any easier for her. Hasn't she been through enough?!"

"I didn't discuss this with you guys because I knew you would just try to talk me out of it," said Amy, adamantly. "But whether you like it or not, the truth would have come out eventually. Don't you get it? The Press wouldn't have been satisfied with our group silence. They would have started investigating! This battle has thrust us more into the limelight than ever before. We're not just an Urban Legend anymore! We're real people in their eyes! It's going to be hard enough to keep our identities secret without the Press sneaking around and spying on us! It would jeopardize our families and friends who had nothing to do with this!"

"More to the point," said Mina. "I support her. I believe she did the right thing. I just can't believe you took all the responsibility, Amy."

"Why not?" asked Amy. "After all, isn't it my fault?"

"That's debatable," replied Darien, his arms around Serena. "I don't blame you, and neither do we."

"But they will!" Amy insisted. "I heard Jedite's conversation with Trista. He's right. I'm no Social Scientist, but I know enough about mass hysteria to know the patterns people tend to follow. The only sure way to steer much of the heat away from you was to do what I did. Anyway it won't matter to me. I've hung up my Sailor Uniform forever. I'll just disappear from the public eye and be plain old Amy Mizuno again."

"But what will you do?" asked Katsie.

Amy pondered that for a moment. "I'm still getting offers from Germany to do my Doctorate over there," she said at last. "I'll go there, I guess, for a few years, then I can get on with the rest of my life. It would be better off for all of you if I wasn't around to drag this team's reputation through the mud."

"Amy I don't care about everything that's happened!" Amara protested, gripping her shoulders. "I'll personally knock out the next person who talks smack about you or any of us! You could never be a disgrace to this team, or to this world! What they think doesn't matter!"

"Don't go, Amy!" Serena begged. "Yesterday you were telling me I have to be solid and not get down on myself about being a dummy or a klutz! You were always there to give me good advice and think things through! You always had the level head and the maturity that none of the rest of us had! This team is LOST without you, Amy!"

"Oh, Serena! Thank you!" Amy started to cry. "But I've made my decision! It's not like I'm leaving forever. And I will stay in touch, I promise. However this team no longer needs me as Sailor Mercury. It would only hurt you guys and I just went through all that trouble and humiliation to keep people from blaming you."

"I believe she should do what she feels is right," said Jedite, who had been listening to this exchange. "No one can choose her path for her."

"It's settled then," said Trista. "We will not discuss this again unless Amy brings it up. If her mind is set, then we'll need to discuss perhaps a replacement Sailor Mercury, and the future of our temporary Sailor Mars."

"I think we have a problem that's a little more urgent right now," said Serena. "Who's going to tell the families of the dead what happened? You realize we'll need to tell them the truth about their secret identities."

"Professor Tomoe already knew his daughter was Sailor Saturn," said Michelle. "So he won't be too much of a problem, but she's right about one thing, who's going to tell old Grandpa Hino that his grand-daughter was really Sailor Mars and that she's dead?"

"God! The poor old man!" said Lita. "He'll have a heart attack when we tell him that!"

"Well, somebody has to," said Trista. "And we also have to worry about burial ceremonies. We need to be careful whom we invite to the funeral services, or else the whole world will find out their secret identities. That'll get them digging around for dirt on the rest of us for sure!"

Amara arose.. "I'll tell professor Tomoe," she said.

Trista shook her head no. "I'll go. I'm on better acquaintance with him."

Serena looked around nervously, and then steeled herself. "I'll go to Cherry Hill and talk to Grandpa Hino," she said. "But someone has to come with me."

Mina got up. "I'll accompany you, Serena," she said.

Jedite raised his hand. Trista nodded in his direction. "You wanted to say something, Jedite?"

The former General walked to the middle of the gathering and looked around at the Senshi. "I've given some thought to the whole Funeral business," he said. "It will be safer just to include a few members of the immediate family and ourselves. And we will need to bury them in a lonely place. A high, lonely place where no one will ever happen across their remains."

"But won't the Police become suspicious when Raye's body disappears from the morgue?" Lita asked.

"If you don't act soon, you may lose your chance," said Jedite. "The autopsies are bound to begin soon. If they should come across even the slightest evidence that Raye was more than just a normal victim of Dark Mercury, then you will lose your opportunity to bury her as safely as you can."

"The only piece of Hotaru we still have is her Silence Glaive," said Amara. "And Starfighter's remains are at the bottom of the ocean right now. The only person we really have to worry about is Raye."

"What about Alan and Ann?" asked Darien. "The Government will see them as Aliens and want to check it out. I don't think those two are safe where they are in that Field Hospital."

"In their condition that's the only place they can survive," said Trista. "But we'll keep an eye out for them as well."

"How are those two anyway?" asked Katsie.

"They're both comatose I'm afraid," said Trista. "With their injuries, it doesn't look good for either of them!"

Serena got to her feet. "We may as well get started," she said. "But we need to meet again I think. We have some problems to talk about after the Funerals," she looked over at Amy, but said nothing.

"That's a very good idea, Serena," Trista agreed. "We can't afford to meet at the Temple anymore, so how about this place from now on?"

Everyone nodded. "It seems just as good a place as any," said Lita.

* * * *

Sailor Solara was jolted from a sweet dream by the incessant pounding on her front door.

For a few moments she just lay there, staring at the ceiling, feeling her head pound with a headache. Her head ALWAYS ached in the mornings, especially when she was rudely awakened!

The pounding came even louder this time. "JUST A DAMN MINUTE!!" Solara shouted. She sat up on the edge of her bed and rubbed her eyes sleepily. "If this is Stratus with another one of her ridiculous ideas I'll pound the stuffing out of her!"

Solara moved to the door wearing nothing but a white top and a pair of yellow underwear. Her blonde hair was out of its usual bun and hanging down on her shoulders. She punched the door button and watched it slide open. A Senshi Courier was hovering just outside with a message in her hand. She extended it and saluted. "Sailor Solara, your presence is requested at the Palace. Princess Kakyuu wants you there in one quarter of an hour."

Solara said nothing. She punched the door button and shut the door in the Courier's face. She tore open the letter and read it quickly. Then she dropped the letter on the floor, went to her bedroom, changed into her Senshi attire, and left her Apartment in less than ten minutes! She had every reason to suddenly be in a hurry. For one thing she was already late! For another thing, Sailor Galaxia and the Nova Senshi had returned from Earth!

They were all waiting at the Palace for her. Solara hated being late, yet more often than not she was always walking in last. Everyone looked up at her. Galaxia's eyebrows arched, but she said nothing.

"I know, I know!" Solara said before anyone could speak. "You sent your Courier a little late though, your Highness."

"I sent that Courier over an hour ago," Princess Kakyuu replied with some surprise. "Are you saying you only just now got the message?"

"You should know better by now, Princess," Stratus grinned. "Solara sleeps like a lump on a log. You have to send the Courier a wee bit early for her if you get my meaning."

"So how did it go, Galaxia?" Solara asked, ignoring Stratus' jibe. "Is Dark Mercury gone?"

"Yes," said Galaxia. "She was defeated over twelve hours ago. There was much devastation."

"Casualties?" asked Sailor Earth.

"Massive, but not as bad as it might have been," said Galaxia, heavily. "Sailor Mars and Sailor Saturn both died. Sailor Starfighter is dead as well."

There was a thick silence in the chamber. The room seemed to get a bit darker as if a cloud had passed over the lights in the room.

"Sailor Mars.. Princess Raye," Earth folded her hands together and covered her mouth. "I was very good friends with her Mother."

"How are Yaten and Taiki doing?" asked Stratus.

Kakyuu shook her head. "Yaten is beside herself. Those two were fairly close. All three of them were."

Solara was visibly angry. "All you had to do was take us with you, Galaxia," she said. "We might have been able to make a difference!"

"It was a choice between you and the Starlights and I CHOSE the Starlights!" Galaxia returned. "And you were not there! You have no idea what we were up against! Even if the situation were reversed things would have happened much the same way!"

"You should have brought us anyway," Solara's voice was shaking. "You should have brought us simply because it was OUR world! It was OUR RIGHT to defend Earth against Dark Mercury! We lost our chance over Chaos because we were unable to! I should have never listened to Sailor Earth!"

Diana looked at Galaxia. "We kept up our end of the bargain, Senshi Prime," she said to the Archsenshi. "Now it is time for you to honor yours. We are done. As of now our service to you is expired. That was the deal, was it not?"

Galaxia looked at Kakyuu. Kakyuu nodded. "They deserve it, considering what you made them do."

Galaxia looked surprised that Kakyuu would point things out so bluntly. She turned back to the three Senshi before her. "Very well. As of this moment you are free from your debt. As it so happens.." Galaxia stood up and smiled. "I plan on paying Sailor Moon another visit sometime very soon.. You can come with me when I go back to Earth. How does that sound?"

"How magnanimous of you?" Solara crossed her arms skeptically.

Earth bowed at the waist. "We'd be glad to accompany you whenever you make this trip. Just please make it within a year. Otherwise we'll go by ourselves. Be aware we are honoring your request merely as a favor."

Galaxia held up her hand. "Twelve months," she said coolly. "Twelve months I will be ready. Can you wait that long?"

"We'll see," Stratus replied.

* * * *

"MOM?! DAD?!" Serena called, crunching through the broken glass on the floor of her ruined home. "PLEASE! IS ANYBODY HERE?!"

No one answered, just as she expected, but she had to check anyway. It looked like her house had suffered just as much as any in the city from those little fighters. She remembered the words of that one reporter hours ago. 'The Sailor Scouts don't need to worry about losing their homes or their families!' she'd said. How little she knew, but it wouldn't do to tell her just how much the Sailor Scouts were affected. Not without telling them a few other private things.

She saw the note on the wall nearest the front door. It read:

Dear Serena

We feared the worst, but I know, somehow, that you managed to escape the damage alright. If you should come home and not find us here, it is because we're at your Grandma's house in Fujikama. Your mother didn't want to leave, but we were afraid we would be unsafe here in the city. Destroyed cities have a way of attracting thieves and other unsavory characters. Which is why I hope you are with someone safe. Even that guy, Darien, would be preferable to the streets. Try to find a way to get to where we are, okay honey? You're Mom is so worried she's practically going crazy. By the way, your cat Luna and her friend Artemis went with us, too. Did you know they can talk?! Crazy stuff! I still can't get over it, but during the bombing, they saved our family! I'll tell you all about it when you arrive! Please come to us soon, Serena, baby!

--Love, Dad.

Serena smiled with relief. At least they were okay for now.

Sorry, Mom and Dad, thought Serena. But you'll have to wait quite a while I'm afraid. Sailor Moon is needed here, and I can't abandon my friends, at least not for a long time. But I will see you all again, I promise!

She took off again, heading back into the destroyed and half-deserted city.

* * * *

Sailor Mars was nearly at her target. Dark Mercury perked up and turned, dropping the broken body of Alan to the ground.

It was too late!

Sailor Mars hammered the gauntlet on Dark Mercury's wrist with all her might! The metal cracked and sparked under the enormous pressure of the blow. Dark Mercury screamed in frustration and chagrin. Her eyes glowed red with an evil fire, flames danced everywhere as Tokyo burned to ashes all around!

Dark Mercury began to smash the body of Sailor Mars mercilessly! Katsie cried out and tried to run to Raye's aid, but she couldn't get any closer, no matter how fast she ran. Her fist dripping with blood, Dark Mercury concentrated and a sword appeared in her hand. The sword was on fire, and it blazed with unmerciful heat. Wait! Wasn't it her claw that killed Sailor Mars?!

Before making the fatal stab, she looked directly at Katsie, with her blazing eyes. She no longer looked human, her appearance twisting into that of a horrible monster. "YOU COULDN'T DO IT, COULD YOU KATSIE?!!" she roared. "YOU COULDN'T SAVE RAYE'S LIFE! LOOK AT THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR IGNORANCE! YOU COULD HAVE SAVED HER IF YOU KNEW YOU STILL HAD POWERS!! BUT YOU DIDN'T!! NOW SHE'S DEAD!! HERE'S YOUR FRIEND!! I TOOK THE TROUBLE TO KILL HER JUST FOR YOU!!!" The sword sliced through Raye's body, and the sky opened up and began to rain blood. Sailor Mars fell to Earth, and Dark Mercury vanished, laughing insanely.

Katsie approached Raye's body, but stopped short as Raye opened her eyes and looked at her in betrayal. "Why.... couldn't... you save.... meeeee....?!" she trailed off, her body melted into a puddle of blood.

"I COULDN'T!!" Katsie screamed as loud as she could. "I HAD NO POWERS! HOW COULD I HAVE SAVED YOU?!!"

Katsie fell out of bed and onto the floor with a resounding thud!

Snapped out of her nightmare by the impact, Katsie rose to a sitting position. She wiped the sweat and tears from her face and proceeded to the bathroom. The bright light flickered to life, and briefly blinded her. She felt her way over to the sink and turned on the faucet to dab some cold water on her face. As she removed her hands, she saw the face of Raye, bathed in blood, staring back at her!

Katsie screamed, but saw that as soon as she did, her vision cleared and her normal face was back in the reflection. Someone in the other room stirred, and called to her. "Kat? Is that you?"

It was only Prisma. She felt kind of embarrassed now, but the fear was still inside her. The dream had shaken her soul! She was afraid to go back to sleep lest the visions recur. So she padded her way to the kitchenette located in her Sisters' apartment and began to brew some coffee. Some floorboards creaked, and Katsie turned, half expecting to see Raye again, but only saw her green haired sister, Prisma. Her face was a picture of worry as she looked at Katsie.

"Did you have a nightmare?" she asked. Her natural empathy for her fellow Sister, as all of them had for one another, had tipped her off to the source of Katsie's fear.

Katsie nodded, turning back toward the brewer machine. The small trickle of coffee began to hiss as it filled the pot. The aroma alone chased the last shadows of her dream to the farthest reaches of her consciousness. She was safe, for now, in the realm of wakefulness.

Prisma entered the kitchen. "Anything you want to tell me?" she asked.

Katsie opened her mouth, and then she closed it again. "No," she said suddenly, wondering why she had just refused to tell her Sister. "I mean... It's something, but... I don't really want to talk about it now."

Prisma reached out, and touched her shoulder. "You're strung up tighter than one of Michelle's violin strings," she observed. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Katsie nodded her head yes. "It was only a dream," she said, lightly. "Don't give it any thought. Go back to bed, I'll stay up for a while."

"That bad huh?" Prisma had read her mind again.

"I'll talk about it once I've sorted it out, okay?" Katsie promised.

Prisma shrugged, giving up. "Fine," she said. She turned to leave the kitchen. "Try not to make much noise going back to bed. Birdie and Avery sent me out here when you screamed. They thought you saw a ghost or something."

You're not that far off, Prisma, Katsie mused as her sister made her way back to the bedroom. I just need to sort it all out in my mind. Then I need to talk to Trista. She can offer me some advice on these awful visions I've been receiving.

* * * *

"You're on, Lyle," said the Cue Man from behind the Camera.

Lyle Yoshii straightened up and adjusted his headset one last time. He switched on his microphone and looked into the camera. Behind him was a fallen building, with rescue workers rummaging around in the rubble.

"This is Lyle Yoshii for Channel Six News, here at the scene of the latest rescue effort for the Kameha district where most of the fighting between the Sailor Senshi and Dark Mercury took place. As day two of the aftermath of the disaster dawns, we find virtually hundreds of Firefighters, Army soldiers, Construction Workers, and Police Dogs searching carefully through the ruins of what was once the headquarters of the Squaresoft video game corporation. It is estimated that more than a hundred workers may have been trapped in this very building as it collapsed! The body count rises as more dead bodies are pulled from the rubble than there are who are still alive! Those who are alive are all mortally wounded, and they are being sent to the Field Hospitals outside Tokyo."

The picture switched to a view of the interior of a large tent, with many injured people lying in cots, attached to tubes and machines. Numerous Generators provided the power for the time being, and a racket of motors filled the background.

"There are so many still alive being found, and far more yet to be discovered, that our Nursing and Doctoral staff are strained to the limits! And since foreign assistance from the United Nations has yet to arrive, the city has called into active duty anyone with the slightest medical knowledge. One such volunteer is a young student named Amy Mizuno." The camera showed Amy injecting pain killer into a patient's forearm. "This yeoman Doctor has joined with the scores of other amateur technicians in helping our strained medical corps deal with the onslaught of patients still pouring in."

The camera image went back to the inner city, where the Sailor Scouts were assisting several rescue efforts on other fallen buildings. "Also helping in the rescue effort are the Senshi. They are using their enhanced abilities to pull more victims of this terrible episode from the wreckage. Notably absent from the team, however, is Sailor Mercury, who, after her shock announcement at the Press Conference yesterday afternoon, has seemingly disappeared. Some critics accuse her of abandoning them, though many speculate that she may be afraid that public backlash could cause her harm. Sailor Moon has told us that she has received threatening letters from citizens, but that she is elsewhere, helping the rescue in her own way."

The image went back to Lyle's face. "We'll bring you more news as events unfold here. From the Kameha district, this is Lyle Yoshii, Channel Six News. Back to you Yogi."

* * * *

Sailor Jupiter shunted some more power to her muscles, and lifted the giant rock like it was Styrofoam! People behind her made amazed noises as they watched. It would have taken a Crane to lift the rubble Jupiter had just moved, unfortunately, Cranes were in shortage as well.

Jupiter listened for any signs of life. She gently wedged another rock out of place, and lifted a steel girder. Throwing them aside with incredible ease, she thought she saw some movement beneath the ruins!

"I think I found someone!" she shouted.

The rescue workers were on the ball. They reacted swiftly, bringing in tools to help lift the rubble away. A few minutes of digging revealed the small body of a five-year old girl, lying in a small gap created by the way in which the debris had fallen. This little one was very lucky to be in that exact spot!

The little girl stirred and blinked in the blinding daylight upwards at the smiling face of her rescuer. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was.

"Are you an Angel?" she asked, incredulously.

"Nope, just plain old Sailor Jupiter," the other replied. "Are you hurt? Do you feel pain anywhere?"

"Just in my leg," she said.

"Where exactly?"

The little girl pointed to a spot on her shin. It was black and blue the entire length of it, and it was bent in an unnatural way!

Sailor Jupiter mentally winced. "Don't move it, okay, sweetie?" she said in a gentle voice. "Leave everything to me."

"Okay," the girl replied.

Jupiter turned to the worker nearest her. "Are there any available medical staff nearby?"

"Maybe," the worker scratched his head. "I don't rightly know. I heard there was something of a shortage of those guys."

Sailor Jupiter sighed. "Never mind," she said, looking back at the girl. "I'll fly her to the Field Hospital myself. She has a broken leg that needs treating before it gets any more infected."

She told the girl to relax her broken leg, then gently lifted her out in a cradle position in her arms. Smiling, she said: "I'm taking you to the Hospital now, okay?"

"Where's my mommy?" asked the girl.

Sailor Jupiter felt a lump form in her throat. Her mother could very well be dead for all she knew. "I don't know," she said truthfully. "But I'll tell you what. If I have the chance, I'll help search for her. What's your name?"

"Sarah," the girl said. "Sarah Hitomi."

"Well, Sarah, I'll find your mother as best I can," Sailor Jupiter took off with Sarah in her arms. She flew for some distance before she saw the giant white tent on the hillside just outside the Suburbs. She landed there and immediately saw Amy tending to a man who was bleeding profusely out of his forehead. She made her way over to her friend.

Amy looked up and saw Sailor Jupiter with the girl in her arms. She finished bandaging the guy's head, and then met her halfway. "What's wrong with this one?" she asked, smiling at the girl.

"Her name is Sarah," said Jupiter. "She has a broken leg that looks pretty bad. I think it may be infected."

Amy studied the leg without touching it, nodding to herself, then she turned back to Sailor Jupiter.

"Yes," she replied. "A very bad infection, possibly gangrene. I'll take care of it for you. You get back out to the digging."

"Oh, one more thing," Jupiter said. "Her last name is Hitomi. Could you possibly find out if there are any more people in here with that surname?"

"Sure," said Amy. She wiped a weary hand over her brow. She was tired. They all were. Most of them had had very little sleep in the last 48 hours.

"You should try to find a time to take a break," said Jupiter concernedly.

"I wish I could," said Amy. "But I can't do that any more than you can. Our resources are stretched beyond the breaking point. I'll keep going until my body gives out on me if I have to." She looked around sadly. "I owe them that much at least," she said quietly.

"We all do, Amy," said Jupiter, turning to leave. "We all do."

* * * *

Professor Tomoe sank to his knees, his face was pale and stricken. "I heard it on the news," he said in a choked voice, "but I didn't want to believe it. If you guys say so, however, I can't really think that anymore."

"I'm so unbelievably sorry!" Trista apologized. "We all tried to stop her, but she thought she could make a difference. She used her forbidden power to try to obliterate Dark Mercury. It didn't work as we later found out."

The three of them stood in the doorway of Hotaru's house near what was left of the Mugen Gakuen High School. The house was completely undamaged. Knowing the Professor's genius, Trista was not altogether surprised that Tomoe had found a way to keep his home clear of the destruction.

"She died well?" he asked.

"Like a true Senshi, Professor!"

Tomoe bowed his head. He would have to be happy with that. "I was given a second chance," he said hollowly. "I was given the chance to be the Father that I never was to her. Remember when she died the first time? She killed that bastard, Pharaoh 90 with her special attack. But she didn't die. She was transformed into an innocent little baby. My own, dear Hotaru!"

Trista nodded, tears streaming from her eyes. She said nothing as he went on.

"I still remember that toothless grin of hers, and those large dark eyes. They looked at me full of love and respect. I would have given anything to raise her from birth all over again. But that wasn't to be I guess. Fate wanted her to resume her duty as Sailor Saturn. She grew all too quickly, and became the hero I always knew she would become."

Tomoe looked at Trista, his own eyes unable to hold back the tears anymore. "I'm proud of the sacrifice my daughter made to save the world," he sobbed. "But I would give anything in the world just to have the chance to say goodbye. To tell her how much I loved her in life."

Trista became thoughtful. Perhaps, she thought to herself, there IS a way for you to have that opportunity, Professor.

* * * *

Serena almost wanted to turn back as she climbed the staircase to the Hikawa Temple. Mina was right beside her all the way, and wouldn't hear of it. She convinced her friend to go through with it by telling her if they could stand up to someone like Dark Mercury, then they could stand up to this. Still, Serena felt so sick with guilt that she wanted to throw up!

They knocked on the door to the Temple, and slid it open. "Hello?" Mina called. The interior was mysteriously dark and silent.

"Who turned out the lights?" asked Serena.

"It's never usually this dark," Mina replied. "Something must be wrong." The two girls made their way through the main room, and found the light switch. The place was empty as far as they could see, but there were three more rooms to the place.

They wandered down the long hallway, searching the bathroom, bedrooms, and parlor. They didn't find Mr. Hino until they came upon the room where the Sacred Fire burned eternal. The room was also darkened, lit only by the orange flame. There, in front of the fire, sat the squat form of Raye's Grandfather. He faced the fire, but somehow he knew they were looking at him.

"Come in, ladies," he said in a dead voice. "You've come to give me bad news I think?"

Mina and Serena made their way around the fire, until they could see Hino's face. His wrinkled, face was tightly drawn, and tear lines streaked his profile. They didn't even have to ask him what was wrong. Somehow, Mr. Hino knew already what they were here to tell him.

It was Mina who finally spoke. "Hello, Grandpa," she said. They all called him 'Grandpa' out of affection whenever they visited Raye. He didn't mind. He once told them they were all like Granddaughters to him.

"Where's Chad?" asked Serena.

"I sent him to his Mother's place, outside of town," Hino replied. "He was scared stiff during the bombing, but he still wanted to protect me. When it was over, I sent him away. I didn't want him to see me like this."

"So you know," said Mina sadly. "How?"

"I'm not the fool that you all thought I was," he said, not in an angry voice, but in one of kindly sadness. "I wasn't so senile that I couldn't sense something special about my beautiful Raye. Ever since she came here, I could feel the potential inside her. Not just as a spiritual guide for others, but as her true calling as a Senshi. My ancestors spoke of the Senshi of old who once inhabited this place. Those of us who can see beneath the surface, and know what to look for, can detect a Senshi aura miles away. She had the power of Mars, and I knew that nothing would stand in her way if she set her mind to it!

"I was so proud of her," he said, smiling from some distant memory. "I just didn't let on about it. I didn't want her to think that her identity was threatened in any way, so I acted the fool to throw her off. But deep down I admired her as a true warrior at heart, and I was content with that. She was always a firecracker, even from the start."

"So all you had to do, really," said Serena, "was watch the news, and you knew what happened to her?"

Hino looked at the two girls, with eyes that were truly lucid for the first time since any of them could remember. "I didn't have to," he said. "When it happened, I felt as if a deep void had opened in my heart. When you lose a family member, you feel as if the world stops spinning for just a second. Then your heart grows cold, as if your life has left it." He looked into the fire, mesmerized by the flame. "I didn't want to believe my feelings, so I consulted the flame. It was the fire that truly confirmed my fears. I knew eventually you girls would come and tell me about it."

"So you know who we are?" asked Serena.

Hino nodded, smiling. "You shine with the same light that Raye did," he said. "I always knew she was in good company with you girls." He looked back at them. There were no tears in his eyes. Either he had cried them out completely, or he was totally secure in the thought that Raye was in a better place now.

"I know that you can't have a public funeral for her," he said. "But promise me this. I don't care whether I'm there or not, I'll honor her in my own way. Just promise me you'll bury her with the honor she deserves!"

Serena was touched deeper than she had ever been in her life. With shimmering eyes, she agreed to give Raye a funeral worthy of a Senshi!

As they left the temple, the reality seemed to finally hit Mina. She flew into Serena's arms, sobbing with all her heart! Serena had already spent her grief, but she comforted her friend as best she could. She looked up into the sky, and noticed Deimos and Phobos, Raye's pet Ravens. They stood perched on the weathervane atop the Temple roof. They had a gleam in their eyes as they met hers. Serena thought she heard a voice in her mind say: "Find another who would walk the path of Sailor Mars." Then the two birds flew off into the sky.

Serena knew deep down she would never see them again. That in it self seemed like a tragedy. This whole business had been nothing but a tragedy!

* * * *

Jedite leaned on the door post as he watched Darien argue with the Coroner at the Morgue. The two were there to try and reclaim Raye Hino's corpse from the possession of the authorities. Under no circumstance, Trista had emphasized to them, was she to be given an autopsy. The risk of her inherent powers as Sailor Mars being discovered was too great to ignore! If the public found out she was Sailor Mars, all hope of giving her a private funeral, or preventing a media investigation into the rest of the Senshi's private lives, would be utterly destroyed!

Darien's argument was not going well. "Look, I told you!" he said in apparent frustration. "Raye personally requested that she not be dissected after she died!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Chiba," said the Coroner with annoying patience. He refused to be daunted by Darien's assertions. "I cannot release her from the autopsy date, unless you can produce written evidence that she made such a request, or unless you can get some consent from any living family members to exclude her body from the autopsy."

"We are her family," Darien said. "We're all the family she has left!"

"You mentioned a Grandfather," said the Coroner. "Why don't you tell him to come down and speak for her?"

"Why is this so hard for you?! Why do you feel an autopsy is necessary?! She was an innocent victim of Dark Mercury's attack!"

"The wound on her torso tells a different story," said the Coroner. "There is an apparent stab wound, about six inches in diameter, on the left side of her midsection, directly through her intestines. The wound was no accident. She was murdered. We just need to find out by whom and with what weapon."

Darien hissed his breath in frustration. But he had tried every argument possible. Legally, he had no right to remove her from the autopsy exam.

"When is this autopsy to take place?" he asked instead, backing down.

"Tomorrow afternoon, at 3 o'clock." The other replied. "You have about 24 hours to get a family member down to this station and present her case, otherwise, I am required by law to perform the examination." He lowered the screen separating himself from Darien and walked away.

Jedite shrugged. "That was real successful," he murmured.

"Jedite! Shut up!"

He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I've been getting an awful lot of that response in the past two days. First your girlfriend and now you. You people don't cope well with reality do you?"

Darien whirled around. "You'd think once you were converted to good you'd be less of a jerk!"

"Am I truly a jerk?" asked Jedite. "Or is everyone simply unwilling to realize that I know more about just about everything than anyone else?"

"Are you trying to funny?!"

"Calm down, you're not going to get anything accomplished with a hot head," Jedite said, walking with Darien up the street. "So we get Raye's Grandfather down here to spring her loose. We have 24 hours. That's plenty of time for us. There are much bigger things to get stressed out about."

Darien looked at the ground, contemplating the situation. After mulling it over, he finally responded, "I guess we go to Old Man Hino. I don't see any other recourse at this time, short of busting her out of there. That might make too much of a stir, though."

Jedite snorted. "It would do THAT alright!"

* * * *

Trista nodded somberly as Darien told her of their limited success. "I see," she said, after some thought. "What do you suggest, Jedite?" she turned to the blonde haired young man who lounged on a recliner. They were all in Professor Tomoe's place.

"I say get the old man to release his Granddaughter," said Jedite apathetically. "Darien's right, it won't do any good to forcibly extract her." He suddenly straightened in his chair and fixed Trista with a weird look. "Why did you send me on this errand? When you get right down to it, my presence was useless."

"You need to get used to the concept of teamwork if you're to stay with us, Jedite," Trista responded.

Jedite got to his feet. "Who said I was staying with you guys?"

"You don't have anywhere else to go," said Trista. "Are you telling me you have alternatives?"

Jedite opened his mouth and then closed it again. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't!" he growled. "Why is it you're the only person who can talk around me?"

"The older you get the more seasoned you become with dealing with people. " "No kidding.." Jedite looked at Darien. "Just how old ARE you anyway?"

Trista stood up and poked his nose with her finger. She had a wry, lopsided grin on her face. "You should know better than to ask a woman her age, Jedite."

Jedite grabbed her hand and scowled. "Fine, don't tell me then." Suddenly he broke into a slight smile. "After all I still know that you're older than ME at any rate."

Trista blanched, her eyes looking shocked, then it was HER turn to scowl. "You Rat!"

Jedite actually laughed. "You had that one coming. You don't have ALL the answers any more than I do."

Sailor Pluto gave him a level stare, then her composure broke and she started to giggle. "Jedite, you DO have a sense of humor underneath that tough guy exterior." Trista moved in close to him. "Dear Jedite, you've been so useful to us so far. Why don't you relax your guard and let us into your heart?"

"I'm not that kind of guy," said Jedite stubbornly.

Trista smiled knowingly again. Jedite grew very uncomfortable with her proximity all of a sudden. A slight blush entered his face, though his expression was still rather stony. Darien received a revelation at that point. Trista had a crush on Jedite, and was using her charms, as it were, to get him to fall in line! Darien suddenly found the situation with Jedite mildly amusing, and he forced back a smile.

"I think there's more to you than you think, grumpy," she said. "One of these days, I'm going to prove it."

Jedite shifted uncomfortably, then he sat down again. "Remind me to find a way to get away from you crazy people," he said. Sailor Pluto smiled again then she walked out of the room. Darien could no longer hold back his grin.

"What do you find so funny?" Jedite asked suspiciously.



"Nothing," said Darien, as he followed Trista.

Jedite watched them leave feeling suddenly like a joke had been made at his expense. He just didn't know what joke that was.

* * * *

Amy stood over the prone bodies of Alan and Ann. In their current states, they couldn't maintain their human forms, and so they lay in their Alien bodies. They were isolated from the rest of the patients by means of a curtain to hide their apparent physiological differences. Amy checked their monitors and noticed that their conditions were the same as they had been for two days now. Amy's heart sank. After the first 24 hours of coma, the chances of recovery steadily grew slimmer and slimmer.

Wiping her eyes sleepily, she emerged from the curtained area. She was so tired from lack of sleep, but patients were still coming in, in droves. She noticed the little girl, Sarah, was sitting by herself in the corner, wiping her eyes. Amy had failed to locate the poor child's Mother, and Sarah was dreadfully upset. Amy found herself thinking of her own Mother. Was she safe? Had she escaped injury?

There was no time to think about that. She took up a clipboard and began to read from it, when she noticed that even with her glasses on, she couldn't read the hand-writing. She rubbed her eyes some more, but that didn't help. Suddenly, the room began to spin around her. She felt light headed, then her consciousness slowly swirled into blackness. Amy had enough presence of mind to fall away from any nearby objects, but she didn't remember anything after that.

* * * *

Professor Tomoe wandered in his house, alone. He knew he was dreaming from the haze and mist all around him, but he didn't bother to wonder what the dream was about. He felt somehow that he was having this one for a reason.

That reason came in the front door at that moment. All five feet and 98 pounds of her. With her large, dark eyes seeming to glow with a ghostly light. She smiled at Tomoe with the smile she only gave to her Father.

"Hello, Dad," said Hotaru

"Hotaru?" Tomoe was bewildered. "Are you talking to me from beyond the grave?"

Hotaru inclined her head. "Yes. Dreams are those times when anything is possible. I couldn't leave this plane until I was finished saying goodbye to everyone."

Tomoe couldn't hold his grief back, yet at the same time he felt irrepressible joy at seeing his Daughter in such a form. The eyes told of an eternal peace brought about by the certainty that she had died for a noble cause. Hotaru was always a firm believer that everyone had their time when their life would end. She seemed to be satisfied that her time was past when she used her power.

"I feel like I want to hold you," he said. "Can.... Can I do that?"

Hotaru smiled even brighter. "I was wondering when you'd get around to that," she said teasingly.

Tomoe rushed over and embraced her. She held him back, tears finally coming to her eyes. She disengaged after a few minutes and looked him in the face. Her mission was done. She could now move on to the next plane.

"I love you, Father," she said.

"And I love you too, darling," said Tomoe. "I probably didn't get the chance to say that enough. Can you ever forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive," Hotaru began to fade away. "You were the best Father I could ever have had, whether you were good or evil. Just come to my funeral tomorrow. I want you to be there as I move on. The rest of us will be there too, to smile down on our family as we say farewell. Tell me you'll be there!"

"I will," Tomoe replied. "I will always have you in my heart! I will always remember you."

"That's all I ask of you," said Hotaru. "And I will look down upon you and my friends from time to time." Her visage flickered, and she turned as if beckoned by a voice Tomoe could not hear. "I have to go, goodbye, Father."

"Goodbye, pumpkin." Tomoe sobbed. "I'll see you again when we're both in a better place."

Hotaru vanished completely. "I can hardly wait," her voice said as it too faded out.

Tomoe awoke and smiled though his sadness was great. He had gotten the chance to say all that he'd wanted to say. He could now sleep at night with an unburdened heart.

* * * *

In the real world, in the Professor's bedroom, Sailor Pluto stopped concentrating, and smiled with satisfaction. She looked down upon the Professor's sleeping body, and stroked his face gently.

"Anything for a friend," she whispered to him.

* * * *

They had all gathered for the funeral of Hotaru, Raye, and Saiya at the summit of Mount Fuji. It was a high lonely place that many would not disturb, and though it was cold, there was very little possibility of discovery of the graves. It was pretty much the only place in Japan they could bury them with any privacy.

Three holes were dug into the snow and rock, with crude headstones set at the head of them, facing the rising sun, as was the custom for burial. The headstones were labeled from left to right: "Here lies our beloved Hotaru Tomoe. She died nobly in the defense of Tokyo and the entire world. May her soul rest in peace. Born: January 16th 1984. Died: July 23rd, 1999."

"Here lies our little firecracker, Raye Hino. She died nobly so that the enemy might be defeated. May her soul rest in peace. Born: April 17th 1980. Died: July 23rd, 1999."

"Here lies the bravest fool that ever lived. Saiya Kou died nobly in order to destroy the threat of the Negaverse forevermore. May her soul rest in peace. Born: July 30th, 1978 Died: July 23rd, 1999."

Sailor Moon looked at the messages on the tombstones. How Trista had come up with such carvings on such short notice, she couldn't guess. They were very appropriate for her friends, though. They were all there except for Lita and Mr. Hino. Those two were at the Morgue, getting Raye's body.

Serena's body was cold and tired! Last night she had gotten only four hours of sleep. She would have slept longer, but the funeral needed to be done early so they could slip everything they needed out of town unseen. They had all arisen before sunrise, even Amy, whose collapse yesterday had caused some alarm, but was due to her overworking her own body. She had slept the longest, but still looked dead on her feet.

Amy faced the sunrise, watching the distant Pacific Ocean wash on the shores of Tokyo. From up high, the city didn't look so bad. In retrospect, it should have been much worse. There were still a few sections that had escaped a lot of damage. Amy sighed. She was going to miss Tokyo!

Serena walked over and stood next to her, looking down on the coast. The sky was completely cloudless, save for the wisps of smoke that rose from fires that still smoldered on the ground even after three days.

"When are you leaving us, Amy?" she asked, fondling her engagement ring.

"Tomorrow," said Amy in a monotone reply.

"That soon?" Serena was slightly surprised. "I thought for sure you would stay longer."

"I stayed for the funeral so I could pay my respects to my friends," said Amy. "I would have left sooner otherwise. I'm already almost packed. I take the first plane out of Tokyo airport tomorrow morning."

"There's a lot of people leaving Tokyo," said Serena. "They all don't seem to want to live here anymore."

"They won't be gone forever," Amy said. "They simply need a place to stay until the city is rebuilt. I'm guessing after the excavations are over, the city may become like a ghost town for quite a while."

"It's a good thing the Airport escaped destruction," Serena said, looking down in that direction. "Otherwise it would be difficult for anyone to leave here."

"Is that what your family did, Serena?"

"Yeah," Serena nodded. "They're staying at my Grandma's, almost on the other side of this mountain. I hope I can visit them and let them know I'm alright."

Amy nodded. "I still don't know about my Mother," she said sadly. "I hope she got out of here okay."

"Why don't you stay until you find her?" asked Serena.

Amy shook her head. "I trust you guys to know what to do when you find her," she said. "When you do, tell her what I did, and why. I don't mind if you tell her who I was, because I don't think it will matter to me anyways."

"What if she...?" Serena trailed off.

"Died?" Amy felt tears coming up and fought them back. "Then there's nothing I can do. Just tell me whether or not she is, okay?"

Serena embraced Amy. "I wish you wouldn't do this!" she said.

"I have to," she said. "I won't be Sailor Mercury anymore. So I'll move on with my life. I'll pursue my Doctorate, like I always dreamed of doing, and find a career to work for the rest of my life. Who knows? Maybe in Germany I can meet someone. A nice, smart, man who can help take my mind off Darien."

"I know how you feel about this, Amy," said Serena. "I was just saying I wish you wouldn't go away."

Amy closed her eyes. "Maybe.... perhaps someday I will return.... once I've buried my past. I'll come see you all again, okay?"

"Promise?"

"I promise."

* * * *

Katsie gripped her sides with her arms and gazed at the ground. She felt out of place in the uniform of Sailor Mars. Like she didn't belong in it.

"... And then she comes back to life, and accuses me of not helping her when I had the chance," said Katsie. She just finished telling Sailor Pluto of her nightmares.

Trista nodded in understanding. She pursed her lips and said: "Let me ask you something, Katsie. Just how responsible for Raye's death do you actually feel?"

"What do you mean?" asked Katsie.

"People would say Time is my power, but few realize that dreams are my forte. I am the Senshi of Dreams. Therefore, don't you think I'd know a thing or two about them?" Trista smiled at her.

"I guess so," said Katsie. "I don't see how that answers my dilemma."

"All dreams have a basis in reality, Kat," Trista walked around and looked into the deep grave dug for Raye. "The reality is, you feel guilty about Raye's death. You may not feel this way readily, yet you have recurring nightmares where she blames you for her death. Do you really think that she'd blame you if she had the ability to?"

"No."

Trista fixed her gaze on Katsie. "Then your fears are self generated," she said in a matter of fact way. "You have these dreams because you wish you could have helped fight Dark Mercury in some way. You wished you had your powers back, right? Now you find yourself cast into the role of Sailor Mars, with similar powers to those you wielded as a Black Moon Soldier. You feel guilty about it. You feel as if you've usurped her place in life. Stop me if I'm wrong."

Katsie avoided her stare. "No, you're not."

"Now answer me this, do you honestly feel as if Raye would blame you?"

"No."

"The simple fact is, Katsie, that if she were alive right now, she would WANT you to take her place. You are the next logical replacement for her, because you two were one and the same, in more than just powers. You two were almost soul mates. You shared a bond that rivaled the bond held by you and your Sisters. You need to stop blaming yourself for something you did not do. The guilt you feel is over a decision that was out of your hands. You want to make amends? Move on, and carry on in her stead. Do I make myself clear?"

Katsie felt the weight in her heart lift. What Trista said made sense. She was beating herself up over something she had no power over. She imagined Raye standing next to her and yelling at her. She was yelling: "What are you, dumb?! How could you possibly think something so ridiculous?!" Katsie smiled at the thought. That's just what Raye would say if she were here.

IF she were here..

The reality hit her hard, and the smile faded. Raye was gone. The best way to honor her would be to carry on as Sailor Mars, as Trista insisted. She looked at the Senshi of Dreams with watery eyes.

"Thank you, Trista," she said gratefully.

"Don't mention it," Sailor Pluto. "Now look lively. Here she comes."

Katsie looked up and saw Lita flying in their direction with a body wrapped in a black bag slung over her shoulder. Under her other arm, a terrified Mr. Hino hung on for dear life. He looked like he was going to faint, but he was otherwise taking the flight very well. He was willing to brave the cold and the height to see his Granddaughter buried with the honor he knew she deserved. Professor Tomoe had joined them as well.

Everyone who knew those who had died was at the funeral. The Senshi of course had all come, decked out in their uniforms. Along with Professor Tomoe and Mr. Hino, there was Jedite, Tuxedo Mask, and Luna and Artemis, whom Sailor Pluto had teleported here from the Tsukino house. Unfortunately, no one else could be there, for no one else knew the secret of the Sailor Scouts. Alan and Ann were still hanging by a thread in their comas.

Sailor Pluto waited until everyone was settled, then she walked around behind the headstones and took the position of a Priest.

"When our friends are taken away from us," she began, "we are left with many questions. We ask ourselves why did it have to happen? We ask ourselves whether we could have done anything differently to spare their lives. A few of us even question why they were spared, and not their friends. Guilt; anger; and shame are all parts of the process of grieving. But we must not let these feelings carry on. We must not think we failed our friends, for in truth we succeeded in taking advantage of their sacrifices and defeated the greatest of all threats.

"I say that Sailor Saturn, Sailor Mars, and Sailor Starfighter are looking down upon us with pride. I would like to think that they are in a far better place right now, smiling down upon us, wanting us to move on... and move on we must.

"Life ends for these three warriors, but Time, as always, marches on. With a brand new, and uncertain, future ahead of all of us, we must carry on more than ever before. The Sailor Scouts must be on guard for the good of humanity. And we must once again start from scratch in realizing the dream of a better tomorrow. Crystal Tokyo, and the marvelous future it represents is no longer a certainty, but a mere possibility. To work toward that better tomorrow, we must put our sorrow behind us and concentrate on the living, not the dead.

"Amen," said Tuxedo Mask.

The Sailor Scouts all bowed their heads in silence and respect. They all took their turns saying something about their dead friends whether they were funny little memories or just words of honor. Surprisingly, the most touching and memorable speech came from Jedite.

He stepped up and stared into the sky for a moment, searching for something to say. Finally, he leveled his gaze at the funeral party, and spoke.

"I used to hate all of you," he said flatly. "There was a time when I considered anyone who wore the Senshi uniform to be my enemy. I blindly followed a madwoman, and gave in to hatred and evil. It was the only way of life that I knew. I was always taught that any good feelings were a weakness, and that those who fought for the weak were our enemy.

"I failed to stop you, and it cost me dearly. My own Queen sent me to a Dimension of horrors and nightmares. For five years I dreamt that you were all laughing as she trapped me in a coffin of dreams for eternity! And I hated you all even more!

"Then Sailor Pluto came, and she freed me. I was shocked that anyone would do such a thing for me. All I ever knew was cruelty and disloyalty. As time wore on, I saw all sorts of things that no one ever did for me. I saw friendship amongst the Senshi. I saw Sailor Mercury save my life, even though you could have all just as easily stood aside and watched me die. Most of all, I saw a young girl named Hotaru Tomoe take the enemy away, and commit suicide to try and destroy her.

"At the time, we did not know that it did not work, and I realized for the first time that the path I had been following was the weak one. Evil was the weakness, and evil would always fail because sacrifice and love could never go hand in hand with evil. It was a slap in the face, and so I decided to try being good." Jedite paused and looked around at everyone, then he raised his eyebrow slightly ".. At least for a while."

Everyone chuckled, despite themselves, at that one.

"I never saw anyone get a funeral with the Negaverse. Those who died in battle were used as examples of failure. So I am seeing something again which I am un-accustomed to. Maybe death isn't as bad as all that. If these three hadn't died, we surely wouldn't be standing here right now. Neither would I. I have my own thanks to give, for these three saved my life in their actions as well as the world. I know that sounds selfish, but that's just how I am.

Jedite took a deep breath. "I am going to say something, which I didn't think I'd ever say. I am proud to have been here to witness this event, and to have done my part, however small, in defeating your enemy. I intend to take advantage of the second lease on life which you all gave me to correct my past mistakes."

Serena broke free from her fiance's arms, and walked up to Jedite. He looked down at her, wondering what she was doing. She smiled with teary eyes, and embraced him. Jedite looked alarmed at first, but that look faded, to be replaced by an uncertain look of happiness.

"What are you feeling, Jedite?" asked Trista.

"I feel.. warm and fuzzy I guess.. I don't like it.." Jedite hesitated stubbornly.

The group dispersed after that. They all would have liked to believe that it was all over, that they could put the death and suffering behind them now. They could look ahead to the future, and the uncertain possibilities that future would bring. None of them, not even Sailor Pluto, could tell what lay in store. It was an adventure they were willing to embark on, for the sake of their lost friends.

* * * *

Sailor Mercury left the next day. She was given a tearful farewell at the airport by all her friends and family. She was off to Germany, to pursue her medical career. As they embraced, Serena made Amy promise that she would come back again someday. Amy said that she would when she got the opportunity. They both promised to write e-mail to each other often.

Amy left her powers and responsibilities behind. This left a new void in the team in the position of Sailor Mercury. Katsie had assumed the role of Sailor Mars, and helped the Sailor Scouts in that position. Two weeks after Dark Mercury, she was introduced publicly to the world as the new Sailor Mars. The Sailor Scouts soon found and introduced a replacement for Mercury as well. Birdie, Katsie's older Sister, took up the job on the same grounds as Katsie had. She wanted to help make a difference. The Senshi, alas, could find no suitable replacement for Sailor Saturn, but they kept the Silence Glaive and Henshin Pen aside just in case.

Alan and Ann remained in a comatose state in the Field Hospital for three more weeks. Alan recovered on a Friday, and all the Senshi came to see him awaken. He regained his strength and powers quickly, and stood vigil over Ann's body every day and night until she was better.

Help arrived from the United Nations for the city of Tokyo about two weeks after Dark Mercury. The international effort brought the Sailor Senshi more into the public eye than ever before! As the whole story of Dark Mercury was released to the world, the Senshi became known as heroes. As Jedite had warned, however, there was a large contingent of people who thought they were dangerous and were to be blamed for the damage, but thanks to Amy's confession, it didn't get as bad as he had predicted.

Jedite settled down as a normal human, got a job, and maintained close contact with the Senshi. He changed his name to Jed Tokiba, and got himself a job on the Police Force, where his natural leadership abilities earned him the title of Lieutenant in less than six months! Sailor Moon commented upon hearing the news that being a General for the Negaverse might not have been a bad thing after all. Sailor Pluto's feelings for Jedite increased, and the two began to date. As the Time Stream healed itself, Pluto had to start reassuming her Guardian duties, but she did spend less time there than she had before the disaster. Dark Mercury, if nothing else, reminded her of the importance of being with her loved ones more often.

Darien took Serena to her Parents' temporary home in Fujikama as soon as her duties as Sailor Moon permitted. It was about three weeks after Dark Mercury. John and Karen Tsukino were so happy to see them again, they accepted the rather shaky story Darien provided to explain Serena's absence without a question. John changed his opinions about Darien, and even endorsed their engagement. However, he did put his foot down and told Serena that she would have to complete College first!

"No more living at home and working part time anymore, young lady!" he sternly said to her. Serena was so happy she had a shot at marrying Darien that she actually agreed, and, amazingly enough, managed to get into a Community College just a few miles north of Tokyo!

Luna and Artemis became star members of the Tsukino family now that they could talk. It was considered a freak of nature, and Serena decided to keep her identity a secret.

Luna said it was a sensible choice. "No need to let too many cats out of the bag," was her reply. Artemis stayed with Luna like glue, even though Mina got her Apartment back into shape. The two became closer than they ever had before.

Amara and Michelle also became closer than ever. They began to publicly express their feelings. The near catastrophe with Dark Mercury had convinced them that life was too short to "stay in the closet," as Amara said.

A tragedy occurred about two more weeks after Alan recovered. Ann was dying! Everyday, her heartbeat waned even more! Doctors considered pulling the plug, and Alan was inconsolable! He thought about something however, and he discussed it with Serena.

"I won't let Ann die!" he said stubbornly.

"What are you going to do, though?" asked Serena. "There's no saving her."

Alan stared off into space as he replied: "There is one way."

He and Serena went to the Hospital and he took Ann's hand in his. "Goodbye, my beloved Ann," was all he said. Then he transferred all his energy into her body. Alan's body went limp, and Ann awoke from her coma, her heartbeat returned to normal.

Alan died two days after that. They suggested having another funeral for him, but Ann said she would take his body back and bury him at the foot of the Doom Tree. With teary farewells, she carried Alan's body back to Vanna, using a portal Sailor Pluto had created for her. She returned a week later and said she would stay on Earth from now on. The Doom Tree had given her permission, and had promised to watch over Alan's resting body. Ann became a regular in Tokyo as well.

In the two months after Dark Mercury, Tokyo was recovering well. All the commercial and residential areas were being overhauled and renovated. The City Government used the disaster as an excuse to "build a better Tokyo." The international money and relief soon made the city at least a partial reflection of the booming city it had been before. People began to return to Tokyo. Among them were Serena's parents, and Amy's Mother. She came in looking for Amy, but she found her friends instead. They all told her she was just fine and living in Germany right now. Mrs. Mizuno sighed sadly, but she accepted her Daughter's wish. The two corresponded happily by phone and e-mail back and forth from Japan and Germany. Amy looked genuinely happy for the first time in months in her web camera photo. She said she was making lots of friends, and her Degree was well under way!

The graves of Sailor Saturn, Mars, and Starfighter remained undisturbed at the summit of Mount Fuji. Sailor Moon and friends visited at least once a week to pay their respects and leave little tokens of love at the gravestones. Time healed the pain of their passing, but all refused to forget their noble companions.

Birdie and Katsie filled in nicely as Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars. The Sailor Scouts took to crime fighting in the wake of the disaster. Crime was on an upswing due to the lack of order in the damage. Plus it gave them a nice excuse to endear themselves even further with the Police and the public in general. News Reports every day were filled with images and reports of the Senshi doing heroic deeds for Tokyo. They were all happy to have such relatively easy jobs and get appreciation from it as well. Sailor Pluto cautioned against getting complacent however.

"One day evil will return to this Planet," she warned. "Evil never dies! We must always be here in case Earth ever needs our help again."

Crystal Tokyo was no longer a certainty. The future had wiped itself clean like a chalkboard after the destruction it endured! However, the future of the Planet never looked brighter for the Sailor Scouts! With each new day, they would patrol the city. As they flew through the air, each one would think that life couldn't be better. They could all look forward to fulfilling their lives and destiny. For the present, all was safe and at peace, and everything was as it should be.

As for the future? Well.... that's another story altogether.