"Makoto?" Nathan called, walking towards her.

She was sitting alone on the roof of Jubaan High, staring at the people down below.

"Are you okay, Makoto?" he asked again, sitting next to her. "You've been very depressed lately. What's wrong?"

Makoto started, seemingly coming out of a day dream and looked at Nathan. "Nathan?"

"Okay, now I know something's wrong," he said. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Makoto shook her head. "No, it's nothing..." she placed her head between her hands, then looked up when she felt Nathan's hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me," he smiled in reassuringly. "Just remember that I'm here, and that you can count on me."

Nathan then followed her lead and started looking down at the people below.

Makoto looked at him doubting if she should tell him or not. 'If I only could tell you the whole truth, Nathan...' she thought.

Masks and Dragons

Chapter 3

Death by the Sword

By Wanderer D

"It's about the Tokyo Tower, I... I was thinking..." Makoto started.

Nathan nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I saw it on T.V." he said somberly.

"So many people..." she murmured "I wonder what the story of each of them was, what they might have become if their lives hadn't ended so abruptly."

Nathan looked at her seriously. "Listen Makoto, there's nothing you could have done to stop that from happening! Even the Sailor Senshi and the police were unable to do so."

"I know, but..."

"Makoto, there's tragedy in this world, and sometimes there's so much you want to do to help, but you can't. " He sighed. "Listen, Makoto… when things like these happen you can always think 'what could I have done to make it different?' But the truth is that, what is done is done. No matter how hard we tried, we couldn't just change the past."

He stopped, noticing Makoto's arms around him and her head resting on his shoulder.

"I understand what you're saying... I just wish there had been another way." Makoto murmured sadly.

Nathan rested his head on hers, closing his eyes. "There's always another way Makoto, sometimes it's obvious, sometimes not, but there's always another way." He murmured.

---

Ikoku stood outside the doorway of the house, looking at her daughter as she left to go to Raye's place. She had noticed her depression and was glad that she had friends that could help her. She could see Luna, Usagi's cat, following her, looking as depressed as Usagi.

'If only animals could talk I could ask Luna what's wrong with my daughter.' She thought with a sad sigh as she walked into the house.

---

The girls sat around a table, the Mercury computer, the book and the dragon statue were in the center.

"I haven't found anything yet." Ami stated with an exasperated look in her eyes and glaring at the three objects as if they had the fault. "I've double-checked the database, and still nothing." She could almost feel the dragon statue laughing at her.

"What about the statue?" Said Usagi looking at it.

Ami shook her head again. "Only residual energy from a long time ago, dating back to the days of the Silver Millennium."

"What about the book Nathan gave you?" Asked Luna. "Did it have information about the Silver Millennium?"

Ami blinked. "Why, yes, it did have lots of information, mostly legends though. Nothing specific, though. I haven't finished reading it yet."

---

Usagi walked back home alone. Her thoughts were elsewhere. She was wondering about their enemy and its reasons and why they would just kill innocent people just to get a statue.

She couldn't think of anything.

Reaching her home she felt something strange and she thought she saw the front yard move for a moment. 'I must be tired' she thought as she walked past the entrance to the small front yard.

The blue sky was replaced by red and darker shades surrounded her house. On the front yard stood a large stake with her brother, mother and father tied to it.

"Usagi!! You have to get out of here before..." Ikoku started to shout, then her eyes opened wide with alarm.

Turning around Usagi found Jade standing behind her with another dragon, this one with white scales, at his side.

Usagi backed away until she bumped into the stake. Her father tried a futile attempt to free himself. "What do you want from us?!"

Jade ignored him. "We meet again, girl. I believe you have something that belongs to me, don't you?"

Usagi flinched slightly, remembering that the statue was inside her bag.

"Well?!" Jade stepped forward. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Usagi's father looked at him. "You must be mistaken! She has had nothing to do with you!"

"Silence!!" Jade glared at Usagi. "You are dressed differently, but I see the resemblance. You will give me what I want or I will kill your family one by one!" Jade pointed his finger at Usagi's brother. "One goes down."

A blinding white beam shot from the dragon's finger and sped towards Shingo's chest. Time seemed to stop for Usagi, she found herself running towards her brother and hugging him, putting herself between the beam and him.

The blast hit her, it went through her shoulder, but it didn't hurt her brother. She screamed in pain and slid down, her brother's horrified eyes looking at her own. Her bag fell to the ground next to her and they could now all see the golden dragon statue inside it.

Jade picked it up and threw it to the white dragon. "Here's the statue. Give it to Lord Black while I finish here." The white nodded and disappeared into a dimensional rift.

Jade smiled as Usagi struggled to get up and turned to look at him. Her mother gasped as she saw Usagi's burnt and bleeding shoulder. "Usagi, don't get up!"

Usagi turned slightly to look at them, a small, saddened smile on her face. "I'm sorry mom, dad, Shingo. I can't let him kill you."

"But, you don't stand a chance!" Her father moaned.

"Usagi, don't!" Shingo said trying to free himself.

"Don't worry, if something happens..." her eyes were full of tears, but her smile never faded. "Remember that I've always loved you guys."

Turning around, she looked at Jade, her shoulder burning. "Let's start the fight then! Moon Eternal Make Up!!"

---

Jupiter ran along with Mars. "Damn! I hope were not to late!!" She swore, jumping from one building to another.

"We're not!! I can still feel their energy!" Mars answered. Looking ahead she pointed at a nearby building. "Look, there's Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Mercury!"

"And there comes Sailor Venus!" Jupiter said, looking to her left.

They gathered as they ran, never stopping and with Tuxedo always in the lead.

When they arrived at Usagi's house everything seemed normal.

"Are you sure she's in danger?" Venus asked Tux doubting her own instincts as she looked at the empty and calm front yard.

Tux frowned. "Yes, but everything seems normal, doesn't it?"

"It's strange, the readings indicate an amount of energy that could light a small town." Mercury said, looking at the stats her visor was showing her.

"I'm going in to check." Tuxedo Mask decided and walked into the front yard. He immediately disappeared.

---

Usagi's father winced as he saw his daughter fly into the air and then smash into the ground hard. Her wings hadn't helped much.

Ikoku was weeping, sobbing as she saw her daughter get up yet again on shaky legs.

Jade laughed evilly. "My, my, my. Aren't we the strong girl..."

"You have what you want, why do you torture her?!" Usagi's father screamed helplessly.

"Because he's got no trace of humanity in him. Because he's only a beast, unable to think in other terms apart from killing and fighting," Mask answered walking around the side of the house and stopping in front of Usagi, shielding her from Jade's sight. "And he's a sadist." he spat unsheathing his sword.

"Actually, it's because I don't have anything better to do right now." Jade replied with a sneer.

"Case in point." Mask conceded. In the blink of an eye he had disappeared and Jade ducked just as Mask's katana cut the air where the dragon's head was only moments before.

Time seemed to stop for the two combatants as the crouched Jade tried to uppercut Mask. The armored man avoided the hit by jumping back, his black cape moving wildly around his arms as he spun in a tight circle, slicing around him. The katana's tip cut into one of Jade's wings.

Roaring, the dragon clawed at Mask's chest, the contact of his claws leaving a trail of sparkles in it's wake.

Mask tried another cut, but the dragon grabbed the katana, trying to yank it from Mask's grasp and ignoring the blood pouring from his hand. Mask, in turn, made his hand into a claw and used the armored tips to stab the dragon.

Tux, coming in just as the two had started, saw Eternal Sailor Moon, on her knees breathing heavily. Running towards her, he didn't notice her family still tied to the stake.

Tux practically slid to a stop on his knees as he reached his beloved.

"Usagi!!" he whispered.

"Mamoru?" Ikoku asked.

Startled he turned around, and finally saw Usagi's father, mother and brother looking at him.

For a moment his blood ran cold, but Usagi's whisper brought him out.

"Mamoru... take...them... away..."

"Help her Mamoru, we'll help her parents." Sailor Mercury stated, Venus and Mars were already untying them.

"We have to take them out of the front yard!" he said. Holding Usagi closely he stood up.

And with Minako and Ami helping Usagi's family, they ran to the entrance.

"You've improved your fighting, Mask." Jade panted, backing a little. His left wing had multiple cuts, as did his arms, chest and face.

Mask's cape had been torn to shreds, his silver mail had been broken in many places, and silver armor parts were covered in his own blood. He didn't hold his katana now. He had adopted a fighting stance, his hands completely turned into claws.

"Can't say the same about you though." Mask answered.

Mars and Jupiter watched the two resume their fight. Behind them they heard a curse from Tuxedo Mask.

Turning, they saw Mamoru and the others trying to get past the gate. Mars immediately ran to help, while Jupiter looked again at the battle.

Raye arrived to where Ami and Mamoru were trying to get past the entrance.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I think it's a variation of the spell he used on us under Tokyo Tower, only much more powerful!" Tux answered.

"Can we break it?" Asked Mars.

"It took all of Mask's power and concentration to get you out of the small one," Tux replied. "If we fail, we'll all die in the after shock."

"It's not like we haven't died before." Venus stated darkly.

'That won't be necessary.' Said a voice.

They all looked around, but couldn't see anyone.

"What the..." Venus started.

'No time, I will be discovered. Go now.' The voice faded, and they now understood that they had heard it in their minds. The red haze that seemed to cover the entrance faded.

"Let's go!" They ran out. As soon as Tux, carrying an unconscious Usagi ran out, they could 'feel' it closing again.

Mars tried to enter again, only this time she was unable. The energy burnt her hands. "Ouch!" she protested. "Jupiter's still inside!"

---

Makoto watched with growing frustration as Mask was pushed into defensive despite his best tries. He was better than before, but nowhere near the power of the angered green dragon.

Jade backhanded Mask and sending him sprawling. This time the Knight couldn't get to his feet. The dragon then began walking towards him.

She felt anger building inside her.

Jade looked at the fallen figure. The human was powerful, but he had failed. Now he would die.

"JADE!! YOU BASTARD!! DIE!!!" Makoto shouted suddenly from behind him.

Moving fast he caught the katana with his two hands. One had grabbed the blade and he had cut himself again, but he now had a firm grasp on it. The other hand was holding the girl's hand just below the tsuba.

He looked at the girl's eyes and was surprised to find cold hatred, far different from what any normal human could've hated someone, and he started to realize, that there was something familiar about it.

The girl pushed the tip down, making him kneel back in his effort to keep it away from him. But despite his best efforts, he was having a lot of trouble keeping the katana away from his chest. The girl's strength was incredible.

Jupiter didn't know what was happening, or why. She just knew she had to kill him. She didn't need to think. Screaming in anger Makoto pushed harder.

Jade grunted as he did his best to hold the sword. When the strength suddenly multiplied it caught him by surprise.

The blade dug deeply into his chest, piercing his heart. Jade's eyes opened wide as he felt burning pain then numbness crawling to his arms. His last sight was of the girl being surrounded by a black winged aura, her cold green eyes unyielding.

---

Sailor Moon stood up on shaky legs when she saw the spell begin to fade. The had waited fearfully, fearing the result of the battle, for they knew how powerful Jade was.

She and the others stared in a mixture of horror and relief as Makoto yanked the katana free of Jade's chest and looked impassively as the dragon exhaled for the last time.

Sailor Jupiter suddenly fell on her knees. Her eyes rolled back and she slumped back, unconscious, on the grass.

Mask's katana glowed for a moment before fading away and it's owner wasn't around anymore.

Mercury and Mars ran towards the unconscious Jupiter and lifting her between the two, went to Usagi.

"Moon..." Venus started, but Sailor Moon stopped her. She transformed back into her civilian clothes before speaking.

"Take Jupiter with you." she turned to look at her family. "We have to talk."

The Senshi nodded and left. Tux after a slight hesitation left too, but not before patting Usagi's shoulder comfortingly, Usagi smiled at him. She then walked her family away from their home.

---

When they were alone, Usagi turned to face her parents and brother. "Mom, dad, I…"

She stopped suddenly when her father slapped her. She raised her hand to her reddening cheek as her father tried to control himself. Tears ran down his cheeks and he hugged her tight.

Soon her mother and brother were also hugging her.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" Usagi whispered.

---

Makoto woke up hearing Raye and Ami arguing with someone outside her apartment. She then recognized the voice as Nathan's.

Looking down at herself, she found she was still in her Sailor Jupiter costume.

"What happened?" she asked softly.

---

"Anyway, Nathan, Makoto isn't feeling so good at the moment." Ami said, standing protectively at the entrance of Makoto's apartment.

"What's wrong? Is she sick?" Nathan asked, worried. "I knew there was something wrong with her, she's been very depressed lately!"

Raye was touched by the worry she could hear in Nathan's voice. She hadn't met him until then, but she liked him. "She's not sick, she just did too much exercise a while ago and passed out..." she started to explain.

"And I'm alright now, Nathan..." Makoto interrupted her, stepping out. "Are you ready for that movie?"

Ami and Raye stared at her. The latter with the 'we've got to talk' look on her face.

"Are you sure, Makoto? I could come tomorrow when you're feeling better..." Nathan asked unsure.

Makoto smiled and grabbed his arm, sliding her arm around his waist. "No, it's okay, really." She waved at Ami and Raye. "See you later!"

Raye had a huge sweat drop. "What's with her?"

Ami shrugged. "Maybe she just needs some time away from all of this. We'd better go."

---

Winter placed the gold dragon statue in the chest with the others. When he closed the chest he found himself looking at Lord Black. The large black dragon glared at shorter white.

"Jade is dead." Black stated.

Winter shrugged. "Had it coming."

Black's red eyes turned to slits as he frowned dangerously. "Explain yourself."

"That idiotic green dragon used all his magic to create the bubble, then make it invisible, then creating an illusion so that anyone looking from the outside would see a normal house, THEN using another spell making the theirs undetectable. " the white dragon explained.

"That wouldn't be enough to take a toll on him..." Black retorted.

"Of course not, but add to it the battle with Sailor Moon, which by the way he could have ended in a matter of seconds, but noooooo. Then again, why did he have to fight them? He could have created more elementals to do battle for him."

"Tell me how could a group of girls, one 'knight' I guess, and a man in a tuxedo kill a green dragon?" Black asked unmoved by the white's argument.

"That lays beyond my comprehension my lord, but it's no great loss." Winter said.

"That is true. Tell me, Winter, since you seem to be better at strategy than any of us, who would you send to the human world?" Black asked.

"Gold." Was the white's immediate answer.

"Gold? He owes me no allegiance." Black said.

"True sir, but he owes you a favor, since it was you who vouched for him in the council." Winter pointed out.

"Very well, Winter, but if he fails..." Black warned.

"He won't." Winter said self assuredly. "He's even more obsessed with honoring his debts than most golds."

"If, he fails you die." Black said.

Black faded and Winter gulped loudly. "Me and my big mouth."

End Chapter 3