Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.

They stepped out into the moonlight, their short skirts billowing slightly in a dead wind. Behind them came the boys, grown to men in the space of a few hours.

"She's late." Sailor Jupiter glanced around. Uranus managed a nervous grin.

"Nice to know some things haven't changed."

"Do you think so little of me, Uranus?" Usagi strode out from the pathway leading to the castle.

"No!" Uranus sputtered. "It was just—I was just—er…" Her eyes immediately flashed with anger though, as Saffir, Demando, Rubeus, Esmeraude and the Ayakashi sisters followed soon after her.

"You brought them!" she asked, upset.

Usagi shrugged. "You have your powers, and since the ginzouishou disintegrated, I have none. They insisted on being my protectors. And they will do a good job of it, unlike you."

Silence. No one spoke, each person measuring their guilt to the brimful.

"Usagi—Usagi, we're telling the truth!" Venus tried desperately. She was shocked when Usagi gave them a lopsided smile.

"That I know." Every person breathed a sigh of relief, and the Dark Moon Family exchanged smiles. But then, Usagi's face seemed to twist into an uglier, darker version of her former self.

"But the first time—that was unforgivable."

She put a palm forth, and a dark lightning bolt shot from it. The shittenou leapt back just before it could hit them.

"What was that for?" Mars demanded angrily. Usagi laughed, and they realized her silver hair seemed to be turning black.

"It's simple, Sailor Mars. This is a tiny thing, known as revenge!"

"Serenity! Stop this!"

Usagi turned back and with a cruel smile on her face, faced Demando, who had spoken.

"Stop what, D?"

The white haired prince seemed to be angry with her, and Usagi shivered slightly. She had never seen him so mad…but then she straightened up and her eyes lit up evilly. Demando glared back at her, undaunted.

"This is not you! These people came to apologize to you, and you dare to hurt them? They are your friends, as we are your friends! Do you not understand?"

Friends…

You have none.

…In front of me…

Imposters! Fool, do not listen to them!

"Do you wish to kill us, Serenity?" Her eyes snapped open, and she realized Endymion was speaking to her. His eyes seemed withdrawn, and he suddenly looked very small.

"Do you wish to see our bodies lying limply on the ground? Would it satisfy your thirst for revenge, Serenity?"

"It's not true…" Usagi backed away desperately as he advanced and the senshi's eyes widened, as did the shittenou's.

"It is true. Do you hate us so? Remember, when you attempted to contact me, I saw inside your mind as well. You are lonely." Endymion pressed forward.

"No…"

"Endymion!"

"SERENITY!"

"NO!" She screamed, and put her hands over her ears. "Get out of my head! Get out, get out, get OUT!" Her hair flickered back and forth between black and silver, then blonde. She closed her eyes as she rocked back and forth on her knees, trying desperately to rid herself of her inner demon.

Shall I be let free, Serenity?

It was just like her dream. They would ask, and she would always comply. She should keep it in, to save her friends, but she would end up killing them. Either way, she would be without them. She loved them all so…

Be gone, evil demon.

She let out a shriek as violent spasms rocked her body, and everyone fell back and away from her. They were thrown even farther away when black and white lights erupted from her body. The black lights formed a shape that looked suspiciously like her, before disappearing. The white lights swung around her body, and they cleared away for a moment.

The senshi, shittenou, and Dark Moon Family let out gasps, as Princess Serenity became known to them. Her white dress fluttered behind her, and her golden blonde hair streamed out. The light enveloped her once more.

Now Sailor Moon stood, flashing the V is for victory sign. The cocky heroine flipped backwards to show off her new form, before she winked and vanished once more in the glow.

Neo-Queen Serenity tilted her head to the side. Chibiusa raised her head and smiled as she saw her mother as she remembered her. The Neo-Queen seemed confused for a moment, before letting a soft grin steal across her face, and she was gone.

And then there was Usagi. She was wearing large, purple rain boots that went up to her knees, and a large, oversized purple raincoat that went to just above her boots. She opened her eyes, and their normal crystal blue hue was back.

"Minna…Gomen nasai." She whispered, just before bringing up her arm as a pitcher would do, and a swirling ball of light appeared in her hand. She seemed to have been infected with an aphrodisiac, as she giggled slightly.

"See it?" She addressed them in a singsong voice. "Now, time and death join it." Pluto and Saturn could do nothing as their staff and glaive flew from their hands and collided in a burst of black light. When it cleared, a pearly white staff was held in Usagi's left hand. The ball floated gently above it, whirring every so once in a while.

"Archer send your bow, Knight, your sword. You the Seer, and there the Sage, come here." Jadeite yelped slightly as his bow soared away from him and drifted just above Usagi, and Kunzite's sword joined it. Nephrite and Zoicite tried their best not to collapse as green and blue lights fluttered out of their bodies, and joined the light-ball.

"Fiery one, Aphrodite's daughter, love, the ice queen, and you who commands the sky, relinquish your powers to me!" Mars' arrow from her Flame Sniper attack zinged to Usagi, and multiplied into several, then stayed next to Jadeite's bow.

Lighting crackled in her hair; to touch her would have meant several volts of electricity running to you. Her eyes grew harder, and cold as ice. She seemed to stand in a way that said she was smarter and superior than anyone there.

Her hair grew longer, and her eyes sparkled, turning silver. The senshi leaned against the shittenou for support as they felt their energy sapped.

"Swordswoman, and you, gazing at your reflection." Uranus' sword joined Kunzite's, and Neptune's mirror shrunk steadily. (A/N: I know it's way too early for them to have hose, but it fit the fic, so…) A string of pearls seemed to sprout from it, and it spun lazily in the air by Usagi's head.

"You I loved, ye of Earth." Endymion latched onto his sword, but the pull was too great and it ended up with Kunzite's and Uranus'. Usagi gave them all a sad, melancholy smile, before she uttered her last words.

"From you all comes my rebirth."

What followed next was a power so intense, and so concentrated, that every single person there was thrown back and landed forcefully on the ground. They were blinded by a light, until a soft voice spoke to them.

"Let me see…oh, yes, this is a very good accommodation indeed." The voice seemed to soothe everyone, lulling them in with its bell-like sound.

"I think you all should like it better, if you are able to see." The light was immediately cleared, and they all sat up, rubbing at their sore spots. All injuries were suddenly forgotten though, as they saw the woman standing before them.

She had waist length silver hair, tied into a loose braid. Her dress reached up to just above her knees, and was sleeveless. A white belt hung at an angle from her waist, and all three swords had merged to become one shining, magnificent sword with an edge keen enough to slice a leaf sitting sideways in half. The sword was sheathed onto the belt.

She had clear silver eyes, and on her forehead was the circlet binding Neptune's mirror. Mars' arrows and Jadeite's bow were strapped to her back. In her hands she held the staff, light-ball intact.

She was devastatingly beautiful, and from the impudent half-smile on her face, she knew it. Jadeite decided to sum up everyone's feelings in a word.

"Damn..."

She laughed, and the guys nearly collapsed. "Thank you, Jadeite." Venus shook her head.

"What happened to you, Usagi?" The woman (A/N: Come on, I'm sure you know by now she's not Usagi!) cocked her head to the side.

"Usagi is no more. In activating my power, and in expelling Wicked Lady, Usagi basically killed herself. When my mission is done, she shall be no more."

"What?" Uranus glared at her. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

The woman shrugged. "I think I am me."

"Stop that! I'm being serious!" The wind senshi seemed thoroughly pissed off, and the woman didn't seem to care.

"Fine then. Usagi was a Joshin, a direct descendant of the gods. Because of this, she had the power to let one of us take her over. In doing so, she would make the ultimate sacrifice; losing her life. But she chose to do so, to save you. An evil entity resided inside of her for the better part of these thirty years, and fed off her power, twisting her emotions. Just before Usagi called upon me, the demon escaped. This being is now just as powerful as me, maybe even more powerful, and it will destroy you and everyone else in the Universe if it gets the chance. I am here to stop it."

Silence reigned supreme as the shocked people received the information. Mars took a deep breath.

"Who are you?"

The woman smiled once more. "Ah yes. Well, seeing as I am technically Usagi's mother, I guess I could call myself Queen Selenity. But for you, I shall reveal my true nature. I am the patron goddess of the moon, and goddess of the hunt. My name is Selene, also known as Artemis, also known as Diana."

She winked. "Always did like making a great speech."

"But Usagi can't die!" Jupiter yelled at her. "What's the point of life without her?" Selene narrowed her eyes.

"Now listen here: Usagi died to save you, and I will make this clear, should any of you kill yourself or throw yourself recklessly into danger's way, her sacrifice will have been made in vain. She was a noble girl, and I suggest you remember that. For now, I am strictly borrowing her body. You may return with it when I am done, but that is only if I lose the battle, I suppose."

They stared at her in astonishment. How could she speak so lightly of such things? But before they could say another word, she lifted a hand, and they found themselves trapped inside a silver bubble. Selene positioned herself in front of it, and made a few motions with her hands. White gloves with no fingers appeared, and she removed two arrows from her pack and strung them to her bow.

"Dark Lady, show yourself!"

The black lights that had disappeared earlier returned, and this time, Usagi stepped out of the dark mist. At least, the being looked like Usagi, but with black hair and black eyes that radiated hatred. Strapped to her back was a large, brown bow and in her pouch was a single, writhing arrow. She wore a replica of Selene's dress, but in dark purple and with light, airy sleeves. Strapped to her waist was a black sword.

"Hello, moon bitch."

Selene smirked, ever cocky. "Hello…er…weird-light-inner-demon-thingy bitch. It's time to die!"

Wicked Lady sneered. "Then let's go."

Selene fired the arrows, and they burst into heated flame. The true battle of the best had begun.

Took me two days to type that…And I had it all written on paper too! What do you think of Selene's transformation? Or… Eh, Usagi's transformation. A friend of mine told me Selene's too arrogant for her own good. Ah well. She's a goddess, isn't she? And please, don't kill me for killing Usagi, it was for the good of the fic, and although I'm not sure if I want her back in the end, there will be a happy ending! No flames please! (Can you believe I wrote this sad crud while listening to Don't Worry Be Happy!)