Ok so I've got more time on my hands than I thought. (A little too much perhaps.) Still it's fun to write something that someone other than me will end up reading. Beside the chapter was half written by the time chapter three was posted.

This story is the work of David Cross, please don't use without permission. Blah blah blah work of fiction, blah blah blah don't own Sailor Moon, Possible offence from language you know the sort of thing.

A Second Destiny

Chapter 4: The Broken Destiny

It's late at night in the Hikawa Temple Rei kneels before the fire deep in meditation. Two hours have already passed but Rei continues through her exhaustion. Please let me know of our new enemy. We need to know who it is. Show me please. Rin-byou-tou-sha-kai-jin-retsu-za-zen. The flames flare up illuminating the sweat drenched girl. A shape forms for a few moments. Rei looks into it trying to determine its meaning. Such forms could be unstable and she might not be able to recall it if she loses her focus. It's from the past? But who is he? What is he?

Rei stare more intently into the patterns made by the flame as they again begin to take form. She holds her breath willing the image to appear this could be the answer needed to finish this. The beeping from her communicator draws her attention away from the fire and the image is lost.

"Fuck!" Rei swears violently as she rises. Now her concentration has broken she can feel as always the wave of tiredness, the sweat literally dripping off of her, the dull ache from remaining in one position for too long. She grabs the communicator. Forgetting her anger the moment she sees Artemis on the screen.

"Rei!" Than goodness I've gotten hold of you. We've got big trouble at the hospital. Something's here. Weird as it sounds the bedding animated and tried to kill Mina. It stopped the second she left the room. I've called Ami and Lita, they're on their way Luna's waking Serena up now. Mina needs your help right away, you're closest, please hurry."

Rei digs in her robes for her wand. "Mars Power Transform!" In a burst of flame she becomes Sailor Mars. Moments later the only sign of her is the still swinging doors.

Slowly the figure descends the stairs. Mina raises her wand. "Venus power…" She groans as powerful wave of nausea washes over her. Desperately she tries to focus so she can transform. The stairs and the figure coming toward her double and then treble. With a detached dismay she feels the wand struck from her grasp and hears it clatter into the darkness below. She closes her eyes and awaits the inevitable. The door at the top of the stairs flies open once again.

"She came this way. Hey you there, who are you? Visiting time ended hours ago." Two male orderlies stand at the head of the stairs; one of them carries a syringe. They pause as they realise something is very wrong with the person stood before them.

The figure on the stairs lets go of Mina's hand and turns. "I've already fed for now, but it's foolish to waste a fresh meal when it's offered." He turns to face the orderlies. The he hold his hands out by his sides and the shadows around him spread slowly outward. Blotting out the lights as it passes over them.

Mina crawls forward with her eyes shut, not wanting to see what happens next. Her hand hits empty air and she overbalances rolling down the next flight of stairs in a painful series of rapid jolts. For a few moments she can only lay there stunned her entire body now a chorus of pain. She pushes her way through the door on this level and into a well lit corridor, the screams of the doomed orderlies echoing behind. Her only thought is of escape and she clings desperately to it. The corridor on this level is deserted with only half of the lights actually switched on. The closed canteen lies ahead of her.

She looks around for some place to hide. Her first thought is the kitchens in the canteen. The trouble was, the canteen would lead to a dead end and even in her current state, her training warns her against letting herself be cornered. The screaming behind her comes to an abrupt halt. Time is running out. She crawls to the elevator and somehow hits the button. Mercifully it is on this floor and sobbing with relief she drags herself in. She reaches up and hits a button at random past caring anymore.

With a lurch the lift moves. Mina forces herself to look at her right hand which has worryingly gone almost totally numb. Blood runs from her wrist from a cut almost two inches long. She clutches at the injury as best she can and waits for the doors to open.

On the fourth floor the door from the stairwell opens. The figure that emerges stands still for a moment with a crooked smile on his face. The girl was as good as dead now. A trail of blood leads to the left elevator and the lights above it show it coming to rest on the seventh. With a shrug the figure turns and begins climbing the stairs.

Mina gasps as the elevator lurches to a halt. Had she almost dozed off? Her exertions were already catching up with her; all she wanted to do now was rest. She hits another button and feels the lift start up again. She screams as something hits the side of the elevator. Whatever it is it's large and moving to the top where the escape hatch is. The lights inside the elevator are dimming. The doors slide open. The figure outside pauses them descends upon her.

"Mina? What happened to you?" Sailor Mars followed closely by Sailor Mercury rush in to help her. Mercury seeing the pool of blood on the floor and streaking the inner wall by the control panel looks franticly for the source of the blood flow.

Mina looks up for a second, then bursts into hysterical tears. Clinging to Mars as though she might disappear and sobbing unrestrainedly into her shoulder.

Mercury pulls the bow from the back of her costume and begins binding Mina's bleeding wrist. "Sailor Mars we have to get her help as soon as possible. She's lost a lot of blood and is going into shock."

"Fine but where can we go? That thing's in the building he could find us at any time."

"Good evening girls." Comes a low sinister voice. Looking up fearfully Mars and Mercury see the shadow wreathed figure walking slowly toward them. The shadows around him were becoming more animated. "Drawing out a death increases the pain and fear in victims and adds flavour but if you just surrender to me right now I promise that your deaths will be quick and clean."

"Fat chance you freak!" Mars yells back. She brings her hands together; index fingers pointed "Mars Fire Ig..."

"MARS DON'T!" Mercury screams. "We're inside a hospital. Not everyone can be moved. If you use your attack in here you could set this whole place alight."

"Clever girl." The figure remarks in a voice dripping sarcasm. "Now will you make the smart choice and give this pointless chase up?"

"Hardly, Mercury Bubble Blast!" The attack is launched quickly and without warning catching the creature flat footed. As the thick mist spreads Mercury yells to Mars. "Get Mina out of here." She pulls one of Mina's arms over her shoulder and Mars takes the other. They hurry to the only exit in sight.

"Where to now?" Mars pants as they drag Mina as fast as she'll go. They're in the stairwell.

"If we go to the roof we'll have room to fight and there will be less risk of others getting caught in the crossfire." Gasping they half pull half carry a semi-conscious Mina up the stairs. Below they hear the door fly off its hinges and splinter. The light bulbs in the stairwell begin to shatter in sequence the darkness rapidly gaining on them.

Mars delivers a powerful kick and the lock on the roof entrance gives at once. They place mina behind the entrance and race to face the doorway. A white shape darts out. Artemis carrying a transforming wand in his mouth. A bolt of darkness, now wrapped in electrical energy surges after him forcing Mars and Mercury to duck sideways to avoid it. The figure in pursuit dives through the door but Mars is prepared for him.

"Mars Fire Ignite!" The fireball scores a direct hit and the shape lands short. Then the figure rises walking through the flames.

"If that was all you've got then you are really in trouble." Another blast flies at Mars which she barely counters with a fireball.

"Mercury Bub…" A hand shoots out of the drifting smoke and catches Mercury by the head. The creature lifts her with one arm; the shadows closing over her head seem to be doing most of the work. Mercury struggles as the suffocating darkness envelops her. As Mars rushes forward to help the creature throws Mercury into her. Mercury's head collides with Mars' face with a sickening crunch and both girls go down.

The figure steps forward. "I told you it was pointless. I've absorbed enough energy this evening to overcome anything you can throw at me." He raises a hand the darkness gathering into a sphere of energy.

"Hold It!" The figure turns to see the source of the voice. "You're reign of terror is ending right here and right now. I'm not going to just stand here and let you hurt my friends. I'm Sailor Moon, and in the name of the moon. I'll punish you!"

The figure grins. "Cute." He turns and flings the deadly energy sphere directly at Sailor Moon.

"Jupiter Thunder Crash!"

The bolt of lightning intercepts the energy ball and Sailor Moon is joined by Sailor Jupiter.

"You again? Why don't you just die already?" He takes aim at Jupiter. And is knocked off balance by the fireball.

"Guy's we hit him together. Got it?" Mars yells. Her face now a mask of blood following a broken nose.

Jupiter and Mercury take up flanking positions.

"Mercury Bubble Blast!"

"Mars Fire Ignite!"

"Jupiter Thunder Crash!"

The jet of flame that flies forward is wrapped in electricity and a stream of bubbles snake around it. The figure stagers under the impact but remains upright.

It happens too quickly for anyone to react. Sailor Moon Jumps down already swinging her sceptre and gathering her energy. As she opens her mouth to deliver the final attack the figure lunges at her his hand just touches her face and he launches a bold of energy into her at point blank range.

Serena feels herself thrown backwards. The world seems to be moving in slow motion, and everything is oddly pain free except for her wrists. The edge of the rooftop rushes up past her and the world fades to black.

Ok now we're reaching the meat of the story. How long it ends up being is up in the air right now. This thing has a number of directions it could go in so I'll just let it evolve one chapter at a time. Thank you to those who have reviewed. Please keep them coming. Any suggestions, predictions please let me know.