Author's notes are at the end of the chapter…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*~*~*~*

Ichidou - Chapter Two:

"The Heartache of Betrayal"

*~*~*~*

" The endless pain of betrayal cannot be healed over time, my child.

It is, in itself the ultimate torture to a person's soul."

*`*`

"What?"

"Usagi has been out for almost two whole months, Makoto," repeated Rei. "Whatever in the hell she has, it obviously isn't any natural virus."

"But Rei…" came Makoto's protest over the telephone, " She was fine a week ago when she woke up for the second time. Remember that? She wanted to get up to help us clean up all of that blood."

Memories of that event became vivid in front of the raven-haired priestess' mind. Usagi had practically leapt out of bed from another one of her reoccurring nightmares. The girl seemed more drained than before, yet Usagi still wanted to help clean up. Rei had shoved her back into bed…for her friend had been so ill then.

"It was odd," Rei agreed. "She had been sick before, then became worse, but now…"

"Far worse than before," Makoto finished. "Odd…"

"Not natural," came Rei's protest. "There is something wrong here Makoto. Whither you see it or not."

A sigh came over the line. "I can guess."

"The friends of the Dark Kingdom," said Rei bluntly.

"Damn," Makoto replied.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

(6 days later)

"Stay in bed, Tsukino-chan."

"Nani?!" Usagi cried in surprise. "What about my friends and having fun?"

"You are still very sick Usagi," the doctor told the blonde. "Trust me, you don't want to lose your life to this."

"It's not like it's the end of the world," said Ikuko. Her face looked pale and drawn, her eyes tired.

"Fine."

"I'm glad that's settled," muttered the doctor. "Under no circumstances are you to go anywhere…until I figure out what you're dealing with exactly." He checked his watch and bowed to

both mother and daughter. "I am sorry for having to cut this visit so short, but I must go."

The doctor was an old man, his bows stiff and formal – but crooked from age. Usagi's urge to laugh was stifled by a dirty look from Ikuko. It clearly disapproved of Usagi's disrespect.

The sick girl sighed as the two left the room, their footsteps audible down the stairs. The shuffling of Ikuko was distinctive from the old man's heavy steps with a cane. As they left, Usagi realized that she held no memories of the last few months…weeks… As she sorted through her thoughts, the girl was stunned to realize she couldn't even remember the cause of the illness or when it began. Usagi could only remember her misery. The all-encompassing pain consumed her thoughts. The nightmares that sprung up from nowhere, the horrible premonitions of the future.

From downstairs, the doorbell rang.

"Usagi, you have a visitor!" someone shouted down the stairs.

"Probably another idiot doctor," mumbled the blonde with a look at her hands. When her eyes gazed up again, Mamoru stood in the doorway.

"Ohairi kudasai," Usagi greeted him with a faint smile.

He smiled back as he entered. "I'm glad you're awake now."

"So am I," she replied as Mamoru sat down on her bed. "How are you?"

"Better," he answered. His arms drew her close into a hug. For the first time in months, the girl finally felt safe. As Usagi pulled back for a kiss, a cold shot echoed down her spine. Mamoru noticed her body tense in his arms and asked, " What's wrong?"

She gazed into his eyes to read his expression. Something was wrong – his eyes were now green instead of the cobalt blue they always had been. "Did your eyes change color?" Usagi asked, touching his cheek.

He shook his head. "Iie…not as far as I can remember." Something cold dug into the small girl's back as Mamoru spoke. Icy pain numbed the area as his eyes flashed to silver and became emotionless.

"Let go of me!" Usagi cried, trying to get away.

"I can't let you go, Moon Princess," he told the blonde. "You must die here and now."

"Iie!"

"Too late," Mamoru chided. "Much too late."

The cold blade of a knife – no, she realized, a broad sward – pierce through her body. Crimson blood splattered again onto the walls. The pain it inflicted was immense as the one Usagi loved ripped both her body and soul to pieces.

"Iie…" She muttered without moving. " I thought you loved me."

"Iie," he whispered in her ear. "Love is for fools, Serenity."

"You are a fool," came the quiet reply. " Weak by haunting me through the person I love."

"I am wise beyond your years schoolgirl," said the false Mamoru. "I am what your betrothed is destined to become…merely a hell of a lot stronger after your demise."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

(Usagi)

"Usagi!" someone shouted in my ear. "Were you listening at all to the doctor's words?!?"

I opened my eyes; stunned to realize that what had just occurred had been another nightmare. "Iie," I admitted unwillingly. " Gomen nasai."

"I said to stay in bed Usagi," repeated the doctor. Like in my dream he was old and bent, leaning on a thin wooden cane for support. "You are young and otherwise healthy…to recover from this virus you will need all the rest you can get."

"Fine."

"Under no circumstances are you to leave your bed," continued the old man. "I hope you will take my advice." With a glance at his pocket watch and a small bow to my mother, the doctor added, " I apologize for cutting this visit so short, but I have another appointment now."

I held my breath as the doctor followed my mother out of the room and down the stairs. Her shuffling was again distinctive from the thumping of the three-legged doctor. Once again, I was alone. Irritated at the repeat of my nightmare, I flopped back onto the bed – which was a bad move. It nearly took all the breath I had away from the impact. Finally I realized how fragile my body had become over the time I spent consumed in nightmares. This knowledge terrified me.

"Usagi, you have a visitor!" Shingo called up the stairs. "It's your boyfriend!"

"Damnit," came my haggard reply. "It's repeating itself."

"Usako?" someone asked.

Mamoru stood in the doorway, holding a single red rose in his hand. With some effort, I forced myself to sit up again. He must have seen the expression on my face, for Mamoru rushed over in time to prevent me from collapsing entirely from overexertion. Mamoru gently gathered me in his arms, brushing the sheets back from the bed. He sat down on the bed and gently placed me in his lap. Pulling me close with both arms, he asked, " Are you okay?"

"Hai," I shakily replied. Slowly, I placed my head on his shoulder as his hands intertwined with my own. "It's been a while…"

He nodded and held me to his warm chest. " It has been too long."

I took one of Mamoru's hands – still intertwined in one of my own – and placed his palm against my cheek. "You're right," I said softly. "At least I'm not dead yet…that must be a good sign." Mamoru's hand moved to tip my chin up. His cobalt eyes clashed with mine as he leaned in close.

Without even realizing it, our lips met in a passionate kiss. Love is a strange sensation…came my first thought. Something so pure and divine, yet odd as well…

So I broke away.

Mamoru looked surprised. His eyes expressed his worry for me even as he spoke. "Are you feeling okay?"

"What if I just gave you what I have?"

"That's doubtable," he replied softly. Mamoru's lips brushed against my cheek and settled there for a few moments.

Something ran down my face now, feeling like a silk cloth passing down over my mouth and nose. Mamoru must have felt my body tense up in his arms, for he asked me gently, "What's wrong?"

My throat grew tight, impairing the ability to respond. In horror, blood began to pour forth from my mouth…it came from nowhere, choking me… I coughed and gasped with the effort it took to breathe.

Mamoru responded well by reaching over to find the trash can next to my desk. All I could do was cough and vomit up more and more of the crimson before it could fill my windpipe. After what seemed like an eternity, the bleeding stopped almost as instantly as it had come.

Shaking from the effort it took to breathe, I clutched the sheets like they were my only grip to reality. There was a burning sensation in my heart…of almost the same intensity as during the first memorable nightmare, where the evil being had ripped my heart from my chest. "Mamoru…" I gasped through the pain. "Please…don't leave…"

"I never would," came his answer. His free hand gently pushed away the stray strands of hair covering my face. "Are you tired, Usagi?"

The only response I could muster came in the form of a weary nod.

Mamoru gently pulled the sheets over us – yet I still sat in his lap. My head lie again on his shoulder as if it were a pillow. For the first time in a long while, I felt safe. It was a feeling of peace I had begun to miss so dearly in the time I lay enclosed in nightmares…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

(3rd person)

"Usagi!" came a harsh whisper. "Wake up!!!"

The sleeping senshi of the moon rolled over in her bed with a faint groan. "Is it morning already?"

"Kami," muttered the person, " they're all going to be dead if you don't get up now, Serenity!"

The sleeping girl's eyes opened wide at the sound of that name. "Nani?" she whispered again. "Who is that?"

Through the darkness, the voice spoke again. "It's me, Makoto."

Usagi gave a sigh of relief. "What's wrong?"

"Rei and Ami have both been captured," she managed through gasps for air. Makoto had been running the entire way here… "Luna went to find Minako – so far there's no sign of her."

"That's odd," agreed Usagi. "Minako isn't the type of person to run from a fight…" The petite blonde's face went dark when she remembered her confinement to bed for the next few days…as well as what had happened when Mamoru had come over only a day before. " What makes you think I can help?"

Makoto didn't attempt to respond, so Usagi continued with, "What if I were to pass out?" The girl's gaze shifted from a dark spot on the wall to her hands. "Then I'd let you and the other girls down too…"

The senshi of lightning reached out with one hand and grabbed Usagi by the collar. "So you aren't even going to try?"

Green eyes clashed with cerulean ones. For a few moments, Makoto tried to read Usagi's expression. Her friend looked away and said, "I don't know what to tell you, Mako-chan."

"You've already let me down Usagi – by giving such a lame excuse. By not even trying, you've already let everyone else down as well."

Silence.

A few moments later, Usagi spoke out of irritation. "Fine." Her voice echoed in the silent room. "I will go with you, kick this daemon's ass, and come home."

After a few weird seconds, Makoto let go. "Come on."

Usagi nodded. "We've wasted enough time here."

Mako walked to the open window. "Think you can manage this?"

"Of course."

"Fair enough," was her reply. "Hurry."

In one jump, Makoto was out the window and standing on the ground. Usagi took a deep breath, jumped onto the windowsill, and out the window. She landed hard and rolled on the concrete – a visible sign of her weakness.

"Where to?" wondered Usagi, trying to ignore the worried look Makoto shot her way.

"The waterfront – again."

Usagi sighed and followed her friend down the dark roads of Tokyo at top speed.

*~*~*~*~*~

An explosion of light illuminated the dark sky. A wave of heat so intense that Makoto and Usagi could feel it – from their position still blocks away – radiated from the waterfront.

A cold chill shot down Usagi's spine. "Did you feel that?"

"Hai," Makoto replied. "It's got to be Minako…"

"Then the enemy must have her as well. That would explain why Luna and Artemis couldn't find her."

Makoto and Usagi broke into a sprint to reach the origin of the blast. Both stopped in surprise and horror at the scene that had unfolded.

All the vegetation in the waterfront was dead. Every plant and tree was burnt into deformed, warped crisps – most likely caused by the weird blast. Crimson blood stained the ground, seeming to boil as it lay in puddles. Whose blood was this? Usagi wondered in her thoughts. Could this be the blood of my friends?

Makoto interrupted Usagi's thoughts with, "My God…"

Rei and Ami were tied between two cindered trees. A thick red rope held their limbs taut and prevented any movement. It was so tight around their wrists and ankles that their hands had begun to turn blue from lack of blood circulation.

Ami's forehead was split open above her brow, bleeding profusely. Her head hung limp, seemingly lifeless. The girl's left leg was slit horizontally to prevent her escape.

The condition of Rei was also horrifying – her shoulder had been sliced open and her right arm hung limp against the rope. Many various bruises and cuts covered the exposed areas of her body.

"Who the hell did this?" Makoto demanded. She began to walk out from their hiding spot to help her friends, but Usagi reached out to stop her. The tall girl gave Usagi a dirty look. "What are you doing?"

"Stopping you from killing yourself."

"Nani?!?"

"Don't be an idiot," replied Usagi. "You know you would have been dead if you walked out there all alone."

She frowned. "I'm going out there whether you like the idea or not."

Usagi shrugged. "Something more powerful than both Ami and Rei did this. You can join them, but there's nothing saying you won't end up in the same condition as they are." Usagi's gaze met her friend's own.

Mako's look softened. "I'm surprised…"

"Let's go – but not alone or both of us will die."

Slowly, a nod followed my words. "Let's go and kick some ass." Mako held her heishein wand in her hands, her fingers tracing over every edge.

"After you," said Usagi with a smile.

Makoto made a slight acknowledgement before raising the wand into the air. "Jupiter Star Power Make Up!"

As her changes began, Usagi raised her brooch above her head. This ought to get their attention, she thought, Bad idea, but too late now… "Moon Cosmic Power Make Up!"

Within moments the changes occurred, turning Usagi into her other half – Sailor Moon. Behind her stood Makoto, now Sailor Jupiter.

"Hey Sailor Moon," hissed Jupiter, "Look…Minako…she isn't tied up like the others."

"Damn," Usagi whispered when she spotted her friend. Minako looked confused and disturbed at the same time as she stood in front of Rei and Ami. "She's going to get captured…"

"Iie," Jupiter protested, "Minako isn't the capturee – she is the capturer!" (AN: That made a lot of sense, huh?)

"What the hell?" Usagi's gaze followed Jupiter's own; which was fixed onto Minako. Minako now held Rei by the throat.

"I can't stand around anymore," Jupiter told her friend. "If I die, then so be it." She gave Usagi a cold glare. "I can't stand around an watch people be tortured to death – especially not my friends!"

With that, the senshi of lightning took off. Usagi remained behind and didn't make the effort to stop Makoto this time. Arms crossed, Usagi watched for Minako's expression of surprise – but there was none. Only a calm, icy smile crossed Minako's face.

"Jupiter! Watch out!" Usagi cried from her position.

Minako let go of Rei's neck and laughed. The inane sound echoed through the late hour of the night.

"Is that you, Minako?!" demanded Jupiter. "What has happened to you?"

Minako quit laughing and turned her entire being toward Jupiter. "There wasn't any selling out here, Kino Makoto. Only eagerness."

"You're a liar!" cried Jupiter. "The Minako I know would never be eager to join the likes of your kind!"

"Wrong again."

Makoto shook her head. "Who cares if I'm wrong and you're right? All that matters is that you are now my new Enemy."

Minako's smile twisted into a smirk. "I don't need to waste my time fighting you, Sailor Jupiter."

Jupiter lashed out with her fist raised high. All anger was released in the momentum of the blow. With an eerily precise movement, Minako reached up and grabbed Jupiter's fist.

"What the -?"

Minako leaned toward a very surprised Sailor Jupiter, still holding her fist. "You're much, much, too slow," she whispered. With a crack, Jupiter's fist was turned completely to the left. Seconds later Minako kicked Jupiter in the ribs – something Usagi had never seen Minako do to anyone before.

"Damnit," hissed Usagi. As Jupiter stumbled to the ground from the blow, Usagi reached up and pulled her tiara off with her thumb and index finger. Aiming for Minako's head – in an attempt to knock her out – I called out, "Moon Tiara Action!"

Usagi threw the weapon, but to no avail. Minako grinned as the tiara shot at her head. Mere millimeters from her face, she caught it.

Usagi took a double take. Minako caught it?!?

"If that's your best, Sailor Moon, give up now."

Shaking her head, Usagi smiled as well. "Now I know you are a fake." She held her hand out, calling the tiara back. It happened to be something this fraud wasn't expecting.

Minako had been smirking – that is, until the tiara lit up and blasted through her hand and back to Usagi.

"Damn you!" cried the imposter, who held her bloody stump for a hand. The red gore seeped through her fingers clasped tightly over the stump. It dripped into a small puddle at Minako's feet.

The tiara shot back towards Usagi, who caught it; wiped the blood off of on her skirt, and put it back on.

"You will pay for that move Sailor Moon!"

"How so?" came Usagi's reply. "Unlike you, I still have two hands to fight with."

Minako laughed again. "You aren't strong enough to hurt me, Sailor Moon. The pathetic part is that you and I both know it."

"Who are you?" demanded Jupiter as she stood.

"I am whomever you hate the most, Senshi," Minako answered. "Who I am means nothing, says nothing, and will change nothing."

Usagi's head began to pound. Those words, they're so familiar… She grabbed her head, trying to suppress the pain. An image of Mamoru materialized in her head…dressed in the armor of Endymion… His eyes, his touch was cold. Usagi saw him, saying those same words as she writhed in pain…the dream…The nightmare - my heart… he was there… Mamoru said those same words…what the hell is going on?

The false Minako grinned at the sight of Usagi cringing in pain. "Sound familiar, Usagi?"

"What the hell are you?" Usagi demanded. "You were in my dreams…"

Jupiter went to her friend, placing an arm around Usagi's shoulders. The tall girl glared at the fake Minako. "Are you going to fight her now, here?"

Minako's face went dark. "You are not ready to die. You are too innocent, nightmares so pathetic." With a sweep of her hand, Jupiter went flying away from Sailor Moon. Minako reached out with one arm and grabbed Usagi by the neck. "I can see your dreams, Serenity, and you have not been corrupted enough."

"That day will never come," Usagi told her. "You will have to kill me first."

"It can be arranged, Sailor Moon."

Minako's only hand clutched her throat tighter. "Why did you choose Minako?" Sailor Moon rasped.

Minako forced a smirk. "She was weak."

Sailor Moon reached behind her back and found her scepter. Quickly she turned it around so that it was pointing into the fraud's chest. Minako looked down, unimpressed.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," chided Minako. "If you blast me to dust, the real Aino Minako will die."

"Where will you go, coward?"

The smirk widened. "If you knew, things wouldn't be half as fun, now would they?"

Sailor Moon threw away the scepter. Surprisingly, Minako let go of her. Only seconds later, Usagi kicked Minako's bloody stump of a hand.

Minako cried out in pain and Sailor Moon sprinted to the place where Rei and Ami were tied up. She tried to tug on the rope, but it was to no avail. Once again, Sailor Moon removed her tiara and began to slice through the rope.

"Nice distraction, Sailor Moon," came Minako's voice.

"But I think you'll be disappointed with the end result," said a new voice from behind. A pair of strong arms grabbed Sailor Moon around the waist, pinning her arms to her. Usagi dropped her tiara out of surprise. Sailor Moon turned her head and saw only part of a girl's face. "Who are you?"

"The name's Anju," responded the girl behind her.

Minako was now suddenly in front of Sailor Moon. She grasped the senshi of the moon's neck once more and examined her face. Minako's eyes stopped on her own.

"Jupiter Supreme Thunder!"

Green lightning heated the air next to Sailor Moon's face. It came within inches of Minako, who held her free hand out and stopped it. "I told you once, Jupiter – you're too slow."

"Damn you, bitch!" Jupiter shouted back.

"Leave here!" shouted Sailor Moon. "Leave now, Mako!"

"I'm no coward!" Mako shot back.

"So be it!" Minako shouted. "Return!"

Sailor Moon's vision began to grow fuzzy…all she could see was the lightning…charging back at Jupiter…

Something cut through the hand choking Sailor Moon!! Another flash of red light and Anju let go of Usagi's waist. Sailor Moon fell to the ground, choking on air as she tried to feed air to her deprived lungs.

Minako's figure took one step toward Sailor Moon, a beam of light building at her fingertip. She too was stopped – by a red rose shooting from the heavens.

Usagi regained her breath and stood, wavering on her feet. When things cleared, she saw Jupiter fighting Anju and Tuxedo Kamen dueling with Minako. Sailor Moon took this as an opportunity to heal Minako – that is, while she was distracted.

Sailor Moon grabbed her scepter and raised it high above her head. "Moon Healing Escalation!"

Silver light blasted from the scepter and flooded over the whole area, over everyone. Tuxedo Kamen looked surprised, almost scared. He knew how weak Usagi had been - and for her to be using this much energy…

The ropes holding Rei and Ami evaporated, their wounds were healed. Minako shrieked in pain and horror as her body and soul were cleansed from the evil that held her hostage. Moments later, she fell to the earth.

Anju escaped, shouting vulgarities at Sailor Moon.

The taste of blood was afresh in the senshi of the moon's mouth. It dribbled a little at a time from her mouth and beaded into tiny droplets on her lips. Usagi tried to stop the Ginzuishou's magic as she bled, a futile effort. The silver light chose not to alleviate until gore dripped from the corners of her mouth, until it flooded from her nose, or until crimson tears ran from her crystal blue eyes.

"Oh God…" whimpered Usagi. There seemed to be no end to the pain that followed. Pain so viscous it seemed to hollow and cauterize her insides, seemed to eat her from the inside out. All of the gore on Usagi's body and clothing seemed to sting like acid on exposed flesh. It hurts so bad…thought the girl. My whole soul feels as if it is burning away.

When the light of the Ginzuishou stopped abruptly, Usagi grasped her scepter so tightly that her knuckles had begun to turn white. It seemed to be her only support against the influx of power. Usagi's blue eyes went wide as if in surprise and she dropped the scepter to the ground. With that, the senshi of the moon collapsed to the concrete as well.

Tuxedo Kamen had seen his Usako's silent scream of pain. From his point in the battle, he could not see why she had cried out to him. He spotted Usagi as she collapsed to the ground.

As if reflex, the caped protector ran to her and caught the girl before her shoulders could touch the ground. Mamoru knelt down, placing Sailor Moon's head against his shoulder. He noticed the battered condition of his angel as he held her in his arms. Usagi was as cold as ice.

In a panic, Mamoru pulled the cape from his back and wrapped Usagi inside. She only shivered and attempted to wipe some of the claret away from her mouth. Her hand stopped midway, too weak to move. Tuxedo Kamen believed this was due to the massive amount of blood she was losing.

A golden glow began to radiate from Mamoru's hands, and then slowly encompassed his entire being. Makoto watched in awe as it flowed into her friend and leader – who made no response. She only lost her heishein, returning to the clothes of a schoolgirl. Usagi's eyes looked into Mamoru's own, showing she was still alive. In that moment, her beloved's heart broke at the realization of the amount of her suffering.

"Y-you don't have to watch me suffer, Mamo-chan," she whispered to him. A wave of nausea passed over Usagi and she violently vomited up blood. It stained both of their clothes a vibrant shade of red.

"Usako…" began Mamoru gently. One hand strayed to her cheek as he spoke. "Please…don't give up on me…"

The petite blonde coughed, still trying to recover from the last wave of nausea. Tuxedo Kamen's hand moved from around her waist to wipe some of the crimson away from her mouth. Usagi grimaced again as her chest smarted with the effort it took to breathe. In Tuxedo Kamen's embrace, she tried to shake her head to clear it.

"Don't die on me," he begged of his angel in a whisper. "You can't die here… Usako…" You can't leave me all alone, added Mamoru in his thoughts.

Usagi felt a pang of guilt. She wanted to comfort him, to tell her beloved that she wouldn't die in his arms like this. It would be too difficult to lie. Out loud, Usagi managed a simple, "I'm so sorry…"

Tuxedo Kamen refused to believe that his Usako was dying. He tried with all of his might to heal her; even though he realized it was a useless effort. In his arms, the girl twitched once, then twice. Crystal eyes looked up at him, tears streaking down his angel's face.

Her nose began to bleed again. Not like it mattered anymore. It streamed down and stained both of their clothes. Even though in pain, Usagi tried to bite her lip and force a smile. "Do me a favor, beloved?" she asked weakly.

"Anything…"

With the last of her strength, Usagi wrapped her arms around Mamoru's neck and kissed him. He was caught by surprise, but Mamoru returned the kiss regardless. Usagi poured her entire soul into that last show of affection, her passion immense.

Tuxedo Kamen never wanted her to leave his embrace. Usako seemed so full of life to him, so real at this one moment. He knew this was indeed the end, and felt his entire heart wrench at the thought.

Their passion lasted as long as possible – until both had no air left. Usagi gasped once, then twice for air as the two's lips unlocked.

"Aisheteru, Usako," Mamoru whispered into her ear.

Usagi rested her head on his collarbone. Damn, she was so tired. She managed to reply back softly, "Aisheteru, Mamo-chan. I will love you eternally, my beloved."

Mamoru felt her grip loosen as he leaned down to kiss her forehead. Usagi's eyes were closed, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Usako?" he wondered, tilting her chin up with one hand. No response. "Usagi?"

In that moment, Chiba Mamoru realized that his Usako was truly gone. Once again he was alone in this world. His heart shattered into a thousand pieces in that instant. Mamoru kissed her lips once more and realized that they were cold.

He raised his head up to look at the stars, perhaps to gaze at the moon. Mamoru held his angel close and cried in complaint to the heavens. "USAKO!!!"

* * *

Notes:

Welcome to the new and improved chapters of "Ichidou". These are completely revamped (even though I originally only released four out of the eight) and are longer for your reading enjoyment!

Perhaps you don't realize how glad I am that these are being rewritten. Call me obsessive compulsive, but this draft is much better than the original. Yeah…and leaning several words that mean the same thing as "blood" was sure amusing as well. I hope you liked it!

A tout `a l'heure!!

- yuki