Author's notes are again at the end of this chapter. Enjoy!

Ichidou - Chapter Five

"Alone I Weep"

No one ever discovers the depths of his own loneliness.

-Georges Bernanos

(Minako POV)

The anger was growing.

As Jade and I fought on, it grew to be more help than a real hindrance. It kept me going, from giving up and dying at his feet. Jade was a formidable enemy. Even I know that I could have fought him better.

Another feeling was building inside of me – that feeling of emptiness that only becomes more and more vast.

"Someone else has just died," taunted Jade, his hair blowing wildly. His words confirmed my suspicions, but who was it…

"You can feel it," he continued. "All dead but you, last as always."

"I will avenge my friends, Jade," I replied through clenched teeth. "Even if I die myself!" A beam of light grew from my fingertips and became larger by the moment. "Crescent Light!"

The light was huge, creating a blinding flash.

Jade cried out in pain, his eyes burning with rage and pain. "How dare you, Sailor brat!"

In response I only smiled. "I'm not going to apologize for your stupidity."

Jade lashed out in the next few seconds and was controlled strictly by his anger.

"Poison!" he yelled as he pushed a beam into the air. A black glow surrounded the two of us. Suddenly, Jade was gone.

"What the hell?" I muttered to no one. When I turned around, Jade was directly behind me. "Damn!" I tried to get away, but Jade grabbed me around the waist.

"You can't escape me," he gloated. His grip grew stronger, his arms crushing my ribs and sternum.

I reached around with one hand to try and snap Jade's wrist. He stopped my movement easily and trapped both my hands. Somehow, I managed to twist his wrist with my two hands in his own. A crack echoed though the waterfront.

Jade's grip loosened and I pulled away from his rib crushing grasp.

"You'll pay, senshi," he said. I watched in horror as he took the snapped wrist in his free hand and reset the bones. He saw the

horrified look on my face and smiled as he tested the reflexes of the once-injured limb. "For you, Venus," Jade said again with a smile. "Blue Lightning!"

It was too slow, easily dodged. To dodge it though, I had to turn my back to Jade. He took this to his advantage by doubling up a fist and hitting me in the jaw as I turned around.

His blows were faster than I expected, much more painful than I had thought. Jade struck ten times in every second, the pain was unbearable.

The next blow struck me in the chest and knocked me to the ground. "Bastard," I muttered, crimson running down from my lips and my face. Yet Jade did not stop his attacks there.

He bent down, his navy colored hair blowing in the wind. His hand reached out and angrily snapped my wrist – he twisted it completely around so that my palms were where your knuckles should be.

I cried out in pain, unable to ignore the burning in my wrist. With what was left of my strength, I stumbled to my feet. "You haven't won yet, Jade."

"But I have Venus," Jade told me as he kicked me again in my ribs. What ribs weren't broken were now shattered by the brute force this last blow produced. "You have lost this battle…as well as your life."

(3rd person)

Where am I? thought Usagi, glancing around. The world was blank, with no definition of earth and sky. There were no trees, no grass, no life other than her. No sky, only white above and all around.

"Is this where I was destined to go?" she asked, putting up her guard. Something wasn't right…

"No." came a voice. It was alone, voiced from no one. This caused the girl to look around in confusion.

"Who's there?" asked Usagi, glancing at the emptiness.

"When the time is right, you will know," was the reply. A beautiful young woman stepped from the white, dressed as a Sailor Senshi. "You weren't meant to die, Serenity," said the maiden. She smiled for a few brief moments, as if she were remembering the personality of her princess. "I am sorry to see you here in this prison." The maiden gestured at the emptiness around them, smile dying.

"Prison?" Usagi's eyes went wide. "How so?"

"The walls are their won prison, vast and blank, time never changing. The outside world lives on while I, a veritable prisoner here, never die."

"I'm sorry," the teenager replied, her heart full of empathy. Usagi stopped herself just in time, realizing that the maiden could be Haikumei.

"No, don't be sorry, Princess," the maiden replied. "Your tears are wasted upon me – I died a millennia ago – alone. No one has lost me… but you, Princess, have friends and Prince Endymion to live for."

At the sound of his name, Usagi burst into tears. "I failed them," she muttered endlessly, "I failed Mamoru…I died in his arms…the girls – I let Makoto down just like I said I would." The girl dropped to her knees, filled with emptiness like none other imaginable. With her long golden hair strewn across her face, Usagi pressed her forehead into the ground. She was so ashamed…

The maiden kneeled down next to the upset girl. "You have not failed your friends, I promise."

A long cry echoed throughout the emptiness. It was of pain and suffering, unlike any other. The maiden grimaced at the horrifying sound.

"It's Minako!" gasped Usagi. "She's suffering…"

The maiden only nodded. "Now is the time, Princess. You must go back to them, to Endymion as well as the others." She glanced into Usagi's tear stained face and couldn't help but smile.

The oddly shaped crest on the maiden's forehead glowed with a faint golden light.

"How am I to do that?" Usagi asked, glancing at the maiden before her. The crest began to grow brighter, the white around them turning dark.

"Hurry child," was the maiden's answer. "I will hold off the enemy, but you must go back."

"How?" cried Usagi. "I am dead!"

"Never dead," disagreed the maiden. "You are lost, Princess Serenity." She gestured to a silver and red rose, its tip shot into the ground. "To get home, you first must find your beloved."

The area around grew darker, turning to black. Before Usagi, the maiden began to disappear. Only her crest became visible through the black world around.

"Where are you going?" wondered Usagi.

"I have a mission Serenity, one that causes me to leave you for now," she answered. "Find your way before it disappears."

Usagi watched in horror as the maiden's mark died away, leaving her alone. Whomever she was, this maiden was an ally of great strength. Not only for her help, but because Usagi felt something familiar about the woman. It was odd…like déjà vu to be meeting her.

Remembering the maiden's words, Usagi scrambled toward the silver and red rose. Her only entrance to the world she loved so much.

Usagi hesitated for only a moment, a feeling of warmth enveloping her as she grasped the rose in her fingertips. It was odd, as if Mamoru was holding her in his arms. As Usagi held the rose closer, it grew warmer. Soon it was too hot to touch and the girl dropped it for fear of being burned.

As the rose touched the darkness, red lightning accosted Usagi's entire being. The girl cried out in pain, as it seemed to take away what little clarity was left in her vision.

In pain and hurt once more, Usagi dropped to the ground, unconscious.

"Arrow of Purity!"

A white flash engulfed the area of the park, purifying everything. Once dead trees and other plant life grew back to their original state. The sky returned to its beautiful blue. Pools of blood dried, leaving only red marks where they were once located.

Jade grimaced as the light surrounded him. It burnt his flesh and cauterized his wounds within seconds. He cast a dirty look at Venus, whom had only begun to move. Jade didn't leave until his eyes began to burn. In horror, Jade teleported away to await the punishment for failure.

The strange white light spread across the park, continuing to heal all that touched it. Anything and any one person with a pure heart. Anju, Tomigu and Kade teleported away with only a few moments to spare.

From faraway stood Tuxedo Kamen, confused. The Ginzuishou only possesses this power, he thought as he looked around at the cleansing light. Is Usagi alive? His heart leapt at the chance that his love might be alive. Although, it would be a very dim chance at that, for Tuxedo Kamen had seen Usagi die in his arms; as his sleeves were still stained with her blood.

Sailor Venus awoke with enough strength to get up. Her long blonde hair was straggled across her face, pulled into knots by the wind and matted with sweat. Venus' fuku was ripped in several places as well – her skirt ripped in the back, trailing in the wind with flailing edges.

Venus was in awe. I'm still alive! She realized, but was I healed?

She gently moved her broken wrist to test its range of motion. Unfortunately, the wrist had not been healed. It cracked again in protest at the movement. Venus bit her lip to prevent from crying out in pain.

The girl had not been so lucky. With a sigh, Venus said to no one, "I must not have been good enough to die."

"You have failed me for the last time Anju!"

Before the dark queen, Anju crumpled to the ground. "My Lordess," she began, fighting back against the deathly blow, "give me one more chance. I killed Sailor Moon and her senshi. I did what you asked. My Lordess, I know that white light was not the Ginzuishou's power b-"

"Silence!" the evil Queen commanded. From the shadows, Haikumei looked unamused at Anju's babbling. "You did not kill Sailor Moon. Only the Ginzuishou possesses that power."

"My lordess, may I interrupt?" asked a new voice.

A figure stepped out from a bank of shadows. She was tall and lanky, wearing a red kimono. It was knee length with a low square collar and no sleeves. The figure's black hair was braided on her scalp by each strand and streaked with red.

"What is it Celestite?"

From the shadows, Celestite ran her fingertips over her clawlike nails. "Lordess Haikumei, that white light was not the Ginzuishou at all. It came from Sailor Moon's uninvited new friend."

"Who is this 'friend' of the girl?"

"I don't know," replied Celestite as she bowed.

Haikumei's eyes raged silver. "Find out who she is Celestite or you will be destroyed!"

Celestite rose from her bow, hair brushing into her eyes. "I will complete this task for you at one." As Celestite began to teleport away, Haikumei stopped her.

"Stay here Celestite," Haikumei told her. "You must witness the punishment for failure."

Anju was still kneeling on the ground, grimacing in pain. Celestite watched Anju squirm and smiled. Haikumei lifted her hand and darkness grew in her palm.

"You shall never fail me again, foolish Anju," said the evil woman. With a flick of her finger, Haikumei pierced Anju's chest with the black beam. From this she ripped her own soldier's heart out.

Blood splattered everywhere – red droplets striking Celestite's face as well as Haikumei's own. When the crimson struck Haikumei, it began to boil on her skin. Celestite only smiled further, unaffected.

Anju fell to the ground from her injuries. "Give me a second chance," she pleaded, her face dripping with blood. "My heart."

Haikumei's smile grew. "It now belongs to me." The evil queen took her soldier's heart in her hand – while it still was beating. "Celestite will be taking your place Anju, so you can rest in peace less dreams."

The heart throbbed one last time in Haikumei's palm, blood dripping down from it. Moments later Haikumei crushed Anju's heart in her palm, much like a piece of paper would be smashed in a closed fist.

Celestite bowed again to her queen as Anju's body turned to dust.

"You have seen the punishment," Haikumei told her. "Now do not fail me as Anju has."

"Yes, my Lady," replied Celestite. "I will finish what Anju has not."

(Minako's POV)

"Is anyone out there?" I shouted to no one. "Come on! Isn't there some other bastard waiting to attack?"

I sighed, letting the wind brush my hair over y eyes. The world felt horrifyingly alone, now that all my friends were dead…

"Come on Haikumei!" I cried to the sky. "Finish your job so that I can be at peace with my friends!" I choked back a sob, yet tears forced their way down my cheeks. "Finish your dirty job!"

There was no response. Jade was right. I am the only survivor…as always.

I shook as tears streamed down to dampen my face. I shook in anger, from horror and loss. Once again my mission to protect Usagi from all harm had failed. She had died because of me…used the Ginzuishou although she couldn't control it – to free me from Haikumei's control. "Damnit!" I shouted to the sky once again. "Why didn't she let me die! Her life meant so much more to the world than my own! Why did she have to be so kind?"

A hand rested itself on my shoulder. I turned around, angry,

Tuxedo Kamen took a step back when he saw my tear stained face. "Minako…it wasn't your fault."

I quickly wiped the tears away with one gloved hand. Putting on a less pathetic expression I said, "Usagi would have done the same for anyone else, yes I know. That fact doesn't make things any better."

"Minako, you wouldn't have been able to prevent Anju from infecting Usagi with that virus. That is what killed her, never any part of that battle fought."

"I don't know…I don't know if I can except that excuse…" I turned away, afraid I would cry again.

"It isn't an excuse, it is what happened," he reassured me.

I turned back to face him, preparing to tell Mamoru what I really felt, anger pushing away all other emotions. But I was unable to blow up…Mamoru's gaze stopped me from saying much else.

Mamoru's eyes seemed to show his sorrow. A rare sight to behold, his usually harsh cobalt eyes brimmed with tears. Usagi's blood stained his black pants, most of his left shoulder. Her blood still was splattered on his cheek, still glistening on his lips. Probably from their last kiss.

He stared at his hands, overcome with grief. They were stained with blood as well – his own, Usagi's, and Anju's. The wound on his arm still bled heavily from earlier, in dire need of stitches.

"Usagi always thought of others before herself," Mamoru said gently. "Her happiness comes from others' joy… always happy to serve other people – no matter what."

"Yes…" I agreed, "She was merciful in battle as well, even if it could mean death for her."

I cradled my broken wrist against my chest, protecting it from even the slightest movement. For a while, neither of us spoke. I found myself looking up, into the sky.

This was when I saw her – an angel from somewhere up above.

Author's notes:

I don't own sailor moon, promise. I don't own sailor moon, promise. I don't own sailor moon, promise. I don't own sailor moon, promise.

Anyway…

Sorry for the cliffhanger, couldn't help it!

-cloudiko