CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

When Mina woke up she immediately grabbed her head.

"Ohhh what hit me?" she moaned "Was it a truck or a freight train?"

Still holding her head she managed to sit up and then waited for everything to stop spinning.

"Mina! Mina Transform. Hurry!"

"Huh" Mina gasped still in a daze she looked around "Artemis?"

"MINA" he cried again "TRANSFORM."

Where are-" her next words stuck in her throat when she finally saw him. Her eyes widened in dismay when she noticed the cut and bruises that covered his tiny little body. He was barely managing to stand up. His little body was swaying back in forth on his feet. He looked ready to keel over. She stood up as quickly as she could his words forgotten at the sight of her friend and mentor bloody and bruised. She only managed to take one step when a voice spoke from behind her and Artemis words came rushing back to her. She had been oblivious to the danger despite Artemis warnings and appearance. And now her and Artemis just might pay for her mistake.

"Well it's about time. I thought maybe I'd finished you off already with that little blast."

Mina turned slowly towards that voice. Sasha stood a few feet away wearing a satisfied smirk.

"I've had fun playing with your kitty but I think its time to finish you both off."

Mina wondered if she had time to get her transformation pen that was in her space pocket before Sasha attacked again. That question was soon answered by her savage cry. "Time to die. Friend of Sailormoon." Mina saw her preparing the attack and desperately reached for her pen she had just managed to pull it out when Sasha let loose her attack. It was too late.

"Mercury bubbles flare"

"What?" Mina gasped then sighed with relief as Mercury's mist filled the air blocking Sasha's view of her. Not wasting any more time she called out the words

"Venus star power."

Once she had transformed she searched for the others and found Mercury attending to Artemis. She was scanning him with her Mini computer.

"We don't have much time. The mist want protect us for long" she announced but continued to work methodically on Artemis.

"Leave me" Artemis cried, "its not me she's after. I was just in the way."

"You must have hit your head and had the sense knocked out of you" Venus exclaimed, "We would never leave you behind. Don't worry we still have plenty of time to make our getaway and meet up with the others" she cast Mercury a worried look "The others do no where here right?"

Mercury nodded "Sailormoon and Jupiter are right behind me we couldn't get in contact with Mars but I'm sure she'll sense something's not right sooner or later"

A chilling laugh stopped Mina from asking another question. "You kids are pathetic and weak. Do you think that this little mist will stop me from finding you? Than you have no idea of my masters power. I'm his most perfect creation his deadliest hunter. I've killed warriors who were stronger and smarter than you. You don't have a prayer."

Venus bit her lip "You don't think she can see us do you" she whispered worriedly

Artemis groaned whether from pain or exasperation Mercury couldn't tell.

"No she would have attacked by now" Mercury assured her

"But what if she's just playing with us?"

"All done" Mercury announced picking Artemis up carefully she turned to Venus "Lets go. We have to retreat until the others get here theirs no way we can defeat her on our own."

"I can't see you my little rabbits but I can hear you and I'm getting closer."

Venus's yelp was quickly stifled by Mercury's hand

"You think that your friends can help you?" Her taunting laughter surrounded them "your friends are already doomed you just don't know it yet."

"The mist will be evaporating soon" Mercury whispered after removing her hand from Venus's mouth but shooting her a look that warned her to be quiet "I'm gonna have to call on that attack again.

"You call this a mist" Sasha cried She was getting closer following the sound of their voices "I'll show you a mist and it will be the last thing you ever see."

Mercury and Venus looked around startled as Mercury's fine grey mist starting turning black before their eyes.

"What's going on?" Venus cried

Mercury started frantically scanning the mist and what she found filled her with horror. "Venus run" she screamed but it was already to late. They were completely surrounded.

The first taste of the dark mist brought them to their knees. The pain was unlike anything they had ever felt before. As the mist covered them their cries were drowned out only by Sasha's laughter.

…………………………….

Sailor Jupiter didn't know what to do. There were three Sasha's. One was attacking Mina one was attacking Mars and the third one was attacking Darien. What were they to do? Everyone was spread out their was no way she could help all of them. She turned to Sailormoon who stood their wearing the same look she must have on her face one of incredibility and dawning horror. She too must have realized that they couldn't help everyone. They had to make a decision on what to do and fast.

Sailormoon looked down at her brooch the silver crystal had shown her the danger facing her friends it had never done that before could it also help her save her friends. "Mother help me." She cried silently but there was no answer.

"Sailormoon we have to make a decision" Jupiter announced harshly

Sailormoon nodded. What could she do? Her friends needed her now more than ever. She couldn't let them down. "Darien can't transform theirs to many people around. Mercury is already on her way to help Mina so I want you to go help Mars while I go see to Darien"

"Do you think it's a good idea to split up? Where already spread out as it is."

"I know but we don't have a choice. But we do need to regroup. I want you and Mars to lure your Sasha over to where Mercury and Venus are fighting and I'll try to do the same. Hopefully once were all together we can destroy her by using planet power."

Jupiter nodded her head. She didn't like the idea of the two of them splitting up but she knew they didn't have a choice. Darien was definitely a goner if he couldn't transform and Mars couldn't hold out against Sasha by herself for long. They really had no other choice. At least Mina had Mercury.

…………….

Darien knew Serena was on her way he had felt the instant she had transformed into Sailormoon. He just had to hold out until she got here.

"Why don't we take this fight some where more private?"

Sasha looked at him smugly "Now why would I want to do that when I obviously have the advantage right now."

Darien shrugged his shoulders "I just thought you might prefer a fight rather than a slaughter. If you haven't figured it out yet I can't transform in front of these people. Besides this fight is just between the two of us "

Sasha looked around with cold assessing eyes. The other humans meant nothing to her only her prey mattered…but if she could somehow use them against him. If he did indeed care about these other humans than she could use that to her advantage. She could use them to cause him even greater pain. The thought brought a smile to her face. The more pain she inflicted on this human before his death the better.

Darien got a funny feeling in his stomach watching her. He had to do something. Every instinct he had was telling him to retreat and get her as far away from these people as possible. And since he wasn't one to ignore a strong gut feeling and while her attention was diverted he made his escape hoping she'd follow. He had already crashed through the window plated front door so he just jumped through what once was the door and made his getaway. Her cry of rage followed him out the building.

Darien ran. Pushing past people yelling his apologies over his shoulder. He didn't believe for one minute that just because she was nowhere to been seen that she wasn't hot on his trail. The truth was that he knew what she could do and if she hadn't stopped him by now it could only mean that she was toying with him allowing him to run but only as far as she pleased. Knowing this to be true he stopped running. He didn't like being toyed with. He ducked into a back alley to transform but just as he reached inside his coat to grab his rose a hand reached out from behind him and snagged his wrist. He jerked his hand trying to pull it free but the grip was like pure steel.

"I don't think so," she whispered in his ear before crushing all the bones in his wrist.

Darien cried out at the unexpected pain. It was all he could do to remain conscious as the mind-blowing pain swept over him. His hand was completely useless and unless he wanted the rest of him to end up like his wrist he had to do something and fast.

Sasha laughed at this sound of his pain. She had enjoyed the hunt immensely. Despite the fact that he had cut it short. Now it was time to strike the blow that would bring her enemy to her knees.

Darien bit back another moan and blocking out the pain as best he could he quickly used his other hand to grab his rose. He had transformed before she even knew what was happening. Once transformed he jerked his hand out of her grip. Catching her off guard he quickly leaned forward bringing he leg up he kicked her in the stomach. The force of the blow sent her flying through air. She struck the far side of building with a hard thud. Dazed and winded she then fell down to the ground crashing into the dumpster below her.

Tuxedo Mask flexed his wrist. Their was nothing he could do about it now the pain was less as Tuxedo Mask but it would take time to heal it time he didn't have. Quickly before she recovered from his attack he ripped a piece of his sleeve to secure his wrist. He was just finishing his makeshift bandage when he heard her scream.

When Sasha realized where she had landed her rage knew no bounds. Surround and covered with things that gave off a bad odor had her blood boiling. Just thinking about her master or anyone else seeing her like this was enough to make her scream so she did. And with the reflexes of a cat she leaped out of the smelling contraption and landed on her feet in front of it. She looked at the man who called himself Tuxedo Mask who stood facing her arrogantly and without fear. And her anger reached new heights. He obviously had no idea who he was messing with.

After flicking an offending piece of trash off her shoulder she looked him square and the eye and declared. "I was planning on making your death a quick one. But because you dared to cast me into that smelling pit I've decided to prolong your death for as long as possible. Making it as painful as possible. If you think you've known pain before your wrong. I'll show you the meaning of pain."

Tuxedo Mask knew that because of his wrist his best plan was to go on the defense so he waited for her to make her move. For a second he allowed himself to think about Serena and hoped that she was all right. He didn't feel any immediate danger to her so that brought some relief. She must be on her way with the others he just had to hold her off until they got here. He prayed that he had the strength to do he had so much to live for.

Her attack was sudden and precise aiming for his injured wrist. She was just like an animal. Identifying and attacking her prey's weakest point. But he managed to avoid her well-aimed kick and the battle was on.

……………

Mars made her first mistake when she allowed Sasha to draw her out in the open by using her friends. Her fear for them and what Sasha had done to them was all it took for her to confront her head on. She was just glad it hadn't been her last mistake. She reached up to touch her right shuddering from the pain. Yup it was definitely dislocated. Man did that Sasha have a mean left kick. Mars stilled for a moment listening to the birds. They would tell her when Sasha was getting close to where she was hiding. Thank the good lord for her birds she was going to need to heads up. A surprise attack now just might signal the end for her. She was in no condition right now to put up much of a fight. Something had to be done if she was to survive their next encounter she couldn't fight as she was now.

Only when she knew that all was well for the moment did she begin searching for what she needed. Once she found a good size piece of bark she looked for a tree that would suit her needs. She found one pretty easily. Taking deep breaths she placed the piece of bark in her mouth. Squeezing her eyes shut she slammed her left shoulder into the base of the tree.

Her screams were muffled by the bark as she bit down hard on it. She waited for the first wave of pain to past before checking her shoulder knowing that she might have to do it again. She almost sobbed like a baby when she found out that she did but instead she gathered her strength and courage and approached the tree again.

"Ok you have to do it again only this time a little harder and hit it in the right spot. I know it will work this time I know it." She murmured to herself.

The force of the second impact had waves of dizziness washing over her. She sat down abruptly on the ground feeling nauseous and for a minute she feared she might pass out. Thankfully the feeling soon past. Praying as she never prayed before she checked her shoulder again. It had worked. She moved it around cautiously. It was still sore and the pain was a throbbing pestering one but it nothing compared to how it had felt before. She spit the bark out of her mouth and leaned back against the tree. Closing her eyes she just relaxed for a minute letting the tears flow.

……………….

Once Jupiter and Sailormoon separated Sailormoon took off in the direction of Darien's apartment building. In the vision she saw that he couldn't transform and she felt dread settle in the pit of her stomach. She had to save him. Suddenly a harsh wind blew by her nearly knocking her over. She stopped suddenly and looked around but there was nothing out of the ordinary so she started running again only to be pushed off to the left by another huge gust of wind.

"What's going on?" she cried

"You can't save them all Serena?"

Sailormoon stood frozen in place. She knew that voice it was the same one she heard when she'd been captured the one that taunted her from the darkness he called home.

She swung around frantically searching for the source of that voice. But their was nothing their.

"Am I hearing things again?" she wondered aloud than shook her head to clear it she didn't have time for this Darien and her friends needed her. With one last look around she took off running.

Damien watched her running away but didn't stop her just yet. "Run along my little pet I wont be far behind."