CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Darien cried out as he was flung over the banister of the fire escape. He reached out madly for something to grab hold of. His fingers slapped down hard on the edge of the base and he bit back a groan as he jarred his injured wrist. He swung dangerously in the air as the fire escape continued to shake. He looked down. It wasn't the fall that had him worried it was the fact that he had no where to safely land as the ground beneath him was cracking and splitting open. Than the fire escape let out a mighty groan and he could only watch as it starting breaking away from the stone wall

…….

"They can't be." Jupiter cried looking at the dark mist with desperation. Mercury and Venus couldn't be gone they just couldn't be.

"They might not be. We don't even know if their in there." Mars replied trying to hold on to the slimmest of hope. But with everything that Sasha had said and in the presence of such evil she was fast losing it.

"Than we have to find out" Jupiter cried wildly. If only Sailormoon were here. Sailormoon where are you? she cried silently than another horrible thought occurred to her. What if Sailormoon had beat them here and she was also trapped in that mist. She reached for her communicator. "Sailormoon come in. Sailormoon can you hear me?" there was no answer. Jupiter lowered her arm and hung her head.

Mars blinked back her own tears and had to clear her throat a few times before she could speak. "The meatball head probably forgot hers. She's always doing that."

Jupiter shook her head. No Sailormoon had her communicator she just wasn't responding and that could mean any number of things.

"Well, well what do you we have here more sailor brats to feed to the mist?"

Jupiter and Mars both looked up and floating above them was none other than Sasha.

"So nice of you to join the party. You must be eager to join your friends."

"What have you done with them?" Jupiter demanded her fists clenched

"The same thing I'm about to do to you" she stated smugly

"The mist. " Mars cried out in sudden alarm "It's moving"

Jupiter looked over towards the mist and it was indeed moving. Straight for them.

………

Tuxedo mask jumped down just as the fire escape came free of the wall. He landed on his feet and jumped out of the way just as it came crashing down to the ground. He picked himself off the ground with minor cuts and bruises fighting desperately to keep his balance as the earth rumbled beneath his feet. Then he heard an awful scream and looked over his shoulder. Sasha was stretched out face up on the ground. It was when she screamed again that he noticed that body was rippling like waves in the ocean. He watched in horrified fascination as her clothes began to rip as her muscles bulged and expanded. He watched as hair started appearing all over her and her hands grew into talon like claws which grew in great length.

"My god" he gasped "what is she?" He heard the sound of bones cracking before she let out another cry. He must have made a sound because she turned those now red eyes on him. He watched as a smile came to a face that was rapidly changing along with the rest of her.

"The process is very painful human but well worth it. As you will soon find out" and with that said she turned her head away from him apparently unconcerned with him at the moment.

Tuxedo Mask striving to keep his balance started to make his way out of the alley. Serena needed him and now it seemed was his chance to escape and go to her. But to get out he had to go past Sasha since it was to dangerous to take the roof. He couldn't risk the chance of it crumbling beneath his feet. After all this rumbling the whole building might be unstable by now. He shot past her and took one last look over his shoulder to see her smirking at him apparently unconcerned that he was getting away.

"I have your scent human" called after him "theirs no escaping me."

My scent he questioned but didn't have time to worry about it he had to get to Serena and fast. The vibes he was getting from her were starting to scare him. Hold on my love I'm coming.

……………..

"What do we do?" Jupiter cried as the mist started closing in on their position.

"Theirs nothing you can do once the mist gets a hold of you your finished. It will suck you dry until their not a trace of life left in you. And believe me it's going to hurt."

"Wait." another voice cried and Jupiter and Mars could do nothing but stare in horror as the other Sasha arrived

"Great" Jupiter grumbled "Just great"

The one to arrive stared down at them with malice. "These two are mine."

"I don't think so the other" the other Sasha replied back "you allowed them to evade you and now their mine do with as I please.

"Can you believe this?" Jupiter whispered as they watch the two Sasha's fight over how they were going to finish them off.

Before mars could respond their was a flash of light and then Sailormoon was suddenly in front of them

"Sailormoon" they both cried relieved to see her now maybe they had a chance of defeating them and rescuing their friends.

The two Sasha's stopped arguing and frowned down at Sailormoon

"Our master said we were not to harm you" the first Sasha said

"Yeah" the other one smirked "he reserves that privilege for himself"

Sailormoon didn't respond in fact she completely ignored them she had more important things to take care of first. Turning sharply on her heel she headed directly for the mist.

"Sailormoon no don't" Mars shouted and leaped forward to grab her by the arm

Sailormoon looked down at the hand and then looked into Mars frantic eyes.

"Sailormoon you don't know what that thing is. It's very dangerous we already believe that Mercury and Venus are trapped inside. But until we know more about what that thing is we can't go near it."

"I know what it is. And I know how it feels like when it grabs a hold of you. Sailormoon said quietly "the pain alone is so bad that you give about anything for it to stop." She reached up and grabbed hold of the hand Mars had on her arm. "But it wont stop. It wont stop until it's had it's fill and it's hunger is insatiable." her eyes drifted closed with distress "Mercury and Venus are almost gone I can barely sense their life force." Her eyes flew open and her grip on Mars hand became painful "I wont let them die". She stressed "so…stay…out…of …my…way" than let go of Mars hand.

Mars let her own hand fall back to her side. She didn't understand what was going on. Sailormoon was different somehow. She seemed so distant. It was as if she wasn't truly here.

Sailormoon held her gaze for a few seconds more before she dismissed mars from her mind. She couldn't be bothered with them right now they weren't in any immediate danger but Venus and Mercury were. And right now they were all that mattered. Turning away from them she continued to head for the mist

"Hey what are you doing" one of the Sasha's cried "you cant go in there." Sailormoon ignored them and continued on until she was inside the mist.

"Now see what you've done" the other one screamed "he's going to blame us if she comes to any harm. He's going to blame us and then he's going to punish us."

"This is not my fault" Sasha screamed back

……….

Damien stood back at a distance frowning. What was Sailormoon thinking going into the mist. She was only suppose to confront Sasha. How dare she enter the mist. As he and the mist were one he could feel it's need for her its hunger. A hunger that sparked and feed his own. Her life force was so pure and so rare to find that they hadn't feed on one such as she in a very long time. Their first taste hadn't been enough to satisfy their hunger in fact it only made them yearn for her more.

She had managed before to stop their feeding before an act which saved her life but now that they have tasted her life force their hunger had reached new levels. It was harder to suppress and by walking into the mist it was just like ringing the dinner bell. And this time nothing would stop them from feeding off her until their was nothing left but an empty shell.

Because he wanted more from her he strived to control the beast that demanded he take her life force and be done with it. But the beast couldn't be contained for long and soon the hunger would override everything else

………..

Jupiter starred at the spot where Sailormoon had entered the mist. She couldn't believe she had just stood their and allowed Sailormoon to do such a thing. If Mars was right about it then that would mean that she just allowed Sailormoon, her beloved princess and friend to walk to her own death.

……….

Tuxedo mask didn't waste time once he had gotten away from Sasha he quickly got on his way although he had no idea where he was going. But he trusted his instincts and his bond with Serena knowing that they would lead him to her. He just wished he knew what was wrong with her. He could sense that something was but he had no idea what it could be. But he knew that he had to hurry.

………..

"Your going have to tell him what happened" Sasha snapped "because I sure wont be the one to do it."

"You must be the dumber of the three" the other Sasha spat back angrily "do you really think it matters who tells him? Where one in the same. Where both apart of the same whole."

"But you're the one that called up the mist why should we be destroyed because of your stupidity."

"Take that back you worthless replica."

"No. Who ever said the more the merrier couldn't have meant you. She should have stuck with one replica oh herself" she stabbed a finger at her own chest. "Me. Than I wouldn't have to be here cleaning up your mess."

"My mess. You couldn't even handle your prey. Two pathetic little humans and you couldn't even manage to destroy them."

"Hey" Mars cried tired of their bickering "why don't you just call off your mist and get our friends out of their."

The two Sasha's looked down at them with identical expressions on their identical faces. Than the Sasha that Jupiter and Mars had fought which they could tell by her singed clothes floated down to the ground. Her grey eyes looked them over and they were just as cold and empty as ever. "You don't get it human it's too late even if we wanted to we couldn't call the mist off or help your friends. Once the mist begins to feed nothing can stop it and any who try will just be another victim."

The other Sasha chose at that moment to join her counterpart on the ground. "She's right. there is no hope for your friends. You cant save them" than she smiled and that smile sent a shiver of dread down the scouts back "All you can do is join them."