Title: Ever The Same

Author: aaeris17

Author's Notes: The lyrics are from Rob Thomas's song "Ever The Same" and a good part of the plot line and dialogue are from the Mixx Manga English edition of Naoko Takeuchi's Sailor Moon series. I just happened to come along, blend the two together, and add a dash of my own special magic. Read, Review, Enjoy!

EVER THE SAME

I stood in a cold state of disbelief. So it had all come down to this. I stared out at the moon as I hurried to the Arcade. Darien's watch bounced cold underneath my school uniform where I had slipped it away. I promised to return this watch to Darien. Every time I saw him in town…I was so thrilled to seem him. I was so stubborn. We were always arguing, and I never really got to talk to him…But really, we were drawn to each other.

We were drawn from the weeds
We were brave like soldiers
Falling down under the pale moonlight
You were holding to me
Like a someone broken
And I couldn't tell you but I'm telling you now

What had Queen Serenity said before her hologram had sputtered out-- Princess Serenity, You longed for the real thing. And you often went down to Earth. There you found love. My heart fell within my chest. Yes, I did. We of the Moon Kingdom were not merely protecting Earth. We were drawn to it. If I find you, Darien, I will tell you that I love you. I will not lose you, Tuxedo Mask, to Beryl.

Just let me hold you while you're falling apart
Just let me hold you so we both fall down

There was a lot of commotion as we entered the Arcade. What the hell was going on? I couldn't believe my eyes. Why had Mina transformed and kicked Lita? How could Endo be evil? Why was Venus fighting Tuxedo Mask? Why was Luna yelling at me? My heart ran in confusion and I felt the screams building up inside my chest. My broach burned my chest and I thought the tears would never end. How could Darien have gone over to the Dark Side? Why can't I return him to normal? I wanted to cry as I stayed in my corner watching Venus fight Tuxedo Mask.


Fall on me
Tell me everything you want me to be
Forever with you forever in me
Ever the same

"Bunny! You must join all the pieces of the crystal!" Luna cried. I nodded. I must reunite the Silver Imperium Crystal! This is the only way to defeat Metallica—but to do that I need to get the shard of crystal back from Tuxedo Mask. I poured my light and love into his corpse and he didn't return to me. He was revived by Queen Metallica's power. He's not the same person. I stared into his eyes. No, this Endo, this Tuxedo Mask was not the same arrogant man who had teased me and mocked my low test grade. Do I have to fight him? Do I have to kill him? The voices in my head battled each other and I pressed my gloved hands to my ears to concentrate.

"What's Sailor Moon doing?" Sailor Mars called angrily to Luna. Luna made a distressed face.

"Tuxedo Mask and the Silver Imperium Crystal are reacting to the confusion in Bunny's heart"

"The crystal is reacting…to Bunny's heart?" Sailor Mercury repeated in astonishment. The evil Tuxedo Mask struggled as he tried to attack Sailor Moon.

I bit my lips. Was there no other way out? I must fight him. Oh my only love. I can't stand to see you like this anymore. I have no other choice. This is the only way to save him. I cannot believe this is the reason we were reborn.

I took a deep breath and struggled against the tears that were choking my throat. Releasing my anguish in a loud scream I used the hurt, the pain, the fear to pull up the Moon Sword and lunged towards Tuxedo Mask.

Tuxedo Mask seemed stunned as I pulled his mouth towards mine for a final kiss. Yes my love. You are no longer mine. I could not save you at the beginning but I will release you from this reanimated corpse. My dearest Darien.

I love you.

The sword easily divided his tuxedo shirt and the hard flesh of his chest. The roaring of my heart drowned out his final gasp of surprise and the tearing of flesh and spewing of blood. You are free my love…As I will be.

Endymion, you were my first love. My only love. Even if we're reborn in another life, we'll find each other. And then…we'll fall in love again.

The group took a collective gasp as Sailor Moon turned the Moon Sword on herself and the scene from millennia ago repeated itself to the horror of four friends and two guardians.

Endymion, we'll transcend time to live again…perhaps this time. We'll find happiness…Oh…Endymion…With these prayers on my lips I closed my eyes for the last time in this lifetime.

We would stand in the wind
We were free like water
Flowing down
Under the warmth of the sun
Now it's cold and we're scared
And we've both been shaken
Look at us
Man, this doesn't need to be the end

Venus's screams were heard louder than anyone else's, "No! This can't be what we're reborn for! This can't be our destiny!" She screamed sobbing hot angry tears that blurred her vision of the two collapsed lovers. "We're repeating our past lives!" She cried over and over again as she fell to her knees on the hard, cold floor. Rei beat her breast as Lita tore at her hair. Ami's hands dropped her tiny, super computer and instead of shattering it merely clunked a few times, adding a dull thunk as it stopped moving. Rei wiped her eyes, thinking softly to herself the very words she had said in her last life, "I felt this love affair might end sadly. A love between the Earth and Moon could never be,"

"Look! The Crystal is reuniting!" Luna called over the cries of anguish. Sure enough the sacred crystal was coming together and protecting the lovers inside a bubble that the darkness soon swallowed.

"Metallica swallowed them!" Venus choked on the last of her tears as she stood up. She was the Leader of the Sailor Scouts and could not let this evil that had killed her Princess destroy the Earth for a second time. "The Silver Imperium Crystal couldn't have been swallowed up that easily!"

Like a true leader she helped her fellow Scouts to their feet and agreed with Luna that Bunny must still be alive…somehow…somewhere. "We don't have to strike down Metallica. Just give the Princess a chance…"

"To our Princess we sacrifice our greatest power, the morphing power of our guardian planets," Venus muttered thoughtfully holding her elegant Venus pen.

"Venus!" Mercury called alarmed.

"You're talking about…our pens?" Mars wondered outloud.

"I'm ready for it," Lita stubbornly stated. Her large brown eyes were red rimmed and burned with a fiery passion. Her love was strong, but her sense of duty even stronger. She picked up the stray Moon Sword that had surprisingly not been enveloped by Metallica. Venus took it, held the blade high and kissed the face of the sword. Ah, she thought to herself, my life and duty to the Princess begins and ends with this sword. "Sword of the Moon Kingdom, Silver Imperium Crystal, and She Who Would Be Queen!"

"Mercury Power!"

"Shine through the darkness!"

"Mars Power!"

"And make it through!"

"Jupiter Power!"

Venus swallowed hard, "To the Princess we give our lives…our power! Venus POWER!"

"STAR POWER! AWAKEN PRINCESS!"

Luna was blinded by the brilliance as the tower of light form the power of the Scouts shone through the dead space…and then there was utter silence. Luna opened her eyes and mewed in horror. Her beloved girls, were dead.

Just let me hold you while you're falling apart
Just let me hold you so we both fall down

The silence hurt more than the drums that pattered in my head. Where was I? I was so cold…it's so dark. Am I alive? Is this a dream? A sudden light erupted in front of me. I shielded my eyes. No…the Imperium Crystal? How? I gasped. I stabbed myself…after I…killed Darien. I felt where the wound should have been and felt the shattered pieces of gold and glass. Darien's beautiful pocket watch. I had it in my bodice and now it's smashed. How…did it take the sword for me? This is no dream! I looked around frantically, the light of the Crystal growing stronger. No, I would not have come back to this life alone. Endy-no Darien, lay almost lifelessly by my side.

"Sailor Moon? Is that…you?" He asked in a low, hoarse voice. He reached out blindly for me, "I can feel your heart, your grief, your warmth. You are near," He whispered relived. I crawled over to him. We must be in a case of Silver Imperium Crystal. Already I can feel the Crystal pulsating through me, bringing me strength. "Serenity…" Endymion called again, "You must destroy Metallica. You see the mark above her eyes…this is where you must direct your power," he breathed heavily and a smirk smile rested on his lips, "Trust me,"

I saw the evil being of Metallica hovering above. Hate, fear, anger! These are the feelings Metallica fed on and absorbed.

"You will not have my energy, Evil Being!" I screamed feeling Darien blindly groping behind me.

"Fool…" The cloud hissed as two eyes a mouth and the aforementioned dark spot above her eyes appeared, "I already have you! You are within me! Give me the Power! The precious jewel of the Moon Kingdom will finally be mine!" It roared and the wind whipped my hair in every direction. I closed my eyes to shield them from the onslaught.

"Serenity!" Darien, no Endymion, called out. I turned around shocked. His ocean blue eyes were strong and clear, "You have the strength to do this! Your friends are with you! The power of the Moon is with you!" He crawled closer and cupped my face in his hands, "Believe in yourself! I do! Your friends do! You can feel their power now, pulsing through you! You are all one! Gather all your power! If that's not enough…you have mine! I'll help you instead of your friends!" His voice became softer and more endearing, "I will be by your side, my only love," he whispered.

Endymion…He always gives me strength. I can feel the power and courage growing stronger and stronger within me. Yes! This is my power! This is my legend! This…destiny… is… mine!

"I, Sailor Moon, Princess Serenity with the power of the Moon will seal you away!" I took my Crescent Wand and aimed it carefully, feeling its handle lengthen and power reverberate through my hands. "Get back! This sacred light…will burn you to dust!" I roared and poured all my strength, all of Darien's strength, all of the faith Luna had in me, and all the power of my friends into this moment.

Please Queen Serenity! Give me the strength to carry on!

Fall on me tell me everything you want me to be
Forever with you
Forever in me
Ever the same
Call on me
I'll be there for you and you'll be there for me
Forever it's you
Forever in me
Ever the same

Endymion…this time, we'll be born on the same planet and we'll find happiness. My Silver Imperium Crystal! Protect our love! Protect my friends! We'll protect you together! This time…we'll find happiness!


You may need me there
To carry all your weight
But you're no burden I assure
You tide me over
With a warmth I'll not forget
But I can only give you love
My only love…

This time Serenity…Find happiness…with the one you love!