Alone

Usagi glared at her mother, why were they doing this? Why were they trying to keep her from her friends?

"Usagi don't you give me that look. Mamoru came by and told me that you were out past dark, you know you were not to leave your room and you have specifically disobey me!"

"You won't let me see my friends, how else am I to see Haruka and Michiru if you refuse to let me see them during the day!"

There was a long silence in which both daughter and mother faced each other, neither willing to back down in the argument.

"I have forbidden you to see them, you have disobeyed me Tsukino Usagi."

"Your rules are wrong, they are my friends and I care deeply for them!"

"They have allowed you to become hurt, the girls told me about how their powers attacked you. Can you truly say your safe with friends who will attack you?"

"It was an accident! The youma moved right before the attack hit!"

"Can you not see what they have done? Can't you see that they hurt you!"

"They didn't mean to! Why won't you forgive them?"

"Because I almost lost you Usagi..."

She looked angrily into those black eyes. She didn't understand! Why were they all turning on her like this? How could her mother be doing this to her?

The woman turned her back from her, she thought she saw a small tears slip from the black eyes, it only made her even more angry. Why couldn't she see Michiru? Ruka?

"You will not leave this house again without an escort. You are to never be alone, this will be your punishment for disobeying me. And you shall not ever speak to either of the two ever again."

Her eyes opened wide. She couldn't... She couldn't!

"Don't even bother trying to leave through the windows, I've had them bared shut."

The older woman left, Usagi fled to her room. Why were they doing this to her? Couldn't they see how much it hurt her? How much they were hurting her?

She fell to her bed in tears. She hated this! Why couldn't they see what they were doing? WHY?

"Usagi-chan..." spoke the small black cat, her eyes brimming with tears as well. "Usagi-chan, please don't cry, it'll be okay!"

The words didn't feel as comforting as they should have. She felt weak, she couldn't even stand up to her own family, how could she ever expect to stop this silence? To stop the approaching darkness that three talismans were needed to stop?

She shook her head, she didn't want to think about that right now, she just wanted to cry, to cry away the sorrow and the pain. Letting it wash away with the pouring tears like the rain that cleanses the Earth.

"Usagi-chan, why don't you open Mamoru-san's present? It's so very lovely, and tomorrow's your birthday!"

She glanced at the box and felt slightly curious at its contents. She really did want to open it... But she couldn't. No, she wouldn't let them think her that weak that she couldn't even resist opening a box! But did it really matter?

They all would believe whatever they wanted, what they wished... the truth was empty in their minds... Looking down at the shinny wrapping paper, she felt her fingers itch. No. No she would wait until tomorrow, she would prove, if only to herself, that she wasn't so weak...

She glanced at the small black cat beside her before going to sleep. Maybe tommorow would be better, she greatly hoped it would be.


Luna looked at her princess, at her companion, at her friend. The little girl she had helped to raise on the moon was no more, washed away by the tides of darkness. But in her place stood a warrior, forged from the obscurity of night itself, a light was born. And with strength of the brightness, there must be an equal shadow.

But the warrior was unlike any before her, she fought with her heart, she screamed of a purity unknown to the bloody men and women that took the title she wore.

Scarlet eyes watered as she stared at the peaceful sleeping form, at the sleeping angel.

"Usagi-chan, what have I done?"

She didn't understand how things had gotten so out of control. What had happened to the Senshi who had fought off the dark queen Beryl? What had happened to the courageous soldiers who would follow their princess to the ends of the Earth, through hell and back again? Where had those friends gone?

She didn't understand.

She had helped the inner court to regain their memories not so they could destroy Usagi-chan, but so they could help to save her! They were suppose to hug her, make her promise to never again push them away. They were suppose to love each other!

But they showed no love. She wondered if they had perhaps forgotten it. She didn't understand, from her small place on the sideline how the girls could cause Usagi-chan such pain. Where were the girls who would die to make her smile?

She sighed and sadly laid down atop the young blonds small form. What could she do to save her young charge when the world speed out of control?

Then, as though someone had whispered it in her ear, she straightened stiff. The wind blowing her fur softly and the light reflecting it's inky waves.

"Don't worry Usagi-chan," she whispered before gliding off into the darkness with the grace bestowed upon her, the small golden crescent brightening her way.


Michiru sat quietly by the burning fire, watching as the flame licked and turned within the hearth, flicking the soft shadows across the walls and hazing the room with a smoky almost acidic smell.

She wanted to scrunch up her nose at the terrible fumes and open a window, but she feared if she did, she might use up what little energy she had to stay awake. Where was Haruka? She was never gone this long! Never!

The soft scratch of a door opening had her on her feet in seconds. Finally! O that girl was going to get it this time. What was she thinking staying out like that? What had come over her?

"Ruka!" she called, walking into the dinning room, only to find it empty. She noticed the open door and frowned instantly, that wasn't like Haruka at all, leaving doors open at this time of night... there must have been something wrong.

Moving to close the door, she felt something staring at her. She turned immediately and let out a loud scream as a pair of eyes connected with hers. Eyes that did not belong to Haruka...


Artemis watched the younger girl sleep, her face so peaceful and void of the emotions that had her worried so terribly. He shook his head, sometimes the princess could be so selfish. Couldn't she tell people were suffering? Couldn't she see her friends cared so deeply for her? And yet what did she do? She ran off and left them worried, left them scared after everything they had done for her.

The Senshi had been prepared to give up their lives to make her happy, couldn't she at least give a little in return? Why couldn't she show them the love they so wished of her? They only wanted what was best for her, they only wanted to make her happy. Why couldn't she see that?

He shook his head. He had heard Mamoru-san's story, had heard of how rude the other warrior had been, how he had tried to bring his love home, but she pushed him away. He had fled before she could actually tell him off, but still, it wounded him to think he had helped to raise such a... a brat!

And it was all those two's fault. If they hadn't appeared she would never have changed. Never have become so distant from them. But no, they couldn't just leave the princess alone could they? They couldn't just attack her, but also brainwash her against her friends, her protectors, her companions. He court.

They had stolen caused the princess to betray her prince, had broken the bonds of friendship that had saved them all before.

And now they turned the princess against her own mother. This had truly gone to far.

He looked down at the young blond taking in her few moments of peace and felt anger swell within his feline body, unmanageable rage at what these so called 'warriors' had taken from them. They had stolen a jewel that should have forever remained untouched, a doll to never be touched, but instead to be admired for it's beauty and strength. What they had done was unforgivable.

He raised his head to the moonlight and swore his revenge. What they had done was truly unforgivable.


He breathed heavily as he rushed through the white walled halls, barking orders to any he saw and glancing down at the young woman lying on the stretcher. Blood oozed everywhere and mud matted the wind blown hair. The beep of a machine was slowing.

They needed to hurry, he sped his pace and sprinted through the hall, nurses moving aside at his orders and staring wondrously at his fading form. He didn't really care at the moment, didn't have time. They needed to hurry, the young woman's heart was slowly fading. They needed to get her more blood.

"B! We need Type B!"

The nurses scurried around before one of them shouted over the ruckus. A shout that would quiet the entire room with a single breath.

"We're out!"

He cursed darkly, and sweat ran down his face. This was bad, this was really bad... He looked down at the woman, glass pieces burrowed within her throat, metal twisted melted into her arm, paint intermingled with her blood.

This was very bad indeed.


"Please Kaioh-san, I'm not here to hurt you!" a cat walked out into the light and watched the aqua haired woman relax slightly, enough so to shut the door and turn to look at the talking cat. Talking cats, she really did need to sleep if she was imagining such things...

"I see," she replied before holding her head, "this is ridiculous, cats don't talk! What am I thinking?"

The small feline laughed at her, she didn't know why, she wasn't even sure if it really was laughter or just some deranged purr from a partially bald cat.

"Please, Kaioh-san, I know you probably think your dreaming, Usagi-chan thought the same thing when I first met her. But please, I need your help. I must find Ten'ou-san..."

"Good luck," she muttered and watched the feline narrow its eyes at her. She just glared back. She didn't feel like dealing with kitty problems when Haruka was somewhere out there at this time of night. "I don't have any idea where that fool is, she should have been home hours ago!"

"What-" the kitten's words were cut off by the ringing of the phone. Michiru quickly ran to answer it, only to drop it when she heard what they said.

This is the hospital...

What would the hospital want with her unless... Unless Haruka...

She quickly grabbed the phone from the floor and listened as they spoke, her eyes wide and sparkling with tears. She promised to be their soon...

She turned to leave to find two expectant red eyes staring at her. She would have ignored them except she got the strangest feeling, one that she knew she could not ignore...

"Haruka is at the Hospital. She's been severely hurt and they've run out of her blood type. She doesn't have much longer to live..."

She grabbed her coat while the feline digested the information. Ruka didn't have much longer... Not much longer...

"Kaioh-san, what is Ten'ou-san's blood type?"

"B," she replied hastily as she grabbed her purse and Haruka's keys. She needed to hurry to the hospital. Not much longer...

The cat's eyes widened before she began barking orders. Michiru almost thought the cat a dog in surprise and turned to argue, only to find she couldn't. Those determined eyes, they looked so much like Usagi's...

She drove in the opposite direction of the hospital, the car's movements wild and jerky as she tried to get to the house she was told to go to. When she found it she waited impatiently for the cat to return, her foot tapping nervously and her fingers gripping the unfamiliar steering wheel.

What was taking so long! Haruka didn't have much time! She needed to hurry!

The cat raced back out to the car with a white cat by its side, each arguing as they ran. She was prepared to drive off and leave the stupid feline for wasting her time to get its stupid boyfriend. But then she saw the blond racing in behind her in pajamas. All but the black cat stopped dead when they saw her.

She glared right back in return. But the black cat, yelled them orders which they followed on instinct. The ride to the hospital was filled with bickering and sharp noises, none of which came from the silent girl in the backseat with watery blue eyes.

The ten minute ride felt like eternity, there was not much longer...


Minako watched quietly as the two cats yelled and screamed themselves horse, it scared her slightly to see them both like that, the hairs standing on end as though they would snap at any moment. She had never seen either of them act the way they were, normally they got along just fine with a few tiny arguments.

But this, this wasn't anything small, this was almost like war, and she knew well she hated war. She hated it with a passion.

So why were they doing this? Why were they arguing in this manner that caused everyone to be hurt and no problems solved. Why was she even here?

Luna, it appeared, was a mind reader, for she turned away from Artemis with a dark glare. Pleading eyes falling on her. Begging her for help.

She had always been a sucker for those eyes...

"Minako, I- we need your help. Someone is hurt terribly and needs blood, but the doctors are out. They need type B, Minako. Your the only one I could think of with what they need. Please help them! Us!"

Artemis interrupted her before she could decline or accept, his blue eyes cold and dark, she had never seen them like that... Apparently, neither had Luna for the small feline released a gasp and shrunk away for a moment before pulling herself together to stare as coldly back.

"Luna I can't believe you! You would have her give blood to our enemy! You have us ridding with our foe!"

Minako sighed as an argument once more heated up, she realized she'd find nothing of any value between those two. So instead she turned to the aqua haired woman in the front seat. She could feel the waves of worry escaping her, the sadness that felt so similar to Usagi's.

But this woman, this woman felt pain much deeper than Usagi had ever touched, this woman felt terror that brought a metallic taste to her mouth, and sandy feeling to her teeth.

How could a person like this be their enemy? How could someone with these emotions be as cruel and emotionless as Mamoru-san had said? This woman who held a bruise in the shape of a hand print. She wondered where it had come from.

But those weren't the questions she should be asking! She wanted to know why the two cats that so obviously felt so betrayed by this one action? What could be happening that was so terrible they fought as though battle were upon them?

"Michiru-san," she asked quietly, she didn't remember the woman's last name, she didn't really care either though.

"What?" snapped the woman, as though someone had just stuck her with some sharp object. Minako recoiled slightly.

"Please, what's going on? I'm confused... I know your not bad-"

"I don't need a life story," she cut out, Minako winced slightly at the words and twisted her hair around her pointer finger. This was not going well, not well at all.

"Ru- Haruka is in the hospital. I don't know why you were brought into this, I only know the cat made me get you-"

"Cat!" howled Artemis, seething at the disrespect of his partner. Minako frowned at him and gave him a warning glance to back off. He did so reluctantly and almost didn't after Michiru's next comment.

"I was not aware the flea bag was a dog."

Minako could only sigh and slap a hand over Artemis's mouth to keep him quiet. It would much nicer if she knew what was going on.

"Haruka-san is the blond that made Usagi cry yesterday, was she not?"

"Ruka-chan would never make Usagi-chan cry you idiot. She loves her, or are you, the guardian of love, so blind to such things?"

Minako felt shock run through her, love... No one had ever said anything about love being apart of this...

"She does not love her! If she did she would never allowed her to be hurt! I have saw when you disregarded our princess when she fell to the ground in trouble. The way you played with her mind!"

Teal eyes iced over and white cat was suddenly found pinned under the gaze, a stare that made him gulp softly.

"Say that again and you will quickly find yourself fur less moreover unable to make kittens,"

Minako might have chuckled at the threat if it had been any other time, or with any other person. But at the moment she didn't feel like having the frosty glare directed at her. She in turn sat quietly in the back seat listening to the roaring wind.

She didn't know what was going on, but she was determined to find out.

A glance at the soft moonlight falling from the distant orb gave her courage she did not feel, and the strength to move forward. Gazing up at the silvery fluorescent, Minako felt hope swell within her.