the devil within

by max333

When Tuxedo Mask's past identity is revealed, he's ripped from his beloved arm's while injured, and kidnapped to the negaverse where Prince Endymion is born. Yet things are not as they seem to the majority on either. Wanting his beloved Moon by his side he makes his own agenda, but is he truly playing both sides of the field or is he really one over the other? Find out more inside.

9. trial by jury & the path of an ultimatum

sabina21: thanks and will do.

kera69love: very muchly so yeah I agree. In this Luna is a more extreme form of I want to say between a 'helicopter mom' and a 'tiger mom' combined or at least something of one of them, but it's for a reason. Plus it doesn't really stray to far from her personality in the anime as she did have extreme trust issues with Tuxedo Mask since he wasn't so 'forthcoming' with being a 'chatty cathy' on who he was. Even afterwards she had some issues till she had to accept him, in this it's obviously a bit different as he's a bit different. Luna takes her role a tinge to seriously here and forgets what she really can and can't do.

Guest (1): thanks. 😊

ShadowQueenGalactica: thanks glad your enjoying it.

smoon4409: yeah the feline needed it, even if only a little bit. Oh yes there is still so much powerful love in there, and will always be. Hope you enjoy the next one.

5 reviews, very nice, glad your all enjoying this, hope you like the early update, I'll be away from my laptop this evening and the nearest one won't have a USB to work on (and my laptop is losing functions preventing me from getting into others wiki connections so I'm only able to be in my own) so enjoy, and let me know what you think! Read and review!

The devil within ch.9

Usagi POV

Holy crap! I think to myself as I appear in the lady's room, in a thankfully empty stall near my homeroom class. How he managed that I don't know nor was I going to question it as I was breathing hard. Still feeling the effects of my massive orgasm that had moments ago swept through my body with such intensity my legs were still wobbling. I locked my knees in place to give me some stability.

I clutch my still-beating heart for a breath before I, realizing the time, use whatever strength I have left to unlock my knees and rush out of the lady's room to class, nearly running into a few students, shouting muttered apologies along the way and get in through the door right before the bell rings. Sitting down I barely cover for the fact that I'm still coming down off of orgasm.

My legs are still twitching just a tiny bit. I wrap them around underneath the desk to stop them from being noticeable. I just hope I don't smell too much like it cause holy…whatever is out there I still feel like it's surrounding me. My whole body is still tingling from it a bit. I can't even concentrate on whatever Miss. Haruna is saying for the first ten minutes of class. My body is too much on a happy high from this morning.

Between that this morning and what happened between us last night, despite Luna's less than encouraging words to me, this has been one of the best nights I've ever had or had period since Mamoru was captured. I mean the things he did to me, the things I did to him…I couldn't stop the blush from hitting me as I sunk further into my seat and hoped that no one noticed how I was feeling.

I looked around and quickly licked my lips, tasting him still on them, and blushed harder. I was pretty sure I was red as a tomato at this point, hell I could even feel myself getting a bit wet again. Though as I moved around to adjust myself again, I could also feel the slight pain of two rounds of amazing lovemaking from him hit me. It was a twinge of pain that made me feel discomfort but even I knew that was to come.

Especially for first timers like me. I'm actually surprised it didn't hurt more but everyone is different. I adjusted once more and felt another twinge and gave a small wince, but I knew regardless that it was well worth it. So I crossed my legs and forced myself to pay attention in class. The images of seeing him this morning and his member in my mouth as I winged it on getting him down my throat plagued my mind.

I wanted more of him, and I know he did of me too. I crossed my arms over my chest, feigning that I was trying to figure out the equation when really, I could feel my nipples poking out as my thoughts strayed to him. Was it bad that even my nipples were still begging for him? As I feel the remnant of our lovemaking still on my skin I also know this means something strong for us both as no true person of evil, no one that is pure, undiluted of evil can make what happen just happen which tells me that he cares about me.

He even shimmered me to get here on time so I wouldn't be late, with my clothes and briefcase on me. I had even forgotten about that. My Mamoru was still in there and I knew this Evil Endymion while he was a version of my Mamoru, he was still my Mamoru. I didn't just see red in his eyes when we made love, I saw the blue shining in there. He may not have noticed it but I did and it was THOSE details that I knew told me that he wasn't all evil…that he was telling me the truth.

However, it's during my next three classes I notice that Makoto and Ami are acting differently around me. Even evading talking about whatever their conversations are in front of me. Despite my prodding. I noticed this when they'd be in a deep conversation and once I'd join they'd clearly make something up to prevent me from knowing they were talking about me in some form.

This had happen to me before with other friends or people I thought were my friends, so I knew how it worked. I just never thought those I cared for and loved as sisters would do such a thing to me. I had a feeling on what it was though and that alone made me upset with a certain feline BUT I wasn't a hundred percent certain. For all, I know it could be something entirely different. I have to wait to see.

So, when Ami lets me know that there's a meeting after school, I know that this is where I'll find out what's really going on. As I took to the steps of the temple, I saw the girls were already there. Well, everyone except for Artemis and Minako. They all look at me with downcast yet hopeful expressions on their faces. I suddenly feel a bit attacked in this. "Where's Minako?" She's been one of the few people I've been able to confide in during this whole situation so for her to NOT be here is troublesome.

It's Luna's next words that hit home for me on the seriousness of this meeting, "She and Artemis will not be present for this meeting since you obviously held your own with her, without us."

That cut into me. I didn't do it with the intent to hurt those I love. I did it for different reasons I had hoped they'd understand once they found out the truth. Luna sits on the table in the middle as she looks at me like a general addressing their soldier.

With Makoto and Ami on either side and with Luna back behind Luna, I truly felt like it was nearly on trial here. "It's come to our attention that your actions are not mirroring that of a Senshi. You're completely disregarding our concerns of safety in favor of the enemy."

My eyes widen at her accusations against me. "I don't…"

My words are cut off though as Rei barks out in a snappy tone, "Oh just say it!"

I stop as she snips the rest out. "You're sleeping with the enemy, and you actually think he's on our side when he's just using you." I

look at the rest of the girls. Well, the ones in the room that is as I know for a fact now that neither Minako nor Artemis are here to avoid me having any backup during this. That was an intentional move by Luna that I don't appreciate. Not to mention her accusations are unfound and full of paranoia.

Still, I want to know if they feel the same as Rei and Luna do in this. As I see their mixed expressions I speak up more defensively now yet still in a calming manner, "So do I get to plead my case here, or is this all going to be based on one person's perspective?"

That's when I see both Ami and Makoto aiming to tread carefully on the matter as I continue with, "And if so then as Senshi EVERY member should be here."

My words hold more weight than they know as Ami and Makoto are obviously in agreement on that.

However, Luna's response of, "Minako is a bit new to this circle still and as such - " is interrupted by a breathless Minako and Artemis as they obviously ran to get there. It's obvious Luna is caught off guard by their appearance. She hadn't thought they'd be here that's for sure as Artemis frowns at her. "At what point was calling a meeting WITHOUT Minako or myself to take the crystal away from Usagi a seemingly good idea to you?"

Everyone now including Rei looks to Luna in utter shock. I look at her anger. Rei's expression drops from the snappy irritated one she shot me earlier to one of utter shock Luna was going to do such a thing.

"Wait what?" Ami's words as she tries to figure out what's going on hit home for us. No one counted on this turn of events. Now I realize Luna either didn't get to or didn't want to brief them on the TRUE reason why she called this meeting on myself and I'd hate to think it was intentional.

I decide to sit down at the end of the table as Minako sits beside me. Neither of us taking a side to anyone else. I see the awkward expressions being shared between Ami and Makoto. Like two kids caught up in between bickering parents who both want them on their side and yet neither know where to or how to move forward without more information just yet. I did feel for them but right now things needed to be sorted out.

"If you're going to do this then do it right and with EVERYONE here," Artemis hops up onto the table in front of us. Squaring off against Luna.

She counters with, "Like you three did against myself and the rest of the girls." Luna looks straight back at me. "Alright Usagi, let's do this right then."

I give a small gulp but stand my ground with those that support me in this close by, feeling a bit more confident with them here.

"You stand accused of essentially betraying your fellow Senshi for a member of the Negaverse despite the many attempts to get you to see reason about his involvement with them, how do you plead?"

I take a quick glance around and see the girls look back and forth not knowing what to do at Luna's words. Nor how to feel at this turn of events just yet. There's a swirl of confusion as I know they want to speak up but don't have enough information to do so.

So I'm a little stunned when Rei says, "This feels like a poorly rendered courtroom drama."

She's not wrong though. It does genuinely feel like I walked into a courtroom when I came in here and now with my 'defense' mounted in place I am literally being put on trial. However, Rei's words do trigger me to see that she's sounding just done with this. Like it doesn't matter to her. I guess it doesn't as it's not her that is on the line. "What a relief her ego is in check on this one," I mutter.

Minako prods me gently. "Just speak your truth as you did with me. Let them all hear it. Artemis and I will make sure they hear you."

Her words give me comfort in this. So when Rei says, "Can we please get on with this, I do have things to do." I can't help but snap back at her, "I plead with you to shut up and allow me to speak freely."

Her trap closes but Luna's opens back up again with her own snappiness. "You let a member of the Negaverse, the enemy we are fighting day in and day out not only into your bed but also believe that he's on our side as well as theirs. What possible defense could you have?"

Her words make my own anger rise up in defense of the man who can't be here in person to defend himself against her. Besides he's always been there for me, even when the girls weren't he was.

So, in my most calming reasoning voice to showcase to them all that I do hold firm in what I'm saying I express, "Because I believe in him, I know what I feel in my heart and I can feel it in his to. In case you've forgotten he and I are bonded...were linked together. How else do you explain how when he was Tuxedo Mask that he always came to help me? Even before the girls were there HE was."

The girls all nod knowing the truth of this.

I continue, "When he first told me the truth about things, I will admit I had my reservations about believing in him, but I knew in my gut and my heart that he was telling the truth."

I glance at Minako as if to ask her for permission to tell them about what she saw and felt. I didn't want to make her feel like I was throwing her under the metaphorical bus or anything like that, especially given that she had been a great support system for me.

She nods, giving me consent to tell them about her involvement in this beyond just being supportive. "Minako herself even said she felt the bond, the love he feels towards me even now."

I see the girls look to Minako now. Surprise and shock on their faces. She holds her head high and speaks in a confident manner, "It's true, the love that radiates off of him is unmistakable, and being the Senshi of love I can practically smell it."

Her words make me feel better about this, especially now seeing their faces on it. Though Luna's expression turns into more of a frown at her words at what she felt. "If that were true…" Luna begins as I sense both Minako and Artemis bristle at her words. She almost sounds as if she's sweeping Minako's abilities under the rug as if it doesn't have the validation or merit that they do actually have.

It makes me wonder if she's pushing the detail aside for possibly her own benefit…on that, I'm unsure just yet but it does come to mind. "It doesn't mean that he's not going to use it to further his own goals just as he always has for himself." Luna's words make me sigh as it's clear she still harbors resentment about his being a 'free agent' and not 'divulging' information when she demanded it of him before we found out about everything. Apparently, she still holds an issue with him over that.

"We hardly knew anything about Mamoru beforehand other than he was a bit of an ass that dated Rei."

I couldn't help but bristle now a bit as Rei gives the smallest smirk that I happen to catch. As if she has something over me, so I can't help but remark, "I hardly call going out as friends a few times dating especially when no one kissed the other but okay..."

The point, despite it being small, hits home for Rei as she frowns at me and nearly speaks up against me before Luna turns back to glare at her. She knows I have a point on that, "That's beside the point here."

I can't help but counter, "True the point here is that you're using your own paranoia over past events to prevent me from being able to be with my love when he's putting his own safety at risk for all of us."

I looked directly at Luna when I spoke, but my words were meant for everyone in the room there. I could tell Luna wanted to speak, but when Rei's next words came out it was clear she was caught off guard.

"That's your 'defense?'" she begins, her tone of voice mocking in this as she gets fired up. "You're sleeping with Evil Endymion, oh sorry...Mamoru..." she states mockingly, of course, putting the word defense into quotes.

Luna snips at her in a hushing manner, "Rei, please...you're not helping. She may have some points but her overall defense is not worth getting upset over." Luna's words upset me now as I can't help but nearly lash out at her.

"Luna your attempts with this meeting along with your other discussion with me to stop me from seeing him is preventing me from using it as a means to save him when we get what we need to stop Beryl and end her and the negaverse." How can she NOT see that in all of this?

"He's working from the inside out for us and you're dismissing it so damned easily it makes me wonder if you have an agenda for him," I raise my voice just a bit.

Luna snaps back though, "My efforts to prevent this 'relationship'…" if cats could use their paws to put words into quotes Luna would have done it right then and there, "In an effort to protect not only you but the others as well, hell the world! He will eat you up and spit you out."

Her anger at this whole situation is obvious as she concludes with, "Not to mention your own poor judgment."

That hurt. After all this time, after all, we'd been through, she still says that to me? "My own poor judgment?" I purse my lips as I force myself to calm my voice back down wanting to get it all out clearly, "Yet you are the one who is trying to prevent me from using our one ally on the inside to help us win this war. In case you didn't notice it's the seven of us if we're including the two of you..." I point out, making sure I include her and Artemis in the mix, "Against ALL of the evils of the Negaverse, and they keep coming at us!"

I slam my palm down, trying to keep my calm in check, "They're relentless in their pursuit of power and world domination and they won't stop until we're either dead or on our knees begging for death."

It was harsh but true. We're soldiers in a war that might be never-ending but our chances of more success rely on this I'm sure of it and Luna's paranoia is standing in the way.

"We need to use ALL of the help we can get in our fight against them," My voice even to my ears sounds strong and commanding. I even feel proud of how my own conviction sounds as I feel the agreement coming off of the girls.

Ami boldly speaks up. "She's not wrong, with everything that the negaverse has been throwing at us we need the support..." One glance at Luna's glare though has her swallowing the rest of her words. Rei even gives her a small glare as Ami seems to switch tactics for a more diplomatic, reasonable approach.

"Yet I can see where the 'concern' is…," Ami turns from Luna back to myself. "Your certain of his ability to be trustworthy? The past has indicated that he's had his own agenda."

I do take this into consideration regarding everything that has happened before. I know she's trying to be diplomatic about things. It just doesn't help that I feel she's being pressured in some form by them.

Rei's next words don't help as she interjects, "Exactly my point he's always had his own agenda." I look over to her with my own mixed expression of emotions. "What makes this time so different? Because she has a 'gut feeling'? Because she can feel the love between them?" She demands pointing to Minako and myself.

Rei should switch her major from business to law cause she's doing a hell of a job of trying to downgrade our defense of this. She's cutting and calculated about it, with a hint of repressed anger. Makoto jumps in with, "I think you both are forgetting something here." She calmly gains both Rei and Luna's attention as she counters with, "we're still talking about a human being."

Her glare silences both as she continues. "Who's being 'used' by the Negaverse, has found a way to break free from mind control and is still helping us. You two are talking like he's Malachite incarnate, no offense Minako..." She looks over to her, as Minako nods her understanding but is also reasonably not happy with the fact that he's over there trapped in the negaverse to unknowingly of course.

Makoto continues. "And we all know he's not. When has he ever, even as his evil self shown us to be anything other than putting on a face to them and be helpful to us? I know a fake façade when I see it." She looks directly at Luna as if daring her to glare at her. "I can see it from my own time on my own and in the system..." Her words make even Luna swallow briefly as she adds on, "I say if Usagi and Minako BOTH believe that he's playing the bad guys and helping us, all the more power for us to beat them with."

This gives me hope Makoto is taking this in and is seeing it from our side. From my side of things. I give her a small smile of thanks as does Minako. That's when Ami, probably encouraged by Makoto adds on.

"Makoto's right, and while I'm not happy that you had the meeting without the four of us, I do understand it." She says indicating the rest of them but still sees my perspective on this.

Rei, however, sees things aren't going their way as they initially had. She looks over at Ami in a near alarmed mode as she demands, "How?"

Ami, getting a shinier backbone confronts Rei. "Look at how we're reacting now? Look at how both you and Luna initially reacted, look at Luna's accusations. Do they sound like that of someone who trusts Usagi after everything we've all been through together?"

Finally! Someone sees the light in this. Makoto sees it and now so does Ami. Rei pauses for a beat before shaking her head in response to this. "So we're going to trust this evil Endymion cause of their feelings on the matter?" She demands. "What about hard logical proof? Ami you're always up for wanting solid proof how is this solid? Were talking about gut and feelings!" however Ami has no response.

I counter for her though. "How is the use of Minako's powers NOT solid proof?"

Rei shoots her eyes towards me now.

"How is the fact that he's never once tried to hurt me not proof?" I ask or rather demand of her, mounting my own defense. Damn this really is like a friggin' mock-up trial in here. "How is it that when having seen chances to take the crystal he hasn't? He loves me, he's had his chances yet he doesn't take them."

My words stop Rei for a moment as Luna jumps back in with, "It doesn't erase however that you're letting your heart lead instead of your head and did this behind not just the girl's backs but MINE!" Her own hurt and anger are showing through now but it doesn't erase my own.

I swallow hard as I respond. "I didn't want to...but...I knew I had to." I force the emotions back so I can get my words out.

"I wanted to be able to tell you…," I look directly at her, at them all. "To not have it screaming in my head all day but I KNEW how'd you'd react to it." I glared at her. "I knew I'd be faced with nothing but harsh judgment, criticism, paranoia, and anger among others. And if given the choice..."

I take a breath from my tirade as Minako tries to stop me. I hold her off, letting her know it needs to be said. She nods letting me speak my mind.

"If, given the choice, I'd do it again." The anger on Luna's face is palpable. "Because this is how much I believe in him. I love him and it's not some flight of fancy this is the love of my life...my other half, we've fought for each other, died for each other...if that's not love then what is love?" I demand of her this time. Wanting her opinion of countering my words.

Yet even as the girls agree, Rei debating my words as they even touch something inside of her on it, Luna seems to be unmoved by my proclamation. She's stiff and upset and I have a feeling it's due to my not obeying her rules. I'm branching out and she doesn't like it. It's made clear as day when she speaks up next, "Either you let go of this 'relationship' or you give up your position as leader of the Senshi. The choice is yours."

The choice feels easier than I would have thought. Yet it's still the most painful thing ever to be given the choice to do. I'm beyond stunned and upset at this as my heart races with anger and the need to get out and away from someone that I thought I could get support from. She turned her back to me and won't even consider my side in this. Despite both Artemis and Minako on my side of things and despite both Ami and Makoto taking my side.

It's clear now that she won't relent till she has it her way. So with my own anger and stubbornness pushed to the side I do what I know in my gut is right. She has sealed her own decision with that ultimatum. I can tell she thinks she's won with all the shocked and horrified gasps in the room. Even Rei is looking at her bug-eyed not having expected this to happen. I take it a step further and form the moon wand.

I place it on the table by her paws and see the now bug-eyed expression across her face, "Let me make it easy on you."

She looks back and forth between it and me not fully grasping that her tactic didn't work as I sit up and leave it sitting there. The girls are beyond stunned and while I can tell they're trying to form words nothing is coming out. "I won't be a part of a plan that hurts those I love and care about."

The confusion leaves her face as anger returns but also a tinge of fear and worry. "If you truly don't trust me to make those decisions then find yourself another leading Senshi, but make no mistake the silver crystal is my birthright. You have no right to take that from me and I dare you to try."

My words come out hard and sharp as I turn around and walk out leaving confusion and shock in my wake.

Luna POV

When I put my hand of metaphorical cards out on the table for her I expected a quick fall. I truly did. I had it played out in my head that she would fold and resign to the plan I had laid out. I would propose she end things with him, and do what she could to simply heal him, and if that wasn't possible, we would do what we had to do for the safety of this world. That had been the plan and at the time it was foolproof.

It's why I put it out there as an ultimatum. I normally hate to give them but I did do it on RARE occasions when the occasion called for it. This occasion to me called for it but her response was worthy of the shock currently enveloping me. My mouth dropped open as she put her moon wand down and left without missing a beat. I saw the level of anger she had leveled at me and forced myself NOT to shrink back.

I know I probably resembled a gaping fish right now as I watch her walk out. It feels like the young girl that I first knew has grown up more than I thought she had. Yet I didn't expect her to make these calls. She was supposed to work with me, with us, and not against us. Working with him was against us. So seeing her put the moon wand down on her end was like her throwing down the gauntlet.

She rose to the challenge I threw down and chose the path I least...no the path I didn't anticipate at all. She picked a path that aligned with her own desires and they were not for the good of us all. Not the way I saw it. I honestly thought I taught her better than this but it seems all it took was a tall, handsome man to once more ruin the princess of the moon. So as I watched her leave out I was left with a brainstorm of thoughts in my head.

I had no chance to yell at her, no time to think of a way to tell her how wrong she was. No ability to get simple words out of my mouth. All I had time to do was a gap at the fact that my plan to get her to submit to me, to make her understand that things had to be this way for the safety of everyone here, not only failed but essentially blew up in my face and she did it with a calming embodiment to her that I hate to say, reminded me of her mother.

She was her mother's daughter, but I would think even her mother would have frowned on her actions as of now. No, I don't think it, I know it. Her daughter was headed down a dangerous path right now and was naively believing in his 'love' for her which was undoubtedly a plan to get more from her. I went over my own plan for this from the moment I called this meeting in my head and couldn't figure it out.

How the hell did THAT NOT work? I was absolutely stunned that I had no words. I wracked my brain but I couldn't come up with anything. She so calmly put the moon wand down that it threw me off. She walked out with a sure-fired confidence I never would have given her beforehand. I thought for sure if I gave her that ultimatum, my way or the highway essentially, that she'd resign and accept the fate that was to be taken.

The one that was predestined for her. I know the girls were just as shocked and thrown off as I was by her move and actions. No one said anything for a decent moment. As if time was standing still waiting for her to change her mind or to come back and take back the moon rod and start to yell at us again. Yet she wasn't returning. The temple was so silent that all that could be heard was her footsteps as she walked away.

Minako and Artemis were still there so perhaps they didn't agree with her on this. However, they might just be staying around to take back the moon wand to give it to her. Yet they made no move to do so which made me wonder what might happen now. If she was really going down this path then perhaps it would be necessary to...and I hated to even think about it, but maybe for the safety of others the silver crystal should be remo -

"I would advise against trying."

Minako's clear and sharp words of warning caught my attention. She looked at me with cool contempt as if waiting for me to deny what I was thinking. There's no way she could know. Her powers didn't go in that direction so it wasn't possible she could know. I wondered if it was written on my face, "She has been learning very efficiently how to use the crystal." I looked around and saw the curious expressions on the girl's faces.

I redden just a bit and looked away for a moment at her words not wanting to give away what truths she had just told without anyone really knowing. Her expression reads volumes as if she could tell what I was thinking.

"Luna wouldn't..." Ami attempted before Minako just looked at her. It wasn't a glare, nor was it patronizing. No. It was simply a 'see for yourself' as Ami glanced at me to see my expression for herself.

Minako walks out as does Artemis but not before he looks over at me. Disappoint is in his eyes before he follows out after her. Unable to stand this any longer I leave to another room away from the girls. I don't bother to say a word as I need to breathe without anyone seeing me, watching me. This whole meeting blew up in my face and I needed to think without anyone passing curious expressions at me.

I needed to be away from where the product of my failed plan sits on the table. The moon wand was now away from its true owner and back with me. Yet it didn't feel right to not be around her. That's when surprising paws come into view. Apparently, he decided to not leave so easily after all. I look over at him as he speaks. His voice was serious. "I advised you before NOT to get in the middle, to let this play out, to listen to her and now look at things, the Senshi are becoming divided."

I looked away from him. Hating that he might have a point. Hating that I might be wrong. Despite my efforts, Usagi might be right. No...she's wrong.

He steps closer, "Are you so hateful towards Mamoru that you're forsaking him in the negaverse before Usagi has a chance to heal him?" I go to speak till he puts a paw up to stop me. I give him a 'are you seriously shutting ME up?' look as he continues on.

"He's Prince Endymion of the Terrain Kingdom. Even Queen Serenity wouldn't have done so." I shoot him a glare knowing that but still hating that things have gone so downhill since the start this evening. The way things went down, this wasn't how it was supposed to go. Usagi was supposed to bend to my will. To yield to me. To accept that this is how it is as she usually always does bend to it.

I thought for sure the ace up my sleeve of 'make a choice' would make her fold, to see things my way. She always has before and we've come out stronger for it. Yet she seems stronger than before and it's a strength that's not working for us. I just know it's because of HIS influence on her. He's poisoning her against us, I just know it. Now Artemis is even on their side and it'll only weaken us in the end.

"And if you recall correctly..." I begin before I look away, not wanting my emotions to get the better of me and give Artemis the impression that he's right when he has to be wrong in this, "I was in favor of things between the two but not when negotiations were going south."

I still recall that happening and I even advised Queen Serenity against it. She 'took it under advisement' if I remember correctly.

"Not especially in this life when Tuxedo Mask was all about getting the crystal and using Usagi's naivety to do it...and that was BEFORE we knew who he was." I counter as I continue on, wanting him to see my perspective in this without the girls present. "He's still doing it and using their past love and her current feelings against her, how is NOONE seeing that?" I ground out to him.

He sighs at this. "Luna, I've seen them together and I do believe there's a deep love there." I scoff at this notion as he frowns, but continues, ignoring my scoff. "I don't know how Usagi tried to explain it to me but there's definitely some details missing...ones that he's limited his time with telling her..." he states as I think to myself...a likely story. Man has time enough to spread her legs for his delights but not enough to tell her how he's still good.

Nor the time to tell her how to beat Beryl. Yet there's nothing fishy about him at all. I do listen to Artemis but it doesn't mean I believe a word he tells me. "But he is still good. He's working with us to bring down the negaverse and to be honest, Usagi's a hundred percent right, we need all the help we can get. How many times have the girls nearly died already because they keep getting smarter around us?"

Fine, he had a point there, we could use help yet but that didn't mean that we couldn't just train harder and be stronger amongst ourselves. I could simply increase the girls' training practices, or help them with other training aspects. We don't need evil Endymion's help. Or rather the 'help' he's promising us but won't deliver on cause the man's EVIL. Seriously, how am I the only one besides Rei seeing such an issue?

Artemis pulls me from my thoughts with his next words, "If we don't pull off this war just right it could end up with EVERYONE dead. Is that what you want?"

His words trigger me as I spin on him, hissing even in my anger that he would even suggest such a thing. Yes, I was prideful and yes, I was upset but I wouldn't want to lose this war due to that. My pride wasn't the lives around us or anyone else's...that was good anyways.

"Don't you dare twist this to make me into the bad guy here, HE is," I snap as he counters me in low tones full of his own anger as if I'm the one not listening to HIM. "If you didn't make it so easy for me, I wouldn't have to."

I feel my face go red in anger now. My whiskers twitched in response to how upset I am. Shooting daggers at him for that remark as he continues on, bravely in my opinion against me.

"But your methods are based more on your own anger and paranoia rather than actual facts."

I refused to agree to the fact that he may have a point. I knew I was angry yet but it wasn't a driving force within me. He simmers down, forcing himself back from his forelegs, and pushes himself to be more relaxed despite the fact that I'm still upset. His stance doesn't make me more relaxed, it upsets me that he's acting more 'mature' about that than I seemingly am. More in control of things than I am.

"Look..." He sighs, sounding like he's had enough of this bitter fight that's not really going anywhere. This is true, it feels like we're both banging our heads up against a wall right now as I huff and force myself to relax. As upset as I still am I'm not going to get clear thinking by continuing to be upset. That and I refuse to let him be the only one who can control their emotional state in this. "Just don't do anything rash...again. Give her time to cool down and maybe you should take some time to."

His words as he walks away make me look away, not wanting to see his exit. I then hear bigger, yet still, soft footsteps come in and know it's one of the girls. Rei's voice is slightly worried and a tad hollow now. "What happens now?"

I look over to see her holding the moon wand. It already looks odd and foreign in her hand compared to Usagi's. Yet to say as such would be like verbally admitting to something I was unwilling to admit to just yet.

Instead, I ask her, "Do you feel its power?" I was curious about this as we did several months back debate for a moment on making Rei the leader over Usagi before Usagi proved herself to be leader-worthy material. Rei let it go but maybe she wouldn't mind taking up the mantle if things didn't go so well now. If there was a way for her to channel its powers perhaps there was a chance after all... "Do you think you could...wield it?"

I can tell Rei wants to say something else as she looks at me. As if unsure if she should state her true feelings or not. I want her to speak freely but I also know she wants to be diplomatic about this as we're talking about the power of Mars wielding a moon's wand. There was truly nothing between the girls' powers that was interchangeable. It came from their past lives, their bloodlines and yes, I know it contradicted what I was thinking it didn't hurt to try.

Yet I see the acceptance of my fleeting hope going out the window. She feels its weight in her hands as if she's testing it out. "I don't feel anything really." She puts the other end in her hands and tries to use her own Miko-Mars powers to sense the energies in it. I don't see a glow to it, but I can see she's focusing herself on it to test what she can feel. I do love Usagi. I do but with where her mind is right now Rei should be in charge and able to wield it. If I could change the owner of the moon wand till Usagi gets her head on straight I would.

At least for this case but if I were to be completely honest, more so, I'd rather be able to get Usagi to accept this fate and responsibility instead of choosing the route she chose not too long ago. I watch Rei. I see how she reacts to it in her hands as if it were a foreign object to her that she wants to be able to wield but can't and she knows it and has not only already accepted that fact but almost appears to not want to touch it.

If anything is as good as it probably feels to hold, it seems to be also feeling like something she can't bear to hold for too long. Like her Martian side can feel it but knows it's not meant for her and wants her to relinquish it as does that part of her. I can see the emotions going across her face. The part that wishes she could is overruled by the part that's happy and content NOT using the moon wand.

Wanting to keep to her hands as her conduit for power. She responds, "Even when I use my focal points I can feel it has an energy to it, a power that's beyond mine, a good one..."

She looks at me as I avoid looking away from her, seeing the truth of what she's feeling through her eyes. I can see that she's not only feeling a tad overwhelmed simply holding it but seems to develop a new appreciation for it too.

I'm not sure what it means but only she could tell me. Before I can ask her anything she responds, "But no, I could never use it." confirming what I already thought and was hoping I was a bit wrong. "It's meant for Usagi. It's like there's a block on it for anyone but her to use it like it calls to her and won't obey anyone but her. Only she can wield it, just like only she can wield the true powers of the silver crystal."

Her words don't do much more than remind me of the pickle we were in. The one that I'm now partially to blame for even though I want to put it all on Usagi. I should place all the blame on her. She's the young, immature soldier who's not following my orders to give up Mamoru. He's going to get her and the rest killed, I know it. Yet she's refusing to listen to reason and won't give up on this whole 'he's our ally and needs to be saved' bit. If he can't be saved it's a part of life. She'll get over it.

"To play the devil's advocate here..." Rei begins, now only holding it with one hand, "I get the sense that that wasn't the first time the moon wand got brought up."

Her query makes me sigh in response. "It isn't and this 'display' of hers is childish." Though I do recall the last time this came up and how I threatened her with it before. I wasn't expecting her to counter my threat by using it against me.

If I wasn't so upset and appalled by her actions, I'd actually be a tad impressed by how she's playing this. Or how she's handling all of this. Yet this is all against me and the needs that I know are for the betterment of everything. Yet she's ignoring it in favor of her heart and gut and she's now convinced the latest Senshi Minako to her side. I internally scoffed at the notion that her powers felt the 'love connection'.

Minako's powers aren't that deep. I don't think, and even if they are I can't see this being that accurate to determine that. Even Rei's powers of reading the fires took training and practice. I've never once seen Minako practice so no I can't see too much validity in her 'love' gifts. I know she means well by trying to support Usagi but it's going in the wrong direction. "I know I have my issues and reasons for distrust but what are yours regarding him?"

Rei's question pulls me from my internal thoughts. "I'm protecting all of you with this." I admit to her as past memories hit me. "I've lost you all once before when she fell for him in the past." It still hurts to have the memories of their bodies as they floated up with the debris from trying to protect and defend the moon kingdom. Their efforts had been brave but in vain as they hadn't been strong enough to defeat Beryl.

I could still hear their cries of pain as in one strike they were gone. Had we not tried to encourage a peace treaty with the earth, had Serenity and Endymion not met or fallen for each other things would have gone down so differently...and it was happening all over again just differently. "Their love caused a great war that perished two thriving kingdoms." I know it sounded like I was blaming them.

It was harsh but it wasn't untrue. Beryl may have to led the armies but it was the love of those two that started this. I don't want Queen Serenity's wish for them all to have a second chance to get blown away because of a naïve and foolishly in a love heart. "I know Usagi has good in her heart, and I love my princess, but her refusal to see things my way will hurt more than she knows and I refuse to let this world perish...again."

I watch as Rei nods. "Then we will protect this world till our last breath." I nod glad that she sees things my way. "We just have to see how dangerous this is before it goes too long with Usagi being without the moon wand. We cannot afford for her to get caught without it."

Although as I think about it, if she were to get caught without it, she'd have to be forced in some form to acknowledge that she was wrong to leave it with us.

I didn't want to voice what I was thinking though. I mean to say the words 'if she does get attacked without it and can only transform when that evil prince sees her vulnerability he will see an opportunity, or...the monster will attack her and she will finally see when he DOESN'T help her, that he's NOT on our side'. So perhaps her leaving the moon rod here wasn't a bad thing after all.

I just don't dare to say it as it's too harsh. I don't want Usagi to get hurt. Not by any means BUT sometimes it's necessary to teach a lesson through it in order for the lesson to stick better. I just hoped that the lesson that would be learned from this wouldn't hurt her as much as I wanted her to learn but I didn't want her to be in pain. However, at least this way she might finally get my point and end things with him.