The Rival

If the Moon smiled, she would resemble you.

You leave the same impression

Of something beautiful, but annihilating.

Both of you are great light borrowers.

Her O-mouth grieves at the world; yours are unaffected,

And your first gift is making stone out of everything.

Darling girl, think quickly. The answer you seek is before you but it shall slip beyond your reach if you continue to remain blind to the possibilities. In order to find salvation you must first suffer, and bring suffering to others.


There is something unsettling, in knowing an end draws near.

It was not, perhaps, the end, but an end nonetheless, and in my time here I'd come to learns that endings…

Endings were rarely pleasant affairs.

My gaze followed Minako as she slipped out of her office and made her way to Intel, shutting the door behind her with only a single glance my way; a beginning in the midst of an ending. This was how the plan would be put into action, how the bait was laid, and I waited patiently at the conference table, nails tapping idly against the armrest while Minako set things into motion. Thoughts of the last note lingered in my mind, of the golden script at the very bottom, and I forced myself to focus on something else, anything else.

Ami was not our third party and, in the wake of our mock battle, I began to suspect that none of the Order was directly involved in the matter. This person's knowledge, their manner of action… it just didn't fit with anyone else here; Ami, I could have understood, and perhaps Mamoru to a lesser extent, but the rest of the Order? They were all hands on individuals, and this third party wasn't interested in getting their hands dirty. Not to mention, there was something inherently wrong about having all of our attention focused in one direction; that was undoubtedly a mistake, exactly the kind that left one with a knife in their back, and I was not eager to risk that happening.

So while Rei and Minako had their sights set inward, I turned mine elsewhere.

There was, admittedly, little point in going along with the original plan when I no longer suspected a traitor within, and yet go along with it I would. To not set the bait would be to show my hand, to make Rei and Minako aware that I was having my doubts, and I could not have that. To have the two of them doing an internal investigation meant that we would not be ambushed should I end up being mistaken, and there was always that possibility. You couldn't expect to be right in your suspicions one hundred percent of the time, and with Serenity's future, her freedom, in the balance, the stakes had never been higher.

We needed all our bases covered and under careful observation.

I was jolted from my musings as Mamoru slapped down a (large) stack of papers onto the conference table, expression carefully neutral. Irritated, I considered thoughtfully as, beside him, Kunzite let out the faintest of sighs. Ah, but not at me.

With Mamoru studiously facing away from Kunzite, I doubted he could see the way the General's arms were loosely crossed, features arranged into something deceptively bored. Both clearly at odds over something, but not willing to broadcast it to the rest of us. That was interesting.

"Lover's quarrel?"

"Pardon?" Mamoru said.

"Oh, nothing." I slid him a charming smile, which he had the audacity to ignore, and added, "Though I'm not sure what the paperwork ever did to deserve such treatment. You should be gentler with the feelings of others."

"It's an inanimate object," He said flatly, "It doesn't have feelings."

"Hey now, all things on this Earth deserve love." That's what Hajime-sensei always said, anyway. Perhaps not so literally, but the intent was there all the same.

Mamoru raised his gaze to the ceiling, as though pleading with a higher power. "Usagi, please put away your special brand of ridiculousness for a moment. I have things I would like to get to today."

I hummed. "Well, I suppose I can try, provided you aren't here to tell me anything too frightening. Not trying to slack off on our duties, are we?"

That earned me a half-smile. "Hardly. This is simply something Ami likes to have us do every now and then, when she's working on a project and isn't able to step away."

Now that caught my interest.

I twisted in my chair, gaze landing on the closed office door. "I didn't hear anything about a project. What's she working on?"

"Who knows," Kunzite answered disinterestedly, "She'll let us know once it is done. Now, these are the reports from the last two weeks. It shouldn't take longer than a day, so you'll be able to go back to your work tomorrow. Seeing as you are the sole member of the Order that has not had the pleasure of running through them, it is only fair that we allow you the experience. "

"How generous of you." I eyed the stack dispassionately, wondering whether I could get away with some kind of accidental injury and abstain from this so called pleasure. I mean, there had to be over a hundred pages there, every character hand written and-

And… I was practically illiterate.

Dread slowly grabbed hold of me then as those pages upon pages of handwritten Japanese, and all they implied, settled like a weight against my chest. I barely managed to struggle through the scrolls and tomes littering my desk, I worked at them for hours and hours at a time to get through only a few chapters. This stack had to be at least a hundred pages, probably more, of what had to be twelve different writing styles, twelve.

With my work, it was easy to keep the issue under wraps as there wasn't ever a deadline and no one cared about my progress. This was different.

How was I going to get away with it?

A crushing wave of humiliation burned through me as I attempted to make out the first few sentences of the first paper with little success, all too aware of my audience. A hundred pages. I thought despairingly. One hundred pages of handwritten hell.

I couldn't do it, I wouldn't be- no one knew and how could I bring myself to say it? I wouldn't, not ever, it wasn't anyone's business and I couldn't bear to admit it now; not when no one knew the truth, no one but-

Matsuo was coming down from the second floor, head half-turned to listen to whatever Nephrite was saying behind him as they descended. Just as he reached the last step, Matsuo turned, gaze meeting my own. He paused, stiffening.

Whatever Nephrite said next was lost as Matsuo shifted, making a beeline straight to the conference table. The carefree tone was betrayed by the tension of his shoulders as he said, "What're you guys up to?"

My eyes dropped down toward the paperwork, heavy with shame, wishing he wasn't there to see. My chest burned. A stilted pause filled the air before Mamoru cleared his throat as hesitantly replied, "We were discussing the reports. Ami is working on one of her projects."

Matsuo's gaze fell on me.

"I see."

Those words were also heavy, and I could only sit there and wonder if he did, in fact, see. It had been months and months since the last time we'd sat in Hajime-sensei's dojo and done our homework together. What were the odds that he remembered?

I was saved from any further torture when behind me, Minako slammed open the office door and announced, "Alright, Usagi, you're with me today!"

Mamoru looked between me and Minako with something that resembled the very beginnings of alarm. "You don't mean-"

"Fieldwork!" Minako finished for him, far more cheerfully. "Oh, don't give me that look, Mamoru. It's just the usual routine; small disturbances to investigate, checking on the active wards, making sure puppies aren't being kicked."

"Perhaps Kunzite would be better suited to assisting you," He suggested, "Usagi… has reports duty, and I wouldn't want to take up her whole day for Order business if it isn't necessary. Besides, the two of you work well together."

Kunzite looked marginally pleased by this assessment, but then his gaze fell on me and there was something… concerned, about his expression.

"Come on, Mamoru," Matsuo clapped him on the shoulder, "lets the girls have their fun. Here, I'll take this," he plucked the paperwork off the table, tucking it under his arm, "and it'll be waiting for you later, when you get home."

Mamoru still didn't seem content, so with a sigh, Minako brought up the route of surveillance we would be following on the supercomputer for all to see. She did it so casually that had I not come up with the plan, I never would have guessed this was merely another facet of laying the bait. "See? We aren't even headed into any hot zones, these are low activity areas and, as a member of the Order, Usagi needs to get used to scouting and risk assessment duties."

And, well, there really was no arguing with that logic.

But that didn't mean Mamoru was happy about it.

I pulled on my coat and hat, and as we took our leave, I sent a grateful glance Minako's way. "You are divine. The light of my life. I might just marry you for that."

She snorted. "Now, now. You'll make me blush."


"I. Hate. Winter."

It was freezing, there was slush in my right boot, and the empty path we followed was buried beneath three god forsaken inches of snow and at an incline that all but assured slipping. Out of all the deserted places in town we just had to choose the only one that'd been overlooked in this city's quest to salt the roads.

Minako made a neutral sound. "I've taken notice."

"I am sick of snow," I continued, thinking back to the only place that offered relief from this frozen nightmare. It never grew cold at the Moon Palace, and for good reason. Because winter was bullshit. "This season is hateful, and pointless, and everything wrong with the world-"

"Is that so?"

"-And as soon as I figure out how, it'll be goodbye winter for good. Just spring, summer, and autumn, the prefect trifecta."

"No winter," Minako began, trekking through the snowy path with much less violence, "means no Christmas, and no New Year. No presents, likely no break from school, and no parties. I, for one, enjoy what winter brings."

I slid her a look of disgust. "Well you would, wouldn't you?"

She rolled her eyes, a playful smirk at her lips, and continued to take us further from the bustle of town into a quieter, desolate area under construction. "This passion you have for killing the winter season wouldn't have anything to do with earlier, would it?"

"Pardon?"

Minako gave me the side eye, but didn't face me, didn't slow. "Well… You seemed kind of upset when I finished up with Ami and came to get you. I'm just saying… If there is something, that's okay. It's okay not to be okay all the time."

I very carefully didn't look at her. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean. I'll take that into consideration, though. I guess."

She hummed.

We slowed to a stop at the top of the hill, surveying our surroundings; it wasn't an enormous area, but it was largely wooded, and I could work with that. "Yes, this will do just fine. Now, if we're going for destructive — and I can assure you, we are — I think you should use that horrifying beam of light to cut through some of that scaffolding; maybe bring down a tree or two for good measure."

Minako cocked her head, examining the construction site with sharp eyes. "That could work. We'll need to scorch the ground a bit; that girl from the Black Moon Clan you fought specialized in fire, yeah?"

She did, and that was exactly why Rei had to stay behind.

The plan was to raise suspicion within the ranks. That's why Minako had thrown our route onto the big screen, and why it was her and not Rei, here with me today for the ambush we were going to falsify between ourselves and the Black Moon Clan.

If we were going to create the aftermath of a supposed battle, we didn't need Rei's flames involved.

Ami, at the very least, was likely to be able to tell what kind of marks Rei's attacks left behind, and if the 'enemy's" flames left too similar patterns someone might grow to be suspicious. "Fire user, which makes this all the more unfortunate. Rei's attacks are hot, they'd easily melt snow. We're going to have to put some serious thought into this; scorch patterns, an extra set of footprints, and just the right amount of snow left over."

"We'll make it work." Minako said. "Don't go throwing me into anything though, alright? I can take a few hits no problem, but if I leave here with anything broken I'm gonna be pissed."

So she said, but from the eagerness with which she dug out her pen, I was beginning to suspect that the one in danger of broken bones would be myself. I reached for my brooch, ignoring the golden light of Minako's transformation. "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"

Cool air bit unpleasantly into my exposed skin, and I carefully pushed back a wave of nausea, focusing instead on the flow of energy within me; it always felt so natural, as though it was meant to be there, as though Sailor Moon was my natural state of being and this civilian form I wore was little more than a façade. The irony.

Minako gave me a mischievous grin. "Now, be careful with the face. It'd be a crime against nature to mar such beauty."

I laughed, shifting into a fighting stance, perhaps the slightest bit invested in the outcome of this mock battle. It was a shame that Minako hadn't been able to bring the Legendary Sword; I'd have liked to have tested my own skill against it. There was a pause, a single breath where each of us sized the other up. I sprang forward, read to accept bragging rights for landing the first blow-

And then a shiver, so severe it startled me, swept across my skin and I was ducking and rolling out of the way as a massive ball of dark — and familiar, far too familiar — flames flew right overhead.

Oh hell.

I spun left, to where the attack came from and there Koan was, flames in hand and looking far more smug than she really ought to have. She wasn't scared, and that surely did not bode well for us and yet this time neither was I. No, there was no fear in me as the moon scepter summoned to my hand and Minako reached for her chain beside me. I could feel nothing but the wave of pure, unadulterated desire to finish what we had started nearly a month prior. This woman was a threat to me, to Rini, to Serenity; she needed to be taken care of.

I scanned for her creatures, but there was no sign of them. They weren't exactly stealthy, so the lack of their presence put me on edge. Surely Koan was not so stupid as to confront us on her own? I didn't understand until from behind us, a dainty laugh broke out from the quiet.

I turned, careful to keep Koan in my line of sight as I examined the new threat. Another girl, also wearing an outfit far too revealing for this kind of weather. Her white-blonde hair was pulled back into a braid that spilled down over her shoulder, a sharp contrast against the black, inverted crescent moon at her brow; she wore knee high boots and wrappings up to her elbows, all the same ice blue shade as what could only be described as the swimsuit she wore. Unlike Koan. Something about this girl was startlingly familiar, and it took me a moment to understand why.

She looked like a poor Halloween version of Elsa from Frozen.

Slutty Elsa sneered. "This is her then? The so-called Destroyer you had trouble defeating? She's younger than you, Koan; how disgraceful. Rubeus shall be so disappointed to hear that your defeat came at the hands of a child."

Well, that was rude and also a little unfair; Koan had very nearly gotten me the last time we'd crossed paths. It was just poor planning on her part to have given me time to retaliate.

Koan bristled. "Don't underestimate her, Berthier. You've heard the stories, you know what she is capable of."

"What she will be capable of," Berthier cooed, "Or would have been, given time. She certainly isn't the fearsome warrior yet, and I can't say I'll be inclined to allow her to live long enough to garter such a reputation. We're here to rewrite history, no?"

Koan said nothing to that, still cautious, and Berthier turned her attention fully to us, continuing. "I am Berthier of the Bl-"

"Yeah, I don't care." I told her, turning my back to the woman. I had one point of focus here, and it was bridging the gap between the heel of my boot and Koan's face. "Minako, you can have the other one. From the looks of her I'd wage a guess that water or ice is her element."

Honestly, what a terrible time to be inches deep in snow.

But, I mused, eyeing Koan's flames, I don't see why we can't change that.


Kunzite P.O.V.

Kunzite was no fool.

He had seen it, had seen and taken note of the changes in Minako; the way she spoke a little less freely, eyed their comrades a little more. Her impatience showing in the slightest stiffening that followed each movement, the furrow of her brow, constantly musing deeply on something. Then there was the way her gaze flickered throughout the day, falling on Rei, who would meet her eyes with equal grimness, and on Usagi, who appeared so perfectly normal that it was downright suspicious.

Something was going on between those three; he simply did not know what.

His lack of understanding was of little consequence though, because sooner or later, Kunzite was sure to uncover whatever it was they were hiding; time would tell, and patience was a virtue Kunzite could be accused of having an abundance of. The sigh that left him was one of resignation — it would no doubt be a long game of patience — as he moved to the window that overlooked the rest of the warehouse.

In the far corner, Jadeite was huddled over a large tome with Rei, attention flickering between the text and the raven haired girl. There was a fondness in his gaze that in turn left Kunzite with a sense of ease; it was soothing, somehow, to see his brothers slowly healing from the psychological damage inflicted upon them in the Dark Kingdom. Nephrite, he knew, had found refuge in the creation of the order and, as of late, in a certain member. He seemed to be doing just as well as Jadeite, all things considered, and it was a weight off Kunzite's shoulders.

Those two had always been more forward with their emotions though, so perhaps he should have guessed; as per usual, it seemed that the one concerning him most was Zoisite. Always so careful with what he showed to the rest of the world, always ready to slip right out of your grasp. Zoisite had always been too clever for his own good, and-

And he was standing in the doorway, as though summoned by Kunzite's musings. Zoisite swept an analytical gaze over him, and cocked his head thoughtfully. Kunzite turned away, knowing that look and knowing it often led to headaches. This, of course, did nothing to negate Zoisite.

"You're pouting." He stated.

"Don't be absurd."

Zoisite sighed, following his gaze to their Prince. The two of them watched as he went over plans with Matsuo for their next training session, seeming to bounce ideas off one another and debating the pros and cons of each regiment. After a moment, Zoisite mused, "He did not like what he heard, but it had to be said."

"Yes," Kunzite replied, "it did."

Mamoru might resent him for putting the thought forward, but that was fine; it was Kunzite's duty, would always be Kunzite's duty, to protect him, and he would accept his Prince's ire if it meant ensuring what little of Mamoru's safety he could.

What other choice was there?

"He'll forgive you, he just needs time."

"He won't." Kunzite said with finality. It was a weight he would willingly bear. "When the time comes, and our hands are forced, I know where my allegiance will lay, and it is with Mamoru's future. I cannot, I will not, allow him to forfeit his life once again."

"Nor I." Zoisite told him. "We are part of the Order, yes, but before all else we are the Generals, entrusted with the safety and future of our Prince. Our duty is to him, first and foremost. He wishes to save her, but the lengths he is willing to go to… We cannot humor his request. Mamoru knows where you stand, and soon he will realize we all intend to join with you in this."

Kunzite turned his attention back toward the window. "Yes, I suppose so."

There was a pause in the conversation, and then, "Why is it, I wonder, that you are not yet satisfied?"

His gaze fell from Mamoru to the boy at his side. "A complication can arise at any time. I'll be sated once all is said and done."

It was all well and good to stand united against the foolishness of their Prince, but once it was done he would look for allies elsewhere, and Kunzite feared Mamoru's ability to work around whatever stood in his way. It was his greatest quality and quite possibly the very thing that would lead to his downfall, if they were not careful. The Generals could stand against their Prince, but they may not be able to outwit him in time.

"I see." Another pause. "…Is it that you wish to save her then?"

"I'm quite certain I haven't a clue as to what you mean."

Zoisite hummed, pleased with himself. "A life debt is not so easily borne, I agree. None of us wish to have any part in her prophesized demise; in fact I daresay any of the Generals, given the opportunity, would gladly aid in her salvation. But we would not fall on our own swords in order to do so, and I doubt she would ever allow us to. Death is quite the burden."

Memories of a time long passed flashed through his mind; a country turned against itself, a desperate Crown Prince filled with grief, forced to spill the blood of his own people. A last stand that had served to save none, in the end.

"Death is quite the burden." Kunzite echoed in agreement, "As is guilt. If my hand is forced, if the choice must be made, I will never waver in choosing him."

And yet- Oh, how it had bothered him, to see those shadows in Usagi's eyes earlier. Her strength was like Minako's, forged in the core of a dying star, unstoppable, unforgettable. Yet not three hours earlier she had sat in that chair looking so… lost. So utterly helpless in the blink of an eye and for no reason he could discern. It had bordered on disturbing, having witnessed such an expression on her face.

Kunzite had only ever known a steel-like Usagi, a girl that pretended at sweetness and one that enemies shattered their hands upon touching. Even in the Dark Kingdom, on the floor of a dungeon there had been an edge to her, under the quivering she'd worn like a second skin, the pretense of helplessness. He had paid the price for overlooking it, for only seeing the surface and not the danger hidden beneath. After he'd been cleansed it had been so clear to see. Her merciless take down of Zoisite. The unwavering steel as she faced down a court of darkness, a queen of evil, and decided she would not bow.

Even when she had given up, it had been a façade. The will to survive had never truly left her, so to witness such vulnerability from her so unexpectedly… it had unsettled Kunzite greatly. He had wanted to do something about it, the urge to assist having been nearly undeniable. Minako had pulled her away before Kunzite had been able to find the proper opening to do so though, and that was fine. He would come to terms with the fact that there would always be a small part of him wishing to repay the debt he owed her, the debt he refused to repay when the price would ultimately amount to the life of his Prince.

Zoisite shifted and began to reply when a deafening alarm sounded from the supercomputer. A sound they had not heard since the Makaiju incident, one that made Kunzite's blood chill. Outside the office the others had gathered, all eyes glued to the flashing words on the screen. He followed Zoisite to the group and read the words with growing dread.

Emergency Response System: Activated – Sailor Venus – Threat: Unknown – Immediate Reinforcements Requested

No message, meaning she wasn't in a position to debrief.

Minako was in danger.


Minako P.O.V.

Minako had always, begrudgingly, known Usagi was brilliant.

But she was also slightly insane, and Minako felt that the two went hand-in-hand, and that it was important to acknowledge both.

There had been a weight, a final judgement, in Usagi's dismissal of Berthier in favor of her sister; a small triumph in Koan's gaze at having been deemed if not the greater threat, than the more relevant one, and a heavy, heavy pause as the decision settled onto the four of them. For Minako it meant nothing, only that Usagi, having faced Koan before, likely had a score to settle. She was exactly the kind of person able to hold a grudge for decades and decades, so it had come to Minako as no surprise.

But for Berthier and Koan?

It wasn't the mere brush off of Usagi the irritable fourteen year old. No it was being overlooked by Sailor Moon, by the Destroyer they must have grown up hearing stories of, in favor of the very person you had just deemed disgraceful and unworthy. It was, by all accounts, a blow to the ego one simply could not allow to go unpunished, and that was what had led Minako to her current predicament.

She ducked as shards of ice passed right where her head had been.

Berthier of the Black Moon Clan shrieked, even more enraged, and Minako took that moment to lash out at her opponent with the Love Chain. "All jokes aside, can you chill out a little?"

"Shut. Up." Berthier hissed. Her cheeks were flushed, with anger and likely some humiliation, and it was Minako — and not Usagi, who had so carelessly dealt the blow — that had to deal with the brunt of her ire. Berthier attempted to yank her arm away, which only served to tighten Minako's hold and cut further into the girl's skin, drawing red. Her opponent was sloppy in her attacks, precise but leaving far too many openings to be taken advantage of.

Sloppy was good, Minako could work with sloppy.

However, what she could not work with, was Usagi, who had deemed fit to prance about the construction site in what appeared to be a fit of reckless abandon, eyes glued to Koan. Their battle had become a constant dance, with Usagi leading; sometimes she was the hunter, and sometimes the prey, spinning out of the way of dark flames, or cutting through them, or swiveling on her heel to become the chased. It was madness, she was playing with Koan and what's worse, both battles continued to intersect at the most inopportune moments, making it nearly impossible to land a finishing blow.

Thrice now she'd had to leap out of the way of oncoming flames, putting a pause on her own battle, and every time it happened, her opponent attempted to slip past her, glare falling back onto Usagi with a singlemindedness that was at once threatening and unwise. Levelheaded, Berthier might have wiped the floor with Minako, so her anger was a blessing; it was also a double edged sword. Minako was slightly frightened to see what might happen should the girl get too close to Usagi.

Around them, the construction site burned.

"You know," Minako began conversely, hiding her discomfort, "I understand how you feel, surprisingly. She really can get on your nerves, that Sailor Moon."

Berthier sent her a withering glance and did not even deem to acknowledge her words, which was rude. All Minako was trying to do here was have a nice, friendly conversation and stall until reinforcements arrived in response to her SOS signal. If she wasn't going to get a good blow in, than she might as well gather some information.

"It's curious, isn't it?" She mused, "That someone as legendary as The Destroyer could build such a reputation and then just… die. I mean, even here before the rise of her infamy, she's going toe to toe with Koan and she isn't on the losing side either. I must admit I find it hard to believe that you came from the future, knowing who exactly you would have to face, all for one little girl."

Because that was the part that just didn't sit right with Minako.

All this work for one child? No. There was something else at play here; they didn't just want Rini, they needed her, she was in some way crucial to the next step of their plans. What Minako needed to find out, was why. Rini, for whatever reason, still seemed to be hiding something from the group; something she didn't want them to know.

Berthier curled her lip. "Sailor Moon is nothing special. She was never anything more than an inflated has-been and her time has ended. She is nothing."

Nothing… Or simply worth the risk of facing in order to get to Rini.

That was intriguing.

She noted how severely Berthier seemed to feel about Sailor Moon in general. It was too… strong, for someone that had just been dissed by her. This went back farther than today. Perhaps there was a reason it was Berthier here, and not one of the other members from the Black Moon Clan. Minako considered her response but was saved the trouble of having to follow up with another remark as reinforcements arrived with a rather flourished entrance. A wave of water swished past them, knocking Koan off her feet and dowsing the area to prevent the flames from spreading any further. Ami landed near Usagi, followed closely by Mamoru.

Berthier dodged Makoto's strike as she arrived on the scene, coming to Minako's aid. Kunzite appeared behind her, hand coming to rest at her shoulder, and she glanced back at him, at the worry in his gaze, and teasingly said, "Ah, fancy seeing you here, Kunzite. Out for an evening stroll?"

He gave a long suffering sigh, but the tension faded from his shoulders so Minako supposed that counted for something.

"You give me ulcers."

She patted his cheek. "Nice to see you too. Now can we get back to the situation at hand?"

Makoto was doing a pretty good job of avoiding Berthier's attacks all while closing in on her, bolts of lightning coming dangerously close to her water. It was perhaps the best element to have against someone with Berthier's abilities. Unfortunately, that was when a humongous ball of black fire cut directly into their battle, and everyone in the vicinity was forced to jump back as the fire grew and spread out like a flower blooming.

and Berthier-

Shot past her, a flow of dark water pointed directly at Usagi's unguarded back. What Minako did next was instinctive, her hand raising, a charge of light ready at her fingertip, spurred forward by fear (comrades, they were comrades, and somewhere along the way Usagi had become her friend and the poisoned truth was that she was destined to die). She took aim, fired.

And she missed.

Whether Berthier saw it or sensed it, hardly mattered. Her heels dug into the cold, hard earth, allowing her to stop dead as Minako's attack skimmed past her, shattering Berthier's earing where it should have taken off her head. Usagi's head snapped in their direction, gaze falling on Berthier. Her features shifted into an almost trancelike expression. It startled Minako enough that she called out to her. "Sailor Moon?"

Usagi made no acknowledgement of her, of any of them.

Then, from out of nowhere she felt it; a rush of pure energy, rising from Usagi, and somehow all at once the air felt cleaner, the leafless trees healthier. The others paused in their attacks too, attention turning to the source of the sensation. Koan, with wide eyes, jumped back and half turned, ready to flee as Usagi began a slow walk towards Berthier. Though Minako did not understand why, Koan suddenly seemed to come to the conclusion that this battle was over, it was clear as day in her expression.

"Ami," Usagi said softly, back still turned, "Don't let Koan get away."


The moment it had happened, it was as though the world had opened up to me. Like I had left the pollution of the city and the decay of winter behind and had found the promise of life renewed, the scent of spring and better days to come. That was what it felt like, when Minako shattered one of Berthier's earrings, the very same earrings that Koan wore as well.

Now that I had tasted the difference, it was so obvious to see; the dark energy so akin to Youma, so subtle and yet there, entwined with their powers, their very presence. It had the same taste as the Generals under Beryl's control, spurring my desire to cleanse that darkness, the power of the Silver Crystal already bubbling up, as eager as myself.

Implanted, I mused, unnatural; enhanced, but was it against their will?

There was truly only one way to find out.

"Ami, don't let Koan get away."

Berthier was ready for me. It did nothing to save her.

The moon scepter, now glowing with power, sliced through her water, purifying the darkness in it. The drops splattered the ground and did not rise again. Venus' chain lashed out, twisting around Berthier's wrists and holding them together behind her back. Minako yanked and Berthier fell to her knees, blue eyes widening with something akin to fear as I closed in.

I took the other earring off, examining the dark crystal for a brief moment before allowing it to break under my heel with a satisfying crunch. And there it was again, that sensation of clean, as though the air was somehow fresher, and finally there was no doubt in my mind what I had to do next; the Silver Crystal spurred me to action as it had with Jadeite, Nephrite, Kunzite, and Zoisite. I tilted her head up, blood on her chin staining, and placed a kiss to the inverted moon at her brow.

The moment my lips made contact, the world around us seemed to fade away as my focus closed in on the source of that darkness. It was buried deep within her, a stain on her soul, a life willingly signed over, corrupted, in pain and yet she did not even appear to realize it. My heart clenched, unable to stomach the anguish of her soul, the way it cried out, unheard, begging for relief. I reached out and relieved her of that darkness, like pulling weeds out of a flowerbed and watering the soil.

What felt like an eternity of healing was really only the barest of seconds.

I stepped back, and as the light around us faded, I saw that the black mark had not disappeared. Instead, it had been joined by a silver one, both crescent moons mirroring one another; there was something there though, something within that kept me in place as I sensed an internal war being waged. I was only pulled from the feeling when Berthier let out an ear piercing scream.

She fell backward onto the ground, clutching her head in agony, before going limp.

"Huh." I said, nudging her gently to double check that she was indeed out cold. One down, one to go then. I spun on my heel to find Koan exactly where I had left her, cornered between Ami and Mamoru. Our gazes collided, and time seemed to slow for a moment as an understanding passed between us; I was going to make her pay for what happened at the lake, and it would not be pleasant.

Koan's eyes widened with fear, but then her expression twisted into something fierce. Everything around her exploded in dark flames and then she was gone.


Minako took our newly acquired prisoner back to headquarters.

Apparently, during my initial tour of the place it was conveniently forgotten to inform me that the little broom closet by the kitchen was not, in fact a broom closet but rather a stairway that led to this building's basement. You know, where the cells were. Because that was a thing one often found in warehouses.

I just went home.

I didn't even have the energy to deal with any of it from that point on. Rei and Minako would wrap of the last parts of the plan and that would be that. Hell, Rei was probably going to have a stroke when Minako told her our mock battle had turned into an actual fight against the Black Moon Clan. Funny, how the world worked. You'd almost think it was out to get me or something.

The sun had set by the time I made it back to Matsuo's apartment and unlocked the door, slipping out of my shoes at the entry way and unwrapping the scarf from my neck to hang on the wall. My coat fell somewhere along the way to the living room, and I was too busy crashing to concern myself over it. I curled up on the couch with the faint thought that something wasn't quite right with the exhaustion I felt. Cleansing was not supposed to tire me out in the way that it had, not when I had barely fought, barely used the power I held. It had been by no means a strenuous battle; difficult, yes, but not to the point where I'd been giving it my all.

There was something there, but…

I dozed.

Time dwindled by, and when I woke it was still dark outside, so the night had not yet passed. I blinked, disorientated and unsure what it was that had woken me. The room radiated warmth, and at my feet there was movement, shifting. I turned bleary eyes to Matsuo, who glanced back at me in amusement. There was a blanket tucked around my feet that had not been there when I'd laid down earlier.

"You," He told me, "are such a pain in the ass."

I took a moment to process that. "Well, yes."

He snorted.

There were papers spread out on the table in various stacks, a few pages in his hand and more at his feet. He followed my gaze. "Oh, right. I organized the reports by day and division, and already went through mine and Makoto's. I figured we could split the workload, you know, since you've been out bravely defending the city and whatnot while the rest of us twiddled our thumbs. I'll read aloud and you take notes. Deal?"

I nodded, throat too tight to say anything.

He remembered. Even if he wasn't going to say it, Matsuo had remembered.

He shifted in his seat under my, stare, fiddling with the papers in his hands. After a moment, Matsuo cleared his throat. "Should I make some tea?"

"This is no time for tea." I said jokingly, though my voice wobbled. His gaze widened, as though afraid I might cry or something, so I slid off the couch and added, "We need hot chocolate. And lots of whip cream."

Matsuo chuckled. "Hot chocolate works."

I entered the kitchen with eyes that were most definitely not misty.


Omake

There was a pebble on the sidewalk.

It wasn't a memorable or particularly interesting pebble, just your average, run of the mill gray pebble, not much bigger than the pad of my thumb. It'd been with us for two blocks now, and I watched as, with excellent aim, Mamoru kicked it forward using enough force to leave it skittering another fifteen feet ahead. Somehow, he even managed to get it across the road in one kick each time we crossed the street. What he found so interesting about the pebble, I didn't know, but far be it from me to stop him.

Shifting the empty bag in my hand, I slid him a glance. "You know, you really didn't have to accompany me today. I would have found a way to live had you said no."

"It's no trouble." Mamoru straightened, giving me a pleasant look as though he wasn't bored. Perhaps he wasn't, but the intent with which he had focused on that pebble begged otherwise. "I was just considering, actually, that it's a shame we don't get out more often. Don't you agree?"

"I guess that's true." We didn't get to go out and play much; most days I spent in the warehouse doing research, or working shifts at the Fabler, or stocking the house. It was nice to be doing something so simple.

Mamoru grinned, bolstered by the acknowledgement, and missed his chance to reclaim the pebble as we passed it. "That's good to hear. While I do enjoy the game you made up to give us all a chance to work together, I was thinking perhaps it would also help to do something more… individually? In pairs rather than groups… doing some activities to strengthen comradery."

My head tilted as I contemplated that.

It would be beneficial to be able to strengthen the ties between everyone, but finding a good friendship exercise for duos… maybe a smaller version of the Battle Royale? I didn't like the thought though, overusing the game might end with the others getting tired of it and it was there solely to allow Order members to let loose under the pretense of training. What would be the best way to better inter-warehouse relations?

"I see where you're coming from." I told him. "But I think right now the best way to go about this is scouting duty. It's always pairs and those that go out have a decent amount of time together. We just don't have enough people to consider anything more drastic at this point in time."

"…Right."

Plus, schedules also needed to be taken into consideration.

For example, I was disgustingly busy these days. Any spare time between work and research was spent training. Even in my dreams I didn't get a break, filling that with princess lessons via Serenity. I just didn't have time to think up another playdate session for smaller groups, and quite frankly, if the others had time for it right now then they weren't doing their jobs correctly.

The errand I was running right now would be the only break I received all day, and I gleefully wasted it on this because it would surely be my only remaining chance to do so before everything went to hell in a handbasket.

(I could feel it in my bones, the sands of time running thin)

Mamoru had return to staring at the ground, this time more pensively as though thinking through some great mystery. He was probably just as busy as myself; I felt bad for taking up his break period now, even though he'd been the one that had asked where I was off to. Taking a break from work was only satisfying when you were able to relax a little.

I bumped his shoulder. "Since you did come with me, I'll treat you to dinner after this. we won't be back for a little while anyway, and there's no point in missing supper, right?"

He perked up considerable at that.

"Yes, that makes sense." Mamoru smiled again, this time more chipper. "I'll pay though. After all, if I recall correctly, you were quite vocal about which of us was the heir to a massive fortune the other night. What were the words again? Ah, yes, it was you rich- "

"Okay!" I chirped loudly, cutting him off. "Let's put that behind us, shall we? I never say no to free food. Oh, here's our stop."

We paused in front of the dojo, and, upon seeing Hajime-sensei through the window, entered. He was in the midst of teaching a class, and when our eyes met, he jerked his head to the backroom, where the item I'd been waiting for would be. There was a glimmer in his eye that told me he knew exactly what it was Harumi had dropped off for me. I told Mamoru to wait by the door and slipped around the dojo to the backroom. There, sitting on the counter was the love of my life. I unfolded the gift bag in my hand and set it on the counter, a few sparkles falling from the design as I did so. With gentle hands, I slipped the item into the bag, fingers dancing over the soft material reverently one last time.

Oh, how long I had waited for this day.

Mamoru's idea of dinner was a fancy, low lit restaurant with three course meals and booths that gave the illusion of privacy. I'd have never tried the restaurant otherwise, but by the end I was glad he had taken me. It was Italian, and I had all but licked my plate clean. Between the full belly, and the warmth of the cab as we traveled back to the warehouse, I was all but comatose until Mamoru asked me what was in the sparkly, penguin themed gift bag.

"You'll see when we get there."

He graced me with a small, fond smile. "Of that I have no doubt."

We were dropped off a few blocks back and walked he rest of the way to headquarters. I was glad for the chill, it woke me enough to spark that familiar excitement for what was to come. With everything going on, I really needed this. As soon as we passed through the door, I projected my voice, "Attention, comrades! If you would please take a moment to gather round the conference table, I have very important news to share with everyone!"

From around the room, there were murmurs of "Oh dear god." and "She's at it again." but all the same, they gathered. Matsuo skipped down the stairs with Makoto at his side. About halfway to the table, his gaze met mine and narrowed upon seeing something in it.

"I'm afraid to ask." He said.

"Well, that's fair, because you should be." I hopped onto one of the chairs, using it as a stepping stool to get to the table, clearing my throat. Then I began, gesturing grandly,
"Ladies and gentlemen. Many a night ago, upon my return to Tokyo after glorious travels around the countryside, I found myself on the couch of my dear friend's home, seeking the answer to a question of great importance: which of us, given the opportunity, would emerge from a one-on-one battle victorious? You see, in our time together, it must be said that in many spars one, and many more lost, there had always been an unequal balance in skill between myself and Matsuo. Now-"

"Get on with it, please." Rei begged with her usual no nonsense attitude.

"No interrupting!" I shoved her with a foot, and she wobbled before regaining her balance. The heated glare thereafter promised death by fire — or at least a severe scolding — to come. I dismissed it, continuing, "Anyway, where was I? Ah, right. Now, with time having separated us, there was no telling what had happened in those months that followed. Had I been training under the harsh waterfalls of a great mountain and wrestling bears? Had Matsuo left the country to learn the ancient arts of sorcery and assassination? Who could say- "

"-Me." Ami grumbled, "I could say. It's a load of- "

"-BUT! The answer had to be discovered, for it plagued us both! And so a solemn vow, a bet, was struck, and as everyone witnessed the other night, one emerged victorious. Me!" I turned to Matsuo, who had gone paler and paler with every word as he began to see where this was heading.

"Oh no."

I grinned. "Oh yes."

With a flourish I grasped the bag and pointed at him. "Matsuo! For the punishment of having lost to the great Usagi, I sentence you to three days in the suit!" I pulled the fabric from the bag and hurled it at his face. He just barely caught it and, with disbelieving eyes, unfurled the folded material to reveal a large, pink, bunny suit.

I hopped down from the table and approached him, the Order dead silent as each of them took in the pink monstrosity, with its fuzzy tail and sewn-in tutu.

Then, suddenly, Makoto burst into peals of laughter.

"You have to-" She sputtered, "You- you have to wear it! Lost- oh, what a bet!"

It was infectious, and not long after the others were laughing along as Matsuo stared me down. He was a man of his word though, and with a long suffering sigh, he ambled off to put the outfit on. No one went back to their tasks as we waited, now clearly invested in seeing this through to the end. Makoto, red faced, hooked an arm around my neck.

"That was gold." She said. "I seriously love you, Usagi-chan. Brilliant."

"I do try."

Matsuo returned, stoically walking down the stairs in the bunny suit, ears and tail bouncing with every step. At the bottom, he looked me dead in the eye and said, "This isn't over."

Makoto and I glanced at each other.

We broke into another round of laughter, followed by half of the others.

Behind us all, Mamoru watched on fondly.


A/N

Did I mean to post this in October? Certainly. Am I a failure for not doing so until now? Undeniably.

But, hey, I finally got it right! I cried many tears in the battle of adequate writing but eventually, stubbornness prevailed and the words found their way to the paper.

Congratulations to SakuraLuck, the 900th reviewer!

As per her request, we have a nice fluffy piece with Usagi interacting with both Mamoru and Matsuo. Wanted to do something more… cute, but it just didn't fit with where we are in the story. I will definitely do a fluffier piece in the future, so look forward to it!

Regarding the rest of the chapter…. THINGS are slowly, but surely, PROGRESSING. We are so so so close to climax of this arc, I can practically taste it and I'm far too thrilled to show you guys what is going on. There were a few correct guesses, some way off the mark, and let me just say, you all are about to find out. Sort of. If you can make your way to the end of this arc that is.

Anyway,

Thoughts? Questions?

Please Review!

P.S. Still working on the rewrite of E&R, nearly done though! If you are currently following that fic, look forward to a strange series of updates that aren't actually updates. If you haven't read it, don't start now. The whole damn thing is being fixed