Hino Rei
Rei is tending to Usagi, who's still unconscious almost 12 hours later, when Ami politely knocks on the shoji door. "Come in," she says, wiping at Usagi's brow as Ami moves to sit across from her on the other side of Usagi.
"How is she?" she asks, sounding oddly subdued. Rei knows that Ami and Usagi have a more antagonistic relationship than her own with the genius, but she also knows they both care about the other, in their own ways.
"She hasn't woken, if that's what you're wondering," she answers. "She's been restless all night, and I think she developed a fever, though it doesn't seem too bad."
Ami nods. "If she's got a fever then perhaps it's a sign that her body is fighting off whatever Nephrite's attacks did to her," she muses aloud.
"I hope she wakes up soon," Rei says, shooting their friend a worried look. "I hate that we can't do anything for her. If we had been quicker…"
"Don't," Ami interjects, somewhat roughly. "There's no point in worrying about what-ifs. We couldn't do anything last night, but now we know and we can prepare. It happened once; it won't happen again." Rei is almost stunned by the fiercely determined expression on the genius's face. "Has Luna been by?"
Rei has to blink a couple of times to get her mind back on track. "Uh, not yet."
Ami frowns. "I haven't found anything on the sensors, and I doubt she has either. But it would've been nice if she could've updated us on Usagi's condition."
"I'm not sure there is much to update on," Rei says. "She told us she'd wake up when she's better."
"Have you tried…," Ami hesitates, as if what she's about to suggest pains her to say, "praying or whatever it is you do, over her? With your powers. You're a priestess, aren't you?"
Rei shakes her head, though she shoots a considering look at their unconscious teammate. "It didn't occur to me to try. Do you think it might help?"
Ami shrugs. "Religion isn't exactly a science," she replies. "But neither is whatever we do, so maybe your powers can send some good vibes her way and she'll heal a bit faster. If anything, it won't hurt, but we need Usagi up and fighting as soon as possible since we have no idea when Nephrite could attack again."
"I'll do my best," Rei says with a determined nod. She may not be able to help Luna or Ami much, but right now she can help Usagi, and for their leader – her friend – she'll try whatever she's capable of.
Ami nods as well. "I'll be heading out then. Keep me updated if anything happens, for better or worse."
"Okay. Good luck." As the other girl departs, Rei shifts into a more comfortable position on the cushion beside Usagi's futon. It would suck if her legs fell asleep while she was praying.
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Nephrite
Later that night, Nephrite used the Dark Crystal to find Osaka Naru again. It had occurred to him earlier as he pondered the crystal and its odd reaction, that perhaps the girl might know something about Sailor Moon. The heroine in question certainly seemed familiar enough with Osaka, calling her by name and trying so desperately to keep him away from her. That's why he thought it worth visiting her one last time.
As he landed on her balcony, the Dark Crystal immediately started glowing in reaction to her presence. 'Or could it be her love?' he sneers, recalling how she'd jumped in front of the fire attack for him, how she'd confessed her love yet again for him.
'Maybe the Legendary Silver Crystal is hidden inside a human body," he muses, releasing the crystal into her room. It floats and hovers over her body, but nothing about her changes the crystal's reaction. 'No, it's not here,' he decides. He'll have to move forward with his initial plan.
He steps back behind the curtains to wait for her to awaken, knowing the light from outside will dramatically highlight his silhouette enough that she'll be able to instantly recognize him. Satisfied, he makes a light noise against the window to help her along. It takes several moments, but eventually he hears a soft groan and gentle shifting from her bed. "Sanjoin-sama?" her voice quietly calls out.
He pauses, as if this were something hard for him to admit, and then says, "Sanjoin Masato is a fake name. I can no longer lie to you, Naru. My real name is Nephrite." He hears her gasp and move to get off the bed, but he isn't done yet. "Stay where you are," he orders, pleased when she immediately listens. This'll be far more convincing if she can't see his facial expressions that don't match his words.
"You're…an amazing woman, Naru. Because of you, I've learned what love is." He pauses. "I've never…where I'm from, such an emotion doesn't exist. We betray our allies, and kill one another for personal gain; it's evil, down to the core. I thought that's just how it was, until I came here and met you. With you…your love has shown me the truth." He hears a quiet sniffle and knows she's hooked, taken in by his supposed change of heart.
"I want to leave. If I could get in touch with Sailor Moon, I know she could help me take them down. Can you help me, Naru? Please, I need you to tell me what you know about Sailor Moon. How do I find her?" He tries to sound desperate, if only to encourage her to help him out.
"I-I'm sorry, I don't know anything," she says sadly, and Nephrite frowns. Was he not convincing enough in his regret to get her to tell him? She can't possibly expect him to believe she doesn't know anything about Sailor Moon when the Guardian so obviously knows and cares for her.
"Do you not trust me?" he asks, feigning hurt. Perhaps he can guilt her into admitting it.
"Of course I do!" she immediately denies. "But…it's true, I really don't know anything." She sounds close to tears, and Nephrite grits his teeth. He hadn't bothered to consider that she really didn't know anything, but that must be the case. That, or she's far too loyal to the blonde brat to tell even the one she claims to love. As he highly doubts that's the case, she must know nothing.
"I see," he says, trying to sound as disappointed as he can. 'But this can still be salvaged, maybe,' he thinks. 'Clearly it pains her to see me…distressed, and even though she doesn't know anything she might be able to find someone who does. I'll just have to wait and see.' He vanishes from her room after that despite her pleas for him to stay, though he doesn't go far, just out of her immediate sight. It may prove fruitful for him to watch her a little longer.
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Tsukino Usagi
An incessant ringing draws Usagi from her heavy slumber as she stretches a hand out to the offending noise. It's her civilian phone, and she doesn't bother checking the caller ID before she answers. "'lo?" she grunts out. It's almost 12 AM, and though she's been resting on and off all day since she awoke at Rei's earlier that afternoon she's still tired from last night's fight. Who knew fighting off dark energy would be so exhausting? According to Luna, she could've gotten way worse than just a fever from the whole ordeal.
"Usagi-san?" a cautious voice speaks from the other end, and it takes her several moments to identify the voice as Naru's. That has her waking up a little further, sitting up in her bed and turning on the lamp beside her to illuminate her room. At the foot of her bed, Luna perks her head up to watch Usagi, though she stays silent after Usagi holds a finger up to halt any remarks.
"Naru-chan, hey, what's up?" she asks semi-cautiously. After their whole falling out the day before over Nephrite, she hadn't expected to hear from the other girl for a while. But, when she thinks about it, something sounds off about Naru's voice over the phone and it has her growing concerned.
"Sorry to bother you so late," the girl apologizes, though Usagi shrugs it off with a noncommittal hum. "I just – you were the only one I felt I could talk to."
"What's wrong?"
"It's Sanjoin-sama…" Usagi tenses, wondering if there was another attack that she wasn't told about. She wouldn't put it past Ami to leave her out of something when she's barely recovered. But Naru's next words make her breath catch. "He wants to find Sailor Moon. He needs her help…I think he's in trouble."
Usagi hesitates, unsure of what to say to that. She shares a look with Luna, who by now is sitting close enough to hear the conversation as well, but the cat seems just as confused, if not as concerned. Then she hears a sniffle through the receiver. "Are you…crying? What did he say?" Nephrite had to have talked to her tonight.
"Sorry," Naru apologizes again. "I shouldn't have called. I just don't know what to do."
"It's fine. What does he want?" Usagi tries asking her again.
"Talking to you has calmed me down. Thanks, Usagi-san," Naru says instead. "Sorry again for calling you so late. Goodnight."
"Wait, Naru-chan –" she pleads, but the other girl hangs up before she can get any further. She shoots a frustrated look at Luna, shaking her head. "She didn't say. Dammit."
"Nephrite has definitely been in contact with her," Luna says. "We should alert the others to a possible attack tonight. What are – where are you going?" she asks, alarmed by Usagi's sudden movement. She tosses on the first clothes she finds without a care for how she looks, rushing around her room.
"I'm going to Naru. Obviously."
The cat stands indignantly at the bottom of her bed. "You're still weak from last night. You're in no condition to fight."
"I'll be fine," Usagi retorts dismissively. She's got a headache for sure, and her limbs still feel pretty weak, but physically there's nothing wrong with her. If she had to, she knows she could fight if it came to it. "We need to get to Naru-chan quickly. I know Nephrite is planning something for her."
"At least tell the other's where you're going," Luna orders her. She hops down from the bed to follow Usagi as she leaves the house. "And I'm coming with you, no matter what."
Usagi raises a brow, looking down at the cat trailing her. "Oh, finally going to grace us once more with your presence?" It's been a couple of weeks since Luna's bothered going with them to fight. Since Rei was recruited, she's been rather distanced from the physical side of things, holed up away wherever it is she does her "work."
"Yes," the cat says haughtily, raising her nose. "You girls might need the extra supervision. I'm starting to think I shouldn't have left you alone in the first place."
Usagi shrugs, not bothering to comment on that. Truthfully she feels a little relieved knowing they've got someone else watching out for them. Luna may not be able to fight much, but her presence is still reassuring. "C'mon, let's go," she says instead.
As they walk, the atmosphere is tense. When they receive a text from Ami, it gets even worse.
Sailor Mercury 12:59
Minor readings of dark energy. Heads up.
Usagi shares a look with Luna and unspoken they agree to pick up the pace. It's harder than she expected. Ever since she'd become a Guardian Usagi has noticed how it usually takes her longer to tire out, but she must still be weakened from Nephrite's attacks because she soon finds herself struggling to match Luna's quick pace. Eventually, when she can't keep her breathing under control, she takes a break to catch her breath.
"Usagi!" Luna says, her tone worried.
"I'm fine," Usagi waves her off, breathing heavily. "You go on ahead and make sure Naru'chan's okay. I'll transform and catch up with you." 'Hopefully that might take some of the strain away,' she thinks desperately.
Luna almost looks like she wants to argue, but in the end she doesn't. Instead she gives a firm nod. "Fine, but you had better not take too long."
Usagi shoots her what she hopes is a reassuring smile. "Okay." The cat takes off, and for a moment Usagi watches her furry tail disappear down the street. Then she takes a deep breath and straightens up, preparing to transform. But when she opens her eyes, the road is twisting and turning, its color turning red, yellow, and then blue in a disturbing manner. She suffers a horrible moment of vertigo from the apparently shifting sidewalk, falling to her knees just to give herself some semblance of stability. "What the hell?" she calls out. 'Is this what Ami had meant by those readings?' she can't help but wonder. Whatever it is, her best bet is to transform. "Moon Prism Power Make Up!"
The street stops turning as soon as the light fades and Usagi is easily able to stand without making herself dizzy. "Who's there?!" she demands imperiously.
A dark chuckle emanates from the street before her and she recognizes it instantly. "You've revealed yourself, Sailor Moon," Nephrite taunts her, a column of energy appearing further up the street. She can barely make out a figure inside, and when it clears Nephrite stands several dozen yards ahead. He's smirking like the cat who'd caught the canary. "Sailor Moon is actually Tsukino Usagi, 2nd year student at Juuban Middle School."
"Shit." 'Luna is going to kill me when she finds out Nephrite figured out my civilian identity,' Usagi internally panics. "How do you know my name?" she asks him, half out of curiosity. If he figured out hers, there might be a chance he knows Ami's and Rei's as well.
"Osaka Naru was very forthcoming with the information," he replies haughtily.
Her eyes narrow. Something about that statement rings off, but she doesn't have the time to ponder it when their biggest enemy stands before her and she has no backup.
"But that doesn't matter," Nephrite continues, "because you're going to die right here." He throws out his hand to unleash a torrent of dark energy at Usagi and she flings herself to the side without thinking, too concerned about dodging that horrible attack to even try and soften her fall. She lands roughly on her knees and wrists, pain jolting up one of her arms as a result.
He raises his hands again and Usagi has a moment to think this is going to go just like it had last night, but before he can finish gathering the energy there's a flash of color before a red rose punctures through one of his hands. Nephrite shouts out in surprise and pain, and the both of them glance in the direction it'd come from to find a masked figure atop a street lamp.
"Tuxedo Mask," Usagi murmurs, a disbelieving laugh escaping her lips. She'd heard from Rei how he had come to their aid the night before after she passed out, and she can only be grateful this time he'd managed to arrive before it got that far again.
"Why don't you try picking on someone your own size?" Tuxedo Mask taunts Nephrite from above, though he doesn't maintain the position much longer, jumping to stand several feet in front of Usagi.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Nephrite calls back. "You don't have the Sailor Guardians at your back to throw cheap shots this time."
"I think I can handle you." And then he charges forward.
Usagi doesn't watch them for long. Tuxedo Mask seems able to handle Nephrite at the very least, so she doesn't feel too bad about abandoning him, and at the moment she's far more concerned about Naru anyways. Once they're preoccupied with each other she slips around them, running in the direction Luna had disappeared before and hoping to whatever that Nephrite doesn't try to follow. Things are already a mess as it is.
She catches up to her feline guardian just outside of Naru's family shop, and the cat has a troubled expression on her face that makes Usagi's heart sink. "What is it?"
"A monster kidnapped Osaka-san. I watched it carry her away," she explains.
Usagi's complexion rapidly pales. "And you didn't think to follow?" she snaps. Her first instinct is to try and find her friend, though she has no idea where to start.
"How?" Luna retorts back just as hotly. "There's no way I could've followed her over the rooftops. We should alert Sailor Mercury and see if she can track her. That'll be our best bet."
Her fists clench at her side and Usagi has to force herself to take a deep breath. She's not angry at Luna; she's right, she couldn't have done much. "Sorry," she forces herself to say. "Have you investigated her room, maybe Nephrite left a ransom note or something?"
Luna shakes her head, and Usagi takes that to mean they should do it themselves. Still, she shoots off a quick text to Ami about tracking Osaka or dark energy before moving around to the backside of the shops. She's never really been to Naru's house before, so she makes a guess as to which balcony is hers, starting with the one who's window is open. Carrying Luna with her good arm, it's not a hard jump.
She's cautious as she walks inside, but the room is utterly empty. She does, however, immediately spot the torn note on her disturbed bed. Most of it is in some jumbled form of writing she can't even begin to identify, save for a couple of kanji characters she can recognize. "Can you read the rest of this?" she asks, showing it to Luna anyways.
The cat shakes her head. "No, I would expect it's the language of those monsters. Some of it is Japanese, though."
"Yeah, I noticed that." She takes out her phone to snap a picture of the note and send that off to Ami as well. "Maybe she'll have some luck with it. Either way, I think we know where to start looking." The address is on the dingier side of town, outside of the bustling shopping district she usually frequents, but it is somewhere she recognizes.
"Are you sure about that, Usagi?" Luna asks, her cat features twisted in concern.
She gives a firm nod. "Yes. Let's go help Naru-chan."
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The falling sign outside the abandoned club proclaims it "Rag Time." Usagi checks the location on the letter to her communicator's GPS and it appears to be the right location. 'Knowing Ami, she could probably tell Naru was in there from the way the dust was disturbed or something insane like that,' she thinks wryly. But neither Ami nor even Rei are there with her, just Luna.
"We need to be careful, Sailor Moon," Luna tells her, not that she wasn't aware of that. But the way the cat starts talking in her no-nonsense voice soothes something in Usagi's nerves. If Luna is confident, perhaps this won't go horribly wrong. "The monster who took Osaka-san isn't one I recognize, but that doesn't mean it isn't Nephrite's. If he's in there with it, it'll make things far more complicated."
"I'm not sure he is," Usagi interrupts. "He…attacked me on the road before I joined up with you." She decides not to mention right then that he also witnessed her transform. "I left him fighting with Tuxedo Mask."
Luna considers this. "I'd say then that it's highly unlikely he's there, but we should be alert in case he shows up. Regardless, our best chance is to prioritize rescuing Osaka-san. You're still weak from last night, so you should try not to fight too much."
"Somehow I doubt that'll be possible," Usagi mutters, a determined expression taking over her countenance. "But you're not wrong. We need to be in and out as quick as possible. Naru-san's probably tied up, so as soon as we find her you get her free and then I'll work on getting us all out. Without dying."
"Alright, Sailor Moon," Luna agrees dubiously. "On your lead."
Usagi enters the dilapidated building as quietly as she can manage, which is pretty impressive considering the size of the heels on her boots. The door opens straight into the bar on the first floor, though it's empty as far as she can see. Luna sneaks around the bar to the backroom just to confirm it is empty, though she reports the door to the storeroom underneath has been opened recently, which must be where the monster is keeping Naru.
"You sneak down somehow, and I'll try to keep their attention while you free Naru," Usagi whispers to the cat, receiving a nod in reply before the cat vanishes. Now she just has to confront the monster.
Monsters, Usagi amends, when calmly she walks down the stairs and sees not one but three demonic figures standing before a tied up Naru—but no Nephrite, thankfully. They seem surprised to see her, like they didn't leave her a ransom letter to come find Naru. "Who are you?" the blond-ish and purple one snaps.
"I am Sailor Moon, Guardian of Love and Justice," she says, though she keeps the spiel short. She tries to project more confidence than she feels, though with her wavering voice it might fall a little short. "Did you think you could kidnap Naru without any consequences? I won't allow it."
"She was supposed to be bait for Nephrite!" the blue one hisses to her sisters. "What do we do with this pest?"
"Get rid of her, obviously!" the last one snaps, flinging her hands towards Usagi. Dozens of tiny red spheres fly towards Usagi, who jumps the rail to avoid them.
She throws out her tiara towards the closest—the blue one—who is forced to dodge, though she quickly turns around to launch her own attack. Shockwaves fill the room that leave Usagi struggling to remain standing as her head is assaulted with pressure and pain. She completely misses the explosive balls released again and they explode around her, several blowing close enough to tear holes in her uniform. She drops to her knee in pain, thick rivulets of blood streaming down her leg.
'Damn, if only I had Ami's goggles to see where they are,' she curses, coughing and glancing around. The smoke is still covering a portion of the room, keeping her hidden from the monsters, but also hiding them from her.
"Do you think we got her?" one of them asks, and it's just the opportunity Usagi needs. She lunges through the smoke towards where she heard the voice, smirking darkly when the glowing tiara in her hand rips through the monster's chest. 'Who'd have thought it'd make a decent short-range weapon,' she thinks grimly as she side-steps the collapsing body.
"You bitch!" the purple one screams, throwing her wood arm forward. Usagi easily ducks the sharp projectile, though it leaves the other an opportunity to launch more of those explosives. She ducks and rolls back towards the staircase to avoid most of it—but not all, and now her shoulder is more than a little singed—coming up in a crouched defensive position as she studies the two remaining opponents. Their sister lies charred on the ground, unmoving. If she'd been alive after Usagi's attack she definitely wasn't anymore.
There's a temporary stalemate as they all assess one another, Naru fearfully watching their exchange. Then the girl's arms drop with the release of her restraints, the surprised noise she makes drawing the attention of the two monsters. "What—?!" one of them exclaims in surprise.
Usagi releases another Moon Tiara Action wildly in the hopes of catching them off guard, but she doesn't linger to see if she's hit anything vital. She makes a sprint for Naru, grabbing the girl around the waist with her good arm and leaping up to the small windows she can see closer to the ground floor. Dozens of tiny cuts litter her face and the arm she throws up to protect Naru, but she doesn't let it stop her. No doubt the monsters will be on her tail as soon as they recover themselves, and she wants to put as much distance as she can between them before that happens.
Naru remains uncomplaining as Usagi half-drags half-carries her deeper into the park across the road, which is surprisingly not as difficult as Usagi would've thought. Naru is almost the same size as her, after all, but her Guardian form is much stronger. When they reach a thick copse of trees Usagi finally lets the other girl down, relaxing against a thick trunk. Wounds sting all over her body, compounded by the headache that she isn't sure is because of her previous injuries or the blue one's attacks. Hopefully Ami and Rei join her quickly.
"Um, Sailor Moon…" Naru hesitantly begins, standing awkwardly beside Usagi. "Thank you for saving me. Again."
Usagi blinks up at her classmate. "No problem," she replies, too winded for a more eloquent response.
"Yes, thank you, Sailor Moon," another smug voice chimes in, immediately drawing both girls' attentions—though one of them is distinctly happier to see him than the other. "You saved me the trouble of confronting the Plant Sisters myself." Nephrite drops down from the sky to join them in the glade, a taunting smirk on his face as he regards Usagi.
She immediately stands and shifts so Naru is behind her, holding her hands up defensively. "Leave her alone," she snarls.
"Wait, Sailor Moon," Naru tries to protest, but Usagi shoves the girl back into the tree to quiet her.
"It's fine," Nephrite says, "I don't really need her anyways, I've already gotten what I came for, Tsukino Usagi."
Usagi hears Naru gasp behind her and grits her teeth but doesn't deign to address the girl. "Then let her go and we can settle this between us."
"How cute," a second voice chimes in—one that Usagi definitely doesn't recognize, though judging by the frown on Nephrite's face he definitely does. Out of the corner of her eye Usagi sees a swirl of pink flowers appear, heralding the appearance of another Commander, it looks like; one with wavy brown hair and green accents on his uniform. Beside him are the remaining two Plant Sisters, bleeding sluggishly from shallow wounds on their torsos—Usagi smirks when she notices them. "But I'm afraid I have more important business with Nephrite."
"Zoisite," Nephrite snarls.
"Kill him and bring me the Dark Crystal," Zoisite orders, ignoring Nephrite's words.
The two monsters attack Nephrite and for a second Usagi is stunned to stillness. It's almost refreshing not to be the one getting attacked. Still, she remains alert for the moment one of the monsters or even Zoisite turns on her. It's not until it starts to look like Nephrite might be losing the fight that Usagi even considers trying to run. She subtly takes steps backwards until she bumps into Naru, and then she whispers to the other girl, "Quickly, we need to get out of here."
"But he's going to die," she retorts, sounding pained. Just then the man in question lets out a pained shout and Naru nearly loses it, screaming, "Nephrite, no!" She darts out from behind Usagi quicker than the blonde can react, her outstretched arm grasping air instead of the back of her pajamas.
Usagi gets to watch, horrified, as Naru leaps in front of Nephrite just as the purple monster launches its branch arm at the prone man. Naru has no defense—the sharp roots easily punch through her stomach, drawing a pained gasp and a mouthful of blood from the teen. "No," Usagi mutters, her eyes wide with disbelief. 'How could she…protect him?'
.
Nephrite
For a second, the image of another girl is imposed over Osaka Naru's body. Tall, lithe, with flowing brown hair in a ponytail—the girl seems familiar, but he can't place her at all. Then Osaka's body falls to its knees, slumping forward, and the image is gone. 'Why?' he thinks incredulously. 'Why would she save me?'
He doesn't realize he's spoken aloud until Osaka slowly turns towards him, blood dripping from her mouth that's twisted up in a smile. "Because I love you, Nephrite," she whispers.
Out of his peripheral he sees Housenka launch another wave of explosives and he moves without thinking, cradling Osaka in his arms and shielding her with his own body. He grunts in pain as his back is burned raw, but at least the girl seems to be okay—as much as she can be, with roots impaling her stomach. As he looms above her on all fours, he finds he can't look away from her intense gaze. "I don't understand," he whispers.
"Love doesn't always make sense, but that doesn't make it any less real," she replies.
"How pathetic," Zoisite sneers, "protecting her in your final moments. Finally going soft, Nephrite?" His fellow Commander stands right above his body, and Nephrite knows he won't be getting out of this alive. A rough hand digs into his pocket, withdrawing the Dark Crystal. He's so weak at the moment he can't even complain. "Pity. Since you two seem to like each other so much, I suppose it's only fitting that you die together. Enjoy hell."
Something sharp pierces him through the back and Nephrite chokes on a mouthful of blood. He barely stays conscious long enough to lean to the side so he won't crush Osaka with his body before he succumbs to the injury.
.
Tsukino Usagi
Nephrite falls to the side, clearly dead, and everything in their little grove is still for several moments. Then a sound like a crack disturbs the peace and Usagi watches as Nephrite's body begins to break, crumbling into tiny particles of energy that leave a single stone in their place. A stone that vanishes almost a moment later.
Quiet sounds start to emanate from Naru as she begins crying, silent tears all she can manage in her state. Usagi doesn't know what to do. She might barely manage to take out the rest of the Plant Sisters if she gets creative enough, but there's no way she can take on another Commander on her own. Especially not if she wants to save Naru. The girl doesn't have much longer before she'll succumb to her injury. Already the grass around her is soaked with her blood.
Zoisite turns to Usagi, a derisive glint in his eye. "Get rid of her," he orders with a dismissive hand flick in her direction. Usagi raises an arm for her tiara as the purple one steps forward, a wicked gleam in her eye as she points her wooden arm at Usagi.
"Mars Fire Soul!" "Mercury Ice Lance!"
The flame engulfs the purple one, her pained screams echoing through the forest, while a shard of ice impales itself in the pink one. She dies almost instantly, and Usagi helps the last one along with another Moon Tiara Action just to be sure.
Zoisite takes a fearful step back when Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars land beside Usagi, fearsome expressions on their faces. "This isn't the last you'll see of me, you Sailor brats!" He jumps back before they can attack, vanishing in a cloud of pink petals.
Usagi doesn't spare him another thought in her haste to rush over to Naru. "Naru, can you hear me?!" she begs of the girl, kneeling by her head. She gets minimal reaction, though the girl does look at her. "Sailor Mercury, can you heal her? Please?"
Ami kneels at her side, critically looking over her wound. "Maybe. We need to pull out the roots as quickly as possible. I can't heal her with them still there."
Usagi shifts and gets to work with Rei, grabbing at the roots and pulling them as gently but quickly as she can manage. Ami follows behind, working intently where they've removed the roots. Naru makes some pained noises that make Usagi twinge in sympathy, but they have no time to be nice if they want to save her. When their job is done, all they can do is watch Ami work, blue energy at her hands as she heals the gaping hole in Naru's chest.
Tense minutes go by, but when the light finally fades from Ami's hands all that's left of Naru's injury is a patch of discolored skin on her stomach. The girl herself is resting seemingly peacefully. Ami sits back with a heavy sigh, looking exhausted. "She'll be okay, if a bit traumatized by tonight," the genius confirms.
Usagi looks worriedly down at her classmate and friend—because she's decided for sure that this girl is her friend, no matter what she says. "Oh no, she knows who I am," she blurts, recalling earlier. "Nephrite figured it out and told her."
Ami gives her a dull look. "You're really not good at keeping this a secret, are you? That's three people who figured out your identity now; you're lucky 2 of them are dead. At least only one of them figured out ours," she grumbles half-heartedly, without any heat behind her words—a testament to how exhausted she must be, if she can barely manage a snarky attitude.
"I…" Rei haltingly begins. "I might be able to help? I have some psychic power, but I've never tried anything like this before."
"What, like blocking her memories?" Usagi asks, sounding incredulous and hopeful.
She nods and shifts towards Naru's head, kneeling behind the girl. She places her hands at her temples and closes her eyes as she concentrates. Usagi has questions, but she doesn't want to interrupt and accidentally ruin her progress. Several minutes go by, far longer than it had taken Ami to heal Naru, and they wait with hopeful anticipation.
Finally Rei lets up, sitting back on her heels. "I think it's done. I placed a barrier around her memories of tonight; she won't remember a thing from the time Nephrite called her until she wakes up tomorrow, including your identity." Then her expression falls into worry. "I just don't know how long the block will last; I've never done this before, so it might not be very good. Strong emotions might leak, especially if she encounters something to trigger them. We'll have to watch her just to be sure."
Usagi nods energetically. "Easy, I can do that. Thank you for helping her," she tells her friend, glancing at Ami as well. "Both of you, thanks. This means a lot to me."
Ami glances off to the side, unable to meet Usagi's eyes as she grumbles, "Don't thank me. I said I wouldn't die for her, not that I wouldn't try to help her." Usagi can see the slight redness on her ears and smiles, knowing the genius is embarrassed at seeming so soft. She doesn't call her on it though.
"We should get her back to her house," she says instead. "I know her mom is worried about her, and I promised I'd find her and bring her back." She makes to stand, though a sudden pain in her leg almost lands her back on the ground. Her comrades look at her in alarm.
"Sailor Moon!" Rei shouts, surprised.
Usagi waves her off when she tries to help her stand. "Grab Naru. I don't think me or Sailor Mercury can handle her in our conditions." Rei nods, and Ami instead moves to help Usagi up.
"I can't heal you right now, not after healing Osaka, but I can bandage you up when we get back to the shrine and take a crack at it tomorrow morning after I've rested," the genius informs her, an arm around Usagi's waist to help keep her up. They're both leaning a bit on each other, but it should be enough to get them back to Rei's shrine.
"That's fine," she agrees. "Let's go."
I may end up rewriting this story. I know I've been messing up Mamoru's characterization, and I think giving Usagi a backstory as the daughter of a mob boss or something might make for a more interesting (but not too different) personality change. (And lowkey I've kinda already started on it).
Also, I started writing a prequel set in the Silver Millennium era. Would people be interested in that? It's not exactly going to follow what we know of the Silver Millennium in the manga, but I wanted to get the chance to write their history myself for this story. It only has a chapter (almost 2) out of 4, but I won't be actively working on that one as much.
Also, I started writing another prequel set in the Sailor V story. Would people be interested in that? It follows the same premise as this story, where Minako has a different personality. I don't like the way Minako's backstory differs between the anime and Codename Sailor V, so this is my version of her backstory that would actually be relevant to this story, sort of. I've only written one chapter, though, and I'm not really working on it so it'd take a while to finish.