Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: Another chapter within six months, I'm on a roll! This one's a little short but I didn't want to leave everyone hanging too long! Hope you all like it!

Chapter 17: Clarity

-Distant Future: Mars-

The crowd was getting closer. Ami glanced at Makoto, who gave her a reassuring smile. "Come on," she said lightly, "We've got this."

Ami laughed nervously, trying to return the smile. "Right," she murmured before the two of them stepped outside. They stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the door. Makoto held her hands out and green light began emanating from them. The ground in front of them began to churn and, as the first of the mob got close, vines sprouted from the ground beneath them. They wrapped around their ankles, tripping them and holding them in place.

Ami summoned her own power but let her knives melt away almost the moment they formed. These people weren't the enemy and she didn't want to hurt them. One of the soldiers reached her and swung a heavy nightstick at her. She slipped the blow and caught the weapon, using her power to freeze it solid before aiming a kick that shattered it.

Taking advantage of the momentary break, she sent a wave of water at the incoming mob. As they were knocked back, she began laying down a thick layer of ice on the hillside, making it harder for them to climb back up.

But the people were relentless. They used their weapons or their bare hands to dig at the ice, finding holds and pulling themselves closer.

"They're not going to stop," Ami said breathlessly, glancing at Makoto.

She sent out thin arcs of lightning, which ran through the crowd. The ones hit seemed stunned but others moved past them toward her. "We just need to buy Chibi-Usa some time," she replied through clenched teeth. "Just hold on."

Inside, Hotaru and Rei squared off, slowly circling with weapons raised. "Rei, try to fight it," Hotaru said as she moved. "I know you're still in there."

Rei shook her head violently, sweat flying from her hair at the movement. "I saw everything," she snapped. "I know everything. I won't let you leave this place."

She lunged forward, bring her sword down hard on Hotaru. Hotaru parried her and brought the butt end of her glaive around in a counter attack. Rei ducked the swing and darted in to swipe at her unprotected side with her knife. The fiery blade sliced through her shirt and opened a thin cut. Hotaru glanced down and saw that the edges were burned. She kicked out, catching Rei in the stomach. Rei doubled over and Hotaru swung up, grazing the side of her face. Rei retaliated with a fireball that Hotaru barely deflected with a wall of purple light.

"How long can you keep this up?" Rei asked, dropping back to a defensive stance.

"As long as I have to." Hotaru moved to attack, forcing the fire Senshi back several paces. "We don't have to do this, Rei," Hotaru reminded her.

Rei used her crossed weapons to block an overhead strike from Hotaru's staff. "You mean you give up?" She kicked Hotaru in the chest, knocking her onto her back. "I'll make it quick," she sneered, jabbing quickly toward Hotaru's face. Hotaru rolled out of the way and pushed herself back to her feet. Rei pivoted around her, driving the fist holding her knife in for a quick hook that got past Hotaru's defenses. The blow stunned her long enough for Rei land a hard roundhouse that knocked her back against the wall.

Hotaru fell to her knees, trying to regain her breath as Rei advanced on her. "Rei, we can help you," she said between gasping breaths. "If we can get rid of the darkness in you-"

"Then nothing will stop you going after Minako next," Rei finished. She threw another punishing kick toward Hotaru's head.

Hotaru rolled forward, getting behind Rei and staggering to her feet again. "I don't want to hurt Minako," Hotaru said, using the point of her glaive to keep Rei back. "Or you! We just want to help you so we can all go home!"

"Liar," Rei snapped, striking the glaive with her sword. Hotaru flinched back as sparks flew at her face. "I saw what's coming, and what you're going to do. I couldn't stop the monsters in our last life, but this time I will."

Hotaru felt her anger rising at the words. "I'm not a monster," she whispered. On Rei's next attack, she parried the strike and matched it, opening up a deep cut across Rei's shoulder.

Hotaru swung her weapon around, dropping it low at the last second to catch her behind the knee. She dropped heavily onto her back and Hotaru pressed forward, swinging the heavy staff down at her head. Rei rolled out of the way and jabbed up at her with her sword. Hotaru's grip loosened as the weapon sliced up the inside of her arm. She fell back, holding her glaive out with her good hand to keep her back.

Chibi-Usa had been watching the exchange, hoping that Hotaru would get through to her. But she could see that they were both too angry now to see reason. Hotaru tried to fend Rei off with her good arm but Rei still managed to elbow her in the face. She spat out a mouthful of blood and threw up a shield to deflect the next blow. The rebound knocked Rei off of her feet. The princess took the opportunity to get between them.

"That's enough, Rei, please just let me help you. We can beat this darkness together."

Rei sat up slowly, glaring at her before shifting her gaze back to Hotaru. "The only darkness here is her." She lunged forward, swords raised.

Chibi-Usa darted in front of her, swinging her staff at Rei as she tried to sidestep her. She was forced to jump back and sent a spray of fire at the princess instead. Chibi-Usa ducked the attack and landed a heavy blow to Rei's midsection. She pivoted quickly and got a second hit in the middle of her back. The attack knocked Rei forward and she twisted as she fell, swinging both blades wildly at the princess. One touched her upper arm, singeing her sleeve and leaving a charred cut on her skin.

She bit her lip at the pain but continued her onslaught on the other woman. The years hadn't dulled Rei's skills, she was still a formidable fighter. Chibi-Usa was forced to stay on the defensive as the attacks kept coming. A hard swing pushed her back a step and she felt her heel make contact with the wall behind her. Rei took advantage of her momentary distraction, bringing her sword down and forcing her staff with it. She followed with a quick elbow to her head. Chibi-Usa managed to turn away and avoid the brunt of the strike, but Rei still made solid contact with her cheek. The impact forced her head back and her vision swam. Chibi-Usa pressed back, trying to blink away the tears blinding her. She could feel blood trickling down the side of her face. She saw Rei raise her hand for another attack.

"Rei, please," she whispered.

A moment passed and Rei remained still before her, her flaming sword suspended mid-strike. They stared at each other and she saw something flicker in Rei's eyes. Something of the real fire Senshi was trying to fight its way past the darkness. Rei frowned, flecks of amethyst shining through the black of her eyes as she looked at the princess. "You look so much like her," she whispered, still frozen with her sword raised. "You're…" she trailed off and Chibi-Usa saw the blade drop a fraction.

Chibi-Usa's eyes slid past her to the sudden movement behind her. Hotaru sprinted forward, swinging the blunt end of her glaive at Rei. The weapon landed hard between her neck and shoulder, dropping her where she stood. Hotaru followed that with a kick to her side that threw her back from them.

"Are you okay?" Hotaru panted, scanning the princess who still stood stunned against the wall. Hotaru's eyes lingered on the blood flowing down the side of her face.

Chibi-Usa nodded, trying to find her voice. Rei was still in there. The realization had her mind reeling. She was still there and trying to fight her way back to them. Hotaru nodded and Chibi-Usa noticed her eyes were going dark as she gathered her power.

"Taru-"

Hotaru was already moving away from her. She kicked Rei again, knocking her onto her back. Rei threw a weak fireball at her but she ducked it easily. She dropped to one knee over the soldier, using the weight of the motion to drive her fist into her face. She dug her other knee into Rei's chest and held her down.

"I knew it would end like this," Rei snarled. Blood trickled out of her mouth as she spoke. "You're a killer in every life we live."

"You left me no choice." Hotaru raised her glaive, pointing the tip at Rei's throat. "If I have to kill you to save everyone else, I will," she replied in a choked whisper.

Chibi-Usa took in the scene before her and made a split-second decision. She dove at her friend, tackling her and rolling over to throw her away from Rei. Hotaru was already on her feet as Chibi-Usa staggered up. Her eyes were black and an aura of deep purple surrounded her. Chibi-Usa raised her staff in shaking hands and dropped back into a fighting stance.

"Taru, don't. She's still in there."

Hotaru stared past her. "This darkness will spread to everyone," she said softly. "It will take my parents, the others, your mother… you. There will be nobody left." She took a step closer. "Except me."

Chibi-Usa shivered as the conversation Rei had shown them between Setsuna and Hotaru came back to her. But that was only one possible future, nothing was set in stone. Setsuna had taught her that. She shook her head. "I won't let you."

Hotaru lunged forward, attempting to sidestep her. But Chibi-Usa was ready. As she brought her glaive down at Rei's prone form, she swung her staff around beneath it. She forced the weapon up in an arc and pushed her friend back so she could reposition between them. "I won't let you hurt her," Chibi-Usa repeated. "I won't let you lose yourself to this."

As she spoke, she felt a power stirring deep within herself. The room was getting brighter. She didn't know how, but she knew it was the light of the Silver Crystal. She focused all of her concentration, every fiber of her consciousness that she could muster, on the thought of saving her friend from the dark part of herself. She knew what Hotaru was capable of and she would never make her use that power again.

The light grew so bright that Hotaru was forced to step back. She banished her glaive, raising both arms to shied her eyes. Squinting, she forced herself to look at the princess. Her eyes were closed as her mother's power radiated from her. Behind her, something black passed by her and vanished.

Everything was silent for a long moment as the light slowly faded and withdrew back into her. Chibi-Usa blinked dazedly before fixing her gaze on Hotaru. "Taru, are you alright?" Her voice sounded raw. She wavered and Hotaru stepped closer, ready to steady her.

She nodded. "Are you?" She touched the blood still seeping from her cheek.

Chibi-Usa seemed to be searching her face for something. After a minute, she smiled, throwing her arms around Hotaru's shoulders. "You're back," she whispered, grinning as she hugged her close.

Behind her, Rei groaned and sat up. "Rei?" Chibi-Usa released Hotaru to kneel by her side to help her.

Hotaru moved to her other side and felt a profound relief when amethyst eyes looked up at her. She stayed back as the princess helped her sit up. She turned away, starting to feel the ache of her injuries now that her adrenaline was fading. The shrine was peaceful now, the fire in the grate down to smoldering ashes. She walked stiffly toward it, thinking of the things Rei had shown her. She wondered how much of it was real.

With a sigh, she turned back to the other two. All of that would have to wait. For now, at least, they were all alright.

A wave of energy exploded from behind them, pushing Ami and Makoto forward to their knees. Ami glanced over her shoulder at the shrine but it was still in one piece. "What happened?" Makoto demanded, getting shakily back to her feet.

Ami looked back down the hill at the villagers. They were milling around near the gate, seeming unsure of what had happened. Ami pulled back the ice beneath their feet and Makoto's vines withdrew back into the ground, freeing those nearest them. Two figures broke free of the crowd and rushed toward them. Ami was relieved to see the captain and priestess were back to normal.

"What happened?" the captain demanded when she reached them.

"Is the High Priestess alright?" the acolyte asked tearfully, staring past them to the shrine.

Ami looked back again. She was sure the wave of light had come from Chibi-Usa. Somehow she had managed to unlock her mother's power and release these people. "Yes," she replied with a smile. "I think so."

Behind them, the door opened. Rei and Chibi-Usa emerged, both beaten and bloody but smiling. The crowd dropped down to their knees at the sight of their High Priestess and she moved forward to address them.

While she spoke, Ami moved to where Hotaru was leaning against the open doorway, hugging her jacket to her chest. Her eyes raked over her, taking in the numerous cuts and burns. "We should get back to the ship," she said softly. "I can patch all of you up there." Hotaru nodded, her eyes far away. Ami touched her hand lightly, getting the younger girl to look at her. "Are you alright?"

Hotaru's eyes filled with tears but she blinked them away before they could fall. "I will be," she said in a choked voice. "We have Rei, that's the important thing."

Obviously, there was something more going through her mind, but Ami let her leave it at that. They would have time to talk later. She reached up to wipe the trail of blood from her lip with her thumb.

Hotaru gave her a weak smile before straightening. "Come on, let's go back to the ship."

Chibi-Usa sat in the captain's chair on the bridge. After their emotional exit from Mars, she'd needed some time to herself. The window gave her a perfect view of the Martian landscape, the reddish-brown ground visible between the scrubby trees. In the far distance she could see the jagged outlines of mountains on the horizon. She watched in silence until the angle changed and the window filled with clouds.

It had been strange leaving Mars. The people of Mercury had been obviously glad to see them go. On Jupiter, while they were grateful for Makoto's help after the storm, they were still wary of them. But the people of Mars had seemed genuinely heartbroken to say goodbye to Rei. The entire town had gathered to help them resupply and send them off with gifts and tokens of their appreciation. Rei had left Phobos and Deimos there with the promise that the ravens would watch over them until her return. The people had stayed close to her until the last possible moment, many carrying candles or wearing swatches of red cloth. Chibi-Usa had wondered if they were still under her power, but the loss in their eyes seemed real. It had been hard to watch.

She sighed, turning away from the window and getting wearily to her feet. The others had spoken little once they'd boarded, simply retreated to their rooms. She started that direction as well but paused in her door and went toward the living room instead. As expected, Hotaru was lying curled on the couch, barely visible in the dim light from the hall.

She paused, wondering if her friend was already asleep. A tremor ran through the other girl and she turned fitfully onto her other side. "Taru?" Chibi-Usa whispered, moving closer. Hotaru's eyes were open and tear tracks ran through the soot still covering her face. Chibi-Usa sighed and sat down beside her.

"Hey," she said softly, her voice raw. "What are you still doing up?"

Chibi-Usa smiled and leaned into her a little, resting her arm on Hotaru's side. "I was about to ask you the same thing." She tried to wipe a stray tear away but only succeeded in smearing more dirt across her face.

Hotaru chuckled weakly at her expression. "Don't bother, I'll deal with it tomorrow."

Chibi-Usa reached over to catch her hand. She was shaking, but she wasn't sure if it was emotion or exhaustion. Maybe both.

"You should go to bed," Hotaru said, squeezing her hand gently. "It's been a long day."

Chibi-Usa nodded, looking down at her friend for a long moment. She was still wearing the same filthy shirt. She could see a bandage on her side beneath the hole burned through it. Another bandage was wrapped around her forearm. Her jaw was puffy and bruised and her lower lip was swollen and still crusted in blood. She'd obviously not let Ami do more than the minimum to help her.

Chibi-Usa rubbed her shoulder lightly. "What's wrong?"

Hotaru let out a breath and dropped her head away, staring at nothing for a moment. "Everything."

Chibi-Usa nodded thoughtfully. "Right," she murmured, "silly question." Hotaru looked up at her apologetically and she gave her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, we don't have to talk about it right now."

Hotaru used the arm of the couch to pull herself upright, leaving her legs stretched out behind Chibi-Usa. "I can't stop thinking about what she showed us." She wiped her eyes on her sleeve as fresh tears formed. "Or what she said," she added softly.

"It wasn't real," Chibi-Usa said firmly, turning so they were facing each other fully. "You know the future is never set in stone. What she showed you will never happen. We won't let it."

Hotaru sniffled and Chibi-Usa leaned forward and pulled her into a tight hug. "And you're not a monster."

Hotaru slowly returned the hug, burying her face against her friend's shoulder. Chibi-Usa gave her one last squeeze before pulling away and smiling at her. "You need to go take a shower."

Hotaru gave her a sheepish grin. "I know. I was going to, but I sat down and, well…" she gestured vaguely.

"Come on." Chibi-Usa caught her hands as she stood, dragging her up as well. "I'm not letting you get my sheets all filthy."

Hotaru raised her eyebrows questioningly. Chibi-Usa smiled gently at her, reaching up to push a strand of hair back from her face. It immediately fell back across her forehead, making them both laugh. She caught Hotaru's hand and started forward but Hotaru hesitated. "Usa, I don't think…"

"I'm not leaving you out here alone."

Chibi-Usa watched as a myriad of emotions chased across her face. Finally, she nodded. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Chibi-Usa smiled at her. "Any time."