The girls all stood outside the temple doors waiting. According to Raye's fire reading, the battle would begin at midnight. With ten minutes to spare, the girls all looked up at the sky. Not a star could be seen.

"We've got to give it all we've got," Amy pepped. Lita, Mina and Raye all nodded. Serena stood behind all the girls, deep in thought. Her gaze, however, remained trained to the moon.

The scouts gave an uneasy sideways glance to their downtrodden leader. What had occured while she was gone from the temple remained a mystery, but they could feel her sadness.

Suddenly, an alarm rang. It was time to head to the battle.

One by one, the four planetary scouts raised their transformation pens.

"Mars Star Power!"

"Mercury Star Power!"

"Venus Star Power!"

"Jupiter Star Power!"

Red, blue, yellow and green ribbons all flashed around them until their transformations were complete. They were prepared to run off when they heard a stifled cry behind them and turned.

Serena's hand was raised in the air, her transformation compact in hand. Slowly, she dropped her hand to eye level and looked inside the compact. Instead of finding the silver crystal all she saw was a cracked piece of glass.

"It's broken." Serena's knees buckled and she fell to the ground. The pupils disappeared from her eyes.

"What!?" the sailor scouts cried in disbelief.

"But this can't be...the silver crystal is indestructable," Mercury reasoned.

"What are we gonna do?" Mina breathed.

Suddenly, Raye walked inside the temple and returned with a fleece blanket. She placed it around Serena's shoulders and then kneeled to face her.

"Serena, we're gonna kick this Negatrash all the way to the fifth dimension, you got that?"

Serena's head lifted. Catching on, Lita walked next to Raye.

"Yeah, we kicked Beryl's butt before and we'll get those fashion freaks, too. So don't you worry." Lita said with a wink. Mina and Amy joined the circle; Serena stared into her friends' eyes.

"But you gotta stay here and let us handle it, okay?" Mina said as she wagged her finger," We'll get 'em for ya!"

"And that's a promise," Mercury said. Serena lept into Mercury's arms and a group hug ensued. They all cried, forgetting the ordeal they faced ahead. When they broke apart a minute later their faces turned severe.

"Let's go scouts," Lita commanded.

Serena could only watch as the girls ran down the temple steps to the park where they were to face their enemies.

Once they left her sight she looked down at the crystal in her hands. In its reflection she saw all the faces of her friends.

"Don't worry girl, we've got your back."

"Yeah, we can handle them."

"Tomorrow, everything'll be normal; you'll see."

"That's a promise."

Serena stood and raced down the stairs after her friends. She couldn't just let them go off without her. She had to protect them, at all costs.

"Well, well, well. We thought you'd be here," Fuschia cooed from atop a light post. In similar positions sat the other doom and gloom girls. They all looked down at the four scouts in disdain.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Raye spat.

"Then I guess it's time for you to experience your demise," Teallie said. Her hand spat out a gargantuan ball of energy.

Luckily, the scouts all dodged the surprise attack. A museum sized crater lay in their previous position..

"Damn. I missed," Teallie said mildly. The scouts gritted their teeth.

"They're twice as strong as they were last time," Amy informed her teammates.

"Hmm, where's the puny one?" Peach asked in reference to Sailor Moon.

"None of your concern!" Jupiter yelled back. Fuschia cackled.

"This is gonna be easier than I thought!" Fuschia said mockingly," Like taking candy from a baby." A huge ball of negative energy cumulated in her hands. In seconds she sent it toward the scouts. The scouts attempted to dodge it once again, but its size was overpowering.

"No!" cried a mysterious voice. Raye looked at her Mercury, Venus and Jupiter to see if they had heard it too, but they were instead staring maliciously at the doom and gloom girls.

Raye again heard a noise from behind the bushes and saw a long strand of golden hair. It was Serena!

"That meatball head!" Raye muttered, her gaze fixated on the bushes to her right. Suddenly, without warning, a vine flew at Raye, knocking her harshly into a tree. She fell down to her hands and knees in agony. Seconds later similar vines careened into the other three scouts, each vine extending from the arms of the doom and gloom girls.

"Guys!" Serena cried out. She rushed to her friends' sides. Raye anticipated her actions.

"Serena, get out of here!" Raye said hoping to prevent Serena from getting in the middle of the battle. Lita, Mina and Mercury finally caught on to Serena's appearance. They each pleaded with her to leave, but Serena soon stood protectively in front of her friends.

"I have to help. I can't just sit by and watch you guys get hurt," Serena spoke over her shoulder. Meanwhile, the doom and gloom girls watched the girl curiously.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, silly human. You better listen to what they say...or prepare to die," Peach informed.

"Don't be a fool, Serena," Mina added. Anxiously, she tried to get up, but her strength had yet to reach her.

"I won't let you hurt them anymore," Serena said. Then, her hand flew desperately in the air, compact in hand.

"Moon crystal power!!!" she yelled. The Sailor Scouts all watched her hoping their silent prayers would be answered. They waited for her to transform, but soon, the compact fell cheaply from her hand. Serena fell in the same fashion.

"Sailor Moon!" the scouts cried. Serena weakly stared at the ground.

"I can't-help them..."

"So this is Sailor Moon. Pity she can't even save herself," Lavender laughed. Ivy's arm once again turned green and her arm grew; the vines flew towards Serena.

"Sere-," Mercury began helplessly. It looked as if the scouts' leader was a goner. Time seemed to pass at a snail's pace in the time it took for Raye to breath. Just before the vines could pierce Serena's heart, a familiar red rose cut the vines' path short. Serena's heart stopped at the sight of the haunting flower. Freed from her daze, her eyes began to search in the distance.

"Tuxedo Mask," she breathed. She rose to her feet and frantically raced to meet him, but as she drew closer she saw his body fall to the ground. Finally, she reached his side. But before she could open her mouth her eyes widened at the sight. Instead of Tuxedo Mask's signature tuxedo and red cloak the man before her wore bandages and faded jeans. She looked into his pained eyes and at once recognized the man before her.

"Darien!? What are you doing here?" Serena said in disbelief.

Darien smirked up at her from under his long bangs.

"Something dragged me out of my comfortable hospital bed," he said with a wince," Now I remember what it is...Sailor Moon." Silently, he blacked out in her arms.