Chapter 13: Too Little Too Late

They hurried through the darkness, staying in formation as they ran. The rain pelted them angrily, as if it knew they were running away.

If anything attacked, they'd have to go through eleven Senshi and a pissed Tuxedo Kamen.

Sailor Star Fighter ran directly behind Eternal Sailor Moon, who kept up with the others easily despite the pains and aches she obviously had. Tuxedo Kamen had placed Fighter there, while he stayed directly beside her.

In a way Fighter was annoyed with him, in another she was happy. She would have thought the man would have disregarded Fighter's feelings for Usagi- but instead he was using it to make sure Fighter protected Sailor Moon.

She didn't like being used, but she kept at it. Sailor Moon deserved their loyalty, even Maker and Healer knew that now. She had saved one of their own and she had found out about their Princess. In simple terms, they owed her. But even if she hadn't done any of those things, Fighter knew they would have been by her side.

They couldn't stand by and watch another world be destroyed by the thing that had destroyed their own. It was their chance to fight for themselves, to prove that they were good for something. And prove it they would.

They turned the corner that Sailor Mercury and Sailor Venus indicated and Venus heaved herself up to the fire escape. She began helping the others.

Sailor Mars entered the apartment first, chanting under her breath and then she began shepherding the others into the rooms.

They detransformed tiredly, the run had surprisingly taken a lot from them. However, Seiya knew, just as well as the others did, that it wasn't the run that had drained their energy. The darkness was sapping their energy dangerously.

However, the apartment was safe after Sailor Mars had cleansed it of the darkness.

They would have teleported to wherever they wanted to go- possibly even off the planet, but when they had tried that morning, it had been fruitless. The teleportation within the Earth had been shut off- by Courat no doubt. He wasn't allowing them the chance to run. He was done chasing after them.

The tomboy Seiya had met a few hours ago paced the living room, not caring that she was drenching the carpet beneath her with water.

"Haruka!" Michiru snapped, "Stop that!"

He saw Michiru looked worriedly at Usagi, who was seated in the corner, staring out the window and into the darkness.

It was only midday, but it looked like it was midnight. The clouds had gathered over the small town, bringing with it what looked like the storm of a century. The city was emptying quickly, but the roads were blocked dangerously, and those that were staying had started rioting in the streets.

Seiya knew the Senshi probably would have gone and tried to stop the masses from destroying the city, but even they could tell it was useless. The darkness had built up too much and there was nothing they could do except fight it.

Except here they were in hiding.

Haruka and Michiru had made the decision. Seiya figured they were the heads of the Senshi, the way everyone obeyed them. He could feel the power rolling after them, they were immensely powerful, and in the end, they were the ones everyone followed. All of them were powerful- but were they powerful enough to defeat the darkness?

"We shouldn't be hiding," Makoto said to everyone gathered in the large room, "We should be out there fighting"

There was no answer for a minute or so, as everyone gritted their teeth in an attempt to hold off their agreement.

"We have to preserve our power," Haruka said finally

"For the real battle," Michiru finished

Seiya's eyes were drawn to Usagi, who shivered in her seat. The darkness was affecting her more than the others, he could tell. It was zeroing in on her, trying to sap her hope from her. He could almost hear the chuckle in the air as they sat shivering in the bright apartment.

"He's just trying to get us to waste our power on this," Minako said, watching the TV with pained eyes. It showed the rioting occurring only a few streets away from them.

"Trying to draw us from the Princess," Setsuna added, "But we must not leave her side. The second we do, is the second he strikes"

Makoto sighed as she plopped down onto the floor beside a still-chanting Rei, "What's the difference? He'll attack sooner rather than later anyway"

He could understand Makoto's words, feeling them within himself as well. He wanted to fight, to pay something back for taking his Princess away from him, for trying to take Usagi away from him, for destroying the place where he had almost come to feel as if he belonged.

"The difference is that we are together," the young Hotaru said wisely. Seiya felt an odd sort of power coming from her. She was extremely powerful for such a small Senshi. After Sailor Moon, she was the power load. With one flick of a finger, she could probably destroy half the city. It was just up to her to do it.

Ami was typing in her computer, something he swore she did half of the time he was near her. Her eyes flashed through the information on the screen, drawing back to Usagi every few seconds, as if making sure she was still there.

"He's doing something," her quiet voice said, "The darkness is focusing in spots"

And suddenly a loud shriek from the TV made all of them turn to it with wide eyes. The cameraman ran as fast as he could away from the large monster that had suddenly appeared by the stores that were being destroyed.

"Shit," he heard Haruka mutter. Her eyes were sharp as she assessed the monster, and her hands grit as she looked at it, as if imagining bringing it down.

"We have to help them," a quiet voice came from the corner

Everyone turned to look at Usagi silently, their eyes begging her not to do this.

"It's what we're here to do," she said, looking away from their entreating eyes, her eyes found Seiya's, "We can't let him destroy everything"

It was quiet for a few seconds before people began muttering in agreeance.

Tuxedo Mask, who was standing beside her, shook his head, "No. We cannot-"

"What can we do, Mamo-chan?" Usagi asked, "Just sit here and wait for him to destroy everything this world is about? It's what he wants us to do"

Her voice was choked with emotion. Seiya felt for her. She was such a loving soul and the world's pain was her pain. And he knew that these girls and Mamoru would fall over themselves to alleviate her pain. As he would.

He loved her like he had loved his Princess, and he knew he was just using her to feel as if there was something for him to protect- but she didn't seem to mind. In a way, it seemed like she liked it.

"Starlights," Usagi asked, still looking at him, "What do you think?"

"What does it matter?" Taiki answered quietly, "This is your world, not ours. We will follow you in whatever you do"

"It matters," Minako answered for Usagi, "Because you've been through this. What you did last time is what we must not do"

"Er…" Yaten said, "Thanks" he sounded disgruntled, but the three of them knew Minako was right. They had royally messed up last time, this time they couldn't.

"What say you?" Setsuna asked, looking ambivalent at asking them.

Haruka and Michiru looked at them with heavy eyes, as if asking them to say the right thing.

Yaten and Taiki looked at him, and he knew he was the one who had the right to make the decision. He had been the one who hadn't wanted to leave the Princess however long ago. But Maker and Healer had dragged him along- and that had been the end of their world.

It was up to him this time.

Usagi begged him quietly with her eyes, asking him to save her world.

He sighed deeply, looking away. The fight was coming regardless, and it was either go out on their own terms or Courat would flush them out. If he flushed them out, who knew how badly they'd get separated. They needed to do this on their conditions, not his.

He made the decision, looking up at Haruka and Michiru, his eyes conveying his regret.

"We fight"

Makoto shot to her feet, "Yes!"

Minako looked at Usagi, nodding slowly, "We must"

Haruka and Michiru sighed, "If it is what the Princess wants, we will not disagree," Michiru said, her hand wound around Haruka's in a very public way.

Haruka nodded, "It is your choice, Koneko-chan," he said to Usagi, "We will do as you wish"

"We cannot condemn Earth to this fate," Usagi whispered, "What happens to me happens, but Earth cannot suffer for me- nobody can"

"You've made that clear," Tuxedo Kamen said, "But we can't leave you to suffer either- you are the world"

Usagi sighed, glancing back outside, "We can't run, we can't hide, all we can do is fight. Fight for me, fight for the world, it's all the same"

There was silence as everyone thought of the words she had used, knowing them to be true.

"So it has been decided then," Hotaru said quietly to the room, "We fight"

Everyone stood from their positions, their hands on their henshin.

"Guys…" Usagi whispered, emotion catching in her throat, "Whatever happens…I love you"

"It's going to be alright," Tuxedo Kamen said from her side, looking as if he was trying to convince himself, "We don't need to say our goodbyes"

Seiya looked at Yaten and Taiki, knowing that Mamoru was wrong. They had every reason to say their goodbyes. This was the last time, for the Starlights at least, to say goodbye.

"Likewise, Usagi," Haruka answered, ignoring Mamoru's words. He hadn't thought someone like Haruka would be very emotional, but he figured it was what Usagi did to people.

"Alright," Minako said, her hand raising her henshin slowly, "Transform!"

Everyone locked eyes one last time and raised their henshin as well.

"Venus Crystal Power"

"Uranus Planet Power"

"Fighter Star Power"

"Mars Crystal Power"

"Neptune Planet Power"

"Jupiter Crystal Power"

"Maker Star Power"

"Pluto Planet Power"

"Mercury Crystal Power"

"Healer Star Power"

"Saturn Planet Power"

"Moon Eternal"

And twelve voices in unison screamed, "MAKE-UP!"

Sailor Star Fighter had never felt so much power flow around her ever before. For as long as it took her to transform, she felt as if nothing in all the universes could destroy something this strong- but then they landed on the floor, and the true power of the darkness accosted them.

"The Outer Senshi will go first, then Starlights, then the Prince and the Princess, and lastly the Inner Senshi," Uranus ordered, already on her way to the window, "Follow us to the nearest monster"

Everyone nodded in agreeance, getting in a rough line.


Eternal Sailor Moon waited as everyone surrounded her. Sailor Star Fighter was directly in front of her and sent her a sad smile, "Whatever happens, Usa," she whispered, quietly enough so only she could hear, "We'll be by your side"

She wanted to slap Fighter upside the head, but she knew that it was useless. Every single person in this room was willing to die for her. It killed her. She didn't deserve such loyalty and love. But nothing would change their minds. The only hope she could have was that the fight would end before any of them died.

A cold shiver went down her spine as she felt the echo of a chuckle within her mind, almost as if someone was laughing at her thoughts.

She followed Fighter out of the window, exiting the way they had come in. They jumped from the fire escape and took off running after a distant Uranus and Neptune, who were already down the block.

"We're coming up on one!" Mercury called from behind her, "Hit to destroy!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" Uranus called back before she unleashed her powers on the monster currently butchering the people running away from it.
The monster went careening from the hit but did not have a chance to regain its balance before Sailor Star Healer shouted, "Star Sensitive Inferno!"

Healer's attack combined with Mar's Flame Sniper and shot the monster into ashes.

"Next one is around the corner!" Mercury called to them and they raced down to where she pointed.

It was quick work of the monster, Venus and Neptune handling it easily.

Slow, loud clapping made everyone freeze as they got ready to race to the next monster.

Sailor Moon turned slowly, her eyes blinking sadly. Obviously he would come the second he could.

"Amazing job, Senshi," Courat called from the top of the van across the street, "And Starlights, of course. I've never seen you all working so well together"

The Outer Senshi stepped forward in unison, covering Usagi and the others behind them.

"It's nice to see everyone together again," Courat said sarcastically, grinning as he jumped off the van, landing skillfully in front of them, "I thought I'd give everyone a break and let you back in" he was speaking to the Outers, but his words cut straight at Usagi- something he intended.

"You will stay away from our Princess!" Uranus called angrily, stepping forward slightly, more anger radiating from her than Usagi had ever seen

Courat smiled condescendingly at Uranus, "No, I won't. It's you who will stay away from her"

And he raised his hand, "Monsters!"

The darkness around them shifted and turned, monsters emerging from out of it slowly, surrounding them.

"I've waited millennia for my revenge," Courat said to them haughtily, "I'm done waiting!"

His hand dropped and suddenly the monsters shot at them with no warning.

Tuxedo Kamen immediately pushed her into the middle, while Sailor Venus, Fighter, Uranus and Saturn surrounded her as they began to fight the monsters.

However, it was useless as she raised her head to look up at what was blocking the streetlights from reaching them. Courat snapped his fingers above her and she seized up, unable to move. She screamed shrilly, and Tuxedo Kamen immediately raced for her- but another light snapping sound and she began rising gracefully.

"USAKO!" Tuxedo Kamen called as he launched into the circle the Senshi had formed around her and at her. However, Courat floated over to him and kicked him down.

He rose back up to where she was, and sending a smirk at her, he whistled loudly. The fighting immediately stopped, revealing the mess that had happened in the past minute or so. The street was cracked, pavement broken off, and the Senshi looked worse for the wear.

"Wave for your adoring masses, Serenity," Courat whispered to her as he floated behind her, holding her possessively against him.

Her hand rose of her own accord, flopping lifelessly.

"COURAT!" Uranus roared, "LEAVE OUR PRINCESS ALONE!" and tons of power blasted Courat from behind them. She fell forward, his hold over her dropping. Her wings managed to slow the descent and Sailor Star Fighter shot towards her, catching her before she collapsed on the floor.

"SENSHI!" Uranus called, "ATTACK!"

Chaos immediately burst around her once again and she shot through it, fighting her way to Tuxedo Kamen, with Fighter protecting her back.

"Uh-uh, Serenity," a voice whispered from within her mind, and immediately cold hands grabbed her midsection from her left.

"Sailor Moon!" Fighter screamed, racing to her, but a monster stepped between them, battling Fighter away from them.

"This isn't your fight," he whispered in her ear, holding her arms from fighting.

He grunted as Jupiter raced towards them from the side, sending him flying from her with a well-placed punch, "You do not know HOW LONG I've wanted to do that!" she screamed towards Courat's sprawled body, "Uranus!" she called

Uranus immediately turned towards the fallen Courat and, heaving a good kick, sent him flying through the air.

"Dead Scream!" Pluto roared from the floor, her time staff pointing at the soaring Courat, and tons of power collided with him.

Sailor Moon whipped out her rod, "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" she cried, aiming the rod at Courat. She smiled as she felt the power erupt from her.

However, her attack never reached Courat. He teleported away in the nick of time- his monsters weren't so lucky.

When the dust cleared, she gasped. Most of the monsters stood there as if nothing had hit them, blinking blankly at her before they launched themselves at her.

Twelve Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen appeared in front of her, blocking the way to her.

"I grow tired of this!" a shout came to them and the monsters immediately stopped, facing their master back on top of the van, "Monsters, get your victims!"

Sailor Moon gasped as puffs of black smoke blanketed around all of the monsters.

"Stay alert!" Mercury called, "They're coming back-" she didn't get a chance to finish before a monster had poofed behind her, grabbing her hands behind her, sending her computer clattering to the floor.

"MERCURY!" Sailor Moon screamed, racing for her friend, but then immediately, the other ten Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen present were seized by magically reappearing monsters.

"NO!" Sailor Moon cried, launching herself at the closest monster- who was holding a struggling Venus, "LET THEM GO!"

She felt rather than heard the teleportation behind her, but she ignored it while she brandished her rod once more, pointing it at the monster holding Venus, "SILVER MOON CRYSTAL POWER KISS!" she roared, feeling more energy than she had ever felt before burst from her.

She watched in satisfaction as the monster writhed in agony, shrieking loudly as it burst into black smoke. However, when the smoke cleared, another monster replaced it.

"SILVER MOON CRYSTAL POWER KISS!" she screamed, aiming it all around her. A few monsters vanished but more came to take the places of the destroyed ones.

"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" she screamed again and again, her voice going hoarse as she screamed repeatedly at the top of her lungs, "DIE, DAMMIT! WHY WON'T YOU DIE!?"

A low chuckle forced her to pause, and she turned to look at him.

"What did I tell you this morning, Serenity?" he asked, stepping closer to her, "It's useless to fight against me- I'm more powerful than anything you can imagine!"

And he snapped his fingers, causing the monsters to suddenly seize as they began moving around her.

"Leave them alone!" she called to the monsters but they didn't pause in pulling the Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen into a straight line before her and Courat.

She ran to the monster directly in front of her, who was holding Sailor Mars, hitting the monster's arms, "LET HER GO!"

"Usagi…" Sailor Mars said, looking down at her from the monster's arms, "Get out of here, we'll be fine"

"Usako…please…" she heard Tuxedo Kamen moan from the vague left

"I can't leave you like this!" she cried helplessly, still trying to rip Mars from the monster holding her.

The chuckling started again and she turned to face him, "Leave them alone," she said clearly, "I'll do whatever you want. Just let them live," she pleaded with her eyes

Courat smiled, stepping closer to her once more, his hand smoothing the hair that had escaped her odango, "Well…" he paused, seeming to be thinking deeply as he pulled her closer to him with a tight grip on her wrist, "How about not?"

"What!?" she heard herself shout as she made to turn back to the Senshi, "No!"

Unrelenting hands enclosed upon her wrists, holding her in a death grip. He pulled her to his hard body, "They are going to pay for taking you away from me," he hissed in her ear, "I don't know how many times I have to repeat it to get it through your head. But there's nothing you can do to change it," he looked away from her, nodding at the monsters, "Do it"

The monsters holding the Outer Senshi stepped forward, all of whom were fighting their best against their captors.

"NO! What are you doing!?" she cried, struggling in Courat's hands, tears pooling from her eyes, "Leave them alone!"

"Say goodbye, Outer Senshi," Courat said, calling above her cries, "This is the last time you take Serenity from me"

"You will never have her!" Uranus spat, "Because we'll never leave her!"

"Kill them," Courat spat from behind her and she shrieked loudly, fighting as she'd never fought before, tears streaking down her face.

The monsters let them go, but before the Senshi could attack, they shot them with loads of black energy.

There were no screams of pain or anything. Only silence surrounded the Outer Senshi as they were killed.

Sailor Pluto, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus fell to the ground slowly, eyes glazed as they looked at their Princess.
"NO! SETSUNA-SAN! HOTARU-CHAN! MICHIRU-SAN! HOTARU-SAN!" her voice screamed painfully, untold amounts of pain running through her. Not them. Please…

"Koneko-chan…" Uranus whispered from her place, "We'll be fine, go…"

Courat released her and she flew to them, sobbing hysterically as she fell to the floor next to them.

"You think you can defeat the Outer Senshi so easily?" Saturn said as she struggled to her feet, "We will not allow you to touch our Princess!"

"Really?" Courat asked, raising an eyebrow, "What are you going to do?"

"Silence Glaive Surprise!" she cried, her glaive brandishing in front of her skillfully, "You will not destroy us!"

"I think I will," Courat said, and he raised his hand, and the glaive immediately began shaking in Saturn's hands, "You see, I'm not ignorant. I know much more about all your powers than you think," he waved his arm and the glaive snatched away from Saturn and flew to Courat, who caught it with one hand, "And I know that your glaive is powerless against me," and he smashed it against the ground, shattering the glaive.

Saturn fell to her knees beside Pluto, horror on her face.

"It's too late," Courat said down to the Outer Senshi, "You're all done"

Pluto turned with difficulty to Sailor Moon, "We are sorry that we could not protect you. But we believe in you, Sailor Moon. We believe you will defeat this evil like countless others"

Saturn fell onto her back, "Yes, we do. We believe in our Princess! Our leader!"

Their breath left their lungs and Saturn and Pluto were no more.

"SETSUNA! HOTARU!" Sailor Moon cried, "NO!"

Uranus placed a hand on her thigh, "You have to be strong, Sailor Moon"

Neptune smiled slight at the sight of them, "Our princess was always a crybaby, but she did seem to get it done, didn't she, Uranus?"

"Yes," Uranus sighed, her hand slipped from Moon's thigh tiredly, "She did. Don't give up, Koneko-chan"

Neptune smiled at Uranus, reaching for her, "Haruka…" she whispered, love in her voice, "I want to touch you"

Uranus reached to her with difficulty, sighing in pain as she lightly placed her palm in Neptune's.

"I can see the light, Haruka…" Neptune whispered, tears slipping from her eyes as she clasped Uranus's hand tightly

"It's warm, Michiru," Uranus whispered, a smile on her lips, "I love you"

"Haruka…"

Neptune and Uranus faded away and the only sound left were sobs in the darkness.

"MICHIRU!" Sailor Moon sobbed loudly, "HARUKA! COME BACK!" she collapsed onto her side, moaning into the floor, "I need you…please, come back"

The air ruffled her hair around her calmingly, "We are always with you, our Princess…" a voice whispered in the air

The girl sobbed into the floor hysterically, mourning her lost friends.


So, finally got the chance to update. The story is definitely wrapping up and there are barely any chapters left. The next ones will probably be uploaded normal time from here on out, so tune in for the end of Sorrow! Also, don't forget to REVIEW!