~In Japan~

The time had finally come. All the Sailor Warriors knew that it was critical to find and defeat the Dark Kingdom at last. Luna and Artemis had already told them the location of the Dark Kingdom's hideout, and they were prepared to protect the earth.

After all the girls had shown up at Rei's temple, it was time to go. Ami could tell that her friends were nervous, and with good reasons. Being a Sailor Warrior came with danger, and their new mission was going to be the most dangerous yet. Despite this, Ami actually wasn't all that nervous. She trusted her friends and their abilities- she knew that they would make it through it. Going to the North Pole didn't sound very exciting to the girls (especially Usagi) but traveling there had to be done.

Luna and Artemis arrived just in time to stop the chitchat and the growing anticipation. "It's time, warriors. You'll be going to D-point in the North Pole in one shot!" Artemis said.

"Huh? How is that going to happen?" Ami asked, curious.

"By combining your powers and using the Sailor Teleport!" he answered.

"Ehh? Is it safe? What if we split up?" Usagi questioned. Rei made an annoyed "Hmph!" at that, much to the annoyance of their princess. Before it could continue, Artemis cut in. "Don't worry, it will work."

"Now, then, we must hurry! Sailor Warriors, Make-up!" On Luna's command, the girls transformed.

Now transformed, it was time to teleport. Ami was a bit excited to utilize the Sailor Teleport, as it was a new power and, since it required the powers of her friends, it helped to calm her nerves. As she held onto Usagi's and Minako's hands, she knew that she could face their enemies. The Sailor Warriors linked hands and focused their energy.

Just as the light of the full moon came over them, Artemis yelled, "Sailor…Teleport!"

Their powers began to combine as the wind picked up around them. Ami's hair and clothes began to sway lightly and then fiercely as their powers reached their peak and then-

They were gone.

Artemis and Luna turned to themselves. "Do you think they'll be okay?" Luna expressed her concern. Her partner nodded. "Yes. Those girls are tough, and their friendships are strong. They will prevail."

Luna nodded. "I just hope they make it there in one piece!"

~At the North Pole~

The Sailor Warriors did not make it in one piece.

Somehow on the journey, all of the girls were separated. Sailor Mercury landed safely, but alone- and very unprepared for the climate. Immediately she hugged her arms to herself as the icy wind bit at the uncovered parts of her upper arms.

"Ohh… c-curse these in-a-a-adequate uniforms!" She muttered to herself. Ami straightened herself out to try to see if her friends were close to her, but the wind was too strong. All around her was nothing but ice- brilliant, beautiful, tremendously cold ice. Water and ice were her elements, but she had yet to become all that accustomed to the latter. Ami decided it was best to start walking to ward off the cold. She put to use her Mercury Goggles to scan for her friends, and she learned that they were located far away from her.

She needed to contact them. Pulling out her communicator, she first signaled Rei. The wind whipped around her, causing her nose to run a little, but she was finding that it wasn't all that bad. Until the wind picked up some speed, making her hair whip around her. She thought too soon.

"Sailor Mars, are you there?" Ami asked into the communicator.

"Sailor Mercury, where are you?! And where are Venus and Jupiter?" Rei's loud and annoyed voice came through. Mercury breathed a small sigh of relief. Sailor Mars was alright.

"It's soooo cold!" A voice shouted- Sailor Moon's. Mercury smiled lightly. It was so like her to complain.

"So Sailor Moon is with you. Wonderful. I'm alone, but I suspect that Venus and Jupiter are together. I will go ahead and contact them, so please be patient and wait where you are."

"Okay. Just hurry- our princess is driving me insane!"

"But Sailor Mars, it's cooold!"

Sailor Mercury cut off the communication before she could hear Mars' reply- something snappy, no doubt. Instead she connected to Sailor Venus and learned that her suspicion was correct. Going back to her goggles, Sailor Mercury learned that the two groups were closer to each other than she was to either of them. She instructed Venus and Jupiter on how far to go and in what direction to find Mars and their princess, all while her exposed legs began to feel numb. She really did have to get used to ice. That trip to the Moon Princess skating competition should have helped. Maybe studying during that trip wasn't the greatest of ideas…

Shaking her head to get rid of her thoughts (and the ice that had landed in her hair) Sailor Mercury calculated how far she had to go to meet up with her friends. It wasn't the longest of journeys, but every second counted. Determined, she set out.

Ami shivered as she trekked through the ice, ice crunching beneath her boots. She was grateful that she had boots, and not heels like Mars or Venus. At least most of her legs were covered! Although it didn't help that her skirt was way too short for such a journey and the cloth flowed around her, but she couldn't focus on that. Instead she thought about how Sailor Moon must have been whining around Mars, and this silly thought made her feel better. Although she didn't anticipate that this would occur, she figured that it would've been Usagi and not herself… Mercury smiled, feeling a bit guilty. It wasn't right for her to think like that- it could've happen to any other them, considering that it was the first time the warriors had used the Sailor Teleport. Pulling her arms closer around herself, she thought that it was better that she was isolated and not Sailor Moon- it would've made it easier for the Dark Kingdom to attack her had this mishap happened to her.

"Mercuryyyy! Hurry, hurry!"

Usagi's voice reached her from a few yards away, causing her to smile. Finally, she was reaching her comrades. Tightening her arms around herself, she braved the last few steps toward her friends. Sailor Moon was hugging herself in an effort to keep warm, much to the annoyance of Mars. Venus and Jupiter look composed, but a quick glance at their legs betrayed their stoic ness. It was getting too cold- it was time to regroup and find the Dark Kingdom's entrance.

They exchanged greetings as Mercury apologized for the delay. A few quick minutes with her minicomputer proved successful- she had the location of the entrance. Taking a deep breathe, she turned to her friends to share the location. No sooner had she told them that their new enemies, the DD girls, appeared. All the sailors braced themselves.

Mercury glanced at Sailor Moon, worried about how she would do. Usagi was strong, but she was afraid. They were all afraid. This wasn't the skiing vacation they had. No snowmen would be made. The only thing to do was to defeat their enemies and keep Usagi alive.

Her leader was shivering. The cold was becoming too much, and being frightened of the trials that awaited them certainly didn't try. But Mercury had to do something- had to show her that she cared, that they would all get through this. So she did the first thing that came to mind.

She embraced her.

Usagi was shocked, she could tell. Ami wasn't one for outward affection, but the time called for it. She wrapped her arms around Usagi and tried her best to make her feel warm, just as the wind picked up speed and the ice nipped at their exposed arms.

"Don't worry, Sailor Moon. We will protect you. You can save Endymion- no. You can save Mamoru-san. I believe in you."

This seemed to help Usagi, as her body temperature rose just a bit and she stopped shaking. Mercury let her go and gave her a nod, which Usagi returned. They then turned to face their enemies. Mercury stopped shaking. The cold wasn't bothering her anymore.

One of the enemies struck. Makoto was the first to respond. The battle was on.

~After the Battle~

She did it…she defeated her enemy… Usagi was one step closer to terminating the Dark Kingdom…

Sailor Mercury laid on the structure of ice that was created after her battle. She knew Venus and Mars would protect Usagi… her job was done. Maybe they would've had more time if she hadn't have gotten separated. But she couldn't help but laugh at it. Artemis had been wrong, but in the most humorous of ways.

Her eyelids felt heavy… but she needed to go and help…but she needed a nap… Usagi would've laughed. Usually she was the one who would fall asleep on the job…but she needed this…

The ice…it wasn't half as bad as she once thought. It was cooling after such a hard battle. It was so needed… and so Sailor Mercury rested her eyes, reveling in the fresh feeling of the ice beneath her.

~End~