AN: You lucky ducks, getting a new chapter only three days after the last one. See what reviews can do to inspire me? Of course, it could just be the fact that I finally have a sense of what to do with this story, and climax scenes are way more fun than the boring buildup. Just to be clear, this is not cut and dry anime. There's a bit of the manga story in this one.

Disclaimer: Yes, three days can change a lot. Owning Sailor Moon is not one of those things. It's not mine.

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"Planetarium?" Usagi repeated as she helped Mamoru get their dinner on the table.

Chibiusa nodded. "I want to go with my friend tomorrow, so can I have some money for the ticket, Papa?"

"You only call me that when you're asking for something, did you know that?"

Their daughter winced. "I… But I really want to go! Hotaru-chan and I haven't been able to spend much time together, and I like her so much!"

"Hotaru?" Usagi asked. "Who is she?"

"We met in the park. I lost my hat, so she returned it to me. She's really nice, but she's shy, so I thought she might like something like this."

"It's all right with me," Mamoru decided. "Unless you'd rather she didn't, Usako?"

The blonde shook her head. "It's fine. Just make sure you come home in time for dinner. Mama is making pudding."

"Okay!"

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It was tradition by now for the two of them to spend afternoons with Mamoru, despite Ami's insistence that Usagi should be studying for entrance exams. The other teen had been forced to swear that the instant they stopped the Death Busters she would be rejoining the others, but until then she was allowed to study with Mamoru, Chibiusa doing her homework nearby.

So they were together as they watched Chibiusa dash out the door to meet her friend. And Usagi frowned.

"Something… is out there…" she murmured, drifting to the balcony. "Something… strong… and strange…"

"Usako?"

"And… old…"

"Usako!"

She turned to face him, and he froze when he saw the blankness in her eyes and the crescent on her forehead. "An old power awakens, Endymion, very soon. Are you ready for it?"

"For anything, if she's by my side. Serenity, why are you here?"

"Something strange," the princess repeated. "Strong and old. There are clues, my prince, if only you or she can recall. Remember, the Grail has more than one purpose. It must be found out before it is too late. Go to our daughter for answers."

"Chibiusa has the answers?"

"No, but she will lead you to them. Time is running short; the Silence grows closer by the moment. Do you wish for the destruction of your world?"

"Of course I don't. You know that."

She inclined her head in a regal gesture Usagi would never have used. "I do. I have one last question, however: if the choice is to save her or to save the world, will you be able to decide?"

"I can't lose either. It would destroy me."

"Then you had best pray she will find the power before the end."

Usagi bowed back with a sigh, Mamoru lunging to catch her. Her eyes remained closed for a few agonizing beats before he could wake her.

"Mamo-chan?"

"What happened?" he demanded a little harshly. "I thought you and Serenity had merged already. I thought she was sleeping with the Ginzuishou."

"Serenity?" Usagi repeated. "What do you mean?"

He relayed the entire conversation as calmly as he could, but it was slow going. Many of the things the princess had said had left him shaken. Judging by his mate's expression when it was done, she felt the same.

"We need to find Chibiusa. Did she say which planetarium she was going to?"

He rummaged around until he found a flyer. "This one. The show's already started by now."

"It doesn't matter; we have to hurry. She said time was running out?"

"Definitely. Do you think we should contact the Outers and tell them what we know?"

"Why? They've made it clear how they feel about our role in this." It was the bitterest expression he'd ever seen on her face. "We'll deal with this. She's our daughter, Mamo-chan. If there are answers with her, that means there's danger too. We have to protect her."

He nodded as they left his apartment, Usagi paging the other girls as they went while he summoned his Shitennou.

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"This is eerie," Usagi whispered as they slipped in.

Mamoru glanced around. "There's certainly something here. Can you feel it?"

The blonde nodded. "It's strange, though. I can sense more than one power in this room. Chibiusa, of course, but might be a Daimon and something else…"

"Something else?"

"I can't put my finger on it," she said in frustration. "It's like one of us, but not. It's like a Daimon, but not. I need Rei-chan."

"They said they'd be here soon, but we were closest."

She froze. "Mamo-chan, look."

Silhouetted in the other doorway were three very familiar figures. One turned and met their eyes, gesturing into the hall. Usagi nodded reluctantly to indicate she'd noticed and would come.

"Stay here," she murmured. "Watch Chibiusa."

She slipped out to meet the other woman. "Setsuna-san. What's going on?"

"I could ask you the same thing. Why are you here?"

"We had a warning," Usagi said grimly. "Serenity's noticed something I haven't."

"What?"

She debated momentarily, but sighed and laid out everything she knew. She would trust Setsuna with the truth, at least. She knew that the older Senshi would never let someone hurt Chibiusa.

"She told him the Silence is getting closer?"

"Much closer. By the moment, I think he said. She won't answer me, though. I don't even know why she's suddenly become her own presence again."

"The Ginzuishou's power waned, and as it did you began to separate once more. That is the only reason I can think of."

"It doesn't really matter. Puu, what am I missing? I know there's something else, and there's something in there that I don't understand. You have to tell me!"

"I can't."

"You have to! Would you have preferred it if I had refused to talk to you? Would you be happier if I didn't know and couldn't save Chibiusa? I've trusted you this long, but right now I have to know."

Setsuna glanced around before ushering her into a more secluded corner. "Very well. What do you know of Small Lady's friend?"

"Pretty much nothing. I didn't know she existed until yesterday, and all Chibiusa told us was that her name was Hotaru and she was shy."

"Tomoe Hotaru is a student at Infinity Academy, as well as daughter of the school principal."

"Okay… so?"

"So all the Daimons that were possessing humans that day were students of the academy. Haruka-san and Michiru-san saw what happened. The principal was responsible for what happened to them. He is a Death Buster."

"What does that mean for Hotaru, though?" Usagi demanded.

"There are two Messiahs," Setsuna explained. "Two. One for goodness, the one that can save the world. The other is the Messiah of Silence."

"You're not making any sense!"

"Who do you know that can destroy the entire world, Usagi-chan? That could end everything?"

It took a minute to register, despite the clues she'd been given. After all, she'd been otherwise occupied for some time since their last encounter, but the pieces clicked together. The Grail, the end of the world…

"Saturn," she breathed.

"Saturn," the older woman repeated. "The second power of the three Talismans is her awakening. You might have remembered sooner, but you had already died before the end of the Silver Millennium. You never saw it, so it lay forgotten in lessons of days gone by. Even Uranus and Neptune do not yet remember, but they are very close to doing so.

"Tomoe Hotaru is Sailor Saturn."

"It's impossible," Usagi argued. "She would never work for evil, ever. She's a Senshi too, and she won't act unless it's time. It isn't, is it?"

"No, but who is to say how the Death Busters would use her? She is not yet awakened, but she is very close. Who knows what they might have done to her over the years to ensure that she will serve their cause?"

The sound of a general uproar drew both of their attention.

"Daimon!" Setsuna hissed.

"Chibiusa!" Usagi cried. "MOON COSMIC POWER, MAKE-UP!"

Sailor Moon tore back into the theater, leaving Setsuna behind. The monster had grabbed the announcer and was currently swallowing his pure heart's crystal as she shot into view. A brief flash of crimson told her Tuxedo Kamen was nearby and ready to help her if necessary. A glance to the doorway confirmed the presence of the Outers as well.

"CRISIS, MAKE-UP!"

Safe from the ravaging pain of her wings, she knew that she could use the Grail with impunity, though she still intended to wield it only as long as necessary. The power of it frightened her a little for how uncontrolled it was.

The monster recoiled from Super Sailor Moon, though it hadn't been afraid of her lesser form.

"Leave me be!" it squawked.

It was a woman; that was obvious in her scanty costume. For a moment, Sailor Moon thought it wasn't going to attack. That was proved wrong when it began to shoot star-shaped beams from its hat, sending her ducking for cover.

Tuxedo Kamen took advantage of its distraction to send a rose arcing through the air and into the Daimon's hat, causing the attack to stop. It was useless when she only discarded her hat to begin firing even more of the beams in multiple directions.

There was a scream in the stands as a beam swept just past the vulnerable Chibiusa and struck her friend, but in that instant the monster froze as the other girl began to glow with an almost sinister aura. A sigil of light graced her forehead.

"Saturn," Sailor Moon whispered. "RAINBOW MOON HEART ACHE!"

The Daimon shattered with only a parting cry, and the heart crystal it had stolen returned to its hosts, but there was another shriek behind her. She spun.

Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were approaching the girl, attacks building as Chibiusa cried for them to stop. In the moments before the power was going to strike, she threw herself in the way. The children were knocked aside as she took the blow herself, the impact throwing off her Super henshin.

"What are you doing?" Jupiter shouted as she and the others ran in. "That's a child!"

"That's Sailor Saturn," Uranus said flatly. "We're going to kill her."

"No! You can't!" Venus cried.

"If we don't, she'll destroy the world," Neptune answered.

"What has she done to you?" Mars demanded.

"Hotaru-chan! Hotaru-chan!" Chibiusa wept, shaking her friend's shoulder.

The girl hadn't moved since Sailor Moon had pushed her aside, and the blonde slowly pushed herself to her feet to join the two of them. Carefully, she brushed Hotaru's dark bangs to the side to study her face.

"She's going to be all right," she told Chibiusa quietly. "She's just unconscious."

"There has to be another way," Mercury said quietly.

"This is why we can't be on the same side," Uranus responded, and her tone was icy. "You're afraid to make the tough calls. If she awakens, we're all doomed. What's one life against many?"

"A decision you have no right to make," Sailor Moon answered, stepping between the Outers and the children. "She's mine too, and I won't let you hurt her."

"Sailor Moon!" Chibiusa shouted.

She pivoted at once, but the sight that greeted her was a shock.

Hotaru vanished from Chibiusa's arms without a trace.

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Weak from the injuries the attack left behind, Sailor Moon was unable to prevent Chibiusa from henshining and going after her. Tuxedo Kamen held her firmly as she tried to tear free.

"Usako, stop! Let us make sure you're all right!"

"Chibiusa! Chibiusa!" she cried, fighting his hold. "She's in danger! Chibiusa!"

Venus looked at Kunzite, who had just arrived. "Can you find her?"

"I can try, but without a specific locale to focus on I do not think the chances of success are good."

"Mercury can locate her on her computer," Zoisite offered. He had joined them just after Hotaru's disappearance, but the confusion had kept him from following the young princess. He had already tried looking, but teleportation wearied him more easily than it did Kunzite and he had reluctantly abandoned the search.

Mercury was already using it as soon as the words left his lips, fingers dancing over its keyboard. "She seems to be heading directly for Infinity Academy."

"That can't be good." Nephrite strode in. "I just got word that there's something going on out there. And I'll guarantee you it's nothing good."

That was confirmed when Mercury's computer began to buzz wildly, one call after another coming through on the hotline. They all listed the same general area, but none could explain precisely what was happening.

Jadeite ran into view a moment later, panting. "What'd I miss?"

"Trouble at Infinity Academy, and the little one's running straight for it," Nephrite answered.

"Well, damn."

Sailor Moon turned to Mars. "What can we do?"

"Whatever it takes. We have to go after her."

"Kunzite, find her and bring her back," Tuxedo Kamen instructed. The older man vanished without a sound. "The rest of us have to go by foot. How far is it?"

"Doesn't matter," Sailor Moon responded as she finally slipped out of his grasp. "Let's go. Now."

"Usako…"

"Something's wrong, Mamo-chan. Chibiusa is in trouble, and I can't stay here. Uranus and the others have already gone after her. They'll kill Saturn. We have to do something. Whatever it takes."

"If anything happened to you…"

"It's better if something happens to me than anyone else. I won't lose someone again. I can't take it."

She bolted out the door, forcing the others to follow.

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Chibi Moon was ready to cry as she wended her way through the streets to Infinity. Hotaru was the only friend she'd made outside the Senshi, and she wasn't willing to give her up no matter what they said about her. And now something had happened to her.

She was still a Senshi, though, and her instincts quickly signaled a warning when she sensed something or someone behind her. She froze when she saw who it was.

"Hotaru!"

The older girl was shaking like crazy, and she was too pale. Chibi Moon took a few steps for her until she saw the mark again. The symbol of Saturn.

"Help me…"

"Hotaru…-chan?"

"Help me…"

"Hotaru?" Chibi Moon got closer. "Can you hear me?"

"Chibiusa-chan… Help me…"

"It's okay, I'm here," she murmured. "I'm right here. I'll help you if you'll tell me what you need."

The youngest warrior was within arm's reach when that dark aura sprang into being again.

"I need your power!"

Chibi Moon didn't expect her to lunge at her, didn't expect her broach to be torn away. She didn't expect to collapse like a puppet whose strings had been cut. And she hadn't realized before how it felt to die.

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Kunzite was too late to stop it. He arrived on scene even as the travesty occurred, only seconds after he might have been able to do something. Now he was a witness as evil began to grow.

She wasn't Tomoe Hotaru any more. She wasn't even Sailor Saturn, who though unwelcome would have been preferable. She was something far darker.

Her black hair unwound to great lengths, exceeding even Sailor Moon's, and she grew to an adult. At the changes' completion, she stood as tall as Kunzite himself, though he wasn't standing. The general was crouched over the unmoving crystal, murmuring soft words as his hands danced across her face.

"A human body is so confining," the woman said. "Still, it will do for a time." She threw back her head. "Pharaoh 90, I have awakened! Soon you shall as well!"

She reached for the little girl's unmoving form, but Kunzite interposed himself between them.

"Touch her and I will kill you."

"Does it matter? She is already dead."

"Not quite yet. I have more power than that. She is in stasis until I can return her to herself. Give me the broach and you shall come to no harm."

The woman laughed. "You harm me? I am far greater than you, pathetic human! I am Mistress 9! You can do nothing to me!"

The leader of the Shitennou drew his sword. "You inhabit a human form and so are subject to human weakness. I think you will find that I can indeed do you harm. Hand over the broach and release the girl. I have no wish to do battle when my princess is dying."

The only response he received was a cruel chuckle as Mistress 9 disappeared.

"Saturn can teleport," Sailor Moon said behind him, voice unsteady but clear. "She's using her powers. She's using Saturn for her own purposes."

He turned his head to see the street empty except for them. "You are alone."

"Zoisite brought me before rejoining them. He didn't want to, but I begged. Chibiusa, is she…?"

"She is not dead." He looked away at the relief on her face. "She will be soon."

"No," she choked. "Why? How? Kunzite, what happened to my baby?"

"Her broach was taken, and the Ginzuishou with it. It was very sudden. The crystal did not have time to escape. She will die, but for now I have placed her in a state of suspension. She has a few hours at best."

"Oh, Selene, no."

She slipped to her knees by her daughter and ran her fingers through the end of one pigtail. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks before falling against Chibiusa's. Kunzite allowed her that moment of grief.

"We must return to the others. My men will add their power to the spell in order to give her as long as possible."

"She's cold, and she isn't breathing."

"There is still a chance, Sailor Moon. If you can retrieve the broach, she will survive."

"Kunzite, she's not breathing. My baby isn't breathing. I don't know what to do. WHAT DO I DO?"

He met her gaze for a tense moment before he knelt before her and pulled her into a gentle embrace. She froze in his grasp but quickly broke down, tears coming hard and fast as he held her.

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Tuxedo Kamen was the first to reach the three of them, and his own composure was rattled by the scene he encountered. His daughter was lying unmoving on the pavement, and his mate was crying relentlessly in his guardian's arms. It took very little thought to understand what must have occurred.

"Usako… Chibiusa is…?"

The blonde could only shake her head as she continued to week against Kunzite's chest. The general gently lifted her and set her in her hero's arms before turning and lifting Chibiusa.

"Nephrite, Zoisite, Jadeite… I need you to cast the stasis spell. I have already done so, but we need as much time as we can manage."

Jadeite managed to move first through his shock, laying his gloved hands over Chibiusa's frozen ones. A dim light spread over her, recognizable only because it was layering over the first spell. Nephrite slowly did the same, and Zoisite followed with a grim expression.

"Zoisite, how long does she have?" Mercury asked after she took a moment to swallow. "Until she… goes?"

He closed his eyes, fingers still hovering over her colorless cheeks. "A matter of hours. Till dawn at the best."

"What happened to her?" Jupiter demanded in horror.

"There is a being inhabiting Lady Saturn's body," Kunzite responded. "She stole Small Lady's broach. The Ginzuishou was within."

"And they can't live without the Ginzuishou," Venus realized.

"No, they cannot."

"What about part?"

Everyone swung around to face Sailor Moon, though her face was still pressed into Tuxedo Kamen's jacket as his was into her hair.

"Part?" Mars repeated. "What do you mean?"

"How long could I give her if she had my Ginzuishou?"

Zoisite flinched. "Sailor Moon, you would not survive without your crystal any more than she can without hers."

"Not all. Part. If I gave her part, how much time would it give her?"

"You can't be serious," Tuxedo Kamen choked. "If I lose you, I lose her too. Usako, no."

"I can survive with only part of the Ginzuishou. I wouldn't have my full powers, but I'd have enough to fight. Zoisite, how much would it give her?"

"Still only the dawn… But it would be guaranteed rather than uncertain. You could sustain her until the sun overwhelms the moon."

Sailor Moon nodded and slid out of her mate's arms. "Then that's what I'll do."

The crystal came at her call, shining for the first time since that horrible day when its light had been so weak. It was flower shaped again, just as it had appeared before it had shattered to save the world. A single petal dislodged itself from the whole and flew to Chibiusa, disappearing in a silver shimmer as it touched against her heart.

"Did it work?" Nephrite asked.

The youngest Shitennou nodded. "Till sunrise. We have until morning to save her."

She turned to face the academy that was visible only a few blocks away. "Even if I die trying."

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Pluto had seen what happened, and she relayed the news to Uranus and Neptune. The blonde had led them to her helicopter and got it airborne.

"Once we land on the roof, don't worry about anyone else. Destroy any Death Buster that crosses your path," she said.

"Uranus…" Neptune whispered.

"We're running out of time."

Pluto chose not to respond, keeping her gaze on the academy below. And she was the first to recognize the imminent danger.

"They have raised defenses against us," the oldest of them said simply.

Uranus cursed and banked a hard turn so she could see what was happening below. "What is it?"

Neptune studied the rising walls of a dome. "A force field. If we don't get through now, we might not be able to."

That was enough for the impatient warrior. She flew through the remaining gap, but it was no longer large enough. The tail end of the craft was caught and ignited, disabling the vehicle and promising a horrific impact with the tower.

And in the next breath, Uranus and Neptune were on the roof of the academy as the helicopter exploded overhead.

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Pluto had always known that a day would come when what was forbidden was necessary, and she could not bring herself to regret her action as the doom of her allies loomed. The crash would not kill her, but they were another story.

She lifted her Garnet Rod for the final time.

"TIME STOP!"

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AN: Hopefully that was dramatic enough for everyone after how slow last chapter was. So a bit of clarification: yes, the Ginzuishou can in fact split. In the manga, it did right after it was revealed and part of it went into Mamoru. So I'm not just making that up. I'm hoping to have this story done within the next week or so, but no promises. Reviews are definitely appreciated, especially this close to the end. Till next time!