Once had a knife to my throat they said I'd wind up in the dirt

I know the ones that doubt me are the ones that really hurt

-Hatebreed (Looking Down the Barrel of Today)

~REI~

Staggering up the stairs she fell up. Whiskey ladened breath reminded her of the pain she tried to drown. The beast of emotions always seemed to return when she was vulnerable.

Reaching for the rail she found herself unable to find the elusive perch. For a moment she struggled reach for salvation but to no avail. She sobbed quietly as the booze took over. Pain numbed as she managed to stand up. The inebriated Martian made her way up the stairs.

As she reached the top she bumped into a guard. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back. His vice grip hold on her was rather painful as she tried to pull away.

"Stop struggling you drunken bitch," he said.

She grabbed onto his armor and threw him over her shoulder. The guard groaned as he stood up.

"You bitch," he growled. He lunged at her but she dodged him.

Rei grabbed the guard's knife and drove it into his throat. Repeatedly she stabbed him as he fell to the ground. Blood stained her vision as she stood over the lifeless body.

She noticed that the blade disintegrated as the body transformed into another man. Rei called in on her communicator the word that the changelings infiltrated the palace.

Turning around she faced a large man with dark armor. The dragon helmet and the fiery plume reminded her of her father.

Mars, the untamed planet of war.

On the night of the summer's end, she watched as the fires rose from the palace. Her grandfather snatched her from the clutch of death, but not before she witnessed the most painful event.

She watched as her mother was slain by an invading overlord. Justice was what she wanted, but her father did nothing to avenge her mother. As the years she trained for the day she would slay her father and take the throne. However, fate had other plans…

Slowly the fake king drew his sword. Her hand reached for Calamus but there was nothing there. The only thing she could do was watch helplessly as the changeling impersonating her father slash at her. Too drunk to dodge anymore, and too drunk to react any other way.

As he slashed the clank of metal against metal sang loudly. She looked over and Haruka was beside her defending her.

"This is why Uranians always win against Martians," Haruka grunted as she pushed back. "We don't need to worry about where our fucking sword is, and we can handle our booze."

Haruka managed to force the changeling back. She continued fighting him.

"The real Asher was more of a challenge," Haruka said. She got a mailed fist to the face and she was sent flying.

There was a whistle and she looked over to see Makoto tossing a sword to her.

The Jovian bull rushed the changeling and drove her fist into his gut. She was able to drive him back until Rei regained her composure.

Rei drove the sword through the changeling. He dropped to his knees.

"You chose the wrong fucking person to impersonate," Rei said. "I always hated my father." She withdrew the sword and the changeling resumed his original form. "Stupid bitch."

~HOTARU~

The air was filled with chaos as soldiers scrambled to fight the changelings. Hotaru did her best to discern friend from foe as she cut down changelings. Her hand was slick with blood which was making it hard to keep a grip on her sword.

Changelings charged her in the form of various people she had met along her way to the Moon. Some even tried to take form of the Saturnian elders but she knew they would never leave the planet's safety. Then as she rounded a corner she was faced with her only fear.

Face to face with the image of the one she loved she stalled and didn't fight back. Her mind kept telling her to fight but her heart said otherwise. She was completely useless.

A sword was driven through her as she was surrounded by changelings.

I'm sorry, Rukia.

~AMI~

Rounding the corner she faced a familiar face. Before her stood Patient 23. His eyes were cold as ice and he was similar to the changeling Revolution. He grinned as he reached for her.

"The Black Wolf sends his regards," he said. His arm stopped and he trembled. "Mother? Forgive me." He smiled then his face changed. This time he had the fierceness of Revolution. "Get back you fucking cunt."

Ami stepped back then held her hand out. She created a mist to give her a chance to escape.

Patient 23 argued with himself as she ran away. She knew she had to get to safety.

~HARUKA~

Following Rei and Makoto, she killed everything the others missed. They had stuck together to exterminate the attacking changelings. She was having fun killing the poor sods.

Gramr easily cut through changelings as she swung the blade. The sword was covered in blood.

The rain of blood blinded her and she started killing indiscriminately. Rei fought with her a few times but they'd be interrupted by changelings. A few times they landed a few hits on each other.

Moments later they crossed swords.

"Why the fuck are we fighting?" Rei asked.

"I don't know," Haruka said as she swung Gramr. Their blades met with such power they disarmed each other.

She felt an arrow bury itself in her shoulder. Quickly she spun around to see the guard of Mars, Jaxon. The loyal Martian rushed to engage Haruka. They fought viciously for a while. Haruka was then knocked off her feet and a sword was held to her throat.

"Give me a reason not to kill you," Jaxon growled.

"Reason? For one, you can't kill me," Haruka said. She grinned and spun around. Her move knocked him away.

They continued on their fight until there was a pain in her side and she noticed the sword in her. She fell to the ground.

Rei and Makoto rushed to them.

Haruka smiled as she died. Finally she found a worthy adversary.

~MINAKO~

The attack was predicted by Michiru and she also foresaw the deaths of Hotaru and Haruka. After the fighting ends it was agreed that Haruka remains on the Moon and is to have her memory wiped of all that has happened. It was their fate, to have their memories wiped, even hers.

She calmly walked through the fighting. No one was bothered by her. It seemed as if everything was in slow motion.

She spied Takeshi.

The changeling prince met her eyes and he charged her. Before he got to her he collapsed and held his head. He seemed to be having a conversation with himself.

"If only you couldn't hear his voice," Minako whispered. She was about to raise her sword, but he grabbed the blade.

"Kill me," Takeshi begged. His eyes were filled with pain. In an instant his face changed. "Shut up!"

Minako hesitated and he attacked her. He knocked the sword away and started fighting her hand to hand. She managed to hold her own but somehow he got a hold of her arm and got her in a arm lock.

He forced her to the ground before he broke her arm. The assault didn't end there, he kicked her while she was down. Takeshi then grabbed her sword and held it to her shoulder.

"I will make you suffer for the hell you put me through. I will kill you slowly unlike what you did to my father," Takeshi pushed it slowly into her shoulder.

The insurmountable pain filled her senses as she screamed out. She did her best to distract herself from the pain but nothing worked. My only regret is hurting my true love, she thought to herself. As the blade passed through her she started losing consciousness.

Before she lost consciousness she saw Takeshi get a sword thrust through him. She couldn't quite figure out who killed him but she was happy someone did him in.

~AMI~

She eased Takeshi to the ground after she stabbed him with Haruka's sword (which she took from Jaxon). The dying half-Mercurian looked back at her with such innocence.

"Mother, forgive me for the monster I've become," he said. A faint smile crept across his face. "The last face I see is the one who freed me."

He closed his eyes and breathed his last breath.

Ami sighed as she let him go. She started tending to Minako. The Venusian was barely clinging to life.