Rei

This situation was getting worse for Rei. She had a dislocated shoulder, and multiple bruises on her stomach. She had to go to the hospital. Though it was awkward convincing the doctors a wolf bit her, they did their job well and Rei was practically good as new. Practically.

It had been a few days since Sailor Cosmos told Rei off and she started to take the sailor senshi's warning to heart. Her time would come soon. If she meant that Serena planned on getting revenge then the blonde was too late. It felt as if the world was out to get her. She thought she would get used to the youkai. She realized that even though they disguised themselves as people she knew they lacked birthmarks and characterized habits. But besides knowing that it was hard to get used to the youkai since they kept getting tougher.

Frustrated she kicked the side of bed and immediately realized how much of a mistake it was. She ended up balled up on the floor crying from the pain. It wasn't enough to get my ass kicked by every other youkai but she had to kick her own ass too. She spread out her body to make a star and stared at the temple ceiling. There was the voice again that kept telling her to remember. Remember what exactly? Even if she forgot everything since birth she would still be smarter than that dunce Serena. But at the same time she had a thought about Lita.

Flashback

It was the day after Rei had tried to kill Serena in front of everyone. Right after the sailor scouts found Haruka and Michiru on the ground Rei called an urgent, mandatory sailor scout meeting. However Lita never showed up. So instead of continuing the meeting without her Rei decided they should go to her apartment the next day to have it there.

When the scouts entered the apartment Lita was on her couch watching television. There was a potato chip almost in her month when she saw the senshi walked.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Lita was incredulous. Her expression screamed you are invading my personal space get the fuck out.

"We need to talk. Where were you, these last couple of days! We could have used you. Haruka and Michiru got their butts handed to them, Serena turned into Sailor Cosmos…"

"I know."

"and the youkai are getting stronger."

"I know." Lita was watching television still and couldn't spare a damn for what Rei was saying.

"You know what?" Rei was tired of this game.

"I know of Cosmos and the strong youkai. Serena does too. In fact she has already taken a move to fight back against them. You can't win this Rei, the fastest you admit it the faster you will remember and the faster the crystal system will be made." Lita's gaze was adamant.

Rei slapped her. The woman didn't understand half of what Lita said, what she did comprehend was 'you can't win.' And she did not like being told that. "Are you saying you are leaving me for that bimbo?"

Lita didn't even wipe away the blood from her cheek, "You're losing control Rei. I owe you nothing, I owe Serena everything and I will never forgot that again." Lita raised her wrists so everyone could see her bruises puffy wrists.

"Fine! I don't need you! You're nothing without us!" Rei was beyond angry. What gave Serena the right to take back her soldiers? What gave Rei the right to them away? Rei slapped herself across the cheek. Why did she keep defending the arrogant bitch? She didn't understand, isn't this what she wanted, Darien, the team, a weak Serena. Then why wasn't she happy?

She stormed home to the temple abandoning Ami and Mina. She destroyed everything, the sacred dragon relic, her bed, the kitchen plates, and appliances. She even tried to extinguish the sacred fire with water but that didn't work. In the end she lay on the floor surrounded by chaos.

End of Flashback

The doorbell ran it was Darien. She was ready to slam the door in his face. But his foot caught in the slim gap.

"What do you want?"

"I'm sorry Rei. I was wrong to say all those things. I just… I love you Rei." Darien's face was genuine.

"Do you mean it, or are you just saying that because you're horny." Rei was suspicious; after all he was pretty headstrong in their last argument.

" I mean it. You know I can leave if you want me to." There was a glint in his eye that Rei noticed.

"No! No… Come in, I'm just surprised. I'm … I am happy you said that."

Darien walked in. The night went perfectly. Even better than it did in their better times. It went so well in fact that Rei offered herself to him. She wasn't forced, coerced, or tricked.

Maybe her life wasn't so terrible after all.

Mina

She woke up on the ground, incredibly hot and sweaty. As soon as she opened her eyes she knew where she was. It was Venus.

How could she not recognize it? Everything was a gold shimmer, yellow outlined everything. It was like she dove into her old life in the time of the Silver millennia when things were simple and romantic. She was stuck on finding her most prized possession Aphrodite's pendant.

It was then when Mina realized that she was on the ground in the middle of the street. There were people all around her but no one would help her up.

Even though she wasn't in her normal elegant gown her people should still recognize her. Her blonde hair was a whole different shade than theirs and she had blue eyes. Only the royals had blue eyes.

She stood up and walked to the nearest teenage boy, "Hello… Umm do you know who I am? Surely he could help her find the palace and her pendant.

"Of course I do, oh so great princess of Venus." The boy's words were soaked in sarcasm.

"Do you not like the royal family?"

"No we just hate you." Mina's eyes widened as not just the boy but everyone there chanted the same phrase.

Somewhere in the thirty minute, Mina was entombed in the mob of people the chant turned from, "We just hate you," to "We just want to kill you."

It was then that the people yanked her long hair. Pulling her to ground they stomped and kicked her for what seemed to be forever. It wasn't possible that her adoring people would suddenly become malicious, bloodthirsty monsters.

She didn't know about what Lita did if she suffered the same torment. Serena must have planned to have them beaten nearly to death till each scout returned to her side. Did she think that was a just revenge? It wasn't right. But isn't that what we did to her? We didn't like the way she led us so we beat her out of the group.

The pain was gone and all Mina would do was stare at the small sliver of sky between the heads of her abusers. It was shaped like a heart. Didn't Mina deserve to be loved? Didn't everyone? Especially Serena? It was then that she had her revelation she remembered her oath.

She made an oath, an unbreakable vow to love, cherish, and support her leader, Serena. She vowed never to abandon Serena no matter what she did unless death should claim Mina. Even if Serena made a mistake she promised to advice her to find the right path. But that isn't what she did was it? She allowed her leader, friend, companion, and cousin to be beaten by others who made a similar vow. And afterwards she voted to kick Serena out of her own team.

It was suddenly too much for Mina. And she burst out in tears. How could she have betrayed Serena in such a horrid way? She had a job to love her. Instead she helped ostracized her cousin from their groups of friends. It hurt. The constant kicks to the stomach didn't help either.

But them Mina realized no one was kicking. Instead the gleam from the pink pendant lying on Mina's chest mesmerized the angry citizens. It knocked them out of their violent trance.

And suddenly everyone was spitting apologizes, bowing, and crying in shame. She assured her people that everything was all right.

Mina still couldn't find the palace when she heard something. It was Serena's voice. You've told me once 'love is invisible but it is there. You can only see love when you feel it.'

Mina opened her mind. It hurt to review all the love she had been given by her family, her friends and by Serena. It hurt to watch herself again betray Serena. But now her eyes are clear. She can see her wrongdoings and faults and yet Mina was overwhelmed by the love for everyone and everything.

It was then that there was a shimmer. There were no people around to witness this, but a glass floor formed between Mina's feet. It expanded with a golden yellow glow revealing the palace Mina was standing in already. The pendant around her neck glowed as well. The pink sheen melded with the golden sparkle emitting an orange light. It spread across the kingdom like wildfire leaving the planet crystalized. Everything was made of orange yellow crystal. Her outfit was now a sleeveless orange V-neck that fell midcalf with shards of yellow crystal in her hair.

Serena's voice echoed louds for all to hear. "This is now Crystal Venus and your princess is now Astral Princess Mina of Crystal Venus. An applause rose from the people of Crystal Venus loud and proud.

And then Mina was again home. She was again on the floor, her bathroom floor. She stood up brushed her clothes off and looked in the mirror. All her bruises from Venus were gone except for laceration around her neck. Serena was gracious enough to spare Mina's life but the moon princess would not forgive her without a price. It was something for Mina to remember her oath by.

Rei

She was on top of Darien not doing something perverted or anything. She was just lying on top of his chest letting her fingers trail his as. But something was missing, she had pondered over if for the past 15 minutes.

"Say Darien don't you have a birthmark under your belly button?"

He smiled. It disturbed Rei even scared her. Darien's teeth enlarged, his pupils disappeared, his ears pointed: he was a youkai.

Rei screamed for all she was worth but she knew she wouldn't be saved. She dismissed the temple hands on account of them being lazy, ugly bastards.

She tried to evade the beast but the jackal youkai pinned her down.

She woke up. Thinking it was a dream. She sat up. But instead of being in bed, she was on a pile of cement blocks. Rei looked up and saw five other youkai not counting the one that took her.

Great she had pushed away and betrayed everyone who may have cared about her and now no one would save her.