Again, another short chapter, but it is action packed! Well I think it is at least. Man, this story isn't even close to being over! I had originally expected this to be relatively short fic. I never imagined it would be longer than TCIAR. So quick poll, how many of you would kill me if the sequel to that wasn't my next fic? LOL! I think the sequel to that bad boy is going to take a while cause I want it to at least be as good as the first. Well better really. After re-reading some of the chapters I saw like a hundred things I wanted to re-write. Sigh, tis the life of a writer...I hope to get that one started soon I just want to make sure I know where I want it to go. Some of you said you want to see the wedding and others are worried about the trial. If you have read TCIAR and have an idea send it my way. I would love some feed back on the sequel, even though I have a pretty good idea as to where it is going.

Anon- I would send this in a private message, but for some reason your posts won't let me. I appreciate any criticism as long as it's constructive. It was good of you to tell me about my gore cause I didn't even realise it was bad! As a future mother, I wouldn't want kids accidentally reading it! I hate that you have to skip over it though! I feel lie the nightmares are my best part! If you send reviews as nicely as you sent me yours, then those other authors are just rude. You were in no way offending. My back is a lot better now, just a strain but if it hurts again I will totally try that stuff. Thank you!

Thank you all for your reviews! You guys are fantastic! To be honest, I just moved to a big new city and I have no friends here. You guys are the highlight of my day (second to my hubby of course ^_~) So from the bottom of my heart, than you.

The Truth About Tragedy

Ch. 15

"The risk of love is loss, and the price of loss is grief - But the pain of grief is only a shadow when compared with the pain of never risking love." - Hilary Stanton Zuni

A hand stopped her. She turned to see Tuxedo Kamen once again. His face looked grim and she could tell that he was getting the same feelings she was. His dark blue eyes were clouded with doubt and worry. Before he could get a word of protest out she silenced him with a kiss. She meant for it to be a quick, simple kiss but she soon found herself wrapped up in his arms. Her heart beat wildly as he held her up on her useless legs. No one would ever make her feel this way, no one but him. She may have never been with anyone else but she knew this to be true. Deep down in her heart of hearts, she knew that she was made for him. She forced herself away from him and looked into his stormy, blue eyes.

"This could get dangerous. You should stay out of this one, I don't want you to get hurt."

With that she left him at the bottom of the tower and bounded up ten feet at a time. The girls were already full fight mode when she reached them. Kunzite was on one side of the tower platform facing the girls. He looked different from the last time she saw him. It was something in his eyes, they were dark and empty like whatever soul he had was gone. And he was stronger than the last time. She could feel that immediately. This was a completely different man than the one she fought last, one that she wasn't sure she could beat. The girls all threw attack after attack at him, even the princess but none of them seemed to phase him. He laughed as each one failed to make a dent, till his eyes landed on her.

"Oh so you did decide to come after all. Well welcome Princess."

The girls turned to look at her incredulously. She had never told them that the enemy thought she was the Princess. Now that the real Princess had arrived, maybe it was a good thing. If they thought she was the Princess then they would go after her instead and Minako would be spared. The girls still watched her, expecting some kind of explanation. All but the Princess. She had a look of pure fear on her face as if she knew what she was about to do.

"That's right Kunzite, I came here to finish what you started. This is between you and me."

She wasn't sure if it was the door she had opened in her mind or the arrival of their Princess that afternoon but something inside her clicked into place releasing a toll of power. She lifted her wand, pointing it at the Princess and the Senshi. In a burst of energy, a bubble appeared around them, lifting them up and away from the fight.

"Protect the Princess!" She warned them as they tried to get out.

Before the bubble fully left the platform she caught a glance at the Princess as she attempted to break her barrier and yelled what sounded like, "We have to protect Sailor Moon!" Protect her? All that mattered was protecting the Princess and her silver crystal. She would handle herself. The Princess, Minako, shouldn't be worrying about her. Turning her attention back to the demon in front of her she readied herself for battle. This man was no longer the man she had fought before, he was merely a puppet now. But who was his puppet master and where were they hiding?

"I'm so glad you have finally accepted your fate. Now tell me where the silver crystal is and I might let your friends live."

"You'll have to kill me first before you can get to them."

"(Sigh) Very well then. I will just let them watch as I kill you slowly. When I'm done with you, not only will you tell me where the crystal is, you'll be begging me to end you."

He blasted her with a large amount of energy tossing her to the edge of the platform. She managed to grab the edge before being completely flung off. She looked up at her friends still in her bubble as they tried to break free shouting at her. She pulled herself back up and aimed a blast at Kunzite with her moon wand. She managed to hit his shoulder forcing him to spin around. It was clear from there that she had wounded him deeply, but he only laughed a deep and evil laugh.

A dark aura glowed around him and energy flowed out of him with little control. It was clear that he had a lot of power, more than her. If he got a good clean shot at her he could kill her easy. He sent a powerful blast of thick black energy her away. She jumped high, out of the way, landing gracefully behind him. Giving him a kick, she send him flying to the middle of the fight field. But before he hit face first he caught himself in mid air and raised himself up a few inches off the ground.

The more she pissed him off the stronger he got. She needed to end this before he was too powerful to handle. Aiming her wand at him again, she gathered as much strength as she could and focused it into the wand. As she let her attack fly he countered with an attack of his own. Just like her dream, the two attacks hit and struggled against each other. She pulled on every source of energy that she had and focused it into her wand. Slowly her energy inched closer to the white haired man. If she could just muster up a little more.

"You think you can defeat me? I am ten times more powerful than you. Is this the power of the silver crystal? Pathetic."

His energy gained on hers in both power and speed. Pushing hers out of the way as it barreled towards her. She managed to move before it was a killing blow but it still hit her arm knocking her wand out of her hand and scorching her skin. She grabbed her wand again only to have his foot land on her hand pressing painfully down and trapping her. Looking up, he smiled at her and sent a chill down her spin. Releasing her hand he kicked her chest sending her flying to her back. Before she could move he was on her again holding her arms in place on the ground. His soulless eyes stared back into hers. He rubbed his cheek against hers and she had to stop herself from vomiting.

"Maybe, I'll just make you our pet instead."

Her blood ran cold at the implication. His aura appeared again and this time it began seeping into her flesh. She could feel the negative energy pushing out her own and filling her up. Her body felt heavy and her mind felt weak.

"Soon you and your silver crystal will be slaves to Queen Beryl! I'll make you personally kill all that you love!"

He left out a howl and her vision began to blur. The energy he pumped into her felt like a splinter under her skin, foreign and painful. This was not suppose to happen. She was suppose to kill him and get revenge for her family. Now she faced a fate worse than death, she was going to be a puppet, a slave made to hurt the ones she loved. No. She couldn't, wouldn't accept that. She had to fight it, to never give up for the sake of the ones she loved. A heat built in her heart as it pushed on the dark energy, fighting to get it out of her system. He pressed harder on her and the heat disappeared. It felt as if a knife was stabbed into her heart. Screaming out in pain, her capture just laughed.

"Don't fight it Princess. You can't win and it will only hurt more. You belong to me now!"

The pain was intense. So much so she almost gave up. The thought of Mamoru entered her brain. They had had one last kiss before she left him below. But that wasn't enough. She had to make it out of this to tell him. She had to tell him how she felt about him, that she loved him with all her heart. The idea of being the one who killed him, killed all the Senshi and the Princess, even to have to kill Shingo and Aunt Yukio entered her mind. They wouldn't even fight back against her. The pain was again replaced with a warmth so strong it pushed all the negative energy out of her and back into Kunzite with a punch. He released her with a hiss of pain and she took the opportunity to put a foot against his chest and push him off of her. He had a look of shock that did not reach his eyes in an eerie manner.

"How...it's not possible! No one can with stand that much negative energy!"

In a swift move she lunged for her wand and blasted him right in his face. He howled and shimmer into nothingness. He was still there, hiding, she could sense it. She turned this way and that trying to find him, but he was no where in sight. So she closed her eyes. Instantly the lights of the Senshi flashed into her mind. Along with Tuxedo Kamen's light who was much closer than she would have liked, watching the fight. She watched as his light danced this way and that, itching to enter the fight. He had taken her words seriously, but it was only a matter of time before he entered the fight and he could get hurt.

She needed to end this fight, but she couldn't sense Kunzite anywhere. Had he left or could she not sense negative energy like she could the others? Then it appeared behind her. A space lacking in any light, it sucked on all the other light like a black hole and it was right behind her. She turned in time to receive a back hand to her face knocking her to the ground. Her head spun and her breath left her body hit the ground hard. He walked over to her with strong ball of energy dancing in his hand.

"Well it's been fun Princess but I've had enough."

She closed her eyes as he plunged the ball into her. It felt surprisingly warm. Her eyes opened to darkness and silk and her heart stopped as she realized that the energy never hit her. Tuxedo Kamen covered her body breathing shallowly. She could feel his blood dripping onto her bare legs.

"no...NO!"

She flipped over a barely conscious Tuxedo Kamen and held him in her arms. A weak arm raised a hand to her face and she grabbed it, holding it tight to skin.

"Hold on Mamoru. Just hold on."

She had to find a way to save him, she couldn't live without him. If they could just get out of there.

"Usagi...you have made my life full of light. Until I met you...I was alone...in the dark. Ever since...the first day we met...

"Shh Mamoru, don't talk like that. Everything is going to be fine."

Kunzite laughed sinisterly at them, "Nice sentiments Princess. But nothing is ever going to be okay."

She looked up to glower at the monster in front of her but Mamoru's hand pulled her face back to him.

"Usagi...let me say this. Since the first day we met...I've loved you. You are...caring and warm...everyone loves you. You..you are strong...so strong. You can win this Usagi...you can...save...everyone..."

He closed his eyes and she could feel the warmth that he always provided her with start to fade.

"No Mamoru. You can't leave me! I love you too, please stay with me! I want to save everyone. I want to save you! Don't go...NO!"

Specks of light formed in her eyes and the fuzziness returned like deja va. Except, this time her mind began to open up the memory.

She felt cool silk against her body. Her eyes began to focus again and she saw that her fuku had disappeared and was replaced with a long silk white gown. The warmth from Mamoru had completely vanished. She panicked when she didn't find him in her arms. Looking around she could see that she was no longer on the top of Tokyo Tower. Actually, she couldn't tell where she was. Standing, she slowly investigated her surroundings. The air felt different and the ground just didn't quite feel right. The colors were different too. Had she been hit in the head? She rounded a hedge of tall trees and stopped in her tracks. Her breath caught at the sight in front of her and her knees turned to jelly. Up in the sky in front of her was Earth hanging in the distance.