Chapter 4-Empty

Night arrived silently. Streetlights flickered on as daylight vanished. Tokyo remained busy, as people carried on with their business. A strange woman was walking down the street and no one noticed. She wore a pair of sunglasses, trying to hide her dark empty eyes. She pulled her hat lower, so people wouldn't see how pale she was.

The witch just wanted to walk among these people one last time...before she hatched her plan and burned them all. She could feel the excitement bubbling inside of her, imagining how these people would scream and turned to ash. That day was getting closer and closer, she could feel it, she could taste it. The day when there would be no more light and darkness would prevail.

It would've been near impossible to poison Sailor Moon's heart before...but now things would be different...

It had been two days since Usagi was split into two. Two days of not going home and finally her mom issued an ultimatum. Begrudgingly, Usagi packed up her stuff and headed back home, leaving Serenity still at Rei's temple.

"You seemed to be studying a lot, but why am I not seeing any improvements with your grades?" Mom cornered her just before dinner. She waved her spatula and demanded an answer. "Are you spending too much time with your boyfriend? Maybe I should talk to him..."

"Nooo." Usagi waved frantically. "I was with Ami and Rei and Mako and Mina. We were studying...I swear..."

Mom studied her face for a bit and then smiled, "okay, I trust you. Here, let's sit down and eat."

Usagi's stomach growled loudly and dove in head first to her mom's famous curry. The bowl was empty before her mom even sat down. Usagi smiled apologetically as she got up and helped herself to another serving. And then another. And then another...it was as if someone had unplugged her stomach, and all the food just fell through. Usagi rubbed her belly and still felt famished.

"Usagi!" Mom turned around and looked alarmed. "What has gotten into you?"

Usagi looked down and saw that she had about five bags of chips in her arms. Wait. When did she raid the emergency food corner? Embarrassed, she quickly put down all but one and then laughed uncomfortably. "I am just really hungry...from all the studying..."

Usagi quickly excused herself and ran to her bedroom. She knew something was wrong...she was a big eater with a bottomless stomach, but even this was strange for her...

"Ami, I think something is changing in my body. I can't stop eating." Usagi whispered to the communicator.

"What do you mean? You always eat a lot..."

"I just had five bowls of curry and rice, and one bag of chips, and I still feel like I haven't eaten in days..." Usagi sat down and stared into her reflection in the mirror. Perhaps it was her imagination, but she seemed skinnier than ever...

"I am coming over..." Ami announced and then ended the call.

Usagi hesitated and stared at her communicator. She wanted to call Rei. In the past she wouldn't have think twice, but now she knew she couldn't just call her whenever...their friendship had changed and Usagi wasn't sure if it would ever go back to normal.

Ten minutes later, Ami and Minako showed up, under the ruse that Usagi needed more tutoring from Ami.

Mom was over the moon and pulled Ami in for a tight hug. "Usagi's future depends on you. Thank you so much."

Usagi waited patiently until her mom was out of earshot, and had stopped barging into the room with snacks and tea.

Ami pulled out her Mercury computer and scanned Usagi. Minako leaned over and peaked at the screen. "Usagi, you lost ten pounds." Minako exclaimed. "Since the last time we scanned you..."

"How is that possible? I've been eating more..."

Ami was silent as she continued to type into the computer. She glanced up ever so often to look at Usagi, but for the next ten minutes, all one could hear was the frantic clicking of the computer keys.

Finally, she put down the computer and sighed. Usagi's heart sank. Ami's face said it all. It must be bad news...

"Ami, just spit it out. Whatever it is, we will fix it." Minako started to pace around the room.

Ami walked over and placed her hands around Usagi's. "We need to figure out how to get you and Serenity to merge...if not..."

"What?" Usagi's heart stopped. "What if we can't?"

Ami looked down and shook her head. "Even though you only have half the crystal right now, it is draining your energy faster than you can replenish."

"So, princess Serenity was the one protecting Usagi from the effects of the crystal?" Minako was starting to look scared.

"I guess..." All of a sudden, Ami sank to her knees and tears welled into her eyes. "I am sorry, Usagi."

"Ami, it's okay. We will figure out a way." Usagi wrapped her arms around the blue hair girl. "We always do."

Minako paced about and looked out the window. "Usagi, maybe you should give the half crystal to Serenity."

"What? Then I can't transform and fight. No. no way. Also, what if the crystal is draining Serenity too? We don't know that..." Usagi shook her head emphatically.

Minako turned and faced Usagi. Her face was blank, a new resolve set in. "I am not going to let you die, Usagi."

Ami wiped away her tears and stood up. "I will scan Serenity and see if the same thing is happening to her. If not, Usagi, please just give her the crystal. I don't want you to die..."

Usagi placed her hand over her compact and felt her heart sank.