...

In my darkest hours I could not foresee
That the tide could turn so fast to this degree
Can't believe my eyes
How can you be so blind?
Is the heart of stone, no empathy inside?
Time keeps on slipping away and we haven't learned
So in the end now what have we gained?

Sanctus Espiritus, redeem us from our solemn hour
Sanctus Espiritus, insanity is all around us
Sanctus Espiritus, is this what we deserve,
can we break free from chains of never-ending agony?

Minako held the sword with both hands as she walked awkwardly through the darkened lobby and towards the elevator that would take them all up to Ami's apartment. The night was still upon them, and the four shadowy figures crept trying to remain out of view. It was only a few hours until the sun crept over the harbor, but Ami had assured them that her mother would not be home until long after they were at school. Her shifts at the local hospital were long and even if she had been home Ami commented that she would probably have slept through anything the girls could have dished out. The sword tilted dangerously in Minako's hands and Rei reached over to help her steady her grip as they entered into the darkened apartment. The light switched on and it was a stark contrast to the darkness her eyes had grown accustom to in the last few hours: with The Moon and the partially sleeping city. Minako could only sit there blinking as Ami moved towards the kitchen and motioned for them to follow her.

"We can talk in here." She said in a hushed voice. Makoto, Rei, and Minako followed her directions obediently, and Artemis remained struggling to stay awake on Makoto's shoulder. Now that Minako's eyes were slowly adjusting to the harsh white light she couldn't help but stand there slightly awed by what she was seeing. The apartment was in all fairness the most luxurious Minako had seen in her life, and even though, in her heart and mind, she could remember a time when she had lived in a seemingly grandiose castle, the part of her that was Minako couldn't wrap her head around living in such luxury. And it seemed a waste; in a sense. Ami and her mother seemed to never be home. It was nothing more than a place to sleep.

"My mother's equipment is just outside the kitchen." Ami explained. "She set it up that way so she would be forced to remember to eat after working herself so hard." Ami smiled a bit sadly. "Back when she didn't work so much... before the divorce." Minako and the other girls stood silent for a brief instance, but Ami seemed to be already moving on and leaving the subject in the dust as she turned back to them. "We can analyze the sword in there." She stated with a tone of finality. Minako nodded and they followed Ami into the study where she turned on yet another blinding white light. Minako set the stone sword on the desk in the center of the room as the girls stood around it. It was the pretense for why they had gathered, but in truth it was the least of their concerns. They just couldn't think about going to sleep now, and the energy flowing through them made it a moot point. Gaining their Super forms had filled them with an energy that sleeping never could. The sword lay in the harsh light as they all stared at it unsure of what to say first. Usagi and Luna had gone home, and so had The Outers, Sailor Pluto assuring them they just needed to go on with life normally before they did anything too hastily. That hadn't appeased them though. Their bodies resonated with pure energy, and a stubborn determination had filled their veins: to protect The Princess, and to save her future.

How could they just sit around doing nothing?!

"What do you think, Ami?" Makoto spoke up finally, and Ami took the opportunity to take a step closer to the sword and touched it gently.

"I wonder why it turned to stone..." Rei mused off to the side. "I can't remember... How did it get into The Prayer Room if we..." Rei's voice trailed off, the subject hard and unwelcome in the room. But even though it was unwelcome, it was a necessary evil.

"I don't remember..." Artemis whispered sleepily on Makoto's shoulder. "I just remember being put into a deep sleep by Queen Serenity. As far as I can remember, the sword was not touched after everything occurred."

"It doesn't matter." Ami said sadly putting her fingers around the heavy, stone sword and her face was a deep red as she tried lifting it up. Finally she let it fall back onto the table uselessly. "H-how on Earth do you carry that thing?!" She gasped shaking her hands carelessly to the side trying to get the pain out of them. "Its even heavier than I ever remember it being!" Minako stepped forward and grabbed the sword with both hands and lifted it up vertically so she could view it. Ami was right. The sword was heavier than ever before, but Minako had never carried it with such ease. The others simply stood nearby unsure of how to go on in what needed to be said.

"So... Can we just... attack?" Makoto asked uncertainly and the others glanced her way, Minako still holding onto the sword tightly. "I mean, every other time, they have been putting other people in danger. It was obvious that the battle needed to be done, but now..." She paused trying to find a way to make her point clear. "We can't just storm a residential house!" She finally blurted out finally giving up on tact. "Even if they are evil and conspiring to make a mess of the future, they haven't yet, and we can't just attack on the pretense of what they are going to do." Minako thought about it for a moment and grudgingly she had see what she meant.

"They have Endymion." Rei said, and Minako nodded instantly in agreement,grabbing onto any good sounding reason she could. Artemis' tired eyes simply glanced at each of them taking in the conversation.

"And its clear that they have done something to him. He would never attack Serenity like he did." Ami reasoned. Minako's fingers flexed around the hilt of the sword as her anger began to flare deep inside her.

"But can we just go and... attack?" Makoto continued.

"This is probably why Sailor Pluto wanted to wait before doing anything." Artemis joined in finally. "There is still a lot for you to learn before making your move, and as Makoto pointed out it needs to be justified, and not out of anger or vengeance." He seemed to glance directly at Minako for a moment as he spoke. Ever since it had been revealed who exactly was the person pulling the strings of everything he had been keeping a steady eye on her, but he then went on to view all of the others as well. "I have to agree with Sailor Pluto. In this, there cannot be any rash or hasty decisions." Ami nodded in agreement and Makoto made no movement to show any disagreement. Minako sighed and put the sword back down onto the desk.

"So what do we do then?" Rei asked. "How do we prepare ourselves? Are we just going to let the others make the decisions for us?" She asked, a bit of bitterness was starting to penetrate each and every one of them. They felt helpless and yet uplifted at the same time. At least they knew, kind of, what they were going against. It had been a long day filled with startling realizations and changing paces. In fact, the entire weekend had been that way. They had only been a full "set" since Rei's awakening as Sailor Mars that Thursday. Then there had been Usagi's reveal as Serenity and Luna's mystery on Friday, along with her escape on Saturdday. Endymion's attack on Sunday, as well as the shock that there were more Sailor Senshi. Monday had only been here a couple hours and already they had received a power-up and secrets of the past and future. Minako sighed as the weight of the past few days settled on each of them in the room. Life had turned upside down so quickly and readily.

"We need to work together." Minako whispered and they stared at her in surprise. "No matter how we see each other, we all have the same mission and purpose in this life; to protect Serenity and this planet. We cannot hold out on one another. We need to be upfront with The Outer Senshi." The others nodded slowly in agreement. "Even if they seem to take control and we don't like it, we have to remember that. And we have to remember... They know more than we do about this." It was hurting Minako to say it, but she had already come to the decision on The Moon. They had to put Serenity's safety first and their differences and uneasiness with The Outer Senshi behind them. Rei bit her lip.

"We can't be sure that they will be upfront with us though." Minako nodded knowing it was true. She had her doubts about Sailor Pluto, but for the moment she had to keep it inside. Only... The way Sailor Pluto had told them everything. It was all double-sided and coded. So much like her own words when she had taken up the guise of Sailor V. She was telling them the truth, but only in halves. The others didn't seem to notice it, but Venus saw the way she danced around the subject and chose her words carefully and cautiously. Perhaps she was trying her best to avoid "foreknowledge" like she had warned, but there was something not right with the older Senshi. Something familiar to Venus though she couldn't say what. So much had happened... She had been Sailor V for so long, and now the guise was completely behind her. It was so... liberating in a sense. She could now move as desperately as she felt necessary to keep Sailor Moon out of harms way. But even with that it felt frightening, terrifying, to have Sailor Moon out in the opening as The Moon Princess.

"We'll just have to trust them." Minako stated plainly. "There is nothing we can do about it. If we show that we trust them, hopefully they too will give us all the information they know." The others stood unresponsive to this, but Minako could feel that they were giving in to her suggestion. "The real problem is..." Minako paused and then her head dropped slightly. She felt the others shift uncomfortably.

"Usagi-chan..." Makoto's voice was soft and regretful as it floated up between them. They had gathered together once more without Usagi when they could have easily gotten her to come with them. No one had decided it, and no one up till then had spoken about it. It had simply occurred. They had felt it... When they had all joined their hearts together, they had felt the deep sorrow and pain. Usagi was hurting; deeply. No one else could have hurt them so badly like her sorrow. The sorrow of lost and hurt; the emotions that had swept through her eons ago and had rung out throughout The Moon Castle.

"Endymion!"

"How much do we keep from her?" Minako asked sadly. "How much do we let her know, and how much do we hide away?" It was hurting them even more to keep things from her, but her sadness... They could not expose her to much more of this. They had to make sure the harshness of the changing world did not place everything down upon her so easily.

"Is it simply for Endymion?" Rei finally ventured. "Does she really love him that much?" Rei's hands pressed over her heart sadly as it aches remembering how painful it had been being as one with her sorrow. "Is there anything we can do to help her heal?" Tears were edging closer to the sides of Rei's eyes. "Can't we do something for her without resorting to lies?!" She cried out.

"Her safety, or her happiness?" Makoto whispered and Rei looked up wide-eyed in surprise; their conversation in the past replaying in both of their minds.

"There is no other way, we have to keep her safe."

"But, she looks so broken, staring up at The Earth like that. So lost... without him."

"We must keep her safe. Its our duty."

"Is our duty really worth it if she can't be happy?"

"We've made that mistake before." Rei stated finally. "We cannot give in. We have to keep her safe. And..." Her voice trailed off again remembering the pain once more. "I just don't know anymore..." She admitted finally. "Her safety, or her happiness?" Seeing Serenity saddened and depressed had drove them to madness, but them giving in to her love had gotten her killed. But... Seeing Usagi the same way hurt even deeper. As Princess, her sorrow was expected, but in this life... They were suppose to find happiness this time. They were suppose to find peace. The fighting was suppose to be done. They were suppose to be normal girls, and live happy lives. To find love, and live in unity with their beloved Princess...

Yet the fighting was never done, and the peace appeared forever out of reach.

If they could just get rid of the past, if they could just make sure this enemy was gone, the weight and failure of the past would be gone too. They would be able to move on.

Rei would be able to find peace and calm again.

Ami would be able to pursue her academic future.

Makoto would be able to find love once more.

And Minako...

Minako would be able to find her playfulness again.

They wouldn't have to see her so serious and darkened.

So much... anger.

If they got rid of this enemy, they could be free...

They would no longer have to face their previous failure.

But very easily this could turn into yet another repeat of the past. It could easily spiral out of their control, and the happiness they though around the corner ripped away from them. They could very well see their Princess dead on the ground once more, and this time there would be no second chance. There would be no revival or rebirth. Just their failure...

"We will keep her safe." Minako whispered closing her eyes. Each time they opened their mouths to speak, it seemed their voices were escaping and becoming lost to them. "We will not let the past be repeated. We will give her strength..." Tears were building up behind her eyelids and she made no attempt to stop them this time. "We will not let the mistakes of the past to be replayed out!" She shouted forcefully finding her voice. Her eyes opened again, and tears streamed down her cheek. "We will keep her safe, and we will save Endymion. This time... we will ensure both. It will no longer be a choice between the two of them. She will finally have both." She looked up at the others and they stared at her in stunned surprise at her forceful emotions. Yes. Her failure as Sailor V would not over shadow her, nor would the mistakes of the past. She would break through it and make it right this time. This time... This time.. This time. "This time... she'll be happy! We'll make sure of it!"

Luna felt Usagi stir underneath the covers, and the cat glanced at the clock for the millionth time in the last few hours before sunrise. She hadn't slept a wink, but as much as she couldn't sleep, and as much as she tried to keep her mind off a certain subject, it bothered her that Usagi was still not lifted up out of her slump. Usagi kept her eyes shut, and Luna could feel her wakefulness, and even, her sorrow. It was strange. Usagi shouldn't feel this down. Even last time when Beryl and The Dark Kingdom had taken Mamoru she hadn't given off this deep a sorrow. But there it was... filling the room and barely hidden from the rest of the world.

It was killing Luna, just watching the minutes go by and waiting for the first traces of the rosy sunrise to make an appearance.

"Stay with Usagi," Pluto had said as the group began to disperse after they had arrived back in the park. "Its been a long, long day..." So much had happened, and Luna had been told so much she didn't understand. She needed answers, but Setsuna had only shook her head. It seemed that she had found the opposite experience in combining their powers. It had drained her of power instead of filled her. She had, at least it was what Luna hypothesized, used her more advanced Eternal powers to give the other girls permanent Super status in place of Helios, and it had worn her out along with the sadness in her heart. "I just want to sleep... for a very long time. Tomorrow, we can begin to ask questions..." Her saddened eyes had only enforced the look of exhaustion on her features, and perhaps that was what kept the others from fully seeing how much Setsuna looked saddened and weighed down. Even Hotaru, excited and refreshed like everyone else by everything that they seemed to be accomplishing, didn't seem to notice it. She had only hugged Setsuna as they had followed the other two adults towards the edge of the park, and left Luna alone with Usagi and The Guardian Senshi, whom didn't appear at all tired.

Again she felt Usagi shift positions underneath the covers as she lay facing the wall, and away from Luna. Luna sat watching her steady breaths and sighed softly as she looked down at her paws.

How could it be gone? It couldn't all be gone...

"Luna..." Luna lifted her head as Usagi rolled over to face her again, and she could see that Usagi was holding back tears.

"What is it?" Luna asked standing up and moving closer to her. Usagi's eyes narrowed sadly and she simply reached out and pulled Luna close to her in a warm hug. "Usagi-chan?" Usagi didn't respond and only looked out into the brightly lit room as the moonlight floated through the window. It was only a few hours more until the sun would come up and Usagi would be forced to go to school. Usagi tightened her arms around Luna and pulled her chin close to her chest as her eyes closed again, and Luna felt her muscles relax a bit as they lay there.

"Luna..." Usagi said again, and Luna watched her face expectantly. Usagi's eyes opened a little.

"Come on Usagi-chan, what is bothering you?" Usagi hesitated once more, and then she smiled, closing her eyes happily, but Luna could see right through her. It was simply another act for Luna's sake. Perhaps that was the problem. Usagi could always sense the sadness and worry of others. She may seem foolish and childish when it came to her studies and her after school activities, but... she could always sense someone in pain, and someone who was lonely. And then she would stop at nothing to cheer them up. Was't that what attracted her to everyone? And everyone to her?

"Its nothing." Usagi said, but it was a blatant lie. "Luna," Usagi held her more closely to her chest, but she still made the smile stay on her face. "If you can become human, why don't you stay that way all the time?" Luna smiled a bit as Usagi tried to keep both of their minds off of the sadness that still remained in the room, and Luna grabbed hold of the opportunity to let her mind think about something else.

"And what is wrong with me being a cat?" She asked in joking defense, Usagi's smile seemed to become slightly more genuine.

"Nothing." Usagi admitted. "I kind of prefer it..." Luna nodded.

"In the future, I do... I did go mostly as a human in formal settings. As well as Artemis..." She paused as her voice threatened to crack and the tears threatened to come forward. She couldn't let herself think about it. "But only when it was more convenient or needed. Being a cat..." Luna shrugged. "Its more personal, and... I'm a Mau. Its who I am." Usagi's eyes closed as she continued to smile softly.

"Yeah," She whispered, and Luna felt her trying to fall back into sleep with actual growing success.

"Goodnight Usagi-chan..." Luna whispered, and Usagi gave into her tired body and her worn out emotions. The day, like Pluto had said, had been so very, very long. Luna felt her own eyes drifting closed. It felt like years had passed since she had arrived back here, and everything seemed to be falling apart again after everything she had worked to accomplish... Usagi's breathing had become slow and heavy as she finally found sleep, but the more Luna drifted off the more her thoughts drifted to The Forbidden Subject she had forcefully pushed out of her mind for the last two months. Her heart ached whenever it threatened to come to the surface and she had to push back the tears forming underneath her eyelids as she fought to find sleep.

"Usagi! You're going to be late for school!" The shout came in what felt like another instant and Luna's eyes opened wide in surprise to see the room brightly lit as the sun shone through the window. Luna began to stand up and walk towards the side of the bed.

"Mmm..." Usagi let out in response to her mother's call as she rolled over and pull the covers over her.

"Usagi-chan." Luna whined turning back towards her and patting her softly. "Wake up, Usagi-chan! You have to go to school!"

"Usagi!" Her mother was screaming again. "Its already a quarter till!" Usagi gasped and sat up quickly.

"I'm late!" She screamed swinging the covers off of her and covering Luna in the process who instantly began to struggle to dig herself out from underneath it.

"Usagi-chan!" Luna's head popped out from underneath the covers only to catch a glimpse of Usagi's long yellow hair disappearing around the corner.

"I'm going!" She cried running down the steps and Luna jumped down off of the bed to follow her with a wide smile on her face.

Some things never change... Her smile faded... and some things can be lost forever.

"Nothing but the best for my Precious Gem." Mr. Yoruno said as Kimi's eyes poured over the wedding booklet casually as she sat at her desk and Mr. Yoruno stood beside the desk smiling brightly as she finally nodded showing her agreement to the current state of the wedding plans. "I'm so proud of you..." He confided to her, and a wicked smile formed on Kimi's face as she continued to look at the booklet. "I wish your mother was still alive to see the beautiful woman you've grown into." Kimi put the booklet down and tilted her head to the side as her red eyes narrowed, and her dark smile remained on her face.

"Is that so?" She asked with a small, amused chuckle. Mr. Yoruno opened his mouth to confirm it, but suddenly a stab of pain pierced at his temples and he paused as for a moment he felt confused at her presence, but then he nodded as the confusion disappeared.

"Yes." He said smiling brightly again, and Kimi's chin lifted as she smiled up at him, but it was not a innocence smile, it was one with a veil of malice beneath it.

"Perhaps she truly wouldn't like what she saw." She said, and Mr. Yoruno frowned not understanding what she meant. He didn't have time to analyze it as Chiba Mamoru entered the room, but unlike his usual self he did not acknowledge the older man's presence, but instead moved directly to the space behind Kimi.

"Ah! Chiba-san, we were just going over-" The man didn't even respond to the man's greeting but simply bent down and kissed Kimi's neck. Kimi's eyes closed as she revealed a vicious sneer, and a soft laugh. "the wedding..." Mr. Yoruno finished after a pause. Mamoru looked up at the man, and his eyes reflected a cold, vacant, darkness. The old man's muscles tensed and his back straightened under the younger man's gaze as he stood up and remained standing behind Kimi. "It... it looks like we've about wrapped all of the details up." The man stammered a bit, but he wasn't sure why.

"I'm glad to hear that." Mamoru said, but his voice didn't possess his usual warmth or kindness.

"Mamoru-sama," Kimi said opening her eyes and stared directly at the old man before her. "Why don't we show my father the plans for after our wedding?" She asked. Mamoru smiled.

"I think its best if it remains a surprise." He answered and Kimi nodded, and Mr. Yoruno found himself disliking the way she was smiling or the gleam in her eyes.

"Perhaps showing him now would be too premature." She agreed bringing her hands together and the tips of her pointer fingers touched the base of her chin.

"Show me what?" Mr. Yoruno demanded. He smiled as he let out an unsure breath. "What sweetie?" Kimi's eyes closed again and she lowered her chin as she remained grinning.

"A... reward." She said as she considered her words. "A reward for you. You've been such a... good and doting father." She stressed her words carefully, and Mr. Yoruno smiled bashfully as he shook his head.

"It was easy with such a good daughter." He countered. "I remember when you were small, you would always..." He paused and then frowned. Kimi's eyes opened and she watched him expectantly, and completely unworried. "I can't remember what I was going to say..." He said in confusion.

"Hm?" Kimi made the inquisitive sound, but she tilted her head in amusement as she watched him. "Perhaps I really won't have to wait..." She said almost cheerfully. "It would get rid of the problems of having to do it later." Mr. Yoruno felt another pain in his forehead and he rubbed at his temples. "Papa," She began smiling devilishly. "Can you tell me about the day I was born?" She asked. Mr. Yoruno tilted his head to the side in confusion as he put his mind back in time to bring up the memory.

"It was the happiest day of our lives. You were so tiny... and... precious..." He spoke unsure of himself now. Kimi stood up from her chair and Mamoru moved a few feet behind her as she approached the old man.

"Really?" She asked. "Was it bright and sunny?" She asked bending down as she pressed her hand against the wood of the desk. Mr. Yoruno nodded slowly. She shook her head. "No. It was dark and cold. The brisk chill of the artic sweeping through the world." She said, and the poor elderly man couldn't understand what she was implying. "A dark day to herald The Queen of Darkness. The future Queen of The Earth." She told him, and he backed away from her.

"What are you saying? You're talking nonsense!" He told her. Kimi's face fell into a mock pity.

"Oh poor, old, widower Yoruno Ryuu." She said sadly. "Can't you figure it out still? My power isn't keeping the truth from you anymore, surely you can put the pieces together now!" She chided woefully. Another pain went through his brain as he tried to think about her childhood. "Can't you see the truth?" She asked coming closer and he took a frantic step back.

"I don't understand. I can't remember."

"And you never could. You just never noticed it before because I was keeping it from you." Kimi told him and he shook his head completely in a confused state.

"H-How old are you?" He asked suddenly, and Kimi laughed outright. His eyes opened wide in fear. She was too young...

"Oh, poor, desperate Yoruno Ryuu." She said again, and he backed away from her in fear. "So desperate for a child, an heir for your recently dead wife, you let my power work its charms without a single ounce of resistance." She said in mock sorrow as she continued to shake her head. "Pathetic."

"W-Who are you?!" He demanded. "H-How would you be so cruel?! Why?!" She had played on his heart break and desires, and with help she had effectively written her life into existence. She continued to laugh and she looked up at him with her narrow red eyes as he finally realized the full extent of her lies. She wasn't his daughter...

"I couldn't go on continuing to live in that pitiful state." She seethed. "The Queen of this planet deserves better!" She declared in anger. "That pitiful existence..." She growled as she thought back to the earlier parts of her life. "Always feeling like there was more. She didn't belong in that painful life. She deserved more! Everything belonged to her she just had to remember it!" Yoruno was backing away, but he found his path to the doorway blocked by Chiba Mamoru. Yoruno stared up at Mamoru's vacant eyes, and fear gripped his weak heart as he turned back to Kimi who stood tall before him, her chin lifted high and she stood with an air of royalty around her, but also dark evil. "Finally she couldn't take it anymore! She was drawn by an intense calling from deep within The Earth, and she followed it! She found her destiny..." Before him her gown transformed into a long deep purple dress. "Queen Metalia..." She laughed after she spoke the name. "Keeping the power hidden all to herself. I made her pay... Once I remembered what was promised to me by a greater power..." She growled. "Her death was met at my hand and her power made mine!" Her voice was growing louder now as she became carried away by her anger. "I don't need her! I can make my own kingdom!" The old man had shrunken away from her as far as he could without running into Mamoru, and he had no where else to go. Kimi's anger vanished in an instant and she smiled down at the old man, but he could finally see the hatred running through her, the evil presence around her was no longer hidden. She was finally showing her true colors to him, and she had removed the magic blindfold from his eyes allowing him to see it. "Don't worry." She said smiling sweetly, but it was an act. "Poor... Pathetic... Yoruno Ryuu."

"W-What are you going to do?" He asked. Suddenly he was angry and he rushed towards her. "You think you can take my hard earned money away from me?!" He demanded as he finally got a hold of himself. He hadn't become one of the richest men in Japan by being cowardly.

"Your money will no longer be of interest to me." She said with a wicked smile. "Your company was only needed to get all of my underlings in line and to help me locate Endymion-sama. Both of which I have achieved long ago." She bent forward towards him. "And I don't think you were complaining." She said. "You were happy with your lie." Yoruno's eyes narrowed in anger.

"Get out of my house!" He demanded. "You mock my wife's memory by being here! Leave!" Her red eyes began to glow a dark purple and he coward back again in fear. "W-What are you?" Kimi laughed wildly and the glow in her eyes faded. Her face contorted into a displeasing sneer.

"I have already told you." She said. "I am the Queen of The Earth! I am Queen Beryl!" Her eyes narrowed. "You are now of no use to me!" She declared and he coward as her eyes returned to their frightening glow. "A useless minion to be tossed aside!" A beam of light sliced through the air towards him and he only had time to give a quick shout before it struck him in the chest at full strength. A whirlwind of mist encased him from the floor up and once it faded away he stood there completely frozen; encased in a hard shell of crystal. Queen Beryl stepped forward and touched the crystal with her long nails and scratched the surface; a displeasing noise filling the office. "Be happy." She told his still form within the crystal. "You will sleep for all of eternity. A nice reward for your use, an escape from death." She laughed in a low rasp. Her nails dug deeper into the crystal and then she pulled away. With a snap of her fingers the crystal vanished in another spurt of mist and she stood there with a twisted smile remaining on her face. "Finally... free of his persistent uselessness!" She said happily, and then she turned to Mamoru. "Go... Bring Jadeite and Nephrite to me." She said. He bowed and left the office. She exited the office and made her way a few doors down to her own private chambers. Opening the door to her room a cold wind ruffled her red hair and she knelt down before the great chest against the outside wall.

"Now..." She unlocked the top and opened it up to see the dark orb lying on the violet pillow. "The final battle..." She took the orb in both hands and she felt the power flowing through her. "Is coming..." She stood up and the long rod formed by her side. She took it in one hand and with the other she placed the orb atop its awaiting claw-like platform and it floated a few inches from the tips of the claws. "Finally I will have what was promised me! What I deserve!" Her eyes narrowed as she looked into the orb. It had been an eternity since the first day, but she could remember every detail of it. She could remember everything she had been promised! Everything she would soon have! It was much more Metalia had ever promised her. She had found someone willing to help her at no cost. At first she hadn't been trusting, but with time she had seen everything he had told her to come true.

"You have no future..." That dark premonition had haunted her, but he had promised to change it. And all she had to do was something she had wanted from the very beginning. In truth, it was the only thing she had ever wanted, and everything else had just been a bonus: Serenity's heart destroyed and her body crushed at her feet.

Back then... He had sucked her into the orb and she had fallen for what had felt like an eternity. He had showed her so many things: the past, the present, the future even, or... what the future could become. He had showed her the truth behind everything! The things Queen Metalia had been to afraid to show her because then Beryl would have known the truth; she didn't need Metalia. All she needed was to take the power for herself.

"The place where stars are born! That is where the source of infinite power lies! The Dark Star, Chaos!" He had guided her to the grand cathedral in spirit and there she had gazed out into the vast, turning Galaxy Cauldron. "Simply reach in and take it..." She had taken it in, and drank the dark energy gratefully. She had taken the forbidden fruit. All that her orb could hold she took, and even now she could summon more of it if needed. All she needed to do was create a portal to The Cauldron with her orb, and it would be given to her. Wiseman had assured it. She was now, essentially, a goddess in her own right! Queen Serenity and Queen Metalia, they would be insects compared to her once she gained full control and leadership of this star! She was invincible!

She returned to her office and a few moments later both Jadeite and Nephrite entered and knelt down before her.

"Queen Beryl-sama..." They said in unison.

"Jadeite, Nephrite..." They didn't look up at her as they continued to kneel. "The final battle with that accursed Moon Princess is at hand!" She said. "Go, awaken Kunzite and Zoisite-"

"Queen Beryl-sama." Jedeite spoke cutting her off and her anger peeked into a raging furry.

"You dare interrupt me!" She cried out in anger.

"Forgive me, Queen Beryl-sama, but I do not believe awakening Kunzite and Zoisite will be necessary." He said. Queen Beryl sat back in her chair.

'And why not?" She inquired.

"We are at a strength that none of the Sailor Senshi will have a hope in defeating." He said. "Surely we do not need to waste useless energy in awakening our fellow Shitennou. Instead I humbly suggest we save our power for the real battle. In fact with your strength and power I believe Nephrite and I will only hinder your abilities to destroy the Senshi as well." Queen Beryl could see right through him. His false flattery... But if it was what he wished...

"Fine." She said. "Fight the Senshi on your own if you dare, but if you are destroyed... I will not revive you."

"Hai." Jedeite agreed. "Queen Beryl-sama, I would also like to inform you that... I have already killed one of the Senshi." He said and Beryl frowned.

"Why did you hesitate to tell me this sooner?" She demanded in anger.

"Forgive me, Queen Beryl-sama. I did not wish to disturb you." He said. "I have succeeded in killing Sailor Mars. She died painfully at the hands of one of my Youma early this morning." Beryl's face did not reveal whether she was pleased or not, and she offered no hint of improved appraisal in regard to him.

"Leave my sight." She said finally, and both of the Shitennou stood up. "Just know the hour of the final battle will be soon, and the Senshi will suffer painfully; both mentally and physically." The bowed again and turned to leave. "But remember..." She said to them as they left. "Sailor Moon is mine..."

The two left the office and Nephra glanced towards Jed.

"You killed a Senshi?" He asked doubtfully.

"Nephra, I have something to ask of you..." Nephra eyed him suspiciously. "I need you to make something for me."