Having returned to the hospital, she went straight to Koro's room, picture and bear in hand. She opened the door.

"Hey!" Koro grinned as he saw her.

"I couldn't tell which one it was, so I just grabbed both of them..." she murmured, handing them both to him.

"Ahh..." he sighed, looking at the picture for a moment. Then he tossed it over his shoulder and neatly into the trash-can. "That was unimportant. Thanks for bringing this!"

"Why did you have a picture of Sailor Star Fighter?"

"Used to think she was connected to you. But she isn't... No way, no how, is she related to you and Neo-Queen Serenity!"

"Well, that's accurate."

Serena almost jumped at Amara's voice. She realized Amara and Michelle were standing behind her.

"Those people have nothing to do with Serena, and neither do you, so back off, pretty-boy." Amara warned.

Koro cocked his head. "I have no intention of hurting her... Only to protect her. She summoned me here, and now I'm here to obey her command." he said solemnly.

"Serena, is what he says true?" Michelle asked.

"I don't know... I had a dream with him, I think... Before he came..." she admitted.

"Yes. You summoned me here." Koro said, painfully climbing to his feet. He came up to her, holding up the bear. "You gave me this."

"I don't..." she started, looking at him. He looked desperate, lost. Like he would die if she denied him.

"It's okay... It's okay if you don't remember. You probably... Don't remember much as Neo-Queen Serenity."

Amara moved defensively between her and the singer. He moved back, as if admitting defeat.

"If... If there's nothing else, Serena... Then..." he said softly, sadly.

"Yes. Who are you really?" Michelle said swiftly.

Koro grinned. "I can't show you now! Someone else may see me!"

Amara and Michelle both glared at him, ushering her from the room. "Serena... Be careful around him. I don't trust him." Amara said sternly.

"O-okay..."

Next day, Koro was back. He seemed slightly weaker, and everyone treated him delicately, but he was back. Serena was treading the lightest around him.

Then, after school, came another problem.

A Phage.

A self-defense teacher.

The battle wore on and on. The Phage seemed to turn their own attacks against them.

"Hey!"

"Shooter!" she gasped, feeling herself thrown out of the way of an attack. "You came!"

"Hey, I can't leave people who ain't up t' fighting against something fresh and ready to go!" she smiled, climbing to her feet. "Just don't attack it directly. Make it lopsided, so it has to take time to even out the pressure, wounding it a bit and giving you time to find a blind spot!"

That being said, the lone Sailor jumped at the Phage. "Hey!" she yelled after her.

"Hyah!"

Shooter was using martial arts against the Phage instead of regular attacks!

"Your form is perfect, dead on!" the Phage cheered.

"I know... That's the result of having a great teacher! Hyah!"

"Woah... Shooter really knows her martial arts!" Jupiter admired. "I mean, did you see that kick!"

The Phage had just barely blocked Shooter's kick... But Shooter's image was slightly glowing red. "Shit... How'd you do that...?" the Sailor growled.

"Shooter's transformation is dissolving!" Uranus cried.

Everyone froze. Shooter was in a bad position... If the Phage got through, her transformation would dissolve and she'd be revealed... But she had to attack the Phage!

"Cha!"

That did it. Somehow the Phage knocked the transformation out.

"N-no way!" Healer cried out, voicing the thoughts of them all.

"Just shut up!" Koro screamed at them.

Koro Yuii was Sailor Heart Shooter. Koro Yuii was fighting for her life now!...

"K-Koro!" she cried hopelessly.

"What?" he grunted, flipping into a new position, both hands and one foot down, his other leg blocking the move of the Phage.

"Your form is still perfect despite being under so much pressure! If you can keep it up, which is doubtful, you just may win!" the Phage smirked.

"Koro, you were right... I don't remember much as Neo-Queen Serenity... You're right..." she almost whispered. "I... I...!"

Recklessly, she tore off the compact. Her transformation dissolved. Everyone was shocked but Koro. "You knew, and you're most likely right... I probably did call you here, give you your power! I may not remember it, but you're right!"

Koro's eyes were softer, slightly glazed.

"You didn't have to do that."

Huh?

"You didn't have to put yourself at risk just to prove to me something I already knew. Serena, you warned me that the Silver Crystal is losing power. It may be at it's peak, but you exert so much energy it's going out. Serena... Every time you transform, you're losing more and more shine. Eventually, it'll go out forever, and if that happens, I'll never forgive myself."

"I win!"

"Augh!"

"Koro!" they all yelled.

While he'd been distracted by her, the Phage had gotten through!

"Rapid Thousand-fisted Strike!" the Phage screeched.

"Koro!" they all yelled again.

The Phage had just unleashed a powerful and rapid attack that wasn't giving Koro any time to recover or strike back.

"Star... Serious... Lazer!"

The Phage fell away from the beat-up Koro. "Fighter...?" Mars gasped.

"You... You stay away from him!" Fighter snarled at the Phage.

"I don't need your help!" Koro spat.

"Yes, you do!"

"Wh-what?!"

Fighter had let her transformation fade away.

"S-Seiya!" she cried out.

"Like it or not, we're family, and I'm not just gonna let this thing kill you!" Seiya yelled, pointing at Koro.

The Phage...!

"Hey! Look out!"

The images from her dream flashed before her.

They were still on the self-defense school's grounds, so many weapons were handy... Like swords.

Battered, shaking, bloody...

Koro had placed himself between her and the Phage's blow. The sword dug into his back, the Phage looking shocked at the other end. "S-sorry... Looks like... I failed you..." he coughed, his eyes dim.

In the next instant, he went limp.