Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or the image used. I do own my OC characters in this story.

Chapter Seventeen

It was dark, the moon was shining brightly as the girls arrived at their destination, the Generals and Tuxedo Mask already waiting for them. His blue eyes glazed over with a hidden emotion; his thoughts only revealed when he snapped.

"Where is the Princess?! I can sense her here" Tuxedo Mask nearly shouted. Sailor Moon flinched but remained calm. She had promised to remain strong.

"You can't ask anything of us Tux boy!" Uranus shouted, clenching her fists as Neptune placed a comforting arm on her shoulder. Saturn merely glared at him.

"Our Princess is here" Venus stated, narrowing her eyes on Kunzite. He wanted to reach out to her, to tell her that if things had been different, if they weren't who they were then maybe, just maybe they had a chance. But Venus looked at him coldly, hurt and anger playing with each other in her eyes.

"I am Princess Serenity…. Endymion" Sailor Moon stepped forward, with her head held high. Tuxedo Mask took a sharp in-take of breath, his eyes boring into her.

"All this time? Are you all sure she isn't lying to you?" Tuxedo Mask asked in a slight harsh tone. Sailor Moon flinched, disappointed and saddened the man she had loved would doubt her like that.

"She is our Hime" Pluto stated, grinding her teeth as she tried not to snap. Tuxedo Mask looked her up and down before relaxing his stance, only a little.

"Then you know my feelings Serenity, about us" he said, softer this time. Pluto stepped forward, pushing her rod towards Tuxedo Mask to which his generals were instantly on guard.

"I told you if you hurt her anymore…." Pluto threatened. He was not threatened in the least, his own eyes sharp.

"Serenity must accept this; our love must end here for earth to be safe. We have a duty to those who cannot protect themselves. Serenity, please, look at me" Sailor Moon tried to ignore the silent pleading in his voice. There were too many eyes on them. Wasn't this a conversation to have in private?

"Look, I suggest that Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask have this discussion elsewhere, but not right now. Right now, we have to prepare for a battle that could decide the fate of the universe in two days time" Venus redirected the meeting, a kind look passed between her and Sailor Moon. Tuxedo Mask looked as if he were going to argue until Kunzite stepped forward.

"Agreed, we have more pressing matters at hand" Venus didn't acknowledge him as he spoke. Tuxedo Mask felt his eyes twitch in annoyance but conceded. They did have more important matters to discuss, but he needed to speak with Serenity, to make her see his point of view on matters and to get her to open up about them. Maybe once their feelings were out in the open, then they could move on from what was ultimately his decision.

"Well, why don't we start by revealing our civilian forms to each other, we need to trust each other somehow, even after all that has happened" Zoisite suggested, trying to not look at Mercury whose blue eyes were on the ground, looking at the tips of her blue boots.

"I don't think that is such a good idea" Mars burst out.

"And why is that?" Jadeite asked, already regretting he was the one to ask the question.

"I don't want to know who you are other than the evil brainwashed fool you were and the fool you are now" Mars snapped. Jadeite nearly flinched from her words but held his gaze firm.

"We have to do this, we could all die in two days' time, we must spend as much time as possible preparing and knowing our civilian identities will increase our time of planning" Kunzite stated firmly, looking at Mars who only glared back at him.

"Agreed" Venus didn't look at the incredulous looks her Senshi were throwing at her.

"Also agreed" Pluto added, her eyes telling the rest of the Outer Senshi to back down. Standing across from each other, the Sailor Senshi, although hesitant at first, de-transformed around the same time as the Generals and Tuxedo Mask. The reverberating shocked gasps spoke volumes.

"Odango…?" Mamoru's eyes widened in absolute shock. The only girl he actually was starting to like turned out to be his Princess, how damn predictable.

"Minako…" Katashi felt every fibre in his body stand still as Minako clenched her fists in anger.

"I knew it…. I felt it" Minako muttered as she stood closer to Usagi who was now visibly shaking, angry with herself for believing she could be strong. Why was fate so cruel.

"I remember you" Ami said calmly as she stood next to Makoto who only folded her arms, glaring at Arata. Fumio nodded, confirming Ami's words.

Rei and Jun'ichi simply stared at each other. He could see the hurt in his eyes as she looked at him, as she recognised him.

"Well, this is not awkward at all is it?" Haruka couldn't help the sarcastic tone but she stopped herself from saying another word when Usagi ran away, rubbing her eyes profusely. Mamoru didn't waste any time chasing after her. Haruka was about to grab Mamoru when Setsuna stopped her.

"They need this, let them be" Setsuna's words annoyed Haruka but she knew that Setsuna must have had her reasons.

Usagi could hear his faint steps behind her, chasing after her as she ran out of the park and down the road. She didn't know where she was going, she just wanted to get away, get away from everyone. When she finally stopped, she had ran down two roads, ten minutes away from the park. Mamoru had kept up with her all the way. He was huffing a little when he was able to finally stop. The moonlight shone on Usagi, turning her hair more silvery than blonde, the colour he remembered her having. Even in this lifetime, he would never get tired of watching her under the moonlight. When Usagi finally turned around, it was clear she had been crying the whole journey.

Mamoru was stumped on what he could say. Pluto's words echoed in his mind, 'she is heartbroken'.

"Serenity I…."

"It's Usagi" Usagi said, surprising Mamoru with the quickness of her words. Mamoru felt his mouth go dry, he had to do this, he just had to.

"Usagi, you know our love destroyed both our worlds. Can you honestly say you're willing to sacrifice it all again?" Mamoru asked softly.

"I would sacrifice anything for you" Usagi answered back, speaking for Princess Serenity, her voice trembling "I forsook my Kingdom for us, my mothers' life…." Mamoru sighed a deep sigh, her words cutting deeper than he had expected.

"I….I don't think I can make that sacrifice again, even for you Serenity" there, he had finally said it, spoken his doubts. He thought he would feel weightless but instead, an incredible feeling of wrongness took over him. It didn't stop him carrying on his with the rest of his words.

"I don't think I can love you enough to forsake so many innocent lives. What if we could do it all different this time? What if we were cursed because of what we did in the past? Look how it all ended, the death of both our guardians and parents, the whole galaxy destroyed. I don't think I can do that again, not even for you Serenity. Please you must understand" Mamoru stepped forward but Usagi stepped backwards, her eyes blank, her heart shattered. As the Senshi and his generals quickly followed behind, Setsuna could see it, see Usagi had died on the inside.

"You bastard" Setsuna seethed causing everyone apart from Usagi to look at her, her eyes blazing towards Mamoru.

"Well, well, thank you all very much, seemed my little plan worked!" Althea appeared directly behind Usagi, easily grabbing Usagi like she was a lifeless doll. Mamoru froze on the spot as Althea held Usagi.

"Don't worry, we'll have our showdown in two days, we just still need the princess. Well done Tux boy, you might have made Queen Meteria's job easier. She won't put much of a fight now" Althea smirked as she disappeared with Usagi.

"USAGI!" Minako screamed out as she lunged forward, only for Katashi to hold her back. Once Althea had gone with Usagi, Minako shoved Katashi away.

"Don't touch me, don't you ever touch me!" Minako screeched in absolute hatred, something Katashi as Kunzite had never ever seen before, it shocked him to the core. Setsuna transformed into Sailor Pluto and whacked Mamoru across his stomach, into a wall. His generals instantly transformed and stood in front of their Prince.

"This is your fault, if you had just left her alone!" Pluto yelled in rage. Pluto knew they needed to talk but she never saw that coming. Suddenly, myriads of thoughts danced around in her mind. The battle was to still happen but, had Beryl's generals thought of this as an opportunity? Althea was smart, incredibly smart and no doubt Nehellennia would have wanted Althea on her team.

Mamoru for his part was lost for words. He didn't even acknowledge the numbing pain to his chest as his golden crystal got to work in healing the blow. Wait, Pluto had actually attacked him! this thought made Mamoru transform, not into Tuxedo Mask, but into Prince Endymion. Dressed in the deep navy and black of his royal garb, Pluto stepped back hesitantly, questioning whether she would hit him again.

"How dare you!" Endymion snapped, his blue eyes a storm. Pluto stood her ground, knowing the Senshi had her back.

"No, how dare you! Because of your desperate, selfish need to hurt our Princess, she is gone!" Pluto snapped back.

"Couldn't you have waited? Couldn't you have seen the need to focus on the battle?" Ami asked, a silent rage bubbling inside her stomach.

"Matters had to be made clear Mercury; we cannot fight with any uncertainty. Our relationships must end, stay in the past where it belongs for the protection of Earth" Zoisite said in a colder tone than he had wanted. Ami shrank back a little.

"If we still harbour feelings for each other we will lose. Our destinies must be away from each other to have any success" Jadeite stated, his own blue eyes holding Rei's.

"Don't you worry, any feelings we had is gone" Rei narrowed her eyes. Minako managed to get control of her feelings, the deep anger, rage and fury she felt. She suddenly started to laugh which drew everyone's attention to her, including a weary Kunzite.

"I just can't believe I didn't sense it….my Hime has been my best friend, we've been fighting alongside each other. She was never truly adept at physical fighting, but she was still more powerful. And I stupidly didn't recognise it, some leader I am. But it will end today" Minako stopped laughing and had a very serious look on her face.

"Today I will take my stand as leader of the Sailor Senshi. I will fight to save my Princess and once we have her back. I will protect her from all threats, including you" Minako looked dead on at Prince Endymion who now narrowed his eyes on her.

"We will fight with you to end the Queen's but after that, there will never be any partnership again. I hold you all responsible for what has happened to my Hime, if we lose her, I will personally kill you all" Kunzite couldn't believe the words Minako had spoken, and she was firm in her words.

"I agree, if I lose Usagi I swear on my life, you will all pay" Makoto threatened.

"Until then, we will search for her and will fight with you in battle, but do not see us as allies. Our Princess life comes first" Haruka's steely tone ended any form of communication between the two groups as the Senshi left, Hotaru throwing the Generals and Endymion a dangerous look before leaving. The Generals released a breath they hadn't realised they had been holding. Kunzite inwardly groaned, he just wished his Prince had waited instead of steaming ahead with trying to right the wrongs he felt they all made. What if they were making matters worse?

XXX

Usagi could feel the coldness of the slate slab underneath her. She had been unconscious the whole time when Althea, along with Violet and Queen Beryl had brought her to a darkened room. Once they had placed her on the slab, Queen Beryl slapped Usagi, hard. Althea and Violet giggled as they left the room. Usagi tried her best not to cry but the side of her face was turning red. Queen Beryl then slapped her again, and again before walking away, huffing and puffing. Usagi covered her face with her hands as hot tears fell down her now swollen cheeks.

"I have wanted to do that for so long and much more. I could kill you, here and now. I could pierce your heart and make you cry out for mercy and no-one would come. But my master wants you and I cannot disobey" Queen Beryl then started to laugh as her eyes landed on Usagi.

"You'll be in more pain now than with me anyways. I will enjoy your screams for help from my throne room. Goodbye Moon brat, I hope death welcomes you" and with that Beryl left, leaving the shadows to cover Usagi as the red eyes of the massive form of Meteria appeared.

"Princess Serenity….I now have you in my grasp. With your body I will control the Silver Crystal and will rule this galaxy!" Queen Meteria in a loud voice said with authority.

"I won't let you have it….you'll never have it!" Usagi with all her courage shouted back.

"Who said you'll give it to me willingly? I am going to rip out your soul, now, do you know how painful that will be? Chaos will have your pure soul and he will swallow it whole!" Usagi's eyes widened as she felt her whole body grow stiff. She couldn't move. Gradually, a feeling of fire was spreading throughout her whole body. Searing pain made Usagi start to scream.

Her mind tele-ported her away, to the Moon Kingdom before it was destroyed. In front of her was Queen Serenity, looking at her daughter sadly. Princess Serenity crumbled to the ground in front of her mother, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Please mother, help me, it hurts so much!" Princess Serenity cried out. Queen Serenity, walked up quickly to her daughter and crouching down, held her daughter closely.

"I can't my daughter. I am no longer living. But I can give you the strength to stand strong and battle this evil. Right now, the Silver Crystal is protecting your heart from corruption. It should give the Senshi enough time to reach you" Queen Serenity tried to sooth her daughter but still, her daughter cried.

"Are we damned mother? I broke so many laws for him….and he doesn't love me!" Queen Serenity shook her head at her daughter.

"He does love you; he is just not in a good place right now. Guilt has overcome him, this is a battle he must fight alone but know this, he is not the only man you could love. if it is meant to be, he will come back to you but if not, there is someone else out there so please, do not give up. You can win this; you can fight against this! You have not just my blood but the blood of the goddess of the moon running through your very veins. Fight Serenity, I know there is a warrior's spirit in you, the very same spirit I had. You must not give up. Your Senshi need you, the entire galaxy needs you" Princess Serenity nodded. As darkness started to encircle her, Princess took one final look at her mother's face. She could see that if she tried hard enough, she could be as strong as her mother. Then the pain returned.

XXX

A whole day passed where the Senshi, avoiding school, had spent time with Luna and Artemis trying to locate their Princess's location. By the third day, when the battle was due to take place, Sailor Mercury struck gold.

"The North Pole! That's where Queen Beryl is?" Makoto asked incredulously.

"Yes, and my guess is if we make a loud enough noise, Nehellenia and her generals will follow us" Ami stated. Minako nodded, clenching her fists.

"Setsuna, go and tell those men where to meet us, outside the Hikawa Shrine, they must be there within the hour. It is time to take the fight to those pathetic Queen's" the Senshi all nodded, agreeing with Minako. It was time they took control of the battle. Meanwhile, Gwendolyn had already hacked into Ami's findings. Smirking to herself, she went and gathered Zirconia and Ariana. They headed for the North pole where Nehellenia would finally come face to face with her nemesis.

Hi All

Thought to try and update sooner this time around :-)

Thank you all for the support and reviews on this story - greatly appreciated.

This story is going to be a little longer - I am still in the process of writing it and seeing where it takes me. I know it is hard going with the SenshiXShitennou and MamoruXUsagi - things will pick up later. For now they have their differences to work out.