the devil within 2

by max333

As the girls and the guys get used to relationships and living normally as senshi & former dark generals can, Evil Endymion struggles to keep his secret of being evil still, while Usagi becomes suspicious of what's really going on all the while all of them deal with the new threat of cardians, & the 'siblings' who each have crushes on our favorite couple and don't like to share.

9. not so total recall & wise words

kera69love: sorry for the delay in updates, I am still working on it, I just don't have as much time as I used to.

Nat0526: I will, sorry for the delay in it, real life is a pain sometimes.

2 reviews nice, I do apologize for the delay, things do get in the way life but now that I've got another chapter or two done thanks to my beta, thanks 'masterray5', your awesome! Anyways stay tuned for what happened next. Let me know what you think, read, review and enjoy!

The Devil Within 2 ch.9

Usagi POV

The fight replays in my head over and over again.

It starts with me giving orders to Naru. I can tell she wants to protest the fact I'm giving her orders considering she's one of my best friends, but I can also see that she sees me differently than before and there's a certain newfound respect I see. Unsure of what it means I want to ask her but realize that we don't have the time for this, not when you hear screams and cries for help.

I'm well aware of how people sound when it's a monster attack and when it's a normal crime attack. There's a certain fear level response in their voice. The unknown. The fear that of something unexplained, and is something more than likely CAN'T be fixed with a police presence has happened. It elicits a much more haunting scared scream and cry for help.

Naru is a good person but so is any other innocent out there and I can't let another human get involved that doesn't have similar abilities as we do get involved. For their own safety as well as ours.

I dash through brush, bushes, bang into a few trees as I round them and see the scene before me. It's beautifully terrifying in its own way as the trees on both sides of the forest have been shaped in a near column-like presence. They probably do events out in this area too.

It looked to be a little bit more man made as it was an open space. I stepped back, pulling out my broach as I assessed the situation. I see the monster targeting them. It's actually a pretty monster which is shocking for once.

It looked like a lady in a kimono that wanted to suck the life from you. I activated my transformation and stepped back into play here. Figuring to use the trees a bit to send out attacks to subdue it and utilize them to waste its energy. I reach out to the girls to let them know what's going on.

I play duck and dodge with the youma. Feeling the debris from her hits come near me as I dodge between the trees. Like a bouncing squirrel I'm doing what I can to make her use up her energy and buy time for the other to arrive. I don't dare to use my wand at this point as she's not nearly weakened enough to be hit by it yet. Instead I swing around one tree and slam a boot against her face that definitely pisses her off.

I jump up and land on an adjoining tree branch. Watching her look for me as I see the energy sucked students on the ground. Some are trying to get up but others are definitely still too drained to even wake up. However pulling her away from them is giving them a chance to get out of the area. One spots me as I make a 'shushing' motion before signaling to get the others out. However he takes one look at me before his lips lets out a near ear piercing scream that would make a teenage girl proud but it captures the attention of the cardian.

With his back turned he's vulnerable. It goes in to attack but I jump from my position and slam another hit into its head. Before jumping once more out of line of sight as the trees are providing a nice cover for me. At least for now. I hear it letting out a scream of frustration and anger.

I jump from my position and aim at its chest area and body slam it the way Makoto taught me, slamming my closed fists that are locked together down and elbow it in the face before jumping away again. I jump into the bushes this time since I'm on more ground level.

I see more students are beginning to wake up and I motion for one that I barely recognize from my English class. Before he can scream bloody murder I grab him, place my hand over his mouth, push him into the tree were behind and order, "Before your ass reveals where we are in these woods from that thing you need to chill out, remain calm and use that exit over there to get as many students away from that thing while I keep it distracted."

He nods stunned that I'm ordering him about. Or maybe since I'm about a full five inches shorter he's having a hard time taking the order but either way he sees something in me that's agreeing to and accepting it. He nods and wakes a few students up that are groggy and helps to lead them out towards the nearly hidden exit.

However there were still several students left. At least four to five. I see that the cardian has spotted them and sees more energy to be drained still. I make a mad dash towards them and whip out my tiara to slice at the cardian.

I see the blood coming from its arms but instead of looking at the injury it looks more upset than before. My tiara comes back as I whip it out again this time focusing on it to encase her as she fights it off. It's only for about thirty seconds but at least more students take off. Yet once she gets it off and the tiara returns to me she begins her own mad dash towards me with the two students left behind me.

I'm fully prepared to take the blow and counter the attack but thankfully Mars and Jupiter shot out their powers to put distance between us. It slows it down and even knocks it off course but it's still coming at us. I look back and they used the opportunity to take cover rather than to deal with the monster. Can't blame them.

This is where the vision gets intense and I truly feel the terror I felt in the moment magnified.

I turn back to see the cardian getting damn close. I fling my tiara out, aiming to at least slow her down, but she shockingly knocks it away from her and grabs both Mars and Jupiter by the necks and slams them into trees about twenty feet away. I wince at hearing the impact as that had to hurt and definitely stunned both of them.

I watch as she turns her hands into plants and by extension her arms as well as she backs fully up. There's a self satisfied smile that I want to wipe off her face. Though I can see why. She's dealing with five of us at once and it almost appears as if SHE'S winning. I have to change that.

The cardian sends out power hits at Venus and Mercury. Both dodge her powers but as they send out she dodges theirs. Mercury tries to use her bubbles but the cardian turns her arms in incredibly fast fans that blow away the bubbles. This cardian is definitely too fast. More so than any previous one we've faced yet. I try to maneuver around it as I go back to hand to hand combat, using their attacking powers as distraction for it.

I'm able to wack it a few times as do Venus and Mercury with her kicks. It's not till I realize we need to know how to beat this thing and fast.

"Mercury, use your computer to figure out how to kill her," I order as she whips out her Mercury mini computer. "Venus I'll get it away from the two of you but keep Mercury guarded. We don't know how to kill this thing yet."

Knowing what needs to be done Venus does as asked. Venus does send out an attack but it's to try to break Mars and Jupiter from their bonds against the trees. It's enough to weaken the bonds but too much of a power attack could hurt them and she knows it. I see the rest of the students on the ground have woken up from the battle happening and have slipped out the back near where Mercury is as she directs them out with Venus watching their backs.

I have a small amount of relief hit me knowing the innocents are safe and out. However this does not last at all. I get hit off course by the cardian as she spots me. My lapse in sight on her was my undoing as I'm knocked away from the cover of the tree I used as cover. The tree is now splintered so badly I'm not utterly grateful I was behind it. It's almost ready to fall over. Knowing she's been hit with damage now I gather my strength for an attack.

However just as I leave out she sends her arms as if on separate missile launches. Venus send out an attack but the arm missiles dodge it taking on only a little bit of damage and hit both Mercury and Venus as they get pinned to trees behind them. Mercury's computer nearly falls but is crushed against her hand. Pinned to her and if it weren't for Mercury magic, I know for a factor that thing would have been cracked by the force. Pissed that my sisters in arms are now all bound, I jump out.

I gather up a power strike to attack, but she whips herself at me. Not her arm but her whole body. I guess this cardian has a bone to pick with me. The force of it temporarily knocked air from my lungs as I struggled to breathe. I look up to see ALL of them bound to trees nearby as the creature uses her powers to extract energy from them.

After a while, the vision stops playing the opening part of the fight and only focuses on her victory. The part where my temper is flaring hot and hard as I attack her. Her hold on me is pretty successful that even when I try to pry her off of me she turns her hands into the vines as she did previously and pins me more effectively in place. I'm literally on my back and at this cardian's mercy. It's when I feel the wind whipping around us both that I begin to scream, feeling the energy beginning to drain from me. I hear the girls screaming for my person now.

My emotions are all over the place as I try to avoid letting the panic from the fight, a fight that I feel like I should have won, consume me. My doubt at earlier things hits me hard. My mind is spinning as the energy begins to leave me. The cardian above me is grinning happily at her prize especially at having taken on so many of us against her. Her pride is showing on her face as she absorbs more energy from not just me but from all of us.

I can see her jamming more arms into the ground around us, lighting the place up like a spectacle to be seen from a block away. I hear the girls screaming as their energy is being sucked from them too. Then as I look back towards them and to the side, I see their transformations begin to fade away. The energy is all consuming as I feel a bad feeling stir with me. My gut is screaming at me now.

That's when it hits me. I feel my broach react to everything and de-transform me. I look down in sheer shock and disbelief as I watch my transformation unwrap around me. I am beyond stunned as it's never done this before. My fears get magnified. My panic hits me more strongly than before. Suddenly a part of me is taken back to the scared teenager that took off earlier when the fight first started.

I look up and see the monster enjoying this. Genuine enjoyment at what it's doing to me. I feel my regular clothes on as I begin to wonder what I will do without my Senshi powers or strength. I let out a powerful warriors scream. One that makes me want to go out swinging.

At least to give me that, yet it when I feel the ground open up beneath me that that hope fades away. The monster gets up from me. No longer concerned about ensuring I stay in place and looks quite delighted. The girls scream for me to keep fighting as they fight to free themselves and yet I already know that their unable to any time soon get out of the jam their currently in.

They need to free themselves at this rate and forget about me. I feel like I'm already a goner right now. I only got as far as I did with the duck and dodge training Mamoru gave to me, yet here I am, somehow having failed him. I failed them all. My only saving grace is that the students got out and are safely away from here. The force that pulls me down feels like I'm being dragged in against my will.

When my arms are finally free, due in part of the suction hole, I feebly flip myself over, desperate to grab onto anything. I dig my fingers, my palms against the dirt and grass that's still sturdy. Dirt is jammed under my nails, grass is getting pulled out but I'm not caring. I just want to grasp onto anything that might save me. The lower half of me is already in the suction hole and I'm grabbing onto dirt to stay above ground.

The fear of whatever unknown is below is ensuring the tightened panic has me even as I feel futility hit me hard. I see the expression on the girls' faces. That moment of knowing that there's nothing any of them can do to undo what's about to be done. Not even me. The screaming stops for a few shocking seconds.

My eyes are ready to tell them to not be scared and to keep fighting. However, It's when I see a very scared looking Luna, my former advisor, running to my aid. She sprints in like hell on wheels, damning any consequences of what I think or feel, just wanting to be there for me. To try to save me the only way she knows how to with what she's limited in. I suddenly felt a pang of regret hit me for pushing her away.

Even after all of what she did to me, to us all, was what followed necessary? Especially if this is my end? I have to feel a pang of thanks towards her before reality hits me hard.

"Luna get out of here before it takes you to!" I scream at her. Not wanting this to be her end as well. I don't want Artemis to be alone. They still do love each other very much. It'll just take time for them to reconnect again, that's all.

"Not happening!" she screeches and for a moment I see in her eyes at the motherly love she holds for me…I feel content for but a moment.

The moment fades as we are sucked into the portal and the nightmarish visions of my defeat replay over and over again.

Luna POV

I'm suddenly nestled against Usagi's chest. She holds me close to her as we both go down the pit together. Even when we're at odds like now, in the end we come together as easily as we once did and I can't help but hold onto her for as long as I can. I love her as a mother loves her daughter and I know I did her wrong, even if my intentions were with good reasons behind them I still hurt her badly and almost killed Terrian's last heir.

Yet here and now, there is no anger, no pain of the past. Just two people who may or may not survive this monster's pit of death…or is it a pit of death? I open my eyes but there's barely any light surrounding us. I don't feel any pain. Usagi isn't crying in pain herself. Honestly this pit is more like an endless rabbit hole of all consuming darkness. I barely see any light, and what little there is doesn't give way to much of where we are.

Did we fall through some unknown portal? Are we in this monster's universe of sorts? It wouldn't be the first time a monster has taken us to another portal, but this is quiet. There's no sense of pending death, no aura of darkness, not really. I start to relax just a little bit when I realize Usagi hasn't spoken too much. This is alarming for me.

"Usagi?" I ask, my voice small yet hopeful as I still feel her heartbeat. I know she's alive and that alone gives me a sense of comfort.

"Luna?" Usagi meekly says back as if afraid herself.

I almost snorted. After everything that we've been through together sometimes I do forget that underneath the Senshi, underneath the fuku still does lie a young woman, one who's not even 18 yet, still struggling to do simple things like maintaining grades, keeping secrets and yet has this huge responsibility of saving the world.

A weight that I put on her over a year ago. Yes it's her duty, yes it's her responsibility but she's also still a teenager that just wanted a normal life. I took that from her and she's been working with me on it, doing her best all this time. No formal training at all and she's been managing so far.

"I'm sorry." The words are cracked in my voice as I tell her, "I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to be a better advisor…"

I hear her sigh. "You were a great advisor…I think your priorities got a bit mixed up…then they blew up."

I nod. "I know…I just…," I stop myself from defending my actions. I know I was wrong and I've come to accept that. The few visits that I've gotten from people have been testament alone to the butterfly effect I've created.

"You followed your instincts…," Usagi tells me.

"And they were wrong," I reply.

Even if I was beyond sure of it at the time maybe I was focusing more on aspects rather than the rest as a whole. I shake my head though as this being in here isn't about me, it's about what happened up top. Seeing Usagi's transformation get ripped from her was a devastating sight to see. The expression on her face was all telling of someone who has their power, their means of defense stripped from them and the fear of what could now happen to them and the rest of the Senshi was replacing it.

Usagi is someone who will always want to help others, Senshi or not. Yet seeing her go from powerful, confident Senshi, to that schoolgirl becoming fearful of what could happen without her weapons to defend others let alone herself must have been a terrifying feeling. It was already a fearful sight for me to see. Yet it still happened.

"Usagi what happened?" The fear and concern is in my voice as I speak to her.

"I don't know…one minute I was talking with Naru about changes in people…how to work with those changes and how they change us as people, then we heard the screams. I came running, transformed and was getting people out when this happened."

While the battle part is important I can't help but focus on her earlier conversation with Naru.

"Do you think you've changed in the last few months?" I ask her.

She shifts a bit as we continue to float downward. "I know we all have in the last few months," she tells me. "I want you and me to be better again, as I do miss you…but at the same time I can't forget what happened. I wanted to understand Naru better regarding how she feels Umino has been changing around her, but it reminded me of why I couldn't express things myself, or why people change."

I see the solemn look on her face.

"She can't understand the trials of being a Senshi. It was a bleak reminder of the many differences in our lives. One living one of destiny and one living one of normalcy, one that I will probably never get to have again. I guess I still struggle with that knowledge that while I can't stop protecting innocents I also don't want to…I've seen too much, I can't bail out on the fight."

Hearing her talk like this makes me realize she's grown quite a lot. Where was this girl months ago? Or maybe she was already here and I just didn't see it. Was I that focused that I couldn't see her begin this mature transformation? That's when a light appears and puts Usagi into her princess garb. Feeling the familiar material against me I sigh knowing that wherever we are we are safe and secure.

Once we land Queen Serenity appears before us. Sometimes I truly forget the stark resemblance between them and how her mother carries that air of wisdom and peace to her. Usagi, no matter her form, will always be her mother's daughter. Ikuko is a wonderful mother to her of course, not one to not be forgotten as she's raised a carried Usagi since birth in this lifetime and has loved her dearly.

Usagi has a deep respect for both her mothers, both in the past and present, yet the past is what's needed to help her out and get us out of here. Usagi barely talks as she sees her Moon Mother. I think some part of her, while she respects her, feels a bit like she's betraying her Earth Mother if she were to even call her mom. Though in any respect if Ikuko were to meet Queen Serenity and know of everything, I don't think she'd mind sharing that.

She is well-rounded, and understanding, once it's explained to her. Queen Serenity looks to us both and gives a gentle smile that betrays nothing.

"My dearest daughter," she begins as Usagi, now really princess Serenity, says, "I'm your only daughter."

Queen Serenity gives a small chuckle, "I know you crave a normal life again…"

Her words are full of understanding as if she too was once in this position. Memories begin to stir within me yet are gone before I can put meaning to them.

"and I know that this is not the life you desire yet it's become what you know and it is your greatest duty for the next part of your life."

My princess looks at her with tears in her eyes forming, as if wishing that someone besides the girls could truly understand her hardship. I know it's a comfort to go to them, and they to her, but I think sometimes Usagi wishes that they had more people to go to for understanding.

For a second more memories stir on that thought but again it does away too quickly for me to think on it or grasp at it.

"It's not what I wanted for you either, but...it is the life that you know and deep down I think you know that you'd rather fight to save people who can't fight for themselves then to let something happen to them."

It's then I see what Usagi meant earlier, how she was viewing things.

My princess nods to her, knowing what she needs to do and there's no defeat of 'here's my life now', there's no 'crap this sucks' that was the first response from Usagi when I was getting to know her. There's an understanding, a maturity about her I didn't notice before. It's not even resignation within her, it's acceptance, it's understanding a greater calling than her own. I'm in awe of this growing woman before me.

That's when Queen Serenity says, "Here, this new broach will help you find your way back and fight even better than before."

There's a smile to her as she hands a new, slightly designed differently broach to her daughter. My charge takes the broach and I can see that she feels different already with it in her grasp. Even I can feel its power is stronger. It's radiating off of her like a new force.

"Thank you…," Princess Serenity says, stuffing back tears of joy.

"Luna…," Queen Serenity's voice grabs my attention as I look at her. Her face is that of how she used to talk to me on serious matters. As if we were back on the moon I stand a little straighter in Usagi's arms as if making sure she knows I'm all ears.

"My good friend…," her voice is not patronizing but it is that of love and asserting knowledge towards me. "I know you love Usagi as your own, but there are differences that must be set aside for the past to be let go of and to head towards a better future."

I nod my head to her and speak up, frank as possible, "I did what I thought...think...is right."

It's been the source of friction lately so why hide it from the Queen? Especially when the Queen looks at you with a quiet calm that manages to make even the most hardened warriors sink to their knees.

"I know you think it was, but your actions haven't just created a rift in your relationships on Earth but in your connection to Mau."

That's when it hits me, the more tired I've been lately, I thought it was from creating the kingdom, but no. Something else was off and I'm betting that THAT is what it is. I bow my head in defeat. "I thought something was off but I thought it was just expelled energy."

"You love Usagi as I do, but she is a growing woman and as such has insights and ideas that are based on her gut, just as mine once were."

I again bow my head knowing the truth of her words as Queen Serenity didn't always go by the book either. It's what made her a good Queen. She followed her heart as well as her mind and gut on matters. Somewhere along the way I forgot about that.

I forgot how similar both mother and daughter are. Queen Serenity is really just the older version of how Usagi is growing to be. Or at least a version of it.

"Endymion is a good man, the generals are all good men. I've worked with them before in the past." More memories surface of her working with them on different parts of the alliance especially as they were going to be working close with her own daughter. Queen Serenity was a hands on Queen as much as she could be.

"Their intentions will always be for the safety of those they love and for this planet that we hold dear. Their actions when Beryl brainwashed them were not of their choosing and you know this."

I know this now but apparently I had a hard time separating this as the time. Queen Serenity, while she is technically reprimanding me, she isn't dressing me down but rather is educating me.

"We cannot punish someone for being a vessel to someone else's demands when they didn't want to do it to begin with. They were used and forced to do it against their own will. They were essentially puppets to her bidding and had their memories locked out to prevent them from fighting back against the brainwashing."

Yet I questioned it deeply when Mamoru found a way to keep that lock 'off' and continue fighting for us.

"We are better than to look down on those who have been through such crimes of the human condition Luna. You've been by my side long enough to know that evil isn't what powers are being used, but are by what the intentions are behind it." The light scolding I'm being given is better than what I would have thought. It is however the Queen giving me straight up facts rather than yelling at me.

"Till you've dealt with their punishments to only a degree, there is still more to go and Luna..."

I face her and I see the disappointment in her features, love is there too but it's under the other emotions I see as well. If I didn't know any better I swear I could see anger in them making me gulp a bit.

"I'm truly shocked by your actions...I thought I knew you better than that."

My heart begins to drop at her words. I've worked with Queen Serenity for a number of years and yet I've never been on the receiving end as I am now.

"Work through your punishments and listen to Usagi and the others. In order for us to grow, we must learn more and not just our own opinions. There is still so much hope and growth to be had for all of us."

She turns to Usagi now. "I know your own desires my darling daughter but I also know you want forgiveness to be there too. I know you want to forgive her, but that is a decision you must make when you're ready. When you feel Luna is trustworthy again AND most importantly when you BOTH put in the time and effort to build that back up again. it's not just an 'I forgive you' right away, it's commitment and bonding for you both."

I look up to Usagi who seems to understand exactly what she's telling her.

"You both need to work together to move forward and you both need to accept the faults in the other."

I nod now myself, knowing that this is the beginning of something new for my friendship with Usagi. That we can go back to things as they once were, but we have to work to get there. It isn't one sided. I see Usagi look on with newfound wisdom in her eyes and as she stares at me there's even a small smile on her face.

My princess begins to walk away but not before Queen Serenity says, "I love you my darling daughter, my dearest Serenity...my hope, my only child...my heart."

Usagi turns around and with tears in her eyes says, "I love you to…mother."

That special moment between them is short lived however as we all know that there is a fight still brewing. It's then she shouts out the new words to activate her new broach and everything before me goes white.

It seems like only seconds pass as I then hear with more bravado than before Sailor Moon's voice booming out. Her words are filled with compassion, strength, leadership and confidence as we both emerge from the portal pit. The monster looks stunned to see us both back again. a bit perturbed as she was draining some of the other girls there.

"You should be dead." The cardian calls out.

"Sorry to disappoint." Without a hint of remorse to her voice and only a gleaming smile of 'that's right, I'm back baby' as she jumps around. I jump myself to evade the line of fire. The monster tries to hit her but she's seemingly faster now. I stay by the sidelines and watch my charge with pride as she evades with tactical accuracy and whips out her weapon which once it's pulled out looks a little different now too.

She notices this and for a second admires it but only for a second as she obviously doesn't want to get caught off guard. The cardian tries to attack her but she's more quick than before. That's when I see Tuxedo Mask coming forward. He's watching her now too. With the mask on it's hard to see but a part of me still can't figure out why things seem the way they do with him. As he watches her it's with a certain amount of pride.

Recalling that they did train together I try to ignore it but there's something else to how he's watching her. Almost a pensiveness. I'm not sure how to take it as he almost appears stoically tense. It's odd to say the lease. He still stands there and while I would have normally yelled at him to help her I see why he's holding back and why he's probably done so before. I watch her myself and see her going.

Fighting the monster with more ease now than before and it's with this that I realize he's holding back because of his trust in her to have her own back. To know that when she needs the help she'll ask for it. That even when she does need it he waits till he's needed cause there's still parts of her that need to be proven to herself that she can do this. She's seasoned by now but she's still a young woman learning the ropes.

He's not just her love, or her prince, he's her trainer now, and he knows her tactical awareness probably better than I do now. I nod realizing Moon has learned a lot more from him than I gave him or her credit for. During the time I was privately training Rei she was privately training with him to become better. She took the initiative to do that on her own and has surpassed any assumptions of what could have happened.

I'll have to tell her at some point how proud I am of her. My attention gets turned back to her fight and I see that she's got the creature on the ropes. Before I can direct her, a force of habit really, she says her new phrase and nails the creature dead center. It screams with shock as it's turned back into a card and fades from existence. The girls are released from their holding and are marveled at the slight changes in Sailor Moon.

Nothing too massive but the air about her is definitely different, it feels more charged than before and she herself looks happy with her newfound strength. As she helps the girls up and around I know I need to talk to Tuxedo Mask. Going up to him I see his mood darken a bit upon seeing me.

"Luna," he greets me with stoic coolness. I guess I'm lucky to receive that. I don't bother with formalities though.

"I'm beginning to see and understand that my actions a few months ago were perhaps not the best and I would like for us to try to be on the course for amends."

He gives me an expression of wariness before he sighs, "I would honestly like that too…I guess it's just hard considering but…I know that Usagi has been missing you and truthfully things haven't been the same without you around."

I nod. "Honestly these last few months haven't been great BUT I understand why and I…," I look up to him. "I want us to be better. Not just her and I, though mostly her and I but I want you and I to have a good connection to." I walk up a little bit closer to him. "You are after all her betrothed and the last heir to the Terrain royal family…honestly I should have known better than to have thought that you wouldn't be able to be turned as easily as the generals were."

I see the slight glint in his eyes for a moment.

"But I know now that things aren't always what they appear. I let my own pride and other issues get in the way and it caused harm to everyone in this. I'm sorry for what I've done and I want us to be better," I tell him as he nods and responds with, "Let's work towards it. I truly do think that second chances are worth having for everyone involved."

I see the honesty of his words in his eyes as I give a small smile, "New beginnings then."

He accepts this.