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     1.2 +++ b/old/stories/eye-3.txt	Fri Feb 19 20:53:12 2010 -0500
     1.3 @@ -0,0 +1,731 @@
     1.4 +Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon - Infinity Alternate
     1.5 +'Eye of the Beholder' - Chapter Three
     1.6 +by AmazonessDuo
     1.7 +amazonessduo@hotmail.com
     1.8 +
     1.9 +
    1.10 +
    1.11 +	The future Senshi of the moon raced against time to reach Hotaru
    1.12 +before it was too late. Her fuku was soaked from the rain and hail,
    1.13 +her pink hair a mess. “I have to save Hotaru-chan! I can’t let them
    1.14 +kill her. I can’t let them get to her. I have to protect her.” Her
    1.15 +long gloves wiped away the tears and rain from her eyes as she
    1.16 +spotted the fence to the Tomoe residence. Her heart sped up its
    1.17 +chaotic tempo in her chest. “I won’t run away from her this time.
    1.18 +Whatever form she’s in, whoever she is, whatever her destiny is, it
    1.19 +doesn’t matter. I love her...” Her body kept moving, despite her
    1.20 +mixed thoughts. She leapt over the fence and headed for Hotaru’s
    1.21 +room, ready for anything this time.
    1.22 +	Setsuna’s eyes followed the young Senshi’s movements from the tree
    1.23 +she was waiting in with Haruka and Michiru. “Is that
    1.24 +Sailorchibimoon?! She’s not supposed to be here!” Pluto immediately
    1.25 +jumped down from the tree, followed closely by Uranus and Neptune.
    1.26 +She raced for the ‘younger’ girl in an attempt to stop her. If
    1.27 +anything happened to her...
    1.28 +	“Hotaru-chan?” ChibiUsa crawled through the window, unaware of the
    1.29 +Outers close behind. She looked awful, some dirt streaks on her fuku
    1.30 +and some scrapes from when she’d slipped in on the street on the way
    1.31 +there. 
    1.32 +	“ChibiUsa-chan?” came Hotaru’s weak voice from the bed, unable to
    1.33 +believe her eyes. The other girl had come back? But... why? After
    1.34 +what she’d seen earlier, Hotaru had been certain that she would never
    1.35 +see the pink haired girl again. “Sailorchibimoon, why..?”
    1.36 +	ChibiUsa didn’t say anything as she sat down next to the pale girl.
    1.37 +Her heart pounded in her chest. Nothing sounded right. She wanted to
    1.38 +tell her everything that was in her heart, but she knew the Outers
    1.39 +were intent on killing her. She had to protect her above all else at
    1.40 +the moment. Her arms wrapped tightly around the dark haired girl,
    1.41 +Hotaru shivering in her arms. She looked awfully sick. Holding the
    1.42 +other girl close, she let her eyes fall closed, trying to regain her
    1.43 +composure. “I’m so sorry, Hotaru-chan. I didn’t mean to run away.
    1.44 +You’re everything to me. I just got scared. Seeing you like that just
    1.45 +brought up everything I’d been frightened about in the first place
    1.46 +about falling in love with you. But I’ll never leave you again. I’m
    1.47 +here to make sure you never have to be alone again.” Her crimson eyes
    1.48 +sparkled as she pulled just enough away from Hotaru to meet her
    1.49 +silver eyes. “Hotaru-chan, I love you. I really meant that when I
    1.50 +told you earlier. I do love you. And I won’t let them hurt you.”
    1.51 +Brushing back some of Hotaru’s dark hair, she hesitated only
    1.52 +momentarily before kissing her. 
    1.53 +Hotaru returned the kiss slowly, her body still shaking as salty
    1.54 +tears spilt down her ivory cheeks. Her heart latched onto this one
    1.55 +moment, everything else being too much for her to handle. As long as
    1.56 +she was in her princess’s arms, she would be safe. “I love you...”
    1.57 +she whispered softly. She swallowed painfully. Hotaru knew what she
    1.58 +had to say, but she couldn’t get herself to let go of ChibiUsa. “You
    1.59 +have to go, ChibiUsa-chan..”
    1.60 +Wet hair swung about as ChibiUsa shook her head. “I can’t go. If I
    1.61 +go, they’ll hurt you. I’m lucky I got here in time. I promise I won’t
    1.62 +let them do anything to you,” she said soothingly, stroking Hotaru’s
    1.63 +back through the dark cloth. She could actually feel some of the
    1.64 +wires underneath her flesh, but she didn’t care. Her poor firefly.
    1.65 +There had to be something she could do for her.
    1.66 +Hotaru shook her head. Everything was getting more distant, as if
    1.67 +she was watching it all from far off. “But if you don’t go... she’ll
    1.68 +hurt you..” It didn’t matter if someone was going to do something to
    1.69 +her. It was too late for her. But ChibiUsa had to get away. 
    1.70 +	ChibiUsa was confused by Hotaru’s words. The dark haired girl
    1.71 +sounded so tired, so weak. She wasn’t making sense. The princess
    1.72 +turned Sailor Senshi had come here to protect her from someone, not
    1.73 +the other way around. “What?”
    1.74 +	Hotaru’s deep silver eyes opened again, their depths seeming
    1.75 +clouded by something. It wasn’t that sad look the depressing girl
    1.76 +usually had, but something entirely different. Something frightening.
    1.77 +The door slammed shut, startling the younger looking girl in her
    1.78 +arms. Before ChibiUsa knew what was happening, a hand snaked out from
    1.79 +Hotaru, wrenching the broach from Chibimoon’s chest. 
    1.80 +	Her eyes wide in shock, ChibiUsa slumped against Hotaru. Her fuku
    1.81 +reverted back to her normal clothes as everything started to grow
    1.82 +dark. Her last thoughts before she lost consciousness were a painful
    1.83 +understanding that she had been far too late to save Hotaru.
    1.84 +	“Small Lady?! Damn it!” Pluto cursed herself for not being there
    1.85 +sooner to save the princess. 
    1.86 +	“ChibiUsa!!” Usagi cried as she and Mamoru ran to their future
    1.87 +daughter. 
    1.88 +	Hotaru’s conscious faded out at about the same time as ChibiUsa’s,
    1.89 +something more sinister taking over. Her hair grew past her
    1.90 +shoulders, pooling on the floor as her body grew stronger. A grin
    1.91 +creased her lips as her young body rapidly grew to a more suitable
    1.92 +age. Glaring at the Senshi imposing themselves upon her, they were
    1.93 +all forced back out of the room by a tremendous power. 
    1.94 +	Usagi held ChibiUsa’s cold hand as she looked back in at the girl
    1.95 +that had been Hotaru. “Is that Saturn? Are we too late? Is she
    1.96 +already awake?”
    1.97 +	Haruka shook her head, keeping an eye on the new threat. “No, the
    1.98 +talismans haven’t been activated. Saturn hasn’t been called yet. So
    1.99 +that has to be something else.” The blonde shook her head, at a loss.
   1.100 +	A black star began shining on what had been Hotaru’s forehead.
   1.101 +“What a stupid girl. But she really did come in handy after all. Now
   1.102 +I have the Ginzuishou. I’ve awakened! And soon I have a gift for you,
   1.103 +Master Pharaoh 90!” Her grin broadened as she clutched onto
   1.104 +ChibiUsa’s broach.
   1.105 +	“ChibiUsa?!” Mamoru held onto the princess’s unconscious body
   1.106 +protectively. 
   1.107 +	“ChibiUsa!! ChibiUsa, wake up!” Usagi called frantically. “She’s so
   1.108 +cold, Mamo-chan... She’s not breathing!” She held ChibiUsa’s cold
   1.109 +hand tighter. 
   1.110 +	
   1.111 +	She was going to kill that little bitch. That’s all there was to
   1.112 +it. This wasn’t just business anymore. It wasn’t just her duty. She
   1.113 +had gotten careless, sloppy. But what could be expected of her? She
   1.114 +had only been a Senshi for little over a week. She hadn’t been
   1.115 +reawakened as Sailor Pluto until very recently. But she’d had enough
   1.116 +time to puzzle over her memories. And Setsuna knew damn well that the
   1.117 +young princess had been her only friend in the future when she’d been
   1.118 +locked away guarding the Time Gate. And yet she had failed her. She
   1.119 +hadn’t been quick enough to save her. And now Small Lady was dying
   1.120 +because of that girl. Telling herself that the girl was possessed by
   1.121 +a powerful Daimon didn't help her in the least. She had to find her.
   1.122 +She didn’t even know why they were bothering to discuss all of this.
   1.123 +Time was of the essence.
   1.124 +	“She’s gone into cardiac arrest. I’m afraid she’s dying. And
   1.125 +there’s nothing I can do to help,” Dr. Mizuno said hopelessly. There
   1.126 +was no way she could sugar coat this diagnosis. The girl was so
   1.127 +young, too. She always felt a pang in her heart at seeing children
   1.128 +taken from their parents. It worried her about her own daughter. Ami
   1.129 +hovered close to her side, as if mirroring her mother’s sentiments. 
   1.130 +	“No... That’s wrong... This is all wrong...” Setsuna shook her head
   1.131 +slowly as she watched her little princess dying in the arms of her
   1.132 +future mother. This wasn’t the way the time stream was supposed to go
   1.133 +at all. Time had taken a freakish twist, taking with it the life of
   1.134 +Princess Small Lady. She couldn’t help blaming herself, thinking that
   1.135 +there must have been something she could have done, some way she
   1.136 +could have prevented this. It felt like a nightmare that she couldn’t
   1.137 +wake up from. 
   1.138 +	“Small Lady...” Diana looked up at her mistress with tear streaked
   1.139 +eyes, nuzzling her cold side gently. She almost expected to feel the
   1.140 +gentle hand of the girl she was supposed to watch scratching under
   1.141 +her chin. This was worse than when she’d gone off into the past
   1.142 +without her in the first place. Much, much worse. ChibiUsa felt so
   1.143 +cold. Licking her unresponsive hand for a moment, Diana pressed her
   1.144 +head against it, her heart sinking as ChibiUsa’s arm slumped
   1.145 +lifelessly next to her.
   1.146 +	Dr. Mizuno silently left the room, leaving the grieving family and
   1.147 +friends. She wished that she could do more to comfort them, but she
   1.148 +knew from experience that there wasn’t anything she could do. This
   1.149 +was the part of the job she hated the most. And seeing Ami with
   1.150 +them... She wanted to just quit for the day and take her dear
   1.151 +daughter home with her. To know that she was safe. But Ami was a big
   1.152 +girl now. The look in her eyes had told her that Ami would like
   1.153 +nothing better than to go home with her, safe and sound. But she had
   1.154 +other things she needed to take care of. And if that was the way
   1.155 +things had to be, so be it. Dr. Mizuno said a quick prayer for her
   1.156 +daughter’s safety, hoping that she would never have to be in the
   1.157 +situation that those poor people were in at the moment.
   1.158 +	Clutching ChibiUsa’s cold body tightly, Usagi tried to suppress the
   1.159 +sobs that threatened to overwhelm her. “She’s dying... Hotaru-chan..
   1.160 +No, Sailorsaturn killed ChibiUsa-chan..” Even in her deep, tortured
   1.161 +sleep, the pink haired girl’s face looked oddly serene. Usagi had to
   1.162 +wonder if she had been wrong, if maybe there had been no other way
   1.163 +than to kill Hotaru. That maybe her future daughter would have
   1.164 +survived.
   1.165 +	“Her soul was ripped from her body,” Setsuna explained quietly as
   1.166 +she brushed ChibiUsa’s cheek in a motherly manner. At the puzzled
   1.167 +look she received from all but Haruka and Michiru, she continued.
   1.168 +“It’s been the Death Busters’ plan from the beginning. They’ve been
   1.169 +stealing souls the entire time that we’ve been fighting them. From
   1.170 +Mugen Gakuen and other places. The bodies are mere constructs for
   1.171 +them, being used like so many spare parts for a machine. They plan on
   1.172 +using them to build a body for Pharaoh 90. To convert them all into
   1.173 +one. So he can be reborn here on earth. I’m surprised they didn’t
   1.174 +take Small Lady’s body as well.”
   1.175 +	Usagi shook her head in confusion. “But if that’s what they’re
   1.176 +after and Hotaru-chan was helping... So that wasn’t Sailor Saturn we
   1.177 +saw over ChibiUsa-chan?” 	
   1.178 +	Michiru shook her head, aquamarine hair swinging to either side.
   1.179 +“No, the talismans have yet to activate. When they do, then Saturn
   1.180 +will awaken. Had it been Saturn, we would all be dead now. So this
   1.181 +might be out last chance.” 
   1.182 +	“We failed to plan for this. We were only worried about the girl
   1.183 +awakening as Saturn, but she has been used by the enemy for years.
   1.184 +That Daimon has been sleeping within her frail body from the very
   1.185 +beginning of Pharaoh 90’s gamble for earth. It isn’t even Hotaru any
   1.186 +longer. She died when Mistress 9 took over her body. At the same
   1.187 +time, she killed ChibiUsa. Or will. When she stole ChibiUsa’s
   1.188 +Ginzuishou, she dragged her soul along as well.”
   1.189 +	“Then... What will happen to ChibiUsa-chan and Hotaru-chan?” Usagi
   1.190 +asked worriedly. She squeezed the young girl’s cold hand. There
   1.191 +wasn’t even the reassurance that ChibiUsa was there with her anymore.
   1.192 +It was just a body.
   1.193 +	Setsuna felt a burning in her throat, but she refused to let it
   1.194 +through as she looked up at her future queen. Even if it pained her,
   1.195 +she couldn’t change the reality of what was happening. “The souls the
   1.196 +Death Busters have gathered are used to bolster Pharaoh 90 while he
   1.197 +waits for something stronger to sustain him. They keep him alive in
   1.198 +the meantime until he can be reborn. But even if he is reborn, the
   1.199 +souls will be utilized as Daimons. It would be impossible to save
   1.200 +them at that point. Their only salvation would be death and the
   1.201 +afterlife that awaits them.” The thought of Small Lady languishing as
   1.202 +a Daimon tormented her. She knew if that happened, she would have to
   1.203 +kill her personally, to save the princess from that life. 
   1.204 +	The Sailor Team was shocked by this revelation. “So all of the
   1.205 +Daimons we’ve fought up till this point...” Minako began. She was
   1.206 +starting to feel sick. “They were humans before?” How could they have
   1.207 +killed so many unknowingly? So many innocent lives had been
   1.208 +sacrificed already.
   1.209 +	“You did them a favor. They were trapped in those Daimon bodies.
   1.210 +You have released them. For all intents and purposes, they had died
   1.211 +when their souls had been taken. You just allowed them to move on,”
   1.212 +Michiru explained coldly. She had to remain cold. This was her duty.
   1.213 +Too many people would die if she didn’t. Too many more innocents. She
   1.214 +wouldn’t let that happen. She glanced at Haruka for support but found
   1.215 +Haruka doing the same. Yes, she had to stay strong. 
   1.216 +	“ChibiUsa-chan... Hotaru-chan... If we don’t save them soon,
   1.217 +they’ll be changed into Daimons?” Usagi looked up to stare pointedly
   1.218 +at the Outer Senshi. Her mouth had gone dry. 
   1.219 +	“It’s too late for Hotaru,” Haruka explained, crossing her arms.
   1.220 +“She’s already been overcome by the Daimon that’s possessed her for
   1.221 +years. It’s a wonder that it took this long to break loose. Or it was
   1.222 +just biding its time. Whatever the case, we won’t allow Hotaru to
   1.223 +suffer. We’ll kill her before she can. We’ll release her from the
   1.224 +torment she’s in and send her on her way to the afterlife. It’s too
   1.225 +late for her in this life.” She didn’t mention that it might well be
   1.226 +too late for the princess as well. 
   1.227 +	Usagi gasped, standing up in protest. How could they be so cold?
   1.228 +How could they call themselves Sailor Senshi? “But you can’t..!”
   1.229 +	Setsuna’s gaze grew angry as she drew herself up to her full
   1.230 +height. Her own heart was crying out at this injustice done to her
   1.231 +friend, but she wasn’t going to sit back and idly debate what they
   1.232 +could do to save everyone. This wasn’t all or nothing, it was a fight
   1.233 +to merely survive. They couldn’t be bothered by choosing a course of
   1.234 +action where everything worked out perfectly and everyone survived.
   1.235 +It just didn’t work that way. And if she had a chance to save her
   1.236 +princess, she was going to take it. The quiet little time guardian
   1.237 +inside of her snapped under the pain pushing on her heart. “Damn it,
   1.238 +Serenity! She has Small Lady’s soul and the Ginzuishou! What the hell
   1.239 +do you expect us to do?! What can we do?! If you want to save Small
   1.240 +Lady, you have to fight them and take it back! If we don’t kill
   1.241 +Hotaru, she’ll kill us. And ChibiUsa will die. If we don’t act
   1.242 +quickly, there won’t be anything left of this planet worth saving,
   1.243 +let alone your daughter. Even if Sailorsaturn doesn’t awaken, this
   1.244 +planet will crumble around your feet. We have to stop Saturn -and-
   1.245 +Pharaoh 90 -and- save your daughter. And yet you still want to go
   1.246 +that extra step and save everyone. We can’t do that! We can’t sit
   1.247 +around and hope for everything to be perfect! We have to fight! Which
   1.248 +would you choose, my Queen?” Setsuna didn’t wait for an answer.
   1.249 +Turning on her heal in a rage, she began to henshin into Sailor
   1.250 +Pluto. “We’re going. Not just for Small Lady, but for this planet! I
   1.251 +won’t sit back and watch you let it suffer any longer.”
   1.252 +	Usagi sat back in silence as Setsuna stormed out of the room,
   1.253 +followed closely by Haruka and Michiru. Setsuna had been so serious.
   1.254 +Usagi felt like she had been slapped. “If we don’t save the planet...
   1.255 +Everyone we’ve fought up till this point, all the innocents... And
   1.256 +now Hotaru-chan’s one of them.. But I don’t want to hurt anyone...”
   1.257 +She looked down at the girl in her arms, her heart crying out. What
   1.258 +could she do?
   1.259 +	Lifting the small girl in his arms, Mamoru began to walk for the
   1.260 +doors. “At this rate, ChibiUsa-chan’s going to die. We need to save
   1.261 +her. Let’s take her back to my apartment. I’ll keep an eye on her.”
   1.262 +He tried not to think about the lifeless body in his arms, the body
   1.263 +slowly shutting down as it had no soul inhabiting it. Nothing to keep
   1.264 +it alive. 
   1.265 +	“We’re running out of time. We can’t wait any longer or we’ll lose
   1.266 +ChibiUsa-chan. And maybe everyone else. We need to do something,”
   1.267 +Usagi mumbled to herself, trying to keep up as the rest of the Sailor
   1.268 +Team followed. 
   1.269 +
   1.270 +	Back at Mamoru’s apartment, Diana stood a silent vigil over her
   1.271 +mistress. The kitten didn’t take her eyes away from the pink haired
   1.272 +girl, still feeling guilty about not being with her earlier. Luna and
   1.273 +Artemis had tried to console her, but she was too distant, lost in
   1.274 +her own thoughts. She could smell death in the air. It was all around
   1.275 +her. And she was afraid that death would be a rather punctual visitor. 
   1.276 +	“ChibiUsa-chan’s body is linked with mine now. I’ll keep her body
   1.277 +alive as long as I can. But it’s still nothing without her soul.”
   1.278 +Mamoru held his future daughter’s hand, a faint glow starting to
   1.279 +envelope them as he felt the strain of her body drawing strength from
   1.280 +his own. 
   1.281 +	Luna fretted as she paced back and forth. Her daughter, Diana, was
   1.282 +still unmoving a short distance from her. “But the burden on your
   1.283 +body will grow tremendously the closer to death her body gets. I
   1.284 +don’t know how long you can hold it up.”
   1.285 +	“We have to try something. I’m sure Minako and the others will get
   1.286 +her soul back soon.” Artemis tried a smile, but his voice sounded
   1.287 +doubtful. Luna leant against him with a sigh.
   1.288 +	Mamoru could already feel his breathing growing labored, but
   1.289 +ChibiUsa’s body was starting to feel a little warmer. He smiled
   1.290 +softly, trying to keep the worry from his features. “It will be just
   1.291 +fine. I know it’s just her body, but I can keep it alive for the time
   1.292 +being. If you can find her, she’ll have a body to return to.” The bed
   1.293 +shifted as Usagi sat next to him, watching ChibiUsa’s soft breathing.
   1.294 +He looked up at the nervous expressions on the four girls in the room
   1.295 +with them. “Could we have some time alone for a moment?” 
   1.296 +	“Sure,” Rei said with a nod. The four girls took another quick
   1.297 +glimpse at ChibiUsa before leaving the room. Ami resolved to call her
   1.298 +mother before they left. Rei had faith that her grandfather would be
   1.299 +all right while they handled the situation. Minako had a certain
   1.300 +police chief that she needed to call before heading off. Makoto just
   1.301 +followed the others silently, her mind already running in circles.
   1.302 +	Usagi sat in silence for a long moment, paying close attention to
   1.303 +the shallow breathing from her future daughter. “ChibiUsa-chan...”
   1.304 +she whispered softly, brushing some of her damp hair away from her
   1.305 +face. “ChibiUsa-chan, Hotaru-chan, the whole planet. I can’t just
   1.306 +abandon them! I can’t give up on anyone as hopeless. I can’t believe
   1.307 +that it’s all a lost cause. I can’t choose between any of them. Won’t
   1.308 +it just lead to ruin in the end whichever path we take? Isn’t there a
   1.309 +way to save everyone?”
   1.310 +	Usagi held ChibiUsa’s hand, feeling the warmth slowly pulsing
   1.311 +through it. “Mamo-chan’s doing it. He’s managing to keep her body
   1.312 +alive. But what should I do? I feel so confused...”	
   1.313 +	“Usa,” Mamoru whispered softly. He could see the tension in her
   1.314 +eyes. Those blue, innocent eyes were clouded. He leaned forward and
   1.315 +gave her a kiss.
   1.316 +	Usagi was taken by surprise at first, but she quickly relaxed into
   1.317 +the kiss. It got her mind off of how bad things seemed, albeit
   1.318 +briefly. She noticed that the kiss gave her the same breathless
   1.319 +feeling that Haruka’s kisses had given her. She chided herself for
   1.320 +thinking of that at a moment like this. Haruka already had a
   1.321 +girlfriend. And she was a girl. And Usagi already had Mamoru. And it
   1.322 +did feel nice to be with him. Especially with how awful she felt at
   1.323 +the moment. “Thanks, Mamo-chan,” she said, smiling weakly. 
   1.324 +	Mamoru wasn’t listening. His vision faded for a second to be
   1.325 +replaced by the image of a ravaged city, corpses strewn about like
   1.326 +the toys of a girl who was finished playing with them. A woman stood
   1.327 +in shadows, draped in ethereal garb as she stood atop a broken
   1.328 +pillar. He tried to make her out, to see past the shadows, but the
   1.329 +vision began to fade away. He’d seen this before. “We’ll get them
   1.330 +back, Usa. ChibiUsa-chan’s soul and the Ginzuishou. I’m sure we’ll
   1.331 +get them back soon enough. I believe in you. Don’t ever lose hope,”
   1.332 +he said, trying to concentrate on the here and now. She leaned her
   1.333 +head against his chest. ‘I had that vision again. But who is that
   1.334 +woman? The Messiah? Or the Goddess of Ruin?’ he asked himself. No
   1.335 +answers seemed forthcoming.
   1.336 +
   1.337 +	Ami put the phone back down after she finished. Her mother was
   1.338 +worried about her, but she hadn’t asked many questions. Ami was glad
   1.339 +for that, because she really didn’t know how she could explain any of
   1.340 +it. Minako grabbed the phone seconds after it was down, already
   1.341 +dialing. Sweatdropping, Ami walked away from the blonde. Rei
   1.342 +concentrating, probably in prayer for what was to come. But Makoto
   1.343 +was nowhere in sight.
   1.344 +	It took the blue haired girl a minute to locate the taller Sailor
   1.345 +Senshi. She finally found Makoto on the balcony, looking out at the
   1.346 +dark city below. Smiling sweetly, Ami approached the brunette, about
   1.347 +to ask what she was looking for. A sudden detail she had failed to
   1.348 +notice stopped her short. Crystalline tears dripped past Makoto’s
   1.349 +chin, falling countless stories to the streets below. Ami knew that
   1.350 +this was a rather stressful time, but there was still hope. They had
   1.351 +to cling on to that. She took a cautious step forward.
   1.352 +	Makoto whirled around at the sudden noise behind her. Ami froze in
   1.353 +front of her, a concerned look on her face. The brunette wiped
   1.354 +clumsily at her tears, trying to force them away, to pretend that
   1.355 +everything was all right. She wasn’t sure whether to try a smile or a
   1.356 +frown. She just wanted to be left alone. “Ami...”
   1.357 +	Ami took a few steps forward. “Mako-chan, what’s wrong? You look so
   1.358 +sad... I know that things look down, but I’m sure that we can solve
   1.359 +them. Just because things look dark doesn’t mean we can give up.
   1.360 +We’ve triumphed even when the odds were against us before.” But even
   1.361 +as she said it, she doubted that it was the reason that Makoto looked
   1.362 +so crestfallen. At least not the reason in its entirety. 
   1.363 +	“Yeah.. You’re right, Ami-chan.” Makoto turned back on the railing,
   1.364 +glancing down at the city below. She held back the anguish inside
   1.365 +that kept threatening to spill over. 
   1.366 +	“What’s wrong?” Ami asked, trying again. She licked her lips as she
   1.367 +watched, hoping for an answer but unsure of whether or not she would
   1.368 +get one. Anxiety washed over her as she waited for infernally long
   1.369 +seconds. She had almost given up hope and had turned to reenter the
   1.370 +apartment when Makoto finally spoke.
   1.371 +	“Sometimes I wonder why I’m fighting, Ami-chan. I don’t have my
   1.372 +parents. I’m all alone. I don’t have a boyfriend who will stick with
   1.373 +me through it all. I don’t have a child to fight for, to hold dearly.
   1.374 +In the end, I have my tiny little apartment that I can go back to.
   1.375 +All alone.” Makoto paused for a moment, the tears starting up again.
   1.376 +It took a strong effort on her part to keep talking. “I know it’s my
   1.377 +duty. I know I have to do it. But I don’t know why. I know that Usagi
   1.378 +is important. I know that the earth is important. But I don’t have a
   1.379 +reason for why I fight. Maybe that makes me a liability to the team.
   1.380 +Throughout all of this fighting, I can’t find my reason for enduring
   1.381 +it all. I can’t reach inside myself and know what I’m fighting for.”
   1.382 +Another pause as she swallowed painfully. Why was she doing this? And
   1.383 +with Ami watching her, no less? It hurt too much to keep it bottled
   1.384 +up inside. “No, I guess I’m fighting for my friends. I’m fighting
   1.385 +because the rest of you are and because I can’t let you down. But
   1.386 +still... Sometimes..” Her voice cut off as a sob broke free. 
   1.387 +	A smaller body pressed against Makoto’s as Ami hugged her from
   1.388 +behind. She didn’t know what to say. She had no idea that this had
   1.389 +been troubling Makoto. It hadn’t occurred to her to think about her
   1.390 +own reasons, but she knew they were there. Because her friends were
   1.391 +important to her. Because she knew it was right. Because she believed
   1.392 +in the greater good of things. Because she wanted to protect her
   1.393 +mother who had to strive so hard to raise Ami all by herself. Makoto
   1.394 +shivered against her as she held tightly to the railing. Ami felt her
   1.395 +soul shudder in response. There was silence for a long moment. “I’ll
   1.396 +be your reason,” Ami said in a voice barely above a whisper.  	
   1.397 +
   1.398 +	Mistress 9 scowled as she cut off some of her incredibly long raven
   1.399 +hair. “It doesn’t matter how much I cut it because it keeps growing
   1.400 +back. Crappy hair. This vessel is worthless. It was far too young for
   1.401 +me but it handled the enhanced aging poorly. I can’t wait until I can
   1.402 +be rid of it.” 
   1.403 +	Professor Tomoe burst into the room, followed shortly thereafter by
   1.404 +an excited Kaolinite. He knelt in front of the body that had once
   1.405 +belonged to his only daughter. “Mistress 9!! You’re finally here.
   1.406 +We’ve been awaiting your arrival for a long while now. We
   1.407 +transplanted your egg into Hotaru years ago. I was starting to fear
   1.408 +that you wouldn’t awaken.”
   1.409 +	“Not that it hasn’t gone without problems. But I have finally
   1.410 +arrived. And not a second too soon, it seems. We need to revive
   1.411 +Master Pharaoh 90. He mustn’t be kept waiting any longer.” She turned
   1.412 +to the red head, barely suppressing an inner urge to kill the woman
   1.413 +for years of torment and abuse. She shrugged it off. Must be some
   1.414 +after affects from the previous owner of the body. “Kaolinite, you
   1.415 +have done very well in your service to Master Pharaoh 90. Unlike
   1.416 +those that have failed up to now, you survive. I am the master’s
   1.417 +partner from the old world. I will handle his resurrection and this
   1.418 +world’s glorious rebirth. You must handle another task for our
   1.419 +master. Eliminate the Enemy. They wish to end our very way of life,
   1.420 +and that of our master. They are ruthlessly interfering with a
   1.421 +magnificent process that has been repeated thousands of times in the
   1.422 +past. This world my shake in the throws of birth as it begins anew,
   1.423 +but it will be a glorious new birth for this planet. You must stop
   1.424 +them. I will not tolerate failure, Kaolinite.”
   1.425 +	“Yes, Mistress 9. As you wish.” Kaolinite faded away to begin her
   1.426 +preparations.
   1.427 +	Turning from the man who had once been Hotaru’s father, the ancient
   1.428 +woman made her way to an intricate stone hall, the place where they
   1.429 +contacted their master from the vast distances of time and space.
   1.430 +	“Mistress 9, you have awakened. I have been waiting for this! I
   1.431 +knew your arrival would coincide with the rebirth,” a booming voice
   1.432 +said from everywhere in the large room.
   1.433 +	The woman smiled as she bowed graciously. It had been so long since
   1.434 +she had heard that voice, since she had truly felt alive. “Master
   1.435 +Pharaoh 90! I bring you a gift.” Raising the broach she had acquired
   1.436 +from the young Sailor Senshi earlier, energy began to flow across the
   1.437 +tesseract that linked the two spaces. The small, silver crystal grew
   1.438 +brightly as it gushed forth waves of energy through the gate. 
   1.439 +	“You’ve only just awakened and you’re already bringing me such
   1.440 +power. I knew I could count on you, Mistress 9. But what is this
   1.441 +power? It’s more potent than any of the souls you have gathered
   1.442 +before,” the booming voice said, intrigued but pleased by this
   1.443 +offering.
   1.444 +	The body that had once been Tomoe Hotaru grinned, pleased with
   1.445 +herself. “Master Pharaoh 90, this is not from the light of souls. It
   1.446 +is the Ginzuishou. The very light of the moon and the heart of a
   1.447 +precious young warrior. I’ve managed to get a hold of it thanks to a
   1.448 +rather beneficial situation I found myself in. And we can keep this
   1.449 +great power to speed up the process. We can use it’s limitless
   1.450 +strength to facilitate the rebirth, to bring this planet new life as
   1.451 +we remake it.”
   1.452 +	Leaving her master satisfied for the time being, Mistress 9
   1.453 +returned to Hotaru’s room to think. “This beautiful light... It’s the
   1.454 +same as the light the courses through the Tau system’s Taioron
   1.455 +Crystal. Such a holy relic does not belong in the hands of such dirty
   1.456 +creatures. I will take excellent care of it, just like it deserves.
   1.457 +It’s like something is dwelling inside of it, holding on. Peeking out
   1.458 +as it glimmers and sparkles. It’s relaxing, putting my mind at ease.
   1.459 +I know things will work out. We will change this world for the
   1.460 +better.” She held the crystal in her hands, feelings it’s warm glow
   1.461 +wash over her. Something caught her attention as she felt a flicker
   1.462 +run through the crystal. “I should have known it would be protected
   1.463 +by that girl’s pure, beautiful soul. She must have come along for the
   1.464 +ride. She’ll soon be part of something much grander than she ever
   1.465 +could have before.” 
   1.466 +	A chill shot through her entire being, unease beginning to build
   1.467 +through the raven haired woman, the crystal almost slipping out of
   1.468 +her hands. “Who’s there?” she demanded, a note of fear in her voice.
   1.469 +It felt like something was trying to push her out. No, it couldn’t
   1.470 +be. She was dead. It was just the crystal’s power. “It’s giving me
   1.471 +strength. With the Ginzuishou, our ideals will soon be realized.” She
   1.472 +felt the soul protecting the Silver Crystal offer resistance, but it
   1.473 +was too weak to impede her. She laughed. It was a cute little thing,
   1.474 +protecting the crystal so diligently even when it was pointless.
   1.475 +“Don’t worry, little girl,” she cooed, reassuringly. “Everything will
   1.476 +be all right. Soon your world will be an entirely new place and
   1.477 +you’ll be there to see it all.” Smiling gently, she felt the soul
   1.478 +waver for a moment. 
   1.479 +	“Mistress 9!!” Professor Tomoe hurried into the room, a look of
   1.480 +concern etched on his brow. “We’re running out of Daimon Eggs. After
   1.481 +Viluy’s death, a lot of the machines she’d programmed have been
   1.482 +shutting down and the Daimon egg production has stopped entirely. The
   1.483 +bitch must have planned for this if she didn’t get her sister
   1.484 +returned. She probably intended to use it as leverage when our new
   1.485 +world order was about to get underway. But I can’t start on the new
   1.486 +eggs in time for the utilization. There’s no way I can get a large
   1.487 +enough batch in time. But planting the eggs and using spirit energy,
   1.488 +it’s our only way to survive in this world.” 
   1.489 +	Mistress 9 laughed softly, still sending soothing impulses to the
   1.490 +soul in the palm of her hands. “That doesn’t matter in the slightest.
   1.491 +It has no affect on our plans. The utilization is useless now. We
   1.492 +have an entirely new source of power that far outweighs what we could
   1.493 +get with the Daimon eggs. The birth of our new world is right around
   1.494 +the corner. Soon, this old planet will be reborn as a shining goddess.”
   1.495 +
   1.496 +	Setsuna leapt from rooftop to rooftop, silently landing and
   1.497 +hurrying through the shadows. She knew that Uranus and Neptune were
   1.498 +following, but she couldn’t hear them and it was difficult to make
   1.499 +anything out in the darkness. She, more than anyone else, knew that
   1.500 +time was truly of the essence. And so the Guardian of Time hurried as
   1.501 +quickly as she could, knowing that the princess’ life hung in the
   1.502 +balance. 
   1.503 +	A short time ago, the most stressful thing in her life had been her
   1.504 +college midterms. And she had known she could pass them easily
   1.505 +enough. But now she knew who she truly was. Sailor Pluto. And she
   1.506 +knew that the very earth hung in the balance of this one night. And
   1.507 +there was one soul in particular that her heart pushed her to save.
   1.508 +Her body ached from the nigh constant running. But she knew that she
   1.509 +might already be too late. No! She couldn’t think like that. There
   1.510 +were no second chances. This was the last dance. She would throw her
   1.511 +all into this. It wasn’t just her life. She would sacrifice it in an
   1.512 +instant. She felt more loyalty for the little princess than she ever
   1.513 +could for her queen. But it was whether her sacrifice would buy
   1.514 +anything. She had died before. And she knew, most likely, she would
   1.515 +die again before the night was through. A shiver shot through her
   1.516 +tanned body, but she didn’t slow a bit. 	
   1.517 +	“I’m coming, Small Lady. Be strong. It won’t be much longer.”
   1.518 +
   1.519 +	Mamoru sighed, shifting into a more comfortable position on the
   1.520 +bed. His future daughter stirred slightly in his grasp. He held her
   1.521 +closer, wanting to reassure her that everything would be all right,
   1.522 +but he knew there was nothing he could do. What he held was merely
   1.523 +her body. 
   1.524 +	Another sigh escaped the young man, his eyes heading for the
   1.525 +window. Out there somewhere was the girl he loved in a fight that
   1.526 +would determine the fate of the planet. And more importantly, the
   1.527 +fate of his future daughter. He had often said he cared about Usagi
   1.528 +and ChibiUsa the same and he meant that. But now, he was very close
   1.529 +to losing them both. It was a maddening blow to see the girl he would
   1.530 +one day have dying in his arms while his girlfriend was out trying to
   1.531 +save the entire planet. And there was nothing he could do to help but
   1.532 +sit there and keep the body alive. 
   1.533 +	Holding the cold hand tighter in his own, Mamoru brushed back the
   1.534 +pink hair covering ChibiUsa’s eyes. She looked so peaceful, like she
   1.535 +was asleep. But he knew that beneath those eyelids lay lifeless eyes,
   1.536 +the soul out there somewhere in the night. How painful it was to know
   1.537 +that he couldn’t protect her. What type of father was he? All he
   1.538 +could do was sit back and wait. 
   1.539 +	Diana was sharing that same desolate feeling that Mamoru was
   1.540 +experiencing. She hadn’t moved from her position near ChibiUsa’s head
   1.541 +for over an hour. The tiny kitten still blamed herself for this whole
   1.542 +thing. The position of guarding and advising the princess had fallen
   1.543 +upon her and she had gladly agreed, happy to follow her friend back
   1.544 +to the past. But now Diana felt like she had failed her, having
   1.545 +arrived too late to even see what had happened.
   1.546 +	But what would she have been able to accomplish had she been there
   1.547 +when it happened? Was there anything she could have done? Had she
   1.548 +lost her best human friend? The one thing she was certain of was that
   1.549 +ChibiUsa’s body was losing it’s grip on life. The body was nothing
   1.550 +more than a shell and it wouldn’t last much longer. The stench of
   1.551 +death was beginning to grow overpowering, even though Mamoru didn’t
   1.552 +seem to be able to smell it at all. The kitten kept fearing that
   1.553 +Death would come to take the girl’s soul off at any moment. But then
   1.554 +she remembered that her soul had already been taken away, being used
   1.555 +for God knows what. So really, did it matter if the body died? Soon,
   1.556 +Death would be off to take ChibiUsa’s soul away. And that’s what
   1.557 +Diana was really afraid of. Not for ChibiUsa, but for herself. She
   1.558 +didn’t want to be left without a mistress. Or a friend. The kitten
   1.559 +yawned, but resolved not to sleep. She would keep her silent vigil on
   1.560 +the girl’s body until Death came. And she would fend him off herself
   1.561 +if she could. Little did she know that Death was female. And would be
   1.562 +coming much sooner than the kitten could anticipate.
   1.563 +	
   1.564 +	Mistress 9 frowned to herself as she watched the events going on as
   1.565 +the Sailor Senshi continued to try to impede their progress. These
   1.566 +ruthless killers had just blown away Magus Kaolinite and were trying
   1.567 +to get to their inner sanctum, no doubt in an attempt to kill them as
   1.568 +well. They were the army of the other side, Sailor Senshi bent on
   1.569 +killing all that did no fit their ideals or beliefs. They loathed all
   1.570 +that was not their own. But Mistress 9 was not about to let these
   1.571 +vicious soldiers put an end to her beloved Pharaoh 90’s plan to
   1.572 +restart the life of their people on this planet. It would be a new
   1.573 +golden age. “She’s found her way to the fortress. It won’t be long
   1.574 +now. Supersailormoon, I won’t let you stop us. It’s time for this
   1.575 +Omega Area to become the Sacred Land, to transform into what it was
   1.576 +always meant to be. There’s no longer anything to fear.” Her fingers
   1.577 +stroked over the warm feeling of the Ginzuishou, feeling the tiny,
   1.578 +brave soul inside as it tried to protect the crystal. “There’s
   1.579 +nothing to fear,” she repeated soothingly to the fearful little soul.
   1.580 +Smiling softly, she lifted up the Ginzuishou. “The time is now. This
   1.581 +world will be reborn and so will you. Won’t you come watch the
   1.582 +rebirth with me?” The soul seemed to skitter away, still a little
   1.583 +frightened, but she was patient with it, like the mother of a
   1.584 +newborn. If there was one thing that Mistress 9 had gotten extremely
   1.585 +good at, it was being patient. “Don’t worry. I’ll help you with the
   1.586 +transition, little one.” 
   1.587 +	Lifting the Ginzuishou higher, she concentrated it’s power to the
   1.588 +one being that could truly utilize it the way it was meant to be. She
   1.589 +felt a sense of peace inside, despite her growing excitement. Soon
   1.590 +she would be alongside Pharaoh 90 in their Promised Land. The crystal
   1.591 +lit up spectacularly, bathing the entire surrounding area in bright
   1.592 +crystalline light. Energy began to pour through her body, increasing
   1.593 +exponentially with each second. The energy surged along the weak link
   1.594 +from ChibiUsa’s soul to her body. It was only a single strand keeping
   1.595 +her tied at all with her body, but the energy raced along it, forcing
   1.596 +itself into the dying body. 
   1.597 +	
   1.598 +	ChibiUsa’s eyes fluttered open for a moment, the crimson orbs
   1.599 +flashing for a brief second. Her entire body began to glow brightly.
   1.600 +	“ChibiUsa-chan!!”
   1.601 +	“Small Lady!!”
   1.602 +
   1.603 +	“Ohhh... The strength.. It’s... almost overwhelming!” Mistress 9
   1.604 +closed her eyes, feeling the steady pulse of the Ginauishou’s energy
   1.605 +as it filled her body with it’s gentle glow. The power of this
   1.606 +amazing crystal simply enthralled her. The sense of peace deep within
   1.607 +her grew with the energy coursing through her. 
   1.608 +	“I can feel it! That mystical power!” The booming voice echoed in
   1.609 +the room, coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once. “It’s light
   1.610 +is so similar to the Taioron Crystal. You have unleashed the
   1.611 +floodgate. This truly is the power of the Ginzuishou! And it will
   1.612 +recreate this entire world! It must have been preordained. Life
   1.613 +begets life. Such is the power of the Crystal.”
   1.614 +	Mistress 9 smiled broadly and finally allowed herself to feel
   1.615 +something that had diminished in her for all of those grueling years
   1.616 +as they struggled to find a new home, a new place for their own
   1.617 +survival. She finally allowed herself to hope once more. “Master
   1.618 +Pharaoh 90, I acquired the Ginzuishou for you, to bring you here. I
   1.619 +will bring you it’s power.” Closing her eyes, the woman in what had
   1.620 +once been a young girl’s cyborg body lifted into the air, floating up
   1.621 +towards a large stone palace. Everything was almost complete. Their
   1.622 +battle was almost over. She felt the soul protecting the Ginzuishou
   1.623 +grow restless again as she neared her destination. Soothingly rubbing
   1.624 +the crystal in her hands, she let herself imagine the world to come.
   1.625 +The frozen flame in her hands flickered with the power surging
   1.626 +through her.
   1.627 +	“It’s light is pure and untainted. Brilliantly lighting
   1.628 +everything,” the booming voice shot out. “It’s thousands of times
   1.629 +more powerful than the human souls! And it’s an unlimited source of
   1.630 +energy! The time has finally come. I will return to resurrect our
   1.631 +world here. It will become our second mother world! Now is the time
   1.632 +for my utilization. Hurry, Mistress 9! So close... I need more power!”
   1.633 +	Mistress 9 gratefully offered it up to the once great ruler,
   1.634 +focussing as much energy as she could. “Open up your powers,
   1.635 +Ginzuishou! Show what you are truly capable of!” 
   1.636 +
   1.637 +	ChibiUsa’s body began shaking on the bed as if she were having a
   1.638 +seizure. Diana started growling anxiously as she watched the poor
   1.639 +girl shuddering in front of her. Mamoru continued to hold the small
   1.640 +princess close, trying to keep her from getting worse, but there
   1.641 +wasn’t much he could do. Diana feared the worst. Death must be on his
   1.642 +way. The bright light outside in the darkness only made her feel even
   1.643 +less at ease. “Small Lady...”
   1.644 +
   1.645 +	“No!!” Hotaru screamed into the darkness. “I have to hold it in...
   1.646 +I can’t let you use the Ginzuishou like this. Not ChibiUsa-chan’s
   1.647 +pure heart. It’s power mustn’t be sent out like this. It shouldn’t be
   1.648 +opened up! I won’t let you!” Even all alone, even in the darkness,
   1.649 +even stripped of her body, Hotaru Tomoe clung desperately to the
   1.650 +memories that kept her going, through sheer will managing to brush
   1.651 +consciousness with the woman who had stolen her body. 
   1.652 +	Mistress 9 let out a cry of pain. Something inside her wasn't
   1.653 +feeling the same peace that she had, obviously. Her head hurt badly,
   1.654 +her vision blurring as she tried to concentrate. The poor, scared
   1.655 +soul protecting the Ginzuishou was starting to act fearful. Whatever
   1.656 +it was that was affecting Mistress 9 seemed to be affecting her as
   1.657 +well. “It hurts... Something’s trying to get control from inside of
   1.658 +me! But... I have to last a little longer... I’m almost done, Master
   1.659 +Pharaoh 90... And then I won’t need this body anymore. We’ll be able
   1.660 +to revolutionize this world! It will be a paradise! And we’ll finally
   1.661 +be together again!” She forced back the mental assault as best she
   1.662 +could, clinging to her hopes and dreams. Only a few more minutes
   1.663 +now... It would be all over soon enough.
   1.664 +	“I won’t let that happen!” A voice yelled in her head.
   1.665 +
   1.666 +	Everything was nothing. Everywhere she looked, there was darkness.
   1.667 +No, not quite darkness. Darkness was something. This was the utter
   1.668 +lack of anything and everything whatsoever. She was floating in the
   1.669 +nothing. And fear started to grip her shaken soul. 
   1.670 +	“Where am I? I’m all alone... I’m scared! Please, somebody help
   1.671 +me!” ChibiUsa yelled into the nothingness, but the shallow sound to
   1.672 +it did nothing to help her state of mind. She felt all alone, lost
   1.673 +and lonely in the void. She tried not to panic, but she couldn't help
   1.674 +the rising fear inside of her. What had happened? Was she dead? A
   1.675 +frightened part of her mind seemed to confirm that she was, indeed,
   1.676 +dead. But that still didn’t explain why she was here. Why hadn’t she
   1.677 +moved on? Unless, there was still need for her here. She could
   1.678 +vaguely remember the Ginzuishou. She had to protect it. Her mother
   1.679 +had given it to her, trusted her to keep it safe. But how could she
   1.680 +do that from here? Wherever here was, of course.
   1.681 +	“ChibiUsa-chan...” A soft, shy voice called out through the void. 
   1.682 +	“Hotaru-chan?!” ChibiUsa looked around hurriedly, trying to spot
   1.683 +the girl somewhere near her. Her heart grasped at notion that she was
   1.684 +there as well. She needed her. She needed to hold onto her and know
   1.685 +that she wasn’t alone. A brilliant light caught her eye. A shining
   1.686 +crystal very near her. “Oh! My Ginzuishou!” She slowly floated down
   1.687 +near the shimmering gem, taking it gingerly in her hands. “I was so
   1.688 +worried when I lost it. My body couldn’t take the strain. It’s a part
   1.689 +of me.” She sighed as she held it close, feeling warmer as it’s light
   1.690 +cast over her nude body, or at least the image her soul cast of her
   1.691 +body. Her body was still in Mamoru’s apartment, but she had no idea
   1.692 +of knowing that.
   1.693 +	“That’s right, ChibiUsa-chan. It’s the symbol of your pure heart.”
   1.694 +Hotaru’s laid her hand on ChibiUsa’s chest. “You can’t live without
   1.695 +it. Which is why you shouldn’t show it so easily to people. You’re
   1.696 +too trusting. You need to protect your pure heart. And I’ll protect
   1.697 +you.” Her arms wrapped around the younger girl, holding her close in
   1.698 +the emptiness that surrounded them. She held ChibiUsa closely,
   1.699 +comfortingly.
   1.700 +	ChibiUsa blushed faintly as she rested her head on Hotaru’s
   1.701 +shoulder. It felt different from her mother’s embrace. It was warmer
   1.702 +and made her heart jump. But it still had the same soothing quality
   1.703 +to it. She felt safe in Hotaru’s arms. “Hotaru-chan...”
   1.704 +	“Everything will be alright,” Hotaru whispered in her soft voice,
   1.705 +holding ChibiUsa reassuringly. “I’ll protect you, no matter what. I
   1.706 +won’t let them get your beautiful, pure soul. And I won’t let them
   1.707 +get the Ginzuishou. ChibiUsa-chan, I’ll be sure to save you. I
   1.708 +promise.” Determination built inside of her as she now knew what she
   1.709 +had to do. Her soft lips kissed ChibiUsa’s forehead, right above her
   1.710 +crescent moon. Even though neither was in their physical body, the
   1.711 +gesture still registered as gentle and pleasant. “I won’t let
   1.712 +anything hurt you.”
   1.713 +	ChibiUsa nodded slightly, her head buried against the crook of
   1.714 +Hotaru’s neck. 
   1.715 +	
   1.716 +	“The Ginzuishou’s power’s weakening!!” Mistress 9 yelled in
   1.717 +frustration. How could this be happening? When they were so close?
   1.718 +Something was ebbing the flow of power from the crystal, keeping her
   1.719 +from fulfilling her duty. Her slivers of hope began to collapse, but
   1.720 +she latched on to one, not willing to give up just yet. Not when they
   1.721 +had come so far. She would just have to find another way to bring her
   1.722 +beloved here. And then the world would begin anew.
   1.723 +
   1.724 +	“ChibiUsa-chan?!” Mamoru watched as his daughter slowly stopped her
   1.725 +rhythmic motions on the bed. “The convulsions... They’ve stopped.”
   1.726 +Reaching out gently, he took her hand in his own and felt that it was
   1.727 +warm to the touch. His heart began to pace. “Does this mean...
   1.728 +Someone’s protecting her soul? But who?” He let himself relax
   1.729 +slightly, glad that someone was watching the part of his daughter
   1.730 +that really counted.
   1.731 +	Diana sat warily, not quite as certain as the man who would one day
   1.732 +be king. She was still worried that Death was visiting ChibiUsa’s
   1.733 +soul even as they waited. And it looked like there was no way for her
   1.734 +to help.