rlm@0: Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon - Infinity Alternate rlm@0: 'Eye of the Beholder' - Chapter Three rlm@0: by AmazonessDuo rlm@0: amazonessduo@hotmail.com rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: rlm@0: The future Senshi of the moon raced against time to reach Hotaru rlm@0: before it was too late. Her fuku was soaked from the rain and hail, rlm@0: her pink hair a mess. “I have to save Hotaru-chan! I can’t let them rlm@0: kill her. I can’t let them get to her. I have to protect her.” Her rlm@0: long gloves wiped away the tears and rain from her eyes as she rlm@0: spotted the fence to the Tomoe residence. Her heart sped up its rlm@0: chaotic tempo in her chest. “I won’t run away from her this time. rlm@0: Whatever form she’s in, whoever she is, whatever her destiny is, it rlm@0: doesn’t matter. I love her...” Her body kept moving, despite her rlm@0: mixed thoughts. She leapt over the fence and headed for Hotaru’s rlm@0: room, ready for anything this time. rlm@0: Setsuna’s eyes followed the young Senshi’s movements from the tree rlm@0: she was waiting in with Haruka and Michiru. “Is that rlm@0: Sailorchibimoon?! She’s not supposed to be here!” Pluto immediately rlm@0: jumped down from the tree, followed closely by Uranus and Neptune. rlm@0: She raced for the ‘younger’ girl in an attempt to stop her. If rlm@0: anything happened to her... rlm@0: “Hotaru-chan?” ChibiUsa crawled through the window, unaware of the rlm@0: Outers close behind. She looked awful, some dirt streaks on her fuku rlm@0: and some scrapes from when she’d slipped in on the street on the way rlm@0: there. rlm@0: “ChibiUsa-chan?” came Hotaru’s weak voice from the bed, unable to rlm@0: believe her eyes. The other girl had come back? But... why? After rlm@0: what she’d seen earlier, Hotaru had been certain that she would never rlm@0: see the pink haired girl again. “Sailorchibimoon, why..?” rlm@0: ChibiUsa didn’t say anything as she sat down next to the pale girl. rlm@0: Her heart pounded in her chest. Nothing sounded right. She wanted to rlm@0: tell her everything that was in her heart, but she knew the Outers rlm@0: were intent on killing her. She had to protect her above all else at rlm@0: the moment. Her arms wrapped tightly around the dark haired girl, rlm@0: Hotaru shivering in her arms. She looked awfully sick. Holding the rlm@0: other girl close, she let her eyes fall closed, trying to regain her rlm@0: composure. “I’m so sorry, Hotaru-chan. I didn’t mean to run away. rlm@0: You’re everything to me. I just got scared. Seeing you like that just rlm@0: brought up everything I’d been frightened about in the first place rlm@0: about falling in love with you. But I’ll never leave you again. I’m rlm@0: here to make sure you never have to be alone again.” Her crimson eyes rlm@0: sparkled as she pulled just enough away from Hotaru to meet her rlm@0: silver eyes. “Hotaru-chan, I love you. I really meant that when I rlm@0: told you earlier. I do love you. And I won’t let them hurt you.” rlm@0: Brushing back some of Hotaru’s dark hair, she hesitated only rlm@0: momentarily before kissing her. rlm@0: Hotaru returned the kiss slowly, her body still shaking as salty rlm@0: tears spilt down her ivory cheeks. Her heart latched onto this one rlm@0: moment, everything else being too much for her to handle. As long as rlm@0: she was in her princess’s arms, she would be safe. “I love you...” rlm@0: she whispered softly. She swallowed painfully. Hotaru knew what she rlm@0: had to say, but she couldn’t get herself to let go of ChibiUsa. “You rlm@0: have to go, ChibiUsa-chan..” rlm@0: Wet hair swung about as ChibiUsa shook her head. “I can’t go. If I rlm@0: go, they’ll hurt you. I’m lucky I got here in time. I promise I won’t rlm@0: let them do anything to you,” she said soothingly, stroking Hotaru’s rlm@0: back through the dark cloth. She could actually feel some of the rlm@0: wires underneath her flesh, but she didn’t care. Her poor firefly. rlm@0: There had to be something she could do for her. rlm@0: Hotaru shook her head. Everything was getting more distant, as if rlm@0: she was watching it all from far off. “But if you don’t go... she’ll rlm@0: hurt you..” It didn’t matter if someone was going to do something to rlm@0: her. It was too late for her. But ChibiUsa had to get away. rlm@0: ChibiUsa was confused by Hotaru’s words. The dark haired girl rlm@0: sounded so tired, so weak. She wasn’t making sense. The princess rlm@0: turned Sailor Senshi had come here to protect her from someone, not rlm@0: the other way around. “What?” rlm@0: Hotaru’s deep silver eyes opened again, their depths seeming rlm@0: clouded by something. It wasn’t that sad look the depressing girl rlm@0: usually had, but something entirely different. Something frightening. rlm@0: The door slammed shut, startling the younger looking girl in her rlm@0: arms. Before ChibiUsa knew what was happening, a hand snaked out from rlm@0: Hotaru, wrenching the broach from Chibimoon’s chest. rlm@0: Her eyes wide in shock, ChibiUsa slumped against Hotaru. Her fuku rlm@0: reverted back to her normal clothes as everything started to grow rlm@0: dark. Her last thoughts before she lost consciousness were a painful rlm@0: understanding that she had been far too late to save Hotaru. rlm@0: “Small Lady?! Damn it!” Pluto cursed herself for not being there rlm@0: sooner to save the princess. rlm@0: “ChibiUsa!!” Usagi cried as she and Mamoru ran to their future rlm@0: daughter. rlm@0: Hotaru’s conscious faded out at about the same time as ChibiUsa’s, rlm@0: something more sinister taking over. Her hair grew past her rlm@0: shoulders, pooling on the floor as her body grew stronger. A grin rlm@0: creased her lips as her young body rapidly grew to a more suitable rlm@0: age. Glaring at the Senshi imposing themselves upon her, they were rlm@0: all forced back out of the room by a tremendous power. rlm@0: Usagi held ChibiUsa’s cold hand as she looked back in at the girl rlm@0: that had been Hotaru. “Is that Saturn? Are we too late? Is she rlm@0: already awake?” rlm@0: Haruka shook her head, keeping an eye on the new threat. “No, the rlm@0: talismans haven’t been activated. Saturn hasn’t been called yet. So rlm@0: that has to be something else.” The blonde shook her head, at a loss. rlm@0: A black star began shining on what had been Hotaru’s forehead. rlm@0: “What a stupid girl. But she really did come in handy after all. Now rlm@0: I have the Ginzuishou. I’ve awakened! And soon I have a gift for you, rlm@0: Master Pharaoh 90!” Her grin broadened as she clutched onto rlm@0: ChibiUsa’s broach. rlm@0: “ChibiUsa?!” Mamoru held onto the princess’s unconscious body rlm@0: protectively. rlm@0: “ChibiUsa!! ChibiUsa, wake up!” Usagi called frantically. “She’s so rlm@0: cold, Mamo-chan... She’s not breathing!” She held ChibiUsa’s cold rlm@0: hand tighter. rlm@0: rlm@0: She was going to kill that little bitch. That’s all there was to rlm@0: it. This wasn’t just business anymore. It wasn’t just her duty. She rlm@0: had gotten careless, sloppy. But what could be expected of her? She rlm@0: had only been a Senshi for little over a week. She hadn’t been rlm@0: reawakened as Sailor Pluto until very recently. But she’d had enough rlm@0: time to puzzle over her memories. And Setsuna knew damn well that the rlm@0: young princess had been her only friend in the future when she’d been rlm@0: locked away guarding the Time Gate. And yet she had failed her. She rlm@0: hadn’t been quick enough to save her. And now Small Lady was dying rlm@0: because of that girl. Telling herself that the girl was possessed by rlm@0: a powerful Daimon didn't help her in the least. She had to find her. rlm@0: She didn’t even know why they were bothering to discuss all of this. rlm@0: Time was of the essence. rlm@0: “She’s gone into cardiac arrest. I’m afraid she’s dying. And rlm@0: there’s nothing I can do to help,” Dr. Mizuno said hopelessly. There rlm@0: was no way she could sugar coat this diagnosis. The girl was so rlm@0: young, too. She always felt a pang in her heart at seeing children rlm@0: taken from their parents. It worried her about her own daughter. Ami rlm@0: hovered close to her side, as if mirroring her mother’s sentiments. rlm@0: “No... That’s wrong... This is all wrong...” Setsuna shook her head rlm@0: slowly as she watched her little princess dying in the arms of her rlm@0: future mother. This wasn’t the way the time stream was supposed to go rlm@0: at all. Time had taken a freakish twist, taking with it the life of rlm@0: Princess Small Lady. She couldn’t help blaming herself, thinking that rlm@0: there must have been something she could have done, some way she rlm@0: could have prevented this. It felt like a nightmare that she couldn’t rlm@0: wake up from. rlm@0: “Small Lady...” Diana looked up at her mistress with tear streaked rlm@0: eyes, nuzzling her cold side gently. She almost expected to feel the rlm@0: gentle hand of the girl she was supposed to watch scratching under rlm@0: her chin. This was worse than when she’d gone off into the past rlm@0: without her in the first place. Much, much worse. ChibiUsa felt so rlm@0: cold. Licking her unresponsive hand for a moment, Diana pressed her rlm@0: head against it, her heart sinking as ChibiUsa’s arm slumped rlm@0: lifelessly next to her. rlm@0: Dr. Mizuno silently left the room, leaving the grieving family and rlm@0: friends. She wished that she could do more to comfort them, but she rlm@0: knew from experience that there wasn’t anything she could do. This rlm@0: was the part of the job she hated the most. And seeing Ami with rlm@0: them... She wanted to just quit for the day and take her dear rlm@0: daughter home with her. To know that she was safe. But Ami was a big rlm@0: girl now. The look in her eyes had told her that Ami would like rlm@0: nothing better than to go home with her, safe and sound. But she had rlm@0: other things she needed to take care of. And if that was the way rlm@0: things had to be, so be it. Dr. Mizuno said a quick prayer for her rlm@0: daughter’s safety, hoping that she would never have to be in the rlm@0: situation that those poor people were in at the moment. rlm@0: Clutching ChibiUsa’s cold body tightly, Usagi tried to suppress the rlm@0: sobs that threatened to overwhelm her. “She’s dying... Hotaru-chan.. rlm@0: No, Sailorsaturn killed ChibiUsa-chan..” Even in her deep, tortured rlm@0: sleep, the pink haired girl’s face looked oddly serene. Usagi had to rlm@0: wonder if she had been wrong, if maybe there had been no other way rlm@0: than to kill Hotaru. That maybe her future daughter would have rlm@0: survived. rlm@0: “Her soul was ripped from her body,” Setsuna explained quietly as rlm@0: she brushed ChibiUsa’s cheek in a motherly manner. At the puzzled rlm@0: look she received from all but Haruka and Michiru, she continued. rlm@0: “It’s been the Death Busters’ plan from the beginning. They’ve been rlm@0: stealing souls the entire time that we’ve been fighting them. From rlm@0: Mugen Gakuen and other places. The bodies are mere constructs for rlm@0: them, being used like so many spare parts for a machine. They plan on rlm@0: using them to build a body for Pharaoh 90. To convert them all into rlm@0: one. So he can be reborn here on earth. I’m surprised they didn’t rlm@0: take Small Lady’s body as well.” rlm@0: Usagi shook her head in confusion. “But if that’s what they’re rlm@0: after and Hotaru-chan was helping... So that wasn’t Sailor Saturn we rlm@0: saw over ChibiUsa-chan?” rlm@0: Michiru shook her head, aquamarine hair swinging to either side. rlm@0: “No, the talismans have yet to activate. When they do, then Saturn rlm@0: will awaken. Had it been Saturn, we would all be dead now. So this rlm@0: might be out last chance.” rlm@0: “We failed to plan for this. We were only worried about the girl rlm@0: awakening as Saturn, but she has been used by the enemy for years. rlm@0: That Daimon has been sleeping within her frail body from the very rlm@0: beginning of Pharaoh 90’s gamble for earth. It isn’t even Hotaru any rlm@0: longer. She died when Mistress 9 took over her body. At the same rlm@0: time, she killed ChibiUsa. Or will. When she stole ChibiUsa’s rlm@0: Ginzuishou, she dragged her soul along as well.” rlm@0: “Then... What will happen to ChibiUsa-chan and Hotaru-chan?” Usagi rlm@0: asked worriedly. She squeezed the young girl’s cold hand. There rlm@0: wasn’t even the reassurance that ChibiUsa was there with her anymore. rlm@0: It was just a body. rlm@0: Setsuna felt a burning in her throat, but she refused to let it rlm@0: through as she looked up at her future queen. Even if it pained her, rlm@0: she couldn’t change the reality of what was happening. “The souls the rlm@0: Death Busters have gathered are used to bolster Pharaoh 90 while he rlm@0: waits for something stronger to sustain him. They keep him alive in rlm@0: the meantime until he can be reborn. But even if he is reborn, the rlm@0: souls will be utilized as Daimons. It would be impossible to save rlm@0: them at that point. Their only salvation would be death and the rlm@0: afterlife that awaits them.” The thought of Small Lady languishing as rlm@0: a Daimon tormented her. She knew if that happened, she would have to rlm@0: kill her personally, to save the princess from that life. rlm@0: The Sailor Team was shocked by this revelation. “So all of the rlm@0: Daimons we’ve fought up till this point...” Minako began. She was rlm@0: starting to feel sick. “They were humans before?” How could they have rlm@0: killed so many unknowingly? So many innocent lives had been rlm@0: sacrificed already. rlm@0: “You did them a favor. They were trapped in those Daimon bodies. rlm@0: You have released them. For all intents and purposes, they had died rlm@0: when their souls had been taken. You just allowed them to move on,” rlm@0: Michiru explained coldly. She had to remain cold. This was her duty. rlm@0: Too many people would die if she didn’t. Too many more innocents. She rlm@0: wouldn’t let that happen. She glanced at Haruka for support but found rlm@0: Haruka doing the same. Yes, she had to stay strong. rlm@0: “ChibiUsa-chan... Hotaru-chan... If we don’t save them soon, rlm@0: they’ll be changed into Daimons?” Usagi looked up to stare pointedly rlm@0: at the Outer Senshi. Her mouth had gone dry. rlm@0: “It’s too late for Hotaru,” Haruka explained, crossing her arms. rlm@0: “She’s already been overcome by the Daimon that’s possessed her for rlm@0: years. It’s a wonder that it took this long to break loose. Or it was rlm@0: just biding its time. Whatever the case, we won’t allow Hotaru to rlm@0: suffer. We’ll kill her before she can. We’ll release her from the rlm@0: torment she’s in and send her on her way to the afterlife. It’s too rlm@0: late for her in this life.” She didn’t mention that it might well be rlm@0: too late for the princess as well. rlm@0: Usagi gasped, standing up in protest. How could they be so cold? rlm@0: How could they call themselves Sailor Senshi? “But you can’t..!” rlm@0: Setsuna’s gaze grew angry as she drew herself up to her full rlm@0: height. Her own heart was crying out at this injustice done to her rlm@0: friend, but she wasn’t going to sit back and idly debate what they rlm@0: could do to save everyone. This wasn’t all or nothing, it was a fight rlm@0: to merely survive. They couldn’t be bothered by choosing a course of rlm@0: action where everything worked out perfectly and everyone survived. rlm@0: It just didn’t work that way. And if she had a chance to save her rlm@0: princess, she was going to take it. The quiet little time guardian rlm@0: inside of her snapped under the pain pushing on her heart. “Damn it, rlm@0: Serenity! She has Small Lady’s soul and the Ginzuishou! What the hell rlm@0: do you expect us to do?! What can we do?! If you want to save Small rlm@0: Lady, you have to fight them and take it back! If we don’t kill rlm@0: Hotaru, she’ll kill us. And ChibiUsa will die. If we don’t act rlm@0: quickly, there won’t be anything left of this planet worth saving, rlm@0: let alone your daughter. Even if Sailorsaturn doesn’t awaken, this rlm@0: planet will crumble around your feet. We have to stop Saturn -and- rlm@0: Pharaoh 90 -and- save your daughter. And yet you still want to go rlm@0: that extra step and save everyone. We can’t do that! We can’t sit rlm@0: around and hope for everything to be perfect! We have to fight! Which rlm@0: would you choose, my Queen?” Setsuna didn’t wait for an answer. rlm@0: Turning on her heal in a rage, she began to henshin into Sailor rlm@0: Pluto. “We’re going. Not just for Small Lady, but for this planet! I rlm@0: won’t sit back and watch you let it suffer any longer.” rlm@0: Usagi sat back in silence as Setsuna stormed out of the room, rlm@0: followed closely by Haruka and Michiru. Setsuna had been so serious. rlm@0: Usagi felt like she had been slapped. “If we don’t save the planet... rlm@0: Everyone we’ve fought up till this point, all the innocents... And rlm@0: now Hotaru-chan’s one of them.. But I don’t want to hurt anyone...” rlm@0: She looked down at the girl in her arms, her heart crying out. What rlm@0: could she do? rlm@0: Lifting the small girl in his arms, Mamoru began to walk for the rlm@0: doors. “At this rate, ChibiUsa-chan’s going to die. We need to save rlm@0: her. Let’s take her back to my apartment. I’ll keep an eye on her.” rlm@0: He tried not to think about the lifeless body in his arms, the body rlm@0: slowly shutting down as it had no soul inhabiting it. Nothing to keep rlm@0: it alive. rlm@0: “We’re running out of time. We can’t wait any longer or we’ll lose rlm@0: ChibiUsa-chan. And maybe everyone else. We need to do something,” rlm@0: Usagi mumbled to herself, trying to keep up as the rest of the Sailor rlm@0: Team followed. rlm@0: rlm@0: Back at Mamoru’s apartment, Diana stood a silent vigil over her rlm@0: mistress. The kitten didn’t take her eyes away from the pink haired rlm@0: girl, still feeling guilty about not being with her earlier. Luna and rlm@0: Artemis had tried to console her, but she was too distant, lost in rlm@0: her own thoughts. She could smell death in the air. It was all around rlm@0: her. And she was afraid that death would be a rather punctual visitor. rlm@0: “ChibiUsa-chan’s body is linked with mine now. I’ll keep her body rlm@0: alive as long as I can. But it’s still nothing without her soul.” rlm@0: Mamoru held his future daughter’s hand, a faint glow starting to rlm@0: envelope them as he felt the strain of her body drawing strength from rlm@0: his own. rlm@0: Luna fretted as she paced back and forth. Her daughter, Diana, was rlm@0: still unmoving a short distance from her. “But the burden on your rlm@0: body will grow tremendously the closer to death her body gets. I rlm@0: don’t know how long you can hold it up.” rlm@0: “We have to try something. I’m sure Minako and the others will get rlm@0: her soul back soon.” Artemis tried a smile, but his voice sounded rlm@0: doubtful. Luna leant against him with a sigh. rlm@0: Mamoru could already feel his breathing growing labored, but rlm@0: ChibiUsa’s body was starting to feel a little warmer. He smiled rlm@0: softly, trying to keep the worry from his features. “It will be just rlm@0: fine. I know it’s just her body, but I can keep it alive for the time rlm@0: being. If you can find her, she’ll have a body to return to.” The bed rlm@0: shifted as Usagi sat next to him, watching ChibiUsa’s soft breathing. rlm@0: He looked up at the nervous expressions on the four girls in the room rlm@0: with them. “Could we have some time alone for a moment?” rlm@0: “Sure,” Rei said with a nod. The four girls took another quick rlm@0: glimpse at ChibiUsa before leaving the room. Ami resolved to call her rlm@0: mother before they left. Rei had faith that her grandfather would be rlm@0: all right while they handled the situation. Minako had a certain rlm@0: police chief that she needed to call before heading off. Makoto just rlm@0: followed the others silently, her mind already running in circles. rlm@0: Usagi sat in silence for a long moment, paying close attention to rlm@0: the shallow breathing from her future daughter. “ChibiUsa-chan...” rlm@0: she whispered softly, brushing some of her damp hair away from her rlm@0: face. “ChibiUsa-chan, Hotaru-chan, the whole planet. I can’t just rlm@0: abandon them! I can’t give up on anyone as hopeless. I can’t believe rlm@0: that it’s all a lost cause. I can’t choose between any of them. Won’t rlm@0: it just lead to ruin in the end whichever path we take? Isn’t there a rlm@0: way to save everyone?” rlm@0: Usagi held ChibiUsa’s hand, feeling the warmth slowly pulsing rlm@0: through it. “Mamo-chan’s doing it. He’s managing to keep her body rlm@0: alive. But what should I do? I feel so confused...” rlm@0: “Usa,” Mamoru whispered softly. He could see the tension in her rlm@0: eyes. Those blue, innocent eyes were clouded. He leaned forward and rlm@0: gave her a kiss. rlm@0: Usagi was taken by surprise at first, but she quickly relaxed into rlm@0: the kiss. It got her mind off of how bad things seemed, albeit rlm@0: briefly. She noticed that the kiss gave her the same breathless rlm@0: feeling that Haruka’s kisses had given her. She chided herself for rlm@0: thinking of that at a moment like this. Haruka already had a rlm@0: girlfriend. And she was a girl. And Usagi already had Mamoru. And it rlm@0: did feel nice to be with him. Especially with how awful she felt at rlm@0: the moment. “Thanks, Mamo-chan,” she said, smiling weakly. rlm@0: Mamoru wasn’t listening. His vision faded for a second to be rlm@0: replaced by the image of a ravaged city, corpses strewn about like rlm@0: the toys of a girl who was finished playing with them. A woman stood rlm@0: in shadows, draped in ethereal garb as she stood atop a broken rlm@0: pillar. He tried to make her out, to see past the shadows, but the rlm@0: vision began to fade away. He’d seen this before. “We’ll get them rlm@0: back, Usa. ChibiUsa-chan’s soul and the Ginzuishou. I’m sure we’ll rlm@0: get them back soon enough. I believe in you. Don’t ever lose hope,” rlm@0: he said, trying to concentrate on the here and now. She leaned her rlm@0: head against his chest. ‘I had that vision again. But who is that rlm@0: woman? The Messiah? Or the Goddess of Ruin?’ he asked himself. No rlm@0: answers seemed forthcoming. rlm@0: rlm@0: Ami put the phone back down after she finished. Her mother was rlm@0: worried about her, but she hadn’t asked many questions. Ami was glad rlm@0: for that, because she really didn’t know how she could explain any of rlm@0: it. Minako grabbed the phone seconds after it was down, already rlm@0: dialing. Sweatdropping, Ami walked away from the blonde. Rei rlm@0: concentrating, probably in prayer for what was to come. But Makoto rlm@0: was nowhere in sight. rlm@0: It took the blue haired girl a minute to locate the taller Sailor rlm@0: Senshi. She finally found Makoto on the balcony, looking out at the rlm@0: dark city below. Smiling sweetly, Ami approached the brunette, about rlm@0: to ask what she was looking for. A sudden detail she had failed to rlm@0: notice stopped her short. Crystalline tears dripped past Makoto’s rlm@0: chin, falling countless stories to the streets below. Ami knew that rlm@0: this was a rather stressful time, but there was still hope. They had rlm@0: to cling on to that. She took a cautious step forward. rlm@0: Makoto whirled around at the sudden noise behind her. Ami froze in rlm@0: front of her, a concerned look on her face. The brunette wiped rlm@0: clumsily at her tears, trying to force them away, to pretend that rlm@0: everything was all right. She wasn’t sure whether to try a smile or a rlm@0: frown. She just wanted to be left alone. “Ami...” rlm@0: Ami took a few steps forward. “Mako-chan, what’s wrong? You look so rlm@0: sad... I know that things look down, but I’m sure that we can solve rlm@0: them. Just because things look dark doesn’t mean we can give up. rlm@0: We’ve triumphed even when the odds were against us before.” But even rlm@0: as she said it, she doubted that it was the reason that Makoto looked rlm@0: so crestfallen. At least not the reason in its entirety. rlm@0: “Yeah.. You’re right, Ami-chan.” Makoto turned back on the railing, rlm@0: glancing down at the city below. She held back the anguish inside rlm@0: that kept threatening to spill over. rlm@0: “What’s wrong?” Ami asked, trying again. She licked her lips as she rlm@0: watched, hoping for an answer but unsure of whether or not she would rlm@0: get one. Anxiety washed over her as she waited for infernally long rlm@0: seconds. She had almost given up hope and had turned to reenter the rlm@0: apartment when Makoto finally spoke. rlm@0: “Sometimes I wonder why I’m fighting, Ami-chan. I don’t have my rlm@0: parents. I’m all alone. I don’t have a boyfriend who will stick with rlm@0: me through it all. I don’t have a child to fight for, to hold dearly. rlm@0: In the end, I have my tiny little apartment that I can go back to. rlm@0: All alone.” Makoto paused for a moment, the tears starting up again. rlm@0: It took a strong effort on her part to keep talking. “I know it’s my rlm@0: duty. I know I have to do it. But I don’t know why. I know that Usagi rlm@0: is important. I know that the earth is important. But I don’t have a rlm@0: reason for why I fight. Maybe that makes me a liability to the team. rlm@0: Throughout all of this fighting, I can’t find my reason for enduring rlm@0: it all. I can’t reach inside myself and know what I’m fighting for.” rlm@0: Another pause as she swallowed painfully. Why was she doing this? And rlm@0: with Ami watching her, no less? It hurt too much to keep it bottled rlm@0: up inside. “No, I guess I’m fighting for my friends. I’m fighting rlm@0: because the rest of you are and because I can’t let you down. But rlm@0: still... Sometimes..” Her voice cut off as a sob broke free. rlm@0: A smaller body pressed against Makoto’s as Ami hugged her from rlm@0: behind. She didn’t know what to say. She had no idea that this had rlm@0: been troubling Makoto. It hadn’t occurred to her to think about her rlm@0: own reasons, but she knew they were there. Because her friends were rlm@0: important to her. Because she knew it was right. Because she believed rlm@0: in the greater good of things. Because she wanted to protect her rlm@0: mother who had to strive so hard to raise Ami all by herself. Makoto rlm@0: shivered against her as she held tightly to the railing. Ami felt her rlm@0: soul shudder in response. There was silence for a long moment. “I’ll rlm@0: be your reason,” Ami said in a voice barely above a whisper. rlm@0: rlm@0: Mistress 9 scowled as she cut off some of her incredibly long raven rlm@0: hair. “It doesn’t matter how much I cut it because it keeps growing rlm@0: back. Crappy hair. This vessel is worthless. It was far too young for rlm@0: me but it handled the enhanced aging poorly. I can’t wait until I can rlm@0: be rid of it.” rlm@0: Professor Tomoe burst into the room, followed shortly thereafter by rlm@0: an excited Kaolinite. He knelt in front of the body that had once rlm@0: belonged to his only daughter. “Mistress 9!! You’re finally here. rlm@0: We’ve been awaiting your arrival for a long while now. We rlm@0: transplanted your egg into Hotaru years ago. I was starting to fear rlm@0: that you wouldn’t awaken.” rlm@0: “Not that it hasn’t gone without problems. But I have finally rlm@0: arrived. And not a second too soon, it seems. We need to revive rlm@0: Master Pharaoh 90. He mustn’t be kept waiting any longer.” She turned rlm@0: to the red head, barely suppressing an inner urge to kill the woman rlm@0: for years of torment and abuse. She shrugged it off. Must be some rlm@0: after affects from the previous owner of the body. “Kaolinite, you rlm@0: have done very well in your service to Master Pharaoh 90. Unlike rlm@0: those that have failed up to now, you survive. I am the master’s rlm@0: partner from the old world. I will handle his resurrection and this rlm@0: world’s glorious rebirth. You must handle another task for our rlm@0: master. Eliminate the Enemy. They wish to end our very way of life, rlm@0: and that of our master. They are ruthlessly interfering with a rlm@0: magnificent process that has been repeated thousands of times in the rlm@0: past. This world my shake in the throws of birth as it begins anew, rlm@0: but it will be a glorious new birth for this planet. You must stop rlm@0: them. I will not tolerate failure, Kaolinite.” rlm@0: “Yes, Mistress 9. As you wish.” Kaolinite faded away to begin her rlm@0: preparations. rlm@0: Turning from the man who had once been Hotaru’s father, the ancient rlm@0: woman made her way to an intricate stone hall, the place where they rlm@0: contacted their master from the vast distances of time and space. rlm@0: “Mistress 9, you have awakened. I have been waiting for this! I rlm@0: knew your arrival would coincide with the rebirth,” a booming voice rlm@0: said from everywhere in the large room. rlm@0: The woman smiled as she bowed graciously. It had been so long since rlm@0: she had heard that voice, since she had truly felt alive. “Master rlm@0: Pharaoh 90! I bring you a gift.” Raising the broach she had acquired rlm@0: from the young Sailor Senshi earlier, energy began to flow across the rlm@0: tesseract that linked the two spaces. The small, silver crystal grew rlm@0: brightly as it gushed forth waves of energy through the gate. rlm@0: “You’ve only just awakened and you’re already bringing me such rlm@0: power. I knew I could count on you, Mistress 9. But what is this rlm@0: power? It’s more potent than any of the souls you have gathered rlm@0: before,” the booming voice said, intrigued but pleased by this rlm@0: offering. rlm@0: The body that had once been Tomoe Hotaru grinned, pleased with rlm@0: herself. “Master Pharaoh 90, this is not from the light of souls. It rlm@0: is the Ginzuishou. The very light of the moon and the heart of a rlm@0: precious young warrior. I’ve managed to get a hold of it thanks to a rlm@0: rather beneficial situation I found myself in. And we can keep this rlm@0: great power to speed up the process. We can use it’s limitless rlm@0: strength to facilitate the rebirth, to bring this planet new life as rlm@0: we remake it.” rlm@0: Leaving her master satisfied for the time being, Mistress 9 rlm@0: returned to Hotaru’s room to think. “This beautiful light... It’s the rlm@0: same as the light the courses through the Tau system’s Taioron rlm@0: Crystal. Such a holy relic does not belong in the hands of such dirty rlm@0: creatures. I will take excellent care of it, just like it deserves. rlm@0: It’s like something is dwelling inside of it, holding on. Peeking out rlm@0: as it glimmers and sparkles. It’s relaxing, putting my mind at ease. rlm@0: I know things will work out. We will change this world for the rlm@0: better.” She held the crystal in her hands, feelings it’s warm glow rlm@0: wash over her. Something caught her attention as she felt a flicker rlm@0: run through the crystal. “I should have known it would be protected rlm@0: by that girl’s pure, beautiful soul. She must have come along for the rlm@0: ride. She’ll soon be part of something much grander than she ever rlm@0: could have before.” rlm@0: A chill shot through her entire being, unease beginning to build rlm@0: through the raven haired woman, the crystal almost slipping out of rlm@0: her hands. “Who’s there?” she demanded, a note of fear in her voice. rlm@0: It felt like something was trying to push her out. No, it couldn’t rlm@0: be. She was dead. It was just the crystal’s power. “It’s giving me rlm@0: strength. With the Ginzuishou, our ideals will soon be realized.” She rlm@0: felt the soul protecting the Silver Crystal offer resistance, but it rlm@0: was too weak to impede her. She laughed. It was a cute little thing, rlm@0: protecting the crystal so diligently even when it was pointless. rlm@0: “Don’t worry, little girl,” she cooed, reassuringly. “Everything will rlm@0: be all right. Soon your world will be an entirely new place and rlm@0: you’ll be there to see it all.” Smiling gently, she felt the soul rlm@0: waver for a moment. rlm@0: “Mistress 9!!” Professor Tomoe hurried into the room, a look of rlm@0: concern etched on his brow. “We’re running out of Daimon Eggs. After rlm@0: Viluy’s death, a lot of the machines she’d programmed have been rlm@0: shutting down and the Daimon egg production has stopped entirely. The rlm@0: bitch must have planned for this if she didn’t get her sister rlm@0: returned. She probably intended to use it as leverage when our new rlm@0: world order was about to get underway. But I can’t start on the new rlm@0: eggs in time for the utilization. There’s no way I can get a large rlm@0: enough batch in time. But planting the eggs and using spirit energy, rlm@0: it’s our only way to survive in this world.” rlm@0: Mistress 9 laughed softly, still sending soothing impulses to the rlm@0: soul in the palm of her hands. “That doesn’t matter in the slightest. rlm@0: It has no affect on our plans. The utilization is useless now. We rlm@0: have an entirely new source of power that far outweighs what we could rlm@0: get with the Daimon eggs. The birth of our new world is right around rlm@0: the corner. Soon, this old planet will be reborn as a shining goddess.” rlm@0: rlm@0: Setsuna leapt from rooftop to rooftop, silently landing and rlm@0: hurrying through the shadows. She knew that Uranus and Neptune were rlm@0: following, but she couldn’t hear them and it was difficult to make rlm@0: anything out in the darkness. She, more than anyone else, knew that rlm@0: time was truly of the essence. And so the Guardian of Time hurried as rlm@0: quickly as she could, knowing that the princess’ life hung in the rlm@0: balance. rlm@0: A short time ago, the most stressful thing in her life had been her rlm@0: college midterms. And she had known she could pass them easily rlm@0: enough. But now she knew who she truly was. Sailor Pluto. And she rlm@0: knew that the very earth hung in the balance of this one night. And rlm@0: there was one soul in particular that her heart pushed her to save. rlm@0: Her body ached from the nigh constant running. But she knew that she rlm@0: might already be too late. No! She couldn’t think like that. There rlm@0: were no second chances. This was the last dance. She would throw her rlm@0: all into this. It wasn’t just her life. She would sacrifice it in an rlm@0: instant. She felt more loyalty for the little princess than she ever rlm@0: could for her queen. But it was whether her sacrifice would buy rlm@0: anything. She had died before. And she knew, most likely, she would rlm@0: die again before the night was through. A shiver shot through her rlm@0: tanned body, but she didn’t slow a bit. rlm@0: “I’m coming, Small Lady. Be strong. It won’t be much longer.” rlm@0: rlm@0: Mamoru sighed, shifting into a more comfortable position on the rlm@0: bed. His future daughter stirred slightly in his grasp. He held her rlm@0: closer, wanting to reassure her that everything would be all right, rlm@0: but he knew there was nothing he could do. What he held was merely rlm@0: her body. rlm@0: Another sigh escaped the young man, his eyes heading for the rlm@0: window. Out there somewhere was the girl he loved in a fight that rlm@0: would determine the fate of the planet. And more importantly, the rlm@0: fate of his future daughter. He had often said he cared about Usagi rlm@0: and ChibiUsa the same and he meant that. But now, he was very close rlm@0: to losing them both. It was a maddening blow to see the girl he would rlm@0: one day have dying in his arms while his girlfriend was out trying to rlm@0: save the entire planet. And there was nothing he could do to help but rlm@0: sit there and keep the body alive. rlm@0: Holding the cold hand tighter in his own, Mamoru brushed back the rlm@0: pink hair covering ChibiUsa’s eyes. She looked so peaceful, like she rlm@0: was asleep. But he knew that beneath those eyelids lay lifeless eyes, rlm@0: the soul out there somewhere in the night. How painful it was to know rlm@0: that he couldn’t protect her. What type of father was he? All he rlm@0: could do was sit back and wait. rlm@0: Diana was sharing that same desolate feeling that Mamoru was rlm@0: experiencing. She hadn’t moved from her position near ChibiUsa’s head rlm@0: for over an hour. The tiny kitten still blamed herself for this whole rlm@0: thing. The position of guarding and advising the princess had fallen rlm@0: upon her and she had gladly agreed, happy to follow her friend back rlm@0: to the past. But now Diana felt like she had failed her, having rlm@0: arrived too late to even see what had happened. rlm@0: But what would she have been able to accomplish had she been there rlm@0: when it happened? Was there anything she could have done? Had she rlm@0: lost her best human friend? The one thing she was certain of was that rlm@0: ChibiUsa’s body was losing it’s grip on life. The body was nothing rlm@0: more than a shell and it wouldn’t last much longer. The stench of rlm@0: death was beginning to grow overpowering, even though Mamoru didn’t rlm@0: seem to be able to smell it at all. The kitten kept fearing that rlm@0: Death would come to take the girl’s soul off at any moment. But then rlm@0: she remembered that her soul had already been taken away, being used rlm@0: for God knows what. So really, did it matter if the body died? Soon, rlm@0: Death would be off to take ChibiUsa’s soul away. And that’s what rlm@0: Diana was really afraid of. Not for ChibiUsa, but for herself. She rlm@0: didn’t want to be left without a mistress. Or a friend. The kitten rlm@0: yawned, but resolved not to sleep. She would keep her silent vigil on rlm@0: the girl’s body until Death came. And she would fend him off herself rlm@0: if she could. Little did she know that Death was female. And would be rlm@0: coming much sooner than the kitten could anticipate. rlm@0: rlm@0: Mistress 9 frowned to herself as she watched the events going on as rlm@0: the Sailor Senshi continued to try to impede their progress. These rlm@0: ruthless killers had just blown away Magus Kaolinite and were trying rlm@0: to get to their inner sanctum, no doubt in an attempt to kill them as rlm@0: well. They were the army of the other side, Sailor Senshi bent on rlm@0: killing all that did no fit their ideals or beliefs. They loathed all rlm@0: that was not their own. But Mistress 9 was not about to let these rlm@0: vicious soldiers put an end to her beloved Pharaoh 90’s plan to rlm@0: restart the life of their people on this planet. It would be a new rlm@0: golden age. “She’s found her way to the fortress. It won’t be long rlm@0: now. Supersailormoon, I won’t let you stop us. It’s time for this rlm@0: Omega Area to become the Sacred Land, to transform into what it was rlm@0: always meant to be. There’s no longer anything to fear.” Her fingers rlm@0: stroked over the warm feeling of the Ginzuishou, feeling the tiny, rlm@0: brave soul inside as it tried to protect the crystal. “There’s rlm@0: nothing to fear,” she repeated soothingly to the fearful little soul. rlm@0: Smiling softly, she lifted up the Ginzuishou. “The time is now. This rlm@0: world will be reborn and so will you. Won’t you come watch the rlm@0: rebirth with me?” The soul seemed to skitter away, still a little rlm@0: frightened, but she was patient with it, like the mother of a rlm@0: newborn. If there was one thing that Mistress 9 had gotten extremely rlm@0: good at, it was being patient. “Don’t worry. I’ll help you with the rlm@0: transition, little one.” rlm@0: Lifting the Ginzuishou higher, she concentrated it’s power to the rlm@0: one being that could truly utilize it the way it was meant to be. She rlm@0: felt a sense of peace inside, despite her growing excitement. Soon rlm@0: she would be alongside Pharaoh 90 in their Promised Land. The crystal rlm@0: lit up spectacularly, bathing the entire surrounding area in bright rlm@0: crystalline light. Energy began to pour through her body, increasing rlm@0: exponentially with each second. The energy surged along the weak link rlm@0: from ChibiUsa’s soul to her body. It was only a single strand keeping rlm@0: her tied at all with her body, but the energy raced along it, forcing rlm@0: itself into the dying body. rlm@0: rlm@0: ChibiUsa’s eyes fluttered open for a moment, the crimson orbs rlm@0: flashing for a brief second. Her entire body began to glow brightly. rlm@0: “ChibiUsa-chan!!” rlm@0: “Small Lady!!” rlm@0: rlm@0: “Ohhh... The strength.. It’s... almost overwhelming!” Mistress 9 rlm@0: closed her eyes, feeling the steady pulse of the Ginauishou’s energy rlm@0: as it filled her body with it’s gentle glow. The power of this rlm@0: amazing crystal simply enthralled her. The sense of peace deep within rlm@0: her grew with the energy coursing through her. rlm@0: “I can feel it! That mystical power!” The booming voice echoed in rlm@0: the room, coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once. “It’s light rlm@0: is so similar to the Taioron Crystal. You have unleashed the rlm@0: floodgate. This truly is the power of the Ginzuishou! And it will rlm@0: recreate this entire world! It must have been preordained. Life rlm@0: begets life. Such is the power of the Crystal.” rlm@0: Mistress 9 smiled broadly and finally allowed herself to feel rlm@0: something that had diminished in her for all of those grueling years rlm@0: as they struggled to find a new home, a new place for their own rlm@0: survival. She finally allowed herself to hope once more. “Master rlm@0: Pharaoh 90, I acquired the Ginzuishou for you, to bring you here. I rlm@0: will bring you it’s power.” Closing her eyes, the woman in what had rlm@0: once been a young girl’s cyborg body lifted into the air, floating up rlm@0: towards a large stone palace. Everything was almost complete. Their rlm@0: battle was almost over. She felt the soul protecting the Ginzuishou rlm@0: grow restless again as she neared her destination. Soothingly rubbing rlm@0: the crystal in her hands, she let herself imagine the world to come. rlm@0: The frozen flame in her hands flickered with the power surging rlm@0: through her. rlm@0: “It’s light is pure and untainted. Brilliantly lighting rlm@0: everything,” the booming voice shot out. “It’s thousands of times rlm@0: more powerful than the human souls! And it’s an unlimited source of rlm@0: energy! The time has finally come. I will return to resurrect our rlm@0: world here. It will become our second mother world! Now is the time rlm@0: for my utilization. Hurry, Mistress 9! So close... I need more power!” rlm@0: Mistress 9 gratefully offered it up to the once great ruler, rlm@0: focussing as much energy as she could. “Open up your powers, rlm@0: Ginzuishou! Show what you are truly capable of!” rlm@0: rlm@0: ChibiUsa’s body began shaking on the bed as if she were having a rlm@0: seizure. Diana started growling anxiously as she watched the poor rlm@0: girl shuddering in front of her. Mamoru continued to hold the small rlm@0: princess close, trying to keep her from getting worse, but there rlm@0: wasn’t much he could do. Diana feared the worst. Death must be on his rlm@0: way. The bright light outside in the darkness only made her feel even rlm@0: less at ease. “Small Lady...” rlm@0: rlm@0: “No!!” Hotaru screamed into the darkness. “I have to hold it in... rlm@0: I can’t let you use the Ginzuishou like this. Not ChibiUsa-chan’s rlm@0: pure heart. It’s power mustn’t be sent out like this. It shouldn’t be rlm@0: opened up! I won’t let you!” Even all alone, even in the darkness, rlm@0: even stripped of her body, Hotaru Tomoe clung desperately to the rlm@0: memories that kept her going, through sheer will managing to brush rlm@0: consciousness with the woman who had stolen her body. rlm@0: Mistress 9 let out a cry of pain. Something inside her wasn't rlm@0: feeling the same peace that she had, obviously. Her head hurt badly, rlm@0: her vision blurring as she tried to concentrate. The poor, scared rlm@0: soul protecting the Ginzuishou was starting to act fearful. Whatever rlm@0: it was that was affecting Mistress 9 seemed to be affecting her as rlm@0: well. “It hurts... Something’s trying to get control from inside of rlm@0: me! But... I have to last a little longer... I’m almost done, Master rlm@0: Pharaoh 90... And then I won’t need this body anymore. We’ll be able rlm@0: to revolutionize this world! It will be a paradise! And we’ll finally rlm@0: be together again!” She forced back the mental assault as best she rlm@0: could, clinging to her hopes and dreams. Only a few more minutes rlm@0: now... It would be all over soon enough. rlm@0: “I won’t let that happen!” A voice yelled in her head. rlm@0: rlm@0: Everything was nothing. Everywhere she looked, there was darkness. rlm@0: No, not quite darkness. Darkness was something. This was the utter rlm@0: lack of anything and everything whatsoever. She was floating in the rlm@0: nothing. And fear started to grip her shaken soul. rlm@0: “Where am I? I’m all alone... I’m scared! Please, somebody help rlm@0: me!” ChibiUsa yelled into the nothingness, but the shallow sound to rlm@0: it did nothing to help her state of mind. She felt all alone, lost rlm@0: and lonely in the void. She tried not to panic, but she couldn't help rlm@0: the rising fear inside of her. What had happened? Was she dead? A rlm@0: frightened part of her mind seemed to confirm that she was, indeed, rlm@0: dead. But that still didn’t explain why she was here. Why hadn’t she rlm@0: moved on? Unless, there was still need for her here. She could rlm@0: vaguely remember the Ginzuishou. She had to protect it. Her mother rlm@0: had given it to her, trusted her to keep it safe. But how could she rlm@0: do that from here? Wherever here was, of course. rlm@0: “ChibiUsa-chan...” A soft, shy voice called out through the void. rlm@0: “Hotaru-chan?!” ChibiUsa looked around hurriedly, trying to spot rlm@0: the girl somewhere near her. Her heart grasped at notion that she was rlm@0: there as well. She needed her. She needed to hold onto her and know rlm@0: that she wasn’t alone. A brilliant light caught her eye. A shining rlm@0: crystal very near her. “Oh! My Ginzuishou!” She slowly floated down rlm@0: near the shimmering gem, taking it gingerly in her hands. “I was so rlm@0: worried when I lost it. My body couldn’t take the strain. It’s a part rlm@0: of me.” She sighed as she held it close, feeling warmer as it’s light rlm@0: cast over her nude body, or at least the image her soul cast of her rlm@0: body. Her body was still in Mamoru’s apartment, but she had no idea rlm@0: of knowing that. rlm@0: “That’s right, ChibiUsa-chan. It’s the symbol of your pure heart.” rlm@0: Hotaru’s laid her hand on ChibiUsa’s chest. “You can’t live without rlm@0: it. Which is why you shouldn’t show it so easily to people. You’re rlm@0: too trusting. You need to protect your pure heart. And I’ll protect rlm@0: you.” Her arms wrapped around the younger girl, holding her close in rlm@0: the emptiness that surrounded them. She held ChibiUsa closely, rlm@0: comfortingly. rlm@0: ChibiUsa blushed faintly as she rested her head on Hotaru’s rlm@0: shoulder. It felt different from her mother’s embrace. It was warmer rlm@0: and made her heart jump. But it still had the same soothing quality rlm@0: to it. She felt safe in Hotaru’s arms. “Hotaru-chan...” rlm@0: “Everything will be alright,” Hotaru whispered in her soft voice, rlm@0: holding ChibiUsa reassuringly. “I’ll protect you, no matter what. I rlm@0: won’t let them get your beautiful, pure soul. And I won’t let them rlm@0: get the Ginzuishou. ChibiUsa-chan, I’ll be sure to save you. I rlm@0: promise.” Determination built inside of her as she now knew what she rlm@0: had to do. Her soft lips kissed ChibiUsa’s forehead, right above her rlm@0: crescent moon. Even though neither was in their physical body, the rlm@0: gesture still registered as gentle and pleasant. “I won’t let rlm@0: anything hurt you.” rlm@0: ChibiUsa nodded slightly, her head buried against the crook of rlm@0: Hotaru’s neck. rlm@0: rlm@0: “The Ginzuishou’s power’s weakening!!” Mistress 9 yelled in rlm@0: frustration. How could this be happening? When they were so close? rlm@0: Something was ebbing the flow of power from the crystal, keeping her rlm@0: from fulfilling her duty. Her slivers of hope began to collapse, but rlm@0: she latched on to one, not willing to give up just yet. Not when they rlm@0: had come so far. She would just have to find another way to bring her rlm@0: beloved here. And then the world would begin anew. rlm@0: rlm@0: “ChibiUsa-chan?!” Mamoru watched as his daughter slowly stopped her rlm@0: rhythmic motions on the bed. “The convulsions... They’ve stopped.” rlm@0: Reaching out gently, he took her hand in his own and felt that it was rlm@0: warm to the touch. His heart began to pace. “Does this mean... rlm@0: Someone’s protecting her soul? But who?” He let himself relax rlm@0: slightly, glad that someone was watching the part of his daughter rlm@0: that really counted. rlm@0: Diana sat warily, not quite as certain as the man who would one day rlm@0: be king. She was still worried that Death was visiting ChibiUsa’s rlm@0: soul even as they waited. And it looked like there was no way for her rlm@0: to help.