Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ I'll Be There For You - Sailor Moon ❯ The Battle for Life ( Chapter 6 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

I'll Be There For You

Part 6 - The Battle For Life

Chapter 50

"They will destroy you."

Megumi closed her eyes, blocking the image that threatened her. An image of the moon princess, arms outstretched, a wand pointed out, an overpowering wave of energy surging out--

"Endymion *will* be mine," she said, opening her eyes and staring at the screen in front of her. The senshi and their generals. And in the center of the group was her love. Tall, dark, and handsome as sin. Her sin. She smiled.

"They will kill you."

Megumi rolled her eyes in the direction of her 'mother'. The smile at her lips became smug. "Not if I kill their precious little princess first," she hissed.

"They will die before they allow you to harm her. *He* will die--just like before," the dead queen said. Queen Beryl had indeed become somewhat mellow in her death. Her eyes flashed at her daughter, taunting the younger girl. As expected and planned, the smile fell from her lips, inducing the grin on the queen's.

"I will not allow that," Megumi said, snapping her attention back to the view screen.

"You will have no choice," Beryl said, not even trying to hide her pleasure. "They will hunt you down and when they find you, they will kill you!"

Megumi stiffened.

"You will die, the same as me," Beryl prophesied.

"They will never get the chance," Megumi hissed, pushing off from the chair and rushing out of the command room, leaving a laughing Beryl to enjoy her mirth in solitude. But the dead queen's laughter followed her, haunting her like a ghost.

The door opened and closed. She knew who her visitor was. She just didn't care. She didn't move. Her body was too numb to move. Her soul was too numb to stir.

"How should I kill you?" Megumi asked coyly, smiling as she walked lazily into the room.

"I *don't* care," Usagi mumbled, not bothering to look away from the wall.

Megumi was at the bedside, her nail biting into Usagi's tender wrist as she yanked her over. Blue eyes narrowed, staring into blue eyes, challenging. And then Megumi let go of her and smiled.

"How should I display your dead body for your little friends to see?" she asked, as gaily as could be. Her smile widened.

Usagi felt of stirring of--of what? Hope? Relief? Comfort?

"Oh yes," she said, her voice oozing with sweetness. "Didn't someone tell you? Your pesky little friends have decided to try and save you. Sweet, isn't it? Too bad you'll be dead before they will ever get the chance."

She tried to swallow, to force her throat to moisten. "My friends will save me," she said with utmost confidence.

Megumi smiled, pleased with her answer. "They will die trying," she said before turning and walking out of the room, her good humor restored.

The old nurse was busy cutting carrots when Megumi walked into the kitchen. She looked up, startled, her eyes straying quickly to the small bundle at the other side of the small room.

Megumi walked quickly to the bundle and looked up at her nurse. "I have decided," she said, picking up the bundle. "The poison will do fine. Give it to her immediately."

"As you wish," the nurse replied, bowing her head and turning for the small bottle on the counter. She had already known the girl would be sentenced to death by those means.

"Soon now," Megumi said softly, cooing to the bundle. "Soon Endymion will be mine!" She giggled like a schoolgirl and then, replacing the bundle, she returned to the command room.

She was still smiling when she seated herself in the large command chair. A push of a button--one little push of one tiny button.

The button in question gleamed up at her, winked at her, dared her to push it.

She leaned forward, her hand outstretched. One bright red nailed finger leaned against the button.

Chapter 51

They felt numb. Dead inside. But with each step they prayed that they weren't too late. That maybe there had been a mistake. That what they feared was true really wasn't. It couldn't be.

They walked on. The grass they hand landed on had fizzled away into barren land. The mountain range they were heading towards was still off in the distance. Their feet pounded against stone.

"This is crazy!" Haruka shouted, startling them all. They turned and faced her. She looked mad and exasperated. "We're not getting anywhere!"

Ami frowned, tugging on her earring, her visor sliding into place. Zoicite was pulling out the Mercury computer.

"She's right," Ami said, replacing her visor. "We've been walking for hours and haven't gotten any closer to those mountains that when we first began."

"But how is that possible?" Kunzite and Mina asked as one.

Zoicite shook his head. Ami bit her lip.

"We have to find a way to those mountains," Mamoru said softly. "We have to find Usagi."

They stared at one another, hopeless for any suggestions. Just then the ground beneath their feet began to rumble. Startled gasps and wide eyes rose up. Hands splayed out to steady one another.

The ground cracked, split open, pulled apart. A large gaping crevice, a huge fissure stretched out at their feet.

Mina slipped.

"NOOOO!!"

The air around them whipped up into whirlwinds, flinging dirt and small objects at them, cutting their face and bodies.

Ice rocks, the size of tennis balls, began to pelt against them, falling from an unknown source, bashing into them without warning.

Kunzite and Makoto fell after Mina. Tellurium huddled over Hotaru, trying to protect her from the onslaught. Rei cried out as Jedite slumped forward, a large ice rock smacking him in the temple. Michiru, Haruka, Meliphane and Sardonyx huddled into a tight group. Nephrite dived after Makoto, reaching out for her hand. Mamoru managed to grab hold of Kunzite as he fell.

And then the--storm died down and faded away.

Nephrite and Mamoru struggled to hold their charges. A scared face looked up at Nephrite, begging him not to let go. Makoto tried desperately to find footing, but each time her booted feet scraped the stone wall, only debris went scrambling down to the unseen bottom.

Mamoru strained, his grip slipping on Kunzite's hand. Kunzite was wincing, and shot a look down. Mina swung back and forth, her crescent moon chain wrapped tightly around her wrist and Kunzite's ankle. She looked up at him, her eyes wide.

"Don't let go," she pleaded. "Whatever you do, don't let go!"

Megumi smiled--and then laughed out loud. She reached out and pressed another button--

The Outers and the Moon Generals rushed over to help. They reached for their hanging comrades--

A sudden gust of wind pushed them all over the edge.

Chapter 52

The food rested untouched. She was afraid to touch it. Afraid it might be poisoned. She wouldn't put it past that witch. She was hungry, it wasn't that she wasn't. She just didn't trust the old woman that brought the food, and especially not the woman the old one worked for: Megumi.

Her friends were here. Mamoru was here.

A warm glow fought the numbness that threatened her body, her soul.

They had come for her. They had not abandoned her.

The glow grew.

But they were too late--too late to save the baby--

The numbness fought back.

Dead dead dead dead. The word repeated itself over and over in her mind. A well of feelings burst forth, overwhelming the numbness, forcing it back, loosening its hold upon her.

Usagi cried out, physically hurt by the pain of loss.

*********

They fell…and fell…and fell some more.

Haruka whooped as the air rushed past her; nearby, Michiru's eyes were seal shut, her nails biting into Haruka's and Meliphane's hands. They gave hers a squeeze and cautiously, very cautiously, she peeked at them. Haruka had a huge smile stretched from cheek to cheek. Meliphane's smile was a little more tentative. Across from her, holding onto Haruka's hand, Sardonyx was also smiling with thrill.

"This is not fun!" Michiru shouted over the roaring, rushing air.

"Sure it is!" Haruka laughed back at her.

"It's not when you have a head full of hair slapping you in the face!" Mina cried, her eyes shut tight against the onslaught of her whipping blond hair.

"Everyone just hold on tight!" Mamoru cried.

"That's fine for now," Jedite called out to him. "But I don't think that's gonna help us much when we get to the bottom!"

Two human circles fell--the Inners and the Outers (with their generals). All eyes looked down with Jedite's words in mind.

Megumi laughed gaily.

"You would let him die?" Beryl asked with amusement. The smile faded almost at once.

"No mother," Megumi replied, rolling her neck to ease the stress that had built up there over the past couple of years.

"Funny way of showing it," the apparition of the dead queen said, crossing her ghostly arms.

"I'm not going to let them die," the young woman said, leaning back in the chair. She smiled again. "Just scare them a bit."

"Hmphf!"

Just then the door opened and then old nurse came in. She looked at the ghost figure for just second before looking to Megumi. "She refuses to eat," the nurse said.

Megumi pursed her lips in a pout. "Well, that's not very cooperating of her, is it?" She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Oh well, we'll just have to do something a little more fun."

Her shoulders began to rock with silent mirth. "Oh, yes, my dear sweet little princess Serenity." She began to laugh. "Endymion is mine!"

Usagi rolled over in the bed, fighting against the gnawing hungry that ate at her belly. When was the last time she'd eaten? One, two days ago? Maybe three? How long had she been here? Where was she?

Oh, gods! She couldn't wait to get back home and eat one of Makoto's fabulous muffins. Her mouth watered just thinking about them. Or better yet, a triple cheeseburger at the Crown with a mountain of fries on the side. Oh! And a milk shake, too! Some of her mom's chocolate chip pancakes would be really good right about now--

Her tummy rumbled. 'Really good right about now,' she added silently. She wanted to go home. She wanted to sleep in her own bed again, back in her own room! Not that living with Mamoru wasn't great. She loved him so much! It was just that--well, she missed her mom--and her brother--and--and her dad, too. She missed them horribly.

And then a thought sneaked its way into her head: 'Now that there's no baby, maybe Daddy will take me back…' But the minute she thought it, she felt terrible. What a horrible thing to think! And then more thoughts about what 'no baby' would mean began to flood her mind. Everything that they had been planning for the past five months had become completely null and void. There *was* no baby anymore.

Usagi shook her head violently, trying to shake the thoughts away. She didn't want to think about this. At least not now. She couldn't think about it now. There were other things, more important things, to think about. Like trying to find a way out of here--wherever 'here' was.

Chapter 53

"So, um, does anybody have any ideas on how to get out of this?" Sailor Venus asked over the roaring wind that tore the words from her mouth.

"Ride it out till we reach the bottom?" Jedite answered from beside her.

"I don't think I like that suggestion," Ami managed to choke out through her tight throat.

"I don't see you coming up with anything," Sailor Uranus called down to her, but the wind stole her words away, too.

"This isn't the time to fight," Kunzite was saying.

"I agree," Euclase chimed in.

"Endi--Mamoru, can you use the Golden Crystal?" Zoicite asked, his face turned towards Mamoru, even though his eyes were shut tight against his whipping hair.

"To do what?" Mamoru asked, trying to ease the pitch of his stomach that this free fall was causing.

"How 'bout to stop our free-fall?" Rei nearly screamed.

"I can try--but--we've never done--"

"Try! Just try!" Ami shouted.

"Those creatures of yours would sure come in handy right about now." Tellurium was saying.

"Yes, they would," Meliphane picked up.

"Yes, they would! Mamoru?" Kunzite looked over to Mamoru.

"Hold on. It's worth a shot!"

*****

Megumi wondered how long she should let them fall. They were in no danger of dying--not yet anyway. She didn't want to kill them. At least, not *all* of them and definitely not yet.

She smiled, leaning leisurely into the large command chair that had once belonged to her father.

If she played her cards right--

She knew how she wanted the girl killed: painfully. But she wanted the others to be there, to see.

If she played her cards right--

She had been right: the girl was weak, hopeless. Completely destroyed. Megumi had already killed her poor little spirit by showing her that dead baby. That had been a stroke of genius! And now, the girl was crushed--easy to kill. Almost too easy.

And what fun she would have doing it! After all, she'd waited a millennium to have her revenge. And now the hour was at hand! Megumi purred contently in the back of her throat. Revenge **and** Endymion were **hers**!

The knowledge of the Negaverse flowed through her veins. She knew just how she wanted to kill the princess--

Megumi laughed. Oh what fun was ahead for them both!

******

She scanned the room, looking for a possible way out. Nothing.

The only entrance and exit was the door. No help for her there. She watched when the door was opened--careful to look for guards. She didn't see any--but that didn't mean they weren't there.

The old nurse brought food again. Again she didn't touch it. She didn't trust the old woman or Megumi any farther then she could throw them.

She needed to get out of here. She needed to escape. But--how?

She reached for her broach, but her hand grasped cloth. Where was her crystal? Where was her broach? Panic filled her as she felt completely, totally alone, naked.

'Where are my friends?' she cried softly. 'Where is Mamoru?'

Chapter 54

They were falling. They were falling. They were--they were floating!

"Whahoo!"

"Way to go!"

"That's a start. Now--"

The Earth Generals concentrated, channeling their energy to Mamoru, through Mamoru. Just seconds after the group had stopped falling, hovering in a golden bubble, the air around them came alive with life. Screeching, to be more precise.

"I was in the middle of my dinner!" Hathor screamed, winging over to where Nephrite was hovering in midair.

"Humans should not try to fly if they do not have wings," Surya hummed, winding her large body into coils.

"A dragon without wings is not one to talk," replied Jedite.

"It has been a long time since we have heard your call," Aldebaran was saying.

"It will be another long time if you don't help us out here," Kunzite answered.

"We remember," Antaries said softly, smiling. "We come. We will help."

******

Megumi watched in shock as four creatures of mythological stature appeared out of thin air.

"What! What is this?" Her eyes narrowed as she watched. One by one, the entire group slid onto one or another creature's back until no one stood danger of falling. Megumi frowned at having her fun cut short.

******

"Please help us back to the top of this cliff," Mercury said politely.

"Someone should go down to the bottom and see if there's another passage way," Haruka said sharply. "Maybe a door or something."

They looked at her.

"It's a good idea," Rei agreed from in front of her on Surya's back.

"I believe Sailor Uranus is correct," General Euclase said from his position on Aldebaran's back.

"I agree," Mamoru said, also on Aldebaran's back. He looked over to Nephrite and Jedite. "Take Hathor and Surya down. They're the smallest and shouldn't have too much trouble navigating through any tight spaces. We'll take Aldebaran and Antaries back up to the top and see if we can't make it to those mountains."

They looked at him, frowning, not liking the idea of leaving their prince. But nor could they refuse his orders. They nodded, their frowns still plastered on their faces. With a crack of what sounded like a whip but was really Surya's tail, Jedite, Mars, Uranus, and Sardonyx were nose-diving towards the dark depths of the unknown below.

Hathor gave a cry, realizing she was being left behind. Folding her wings to her sides, she followed Surya down at an almost vertical angle--sailor Neptune's shout of surprise trailing behind.

Aldebaran and Antaries hovered for another moment with their passengers, watching their friends become swallowed up by the darkness of the unknown. Then, with a small movement from Kunzite, Aldebaran flew upwards, towards the light of day; Antaries followed close behind him.

******

Megumi smiled, watching as the senshi and generals separated. All the better, she said softly to herself. The fools! To make her work all the more easier. Divide and conquer. Divide and conquer.

She laughed out loud, filling the command center with her gaiety.

Chapter 55

"Do you think it was wise to split up?" Hotaru asked in her soft voice, holding on tight to Ami's back.

"We can cover more ground this way." Euclase answered, looking back form Aldebaran's back.

"What if something happens to the others?" Mina asked, a worried frown puzzling her normal cheerful face.

"They're strong, they can handle anything that gets in their way," Kunzite answered, giving her tiny hand that was holding to him a small squeeze of encouragement. They turned and smiled at one another.

"Look out!!!"

******

"We should send some of our warriors after them," Jewel said coming up from behind Megumi. Her leather jumpsuit clung to every inch of her young, lithe, female body. "It's not like Nemesis or the Negaverse lacks for warriors."

Megumi rolled her eyes. "I did not bring you back to Nemesis for you to give me banal information."

"No," Jewel said with a sexy little pout, swinging her hips as she turned around to face her long time friend. "You brought me along 'cause what would Nemesis be like without good ole Jewels around to liven up the place." Each word was wrapped around red pouting lips and a cute little smile.

Megumi rolled her eyes again and sighed.

"Divide and conquer, my dear princess," Jewel said, her smile widening when Megumi frowned. "They are divided, and I have just the two warriors to send: Aquisitis and Khaza-doom will do nicely for our little friends."

Megumi's lips pursed. But finally she nodded. "Go ahead. Send them out." Her eyes narrowed. "But if they harm Endymion--"

They warning hung in the air. Jewel gave a little laugh. "I don't think that will be a problem."

*******

"Look out!" Aldebaran screamed. But it was too late.

A shard of ice came shooting from the ground beneath them--heading directly towards Antaries soft underside. She swerved, but not before the shard caught her, thrusting through a fore arm and wing.

She screamed.

The senshi and generals on her back screamed as she went tumbling to the ground. Aldebaran winged in after her, trying to catch her, but he was too late.

A cloud of dust rose as her body landed. Hotaru, Tellurium, Ami, and Zoicite landed nearby. Those on Aldebaran cried out as Aldebaran roared, filling the wastelands around them with his cry.

Near the fallen sphinx, Zoicite lay trembling, two red stains wetting his uniform.

A deep, throaty laugh followed the wake of Aldebaran's roar. They looked up, squinting against the glare of the sun, and gasped.

A tall woman hovered in the air. A shimmering blue-almost-white cloth covered her lean body; golden thread trimmed its ends. The halter top tied under and over one shoulder, short enough to leave her midriff bare. The tiny skirt that flowed around her hips was loose, free to sway this way or that, and barely covered her hips.

Her long pale hair matched the color of her attire, so light it was almost white, but still blue. Her large pale blue eyes stared down at them. Her dark pink lips were curved in a smile. She stared down at them, or rather, she stared down at Zoicite.

They fanned out protectively: Euclase on one end, Kunzite on the other, Mamoru in the middle. Setsuna rushed towards where Hotaru had been thrown. Tellurium was already helping the younger one up. Mina rushed forward to Ami, but Ami was already hovering over Zoicite.

"Miss me, Zoicite?" the woman questioned, cocking her head and thrusting out a hip. Zoicite groaned, holding his shoulder as more blood seeped through the material of his suit.

Ami gasped, her small hands darting forth to press against the seeping wound, an attempt to slow the blood loss. He looked at her, his eyes filled with pain and a plea for understanding.

"Imagine finding you here on Nemesis, Aquisitis," Kunzite was saying in a loud voice that everyone could hear.

"General Kunzite, I'm flattered that you remember me," Aquisitis said, sounding flattered, and batted her eyelashes at him.

"Back off, toots," Mina said, throwing an arm in front of Kunzite.

Aquisitis laughed as though Mina was the silliest thing she had ever seen. "Don't be silly. He's too big for my tastes," she said, a little too sweetly. "Don't you agree, Zoi?"

"Did you come to chit-chat over old times' sake, Aquisitis?" he asked, holding back a pained groan.

She laughed again. "Oh, Zoi, humorous as always." She smiled at him. "What grand times we had. Wouldn't you like to come and share those grand times again?"

"No, thank you," he answered tightly.

She laughed again. "Oh, Zoi, but you see, that wasn't a request. You have no choice."

Her arms opened wide. A blue glare shot out from her. Ice shards sliced through the air. But they didn't hit the senshi. Nor the Generals. Crystalline ice shards tore into the delicate flesh of Antaries. Her scream pierced the air around them until one shard struck the crystal in her necklace.

The female sphinx fell completely to the ground, her life stolen from her beautiful body.

Zoicite screamed, his body falling forward, his hand clenching his chest.

Aldebaran roared over his mate's dead body.

A tear trailed down Kunzite's cheek as he shared his beast's pain.

"How does it feel?" Aquisitis asked, still smiling. "How does it feel to have someone you love be torn away from you? Doesn't it make you mad? Doesn't it make you angry? Doesn't it make you want to just strike out against--"

"No!" Zoicite screamed, looking up at her with hatred in his eyes. "No," he repeated softly.

"Look around you, Zoi!" Aquisitis was saying. "Nemesis is reborn! United under a new queen! Join us, Zoi! Rejoin the Negaverse! Come home!"

"How dare you?" Hotaru whispered, struggling proudly to her feet, the only one to have recovered from the shock of the beautiful beast's death. Her glaive slid neatly through the air, arching high before beginning its deadly slice.

An ice crystal darted towards her defenseless back.

Tellurium jumped forward. Before he could raise his own attack, the shard had torn thrown clothing and tissue, lodged protruding from the center of his chest. Over balanced, he slumped back.

The scream lodged tight in her throat, Hotaru barely managed to catch his body before it hit the ground, takking her down with it. Eyes wide and shaking she stared down at the face of this man who had been unafraid to touch her, unafraid to show her warmth and tenderness and love.

Hotaru screamed.

"How does it feel?" Aquisitis asked again. "How does it feel to watch the ones you care about die?"

Zoicite struggled to his feet, unmindful of numerous wounds allowing his life to run away. Hatred burned in his eyes. His breath came in quick deep breaths. He looked away from her, towards Ami.

<<Flashback>>

"I was never the strongest one," Zoicite whispered, his fingers waving through the moonlit glistening water of the miniature pond.

Ami looked up, soaking in the moonlight and starlit sky. "You have your own strengths."

He laughed depreciatedly. "I am weak."

"Don't say that!" she shouted, suddenly angry and just a little scared. "You are an important part of the team. Without you, we would not be the same."

Zoicite found himself smiling. She was beautiful and determined, and strong. "Promise me something?" he asked finally.

"What?"

"If I should falter," he began steadily, "don't let me go back."

"What?" she asked again, eyes wide with unwillingness to believe.

"I would rather be dead," he explained firmly, "than to become an agent for evil again. Promise me, Ami, my beautiful Ami," he asked, leaning in close enough to breath in her breath. "Promise me, that if something should go wrong, if I should falter again, promise me you'll kill me rather than let me become evil again. Promise me?"

<<End of Flashback>>

She was watching him now, her eyes watering as she shook her head in disbelief. She climb to her feet and reached for him. "Zoi--" she began before her tight throat cut off the words.

He was already dying. He could feel the life pumping out of his viens. But even with death, he couldn't stand the thought of his body being used for evil. Not again. Not like before.

His own eyes watered as he mouthed the simple words 'I love you,' taking the hand she still held out to him. The hand covered in his blood, he pressed it against his chest, over his heart. Already the beat was fluttering, struggling to continue pumping what little life remained in him.

"I love you," he repeated aloud, eyes locked to her for a second longer. And then he released his final exhale. A brilliant blue light flashed between the two lovers, and Zoicite's body slumped to the ground at Ami's feet.

The cry of protest never escaped her chest, but it ripped through her insides with painful accuracy. The jagged bit of stone cut into her palm as she numbly got to her feet. Turning away from the lifeless body, the scene before her slowly trickled through the fuddledness of her brain and the fog began to clear into a narrow-minded focus.

The other warriors dodging ice crystals in between throwing their attacks, but they were not moving in tandem; their attempts were ineffective at best. She raised her arms and summoned her own power, off-handedly noticing the extra level of intensity. Zoicite's parting gift-- his power, his control, his knowledge.

She used it now.

Chapter 56

The narrow crevice was plenty big enough for Hathor and Surya to fly side by side--despite Hathor's flapping wings and complaints.

"It is dark down here," the griffin complained. "And the dust dirties my feathers. I shall have to preen them for weeks before they come clean!"

"Hathor, do shut up," Surya hissed.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Rei whispered lowly, studying the stone walls rising on either side of them.

The words had barely left her mouth when a sharp spear of solid rock shot out from the side of the cliffs--heading directly towards them.

Hathor screamed. Rock thrust through her wing, tore at her feathers, shattered bone, dragged her down, pinning her against the opposite wall.

Still on the griffin's back, Meliphane grabbed hold of Michiru. Michiru clutched onto Makoto. Makoto held tightly to Nephrite. Nephrite nearly passed out with pain.

Surya was at the griffin's side, sharp talons biting into the stone wall for purchase as long coils attempted to help support the griffin's weight. They transferred from one back to the other--Hathor screeching nonstop. They had to drag Nephrite from her while Surya tried to soothe the terrified griffin.

"My wing! My wing! It hurts!" the creature continued to screech.

Laughter ricocheted off the walls around them.

The woman at its source was long limbed and garbed in swaths of green. Pale green silk encased her long legs. Her torso was in a darker green halter jacket. Her mousy brown hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. Her green little shoes were pointed upwards at the ends.

"Khaza-doom!" someone hissed.

The woman/genie laughed. "Why Nephrite, I am pleased you remember me. After all, it's been *such* a long time!"

"Where do you get off hurting an innocent creature!" Rei yelled at the hovering thing.

"You're gonna pay for hurting Hathor!" Makoto shouted.

"You can try," the woman said in a seductive little voice. "But I don't think you'll get very far, do you?"

The was a rumble of warning from ahead before the landslide of rocks and rubble came showering down. Surya dodged most of the debris, receiving scrapes and bruises from some of the sharper stones. Hathor was not so lucky.

Trapped as she was to the side of the cliff, the griffin had no way to protect herself. She screamed as the rocks pounded against her unprotected body, leaving a bloody mess in their wake.

"Hathor!" Nephrite screamed, lunging for the mythical bird. Makoto held him back, holding him to her tightly.

"Come, Nephrite," Khaza-doom was smiling. "Heal her. You do remember how, don't you? Use the power of the Negaverse, Nephrite, to heal your precious little pet!"

"No!"

"You stinking snake!" Uranus growled.

"Uh uh uh!" Khaza-doom chided. "You don't want to fall Sailor Uranus." The woman laughed.

They all looked down. It was still a *long* way to the bottom. Lightening sizzled. Fire began to heat things up a bit. Around them a lashing wind began to whip up, and the soothing sound of waves lapping upon a sandy beach floated towards them from some unseen water.

But they soon realized they couldn't do anything. Not here. Not like this.

Surya's emerald eyes sparkled. He lunged for Khaza-doom, jaws wide, his pearly teeth gleaming. The genie laughed and teleported out of the way. With a swing of her arm another shower of sharp rocks went flying towards them.

They cried out in alarm as the body between their legs bloated and then belched out huge billows of burning fire. Khaza-doom screamed, her delicate silk catching on fire. She whirled in the air, flinging her arms about in wild abandonment.

Surya dodged each attack to the best of his abilities…but in the end they weren't good enough.

On the great serpent's back she could feel herself slipping. She grasped on tighter to the body in front of her, but it was already too late. She heard the scream tear through the air as her weight slipped free from Surya's back, a hand grasped out desperately for hers but catching only empty air.

'Let this give them the extra edge,' she thought determinedly as her body rushed deeper into the darkened crevice. The words were a whisper, chased away by the rushing air around her, but the attack surged up, raced upwards past her falling form.

A chorus of voices rose up in protest, drowning out the evil laughter. Khaza-doom did not even see the attack. The tower of water surged from behind her, slammed into her, and then smashed her into the rocky cliff. Her body crumpled and fell.

Surya roared and twisted, already coiling into a dive.

"Hold on!" Jedite yelled as Surya arched upwards and then did a complete vertical descent.

On the great serpent's back, Sardonyx held tightly to Haruka in case she decided to make some wild attempt to fling herself off the serpent's back in a headlong rush to chase after her partner.

"Faster!" she shouted encouragement to the beast, leaning forward. Behind her, Sardonyx continued to hold on to her, afraid to let her go, afraid to lose her too…

"Neptune," Meliphane called out as the darkness rushed to swallow them up.

Chapter 57

"Your mighty warriors have failed," Megumi said, walking into the dining area. Jewel looked up at her, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Did they really?" she asked innocently. "Or did they just not perform to your high standards, Princess?"

Megumi shot her a death look. Jewel smirked. The blond woman sat down at the table with a heavy sigh.

"Relax my friend," Jewel said calmly. "Even more of your people are being reawakened as we speak. Our enemy is now weaker. And soon they shall be weaker still!"

Megumi sighed. "I want it over, Jewels," she whispered. She looked over to her life-long friend, not bothering to hide the tears that moistened her eyes. "I just want to go home and find out that Mamoru really does love me and that we will live happily every after together."

Jewel squeezed her friend's hand. "Soon, Meg, soon," she said encouragingly.

They stared into one another's eyes. After a moment, Megumi nodded, pushed off from the chair she was sitting in, and then left the room.

******

"Who was Aquisitis?" Mina asked, pushing stray hairs from her face.

"An old acquaintance," Kunzite answered staring at Aldebaran who was standing over his mate's body.

"'An old acquaintance'?" Ami repeated coldly. "An old acquaintance that wanted you dead you mean," she snapped angrily. "Why don't you say what you mean, General Kunzite. The truth."

"The truth is what you have already concluded, Sailor Mercury," he replied coolly though his own eyes glistened with unshed tears as he met her pained stared directly, unwavering. Minako pushed up against his side; her arms wrapping around him, offering him comfort.

"What's their plan?" Euclase asked absently, talking more to himself than to anyone else.

"To kill us," Sailor Venus answered without her usually mirth.

"They shall be the ones to die," a small cool voice answered, devoid of any kind emotion.

Setsuna moved to Hotaru, kneeling beside her near the motionless, body of General Tellurium, his large hand clasped tightly in her small fingers. She was still, as a statue, cold as marble.

After another moment, the woman-child looked away from the body of her soul's mate. Hotaru looked up at the senshi of Time, and there was a hard look in her eyes that steeled over her beautiful face.

"They will all die," she said emotionlessly. She dropped Tellurium's hand and stood up in one fluid movement. Suddenly she looked older, wiser. "You don't go knocking on Death's door expecting her not to answer. I will see this world cleansed from the taint of their evil."

******

The darkness gave way before them as they descended into that void of nothingness below. Their shouts rang out, but their only answer was the echo of their own desperate cries. Their eyes strained, but saw nothing.

"Neptune! Please, answer me!"

"Michiru! Where are you?!"

Their voices were raw, hoarse from screaming. Their hearts were sore.

"We--we have to move on," Rei said finally, softly.

"No," Meliphane and Haruka answered simultaneously, automatically, even though they both knew the truth. They couldn't spare anymore time diverted from their true mission. They had to press forward, minus Neptune.

"We have to find Usagi," Haruka agreed aloud, her voice choked with regret and determination. "We have to finish what we came here to do. Usagi is more important than any one of us." A tear finally escaped her brandied eyes, and she pushed it away angrily.

Meliphane's eyes were shut tight, ignorant to the tears that streamed from his closed lids. After a moment, he nodded also.

"We must find the Princess," he said in a tight voice.

"Get us out of here, Jed," Makoto said, trying to ignore the pain of leaving someone behind. In her arms she cradled an unconscious Nephrite. Tear's slipped from her green eyes as she held his body closer to her.

'Usagi, we coming, just hold on, okay!'

******

"And who do you propose to send now?" Megumi asked, sitting back in her command chair, her eyes watching the screen before her. She hadn't needed to ask who had entered. Only three people would dare to do so unasked. Her mother was dead, her nurse was attending the girl, and Jewels was now here.

"I think I have just the two warriors," Jewel answered, walking up to the view screen.

"And what makes them better than the last two?" Megumi asked sharply.

Jewel smiled looking over her shoulder at Megumi. "Absolutely nothing. All we need to do is weaken them, Meg. Not kill them all at once." She looked back at the view screen. "Besides, it's more fun taking them out one by two."

******

She looked all over and finally found what she was looking for on the other side of the bed. Her locket. Yes!

So Megumi *hadn't* known that she had the Silver Crystal. That was good. That was very good…for Usagi. Bad for Megumi.

She snatched her locket and tiptoed to the door. Cautiously she cracked it open and peeked outside.

Darkness. The entire hallway was cloaked in darkness.

Should she take the chance?

She bit her lip and looked at the room she was being held in. She certainly didn't want to stay in here any longer!

She opened the door a little bit more and then slipped out, her heart in her throat. The darkness swallowed her up willingly.

Chapter 58

Julia walked through the dark corridors as one confidant of her surroundings. And she was. She had, after all, spent her entire life on this planet…or at least, she had before she'd been reborn on Earth. These corridors held fond memories for her. She felt at home.

She had been the princess' personal bodyguard…and her best friend. Perhaps that was why they had become such close friends in this lifetime.

She shook her head, chasing memories of the past away. There was more important work to do at the moment. Like finish what they had started a million years ago.

Jewel turned, pushing open a door. Inside the room was covered with dust. 'I need to call Housekeeping,' she thought, brushing away dust bunnies from the top of the large desk. She pushed a button and leaned over.

"Devina, Albiona, report to my office immediately."

She sat down in the chair behind the desk, ignoring the cloud of dust the rose around her.

"Let's see how you react to seeing your lost love affairs again," she said to the empty room.

******

Mamoru looked at the scene surrounding them. Aldebaran sat hunched over his mate's body, his large head resting against her neck. Venus was holding Kunzite, quietly, not saying a word. Pluto was trying to talk to Saturn, but the girl seemed not to listen, not to respond in any way. Euclase was trying the same thing for Mercury with equal results.

"We must continue," Saturn said, startling everyone. They looked at her and then nodded, swallowing, collecting themselves.

"We have to find Usagi," Venus said.

"Right," Mercury agreed.

"The princess is what is important now," Euclase said.

"They will all die for their trespasses," Saturn said in her soft voice.

They had closed the distance between them and now stood in a small circle. Mamoru looked at the young girl. 'So young,' he thought. 'So young and yet so deadly.'

He nodded. "If Usagi is hurt, I will kill them myself," he vowed.

******

They traveled in silence--a silence that no one dared to break. It seemed to stretch out into forever. Surya's muscular body stretched out beneath them, his muscles quivering with each serpentine twist in the air.

"Maybe we should try to find the others," Sardonyx said softly.

"We're sitting ducks on Surya's back like this," Jedite agreed.

"If we could find the bottom of this trench we could--" Makoto began.

"I don't think there is a bottom," Meliphane cut her off softly. He sounded…weak, lifeless.

Rei looked at him. "I'm sure she'll be alright," she said kindly. "No matter how bad things look, we always manage to come through. Usagi tends to see to that."

"Yeah," Makoto chimed in. "She definitely doesn't like to see anyone get hurt."

"We should rejoin with the others," Haruka said forcefully. "Where we stand a chance for defending ourselves."

Sardonyx squeezed her. She gave no reaction. Rei looked away, tears in her eyes.

"Take us to the top," she said softly to Jedite.

For once the smart aleck was silent and with a nod and a small movement unnoticeable to all save the fiery dragon beneath him and the fiery senshi behind him, he motioned for Surya to fly upward…towards the others.

Chapter 59

"Mercury, are we getting any closer to those mountains?" Venus asked, breaking the silence that had engulfed them after they had climbed atop Aldebaran and started off again.

Mercury tugged on her earring, producing her visor and calculated the distance.

"Actually, we have," she said after a moment. The visor disappeared. "We are now closer then when we teleported here. We are making progress."

"Good," Kunzite said in a stony voice. Aldebaran reared beneath them. A string of curses poured from Kunzite's lips as the others cried out.

*********

Surya burst into the light of day with a vengeance, clearing the jagged lips of the crevice with inches on each flank. His serpentine body coiled and relaxed and flew straight towards his comrade. The sphinx roared. The dragon hissed. Surya swirled around and around, up and under Aldebaran.

"Jedite! Control that creature!" Endymion shouted.

"Hathor is no more," Surya hissed in answer as he pulled away.

The sphinx landed and looked up at the dragon. "Antaries is no more," he answered in a gruff voice.

Surya landed beside Aldebaran… everyone was getting off while the two creatures mourned for their friends and loves.

"Can someone help me," Jupiter struggled, trying to move Nephrite's unconscious body from Surya's back. Kunzite and Jedite were at her side in a flash, lifting Nephrite's weight onto themselves. They swung him down and placed him gently on the ground some feet away from Surya.

Jupiter swung a leg over and literally collapsed next to Surya. The dragon looked at her and whimpered. Rei's head snapped up, her eyes searching. Surya looked at her and then at Jupiter. Rei was at her friend's side in a flash. She held the girl close. Jupiter lashed on, holding her tight, though tears refused to fall.

"Neptune?" Endymion asked, already knowing the answer. Meliphane closed his eyes and looked away. Haruka refused to look away, but the pain in her eyes was unmistakable. Sardonyx held her closer.

"Where's Zoi?" Jedite asked softly, looking up at Kunzite and Endy. Both looked at Mercury, before looking back at him and shaking their heads.

"Tellurium, too?" Sardonyx asked, looking for his comrade. Saturn stood tall and looked at him, her face a mask of stone. "I am sorry," he said softly.

Her eyes held his, a moment before flickering towards Uranus. "Michi-mama?" she asked in a small voice… a child's voice.

Haruka pulled away from Sardonyx. Hotaru rushed into her arms and wept. Tears fell from Haruka's own eyes. Setsuna came up from behind them, her staff in one hand, held away from her. Her other arm hung at her side. Tears fell silently down her cheek.

"I am sorry," she whispered hoarsely. Haruka looked up at her, studying her intensely for a moment, almost as though she were judging whether or not the other woman was sincere. In truth, she was coming to terms with her loss. She nodded, accepting Setsuna's sympathy at face value for what it was. Hotaru shifted, reaching out an arm for the older woman.

Setsuna looked from the small girl to the woman who was holding her, the woman who had helped raise her. Haruka's eyes were still cold, hard, but again, she nodded. Smiling through her tears, she moved to embrace them both.

Jedite looked from Nephrite, to the group of Moon Generals, to the Outers, to where his love was hugging Jupiter with Venus squatting at her other side, to where Mercury stood alone, her computer out, her visor down, to where Kunzite stood next to him, to Endymion.

Endymion was standing by himself, looking off in the distance, looking off at the mountains…

"We can't keep Surya and 'Baran here," Jedite said, standing up. Everyone looked up, looked at Jedite. Everyone except Endymion.

"I know," the prince answered, still not turning around.

"Why not?" Sardonyx asked, looking from the two remaining Earth Generals to Endymion and then back again.

"We're not safe if they stay," Kunzite answered, his voice soft and a little weak sounding.

"Why?" Mina asked, standing up from Makoto's side. "Why aren't we safe?"

"No," Kunzite said, his eyes watering. "We're not safe." He motioned to Jedite and himself. Her face remained covered in a puzzled frown.

"I don't get--"

"They are directly connected to their animals," Ami replied, turning away from her computer readings. She looked from Mina to Kunzite to Nephrite to Makoto and then back to Mina. "If something happens, if Aldebaran or Surya are hurt or die, Kunzite and Jedite will die too… or go insane."

Mina's eyes went wide. She looked from her friend to her lover. "Is-- is that true?" she asked with a shaking voice. Kunzite bowed his head.

"What about Nephrite?" Makoto asked softly. Her body was shaking violently, the result of tears that would not fall. Her hands pushed stray hairs away from her red face. Her green eyes flashed with unshed tears. She turned those eyes towards Ami and then towards Kunzite and Jedite.

No one seemed to know what to say to her.

"Hathor is not dead… yet," Endymion said softly, turning to look at her over his shoulder.

"Wh- what?"

He turned around fully, looking at her with sorrow in his blue eyes. "Hathor has not died yet," he said again. Jupiter's face crumbled with painful incomprehension.

"But then--"

Endymion shook his head and then turned away again. "We have to keep moving."

"I agree," Euclase said standing up tall. "We need to find the princess."

The others stood and nodded.

"But--" Mina looked from the mountains far in the distance to Endymion and then finally towards Surya and Aldebaran.

"There is danger nearby," Saturn said, pulling away from the two women at her side. Her eyes were unseeing, looking into the distance…

Rei looked up sharply, extending her senses. Jedite did the same.

"Two"

"females"

"angry"

"filled with hatred"

"coming for--"

Jedite looked at Kunzite.

"Coming for us," he finished.

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