Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ I'll Be There For You - Sailor Moon ❯ The Battle Continues ( Chapter 7 )

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

I'll Be There For You

Part 7 - The Battle Continues

Chapter 60

"Send them away!" Minako shouted.

"Sailor V--"

"No, Mamoru, send them away!" she cut him off.

"Minako--" Kunzite tried lifting a hand to her cheek. She pushed it away angrily.

"No! Send them away!" she repeated. "It's suicide to risk their lives like that!" They looked at her in silence… with sympathy.

"I agree," Makoto said in a hoarse whisper. She looked up from her hands in her lap. Her auburn hair hung limp; her bangs fell unnoticed into her eyes; fiery green eyes that flashed with anger and pain.

"They're a handicap to us if they stay." She pushed herself to her feet and repeated Minako's words. "Send them away. We will go the rest of the way on foot."

Prince Endymion started to protest, but he was interrupted from whatever he was about to say.

"We have trouble," Jedite called to them. He pointed to the sky and their eyes followed.

An unnatural storm was gathering in the southeast. Mercury whipped out her computer and began to analyze it. Mars was already stretching her senses towards the phenomena.

"Please, Mamoru!" Minako cried, tears pooling in her large blue eyes…

She has the same eyes as Usagi's, he thought. And then shut his eyes tight against the pain that welled up in his chest with that thought. He suffered a moment of indecision… It was all the enemy needed to attack.

A tornado funneled down into the center of their group, startling them all, and sending them to the ground, flat on their backsides. Laughter filtered through the swirling winds, making them sick. The winds died down into nothing-ness, revealing two young women.

Even hanging fifteen feet above the ground one could tell they were tall. One was dark skinned, tan; the other was pale as porcelain. Both women smiled, their red lips stretched wide.

Surya hissed at the intruders. Aldebaran roared in fury.

Their smiles faltered.

"Mamoru! Please!" Minako tried again.

He reached for the golden crystal that hung at his chest. It began to glow even before his hand neared it. The two creatures began to protest as their bodies began to dematerialize. Aldebaran's words hung in the air where his body had been…

"Be safe…"

Laughter filled the stunned silence that followed the two creatures' disappearance. Furious eyes turned to the two women.

"I believe you have something of ours," Mars called out.

"Tell us where our friend in, and we won't hurt you," Venus finished.

The two women laughed at her. The woman with the long purple/red/black pony tail in the red and black vinyl bodysuit floated forward until she hung in the air above Mars. She smiled down at her.

"How convenient," she said. "I believe you have something of ours too." Her eyes slanted towards Jedite and she gave a little pout. "It's been terribly lonely without you, Jeddy." A wicked glint sparked her reddish purple eyes. "Tell me, was it truly *awful* in that crystal prison?"

"'Jeddy'?" Mars asked, turning to look at the fiery general.

Jedite frowned. "I never did like that name," was all he said.

"You never complained before," the woman replied, shifting her hips and looking at him seductively.

"Oh really?" Mars asked, looking back at him.

"I was lonely!" he shouted in defense. "It's not like you were around you know!"

"I seem to remember being around!" she shouted back.

"Good gods!" He whirled around. "You were fourteen!" And then as an after thought, "And it's not like we were talking at the time!"

"Like that's supposed to be significant?"

"I seem to think it is!"

"Well then it's plain to see who's the fool, huh?"

Silence filled the void as everyone watched, shocked.

"You could always come home," the woman suggested, moving closer to the very angry general. "I am sure the princess will welcome you back."

She had moved to his side, still looking at him seductively. He looked at her, completely disgusted.

"Get a life, Delvina," he said, shooting a ball of energy into her midsection. She went flying back, landing some yards away.

"That wasn't very nice, Jedite," the other woman replied. She still hung in the air.

"I don't hear her complaining," he answered.

"Tell us what we want to know and your death will be quick," Uranus offered.

The woman rolled her entire head until she was looking at her. "Sailor Uranus," she said in acknowledgment. "A pleasure this is not." Her smile turned into a frown. She shook her head and silver cords fell free. She smiled again. "Let's see if we can rearrange that."

The silver cords went flying out with electric speed.

Uranus saw them coming and was already gripping her space sword. There was a wicked smile on her lips and a glint in her eyes.

They were sliced and diced, falling dead to the ground before they got within ten feet of her however. Uranus frowned at the culprit, ignoring the others as they made quick work of the woman.

"You can have your fun later," Sardonyx told her. "Now let's focus our energies on finding Serenity."

"Usagi," she corrected him, regrouping with the others.

They stood in a circle around the screaming woman. She was on her hands and knees, laid low by the others' attacks.

"Tell us what we want to know," Endymion said, grabbing the woman by her arm.

"I-- will-- tell-- you-- nothing," she hissed venomently. Her hand clenched and then unclenched to reveal five very deadly, very long, very sharp nails.

"Endymi-"

Kunzite pushed the prince out of the way. He screamed as the nails dug into flesh.

They closed the circle, tearing the woman from Kunzite, yanking her arms back behind her. Endymion pushed off the ground, accepting Euclase's hand up. He moved over to where Kunzite was laying on the ground, his head cradled on Venus's lap. He held his stomach where blood seeped through, black and damning.

"Hold on, Kunz--" Endymion reached for his golden crystal, holding his other hand over Kunzite's stomach. His eyes closed in concentration; his lips sealed in a frown.

The woman laughed hysterically. "Can you feel it, Kunzie?" she asked smiling madly. "Can you feel the poison burning through your veins?" She licked her nails, lapping up the blood mockingly.

"It's the poison you gave me," she said breathlessly. "Do you remember?" She licked the blood from her lips. "How fitting it should be the very thing that kills you… again."

She yelped when Uranus yanked on her arms. Endymion frowned and pulled away. His eyes blinked open. He shook his head slowly, helplessness pooling in his gaze.

"I-- I can't stop it," he said in a shaking voice.

Kunzite smiled at him. "I know," he said in his soft, deep voice. "There is no cure." His breath came in short gasps, as though he was suffocating. Venus held him, hovering over him, tears falling freely.

"No," she said in a choked little voice.

He gave a little laugh. "Had Zoicite make it one night. Was supposed to use it to--" he cut off the sentence and gave another laugh. "Fitting I should be the one to die for it."

"No," Venus repeated weakly. "Please don't leave me. Please, please--" she choked off in a sob.

He raised a hand to her cheek. "I will always be with you," he whispered, taking her hand and closing it over his chest. She nodded dazedly. "Protect their love--" he sighed.

She shut her eyes tightly, falling forward, her hair falling around them, breathing in deep, short, choked breathes. There was a bright flash of yellow light. Venus looked away from it. She pulled back, pulling her hand away from his chest, away from him. And then, slowly, she stood up and dried her tears. She walked purposely over to the woman.

"You're going to tell me what we want to know," she said in a hard voice.

"I don't think so," the woman sneered.

"Oh, I do think so," Minako said, pulling back her arm and swinging her fist straight towards the woman.

Chapter 61

Usagi felt her way through the dark corridors. She was light-headed. Her knees were shaking, threatening to buckle at any second. Her heart jumped into her throat every time she heard the slightest noise.

<They came for me. They are looking for me. They're here for me. I must find them.> The words repeated themselves like a mantra in her mind. A mystical chant that gave her the strength to keep moving.

***********

"My Princess," the small boy said, bowing low, fearing to look into her face.

"Yes, what is it?" Megumi asked, not bothering to look up from the precious bundle she held on her lap.

"The-- the girl," the boy gasped. "She is gone!"

Megumi lifted cold blue eyes to the quivering child. "What did you say?" she asked, pronouncing each word very deliberately.

"I--Iwastobringherherfood," he rushed. "ButwhenIgottoherroomshe wasn'tinthere. IthoughtmaybeIgotthewrongroomsoIwentbacktothekitchenand askedagainandwentbacktotheroombutshestillwasn'tinthere!"

He sighed deeply and then dared a quick look at his princess. She did *not* look happy, he thought.

"I see," was all she said. She stood up gently and moved towards the small bed in the corner of the room and placed the swab of blankets inside it. She turned around.

The boy almost dashed away, so frightened was he by the look on her face.

"Find my guardian," she said in her throaty voice. The boy took off before she could say more.

"Well, well, well," she said, lifting an overcoat to her shoulders. "It appears our little mouse has more fight than I thought."

"You underestimate her a great deal."

"No one asked for your council, Mother," Megumi said, fastening the coat at her chest.

"No one asked you to return to Nemesis," the dead Queen Beryl replied.

Megumi rolled her eyes. "Someone had to clean up the mess you left behind."

**********

She knew the moment her disappearance had been discovered. The very air around her crackled with electricity. The very walls seemed to grow ears, listening for any sound she might make. She felt eyes on her at all times, though she never found the culprit.

<Please, please, please.> she begged herself. <Whatever you do now, Usagi, DON'T klutz out!>

She began to pray. She prayed to anyone, to anything she could think of to pray to. She prayed to her mother, Queen Serenity. She prayed to her Earth mother. She prayed to every god she'd ever learned about. She prayed to Mamoru and the others…

Mamoru? Her mind stopped short. She could *feel* him, sense him. And he was… stronger. That didn't make any sense! She could always feel Mamoru. He was her soul mate. But… this… this was so much… more…

The silver crystal began to glow softly.

She looked down at it, startled. No, no, no. This wasn't good. Her hands flew up to cover the pulsating crystal. In the darkness, the glowing crystal would draw attention…

**********

"We have something," Jewels said, moving to a different control station and tapping a few keys.

"Yes?"

Jewels turned back to the other station, tapped some more keys and then looked up at the display screen.

A map came into focus.

Jewels hit some other keys and the map zeroed in on a specific spot. Slowly, Megumi began to see the glowing little dot.

"This would be a hell of a lot easier if all systems were up and running properly," Jewels grumbled.

"These systems are over a thousand years old," Megumi replied, not tearing her eyes away from the screen. "Be thankful they still work at all."

"What I'm thankful for is that Earth is finally beginning to become advanced enough to find repair parts," Jewels sniped.

Megumi ignored her and instead asked, "What is that dot? Is that her?"

"I believe so," Jewels answered.

"What do you mean, 'believe'?" Megumi snapped. "Don't you know?"

"Sorry Princess," she replied looking over her shoulder. "Until all systems are up and running properly I can't tell you anything definite."

Megumi cursed and Jewels smiled.

"I can tell you this, though," she said, typing in some code or another. "That section should be completely empty."

Megumi looked at her, a wild light in her eyes. "Is that the--"

Jewels nodded with an equally evil, twisted smile.

Megumi began to laugh uncontrollably. Jewels watched her patiently.

"Oh, my dear sweet little Serenity," she began to laugh again. "Detention is in."

Chapter 62

"Nice right," Uranus said, bracing herself so she didn't fall over. Venus ignored her.

She reached over, grabbing a fistful of mousy blond hair and wrenched the woman's head back. A tiny trail of blood trickled from the side of her mouth.

"I want information," she said in a deadly voice.

"Fuck you," the woman hissed.

Venus pounded her fist into the woman. Both Uranus and the woman grunted with the impact.

"Wrong answer," Venus said, wrenching her head back again. The woman looked at her with hatred. Her face scrunched up and then she spit at Venus.

She was startled, to say the least. She wiped a hand across her face and then looked at it as though she had never seen it before.

They stood in a semi-circle. Sardonyx was standing beside Uranus, read to offer an assisting hand at moment's noticed. Beside him, but standing a bit back, were Meliphane and Mercury, silent and watching, waiting for some piece of information to jump on. Jupiter stood back, slightly dazed. The others watched from a safer distance, close enough to give assistance should it be needed, far enough away to not be in the way of the interrogation.

"I will tell you nothing," the woman said.

"I think you will," Sardonyx replied, reaching over and wrenching her arm back. The woman yelped. "It could be very-- *painful* for you if you don't."

The woman paled. "Wha-what do you mean to do?" she stuttered.

He grinned at her, showing off his pearly white teeth. She cowered from him.

"Now that you better understand the situation," Endymion interrupted coolly. "I believe you were about to answer some questions for us."

The woman darted a quick looked towards Endymion before staring fixedly at Sardonyx. She licked her lips nervously again. Her body was trembling noticeably.

"Let's begin with 'where's our friend?'" Mars offered almost cordially.

"I-- I don't--" she licked her lips again. "I don't know who you mean," she said in a quivering voice.

"Wrong answer," Uranus said, sending a rather low blow to the woman's belly. Her eyes popped out.

"Let's try that again," she suggested, pulling back from the punch, and standing up straight. "Where's our friend?"

"In-- in the fortress," the woman gasped, still slightly doubled over.

"Good," Endymion replied. "Now we're getting somewhere. What's the quickest way into this fortress?"

The woman stared with hatred towards him. Her lips sealed shut.

"Hmm," Sardonyx frowned thoughtful as Venus reared back and punched her again, this time her knuckles splitting along a sharp cheek line. "Maybe she didn't hear the question."

Her head snapped back and then rolled forward.

"What's the quickest way to this fortress?" Endymion repeated.

"There is no way in," the woman answered dazedly.

A punch landed in her stomach, forcing the air from her lungs in a heavy whoof. "Better think of a better answer," Uranus suggested, standing up straight again. The woman coughed, spitting blood onto the ground.

"It doesn't matter," the woman said, spitting more blood onto the ground.

"Why not?" Venus asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Because in a few more moments you will all be dead!"

Venus went to throw another punch but a scream from behind stopped her.

"DIE!"

Their heads shot up to see a raging fireball flying through the air-- heading straight towards them. They shouted and tried to dodge out of the way. Saturn threw up her Silence Wall, protecting Endymion, Pluto and Euclase.

Meliphane's and Mercury's attacks met and combined as they flew out to meet the fireball.

The fire ball fizzled into vapors, revealing the demon woman behind the attack. Delvina stood, shaking, glaring at them all with hate filled eyes.

"Join the Negaverse or face Death!" she ordered.

"Death? You are the one who must face Death," a quiet voice said calmly.

The purple glow brightened. Eyes widened in shock as the realization of what was about to happen suck in.

"Pluto!" Endymion cried out to the senshi closest to Saturn. "Stop her!"

Saturn was already raising her power when Pluto tackled her. Hurt and confused eyes stared into one another.

"Now is not the time," Pluto said softly, brushing dark bangs away from the fragile looking face. Saturn looked over the timeless senshi's shoulder at the fight that had begun.

"They *will* die," Saturn said.

"So shall we."

Startled eyes looked up at Pluto. Tears threatened to fall. Sad eyes looked down at Saturn. Understanding passed between the two powerful senshi.

"Look OUT!!!"

Chapter 63

Usagi's head snapped up, her eyes wide with fright. In her chest her heart was racing. She could feel it.

The fear…

The excitement…

The pain…

She took several deep breaths. She held her head in her hands, shut her eyes against the ocean of feelings trying to overcome her…

And she could see them against her closed lids. They were fighting. All of them… no… there were some missing. Oh no! There was a fireball! And it was heading straight towards--

"Look OUT!" she screamed, careless to who might hear her.

**********

Saturn's and Pluto's heads snapped up. A fireball was heading straight towards them… but before it could reach them, it would hit Endymion first, and his back was turned away from it as he fought Albonia.

Endymion looked towards the sky when he heard the cry. Others, too, looked up, searching hopefully for the owner of that voice. And then Endymion was knocked into the ground. Which left the fireball on a direct path towards Saturn and Pluto.

"Oh no you don't!" Mercury cried. "MERCURY AQUA RHAPSODY!"

The fireball fizzled.

Jedite rolled off of Endymion. "Gotta watch your back, man," he said, rolling to his feet with a playboy grin.

Endymion pulled a rose from the air and sent it flying. Jedite looked behind him, startled. Fragments of Albonia's steel band lay only feet away.

"Gotta watch your back," Endymion told him with a smile.

Pluto and Saturn were fighting along side Uranus and Sardonyx, trying to defeat Albonia. She refused to yield, however.

"You will never take me alive!" she screamed.

"We don't intend to," Sardonyx told her coldly, distracting her from Uranus's attack.

"WORLD SHAKING!"

Not quick enough-- the she-demon jumped into the air, avoiding the attack.

"Oh, no you don't!" Saturn cried, swinging her glaive high in the air after the retreating woman. The sharp blade soared through the air, sliced deep into alabaster flesh, before falling to the ground, the blade buried.

Albonia screamed, losing her balance and falling to the ground. She looked up dazed, frightened eyes searching for non-existed mercy with in the deep maroon eyes of the Senshi of Time.

Pluto held her Time Staff to the woman's throat. "Your time is up," she said in her soft voice before whispering the words that would seal her fate.

Screams of death filled the air swallowing the woman until she was no more. They gathered around her, around the void the woman had left. The faintest imprint upon the sand, the only remainder left of the woman. Sardonyx, Uranus, and Saturn stood around that imprint, staring down at it.

"Well, it's nice to see that you haven't lost your touch," Sardonyx said lightly.

Pluto refused to smile. Instead she looked the grinning general in the eye, her frowning lips framing her words. "Perhaps one day, I will be allowed to do so."

The shouts of the others drew their attention to the other fight in progress.

****

"You!" Mars fired up her attack, knowing it would do little good on the fire demon, but to angry to do nothing. "MARS CELESTRIAL FIRE SURROUND!"

Delvina held up a flaming hand, allowing the flames to soak up the attack, smiling, laughing madly. "Please," she chided, returning the fire attack with one of her own.

"Dammit, Mercury," Jupiter cried, dodging a stray fireball. "Haven't you come up with a way to stop her yet?"

"I'm working on it! I'm working on it!"

"Work a little bit faster?" Venus cried, tumbling away from another fireball.

Endymion and Jedite worked their way behind Delvina and tried to sneak up on her. No such luck. The woman whirled and sent two fireballs into their chests. They flew back; landing in heaps on the ground some ten, fifteen yards away.

"Jedite! Damn you--!" Mars rushed her, carelessly.

"I GOT IT!" Mercury shouted looking up from her computer. "Fight fire with fire! Mars, Jedite--" and then the scene before her registered. "Mars, NO!"

But it was too late. The fiery senshi was already tackling Delvina. Fire exploded seemingly everywhere, engulfing both women. They screamed, but neither yielded. Gripped, arm to arm, they rolled on the ground, trying to ignore the burning pain of the flames licking their skin.

"You're going down," Mars gasped, struggling.

"I won't go alone!" Delvina hissed.

"MERCURY AQUA RHAPSODY!"

The attack fizzled into vapors before reaching the core of the flames.

Other attacks only managed to phase the outer flames. Inside the two women roasted, struggling, unyielding, determined to win.

Euclase moved to call upon his own attack but Pluto stopped him. She shook her head slightly. "We can not risk Mars," she said softly. On her other side, Saturn gripped her glaive tightly.

On the other side, Endymion and Jedite struggled to their feet. Both looked up in horror. Jedite roared, making to rush towards the flames, but Endymion caught him, held him back.

"Let me go!"

"Jedite, no!" Endymion tried to reason. "You'll only get yourself killed, too!"

"No! Let me go! I have to help!" Jedite yanked his arm free, racing into the center of the flames.

They moved as close as the flames would allow. They squinted, trying to see the center of the burning blaze. They searched, praying for the best.

She was screaming in pain. She knew she was, but she didn't care. She would not yield. She would not yield! She would not--

Someone broke her grip, pulled her away from her prey. She screamed in fury!

And then she was thrown away! Someone threw her!

She knew the minute her body had left the flames. The sudden chill of the air, free of fire, left her shaking uncontrollably. And then she was coughing up smoke and charred sick junk from her lungs.

There was a surge of power, so familiar to her, followed by a scream. Her own cries reached out and joined to it, before the darkness swallowed her.

Chapter 64

Mars was freezing- her whole body was shaking uncontrollably.

"Saturn!" Mercury cried out, rushing towards her friend's side. The girl was already stepping forward, already powering up her energy. "Can you-"

The small girl fell to her knees beside the Senshi of Fire. Black hair fell forward, framing her petite face. Her eyes fluttered shut as she began to concentrate.

They gathered around her, holding their breath. No one wanted to lose another person…

The girl wavered, and then fell back. Strong arms caught her before she hit the ground. She smiled up at Meliphane and thanked him softly. And then she looked at the rest of them.

"She is weak--" Sailor Saturn said softly. "But she should live longer yet."

A wave of relief followed that statement. The tears that seemed to be at close hand of recent returned once more. This time, tears of relief.

Endymion pulled away from the group. He looked out over the field. It was scorched near dry. Smoke smoldered up in ghostly fingers reaching for the sky here and there. Slivers of silver cords were strewn across the field. It looked like a war had passed through.

And on end of the field two charred corpses lay. And on the other end, another body lay. Dead. Gone… again.

"I will miss you my friends," he whispered. "Thank you for your help." He bowed his head-- for just a moment and then looked up.

The mountain ridge they had been heading towards stood before him.

"We must continue," he said, loud enough for his voice to carry back to the others. "We must get to Usagi. She is weakening with each passing moment, I can feel it, and I don't know how much time she has left…"

"Not long," Pluto whispered, though only Euclase heard her and looked at her with shock.

Jupiter stood up, fist raised. "Let's move then," she said, ignoring the tiny crack in her voice.

Endymion looked at her. Jupiter looked at him.

She pushed tears from her eyes stubbornly and walked over to where Nephrite's body lay. She kneeled down beside the body and placed a tender hand on his chest. Murmured words too soft for any of the others to hear preceded a brilliant flash of green light, and then stood, solidly and determined and returned to where the others waited, ignoring the tears that refused to dry.

"Let's go find Usagi."

"Not yet," Endymion said, stooping down by Mars' side. He lifted her head gently. Tired violet eyes looked up at him from half-closed lids. "You understand what you must do."

Her eyes watered but she nodded. He helped her up to her feet and they watched with silent admiration as the proud senshi limped across the ground separating her from the two burnt corpses.

She fell to her knees and lifted a trembling hand up to one of the charred remains. From where they stood, the watchers only saw the slightly haunched shoulderes, the flash of red light, and then the proud but scarred Senshi of Fire hobbling back to them, her fist clenched tightly between her breasts.

"Call Surya and Aldebaran," Mars rasped. "We have wasted too much time already."

******************

Usagi was trembling in a little ball on the group. The pain… the pain… the pain…

It welled up inside her and choked her throat. Tears fell freely from her crystalline eyes. Mamoru was okay. The girls were okay. Everything was going to be okay.

And then she sobbed. But not everyone was okay. She had grown to like the Earth Generals in the past several months. And now… now they were gone.

She felt terrible. She felt bad for her friends who had given their heart to these men… And she felt bad for her love. Mamoru had become close to the four men. They had become- friends. And she knew Mamoru did not keep many friends.

Mamoru-

There it was again. That- feeling. It was strange, and yet it was familiar too. And it surrounded her love… her love… her only love… hard armor… a flowing black and red cape… a handsome prince…

Prince?

Usagi gasped. Could it be possible? But- how? Why? Mamoru normally didn't transform until she did… and surely she would have sensed something before now…

'Would you have?' Luna's voice asked her. 'It's not everyday you have a baby, Usagi. It's quite possible that all the stress might have overloaded your meatball-headed brains.'

Could that be it? Could that be-- but no. No, yes, it was Prince Endymion she was sensing now… but there was something else… something more.

She looked down at her Silver Crystal. It was still pulsating, the brilliant glimmering light passing through her slender fingers easily.

'You can't stay here Usagi,' Luna's voice told her. 'You have to get up! You have to get away! Now, Usagi! Get up!'

She was sure she could hear the cat hiss in frustration, and Usagi smiled, reassured. She stumbled to her feet, leaning up against the wall for support.

And then the wall gave out and she went falling through the gaping hole into a mouth of darkness.

Chapter 65

Her head was pounding-- her body was sore and on fire.

Her mind tried to register what had happened, where she was, but there was only fuzziness and choruses of voices talking to her, adding to her headache. Crystal blue eyes blinked open, tempting her surroundings-- but there was only darkness. She could see nothing, not even shadows.

She realized she was laying on her back, something cold and hard pressing against her, and she tried to sit up. The rattle of chains and vain struggles met with the attempt.

Her heart began to race, choking in her throat. She pulled again at her arms and legs, only to discover she couldn't move them an inch. Metal bit sharply into her wrists and ankles, furthering her frenzied panic. She thrashed out, yanking at her arms and legs, pulling muscles. All without the result she desired.

Laughter drifted out through the darkness.

She froze, her panting the only sound in the darkness for a long moment.

A second later a tiny light flickered to life. Her head snapped to the left, her eyes squinted against the sudden flare of light, small though it was.

She saw the tall brown haired woman first, standing only a few feet away from where she was laying. The woman's dark brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She wore a noir-vinyl jumpsuit that started somewhere inside the noir-vinyl boots with two-inch heels that rose to above her knees. It stretched up over her full hips and flat belly, pulled tight at her rather large breasts, stretched over her shoulders and down her rather well shaped arms, and ended at the base of her skull and her wrists.

The brown haired woman shifted and she could see another woman standing behind her. She knew this woman.

Blond hair, held back at the sides with a three skull clip; a long dark dress with a slit from hip to toe on one side; burning blue-gray eyes, fueled by the fires of hatred; red lips curved in a distorted smile.

This woman was the reason why she was here, in this place, instead of at home with her family and friends. This woman was the reason why her life during the Moon Kingdom was brought to a halt by Queen Beryl. She was the reason why her baby was dead.

She yanked at the chains once again, willing them to break, to free her, but after several seconds, she fell back to the stone slab that was her bed, exhausted.

Megumi smiled, pleased with the girl's reaction.

"Oh, do continue to struggle," she said, stepping closer to the bed. "The more energy you waste, the more we attain." She leaned over the bed, her face inches away from the girl's. "And the more we use against your silly little friends."

The girl struggled again, and Megumi pulled back out of the way, laughing. The girl stopped suddenly, scrawling at her.

"I must say, Serenity, you surprised me," Megumi said, turning to walk back towards the other woman.

"Don't call me that," the girl hissed.

Megumi smiled. "I did not expect you to try something so soon after losing your dear baby," she said with mock sympathy-- with the desired effects. The girl began to yank at her bonds again. After a moment, the girl visibly weakened.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, sounding hurt, pained, tearful.

Megumi whirled, anger wrenching her beautiful face into a hideous contortion. "Because, my dear sweet Serenity," she said, spitting each word out. "I want you dead. I want you to die-- very painfully. I want to hear you scream. I want you to feel all the pain you've caused me simply by breathing. I want you to suffer like I have had to suffer. I want you--"

Beep beep beep.

The candle wavered as the brown haired woman raised a mobile phone to her ear. "What is it?" Silence. "We'll be right there." With a snap the phone thingy disappeared.

Megumi looked over her shoulder, expectantly.

"They have made it to the passage way," the brown haired woman said.

Megumi nodded, a smile returning to her lips. "We must send a welcoming party out to meet them, then." She looked back at the girl on the bed. "Go, Jewels, take care of it for me. I have something I want to finish here."

Jewel made to protest but Megumi stopped her. "Serenity is hardly in a position to cause me any harm anymore," she pointed out.

"Very well, princess," Jewel said, frowning but bowing and leaving the room.

Megumi approached the stone slab again, raising the candle Jewel had given her.

"You can't kill them," she hissed. "They will find you and defeat you. You will not win. You will not win!"

Megumi grinned. "Oh, my dear sweet Serenity. Maybe I can't kill them all… maybe the will find me… but they will never find you… not alive."

The girl yanked at the chains again. "Stop calling me 'Serenity'! It is not my name!"

Megumi ginned. "Oh but it is, it is." She lifted the candle higher and then tilted it.

Burning hot wax dripped over the edge and fell to the girl's exposed flesh. She cried out, tears springing to her eyes. Red welts began to form along side the black waxy puddles on the milky white skin of the girl.

Megumi smiled. "Pain is a very wonderful thing, Serenity. It is amazing how much pain the human body can endure. I intend for you to find out first hand," she leaned over the slab again, "My dear sweet Serenity."

"Stop it," she hissed with controlled pain, tears straining freely down her cheeks. "Stop calling my Serenity. Stop trying to hurt me. Your tricks and games will not work on me."

Megumi laughed, as though she found that remarkable funny. She pulled the candle away, however, still smiling. "I have matters to attend to. But do not fear, Serenity. I will not leave you alone."

She turned and walked to the door, not stopping till she reached the entrance. She looked back, one hand resting on the doorframe.

"Don't miss me too much, Serenity." She tapped a button, the door slid opened and then sealed tight behind her.

Usagi pulled at the chains binding her wrists and ankles. After several moments, she gave up, panting, drained. A weak defeated sob rocked her fragile frame. She wanted to wipe the tears from her face but the biting iron bracelets restricted even that basic movement.

"Where are you?" she asked the darkness sadly. "Why are you not here?" She turned her face away, hiding it in her shoulder. "My friends...my love," a whine caught in her throat as more tears were squeezed from her shut eyes. "I need you, please. I can't do this alone."

There were clatters of chains. Startled, Usagi looked up at the ceiling-- or where the ceiling should have been.

She gasped, shocked and horrified.

Hanging twenty feet about the ground where chains upon chains of cold iron links. And tangled in those chains were bodies: 5 men, 1 woman, all strikingly familiar.

Usagi screamed.

Chapter 66

"I don't like this," he stated, pacing the length of the floor.

Luna looked up at him, watching silently, not knowing what to say, and finally just laying her head back on her paws.

"They've been gone too long," Artemis continued, stopping to look out the door.

Luna looked away, shutting her eyes against tears. She sniffled, catching Artemis's attention. He softened, watching his mate cry silently.

"Luna," he said, padding over to where she laid on a mat in the fire room. She looked up at him, watery red eyes staring up into what felt like his very soul. "Don't worry," he said softly, curling around her. "They will find Usagi."

"I hope you're right, Artemis," she said in a choked voice. She stared out the door. "I hope you're right."

*******

"I don't like it."

"We don't have a choice," Mercury said, touching an earring. The blue visor slid away into non-existence. "It's the only way to get to the fortress."

"Well, I still don't like it," Uranus said, scrawling.

They all frowned at the narrow passage way that separated them from the fortress where Usagi was.

"It's probably a trap," Euclase said.

"I'd be surprised if it wasn't," Endymion answered.

"I have a bad felling about his," Mars said, eyeing the stone walls.

"We have no choice," Meliphane told her.

"We must get to the Princess," Sardonyx added.

"Right, everybody stay alert," Venus ordered, stepping forward into the tunnel.

They nodded and then filed in. Only Pluto and Saturn held back, sharing speaking looks. After a moment, Euclase, too, drew closer to the rear.

"What's going on, P?" Both women looked up, startled. His frown widened. "What aren't you telling us?"

Pluto closed her eyes and looked away. "I am sorry, General Euclase, but I am afraid you know I can not tell you that."

Euclase's fists clenched. "You can't tell me but you can tell her! Is that it?" Both women were silent, staring at him. "Just forget it!" He whirled around to follow the way the others had gone.

"General Euclase!" a small voice called him back. He turned half way, and looked back at Saturn. The small woman stood straight, but was still over shadowed but the Senshi of Time.

"As the Senshi of Life and Death I, sometimes, am permitted to know the future." She looked at him. "So that I may prepare accordingly."

He looked at her. And then he looked at Pluto, frowning. "We're not going to survive this, are we?" Pluto showed no emotion. He nodded slowly and swallowed. "That's what I thought." He sighed. "We--"

Screams from the passage way cut off what he was about to say. Together the three turned and ran.

*******

"I don't like this," Uranus repeated as the passage narrowed. Sardonyx reached for her hand and squeezed it. She frowned at him; he smiled back at her.

"I think you've already said that," Mars said weakly. Jupiter kept a close eye on her.

"And I'll say it again if I feel like it," Uranus snapped at her.

"Only a--"

"Quiet," Venus snapped at them both.

"This whole passage is swamped with negative energy!" Mercury said before anyone else could say something. "It's interfering with my scans."

"Put the computer away," Endymion told her. "No sense in ruining it if it can't help us." Mercury frowned but did as he said. "Everyone stay alert."

They had gone only ten paces when pebbles scattered down the side of one of the cliffs. Venus yelped, jumping back and landing in Endymion's arms.

More stones tumbled down the cliff-- this time from behind. Everyone whipped around, ready for danger, but faced only empty space.

"Hey! Where are the others!" Jupiter shouted.

"I thought they were right behind us," Sardonyx said, taking a step back in the direction they'd come.

"No," Endymion stopped him. "They can find their own way. We must continue."

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Sardonyx said as they turned back around and continued on their way.

It was then that the screams tore through the passage, shaking the walls on either side, sending cataracts of pebbles and dust raining down around them.

*******

"Status report," Megumi barked the second the door to the command center slid open. Jewels looked over her shoulder at the woman and then returned her gaze over another girl's shoulder to a computer screen.

"They entered the passage way ten minutes ago," Jewels answered, pushing away from the chair where the lime-haired girl was seated. "Defense systems are ready and waiting. We can hit them all now while they're vulnerable and destroy them once and for all. Just say the word, Princess--"

"No!" she shouted. "I will not allow Endymion to be hurt."

"Princess--" Jewels started to argue.

"No," Megumi refused to listen. "I will hear no more of it." She sat down in the large command chair. "Is our little present ready also?" she asked, sounding calm once more.

The girl at the computer swiveled around in her chair. "Yes, my Princess. The amipiphones are up and operational."

Megumi smiled. "Good." She looked over to Jewels. "Let them hear the voice of their precious little Serenity."

Jewels nodded to a young man with bright red hair sitting at another computer. "Yes ma'am," the man replied, leaning forward and typing something into his computer.

Chapter 67

She thrashed out, crying loudly, straining against the iron restraints. In the end, she fell back against the cold slab, too weak for further struggle. All she could do was lie there, staring up at the hanging bodies of her friends. Tears ran rivers down her cheeks unchecked.

"Why," she asked softly. "Why?"

******

The screams stopped as suddenly as they had started. Cautiously, they readjusted themselves, standing up, brushing dirt off.

"Well that was interesting," Jupiter said, helping Mars up.

"Wh-- what was that?" Venus asked, brushing sand and gravel from her long tresses.

"I don't know, but what-ever-the-hell it--"

"Is everyone okay?" General Euclase asked, cutting Uranus off as he, Sailor Pluto and Sailor Saturn rushed up to them.

"Where in the name of the Moon have *you* been!" Sardonyx shouted.

"Help me over here!" Meliphane interrupted before Euclase could say anything.

"Mercury!"

"Ami!"

They circled around Meliphane as he cradled an unconscious sailor Mercury, blood streaming from a gape on her forehead.

"Is she--?" Venus asked, kneeling down beside him.

"I don't think so, but I'm not a doctor…"

"Saturn?" Mars asked, looking over to the girl only to see her near fainting and leaning heavily against Sailor Pluto.

"What about you, Endymion," Euclase asked, looking up at the prince.

Endymion frowned. "It didn't work for Kunzite," he said softly.

"That was poison," Venus bit out, looking at him with tears pooling in her large blue eyes.

"Elios said the Golden Crystal is like the Silver Crystal," Euclase reminded him.

"And we know the Silver Crystal can heal!" Jupiter shouted.

There was a moment of tense silence before Endymion finally nodded and knelt down beside the watery senshi. The Golden Crystal began to shine, glowing brighter and brighter. Everyone held their breath.

Slowly the wound began to close, the flow of blood slowing until it stopped completely. The Golden Crystal flashed… and then went out. Endymion slumped forward.

They cried out, catching Endymion.

"We have wasted time," Pluto said, still supporting Saturn. They looked up at her, frowning. "We must hurry."

"What was that sound?" Venus asked, standing up to face her.

Pluto stared at her, her large maroon eyes pooling with unshed tears. Behind Venus the others began to stand. Meliphane lifted Mercury in his arms. Sardonyx swung Endymion over his back piggyback style. Eight bodies stood facing her, waiting for her answer.

"They were the screams of Serenity," she answered softly.

********

They began to run, running faster then they could ever remember running before. Their arms and legs pumping so hard the pain was next to unbearable. Their heartbeats roaring like rampant thunder in their ears. Their lungs burned.

And still they ran.

Slabs of stone began jutting out from the stone walls. They dodged, nearly missing the razor sharp edges.

And still they ran.

And with each step the got closer and closer to their destination.

********

"Megumi, you must do something," Jewels hissed softly so no one else in the room could hear.

"I will not harm Endymion," the woman said, staring forward at a large view screen that showed the senshi and moon generals running through the passageway. "Estimated time?"

"Five minutes," replied the red-haired boy.

"Let me send someone," Jewels pleaded, her eyes darting towards the view screen. One of the senshi dodged a stone slab as it thrust through the face of the wall.

Megumi grated her teeth, watching the view screen intently.

"Very well," she said after another moment.

Jewels turned away immediately, but a hand snaked out and wrapped itself painfully around her arm. She turned back to look at Megumi.

"But they are not to hurt Endymion, do you understand me?" the woman asked, deadly silence followed her words.

There was a clash of wills, as Jewels and Megumi refused to look away from the other. Finally Jewels nodded, which seemed to content Megumi, for the woman released her grip on her guardian. She stood up, walking away from the room, leaving a very angry Jewels in her wake.

"Mervas, Varidius, command center, now!"

********

The door slid open. Every muscled in her body tensioned, preparing for some new mode of pain and torment.

Megumi saw this and laughed. "Are your friends keeping you company?" she asked as she walking into the room, her heels clicking on the stone slabs that made the floor.

Usagi was silent.

"Or would you like some more?"

"No!" she shouted, her struggles resuming. "Don't hurt my friends, you- you- you witch!"

Megumi smiled, pleased. A moment after, the girl fell back, drained. "Oh, don't stop," she said, approaching the 'bed'. "With each passing moment you make yourself weaker and weaker… and me stronger and strong."

Usagi turned her head, her lifeless blue eyes staring up at the woman. "Why?" she asked plaintively. "Why?" she repeated whispering.

Megumi leaned over, strands of blond hair falling into the other girl's face. "To- see- you- suffer," she whispered. She reached over to a control panel, and typed something in. "Suffer," she repeated as electrical shocks and pulses began to rack Usagi's convulsing body. "And die."

Screams filled the hallowed passages of the fortress.

Chapter 68

"Usagi…"

It was a soft groan, but enough to make Sardonyx stop. "Hold up!" he called to the others.

"What's wrong?" Venus said, her hair flying over one shoulder as she stopped mid-stride and turned around. The others stopped also, turning to look at Sardonyx.

"He's coming through."

"We can't stop," Jupiter shouted. "We have to keep going. We have to--"

And then the screams began again.

They leaned up against the stone cliff walls for what little protection there was from the falling debris. Euclase helped Endymion off Sardonyx's back. Beside him, Jupiter huddled unconsciously closer, her arms up over her head to block the raining stones and dust.

Sardonyx looked across from him, where Meliphane was hovering protectively over a still-unconscious Sailor Mercury. Pluto and Uranus were trying to shield a wheezing Sailor Saturn. Venus and Mars shouting something to each other. He strained his ears and could just barely hear what the two were screaming.

"This can't keep up much longer!"

"We have to get to Usagi!"

"But we can't chance to run with this going on!"

"Can we chance to leave her like this?"

"We don't have--"

He felt more than saw the shifting of the stone wall behind him. A second later, before he had a chance to do more than push Jupiter away from him, the wall spit out another razor-sharp stone slab. He heard Jupiter's shout of surprise… and then the other's.

Surprisingly, though, he felt… nothing. He coughed, and could taste the saltiness of blood in his mouth. He looked up, meeting the horrified gaze of Uranus.

"Ha-ruka-chan," he whispered hoarsely.

And then the screams stopped.

*********

"You know what you are to do," she said staring at the freakish woman before her.

"Yessss," the woman hissed, the snakes on her head spitting.

"Good, then go," Jewels said, turning away."

"Ma'am!" cried the lime-haired girl at one of the computers. "A moon general has been wounded!"

"Really? Which one? How bad?" she fired off as she approached the girl.

"I believe it is General Sardonyx, ma'am," the child answered, clearly nervous.

"Hmm. Pity," Jewels said with a small frown. "He was actually cute." The girl said nothing. "How bad?"

She cleared her throat. "Dead, ma'am."

Jewels's eyebrows rose. "That's a little bit better than wounded, Emerald." The girl flushed and looked away. "Tell me, Rubius, how did we gain this trophy?"

The small boy looked up. "One of the defense blades, ma'am. Practically sliced him in half!"

Jewels smiled. "No need to be so enthusiastic, child. There are still more on their way. Here. To kill you, me, our Princess."

The eager glint in the boy's eyes died. "Yes, ma'am," he mumbled.

"Tell me, were any of the others hurt?" Both children turned back to their computers.

"Minor damages, ma'am," Emerald said. "Cuts and bruises it seems."

"Sailor Mercury is still unconscious," Rubius added. "And it appears Sailor Jupiter has received a more serious wound to her side."

"Oh really?" Jewels smiled. "We'll take them bit by bit if we have to," she said softly to herself. "But we will win."

********

"We have to keep going," Pluto said, looking away from the impaled body of General Sardonyx. Sailor Uranus was motionless beside her, staring, not looking away from the body of her lover.

The others forced their shocked gazes away.

"R-right," Venus said weakly, a little dazed.

"Usagi," Endymion groaned again. Euclase shifted him in his arms. The prince struggled to stand on his on two feet. "We have to find Usagi."

"Right," Sailor Mars cried.

"R-right," Jupiter gasped, clutching her side. The others looked at her, and saw the blood seeping past her gloved fingers.

"You're hurt!" Venus cried.

"It's a scratch," Jupiter said, pushing her way. "We gotta keep going."

"Let's go then," General Euclase said.

"What about--" Mars looked at the body and then at Uranus and Meliphane.

"Leave it," Uranus said coldly. "It would only weigh us down." She looked at Meliphane. "Leave Mercury, too." The Inners made to protest but she stopped them. "We need to get to Usagi as quickly as possible."

There was a silent battle of wills as they glared back and forth.

"The princess weakens every moment we delay," Sailor Saturn said softly. Eyes shot to her small face. "If we do not get to her soon… I will have no choice but to call the Silence."

There were gasps. Eyes flew Pluto's face, saw the pinched look there, and realized the girl was not bluffing.

"Let's go then," Jupiter said. "Anyone who can't keep up will have to make it on their own." And she took off running…

"Forgive us," Meliphane said softly as he placed Sailor Mercury gently down on the rubble-covered floor of the passage. And then he took off running after the others.

He chanced a look back, and what he saw made him stop.

A portal opened, and out of it stepped the Senshi of Time. She collected the bloodied body of General Sardonyx in her arms and turned to leave back the way she came. Before entering the portal, though, she looked back, looked directly at him.

"Go now," she said in her timeless voice. "They need your help."

And then she was gone, the portal swallowing both her and his friend in the winds of time.

********

Usagi heard the rattle of chains but was afraid to look up. Megumi had left some odd minutes again… her body was on fire, soul shredded. She dared a glance to the space overhead.

Chapter 69

"Report."

"Everything is in place, my Princess," Emerald answered.

"Good," Megumi smiled, sitting down in the command chair. She looked over to Jewels. "And our guests?"

"Approaching the Entrance," the woman replied.

"And you have sent--"

"Yes."

Megumi smiled again. "Good, good."

"They will not survive."

"Did you think they would?"

********

"Damn!" Jupiter shouted, coming to an abrupt halt.

"Now whadda we do?" panted Mars as they stared at the dead end they'd come to.

"We make a door!" Uranus grunted as she powered up her energy.

There was a crackling of electricity and a flash of light that made them look away, but when they looked back there was no sign of Uranus's attack, and the stone wall that blocked their way was still very much intact.

"What do we do now?" Jupiter asked, staring dumbstruck at the wall before them. "Wait for another attack?"

"Well you know what they say," Venus started before Mars could stop her.

"Say it and I'll flame you!"

"No need!" Meliphane stopped her. He smiled. "Not everything is what is seems," he said as he powered up an attack of his own. A thousand voices were heard as the blue waves of Meliphane's attack washed over the stone wall that blocked their path. When it faded away there was a black hole in the wall, its edges smooth.

"Whoa!" They stared into the black hole that led who-knew-where.

"Let's go then!" Venus shouted starting into the darkness.

"Wait!" Saturn called out. "Be careful," she said as they looked at her. They nodded and then filed into the darkness.

A door slid shut behind them.

********

"What the--"

"Ah! What is that!" Mars screamed as she bumped into something, trying to see in the darkness.

"I can't see a thing!" Venus cried.

"Maybe I can--" Endymion started.

"No, save your strength," Euclase stopped him

Of a sudden the darkness faded to shadows. They looked to see the large pendant hanging around Euclase's neck aglow with a light of its own. And then they looked at where they were.

"What--?" Jupiter wondered.

"It looks like a crystal maze," Uranus said walking up to one of the walls and striking at it with her sword. The sword sliced half way through and then become stuck. She yanked at it several times with little avowal. "What the hell!"

They gathered round, staring at the stuck sword.

"Man I wish Ami was here to tell us what this stuff is!" Jupiter said.

"It's not natural, what ever it is," Mars stated. "There are negative energies at work here."

"Oh really?" Uranus sneered. "Well could you asked them to give me back my damn sword!?"

"Here, let me try," Meliphane said, yanking at the sword, for no good.

"Clay?" he said, looking over to Euclase. The Head of the Moon Generals gave the bejeweled sword several yanks, without result. The sword didn't even budge.

"Here, let me," Endymion said as the other two moved away.

"You've barely strength to keep yourself upright," Meliphane said as he moved to make space.

"It has nothing to do with strength," he replied, laying his hands flat against the crystal that engulfed the sword. Golden energy radiated from his hands and into the crystal. "Try-- it-- now," he grounded out.

Uranus seized hold of her sword and yanked-- the blade sliding free from the crystal like a warm knife through butter. She held the blade up and looked at it, searching for scratches. "Not bad," she murmured looking over to Endymion.

Just then crying wails flooded the room, forcing them to cover their ears.

"Agh! What is it?" Venus shouted.

"What ever it is, it can't be good!" Mars shouted back.

"C'mon!" Endymion shouted. "Let's try to get out of here!"

"I don't think that will be happening," an unfamiliar voice hissed in reply. The wails stopped and the crystals parted, revealing a freakish woman covered in scales with snakes for hair.

"Ugh!" Saturn cried pulling back between Pluto and Euclase.

"You guys go on," Jupiter cried. "I'll take care of this viper!"

"Go on!" Mars added. "Find Usagi! We'll catch up later!"

"Oh, no," said another voice. "You wouldn't want to leave so soon. We've just met. It would be rude!"

The mists parted to reveal another woman… grayish pale, sickly looking, long matted hair fell past her hips, a drab robe of moldy material draped about her.

Flames from Mars's attack swallowed the woman, and she shouted to the others, "Go!"

Without looking back they ran.

*********

"They've split up!"

"Good," Megumi said, leaning back into the chair. "Divide and conquer!"

Jewels leaned into a computer. "Nizana, Nevena, attack!"

Megumi stood up. "I think I shall go to the thrown room to greet our guests." She smiled. "It's only fitting that I should greet the Prince of Earth, my future husband there." She through a look over her shoulder to Jewels. "See that he finds himself there. Preferably alone."

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