Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon - Infinity Alternate 'Eye of the Beholder' - Chapter Four by AmazonessDuo amazonessduo@hotmail.com Tomoe laughed the laugh of a madman, someone who has started to lose grip on reality. The man had lived a harsh, painful life and his sanity had begun to slip years ago. The loss of his wife and near death of his daughter had thrown him over the brink, from a place that he could not recover from in this life. “It appears that they’re already on their way down. But it’s a death sentence for them. They can’t possibly hope to understand what awaits them here. The time is nigh! My entire life has built up to this very moment. All of my work will finally pay off, my dreams will finally come true. The superhuman hybrid I have designed will be hundreds of times stronger, smarter, and faster than any average man. It’s life span will be equally lengthened, making normal humans completely obsolete. Not that they’d survive the planets rebirth as it is.” He shrugged, as if the matter didn’t concern him in slightest. Nor did he notice that he was talking to himself. Again. But then, everyone has their own little quirks. And it was his way of thinking things through. His wife had gently teased him about it in what seemed like a lifetime ago. “I just need to finish a little more research on genetic manipulation and mechanical adaptations and I will be ready to construct a perfect cyborg. The perfect form of life. A hybrid. No one ever understood my genius, but soon my children will flourish. Just as they were meant to. I’ve been given a second chance since the accident. A second chance to prove myself. The first testing wound up being on my own daughter’s body when I had to reconstruct what was left of her after the fire. That was the birth of my dream, to make a perfect being, a superhuman.” He paused for a moment, checking his work as he heard the elevator making it’s way down to him. “Then they came to me, coming from another world. They brought their eggs, another species altogether from humans. One that was highly adaptable. And God chose me to be the one to assimilate our races, to create a superhuman hybrid that took the best of both and increased it a thousand fold.” He adjusted his glasses, double checked his findings, and continued. “I had made a mistake while reconstructing Hotaru. She wouldn’t live after all. But they promised me that she would survive if I utilized one of their eggs along with her cyborg body. And there the egg slept inside my beautiful daughter until the egg finally reached maturity and Mistress 9 became the sole occupant of that body.” He tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. “I’m surprised Hotaru lasted as long as she did.” Shaking his head, he pushed onward. “But I had finally found the chance to use these eggs to further my research. I managed to create beautiful, perfect beings from my tests, leaving them to fulfill their original objectives. The Daimons succeeded quite admirably, even with the Sailor Senshi involved. I won’t regret those failures at all, for they helped me further my knowledge and to create even better things. And when our master’s utilization is complete and he is brought into this world, I will surely survive. And then I can create others like myself, perfect beings to repopulate the earth. I am the god of a new creation, the superhuman.” Again he laughed, a dark, twisted version of the gentle, kind laugh that he once had. “Dad..” Hotaru closed her silver eyes sadly. The elevator moved slowly. Too slowly, for Setsuna. She was usually much more patient, but she couldn’t help but fear that time was running out. When the night was through, this would all be over. But who would be victorious? Who would survive? And were they already too late to save the princess? Setsuna clutched her Time Staff closer, wishing that she could know the outcome of all this already. Michiru offered a small, reassuring smile to the green haired woman, but it didn’t seem to be of much help. She sighed and crossed her arms. Usagi had finally regained her Super Sailormoon transformation, but she wasn’t sure if that would be enough in the coming battles. And she still had the feeling that she would get in the way. Usagi still wanted to save everyone and that just wasn’t possible. But she was tagging on whether or not she liked the idea, so there really wasn’t anything she could do about it. She cast a withering glance at Haruka as she noticed the two blondes flirting again. The flirting abruptly stopped and Michiru had to suppress a smile of triumph. Haruka frowned, leaning against the back wall, her hands behind her head. This whole situation was bothering her. They were rushing headlong into a situation that could very well mean their deaths. And, hey, that was all well and good. They’d done it often enough lately. But did they have to be in this damned elevator? She was starting to feel claustrophobic. Haruka had always liked wide open spaces and the wind against her face. Stuffy little compartments with God knows what on the other side wasn’t quite her cup of tea. She smiled softly at Michiru and released a breath she didn't know she was holding when the aqua haired woman smiled back. She hoped they lived through this so she could make it up to the other girl. She just couldn’t resist a little more flirting with Usagi before their possible deaths. As the door began to slide open ever so slowly, Setsuna held her Time Staff in front of her defensively, leaping out as soon as the doors were open wide enough. The other three Senshi followed shortly. Haruka was to her right with Michiru on her left. Usagi was standing a little behind her. “It sure took you girls long enough. But welcome to my lab, nonetheless,” Professor Souichi Tomoe said from the other side of the room. “You don’t know how much I’ve been waiting for this moment. You girls have really been a bother lately, killing my pretty Daimons and my Witches 5. But this batch of Daimons is feeling hungry, so I suppose it’s feeding time.” All around the room, shadows seemed to shift, low snarls coming from them. Michiru could barely make out the shapes of the Daimons hiding in the shadows. They were ugly, vicious looking creatures. And they were all ready to pounce. “Watch out!!” she yelled as the first few came bounding towards them. Her elegant form barely dodged large, swiping claws. It took her a moment to realize that it was just distracting her. The other two had headed for.. Usagi! “Super Sailormoon!! Get out of the way!” Usagi stood like a dear caught in headlights. The large brutal looking creature moved much faster than she thought possible as it eliminated the distance to her. “Chronos Typhoon!” Setsuna’s attack tore through one of the Daimons just as it was about to swipe Usagi in two. The second Daimon had moved around to Usagi’s left and she barely backed out of the large swiping distance of it’s claws. “Submarine Reflection!” Michiru called out before her attack came crashing into the next Daimon. “Do you really think that’s all I’ve got? I can make an infinite amount of my precious Daimons for you to play with! Yes, play with my precious!” The professor laughed maniacally. Usagi took a step forward, holding her hands out. “Stop it!! We don’t want to fight you. We know that you’re Hotaru-chan’s papa. We just want to know where she is.” “My former daughter, Hotaru? Oh, she’s busy. She can’t come out and play with you now. She’s up at the holy sanctuary, devoting all of the energy from that mockery of the Taioron Crystal, the Ginzuishou, to Master Pharaoh 90,” the professor stated matter-of-factly. “Pharaoh 90?!?” Setsuna exclaimed. Damn, maybe they really were too late. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t try. If only they could get there in time.. Souichi nodded. “Yes, the master had very nearly arrived. And when he does, this world will cease to exist as you know it. I’m sure you’d love the results if you could live through it. It’s too bad you won’t see it for yourselves, but this place is to be your graveyard.” His skin began to ripple as if something was moving under it, pushing it out and deforming it. His glasses cracked and shattered, splintering as the pieces fell to the floor. His skin ripped apart as his body shifted to a monstrous form. “I’m no longer Souichi Tomoe. I am Gelmatoid!!” “He’s a Daimon?!” Haruka exclaimed as the beast stood up to it’s full height. “No, not a Daimon. I am infinitely beyond those creatures. I am a hybrid superhuman!! The first of my kind. The perfect union of humans and life from the outer reaches of the universe. Now, die!!” The creature that had once been Souichi Tomoe fired off a powerful blast at the Senshi, but they all dodged. “That.. That thing was Hotaru-chan’s papa! We can’t just kill it!” Usagi frets, barely dodging another attack. “He isn’t human! He’s a Daimon, Super Sailormoon! An Enemy! We have to kill him!” Haruka leapt out of the way of another blast of energy, making her way towards the large monster. She kept glancing back to Usagi. This wasn’t the time for her to be worried about who they could fight. She knew that she should have stayed behind. But there was no time for that now. Moving closer, she pulled up her sword. “Space Sword Blaster!!” The monster ducked the attack and knocked her away violently. Pain shot through Sailoruranus as she felt the claws slash through some of the flesh on her side, throwing her to the floor. “Uranus!!” Usagi screams as she watches the taller blonde roll along the floor, a slight trail of blood behind her. Pain shot through the younger girl at seeing her hurt like that. She lifted her Heart Moon Rod, concentrating on the beast as Neptune and Pluto continued to hold its attention. It was moving slower now, the Space Sword wedged deep in it’s chest. “Rainbow Moon Heartache!!” Energy flew from Supersailormoon to the superhuman, tearing it apart as it gave an unearthly howl. Hotaru watched the battle, invisible to the participants without her body. “Papa.. My gentle papa from before mama’s death.. The papa that came to save me in the fire.. He died that day. That wasn’t my papa anymore. Goodbye, papa. I’ll see you soon.” Hotaru closed her eyes. She couldn’t die just yet. ChibiUsa still needed saving or they’d both die. But she knew she didn’t have much time left. And she didn’t even have a body to use for what she needed to do. “Who’s that?” Usagi asked suddenly, staring directly at Hotaru. “It felt like someone was right there..” She shook her head, trying to focus on the spot, but nothing appeared. Haruka had finally gotten to her feet with Michiru’s help, but it hurt to breath, like her entire chest was on fire. Nothing serious, but the pain shot through her with every breath. Setsuna looked up from Haruka and Michiru as the ground began to shake. “Something’s coming! Garnet Ball!” An orb of light surrounded the four Senshi as the ceiling began to cave in. “What’s going on?” Usagi yelled above the cacophony of noise. “They’re up there! The rest of the Senshi are up there!” Squinting through the dust and debris still hanging in the air, she tried to get a better view of her Sailor Senshi. Before she could get a good look, her entire body felt like it had taken a sudden hit. Ribbons played across her sailor suit as the energy that had filled her started to dissipate. Looking down in shock, she realized that she had changed back to normal Sailormoon. “What happened? Why am I not Super Sailormoon anymore? Something must have happened to the others. Our souls aren’t connected anymore.” Usagi got back to her feet, straining again to see the Sailor Team. She had become Super Sailormoon through the combined powers of the Sailor Senshi. If she had changed back, what did that mean about them? Were they... No, that couldn’t be. “Damn it.” Haruka watched Usagi for a moment before turning back to Michiru. Her sense of loss was evident. She had finally put her faith in Sailormoon and now it looked like she wouldn’t be of any help. This whole situation was getting worse and worse. It would probably be up to them after all. It only took a look from Michiru to realize what had to be done. If Super Sailormoon couldn't provide victory, they would have to do things their way. Which meant killing Hotaru. Or whatever it was she was calling herself now. The planet was the important thing. They had to save what they could. A sigh escaped the blonde’s lips, but she nodded to the violinist. She would do whatever was necessary, even if the cost had to be paid in blood. “Small Lady... Please hold on. I’m coming,” Setsuna whispered, unheard by the others. Her eyes caught on something other than the Sailor Senshi. Long, dark hair, a silhouette in the sky. That was her. She was the one that had nearly killed her little friend. And if she didn’t act quickly, she wouldn’t be able to retrieve the princess’s soul. Her eyes narrowed as she concentrated her energy, the orb they were all in lifting through the hole in the roof. As the Guardian of Time, she was in a unique position to understand what it was they were dealing with and the future that would not be if they were to fail. And the gentle princess that would be lost if they didn’t hurry. Darkness swirled in the sky above, a black tempest that grew harsher as they rose higher into the air. It was quickly devouring the skyline of Tokyo, a dark cloak ready to drop over the city below. It cast the entire area in shadows, grasping out in surreal patterns along everything. It increased the sense of urgency, as if showing a picture of what was to come. A dark dream that was ever ready to lunge out and consume the planet itself. The main building in the center of the Delta Area lay in wait in front of the four. Ominous silence fell upon attentive ears, the only sounds that of their own boots upon the concrete as they drew nearer. A glass room stood at the entrance, it’s slightly reflective surfaces showing the dark skies above. Inside, they could see a figure shrouded by a dark haze. As she moved, the haze slid over her, finally showing itself as long, raven hair. “Hotaru-chan?” Usagi asked after a moment of silence. The woman turned around, long hair flowing behind her like a cape. She looked directly at the champion of love and justice, her dark eyes glinting in the dim light. She grinned slowly, joyously. As if all was right with the world. Or that it soon would be. The thought chilled Usagi. She didn’t seem to see the Sailor Senshi as any possible threat to the completion of years and years of work. It was only a matter of time for her... Usagi shook her head. “No, that’s a daimon. She’s using Hotaru-chan.” Holding up her rod, she begin heading for the dark haired woman. Michiru felt her heart clench up as she followed right behind Usagi. Now it was the moment of truth. They had come all this way, through long and twisted paths that had led them throughout their lives to this single moment. The road hadn’t been entirely unpleasant. After all, she had met Haruka, a partner and lover throughout all of this madness. But now they had reached the point of no return, if they had ever had a choice in the matter in the first place. Here they would see what would become of them and of the planet and it’s people. They would see if they really could turn back the tide. She walked determinedly towards the woman in the glass room. Even her mirror wouldn’t tell her the outcome of all this, but she would give her all. She had made her decision long ago. Before the four could reach the room, the ground in front of them lurched violently, nearly throwing them off their feet. The building began to rip apart in front of them, exposing the center of the Delta Area. The glass room shattered into thousands of tiny glass shards, the woman standing in it’s center calm amidst the destruction. Into the air she floated, followed by the reflecting pool that had been in the room with her, her link back to Pharaoh 90. Four balls of light followed close behind, the bodies of the Sailor Senshi barely visible through the light. “No! Come back!! That’s them! She has the others! Mercury! Jupiter! Mars! Venus!” Usagi cried out, trying to follow her fallen soldiers. Her head sank seeing them all lying so still in the balls of light. She had almost reached the lowest of them when she was thrown back by the energy surrounding it. It felt like a giant had knocked her back down to the floor the same way someone would swat away a fly. She got uneasily to her feet, watching the floating forms of the Sailor Senshi and Mistress 9 up ahead of her. “No... I can’t get near! Please, wake up! Everyone!!” But Haruka wasn’t paying attention to the prone Sailor Team. Her vision was instead on the aquamarine haired girl who had suddenly gone pale. And then she knew why. The sea was wild, an untamed beast howling in anguish. And the wind was following suit. She could hear it all around her in the harsh winds blowing past. “Are we too late? It feels like the planet’s coming apart at the seams.” Mistress 9 landed slowly, her eyes opening up as if she had just awakened from a deep sleep. The grin returned to her face as she looked at the Sailor Senshi facing her. “No, you’re wrong. The planet is ready to be born. It has spent long enough as this lonely egg out in space. Now that the energy has been gathered, Master Pharaoh 90 can bring about the utilization. He will assimilate the planet. This planet will be born anew soon enough. Thank you for keeping it safe this long. But you are no longer needed.” She frowned slightly. She could no longer feel the scared little soul that had been flitting about the Ginzuishou. The Crystal’s power was probably just interfering. She shrugged it off and prepared to face whatever these gnats had to say regarding the fate of what had used to be their planet. “Assimilate the planet?” Usagi asked worriedly. Mistress 9 sighed. Why were they acting like school children? Didn’t they understand that greatness was about to fall upon this world? No longer would it be the scared, sick little child out all alone by itself that it was. It would become something much greater, the resurrection of a once great world. “When all is said and done, this world will be one with Master Pharaoh 90. It will become the second Tau star and spread it’s light throughout the cosmos. This planet will become our new mother world, and our proud legacy will never be forgotten!” She was really getting into this. How long had it been since she had really been able to bask in what they were doing? Too long. So she had that to thank the school girls for. It gave her a chance to look at it all again. A wave of anxiety swept through her. It was almost done. After all these years... ‘Master, we’ll be together again soon,’ the dark haired woman thought to herself. Michiru ignored the last of what the harbinger of the chaos that was surrounding them had to say, turning instead to her mirror and then out to sea. “Neptune?” Haruka asked, noticing the nearly panicked look in her partner’s eyes. Of course she never panicked, but right at that instant it sure looked close enough. “The sea, it’s subsiding all at once. It could be the signs of a tsunami. The sea itself is being thrown into a frenzy from all of this,” Michiru explained, still gazing towards the ocean. Haruka felt it, too. The sky was growing darker, the winds fiercer. The smell of rain was in the air. She could feel the uncertainty in the wind. “Is it a storm? Or is something else coming?” “The planet’s facing a catastrophe. It’s being ripped apart by this power. We need to protect it.” Haruka saw Michiru nod in agreement. She clutched the Space Sword closer but paused for a moment. Where was Setsuna? Mistress 9 laughed as she watched the Sailor Senshi in front of her. It was like watching small animals. Poor, confused animals that had absolutely no idea what was going on. “Why did you girls come here? To die? Why can’t you accept the Fate of this planet? It’s meant for greater things than this. We’ll see to that. Whether or not you had come here tonight, it changes nothing. This was destined long ago.” “I like to think I know a thing or two about destiny. And this...” Setsuna’s voice, a mere whisper, reached Mistress 9’s ears. She was very close. Right behind her. “This is not destiny. Dead Scream.” A bolt of purple energy shot out of Pluto’s Time Staff, tearing into the body that had once belonged to Tomoe Hotaru. Setsuna watched with a measure of grim satisfaction. She knew that Usagi had come here to save everyone, but that was now an impossibility. They were on the verge of losing their planet. The Time Guardian wasn’t about to make anymore mistakes that might cost the life of her future friend or the planet. Letting Hotaru live was no longer an option. “How dare you come here and expect us to lie down and let you succeed? How dare you take what’s dear to us and think that we won’t fight with every part of our being to get it back?” Usagi gasped in mute horror as Mistress 9 fell forward, slumping to her knees. Blood was dripping down her sides from her injuries. Her dark eyes were wide in shock. She was trembling, obviously in pain. “Pluto!!” Weren’t they going to save Hotaru? Wasn’t that the plan? Had the Senshi from the Outer planets been listening to her at all? “No!!” “You... bitch.. You think I don’t know what it’s like to lose everything?! To see everyone dying right before your eyes? Why do you think I’m here!? Stop being so self-righteous. You’d be doing the exact same thing in my position.” Mistress 9 forced herself to her feet, still shaking as pain wracked her small frame. Tears fell down her pale cheeks as anger and sadness mixed together through her. She had come too far to let some pathetic soldiers stand in her way. “That may be true. But you would be trying just as hard to stop me,” Setsuna said, her voice still quiet yet forceful. She barely saw the hair whip out and wrap painfully around her neck, yanking her off her feet. Her heart sank as she felt the hair start crushing around her throat. No, this wasn’t fair. She was supposed to save the princess. She couldn’t have failed. “You foolish woman. Now that the utilization has begun, I don’t need this worthless body. Attacking me was pointless. After I discard it, you won’t be able to touch me. And don’t worry about what’s precious to you. I’ve already been taking very good care of it.” Mistress 9 closed her eyes, ready to cast off the body she was in. Nothing. Her eyes shot open. “I can’t get out! Something’s holding me here!!” Fear shot through her as she felt the slick blood under her fingertips. Her hair wrenched more painfully at Pluto’s neck. She most certainly wasn’t going to die in this stupid body alone. “I won’t let you escape!” a voice rang out through Mistress 9’s head. “Who are you?! Get out of my head!” Mistress 9 screamed, struggling to get free of the body that was quickly becoming her tomb. “This is still my body, not yours. You won’t get out of it! I’ll never let you be free!” Hotaru soul flashed defiantly inside the pained Mistress 9. “I thought you were dead after I took over. Your soul should have passed on by now. Your weak, pathetic soul isn’t necessary to any of this. I have the Ginzuishou now. There’s no more reason for you at all. I’ll cast off this worthless body and tear it apart. Now let me go!!” Mistress 9 growled angrily at the young girl inside of her. Everything was falling apart. Her beautiful dream was fading because of these frustrated girls. The anger boiled within her. They weren’t the only ones who would try their all. “You can tear my body to pieces! You can ruin it, break it apart if you wish. It doesn’t mean anything in the end. But I won’t let you get ChibiUsa-chan’s soul or her shining crystal! Whatever happens, I’ll protect them! I’ll gladly give my body away for that. I don’t care what you do to me.” Hotaru’s voice was sad but determined. She had mixed feelings about losing her body. It had always been so horrible, a corpse kept alive by machinery. It had been her prison for so many years. But now she had already lost it. No, that was all right. It was better now. It had died years ago. There was no reason to keep it. What really saddened her was that it also meant she was going to die. She had somehow managed to hold on for the moment, but she knew she couldn’t for much longer. She was a soul without a body. It was only a matter of time. And even that held some relief in it. The pain would soon be over. But she didn’t want to leave ChibiUsa. She didn’t want to go away yet. She finally had a reason to live. But that wasn’t really her choice anymore. She closed what passed for eyes in her spirit form. If she had to die, she wouldn’t let ChibiUsa go with her just yet. It didn’t matter if she herself died, but she couldn’t let that happen to her sweet princess. So she would protect the pink haired girl. “Impudent humans! Why do you insist in making yourselves such a nuisance? No one can stop this! You’re already too late!!” Mistress 9 forced herself forward, Setsuna’s struggles growing weaker and weaker by the second. “Moon Spiral Heart Attack!” Usagi yelled, trying to focus her powers on the injured woman making her way towards her. She felt awful doing it, but she didn’t know what else to do. Maybe the others had been right about not being able to save Hotaru. But nothing happened. The Ginzuishou was growing brigher, having blocked Usagi’s attack. Raising a hand, Mistress 9 sent Usagi sprawling back, her body skidding across the ground. “I won’t be stopped now! Too much is riding on this for me to give up! I already have the full power of the Ginzuishou! Ruined body or not, you can’t take that from me.” Mistress 9’s eyes darkened as she watched the Sailors of Wind and Sea ready to attack. Damn them. Why were they all struggling so much? Couldn’t they make this easy on themselves? She would see to her Master’s revival. She had promised the tiny spirit that had been protecting the Ginzuishou that she would show her the wonders that the new world had to offer. And she would not be made a liar. “Their souls. I need more power. The Sailor Senshi’s souls should be abundant with it.” The floating bodies dropped lifelessly into the reflecting pool as tiny orbs of light left their bodies, hurrying towards Mistress 9. “No!! Mars! Mercury! Jupiter! Venus! No!!! Give them back!” Usagi screamed, struggling to her feet. Setsuna kicked weakly, still trying to get free. By now she was fairly sure that it was pointless. The hair was just growing tighter around her throat and she was growing weaker. Her vision was starting to fade and there was a pounding in her ears. Visions of her last death kept coming to mind, slipping away after using her final attack, Dark Dome Close, to help save the future. But this time, she had failed miserably. She would die, as would the princess. If only she hadn’t been so careless... She could only hope that her sacrifice hadn’t been in vain. “Space Sword Blaster!” Uranus slashed forward, the energy blade shooting through the air. It missed Mistress 9’s barrier, instead cutting through the thick raven hair that clung to Setsuna’s throat. The older Senshi dropped to the ground, Neptune catching her and dragging her away from the injured Mistress 9. In the vast emptiness, Hotaru spotted the light of the Sailor Team. She was already holding a single glowing orb close to her heart. Reaching out, she grabbed the other four as they rushed deeper into Mistress 9. Clutching all five orbs of light, she tried desperately to hold on to them. “I have them, ChibiUsa-chan,” she whispered to the original ball of light she had been carrying. “Let go!!” Mistress 9 yelled in rage, trying to utilize the power of the souls inside of her to accomplish her mission. Hotaru cried out as the mental assault on her grew worse. Mistress 9 was trying to drag the souls away. But she had to hold on. If they slipped through her fingers... “I want to protect ChibiUsa-chan and her shining crystal and the four soldiers... But I don’t even have my body. My soul’s all that’s left. I’m already dead. So how can I save them? My dad is gone, my body dead long ago... I have nothing left. I’m all alone. So why do I still have enough power to hold onto them like this? How can I hold her off? I’ve always been so weak... But somehow I can still fight her, even without my body. And inside me, I feel someone else. Not like when she was taking over my body. It’s another me. A stronger me. She’s telling me to keep these lives, to save everyone. But I don’t know how. I can’t save everyone. But I can take these five souls and ChibiUsa’s crystal and escape from this terrible prison. I don’t need my body anymore.” Hotaru clutched the orbs tighter. “Let’s go, ChibiUsa-chan.” A glowing ball of violet light tore out of Mistress 9, pulling away from her. Mistress 9 fell back to her knees. “Damn! The souls have been taken away.” A slight grin crossed her lips. “But now I’m free.” The fear that she had come so far for nothing slowly began to dissipate. She had been right in the first place. These pathetic soldiers were beneath her notice. “That light...” Usagi watched as it flew past. Four lights splintered from it, flowing to the bodies of the Sailor Team. Slowly, one by one, their eyes opened again. “Minna-san!!” The blonde magical girl ran to their side. Her eyes fainly caught a glimpse of Hotaru standing beside her, smiling softly. Before she could say anything, the younger girl had disappeared in a ball of light. “Hotaru-chan?” Mamoru yawned as he opened his eyes. Getting up, he went over and felt ChibiUsa’s forehead. “I must have dozed off.” He sighed as he looked down at his future daughter, lying so still. “ChibiUsa- chan...” There had to be more he could do. It was so painful to watch her as she lay dying. His eyes finally caught on Diana. She was sitting at the edge of the bed, ready to pounce. She was hissing at something. He followed her gaze and saw a dark haired girl sitting in his window. She looked like a ghost, not quite there. Her eyes never left ChibiUsa’s prone body. “Who are you?” Two lights shot into the room past the girl’s head, one going into ChibiUsa’s body and the other forming the Ginzuishou. ChibiUsa’s crimson eyes opened slowly, her body starting to move again. Where had she just been? She felt so disoriented. Hadn’t she been with Hotaru? Oh good. The Ginzuishou was right there. She’d been afraid that she had lost it. She was in her body again. So that meant... “ChibiUsa-chan!!” “Mamo-chan!” ChibiUsa sat up. Her body felt like she had just awoken from a nap. Her gaze went past her future father to the spirit sitting in the window. She scrambled over, hurrying to the spirit’s side. Hotaru smiled gently, her silver eyes looking deep into the big crimson ones of the princess. “Good.” Her ethereal fingers played through ChibiUsa’s cotton candy hair. It was a huge relief to her to know that the younger girl was finally safe. She felt a burden lifted now that she saw her up and about. It had worked after all. “Hotaru-chan...” ChibiUsa whispered softly. She wasn’t really there. At least, her body wasn’t. But she could almost feel her fingers brushing through her hair. Hotaru’s reassuring presence had comforted her throughout the whole ordeal she’d just gone through. That feeling was still there with the girl in the window. “I was able to save you, ChibiUsa-chan. I’m happy. It’s good. We’re both girls, but it’s strange. It must have been fate that we met.” Hotaru had spent most of her life alone, crying in the shadows. Pain and loneliness had been constant companions. But that had all changed because of this genki little girl. She wasn’t alone anymore. She wasn’t in pain anymore. Her entire life, she had been pushed away from everyone. So she hid from them all, wanting the cold solace of the shadows. ChibiUsa was the only one to ever reach out for her, to pull her from her hiding place and actually embrace all that she was. “I thought that, too,” ChibiUsa said quietly, still looking up into Hotaru’s eyes. “Hotaru-chan...” The two girls held hands as best they could with one of them not quite being there. Hotaru leaned down and kissed the princess. ChibiUsa’s eyes closed after seeing the dark haired girl’s face right next to hers. Even if she wasn’t fully there, ChibiUsa thought she felt a feathery kiss before Hotaru pulled away. Her eyes fluttered open at the realization that it was a goodbye kiss. Her heart began to pound in her chest, too many things she wanted to say fighting to be said, but her throat felt too painful to say anything. Hotaru cried out in pain, the last links with her body being destroyed as it was torn apart by Mistress 9’s escape from it. It was gone. There was no going back. But it was all right. ChibiUsa was safe. And she would never be alone again. “Hotaru-chan?!” Hotaru smiled weakly, her fingers hovering over ChibiUsa’s cheek. “It’s good we met. I’m glad we became friends, ChibiUsa-chan. Thank you.” She paused a moment, silvery eyes sparkling sadly. “Goodbye.” ‘I promise I’ll always watch over you, ChibiUsa-chan,’ she thought as she faded away. “Hotaru-chan!!” ChibiUsa cried out, grasping for the spirit that had been there moments before. Tears began spilling down her cheeks as she hugged herself. She barely felt Mamoru pulling her away from the window, holding onto her. “No... Don’t go, Hotaru-chan..” She shook her head, tears falling to the floor. “It’s not fair! Why should she have such a sad fate? Where’s her happy ending? How come I got to come back but not her? There are people who must live that fate?” She wiped at her eyes with balled up fists. She felt so empty, so alone. It felt like a piece of herself had been ripped away. When she closed her eyes, she could see Hotaru as if she was still there with her. Hotaru had protected her, just as she had promised, but ChibiUsa hadn’t thought that meant she’d leave when she was through. Mamoru pulled ChibiUsa at arms’ length, looking down at the young Sailor Senshi. “ChibiUsa-chan, can you fight with me? To help Sailormoon? She needs you now.” ChibiUsa looked up, sniffling. She nodded quickly, determination overcoming the sadness in her eyes. “I can fight. I won’t cry anymore. I’m a Sailor Senshi, too. I can help the others. With the life Hotaru-chan returned to me, I’ll fight with everything I have! I won’t let it be wasted. Moon Prism Power! Make Up!” The pink haired girl appeared in her Sailor fuku, clutching her moon rod in one hand. With the other, she wiped her eyes again. She had to do this. For Hotaru. Now that she was back, she had to put a stop to all this. “Thank you, Mamo-chan! You protected my body while Hotaru-chan was protecting my soul. We might not be as strong as Sailormoon or the others, but let’s go fight together!” ChibiUsa turned and ran out of the room, Mamoru close behind. ‘I feel like I’d just given my wife a daughter,’ Mamoru thought to himself while changing into Tuxedo Kamen. ‘She’s so full of energy now. It’s like Hotaru-chan’s power did more than bring her back, she revitalized her as well. But then, it was a strange visit, so ChibiUsa-chan obviously has a lot of emotion involved in all this. Hang on, Usa. We’re coming!’ Diana sighed in relief as she watched the two hurry off. It seemed that Death had been merciful on this trip. When Diana had spotted her, she had been sure that Death, the dark haired girl that she was, had been there to end ChibiUsa. Instead she had brought her back. Diana whispered a silent thank you as she finally let herself fall asleep after all the hours of watching her mistress. The monstrous form of Mistress Nine screamed out as it rose high above the Sailor Senshi. She was no longer under the constraints of Hotaru’s body, what was left of it lying torn and shattered underneath her. Now was the time she had waited so long for, the time of their resurrection. And she could not allow these bothersome and blind soldiers hinder her progress. The three Outer Senshi had gone to the three main points of the Delta Area and had set up a barrier with their remaining power, barely holding back her master. But she knew it couldn’t last long. Gathering her strength, she lunged forward. “What the hell is that thing?” Makoto asked in shock at what had looked to be a human woman moments before she had left the bonds of the body she had been inhabiting. “It sounds like it’s in pain.” Glancing to Ami, she saw the blue haired senshi nod in agreement. Makoto smiled briefly as she braced herself for the monster. She had found her reason to fight. And in a way, that was much more important than the fight itself. Usagi held up her wand, trying to concentrate on the demonic figure heading towards her. Her mind was in so many places at once. She had failed Hotaru. The Outers methods had disgusted her, but she had proven inept at doing any better with her own way of doing things. She had failed in saving the dark haired girl and quite possibly had lost ChibiUsa in the process. Working up the strength to continue onward was almost impossible. “Pink Sugar Heart Attack!!” came a sweet voice from behind her. Energy shot out past her, forcing Mistress Nine back before she could get any closer to Sailormoon. “Chibimoon?” Blue eyes lanced around for the source of the voice and finally latched onto the pink haired Sailor Senshi. Her eyes sparkled as hope returned to her heart. “But... How?” Swallowing the lump in her throat, ChibiUsa forced back the tears that were still just under the surface. Strong. She had to be strong. There would be time to cry later. Her returned life was a gift from Hotaru. She couldn’t let it go to waste. Hotaru’s sacrifice wouldn’t be in vain. “Hotaru-chan rescued me. She protected me in the darkness. She gave her life for me.” “Gave her life?” Usagi repeated. Then it was true. Hotaru was gone. She hadn’t been able to save her after all. Maybe the Outers had been right the entire time. But she had saved ChibiUsa. They were wrong about killing her. “Arigato, Hotaru-chan,” she whispered. “What are you waiting for?” Tuxedo Kamen yelled over to Sailormoon, still standing beside Chibimoon. “Hurry! You have to henshin into Supersailormoon!” “Tuxedo Kamen-sama!” “If you don’t act quickly, the entire planet will die! Those three are expending an enormous amount of power sustaining their barrier. You have to hurry and defeat it, Sailormoon!” Tuxedo Kamen watched the blonde girl intently. His faith was always with her. And sometimes all he could offer was his belief in her. He hoped it would be enough. Pulling out a rose, he tossed it to Sailormoon. “For all it’s beauty, a rose is still painful to those who misuse it. Sailormoon, show them that the same is true of the earth and it’s pretty sailor suited protectors.” Usagi nodded, holding the rose close to her heart. “For our beautiful planet. I have to save everyone.” Determination coursed through her as her hands reached up in the air. “Holy Grail! Please appear before me! I need your help! Gather the sacred power of the Holy soldiers to protect this planet!” The shining chalice appeared above her, shimmering with light. The Inner Senshi held hands, concentrating their power to the one they believed to be the Messiah. “Sailormoon... You really are everyone’s mother. Someday I’ll be like you. I’ll be strong. I’ll protect everyone, too. Because everyone needs a protector. There’s still hope for our world filled with lonely hearts. If even for a moment our hearts can touch another, we aren’t truly alone after all,” ChibiUsa said, watching Usagi intently. Her heart burned fiercely as the thoughts raced through her mind. She had learned so much in her short time back in the past. There was so much pain that she had never known existed. Her own loneliness in the future even made more sense now that she had met Hotaru. But it had also taught her that there was hope. That even in the darkness, even when surrounded by loneliness, there was a heart shining out there, waiting. And she couldn’t let this world end all of those hopes and dreams. A gasp escaped her lips as a golden crescent moon began shining on her own head seconds after one lit up on Usagi’s. The air shimmered in front of her as a chalice took shape. “The Holy Grail? Two Holy Grails?!” “Crisis Make Up!!” Usagi and ChibiUsa shouted in unison. The two Sailor Senshi carried with them the love and courage of the present as well as the hopes and dreams of the future. Ribbons of light surrounded the two of them as their Sailor Fukus shifted into their super forms. “Supersailorchibimoon,” Mamoru whispered as he watched the two. Something had happened to ChibiUsa in those moments after she had awoken. She was stronger now, truly a Sailor Senshi as opposed to the Senshi in training she had been. A memory of Usagi stabbing him before stabbing herself with his sword back in the fight against the Dark Kingdom while he was brainwashed ran through his mind. ChibiUsa truly was her daughter. The pain of losing a loved one brought out the strength in their hearts and the will to fight. Usagi and ChibiUsa looked at each other for a long moment before crossing their moon rods together. They both knew that they had to end this now. This pain couldn’t be allowed to continue any longer. “Let’s go, Supersailorchibimoon! We have to join our power together!” Usagi yelled out as they flew towards the monstrous form of Mistress Nine. Mistress Nine watched the two as they sped towards her. The power was incredible. And that soul of the pink haired one was the same that had been protecting the Ginzuishou when she had possessed it. Why did they insist on stopping the beautiful Fate that lie in wait for their world? “Rainbow Double Moon Heartache!!” The two Senshi of the Moon yelled in unison. Energy lashed out from their entwined moon rods at Mistress Nine. ChibiUsa felt a twinge of regret as she poured herself into the attack. She knew that they had to protect the future, her future, but she could still remember Mistress Nine’s soothing words while she had been protecting the Ginzuishou. But she had to stop her. For Hotaru’s sacrifice. For her mother. For all of the lonely hearts that had yet to meet the one who would release them from their cold prison. ‘Thank you, Hotaru-chan... You saved me in more ways than you know.’ On their three separate buildings, energy surrounding them as they continued to hold up their barrier despite the onslaught of power against it, Setsuna, Michiru, and Haruka held up their Talismans. The monster that had been Mistress Nine grew larger as Chibimoon and Sailormoon continued to attack it. “No! It’s being exposed to the light of both the Ginzuishou of the present and of the future and it’s still growing! It’s not working!” Setsuna yelled in frustration. Her heart had been relieved to see the ‘young’ princess again, but she didn’t want to see her get hurt against the Enemy. Nothing seemed to be working. What would it take to stop them? “More power! We need to hit it with enough to shatter it!” Minako called out. There had to be something they could do. She refused to sit back and watch as her world was torn asunder around her. Her entire being would go into this. ‘I guess this might be the last time Sailor V is in action, Natsuna-san. I hope you’re watching. This will be my finest performance,’ she promised mentally to a certain police chief. “We’ll do it, too! We have to stop that thing’s growth! We’ll defend this planet till our dying breaths! Venus Wink Chain Sword!!” “We’ve come so far. We’ve fought through so much. Our world’s dream isn’t ready to end. Mars Snake Fire!!” Rei shouted as she concentrated her energy. “Jupiter Coconut Cyclone!!” “Mercury Aqua Mirage!!” The two attacks came at the same time, almost a counterpoint to the other. The fight was far from over for them. Even if they lost, they would know that they had fought to the end for their own special reasons. The girls symbolizing Jupiter and Mercury couldn’t see each other through the haze of battle, but knowing the other was their bolstered them to throw everything into their attacks. This couldn’t be the end. It was just the beginning for them. “Tukishido La Smoking Bamba!!” Mamoru yelled out, his heart and mind focussed on the two girls that were fighting for the life of the planet. They were both incredibly important to him. He would do his best to help. Mistress Nine bathed in the power that was being focussed on her. Silly humans. They had no idea what they were doing. This power was only helping her to grow stronger. But what better way for them to continue their struggle than to actually help bring about the new world that awaited them? “Mmmm... This energy, it’s the power of the carriers of the planets’ protection! Such wonderful, glorious power! Give me all of your power! Open up the gateway for me!” Minako gasped in shock. “It’s not affected? No...” Her spirits dropped as the realization hit her. ‘I’m sorry, Natsuna-san. I tried. I really did. It looks like this really is Sailor V’s last adventure.’ “She’s absorbing our power! It’s only making her stronger!” Ami yelled out, her eyes wide. Why hadn’t she seen it before? The Death Busters had been trying to gather power to bring about the assimilation the entire time. Now Mistress Nine was using the very power they were attempting to use against her. “You will all be assimilated along with the planet. You will be reborn along with it. Don’t you understand? You have no reason to blow me apart. You should welcome my Master with open arms,” Mistress Nine explained. Things seemed to be going very well indeed. Soon enough it would all be... “What?! I can’t move! The barrier...!!” “We won’t let you outside the Delta!” Michiru called out, her eyes focussed on the floating Daimon. After all she had been through, it came down to this. All of the sacrifices, all of the hard work. All of the blood and tears. Now was the time when she would see the results of all she had strived for. She didn’t even regret getting Haruka involved in all this anymore. She could ask for no better partner. If she was to die, then so be it. But she wasn’t about to go alone and let these invaders take away all that she had fought so hard for. “This will be your graveyard!” Haruka added, brilliant gold light outlining her as she continued to pour her energy into the barrier. The blonde tomboy had come a long way in the short time she had been a Sailor Senshi. It had eaten her up for so long, knowing the dark path she had to travel. But with such a traveling companion, even the darkest roads of hell had seemed cheerful enough. ‘I’ll always follow you, Michi. No matter where you lead.’ The sky above began to fade and swirl, black gathering through the shadows. Pinpricks of stars shone through to the Senshi below. Ami recognized the layout of the stars immediately from her run in with Viluy Yuri of the Witches 5. “The Tau Star System!! The gateway is opening!” Mistress Nine watched the stars with a mix of nostalgia and hope. “The long forgotten distant mother stars, the Tau Star System! After all of this time, this planet will finally be our second home! Our society will be revived! For all of those wandering souls, their homecoming is nigh.” “I can’t allow you to do that! I won’t let you have this planet!” Usagi clutched her moon rod tighter, unsure of how to stop the catastrophe that was approaching, but unwilling to give up. “I can’t...” ChibiUsa whispered, her crimson eyes fluttering as she tried to concentrate. She felt weak, tired. Unconsciousness was beginning to pray on her mind, defeating every attempt she made to fight it off. Her power was waning quickly, the strain too much for her. As her Super Sailor Fuku disappeared, she plummeted from the sky. “ChibiUsa!!!” Mamoru barely managed to catch the pink haired soldier. She was already passed out. “Master Pharaoh 90! I will be your partner! I will do all I can for this planet, the master, and the utilization!” Mistress Nine shouted, the light of her home world spurring her forward. Her heart beat for her master. She would not fail him. And they would be together for all eternity. Darkness burst out of her forehead as she fell from the sky, crashing down amongst the rubble below. “Wha..? What happened to me... my body.. I can’t... No, not now...” Setsuna wobbled precariously, dropping her staff as she collapsed to her knees. Michiru and Haruka quickly followed suit, clattering to the floor themselves, their Talismans dropping from their fingers. The light from the barrier above flickered and shattered into a million slivers of light, quickly fading away. . “Their force field.. It’s gone!” Usagi watched in horror as the only thing keeping back the gateway disappeared. “Uranus! Neptune! Pluto!” “No... I can’t put out anymore power... I don’t have anything left..” Setsuna said as she gasped for breath. Her eyes closed, pain tearing at her. She had given up her previous life as a college student to protect the world as Sailorpluto and she had failed. She had thought that she could make a difference. “I’m sorry, Small Lady.” “Damnit!” Haruka beat her fist into the concrete under her. “We’ve come too far to lose now... This can’t be the end...” The shining light of stars from a far away system loomed over the Sailor Senshi, sparkling above them hauntingly. “The earth, it’s dying... Will this be the new home to the Enemies?! No!! I won’t let you take away our home! You’re uninvited visitors! Get out!! Rainbow Moon Heartache!!” Usagi focussed her power again, fighting till the end. Her four Sailor Senshi attacked along with her, throwing themselves fully behind her. All of their power swirled into the vast darkness that was building. “Our power... Drawn into the darkness... It’s all gone..” Minako stated weakly before she and the other three collapsed. “Everyone...” Usagi looked over the battlefield. The three Outer Senshi could barely move, her own Inner Senshi too weak to go on. Mamoru held onto Chibimoon’s limp body. She looked pale from Usagi’s viewpoint. Everyone was falling. They had given their all and it still wasn’t enough. When would they wake up from this nightmare? “They all pushed themselves past their limits. They have no power left to fight anymore. No... That’s not true. There’s still some left. Everyone’s power is still inside me as Supersailormoon. It was all of them together that gave me this strength. So I will fight on for them. I’ll show their power to the fullest extent. I can fight with their dreams in my heart. Sleep well, my friends. I’ll carry your dreams with me until you wake up. Only me. Alone. No, with your dreams in my heart, I will never fight alone! With the Ginzuishou and the Holy Grail, I’ll keep fighting! Holy Grail, please lend me more strength. Fill me with the final power of the nine Sailor Senshi!” Mamoru watched Sailormoon up above as she gathered up all the power she could. He held onto ChibiUsa’s unconscious form as the wind whipped past him. "Usako, what are you planning on?!” Usagi smiled in reply, clutching the Holy Grail in front of her. Pure white light was lashing around her, illuminating her in the dark sky. Dropping from the sky, she headed for the ruins below. “Usako!!” Mamoru watched in horror as he finally understood what she was doing. The nine Sailor Senshi watched on helplessly. Falling through the air, Usagi smiled softly. “There’s only one chance left. I’m going to show it the true power we have to offer. I’m going to open the full power of the Ginzuishou and the Holy Grail inside that thing!” “Usako!!!!” Mamoru screamed as he watched her plummet towards the gathering darkness. This couldn’t be happening. After all that they had fought through, she couldn’t sacrifice herself for this. She was the world’s only hope, but his world would still be lost if she was gone. ChibiUsa gasped in Mamoru’s grip as she watched, finally regaining consciousness only to see Sailormoon’s last ditch effort. Why did their have to be so many sacrifices? Why did so many have to pay for things with their lives? Hotaru had paid for ChibiUsa’s life with her own and now Usagi was going to give herself for the planet. Why was the price always so high? With a grim thought, ChibiUsa realized that she would be sacrificed as well. If Usagi died, she would never be born. But it was all right. If she had to die for the sake of the planet and all the lonely souls on it, then she would gladly be down there with Usagi. Some things were worth sacrificing for. ‘I guess I’ll see you soon, Hotaru-chan.’ A small smile crossed her lips. Darkness enveloped Usagi as she plunged deeper into the blackness. The light flowing around her exploded in a tremendously bright shower. Up above with the three Senshi of the Outer system, the Deep Aqua Mirror, Garnet Orb, and Space Sword began to flash, reacting to something. “The Talismans?!” Michiru said in shock. The three objects lifted into the air, glowing brighter. A hole tore open through Mistress Nine down in the darkness. A sphere of light lifted into the air. Inside lay a beautiful Sailor Senshi lying on her back. The storm seemed to stop in the immediate vincinity around her. The entire area was covered in silence for a breathless moment. “That’s...” “Oh my God...” The Sailor Senshi stood up in the air, her eyes slowly opening as she took in the scene around her. The Saturn symbol flashed on her forehead. There was a serene calm about her, as if she knew exactly what she was here to do and it was no more of a chore than washing the clothes. She held a long staff in her left hand, the end curving into a wicked looking blade. “I am the messenger from the depths of death. I come from far off to set right what has been led terribly astray. I am carrier of the protection of the planet of ruin, Saturn. The Senshi of Silence. Sailorsaturn.” “She’s awakened...” Michiru said in horror. “Sailor Saturn!” Haruka shook her head. If only they had killed Hotaru before! No, wait... Hotaru was already dead. Saturn had still come even then. Was there no way to stop this even worse monster than the Enemy they were fighting? “Then... This is the end, isn’t it?” Setsuna asked after a moment. Of course, this meant it was all over. They had failed. Rei looked up at the figure. “Does that mean.. Is Sailormoon... Is she dead?!” Saturn turned to look at them, her silver eyes cold. Her pale skin and curved weapon made her look dangerously similar to images of Death itself. "I was called by the pulled trigger long ago. It doesn't seem that it's been that long yet. I seem like an invited guest. I slowly met accidents one after another, and disturbing occurrences were brought about. Suddenly history seemed to have gone a bit wrong." “Hotaru-chan?!” ChibiUsa asked, pulling away from Mamoru. “Hotaru- chan!! No... Sailorsaturn... Please, tell me what’s going on!!” Chibimoon ran forward towards the apparition, tears spilling down her cheeks. Saturn stood like a statue, her silver eyes watching her intently. “Hotaru-chan...” ChibiUsa sniffled as she reached the silent soldier. “It’s you, isn’t it? It is you, Hotaru-chan.. It has to be...” She lunged forward grabbing onto the dark haired Sailor Senshi. Clutching on tightly, she let loose a sob, shaking against the taller girl. “Small Lady!! Get away from her! Now!!” Setsuna screamed to the future princess. Her heart lurched as she watched the two Senshi. The princess was going to die and there was nothing she could do about it. ChibiUsa hardly seemed to hear her and she had no power left to get to her in time, let alone to fend off the final soldier. ChibiUsa was wracked with sobs as she held onto Sailorsaturn. Saturn shifted slightly in her grasp. The future princess felt arms encircling her, holding her close. A gloved hand gently brushed past her cheek before running through her hair. She looked up at the taller girl, sniffling. Gloved fingers wiped her tears away. Saturn was looking down at her gently, following the contours of the smaller Senshi’s face. “Hotaru-chan...” Saturn shook her head slowly, still holding on to the pink haired princess. “Through an accident here in the Infinity Zone, the one I was supposed to sleep eternally inside, Hotaru, began to live life as a cyborg. In that girl’s body, I was never supposed to awaken. It was a shock to my soul and an enormous strain living inside of her after that. Then another came to live inside that body. Mistress Nine. Professor Tomoe’s twisted mind had summoned those from a far off world and had given them the body of the girl I was inhabiting. But there was nothing I could do. I was immersed in darkness, only able to watch sleepily as time marched forward. But now, I have been called forth. We were all drawn here. The passage of the other world opened here. This land was chosen for this final battle. All of the power has gathered here. Everything began to descend to ruin, foretelling my awakening. It was all set up by fate.” One arm continued to hold ChibiUsa close while her right hand rested on the princess’s cheek. ChibiUsa just looked into her eyes, unsure of what to say, her arms around Saturn’s shoulders. “All of it. Even my meeting you, ChibiUsa-chan.” The cold look faded for a second, a smile similar to the one Hotaru had given her before she had disappeared on her face. “Thank you, ChibiUsa-chan. I’ll be waiting for you when my job is finished. Don’t be afraid of death. I’ll be waiting to lead you through when it greets you.” Leaning down, she kissed the pink haired girl softly. ChibiUsa stood on her tiptoes, holding on tighter as she returned the kiss. It was bittersweet, a final kiss before the end. Saturn pulled away slowly, her fingers trailing on ChibiUsa’s cheek for a few lingering seconds as her cold exterior returned. Clutching the Silence Glaive, she turned away from her princess. ChibiUsa slumped to her knees behind her. Leaping forward, the Senshi of Death and Rebirth stabbed into the blackness with her Silence Glaive. “I can’t move!? No!!! My power... It’s all being soaked up!” Mistress Nine screamed as she tried to struggle against Saturn. It was useless. All of the power she had gathered was being torn from her. Her dreams shattered as she felt the icy cold hand of death waiting just behind the dark haired girl. “Now that I’ve awakened, I must bring down the Silence Glaive,” Saturn explained, gripping it tighter. “The Silence Glaive.. That’s the scythe of the Goddess of Death.” Michiru had drawn it before in a dark painting she had done. A beautiful goddess dressed only in what amounted to a white sheet. And wielding that same deadly weapon. Haruka had wondered why she would draw such a beautiful girl with such a dangerous looking weapon surrounded by bodies in a macabre painting, but this seemed to be the same celestial embodiment of Death. “Id she brings down the Silence Glaive, then everything will end! Sailorsaturn, don’t do this!” Setsuna yelled out. She was shocked at the display with the princess, but the reprieve of not killing ChibiUsa then would only mean that she would die with the rest of them in moments. “Damnit!! Why would Fate bring about all of this? It can’t be! This can’t be the Fate of our world! Sailorsaturn, stop!!” Haruka clutched onto Michiru. ChibiUsa’s crimson eyes followed Saturn as she stayed on her knees, the rubble biting into her skin. “Hotaru-chan.. Does this mean there’s no future for us? Is this the end?” She didn’t have the strength to get up. She was so thrilled to see Hotaru again, but she hadn’t expected her to turn out to be Death. Her mind was still swirling in confusion. All she could do was watch. “Death Reborn Revolution!!” Saturn yelled out, still calm amidst the destruction around her. Ribbons surrounded her as she lifted up the Silence Glaive above her head. She briefly wondered if she should have hurried along ChibiUsa’s death so that she wouldn’t have to witness the destruction to come, but decided that it was too late to worry about such things. The pink haired girl would be dead soon enough, along with everything else. And she would be there to escort her once it was all over. “No!! All of my power.. It’s being pulled away from me!! I’m losing all that I’ve gained.. Master, I’m so sorry! It was all for you! This negative aura is soaking up everything I had! No, it can’t be!! She can’t have awakened! Is this the true Silent Messiah?! She will guide everything to ruin!” Mistress Nine’s struggles became weaker and weaker as Saturn’s power grew. Her thoughts began slipping from the mission she had tried so hard to accomplish, focussing instead on her reason behind it all, her master, the one she loved. The gathering darkness became entangled in ribbons. The ribbons seemed to sap away the darkness, drawing it away as it forced it all up into the sky and towards the Tau Star System that could be seen up above. “You, who has already lost your world, already know the pain of losing everything. Soon this planet will join your own, for it’s death is soon. But you, abominable creature, will die first. Invader! Return to the dead! Then death will befall this world as well!” Power surrounded her as more ribbons began flowing from her. Darkness and energy began to build up around her, ripping through the rubble underneath her. “It’s over! We can’t stop it anymore! We’ve finally reached the end,” Mamoru shook his head, defeat starting to seep through his weary body. Haruka staggered to her feet, wincing in pain as she got closer to the ledge of the building for a better look. “She’s going to bring down the Silence Glaive! She’s going to kill this world along with that Daimon!!” As the Silence Glaive began it’s slow descent towards the ground, the ribbons and darkness and energy lashed out. The city began tearing itself apart, buildings shattering and collapsing, the ground ripping open. Mamoru covered the still confused ChibiUsa as debris fell past them. Buildings were ripped to pieces in seconds. “Everyone.. Everything, it’s all disappearing,” ChibiUsa whispered softly, the world falling apart around her. The wind picked up, shrieking fiercely. Waves crashed nearby as the earth shook. For a moment, ChibiUsa regretted coming back to the past to train. This was too much for her. But she had to. She didn’t regret all that they’d done up till now. She didn’t regret meeting Hotaru. But did it have to end now? Mamoru dropped to his knees beside his future daughter, his cane dropping next to him. “Usa... Usako!! Only you kept me alive all this time! And I couldn’t even protect you!” His eyes followed a trace of red. The wind brought one of the red petals closer. The rose he’d given Usagi.. The beautiful rose was crushed. “Usako...” Tears dropped to the rubble underneath them. Watching Mamoru clutch onto the flower petal, ChibiUsa looked back towards the receding darkness that Usagi had plunged into. “Sailormoon... Mama.. You can’t be gone.” “Damn,” Haruka mutters, tossing a chunk of concrete across the ruined battlefield. “Isn’t there anything we can do?! Are we completely helpless? Everything will be destroyed if this isn’t stopped. I... I just wanted to protect that girl! That was all! I didn’t care for any of this!” Michiru took her hand as they watched the destruction. “Haruka-san!” a voice called out. “Haruka-san!” “Sailorsaturn..!” ChibiUsa said as she got up, stumbling towards the Senshi of Silence. She had to get to her. There had to be something she could do. She knew Hotaru the best. Hotaru trusted her. Even if Saturn was a bit different, she had to try. Mamoru grabbed her arm, pulling her back. “Mamo-chan, I have to!” she argued, trying to pull from his grasp. Up ahead, a bright light began shining near Saturn. It lifted up into the air, clearing the troubled sky around it. A figure emerged from the light, butterflies fluttering everywhere around her, mixing with the fireflies that had begun to take flight shortly after Saturn’s arrival. “Sailormoon? Supersailormoon?!” Usagi’s eyes opened as the crescent moon on her forehead lit up. She blinked curiously as she looked around at the battlefield. The other senshi were all staring up at her. “Usako!!” Mamoru called out. Mistress Nine saw the slight distraction as her last chance. These Sailor Senshi had nearly ruined all of their plans. She had to stop them now. “I’ll take you with me! Back to the Tau Star System! The gravity will pull you through to the darkness of our graveyard! Our dead home, the Tau Star System!” There was still hope. If she could pull them through, Master Pharaoh 90 could stop them. Then this world might still be reborn as their new home. Saturn looked up, her glaive nearly touching the floor. Her silver eyes watched with little concern at Mistress Nine’s attempt at salvaging the situation. A slight smile crossed her thin lips as she looked up. “It’s beautiful, the suffering at the moment of destruction. If you’re so eager, then let’s hurry! Right away! The guide to death, Sailorsaturn, will lead to the world of the dead!” “Saturn!? No!! We’ll all be drawn out into space together! We’ll all die!” Usagi clenched her fists, looking to Saturn concernedly. “You can’t let this happen! Everyone will die!” Saturn shrugged off Usagi’s outburst. It hardly seemed to matter now. Her full power was very nearly ready to be unleashed. “I don’t feel despair. Along with death, there is always hope and rebirth.” Her silver eyes caught ChibiUsa’s crimson eyes. She held her gaze for a few seconds, as if speaking directly to her. “If you remember that, then death is nothing to fear.” “Sailorsaturn?” Usagi asked, confused. “Sailormoon, because you have opened the power of the Holy Grail and the Ginzuishou, you still have a chance to save this planet. Perhaps now is not the time that has been fated for me to bring everything to ruin. Soon, this land will be the new Tokyo that you will bring about. For now, I must stop the outsiders from getting a grip in this world.” Saturn’s cold gaze fell upon Setsuna. “Sailorpluto! Close the gateway to the other world for eternity!” Pushing off the ground, Saturn drifted into the darkness, following Mistress Nine towards the Tau System. That was where she was needed now, to finally put the long dead system to sleep. Setsuna paused, pulling up her staff. She could see the pain in the princess’s eyes as they followed the dark haired senshi’s ascent. She was so tired of all of this fighting and pain. “Saturn!!” “Hurry!!” Saturn yelled back, her energy building as she closed the distance. She could feel Pharaoh 90 on the other side. He would be dead soon enough when she released the power building within her. Her Silence Glaive would drop today after all. Pluto nodded, closing her eyes as she began chanting. Her Garnet Orb began to glow. “Great guardian deity of time and space! My father, Chronos! Give me power! Close the door of the broken law! Dark Dome Close!” ChibiUsa watched up overhead as the space-time door began sucking in energy, sealing off the gateway. Sailorsaturn smiled down at her one last time before fading into it. The door slammed shut behind her. “Hotaru-chan..” ChibiUsa whispered, wiping at her eyes. Hotaru had sacrificed herself again, this time saving the entire planet and ChibiUsa’s future. But she couldn’t appreciate the victory knowing the price that had to be paid. Just when she had seen her again, she had been torn from her. How could love hurt so much? It wasn’t supposed to be this way. “Small Lady, Hotaru-chan wouldn’t want to see you crying. After all she gave up, she would want you to be happy with the new future she has ensured you,” Pluto explained, helping ChibiUsa to her feet. She smiled gently, brushing some of the dirt from ChibiUsa’s face. Nodding weakly, ChibiUsa slumped against the tall Guardian of Time. “Hai, you’re right, Puu. I know. I just miss her already. My heart feels like it’s shattered.” Setsuna sweatdropped. So the princess had already fallen in love as she’d thought. “She’s still watching you, Small Lady.” “Along with death.. Hope and rebirth begin,” Usagi whispered, repeating Saturn’s words. Her Sailor Fuku dissolved into her white princess gown, flowing regally around her. Raising her moon rod, light began to flash through the city. The destruction began to vanish as the dead began to get up, returned from their slumber before they could continue on their path to the afterlife. “Neo Queen Serenity,” Setsuna said quietly as she saw Usagi standing atop a pillar, holding up her rod. A baby’s cry broke the silence, coming from somewhere nearby. “A baby?” ChibiUsa asked in surprise. What would a baby be doing there after the battle? How had it gotten there? Michiru ran to the sound, quickly spotting the tiny baby. It was a little girl with ivory skin and short, dark hair. The Saturn symbol was glowing on her forehead. “Hotaru-chan?” “She was reincarnated?” Haruka asked as she reached Michiru’s side. The blonde looked at the baby girl, shocked to see the girl that had nearly destroyed the world and had ultimately saved it. “She must be all alone,” Michiru said sadly, holding the baby close. “Let’s raise her ourselves.” A smile played out across her lips as she looked over at Haruka. The serious look of Sailor Neptune was gone, replaced by an earnest joy in her heart at being alive and having the chance to raise the lonely girl. “The three of us as parents?” Haruka asked skeptically. “It’s the least we can do after trying to kill her,” Setsuna added, taking Hotaru’s small hand with her finger. “What? You don’t think you’d make a good mommy, Haruka?” Michiru asked teasingly. “Uranus! Neptune! Pluto!” Usagi ran up to the three, catching her breath. “That baby...?” The three women turned to look at the blonde girl. “We’ll be going now. We’ve been given a new mission to complete now,” Haruka explained. “You’re going?” ChibiUsa asked sadly, looking from the three of them to the baby in Michiru’s arms. “Where?” Setsuna shrugged. “You never know, Small Lady. Perhaps we’ll be far off. Or maybe we’ll be closer to you than you’ll know. But we’re allies, Sailorchibimoon. We’ll surely meet again. You can count on it.” The darkly tanned woman smiled softly to the young Sailor Senshi. Michiru nodded in agreement. “Hai. We’re allies. So we’ll meet again soon. Small princess, we love you. We will return to you again soon.” She held out her mirror to ChibiUsa. The princess took it slowly. “A sign of our promise. Keep looking into this mirror. Until we meet again, grow up to be a stronger, more beautiful soldier and princess. ” “Neptune!” ChibiUsa held the mirror close for a moment. “I promise! I will!” She paused for a moment, looking down. “Ummm.. Can I see Hotaru-chan before you go? Please?” Michiru smiled and held the baby carefully out to Chibimoon. ChibiUsa held onto her shifting slightly. “I’m really gonna miss you, Hotaru-chan. Thank you so much for everything. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. Thanks for coming back to me. I promise I’ll wait for you, not matter how long it takes.” She blushed slightly as she kissed the baby’s forehead. “I love you, Hotaru-chan.” Her heart skipped a beat as she gave baby Hotaru back to Michiru. Again Hotaru was leaving her. But this time, there was hope. Hotaru would still be out there. And she would grow up all over again. This time she prayed that Hotaru would be much happier. And she would be waiting for the dark haired girl. That was her promise. When they met again... “I love you,” she whispered again. “Here, please give her this.” ChibiUsa held out the Luna-P to Setsuna. “I want her to have it. Maybe when she’s older...” the princess trailed off. Setsuna took the gift and nodded. “Take care of yourself for us, Small Lady!” With that, the three women turned and left with the baby, disappearing swiftly. “Uranus! Neptune! Pluto!” Usagi called after the three, but they were already gone. “Uranus! Neptune! Pluto!” ChibiUsa hugged the mirror close to her heart, watching where they had last been. A small smile crossed her lips. “We will surely meet again someday. Haruka-san. Michiru-san. Puu. And Hotaru-chan. I’ll be waiting for you. Grow up to be a happy girl. We’ll see each other again. I promise.”