Sailor Moon 1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or anything related to Sailor Moon. Naoko Takeuchi owns Sailor Moon. This is a not for profit, fan fiction. Any similarities of characters I have created to those already in existence are coincidental. This disclaimer applies to all chapters of this story.

A/N: I started watching Sailor Moon as a kid and enjoyed it very much. I've recently gotten back into it. I have also never done any fan fiction work that I decided was good enough to "publish." So this is my first time, and honestly, I'm a little nervous... Ok, a lot nervous. I hope you enjoy this story, as I have enjoyed writing it. I should also mention that this is my first time uploading to this site and I'm not exactly sure how do it. If I'm missing anything, or did something wrong, please feel free to tell me. I take criticism well, as you learn more from your mistakes than your accomplishments.

Chapter 1

Everything was dark. She drifted from dream to dream, never really being able to piece anything together. Usagi knew this was going to happen, the slumber of a thousand years. Every time she had that thought it seemed to not make sense to her. _No one can sleep for a thousand years_, and she would fall back into her own consciousness. It was like floating through space. Alone. No one to comfort you. Slowly Usagi realized she needed to wake up. Her current reality seemed to shimmer just on the edge of her vision. _Where am I right now? _She wondered. She knew she needed to fight. She knew she needed to save everyone from this. But it was so comfortable. So peaceful. Then a thought occurred to her that seemed to pierce her very soul. _Mamoru!_ Thinking of him seemed to lift the haze on her. _I need to wake up to see my Mamo-chan again!_ She struggled through the daze. Her reality shimmered again, more violently this time. _Wake up Usagi!_ She told herself. Suddenly she could see a light ahead of her. It seemed to be just out of reach. She stretched her hand as far as it would go, finger tips just missing it. The daze was closing in on her again. Darkness settled around her.

_NO!_ She thought to herself. The darkness shattered, and the light was within reach this time. It was warm to her fingers, she closed her hand around it. Everything rumbled. She felt herself being pulled forward by an unseen force. Faster and faster. The light was too intense, too bright. She couldn't breathe. Her ears roared with the sound of awakening.

Suddenly she sat bolt upright, gasping for breath. Everything was bright, her eyes hadn't adjusted yet. _Where am I? _She wondered. Shielding her eyes with her hand, she tried to get a bearing of where she was. The room looked familiar, small and square, with sliding doors. A table in the middle. And... People? Yes, there were four people laying on the floor in the room with her. _Everyone! _She realized. _That's right! We all came to Hikawa Shrine before the final freezing so we would be together when we woke up. But why did I have to wake up first... Alone._ She tried to move to the closest figure, but her joints and muscles were stiff and ached. Slowly she made her way over, each movement becoming a little easier.

_Ami-chan_ she thought as she saw her blue hair. She looked sick. Her skin was a dull gray colour, her eyes sunken further into her face, like she had lost weight. _How do I wake her up? How did I wake up? _She looked down at her broach. There is a faint light sneaking through the crack. She opened it, and could see the Silver Crystal pulsating with light. Usagi put her left hand over the crystal, and her right hand to Ami-chan's shoulder. _Wake up. _She thought. The crystal warmed in her hand. _Ami-chan, I need you, wake up!_ Suddenly Usagi and Ami were engulfed in the pink light of the Silver Crystal. Ami stirred, the colour of her skin coming back. Her eyes were moving behind closed lids. Usagi heard her groan. _Come on Ami-chan, you can do it, fight the darkness!_ As soon as Usagi had that thought, Ami sat up and gasped, eyes springing wide open, and then squinting.

"Ami-chan! You woke up. I'm so glad" Usagi sobbed as she wrapped her arms around her dear friend.

"Oh Usagi-chan. We're awake. I was dreaming, but could never remember what was happening. Suddenly I heard you voice and went to it. Thank you Usagi-chan" Ami said, shielding her eyes from the brightness. "I'm going to wake everyone else" Usagi said happily.

The process became easier with each friend she awoke. It wasn't long before everyone was sitting around the table, looking at each other. "So, what do we do now?" Asked Rei.

"We awaken the rest of the world!" Usagi said triumphantly.

"How?" Asked Luna. "You were only able to awaken each of us buy touching us while the Silver Crystal was active. Do you think you can make it more powerful?"

"Maybe we can combine our powers, like the Solar Planet Attack" Minako wondered aloud. Usagi hopped up and down, blonde tendrils of hair making waves behind her back. "Yes, yes, lets try that. It has to work."

Luna jumped up onto a nearby ledge. "Everyone transform." They all did as Luna suggested, each transforming individually. The Sailor Senshi suits materializing around them. Usagi looked around at her friends, "Is everyone ready?" They all nodded in unison, and joined hands.

"Sailor Mercury Healing!"

"Sailor Mars Healing!"

"Sailor Jupiter Healing!"

Sailor Venus Healing!"

"Sailor Moon Crystal Healing!" They said together. The pink light of the Silver Crystal expanded past them. _Yes, it's working! _Usagi thought. Inch by inch, it crept out. Then it seemed to stop. "Try harder!" Usagi yelled. Makoto's hair whipped around her face from a vortex like wind created by their attempt to resurrect the world. "I'm giving it everything I have!" The light faded, returning to the circle of Sailor Senshi. The light blinked out, and they all collapsed to the floor. "Is everyone ok?" Artemis asked in concern.

"Yes, just weakened by the effort put into it." Rei sighed, visibly drained. She brushed hair away from her face and exhaled in defeat.

"So how did Neo Queen Serenity awaken the entire planet in the future we saw?" Luna wondered.

"Maybe the Crystal Palace in Crystal Tokyo served an actual purpose." Ami replied, with a thoughtful, far away look in her eyes. "Like an amplifier of what we just did." The room went silent, and everyone bent their heads in thought.

"That's it! We just have to build the Crystal Palace!" Usagi beamed, a giant smile spreading across her face.

"How?" Everyone asked at the same time.

"Well, we just... Um... " Usagi trailed off. _Who would have thought we would have to build Crystal Tokyo ourselves _Usagi scoffed inwardly.

"Well standing here isn't solving anything." Minako finally said. "Lets go take a look around and see what we find. Maybe Crystal Tokyo is already built." Makoto crossed the small room in a few strides, settling against the door. She wrapped her fingers around the handle and pulled. Nothing happened.

"Give me a hand everyone." She suggested looking at each one in turn. They all gathered around the door, and pulled with everything they had. It moved slightly, then crashed open. Nothing could have prepared them for what they saw outside the door. Everything was covered in a thick layer of ice. It sparkled and shimmered in the daylight rays of the sun. Somehow it wasn't cold though. _It was terribly cold before we fell asleep_ Usagi thought. Makoto took a step out onto the deck outside the room and it groaned a terrible noise. Once all her weight was on her foot they heard a crash and she fell through. "Ahh!" Makoto screamed as she went through.

Ami was first to rush to Makoto's side, concern evident on her face. "Mako-chan, are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm alright, just startled." She laughed putting her hand behind her head, as a faint rose colour spread across her cheeks in embarrassment. The wood crumbled under her like it was made out of old dry paper. Makoto stayed where she was and helped everyone get down without falling through. It was a short jump down, so it wasn't very hard. Luna and Artemis waited for Makoto to extend her arms to assist them down as well, only getting a furrowed expression in response. "Look at the stones" Ami said. Everyone looked down.

"They're all cracked. It must have been from the extreme cold temperatures. Also we've probably been asleep for a thousand years or so, so this much prolonged exposure to the cold must have made everything very brittle." Ami explained, looking up at the clear blue sky.

"Than why aren't we cold?" Minako asked.

"Perhaps it has to do with the fact that we've been sleeping in it for a thousand years. Much like when the seasons change you get acclimatized to it. Once winter comes, you feel colder at the start than you do in the middle. Just like when winter ends, and the temperature goes above zero, it seems very warm. I think we're all just used to the cold temperatures, and that's why we're not feeling it." Ami theorized.

"That must be it. I can see my breath as we talk, so it's definitely cold out." Agreed Rei.

"This is rather beautiful though" Minako remarked, gazing out at the sparkling structures of a now frozen city. The small dots of light seemed to dance across the buildings and into the trees to a tune no one else heard.

"Now isn't the time to admire such things" Luna barked. "We need to figure out a way to build Crystal Tokyo to save everyone from this ice age." Makoto crossed her arms and pursed her lips together before finally asking "Does anyone have any ideas?"

"Mamo-chan" Usagi mumbled with a sad look in her eye. She hadn't intended for anyone else to hear.

"Now is not the time to be thinking of a date with your boyfriend!" Rei scolded, hands on her hips leering at Usagi. Her friend looked hurt as Rei spoke.

"That's actually not a bad idea." Ami said in her defence. "Mamoru-chan is pretty intelligent, he might have an idea for something.

"Oh Ami-chan" Usagi gushed. "I know I can always count on you" she said as she wrapped her arms around her friend. Minako pointed out towards the frozen blue horizon. "Ok everyone, at least it's a start. Lets make our way to Mamoru-chans apartment."

They all walked together, marveling at the beauty the ice had created. Everything captured in a moment, like a photograph. They picked their way carefully through the icy streets. Usagi stumbled and fell every couple of steps crying out in pain whenever she landed on her bottom. Occasionally one of her friends would turn around to make sure she wasn't seriously hurt. Every now and then they would come across the crumpled heap of a body. Most were face down, unseen, but a few were face up with a look of horror etched into place. The sickly gray colour of their skin was present almost making them look like mannequins. It wasn't long before they were standing in front on Mamoru's apartment. The doors were covered in a thick layer of ice. "Let me handle this" Rei said confidently as she stepped forward.

"Burning Mandela!" She yelled as swirling discs of fire appeared around her, and shot out towards the door. Once they made contact, there was a hiss, and then a loud boom, followed by a cracking sound. They watched as cracks spread outwards from the doors in all directions.

"Careful Rei-chan" urged Ami "Remember, everything is brittle from the cold. A strong attack like that with the added heat, could put a lot of strain on the structure."

Rei ducked her head slightly, a sheepish look in her eye. "Sorry, you're right Ami-chan." They walked inside cautiously. Nothing seemed out of place in the lobby. There was almost no ice inside. "I guess we'll take the stairs." Artemis said to no one in particular. Makoto walked over to the door leading to the stair well. She tried the door knob and it didn't budge. So she took a step back and squared herself with the door. She lifted her right knee towards her chest, and shot her foot straight out, aiming just beside the door knob. The door banged open, and then fell off its hinges.

"It's a good thing her have your Herculean strength around." Usagi chimed with a friendly smile on her face.

"Everyone, be extra careful on the stairs. We don't want a repeat of what happened at Hikawa Shrine. Also it looks like the stair wells windows must have shattered. The ice build up here is much more than inside the lobby." Makoto observed. They all picked their footing carefully as they advanced up the stair well. It was made from concrete, and seemed sturdy under them, but they were still careful none the less. The pace they went was slowed even more due to all the ice inside the stair well. Some places had ice built up to a point where they had to crawl under, or scramble over top. When they were only one floor away from Mamoru's, they encountered an entire wall of ice. Rei put her hand up and channeled a small amount of Mars Fire into it. The obstruction took some time to melt, but everyone was fine with that, so long as it didn't send the stairs they were standing on down to the first floor. Makoto kicked the door leading to Mamoru's floor open, and it fell off its hinges as well. They all walked down the hallway, and stopped in front of Mamoru's apartment.

"If he's not here, we'll have to think of a way to build the palace ourselves." Muttered Ami. Makoto looked at Usagi, and she nodded. When Makoto tried to kick this door open, her foot went through instead. "Eh?" Makoto wondered as she hopped on one foot, trying to pry her captured foot lose from the wooden door. "It's made from wood. I think he can just push through it." Ami said as Makoto freed her foot, and grabbed the door knob. She pulled back and the knob came free of the rest of the door with little effort. As the door swung open everyone turned their attention to Usagi. She slowly stepped inside. From the hallway of Mamoru's apartment she could see him laying on the floor, face down and covered in a thick layer of ice.

"MAMO-CHAN!" She screamed as she ran up to him. She ran her hands over his still body, searching for any signs of injury. "Rei-chan, you have to help him! Warm him up, please!" Usagi begged, tears welling up in her big blue eyes.

"Ok, ok, just relax." Rei replied. She walked over to where Mamoru laid, placed her hand at the center of his back and channeled a small amount of Mars Fire into him, just like she did with the ice in the stair well. Slowly the ice around him melted. It seemed to take an eternity for Usagi. _Please be ok, my Mamo-chan_ she thought was she watched Rei thaw him out.

Once he was free of his icy coffin, Rei moved aside and Usagi bent over him. Instead of just placing her hand on him like she did with the others, she wrapped her arms around him, placing her head into his back. The Silver Crystal shone, and enveloped them both in a pink light. _Wake up my Mamo-chan_ Usagi thought. _Now is not the time to sleep, I need you Mamo-chan,_ suddenly he coughed, and tried feebly to get to his hands and knees.

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi gasped as she helped him up. Everyone came to Mamoru's aid and assisted him to the couch which was nearby.

"Usako" he whispered, squinting his eyes to the sudden brightness.

"Mamoru-chan" Usagi wept as she buried her face into his chest. After Mamoru had recovered enough for them to talk, they filled him in on the details they knew. He sat quietly, listening to what each one had to say. When they were done, he thought for a short time.

"Perhaps the Silver Crystal can make the palace?" He asked. Everyone turned and looked at Ami. She blinked back at them, expressionless.

"Out of what though" Ami replied. "The Silver Crystal gives off energy, but doesn't create any matter. You saw and felt Crystal Tokyo, it isn't just energy." Mamoru got up and walked over to Ami as they discussed possible solutions.

"I didn't think this was going to be this hard." Minako remarked, crossing her arms and leaning up against the wall. "Chibiusa made it sound so easy. We would wake up, and awaken everyone else. I never thought we would have such a difficult road ahead of us."

"Oh I'm hungry" Usagi groaned, off topic. She wandered over to the fridge and opened the door. It squeaked on its old icy hinges. She found a half eaten sandwich on a plate and brought back to where Makoto, Minako, Rei, Luna, and Artemis were gathered. "Rei-chan, can you heat this up so I can have something yummy to eat?" She asked pleading with her big blue eyes.

"Sheesh, if you're not thinking about Mamoru-chan, you're thinking about food" Rei scolded as she took the sandwich. She held it in her hands for a short time. Usagi watched earnestly with her mouth hanging open. "Here, that should be fine now." Rei finally said

"Arigato!" Usagi thanked as she took a bite of the sandwich. While she was eating, Ami and Mamoru asked Usagi to come over to them.

"Usagi-chan, when I say now, try channeling the energy from the Silver Crystal into a small amount of Mercury Water that I produce, ok?" Ami asked.

"Mmm" Usagi nodded with a mouthful of food. Ami put her hands out and a small orb of water appeared before her. "Now Usagi-chan." Usagi focused on the water and let the energy of the Silver Crystal flow from her outstretched and into the floating water. The water was bathed in the pink light, then it was absorbed into it. Nothing happened at first, but then the water seemed to solidify, and became a pale colour. It fell to the floor with a thud. Ami picked it up and activated her visor. She scanned the new material for a few seconds.

"This is it" she whispered. "This is the same crystal I scanned while we were in the future. Usagi-chan! We did it! This is how we'll make Crystal Tokyo! With my Mercury Water the Silver Crystal!" Ami exclaimed, her voice getting louder as she spoke. "We did it Usagi-chan! Thank you Mamoru-chan for the idea!" The other girls and cats in the room noticed the excitement and came over to where Usagi, Ami and Mamoru were standing. "Oh it was just a theory, I didn't know it would work" Mamoru replied putting his arm around a bouncing Usagi. He smiled as she stared at the floor where the crystal had fallen. Suddenly her expression turned grave, eyes becoming narrow. Now she was glaring at the crystal on the floor. Minako put her hand on Usagi's shoulder "Is something wrong Usagi-chan?"

"Now I have to build Crystal Tokyo" she said through gritted teeth. "This is going to be worse than studying." Minako took her hand off her friends shoulder, eyebrows moving up her forehead. She turned to face her other friends in the room as they all hid their smiles behind their hands, trying not to laugh. "It's a time for celebration!" Artemis said breaking the silence. Everyone burst into laughter, except Usagi who began to cry. "I'm the future Queen, why do I have to build the palace!" as tears ran down her face. Her elated friends pulled her in for a warm embrace. "It won't be so bad Usagi-chan, we'll have each other for support" Minako comforted, smiling warmly. Usagi looked at her friend and smiled back. Her smile turned to laughter as they all reveled in the moment.

A/N: So there it is, the first chapter done. Again, if I did anything wrong, or if there is something out of whack, please tell me. I hope you enjoyed this, because I have much more writing that I plan to put into this story. I appreciate the time you spent to read what I have written ^_^


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It had been three months since Ami and Mamoru had figured out how to create Crystal Tokyo. But the going was slow. Ami and Usagi would tire quickly from using their powers so much, and on a much larger scale. Ami would call as much Mercury Water as she could at one time, and Usagi had to focus the energy of the Silver Crystal into it until all the water became crystal itself. This left Rei, Makoto and Minako with not much to do. After a few days they decided to try and do something more productive. Through trial and error with insects, they found that the three of them could also awaken beings. Rei would heat them up with Mars Fire, Makoto would kick start their heart with Jupiter Lightning, and Minako's Venus Love would finalize the process. Without the love aspect, the insects would just stay stationary. They all knew that insects worked primarily on instincts and were a little unsure why they needed the love, but it worked so they decided to try people as well. To their delight it had worked just the same.

They spent their days roaming the barren and quiet districts of a frozen city. Light sparkled and danced across icy surfaces where ever they went. There was never a cloud in the sky, due to the lack of any moisture, making the clear blue days seem quite peaceful. After discovering they could awaken people themselves, the girls first traveled back to Hikawa Shrine. They decided before awakening Rei's grandfather and Yurichiro that they wouldn't tell them who they really were. Only let them know that the Sailor Senshi were trying their best to terra-form the planet back to its original state. They went and awoke Minako's and Ami's families in turn after visiting Hikawa Shrine. Usagi had asked that they leave her family for now.

So that left only Makoto. Having her parents die in a plane crash when she was young, she was used to being independent. But before everything turned to an icy waste land, at least there were other people she could go talk to if she was lonely. Now all she had were her friends. Not that she didn't enjoy their company, but she was beginning to feel isolated. The other girls would return to their respective homes with the exception of Usagi. She was returning to Mamuro's apartment every night. Makoto would walk into an empty one bedroom flat that seemed dead inside. She found herself carrying a burden she no longer wished to bare alone.

Tired green eyes scanned the street ahead of them, as the three girls continued their search for more people. Makoto brushed a stray strand of chestnut brown hair from her face as she turned to peer inside a clothing store. The windows had all shattered long ago, the glass encased below in ice that slowly continued to build. "If you like, we can take a look around" she heard behind her as Minako approached, a friendly smile on her face. Makoto glanced over her shoulder, and put on a fake smile of her own. "Not when we have so much work to do" she lied. She knew they needed to keep helping people, but the mundane task of it all seemed so tedious when Usagi could awaken the entire world at once.

Just then Minako stepped into her friends view. Big thoughtful blue eyes framed by golden blonde hair peered into her friends deep green eyes. "Mako-chan, I'm worried about you. You don't seem yourself lately" her friend confided. Taking Makoto by the shoulders in each hand she continued "Tell me what's bothering you." Makoto shrugged, and turned her tired eyes from her friend, sighing.

"I just don't feel like anyone needs me. Don't give me that look Mina-chan, I mean _really _needs me. You and Rei-chan can go back to your families, and do what you can to support each other." Minako pursed her lips together in thought for a second. "You can come to my house and help clean up. I know how good you are at cleaning, and we could really use the help."

"Thanks, but no thanks. That's not really the kind of help I was hoping to give out." Before Minako could protest her friend's refusal, they heard Rei calling from inside a book store across the street "I think I found one under a pile of books in here!"Both girls ran towards the empty and somewhat dark book store.

"Over here in the back corner" they heard the voice of Rei calling. When they walked up they both saw Rei slowly peeling frozen book after frozen book off a fairly large heap. Judging by the amount of books missing from the shelves around them, Makoto deduced that something had to be under it. Simultaneously they both bent down and assisted Rei in clearing the books. Minako uncovered a sickly looking grey hand. Everyone stopped and stared for a second. Then they all turned back to removing the frozen books with new vigor. It was Rei who uncovered the face, a teenage boy. Makoto thought he looked familiar. "Isn't that Sol?" Minako asked turning from Makoto to the frozen boy on the floor. Makoto looked a little closer and realized the lifeless grey face did in fact belong to Sol.

Makoto thought back to when she had first met the sandy blond haired boy from Ireland. It was when she had first met Usagi too. Usagi, being the scatter brain she is, ran into an unsuspecting man, and accidentally broke his leg. They started to push her around when Makoto jumped in, effectively saving the day. Usagi had noticed a boy watching from across the street after the ordeal was over. When Makoto looked, she was greeted with the piercing stare of his hazel eyes. After having realized they were looking at him, he hastily turned and hurried off. They later found out he was a new student at their junior high school. He kept to himself mostly during class. After Makoto was befriended by Usagi and Ami, Usagi had urged all three to become friends with the quiet boy from another country. Makoto still remembered their first conversation him.

"_Good afternoon!" Usagi had greeted with an enthusiastic smile as she ran over to where he sat alone. He stood then, and Makoto noticed he was tall for his age. Most boys were shorter than she was, but she only came up to his nose. His short sandy blonde hair made his skin look lighter than it actually was. He looked very plain except for his eyes. Those intense eyes seemed to see right into her soul. She found herself in a daze, lost in his eyes, not really hearing his response as he returned the greeting. "Good afternoon" he replied bowing slightly. Usagi beamed brightly, always one to make new friends. "I'm Usagi; this is Ami-chan and Mako-chan"_

_He bowed slightly as each one was introduced, eyes lingering on Makoto a little longer than the other two. "I'm Sol Aherne" He replied in almost perfect Japanese. Ami looked up towards the bright sun in the afternoon sky, shielding her eyes from the intense light."Sol, like the Latin word for sun?" She asked. Sol's eyebrows climbed his forehead as he replied "Yes, that's right, most people don't know that. My mother has a bit of a sense of humour seeing as I'm her 'son'" he put his hands up and moved his fingers in quotation as he said son. _

"_That's our Ami-chan!" Usagi said triumphantly, then turning serious suddenly as she leaned in and poked Sol in the chest "She's got the best grades in the country you know." Ami raised her hand towards her mouth and blushed slightly. "You speak Japanese very well Sol"_

"_Thank you. I seem to have a natural aptitude for language. I just repeat what I hear, so I guess I have an ear for those kinds of things." Sol said almost unemotionally. They continued chatting for a short time, Makoto staying quiet, only listening and watching as his intense hazel eyes looked at Usagi and Ami in turn as they spoke to him. _

"Mako-chan?" She heard Rei ask, pulling her from her daydream. "It's your turn." She shook her head, brown hair waving back and forth as she did, clearing her thoughts. She slowly put her hand above his now warm chest, right above his heart. Channeling a very small amount of Jupiter Lighting into him, his body shuddering under the sudden introduction of new energy. Minako moved around to where is head lay and placed her hands around the sides of his head, as she started her process. Both Sol and Minako gave off a faint yellow light as she proceeded. Suddenly, he gasped and coughed, eyes shooting open and almost instantly closing again from the seemingly glaring light. Makoto knew how he felt, having gone through the same experience herself.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." She said with a slight smile crossing her face. Sol coughed again, shielding his eyes with his hand. "Mako-chan?" All the girls looked at each other in confusion. The magical barriers created by transforming into Sailor form prevented people from realizing who they really were. But did it work on an auditory level as well?

"No, I'm Sailor Jupiter" Makoto said quickly, lowering her voice a little. Sol exhaled as his shoulders seemed to fall in defeat. "Sorry, I thought you sounded like someone I know." Makoto found herself wanting to pick off small unseen lint from his rumpled clothes. _Get a hold of yourself_ she shook her head again. Minako and Rei went through the usual questions after awakening someone. Are you ok to move on your own? Do you remember your name? Do you remember where you live? The last question drew a blank from the boy from Ireland. He put his hand atop his head, obviously concentrating hard.

"It's ok that you don't remember." Rei comforted warmly. "Some people can't remember anything about themselves. The memories will return, just give it time."

"All I remember is I was trying to get to someone... To tell them something important." He said trailing off, dropping his head and looking at his clasped hands on his lap. Makoto perked up at hearing this. "Were you on your way to tell Mako-chan something?" Sol looked at her then and nodded.

"If you like, you can come and stay at my place until you remember where you live." The words were out of her mouth before she considered what she was saying. Rei looked back and opened her mouth to protest, but Minako placed a hand on her shoulder, silently pleading with her friend to not intervene. Rei looked up and closed her mouth.

"Thank you very much." He replied smiling tiredly. He then tried to stand up on his own, making a feeble effort at going nowhere. Makoto moved in closer, and put his arm over her shoulder helping him stand. Once he was on his feet, he turned to look at Makoto, their faces only inches apart. His eyes stared hard and deep into hers, searching for something lost perhaps? Finally he smiled weakly and said "Lead the way Captain." Makoto had little trouble supporting his slim build. She was already strong, and awakening as a Sailor Senshi only added to that. She guided him out of the book store slowly, out onto the street where Rei and Minako were waiting. Sol was blinking rapidly, his eyes adjusting to the light as Minako asked "Do you want us to come with you?" Makoto looked at Sol and back to Minako, her blonde hair flaring bright behind the luminescence of the sun "I can handle it on my own." Minako nodded, a devilish look appearing in her eye as a small grin spread across her lips. She and Rei turned together, silently walking away, leaving the two to stand alone in the street. "I live in an apartment over this way" Makoto gestured with her chin, having one hand holding Sol's arm over her shoulder and the other wrapped tightly around his waist to keep him from falling. They walked down the frozen sidewalk, ice sometimes crunching under foot. Sol was looking at everything, his brow furrowed. "What happened here?"

Makoto started to explain what she knew. Telling about The Silver Millennium and being reincarnated on Earth. As she spoke he would slowly turn his head towards hers, and gaze at her. When she turned to return the gaze, her would quickly look away. By the time she had finished telling him about The Dark Kingdom and defeating Queen Beryl he was able to walk on his own.

"You remind me of someone" Sol said softly when Makoto had paused, thinking of how to continue her story. She turned to face him then, anger welling up inside. His eyes took on a much softer and gentler tone, one she had never seen on him before. It actually made him look very handsome, and she was a little taken aback, her anger subsiding. "When I see you from the corner of my eye, I swear I know you. But then when I look straight at you, I know this is the first time I've ever laid eyes on you" Sol confessed. "If it's creeping you out, just tell me and I'll stop."

"No, no. It's fine. I don't mind." Makoto responded quickly, waving her hands slightly, showing him she wasn't at all offended. _Now that I think about it, I would catch him staring at me in class a lot._ Makoto continued informing him about her adventures as Sailor Jupiter. As she was finishing and telling him that everyone was asleep in a cryogenic like state, they came up to her apartment. Just then, the disembodied voice of Ami came through on Makoto's watch communicator.

"Sailor Jupiter, we need you to come back to the Crystal Palace. I'll fill you in on the details when you get here." Makoto opened the small video communicator and nodded to her friend. She turned to Sol and gave him her apartment number. The door wasn't locked, it's not like someone was going to break in after all. She turned and hurried away from her apartment, leaving Sol standing alone in front of an unknown building. She ran down the abandoned streets with a new found vigor. _Someone needs me now_. She couldn't contain her excitement as her feet pounded the frozen pavement, and she smiled brightly at herself 

-/-*-\\-

Sol watched as Sailor Jupiter ran away from him. _I _know_ her! _He couldn't explain it, but there was something inside that told him he was right. He had learned at an early age to trust his instincts. After his father had gotten a new position with a high profile oil company, he was required to move to Japan. Sol and his mother really had no choice in the matter. The new job paid well and put food on the table. It also meant Sol's mother no longer had to work three jobs to make ends meet, which was an added bonus. Sol learned to speak the language easily, but reading it was like deciphering hieroglyphs.

_She sounded just like Mako-chan when I woke up_. He would never forget the first time he laid eyes on her. On his first day walking to school in a new country, he was startled abruptly by a blonde girl crashing into some men across the street him. Things turned ugly quick, and he was about to run over when she appeared. He had never seen anyone so beautiful in his life. Her long chestnut brown hair, pulled back into a pony tail shined in the sunlight. She stood with confidence and moved with grace. Not only did she intervene, but she saved the blonde girl from being attacked by some low life`s. He couldn`t believe what he had just seen, she moved like lightning and had the strength to match her speed. And then they looked over at him. He intense green eyes stared into his. He seemed to drown in those emerald eyes, consumed and utterly defenceless against that stare. He was trapped in this moment, lost in her eyes. Time seemed to stand still for him in this moment.

Coming out of his reverence, he realized both girls were staring at him as well. He turned quickly on his heel, and hurried off to school. He was running a little late after all. A few days later, the blonde girl came and introduced him to her friends. Usagi, he had learned, was also friends with Ami and Makoto. _Makoto_. He couldn`t let himself look at her during their first real encounter, lest he get lost on those eyes again. As the days passed, he would watch her from afar in class. It was almost like she could feel him watching her. It wouldn't take long for her to turn and catch him staring.

Now here he was, standing in front of an icy building. Sailor Jupiter was still in sight down the street, running hard. _Go and follow her_. Without a second thought, he turned towards her and ran. He was going to find out who she was one way or the other. His own footsteps echoed those of the mysterious girl who had saved him. The girl he thought he knew.

A/N: So that's chapter 2. I really do hope everyone who is reading this enjoys it. Please comment and give me your thoughts, does it suck, is it interesting. Meh. Thanks for taking the time to read this.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ami paced nervously inside one of the chambers Usagi and she had created. She had just called the other girls back to what was built of the Crystal Palace. Most days she was exhausted, but a new revelation had perked her up today. Usagi, glad for a break in the seemingly never ending work, was lying down on the floor, sleep quickly over coming her. After each day of building, Ami had programmed the info into her small hand held super computer Luna had given her, what seemed like ages ago. Before they had even started building, Ami had mapped out the floor plan and layout of the Crystal Palace on this small device with the input of her friends. So each day was like checking off a part of list. Last night, though, when she was inputting the newest additions, she had dropped the hand held. When it touched the floor, the crystal beneath it seemed to resonate, interacting with it. She tossed and turned the rest of the night, sleep evading her as thoughts bounced around in her head. Having such a fitful sleep meant Ami had overslept. By the time she had roused herself, the other girls were already gone, going about their daily routine.

Ami heard the voices of Rei and Minako coming down the hall towards her, so she stopped herself from walking back and forth. They had briefly filled her in on what Makoto was doing, so she made sure not to say too much in her message. She saw their reflections in the crystal walls before they rounded the last corner, greeting her with a warm smile. "So what's this revelation you had last night Ami-chan?" Minako asked, long golden blonde trailing behind her as she closed the distance towards her friend. "I'd like to wait until Mako-chan arrives. This is something I think everyone needs to hear. Hopefully if I'm right, we won't need to continue down this tedious road."

Rei looked down at the sleeping figure of Usagi, annoyance clearly written on her soft features. "Wake up Usagi-chan!" She barked. Usagi didn't even flinch. Minako laughed nervously "Just let her sleep until Mako-chan arrives. She isn't missing out on anything right now so where's the harm?" Rei exhaled loudly, nostrils flaring.

Makoto arrived shortly after, looking flushed from running the entire way to her destination. Ami noticed she had a sparkle in her eye that she hadn't seen in a long time. Makoto looked happy for the time being. Ami wanted to ask the brown haired girl why she had decided to let someone stay with her, but the practical side of her took over. "Let's wake up Usagi-chan before we start." Rei stepped forward then with a wicked grin on her face. She walked to where Usagi slept, raised her hand high and brought it down hard on the back of her friends head. "It's time to wake up Usagi-chan!"

Usagi sat up suddenly, being startled out of her peaceful slumber. Her hand went to the back of her head and started to move in a circular motion. "Ow!" she whined. "Rei-chan, you hit me didn't you?" She accused. Rei stood with her arms crossed, lips pursed as she tapped her foot impatiently. "Some of us are trying to save the world, while you lie down and take a nap!"

"Rei-chan is being mean to me again! This is hard work and I'm tired. Ami-chan said I could rest while we waited for you to show up!" Usagi protested, tears forming inside her eyes.

"Well you know what they say; all work and no play makes for a stronger girl" Minako said reassuringly to Usagi. Ami looked at Minako and blinked. "No one says that Mina-chan. The proper saying is 'make for a dull girl'" she corrected. Minako laughed nervously again, cheeks turning a light red in embarrassment. "Well some people say it your way, I suppose."

"Lets get started, shall we?" Ami asked looking for her friend's approval. They all nodded at the blue haired girl. "Last night when I was inputting the latest data, I accidentally dropped this super computer" she held up the small device. "When it hit the floor, the crystal beneath seemed to resonate with it. It's my theory that all this crystal can be used with our existing equipment. I believe that we can interface my device into this" Ami extended her arm towards a small pillar in the middle of the room. It came up to Ami's hip and had a small rectangular alcove carved out of the top. The other girls gathered around the circular pillar, looking on quietly. Ami continued "I think if we place this computer here, and activate it, we can possible speed up the process."

Makoto made a fist and threw it into the palm of her other hand, making a low thud "There's only one way to find out." Ami nodded and carefully placed the hand held into the empty slot. At first nothing happened. Then it seemed to sink into the crystal slightly. A thin layer of translucent crystal formed above the device, encasing it inside the pillar. The pillar itself started to pulse with pink light, then the floor. It wasn't long before all the walls were pulsing with pink light of the Silver Crystal stored within.

Ami looked around in wonder. "This must be some kind of stand-by mode. I think its waiting for us to activate it. Come, let's hold hands and try what he did when we first awoke." Ami said holding her hands out to her friends. They all gathered round, and reached out towards one another, clasping hands. As they channeled their powers in unison as they stood around the pillar, a pink light surrounded them and slowly spread outward. Suddenly the light got bright and intense, amplified by the crystal all around them. A roaring torrent of energy rushed passed Ami's ears. She squeezed the hands of Usagi and Rei respectively, and they returned the encouraging action from their friend.

-/-*-\\-

Sol had followed the mysterious Sailor Jupiter into a crystal like building. He made sure to keep his distance as his reflection was bouncing all around him, like being inside a house of mirrors on a fair ground. Most the corridors led to dead ends, so it didn't take him long before he could hear voices talking amongst themselves. He kept low as he followed the voices. When he was close enough to hear what they were saying, the walls began to pulse in a pink light. He looked at the glowing walls in astonishment. _What is this place?_ Then the walls shone bright with pink, no longer pulsing, but shining steadily. He could hear what sounding like wind coming from around the corner. It grew louder with each passing second, a blindly bright light bouncing off the crystal that surrounded him. He turned the corner then, curiosity overcoming his fear of the unknown. A blast of this strange pink energy surged forward as he rounded the corner, throwing him back into the hard crystal, knocking him unconscious.

-/-*-\\-

A giant column of pink light shot into the sky, energy flowing outward from it. The mapping of the super computer having been interfaced with the powerfully crystal structure began to build itself. Columns and hallways erected themselves, rooms and courtyards materializing. As the Crystal Palace grew, so did the beam of energy shooting from its center, growing in diameter. Once the last part of what the girls had mapped was completed, the pink light shooting into the sky began to spread outward, blanketing the horizon. Ice began to melt, and people closest to the Crystal Tower started to wake from their peaceful slumber. They heard the voices of the Sailor Senshi as they were roused, calling them from their eternal slumber. The light spread further and further, over oceans and countries, cities and homes, eventually encircling the Earth. People were shown images of the Sailor Senshi fighting and defeating Queen Metalia and Queen Beryl. Of Chibiusa traveling back in time, and helping defeat The Dark Moon Clan. They began to understand what had happened to them, realizing the Sailor Senshi were saving them. Some people immediately felt love and warmth from these images. Most accepted Usagi as their new queen, Neo Queen Serenity.

But what no one could have known is that darkness had entered some people`s hearts while they slept. The darkness slowly spread through them, overcoming their will to fight. After a thousand years, tearing down their resistance. It spread like a disease inside of them, consuming their very soul. When they were awakened and saw these images, their first feelings were of sorrow from being pulled from their darkest, deepest nothingness. That sorrow quickly turned to hate. They loathed the images they were seeing, denouncing Neo Queen Serenity as a fraud, an intruder. These people did not like this turn of events, and started to plot their revenge.

-/-*-\\-

"Sol?" _Did someone just say my name?_ He drifted through space peacefully. "Sol, wake up! Are you ok?" _Who keeps talking? Where is that voice coming from?_ He started to recall that he was like this for a long time. _So long I had slept, so long I had drifted._ And then... And then he was awoken. His memories rushed back to him abruptly and his eyes shot open. He was greeted by the concerned and familiar face of Sailor Jupiter. The other two from when he was awakened stood behind her, along with two he didn't recognize. "Sol, what are you doing here?" Sailor Jupiter asked him

"I... I followed you here. Something told me that was what I needed to do." He replied honestly. Sailor Jupiter's look of concern turned soft. "Are you ok? You've been out for about 10 minutes now."

"Yeah, I'm alright" he lied. His head was pounding and body aching from being thrown violently into the crystal wall behind him. And there was an unknown, strange feeling inside of him he couldn't place. A warmth that seemed to spread from the center of his chest, easing the pain. Whatever it was he was grateful of the alleviation it provided. Sol stood up slowly as Sailor Jupiter and the rest gave him room to maneuver. Once on his feet, the pounding in his head subsided, but the strange warmth remained.

"C'mon, I'll walk you back to my apartment" Sailor Jupiter offered, extending her hand towards him. He looked at her offered hand for a moment. Then he remembered his mother and father. They were probably wondering where he was as he had snuck out on the night everything froze over. He looked up at the familiar eyes of Sailor Jupiter.

"I'm sorry, but I remember where I live now. I need to go make sure my parents are ok." Sailor Jupiter looked disappointed, casting her eyes down to her feet, nodding in understanding. Sol gave his thanks to the others and departed at a slow jog. The structure he was in was now enormous. It took him some time to find an exit, but when he did he realized he wasn't far from home.

He couldn't believe how good he felt now. His eye sight seemed sharper, ears picking up sounds he had never heard before. He was full of life and energy. He felt like he could run a mile at a full sprint and not even be tired. So he did just that, taking off at full speed towards his house. People milled about the streets now, talking amongst themselves as he ran. His house was in view, and he picked up the pace, pushing himself forward. When he got to the three steps leading to the front door, he jumped, anticipating to land in front of his door. Instead he rocketed into it, slamming the thick solid door hard with his shoulder. _What the hell?_ He wondered, rubbing his arm where it had slammed into the wooden door. How had he jumped so high, and hard? If his house wasn't here, how high would he have gone? He put his hand to the door knob and turned, ushering himself inside.

"Mom? Dad? Where are you?" He called out for his parents. From the living room he heard his mother's panicked reply. "We're in the living room Sol, hurry something is wrong with your father!" He rushed around the entry way hallway, turning into the living room. His mother was hovering over his father, her hands on her head, not knowing what to do. He could hear his father mumbling something incoherently. He crossed the room towards him, fear welling up inside his chest. "Dad, what's wrong? Are you-" as his hand touched his father's shoulder, black tendrils of smoke rose from around his fingers. His father wailed in pain and reeled around to face his son, hate burning deep inside his eyes.

"YOU!" He screamed at his son, his face contorted in rage. "You did this! I know it was you! I can feel it!"

"Dad, what are you-"

"Did you think you could just come here and finish me off?!" His father interrupted. Suddenly his hands shot out and he wrapped his fingers around Sol's throat, effectively cutting off his breathing. Sol choked as his mother screamed. His grip was iron tight, squeezing harder making Sol's eyes bulge out of their sockets. Sol reached for his father's arms; clawing away trying to loosen their grip as his face distorted, eye's turning black. He felt his strength being sucked out of him as his lungs burned for more air.

Just then a chair came hurtling through the air towards his father's head, crashing into him hard. The chair smashed to pieces, as he grunted in pain. His hands finally released their grip in his wind pipe, and Sol fell to his knees, coughing and gasping for air. "What the hell do you think you're doing!?" His mother screamed, gesturing towards her gasping son on the floor. "This is our son Tom! Are you trying to kill him!?" His father turned his black gaze towards Sol's mother. The darkness from his eyes spread into his face. Opening his mouth as teeth turned into fangs, protruding outward wickedly. His skin was turning black all over, muscles rippling with dark energy. Sol's father's arms and legs grew longer; his torso grew wider, claws sprouting from his finger tips. His whole body began to shake, a low growl emitted from his now huge frame.

"If you're not with me, you're against me" came the deep low rumble of what was now Sol's father. His mother looked on in horror at was now staring down at her. He took a step forward and lunged his arm out towards her throat. The large hand and crushing grip wrapped itself tightly around her thin neck. The monster picked her up off the floor as she kicked in protest. She grabbed the thick black arm and clawed desperately trying to pry herself free. A grotesque smile spread across this beasts lips and with his other hand plunged it deep into her chest, claws tearing through flesh and bone indiscriminately. Sol's mother's eyes went wide, lips moving soundlessly as blood poured from her wound onto the floor. The monster ripped his hand out and threw her to the corner, satisfied she wouldn't interfere again. _This can't be happening!?_ Sol thought in horror as he stared at his mother, now a crumpled heap on the floor, crimson red blood pouring out around her.

The monster grabbed Sol by the shoulders then, forcing him to the floor. "Now it's time for you to die as well" it hissed. It opened its mouth as hot spit oozed out and fell onto Sol's face. The fangs grew even more as its mouth closed the gap between them. Sol thrashed and kicked but to no avail, the creatures grip was iron strong. Inch by inch the monster drew its gaping mouth closer, drool spilling off its tongue. Sol turned his head to the side in pure horror, thinking this was the last moment of his life. He could feel the sharp points of its fangs starting to dig into his face as it seemed to purr in satisfaction.

"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" He heard suddenly. There was a loud crack, like lighting, and then a bright light formed behind the monster. It screamed in pain as something bright plunged itself into its shoulder. The creature jumped up then, releasing Sol from its strong clawed hands. Turning to face its new assailant, it screamed and surged forward. Sol had time enough to see that it was none other than Sailor Jupiter who had saved him. The creature quickly closed the gap, crashing through the open door with Sailor Jupiter in its grip.

Sol stood then and rushed to the lifeless body of his mother. "Mom?" He pleaded, tears welling up in his eyes. "MOM!" He screamed, shaking her gently. Faintly he heard the battle roaring on outside of his house. "Venus Love Me Chain!" came a familiar voice. He turned his mother so she would face him, limp body offering no resistance. There was a huge hole in the center of her chest. Sol knew there was no way anyone could have survived a blow that traumatic. He gently raised his now blood soaked hand towards his mothers face, slowly closing the lifeless eyes that stared back at him. He took his mother in an embrace then, holding her close. "Why? Why did this happen to you?" He wept, cradling her limp head into his chest.

"Burning Mandela!" He heard from outside. Anger began to well up inside him. He knew why his mother lay here in a pool of her own blood. It was that..._ Thing!_ He carefully placed his mother down, and slowly stood, rage overcoming his sorrow. He ran towards the open door, balling his hands into fists. Standing in the doorway, he looked at the scene unfolding on his normally quiet street. His front lawn was torn apart, long strips of grass pulled out revealing dirt beneath. A car was on its side, a large dent in the passenger door. He recognized the faces of the girls from that crystal structure he had just returned from. They all looked focused and ready for battle, standing close to each other. Somehow, Sailor Jupiter seemed completely unharmed, a look of determination in her eyes. Finally Sol's gaze came across it. It had taken some damage, flesh hanging loosely off its right arm exposing bone. Its laboured breathing indicated the creature wasn't faring so well against these five girls.

Sol couldn't contain his rage any longer. He rushed out the door at full speed, legs pushing him forward, moving him faster. He heard a horrible scream then, and realized it was coming from his own mouth. The monster turned its black, hateful stare on the boy running at full speed, recklessly. Sol closed the gap quickly and dropped his shoulder, driving it hard into the creature's abdomen. The both tumbled to the ground, Sol on top. One clawed, black hand reached for his face, and he smacked it away, as his other hand came down hard into the monsters gaping mouth. He cut all his knuckles on the creatures exposed fangs, but he didn't care. He pulled his hand back to rain down another blow when he was suddenly kicked in the chest. He was sent flying back, crashing into a parked car on the street. The force of the impact lifted the car off two wheels, the other two wheels squealing in protest against the lateral movement. Somehow the creature had been able to kick Sol off its chest, even though Sol had mounted it above the hips. _What the hell is this thing? _Sol grimaced in pain. Sailor Jupiter came to his side, brow furrowed in worry. "Are you alright?" Sol nodded having the wind knocked out of him from the force of the impact. He thought for sure he would have some broken bones from this, but he felt relatively good considering what had just happened to him.

"Moon-"The skinny blonde girl with the long ponytails raised a scepter and brought it to one side

"Princess-"She waved it from side to side as the end started to glow bright.

"Halation!" She pointed the scepter at the creature still lying on the ground. Sparkles spiraled out away from the rod in her hand. It glowed more brightly and a crescent shaped golden disc shot out towards the monster as it returned to its feet. The crescent plunged itself deep into the monsters chest as it screamed a horrible wail in agony. It thrashed around, limbs flailing, crying out in pain. Suddenly it went quiet, and fell to its knees, as it started to turn to dust. The black was overcome by grey, crumbling away to nothing. All that remained was a small pile in the street. The wind picked up slightly and scattered what was left in the breeze.

The other girls gathered around Sol then. He looked from one face to the next, finally resting on the sad, knowing eyes of Sailor Jupiter. He could see she was about to cry herself. Absently he wondered why she would be crying. He was the one who had just lost both parents after all he thought. _They're both gone now. I'm all alone. Alone_. He hung his tired head in his hands and began to weep, body shaking with sobs that overcame him. He felt the warm embrace of Sailor Jupiter, she held him close and tight as he cried into his own blood soaked hands.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed it


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_Not the start we were hoping for_ Minako grimaced. They had literally just finished awakening the planet when Rei notified them she felt an evil presence. The girls rushed to the scene and were shocked to find it was none other than Sol's house. The ensuing battle was harder than she anticipated after seeing the monster fly from his doorstep with Sailor Jupiter in its grasp. _Luckily, my Venus Love Me Chain was there to make sure Mako-chan still had a face_ Minako thought, smiling to herself. That poor boy, Sol, who had just lost both his parents cried like she had never heard anyone cry before. She knew Makoto felt his pain, having lost both her parents as well. No one protested when Makoto helped him stand and guided him away from the battle scene. Most likely she was going to take him back to her apartment.

The rest of the afternoon unfolded without incident, so they went their separate ways. Was this an omen to the start of The Dark Moon Kingdom? Minako was only speculating, but the thought sent a shiver up her spine.

Already they were hearing people cheer for the Sailor Senshi, praising them as saviours. She walked up to an empty park and sat down on a bench. Evidently, the Silver Crystal didn`t just help awaken everyone, but it also restored everything to its original state before the world had frozen over. Water and electricity flowed back to individual houses. Cars that had their axles seized from long exposure to the ice moved freely again. It was almost like nothing had happened. _But something has happened. Some people have changed_. She could feel it in the air, see it in certain people`s eyes. Most went about their day like nothing happened. But some lurked in dark corners, avoiding the bright light of the sun, casting suspicious glares at anyone who walked too close. Sitting on the bench she noticed someone walking fast, head cast down, shoulders slumped. He bumped into someone coming the other way, knocking them down. Minako heard some words exchanged, none of which sounded very friendly. The one that knocked the other down turned suddenly and hurried off.

_Well no use sitting here speculating_ she thought finally. The slim blonde girl stood then, and proceeded to return home. Her parents greeted her as she entered, and she hurried to her room. Artemis was waiting on her bed, curled into a small ball of white fur, obviously sleeping. As she closed the door, he raised his head and yawned, mouth opening wide.

"Ami-chan's computer has linked with the Crystal Palace. Now we can access all the data that was stored on it easily." The white cat informed her. Minako crossed the room to and sat at her makeup table. Looking into the mirror she saw her tired blue eyes looking back. She reached up and untied the red bow that held her hair out of her face. Long golden blonde hair fell around her shoulders. When she was sitting here, her hair touched the floor. She reached for a brush lying on the table. "Well that's probably a good thing. All the data we gathered from fighting the Dark Moon Kingdom the first time should come in handy. I have a feeling we will be seeing them again."

"You don't think Sailor Moon will be able to cleanse them?" Artemis asked turning towards her as she brushed her hair. The brush stopped then and she looked over her shoulder at her faithful companion. Spinning around on her chair so she faced him head on she replied "I really don't know. Judging by what happened today, I would say that there is still darkness residing in this world. Some people are uneasy about how things have turned out. Maybe she can cleanse them though. Like you said, we have the data from fighting the Dark Moon Kingdom at hand." Artemis sat back down on the rumpled sheets of her bed. They both looked around the bedroom, deep in their own thoughts. Minako returned herself back to the mirror, resuming her brush strokes "Only time will tell."

-/-*-\\-

The fire was ablaze inside of Hikawa Shrine praying room. Rei sat in front of it, eyes closed, hands clasped together in front of her face as she concentrated. _Show me the evils that invade the hearts of man_ she pleaded. An image appeared in the fire, showing the Earth. Darkness encroached upon it, slowly spreading. The light of the earth tried to fight back, but to no avail. The darkness was too powerful. Darkness spread methodically across the globe, finding its way into every crack and crevasse. The voice of hope snuffed out by unrelenting darkness. She knew they had to do something about this, or else everyone on Earth would succumb to this all consuming evil. If they did nothing, many innocent live would be lost. Those who refused the darkness would be ripped about. It seemed fate had dealt them a hand they had to play.

She heard Yurichiro enter the room quietly behind her. "Rei-chan it's getting late. Maybe you should rest for a while." Rei let her hands drop to her lap. She had seen enough to know what it meant. No point wasting her time watching the same images appear for the rest of the night. Perhaps in the morning she could narrow the search down, and find individuals who needed their help. "You're right Yurichiro." She stood and walked over to him, looking up. She could barely see his eyes under his black bangs that hid the top half of his face. "If I'm not around and something happens, I need you to protect grandpa." Yurichiro looked confused for a few seconds, and then a nervous smile spread across his face under Rei's intimidating stare. "Your grandpa can probably protect himself better than I can."

"Just promise me, ok?" Yurichiro nodded quickly then stood straighter like a guard on duty. Rei leaned in and wrapped her arms around the taller boy. "Thank you Yurichiro. I'm glad you're someone I can count on."

-/-*-\\-

Makoto led Sol down the hallway towards her apartment door. She knew it was still unlocked, turning the knob and gesturing for Sol to enter. He shuffled forward, a distant sad look in his hazel eyes. After the ordeal Makoto had urged him on, hoping that getting him away from the scene might help his current depression. They had walked in silence until Makoto asked where the monster had come from. "_It was my father"_ was all he said in an almost inaudible whisper. Makoto had suspected as much, and her heart sank at hearing that he truly had just lost both parents.

Sol walked past the entryway and continued inside the dark apartment, not bothering to take his shoes off. He finally stopped in front of the window that overlooking the street outside. Cars whizzed past and people milled about, going on with their everyday lives. Makoto turned the lights on and noticed the dried blood smeared all over his hands. _That's right; he cut his left hand pretty bad on that monsters fangs._ She headed towards the sink and turned the hot water on. It was strange for her to be moving around her own apartment still as Sailor Jupiter. Luckily no one had been in the lobby or on her floor. Anyone watching outside would just assume this was his apartment and she was merely an escort.

She rinsed the clean cloth under the warm water and headed to where Sol stood. She looked at him from the side as he stared off into the star riddled sky. "Can I clean your wounds?" He only continued to stare, so she gently took his left hand into her right. Carefully she wiped away the dried blood, not wanting to open the fresh wounds. But as she cleaned, she couldn't find any new cuts on his hand. All that remained were light pink embellishes on his skin, like the wounds had closed up long ago and were well on their way to healing nicely. It was like he was healing as fast as... _Us?_

Makoto paused, staring at his hand. Now that she thought about it, he had been pretty much fine after slamming into that car was well. He shouldn't have been able to walk away from that, let alone stay conscious. And the speed in which he closed in on the creature was alarmingly fast, the force he crashed into it would have rendered anyone but a Sailor Senshi with a broken collar bone. She looked up suddenly, realization coming over her.

"Sol, how did you feel after you left the Crystal Palace?" Sol continued to stare into the dark sky, in a dream like state. He turned to face her then, some light coming back into his eyes "I've never felt more alive. I felt I could do... Anything." _Just like I felt when I was awoken as Sailor Jupiter. Could he have been affected by being so close to all that power?_ "Thank you for saving me" he said suddenly. "If you hadn't have shown up, I would be dead now." Makoto dropped her eyes from his intense stare "Your welcome." She realized then that they were still holding hands and she abruptly pulled hers back, blushing slightly. Luckily in the dim light he couldn't see the rosy colour spreading on her cheeks.

"Why don't you come and lay down for a while" Makoto offered "it's been a long day for you, so you must be tired." Sol nodded in approval and followed her as she led him towards her bedroom. _There is going to be a boy sleeping in my bed _she thought and then immediately scolded herself inwardly. Now was not the time to be thinking of such things, he had just lost both his parents, his world turned upside down. She knew the feeling all too well. After her parents had died in a plane crash, she bounced around a few foster homes while the courts decided the best course of action. Finally an Executor was appointed to the small fortune her parents had left as an inheritance, and she was set up with a moderate apartment. She didn't have to worry about paying the bills, that's what the Trustee was for, and he made sure she was given enough to buy food and have some spending money for herself. She was independent enough to handle the funds on her own now, but the courts said she had to wait until she was 18 to receive the full amount in her name only.

Sol reached out and put his arms around her then, burying his face into her soft brown hair "You're being so kind to me, and I've never even met you until today. I've just been a burden to you. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." He cried, tears flowing anew from his eyes. Makoto's heart went out to him in that moment. "You're not a burden, none of this was your fault" she said softly into his chest as he held her tight.

"I couldn't save her, I couldn't do anything. I was frozen with fear. If I... If I could have..." He trailed off, mouth moving wordlessly, face contorted in emotional despair. Makoto pushed herself off him slightly, and stared into hard into his crying eyes, taking his head in both her hands "It's not your fault Sol. It's not anyone's fault. Darkness found its way into your father's heart. Normally when Sailor Moon uses her powers, people are cleansed of the evil inside them. For your father to turn to dust means he was no longer your father. All that was left of him was an empty shell, a vessel for evil. I think if there was anything left of your father, he would have probably wanted it like that before he hurt anyone else." Sol smiled through teary eyes, and nodded in understanding.

Makoto pulled out of his embrace and gestured towards the bed "it's getting late Sol. You need to rest now." He didn't protest as he pulled the covers of the cleanly made bed back and crawled in. It wasn't long before Makoto could hear the steady breathing of deep sleep. She changed out of Sailor form, and went into the bathroom to take a shower. _At least I don't have to wash the clothes of the Sailor suit_ she thought as she turned the taps. She checked the water with her hand and when she was satisfied it was at an appropriate temperature, she stepped in. _That monster really dragged me through the dirt_ she thought as she cleaned the dirt and debris off her skin. _But more importantly I need to tell the others about Sol's... Condition. _She finished quickly, and peeked her head out to make sure Sol was still asleep. The light snoring coming from the other room told her was sleeping soundly so she put a towel around herself, and another she wrapped up in her hair. She crossed the room swiftly and grabbed the cordless phone. As she dialed she wondered if this turn of events was a good or bad thing.

-/-*-\\-

Usagi hung up the phone after saying good-bye to Makoto. Luna stared at her with a look of astonishment on her cat features. "This is bad. This is very bad" Luna warned. "For a normal boy to get infused with the power of the Silver Crystal is a very bad thing."

"I was just a normal girl when you came to see me Luna" Usagi replied looking sad. Luna jumped onto Usagi's lap, looking hard into the young girls blue eyes "That was different. You were destined to become Sailor Moon. This isn't the same at all."

"Mamoru-chan was just a normal human before he came to Silver Millennium. After Queen Beryl and Queen Metalia attacked, he was blessed with the power of the Silver Crystal right?" Usagi asked, uncharacteristically insightful. Luna was taken aback by the response, Usagi never said such things. Try as she might, she couldn't argue the logic behind Usagi's argument. Usagi, clearly taking pleasure in her friends discomfort stood, as Luna fell to the floor "And look at how much of a valuable ally Tuxedo Kamen has become to us. He's always saving us when we're in a pinch" she continued, feeling like she was on a roll. Luna sprang back up to her feet, ready to unleash a tirade on the happy-go-lucky blonde girl, but no words came. Usagi started to laugh loudly as she paraded around the room in triumph "I'm right and you know it! The pretty sailor suited soldier who fights for love and justice prevails again!" Luna exhaled audibly at the smiling girl standing in front of her. "Well you still need to tell your parents that you're Neo Queen Serenity. You can't be the queen of the planet and still live at home." Usagi stopped her victory march and looked down at the black cat. "I suppose you're right Luna. I guess I'll talk with Mamo-chan about it tomorrow. And maybe mom, dad, and Shingo can come live in the palace with us" she said, stars sparkling in her eyes. "It'll be so romantic, living in a palace with my Mamo-chan" hands clasped together beside her head, she started mumbling, obviously in a day dream.

"Usagi-chan! First we have to meet with everyone and discuss what to do about Sol. He could pose a threat with this new found power. He might blame us for killing his father. He could even go so far as to blame us for awakening them in the first place and losing both parents. Now that he seems to be infused with some power from the Silver Crystal, your attacks will probably have little to no effect on him." Usagi thought for a second, and then looked at her bed. "It's getting late and I'm sleepy. We can worry about this in the morning. Besides Luna, we should be happy that the Crystal Palace is built, and we've saved everyone."

Usagi walked towards her closet and changed into pink pajama's with little crescent moons adorned in seemingly random spots. She crawled into the crumpled folds of an unmade bed. Luna settled herself in between Usagi's feet. She looked out her window into the star filled sky. _I didn't know that was Sol's father_ as tears formed in her big blue eyes. _I didn't want to lose anyone like that. Now Luna talks of him being a possible enemy. We should be helping him, and righting the wrong we've committed. But how do you right something like this?_ She tossed and turned, sleep evading her as she thought of Sol and the way he cried uncontrollably after the ordeal of today. _I'll make this right for you Sol... Somehow _she vowed to herself as sleep finally came to her.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The next morning all the girls decided to meet at Hikawa Shrine and discuss what they should do about Sol and his potentially newfound power. Ami was first to arrive and greeted Rei with a warm smile as she hugged the black haired girl. Yurichiro was busy sweeping not far away so Ami decided it best not to say anything until he moved on to another part of the shrine. Minako, with Artemis on her shoulder and Makoto arrived together, chatting to one another as they walked up the stone steps. Yurichiro was out of ear shot by the time they arrived so Ami asked Makoto the obvious questions. Makoto informed them that Sol was still sleeping when she left. She told them she had written him a note about needing to do some errands, and had left a bento lunch in the fridge for him in case he got hungry. Usagi was late, as usual and it didn't take long for Rei to start complaining.

A few minutes passed when they heard Usagi running up the stairs, Luna trailing quietly in her wake. As Usagi approached the other girls, she bent her head down, breathing heavily. "Sorry everyone, I slept in."

"No surprise there" Rei snapped quickly. Usagi looked up and frowned at the harsh tone. Always the one to get down to business, Luna jumped onto the wooden ledge built around the stone structure of the shrine and began. "We could have a new potential enemy. He should be considered dangerous with this newfound power." Makoto looked down at the black cat; eye brows furrowed "He isn't our enemy. And we don't even know for sure if he's got this power inside of him. Perhaps it was just adrenaline yesterday."

"Adrenaline doesn't make wounds heal faster" Luna countered. "I'm almost positive he has some kind of new power residing inside of him, gifted from the close exposure to the Silver Crystals power as you all awakened the world." Ami rose her hand to her chin in thought "If he does have this new power, we need to inform him." Luna turned her business like stare on the blue haired girl "We shouldn't tell him anything about it. If he has that kind of information he could very well use it against us. Right now he knows we're more powerful than he is."

"But Luna, if he is stronger and faster now, that could put other people in danger" Minako replied. Ami nodded quickly, turning to face her friend "That's exactly what I was thinking. What if he starts horsing around with a friend, and accidentally breaks his neck. It could easily be prevented if he's aware of it." Luna's tail shot up and waved around in frustration. She didn't like when the girls disagreed with her, but they had sound arguments. The black cat sat down then and closed her eyes "Fine. We can tell him about his powers. But I think we should keep a close eye on him." Minako smiled and put her hand up, one finger pointing towards the sky "Like they say 'keep your friends close, and your boyfriends closer'"

"Mina..." Artemis exhaled, lowering his head. Everyone looked at the pretty blonde and sighed. "We have another problem" Rei said quietly, staring off into the horizon. They all turned to her, waiting for her to continue. "Last night I had a vision. The world was consumed into darkness. It seems we still have a lot of fighting ahead of us." They all stood silently at this ominous news. Finally Usagi said cheerfully "I'll just cleanse them all, like I did with the 7 Great Youma." Makoto spoke next, anger clear in her voice "Sol's father couldn't be cleansed. He was too far gone. If people are already infected with this dark energy, and have been sleeping in it for a thousand years, there isn't any humanity left in them."

"No, that's not true!" Usagi yelled, placing her hand to her chest. "I can help them; I don't want anyone else to die!" Rei stood and walked past the two arguing girls, black hair flowing out behind her "We might not have a choice. It's either that or send them away to planet Nemesis, and they come back as The Black Moon Clan and destroy most of human civilization." Everyone went quiet again. Ami had her head lowered in thought when she suddenly perked up "Not necessarily. I gathered a lot of information on the Dark Moon Clan and their droids. Maybe if we have to send them away, I can build some kind of force field generator to keep them out. "Usagi lifted her head, eyes pleading with the blue haired girl "Do you really think you could do that Ami-chan?"

"Yes I think I could. But we're getting a little ahead of ourselves. First, we need to meet with Sol. I can scan his body for any irregularities to see if he truly has been... Gifted by the Silver Crystal." Makoto turned her gaze on Rei, silently asking her if it was alright to use the telephone. Rei nodded in approval and Makoto walked past the group to call her apartment.

-/-*-\\-

The sun was shining brightly as the small garden came into view. A light cool breeze blew some leaves in front of the path Sol walked. _I think this is the place_. The phone had rung shortly after he gotten out of bed, the familiar voice of Sailor Jupiter on the other line. She told him they needed to meet and talk about some recent issues. He didn't have anything else to do but sit and think about the previous day's events, so he agreed. He approached the entrance of the garden, a small patch of yellow flowers to his left as he followed the only walkway into the green area. His eyes scanned the surroundings, not seeing anyone who looked like the Sailor Senshi. As he continued down the path, the flowers gradually turned to trees and less people were visible.

The cool shade the overhanging trees provided a welcome respite from the heat of the afternoon sun. Sol heard what he thought was a whisper coming from his left. He turned and saw a figure, waving him off the path towards the darker recesses. As he walked off the path, whoever it was disappeared behind one of the larger trees in the green area. Sol walked more briskly, curious to what was about to transpire. As he drew closer to the tree the silhouettes of the 5 Sailor Senshi came into view. He stopped in front of them, eye brows furrowed. "So what's this about?"

"Please just stand still" the blue haired girl asked politely. A visor appeared before her eyes, and she squinted slightly, eyes following commands only she could see. Sol did as he was told and waited patiently. After a short time, the blue haired girl exhaled and looked at all the other girls in turn. "He has powers now." The small blonde girl with the pony tails stepped forward, hand placed in the middle of her chest, a sad look on her face. "I'm sorry Sol. This was never supposed to happen like this." Sol looked at her, confused "What do you mean I have powers now?"

"Remember when you followed me into the Crystal Palace and were knocked out?" Sailor Jupiter asked him. Sol nodded as recalled the strange glowing crystal walls. "You have been... It's hard to explain" Sailor Jupiter scoffed. The blue haired girl picked up where Sailor Jupiter left off "The easiest way to explain it is you have super human like powers now. Your stamina, strength, durability, speed, and even the rate at which you heal have all been increased past those of normal humans." Sol blinked at what she had just said to him and laughed "You're kidding right? So now I can leap over tall buildings and run faster than a speeding bullet?"

"We're dead serious" the black haired girl said quickly, arms crossed. "Haven't you noticed anything different since you came back from the Crystal Palace?" Sol remembered the way he had sprung towards his door, and how fast his hand had healed after cutting it badly on his father fangs. _No, not my father. That wasn't my dad anymore._ Perhaps what they were telling him was true. He looked at the tree beside him, scanning upwards until his eyes rested on a sturdy looking branch far out of reach. There was no way he could reach it, even if he jumped off a chair first. He turned his eyes towards Sailor Jupiter, and she nodded encouraging him to try. He looked back at the branch, and exhaled, placing his feet shoulder width apart. He bent his knees and reached his arms back behind him, preparing to jump as high as he could. _This is never gonna happen. There`s no way I can reach this_. He pushed himself up as hard as he could. Suddenly the branch hurtled towards him, smashing into his head. He grunted more in shock than pain as he fell back to the ground, and stumbled to keep his balance. Sol wasn`t prepared for that, and looked at the other girls in turn. They all nodded silently as the truth of what they had just told him sunk in. He rubbed his head where it had collided with the thick branch.

Looking around at the other girls, he realized that he didn't know how to address anyone except Sailor Jupiter. "So what do I call you?" Sol asked. The introduced themselves in turn, smiling warmly as they did. Sailor Moon was still beaming brightly when she asked "You're not our enemy, right Sol?" The other Sailor Senshi turned quickly and glared at Sailor Moon.

"Why would I be your enemy? If you hadn't shown up, I'd be dead right now. Plus you've unwittingly given me something that I can use to fight back with" Sol replied without any emotion in his voice. Sailor Mercury stepped forward and put her hand on his shoulder "This is dangerous Sol. You have some power, but it isn't much. Not compared to what we have and these monsters are powerful. You've already lost-"

"I've lost everything! What else do I have to lose?!" Sol yelled as he reeled back away from Sailor Mercury's extended hand. Sailor Jupiter put herself in between Sailor Mercury and Sol, arms out protectively towards her long time friend."What about this Mako-chan you were muttering about when we woke you up? Does she mean nothing to you now? Does your own life mean nothing to you?!" Sol hadn't seen this side of Sailor Jupiter and was completely stunned at the sudden outburst. He dropped his shoulders in defeat, all the fight leaving his body for the time being. "I need to do something" he said quietly.

Sailor Moon walked closer to him, but before she could utter any words Sailor Mars turned and said in an urgent voice "There is an evil presence near here. Come on, let's go." Sol watched as she turned back towards the path he had come from and take off at a full sprint, the other four close behind. When Sol realized they weren't looking back to see if he was following or not he raced after them.

His feet pounded the short grass underneath as he pumped his arms and legs, trying to close the distance. _They're fast!_ As he came back onto the path, he saw the long blonde pony tail of Sailor Moon disappearing over a retaining wall on the other side of the garden. Sol took off as fast as he could, getting close to the wall, he jumped and braced himself to hit the wall and throw himself over. Instead he sailed high over the wall, arms and legs flailing as he hurtled through the air. His center of gravity shifted forward, pulling his upper body down towards the concrete sidewalk on the other side. As he put his hands out to brace for the incoming impact, he had time to think this wasn't going to end well. His hands hit the pavement and he... _Stopped? _

Pushing himself back to his feet, he scanned the street frantically. Across the busy intersection he noticed some people pointing excitedly down an alley way. Sol dashed out into traffic, oblivious to the honks and screeching tires of motorists trying to avoiding running over some crazy boy. His only thought was he had to follow them at all costs. The ally was a blur as he raced forward. It split in opposite directions. Looking down either way didn't provide any clues as to which way they had gone. A short distance to his right was a fire escape running up the wall of a building. Without thinking twice he lunged forward and jumped. His legs pushed him past the first landing of the fire escape, up into the second. _I could get used to this_ he thought, smiling as he effortlessly climbed higher and higher. Sol flung himself past the last rung onto the roof of the building. _I'll be able to find them now that I have the high ground_ he thought as he raced onward.

-/-*-\\-

Rei led the charge as the other Sailor Senshi followed, trusting their friends instincts when it came to premonitions. As the streets and alley ways opened into a similar park they had just ran from, she scanned the people milling about. Some were picnicking under the warm sun, others just enjoying a stroll through the lush greenery the park provided. _It's here, somewhere close._ Her eyes went towards a group of boys tossing a Frisbee back and forth. The boy standing closest to the small bushes behind him threw the disc to one of his friends and then turned at something unheard to Rei. _THERE! _As he moved closer to inspect what was rustling inside the bushes, Rei lurched forward, inhaling as much air as her lungs could hold "Get away from there! There's something-"she didn't have time to finish when something large and black sprang out of the brushes, grabbing the young boy by one arm, lifting him off his feet with ease.

The other four girls sprang into action immediately, following Rei blindly into battle like they had done so many times in the past. "Venus Love Me Chain!" Rei heard Minako yell from behind her as others screamed and ran for cover. A golden chain made of heart shaped links appeared, swirling around the slender blonde girl. She pointed her hand at the monster and the chain shot out at incredible speed. It wrapped itself around the evil beings wrist, as her own hands clasped the other end of the chain. She pulled hard, preventing the monster from doing any further harm to the terrified boy in its grasp. The links dug into the black flesh, tearing sinew and muscle like a hot knife through butter. The other girls closed in, Rei at the head of the pack.

"Burning Mandela!" Discs of flame appeared before the black haired beauty and shot out, slicing and burning the creatures arm off at the elbow. The monster wailed in pain. Makoto was first to the fallen boy, grabbing him swiftly and retreating to a safe distance. The monster groaned deep in its throat, breathing heavily. It extended what was left of its severed arm out to the side, and a black rope like substance shot out. Bringing its arm back, it thrashed out, whipping at Rei, Ami and Usagi. Rei and Ami side stepped easily and gracefully, while Usagi seemed to trip over her own feet. Falling face forward, barely avoiding being struck by the black whip hurtling towards them.

The monster singled Usagi out as the weakest of the five, and lashed out violently. Usagi, dodging the attacks as she tripped and stumbled out of danger. _Honestly, I don't know how she isn't dead._ Rei thought to herself as she shook her head in disappointment. As the creature attacked her friend relentlessly, Rei noticed the bushes off to one side of the monster stir. A dark grey coloured head poked out from the low brush. Its head rose up and smelled the air like a dog on a scent. Rei saw that the face of this thing had no eyes, dark grey skin pulled tight over the eye sockets, leaving indents where eyes were once held. Its head snapped towards Usagi who was still flailing about, avoiding being struck down in the park. Ami noticed the other attacker then as well and crossed her arms in front of herself "Bubble Spray!" She threw her arms out as she yelled, and bubbles appeared everywhere, covering the entire field in a thick mist. Usagi thanked her friend for the deterrent tactic. Minako and Makoto came running up as well and they formed a small circle.

"There are two of them. They must have been close enough together that I mistook them for one evil being. Split up and stay alert" Rei cautioned the other four girls. They all nodded and took off in different directions. Rei stayed where she was and closed her eyes, concentrating. _I'll be able to sense where they are, and finish them off before anyone else gets hurt._ She felt a tingling sensation, close and behind her. She spun around in time to see the creature without eyes stand to its full height. It was enormous, at least ten feet tall. _It must walk on all fours to detect scents better_ Rei thought absently. Suddenly, thick grey tendrils shot out from the creatures back and towards Rei. She didn`t have time to power up for Burning Mandela so she clasped her hands in front of her face, index finger pointing up on either hand, readying for the less powerful but quicker Fire Soul.

The grey tentacles were faster than she expected though and closed the distance almost instantly. They wrapped around her wrists and arms, slithering to her back, pulling her hands close to her chest. She opened her mouth to call for help when two more shot out at her face, one circling around her mouth like a gag, the other around her throat, choking off her air supply. Rei threw her head back and dug her heels in as the monster began to reel in its prey. Her high heels tore the green grass underneath, exposing dark earth beneath. The grass didn`t provide the kind of footing she needed to break free of its vice like grip. She dug her heels in further and arched her back, resisting with all her strength. She stopped for a moment and felt the tension grow as they engaged in a power struggle. The grass and dirt beneath her feet proved to be unworthy as it gave out and she fell backwards. Now on the ground there wasn`t much she could do, but stare is it slowly pulled her closer. It parted its dark grey lips, and began to open its mouth. The mouth kept opening, impossibly wide, revealing row after row of sharp glistening teeth. The creature`s entire mouth was filled teeth, leaving no room for even a tongue. Spit poured from the side of its mouth as she was drawn ever closer. Rei began to thrash widely, fearing this could be the end.

As she thrashed she heard the bushes rustle slightly, and a figure jumped out of the mist and swung something large in their hand at the creatures gaping mouth. Teeth crunched and shattered as the force of the blow sent it careening back in pain, the tentacles loosening their grip significantly. Rei pushed her hands away from herself, and the tentacles let go. She dug her fingers into the one around her neck and pulled hard as it gave way. The last around her mouth pulled back voluntarily, and she sucked in deep breaths that her lungs burned for. Sol ran up to her from beside the monster as it thrashed widely in pain, a dull scream trying to escape its mouth but was blocked by whatever Sol had jammed into it. "Are you ok?" He asked bending down to help her get back up. She nodded and asked "What did you hit it with?"

"A rock, it was the only thing I could find after I saw it grab you." He replied. The monster stopped screaming then, and both Sol and Rei looked at it. The large grapefruit sized rock Sol had used to smash the creatures face was still jammed firmly in its mouth. The creature threw its head back and proceeded to swallow the large stone. They could see the outline is it traveled down the monsters neck, into the upper torso. The grey creature turned its eyeless stare to the other two standing side by side and raised it arm. A hole appeared on its hand, and Rei grabbed Sol suddenly, forcing him into the ground as the stone shot out at them like a bullet. Rei heard the rock whiz past over head, safely avoiding the cannonball like projectile.

The grey beast started walking towards them when something red flashed through the mist and buried itself deep into the eyeless socket. The monster threw its head back as the stem of a rose protruded out from its skull and wailed again, exposing broken teeth throughout its gaping mouth. "Now Sailor Moon!" Rei heard the familiar voice of Tuxedo Kamen shout unseen.

"Moon Princess Halation!" Rei knew there was no coming back for this thing as a golden crescent moon shot through the mist towards the evil creature. It let out a final, gasping grunt as the thing turned to dust. Ami recalled her mist as everyone gathered around Rei and Sol to make sure they didn't suffer any serious injury. Rei told them her throat was a little sore, but she was fine.

Rei turned to Sol as Tuxedo Kamen crossed the field to where everyone was standing. "You could have been killed, what were you thinking?" She scolded. Sol looked back as his face turned aghast "I saved you from being eaten, didn't I?"

"Tuxedo Kamen would have saved me. He just didn't throw sooner in fear of hitting you!" Rei retorted. Tuxedo Kamen placed his hand on Rei's shoulder and nodded silent thanks towards Sol as he spoke "Actually, I wouldn't have arrived in time to save you. If he hadn't done what he did, you would have perished at the hands of that monster." Rei's anger completely disappeared as she looked on at Tuxedo Kamen, stunned. She turned back to Sol and bowed her head, hands in front of her "Thank you" she said softly. Sol's expression turned soft as well as he politely acknowledged the thanks.

Minako stepped forward "Next time leave the monster fighting to us though. We don't need anyone else getting hurt trying to help us. If an innocent life was lost, we wouldn't be able to forgive ourselves." She said diplomatically. Sol looked at each one in turn and rested his intense gave on Sailor Jupiter. "I'm not going to stop. If you want me to stop helping you, you'll have to physically hold me down, and chain me up. I doubt you're in the business of kidnapping so you can either accept my help, or I'll do it without your consent. Today I realized that there are still people I care about. People I want to protect from this kind of evil. If that means I lay my life down for a better cause, so be it." He turned away from them, and proceeded back towards the busy streets of Tokyo. Rei watched as he walked on and wondered, not for the first time, if they were really helping people or making things worse for everyone.

A/N: Please let me know what you think. This has been a lot of fun to write and I would like to know if you're enjoying it as well.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

A well dressed business man hung up the phone in his office. His neatly pressed pin stripped suit stretched tight across his large back and shoulders as he placed his muscular hands in front of his face. Kagawa Koji valued power above all else. He ran his hand through his short jet black hair, flecks of grey starting to show at his temples. His square masculine face was all angles, making him strikingly handsome. The call he had just received didn't contain the information he was expecting. A successful businessman, he didn't react well to failure. Koji stood and turned to look out the window of his high rise office overlooking downtown Tokyo. It was clearly evident the man was extremely fit; his barrel chest stretched the buttons of his white undershirt to their limit.

Koji worked out vigorously every day. His value for power not only encompassed his style of ruthless business ethic, but his physical appearance as well. Not many people could best him in any kind of strength related activity, and those who did seldom challenged him a second time as his failures pushed him harder, driving him to be the most powerful. He no longer needed to work out though, as things had changed for him.

Shortly after he had succumbed to the effects of the freezing, he was approached by an entity. Approached was the best word he could use to describe it as it had entered his consciousness. Whatever it was knew he was hungry for power, and he had willingly given himself over to it. This entity had fused itself with Koji and began directing him down a new path, one much more fulfilling than crushing his opponents in business. This newfound power made him feel like he was more alive than he had ever been. The only thing that stood in his way now was Sailor Moon and her Sailor Senshi.

The images he had seen after being awakened with this new power made him sick. They were weak, relaying on each other for support. Believing in each other's friends was pathetic. The only thing you could truly believe in was your own strength. He used people as tools to attain what he wanted and anyone foolish enough to think otherwise deserved to be crushed. Only the strongest survived after all.

But Sailor Moon had succeeded in defeating the two Dark Ones he had recruited. They deserved this suffering. His informant notified him of their failures to even kill one of the Senshi. She had told him the dog like one was about to devour one of the girls when an unsuspecting teenage boy intervened. _A teenage boy!_ Obviously he needed to recruit better members for his cause. He could feel their dark energy when he was close to them, and they knew he was the one chosen to lead this quest of world domination. They could feel his superiority radiating from his muscular body. Luckily the business connections he had made before the freezing provided him with the resources he needed to recruit his soldiers.

Koji undressed from the suit he was wearing, and donned his work out clothing. No one in his office would think it out of the ordinary for the fitness obsessed Vice President of a successful business firm to go out for an afternoon jog. He did so regularly and everyone would just notch it up to him wanting to stay healthy. As he exited his office the secretary that answered most of his calls asked if he would be returning. "I'll be out for an indefinite amount of time" he replied coldly, not even making eye contact with the young woman who was his subordinate. He waited impatiently for the elevator to arrive, and paced back and forth as it went down. Luckily for him now one else got on. He strode quickly out of the lobby of his office building and out onto the congested downtown streets. Once Koji's feet hit the pavement he took off at almost a full sprint. Years of training his body and mind kept him able to maintain this pace for several blocks. As he rounded a corner into one of the more shady areas of downtown Tokyo he slowed his pace. Searching the faces of the low life's around him, he reached out with his new senses. Unlike the other Dark Ones he had encountered so far, he could retain his own mind after transforming. He didn't turn into the mindless, killing creatures that lacked any form of direction. The last two he recruited, he had found that he could implant his own direct orders into them, like the alpha dog commanding its pack.

It wasn't long before he felt someone worthy to be his subordinate. He approached the man and saw in the lower beings face that he was already unstable, barely keeping his grasp on reality. _Perfect_. The man's wild eyes felt Koji's superior presence, and Koji nodded down a dark alley way not far. The man got up and followed him into the shadows. Once inside and out of earshot of the other degenerates, Koji cleared his throat to speak. But before he could say anything the other man spoke first. "That power you have, it's tempting. I want to devour your strength and add it to my own" his face contorted grotesquely, limbs cracking and reshaping themselves. Koji watched unimpressed with what the man had turned into. _Perhaps he isn't the one to do the job. _The ruthless business man started to walk past the monster when it grabbed him by both arms and threw him into the wall.

Rage overcame Koji then, how dare some worm put its hands on him? Koji flexed his massive arms, and broke free of the Dark Ones grip, lashing out. With his right hand, he swung hard striking the side of the creature's black face, its skull caving in. The Dark One fell to its knees, putting its hands up defensively. Koji grabbed one arm and placed his foot against the creature's neck and pulled, ripping the appendage out of its socket, flesh and sinew tearing away from bone. Black ooze like blood poured forth from the gaping wound as Koji threw the limp arm down. He walked around to the back of the monster as it whimpered in fear and placed his hands on either side of its head. Just before he snapped the Dark Ones neck, he recalled that this worm had mentioned devouring his power.

Thinking about this made him hunger. But not a hunger for food, a deeper darker hunger. Dark energy started to flow from Koji as his hunger increased. The life force was being sucked out of this maggot, filling a void Koji hadn't realized was there. It felt wonderful to consume this dark energy and Koji took it all. The monster went completely limp in his hands, and he let it fall down to the ground. He thought he couldn't feel any better or more powerful since awakening, but here he was, muscles rippling with new power, dark energy coursing through his veins. The business man threw his head back and laughed. Seldom had he ever laughed, but now was a time for rejoicing. He was the chosen one, the one to lead the world into darkness, and he had just found a way to make himself more powerful. _But I will need soldiers. Can't consume them all, just the unworthy_ he thought darkly as he exited the alley way casually, searching for his next recruit. Or perhaps his next victim.

-/-*-\\-

Usagi had decided to wake up early the next morning so she could go down to the Crystal Palace before any trouble arrived for the day. As she walked down the stairs of her house, the succulent smell of pancakes found its way to her. This enticing aroma put a little spring in her step as she rounded the corner into the kitchen. He father and brother already seated at the breakfast table, waiting patiently for her mother to finish cooking. As Usagi sat down, her little brother gave her an incredulous stare "I didn't think you would be up early today of all days."

"Well why not? It's a beautiful day after all" Usagi replied dreamily as she pictured strolling through the Crystal Palace with Mamoru, planning out how she wanted her new castle to look. Usagi's mother turned from the stove and smiled widely as Usagi started to take a sip of the full glass of orange juice placed in front of her "I'm glad to see you've taken some initiative on your first day back to school since that long hibernation." Usagi spit the juice back into the cup, the force of it spraying into her face.

"School?!" She whined loudly as drops of orange juice fell from her face. "I didn't know we had school today? When was that decided?"

"Last night. It was all over the news. Some businesses had already gotten back to the regular day to day routines. Last night the government decided it was time for everyone to go about their usual lives" her mother informed her as she placed a small stack of lightly browned pancakes on her plate. Usagi groaned as she leaned forward, almost putting her face in her freshly cooked breakfast. _I'm never going to get back into the Crystal Palace _she moped as her hand reached out and grabbed the syrup. _At least these pancakes will cheer me up a little._

The newspaper in her father's hand ruffled as he made a grunting sound. "It says here that authorities have been trying to contact Neo Queen Serenity since yesterday. Apparently there is some kind of invisible shield around the palace, and no one knows if she's inside or not. So far all efforts to contact her verbally through a mega-phone have gone unanswered." Usagi blinked upon hearing that, swallowing a mouthful of her sweet breakfast. _I wonder what that means. Can I even get in there?_

"Alight, hurry and finish your breakfast. You two don't want to be late for your first day back" Usagi's mother said to them cheerfully. The last few bites on Usagi's plate stood little chance as she devoured them quickly. Shingo looked on in disgust "You eat like a pig Stupid Usagi. You need to learn to be more lady like."

"Hey! I'm a growing girl you know! And breakfast is important for growing girls!" Usagi yelled back as her brother got up from the table and hurried out the door. She made her way to the door slowly, dreading having to go to school today. She walked down the streets toward her junior high school at a leisurely pace, enjoying the morning rays of sunlight shining down on her. As she drew closer to an intersection, her blue eyes spotted the friendly figure of Ami waiting for the solid hand to signal it was safe for her to proceed. Usagi ran up quickly to her close friend "Ami-chan!" She called out as she waved. Ami turned and waved back as the blonde girl hurried forward.

"Ami-chan, we have to go to school today" Usagi groaned loudly "Why did we have to unthaw the schools. We should have just skipped over them so we wouldn't need to go anymore."

"Usagi-chan studying is important. We should do our best in our studies to become successful at whatever we choose." Ami replied calmly. Usagi was used to this kind of response from her friend whenever she complained about school work, so it was no surprise as to how Ami reacted. Usagi stood straight, eyes going wide as another thought occurred to her "Did you hear about the police trying to contact Neo Queen Serenity? They say there is some kind of force field around the Palace." Ami nodded, looking back at her friend as the signal changed, allowing them to carry on. "I heard that last night on the news. It must be some kind of built in security like system. Perhaps we need to be in the Palace to deactivate it."

"Well we won't find out until after school at best now." Usagi muttered under her breath as she kicked a pebble off the sidewalk. The two girls chatted the rest of the way to class, enjoying each others company.

As they approached the school, Usagi saw the last person she expected to see after hearing the news of classes resuming. The tall Irish boy looked at her from the other side of the street, not showing any emotion. Usagi was about to go ask him why he had come to school today when Ami grabbed her shoulder "Usagi-chan, you can't say anything about Sol's parents" the blonde girl turned her head quickly eyes wide with confusion. "Remember, Sailor Moon knows his parents died, not Tsukino Usagi." Ami continued. She was right. If Usagi went over and inquired why he was at school today, he would get suspicious. She just had to pretend nothing was wrong until he told her the news.

The bell rang and students crowded around the entrance. Usagi tried to get close enough to Sol to say good morning, but he was swallowed up in the crowd. She would just have to wait until homeroom, and see if he would open up to her. He had to open up to her; she was the friendliest, prettiest girl at Juban Junior High after all.

Class after class went by with excruciatingly slowness. All Usagi could concentrate on was the Crystal Palace or talking with Sol. Finally after her third class ended, signalling homeroom. She walked quickly through the hallways, dodging and darting in between other students. She hurried to her desk and sat down, waiting impatiently for Sol to walk through the door. As the students slowly filled the classroom, her heart began to sink. _Maybe he couldn't handle it and decided to go home._ Ms. Haruna entered last and began closing the door. Usagi feeling truly down that she wasn't going to get a chance to try and cheer Sol up, when a hand blocked the doors path into the frame. Ms. Hauna jumped a little in surprise and pulled the door back open. As Sol walked through the doorway apologizing for his lateness Usagi felt relieved that she would get a chance to talk to him.

Ms Haruna notified the class that homeroom would last for 20 minutes and then English class would begin after. Since she was the English teacher, they didn't need to roam the halls to their next classroom. Usagi pushed her chair out and was about to head over to where Sol sat a few rows away when her best friend Naru blocked her path, all smiles and friendly hugs. "Usagi-chan it's so good to see you. It kinda feels like we haven't seen each other for a really long time, and really, we haven't. But it also feels like we haven't seen each other for a weekend. You know?"

"Yes yes" Usagi laughed trying to politely brush her friend off while waving her hand. "Actually Naru-chan can you-"

"Did you hear about that palace?" Naru interrupted. "I saw on the news that it's made out of crystal. Can you believe it? Crystal! And police say they haven't been able to contact Neo Queen Serenity. I wonder if she's really Sailor Moon? And that force field, what's up with that? I mean if she's going to be queen of the world, you would think she might be a little more accepting of her subjects than that." Before Usagi could reply, a brown haired teenage boy approached the two girls. He had thick large glasses that covered most of his face. "Actually Naru-chan, I have a theory about the force field. As you recall you might have heard about some of those attacks of monsters on the news as well. I believe that the force field is to keep the queen safe from would-be attackers. As you know, not anyone can just go and visit the Queen of England, so it would stand to reason that the same applies here as well."

Naru turned on the shorter boy, eyes furrowed in frustration, ready to engage in a heated argument "Umino, didn't you see the same images I saw? Maybe not, you're glasses were probably still fogged up. Neo Queen Serenity is nothing like the Queen of England" as the two argued back and forth Usagi took this chance to quietly slip by unnoticed. As she approached Sol sitting in his desk, she watched as he wrote something down, look at it for a second or two, and shake his head, erasing whatever had been there previously.

"Good morning Sol" Usagi greeted as warmly and cheerfully a she could. Sol looked up and smiled back "Good morning Usagi-chan." The thin blonde girl leaned in closer to inspect what he had been trying to write. She could tell that whatever it was had been attempted many times, the paper getting worn out from the friction of the rubber eraser. She also noticed he was writing in English and not Japanese.

"Are you preparing for English class?" She inquired. Not having taken his eyes off her since she approached, he looked down at his paper.

"Not exactly. I'm just trying to... Express something." Usagi wondered what it was he could be trying to express at a time like this. Perhaps how he felt about the loss of his parents? Instead she said "Too bad we had to come to school today. I was enjoying the nice weather and had some important plans lain out." Sol turned his attention back on Usagi. She could see he was thinking carefully about what to say next. A big smile that touched the corners of his eyes made his face light up "Actually, I'm kind of glad to be at school today. Gives a nice sense of normalcy that seemed to be lacking since Sailor Moon saved everyone."

_That's why he came to school. To try and feel normal again and forget about losing his parents, even for a short time. _"Usagi-chan what's wrong? You look terribly sad all the sudden. Did I say something bad?" She knew she always wore her heart on her shoulder, so to speak, and the sad thought of Sol trying to escape his reality must have shown through. "No no" she laughed "I'm feeling sad because we're in school is all. You didn't say anything wrong."

"Ok well if you don't mind, I would like to get back to this before English class starts" Sol said politely. Usagi waved her hand at the seated boy, all smiles and giggles "Yes yes, express yourself. Good luck Sol."

"Thank you" he replied as he bent his head back down, pencil in hand. Usagi made her way back to where Umino and Naru were still arguing. Umino turned to her just as she came back to where she had been standing previously and he asked "What do you think Usagi-chan? Who's right, me or Naru-chan?" A fierce look on his face. She couldn't tell if he was really angry or putting on a show for dramatic effect. His glasses were too thick to get a good look in his eyes. "Sorry I wasn't listening" Usagi answered. She wasn't exactly lying.

Ms Haruna told the students to find their seats as English class was about to start. Usagi couldn't pay attention during the lesson and found herself turning to see what Sol was doing instead. She saw he wasn't paying attention either, instead writing something down and shaking his head just like before then vigorously erasing whatever he had just put to paper. As the time ticked by she watched him do this routine for the entire class. Finally the bell rang, signaling lunch. Some students piled up at the doorway, eager to eat outside while others just opened their backpacks and ate at their desks.

Sol stood up and slowly and made his way through the class towards the door, shoulders slumped in apparent defeat. Usagi decided she would go try and talk to him again after she had a short visit with Ami and Makoto. She was a growing girl after all and needed all the energy her lunch could provide her if she was going to cheer Sol up.

As she walked out into the schools courtyard and scanned the students she saw Ami and Makoto sitting under a tree. The closer she got, the more she realized they were having a serious discussion. Ami looked up and waved her over. Usagi rushed to her friends' side thinking that perhaps another monster had attacked. "What's wrong?"

"Sol didn't come back to my apartment yesterday. I'm worried he might have gone out to try to find one of those monsters on his own" Makoto answered, fear evident all over her soft features. Usagi sat back and exhaled in relief "Don't worry Mako-chan, he's at school today." Ami and Makoto let out a breath they seemed to be holding in, relieved to hear the news Usagi had just given them. "Now, time for important matters. Lunch!" Usagi blurted, a big grin spreading her face as she plunged her hands into her backpack and fished out the lunch her mother had prepared. Her hungry mouth devoured the contents as Ami and Makoto took a little more care eating theirs.

Usagi was almost finished when a shadow appeared before the girls. She took a break out of enjoying her lunch to see who it was. Sol looked down at the three girls, a deadly serious look on his face. "Soo!" Was all Usagi could get out with her mouth full of food. He nodded politely at the acknowledgment, and turned his intense stare to where Makoto sat. "Mako-chan, I like you." It seemed he was forcing the words out, clearly uncomfortable, but dead set on saying whatever he needed to say. Makoto looked up and said kindly "I like you too Sol. You're a nice guy so why wouldn't I like you?"

"I mean I _really_ like you. When the last big storm hit, I thought I might never see you again. That night I remembered something my dad told me..." He closed his eyes and bent his head, the first real sign he was showing that anything was wrong. Usagi noticed he balled his hands into fists and he inhaled deeply and then exhaled slowly, calming himself. When he opened his eyes, the intensity was much less "My dad told me once 'The things in life that haunt us the most, are the words left unsaid.' So I'm telling you that when I thought I would never see you again, I had to find you and tell you how I really feel. I would like to take you out on a date." The last sentence was forced out as he stared straight ahead, determination written all over his face. Usagi balked, almost choking on the food still in her mouth. Coughing and hacking as she cleared her throat she turned to see Makoto's response. Her blushing face and soft gazing eyes told Usagi she was going to accept. "Yes Sol, I think that would be wonderful" she replied breathlessly. Sol smiled and relaxed his stiff posture, relief clearly evident on his face.

"Oh Mako-chan, you don't know how good that makes me feel" he said warmly. Makoto could only smile in return, blushing fiercely. The sandy blonde haired boy turned and began to walk away when Usagi got up and almost screamed "But you haven't even set up a time or what you're going to do!"

A/N: My dad actually gave me that piece of advice once. Thanks dad Once again I hope you enjoyed this chapter and like the story so far.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, I haven't had a lot of free time since Friday. Hope you enjoy this chapter, and please let me know what you think, good or bad.

Chapter 7

The sun was just beginning to set as Makoto made her way to the small cafe she and Sol had decided on meeting at. The orange rays of light danced across the light clouds in the sky creating a very romantic atmosphere. Sol had wanted to pick her up from her apartment, but Makoto knew that would raise a lot of questions. Questions she wasn't prepared to answer. Sol had protested about meeting her, but she stayed firm and told him it's either this or no date.

She wore lightly a light green turtle neck sweater that fit snuggly against her body with lightly faded blue jeans. It wasn't revealing but it showed she had curves, just the look she wanted for tonight. Sol had asked that she meet him at the cafe at 7:30 and it was a little past that now, but it was only a block away so she didn't hurry. As the windows came into view she saw Sol sitting at alone and waiting patiently. The Maitre'd greeted her upon arrival and asked how many, Makoto responded saying she was meeting someone.

As she turned the corner Sol looked up and greeted her with a warm smile. When she got close to the table he stood up and moved around to pull her chair out. Makoto thanked him politely as she sat down thinking this was a very good start to their date. After they had both seated Makoto noticed he was wearing still wearing his school uniform. "You didn't go home and change after school?" She asked. Sol looked down at his attire and ran his hand through his light blonde hair "I didn't have time. I forgot that I needed to do some stuff after school and before I knew it, it was almost 7:30." Makoto grinned a little as she turned her head slightly and gave him a look out the side of her eye. "I'll guess this will have to do" she teased.

The waiter approached the table and asked if they wanted anything. Sol ordered a coffee, black and Makoto ordered a green tea with a little honey. They continued to chat while they waited for their drinks to arrive and Makoto noticed that his eyes weren't just a light brown but actually a very light blue on the outside of the iris that turned into a dark green towards the pupil. The two colour contrast made it seem his eyes were brown from a distance. She quickly found herself fascinated by his eyes, the right had a little more blue than the left. Sol continued to talk, but she didn't hear a word of what he said, swimming in his eyes. The waiter came with their order, breaking her out of this reverie.

"So how did you like the first day back to school?" Makoto asked as she blew lightly on the steaming cup of tea. Sol was already taking a sip of his own hot drink and as he put the cup down his eyes turned sad, the constant smile he had had since she arrived fading. "It was nice to get out of the house" was all he said to her though. She knew he must be terribly hurt right now, and wanted to comfort him, tell him everything was going to be ok. She wanted to be the one to take away his pain, but sadly Kino Makoto had no idea this boy had just lost both his parents. She would have to watch him suffer in silence for the time being.

"I met Sailor Jupiter" he said suddenly, perking up. Makoto took a slow sip from her tea and swallowed, enjoying the honey after taste. "Oh, what was she like?" She asked, trying to sound sincerely interested.

"She reminded me a lot of you. Strong, graceful and full of confidence. But not as pretty" he replied looking deep into her eyes. Makoto could feel her cheeks going hot, knowing she was probably lighting up the dim room with the glow coming off her face by now. Sol let out a little laugh and reached over as he softly took her hand in his. She noticed the thick gashes on his hand had now turned to scars, tracing straight lines up his freckled knuckles and fingers. "You are beautiful Makoto-chan. You don't need to blush at hearing that when it's the truth." His confidence in what he had just said only made her blush more and she found that she couldn't stop smiling. "You're much more charming than I would have thought considering the way you asked me out today."

"I have to admit I was pretty nervous, but when you said yes all that disappeared" he said softly, still holding her hand. As they continued to talk Makoto quickly found he was indeed much more charming than she would have thought. He seemed to know exactly what to say in almost every topic they talked about. The minutes turned to hours as they laughed together, Makoto delighted she could at least help Sol in this way. It didn't hurt that he was attractive and witty as well, so Makoto decided to just forget about his buried pain for the time being and enjoy the evening.

-/-*-\\-

The dark figure watched from the shadows as the boy and girl continued their _date. _Just yesterday he had meddled in affairs he knew nothing about. _If he hadn't shown up at least one of those pesky Sailor Senshi would be dead right now. _This one was the key to getting at the Sailor Senshi. He could be used, manipulated. And he was also the weakest of them. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. _But we need more time_. After the Sailor Senshi had scolded him for helping, the watcher knew he wasn't part of their circle. Not yet, but his tenacity could prove useful in this situation. After the ordeal of what happened yesterday, the unseen foe was quite upset and considered tracking him down and making him pay. But the figure waiting in the shadows had come up with a better plan. Why get the small worm out of a fit of rage when he could be used to reel in the big fish. _But he needs to prove himself to them. He needs to show them that he's worthy of their trust._

-/-*-\\-

The sun had gone down, and the crowds around the Crystal Palace had thinned. Minako was glad they were finally able to inspect this force field without someone raising questions. Discretion was probably the best tactic right now as they had no idea what was causing it either. Ami had ideas, but it was all speculation. And what they needed right now were answers. Answers for these strange new creatures that kept popping up. Answers for how they were supposed to help Usagi become queen.

Rei checked her watch for what had to be the hundredth time and exhaled impatiently "Is Mako-chan going to show up? She said 8:30 at the latest and its 9:15 now." Minako looked over at her quick tempered friend and grinned a little "You know Rei-chan, matters of the heart cannot be rushed. If she is having a good time with Sol, we should just go on without her and let them have a little fun."

Just like everyone else that came to the unseen boarder around the Crystal Palace, the girls had all tried reaching out to see if their hands would go through. But just like everyone else, they were stopped short by an invisible barrier. Ami guess they needed to be in Sailor form to pass through, but they couldn't exactly transform and walk through with all these people around. So they decided to wait it out. After a short time Makoto had informed them she would return later that night and proceed with the rest of the group. Now they were faced with carrying on one short.

Minako looked at each girl in turn. They looked terribly bored. Minako had enjoyed watching all the handsome boys coming and going so she didn't mind waiting. But now things were pretty quiet. Usagi stood up from the bench she was sitting on and pointed at the sparkling palace, her voice taking on determined tone "We'll go without her. We need to see inside, erm, find out what this force field is." Rei exhaled again and put her hands on her hips "You just want to go in and day dream of walking the halls with Mamoru-chan." Usagi seemed to shrink as the other girl scolded her for letting her true intentions show.

Minako got in between them, holding her hands out "Whatever the reason, it's getting late. Either we go in now, or we don't go in at all and we have wasted our time tonight." She looked at Usagi who nodded in agreement. They all took a quick look around to make sure no one was watching them and then went through with their transformations.

Yellow ribbons swirled around Minako as the clothes she was wearing disappeared and were replaced by her Sailor Venus outfit. She rather enjoyed this outfit, thinking the contrast of white and orange went well together, matching her blonde hair. The other girls went through similar transformations, but all had different colour schemes.

Minako was the first to approach the barrier, eager to see if this would work. Her hand reached out inching closer to where it had been stopped before. _What if we can't get through?_ Her heart skipped a beat at the thought. She knew where her hand was now was about the place they had been denied before. She turned to look at the other three girls, and they watched, wide eyed and earnest. She steeled her nerves, and pushed forward.

There was a slight tingling sensation in her hand and arm where they had passed through the force field. Urged on by her own success, she moved forward slowly. As her body began to get enveloped in this strange energy she held her breath and closed her eyes. It passed over her like a wave in slow motion, sending strange unfamiliar sensations throughout her body. It was almost like being tickled with a feather, but it didn't tickle. Not exactly pleasant, but not unpleasant either. Once through she turned to her friends and waved for them to follow.

As each girl went through, they closed their eyes and held their breath as well, not entirely sure how to approach this strange phenomenon. Except Usagi, she had laughed and giggled as she walked past the barrier. Once inside, it was a short jog to the main entrance of the Crystal Palace. A large door less arch way greeted them as they approached. Minako looked on in wonder at the sparkling beauty of the crystal walls, her reflection bouncing back. They all hurried inside, high heels clicking against the crystal, in case someone came to see the palace for them self and wonder how these four got in. The large room just beyond the entrance had corridors and hallways going in every direction, a giant staircase that split into three other stair cases leading to the upper chambers of the palace.

Minako didn't remember putting this much detail into the layout, but then again she had only really helped with the entertainment areas. Things like the Ball Room and the Theatre with a large stage set in the middle. So she turned to Ami and asked her friend "Where do we go from here?" Ami scanned the area with a puzzled look "I guess we go to the main control room." The other three girls waited for her to continue, to tell them which way that was. "I don't have my hand held anymore, and this place is huge. I don't remember exactly how to get there, but I think I can point us in the right direction at least." Upon hearing the news, Usagi groaned and slumped her shoulders "We should have put a map right here at the entrance like when you go into a mall" she said pouting.

Ami led the other three girls up the staircase she thought was the right way. They picked their way slowly, admiring the naked beauty of the crystal. They passed rooms and chambers, dining areas and hallways that led to balconies. After some time it seemed Ami got her bearings of where they were and a few wrong turns later they came to the first set of doors they had seen since entering. The glass like doors in front of them looked thick and heavy, with large handles instead of knobs. The phases of the moon were engraved into the edges of the large doors, meeting at the top by a full moon, half of which was one each door, meeting together when the doors were closed.

Minako reached out and grabbed the handle then pulled. The door moved amazingly with little effort for how thick it was. After the door was opened enough for the other girls to enter Minako stood with her back to it, discovering it was thicker than her shoulder width. Obviously Ami had planned this in case of an attack so this room would be much more difficult to enter.

As Minako was the last to enter she remembered seeing this room when they had gone to the future. King Endymion had brought them all here to show them video footage of what had happened. Images of the desolate future flashed in her mind. _Not going to happen this time,_ she thought. Minako watched as Ami walked to the main control consol, as she got close the crystal _opened._ Ami jumped back with a start and slowly her small hand held computer was pushed out. "This is amazing. It's almost like this palace is sentient." She remarked as she reached out and grabbed the hand held device.

"So this palace _knows _us?" Usagi asked astonishingly. Ami turned around and nodded slowly. "it seems that way. Perhaps the technology is far beyond anything we could have imagined." Minako watched as her slender hands began pressing buttons. Window after window appeared on the large screen in front of them, none of which made any sense to Minako. "I can't believe this" Ami said after a short time. "The palace has completely integrated my super computer. This palace can do everything my computer could, and more. If what I'm seeing here is right we should be able to just select a location, input dimensions and.." The blue haired girl tapped one more button and turned around as a small step stool came out of the floor. The other three girls yelped in alarm, not expecting anything to come out of the floor.

"We can take down any wall, or put up one instead. We can do anything with this. This is absolutely incredible" Ami whispered more to herself than the other three. Minako didn't understand any of what Ami said next so she just smiled and nodded. Ami continued to talk to herself excitedly, hands flying over the large consol in front of her. "Everyone look at this" she after a short time. Minako did as the other two and moved closer to where she stood.

"See these four dots of different colours on the screen?" Minako looked closely at the screen and saw a blue, red, gold and pink coloured dot all close to each other. "Yes. What do they mean?" She inquired. Ami tapped a few more buttons and each dot moved to the left of the screen, stacked on top of one another. The dots expanded into profiles. Profiles of each of them. The gold dot turned into a picture of Minako, showing current vital stats such as heart rate, blood pressure, and overall mood. Her mood was calm until she realized what she was looking at, and it turned to mild shock.

"So... So this palace _does _knowus" Minako exclaimed. Ami nodded slowly. "I don't know how yet, but perhaps it has to do with us building this place with our powers. Maybe part of us has gone into the palace itself." Minako looked at Usagi and Rei who had stunned looks on their faces, still shocked at what they were seeing on the screen. Minako had recovered quicker than the other two.

An idea occurred to her. "Ami-chan, can you use this to locate Mako-chan?" Ami raised her hands of the consol and thought for a few seconds. "Maybe, let me try something..." Her hands flew over the buttons again, and the bird's eye view of what they saw inside the palace zoomed out. Ami tapped a few more buttons as the view traveled to different parts of Tokyo. Darting one direction and back again. Scanning and searching. After a short time the screen centered on a small green dot. They all leaned in for a closer look as the view slowly zoomed in. Minako realized then that the dot was moving.

Minako stepped back in amazement, staring at the screen. "How can this do that? It's not like we programmed all of Tokyo into it?"

"This control room, well the entire palace actually, has sonar-like ping technology. Because the palace knows our own energy signature's it can sync up with them as it emits an echo of that signature. I don't know what kind of range it has, but it seemed to locate Mako-chan quickly." Ami explained. Minako furrowed her eye brows, looking hard at the blinking green dot as it slowly made its way down a street. "Can we actually see what she's doing instead of this dot?"

"Unfortunately we can't do that. This is only for locating." Ami answered. Usagi stepped to Ami's other side, staring hard into the screen and asked "Can we use this to find more of the monsters?" Minako looked at her friend, taken aback by the insightful question, and inwardly kicking herself for not having thought of it. "We would need a monster first I think. Plus it might only be able to locate that specific monster. But perhaps we can have it search for similar energy signatures; I don't know the extent this can go to." The girls were quiet after that, all thinking to themselves. Minako looked up again at the blinking green dot, having made it's way to the next street. _I wonder what you're up to right now Mako-chan? _She thought, a devilish smile spreading her face.

"What about the force feild?" Rei asked impatiently. "That is the reason we came here in the first place." Ami blushed a little and turned her attention back to the large consol in front of her. She tapped away, the occasional 'oh' escaping her lips. Minako turned her attention to Usagi who had a concerned faraway look on her face. "What's wrong Usagi-chan?" Upon hearing her own name, she snapped her head quickly in Minako's direction, a weak smile appearing on her face. "I was just thinking that maybe we could locate all the monsters and possibly heal them. Turn them back into people." Usagi's shoulders slumped lower and lower as she spoke. Minako knew this was a burden her friend couldn't carry alone. She could do many things, even save the world from darkness. But the thought of losing even one person weighed heavy on her. _These qualities are what make her the true Queen. Her compassion and love for everyone and everything._ Rei closed the distance between them and put one arm around Usagi. "Usagi-chan we are helping them. What if there was some small portion of their humanity left inside, watching as they hurt other people? Then we essentially become their saviours." Rei wasn't mocking or scolding her friend. When Usagi needed her, Rei was usually the most compassionate. For a time at least.

"I think I got it." Ami said, interrupting them. "It does act like a security system, just like I thought. It seems this palace will defend itself if necessary. Defences we didn't put into place. What was activated was for low level threats." Minako turned her head to the side, pursing her lips together in thought. "What if it had been activated for a higher level threat?" The blond girl asked.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I think we should just leave it for now. We came and found what we were hoping for. It's getting late and I still need to study tonight. Do you three mind if we come back another time?" Minako nodded in agreement, the other two mimicking her response. As the other girls excited the control room, she turned around and looked at the now blank screen, picturing the blinking green dot. As a smile slowly spread her lips she began to think about where Makoto and Sol could be right now. _A dimly lit park bench? All alone?_ She let out a quiet laugh as she exited through the large door way.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Sol felt like his heart was going to pound out of his chest at any minute. As soon as Makoto had walked into the small cafe his heart started to race and hadn't slowed. Somehow he was able to maintain conversation with her and put forth a calm confident image of himself. Inside he felt like he was barely hanging on, like he was going to say something dumb at any second, ruining any chances he still had with the green eyed beauty that had amazingly said yes to his awkward invitation.

Street lights lit the way toward his house as they walked together. She had been very adamant that she walk him home and not the other way around. Sol didn't argue he was just glad to get to spend some more time with her. They had been walking in silence for a few blocks now, Sol contemplating whether or not he should take her hand in his. _Her hands are so soft_. He could still recall the feel of her slender hand in his back at the cafe. What if he grabbed her hand and she thought he was moving too fast? _What am I thinking? It's not like I'm trying to kiss her._ So that settled it. He was going to walk the rest of the way to his house hand in hand with Mako-chan. Now he just needed to do it.

Almost as if she could read his thoughts, she turned to him looking sideways through the corner of her eye, a sly grin appearing on her face, and she took his hand in hers. Sol's already pounding heart beat a little faster. His mouth went dry, and he felt like he was falling. Makoto noticed his stunned face and took her hand away, apologizing. "Sorry, I kind of jump into relationships like this with both feet. I shouldn't rush things like this." _It's like she knows exactly what to say and when to say it_. Sol took a deep breath and laughed to himself. "Actually I've been trying to work up the nerve to grab your hand for the last three blocks."

Makoto's emerald green eyes went wide, a slow smile lighting up her face. Sol reached his hand out to her and she accepted his outstretched invitation. He felt her soft gentle grasp wrap around his as his heart seemed to settle down. Sol waited for her to take a step in the direction they were headed, and then he pulled her close, embracing her with his other arm. "Whoops! You almost tripped there. Good thing I was here to keep you from falling" Makoto's laughter was like music to his ears as she let him pull her close. He waited for her to pull back but when she didn't he rested his head on top of hers. _This is really familiar..._

The brown haired girl pulled her head back from his chest, smiling up at him. "It's nice to have a taller boy ask me out. I've always been... Bigger and I think it scares most boys away." Sol gazed deep into her brilliant green eyes, and without thinking leaned in and put his lips against hers. He felt her tense up at first, but she relaxed quickly and started to kiss him back. He felt his heart start to beat rapidly again as she pulled away, blushing fiercely. She smiled brightly and stepped back away from him. A hurt look started to appear on Sol's face as she turned and ran, laughing.

It took Sol a couple seconds to realize she wanted him to chase her, and she had already gone about half a block. As he started to run after her, he felt laughter come from deep in his chest. A laughter and carefree happiness he had thought he would never feel again. Sol couldn't stop himself from giggling as he closed the distance between them. Once he was close enough, he wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up off the ground so she couldn't run anymore. Makoto yelped in surprise as laughter billowed forth. He gently placed her back down as the two settled down to catch their breath. "Mako-chan have you ever lost anyone close to you?" Sol asked, turning serious. Makoto's carefree attitude disappeared instantly, looking at Sol intensely. "I lost both my parents in a plane crash when I was very young."

"Oh my god Mako-chan, I had no idea. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry" Sol blurted out quickly, thinking he had just ruined the entire night. There was fire in that stare, and most likely anger. He hung his head, cursing himself for saying something to ruin a perfectly good night. Makoto moved close to him and took his head in her hands softly, making him look at her. _This feels familiar too..._There wasn't any anger, nothing resembling angst towards him. "It's ok Sol-kun. They have been gone a long time now. And you didn't know. I can't blame you for something you had no idea about."

"How did you deal with that? Losing both parents at the same time?" Sol asked breathlessly, finding he was losing his voice. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat, fighting back the tears. She took her hands away from his face, and placed them into his own hands. "You take it one day at a time. Just breathe in and breathe out. The pain goes away, eventually. I miss them every day. Sometimes I get angry. Angry that they were taken from me at such an early age. But I have great friends now; they have become my new family." All Sol could do was nod. If he spoke, he feared he wouldn't be able to stop the outpouring of emotion that was washing over him. _She knows exactly what I'm going through. _Through all the pain and despair he felt at losing his own parents, he couldn't help feel sorry for her. Having lost her own parents as a young girl made his heart break a little more if that was possible.

Makoto took his arm and placed it around her shoulders, and guided him down the street, walking slowly in silence. They were almost at his house and he cleared his throat. "I had fun tonight" Makoto looked back up at him brightly and smiled "I did too. This was probably the best date I've ever been on." As the approached his walkway that led up to his house, Sol took her hands in his once more. "I would like to go out on more dates with you" he said quietly, looking down at his feet, shifting awkwardly. Makoto leaned in and kissed him on the cheek "I would like that as well" she whispered into his ear. She started to step back from him, making their arms reach out to their limit. He held her hands a little tighter, to stay in her grasp just a little longer. She squeezed back, and smiled as she tilted her head to one side. A stray strand of chest-nut brown hair fell over her face. Finally Sol exhaled and let her out of his grasp. He watched as she turned back the way they had come and walk with her hands behind her back, looking up at the stars filling the night sky.

As he turned and started up the short walkway to his door, he felt an overwhelming numbness come over him. Each step was like adding another weight to an already unbearably heavy load. It seemed to take an eternity just to make it to his door. He stood in front of the dark house, breathing heavily. Sol reached up to grab the door knob and his hand shook. Letting his arm fall back down, he took a few deep breathes, trying to calm himself. _One day at a time _he told himself as he opened the door.

Yesterday when he had walked through this door he was greeted by a couple of uniformed police officers. They had told him cleaning crews had gone through the house, putting it back to its original state. They had learned from eye witnesses on the scene what had happened, and didn't try tracking him down as they knew he was in good hands with the Sailor Senshi. So instead officers took shifts waiting for him to return. The taller, darker officer had started to mention something about all the blood, when he was elbowed in the ribs by the other. The shorter officer apologized quickly and asked if he needed anything else. When Sol told them no, they bowed slightly and exited the premises.

Now here he stood, in an empty dark house, alone. Closing the door behind him, he proceeded into the living room and turned the lights on. Staring into the corner where he had last seen his dead mother sent a shiver up his spine. He gave himself a shake and reached for the remote, turning the TV on as he sat down on the couch. A news broadcast was already in progress as the blank screen came to life, a reporter with a microphone in her hand "..._As police in numerous cities around the world try and determine what's causing these attacks on seemingly random people. The victims are described as being mauled and in some cases ripped apart. Police are baffled as to what could be doing such harm. None of the victims in corresponding cities have any connection to one and other that authorities have found thus far. Here is what the police chief in Madrid Spain says about the attacks taking place in his jurisdiction..."_

Sol only half paid attention to the news broadcast as his eyes roamed around the room. He turned it on more for background noise than anything. The once warm and inviting walls of pictures of him and his parents now seemed to be a sick mockery of something he once had. As his eyes drifted past the portraits and onto the bookshelf, a long white, narrow object piqued his interest. Sol stood up and walked over to the bookshelf which row was devoid of any books to make room for the ceremonial Samurai sword his father was presented upon arriving in Tokyo with his new job. His eyes traced the intricate sword sheath as he remembered what the presenter had told his father as Sol translated for him.

"_This is a gift from our company to welcome you here. It was forged by a man who is proficient in the ways of Masamune. This blade is of high quality and is a great honor to behold. We humbly wish you would accept this as a gratitude for traveling so far from your own home." _The man had said. Sol's father had accepted it with a smile and bowed as the other man held it out to him. After everyone had settled into the house, Sol's father had shown him that the blade was at least sharp, and it looked very nice. They didn't know anything about metallurgy, so they had to just take the man's word on the quality of the blade.

Coming back to reality Sol picked the katana up by the handle, still in its sheath. The handle and sheath were adorned with white leather, crisscrossing their way back and forth over the entire length. Small black diamond shapes ran up the length of the handle. Sol reached out with his other hand and grabbed hold of the sheath. Taking a deep breath he pulled the katana out. The metal sang as it was exposed from the scabbard that once held it in place, the blade gleaming in the light.

_I could use this to fight those monsters._ The length of the blade seemed a tad long, but he figured a longer reach could work in his advantage. The weight of the blade felt perfect in his hand as he swung it side to side casually. Pushing the blade back into its sheath, Sol decided he would go out tonight on 'patrol' to see if he came across anything suspicious. He would bring along the katana just in case things got ugly. But he couldn't exactly just walk around with a three foot long deadly weapon.

He walked back to the front entryway and started to rummage through the closet. He found his dad's long black trench coat still hanging, cleanly pressed and ready for wear. _Perfect. _Taking the trench coat in one hand and the sword in the other he hurried upstairs towards his mothers sewing room. She always had a sweater or a quilt to knit, so finding the yarn was an easy task. He pulled out what he thought was an appropriate length and cut the strip from the big brown ball. Tying a couple of easy slip knots into either end of the yarn, he placed them over the top and bottom ends of the sheath, pulling them tight.

He quickly realized the sword was too obvious when worn on the hip, so he slung it over one shoulder. He was right handed and tried having the hilt stick up over his right shoulder first but it was too hard to reach down past his shoulder. He couldn't have the hilt sticking up, else someone notice and call the police. So he swung it over his left shoulder and found it was much easier to grab. After a little trial and error while wearing the long coat he finally settled on a good position that didn't give away he was carrying a sword. Reaching over with his right hand, he felt where the handle was and marked a little 'x' on the coat with a black marker on the sewing table. Taking it off and running back downstairs into the kitchen, he grabbed a knife out of the knife block and carefully poked the blade though, cutting a hole over the left shoulder for easier access to the handle. _Now all I need to do is reach across with my right hand and pull the blade out._

Felling good about how everything seemed to be falling into place, he strode towards the door. As he walked past the living room, the images on the television made him stop and watch. "..._Cities where the frequency of these attacks is highest have people uneasy, some have even started rioting, blaming the police for their inability to even come up with any suspects..." _ Images of buildings on fire as people threw rocks into glassless window frames. Mobs charging police, attacking with sticks and clubs as fires blaze in the background. Something evil really was taking hold. The images only steeled his resolve as he hurried out the door.

A light rain had started to fall, making the streets glisten in the moon light. Sol took off at a light jog down the way Makoto had gone. If anything happened to her tonight, Sol would never be able to forgive himself for not making sure she arrived safely at her home. In all honesty he didn't know where she lived, but at least he had a general direction. Peering down cross streets as he ran, looking for any sign of the tall brunette that could possibly be in danger tonight.

A high pitched scream pierced through the patter of the rainfall as Sol came skidding a halt, trying to determine where the cry came from. _Mako-chan! _His eyes search frantically, not seeing signs of any life. He hears another scream coming from his left not far away. Spotting a dark alley entrance way, he surges forward, pumping his legs as hard as he can. Rain peppers his face as he sprints into the small alley. Half way down he sees a dark figure atop someone, raising its clawed hand ready to strike down.

Without slowing Sol reaches for the hilt of the sword hidden beneath his coat. He pulls, but the guard catches on the inside. _Damnit! _He knows he doesn't have time to pry it free, so instead he leaps forward, dropping his shoulders as he wraps his arms around the assailant. Smashing into its back hard, they both tumble forward into the cold wet pavement, skidding to a stop. Sol stands up quickly and turns to see a woman lying on the ground, a stunned look on her face. Turning back to the attacker he sees a small black skinned monster staring back at him, sharp teeth bared and snarling already on its own feet.

The monster lashes out with its left clawed hand, Sol side stepping easily to his right. Seeing an opening, he throws his balled fist into the creatures black face as hard as he can. It stumbles back from the force of the blow, raising its hand to where Sol's had just landed. The tall boy reaches for the sword again, trying desperately to free the blade, pulling as hard as he can. With a rip the blade comes out, metal singing into the dark night. Grabbing the hilt with both hands he lunges forward, swinging at the creature's neck in a downward diagonal slice. The monsters hands lash out, quick like lightning catching the blade between its palms. Stunned that the monster could move so fast, and be strong enough to stop the full force of the swing, Sol tries to pull it free, but it's like trying to free the blade from concrete. The black creature smiles a wicked smile, exposing sharp teeth as it lifts its leg and kicks straight out, planting its foot squarely into Sol's chest, sending him flying back.

Sol loses his grip on the handle of the sword as he's kicked, slamming into the brick wall of the building behind him. Knowing he doesn't have much time, he quickly shakes his head, freeing the instant cobwebs of the impact. He sees a silver flash coming through the rain and rolls to one side as the katana plunges into the brick wall where his heart had just been.

"Not bad, for a boy" the creature rasps, walking toward him confidently. _Never heard them say anything before. _It was like listening to nails being scrapped across a black board. The razor sharp claws on the creature's hands extend out, exposing his own deadly weapons. Thinking of his mothers crumpled body on the floor at his house, Sol is overcome by a sudden burning rage. He lifts himself to one knee, grabbing the hilt with his right, pulling it free. Standing to his full height he ready's himself for the next attack, blade out in front of him, both hands on the handle now.

The black monster lurches forward at him, both hands up and ready to strike. Sol turns the tip of the blade toward the ground, raising the hilt up as he pivots on one foot slicing up quickly at one of the creature's outstretched arms. As its other hand sinks itself into the brick wall behind where Sol was just standing, the creature lets a wail escape its hideous lips, severed arm falling onto the wet pavement. Thick black blood pours forth from the amputated stump that remains. Before it has a chance to recover and resume its attack Sol buries the blade into its skull. The monster goes limp as its screams stop, arm still stuck in the wall.

Looking toward the woman Sol sees a figure already tending to her. He can't make out who it is in the darkness so he walks briskly over to where they are. As he gets closer, the familiar face or Tuxedo Kamen looks up at him. "Thank you Sol. If you hadn't arrived this woman would probably have perished at the hands of that monster. The Sailor Senshi and I are lucky to have you as an ally."

"Yeah, well they don't seem to think so" Sol scoffs. The woman in Tuxedo Kamen's care stands up suddenly. She has long bright red hair and an angular face. She's tall, taller than he is, wearing a business suit with a knee length skirt that doesn't appear to be wet. _What the hell?_ Sol notices her dark eyes have no evidence of fear in them as she quickly closes the distance between them, embracing him in a tight grip. "Thank you so much young man" she says breathlessly. She pushes Sol away from her, looking down at him. "How can I ever repay this great deed you've done for me?" She asks calmly.

Her apparent unconcern for almost losing her life bothers Sol, but he can't quite place why. Running his hand through his wet hair looking toward Tuxedo Kamen he shrugs "I don't need anything. But thanks." The woman purses her lips in what Sol can only think is frustration. _She's more concerned with some kind of payment, than almost being killed? What's wrong with this woman?_ She reaches into a purse that Sol didn't even notice she was holding and rummages around for a few seconds. Pulling her hand free she produces a business card handing it to Sol. "Here, if you think of anything, anything at all, call me and I'll arrange for your payment."

Throwing her purse over her shoulder, she walks away quickly an annoyed look on her face. Sol pushes the card into his pocket, not even looking at it. Turning his attention to Tuxedo Kamen he asks "So did I really show up before you, or did you just want to see how this played out?"

"I heard the scream from a few blocks over. I didn't think I would arrive in time, even traveling by rooftop. When I looked down to see what was happening, you were getting to your feet, retrieving the sword from the wall. I saw that strange woman lying on the ground and decided she needed my assistance more than you did." Sol took the trench coat off and pulled the scabbard over his head, placing the tip of the katana into it, pushing the blade home. "So are you accepting my help now?"

"I think with so many attacks happening, we can use all the help we can get. I'll talk to Sailor Moon and the others on your behalf. The only reason they don't want you getting involved is for your own safety. But if you're going to get involved by your own accord, it only makes sense that we all work together." The tall well dressed man responded, extending his hand. Sol reached out then, and took his hand, shaking it in an agreed alliance. "Where I come from, this is your word. And your word means everything to me." Sol said in as serious a tone he could muster. Tuxedo Kamen nodded as he releases his grip and turned to walk away.

Adrenaline still surging through his veins, Sol places the sword back over his head, resting against his back. Pulling the wet coat back over his shoulders, he strides to the end of the alley. _Tonight was a pretty good night _he thinks to himself, continuing his light jog in the direction Makoto had gone.

-/-*-\\-

The woman with the bright red hair walks quickly through the rain. _Pretentious little brat! No one brushes me off like that! _She thinks to herself in frustration. She was the one who had set up the whole ordeal in the first place, hoping Sailor Moon and the others would show up as he saved her, bringing him into their good graces. An entire night wasted waiting and watching. _There will be other opportunities. _Koji trusted her enough to work alone. Although she doubted he really trusted anyone. Shortly after awakening, she had sought out Koji having seen images of him while she slept. Whatever it was that had invaded her during the long slumber had wanted them to work together.

She was given a different set of skills and powers than Koji had been given, but she was still quiet deadly. He quickly recognized her abilities to be useful in his quest for world domination. She was only helping him because she felt he had the winning hand in this war that was about to erupt. Sailor Moon was weak in comparison, but she shouldn't be taken lightly. Koji overestimated his own abilities, thinking he could just barge in and kill them all on the spot. Luckily she had a plan and talked him out of his rash decision. _Soon everything will fall into place and there won't be anything the Sailor Senshi can do about it._ Laughing to herself as the rain fell; she got into a waiting car and drove off into the night.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait again. Next week isn't as busy as this one has been. As always I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and feel free to leave any questions or comments you have.HHH


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Watching the news broadcast unfold, Koji sat with his hands crossed in front of his face. Riots were popping up all over the world; people were scared of the encroaching darkness. But everyone in Tokyo seemed calm. _Because of Sailor Moon_ he thought, squeezing his hands until the knuckles cracked from the added tension. The minions he had recruited so far had all been useless. All but Aksuna had been failures. She presented something none of the others had though. She was cold and calculating, planning her schemes carefully, making sure nothing was left out. He knew if he didn't keep a close eye on her, she could prove to be his greatest foe.

Picking up the phone he dialed a number that he felt he called too often of late. It rang twice before a breathy Aksuna answered. "_Yes Koji_?" She sounded annoyed at having to take his call. Anger welled up inside him and he gripped the phone in his hand tighter until he heard the plastic starting to come apart. Instead of lashing out at her, in a calm voice he replied "Is this a bad time for you?"

"_I've just hit a slight detour. Nothing I can't handle_" her annoyance had seemed to disappear, taking on a much more pleasant tone. "_What is it you require of me, my Master?"_ That was better. She knew her place was below him. Settling back in his chair satisfied that she submitted to his will he said "I need you to stop at a costume shop."

"_You're kidding right?" _Came the reply of the surprised woman on the other end. Koji exhaled deeply, trying to calm his raising anger once again. "No I'm dead serious. Now listen carefully..." He gave his instructions with clear detail, outlining everything he needed her to do.

-/-*-\\-

"Usagi!" The young girl heard a familiar voice say. The pillow felt soft against her head as she pulled herself out of the dream like daze. "Usagi wake up! You'll be late for school!" She heard Luna warn. Stretching her arms and stifling a yawn she felt around the bed until she made contact with the black cat's soft fur. "It's ok Luna, I set my alarm early so I wouldn't-"looking at the clock, she quickly realized Luna was indeed correct. She was going to be late for school.

Jumping out of bed in a panic Usagi rushed to her closet, whipping the door open and rifling through her clothes. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner?" She barked at Luna from over her shoulder. Sitting calmly on the bed and watching as Usagi ran back and forth, hurriedly trying to get ready Luna replied "I did try. You put your alarm on snooze five times. I don't think you even really woke up each time you reached over and pushed that button." She was right. Usagi didn't remember her alarm going off once.

After hastily dressing in her schools sailor uniform and running a brush through her hair, she bolted out the door and down the stairs. Her mother knowing she was running late had put her lunch beside the door, writing her name and drawing a small picture of a bunny on it. "Thanks mom! Love you!" She hollered as she slipped her feet into her shoes and took off out the door, not waiting for a reply.

_My second day back to class and I'm going to be late! _She cursed herself. She ran as fast she could along the sunny streets of Tokyo on her way to school. Her shoes clicking against the pavement as her legs pushed her forward. The traffic light ahead was about to change so she picked up the pace, determined not to be stopped here, else she be any later. The flashing turned to a solid hand, signaling the light was about to change, she wasn't going to make it. Nevertheless she sprinted to the light as the cars and pedestrians carried on their way.

Coming to a breathless stop and placing her hand against the light pole for support, she sucked air in deeply. "Usagi?" Came a male's voice from behind her. She turned around to see Sol walking up casually, dressed in his uniform with a book bag thrown over his shoulder. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his shoulders were slumped as he dragged his feet towards where she stood. Upon seeing that it was who he thought it was, he offered a weak smile.

"Good morning Sol" she said, still trying to catch her breath. "You look really tired." Pulling the single strap that hung over his shoulder back up, he sighed "Yeah I had a late night." Giggling devilishly the blonde girl squinted her eyes and poked him in the chest "With Mako-chan eh?" She watched as his tired face went red all over and he looked around nervously, anywhere but at Usagi.

"It-uh... It wasn't anything like that. All we did was kiss last night" Usagi's eyes bulged and her mouth dropped open upon hearing the news. The signal changed and Sol proceeded forward while Usagi watched him go, still stunned at what she had just heard. Coming back to reality, she chased after him before the light changed again. "You really kissed Mako-chan?" Usagi asked urgently.

"Yes... Is that bad?" Usagi shook her head from side to side, long blonde ponytails swinging back and forth. "So Mako-chan is your girlfriend now?" She couldn't stop herself from grinning as she asked the question, happy that her dear friend could enjoy some companionship. Sol stopped in his tracks at hearing the question. Usagi took one more step and stopped herself, looking back at the tall boy. She watched as his face went from a tired worn down look to one of elation. A bright smile lit his face and he started nodding slowly. "Yeah, I guess she is now. I hadn't thought about it until you asked. Mako-chan is my girlfriend now" he said proudly.

Usagi beamed back, already thinking about how happy her friend must be. _She got kissed on the first date, lucky! _Before she could say anything else, she remembered they were both already late for class. Reaching back and grabbing Sol's arm at the elbow, she pulled hard and started to run, dragging him in her wake. "We're going to be late! C'mon Sol, hurry up!" Pulling him in and out of the throngs of people that milled about, she cursed herself again for having slept in. When they were 2 blocks away she could hear the last bell, signaling that they really were late. The chiming of the bell only made her pull Sol behind that much harder. _He isn't trying very hard to make it on time._ As she trotted them both into the school yard, he shook her grip free and told her to go on ahead. She stared at him silently for a few seconds and then hurried down the empty hallways to her class.

Usagi's teacher wasn't impressed with her tardiness, making her stand outside the classroom door as punishment. While she waited she daydreamed about going on a date with Mamoru, receiving her own kiss from him. After a short time her teacher let her come back into class, and the rest of the morning was pretty slow and boring. During home room Usagi didn't get a chance to talk with Sol again as Naru and Umino kept her attention talking about some riots that were happening around the world. It wasn't that she didn't care about the people getting hurt in these instances; she just wanted to find out more about Sol and Makoto's date. Lunch wasn't far off though.

As soon as the bell rang for the lunch break Usagi bolted out of class, hurrying to the big shady tree the girls usually met at. Arriving first, she paced back and forth impatiently, waiting for Makoto to come. Usagi spotted her tall friend easily through the crowd and waved excitedly. Makoto seemed to glide as she walked closer, her natural grace shinning through. Usagi noticed her skin and eyes glowed, something she had never noticed in the brown haired girl before. Usagi waited for Makoto to come to a stop beside her.

"Good afternoon Usagi-chan" Makoto almost sang, cheerily. Usagi could hardly contain herself from the excitement she felt. "So how was your date with Sol?" She asked as calmly as she could. Makoto exhaled and fell back against the tree for support, closing her eyes while a small smile spread across her lips. "It was wonderful. Easily the best date I've ever been on. He was charming and funny, and we kissed. It was wonderful." She repeated. The opening Usagi was waiting for presented itself.

A high pitched squeal escaped past Usagi's lips as she reached up to hug her taller friend. She felt Makoto's arms wrap under her arms and lift as Usagi was picked up off the ground effortlessly. Makoto spun her around, laughing as they embraced. Usagi was starting to feel herself getting dizzy by the time Makoto put her back down. Stumbling and still laughing she asked "So is he your boyfriend now?" Makoto stopped suddenly as big green eyes looked back at Usagi. _She is having the same reaction as Sol. _Makoto started to slowly nod as the realization sunk in. Makoto took both of Usagi's hands in her own and hopped up down excitedly "I have a boyfriend!" She exclaimed as Usagi shared in her delight.

Once Ami had shown up Usagi made Makoto tell them all the details about what happened last night with Sol. After she had finished, Usagi was in her own daydream, imagining going on a similar date with Mamoru. She wasn't even listening while Ami filled Makoto in on their findings of the previous night. Once Ami had finished with telling Makoto that the palace could actually locate their whereabouts, Usagi mentioned going on a double date with her and Sol. Something she had been daydreaming about most of the morning.

"That sounds like a great idea" her friend agreed, smiling brightly. Usagi nodded at her own brilliance and said "Go ask Sol right now. In fact, spend the rest of lunch with him; he's your boyfriend now." The remainder of the lunch hour was spent with Usagi and Ami chatting about school and the double date. Usagi talking about the latter and Ami the former. Shortly before lunch ended Makoto approached both girls with her arm intertwined with Sol's. Both had big smiles on their faces as Makoto told Usagi they would be thrilled to go on a double date with her and Mamoru.

The rest of the day was agonizingly slow for Usagi as all she could think about now was the fun night ahead of them. First she thought about going to a movie, but that was better for just one couple. Makoto and Sol needed something more intimate, more personal. She thought about going dancing next, and then remembered the last time her and Mamoru went dancing how much she stepped on his feet. Embarrassed at the memory, she decided dancing would be better for another time. After a few more bad ideas for a double date she finally settled on dinner for the four of them. It wouldn't put any pressure on Makoto and Sol, and would give everyone a good opportunity to talk.

Once the bell rang for the end of class, Usagi hastily made her way to the main doors, wanting to run her plans by with Makoto. She waited patiently until her friend arrived and asked if a dinner date was a good idea. "I'm fine with it and Sol said he didn't care what we did as long as it was with me" Makoto gushed. Usagi nodded in determined agreement. "Good. Go home and get changed, I'll call Mamo-chan and let him now the plan. We were going to spend some time together tonight anyway so I know he isn't busy. Once we get everything settled I'll call you and let you know so you can pick up Sol from his house." Usagi knew she should probably be putting this kind of effort into doing her homework tonight, but you're only young once. She didn't want to waste her youth on studying every night after all.

Hurrying home and running up to her bedroom, she quickly got undressed from her school uniform and picked out a bright yellow long sleeved blouse, and matching ankle length skirt. While she was putting her new clothes on, Luna jumped onto the bed from the floor, hoping to get Usagi's attention. Usagi looked over at the black cat while she balanced on one foot, trying to put a short white sock on the other. "What is it Luna? I have plans tonight. Plans you already know that I have with Mamo-chan." The black cat huffed "How am I supposed to teach you to be a queen if you go off every other night with your boyfriend?" Luna asked.

"I'm not the queen yet, and I still have a life you know" Usagi snapped back quickly. "A life I probably won't have once a become queen, so please just let me enjoy this night before everything changes Luna." Her tone softened as she spoke, pleading by the end. Luna sighed and nodded in understanding. Usagi knew this was the closest she was going to get for an approval from the talking cat so she didn't wait for her to say anything more.

Running down the stairs she picked the phone off the receiver and quickly dialed Mamoru's number. Having dialed it so many times she didn't need to think about the actual numbers, instead just letting her hand go through the motions with muscle memory. The other line rang twice before Usagi heard Mamoru answer. She spoke quietly and quickly so her mother wouldn't hear, filling him in on the new plan for the night. When Mamoru agreed immediately and with no objections what so ever, Usagi was a little suspicious. He usually went along with her whims, but there was almost always some kind of weak protest.

"Mamo-chan, why did you say yes so fast?" She asked, her tone turning dark. "Usako, it's not like that. I'm glad we can go on a date with Mako-chan and Sol. It should be fun." She could just picture him on the other end, waving his hand defensively at her. She still suspected something, but was glad that he agreed.

Now that that was settled, she called Makoto and gave her the time to meet at the restaurant. Excitedly she slipped her shoes on and told her mom she would be back later tonight. Her mother was used to the girl going out on weekdays so she didn't ask any questions and waved good bye as Usagi stepped through the door.

-/-*-\\-

Sol hung up the phone as Makoto had just finished telling him what the plan was. It felt good to be getting out of the house again, even though he was dead tired. He couldn't sleep in this place anymore, invaded by waking nightmares of his mother's lifeless body, and tormented by his father's disfigured face right before he changed. He knew he had to deal with the loss of his parents, but right now he felt he didn't have the strength or energy. He would face this unrelenting feeling of loss someday, but not today. Tonight he was going to spend the time with the one person who made him forget about all the pain, all the misery. _Mako-chan. _Just thinking about her brought a smile to his face, and he immediately felt guilty, thinking his parent's death should have a greater affect on his mood than a girl he's been admiring from afar for so long.

Sighing to himself, he picked up the TV remote to turn off the news broadcast "_And now in breaking news-" _He didn't wait to see what tonight's top story was going to be, instead going to the closet where his shoes and light blue spring jacket were hanging. Eyeing the long trench coat, and white sheathed sword he wondered if he would need to bring some protection tonight. Shaking his head at being irrational he left the coat and katana where they were. _Tonight isn't the night for that._ Pulling the jacket over his shoulders after putting his shoes on, he opened the door and slipped out quickly, taking off at a light jog, excited to spend the night with the green eyed beauty.

-/-*-\\-

Minako couldn't believe what she was seeing on the news. Her parents had called her down from her room to see what was unfolding. When she had walked into the living room, she was stunned to hear from the broadcaster that Sailor Moon was the one behind the new monster attacks. Not only were they making such outrageous claims, but the anchors were stating they had video footage right before it had cut to commercial.

Now she watched in horror as _someone _who looked exactly like Usagi dressed up in a bad Sailor Senshi uniform seemed to order one of the monsters to attack an innocent bystander. The black skinned creature was much smaller than the previous ones they had faced so far, but what it lacked in power it made up for in speed and savagery.

"_This is footage given to us from an anonymous citizen on a CCTV security camera. As you can see, it appears Sailor Moon is giving the monster orders to attack the victim. We can't show the entire video as it becomes much too graphic for a younger audience. Police are now actively searching for Sailor Moon and consider her the prime suspect. If anyone has any information as to her whereabouts, you are asked to contact..." _Minako stopped listening, panic rising deep inside her chest. She quickly ran back to her room and told Artemis what she had just seen. Picking up the phone she dialed Usagi's number. Usasgi's mother informed her that her daughter was gone for the evening. Minako pressed the end call button and dialed Ami's number. The phone rang once before Ami answered. "Hello?"

"Did you see the news? They're saying that we're behind the attacks now, and they have Sailor Moon on video ordering one of those creatures to attack someone!" Minako talked as fast as she could, the panic getting greater as the reality of what was happening started to set in.

"Slow down Mina-chan, what are you talking about?" She heard Ami ask calmly. Of course the girl wouldn't know what she was talking about. All Ami did with her free time was study. "Turn the TV and change it to the news." Minako waited as the other girl asked her to wait while she did as requested. A short time later, Minako heard the shaken voice of Ami come back "This must be our new enemies doing. This is a much more cunning tactic than I would have thought possible from what we've encountered so far. I think we need to get a hold of Usagi-chan and Mako-chan and meet at Hikawa Shrine immediately." Minako couldn't agree with her friend more at the moment.

But what neither girl could know is that Usagi had told Makoto to leave her communicator at home so they wouldn't be bothered on this special night. The wrist watch communicators rang as no one on the other side was available to answer the call. _Where are you Usagi? _Finally, the blonde girl got through, but it was Luna who answered and not Usagi. After Luna told her the news, Minako cursed the care free Usagi. Calling Ami back and giving her the news, she decided they're best course of action was to meet with Luna and Artemis at Hikawa Shrine without the other two. They could be anywhere in the city and waste the entire night trying to find them.

She got ready quickly and stepped outside. People were starting to fill the streets as the news spread. It seemed it didn't matter if the story was true or not, as the few on the streets were calling Sailor Moon a fraud, yelling for her to show herself. "You claimed to protect us for all this time, but really it was to pull the wool over our eyes! Your true colours are shinning through now Sailor Moon!"

"Show yourself!"

"Turn yourself over to the authorities!"

Already people were calling for blood. _This is bad, and it's getting worse fast!_ The few had already turned into many, creating a mob. If Sailor Moon was public enemy number one, how were they ever going to find the real enemy now? This was new territory for Sailor Venus. She had never been called the enemy before, and the thought of everyone against her scared the young blonde girl.

A/N: Sorry for the wait again, I'm having writers block. Hopefully I can get the creative juices flowing again. And as always, thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The restaurant Usagi had picked was a nice small business, run by a family who had poured their heart and soul into making it successful. Nothing fancy, like a dress code or even reservations, they worked on a first come first serve basis. The dining area itself only held around 15 tables, but because it was a week night there wasn't a line. Makoto had agreed to meet Sol here instead of picking him up from his place, and she waited outside on a bench not far away from the entrance.

Wearing a full length solid green dress with an open back, and black high heels, which she never got wear because most boys her age were too short. It felt good to wear some nice shoes instead of her regular footwear. She felt confident that this would get his pulse racing. At least she hoped it would. Tonight she wanted to make a big impression on him and break the stigma that she was more masculine than feminine. _This dress should do the trick_ she smiled to herself as the thought came to her.

Makoto checked her watch and silently cursed herself for coming so early. Usagi had given her the time to meet, and she still had another 15 minutes. Waiting on the bench a few doors down from the restaurant she noticed how quiet it was. Looking around she didn't see anyone on the streets walking around or any cars filling up the roadways. It was the early evening and the sun was still up so there should be someone around. Standing and walking over to the door of the restaurant, Makoto pulled the handle and it didn't budge. _They shouldn't be closed already_ she thought as she checked the hours writing on the sign hanging from the door. Confirming her suspicions, the restaurant should be open for business until 10-o-clock tonight.

Wondering why the doors were locked, she started to hear a distant noise from her right. Turning to face the dull approaching roar she squinted to see down the street. She could barely make out the figure of someone who appeared to be running to her at a full sprint, blue jacket flailing behind them. With each step the person became clearer in her vision and she soon realized it was Sol. _He isn't late, why is he running so hard? _A dark mass of people suddenly came into view behind him, shouting and running, some were throwing rocks through windows and others running into the building and looting whatever they could find. The mobs of people were moving much slower than Sol, but it was still intimidating to see that many people with an obviously dangerous intent.

Panic and fear started to grip her as she realized that's why the streets were so empty. Makoto had faced numerous monsters before and not felt any kind of fear, but these weren't monsters. She couldn't transform and attack, they were innocent people. Well innocent to a degree, what they were doing _was_ illegal. Sol came skidding to a stop beside her, hands on knees sucking in air deeply. She could start to make out features on people's faces as they continued forward. Gabbing Sol by the shoulder and pulling him back up she asked "What's going on Sol?" It seemed Sol hadn't noticed what she was wearing until just now as he looked her up and down, his breathing steadying. "You look gorgeous" Makoto looked down at herself at the compliment and immediately felt her checks go hot.

The feeling quickly wore off as the approaching deafening roar of the mob closed in. "Now isn't the time, what's going on? Why are those people...?" Shaking his head and taking her hand in his, he began to lead her down away from the impending riot, pulling her arm hard.

"We have to get out of here. Riots are popping up all over the city. The police have this area blocked off for a 7 block radius hoping it will die down on its own. C'mon, we have to hurry" Makoto felt awkward trying to run in her high heels, not accustomed to wearing the stylish footwear. She stumbled forward as Sol pulled her along twisting her ankle with each step. She had a hard enough time just walking in them, and now she needed to run? "Wait Sol, I can't run in these heels, I need to take them off" Sol stopped pulling and let go of her hand while she bent down to unlatch the small leather strap that held the shoe to her foot. Struggling with the tough leather she cursed herself for not being familiar with the shoes. She couldn't get the damn thing to unlatch.

"Makoto, we don't have much time" she could hear the urgency in his voice as the roar continued to grow. Looking back, the people at the front were now only a stone's throw away from them. Her mouth went dry and her heart raced as she pulled desperately, hoping the leather would snap off. A man at the front pointed in their direction and yelled something back at the rest of the group, and suddenly they started to charge.

She felt herself inhale deeply as even more panic built up inside her chest. Her hands didn't seem to be doing what she wanted any longer. Giving up on the shoes, she stood and tried to run, but the dress wouldn't allow her to take more than small steps at a time. Stumbling back down to the pavement, she looked up at Sol who was still beside her. He glared back at the approaching crowd, jaw locked in determination. _He's going to fight them off! _She felt touched that he wouldn't leave her, but if he tried to fight all of them, he would get killed. It was only a matter of time before they would land the fatal blow.

"You have to run Sol! Get away from here, save yourself!" She screamed as the roar grew even more. He looked down at her, blue-green eyes staring intensely into hers. Shaking his head, he crouched down and scooped her up in one swift movement. Turning away from the mob that was about to crash down onto them, he ran. Carrying her with one arm under her knees and the other across her shoulder blades, she wrapped her arm around his neck for support and held on tight as she bounced in his grasp.

"No way am I leaving you there. I'm not going to lose you too" she heard him say as he sprinted down the street. She knew he was referring to his parent's death, but chose not to say anything at this time. Looking back over his shoulder she could see some of the crowd had given up as the boy carrying her ran just as fast as when he was running alone. Others were only more determined to hunt them down, and pushed themselves onward. Spotting a rock flying through the air towards them she gasped "Rock!" Sol quickly darted out off the sidewalk and onto the street as the rock tumbled harmlessly where they had just been.

Staring into the resolved face of her new boyfriend, Makoto thought this was kind of romantic the way he was carrying her to safety, like a damsel in distress. Turning her attention back to the much smaller crowd pursuing them, she saw as a bottle came flying at them this time. "Bottle!" Adjusting his course quickly again, he returned back onto the sidewalk and pushed onward, bottle smashing into the ground.

Makoto was beginning to think they were gaining some ground, pulling ahead of the mob. Sol's new found stamina was the only reason he could outrun them while carrying her, but she knew it wasn`t infinite. It had almost been two whole blocks since he picked her up and took off at full speed. Her own heart was pounding from the adrenaline pulsing through her veins so she could only imagine what kind of stress his heart was being put through. As she looked up at him in admiration, his expression suddenly turned grave, mouth opening as he swore. Following his gaze ahead of them she saw why. More people were piling out of an alley half way up the block. Just past them she could see the police line, decked out with riot gear and clear plastic shields. That was their safe point to reach, but now there was a very big obstacle in their way.

Panic rising anew in her chest she was about to tell Sol to put her down when he said breathlessly "I'm sorry for what I'm about to do, no time to explain." Makoto felt that he actually _quickened _his pace towards the people forming a human wall in front of them. _Is he going to charge right through?_ Only a few feet separated them from their assailants and Makoto looked on in stunned horror as everyone standing still braced for impact, bending at the knees, giving them a wide stance for a more stable base.

Makoto felt Sol pull her to one side, dropping her feet close to the ground. Time seemed to slow down as he propelled her up and forward, _throwing _her over the single file line that had formed in front of them. As she flipped upside down in slow motion, she watched as Sol dropped down to his hip, sticking one leg out like a baseball player trying to steal a base as he slide _under _one of the men. Floating weightlessly she marveled at the quick thinking and ingenuity of the young boy she was quickly falling for. Having flipped through the air enough times to know she wasn`t going to come down properly for him to catch her again, she twisted her shoulder and tucked her head to her chest, somersaulting and spinning, correcting the 'landing'. Gravity grabbed hold of the flying brown haired girl and pulled her back to earth as Sol's foot pushed down into the pavement, the momentum pushing him back upright just in time to catch her in his arms before she slammed into the hard ground.

As he resumed where he had left off before tossing her like some kind of rag doll, she looked over his shoulder at the shocked faces of the men still standing where they had been, unbelieving of what they had just seen. The officers ahead of them broke ranks allowing them a clear route through, some of them tapping their shields with their batons at what they had just seen, a few of them patting Sol on the back for his bravery.

More people were gathered behind the riot police, and upon seeing that Sol and Makoto had made it to safety, they erupted in a triumphant cheer for the couple that had just defied the odds. Sol gently placed Makoto back on solid ground, but she kept her arm wrapped around his neck and pulled him close to her, planting her lips on his. He was sweaty from the effort of carrying her so many blocks while running as fast as he could, but she didn't care. Right now he was her knight in shining armour and she couldn't help herself from showing her affection.

Losing herself in the romantic moment it took her a few seconds to realize someone was calling her name. Pulling back reluctantly she turned to see Usagi and Mamoru pushing their way through to the front of the crowd. Usagi looked like she was going to cry, clearly shaken at what was going on in the normally peaceful streets. "Are you alright Mako-chan?" Her voice cracked as she spoke, holding back tears.

"Yes I'm fine thanks to Sol. He was carrying me because I'm not used to wearing these" pulling her dress up a little and poking one foot out to reveal a high heeled shoe to the other two. Usagi visibly relaxed while others came to congratulate Sol on his courageous deed, politely offering him compliments. The shade of red on his cheeks deepened with every new expression of gratitude. One woman even tried to kiss him, Sol awkwardly pulling back from her puckered lips, looking horrified and that's when Makoto decided it was time to leave. Not to gently, she pushed the other woman away and stood in front of Sol "Well we still haven't had anything to eat and I'm starving" she suggested, trying to sound calm. _The nerve of some people! Didn't she just see me kissing him? _

"It's too bad we couldn't have our double date at that restaurant. It's a really nice small place with a warm atmosphere. I hope the owners don't suffer any damage from the riot, I know they don't have a lot of extra money like the big franchise chain restaurants." Mamoru said as they walked away from the large crowd of people trying to peer over the police, hoping to spot some action. Usagi raised her balled fist, gritting her teeth "I'm going to find out who started this riot and punish them for ruining our romantic evening" she growled darkly. Makoto knew that Usagi was mostly harmless, but when it came to romance, especially a night out with Mamoru, she became fierce quickly. "Usagi-chan we can still go out together, we just can't go there anymore" Makoto offered, trying to diffuse her angered friend. Usagi's demeanor changed instantly, her face lighting up with a warm smile as she laughed "Yes, yes. Let's enjoy a night out together. Of course any night I spend with Mamo-chan is a good night for me." The blonde girl purred taking Mamoru's arm in both of her hands and rubbing her face against him like an affectionate cat would.

As they walked discussing where they should go instead, more and more businesses were closing early. They tried going to three different restaurants they had come across, but all had their doors locked. It seemed the only places they could go for something to eat were fast food restaurants. So they all agreed they would stop at the next one they came across and continued to walk down the eerily quiet streets. Usagi and Mamoru walked ahead of Makoto and Sol, chatting quietly to each other. Mamoru turned his head back to the pair and said "That was really something Sol, the way you threw Makoto like that. You don't look like you're very strong, but somehow you were able to. I wouldn't have believed it unless I saw it with my own eyes." Sol blushed and ran his hand through his hair, looking down at his feet. Makoto noticed he put his hand through his hair anytime he became uncomfortable. "It must have been adrenaline" was all he said in reply. Mamoru nodded and turned his attention back to Usagi.

They found a burger place and stopped in for a quick bite. Makoto, feeling a little over dressed fidgeted nervously with her hair. A long strand dangled from either side of her face and she wrapped her index finger up, twisting her hair around it until the end bulged, turning red from the blood trapped inside. Usagi and Mamoru spoke with a carefree easiness that Makoto envied. Anytime she tried to spark up conversation with Sol he distantly gave one word answers and returned to gazing out the window. _Maybe he's worried about another riot breaking out. _

It wasn't long before everyone was done, and not wanting to be a burden on Usagi and Mamoru who seemed to be having a great time together, Makoto offered that she and Sol take their leave. "I'll see you tomorrow Mako-chan" Usagi waved enthusiastically as they walked away from the other two. The sun had gone down now and the dark buildings surrounding them sent a shiver up Makoto's spine. Sol was definitely on edge as she noticed he kept looking back over his shoulder, and tensing at any sound he heard. They hardly spoke as they strolled down the almost empty dark streets. The occasional person they did see was either a police officer or a frightened looking citizen running to wherever they needed to be.

As they approached the side street Makoto needed to take to get home, they were greeted by another line of riot police, decked out in all black protective gear, ready to fight unruly civilians if it came to that. It seemed that the police had been instructed to contain and not engage, hoping the mob mentality would die down on its own. Makoto approached one of the officers at the back cautiously, trying not to spook him, else he might lash out. "Excuse me sir, I need to pass through here to get home." The officer turned and lifted his clear face shield before speaking. "Sorry ma'am, but we're under strict orders to let no one pass, either way. You'll have to find somewhere else to go tonight, word is more and more people keep joining this group. And a piece of advice, once you get inside, stay inside. Riots are popping all over the city and we're already stretched thin." Without offering anything else he turned back to his guard duty.

The tall brown haired girl slumped her shoulders in defeat. Of course she could find another way around, on the rooftops or through an empty building if need be, but she couldn't do that in front of Sol. Trying to think which one of her friends was closest to where she was now she felt Sol place his arm around her. "C'mon Mako-chan, its dangerous here" letting him guide her away from the backs of the officers in front of them she offered "At least I can walk you home." Sol nodded his agreement and let a small smile spread his face.

Thinking about what had almost been a disastrous evening, Makoto remembered what he had said when he picked her up and started to run with her in his arms. "What did you mean when you said you didn't want to lose me too?" She inquired quietly. Sol stopped in his tracks and she noticed his breathing increased. She could see he was suddenly holding back tears as he swallowed hard and closed his eyes, taking deep calming breathes. When he spoke, she had to close the distance in between them as it was almost inaudible "Makoto-chan, I've lost both my parents" she knew that he had lost his parents, but hearing him say it broke her heart. She wanted to take his pain, knowing what it was like to have your entire world turned upside down. "If I had lost you tonight I don't..." His mouth moved wordlessly as tears flowed from his eyes, face distorted in agony.

She quickly pulled him close to her, feeling his heart pound inside his chest as she put her head against him. "Sol, I didn't know. I'm so sorry for your lose" tears were flowing from her eyes now as she spoke, a long forgotten pain emerging. She held him tight, wishing she lift him out of this walking nightmare. His body shuddered as he tried to maintain his calm, fighting back the overwhelming sorrow overcoming him. "Let's get you home" she finally mumbled into his chest. He let her go and they continued on to his house. They made the rest of the trip on foot in silence.

Once they were outside of his house like they had been the night before, he grabbed her and pulled her in tight. "Thank you Makoto-chan" he expressed in appreciation. Wiping newly formed tears from her eyes she responded "Your Welcome Sol-kun. If there's anything I can do to ease your pain, just ask."

"Stay here with me tonight" he blurted out. Turning her head up to face him, she blushed as words escaped her. Sol noticed her stunned face and quickly added "Not for... It's just when you're around me, I feel..." He didn't need to say it, she knew what he was trying to express. "Normal" she finished for him. He nodded slowly. Taking his hand in hers, she led him up the short walkway to the door. Trying the knob she found it wasn't locked so pushed the door open and they entered together.

She was greeted by an open closet door on her left and a stair case in front of her. Beside the stair case a hallway led back to what she assumed was the kitchen. A short wall on her right opened to the living room. She remembered when Sol was lying here as his father was on top of him, jaws closing in for the kill. Taking her shoes off she noticed a small wooden sign above the door that read _Cead Mile Failte _with strange symbols above some of the letters, so she knew it wasn't English. "What's that sign above the door say Sol-kun?" Rising from untying his own shoes he looked to where she was pointing "It's Gaelic. It means 'One hundred thousand welcomes.' It's something the Irish say to visitors, so apparently I have no manners." He answered while smirking. Leading her into the living room he asked if she wanted anything to drink. Taking a seat on the couch she told him water would be fine. As he was in the kitchen she found the remote and turned the television on, hoping there would be some news as to why the whole city seemed to be in an uproar.

As he returned with her drink in his hand, she found a channel that had continued coverage. "..._As the police brace for what is expected to be a long night with rioters, some people are claiming that the images showing Sailor Moon ordering a monster to attack is nothing but an imposter..." _A video of a woman dressed in a badly assembled Sailor Senshi uniform pointed at a scared helpless man, when she turned to face the camera Makoto's breath caught. _She looks just like Usagi! _The glass Sol had been holding crashed to the floor, pulling her attention away from the broadcast to the broken shards lying on the wet floor. "Sol-kun...?" He stared intently at the screen, eyes going wide. "Is something wrong?" Sol shook his head, bending down to retrieve the broken pieces of glass from the floor.

"No, the glass just slipped out of my hand" he answered. She stood and crossed the short distance to help him clean up the mess. Watching his face as he carefully plucked the sharp shards off the floor, she realized he looked exhausted. Once all the pieces were in his hand, he went back into the kitchen to throw them away and Makoto followed. His kitchen was big, much bigger than the small space Makoto had to work with. Pots and pans hung from a large square rack above a beautiful cheery oak square chopping block that also substituted for an island. All the appliances were stainless steel, and the oven had two compartments, ideal for an afternoon of baking. "This kitchen is amazing" Makoto admired. Sol opened a cupboard beneath the sink and threw the broken glass into the trash "Yeah, my mom really wanted a nice kitchen. She didn't care how big the house was as long as she got her perfect kitchen." Trailing her hand along the granite counter top while she slowly made her way around she replied "Well she has very good taste. This room feels like it was loved and well taken care of." Her gaze drifted around, marveling at the small details his mother had put into her dream kitchen and she finally rested on the tired figure of Sol, still standing at the sink. He looked like he was going to fall asleep where he stood, eyes almost closed, body swaying slightly. "Maybe you should go lay down" she suggested. He didn't seem to hear what she said, so she crossed the kitchen to where he stood and gently took his hand in hers.

Leading him out of the kitchen and up the stairs it was easy to find his room. The door was open and there were some clothes strewn about on the floor. Not too much to be a mess, but it looked untidy this way. She led him to the bed and threw the covers back, helping him get settled. As she turned to go he whispered "Can you lay down with me for a little while? When I hold you it calms me down." Without saying a word she turned the light off and crawled into bed with him, nestling in under his arm with her head on his chest. She could hear the steady beat of his heart as they lay together in a comfortable embrace. She decided she would wait until he was asleep and then sneak out to get to her apartment. She needed to contact the other girls and find out what was going on.

-/-*-\\-

As Sol lay in bed with Makoto, a calming feeling washed over him. He struggled to keep his eyes open as thoughts raced through his head. _That's the same woman I helped last night._ She looked like Sailor Moon, but when she turned to face the camera, almost like she knew it was there, he knew. There was no mistaking that cold look. He remembered he still had her business card, just not in the pants he was wearing. In the morning he would call, and get to the bottom of this. He also recalled what Tuxedo Kamen had said about talking to the other Sailor Senshi on his behalf, but now he had no way of contacting them. He inhaled deeply, trying to think and the lavender scent of Makoto's shampoo filled his nostrils. His mind drifted to her, and the life line she was giving him. When he was alone, it felt like he was getting dragged under by unseen hands, unable to resist the urge to give up. Like a light house in the night for weary ships, she was guiding him out of the darkness that shrouded his heart. She felt so comfortable against him, and the sleepless nights had taken their toll. He struggled to stay awake, to come up with a plan for tomorrow, but the steady breathing of Makoto was like a lullaby, putting him to sleep. Instead of the usual nightmares of reliving his mother's death, his dreams were filled with laughter of him and Makoto living a happy peaceful life together.

A/N: Well I guess this is the new pace; I seem unable to write more than a few paragraphs at a time now. Hope you enjoyed this next chapter :D


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Sirens blazed on in the dark distance as Rei picked up trash around the grounds of Hikawa Shrine. Any real commotion in their area had died down, but the mayhem could still be heard, a constant reminder of something that could have gone a lot worse. Rei, Yurichiro and her grandpa had all come out to the front steps when they heard an enormous roar from inside the shrine. Standing atop the stone stairs they watched in stunned apprehension as countless people stormed through the streets, rioting and looting. Fights broke out as people threw fists and feet at one another others gabbing anything they could and throwing it into the crowd. Most people had left the shrine alone, preferring to rob places that had items of value, but the occasional small group would charge up the steps and just cause havoc. Turning garbage cans upside down and making a mess or ripping out small flowers planted in beds that were placed around the shrine.

Rei's grandpa got rowdy with one group of young men and a small scuffle ensued. Yurichiro fought beside the old man clumsily as her grandfather darted in and out between their legs, punching and kicking the would-be hooligans. Shortly after, the crowd had mostly died down and Ami and Minako came hustling up the steps, breathing heavily with dismayed looks on their faces. She was glad the other girls came and were helping clean up, as the night was entering the small hours of the morning. Tiredly she combed the grounds picking up trash and righting downed figurines or idols. She must have filled five garbage bags by now, and there was still a lot of work to do.

Picking up some flowers that lay out of their beds Rei heard the approaching footsteps behind her before they spoke. "I just got a call from Usagi-chan on the communicator. I told her what happened and she's on her way with Mamo-chan to help clean up." The humble voice of Ami informed her. Standing up with the plant in her hand she walked over to the small square flower bed that wasn't far away. Delicately she placed the exposed roots into one of the tiny craters left in the deep brown dirt. Sliding her hands through the moist earth, she pulled more to where the pretty yellow flower was until she was confident it could stand on its own. Now that this beautiful small flower was safe, she turned her attention to her blue haired friend. "Let's take a break until they get here. We've all been working pretty hard. When Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san get here we can start again."

Minako had approached as they were talking and heard what Rei said. Smiling brightly she raised one gloved hand and declared cheerily "You know what they say 'Working your nails to the bone' as we've been doing since we got here." Rei sighed and hung her head as she heard Ami reply "Fingers Mina-chan. Work your fingers to the bone."

"Hmm? Well I suppose some people say that too." Rei couldn't help but laugh as Minako started to turn red from embarrassment. Since they were taking a break Rei decided it was a good time to thank Yurichiro for keeping true to his promise to protect her grandfather. He was accident prone and whimsical but she knew he was also reliable and had a big heart. He always came through when she needed him, so she was grateful for that.

She strolled tiredly from one end of the large shrine to the other. Tall trees decorated the outskirts of the grounds and she would often come here to search for some alone time, away from the duties of a shrine maiden and even Sailor Mars. She found the quiet peacefulness refreshing as she sat under the shade of one of the large trees, daydreaming about the future. Finding Yurichiro waist deep inside the furnace that heated the bath house pulling out debris she tapped his ankle with her foot. He tried to stand up while still inside which resulted in a dull thud followed by a grimace of pain. He carefully crawled out backwards, one hand on the back of his head, standing once he was clear. Standing head and shoulders taller than Rei and she always had to crane her neck back to speak to him face to face.

"Thank you for keeping true to your word and protecting my grandpa. He's getting old and I'm glad you're someone I can rely on." Still rubbing the back of his head he nodded and grinned slightly.

"Well it was like I said, I don't really know if he needs my protection. When those punks tried to start a fight, he was like some inter-galactic space night being guided by some unseen force. The way he flipped and spun was amazing. I only hope one day I can be half the man he is."

"If you keep training with him, I'm sure you will. We're all going to take a break now; Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san are on their way so we can continue when they get back." Rei expressed warmly. She held her hand out to him but he shook his head no, long brown hair that covered his eyes waving across his forehead. "I must work like your grandfather if I'm to become his master pupil. As long as he works tonight, so shall I" he voiced triumphantly holding his fist in front of him. Rei chuckled quietly to herself and walked away so he could get back to his duties. Finding Ami and Minako sitting at the front entrance on the small wooden walkway, she joined them as they continued their conversation.

"...She looked really concerned but I told her nothing happened. You know how Mako-chan is though, she wants to protect everyone. I wouldn't be surprised if she beat Usagi-chan here. Plus if we have her, the cleanup will go that much faster." Minako was explaining to Ami. The blue haired girl looked up as Rei approached and slid a little closer to Minako to make room.

"You're right Mina-chan. Even if we told her not to come she would anyway" Ami agreed. Turning her attention to Rei she filled her in that Makoto was on the way as well. _That's good. Now we can discuss what happened tonight and come up with a plan going forward. _They sat in the darkness waiting for the rest to show up in silence, each alone with their own thoughts. Was this the beginning of what Rei had seen a few nights ago? Was darkness descending on them this quickly? From what she had seen on the news, riots were happening all over the world and now they've come here as well. The video of Sailor Moon ordering one of the creatures to attack someone was disturbing also. When they found out who was behind that video, Rei was sure they would find their true enemy.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of approaching footsteps. She had trained long enough to discern certain observations without using her eyes, so she knew before they came into view that all three were showing up at the same time. _Mako-chan must have caught up to Usagi and Mamoru-san. Usagi is too lazy to run somewhere unless it's because she's late for school._ Everyone greeted warmly and expressed their gratitude that no one was hurt. Rei couldn't hold back the anger that burning inside her towards her blonde haired friend.

"Usagi-chan why didn't you have your communicator with you?" She asked coldly. Usagi instantly recognized the tone as her eyes went wide with fear and she tried to hide behind the taller Mamoru. "Well how do you know it wasn't Mako-chan's idea to leave them behind" she replied meekly. Rei felt like she was going to explode and she balled her fingers into a fist at her side. "Because Mako-chan is responsible and would never leave it at home. This has your bad idea written all over it." Usagi retreated even further behind Mamoru for protection, hiding from the black haired girls scorn.

"I didn't disagree with Usagi-chan, so I'm just as much to blame here" Makoto voiced in Usagi's defence. It was these qualities that Rei admired most about Makoto. She would never let a friend fight alone, and wasn't afraid to admit when she was in the wrong. With her anger cooling off, she changed the subject "So any ideas about what's going here?"

"First there is something else we need to discuss" everyone's attention turned to Mamoru. "We all need to accept that Sol is going to help us. Whether we like it or not Minako" he added as Minako was already shaking her head in disagreement. "Two days ago, he saved your life Rei. Last night I heard a scream and before I could get to it, he had already saved some other woman. Tonight if he hadn't been there, who knows what would have happened to Makoto. End up in a hospital or worse. Now we can either use this new found asset to our advantage, or let him run around by himself and possibly get hurt. He is choosing to do this, whereas you all had this forced upon you. We could give him some training; help him understand these powers he has now. With these riots breaking out, that only strengthens my belief that we need his help."

Makoto stepped forward, tears filling her big green eyes "He still has a chance at a normal life! If we bring him into this mess, any chance of that disappears! What if-what if he dies trying to help us?!"

"If he is doing it anyway, we can't stop him. I agree with Mamoru-san. Sol would be in more danger on his own, than if he was fighting alongside us. At least if we bring him into the group we can keep a close eye on him." Ami retorted. Rei didn't like the idea of forming an alliance with him, but she knew deep down Ami was right. "Besides, it's not like he is just some normal guy off the street. He's been infused with power from the Silver Crystal, so if we teach him how to channel that power, he could become invaluable. And after this is over, he can go back to being normal Mako-chan" she continued, the last part directed at Makoto.

Usagi had come out from her hiding spot behind Mamoru and looked at each one in turn. "Is everyone in agreement?" Ami nodded her head right away, with Minako and Rei shortly behind. Makoto stared at the ground, refusing to give in. No one was trying to change her mind so Rei stood in front of her friend, peering up into her face. She saw that Makoto was fighting back tears; the sparkle at the corner of her eyes was unmistakable. "Just think of it like you get to spend more time with your new boyfriend Mako-chan. He could be your Tuxedo Kamen" Rei consoled softly. Minako appeared at her side as well. "You're a lucky girl now, like Usagi-chan. Your hero can come and save you romantically like Tuxedo Kamen does all the time for her." Rei watched a small smile start to appear on her brave friends face. Finally she let herself relax and nodded silently. "Alright, now that that's settled, lets finish cleaning this mess" Rei almost yelled. The process went much quicker with the added help of Makoto and Mamoru. Usagi mostly whined, but Rei was still glad she came to show her support. When the shrine was back to its usual splendor they all went inside to lay down to get some rest. It wasn't the first time they had all spent the night together at Hikawa Shrine so none of the girl's parents minded.

Sunrise came much too quickly for Rei. She blinked her tired eyes at the rays of sunlight peeking through her flower printed curtains. Sitting up while stifling a yawn with the back of her hand, she heard murmured voices outside her traditional Japanese sliding door. Pulling the blankets off, she stood and quietly crossed the room. Pressing her ear against paper like material she still couldn't make out what they were saying. Deciding this was her home and she wouldn't tip toe around for anyone, she grabbed hold of the vertical handle and pulled it open quickly. Mamoru and Usagi looked back at her from the other side. "Oh good you're awake" Usagi beamed brightly. She was never this alert in the morning and Rei eyed her suspiciously. "We wanted to come tell you that Mamo-chan and I dropped a note off at Sol's house last night. We told him to meet with us so we can discuss this new alliance." The short blonde haired girl continued. She raised a mug of steaming coffee to her lips and gingerly took a small sip. _That's why she's awake._ Rei hadn't even noticed the other mug in her hand when Usagi slowly held it out to her. "This should help" she giggled to herself.

Rei took the mug gladly and brought it to her lips, blowing softly into the steaming beverage. "Is anyone else awake yet?" She asked. Mamoru and Usagi both nodded, but it was Usagi who spoke, much too cheery for Rei this early in the morning "You're the last one to get up. We were trying to decide whether or not to wake you up since you were still sleeping." The restless nights were catching up to her. She hadn't slept well since her vision, constantly worried what it really entailed. Now she knew. At least knowing what you had to face made the situation a little easier to deal with. The unknown scared Rei more than anything else. "Alright, I'll get dressed quickly and meet you outside" she informed them. They both nodded and walked in the other direction as Rei closed the door for some privacy.

She crossed the room to where her dresser stood and opened the top drawer. Spotting some neatly folded red shorts at the top of the pile; she grabbed them and closed the drawer, opening the second. _White socks should do today._ Throwing the two items of clothing down onto the bed that sat on the floor, she went to her closet. Opening the doors, she was greeted with the inviting scent of freshly cleaned clothes. Hanging from the hangers were mostly grey school uniforms, but she also had some casual wear inside here too. Not wanting to waste any time trying to assemble an outfit, she reached for the plain white button up T-shirt. As she was getting dressed, her eye drifted to her small alarm clock sitting on the floor beside the bed. Shocked that it was almost afternoon already, she hurriedly finished getting dressed and rushed outside to where the others were waiting.

The sun was high when she went outside, beaming brightly on the large trees reaching way up into the sky, leaves extending out like fingers. "What time are we supposed to meet with Sol?" Rei probed. Luna jumped off of Ami's lap and faced the dark haired girl, tail straight up in the air "I still don't think this is a good idea. We have no idea what his true intentions are."

Usagi bent down and stroked her hand through the cats soft fur, blue eye's taking on a sympathetic quality "I know he has good intentions. Whatever pain that poor soul is going through now, he has the strength to push it aside for something nobler than himself. We need that kind person as our ally." Everyone let the words hang in the air, each with their own thoughts about what Usagi had just said. _She really has grown more mature. _Mamoru checked his watch and told the girls they needed to get going or else they would be late for this important meeting. Deciding it was probably better to roam the streets as civilians they picked their way through rubble and debris that littered the usually clean bustling roadways. Not many people were out today and the ones that were, were busy repairing damage to their own investments, nailing ply word boards to where windows once stood. Usagi informed them the place they chose was close to the shrine, but on the roof for more privacy.

They hadn't gone far when Rei almost bumped into Usagi who had stopped in her tracks. "Let's try and keep this going Usagi-chan. Not everyone enjoys being late for everything" the blonde haired girl seemed not hear as she turned instead to Makoto, a wondering look on her face.

"Mako-chan, why didn't you run in your high heels yesterday? When you transform into Sailor Jupiter you have heels, so were you secretly hoping Sol would carry you?" Makoto froze mid step, emerald eyes going wide. She looked around nervously as the red hue in her cheeks deepened. Standing up straight and placing her hand behind her head, she laughed "Well the truth is those boots have ankle support and the heel isn't that long. The shoes I had on yesterday were tied to my foot by one small strap of leather." Her gaze left Usagi and trailed to where Rei was standing beside her. "I honestly don't know how you can run around in those heels of yours Rei-chan. It's something that I've always admired. The mark of a true Lady." Now it was Rei's turn to blush. She had never thought Makoto would admire anything about her; the girl was so strong and confident all the time. Usagi's eyes filled with stars, clasping both hands in front of her chest "Romantic" she whispered to herself.

After a few blocks, Mamoru waved them towards an ally, scanning the streets to make sure no one else was watching. They all walked in cautiously, searching behind the trash cans and empty boxes piled up for anyone in the dark recesses. Satisfied they were alone; each girl looked to one another and gave a silent nod to carry on. Minako went first, jumping to a window ledge on one side. Without waiting to find anything to hold on to, she quickly spun on her toe, leaning closer to the solid wall now at her back. Spotting the next foot hold, she jumped the length of the ally to the other building, this time on a sturdy looking pipe that came out of the wall, bending down toward the ground a short distance from where it protruded. One more jump and she was on the roof, waving her other friends up to follow.

One by one they quickly made their way up, with Mamoru being last. Now that they were away from prying eyes, they transformed into their Sailor Senshi personas. Rei called the fire of Mars to her, holding her pen high into the air. In a whoosh of sound that filled her ears, fire leapt forth out of thin air, surrounding her. It danced around her body, the occasional flame licking her skin, never burning her delicate features as they formed her Sailor Mars uniform. "The building we need is actually a few doors down from here. I figured it would be better to transform a little way off from the rendezvous point." Tuxedo Kamen informed them. Sailor Moon gushed as her knight spoke, holding her hands together beside her head "That's my Tuxedo Kamen-sama. Always prepared."

They proceeded over the lifeless roof tops comfortably. The varying heights made little difference to them, being no strangers to running atop these same surfaces as they chased down evil. They passed locked doors that led back down into probably empty business, picking their way around ventilation fans. Tuxedo Kamen stopped as he looked to one side. Rei followed his gaze and was met with the sitting figure of the tall Irish boy they had come to meet. He stood up and met Tuxedo Kamen's gaze with his own. He looked refreshed and clean, dirty blonde hair shinning in the sunlight. He wore a long brown trench coat that covered most of his body, stopping short midway between his knees and ankles. Rei thought this strange as the sun beat down on them. Giving the other man a slight nod, he turned his attention on the other girls that had gathered. Stepping forward out of the small recess he narrowed his eyes "So what's this about. I found this" holding up a folded piece of white paper, the text too small to read from where Sailor Mars stood "under my door this morning. What is it you want to talk to me about?"

Sailor Moon moved closer, holding her hands out to her sides, palms facing him to show that she meant no harm. "We want to be allies. Tuxedo Kamen-sama told us of your heroic deed the other night. We were worried of you getting hurt before, but now we see that you are reliable. We said no because we feared for your safety." Nodding slowly as he accepted her explanation he opened his mouth to say something but was cut short as Sailor Venus spoke first. "We all have some questions we would like to ask you first. I want to know if you have any training. Do you know how to defend yourself if you got attacked?"

"I took boxing for a year when I was younger. Almost went competitive, so I know how to throw a punch" he replied unfazed. Rei saw a small crooked smile appear on the blonde girls face. "Show me." Stepping forward, she confidently closed the distance between them. Moving with fluid grace as Sol put his hands up, closing them into fists. Once she was in range, he jabbed his left hand out quickly, Sailor Venus easily ducking and standing tall again. Sol let his hands fly, throwing punches into the air that never met their target, Sailor Venus easily dodging them all. Once she was satisfied with what she had seen, she stepped back. "You do know how to throw a punch, I'll give you that."

She walked back slowly, grinning to herself, always the competitor. Sailor Jupiter was up next, intense eyes staring into his as her brow knitted together. "Why are you doing this?" Was all she asked. Sol let his head fall back, looking up to the clear blue sky, pondering. He shortly leveled his head and faced Sailor Jupiter with an intense gaze of his own. "You all know I lost both my parents. I'm doing this to help others not suffer like I have. If I can help even one person, it will be worth it." Sailor Mars watched as the features on Sailor Jupiter's face softened. She nodded and left it at that.

Sailor Moon held the last question, one they had all agreed on the night before. They had all felt this would help to start a bond between them.

"What is your dream?" Sol was visibly taken aback by the question, clearly caught off guard. "My dream?" He repeated.

"Yes, what is you dream Sol?" Sailor Moon asked again. He furrowed his eye brows at the question, mouth open slightly as his breathing increased. "I want to be remembered. Remembered for something. Anything. Even if it's only my children who remember my name." He didn't say anything else. Sailor Moon nodded, a gentle smile on her face.

Sailor Mars had taken it all in silently so far, but decided herself that there was one more thing she needed to know. Before Sailor Mercury could start what she was going to tell him, she blurted out "Are you afraid?" Everyone turned to her then, not expecting this question. Regaining their composure quickly, they all faced Sol to see what his response would be. He looked afraid now. He even looked smaller, like a scared child, worry painted across his face.

"I am afraid. Not afraid of the Forsaken-"

"Forsaken?" Sailor Mercury interrupted. Sol shrugged his shoulders "Gotta call them something. If you don't like the name, we can change it, that's just what I call them. I'm not afraid of the Forsaken. I'm afraid that I'll have the chance to help someone and fail. I'm afraid that I don't have the strength to really make a difference. But if you're asking if I'm afraid to fight, well I think my actions so far speak for them self." Sailor Mars was glad to hear his answer. _We often fear the same thing. _

Now it was Sailor Mercury's turn. She walked close to him and asked "Have you noticed sometimes you can move faster or feel stronger?" He nodded slowly in response to the question. "That's because the powers you have are directly influenced by your emotions" she continued. "The stronger and more pure the emotion, the more the power flows through you. Whether it is affection or not, the level in which you feel that emotion carries itself with your power. But I'll warn you against using rage or hate to fuel this power. They will work, but it will slowly taint what resides inside you. Believe it or not, we use our powers with love. Love for one another and even sympathy for our enemies." She finished, smiling up at the taller boy.

He seemed to recall a moment when emotion fueled his fight as what she said sunk in. Pulling himself out quickly, he had a question for the Senshi now. "Do you want to know who framed you?" The words hung in the air, everyone going tense. "You- you know who did this?" Sailor Moon whispered, blue eyes searching his.

"Not personally, but Tuxedo Kamen and I have both met her. She was the woman I 'saved' the other night. She also gave me this" pulling his hand out of the pocket it rested in, he produced a small crumpled business card. "She said I should give her call sometime. I think this is a good time."

A/N: Thank you everyone for following and adding to your favourites, it really means a lot to me. I would like to shout out to LoveInTheBattleField for all your support. I hope, as always, that you've enjoyed this chapter. Also I realized that Sailor Jupiter runs around everywhere in high heels *facepalm* so I threw in a quick excuse in this chapter why she couldn't do it last chapter.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Sailor Venus couldn't believe what she was hearing. If he had rescued her from one of these Forsaken, but she has the ability to order them around, why would she need saving in the first place? How did he know it was the same woman? The image she saw looked just like Usagi. Well Usagi when she was Sailor Moon. The barriers to protect their identities made subtle changes to each of their appearances, but Sailor Venus had become so accustomed to these changes that her eye adjusted automatically. So here he was, claiming that he could contact this mystery woman. Perhaps he would be a valuable ally. Sailor Moon believed so, and in her experience, Sailor Moon's intuition was sound.

Everyone looked at the tall boy silently. His words still hung in the air, Sailor Venus watching his face as he looked from one person to the next. "Not the reaction I was expecting" Sol muttered, finally letting his hand drop, business card still between his fingers.

"How do you know this woman you saved is the same person we all saw on the news?" Sailor Mercury quizzed. His eye brows climbed up towards his hair line. Clearly he hadn't considered this kind of retort. Sailor Venus watched as he became more uncomfortable under everyone's stare. He swallowed before continuing. "I got a good look into her eyes. They have the same eyes. And that Forsaken she made attack that victim? I fought the same one two nights ago." That was troubling. So far they hadn't seen any two exactly the same. A monster that small would stand out against the giants they've faced off against. Obviously Sailor Venus wasn't the only one thinking about this as she saw the worried looks cross each one of her friend's faces coming to the same conclusion. Sol appeared a little more satisfied with this reaction but before he could speak, Tuxedo Kamen carried on in his defence.

"She also acted very strange. It seemed she was more concerned with giving a reward to Sol than she was about her own life being in peril. Another thing that struck me as very odd was her clothes weren't wet, even though it had been raining for some time." Sailor Venus narrowed her gaze at Tuxedo Kamen as he spoke. _Her clothes weren't wet? _Whoever this woman was she needed to be investigated.

"Give her a call and set up a meeting" Sailor Venus directed Sol. She knew the other Sailor Senshi trusted her leadership qualities and wouldn't argue. "Preferably somewhere in the open. I want to see this woman with my own eyes." Not that Sailor Venus seeing her would make any difference, but Sailor Mercury could run facial recognition against the image from the news and see if it was a match. While she was planning what to do next, Sol made his way to the edge of the building, looking down at the street below.

"There's a pay phone close by. I'll jump down and give her a call right now." The Sailor Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen watched as he disappeared over the edge, Sailor Venus catching sight of something long and narrow strapped to his back as the long trench coat flared up. She exchanged looks with the other Senshi, they had seen the same thing.

"It's a sword. I saw him use it to defeat that... Forsaken." This wasn't the first time Sailor Venus was impressed with Tuxedo Kamen's grip on a situation. It was like he could read what was going on around him as if it was printed on paper in front of his face.

The clear blue visor slide in front of Sailor Mercury's eyes as she pulled out the small hand held device, fingers dancing quickly over the controls. "I'll see if I can tap the phone line from here and possibly get a location of where the call is going. Hopefully he keeps her on the line long enough."

-/-*-\\-

Aksuna walked through the lifeless warehouse. Tall steel racks stood on either side of her, reaching up to the ceiling supported by thick iron I-beams, stacked with large wooden crates, the contents unknown. She didn't know what business this warehouse was in before Koji had arrived, but now there wasn't any business at all. Her black heels clicking against the cement floor stopped abruptly, a large pool of dried blood covering the walkway. _I need to start taking a different aisle. _She was tall and slender, cold steel grey eyes glaring at the pool in front of her. High cheek bones and a narrow facial structure made her stunningly attractive, framed by short black hair that fell around her face in the front and got shorter towards the back, in an angled bob fashion. Wearing stylish pressed beige pants with a plain white blouse, she had walked laps around the building to kill time. Koji put her under strict orders to stay here for at least twenty-four hours after the riots started. He was paranoid someone might recognize her, so he drove them both out to a warehouse in a relatively quiet industrial section of Tokyo and told her to wait in the car. A short time later he poked his head out of the front doors and waved her in. As soon as she opened the door, she was hit by the strong smell of blood in the air. That was eighteen hours ago so she still had another six before she was allowed to leave.

Koji was keeping tabs on her as well. Every hour he called the front desk to make sure she was still there. Aksuna didn't dare miss one of the calls else his paranoid delusions turn their attention on her. She was beginning to wonder how much of a grip he still had on reality. While she herself was approached by the darkness during the long slumber, she hadn't embraced it like Koji had. Aksuna was more the type of person to use this to the best advantage possible. Instead of opening her heart to the infinite darkness, she had opened her mind. Whatever had crept into her consciousness while she slept enjoyed her enthusiasm to learn. Koji had more raw power than herself, but she knew better how to control the shadows.

Her thoughts drifted to her encounter with Sol as she made her way back to the front desk, avoiding the blood stains littering the floor. She had no idea what Koji had done with all the bodies, and frankly, she didn't care. Thinking back two nights ago when he came to her rescue, chuckling quietly. The young boy thought he was saving her from a horrible death, but in reality the small monster was under her control. She could summon shadows and manifest them into flesh and blood beings. Creating a rift in this world and calling out to the opposing darkness. The world of light and the world of darkness met at the shadows, but only a few could peer past the physical confines of this reality and truly see what lay beyond. This had taken some practice as the dark power that coursed through all shadows was incredibly powerful. The size of the small beast was all she could handle at this time, her concentration needed to be completely focused on keeping the raw energy under her control.

She could have easily killed Sol that night with her pet. He was slow and clumsy with that sword. Although he had surprised her with defeating it so quickly. He must have been holding back to gauge what kind of opponent he was dealing with. She would have liked to toy with him more, so his victory would have had been that much sweeter, but she had underestimated him. _It won't happen again _she thought darkly.

Opening a large metal grey door, exiting the stuffy warehouse and entering the even stuffier office space her mind continued ponder the events of that night. Finding a decent sailor outfit at that hour had been hard enough, but then Koji wanted her to kill someone with her pet. It was draining on her to have the thing out for even a few minutes, and she was already tired. But she knew he wouldn't accept no as an answer. Donning the stupid outfit and cheap wig, she had changed her features to mimic that of Sailor Moon, another ability she had acquired during her time in slumber. Able to make slight alterations to her own facial structure had achieved some interesting results. Looking at her reflection in the glass to her side, she wondered if she had always looked this beautiful or if she had changed it since awakening. Koji had wanted her to do a lot more in the way of showing she had complete control over the beast, but doing the little she had took all of her will power not to collapse under the intense strain. The man pleaded with Koji, even calling him by name to stop. She had suspected the pitiful man was his boss. Rather his former boss.

Opening the final door to where she would receive the next call from Koji, she heard the ring of an incoming call. Koji had called like clockwork every hour, on the hour. She looked up at the wall clock and thought it strange he was calling three minutes early this time. Walking around the big oak reception desk her hand hovered over the hand set. No lights were flashing indicating an incoming call. The sound of the ringer buzzed again and her eye drifted to the side. A small cell phone screen was lit up with the incoming call sign. Aksuna furrowed her brow, wondering who would be calling this number.

"Hello?" She answered. She heard some ruffling on the other end, like whoever it was calling was doing so by mistake.

"_Uh... Is this... Ak... Um... Sorry, I'm not very good at reading Japanese_." She recognized the voice on the other end immediately, a large devilish smile spreading across her face. Adopting her most welcoming and cheery voice she said "Is this the young man who saved my life two nights ago?"

"_Yes_" he replied. She waited for him to say more, but he didn't so she continued. "Well I could never forget such a handsome face as yours" _men love it when you stroke their ego _"Have you thought long and hard about a reward? Money is of no concern here, so don't hold back" finishing the sentence with a girlish laugh. She hated acting like this, but she knew you could catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

" _No I don't want any money. I want something else" _She What was he saying? Did he wanted _sex? _What the hell is wrong with this boy? Boiling red hot anger swelled inside her, preparing to unleash a torrent of unfriendly words towards the boy he cut her off before she began "_Actually I would like to see you again."_

"That's it? That's all you want?" Something might be wrong with this kid. People don't just turn down _anything _they want. Perhaps this was a trap? No, that couldn't be it, he was lacking in brain capacity.

"_Yes is that a problem?" _She heard through the receiver, her mind reeling.

"Why?" She countered. He had better have a good reason or she was going to hang up and forget about this kid.

"_Because... I think you're... Beautiful" _He spoke like an awkward teenager. _Of course he thinks I'm beautiful! _Aksuna couldn't help but let a throaty laugh escape her. He must have forgotten all about that little tart with brown hair since laying eyes on her. Just imagine the courage it took him to even call. It had been almost two whole days. Glancing at the clock told her to hurry this conversation up.

"Where?"

"_There is a shrine close to where I am now. I think it's called Hikawa Shrine. Can you meet me there in fifteen minutes?"_

"Of course darling" she let the words flow out as mushy as she could handle, adding a slight accent for flare. She didn't want him thinking that she might possibly be up to something. Without waiting for a response, she pressed the call end button just as the other phone began to ring. She picked it up quickly so Koji wouldn't think she had left her appointed position. He spoke before she even had a chance to greet him.

"_I'm glad you're following my orders. I wouldn't want to lose trust in you, my most loyal of servants." _The acid in his voice was undeniable. Aksuna couldn't understand why he was so irritated since the riots began. She had done everything he had asked of her without question, and successfully.

"I do as you command" all life had left her now, speaking like she was hypnotized.

"_Is there anything new to report?" _She opened her mouth to ask his permission for a special leave, but thought better of it. If she asked and he denied it, but she went anyway, he would be furious. _I still need him on my side. _The drive would take ten minutes at the most, and he wouldn't call back for another hour. Letting out an exasperated breath for embellishment she groaned "No, nothing has happened since you killed everyone here. You could have at least left one person alive for me to talk too."

"_That would be a loose end. I take care of my loose ends." _He hung up, not waiting for a reply. Aksuna couldn't stand him and his ways. He didn't have any finesse or grace like she did. He didn't even have a plan. Admittedly, the plan to frame Sailor Moon had been his idea, but without her it would have went nowhere. The man valued power above all else and never shied away from flexing his muscle.

But now wasn't the time to think of such things. Grabbing a set of keys she had found laying on the floor the previous night, she leisurely strolled out the front door and pushed the unlock button repeatedly until she found the matching car. The sleek red sports car stood low to the ground, great for darting in and out of traffic. Opening the driver's side door she slid into the plush leather bucket seat. Inserting the key into the ignition and turning the engine cranked to life, humming smoothly. Pressing her foot to the gas pedal caused the engine to roar, shaking the entire car. _This should fun. _Closing the door and not bothering with her seat belt, she pushed the clutch in with her other foot and jammed the shifter into first. Dropping the clutch and slamming the gas, the tires screeched in protest as the car lurched forward, peeling out of its parking spot. Weaving in and out of the light traffic easily, she made the trip in less than the ten minutes she had given herself. Parking the speedster a block away from the large stone walls of the shrine, she decided to scout the area just in case. _Better to err on the side of caution._

Closing her eyes, she let her mind fall back into darkness. No longer in her body, she wasn't constrained to the same physical laws of the waking world. Pitch black darkness surrounded her, except where the shadows met with the world of light. Pushing herself forward inside the darkness like this had taken some getting used to, but she had found it an excellent way of spying on anyone. People like Koji could feel her presence nearby when she was in this form so she refrained from spying on him like this. Coming to a shadow and seeing the waking world on the other side was like peering through a one way mirror. Light shined brightly past the shadow but was quickly swallowed up by darkness.

Over the stone wall and into the shade of the trees that circled the shrine, she continued on her way. Jumping from shadow to shadow under the canopy the trees provided she was suddenly blinded by a light the likes of which she had never encountered before. Shielding her eyes against the intense light, Aksuna squinted into the anomaly, trying to decipher what this could possibly be. As her eyes focused from the pitch black to the blinding light, she slowly realized who it was.

_Sailor Moon!? _How could she be here? How could she have known? But she was by herself. Was she protecting the boy on her own? No Sailor Moon had friends, friends that were always by her side. _They're probably all here, waiting to spring the trap. _The small blonde girl stared intently, worry written all over her face. Aksuna decided she should continue her scouting, and pinpoint the other Senshi. One by one she tracked them down inside the trees that surrounded the small shrine. They had the place covered except the entrance. Letting herself drift from shadow to shadow as she formed a plan. _Should I retreat? Should I try and take them all on? _Her drifting led her out of the trees and into the shadows the buildings provided, when she came across someone else. He was tall with brown hair that covered his eyes. _This will do _Aksuna thought.

The sudden turn of events had sent her mind racing, panic setting in at first. Now that she had thought everything through, it was time to act, time to get angry. _So the kid is smarter than I thought. It seems he has an ability to make people underestimate him. From now on kid, you're on my radar. _Pulling her consciousness back to her body, she opened the car door and stepped out. Jogging lightly to the tall stone wall she estimated Sailor Moon was about midway from the back corner to the front entrance. Closing her eyes once again, but this time concentrating hard, she reached out with her mind. Not exiting her body like she had last time, but instead feeling the energies given off by the shadows. Creating the tiniest rift between the worlds, dark energy poured out at an incredible rate. Grunting under the stress of such power, she quickly closed it. She didn't need much to summon her pet.

Having practiced it enough times, she hastily made it like she always did. Small, agile, strong and fast. The beast opened its eyes, and she saw what it saw. Immediately, the power struggle began as dark energy was given life. Bending it to her will wasn't easy, but she managed to force it to obey. Making the thing move after it kneeled in obedience was as easy as moving herself. Except she couldn't move, unless she relinquished her control over it. Slowly, she turned the black eyes to peek around the corner of the building. Catching sight of her victim, she was about to spring into action when she heard some rustling behind her. Pulling back and turning around, she was shocked to see the face of Sailor Mars coming towards her. _The girl must have a sixth sense. _Thinking quickly, she jumped to the roof of the structure before Sailor Mars could locate her. Turning her attention back to her target, she was shocked again to see that he was looking right at her.

She imagined his eyes were wide with horror, but she couldn't tell under all that hair. Leaping down on the other side of the building and swiftly closing the distance between them, he let out a scream. Throwing her right hand out into his abdomen hard he doubled over in pain as she brought her left straight up, knocking him out as the little fist connected with his face. _Everyones attention should be over here now. _Grabbing him by the front of his robe, she pulled him in close and let him fall onto the small shoulders of the black creature. Looking around, she was satisfied to see all the Sailor Senshi coming out from their hiding places, ready to fight. Sailor Mars was closest now, but it didn't matter as she bolted into the traditional Japanese style shrine building. Crashing through the thin door that blocked her path, she went left with her victim in tow, traveling deeper inside. Aksuna laid him down once she could progress no further and waited. Much to her delight, all the Senshi rounded the corner quickly, stopping in their tracks. Sailor Moon opened her mouth to say something, but she let go of control as her pet disappeared from existence, its energies going back to the shadows.

She snapped back to her own body and rushed up the stairs to the shrine. She knew she didn't have much time, but she could move almost as fast as her pet when she needed too. As Aksuna crested the top of the stairs, she was delighted again to see Sol had only turned around to see what the commotion was. "Hey there Sailor" she said quietly, balling her hand into a fist beside her hip. As he turned, she threw it up, just like she did at the other kid, hitting him squarely under the chin. She watched his eyes roll back unconsciously as his body began to fall. Grabbing his coat and pulling him in she dropped down and let him fall onto her shoulders. Holding him like a firefighter would, she jumped down the stone stairs. With any luck, the rest of the Senshi were still trying to piece together what just happened.

Running quickly back to where the car was parked, she opened the passenger side door, and threw him in. Leaping over the hood and plunging into the driver's seat, she turned the ignition and gunned the engine. Pulling a quick u-turn she smiled as she saw the figures of the Sailor Senshi quickly getting smaller in the rear view mirror. _Koji could learn a thing or two from me. _Now that she had her real target, she began to relax. _He's wearing that coat again. Must have the sword on him. _What kind of information was he going to give her? Should she tell Koji what she had done? Questions began popping into her head as she drove, all very important things to consider.

Sol's head flopped around as she drove back to the warehouse, pushing his limp body off of hers more than once. Parking the car back where she found it Aksuna slid out of the driver's seat and walked to the passenger side. Getting him out of the car proved to be more difficult than getting him in as she struggled with the dead weight. Awkwardly, she pulled him up onto her shoulders again and walked back into the warehouse. Seating his lifeless body in the reception desks chair, she pried an eye lid open. His pupils were dilated which was what she was hoping for. _He'll be out for a little while longer. I should have enough time. _While his mind drifted unconsciously she peered into the blank stare looking back at her. When someone's mind was in an unconscious state like this, they entered the darkness much like she had, but without any of the control. She could look into his mind as if she was watching television. His memories were played back to her in reverse; the first thing she saw was her own face right before she knocked him out. Sifting through all the useless information was fairly easy to her, picking and choosing what she wanted to see. What she was looking for was any information on the Sailor Senshi. He saved his girlfriend from the rioters. Boring. She watched through his eyes as he defeated her pet backwards, of him finding the sword and going on a date with his little tart. As she was starting to lose hope she would find anything useful, he walked backwards into an apartment she hadn't seen before. _Who's apartment is this? _She wondered. Skipping through his own pathetic dreams, she was greeted by the face of Sailor Jupiter comforting him. _Interesting. _Things were getting good now; she knew where one of the Senshi lived.

Going further back she watched as one of the Dark Ones killed his mother and it turned out to be his _father! _He stirred and she knew she didn't have much more time. Pushing his mind deeper into its own memories, she pried for the last little bit of information she could get. Now he was inside that gaudy palace. Walking aimlessly in reverse his sight went black. Pushing just a little further as his eyes started to roll around she caught a glimpse of incredibly bright light silhouetted by Sailor Moon and the Senshi.

Her breath caught as she realized what she was looking at. That palace wasn't just for show, it had _power. _Enough power to restore the world back to its previous lively state, literally reversing the effects of erosion and decay on building and vehicles. With that kind of power she could do anything. She could put the world back into a deep slumber. She could make everyone her slave, turning them into mindless Dark Ones. She needed to keep this a secret from Koji. If he found out what the palace is capable of, there would be no way of her ever defeating him.

A/N: I've had the most fun writing this chapter. I Hope you like it, I tried my best to make sure the editing is correct. It may be quite a while before I can finish the next chapter so just a heads up. Thanks for taking the time to read this


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Sailor Jupiter watched the small red sports car speed away as anger rose inside her. She should have protected Sol. She should have watched him, should have known something wasn't right when that small creature took Yurichiro inside the shrine building. She clenched her hands into fists and gritted her teeth, trying to contain her growing rage. Squeezing her hands until they hurt from her finger nails digging in; she spun to Sailor Moon standing a short ways behind her. "Call Tuxedo Kamen. He must have seen this from his vantage point." It was Tuxedo Kamen's own idea to watch from a rooftop not far away, just in case something like this happened. His reasoning was with the five of them to protect Sol he could act as the look out and warn them if anything went awry.

The tall brown haired girl listened as the wrist communicator rang and rang, unanswered. Sailor Mercury reached out to Sailor Jupiter, taking her slender gloved hands in her own. "I'm sure Tuxedo Kamen isn't answering because he's trying to follow them by the rooftops." Sailor Jupiter took deep breaths, trying to calm her shot nerves.

"Also I wasn't able to track the exact location with the phone tap, but I did narrow it down to a six block radius. With the five of us and Tuxedo Kamen searching, we should be able to find that red car quickly." Everyone stood in silence waiting for her response. The communicator on Sailor Moon's wrist crackled to life, Tuxedo Kamen breathing heavily on the other side. "I couldn't follow them very far, but they were heading in the direction Sailor Mercury tracked the call to. If we hurry, I'm sure we can catch her off guard." Quelling the anger inside with steady breathing, Sailor Jupiter felt a wave of relief that they had a plan of attack.

"Everyone, we should get off the streets. People are starting to notice us and a crowd is gathering." Sailor Venus' voice sounded grave. Sailor Jupiter and the rest of the girls scanned the rubble ridden streets and were greeted with glares from the onlookers.

"Turn yourselves in!" Someone from the shadows shouted.

"Murderers!"

"We trusted you and this is how you repay us?!"

A young boy no older than ten ran out from a shattered store front window, placing himself between the Senshi and the growing mob, holding his hands out protectively. "They were framed!"

"Don't speak of things you know nothing about kid!" a gruff voice yelled, unseen.

"That's not true!" He screamed as loud as he could. "I've seen Sailor Moon fight evil before and I know deep down she isn't capable of that. She's a hero! If you can't see that, then you've lost your way. You've given up on hope and let darkness into your hearts." His voice dropped to almost a whisper. _Such courage from such a young boy _Sailor Jupiter admired his strength. Sailor Moon crouched down beside him and spoke softly, her unconditional love flowing out naturally.

"Thank you young man. I`m glad we still have some people who believe in us. Don`t worry, we`ll find the bad guys and make them pay. In the name of the moon." Winking as she stood giving everyone else a nod, they ran to the nearest building, easily scaling the side to the rooftop. _We can move effortlessly up here without causing a commotion _Sailor Jupiter thought with a renewed vigor as her high heeled boots clicked against the hot roofs, arms and legs pumping and pushing her forward. _Don't worry Sol, we're coming. I'll save you._

-/-*-\\-

Koji sat in his office, staring at the watch on his wrist, counting the seconds as they ticked by. Ever since he forcefully took the leach that was his boss, everyone was on edge. People had cried, others giving condolences. Why were they so upset? If anything he had given them all a chance to advance their positions within the company. Not that it mattered much, soon he would be king. _Yes, very soon. _

The night before had proven very successful in his search for an army. He had located an entire den of Dark Ones, led by an amateur. The would-be leader didn't know what he was up against, facing off with Koji. He had made sure to make an example out of their best fighter, not even transforming into his more powerful form to defeat the opponent. Koji's win had to erase any doubts they might have had, had it been a closer fight, so he made sure not to hold back, finishing the weakling by taking in his dark energy. That had the shock effect he was looking for and all of them had bowed in unison. Koji appointed a new lead hand, so to speak while in his absence. Giving him a personal cell phone, Koji told the man he would be calling soon, and they had better answer that call else they suffer the same fate. _My army grows ever stronger while the Sailor Senshi cower in the shadows. Strange, the shadows are our domain, but it seems the roles have been reversed._

Pulling his mind back to the present, he checked his watch again. He picked up the receiver of the telephone on his desk and dialed all the numbers except the last one, waiting the final seconds out. As he pressed the last button down he wondered how much longer Aksuna would willingly stay there until she begged to be released. He knew she wanted out more than anything at the moment, and decided if she asked, he would give her the freedom she so desired. The phone hadn't even finished the first ring when she picked up and spoke quickly, like she didn't want to take the call, but knew she had too.

"_Hello Koji, as you can tell I'm still here, so if that's all, I'll just hang up now ok?" _Koji didn't respond, his mind racing through scenarios as to why she was in such a hurry to hang up.

"What's going on Aksuna?" He questioned finally. There was some muffling on the other end, like she was covering the microphone. _What is she trying to hide form me?_

"_Going on? Nothing is going on, I just-"The_ sound of another voice in the background was unmistakable. Someone was shouting. He couldn't understand what they were saying, but someone was in the warehouse with her.

"Is there anything you need to tell me Aksuna? Perhaps a loose end?" He couldn't keep the acid out of his voice as he hissed into the telephone.

"_No, no, no, there are no loose ends here. That's just-"_Panic was overcoming her now, he could tell. She was speaking like the first time they had met. _She's afraid right now._

"I'm coming over there. Now." Slamming the handset down, he stood up quickly from his desk chair and stormed out of the office.

-/-*-\\-

Sailor Jupiter was first to reach the edge of the last tall building in sight. She had reached the edge of the industrial district where the buildings were much more spread out and traveling by rooftop was no longer an option. Tuxedo Kamen was close behind her and ran to a stop sucking in deep breaths from the hard trek. He bent over and put his hands to his knees for support. Sailor Jupiter could see her chest raising and falling as well, but she couldn't feel the burning in her lungs right now. All she could think about was finding Sol and keeping him safe.

The other Senshi trickled in one at a time with Sailor Moon coming up last, each one breathing hard as sweat poured off of them. Tuxedo Kamen finally stood straight and turned his attention to Sailor Jupiter. "I didn't know you could run so fast. I think if a wall was in front of you, you would have crashed through without slowing down." In the back of her mind she knew any kind of compliment from Tuxedo Kamen was genuine, but all she did was nod. Her eyes scanned the parking lots she could see from this vantage point, hoping the little red sports car would stand out, but most were empty, devoid of any cars.

Sailor Jupiter turned to the other girls, still doubled over trying to calm their breathing. "We need to split up and canvas the area. I'm going down now"

"Wait" She heard Sailor Venus' voice behind her before jumping off the roof ledge. "I think- we should- transform- back." She could only get a couple syllables out before needing to inhale another breath.

Tuxedo Kamen nodded before he spoke. "Agreed, the last thing we need right now is more trouble from civilians." Sailor Jupiter let her uniform disappear around her, putting her back into regular clothes. She wore light khakis with a green turtle neck, something she wore often. Being self conscious of her appearance, she felt most comfortable in clothing that hid most of her body. Right now though, she felt like she could run around naked and not care what anyone else thought.

"I'm going now unless there's something else we need to discuss." The words came out colder than Makoto intended. It wasn't her friends fault Sol had been taken. People were strange that way. In times of stress, they take their anger out on the ones they love the most. _Maybe it's because the ones we love the most will forgive us the easiest. _Sailor Moon was standing beside her now. She hadn't noticed the short blonde girl walk up. She took Makoto's hand in her own gloved one and squeezed it gently. Makoto felt a small wave of relief pass over her while Sailor Moon spoke softly to her "Don't worry Mako-chan. We'll find him, we always do. Now it's your turn to save your boyfriend" She finished, giggling quietly. Makoto couldn't help but smile at her infectious attitude.

Taking one more calming breath, she stepped off the ledge and let gravity pull her down to the sidewalk below. Air rushed past her ears as she fell, landing gracefully. Taking off at a light jog towards the closest building, she wondered how long it would be before the others joined in. Checking the parking lots of the front of each building was easy, the back of some proved more difficult. Jumping the chain link fence of one property was more than she bargained for as she was chased out by a large guard dog. Luckily, she could jump over the fence in one bound or she might have had some serious trouble.

The feeling Sailor Moon had given her was wearing off quickly as the search continued. She was almost ready to call the other girls in the hopes one of them had found something when tires screeching behind her made her turn around. I grey luxury sedan peeled around a corner not far off and came speeding towards her. The engine revved loudly as it screamed past, the brakes locking up while the front wheels turned hard to the left and peeled off again out of sight. Makoto took off at full speed behind it, thinking whoever was behind the wheel probably had something to do with this.

She ran around the corner just in time to see the grey car pull into a parking lot and come to a stop beside a small red sports car. _Here it is!_ Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest at the sight. A tall muscular dark haired man dressed in an expensive suit stepped out of the car. He looked angry but she absently wondered if he always looked like that. He certainly didn't appear very friendly. She watched as he went to the front entrance and waited. A few seconds went by before the door was thrown open and he stepped inside. Makoto didn't get a chance to see inside the building though. She took off to where he had just disappeared, not bothering to call the other Senshi. She knew it would take too long for them to arrive and something told her time wasn`t on their side right now. The way that man had driven meant he was in a hurry.

The parking lot of this building was full of cars, unlike every other one she had come across so far. Approaching the building cautiously, she peered inside the windows of the front offices. She didn`t see anyone moving around inside and this raised her suspicions. _I should have seen someone with this many cars parked out here. _Deciding against caution for the time being, she darted to the door, and flung it open. Immediately she was blasted by the intense smell of blood. Covering her mouth and nose with her sleeve, she pressed forward with caution again. Her eyes burned as the smell of blood quickly turned to the rotting smell of death and decay. She tried not to cough as her throat gagged on the awful stink, but some made their way out no matter how hard she resisted.

Faintly she could hear someone`s voice in the depths of the warehouse. Whoever it was sounded mad as they screamed their lungs out. She couldn`t make out any of the words, but used the noise to find her way through the unknown territory. Before she could track to where it was coming from, the voice stopped. Makoto stood in front of a heavy looking steel door that read 'Employees Only' in big red letters. She pushed on the handle and prayed the hinges were well oiled as the door opened silently. Grabbing the handle on the other side as the door quickly closed, she eased it back into place before everything went black and she drifted through darkness.

-/-*-\\-

Sol had been thrashing against the chains that held him in place since he had woken up. They were wrapped around support legs of the steel racking spreading his arms out wide like an eagle spreads its wings. At least they were loose enough that he could sit down. That woman hadn't come and talked to him once since he had come to, and he wondered if she intended to leave him here until he died from dehydration. His eyes and throat burned from the ammonia in the air and he coughed every time he screamed for her to show her face. _At least she let me keep my sword_ he thought as he tried again to wrench his hands free. The chains around his wrists weren't tight when he let himself relax, but bit into his skin when he tried to pull free. Blood dripped down into the long sleeve of the trench coat he was wearing, making him look like he worked in a butchers shop and forgot to roll up them up.

He heard a door open and footsteps approach. _Finally. _He wasn't expecting a tall black haired man, dressed up all fancy to come and see him. "So you're the one helping Sailor Moon eh? I'm only going to ask this once: Who is she? Her real identity? If you tell me who she is, you can run along with your life." The words were cold, without emotion. Whoever this guy is, he was used to getting what he wanted. Sol could tell by the way he walked towards him that this man was dangerous.

"You already know who she is. After all, you're the one who told her to kill that man, right?" The reaction he was hoping for never came. Instead all he got was one raised eyebrow, but that was enough to tell him that this man and Aksuna were working together. He walked closer to where Sol was tied up, taking his time. As he got closer Sol noticed how muscular the man was. _Luckily I have the power of the Silver Crystal coursing through me. This guy shouldn't be able to hurt me too bad._ As if the man could read his thoughts, he burst forward with incredible speed, driving his knee into Sol's abdomen. The air in his lungs was forced out by the powerful blow lifting him off his feet. Sol grunted against the pain that shot through his body and his eyes felt like they would pop out of his head if he didn't squeeze them shut. Falling to his knees, no longer able to support his own weight as he struggled to suck in just one breath of air. He had had the wind knocked out of him before, but never like this.

He felt like he was going to pass out from lack of oxygen when his stomach muscles finally relaxed enough for him to inhale. Gasping for breath as he coughed, he realized this man also had power of his own. The pain was greater than anything he had ever experienced before; surely the blow had broken a few ribs.

"Tell me what I want to know or I'll kill you where you kneel maggot!" He screamed with a fury Sol had never encountered. Everything about this man was intense.

"Go to hell" it was barely a whisper that escaped his lips, but he was glad to have defied this man with his last breath. _I'll see you soon _Sol thought sadly. He wouldn't be able to hear Makoto's angelic laugh again, or see her smile. She was the only thing keeping him going, as hard as it was to struggle on, he would do it for her. He felt regret at the selfishness that he would finally being rid of this heavy burden. He heard the man sigh. "Very well, have it your way." The large man's hand reached down and he wrapped his fingers around Sol's throat. Before he could squeeze his wind pipe closed, black smoke rose from his outstretched hand, just like when Sol had touched his father's shoulder.

Pulling back with a gasp the man asked more to himself than Sol "What's the meaning of this? Could you possibly be...?" It took every last bit of strength Sol had to lift his head enough to look the man in the eye. A worried expression crossed his face but was quickly replaced with an emotionless one. Sol couldn't keep his head up any longer and let it fall back to his chest.

"Where did you get this power?" Now it was his turn to speak in barely a whisper. Sol smiled to himself _At least I've thrown him off a little. _

"I already told you, go to hell" Sol spat with much more energy than he felt he had. Struggling to stand, his legs wobbled from the weight under them. _One hit from this guy and I'm barely able to stand. _

"Koji" a woman's voice from behind the tall man spoke. She walked out from the shadows, dragging something behind her. Sol couldn't tell what it was at first and strained his eyes past Koji to catch sight of what it. "I've found something that will give us any information we want out of this child" she laughed softly. Sol blinked at what he saw, not believing his own eyes. But the image never changed. Aksuna had a hand full of chest nut brown hair and was dragging an unconscious Makoto behind her._ This can't be happening! I'm going delusional from being hit so hard! _

"This is his girlfriend. If we can't beat what we want out of you, we'll beat it out of her instead" Aksuna began to laugh uncontrollably, knowing they had won. She was right; he was going to tell them anything they wanted.

-/-*-\\-

Makoto had come around shortly after being hit, but allowed this woman to drag her to where Sol was. She now knew beyond a doubt this is where Sol was being held. Pretending to be unconscious was more difficult than she would have thought, and had to allow herself to relax constantly. A door opened, and the woman finally spoke. She told someone named Koji that they could just beat out the information from her, probably to make Sol talk.

"NO! Don't hurt her, I'll tell you anything you want!" The sound of Sol's strained voice pleading with them only fed fuel to the fire. "It was the palace! The palace gave me this strength, that's all I know, so please, don't hurt her!" Sol continued as what sounded like chains clattered as he spoke. Makoto felt the grip on her hair loosen. It was her turn to strike now that the other woman's guard was down.

She opened her eyes and placed one hand under her for support while the other slammed into Aksuna's hand holding her by the hair. Letting her weight fall onto the hand placed on the ground, she twisted her hips and kicked her leg in a sweeping motion, taking Aksuna's feet out from under her. Letting the momentum carry her on in this circular motion, poised with her elbow to her hip, spinning like a break dancer, she kicked Aksuna in the chest as hard as she could before the woman hit the ground.

The tall dark haired woman went skidding across the concrete floor, coming to a rest at Koji's feet. Makoto stood quickly, and assessed the situation, hands up and ready to fight. Two against one wasn't throwing the odds in her favour. She didn't have any choice, if she wanted to save Sol, she needed to transform into Sailor Jupiter, here and now. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the transformation pen Luna had given her what seemed like so long ago.

"Jupiter Power Make Up!" She yelled as she held the pen high. Lighting traveled around her like photons of an atom travel around the nucleus. They gained intensity as the closed in around her, and crashing out away from her body leaving behind the green sailor uniform of Sailor Jupiter. All three stared at her with shocked looks on their faces.

Koji was the first to recover, shaking his head and snarling at the woman still lying on the floor at his feet. "Take care of her, I'll deal with him." Aksuna stood and Sailor Jupiter was ready to fight her, but was distracted by the figure of Koji who grabbed Sol by the throat and picked him up off his feet effortlessly. Black smoke rose from around his fingers, but he didn't seem to notice. Sailor Jupiter felt panic rising in her chest, she was too far away to do anything. If she used Sparkling Wide Pressure she might hit Sol and possibly kill him. With his other hand Koji extended his fingers straight and placed them over Sol's heart, like an arrow about to pierce its target.

_I need more speed! I need to be faster! I need to become like the lighting! _Sailor Jupiter surged forward as time didn't just slow down, but seemed to stop entirely. Tendrils of electricity sprang off of her arms and legs as she started forward. Running by Aksuna, the woman hadn`t taken her eyes off of where Sailor Jupiter had stood before, completely motionless. Sailor Jupiter was beside Aksuna now, but the other woman didn`t notice. She reached out to where Sol was being held, her hand becoming engulfed in the swirling electricity that poured from her. It traveled up her arm and to her shoulder, spreading quickly over her entire body. With a loud crash like thunder, she was suddenly in front of Sol who was very slowly falling back to the ground. Turning her head to see where Koji had gone, she was shocked to see him flying through the air like he had been hit by a train, but in slow motion. It donned on her finally that she was moving with incredible speed, moving like lightning.

Sailor Jupiter acted quickly, using her hand like an axe against the chains that held him in place. As her hand swept down, it became wrapped in lighting just like before and chopped through the chains effortlessly. Catching him with her arms under his before he hit the ground, she looked towards the door they had come from. _We need to get out now. _The lighting began to spread over her body again, covering Sol like he was a part of her. Once she was completely covered again, she crashed out the door and through the offices, blasting through the front windows like an explosion. She felt a huge wave of relief pass over her as they come back under the sun together and this enormous power left her just as quickly as she had gained it. They both came down hard into the pavement, rolling over each other as the tumbled down the empty street.

"Everyone, I have Sol with me, hurry to this location!" Sailor Jupiter screamed into her wrist communicator as she depressed the button that sent out a distress call to the others. Sol was on top of her and she struggled to sit up against his dead weight. _He must be unconscious right now. Maybe he'll forget what he just saw._ She hoped that he would forgive her for not being honest about whom she really was, but even if he didn't, at least he would still be alive. _For the time being. I can't outrun those two with him knocked out like this. Hurry everyone, we need you._

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but it is summer after all! Again, hope you like what you're reading, and yes I did watch the new Sailor Moon Crystal. I thought it was super wicked awesome and can't wait for the next episode to come out. Feel free to tell me what you think, even if you think it sucks.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

One second he had the kid by the throat about to punch through his heart and the next he was blasted through a concrete wall. Brushing the debris Koji admitted to himself that he under estimated the Sailor Senshi. Normally he would have been livid by what just happened, but for some reason he didn't quite know, he was glad for the challenge. An easy fight was boring. Now he knew he didn't have to hold back against these girls, and that was thrilling.

He went through the full range of motions with his arms and legs, taking note of any stiffness or soreness. Luckily there was little, except in his right shoulder where the girl had crashed into him. "What the hell was _that?!_" Aksuna asked in stunned disbelief. Koji calmly walked away from the dust and debris littering the floor now. He unbuttoned the cuff links of his suit and proceeded to take his jacket off.

"_That _was one of the Senshi, letting her true power show. It seems we've under estimated them." Koji couldn't contain his excitement and let a smile cross his face. "You wait here; I'm going to have some fun." Aksuna nodded and swallowed hard. _This is a side of me she's never seen. _He walked to the door that she had shot through like a bullet. The steel door was twisted and charred from the impact of heat and energy that had surrounded her as she moved like lightning. Making his way through the front offices, his heart began to beat faster in anticipation.

Koji opened the front door and was greeted by the sight of her standing over the motionless kid on the street. Noticing him laying there triggered something the boy had said. _It was the palace that gave him power? I'm going to need to investigate that after this. _It seemed she had noticed his steady approach as she was now standing with her hands up defensively. He hoped that she actually knew how to fight and not just mimicking something she saw on TV. The dark haired man picked up the pace and began to jog towards her, steadily increasing his speed, never taking his eyes off the target directly in front of him. He was close enough now that he could see her jaw set in determination, eyes glaring into his own.

"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Koji didn't even have time to process what he had just heard when he was hit by what felt like a truck from his right side. Water was forced into his mouth and eyes, effectively cutting off his oxygen, the impact picking him off his feet as pain shot up is already injured shoulder. He felt himself tumble across the pavement, finally coming to a stop and now soaking wet.

"Magnificent!" He laughed to himself. _This only getting better_. The one dressed in blue had shown up now and was already standing beside the green girl. She looked much more timid, almost afraid and unwilling to fight. _Take care of the support first. _But they had the advantage of range. For the moment at least. Letting some of his dark energy out, he burst forward with enough force to crack the pavement he had just been standing on. Closing the distance with alarming speed, he brought his left fist up into her abdomen, taking her clean off her feet as she buckled under the blow. Still in the air Koji brought his right elbow down into the girl's spine, smashing her back down into the hard ground beneath. He could have hit her a lot harder, but the injuries to his shoulder were holding him back.

Now back in front of his original target, heart pounding from the thrill of a real fight, he quickly brought his left hand back, prepared to deliver a straight punch at the girl.

"Venus Love Me Chain!" A golden heart linked chain wrapped itself around his arm at the elbow, and dug in to his flesh with incredible force, tearing open a fresh wound. Blood soaked his white shirt immediately as he growled against the pain. Swiftly, he reached back with his other hand and grabbed hold of the chain, jerking it towards him with all his strength. The golden one come flying and he kicked his right leg out, landing cleanly against her delicate looking face. He half expected it to shatter like porcelain from the impact. The girl grunted in pain as she went sprawling to the ground.

Turning his attention back to the girl he really wanted to fight, he saw that she had retreated with the unconscious kid. The blue one was back on her feet, looking like she could barely stand. She crossed her arms in front of her chest with her hands coming up, framing her face. "Bubble Spray!" She yelled as she extended her arms out towards him. Koji expected another attack, but he quickly realized this was passive as the entire area filled with a thick mist. Closing his eyes, Koji let his other senses take over. His ears picked up what sounded like a flag flapping in the wind behind him, but it was approaching quickly.

The muscular man spun and put his hands out defensively, expecting another large attack as he opened his eyes, but a narrow black cane slipped past his outstretched hands and jabbed him in the face just below his left eye. The impact was much more than he anticipated as his head was thrown back. Stumbling backwards and holding his face with one hand, Koji peered out into the mist. Whoever had struck him was already gone. _They work well as a team. But this is a fight I'm not going to lose. _He stood still and strained his ears, trying to pick up any sounds, frustration setting in. Not too far away Koji heard the flapping again, coming from behind. Knowing what was coming he waited until the last second and spun, grabbing the cane as it sailed towards his face. He pushed the end to one side, away from him and struck out with his other hand, only meeting air.

The black cane was forcefully extracted from his hand as he stood in disbelief. Quickly he realized the cane was retractable. A smart move by whoever was wielding it. Again he stood alone, listening for any signs of an incoming attack. "Burning Mandela!" The voice came from his left and he could see eight round discs through the thick fog. They turned swiftly in his direction; his depth perception in the mist was difficult to judge. Ducking and side stepping as quickly as he could, the discs came at him like bullets. Avoiding all but one as it sliced the side of his neck, not deeply, but enough to spill more blood all over his already soaked shirt.

He growled in frustration. This wasn't the fight he was expecting. He knew these girls were tougher than a single Dark One, or even possibly five, but to be bested like this was humiliating. Taking off towards where the last attack came from, he heard the click of high heels as she ran away. His senses were already attuned to what was going on around him and he tracked her down almost immediately. Once he saw the figure of a body, he lashed out with his hands, desperately trying to grab hold of an arm or piece of clothing. Instead his hand was batted away by this phantom cane that came and went like a ghost.

Pivoting midstride, he stopped chasing the girl and took off to where the cane came from. He tapped into the dark energy stored within his body and burst forward, finally finding the man hiding in the mist. His eyes widened in shock, but he recovered quickly as the masked man swung the cane at Koji's head. Koji easily grabbed the cane before it struck him, and threw his right fist straight into the man's face. He went sprawling backwards, blood gushing out his nose as he fell to the ground. Koji was on top of him immediately, not wanting to let this chance slip away. He coughed as blood filled his mouth, pouring out of the broken nose.

"Moon-" Koji didn't hear the word spoken not far behind where he was, instead his ears rang with rage as he raised his hand, ready to crush the man's skull with a single blow.

"Princess-" The man under him squirmed and turned, trying to get away, so Koji grabbed him by the throat, pinning his head down under the pavement.

"Halation!" A bright light formed behind him and he was brought out of his reckless rage. Knowing there was no time, he had to act now. He used the dark energy to throw himself off the man sideways. For a split second he thought he had dodged the attack, but a sudden piercing pain shot through his back. A golden spinning crescent moon erupted through his abdomen, narrowly missing his spine as blood poured out of the gaping wound. Koji fell to the ground and felt his mouth fill with more blood. _Is this how it really ends?_ He put his hands to the wound and applied pressure, trying to slow the flow as his life was being drained from him. He could recover from this, could heal himself, but it took time and energy. He wouldn't be able to heal in the middle of this fight.

The fog began to lift and the figures of the Senshi formed around him, looking down at his beaten body. Koji wasn't a dog though; he wouldn't lose lying on his back like a coward. Struggling to get to his feet, Sailor Moon held out her scepter to him "It's over. Give up and turn yourself in. We know it was you who framed us so-" The squeal of tires interrupted her as head lights came bursting through what was left of the mist. The girls jumped out of the way as the red sports car came skidding to a stop beside him and the passenger door was flung open. "Get in!" Aksuna barked. For once, Koji didn't mind being told what to do, and dropped his exhausted body into the passenger seat. Aksuna put the pedal to the floor and took off down the road, leaving the Senshi in her review for the second time that day.

-/-*-\\-

The squeal of tires brought Sol out of his dazed state as a car peeled off not far away. He tried to sit up but his head throbbed and his ribs ached. Grunting against the pain as he rolled over off his back to get to his hands and knees, he heard footsteps approach him. As he took in short breaths to minimize the pain, a pair of green white laced high heeled boots came into his vision. That's when everything came back to him. _Makoto is Sailor Jupiter! _She had transformed right in front of him. He wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. She had transformed and Koji had picked him up by the throat and was going to kill him when there was a crash, and everything went dark.

Sailor Jupiter crouched down beside him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Let me help you stand up." He accepted the assistance as she gently got him to his feet. Placing his arm around her shoulder, and letting her take some of his weight he said smiling "Thank you Mako-chan."

Her faced turned bright red almost instantly, and the others gasped. Sailor Venus spoke up quickly, trying to sound convincing but failing "Mako-chan? Who is this Mako-chan you speak of? We don't know anyone named Mako-chan" she finished with a laugh and grunted, holding her hand to her face where Koji had kicked her.

"He already knows, Venus" Sailor Jupiter hung her head, brown hair covering her eyes. "I had to transform in front of him. And Koji. If I didn't Sol would have been..." She choked off the sentence, unable to finish. "I'm sorry I had to deceive you Sol" she continued, still looking down. "I understand if you're upset, but please let me-"

"Upset? Why would I be upset? I don't see it as deception. Being a Sailor Senshi isn't something you can go advertising about. You five are like Super Hero's, but you also have your personal lives. I understand why you didn't tell me." Sailor Jupiter raised her head and looked him in the eye while he spoke softly to her. She couldn't help the tears of relief that filled her own eyes as he accepted her completely and without judgement.

Sailor Jupiter opened her mouth to give her thanks when Sailor Mercury collapsed to the ground, holding her midsection. The other three girls and Tuxedo Kamen rushed to her side. "What's wrong Mercury?" Sailor Moon asked

"Koji hit me pretty heard. I guess now that the adrenalin has worn off, I'm feeling the full effect of his attacks. I'll be ok, I just need to rest for a little while." A collective sigh of relief escaped everyone's lips as it seemed they were all holding their breath.

Sol turned his attention back to Sailor Jupiter, smiling slyly at the shorter brown haired girl. "So if you're Sailor Jupiter, than that means she's Mizuno Ami right?" He pointed at Sailor Mercury who blushed and nodded. "And she must be Tsukino Usagi?" He pointed at Sailor Venus, who burst out laughing.

"No, no I'm not Usagi. She is." Sailor Venus corrected him and pointed to Sailor Moon. Sol blinked rapidly in confusion as his mind began to race.

"You mean to tell me head-in-the-clouds, happy go lucky Usagi is your leader?!" Sol blurted out before he could stop himself. He was in total disbelief. But now that he knew, it made sense; they did have the same hair style. She was hiding in plain sight, so to speak. Sailor Venus' demeanor turned from jovial to dark quickly.

"Why did you think I was Usagi? And what's so unbelievable about it?" She growled at the injured boy hanging off of Sailor Jupiter. Sol swallowed hard and put his one hand up in defence, but Sailor Jupiter spoke before he could.

"He's probably suffering a head injury Venus. He didn't mean it like that" she said cheerfully, trying to defuse the situation. "Anyway, let's transform and go back to Hikawa Shrine to get some rest" she continued. Everyone agreed and changed back to their civilian identities. Almost immediately after going back, Ami collapsed again into the arms of Mamoru.

"Let me carry you Ami" Mamoru offered as he held her up. Sol watched as she looked up through dazed eyes and nodded in silent agreement. Mamoru easily scooped up the smaller girl and held her close as he began to walk.

"Ami-chan" Usagi said through gritted teeth. The blue haired girl slowly turned her head towards the shorter blonde.

"Yes?"

"You could have fallen into Rei-chan, but instead you chose to fall into my Mamo-chan. Are you secretly in love with him?" She asked suspiciously.

"Usako" Mamoru mumbled under his breath.

"Honestly Usagi, do you think she is any kind of condition to be answering your ridiculous questions right now?" Rei barked. The two squared off and began staring each other down with glares.

"It's alright Rei-chan" Ami began. "I know she is very protective of Mamoru-san. I'm sorry Usagi-chan, I wouldn't have done it if I thought I could have stood on my own." Usagi's anger disappeared instantly and was replaced by concern for her injured friend. She walked beside Mamoru and began apologizing for her rash behaviour.

"Are you girls always like this?" Sol asked Makoto. She let out a small laugh and nodded.

"Usagi-chan and Rei-chan butt heads a lot, but they never stay mad at each other for long. They say friends who a fight and forget like that are the closest kind." Sol couldn't help but envy the two girls. He had never had a friend like that and hoped one day he might be so fortunate.

"Sol?" Makoto asked as they walked with her supporting him.

"Hmm?"

"I've been dying to know since we found you, why were you under a giant pile of books? I have been trying to figure it out night after night and I can't wrap my head around it." Now it was Sol's turn to let out a short laugh, which was quickly cut off by the pain in his ribs.

"I read once that paper is a good insulator so I thought if I could weather the storm, I would be able to see you. I didn't even know where you lived, but I was determined to find you. Not the best plan, I know" he defended as Makoto rolled her eyes at him. "Before I knew it, I was asleep. Guess the paper wasn't a very good insulator after all." He answered. Makoto brushed some hair away from her face and chuckled.

"You're quite the romantic aren't you?" She teased, gently poking his chest with her finger as she smiled.

"Is that romantic?" Sol quizzed. Minako had caught up to them and joined the conversation.

"Of course it's romantic" she gushed with stars in her eyes. "A man braving the elements and throwing his life into reckless abandonment to see the one he loves. You've set the bar pretty high for yourself Sol." Now it was Minako's turn to poke him in the chest. They carried on their short trek back to Hikawa Shrine like this, joking with each other and enjoying the day, almost as if their lives hadn't just been in danger. _They're probably used to dealing with life and death situations. But this does help ease the tension. _Sol was beginning to understand why these girls were considered heroes in this city. To have this kind of resolve in the face of such danger was foreign to the Irish boy.

Soon the tall stone walls of Hikawa Shrine were in view and Sol was glad to be able to sit down soon. His ribs were throbbing with each step and he took short quick breaths to ease the pain. Climbing the stairs worried him, but Rei got on the other side and helped Makoto hoist him up with little effort on his part. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, they were greeted by a white cat with a yellow crescent moon on its forehead. The cat meowed loudly and began rubbing its head against Minako's leg, purring softly.

"Artemis, this is Sol. Don't worry, he knows now, so you and Luna can be yourselves." The cat stopped and looked Sol directly in the eye. It was kind of unnerving for him, almost like the cat knew what she was saying.

"Well I guess you were bound to find out eventually. We welcome you as our ally" the cat said. Sol shook his head and lowered his voice so only Makoto could hear.

"I think I got hit harder than we originally thought." Makoto turned to him with a confused look on her face. "I must be hallucinating because I think the cat just spoke to me."

"You're not hallucinating, I can speak." The cat answered. Sol jumped back and would have fallen to the ground if Makoto's grip around him hadn't tightened. He felt his head get light and his vision began to fade. _This is too much! _He thought to himself as his knees went weak. Slowly he drifted back into the comforting darkness of unconsciousness for the third time that day.

A/N: I know, I know it's been much too long since I updated, and I apologize. Life gets hectic sometimes. Hope you like this chapter and I thank everyone for your support in reading my story. It really means a lot that you can enjoy this.HHHHHHknnkjbHhhhhhhklnbnkj


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Sol fell to the ground slowly as Ami watched his eyes roll back. Luckily he had Makoto, who was as strong as an ox, to keep him from getting further injuries. Mamoru was still carrying her, dried blood plastered on his face from the broken nose he had received, courtesy of their number one enemy. Artemis, who had accidentally caused him to faint in the first place, couldn't hold back his laughter. "He's the first one to pass out from learning a cat can talk." Makoto turned her attention from Sol to Artemis, her glare shooting daggers at the small white cat, but he hadn't noticed as he continued to laugh.

"It's not funny Artemis! He's been through a lot in a short time!" Makoto wasn't the type to lose her cool, but it was obvious she cared deeply for him. Artemis had stopped laughing, but didn't back down.

"He must not be very strong mentally if he passes out from learning there are cats that can speak."

"Actually" Ami began, not willing to let this get into a heated argument, but also wanting to defend her friend. "The human mind can only take so much before it shuts down. It's kind of like a defense mechanism, to prevent it from overloading. Sol has suffered a deep traumatic wound psychologically with the loss of his parents, plus he's been thrust into a world he didn't know existed only a short time ago. I think it's a miracle he's been able to continue on as far as he has without breaking down. He's showing no signs of giving up either. If anything, that shows just how strong he really is."

"I'm sorry Makoto. Ami is right, I shouldn't have laughed" Artemis hung his head in shame, clearly regretting his actions. Makoto's features softened as he apologized and held her hand out to the boisterous cat. "It's alright Artemis. I know you didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings. Plus, if I know Sol, he'll have a good laugh at this when he wakes up."

"I think I'm ok from here Mamoru-san. You should probably help Mako-chan get Sol to a bed." Ami suggested as she wiggled out of his gentle but strong arms. She watched as Makoto and Mamoru lifted the limp body of Sol between them and carried him off into one of the buildings of Hikawa Shrine. Artemis looked on at their backs as they disappeared behind one of the sliding doors. "So Makoto had no choice but to transform in front of him, and now he knows her identity. I guess it couldn't be helped." Luna snorted "That's all you have to say?" Luna sounded very upset, and when she was upset, she usually took her anger out on Artemis. "We still don't know what his true intentions are and-" Usagi turned quickly from walking down the stone path, her long blonde pony tails whirling around as she spun.

"Luna!" She yelled. The black cat stopped her rant and cowered at the sudden outburst. "That is enough of that kind of talk. Sol isn't our enemy; we met our enemy today head on. Sol almost got killed because of us. If Makoto hadn't arrived in time, he would be dead right now, and that responsibility would be on us for not protecting him. I won't stand for you saying anything bad about him anymore." Luna had seemed frightened at first, but as Usagi spoke, she seemed to gain back her confidence and was ready to lash out as soon as the short girl finished.

"It's my duty to see you crowned Queen, and some kid off-"

"_Luna!"_ The conviction in Usagi's voice was unmistakable. Ami and the other girls stood silently, tension filling the air. "If the next words that come out of your mouth aren't an apology, then I will be relieving you from your duty as my advisory." The normally soft blue of Usagi's eyes had turned into a cold steal icy glare. "He's risked his life more than once and you still suspect he's plotting against us? If he wanted revenge, he could have led Koji and Aksuna to us a long time ago." The two stared down at one another for what seemed an eternity to Ami. She wanted to try and ease the tension, but something told her not to get involved. A part of her was glad to see Usagi taking her responsibility much more seriously, but at the same time, this was so out of character for the jovial girl and it was unnerving.

Finally Luna visibly relaxed, hanging her head, eyes closed, she spoke softly. "I'm sorry Usagi-chan. For once, you're absolutely right. I won't ever doubt him again." Usagi's cold blue eyes began to fill with tears, her lower lip quivering as she held back her emotions. "I'm sorry too Luna. It's just now more than ever we need to be united. We can't turn on each other, or have any doubts of anyone if we're to succeed. I'm so glad you apologized, I don't know what I would do without you." The tears were flowing freely down her cheeks as she bent down to embrace the small, quick tempered cat.

Ami smiled at Usagi's honesty. _Some things will never change, I suppose. _Rei and Minako, with Artemis now hanging off her shoulder, went to were Usagi and Luna were still hugging each other and began a cheerful conversation. Ami peered past them to see Mamoru coming out of a Shrine building, wiping away dried blood from his face with a damp cloth. Ami took a small step forward and a deep shooting pain screamed up her back. The damage Koji had done was being downplayed by the intelligent youth, but she walked on slowly, holding back her own grimaces as tears began to fill her eyes.

She continued to walk slowly towards where Mamoru had come out of, determined not to let her friends worry. She knew she would recover from this, but the other girls would be in an uproar if they knew how bad it really was. They all looked out for her like she was the little sister of the group. Ami knew she had the least offensive attacks, but that didn't mean she couldn't hold her own against any foe.

"It seems you're in more pain than you're letting on Ami." She hadn't noticed Artemis keeping step beside her. The small white cat kept a cheerful look on his face, but his voice was wrought with concern. Ami took in a small breath before replying.

"Thank you Artemis. I don't want to worry them. I'll be alright, I just need some time to rest." Artemis nodded and turned his attention to the shrine building.

"I'm heading over there to ask Makoto something. Mind if I walk with you?"

"Of course not." Ami had always thought Artemis was polite and often wondered what he was like during their time together while in the Silver Millennium. The odd pair made their way to the sliding door, and Ami opened it slowly. The room was dark with the curtains pulled shut, blocking out the rays of the setting sun. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness, seeing the figure of Makoto bent over what she could only assume was Sol. The blue haired girl spotted a chair across the room and began her methodical approach, trying to keep her range of movement to a minimum.

"Is that you Ami-chan?" She heard through the darkness. She swallowed hard before she spoke, hoping she would sound normal.

"Yes. I just need to sit down and rest for a short time." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Makoto got up and came to her side.

"I know you don't need it, but let me help you to the chair." She couldn't see it, but she knew Makoto was had a sly smile on her face. With Makoto's help, she was in the chair and sitting comfortably in no time. Ami let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding as she finally let herself relax, the pain already subsiding.

"Thank you Mako-chan. Please don't tell anyone. I don't want them to worry."

"Don't worry Ami-chan" she began softly "we all know you're tougher than you look." Ami closed her eyes and let her head fall back.

"So what happened today Makoto?" She heard Artemis ask. She listened for Makoto's answer and could tell the green eyed girl was suddenly nervous as she began to shuffle around.

"Didn't they tell you what happened?" Makoto replied, trying to sound relaxed. _What's he getting at? _Ami wondered.

"Yes, they told me about the fight with Koji. But I'm interested in what you did today. I can sense that a new power has awoken within you Makoto. So what happened?" Ami lifted her head and opened her eyes. This wasn`t anything she was expecting to hear. She waited for an answer from Makoto and was beginning to think the other girl wasn`t going to give one when she inhaled deeply and began.

"When we were searching for Sol, the car Koji was driving went past me. I followed him into a warehouse and got attacked by surprise. When I came to, Koji was there with Aksuna and Sol was chained up to some sort of metal rack. Koji ordered Aksuna to finish me off and he went to Sol. He picked Sol up by the throat and he was going to kill him. I knew I didn't have time to run over and save him, so I wished to be faster. I _needed _to be faster in order to save him. I don't know how to explain it really, but it was like I _became _lighting. Suddenly there was a loud crack and I was in front of Sol and time seemed to stand still. When I took Sol out we were both engulfed in electricity. I don't know how I did it, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to do it again."

"Is that what happened? I thought I was being blessed by an angel when I saw the bright light." The groggy voice of Sol asked out of the darkness. Makoto spun around and hovered over him.

"Are you ok Sol? You passed out again" Ami saw his silhouette sit up as he rubbed his eyes. "Yeah I'm alright. I lost consciousness when I thought I met a talking cat." Artemis cleared his throat as he sat tall and proud, like a regal cat.

"You did meet a talking cat. My name is Artemis. It's nice to-"

"You've gotta be kidding me! Is this for real?! Does a talking cat really follow you around Mako-chan?!" Sol interrupted, his voice going up an octave as hysteria began to set in.

"Artemis lives with Minako-chan actually." Makoto answered calmly. A long silence followed as Ami strained her ears for any other sounds. She heard some ruffling of the blankets and assumed Sol was getting out of bed. In the dim light she could just make out the figure of Sol wrapping his arms around Makoto, who seemed rather surprised at his reaction.

"As long as you're here, I can deal with it Mako-chan. Before I met you, I was drowning in despair, being swallowed by my own desperation. My wound went past flesh and bone and cut into the soul. I honestly thought for a time that life wasn't worth living. But you changed all that for me. You're light shone through the darkness like the rising sun over the horizon. You brighten everything you touch Mako-chan, even my sadness."

There was only sincerity in the words he spoke, Ami could tell. She found herself having a hard time holding back the tears as a lump formed in her throat. _If anyone deserves that kind of love, it's Mako-chan. _Ami heard what she could only describe as 'sniffles' from her tall friend. _His words must have a deep meaning for her._

"I've been waiting for someone like you to come and sweep me off my feet. Thank you Sol. No one has ever said anything like that to me before." Makoto said in a voice that cracked, betraying her calm demeanor. "I usually fall for older boys though" she finished with a laugh.

"What if I told you I was held back a grade" Sol replied.

"Really?"

"Sure." He said with as they both began to laugh as they whispered sweet nothings into each other's ear. Artemis cleared his throat having seen enough. "We need to figure out what the enemy's next move is going to be."

"I think I can shed some light one that." Sol muttered gravely. All the giggles were gone from the two love-struck teens. "Koji is going to that palace of yours."

"And how could you possibly know that?" Artemis nearly choked. Ami didn't know Sol personally, but she had taken some classes with him and knew he was bright. Also Makoto had told her about his quick wit and ingenuity under stressful situations. She was willing to bet that he was right.

"Because when Koji touched me, he could feel this new power I have. I wasn't going to say anything but then Aksuna brought Makoto in and threatened her life. I thought I had no choice because I didn't know she was Sailor Jupiter when I spilled the beans." Makoto stood up but it was Artemis who spoke.

"You and the others aren't going anywhere Makoto. Let Luna and I search. From what you told me, Koji has taken some serious damage and he won't be able to heal right away. So we still have some time. Chances are he'll have someone looking for you and he knows who you are now. No one would suspect a stray cat, so please just let Luna and I do this for you. Please keep this between us until we can find out some information." Ami watched as Makoto stood still, contemplating what Artemis offered. Ami knew this was the best course of action, but she also knew that Makoto grew restless when she couldn't act. Finally Makoto nodded in agreement and sat back down beside Sol.

The door to the outside world slid open and Ami had to shield her eyes from the change in brightness. "Good, you're up" came the voice of Mamoru. "Read this tonight and get the basics down" he continued as he tossed a book towards Sol.

"What is it?" Makoto asked as Sol picked the book up and began examining the cover.

"Samurai sword techniques." Mamoru replied for him. "If you're going to fight with a katana, you better know how to use it. Training starts first thing in the morning." The conversation continued but Ami was no longer able to fight the overwhelming urge to close her eyes. She lie back in the chair and let her eyes slowly close, sleeping washing over her quickly.

-/-*-\\-

The sun was up much quicker than Sol would have wanted. His ribs still ached terribly and he struggled to breath. Makoto had slept on the floor beside him, wanting him to get as much rest as possible to help him recover. Sitting up in bed and looking down at the peaceful features on her face he realized right then what he was fighting for. _I won't let anyone ever hurt you Mako-chan. _As quietly as he could, Sol pulled the covers back and slipped out of bed. The steady rise and fall of Makoto's chest told him she was still sleeping soundly, as was Ami, slumped over in the chair from last night. _She'll probably need a chiropractor after that sleep. _Sol grabbed his shoes and sheathed katana and slid the door open, quietly stepping outside.

The morning air was still cool and refreshing. The sun was just starting to come over the horizon as Sol surveyed the area, looking for any sign of Mamoru. I glint of light caught his eye deep in the trees on the shrine grounds as he pulled his shoes on. He crossed the open stone path towards the tall trees as quickly as his injuries would allow. Picking his way through the trees, Sol found Mamoru waiting in a small clearing. He was wearing the same plain clothes as the night before, but now he had a medium length black cane in his hand. "Unsheathe your sword and come at me with everything you've got. I want to assess your ability." The words were not unkind, but there was a certain coldness to his voice that Sol had never heard before.

He did as Mamoru asked of him and drew his blade from its scabbard. The blade sang as it announced its presence, the sun gleaming of the flawless steal. Sol took a deep breath as he prepared for the pain that was about to shoot through his body. Holding the blade in front of him Sol dug his toes in and leapt forward as pain flared up in his midsection. He raised his hands, the katana high above his head.

_ Kirioshi! _A downward straight cut, the first shown in the book Mamoru had brought him. His weapon whistled through the air, and was easily blocked by the cane in Mamoru's hand. Once Sol heard the clang of metal on metal, he let his wrists relax on the follow through, dropping the handle and sliding the blade off the cane to his right. _Mayoko giri! _Turning the sharpened edge towards his opponent, he let the blade fly again, executing the side cut. Mamoru had dropped his own guard after blocking the first attack, and just as easily blocked the second, the two weapons crashing together again.

_He's too fast for the power attacks _Sol thought as he backed up, creating some distance between them. Still holding his katana in front of him, he began to circle to Mamoru's left, the hand not holding a weapon. As Mamoru put his weight onto his left foot, and began to pivot, Sol took advantage of his off-balance. _Tsuki! _The straight thrust while his weapon was behind him and his center of gravity off, Sol was confident this attack would land. Mamoru flicked his wrist, bringing the end of his cane up deflecting Sol's attack away from his body and up above his head. With his sword in a favourable position for the downward diagonal strike, Sol went for his next attack. _Kesa giri! _But once again Mamoru was too fast, side stepping his slice as Sol missed and the end of his blade dug into the ground. He felt the cool end of Mamoru's cane pressed into the side of his neck. "Now you're dead." Again, his words were cold.

"You're too fast, I can't hit you. Plus I'm having a hard time breathing with this injury to my ribs." Sol confessed. Looking into Mamoru's eyes, he was greeted with an icy stare.

"Do you think your enemies will care if you're injured? Do you think they'll wait for you to recover before continuing the fight?" Sol knew he was right, but felt a little annoyed. This was a practice, not the real thing. "Remember, you're emotions dictate your power. Right now you're stiff and emotionless, calculating your actions like a program. Think of Makoto while you fight, it'll help." Sol had dropped his hands to his knees as sweat was beginning to bead on his forehead, trying to keep his breathing calm. _Think of Mako-chan._ He closed his eyes and pictured her face, chest-nut brown hair pulled up into a pony tail, a smile that touched her sparkling green eyes. Almost immediately he felt alleviation from the pain in his torso.

He raised the sword again and watched Mamoru, observing his movements as he circled one way and the other. _He favours an open stance. He wants me to attack so he can counter. _Sol rushed forward, holding his blade in front of him. He watched as Mamoru pulled his cane in front of himself now, ready to defend and counter. He slashed and Mamoru blocked, slashed and blocked, over and over again, increasing his speed as he pictured Makoto in his head. Mamoru was back peddling, their weapons flying frantically through the air.

Finally the older man had had enough and countered, the opening Sol was looking for. The black cane blocked one of his attacks from the side and slid down the blade. Sol let his wrists go limp, the end of the sword pointing towards the ground. It was enough to throw Mamoru off balance. He brought the blade back up as Mamoru tried to regain his balance, stopping as the cold steal made contact with his neck. "Now you're dead" Sol said with a smile.

"Perfect Sol. Now I know I can go full out against you. I had no idea you were such a quick study. Come, let's take this seriously now." His words of encouragement really did mean a lot to the tall Irish boy. The two went back and forth, attacking and blocking, countering and parrying each other as they practiced well into the afternoon, undisturbed.

A/N: It feels like forever since I posted the last chapter! I haven't forgotten and I try and work on the story as much as possible although lately I haven't had a lot of free time. Things are looking like they will calm down here so hopefully I can get back to really turning the chapters out. And as always I would like to thank everyone who is reading and enjoying the story,


	16. Chapter 16

A/N:  An obi is the term used for a sash that samurai used to carry their swords on their waist.

Chapter 16

Minako waited as Makoto ruffled through different obi of varying colour and sizes. She had agreed to accompany her friend on a small outing to do some shopping. Makoto and Sol had gotten into a bit of an argument over how he wore his katana. Makoto insisted he needed a proper obi, where he retorted that the twine he used to carry it on his back was fine. Little did he know how stubborn Makoto was when she believed she was right. _I guess he'll find out soon enough. _Minako was glad to get out of the shrine for a while. They had all been laying low inside the sacred grounds for the past two days, and were all starting to get a little stir crazy.

The small boutique was long and narrow with hard wood floors polished to a shine. Clothing was adorned on all the walls, hanging neatly for everyone to see. A few sale bins were placed in the floor with large signs advertising the great deals to find inside, but Minako and Makoto were at the end in the corner of the store, not taking advantage of the money saving opportunities.

Mamoru practiced with Sol every morning and Minako had enjoyed watching them spar. She was amazed at how quickly Sol was learning how to use his sword. He had a long way to go before he would be on Mamoru`s level though. She could tell he was holding back even though he told Sol he was giving it everything he had. _Building his confidence for when he needs to fight. _Makoto turned with a light green sash in her hands and held it up for Minako to see.

"What do you think?" She asked the blonde girl. "Is this one nice looking?" Minako looked it up and down, thinking it was kind of plain which wasn't her taste at all.

"It looks great" she lied with a smile. Makoto huffed and turned back to her search.

"If you don't like it you can just say so Mina-chan." _Not much gets by her _Minako thought with a grimace.

"It's just not my style. Let me help you look, ok?" Makoto peered over her shoulder and a small grin crossed her lips as she nodded. The athletic youth came to her friend's side and began rummaging through the large pile of obi. She was nearing the bottom of the pile when she came across one that was white with vibrant red roses decorating the entire length of the soft cloth. She held it up and marveled at the needle work, each peddle of each rose was clearly identifiable. "What do you think of this Mako-chan?" She asked the green eyed girl. She looked up from her search and examined the obi Minako was holding.

"It's beautiful. But do you think Sol will think it's kind of girly?" Minako contemplated for a few seconds before responding.

"Just tell him it's to match your earrings. That way everyone will know you two are a couple." Minako replied, satisfied with her reasoning. Makoto took the obi from her and examined it more closely, brows furrowed in thought.

"This really is beautiful. I think I will get it, and if Sol doesn't like it, we'll just make him like it." They both burst into laughter, Minako picturing her and Makoto holding Sol down and brow beating him into submission.

"Ahem" a man's voice said behind them. They both turned to see what Minako assumed was the shop owner. "Sorry to interrupt you two ladies while you shop, but it appears another mob has begun to gather outside not far away. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"That's fine sir, but can we pay for this before going?" Makoto asked, holding up the red and white obi. The man bowed slightly

"Of course, just bring it to the till and I'll ring that up for you right away." The two girls followed his orders and quickly paid before exiting the store. As soon as the door closed behind them, they both heard the dead bolt slide into place and shutters were hastily lowered. The scene outside was just as the merchant had told them; a large group of people were gathering about a block away, some were brandishing weapons already.

"Let's go this way." Minako gestured in the opposite direction of where the mob was gathered, and Makoto silently agreed as she turned. Just as Minako was about to turn fully she spotted someone dart out of the crowd in their direction, quickly running into a storefront, concealing himself in the recess of a doorway.

Minako calmed the feeling of panic that started to rise in her chest. "I think someone might be following us Mako-chan." Makoto began to turn to see if there was anyone there as Minako continued. "Don't turn around, let's just keep walking for now and see how this plays out."

"We should probably head away from Hikawa for the time being." Makoto suggested and Minako agreed. The last thing they needed was for someone to find where they were hiding. They took a left and as soon as the street behind them was out of view, both girls took off at a full sprint. Makoto was taller and took her strides with a flowing grace but Minako had to push herself to keep up. They were nearing the end of the block and Minako took a peek behind them, hoping she would find the street empty, but instead saw the figure of a man chasing after them.

The two girls rounded the next corner and stopped retreating deciding to stand their ground, ready to face whomever it was chasing after them. They waited tensely, and Minako was beginning to think he had given up when she saw a sickly grey looking tongue flick around the corner once, twice and a third time. As the realization of what they were about to face set in, a large lizards head slowly peered around the corner. Minako stood, frozen with fear at first, but quickly overcame it. She looked over at Makoto and without words the two transformed into Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter. _This one is grey, like the one in the park who seemed to have canine traits. Perhaps the grey skinned Forsaken take on animal qualities. _She had this and many other thoughts as the two Sailor Senshi dodged its vicious attacks, the creature easily blasting through the concrete walls around them.

-/-*-\\-

Ami had come to the grounds where the Crystal Palace stood and was hoping for less people to be around. She had wanted to come alone and find out more on how the palace worked, but Artemis and Luna were insistent that no one travel alone for the time being. So Rei had volunteered to accompany her, which she was now glad for. Having to wait by herself would have been pretty boring. The two girls sat on the same bench they had waited at the last time they came. Ami looked over at her friend who was sitting with her head tilted back; eyes closed enjoying the warmth of the sun beaming down. Ami exhaled, a little impatiently.

"I wish we could find a way to sneak in, but it's all open fields around the palace." The sun gleamed off the crystal walls of the palace, adding to its splendor. Ami's gaze traveled around the perimeter of where they sat, watching as people went about their day, ignoring the two girls sitting idly on a bench. Rei lifted her head and opened her eyes as she turned her attention to Ami.

"Well you have your computer back now. Maybe you can access the systems of the palace remotely?" It was something Ami had never considered. _Rei-chan is right!_

"That's right, why didn't I think of that." Ami reached into her small bag and pulled out the hand held device. She quickly began entering commands as Rei continued to speak.

"Well I am psychic, so these things come naturally to me" Ami was only half listening as she accessed the security network displayed on her small screen. "And besides, if I'm to be a successful international woman of travel, I'll need to be able to solve problems on the fly-"

"Look at this Rei-chan" Ami interrupted, holding the device out for Rei to see. Ami watched as she blinked a few times.

"What do the red dots mean?" She finally asked. Ami put the computer down on her lap and sighed. "Those are our enemies. The palace can detect dark energy. It seems Sol was right, the Forsaken are targeting this place." Ami sat back on the bench trying to think. A blinking red dot on the screen approached their position and Ami gave Rei a small nudge and pointed her chin towards the woman walking slowly in their direction. She glared out between narrowed eyes, scanning the small crowds of people that gathered to come see the palace.

"That's one of the Forsaken. Koji must have set up patrols in the hopes of finding everyone else. Now that he knows what Mako-chan looks like, he'll want to learn about the rest of us, I'm assuming" Ami deduced. She knew it was all conjecture, but strategically this would be the easiest place to find them with a small amount of man power needed. Rei stood up and held her fist in front of her as a small grin spread her lips.

"Two can play at this game. We know which ones are Forsaken because of the palace. Let's go around and get pictures of them so we know who will be our enemies when we return here. Chances are they'll run on shifts so I say we stay here all day and find out who they all are." Ami nodded in defiant agreement. _We won't go down without a fight Koji. Prepare yourself!_

-/-*-\\-

Sailor Venus rolled out of the way of the Forsaken's lashing tail. The thing was incredibly powerful and fast. Blood dripped into her eyes from a gash on her head, blurring her vision. Sailor Jupiter had been knocked out and was lying motionless in a pile of rubble. So far the thing had been able to dodge all her attacks and she was taking more and more damage as the fight went on.

Some people had gathered at both ends of the street where they battled and were actually cheering for the monster in front of her. _This doesn't look good. I just need a way to distract it, even for a second. _One large scaled foot took a step towards her and she tensed. _Will it be the tongue or the tail this time? The thing is unpredictable. _It opened its mouth as a dark slimy liquid dripped between its menacing fangs. _The tongue! _Sailor Venus barely had time to let the thought form when the creatures tongue came bursting out of its mouth, sharp as a knife. She reacted as quickly as possible, but the razor sharp edge of the Forsaken's lashing tongue caught her lower calf, slicing open a new wound. She winced in pain as blood began to fill her small high heeled shoe.

She breathed heavily as the lizard like Forsaken licked its lips. _I think it`s enjoying this. _As it stood now, she didn`t see any way out of this except defeat. She`d tried everything and the thing just lazily avoided all her attacks. _No, that`s the kind of thinking that will get you killed! _She gritted her teeth, telling herself she won`t ever give up. Even if the people behind her were cheering for her blood, she would fight to protect them. That`s what Usagi would want. That`s what Usagi would give her life to protect, innocent bystanders, even if they believed the Senshi were the enemies.

_This is it! All or nothing! _Sailor Venus raised her hand and shouted "Crescent Beam Shower!" Multiple golden beams of energy shot into the air and she hoped the monster would look up. Finally a stroke of good luck as the Forsaken slowly bent its head up to see what was going to come down on it. _Now is my chance! _"Venus Love Me Chain!" With her other hand she guided the chain in between the lizard's feet, wrapping around each foot in turn and cinching up tight as she pulled back with all her strength. She threw her hand down, calling the golden beams to her enemy. The Forsaken thrashed wildly as it realized the peril it was now in, but Sailor Venus didn't let the chain loosen, holding on with all her strength. Blast after blast found their mark as the grey skinned being screamed a horrible sound. Sailor Venus let the chain go and clasped both hands in front of her. She drew on all the strength she had left, not going to take any chances the creature might survive the attack. "Crescent-"a small ball of golden energy appeared just in front of her hands, quickly getting larger. "BEAM!" With all the strength she had left she called on her guardian, Venus, to blast this creature back to where it came. She golden ray shot through the air into its open mouth and exploded like a canon. Dust and debris was thrown into her face just after she felt the shockwave from such a powerful attack. _I don't think I've ever hit anything so hard_ she thought to herself in triumph as the dust settled and nothing remained of her attacker.

Her knees gave way then and she collapsed to the ground, unable to support her own weight from exhaustion. The wound on her head was already starting to heal, but the cut on her calf was deeper and still bled. She sucked in gasping breaths as the sun shone down, warming her tired body.

"Let's get her while she's down!" She heard someone say, not far off.

"Yeah, let's finish her off!" Came another voice. _Oh no! They want to kill me now, and I don't have the strength to run!_ She heard the crash of footstep quickly getting closer to where she lay, unable to stand. The approaching footsteps stopped suddenly and she heard nervous murmurs pass between the new assailants. With the small amount of strength she had left, Sailor Venus lifted her head to see Sailor Jupiter standing at her feet, arms out to either side, protecting her friend.

"If you want her dead, you'll have to go through me first." The tall brown haired girl said, deathly serious. Sailor Venus watched as they exchanged anxious looks. One by one they began to break off from the group, muttering to themselves until finally only a few remained. The last few, deciding it was better to fight another day, finally retreated; leaving the two girls on the street that now resembled a war zone. Sailor Jupiter turned and got down beside her friend.

"So that was your plan eh? Let me do all the hard work while you wait for your opportunity to be the hero?" Sailor Venus teased as Sailor Jupiter flung her arm over her shoulder and helped her stand.

"That gash on your leg looks pretty deep" Sailor Jupiter remarked, ignoring the jest. "Maybe I should carry you instead." Sailor Venus was going to object, saying she was perfectly able to stand on her own, when her legs buckled under the weight. Without another word Sailor Jupiter got down and lifted her onto her back.

"You keep watch for anyone following us; I'm making a straight run for Hikawa Shrine." Sailor Jupiter informed the tired blonde as she started to run, leaving behind the crimpled heaps of concrete and glass.

-/-*-\\-

Ami had to agree that things were going much smoother than she anticipated. The Forsaken patrolling the palace had no idea what the two girls were up too as they made their way around the unseen force field protecting the palace from threats such as this. The large area they had to walk around made the time go by quickly and they only needed a few seconds to wait before snapping a photo while the Forsaken wasn't looking. They had already gotten pictures of eight Forsaken, but the ninth was proving troublesome. All he did was stand in one spot with his back to the palace, staring out at the onlookers. Not once since they had sat down had Ami seen the man blink.

He was tall and muscular with a square intimidating face. His eyes were dark and focused, probably a military background. Short black hair with a clean shaven face only solidified the assumption to Ami. He wore a cheap suit that looked like it was pulled out of the back of a closet not long ago and hadn't even been bothered to wash it first.

"We've been waiting here for ten minutes Ami-chan, just let me go up and pretend to take a picture of the palace, but really get a picture of him." Rei had suggested it once already, but Ami and denied her.

"It's too dangerous Rei-chan. If he finds out what you're doing, then we would be surrounded by them. The two of us can't fight them all off, so the risks outweigh the reward." Ami knew this was best. _We just need to wait a little longer. He'll turn his head eventually. _Rei stretched her arms and legs while still seated on the bench and stifled a yawn behind her fist.

"I'm going for a little walk. You just be ready to take his picture in case he turns away." Ami nodded in agreement. _She can't do anything rash without the camera phone. _She thought to herself. Ami had the camera ready to go at a moment's notice and pressed a button every few seconds so the screen wouldn't lock, but was beginning to feel maybe Rei had the right idea. This man's sense of duty was more than she had bargained for.

From the direction Rei had walked, she heard a slap, and then Rei's voice, screaming at the top of her lungs "How dare you pervert! I come here on a day off from school to enjoy the sunshine and you try and grab me while I'm not looking?!" Ami stood up, ready to run to her friends aide when they made eye contact and Rei winked quickly at the blue haired girl. Immediately she understood what Rei was trying to do. She lifted the phone and pointed it towards the man who had now turned enough that he wasn't looking in their direction. Ami snapped a quick photo and gave her a thumbs up whole Rei was still berating the unsuspecting man. She finished her rant with another slap across the face and stormed off.

Ami waited patiently for her to come back, amused at the theatrics her friend was willing to go. Ami stood as she approached and only smiled at the dark haired girl. Rei shook her head from side to side in case the patrolling Forsaken was still looking their way. "Some people are just dirty." Was all she said and they continued on their way, leaving him behind, none the wiser. Ami was about to thank her friend for taking more of a passive approach to the matter when her computer began to beep. She pulled it out of her bag and looked at the screen, her stomach tightening in knots of fear._ Something is wrong._ Red dot after red dot appeared on the screen, coming from all angles. She looked around as large crowds of people began to fill the empty space surrounding the palace.

"I think we need to leave now Rei-chan." She whispered. Rei furrowed her eyebrows, confused. "I think they're on to us, but they don't know who we are. A very large group of Forsaken has shown up now. It's pointless to try and get everyone's picture, there is just too many." Ami showed her the small screen as she spoke, keeping watch for anyone looking in their direction. Rei exhaled in frustration "I suppose you're right Ami-chan. At least we got some information."

The two girls turned and began to walk away from the palace when a gruff sounding man's voice spoke from behind them. "Where do you think you're going? You can't just take all of our pictures and not show them to us, that would be rude." Ami turned in horror to see the face of the man she had just taken a picture of. They were quickly circled by what Ami assumed were Forsaken still in human form. The man in front of them cracked his knuckles "You're coming with us."

A/N: Thank you everyone for all the support and I hope you're all enjoying the new season of Sailor Moon Crystal. I for one love the animation.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The large menacing looking man closed the distance between Rei and Ami with a wicked grin on his face. He had finished cracking his knuckles and now had his hands balled into fists at his sides, ready to strike if they fought back. The rest of the group stood their ground, confident the girls wouldn't try anything. He opened his mouth to say something else, but Rei turned her attention to Ami, ignoring him. "We don't have any other choice. We need to transform and fight."Rei waited for her to agree or even respond but all she did was narrow her eyes. _She's thinking of a way out. Maybe I should buy her some time here. _

Rei pulled her transformation pen out and held it high. She opened her mouth to yell out the incantation, but Ami's hand on her own stopped her. Rei furrowed her brow and stared at the concerned face of her friend. "What are you doing Ami-chan? We need to-"

"We can't transform here. Look at all the people watching now." Rei quickly scanned the area, and Ami was right. Small groups of people were standing around, watching and waiting to see what would happen. "I have an idea Rei-chan, but the timing needs to be perfect. I may need you to cause another distraction and take some attention off of me for a few seconds." Rei had to lean in close as the other girl whispered, not wanting to be heard. The man in front of them grunted, not impressed that he was being ignored. Rei turned her attention to him and held her hand up to her ear, turning her head sideways as she mocked him.

"Pardon me? I couldn't hear you. I have a problem listening to what losers have to say." Right after the words were out of her mouth Ami sat down and pulled her knees up close to her chin, hugging her legs. Rei looked at her friend in disbelief. She gave her head a shake and reminded herself that she had a plan. The man in front her went from searing rage to bold confidence as the scene unfolded in front of him.

"You're friend is smart. Just give up and you won't get hurt." He narrowed his eyes at Rei, flashing teeth in a smile that never touched his eyes. "I promise." He softly chuckled. The entire circle of people began to move in towards them. Rei felt panic grip her, squeezing the air out of her lungs. She turned to look down at Ami who had quietly slipped the small hand held computer out of her bag and her fingers worked furiously over the controls. Ami peeked a quick glance up at her dark haired friend and recognized the situation. In an almost inaudible whisper Rei heard "Stall them just a few more seconds." Her mind worked desperately to think of something, anything to give Ami the time she needed to... _What is she going to do? If only I could fight them like I did against Koji. _With that thought, it was like a light went off inside Rei's head. The panic subsiding, she held her hand out, palm facing the approaching crowd.

"Hold on a second" she barked, now full of confidence. "You all saw what we did to Koji right?" Everyone paused and looked around nervously, not expecting this. "Isn't he your leader? Well guess what, we can do that to you too! Now back up before I lose my temper or I swear-"Ami suddenly turned around and covered her ears as loud cracking noises came from the Crystal Palace. Rei watched in stunned disbelief as a large spire grew from the side of the Palace they faced, coming toward them quickly. Everyone around them turned their attention, unsure of what was happening. Rei was about to ask Ami what she had done when the long protrusion began to glow a deep red, like the element of a stove left on for too long. A sudden and violent explosion blinded and deafened Rei, she was completely disorientated. The shockwave from the blast knocked the wind out of her and she struggled to breath. She was about to drop to her knees and try and regain some composure when she felt a hand grab hers and give two quick squeezes of encouragement. Right away she knew it was Ami, the only one who hadn't been looking towards the palace, making her the only one able to move at the moment.

Her ears rang as the other girl pulled her along, stumbling every now and then, but Ami was right by her side, quickly righting her from falling on her face. Rei's head was spinning from a lack of oxygen and having her hearing disabled threw her balance off, but she knew they had to push forward. The after image of the explosion was burned into her vision and all Rei could do was blink continuously, hoping it would recover her eyesight quicker.

The tightness in her chest began to relax as her eyesight got a little better. She felt Ami turn her once more and could tell they were somewhere dark now. Rei felt Ami's presence close to hers as Ami began to say something into her ear, but the only words Rei caught were 'away' and 'sit'. Feeling a wall at her back she let herself slide down and come to a sitting position. _What had Ami done to the Palace? Was the whole thing destroyed now? _All Rei could do was wait until her other senses came back and she felt another reassuring squeeze from her reliable friend.

-/-*-\\-

"I told you already, I can't just channel my emotions like you can." Sol complained to Mamoru, who scoffed at what he said. The two young men breathed heavily in the afternoon sun. Sol was wearing a light t-shirt that clung to him from the sweat pouring off his body with lose fitting pants. Mamoru was wearing similar garb that also stuck to his body. Both needed to be able to move freely as they trained together. _Well more like him training me, I doubt he's learning anything new here. _The small clearing of trees where they came to practice every day was starting to show signs of wear, the grass was no longer a lush green, but a dying brown. "Explain it to me one more time." He continued.

Mamoru inhaled slowly and let the breath out. "First I picture an empty lake. It's empty because I'm going to fill it with my emotions. I think of how much I care for Usako and I let the water pour into it. Once it's full the water can be gentle and graceful, but if I need it too, I can turn the water and make it violent and crushing. But this all stems from my love for Usako. You need to learn to fight with love in the battlefield Sol." He had explained it to him like this many times already, but it didn't make sense to Sol. The water part he did understand, he was learning about grace and fluidity, but the metaphor made no sense to him. An empty lake is just a depression in the ground; the water makes it a lake. _Maybe I'm being too literal. _"Try and find what works for you Sol." He looked across to the taller man. There wasn't any frustration in the eyes that looked back at him.

Sol closed his eyes and tried picturing an 'empty' lake, but quickly shook his head at the idea. He calmed his breathing and tried again. In his mind there was only blackness. He let his thoughts drift, from what happened at the palace, to feeling more alive than he ever had on that fateful day. He saw his mothers smiling face before him and let the memories of her kindness wash over him. He remembered a time when he was playing a card game with his mom and dad. He waited for the hunting images of what his father had become to flash before his mind's eye, but they never came. Instead the scene played out in his head.

_Sol held a pair of kings, a good poker hand in five card flop. He looked from his mom to his dad, trying to get any kind of read but his mom just smiled, exchanging glances with the two of them. His father had a fake cigar hanging out of his mouth, something he had bought years ago and only used when they played cards. _

_ "I see your candy bar and raise you five jelly beans." Tom said with the cigar clenched in his teeth. His mom threw her cards down and sighed "Too rich for my blood dear." _

_ "Aha" Tom chuckled softly. "What'll it be Aherne" Sol knew he meant business when he only called him by their last name. "Call or fold." Sol fingered the cards nervously. He wanted the large pile of candy in front of him, but didn't want to risk anything else in case his dad had the better hand. _Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

_ "I'll call." He replied as he slid five jelly beans from his pile into the pot. "Watch out honey, I think our little card shark might have something." Shannon chortled as she moved to warp her arms around her husband. She took a quick glance at his cards and Sol watched as her eyes went wide "Not a bad hand dear."_

_ "Let's see what you got Aherne." Tom mumbled in a bad mobster accent. Sol put his cards down showing his kings with a queen for a kicker. He looked over at his father anxiously, heart pounding in his chest. The large smile that had been plastered on his face slowly melted away. "Looks like you got me this time Aherne." He grimaced as he threw his cards face down in defeat. Sol eagerly reached out for the large pile of edible goods as the phone began to ring. "That'll probably be work" His father grimaced again._

_ "I'll start dinner now." Shannon said to no one in particular. They both left the table and Sol continued to haul in his winnings. _I wonder what dad had._ He peeked down the hall and his father had his back turned as he chatted away on the phone. Sol quickly reached out and grabbed the cards. His eyes went wide. Three tens and two jacks. His dad had a full house. _He let me win. Why did he let me win?

His memories of that day seemed to awaken something within him. Sol opened his eyes and everything seemed brighter and clearer, like the day he had first been given his powers. He could smell the grass underneath his feet and taste the salt in the air from the nearby ocean. He could hear people's conversations over the large retaining wall of Hikawa Shrine; even hear their footsteps as they walked by. _Is this what being alive truly feels like? _He was about to draw his katana and really challenge Mamoru when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs of the shrine. _They're coming up fast too! _

Mamoru had heard the same thing and they both sprung into action, expecting the worst. The two burst from the tree line and onto the path weapons ready to strike, but were greeted by Makoto who was carrying an injured Minako. Makoto was breathing heavily, her brown hair dripping with sweat as it clung to her face. Minako looked exhausted, like she could barely hang on to the taller girls back. At the sight Mamoru and Sol sprung into a different kind of action. Mamoru helped Minako off of Makoto's back while Sol offered a shoulder to lean on. She nearly collapsed into his arms as her legs gave out.

"What happened to two?" Mamoru asked much calmer than Sol would have expected him too. Makoto was still gasping for air so they turned their attention to Minako who was favouring one leg heavily.

"We were ambushed by a Forsaken. It was some kind of lizard thing and it nearly killed us both. Mako-chan carried me all the way back here. I would have been killed by an angry mob of people if it weren't for her. At least I would make a beautiful corpse." The blonde girl through her head back and laughed nervously, trying to lighten the mood a little. "Where's Usagi-chan?" Almost like she could sense someone was inquiring about her, Usagi opened a door from inside the shrine and stepped out. Upon noticing her friends were back, she waved enthusiastically as she called out their names. The closer she got to them, however, the grimmer her features turned.

Minako went into better detail of how the fight played out once Usagi was beside them. It seemed to Sol that the Forsaken were beginning to take drastic measures now. What they needed was to strike back. After Minako was done filling them all in, Makoto threw her fist into her opposite hand in frustration. "I didn't even grab the obi I had picked out for Sol. Maybe if I go back it'll be there in the rubble somewhere."

Minako put her hand on Makoto's shoulder as she reached under her shirt and pulled out a small plastic bag, smiling slyly at her friend. "I grabbed this while you were taking a nap" she teased. Makoto's face went from disappointment to tired happiness instantly. "I know how much it meant that you give this to Sol, so I made sure to grab it when I saw it. Almost cost me my life though." Tears began to fill Makoto's big green eyes as she threw her arms around her friend.

"I knew there was a reason I decided to save you back there" she teased right back, grabbing the bag from Minako and handing it to Sol. "I hope you like it, and if not... Well" she gave Minako a sideways glance as the two girls giggled quietly. Sol exchanged a confused glance with Mamoru who only shrugged his shoulders. Shaking his head Sol reached into the small plastic bag and immediately felt soft cloth against his hand. He pulled it out carefully and a long white rose covered sash unrolled before him. The intricacies of the needle work were marvelous; it was like he was actually looking at real roses. The red on white contrast only added to the effect. In a word, the obi was beautiful.

"Thank you Makoto-chan, I'll wear this with pride." He was against having one before, but after seeing this, he was glad he hadn't objected further. Usagi beamed brightly as she examined the obi closely, eyes sparkling. "It matches your earring Mako-chan!" She squealed in delight. "Let's get this on you so you can try it out." Usagi giggled. The two girls worked together as they wrapped the smooth fabric around his waist, tying it off at the back. When they were finished Sol slid the sheathed blade into place and adjusted until he found a comfortable spot against his hip. _That should be easier than pulling it out off of my back. _

As the girls were admiring how good it looked it seemed they all heard another set of approaching footsteps at the same time. Everyone turned to see what looked like Ami leading Rei by the hand slowly up the steps. Sol noticed immediately that Rei was blinking quickly and it seemed she couldn`t focus on anything far away. Everyone waited for them to come up the steps as neither was in any danger or had been harmed. Once they were close Ami began to fill them in on what happened.

"Rei-chan is having a hard time hearing anything right now." Upon finding this out, everyone turned their attention to Rei, like they could somehow see she couldn't hear.

"I'm having a hard time hearing anything, what did Ami say?" The dark haired girl yelled out. Sol couldn't help but feel amused and had to hide his smile behind his hand or the quick tempered girl might get upset.

"She keeps saying all she can hear right now is a ringing noise." Ami informed them.

"All I can hear is a ringing noise." Rei echoed again, much louder than was necessary. Sol couldn't contain his laughter. He had to face away from them as his shoulders shook while he tried his best not to lose complete control. Ami told them the rest of what happened, informing them all how the Palace was under guard right now and how she used the Palace to create a diversion. When she was done it was Minako who spoke first.

"That's amazing" she remarked to no one in particular. "To single out and overload a portion of the Palace. That could be used to our advantage in the future if Koji really is after the Palace." Sol looked at her and pondered but it was Mamoru who replied.

"I think having all those Forsaken as guards is proof that Koji really is targeting the Palace. Although he won't be able to do anything while the shield is up." Everyone nodded in agreement, Sol being put at ease by what he said.

"Everyone!" They all turned towards the stairs to see Luna and Artemis hurrying towards them. "Koji is on the move!" Artemis continued. "We overheard some Forsaken say that Koji is about to change the world and make it in his image!" The panic in his voice was crystal clear. Ami bent down and stroked his head and back softly.

"Don't worry Artemis, he can't get in as long as the shield is active, and you can only deactivate from the inside, or with this" she held up her small hand held device. The blank screen reflected their faces back at them, Ami smiling and Artemis full of worry. Both cats relaxed just as the screen lit up and began emitting a high pitched alarm. Sol watched as Ami quickly began pressing buttons and executing commands, her features turning graver the further she went.

"What's wrong Ami-chan?" Usagi asked softly. Ami began to shake her head slowly, eyes wide with what Sol thought was fear. _These girls don't fear anything._

"He's breaking it down." Ami whispered, still shaking her head. Sol looked at the other girls around him and saw they too were uneasy. No one was saying anything so Sol asked the obvious question.

"Breaking what down?"

"The shield around the Palace. Koji is destroying it. The Palace is sending me a warning, the shield is down to 85% and dropping quickly."

"How?" Makoto blurted out. Ami shook her head again "I don't know." Mamoru leaned down and took the small device from her before addressing everyone.

"The how doesn't matter right now. What matters is he is attacking us. We need to hurry over there and stop him. I believe he's going to use the Palace to plunge the world into darkness." He turned to Rei who seemed to be able to hear again "I think your prophecy is coming true now. We have to stop them, no matter the cost."

A/N: I got stuck on this chapter, sorry everyone. I feel like this chapter isn't very good, but you are your own worst critic right? Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"We have to hurry!" Sol wasn't one to bark out orders, but they all stood paralyzed with what he could only imagine was fear. His words seemed to pull them back to reality as they all turned to look at him and nodded. The shocked faces that were before him just a second ago were now replaced with faces of determination. Sol locked eyes with Makoto and her stare softened, if only for a second.

"The shield is down to 60% already. We'll never make it in time!" Sol couldn't recall Ami ever sounded hysterical before, but she did now. Without saying a word he turned and ran down the old stone steps of Hikawa Shrine. The normally busy street in front of him was almost deserted, save for one van idling outside of a small convenience store not far away. _Perfect! _Sol took off as fast as his legs would allow. The back doors of the white cargo van were hanging open, which he was glad for; it meant the owner of the vehicle was probably inside. Normally he wouldn't steal anything from anyone, but drastic times called for drastic measures.

Sol came skidding to a halt beside the driver's side door, and was stunned momentarily by a middle aged man sitting there. He quickly opened the door and was about to explain the situation when the man began to protest.

"Hey kid, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"I'm sorry sir, but this-"

"You can't just go around and open people's doors like that!" The man interrupted.

"Again, I'm sorry, but if you would please-"

"What the hell is wrong with today's youth?" Sol was beginning to get frustrated that this man kept interrupting him. _If he would just let me finish! _

"I need this van, so if you would-"

"_Ha! _Get real kid, you think I'm going to just give you my van? C'mon kid, get a-"Sol's fist flew through the air and connected with his lower jaw, snapping his head to the side as he fell unconscious. Sol quickly reached over and unbuckled his seat belt and awkwardly pulled him out of the van. After placing the unconscious man as gently to the ground as he could, Sol stood to see everyone staring at him with wide eyes. _Whether or not they approve doesn't matter. I need to do what's necessary right now. _

"I only knocked him out, and this is an emergency. "

"We know" Usagi said with a calm he hadn't seen in her a few seconds before. "I only hope he understands."

"Alright everyone, get in the van. I'm driving." Minako announced with a large grin on her face. Sol ignored her as he pulled his katana from the obi he now wore and placed it in between the two front seats. Hoisting himself up he slid into the driver's seat. Rei turned to her blonde friend, face red with anger. "You don't even know how to drive Mina-chan!" Mamoru got into the passenger seat beside Sol and asked "have you driven before?"

"Yeah, my dad taught me how on country roads in Ireland before we moved to Japan. The police are pretty lenient over there." The older Mamoru only nodded as he buckled himself in. Minako and Rei continued to argue as they all piled into the back of the van. Sol put the automatic into drive and floored the pedal. The result was a slow acceleration down the road.

"Not what I was-" the van shifted into second gear and took off like a bullet as the RPM's began to red line, quickly shifting gears as they sped up. Sol suddenly had a hard time controlling the vehicle as it thundered down the road.

"What's with this crazy driving up there Sol?" He heard Makoto yell from the back of the van. Luckily the streets were almost empty of other traffic so he peeked a quick glance into the rear view mirror. The other four girls were pulling themselves out of piles of packaged goods like bags of chips and soft drinks. Makoto's face suddenly filled the mirror, eyes burning with rage.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" he apologized, trying not to laugh. Mamoru wasn't holding anything in as he watched the girls fall over each other while Sol veered left and right avoiding some debris on the road. No doubt leftover rubble form the riots. Makoto turned her fiery glare on Mamoru and he stopped laughing abruptly, sitting up straight in his seat, looking forward.

"The shield is down to 37% now. Whatever their doing must be extremely powerful." Sol heard Ami remark from the back. Her voice shook slightly as she spoke.

"Don't worry Ami-chan" Usagi offered softly. "With the five of us together, we can beat any foe." Sol continued to speed down the road way, closing in on their destination quickly. Mamoru turned in his seat to face the Senshi. "We should all transform now. We don't know what to expect when we get there, but there is bound to be other people around." Everyone took their transformation pens out and began to change into their Sailor Senshi alter egos.

Sol rounded the last corner and the Palace was finally in sight. They could all see the force field pulsating as Koji continued his assault. People were running away from the Palace with horrified expressions on their faces. It was like something out of a movie when the end of the world is approaching. _Maybe that's not a bad assessment _Sol thought to himself. The crowds of people were getting thicker the closer they got and Sol was about to suggest they go on foot when people coming their way stopped.

The girls in the back all leaned closer to the front of the van to get a better view as they closed the distance. A large group was standing to one side of the Palace, where the pulsating from the shield seemed to originate from. Sol strained his eyes to get a better look and was shocked at what he saw. At the front beside the force field was Aksuna, and not Koji. She was tearing, the only word Sol could think to describe it, rifts out of nothing and dark energy poured out at the shield. Each tear was only open for a second or two, but it seemed an immense amount of energy poured forth each time. After the rift closed, she would take a few deep breaths before opening a new rift. Right behind her stood Koji, and he seemed to be in good health again. All around Koji were Forsaken, each of which had transformed into their dark selves. _There must be at least a hundred of the Forsaken around them! _

"The force field is about to be destroyed!" Sailor Mercury's panic stricken voice shouted from the back of the van. Aksuna opened one more rift and dark energy flowed out. The force field began to pulsate and shimmer and it seemed for a second that it might hold but then it began to crystallize as cracks spread out from where Aksuna stood. The cracks continued to spread all around the shield enveloping the Palace, and finally, it shattered into pieces. Their first line of defense had been broken as Forsaken ran towards the Palace with Koji and Aksuna at the front of the pack.

"Sol, get the van in front of them. Sailor Moon, you and the Senshi will fight Koji and Aksuna. Sol, you and I will hold off the Forsaken until Sailor Moon can defeat them." Tuxedo Kamen gave the orders quickly as Sol sped up to intercept them on their path. Sailor Moon immediately began to protest.

"There is no way you can defeat that many Forsaken!" Tuxedo Kamen turned to face her as the van came bearing down on the intruders.

"We're not going to try and defeat them, only hold them off. If you five can get to the room that amplifies your powers, you can cleanse the world. If you're tied up fighting Forsaken, Aksuna and Koji will get there first and I have no doubt in my mind if they get there, it will be the end for us all. Our only hope is for you all to beat him to the punch." Sailor Moon opened her mouth to protest further, but Tuxedo Kamen took his hand in hers and looked deep into her sky blue eyes. "I believe in you Sailor Moon. Now believe in us to do what needs to be done." The last few words seemed to give her encouragement and she nodded quickly.

"Hold on everyone!" Sol yelled out. The Forsaken were running faster than he expected and he could no longer get in front of them. Instead he decided to ram the front of the pack with the hopes of slowing them down enough for the Senshi to rush into the Palace and cleanse the world of this pervasive darkness. The Forsaken at the front of the incoming rush didn't seem to notice the van about to crash into them, and Sol had thought they would even run over Koji and Aksuna, but at the last second, they jumped high and out of sight. The front of the van made contact with two Forsaken, throwing them violently through the air as the hood crunched and the bumper was crushed into the motor. The force of the impact sent everyone inside the van reeling forward as smoke and stem began to spew from the now disabled engine. Sol reached down and grabbed his white hilted katana before opening the door. The Senshi quickly unloaded out of the back and took off towards the Palace. He peeked back and was horrified to see that Koji and Aksuna were well ahead of them and about to enter the Palace doors. _Don't worry about them; you have your own part to play here._

The tall Irish boy turned to face his opponents as he pulled the sword free from its scabbard. The metal rang out like it always did, announcing its arrival. He faced the horde of Forsaken to the front as Tuxedo Kamen came and stood beside him, black cane in hand and ready to fight. Sol began to feel adrenaline course through his veins. His fight or flight instinct told him to run, but he knew that wasn't an option. _Overcome your fear, here and now! If you don't fight these monsters, who will?_ He took a sideways glance at Tuxedo Kamen, who stood full of confidence, unflinching at the task before them.

"How can you remain so calm about this?" He asked Tuxedo Kamen. The other man didn't say anything at first; instead he only gripped his weapon tighter.

"I believe in Sailor Moon. Now, let's show them what we've been working so hard at the last few days." Sol could only stare at the man standing beside him. _His faith in her is unwavering. _The Forsaken were beginning to advance their position and circle around them so they would have nowhere to run. Three large black skinned Forsaken broke off from the rest and casually walked towards them.

"I'll take the one with the long tongue hanging out of its mouth; you take the one with the baboon arms. Defeat them quickly and we'll both go after the guy with the spiky head." Tuxedo Kamen's voice never faltered while he gave Sol direction. "Remember Sol, Makoto is behind us. If they get into the Palace, it's all over." All the fear inside of Sol was suddenly gone, replaced instead by a burning desire to protect Makoto. He gripped the hilt of his katana tight, holding the blade steadily. He narrowed his eyes at baboon arms, full of determination now. With a roar that came from deep within his lungs, he sprang forth, legs pushing him closer to his prey. Closing the distance quickly, he jumped high into the air, holding the gleaming blade above his head, swinging down he effortlessly cut through the creature's outstretched arms, thick dark blood pouring out the severed limbs, and buried the blade into its skull. He crashed down to the earth on top of the defeated monster and turned his eyes to his next target. _I won't let you pass. At the end of this, we will be the last ones standing._ With that and the thought of Makoto imbedded into his mind, he thrashed out with all his strength at the spiky headed one, cutting through limbs like they were paper.

-/-*-\\-

Sailor Jupiter emerged passed the large opening of the Crystal Palace and quickly scanned the surroundings. The almost clear crystal of the walls shone brilliantly in the afternoon sun, bouncing the light into every corner of the palace. The other Senshi were close behind as they came rushing in, coming to a stop where she stood in the large entry foyer. _Which way did they go?_ Sailor Mercury must have been thinking the same thing, as she activated her visor while she spoke.

"I can link up with the palace and should be able to track where they went." Everyone formed a tight circle around Sailor Mercury as she worked, in case they were planning an ambush. Sailor Jupiter could feel the tension in the air. This was going to turn into a battle ground, she just knew it. "One of them is here, inside this foyer with us" she pointed to a large pillar that was a support for the giant stair case leading to the upper levels "Behind that column."

Sailor Jupiter was ready to spring into action, but Aksuna calmly walked out from her hiding place. The smug look on her face spoke volumes of what she thought of her opponents. "That is a pesky ability you have Mercury. I know who I'll be taking out first." Aksuna crossed her arms in front of her, a devious smile forming on her face.

"We have some unfinished business" sailor Jupiter growled at the tall dark haired woman. "Everyone else, go on ahead. This one is mine." Sailor Venus stepped up beside her green eyed friend and crossed her arms, much like Askuna had.

"Hey now, I'm not going to let you have all the fun" she teased with a smile "If I'm not around to watch your back, Sol would kill me after this." Sailor Jupiter gave her friend a sideways glance and grinned.

"Sounds good to me. Sailor Moon, you take Mars and Mercury and go find Koji. We'll take care of this one." The other three girls started forward, ignoring the threat in front of them. Aksuna's smile was gone as they were starting to pass and was replaced by a rage filled sneer. As soon as their backs were to Aksuna, she lunged forward throwing her leg in a vicious kick at Sailor Mercury's mid section, but Sailor Jupiter anticipated the cheap shot and had already closed the distance. She caught Aksuna's kick with both hands, Aksuna's eyes going wide with surprise, and spun her around, taking her off her feet and throwing her with all her strength away from the other Senshi. Aksuna crashed into the crystal pillar she had been hiding behind with a low thump and slid to the ground.

"Your opponent is right here Aksuna. Now get up and fight." Sailor Jupiter glared at the other woman, who was getting to her feet slowly. A light chuckle began to come from Aksuna and quickly built into a full blown menacing laugh.

"Do you _really _think the two of you can take me? This will be child's play." She closed her eyes and her shadow seemed to come to life, jumping from the ground and manifesting into a small black skinned creature. The thing threw its head back and wailed an ear piercing scream just before it lunged at Sailor Jupiter. It closed the distance between them with remarkable speed, and Sailor Jupiter narrowly missed being impaled by its sharp claws as she side stepped to dodge. With the little demon off balance, Sailor Jupiter saw an opportunity to strike back, but the thing spun and threw out its fist before she could attack. Sailor Jupiter put her arm up defensively just before its fist connected with her face. The blow landing hard into her forearm, pain shooting through her as the thing readied for another attack. Sailor Jupiter was ready this time and ducked under the straight jab. Grabbing its wrist, she spun on her heel and pulled its arm down to her shoulder, throwing the black beast over her back and slamming it down into the ground. Still holding on to its wrist, she raised her knee and kicked down, but the thing grabbed her high heeled foot before making contact. She felt it squeeze hard and push up with incredible strength. The force was enough to send her toppling over backwards, and before she had even hit the ground, it was back up and lunging for her throat.

"Venus Love Me Chain!" The words echoed through the empty foyer and a golden heart linked chain wrapped itself around the little demons neck, cinching up tight as Sailor Venus pulled hard. The thing was thrown to the ground from the force of Venus wrenching it, landing on its back. Sailor Jupiter got up quickly and clapped her hands together.

"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" She threw the lighting as hard as she could. Right before impact the shadow being disappeared. Sailor Jupiter's attack exploded and electricity crackled out along the floor as Aksuna began to laugh.

"Don't you see how futile your efforts are? I was only toying with you there. Now for the real fun to begin." Her eyes flashed dark and her smile faded. Sailor Jupiter was beginning to think they had underestimated Aksuna as her fist shook with fear she didn't want to admit was taking over.

-/-*-\\-

"Go left here!" Sailor Mercury instructed. Sailor Moon did as she said and turned left down a long crystal corridor. Their high heels clicked against the hard floor as they pushed forward, chasing down Koji. "He's going to the chamber where we restarted everything."

"How does he even know where it is?!" Sailor Mars asked a little breathlessly.

"I don't know, but that doesn't matter right now. What matters is stopping him." Sailor Mercury's words carried more weight than Sailor Moon would have liked to admit, but here she was, chasing down an enemy that the five of them almost didn't defeat, with only three. _Believe in Jupiter and Venus. They'll beat Aksuna and come help with Koji. _Sailor Moon trusted her friends with her life, but she still felt concern for leaving them behind.

She remembered from the last time they were here, that it was only one more turn away, and then it was a dead end. The room they had made to awaken the world was meant to be used only once, so they had designed it to be buried deep inside the palace, somewhere no one would stumble on accidentally. They neared the final corner and Sailor Moon could now see Koji's reflection looking back at them, cold menacing eyes filled with hatred. The three girls rounded the corner and stood face to face with the man who had caused everything since they had awakened the world. The one who framed them and started the riots, the one who wanted to plunge this world into darkness. Sailor Moon was sucking in deep breaths from the run, but she noticed he was still breathing normally.

"Hold it right there!" Sailor Moon struck a pose, pointing her finger at Koji. "Using our palace to try and transform this world is unforgivable!" Koji had a stunned look on his face, eyebrows climbing high up his forehead. "I am the sailor warrior of love and justice, Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon, I will punish you!" The man before them began to laugh, quietly at first, but it soon built up and his whole body shook from the intensity of it.

"This is where you die Sailor Moon. Behold! my true form!" He stretched his arms out to either side and threw his head back. A low growl emerged from deep within his throat. Two crescent shaped horns shot violently out of his head, spraying thick tar like blood everywhere. His right shoulder grew incredibly large before, bulging out before a huge black arm burst through. _He isn't transforming like the others! This is like something is trying to get out of his body! _Sailor Moon thought in horror as his human arm dangled under the giant clawed black arm. Another black arm shot out from underneath the remaining limb, and the clawed hands reached towards his mouth, prying it open from the top and bottom. His jaw cracked as it was dislocated, lips being ripped apart from the increased tension. Inside his mouth Sailor Moon saw long white fangs dripping with red human blood, quickly turning back and thick like that of a Forsaken. As his monstrous hands ripped his mouth further open, the horns were forced further down his face, his eyes bulging from the increased pressure until one of them exploded, a small amount of blood gushing out of the open socket. The other eye was pushed out from where it belonged and hung by the optical nerve, dangling against the contorted deformed face of what used to be Koji. The hands continued their assault on his human form, pulling the mouth open further and further, until they finally revealed his hideous black skinned face underneath, pulling the human shell off like a hood. The black eye lids flew open, revealing vertical pupils like that of a cat, Koji's mangled human face hanging off the back of its neck limply.

The strong arms plunged themselves into his human torso as it screamed out in what Sailor Moon thought was pain, her hand shaking while she covered her mouth at the brutality she was witnessing. The clawed hands ripped his chest open and the rest of his true form exploded out, sending organs and blood in every direction. His knees were bent backwards like that of an animal with a single sharp curved talon at the end of what could only be called his foot. The skin across his chest was pulled tight, revealing a rib cage that stretched down to his hips, leaving no soft spot in the abdomen. Koji tried to stand to his full height, but the roof of the chamber stopped his progression, stopping him short. _This room is fifteen feet tall!_ Sailor Moon thought, trying to push down the panic that continued to rise up inside her.

What was standing before them crossed it arms above its head and slammed its fists into the walls as it let out a terrible horrifying scream, its mouth opening wide enough for one of them to walk into. The walls of the entire room shook like an earthquake, the crystal cracking under the intense pressure of the blow. Sailor Moon looked from Mars to Mercury and both were paralyzed with fear, eyes wide with horror like that of a cornered animal. Sailor Moon readied her scepter and summoned as much power from the Silver Crystal as she could, pushing her fear aside.

"Moon Princess Halation!" She pointed the rod at Koji and let the energy fly forth, golden crescent moons spinning like discs plunged into his boney chest. The wide blast of energy coming from her had no effect as he reached one clawed hand back and struck down at where they stood. Sailor Moon dropped the rod and grabbed her friends, quickly jumping back just before his giant clawed fingers struck them dead where they stood. The force of the attack shook the room again, his fingers breaking through the hard crystal floor. He pulled them straight back, cutting through the clear crystal, and a powerful burst of pink energy roared out. Koji pulled his hand back and wailed in agony, the tips of his fingers gone as thick black blood gushed out. The wounds quickly closed as he held his wrist in his other hand, growling at the three girls who trying to regain their composure.

Sailor Moon looked down at the deep gashes on the floor and saw her wand in pieces. _He smashed my wand. _She dropped to her knees, staring at the broken weapon. _It's gone, my wand is gone. How will we defeat him now?_

A/N: Hope you enjoy this chapter.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: So so so sorry about the long wait! I had almost finished this chapter when my PC decided it was a good time to kill itself... So it took some time, but I eventually got a lap top rewrote the chapter. I hope you enjoy it and again, sorry for the long wait.**

Chapter 19

Blood dripped down Sol's left arm and he had to keep adjusting his grip on the hilt of his katana. His fingers tightened around the hilt once again, squeezing out his own blood. His main concern was losing his weapon while swinging, and he knew it wouldn't take much now. _That spiky headed bastard! _After he had cut the thing at the knee, it lurched forward and tried to impale him with one of its spikes, but he had dodged enough to avoid a fatal blow. Instead the spike had gouged out a deep gash into his shoulder which continued to pour blood down his arm. _I'll have to resort to using just one hand if the wound doesn't close soon. _

His muscles ached and his breathing was heavy. Sol was beginning to think they wouldn't be able to hold them off. The Forsaken had quickly realized Sol and Tuxedo Kamen had the advantage when they were able to fight together, and were now attempting to separate them. The Forsaken would try and lure them out from one side, and then have a few approach from the rear in the hopes of drawing one away from the other. Sol and Tuxedo Kamen stood back to back, waiting for the next assault.

"Hey Sol, how's your arm?" Tuxedo Kamen asked while they had some time.

"It's just a scratch." Sol lied. In truth whenever he moved his arm, the wound burned and more blood poured out. The harder his heart beat from fighting, the quicker the blood flowed. "Are you missing your top hat right about now?" Sol asked in return. Tuxedo Kamen let out a short laugh.

"I can always get another one." A tall skinny Forsaken had almost taken Tuxedo Kamen's head clean off, tearing his top hat to shreds. That had seemed to bother him more than almost being killed and he lashed out viciously against the monster. Three more Forsaken broke off from the main group and approached the two lone defenders slowly from Tuxedo Kamen's front. "Are you ready Sol?" The well dressed man asked him. They had decided it was best for one person to remain looking to the rear while closing the distance, and then they would both strike, defeating their foes fast enough before the enemy could counter.

"Let's do this." Sol replied tiredly. They hadn't been fighting long, but Sol was already beginning to feel weak. His left arm especially throbbed with pain. Tuxedo Kamen began slowly, Sol keeping his back pressed against his ally, watching for any signs of an incoming attack from his side. They began to pick up speed like they had done multiple times already. Luckily Tuxedo Kamen was a bit of a strategist and had realized they needed to fight together in order to survive. This was all his idea, and Sol had yet to be disappointed with the results. On Tuxedo Kamen's mark, Sol would turn and they would attack like they had before, Sol taking one side Tuxedo Kamen taking the other, defeating each Forsaken before the one in the middle had a chance to single out one or the other. So far they had had only success, but Sol doubted these beasts were completely mindless. _They'll catch on sooner or later._

"Now Sol!" He heard Tuxedo Kamen bark. Sol pivoted on his foot, and just before he had turned all the way around, he spotted two Forsaken break off from the large circle and sprint towards the open palace doors.

"Mamoru!" Was all he could get out, breaking off from their small formation and chasing after the two clever Forsaken.

"Sol no!" It was already too late. He hadn't gone far from Tuxedo Kamen when the Forsaken turned their attention back to him. One crouched low and leapt forward in Sol's direction. He knew he had to, at the very least, disable them before turning back to Tuxedo Kamen. He heard one of the creatures wail out in pain behind him as he confronted his assailant to the front. The beast was hurdling towards him using its hands as another pair of legs, breaking away from its partner. Sol readied his katana, lowering the tip to the ground as he sped forward.

The black Forsaken took a final leap, outstretching its arms revealing sharp claws at the ends of its finger tips. _Couldn't just one of them have stumps instead of claws? _His thought seemed to bounce across his consciousness as he jumped high into the high, the larger Forsaken slamming into the ground where he had just been standing. His momentum carried him down the length of the creatures' body, and he slashed out across the backs of its heels, severing its Achilles' tendon, leaving it unable to walk or run. Sol Had enough time in the air to see the next beast right behind the first and raised his sword to counter, but was too late.

Razor sharp teeth buried deep into Sol's left shoulder, he felt his collar bone crack under the pressure as he threw his head back and screamed out in pain. His left arm went limp as hot blood poured out of the wound, soaking his clothes. Katana still in hand, he tried to plunge the end into the monsters head, but felt in iron grip squeeze his wrist, holding his sword hand in place. He struggled to push his arm further, willing it to overcome this Forsaken's strength but it only tightened its grip as the powerful jaws clamped down even further. Sol screamed again under the pain as its long teeth ripped through his shoulder.

His arm holding the blade felt weak, the weight of the sword too much. He felt the hilt slip from his grip, falling silently onto the grass beneath. Sol's vision began to blur, his ears started to ring. The jaws that held him in place released their grip and he felt himself fall to his knees. He couldn't keep his eyes from closing, falling face down into the lush green grass . It felt so comfortable to just rest. _Yes, rest for a little while. I can help Mamoru after I rest. Help Mamoru. Help him with what? I need to rest now._ Sol closed his eyes, faintly hearing Tuxedo Kamen call out to him before being pulled into the familiar darkness.

"_It's him, it's really him Tom!" _Sol's eyes were still closed but that voice sounded so familiar. Sol fought the urge to go back into his unconscious state, struggling to open his eyes. Eye lids fluttered open, and he expected a blinding light but only found a soft dim light instead. He tried to focus his eyes, but couldn't make out the faces of the two people in front of him.

"Sol?" _That sounds like my father's voice. _"Sol, it's me, your dad." Sol blinked again. His father's smiling face finally came into focus. Stubble across his chin and cheeks, his dad always shaving late in the day, was a common sight. _He looks happy right now. _His eye's slid of his father's face and found his mother standing close beside him, holding his hand as she smiled back.

"Our son has returned to us Tom." She said cheerfully, tears beginning to fill her eyes. Sol sat up and tensed, expecting pain to shoot through him, but nothing happened. He looked down at his hands and there was no blood. He tried to get his bearing and looked around. The light seemed to come from nowhere, illuminating them only. Darkness stretched out beyond the light for what seemed infinity. Sol turned his attention back to his parent before him.

"Where are we?" He asked. He couldn't remember anything. _How did I get here? What is this place?_

"What does that matter" his mom replied, extending her hand out to him. "You're here with us now. Like you should be. Together, as a family." _She's right _Sol though. _I should be with them. They are my family. But I was doing something. What was I doing?_

"C'mon Sol" his dad said, holding his hand out to him. Sol looked at his parent's faces one at a time. _They look so happy to see me. But there is something I have to do first._

"What was I doing before I came here?" Sol asked. His mother looked at his father and they seemed confused by the question. She turned back to face Sol, eye brows furrowed.

"Sol, just come with us and everything will be alright." She explained calmly. _Yeah, she's right. If I go with them, everything will be alright. They are my family _Sol nodded. He stood up and approached his parents, a large smile on his face. His dad patted him on the left shoulder and pain shot through his entire body, Sol wincing back from his hand.

"What's wrong son?" His dad asked, concern all over his face now. He looked down at his shoulder which was throbbing with pain now, and was horrified to see his clothes were now soaked in blood. _What the hell is this?!_

"If you go with them, you won't ever return." An unfamiliar voice said behind him. Sol turned to see another couple, standing close to one another. The man was about the same height as Sol, with dark brown hair and soft brown eyes. His face was round and friendly, but he looked deadly serious right now. The woman standing beside him was considerably shorter. Chest-nut brown hair flowed down her back, a few strands falling beside her face, framing it like a picture. She was looking down when Sol's gaze passed to her, but she looked up now, sparkling green eyes meeting his hazel ones. _Those eyes, I've seen those eyes before. _The memory of those eyes tugged at something, but he couldn't remember.

"We know you love our daughter" the woman spoke, her soft voice breaking the silence. "If you go with your parents now, you won't ever get to see her again." _Their daughter? What are they talking about? Where have I seen those eyes before? _

"I'm sorry, but I've never met you before." Sol replied with honesty.

"No you haven't" the man said in return. "But you have met our daughter. Her name is-"

"This is our son and he belongs with us!" His mother interrupted suddenly. Sol turned to look at his mother, her face distraught with fear. "He belongs with us! We've been searching for him because he is our son!"

"Mom calm down, I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere." Sol soothed, but she didn't relax.

"You were there with me! But you disappeared! I couldn't find you or Tom! I was here alone! Alone and scared in the dark! But then, Tom appeared, and we... We've been looking for you ever since." She stammered. "We finally found you, now please Sol just come with us. Please." His mother begged. Tears were now flowing down her face. Sol wanted to reach out and hold her; he wanted to go with her and his dad. It felt like he hadn't seen either of them for so long. But those eyes...

"You're dead." The unknown man said. Sol spun quickly, eyes going wide with shock.

"Dead?" He whispered.

"Not you, but your parents are. They just don't know it yet. They haven't been dead for very long, so they still wander in limbo. They'll find their way eventually. You're not dead yet Sol. The longer you stay here, the closer you are to death." _My parents are... Dead?_

"No! We're not dead, we're standing right here in-"

"He's right." Sol interrupted his dad quietly. Memories began to form, vaguely inside his head.

"What did you say Sol?" His father asked

"He's right. You're dead. Both of you." The haze that was draped on Sol's memory was beginning to lift.

"We're not dead Sol" his mother pleaded. "Just come with us and-"

"I watched you die. Both of you." He turned his attention back to the short woman who hadn't said much. Her brilliant green eyes stared back, silently pleading with him to remember. "I watched you both die. I was afraid. Afraid and hurt. But I saw you both die. I began to fight, fight back against monsters" images of facing off against Forsaken began to flood back into his memory. "I fought because I was scared, because I wanted to die. I wanted one of them to kill me. But then" he looked at those green eyes, the green eyes that had become his salvation "I met her."

"Met who Sol? What are you talking about?" his mother asked.

"Makoto" her name crossed her lips and everything came flooding back to him. Everything he had forgotten, all the fighting, came back to him. He looked at the blood that stained his clothes and remembered Tuxedo Kamen. He needed his help, him and all the Senshi. Tuxedo Kamen's words echoed in his head, _Makoto is behind us. _That's right! He needed to get back, back to defending the palace.

The dim light that surrounded them grew brighter, kept getting brighter until it was blinding. Sol shielded his eyes with his hands. The light's intensity began to whistle in his ears, quickly growing in strength. The roar was becoming deafening, but he heard the short woman's voice through all the crashing around them.

"Please protect her. She needs you just as much as you need her." Her voice was soft, and humble. Sol didn't know how he could have heard her voice through the thunder around them, but he promised her silently that he would protect Makoto with his life.

Pain began to spread from his left shoulder, quickly intensifying. His body began to feel heavy from exhaustion, muscles ached and joints throbbed. He felt his like a ton of bricks was on his chest. The light died off suddenly and his eyes sprung open. The Forsaken that had bit into his shoulder held its arm high, ready to crush Sol with a devastating blow. The other hand placed firmly on top of his chest held him in place. A streak of red suddenly hit the black beast in the face and it recoiled in pain. Not wasting the opening, Sol reached over and grabbed the katana that had fallen from his grip earlier and swung just above the knees. Thick black blood gushed from the two wounds, soaking Sol's already blood stained clothes even more. He rolled back, mangled left arm screaming in pain as he did, and got to his feet. A vibrant red rose protruded from the Forsaken's face just below the eye.

_Tuxedo Kamen's rose! _That's when he remembered he had fled from his friend, leaving him to face off against three monsters, alone. Sol spun around and was relieved to see Tuxedo Kamen on his feet. His relief was quickly washed away when he noticed a deep ugly gash running down the length of his upper thigh. Sol opened his mouth to ask if he was alright when a deafening crack thundered from inside the palace. A wide black beam of dark energy shot into the sky, spreading quickly, turning the cloudless blue into a deep crushing black. It soon covered the sun and the day turned to night.

Forsaken around Sol and Tuxedo Kamen began to wail and yelp into the air, announcing their victory to the world. _Koji is doing it, he's turning the world to darkness! _Sol thought as he got beside the injured Tuxedo Kamen.

"What do we do now?" Sol asked, eyes wild and voice cracking. He looked at the other man before him who only smiled. _How can he smile at a time like this? We've lost and he's smiling? _Anger began to build up inside of him. He was on the verge of death and had been brought back by Makoto's parents, only to lose? Now Tuxedo Kamen was smiling at their grave situation? Tuxedo Kamen placed a dirtied white gloved hand on Sol's shoulder, noticing his anger.

"Do you still believe in Makoto and the others?"

"Of course I do!" Sol spat, unable to control his anger anymore.

"Than remember that. I won't accept defeat until it comes at the hand of one of my enemies. Sailor Moon and the Senshi will continue to fight, and so will I. Remember Sol, fight with love in the battlefield. Fight for Makoto." It took a few seconds for the words to get through. In his anger Sol was having a hard time making sense of what the other man just said, but suddenly it was like a light clicked on in his head. _He's right, they haven't lost yet, and neither have we. _He remembered his training with Mamoru, remembered the different techniques he had acquired from the book Mamoru had given him. He remembered Makoto's smiling face and her sparkling green eyes. Those eye's that burned into his soul, the eye's that would watch him forever now. He remembered Makoto's mother words. _Please protect her. _They echoed inside his head over and over again.

The darkness around him seemed to get a little brighter. He could smell the grass beneath his feet now. The pain in his shoulder began to ease quickly. He could taste the iron in the air from all the spilled blood. Sol focused his eyes on the Forsaken in front of them. They had to be at least 50 meters away, but he could see them clearly like he was standing before them. _This is it. _He looked down at the gleaming metal of his sword. _This is the feeling I first had after Sailor Moon had awakened everyone. _His hazel eyes locked with Tuxedo Kamen's.

"So you finally understand now." Was all the taller man said. Sol nodded slowly, he could hear the air go past his ears from the slight movement. Sol gripped the hilt tighter and pointed sharp tip towards the cheering Forsaken.

"What do you think about going on the offensive?"

"I thought you would never ask."

-/-*-\\-

"She's getting tired the longer we fight" Sailor Venus noted to Sailor Jupiter. She narrowed her eyes, and focused on the tall black haired woman across the foyer and saw she was indeed tired. The other woman looked exhausted. Leaning against the crystal pillar that she had once hid behind, inhaling deeply, she didn't look like much of an opponent. _If it weren't for that damn shadow creature, we could have finished this a long time ago! _A frustrated Sailor Jupiter thought to herself.

A second tremor rocked the palace and Sailor Jupiter faced Sailor Venus. They both knew they had to finish this now, or else Koji would defeat the other three Senshi.

"You know, this is all going according to our plan." Aksuna yelled across the empty crystal space, anticipating what they were thinking. "We knew if we could separate you from each other, we would have the upper hand." She slid down the pillar slightly, but regained some composure, standing up straight again. "Honestly, I didn't think you two would be able to handle me, but I commend you for fighting so valiantly. Unfortunately for you, this is the end." Aksuna raised her right hand and called forth another shadow creature. Sailor Jupiter could see the strain it was causing her and wondered if she really could finish them off in this state.

Sailor Venus pointed her index finger at the small black creature and readied her next attack. The golden glow coming from the end of her finger emitted a faint light, but instead of attacking she addressed the other woman. "I know you're not like him. I can see it in your eyes. Tell me, do you trust Koji?" The black being in front of them shimmered slightly, like it was going out of focus. "You're afraid of him aren't you!" Sailor Venus pressed. The creature turned and faced Aksuna this time. _What is she doing? _

Suddenly Aksuna collapsed to the ground. They both expected the little black thing in front of them to disappear, but it stayed right where it stood. It crouched low, like it was going to attack. _Not like, it is going to attack!_ The thought had barely formed when Sailor Jupiter jumped into action. She sprinted forward, not entirely sure why she rushing to save this other woman's life. Perhaps it was because she couldn't defend herself, or maybe it was because that's what Usagi would do. The reason didn't matter at the moment though. The only thing that did matter was getting to it before it got to her.

"Venus Love Me Chain!" Sailor Jupiter heard her friend call out as she closed the distance. _Good Mina-chan! _She thought. The gold heart shaped links rushed past her towards the creatures' midsection, wrapping around it tightly. Sailor Venus pulled hard, cinching the chain up but the small black shadow didn't seem to care. Instead it just reached down and effortlessly loosened the chain with one hand and prepared to strike.

It burst forward away from Sailor Jupiter with incredible speed, raising one clawed hand above its head, ready to kill Aksuna with a single blow. _NO! _Sailor Jupiter's legs pumped harder as her vision narrowed in on her target. She wasn't going to make it in time, the thing was too fast. It was on top of Aksuna now, a menacing smile flashed sharp teeth inside its mouth. _I need to be faster!_ Sailor Jupiter thought. Its clawed black hand came rushing down, whistling through the air with murderous intent when time suddenly stopped. Its hand rested just inches away from the back of Aksuna's head. Sailor Jupiter knew what was happening and looked down at her hands as they were engulfed in electricity. The tendrils quickly spread over her body and she dashed out with a clap of thunder. In an instant she was beside the creature as it was frozen in time. With her body still surrounded by the powerful lighting of her guardian Jupiter, she swung her arm at the things midsection, chopping through the solid shadow with ease. Its upper body separated from its legs as she followed through with her attack and time started over again.

The upper body of the shadow creature went flying across the room as a loud boom rattled the quick chamber. The legs began to dematerialize, the bits of shadow disintegrating into the air. Sailor Jupiter looked across the room at Sailor Venus. The other girl was in shock, her mouth hanging open.

"Why?" She heard a whisper from below. Sailor Jupiter crouched low and helped Aksuna sit up against the crystal pillar.

"What do you mean why? It was going to kill you." Sailor Venus' high heels echoed in the large empty room as she approached the two women.

"I wanted it to kill me. I'm as good as dead now." Aksuna breathed tiredly. Sailor Jupiter furrowed her brow in confusion and Aksuna noticed so she continued. "Koji said if I couldn't stop you he would kill me. After expending so much energy to bring down the shield, I knew it was only a matter of time before you defeated me. Our plan was to separate you from the beginning. If I couldn`t do that, he would have killed me on the spot. Now instead of giving me the death I chose, you`ve sealed my fate and handed me a slow one instead. Why would you save me anyway? We're enemies, showing mercy is a weakness."

Sailor Venus crouched down and looked Aksuna in the eye, her features calm and compassionate. "We saved you because that's what Sailor Moon would have wanted. She doesn't want to see anyone die, not even her enemies and she'll do everything she can to prevent it from happening. We wouldn't be very good followers if we couldn't act on her behalf now could we?" She finished with a smile. Aksuna's tired eyes began to fill with life again, tears forming inside of them.

"I don't deserve this kind of kindness for the sins I've committed" she choked out. Sailor Jupiter rested her hand softly on Akuna's shoulder.

"We can help you. We'll defeat Koji and Sailor Moon can cleanse you of the darkness inside of you." Sailor Jupiter noticed something change in her then, something that had been missing from her lifeless stare before. _Hope_. She had been living her life under Koji's rule, always fearing for her life, and now the people that Koji had commanded her to kill were giving her a way out. It was too much for her to comprehend and she broke down, wailing and sobbing as tears flowed from her eyes.

"You're too good to me!" She managed to get out between sobs. "You're too good to me!" She repeated, wrapping her long arms tightly around Sailor Jupiter, holding on to the only life line she was being offered.

"Aksuna!" Sailor Venus barked suddenly "We need to know where they are, we need to go help Sailor Moon. Like you said, you wanted to separate us, but now we need to get to our friends." Aksuna let go of Sailor Jupiter and whipped the tears from her eyes, nodding quickly.

"He went to the chamber that you used to awaken the planet. He plans on using that to cover the world in darkness and-" The pinkish hue that covered all the walls and floor distorted and began to grow dark. A black cloud swirled under their feet as the light was shut out.

"Oh no." Aksuna whispered, eyes wide with fear. "It's too late, he's already-"

"Jupiter!" Sailor Venus barked as she took off down the corridor Sailor Moon and the others had gone only a few minutes before. Sailor Jupiter gave Aksuna one more reassuring nod before getting up and following her friend. _Get ready Koji, the cavalry is on the way!_

-/-*-\\-

Sailor Moon was still in staring at her broken wand when the monster that used to be Koji turned its back to the three girls and wrapped its giant fingers around the small pillar they had used to awaken the world. Sailor Mars suddenly filled her field of vision and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Snap out of it Usagi!" She screamed "You need to do something!"

"But my wand... He broke it... What can I do now?" She whispered. "Everyone... Everyone is going to die because I wasn't able to do anything." The room quickly went dark, a black energy coming off of Koji's body was being channeled into the small pillar on the floor. A black beam of energy shot into the sky as dark energy filled the walls of the Crystal Palace.

Without warning, everything went back to the way it was, the black replaced by the pinkish hue of the Silver Crystal's power. Sailor Moon blinked. _Have I lost my mind? _But then she heard the light clicking of fingers on a keyboard and she turned to see Sailor Mercury furiously pressing buttons on her small hand held.

"Mercury...?" Sailor Moon mumbled.

"I removed the pillar that harnesses the energy and converts it into the palace. If I can create a rift in the floor I think you can direct it Koji, like when his hand broke through. Theoretically, it should be able to be directed with the Silver Crystal in your broach Sailor Moon, but I need more time." The blue haired girl explained quickly.

The monster that was Koji quickly figured out who was behind this, and turned its massive body towards them. Sailor Mars stood her ground between them, and spread her arms out protectively. Koji's monstrous hand lurched out.

"Burning Mandela!" Eight burning discs formed around Sailor Mars and shot into Koji's palm, hissing as they went in. He howled in pain and pulled his large hand back. "I'll do what I can to buy you more time!" the black haired girl yelled over her shoulder just before she took off towards the hideous creature in front of them. Sailor Mercury continued to press buttons, eyes focused on the screen in front of her. Sailor Moon began to feel that they might be able to pull this off, but Sailor Mars couldn't do it alone. She needed help.

Sailor Moon began to stand up and give whatever aid she could to her friend, when she felt Sailor Mercury tug her back down.

"You can't afford to take any hits from Koji. The amount of energy that is going to pass through you has a very good chance of killing you, even if you're not injured. You just have to trust that she can do it." Sailor Mercury's face was set with determination, not an ounce of giving up was showing through her blue eyes.

"But-"

"Usagi!" Sailor Mercury yelled at her friend. "We need you to finish him off, we don't have the power too. It has to be you. Trust Rei-chan to do her best." Sailor Moons eyes went towards the battle that was being fought in front of them. It was all Sailor Mars could do to stay alive, jumping and ducking from Koji's relentless attacks. Sailor Moon caught a look at her face as she dodged and rolled the vicious attacks. There wasn't any fear or doubt on her face, only determination. Koji swiped his large hand at Sailor Mars and she ducked then quickly rolled under his spread legs. He turned , expecting to find her on the other side, but she had stayed under him, moving as he moved, keeping his attention while Sailor Mercury continued to input commands.

The giant beast realized the ploy she was using and jumped back as he swung his monstrous hand down, grabbing hold of Sailor Mars by the torso. A hideous sound escaped its gaping mouth, what could only be described as a laugh of triumph. He began to squeeze his powerful fingers, wanting to crush the life out of her. Sailor Mars screamed in pain and thrashed trying to free her arms. Sailor Moons heart skipped a beat as she gasped in fear for her friend. _But what can I do to help her?!_ Sailor Mars' face went from a deep red top a dark blue. He was crushing her to death.

"Crescent Beam!" A golden ray shot out from behind them, connecting with the wrist that held Sailor Mars. The explosion knocked Sailor Mars free, her limp body falling to the hard crystal floor beneath. Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter were standing beside them now, looking ready to fight.

"Keep Koji busy as long as you can" Sailor Mercury instructed without looking up from the screen. The two girls nodded and took off, side by side. Koji pulled one arm back and threw it down with incredible force, but they both jumped to either side of it, avoiding the deadly blow. Sailor Moon watched as they rolled and dodged like Sailor Mars had, avoiding his attacks. _They continue to fight, even though they know they can't beat him_. Just as she was having that thought, a pillar began to rise out of the floor in front of her. It looked like the pillar that had been in the room previously, but now it had a handle on the top of it. Sailor Moon looked at Sailor Mercury, confused.

"Just grab the handle and the energy stored inside the palace will begin to flow into you. You need to direct it at Koji. If we can beat him we can-" Whatever she was going to say was cut off. Sailor Venus' body slammed into Sailor Mercury and the two went sprawling out across the crystal floor. Sailor Moon turned her attention from the her two knocked out friends to Koji and Sailor Jupiter. The green eyed girl was staring in her direction and didn't notice Koji readying another attack, his giant fist already whistling through the air towards his prey.

"_Mako-chan!" _ Sailor Moon screamed, trying to warn her friend. But it was too late, his fist slammed into the stunned girl, crushing her into the wall. Cracks spread out from where he had impacted her into the crystal, the whole room vibrated from the blow. He pulled his hand away slowly and an unconscious Sailor Jupiter slid off his fist and onto the floor. Now it was only her and him. Good versus evil. Life or death. Everything was up to Sailor Moon now.

She looked around the room. _Rei, Ami, Mina, Mako. You all fought knowing you couldn't beat him. You all fought believing I could win. _Koji's lifeless black eyes stared at her. _How many times have I tripped, trying to find my path through the darkness? _Her hand trembled above the pillar, this was for her friends. _How many tears have I shed? _ Koji took a lumbering step forward, he seemed to sense her fear. _No! I won't let my doubts and fears control me any longer! _She gripped the handle and immediately felt the rush of power course into her. _You blame us for your suffering, so I do this for you now! _The intensity was like nothing else she had ever felt before, it was taking most of her strength just to keep from passing out. _When I have my friends with me, there isn't anything I can't do! _She began to feel the flow of this energy, began to direct it to the Silver Crystal inside her broach. Her eyes found Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mars laying on the ground, motionless and tears started to fill her big blue eyes. _I'll stand and fight though my sorrow. I'll pick up our dreams and face tomorrow! _The Silver Crystal was glowing now. _Everyone, help my unwind this curse, help me turn our fate into a chance to hope! _Koji had sensed the change in her and was now closing the distance quickly. _I'm trusting I'm braver, but nothing is greater than our friendship! _His large black hand was about to wrap itself around her when she released the energy from the Silver Crystal. _For love and for honor, I carry the future! _Intense energy burst from Sailor Moons chest, plunging into the giant beast in front of her, Koji wailed a horrible sound, reeling back from the impact, but she didn't let up. _If I fall, I'll get up again until I end this nightmare! _She held nothing back now, she could no longer contain the power coursing through her veins. Memories of Ami, Rei, Makoto, Minako, Mamoru and Sol played out in her head. _This is the oath I swear to you, and everyone else! _The light was too bright to see anything, the only thing she could hear was the rush of power passing through her body. She needed to hold on, just a little longer, hold on for just a few more seconds.

-/-*-\\-

The blackness that had spread through the sky had suddenly stopped while Sol and Tuxedo Kamen had fought their way through the hoard of Forsaken. Now things didn't look too good for them. Sol was on his back, sword gripped in a Forsaken's iron jaw, holding it back with the little strength he had left when a beam of pink energy shot into the sky and spread out with incredible speed. The monster on top of him pulled back in what he could only describe as fear. The pink light crashed down to the earth like a wave, spreading out faster than anything Sol had ever seen before. The Forsaken around him wailed and screamed. Some disappeared entirely; others were changed back to their human form. The pink light had no effect of Sol and Tuxedo Kamen, it passed over them like a shadow. Just as quickly as it came, it was gone. Sol sat up and looked to where Tuxedo Kamen stood.

He had been surrounded by five Forsaken a second ago, now only two men were laying in grass at his feet.

"What was that?" Sol asked. Maybe he was really dead this time. Tuxedo Kamen looked to the sky, a large smile spreading his face.

"She did. We've won. It's over Sol. It's finally over."

**A/N: I hope everyone has been watching the new episodes of Sailor Moon Crystal. In case you haven't figured it out, my favourite is Makoto, and I was thrilled for her episode! Let me know what you think, and again, sorry for the terribly long wait.**


	20. Chapter 20

Dawn of A New Era

"Usagi wake up!" The words drifted through the darkness that surrounded her. She didn't want to wake up, it was so comfortable here. "Usagi!" The voice calling her was urgent sounding. _What's the big deal anyway? _Her eyes stirred beneath their closed lids.

"I think she's waking up now!" Another familiar sounding voice. _Ami-chan? _Images rushed back to her. Images of Ami working furiously on her hand held device when she was knocked out by Minako. _What? _She remembered being overwhelmed by energy, right before Koji disappeared. _Koji! _Her eyes flung open and she sat up suddenly, crashing her head into something hard, she fell back down to the solid crystal floor beneath.

"Ow ow ow" Rei complained, holding a hand to her head. "Honestly Usagi, you are the biggest klutz I know." Usagi rubbed her own forehead where they had collided, squinting against the brightness.

"Where's Koji?" She asked, panic gripping her.

"He's gone" Ami answered calmly. "You did it Usagi, just like we knew you could." The small blue eyed girl sighed and hung her head in relief. I strand of long white hair came into her vision, falling over her shoulder. _Whose hair is that? _She wondered, gently holding the fine white hair between her finger and thumb.

"It looks like all that energy surging through you changed your hair white Usagi-chan." Makoto said kindly. _White?! _This couldn't be happening. Not her hair, anything but her hair! _I'm dreaming still, I've got to be dreaming. Wake up Usagi. _She gritted her teeth and tried willing herself to wake up, but nothing changed. Her hair was still white. "I think it looks nice Usagi-chan" Makoto continued, seeing her distress. "It makes you look more mature."

"Really?" More mature. The words echoed inside her head. _That's what Mamo-chan wants right? _Well it wasn't that bad, most people didn't have white hair, so at least it was unique. Now that she was at a sort of peace with her new hair colour, she tried to get to her feet, but her legs were having trouble lifting her.

"Here let us help you" Minako and Makoto got on either side and hoisted her to her feet. "So what happened with Koji anyway?" Minako asked while her arm was draped over the blonde girls shoulder. Usagi furrowed her brow, trying to remember what happened.

"There was a lot of light. And noise... I remember the force of all that energy almost knocked me out. I started channeling it through the Silver Crystal and it hit Koji. I wanted to heal him, but he wouldn't accept it, so I... I..." A horrified look suddenly filled her normally soft features. "Oh no Mina-chan!" She shrieked "I sent them all to Planet Nemesis again! I said I wouldn`t do that, but I did anyway!"

Makoto rubbed her back gently with her free hand "You didn't have any other choice Usagi-chan. It was either send them away, or risk everyone else's life."

"I should have tried harder; I should have found a way to cleanse him of the evil that invaded his soul." Usagi protested. "I couldn't... I couldn't..."

"Usagi-chan" Ami interrupted softly. The now white haired girl lifted her head and stared into the soft blue eyes of her brilliant friend. "We know what the Black Moon Clan is going to do. We can make the proper preparations to stop the war that would ensue. We have the advantage of knowledge on our side. We can still save everyone before the Dark Moon Clan massacres everyone." She was right. Usagi knew she was right and smiled faintly. She recalled the words Prince Demando said to her in his final moments _Try and have some understanding for us. Please be patient. _

"That's right Ami-chan; we can still help them when they come back to Earth." She felt better about the situation, but she still wished she could have done more right now. Makoto, on her right side, grinned before saying.

"You know, we have a new ally now."

"Oh?" Usagi's interest was now somewhere else. Minako continued where Makoto left off.

"That's right. While we were fighting Aksuna one of her shadow creatures turned on her. She also knew that Koji would have killed her if she failed, so we saved her and now we're kind of... Friends I guess." Usagi beamed brightly from hearing the good news. Gaining new friends was always a good thing in her eyes.

The five girls made their way slowly through the empty palace. The walls no longer shone with warm pink energy of the Silver Crystal, now they were almost translucent, empty of the power they once held. As the young hero's laughed jovially they came upon the entrance to the large foyer that Aksuna was waiting in.

"Let's give her a warm welcome, ok everyone?" Usagi asked her dear friends. They all smiled and nodded.

"We wouldn't have it any other way" Rei spoke for the group.

"Alright, here we go." They walked through the final archway and entered the empty foyer. Usagi scanned the large room, and couldn't find anyone. The bright sun lit the room well, especially now that the walls were clear.

"Did you take her somewhere else?" Ami asked. Makoto and Minako were both shaking their head, brows furrowed in sudden confusion. "Perhaps she moved to a safer place, or even outside." Ami offered after seeing their reaction.

"She couldn't even stand when we left her." Makoto whispered, the realization of what happened to her sinking in.

"Then that means..." Usagi couldn't finish the sentence. _She was banished to Planet Nemesis. _"Why? Why would she get banished? Why didn't she accept the cleansing?" Usagi pleaded with her friends. None of them looked her in the eye as she turned from one face to the next. She choked back the tears, her heart sinking. _Why would she tell Mina-chan and Mako-chan that she...?_

"Perhaps she was ready to join us in her head, but not her heart. Or maybe she was lying to-"

"No!" Makoto interrupted Ami. "She was sincere when she decided to go against Koji. I saw a birth of hope in her eyes that hadn't been there before."

"I was only speculating." Ami said quietly, turning her eyes to the floor. Makoto's hard features softened before she offered her apology.

"I'm sorry Ami-chan; I didn't mean to snap at you." Ami met her friends gaze and smiled faintly.

"Usako!" A man's voice called from the large entrance of the palace. Usagi's heart skipped a beat upon hearing the familiar sound of Mamoru's voice. She watched and waited as he hurried into the palace, ragged and dirty from fighting Forsaken. His normally pristine tux was mangled and tattered, his mask gone. The top hat he normally wore was nowhere to be seen and his hair was a dirty mess. He was perfect in her eyes. He came skidding to a halt in front of her and she couldn't resist the urge to throw her arms around him. She nearly collapsed without the support of her two friends on either side, but Mamoru gently caught her in his strong and tender arms. She buried her face into his chest, relived that he was alright. His heart was beating quickly and his breathing heavy, but she only felt his warm embrace for the time being. As Usagi ran her hand up his back he winced and tensed slightly.

"Are you hurt Mamo-chan?" She asked, pulled out of her reverie, face full of concern. It wasn't until now that she noticed how tired and beaten he looked. His eyes drooped and his smile as forced.

"Nothing a good night's rest can't solve" He answered honestly. The other girls had continued on and left them alone, something Usagi was glad for.

"It's over" she whispered into his chest. His arms wrapped around her tighter, holding her close and protectively. "I couldn't save everyone. Like Sol's parents. Where is Sol anyway? Did he...?" She couldn't bring herself to ask such a dreadful question.

"No, no, he's fine. He said he would wait outside for everyone. Honestly I don't think he can stand on his own." She looked up into his deep brown eyes, and relaxed. She was relieved to hear Sol was alright. "Your hair is white now." Mamoru blurted out matter of factly. Usagi immediately felt her cheeks get hot and broke her gaze with the man she loved.

"I can dye it back to blonde" she stammered, feeling embarrassed. "It's only hair after all." Her sentence trailed off and she looked down at her feet. She felt a soft warm hand cup her chin and lift her head again. Mamoru held her in a loving stare.

"I like it. The white makes you look more mature." Her stomach began to flutter and she felt like she was weightless. Without thinking she reached up and placed her hand behind his head and pulled his mouth down to hers. His lips were dry and chapped but she didn't care. She just wanted to feel his warm presence pressed against her.

"_What happened to you?!" _Makoto's voice screamed from outside. With an effort, Usagi pulled herself away from Mamoru and said "We should probably see what's wrong."

"I already know what's wrong." Mamoru muttered, rolling his eyes. She let him lead the way outside as Makoto continued to ask Sol questions in a high pitched voice. The couple stepped out into the warm sun, the lush green grass underneath felt soft and welcoming under Usagi's tired feet. Sol was sitting a little ways away looking up at a mortified Makoto. _He looks terrible! _Dried blood soaked his clothes, and there was a gaping wound from his neck to his shoulder that still oozed a small amount of blood. His face was tired and dirty and she doubted he could stand on his own.

Makoto stopped yelling at him and held her hand to her mouth, stifling soft sobs that found their way out. "You're an idiot Sol." Usagi heard her green eyed friend whisper before dropping to her knees and pulling him in close. He grunted at first, but slowly wrapped his good arm around her. Mamoru leaned in and gestured past the group. Usagi noticed people were starting to gather.

At first she worried that they were more rioters, coming to finish them off while they were all wounded and weak. But she quickly through that notion away, seeing they were cheering and shouting praises to them.

"Queen Serenity, you've saved us!"

"Please forgive us for doubting you!"

The other words came out as a jumble as everyone began to shout. They made their way slowly towards them and Usagi couldn't help but smile. Mamoru squeezed her tight against him and leaned his head down so only she could hear.

"These are your subjects now. They've accepted you as their Queen."

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do as Queen though." She whispered honestly.

"Neither do I." Mamoru laughed. "But I know whatever you do; you'll do it with love in your heart. Things will be tough and we've got a long road ahead of us." She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes.

"I think I can walk that long road as long as you stay by my side." She felt hot tears begin to slide down her face.

"I'll always be by your side Usako. Together we can lead this world into an era of peace and prosperity. But for now, let's just enjoy this beautiful day with our friends." Usagi opened her eyes to see Ami, Rei, Minako and Makoto holding up Sol, waving to the people as they approached, all of them smiling broadly.

"Yes, let's just enjoy this moment together."

The End


End file.
