NeoMoon Presents:

"WHAT IF: Beryl Had Won?"

Sailor Moon

"Evil Reign"

By: NeoMoon

Rated: R

She holds onto the crystal, feeling the strength

slowly leaving her body, the dark queen standing over

laughing.

*All in vane.* She thinks, as she tightens the loose

grip on the crystal. *Why did they all have to die?*

A cold was rising in her body, far colder then artic

winds that swept over her form. "Silver Crystal . .

." She breathes in hard, coughing blood as she

exhaled. "Please, (cough), please save my friends."

She breathed in heavily once more, but she never

exhaled.

The crystal shone a bright light, that pulsed outward,

farther, and father, sending the Dark Queen reeling

backwards.

Two years pass, her army grows, and although the

armies of Earth try, they fail to succeed. When it

came to a fight against the ways of the dark art, and

those of human technology, the final battle was

decided with a snap of a hand, as the Dark queen still

bonded with the mother of all evil, walked onto this

world, and there was no guard to defend it.

Once the Tokyo tower stood there, now it was reformed

into her fortress, at its gates stood two crystal

crosses baring the decaying remains of the ones who

would have defeated her. There hung the bodies of the

Prince and his Princess, a sign to all those who would

go against her power.

"Mercury. General." Screamed the young black haired

girl as she ran into the tent. Stopping to salute the

blue haired woman who stood over a table reading a

map.

"What is it, Hotoru?" Said Mercury as she turned and

returned the young girl's salute.

"General. Our spies have confirmed that the Dark

Queen . . ."

There was an explosion, and both ran out of the tent,

finding the camp under attack.

"Mars, Jupiter." Yelled Mercury into her

communicator. "Status report!"

"The camp is under attack!" Replied Jupiter. "We

have heavy causalities. Ami, Minako." She stopped,

static filling the communicator. "Minako, she's. Ami

She dead."

The transmission ended, Mercury let the communicator

drop from her hand as she looked out into the camp

watching as the Dark Queen's soldiers invaded their

camp, killing their men. "Hotoru." She said turning

to the small girl next to her. "Gather as many as you

can. Find Mars, and Pluto, then begin a counter

offensive. I'll join you shortly." She turned

walking back into the tent.

"Mercury!" Yelled the girl, after her. "If I

transform . . ."

"Do as you're ordered!" Screamed Mercury from the

tent.

The girl ran off into the heat of battle.

It was fought, the rebellion led by Mercury, and the

remaining Senshi had won, but barely. They suffered

greatly, losing almost half their ranks. And two of

those loses were great.

"We found her holding off an entire brigade on her

own." Said Hotoru in her Senshi form. "I transformed

to help. General, I'm sorry but I fear that I was the

one who killed Setanua."

"I understand." Said Mercury gravely as the two

walked down the rows of the injured and dying. "Was

it quick?"

The young girl looked up at her, tears filling her

deep eyes. "I am afraid no, it was slow. I . . . Oh

God, I didn't. And then . . . Then they took her!"

"Hotoru, this is war." Replied Mercury coldly. "In

war soldiers dye. She was doing her duty. "

"Ami, how the hell can you be so cold!" Yelled a

voice from behind the two.

Jupiter stood, in the center of the rows, in her

hands, the lifeless body of Minako Aino. She looked

strangely at peace, like she was sleeping. Mercury

started to walk toward her, but stopped a cold look

filling her eyes. "Ami's, dead Jupiter. She died in

the Artic Like Makoto, and the rest."

"I can't believe you." Jupiter said softly, shaking

her head almost in disgust. "Ami, maybe you died, but

I sure as hell didn't."

Mercury turned away, trying to keep herself from

losing control. "We'll burn the bodies tonight." She

stopped breathed in deeply, ignoring the pain in her

heart. "Find Mars, then I want everyone in the TAC

tent with a full report of the battle, numbers lost,

equipment damage, etc."

"Ami!" Screamed Jupiter. "Our friends have died."

"And their funeral will be tonight." Mercury spoke

coldly as she began to walk again.

"Ami!"

"Their soldiers, Jupiter." She said stopping to look

back at Jupiter. "It's part of the job."

"Ami." Jupiter whispered, tears filling her emerald

eyes, as she watched a person who she once counted

among her friend walk coldly out of the MED tent.

War can change people. Through history there is proof

of this among the common soldiers. But those changed

most are those who are placed as leaders, and those

who have lost something very valuable to them. This

is the case for Ami Mizuno. Once she was the meekest

of the Sailor Senshi. But on the day she woke in the

Artic, finding her princess, and her friend lying

lifeless, on the frozen ground that changed. And

later as she watched the only man who she cared for

die at the hands of the Dark Queen's greatest soldier.

And in the end as she shed her final tear's Ami died

completely, and there was only Mercury.

The four them, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, and Horotu stood

in the tent, with only Horotu looking scared. Mercury

paced back and forth a grim look on her already lined

face.

"Ami," Started Jupiter, but Mercury raised her hand

and the girl stopped.

"Let me get this straight." She said stopping in

front of them. "They just walked in?" Her voice was

had a grim humor to it, but the look in her eyes

showed them that she found nothing funny with this at

all. "How the hell does the enemy just walk in?" She

sounded furious.

"Mercury, they passed all the ID checks." Said Mars,

stepping forward looking at their leader. "We believe

that they've had spies in our ranks . . ."

"Spies?" Said Mercury her voice a hissing whisper.

"You, Mars have recruited all in our number. You take

the blame for this."

"Yes."

"Then let those who have died be on your soul."

Mercury turned, no longer wishing to look at the woman

who stood before her. "We have a funeral to attend."

She said coldly making her way out of the tent.

Coldness, breeds coldness, just as evil breeds evil.

Since the time this war began Mercury had been their

leader, and in time she found herself walking on the

edge of a cliff. On one side their was her what she

stood for, and the honor in which she had held since

childhood. On there, an abyss, the endless pit of

darkness that many fell into. Mercury knew that pit

well for she had almost fallen in many times, and had

seen those who had fallen in, they where the Dark

Queen's minions. This is what she thought as she

watched the fires burn over the countless funeral

pyres, there heat warming her in the cold December

night, in a fortnight it would be Christmas Eve, and

the thought of how she would be forced to spend it

sent shivers up her spine. She was angry, at the

Senshi, at her soldiers, but more then anything she

was angry with herself, and the sad song that Mars

broke into to honor their fallen only made it worse.

She could feel it burning in her chest, moving into

her throat and welling in her eyes, and for the first

time since she found herself staring down at the

lifeless body of her best friend, her queen, did she

cry. She looked up seeing Horotu watching her, and

just as quickly turn away. Mercury wiped the tears

from her eyes and turned her back to the fires,

heading back to the place she now called home, heading

for the TAC tent. A messenger awaited her.

As the sun rose, breaking though the cold dead winter

night, not even a day later, the body of Pluto was

found, hanging from a crystal cross next to the girl

who would have been queen. Mercury stared at the

sight from under her pale blue cloak, and felt

nothing, only a small voice telling her that this

happens in war.

"Good tactic." Said a cool deep voice from behind

her. "Fear is one of the greatest forms of control.

Don't you think?"

Mercury turned her face only a mask of calm, hiding

the rage underneath. "And you would know, wouldn't

you, Kunzite?"

"Very true, my dear General." He said, mocking her

position with his final word. "Your ragtag rebellion

can not I'm afraid win."

"And what makes you say that."

"My Queen is fused with Metellia, not to mention she

holds the Silver Crystal." His lips curled into

seductive smile. "And to think, all this is the

fault of the Senshi, the Royal Warriors of the Moon

Kingdom."

"You wanted to talk." Ami said impatiently. "If all

you wanted to do was gout, then you know where to

shove it!" She turned, walking away at quick pace.

"She killed Zoycite." He said, his voice becoming

sorrowful. "She killed the only man I've ever loved."

Mercury turned, it was her turn to smile. "People die

in war Kunzite. I've lost many people I've loved

thanks to your 'Queen'. Welcome to reality." She

turned again, a sudden fear whispering in her mind as

the gravity of her words soaked in.

"And now you fight." He continued. "You fight for

those who have died. Beryl murdered my only love!"

He screamed making Mercury stop. "I . . . I want to

avenge him, I want to avenge Zoycite."

She could hear him crying, and turned to look at him

again, sighing almost dramatically as she made a

decision. "Fine." Was all she said before turning

toward her people's camp, and started to walk. Behind

her she could hear him walking slowly behind her, and

could feel the shadow of a cross on her back.

No one can ever fight alone in war, people need

friends and allies. Sometimes choosing those ally's

is merely a simple choice of the lesser of two evils,

in other's it is far more complex. Whether the young

general knew it or not, she was starting down the road

that would end one war, and possible start another,

for soon she would find herself in a grieve position,

and choices would have to be made. On that day, as

the strongest of the Dark Kingdom's soldier's walked

behind her, under the fragile dream of alliance, did

it snow in Tokyo for the first time since this war

began.

"Now I know you've gone nuts, Ami!" Screamed Jupiter

in the TAC tent as all the remaining Senshi looked in

horror at their newest ally. "Right after an attack,

not even a full day later, and you decide to trust

this . . . This monster!"

"Beryl killed his lover, he wants revenge." Mercury

said coldly, not bothering to look up from the map of

Beryl's castle that Kunzite had given her. "And

Jupiter, there is no one here alive named Ami.

Remember that."

Jupiter, bight her tongue, and looked away as everyone

stared at her. She tried hard to remember the way Ami

once was, but couldn't, the woman sitting in front of

her, wasn't Ami, that was Mercury, their 'General',

Ami had died in the Artic. But she, Mokoto hadn't."

The tent had become cold to her, she brought her hands

up, hugging her chest, and looked back at their

leader, and the feeling of cold increased its icy

finger running down her back. She shook her head,

Mercury was talking but she couldn't hear, everything

slowly faded away, first the sounds, then slowly very

slowly everything began to blur and become unfocused

till the point were there was nothing, save her, and

the increasing cold. She could feel something grab

her, holding her tightly as if hugging her.

"Mokoto-Chan." Whispered the wind.

"Who's there?"

Around her a pinkish mist started to form into the

shape, hugging her, holding her tightly. And suddenly

a strong sense of familiarity filled her.

"Usagi-Chan?" She whispered in disbelieve.

The misty form looked up at her, and suddenly the air

became sad. "Oh Mokoto-Chan, I've missed you, and

Rei-Chan, and Ami . . ."

"Ami's dead." Mokoto said coldly.

The air became sadder. "No."

And slowly as it began Mokoto returned to reality, and

fell to the floor in tears.

Combat stress reaction. That's the name of a

condition that soldiers are afflicted with in times of

great stress in battle. When their minds can no

longer rationalize the sights around them. The sights

of death, the fear of dying, the stench of the

wounded, and dying. As Jupiter lay on the ground

curled up in a ball, tears bursting from her eyes

screaming hoarsely the name of their first and long

dead leader. That was what Mercury had thought; that

one of her stronger soldiers had finally cracked under

the pressure of the war. And in the farthest reaches

of her heart she could hardly blame Jupiter.

"Take her to her tent, get her food and water." She

barked at Mars and Uranus, then turned to Horotu. "Go

with them, I want you to watch her, make sure she

doesn't do anything stupid." She turned, not

bothering to watch as the three half carried their

fallen comrade to her tent. Kunzite followed close

behind her, standing next to her as she settled down

into her seat, and once more began to read the map of

Beryl's castle.

"It's gone on far to long." She whispered, touching

her earring out of habit, the visor had been broken

for a long time. "Far to long." She continued to

read the map.

"What is your plan?" Asked Kunzite from what seemed

to be miles away.

"You'll see." She whispered, not bothering to look up

from the map.

She lay in her cot, covered by blankets, and staring

blankly up at the canvas ceiling, watching as the cold

gentle wind ran over it, sending waves through the

canvas.

"Am I going nuts?" She whispered, closing her eyes,

hoping to hear her old friend again.

"Makoto?"

She turned in the darkness, nothing.

"Makoto?"

She turned again, Usagi looking at her with large

eyes.

"U . . . Usagi." She whispered, running to her

friend, embracing her in her arms. "Usagi, what's

going on? Why are you here?"

Usagi pulled away, suddenly, she was Sailor Moon, her

face was battered, and bloody, her clothing ripped and

stained with old blood. She bight her lower lip, her

eyes large and sad. "You, you said Ami was dead."

"Oh God, Usagi. No." Her voice was soft, but in the

end it was bursting with sorrow. "She, she's changed,

changed to the point that the Ami we knew no longer

exist."

"That's worse." Usagi said sorrowfully, as she sat on

the ground suddenly dressed in her school clothes.

"And Rei, and Minako?"

"Rei, Rei is going through a lot Mercury, Ami, she

blames Rei for a recent attack. Rei's it hard,

although she won't show it." She laughed humorously

as she finished. "Same old Rei."

"An, and Minako?"

Makoto took a deep breath, it still hurt her, and she

was so much stronger then Usagi, but she had to know.

"Minako's dead, she was killed an explosion during an

attack. Setanua, and Micheru have also died."

"Who?"

"Other Senshi, they came after the first battle, after

Beryl had defeated the armies of earth."

"Oh God."

"Jupiter!" Yelled a voice from far away. "Jupiter!"

She jumped up with a start, a cold sweet covered her,

she could see Mars on her side, looking at her

stunned.

"Wh . . .What is it." She said hoarsely, her voice

suddenly dry, and meek.

Mars sighed and looked at her sadly. "You should say

no." She said abruptly.

"What?"

"Mercury, she's going to ask you to come back. She

said it's up to you."

"Oh, okay, I'll think about it."

Mars nodded, then left in silence, the sad look she

carried becoming a permanent mask.

Jupiter sighed and rolled over in her cot, sighing

sadly as she thought of what had become of their

close-knit group.

"Usagi," she whispered through her tears. "Why did

you have to leave?"

She could feel his hand resting on her back, moving

slowly, smoothly up and down. She let out a soft

sigh; unable to enjoy the tingling that worked its way

through her.

"I don't know your game." She said trying to hid the

pleasure she was feeling from his small action. "But

stop it Kunzite." She looked up at him her eyes

betraying her as she looked at his smooth pale face,

and his seductive smile. "Please . . . Mmm"

He placed his lips upon hers, and she did not resist,

parting her lips, wanting, needing him. He played

with her, taunting her with his tongue, sending

vibrations throughout her body. As he kissed her, a

need came over her, a need to fill an emptiness deep

within, and she wanted that emptiness filled so bad,

and so she opened herself to him. On that night

Mercury was impaled by Kunzite's spear. Thus started

the beginning of the end.

The snow had left a white blanket over the war torn

city. Mercury looked out, watching the sun rising

over Beryl's castle, wishing that such beauty could

exist again with out such a dark reminder of their

failure. She rubbed her hand across his, and sighed

as she looked up into his pale gray eyes. She felt

peaceful, watching the sunrise, an arm resting on her

shoulder. But this peace was only an illusion, and

she knew that much at lest. She could feel it in her

bones, the finale was coming, there was no stopping

it, no stopping or changing the path that fate had

laid for them. She turned away from the sunrise, from

him, and started for her TAC tent, a plan already

forming in her mind.

Time passed, longer for some, shorter for others. As

the soldiers of the rebellion, waited honed their

skills, that time disappeared to their leader, she was

immersed in her planning, and all most never broke

away from her maps and broke save for hygiene and her

interludes with Kunzite, which became more and more as

time drew on.

It was the twenty third of the month; the next day the

attack would begin, her last rush, her last wind in a

battle that had aged her far beyond her years. She

stepped into the tent, satisfied with her check of the

perimeter, and drew back in both surprise and wonder.

A bouquet of roses lay on her desk, they were the

color of red blood, and she could not help but to walk

over and scoop them up, to cradle them in her arms.

"I hope you like them." Came a now familiar voice

from behind her. She turned and smiled, never letting

the roses fall from her hands.

"How, how did you get these?" She asked, the

coldness of her voice breaking slightly. "They're,

there beautiful." She gave him a cold stare, her dead

blue eyes narrowing on him as she noticed the sword in

his hand. "I see." She spat at him, as he lunged at

her.

"No!" She screamed, as Jupiter flung herself in

between them taking the sword with in her. Mercury

stood staring at her in confusing as she fell to the

ground, Kunzite's sword still resting in her chest.

There was a look of peace in her eyes, and as Mercury

looked up a Kunzite that sight was wiped from her

memory.

"Bastard!" She spat at him.

He laughed, cold, uncaring. "Such stupidity." He

said calmly, walking up to her, stepping over

Jupiter's limp, crumpled form. "I would have hated

this job had it not been for the small pleasure you

gave me." He laughed again, caressing her face,

looking down at her the way a master looks down at his

dog. "How does it feel to be . . ."

He drew away from her, staring down at his chest,

fearful of what had caused the sudden sharp pain in

his heart. A rose? He looked up at her, finding her

smiling coldly at him, mouthing four words. "Eye for

an eye." She left the tent before he fell to his

death, the cold smile on her face broadening.

And so the last battle began.

Mars looked over her troops, must were younger then

her, and she sighed heavily wishing that there

wouldn't be any causalities. She turned to Mercury,

who stood before her, looking at her impatiently.

"All's ready, Uranus is in position."

"Mercury nodded, then motioned Mars to her. "You know

the plan?" She asked when Mars was close enough, her

voice was hoarse and pained. "Uranus strikes from the

south, you from the east. You two are only diversions

while I sneak in to take out Beryl."

"Alone, Am . . . Mercury that's crazy." She

whispered harshly.

"Horotu will be with me, if it becomes necessary she

can transform. Now get your people into position.

I'll contact you, and Uranus when I'm ready."

Mars nodded before running off to prepare her

soldiers. Mercury decided to ignore the fearful look

in her eyes.

The wind blow freely in her face, it's cold chill

biting her face. She looked up at the foreboding

tower that was Beryl's fortress. She looked toward

the main gate, looking toward the three crosses one

holding her princess, the other her prince, and the

last holding the keeper of time and space. She

couldn't help feeling responsible, at least for the

passing of Pluto. She looked over at the young

standing no more then two feet away from her. She

could see the tears welling in her eyes as she stared

at the crosses.

"They'll be avenged, Horotu." She said, amazed by the

softness in her voice. "All those who died will be

avenged."

Horotu didn't look up at her, only nodded.

In the south.

Uranus looked over her troops, a satisfied smile

gracing her worn and tired face. *This is it.* She

thought sadly. *I'll be joining you soon, Michiru.

My love.*

""This is it!" She yelled toward her troops. "This

is the final battle! This day we are all brothers and

sisters. On this day we are all bound by more then

hatred for the bitch that has oppressed us! We who

gather here today, are bound by more, then blood, by

more then thought. We are bound by are souls by the

love and trust that we so fragilely have place in each

other's hands. Today we can not lose, no matter the

number that will fall, we can not be defeated!"

She looked them, they were ready, she was ready, and

she knew the Dark Kingdom was ready.

In the east.

Mars looked at the rising sun, and smiled. This was

her advantage. The rising sun would blind the Dark

Kingdom; Her troops should have no trouble. She

looked toward the tower that looked so foreboding, and

as she looked at the tower she knew soon the battle

would be over, and that weather she lived or died she

would be happy. She looked at her troops, her smile

fading into a grim frown.

"Attack!" The cry shook the earth.

In the north.

Uranus smiled, as she looked back at the tower. She

smiled and licked her lips in anticipation for the

bloodshed that would come. Her smile grew. She

raised her sword into the air, feeling the fear and

hope, and anticipation that soaked the area. And with

a deep breath she screamed.

"Attack."

At the tower.

She could her the explosion, the screams of those lost

in the heat of battle, the screams of pain and

anguish, the screams of the dying. A cold shiver ran

up her spine. It had all come down to this. Live or

die, this was it, the end.

Mercury looks toward the gates again, then back at

Hotoru. "Come on." She whispered as she ran toward

the gates, not bothering to look back to see if the

young girl was following.

No one. No one guarded the gates. It was too easy to

slip in. Had Beryl been stupid enough to send all her

people to fight against Uranus and Mars? No.

She turned to face Horotu. She looked so afraid and

Mercury felt pity for the young girl till she peered

into her eyes. And in that instant she realized, the

girl was enjoying this.

In the north.

Uranus screamed as her sword ripped through the enemy

his blood splattering across her face. She licked her

lips, tasting the sweet metallic nectar of the enemy's

blood and rushed, screaming, sword waving in a twisted

dance through out the battlefield a single image

focused beyond crystal clear. He stood laughing in

the center of the chaos, sword raised above his head,

his long dark hair waving madly in the deadly cold

wind. In the center of the chaos stood the murderer

of her lover. Nefilete.

A man leapt at her, she thrust the sword into his

stomach savoring the sword of his pained gasp as she

through him to the ground and pulled her sword from

him. She was done running and slowly she walked

toward him. A man came from behind and he fell to his

death. A woman from the front. She would live but no

longer would she bare child. From the side, the rear,

the front, no one could touch her, she licked the

blood from her lips the smile on her face growing ever

deeper.

In the east.

Mars looked at the man dying beside her, the sounds of

battle lost. He was young only a child but yet he had

come to them begging to fight, and she had allowed him

to come into all of this. She knelt down beside him

cradling his limp head in her hands and whispered to

him soothingly, she knew he couldn't hear her. Knew

that this boy, who she couldn't even remember the name

was dead, and at least she was able to take down the

heartless bastard that had taken so many years away

from that soul.

She pivoted around, slowly rising to her feet swiping

her sword to her side and ran, not bothering to watch

the would be assassin fall to her death. Her breath

was hard, to many were dying. Had this been Mercury's

plan?

She swung her sword again, taking down two who had

just managed to castrate and disembowel two of her

finest men. She snarled as she saw the tall slim man

walk toward sword raised to point at her his short

golden blonde hair waving in the chill wind.

"Jadeite." She snarled in a to clam even voice.

The man smiled, stopping just feet away from her, and

giving her a mocking bow.

She could hear screaming from faraway. The scream of

a primal animal pushed to the brink of madness. She

never realized it was her screaming.

In the tower.

Ami screamed as a guard lunged toward her, his mouth

open screaming insanely. She smiled coldly as she

drove her sword through his groin and up in to his

stomach, and further, into his heart. The man's eye's

widened as the sudden surge of pain filled him, then

went numb as his head became limp. One down. Mercury

pushed him off her sword not bothering to look at the

terrified enjoyment Hotoru was having. She just kept

moving, closer to her goal, closer to the center of

the tower. Closer to Beryl.

In the east.

The cold wind blow hard in her face, but yet she

didn't care. All that mattered to her was the tall

blonde that stood only yards in front of her. The

battle that consumed most of the land did not exist,

the sounds, the cries of the dying, none of it was

there. It was just she and Jadeite, alone in a dark

void, ready to do final battle.

He looked at her, his hair waving softly in the wind

covering his icy blue eyes, eyes that betrayed him for

the murderer he was. His lips curled into seductive

yet malevolent smile.

"How do you, Mars." His voice was to calm, to

perfect.

She didn't reply.

He snickered at her, the smile fading from his face,

replaced by a mask of calm that hid his murderous

enjoyment. "As you wish, Priestess." He spoke calmly

as he raised his sword to point at her.

She returned the favor, rising her's in suite, then

swinging it close to her chest letting it there in

wait. She studied him, how he stood, his breathing,

the flickering in his eyes that showed his bored

amusement. And finally the predatory scream that

emerged from his mouth as he leapt toward her.

In the north.

Uranus blocked, the swords of the metals pulling away

from each other sending chills down her spine. She

leapt backwards barely missing another thrust. He was

two could, far to good. She swung her sword catching

his inches away from her stomach. She had to

concentrate. She pushed out every thing, leaving her

mind blank, only Nefilete and her.

She thrust, he dodged, she swung in an arc catching

him in the arm, but he also made a hit and she fell

back, clutching her stomach, not daring to look at the

warm fluid she felt flowing through her hand.

"Damn you, Bastard!" She spat as she blocked another

attack, rolling to her left, and bringing her sword up

just in enough time to bring her sword up to block

again, bringing her foot around as he brought his

sword back to trip him and gain her own footing.

"Bitch!" She heard him scream as another sword came

from the rare, stopping to her left, as she felt the

weight of the solider slide down her sword. She was

careless, if she hadn't noticed the flicker in his

eyes . . .

She brought her sword back in front of her, and smiled

at Nefilete as he shakily rose to his feet, ignoring

the perverse enjoyment in his eyes.

In the east.

Mars jumped out of the way, fury playing on her face,

as she felt the weight of her long hair replaced by

pain. She flung her hand back. Gone her hair from

her neck down was gone. She felt her ends, charred.

He was smiling, a light laugh coming from him. She

spat, ignoring the pain, ignoring the new sensation of

wind grazing her neck.

"Burn, you son of a BITCH!"

Fire burst from her hands, and she smiled as she

watched him struggle to move, finding it to late. The

sounds of his anguished screams were pleasure, and she

turned, walking back to the battle, thrusting her

sword through a demon as she went the smile growing on

her face. And then it faded as she heard laughter.

Seductive, calm, malevolent.

She turned her smile fading replaced by a swirling

sickness in her stomach as she saw the charred beast

walking toward her, his empty eyes fixed on her. She

couldn't hear her scream as he drew nearer, couldn't

feel her feet racing across the ground, couldn't feel

as she fell over a dead soldier and landed with bone

crushing force on the ground. She couldn't feel.

In the tower.

Wind blew hard against her back, as it made it's way

up the stairwell. She looked at what lay ahead. It

was dark, to dark. She looked harder straining her

eyes, ignoring Hotoru's heavy breathing.

It was a long hall, at one point it would have been

beautiful, that is if you can call anything from the

Dark Kingdom that. There were no doors, save one

large one at the hall's end. She started to walk

toward it, slowly, unsure of herself, the feeling that

came from there, fear, anger, hatred, sick pleasure.

She could hear the cries of child, like a soft wind

whispering past her. She turned, hoping to see

something, yet nothing presented itself. She sighed

and beaconed Hotoru to her side. The girl did not

answer.

She slowly walked toward the stairs, her breathing

becoming heavier her heart pounding against her chest

trying to free itself of her. She stopped her eyes

wide, the grip on her sword loosened. She felt

illness swirling in her intestines.

Hotoru lay on the ground, her clothing ripped from her

tiny form, her porcelain white skin exposed. She was

trying to scream but couldn't, it was as if something

were stopping her. Then she saw it, black as night,

is lay beside the young girl caressing the outline of

her body, it's spider like hands slowly seductively

moving circularly down her stomach, going down to her

. . .

"No!" Mercury screamed lunging at the Creature, as it

stood slowly to meet her. "Die you filthy son of a .

. ."

She stopped her body frozen, her sword mere inches

from the creature's face. She couldn't breath; she

could feel its hand on her face, stopping her. *No!*

She tried to scream as the creature's other hand

slowly moved down her waist, and rest on her ass.

"NO!" She screamed, the sword flying forward,

impaling the creature through its eye.

It screamed in anguish as Mercury drew the sword back,

swinging it in an arc. She could feel the pressure,

the weight of the creature as her sword broke through

its neck separating its body and head.

She breathed harshly, her chest rising and falling

greatly with each breath. Her arms dropped to her

side, the grip on the sword still tight. She looked

over at Hotoru, not daring to move, afraid that she

might find a cold body.

"H, Hotoru?" She said hoarsely, as she forced her

body forward, watching the small girl closely, praying

for even the slightest movement.

She breathed shallowly, her chest barely rising,

Mercury fell to her knees, placing her arms around the

girl, and helped her into a sitting position.

She looked stunned, her eyes looked distance. Mercury

wasn't sure if the girl was even there anymore.

"Thank, tank you." Hotoru whispered so suddenly

Mercury jerked back.

Mercury nodded, as she rose to her feet, and turned to

face the long corridor. She cold feel the cold that

came from the door, she could sense it's evil, but

there was a difference. The cries in the wind were

gone; the souls of the children that that beast had

raped and murdered had been released. She turned back

to look at Hotoru who had placed the remains of her

clothing around her. The wind whispered it thanks.

In the north.

Uranus laughed as the sword punctured her side. She

looked up into the man's dark eyes, could see the

murderous yet seductive beauty that played in them.

And her smile finally faded, she remembered that look,

she remembered the scream. Micheru, kneeling before

him, tears streaming down her face, she couldn't help,

the soldiers held her back, away from the woman she

loved. The bastard Nefilete looked at her the same

look in his eyes; he smiled at her, then turned back

to her love. He raised his sword to Micheru's neck,

the cold murderous seductive beauty never leaving him.

"Haruka!!!!"

She would have fallen to her knees had the Dark

Kingdom soldiers not been holding her. She could see

him, holding her lover's bodiless head high in the air

through tear filled eyes, she could feel the could

rising through her body. That was the first day of

her life in this war, it was also the day she realized

she was a Senshi.

She smiled again, raising her sword, stopping his

inches away from her neck, she ignored the sparks of

clashing metal, as she slowly rose to her feet, she

ignored the pain of a punctured lung. She blocked

everything, her eyes were focused, intense, her smile

returned as she saw the cold beauty on his face give

way to fear, as she turned to the offensive, turning

the tide, forcing him to block her as she attacked.

She could feel his black heart pounding; the heavy

forced breathing leaving his lips.

"Do you remember Micheru?!" She spat, the intensity

in her eyes growing. "DO you remember making her beg

for her life?" She swung her sword, cutting his leg,

forcing him to fall to his knees. "Do you remember

her butcher? Do you remember any of girls you raped!?

DO YOU?!" The edge of her sword touched his neck; a

trickle of blood ran down her blade. "No, your kind

never does." Her voice was almost regretful. "No,

you do, don't you? You savored taking their lives,

after forcing there serve." She tried to fight back

the tears, but couldn't. "I and my friend, my lover,

were brought to you, butcher. You saw the bound

between us. You enjoyed forcing me to watch you

brutally rape her; you made me listen to her cries.

But that wasn't enough, was it?" Her voice was

hoarse, dried. "You took your sword, made her beg

you, and when she wouldn't kneel to you cut her knee's

so she couldn't stand!" She drew the sword back.

"You killed her in cold blood!" Her sword met his

neck, his blood splashing against her face, his eyes

dimmed, and then he was gone.

She backed away from him and fell to her knees,

looking into the reddening sky. "My love, you have

been avenged." Her voice was barely a whisper. She

smiled, and closed her eyes. "I will join you shortly

my love." She whispered as she placed her hand over

her wound and fell to the ground, a smile on her face.

In the east.

Mars looked up at him, as his empty eyes fixed on her,

she gasped as pain flooded through her. She gripped

her arm, wincing as she touched it.

He started toward her again, his sword raised,

pointing at her. What was left of his lips curled

into a vicious snarl. He looked down at himself,

shaking his mockingly. "I liked that body." He spoke

with a dramatic sigh. He looked back at her, the

snarl turning into disgusting smile. "Now what shall

I do with you? What do you think?" He was mocking

her, turning the short-lived happiness she had felt

into utter dread.

He walked closer to her, his smile growing with every

step. She could feel her fever overcome the pain of

her shattered arm. She scrambled to her feet, the

fear she felt driving her forward away from him.

His smile faded as he watched her run. "The old man

should be happy I silt his throat." He yelled after

her. "I saved him the trouble of seeing his disgrace

of a grandchild running like a scared rabbit!"

She stopped running from him, from what was left of

him. She turned raising her sword, ignoring the

panicked beating in her heart, ignoring the windy

voice in her mind tell her this wasn't possible. Most

of all she ignored the heated pain of her crushed

right arm.

"Bastard! She yelled through the tears, through the

memories of finding her Grandfather lying in a pool of

his own blood. "I am a Shinto Priestess, I do not

run!"

His lips are rather what were left of them curled into

a vicious smile. "Stupid child." His voice was still

as seductive as it had always been. It didn't suit

him now.

She cringed as he reached for her, swinging her sword

with her good arm in a wide arc, she felt slight

pressure as she fell to the ground.

His screams filled the darkening sky. She looked up

at him, holding his arm, head raised in agony. Lying

next to her was a charred hand.

Wind rose around her, she could smell the sweet aroma

of cook meat. She tried to smile, tried to hold onto

anything, but she was overcome by the cold of reality

as his sword pierced her, pinning her to the ground.

Blood rushed up her throat, feeling as if she were

drinking in reverse. Her vision blurred, she could

feel the pain spreading through her body, could feel

her legs spasm. She could him, his charred blackened

body standing triumphantly above her; she could hear

his cry of victory.

*No.* A faint whisper in her darkening mind. She

tried to grasp for it ignoring the cold that kept

forcing it self on her. *No.* Louder, closer. She

could hear it now, right beside her, she could feel

it, like a long awaited caress.

"NO!" Her hand grasped his leg. He looked down at

her as empty eyes trying to express surprise. She lay

there, her hand clamped around his leg, a growing

smile on her face, her eyes intense, knowing, ancient.

"Ashes to ashes." She whispered.

Fire burst in a circle around them, spiraling upward,

it heat increasing. He could feel it burning, already

burnt nerves, he could smell, as he charred flesh was

burned even farther. He could feel it, caressing his

mind and soul, embracing it in a lovers caress. This

was the fire that burned within a psychic; this was an

end worst then death. He let out a primal scream as

his mind; body and soul were engulfed in the psychic

fire.

She could feel the fire embracing her, but she didn't

care, she was a child born of the fires. She had

lived within it for so look, yet was sealed away from

its loving caress. The seal was now broken, and she

let out a sigh of pleasure as the fire engulfed, and

released the fire that was trapped within the shell of

her body.

In the tower.

Cold, so very cold. She could see her breath in front

of her. She could feel the chill of the room

caressing her bones. She couldn't help but shiver.

The room, was endless, at least that was the illusion

that it gave. Its sides ran into to the darkness, a

single flame of light shone unnaturally bright in the

center of the room. She looked up no ceiling, only

darkness. She walked forward, the room growing colder

with each step. Her heart raced, her breathing was

shallow. She gulped down the frozen air, and motioned

for Hotoru to stay behind her, the girl didn't

protest.

This was it, the moment she had dreamed of, had

nightmares of. This was what she desired. She only

wished that she could do her Princess honor when she

took the Dark Queen's life.

"Beryl!" She screamed, lifting her sword in front of

her. "Come face me, snake!"

Laughter. Cold, malevolent, powerful. It filled the

room, echoing through out the large throne room,

threatening to shatter her mind. She didn't move, she

didn't breath, she just waited.

"Poor deluded child." The voice echoed. "I defeated

the Silver Crystal, I destroyed the Moon Kingdom, and

I killed the strongest person in this world!" She

moved out of the darkness with the grace of cat. She

looked at Mercury, her face half hidden in shadows.

Her lips curled into a vicious smile as she finished

her ascent out of the shadows.

Mercury gasped, she could feel herself shaking, could

feel the twisting in her stomach, the sickness

stirring throughout her body. She fought it, and

smiled at the decaying woman in front of her.

"The new look suits you." Mercury said with disgust.

Beryl continued to smile, unwavering. "The Crystal

requires a lot of energy." Her voice was flat,

monotone. Her smile grew, and within a blink she

moved like a lion pouncing on its prey.

Mercury gasped, it was so hard to breath, she could

feel the cold of the Dark Queen's hands, could feel

the cold hunger in her eyes piercing through her,

trying to grab at her soul.

Cold, so cold. So dark, so dark and cold.

Bang.

*What was that?*

Bang, bang.

*What?*

Bang, Bang, Bang.

She could feel the warm, soft covers around her, the

bed beneath. She whispered a moan as she savored the

feel, not wanting to leave it.

Bang, bang, bang, bang.

"Ami!"

Her eye's jerked open, sending pain shooting through

her head. But the pain was nothing compared to the

shock she felt.

"My, my room." She whispered. She threw of the

covers and quickly got to her feet. She looked, her

mouth hanging uselessly open, trying to comprehend all

the information, all the sights that tried to brake

through her fragile mind. "Bu, but my apartment was

destroyed almost two . . ."

"AMI!" Screamed a boy outside.

She walked to the door, her mouth still open, looking

back and forth at something that should . . . Not . .

. Have . . .

*No. Oh God no.*

She looked at the boy standing in front of her. She

couldn't breath, she couldn't thing. She moved

closer, reluctantly, then fast, one foot after the

other, closer to him. Tears welled up in her eyes,

not daring to fall, not wanting to believe what they

saw.

"RYU!" She screamed, as she flung her arms around him

drawing him into a tight hug, not caring that the

tears ran down her face. "Oh, god Ryu."

It was a lifetime, a precious god sent lifetime,

before he struggled in her arms, and backed away from

her. It felt like another as they just stood there,

looking at each other. She shuddered when he touched

her lightly, as he wiped the tears from her face, and

ran his soft strong fingers around the outline of her

face.

"I'm glad you're better, Ami." His voice was so soft,

so sweet.

"Better?"

"You've been sick for months." He said, his voice so

full of concern. "You kept slipping in and out of

sleep." She looked in his eyes saw the loving concern

on them, and started crying again. "Don't you

remember?"

She shook her head, instantly regretting it as she

fell into darkness.

Blood, so much blood, so much pain. Death, all

around. Usagi, hanging from a cross. Minako, fun

loving Minako, dead, in the arms of . . . Mokoto,

lying dead, in a pool of blood. So much blood, so

much pain. Some was screaming, calling to her, so

familiar. "Ami is dead. She died I the artic." That

voice, so cold, so uncaring, yet familiar. She tried

to run, but something, someone held her, laughed at

her. Someone called her, someone familiar, so

faraway, so far . . .

"Ami!"

She jumped up from the soft bed, only to be pushed

gently back down.

"Whoa there darling, take it easy." So warm, so

sweet. She like this voice.

"Mrs. Mizuno, will she be all right?"

"Yes, she'll be fine. She just got over excited,

that's all." That voice so sweet, so caring, familiar

. . . Mother.

"Is it all right if I stay?"

She opened her eyes. Ryu, it was Ryu. He was looking

at her, his eyes so soft, so full of concern. She

tried to smile, before closing her eyes again, know

that she was safe as long as he was . . .

"I don't see why not. You are her boyfriend after

all."

Boy, boyfriend. The word caressed its way through her

mind. Such a nice word.

The rest of the day was spent in talk. He told her

about Usagi and Mamoru, and how fun a couple they

made. She was glad to hear that they were finally

together after so long. And on everything she had

missed doing her illness.

She was sad, when he said he had to leave. She wanted

him to stay to be with her, to hold her. They walked

in silence to the door. Her mind swimming in the days

events, and in the wishes that the . . . Day . . .

Wouldn't . . .

His lips touched hers, soft caressing. She brought

him closer, wrapping her arms around him not wanting

him to leave. She would do anything to keep him

there. Anything.

She her mouth opened to his, letting there tongues

dance. She muffled a sigh when he wrapped his arms

around her. She loved this feeling, she didn't want

it to end, she didn't . . . Pulling away. Why is he

pulling away?

"Ami, I really got to go. I'll see you in class

tomorrow." He smiled. She liked his smile. "That is

of course if you Usagi and Mokoto don't steal you."

"Yeah, of course." She said trying not to sound hurt.

She lay in her bed, staring up at the blank white

ceiling. "He kissed me." She whispered before

falling asleep.

Cold, so cold so dark. Why was it dark? She could

feel the chill running up her legs, and arms, and

slowly cooling, moving into to her thighs, into her

sex. So cold, so dark. She screamed in pain as the

cold made its way into her stomach, but no sound was

heard. Someone was calling her, yelling to her. So

far away, so far. She could feel wind in her face,

rubbing against, laughing. "The crystal requires a

lot of energy." Whispered the wind. Cold so cold.

*No.*

*No!*

"NO!"

She jumped up in the bed, tears, and sweet soaking her

face. She could hear someone running, someone coming

to her. She looked at the door, a young girl stood

there; she looked afraid, but some how happy.

"Hotoru?" She whispered.

"Who?" Her mother asked.

Ami shook her head, and looked at her mother standing

were . . .

*Hotoru? How do I know that name?*

She looked up at her mother; tears welled up in her

eyes. She was confused, so confused.

"Ami, are you okay?" Her mother asked softly,

stepping to the foot of the bed.

It was hard to breath. "Yeah, it, it was just a bad

dream."

"Must have been a bad one. Your soaked!"

Ami nodded.

"Well change. You just got better, I won't have get

sick again.

After she was change, and her mother left, she walked

over to the window and stared out into night sky.

Ryu walked with her to school the next. It felt nice

to walk with him. It felt so peaceful, so right to

have her hand intertwined with his.

She walked into the classroom, and saw Usagi

immediately. She sat there, in the back of the room,

staring at Ami; her face was hard, serious. That

scared Ami.

Usagi rose slowly from her seat the serious look on

her face quickly shifting to one of determination.

She walked over to Ami, slowly confidently. She

stopped only inches away from her friend. And brought

her head so close to Ami's ear that her lips were

touching it softly. "Go to the roof. And hurry."

Her voice was soft, and strong. The voice of a Queen.

Ami could feel the room grow cold and unwelcoming

after Usagi left. She turned to go after her friend.

Ryu grabbed her arm as she reached for the door.

"You're not going." It sounded like a command.

"Ryu please let go. Usagi's my friend."

His lips curled into a smile. She didn't like that

smile, that smile scared her. "Alright, but please be

careful."

"Why would I need to be careful around Usagi?" She

asked annoyed.

He shrugged, and moved to the side to let her by.

It was so cold in the hallways as Ami ran toward the

roof.

Usagi stood near the edge, looking down over the fence

at the courtyard below; she turned when Ami was no

more then two feet away from her. Her face was sad,

tears filling her eyes.

"Are you all right, Usagi-Chan?" She asked, afraid of

what might have made her friend this upset.

"Oh Ami-Chan!" Usagi wailed as she wrapped her arms

around her friend. "It's been so long, I've missed

you so much. And it was so hard to get here."

Ami gently ran her hand over the top of Usagi's head.

"It's alright. I was only sick for a little bit."

Usagi pulled away, shaking her head violently. "No,

no don't believe that. You weren't sick!"

"Usagi what do you mean?"

"You're being tricked. Ami You're going to die if you

don't wake up!" Usagi grabbed Ami's shoulders.

"Beryl's using the power of the crystal to make this.

She doesn't want you to fight back, to reject her as

she fuses with your body!"

"Usagi what are you . . ."

Usagi fell to her knees gripping her stomach. "Its

alright Ami I'm already dead." She said softly

caressing her friend's face, before drawing in her

final breath.

She lifted her friend into her lap, and cried, rocking

back and forth there was nothing else to do. She

didn't understand what Usagi . . .

Laughter, someone was laughing. She slowly put Usagi

down, and turned around as she rose to feet. Her eyes

went wide, she couldn't breath. Why couldn't she

breath?

"A pity really." Ryu said looking down at Usagi. "Oh

well." He looked up at Ami, his lips curling back

into a vicious smile, a smile she knew. "You do

know." He started as he walked toward her. "If it

wasn't for the small pleasure you gave me." He

stopped, letting Ami take in the transformation he was

going through. "Well, you know the rest."

"No." Ami gasped, backing away from him. "Your dead,

your dead. I killed you!"

The smile on his face grew. "An eye for eye." He

whispered as a blood red rose appeared in his hand.

The world around her shattered like glass, leaving

only a lifeless Usagi, herself, and Kunzite.

"Good bye, 'General'." He laughed, as he pointed the

rose toward her chest.

"NO!" Screamed a soft, thunderous voice. "I will not

allow this!"

Ami turned, Usagi, no, Princess Serenity stood looking

at Kunzite.

"Go." She said flatly to Ami, not looking away from

Kunzite.

"But."

"GO!"

She gasped; the air was cold, so very cold. She

couldn't feel anything below her neck, only cold. Her

eyes jerked open as she felt lips brushed against

hers. Darkness, no there was light, faint, behind . .

.

"Beryl!"

"It's to late." The Dark Queen said softly. "We are

almost one."

"No!"

"You can not stop me."

"No!"

"Just alight more girl, don't resist the enviable."

"NO!" She gripped the sword, she couldn't feel it,

but she knew it was there. She strained, it was so

hard to control her body, so . . .

She could feel the steel pierce her, she screamed in

pain, but she kept pushing. It was the only way, she

knew that. But . . .

"Usagi. Please forgive me." She whispered as the

sword broke through her back and she fell to the

ground.

Beryl breathed heavily, spitting blood with every

breath. "Th, this can not be."

"Shut up."

Laughter, cold, malevolent, childlike. Mercury

strained to turn her head, fight to keep just a little

of her fading strength.

Hotoru knelt beside her, a cold seductive smile on her

pale face. She rubbed her hand through Mercury's

matted, blood crusted hair.

"Thank you." Her voice was odd, like it maturing.

"You played your part very well."

"Pa, (cough), part?"

"Oh yes. The Senshi, and the Dark Kingdom were all

that stood in my way." She giggled like a child that

knew a secret. "One of you might have stopped me. SO

I waited, I bought my time."

She rose and walked around Mercury, her body changing,

maturing with each step. "Pluto found out. I wanted

her to die better, but." She looked down at Mercury

through cold eyes. "There wasn't enough time."

"Why?" Mercury asked. Fighting, praying for just a

little bit more time.

"I bring the silence." Hotoru said coldly. "I am the

Dark Messiah. No one would stand in my way."

Mercury felt cold, she could hear Horotu, no the Dark

Messiah walking away out of the room. Her vision was

getting blurry, she couldn't fell her face. "Usagi.

I am so sorry."

She didn't greet the darkness with open arms.

The End.

What did you think? Really hope you enjoyed this

story. How bout that ending. Not your usual happy

ending. IF you were able to guess how it would end

through the clues I placed throughout the story, then

congratulations! Well it took me awhile to do this

one, and if my word program is right, then this is my

longest story yet, spanning almost twenty-five pages.

SO please tell me what you think. And don't worry if

you though some points needed improvement, so did I.

(Smile's evilly). I'm not done with this yet; I plan

on at least two more revisions to this right here.

Well thank you for reading, and again I would love

response. You can reach me at: [email protected]

COPYRIGHTED

NeoMoon

2000