THE COUNTDOWN

Chapter One: A Secret Revealed

Usagi sat at her usual classroom desk, laying her head down on an outstretched arm on the surface. It appeared as if she was laying her head down, taking one of her daily naps. Her teacher had been out sick for the day and the class had already finished the work that was assigned. There was still twenty minutes left of the school day and as long as the teenagers stayed quiet, the substitute would allow them to do what they wished. Since it was the last period of the day, and none of the senshi was in her class, Usagi decided to take advantage of the time she had to herself and write in her journal.

The blonde hair girl scrunched up her nose at that word. She couldn't really say that it was her journal, per say, but it was a well- decorated notebook that she wrote in from time to time. However, instead of filled with the events of the day, she simply wrote words or thoughts that came to mind at the time. Some of her best work was placed in her journal, yet she had never actually let anyone read what was in it. Some things were best kept away from the view of her family, and friends. If they knew what contained the majority of the paper in there, they would seriously question who Usagi really was. She didn't want that. She wanted her loved ones to believe that she was genuinely a happy person all the time. Not to get anyone wrong, she was happy most of the time...but then there were moments like the one she was having now. They were the type of moments that opened up the deeper part of her heart.

She can't hide no matter how hard she tries

Her secret disguised behind the lies

And at night she cries away her pride

With eyes shut tight staring at her inside

Sliding her pencil across the white paper, she began doodling around the words that she had written a minute ago. A pair of wide, tearful eyes that looked like they would come from one of the mangas people normally caught her reading. Behind the eyes was a crescent moon. She studied the eyes she had just sketched and realized that they mirrored her own. Inhaling, Usagi lifted her head and finished writing what she had began in the first place.

All her family asking is she alright

All she wants to do is get rid of this hell

Well all she's got to do is stop kiddin' herself

She can only fool herself for so long

...I'm too weak to face me ...

Looking back on her work, content, she closes the journal and puts it away in her backpack. The blonde glanced up at the clock on the wall at the front of the classroom and counted down the seconds until the loud chimes of the bell rang. Usagi slowly stood herself up and moved through the rolls of desks, being the last one to leave the room. She nodded and added a smile to the substitute, wishing him a good rest of the day.

Lazily, Usagi made her way in front of the school and met up with Ami and Makoto. She put on one of her best smiles and waved them down, knowing they were searching for her within the crowd of students that seem to swarm the grounds of the school. Once Makoto caught site of the bouncy teen she poked Ami with one of her elbows and pointed to the direction their friend was coming from. Usagi took the last few steps and leapt over the small unoccupied area where the two were.

"Hiya!" She greeted excitedly. "Ready for the arcade?" She asked, already knowing the answer. The blue and brown headed girls nodded and all three turned around and began walking down the street.

Half way there, they hear another teenage girl screaming out their names. The group of three stopped and turned around, watching as Minako tries to catch up to them. They laugh, and encourage her to come along faster. When the other blonde did finally make it, she came to a dead stop and bent over, resting her hands on her knees. The group of four now, stands at the corner of the street, waiting for the senshi of love and beauty to regain her breath.

"What happened to play practice?" Makoto asked, tilting her head a little to the left making sure the bent over girl was okay,

"It...got..." There was a long pause, as the blonde inhaled and exhaled deeply once more, before continuing. "canceled."

The other three made an 'ohhhhh' sound, and watched as Minako regained her composure and nudged her way in between Usagi and Ami. She linked arms with them and the four continued their journey to arcade.

Arriving at the last corner the girls had to take before walking on the street where the arcade stood, a low, yet very familiar beeping sound came from each of their bags. Retrieving the compacts, the girls opened up their own individual communicators. The faces of two cats, one white, the other black, emerged on the screen. Their background filled with the sounds and quick images of Sailor Mars in battle.

"Girls, hurry! There is a youma at the park. Mars can't handle it alone." Came the urgent voice of Luna. The girls nodded in union and put away their pacts, turning to run the opposite direction they were heading. Upon entering the front gates of the park, the group transformed and hurried to towards the sounds of the battle, unaware who all was watching from a distance...

Elsewhere, inside the arcade building, an impatient dark haired college student waited for his rendezvous with a certain blonde haired high school girl. His arms crossed on top of the counter, with one hand tapping at it lightly. He checked his watch every so often, comparing it with the one in front of him. Where was she? There were tests he had to study for, and he couldn't wait forever to bump into her. His mouth twitched, giving away his discomfort, which was something he never revealed to anyone. Yet, today was different. Today, Usagi and her friends were late. Mamoru thought back to previous moments, remembering seeing Rei sitting at their usual table, and then all of a sudden running out. He was entertained with the thought for a while longer until something else caught his attention. He blinked his azure eyes, escaping the world of thinking and moving his gaze to the television that was on.

Mamoru looked about him, and realized everyone in the arcade had stopped what they were doing as Motoki turned up the volume. Not a sound was made, as a woman appeared on the t.v. The dark headed man gazed once more at what everyone else had seemed so hypnotized by. The channel was set on the news, an odd occurrence. Ever since Motoki had taken over the place, he had always placed it on some cartoon or music channel. Seeing the news now, reminded the doctor-in-training of the times when the two men were younger, and the dirty blonde's dad ran the place. He was taken out of his reverie when the woman said the world 'youma'.

"...I repeat there is a current youma attack in the park, several feet where I stand now..."

The camera shifted quickly from the woman to the side of her, where Sailor Mars was

Being filmed fighting off the monster as much as she could. The question now was, where are the rest of the sailor senshi? Mamoru watched intensely as the camera was shifted back to the reporter. Her mouth opened, about to say more, when shouts nearby where heard.

"VENUS POWER, MAKE UP!"

"JUPITER POWER, MAKE UP!"

"MERCURY POWER, MAKE UP!"

Again, the camera shifted to where the shouts were coming from. It watched as three female forms transformed in front of a live camera, still unaware they were being filmed. The camera followed them as they ran to aid their fellow senshi. Then, before they knew another shout was being called out. Only this time, the man was able to move faster and catch the last female before she completely transformed. There she stood as the last senshi to get geared up for battle. She was long, blonde haired teenage girl, in her school uniform, appearing no older than sixteen years old. She held out wand and shouted.

"MOON PRISM POWER, MAKE UP!"

Mamoru nearly choked on the saliva in his throat, as his mouth was held agape. He couldn't believe his eyes, he just couldn't. He blinked several times, rubbing them with the palm of his hand and then looking back to the t.v. Although his eyes had witnessed it, the connection just didn't click. The reporter was the main object on the screen again, smiling vigorously, with the microphone held up to her lips.

"Ladies and Gentleman, you have just witnessed the civilian form of the vigilant, Sailor Moon transform. Live on Channel 4 News. However, her identity is unknown to us at the moment; maybe our viewers have recognized who she is." The woman said excitedly.

Motoki shook his head, in amazement. He turned from behind the counter, to get the expression from his best friend, knowing full well that both of them knew, now, who Sailor Moon was. It wasn't long after seeing that image, that the man put two and two together. If Usagi was Sailor Moon, than her friends must have been the other senshi. Motoki scratched his head in wonder, trying to figure why he never put the idea together until now. When he faced the direction Mamoru was, all he saw was an empty stool and money placed by the untouched cup of coffee. He arched his eye brow and the shrugged his shoulder, returning to the television.

Back at the park, the senshi surrounded their enemy, forming a star shaped circle around. Clutching their wands, the each unleashed an attack. The monster was unlike all the rest, they had to admit. Previous demons had been ugly and borderline ridiculous. Where the Negaverse got their ideas from was unknown to any of them. The one, however, wasn't so bad. It had a tight, green spandex looking skin, with vines and various colored roses as wrist bands or arm bands. They eyes were a deep golden color. It was obvious female, from the woman figure it took. The youma was slender, tall, and with slick crimson hair that appeared to be gelled to its head. If it wasn't green, it would almost look like a normal, woman, in the nude.

The demon extended her arms towards Sailor Venus, and a long thick vine came out of a hole in her wrist and wrapped around the blonde haired warrior. With the other arm, the demon launched another vine out at Sailor Mercury. The two senshi were tightly wrapped in vines covered with sharp large thorns. Their cries echoed throughout the park, maybe further, as they were held up in the air. The vines were used much like an anaconda, and when the sounds of their back began to crackle, the youma tossed them idly to the side. It then revealed four blue roses, much like Tuxedo Kamen's red ones, and threw them out at Jupiter and Mars. Once the roses had contact, their skin was slashed by several wounds, making them fall to their knees in pain.

Sailor Moon stood alone, behind the youma. She took a fighting stance, preparing for an attack. Her fist clenched with anger as her nose began to scrunch up. She looked towards the demon with hatred. She growled under breath and leapt at it. Attached to its' back, Sailor Moon used her wand to strangle the green creature long enough for the others to regain their composure. Using her weight, she had the demon lean back far enough and shouted.

"GET UP! COME ON! YOU ARE STRONGER THAN THIS! GET UP!" She encouraged them as she fought to keep the creature within her grasp. She had to buy them time. Sailor Moon knew full well that her team mates were tired and wounded. Their very energy was drained with every attack they made, but it was almost over. The group of girls just had to hold on a little longer so that they could use their powers all at once.

Hearing the voice of their leader, the senshi weakly and uneasily made their way to their feet. In almost hunched forms, they clutched their wands. One by one, they lined themselves together and nodded counting down.

"...one..." came from Venus.

"...two...", Jupiter spoke out.

"...three..." Mars and Mercury said in union.

The girls held out their wands and called out their planet's power all at once. Sailor Moon kept her eye out, waiting for the last possible moment to move. She squeezed at the demon's neck, and looking over its' shoulder, she released it as the sensei's attack emerged and took it out, with a loud burst. Rose petals fell like snow flakes in the winter. Sailor Moon looked up at the sky, watching the petals fall from her laying position. She was propped up on her elbows, and let out a huff. Licking the blood that dripped from her lips she stood up, wiping the dust off of her uniform, although it was useless. She looked back at her friends, and saw that they were holding onto each, still in the same line, trying to remain standing. She smiled at them, proud of them. Sailor Moon was glad that they were her team mates. Each of them was strong and more than willing to not give in, even when they wanted to the most. This was the exact opposite of Usagi though. If she was in the condition they were in, and someone told her to get up, she would have just lain their. She wasn't strong like them, and knew it. She sent them half a grin and made her way over, to help carry the weight of one of them.

It wasn't until they were on their way out of the park that they saw Lucy Wong and the camera man. Eyes wide, they looked at each other in fear. They wondered how much was caught on tape. Swallowing hard, they continued to walk, trying to avoid the camera's view. The woman reporter ran up to them, throwing the microphone into their face. Sailor Moon winced and shoved the object out of her way.

"Listen, we have to get these wounds treated. Leave us alone would you?" She said in a hissed voice, motioning to a very injured Sailor Mars. "I'm not about to allow her to die just because you want me to answer some damn questions." She spit out in an acid tone.

The girls were almost out of the park when Sailor Moon caught a chill in the air. She stopped, and allowed the others to move on. The blonde turned back, and before she knew, she watched as the rose petals began to make a whirlwind and forming back into the previous youma they thought was gone. Not wanting her friends to get injured anymore than they were, Sailor Moon jogged back inside the park. Just as the demon was about to attack Lucy and the camera man, Sailor Moon pushed them out of the way in time. The two civilians fell back on their butts, the man recovering fast so that he didn't miss a beat. The blonde stepped forward removing her tiara, tossing it towards the youma. As the green creature cried out in pain, Sailor Moon held out her wand and finished it off with one of her blasts. The youma's cry grew louder as it screamed towards the sky and then busted into dust. This time for sure, Sailor Moon knew it was dead.

The blonde heard the shouts of her friends coming back, probably noticing that she wasn't by their side anymore. Sailor Moon held up her hands in defense, giving them a reassuring smile.

"It's okay." She spoke out to them. "I fini-"Sailor Moon stopped dead in her sentence, the sudden jerk of pain that coursed through her side. She gazed down, seeing a bloody wound and narrowed her eyes in confusion. How did that get there? She wondered. Her eyes followed the blood trail to a few inches to the side of her.

A black rose. She blinked, not sure why it had wounded her so. The others who got hit by the blue roses only got away with mere scratches. She blinked again, feeling her eyes getting heavy. She placed her gloved hand over the bloody wound on her hip. Sailor Moon looked back up at her friends, seeing the same curious expression on their faces. Why did she feel so sleepy? Just then, the blonde noticed that black, vein-like lines moved through out her body, just above her skin. It was as if her blood veins had grown extremely large and she could see the blood coursing through her body really fast. The pain in her side only got worse. What was happening?

Sailor Moon collapsed on her knees, trying to keep her mind clear. As the rest of her body hit the ground, her eyes connected with the rose that lay right beside her. Then it hit her. The rose had been the last attack the youma had made, and it was directed towards the humans that stood only feet away from here. The blonde could hear her friends scream out her name and start to run towards her. She blinked again.

Wait. The roses that attacked her friends were blue. This one was black. A black rose.

Sailor Moon's eyes were narrowed with the struggle of keeping them open and trying to be just as strong as her team mates were in battle today. Soon she was surrounded by the frantic faces of her team mates. The reporter and camera man stood idly to the side, watching the scene unfold before them. The two were silent, not sure what was going on, and not too sure what to do. Feeling very weak, Sailor Moon retransformed back into Usagi. The sound of her friends' voices was becoming ever so hard to hear. She kept trying to listen to what they were saying, but couldn't make it out. All she heard was whispers. Her sight began to fade in and out. The tug of someone shaking her body made Usagi try to focus once more on reality. It was just too hard to stay away. She looked to the sky, but instead of seeing the colors of orange and pink, from the setting sun, all she saw was azure. They were a pair of pleading azure eyes that begged her to stay awake. Usagi inhaled deeply, hoping that would help her find her voice. She moved her lips, forcing sounds to come out, and form words, but all that came out were grunts. She took in another deep breath and tried again.

"I-...I'm okay." she forced out and squeezed her eyes shut, feeling another wave of sharp pain coursing through her body. She bit back a scream, arching her back, as to try to stop it. Feeling light headed and out of breath, a numbing sensation filled within her. A grin tugged at the corner of her lips as she felt a sudden release. She began to try and talk again. "See?...no...no more pain." It was all that came out before the darkness took over, and her vision went black. She exhaled once more to release the pressure in her chest, and then went limp.

Several hours later, ever person in Japan tuned in to Channel 4, as Lucy Wong came back on the screen. With watered eyes, and flushed cheeks, she took a moment on air attempting to find the words. Behind her now, were ambulances, officers, and an audience that was attracted to the park after watching the battle for the past hour. She griped the microphone in her hands, afraid that it would slip through her shaken hands.

"Ladies and Gentleman, I regret informing you that, heroine, Sailor Moon, was pronounced dead at the scene when paramedics arrived. The identity of the warrior was that of, Tsukino Usagi, a sixteen year old teenager who attended Jubban High School. Those of her team mates will remain anonymous." There was a long pause as Lucy wiped away her tear covered cheeks. "You heard it first on Channel 4 News. This is Lucy Wong."