Moon and Mars

By LowFlyer1080

A/N- sigh Once again I find myself with out a flash drive to save this on, and, once again find myself sending it to my home email so I don't forget it. I'm trying my hand at another Sailor Moon fanfiction, this one centered on Rei/Usagi again, based on one of my favorite songs by Smash Mouth (shut up you haters, they were great in their day and you fing know it!).

Pairings: Rei/Usagi

Disclaimer: I do not, have not, nor ever will own Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon or any of its rights, titles, etc, no matter how much I want Setsuna Meiou. sigh woe is me. Also, I do not own the rights to the Field Marshal's Battlegear (for the warrior class in World of Warcraft), Grand Marshal's Claymore, or the Crown of Destruction that are referenced in this fanfic, Blizzard Entertainment created those items. If you would like a screenshot of what the armor, sword, and crown look like, search for them on there should be pictures as to what they look like. Instead of the Field Marshal's helmet, I used the Crown of Destruction, so….yeah. ON WITH THE FICCY!

She stood now, upon the edge of the bridge, peering down the 243 feet into the black and frigid waters of some river that the name of had slipped her mind. She thought about how it had come to this point. The point at which the pain inside her she could no longer bear, driving her to the brink, and now just a few inches from pushing her over it. For all the times that Rei had been there for Usagi, for all the times Mamoru had hurt her and she had come to Rei first and cried in her arms, Usagi still went back to that assbag "boyfriend" who supposedly loved her. They had been at one of their senshi meetings when Rei's feelings had finally broken free of her control and raged through her like a pack of rabid wolves. She had jumped up from the table and screamed at Usagi for being so stupid as to continue taking that baka back after all he put her through, but to find out he was cheating on her and she still forgave him had been the straw that broke her back. All of the senshi had sat, stunned into silence, Luna and Artemis shocked at the detonation from Mars as she tore like a chainsaw into both Mamoru for being the selfish, conceited, piece of trash he was and to Usagi for being so forgiving and so loving as to continue to take him back despite the number of emotional daggers that man had driven into her soul. As her tirade continued her voice got quieter, as she pleaded desperately to her princess to get rid of Mamoru and take a look at what was in front of her. The radio they had always had on during the meetings had come on with a song from an American group named Smash Mouth at that very moment that Rei's loss of control occurred. And she stood, hanging out over the liquid death flowing swiftly below her, one arm holding onto the guard rail, she recalled the song that had played over the radio, and the words that had spilled forth from her own mouth.

FLASHBACK

Rei's P.O.V.

The radio played in the background, oblivious to what was about to transpire at the latest senshi meeting at the Hikawa Shrine.

' "I'm lookin' at my watch,
At all the time that's been stolen
When I was carrying you
Seems I've tripped and I've fallen." '

"I've forgiven him though, I know there is good inside him and that he can change…" Usagi had said, and that's when something inside me snapped.

I jumped up from my spot at the table, malice boiling up inside me like radioactive venom, paralyzing my self control. "Oh for fuck sake Usagi! This is the eight time that piece of shit has hurt you! Seriously, odango atama, what the fuck is running through your head?! That rotten bastard deserves to burn in the deepest pits of hell for what he's done to you. I can't believe you'd take him back after this! He's broken up with you 3 times without telling you why, left for America twice without telling you goodbye and never wrote back while over there, he's split your relationship apart once before to see if you two were really meant to be together, and he's even crossed over onto the dark side and tried to kill us all! And now after he goes and fucks some street slut from Kyoto and you walk in on him and his little bitch, you STILL take him back?! 'The fuck is wrong with you?! Crystal Tokyo?! Don't even give me that shit that you have to take him back because of Crystal Tokyo!"

' "Don't want no one to ache
Oh to be drunk and forgetful
To get out of this unscathed
Oh to be free and inhuman" '

Usagi sat stunned at the outburst from me, and I could not regain control over my emotions. For 5 years I had dammed up my love for the princess and now I could see the pain wrenching through her angelic features and could do nothing to help it now, my feelings had taken over and would not be denied. I couldn't take back what I said now, I could never take it back. So I did the only thing I could…I barreled on.

"I swear to all that's holy, Usagi that you've got be the dumbest woman on the face of this planet if you've forgiven him that much. I know your heart is bigger than most and that you always try to see the good in people and get them to change. But you have to accept the fact that sometimes there are things outside your control. You've got to accept the fact that some people you can't reach. You have to accept the fact that no matter how much you forgive them, they will never truly change. In this lifetime, in past lifetimes, in future lifetimes, it will always be like this, Usagi. It will always be like this. Not even the power of the grail can fix that." My heart broke at seeing the tears coming to her eyes but my anger would have none of it as it continued on, the sorrowful music in the background filtering into my head, bringing with it dark thoughts, "Mamoru will never change, if he would have then he would have never gone out to some Red Light district and picked up some piece of shit prostitute who's been banged so much and so hard by so many people it's probably like throwing a hot dog down a hallway! If he reduces himself to that just to get off then I would hate, I would HATE to see what our Crystal Tokyo would be with him as king!"

' "Some, may say
I love, to play
When the chance is there to take
I'm moppin' up the floor,
From messy recipes of romance.
I'm packin' up the pots,
Too many cooks in the kitchen" '

"I'm repulsed by him, every time I see him I want nothing more than to choke the very life from his veins. Bleed him dry and burn his body to ashes." I continued, knowing that tonight would be the end of it all. Minako knew how I felt for Usagi, she was the only one I had ever told about my love for the princess, and I knew this probably shocked her the most, hearing these hateful words pouring out of my mouth like water from a fountain.

"That's enough Rei! Stop it! You've made your point." Setsuna finally snapped out of the shock I had initially put her in as she stood up. I rounded on her and put her back in her place.

"You would do well to hold your tongue, Senshi of Time! You, the one who supposedly knows all, the one who can see everything in the future, YOU of ALL people should know EXACTLY what Crystal Tokyo will become if this continues onward. Do NOT even THINK of beginning to tell me to stop! I may not know all of the concepts and little details of what time control means, but I know enough to safely say that it no longer matters what happens. Mamoru has committed an unforgivable act and I can tell just by looking in your eyes that Crystal Tokyo will not appear in our lifetimes. He's already shot the time stream to pieces with that little romp in bed of his with his whore! So you would do well to sit your ass down, Setsuna Meiou, before you and I have a SERIOUS disagreement here. Note that while in the Inner Senshi's territory you will abide by us, ESPECIALLY when you're within MY home! We always respect you when you invite us over to your home; you would do well to respect us in ours." I ripped into her, the shock washing across her face as she numbly sat back down, "As for apologizing to you, I will not. I've done nothing wrong. And if telling the truth to someone is a sin, then you my friend have committed more sin than the rest of us combined in all our lifetimes. You are the original Sailor Pluto, your true age unknown for your power over time keeps you from death itself. I do not claim to have a pure soul, and neither should any of you. We have all tried to hide the truth at one point or another and it always comes out. The truth can often hurt the ones we try to protect, but covering up the truth just makes the pain that much more unbearable."

' "Some, may say
I love, to let
A good thing go to waste,
I let it go to waste." '

They all stared at me, as though I were possessed by some demon from the foulest pits of the abyss that they could not defeat, and I no longer cared. Destiny would no longer control me. For once, I would forbid DESTINY from being in control. I would forge my own path. I turned back to my princess, "You're the biggest klutz I've ever met, you whine a lot, and you pig out on food that should make you plumper than a fat man in a cake eating contest. Yet for all that, you have the most beautiful smile, you have the cutest laugh, your eyes are warm and deep, and your love and devotion come without boundary. I don't know why I love you, Usagi, but I do. I would do anything for you, even if it meant taking my own life. I would not hesitate to sacrifice myself to see you live. I know not what it means to waiver in faithfulness, to stray from the one you love to have some one nighter with a complete stranger, let alone build it into an affair that could wind up hurting the one you love most. I would impale myself on iron spikes, drive a dagger through my own heart, if it would make you happy. The moment I saw you I knew I would never love another person more than I love you. Words alone can't describe the depth of my feelings. Yet for all that you've forgiven that man, I still stood by your side, Usagi. I still stood by your side. I was always the one you came to when you needed a shoulder to cry on. I was always the one you ran to when you needed to just talk. I was always the one you came to, Usagi, when Mamoru wasn't there, I was the one you came to." Tears had now made their way to my own eyes, but I continued on, regaining some control over what was said.

' "Let a good thing go to waste
A good thing go to waste.
Let a good thing go to waste
A good thing go to waste." '

"And all those times, my heart broke for you, Usagi. Seeing you in pain made my chest physically hurt. I would have done ANYTHING to get that smile back on your face, to get you to laugh again, carefree and innocent. I stood by before as you supposedly patched things up with that horrid excuse of a man you call your boyfriend; time and again I stood by and said nothing, all the while my feelings for you growing stronger no matter how hard I fought to keep them down. And all of the rest of you supported her decision. Now whether or not you truly did support her decision, I don't know. But this time, I will not support your decision Usagi. I will not support you on this. If the rest of you were afraid to voice your true opinions then upon all that's holy, keep them to yourselves for all eternity, because if you hadn't said anything by the third time this happened, then you've no right to say anything at all. NONE of you knew what it was like to hold her in your arms, your feelings raging beneath the surface, yet not being able to kiss away her tears or comfort her, the way lovers do. NONE of you knew what it was like to be me on those nights she appeared upon the temple staircase. NONE of you will ever know how much it hurt me. And NONE of you ever WILL know! There, I've said it Usagi. I love you. More than you or anyone could ever possibly imagine. But I will no longer support your decisions regarding Chiba Mamoru. It hurts me so much to say that, but I just can't bear it any more, my love. I-I just…I just c-can't bear this burden a-anymore." I sobbed quietly. The silence that followed for but a moment seemed ghostly before I finally could not stand being in her presence anymore. Knowing what I had just said could not be taken back and the damage I had wrought in those few minutes would forever remain within their minds, I turned and fled from the shrine, the power of Mars searing forth around me, transforming me, as the symbol of Mars blazed into life upon my forehead, taking the place of my tiara. I did not know where to go, for they surely would not accept me ever again, after what I had just said and done. My powers would probably not be with me much longer, but I ran anyway; as far and as fast as I could.

' "I'm lookin' at my watch,
At all the time that's been stolen
When I was carrying you
Seems I've tripped and I've fallen…" '

END FLASHBACK

Normal P.O.V.

And so Rei found herself at this bridge she had come to, still in her sailor fuku, the symbol of Mars burning a deep red, almost black, upon her forehead, as she stared down into the dark waters below. She grabbed the rail with her other hand, which had been dangling freely. Was she having second thoughts? Why would she be having second thoughts now? There was nothing left for her in this world. It had been some time since she had fled the temple, and her shell-shocked friends. But for whatever reason, Rei didn't know why, her brain would not let her hands let go of the railing, holding on with an iron grip. Something was still left undone. That's when she heard someone calling out for her in the cold night air.

"Rei! Reiiii! Rei come back please!" Usagi cried out, running onto the bridge where she spotted the miko, hanging over the liquid abyss that flowed beneath the span. She skidded to a halt about 10 yards from the priestess.

"Rei, please don't do it! I need you Rei! Please don't jump!" She sobbed, as she fell to her knees, out of breath and pleading with the raven-haired girl.

The girl in question's heart broke again at seeing her princess in pain, but she did not move from where she was. She didn't say a word, but merely looked on.

"Rei, I forgave Mamoru yes, but I couldn't go back to him. Not after that. He knew it too. I forgave him for doing this to me but I didn't take him back. Rei please don't jump. You have your whole life ahead of you. Please don't take that away from yourself Rei." She sobbed as she whispered, "Please don't take that away…"

Neither of the two senshi could have known what was about to transpire on that bridge that night. They both heard the bone-chilling guttural scream from across the bridge and felt it shake as the youma moved forward onto the span. The thing was monstrous, negative energy oozing off of it like slime. It stood well over 15 feet tall. It had no legs to speak of, but its lower body almost seemed gaseous, as though it floated along. Aside from a huge mouth with rows of dagger-like teeth and two large golden glowing eyes, the monstrosity's body was a sickening combination of purplish-black and orange-red; the only other noticeable features were a pair of very long arms with two five-fingered hands that were easily the size of a small Toyota. Dark energy spikes covered the thing's shoulders and top of its head while two bull-like longhorns protruded from its forehead. The thing reeked of the dead as black flames flowed up around where it would be standing had it had legs. Rei immediately jumped back over the guard rail and ran to put herself between the hideous beast and her princess. Usagi's communicator beeped.

"Usagi? Is everything alright? I just detected a massive energy sag in your vicinity. Where are you?!"
"You and the girls get here immediately! It's a youma and one of the largest I've ever seen!" Usagi cried out, the panic evident in her voice.
"We'll on our way. Just hang on Usagi. Hang on." Ami's line went blank.

Rei, overheard the conversation as she watched the youma closely, waiting for it to make its move. She realized that the others would not make it here on time, based on the time it took for Usagi to find her. She was the princess' last line of defense.

"MOON STAR POWER, MAKE UP!" Usagi cried out as she transformed into Super Sailor Moon.
"Moon you have got to get out of here." Mars said defiantly.
"I will not abandon you, Mars. I will never leave your side. You never left mine." Moon stated firmly as she moved to stand beside the Senshi of Fire, whose symbol was still upon her forehead, but now blazing a bright orange. This statement brought a sad smile to Mars' face. The demon towered before them, seemingly judging its two opponents, just as its opponents did the same. In a blink of an eye, the monster picked up a parked car and flung it at the two senshi. Mars dove left and Moon dove right, dodging the projectile as it crashed right through where they had been standing, but before either of them had time to react, a beam of energy shot forth from the creature's mouth, and impacted the pavement behind Sailor Moon. She was blasted forward, right into the monster's waiting hand, which closed around her waist and legs, pinning her arms to her side.

"SAILOR MOON! NO! MARS FLAME SNIPER!" Mars frantically let loose the blast of fire towards the demon.

The fireball impacted the monster and seemed to hold its ground for a split second before being absorbed into the beast. Its mouth then opened up and a massive firestream shot forth from it directly towards Mars. It happened so quick she didn't have time to dodge as the beam impacted her. She was blasted backwards a good 25 yards, rolling to a stop on her stomach. She detransformed and struggled to lift her head up. What the monster did next, made her heart literally stop. The creature brought Sailor Moon up to its mouth, and began inhaling deeply. Sailor Moon cried out in extreme agony and pain as her energy was torn away from her by force. Rei watched helplessly as something glowing bright white slowly pushed its way out of Sailor Moon's chest and her mind stopped at the realization of what it was…her heart crystal. Every human had one, even though almost none knew it. None could live without one. For without their heart crystal, they would surely die. Rei watched helplessly, struggling to get to her feet, as the monster continued to inhale. The glowing crystal was still attached to Sailor Moon by 5 energy tendrils. They held firm for a few seconds before, one by one, they broke. She immediately detransformed back to Usagi, a bloody splotch on her blouse, as the monster inhaled the crystal, devouring it. It threw Usagi's limp body towards Rei where it impacted the cement like a ragdoll.

"SAILOR MOON! USAGI, NOOOOOoooo!!!!" Rei cried out as she crawled towards Usagi. She reached the blonde and pulled her into her lap.

"SHINE AQUA STORM!"
"WINK CHAIN SWORD!"
"SUPREME THUNDER DRAGON!"
"URANUS WORLD SHAKING!"
"NEPTUNE DEEP SUBMERGE!"
"DEATH REBORN REVOLUTION!"
"DEAD SCREAM!"

The other sailor scouts had arrived, and had loosed their most powerful attacks upon the demonic horror. The blasts impacted the monster and it seemed to dissipate into a small dark cloud upon the ground, slowly dissolving away. They ran towards their two friends who lie on the cold pavement of the bridge.

Usagi was deathly still, her clothes ripped and torn, her transformation broach cracked. Her hair had come out of its normal style and was dirty. A large patch of blood stained the front of her blouse as numerous cuts and scrapes adorned her bare arms and legs. Rei cried out as she held Usagi to her, rocking back and forth. The other scouts all had tears in their eyes as they leaned against each other for support. Artemis was trying unsuccessfully to comfort Luna, who was overcome with grief. Uranus and Neptune began to approach but suddenly a blast of searing fire surrounded Rei and Usagi.

"STAY BACK!" Rei screamed, as her symbol once again flared into life upon her forehead, as she transformed again into Sailor Mars.
"Rei, she's gone! We saw her heart crystal destroyed by that youma! Let her go Rei, we have to…" Neptune's plea was cut off.
"SHE IS NOT GONE! I REFUSE TO LET HER GO!" Energy surged through her body as the flames protecting her and Usagi grew higher, burned hotter.

"R-rei?" a small voice uttered.
"Usa?" Rei whispered back, the tears streaming down her face. She turned back to the dying woman in her arms.
"I-I'm…I'm dying, Rei."
"Shhh. Don't talk like that." She brushed a few strands of dirty blonde hair away from her face.
"My h-h-heart cry-crystal….gone…" Usagi breathed laboringly.
"No. I will not let you die Usagi. I will protect you Usagi. I will always be with you." Rei whispered back as the others looked on, the white hot flames barring their path. What the priestess did next, however, rocked everyone to their core.

Her right hand ignited, coating itself with fire as she brought it up to her chest. Her entire body stiffened as it was suddenly shot through with burning pain. She screamed out. A patch of blood began to grow upon her sailor fuku as a glowing red object slowly pushed its way out of her chest, 5 red energy tendrils streaming back into her.

"Rei no! You can't do this!"
"Rei stop!"
"No, Mars. Please don't do this!"
"You will be SILENT!" Mars cried out in agony at the other scouts. Using her burning right hand she gripped her own heart crystal firmly.

"I will not s-s-stand b-by and-d w-watch my love die. Moon and Mars sh-shall become o-one with this act. I voluntarily l-lay my life down so that she m-may pick it up. I do th-this of m-my own f-f-free will." She stuttered out through the agony she felt in her entire body.

In one final scream of pain, she wrenched her own crystal from herself, the energy tendrils snapping like strings as the crystal pulsed with heat in her hand. The shock of the tendrils breaking stunned her for but a moment, her eyes growing large from the sudden burst of indescribable torture.

"R-rei, wh-what are yo-you doing?" Usagi breathed.
"You c-cannot l-l-live without a cry-crystal, Usako. So I'm giving you mine." Rei whispered, as she coughed up blood.

A strange calm now settled over the miko as she looked down at her princess, her body now beginning to die as well. A sad smile made its way to her face as she gazed down upon her princess. "No matter what may come, I will always be with you, Usa. My sweetheart. I will always, always, protect you. The power of Mars now rests with you. Let none ever wield my strength again but you." She whispered, moving her right hand and placed it upon Usagi's chest, the flames beginning to die out as she pushed the crystal into her beloved. In one final surge of power from Mars, she connected her heart crystal to Usagi's body and sealed her wounded chest. The fire wall around the two grew steadily weaker until it too died out.

"I will always love you, Usagi. I will always lo..love…y-you…" She blinked a few times before smiling again as her vision clouded over, as she collapsed to the ground, the adrenaline that had kept her up that long finally running out. Life began flowing throughout Usagi's body once again as her strength returned. She quickly sat up as the roles were now reversed. The Senshi of Mars lie dying in her lap, but there was nothing that she could do to save her life.

"Rei? Rei! No. Please don't go Rei!"

With her remaining strength, the miko reached her hand up to cup the princess' tear-stained cheek. Usagi placed her hand over Rei's. "I on-only wished I could have tasted y-your lips before I died; that I could have known true paradise…if for only an instant. Goodbye…Usagi."

Usagi didn't hesitate as she leaned down and kissed the dying miko, her lips pressing softly to Rei's own. She felt the priestess respond weakly for only a moment before her body went limp. Usagi drew back, sobbing, as tears flowed down her face.

"I love you too, Rei... I love you too." She whispered.

Rei was gone. Usagi held her body close to her, rocking slowly back and forth as she cried. She didn't even noticed that the youma had somehow returned. The thing screamed again as it slowly advanced towards the group. The scouts launched their attacks again, trying to defeat the monster but one after another, they had no effect upon it.

"It's too powerful! We have to get out of here now!" Jupiter said as another of her attacks fizzled out as it hit the demon.

The scouts did everything they could but their attacks did nothing, the creature continued to advance. Suddenly, Usagi felt something deep within her awaken as she felt an extreme heat burn through her blood. She gently let Rei's body down onto the cement and stood, turning to face the horror, burning hatred clearly upon her face. Was this what it was like to feel no remorse?

"Golden Ember Moon Armor…IGNITE!!!!" She screamed out the transformation as a massive energy spike surged forth from her. The scouts, who were behind her, were all knocked off their feet at the hot blast of air that rippled off Usagi like a shockwave during her transformation. The youma was even forced backwards by this new change of events, shielding its eyes from the blinding red and white light that poured from the princess. The light continued, and when the scouts thought it could get no brigher, it flashed as bright as the sun for a moment before fading away. And what they saw left them all in awe. There stood Sailor Moon…but her normal fuku was no where to be seen.

White and gold plate armor covered her body. The gloves seemed as though they were skin tight. Just past her wrists they became at least an inch thick, clear up to just below her elbows. Her boots were the same. They fit snugly over her small feet and just above her ankles they became an inch thick, going up to just below her knee to protect her shins and lower legs. Her plate leggings were snugly fit over her thighs and reached down into her boots, the gold and white designs upon them seemed to pulse slightly with energy. Her chest and upper arms were covered by a chest piece with the same designs as the leg plates, snugly fitting to her slim form, showing off her midriff. Her hair was down from its usual style, free flowing and floating eerily due to the power that emanated from her. Large shoulder guards rested upon her, the right having the head of an eagle with wings outstretched molded outward from its surface, the left a large curved pad with a smaller one underneath, building it up, with a white sash over the top that was held on by two golden discs, each with a symbol of the sun upon them. And floating like a halo just above Sailor Moon's head, was a crown of pure fire. A single, octagonal bloodstone was in the front, with a small spike of fire flowing upward from it. The flames danced smoothly around in an almost solid ring, left to right. And slung diagonally over her back was a massive greatsword. The handle of which was easily two feet long. The huge blade was 6 feet long and at least a foot and a half wide at the hilt, narrowing down slightly to one foot just before tapering sharply into a point. Blue and silver etchings adorned the blade. The armor glowed slightly as if it were extremely hot and the air around Sailor Moon was distorted with the heat and smelled of ozone. And blazing upon her forehead, white hot…were the combined symbols of Moon and Mars.

"I am the Golden Ember Sailor Moon. You tried to take my life on this night, you foul demon. And it took having my one true love sacrificing herself so that I may live, in order for me to see just how much I loved her back. So in my eyes you have slain two innocents this night, not one. In the names of Mars and Moon, you shall be executed for your crimes." Sailor Moon spoke, her voice so venomously cold made even more so by its stark contrast to the almost burning air that surrounded her.

The youma cared not for anything this new opponent had to say. It screamed and let loose a powerful negative energy beam, headed straight for Sailor Moon.

"I will always love you Usagi." She heard Rei's sweet voice whisper in her mind. "I will always, always, protect you."

Time seemed to slow down. Usagi heard the other scouts screaming at her to get out of the way. She saw the beam coming in, aimed directly for her heart. But she didn't move. She knew she was not alone. She knew that Rei would protect her. Her love would protect her.

The massive attack slammed into some sort of barrier a few inches from Sailor Moon's breast plate, but she didn't even flinch. The dark energy held its ground for a few seconds before faltering and splitting apart, scattering in all directions. Sailor Saturn had to put up her Silence Wall to shield the scouts from some of the stray beams. Sailor Moon drew the sword from off her back with her right hand, lifting it with ease as she felt Mars' strength flowing throughout her body, calming her as she slowly began walking towards the youma.

"You have slain two innocents…"

Another energy beam slammed into Sailor Moon, but the defensive barrier stood firm, growing even stronger.

"Taken my true love from me before we had a chance to be together…"

The creature extended its arm and brought its huge fist downward in an attempt to crush the defiant opponent who continued to walk slowly, calmly, closer and closer. But once again, a few inches from being able to strike Usagi, it slammed into the barrier again as it flashed golden red at the impact. The defensive barrier still grew stronger.

"Threatened the lives of my friends…"

A third energy beam, far more powerful than the previous two hurled towards Sailor Moon, but to no avail as the Martian Shield stood firm against the heavy onslaught.

"For these acts, it is my duty and my responsibility to snuff out your life force like a candle; to end your existence upon this world for all eternity…" And at that statement she burst into a run towards the youma. Sprinting towards the demonic horror, she jumped powerfully in the last few yards, raising the sword above her head as she flew through the air. Gripping it with both hands, it ignited with red and white flames.

"MARS BURNING EXECUTION!!!" She called out the attack as she slammed the blazing greatsword downward into the creature's skull, her momentum carrying her on through as the mighty blade cleaving the behemoth in two like a guillotine. Black blood sprayed everywhere as the sword half-cut, half-melted its way through the monster's body. Clear downward through its chest and torso and into the cloud, Usagi drove the sword, finally slamming into the bridge pavement with a deafening clank, cracking the asphalt with its impact. The two halves of the behemoth collapsed to the bridge and detonated as Sailor Moon jumped backwards to avoid the blast. The bridge reeled from the explosion but held firm.

Sailor Moon stood there, her grip tight upon the flaming greatsword, as she held it out in front of her in a guard position, her feet set. Slowly she released her hold upon the sword, the flames going out as she slung it back over her back. Streams of fire seared glowing trails through the air, arcing randomly about her armor, as she manifested even more of her strength, her rage fueled on by her desire to avenge her fallen love. The cloud of the youma seemed to be dissipating slowly, but this wasn't enough for Usagi.

"The moon cannot shine without the sun, as the sun cannot live without its fire. So now I give you one final gift! My pain, my anger, and all of my sorrow!" she cried out, her words phantom-like as she brought forth the true strength of Moon and Mars.

A blast of heat seared forth all around her as Sailor Mercury helped Saturn reinforce her Silence Wall with ice to negate some of the heat that flooded around the Senshi. Grass and trees wilted under the radiation as the asphalt started to sizzle. The steel girders of the bridge began to glow red. Golden Ember Sailor Moon brought her gauntlet-covered hands up in front of her and poured forth her energy into a small ball that shone like the sun. She set her feet as another burst of power enveloped her, screaming as she forced more and more energy into the mini-star she held out in front of her. She saw the youma trying to reform itself but she didn't care. It would all be over soon enough. The image of their princess horrified the Scouts as they could barely make out her features except for her eyes. They flashed gold before quickly slipping into jet black. Pulling her right arm back with the miniature star floating in her palm she called out her final strike.

"CELESTIAL… NOVA… OBLITERATE!" She hurled the star the short distance into the youma's cloud as the bridge shook with the violent attack. The star's gravity pulled in the youma's regeneration cloud, swallowing it whole and incinerating it. Controlling the path of the star with her hand, Sailor Moon lifted her palm toward the sky as the star shot up into the night air. A bright flash of white light was followed with a massive explosion, the shockwave breaking through Mercury and Saturn's defense and knocking the scouts prone. Windows within the area were shattered, trees had their leaves torn off, as plants and flower bushes were leveled. The water below churned with the force of the shockwave's impact, blasting the shores of the river with waves over 4 feet high. What snow had been in the area was flash evaporated by the heat of the attack.

Sailor Moon stood there, staring up at the sky as the protective barrier that had surrounded her and the body of her love, slowly disappeared.

She turned wordlessly around and walked to Rei's lifeless body. Kneeling over her, she kissed the miko's lips one last time before picking her up and carrying her in her arms. The Sailor Senshi who had risen to their feet, parted for her as she passed through them. Nothing was said, only the silent tears of the senshi serving as an immortal testament to the events that had transpired that night. Usagi could feel Rei's heart crystal, warm within her chest, as she remained in her new transformation. She did not dismiss it…for her memories, Rei's heart crystal, Rei's armor; they were all she had left of her beloved. It was a long walk back to the shrine…made to seem an eternity so for Golden Ember Sailor Moon, as she knew she would now be forever alone.

Moon and Mars were finally one…

The End

A/N- Love it? Hate It? Don't give a fuck? Questions, comments, and reviews are more than appreciated. Any and all flames shall be redirected back to their sender by my cute Dark Magician Girl and her trusty Magic Cylinders. Torch yourselves if you feel like it.