Chapter 6

Usagi paced about her bedroom, the morning sun beginning to stream across the pale pink carpet that covered her floor. She twisted and pulled at the fuzzy, white bathrobe she was wearing, as she walked about anxiously.

"I cannot believe him!" she grumbled to herself, for what had to be the hundredth time.

After Endymion had left her—again—Usagi had wracked her brain trying to figure out a way to get to the Negaverse. After about an hour, and coming to the realization that she had no way to transport herself there, she took a hot shower in the hopes that it would relax her. Needless to say, it did not. Her stomach knotted thinking of Endymion and the probable danger he faced. She was certain Kunzite would be waiting for him. She was also certain Kunzite would make Endy pay for his betrayal. And then there was Queen Beryl…

Even though Usagi had some memory of the Queen from her past life, she really knew very little about this woman. More concerning, she had no idea how strong she was—what she was fully capable of. She obviously had power. She controlled Kunzite and the other generals along with the youma they released. She also had the power to completely wipe away Mamoru's memory and turn him against her, but at least that spell was weakening. Maybe Queen Beryl wasn't as powerful as she thought she was…

Usagi looked at the digital clock on her nightstand. 7:00 am. She sighed and decided she'd waited long enough. She grabbed her communicator off of her dresser and called the Senshi.

"Usagi?" Rei asked, drowsy and surprised. "What is it?"

"Sorry for the early morning wake-up call, Ladies, especially on a Saturday, but we need to meet. As soon as possible," she commanded.

The four girls responded with an immediate "Right!" and Usagi instructed them to come to her house. After throwing on a comfortable pair of sweat pants and a tank top, Usagi made her way down to the kitchen, pulling out some muffins for when the girls arrived.

She waited in the kitchen in silence, and the reality of her situation began to set in. Usagi felt that familiar gnawing in her stomach. It was the same gnawing she had felt when Mamoru had first been taken. Even more so now than then, she felt as though she may not see him again… Tears began to sting her eyes and Usagi was about to release the sob she'd been holding in, when there was a knock at the door. Swallowing her cries, Usagi took a deep breath and went to the door.

She opened it to find Rei and Minako standing on the other side. "Hey," Minako panted, tired from her run to the house. "Makoto and Ami should be right behind us."

"Great," Usagi replied. "Come on in, and help yourself to some muffins," she smiled politely.

Rei eyed Usagi cautiously, knowing something had happened. Something was off.

"We're here!" Makoto called as she and Ami came into the foyer. "What happened?" she asked worriedly. "What's going on?"

Usagi filled them in on the previous night's events –with some editing for decency's sake—and on Endymion's return to the Negaverse to "protect her."

"What an idiot!" Rei yelled angrily.

"My thoughts exactly," Usagi agreed, now red-faced with renewed fury.

"He's going to walk right into their waiting hands," Ami added, shaking her head.

"I wanted to go with him, but he didn't give me the chance…I know he's not strong enough to face Queen Beryl alone," Usagi said sadly.

"We may still have the upper hand, though, Usagi," Makoto chimed in.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you still have the Silver Crystal," she clarified. "Maybe they won't harm him for that reason. They may want to negotiate a trade."

"Makoto, your right!" Usagi breathed, filled with new hope.

"Don't be so hasty, Usagi," Minako told her, concern in her voice. "They could use Mamoru as leverage. They could set up a trap, expecting you to come for him."

"Minako is right," Ami agreed. "Usagi, you mustn't respond to any negotiation tactics if someone from the Negaverse comes to you."

"What?" Usagi asked, shocked and angry. "You want me to just sit here while they torture and probably kill him?" she pleaded, tears in her eyes.

"No, Usagi," Ami continued. "That's not what I'm saying. But I do suggest if we go after him, it is on our terms."

"Ami?" Rei asked curiously.

"I think I've found a way for us to transport to the Negaverse," she replied, and the other four girls gasped in response.

"How?" Makoto probed.

"I think if we combine our powers, we can transport as a unit to almost anywhere," she concluded.

"Ami is right," Luna agreed, entering the kitchen. "You can use the Sailor Teleport to get to the Negaverse, but all five of you are needed to complete the transport."

"Sailor Teleport?" Minako questioned. "How come we've never been told of this power before?"

"Because we've never needed to use it before," Luna answered simply.

"Okay," Usagi nodded. "We go there, together—on our terms. And we go tonight, at sundown," she commanded.

"We're in," Rei replied instantly. "We'll meet back her just before sunset, then we go."

The rest of the Senshi nodded. This was going to end tonight.

Kunzite threw open the heavy doors of Queen Beryl's throne room and entered, dragging the unconscious Prince Endymion behind him.

"Your prince, my Queen," he sneered dropping Endymion at her feet.

"Thank you, Kunzite," she replied sullenly. "You have served me well. Prince Endymion played us all. I would not have expected that Moon-twit able to weaken my spell so quickly."

"She is a nuisance to us all," Kunzite agreed, growling slightly.

"You are right about that," the queen nodded, "but no matter. I will rectify this situation. You focus on getting that dreadful princess here so I can teach her a lesson myself."

"As you wish, my Queen," he responded, bowing.

The Queen smiled, evilly eying the unconscious prince at her feet. "Leave Endymion to me," she finished, cackling.

Usagi sat on the edge of her bed, already transformed into her alter ego, Sailor Moon. The rest of the Senshi would not arrive for another hour, but she was so anxious that she had decided to transform nearly 20 minutes ago. A heavy silence filled the room, weighing on her, along with the weight of their impending mission. Sailor Moon let out a sigh, only to be startled when it came out as a shaky whimper. It was then that she noticed the rapid pace of her heart. She couldn't recall a time she'd been this nervous. Usagi suddenly laughed to herself, cutting the silence. 'Screw nerves,' she thought to herself, 'I'm absolutely terrified.'

"Usagi, you've got to relax," Luna spoke softly.

"That's easier said than done, Luna," Usagi smiled.

The small black cat padded over to her charge, sitting delicately at her feet. "Usagi…Princess. You will get Mamoru back. I have complete faith in you," she began, sincerely. "You've grown so much…sometimes, when I look at you, I don't even recognize the girl I first met so many months ago."

"Luna, please," Sailor Moon stopped her, beginning to feel choked-up. "You almost sound like you're saying goodbye."

"Of course not!" Luna responded, standing to emphasize her point. "I believe in you, Usagi, but…I'm scared for you. I remember Queen Beryl's power. I know this won't be easy, and I just…I just want you to be careful," the feline finished, with all of the care and concern of a mother.

"Luna," Sailor Moon cried softly, scooping the cat in her arms for a hug. "I will be careful," she assured her. "Now," she continued, setting her down, "go down stairs and wait for the girls. I need a moment to myself."

"Okay," Luna nodded before exiting the room.

Once Luna was out of sight, Usagi adjusted her gloves and checked her boots, as if looking put-together would somehow increase her strength and power. Increase her chances… She smiled slightly to herself, for she knew it would not.

"Primping and preening as usual, are we, Sailor Moon?" Kunzite mocked.

Usagi froze in response, before slowly turning to finding him standing in the doorway to her bedroom, nonchalantly leaning against the frame.

"Back to kidnap and torture me?" Sailor Moon asked, crossing her arms and trying to come off as calm.

"Well, that's half true," he smiled evilly. "We want to propose a trade."

"A trade?" Usagi asked flatly, trying to hide her excitement. 'Makoto was right!' she thought hopefully. 'Maybe Endymion is okay…"

"Yes," Kunzite continued, "We know how much Endymion means to you, Princess. We will return him, unharmed, in exchange for the Silver Crystal."

Moon let out a slow, shaky breath. She knew she wasn't supposed to negotiate without the Senshi present, but this could be her only chance to get her prince back. She had no intentions of giving up her crystal, but she'd play along for now. She had to get to Endymion.

"Okay," she responded. "The crystal for Endymion—but I want to see him first. I want to be sure he is okay before we make any sort of deal."

Kunzite grunted, rolling his eyes. "I figured as much. Well," he continued, dusting off the non-existent dust from the front of his uniform, "let's go."

With that, he grabbed Sailor Moon by the arm and pulled her into a portal to the Negaverse.

The four Senshi made their way cautiously up the front walkway to the Tsukino home, making an effort not to draw attention to themselves. Mars eyed her surroundings carefully, on the look out for any snooping neighbors or passers-by. Giving a nod that the coast was clear, Sailor Mars and the other Senshi entered the house.

"Usagi?" called Sailor Jupiter.

Hearing no answer, Jupiter turned to Sailor Venus. She responded with a shrug of her shoulders before calling, "Usagi?" once again.

"She's in her room," Luna chimed in after entering the foyer. "She's been waiting for you."

"Let's look upstairs," Sailor Mercury commanded.

The four girls made their way up to the second floor only to find it vacant. Sailor Mars looked around Usagi's room, inspecting every detail. "There's no sign of a struggle," she concluded. "It doesn't appear that she has been taken."

"Then where is she?" Sailor Jupiter questioned.

Mercury also scanned the room, looking for clues. Her roaming gaze halted when she noticed a mark on Usagi's floor.

"What is it?" Sailor Mars asked.

Mercury dropped to one knee and examined the carpet. "It's a foot print," she answered. "It appears to be the print of a men's boot…"

Venus sighed, "Oh, Usagi…"

"What?" Jupiter asked. "I don't understand."

"That boot print looks just like the prints I have seen left by the Negaverse generals," Sailor Venus clarified.

"She went with one on them," Mercury said sadly, bringing a hand to her mouth. "And she went alone…"

"No!" Luna exclaimed in disbelief. "She wouldn't! She couldn't…she promised…"

Sailor Mars clenched her fists. "That baka!" she grumbled angrily, trying to conceal her fear. 'Usagi,' she thought to herself, 'what have you done?'

The four girls and the small cat stared dumbly at the faded footprint on the pale pink carpet. Their unease was palpable. They had no way of getting to their princess… All they could do now is wait.

Sailor Moon stumbled upon exiting the warp hole into the Negaverse.

"Watch your step," Kunzite mocked. "Humans don't adjust very well after teleporting."

Sailor Moon straightened indignantly. "I'm fine," she grumbled. "Now, where is Endymion?"

"He is with the Queen," he responded coolly. "She has instructed me to bring you to her, but I just can't pass up the opportunity to inflict a little pain upon that delicate body of yours."

"Believe me, Kunzite, there is nothing delicate about me," she responding, gritting her teeth.

Anger was building within her. Kunzite was playing her right now, she had neither the time nor the patience to humor him. She had to get to Endymion, and this asshole was nothing but a speed bump. She was NOT going to have a repeat of their last encounter. This time, she was going to be the one inflicting the pain.

"Well," he laughed evilly, "we'll see about that."

"I'm warning you, Kunzite," she responded, eerily calm. "I will kill you if I need to."

Kunzite laughed out loud. "You kill me? That's the most preposterous thing I've ever heard."

"Don't be stupid, Kunzite," she warned, "I had no problem taking care of your friend, Zoicite."

"How dare you…" Kunzite snarled. "Forget Queen Beryl's orders, I'm going to destroy you myself—right here and now."

Kunzite lunged forward, throwing a right then a left hook at Sailor Moon. Moon dodged both hits and kicked Kunzite forcefully in the stomach. Kunzite lurched forward a moment, before regaining his composure and throwing a ball of dark energy at Sailor Moon. The attack hit her directly, and Sailor Moon was thrown backward before landing facedown on the floor.

"Screw this," she growled, pushing herself to her feet. Sailor Moon closed her eyes and concentrated hard, trying to pull the energy from within her. The Silver Crystal was a part of her, but she wasn't quite sure how to control it yet. "Please," she whispered, "help me."

Sailor Moon felt heat begin to fill her core, and her eyes shot open. "Goodbye, Kunzite," she said softly, before releasing a massive blast of energy in the general's direction.

Kunzite didn't even have time to react as the attack hit him, instantly turning him to dust. Sailor Moon looked down at his ashen remains with pity. It gave her no joy to kill him, but she did what needed to be done. She needed to get to her Endymion. She needed to get to Mamoru…

With a sigh, Sailor Moon moved down the long hallway in front of her to continue the search for her prince.

Queen Beryl sat still as ice on her black granite throne. The throne room was vacant and ghostly quiet. The queen stared blankly ahead, the rage and determination within her betraying her calm exterior. She was so close to having everything she wanted. Yet, that princess still stood in her way. She still threatened to take away everything she has worked for, longed for over the past thousand years. Was her happiness not as important as Serenity's? Did she not deserve to have her dreams come true as well, no matter how evil they may be perceived?

The Queen exhaled a long, steady breath. "I will succeed," she told herself, "even if I have to destroy every other being in this universe in order to do so."

Beryl was suddenly jolted from her thoughts by a loud banging on the throne room doors. The queen gripped the arms of her large chair. "It looks like I have company," she snarled, awaiting her visitor's entrance.

Sailor Moon trekked down yet another hallway in the Negaverse place, the last four leading to neither to Endymion nor the queen. Sailor Moon staggered a bit as she moved down this fifth passageway, the energy drain from her attack on Kunzite becoming more apparent as she moved. Dizziness began to overtake her, but she pushed past it, determined to find the prince. Her walk came to a halt as she came upon two large wooden doors. The doors were grander and unlike anything else she had seen since arriving at the palace, and Sailor Moon believed they might lead somewhere important.

Sailor Moon paused in front of the doors and took deep breath, trying to regain some semblance of strength. She placed a gloved hand on the doorknob and turned it. However, the door did not budge. She turned it again and again, shaking it violently to no avail. The fact that the doors were locked only further convinced Sailor Moon that she needed to get inside.

Sailor Moon placed her hands on her hips and eyed the doors up and down, assessing the situation. "Well," she concluded, "I guess I'm going to have to resort to brute force." She took another deep breath and lunged at the doors, hitting them forcefully with her shoulder. She hit the doors over and over, pain stinging her shoulder, but she refused to stop. Suddenly, Sailor Moon heard a loud crack, and with one more hit, the doors flew open.

Sailor Moon stumbled through the entrance into a large room. She looked around curiously, rubbing her already sore shoulder. "What is this?" she questioned aloud.

"Welcome, Sailor Moon," Queen Beryl's voice echoed through the large space. "This meeting has been a long time coming," she continued standing from her chair at the head of the room, "but I must say, I am underwhelmed."

Sailor Moon straightened, now fully aware that she had walked right into the lion's den. "Queen Beryl, I presume?" she greeted her, looking her opponent up and down.

"That's right," the queen replied, smiling coolly. "Welcome to my kingdom. I hope you enjoy it, as this will be your last visit to this or any other place."

"Death threats so soon?" Moon asked, raising an eyebrow. "So nice to see we are not wasting time on civility."

The queen chuckled slightly in response. "I take it by your solo entrance into my throne room that you have disposed of Kunzite?"

"Yes."

"Pity," Beryl replied, mildly thoughtful. "He was quite useful to me."

"You know why I'm here, Beryl," Sailor Moon began. "Where is Endymion?"

"Sailor Moon," his voce called softly.

Sailor Moon whirled around to see Prince Endymion standing on the opposite end of the throne room. "Endymion!" she exclaimed as she ran toward him. Throwing her arms around his neck, she cried, "Oh God! I thought you were dead."

She had barely finished her sentence when Endymion took hold of her shoulders and roughly threw her to the ground.

"Endymion?" she questioned from the ground, horrified.

"Prepare to meet your end, Princess," he sneered.

"What?" she asked. "This can't be…"

"You are going to give me that crystal, Princess," he snarled. "Unless you'd like me to take it by force? I'd have no problem ripping it out from within your chest."

"But—but I don't understand," she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "You told me you loved me."

Both Endymion and Beryl laughed in unison, mocking Sailor Moon's pain. "Don't be stupid, Sailor Moon. There is only one woman I could ever love," he told her, looking loyally to Queen Beryl.

"That's right, Princess. Endymion is now utterly and completely mine," Beryl taunted. "You may have begun to penetrate my last spell, but this new spell I have cast is twice as powerful. He will never betray me now," she smiled triumphantly.

"Your power means nothing!" Sailor Moon bit back, rising to her feet. "And you are nothing!"

She then turned back to Endymion, and grabbed his hands urgently. "Please, Endymion! You love me. Leave with me now!" she pleaded before kissing him desperately, hoping her love for him would pass through their contact and break away at this new spell. 'Hey, it's worked in fairy tales, hasn't it?' she thought to herself as she poured all of her emotion into the kiss. Sailor Moon pulled away and looked into Endymion's eyes. "Mamoru?" she whispered, hoping some part of the man she knew and loved would hear her.

Endymion looked into Sailor Moon's eyes hard, studying her. Sailor Moon let out a sigh of relief, feeling as though he saw her—really saw her. However, not a moment later, Endymion raised his hand and forcefully struck her in the face. Sailor Moon let out a surprised and painful cry.

"Endymion?" she asked, shocked, as she rubbed her cheek.

Endy didn't even bother to respond as he moved toward Sailor Moon and hit her again, this time in the stomach. Moon doubled over in pain, the wind knock out of her. 'This can't be happening,' she thought to herself, her head spinning. Endymion grabbed Sailor Moon by the arm, dragging her to her feet, and then released a blast of energy into her core, throwing her across the room.

Sailor Moon's body hit the ground with a hard thud. She rolled over slowly, letting out a pained groan. She used what felt like all of her strength to push herself into a sitting position. However, she froze in her struggle when she noticed a pair of black leather boots advancing toward her. Her eyes traveled up the body that resided in those boots, and came to rest on the hard stare of the evil Prince Endymion.

The Prince loomed over her ominously, a cold sneer on his lips. Sailor Moon's heart began to race. She needed to fight back, run even, but her strength was gone. She could barely move.

"Finish her, Endymion!" Beryl commanded from her throne. She smiled evilly, reveling in the demise of Sailor Moon. The demise of Serenity.

Endymion grabbed Sailor Moon forcefully by her arms, and yanked her to her feet once again. Sailor Moon let out a frightened cry, and Endymion touched her face softly.

"Shhh," he whispered, his eyes empty and unfeeling. "It will all be over soon."

"Endymion, please," she whimpered.

The Prince promptly released Sailor Moon's arms only to replace them with a firm grip on her neck. She began to struggle, scratching desperately at his forearms, but Endymion only squeezed harder.

"Please stop," she croaked, eyes bulging.

Queen Beryl cackled madly as she watched.

Endymion removed one hand from her neck, and pulled out the dagger from his belt. Light reflected off its metal blade, and Sailor Moon's eyes shot toward the weapon. Her face creased in pain and sadness. This was it—she was going to die. She was going to be killed by the only man she'd ever loved. Her eyes began to well up with panicked tears.

"Endymion…" she forced out. Slow, steady tears began to slide down her cheeks. "Mamoru," she cried, just above a whisper.

Prince Endymion raised the dagger in his hand, and Sailor Moon's breath caught in her throat. However, instead of plunging the knife into Moon, he unexpectedly turned and hurled the dagger toward the queen. It hit her square in the chest, and Queen Beryl screamed in pain.

"Endymion!" Beryl moaned painfully. "How could you? You are under my power?"

"It's like Sailor Moon said…your power means nothing," he snarled back, disdain in his voice.

"No! Noooo!" the queen wailed as she dropped to her knees.

Sailor Moon dropped to the floor, holding her neck and coughing violently. Endymion looked down at her and his brow furrowed with guilt. "Are you okay?" he asked as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Sailor Moon met his gaze, pain and confusion apparent on her face. "I don't understand. I thought you were brainwashed again…"

Endy gave her a crooked smile. "Beryl tried, but she could erase you this time. I wouldn't let her," he told her, brushing the hair from her face. "I was able to resist the spell, but I had to convince her I was on her side," he told her, guilt taking over his features once again. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't want to."

Sailor Moon shook her head, "I don't care," she cried. "I'm just happy you're alright," she told him before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I do love you," he whispered softly in her ear.

"Isn't this sweet!" Queen Beryl screeched from where she lay at the foot of her throne. "If you think a mere dagger is enough to defeat me, my dear Endymion, you are even dumber than I thought!" she growled, and the room began to shake violently.

"What's happening?" Sailor Moon cried, fear in her voice.

"I don't know," Endymion replied, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders.

This black smoke began to spill into the room, swirling violently around the queen. The wind howled and the ground continued to rumble as Sailor Moon and Prince Endymion watched Queen Beryl begin to transform. The darkness filled her, empowering her, and she began to slowly rise to her feet.

Endymion stood, pulling Sailor Moon to her feet with him. He took her by the shoulders and looked at her seriously. "You need to fight her."

"I—I…" Sailor Moon stuttered. She knew he was right, but she was scared out of her wits.

"You can do this," he assured her, "but…"

"But what?" she asked worriedly.

"I think the only way to beat her is with the Silver Crystal."

Sailor Moon shook. She was no fool. She knew that, in coming to this place and facing Queen Beryl, she would need to use every weapon in her arsenal…including the Silver Crystal. Her power over the crystal was still so erratic, though. What if she couldn't control when she really needed to… "I know," she told Endymion.

Sailor Moon stepped away from the prince, preparing to summon the crystal. Her hair whipped around her ferociously as the dark power continued to swirl around the room. Sailor Moon looked back at Endymion, and he gave her a reassuring nod. 'It's now or never,' she told herself and she closed her eyes.

Sailor Moon searched within herself, pulling every memory, every emotion she could muster. She thought of the Moon Kingdom, of her mother. She thought of all they had lost at the hands of the woman standing directly in front her. She thought of her Senshi, her friends—of how they fought and died for her… of how they supported her everyday. Finally, she thought of Endymion. He was her prince, her true love. He was her greatest companion and ultimate sparring partner. Mamoru…

Bright white light began to suddenly pulsate from the small blonde girl standing in the middle of the darkened throne room. The light enveloped her, twisting and twirling, filling her with strength and courage. The light faded, leaving a renewed Princess Serenity, the crescent moon on her forehead shining brightly.

"Serenity," Endymion breathed.

Seeing the Princess, Queen Beryl rose to her feet. "We will fight, Serenity!" she howled. "To the death!" she proclaimed just before hurling a powerful attack at the princess.

"To the death," the princess whispered to herself, as she pulled her first strike from within.

It sprung from her body, a bright white orb, and collided with the queen's attack. The two balls of energy connected and canceled one another out, dissipating into the air. Not hesitating a moment, the queen threw another attack, and so did the princess. They threw one strike after another, one blow partially hitting the queen, and another knocking the princess off her feet. The battle continued, refusing to let up, and Serenity began to falter. Her arms burned, her chest heaved, and the dizziness was unrelenting. Queen Beryl threw yet another ball of energy and Serenity stumbled backward.

"I don't think I can fight anymore!" she cried to Endymion. "I'm too weak. I can't defeat her."

"You can!" he commanded, refusing to let her give up. "WE can!" he declared, grabbing her hand tightly.

As their hands connected, a light formed between Serenity and Endymion, becoming brighter and bigger with each passing moment. Endymion locked eyes with his princess, and her eyes began to tear with understanding—he was giving her his power.

"Endymion," she nearly whispered, and he nodded in support.

"Even with that waste-of-a-pawn's power, you will never be able to defeat me!" Queen Beryl roared, hurling a ball of energy directly at the princess, breaking her contact with the prince, and sending her soaring.

Serenity flew threw through the air, propelling away from Endymion at an incredible speed. The prince looked on in wide-eyed terror, his hand outstretch, as she fluttered across the room, her long hair and silk dress whipping wildly around her. He watched in slow motion as she fell to the ground, her body crumpling as it hit the marble floor.

Endymion wanted to scream, call out her name, but his breath was gone. The wind was knocked out of him by the sight of his love falling.

"Ser…Ser…" was all he managed as Queen Beryl laughed maniacally in the background.

Endymion stumbled toward Serenity's limp form. He dropped to his knees when he reached her and hovered his hands over her body, afraid that if he touched her, he'd break her even more. He gently brushed his fingertips across her lips. They were dry and parted, and he felt her soft, hot breath emitting from within.

Serenity gasped suddenly, and Endymion jumped in surprise. "Serenity?" he called softly. The prince cupped her small face in his hands, studying her hopefully. "Serenity, can you hear me?"

Her eyes flickered open, and her gaze fixed on Endymion instantly. "Endy?"

"Serenity, can you move? Are you in pain?" he asked frantically.

"Shh," she quieted him. She took in a long breath, and she felt warmth and light fill her, radiating through each limb, each fingertip. She felt…powerful.

Something had changed. When Queen Beryl's last attack had hit the princess, it did not harm her. In fact, it did quite the opposite. Serenity absorbed the hit, taking on that power as her own. She felt strong, and at that moment, she knew she would win this battle.

Rising to her feet, Serenity locked her eyes on Queen Beryl. This fight had been too hard for too long, and she was ready for it to be over. Seeing the intensity in the Princess's gaze, the queen took a cautious step back.

Breathing deeply, Serenity called out the words she knew would end this war. "Moon Crystal Power!"

Massive amounts of energy and white light poured from the Princess, filling every space within a hundred yards. Endymion, too, was covered in the light, and he dropped to his knees as he felt the warmth and love emitting from it. Queen Beryl screamed out in pain and defeat before vanishing into the light. Queen Beryl was gone.

The light faded, and Serenity dropped to her knees panting. Her princess form faded within moments, leaving an exhausted Sailor Moon on the floor of the grand throne room. She pushed herself to her feet and rose to a standing position, only to collapse back to the ground seconds later.

Prince Endymion watched the struggling girl from a few yards away, sudden realization creeping over his features. "Odango?"

Sailor Moon froze, a surge of energy shooting through her with that one word. She turned toward the man beside her, afraid to speak. "Ma—Mamoru?" she nearly croaked, her throat suddenly dry.

"Usagi," he breathed in response.

Sailor Moon crawled toward him, as that was all her strength would allow, and she grabbed his hand. "Mamoru?" she cried softly. "Is it really you?"

"I've been so lost," he told her, nearly crying himself. "I—I'm sorry I couldn't remember."

"Mamoru!" she cried again happily, as she threw her arms around his neck.

A loud rumbling broke apart their happy reunion, and Usagi and Mamoru scanned the room in horror as the floor began to quake and the walls began to crumble.

"With the destruction of Queen Beryl comes the destruction of her kingdom," Mamoru quickly discerned. "We need to get out of here. Now!" he commanded urgently.

"But, I can't transport without the rest of the Senshi," Sailor Moon replied in a panic.

"Well, they're not here, so it's up to us. We'll pull our powers together and transport out of here," he told Sailor Moon, taking her hand.

Sailor Moon nearly bawled at the notion. "But I've used all my power! I'm completely drained."

Mamoru studied her. She looked absolutely ragged, and given less urgent circumstances, he's sure she would've passed out by now. "Then I will get us back," he assured her.

Mamoru wrapped his arms around the blonde and prayed to whatever gods may exist above that he was still able to use the power Queen Beryl had given him. Concentrating with all of his might, Mamoru focused and threw his energy forward.

Within seconds, a black portal appeared, and Mamoru let out a sigh of relief. "Let's go," he told Sailor Moon as he scooped her into his arms and entered the portal.

Mamoru and Sailor Moon crashed to the ground with a soft thud, the plush grass softening their impact. Mamoru looked around and quickly realized they were in the park.

"Oh thank god!" Sailor Moon sighed, falling back onto the grassy lawn.

"We're home," Mamoru said softly, feeling as if he'd just awoken from an impossibly long dream.

Sailor Moon pushed herself into a sitting position, and she studied the man next to her. She'd spent the last month and a half trying to get to this person sitting only a foot away from her. The question now was: Now what?

"Mamoru?" she called softly, touching his arm.

He turned and met her gaze slowly. "Yes?"

"How do you feel?" she asked dumbly, not sure where to start.

"Dazed," he chuckled.

Sailor Moon smiled awkwardly in response. "Mamoru?"

"Yes?"

"Do you…" she began nervously, "well, do you remember anything from the last six weeks?"

Mamoru swallowed hard, before meeting her eyes again. "Everything," he told her and his eyes darkened at the memory of the two of them together. Realizing where Mamoru's train of thought was going, Sailor Moon's cheeks were painted with a fierce blush. He pulled her closer to him and held her hand. "I'm sorry I couldn't remember… But somehow, I still knew you. I knew I should be with you."

"And now?" she probed further. "Do you want to be with me?"

"Yes," he replied simply, looking away from her, and her heart sank a bit.

"But?" she asked.

He gave her a crooked smile, impressed by her perceptiveness. "It's just so much to digest. I think I just need a couple of days."

"Okay," she smiled softly.

Mamoru touched Sailor Moon's cheek gently. "You should go home and get some rest."

"I won't argue with that. I feel like I've been hit by a truck," she joked, but still aware of the awkward air between them. "Plus, the girls are probably frantic. I should check in with my Senshi."

"Okay, I'll walk you home," he began.

"No, that's okay," she assured him. "My house is only a block away, and we should both get home. The sun is about to rise, and we don't need any early morning joggers to stumble upon to broken and battered super heroes in the middle of the park," she teased again, trying to keep the mood light.

"Okay," he nodded hesitantly. "I'll call you soon."

"Okay," she smiled back.

Sailor Moon turned to walk away, when Mamoru suddenly caught her by the wrist. Her head whipped toward him to find his gaze fixed on her, brows furrowed in thought. "You never gave up on me, did you?" he breathed, appreciation and awe in his tone.

Sailor Moon felt her lip tremble slightly as she shook her head. "No," she whispered. The intensity of the past few weeks was quickly setting in, and Sailor Moon was in no state to cope with the flood of emotions she was feeling. She smirked in an attempt to ease the tension. "How could I get by with my favorite sparring partner? Rei just doesn't have he same bite in her insults, and I figured my days would be incredibly dull without you to bicker with," she teased.

Mamoru chuckled before giving her an understanding nod.

"Goodbye, Mamoru."

"Goodbye, Usagi."

And with that, the pair went their separate ways.

Usagi sat pounding away at the buttons on the Sailor V game. It had been three days, and she still had not heard from Mamoru. Granted, there was a lot of information to be processed on his part, but Usagi did not fancy all of this waiting! What if it was all too much for him? What if he decided he didn't want to be with her? Distracted by her thoughts of a handsome 19-year-old, Usagi made a misstep in her game. She groaned loudly as the words "Game Over" appeared on the screen.

"Damn it!" she swore to herself.

"You know, language like that could get you kicked out of here," a smoky voice teased from behind her.

Usagi spun on her stool to find the very man she'd been thinking of standing before her. She slowly rose to her feet, surprise apparent on her face. "Mamoru," she breathed.

Mamoru peered over her shoulder at the Sailor V game and rose an eyebrow. "Although, I would be pretty frustrated, too, with a score like that. Not very impressive," he finished, crossing his arms.

Usagi peeked at the game again, and then looked back at Mamoru, annoyance automatically building within her. "Not very impressive?" she pouted. "I'd like to see you get a score like that!" she finished, gesturing dramatically to the video game screen.

Mamoru rolled his eyes. "I could easily get that score, especially if I wasted most of my time and money playing that game like you did," he smirked.

"You know what, buddy," she fumed. "You need to get off that high horse of your and try to have a little fu—"

Her tirade was cut off as Mamoru swiftly pulled her toward him and locked his lips upon hers. Usagi instantly melted and returned every bit of the kiss, enjoying how great it felt to kiss him with no threat or urgency. She was finally kissing him as Mamoru, and no one else. Usagi let out a soft sigh as Mamoru wound his hands into the long ponytails cascading down her back. The sound of her voice and feel of her lips created a warmth in the pit of his stomach, and he wanted nothing more than to pounce on her, right then and there.

"Ma-Mamoru?" a stunned Motoki stuttered from beside the couple.

Usagi and Mamoru broke their kiss and faced the arcade manager, who was standing wide-eyed, his mouth agape.

Mamoru cleared his throat, a slight blush creeping onto his cheeks. "Oh, uh, hey Motoki."

"Hey?" he asked, eyes still wide. "I haven't seen or heard from you in over a month, and now you appear without so much as a phone call? Not to mention, you happen to be making out with your archenemy!"

"Yeah, guys! Get a room!" Minako giggled from the booth she and the girls were sitting in a few feet away.

"Minako!" Usagi wailed, blushing.

"Oh, yeah, about that," Mamoru fumbled to explain to Motoki. "I'm so sorry, buddy. I had to leave town unexpectedly for a family emergency. Things were really crazy, and I honestly didn't have access to a phone," he partially lied. "And as for this," he said gesturing between Usagi and himself, "let's just say, it's been a long time coming," he finished smiling at the girl beside him. Usagi smiled brightly back.

"Oh…" Motoki responded, still trying to process what he had been told.

"Now, if you'll excuse us," Mamoru continued, "we have some serious catching up to do." And with that, Mamoru scooped up his Odango Atama and threw her over his shoulder in one swift motion.

The girls rose to their feet as Mamoru made his way toward the exit. "Wait!" Makoto called. "Where are you taking her?"

Mamoru turned to face their friends and shouted back, "To my apartment!" He then gave the group a mischievous wink before playfully patting Usagi on the backside.

Mamoru then made his way through the automatic doors, as Usagi waved from over his shoulder calling, "Bye guys!"

"Unbelievable," Rei remarked, shaking her head.

"No, it's not unbelievable," Minako sighed romantically. "Things are exactly as they should be."

The four girls stood smiling as they watched the automatic doors close behind the young couple. Yes, everything was perfect.

The End