Light Amidst the Darkness

By: Angel of Mercy

Chapter 1

Dedication: To my friends, right now they have really been here for me and have given me so much inspiration.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or DBZ!  Hehe, so sew me!  *huggles Mirai Trunks*  Each of the parts are about a different Senshi, I have made this chapter so long because I want everyone to be able to read something about their own favorite Senshi or DBZ character.  I hope you enjoy!

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Ami woke with a start, a small scream erupting from her throat as she remembered the flash of light before her eyes.  It had only been a few inches from her very being before it was about to make contact with her flesh and make her doom real.  Everything was a blank from there and she felt tears of hysteria come to her as her hands covered her eyes.  Her bangs brushed her skin lightly in feathery caresses as she felt shockwaves come through her body as she shook.  She curled into a ball as she rested enclosed with herself, shaking her head as she tried to calm down.  Her senses soon brought her attention to the outside world and the sound of nature and running water reached her ears.  She slowly drew her oceanic eyes to the world as rays of sun warmed her through the treetops above. 

"Where am I?" she whispered to herself as she looked around.  Her body protested to stand, but she pushed herself to her knees as she took in her surroundings.  Her sailor fuku had disappeared and her henshin stick lay at her feet sparkling like the ocean waves.  She felt a sudden anger rage in her and her foot moved to stomp on the vile thing that had brought this immortal curse to her life.  She stopped herself suddenly as images of her friends raced through her head.  Her close friend Mako, the strength of the group that gave her hope to win any battle.  Minako, the carefree and determined one of the group that always made her smile.  Rei, the serious and serene one of the group, always gave Ami an inner strength to fight.  Usagi, she never knew what to think of her, first being the playful and strong teenager always ready to give her life for those she loved, then to the power hungry Queen Serenity that had almost killed her and the other Inners.  She slowly knelt down and picked up the smooth object in her hand, wishing to feel the power of the eternal ice within her.  She shivered at the thought and pocketed the henshin stick in her jean pocket.

She stood to her feet and dusted herself off, checking for any serious injuries on her already bruised and battered body.  She looked around herself, checking for any of her other comrades, but all she found was lush vegetation and the sounds of a waterfall nearby.  She made her way slowly towards the sound of water, pushing past thick debris and plants on her way through.  She broke through one last veil of vines only to come to a clearing that she immediately found inviting.  She blocked her eyes against the invasion of the suns rays as it rushed her to get used to it from the darkness of the forest she was in before.  She squinted a bit as she lowered her arm and looked towards the waterfall, the serene and calming surface as it played a tune all its own.  Her eyes passed over a figure floating above the water below and kept traveling, but did a double take and looked back to the human…or thing there.  She kept quiet as possible as she walked closer to the being, looking at it closely to try and see what it could possibly be. 

"It could be a youma…better call the others for…" but trailed off just as she reached for her communicator.  She dropped her hand back down to her side as she frowned deeply, hoping that she was in some place just outside of Tokyo.  The creature seemed to not know she was there, but Ami soon regretted not just turning around and running as she stepped on a twig with the heel of her foot.  She gasped and turned to the creature just in time to see its eyes flash open, black eyes boring into hers.  Its invisible eyebrows drew together and a second later he disappeared from view.  Ami felt her insides swimming and soon felt a rush of air hit the back of her neck.  She quickly spun around to see the creature looming over her as his fangs bared dangerously. 

"What are you doing in MY forest?"

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Makoto groaned as she sat up for the third time in only Kami knows how long.  She could hear the voice in the back of her head telling her to get up, but her body would just fall to the ground again in the pain and weakness it was feeling.  She just fell down once more, thinking about the small time ago when she had last seen her friends.  Everything had stood still after she saw Serenity take the Golden Crystal from their King, blasting them all for defending Rei in her time of execution for a vision she had had.  She shook as she remembered seeing the light heading straight for Ami, the one in the front of the group of four Inners, soul sisters for over a thousand years. 

"Just great." She muttered as she heard the tears in her throat.  She shook her head and swallowed her tears as she pride overtook her.  She sat up abruptly and bit her lip to hold in the pain that racked her body at the moment.  She stood to her feet and snatched her accursed henshin stick off the ground, but her heart wanted to just leave it there and let some other hopeless soul find it.  She sighed, as she looked around the open plain, closing her eyes, as the wind seemed to calm her nerves from all the stress she felt.  She began to wish for any human contact that would be possible and she opened her eyes to find someone there.  Her eyes widened as she saw a figure laying just a few yards away, but the person seemed to be in pain.  She ran as fast as her aching body would take her, but as she drew close her began to wish she hadn't seen this, it was none other than King Endymion himself lying there broken.  His eyes were hollow looking as he stared up at the clouds; they looked the same way as they did before he had met her princess.  He had had no family, no hope but of a dream of a maiden that would tell him his past. 

"King Endymion, wake up!  Come on!" she cried as she dropped down next to him.  His chest plate and cape lay scattered on him in ripped and broken pieces.  He blinked out of his dream like state and his eyes grew warm at the sight of her, he had become like a big brother to all of the Senshi while the making of Crystal Tokyo had taken place.  She smiled at him and began to help him up, removing his armor to only leave him in his shirt and pants.  He looked at her tiredly and grinned a little at her, but the pain inside and out reflected in his eyes.  She hauled him up by his arm and set him on his feet as he stretched a bit.  He looked at his armor as Makoto began to walk ahead of him, hearing strange noises coming from a far distance off.  She could see the birds flying off in a scattered flurry of wings from the forest treetops.  She turned back to see Mamoru picking up his sword, carrying it by the hilt in an iron grasp.  She watched him look towards the forest and he nodded as they broke into a sprint, hoping the noises were the Senshi waiting to reunite with them.

As they reached the trees they came to a clearing with a small lake, trees surrounding it, but three very odd people in the middle.  One was a silly looking boy a little older than Makoto, with black hair that stuck out in all directions.  He was floating in the air with his hands crossed across his chest, his head hanging back as he howled with laughter.  A lavender haired youth was standing there smirking, his shoulders shaking so often as his baby blue eyes stayed on the lake.  Makoto and Mamoru both raised eyebrows at this display as an aqua haired girl made her way out of the water.  She was glaring at the black haired youth as she leaned on her hip and turned her nose into the air. 

"Come on Bra, you asked me to teach you how to fly and I did.  That is how Trunks told me Vegeta wanted me to teach you."

"Oh really, is that so bubba?"

"Heh, come one Bra, Goten, a little help here."

"Ahem, excuse me." Mamoru said as he had all three heads turn to him.  Trunks immediately went into a fighting stance, feeling a huge power level coming from the man with the sword.  Goten stopped laughing as he eyed the brunette next to the man, sensing her power level to see if she would be a good challenge or a bad threat.  Bra was too busy looking at the gorgeous man up and down as Mamoru wished he had kept quiet. 

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Usagi immediately woke up to find herself in a place with millions of people surrounding her.  She blushed as she looked around to see thousands of eyes upon her, staring at her as if she were some sort of freak or an absolute angel from heaven.  She rolled her eyes at that thought, so many people had viewed her that way, but with all the beings she had killed for the side of good it made her wonder how innocent she really was.  She smiled at all the concerned men and they all averted their eyes as she stood up from her position on the ground.  She felt a little drafty and look down, but soon shrieked and covered herself with her hands immediately.  She crossed her legs and sat back on the ground, hoping she would get some answers or at least a polite gentle to give her something to cover herself with.  A white cape fell in front of her eyes and she grabbed it fiercely as she wrapped it around herself to hide from the wondering eyes.  She looked up at the person to thank them, but recoiled back in fear of the thing she saw.  Black eyes and green skin met her vision as she it grabbed down to touch her, but she fell onto her butt as she scooted away. 

"Come here, I will not harm you.  The Grand Kai wishes to meet the supposed angel that fell from the great above." The rugged voice spoke to her as she began to scream.  She clutched the cape with one hand as she other pushed her onto her feet to run, but she stepped on the cape near her feet and fell to her face on the ground.  She heard the creature coming closer and curled up, wishing he beloved Mamoru were here with her.  A strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her to her feet, only sweeping her feet from beneath her and carrying her off away from the men in the crowd.  Usagi lay frozen, not daring to meet the icy vision of the alien carrying her to some unknown death.  She squirmed a bit, but the arms shook her to stay still.  She whimpered and cuddled into the chest of the stranger, hoping that he would show her mercy.  He just seemed to stiffen at her contact and Usagi pulled away.  Instead she looked ahead and saw a gigantic palace coming into view, a few figures standing at the entrance of the palace awaiting her and the alien. 

"Ah, Pikon, I see you have found our expected guest.  Welcome to my palace young one, it is nice to see that you have joined us here at last.  When Pluto told us you would be coming here, I got frantic when you disappeared into the other part of my kingdom.  I am Grand Kai, but you may call my honey, you beautiful girl." He said as he wiggled his bushy eyebrows, but Pikon just rolled his eyes as he set the girl down.  She kept looking at the small man in confusion, but her eyes kept averting back to him, as she stood closer to him than any of the others.  A snort came from the back and a short man stepped forward, dressed in blue with antennas and a small halo hovering over his head. 

"Welcome to Other World, this is where people have come when they are dead, but they were privileged to keep their bodies in the after life.  You were sent here by your guardian to remain here until she sees fit, as for the rest of your comrades as well, but with all of you, you were all separated from each other.  Her powers of time sent you all here by mistake, but when you ended up here she asked us to watch over you.  Please enjoy your stay here, and if any of these idiots annoy you come to me.  I am King Kai." He said with a wink and a loud chuckle, but it sounded like some pig trying to snort.  Usagi had to smile at his attempted humor and bowed to them as the other three Kai's ganged up on the smaller one. 

"I thank you for your welcome, but I cannot stay here, I have a kingdom in my own world that I cannot let be unruled.  I will be returning, so if you can contact Pluto I will by on my way." Usagi said as she smiled at them, but they just stared at her blankly.  She bit her lip, starting to have a sinking feeling in her chest as she suddenly remembered the Golden Crystal, her Inners standing together to protect her best friend that she threatened to kill.  They all stood by Mars in the final judgment and she had felt the power of the Golden Crystal as she stole it out of Mamoru's chest.  The power overwhelmed her, causing her to shoot the beam of light straight at them without a second thought.  It had headed straight for Ami when everything went blank and she had ended up here.  Fresh tears welled up in her eyes to hear her friends were alright, but the thought of her almost killing them made her fall to her knees and weep. 

"Please my dear, do not cry.  Come inside, we will discuss everything in due time." Grand Kai said as he saw the girl break down.  He signaled for Pikon the pick the girl up once more and Pikon gritted his teeth at the wailing he heard from the supposed ruler of an entire universe.  He grabbed her elbow and steadied her up, but she let his cape fall from around her and she held to him tightly.  He froze, his dark complexion burning as the Kai's watched the scene. 

"Go Pikon." One of them cheered as he began to remove the girl hastily. 

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Minako breathed heavily as she leaned against a piece of debris from a collapsed building near her.  Her eyes roamed the landscape as she searched for any life at all in this barren wasteland, but she could see nothing but the blankness of this creepy place.  She had waken up in this trash heap, bodies of the innocent and dead littered the ground as if they meant nothing more than decoration to some foul creature.  She shivered at remembering the little girl she had waken up next to, her small eyes staring straight back at her with a far off look.  She never blinked once and Minako reached over to her, but she pulled back as something wet stained her hand.  Blood. 

"What kind of horrible creature would do this?" she asked herself as she thought of Crystal Tokyo.  Everything was right in that world, perfect and everyone died of natural causes or maybe in an accident or two.  Queen Serenity was a fair ruler with her King by her side, directing her in areas that consisted of battle or of the citizens.  Until the time that the Golden Crystal was found, Serenity had been a just ruler, but when it was found it all changed and her hunger for power grew.  Tokyo fell into a dark age where Serenity closed off the palace from the city and the city became chaos without its ruler, but soon the Senshi convinced her to open the palace and once again peace and sanity reigned.  The day she had almost executed Rei had killed Minako, she had wanted the Queen to understand, but she needed an excuse to use the crystal and that meant killing her best friends and guardians in the process.  By a miracle she was still alive, but of her sisters she did not know.  Tears streamed down her face, her heart breaking with the love that she was supposed to understand so well, but every time it killed her to think of her love for her friends when they might be gone. 

"Hey, why are you crying?" came a gentle, but masculine voice as Minako jerked her head to see the person.  No one could be seen and she shivered as she crouched down, grabbing for her henshin stick in her pocket.  She began to chant her transformation phrase, but all that came out was a few mumbled words as her eyes widened.  A figure came into her view, cold and glowing an unnatural color as he looked down upon her.  His black eyes looked cold, but as he gazed at her it softened slightly from her frightened look.  He walked like any warrior, head held high and proud, shoulders back and the muscles rippled from underneath rough skin.  He knelt down next to her and stretched out his hand to hold hers, but as soon as he touched her ever so slightly she pulled back.  She felt a million daggers going through her hand and she looked up at him in alarm and pity at his frown. 

"Are you some ex-boyfriend of mine come back to haunt me?  I mean you are really cute and all, but I think I would remember you." She said as she shook her head.  Was she going crazy?  Was this really a ghost?  Wouldn't Rei be more likely to see him then her, since she wasn't really into spiritual stuff and all. 

"No, I am not.  I died here quite a few years ago, my young apprentice and friend has been here protecting what is left of this world.  A new plague has broken out, that is all the people you woke up seeing.  My name is Gohan, I am sorry to have frightened you, but when you appeared I felt my energy being drawn towards you.  Who are you?  In all my years of being a wondering spirit, no one has ever seen me like you." He said as a light shown in his eyes, finally having the freedom to talk to someone in so long.  Minako smiled, if she was going crazy she was happy to have met someone like him instead of some cut up, bloody ghost you see in horror movies.

"My name is Minako, nice to meet you." She said as she smiled at Mirai Gohan, but he was gone.

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Rei watched the aqua haired woman oddly as she roamed around the lab constantly fidgeting with every little gadget she could.  Her oceanic eyes reminded her of Ami so much, but it brought tears to her eyes as she remembered the ray of light heading straight towards the blue haired Senshi.  All her sisters had stood by her when their Queen had declared execution for her.  The vision had become more vivid and the man she had seen had baby blue eyes, the pain and loss still reflected behind their cold depths.  Something in her wanted to meet him and take away the pain, but her senses were also warning her about this powerful being as well.  She tried sitting up from her position on the cold test table beneath her, but the binds were holding her tightly.  Her eyes widened in panic and she averted her eyes to look down at her state of dress.  Her clothes had been removed and her undergarments were the only things keeping her body hidden.  She blushed crimson and looked around frantically for her clothes or henshin stick, but found that it lay on a counter top further across the room.  It lay there as the color radiated the firepower that lay within. 

"Ah, my child I see you have awakened, I am so glad.  You are one of the only survivors that have not been infected by the plague.  I took a sample of your blood, but I can tell you are not of this world; your blood is at least 1000 years old.  What is your name creature?  You are a remarkable specimen, this stick I found of yours is radiating with power." The older woman said as she came closer to Rei's face.  Her eyes scanned the slightly frightened girl and put her hands up waving them as if to tell her something.  "No no child, I am not going to hurt you.  I found you lying near my lab a few yards away, you were passed out and wearing this weird uniform, but it disappeared just as quickly as you came.  I am Bulma Briefs, my son is somewhere here looking for any survivors from this horrible sickness that came only weeks ago.  I have been working on an antidote, but there has been nothing for a result." She said as she pressed a button on the control panel that released Rei's bonds. 

"Thank you.  I am not sure how I got here, but let me assure you I am human, my name is Rei.  Tell me…what is this place?" Rei asked as she looked around the massive metal walls and indents upon them.  It appeared this woman was a miracle worker by seeing all the old photos and liquids displayed along the counters.  She looked back at the woman, but she only handed Rei her clothes and walked out the door.  Rei sighed and looked around the room as she began to pull her clothes on.  She walked around slowly, analyzing the room carefully until she came to a stop in front of the old looking pictures.  She smiled as she looked at the memories, seeing happy families rejoicing with one another.  She saw the Bulma woman with a black haired woman laughing as two boys, one older boy in his teens wrestling a younger lavender haired youth on the grass.  Two men stood to the side, one much taller man with wild spikes slapping a shorter man on the back while his head rolled back in laughter.  Something about the man suddenly brought back memories of Usagi in her youth days, making Rei suddenly tear up as she thought of her Queen.  She had thought her Queen was only joking, but as she took the Golden Crystal away from Mamoru, she knew things would never be the same. 

"Mother, who is this?" asked a rough voice as the door slammed open.  Rei stiffened suddenly from the voice and buttoned her shirt up the rest of the way.  Her fingers trembled as she felt piercing eyes upon her back as she turned around.  Her eyes flashed before her as she met the same sky blue eyes she had seen before, but only in her dreams.  The man stood proudly before her and he drew closer as each stride became quicker.  He came up in front of her and grabbed the front of her shirt, hauling her up to her toes until she was nearly his size as he bent over.  His hard jaw was clenched and he looked over at his mom as the woman tried to hold him back from doing anything wrong.

"Who are you?  I sensed your power level from the moment you got here, who sent you?  No normal human has power like yours even if it is weak, I am the only defender left on Earth, so who are you?" he asked again as his anger seemed to diminish some.  He set Rei back down on her feet, but her shirt was still balled in his fist.  Rei felt her pride kicking in and she knocked his arm away from her as a firestorm began to rage within her. 

"Who are you calling weak?!  No one sent me here, how dare you criticize me?!  I don't have to answer to you or anyone!" Rei screamed into his face as she turned, beginning to run away from him.  She grabbed her henshin stick from the counter and ran towards the door, looking at Bulma with a saddened look before running down the narrow halls.  She sensed someone following her, but no footsteps could be heard from behind her.  She looked behind herself, but saw the man flying towards her at top speed, anger and death in his eyes.  Rei finally made it outside, thanking all her days running places as a Senshi to give her speed.  She did a double take and looked around her, seeing the world before her broken from destruction.  She could feel the souls of those lost and they cried out to her telling her of their pain.  Rei covered her ears and ran, not seeing where she was going or the shadowed figure watching her in solemn silence. 

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TBC…