Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ In Darkness In Fire ❯ In Darkness In Fire pt 2 ( Chapter 13 )

"Mercury Crystal Power, Make Up!" Her exclamation ended, and the transformation that followed, began. Light erupted within the vehicle, and Sakura could make out brief flashes of her new acquaintance's nude figure. What she saw was enough to flush her cheeks, and what followed, amazed. Ribbons of mist seemed to coalesce around her and bind her. But as the light surrounding the mist shattered, what remained was a white body suit, blue skirt and kerchief. Two ice blue ribbons tied at bust and butt, drawing a bit of attention to them. Sakura had heard of the fabled Sailor Senshi, but never imagined that she'd meet one, let alone know her real name.

The bluette leapt from the car, reversing her direction almost instantaneously, and with a grace that defied normality. Sakura shook the awe from her mind, now was no time to gape at what she'd seen, there was a fire and she needed to help however she could.

In Darkness In Fire

By: XZero

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 13 - In Darkness In Fire pt. 2

"Another day of nothing but empty searching." He sighed heavily, looking out at the stars, knowing that the light of the full moon, and the city's lighting would limit his view. He'd always loved the road, because no matter where he went, the stars were with him. Every night, a sky filled with millions of little lights would carry him to sleep. The thought brought a smile to his face.

"Sure is peaceful right now." In retrospect, given his record, that wasn't something he should've said. From the rooftops all around him several auras began to register, and they were indeed the familiar ones he'd recognized. Each of them carried an elemental signature, except for three. Fire, Lightning, and Water. Those were the senshi. The oddities also matched the profile, Moon, Saturn, Pluto. They had found him?

"Shit, if they're here, than they must've found out about the others." His scanner flew into his hand, and the power switch was flipped on quickly. It was enough time that a frantic call rang in his ears. 'We've got an explosion from the Tendo Dojo(1) All units are requested to respond, fire, paramedics, police. It is suspected that something supernatural is at fault, bring special armaments.' His heart sank, he knew that could only mean one thing. They were hurt, if not dead. What did they think this would get them? Did they think that harming the people he loved would weaken him, were they really that ruthless? Now was not the time, they had decided to show themselves.

"Dead Scream." Setsuna announced their presence with her signature attack. Ranma knew this kind of tactic, his danger senses were screaming at him to move, but his ki senses didn't feel anything. 'Wait, nothing, nothing at all.' In the space of a second he knew what was going on, and immediately leapt into the air, watching the tiles beneath him explode, revealing the attic of the Nekohanten.

"So, you've finally shown yourselves. Done terrorizing innocent people? Murdered anyone?" He ground those words, images of his mother, and of the current state of the Tendo sisters, of his father, of Soun, all these things filled his mind and increased his rage.

Most of the senshi were taken aback by his statement, but Setsuna had prepared them, had told them that he was the worst kind of enemy, convinced them that even if they hadn't eliminated the threat that his mother posed, that he would have eventually come after them. After all, that was what they had done in the Silver Millennium.

"You're one to talk, you murderous bastard. You took her away from me. You killed her." Neptune shouted at the top of her lungs, lunging at the crouched form of Saotome. He reacted just as he always did, slipping barely out of reach of his enraged enemy. He gauged her skill, trying to determine how best to deal with her, how to conserve energy, when, just as he feared, the others leapt into the fray as well. Mars was first to engage, throwing dozens of perfectly executed punches, hoping to pin him, while Jupiter came in at his flank, a fast combination of kicks and punches keeping him busy. It was the other's attacks that worried him. Moon, Pluto, and Neptune were all delivering multitudes of attacks, seemingly pouring energy out like an electrical generator.

Saturn though, just as before, wasn't throwing anything. She'd not made a single move since the combat began, seemingly content to let them fight on their own. He wondered what it was that would make one of them hesitant to attack. She was rumored to have a lot of uncontrolled power, but even so, her compatriots needed her abilities, and she just stood there. Ranma's realization then, allowed an attack to slip through his defenses. A powerful crescent kick struck him in his side, sending him stumbling back a few feet. Again Moon raised that silly looking stick of hers, smooth but superfluous motion ending in a spray of shards of silver rushing at him. The Red Fang leapt into his hand and he began deflecting the shards as best he could. He was winded, and several of the shards were penetrating his defense. He was holding his ground, but the tide of battle would overwhelm him soon without his allies. This time though, when Neptune, Jupiter, and Mars, he was prepared to switch from defense to offense. His fists shot out, seeking the open targets he found. Meaty thuds echoed in the night, as both Jupiter and Mars were sent reeling by the blows. Neptune was different, her rage had lent her an intensity, and strength that not even the brutal and crushing blows that she was dealt could deny. She regained her footing instantaneously and was again rushing in, her fist reared back, and her fist flew forward, only to find the air.

"Argh!" The aqua haired woman bellowed, her frustrations only fueling her anger. She released several volleys of vicious blows, still meeting nothing but air. She was ready to just explode in rage and frustration when she heard that horrible sound. She had remembered Hotaru likening it to the wail of a banshee, though where she had gotten that term she did not know. That was when the dark orb slid past her. Her quarry too seemed to sense the anomaly, and leapt away quickly. She didn't quite make it out of the way, and the resulting explosion from the attack caught her, several shallow cuts along her skin.

"Pluto! What were you thinking? You almost hit Neptune!" Their leader cried in astonishment. Though she didn't miss the hysteria on the older woman's face. What she saw scared her. Worse, there was nothing she could do, in any case, they had to fight, if they didn't all that had happened would be in vain. She steeled herself to deal with Pluto later, because a division now and Ranma truly would kill them.

"It needed to be done, she knows the risks involved." Pluto rationalized as she prepared another Dead Scream.

"Dead Scream." Setsuna whispered the attack, though the call that was let off as it erupted from the tip of her staff was horrifying as always. This time though, there was something different. Just as she released a jet of quicksilver slammed into her, accompanied by the familiar battle cry.

"Aqua Rhapsody." Heads turned, tracking the path of the quicksilver projectile, nearly missing the shimmering force that stopped the time distortion bare inches from both her mother figure and the man that she was fighting.

The warriors all stopped, attempting to take stock of the situation. Standing on a roof a bit of distance away is a form that they were told was dead. "Ami?" Several female voices whispered in shock. Setsuna didn't waste time though, her words were flying from her mouth before she could fully realize the situation they were in.

Meanwhile where attention is concentrated on fighting

Ranma was sweating, while she wasn't as strong as the others, she was still entirely too incensed. He couldn't seem to hit her hard enough to prepare himself for a finisher. It would seem a standstill, until the spiral pattern he was drawing the enraged senshi in. Cooling his aura was easy now with the greater control over his spirit. He smirked as his mind ticked down to the end.

3

"Dead Scream." The attack came at them, but Ranma couldn't risk moving out of his pattern, Neptune would be hit also, something that just infuriated him further. Willing to sacrifice their own, just for a shot at me. Cowards. The spiral was nearly complete, and he could sense the others preparing themselves, Mousse wasn't nearly as strong as the others without his weapons, but with them he was a force to be reckoned with. Ryouga was a heavy sleeper, as well as still tired from their training earlier in the day. As for Ryuu, he was waiting for a shot, his skills allowed him to send lethal force, but if he missed he could kill someone innocent in the overshoot.

A volley of daggers pierced the air as Mousse made his appearance. Jupiter and Mars' eyes widened in shock as the daggers struck them, Jupiter felt several blades pierce her skin, others glancing the skin exposed by her fuku.

2

Pluto was struck hard by the jet of what appeared to be water, and with that battle cry the senshi turned their heads toward the source. Usagi's eyes lit up when she saw that familiar form. "Ami?" She whispered as she watched the other senshi leap toward them. Midair she hung, suspended as Setsuna's staff swivelled skyward and the banshee's cry echoed in their ears. Things were getting too thick too quick.

"Kijin Raishuu Dan!" The vacuum blade sliced through the air, making contact with the Time Key. For the first time since his mastery of the Yamasenken techniques he watched as a single blade wasn't enough. He growled and released as many more as he could muster. A line of the blades struck each time against the Time Key, and watched as they were fought off by the talisman. His anger grew and his aura leapt skyward, he was no longer concealed in the darkness, but now, he was ready. The aura coalesced into a glow surrounding his arms of scarlet light. "Enkou no Ten!" The flame of heaven limned his arm, lashing out at everything as the fiery blade came to combat at the very same place as all the vacuum blades. Setsuna fought it , but the already beaten staff had reached its limit. With a snap and a widening of her eyes the age old artifact was reduced to halves.

1

Ryouga had only awakened moments ago, but he'd gathered up his strength and stood in reserve until he saw something that shocked him. One of the senshi had attacked the other. Come to think of it, she'd arrived separately. She was midair when he noticed the senshi of Pluto leveling her staff skyward, he knew any warning he might give would be too late. It was now or never. He saw Ranma's spiral and had to get her out of the air, now.

So he leapt, taking to the air with a speed that surprised even him. He wasn't going to make it, he paled at the realization, but determination shone through. He needed to find out what was going on, as much to sate his own curiosity, as it was to save his friend. Ranma had always been there for him, and there must be some reason why this member of the Sailor Senshi was defending him.

Pain blossomed in his back and he felt his shirt burned to cinders as the pain blossomed along his back. He growled and let the attack push him into the blue haired senshi, he'd get her to safety. He winced as he felt one of his ribs start to creak, straining against the force of the attack he'd intercepted.

0...

"Hiryu Shoten Ha!" Ranma's clumsy uppercut was dodged by Neptune. Her rage made her miss the grim smirk that spread over his features as she came at him still.

Mars was confused when the attack was called and there was no effect. She was wary of a trick, and that was when she felt it, the rapid decrease in pressure, a herald of the worst storms. The cyclone erupted into life, simultaneous with Jupiter and her own warnings. They had been too preoccupied to notice any pattern, too unused to enemies utilizing any real strategy. In reflection they could feel their own disgust at their complacency. They struggled to get down, but the suction lifted them. They fought the storm, groping the air for any purchase they might find, only to despair at the debris that tore at them. Pain wracked them as the bits of wood and wile slashed their skin, caught in the sudden cyclone.

"Burning Mandala!" Mars cried concentrating her power to release the volley of plasma rings. Her eyes widened in sheer terror, as before her eyes they were snatched into the gale winds, disappearing amongst the debris. Neptune, too, was stuck in the tornado and as her anger increased, so too did the intensity of it all. The winds seem to rage on and on as Neptune's rage filled screams and the winds kept her aloft. Her aqua tresses flew wildly about her in the funnel, and her snarling screams and curses lent a demonic air to it all. Mars and Jupiter saw this, and though their minds were nowhere near the tactical genius that the senshi of Mercury displayed, but it was easy to see the angrier Neptune got the more violent the storm raged.

"Neptune! Calm down, your only feeding the storm." But there was nothing for it, she was too far gone. Sparking to life was an aura of power surrounding the berserk senshi, and it struck the two whirling within the storm dumb. They could really move as they watched her anger continue to intensify, bits of stray shrapnel obliterated before striking her. The aura she projected was being siphoned, however, and it was visible. Her energy would shoot off into the hurricane and it would grow.

"Adauchi!" The energy had been coalescing in his palms, emitting waves of frost that caused his sweat to freeze. The sudden wave of heat from him ended the hurricane, as the cold was no longer present in his aura. Mars and Jupiter found themselves flung far from the scene, while Neptune could look down only in rage as she saw the incoming ray of pure life force.

"Ah!" She screamed, the deep submerge coming to her fingers before she flung it in response to the Dark Knight's attack. The pressure pushed her back, and the two forces fought against one another. But to her horror, the beam's power source was constant while no attack she could muster would be continuous. Her rage clouded mind scrambled desperately for an answer, when she felt her hand tense and summon the mirror. Her eyes widened and her mouth curled into a sneer.

"Submarine Reflection!" The mirror was brought to bare and the intense shine of the many lights bore down toward the encroaching retributory strike. The powers collided again, and as the ray fought against it she poured more and more power into her attacks. He did the same.

Meanwhile...

Setsuna gasped in horror as the time key was severed. How? Rang through her mind as she tried to stand, the effects of the high pressure jet had been disorienting, and she stumbled while gaining her feet. The spots that danced through her vision were interrupted by the volley of daggers that struck Jupiter and Mars. Those two weren't going to live much longer, pinned by the enemy as they were. She needed to focus her power, the staff could no longer channel the powers of the gate and the power of the orb as well. She had no other choice, it was now time to unstop everything, the Dark Knight and his allies must be destroyed for the sanctity of Crystal Tokyo to come to pass.

She leapt over the next attack of the strange fighter who'd broken her staff.

"Dead Scream." Her attack rocketed toward the origin of the attack, and her eyes lit in celebration when the attack actually went through, though the drain that it imposed, was more than she had expected. The null orb, it was larger, and the corona that surrounded this was familiar, wild and powerful, albeit unfocused. She smiled victoriously as the Dead Scream found its target, engulfing him. When the smoke settle she could see nothing of him, he was gone completely. Her eyes were clearing of the cloud of black specks that danced through her vision, dizzying her. She gripped the upper portion of her staff and focused herself as best she could. There! She could still feel her connection to the orb, and could feel the imperfections in the focus, but nonetheless she could still use it. "Dead Scream." She whispered, and for the fourth time at the Nekohanten, the banshee's cry struck the night, announcing itself as it slipped through the air toward Mousse. The myopic martial artist widened his eyes, feeling the null energy sphere coming toward him. He couldn't avoid it, he was standing just above Shampoo's room. The purple haired champion had been forbidden from taking part in this battle, and any that Ranma was to have with the senshi. Moving would mean her death, and to Mousse, nothing was more important than her life. The weighted spike chain slammed against the time distortion, and was merely engulfed. Mousse was sweating, this might be the end of him, he didn't have Ryouga's disturbing endurance, nor did he possess Ranma's insane ki control, all he could hope to do was. . .

"Hatsugen!" He screamed, releasing the massive power surge he felt within him. He'd practiced this attack, but had nowhere near mastered it. It had been too powerful to control but he seemed to have gotten it now. This, primitive and primal need for salvation struck the Dead Scream, and stopped it cold. The forces struggled for dominance, before finally, both were spent of their energy, dissipating just as the whirlwind had seconds ago.

The Chinese master of Hidden Weapons Style knew it was over for him, his vision, already a hazy thing became clear enough for the white flecks to overcome his sight. He could vaguely feel himself falling, the fight taken from him entirely in his attempt to stave off the attack, and now, he could rest.

Ryouga

Ryouga crashed to the street, the insane weight of his training clothes and umbrella keeping Mercury and himself from being drawn into the hurricane. He watched in satisfaction as two of the senshi were flung from the combat area.

"What are you doing here?" He asked of the small girl pinned beneath his weight. He fought to not blush, knowing that beneath him was a girl barely clothed who strongly resembled Akane. Oh, Akane. He sighed, envisioning a future with the girl. No! His mind shouted to him. I mustn't allow fantasy to overcome me now. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts.

"Pluto, going to kill us all, must stop her. Tricked us." The senshi couldn't tell what was happening, but she could see the funneling storm overhead, and feel its pull. His question had startled her, sure as his sudden presence had. She was going to continue on, trying to disable Pluto long enough to explain. She needed to get to Ranma, if she didn't stop him, they'd all die. Ryouga's expression told it all. He had only seen Ranma this focused once, and that was against Saffron. The dissipation of the storm was surprising, but not as much so as the sudden concentration and buildup of ki. He'd seen Ranma practicing these, the ray that fired into the air was scarlet, anger, rage, vengeance. These were the emotions that fueled his spirit on, but, wait, his aura still read as cold. Was he truly in control of this, was he not enraged?

"I understand, I'll help you, but right now, Ranma's not going to stop fighting until Pluto is dead. I've only seen him like this against Saffron. It's like fighting the god of war." Ryouga could admit that Ranma was better than he was, and could smile while he said it, but not right now. Ranma had beaten him, but instead of humiliating him, he'd just smiled at him as a friend and offered to help him become better. The sincerity in his eyes had convinced the fanged fighter.

"I understand, I can't let my friend become murderer's more than they are, I will help you all, I just hope that Ranma will see the difference between me and them." She said, she and Ryouga disentangling themselves from the other.

"Stay with me, I may not be able to beat him, but he'll listen to me." The man clad in the tiger striped bandana was convinced of this truth, as well he should be. Oh no! He felt Mousse's strength fading. That could only mean that the myopic warrior was dying, either from energy or blood loss, in either case it was their friend that was fading into the umbra.

Together they returned to the battle, hoping desperately to turn the tide. This mustn't be allowed to play to its conclusion. They would destroy each other if this was allowed to continue to completion, this could destroy both sides, as well as everything else around them. Ami never noticed the limp in his steps, or the blood that trickled from his lips.

Usagi

No, this is too much. This has to stop. She was convinced, this battle was costing them too much, Neptune was hovering aloft, her mirror brandished and releasing its mystic energy toward their enemy, while he used his own energy to combat it. Setsuna, she'd gone too far, she'd attacked Neptune, and then had attacked Ami.

The powerful suction of the hurricane that leapt to life threatened to tear her from her feet, but she crouched, and remained firm in her standing. "Setsuna, stand down! Stop this." She screamed, watching the Dead Scream hurtle toward the robed man. He seemed to want to stand firm there. Why? He could dodge it, couldn't he? The others all seemed perfectly capable. Determination She realized, he was determined to do something. But what? What could he achieve by standing there. Then his own attack, why did he yell out Revelation? It was confusing, their way of fighting. She couldn't see Jupiter or Mars anymore, and Venus was injured. She clutched her side, blood trickling between her fingers.

Her heart ached, they were all hurting. That guy in the bandana, he'd saved Ami, the robed man, he was unconscious now, lying prone against the rooftop, a sad smile on his lips. He was whispering something, she thought. His mouth was moving at least.

"I don't understand, why did all of this have to happen?" She whispered, tears coming to her eyes. She hated this, hated the fighting, hated it all. What kind of future was she trying to build, what is Crystal Tokyo if it costs the blood of so many to achieve? They'd fought monsters, they'd fought demons, droids, and everything else, but she didn't want to fight people, she wouldn't kill people.

"Stop it!" She screamed, and all around her looked on in shock. Pluto turned her gaze on the moon princess, and the royal didn't like it one bit. Contempt, she could see it clear across the elder woman's features. Then it changed, contempt formed into a sneer.

"Setsuna, what are you?" Her eyes widened in horror, Pluto was aiming her staff at her. She brought up her own rod weakly, but her shaking hands dropped it. How could she?

Ranma

His teeth grit, he opened his eyes wide, a primal scream issuing from his throat. In that instant he felt the power within bubble, aching for release.

Snap!

There, this was it, nothing, no holding back, they wanted to play the game of power, he'd show them power. His savage grin widened as he watched the woman in the air engulfed by his attack. Vengeance had been served to this one. Fighting down his rage he turned, scanning the battlefield for his weapon. There, the Red Fang stood, a bastion in the field. It's crimson blade had dulled back to the gleaming polish of steel. Though the closer he got to it, the more he could feel it. It was intoxicating, feeling the blade pulse within his aura in time with his own heartbeat. Yes, this blade truly did belong to him, to his family. For a moment, he thought sadly, ...to my mother.

There, the blade was in hand, a wounded senshi to one side, another, yes, both of them, there? The two responsible. His smile was savage. He took off like a shot, launching himself bodily toward the two senshi.

Wait! His mind shouted as he noted the hostility rising in their ki, they were taking aim on one another, Why? Is there some trouble between them? His instincts told him that Pluto was the aggressor. Did he care? He didn't really know. These were the women who'd killed his mother, why should their problems concern him?

Pluto first, he swore to himself, his right hand sliding back, his left discharging a streak of gold that flew to his enemy. "For my mother!" He screamed, his sword flashing forward. She'd barely deflected the ki blast, weak as it was it had been quick. Her eyes widened and she swung the lower half of her Time Key to intercept. A clash and sparks shot from the weapons as they collided. Pluto's eyes narrowed. First the threat, then she'd deal with Usagi.

A fatal ballet seemed to unfold in those moments, as sword struck the strange metal of the broken key. Time and time again his strike would be blocked or parried, though only barely. He could see the sweat forming on her brow. She wasn't meant for this, she seemed to be decently skilled, and he knew that in his anger he was getting sloppy. He exhaled loudly, and from his throat came a sudden mist. It's evanescence was quick, though his opponent could feel the sudden and dramatic decline in temperature. Her own breath formed a thick cloud that surprised her. His attacks increased in speed and precision, if lacking a bit of their previous strength now. Her blocks were becoming more and more frantic. Minor slashes in her body suit were starting to form, as his arm began to blur in the air, striking out dozens of times. She knew now that her magically enhanced strength and constitution were her only saving grace. She needed breathing space. She leapt back, receiving a gash on her side for her efforts.

She hissed in pain momentarily, and brought her face back to the cool neutrality that her compatriots were used to.

"So Dark Knight, we truly meet at last. You are strong, but foolish. Time, is on MY side." She said, and suddenly a Dead Scream was before him.

Shit! His mind was flying, he had no chance to evade, merely a moment to throw his arms in front of him, and brace himself for impact.

The explosion rocked the building, and flung dust into the air. Ranma was kneeling, having taken the full force of the explosion. It rocked his senses to stand against such an attack. He stood, albeit unsteady at first.

"This is it, you've taken too much witch, too much." His body seemed to be lost, as the red and ebon aura flooded the world around him. So intense it was that Setsuna found that she could not stand within the burning darkness. Her power, too had been greatly taxed, but enraging him seemed only to fuel his power. She realized that it wouldn't be long, not long at all until he'd return from within the darkness.

"Nenshou Kyoubou!" Came from within the field of strength, and just as it had exploded outward, it would then implode, limning his body in crimson. His power was off the scale, and forward he went, the Red Fang flashing through the air, humming through the air with a terribly loud silence. Setsuna scrambled to defend herself, nothing would save her, Crystal Tokyo would fall.

The mental command she sent to her powers went out again, and for an instant she received the reprieve she sought. It was too much, and the most she could do was gain distance. Time resumed and in an instant he was again upon her, this time a fraction slower, just enough that her blocks, albeit hurried and clumsy, made it. Terror. That was all she felt when the weight of her stave's broken pieces left her. Her eyes widened as she came to a halt, looking down despairingly at the stumps there. They were bleeding, she was bleeding. She screamed as she realized the unimaginable pain that coursed through her arms. Her screams of horrifying pain resonated through the night, causing families throughout the ward to cringe involuntarily.

The Red Fang sunk into the soft flesh of her stomach with frightening ease as his hand wrapped tight around her throat, stealing the air from her lungs. In that instant her fanaticism for the Silver Kingdom became a dream that she would never achieve. He was the spirit of death, a force of nature less than a man. The crimson aura faded, receding into his body. He glared at her, intense and damning blue eyes boring into her soul.

"Now witch, why? Tell me why you murdered my mother, why did she die?" He offered her his contempt, and in that instant she realized why? She tried to kill his mother to prevent this very situation, to finish off the last bits of proof of her crimes.

"Dark Knight. Filth. Exterminate." She choked a bit on her own blood, pooling in her mouth as it was. She couldn't seem to manage much else, though the words she did manage were a shock to his system. Other's like him? Other Dark Knights? That was impossible, the scroll said that his family was the last survivor of a genocide.

Wait

That had been thousands of years ago, according to the scroll, After all, it mentioned ancient China, places lost to man for millennia.

"You, you're..." Words failed him, and his face twisted in rage and hate, before he began to convulse, calming himself. This was for his mother, and his ancestors, he decided.

"Shadow Lance." He said dully. He took morbid fascination with it all as the spike of ghostly violet speared the woman's throat, severing arteries and windpipe. It continued beyond her body though, filling the air with the distasteful smell of burnt hair. He felt the warmth as blood flowed over his hand, felt satisfaction in that instant. He cast her aside like a rag doll.

Mercury

They'd reached the roof of the building Usagi was on, though it was a dome of ebon fire that blocked their path to Ranma. Heat rolled off of the field in waves. She knew better than to get any closer than she already had. Usagi was wide-eyed and fearful as she looked at the aura. Ami had always known that her leader was at least a little empathic, but her proof was now, as she stared at the aura and wept. She felt his sadness, palpable in the air. She felt it all, the rage and the anguish, and it was for this man that she had wronged that she wept.

"Usagi, Setsuna lied to us." She whispered to her blonde leader.

"Wha? Ami, you can't be here, your dead, he killed you." She reasoned, her tears having ceased in the presence of the bluette. Her heart had lifted, enough to dry her tears, but not nearly enough to take away the grief she felt from this young man.

"Usagi, Setsuna tried to kill me, she took me to the Gates of Time, I tried a Sailor Teleport and ended up near Sapporo nearly dead." Ami whispered, though she didn't understand why. Perhaps the aura was the reason, every word seemed to be a direct insult to the pain and suffering the dome represented. The blonde nodded her head, the twin trails of golden hair bouncing.

"Setsuna and Queen Serenity, they weren't what we thought. They used Ranma's ancestors, his people as a scapegoat. They were refugees that were colonizing Vulcan, the planet that is now the asteroid belt. Serenity and Pluto schemed the whole thing, using them as a common threat to reorganize the planetary governments. They were slaughtered to solidify her kingdom." Ami was shaking now, from rage, or pain, but she shook, and that was when she felt Usagi's arms wrap around her. It took only moments, but they were both crying now.

Saturn

The youngest senshi watched on even now, as Pluto was killed. Something in her then tore, and she felt the tears, felt the pressure in her chest begin to fade. She unsummoned the Silence Glaive and leapt toward him. She needed to speak with him, tell him what she could not tell the others, she needed his forgiveness. Her life had always been a matter of value. Rather, she had always held her own life in little regard. She had all the preservation instincts of a human girl, but lacked the will. The senshi of Saturn was a weapon, something that Hotaru could not live as. She instead tried to protect and help others. Be it as Tomoe Hotaru or as The Harbinger of the Silence. Her ability to heal was limited, but she would nonetheless do anything in her power to ease someone's suffering.

Her landing was light, but despite this, he spun on her, anger clearly displayed in his eyes. She made a decision, and returned to her civilian form.

"I just want to talk." She said quietly, large purple eyes gazing out at him with hope. Dammit, a little girl, why did she have to be a little girl.

She never attack us, nor did she attack mom. Her attacks level city block's.

His mind was again being mutinous, stealing away his rage at the senshi before him.

"Aright, talk." Ryouga and two more senshi approached him cautiously, though instantly his first notice was that Ryouga was limping. He looked at his friend questioningly, and the look returned told him to listen. He disliked this, he'd much rather have eliminated them, but something was important.

"During the time of the Silver Kingdom, the Dark Knights were killed. I can only assume that a few made it away, but to the point. I remember, it was the former senshi of Saturn who killed the bulk of them. Planet Vulcan was destroyed by the harbinger of silence." Her voice stopped, and she looked down momentarily. Ami took it as an opportunity to carry on, it led perfectly to her own statement.

"The Silver Queen and her chief advisor, the senshi of Pluto, noticed a decline in the Queen's fame, and by using the Dark Knights they managed to bring all but Earth back into their sway. Pluto and the Queen ordered the genocide of the Dark Knights, all to rekindle her fame by her spectacular success. They were used as scapegoats." She paused allowing them all time to absorb this information.

"When she took me to the Gates of Time she divulged her reasons, and they were sick. She said that you and your mother HAD to be killed because you were too powerful, that because of your blood you would kill us all. She said that as if she honestly believed it. But she denied none of her accusations." Ami finished, dropping her transformed state, leaving her in the borrowed clothes she had received from Sakura.

Usagi seemed intent to finish for the trio, shedding herself of the magical facade. "I've been the leader of these girls for a long time now, and every day we risked ourselves to ensure the future of humanity. Venus, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter. We fought so very hard to stay strong despite the way it interfered with our lives. Then we met the outer senshi: Neptune and Uranus. They were cold, and we couldn't understand their methods, they were always so blindly willing to go forward in their mission. After that we met Pluto and Saturn, though she was only a baby when she truly joined us. Pluto was always secretive, but whenever there was trouble she was there to help. Initially, Pluto was just a name, someone who had allowed a daughter I was supposed to have to return to the past to seek aid. What I mean to say is that we've never had a reason to question Pluto, she always told the truth as far as we knew. When she told us about your mother, we were told of a demon, a thing masquerading inside a human shell. But as time went on we realized this wasn't true. When she told us that you'd killed Ami, we believed her, and wanted revenge of our own." Her words were sincere, and her heart was aching. She didn't know what to do, there was nothing she could say that she believed would change his mind. No matter what she said, she'd still played a part in killing his mother, something they didn't deserve forgiveness for, mislead or not.

"She lied to you?" He whispered, a cold and deadly sound that promised pain. The three girls were utterly defenseless, all having bared themselves to his mercy. His fist raised, and around it black fire leapt and cracked. His fist kept rising until it reached eye level, ready to destroy them. Until it started shaking. It remained for one long instant, before once again dropping to his side.

"I can't do it. As much as I want to say you're lying, as much as I want to hate you. She lied to you, and you're just a bunch of teenage girls. I can't take you away from your parents. I won't kill you, it isn't worth the cost." He followed Cologne's advice, and with it, a great weight fell from his shoulders. He stumbled off into the night, away from Nerima, away from the world. He needed to think.

To Be Concluded...

A/N: Well, all that remains of the story is the epilogue, where all final ends are tied together. Some endings are bad some are good, the others, the are simply endings. This may seem a bit rushed to you all, but imagine how hard it would be to drag this out further, the senshi weren't going to lay idle with one of their own fallen, especially not that persons lover. Anyhow, please send me a startling amount of reviews. I realize that a lot of it will be hate mail, but I'm ready to cope with that. Following the epilogue will be a section devoted to thanking those of you who have been supportive, as well as critical. If there are any questions you feel are grossly unanswered, feel welcome to ask them and in the epilogue will you get your answers, this is my solemn promise. Well, I'm off to bed now.

Technique Translations

Hatsugen - Revelation

Enkou no Ten - Flame of Heaven