Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Love In A Ruined World ❯ Goodbye, My Lover ( Chapter 21 )

DISCLAIMER: Neither DBZ nor Sailor Moon or any of the characters are owned by me. They're owned by greedy old men without families. Blah.

NOTES: This fanfic takes place after Sailor Moon Super S (in Sailor Moon's world) and after Trunks returns to the future after the Cell Saga (in DBZ's world).

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WARNING: This chapter's kinda graphic, but not so much as the last two.

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"You? Make me suffer?" Frieza said in disbelief. "You might have transformed a little bit, and you might be strong enough to rip out my tail, but no Saiyan monkey will ever defeat me again!"

Frieza jumped up and kicked at Trunks' head. Trunks casually grabbed Frieza's foot and tossed him into the air. Frieza did a mid-air somersault to steady himself, landing a few feet away from Trunks.

"Is that all you can do?" Frieza asked. "You're still pathe-"

With incredible speed, Trunks lunged at Frieza and kicked him in the head with immense force, sending him flying all the way across the church and causing him to slam into the church door. Frieza let out a cry of pain and slumped against the door, groaning.

"Trunks... I can't believe it... you nearly kicked him right out of the church!" Ami thought.

Trunks turned around to face Ami. He looked into her eyes, which were watery and glossy from the tears that had been coming out of them for the last thirty minutes. Her face was still covered in blood, curled into an expression of pain.

"I have to get her out of here," Trunks thought, floating up to Ami. As soon as he set eyes on her again, tears began to fall down his cheeks. Ami was a mess. The beautiful white nightgown that she had borrowed from Bulma to wear was almost completely stained with blood, and its sleeves were ripped off.

"Trunks," Ami thought, looking into Trunks' eyes.

"Ami, I'm so sorry..." Trunks whispered to her, sobbing. "It's my fault you're here, it's all my fault... I broke my promise... I said you wouldn't get hurt, but..."

Trunks reached up to Ami's face and gently pulled off the piece of duct tape that was over her mouth, being careful not to hurt her tender lips. As Trunks pulled off the tape, a small trickle of blood began to seep from one side of Ami's mouth, blood that had come up when Frieza kicked her in the stomach that she hadn't swallowed.

"No, Trunks..." Ami whispered gently. "It's not your fault. You came to save me, Trunks..."

"But I couldn't protect you from getting hurt!" Trunks said. "I promised you that I wouldn't let Frieza hurt you..."

"Oh, Trunks..." Ami sobbed, bowing her head and crying. "I couldn't protect you either... Frieza... he..."

"Frieza's hurt us both," Trunks said. "I have to destroy him..."

"Trunks, thank you," Ami said. "Frieza tried to... he tried to say that it was your fault that I was here... that's why he hurt me so much... but... oh, Trunks, I...."

Ami moaned in pain.

"You're hurt bad," Trunks said. "I have to get you out of here..."

Trunks reached up to Ami's left arm and began to free her from the cross.

"He's crucified you, so I know it's hard for you to breathe," Trunks said. "I'm getting you off of this thing."

"I'm alright," Ami said weakly. Suddenly, a flash of movement caught her eye. She screamed. "TRUNKS, LOOK OUT!"

Trunks turned around just in time to see Frieza floating right behind him. Frieza punched Trunks hard in the gut, then leaped up and kicked him in the back of the head, sending him flying.

"Trunks, no!" Ami screamed.

Frieza turned around and smiled at Ami.

"I'll get back to you in a second," Frieza said. "Right after I've killed Trunks!"

Frieza turned back and flew after Trunks. Trunks stopped in mid-air and spun around to face Frieza. He was smiling.

"Not a bad strategy," Trunks said. "Wait until I'm about to free Ami, then kick me from behind. That's just what I'd expect from a coward like you."

Frieza stopped a few feet away from Trunks. He smiled and waved his tail back and forth.

"You said you were going to make me suffer," Frieza said. "What happened, hmm? Did you find out that your transformation isn't all it's cracked up to be?"

"This battle hasn't even begun," Trunks replied. "You might not want to evaluate my strength until I've hit you more than once. Why don't you come at me? Then you can see how strong I've become."

"With pleasure," Frieza said. He flew at Trunks with incredible speed, head pointed right at Trunks' chest.

---

"Where are we?" Sailor Mars asked. Back on Earth, the four Senshi had just stepped through a large dimensional gate created by Dr. Sikaki. They had ran through a series of corridors and had just arrived in a crystal-walled room with a large table in the center.

"There's broken glass everywhere," Sailor Venus said, looking down at a table covered with shards of broken crystals.

"We must be inside of Crysthea's palace," Sailor Moon said, looking around.

"Duh, when did you figure THAT out?" Sailor Mars asked. "Sailor Moon, you're a- oh my gosh, I'm sensing the presence of evil here... great evil..."

"Where is it?" Sailor Jupiter asked.

"Right in that room," Sailor Mars said, pointing to a large, wooden door.

"Maybe that's Crysthea's throne room," Sailor Jupiter said. "We'd better go in!"

The four Senshi ran through the wooden door leading to the throne room, where Dr. Sikaki was waiting. They ran inside and saw the doctor sitting on a large throne.

"Hey, it's you!" Sailor Moon shouted. "You're the one who called us into the gate!"

"Where's Queen Crysthea?" Sailor Jupiter shouted.

"She went after your lost friend Sailor Mercury and got killed," Sikaki said.

"Sailor Mercury?" Sailor Moon shouted in disbelief.

"You know where Sailor Mercury is?" Sailor Jupiter yelled.

"Of course I do," Sikaki said.

"Where is she?" Sailor Venus yelled angrily. "You'd better tell us!"

"She's still in the cold, barren dimension that Queen Crysthea sent her to," Sikaki said. "See for yourselves."

Sikaki pointed his palm at the Senshi and fired a beam of light from his hand. The beam of light projected an image of Ami, still duct taped to a cross in the church where Trunks and Frieza were fighting.

"Oh my gosh, Sailor Mercury!" Sailor Mars yelled.

"She's not transformed!" Sailor Moon said.

"Of course she's not," Sikaki said. "Pretty hard to transform when you're being crucified, isn't it?"

Dr. Sikaki closed his palm, causing the image to disappear.

"What have you done to Sailor Mercury?" Sailor Moon shrieked.

"I didn't do anything to her," Sikaki said. "It was a creature named Frieza. I had nothing to do with it at all."

Sikaki floated up into the air.

"You shouldn't even be worrying about Sailor Mercury," Dr. Sikaki said. "Your fight is with me."

---

Frieza lunged at Trunks and kicked at Trunks' chest. Trunks blocked Frieza's kick by crossing both of his arms in front of his chest. Frieza's leg slammed into Trunks' crossed wrists, knocking him back by a couple of inches, but leaving Trunks completely unharmed. Trunks rushed forward and slammed his fist into Frieza's mouth. Several of Frieza's large teeth flew out of his mouth and fell to the floor. Frieza floated back, clutching his jaw in immense pain.

"Suffering yet?" Trunks asked. "Aw, you really can't answer that, can you? Well then, I'll just have to assume that you mean 'no'. Too bad."

Trunks kicked Frieza in the face, knocking him to the ground and causing him to skid on his back, under the cross where Ami was hanging and into the wall. Frieza stood up and wiped blood from his face, growling angrily.

"How dare you!" Frieza shouted. "Insolent cur!"

Frieza pointed his arms at Trunks and fired a barrage of purple ki blasts at him. Trunks placed his hand in the path of the blast and fired one large blue blast which engulfed Frieza's small blasts and slammed into the monster's body, sending Frieza flying out through the back of the church.

"Trunks, that was incredible..." Ami said. Trunks nodded toward her, then flew out of the back of the church through the hole he had created and began to look for Frieza.

"Where are you, you damn bastard..." Trunks said quietly, his eyes glancing across the stormy landscape. Finally, he saw Frieza, standing on the ground some distance away. He was breathing heavily, and he had a look of anger on his face.

"I'm right here, you Saiyan monkey!" Frieza shouted.

"Get over here, Frieza, so I can finish you off," Trunks said.

"Are you angry?" Frieza asked. "Aww, why are you so mad?"

"You know why," Trunks said. "Now come here or I'll come over there and beat the hell out of you!"

Frieza smiled and pointed his arm slightly above Trunks, toward the church.

"Say goodbye to your precious Ami!" Frieza shouted. He fired a blast that hurtled straight toward the church. Trunks gasped.

"Ami's still in there!" Trunks thought. "Dammit, Frieza!"

Trunks leaped into the air and smacked the blast away. The blast flew up, then out into space. Trunks looked down to where Frieza had been, but the evil Changling was nowhere to be found.

"He went back to hurt Ami," Trunks said to himself. "Sick fiend!"

---

Back inside the church...

"Trunks, hurry up and beat Frieza..." Ami groaned, hanging from the cross and looking down at the ground. "I don't know how long I can last up here..."

Suddenly, Ami found herself face-to-face with Frieza. He began growling angrily.

"Trunks thinks he can make a monkey out of me!" Frieza shouted. "I can't wait to see the look on his face when he comes back in here to see you dead!"

"No!" Ami shouted. Frieza raised his hand up to her face and began to charge a ki blast.

"I wish I could have made this more painful, but I don't have much time," Frieza said.

"Correction," Trunks said, floating behind Frieza. "You have no time."

Trunks slammed his fist into Frieza's back with such force that he actually punched right through it about halfway. Frieza screamed as blood began to seep from the new wound. Trunks pulled his fist out of Frieza's back. Frieza spun around and angrily fired a blast into Trunks' face. The blast created a small explosion and caused Trunks to fall to the ground, landing on one of the benches that remained in the church. Frieza floated down and stood on the downed Trunks' chest, smiling as Trunks clutched his face from the pain caused by the blast.

"Oh no!" Ami shrieked. "No, Trunks! Get up!"

Trunks groaned, looking up into Frieza's face. Frieza smiled, then jumped up and slammed his feet back down on Trunks' chest. He cried out, half-gasping and half-screaming. Blood flew out of his mouth. Frieza laughed triumphantly.

"Trunks, you're such a naive fool!" Frieza shouted. "So you tore off my tail and kicked me a little ways. You get a few lucky shots and you think you've won. You're pathetic!"

Frieza began to scrape the talons on his toes across Trunks' chest, making three large scrapes. Frieza continued to scratch Trunks, causing the scrapes to go all the way across Trunks' chest. More blood began pouring from them. Trunks winced in pain.

"I'm in trouble here," Trunks thought. "Wait a minute... I wonder if..."

Trunks began to growl. Suddenly, his ki flared up in a huge burst of golden energy. The sudden wave of ki threw Frieza off of Trunks and onto his back on the carpeted aisle of the church. Trunks leapt to his feet, ki and electricity flowing around him.

"I haven't even powered up yet," Trunks said. Frieza gasped.

"No way!" Frieza shouted.

"When you were on top of me, I was only using a small fraction of my power," Trunks said. "And I still managed to rip off your tail."

"You're lying!" Frieza shouted. "Grrr.... die!"

Frieza lunged at Trunks. Trunks stood completely still, preparing for Frieza's strike. Frieza reared back.

"Take this, Saiyan monkey!" Frieza shouted. "DIE!!!"

Frieza punched Trunks in the face, as hard as he could. Trunks' head was knocked to the side, and a small around of blood flew from his nose. Ami gasped again.

"Trunks, stop letting him hit you!" Ami shouted. "Every time he hurts you, it... it... I can't stand it!"

Trunks turned his head toward Ami.

"Ami, he won't hurt me again," Trunks said. "I promise."

"I believe you, Trunks," Ami said. "I just..."

"It'll be over soon," Trunks said. "Frieza won't hurt another living thing ever again... he won't hurt you... he won't hurt anyone!"

Frieza leaped back, then flew at Trunks again. Suddenly, he stopped, lurching forward and coughing up blood. Trunks' fist had slammed into Frieza's stomach, and the stunned Frieza was hanging on Trunks' arm. He slid off and fell to the floor on his back. Trunks looked down at Frieza, who was coughing and gasping for breath.

"Never.... never felt that..." Frieza stammered weakly. He could barely move, and was twitching on the floor. "Unbelievable..."

"One punch..." Ami said in shock, looking down at Trunks and Frieza. "Trunks took Frieza out with one punch..."

Trunks kicked Frieza over, onto his stomach. He sat on Frieza's back and grabbed both of Frieza's large, black wings.

"What's he doing?" Ami thought. "He can't be... he can't be serious!"

---

"Moon... Purification... Panacea!"

Sailor Moon fired a large beam of magical energy at Dr. Sikaki, who the Senshi had been fighting for about the last fifteen minutes. He and the four Senshi had all been heavily wounded in the battle, and Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Venus were all on their knees, watching Sailor Moon finish Dr. Sikaki off.

"You think you've beaten me?" Dr. Sikaki shouted as the attack disintegrated his body. "Not... not a chance!"

The huge wave of purifying energy rushed over Dr. Sikaki and disintegrated him completely. Sailor Moon collapsed to the ground.

"We... we did it..." Sailor Moon breathed. "I think... I think we've beaten him!"

Suddenly, a huge rumbling noise boomed through the throne room. The huge chandeliers hanging from the ceiling began to crash and fall to the ground. The five Senshi stood up after a great deal of effort.

"It's coming from somewhere below!" Sailor Mars yelled. "Something's going on!"

The four Senshi began to run out of the room, but were suddenly stopped by a large crack in the floor that opened up in front of them, cutting them off from the exit. They looked down into the huge chasm and gasped.

"Something's down there!" Sailor Venus yelled. "Look out!"

Before the Senshi could prepare themselves, a huge, dragon-like beast rose up out of the chasm and floated in front of them, flapping its huge wings. The dragon was dark red, with huge black eyes and large claws. It roared at the Senshi, then began laughing.

"Like my new form?" Dr. Sikaki yelled in a deep, booming voice. "I integrated all of Queen Crysthea's pathetic crystals into my body, which was but a mere shell for the true power that I had gathered within!"

"That pathetic shell nearly killed us..." Sailor Venus groaned, looking up at the dragon.

"There's no way we can defeat this thing!" Sailor Jupiter yelled.

"We have to!" Sailor Moon said, pointing her henshin stick at the huge beast. "We're going to take you down, Dr. Sikaki!"

---

"Damn... you..." Frieza groaned painfully. "You... stupid.... Saiyan monkey... how could you..."

"With one punch?" Trunks asked. "If you didn't want me to get this powerful, you shouldn't have tortured the girl I love. Whenever a Saiyan gets extremely angry, they transform into a Super Saiyan. You should know that."

Trunks stomped on Frieza's back with his right foot, causing Frieza to scream loudly in pain.

"Now you know how Ami felt," Trunks said. "Sort of."

Trunks tightened his grip on Frieza's wings.

"You pushed your luck with me too far. You should have finished me off, and then killed Ami. You haven't learned a thing," Trunks said. "You won't be needing these anymore."

Trunks stood up and began to pull on Frieza's wings, causing Frieza to scream even louder than he had before.

"How does that feel?" Trunks shouted, enraged. "TELL ME!"

Trunks continued to pull on Frieza's wings. Tears of pain began to form in Frieza's eyes.

"AAAAAAAARGH!" Frieza shrieked as Trunks continued to pull Frieza's wings out of his back.

"These things don't do anything, for you?" Trunks asked. "You can fly without them. They're just a fancy distraction. Now, they're just causing you pain."

A loud ripping noise began to sound as Trunks continued to rip Frieza's wings from his back. The joints at the bottom of the wings that held them to Frieza's back began to tear. Trunks' ki flared up. With a burst of strength, Trunks completely tore the wings from Frieza's back. Two large, gaping wounds appeared where the wings had been, and Frieza let out an intense scream of pure pain that filled the entire church. Trunks tossed Frieza's wings away and kicked Frieza over onto his back again.

"That's how Ami felt," Trunks said through clenched teeth. Frieza was on the ground next to him, gasping and moaning painfully.

"Trunks..." Frieza gasped, tears running down the side of his face.

"Trunks, stop..." Ami whispered, unheard by Trunks, who was still focused on Frieza.

"I don't think you've had enough," Trunks said. He stomped down hard on Frieza's stomach.

"Please...." Frieza gasped, trembling in fear on the ground. "Please..."

Trunks knelt down next to Frieza's face.

"What's that?" Trunks asked. "What did you say?"

"Don't... don't... don't hurt..." Frieza choked, coughing up even more blood.

"You know," Trunks said, looking at Frieza. "When you were torturing Ami, she didn't even have the chance to beg for mercy."

Trunks kicked Frieza hard in the side. Frieza cried out in pain.

"Argh!" Frieza shouted, rolling onto his side. "Don't hurt... me..."

"Even if you have your mouth taped up, you can still be understood, if you scream loud enough," Trunks said. "Ami was trying to say the exact same things you're saying now."

Trunks' foot slammed into one of the large wounds on Frieza's back.

"Please stop! Don't hurt me!" Trunks shouted. "That's what Ami was trying to say, and did you stop? Did you? DID YOU?"

Trunks kicked Frieza in the back again, rolling him back onto his face.

"I'm... sorry..." Frieza groaned painfully. "Stop... stop..."

"Beg for mercy, Frieza!" Trunks yelled, stomping on Frieza's head in a fit of rage.

"Ami... I'm sorry!" Frieza shouted. "Please... forgive me... Ami...."

Ami gasped. Trunks raised his foot above Frieza's back, preparing to stomp him again.

"TRUNKS, STOP!" Ami cried. Trunks stopped his assault on Frieza and looked down at the Changling, lying on the ground in a pool of blood. He was groaning in pain, with tears streaming down his face.

"Oh no..." Trunks said. "What... what have I done... I'm no better than Frieza..."

Trunks clenched his fists and began to sob. Trunks turned toward Ami and floated up to her.

"Oh, Ami, I was just... I... there's no excuse for what I did," Trunks sobbed. "It's just... I was so angry..."

"Trunks, it's alright..." Ami said, tears running down her face. "Just... I just want to go home..."

"Ami, I'm sorry you had to see that," Trunks said. "Ami..."

"Trunks, I said that it's alright," Ami said. "I understand... why... why you did what you did to him..."

Trunks reached up and tore the layers of duct tape holding Ami's left arm to the cross. He did the same with her right arm, then ripped the tape around her legs. He took her off of the cross and hugged her as she fell into him, crying on his shoulder.

"Ami, I love you..." Trunks sobbed, holding her close to him in a tender embrace.

"Trunks, I love you too," Ami sobbed. She raised her head. Trunks gently wiped all the blood from her face, then kissed her gently on the lips.

"Let's go," Trunks said. "I'm going to put Frieza out of his misery now."

Trunks floated toward Frieza, still holding Ami in his arms.

"Trunks... please," Frieza groaned, rolling over and looking up at Trunks and Ami. "Don't... kill me... have mercy..."

"Frieza, it's over for you," Trunks said. He pointed one of his palms toward Frieza and began to charge a ki blast.

"Ami... Ami, I'm sorry... I'm sorry for... for everyone I've killed..." Frieza said weakly, tears streaming down his face and to the floor. "I can change... I can repair everything that I've broken..."

Ami turned her head toward Frieza. She frowned at him angrily.

"You tried to kill me and Trunks," Ami said. "You won't change..."

"Give me... another chance, please..." Frieza said. "I... promise... Ami, I'm sorry... please..."

"Save it for the next world, Frieza," Trunks said.

"Trunks, wait," Ami said. She looked down at Frieza. "Frieza, are you... really apologizing?"

"Ami, no," Trunks said. "He's not-"

"Ami... please..." Frieza coughed. "I can change..."

"Trunks, I think he's telling the truth," Ami said. "He may have seen the error of his ways..."

"Ami, you can't be serious," Trunks said.

"Everyone deserves a second chance," Ami said. "Remember Rosemary, Angelica, and Chamomile?"

"Frieza's not like them," Trunks said. "Ami..."

Trunks turned toward Frieza.

"I don't know why, but Ami wants to give you another chance," Trunks said. "Once I send Ami home, I'm coming back here. I won't kill you, but I don't know what I'll have you do. If you ever hurt anyone again, I swear, I'll-"

"I promise..." Frieza said. "Thank you for forgiving me, Ami..."

Ami didn't smile. She looked back toward Trunks and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you... for everything," Ami said. "Let's go back now, Trunks..."

Trunks nodded and began to walk toward the entrance of the church.

"Damn you, Saiyan monkey..." Frieza thought. "You... you humiliated me! You reduced me to a begging, crying, pathetic... I'll make you pay...."

Frieza weakly floated into the air and held his finger into the air, charging a small ki blast on it. He floated around Trunks and Ami and pointed his finger at her back. Trunks gasped, but before he could do anything, Frieza blasted Ami with a tiny beam of energy. The energy pierced through her back and came out on the other side through her chest. The weak beam hit Trunks and dissipated on impact.

"Trunks..." Ami said weakly, looking up at Trunks. Trunks looked down at her.

"Ami?" Trunks said frantically. "Ami, are you okay? Ami!"

Ami's eyes rolled into the back of her head. Her body fell limp.

"That's right, Saiyan monkey," Frieza said weakly, floating down onto the ground on his knees. "She's dead."

"FRIEZA, YOU BASTARD!" Trunks shouted. He set Ami's body down and kicked Frieza in the neck, knocking him down onto his back, barely conscious. "I'LL MAKE YOU PAY!"

Frieza tried to say something to mock Trunks, but his windpipe had been crushed by Trunks' kick. He couldn't breathe or speak. Trunks grabbed Frieza's arms and ripped them out of their sockets, then kicked Frieza into the air. He pointed his arms at Frieza and charged up a huge ki blast.

"BIIIIIIIIIIIIG BAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!" Trunks screamed.

A huge red blast engulfed Frieza, disintegrating him instantly. The blast continued to fly outward, then flew up and out into space, exploding in a huge fireball. The entire front side of the church had been disintegrated by Trunks' blast. Trunks ran over to Ami and cradled her in his arms.

"Ami, Ami!" Trunks shouted. "AMI! Wake up!"

Ami didn't budge. Her eyes remained closed. Trunks looked down to see a small hole in her chest, make by Frieza's attack from behind.

"Ami...." Trunks sobbed, crying heavily onto her lifeless form. "Ami, please... you can't die... I promised that Frieza wouldn't hurt you... I'd keep you safe... Ami..."

Suddenly, Trunks gasped. His hand had drifted to Ami's neck, where he felt a slight pulse.

"She's still breathing... and she has a pulse... a faint one, but... she's still alive! But how?"

Trunks looked at Ami again, holding her in his arms. A faint golden glow surrounded her.

"My energy... it's... it's going into her," Trunks said quietly. "It's keeping her alive... Ami, hold on!"

Trunks, holding Ami in his arms, flew back toward his home.

"Maybe... maybe something there can help her..."

---

Back in Crysthea's throne room...

"I... I have to fight..." Sailor Moon said weakly, facing Dr. Sikaki's huge transformation. The other three Senshi had been knocked unconscious early in the fight. Sailor Moon was struggling to stand herself.

"What's the matter?" Sikaki asked mockingly. "You're history, Sailor Moon!"

"No, I won't lose!" Sailor Moon yelled. "There has to be some way to-"

Suddenly, Sailor Moon's Imperium Silver Crystal began glowing. She looked down at it.

"It's reacting to him..." Sailor Moon thought. "Oh no! He's going to assimilate it!"

"The Silver Crystal!" Sikaki shouted. "It's mine!"

The crystal ripped itself away from Sailor Moon.

"NO!" Sailor Moon screamed. The crystal flew at the huge dragon. A large wisp of dark energy wrapped around it.

"It's mine!" Sikaki shouted. "The Silver Crystal is MINE!'

The crystal was pulled into Dr. Sikaki's body. He began to laugh maniacally.

"It's over, Sailor Moon!" Sikaki yelled. "The crystal! I have the Silver Crystal! I-"

A huge beam flew out of Sikaki's chest. He screamed in pain.

"What's going on?" Sailor Moon shrieked. Another beam flew out of Sikaki. Sailor Moon gasped. "It's destroying him from the inside!"

"What?" Sikaki shouted. "No, that's impossible! The crystal is mine! It can't be destroying me from the inside! It belongs to me! All the crystals shall be-"

Suddenly, the huge dragon that was Dr. Sikaki was engulfed by a huge beam of white light. The light disintegrated him instantly. Sailor Moon watched in disbelief.

"The evil in his body caused the crystal to react," Sailor Moon said. "I should have known that the crystal wouldn't accept being possessed by evil!"

The beam of light disappeared. The Imperium Silver Crystal floated over to Sailor Moon. With a brilliant flash, it disappeared, going back into Sailor Moon's body. The Moon Senshi stood up, completely healed. The other three Senshi also stood up.

"What happened?" Sailor Jupiter asked.

"Yeah..." Sailor Venus said, rubbing her head. "Did you... did you beat him?"

"No," Sailor Moon said. "It was the Silver Crystal..."

A gate appeared in front of the four Senshi.

"C'mon," Sailor Moon said. "Let's go home."

"But... but what about Sailor Mercury?" Sailor Mars asked. "She's still in trouble!"

"The crystal told me she'll be just fine..." Sailor Moon said. "Trust me on this one, okay?"

The other three Senshi nodded. Then, Sailor Moon, Mars, Venus, and Jupiter stepped into the gate that would take them back home.

---

The next morning, in the Briefs' house...

"Ami...."

Trunks knelt down next to Ami, who was lying on the couch, still unconscious. Her wounds had been bandaged, but she had shown no signs of recovery. Trunks had held her hand the entire night, his energy keeping her alive. He hadn't even detransformed from Super Saiyan 2, worrying that cutting off his energy flow in any way would kill Ami.

"I won't let you die, Ami," Trunks said, clutching her hand. "I promise..."

Trunks rested his head on Ami's chest and began crying.

"Please, Ami..." Trunks sobbed. "You... you have to... you have to live... please..."

Suddenly, a bright blue glow surrounded them both. Trunks gasped.

"Ami?" Trunks asked. "What's going on... this feels like your energy!"

The sign of Mercury began to glow on Ami's head as a warm, blue glow. The nightgown she was wearing began to disappear.

"She's transforming..." Trunks said quietly. "But... but how?"

Ami's bandages and wounds completely disappeared as her Sailor outfit appeared on her body. Her eyes began to flutter open.

"Oh... Ami!"

Ami groaned and sat up on the couch. She had transformed into Sailor Mercury.

"Trunks?" Mercury asked. "I had... the most incredible dream... you see, I was floating somewhere, unable to move... it was so dark... I was so scared... but then, I could see you, floating toward me... you kissed me, and... and then I could move... and I felt your energy going into my body... it was unbelievable..."

Trunks detransformed from Super Saiyan 2. He looked into Sailor Mercury's eyes.

"I think you healed me somehow, Trunks..." Sailor Mercury said softly.

"Ami, I... I'm so glad you're alive!" Trunks said. He hugged Mercury, then kissed her tenderly on the lips. "Oh, Ami, I-"

"Trunks, just forget it," Mercury said, smiling. "Trunks, I love you, and you're okay, and I'm okay, and that's all that matters. Okay?"

Trunks smiled.

"Ami, let's go see if mom's alright," Trunks said. Mercury nodded.

---

"Mom?" Trunks said, looking into the room.

"Trunks? Ami?" Bulma said. Trunks and Sailor Mercury ran into the room to see Bulma, sitting up in bed and wearing a pretty blue nightgown.

"Mom, you're awake!" Trunks said.

"Bulma!" Mercury said. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

Trunks and Sailor Mercury ran over and hugged Bulma.

"Mom, how are you doing?" Trunks asked.

"I'm feeling a lot better," Bulma said. "When I woke up this morning, I unhooked a few of the machines and put this nightgown on so I wouldn't feel cold anymore."

"What a quick recovery," Trunks said. "But... but how?"

"These machines are really amazing, aren't they?" Bulma asked. "I'm not fully recovered yet, though... I'll probably have to stay in bed for a few more days. Did you two... did you two put me here?"

"Yes," Mercury said. "We found you, removed your shredded clothing, bandaged you, and hooked you up to these machines using your diagrams."

"I see," Bulma said. "Thank you..."

"And we defeated Frieza," Trunks said.

"Trunks, you were the one who defeated Frieza," Mercury replied.

"Ami, I couldn't have done it without you," Trunks said. "Your bravery and strength helped keep me going. I couldn't have transformed into an Ascended Saiyan without you. Ami..."

"Trunks, thank you for saving me... for everything you've done for me," Mercury said.

"And thank you for showing me what love is like... and for being a true friend," Trunks said. "I'll always love you, Ami."

Trunks and Sailor Mercury leaned in close to one another and kissed deeply for several seconds. Then, they kissed again. Bulma watched them, smiling warmly.

"He loves her," Bulma said, "and she loves him as well... if only... if only they could be together forever..."

---

A few hours later, Trunks and Ami, now detransformed and wearing her red, white, and blue sailor fuku school uniform, were standing in the middle of the abandoned village where they had first met. Bulma's machine was on the ground, ready to be activated.

"Ami... I'll miss you," Trunks said. A tear fell down the side of his face.

"Oh, Trunks..." Ami sobbed, crying. "I don't... I don't want to leave you..."

"I don't want to leave you, Ami," Trunks said. "But... I know that your friends and family miss you... they need you, Ami..."

"I need you, Trunks," Ami sobbed.

"Ami, I promise I'll see you again someday," Trunks said. He walked over to the machine and, with great hesitation, pressed the button on the device. A small, blue gate appeared.

"There it is," Ami said. "The gate that will take me home..."

Trunks walked up to Ami and brushed her hair back from her face. He embraced her, letting her rest her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Ami..." Trunks said. "I... I love you..."

"I love you, Trunks," Ami said. She kissed Trunks on the lips. "Goodbye..."

Ami kissed Trunks again, then slowly stepped away from Trunks. She walked back toward the gate and stopped one step in front of it.

"We'll meet again," Ami said. "I know it...."

And with that, Ami stepped back into the gate. With a blinding glow, it disappeared. Ami was gone. Trunks looked over at the machine and pressed the button, trying to create another gate. The machine did nothing.

"She's really gone..." Trunks said, tears streaming down his face. "I love you, Ami..."

---

Back at Rei's temple, Serena, Rei, Lita, and Mina were sitting in a circle. Serena was facing the door of the temple, while the three other girls were turned toward the fire burning on an altar at the back of the room.

"We finally defeated the Crystal Empire," Serena said, looking down at the floor.

"You're worried about Ami too," Lita said.

"The Silver Crystal told me she'd be okay," Serena said. "I know she will!"

"I really miss her," Rei said. "It's been two whole weeks..."

"And I ran out of excuses for her three days ago," Minako said. "Her calculus teacher is furious..."

"We'll get Ami back, you guys..." Serena said. She looked up toward the door of the temple. "Ami..."

Just then, the door to the temple slid open. A blue-haired girl meekly walked inside. She smiled.

"Hi, you guys..." Ami said quietly. Serena's eyes lit up. Serena rose to her feet just as Lita, Rei, and Mina stood up and turned toward the door as well.

"Ami!" Serena shrieked happily. "You're back!"

Ami ran toward the girls and leaped into their arms in a big group hug.

"Ami, we saw you in trouble..." Rei said. "Dr. Sikaki showed us!"

"You girls wouldn't believe where I went!" Ami said. "I've got quite a story to tell you..."

"We missed you!" Mina said happily.

"I'll go make some cookies, and then Ami can tell us all about her adventures!" Lita said. "If you want to, that is!"

"Ami, we had to tell your mom that you were a Sailor Senshi so that she could help us make excuses for you," Serena said. "She took it pretty well, though, and she said she'd keep it a secret."

"You're not mad, are you?" Lita asked, bringing in a large plate of cookies and five glasses of milk.

"Not at all, really!" Ami said. "I missed my mom, too..."

Ami looked into the eyes of the four girls and smiled.

"But I guess I can wait a little while to see her!" Ami said. "If you want to hear about where I've been... I guess I'll start at the beginning, okay?"

---

Later that day, Ami was standing in her room, looking out of the window at the sunset in the sky. She smiled sweetly, then walked over and sat down at the foot of her bed.

"Trunks..." Ami said softly. "I'll never forget you, I promise..."

Ami lied down on her bed, resting her head on her fluffy white pillow. She closed her eyes.

"At least I can see you in my dreams..." Ami thought, drifting off into peaceful slumber. "Thank you, Trunks... for everything."

THE END

---

Actually, it's not the end. I'm going to be posting a short little epilogue tomorrow, so... READ THE EPILOGUE. This fanfic was really fun to write, and I think it's my best one yet! After I write the epilogue, I'm going to take a small break, then I'll start writing "Bot-Gi-Oh", a funny Battlebots/Yu-Gi-Oh parody in the Yu-Gi-Oh section. Watch for it! Thank you to all of my loyal reviewers! And always remember that love conquers all! ^_^