Goodbye, Sailor Moon

By Lady Sylver

Chapter 6: The Colors of Sadness

"Mamoru, tell me again." Usagi looks in his direction.

"Usako, I have told you a hundred times already." He smiles at his beautiful girlfriend.

"I know, but I want to know what it looks like. I miss seeing it." A far away expression crosses her face and a tear slides down her cheek.

Mamoru pulls her close, knowing that soon a flood of tears will flow. "Please don't cry." He kisses the top of her head. "I thought that we were past the tears?"

"Sometimes, I can't help it. I feel so useless to you, the Senshi, and Usa. I just miss being able to see everything. I even miss being Sailor Moon."

A small laugh escapes from Mamoru. "I never thought that I would hear that from you."

"I never thought that I would say it." She puts her hand on his face and looks in the direction her hand is. "Now, tell me what it looks like, for the hundred and first time." A smile comes across her face as she looks at him.

He sighs before he begins. "She has a smile on her face. Makoto and Minako are with her and are taking turns pushing her on the swing. Can you hear her laugh?"

"It's music to my ears. After a year of sadness, it is such wonderful music."

He pulls her into a hug and gives her a kiss on the forehead. He feels her tense under his embrace and pulls back. "What's wrong, Usako?"

"Don't you hear it?" Her words are coated in a tone of pure dread.

"Hear…" He is cut off by a hand covering his mouth. He is quiet and lets her listen to the area around. The look on her face is one that he has now come to recognize. "Do you hear a youma again?" He whispers to her.

"I thought I did, but I can't hear it anymore. To be on the safe side we had better warn the others."

Mamoru takes her hand and leads her toward the others. He looks down at her and shakes his head. "She thinks she useless, but she has been more help then she'll know. She has detected more youma in the last three months then screams alone could help us find. At least it helps keep her safe." He says to himself.

Minako and Makoto see Mamoru and Usagi approach. A look of concern is etched onto each face. "Did she hear another one?" Makoto asks.

Mamoru nods his head. Chibi Usa runs toward Usagi and jumps into her arms. "You know, Little One, it's a good thing that you make a lot of noise or you would mow me over." Usagi tells Chibi Usa as she pulls her close.

Everyone begins to laugh as the tension is broken, but it does not last for long.

**********

Ami and Raye show up about twenty minutes later. They all sit on the blanket and begin their picnic.

"So, Chibi Usa, what do want to do after we finish eating?"

Chibi Usa looks up at Raye. "I want to go for a walk. Will you and the others take me?"

"We sure will." Comes the unanimous answer.

Usagi only half listens to the conversation. Something is bothering her, but she can't quite grasp the cause of her uneasiness. She stands and walks a short distance away from the others. She listens as the conversation behind her comes to an end. She listens as hard as she can. A hand comes to rest on her shoulder. She shakes her head and the hand leaves her shoulder. She hears Mamoru's footsteps as he walks away. She listens once more and is rewarded for her efforts, but a fear slowly overcomes her. "No, not so many. They can't fight so many." She whispers as a tear runs down her cheek as she turns in the direction she had come from. "The Senshi are going to be needed in a few moments."

Raye sees the tears in her eyes and runs the short distance to her friend. "What is wrong?"

"There are too many for you to handle."

"How many is too many?" Makoto asks, but is answered by the materialization of four youmas.

"Usa, get Usako out of here!" Mamoru screams as he sees the four youmas.

Chibi Usa grabs Usagi's hand and begins to run. They can hear the shouts of the Sailor Senshi's transformation phrases as they run for cover.

**********

"Mercury Star Power!"

"Jupiter Star Power!"

"Venus Star Power!"

"Mars Star Power!"

Mamoru listens as the four Senshi call out their transformation phrases. He watches as Chibi Usa and Usagi run for cover. When he sees they are a safe distance away, he raises her rose and transforms into Tuxedo Kamen. "Stay safe, you two," he whispers as he follows the Senshi to fight the youmas.

**********

Usagi and Chibi Usa take shelter in a nearby area. Usagi knows that the Sailor Senshi cannot handle all the youma that appeared. She needs to be there to help, but knows that Chibi Usa will not let her go. The silence and the battle are too much for her to bear. She needs to convince Chibi Usa to let her go to help. After a few moments, an idea comes to her mind.

"Small Lady, do you know that there is a color for sadness?" Usagi asks as she listens in the distance to the sounds of battle.

"Yes, Mama, it is a color that I see every time I look at you and remember that day. It is a mixture of red and black."

"You are wise for being so young." She pauses and listens to the battle again. "That was the color that I once saw in my darkness, but now that I no longer feel sorrow for my condition I see the colors of my friends in my darkness. They are what brings me happiness and keep me going." She stops and listens again to the battle and hears the cry of powers being used. "Do you understand?"

"No, Mama." Chibi Usa is curious as to what her future mother is talking about, but can hear the same types of reasoning that Neo Queen Serenity uses all the time. This is something different to hear from Usagi.

"I see the colors that surround all of my friends. I even see yours and Mamoru's. They are always with me. Those colors are what comfort me and take away my sadness. These colors banish the sadness from me." Usagi listens to the battle and hears a familiar scream. The orange color that she sees dims and fades slightly. "If I lose you all, I will be back in the darkness of my sorrow. I can't let that happen." Another scream is heard. The crimson red color fades slightly, but is still there. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Mama. You want to go fight."

"Yes, I can't get anything past you can I? I can't let them be defeated." Usagi reaches out for Chibi Usa's cheek. There are tears running down Chibi Usa's face. "You are my strongest color, My Little Spore." Usagi feels a smile cross Chibi Usa's face. "Stay here, and remember that I love you."

"Be safe, Mama."

Usagi smiles at Chibi Usa as she pulls her cane out. She listens for the sounds of battle and heads in that direction. She watches the colors that dance before her darkened eyes as each takes its turn to dim. She knows they are fighting a battle they cannot win.

**********

"Jupiter, watch your back!" Mars yells as a youma advances from behind.

A youma produces a burst of energy from its hand. It flies toward Tuxedo Kamen. He tries to dodge the blast, but he catches the blast in the foot. He screams in pain as he is knocked backwards and hits the ground. The youma takes advantage of his prone position and fires two more bolts at him. He dodges the first attack, but as he rolls from it he is caught by the second attack. He screams in pain as the energy blast shakes his whole body. "Usako." He whispers before he loses consciousness.

The four Senshi turn and prepare to do what damage they can before they share the same fate.