Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Looking Up To You ❯ Love Survives ( Chapter 21 )

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Sailor Moon or any of the characters, blah, blah, blah.

NOTE: This story takes place after Sailor Stars, however, I haven't seen Sailor Stars, so forgive me if I miss a plot point or two. Also, I'm gonna go for American attack names here… *begs forgiveness from the purists*

---

Sammy, Tuxedo Mask, and the Sailor Senshi faced Scion, ready to attack.

"Be careful," Mercury said. "Remember last time."

The other Senshi nodded.

"Dark Sphere!" Scion shouted, firing a deadly black ball of magic at the Senshi.

"Look out!" Sailor Moon shouted. She pointed her henshin stick at the ball and neutralized it with a blast of light magic.

"Close one," Mars breathed. She extended her arms toward Scion. "Mars Flaming Cannon!"

Sailor Mars fired several blasts of fire at Scion. Scion formed an energy sword in his hand and smacked all of the fire away.

"Jupiter Thunder Axe!" Sailor Jupiter shouted, coming at Scion with a lightning axe in hand. She swung at Scion several times, but he easily managed to dodge the swings every single time.

"Pathetic," Scion said. "And so slow!"

Scion leaped at Jupiter with a roundhouse kick. Jupiter ducked under the kick and punched Scion in the face, knocking him back.

"You won't beat us again!" Sailor Jupiter shouted.

Scion steadied himself and began to run at Sailor Jupiter, when he was suddenly stopped by a large fireball hitting him in the back.

"Take that!" Mars yelled. "I didn't want to resort to hitting you from behind, but I wouldn't have to if you weren't such a jerk!"

"Why you…" Scion said, turning around.

"Mercury Ice Javelin!" Sailor Mercury shouted, tossing a freezing spear of ice at Scion's chest. Scion ducked under the spear and growled at Mercury.

"Awww… you missed him, Ami…" Sammy said sadly.

"I'll get him this time, for you, okay?" Mercury said. She formed two more spears in her hands at tossed them at Scion. The spears hit Scion and pinned him against the wall by the arms.

"Alright, Mercury!" Sailor Moon cheered.

"Go Ami!" Sammy shouted. Sailor Venus turned toward the immobilized Scion.

"Venus Arrow of Beauty!" Sailor Venus shouted. She fired a golden arrow at Scion, which pierced his chest. Scion screamed in pain.

"He's finished!" Jupiter said. Suddenly, Scion began to laugh wickedly. The ice spears holding him to the wall disappeared.

"No!" Mercury gasped.

Scion pulled the arrow from his chest. It disintegrated instantly.

"Crush Wave!" Scion shouted, sending out a crushing gravitational dome out toward the four Senshi that had attacked him. The wave hit the Senshi and sent them all to their knees.

"So strong…" Sailor Mars said.

"Ami, I'm coming!" Sammy shouted. He unsheathed his sword and ran at Scion.

"Wait!" Tuxedo Mask shouted. "Let's attack him from both sides!"

Tuxedo Mask threw several sharp roses at Scion. Scion flapped his cape in front of the roses, knocking them all away. Sammy ran at Scion and slashed at him several times, but Scion used his energy sword to parry them all. Sammy leaped back.

"If we don't do something, this'll end up just like last time!" Sammy shouted. The four Senshi stood up and faced Scion.

"It won't end like last time," Mercury said. "We have to beat him now!"

Sailor Moon pointed her henshin stick at Scion.

"Moon Blessed Hallation!" Sailor Moon shouted. Nothing happened.

"Looks like all of your powers went away when I broke your pathetic pixie stick," Scion said, smiling. "Too bad."

"Try to form that sword again!" Sailor Mars said.

"I can't!" Sailor Moon shouted. "It doesn't work!"

"I knew it," Scion said. "Take this!"

Scion lunged at Sailor Moon and tackled her into the wall.

"Sailor Moon!" the other four Senshi shouted.

"She's my sister!" Sammy said. "I have to help her!"

"Let me, Sammy," Mercury said. "I don't want you getting hurt…"

"She's my sister," Sammy said. "Ami, leave it to me!"

Sammy ran at Scion and slashed at him fiercely. Scion turned around and kicked Sammy hard in the chest, knocking him down.

"Sammy!" Mercury shouted.

"Don't try to face him…" Moon said weakly, slowly standing up.

Sammy stood up and faced Scion.

"I won't let you hurt my friends… my sister… Ami… I won't let you hurt anyone ever again!" Sammy shouted.

"You say that so much it's lost all of its meaning," Scion said. "Let's see you fight."

Sammy ran at Scion again and slashed at him, but Scion ducked under the slash and headbutted Sammy in the stomach. Sammy doubled over and coughed up a bit of blood.

"He's getting annihilated out there!" Sailor Venus shouted. She pointed at Scion. "Venus Arrow Of Beauty!"

But before Venus could fire the arrow, Scion grabbed Sammy from behind, spun him around, and positioned him inbetween himself and Sailor Venus.

"Don't even try it," Scion said. "Unless you want the boy to get an arrow through the chest."

"He's using Sammy as a shield…" Mercury thought. "Sammy…"

Sailor Mercury began to chant something. Sammy's sword began to glow with an eerie blue light.

"Huh?" Sammy said, looking down at his sword. "I feel stronger…"

With a burst of strength, Sammy broke free from Scion and turned around to face him.

"What's going on?" Scion shouted. "You've gotten stronger… how…"

"Guys, give Sammy your power!" Mercury shouted. "Hurry!"

The other Senshi began to chant like Mercury was doing, but nothing happened.

"We can't give him our power," Sailor Moon said. "We're trying!"

"That's okay, Ami's power is enough!" Sammy said. "Don't overexert yourself though…"

"You should be worried about what's going to happen to you!" Scion shouted. He formed two energy swords and began slashing at Sammy, but this time, Sammy was able to use his charged-up sword to parry the slashes. He began pushing Scion back.

"What's it like being the weaker one?" Sammy asked as he pushed Scion back toward the wall.

"Fool," Scion said, stepping back. Suddenly, he lifted his hand and fired a blast at Sammy's face. The blast hit, knocking Sammy back. Scion blasted Sammy again, sending him flying and causing the katana in his hand to stop glowing. Sammy slammed into the ground.

"Sammy!" the Senshi and Tuxedo Mask shouted. Mercury ran to his side.

"Are you alright?" Sailor Mercury asked. Sammy nodded and weakly stood up.

"You guys just worry about beating Scion… you haven't used your Planet Power technique yet…" Sammy groaned.

"That's right!" Sailor Moon said. "We never got a chance to use it in the last battle!"

"Huh?" Scion said.

"Mercury Power!" Mercury shouted, holding her henshin stick in the air.

"Mars Power!" Mars shouted, doing the same.

"Jupiter Power!" Jupiter shouted.

"Venus Power!" Venus shouted. The four Senshi began to glow with energy. Sailor Moon lifted up her henshin stick.

"Moon Power!" Sailor Moon shouted.

But unlike the other Senshi, Sailor Moon did not glow.

"Sailor Moon, your powers still don't work!" Mercury shouted. "Oh no…"

"Too bad for you," Scion said. He began to walk toward Sailor Moon.

"No…" Sailor Moon said. "As long as I have my friends… you won't defeat me!"

Sailor Moon's henshin stick began to glow.

"No!" Scion shouted. The five Senshi's energy formed into a huge multicolored wave, which converged on Scion. The wave slammed into him from all sides.

"Argh!" Scion shouted.

"Keep it up!" Sailor Moon shouted. Sammy and Tuxedo Mask watched as the five Scouts increased their power.

"Sailor Ultimate Planet Power!" the Senshi shouted in unison. The wave collapsed on Scion and immersed him in energy.

"NOOOO!" Scion shouted. "I won't… be… defeated!"

Scion began to glow black with energy.

"Dark powers…" Scion shouted. "Come to me… and cast these fools into oblivion!"

With those words, a huge black wave rushed out from Scion, pushing the Ultimate Planet Power wave back toward the Senshi. Scion's dark energy rushed outward until it completely disintegrated the Senshi's attack. All of the Senshi except for Sailor Moon slammed into the wall with incredible force. Sailor Moon was pushed back to the wall, but she stood her ground as the wave pushed outward with the moon Senshi's glowing henshin stick as the only thing containing it.

"Why aren't you being pushed back?" Scion yelled.

"Because the light will always defeat the dark!" Sailor Moon shouted. Her henshin stick glowed with a brilliant white flash. Then, the flash disappeared. Sailor Moon was once again wielding The Sword of the Moon.

"That sword!" Scion shouted. "No!"

"The sword…" Mercury said weakly, slumped against the wall. She looked up to see Sammy standing next to her.

"It's going to be alright," Sammy said. "That's my sister."

"I know," Mercury said, smiling. "We did it, Sammy."

Sailor Moon walked toward Scion slowly, pushing his deadly black energy wave inward. Finally, she was standing right in front of Scion. His black energy wave had completely disappeared.

"No," Scion said. "Don't you dare!"

Sailor Moon said nothing. She simply thrust the sword into Scion's chest. Scion collapsed onto the sword. Sailor Moon pulled the sword out of Scion's chest and stepped back.

"It's over," Sailor Moon said. A large, glowing hole had now appeared where Sailor Moon had stabbed Scion. He lurched forward, then stepped back.

"You may have beaten me…" Scion said weakly. "But my father… will… come after you…."

Scion continued stepping back, toward the wall. Sammy, Tuxedo Mask, and the Senshi stared at him. Suddenly, a large white energy gate appeared behind Scion. He backed into it, and then he and the gate disappeared.

"He got away!" Sammy shouted. The four Senshi stood up weakly and looked at the wall through which Scion had seemingly passed through.

"Not again," Sailor Mercury said weakly.

"That was a fatal wound," Sailor Moon said. "We likely won't see him again. But he mentioned his father…"

"Lazuli," Sammy said. "That guy that possessed Greg."

Mercury gasped.

"When he grabbed me, he said he wanted to restore his body…" Mercury said. "Could he be…"

"Let's wait here," Mars said.

"Yeah… someone should show up pretty soon!" Jupiter said.

---

Scion walked weakly into the room where Lazuli was still trying to reform his body.

"Why are you here?" Lazuli asked. "Did you defeat the Senshi?"

"They defeated me," Scion said weakly. "I'm about to die… have you reformed your body yet?"

"I didn't get enough energy from the girl," Lazuli said.

"Take my energy!" Scion shouted. "Hurry, before…"

Scion coughed weakly.

"My son… I cannot take your energy," Lazuli said. "Not from my own son."

"Hurry…" Scion gasped. "I'm done for…"

"Your sacrifice means so much to me," Lazuli said. "Goodbye, my son."

The dark mist floated into Scion's body. Several more glowing holes opened up in Scion, but the glowing was quickly extinguished by Lazuli's dark aura.

"This is more than enough energy," Lazuli said, floating out of Scion. A human-like figure began to take shape. "This is perfect! Mwahahaha!"

---

Meanwhile, in the commencement room…

"Hold still," Sailor Moon said, holding up the Sword of the Moon. "I'll heal you…"

Sammy, Tuxedo Mask, and the other four Senshi began to glow. Their wounds disappeared. Sailor Moon's sword turned back into a henshin stick.

"Your sword!" Sammy said.

"If I need it again, it'll come back," Moon said. "I hope…"

Sammy turned to Sailor Mercury.

"Thank you for helping me," Sammy said. "Sorry I couldn't beat him with your energy…"

"It's okay, Sammy!" Mercury said. "I'm just glad you're alright!"

"Hey, that puzzles me," Venus said. "Why weren't we able to give Sammy energy?"

"Yeah," Sailor Mars said. "You were the only one who was able to!"

"That is kind of strange," Mercury said.

But before she or the others could ponder this mystery any further, the room turned dark. The Senshi gasped.

"What's that?" Sailor Moon shrieked.

"Up here," boomed a dark voice. The Senshi looked up to see a dark figure dressed in obsidian-black armor. The only part of his face that was visible was two glowing red eyes. A flowing red cape flapped behind the dark-armored being.

"You're Lazuli, aren't you?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Precisely," Lazuli said. "My son Scion was able to provide me with the last bit of energy I needed to reform my body. Seems that my wardrobe's changed a bit… I used to have white armor, but I like this much, much more."

"Your own son!" Mercury shouted. "How fiendish!"

"He wanted to give me his energy," Lazuli said. "I had to take it. It seems your pathetic body was too weak to give me the energy I needed."

Sammy growled angrily.

"And now, I shall show you my power," Lazuli said. "I honestly didn't think you'd be able to beat Scion."

"That's the problem with you bad guys!" Sailor Mars shouted. "You never think we'll be able to beat the one before you, and we do. Do you think we'll be able to beat you?"

"Let's find out," Lazuli said. He floated down to the floor in front of Sailor Mars. "Mist of Ruin!"

A black mist shot out of Lazuli's hand, spraying Sailor Mars. She screamed and staggered back.

"What is it?" Sailor Moon asked. "Is it acid?"

"I don't think so," Sailor Mars said, looking at the black liquid dripping from her body.

Lazuli closed his hand into a fist. The mist began to crackle with black electricity, zapping Sailor Mars. She screamed and collapsed to the ground.

"Sailor Mars!" the others shouted.

"Anyone else?" Lazuli said. He turned to Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus. "You two."

"No you don't!" Jupiter shouted. "Jupiter Thunder Axe!"

"Venus Arrow of Beauty!" Venus shouted. Jupiter's axe came down on Lazuli, but he leaped back to get away from the swing, just as Venus fired her arrow at him.

"Persistent, aren't we?" Lazuli asked. He put his hand in front of the arrow. "Dark Gate!"

A huge swirling vortex appeared in front of Lazuli, absorbed the arrow, and then closed. Sailor Jupiter leaped up at Lazuli and swung at him with her Thunder Axe. The axe connected, and electricity surged through Lazuli's body.

"Direct hit!" Sammy said. Lazuli laughed.

"Tickles," Lazuli said. "But this won't."

Lazuli unsheathed a large, black sword and kicked Sailor Jupiter away from him. She staggered back, and Lazuli lunged forward. He plunged his sword at her chest.

"No!" Sammy shouted. He ran in front of Lazuli and parried his attack.

"I thought that would happen," Lazuli said, leaping back. "You've caused me quite a bit of trouble."

"Shut up," Sammy said. "I'm sick of all your stupid speeches. I'm tired. I want to go home."

"You're sick of us, aren't you?" Lazuli asked. "The Darkspawn. You've killed all but one. Go ahead, take a swing. I dare-"

Sammy slashed at Lazuli's face, but Lazuli quickly parried with his own sword.

"Why do so many of you guys have swords?" Sammy asked.

"Swords are such incredible weapons," Lazuli said. "You're using one."

Sammy swung at Lazuli again. Sparks fell to the ground as the warriors' swords clashed again.

"I watched all of the Senshi die when my queen Beryl's minions faced them. Jupiter, Venus, Mars… your friend Sailor Mercury," Lazuli said. "I wish I could have been there."

"So do I," Sammy said. "So I could have stopped it."

Lazuli laughed.

"You really think you could have stopped an extremely powerful youma?" Lazuli asked. "You seem to think you're some sort of god. You can stop anything from happening and defeat anyone."

"So far I've been right," Sammy said. "You have to admit that."

"You didn't defeat Letine, or Alexis. You didn't defeat Ninjetti. You didn't defeat Scion. The Senshi did. You forget that."

"I'll defeat you," Sammy said. "I'll put you away for good."

"What if I refuse to fight you?" Lazuli asked.

"What?" Sammy said.

"Watch out for his mind games, Sammy!" Mercury said.

"Sammy, get away from him!" Sailor Moon shouted.

Ignoring the others, Sammy looked into Lazuli's eyes.

"You're so weak. You're not worth my time," Lazuli said. "Go home."

"What?" Sammy asked.

"I'm letting you go home," Lazuli said. "Leave this place. I will destroy everyone on Earth and leave you alive. Just go home now and I will spare your life for eternity."

"I can't do that," Sammy said. "And watch you kill the Senshi? And my family?"

"You wouldn't have to watch," Lazuli said. "Go home."

"Shut up," Sammy said. He slashed at Lazuli. Lazuli parried the slash half-heartedly and turned to the other Senshi.

"Any of you want to fight me?" Lazuli asked. Sammy slashed at Lazuli again from behind. Lazuli stuck his sword up to parry and pointed his other arm at Tuxedo Mask. "I'll start with you."

Lazuli fired another energy ball at Tuxedo Mask, who rolled to the side to dodge the slash. Sammy continued slashing at Lazuli, but Lazuli, who didn't even have to look, continued to parry Sammy's slashes with one arm while firing at Tuxedo Mask with the other.

"I've had enough of this!" Sailor Venus shouted.

"I'm with you!" Sailor Jupiter said.

Meanwhile, Sailor Mars was just beginning to stand. She pointed her arm at Lazuli.

"Mars Flaming Cannon!" Sailor Mars shouted.

"Jupiter Oak Evolution!" Jupiter yelled.

"Venus Arrow of Beauty!" Sailor Venus shouted. Fire and lightning surrounded the arrow as it rushed at Lazuli. Lazuli stuck out his arm to absorb the arrow. Sammy slashed at him again with all of his might. This time, Sammy connected. The sword made a loud clanging noise as sword and armor collided. The sword only made a tiny crack in Lazuli's armor, but Lazuli was clearly angry. He spun around and kicked Sammy to the ground with one mighty kick.

"Sammy!" Sailor Moon shouted.

Lazuli pointed his sword at Sammy's chest.

"No, don't!" Mercury yelled.

"You had your chance," Lazuli said. "I would have spared you. But now-"

"Mercury Ice Javelin!" Sailor Mercury shouted. Several spears of ice hit Lazuli in the back, shattering on impact. He turned around, an expression of rage on his face.

"Why you insolent-"

"Mercury Ice Javelin!" Mercury shouted again. More spears rushed at Lazuli. Again, they shattered as soon as they hit the mighty warrior. He growled in anger.

"You're like a bunch of flies," Lazuli said angrily. He lunged at Sailor Mercury and tackled her into the wall. She cried out in pain.

"Ami, no!" Sammy said, standing up.

"I'll crush you," Lazuli said. "Like this!"

Lazuli pulled Sailor Mercury back, and then slammed her into the wall again. She shrieked as pain coursed through her body

"Don't hurt me!" Mercury screamed.

"Too late," Lazuli said.

"Take this!" Sammy yelled, slamming his sword into Lazuli's back repeatedly and making several cracks in his armor. "Get away from her!"

Lazuli growled in rage and slammed his arm into Sammy, knocking him back about twenty feet. Sailor Mercury slumped against the wall, blood trickling from a small gash on the back of her head made when Lazuli slammed her into the wall.

"Why… why did you hurt Sammy?" Mercury asked weakly.

Lazuli laughed evilly and picked Sailor Mercury up by the neck.

"You shall be the first to die," Lazuli said. "I hope the boy is watching."

Sammy stood up weakly.

"You can't… hurt her…" Sammy said. "I won't let-"

"Let me handle this, Sammy," Sailor Moon said, stepping in front of her brother. In her hand was the Sword of the Moon. Lazuli, sensing the sword's power, turned around.

"Ah, my old sword," Lazuli said, holding up his own sword. "It's proved quite effective against my son, hasn't it?"

"I won't let you hurt my friends again," Sailor Moon said.

"We'll see about that," Lazuli replied. He ran at Sailor Moon and slashed at her. She swung her own sword in the way, parrying the strike. The swords collided with a loud clanging noise.

"Not bad," Sailor Moon said. "Your son just stood there."

"That sword gives you an entirely different personality," Lazuli said. "I can sense it."

Sailor Moon stepped back and slashed at Lazuli again. Lazuli parried once and then twice. He stepped forward and slashed at Sailor Moon. She ducked under the slash, then slashed at Lazuli again. He parried a third time.

"What do you mean?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Sammy, is that you?" Mercury asked. Sammy had crawled over to her while Lazuli and Sailor Moon were fighting.

"Ami, you're hurt bad…" Sammy said.

"I'll be fine," Mercury reassured him. "My head just hurts…"

"You become so much more serious with that sword in your hands," Lazuli said. "And much more ruthless."

"I do…" Sailor Moon said. "It's because it only shows up when I'm really angry."

"I see," Lazuli said. He slashed at Sailor Moon again. She parried, and then began to push him back.

"If you hit your head too hard, you won't be smart anymore," Sammy said. Mercury giggled.

"Oh, Sammy…" Mercury said. The other Senshi and Tuxedo Mask ran up to Sammy and Mercury.

"Sailor Moon needs our help," Sailor Jupiter said. Sailor Mercury nodded.

"She's doing good, but if we can create a distraction, she can get a good swipe at him," Sailor Mars said.

"Alright," Tuxedo Mask said. "You guys all use your attacks on Lazuli."

"Alright," Venus said. The four Senshi pointed their arms at Lazuli.

"You can't beat me," Lazuli said. "You can only tie me. And even then, I can outlast you. You'll tire eventually."

Sailor Moon slashed at Lazuli. He parried her attack again.

"You'll never hit me," Lazuli said.

"Mercury Ice Javelin!"

"Mars Flaming Cannon!"

"Jupiter Thunder Axe!"

"Venus Arrow of Beauty!"

An arrow surrounded by several waves of magical energy rushed at Lazuli. He didn't see it until it hit him in the back, creating a small crack in his armor. The split-second that he winced from the arrow gave Sailor Moon a chance to attack. She lunged forward and plunged her sword into Lazuli's chest. The sword passed right through Lazuli's armor. He screamed in pain and doubled over, then slashed at her in rage. Sailor Moon pulled her sword out of Lazuli's chest and parried the slash, then slashed at Lazuli again. This time, he was in too much pain to parry. Sailor Moon's sword slashed across Lazuli's stomach, causing him to stagger back. She then plunged her sword into his neck.

"Looks like I beat you," Sailor Moon said. She pulled her sword out of Lazuli and kicked him away. The pained warrior staggered back, then fell onto one knee.

"I don't believe it," Lazuli said. "You fools actually managed to beat me."

A large white gate opened up above Lazuli. Sailor Moon gasped.

"Guess I'll have to reveal my true form," Lazuli said. He laughed, and disappeared into the gate just as Sailor Moon slashed at him again. She slashed through air.

"This is just like a video game!" Sammy said.

"It's no game," Mercury said, standing up. "We have to catch him now!"

"Let's see if we can open that gate," Sailor Jupiter said.

"Alright," Sailor Moon said. The other Senshi held up their henshin sticks.

"Nothing," Mars said.

"Wait," Sailor Moon said. She held up her sword, and immediately, a brilliant gate of white light opened up. Sammy, Tuxedo Mask, and the Senshi ran up to it.

"Sammy, this is dangerous," Mercury said. "Do you-"

But before she could finish, the seven warriors were pulled up into the gate.

---

The Senshi, Sammy, and Tuxedo Mask materialized inside of a small circular room.

"No one's here," Sammy said.

Suddenly, the walls of the room burst outward to reveal an endless void of swirling blue, red, and purple waves. The Senshi looked around.

"We must be in another dimension," Sailor Mercury said. "But where's-"

A loud cackling sounded behind the Senshi. They turned around to see a huge black mist floating behind them.

"I thought you didn't like to be a mist," Sammy said.

The mist began to materialize into a large human-like being comprised of dark energy. The being was completely black except for two large red eyes on the being's face. It towered above the Senshi.

"I admit, not the best looking form in the universe, but it will do nicely for killing all of you!" Lazuli shouted. The five Senshi, Sammy, and Tuxedo Mask stared at it in fear. Sailor Moon pointed her sword at the creature.

"I beat you once, I can beat you again!" Sailor Moon shouted, lunging at the creature and plunging her sword into it. The sword had no effect.

"The sword is useless against it!" Sailor Mercury shouted. "This is bad…"

The sword flashed once and then turned back into a henshin stick. Sailor Moon stepped back from the creature.

"No…." Sailor Moon gasped.

"Try your other attacks!" Lazuli shouted. "See if they hurt me."

"Jupiter Thunder Axe!"

"Venus Arrow Of Beauty!"

"Mars Flaming Cannon!"

"Mercury Ice Javelin!"

Dozens of magical axes, arrows, fireballs, and spears rushed at Lazuli, but they all passed right through the immensely powerful being. Lazuli laughed.

"Now it's my turn," Lazuli said. He pointed his arm at Sailor Venus.

"Get out of the way!" Sailor Moon shouted. "Get out of the-"

"I'm paralyzed!" Venus yelled. "I can't move!"

"Destiny Obliterator," Lazuli said. A huge red beam of energy slammed into Sailor Venus. The beam barreled through the paralyzed Senshi like a freight train, disintegrating her instantly.

"VENUS!" Sailor Mercury screamed.

"Sailor V… NO!" Mars shouted.

"You vicious monster!" Jupiter yelled. "I'll kill you!"

Sailor Jupiter ran at Lazuli, but stopped in an instant.

"I can't move!" Jupiter shouted. "No…"

"Stop this!" Sailor Moon yelled. "Stop it now-"

"Destiny Obliterator," Lazuli said again. He fired the powerful red beam at Jupiter, and like Sailor Venus, she was annihilated.

"No…" Sailor Moon said. She collapsed into tears. "No, no, no!"

"Stop hurting people!" Sammy yelled.

"Guys, I can't move now!" Mars shouted. "Goodbye…"

"Sailor Mars!" Tuxedo Mask yelled.

"Don't you dare!" Mercury shrieked.

"Destiny Obliterator," Lazuli said nonchalantly. The mighty beam slammed into Sailor Mars and atomized her. Sailor Mercury gasped.

"She's next," Sammy thought. "No…"

"Help me!" Sailor Mercury shouted. She was now completely unable to move.

"Now for you," Lazuli said. "Destiny Obliterator!"

Sailor Mercury closed her eyes. Tears began streaming out of them. Sailor Moon was crying as well. Sammy sobbed.

"No, no… not Ami…" Sammy sobbed.

---

Earlier, as Sammy and Sailor Mercury were climbing up the stairs to the commencement room, they had struck up another conversation.

"Ami, I never got to ask you this before," Sammy said. "But…"

"What is it?" Mercury asked.

"It sounds kinda weird now…" Sammy said. "Maybe I shouldn't. You see-"

"Sammy, you can ask me anything," Mercury said.

"Well, I just wanted to ask this, since we're about to fight the big bad guy. I know we're gonna win, but I was curious… you said you died twice before, right?"

"Sammy, that's not important now," Mercury said. "I'm alive now, and that's all that-"

"Does it hurt to die?" Sammy asked.

"Sammy…"

"You said I could ask you anything."

"Well," Mercury said, "I didn't really feel anything… it hurt really bad for a split second, and then…"

"What was it like?" Sammy asked.

"It was cold," Sailor Mercury said, shivering slightly. "And dark… very dark. It didn't hurt, but it was cold… and then suddenly, I was in my bed again. Like a dream. The first time, I had no memory of what happened, because it got erased after Sailor Moon defeated Queen Beryl. I got my memory back a few days later, but…"

"You didn't suffer, right?" Sammy asked.

Mercury giggled.

"It's not funny," Sammy said.

"Oh, Sammy, you're so protective of me…" Mercury said. "You still love me, don't you?"

"I told you that," Sammy said. "We're still friends, right?"

Mercury giggled again.

"I'm sorry, Sammy, I really am… it's just that… well, I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing because I'm with you…"

Sammy laughed.

"You mean you're laughing with me," Sammy said. "Oh, wait, I see what you mean…"

"You're a really nice person, Sammy," Mercury said. "I'm lucky to have you as a friend… thank you, Sammy. For everything you've done for me."

---

"Ever since I met you, I've been looking up to you," Sammy said. "If I lose you, I'll always be looking down."

Sammy saw his chance. He hadn't been able to save Ami those other two times, but he was here now. He would die if he saved Ami, but he would die a hundred times if he didn't. He knew what he had to do. With a burst of speed, Sammy dashed in front of the huge beam. It collided with him. Mercury gasped.

"SAMMY!!!" Sailor Mercury screamed. Sailor Moon turned to see her brother sacrifice himself.

"SAMMY, NO!" Sailor Moon shouted. "NOOOO!"

"Roll out of the way," Sammy said. "Ami… I'm sorry…"

Without thinking, Mercury rolled away from the beam as it obliterated Sammy and barreled out into the void. Sammy's katana fell next to him, out of the path of the attack.

"Wow, that's unfortunate," Lazuli said mockingly. "I was going to kill him last, too."

Sailor Mercury collapsed to the ground, crying intensely. She picked up Sammy's katana.

"Why, why, WHY?!" Mercury shrieked. "You didn't have to die! I was the one who was supposed to die! Not you!"

Sailor Mercury stood up. Sailor Moon turned to her, also crying deeply.

"He was my brother…" Sailor Moon said. "He's gone… Ami, I don't blame you…"

"It's my fault," Mercury said. "Don't pretend that it's not."

Suddenly, Sailor Mercury again found herself unable to move.

"Now that the kid's out of the way, you're next," Lazuli said.

Mercury struggled to move, but couldn't.

"You killed them… Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Venus… Sammy… they were my friends!" Mercury shouted.

"Boo hoo," Lazuli said. "They didn't suffer, and you'll see them in a few seconds."

"Shut up," Mercury spat. "Before Sammy sacrificed himself, he asked me if it hurt to die!"

"Does it?" Lazuli asked. "I wouldn't know. I've only been banished."

"It hurts… for a second…" Mercury said. "But I'm hurting right now… you killed my friends…"

The sword in Sailor Mercury's hands, that had once belonged to Alexis, and then to Sammy, began to glow a bright white.

"Enough talk. Time to die," Lazuli said. "Destiny Obliterator!"

The huge red beam barreled toward Sailor Mercury. She screamed as it rushed toward her.

"NO!" Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask shouted. The beam continued to rush at Sailor Mercury.

"I'm going to die," Mercury thought. "Again… Sammy, you died for me… your death won't be in vain! I swear!"

Suddenly, the sword in Mercury's hands burst with magical energy. Sailor Mercury suddenly found herself able to move. She held the sword up in front of the huge beam. The beam hit the sword and was blocked up against it.

"What?" Lazuli shouted in disbelief. Sailor Mercury began to step forward slowly, pushing the beam back.

"Never say die," Mercury said. "Unless your name is Lazuli Lunari."

The huge red beam rushed back at Lazuli and smacked him hard in the chest, causing the huge black mist being to scream out in pain and begin to flash red. Mercury stepped toward Lazuli.

"Mercury…" Sailor Moon said.

"I can handle this one," Mercury said.

"Yes, I know you can!" said a voice behind Mercury. She looked behind her to see the ghostly image of Sammy floating behind her.

"Sammy?" Mercury asked.

"Hey, dying's not so bad!" Sammy said. "Don't worry about me. Lazuli looked awfully ticked off though…"

"Right," Mercury said. She turned toward Lazuli. The ghostly image of Sammy floated into Mercury's katana.

"Your time's up!" Lazuli shouted. "Sphericana Omnia!"

A huge ball of blue energy rushed toward Sailor Mercury. She casually swatted in away like a baseball and ran right up to the deadly Lazuli.

"Your time is up, Lazuli," Mercury said. "For all of my friends!"

Lazuli began to bend toward Sailor Mercury's sword. Mercury reached up and stabbed the sword right through the beast's chest. Lazuli began to laugh.

"And after all that, nothing!" Lazuli shouted. "Bwahaha-"

Suddenly, Mercury's sword began glowing red, green, and yellow alternatively. Lazuli cried out in pain.

"Mars, Venus, and Jupiter!" Sailor Moon shouted. "Alright!"

"Just like what happened to my queen…" Lazuli shouted. "No!"

Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask began to glow. Wisps of power from them floated into Mercury's sword. Lazuli shouted louder.

"No, no!" Lazuli shouted. "No!"

Mercury plunged her sword deeper into Lazuli's chest. A beam of white light burst forth from the other side of Lazuli. He screamed louder. His body began to disintegrate.

"For Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Venus…" Mercury said. "AND FOR SAMMY!"

A huge glowing chasm began to open in Lazuli's chest. He screamed louder and louder as his body disintegrated away. And then… a huge explosion. A bright white light engulfed Mercury and Lazuli.

"MERCURY!" Sailor Moon shouted.

"Can't see…" Tuxedo Mask said, shielding his eyes.

When the flash of light disappeared, Lazuli was completely gone, annihilated now and forever. Sailor Mercury stood in his place, holding up the katana.

"We did it," Mercury said. "We… beat…"

Mercury dropped the katana and collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask rushed to her side.

"Ami?" Sailor Moon said. "Speak to me!"

Meanwhile, the katana had begun to float into the air, unnoticed. It began to glow, and then disappeared.

"What?" Sailor Moon said. "The sword's gone!"

As soon as she finished those words, the unconscious bodies of Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus appeared. Slowly, they woke up.

"What happened…" Sailor Mars said, standing up.

"My head… ow…" Sailor Jupiter groaned.

"Are we alive?" Sailor Venus asked. Sailor Moon gasped.

"Wow!" Sailor Moon said. "You're alive!"

And then, Sailor Mercury's eyes fluttered open. She looked around.

"I did it…" Mercury said. "We did it…"

Mercury looked up to see the other Senshi looking at her.

"That was really awesome!" Sailor Moon said. "You destroyed him!"

Sailor Mercury stood up.

"I'm so glad to see all of you alive!" Sailor Mercury said, hugging the other Senshi. "Wait… where's Sammy?"

The boy was nowhere to be seen. Sailor Mercury looked around.

"Sammy?" Mercury yelled. "Sammy!"

"Oh no…" Sailor Moon said.

"Maybe he reappeared somewhere else!" Sailor Venus said. "We have to find him!"

"I know why," Sailor Mercury said. "The sword… it can only revive the Senshi… it can't revive a mere… human…"

Mercury began sobbing.

"But he's not just a mere human! He's a hero! He's as heroic as we are, and I…."

"Ami?" Sailor Moon said.

"Sammy… I… I… I love him," Mercury said. "Sammy… I love him… SAMMY!"

Then, a flash of light appeared above Sailor Mercury. She looked up to see Sammy, now out of his Golden Masked Warrior costume, circling around and around in the air, unconscious. He floated down and settled on the ground in front of Sailor Mercury. She kneeled behind him.

"Sammy," Mercury said. "You're alive! Sammy!"

His eyes began to flutter open.

"Hello, Ami," Sammy said. "Oh no, you died too?"

"No, Sammy, I'm alive, and so are you," Mercury said.

"Wow! Did my big sis beat the bad guy?" Sammy asked.

"Well-" Sailor Moon began.

"Sailor Mercury defeated Lazuli," Tuxedo Mask said.

"Don't you remember?" Sailor Moon asked. "You showed up as a ghosty thing."

"I did? Cool!" Sammy said. "But… I don't remember…"

"Well, it was really cool!" Mercury said. "Sammy, I have something to tell you…"

Sammy sat up.

"Yes, Ami?" Sammy asked. "You wanna tell me how you beat him, right? I'll listen!"

"No, it's very important," Mercury said.

Sammy gasped.

"I think he already knows," Sailor Moon said.

"When you sacrificed yourself for me… no, way before that… when we were wandering through the castle… fighting Scion… and Lazuli… I realized that… even more than Greg, that… I love you, Sammy," Mercury said. "Even if you're almost three years younger than me… it doesn't matter. I've never felt for anyone like I felt for you in this castle…"

"Ami, that means so much to me," Sammy said. "I love you too. Ami, I love you!"

Sammy and Ami embraced. Then, they kissed for what seemed like the longest time as the other Senshi and Tuxedo Mask looked on. Then, they kissed again. They were whole, they were one… they were lovers. A large gate appeared above them, leading to the outside world. Sammy and Ami kissed once more, and then went into the gate with the others.

---

"I understand, Ami," Greg said, looking at Ami who was sitting in a small chair next to Greg's hospital bed. "I wish you'd have waited until I healed to tell me… but we can still be friends, right? Now I know how Sammy feels…"

"Greg, I know that-" Ami began.

"Ami, I admit, I did love you. A lot. But somehow I knew someone would come along who loved you more," Greg said. "That takes a lot of weight off of my shoulders… and I'm glad we're still friends."

Ami smiled, hugged Greg, and then left the hospital room.

---

The next day, at Rei's temple…

"I'm glad that's over," Lita said.

"I still think Darien and I make a better couple than Sammy and Ami," Serena said.

"You would think that," Rei said. She pointed at Sammy and Ami, who were sitting in the corner of the room, playing Spoils of War IV on their laptops. "Look at them, they're fighting already."

"Ami, my Maximum Men are gonna run wild on you," Sammy said.

"Not if my Kamikaze Defense Warriors blow up on them first!" Ami said. "I'll move this one over here…"

An explosion sounded.

"Nooooo! I spent forever building that formation!" Sammy shouted.

"Sorry," Ami said. "But look, you've got some Create Points available! Why don't you build a-"

"I can do it," Sammy said. He clicked his mouse. Another explosion.

"Uh oh," Ami said.

"Maybe you should help me," Sammy said.

"I thought you could do it," Ami said.

"I can't. I need help. I suck at this game!" Sammy shouted.

Ami giggled.

"Well, let's see…" Ami said, moving the pointer over to an icon on Sammy's screen. "How about this?"

Another explosion.

"Ami, you cheated! My men all blew up! No!" Sammy shouted. He began to laugh. Ami giggled.

"Sorry," Ami said.

"I'll forgive you if you kiss me," Sammy said.

"Okay!" Ami said. She kissed Sammy on the lips. "Better?"

"Yep!" Sammy said. "That was fun!"

"So, what happened to your costume?" Ami asked.

"It disappeared," Sammy said. "The void took it. You're right, dying sucks! You lose your cool costumes!"

Ami giggled.

"I love you, Ami," Sammy said.

"I love you too, Sammy," Ami said. The two lovers kissed again.

"That is what happiness is," Sailor Moon said. Rei, Lita, and Mina nodded in agreement.

---

And that's it! I've really enjoyed writing this story, and I hope it makes all you Sailor Moon fans seriously consider Ami/Sammy (Shingo) as a serious couple!