Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Uncontrolled ❯ Chapter 15 ( Chapter 15 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 15

Sailor Pluto stepped lightly on the hardwood floor, and closed the portal behind her with an elegant wave of her rod. She looked around the dark house and proceeded down the dim hallway, stopping short, in front of a slightly ajar door. She could tell a lamp was turned on because the faint orange light touched the tips of her black boots. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open. Prince Endymion, no, she corrected herself mentally, Darien, was sitting faithfully next to Serena on the bed. His dark head was bowed and she saw his lips moved silently. Taking a deep breath, she took a step forward and touched his shoulder. He jerked up, looking like he was ready to jump his intruder.

“Sorry.” She apologized softly. He straightened up, and towered over her. Curiosity and protectiveness were blatant in his eyes and she was assured by this.

“Sailor Pluto I presume?” He asked. She nodded, trying to keep eye contact with him, but her worry kept returning her gazed to the small blonde on the bed. As if reading her mind, Darien took a step back and let her kneel by the bed. Her hands shook as she brushed the limp hair out of Serena's pale face.

“My Princess, I'm so sorry.” She whispered, leaning down and putting her cheek against Serena's. They sat there in silence, not saying a word, but she could hear Darien shift and she knew that it was time. She looked one last time at the sleeping princess before she motioned him to follow her.

“Call the others.” She said quietly and left him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

He woke up his guards first, before the girls. He smirked. He was leaving that job to them. After all, he knew what would happen if he dare interrupt their beauty sleep. No sooner did he finish the thought, when he saw Jadeite dash for cover in the hallway. Raye stalked out her fists drawn, ready to beat the living daylights out of him.

“Darien told me to do it!” He heard Jadeite protest, pointing an accusing finger at him. Darien shot him a death glare, but then booked it into the living room before she turned her anger on him.

Sleepily, they all filed into the living room. Mina was muttering something under her breath and leaned into Kunzite. He ushered her into the room and seated her on the couch, taking his place next to her. When they entered the room, they immediately noticed the tall woman dressed in dark scout clothing with a long rod in her hand.

“Sailor Pluto?” Ami spoke up, faintly remembering her from the past.

“Yes Princess Ami.” She said. Ami blinked and shifted. It had been so long since she was called by that name.

“This is not a passing visit is it?” Nephrite asked in a void tone, looking at his hands. For some reason, cold dread filled his stomach and his hands were clammy.

“Unfortunately no.” She said with a sigh and her hand flexed on the rod. “Things have gone a bit haywire since our last meeting if you haven't noticed.” Her voice turned to ice all of the sudden.

“Is it really bad?” Zoicite asked. Sailor Pluto didn't answer right away, but then after a while, she focused her eyes on them.

“Queen Beryl is much more powerful now that she has Serenity's entity, and the present Serena is recovering slowly.”

“When she's recovered, are we going to be able to transform again?” Raye asked hopefully. Being without her powers was like being striped naked. She longed for them, like she longed for nothing else. She was helpless to help Serenity and she didn't like feeling like a failure to her Princess.

“No.” She said bluntly. The girls started to ask questions and she quieted them with her hand. Pluto hid her pained eyes, hating that she had to bring the horrid past back to light, but Queen Serenity was right, it was the only way for them to get back their powers. They didn't have Serenity to strengthen them anymore until they got her back from Beryl. They had to find their strength from inside. Once they accepted and got passed the bad, the betrayal, the pain, which they suffered, then and only then will they be of any use to the Princess.

She took a deep breath, and then looked at the confused guards. “They will have to remember the last battle. They have to remember who killed them.” Before she finished, Jadeite and Nephrite jumped up off the couch in outrage.

“No!” They yelled. Kunzite stood as well shaking his head in disbelief.

“But they'll think that we...” Pluto gave Zoicite a look that said to be quiet.

“No! Pluto please...” Nephrite pleaded, almost to tears. She too felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest, and it took all her self control, not to flinch as she raised her rod.

“Pluto it wasn't us, can't we tell them our side first? What happened first?” Kunzite asked.

“No Lord Kunzite...I'm sorry....” She whispered and there was a flash from her rod and the room was bathed in burgundy light. She could faintly here someone whispering. “I'm sorry, I'm so sorry....” And a warm tear ran down her cheek.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The scouts felt like they were floating away from their bodies. They were in a land, or dimension that was filled with grey clouds, as if they were in a storm. There was nothing but them. No sign of the guards, or Darien, no sign of anything.

“Where are we?” Ami asked. Her voice bounced off the cloudy walls and seemed to grow louder. No sooner were the words said when an image came into focus. Their feet touched the ground of a cavern and they were right next to Queen Serenity and four Elite Moon guards.

“Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Pluto, Uranus, Saturn, and Moon power, come and grant me this wish, I call upon this bond to be formed by a kiss, never let my love and I part. In this I ask do not fail, for this is my everlasting and eternal spell.” The girls saw Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion kiss and silver light danced over their heads, and then fell all around them like a sheer curtain. When their kiss ended the Princess looked at her mother defiantly and the Queen looked at her in horror and unmasked pain.

“Serenity!” The Queen said and the ground began to shake. Serenity grabbed Endymion's shirt in a bunch and he put a protected hand around her slender waist. They looked all around them, dodging the rocks that were falling on them.

“What's going on?” Lita cried, her question said in unison with Princess Serenity.

“We have to get out of here!” Endymion yelled and the Elite guards huddled close together, trying to protect the Queen. As they ran out, the girls looked at one another and followed suit, not wanting to be trapped in the cave before they could understand what Pluto wanted them to see.

They all ran through the darkened forest, stopping shot when the Palace loomed in front of them. They all stared openmouthed at the pearly white marble, looking like a make-believe kingdom in fairy tales.

“I forgot how beautiful it was.” Mina murmured.

“Look at the sky!” Raye shrieked with a shaking finger. The peaceful night sky was being swallowed up by ugly purple and red clouds and black shadow like figures were descending out of, what looked like, a worm hole.

“Are those yomens?” Lita asked as the shadowy figures kept emerging like bees from an interrupted hive.

“Let's go!” Ami cried, and they all ran again to catch up with the party they started with. No sooner did they reach them when the image blurred and they were tossed into anther image.

This time they were in a cold, humid place. Low chanting could be heard. They were in some sort of hallway that almost seemed alive. The walls were pulsing with vines that looked like veins. Firelight flickered off the hallway and they saw rows and rows of shadows pass them. They silently made their way through the narrow passage, coming short of a door. The wall in front to them faded away and another image appeared before them.

“What is this place?” Mina asked. Raye shook her head, trying to rub away the goosebumps that emerged on her arm.

“Some place evil.” She whispered.

“What about the scouts?” A raspy voice asked. They rounded the corner of the new room they were in and saw a woman with fiery red hair dressed in scandals purple dress seated on a grey throne.

“Hey, didn't we kill them?” Mina asked. In front of the woman were seven warriors.

“Remember when Luna told us that when the crystal was broken the seven shards went into Queen Beryl's strongest warriors.” Ami whispered to them. They all wondered, even if they didn't know it, if these were the one that killed them. But they decided to see what was going on instead.

“They are taken care of.” Beryl said with a cold smile, showing her fang teeth.

“How my Queen?” They are still alive.” One of them asked, his voice almost shaking in fear for asking her so boldly. The Queen let out a cackle and stood up. The seven warriors took several steps back, keeping their heads bowed.

“You should never doubt my abilities.” She hissed at them and motioned them to follow her. They girls went as well. They entered another room and she waved her hand and the pulsing wall in front of her opened. A black crystal ball sat in the middle of the room. Colors of all kinds swirled in the middle of it and Beryl sat in the single chair in front of it. “Like I said, you don't need to worry about it. I have made warriors that far exceed all of you.” She told them. Mina saw some of the seven in front of her wince, while others stayed unresponsive to her cut down. “Look.” She said to them and they lifted their heads and gathered close to the ball.

“Let's get closer as well.” Raye told them in a whisper even though they couldn't be seen or heard. The ball swirled colors and then, an image appeared.

“My Queen, they are the Guards from Earth.” One of the warriors said aloud. He was right. All four guards were standing apart from the chaos that was happening on the Moon, watching. A woman and her three young children ran past them, followed by a bloodthirsty yomen and they did nothing but watch the scene in amusement. Cold hard amusement.

“Why aren't they doing anything?” Mina hissed at the others, but they too, were as puzzled at she.

“As you can see my pets, the guards are in my control now.” She said with haughtiness in her voice. The girls gasped, and looked at one another wondering how she did that.

“But, forgive me, my Queen, but the Guards would never betray Prince Endymion.” One of the warriors said, and then ducked his head when Beryl skewered him with a hateful glare.

“Of course not. Use your head you fool!” She barked. The warrior apologized fervently and then kept his mouth shut. “But I see all of your curiosity, so I will forgive your idiocy.” She said and paused, looking haughtily at them and then turned back to the ball. “They couldn't be changed, and so I captured them and expelled the darkest side of them, creating clones. Although, for some reason Zoicite's clone became a girl.” She muttered under her breath. “All the same, I bended them to my rule. I never thought the evil sides of the guards would be so strong, seeing as they all seemed a bit drab.” She said, flicking hair out of her face. “But the beings of Earth are full of surprises. They will take care of the Scouts for you. Their overwhelming love for them will be enough to conquer the moon and take control of this galaxy. You see my pets, your Queen has ensured your victory against the soldiers of the Silver Alliance. All you need to do is finish what I started.” She concluded with a satisfied smile on her lips.

The image faded and the scouts were pulled apart from each other.

MINA

Mina ended up in the midst of a battle. Her past self was killing intruding yomens. In frenzy of the battle, her past self didn't see the approaching man in the back of her. Rather, she sensed him and she whirled around.

“Kunzite! I'm so glad you're here!” She killed another monster, and then turned back to him. “It's like they keep multiplying no matter how many I kill. I need your help!” Kunzite smiled and in a flash of light, the monsters all around her disintegrated. Mina breathed a sigh of relief and ran to his waiting arms.

“I was so worried that you wouldn't come tonight my love.” She said in his shirt, tightening her hold around his waist and breathing in his scent. In the back of her mind, something told her to get away, to run as fast as she could, but she ignored it. Mina watched Kunzite stroke her past self's hair, all the while, looking down at her in pure loathing and repugnance, but at the same time, overpowering possessiveness.

“No, get away from him!” She screamed at her past self, but of course she couldn't be heard.

“Come with me my love, I want to show you something.” He said hurriedly. Her past self looked up into his anxious face and concern filled her eyes. He led her down the hall, and into a room where it was dark.

“Kunzite can't you just tell me?” She heard her past self ask, and Mina hurried to catch up. When she entered the room, Kunzite had lit several candles. As soon as the room was lit she gasped along with her past self.

“Mother! Father!” She cried. The King and Queen of Venus were fair people. Both with blonde hair and blue eyes, their features, soft, like the royalty of Love should look like. And currently, they were both bounded and gagged. Her past self ran to them and kneeled down. Her father had a nasty bruise on his left eye, and her mother had a cut on her cheek that was bleeding freely. “Oh god.” She moaned looking around her and seeing the Elite Guards of Venus, slaughtered. The carpet was soaked in blood and various body parts were strewn about. The wall dripped with blood, like a bucket of it was just thrown all around.

Mina knew from the way Kunzite smiled, that he was responsible for the disarray of the room. Bitter mirth at her pain twinkled in his eyes.

“Those damn yomens have no mercy.” Her past self bit out, trying to untie the gag around her parent's mouth. While her past self was turned around, Kunzite withdrew his sword from the hilt, and pointed it at the King and Queen over her head. Mina shook her head, and saw a cold sneer play on his face.

“No!” She screamed. No, how could he? Kunzite couldn't be that evil could he?

“They have more mercy than me.” Kunzite said. Her past self turned with confusion on her face. When she saw the sword, her eyes widened and he pushed her aside. Yomens appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her arms, holding her in place and Kunzite took deliberately slow steps toward the vulnerable King and Queen. They looked wide-eyed at the shiny sword, shaking their head as if pleading with him.

“Kunzite what are you doing!” Her past self shrieked, fighting to get free. Mina tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Unbelief rooted her to the spot. With a quick stroke, he beheaded the Queen and not even a second later, he did the same to the King.

“No! God no!” Her past self shrieked watching in horror as her mother's head rolled and stopped at her feel. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks and her legs gave way. She pooled to the ground with the yomens still holding her in place. The coppery smell of blood stung her nose.

“No, Mommy, Daddy...” She said between the sobs that racked her body. “Mommy no! Please, god...What have you done?” She looked up at Kunzite, towering over her. “What have you done?!” Her cries became screams as she struggled harder to get free. “Kunzite! Why?!” Kunzite put his bloody sword between his two fingers and wiped the blood off. It dripped down his hand, dripping off his wrist and he smeared it on Mina's tear stained face while a yomen held her by the hair.

“Queen Beryl will reign and you and the others will die Princess of Venus.” He kneeled in front of her, and placed rough fingers in her chin, yanking her face up so she couldn't look away from him. Mina's legs felt like rubber and she sank down on the carpet, next to her past self, listening to his last words to her.

“You're probably thinking why? Why is he doing this, I thought he loved me.” He chuckled and licked her cheek where her parent's blood was rolling down. “It's true. I love you so much that you have to die. Because you'll always be mine.” He said harshly. “In your death, I'll make sure no one ever looks at you the way I do, no one will ever feel your light. It's all mine! I'll be the only one who will remember it. You will always belong to me! Every part of you!” He finished by giving her a bruising kiss, and his sword stabbed her in the stomach. He drew in her last breath and when she went limp in the yomen's grasp, he broke away. “Everything belongs to me, even your last breath.” His eyes glittered with madness and the image faded away. Mina was rocking back and forth on her knees, with her arms crossed in front of her, trying to warm her shivering body.

“Everything.” She whispered a million things running through her mind.

LITA

Lita ended up in a quiet place. It looked like the gardens that she and the other use to play in when they came to visit Princess Serenity. Behind her she heard the trees shudder and she turned around. What she saw had her do a double take, but that quickly faded. Her past self had a troubled look on her face. She ran past her and Lita followed. She looked back and saw two yomens running after her. This made her frown. Why would she be running away from them when she should be fighting? Her question was answered when her past self sent an attack behind her, toasting the yomens. She continued to run, past the dead guards at the entrance of the palace, through the empty halls and into another room that looked like a cellar. Her chest heaved, and she gulped for air, looking frantically around.

“Over here!” A male voice called out to her. Lita recognized it, and kept in step as her past self ran to Nephrite. He was in the greenhouse, located in the small corner of the palace grounds. It was dark, and humid. Rows of exotic flowers and plants over crowded the small walkways between the flower beds. In the far part of the massive greenhouse, she knew that there were four huge trees. Every time she would visit Serenity, she would come here to be alone, especially when her parent had month long meetings to go to and she had to stay here. It was like a piece of home.

“Nephrite where are you?” She called, stepping over a thick vine.

“Here. Hurry!” He called out to her in an urgent voice. Lita followed her past self and came to a clearing. The moisture in the air made her scout uniform cling to her in an uncomfortable way. Nephrite greeted her in a lazy stance with his sword resting on his shoulder.

“Well, where are they? You told me you found them!” She said in a breathless voice.

“And I did, love.” He stepped aside. “See?”

Her parents were unconscious, lying in heaps on the ground. Her past self began to go to them, by Nephrite halted her with the tip of his sword at her chest.

“What are you doing? This is no time for games, why didn't you try to wake them?” She asked, trying to push his sword away from her. But he wasn't about to let her, instead, he pulled his sword back, just as she wrapped her hand around it. She hissed and yanked it back.

“You cut me! Nephrite why...” She wasn't able to finish her question. Her parents stirred from their lifeless state.

“Mother!” Lita stared at her mother, not believing that all the times since she got her memories back, did she ever think of her parents. She even forgot how they looked and it shamed her. Her mother was a short woman, leaving Lita to wonder where she got her height from. But everything else about her was almost identical to her own features. Green eyes and wavy chestnut hair. Her sharp features and delicate hands. Her father was the tall one. Pure muscle. His hair was straight brown, thick. His arm was bent at an odd angle, and blood tricked down his nose.

“Daughter, leave—” Her mother was cut of in a choke as vines from the trees came alive and wrapped themselves around the Queen's throat.

“No, what's going on Nephrite?” Lita demanded.

“You never knew that I could control plant life too did you love?” He asked in a low voice, with dark humor.

“No! Let my mother go!” She was about to take another step, but the vines tightened and lifted the suffocating Queen to her feet. Her face was turning a violent purple color. “Stop!” She cried, not moving. Lita looked from her past self to Nephrite and a sharp pain exploded behind her eyes as memories came flooding into to her conscious.

“They wanted to keep us apart! How could you defend them?” He yelled at her, the sick humor flaring to anger.

“I was going to talk to them! Why are you doing this?! Please, let her go!” She pleaded.

“Talk? Like they would listen to you. They deserve to die!”

“Nephrite...” She whispered, watching her mother's eyes roll up in her head. She let out a little moan, wanting desperately to help her.

“What? Are you choosing them over me?” He asked menacingly and snapped his fingers. Another vine sprung out from the tree and enveloped her father's neck, yanking him to his feet. His body hung higher that her mother's, looking as if there was a giant invisible puppeteer controlling the strings. Her past self struggled not to move.

“Nephrite!” She screamed with salty tears running down her cheek.

“They don't understand our love Lita! If they keep us apart, I'll go mad!” He hollered.

“You are mad! Who are you!?” She screamed back at him, clenching her fists together.

“Mad about you Lita.” His face calmed, his voiced softened and he strode to her, with his hands outstretched. Lita flinched as he caressed her cheek with an impersonal gentleness. “Don't cry. We can be together without their interference.” He told her silkily. She let out a sob as her mother went limp. “Look at me.” He ordered. Lita watched her past self avoid his gaze. A muscle in his cheek ticked as he tightened his jaw. “You would leave me for them?” He asked icily, glancing behind him, giving her nearly dead parents a hateful glare. “So be it.” He hissed and slapped her face. The blow made her neck snap to one side. He snapped his fingers and she could hear the vines rustle as they tightened more.

“No!” She shrieked in despair. Lita remembered what happened next like it was yesterday. Soon, it was like she was living the experience over again. No longer was she just a bystander. She felt anger bubble in her stomach and quickly summoned every ounce of power she had inside. But before she could let it loose, Nephrite caught her arm and yanked her around, pinning her to the glass wall. Her face was pressed hard, into the cold surface. He twisted her arm around in the back while her free hand pushed against the glass. She could see his reflection in the glass.

“I forgive you Lita. Don't think I'm completely heartless. After this war we can be together forever. Queen Beryl will give me release from this hell without you.” He said close to her ear, locking eyes with her own reflection.

“Without me?” She wheezed out.

His eyes lost some of it insanity, and tears formed in the corners of them. “This obsession with you. Every time I come near you, my emotions go haywire. Your parents didn't understand. And no one will. They didn't deserve you. I do. I deserve you! All your attention, all your love, its mine! They can't have you! I will have you! No one!” He hands grabbed her throat, and with her free hand, she clawed at them, trying to gasp for air. The wildness emerged again. Even with her air being taken away, she knew what he was trying to do and tried to twist away, but with his free hand, he wrenched her face back toward his face, making her neck muscles scream in pain, and sealed his lips onto hers. He tasted bitter, and something about him made her mouth go dry and numb. A dirty, tangy taste tingled in her throat and she gagged.

Poison. He kissed her with a poisoned mouth. Her body shook as the toxic juice seeped into her body. Her stomach cramped and, if it wasn't for Nephrite holding her up, she would have sunk to the ground. The pressure on her throat lessened. But it still felt like she was suffocating anyways. Her conscious faded in and out.

“We'll be together again Lita.” He told her with a ragged whisper and stroked the hair out of her face. “We'll be together.” Was the last thing she heard before her body racked for the last time and the image of his crazy dark blue eyes faded and she was left alone, looking up at the blank sky.

RAYE

She closed her eyes, counting backwards to calm her hammering heart. Her feet landed softly on something solid. But instead of standing, she decided to drop to her knees. Cautiously, she opened one eye and stared into blank lifeless eyes. She screamed and scrambled away. It was a head, impaled on a stake. Blood dribbled down its pale lips and his face was twisted into an expression filled with terror. Who would do something like this?

“Jadeite!” Raye recognized her own voice and she turned to the sound. It was comforting in a strange way to see her past self and understand all her memories. Her eyes were wiser than her own. And her soul, it was old, like a thousand of her ancestors resided in one body. She had to be about nineteen or so. Her limbs were long with maturity, her outfit was a bit different seeing as she was dressed in her royal garments of Mars. She guessed she didn't change yet. Right now, she was curious to see why.

“Jadeite, where are you?” Her past self yelled again. She stumbled over a smoking grassy hill, tripping on the long hem of her dress. She growled, yanking the fabric over her shoes. She patted down the bodice of the sparkling red dress.

“Where is it?” She hissed. Her changing wand was stuck in a hidden pocket among all her folds. She was so busy looking through the pockets that she failed to see Jadeite saunter toward her, wiping something red off his had. Raye frowned and walked closer, trying to get a better look at the events unfolding before her.

“Raye, my sweet hellfire.” He purred, caressing the exposed nape of her neck. Her past self flicked away his hands.

“I can't find it.” She said with a frustrated sigh, and muttered a low curse. Raye saw his hand dive into the pocket of his suit and pull out a short wand with a red see-through glass bulb. The inside held her golden Mars sign with an arrow among the heart.

“This?” He asked holding her wand in front of her. Her past self brightened and she reached for it.

“Why do you have it?” She asked grabbing for it, only to have him pull it back.

“You dropped it after that little...break we had in the council room.” He said. Her face flushed and she avoided his eyes.

“Jadeite, give it to me. I need to change and find my parents.” She told him, trying to grab for it one more time, but again, he held it over his head, so that she couldn't reach it.

“I already found them. That's why I called you to me.” He said. Raye's past self narrowed her eyes, looking closely at him.

“Jadeite, are you alright?” She asked with a frown. His face remained impassive which was rather strange, knowing he had an expression for every question she asked.

“Fine. Why do you ask?”

Raye felt a twinge of uneasiness, seeing the shadows in his eyes. Her heart cried out to her that something was wrong, but she didn't wasn't to listen. At least, not where Jadeite was concerned.

“Would you please give me my changing wand and show me to my parents?” She asked. His eyes hardened.

“I don't like them you know.” He spat out. Raye shook her head, trying to understand what he was talking about.

“Like who?” She dared to ask. His usually easy-going nature was gone all of the sudden and he roughly grabbed her arm. Raye's temper flared and she kneed him in the thigh. No one ever treated her like that and Jadeite was no exception, no matter how much she loved him. When he recoiled from her small attack, she took the chance to grab her changing wand from him. She transformed quickly, feeling a whole lot securer now that she had her powers.

“What has gotten into you?” She snapped at him and trudged past him. “If you didn't find my parents, you could have just told me.” She said in a huff, trying to shake the nagging feeling off of her. He ran up behind her and slipped an arm around her waist.

“I'm sorry Raye. It's just, battle changes me.” He said in a more friendly tone kissing her neck. Raye glared behind her and lurched out of his arms. The welcoming heat that she was use to feeling was nowhere to be found. All these signs and she still let him cling to her. He grabbed her hand and pulled her with him. “They're over here.” He said.

Raye stayed close to her past self and Jadeite as they made their way past grotesque scenes of massacred people where the sickly, sweet stench of death stung her nose.

They arrived in an opening where yomens danced freely among burning stakes. Her past self abruptly stopped with a look of horror on her face. Raye squinted to see what she was seeing and let out a scream of shock. There were burning people on the stakes! Bile rose up in her throat. It was a memory of hers sure, but she desperately pushed that memory away, telling herself that it never happened. She didn't blame her past self for trying to forget that ghastly memory. Even now as the memory fought to be acknowledged, she heard her self say “No, it never happened.”

“Oh my God!” Her past self ended with a scream putting a hand over her mouth to stop herself from hyperventilating. The image blurred as tears mounted. “Why did you bring me here? Among the enemy?” She said between breaths.

“Master Jadeite. So nice of you to join us.” Said a monster, bowing before them, sending her past self a look of gloat. Raye watched as her past self shake her head, as if trying to shake away the image in front of her.

“Jadeite? What's going on?” She cried, clenching her fist to her side to keep him from seeing her shake with fear and unbelief.

“I told you I found your parents. Now you will get the opportunity to see them die.” He snickered, grabbing her wrist and yanking her to him. She tired to get away. But there was some unknown energy that he possessed it was like fighting with steel cuffs. He practically dragged her along. The yomens kept glancing back at her with their evil red eyes with evil mischievous smirks. In the back of the smoldering fields, two stakes were kept in the shadows. Panic rose in her chest because she knew who was on them and she knew what would happen next. She longed to run away from the scene, run into some corner and squeeze her eyes shut and cover her ears and scream. Scream until her throat was red and raw, until she couldn't talk anymore. Even then it wouldn't be enough, even then it wouldn't erase what she was seeing, and it wouldn't erase what she did.

Raye forced herself to watch the scene before her.

“Mama! Papa!” She cried. Jadeite held his head high, sneering at the King and Queen. The royalty of Mars always had dark haired people with sharp looks. Her mother's head way lolling back and forth, dried blood matting her usually shiny black hair to her forehead. Her father's long hair was ragged and blew in the hot, smoky air. Their clothes were torn and dirty and hung lopsided on their tied bodies. “Jadeite! What's going on? What happened to you?” She screamed in agony, rare tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Shall we do it?” One of the yomens asked eagerly, prancing in excided circles around them.

“You won't touch them!” Her past self yelled, breaking Jadeite's hold on her and pushing the yomen fiercely away from her parents, meanwhile summoning an attack. The fire arrow pierced through the yomen's chest. It hollered in pain and stumbled back, in between her parent's stakes. It thrashed around and flames snaked and caught the straw on fire. Her past self gasped.

Behind her, low chuckles could be heard and Raye along with her past self whipped around.

“I couldn't have done it better myself!” He yelled, throwing his head back and laughing.

“No!” Her past self screamed. She watched in horror as the flames grew higher and higher, licking the material of her parents' clothes. I killed them! The thought pounded in her head, so painful, she thought her brain was about to explode. Her whole body shut down and she stood there, unable to tear her eyes away.

“If it gives you any comfort love, I had killed your father already.” Jadeite purred in her ear, caressing the side of her wet cheek. “How does it feel, knowing you killed your own mother? It is at no cost to us love, she would have kept you from me, and that in itself would have been hell. The thought of not having you at my side when Earth and the Moon are conquered is like fire. Just thinking about it make me want to kill them over and over, to prove to you that I would do anything to keep you with me. Now, with blood on both our hands, you are free to leave your duties and become a follower of the Dark Kingdom.”

The offer made her blink out of her unbelief. “I'll never follow that witch. She can burn in hell, just like you!” She hollered, pulling his sword out if it's sheathed. No sooner did she point the blade at his chest, did a yomen restrain her from behind. Jadeite's eyes darkened and he pointed a finger at the yomen and dark magic shot out and killed it.

“No one touches her but me!” He roared in outrage. “She's mine! She'll always be mine!” And with that said, he grabbed his sword back. Insanity burned in the depths of his blue eyes. It was nothing she had never seen before. She never saw the dagger that he pulled out of his waist band, she never saw the way he caressed her back lovingly before he killed her. All she saw was his eyes full of possessiveness and pain. All she felt was overwhelming confusion and hatred, balled with betrayal and sadness.

This wasn't her Jadeite, she knew it from the moment she met to him tonight. From the moment they danced together, from the moment they made love in the council room. She knew all these things, but forced herself not to notice until now, until the very end.

She wanted to believe that this was a bad dream, that he didn't break his promise to her that he would never hurt her. New tears sprang as she looked into his haggard face.

“Don't cry love, it will all be over soon.” He whispered to her, with his own tears in his eyes. “We'll be together in a world where no one will ever keep us apart. Don't cry Raye, please don't cry. I'm doing this for us. Don't cry...” And Raye sank down to the floor, hearing his last words ring over and over in her mind.

AMI

She ended up in a place that was full of fog. The power all around her, she knew all too well because it was her power.

“Mother?” She heard a familiar voice call out. Ami decided to follow the sound, as she ran to it, her bare feet slapped the shallow water in the place she was in. Faintly, in her memories, something tugged at her. This place was special to her for some reason. Even though she didn't know why, she felt a warm blush spread on her cheeks. “Father? Where are you?” The voice called out again. It was closer now. She walked a little further and soon, through the fading fog, she saw her past self searching the lake that loomed in front of her.

“Ami, come closer.” Said a new voice.

“Zoicite? Is that you?” Her past self said in uncertainty.

“This way Ami.” Her past self let out a little laugh as she followed the voice.

“For a second you didn't sound like yourself.” She came to a clearing. The fog swirled around her and then disappeared. Shadows of the shallow waves from a pool of water swayed in the grayish white walls. But the water that was usually crystal clear blue was now a very disturbing coppery color. Even the smell of blood was intensified by the water.

The lapping ripples echoes off the bare, empty walls. She saw two figures sitting far away from her on the marble steps that led into the water. Distantly, she could hear the sound of battle outside the wall that she found comfort in. All of it, the battle, the Earthlings, Serenity's disappearance all of it was a whirlwind of chaos. For the first time in her life, she felt so overwhelmed by it all.

“Ami, you look troubled.” Zoicite's voice rebounded from the walls again.

“Zoicite? Where are you?” Her voice cracked. She wanted him to hold her and sooth away this foreboding of doom. Even she could see that no matter what she and the others did, this war was lost. What she didn't know was what was going to happen to her or her people.

“Don't be troubled Ami, I'm here for you. I'm always here for you.” His voice said softly. But still, there was something odd about it. He sounded a bit...girlish.

“Where are you at? Why won't you come to me?” She whispered, suddenly feeling so very tired. A shadow moved to her right, but she didn't look over to see what it was. Rather, she was hypnotized by the dark water and the dark objects that had sunk to the bottom.

“Do you see them?” Zoicite whispered in her ear from behind.

“Zoicite, where have you been?” She asked him, leaning her head back and blinking away the sleep. Her body ached from all the hours of fighting and fast healing battle wounds.

“Here, waiting for you.”

“This will never end will it? This battle...it's...”

“Hopeless.” He finished for her. “You have realized the hopelessness of it all. Queen Beryl will be pleased.” He sounded excided about that.

“But...” She sighed.

“There is no shame in giving up. Especially if the war is not in your favor.”

“Giving up? That's something I thought I'd never hear you say.” Ami watched as Zoicite circled her past self. She saw suspicion cloud her past self's eyes. It was almost like she saw the fine hairs on her past self's neck stick up.

“Why make excuses? Serenity can't hear you. Leave this place, leave the palace and come back to Queen Beryl with me. We can be together forever.”

Ami watched as confusion crossed her past selves face. Her hands clenched together and she felt her power itch her finger tips.

“Who are you?” Ami's past self whispered. Zoicite chuckled and gave her shoulders a quick squeeze.

“Don't be afraid. It's still me my dear. Queen Beryl only enhanced my powers.” He explained to her like it was as natural as rain on a cloudy night. “She can do the same for you if you want. Just think, two minds as powerful as ours, we can be invincible.” His eyes glittered madly with the thought.

“NO!” Her past self screamed and turned, calling forth an ice attack. She blasted Zoicite in the stomach and sent him flying back, hitting the wall with a loud thunk. She started running out of the pool room when two big yomens stepped in front of her. She skidded to a halt. Ami had to sprint just to keep up. She saw Zoicite recover quickly from her attack and trap her from behind.

“Leave her to me.” He hissed at the yomens. Their red eyes widened with fear and they ducked away from them. Cold hands grabbed her arm harshly her past self winced at his brutality.

“Why are you leaving? This offer can't last forever. I'm giving you a chance for immortality.”

Tears streamed down her past selves face and she shook her head vigorously. “You not my Zoicite.” She whispered and cried out when he grabbed a fistful of her hair. She knew she should have fought him, but looking into his face, and looking into those familiar eyes she always got lost it, she just couldn't.

“I'm more that what I was!” He hissed. “Why can't you accept our fate?”

“What fate? Working for an evil Queen? Betraying my friends?” She cried out through gritted teeth.

“We can be together! Everyone who stood in our way will be dead. All I have to do is kill the last two.” He said soothingly in a desperately convincing tone. He made her turn her head to the dark pool.

“What two?” She forced herself to ask. He smiled down at her. The dark corner of the pool lit up with an unnatural blue light and in the midst of it, her parents sat, tied neck to ankle with coarse ropes, hanging over the pool.

“I asked earlier if you saw them.” He mocked, tightening his hold on her hair, and wrapping his arm around her waist, grazing his knuckled against her ribs.

Ami watched in anxiety as the next events unfolded before her. All she could do was stare at her fidgeting parents. They looked like huge butterfly cocoons.

“Why are you doing this?” Her past self whispered distressingly.

“After they're gone, you won't have anyone to protect and you can come with me.” He told her.

“I won't. How can you think that? If you kill them, I'll hate you forever.” She hissed, wincing again as he tightened his hold of her.

“Once you fall in love, it's hard to fall out of. Didn't you tell me that once? Even if I kill them, you'll always love me. Admit it. This is what you want. To be free of all your responsibilities, to just let go of everything and quit fighting. You see, me and you were never meant to fight.”

All her past self could do was whimper. Just seeing her hair pulled so tightly back was the present Ami a headache.

“Please Zoicite, don't do it. If there is any good in you, then you won't do this.” She pleaded.

“That's the thing. There is no good in me, just passion, and obsession and love. And love can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it. And right now, passion is going to kill your father.” Ami watched as her past self looked down at the hand around her waist and saw a dark crystal emerge from his palm. He lifted his hand and the crystal shot out and sliced the rope that was holding her father, perfectly through and he dropped into the water with a big splash.

“No!” Both past and present Ami shrieked in horror.

“Watch him thrash around, making his doom even sweeter.” Zoicite whispered sweetly, caressing her face gently, wiping her tears away with his finger tips. Her father's thrashing subsided, and soon, his corps was floating to the top. “And next, my obsession will end your mother's life.” And again, the dark crystal sliced through the air and into the ropes holding her mother. “I can't watch this one. She looks so much like you, and it pains me to see you suffer. But you can. Look Ami, see how she tries to hold her breath? See how she's trying to wriggle her arms free.” He gave a snort. “All fruitless.” Ami closed her eyes, and plugged her ears, trying to quiet the loud echoing of the splashes.

“See, you're free now.”

Ami's past self fell into uncontrollable sobs. They ripped through the very soul of her present, remembering the dark despair she felt that night her parents died. She had to cry along with her past self.

“Don't cry. You're free to come with me now.” Zoicite said in a quiet, somber voice, letting her hair go and smoothing away her crystal tears.

“I won't go! How could you do this to me? I told you...” She said between sobs.

“Shut up! Just shut up! Why am I doing this to you? Why are you doing this to me? I offer the world to you and you dismiss it. Everything I did, I did for you! I gave you your freedom. You longed for it, just as I long for you!” He hollered at her, making her eardrums ring. He let out a growl and pulled her to the steps to the water.

“Freedom, that's all I wanted for you and you reject me.” Her grabbed a hand of hair again and shoved her past selve's face to the surface of the water. “We can be together if you just give it. Is that what you want, not to be with me?” He yanked her head back and forth when she gave no answer.

“Tell me!” He boomed.

“I want the Zoicite I fell in love with. And you're not him-” She didn't finish. Before she knew it, her face was submerged into the water. She held her breath along with her past self, but Zoicite was persistent, and had no trouble holding her head down.

“Don't fight with me, I hate fighting with you. After this, you'll be at peace. If I can't bring you freedom with me at your side, at least you'll get freedom this way. And we'll be together in the end. I'll always remember you.” He watched in sick relief as she quit struggling. “You're free Ami. I did this for you...”

The image faded from her and she found herself back in the present.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Sailor Pluto stood still, not breathing, not thinking as one by one the scouts awoke from their trance. The guards nervously watched them, each with their fears showing in their eyes. Darien shook his head in disbelief having watched the images that the scouts saw appear before him in a grey cloud. Why did Pluto have to do this? If his guards are needed to beat Beryl, then why did she bring mistrust to the scouts? Why show them their gruesome death by the hands of their lovers?

Raye was the first to bolt off the couch. She looked at Jadeite with uncertainty. He stood up.

“Raye, you know it wasn't me.” He said quietly. Raye jerkily nodded her head.

“I know, but...” Tears burned her eyes and she wiped them quickly away. Mina gave Kunzite's hand a little squeeze and stood up as well.

“It's just...” Mina began, but the words were caught in her throat. She couldn't explain her fears to him, and Raye looked like she was going to throw up. She went to comfort her, but also, she had to get away from Kunzite.

Ami sat stiffly on the edge of the couch, staring straight ahead. Zoicite threw himself back, running a distressed hand through his hair, not sure what to do. He couldn't touch her just yet. She needed her space.

Lita stared straight into Nephrite's eyes, seeing very clearly, the pain and regret in them. But still...the image of her mother dying still burned in her mind. And his face, she touched his cheek lightly and then pulled her hand back, it looked so much the same. She stood and joined Mina and Raye.

“It happened. We just have to let it sink in that's all.” Raye explained gently.

“Will you be okay?” Zoicite asked Ami, barely touching her shoulder. She stood up stiffly and tipped her head in acknowledgement. The girls made their way back into the comfort of their bedroom and closed the door with a soft click leaving the guys in the living room.

Pluto was never one to squirm but the silence was very uncomfortable.

“Why did you have to show them that?” Kunzite finally asked.

“In the soon to come battle, you are needed as support for the scouts. The support Serenity would have given them. Trust is crucial in this battle, and if Queen Beryl had reveled first, what I had tonight, the truth would have been twisted and would have caused the girls to mistrust you. There cannot be any mistrust in this battle. They have to come to terms with their deaths and need to know where they stand with you. Since the crystal is gone for now, they can't transform and save Serenity. Once they accept their past and endure all the memories, they will be strong enough to receive their powers.”

“And who will give them their powers?” Darien asked. Sailor Pluto pressed her lips together firmly, refusing to answer that question. Darien frowned, knowing she wouldn't divulge any information.

“Just tell us. Is it Queen Serenity?” Nephrite asked. Pluto shook her head no and sighed.

“It will all be reveled in due time. For now, I need to talk to the girls.” She left them and headed down the hallway. She knew the door was locked and she used her powers to enter the room. She found them lost in their own thoughts. When they finally noticed her entrance, they all gave her their attention.

“We heard what you told them.” Ami said, bringing her knees to her chin.

“A lot of things have happened since yesterday morning.” Mina added. Sailor Pluto nodded.

“Why did you send them to us?” Lita asked. Pluto graced them with a rare, wistful smile.

“You had second chances to live. But the opportunity to love them again in this time was lost to you. They were trapped in crystal for a thousand years, living eternally alone. They were taken by Beryl as well, but never given the chance to live again like you. I know that a lot has happened, but a lot has happened to them as well. You can't face the world alone and you can't face Queen Beryl alone as well. Think about Serenity, its your duty to protect her as well as the world. Take what help you can.” She ended patting Lita on the leg to assure her. They sat in silence, taking in her words. A loud knock on the door made them jump and Pluto answered, only to be greeted by a hysterical Darien.

“Serena's gone!”

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo