[Special Edition Version] It's been so long in coming... I've fiddled enough with the world of Sailor Moon... My original characters have plotted enough against each other... Now it's time.... It's time to end this. All comments are welcomed. This is rated PG-13 I dedicate this part to Chris Davies. For it was his stories that introduced me to the illustrious world of fanfiction. **** "Well well It don't matter if you're good or you're bad It don't matter if you're true to yourself It don't matter what you do Oh well well" 'Well Well' by Mary's Danish **** "I want to tell you a story of a man and his beloved." 'I got the Fear - Pt. 5' Meat Beat Manifesto **** Me to play now. Begin! ******************************************** Terrible Things To Waste Part 7: Confrontation Red. A blood red glow everywhere. A stench in the air. A puddle on the floor. A stain on her hands. Cindy drowned in the crimson neon light flooding the warehouse. No matter where she stood, the eerie glow always touched her. Worst of all, as she paced around, the child followed her every move, drenched in that bloody light. An influx of emotion surged through her, consuming her from the inside out. The child's eyes glowed from out her red silhouetted within the cage. Jerking her head away, Cindy continued her erratic pacing. Halebit broke from his meditation and observed, to his amusement, his second-in-command pacing back and forth like a caged animal. "I'm surprised a child has that much power over you, Cindy." His taunting tone echoed from the bare platform. "If you're not careful, you may become weak." Cindy's heart ached as the echoes of Halebit's voice reverberated upon her guilt-leadened soul. Despite all this, she continued her pacing in painful silence. "Do you have a grievance with me Cindy?" Halebit stood, keeping her in his meticulous stare. "Yes," Her voice slowly rose in defiance, "yes I do. Why the Silver Crystal?" "I have my reasons, Cindy." The General's arctic expression warmed slightly, amused at her boldness. "Oh, I nearly forgot. Has Malance returned?" "No he has not, Halebit." Cindy cringed at the mention of her rival in command, a grim reminder of her earlier sins. Halebit always had a talent for hurting others, and Cindy noticed he never missed an opportunity to utilize it. "Why did you send him after Serena?" "The Princess?" Halebit's lips hinted at a smile, cracking his stony facade. "I didn't send him after the Princess, I sent him after the Timelord." Her mask of confidence faltered as Cindy stammered, "W-who?" The smug smile widened, eroding Halebit's face, "You know, the one who killed your family." Her eyes widened, she could never forget the man at the heart of all her pain, the bloodthirsty beast who slaughtered her family. She imagined him, his long locks of black hair soaking with blood and his face splattered with crimson. His eyes filled with mirth and burned with an intensity greater than the tormenting pits of Hell. She could see him laughing while licking the blood from his lips, her family's blood. Her confident mask fell, and her face filled with fury. Continuing to smile his collected smile, Halebit enjoyed the effect his words had upon Cindy. "I should never have told you Tracer had killed them. Ever since then, you have let your need for vengeance blind you, Cindy. I consider that a weakness." Halebit eyes seared through Cindy. "And I do not tolerate weakness." Cindy's fury extinguished under the General's frosty gaze. She turned away and sat on the edge of the platform, dangling her legs. With her mind now clear of horrible visions, she could hear the cage rattle gently, like a wind chime on a breezy day, indicating the discomfort of the child within the small confines. Cindy remarked internally at Reenie's transformation into a mute. Not a word came out of her mouth after Halebit's surprise attack on the temple. Not a word as Cindy put her into that cage. The eyes, though, communicated all she had to say. And Cindy didn't like what they said. Why? They asked. Why did you lie? Why did you let them do this? Why did you misuse our trust? Why did you waste it all? Cindy moved her trembling hands to her ears, and tried to squeeze the memories, the pain, the knowledge from her mind. Her chest heaved with her every breath, sending little tremors through her body. She wanted to get away from it all. She wanted to wake up and leave this surreal reality. Even with her hands on her ears she could hear the echoes of the gentle tinging of metal from the cage ebbed at her senses. Then, through all the rattling, she heard something she never would have expected. Humming. Cindy's hands fell onto her lap as she raised her head. Halebit was humming. She twisted her head to let her eyes prove to her unbelieving ears the truth. There was Halebit, eyes closed, standing in place letting his body sway to the imaginary tune he hummed happily. Cindy's mouth slacked. Never in her years of knowing the General had she witnessed such a radical display of emotion. Halebit basked in the glow of his perfect plan. The Silver Crystal would soon be in hand and then he could finally vanquish that demon voice, the voice of his deeply submerged emotions, Nihil, from his mind. 'Now, Nihil, I will show you I am not weak.' Then, he heard it -- music echoing off the cold, bare walls of the warehouse. The sound haunted his mind as if more heavenly creatures sang a song of victory. He had proven his worth to everyone, to Cindy, to Malance, to Tracer, and more importantly to the Moon Princess and her hapless flock of minions. The music soothed over his senses. He had mastered the art of control. A master of any other art would could not match him, for the fools didn't realize control is power. 'And I am power.' "Wha-what are you doing?" She asked once the shock subsided. Halebit continued to sway lost in the dream-like rhythm. "Can't you hear it, Cindy? It's the music. Sweet, glorious music." Cindy continued to stare, too disturbed to react. The General chuckled to the absence of a reply. 'That girl must eventually learn to respect me.' 'No.' Nihil's disembodied voice broke through the melody in Halebit's mind. 'She just knows you're weak.' 'I am not weak, and she shall learn to respect that.' Halebit retorted mentally. Still humming, the General calmly opened his eyes, eager to melt the stubbornness of his blonde soldier. He stopped humming when his soldier welcomed him with a stare of disbelief. 'See, Halebit, you are near the end.' Nihil taunted. 'She has seen your weakness.' 'Meditation will cure me of this disease, yes!' Halebit barked his orders in rapid succession, "Cindy, wait here-" 'Meditation will not stop me, Halebit.' "-You know what to do when the Moon Princess shows-" 'I MUST MEDITATE!' 'You're so weak. Heh.' Halebit strode toward his soldier until his face was mere inches away from hers, "And don't do anything that would displease me." Cindy did not move a muscle as Halebit stared intently at her face, pausing to let his voice resonate in her mind. "Malance displeased me and he has yet to return." 'MEDITATE! MEDIATE! MEDITATE!' Halebit's face solidified and he snapped his body around with authority. Cindy watched, completely baffled while the General marched back toward the privacy of the offices beyond the platform. ------------------------------------------------------------------ The lights of the city danced and flashed by Serena's dreary, blank eyes. Once those reddened and puffy pearls of blue would not relent anymore tears, she had to face the grim reality of her situation. Her faith in Cindy would not falter, and she knew the blonde Traveller had to have been forced into this. 'I *know* it. Everything in me knows it.' She looked down at her Silver Crystal, emitting its soft glow. 'And you know it.' More lights of the city whizzed by and Serena leaned her head against the car's chilled window. Darien could see Serena in the passenger seat from the corner of his eye as he drove toward their destination. His memory remained fragmented after Lita's attack nearly electrocuted them all, but he did remember the scowl of the black-haired Traveller when he screamed at Serena. Darien narrowed his eyes at the disregard of that man. Hell, that Traveller was less than a man to treat his woman in such a disrespectful manner. The echo of the Traveller's voice bounced around in Darien's head, 'whore, whore, whore, whore ...' He gripped the steering wheel, threatening to rip the plastic rim from the column. Thoughts of wiping the scowl off the face of that Traveller drowned out the decrepit echo. No one treated his Serena that way. The sudden soft bickering and flickering movement yanked the driver's attention to his other passengers. Darien peered into his rearview mirror to check on the sardines in the back seat. "Uh, everything alright back there?" From the reflection of the rearview, Darien saw the ripples of movement as Amy pulled out her compact. Amy gave a weak, apologetic smile to Darien while Lita and Raye glared. "I'm going to try and contact Mina to see if she's okay." Amy replied over the hum of the road. Upon activating her compact, Amy wished beyond anything that she would see Mina's cheery face pop up on the screen. Unfortunately, Michelle's grim expression crushed Amy's optimism. "Yes, Mercury?" "Is Mina okay?" Amy felt a nudge from Raye, "Oh, and Chad?" Another nudge, "And Grampa?" Yet another nudge, "And Ken?" The image of Michelle's face warmed slightly. "Mina's a little shaken up, but fine." An awkward pause filled the space in the car while the other two girls waited for Michelle to continue. Finally, impatience got the better of Raye and she grabbed the computer. "What about Chad and Grampa!?" In her haste, Raye's raven hair fell into her view, blinding her to Michelle's glance off to the side. Raye's strained voice raked over Serena's conscience. 'I'm so sorry Raye. I didn't mean for this to happen.' "Don't worry Raye. Everyone's okay." Michelle soothed. Raye pushed aside her hair and stared at Michelle's assuring face on the screen. Her intuition screamed to her that something was amiss but just knowing her grandfather and even Chad were okay relieved her somewhat of her anxieties. She felt so torn; she felt like she was unraveling from the seams. Betrayal, Chad's and Grampa's injuries, hurt, pain, and despair. All within just a few hours. 'I just wish this would all end. Now.' Raye took in a breath and nodded in compliance to Michelle, "Thanks, Neptune." With great care, Raye handed the computer back to Amy, who eyed her unusually calm friend suspiciously, "Now, when are you going to leave for the warehouse?" Michelle's expression and her tone sombered upon seeing Amy. "Pluto wants to leave as soon as possible." Amy sighed softly. Neutral tone and masked expressions, Amy hated when Erica and Michelle did that. Those two always found ways to distance themselves from the other Scouts, and only cooperated when Pluto pulled their strings. Amy envisioned the green-haired Time Guardian with strings tied to her fingers and wiggling them eccentrically. Little marionettes resembling Erica and Michelle in mockups of their Scout uniforms danced upon a stage below. Such a prospect and image along with it bothered Amy a great deal. It made trusting Michelle that much harder. Amy glanced at Serena seated in front of her. Seeing Serena struggle with her conscience because of someone else's sins moved Amy to take action. 'It's time to cut those strings.' Amy brought her determined eyes to Michelle's image. "If you do get there before us, tell Pluto to wait before she decides anything, alright?" Michelle's face hinted apprehension. "Alright." *Click* ----------------------------------------------------------------- *Click* The sound aroused Ken's to consciousness. His throat still screamed in agony, a reminder of the old man who nearly killed him. He still could see the glowing red aura around the hand constricting the life from him. Those cold eyes. For the first time he actually saw the dark, abysmal color of madness. The sudden tremors of footsteps shook Ken's senses. "What did Mercury want?" The neutral tone came from the other room chilled his spine. "She wants us to wait until they get there." Another unfamilar voice returned. "How's Vicky holding up?" 'Vicky? I wonder who that is.' "She's a little weakened but Raye's grandfather will survive." A third, huskier voice replied. "That's good." Replied the second voice. More silence and footsteps, "Are you ready, Mina?" 'Mina?' He remembered that name from somewhere. "I-I'm okay." Strained a familar voice of . . . of . . . Then the realization hit him. Hard. 'Mina! Lita's friend! Oh, my precious Lita!' His heart throbbed at the thought of his brunette goddess. His mind simultaneously became swamped with all sorts of questions, 'Where's Lita? Is she okay? Who are these women? Who was that old man? Why did he want that little girl? And where is Lita?!' Ken's eyes snapped open and he found himself staring at the vaulted ceiling ignited by a sliver of light. Carefully, Ken turned his throbbing head toward the door leaking streams of light from fissures along its edge. Ken could hear the voices beyond the door, and his cluttered mind screamed for answers to his questions. Ken's trembled as he willed himself to his feet and stumbling toward the guiding brightness. After a few excruciating steps, he reached the door and rested his head against its smooth surface. More voices vibrated against his ear through the door and Ken halted his breathing. "Are you ready to leave, Venus?" Ken's brow narrowed. 'Venus?' "I think so." "Good. Now, if you will, transform." "Transform?" Ken croaked silently, his mind now churning with even more questions. 'I must-' Ken shaking steadied himself on frail limbs. "VENUS-" Mina's voice pierced through the door. '-get beyond-' A breath filled his tired lungs. "CRYSTAL-" '-this door.' A shaky hand groped the door. "POWER!" Ken opened the door to see a fleeting glimpse of Mina holding on high a small decorative rod, beaming with warm, golden rays. Ken guarded his weary eyes from the stinging array of oranges and yellows bombarding his senses. Once Ken's eyes could stand the dissipating glow, he saw standing in place of Mina a woman whose beauty matched even Lita's. Her face, her blonde hair, her mysticism, and her scandalously short orange skirt notified Ken that he was dealing with the one and only. . . . "Sailor V?" Ken's voice cracked with disbelief. "You're Sailor V, Mina?" Mina looked up and waved nonchalantly, greeting her friend with a nervous giggle. "Oh. Hiya, Ken." Immediately, every eye in the room zeroed in on the weary young man. Ken's cheeks flushed with embarassment, realizing that he had unwittingly become the center of attention. An assortment of females ranging in various ages stood before him, wearing an assortment of colored short skirts and bows. The Sailor Scouts. Ken had seen them on TV and read about them in the newspapers, but he'd never seen them in person before. It was quite overwhelming. His avid eyes first caught sight of a lean blonde, who he guessed to be Sailor Uranus judging from her short hair and domineering stance. Ken then noted her much more feminine partner, Sailor Neptune, whose somewhat demure posture counteracted her partner's outward boldness. 'Maybe those tabloids do have an air of truth to them.' Ken shook his head to discontinue the unpleasant thought. Between the couple stood a small, frail child whose skin glowed in the light of the wrecked bedroom. In her delicate hands, though, she held a large glaive, clueing Ken this was Sailor Saturn. Though Ken felt sorry for such a girl, he found it particularly unnerving that the sharp point of the glaive was aimed in his general direction. The child's gaze, though, offered him no hostility, but the same could not be said of the tall woman approaching him. The look on this mysterious woman's face offered no welcome, but regarded him as a slowly dying animal, pondering whether she should let it suffer or end it now. Every hair on Ken's body electrified with anticipation. Slowly, she came closer to the young man with her long green hair swaying gently while her golden staff hit the floor in time with her every step. Ken could feel his body struggling to move back, but his fear weighed heavy upon his feet. Finally, the green-haired woman loomed over the young man and addressed him presumptuously. "I see," Pluto's voice chilled his ears, "that you have awakened from the attack." "Y-yeah." Ken's jaw slacked and locked, refusing to budge. 'This wasn't suppose to happen!' The woman did well in hiding the helplessness she felt. 'What else has changed? Have I failed my duty? Why is everything wrong!?' Nevertheless, with no alternative, she continued. "I'm sure you have many questions in regards to what you have just witnessed-" Abruptly, to Ken's amazement, his stubborn mouth gave in. "Hey, you're those guys from before! Serena's friends, right?" He regretted this action immediately as the woman went silent and her piercing stare became a burning glare. "Yes, we are." A gentle voice rang. Pluto turned slightly to face Sailor Neptune and Ken took the opportunity to exhale. Neptune calmly walked toward them, her wavy teal hair hardly moving, defying the stern gaze of the Time Guardian. Neptune could sense the breakdown within Pluto. As long as Pluto kept denying to herself things weren't going her way, things were destined to get worse. Neptune had enough things go wrong already, and she didn't want anymore. Not after letting that Traveller into her home, not after being lied to, not after being made into a fool. Not after Cindy. Brushing aside Pluto, Neptune approached the agitated young man. Her friendly demeanor relaxed his anxieties. He wasn't quite sure what it was about her that made feel at ease. Her smile seemed so, so ... motherly. He felt all tension drain, and questions flew out his mouth with child-like abandonment. "Is Raye?" "Yes." "And Amy?" "Yes." "Serena?" "We all are." Chimed in Venus from across the bedroom. Neptune closed her eyes and smiled half-heartedly. Ken took a moment to digest this radical revelation. "That means that Lita is. . " 'There's no turning back now.' Neptune solemnly nodded, quietly confirming his suspicions. Ken's mouth opened and then shut. He didn't know what to say. In fact, he didn't know what to feel about having a girlfriend who fights evil as a hobby. "If you are now satisfied," the severity of Pluto's voice shook Ken's consciousness, "I and my 'associates' have more urgent matters to attend to." Neptune glanced at Pluto with resentment at the frost put behind the word, 'associates.' Silently, Neptune and Pluto marched back to where the others waited. Both women kept their eyes fixed forward, but Pluto murmured softly to Neptune. "I will remember this." Uranus watched the Time Guardian and Neptune walk back, and noticed the oddest thing. Her partner smirked. ------------------------------------------------------- "What!?" Raye squeaked, her voice almost exceeding the proper volume. She leaned closer and whispered hoarsely. "Are you crazy, Serena?!" Serena's deep blue eyes glowed in the darkness of the alley, her whisper barely an echo. "I want to bargain with Cindy. I want to convince her that what she's doing is wrong." The Time Guardian stepped forward, her staff clicked upon the damp concrete. "No. She has lied to us and betrayed us. I doubt this Traveller will listen to reason." Serena bent her head downward, letting her long flowing pony tails fall into view. "If I cannot convince her to give up Reenie peacefully, I will permit you to. . ." Serena didn't want to say the words, but she had to. "To take whatever means necessary to get Reenie back." Pluto's shadowed features pondered this condition. "I see. Then, we must be prepared to attack if your plan doesn't work." Turning to the red silhouetted figures of the group, Pluto outlined the plan. "The Queen, Neptune, Uranus, and I will proceed into the warehouse and confront the Traveller." Pluto noticed the frowns from Neptune and Uranus in the red light and asked pointedly. "Do you two disagree with my plan?" Neptune gaze replied venomously, which bothered even Uranus. "Not at all." "Good." Pluto didn't give it a second thought. She had her job to do. "Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus will wait out here. We will keep in touch by way of your communicators. Tuxedo Mask and Mercury will monitor from the skylights above." "What about the old man?" Mina broke in, her voice pained with remembrance. "What are you going to do about him, Pluto?" Pluto hesitated, something in Mina's voice caused her to stop a moment. What had happened last time she took control of the situation? She played right into the enemy's hands and practically given them Small Lady. Would this be any different? She never had to struggle with unpredictability on this level before. It was like walking blind, and she had already fallen flat on her face. How was this going to be any different? "We'll. . . we must be prepared for anything then." Pluto could see Mina's eye twitch. "What do you mean, 'prepared for anything?'" Raye piped in. "I thought you had a handle on things! You're the Time Guardian for crying out loud." Pluto calmly turned to the fuming Raye. "I must remind you, Mars, that I cannot predict the future with the Travellers present here." "Yeah, yeah. You think you've been feeding us that line enough times?" Raye hissed, but a hand stopped her before the pain and angst-ridden flood of words spilled forth from her mouth. "That's enough Raye." Mina's soft, commanding voice resonated from the darkness. "Just trust her okay? We need to be strong." Raye twisted her head, and could see both Mina and Lita standing firmly united. The neon cast an eerie red aura around the two giving them the look of two stone sentinels staring straight through her. Raye remarked to herself the lack of excitement Lita displayed. Usually Lita would tremble with agitation just before going into a battle. But no, the Lita that stood before her remained calm and reserved next to Mina. Raye knew that it would be wise not to tread any further. "Okay, fine. Let's do this." Raye murmured in defeat. -------------------------------------------------------------------- A slight salty wind caressed the weather-worn glass of the window, its collection of crystal showing its age and neglect. The window, at the sacrifice of itself, admitted nothing of the further dilapidation within. It succeeded in deceiving the casual observer by distorting the faint light it ravenously soaked in. No one dared enter for fear of what lay beyond the window. This night was different. With one great pull, Tracer wrenched the seal of neglect away from the window, exposing the empty office within to the cool night air. The Timelord crawled into the office disturbing the years of peace the dust had settled. His nose hardly flinching from the onslaught of dust, Tracer scurried across the room, using great caution to aviod any weak points in the floor. He hardly wanted the groaning floor to announce his presence to Halebit. That he wanted to do personally. With the stealth of a voracious animal in the hunt, the Timelord entered the main hallway, his eyes staying alert to each and every shadow cast by the dominating crimson glow from outside. "Where are you, bastard?" Tracer breathed hoarsely, his hands clenched on his shotgun. "Where are you, Halebit?" Carefully, the dark-haired Timelord approached the end of the hallway where another aged door stood patiently, almost tauntingly so. Through its distorted glass, he saw a rippled figure, sitting rigidly as if in meditation. Tracer felt a tingle of eagerness in his limbs. It had to be him. He reveled in the rage enveloping his body. All those years he spent in the wheat fields, the eager student wanting to please. But, no, it meant nothing. Absolutely nothing. He didn't just want to kill Halebit, he wanted to see him squirm, to taste defeat. And he wanted to be the one to serve it. "You are so dead." Tracer growled under his breath, speeding his approach toward the door, his finger rubbing against the trigger. Leaning gingerly against the door, he sucked in the salt-saturated air and pushed the door open with his free hand. His excitement mounted upon seeing the mass of short white shoots of hair welcome him. 'The old bastard has his back to the door. Unbelievable.' Tracer crept closer, his weapon aimed at Halebit's head ready to exact his revenge. 'You are such a fool, Halebit.' 'I am in complete control.' Halebit retorted mentally to Nihil. Desperately, Halebit concentrated upon his meditation. He had to concentrate on his surroundings, take in everything through his senses. He felt each individual crevice and crack on the cool title floor. He tasted the salty air from the nearby bay. The red light of the neon sign filled his vision. He heard . . . breathing. Uneven, agitated breathing. It was very close by, just a few feet behind him. 'Are you, now? Do you seriously believe that Cindy will not side with the Princess at the first opportunity?' Tracer wet his lips in greedy anticipation. Halebit sneered to himself, why didn't the voice go away? His meditations did nothing to quiet the voice, Nihil. 'She fears me. She wouldn't dare face the consequences. She knows that I have control.' The red crystals. Yes, once he secured the Silver Crystal, he could create the Rift and then he could vanquish Nihil. Tracer steadied his shotgun, bringing it within inches of Halebit's head. 'True, but what will you do when she has united the Princess and her friends against you? Then how will your control defeat them? You can't possibly defeat the Moon Princess.' Halebit gritted his teeth. He could not reply. Nihil spoke a truth he did not want to believe, but would be foolish to deny it. Tracer smirked, his finger caressing the trigger. "Hello, Sensei." 'Heh. You will be nothing but dust when the Princess is done with you.' Nihil's voice reverberated in his mind. Halebit couldn't stand it anymore. 'I believe the contrary.' Halebit clenched his glowing fist closed. Without warning, the barrel of Tracer's shotgun collapsed upon itself, crushed by an invisible grip. Before Tracer could swear aloud, the same constricting grip seized his throat. Tracer swung his arms toward Halebit, in hopes that he could at least have the satisfaction of inflicting some pain, but the General held him at arms length. The old man, though, remained regal in posture with his feet rigidly affixed to the floor, his hand outstretched and slightly closed, his face scowling, and his eyes drowning in madness. 'Damn it!' Tracer panicked as the pressure increased on his throat. "It can't end like this!" Tracer gargled. "I won't let it end like this!" 'So, you have a solution?' Nihil taunted. 'Yes, I have a solution!' Halebit roared back. 'The sword! I must use the sword!' Tracer gripped the hilt of his sword. "I have control!" Halebit's roar accompanied a mighty swing of his glowing hand. ----------------------------------------------------------- A new surge of guilt rose within Cindy's chest when the large metal door slid reluctantly open, its loud creaks and groans begging for oil. From her position on the edge of the platform, the blonde Traveller could see four feminine forms standing in the crimson light. Her heart fluttered when she recognized the twin ponytails flickering gently in the sea breeze. Serena. The Moon Princess. The girl who invested all her trust in her. Cindy's heart ached; how she yearned for a second chance, to amend her sins. Cindy's spirits lifted, perhaps she could. Surely, Serena would show her some mercy. She would understand. She hoped. But then she heard it; the low thud of a staff -- The Time Guardian. She glanced at the cage holding the child and then at the procession walking toward her. No, apologies are too late in coming. What she had done was unforgivable. Not even Serena could feel for someone as cold-hearted as herself. "Sailor Moon?" The cage rattled softly in tune with Reenie's voice. Yet, the voice lacked the usual ring of sweetness, something Cindy remarked to herself bitterly. At the sound of the child's voice, Serena stopped abruptly and the other three attentively followed in step. She stood still in shock at the sight of Reenie, trembling in a cage. Why would Cindy do such a thing? Serena sensed her faith in Cindy buckle under doubts, but something reassured her. Glancing down, Serena saw her Silver Crystal glimmering softly. Then she glanced at Pluto, standing rigidly beside her. Pluto's lips pursed, threatening to burst forth with outrage. She became furious at the sight of the girl she regarded as a daughter being treated in this vile fashion. It was ... unforgivable. She knew this was a mistake. "Don't worry, Reenie." Serena swallowed the large lump in her. "Everything's going to be okay. Right now, I have to talk to Cindy, alright?" "Yea-yeah." Reenie stuttered in obedient confusion. "Okay," Serena breathed quietly and raised her voice toward the Traveller. "Cindy, listen to me. You don't have to do this." "I didn't mean for any of this to happen," Cindy cried defensively before her head and shoulders gradually sink into herself, murmuring. "I never wanted this to happen." Serena sighed, she desperately wanted to reach to Cindy and comfort her. "I understand, Cindy. Please, just let go of Reenie and we can fight this battle together." "No," Cindy shouted, turning her head away to hide her tears. "I'm ... I'm unforgivable." Serena carefully clasped her hands over her brooch and her voice resonated with Cindy's wounded spirit. "I forgive you." Cindy's shoulders slowly relaxed once Serena's words echoed in her ears. "I forgive you." 'Perhaps ... Perhaps I still have a chance. Perhaps I can redeem myself. Perhaps I will be able to finally heal. Perhaps-' Cindy's guilt gave way to the flutter of excitement from all the possibilities. "Yes." Her voice now punctuated with determination, Cindy gingerly walked toward the cage. "It's the right thing to do." Cindy fiddled with the lock feverishly, her confidence soared, 'Now, Halebit, I will finally free myself from your works.' Reenie smiled at Cindy and Cindy smiled back, the door to the cage no longer a barrier between the two. Cindy could see closure for herself; all the pieces were falling in her direction. Suddenly, a loud crash broke the silence as a figure smashed through the rear wall, slamming into the concrete floor as Cindy instinctively wrapped herself around the child. All around, glass shattered as the other senshi charged in through every available window and door. For a moment they all paused. Then the figure stirred. Groggily, the figure sat up groaning with the sharp pains tearing away at its body. The Sailor Scouts waited, expecting anything to happen. Serena held her breath once she saw the long, dark locks of hair tremble with figure's movements. 'It's the Timelord.' Serena's senses went wild. Something was wrong, definitely wrong. Cindy eyed the groaning figure cautiously; who could it be? It couldn't be Malance, he never would go into any situation without his armor. Halebit? No, Halebit would never make such an entrance. Nervously, Cindy rubbed her bracelet. Tracer cursed to himself. He needed to get up because Halebit never let an opponent have the chance to recover. Shots of pain stabbed his legs and arms as he moved. He took a quick glimpse of his surroundings and found himself in company. He carefully studied the group just within his field of view and sneered once he confirmed their identity. 'Those Lord-bedamned Sailor Scouts.' Tracer tensed his right hand, causing the silvery liquid to condense around it. 'So, if they are here then,' Tracer's head methodically twisted toward the platform and the razor sharp points of his clawed hand solidified. 'That must mean the child is with...' Then Cindy saw the locks of greasy black hair- Then Tracer saw the dirty blonde ponytail- His dark, burning eyes. Her deep, blue eyes. The eyes of the one who slaughtered her family. The eyes of the one who brought about his downfall. Recognition was nearly immediate. "YOU!!!!!!" They both shouted in unison. Without hesitation, Cindy yanked her bracelet from her wrist, snapping it rigid. The individual diamond-shaped ringlets expanded sliding together harmoniously to form the flat blade. Leaping from the platform, Cindy threw both her arms behind her head and gripped the newly assembled sword in her hands. She envisioned this moment everytime she trained with her sword, his smirking face there for her to strike or slice. With the strength of her entire body, Cindy hurled her sword down at the Timelord. *TING!* Tracer easily caught the blade with his claw. It had taken him years of painful lessons to learn that technique, but pain was something that came with the territory. Tracer found Cindy's reaction rather amusing, her face crumpled with shock, like a small child finding she's been taken for the fool as he held her ruby colored weapon in his hands. He nearly laughed to himself. Tracer quickly composed himself and sneered, he'd show that damn Moon Princess a thing or two. Tightening his claw on the blade, he kicked Cindy full force into the protruding ledge of the platform. Serena stood in shock at the savagery unfolding before her. She had to stop this. "No!" Serena screamed and lunged forward, but the Time Staff blocked her path, the red of the Garnet Orb staring her in the face. Serena twisted her head toward the Time Guardian, and whispered hoarsely. "Why." Sailor Pluto stood motionless, looking straight ahead at the fighting combatants and noticing the flicker of a cape dashing toward the platform. "It's time to make good on our agreement. 'Take whatever means necessary.'" Serena's face soured with dismay and watched helplessly as the battle progressed to its conclusion. Cindy's back screamed from the impact. Her body went numb, then limp as she concentrated on keeping a grip on the sword. There wasn't any time to linger on the pain, though; she lunged to the left, avoiding Tracer's razor-sharp claw. It screeched as it dug into the platform next to her. She threw her remaining energy into a sword swing, but Tracer was ready with his claw outsketched. Once again, the Timelord held Cindy's sword firm. Cindy caught a glimpse of the savage grin on his face before delivering an open hand blow hard across her face. The blow jarred the sword from her hands and her body crashed to the unforgiving concrete floor. Tracer focused his fierce gaze, stalking toward his retreating prey. A sneer formed on Tracer's face as he threw down the ruby sword, embedding it into the floor beside his leg. 'I'll show you Princess,' Tracer brought his intense stare at Serena, 'I'll show you how much I desire this woman.' Tracer flexed his claw, gliding his metallic thumb across the sharp tips of his fingers. Chills ran up and down Cindy's aching spine, but she would let herself go out like this. Not laying down. She wasn't going to die in vain. Her family would be avenged. "You Counsule lapdog!" Cindy jeered while spying her sword. "The Counsule has to send you to finish the job, huh? Then you can wash your hands of them, won't you?!" If she could distract him for a few more moments and she could reach- Suddenly, Tracer pounced upon Cindy and lifted her by the throat with his claw recoiled, ready to strike. His face ferocious, outraged by her words. "What the hell are you talkin' about you Lord-forsaken Society bastard?" "You," Cindy quivered with fear, but she had to be strong. She had to be strong for them. "You killed them," She couldn't give up, "Sam, Mom, and Dad," Cindy felt something brush her desperately wandering hand. "You killed my family." The ferocity drained away. The scent of the kill went sour at the realization. Tracer lowered his claw and loosened his hold. His voice lost its grand determination. "What?" "You will pay for them all." She hissed, taking hold of the smooth wooden hilt with both hands. "You'll pay for killing my family." Jerking the sword from Tracer's side, Cindy shoved the weapon into the Timelord's stomach and proceeded upwards into his chest. Years of seething anger erupted with that stroke, leaving its bloody trademark evident all over her hands and face. Cindy kept her eyes fixed on the stunned expression frozen on the beast's face, prompting Cindy to muse if the deathly blow of defeat surprised him. Silver streaked blood soaked her hand and arm to the elbow as Tracer's body collapsed. Cindy let go of the hilt, leaving the sword in the Timelord's unmoving body and regarded her bloody hands. She looked at Serena, her face aghast at the gory scene. Reality began to set in; Cindy had shown Serena the true monster that lurked below her surface. Her saturated hands shook uncontrollably, and her tears burrowed their way through the drying blood staining her cheeks. It took her a little while to recognize the clapping of a single set of hands echoing around in the warehouse. "Congratulations, Xendyte." Cindy snapped her head toward the platform where the General stood, clapping in adulation. "You now have your revenge, so what are you going to do next?" Cindy shifted her sights to the small child standing rigidly beside the General as if something inhibited her movement and below him lay Tuxedo Mask recovering from a vicious blow. Halebit's smile had the cunning of a cat and glowed in the oppressive red light. "And I must thank you for all your efforts to help me retrieve the Silver Crystal. I am indebted to you, my faithful soldier." The horrifying truth hit her right in the face. She was a tool. He had used her to the fullest, her rebellions, her anger, her guilt, everything to fullest. And she walked blindly into his tangled weave, thinking she knew the way. Cindy balled her fist and her face contorted with rage. 'No, no, no, no, no, NO!!!!' Running at full speed, Cindy ripped her ruby sword from the concrete as she passed and charged Halebit. Never again. She would never let him do this. It was going to end, and she was to bring all of this to its conclusion. Halebit's smile widened at her charge and nearly laughed when the blonde Traveller leapt at him. Immediately, Halebit threw out his hand, stopping the sharp blade mere inches from his face. Cindy glared at Halebit while her body remained still, suspended in midair. "You son of a bit-" At that, Halebit swung his hand, causing Cindy to be flung out of the way like a piece of rubbish into a dustbin. Pausing momentarily to recompose himself, Halebit returned his attention to his main task; ransom. "Now, Princess, I humbly request the possession of the Silver Crystal." Halebit announced, his cold, clammy hands tightening upon the child's shoulder. "Or else I cannot guarantee her safety." The Time Guardian stepped forward. "I believe you are not in the position to make such threats, Traveller. Killing Small Lady will only expedite your death." A gnarled smile twisted Halebit's frozen face. "So which one of you want to carry the guilt of this child's death on their shoulders? Who wants to be the one who must witness the birth of the child they killed? For you see, Time Guardian, I will be dead and happy knowing that one of you will live miserably with the guilt of killing this daughter of your future." Serena stared blankly at the old man upon the platform, clasping onto her daughter like a leech. His words had silenced their excitement and drenched their fury; everything had consequence and they wanted no responsibility for it. Serena brought down her gaze to the brooch clutching to her chest, holding within the Silver Crystal, the source of all her power, and all her troubles. "What is it going to be Princess?" The old man's voice crackled with eagerness, his sickening grin nearly splitting his face in half. --------------------------------------- The pool of silver-laced blood cooled on the floor around Tracer. It was his blood that threatened to drown him, so much blood he had to lift his head to breath. He blinked and focused his eyes upon the flurry of movement around the platform. With his blood-blurred vision, Tracer could make out the Princess reluctantly handing over the Silver Crystal. Such the fool he was. Her eyes. He had no idea that their calming blue depths could hold so much sorrow. Tracer carefully tugged on the hilt of his sword from his chest. Tracer clenched his teeth. That bastard Halebit had lied to Cindy in order to pin her against him. With one last excruciating tug, Tracer pulled the sword from his body. Halebit had used him and Cindy as two aces up his sleeve to collect his bounty, the Silver Crystal. He could have prevented all of this if he hadn't been so intent on revenge. If he hadn't let his rage against the Society consume him, he probably would have sought out Cindy first, talked to her about her family. But no, those were things Halebit had planned on Tracer second guessing. 'Bastard.' Tracer winced as the burning sensation in his fast-healing abdomen intensified. Or was it guilt? 'Why did I sacrifice everything for you?' Her name first brought him down the road of lies and betrayals on which he discovered everyone he entrusted his life had deceived him. She had unknowingly revealed to him that he had nothing left to lose ... except her. With the pain and nerves in his abdomen numbing, Tracer carefully brought his sword into view and studied it intently. A soft glow pulsated slowly as he gazed at the sword's clean crystalline blade. It was responding to her, crying out for her on his behalf. The wondrous emotions he felt when he thought of her coursed through him so strongly that he could not ignore it. Tracer took one last fleeting look back at the platform. There he saw Halebit holding the Silver Crystal victoriously, his face twisting with his madness. Below him, the despairing mother and her child. The Princess's flowing blonde pony tails gently wrapping themselves around the two as the she held her child. It was then, looking at this violation of innocence, Tracer knew what he had to do. It was time. ------------------------------------------------------- Cindy's body screamed from the burning pain after sliding to a stop on the rough warehouse floor. Thoughts of failure ebbed at her mind, she surrendered to her urge for revenge of her family, dooming any possibilities for redemption. The rhythmically contracting rays of light streamed into her view. "What's happening?" She murmured against the cold floor. With a low groan, Cindy slowly shifted herself. The pain in her limbs jabbed her mercilessly at every twitch, but she was determined to see what was happening. No matter how unpleasant the sight. Cindy struggled to peer the person causing this spectacle, but the sheer brilliance of the light would not relent an identity. She saw two shadowed hands enclosing the Silver Crystal, the overflowing radiance streaming from between the fingers. Cindy's eyes scanned the group, witnessing this incredible spectacle, and her heart sank when she recognized the unmistakable twin pony tails of Serena. Halebit had won. And she had failed them. Thud, thud, thud. Footsteps, coming closer. Cindy snapped her head towards the sound, cringing after the fact. It was the Timelord. 'How did he-' Cindy gritted her teeth, remembering the beast's ferocious healing rate. The light formed a strange halo around the Timelord's figure, her angel of death. Cindy forced her numb muscles to pull along the floor as the Timelord methodically stalked toward her. She increased her pace once she noticed the sword in his hand. The sword she ran him through with. Frantically, Cindy searched for her own. 'It has to be somewhere. It has to be!' Her eyes darting here and there, with nothing to be found. The Timelord approached, his sword extended to her throat as the blonde Traveller furiously scraped herself backwards. She only spared a glance at the Timelord's still face while he calmly kept pace. Cindy wasn't going to die like this. She didn't want to die like this. "You enhanced murdering menace!" She hissed with her back to the metal wall. "You unfeeling machine!" The Timelord paused at these words and closed his eyes. His face remained stoic, but his sword hovered a few inches from her throat. Cindy stared down the sharp edge of the translucent blade and sneered. "Sam, Dad, and Mom meant everything to me and you took them away. You caused me nothing but misery. You ruined my life!" The Timelord remained silent to her words. Nothing. Anger surged through her, anger at the frustration of it all. The failures, the broken promises, the pain, the misfortunes. Her life was a tragedy and she played the role of the poor player perfectly, and her hour of fretting and strutting were nearly up. "How could a monster like you understand pain and misery when all you know is how to spread it!" Tears, not her fist, conveyed the violence welling within her. "You'll never understand!" "I understand." The gravity of Tracer's voice smothered Cindy's defiant fury. They stared transfixed at each other as the moment turned into an eternity. Regretfully, Tracer closed his eyes and glanced back toward Halebit concealed within the Silver Crystal's glare. "I understand who our true enemy is." All of the sudden, the sword erupted with light. The tendriles of light wrapped themselves around the blade, rolling off it and giving it the illusion of a flame. Cindy gazed in awe as the sharp illuminated edge retreated from her throat, and its intensity increased with each step Tracer took. It kept increasing until its glow matched that of the Silver Crystal. Swiftly, as the sword reached its greatest intensity, the Timelord bolted towards the old man and his Fate. ----------------------------------------------------- 'Ah, such harmony this precious crystal has.' The General's eyes twinkled in the light radiating from the Silver Crystal. 'What a calming melody.' Halebit marveled at the great sensation of power that flowed through his body. What ingenuity he had for his ingenius use of the telekinetic power of his red crystal. The red crystals were a perfect catalyst to ignite the power of the Crystal. He could inturn use that power to make the flame of the Silver Crystal burn brighter. He had produced an endless cycle of energy that increased with each period until he had enough power to create the Rift. Yet, the most pleasant surprise by far was the sweet melody the Crystal played when emitting power. The melody calmed his nerves, letting him relax and let go. But most of all the melody quieted the inner voice, Nihil. Halebit smiled at that thought. Abruptly, the hum changed its tune, and Halebit's ears caught the sound. 'Are you trying to tell me something, my precious stone?' Halebit could tell that he had enough power. The pulse beated strongly through him. He could create the Rift and retrieve his prize: the red crystals, the power. But why settle for the telekinetic power of the red crystals when he had the infinite power of the Silver Crystal? No, he could not. Yes, he could, he definitely could. Halebit cringed. The Silver Crystal's power was much too raw. So what? He could learn over time. He had control. No, giving into this temptation would be a sign of weakness and the General was not weak. Perhaps he was. No he wasn't, Halebit could do this and he will do it now. 'It's time.' Clasping his hands around the Crystal, Halebit concentrated the power and with calculated precision pricked the hole. The Rift could begin. ------------------------------------------ "THUNDERCLAP ZAP!!" Nothing. "WORLD SHAKING!!!" Nothing. "DEEP SUBMERGE!" Still nothing. "CELESTIAL FIRE SURROUND!!" Nothing at all. "DEAD SCREAM!!" Pluto growled. Nothing was going well. "It seems as though he has created a barrier of some sort." Mercury busily tapped on the holographic keyboard as her visor flashed the data streaming from her mini-computer. "And he's harnessing an amazing amount of energy from the Crystal. I personally don't see how he can survive with the Crystal draining that much energy from him." Pluto squinted her eyes to block out the glare from the Silver Crystal, but she still couldn't make out the General's form. So much power, she hardly could believe it. But why? Suddenly, an immense pain stabbed Pluto's abdomen and spread deeper into her body. Immediately, she winced and collapsed to her knees. "Puu!" Reenie jumped out of Serena's arms and ran over to her friend in pain. "Pluto!" Serena rushed to the Time Guardian's side. The pain in Pluto's side increased, like someone was tearing into her, cutting with meticulous care. Almost like a ... "He's creating a Rift!" Pluto groaned. "A what?" Mercury asked, ignoring the greater influx of energy concentrated around the Crystal. "He's using the Crystal to tear into space and time." Pluto winced once more, the pain making her words more difficult to speak. "We must stop him!" "With what?!" Mars screamed, the hopelessness of the situation shortening her temper significantly. "Serena here just gave up the Crystal to that whacko and none of our attacks can touch him!" Pluto clenched her teeth. The pain increased further and the cut went deeper. Somehow, despair magnified the pain, and then Pluto realized she could sympathize with her peers around her. How many times have they gone into situations such as these and believe it to be their last? Not knowing whether they would see tomorrow, having no comfort in the knowledge when they were going to die. God, she hated the unpredictability of Fate. Then she sensed the power move. No, it didn't move, maybe it split? Either way, Pluto sensed the Silver Crystal emanating strongly from two totally opposite points simultaneously. She had no explanation for it, except- "Oh my God." Jupiter whispered, stunned not by Halebit, but by something else. Pluto raised herself with her staff and searched for what caught Jupiter's attention. Her shock almost neutralized the shearing pain cutting deeper. The Timelord came running at them, his sword blazing with pure white light, his face covered with his blood and his eyes resolved, focused on his target. 'It can't be-' Pluto nearly lost her grip on the staff. 'What you did was unforgivable, you bastard.' Tracer fixed his eyes upon his teacher. 'I'm almost there, yes, a little more-' Halebit clutched the Crystal with feverish joy. '-where could he have gotten it?' Pluto steadied herself and stumbled forward. 'I will defeat you for Cindy-' The sword grew brighter in Tracer's hands. '-and the red crystals will be mine-' Halebit opened the incision further. 'It's impossible-' Pluto positioned herself in Tracer's path. 'I will defeat you for the Princess-' Tracer narrowed his eyes and let his legs fly. '-and I will be in total control-' The Rift neared completion. '-he can't have the Silver Crystal.' Pluto readied herself for a head on blow. '-never again will I let you hurt any of them.' Using the momentum in his legs, Tracer leapt over the Time Guardian. '-I will be unstoppable.' Halebit greedily wet his lips. "Yes." Pluto watched the Timelord fly towards his Destiny. Only a single word escaped from her constricting throat. "No." Tracer raised his blazing sword and prepared for the final confrontation, bellowing, "NEVER AGAIN!!" *SHRA-TING!* Tracer's sword had cut through Halebit's invisible barrier. Now the translucent silver blade met the delicate Silver Crystal, only the tips of each object touched, gently caressing each other. Halebit's eyes widened in terror. They were ... they were ... harmonizing. The blade and the Crystal were humming the same tune and with that chorus they grew exponentially stronger. The power was absolutely maddening! "Let go, you fool!" Halebit spat out from between his teeth before another pulse of energy coarse through him. "You'll doom us all!" Halebit's warning only fueled Tracer's determination, replying only with his chanting whispers. "Never again never again never again NEVER AGAIN!" More energy surged through Halebit's body. He had to control this before- another wave hit, and another. It wouldn't be long now, Halebit could tell. The power pushed him furhter and further away from the comfort of his control. Further and further, something thrust him toward the ledge and now he stared down into the deep abyss. It was a place where he had no control. The thought of venturing alone paralyzed him. 'I don't wanna go alone.' The last surging wave pounded through the General and an intense light exploded from the suspended pair. The shockwave blew everyone off their feet. Mercury jumped to her feet, joined by Mars almost immediately, followed groggily by the others. Mars studied the barren platform. "What the heck happened to them?" Mercury's visor went silent. "I don't know. It's as if they created so much power that the whole system collapsed upon itself." "Collapsed?" Jupiter rubbed her sore backside and staggered to her feet. "Ya mean like a mini-black hole, right?" Mercury nodded. "Precisely." "Waitaminit." Mars brought her hand to her forehead to follow that train of thought. Serena wasn't far behind her. "That means-" The Time Guardian wasted no time on rationale and trusted her instincts. "Everyone grab onto to something and hang on!" Without warning, Mercury's visor came alive with activity. The readings went off the scale. "Oh my-" The newly formed vortex sucked away the rest of Mercury's sentence as well as everything else in the vicinity into its infinitely black abyss. The roof of the warehouse buckled under the strain and the flooring bent upwards. Mercury was the first to fall in. Then Neptune and Uranus fell victim to the vortex. Serena held on tightly to her daughter, but she felt her own hold on a loose piece of flooring slipping. Three fingers. Two. One. Serena found herself running quickly out of fingers. From nowhere a hand snatched Serena's before the last finger gave way to the strain. Snapping her head upwards, Serena came face to face with the smiling visage of Cindy. Serena found herself overwhelmed at the sorely welcomed sight. Just beyond Cindy, she spied the unmistakable white glove of Tuxedo Mask. For the first time that night, Serena breathed a sigh of relief, though it would only be momentary. A sudden jerk shook the confidence away. Cindy glanced back at Tuxedo Mask, and, when she turned back her comforting smile gradually transformed into an expression full of panic. Inevitably, their anchor gave way to the massive pulling force of the vortex and all four disappeared into its black depths. The rest quickly followed, feeling a sense of obligation to their friends, in the slight chance that death did not meet them on the other side. Pluto closed her eyes. She didn't know what to do. She had a decision to make, compromise the order of the timestream and start things anew or fulfill her duty to the Queen and follow her blindly, possibly to her own demise. The decision filled her with so much conflict. Finally, the Time Guardian came to one conclusion. 'Oh hell.' Loosening her staff from the floor, Pluto let go and fell into the bottomless black pit of the vortex. And she fell. and she fell. and she fell. -End of Part 7- Nothing much to say, except, I hope you appreciate the little changes I made to some things. I work hard, duntcha know. Counsule is spelt correctly in the world of this story. I'd like to thank all my pre-readers, Doug Whiddon, Erin Ellis, Matt Johnston and his evil twin David, the newcomer Nathan Baxter, and the ever faithful Lord Talon. BTW, I'd like to plug Matt's webpage. Check out his stuff, I think some of it might be right up your alley: http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~matt2518/ He's good. He's *really* good. Also thanks to Sailor Opal, Arilyn, the Mysterious Masked Maiden , Stacie, good ole Sailor Phoenix, James Ross, Kali, Cypress1 (?), and Hecmec (???) for their comments and support. And my faithful readers, please don't hate me. I promise to be good from now on. All original characters are owned and copyrighted by Bastion (c)1999. And Sailor Moon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi and in America by DIC. God, don't cliffhangers suck? Bastion bastion@ix.netcom.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 1.2 Type: application/ms-tnef Encoding: base64