YAY!!! Chapter 10 out the same week as Chapter 9!! I'm SO happy!! Thanks to Meara who sent it back so quickly!!!! *sigh* what would I do without my wonderful editors? (Sere: you'd be in a world of trouble... Beth: hush!) hehe... sorry, Hi to Sere!! HUGE thanks to my editors... you guys are SO great! **HUGS** Usual disclaimers apply -- you know all this, I don't feel like repeating. anyhow... no more talking today.... I talked quite enough in the last chapter ^^;; Japanese Translations ne - right or okay or something to that effect baka - stupid daijobu - are you okay? Hai - yes doushita no - what's the matter? nani - what? gomen ne - I'm sorry boku o yuruse - forgive me gomen - sorry minna - everyone doushite - why ginzuishou - silver crystal hension - transformation masaka - it can't be Kazeno - of the wind Sorano - of the sky ************** From the Beginning ~ Part 10 Title: The worst price By: Bethany ^_^ Rated: P.G. 13 (language) Editors: Meara, Luna's Meow, Heather and America Author Email: Bethany212@aol.com ************** Time Frame: 1 year and two months from the last chapter. In the last year nothing but simple youma attacks have been plagueing Tokyo. Nothing to really write a whole lot about. ^_^ ~~~~~~~~~ Usagi heard babies cries and opened her eyes. She waited, again hearing the sound. Sighing, she unwrapped Mamoru's arms from her waist, and stumbled toward the nursery. She was greeted by Chibi-Usa, who was already holding one of the screaming twins. "You would think by a year old they would sleep through the night, ne?" Chibi-Usa giggled and handed Kazeno to Usagi. Then leaned down to pick up Sorano. "What's the matter Sora? What's wrong?" she cooed at the child in her arms. Usagi walked back and forth to ease her children's mind. "Please go back to sleep Kaze, please? Mommy has to get some sleep too," whispered softly. The child pulled at her, trying to get to Chibi-Usa. Usagi traded with Chibi-Usa. Still, both twins cried. "Now what?" Chibi-Usa asked the air. She put Kazeno down in a crib and Usagi accidentally laid Sorano down in the same bed. Suddenly the crying stopped. Usagi looked over. "Oops, put them in the same bed." She picked Sorano up, and both children began crying once more. She laid her down next to Kazeno and they stopped. "Are you seeing a pattern here mom?" Chibi-Usa asked, picking Kazeno up causing both children to start crying again. "Okay, guess you stay in the same bed," she concluded, putting Kaze back down. Usagi laughed. "Well now we know what was wrong with them." She hugged Chibi-Usa. "Honey, you don't have to get up with them, you can sleep." "That's okay mom, I want to, and besides I was up getting some milk anyhow." Chibi-Usa smiled, heading back to the living room. The nursery had taken her room, so now she slept on the couch. "Night Mom!" "Night Small Lady!" Usagi responded and laid back down. Strong arms came around her waist and turned her over to her back. "I love you Usako," Mamoru mumbled, laying his head on her chest and going back to sleep. Usagi smiled, running her hands through his hair. ****** "I grow impatient my master... we have waited for almost two years. Something has to be done, I want them destroyed!" Beryl demanded. "Calm yourself," the dark mist replied. "Our time is growing near." Beryl smirked. "You told me that 13 months ago! When?" Metallia expanded her size to cover then entire room. "Don't argue with me Beryl, I saved you. But I can kill you just as well." Beryl's next comment died on her lips at those words. "Yes my master," she mumbled, stalking from the room before she said something she would regret. "Yes my master," she mocked, continuing back to her quarters. "The day will come damn you! It will come when I make the rules, when I am *your* master." She laughed at this thought. "General Korntz, come forward and tell me what the prince and princess have been doing." The tall man appeared before Beryl, his bright green eyes focused on her, and bowed. "Your majesty, the princess gave birth to a healthy set of twins, they are currently one year and two months old. Names, Chiba Sorano, female and Chiba Kazeno, male. Both children are small duplicates of their father, blue eyes, black hair and from what I gather, just as determined even at their age. They currently still reside at the same apartment they have always lived. The small child that was with them from the beginning is still there. Name, Chiba Usagi Small Lady Serenity. She is their daughter here from the future world. Age thirteen, birthday June 30." "The future?" Beryl questioned, this really was the first thing of real interest to her. "How is that accomplished?" "A key, Majesty, that the child carries with her allows her passage through a link to the palace in the future." "Who rules there?" Beryl asked, her interest peeked. She expected it to be herself, but the general's words enraged her. "The princess and prince in the future rule, known as Neo-Queen Serenity and Neo-King Endymion. They rule from the Crystal Palace in the heart of Crystal Tokyo." Beryl sat forward and frowned. "I will rule damn it! I will *not* be beaten by a moon child. Her day as queen is soon up! I want to hit her where it hurts... " Find out general, how do I bring her and him to their knees?" "Yes, Your Majesty," he bowed and left the room. Beryl sat back and cupped her chin in her hands. "So the happy princess has her family with *my* prince, now does she? Not for long, soon enough I will have you begging me for mercy!" ******* "Sweetheart," Usagi mumbled to her husband, "your turn." Mamoru pulled the covers over his head. "But I don't want to get up..." he whined. "Then you shouldn't have had children! Now hurry up before whoever is crying wakes the other one up!" A loud wailing sound came from the nursery. "That's definitely Sora, her lungs are as healthy as yours..." having finished the sentence, he slipped out of the bed and flew out the door before his words had time to seep into Usagi's head. "Mamo-baka!!" she yelled and got out of the bed. "When I get my hands--" "Mom?" came a weak, shaking voice from the hallway. Usagi almost ran to the door and found Chibi-Usa laying on her side in the hallway, holding her stomach, small tears running down her face. "Chibi-Usa?! Oh gods, what's the matter sweetheart?" Usagi asked frantically, kneeling beside her daughter. "My whole body hurts momma, all over it hurts..." Usagi placed her hand on her forehead; the child was burning up in a fever. Her face was pale, and she was shaking from some unseen cold. "Mamo-chan?" No answer - she could barely make out a voice trying his best to calm down a crying baby. Usagi slid her arm down Chibi-Usa's neck, and panicked at how cold and clammy it was compared to her hot, sweaty face. "MAMO-CHAN!!" In a second he was in the hallway. "Usako? What's wrong?" "Get Chibi-Usa and bring her in here on the couch, hurry!" Mamoru wasted not time in doing just that. Laying her on the couch, he put his hand on her forehead and almost panicked. Having just finished medical school, he knew for a fact that something was extremely wrong. "Chibi-Usa, sweetheart, where do you hurt?" he asked, trying to cover the worry in his voice from Usagi. "Everywhere," she moaned, turning her head to the side. "Daddy, make it stop..." she started crying. Mamoru bit his tongue, going back over everything he knew about childhood diseases. It seemed like the flu, but an extremely bad case. He knew that just two hours earlier she was fine. "Usako, get a bowl of cold water and a cloth, some aspirin, and three blankets." Usagi nodded and started running around the apartment doing as asked. Mamoru looked back down at Chibi-Usa and gasped. Her crescent moon was blazing on her forehead, gathering energy. "Chibi-Usa, daijobu?" Her eyes fluttered open to stare at his worried blue ones, but she couldn't speak. "Small Lady!" he demanded, watching in horror as the beam started glowing. There was a slight flapping noise followed by the sound of small padded paws scurrying across the room. "Small Lady, oh no!" Diana yelped, her eyes wide with fear. Mamoru ran in the bedroom and emerged a few seconds later with Usagi's communicator, pressing the Mercury symbol repeatedly. Finally Ami's sleepy face came on the screen. "Hai Mamoru-san?" after a second, the possibilities of why he would be contacting her this early came into mind and she snapped to attention. "Doushita no? Where is Usagi-chan?" "Usako is fine, but we need you, Chibi-Usa is sick and I'm not sure with what, it came on very suddenly, like in the last couple of hours." Ami sighed a little in relief, then nodded her head. "I'll be there in a minute," she replied and sighed off. Outside the balcony doors, a tall man stood smiling with glee at himself. A small empty bottle with an 'x' on it clutched in one hand where a few hours earlier he had poured it s contents into the milk jug in the refrigerator marked 'kids milk.' ***** Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten were out doing there morning jog to the park. Taiki sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Seiya-chan, why do we have to get up so early for a jog?" "We've been neglecting our morning jogs for too long, it's time we got back in the habit." "But," Yaten whined, "morning technically lasts until twelve o'clock, couldn't we have gotten up around eleven and still called it a morning jog?" he complained, looking at his watch that read 6:46 a.m. Seiya sighed and glanced up at an apartment building, wondering absentmindedly if Usagi was up. He let out a small laugh. "Nani?" his brothers inquired. "Just wondering if Usagi was up yet, kinda funny, ne?" he laughed. Before Taiki could answer he ran into someone, knocking them both to the ground. "Gomen ne miss, boku o yuruse, I wasn't watching were I was go--" he stopped short when he realized he knew the short blue haired girl infront of him. "Ami-chan! I-err, gomen," he blushed, helping her up. Ami brushed herself off and smiled, "That's okay, you get used to being knocked down spending most of your life around Usagi, speaking of which, I really have to go. Chibi-Usa is sick," she explained, running into the apartment lobby they were standing infront of. The Lights looked at each other, then followed Ami inside and up to Mamoru and Usagi's apartment. Ami didn't even have to knock, as soon as she was near the door, Usagi pulled it open, tears streaming down her face. She sighed with a little amount of relief. "Ami-chan, thank Selene. . .Chibi-Usa, she's burning up and... and... and..." within a matter of seconds she was on her knees, crying. Mamoru came up behind her and picked her up, carrying her to the bedroom. Ami went directly to the living room to where Diana was watching her master worriedly. The Lights stood side by side in the living room, watching Ami scan the small neo-princess with her computer. Mamoru came back a few minutes later with a somewhat calmed Usagi clutching his arm. Ami sighed, standing up, "Mercury Eternal. . .MAKE-UP!" A second later Eternal Sailor Mercury stood where Ami had a second before. She pulled her visor over her eyes and started typing into her computer after repeatedly scanning Chibi-Usa. Shaking her head worriedly, she looked at the Lights, then Diana, Mamoru and finally Usagi. "Poison," she whispered. The entire room went silent, then a small scream gained volume until it bounced off the walls, letting the world know of a mother's heartbreak. Mamoru brought his hand over Usagi's mouth and kissed her forehead. "Usa, calm down... please..." Still she screamed and cried. Mercury directed a look at Mamoru and he nodded in silent understanding. She pulled out a needle from seemingly nowhere and pushed it's contents into Usagi's arm. In seconds she was out, Mamoru holding her up. ******* A man, in a general's uniform, walked down a dark hallway. The blackness parted long enough for him to pass before it gathered around once more. He stopped abruptly infront of a two large double doors and took a deep breath. Pushing the doors open, he slipped inside and closed the door behind him. "Korntz, it's about time, I almost gave up on you," a deep, booming voice said the instant he came through. Korntz smirked indifferently, "You have no patience, so it does not surprise me in the least." "Did you succeed?" the man asked. Korntz set the empty bottle down on the table, "Hai, the small girl is already sick and it is only a matter of time before Princess Serenity feeds the same milk to the twins." "Is that so?" the indifferent voice sounded, softer and more concerned than before. "Hai." The man turned his back to his company, his shoulder length hair flying up with his movement. "Gomen Princess," he said to the air, but Korntz heard him none the less. "Why is it we are helping them again?" Korntz asked. The man turned back to him, "Don't ask too many questions, just make sure Beryl knows not of your doings, it would get both of us killed... again." "Yes, I know," Korntz continued, "But that is one reason I need to know why I'm betraying my queen a second time." An almost blinding light flashed in the room, another man standing in it's place. "Just do it, we have good reasons," the man said. Korntz looked him up and down in disgust, "You too, ne?" "Hai. We must help the prince's children before Beryl attacks." ******* an: do you know who they are yet? do ya? do ya? *giggle* ******* Korntz started to protest when one more light flashed. "Great," Korntz mumbled, "I have no need to listen any longer, if you require my services, then you know how to find me," he informed before leaving the room. He reappeared in the throne room infront of Queen Beryl, "Your majesty, I bring news about the princess' children." "Proceed," she commanded, never looking up from her crystal ball. "The oldest is sick and the twins are getting that way. What do you wish?" "Sick with what?" she asked causally. Korntz shifted nervously, wondering weather to tell the truth. His loyalty laid with two people, his queen and *them*. Finally he said slowly, "Seems nothing more than the flu, your majesty." Beryl nodded, "Dismissed." Korntz turned on his heel and left the room, mumbling silently that this made the third time he lied to his queen. As he left the room, Beryl looked up from her crystal ball to point at one of her youmas. "Kill him." ******* Usagi woke up to the sound of someone singing softly. Her eyes opened and she closed them just as quickly to block out the bright sun. After a few tries she completely opened them and focused in on Hotaru walking back and forth, singing to one of the twins. "Hotaru-chan?" Hotaru looked up at Usagi, "Your awake! About time!" she tried to sound cheerful, but only succeeded in sounding wane and sad. "How's Chibi-Usa?" Hotaru bit her lip and cradled Sorano further in her arms. "Hotaru-chan, tell me," Usagi said in her royal voice that left the child with no choice but to answer. "Yes, you see, um, Mamoru-san, Ami-chan, Michiru-mama, Setsunna-mama and the lights took her to the hospital a couple of hours ago. He asked the rest of us to stay here with you and the twins." "HE DONE WHAT?" she screamed, getting up from the bed only to fall back down with dizziness. The bedroom door swung open and Rei, Makoto, Minako and Haruka rushed in. "What's wrong?" Rei asked in a gush. Usagi stood up again, slower than the first time and started pulling clothes out of the drawers. "You didn't tell me that they took my daughter to the hospital?! I need to be there!" Minako put her hand on Usagi shoulder. "Usa-chan, your not going anywhere. You need to stay here and help take care of the twins, Mamoru- san will call if your needed at the hospital." "But thats my daughter!! I have to be there!" "Usagi-chan," Makoto said in a determined but soft voice. "You are not leaving this apartment unless Mamoru says so. I'm sorry, but that was a direct order and we can't let you leave." "Direct order?! Dammit your loyalty lies to me before him!" she yelled. Everyone in the room gasped. Never had Usagi belittled Mamoru's wishes or status like this before. Suddenly Usagi sat down hard on the bed and started crying. "Gomen ne minna, I'm so scared for my little girl." Rei put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "I understand, but you need to think of the twins well being also." Usagi nodded. "Your right Rei-chan, gomen ne. But... has he called? When did they leave?" Rei looked to Minako, the last to actually talk to Mamoru. "They have her in I.C.U., she has been poisoned with something and it's taking quite a toll on her," Minako explained softly. Usagi buried her face in her hands and cried softly. "Chibi-Usa... my goodness... she was okay last night, she was helping me with the twins... and then all of the sudden... she was... crying... and... in pain..." "Shh," Rei cooed, trying to calm her down. Hotaru stood by the window with a screaming Sorano who wanted her mommy. Her high pitched voice calling out. "Mama... Mama... Mama..." Usagi brushed her tears away and put on a fake smile as she took Sora from Hotaru's arms and cradled her close to her own chest. "Sora, honey, doushita no?" The cry died down into a sweet giggle and sigh of contentment. "Mama," the baby gurgled then suddenly started crying again. This time throwing up all over Usagi. Her eyes widen with fear at the red colored liquid pouring from her daughter's mouth. "Oh my God!" All the eyes in the room widened and Makoto took Sorano from Usagi before she dropped her. Minako rushed in with wet wipes and Haruka contacted Ami on the communicator. "What have you feed her?" Makoto asked frantically. Eyes wide, Hotaru opened her mouth, but started throwing up in disgust at seeing the blood. Usagi grabbed the telephone and dialed Mamoru's cell phone number. After one ring he picked up. "Hai?" "Mamo-chan..." Usagi cried. There was a hint of hysteria in Mamoru's voice at the sound of Usagi's sobbing. "Usako? Are you okay? Are the twins okay?" "Mamo-chan, she's throwing up blood... Mamo-chan..!" Rei took the phone from Usagi and laid her down. She could hear Mamoru screaming even though the phone was on the table. Finally she picked the cordless up and walked out of the room with it, telling Makoto to calm Usagi down before she hit hysteria again. "MINNA! DAMMIT! WHAT IS GOING ON?" Mamoru screamed into the phone. Rei pulled the phone from her ear until he stopped yelling. When it quieted again, she answered him. "Mamoru-san, I'm afraid that Sorano is sick also, she's throwing up blood the same way Chibi-Usa was." "God... no..." was the horrified voice. "Bring the twins in, both of them, if Sorano is sick, then more than likely Kazeno will be also, don't tell Usako that. Just bring them in." "Do you want me to bring Usagi with us?" "Hai, if not she'll kill somebody trying to get here." He wasn't about to say that he wanted her there because he needed her, as well as the children. After calming Usagi down considerably, they left the apartment in two different cars. When they arrived at the emergency room doors, Mamoru and a team of nurses meet them. Usagi walked beside the stretchers carrying her babies until the nurses stopped her. At that point, Mamoru lead her back to the waiting room. Usagi cried for a minute or two, then took Mamoru's cell phone. "What are you doing Usako?" "Calling my parents," she replied, hushing him with a finger to his lips. ******* Ikuko had just finished loading the dishwasher when the phone rang. She picked it up, immediately sensing it was Usagi. "Hi honey," she sang out. "How'd you know--oh never mind," Usagi said. "I just wanted to let you know... that well," here her voice started breaking down again and Ikuko could barely hear Mamoru trying to comfort her. "What is it?" she demanded, starting to panic herself. Usagi sobbed harder and Ikuko heard Mamoru take the phone from her. "Mom," Ikuko had insisted if he was going to address her for him to call her mom or mother, "We're at the hospital. Now before you panic, Usagi is okay, physically. The twins and Chibi-Usa have been admitted." "Nani? Doushite?" she demanded, her high pitched voice bringing her husband in from the living room. "We're not sure, some kind of poison they think," he explained, and Usagi started crying harder. "What hospital are you at?!" she demanded, Keniji started tapping his foot impatiently beside her. Mamoru took a second to calm his wife down so he could speak. "T.U." he replied, "Are you coming down here?" "Of course," she replied shortly. "See you in a minute." She hung up the phone and sank into a nearby chair. "Nani?" Kenji demanded. "The twins... Chibi-Usa... poison..." ******* Chibi-Usa opened her eyes; they felt like they weighed ten pounds each. A quick scan of the room proved that she was in the hospital, and the scenery from the window showed she was at the university. The room was dark, save for the sun flittering through the curtains and the light at the bottom of the door. She sat up slowly, her head spinning in protest. Her stomach felt raw and her body was freezing. "Mama?" No answer. She knew the room was empty, but it always seemed that when she called for Usagi she was always there. It must be a mother's talent. But now she wasn't there and Chibi-Usa was scared. Across from her was a metal crib, the mattress showing a small bundle laying inside. Black hair seeped out from under the blanket. "Kaze? Sora?" The child looked up and brightened at the sight of Chibi-Usa. "Chi-Usa, Chi-Usa!" Sora repeated over and over, holding her small arms up, hoping her sister would come pick her up. Chibi-Usa tried to get up, but her legs refused. She turned her sad red eyes to Sora. "Gomen ne, I can't get up." Sora started crying softly. "Chi-Usa... Mama... Papa... bllllccckkk-" horrible noises started coming from the crib as red liquid poured from Sorano's mouth and splatted on the floor and bed. When she finished, her scared blue eyes again found Chibi-Usa's and she cried louder. Chibi-Usa stared in horror at the blood then started screaming to the top of her lungs. ******* Two halls down, in the waiting room, Usagi was holding on to Mamoru's arm for dear life, crying softly. Rei, Minako and Ami were talking softly and everyone else sat watching the clock or Usagi. Mamoru reached down and swept a piece of hair from Usagi's forehead. Suddenly her eyes snapped open. Mamoru jumped slightly as she sat up straight and strained like she was listening for something. "Usako?" "Chibi-Usa!" she called suddenly, racing out of the room in a flash before any one could stop her. Mamoru blinked away his shock and got up to go after her. He ran into her parents on the way out the door. "Gomen ne, I'll be right back!" he called, running after Usagi's disappearing form. He caught up with Usagi outside of Chibi-Usa and Sorano's room. She was arguing with a nurse. "That is my babies and I'm going in there!" she demanded, her eyes burning a bright blue. The nurse turned helplessly to Mamoru. "Chiba-san, could you please get your wife under control?" "Hai," Mamoru took Usagi's arms, and to the doctor's complete surprise, pushed his way past the nurse and into the room. The doctor that was with the children looked up in surprise. "Mama!" Chibi-Usa said sleepily, a smiled flashing across her face. "Mama, what's wrong with Sora? What's wrong with me?" Usagi finally felt her heart start beating at a normal pace as she held her *youngest* child in her arms. "Chibi-Usa, your sick that's all baby, but you'll be fine." "What about Sora? She was throwing up blood Mama! She was so scared and I was so scared." Mamoru stood in the corner of the room, arguing with the doctor. "I know hospital procedure, but I can also tell you that if you think your going to keep either me or my wife from our children, then you've got another thing coming. Usagi can stay in here as long as she likes and you or no one else will tell me different. And I want to know where Kazeno is." Mamoru tapped his foot impatiently at the doctor, his hard blue eyes burning into brown ones. The doctor stumbled over his voice a few moments before finally obliging. "Your son is in another room for he has yet to become sick. We thought it best if he stayed away from the sick children." "I want to see him," Mamoru said, it wasn't a request, but a demand. The doctor looked down at his chart. "Of course, but visiting hours--" "I don't give a damn about your visiting hours, I want to see my son," Mamoru growled, his voice barely a whisper, but it had the effect of screaming. "Of course Chiba-san, come with me." Mamoru placed his hand on Usagi's shoulder. "Usako, come on, we're going to see Kaze, we'll be right back Chibi-Usa," he added, smiling lovingly at his daughter. "Get some sleep, ne?" "Okay Dad," she said barely, closing her eyes and sleep taking over. Usagi smoothed her hair back and kissed her forehead. Walking to the crib, she smiled at her other sleeping daughter. "I love you." Mamoru lead her out of the room. ***** Korntz shifted to a human state and walked cautiously into the hospital. Inside his jacket pocket was a bottle of liquid that would save Princess Serenity's children now that they were immune to any dark energy. He was undecided as to what he wished for at this point, but he had orders, and although they didn't t come from the queen, he was carrying them out. He paused out side of the room that held the small boy twin. Even his cold heart shuttered at the sight of the nurse cleaning up the blood from the child's face. "What are you doing?" He thought it was in his head, but a deep growl and the feeling of eyes boring into him, made him think twice. He looked behind him to stare into ice blue eyes and sky blue eyes turned hard. "I said what are you doing?" Mamoru repeated, eyeing the man. Usagi's eyes widen in fear and pure hatred at the man before her. Her eyes scanned past him into the room beyond where she could barely make out a nurse wiping Kazeno off. "What are you doing here?" Mamoru repeated, his fist clinching and unclinching at his sides. The man looked at him strangely. "Come with me." Mamoru blinked. Then again. "What?" he finally managed. "Come with me." Mamoru threw a worried glance inside the room that held his son, then down at his wife who was clutching his arm. "What?" he shook his head to make more sense of the sudden situation. Korntz blew out frustrated air. "Do you want your children to live?" he asked bluntly, eyeing the two before him. Mamoru took a step forward, Usagi still at his side. "What do you mean?" Korntz waved a hand in the air, at his command a black void filled the air before him. "Come with me." Green eyes meet blue then blue again. Mamoru stepped through the portal. **** Rei looked up from the magazine she was reading. Evil. Pure undaunted evil radiated through her soul. Her mind reeled in the strange presence before her eyes snapped open. She stood up in a flash and moved her head back, staring at the nothingness before her. Ami's computer started beeping. Haruka's mind recalled as she was clutched by a terrible headache. Setsuna stood up, summoned her time staff and closed her eyes. Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten all reached for their hension sticks. Minako clutched her hension stick tightly. Makoto laid a reassuring hand on Ikuko who was watching the room with fear. Fear of what, she couldn't explain. **** Beryl stepped off her throne and left the main room. It summoned and she obeyed. 'But not for long.' Metallia's mist filled the giant room, booming in presence. Waiting ever so patiently for 'her' to arrive. This was a useless battle, Beryl was still as useless as ever. Many plans had been conjured up, then all but forgotten. 'Useless bitch.' "Yes my queen," Beryl's small form kneeled before Metallia. She looked down. 'Useless.' "What is happening? Why do we still wait? You had permission long ago to destroy Earth! What is the problem?!" Beryl stared at the floor. "Well?" she purred. Silence. "Beryl! What is the meaning of this? You successfully attack Princess Serenity... and then you *save* her? You take her a second time cause her to abandoned Endymion, and her *prince* saves the day. Third time, you capture her, the prince, all the senshi and they *escape*? And now that we have the ginzuishou, all the power we need to attack AND YOUR SITTING ON YOUR ASS DOING NOTHING!" Her lack of movement caused Metallia to scream with rage. Her lack of concern that her life was just about over, again. Nothing. "Well, we don't exactly have the ginzuishou." Beryl screamed and her body shook as Metallia entered her. The room went completely black, every fiber, every core of darkness emitting itself into one woman. Metallia laughed. "Die bitch." ***** Chibi-Usa felt a cold wind blow through the room. She shivered, still only wearing pink baby doll pajamas, slowly eased herself across the room in an attempt to reach the iron crib that held her sister. "Sora?" Silence. "Sora?" she repeated, holding on to the side of the bed for balance. Silence, darkness, blankness. Chibi-Usa felt the cool air blow through again. Her eyes flashed black, then red again. "Sora? "Mama? Daddy?" Sorano's tiny eyes filled with fear as Chibi-Usa reached for her. Her black eyes staring at nothing. Then they flashed, and for a split second the red penetrated the black. "Sora?" The blinds shook and the window opened, a light flashed in the room. "Damned fool," the figure cursed. "He didn't get here in time." Pulling a silenced Chibi-Usa in one arm and a scared-out-of-her-mind one-year old in the other, he left. ****** Mamoru opened his eyes and immediately one word left his mouth. "Usako." She grabbed his hand and he allowed a small breath of relief to penetrate his soul. "Where are we?" The last breath of the word never left his mouth when the room exploded in light. A tall figure stood ten feet infront of the prince and princess. As he turned, Mamoru and Usagi's both gaped. "Masaka..." Usagi breathed. The man turned completely and bowed, his silver hair brushing the side of his face in the swift action. Mamoru blinked hard before allowing his jaw to fall open. "Kunzite?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` sooo, was you surprised??? huh? huh? Gosh, I hope so! I'm tring to build up suspence in this chapter -- did I suseed? (*sighs dejectedly* I know, I can't spell... ^^)