CHANGED
by Rose




PART 8






	"What?!" Usagi cried, sitting up in bed, a 
scream caught in her throat.
	"Usa, please. It's only me." Hin came over 
and sat on the edge of the bed.
	"Hin? Oh... it was a dream." Usagi moaned. 
"Damned dreams."
	"I'm supposing you know now." Hin said 
softly.
	"Know? Oh, yeah. That's what freaked me out, 
not you." Usagi gave him a weak smile. 
	Hin stood about six foot, around Haruka's 
height. He had strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes 
that were cloudy, as though he was thinking about a 
far away place. He was built for battle, not an 
ounce of fat on his body.
	"And what do you think of it?" he asked, 
looking away, at the door, ready to hide if he 
heard footsteps.
	"I don't want it." Usagi said immediatly. "To 
live forever, even after my friends die? No, I'd 
rather die tomorrow than live forever."
	"Don't say that!" Hin said feircly.
	"Geez. It's a joke. Not really like I have 
choice. I suppose I can use it to my advantage."
	"Just remember Usagi, somethings can make you 
wish you could die... and if you want something so 
much you can feel it-- becareful what you wish 
for."
	"I don't need you telling me too." Usagi got 
up and slipped on a robe over her nightgown. "I've 
enough trouble wi--" She never got to finish her 
sentense. A wave of pain came over her and she fell 
to her knees, holding her head. Hin rushed to her 
side.
	A simple, yet clear answer came into her 
mind.
	Help!
	It was Tuxedo Kamen. And he was in trouble.
	"Hin... Tuxedo Kamen..." She whispered, 
pushing him away.
	"Yes, I feel it too. Your friend is in 
trouble, Princess. Should we wake the senshi or go 
alone. I will protect you."
	"I don't think they'll come anyway. Let's go, 
before they hear the racket and wake up. MOON 
SILVER POWER MAKE UP!" She transformed, and then 
together, she and Hin headed to the source of the 
trouble.
	Tuxedo Kamen.

************************



	Mamoru struggled, lashing out and hitting 
nothing but air.
	"Be still, I tell you. Be still. I am a 
friend!" A man's voice hissed. Mamoru debated, and 
decided to stop fighting him.
	It was useless, anyway.
	He felt the strong arms release him, 
hesitantly. Mamoru spun around to face his 
attacker, adreniline rushing through his body. 
Reaching for the magic rose that would give him 
extra strength.
	He was looking at the face of Kunzite.
	"A friend?!" Mamoru nearly shrieked.
	"I am not who you think I am! My name is 
Kage, my Prince. It has taken me a great while to 
determine your whereabouts. I am here to fight with 
you, to destroy the Dark Kingdom that has unjustly 
made a clone of me." Kage spoke with a slight 
accent, and his tone was softer, kinder, than the 
general's.
	"A clone?" Mamoru felt like believing his 
story.
	"Yes, sire. A clone. Do you not know the 
history of the Dark Kindom?" he continued as Mamoru 
shook his head. "Well, it is a very long story, but 
to make matters short, because we've company on the 
way, you were Prince of the Earth and I was your 
main protector. I've not proof, but I hope that you 
can believe me."
	"Well, a few months ago I'd said you were 
completely looney, Kage, but... since then, my 
life's gotten a bit... *strange*, so I'm gonna 
believe you." Mamoru smiled. His gut told him to 
trust Kage, and lately, he'd figured out that his 
gut was usually right.
	Usually.
	"My Prince, as I mentioned, two people, 
approaching at an abnormal speed, are headed this 
way." Kage said, but Mamoru frowned at him.
	"My name is Mamoru, or..." He henshined. 
"Tuxedo Kamen. Not 'Prince'."
	"You always did dislike titles."
	"Alright. Hide... until they get here. Let's 
see who they are before we kick butt." He said, 
jumping onto a window sill above his head. Kage 
shruged, donned a fuku somewhat like Prince 
Endymion's, only white on silver, instead of 
Endymion's silver on black, and seemed to disappear 
amoung the shadows.
	Three minutes later, Sailor Moon and Hin ran 
into the alley.
	"Dammit, I know this is it. Now, where's 
Tuxedo Kamen?" Sailor Moon murmured.
	"It was probably a panic situation, Pri- 
Sailor Moon. He saw something that made him panic." 
Hin said.
	Up above, Tuxedo Kamen wondered how Sailor 
Moon knew where he was, and who that *guy* was with 
her.
	Kunzite stood in shocked realization of who 
Hin and Sailor Moon were.
	"Wait. There is something..." Sailor Moon 
slammed the end of her staff on the cold concrete.
	"Who's there? In the name of the Moon, I 
demand you show yourself."
	Kunzite was cornered.
	"Only if you remember, my *princess*, I am 
not who I appear to be." He said kindly, and 
appeared from the shadows. Hin looked confused, but 
Sailor Moon stepped froward.
	"Not who you appear to be, eh? You appear to 
be Kunzite." She said forcfully. "Where is Tuxedo 
Kamen?!"
	"Safe."
	"Sailor Moon, this is not a general. the 
energy emitted from him is good, white. Look." Hin 
pointed out. Sailor Moon nodded. 
	"Yes, you're right. This must be the real 
Kunzite. I never did believe they were evil." 
Sailor Moon looked at him. "You know who I am?"
	"Yes."
	"Then don't tell anyone. Where is Tuxedo 
Kamen, anyway?"
	"Above you." Kunzite looked at the caped man, 
who climbed down from his perch.
	"Great. Do you know *what* time it is?!" 
Sailor Moon yelled. "It's two in the morning! I 
just had a nightmare to end all nightmares, and 
then I come all this way, because Hin and I think 
you're in danger, to see you with Kunzite! Geez!" 
She turned to leave.
	"W-wait!" Tuxedo Kamen yelled. She turned 
half-way.
	"What?" She asked, noticing that Hin had 
disappeared.
	"Do you, by any chance, know where a girl 
named Tsukino Usagi is?" He asked.
	"No." Sailor Moon ran.
	Why on earth would he want to know about 
*her*?
	She ran in the direction of her mother's 
house, a rose clutched in her hand.


**********************



	Ikuko stared at knife as though it were a 
youma. What could it mean? Did they know her 
daughter was hiding from Beryl? Or worse, was it a 
ransom note?
	She hesitated before taking the few steps 
required and slowly reached toward the knife.
	As though it had a life of it's own, Ikuko 
swore the knife turned and nicked her, drawing the 
tiniest bit of blood from her finger.
	"Yike!" She yelped. She grabbed the note from 
the knife, leaving it in it's bloody splendor. 
	Quickly, she began to read:


	Mama, 
	The knife will cut you, as you noticed. But 
fear not, for it won't do it again. That knife has 
very powerful mage properties, and will protect 
you.
 I was here tonight, and I listened as you lied to 
Kenji. I am sorry you must, but you must at least 
suspect he is quite loyal to the queen. He knows 
about the 'rebels', and he will turn me, and even 
you and Shingo in, no matter who you are. Those who 
work with Beryl learn ruthlessness fast.
 The sight of the dagger must have frightened you, 
but I've got to go. You're coming now. Use it to 
protect yourself... 

	Usagi. 

*********************



	"I am the last of the Jukans, right?" Usagi 
knew this was not a dream. She had been awake when 
she had disappeared from her friend's eyes.
	She knew this because she heard their 
startled gasps and screams.
	Now, she was in a land of mists and shadows, 
where you could everything and yet nothing. 
	That was what she had been told once... by a 
woman who's face she remembered not.
	"Yes, that is true. But it does not have to 
be." A woman appeared from the lavendar fog. She 
was tall, with dark colored hair and startling rudy 
red eyes that flashed in the mistiness. She wore a 
senshi fuku of dark, murky colors, and held a staff 
in shape of a key with an orb at the top that was 
the same shade as the woman's eyes.
	"I see, but I do not." Usagi said slowly, 
forcing the words from her lips. "I see why i must 
fight, but I do not see why I must kill. I sense 
you are the one that can give me that answer."
	"At one time, princess, I might have been, 
but no more. My name is Sailor Pluto." The fog 
began to disappear.
	"No. I can remember a bit about Sailor 
Pluto... she looked like the woman in my dreams, 
and you do not look like her." Usagi was confused 
at the sudden realization of the person in her 
first of many dreams.
	"Ah, that was the one before me, the one 
responisble for the mess." Sailor Pluto smiled a 
sad smile.
	"She apologized."
	"The world is in danger. But, I have not 
brought you here to discuss this. I need to give 
you something." PLuto said. "Normally I would not 
interfere this way, but the warps are in need of 
help."
	"Sailor PLuto, one day, after we have won 
this war, I shall help you find peace." Usagi 
promised, as Pluto pressed something into Usagi's 
hand. 
	It was a stone. It looked like an ordanary 
piece of rose quartz, but Usagi felt it to be much 
more.
	"It was the greatest triumph of the Jukans. 
Something more powerful than life or death, but 
concealed in a form so common that none would ever 
recognize it for what it truely was."  Pluto 
murmured.
	"It is the Moon Heart Stone. It controls the 
Heavens."


**********************


	The senshi and cats were busy being worried 
out of their minds when Usagi reappeared in her 
bedroom, the small pink crystal clutched so tightly 
in her hand she feared it would shatter.
	She held in her hand enough power to take 
over the universe and keep it so without 
oppostition.
	But the only thing the worn out girl wanted 
was to go *home* and sleep.
	And by the moon, she would.
	"I will defeat Beryl." She whispered. "I 
will."
	She calmly walked down the stairs, and 
laughed at the chaos before her. Ami was working on 
her computer with a rage, Rei was meditiating, 
Haruka and Michiru were henshined, weapons ready. 
Minako was talking to the cats, while Makoto stood 
aside, looking like she wanted to laugh too. Usagi 
wove through the mess and up to her.
	"Usagi, will you just look at them?" She 
asked.
	"I know. You get teleported away and chaos 
errupts." Usagi sighed, mockingly. "What will I 
ever do?"
	"Well, begin by telling them you're here." 
Makoto suggested. "Before they kill themselves."
	"MINNA!" Usagi shouted at the top of her 
lungs.
	Silence.
	"USAGI!"

*********************



	"You mean, that is the key to the downfall of 
Beryl?" Haruka asked scepticly. "That's a bit easy, 
after what we've been through." 
	"I know." Usagi nodded. "That's why I'm going 
to try it on a general first." Suddenly, she felt 
Hin's presence. "Minna, I'm *yawn* sleepy. Why 
don't we all hit the sack for tonight and kick some 
butt tomorrow?" She faked.
	After a few suspicious glances, the senshi 
grudedly agreed, and Usagi bounded up the stairs, 
taking them three at a time.
	"Real sleepy, isn't she?" She heard Rei's 
sarcastic reply.
	She didn't stop until she was in her bedroom, 
door slammed behind her.
	"What's up?" She asked.
	"Not much, Hime-chan. But--" Hin looked 
troubled as he walked from the shadows of the 
furthest end of the room. 
	"What did you find out, Hin?" Usagi asked, 
recognizing the tone of voice.
	"I think I have found Zoisite, in his rebron 
state. We need to get to him before the Dark 
Kingdom does."
	"Zoisite. He will be a big help if you're 
right. Where?" Usagi asked, henshining.
	"At the edges of the city."
	"That's not too far if we run. Do we want to 
go alone? or should I get a senshi...?"
	"One of them, and one who can accept things 
quickly and keep their mouths shut." Hin said.
	"Mako-chan." Sailor Moon muttered. Hin 
nodded, and he and Sailor Moon slipped down the 
hall, opening Makoto's door slowly. 
	The brunette was looking out the window, but 
quickly turned at the creaking of the door.
	"Mako! Shush, and henshin. We'll explain on 
the way, kay?" Makoto nodded, a million questions 
blooming in her mind, but she kept her mouth shut; 
she knew Usagi would tell her. She quickly 
transformed and followed her princess and the 
strange man out of the house and into the 
mysterious beyond.


***********************



	"I see." Jupiter said finally, as they drew 
closer to the spot where Hin claimed he saw 
Zoisite.
	Sailor Moon told Jupiter all about Hin, the 
clones, and everything else she thought nessessary. 
Jupiter listened attentivly, and soon her questions 
were answered.
	Except one.
	"Does Tuxedo Kamen know who you are, Usa?" 
She asked. Sailor Moon stopped running. Her gaze 
turned to the full moon that hung in the sky.
	"I really don't know, Mako."
	"Come on. Here is his home." Hin motioned 
urgently to a modest looking house that sat at the 
end of a long street with no cover. it would be a 
mad dash to make sure no one saw them and called 
the cops.
	Jupiter and Sailor Moon knew this.
	"On the count of three. Don't stop until you 
reach the house. Knock politely, and then run in 
past him." Hin whispered.
	"Okay."
	"1... 2... 3!" They took off, running faster 
than any had ever seen. They were a blur. 
	In seconds, they reached the door, and it was 
Jupiter who knocked.
	After a few noises inside and a couple of 
crashes and cruses, the door was yanked open by an 
extremely pissed-off man.
	The senshi nearly knocked him over as they 
charged into the house, Hin pushing the man a few 
feet back as Sailor Moon slammed the door shut with 
her staff.
	"Sailor Senshi..." he muttered, amazed. 
	"Do you know who you are, sir?" Jupiter 
asked. 
	"My name is Zoe... but in the past..." he 
trailed off.
	"Good. You know that you were Zoisite." Hin 
smiled.
	"But I'm not that pathetic excuse of a 
clone!" Zoe persisted.
	"We know. Believe me, Zoe, we know." Sailor 
Moon grinned, but a serious frown over came her 
face quickly.
	"We need your help, Zoe..."

***************************************************
Sucky place to cut, but....
Oh yeah. In part three or four, I made a boo-boo. 
TUXEDO KAMEN DOES NOT KNOW USAGI IS SAILOR MOON. 
Thank you. I haven't a clue why I put that... 
but...

-Rose