And... here's chapter 3. I hope someone is reading this :)
__________________________

Unwelcomed Return
Chapter 3
By: Destiny
Rated: PG13
__________________________

Ami~

As I gaze up through my broken visor, I'm forced to close my eyes again as a 
bright
flash erupts from the darkness. I must be far, I realize, because I can 
barely hear the
sounds of the battle going on around me. Or perhaps there isn't a battle? I 
can feel
Usagi's pain in me, I can feel her weakening every time she meets our 
enemy's
sword with her own.

Yes, a sword fight. It's the only logical explaination for the sharp noises 
and the
sparks flying from so far away. I wish I had the strength left in me to 
offer her my
help. I know I can't be far from falling unconscious, but the need in me to 
stay
awake beckons stronger than the weakness in my body. To see the end.

With all my knowledge, all of my readings, I still can't fathom how it is 
possible
for this enemy to have returned from the past. A past we thought was dead 
and
gone, I suppose. Because this enemy never really did die. It's not possible 
that the
enemy that hid behind the mask of The Dark Knight died and came back to be 
as
strong as they're proving to be now. It would take years of training, 
working with
magic, droids. Building up the apparent anger and hatred ten times worse 
than that
which we faced before.

It wasn't merely for ruling the world now, that was too easy. Our enemy 
wished to
destroy it, and as much as I hate to admit it, I feared it wasn't that 
unbelievable at
this point. But I've always been a scared, timid girl. This battle brought 
out things
in me I never knew existed. Something I buried deep down inside, for I 
believe it
had no purpose in my life. It brought out an undenyable anger, and lust to 
kill The
Dark Knight, and all of the followers. For destroying lives, something I've 
studied,
and ... what I had hoped to continue studying for, and fought for, to save. 
They
destroyed it without regard, or hesitation. And they left no chance of 
survival.

I felt hatred stronger than I'd ever experienced in my life.

~~~~~~~~~~

Mother had been away all the time now. The hospital was busy trying to save 
lives
which I knew had no chance to be saved. But she still tried.

How I respect my mother, and everything she works so hard for. I want to be 
just
like her, you know. A well respected doctor, saving lives, curing diseases. 
Perhaps
that was just the glam of it all - but I wanted to help people. I wanted to 
save
people. It wasn't all about me, it never would be.

Perhaps this all comes from my past as a senshi. I don't remember everything 
about
how I was when I lived on Mercury, Princess to my planet, and protector of 
the
Moon. But it seemed rational to believe I was this way, even then. I 
remember when
I was young, helping sick animals, comforting a fellow student when they 
fell and
bruised their knee. I do not hate many things in this word, but I hate to 
see people
hurt.

You can imagine then, my utter disgust in the new enemy's tactics. I tried 
to remain
calm, to hold my composure and think through how to stop them from killing
anyone at all. But my hatred blinded me. I wanted nothing more for us to 
band
together and destroy this monsters being. His very life, everything he was. 
Because
to me, he truly had no soul. He was already dead. To hold such low regard to 
the
people who he destroyed, their numbers already higher than I even cared to 
imagine.
He did not deserve to walk with the living. To breathe our air, or drink our 
water.

And there had been only three battles to date. If I had known then there 
were still
so many to come, and so many more lives would have been lost, perhaps I 
would
have drawn out more drastic measures to destroy this beast. Perhaps I would 
have
ignored the ones dying all around me, and focused only on destroying the 
reeper
himself. But... I did not. And still so many died.

~~~~~~

I remember the fourth battle. The one that stands out most in my mind. It 
invades
me with memories I'd rather lose. But even if we won today, I would not... 
no...
could not ever forget a single battle we fought in the past month.

My mother had little time during her days at the hospital to get proper 
nutrition,
so on this day, aside from my wanting to help out any way I could, I packed 
up a
small lunch (a turkey sandwich, an apple, and a small back of chips.) and 
headed
on my way.

I wore no smile as I entered the hospital as I used to on so many occasions 
prior.
There was nothing to smile about. The nurses and doctors on duty were all 
grim,
tired eyes always shifting, worried about what kind of mass group would come 
in
next. Already dead, badly injured... someone they couldn't help. There were 
so many
things.

I could smell death here, something I had never really had to focus on 
before. The
morgue was full, busy, and the doctors were sitting, worrying. The site was 
something
so beyond depressing, I couldn't even explain it to you if I tried.

I spotted my mother sitting somewhat slumped in a nearby seating area, her 
eyes
tired, as she stared down at her palms. My guess would be she was wondering 
why
now, at the most desperate times, did they seem to fail her. For her to be 
unable to
save these people.

I knew exactly how she felt, but I had no words to comfort her.

Silently, I sat next to her, putting my head gently on her shoulder. I knew 
she wanted
to cry, but she would not. And neither would I. We were strong for 
eachother, it's how
we've always been since father was away all the time. Though this was by far 
the hardest
thing we've had to face. Both in our own ways. If only she knew...

I felt her body tense, and my eyes flew curiously open, worry streaming 
through my blood.
I turned my face up to question why she was suddenly so rigid, and her wide 
eyes scared me
the most. As I followed her gaze, somehow I already knew what she was 
looking at, and I had
to repress the sudden urge to scream out in anger. I could not draw 
attention to my mother.

The Dark Knight's mask seemed to smile as he gazed around the suddenly busy 
room.
These men and women knew far better than anyone, that by these beasts 
swords, their lives
would end. And no one wanted that.

I felt my mothers hand on my back then, pushing me down and dragging me 
towards a
small examination room. This could very well be a big problem, I knew.  My 
protests were
quiet and weak, as I tried to explain to her that I needed to help them. Why 
couldn't she
understand, on the other hand, how could I expect her to?

"Mother, please, I need to get out there and help them!" I cried, trying to 
pull her arms
from around my waist, I could already hear the screams that were always let 
out just before
death set in. It was breaking my heart, I had to go.

"Ami!" She cried, shaking her head and holding me tighter, "There is nothing 
you can do
for them, if our lives are taken, what good are we to help them then?"

"You don't understand! Mother please, I can help them!"

"NO! Ami I've done nothing but try to help them, and all that's happened is 
loss! I won't
let you be lost as well. You are not leaving this room!" It was the first 
time my mother
had shouted at me.

I stopped slowly, turning my head as best I could to glance at my mother. I 
knew,
my mother was very frightened. And I wished there was something I could do 
to ease
her mind, but there was no time for that. With a very gentle smile, I reared 
up her legs
throwing my mother off balance. As we fell to the floor, I winced as my 
mother's arms
released me, and went limp. I turned my head quickly, and knew my mother was 
out
cold. Perhaps I'd over done it...

Shaking my head quickly I raised my arm in the air, "MERCURY STAR POWER!"

I transported out of the small room, rather than opening to door to draw 
less attention,
and I wasted no time sending forth blasts of power at any and every dark 
being i could
see. The other senshi had already arrived, and a pang of guilt reached my 
heavy heart as
I realized most of the dirty work had already been done. Though, still evil 
was running
about wildly slashing.

My eyes stung as I prepared another attack as one of the Dark Knight's 
fiends ran towards
me. And still, a moment of hesitation passed through me. Despite all the 
killing they'd done
I still managed to hesitate. Why? I do not know. How? I can't even imagine. 
These were the
enemy, never before have I hesitated on the battle field. So why now? I 
couldn't understand.

And I wondered more, as the blade ripped through my shoulder, why I hadn't 
attacked.
Perhaps I wish to understand it all. To maybe get a glimpse of what these 
horrible beings
wanted, or what their purpose for the rampage was. Too slow, Ames. I only 
gasped out air,
as I felt the hot blade twist in my shoulder. I knew my eyes were wide, 
staring into my
attackers mask. I could see the red behind them, and at that point, I could 
see the thirst. I
could see there was nothing more to these beings, but hate, and the lust for 
blood. I could
hear Usagi's scream, as I guessed she saw what had happened. And I saw pink 
blast the
creature from his sword, dead to my side. And I saw a hazy image of aqua, 
before my eyes
rolled into the back of my head, and my body dropped to the floor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michiru~

I am tired. I'm torn between the desire to give Usagi my very soul to help 
her fight, and
the selfish want to just let my life end. I'm so very tired.

And where is Haruka? I know she is alive, but barely. Why does it have to be 
so dark. What
of my little Hotaru? Of any of the senshi? Just how many of us were there 
left.

Now I suppose that does not matter. By hearing the battle rage on, slowing a 
little more
with each passing moment, I know no one is well enough to help our dear 
princess. I almost
don't even feel the tears slipping over my cheeks, my face numb from the 
cold about me. I
wonder if I close my eyes, will I wake? But I will not. I cannot close my 
eyes, I cannot leave
Usagi alone, not any of them.

This enemy destroyed everything precious in the world, they stole so many 
sweet things. I
find myself wondering ironically, if by some miracle I survived, what would 
I paint? What
would I play? Sorrowful, destructive paintings and music. They had taken 
away the beauty
for me. And I wonder if I could ever see it again, should this enemy die. 
The enemy was new to
me, but still, it seemed amazing to me that the senshi had defeated this 
force before. So
hungry, powerful... frightening.

I watch, still, amazed by Usagi's strength. Love was all she had left on her 
side, and somehow
it kept her going strong. I sit here, in envy and awe of my princess. She is 
more beautiful
inside and out than all of us combined.

Would her desire to save the love of the planet be enough this time? I have 
faith... but it's
slowly leaking from me just as my blood does the same.

~~~~

Damnedable creatures. I can understand the cold, wanting need for power, and 
rule of the
world, almost. But blood lust? No. This was new to me. I'm not unaccustomed 
to the
filth in the world, no, I see it every day. But a murdering rage such as 
what we had seen
was more than that.

Admist battle I could see from the corner of my eye, Ami - dear, sweet 
princess of Mercury,
with a sword through her. Usagi's piercing scream seemed to silence and stop 
everything
for a moment. And the gleem in her eye froze me in place momentairly as she 
sent the beast
to hell with her crystal.

I watched as the rugged demon fell crisp to the floor, and was seconds from 
Ami as she
began to fall. But I never let her hit the ground. I screamed out, for 
anyone to help me. Mars
and Venus were at my side, helping me hold her up as we withdrew the horrid 
sword from
her shoulder. I thank whatever Gods happened to be there for it only being 
through her
shoulder, and not her heart.

My left eye blurred red and I hastily wiped the blood from my eyes. The 
battle had been
hard, and I don't believe a single one of us left unscathed. I could see 
Hotaru and Usagi
doing their best to try and heal as many as they could, but so many were 
already dead, only
few were salvaged.

~~

I was relieved when Ami awoke hours later at the Shrine. Hotaru, though 
dangerously
drained already, had healed her deathly wound to nothing more than a very 
dark bruise,
and a small puncture.

As I sat with Hotaru now, sleeping soundly in my lap, I smiled to the blue 
haired senshi, more
than relieved at her presence with us again.

I wish not to dwell in remembrance of battles. Because they are something I 
have managed
to push back as we battled on. One thing I never left behind was the 
awareness of the
cruelty our new enemy possessed, which was not to be taken lightly. I knew 
if they COULD
get close to use, for even a moment (as poor Ami had unwillingly prooven to 
us) they
would take us all down in the blink of an eye, just as they would any other 
person walking
on the streets.

We were all terribly concerned about Usagi. In addition to the strain of 
losing so many lives,
the transition period she was going through, as she was shifting to her 
royal stature, the
stress was enough to make her crazy. We could just hear her and Mamoru's 
voices from a
nearby room in the shine, hushed whispers on the edge of breaking. He was 
holding up
remarkably well, though it was beyond obvious he was dead worried about his 
princess,
and the fate of his planet. He would not leave her side in battle, at least, 
I don't believe
I've ever seen him not at her side as she fought desperately to rid the area 
wherever we may
be battling as fast as possible.

Was the crystal enough? Just how many monsters did the Dark Knight have at 
his disposal?
Could it be endless? Were they manufactured? My head was spinning, I didn't 
even want to
consider the odds. Despite our minor victories (if you could even call it 
that) the evil side
was still very much in the lead, and seemingly picking the most opportune 
times to go
after the most inconceivable places...

The time for being prey was over, I knew then, we must become the hunters.
__________________________________________________________________

Hm... okay! Decent? BAD?

please let me know ;)
dreemwrld@hotmail.com