**Before I get comments about the Lights and Mamoru having American 

furniture,

you have to remember some of the episodes where you actually see their

apartments. Mamoru has a bed and a couch, but he also has the low Japanese

tables too. The décor of most of the apartments they live in is a strange

mixture of traditional American and Japanese furniture. I also want to thank

Clare-chan for helping out with ideas, she's been a big help! Oh yeah, and

translations are at the end.**





Sailor Stars Awakening:

Chaos Theory: Act Six

	A twist of fate:

		Departures and returns.

					Begun 12/24/99 Finished 1/1/00



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

				CHAOS THEORY

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

			      By Hoshi Seppun-Kara and Sora Kazeno

			      Please E-mail at: Kaelali_su@hotmail.com



	Usagi tossed her hair over her shoulder as she entered the classroom.

Coolly surveying the other students, she took her seat in the front and set

her books under the table.

	Makoto ran up to her and knelt by the desk. "Hey Usagi-chan! What's

up?"

	Usagi didn't raise her eyes from her folder as she took out the

homework from the night before and began looking over it.

	Makoto frowned and said again, louder, "Usagi-chan! I asked you how

you are."

	Seemingly oblivious to Makoto, she began making corrections on the

paper.

	Her frown deepening, Makoto waved a hand in front of Usagi's face.

"Helloooo! Usagi-chan?"

	With a sharp exhalation, Usagi set down the paper and looked at her,

an annoyed expression on her face. "What do you want?"

	Makoto drew back. "Whoa, what's wrong with you?"

	Sighing, Usagi looked back to her homework. "It's none of your

business. Now leave, I have work to do."

	Standing, Makoto's face scrunched up in confusion. "Usagi-chan, are

you alright?"

	Barely sparing her a glance, Usagi said in a dry voice, "I'm sure I'd

be fine if little irritations like you would leave me alone and stop

pestering me."

	Makoto blinked in surprise, a hurt look crossing her face. "Well,

I...I'll go then."

	Usagi's eyes scanned the paper. "Good."

	As Makoto turned away, her eyes wandered to Seiya's empty seat. *I

hope Seiya arrives soon, maybe he can tease her out of this mood.*

	Walking back to where Minako sat, desperately trying to finish her

homework before the bell with help from Ami, she plopped into the seat next

to them and put her chin in her hands.

	"Oooooh!" squealed Minako. "This is so hard! Why are you so good at

math, Ami-chan?! I think that all the smartness in the world should have 

been

divided up evenly!"

	"That was definitely an area where you didn't get *your* fair share,"

sniggered Usagi as she stood and passed them. A few girls nearby giggled and

sent sly glances to Minako.

	Minako's head shot up in astonishment, and she looked at Usagi with a

startled expression. Then, she tried to smile and forced a few giggles,

thinking maybe it was a joke.

	Ami jumped to her feet swiftly. "Usagi-chan! That was inappropriate!"

	Usagi sneered. "It's true, isn't it?"

	Minako recoiled as if burned, and Ami stared at Usagi in dismay.

"What are you saying, Usagi-chan?!"

	Usagi rolled her eyes and turned away. "Only the truth."

	Ami's lips parted and her eyes widened to show whites all around the

dark blue of her irises. "Usagi-chan..."

	Makoto grabbed her arm to stop her. "Don't bother. I already tried

talking to her, and only got more of the same."

	Ami looked her, dazed. "No, I've got to talk to her..." she said

vaguely, pulling away. Approaching Usagi tentatively, she watched the young

girl's eyes as she turned.

	"You have exactly three minutes to speak until class starts," Usagi

stated dryly.

	"Usagi-chan? What's wrong?" Ami asked softly. "Why are you acting

this way? Everything was fine yesterday."

	For the briefest moment, Usagi's expression softened. "Yesterday...

everything was different." Her look turned to one of contempt. "I was so

ignorant of how all of you really are; I was happy to be deceived. Well," 

Her

eyes moved to rest on Ami again, "no longer will I be your fool."

	Ami shook her head. "Usagi-chan, I'm confused. You were never our

fool, you are friend, our hope, the embodiment of our love."

	Usagi snorted. "Oh, don't bother trying to reinforce the lies anymore,

I can see through them now." Usagi flicked her hand at Ami, as if shooing 

her

away.

	With a gasp, Ami reached out and caught Usagi's hand. "Mamoru-san's

ring! Where is it?!"

	Snatching her hand back, Usagi replied, "That old thing?" She

shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not sure where it is now, in the dump somewhere

I suppose."

	Ami's mouth dropped open in shock. "W...why..." The bell sounded to

start class, but it went unnoticed by either of them as their eyes locked,

Usagi's proud and challenging, and Ami's wide with astonishment.

	"To your seat, Mizuno-san," came the voice of the teacher.

	Dumbfounded, Ami made her way to her seat in a trance.

	Makoto poked her as Urashima-sensei started class and whispered,

"Hey, what happened?" When Ami did not respond, Makoto prodded her again,

harder. "Hey!" she hissed. "Ami-chan!"

	Ami turned to face her, expressionless. Her voice dead, she said,

"Usagi..." she trailed off. Shaking her head, she faced the front again and

would not respond further to Makoto's pinches.

	Minako watched Ami and Makoto with concern. She tried to catch

Usagi's eye to ask her what was wrong, but Usagi would not face her 

direction.

Restless, Minako shifted in her seat. *I wonder if this has to do with the

dream I had last night...* She shuddered to herself, forcing the thought 

from

her mind. *No, that's crazy. I'm sure it's just something little. But...* 

she

turned in her seat again, *Ami-chan's not doing her work, and that's not at

all like her... Maybe I'm just overreacting.*

	Frowning, she looked around the room. *Wait, none of the Lights are

here, and class already started!* Sighing miserably, she placed her chin in

her hands. *Yaten-kun isn't here_and_Usagi-chan is being mean! What a bad 

day

this is turning out to be.*

	It seemed lifetimes before the bell for lunch finally rang.  Usagi

stood and walked to the desk of the teacher, speaking with him for a few

moments before quietly gathering her lunch and returning to sit by his desk.

	Makoto watched Usagi as she pulled up a chair next to Mr.Urashima,

and looked to Ami, but Ami would not even glance in Usagi's direction as she

walked out the door. Minako waited as Ami passed her, but Makoto wouldn't

budge from her place.

	"Usagi-chan!" she called. "Aren't you coming to lunch?"

	"No."

	Makoto waited for something more than that, but the only response

came from the teacher.

	"Tsukino-san has asked for me to help her with some of her schoolwork

because she feels she could...ah...better her education. Now, I think that

your lunch bell has rung?" He looked at the two girls expectantly.

	Makoto stared at Usagi, who would not raise her head from her papers,

then lowered her eyes to the ground. "Alright. We'll see you around, Usagi

-chan."

	There was a soft response, and it sounded almost like, "I don't think

so," but Makoto could have been mistaken. Minako joined her as they walked

down the hall, neither speaking.

	Stopping so abruptly that Makoto passed her by, Minako's head raised

and she stomped her foot on the ground.

	"What is this? Why is it that things can never stay the way they are?

Why can't we just live as normal girls?!"

	Makoto turned wearily. "We don't know yet that this isn't just

something that has to do with Usagi-chan personally. Maybe this has nothing

to do with..." She stopped at the expression on Minako's face. "Nani? What 

is

it?"

	Minako's head shook slowly, her eyes beginning to tremble. "No, no, I

know this is bad. I saw it in a dream...there's a new enemy..."

	Makoto gave a start. "You dreamed that too?"

	Their eyes met in surprise. "Do you think that the others...?"

murmured Minako. Looking down the hall, she said, "We have to find 

Ami-chan!"

			*     *     *     *    *

	Staring up into the noonday sun, Hotaru's eyes burned as the

brilliant rays seared onto her retinas. Large arms of flaming gas reached

across the tortured surface of the golden disc, making incredible, burning

jumps that blazed darkly for a moment before being engulfed by even larger

explosions.

	Indistinctly, the voices from the television set flickered as the

channels flipped, finally coming to rest on a news station.

	"And due to the unusual amount of activity on the sun, people are

urged to stay indoors today and to wear hats if you must go out. Our

meteorologists are unable to explain why the sun seems to be covered with

solar flares and dark spots, which signify storms on the surface of the sun,

but the abundant amount of ultraviolet rays can do severe damage to your 

skin

if you are not careful. Now onto Marigi-san with the weather..." A soft 

click

sounded as the television was turned off and a pair of footsteps neared

Hotaru from behind.

	Hotaru heard a soft sigh as she was plucked from the ground and

turned to face Haruka.

	"You know that it is dangerous to look directly into the sun,

especially today." Hotaru squirmed in her arms as Haruka tickled her with 

one

hand. "You're getting almost too big to hold anymore, Hotaru-chan! Maybe we

feed you too many snacks."

	Wriggling to face the sun again, Hotaru's giggling faded.

	After a moment, Haruka asked softly, "What do you see?"

	"The dark patches, like the spots people get on the backs of their

hands as they age...The sun is burning itself out. It is boiling, restless,

turning large amounts of energy back into itself..." When she turned to face

Haruka again, her eyes were wide, engulfed by the blackness of her pupils,

reflecting twin orbs of the sun which had imprinted themselves into her 

eyes.

Haruka shuddered, slightly unsettled.

	"Come on," she said, "let's go inside."  Hotaru blinked a few times,

the usual violet returning to her eyes, and looked past her shoulder to

Michiru, who stood in the doorway. Haruka walked back into the house, and

Michiru closed the door behind her, shutting the drapes tightly, trapping 

the

sunlight outside.

*     *     *     *     *

	Ami frowned. "I wonder if we are the only ones who received the dream.

What I mean is," she looked at them, "if other people, like everyone in the

city, could have gotten it too."

	"Well." They heard a low chuckle.  "It appears we aren't the only

ones to worry, Michiru."

	Startled, they turned to find Haruka propped up against the open door

of the shrine, with Hotaru peeking from behind her, holding Michiru's hand.

	A worried look crossed Rei's face. "You mean, you dreamt it too?"

	Michiru nodded as she entered. "Of course. But we cannot assume that

this is something to worry about. Setsuna-san said that we would be attuned

to the changes of Earth, perhaps this is the beginning..."

	"If you aren't concerned, why are you here?"

	Michiru glanced at Ami. "I did not say that we aren't worried, it's

not *only* the dreams that brought us here."

	Hotaru walked into the room and knelt by her on the floor as the

others exchanged looks.

	"What do you mean?" asked Minako.

	"Has anyone looked at the sun lately?" Haruka walked in, but remained

standing near Michiru. "It is behaving strangely, there was even talk about

closing down the schools today."

	"Really?" asked Rei. "I didn't hear anything about it!"

	"Yes, it's been all over the news," said Ami. "No one even has a

guess as to why the sun is appearing this way." She pulled the books she had

checked out from the library closer to her. "It's just like when Beryl was

here, they say, two years ago."

	The room grew silent, and everyone looked at her.

	Hotaru's quiet voice broke their reverie.

	"Where's Usagi-chan?"

	Ami bit her lips and looked away, while Minako and Makoto shifted

uncomfortably.

	Rei looked at Michiru and Haruka. "I haven't seen her."

	"You mean she's not here?" asked Haruka.

	Makoto slowly shook her head. "No, and she was acting strangely at

school today too..." She trailed off.

	"Well then, that's it!" said Minako. "That's why Usagi-chan is acting

weird! Usagi-chan has always been more aware of this kind of thing, so of

course she's getting stronger feelings than us!" Minako smiled. "It all 

makes

sense!"

	Makoto thought about it. "Yeah, you're probably right, we're most

likely just overreacting. We most likely just need to talk to her privately

about *our* dreams so she knows she's not alone."

	Ami tightened her hold on the books the kept tightly pressed to her

chest, smiling to herself, her eyes to the floor. She laughed, once, and the

others looked to her.

	"Nani?" asked Minako.

	Ami laughed again, shaking her head. "Nothing really, it's just

that..." She raised her head and looked at them. "We're acting like we used

to, like a team, like the old days."

	Makoto sat up slowly, looking around. "You're right. You know what,

you're absolutely right." She grinned. "I guess I was sort of missing

something, and it was meetings like this where we all got together."

	"Except," spoke up Rei, "Usagi is missing."

	Minako laughed. "Don't worry about it, I'm sure things will be fine

tomorrow! After all, after every rain, there is a rainbow!"

	The room halted and looked at her in shock.

	"Minako-chan...you actually got a proverb right!" exclaimed Ami in

surprise.

	Minako's eyes grew wide. "I did?" She flashed them all a victory sign

and a grin. "Cool!" Holding up one finger philosophically, she intoned, "To

talk without thinking is to shoot a gun and kill someone without looking

first."

	There was a long pause that hung in the air.

	"Oh Minako-chan," sighed Makoto, putting her head in her hands as

large teardrops rolled down everyone's heads.

	"What?" pouted Minako. "Why is everyone looking like that?"



			*     *     *     *     *



	Smiling secretly to himself, Yaten reached down and gently stroked

the strings of the guitar he held in his hands. The strings quivered, 

sending

out trembling notes that flew uncertainly across the room. Coughing once and

adjusting the knobs, he ran his fingers across the guitar again, and it sang

through the air, clear and piercing.

	He did not try to hold back the grin that spread across his face.

	"Yaten..."

	He looked up, his eyes meeting Taiki's. Turning his attention back to

the instrument in his hands, he said, "You have no idea what it is like to

play again. I'm a bit un-practiced, and the notes are a bit flat, but there

is this feeling, this sense of *need,* this sensation to create, to write 

and

play." He glanced up again. "Sit. Sit and take your place at the piano and 

we

can improvise."

	Taiki remained standing, watching him. His eyes slid to the piano

nearby.  "You know I'm not feeling well. You shouldn't be up either."

	"Stop making excuses and feeling sorry for yourself and sit." Yaten's

voice left little room for argument, and Taiki was feeling too weak to try

and fight back.

	He walked to the piano, delicately dragging his fingers across the

surface, leaving trail in the dust. "It's been a while..."

	"It's still the same one that you left two years ago. Sit down. It

won't bite," teased Yaten, his mood improving.

	As Taiki took a seat on the bench, he ran his hands lightly over the

keys. "I'm not afraid of the piano itself, Yaten, it's my own lacking skill 

I

don't want to approach."

	Yaten experimented with a few chords, working his fingers up and down

the strings, continuing as if he hadn't heard him. "It's so natural, I can't

remember why we stopped playing."

	Sighing, Taiki pushed on a key, listening to the silvery note. He

reached out, and began doing scales up and down, then pressing in different

rhythms.

	Pausing to listen to Taiki for a moment, Yaten began following his

pattern, adding in small bridges when the mood struck him.

	Glancing up for a moment, Taiki grinned. "This is fun."

	Yaten joined his laughter, and realized that he was enjoying himself.

Playing a little flourish on the guitar, he smiled, truly happy for the 

first

time in as long as he could remember.

				*     *     *     *

	Through the fog of his headache, a sound pierced the haze, familiar

and carrying with it half-dead memories.

	Slowly, Seiya opened his eyes, squinting them against the light.

"What is that?" he whispered. The apartment had grown silent again.

	Moaning softly, he turned and pulled the blankets over his head.

"You're dreaming, Seiya," he murmured to himself.

	Again, the chords of a guitar he thought long gone.

	Seiya bolted upright, regretting it a moment later when the rest of

his insides followed, the blood rushing to his head in a pounding torrent.

Wincing, he placed one hand to his head and rested it on the back of the

couch.

	But the sharp notes brought his head up once again, peering around

the room.

	"Masaka..." he whispered. "It can't be..." But, only moments later,

the distinct sound of a piano joined the drawling notes of the guitar,

drawing them together to form a definite, if  undeveloped, melody.

	He shook his head, and ignoring the stabbing pains in his legs as he

stood, he walked to the room from which the notes came, the melody growing

louder as he neared the slightly ajar door.

			*     *     *     *     *

	Hearing the creak of the door, Yaten looked up, his fingers pausing

in their ministrations. "Oh, I think we woke him."

	Taiki, hearing the guitar silenced, also glanced up.

	Wearily supporting himself in the doorframe, the surprise on Seiya's

face slowly turned into a large grin. He pushed himself to a standing

position and laughed.

	"Well, that decides it!" he exclaimed. "The Three Lights are

officially back together as a music band once more!"

	Yaten felt himself smile, and saw the same reflected on Taiki's face

as they stood.

	"Welcome back, guys," said Seiya, reaching out one hand to shake

Yaten's. Yaten grasped his hand firmly as Taiki lay a hand on his shoulder.

	"Then it's indisputable now," Yaten laughed. "The Three Lights will

top the charts again!"

	His eyes widened in surprise as Seiya's face suddenly went white and

he stumbled forward. Catching him quickly, Yaten looked to Taiki in alarm.

	"Let's lay him down again in the other room," suggested Taiki,

helping Yaten carry Seiya.

	Frowning as Yaten set his head gently on the pillow, Taiki placed one

hand over Seiya's forehead. "It looks like he fainted. And his fever is back

too."

	Yaten's brow creased further. "What should we do? Should we call a

doctor?"

	Taiki took a seat nearby and folded his hands in front of him. "I

don't know."

	Startling him, the phone rang, its loud jangling stirring Seiya.

	Seiya's eyes slowly opened and he brought one hand to his head. "Oh

god, what's that noise?"

	"It's just the phone. Lay down, Seiya, you passed out." Yaten eased

him down, placing one hand firmly one his chest to keep him down.

	Studying Yaten, Seiya commented, "You look alright."

	"I feel a little better than I did this morning, but you obviously do

not. Now lie down!" commanded Yaten. "And pick the damn phone up!"

	Quickly, Taiki grabbed the phone. "Moshi moshi?"

			*     *     *     *     *

	Gripping the phone tightly, Rei scowled as the phone rang again.

	"They didn't pick up yet?" asked Minako anxiously.

	"No! Now be quiet!" said Rei.

	As Minako sulked, Rei heard a soft click on the other line. "Moshi

moshi?"

	Rei exhaled loudly in relief. "Oh good, you're home! I thought no one

would pick up!"

	Everyone relaxed slightly, ending any tense thoughts about terrible

things happening to the Starlights. At a time like this, everything seemed

possible.

	Minako leapt up and rushed to Rei. "Who is it? Who are you talking

to?!" she asked excitedly.

	Rei shooed her, "Yes, hello Taiki-san, this is Rei."

	Minako squealed with delight and tried to grab the phone away while

leaning over Rei and shouting into the mouth piece: "HI TAIKI-SAN!! How are

you?!!"

	"Minako-chan! STOP PUSHING ME! I'M THE ONE WHO CALLED!"

	Taiki grimaced and held the phone away from his ear until the

screaming stopped. Tentatively bringing it near again, he said cautiously,

"Hello?"

	"Oh, yeah, hi! Gomen, but Minako-chan can be a little...excitable."

	Minako stuck her tongue out and went back to moping.

	"Anyway," Rei's voice took a softer tone, "we noticed that you didn't

come to school today, and we were worried about you guys. Is everything

alright?"

	Taiki hesitated, then glanced over to where Seiya was struggling to

sit upright, and Yaten was trying to help but had begun coughing and wasn't

much assistance.

	Taiki's jaw hardened. "Yeah, we're alright. We just caught the flu

from somewhere. We're already starting to feel better and will probably be

back tomorrow."

	"That's good," she sighed.

	"Good?"

	She giggled, embarrassed, a teardrop forming on her head. "Well, we,

uh...weren't sure why you were gone and we had these weird ideas..."

	In her moment of uncertainty, Rei left the phone wide open for grabs.

Minako, seizing the moment, snatched the phone and cried excitedly, "Taiki

-san?! Hi hi! It's Minako-chan again!"

	On the other line, Taiki slowly began to massage his sinuses, though

his voice was cheerful when he said, "Oh, Minako-chan! Hello."

	Her voice growing serious, she asked, "Now why were you and Yaten-kun

and Seiya-kun absent? It was so *boring* in class!"

	"If you had let me tell you," growled Rei, stealing the phone back,

"I could have told you they were sick!"

	"Hey!" Minako tried to grab the phone, but Rei held it out of her

reach. "Oh fine! Talk to him."

	Rei picked up the phone again. "Sorry again!"

	Taiki opening his eyes again, feeling slightly nauseous. "Hmm? What?

I'm sorry, I wasn't listening."

	Rei detected the note of weariness in his voice and said, "Would you

like for me to come over and bring some soup?"

	"I'll help!" crowed Minako.

	Makoto balked and hit her with a nearby pillow. "No you won't!

Remember last time you tried to help the sick?"

	Rei ducked another pillow and whispered, "I wouldn't bring them, and

I could be really quiet."

	Taiki smiled, but shook his head (even though she couldn't see it).

"No, thank you, but I think we'll be alright on our own."

	"Okay. Then we'll see you tomorrow, hopefully?"

	"Yes. Ja matta, Rei-chan."

	Rei bit her lip and hesitated for a second. "Wait!" she burst out

before he could hang up.

	There was a pause on the other line before he said, "Yes?"

	Rei hesitated. "Well, I was just wondering if perhaps you or the

others maybe had a strange dream last night."

	"A dream?" Taiki frowned. "No, I don't think we got much sleep

though, we were feeling too miserable."

	"Oh." Rei glanced at the others. "Bye, Taiki-san." Rei slowly put the

phone back in the cradle.

	"So they're sick, huh?" asked Makoto. "I hope they feel better soon."

	"Did they have the dreams?" asked Ami.

	As Rei shook her head, Haruka said, "Of course not. They aren't from

this galaxy, they wouldn't get these feelings as we do."

	"But maybe...maybe their sickness had something to do with it!" Rei

looked at Haruka. "It is strange that we all receive dreams on the same

night that they come down with this illness."

	"I don't know, it could just be chance," said Ami, opening her book.

"Either way, I've a got an extra credit report due for my physics class

tomorrow, and I have to get started."

	A large teardrop rolled down everyone's head, and Michiru put a hand

over her eyes.

	"Ami-chan, I don't think you need extra credit in *any* of your

classes, you're at the top of all of them!" exclaimed Makoto.

	Ami frowned, peering at her over the top of her book titled,

"Scientific and Engineering Complexities." "Mako-chan, if I plan to stay at

the top I have to keep studying! In fact, I haven't been putting in as many

studying hours recently, my grade has dropped by one tenth of a percent!"

	Minako's head dropped to her chest. "To what? One hundred and five

percent?"

	Ami blushed slightly, "Well, actually, it's one hundred and seven..."

	Minako's body went taught and she fell to the ground in a heap.

	"Anyway, it shouldn't take me very long, it's a relatively new

concept and there isn't much research on it yet," said Ami.

	Minako snorted, rubbing the bump on her head that she had received

from her fall. "Yeah right. What is it? Some kind of new nuclear physics?"

	"Not really.  It's a new system called, 'Chaos Theory.' "

	" 'Chaos Theory?' You don't mean like...?" Makoto looked slightly

worried.

	"No no no," said Ami, laughing. "Chaos Theory: a modern development

in mathematics and science, provides a framework for understanding irregular

or erratic fluctuations in nature.  The study of their dynamics is an

essential part of the burgeoning science of complexity-the effort to

understand the principles of order that underlie the patterns of all real

systems, from ecosystems to social systems to the universe as a whole."

	Suddenly, Ami perked up, looking around. Everyone was staring at her,

not speaking or moving.

	"Nani?" she questioned, embarrassed. "Why is everyone staring at me?"

Ami slunk back, holding a book in front of her face as everyone felt a large

teardrop slide down the backs of their heads.

	Suddenly, there was a soft, rhythmic tapping on the roof, and they

all looked up. The patter grew louder and faster, and Michiru glanced out

the window at the glistening trees.

	"Oh," she said, mildly surprised, "It's raining."

*     *     *     *     *

	Ring.

	Ring.

	Ring.

	With a  grimace, Mamoru set the phone down none too gently and ran a

hand through his hair, staring at the ceiling. He rolled over in his bed and

gazed out the window at the pouring rain.

	Stifling a cough, he turned over again, feverish. *Where is she? Why

doesn't she answer her phone?*

	The cough broke through, racking his body in a small spasm. "Damn

this sickness," he murmured, touching his damp, burning forehead. "If

something has happened to her..."

	Overcome with a sudden urge to do something, *anything,* Mamoru threw

the covers to the ground and fought to sit up. His body protested fiercely 

at

his efforts, and his head felt like it was stuffed with cotton as he 

steadied

himself on the bedpost.

	Waiting until his equilibrium leveled out, Mamoru slowly opened his

eyes, struggling to focus on the dim room. Reaching over to turn on the 

lamp,

the light fell upon his nearby jacket that he had thrown to the floor this

morning when he returned home from school, unable to stand.

	Grasping tightly onto the bed post and straining to stand, he

staggered towards it and picked it up. "I must find her!" he murmured to

himself.

	Concentrating, Mamoru tried several times before he was able to

successfully put his arm through the sleeves. Feeling exhausted by this

simple task, he lurched to the door and leaned against it, gasping for 

breath.

Summoning courage, he reached for his shoes, but faltered and stumbled to 

the

ground on his hands and knees, struggling to breathe.

	Closing his eyes against the blackness, he could feel the soft thud

of the floor as it met his skull before the darkness overtook him.

			*     *     *     *     *

	Releasing the unplugged phone cord, Usagi slowly looked around her

room. Taking in the pink bunny sheets and the stuffed rabbit on top of them,

looking at the pile of permanently borrowed comics from Rei, looking at the

little plastic cake decoration from her fifteenth birthday, and at the

posters of hot new bands Minako was always giggling about, and the math book

Ami gave her, and the empty plate where the latest batch of goodies Makoto

had made her had once sat. All reminders of her past life.

	Looking at them now with strong distaste, Usagi slowly walked around

her room. It was the room of another person, certainly unfitting now.

	"Time to...redecorate."

	Quickly, she tore down the posters and threw them into the garbage.

For the short time she would spend in this house, they would be nothing but

distractions.

	Ripping the sheets from the bed, she tossed them to the floor while

the plush bunny joined the posters in the trash, followed by the cake

decoration, the math book, her CDs, and various other little trinkets she 

had

collected over the years.

	Pausing, she studied the huge pile of comics, unsure of how to

dispose of them.

	*Hmm...There are so many of them! I suppose I can burn them later,

but for now they'll go in the closet.*

	She walked to her dressers and began sorting through her drawers,

throwing things all over the ground.

	Shirt, pants, shorts, another shirt on the ground. Usagi held up a

diary that she had kept years ago and lost, then pitched it behind her into

the pile. More clothes joined it until the drawer was empty, then she moved

onto the next one. More clothes, papers, old tests she had hidden from her

mother, socks.

	Slowly, Usagi held up the golden locket shaped like a star to eye

level. A bright flash of lightning outside illuminated it momentarily, 

making

it glow.

	Usagi's calm face suddenly turned into a fierce, angry snarl, and her

hand closed tightly around it. Reaching back, she flung it against the wall

where it landed with a smack and tunbled to the floor.

	The tiny lid popped up, and the locket began its tinkling tune,

muffled by the clothes surrounding it.

	"No!" shouted Usagi, pressing her hands to her ears. "No! Stop it!

STOP IT!" She ran to where the locket lay and tried to close it, but she 

must

have broken the delicate machine inside when she threw it, and it would not

stop playing.

	"SHUT UP!" she screamed, bashing it against the ground as hard as she

could, but it refused to silence its relentless tune.

	Pausing in her fit, she held it in both hands and raised it. She

closed her eyes, and took deep, even breaths in an effort to calm herself.

	Inhaling deeply, Usagi concentrated on the object in her hands,

increasing the pressure her fingers had on the locket. Slowly, a dim, golden

glow surrounded her hands, engulfing the locket. Usagi frowned and focused

intensely, tightening her hold further and feeling the power grow. The shine

grew brighter by degrees until it was blinding, and with a final flash,

Usagi's hands clenched, crushing the small locket into tiny bits of metal 

and

machine, killing the music she had once loved to hear.

			*     *     *     *     *

	With a sharp gasp, Mamoru bolted upright, grasping the place above

his heart tightly, his fingers pressing deeply into the skin.

	Crying out in pain, he doubled over as the pressure in his chest

increased, stealing his breath.

	*I feel like my heart is going to explode!* he thought with panic,

sensing the room grow dim once more. *I'm going to black out again...*

	He could feel the pain reach a peak, and his heart skipped a beat.

Two, then three.

	Then, with a smooth sigh, the pain was gone, leaving no trace of what

had caused it, sliding away as quickly and silently as it had come.

	Cautiously sitting up, Mamoru touched the skin experimentally. No

pain. He looked up with a start, realizing that he no longer felt ill and

could stand without a problem.

	Glancing at the clock, he grimaced. It was just past midnight, and it

would now be too late to make a trip to Usagi's house.

	Outside, the rain had almost stopped, reduced to a mere gloomy

drizzle. Making a decision, Mamoru grabbed his shoes off the floor and

slipped them on, opened the door, and shut it behind him.

*     *     *     *     *

	Opening her eyes, Usagi stared at the ruined locket in her hands, and

realized with a shock that the sharp metal had pierced the skin, leaving her

palms and the destroyed jewelry christened with her blood.

	Getting to her feet to wash her hands, she was overcome with

dizziness, and she faltered, catching herself on the wall. Shaking her head

to clear it, she made her way down the hall, leaving glistening handprints 

on

the wallpaper.

	Looking into the mirror, Usagi cleansed her hands, splashing a bit of

water on her face as well.

	"I feel so drained...I shouldn't try to use my energy anymore until I

can find something to fuel it." She watched as the water swirled down the

drain stained a light pink, and it triggered some vague memory in her. Too

tired to pursue it further, she walked back down the hall and collapsed onto

her naked bed, abandoning consciousness.

			*     *     *     *     *

	Pulling the hood on his winter jacket tighter around his face, Mamoru

gazed up at Usagi's dark room.

	*There's no way for me to even tell if she's there...*

	He put one hand over his eyes and lowered his head, suddenly unable

to tell if the freezing wetness on his cheeks was rain... or tears.

	"Machigae mashita," he whispered. "Yurushite kudasai. I am so sorry,

Usako."

			*     *     *     *     *

			*     *     *     *     *

	Haruka wrapped her arms around herself as she sat by the large window,

watching the dark blackness of the night give way to the majestic purple of

the young dawn.

	Michiru daintily reached up to cover a yawn as she entered the room,

giving a start when she saw Haruka.

	"What are you doing up?" she asked, walking into the kitchen to start

a pot of tea. "Usually no one else is awake this early." Pausing as she

opened the cupboards, she glanced at Haruka's unresponsive back. "Unless you

did not sleep at all?"

	"Even if it does foretell a threat, we would have no way of knowing.

The ways of protecting ourselves have become lost, in both your mirror, and

our transformations..." Haruka sighed. "I cannot find my sword either, 

though

that should not surprise me."

	Michiru carefully set the pot down on the stove and turned on the

burners to boil the water. "Don't sound so melancholy. We knew this would

come," she paused.  "Or rather, that it wouldn't end."

	Haruka lips lifted upwards slightly. "Of course," she said, standing.

"It will only bring pain to hope for things you know truly in your heart 

that

you can never have."

	After looking over the water to make sure it was alright, Michiru

walked out of the room and took a seat on a cushion on the floor, sliding 

one

hand across the low table before her. "Can you not take joy in what you

have?"

	Haruka smiled and sat across from her, placing her hand on top of

Michiru's. "Yes, of course. Sometimes I just wish I had more time to enjoy

this life."

	Michiru smiled playfully, lowering her voice. "There is time enough,

Haruka. We are still young yet."

	The shifting violet and pink shades of dawn filled the dark rooms

with growing intensity as they sat without speaking, enjoying the momentary

peace.

			*     *     *     *     *

	Ami stood by Makoto, who was sitting in Usagi's desk, waiting for

Usagi to come into the room.

	Becoming anxious, Minako checked her watch again. Only two minutes

left until the bell...Where *was* she?

	Ami send Makoto a worried glance. "Maybe this is good, maybe she woke

up late and is running here without her lunch again..."

	Makoto attempted a smile. "At least we didn't have any more dreams

last night. Maybe it was a one time thing..."

	Ami didn't respond and avoided her eyes.

	As the last minute slid by in silence, Ami closed her eyes and wished

with all her heart that Usagi would walk into the room, but the final bell

rang with no sign of her.

	"Seats, gakusei, to your seats."

	Ami glanced to where Taiki sat alone as Makoto took her seat behind

him, but Seiya and Yaten's chairs were still empty.

	"Taiki-san?" whispered Makoto.

	He turned in his seat to look to her. "Yes?"

	Makoto suddenly felt shy under his gaze, and lowered her eyes. "Where

are Yaten-kun and Seiya-kun? Are they still sick?"

	"Oh, Seiya is still not well, but Yaten's just fine."

	"Why isn't he here then?"

	Taiki rolled his eyes. "Yaten? Come to school when he could miss out

on another day? Nah, he'd rather stay at home and practice."

	*Practice...?*  Makoto looked confused. *For what I wonder?*

	Taiki sent her a look as he faced the front again. "I notice that

Usagi-chan isn't here as well..."

			*     *     *     *     *

	Minako sighed and glanced at the empty desk next to her. *Yaten-kun

isn't here again...and neither is Usagi-chan. She can't just not come to

school! She was here yesterday! We're almost five minutes into class

though...I guess maybe she won't be here after all...*

			*     *     *     *     *

	Breathing deeply, Rei slowly lowered her arms, positioning them in

front of her.

	"Rin"

	"Pyu!"

	"Tou!"

	The fire before her wavered, the flames dimming.

	"Sha!"

	"Kai!"

	"Jin!"

	Shrinking even smaller, the fire became little more than just more

than hot coals, flickering weakly.

	"Retsu!"

	"Sai!"

	"Zen!!"

	Without warning, the flames flared, reaching to the heavens and

expanding, throwing a stunned Rei back with a loud and threatening hiss.

	Gasping, Rei ducked and raised her arms against the searing heat,

scrambling across the cool floors to where the others watched with horror.

	Jumping almost to the ceiling, the blaze flashed brightly once more

before extinguishing suddenly, trails of white blue smoke spiraling upward 

in

the silence.

	Lowering her hands slowly, Rei's eyes stared blankly before her as

Ami, Minako and Makoto rushed to her side.

	"Rei-chan! Daijoubu?" asked Ami, touching her arm.

	"What...what just happened?!" Makoto peered at Rei, but Rei's eyes

looked past her, to the still smoldering ashes.

	"The fire... "

	"What?" whispered Ami.

	Rei's lips formed silent words, moving without sound. Standing, she

separated herself from the others and walked towards the adjoining room.

Pausing in the doorway, she said, "It will not speak to me, the fire." She

hesitated before continuing.  "I heard...I heard nothing but screams and

whispers...I do not think we will get any answers from there."

	With Ami and Makoto following her, Minako couldn't help one glance

over her shoulder before hurrying into the other room.

	Sinking onto a nearby cushion, Rei took a deep breath and steadied

herself. "I don't know what this means."

	Sitting across from her, Makoto looked grim. "I do."

	Everyone looked at her.

	"There's something more than coincidence behind the dream we all

shared the night before."

			*     *     *     *     *

	Shaking herself awake, Luna slowly padded up to Usagi's door. She had

slept in the laundry room since Usagi's room had been locked last night. 

Luna

had thought about leaping onto the room and coming through the balcony, but

first, it was raining, and second, Luna had thought it would be a good idea

to let her have her privacy.

	*And since I stayed out late last night, I slept all morning and

wasn't woken up until Mrs.Tsukino tried to do the wash.*  Luna purred 

happily.

*Usagi-chan's mom's lap is so warm!*

	Luna nosed the door open, and walked in, still thinking about the

sweet milk she drank this morning, when to her surprise, she tripped over

something.

	Falling, her face was pressed into a pile of clothes. "?" Her head

darted up and searched around, puzzled.

	Her eyes widened in horror at the destruction that greeted her.

	Luna leapt up onto the bare bed, her mind fighting to comprehend what

had happened.

	"Someone kidnapped Usagi-chan during the night!" she moaned in dismay.

"And I slept right through it!" Her head lowered mournfully. "I am a failure

as your guardian, Usagi-chan, and this is my fault."

	Miniature tears slid down her black fur, making tiny wet spots on the

mattress. She slowly raised her head and gasped sharply, her eyes meeting 

the

sight before her. "Blood!" she murmured.

	 Running to the wall and following the trail of red, she began

shaking her head, whispering again and again, "No, no, no..." as she found

Usagi's treasured locket, smashed into oblivion and covered with her life's

blood.

	Luna sat down in front of the mess of gold and glass. "Oh no, oh, who

could have done this?! How could this have happened?! If only I had been

here..."

	Her tail whapped against something and stuck to it, making her turn

and frown. "A note...?"



			The docks, tonight at midnight.

				Bring the others.



			*     *     *     *     *

	Rei's brow creased deeply, scowling at the tiny scrap of paper. "I

don't believe it."

	"Who would take Usagi-chan?" moaned Minako. "Who could it possibly

be? There haven't been any attacks at all for months!"

	Makoto hugged herself and sighed. "I don't know, but it must have

been someone who knows that she is...or used to be, Sailor Moon."

	"But who would know that?" asked Ami. "How could they? Unless it's

someone we've met before..."

	"Impossible," said Rei. "No way. None of them could come back, and

mostly everyone was healed anyway, that or killed, and there's no return 

from

death."

	"But who then?" cried Minako.

	"We'll find out in a few hours, Minako-chan, at midnight," said Ami,

sitting down and looking at the clock.

	"Midnight? How are we supposed to wait that long? What if she's dead?

Or worse!" wailed Minako.

	Haruka, who had been silent until then, picked up the note and

studied it. Quietly, she said, "I do not think any of you should go."

	Makoto, Ami, and Rei jumped to their feet while Minako gaped at her.

"What?! Are you insane! We have to go!"

	Michiru did not speak, but watched Haruka carefully. "Why not?"

	"It seems like a trap," said Haruka, placing the note back on the

table.

	"A trap? Why? I know that's Usagi's handwriting!" said Rei.

	Haruka frowned. "Exactly. Why would Usagi-chan write such a note

telling you to come to the docks? And at midnight?"

	"It doesn't matter! Maybe while they were trying to catch her, her

captors talked about where they were going to take her and she was able to

scribble a note! I don't know!" shouted Rei.

	"No matter what, Haruka-san, we're going one way or another," said

Makoto firmly. "If you have a better idea on how to find out what happened 

to

Usagi-chan, let us know."

	Haruka's eyes were hooded as she turned away, deciding not to mention

the small fact of them being unable to transform. "I won't try and stop you.

Just be aware that things may not be as they seem at first glance."

			*     *     *     *     *

	Shielded from the wind by a large, abandoned building, the girls

exchanged apprehensive glances as the hands on Ami's watch both met at

twelve.

	Michiru took one step away from Haruka and Hotaru in the direction of

the bay. "I see nothing. No one."

	Makoto scowled. "It's midnight, now what?"

	"We wait and see," replied Ami. "We can't do anything else."

	Mamoru, who had arrived earlier, stood nearby, leaning against some

old crates and looking off into the distance.

	Rei, concerned, quietly approached him from behind. "Ano..."

	He glanced at her, then looked back to the watery horizon. "Yes, Rei

-chan?"

	Her hands tightened into fists. "You must be more worried than any of

us, Mamoru-san for Usagi's safety."

	Mamoru closed his eyes and did not reply for a very long time. "I'm

the one to be blamed for her strange behavior."

	"What do you mean?" Rei walked to stand next to him and searched his

face.

	"I...I said some things I did not mean and...accused her of some

things I truly didn't believe..." He rested his head against the crate. 

"This

is my fault."

	Rei's face softened. "No, this isn't your fault, Mamoru-san, this

isn't anyone's fault."

	"Maybe not, but I can't help but think that there was something I

could have done to prevent it." He paused. "You remember what it was like

when we were still soldiers, and when something was wrong, you knew without

anyone telling you? Remember that bond we had, with this planet and with 

each

other?" He turned to face her. "I've always been aware of the bond I share

with Usako; somewhere deep in my soul, I've always been able to feel her." 

He

ran a hand through his hair. "Last night...I was sick and fell asleep, and

when I awoke, the bond had snapped." Though Mamoru's eyes stared straight at

her, Rei couldn't dismiss the idea that he wasn't seeing her. "I don't know

right now if she is in danger, if she's alright, or if she's even *alive.*"

	Rei bit her lip, unsure of how to comfort him. Abruptly, she blinked,

thinking over what he said. "Matte...you were sick too?"

	Mamoru's eyes focused on her. "What? What do you mean by, 'too'?"

	He was cut off by earsplitting, bitter laughter from above him, and

he spun around, looking up.

	Everyone turned and stared at the figure on the top of the building,

who perched on the edge, laughing cruelly, silhouetted against the moon that

had just risen over the edge of the building.

	"Fools!" she called down. "But of course, I knew you would come."

Tossing her long hair behind her, she bunched her muscles and leapt off the

building, landing gracefully two stories below, in front of the senshi.

	Slowly rising to her feet, Usagi cocked a smile and flashed a victory

sign. "Hi, minna!"

	"Usagi!" yelled Rei. Ami jumped to her feet with Makoto at her side,

and Mamoru took a step forward.

	"Usagi-chan!" gasped Minako, running ahead. "We were so worried!"

	Haruka caught her arm, jerking her back. "No..." she whispered, but

looked confused at her own actions.

	Minako tried to pull her arm away, annoyed. "Let me go! What are

you..." She looked back to Usagi, and realized that everyone else had halted

too. Frowning, she looked around. "What's wrong?" she questioned.

	Rei took a step back. "Something's not right..."

			*     *     *     *     *

	Yaten scowled as he looked at the thermometer. "I don't get it. Both

you and I have gotten better, but Seiya seems to be getting worse!"

	Taiki studied Seiya's sweaty, flushed face. "I don't think this is an

ordinary sickness."

	Yaten's head shot up, surprised. "You sense it too?"

	Nodding, Taiki replied, "Something is wrong. There is some sort

disturbance in the galaxy. I think the earth's senshi feel it too. Rei-chan

mentioned a dream..."

	"We have to go." Seiya's weak voice floated up from the couch as he

pushed himself upright.

	Yaten placed one hand on his shoulder, trying to force him back down.

"No, you're staying Seiya."

	Seiya thrust his hand away. "No."

	"You'll only be in the way. You're useless in this state," said Taiki.

	"Fine, then I'll be in the way. At least I won't be sitting here

while I could be useless with you guys."

	 Seiya looked down at the shaking hand he had shoved Yaten with.

Concentrating, he willed it to be still, to be strong, and it stopped

trembling. With great precision, Seiya stood, raising his chin to meet the

eyes of the others without wavering for a moment, challenging them to tell

him to stay.

	Sighing resignedly, Taiki turned to the door. "Your stubbornness will

get you killed one day, Seiya, if it does not kill you tonight."

	Setting his jaw, Seiya attempted to take a step, but he staggered,

and almost fell onto the table. Catching him at the last moment, Taiki sent

him a look, but lead him to the door. "You're not going to make this easy,"

he grunted, throwing on of Seiya's arms over his shoulder.

	Seiya was silent for a moment. "Arigatou, Taiki," he murmured.

	Taiki did not respond.

			*     *     *     *     *

	Usagi put on a plaintive face, placing her hands on her hips. "Oh,

what's wrong Rei-chan? Aren't you glad to see the girl you betrayed? Don't

you want to rub it in a little more?"

	Rei backed up another step, confused. "Betrayed...?"

	Usagi threw up her arms. "Spreading lies about me betraying *Mamoru*

while he was away? Oh yes, you and the rest, you're all the same!" Seeing 

the

surprised looks on their faces, she said, "What? Don't tell me you've 

already

forgotten?" She snorted. "Oh, that hurts! More than the rest, really."

	"Rest?" asked Ami, glancing at the others.

	"Maybe even more than when *Mamo-chan* admitted that he didn't love

me anymore!" Usagi said with a pout, drawing out the pet name she used to

call him. "That *was* rather disappointing, considering that I had spent my

entire life mooning over him."

	Everyone turned to Mamoru in shock. "You *what*?!" hissed Ami.

	Mamoru began shaking his head. "No, no, I *never* said that, Usako!

Never! I have always loved you!"

	She shrugged. "Ah, details! So maybe you didn't say it just like

that, but the implications were the same!" She began circling him, her 

school

uniform swishing around her knees. "Telling me that you didn't trust me

anymore, that you thought I'd deceived you with another." She stopped and

crossed her arms. "I was the one deceived after all. I was just too blind to

see it."

	Mamoru stepped closer, reaching one hand out in a plea. "Usako,

please listen to me, I didn't know what I was saying..."

	"Oh *yes,*" she spat. "What a *miracle*romance* that turned out to

be!" She turned back to the others. "But it wouldn't have been complete

without a group of back-stabbing sadistic friends, would it?"

	Everyone felt taken back by her harsh words. "What do you mean, Usagi

-chan? We would never do anything to hurt you!" said Makoto.

	Usagi sneered. "Oh, don't flatter yourself, you could never have

really wounded me, but your little games were offset by the true villains,

the handsome boy trio who pretended to help, pretended to fight for good.

And I fell for their games harder than anyone." She extended and arm and

stepped aside to reveal Taiki and Yaten, supporting a very exhausted Seiya

between them. "Everyone please welcome Taiki-san, Yaten-kun, and Seiya to 

the

game, shall we?"

	Taiki stared at her as he approached. "Usagi-chan?"

	"That's enough," said Seiya, and the others released him. Standing

before her in crumpled, worn clothes with his hair messed, he grinned.

"Odango, minna, please excuse my ruffled and delayed appearance."

	She sniffed and turned away. "You're the real reason we're all here

tonight, Seiya."

	Yaten walked around to join Seiya's side again. "Why *are* we here,

Usagi-chan?"

	"Well, I of course figured that it would be a little easier to kill

you all at once in a big group than one by one!" She clapped her hands,

delighted. "I'll bet none of you thought I was smart enough to think of 

that,

right?"

	"What are you talking about?" demanded Minako. "Kill us, what do

you..."

	"Oh don't play dumb!" Usagi giggled. "You know what 'kill' means,

don't you?"

	"Not when you say it, Usagi," said Rei. "You never talk about killing

anyone, no matter what they have done to you!"

	Usagi's eyes moved to her. "At least the attacks of the others we

have faced were outright, instead of slowly killing me like you have."

	"Am I killing you?" asked Rei.

	"Slowly, painfully, you were. You all were. Everyone was in on the

game. 'Let's make fun of her,' you'd say, 'let's not let her think she can 

do

anything! She's too stupid anyhow!' " She rolled her eyes. "You only 

believed

in me when you needed me, needed *Sailor Moon*, to do your dirty work. But

you," she faced Seiya. "You were so much crueler than the rest, taking a

different approach to making me suffer. You pursued me, tried to capture my

heart, even though you knew I was in love with another at the time. You 

tried

to tempt me away from him, the way you tempted every other girl."

	"Odango, I would never do anything to make you suffer, *ever.*" Seiya

met her gaze coolly. "But I don't think you know what you're doing. I don't

know who you are, but you're not the Usagi I know."

	She winked. "That's right! I didn't even know who I was until night

before last! But I guess I should thank you anyway, Seiya, because even

though I never responded back to your advances, your attentions still 

aroused

the jealousy of my previous boyfriend. I mean, who knows, I could have

*married* him and *then* found out what a control freak he is!"

	"Usako," Mamoru cried, "I never truly believed..."

	"SHUT UP!" she shouted crossly, switching moods so quickly that his

head spun. "I'm so tired of hearing your stupid excuses! Everyone's stupid

excuses! I WON'T LISTEN TO THEM ANYMORE!" A soft aura of gold surrounded her

body, making her skin glow.

	She opened her eyes to glare at them, the deep innocent blue now dyed

an ungodly gold. Gasping and taking a step back, they shrunk from her.

	"Usagi! What are you doing?" shouted Rei. "You're frightening me!"

	Usagi's face contorted into a chilling smile as the shine encircling

her intensified. "That pleases me," she purred.

	Rei's jaw dropped in shock.

	"As I am now, I have no power to destroy you," Usagi said. "Galaxia

drew it from Starseeds, but that was impure and primitive energy. I need no

others to supply what I need, I need only myself!"

	"Galaxia?" Ami stared at her. "Why compare yourself to Galaxia?"

	"Because it is the same disease that eats away at her soul as it did

mine."

	Ami gasped and turned, finding herself face to face with Galaxia

herself. "Nani?!"

	Galaxia walked past her and stood in front of Usagi.

	"You are the prisoner of Chaos now."

	Usagi sneered. "Hardly. It has freed me, opened my eyes! You were

such a fool to give up such power!"

	"You are a fool to accept it!" Galaxia's eyes narrowed as she took

another step, raising her arms. "You are stronger than this, Princess, you

have already defeated it once, and you can help me to defeat it again."

	Usagi put a finger under her chin and titled her head to the side.

"Hmmm, well, let's see...No." And with that, her body exploded outward in a

shockwave of golden energy, throwing Galaxia across the docks to smash

against a crate with a cry and crumple to the ground like a broken doll. The

force of the blast knocked the senshi and Mamoru to their knees, holding 

onto

each other to stay upright.

	"Usagi-chan! Don't do this!" shouted Ami, struggling to get to her

feet

	Laughing with glee, Usagi rose above them. "Ha! Do you think that you

will be able to *talk* me out of this? After everything I've been through,

seeing you scream will be a pleasure!"

	Closing her eyes, she slowly arched her back, extending both arms in

front of her. "Witness," she cried, "the birth of a new and better soldier,

one whose power will make even the great Galaxia's seem trivial in

comparison!" Two crackling balls of energy shot from her hands and whizzed

past Makoto and Minako, singing their hair, before turning in the air and

reversing their course, heading straight back to Usagi. Speeding past her

again, they did a final turn in the air until they struck her at full speed

in the back, knocking her forward.

	Her eyes popped open as she uttered a soft cry, and just below the

hollow of her neck, a tiny white flower sprouted. Its petals blossoming 

open,

a shining jewel of silver brilliance rose out, floating above her chest. The

crescent shape of the yellow moon on her head appeared, gleaming.

	She blinked twice, and her eyes refocused as everyone gasped, staring

at her in shock.

	"Her Starseed..." whispered Makoto.

	"Princess, what are you doing?!" yelled Michiru. "Why are you doing

this to yourself?"

	Usagi's eyes became glinting slits as she glared down at Michiru.

"*This*is*my*revenge*!! I'll clear away the trash and create a new, pure, 

and

clean kingdom!"

	Yaten and Taiki, who had been watching in amazed silence, suddenly

stepped forward, slowly drawing their brooches from their pockets.

	"We can't let you do this," said Taiki, raising his brooch.

	"This has become our planet too," said Yaten. "And we will defend

it."

	Seiya's eyes widened in horror, and he rushed forward, raising his

arms to block their path. "What are you doing?!" he shouted. "She's not the

enemy! She's the one that saved our Princess!"

	Taiki shoved him aside. "I know who it is!" he growled. "And I know

what I must do."

	"We will not harm her if we can avoid it," said Yaten, also raising

his brooch.

	Seiya, already weakened by his sickness, hit the ground hard from

Taiki's push. Struggling to raise his head from the ground, he forced 

himself

onto his elbows. "STOP!" he shouted, but they turned their backs to him.

	Usagi began to giggle. "Oh, you think *you* can stop me?"

	Yaten's jaw hardened. "Yes."

	He thrust his brooch into the air as Taiki took his place beside him.

"HEALER STAR POWER, MAKE UP!"

	"MAKER STAR POWER, MAKE UP!"

	Taiki's head turned to the side as his body twisted and changed, his

street clothes replaced by tight leather shorts and top, the blue bracelets

and choker snapping into place. Yaten extended both arms, and the shine

coiled around them, transforming them into slimmer, more graceful limbs, 

then

sliding gloves over them.

	Star Healer and Star Maker stood before Usagi, feet spread and

prepared to battle. From behind them, Galaxia slowly raised her head from 

the

ground, stunned.

	Usagi raised and eyebrow. Looking down, she carefully reached out her

hands and cupped them around the halo surrounding her Starseed, holding it 

in

front of her. "Such power," she murmured, entranced.

	Glancing at the Starlights out of the corner of her eyes, she

whispered with a smile, "My turn."

	Galaxia, sensing her intentions, shouted, "PRINCESS! DON'T!"

	Without warning, Usagi's hands clenched together, shattering the tiny

globe of light surrounding her Starseed and crushing it between her palms.

	"NO!" shouted Makoto, Ami, Minako, and Mamoru, simultaneously jumping

forward.

	Rei cried, "STOP!" while Haruka and Michiru gasped. Hotaru said

nothing, but buried her face in Michiru's long skirt to hide her face.

	The delicate crystal cracked with hairline fractures, spilling a

harsh, golden light across Usagi's face and the others below her.

	Snarling, Usagi increased the pressure, and the cracks in the

Ginzuishou spread, making a spiderweb pattern on its surface. With one final

squeeze, the Silver Crystal exploded into millions of tiny fragments that

burst outward in a sudden blast, glittering as they slowly floated to the

ground.

	"NO!!" screamed Seiya, leaping to his feet. He was easily knocked to

the side by the wind that had begun to blow.

	"No..." whispered Rei as Usagi began to laugh emptily without mirth

or joy. "No!" She ran forward, her tears gleaming in the weak light, only to

be thrown backwards by an invisible force and land on her back. Makoto 

gasped

as Rei struck the ground next to her, staring at the blurred vision of Usagi

through her own tears, fighting the urge to weep.

	Usagi's fingers slowly released their hold, and she raised her palms

to the sky. Upward from her hands sprung a shining golden mist, arching,

curling, and expanding.

	Galaxia strained to get to her feet, and Healer rushed to her side

to support her. Galaxia tried to shove her away in a daze, shaking her

head. "This...this cannot be. It is impossible!"

	Usagi's eyes shone through the quickly thickening haze, gleaming

brightly like twin beams of light as she lowered her blank stare to gaze

hollowly in front of her. The fog quickly thickened into billowing clouds of

gold, beginning a swirling dance around the obscure form of Usagi, spinning

faster and faster, sending the spectators around her sprawling backwards 

from

the force generated.

	Lifting one arm to shield himself from flying debris, Seiya strained

to see through the mist. "What is she doing?!"

	Galaxia strove against the strong winds to crouch by his side. "I

don't think she has control anymore, now that her Starseed is gone."

	"We have to stop this!" cried Rei, leaping to her feet. "I can't just

stand here and let this happen!"

	Haruka grabbed her shoulder. "Stay back! There's nothing we can do

now!"

	Suddenly, the clouds contracted, forming a cylinder of light around

Usagi, raising her body high above their heads. The moon on her forehead

began to shine, standing out so it was visible even from the ground far

below. Then, without warning, it shifted, morphing into an eight-pointed 

star.

Revolving her on her toes, a bit of the mists broke off, forming a small orb

of light that hovered before her. With a blinding flash, it spread tiny,

delicate wings, transforming into a brooch with a miniature, sparkling star

enclosed in a tiny glass globe.

	Ceasing in her spinning, the little brooch floated to her, and placed

itself firmly on her chest. A sudden tremor bursting up from the ground

swayed the single beam. As the shudder reached up to Usagi, she stirred,

parting her lips as she raised her arms and twisted, as if in a silent and

solitary dance, her hair blown straight up from her head. A golden sheen

spread up her body, turning her hair white at the roots and shooting up to

the very last curls at the tips of her ponytails, painting them a milky

silver.

	Her body elongated, her breasts and hips filling out, aging her by

several years, molding her body to that of a woman. Clothing her in uniform

of Sailor Cosmos, the long cape blowing behind her and the fragile staff

sprouting in her hand, the light slowly faded, setting Sailor Cosmos gently

back on earth. The last tendrils of smoke evaporated, leaving the docks 

still

and silent.

	Star Maker and Star Healer took a step back, raising their fists to

prepare for whatever would come as everyone held their breath behind them,

waiting for her to move.

	Slowly, the golden eyes opened, and a smile crept across her face.

She tilted her head back and lifted her staff to the heavens.

	"U...Usagi-chan?" ventured Ami.

	Sailor Cosmos laughed, the startling sound ricocheting off the

buildings and echoing back to them, surrounding them with her laughter.

"Not anymore," she said, suddenly halting her giggling.

	"CELESTIAL MAIDEN ASTRAL ESCALADE!!"

Ami, Rei, Makoto and Minako cried out and shielded their eyes as the entire

area was splashed with blinding brightness, shimmering intensely at its core

where Sailor Cosmos stood, building up her attack. The white, crackling

energy flowed into Usagi's body, collecting in the orb on the tip of her

staff. Suddenly, she lowered her rod, aiming it directly at them.

	"SUBLIME RAGE!!"

	The ball of fire shot from her staff, gaining speed as it lunged at

them.

	 Michiru cried out and pulled Hotaru to her, leaning into Haruka,

while Maker and Healer prepared for the impact, bracing themselves firmly on

the ground.





	"Dead Scream."





	The globe of flames exploded just short of the senshi, sending

remains of tiny embers to blaze past them and fizz on the dirt.

	Spinning quickly to face behind them, the group gasped collectively

in shock.

	"Pluto!" cried Hotaru, dashing out of Michiru's hold and running

forward.

	Setsuna smiled and knelt, catching her as Hotaru flew into her arms.

"Pluto!" sobbed the small girl. "Oh Pluto, I'm so glad you came back!"

	Hugging her tightly, Sailor Pluto slowly let go of Hotaru and stood,

picking up her staff. Holding it at attention at her side, she stared Sailor

Cosmos straight in the eye.

	"I have returned to set the wrong things right, to mend this glitch

in time." Her eyes narrowed as she lowered her staff to point directly at

Sailor Cosmos. "No matter what it costs."

			*     *     *     *    *



"Ano..." - a sound to get someone's attention

"Arigatou" - "Thank you"

"Daijoubu?" -"Are you alright?"

"Gakusei" -"Students"

"Ginzuishou" - "Silver Crystal"

"Gomen" -"I'm sorry"

	"Hai" -"Yes"

"Ja matta" - an informal way of saying goodbye

"Machigae mashita" - "I've made a mistake"

"Masaka" - along the lines of "impossible" or "I don't believe it"

"Matte" - "Wait"

"Moshi moshi?" -the way to answer a phone

"Nani?" -"What?"

"Yurushite kudasai" - "Please forgive me"





	See? I had no idea that was going to happen! I don't know who's

writing this story! It writes itself! But certainly, this story is doing 

much

better that Miraaju, isn't it Sora-chan?!! Haven't even gotten out act 2 

yet.

Tut tut tut. But I shouldn't talk, I haven't gotten past the rough sketches

for the manga anyway...^.^;;  E-mail at Kaelali_su@hotmail.com and the

webpage is CHANGED TO http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/Terminus/

smradioplay. You know the drill. Arigatou again Clare-chan!!

=^_^=  Still the same old, "if you have ideas e-mail us" bit, and whatever

else you have to say. Unfortunately, my computer is broken, and I am unable

to access it or the webpage, so this will not be posted there until it gets

fixed. Act 6 is getting sent out only because I had it on disk (LUCKY) and

Sora-chan is sending it in.

	Also, on another note, I would like to give a sincere apology to

Chikyu No Iki. On the main page of the old website, there is a link to

download a program which will allow you to convert .wav files into MP3s, and

I took it from her webpage without asking. I am *so* sorry!! I feel very

badly about this, and it was very thoughtless of me. I do not know how else

to apologize than to admit that I made a mistake and take full blame for it.

Needless to say, it is no longer there, but I can tell you where to go if 

you

would still like any of those programs.