Smoke was everywhere. King Endymion felt around blindly, crawling on hands and knees through the rubble. His hands came into contact with a warm being just as another explosion rocked the palace. "Serenity!?" he called, desperate to find his beloved wife.

The reply was faint, but still, he heard it above the din. "Endymion." Neo-Queen Serenity gasped. She lay among some rubble, the Ginzuishou beside her, shattered. Dark red stained the front of her pure white gown, her sapphire eyes half closed in pain.

"No . . ." Endymion and drew the wounded woman into his arms. Tears stained his cheeks and fell unstopped from his smokey eyes as he cradled his one true love. "Oh, Mamo-chan," Serenity murmured, using a name she'd used a very long time ago, "I am not afraid. Take care of Chibi-Usa for me." she managed to whisper and reached up a dirty hand to touch Endymion's face.

"Oh, Usako, let me go get Saturn. Maybe she can help. Please don't die, I can't live without you." Endymion pleaded, taking Serenity's cold hand in his own. "Don't cry, Mamo-chan. I will finally meet my mother, my real mother. I love you, Mamo-chan." she rasped, her voice weaker with every word. Precious life slipped from her beaten body and she died in her lover's arms.

Endymion didn't know how long he sat there, holding Serenity's body in his arms, mourning for her and the life she'd left. A gentle hand touched his shoulder and he looked up, all the senshi standing a sad semi-circle behind him. Sailor Saturn laid down her glaive and knelt beside him, wiping a tear from her face. She touched his arm and looked into his haunted eyes. "I wouldn't have been able to do anything. The wound was to serious." she said quietly, gazing at the fallen Queen. Uranus stepped forward and effortlessly lifted Serenity's body from the floor. The woman, who had always seemed so strong, broke into repressed sobs as she carried her Queen's body to stone slab she had once rested on. Now she would rest in the deepest of sleeps again and this one, she wouldn't be woken from. Endymion looked shattered as the senshi circled the alter, it's carvings of the moon glowing in the light of some distant fire. They all clasped hands and rose-quartz began to form around Serenity's still body, protecting her from what was yet to come.

Small Lady Chibi-Usa peeped around the corner. She wasn't small anymore, being 15 now. Tears welled up in her pink eyes and she ran into the room, trying to throw herself onto her mother's body. Pluto stooped and caught the girl in her arms and Chibi-Usa broke into hysterical sobs. "Small Lady, there is nothing you can do." Pluto said and sniffled a bit. Chibi-Usa buried her face in the guardian's shoulder. Pluto comforted the girl as best she could, for even the impassible Sailor Pluto, Guardian of the Gates of Time, was crying with grief.

The fires that had ravaged the city had burned to smoldering embers. King Endymion stood before the crystal coffin of his wife. The full moon shone through the slitted windows behind the altar and he could see the enemies returning. With a heavy heart, he turned from the room. Endymion slipped the note beneath his daughter's door and returned to his wife. Gently touching the crystal above her face, he gave one last, sad smile. "My wife . . " he murmured.

Loud sobs echoed down the hallways of the palace at the center of Crystal Tokyo. Running feet added to the confusion and the door to Chibi-Usa's room slammed open. "Chibi-Usa! What's wrong?" Pluto asked breathlessly. Chibi-Usa's tear-stained face looked ashen and drawn. "First mommy and now daddy. He went to her, last night." the teen-ager said and pointed to the crumpled piece of paper by her dressing table. Pluto picked it up as Venus, Mars and Saturn arrived. Pluto gave a little cry and moved to hug Chibi-Usa. Venus glanced at the note and handed it to Mars. "Oh, Endymion." Mars murmured and bit her lip to keep from crying. Saturn stood pale. Chibi-Usa broke from Pluto's arms and rushed past the small group gathering by the door.

Chibi-Usa ran into the room where her mother lay. She fell just infront of the crystalized corpse. "Oh, mommy, daddy's gone and-" Chibi-Usa's words were cut off be an explosion close to the palace. Tiles and dust fell from the ceiling and Chibi-Usa screamed. She felt strong arms wrap around her and saw Jupiter picking her up and carrying her from the room. Chibi-Usa shut her eyes tight and let herself be carried.

"We must face them, Neo-Queen Serenity or not. We can't just sit here while they destroy the city." Mars said icely. Pluto sat to one side of the heated argument and looked as if she were somewhere else. She couldn't say her own thoughts out-loud, it would cause even more damage to the flow of time. If they only knew. she thought sadly. If they only knew that no matter what they do, how much they fight, they will die. There must me something I can do. and looked around the room. Jupiter burst in, looking very grim. Chibi-Usa was in her arms. Pluto was out of her chair in a moment. "Are you all right, Small Lady?" she asked, concerned. The girl nodded and swiped some tears from her eyes, leaving a trail of dirt across her cheek. "We have to leave, evacuate." Jupiter stated. This was met with a few gasps and one or two outright denials. "The palace is collapsing. Chibi-Usa was almost crushed. We must leave." she said again, more firmly this time.

"To leave would mean certain death." Mercury said matter-of-factly, her mini-computer whirring loudly. "No matter what we do, we die." Saturn sad from the by the window. She was staring out, arms wrapped around her upper body protectively. She turned to face the startled room. "No matter what we do, we die. Why not die fighting, perhaps take a few of them with us." she re-iterated. All but Pluto, Mars and Jupiter looked startled. "Yes, it's true" muttered Pluto, "There's nothing I can do to stop it. Maybe I can re-incarnate you again." Venus looked pale, but determined. "Let us die like warriors." she said and marched from the room.

The Sailor Senshi spread down the stairs of the decemated palace, grim-faced and prepared to face Destiny. Explosions sounded both far and near. The sky was black with soot and reflected the orange glow of the fires that ravaged the city. Chibi-Moon took a deep breath, she didn't want to die, not yet. But, she knew that Pluto would do what she could.

Evil laughter filled the air. "So, the Senshi finally come to battle the mighty Proxima! I can't wait." and a tall man materialized before them. "So your Proxima." Jupiter hissed. Proxima glanced at her, a sneering look on his face. "And you the revered Sailor Jupiter. But not for long! Dark Nova! Lend me strength so that I may kill these senshi and destroy Earth." he called, tilting his head to the blackened sky. Above him, a skull appeared, shining red eyes looked down and hideous smile spread the nightmare's lips. Black lightening crackled down and surround Proxima, who laughed, a strange sound that incorporated pain and delight. The skull faded from the sky and Proxima looked back at the stunned senshi. "Now, DIE!" he screamed and flung a tremendous wall of energy at them. Jupiter growled something that was lost in the roar and dove for Chibi-Moon, knocking the young girl out of the way. Mars and Neptune were caught in the blast as well. "No! Jupiter!" Chibi-Moon cried. The senshi that had always been strong and happy grinned painfully at Chibi-Moon. "Aw, don't cry Chibi-Moon. At least he doesn't look like my old boyfriend." she murmured and gave a coughing laugh. Chibi-Moon had no time to answer before the next attack came rolling in. Chibi-Moon saw it to late, it hit her hard and she was sent sprawling. Gasping, she struggled to her feet. "We have to attack." she bit out, holding her ribs. Mercury had her computer out again and was furiously typing away. "I don't think we have enough power to defeat Proxima without Neo-Queen Serenity. We should at least try, for the sake of the planet." she added half-heartedly. Gathering herself, Mercury began her attack. "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" she cried and let loose the freezing water. Proxima laughed and easily deflected it. "Poor, poor Sailor Mercury. So weak." he cooed and Mercury's attack shot right back at her, blasting her into the wall of a near-by building. Uranus and Saturn were both in shock. Four of the revered senshi had been killed without a second though. Glancing at Uranus, Saturn moved forward. Venus wiped a single crystal tear away and then glared determindly up. "Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" she screamed. "Silence Glaive Surprise!" Saturn called and Uranus came in with "Space Sword Blaster!" Pluto looked increasingly sad but added the powerful "Chronos Typhoon!" Chibi-Moon was still to weak to attack and cringed when the attack sailed towards the laughing Proxima. The combined attack hit the man and staggered, coughing violently for a few moments. A trickle of blood orginated from above one eye and his look was now murderous. "How dare you attack me! I've had enough of you, senshi!" he spat and floated to the ground. Pulling an onyx sword from nowhere, Proxima advanced. Saturn dug her toes into the ground and Uranus growled deep in her throat.

The blast that followed rocked what was left of the city. The tall crystal palace teetered and collapsed in the distance. Pluto lay sprawled over Chibi-Moon. The life-less bodies of Saturn, Uranus and Venus were crumpled and flung in hideous position. Pluto groaned and rolled over, her body bruised and bleeding. Chibi-Moon blinked out and stared around, not able to understand what had happened. Proxima strode through the smoke and stood over her, ignoring Pluto. "I sense evil in you, Sailor Chibi-Moon. You are powerful, or will be if you had grown up. I think I will take you as a present for my master, the Dark Nova. Would you like to be evil again?" he asked, his voice smooth and interested. Chibi-Moon sneered and spat at him. "Never. I would never follow you or your master. Kill me now and be done with it!" she cried and struggled to her knees.

Proxima's hand grabbed Chibi-Moon tightly, to keep her from running away. He lifted her roughly and held her close. "You will come with us. You will be twice as strong as you could have been." he growled and Chibi-Moon phased out, probably going to the Dark Nova. Proxima turned his attention to Pluto then. "Wake up, Guardian of Time. I need to kill you." he murmured sweetly and then kicked Pluto's side. She groaned and glared up at him, anger flashing in her maroon eyes. "You can never kill me!" she hissed and clambered to her feet, leaning heavily on the Garnet Rod. "Never!" she yelled and her whole body glowed brightly. "Serenity, forgive me." she whispered, feeling forbidden powers well up with-in her. "What I do, I do for the good of all. Aeon Banishment!" she cried and Proxima was laid flat by the power. His body slowly faded and the sky lightened. Pluto sank to the ground, to weak to move. "Small Lady." she mumbled and looked around, not seeing the pink-haired senshi anywhere. "Oh Serenity, what have I done." she murmured and slipped into unconsciouness.

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