As the sun rose and set, Ami and Minako were cut off from the team by Nahlin and Unil. Now only Hotaru and Usagi remained alive. They mostly kept to themselves, for they had never really been close friends. Hotaru was usually silent and did not respond to Usagi. Usagi occasionally tried to make a conversation, but was almost always answered with looks or nods. Hotaru seemed to prefer being in solitude, thinking by herself. Usagi and Guardian talked sometimes, but the conversations were filled with depression. “Hotaru, are you ready to fight again?” Usagi’s voice came through in an uncomfortable tone. “...Whatever.” Hotaru answered. “Ok...Let’s go.” Usagi concluded before she walked out the door. “Where are we going?” Hotaru asked blankly. “I don’t know..” Usagi replied. The two girls, one small with short purple hair and a skinny build, and the other taller, with a full body and two flowing blond odangos. They almost looked like total opposites, except for the fact that they were on the same team, working for the same cause, and their hearts were bonded together by their will to keep the universe from any evil. Usagi’s eyes sparkled with joy and laughter, but Hotaru’s eyes mirrored death and vengeance for those who dared hurt the innocent. “It’s him.” Hotaru said quietly as they approached a middle aged man leaning on a light pole, both hands in his pockets. He had dark hair and dark hazel eyes. Usagi and Hotaru ran behind a building and transformed. The minute they walked out, the man was still leaning on the pole, but his eyes were alert, and he seemed tense. “Just the two of you?” He snickered. His voice was deep and raspy. “Aww, how pathetic!” He added. “Be quiet. You know full well about our situation.” Hotaru’s cold voice told him. “Oh, I almost forgot about that. Maybe...I should add to your situation, eh?” He growled. His head whipped around and he shot a stare at the senshi, and from his eyes came powerful beams of energy. His hair flew up, and his eyes glowed green. After the horrifying sight settled, the senshi were in full battle mode, Hotaru’s Glaive was drawn, and Usagi was ready to attack. With a mighty roar, the man crouched down and wings unfolded from his back. His arms thickened and his face became distorted and beast-like. He swung with his great arms at Hotaru, but she ducked. “Black Death!” She cried. The spirits of the dead arose and held down the beast while Usagi attacked it. “Diamond Annihilation!” White diamond dust whirlwinded down above the beast’s head and engulfed him until he was nothing but a tiny body in a huge diamond tornado. Usagi blew moondust at the tornado, and immediately, the raging winds halted, and the beast lay on the ground, cut and bleeding. “You fools!” He yelled. Using his heavy wings, he hovered above the ground, and swooped down at Usagi. “Aaahhh!!!” She exclaimed as the wings beat down upon her head. She felt her head being knocked around by the large, thick wings. The beast finally released her, and rushed down at Hotaru, his legs out in front of him. His feet met Hotaru’s body and she toppled over backwards. Gripping her Silence Glaive tight, she picked herself up from the ground and stood weakly. Lashing out at the beast with her Glaive, she managed to inflict a few wounds from which blood oozed out of. Now the creature looked even more gruesome, for he had blood mixed in with dirt and fur, and one of his wings hung limply. “Little girl, you’re gonna pay for that!” His raspy voice declared. With a last muster of energy, he flew up high and spiraled down to the ground directly at Hotaru. Raising her Glaive above her head, she tried in vain to counter the blow. The impact of the blow killed Hotaru, but her raised Glaive had sliced the beast in half. Usagi turned and ran away from the last other senshi’s death. As she ran, tears came down uncontrollably. Why didn’t she do something?! She just seemed to stand there, watching her only friend die. Now she felt truly alone. She ran until she could run no more. Exhausted, she slumped down on a bus bench, in her uniform and all. Every car that passed by slowed down to stare at her strange outfit, and every person who walked by glanced in her direction. She sat, panting and blinded by tears, waiting for something miraculous to happen and all of her friends to suddenly return as it nothing ever happened. But when nothing happened she got up and trudged home.

“Guardian...she’s gone too...” Usagi sobbed. “It’s ok, Usagi. She had to go. You know that.” He purred reassuringly. “Yea, but...” “But what? You couldn’t have stopped it.” “...” “Don’t worry about it, Usagi. There’s only one more. Defeat him. Your friends await you.” “But what if I don’t see them? What if I never see them ever again? Ever?” “What if you do?” “I don’t know...” “The future is the future. Deal with the present in the present. Finish your job before you rush off into the future.” “...Ok.” “Now get some sleep. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a big day...” “Yea.” Usagi fell asleep and Guardian watched as the only protector of the Earth left was Usagi. He paced the floor, thinking. Jumping up onto her chair, he sat there, looking around. A picture caught his eye. It was a picture of Usagi and Mamoru. He had his arms around her waist and they were both smiling happily. “Mamoru! How could I have forgotten?! He’s the prince of the Earth, right?” Guardian looked around for something to write a note to Usagi with. He searched in drawers until he found a magazine with a picture of an airplane on the inside cover. Opening it, he laid it open on the floor. A small cat figurine lay on Usagi’s dresser, and he knocked it down. Picking up the figurine in his mouth, he put it on top of the airplane ad in the magazine. “I hope she sees it...” He thought anxiously. “I’ll be right back, Usagi. Just wait here.” Guardian ran out of the room. “Wait! I’m forgetting something....the Disguise Wand!” Running back inside, he opened the drawer and took out a small golden stick. He ran outside and to the phone. 375-TAXI. “Hello, this is the taxi service.” “Ahem...I need to get picked up. My address is 83637 Ran St.” “Thank you, someone will be there in five minutes.” Jumping out the open window, Guardian paced back and forth. “Hurry....” He turned his paw to look at the time, but to his surprise, he had no watch. “Oops!” He frantically took out the Wand.

“Disguise...Transformation!” Guardian transformed into a tall, handsome businessman with a clean-cut look. He carried a briefcase and was dressed in an impressive black suit. A yellow car pulled up in the driveway, and he stepped in. “Where would you like to go?” “Where? Uh...the airport.” “Yes, sir.” The car ride seemed so long. They had been going for a while when they hit traffic. “Sorry, sir. There are a lot of people traveling to America at this time.” “America?? What for?” “Didn’t you hear the news just a few days ago?” “No...” “There was a tragic plane crash between a plane that was headed here, and a plane headed for Los Angeles. They collided, and there were no survivors.” “No survivors, huh? I see...” Guardian looked out the window at the hotels and parks all around the airport. “This is it, sir.” “Thank you.” “That’ll be $15.” “Oh, right. Money...” He suddenly felt lightheaded. “What do I do?!?! Crap...” he thought. He desperately searched his briefcase for any money. There were just a mess of papers. He felt his pockets for a wallet. Something solid was in his back pocket. “Please, please let this be a wallet.” He drew it out, and he held a black leather wallet in his hands. Opening it, he gave the driver the money. “Whew. I almost forgot something important...” He walked in the crowded airport. He stood in line behind an old man who was reading a newspaper. “Plane crash in America. All passengers dead.” the headline boldly read. “Excuse me, but could I see that newspaper for a second?” Guardian asked politely. “Uh...ok.” He replied. “Thank you.” Guardian searched the list of names. “M....m...” He mumbled. Running his finger down the page, he found what he was looking for. “Mamoru.” It read. The name seemed to jump out at him, stunning him. “Him too?” Guardian gasped. “They’re really...all gone...” He stared off into space, still not able to absorb this new information. Shaking his head he asked himself, “What am I still doing here?” Guardian rushed to the nearest taxi and quickly relayed directions to Usagi’s house. Every light they came across seemed to be red. “Hurry, hurry...” Guardian became impatient. When the taxi finally pulled up into the driveway, he ran out of the car, slapping a few dollars in the driver’s hand as he left. “Usagi?!” Guardian stumbled as he hurried up the stairs. “Ugh...stupid human form...” He growled. “Disguise Wand Deactivate!” Guardian’s torso shrunk and he became his normal feline self again. Guardian skidded three feet across the floor as he stopped by Usagi’s door. “Usagi??” He yelled. “Where are you?!” Frantically, he scoured the house but Usagi was nowhere to be seen. Guardian ran outside and down the street, powerful hind legs boosting him forward as he searched for his princess. As he stood, panting, he heard a scream. His ears perked up as he recognized the voice. “Usagi!” Guardian turned and dashed to the location. Just a few feet away from him lay Usagi, her odangos fraying, and her dress rumpled. She lay on the ground, eyes closed in pain. In front of Usagi was a hideous dragon, red and scaly, laughing haughtily at Usagi. “Idiotic little girl...you thought you had me didn’t you?” He paused to laugh some more. “You thought you had me because you took my brothers didn’t you?” His face turned agonized and angry as he continued, “You THOUGHT.” The dragon backed away, the sun glistening on his back as he moved. His fixated his eyes upon the near dead princess and they glowed a blazing scarlet color. The light enveloped his whole head, and made it appear as if there were two flaming red eyes in the midst of a glowing red head. “STOP!!” Guardian screamed. The dragon changed his stare to the cat who had just dared demand him to stop. “Very well, since you have interrupted my business, you shall watch your friend die.”

Redirecting his glare, he began to accumulate energy to eliminate the last protector of good on the Earth. “No...Usagi, you can’t die! Not if he still lives!” Guardian whispered. He ran and shielded Usagi with his own body. He was almost knocked over by the force of the beam, but he held steady. He felt his body weakening, then he began to change. On his forehead a sign representing the sun glowed brilliantly, and Guardian absorbed all of the dragon’s energy. Guardian stood up and blasted the dragon’s own attack back at him. With his claws, he clawed at the dragon’s eyes, desperately trying to blind him. He felt a long claw puncture his skin and bore through his heart. He then was flung into the air, tumbling, until he hit a tree. When Guardian opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a spectral crimson glow emitting out of one of the dragon’s eyes. With the last ounce of energy he had, the dragon shot his most powerful attack at the cat. Guardian’s life left him at that instant, and he was gone forever. The dragon slumped onto the ground, powerless. After almost an hour passed, Usagi came into consciousness. She gasped. “Where am I? Did I kill the dragon? Am I dead?” Sitting up, she saw the dragon on the grass near her, and the dead body of the Guardian lying in a heap by a nearby tree. The scene was self-explanatory. Guardian had sacrificed his own life for her. Not knowing what to do next, she picked up her skirts and ran. She ran as fast as she could. She ran without destination, going wherever her legs decided to bring her. Out of breath, she was tempted to stop and rest, but she kept going. Dehydrated and gasping for air, she still ran clumsily on. Unable to go on any longer, she stopped and walked. Tripping over her own two feet. She fell to the ground and found she was in an ally. As she turned her head to get the glare of the sun out of her eyes, she saw a newspaper. “Plane crash in New York: No Survivors.” Read the headline. “What is this?” She sat upright. A list of names was on the second page. Curious, Usagi turned the page. “Mamoru.” Read the newspaper. It seemed to taunt her, to mock her whole life. On the next page was a picture of a woman with long black hair smiling at her with cherry red lips and dark brown eyes. Punching the paper, she created a hole where the face was. Her mouth still remained, and her smiling, mocking eyes flapped in the breeze. She threw the newspaper into the air, but a page floated back down to haunt her. “Mamoru.” It read. Leaning on the wall behind her, she cried. Hours passed, and she continued to cry. “Why am I the only one left here??” Usagi whimpered. “Have you forgotten me?!” She yelled into the twilight. Even the pink clouds seemed to laugh at her. “TAKE ME TOO!” she screamed. “Please...I have nothing left here. My job is done. Am I left to wander forever?” She sobbed. She snapped out of her sobbing as she heard waves crashing against the shore. She sniffed the air, and the fresh smell of salt water reached her nostrils. She followed the scent until she saw the glorious ocean before her. It was almost isolated, except for a few couples strolling on the beach together. She threw off her shoes and walked barefoot across the warm sand. Her toes touched the cold ocean water as a wave washed up at her feet. Slowly, she walked into the ocean. She stood, knee deep in water when she stopped. She untied her long hair which was tied up in odangos and let her golden blond hair flow in the wind. Usagi’s eyes teared up again, but smiled at the thought of being with her friends again. “All together...” she thought as she walked deeper into the water. She was now up to her neck in water. She exhaled to let out all the air possible in order to make her passage quicker. Her head went under and she breathed in water, the salt water flooding into her nose and mouth. All of a sudden, she blacked out. Usagi found herself drifting in darkness. “Am I dead now?” She wondered. “Is this what death is like?” She asked no one. “Usagi...” A quiet voice called. “Huh?” Usagi turned around, but nobody was there. Then, she saw her mother before her. “Mother!!” Usagi’s eyes brightened. “Wait...then you’re dead too?” Usagi asked. “No, no. I’m alive. So are you.” She replied. “But...I thought...” “No. It’s not your time to die yet. Until the last Solitaire is gone, you will continue to live. “But there’s nobody left! I’m all alone down there, and I can’t do it...” Usagi whined. “Usagi, don’t think like that. You’re the leader. You have to keep going. Giving up is the easy way out. Do you know how disappointed I was when I saw you walk into the ocean?” Queen Selenety scolded her. “Sorry, Mother...I guess I wasn’t thinking right.” Usagi lowered her head apologetically. “Now go back down there and finish your job!” the queen commanded. “Yes, ma’am.” Usagi consented. Once again, she blacked out.

When she regained consciousness, she felt the warm sand under her body and the cold waves washing over her. Slowly picking herself up, she walked away from that dreadful place and went home. She slept alone that night, there was no sound of a cat or another senshi in the air. Although Haruka’s snoring and Makoto talking in her sleep kept her awake at times, but she preferred that to the silence of being alone. Worn out, Usagi fell asleep, the silver moonlight shimmering outside her window.

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