Here's part 2 of Chapter 1 of Reflections of Reality. **************************************************************************** ************************************* All eyes widened as Usagi walked into the temple, perfectly on time for the fire- reading Rei was to perform. They had been counting on waiting at least fifteen minutes for her to show up. She gave them all a kind, light hearted smile and sat down between Minako and Ami. "Hel-LO everybody!" Usagi's voice was dripping with sweet cheerfulness, a total turn around from the day before. The most shocking thing though was her hair. Instead of the usual meatball-like buns, she wore it all down, flowing around her shoulders and falling nearly to the floor when she stood. No one knew what to say, especially Luna. To the guardian, this new hair style was almost an insult to the Moon Kingdom considering that all of its rulers had always worn their tresses in the same royal manner. "Usagi! What have you done?" "What? Oh! The hair! What do you guys think? I decided that the other style was too silly looking. I'm even considering getting it cut." "NO!" The Senshi all cried at once. Minako continued for them "Usagi, what are you thinking? Your hair has always been your pride and joy, why have you suddenly changed your mind about it? It's beautiful long, and was just as gorgeous in the other style." " Oh don't say that Minako, I know all of you have called me 'meatball head' behind my back." She almost smirked as they all, especially Rei, bowed their heads in shame. "So I decided to do something about it." She shrugged, as if it were no big deal. "Are we going to get on with this, cause I have somewhere else I need to be." "Then by all means, leave." Mamoru stood in the doorway, hands in his pockets and looking as calm and cool as always. "We're sorry Usagi," Makoto said, "we invited Mamoru because we thought he should be here." "Who?" The blank look in her eyes shocked them all, most of all Mamoru. "Oh, him." She looked her Prince up and down, as if seeing him for the first time. "If you guys think so." Usagi sighed and stood. "Then with him here you don't need me. So long everyone!" She walked out, purposefully swaying her hips as she passed by Mamoru, knowing he was watching her leave. The hurt in Mamoru's eyes could not be hidden as he turned back to the Senshi. "W- what was that all about?" he managed to stutter. "We wish we knew." Rei answered, looking at them with unspoken questions burning in her violet eyes. What in the world had come over Usagi? **************************************************************************** ************************************* "There are many things you did not tell me about this girl, Master." "There are many things I did not know about her. That is the reason you were sent to...observe." "She is the leader of the Senshi. This girl is Sailor Moon." "Interesting....anything else?" "I believe the real name of Tuxedo Kamen may be Mamoru." "Also interesting. Do you know the identity of the Moon Princess?" "Not yet, Master, but I will. The Senshi know, and I can find out." "Good. Continue, but know that if you fail me, there will be a heavy price to pay: "I know, and I bow before you, offering my life to your hands." "No need, go, and find me the Moon Princess." **************************************************************************** ************************************* How long? How long had it been since she had been put in this cursed place? It seemed she had never been outside of its confining darkness, never known the light, or the brilliance of colors. In a fit of anger, those came so few now, she strained against the chains. Her arms pulled against the chains around her wrists, but her heart pulled at the chains around her soul. Neither accomplished freedom. She still felt it, the allure of the one who needed her, but that heart was giving up. Something had happened, and faith was cracked, threatening to fall away peice by peice like a shattered mirror. She could not see his face, not even in memory, and that was killing her. "If only......if only I could remember him...." **************************************************************************** ************************************* "What is wrong with her????" Rei's voice resounded off the walls and in the ears of each person who was present. The group was noticeably short a member. "She hasn't come to a meeting in almost two weeks, and she won't fight with us!!" The last was the major insult. The Senshi needed Sailor Moon and she was not there to help them. "Yeah," Makoto rarely spoke against Usagi, but these were desperate times, "she has no right to leave us to fight the Nega-moon ourselves!" "Luna," Ami's thoughtful voice broke in, "You realize that under these conditions, a new leader must be appointed. Temporary of course." "Of course." Luna sighed, a defeated sound. She gazed at all of them, and they looked expectantly at her. How could she choose? With Usagi it was easy, she was destined to be their leader. The others though....she never thought she would be doing this. They all had qualities that would contribute to being a worthy leader. Rei, though easily made angry, was dedicated to the Senshi. She would never let them down, would protect any of them, and would fight untill the battle was won...or totally lost. Minako had a natural confedence that any leader would need. She also had a guardian cat to guide her. Makoto had the fighting skills and endurance to carry out any moves. Her determination was strong, and often had helped the Senshi when they thought it was over. Ami's greatest strength was her intelligence. Though a little shy and not quite the warrior the rest of them were, she could easily outwit any Nega- trash thrown at her. 'I can not make this decision. All of them deserve to be leader and I could not disapoint any of them.' "We will just have to wait untill Usa-" "RRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" That great bellowing could only be caused by a Nega- droid. Automatically the Senshi all leaped from their seats and called to their respective planets to give them the power they needed to fight. "Mars Star Power!" "Venus Star Power!" "Jupiter Star Power!" "Mercury Star Power!" "Scout Power!" They all noticed the absence of a familiar voice mixed with theirs, and when their transformations were complete and they rushed towards what destiny had given them, they missed their real leader. This droid was larger than the others the Senshi had fought, and acted more directly than the others as well. Instead of hiding behind some gimic to disguise itself untill needed, it simply projected dark energy blasts at the running crowds of people in the street. Immediatly the four warriors knew that they would not be able to defeat it alone. They would certainly try though. "Mars....celestial.....fire......SURROUND!!!!" Flying, burning projectiles sliced through the heated air and would have hit the intended target had it not moved. "No!" Mars cried, obviously frustrated. "Whatsa matta Mars, your little trick didn't work?" All eyes turned to the source of the mocking voice, one that sounded too familiar to be true. Their leader, Usagi, stood on the roof of a nearby building, and she laughed openly at them. She was their Usagi, their leader, their Princess, but the normal golden crescent moon did not adorn her forehead. It had been replaced by the black, inverted one of the Nega-Moon. "Usagi.....no!" Luna cried, not believing the sight before her. "Whatever they told you, you can not believe it!" "Oh shut up furball!" Luna obeyed, more from the shock of the harsh tone in Usagi's voice than anything else. She watched as a slow, evil grin appeared on the usually beautiful face. "You guys want Sailor Moon? Fine, I'll give you Sailor Moon." Raising the Ginzuishou over her head in the normal fashion, Usagi shouted unfamiliar words. "Dark Moon Crystal Power!" The transformation from Usagi to what they would later call Dark Sailor Moon none of them saw, for the Senshi could not bring themselves to watch, not wanting to believe this was happening. All they knew was that when they looked back to the place where Usagi once stood, now stood a mutated form of their leader. Her uniform was of black and gray, with a blood red bow in front and back, and her tiara sported the upside down form of a crescent moon. "Masaka....." Luna heard Makoto whisper. "It can be, Sailor Jupiter, it is." Dark Sailor Moon leaped from the building with a grace that Usagi had never shown, and on her way down she threw her first attack. "Dark Moon Mist....Seperation!" Before any of the Senshi could react, the blackest, coldest mist anyone could ever imagine crept its way over them, and into their hearts. The title of Moon Mist Seperation was apropriate, no one could see arms length in front of them, least of all each other. In this vulnerable position, Dark Sailor Moon could easily take each of the Senshi down one by one. On cue, a red rose cut its way through the mist, leaving a trail of clear air behind it, which quickly spread and left none of the soul draining stuff behind. "Chikuchou!" Dark Sailor Moon was obviously not pleased at the arrival of Tuxedo Kamen. He was equally shocked to hear her act upset that her friends were free. He stared at her, and studied the new uniform. "Sailor..... Moon?" His voice was hesitant, revealing his uncertainty. "Are you as foolish as I have always thought you were? Yes, you are Tuxedo Kamen. Bakayarou!" The minor insult came with her evil laughter, making the black and red clad protector of the Senshi take a step back. He had no idea what was going on, what had come over the girl that he loved. "I believe that these odds are too much for me. So I will take one of you down for the next time I fight. Crystal Shards Attack!" The dark cloud that materialized in front of her outstretched hands and the ebony chunks of sharp crystal that flew from it surprised the Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen. It all happened so quickly, all in a few seconds, they never had a chance to stop it. Rei felt the shards rip into her flesh a split second before she realized they were heading for her. The intense pain of not only the sharp edges, but also the pulses of Nega- energy that the crystals contained broke her power and her Senshi outfit disapeared. She fell to the ground not as Sailor Mars, but as Rei. 'That meatball head.....' was her last thought as she blacked out. Mercury was the first to break the trance that had seemed to fall over all of them and she rushed to her fallen friend. Even for her, the large amount of blood that covered the ground was alarming. Without examining Rei, she knew that her friend would need more than what the powers of Mercury could give her. "Venus..." She stopped as she heard the Sailor sobbing, "Tuxedo Kamen, find a phone and call the hospital. Get an ambulence out here NOW!" She figured that Kamen was the strongest of all of them, and he probably needed something to keep his mind off of Sailor Moon's apparent betrayal. Jupiter held Venus up while looking at Mercury with fear in her green eyes. "Will she....?" "I don't know, Jupiter. Those crystals were not ordinary, they did something to her that the doctors may not be able to heal. I'd say our only hope is the Ginzuishou." She pulled in a shakey breath; they all knew the likelyhood that the power of the Ginzuishou would help Rei anytime soon. "Sumimasen." Mercury whispered to Rei under her breath; "I can't do anything for you, my friend." None of them had noticed the disapearance of Dark Sailor Moon, or heard her cruel laughter as she had departed. **************************************************************************** ************************************* Mamoru sat in the hospital, waiting for word about Rei, but his thoughts went back to the warped version of his love he had just encountered. What had they done to her? The Dark Kingdom could not, just could NOT turn her against the Senshi, or so he had always believed. They could get him, for a while perhaps, but never her, never Usagi. 'Usako, when we get you back, I will tell you the truth, and I will never let you go again. I promise you this.' **************************************************************************** ************************************* "Master, with the removal of Sailor Senshi Mars, defeating the rest of the Senshi will be easier, but not much." "Hmmm....do you have a plan?" "I say we take them all down, one by one." "Yes.........you are by far the best warrior I've ever had. Do this, and make Jupiter your next target. The mortal girl Kino Makoto." "As you command, my Master." **************************************************************************** ************************************* "No....." The word was no more than a whisper, a plea to those who could not hear her, or would not. Salty tears fell into her open mouth as she spoke, and for a moment, one moment, she considered giving up. It would be so much easier, to just stop fighting and admit that she had been defeated. Those chains, those damn chains! Her anger renewed suddenly, the voice that had only been uttered in quiet submission for unknown mercy, screamed in defiance of all that kept her bound here. "I WILL NOT BE BEATEN! I AM HERE AND I WILL REMIND YOU EVERY DAY OF YOUR DAMNED EXISTANCE!" Determination resounded in her strengthened voice, and the darkness around her shifted, acknowledging her cry. **************************************************************************** *********************************** Ami sat in her room, usually so neat, so orderly, but which had become a disaster area in the two days since Rei's "accident." Only Chad and Rei's grandfather knew the truth, the Senshi had felt they had a right to know. 'Why can't I understand this?' The pages of her text book blurred and washed together, and she realized it was because of the tears in her eyes. Wiping at them, she finally put her pencil down and sighed. 'Oh Rei, will you ever wake up? Or will you slowly fade away from us? Of all of the Senshi, I thought you would be the last to fall to this fate.' Her thoughts were rudely interupted as the phone rang. Calling to her parents, "I've got it!" she picked up the receiver and spoke into it. "Moshi, moshi?" "Ami! H--help!" The pleading voice on the other end sounded like Makoto, but it could not be. Makoto never sounded this desperate. "AMI!" Ami nearly dropped the phone as a loud BANG! filtered through the line. "Makoto? Daijoubu?" "Daijou--" "Makoto? MAKOTO?!!" No answer assuaged her fears and Ami knew that yelling into the machine would do her friend no good. She hung up the reciever and pulled her Senshi communicator from her uniform pocket. "Ami?" Minako's faltering voice answered a few seconds before her face appeared on the tiny screen. "What's wrong? Has....has she come back?" Ami knew Minako meant Dark Sailor Moon. "No, I'm afraid it's worse. I got a call from Makoto, something happened and I believe she's hurt. Call Mamoru and meet me at her apartment. Sailor Mercury out." Tossing the communicator to the side, Ami reached into the air and cried her power call as her wand appeared from nowhere. "Mercury.....Star....POWER!" The all too familiar feeling of change washed over her and she hoped that she would be in time to help Makoto. No sooner had the light of her transformation disapated than she leapt through the conveniently open window. Suddenly running seemed too slow, she needed a faster way....... "Mercury......." she paused, the words so close, "Sleet........" the last words were dangling near her concsiousness, "Power Slide!" The sidewalk underneath her became slippery, responding to the incantation she had discovered, or more likely, remembered. Using this to her advantage, Mercury ran a few more paces, then halted, letting the ice take her faster than her legs could carry her. She arrived seconds before Tuxedo Kamen, who looked surprised, but knew there was no time to ask. Sailor Venus appeared right then, her eyes still red from tears. No words were spoken, none were needed, they all entered the building quietly, through a back entrance so no attention would be drawn to them. Bounding up the stairs, one by one, they reached the door of Makoto's apartment two minutes after arriving outside. Silence inside, silence outside, no clue if any attackers were still within. "We need to go in." Mercury whispered to Kamen. He nodded and reached for the doorknob. Everything inside was as it should be, all in place, nothing missing. For a moment Mercury almost thought that she had been hearing things and that Makoto would walk out and start yelling at them all for barging in so suddenly. Almost. That was before she saw the overturned telephone table. "Tuxedo Kamen! Venus!" Mercury pointed in that direction and they all cautiously approached the wooden peice of furniture. Mercury herself was the last in line, but she heard Venus' strangled gasp, and saw Kamen turn away. She rushed ahead and knelt beside Makoto, who lay silent on the carpeted floor, covered in thick blood that flowed from what seemed to be a gunshot wound. "MAKOTO!" paying no heed to the chaotic tears that sprang from her already tortured eyes, Ami examined the girl, she seemed so frail now, and smiled joylessly as she found a faint pulse. "She's still alive! She's alive!" With strength she did not know she possesed, Ami lifted Makoto from her position on the floor, and walked to the window. "Don't worry, I'll get her to the hospital safely. Mercury Sleet Power Slide!" A thin yet strong wall of ice formed from the window ledge and arched out over the street. Mercury stepped up and pushed of, her momentum and power propelling her along the ice path being laid out before her. 'Don't worry, Makoto, you and Rei will be all right. You have to be, we need you!' --------------------------------------- Go to the last part of Chapter 1, part 3