I'm back, aren't you proud of me? But it's sort of 
been about two weeks. I blame it on all of the homework I 
have now. I also forgot to mention in the last chapter that 
the senshi will be wearing their masks and the black cloaks 
until later on in the story, when they don't have it on 
I'll sort of make it obvious. Somebody had asked that 
question. This chapter will explain what all of the gunshot 
the senshi had heard in the previous chapters. So without 
any further adieu, here's the next chapter (BTW, I don't 
own anything but the Selene, Seth and Bruce. GW and SM 
characters belong to their prospective owners)
Chapter VII- Senshi of Sacrifice Part II
It was like watching a movie and hitting pause on the 
most climactic part. Makoto almost laughed but decided not 
to. Hysteria does that to you.
She was tapped out. Heero was weaponless. Relena was 
pleading for her life and Bruce (the man with the scar 
face) held the gun. He had to power to say which one of 
them lived or died. "Put that gun down Bruce. You don’t 
want to shoot her. Please, we have friends on the way so 
don’t kill Relena. If they come and find us dead then 
you’re in trouble…you don’t want to know what they’ll do to 
you," Makoto said. She didn’t know where she got the nerve 
to threaten the crazy armed man but she wanted to talk him 
out of it. 
"I have my orders. I don’t think you’re in a position 
to threaten me sweet cheeks. Now both of you just stay 
there. I’ll kill your Queen…then I might just have some fun 
the woman," the man said looking at Makoto intensely. 
Makoto grew angry. She clenched her fists and glared 
at the man. "Sweet cheeks…Sweat cheeks! How dare you!" 
Makoto yelled. The man ignored her. Heero took a step 
forward, just like in her dream. "I told you not to do 
that," the man said. Makoto knew what was going to happen 
next. She used her rising anger and concentrated, the floor 
started to shake…another small jolt but it was concentrated 
under Bruce. He fell over but it was too late. The bullet 
was air born.
It was as if time froze (picture the Matrix). Bruce 
was slowly falling down. So slow it was almost painful to 
watch. Makoto was the only normal person in the room. She 
looked at the bullet. It was moving an inch per second. 
Makoto had to think of something and fast.
She looked over to Relena who was frozen in terror. 
Makoto gasped as she looked at Relena. In that moment she 
saw crystal blue eyes and long golden ondagoes. "I have to 
save her! I couldn’t save her then but I can this time," 
Makoto thought.
Makoto ran using all of her strength. "Usako!" she 
screamed. She dove in front of Relena as the bullet hit 
home. Time went back to normal. Makoto crumpled to the 
floor.
The bullet hit her in the chest, well away from her 
heart but fatal none the same. Makoto closed her eyes and 
struggled to her knees. She looked once more at the Queen 
she saved. It wasn’t Serenity…it was Relena. 
At that same moment both of the other doors opened. 
Wufei and Rei burst through one door; Minako and Duo came 
in through another. They surveyed the scene quickly. Minako 
and Rei were immediately at Makoto’s side. Makoto supported 
by Mina, stood. The newcomers could guess what was 
happening. 
"He’s getting away!" Rei yelled. Bruce stood and made 
for the door. A glowing chain of hearts appeared in 
Minako’s hand. She threw it at Bruce and it wrapped around 
his legs, tripping him. Everybody ran over to him (Minako 
and Rei supporting Makoto).
He struggled out of his bindings. At that moment 
Quatra and Trowa reentered the room. They didn’t have 
anybody else with them, so much for reinforcements.
Heero had a gun pressed against Bruce's head. "Who 
sent you? Why do they want to kill Relena?" He demanded. 
The man laughed. "What are you going to do? Shoot me?" he 
asked. Rei held out a hand. A small ball of fire hovered 
over it. "No, I’m going to burn you’re butt to a crisp," 
Rei said. Minako knew Rei was lying of course. Bruce didn’t 
know that though.
He gulped visibly. "Okay…we were supposed to come and 
assassinate Relena. The master never said you guys had 
magic," he said nervously. "Who is you master?" Makoto 
asked in a weak voice. "My master…master…"he stopped 
talking. His head lolled to the side and his eyes looked 
frightened. Quatra checked his pulse. "He’s…he’s dead. His 
heart burst."
They all stood and moved well away from the dead 
body. Relena looked at the three cloaked women. "Thank you 
for saving my life. Who is Usako though?" she asked Makoto. 
Rei and Minako’s eyes widened. "Never mind. You all deserve 
a reward. You were so brave. I know you can be my 
bodyguards. I already have five but it doesn’t matter. Well 
tell me your names and if you agree," Relena said. She 
obviously was two scared to notice the magic Minako and Rei 
had just used.
Minako stepped forward. "I am Minako Aino and…I 
accept," Minako said after exchanging looks with Makoto and 
Rei. Rei stepped forward. "I am Rei Hino. I accept too." 
Everybody’s attention was on Makoto. Her hand clutched her 
bleeding chest. "I…I am…Makoto…Kino…accept." "Good. Now 
take off your cloaks and masks so we can see you. You can’t 
look that bad," Relena said. They all hesitated for a 
moment then complied. Everybody gasped at what they saw. 
Minako was wearing black pumps with a black skirt and 
yellow top. Her whole body was covered in the heart-vine 
tattoos.
Rei was wearing black and red sweats with black 
tennis shoes. Her whole body was covered in red fire-vine 
tattoos.
Makoto was wearing a green tube top and black leather 
pants with black boots. Her body and face was covered in 
green vine tattoos. Her shirt was soaked in blood.
Quatra got over the fact that they were completely 
covered in tattoos…but the fact that the vines were moving, 
beautiful as they were, was disconcerting. "That must have 
hurt like a bitch," Duo said talking about the tattoos. 
Everybody’s attention was then on Makoto. With her 
shirt soaked in blood from two bullet wounds, it was a 
wonder that she was still alive. "How do you feel Makoto?" 
Mina asked. "Like a human pincushion," Makoto said managing 
some humor in the bleak moment. Minako stepped forward to 
help her but Makoto shook her head. "Miss Makoto you need 
help," Quatra said. "I don’t need help. I can deal with 
this. Don’t touch me," Makoto said. They were about to 
press the matter when Relena interrupted. "If she says 
she’s fine then leave her alone. Now to make your office 
official you all have to bow down to me," Relena said with 
a haughty look on her face.
Minako looked like she was about to but Rei but a 
hand on her arm. "We…bow…to no one," Makoto said through 
clenched teeth. Relena looked horrified. Makoto turned and 
walked slowly away. "You know ‘Queen Relena’ you are lucky 
that Makoto is your bodyguard," Mina said. "And why is 
that?" Relena asked in a bored tone. "Because she is a 
great senshi and friend. Mako-chan’s only doing this 
because you remind her of our hime," Mina finished. 
"And you are nothing like our hime," Rei spat out. 
Rei and Mina turned and began to walk in the direction of 
the door. "Those freaks. How dare they! I am the only 
Queen," Relena said. Rei heard it but she decided to let it 
go…this time. That’s when they heard a loud crash in the 
hallway. Everybody rushed to see what it was. 
They reached the hall with their weapons out. Makoto 
was on the floor, a statue fallen next to her. She had 
collapsed and taken the statue down with her. "We’ve got to 
save her!" Rei yelled. "Take her to the cryogenic tank 
downstairs," Heero said. "But the tank is only a 
prototype," Duo said. "Do it. Its her only hope," Heero 
said. Together Heero and Trowa carried Makoto to the 
cryogenic tank. 
Don’t think for a minute that Heero was getting too 
soft. Makoto saved his life. He owed her and he was a man 
that paid his debts. But there was something about Makoto 
that drew him to repaying his debts, something that drew 
him…
*In the Neather realm*
Selene paced through her royal office. "Damnit! 
Damni! They failed me. I gave them power and you know what 
they did, ma petite?" she asked. Seth was the only one in 
the room. He had become her top General since his 
recruitment. Seth loved Selene and it was a shame that it 
wasn’t returned. Chaos/Selene now had no heart.
"What did they do?" Seth asked slightly nervous. 
Selene turned and faced him angrily. She still had her half 
mask on. "They wasted the power. Those idiots can’t even 
kill the queen. They kept making excuses about some girls 
with magic. I doubt that’s true even if it is the crown 
should be mine. I should be queen. Do you know what I 
endured? Do you?" she asked and pointed her finger on his 
chest. 
Selene cut him off before he could answer. "My host 
almost killed me. I took control of the fall and ended up 
nearly dead. Look at me now. I’m hideous! See what happens 
when I let Selene take over?" she asked again. Seth didn’t 
like when she spoke like this. He still felt she was human 
deep inside.
"I’ll tell you what I had to do to keep alive. I had 
to make a pact with some vampire youma in France. That was 
to only way to stay alive so they turned me into this! Now 
I live on human energy! It’s unforgivable. I will get the 
throne and nobody will stop me…now ma petite. You are 
intelligent. We need a new plan and I know you can come up 
with one soon…" Selene said. She traced her finger along 
his jaw line. Seth loved to be useful to his angel Selene…
**************
Liked it? No, yes? Review please, it just got easier 
and I would like to hear some more feedback. The next 
chapter might be a tinsy bit mushy but I'm working on the 
fluff, not too good at it, but will be more action. This is 
going to be a really long story. Its only about 45% done 
and the other chapters might be longer. Sorry, it's just 
the way my mind works. I don't think it will get boring. 
Announcements:
In about two weeks or so there will be a new story 
out by Makoto Almasy, who's helping me a lot (I don't think 
I could have done it with out her) and myself. It's called 
Belle Morte and is a slightly darker SM/GW story. And as 
for the sequel for Prelude to a Dream…its going to be 
called Rhapsody of Life and should be out within 2 months. 
Darn school.
Well, either review or go read some more stories here 
at fanfiction.net. I don't like the new format/layout 
thinggie; it's confusing…