Disclaimer: I'm finished! Yay!!!! *runs around the room screaming with joy* Umm sorry...LOL Sorry, I'm proud of myself..*g*... Well ya'll, here's the last chapter of Mina and the end to the first part of my epic. Yup, am currently planning on continuing their story into the future. But that's a ways off. Am planning on taking a bit of a break and writing some fun shorter fics, etc and maybe taking a few weeks totally off...But don't worry I'll be back! Oh and I'd like to dedicate this chapter to all the spiffy people who have emailed me over the last four months or so to let me know what they thought about my fic--Thanks ya'll, you're the greatest!! Email me at inspiredthoughts@hotmail.com Mina:Last Love Chapter Four Mina stood on the balcony, letting the cold night air numb her body, and wishing it would numb her soul as well. Looking to the sky she fought down the pain that came with the sight of the beautiful jaded world that hung there, suspended between the fiery depths of heaven and hell. Even now darkness was spreading across it like ink, staining its wondrous surface with its own people's blood. And Kunzite led the charge. Damn him. Her lip quivered as crystalline tears fell soundlessly to the railing that she leaned on. Before him she had been lonely, full of pain, but she bore it. She bore the pain of sending her dearest friends into the uncertain winds of fate. She asked, sent, ordered, what battles they fought in and doing so she ordered them into an early grave. Mina knew the facts. Not many warriors grew to an old age and those were warriors of peace, not war. Then he had come and she had found another who knew what she went through, her nightmares, her fears, her worries. Their souls were both scarred and with each other they hadn't been able to heal. But to find peace--that was enough. She wished she had never had it, that joy, because now it was gone and the ugly hole it left gaping in her heart hurt worse than anything she could have ever imagined. There was a party tonight, one last blast before war tore them to shambles. No one said it but many believed it. Mina didn't have to guess, she knew. The ball had been planned since before, before the battles had even begun. No one had the heart to cancel it. It might be their last chance to find joy in a place that had turned so cold. The wind stilled and she heard the quiet footfalls on the marble floor. "Hello, Pluto," she said softly. The Guardian of Time said nothing but went and stood beside the leader of the senshi. "You don't blame me?" Pluto asked but it was a statement, not a question. Mina looked at her coldly. "Blame was never a factor, not with me. I know there are always might have beens but this is now. I can rage and hate and cry all I want but he's gone, they're gone, and the evil is spreading because they didn't have the strength to stop it and neither do we, do we?" Pluto looked away. "We'll fight," Mina blithely continued, "we'll fight until the last. And we'll give impassioned speeches and we'll believe throughout it all that we had a chance, but we never did. And as we drown in our own blood we'll mourn our fall and wonder why but we all know. Some people say there are no endings, just beginnings, but that's not true. For something to start another thing must finish. It's the way of life." "Light triumphs over darkness," Pluto stated. Mina sighed. "Yes, but first the darkness must win." They were quiet several moments longer. "Have you told Queen Serenity?" Pluto bowed her head. "Yes. I think she knew, deep in her heart." "And?" "She went to the ball where Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion are dancing and where you should be with the other princesses." Mina laughed bitterly. "Perhaps, perhaps I should enjoy my last days of life but I can't. My brother and mother and father lie dead on the steps of the royal house of Venus along with anyone that I've ever known or loved, save my friends who will die with me shortly in the most bloody battle ever fought. My lover killed them with his own hands. My friends, my truest friends, have fared no better, their own relatives are dead also, killed by those that they once called lover. Life did this to me and I'm not sure I can face it, if I can come back to reality. I'm not even angry, Pluto. I cry and weep, but I'm not angry and I want to be so badly--it's like I have nothing left to give, even for this one last time." Pluto turned to her, burgundy eyes troubled. "When all you know dies, take comfort in the fact that there is always rebirth." Pluto touched a gloved hand to Venus's cheek and smiled, trying to hold back her own tears. "You've led your warriors well and done your lineage proud. And so for this last time I'll give you the strength to go on." Red light flared from Pluto's staff, which she held in her other hand, and traveled from her body, down her arm and to Mina's face. The symbol of Venus flashed brightly on her forehead. Sapphire eyes opened in surprise. "What did you do?" she whispered. Pluto sighed. "I gave you the anger to fuel your sword. I gave you the strength to die." A tear slid from the corner of Mina's eye down her cheek and onto Pluto's gloved hand. Pluto tore her it away, as if burned, and left abruptly in another brilliant flash of red before Mina could see what that simple action had cost her. * * * She stood by the Gates of Time, her face shadowed, as sobs wracked her body. She tried so hard to stay away but life beckoned to her with a siren's voice she could only shut out for so long. She had allowed herself to care for these people, Queen Serenity, the princesses, and had known, accepted, that they would all die. But it hadn't hurt any less when the time came; it hadn't hurt any less when she had given Mina the power to fight her last battle. She glared hatefully at the staff she held for a moment before bowing her head in resignation. She had learned long ago that destiny couldn't be avoided. It was a lesson that haunted her even now. She was the Guardian of Time. It was her duty to do what she did, but the part of her that remained human wept still for those lost, those who never got the chance to be known. Looking ahead into the possible futures her eyes rested on the most hopeful and Pluto smiled at what she saw, but then her gaze flickered towards the darker ones that lurked among the brightest. And all she could do was hope for she was no longer part of the beautiful song of life. It held her in its seductive thrall at times but she was a ghost. A ghost that still cried. * * * Mina met the dark fighters with her sword, a deadly sliver of silver stained vermilion with blood. She allowed herself to concentrate on one thing only, destroying the next invader. She couldn't allow herself to think of Ser-chan, she had to hope End would keep her safe, or to think of Kunzite. 'Her Kunzite!' her broken heart screamed with pain and she used that raw emotion to cut down another of Beryl's warriors. It was Queen Beryl's fault, and until she drew her last breath Mina would make her pay. She thought fleetingly of Pluto. 'Thank you,' she thought silently. 'I wanted to be here, for the end, and I couldn't have made it without you. You didn't heal me, in truth no one can for his betrayal cut deeper than anything ever before, but you let me go beyond the pain to the fire that lay inside. With that power I raise my arms for one last battle, one last fight, one last time of defending my home and friends.' Had one looked around Sailor Venus they would have seen a rust colored field. Her energy had long ago been drained away from the constant use of her magical attacks so all she had left was pure physical combat. But that was enough to fell all that met her in battle, so far. Tears streaked her soot-covered cheeks as images of her parents and Marcus's prone bodies came to mind. Had it only been a few days ago when she had gone to Venus to help her people only to realize she was too late? The beautiful crystal cities were reduced to shards of glass and everyone she had ever known or loved or cared for was gone, except the senshi and Ser-chan. And the man who committed such grisly acts? The same man that had held her so tenderly that night before that tragic battle not a week past. The same man who promised that no matter what that they would always be one. That she was the only one who had melted the ice of his soul to discover the passionate lover underneath. By Venus herself, how she missed him! She was not sure what angered her more, the acts against her or the fact that she still...NO! 'Their love was no more,' she vowed grimly as she hacked away another opponent. She couldn't deny the truth, when on her brother's body lay a piece of paper with Kunzite scrawled across it. He had been the one to command their deaths and for her people's deaths she would make him, make them all pay. Only hours ago she had cried on the balcony while the ball went on. And the dark forces had attacked near the end of the celebration and the fight, the endless pointless fight had begun. With a cry of frustration she met the next group of fighters. She didn't care if she lived or died, all she wanted was her revenge. Mina hurt so. It would be easy to stop and die here, no longer having to fight, but no. She was their leader and she would lead to the last. Like the Angel of Vengeance she swooped down and continued her mission under the dark skies of the Moon. Until the sight of trampled sapphire hair caught her eye. With one final thrust she finished off her current foe. For the moment she was alone. She didn't want to know but she had to know. Biting her lip Sailor Venus knelt down beside the female warrior in a sailor outfit. Mina tenderly lifted the woman up a bit and brushed away the matted hair to reveal Sailor Mercury's pain filled face. Mina gasped as more tears coursed unnoticed down. A crystal shard lay imbedded in Mercury's side. The long lashes flickered as her eyes opened. Mercury's tattered hand came up and with trembling fingers touched Venus's cheek. She smiled a bit, then spoke, her voice heavy and so very old. "Don't worry Mi-chan," she coughed a little as her eyes became unfocused. "We'll know peace, and love, again." Her sky blue eyes fluttered shut and she was still. And so Princess Mercury died, cradled in Venus's arms. Mina sobbed and she rocked her friend back and forth. To know that they would lose was one thing, to hold one of the brightest hopes for their future lifeless in her arms was another. "Oh Ami... My friend, you can't leave. You can't go. Ami! Ami!!!" Her voice rose as coldness spread throughout Princess Mercury's body. An icy wind swirled around them, lifting up a flurry of pink petals. Mina caught one and held it, her expression unreadable, before crushing it in a gloved fist. Mina lay Ami gently on the ground and folded her arms peacefully across her chest. She rose at the clattering of hooves. Mina looked up into Kunzite's cold gaze and knew her blue eyes matched his. "You killed Ami." He regarded her, his icy gaze holding no hint of the love they shared. She wondered if he felt anything at all. "No," he said in an emotionless, dead voice. "Zoicite killed her. Just as Nephrite killed Sailor Jupiter, Jadeite killed Mars, and just as I will kill you." Mina felt herself trembling. It couldn't be true. By all the planets combined it couldn't be true! Had they left her here all alone then? "You lie," she spat out knowing he spoke the truth and her heart sunk lower with his mirthless smile. He held out his right hand, a glowing orb resting on it, flashing, as it showed her her friends' last moments. *Ami looked into her lover's feminine features as a single tear slid down her cheek. She saw the crystal shard as it formed and flew at her but didn't move. She would not fight Zoicite, even in this form, for they were one. Ami couldn't kill him, even with her people's blood staining his/her hands. She had never been brave, not like the others, but she stood calmly now, hands clenched tightly into fists by her side, as the shard came closer and finally hit her with the force of a thousand blows. Pain blossomed like a black hole within her body and Ami felt her spirit whither and flicker as her breathing slowed. Her only comfort against the approaching darkness as blackness claimed her was the flash of undeniable sadness in those haughty green eyes as she silently fell to the muddy earth in a crumpled heap.* *Lita swallowed as Nephrite stepped forward out of the milling mass of darkness and soldiers. She didn't know if she could do this, if she could face the man she loved, but her training took over. She didn't have a choice, if she didn't Serenity would die. But she couldn't contain her gasp when she saw what he held. Clutched in his hand were her rose earrings, the ones he had given her. The ones she had given back to him when he left for earth. Staring straight into her tortured eyes he dropped and crushed them under the heel of one heavy boot. Lita's mouth tightened in anger and hurt, but unknown to her that was his purpose. An angry Jupiter often forgot to guard her back, for that was his job. Murder on her face she dove for him and died, battle cry still on her muted lips, eyes wide with surprise as blood poured from the knife that quivered in her back. Nephrite stood tall as the wind whipped around him before kneeling and taking her rose earrings from the muddy ground. He walked to her then and went down on one knee before brushing a single strand of copper hair away and closing those beautiful sightless emerald eyes for the last time. Rising he stared at the earrings that lay sadly in his palm for a long time before quietly pocketing them, unwanted emotions warring across his face.* *Rei faced her lover, standing fierce and tall. Jadeite smiled hungrily as they both reached for their swords, powers too spent to fight with magic. They saluted, like so many times before, and danced. Two black and gold figures, dressed in silver and red, twirled together, swords flashing like bursts of light. Suddenly they were still and Rei cried out as she fell, the second sword in Jadeite's other hand gleaming bright with her blood. She stared out at him with unseeing eyes that still conveyed the pain his betrayal had dealt her. Never had she allowed herself to feel as she had felt for him and he had crushed her in answer to that trust. Rani's death had nearly left her mad with grief but deep down she still believed that somewhere the man she loved was still there, whispering sweet endarments in her ear on a quiet night. Jadeite swallowed and slowly, reverently, saluted her one last time, his face infinitely saddened by the loss of one such as she, before leaping back on his horse and leading his men against the remaining Moon Army.* The globe dissiapated in one abrupt spark and left them alone again. Mina folded her arms across her chest and rubbed them, trying to warm herself. She felt empty, oh so empty. Her hands shaking she tried to brush the tears away but they kept coming. Oh by the all the planets combined she had known it would happen but the emptiness was so hard to bear. She had ordered them to war and now they lay dead in early graves. She turned away from him, fully expecting a knife in the back like Lita but not caring in the slightest. She was their leader and she had failed them. Her friends were dead. She thought fleetingly of Ser-chan and Queen Serenity. 'I'm sorry,' was all she could think. 'I'm so very, very sorry.' She heard the rustling of leather as Kunzite dismounted from his tall gray horse and stepped closer. She could smell his distinct odor, leather oil and soap, and almost feel his heat he was so close. Mina closed her eyes and for a second was back in a time not so long ago when they had stood closer than this, wrapped in each others' arms. When they had whispered sweet nothings in each other's ear and had forgotten the rest of the world. But more images followed that, of her burned planet, her slain family, and her now gone friends. She whirled to face him and met eyes just as pain filled. His jaw was tightened in determination against a force she couldn't see, and power she had never known, and just for a moment became the man she loved with all of her being. She stepped forward in one fluid motion and melted into his embrace. He held her tightly, as if afraid to let go. Long fingers trailed through her golden hair as he buried his proud face in it and sobbed. His low voice was strained. "I'm so sorry Mina, my sweet Mi-chan. I can't fight her, I couldn't until I saw you. Until I saw your pain; until then I didn't realize what I had done, what I had become." At a loss for words she simply placed her own face against his broad chest, and listened to the beating of his heart as they held each other. It was wrong, yet just this one last time, right. Finally he stood straight and lifted her chin up with one trembling finger. His own cheeks shone with tears and more glittered unshed in his eyes. His incredible blue eyes. "Forgive me," he whispered and she wept more because she knew he was apologizing not for what he had done but would do. For Beryl was stronger than he, than all of them. "How can you let the darkness overcome you when you have so much good inside?" she whispered brokenly. It was fruitless to ask and she sobbed even as she spoke the words. And just like the first time they realized their hunger for each other he kissed her but this time it was goodbye. It was more desperate than the last as he crushed his mouth hungrily against hers, as if trying to remember all they had learned of each other anew. Finally he broke away. "Run Mi-chan, please," he begged as she saw the coldness creeping back. "I run from no man," she said softly, her voice firm. "We live...and die for each other love." They flickered, from caring blue, to steeliest ice but she stayed anyway, despite the pleading in his eyes and caught his hands before he left her completely. "I forgive you and will always love you, my last love, my only love," she said sincerely. He nodded once and was gone leaving Beryl's General in his place. She didn't say a word when he laughed to find himself holding her in his stiff arms and she didn't move when he pulled a knife from his belt for the anger had run out. Mina simply closed her eyes and prepared to join her friends. * * * At the Moon Palace Queen Serenity cried out as Beryl killed her daughter and Prince. "She's taken them both!" With determination the Queen pooled her power and poured it through the Silver Crystal. Her daughter would live again. In a stunning brilliant white light she sent them all onwards towards the hopeful future. 'Perhaps they'll find each other again,' Queen Serenity hoped as she faded away. 'Perhaps they'll once again know true peace and love...' A weeping Luna and Artemis leaned against each other, seeking strength to bear the terrible future before the light captured them also and sent them spiraling towards the unforgiving sky. * * * At the Gates of Time a solitary figure stood, forlornly alone, as she had been since the beginning and as she would always be until the time came for her to pass her fate to another and she was allowed to rest. But for now her duty was her life and she dared not wish for another. Instead she looked toward the possible futures and began planning for these warriors, these senshi, who would live again. And when they did she would help them find the love that was taken from them in the here and now. It was not her place as Sailor Pluto but it was her place as the human Setsuna. For once, destiny would have to be content with that. Her soul had made enough sacrifices for her fate. In this matter humanity would win. Author's Notes: So what did ya'll think? Let me know! Thanks again everyone, I'm off for a bit. This chapter has been edited but doesn't have everyone who emailed me last week cause I needed to send it in early since I'm going to be super busy the rest of the week and won't get another chance to send it out. =) But ya'll know who you are. Thanks to mercurami who edited most of my fics..LOL... See ya'll soon and for everyone who is still here by the end of this here's a little poem about Mina and Kunzite I added in at the bottom. Enjoy and have a wonderful week! Here's everyone who has emailed me so far: Yoshi(;->), FlameAngel16(hiya), and Kristin Our Last Dance Once we danced till midnight to the melodies of dawn, Found a haven of peace in the warmth of each other's arms, Once we knew tranquility that anger couldn't touch, Built on a foundation of the truest unshakable trust, Once I found the other half to the missing part of my soul, In you I found the person who managed to make me whole, But that was then and this is now and the known has managed to change, Trust has been sullied by blackest lies and in serenity lies hidden pain, Now we dance one last time but the haven has been destroyed, Two strangers move with deadly grace, in their hands lay gleaming swords, Parry, thrust, duck and dodge, a minuet with blades, Of the two who start this dance only one will remain, We fight till midnight under the heartless sky, Refusing to stop and admit 'the weaker one is I,' The day starts bright and glorious but oblivious are we, Laying spent on the field of dance as our wounds fester and bleed, But soon we take our swords up again, determined to win or die, So evenly matched, even in hate, are our two warring sides, At last I bow my head and throw my sword away, And watch with sorrowful eyes as my lover, his true love slays, Neither won this fight though for we both must pay the price, Of dancing from harmony to pain across the melting ice, So when we drown in sorrows then the blame we also share, Just like we did our love, our hate, the burden of shame is beared, Enemy, lover, I bid thee well, my partner until the last, In all things from life to death our bond remains steadfast.