Author's Note: If you wish to comment on my story, either positively or negatively, don't hesitate to contact me at [email protected]. Sailor Moon and all related characters are the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Toei Animation and DIC. So, please, don't sue me because I haven't any money. I do this strictly for entertainment purposes, not copyright infringement.
Blood on the Moon
by Jeffrey C. Branch
Part Eight: A Time To Kill
Rating: PG-13
10:25 PM
As Malakhov leaped for her throat, Serena bravely stared at him and waited for either a quick and violent death, or a sudden miracle. Fortunately, she got the latter.
"Mars Fire....IGNITE!" yelled Sailor Mars, hurling a massive fireball that enveloped Malakhov in mid-air, sending him screaming like a damned soul over Serena who dropped to the floor to avoid being struck by the flaming vampire as he crashed through the gym's main doors.
Malakhov's creatures who held the ropes the frightened Tsukinos were tied to dropped them and, hissing like snakes charged the Scout of Fire who joined Serena from the far end of the gym.
"It's about time you got here!" Serena grumbled. "Malakhov got so close I could smell his breath!"
"Stop bitching! I saved you, didn't I?" Mars snapped back. "I just got here and had to wait for Malakhov to commit himself, or he would've dodged my fireball! I swear! Some people are never satisfied! Duck!"
Serena did as Mars drove a fist into the face of an oncoming vampire, pulping it like it had been hit by a sledgehammer. Mars finished it off by straddling it's back, then she clutched the creature's head in her hands and gave it a quick twist, loudly snapping its neck.
One vampire, having seen what Mars had done opted for less fearsome prey, namely the bound and still helpless Tsukinos. Serena, seeing the creature stalk her family took immediate action.
"Get away from them!" she roared, launching herself into the air and landing a picture perfect flying kick against the creature's head, knocking it to the floor. After four years spent being trained in the martial arts by Raye and Lita, Serena took her lessons to heart and became surprisingly proficient at hand-to hand combat. The creature, more stunned than hurt jumped up and backhanded Serena across her face, knocking her down.
"Serena!" Mrs. Tsukino screamed in horror.
"Heh, heh, heh. You can't stop me, little girl. You're helpless," growled the creature, towering over a dazed Serena, blood trickling down her chin.
"The hell I am!" Serena snarled, ignoring the pain to deliver a vicious snap kick to the creature's testicles. That got the result she desired as the vampire shrieked from torment and crumpled to the floor.
"Serena! Catch!" yelled Mars, throwing Serena one of her shoes. Catching it in mid-air, Serena knew what to do. Before the vampire could recover, Serena rammed the pump's spiked heel into its heart with all her strength, and, with a scream, the creature died, then turned to dust.
"How's that for helpless, sucker!" Serena yelled at the pile of ashes.
"For Pete's sake, Serena! Stop screwing around and transform before you get yourself killed!" an angry Mars shouted.
"Yeah, yeah! I hear you! MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"
Once again, the Tsukinos looked on in awe as Serena's body was bathed in blinding, silvery light, changing her before their eyes into Sailor Moon. Another vampire came charging at her, eager to kill, so too was Moon who took off her tiara and willed it into her powerful energy disc.
"The blood bank's closed! Moon Tiara....MAGIC!" Moon hurled the disc at the creature, severing it at the waist and it turned to dust. A fourth came out of the shadows to Moon's right, spying the creature, she made a whirling motion with her right index finger, the disc reversed direction and hit the creature in the throat, killing it quickly before the disc returned to Moon's hand and morphed back into her tiara.
"Whoa! That was awesome!" cried Sammy.
A fifth creature stared down Mars, baring its fangs before it charged. Mars easily dodged it, whipping out an evil ward as she did.
"Time to die! I call upon the power of Mars! Banish this filthy creature! FIREBALLS CHARGE!"
Mars slapped the ward on the vampire's back and the creature exploded into flames. Seconds later, it had been incinerated.
"Did we get 'em all?" Moon asked, standing beside her family.
"I don't see Malakhov! Or Roy!" said Mars, looking around the gym as she put her shoe back on. "Stay with your folks. I'll check outside."
"Be careful."
Mars winked at Moon and gave her a smile. "I always am."
Once Mars left the gym, Moon was alone with her family. After she untied her parents and Sammy, they stared wide eyed, nervous and confused at Moon who knelt before them.
"Sailor Moon? Serena? I....I don't know what to call you," said a trembling Mrs. Tsukino, looking almost afraid.
Moon smiled fondly at her mother and took her hands into her own. "Call me your daughter. Despite the costume, that's who I've always been, and it's who I'll always be. For as long as I live."
"I don't understand this. All these years we've heard and read about Sailor Moon, now we find out it was you!" said a stunned Mr. Tsukino. "Were you ever going to tell us? Didn't you trust us?"
"It's not that, dad. Of course I trust you. But what happened tonight proved why I kept this a secret," said Moon, tears welling up in her eyes as she felt the weight of guilt pressing down on her from her duplicity. "I've always been scared stiff some creep would make you a target if they discovered who I was. More than anything in the world, I never wanted you to be hurt because of who I am. I'm so sorry this happened."
"That's okay, sweetie. The important thing was that you saved us," said a smiling Mrs. Tsukino, her heart filled with a newfound love for her daughter. "No matter what happens, now, or in the future, you'll always be part of our family. We'll always love you, Serena."
Moon fell into the arms of her parents and cried, her body shaking from deep, wracking sobs of relief that they still cared for her, despite the secret she kept from them. "I love you too, guys! All of you!"
"This is super wild! My big sis is Sailor Moon!" said a tearful Sammy, bursting with pride. "Serena, you're the greatest!"
Moon laughed and hugged Sammy. "Thanks, little brother. But if you ever blab to anyone about me, I'll break your neck!"
The sound of a soft cough made Moon turn around where Mars stood patiently nearby. "What's up, Mars?"
"Bad news. I found a pile of charred clothes outside, but no sign of Malakhov, or Roy. The clock's ticking, Serena. We have to go."
"Go? Go where?" Mr. Tsukino asked.
"For lack of a better explanation, dad, we have to save the world," Moon replied matter of factly. She felt chilled from how casual she sounded, knowing the monstrous odds the Scouts faced. "But we can't let you go back to the house. The vampires might try and grab you again."
"Wait a minute! Those things you fought were vampires?" asked a shocked Sammy.
Moon nodded. "Uh-huh. Straight out of Bram Stoker. The madman who held you hostage was responsible for the Deep Throat murders. Molly's included. She's a vampire too. Where would be a safe place to take you?"
"Vampires can't tread on hallowed ground. They'll be safe at the temple," said Mars.
"Temple? What temple?" Mrs. Tsukino inquired.
"The Cherry Hill Temple, where I live." Moon's eyes widened as she knew what Mars was about to do, but the Fire Scout smiled at her, as if to say it was all right. "Mrs. Tsukino, we've met before. I'm Serena's friend, Raye Hino."
Mrs. Tsukino rolled her eyes and sighed from exasperation. The more she heard, the more insane everything sounded. "Of course. Why am I not surprised? What's next? Finding out Luna talks?"
"Now that you've mentioned it, Mrs. Tsukino, I've always wondered how long I could keep this from you," said Luna, padding up to the group. "I suppose this would come out into the open sooner or later."
Moon and Mars, seeing the slack jawed, shocked expressions on the faces of the Tsukinos at hearing Luna talk giggled.
"C'mon, guys. Let's get you out of here. The Scouts and I have a very busy night ahead of us," said Moon, realizing her life, and that of her family would never again be the same. She couldn't wait to see what the future would hold for them all.
Provided mankind has a future if we don't win tonight, she thought.
10:41 PM
Malakhov, struggling to maintain his bat form as he flew east couldn't remember the last time he felt such terrible pain. The flames that enveloped his body seemed almost to have a life of their own as they sought to destroy him. Had he not shed his clothing after tumbling outside the school, he might well have perished.
Just like the last time I faced that black haired little cunt, he thought angrily. I will take a great deal of pleasure in skinning her alive and feasting on her roasted flesh once Kiragama has been resurrected.
The vampire lord could feel his flesh sizzling and smoking as he streaked across the night sky, Roy almost a mile behind him and barely managing to keep up. The more energy Malakhov expended flying the weaker he became. But he could not stop. He dared not stop. To do so now would court certain disaster. And with little over an hour to go before midnight, it was imperative that he not die. If he died, then his dream of seeing the sun would die with him. He would not allow that to happen.
When Malakhov saw his lair in sight, his spirits lifted. He was almost home. With a last burst of strength, he soared down to the front door and, changing back into human form, the vampire lord crumpled to the ground in a heap. His flesh blackened, his hair all but burned away, Malakhov, exhausted, lay panting on the ground as Roy joined him.
"Father! Are you alright?" a concerned Roy asked, dropping to his master's side.
"No, you fool! I am not all right!" Malakhov roared. At that moment, he would've loved nothing more than to kill his servant for asking such an inane question, but after his desperate flight to safety, he just didn't have the strength. That only served to further infuriate him. "Help me inside! Now! Time is of the essence! While the Scouts are busy dealing with my diversion, we must prepare for the ritual!"
With Roy's help, Malakhov staggered inside where the remainder of his flock were shocked at his horrific appearance but kept quiet, lest they faced his wrath.
"The time has arrived! Prepare the Circle of Five!" he commanded.
"But, Father! We....we can't!" said one vampire, nervous and frightened as he spoke.
"Why not? Speak, wretch, before I tear you tongue out and make you eat it!" Malakhov roared, feeling his strength return, almost equalling the power of his fury. The flock cowered before him.
"Molly. She has not returned from the hospital," replied the creature.
Malakhov scowled, looking more demonic by the minute. Damnation! What could she be up to, he wondered.
11:08 PM
A killing machine was loose in the halls of Tokyo General Hospital. An engine of destruction that laid waste to anything foolish enough to get in her way.
Sailor Jupiter was on the rampage. And the marauding vampires were the targets of her inhuman wrath.
Deathly silent, her bright green eyes devoid of both mercy and sanity, Jupiter slew any creature that crossed her path. Her uniform, ripped and torn was nearly soaked from blood, both hers and the beasts she ruthlessly killed. She refused to acknowledge the pain from the wounds she suffered from as she set about her grim task of retribution. Of revenge for the heartless murder of Detective Shiro Hiyata.
Rounding a corner, Jupiter spied a vampire, having just killed an orderly. His mouth red from the blood he drank, the creature leaped at the deranged Scout who caught the beast in mid-flight by the throat. In one motion, Jupiter slammed the vampire, head first down on the marble floor at murderous velocity and with such incredible force, it's skull shattered like an egg with a sickening crack, splattering blood and brains.
Jupiter held up the headless creature and, with an almost rapt fascination, studied the limbs, twitching in its death throes. After the body stopped moving and was still, the Thunder Scout was about to casually toss the corpse out a nearby shattered window when another vampire confronted her. Grinning, Jupiter took the offensive by hurtling the corpse at the creature like a missile, striking it in the chest and knocking it to the floor.
Still silent, Jupiter jumped the beast as it struggled to untangle itself from the limbs of it's lifeless cohort. Raising her right hand, Jupiter drove her fist through the creature's breastbone, meeting no resistance due to her super strength. An instant later, the vampire screamed from agony and died as Jupiter pulled a lumpy red mass from out of it's chest. Holding the vampire's heart in her hand, Jupiter slowly squeezed it into mush.
However, even that failed to sate Jupiter's fury. She set out to find more creatures to kill. In her mind, cut off from humanity and compassion, there would never be enough monsters to slay to atone for Shiro's death.
Sailor Mercury tried as best she could to temper her own anger with concern over the gravity of the situation, desperately attempting to assert badly needed self-control over her runaway emotions, but found it to be a losing battle.
And, for once, she honestly couldn't bring herself to give a damn.
The death of Hiyata touched Mercury on levels she never thought existed. Even though she hadn't known the young cop for very long, she saw him as a good man, a brave man who stood toe to toe with her and the Scouts on the Mitsumos' island four years ago against the the hideous monsters the mad scientists had created.
Seeing Hiyata slaughtered by a vampire tore at Mercury's heart. To him, the cop was as special to her as her own mother, the girls, Darien, the familiars, or Greg. Mercury treasured life and hated to see anyone die, but when it was someone close to her, it hit her particularly hard. It opened a deep and yawning wound in her soul, a wound that could only be sealed by enacting retribution, by destroying the creatures responsible for this tragedy. A task she took a disturbing degree of pleasure in doing.
So caught up was the Water Scout in her dark reverie, she was caught by surprised by a vampire who slammed into her back, throwing her to the ground. The creature, female hissed and swiped at Mercury with her claws, slashing her left cheek and barely missing her throat. Mercury hissed back from the pain and drove a fist into the creature's face, sending it tumbling against a tray of surgical instruments, sending everything to the floor.
Spying several scalpels nearby, Mercury picked up one and, with a sadistic grin, slashed at the monster, only she caught it in the throat, nearly decapitating the vampire who didn't have time to scream before it died, pumping blood onto the floor.
Standing over the creature as it died, Mercury stared at it grimly.
"Mother always said I'd make a good surgeon," she said in a flat monotone. Dropping the bloody instrument, Mercury continued to prowl. The night's horrors were far from over.
Lieutenant Hideki Fukoda and Tuxedo Mask fought like demons against demons.
Fukoda, armed with the weapons of comrades who had already fallen to the vampires peeled off shot after shot with almost inhuman precision, targeting the skulls of the creatures which exploded from the force of the bullets penetrating them. When one vampire moved to avoid a head shot and caught a slug in it's chest, it was stunned long enough for the detective to take aim at it's head, but clicked on an empty chamber.
"Shit!" he growled, dropping the useless revolver.
The vampire, seeing an opening grinned and leaped at the cop who calmly opened his shirt and pulled out a crucifix on a gold chain around his neck. The creature screamed at seeing it and back away.
"Uncomfortable, isn't it? So's this!" snarled Fukoda, pulling his own gun from the waistband of his pants. Holding the crucifix before him to keep the creature at bay, the cop jammed the barrel of his gun right into the monster's left eye, thumbed off the safety and pulled the trigger, blowing out the back of the vampire's head.
"Told you so," said the cop.
Several yards away, Mask was a whirling dervish of destruction. All the while, his mind was miles away, wondering what was happening with his beloved Serena, fighting along with Raye to save the Tsukinos. Angry because he couldn't be with her, Mask took out his all too considerable frustration on the vampires.
Roses, hurled with the force of fired arrows pierced the hearts of two monsters he faced. Mask's cane, spinning in his hand with all the velocity of a propeller sliced a third into bloody ribbons when it dared to charge the caped hero. A fourth took a foot to the chest from a flying kick, followed by a series of punishing blows delivered too fast for the eye to see, and with the creature prone on the floor, Mask rammed the metal tip of his cane into the monster's chest, killing it instantly.
"Nice moves," said Fukoda, approaching Mask.
"Thanks," growled Mask. he then arched an eyebrow at the cross Fukoda wore. "I thought you said you weren't the religious type."
"I'm not. But my wife is." Fukoda then looked up the hall where he saw a figure lying on the floor, the clothing familiar to him. With his heart in his throat, Fukoda broke into a run to where the body lay. Fukoda felt his heart being shredded to pieces when he saw it was Hiyata.
"Oh, no! NO! SHIRO!" Fukoda cried, dropping to his knees near the body, the anguish overpowering him. Gently cradling Hiyata in his arms, Fukoda broke down and cried. "Dammit! Dammit! Dammit to hell!"
Mask, feeling just as grief stricken walked up to where Fukoda knelt. Putting a hand on Fukoda's shoulder, Mask frowned while trying to come up with just the right words while the Detective grieved. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant. Hiyata was special to you, wasn't he?"
It took Fukoda a few moments to respond. "Yeah, he was. His father was a cop. Taught me all I knew. One of the finest men ever to wear a badge in this town. Shiro was so proud of his old man and wanted to be a cop, just like him. I personally took Shiro under my wing, trained him to be the best. In some ways, he was like a son to me. Why? Why him?"
Mask was silent. he had no answer for the anguished cop. He then spied a pale skinned body nearby, it's skull crushed and unrecognizable. He recognized that to be Jupiter's violent handiwork. "I don't know. But at least the creature who killed Shiro got his. In spades."
Fukoda shook his head. "But it's not enough."
The men then heard automatic weapons fire on the floors below. Mask knew Fukoda's SWAT team had at last arrived to help control the carnage, giving him and the others the chance to deal with Malakhov. When Fukoda turned his head at the sound of running feet, Mask slipped away, silent as a ghost. The cop then whirled around and gasped at being alone in the hall. The detective scowled as three black armored men, toting M-16's ran up to him.
"Lieutenant! We got here as soon as we could," said the lead officer. "We're mopping up whatever the Scouts left behind. It's been a slaughterhouse in here. You okay?"
Fukoda, standing, shook his head. "No, Sergeant. Not in the least. But that doesn't matter. See to it that Detective Hiyata is taken care of, then get me a spare set of armor. We've got lots of work to do."
Molly could have left the hospital at any time after she heard the first screams. But she stayed in Melvin's room, unable to tear herself away from her old friend whom she killed without pity, without compassion, without remorse. Why she stayed, she had no idea.
Something warred within Molly, holding her fast in the room, telling her what she did was wrong, hideously wrong. Something she thought died when she became one of the undead. Her soul. It surfaced last night at Serena's house when she felt that terrible pain in her heart at being apart from her best friend whom she deeply loved. The pain of not being able to talk to Serena, to laugh with her, to hold her close, to drink her blood....
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Molly roared, partly from anger, partly from grief. Dropping to her knees, she beat the floor with her fists. "What's wrong with me? I'm supposed to be beyond feelings! Beyond humanity! Why do I still think I'm human when I'm not anymore? Oh, Nikolai! Why didn't you tell me it would be like this?"
In the hallway, Sailor Venus, using pinpoint accuracy had just drilled her Crescent Beam through the heart of a vampire when she heard a scream from a hundred feet away.
Ever since the fight began, ever since she saw Jupiter and Mercury sink into the murderous barbarism which briefly overtook her, Venus fought to stay sane, drawing on the power of love to maintain her focus, her humanity, even as she killed every vampire she came across, rationalizing that what she did for all for the good, though not really sure one way or the other. The reason for her focus: there was someone here she was worried about. Melvin.
Not knowing what floor he was on, Venus was scared sick that he might come under attack from the monsters prowling the halls. Barely hearing the sounds of gunfire on the floors above and below, Venus cautiously walked down the hall towards where she heard the scream. Her heart pounding in her chest, Venus quietly approached a semi-open door where she heard soft sobbing from within. The Scout's blood turned to ice in her veins when she saw Melvin's name on the door.
Fearing the worst, Venus burst in and found just that. Melvin, glassy eyed and lifeless in his bed, blood oozing from his neck which had been twisted at a grotesque angle. And on her knees in front of the bed was a sobbing Molly. Whatever control Venus had at that moment vanished. The rage took over again.
"Molly! You monster! What have you done?" Venus screamed, launching herself at the vampire.
Molly, startled to see Venus charging her recovered quickly and leaped over the bed before Venus could pounce on her. Only Melvin's corpse separated the creature and the maddened Scout.
"What do you think I did? But, for some strange reason, his blood tasted different than it did last night." Molly, her brush with humanity gone paused as the realization sank in, aided by the tears falling from Venus' eyes. "Oh, I get it now. You felt responsible for Melvin having been attacked. Perhaps you even gave him some of your blood to save his life? How noble. How sentimental. How foolish! He's dead now!"
"I can see that! And you're about to join him!" snarled Venus. "Venus Love Chain....ENCIRCLE!"
Before the angry Scout could destroy her, Molly, still unnerved by her bothersome emotions jumped through the window just before it was blown out, deciding it was better to flee than face Venus at less than one hundred percent. Hovering outside the window in bat form, it was then that Molly heard Malakhov's angry voice pounding in her head.
Molly! Return to me! It is time for the ritual! You are needed! Come home! NOW!
I....obey, Nikolai. Pushing aside her emotions, hoping they will never return to torment her, Molly wheeled and flew off into the distance.
Back in the room, Venus ignored Molly's departure. Her eyes were fixed on Melvin. Walking to his bedside, Venus lifted his hand and felt for a pulse, even though she knew she wouldn't find one. Dropping the lifeless hand, now it was Venus who dropped to her knees. Like Serena a week ago, Venus failed to save a friend. Love, she realized simply wasn't enough to stave off the terrors of death.
Somehow, Venus found the strength to activate her communicator. "Amy. Lita. Darien. Follow my signal. Please. I need you. I...I've found Melvin. Oh, God. I've found Melvin."
With that, Venus succumbed to the grief and cried her eyes out.
10:58 PM
"Molly! Where in all the demons of hell were you?" a furious Malakhov demanded once Molly returned to the lair.
Molly, staring at Malakhov winced at his horrid appearance, his slowly healing flesh still darkened from the flames that nearly consumed him a short time ago. For the very first time since she became one of the undead, Molly began to see Malakhov for the monster he truly was. Yet the memory of who he reminded her of still stirred her emotionally.
"I was still at the hospital. Tying up loose ends," she replied nervously. "You wanted me to be there. To lure the Scouts into our trap."
"You mean my plan, trollop!" Malakhov roared. Maddened from the terrible pain of his burns, he viciously backhanded Molly across her face, sending her to the floor. Roy, standing beside the vampire lord who loomed menacingly over Molly scowled but did nothing. Again. "A plan you nearly jeopardized with your foolish tardiness! You were supposed to come immediately home after leading my strike force to the hospital! What caused your delay?"
Molly, in tears, her cheek red and swollen from the force of Malakhov's blow, stared up at him, the look in her eyes one of pain and terror. "Nikolai! You... you hurt me!"
"I'll do far worse than that if you don't explain yourself! TALK!"
"I was....distracted. While at the hospital, I killed an old friend who was there," Molly explained haltingly. "I can't explain it, but suddenly, I felt....guilty for taking the life of someone I grew up with. Just like I was heartsick after seeing Serena last night. I still have feelings, Nikolai! And they're killing me! Why? Why didn't you warn me it would be like this?"
Malakhov, unprepared for Molly's question stood stunned. All at once, he deeply regretted having struck the girl who reminded him so much of Anna. Poor, hopeless Anna. His rage evaporating, the vampire lord helped Molly to her feet and took her into his arms. Molly cooed from the attention Malakhov gave her while Roy's scowl deepened.
"I'm sorry, Molly. I....lost control. I did not mean to hurt you," he said to Molly in a soft, soothing voice. "To answer your question, becoming Nosferatu doesn't shut off your emotions. They will always be within you, even if you live for a millennia. The transition to life as a vampire is a hard one. It took half a century even for me to adjust to being forever apart from the things, and the people I once loved. And the pain of that loss can lead self-destructive madness for those who cannot cope. Because of that, you must learn to harden your heart, or you will not survive. The undead is your family now, Molly. The human race is our food, nothing more. Do you understand?"
Molly nodded slowly. "I do, Nikolai." She then looked in concern at Malakhov. "Your burns. Was Sailor Mars responsible for this?"
The vampire lord nodded. "Serena proved to be every bit as determined as I feared. She had her partner, that damned pyromaniac laying in wait to surprise me after I forced your former friend to transform to human guise so I could kill her. A brilliant countermove I must admit. That was what I warned you about regarding her. In essence, Serena caused my injuries. Do you still care about her, or me?"
Molly's face hardened into a demonic mask, one filled with bottomless hatred. "Serena! That bitch! She will pay for hurting you, beloved! All of humanity will pay for hurting you! Let us prepare to bring Kiragama back to life so we can have our revenge!"
Malakhov smiled.
11:12 PM
To Moon, Mars, Luna and the Tsukino family, the trip from Crossroads High School to the Cherry Hill Temple seemed to take forever.
Through a stroke of good luck, Moon found the keys to the van that was used by the vampires to bring the hostaged Tsukinos to the school. Moon drove the van while Mars rode shotgun; on the lookout for any of Malakhov's minions whom the Scouts feared might be hunting for them. The tension they all felt, anticipating a possible attack on the way to the temple made the journey interminably long.
After arriving at the temple, Mars had Moon park the van around the corner to avoid waking Chad or her grandfather before sneaking the Tsukinos inside the main hall which housed the sacred flame. Seated in front of the fire, Serena's family basked in it's welcome warmth.
"You'll be safe here," said Mars to the Tsukinos. "I've always found sitting before the fire to be very comforting. After all you've been through tonight, I hope it'll do the same for you."
Mrs. Tsukino nodded. "It does. Thank you for offering us shelter, Raye. And for saving my daughter's life."
Mars smiled. "It was my pleasure." The Fire Scout's smile quickly faded and, with a sorrowful expression, she faced Moon. "Serena, I'm going to look in on Grandpa and Chad. One last time before we go."
Moon nodded. "I understand."
With a heavy sigh, Mars stood and left the hall, leaving the Tsukinos openly puzzled.
"What did Raye mean by 'one last time'?" a worried Mr. Tsukino asked. "And that sad look on her face. She made it sound like she's not expecting to come back. What does it mean?"
Now it was Moon who sighed. She wasn't looking forward to what she was about to say. "Guys, I don't how to sugarcoat this, so I won't. There's a possibility the Scouts and I may die tonight." Moon then gave her family a brief overview on Malakhov and his monstrous scheme to resurrect Kiragama. When she finished, the Tsukinos were horrified.
"No! I won't allow it! I won't let you go!" Mrs. Tsukino cried, teetering on the edge of hysteria. "Let someone else fight that monster! The Police! The Army! Anyone but you!"
"I'm sorry, mom, but I have to go," said Moon in a firm tone.
"But why?"
"Because there's no one else who can combat this threat. If we fail to stop Malakhov, then countless numbers of people will die like Molly," Moon explained. "This is what I was born to do. It's my duty, and my responsibility to protect this world, including you."
"Don't worry, mom! I have faith in Serena!" said Sammy, beaming from pride. "She's Sailor Moon! She can do anything!"
Yeah. I can do anything. Except save my best friend from becoming a monster. A monster I'll now have to fight, thought Moon ruefully. Perking up, she gave Sammy a smile and playful punch on his shoulder. "That's the spirit, little brother! Mom, dad, I have no choice, I have to go."
Mr. Tsukino smiled at his daughter. "We understand, pumpkin. It's going to take time getting used to having a real live superhero in the family, but we have faith in you."
"Serena. We have to leave. Time is short," said Luna, speaking up for the first time since everyone arrived.
Moon stood and motioned to the fire. "Raye prays before the fire every day. Please, say a prayer for the Scouts. And for me."
"We will, honey. You come back to us!" said Mrs. Tsukino, no longer able to hold back the tears. With a wave and a smile, Moon left the hall before she started crying. Stepping outside, Moon saw Mars leaning against the building, her head down, tears coursing down her cheeks. When the Fire Scout saw Moon, she walked into her waiting arms. For a brief time, neither girl spoke as they held fast in their embrace.
"You okay?" Moon finally asked, tenderly drying her friend's tears.
"Oh, yeah. I'm just great," Mars replied in a broken voice. "It hurt like hell to look in on Chad and Grandpa, not knowing if I'll ever see them again. I swear, if I live through tonight, I'm going to tell them everything. I feel so rotten to have deceived them like I have all these years!"
"I know how you feel, Raye. I thought my heart was going to shatter from how horrified my parents were after seeing me morph into Serena," said Moon. "But, inspite of my deception, they still love me. That's what counts most. We'll get through this, Raye, I know we will, then you'll have all the time in the world to talk to Chad and Grandpa. And if you need support, just call me. I'll be there for you. I promise."
Mars smiled and gently placed a hand on Moon's cheek. "Thanks. That means a lot. You're so special to me, Serena. I don't know what I'd ever do without you."
Moon, feeling her throat tighten returned her friend's smile. "Let's hope you'll never have to find out. Ready?"
Mars nodded. She activated her communicator and the coordinates for Malakhov's lair appeared on the screen. She then took Moon's hand in hers and squeezed it tight. "You bet! Let's go, guys!"
The two Scouts and Luna then rushed off into the night.
Next: Countdown To The Apocalypse