First Pain
by Sereko
princess-serenity@rocketmail.com                    


I seem to be on a revision kick, don't I? First 'Silence' and now this!
Just goes to show how little time I have to check grammar and spelling
before I post something. I'm rather proud of myself, though, because I
don't come up against many of those problems when I'm revising. It's 
mostly just rewording confusing sentences and what-not. :) Anyway, for
all of you who have never read this story before: This story, in truth, 
is not of my own creation at all. It’s just my own take on the final 
battle the inner senshi face against Queen Beryl. I've added some of 
my own little tidbits and fiddled with what happens in the end, but 
basically, you have to have a some knowledge of what happens in the 
Japanese version of the end of Season #1 to understand this fic, since 
I skip over a few parts and expect you to know what happened at those
times. Anyway, I'm sorry if this makes it hard for you to grasp the 
story...I just felt like writing something on the first deadly battle 
of the senshi...their first pain...and this is what popped out! Hope 
you like it! 

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters
associated with the story. I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a 
starting point for my own storytelling. 




----------
First Pain
----------

	Here we are. Standing on the evil soil of the one known as 
Beryl. *shudder* It is quite chilly out here. Evil can only be found 
in the coldness of shadows, I assume. As we approach what my genius-
friend said was a volcanic disruption, we are stopped by something in 
the fog. What is that form? I know I’ve seen it before. Cou-Could it 
be him? Mamo-chan? He is being held up by chains and his flowing cape 
is in shreds. "Oh..it is him! Mamo-chan!"
	"No, Sailor Moon." I look at Mercury. "It’s not him." My face 
falls. I don’t want to believe her, but I know that I must. In a time 
like this, she is never wrong. I know it is not him, anyway. The bond 
that I have with him told me long before I saw the figure. It's just an 
illusion. 
	Wait a second...what is that?? Jupiter! "JUPITER! NO!! STOP!!"
I rip my tiara off of my head and feed energy into it. Mars does the 
same, starting up her ‘Fire Soul’. It is no use. Before I can even 
attempt to fire it off, they have taken her. She was valiant. Oh, my 
dear friend, you fought them all the way to death. My bodyguard is gone.
"Senshi...what are we to do? We must get her back! H-How?"
	"I’m sorry princess. There is no way. We must go on without her 
if we are to stand a chance." Mercury quietly whispers to me.
	"What?? No!! We can’t just leave her here! There must be 
something we can try!" Tears began to well up in my eyes. I stare over 
at her ice-coffin and nearly brake. "Look at her! She doesn’t..doesn’t
deserve this fate. Oh, her poor body...look...they’ve destroyed her 
...completely." I push back the tears and stand proudly. "They will 
pay!!"
	"What? Are you talking about us??" The sarcasm was dripping 
from every word that came from that beast. 
	"Damn you, vile creature! You have killed my friend. For that 
you must be banished!!!" The five of them act quickly again. Down goes
Mercury. Faithful to us ‘til death. My teacher has passed. "No-Not
another...please...Venus, Mars...we’ve gotta help them. We’ve got to!" 
I look into their eyes and they tell me the sorrowful truth. There is 
nothing we can do. We go with what we have and there is no turning back. 
"Damn, no! I can’t just walk around this place losing one friend after
another! NO!" They look at me sadly. 
	"Sailor Moon...Usagi-chan...it is too late. You know that." I 
stick my chin up, trying to ignore the truth but it is too late. I 
eventually nod and that’s when the next attack comes. I can’t take this!
Not another one of us! I again forcefully take my tiara from my brow
and am prepared to throw...but Venus forces me to stop. My energy is
for a bigger battle and she knows that. I would ignore her wish. But I 
can't. Her sorrowful eyes are filled with so many memories...both past 
and present. I place my tiara on my forehead once more and tears 
unwillingly fall from my eyes. I can't stop them anymore. I have no 
will left. My confidante was no more.
	Mars tugs upon me until I force her hand away. "No, Mars. I 
won’t ignore it again. Three...three of them are gone. Oh, Mars...what 
are we to do?"
	"We, senshi, are to do nothing. However, you...princess...are 
to fight. They have taken us out...but they have not tried for you. It 
is a job that you must fulfill on your own."
	I look dumbstruck. Is she thinking of just leaving me while I
attempt to take on this witch? "B-But, Mars. You aren’t ditching me
are you?" The hurt in my eyes makes her voice soften a bit. 
	"No, Usagi-chan. I will always be with you. We will all always 
be with you, in spirit. We are your senshi, your protectors. From the
heavens we shall watch over you." Before more protests can be made,
the fourth attack comes. She is taken under the freezing depths of
the ice and I don't see her again. Though, when one of the creatures 
brakes free from her fire, she comes back for me. Just like she said 
she would. She watched over me and saved me again. Her last energy is 
put in the attack to destroys the last of the flying demonesses. I fall 
to my knees. The last of my warriors is gone. My advisor has perished. 
	I am alone.

-----

	Queen Beryl makes sure that I am not bored for too long. Within 
a few moments, she has trapped me in some form of bubble and takes me 
to her throne room. I fall on the floor with a ‘thud’. Looking up I
immediately see her pasty-white face and gleaming fangs. A wolf going
in for the kill. Memories flash before my eyes and I see that she
was the murderer of my kingdom, my friends, my family, and my love. 
	She is definitely in need of being taught a lesson. "Beerryyl...
what is your purpose here?"
	"My purpose? Oh, such mighty words for such a pathetic little 
thing. Earth was once my home. People were once under my control. 
Endymion, here, also used to be mine."
	At the mention of my love in such a context, I snort. "Never 
was he yours, you beast. He was never anyone’s. His spirit has always 
been free."
	"Ahh. So you have fire in you yet. Well, I’m sorry to burst 
your bubble little twit...but his spirit is now mine." She looks to her
right and wills the shadows to move from her. The second half of her
body can now be seen...and...and...oh lord...no...no..no..Mamo-chan. 
What has happened to you? "Prince Endymion." I wince at the affectionate 
way that Beryl speaks the name.
	He looks up slowly from his bent position at her hand. Staring 
into her eyes, he questions, "Yes, my queen?" I step back as he answers 
her. His voice is so rich with hate and destruction. Oh, my love...come 
back to me. As if hearing my plea, he looks right at me. "Do you wish 
me to rid you of this retched thing?" I nearly cry right there. 
	Queen Beryl smils at my reactions to his words and moved her 
hand so that he stands. "Yes, dear. Have a little fun if you’d like. 
All I need is her dead and you by my side." Yet another wince comes 
from me. How repulsive. No wait...this is repulsive. Is he ab-about to??
Wh...NO! Oh please, no!!!!! 
	Standing so close to him, Beryl got a wicked thought (though 
all of her thoughts are wicked..^_-). She puts an arm around his neck 
and pulls him toward her. He catches on to the idea and moves his head 
inward. No...gods, NO...PLEASE!!!! It's too late. Their lips touch and 
all becomes lost. Beryl thoroughly rubs it in by making it known that 
their tongues had also met. New tears course down my pale face. She 
has destroyed him. My love...you will not live like this forever. I 
will make sure of it...I will make sure....
	The queen ends her intimate, yet publicized, moment and 
Endymion leaps into the air. He comes crashing down on my empty body 
and I easily fall to the floor. Standing and facing him I realize that 
I can't fight back. I can't injure him. Instead, I try to avoid his
attacks..to no avail. His speed has increased from the negative energy 
and he is far too fast for me. Being strangled and electrocuted by the 
one who owns your heart is never fun. Continuously, I try to plead with 
him. No response. 
	He is Queen Beryl’s man. 
	I won't except that, though. He throws me roughly from his 
grasp and my neck nearly brakes as I land on the hard floor. My body, 
mind, and soul were all tattered to the max. I would give up if it 
weren't for my friends' deaths and the current state of Endymion. I 
have to fight for them. One last trick up my sleeve. I remove my tiara, 
hopefully for the last time, and throw it into his chest. Keeping my 
arm in the air to control it, I hold it in front of him. Not hitting or 
hurting him...but stopping him. Letting the purity of my power clash 
with the evil of his brainwashed mind. It works and he falls along with 
his broad sword and my tiara. 
	I was about to smile when his eyes light up again. What? No,
Mamo-chan...I have nothing left to fight with...but my heart. I conjure
up the star locket and manage to sit on my knees without collapsing. 
The music seems to puzzle him as though he remembers it from somewhere. 
"My prince, please listen to me. This is not who you are. You are one 
of love, not hate. Oh please, come back to me. You were not meant to 
live like this." He still seems confused. 
	"SHUT UP!!! Endymion, get over here now!!!!!!" The screeching 
drowns out the music of our star-locket and I almost lose him. He looks
over at ‘his queen’ but doesn't move. 
	He looks back at me and speaks, "How was I meant to live?" My 
eyes water as I realize what his simple sentence means. He's back! I 
quickly force all of my strength into my legs in order to stand up. I 
take his hand gently, as to not scare him. Grabbing his other hand, I 
set the star locket within it. I cover it with my own hand...my own 
warmth. It works! His scared eyes look down at me as silver light 
consumes him. I squeeze his hand with reassurance and the next thing I 
know, we are kneeling on the ground.
	"..U..Usa.ko..." I had waited to hear that word for so long. 
More tears trace themselves down my cheeks as I look at him. He looks 
so tired and worn-out. 
	"Mamo-chan." He looks up at me. 
	"Usako?" 
	"Hai, it’s me. I’m here. I’ll always be here." A smile brakes 
through his face and, for the first time in months, his eyes shine 
clearly. He wrapps his arms around my waist and buries his head in my 
shoulder. I move my arms around his head and hold him closely. "Oh love, 
I’ve missed you so much." Choked sobs escape me and I can no longer 
talk.
	"Me too, me too. Usako...I’ll never be able to tell you how 
sorry I am for all that I have done to you..." His eyes mist up. For 
the first time since he was an orphaned boy, tears slide down Mamoru’s 
cheeks. I weakly smil back at him.
	A raised finger to his lips stops any further talking. "It was 
not you who did it. I don't blame you at all. Please...just let us 
finish this and go home. I’m so exhausted..." My eyelids almost fall as 
my body slumps into him. I barely feel him shaking my shoulders. I don't 
respond. I am so weak and tired of everything. I want to go home, with 
my friends and my Mamo-chan. I just want it all to end.
	"Usako? Usako! Come now...please!!" His screams barely reach me 
but when they do, I grab onto them. He slowly manages to bring me back 
to consciousness. "Gods...Usako, daijobu?" I nod and rest my head 
against his armored shoulder. He holds me tightly, reassuring me as 
much as he can. 
	"I don’t want to do this Mamo-chan...I don’t think I have 
enough strength for it all....and I don’t wanna die right now. I just 
got you back, Endymion...I don’t want to have to leave you again. Let 
it be over." His sympathetic smile serves as an instant indicator that 
this is far from over and that I will have to stand up soon.
	"I'm sorry, Usako. You are needed to put this woman in her 
place. I-I don’t want you to die either..." A single tear slides down 
his cheek at this and my heart swells in sympathy. "But...we will find 
each other again...somehow...somewhere...sometime...we will." I nod and 
look once again into his blue eyes. 
	"Mamo-chan..I will love you forever...please remember that much,
if nothing else." My arms tighten around him.
	"Always, Usako. I will love you always." His lips sweetly 
brush against mine.
	"How disgustingly sweet!! However, I will not allow you to come 
in here and ruin my plans. Endymion, COME HERE!!!!!" We both turn and
glare at her.
	"NEVER!!!!" A red fire lights within Beryl’s eyes at our 
insolence.
	"Then, with Metallia at my side, I shall be forced to rid this 
world of your presence. Good-bye, failures." I feel Mamoru about to 
throw me out of the way of whatever was going to be unleashed...but I 
surprise him first. I quickly stand and guard his kneeling body with 
my own. The black energy crackles around me as it hits. I bite back the 
screams and fight off the pain but it is intense. 
	"I will not fail to you!" With my scream comes a bright light 
from my crescent moon. Its purity throws off the negative energy from 
around me and spreads to the queen. She is hit square in the chest with 
my power and with a rose from my darling. 
	"Damn you, children! You will pay!" She vanishes into sparkles 
of thick, black dust and an eerie silence fills the room. My adrenaline 
also vanishes and I fall back onto the ground.
	"Usako!" I lift my eyes to his face...oh, that is all I ever 
need to see. His face, his eyes alone spread hope through my body.
But..still...my friends don't accompany those deep blues. The pain of 
their loss and all that had been suffered this night is so great. 
"Usako, love..." I look again at him and try to give him a smile. It's 
no use. My sorrow is too great to grant me the request of a simple 
smile. Instead, tears fly across my pale skin.
	"She will return." He nods his understanding. Holding me 
against his chest, my hand in his, a sigh of contentment is echoed. I
smile. "Yes...I wish it were always to remain like this. We have but a
few moments...don’t ever forget.." He shakes his head and puts a finger
to my lips.
	"How can I forget such events? Oh U-Usako...I can live as long 
as you are here. You are a part of me as I am a part of you. We are 
one kindred spirit that has survived through a millenia and will 
continue to survive through many more, breaking the rules of the 
universe. I was meant to love you, my dear. I just hope that somehow, 
all will be well again." 
	"Of course, Mamo-chan. I will make sure of that much- *ugh*" I 
shake in his arms. "Let us hope that this misery will stop so-soon...
*ugh*" Another wave of pain shoots through the area around my stomach. 
My head flips to the empty thrown. I sense the energy of my mother’s 
nemesis. The destroyer of my future...of my friends’ and my life. 
"Metallia.." 
	Endymion helps me up. "I do believe that we have waited long 
enough for this moment." The scratchy voice comes from everywhere and no
where at once. "Let us begin then. Prepare yourself for real pain,
princess."

-----

	Yes, that was a painful battle. Good vs. Evil. Nothing pure 
ever makes it out as untainted as when they charged in. Endymion is 
laying beside me. He had fallen earlier, saving me from a hard blast. 
My poor baby. I will be there quite shortly. 
	"This has taken too much time and effort. I shall finish you 
now."
	"You have too much confidence in yourself, Metallia. That is 
your weakness." She laughs at me. Laughs! Oh well, it is her own fault 
for thinking that she can destroy me and my planet in one turn. I’m not 
that weak! Agreeing with her statement of this battle taking too much 
time, I reach out for the minds of my loved ones. They are all fine...
correction, they will all soon be fine. Their souls have remained to 
help me in my fight, sending encouragement and love.
	"Good-bye, vile witch. You will never destroy my life again." 
And that is that. She was obliterated with the pureness of my power and
life-force. The world is finally healed, everyone’s memories are erased 
so that they don't question these odd events, and I fall backward to 
the ice.
	The moon wand clatters off of the cliff and into an abyss. Who
cares? I don’t plan on using it for a long time, anyway. My princess
dress fades into my fuku which fades into my school uniform from
earlier that day. Princess Serenity, Sailor Moon, and Tsukino Usagi
are finished, for now. They were three who became one in order to 
destroy a terrible evil and to heal the world. 
	Now, I just want to go home and have a triple hot-fudge sundae. 
I want to go home to see my mother cooking, my father yelling, and my
brother teasing. I want to see my teacher lecturing me for being tardy 
and Naru sympathizing with me when we have another test to take. I 
wanted to go to the arcade to play some ‘Sailor V’ and see Motoki’s 
cheery face smiling at me from behind the counter. I want to see Ami 
studying, Rei doing chores, Makoto cooking, and Minako singing.

	I want to see a man with ebony hair and deep blue eyes walking 
down the street without a care in the world. I want to see myself
running late to school and bumping into this man. Then, I want to see 
the recognition in his eyes as he holds me close and kisses all of my
fears away. 


	I want to see everything that I once took for granted. But, 
most of all...



	I want to see peace.





The End
-------------

You like? I know it's a rather interesting
take on the senshi's first 'real' battle, 
but for some reason when I was typing...
Usagi just popped out at me and told me to
not only do the story from her perspective,
but to add a few twists here and there. I 
hope you enjoyed it! ^-^


Please send ANY comments to me, Sereko. My e-mail is: 
princess-serenity@rocketmail.com