Changed
by Rose

Part 4






	A month of terror, Usagi thought wryly, as 
she marked on the caladar with a crescent moon the 
One month anniversery of becoming Sailor Moon.
	Days of waking up at some ungodly hour in the 
morning or night to stop raids, or surprise attack 
the Dark kingdom. Quickly they had learned all the 
tricks of guerilla warfare.
	It an odd way, it was like weaving a 
difficult piece of cloth. You were the thread, 
trying to avoid being tangled up in the others, 
that were the enemy.
	Yes, I've got a lot of spare time.
	"Dammit." Usagi murmured, as she fell back on 
her bed. For the last four days, she had gotten 
about five hours of sleep. Max.
	She knew it was taking it's toll on the 
others, too, but not as bad as she. They had worked 
it all out. Every other time they had to get up an 
go, Uranus, Neptune, and Moon went. On the reverse, 
it was Mars, Mercury, and Moon. 
	She had to go everytime, for she was the most 
powerful. Luna knew of her exhaustion, but not to 
it's full extent. Usagi hid it as well as she could 
from the others.
	Other times, they were on the defense, when a 
deliberate trap was set for them. They were harder 
and harder to avoid being caught, now that Nephrite 
and Jedite worked together.
	But they succeded. And little by little, they 
were winning.
	Beryl was enraged. She slept not a wink, 
throwing fits Satan himself feared when her minions 
failed. She was losing patience.
	She had just began to relax, just began to 
think that nothing more could threaten her throne, 
when...
	Sailor Moon happened.
	She did not know of a Sailor Moon. This new 
senshi did not exist in the silver millenium, she 
was sure of it. That's why, for the first few 
incidents, she thought it was some hoax, a trick by 
some computer genius that had found out about the 
silver millenium.
	But then she began having nightmares. 
Nightmares of her ruin. She knew it was no joke 
now, and was terrified.
	Even the fearless fear.
	
	A woman was at the base of it all, with an 
assistant she had brought forth from the Black 
Pits. Together they sent warnings, and yes, even 
the nightmares. They worked all the time, for they 
had no need for sleep.
	One was dressed in the purest of whites, the 
other in the darkest of purples.
	Both were dead.

*******************



	"Ooo-kay doakie. So, we're here, to decide 
whether we should go risk our lives or go risk our 
lives. So, who's up for risking our lives?" Usagi 
asked, after a momentary lull in the conversation. 
They were at an infamous senshi meeting, this time 
being held at Usagi's house, Haruka and Michiru 
included.
	"DO we have a choice?" Ami groaned. "It's 
been a month. We've barely made a dent, and now 
*two* generals are after us."
	"So you're saying we should give up." Haruka 
sounded angry.
	"No!" Ami was shocked. "Of course not! I have 
not forgotten my oath, nor my mission. I'm saying 
we need more fire power. Tuxedo Kamen can't always 
save us. I think we need to search for the missing 
senshi. Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, and Pluto. Maybe 
with their help we can do something."
	"She's got a point." Rei said. "We're all 
going to have to show, pretty soon. Sailor Moon's 
power is strong, but it needs to increase at the 
same speed the youma's. And since that's not 
possible--"
	"I can do something." Usagi looked at the 
floor. "I remember something. But I'm not even sure 
where it is-- or if it still exists."
	"What?" Michiru asked.
	"The crescent sword."
	"The what?" Rei asked, but Ami had pulled out 
her computer.
	"The Crescent Sword of Artemis." Ami said. 
"Yes, Usagi-chan, it should exist. But we will not 
be able to get to it without all the senshi."
	"Why not?" Michiru asked.
	"Becuase it's on the moon. And in order to 
teleport, we must have the power of all the inner 
senshi." Usagi said. 
	"Oh. So, it's back to square one, then. 
Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and Pluto." Rei sighed.
	"Not Saturn and Pluto." Haruka said. "Pluto 
is not allowed to fight and if Saturn awakes, the 
world shall end."
	"What's so bad about that? At least we'd beat 
Beryl." Usagi murmured. Rei looked chestfallen. "We 
can't destroy the reason we're fighting, Usagi. 
Duh."
	"Dammit." Usagi forced a grin.
	"Hey, we've been too busy, but Rei and Usagi 
are able to sense power levels. So, if we split 
into two groups, and go all over the area, we might 
chance upon on of them." Ami said, putting away the 
computer. "Haruka and Michiru will go with Usagi, 
and I will go wi--"
	"No, Ami. I can't sense Jupiter's energy with 
another senshi around." Usagi spoke up quietly. 
Haruka opened her mouth to prtest, but closed it 
after a pointed look from Michiru. 
	"Okay. Rei, do you want someone to go with 
you?" Michiru asked.
	"No, that's okay." Rei said. She and Usagi 
stood up.
	"You guys figure out some battle strategies. 
If we're not back in two hours, search for us." 
Usagi flashed them a V for victory sign and headed 
out the door. Rei smiled before following her.
	
*******************



	"An hour. An hour, and nothing." Usagi 
grumbled, as she stomped around Tokyo. "You'd think 
that someone would-- what the?" She stoped in her 
tracks, as the strangest feeling made her fall to 
her knees. It was not the dark feeling she got when 
the Dark Kingdom was around-- this feeling made her 
feel safe.
	"Luna said whatever drew me or whatever 
caught my eye." She murmured, standing up and 
looking around her. 
	A flash of blonde hair not unlike her own 
caught her eye. It belonged to a girl that she 
herself could have mistaken for herself. A white 
cat was in the girl's arms, and the girl herself 
appeared to be searching too, wth her blue eyes.
	Blue met blue. Usagi and the other girl 
stared at each other. Niether moved a muscle. 
	Who would confront the other?
	"A senshi." Usagi's lips formed the words. 
The other girl looked startled, but the cat jumped 
down and weaved through the crowd to Usagi.
	"If that's a senshi, you must be Artemis." 
She said to the cat, scooping it up and rubbing 
it's moon mark. 
	Luna loved that.
	Artemis purred. Then, he remembered the 
mission.
	"You know about Luna?" He asked. If the girl 
was a minion of Beryl, she'd be surprised.
	"Yes, she's my kitty. Let me, guess, that's 
Venus. Luna said you were looking for her. I found 
you both. Luna will be so happy!" Usagi smiled. 
	"Yes, her name's Minako." Artemis answered, 
while trying to figure out which senshi the girl 
was.
	"Minako!" Usagi called. "Minako! Come here!" 
the blonde girl smiled, realizing Artemis must have 
told the girl her name, and if Artemis trusted 
someone, so did she. She knocked two people over in 
her mad dash to get to the girl and her cat.
	"You're one of them?" Still, Minako thought, 
you couldn't be too careful.
	"And so are you. Come on, let's go. The rest 
are at my house. Mercury, Mars, Uranus, and 
Neptune."
	"Then who are you? You don;t look or feel 
like Jupiter." Minako racked her brain for another 
senshi. This surely wasn't Pluto... or Saturn...
	"I'm Moon." Usagi glanced around. "Hush. 
There is a three million yen reward on our heads." 
She whispered. "Many people will turn us in, no 
matter what becomes of the earth." minako nodded, 
eyes wide. That was a lot of money. 
	"Come on, then. I'll call Rei when we get out 
of this crowd. She'll be glad to get a break. We 
really need the help, Minako-chan. I'm glad you're 
here."
  	"So am I, princess."


**********************



	Beep Beep Beep. Beep Beep Beep. Beep Beep 
Beep. Beep Beep Be--
	"Moon here." Usagi grabbed her commnicator 
and looked at the clock. The blazing red numbers 
stared back at her.
	3:29 A.M.
	"Merc had a dream. I checked the fire. We've 
got a full blast raid, not too far from your place, 
Usagi. Instead of the usual, Venus, can you come?"
	"Already on it, Rei." Venus answered.
	"And Haruka and Michiru."
	"On our way." Michiru answered.
	"It's pretty big, so Ami, you and I will go 
too. The fire was vague, but I can see a lot of 
youma and soldiers. Usagi? I'm not sure-- but you 
know that shelter?" Rei asked. Her face was pale.
	"Yes. But why wpuld you ask about the shel-- 
Oh, my god. Rei, you're not serious." Usagi had her 
locket clenched tightly in her hands.
	"I am."
	"Okay, Minna. Let's go!" Usagi threw the 
commiunicator on the bed. "Luna, stay here." She 
ordered, and transformed. She jumped out her 
window, and began running. Up ahead of her she saw 
Sailor Venus.
	It was a coincidence, really, how Minako's 
house was just three houses down from Usagi's. It 
gave their princess added protection.
	"Sailor Venus! Wait up!" She called, just 
loud enough for Venus to hear. The 'ai no senshi' 
stopped, and waited for Sailor Moon.
	"Come on. I saw that center on my way here. 
It's jammed full of people, and they've probably 
over a million amercian dollars in that safe, not 
to mention yen and pounds and God only knows what 
else." Venus gasped, as they drew nearer the 
shelter.
	"I know... all those people." Sailor Moon 
pulld her staff out. They gid in the shadows.
	"Two gaurd youma. That would mean about 
seven, eight youma inside and not to mention 
soldiers, but they aren;t much threat." Sailor Moon 
saw the glint of steel in Venus's left hand.
	"Do you want the pleasure, or should I?" 
Sailor Moon motioned to the two youma.
	"I will." Venus whispered. "It's been a while 
since I've been Venus, and I'd like some target 
practice before heading into hell." She raised her 
right arm.
	"VENUS ADOR!" She yelled. A beam of yellowish 
white light formed a sphere in her cupped hand. The 
gaurds foolishly looked her way. She threw it at 
them.
	It was faster that the eye could follow. It 
went right through them and returned to her hand. 
The youma stared at the holes in their chests 
before falling over, lifeless.
	"Good work." Moon whispered, and they 
cautously entered the wide double doors.
	"It's too quiet." Venus whispered.
	"This is a trap." Sailor Moon realized, about 
a second too late. Nets were thrown over them, and 
she saw something come down on Venus's head. 
Something was slipped around her neck. 
	The world grew dark as it tightened...


***********************


	"We're too late." Uranus whispered, when the 
walked past the fallen gaurds and into the 
building, to find a mees and Venus, some blood and 
a couple of soldiers. They took out the soldiers 
with a vengance, leaving one. Neotune began to 
question him mercilessly.
	"Where did you people take them?" She hissed.
	"I'm not telling you." He gasped in pain. 
Uranus growled at him, and the next thing he knew, 
he was being held up by his throat against a wall 
by a very angry senshi.
	"Now." She said through clenched teeth.
	"Alright! They took the two senshi to a 
warehouse on 56th street! They're going to torture 
them until they reveal their indentities or tell 
them who you are." He said. 
	"DEEP SUBMERGE!" Neptune yelled. Uranus 
jumped out of the way, The soldier had no time to 
react.
	Mercury and Mars ran in.
	"What's up? Mars asked. "Something's wrong."
	"They took Venus and Moon."
	"Where?"
	"A warehouse. On 56th street."
	"There are a hundred warehouses there!" Mars 
groaned, hitting her head aginst the wall.
	"I might be able to pinpoint them if I'm 
close enough with the computer." Mercury said, her 
visor appearing as she typed away at her computer. 
	"Let's go."


(****************************




	"I'm not telling you anything." Venus said 
feircly.
	"And if you think you'll get anything out of 
me, you insane." Sailor Moon hissed, as they were 
dragged through the streets.
	'Where is he? Where is Tuxedo Kamen?' She 
yelled at herself.
	"Oh, you'll talk. Jedite and Nephrite will be 
so pleased we've finally captured you." A youma 
rasped in it's hoarse voice.
	"Why are those names no familar?" Venus 
asked.
	"I was thinking the exact thing. It's 
probably just because we've heard them so often." 
Sailor Moon sounded confident, ignoring the little 
voice in her head telling her something else, 
something just too quiet for her to hear...
	"Where are you taking us?" Venus asked. She 
wished she hadn't dropped her knife when they 
knocked her out.
	"What does it matter to you, Senshi?" A 
soldier spat. Venus took a mental note to kill that 
one slowly.	
	"I think.. that if I concentrate my energy... 
I can make it go throw my tiara by itself..." 
Sailor Moon whispered, her tiara giving off a 
slight light. The youma and soldiers didn't notice 
it.
	"And if it doesn't? Your head will blow up."
	"It's my magic."
	"It will still kill you."
	"Venus, we have to do something."
	"You're the princess. You're not going to 
die." 
	"Shut up. We've got to carry you, but we 
don't have to listen to you." A youma snapped.
	"Then let us walk on our own. We're not 
invalids." Sailor Moon retorted. In response, she 
was dropped onto the ground.
	"OW!" Venus yelled, as she was dropped too.
	"Good idea." The youma smiled nastily. 
"Walk."
	"Fine." Sailor Moon struggled to her feet. 
Venus and she walked in front of the youma, so 
their hands were hidden. Slowly, Sailor Moon worked 
the ropes off.
	"Venus?"
	"Got em." Venus turned slightly so Sailor 
Moon could see the loose ropes. 
	"On the count of three." Sailor Moon 
whispered. "One... Two..."
	"THREE!" they shouted together, and did a 
graceful backflip over the heads of the youma and 
soldiers. 
	"VENUS ADOR!"
	"MOON LOVELY RAINBOW KISS!" They yelled their 
respective attacks. there were still too many to 
deal with, but they could run... 
	"Come on, girl. We can't take em." Venus 
said.
	"I'm going to kill them even if I go with 
them. At least that way I can ensure they'll make 
it to hell." Sailor Moon's eyes narrowed. 
	"Alright." Venus grinned insanely. "Artemis 
and Luna are gonna kill us..."
	"WHo cares?" Sailor Moon asked, and swung her 
staff around her, and struck into the ground with a 
mighty blow. "LUNAR ECLIPSE!" She shouted. For a 
split second, there was total silence. Not the, 
'everyone stopped talking' silence. The 'Deaf' 
silence. Even the insects fell silent. Then, a 
flash of light filled the sky. A huge silver 
crescent moon huge above Sailor Moon's head. She 
thrust the moon on the staff in the center of it, 
and mumbled a few words of a forgotten tongue. By 
her command, the crescent moon zoomed tpwards the 
helpless youma, slicing them all in half. The 
soldiers simply went up in smoke, not even a bit of 
dust was left of them.
	"May the Moon's curse lay upon your master's 
head." Sailor Moon whispered, before collapsing.

***************************************************

Okay! There's part 4!! Hope you liked!

-Rose