"Between the Darkness and the Light"
	Written by: DQBunny
	Edited by: Meara 

	DISCLAIMER: Sailormoon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi.  If you feel like coming 
after my money, by all means do!  I'll gladly give you the three cents to my name.

	Chapter 4

	Footsteps echoed down the empty streets of Jyuban.  Sweat rolled down Chibi-
Usa's cheeks as the young girl ran to the park.  She came to a stop in the clearing where 
the battle with Kuro had taken place the day before.  She stood there for a moment, trying 
to catch her breath.  Her cinnamon eyes narrowed in concentration, and she pushed up 
the sleeve of her blouse to look at her watch.  It was nearly 6 a.m.  Chibi-Usa's gaze shot 
toward the horizon and she frowned.  The sun was suppose to rise at 5:30, but there 
were no hints that dawn was about to arrive.  
	The Crown Princess of Crystal Tokyo closed her eyes and tried to use the latent 
powers inherited from her father to sense what was going on within the planet.  Nothing 
happened except for a headache gathering at her temples.
	"Chibi-Usa-chan."
	Chibi-Usa opened her eyes to see a girl around her age with pale skin and 
shoulder-length raven hair.  She was a good foot taller from when Chibi-Usa had seen her 
the day before.  The aura around her still radiated a deep somber feeling, and she looked 
much older than her age.
	She also wore a purple sailor fuku and wielded a glaive. 
	"Sailor Saturn...," Chibi-Usa whispered.  "Hotaru-chan!" she exclaimed in a much 
louder voice.
	Hotaru walked over to her best friend.  "You're trying too hard to use power you 
don't have yet," she gently scolded her.
	Chibi-Usa crossed her arms over her chest.  "You sound just like Puu," she 
muttered.
	"I'll take that as a complement," Hotaru said with a grin.  Both girls started 
laughing.
	"Are you feeling better?" Hotaru asked, the grin disappearing from her face.  "I've 
never seen you act the way you did last night."
	Chibi-Usa sighed.  "It's not fair, Hotaru-chan.  Mamo-chan treated me like I was a 
baby!"
	"That's because you acted like one," Hotaru pointed out.  "I know how much you 
care for Elios.  It was obvious the way you looked at him last night.  But, you didn't need 
to make a fool of yourself." 
	"I just wanted him to know that I'll be there for him," Chibi-Usa insisted.
	"He knows you're there for him.  But, sometimes the ones you love need time to 
themselves, even when you think they need you the most.  What if someone came up to 
you and pretty much asked you for permission to kill your mother or father, what would 
you do?"
	Chibi-Usa's eyes widened with realization.  "I would do the same thing."
	Hotaru nodded.  "Exactly," she said.
	Tears of shame filled Chibi-Usa's eyes, and she stared down at the ground, trying 
to blink them away.  "I was trying to act like a lady by being there for Elios, but I was 
just being a baby instead," she whispered.
	"I think he understand completely," Hotaru approached her friend and gave her a 
hug.  "You've got a long road to travel before you're a true grown-up...a real lady.  But, I 
think you're going to be just fine."
	Chibi-Usa smiled at her friend, then nodded.  She took a couple steps back from 
her friend and took off her compact and held it up.  "Moon Crisis...Make-UP!" she 
hollered, allowing the magical transformation to sweep over her and change her into 
Super Sailor Chibi Moon.  Moments later, Chibi-Usa produced the Crystal Carillon from 
the folds of her fuku.
	"I'll call Elios here and we can talk to him," she told Hotaru.  "There has got to
be a way we can stop Kuro and not have to kill him."
	"I doubt a simple roundtable discussion would work, Chibi-Usa-chan," Hotaru 
pointed out.
	"But, there has to be another way besides killing him!  I know if we can work 
together, we can find a way to save the Earth and Kuro as well.  After all, Usagi saved 
you, Hotaru-chan," Chibi-Usa smiled at her friend.
	"No...you and Usagi-san both saved me," Hotaru corrected her.
	Chibi-Usa blushed, then bent down on one knee.  "Please, Elios!" she chanted.  
"Come talk with us!  We can find a way to protect the Earth and Kuro too!"  She stood 
up and started to complete the dance.  "Twinkle...," she started to holler, but then noticed 
the Crystal Carillon.  It was not pulsating with energy like it usually did.
	"Chibi-Usa-chan, what's wrong?" Hotaru asked, noticing her friend had stopped.
The younger Senshi simply stared at the bell in disbelief.  "Something's wrong in 
Elysion," she said.  "I can't reach Elios!  By now, I know if he's responding." 
	"Come on," Hotaru grabbed Chibi-Usa's wrist.  "We need to find Setsuna-momma 
and let her know."

	*****

	Usagi woke up for the first time in Mamoru's arms.  Her heart thundered in her 
chest as the events from the night before slowly came back to her.  She could barely 
believe she had come over to his apartment with the intent of seducing him.  Well, that 
plan had worked very nicely.  She snuggled against him and laid her ear against his chest 
so she could hear the steady beating of his heart.  She did not want to move yet.  She 
knew once she did, the dream world they had created for themselves would dissipate and 
the harsh reality of their mission would quickly set in. 	
	She looked up at his face and admired it.  In slumber, he looked like a little boy, 
peaceful and innocent.  She smiled at him and pulled herself up against his body so 
she could kiss him awake.  Perhaps they could make love just one more time...
	Her lips settled against his, gently teasing and probing with her tongue.  A 
complete lack of response startled her.  She had done this once before during the 
night, and he had immediately roused.  Something was different this time.  Usagi sat up, 
allowing the sheets to pool down to her waist and shook Mamoru gently.  He laid 
there, almost lifeless.
	Usagi nearly panicked.  She shook him again, harder.  "Mamo-chan, it's time to 
wake up!" she said in a forcefully cheerful voice.  Still, he didn't respond to her.  Usagi 
placed her hand on Mamoru's chest to feel his heartbeat.  Instead of strong and steady like 
it had been a few minutes before, it was growing weaker.
	Usagi threw off the sheets immediately and started searching for her clothes.  
Under his robe and her nightgown, she found her brooch in the pocket of her coat.  
She quickly held it up in the air.  "Moon Crisis...Make-UP!" she cried.
	Moments later, Usagi was clad as Super Sailor Moon.  She placed her hand over 
Mamoru's heart again and felt the heartbeat fading as each moment passed.  
Determination filled her eyes, and she tried to push the fear welling up inside 
her aside.  She managed to pull Mamoru into a sitting position.
	"I am not going to let you die, you hear me, Mamo-chan?" Usagi cried, tears 
threatening to spill down her cheeks.  "Damn you, Kuro, what are you doing to us?" 
	She took several steps backwards and concentrated on her brooch.  It popped open 
and the Ginzuishou floated out.  Usagi concentrated on the Ginzuishou, and moments 
later she turned into Princess Serenity.  She concentrated further on the Ginzuishou and 
held it out toward Mamoru.  A ray of silver light emitted from the jewel and bathed him 
in it.

	*****

	His eyes blinked open and all he could see was darkness.  Slowly, he sat up and 
stared around him.  The last thing he could remember was falling asleep with Usagi in his 
arms after they had consummated their relationship.  Now, he was in some odd place.  
Looking down, he saw he was fully-dressed in the armor of the old Earth Kingdom.  
Slowly, he got to his feet and took in his surroundings.  This was no odd place, Mamoru 
realized.  This was Elysion.
	If the land had been in bad condition when he had been there the day before, 
nothing could compare to the condition Elysion was in now.  Complete darkness washed 
over the land, and Mamoru could barely see his hand in front of his face.  He squinted, 
trying to get used to the dark, then took a couple of steps forward.  Suddenly, he stumbled 
and fell to his knees, unable to catch his breath.
	"Prince Endymion!" A familiar voice reached Mamoru's ears.  He looked up and 
tried to see the figure standing before him, but his eyesight was failing him.
	"What's happening," he managed to ask.  "Is Kuro..."
	"Hai.  He's making another attack on Elysion.  Come, you must remain strong.  
Onii-san has Elios resting.  You must make it to the temple."
	The man helped Mamoru to his feet and wrapped an arm around him to keep him 
standing.  Together, the two men made their way toward the temple.
	It was not very far, but the worse part was making it up the stairs.  The last of 
Mamoru's strength left him as he made it to the top of the stairs.  He fell to the ground, 
trying to draw in a breath.  It had just been like when Nehelenia was attacking Elysion, 
although he felt much worse than he ever did with the black rose within his chest.  
Another person came forward and helped him back to his feet.  A third stood watch 
over a figure lying on a pallet...Elios.
	"The prince is here," the first man told the third one.
	"Things are getting worse," the third said.  "The sun isn't rising on Earth."
	"Shimatta," the second muttered.  "We can't rouse Elios either."
	"The prince is fading fast," the first confirmed.  "We must get word to the surface. 
The Sailor Senshi must stop this at once."
	"But, how could they right the balance when the prince is lying ill?" the third ask. 
	Suddenly, all three men glanced toward the entrance to the building.  They gasped 
as a ray of silver light shot through the heavens and into the building, illuminating 
Mamoru's figure.  Their attention turned back to the prince.
	Mamoru's breathing began to ease and he opened his eyes.  The world came into 
focus and things looked much brighter.  He looked at the men around him and instantly 
recognized them, but no words came to his mouth.  Instead, he stared at the beam of 
silver light and knew instantly what was going on.
	Usagi was using the Ginzuishou.
	No!  His mind started screaming the word over and over.  He struggled to sit up.  
<Usako....Usako!  Stop it now!  You'll die if you use the Ginzuishou,> he tried telling her 
in his mind, not knowing if this connection would work or not.
	Suddenly, her musical voice began to fill his mind.  <I refuse to let you die, 
Mamo-chan,> she said. <You need to live.  The world needs to live!  We are going to go 
save Haruka and Michiru together.>
	Mamoru drew in a deep breath, then suddenly the world began to spin away from 
him.  The next thing he knew, he was sitting up in his own bed and Usagi, dressed as 
Princess Serenity, was holding the Ginzuishou out before him.  A grateful look appeared 
in her eyes before she lost control of the powerful weapon she wielded.  She collapsed 
onto the bed, the Ginzuishou floating back into her locket.  She lost her transformation, 
transforming back into Sailor Moon, then into Usagi.
	Meanwhile, outside the sun started to rise. 
	"Usako!"  Mamoru grabbed Usagi and pulled her into his arms.  He shook her 
slightly, but the young woman simply sighed happily and curled up against his chest in 
slumber.  Several tears of relief rolled down his cheeks before he caught himself.  
He leaned back against the headboard and held the love of his life in his arms while he 
watched the sun rise.  It had never looked so beautiful in his life.  He pressed a kiss
to the top of Usagi's head and closed his eyes to try and get a few more minutes of sleep, 
trying to ignore the fact that the sunrise he witnessed could be his last.