I'll Be There For You
Part 6 - The Battle For Life

"They will destroy you."

Alicia closed her eyes, blocking the image that threatened her. An
image of the moon princess, arms outstretched, a wand pointed out, an
overpowering wave of energy surging out--

"Endymion *will* be mine," she said, opening her eyes and staring at
the screen in front of her. The senshi and their generals. And in
the center of the group was her love. Tall, dark, and handsome as sin.
Her sin. She smiled.

"They will kill you."

Alicia rolled her eyes in the direction of her 'mother'. The smile
at her lips became smug. "Not if I kill their precious little princess
first," she hissed.

"They will die before they allow you to harm her. *He* will die--just
like before," the dead queen said. Queen Beryl had indeed become some-
what mellow in her death. Her eyes flashed at her daughter, taunting
the younger girl. As expected and planned, the smile fell from her
lips, inducing the grin on the queen's.

"I will not allow that," Alicia said, snapping her attention back to
the view screen.

"You will have no choice," Beryl said, not even trying to hide her
pleasure. "They will hunt you down and when they find you, they will
kill you!"

Alicia stiffened.

"You will die, the same as me," Beryl prophesied.

"They will never get the chance," Alicia hissed, pushing off from the
chair and rushing out of the command room, leaving a laughing Beryl to
enjoy her mirth in solitude. But the dead queen's laughter haunted her,
following her like a ghost.

The door opened and closed. She knew who her visitor was. She
just didn't care. She didn't move. Her body was too numb to move. Her
soul was too numb to stir.

"How should I kill you?" Alicia asked coyly, smiling as she walked
lazily into the room.

"I *don't* care," Serena mumbled, not bothering to look away from the
wall.

Alicia was at the bedside, her nail biting into Serena's tender wrist
as she yanked her over. Blue eyes narrowed, staring into blue eyes,
challenging. And then Alicia let go of her and smiled.

"How should I display your dead body for your little friends to see?"
she asked, as gaily as could be. Her smile widened.

Serena felt of stirring of--of what? Hope? Relief? Comfort?

"Oh yes," she said, her voice oozing with sweetness. "Didn't someone
tell you? Your pesky little friends have decided to try and save you.
Sweet, isn't it? Too bad you'll be dead before they will ever get the
chance."

She tried to swallow, to force her throat to moisten. "My friends
will save me," she said with utmost confidence.

Alicia smiled, pleased with her answer. "They will die trying," she
said before turning and walking out of the room, her good humor restored.

The old nurse was busy cutting carrots when Alicia walked into the
kitchen. She looked up, startled, her eyes straying quickly to the
small bundle at the other side of the small room.

Alicia walked quickly to the bundle and looked up at her nurse.
"I have decided," she said, picking up the bundle. "The poison will
do fine. Give it to her immediately."

"As you wish," the nurse replied, bowing her head and turning for the
small bottle on the counter. She had already known the girl would be
sentenced to death by that mean.

"Soon now," Alicia said softly, cooing to the bundle. "Soon Endymion
will be mine!" She giggled like a schoolgirl and then, replacing the
bundle, she returned to the command room.

She was still smiling when she seated herself in the large command
chair. A push of a button--one little push of one tiny button.

The button in question gleamed up at her, winked at her, dared her
to push it.

She leaned forward, her hand outstretched. One bright red finger
nailed finger leaned against the button.
**************************************************************************

They felt numb. Dead inside. But with each step they prayed
that they weren't too late. That maybe there had been a mistake.
That what they feared was true really wasn't. It couldn't be.

They walked on. The grass they hand landed on had fizzled away into
barren land. The mountain range they were heading towards was still
off in the distance. Their feet pounded against stone.

"This is crazy!" Haruka shouted, startling them all. They turned
and faced her. She looked mad and exasperated. "We're not getting
anywhere!"

Amy frowned, tugging on her earring, her visor sliding into place.
Zoicite was pulling out the Mercury computer.

"She's right," Amy said, replacing her visor. "We've been walking
for hours and haven't gotten any closer to those mountains that when
we first began."

"But how is that possible?" Kunzite and Mina asked as one.

Zoicite shook his head. Amy bit her lip.

"We have to find a way to those mountains," Darien said softly.
"We have to find Serena."

They stared at one another, hopeless for any suggestions. Just
then the ground beneath their feet began to rumble. Startled gasps
and wide eyes rose up. Hands splayed out to help steady.

The ground cracked, split open, pulled apart. A large gaping crevice,
a huge fissure stretched out at their feet.

Mina slipped.

"NOOOO!!"

The air around them whipped up into whirlwinds, flinging dirt and
small objects at them, cutting their face and bodies.

"AAAAAH!!"

Ice rocks, the size of tennis balls, began to pelt against them,
falling from an unknown source, bashing into them without warning.

"OOOOOWWW!!"

Kunzite and Lita fell after Mina. Tellurium huddled over Hotaru,
trying to protect her from the onslaught. Raye cried out as Jedite
slumped forward, a large ice rock smacking him in the temples.
Michiru, Haruka, Meliphane and Sardonyx huddled into a tight group.
Nephrite dived after Lita, reaching out for her hand. Darien managed
to grab hold of Kunzite as he fell.

And then the--storm died down and faded away.

Nephrite and Darien struggled to hold their charges. A scared face
looked up at Nephrite, begging him not to let go. Lita tried desper-
ately to find footing, but each time her booted feet scraped the stone
wall, only debris went scrambling down to the unseen bottom.

Darien strained, his grip slipping on Kunzite's hand. Kunzite was
wincing, and shot a look down. Mina swung back and forth, her Love-
Me chain wrapped tightly around her wrist and Kunzite's ankle. She
looked up at him, her eyes wide.

"Don't let go," she pleaded. "Whatever you do, don't let go!"

Alicia smiled--and then laughed out loud. She reached out and pressed
another button--

The Outers and the Moon Generals rushed over to help. They reached for
their hanging comrades--

A sudden gust of wind pushed them all over the edge.

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

The food rested untouched. She was afraid to touch it. Afraid
it might be poisoned. She wouldn't put it past that witch. She was
hungry, it wasn't that she wasn't. She just didn't trust the old woman
that brought the food, and especially not the woman the old one worked
for: Alicia.

Her friends were here. Darien was here.

A warm glow fought the numbness that threatened her body, her soul.

They had come for her. They had not abandoned her.

The glow grew.

But they were too late--too late to save the baby--

The numbness fought back.

Dead dead dead dead. The word repeated itself over and over in
her mind. A well of feelings burst forth, overwhelming the numbness,
forcing it back, loosening its hold upon her.

Serena cried out, physically hurt by the pain of loss.

They fell...and fell...and fell some more.

Haruka laughed out loud with uncontrollable delight! Michiru's eyes
were seal shut, her nails biting into Haruka's and Meliphane's hands.
They gave hers a squeeze and cautiously, very cautiously, she peeked at
them. Haruka had a huge smile stretched from cheek to cheek. Meliphane's
smile was a little more tentative. Across from her, holding onto
Haruka's hand, Sardonyx was also smiling with thrill.

"This is not fun!" Michiru shouted over the roaring, rushing air.

"Sure it is!" Haruka laughed back at her.

"It's not when you have a head full of hair slapping you in the
face!" Mina cried, her eyes shut tight against the onslaught of her
whipping blond hair.

"Everyone just hold on tight!" Darien cried.

"That's fine for now," Jedite called out to him. "But I don't think
that's gonna help us much when we get to the bottom!"

Two human circles fell--the Inners and the Outers (with their generals).
All eyes looked down with Jedite's words in mind.

Alicia laughed gaily.

"You would let him die?" Beryl asked with amusement. The smile faded
almost at once.

"No mother," Alicia replied, rolling her neck to ease the stress that
had built up there over the past couple of years.

"Funny way of showing it," the apparition of the dead queen said,
crossing her ghostly arms.

"I'm not going to let them die," the young woman said, leaning back
in the chair. She smiled again. "Just scare them a bit."

"Hmphf!"

Just then the door opened and then old nurse came in. She looked
at the ghost figure for just second before looking to Alicia. "She
refuses to eat," the nurse said.

Alicia pursed her lips in a pout. "Well, that's not very cooperating
of her, is it?" She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Oh well, we'll just
have to do something a little more fun."

Her shoulders began to rock with silent mirth. "Oh, yes, my dear
sweet little princess Serenity." She began to laugh. "Endymion is
now mine!"

Serena rolled over in the bed, fighting against the gnawing hungry
that ate at her belly. When was the last time she'd eaten? One, two
days ago? Maybe three? How long had she been here? Where was she?

Oh, gods! She couldn't wait to get back home and eat one of Lita's
fabulous muffins. Her mouth watered just thinking about them. Or
better yet, a triple cheeseburger at the Crown with a mountain of
fries on the side. Oh! And a delicious milk shake, too! Some of
her mom's chocolate chip pancakes would be really good right about
now--

Her tummy rumbled. 'Really good right about now,' she added
silently. Oh, how she wanted to go home. How wonderful it would
be to sleep in her own bed again, back in her own room! Not that
living with Darien wasn't great. She loved him so much! It was
just that--well, she missed her mom--and Sammy--and--and her dad,
too. She missed them horribly.

And then a thought sneaked its way into her head: 'Now that
there's no baby, maybe Daddy will take me back...'

But the minute she thought it, she felt extremely terrible.
What a horrible thing to think! And then more thoughts about what
'no baby' would mean began to flood her mind. Everything that they
had been planning for for the past five months had become completely
null and void. There *was* no baby anymore.

Serena shook her head violently, trying to shake the thoughts away.
She didn't want to think about this. At least not now. She couldn't
think a-bout it now. There were other things, more important things,
to think about.Like trying to find a way out of here--wherever 'here'
was.

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

"So, um, does anybody have any ideas on how to get out of this?"
Sailor Venus asked over the roaring wind that tore the words from her
mouth.

"Ride it out till we reach the bottom?" Jedite answered from beside
her.

"I don't think I like that suggestion," Ami managed to choke out
through her tight throat.

"I don't see you coming up with anything," Sailor Uranus called down
to her, but the wind stole her words away, too.

"C'mon guys, this isn't the time to fight," Kunzite was saying.

"I agree," Euclase chimed in.

"Endi--Darien, can you use the golden Crystal?" Zoicite asked, his
face turned towards Darien even though his eyes were shut tight against
his whipping hair.

"To do what?" Darien asked, trying to ease the pitch of his stomach
that this free fall was causing.

"How 'bout to stop our free-fall?" Raye nearly screamed.

"I can try--but--we've never done--"

"Try! Just try!" Amy shouted.

"Those creatures of yours would sure come in handy right about now."
Tellurium was saying.

"Yes, they would," Meliphane picked up.

"Yes, they would! Darien?" Kunzite looked over to Darien.

"Hold on. It's worth a shot!"

*****

Alicia wondered how long she should let them fall. They were
in no danger of dying--not yet anyway. She didn't want to kill them.
At least, not *all* of them and definitely not yet.

She smiled, leaning leisurely into the large command chair that had
once belong to her father.

If she played her cards right--

She knew how she wanted the girl killed: painfully. But she wanted
the others to be there, to see.

If she played her cards right--

She had been right: the girl was weak, hopeless. Completely destroyed.
Alicia had already killed her poor little spirit by showing her that
dead baby. That had been a stroke of genius! And now, the girl was
crushed--easy to kill. Almost too easy.

And what fun she would have doing it! After all, she'd waited a
millennium to have her revenge. And now the hour was at hand! Alicia
purred contently in the back of her throat. Revenge **and** Endymion
were **her's**!

The knowledge of the Negaverse flowed through her veins. She
knew just how she wanted to kill the princess--

Alicia laughed. Oh what fun was ahead for them both!

******

She scanned the room, looking for a possible way out. Nothing.

The only entrance and exit was the door. No help for her there.
She watched when the door was opened--careful to look for guards. She
didn't see any--but that didn't mean they weren't there.

The old nurse brought food again. Again she didn't touch it. She
didn't trust the old woman or Alicia any farther then she could throw
them.

She needed to get out of here. She needed to escape. But--how?

She reached for her broach, but her hand grasped cloth. Where was
her crystal? Where was her broach? Panic filled her as she felt
completely, totally alone, naked.

'Where were the scouts, her friends?' she cried softly. 'And, and
where was Darien?'

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

They were falling. They were falling. They were--they were
floating!

"Whahoo!"

"Way to go!"

"That's a start. Now--"

The Earth Generals concentrated, channeling their energy to Darien,
through Darien. Just seconds after the group had stopped falling,
hovering in a golden bubble; the air around them came alive with life.
Screeching, to be more precise.

"I was in the middle of my dinner!" Hathor screamed, winging over
to Nephrite was hovering in midair.

"Humans should not try to fly if they do not have wings," Surya
hummed, winding her large body into coils.

"A dragon without wings is not one to talk," replied Jedite.

"It has been a long time since we have heard your call," Aldebaran
was saying.

"It will be another long time if you don't help us out here," Kunzite
answered.

"We remember," Antaries said softly, smiling. "We come. We will help."

******

Alicia watched in shock as four creatures of mythological
stature appeared out of thin air.

"What! What is this?" Her eyes narrowed as she watched. One by
one, the entire group slid onto one or another creature's back until
no one stood danger of falling. Alicia frowned at having her fun cut
short.

******

"Please help us back to the top of this cliff," Mercury said politely.

"Someone should go down to the bottom and see if there's another
passage way," Haruka said sharply. "Maybe a door or something."

They looked at her.

"It's a good idea," Raye agreed from in front of her on Surya's back.
"I believe Sailor Uranus is correct," General Euclase said from his
position on Aldebaran's back.

"I agree," Darien said, also on Aldebaran's back. He looked over to
Nephrite and Jedite. "Take Hathor and Surya down. They're the smallest
and shouldn't have too much trouble navigating through any tight spaces.
We'll take Aldebaran and Antaries back up to the top and see if we
can't make it to those mountains."

They looked at him, frowning, not liking the idea of leaving their
prince. But nor could they refuse his orders. They nodded, they
frowns still plastered on their faces. With a crack of what sounded
like a whip but was really Surya's tail, Jedite, Mars, Uranus, and
Sardonyx were nose-diving towards the dark depths of the unknown below.

Hathor gave a cry, realizing she was being left behind. Folding
her wings to her sides, she followed Surya down at an almost vertical
angle--sailor Neptune's screams trailing behind.

Aldebaran and Antaries hovered for another moment with their pas-
sengers, watching their friends become swallowed up by the darkness
of the unknown. Then, with a small movement from Kunzite, Aldebaran
flew upwards, towards the light of day; Antaries followed close behind
him.

******

Alicia smiled, watching as the senshi and generals separated.
All the better, she said softly to herself. The fools! To make her
work all the more easier. Divide and conquer. Divide and conquer.

She laughed out loud, filling the command center with her gaiety.

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

Whoa! I wonder what's going to happen! What am I saying? I know what's
going ta happen, but *you* don't! Na-na-na-na-na-naw! And just when it's starting
to get good, too! Of course, if you don't email me and tell me what you're
thinking about my story so far, I just might forget to post the rest of it!
And you're asking yourselves: could she be so mean?
Just remember: I'm practicing to be Middle School teacher! hehehe!
luv ya!
Andrea Readwolf