Minako shut the door and locked it. She moved away from the wall and around to the front of the thrones. She finally breathed. Usagi would be safe.
          She looked down. She was covered in dirt, blood and some slimy substance Beryl's evil youmas oozed.           She'd destroyed at least fifty, but at a cost. She lifted her shirt and flinched at the sight of the long gash that had mercifully stopped bleeding. Fortunately Usagi hadn't noticed or she'd have never gotten her to leave.
          She sat on the throne with a sigh. Usagi's earlier question kept going through her mind.
          "What if it's true?"
          Rumors had been running rampant through the kingdom that Beryl had turned Endymion's generals to her side. That meant her friends were now traitors. Her lover was now a traitor. One she might be forced to destroy.
          A loud crash caught her attention and she looked up to see a huge, green, clawed monster flying down towards her. She stood and took her battle stance, but a flash of light blinded her.
          A boomerang, spent of all it's energy, lay at her feet. The youma was no more and Kunzite, her Kunzite, was a mere twenty feet away.
          "Hello my love." His voice was deep and strong. Her heart raced at the sound.
          "All the fighting has led you here?"
          "The castle is the last line of defense. Many of our fighters have fallen."
          She relaxed her stance slightly as a wave of sadness swept over her. "Oh."
          "The princess is safe?"
          "She is with her mother. In a safe location."
          He stepped closer to her. She stood straighter, flinching at the pain in her side. "Mina-chan? Are you all right?" He knelt before her and lifted the edge of her shirt and touched the gash. "You're hurt."
          "I've been fighting."
          "So I see."
          She closed her eyes, enjoying the soft play of his hands against her skin. "What did she offer you?"
          He looked up into her sad eyes. "Everything."
          "At what cost?"
          "That depends. Join me."
          "I can't. My loyalty lies with Serenity and Usagi. I will not give that up. So I guess everything has cost you me."
          "A price I can well afford." His fingers were no longer gentle as they pressed against her cut. Warm blood flowed over his hands. "Your blood is on my hands Minako."
          She took a deep breath, bracing herself. His voice was like velvet. "In more ways than one if you have your way I imagine."
          He smiled. "I will miss you."
          "Funny," she smiled. "I don't miss." She brought her knee up quickly and caught him under the chin.
          He looked up from where he was now sprawled on the ground. He rubbed his chin, his laughter mocking.           "So it begins, little princess."
          "I am not your princess anymore." She glared down at him, wishing his smile didn't hurt so much.
          "No. You're my prey. It would probably frighten you to know how much I'll enjoy taking your life and then that of your dear Usagi."
          "You have to kill me first."
          "That's the plan." He unhooked his cape and let it fall to the floor.
          She took a deep breath. "You'll understand if I don't give up easily."
          "I hope not. I"m looking forward to this being enjoyable. I want it to last." He started towards her, his silver eyes predatory.
          "Don't underestimate me."
          "Impossible. I know you inside and out. I know every weak spot."
          "VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!" She aimed at his stomach then sprang at him, tackling him to the ground. Her knee hit the same spot as the beam then she rolled away.
          He sucked in his breath as he struggled to his feet. "I didn't think you had it in you. But you'll have to do better than that. It is nice to know you like being on top though."
          They began circling each other, both favoring their sides. Her white shirt was stained with blood. "Shut up."
          "Oh, poor princess. Am I upsetting you? Do I sound too much like your lover Kunzite?"
          "My Kunzite is dead. And you will be too."
          "I don't think so." He was beside her quickly. Grabbing her hair, he threw her to the ground. He straddled her and held her arms down. "You're rather helpless without your hands. Too helpless. Too easy. Too weak." He leaned closer to her, as if to kiss her. "And so you fail, and so you'll die."
          She reared her head up and hit him. Using all her strength, she kicked him off her. Struggling to stand, she faced him again.
          "You're brave. I'll give you that." He wiped blood from his lip.
          "Isn't that what you wanted? You wanted to work for this victory, see me struggle against you?" She pressed her hand to her side, tears welling up in her eyes. "So come on. Fight!"
          "So eager to die?"
          "I am the guardian of the ways of love. What does that say when the man I love is standing across from me trying to kill me? If love fails me, all I have is my loyalty and I am willing to die to defend it. But you knew that all along."
          He nodded. "But why? When there are ways to avoid it? Your cause is lost and not worth dying for. Beryl will find Serenity and Usagi and all your fighting will have been in vain."
          She ignored his taunts and started to bring her hands together when a scream ripped through the palace. She whirled to face to thrones. "Serenity!"
          "Looks like Beryl found your Queen." He wrapped her hair around his hand and exposed her throat.           "You're a stupid girl Minako."
          "Am I?" Her blue eyes sparkled. She elbowed him where her beam had hit him.
          He flinched and threw her away from him. She hit the floor hard, glass embedding in her skin. He followed the toss with a volley of boomerangs. Pulsing energy surrounded her. Her skin felt as though it were on fire, but the light faded and she was alive. The rubble of the destroyed floor covered her burned skin. "You missed."
          "I meant to. I wanted to kill you by hand." He walked over and casually kicked her in the side. She bit her lip to keep from crying out. "Where are your friends now Minako?"

          Usagi watched as her mother battled Beryl with all of her remaining strength. She pictured Minako in her mind and knew, somehow, that she was doing the same. Her other three friends surrounded her. She knew her mother had some plan to save them all from Beryl. She only hoped she remembered Minako when the time came.

          She felt the blood flow start again and knew she was going to be too weak to fight. "You'll have to find them yourself."
          He placed his foot on her stomach and watched the blood ooze from the gash on her side. Her shirt was now soaked red with it. "You're dying Minako. All alone."
          She smiled weakly. "But Usagi is safe. You lose." Tears leaked from her eyes and she was struggling to breathe.
          "I'm not finished." He put more pressure on her as he leaned in closer.
          She tried to take a deep breath and knew it would be her last. Meeting his gaze, she sobbed, "I love you Kunzite."
          He pulled back, surprised at the wave of emotion her confession caused. He turned his back to her, away from her haunted eyes. He heard Beryl's voice in his mind. "No, I won't be fooled again!" Whirling around, his boomerang flew straight to where she lay.
          It clattered to the ground, stopped by the soft white orb surrounding her. She floated above the ground, her hand reaching out toward him. He stepped forward, stopping when the orb lifted into the air and disappeared. The image of her eyes closing burned itself onto his soul as he heard Beryl fall to Serenity. And the universe went black.