From Hate to Love
by Lord Falcon


	Ashley Brown walked down the hot California sidewalk, heading home 
after a long day of school and looking forward to a nice relaxing bubble 
bath.  I just hope Jade doesn't want me to go out tonight and patrol for 
trouble, she thought.  The sound of a dozen young girls screaming reached 
her ears, "Huh?" she said aloud, "I wonder what all the commotion is 
about."  She didn't notice the young man as he ran into her, knocking them 
both to the ground.
	The young man got up and helped Ashley to her feet, "I'm sorry, I 
didn't see you." he apologized.  She then got a good look at his face.  
Yaten Kou, by far the most irritating person she'd ever met.  Yaten got a 
good look at her as well, "You." he said with a disgusted face, he then 
pushed her back to the ground, "Cya 'round 'Trashley'." He said as he ran 
off.  Ashley growled to herself as he disappeared around a corner.
	"Ashley!" a giddy voice said behind her.  Ashley turned to see a dozen
 of her classmates looking this way and that, "Did you see which way that 
hunk Yaten went?" one of them asked.  He's not my idea of a 'hunk', she 
thought to herself.  Ashley pointed to the corner where Yaten ran.  All the 
girls began to scream again and moved as a living mass to the area where 
they hoped to find the rock star.
	Ashley bent down and picked up her books, then resumed heading back to
 her apartment, "It's been one of those days," she muttered to herself, "I
 wonder what Setsuna is making for dinner?"

***

	Ashley made it back to the apartment with no other run-in's with Yaten
 or any of his brothers.  She fumbled around for her key, when she found it
 she unlocked the door and stepped inside.  Ashley was suddenly grabbed by 
her shoulders as someone kissed her rather passionately.  She pushed away 
the person kissing her, "Hey!!!" she yelled, dropping into a defensive 
stance.  Only to relax as she saw who the assailant was, "Michiru, I love 
you like a sister, you know that.  BUT DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!!!" she 
shouted.
	Michiru jumped back, her hands covering her mouth and her eye's wide 
with surprise, "Ashley!  Ohmigosh, I'm sorry, I thought you were Haruka.  
You know I'd never.." she stammered out.  Her face turned red with 
embarrassment.
	"It's okay." Ashley said as she went toward her room, "Just don't do 
that again."
	Michiru nodded to her as she went into her room and closed the door.  
She seems a little down today, she thought to herself, I'll talk to her 
later and see what's wrong.  There was the sound of someone opening the door
 and this time Michiru checked to see who it was.  This time Haruka walked 
through, Michiru grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her like she had 
Ashley, only this time she found herself being kissed back.  When she pulled
 back she looked into Haruka's gray green eyes with a smile.
	"What was that for?" Haruka asked with a smile.
	"You know," Michiru said, the blonde gave her a blank look, "It was 
for the gift you left on the bed this morning." She said.  "How'd you know 
that I needed new strings for my violin?"
	Haruka smiled and put her arm around her aquamarine hared lover.  "I 
saw how worn out your old ones were, and knowing how much new ones cost 
these days, I decided to save you some money and get some for you.  I know 
how much you like to play."
	Michiru hugged her, "Thank you." she said softly to the blonde.  "How 
can I repay you?"
	Haruka kissed her on the cheek, "You can do that tonight." She 
whispered seductively, Michiru giggled and placed her head on Harukas 
shoulder.
	"You two never cease to amaze me." a male voice said from the still 
open door.
	They turned to see a young man with long brown hair and blue eyes 
standing just outside the doorway.  He was dressed completely in black, with
 the exception of the Ministers collar around his neck.  "Hi Duo." Michiru 
said cheerfully, "Won't you please come in." she invited.
	"Hello Duo." Haruka said in a decidedly less cheerful tone.
	Duo Maxwell casually shrugged off Haruka's usual harshness, "Is Ashley
 home yet?" he asked.
	Michiru nodded, "Yeah, she's in her room."
	Haruka piped up, "Yeah, she's kinda tired, I really wore her out 
today." She winced as Michiru elbowed her in the ribs for the comment.  Duo
 pick up the flute case he had with him, nodded his thanks, and went towards
 Ashley's room.  When he was out of earshot Haruka turned to look at 
Michiru, "What was that for?" she asked her.
	"Are you gonna do that with every guy that comes to see her?" Michiru
 said glaring daggers at Haruka.
	"He just bugs me, that's all." the blonde said, trying to alive some 
of her lovers sudden anger.
	The aquamarine hared girl rolled her eyes, "All guys bug you Haruka. 
 I wish you'd give at least one of them a chance to court Ashley, she's not
 gonna want to be single forever you know."  Haruka looked away from her, 
"Don't try that," Michiru abolished the blonde, "I know we vowed to protect 
her, but that doesn't mean you chase away every guy that shows some interest
 in her."
	Haruka hung her head, "I know, but I just can't trust a man near her,
 you know men only want one thing from a girl."
	Again Michiru rolled her eye's, what am I ever going to do with her, 
she thought to herself.  "Romance isn't totally dead love, there are still a
 few good guys out there, but she'll never find one if you keep chasing them
 all away."  Haruka nodded.  Michiru smiled, "Come on, let's go see what 
Setsuna is making for dinner." She said, leading her lover toward the 
kitchen.

***

	Duo stood out side Ashley's room and gently knocked on the door, "Who
 is it?" Ashley asked through the door.
	"The God of Death." Duo replied with a smile.
	"Come in Duo." She responded with a slight giggle.
	He opened the door and stepped inside, he saw Ashley laying on her 
bed, Jade her cat has laying next to her purring as she petted her.  Duo set
 down his flute case and grabbed a folding chair and sat down in it.  "Heard
 you ran in to one of our resident rock stars today, are you okay?" he said 
to her.
	She stopped petting her cat and brushed a loch of her orange hair out 
of her eyes, "Yaten, yeah and aside from a bruised butt, I'm fine."
	Duo laughed, "Yaten, the mean one, I swear that guy craps bricks, 
that's why he's always in such a bad mood."  Ashley began to laugh as she got a mental picture.
	"So," she said, changing the subject, "What brings you here?"
	His eyes got wider, "Oh, I almost forgot." He said as he reached into 
his pocket, "Sensai wanted me to give you one of these." Duo said holding 
out a folded yellow sheet of paper, "It's info on the upcoming karate 
tournament, and she thought that you would want to sign up for it."
	Ashley took the paper, unfolded it, and skimmed over the details, 
"Yeah, maybe I will." She said, "Anyway, is that the only reason you stopped
 by?"
	Duo managed to keep himself from blushing, "Well, it's always nice to
 stop and see my best friend."
	"Meow." Jade piped up as she jumped into Duo's lap, he reached down 
and patted the green furred cat, she began to purr again.
	"You know Ashley, you have the strangest cat, green fur and a crescent
 mark on the forehead.  Weird." Duo said.  Jade made a low growl and jumped 
off his lap.
	"She doesn't like to be called weird." Ashley said.
	So I see, Duo thought to himself.  "Well, are you ready for the High 
School entrance exams?" he asked her, "I can help you study if you like."
	Ashley laid back down and draped an arm over her eyes, "Don't remind 
me, I'm fourteen, why do I have to go through so many exams?"
	"I asked the same question when I was fourteen, I'm sixteen now and 
their still giving a dozen exams to me." said Duo.
	After that the two friends sat and talked for an hour, the tone was 
friendly, the silences pleasant.  Their conversation was ended by a knock at
 the door, "Hey you two, get your clothes back on, dinner's ready." Setsuna
 said through the door.
	Ashley rolled her eyes, Why me, she thought.  She and Duo then left 
her room, "Well, I'll be on my way now Ashley, see you at the dojo 
tomorrow." He said.  Ashley tried to think of something to say that would 
make her friend stay awhile longer, she wasn't in the mood to listen to 
Haruka's prattle about how he was the wrong guy for her.  Not after the day 
she'd had.
	"I won't hear of it," Setsuna said from the table, "You're staying 
right here, have a home cooked meal for once young man."
	Ashley smiled at Setsuna and she winked at her, "Well, who am I to 
disobey an order from such a lovely and refined woman." Duo said as he set 
his case down against a wall.  He then took a seat at the table and Ashley 
sat next to him.  Haruka gave Duo an icy glare but Ashley saw him give her a
 pleasant smile, Haruka simply turned her gaze elsewhere, a sign that he 
won, this time.  Michiru kindly brought another plate for Duo, and the five 
of them began to dig in to the small feast that Setsuna had made for dinner.
	Conversation stayed mostly on what was happening in school, the topic 
of the weird monster's that had been showing up in the city lately was 
broached a few times, but either Ashley or Michiru found a way to change the
 subject, neither of them liked talking about the creatures that they had to
 destroy on almost a daily basis.

***

	In a dark and ominous chamber, Queen Beryl sat on her throne, her 
various minions stood in ranks before her.  "Pyrite, come forth and give me
 your report." She barked out.  A man with platinum gold hair and light blue
 eyes shimmered into existence before her.
	"All goes well in my operation in the human city called Los Angles my 
Queen, my youma forces are keeping the sailor senshi busy while I sent up 
the Mass Extractor.  When it is complete, we shall be able to take energy 
from the entire city at once." General Pyrite said, kneeling down before 
Beryl.  His deep voice didn't match his youthful features, it sounded more 
like the voice of a middle aged man than a young general that was barely 
into his third century of life.  Pyrite's ingenious strategies and highly 
skilled combat abilities had caused him to rise quickly through the ranks of
 the Negaverse military.
	Beryl gave him a rare smile, "Good, I am pleased with your progress, I
 only wish that Jadeite was as intelligent as you, then I wouldn't have had
 to seal him away for all eternity.  Kunzites failures in Japan are 
beginning to build and he too may share the same fate, as will you if you 
DARE to fail me.  Understand that with the energy that we will gain from an 
entire city, we will have more than enough to release the Negaforce and 
conquer the universe.  But if you fail, you will have no second chances."
	The general bowed his head, "I understand my Queen.  I swear that I 
shall not fail you." he said still knelt before her.
	The queen narrowed her eye's, "Do well not too," she said, "Return to 
the Earth and continue with your plans." She ordered him.  General Pyrite 
stood and left without another word to the queen, he faded out of existence
 just as he had faded in.  Beryl then turned to the man standing next to 
her, "Tell me Prince Endymion, how goes Kunzite's latest plot?"
	The prince bowed respectfully, "He has transformed another human in an
 attempt to trap the five senshi." He said.
	"Good, go to my bed chambers, as soon as I finish here I shall join 
you." Beryl said.  Endymion nodded and exited toward her bedroom.  The Dark 
Queen was looking forward to having him relieve her stress in the way he 
always did.  "Is there any other matter of importance that needs my 
attention?"

***

	"So there they were, covered in mud and bawling like newborns," 
Setsuna said, Ashley and Duo were both laughing as hard as either of them 
could remember, Michiru and Haruka however, were less amused by the green 
hared woman's tale, "that was the first and last time I ever tried to teach 
them how to ride a horse."
	"I wish I had been there to see that." Duo managed to say between 
laughs.
	Setsuna smiled, "You should hear the story where they got caught 
making out in the mmph!!" was as far as she got before Haruka clamped a hand
 over her mouth and laughed nervously.
	"I'm sure he doesn't want to hear THAT story, Michiru go get your 
violin." She said in haste.
	Michiru nodded and quickly excused herself to retrieve her violin, she
 returned a few moments later with it already tucked under her chin, "Duo is
 there anything you'd like to hear?" she asked, desperate to do something to
 keep Setsuna from recounting their childhood tales.
	"Just start playing, I'm sure you're a good enough violinist to 
provide us with a good song." Duo said.  Michiru smiled and began to play a 
soft melody.  As she played, Haruka leaned over to Duo and whispered to him.
	"Turn off the charm pal, she's MINE."
	Duo raised an eyebrow, "I thought Ashley was yours, I take it you now 
give up that claim, hmm?" he said snidely.  Haruka's eyes widened as she 
realized her miscalculation.
	"This isn't over." She said as she went back to watching Michiru play.
	Duo shook his head inwardly, she worries too much, he thought as he 
leaned back to listen to the soft music, his stomach still settling after 
the dinner Setsuna had made, it had been awhile since he'd had a good meal 
like that, most night's it was Burger King or a frozen dinner at his 
apartment.  Ashley didn't know that he lived alone, nor did she know about 
his OTHER life, the one he lived as the agent codenamed Deathscythe, control
 had assigned him to keep an eye on Ashley and the other senshi living in 
America.  Of course Ashley and the others didn't know this, he knew of their
 alter egos as Sailors Earth, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.  As Deathscythe, 
Duo had fought along side them many times when they needed help disposing of
 an enemy.  He only wished that he could tell Ashley the truth about 
himself.
	As Michiru continued her music, an idea sprouted in his mind.  Leaning
 over, Duo picked up the case that contained his flute.  It only took a 
moment to ready it and he stood up and joined Michiru, she hardly noticed 
that he joined her, her mind too enthralled by the melody that she was 
playing.  Michiru played a few notes and Duo brought the flute to his lips 
and repeated the same notes.  She caught on and played some more notes, Duo
 repeated them.  The two then fell into a rhythm of music that built and 
built until they finished together in a beautiful piece of pure music.

***
	
	They stood outside the apartment, "I'll see you at the dojo tomorrow 
Ash." Duo said as he mounted his motorcycle and started the engine, it 
roared to life.
	Ashley nodded and the young man took off, she watched him until he 
rounded a corner and was out of sight, "He is such a fine young man." Jade 
said from her position draped across Ashley's shoulders.  She nodded her 
agreement.
	"Ashley!" Setsuna called as she, Haruka, and Michiru sprinted out of 
the apartment building, "We got trouble, there's a youma attacking a number 
of people over in the warehouse district.  Ashley didn't need to be told 
anything else, she reached behind her and removed her transformation wand 
from its lunar space pocket, Setsuna and the others did the same.
	"Be careful everyone." Jade said.
	They all nodded once and raised their wands to the sky.
	"Earth Planet Power.... MAKE UP!!!"
	"Uranus Planet Power.... MAKE UP!!!"
	"Neptune Planet Power.... MAKE UP!!!"
	"Pluto Planet Power.... MAKE UP!!!"
	Then in a dazzling display of light and energy, the four girls changed
 from their street clothes to their senshi uniforms.  All of them had the 
same white body suit, but each had color differing collars, boots, and 
miniskirts.  Ashley's was a gray color with thigh high high heeled boots, 
and a blue bow on her chest and attached to the back of her miniskirt.  
Haruka's was in a shade of dark blue, with yellow bows and ankle boots.  
Michiru was in dark green with dark blue bows, she had low heeled green 
pumps instead of boots.  Setsuna was in black and brown, with knee high 
black boots, and of all the senshi gathered, she was the only one with a 
physical weapon; a silver staff that looked a lot like a big key.
	"Let's go." Sailor Pluto said.  The others nodded in agreement.

***

	The warehouse workers hid from the ugly creature that was attacking 
them, "What the hell is that thing?" one of the workers asked.
	"I don't know man, but I ain't sticking around to find out." Another
 worker said as he made a break for the door.
	A mistake.
	The youma shot out a tentacle from it's body and ensnared the man, he
 screamed out in utter terror as the ungodly monster drained his life 
energies.  He glowed for a moment before his body became limp and the youma
 dropped his lifeless body to the ground.
	"Carl!!!" one of his co-workers called out.
	Another mistake.
	The youma zeroed in on the voice of the worker, who was huddled behind
 a pile of shipping crates.  It swiped away the crates to reveal the man 
cowering behind them, "Your energy is mine!" the youma said in its inhuman 
voice as it prepared to insnare the man just as it had the last.
	"World.... SHAKING!!!" a woman's voice called out, then a ball of 
yellow energy slammed into the youma and smashed it into a far wall.
	"Follow me." a young, orange haired girl said to the worker.
	"Who are you people?" the man asked.  He got his answer as the three 
Senshi over at the entrance began to speak.
	"Invited to the new era, Sailor Uranus, fights for magnificence!"
	"Also invited by the new era, Sailor Neptune, fights for elegance!"
	"I am the Guardian of Time, Sailor Pluto, I will not allow you to do 
as you please to this lovely Earth!"
	The worker looked at the girl who came to his side, "Are they always 
like that?" he asked.
	Sailor Earth shook her head, "Worse." She replied to the man, "Come 
on, let's get you and your co-workers out of here before things get rough."
	As Sailor Earth led the workers to safety, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto 
were sizing up the youma, Jeez, Uranus thought, this one's uglier than the 
last three put together.  The youma was an ape-like creature, but with red 
eye's and ten long tendrils that emerged from it's back.
	"Your world will soon end!" it snarled at the Sailor Senshi.
	"Save it ugly, we've heard it all before." Someone said behind the 
youma, "Swirling.... SANDSTORM!"  With those words, an obscuring cloud of 
dust and haze rose to block the creatures view of it's enemies.  "He's all 
yours team." Sailor Earth said, again wishing that she had more than a 
diversionary power to fight with, Pluto had assured her that one day her 
other powers would manifest themselves.  But it was always frustrating not 
to be able to do more to help her comrades.
	"Thank you Sailor Earth," Sailor Pluto said as she concentrated her 
powers, wisps of energy gathered at the top of her staff, she focused a 
little more and they coalesced into a sphere of reddish power.  "Dead.... 
SCREAM!" she intoned, then launched the sphere to at the youma, intending to
 destroy it with one shot.
	It didn't work.
	The tendrils on its back came forth and blocked the blast of energy 
effortlessly, "Is that the best you have?" it asked, "How is it my brethren
 have fallen to you weak fools?"
	"Because they've had help, and because you freaks aren't as strong as 
you think you are." A woman's voice said from the shadows.  The senshi 
turned to the shadows where the voice had come from, and Sailor Star Fighter
 stepped forth.  "What's the matter? You all look surprised." She said.
	"Die bitch!!!" the youma screamed as it fired a beam of energy at her.
	The Sailor Starlight simply made a high jump out of the beams way, a 
few crates exploded where it hit.  She landed a few feet away from Sailor 
Earth.  "Hello." she said to the senshi before she leapt into the air once 
again, "Star Serious Laser!" she intoned.  A bright beam of light shot from 
her hands and impacted the youma, it howled in pain.  Star Fighter then 
landed next to Pluto, "Eat that you filthy beast." She spat.
	The youma stood up, "That does it, now I'm mad."  It's body began to 
twist and reform, its body went from ape-like to a creature that resembled a
 cross between a man and a bat.  It looked like a demon from the pits of 
Hell.  "You will all die now."
	"Star Sensitive Inferno!"
	"Star Gentle Uterus!"
	Two beams lanced out from the shadows, the youma had just enough time
 to say "What?" before the beams made impact.  The flash of light was almost
 blinding, but when it faded, the Senshi and the Starlight's gazed in 
disbelief as there was not even a scratch on the monster.
	We're in trouble, Sailor Earth thought.

***

	He stood up in the catwalks, observing the fight below.  Within his 
mask he frowned as the Senshi and Starlight's attempted to fight the youma 
in hand to hand combat.  Hmm, I wonder why Pluto is holding back so much, he
 thought, he activated the scanners built into his helmet and took a reading
 on the youma.
	"Level 5!" he said aloud, "They don't stand a chance unless they work 
together.  Computer, display all files on level 5 youma."  The green visor 
that covered his eyes glowed for a moment as his internal computer linked up
 with Central Controls mainframe and accessed the data.  He skimmed the main
 details as they appeared.  "Sailor V fought one once," he said, then he saw
 the piece of data that he needed, So, that's how to do it, he thought, an 
intense surge of energy directly to the heart, I didn't know these things 
had hearts.
	His attention was brought back to the battle, the man-bat youma had 
the Starlight's and Senshi all trapped within its tendrils, I guess I should
 step in now, he thought.  Grabbing his Beam-Scythe, the warrior called 
Deathscythe leapt from the catwalks, as he fell he activated his Beam-
Scythe, there was a snap-hiss as it flared to life.  It created a scythe 
blade of green energy.  Deathscythe charged up his G-Unit armor, it 
consisted of a black longcoat, armored boots and gauntlets, a chestplate and
 high powered booster rocket backpack, a Buster Shield that worked like his 
Beam-Scythe only it was a long range weapon, and finally, a full masked 
helmet with high powered sensors built into it.
	He only hopped that it was enough, the file also stated that V barely
 came out of her fight with the level 5 alive.

***

	Sailor Star Healer struggled to draw in breath, the tendril around her
 neck was doing its job quite effectively.  She heard a SNAP-HISS and there
 was a flurry of motion.  The youma suddenly cried out in pain and the 
pressure on her neck died away as the severed tendril fell to the ground.  
Once her vision cleared she looked to see their sudden savior.
	The man was dressed in a black overcoat with bits and pieces of armor 
here and there, a masked helmet hid his face.  The visor of that mask made 
his eyes look like they had no pupils and were only a harsh green.  In his 
hand he held a staff that was a scythe that's blade was made of glowing 
green energy.
	"Who are you?!" Star Healer demanded.
	"The man who just saved your ungrateful ass!" was the sharp reply.  
The shield on his arm began to hum, then the two silver parts of it split 
open and there was another SNAP-HISS and a beam of energy emerged from the 
middle of the shield.  He pointed his arm at the youma and the shield flew 
off his arm and knocked the youma through a wall to the parking lot outside.
  Who is this guy? Sailor Star Healer thought.  The man looked to the other
 Starlight's and the Sailor Senshi, "That won't hold him for long so listen;
 there's only one way to kill this thing and we're gonna have to work 
together to do it."
	"What?  We have to work together?!" Star Healer protested.
	"Shut up and listen to him!" Sailor Earth yelled to her.
	Healer gave Earth an icy glare and Earth glared right back, Maker 
stepped between them, "Perhaps we should hear this man out first." She 
suggested calmly.
	"Thank you, and the names Deathscythe." the man said as the shield 
flew back to his left arm and attached itself.  "All right, this is a level 
5 youma we're dealing with, the only way to kill it is with a massive blast 
of energy to its heart.  I'll distract it and the six of you must combine 
your powers into one surge and hit him in the heart."
	"Six?" Healer said, "I count seven fighters here."
	Sailor Earth lowered her head, "My powers don't have any destructive 
force to them." She said, sounding ashamed.
	"Figures." Healer said.
	"Watch it bitch!" Sailor Uranus growled.
	"Try me." Healer shot back.
	Then, acting as a mediator, Sailor Star Maker stepped in between 
Uranus and Healer, "Fight after the job's done." She said firmly to her 
sibling.
	Healer suppressed a growl.
	Deathscythe spoke up, "Okay, here's the plan, I have the ability to 
charge the thing one last time, when I hit him, he should be dazed for a 
moment.  In that time all of you need to launch your powers at his heart. 
 That will be enough to take him down, but don't miss, I won't be able to 
stun that thing again."
	The Senshi and Starlight's nodded.
	"Ggggwwwrrraaaarrrrr!!!!"
	That sudden roar told the warriors that the time for discussion was 
over, and it was time to face the enemy once again.  The youma stepped 
through the hole it had made in the wall, "YOU SHALL DIE FOR THAT!!!" it 
bellowed.
	"Yeah right." Deathscythe taunted it as he activated his booster pack
 and flew directly at the man bat-like creature.  With the tapping of a few 
well hidden buttons on his Beam-Scythe, the weapon changed from a scythe to 
a spear that he rammed into the youma's skull as he flew into it.  Firing 
his pack once again, Deathscythe got himself safely out of the line of fire 
and shouted, "NOW!!!"
	"World... SHAKEING!"
	"Star Serious Laser!"
	"Deep... SUBMERGE!"
	"Star Sensitive Inferno!"
	"Dead... SCREAM!"
	"Star Gentle Uterus!"
	Together, the six beams of pure energy shot out at the unholy 
creature, all of them finding their mark at the center of its chest.  At 
first, nothing happened, but then the creature screamed in agony as the 
beams bored into, and then through its body, emerging from its back as they 
burned a hole straight through it.  When the beams faded away the youma just
 stood there for a moment, its chest had a hole the size of a basketball in 
it.  "You may have defeated me, but your world will soon end, and there is 
no way for you to prevent it.  Even if you fools worked together." The youma
 said as its body dissolved into dust, its final sounds were the sounds of 
evil laughter.
	Deathscythe landed a few feet away, he turned to the senshi, "One day 
I'm gonna put a tracer on those three." He said.  Then the senshi noticed 
that the Starlight's had disappeared, as usual.  "Are you four okay?" he 
then asked.

***

	Pyrite watched as the Sailor Senshi spoke with that impertinent 
interloper Deathscythe for a few moments before they all left the building.
  That fool, he thought, how dare he give them the slightest warning of my
 plans, if you weren't already dead, I'd kill you.  Pyrite then teleported 
back to the place where the Mass Extractor was being built.  "How much 
longer until it is complete?" he asked one of the men working on the giant 
crystal machine.
	The attendant looked up from his work, "Three more Earth weeks, and it
 will be perfectly calibrated for use here." the small man said.  "This 
put's us four weeks ahead of schedule master Pyrite."
	"Excellent, you will be rewarded once this operation is complete."  
Pyrite said.  The little man nodded once and returned to his tasks.  Pyrite
 then went over to another part of the warehouse in which they had hidden 
the M.E.  Inside, there was a series of columns, each with a different youma
 inside.  "Now, what to send after them next?"

***

	Yaten flopped himself down on the couch the moment he was in the door,
 his hand still rubbing the area where that youmas tendril had been around 
his neck.  This is gonna be a monster bruise, he thought, he watched as 
Seiya went to the back of their apartment to retrieve the healing stone that
 they'd brought with them to Earth.  It was only to be used in extreme 
emergencies, but none of them followed protocol THAT much.  And besides, 
that cut on his arm was serious, and would need stitches unless it was fast-
healed by the stone.  There was a hiss of pain to his right and Yaten looked
 to see Taiki rubbing some iodine into the small cuts on his shoulder.  "You
 gonna be okay bro?" he asked.
	Taiki looked over to him, "Yeah, I'll be fine, I just wish Earth 
medicine wasn't so darn painful."
	"What do you expect, the humans can't even go any further out into 
space than their moon, the technology here is primitive at best." Seiya said
 as he emerged from the back room, his injuries now completely healed.  
Yaten and Taiki both nodded their agreement.
	"The girls here are cute though." Yaten quipped.
	Seiya rolled his eyes, "I don't know which is worse, your vanity, or 
the way you go on about the women of this planet." He said.
	Yaten was about to give a sharp retort when there was a loud bang as 
Taiki hit the gong that he was sitting next to, "Save it you two, I'm not in
 the mood to break up your petty fights right now.  What I really want to 
know is who that guy in the armor was."
	Yaten and Seiya both quieted down as that thought was brought up.  
"Yaten, you spoke to him, what was it he called himself?  I was to far away
 to hear." Seiya said.
	The silver haired Starlight frowned, "He said his name was 
Deathscythe.  Probably gets it from that beam weapon we saw him carrying, do
 you think the home world may have sent him?"
	"No, they'd have informed us if they were going to send anyone else 
here." Taiki said, "Maybe the technology here isn't as low as we may think 
it is.  I've read some old legends about a Kingdom on this worlds moon a 
thousand years ago, but it was attacked by some power mad Queen and 
destroyed.  But not before a good queen could preserve the children of her 
homeland with some kind of magic crystal." Taiki's forehead creased in 
thought, "Maybe this 'Deathscythe' is one of those preserved children, or 
maybe a descendant of one, the legend also said that the Earth was nearly 
laid waste by the Dark Queen's onslaught before she was banished by the good
 queen."
	Seiya shook his head, "But that's just a legend." he said.
	Hmm, Yaten thought, "Seiya, even back home, most legends have a firm 
base in reality, and if there was an advanced civilization here a thousand 
years ago that was laid waste.  Well it would make sense that a lot of its 
technology was lost, leaving humanity to start from scratch."  He took one 
look at the shocked expressions on his brothers faces and said, "Hey, I know
 I can be a little naive, but I'm not totally brainless."
	"Could have fooled me." Seiya said.
	Taiki hit the gong again before Yaten could reply.

***

	Duo shrugged off the last piece of his Deathscythe armor and sat down 
in front of his computer console to start writing his report back to 
headquarters.  He rubbed at a sore spot in his shoulder, that impact with 
the youma must of pulled something, he thought dourly.
	"Rough night?" someone said behind him.
	Duo's reaction was instantaneous, he jumped out of his seat and 
grabbed the Beam-Scythe from it's charger and activated it in one fluid 
motion.  Its harsh green light illuminated the room and revealed the 
speaker.
	"Artemis," Duo said as he deactivated the weapon, "how many times have
 I told you that sneaking up on me is a good way to get yourself killed."
	"I recall you saying it a couple of times, but if you did kill me, 
imagine the paperwork that you'd have to go through."  The lunar cat in 
human form said.
	Duo shook his head and sat down, "So, what brings the director of 
Central Control all the way over to the states, unless this is a social 
visit."
	The white haired man ran his fingers through his thick hair, "I wish 
it was that, but it isn't, something big is going down here in LA.  We can't
 be sure what but we want you to keep your eyes open for trouble."
	"It would have been easier to tell me this over e-mail you know." said
 Duo.
	Artemis shrugged, "Well, I just needed to get away from Minako for a 
while, her prattle about cute guys is starting to get on my nerves." He said
 as he stood to leave.
	"Jealousy doesn't suit you Artemis, why don't you tell her how you 
feel?" asked Duo.
	Artemis didn't respond, instead he only faded away as he teleported 
back to Tokyo and the Senshi located there.  The guy's headed for some 
serious heartbreak, Duo thought as he went back to typing up his report to 
HQ.

***

	Ashley stepped into the shower, letting the warm waters cascade down 
her nude body, easing the kinks in her muscles.  Why are they so 
mistrustful? She thought as she grabbed a bar of soap and began to work up a
 good lather.  Her thoughts were focused on the Sailor Starlight's, it seems
 as if we're on the same side, but they're so harsh and callus towards us.  
I wonder why they're here, if it's not to help us then why do they always 
appear when we're in trouble?  She began the spread the lather across her 
body, once that was done, she turned the showerhead to rinse off the soap, 
taking the dirt and grime with it.
	She turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, I've tried to 
be nice to them, but they shrug off anything I say to them, where'd I put 
that towel?  A quick search revealed that she'd forgotten to get one before 
she went into the shower.  Damn, she thought, oh well, my room's right 
across the hall, I just hope Haruka is in her room.  Opening the door, 
Ashley dashed across the hall and made it to her room, but not before she 
heard Haruka do a wolfwhistle directed at her, "Looking good Ash!" she said.
  Ashley none to politely suggested that Haruka go and perform a highly 
mature biological act, "I'd love to, your room or mine?"
	Ashley slammed the door behind her, Haruka smiled and went back to 
playing the racecar game on their Sony Playstation.  "You're just terrible 
sometimes." Michiru said as she watched Haruka's display of skill at racing.

***

	Yaten walked down the halls of the Jr. High School, his mind still on 
the conversation he and his brothers had had last night.  He didn't notice 
the foot that was placed in his path, "Whoa!" he shouted as he tumbled to 
the floor, his pony tail landing in a puddle of spilt soda.  He got into a 
sitting position and looked at the sticky liquid that was now soaked into 
his hair.  "MY HAIR!!" he shouted out.
	"You should watch where you're going small fry, then you wouldn't fall
 down so much." Someone said behind him.  And he KNEW the voice.  Yaten 
turned his head to his left to see Ashley standing in the side hall with her
 foot still extended outward.
	"You did that on purpose!" he said angrily.
	Ashley gave a impish grin, "Now would I do something like that?" she 
said in a mock-serious tone.  Yaten glared daggers at her, fighting the urge
 to wipe the floor with her, he lost that fight.
	Shifting into a fighting crouch, Yaten lunged at her and tried to 
punch her in the face, Ashley dodged to one side with ease, "So, mister 'I 
don't like gym cause I don't like to get sweaty' has some moves after all." 
Ashley said as she dropped into her own fighting stance.
	"I got enough to wipe the floor with you, you little bitch." Yaten 
snarled.
	She smiled slyly at him, "We will see." she said simply.
	Yaten lunged at her again, and again she just stepped aside, 
effectively dodging the blow.  She's good, he thought, this may be more 
difficult than I thought.  Any further thoughts were suspended when Ashley 
kicked him square in the chest, winding him and knocking him to the floor. 
 He quickly got up and was about to lunge at her again, but a strong hand 
grabbed the back of his shirt and held him firmly in place.
	"WHAT IN THUNDER IS GOING ON HERE!!!" a male voice bellowed.  "Kou, 
what the hell are you thinking?"
	Ashley dropped out of her stance as Mr. Belchor stepped in and brought
 their little dual to a halt.  Yaten forced himself to calm down and stand 
up straight, "Nothing sir, just a little misunderstanding between Ashley and
 myself.  I guess I got a little overzealous." He said.  Mr. Belchor let go 
of Yaten and gave him a short reprieve and then left.
	As he walked by Ashley she said to him, "Why didn't you turn me in?"
	"Because you're an equal fighter to me, I hope we can fight again 
sometime in more private surroundings." Yaten said to her.  He went on his 
way, leaving a very perplexed Ashley behind him.
	Well, Ashley thought, I didn't expect him to say that.  Someone 
clamped a hand on her shoulder, "Way to go Ash, you wiped the floor with 
him!"  Ashley turned to the speaker.
	"Haruka?  What are you doing here?" Ashley asked the blonde.
	"We came to take you to lunch, at Joe's Dinner." Haruka said to her in
 a quiet whisper, "Setsuna is signing you out right now."
	Ashley understood, they only went to Joe's when they were meeting with
 their contact in Central Control.  It had to be important if he was 
disturbing their normal lives in order to meet with them.  "Let's go." She 
said.

***

	They sat at the usual booth, waiting for their contact to arrive, 
"So," Haruka began, "What's so important that he needed us to meet right 
away?" she asked.
	Setsuna shook her head, "I don't know, the message just said that he 
needed to see us immediately and to go to the usual meeting place."  She 
took a large gulp of her soda when someone in the next booth spoke.
	"It IS important, I have the name of your enemy and some sketchy info 
on what he's up to."  None of the four senshi could see his face, as usual, 
but his information has never been wrong.  Even with that, Haruka and Ashley
 didn't trust him, neither did Setsuna, Michiru was the only person that had
 a small amount of trust in him.  Only because a small piece of info. that 
he'd given to her had helped save Harukas life once.
	"What do you have?" Setsuna asked.
	"Pyrite, that's the name of the one sending out the youma.  You got 
close to whatever he's planning last night.  That would explain why the 
youma you faced was so powerful, all I've been able to get on his plan is 
that it'll be ready to go in just under a month.  You have that long to find
 him and stop him, but be careful, Pyrite is stronger than all four of the 
Dark Generals put together." The Informant said.  "Miss Brown, I suggest 
that you train a little harder so you can unlock your offensive abilities, 
something tells me you're going to need them." he said as he stood to leave,
 "If I get any more information, I'll send it over e-mail, these meetings 
are becoming dangerous to my health, the higher ups don't want any of us 
even speaking with you four."
	"Who's 'US'?" Ashley asked, but their contact had already left the 
dinner.
	"I don't like it." Haruka said, crossing her arms over her chest and 
looking down at the table.
	"What's to like?" Setsuna said, "His information has never let us down
 before, so we should be on the lookout for whatever this Pyrite person is 
planning."
	"The warehouse district," Ashley said, "we should concentrate our 
search there since that's where we met that Batman wannabe last night."
	Michiru nodded her head, "Do you think we may have been right on top 
of him?" she took a sip of her iced tea, "I mean, could that warehouse be 
where he's hiding?"
	Setsuna shook her head, "No, there were people working there, if he's 
smart, Pyrite will hide in one of the abandoned warehouses.  It's the only 
way to go unnoticed by anyone, except, maybe a homeless person."
	"Well, that's a big help, the people there don't talk to ANYONE, not 
even if you have booze." Ashley said.  "It would be easier to just get a 
list of abandoned warehouses that are still serviceable, if I was going to 
set up something in an junked out warehouse, then I'd at least want one that
 I was sure wasn't going to cave in on me."
	After Ashleys words, the four senshi decided to check into any place 
in the warehouse district that could fit just the scenario that Ashley had 
described.  After five grueling hours at the public library they came up 
with two likely places.

***

	Sailors Earth and Neptune stood outside the old warehouse, it wasn't 
anything special, a large gray building with dirty windows and rust covered 
metal doors.  There were broken beer bottles and beer cans spread over 
almost the entire area.  It's places like this that give LA a bad name, 
Sailor Earth thought.
	"Let's check this place out already, it gives me the creeps." Neptune 
said.
	"Tell me about it." Earth grumbled.  Neptune stepped forward to enter
the lot, Earth followed her.  They hadn't made it six steps before they both
 fell to the ground unconscious.

***

	Painful consciousness returned the Sailor Earth, "Hey, take it easy,
 don't open your eyes to fast." A woman's voice said to her right.  "Just 
wait for the pain to ease off before you try."
	"Who.. who's there?" Earth asked, her voice raspy and dry.
	"Sailor Star Maker." The woman said, "You've been unconscious for 
almost two days."
	"Neptune, where's Neptune?" Earth asked.
	"I'm here Earth, don't worry." Neptune said to her left.  Sailor Earth
 regained enough strength to get herself into a sitting position, "Easy, 
don't try to force anything.  That was my mistake."
	"I'll say." Maker said.
	Earth could almost feel Neptune glaring at the Sailor Starlight, "Save
 it you two." She said, her voice still raspy.  Maker handed her a glass of 
water, Earth nodded her thanks and quickly downed the liquid.  The water did
 wonders for her dry throat, "How did you end up in here Maker?" she asked 
as she opened her eyes.  She winced as it brought a new wave of pain to her 
senses.
	The brown haired Sailor Starlight shrugged, "You four weren't the only
 ones to start looking for the cause of all the attacks lately, Healer and 
Fighter were checking out another warehouse while I came here.  The same 
thing happened to me that happened to you.  Few steps in and wham!  Lights 
out, you've been out since I woke up in here." she said as she paced the 
small room they were trapped in, "Neptune's been such lovely company while 
you were sleeping."
	Earth heard Neptune make a low growling noise, she shot a look at her
 that clearly said 'don't do it', and she calmed down ad turned her head 
away.  Earth looked back to Star Maker, "Have you two been able to find any 
way out of here?" she asked.  She planned to talk with Maker as much as 
possible, if she could form a rapport with at least one of them, then maybe
 she could build a bridge that would lead to them working together.
	Star Maker shook her head, "No, that door is solid steel and my powers
 don't work in this room for some reason.  I wonder why Healer and Fighter 
haven't come searching for me."
	Earth walked over to the door, she made a quick scan of the lock and 
smiled, "Should be a piece of cake." She said as she withdrew several thin 
strips of metal from her lunar space pocket.
	"What are you doing?" Neptune asked.
	"Picking the lock." Earth replied simply as she inserted the strips of
 metal into the locking mechanism.
	"You know how to do that?" asked Neptune.  "Why didn't you ever tell 
us?"
	"You never asked for one thing," Earth said, still working the lock, 
"and I learned it in the orphanage, and that's a part of my life that I 
don't like to talk about." She finished, wincing at the memory of her 12 
years in that horrid place.  There was a loud click as she unlocked the 
door.  "There, all done."
	Neptune stepped beside her, "Let me check it out first." She said.  
Earth watched as she opened the door and looked outside.  "I don't like 
this," she said, "there's no one to guard us."
	"That's easily explained." Sailor Star Maker said, "They WANT us to 
escape, for what reason is beyond me, but whoever we're up against wants us 
to come back."
	"His name is Pyrite.  He's a general for Queen Beryl." Earth said.
	"EARTH!" Neptune exclaimed, "What are you doing?  We can't trust her,
 for all we now she could be working with Pyrite."
	Sailor Star Maker glared at Neptune, "I work with my sisters and we 
work for our home, I don't know who this Pyrite is, but I can assure you 
that we don't work for him." She said.
	Neptune glared right back at Maker and Earth stepped between them, her
 arms held out at her sides so as to keep them any from each other, "Save it
 you two, we're all on the same side here, Love and Justice right?  So let's
 not kill each other over the difference in our technique in doing that job,
 okay?"
	Miraculously, they managed to get out of the building with no trouble,
 AND without any more stare downs.  When they were outside the fence that 
marked the property line, Sailor Earth put her hand on Star Maker's 
shoulder, "Take this." she said, holding out a small gray wrist watch with 
the sigil of Earth on it.
	Maker accepted the item, "What is it?" she asked.
	"A way for us to communicate later, the other senshi and I know that 
Pyrite is planning something big, it'd probably be in our best interest to 
work together for this one." Earth told her.
	"We work alone." Maker stated.
	"You saw how far that got you didn't it.  Like it or not, we have to 
work together on this one, after that.... Well that's up to the three of 
you." said Earth.
	"I'll talk to my sisters, but I don't promise ANYTHING." The Sailor 
Starlight said as she took off, disappearing from sight in seconds.  Sailor 
Earth smiled, she had made a small weak connection with one of them, but it 
was a connection none the less.  Neptune put a hand on her shoulder.
	"Let's get back, Haruka and Setsuna are probably worried sick about 
us." She said.
	Earth nodded in agreement and the two senshi headed off in the 
direction of their apartment.

***

	"That's not possible." Ashley said, "You said we were in there for two
 days." She said to Michiru.
	"We were, I felt two days pass.  I know I did." Michiru said.  When 
the two senshi made it back to their apartment, they had expected to find 
Setsuna and Haruka worrying about them.  Instead, it turned out that they 
were only gone a few hours.  Setsuna walked over to them and passed her 
staff over them once.
	"I believe you." she said.  "You're both out of phase with time, where
 ever you were kept, time has been distorted around there." Setsunas eyes 
narrowed.
	"What is it?" Haruka asked.
	Setsuna cursed, "We have less time than our informant told us.  If 
they're using the same distortion, then they could be ready in a few hours 
and not days."
	Haruka smashed her fist into her open palm, "Well then, let's get 
going.  We have a job to do, so let's do it."

***

	The four Sailor Senshi stood outside the fence leading into the 
warehouse, "How far did you get before you passed out?" Pluto asked.
	"Six steps in." Neptune said.
	Pluto held out the Key to Time and concentrated, there was a low 
humming sound and then an orange dome around the building became visible.  
Sailor Pluto smiled, "There it is, you two lost consciousness when you 
passed through the temporal distortion without any protection.  I'll bet you
 two woke up with one hell of a headache." She said.  Earth and Neptune both
 winced as they nodded their conformation.
	"Come on, let's take this guy down already." Uranus said.
	"Really Sailor Uranus, you should show more patience when dealing with
 me." a voice said.  All of the senshi looked from side to side for the 
source of the voice.  "Try looking up my dear senshi." The voice said.  They
 did, and saw a handsome man floating in midair above them.  He had platinum
 gold hair and light blue eyes.  He looked young, no more than twenty-five, 
that is if he were human, and all four senshi knew that he couldn't be, 
aside from the four generals that Beryl had brainwashed, all of her servants
 came from the Negaverse.
	"General Pyrite I presume." Pluto said.
	Pyrite smiled as he floated to the ground, "I see you are well 
informed my dear Pluto." He said.  Pyrite lifted his hand towards her, he 
made a pushing gesture.  Pluto suddenly flew backwards as if she were caught
 in a hurricane wind, she slammed into the wall of a near-by building and 
fell to the ground unconscious.
	"PLUTO!!!" Sailor Neptune called out.
	The dark general appeared in front of her, "Worry about yourself first
 my dear." He said as he used the same move on her.  Neptune smashed into 
the fence around the warehouse and she too, was knocked out.
	"BASTERD!" Uranus screamed as she charged to attack him.
	She never made it.
	Using his telekinetic powers, Pyrite lifted the blonde senshi off the
 ground and held her a few feet in the air.  She thrashed and cursed as she
 was suspended helplessly in the air.  "Put me down!" she yelled.
	"As you wish." Pyrite said as he slammed Uranus into the ground hard. 
 She grunted on impact and tried to get back up.  But she then fell back to 
the ground unconscious.  "Now for the last one. OMMPH!" Pyrite said as he 
was punched across the jaw.
	"That's for Pluto." Earth said as she punched him again, "That was for
 Neptune!" she said as she then hit him in the gut, "That was for Uranus." 
 Sailor Earth then kicked him in the crotch, "And that's for me."
	Pyrite grunted with every blow, his anger increasing as well, once he 
was away from her he just used his powers to pinch a nerve in her neck that 
knocked her out in seconds.  He stood among the fallen senshi, a bruise 
already forming on his face.  Pyrite looked down at Sailor Earth, "I shall 
enjoy killing you." he said as he spat bloody saliva at her, it missed her 
by an inch.  He then faded away, as did the four senshi as he teleported 
them into his base of operations.

***

	Returning to consciousness wasn't as painful this time for Sailor 
Earth, she lifted her head and discovered that this time, she was shackled 
to the wall.  Oh great, she thought, this rules out picking the lock again. 
 She took in her environment, Uranus and Neptune were likewise shackled, but
 they had not yet regained consciousness, Pluto was on some sort of rack, 
she was trying to break her bonds, but to no avail.  Earth looked over to 
the door at the far end of the room, as she did so it opened to reveal 
Pyrite, he stepped inside and behind him followed three youma, each carrying
 one of the Sailor Starlight's.  "Tie them up." Pyrite ordered the youma, 
"Your friends put up quite a fight, they must be the elite type of senshi. 
 They even managed to draw my blood." He said, holding up his left hand to 
show a small ragged cut along his palm.
	"They're not with us." Earth said.
	"I gathered that from observing how you work, or rather don't work 
together.  The seven of you would have made an excellent team if you'd have 
worked with each other.  In fact, you may have even been able to stop me 
from fulfilling my plans." Pyrite said.
	"Oh, and what might those be?" Pluto asked.
	Pyrite began to laugh, a dark and evil sound, "Come now my dear 
senshi, do you take me for a fool?  This isn't one of your cultures cheap 
sci-fi short stories.  I wouldn't be stupid enough to give you even the 
slightest chance of stopping me, if you were able to break those bonds that
 is." Pyrite said as he stepped up to the bound Guardian of Time, he traced 
a hand down her cheek, "So lovely," he said, "it's such a shame that I'll 
have to kill you later, what a waste." He arched an eyebrow, "Unless of 
course, you'd join us in the Negaverse, I'm sure Queen Beryl could find a 
place for you in the world she is going to make with the power of the 
Negaforce."
	Pluto spit into his eye.  Go Pluto, Earth thought.  Pyrite wiped his 
face, "I'll take that as a no." was all he said.  The Dark General then 
watched as the last Starlight was bound to the wall.  When their task was 
finished, the youma left the chamber, Pyrites eyes came to Earth, "And what
 about you my dear?  You can join us if you like, I will only make this 
offer once, if you accept, then I'll forgive that little beating you gave me
 outside." Earth responded to his offer in the same way Pluto had.  "Hmm, 
suit yourselves, you will all die after I have finished my other plans." He 
said as he left the room, slamming and locking the door behind him.
	Sailor Earth's eyes widened as Pluto said a rather tart comment, "Did 
Queen Serenity know you talked like that?" she asked.  Pluto looked over to 
her.
	"If only you could remember, the queen swore very often, but never 
once in English, I believe she use Latin a great deal of the time." The 
green haired senshi said.
	The other senshi nodded, "So, any ideas as to how we get out of this 
one?" she asked.
	Pluto lowered her head, "For once, I'm completely without answers, 
it's embarrassing."
	There was the sound of rattling metal and both conscious senshi looked
 to see Sailor Star Fighter trying to break the chains binding her to the 
wall.  She grunted with each strain, but it was all to no avail as the metal
 the chains were made of suppressed their powers as well as the slightly 
enhanced strength that each Sailor Warrior gets when they transform.  After
 a few minutes she gave up and slumped against the wall, exhausted from her 
attempts at breaking free.  She looked over to Earth and Pluto, "Maker tells
 me you can pick locks, there anything you can do to help out?"
	Sailor Earth fained shock, "My my my, a Starlight asking a senshi for 
help, you must be desperate." She said.  Then her face went a little more 
serious, "If I were lose, then these locks wouldn't be a problem, but as you
 can see, I'm a little tied up at the moment."
	Star Fighter nodded, "So I see." she turned to her fellow Starlight's,
 "Hey you two, WAKE UP!!" she shouted.  The other two Starlight's regained 
consciousness in a second, then they both went into trying to break free of 
their bonds just as Fighter had.  "Don't bother, these things won't break so
 save your strength." Fighter told them.
	Both Starlight's stopped struggling.
	"How long were we out?" Healer asked.
	"Not long I think.  Maker, what do you make of this stuff?  I feel 
completely normal with it touching me." Fighter said.
	Maker looked at the shackles holding her, "Got me, I've never heard of
 anything that can do whatever this stuff is doing to our powers." She said.
  Then she looked over to see the sailor senshi, "We meet again." She said.
	"So we do." Pluto said in a neutral voice.
	"Don't even start, I'm not in the mood to play peacemaker with you 
all." Earth said sternly.
	There were two soft moans as the other two senshi regained 
consciousness.
	"They live." Healer commented.  "Too bad."
	Earth shot Healer an icy glare, "You remind me of someone I know in 
school, only I can tolerate him somewhat.  I just don't get you three, I've
 tried to be nice to you and all you do is give me the cold shoulder.  We 
should be working together, but it's clear to me now that you're all too 
pig-headed to see that, otherwise you would have used that communicator to 
contact us so we could try attacking together." she said.
	"What would be the point, you're useless in battle, at least I have an
 attack that can do some damage, not just make my enemies dusty." Healer 
retorted.
	"Oh yeah, well at least my uniform leaves some things to the 
imagination you slut!" Earth shot back.
	Healers eyes went wide at the insult, "HEY!!" the other two 
Starlight's said as Healer struggled to come up with a response.
	"EVERYONE QUIET!" Pluto shouted out, the Starlight's and Sailor Earth 
all stopped arguing at her sudden out burst.  "Listen." She said in a more 
quiet voice.
	At first, Earth didn't hear anything, but as she strained to hear she 
heard the sound of approaching footsteps, "Who are you?!" a voice outside 
the door said, their guard obviously.  "What the hell?!?!" the voice said.
	SNAP-HISS.
	There was a scream and the sound of an energy hum, Could it be him? 
Earth thought, How'd he get in here.  All of the senshi and Starlight's 
looked over to the door as a green blade of energy sliced through the steel 
wall.  The searing hot beam cut a large rectangular hole in the wall around 
the door, when it was finished, there was the sound of a metal booted foot 
kicking the cut section of metal.  It fell to the floor with a loud bang and
 Deathscythe stepped into the chamber, his long coat swirling around his 
feet and his Beam-Scythe blazing in his hands, "What kept you?" Earth said 
jokingly.
	Deathscythe looked to her, "It isn't easy sneaking into a time-shifted
 building Lady Earth.  Just walking past the perimeter can set off all kinds
 of alarms." He said.
	"I was just kidding armor-man, now get us down will ya." Earth said.
	Deathscythe nodded, he then raised his beam weapon over his head and 
made two quick slashes.  There was the sound of metal hitting the floor and 
Sailor Earth was free, the armored man then moved to free the other senshi, 
"For once, I'm glad o see you." Uranus said as Deathscythe set her free, he 
said nothing and moved to free Pluto.  When all of the senshi were freed, 
the five began to move out.
	"Hey!" Sailor Star Fighter shouted, "What about us?"
	Deathscythe looked each of the Sailor Starlight's in the eyes once, 
"I'll free you, but on one condition, you do everything I tell you to 
without question until this battle is over.  Got it?"
	"Deal." Fighter said.
	Earth watched as the armored man made quick work of the shackles 
binding the other warriors, "This is all I want you to do, clear a path out 
of here while the senshi and I take out Pyrites little scheme, after that, 
we're even."
	"Done, okay you two let's get the hell out of here." Fighter said to 
her comrades.  With that, the three Starlight's left the room, doing their 
part of making a path for the others to use to escape.
	"I found out what Pyrite is up to.  He's set up some kind of machine 
that can suck out all of this cities life energies at once.  He's going to 
activate it tonight." Deathscythe informed the Sailor Senshi.
	"Oh we gotta stop this." Uranus said grimly.
	"Do you know where this machine is kept?" Pluto asked.
	Deathscythe nodded, "Follow me." he said.

***

               Pyrite stood before the Mass Extractor, "Beautiful." he said 
as he gazed upon the giant crystal.  
               "Ten minutes until activation sir." One of the technicians 
said.
	"Good, evacuate all personel, and prepare those senshi for departure 
into the Negaverse.  Queen Beryl could use some more brainwashed puppets." 
Said Pyrite.
	"Don't bother pal, we're already here, and we're ready to kick your 
ass into next year!" a voice said from the doorway.
	Pyrite looked over to the doorway to see the Sailor Senshi and the 
armored man who had been helping them from time to time standing there.  He 
decided to address him first, "So we meet face to face at last mister, well 
I'm afraid I don't now your name."
	Deathscythe stepped forward, "I am called Deathscythe." he said.
	"Charming." Pyrite said, he then looked at Deathscythe's helmet, "Why
 don't you face me as a gentleman and remove that garish mask."
	"Gentleman, you?  Oh give me a break." Uranus commented.
	"Your oppinion of me means little, as in under ten minutes, this city 
will be completely drained of energy, you included.  And you will discover 
that your powers have not yet returned, so there is nothing you can do to 
stop me." Pyrite said.
	"I can do THIS." Deathscythe said as he swiped his Beam-Scythe at 
Pyrite.  The general side-stepped the attack.  He then held up his hand palm
 out toward Deathscythe.
	"I will not face an oponent who wears a mask, I'll just have to fix 
that." He said as he blasted his powers outward.  The force of Pyrite powers
 pushed Deathscythe hard against the wall, his hemet crashing into and 
shatering as it hit.  The broken metal fell to the floor leaveing his face 
exposed, "What's this?  The man who has caused me so much trouble is nothing
 more than a mere boy?  I feel insulted."
	Duo stood up and wiped the blood away from his mouth, "Happy to do so 
Pyrite." He said.
	"DUO!?" all four of the senshi said at once.
	"Aaa.... Hi guys." Duo said nervously.
	There was a whiring sound as the Mass Extractor went into it's final 
stage.  "It's too late Sailor Senshi, your city is doomed." Pyrite said with
 dark laughter.  Duo then knew what he had to do.  He turned to Pluto.
	"Sailor Pluto, get them as far away from this building as you can.  
I'll take care of the Mass Extractor." He said.
	"No, we'll stay and help." Earth said.
	"No you need to get out of here now," He said as he walked over to 
her, oddly enough Pyrite didn't attack but choose to watch the little drama,
 "Please Ashley, get out of here, I have an idea of how strong this guy is 
and I don't need him using you as a weapon against me."
	Sailor Earths eyes widened, "How did you know that I'm.." she was 
unable to finish as Duo took her in a passionate kiss.
	Duo pulled away and looked into her eyes, "I wish things could have 
been different." He said, then he looked to the other three senshi, "Get her
 out of here."
	Neptune grabbed Earth and lifted her over her shoulder, much to Earths
 protests, and made a bee line for the exit.  Pluto followed her, she only 
turned to give him a quick nod before she too exited.  Uranus put her hand 
on his shoulder, she knew what he meant to do, "I was wrong about you, 
forgive me." she said.
	Duo nodded, and the senshi of the planet Uranus exited.
	"Are you ready to face me now?" Pyrite asked from his position leaning
 against the wall.
	"Let's go." Duo said as he began the charge up process for his armors 
self-detonation system.  I only hope it can be ready in time, he thought, 
and I can survive long enough to push the button.

***

	"Put me down Neptune, I have to help him!" Earth protested.
	"I'm sorry Ashley, I can't do that." Neptune apologized.
	"But he doesn't stand a chance against Pyrite." Earth said, holding 
back tears that were threatening to break free.  As the senshi made their 
way through the coridors they noticed that many of the youma have been 
knocked out.  The Sailor Starlights handywork no doubt, Pluto thought as the
 jumped over yet another fallen youma.  And they did all this without their 
powers, she thought as her opinion of them raised by several notches, going 
into the level of respect for their skills.
	"There's the exit." Uranus said, pointing to the door at the end of 
the passageway.  "Let's get the hell out of here."
	As they exited the building, the senshi made their way across the 
parking lot to outside the fence.
	Good luck Duo, Pluto thought, you'll need it.

***

	SLAM.
	Duo grunted in pain as Pyrite once again used his powers to knock him
 into a wall, his self-detonation system was not yet ready and he was losing
 this battle fast.  Over in the center of the room, the Mass Extractors hum
 increased in pitch as it neared the point where it would drain dry the life
 energies of everyone in the city.  I WON'T let that happen, Duo thought as
 he touched a control on his Buster Shield, the weapon activated and flew 
out toward Pyrite.
	"What?!" Pyrite said, not expecting him to have a range weapon on him.
  He quickly destroyed the shield by firing a burst of plasma energy at it. 
 The weapon fell to the ground in a heap of twisted metal and circuitry.  
"Are you done playing with you're toys, BOY!?"
	"Not quite YET!" Duo said as he activated his rear boosters and 
launched himself at Pyrite, hoping to be able to slice the evil man in half
 with his scythe.  No such luck.  Pyrite sidestepped the attack and reached 
out with his telekenetic powers.  He grabbed Duo and lifted him off the 
ground, Just hold on for another minute Duo, Duo thought to himself, you can
 do it.  Pyrite began to smash Duo against the ceiling and walls, Duo 
grunted with each impact.  His body may have been covered with nearly 
indestructable armor, but he was still flesh and blood underneath.  Pyrite 
slamed him into the concrete floor once more and then releaseed his 
telekenetic hold on him.  Duo coughed once, and a spot of his blood appeared
 on the floor.  The M.E. increased in pitch again and Pyrite began to laugh 
darkly.
	"Ha ha ha ha, in moments you and all those in this city will be 
drained of life energy and Queen Beryl will release the power of the 
Negaforce once again!" Pyrite ranted.
	"Not if I can help it." Duo said, coughing up more of his blood, he 
knew he was bleeding internally now.  Come on, he thought, hurry up and 
charge.
	BEEP.
	There it was, the sound he had been waiting for.  It was his armors 
signal that the self-detonation system was charged and ready.  Good bye 
Ashley, he thought.
	"You can never defeat me, BOY!" Pyrite spat out, his voice dripping 
with contempt.  Duo began to laugh.  "Oh, and what is so funny?" the dark 
man asked.
	Duo looked up into the generals eyes, "You know, it just may be a 
tie." He said as he depressed a button on his Beam-Scythe, activating the 
self-destruct system.  For a moment, his entire armor glowed from inside, 
then the glow dissapated and his G-unit armor exploded with the force of a 
pocket sized nuke, taking the Mass Extractor, Pyrite, and himself along with
 it.

***

	"DUOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!" Earth cried out as the building exploded, the 
blast was so imense that there was only a crater left to mark the location 
of where it once was.  Sailor Earth fell to her knees, "No." she said, 
hitting the ground in frustration.
	"I have to admit, I didn't think he had the guts to do it." a voice 
said above them.
	The Sailor Senshi all looked up to see a man floating above them, he 
was dress in black with silver highlights here and there.  He had mild 
shoulder armor on and a sword hung from his waist, "Who are you?" Sailor 
Earth demanded.
	The young man floated down to the ground, his face became visable, he 
was young, nineteen, twenty at the most, he had deep blue eyes and short 
black hair.  "I am Prince Endymion, and I will finish what Pyrite started." 
He said as he threw a black rose at her.  Earth dodged the attack by rolling
 on the ground.
	Sailor Uranus walked up behind this new enemy, "Finish this!" she said
 as she held her hand up to the sky, "World...." She began, but this time 
there was no build up of energy in her hand.  Uranus looked at her hand as 
if she had never seen it before, "Oh crap."
	"I see you're still feeling the effects of the gundarmium shackles 
Pyrite had chained you in.  Too bad." Endymion said as he pointed his hand 
at her, a black sphere of power fromed in it.  He fired that energy at 
Uranus.
	Sailor Uranus screamed in agony as the energy hit her body, Earth half
 expected it to vaporize her in an instant.  But instead it only caused what
 must have been unbarable pain for her.  a voice said in her mind.
  Duo? she thought, No, that can't be.  Earth shook off the eerie feeling 
and readied herself to attack this Endymion person, but she couldn't help 
the feeling that she KNEW this young man from somewhere.  It was like the 
echo of a memory for her.
	Endymion lowered his hand and Earth saw her opening.  She put all of 
her fighting skills into her attack on the Dark Prince.  He blocked most of
 her blows and dodged the rest.  Pluto moved up behind him to give Earth a 
hand.  Endymion gave her one of his black spheres for her trouble and Sailor
 Pluto fell to the ground screaming in pain.  I've gotta do something or 
we're all toast, Earth thought.
	 the voice in her mind said again, this time, she could hear 
it more clearly.  It WAS Duo's voice.  Sailor Earth dodged an attack from 
Endymions blade as she tried to figure out if she was going crazy from the 
loss of her best friend.
	"You're good girl." Endymion said as she avoided another of his 
attacks.
	"I've trained with the best." Earth said back to him.  She tried to 
sidekick him, but to no avail.
	"If you mean your friends, than I highly doubt that." He scoffed.
	The anger that the comment stirred in her allowed Earth to land one 
punch on Endymion.  He staggered back from the force of the blow.  "You will
 pay for that!" he said as he tried to regain his bearings.  The hit had 
temporarily dazed him.  Earth chanced a look to see where Neptune was, she 
saw her kneeling next to Uranus, who was still screaming in pain.  The 
aquamaraine haired senshi was trying to comfort her agonized lover.
	 this time that voice screamed in her mind,  Duo said.
	Suddenly Earth felt a wave of information flood into her mind, 
 he said.  Yes, she thought, it's all so clear now.
  Sailor Earth focused her mind and her transformation wand appeared in 
front of her.  It began to glow and change shape, going from a wand look to 
the look of a sword hilt, the symbol of the Earth that was sitting on top 
the the small sphere melded into it and became a crystal.  Sailor Earth 
reached out and grabbed the new wand.
	"Earth Crystal Power.... MAKE UP!!!" she didn't even realize she said 
the words until she'd already spoken them.  A series of lights and energies 
flew around her as her senshi uniform changed shape.  The bow attched to the
 back of her miniskirt became larger, grayblue hair decorations appeared in
 her orange hair, and a golden star attached itself to the choker around her
 neck.  When the transformation was complete Sailor Earth looked over to the
 astonished Prince Endymion, "I am Sailor Earth, and I fight for love and 
justice.  I will not allow you to bring harm to my homeland, in the name of 
Earth, the planet of beauty and life, I will punish you." she said while 
going through a series of movements that were similar to a certain senshi in
 Japan.
	"Save it girl." Endymion said as he charged at her with his sword, 
intending to slice her in half with one swipe of the blade.
	Sailor Earth threw her arms out to her either side of her and 
concentrated.  Behind and around her, energy resembling the form of water 
formed.  The power streamed into her hands, forming a silver sphere in each 
hand about the size of a globe, "Tsunami.... WASHOUT!!!!" she called out as 
she launched them at Endymion.  The orbs of power flew true for their 
mistress as they both slamed him square in the chest.
	"ARRRGGGHHHH!!" he screamed as the energy pounded his body, he fell to
 the ground, his left arm getting cut on a broken beer bottle.  He groaned 
weakly as Earth walked over to him, she summoned up another energy blast, 
intending to finish him off.
	"Sailor Earth, NO!  Don't kill him!" Pluto called out.  After Endymion
 had been hit, his attacks on Pluto and Uranus had ended and their pain 
ceased.  Earth hesitated in her attack.
	"This isn't over!" Endymion said as he faded from existence, returning
 to the Negaverse.
	"Why did you stop me?" Earth asked, her voice cold and without 
emotion.
	"I have my reasons." Pluto said in the same tone.  Earth didn't say 
anything, she just walked over to the crater that had once been a warehouse.
  A few areas were still burning, she surveyed the scene, a small part of 
her hopeing that Duo had somehow made it out alive, but, no, it wasn't 
possible for anyone to have made it out of there.  In her mind, Sailor Earth
 remembered all the times she had spent with Duo during the two years she'd 
known him.  He had always been there for her, in the good times and the bad,
 he was a shoulder to cry on when she was sad, and a person to laugh with 
when she was happy.  And now he was gone, taken from her in an instant.  She
 remembered the way he had kissed her when they'd escaped from Pyrite, you 
never told me you felt that way, she thought.  I'm sorry I couldn't protect 
you.  She felt a hand on her shoulder, she turned to see Sailor Pluto 
standing behind her, her expression one of sadness and loss.
	Pluto hugged her, she returned the hug, and she cried.

***

	Sailor Star Healer watched the scene from a distence, why am I feeling
 this way, she thought as she saw Sailor Earth begin to cry.  The sight 
brought an almost physical pain to her.  It was too bad about Deathscythe, 
she wanted to find out more about the man, he may have been able to point 
them in the right direction to finding the princess.  She watched as the 
Sailor Senshi departed the area, she then looked to the crater that was 
Deathscythes final resting place, "Ai'imre toe nagsi bay." She said in her 
native language, they were the words said to give warriors passage into the 
next world without danger.  It was an old belief, and if Fighter and Maker 
ever found out she believed in it, then she'd never hear the end of it.  She
 looked over to her siblings, Fighter was putting her leg into a splint 
until she could use the healing stone to repair the break.  Maker was the 
only one of them to get out of their fight with the seemingly endless stream
 of youma without a scratch.  Healer herself had a deep long cut that was 
going down her arm, a cut that was still bleeding, walking over to her 
sisters she said, "Let's get out of here before the cops show up."  The 
other two Starlights nodded their agreement.

***

	He sat silently in the room, he had been meditating for the past three
 hours without interruption until his computer console beeped.  He opened 
his eyes to see what it was, on the screen was a single message blinking in 
large red letters.  It said CODE 5 MESSAGE.  That could only mean one thing,
 that one of the G-Unit members had just died.  He got up and walked over to
 the computer, taking a seat he opened the message and read the text.

HEY TEAM,
	IF THIS IS BEING READ, THEN IT MEANS THAT I'M DEAD.  I GOTTA ADMIT, IT
 SUCKS.  WELL SERIOUSLY, IT ALSO MEANS THAT ASHLEY IS NO LONGER UNDER MY 
PROTECTION.  I NEED ALL OF YOU TO GO TO AMERICA AND FIND HER, AS MY LAST 
ORDER TO ALL OF YOU, I WANT YOU TO FOLLOW HER ORDERS FROM NOW ON.  ASHLEY 
BROWN/SAILOR EARTH IS NOW YOUR LEADER.  DEAL WITH IT QUATRE, OKAY.

SIGNED,
	DUO "THE GOD OF DEATH" MAXWELL

	He laughed, even in death, Duo still made jokes.  He blinked as he 
noticed a small message that was meant only for him was attached to the 
other one.  He typed in the password HOPE and read Duos last words to him.

HEERO,
	I NEED YOU TO GO IN MY LOCKER AT HQ, IN IT THERE IS A PACKAGE THAT I 
NEED YOU TO GIVE TO ASHLEY FOR ME.  YOU'RE THE ONE PERSON THAT I KNOW WILL 
DO THIS WITHOUT LOOKING TO SEE WHAT'S IN IT.  SO PLEASE DELIVER IT FOR ME. 
 THAT'S AN ORDER.

	He stood up from the console, "Mission: Accepted." He said as he went
 to wake Relena and pack for the flight to the states.  His face did a good 
job of hiding the pain he felt from the knowledge that a good friend was now
 dead.  "Farewell Duo, I hope you died with honor." Heero Yuy said.

***

TWO MONTHS LATER

	Ashley sat in her desk, waiting for the test sheet to be passed down 
to her.  Over the past two months she had done nothing but study for the 
exams to try to ease the pain in her heart.  She knew Jade and the others 
were worried about her, she just shrugged off all their attemps to cheer her
 up.  She didn't want to be cheery, she didn't deserve it.  Duo had died 
because she didn't have the power to help him.  A few days after he died 
there was news that Duo Maxwell had died in a tragic car crash.  She knew it
 was a cover story that Central Control was using.  None the less, there was
 going to be a funeral for him in three weeks and she planned on attending.
	The final sheet of paper was placed in front of her.  Ashley picked up
 her #2 pencil and began to take her High School entrance exams.  The first 
test was in math, no sweat, with all her studying, it was as if the 
questions were meant for a five year old.
	After the math test came World History, it was the same for it as it 
was for the math test.  Ashley didn't even know why she bothered to come 
here for such a useless test of her skills.  She filled in the little 
scantron sheets anyway though.  After the English test, Ashley was beginning
 to feel as if her intelligence was being insulted by the ease of the 
questions.
	Once Ashley had finished the final test she rose from her seat and 
placed her papers on her teacher Mr. Acavedo's desk.  She then grabbed her 
backpack and headed for the door.  "Ashey? Where are you going?  The 
dismissal bell hasn't rung yet." Mr. Acavedo said.
	She turned to look at him, "My tests are done and I don't need to be 
here any longer.  There's somewhere else that I need to be right now." 
Ashley said as she left the room.  Her teacher made no move to stop her.  
For that, she silently thanked him.

***

	Sailor Earth stood in the parking lot that was next to the crater 
where he died.  She kept asking herself why she kept coming back here.  
Knealing down, Sailor Earth picked up an odd looking peice of metal.  A 
closer look at it told her what it was, and again tears threatened to flow 
out of her eyes.  It was a piece of Deathscythes armor, she didn't know how 
she knew, but she did.
	"You two must have been close." someone said behind her.
	The senshi of the Earth turned to see Sailor Star Healer standing 
behind her.  "Why are you here?" she asked.  "And what do you want?"
	Healer shrugged, "Something told me that I needed to be here."  She 
then walked over to stand beside Earth, "So, how close were you two?" she 
asked.
	Sailor Earth looked at the ground, "He was my best friend.  And I let
 him down." She said.
	Healer didn't say anything, she just stood there next to Earth.  After
 a few minutes she asked, "What was he like?  I only saw him those two 
times."
	"Why are you so interrested?" Earth asked.
	Star Healer looked into Sailor Earths gray eyes, "Because I've never 
seen someone who would give their life without thinking about it.  I saw how
 he fought with Pyrite through the window, he took one hell of a beating.  
But he never gave up.  I don't know anyone like that outside of the other 
Starlights." She said.
	Sailor Earth smiled, it was a weak smile, but it was still a smile, 
"You know everything you need to." she said.  Earth took a last look at the 
crater, and turned to leave.
	"Sailor Earth wait!" Healer said, Earth turned back to her.
	"What?" she asked.
	"We thought you might want this back." Healer said as she held out the
 communicator that she'd given to Maker.
	Earth shook her head, "No, you keep it.  I've said that we should work
 together, maybe you'll listen to that now."
	Healer nodded.  Sailor Earth nodded back and left the area.  Yeah, 
maybe it's time we did do that, Healer thought.

***

TWO DAYS LATER

	Ashley stood at the back of the crowd.  The results of the entrance 
exams had come in and the school had decided to display them on the main 
hall bulletin board.  She made her way through the crowd to find her name 
and scores.  The list was alphabetically listed, so she had no trouble 
finding her name.

JESSIE BROISK: 87%
ASHLEY BROWN: 100%
AMIEE BROZE: 32%

	Ashleys eyes went wide, wow, was all she could think as she walked 
away from the score board.  She continued to walk through the halls until 
she emerged outside in the courtyard of her Jr. High school.  She looked up 
into the clouds, "I'd trade it in a nanosecond if it would bring you back 
Duo." she said aloud as a wave of anguish swept over her from the knowledge 
that if he hadn't died, then she wouldn't have dulled the pain by studying 
her brains out.  A tear made its way down her cheek.
	"Talking to yourself slut?" an angry voice said behind her.
	The orange haired girl looked behind her to see three girls standing 
behind her, Heather Hutton, Shelly Garcia, and Jamie Shultz.  The three 
biggest trouble makers in the whole school.  "What do you want?" Ashley 
asked, trying to sound tough.  In response, Jamie came over and punched her 
in the gut hard.  Ashley fell to the ground, the wind knocked out of her, 
her vision blurred from the pain.  One of the other girls, Heather, came up
 and kicked her in the ribs, Ashley hissed in pain and there was a sharp 
snaping sound as two of her ribs broke from the kick.
	"How'd you do it you little whore, huh?" Shelly said as she too, 
kicked Ashley.  "What'd you do, give the teach a blowjob?" she spat.
	Ashley tried to get to her feet, "Oh no, none of that now." Heather 
said as she hit Ashley on the back with a Baseball bat that she had with 
her.  She laughed as Ashley screamed and fell back to the ground, an intense
 pain shooting through her body as yet another bone cracked.  From a 
distense, Ashley wondered why no teacher was coming to stop them.  "You're 
gonna die you little preppy bitch.  And no one is gonna help you, we saw to
 that." Heather said.
	The senshi heard the snick of a switchblade being drawn, Oh God! she 
thought.  Ashley tried to scream for help, but what came out was barely a 
whisper, she was hurt, badly.  Then a new pain came as the knife was pushed 
into her flesh, it was just below her ribs.  The blade was pulled out and 
shoved in again, this time into her shoulder.  She was being stabed to 
death!  Oddly enough, she didn't care, at least she'd see Duo again soon.  
She felt her consciousness fading away when she the the sound of someone 
screaming a battle cry.  "What!" one of her attackers said, then there was 
the sound of several punches being thrown and the sound of three bodies 
hitting the ground.
	The last thing Ashley felt was the feeling of someone picking her up,
 just before she lost consciousness and her world went completely black.

***

	Seiya Kou sat in the apartment that he shared with is brothers, for 
the last three hours, he'd been working on the newest song for their band 
The Three Lights.  He sat back and sighed, his head starting to pound from 
the stress of working so hard on the song.  He jumped in his seat as the 
door to the apartment was kicked in and Yaten ran in, he was carrying 
someone in his arms.  A young orange haired girl, and she was bleeding, 
badly.  There were several deep cuts in various places on her body.  On 
closer inspection, Seiya saw that they were stab wounds.  Yaten laid the 
girl on the couch.
	"Seiya, get the Healing Stone, hurry!" Yaten said to him.
	"Yaten, you know that we can't...." Seiya began, but Yaten cut him 
off.
	"NOW!!!" he said, and the look on his face left no room for argument.
	Seiya went into the bathroom and got the Healing Stone that they had 
brought with them to Earth.  He brought the blue stone encased in a golden 
band back to Yaten.
	Yaten quickly grabbed the stone from Seiya and placed it on Ashleys 
body, it began to glow as it sensed her injuries.  The glow spread over her 
body and began to heal her.  The stab wounds began to close and her ribs and 
back also healed over.  A few moments before her body was completely healed, 
Yaten removed the stone and stopped the process.  "Can't heal her 
completely, she'd ask to many questions." Yaten said as Seiya looked at him 
curiously.
	Ashley stirred, "Hey, take it easy.  You got hurt pretty bad." Yaten 
said soothingly.
	"When did you become such a nice guy?" Seiya asked.  Yaten shot him a 
dark look and Seiya held up his hands in a peaceful gesture, "Okay, forget I 
asked." he said.
	On the couch, Ashley groaned softly, "Cold." She whispered.  Seiya got 
up to go get a blanket for her.  Being healed from the stone for the first 
time has that effect on most people, he thought as he handed the thick 
blanket to his brother.
	Yaten drapped the cloth over Ashleys body, "Tired." she whispered.
	"Then rest." Yaten said in the same soothing tone.  "You're gonna be 
fine Ashley.  Just rest now."  Ashley managed a weak nod before she fell 
into a deep sleep.
	"Okay Yaten, you wanna explain this?" Seiya asked.  "Who is this 
girl?"
	"She's a classmate, her name is Ashley Brown.  I think you've met her 
a couple of times." Yaten said.
	"Whoa, hold on a sec.  Is this the same Ashley that you said could go 
to hell for all you cared?" Seiya asked.
	"I lied." Yaten said simply, "I now think of her as an equal to me."
	A grin came to Seiyas face, "You're sweet on this chick." He said.
	"I am not!" Yaten protested, but a blush on his face said otherwise.
	"Wait 'til Taiki hears this." Seiya said as he went back to the desk 
to work on the song he was writing.
	"Great, just great." Yaten muttered, he then looked to Ashleys 
sleeping form, "Why'd I have to meet you?"

***

	In her sleep, Ashley dreamed.  She was standing in the warehouse, Duo 
was fighting with Pyrite.  He was losing.  She watched as Duo was pounded 
again and again into the walls, ceiling, and floor.  When she tried to move 
to help him, she discovered that she was glued to the floor and couldn't 
move.  She was forced to watch as Duo was beaten to death.
	 a disembodied voice said, 
	Ashley looked to her side to see the silhouette of a man standing in 
the shadows,  he said in her mind.
	"Fa.. father?" Ashley said.
	
	She turned away from him and looked back to where Duo was.  She saw 
him lying lifelessly on the floor, his body broken and beaten to a heap of 
lifeless flesh and blood.  "Why Ash?  Why did you let me die?  I thought we 
were friends." Duos voice said.
	"No, I didn't, I... I.." Ashley tried to say.
	 her fathers voice said again.
	No, please god no, she thought, make it stop, no.
	

***

	"NO!!!" Ashley screamed as she awoke, Yaten jumped slightly, she had 
startled him.  He had been over her for hours.  Eventually, he rested his 
head on part of the couch and had fallen asleep.  He grabbed her shoulders 
and shook her to the present.
	"Ashley!  Snap out of it, you're okay." He said.
	She stopped screaming and wrapped her arms around herself, she began 
to shake feircely, "Where am I?  Am I dead?" she asked.
	Yaten squeeze her shoulder reasureingly, "No, you're fine.  And you're 
damn lucky I was wandering around outside when I was."
	Ashley got her bearings and looked at him, "Yaten!?" she said, 
baffled.  Then a hardened look replaced the one of utter fear that was on 
her face only moments ago.  "Why'd you help me?  What's in it for you." she 
asked coldly.
	Yaten didn't blame her, he deserved it for the way he'd treated her in 
the time since they'd met.  "The satisfaction that I saved your life from a 
bunch of bitches who couldn't get an A if their lives depended on it." he 
said.
	Her eyes went wide, "You're the one who helped me.  I thought I was 
dying from the stab wounds and..." she started, but then she pulled up her 
T-shirt and looked at the wound on her abdomen, it was only a miner cut that 
would heal in a few days without even a scar.  "But I thought..?" she tried 
to say.
	Yaten pulled a chair over to sit in, "They only used a little knife 
that didn't even have an inch long blade, but from the way she jabbed it 
into you I'm sure it must have felt longer." He lied, hopeing that she'd buy 
it and not ask anymore questions.  She did.
	"Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?" she asked.
	Yaten blew out a long breath, Okay, here goes, he thought.  "Because 
you're not like the other girls at school.  You have a thinking mind and not 
a bubblehead like most of the other girls.  And, you are the only girl I've 
met that could match me in a fight." He said, then he looked into her eyes, 
"And that's something that I respect."
	Ashley didn't know what to say, she just look at him.  She felt 
herself become absorbed by his green eyes, for the first time in her life, 
she was able to see the emotion in the eyes of another.  Yaten was really 
concerned for her, there was something else there as well, but she couldn't 
identify it.  She winced as the cut on her arm started to hurt, "Ow, jeez!" 
she said as she put her hand over the cut.  She applied pressure to try and 
dull the pain.
	"Wait here, I'll go get something for that." Yaten said as he got up 
and headed for the first aid kit in the bathroom.  As he passed Seiyas room 
he looked inside to see his brother desperately trying to contain his 
laughter.  "Not.  One.  Word." Yaten said in a dangerous tone.
	Seiya snikered softly and made phony kissing motions at Yaten.  The 
silver haired Starlight suppressed a growl, grabbed the kit from the 
bathroom and went back to where Ashley was sitting.

***

	Ashley winced as the hydrogen poroxide was applied to her cuts, "Damn 
that stuff stings." She complained.
	Yaten looked up into her eyes, "Would you rather risk infection?" he 
asked, "Imagine how much that would sting."
	"Good point."
	Yaten quickly finished cleaning the wounds and put everything back 
into the kit.  "So," Ashley began, "what happened to those girls that 
attacked me?"
	"Oh, I put them in the Hospital with various broken bones." Yaten said 
without missing a beat.
	Ashley found herself doing something she hadn't done in the past two 
months, she laughed with genuine humor.  It felt good, and ebbed away some 
of the fear that her nightmare had caused.  After a few minutes Ashley 
looked at Yaten, "Thank you, for saveing me."
	Yaten smiled and nodded, "Sure, listen Ashley, about that little 
nickname I called you." he began to say.
	Ashley held up a hand, "Already forgotten.  Um, how long was I out?" 
she asked, changing the subject.
	Yaten looked over at the clock mounted on the wall, "Oh, about seven 
hours, why?"
	"Can I use your phone?  Setsuna and the others are probably worried 
about me by now." Ashley said.
	"Sure." Yaten said, handing her the cordless phone that was on the 
stand beside the couch.  Ashley accepted the phone and dialed the number for 
the apartment she shared with the others.
	It rang three times before someone picked up, "Hello?" Setsuna said on 
the other side.
	"Hi Setsuna, it's me." Ashley said.
	"ASHLEY!  Where the hell have you been, are you okay?  Do you need any 
help?" Setsuna blurted out, her voice sounding worried.
	"No, I'm fine.  I got attacked after school, but was saved by a most 
unexpected person." Ashley said, giving Yaten a smile.  He blushed slightly.  
Setsuna spoke quickly for a few moments, "No, that's okay, I don't need you 
to send Haruka to pick me up, I'll stay where I am for the night.  I have a 
feeling that I'm safe here." 
	Setsuna asked where she was specifically, here goes, she thought, "I'm 
at the Three Lights' place." She said.  Thankfully, Setsuna didn't go 
berserk, she just asked to speak with one of them.  She held the phone out 
to Yaten, "She wants to talk to you." Ashley said.
	Yaten took the phone and spoke with Setsuna for a few moments, Ashley 
couldn't hear what she was saying to Yaten, and his responses didn't give 
any insight to what she was saying to him.  Finally Yaten said, "Okay, 
goodnight." and then he turned off the cordless and placed it back in the 
charger.
	"What did she want?" Ashley asked.
	"Just to know if you were gonna be okay, may I know the reason you'd 
like to stay here the night?" Yaten said.
	"I wanna live, have you seen how Haruka drives?" she responded.
	"Point." Yaten sighed, "Well Idon't think my brothers will mind, Taiki 
isn't back yet, but I think he'll be alright with it."
	"You mean Seiya is here?" Ashley asked, "Where is he?"
	"Back here in my room." Seiya responded, "And feel free to stay the 
night Ashley.  LA isn't the town to go around in at night anyway."
	"Evesdropping is rude Seiya." Yaten said.
	"Gotta entertain mt self somehow, and listening in on you two 
lovebirds is quite entertaining." He said laughing.
	Yaten rolled his eyes, "Lovebirds?" Ashley asked looking at Yaten.
	"Don't ask." Yaten said.  He then left and returned a few moments 
later with a couple of pillows.  He handed them to Ashley, "These are a bit 
more comfy than those couch pillows." He said as she accepted them.
	"Thank you." Ashley said.  The two sat in silence for a few moments, 
neither of them realized that they had become absorbed by each others eyes.  
The silence was broken by the sound of Ashleys stomach growling.  "Sorry." 
She apologized.
	"Think you can hold down some steak?  We have a little left, it 
shouldn't take long for me to heat it up." Yaten offered.
	"I'd like that, thanks." she said.  Yaten stood and headed for the 
kitchen.
	"Aww, isn't that cute?" Seiya said teaseingly.
	"Can it Seiya, you're lucky I'm too weak right now, or I'd give you a 
new face." Ashley said.
	"Sorry Ash, I didn't mean to offend you, just my brother." Seiya said 
as he came into view.
	Ashley narrowed her eyes, "Don't ever call me that again." She said as 
he sat in an easychair.
	"Huh?  What'd I do?" Seiya asked.
	"Do I look like that idiot from Pokemon?" she asked, her voice laced 
with steel.
	"Whats Pokemon?" Seiya asked.
	"Never mind, just don't call me Ash.  I hate that." Ashley said.  
"Haruka calls me that to get on my nerves."
	"Okay, sorry."
	"Sorry about what?" Yaten said as he returned with a steaming plate 
and a TV tray.  He placed them in front of Ashley and sat down next to her.  
Seiya struggled to hold back a fit of laughter, Ashley could see it.  The 
three then sat together and talked while she ate, several times Ashley had 
to prevent Yaten and Seiya from fighting.  Conversation stayed mostly on the 
way that The Three Lights had come to where they were today.  They spoke 
long enough for Ashley to get better insight into both of them, and in a few 
short minutes, her opinion of Yaten had been completely changed.  Taiki 
returned a few minutes later and Ashley found herself being allowed to see a 
rehersal of The Three Lights latest song.
	After they had finished everyone said goodnight and went toward their 
respective bedrooms, from the couch, Ashley heard Taiki go, "You're kidding, 
Yaten has the hots for someone, who?"  Ashley coudn't hear what Seiya 
responded, but the next sound she heard was the sound of Taiki laughing 
hysterically.  "Yeah, I noticed that too." She heard Taiki say.  Ashley 
shook her head and laid her head down on the pillows to sleep.

***

	"NO!" Ashley screamed as she awoke in a cold sweat, the same nightmare 
had come to her again as she slept.  Ashley sat up and began to shake 
violently, she wrapped her arms around her.  She felt as if her bones had 
turned to ice with fear, fear that the dream was right, that she was 
useless.  Ashley felt a hand on her.  She looked up to see Yaten standing 
over her, a look of concern on his face.
	"Ashley, are you okay?" he asked.
	She didn't care that two months ago, she hated this man, she just got 
up and threw her arms around him.  Sobbing almost uncontrollably Ashley 
said, "Yaten, hold me, tight."  Yaten put his arms around her and held her 
as she cried.  "It was my fault." she sobbed.
	"What?" Yaten asked, trying to comfort her, while also trying to sort 
through the torent of emotions going through him.
	"I can't tell you.  But that dream I've been having is right, I AM 
useless, I can't even save one friend." She said.  Yaten moved to sit down 
so they'd be more comfortable.  "Duo died because of me.  Because I couldn't 
protect him."
	"Accidents happen Ashley, you couldn't have known that there would be 
a drunk out that night." Yaten said.  He wanted to tell her that he knew 
that Duo had died a noble death by saving the entire city from an evil 
general from another world.  But she'd never believe it.  "I didn't know Duo 
to well, but I know he wouldn't want you to suffer like this.  And you're 
not useless Ashley." He said.
	Ashley looked at Yaten, he was the same height as she was, so she 
didn't have to crain her neck to do so.  "Then why did my father send me 
away?  I was placed in an orphange right after I was born, no one wanted me.  
It wasn't until Setsuna came that I got out of that horrible place."
	Yaten couldn't hide the shock on his face, "You were sent away?!" he 
said, not wanting to believe anyone would send away their own child.  Ashley 
nodded.
	"I snuck into the file room at the orphanage, I saw my file on how I 
was placed there." She said, wiping away some of the tears.  As she 
remembered reading that file, all of the pain that came from learning that 
she was unwanted by her father melded with the pain of her best friends 
death and churned her insides.  She began to cry again into Yatens shoulder.
	"Shh, it's alright." Yaten soothed her, he finally realized what he 
was feeling for her.  Love.  He couldn't deny it, he was in love with her.  
Ashley was the first girl he'd met who challenged him and didn't just 
through herself at him like so many others.  As he held her, Yaten could 
almost feel how much emotional torment she was in, and he wanted to help her 
to end it.  So he just sat there with his arms around her, saying soothing 
words to try to comfort her.
	Ashley just let it out, all the pain she'd kept bottled up since the 
day she'd read that file and all the pain from Duos death.  She just let it 
out, never, not once in her life had she opened up so completely for 
someone, not even Duo.  But now, she just knew she could do that with Yaten.  
He had been harsh toward her and she had in turn been harsh to him, most 
guys at school were afraid of her, because of how tough she was most of the 
time.  But Yaten was different, he never ran from a challenge when she made 
one, just like Duo when she'd first met him.  Could that be why she trusted 
him all of a sudden?  Because he now reminded her of her best friend?  No, 
it was something else, something deeper and with more meaning.  Oh no, 
Ashley thought as she realized what it was, aw man, why'd I have to fall for 
a jerk like him?  But she couldn't deny it, no matter how much she wanted 
to.  She was in love with Yaten.  It annoyed her to no ends.  Still, she 
continued to let herself cry on his shoulder, it felt good to release all of 
the pain she had kept to herself for so long.
	A few minutes later, Ashley stopped crying.  She sat back against the 
couch, sniffling and wiping her eyes.  "Sounds like you've been holding that 
back for a while now." Yaten said.
	Ashley nodded, "Yeah, I have, thank you." she said.
	"For what?" Yaten asked
	"For being so kind to me." she replied.
	Yaten smiled and laid back with her on the couch.  They sat is silence 
for a while.  Yaten looked over into her gray eyes, "Do you want to talk 
about anything?  That dream you mentioned maybe?" he said.
	"Not right now.  Now, I'd like to try to get back to sleep." Ashley 
said.
	Yaten stood to leave, "Ill see you in the morning then." He said.
	"Um, Yaten?" Ashley said nervously, "I don't want to be alone right 
now.  Do you think you could stay with me?  At least until I fall asleep."
	Yaten thought about it for a moment, Seiya and Taiki would never let 
him hear the end of it.  He decided that he didn't care.  Pulling aside part 
of the blanket, Yaten moved closer to Ashley, he put his arm around her.  
"Is this okay?" he asked.
	"Umm hmm." She said as she  placed her head against his chest.  He 
leaned his cheek against the top of her head.  It was strange how normal it 
felt for him to do it.
	It wasn't long before they both fell into a peaceful dreamless sleep.

***

	They stepped off the plane terminal and headed toward the baggage 
claim, "So, this is America." Relena said.
	Heero looked at his blonde friend, "You've never been to the states?" 
he asked as he switched the package over to his other arm.
	Relena shook her head, "Nope, not once." She said as they reached the 
claim area and waited for their things to roll around.
	"Well well well, isn't this a surprise.  Long time no see Heero." 
Someone said behind them.  Heero and Relena turned to see Wufei Chang 
standing there.  "How have you two been?" he asked.
	Heero walked over and shook the hand of his comrade, "I've been fine.  
It's nice to see you again Wufei.  Last I heard, you were asigned to the 
office in China."
	The dark haired young man nodded, "I was, until I got that CODE 5 
message.  Now I'm here to meet our new leader, I can only hope her sense of 
justice is as strong as Duos was." He said.
	"I don't think he would have choosen her otherwise." And quiet voice 
said from a nearby bench.  The three turned to see a young man of about 
seventeen sitting there, he had brown hair that was long in the front and 
combed over to cover one of his eyes.
	"Trowa!" Relena said as she went to greet him, the last time she saw 
him was over two years ago.  The stoic young man accepted her friendly hug.  
Trowa then went over to shake hands with the other two members of his old 
team mates.
	"I've met Ashley, she may not be very powerful, but her sense of right 
and wrong is very strong." Trowa said.  "Come on, let's get your things, 
Catharine and Hilde are outside waiting with the van.  I've already got a 
base that we can use set up."
	"Do you know when Quatre is going to arrive?" Relena asked as she went 
back to Heeros side.
	Trowa shook his head, "He can't get here until the day before the 
funeral, there's a bit of trouble in Arabia that only Sandrock can handle so 
C.C. is gonna keep him there until it's resolved.  He said it shouldn't take 
much longer to take care of the problem." he said.
	"Did you speak with him?" Heero asked as he picked up a large case, 
the one that held his Wing armor suit.  Getting it through customs had been 
tricky, but he had been trained well to handle every problem that could 
arise.  Relena helped him put it on a baggage cart.
	"Yesterday morning, yes." Trowa replied as he helped Wufei with the 
case that held the Shen-long armor.  "He misses all of us."
	"Well it's been a while, AND, even though he'd never admit it aloud, 
Heero missed all of you guys as well." Relena said.
	Heero didn't say anything, he just finished getting his and Relenas 
things and placed them on the cart.  "Where's your van parked?" he asked.
	Trowa finished helping Wufei with his things, "Follow me." he said.
	The group made their way through the airport to the parking lot where 
they found Catharine and Hilde waiting patiently.  Relena, like a young 
school girl, went over and happily greeted her friends.  "Relena seams 
different than last I saw her." Wufei said.
	"Shock from Duos death, she's in the 'all lifes moments must be 
charished' stage.  She'll be back to normal a few days after the funeral." 
Heero said as he loaded their luggage into the van.  Once everything was put 
onboard, Heero and the other piled into the green van and started toward the 
base that Trowa had set up.  "Hilde, this is for you.  I found it in Duos 
locker, it's addressed to you in the event of his passing." Heero said, 
holding an envelope out to the purple haired young lady.
	"Thank you Heero." Hilde said as she took the envelope from him.  She 
opened the package, inside was a zip drive disk and a note with six words on 
it.  She read the note:

YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO HILDE.

	She blinked, what does that mean? she thought.  Hilde then looked at 
what was written on the disk,  D-HELL PLANS was written on it with black 
magic marker.  He can't be serious, she thought, but then again...
	"Trowa, what do you have on Ashley Brown?" Wufei asked.
	The wearer of the Heavyarms armor reached down and withdrew two 
minalla envelopes, he handed one to both Wufei and Heero.  "That's 
everything Duo had in his files on the Sailor Senshi here in the states.  He 
even went so far as to include their sexual orientations." Trowa said.
	"Thanks." Heero said as he began to read the file.

***

	In the morning, Ashley sat down and had breakfast with Yaten and his 
brothers.  Afterwards, Yaten walked her back home.  "You didn't have to walk 
me back you know." Ashley said.
	Yaten shrugged, "It'll keep me from having to deal with my brothers 
for a while." He said.
	"Hmm." Was all she said in response as they reached the entrance to 
her apartment.
	"Uhh, Ashley?" he said nervously.
	"Yes?" she responded.
	Yaten figited, hateing the nervous sensations going through him as he 
tried to figure out how to best ask her what he wanted to.  He decided to 
just say it straight out, "Would you like to go out with me tomorrow night?"
	"I'd love to." Ashley said without hesitation.
	"Okay, pick you up a seven?" he said.
	"Yeah, that'd be great." She replied.
	With that, Yaten bid her farwell and left the building.  Ashley then 
wondered what she had just goten herself into.  She looked down at her 
bruised body, she was healing rather fast, faster than she should, 
considering that she was only attacked just yesterday.  At this rate, I'll 
be healed completely by morning tomorrow, she thought as she opened the door 
and entered the apartment.  Inside she found Haruka and Michiru sharing a 
rather passionate kiss, Haruka hand was gently kneading Michirus breast 
through her clothes.  Jade was laying on the easychair, not noticeing or not 
caring about the rather amorous moment the two lovers were sharing.
	"Ahem!" Ashley said.
	Both girls jumped apart and struggled to compose themselves, "Uh, hi 
Ash, where have you been?" Haruka said,with a bright red blush on her cheek.
	Ashley slumped down on the couch, "Getting my butt kicked by some 
bitches at school." She said sourly.  She lifted her shirt to show the array 
of bruises on her body, along with the bandaged cuts.
	"Oh my gosh, Ashley are you okay?" Michiru asked as she moved to get a 
closer look at her cuts.
	"I'm fine, Yaten saved me and patched me up." Ashley responded.
	"Yaten?  That jerk from the rock band that every girl in the high 
school is drooling over?" Haruka asked.
	Ashley narrowed her eyes at Haruka, "Every girl but you, yeah, that's 
him.  He saved my life Haruka, so he can't be that bad." Ashley said.  Oh 
god, she thought, I just defended him, why me?
	"I suppose," Haruka agreed reluctantly, "but I though he'd be the last 
person you'd accept help from." She said.
	"Two months ago you would have been right, but now..." Ashley said as 
she felt another fit of tears threaten to break lose.
	"Whoa, take it easy.  He saved your life, okay, so he has one good 
point.  I'll have to thank him the next time I see him." Haruka said.
	Ashley got her emotions under control, "You can tell him tomorrow 
night when he comes by to pick me up.  We have a date." She said.
	"WHAT!?!?!?" Haruka bellowed.  Ashley was about to respond when there 
was a bright flash and Setsuna appeared, her staff in hand.
	"God Setsuna-chan, how many times have we asked you not to do that." 
Michiru said, blinking her eyes to try and clear the after image that flash 
had left behind.
	"Sorry." Setsuna said sheepishly, "I needed to look into a few things 
in the future." the Time Guardian said.
	"Anything we need to know about?" Ashley said, lowering her shirt 
after Michiru had finished examining the injuries.
	"You know I can't tell you of your own future." Setsuna said.
	"Oh, so it was MY future that you looked into." Ashley said with a 
smile.
	Setsuna didn't say anything in response, she just picked up Jade and 
headed to her room.
	"I hate it when she does that." Haruka said, she turned back to 
Ashley, "Now, whats this about a date?"
	The orange haired girl shrugged, "It's just as I said, he asked me out 
and I said yes.  So now I have a date with him." Ashley said, wondering what 
the big deal was.  "Look Haruka, he saved my life from those girls.  The 
least I can do is go out with him once."
	Haruka flopped down on a nearby chair, "I suppose so." She said, not 
like the fact that Ashley was going out on an official date.  "Just let me 
meet him be fore you go."
	"Fine, sure." Ashley said as she got up and headed toward the 
bathroom, "Now if you'll excuse me, I am dying for a shower." She said as 
she grabbed a towel and went inside.
	"Don't do it." Michiru said, her voice laced with steel.
	"Do what?" Haruka asked.
	"Ruin her date before it even starts." The aqua haired girl responded.
	"Now would I do something like that?" the blonde said.
	"You really want me to answer that?" Michiru said.
	Haruka didn't respond, instead she stood up and walked over to 
Michiru.  The blonde senshi picked up the love of her life and started for 
their room, "No, what I'd really like to do is pick up where we left of 
before Ash came home." She said.
	"DON'T CALL ME THAT!!!" Ashley bellowed from the bathroom.

***

	Wufei finished setting his armor into the chargeing stall that Trowa 
had built into the building, he had only been here a few hours, and already 
he could feel the evils that lurked in this city.  It will be a challenge to 
work here, he thought, the darkness in this city is intense, it is much 
worse than C.C. had indicated in the reports he'd read.  Speaking of 
reports, after they had all read the report on the Sailor Senshi here in 
America, it was decided that they all enroll in Ashleys high school to be 
able to work with her while she worked at building a life for herself.
	From what he'd read on them, Wufei knew that Haruka Ten'ou would be 
most difficult to get along with.  She did not trust any males very well, 
and even went as far as to pretend that she and Ashley were lovers in order 
to scare away any male that showed an interest in the young senshi.  He knew 
that he would be able to work with Sailor Uranus however, the report stated 
that she was extremly devoted to her mission to protect the people of the 
Earth.  Wufei began to calibrate the settings on his Beam-Glaive, "They all 
have a strong sense of integrity, I only hope that it will be enough to face 
whatever the future has in store for us.  Integrity alone does not win the 
war."

***

	Hilde stood in the Gundanium store room,  I can't believe I'm gonna do 
this, she thought as she began to gather enough of the alloy to build the 
thing that was on the disk that Duo had left her.  "It'll take me time to 
build it Duo.  But it will be flawless,  I only hope that I am truly worthy 
of the honor that you've given me." she said as she piled the lightweight 
alloy onto a cart.  When she was sure she had enough, Hilde headed for an 
unused workroom with in the base that Trowa had set up to begin her work.

***

	She sat in front of the mirror, running a brush through her long 
orange hair.  Yaten was going to arrive in a few minutes and she wanted to 
be ready.  Not because she was overly eager to go out with him, but to get 
him away from Haruka as fast as possible.  Knowing her, she was probably 
going to give him the thrid degree if not worse.
	"Ashley, you look fine.  Why don't you go out to the living room and 
relax until he gets here?" Jade said from her position on the bed.
	Ashley looked at the green fured cat, "I will if you tell me what 
Setsuna told you about my future." she said.
	Jade narrowed her eyes, "All she said was that the next five years of 
your life are going to be interesting, nothing more."
	"Hmm, why does she always have to be so cryptic?" Ashley asked.
	"Part of my nature." Setsuna said from the doorway.  She smiled as 
Ashley blushed, "Trust me, you don't want me to ruin the surprises that are 
in store for you."
	"Yes I do." Ashley said in an overly cheerful voice, "Tell me, 
pwease." She said in a childish tone.
	Setsuna shook her head, "You know that I can't tell you." she said 
almost apologetically.
	The orange haired senshi made a mock pout face, then smiled, "Well in 
that case, can I ask something else of you?" she asked.
	"Name it."
	"Don't let Haruka ruin my date tonight, knock her out, tie her up, I 
don't care just keep her from following us." Ashley said.
	"Already taken care of." Setsuna said with a preditory grin.
	Ashley smiled and applied a bit of make-up to her face.
	"So Ashley, do you think you will come to be in love with this young 
man?" Jade asked.
	"Jade!" Setsuna exclaimed.
	"What?  I though the purpose of dateing was to find the one you will 
be in love with." Jade said.
	"It is.  And I think I am." Ashley said.
	Setsuna looked at the girl, "Really, are you sure it's not just a 
crush?" she asked.
	"I don't get it Setsuna, a few weeks ago I could care less about him, 
but now, I can't get him out of my mind." Ashley said.  "That look in his 
eyes, he's the only person whose eyes I could ever read.  When I look at him 
now, it's like looking at a part of myself that I've only now just found.  
If that makes any sense."
	Jade began to laugh, "Maybe thats why you couldn't stand him at first, 
because you two are so much alike, in a relationship like that you naturally 
push each others buttons." She said.
	Setsuna nodded in agreement, "Come on, lets go wait for him in the 
living room."

***

	The limo pulled up along side the entrance to the bulding, Yaten 
stepped out and told the driver to wait a few minutes for him and his date 
to return.  He walked up to the main doorway and pressed the switch that 
coresponded to Ashleys apartment number.
	"Who is it?" a womans voice came through the intercom.
	"Yaten Kou ma'am, I'm here to pick up Ashley." He managed to say 
without stuttering, he didn't know why he was so nervous.  Maybe because 
this is your first date EVER!  A voice in his mind said.  "Could be." Yaten 
agreed as the main door buzzed and he was allowed inside.  Yaten was wearing 
a gray T-shirt and blue jeans, he hoped that he wouldn't be recognized.  It 
was times like this that got on his nerves, when he couldn't even go out 
anywhere without wearing something that would help him blend in and go 
unnoticed.  Their whole mission on Earth depended on himself and his 
brothers standing out, so they could attract the princess to them.
	Yaten waited patiently for the elevator to get to him, when it arrived 
he stepped in side and pressed the 17 key, the doors closed in front of him 
and the elevator began to asend.  The trip up was a shrot one and Yaten soon 
found himself on the 17th floor.  He made his way through the hallway to her 
apartment door.  Taking a deep breath, he knocked three times.  The door 
opened and a young woman with close cut blonde hair stood their, she had 
gray green eyes that had a toughened look in them.  She was wearing cut off 
jeans and a black tanktop.  Haruka.
	"Come in Yaten, we've been waiting for you." she said, there was an 
icy undercurrent in her voice that told Yaten that this part of his date 
wasn't going to be pleasant at all.  Steeling his nerves, Yaten followed 
Haruka inside.  Nice place, that was the first thought that came to his mind 
as he surveyed the apartment.  He noticed Ashley sitting on the couch, the 
sight of her caused his heart to skip a beat, her hair was flowing losely 
down her back, she was dressed almost like he was, blue jeans and a T-shirt, 
only her shirt was an aqua color that went well with her gray eyes.  She 
stood up and walked over to him, she smiled.
	"Yaten Kou, I'd like to introduce you to Setsuna Meiou, my guardian, 
but I think of her as my mother." Ashley said, and Setsuna couldn't hide how 
moved she was at her admition, Ashley turned to the other two girls in the 
apartment.  "This is Haruka Ten'ou and Michiru Kaiou, they're both like big 
sisters to me." she said, gestureing to each of them in turn.  "Everyone, 
this is Yaten Kou."
	"We've met before." Haruka said evenly.  Yaten winced at the memory of 
the chance meeting, he still had a scar from that incounter.  Haruka walked 
up to him, "Though we have never been properly introduced." she said as she 
held out her hand.  Yaten took her hand and she squeezed it firmly, so 
firmly in fact that for a moment Yaten thought she was trying to break it.
	"Nice grip." Yaten said through clenched teeth.
	"I was hoping you'd notice." Haruka said as she pulled him close 
enough to whisper in his ear.  "Listen, I agreed to let her go out with you 
because she's been bugging me to let her find out what being with a guy is 
like.  But don't forget that she's MINE, and if you so much as touch her 
with anything but the most honorable intentions...  I'll rip out your liver 
and feed it to the cat." She said in an ominous tone.  Yaten gulped and 
nodded.
	"You have my word ma'am." He whispered back.  Haruka let him go.
	"Oh, I almost forgot," Ashley said as she picked up a green cat from 
the floor, it had green fur and a cresent mark on its forehead, "this is 
Jade, my kitty." She said.  "Jade, say hello to Yaten."
	"Meow." Jade went.
	Ashley set her back on the floor and the cat went over to Yaten and 
rubbed her flank against his calf.  An action that Yaten noticed many of 
this piticular Earth species did.
	"Well, we had better get going." Yaten said, "The movie starts in half 
an hour."
	"Have a good time you two." Setsuna said with a smile.
	"Not TOO good." Haruka said in a tone just above a whisper.  She 
winced as Michiru elbowed her in the ribs.
	"Hush." The aqua haired senshi said.
	After that, the couple left the apartment and headed for the elevator, 
"Well, that could have been worse, Haruka must be in a good mood today." 
Ashley said as they stepped into the evevator, the doors closed behind them.  
"So, which line did she try on you?  The 'she's my bi-sexual lover' or the 
"she's curious about guys' bit?" she asked.
	"I take it she is a bit over protective of you?" Yaten said as he hit 
the ground floor button.  The elevator began to desend.
	"Yup, it's because of that that this is my first date, any other guy 
who has ever shown interest in me has been scared away by her." Ashley 
sighed, "I'm amazed that she's letting this date even happen."
	"Hmm." Was all Yaten could say.
	"What movie are we going to see?" Ashley asked.
	"None really, I just needed an excuse to get us out of there." Yaten 
said.
	"Smart boy." She commented him.  They soon reached the bottom floor, 
the two left the elevator and went to where the limo was waiting.

***

	She watched the limo as it departed, Okay, she thought as she put her 
shoes on and prepared to follow them.
	"And WHERE do you think YOU'RE going?" Michiru asked as she was at the 
door.
	"To keep an eye on them, what else." Haruka replied as she reached for 
her carkeys, Michiru grabbed her wrist and stopped her.  "Hon, what are you 
doing?" she asked with a faint edge to her voice.
	"Preventing you from ruining Ashleys date." Michiru said simply, "What 
ever it takes Haruka, you're not leaveing this apartment until she gets 
back." She said narrowing her eyes.  "Make it easy on yourself and don't 
resist."
	"Ahh, no." Haruka said as she grabbed the keys and prepared to dash 
out the door.
	"I was afraid you'd say that." Michiru said as she wrapped her arms 
around Haruka, pinning her.  Haruka struggled a bit, "Okay Setsuna, I've got 
her, hurry!  This is for your own good love, sorry." Michiru said as the 
blonde struggled a bit more.
	"What are you gonna do?" Haruka asked.  She soon got an answer.  
Setsuna walked in front of her with a roll of duct tape.  She grabbed the 
edge and pulled up a few inches of it.

***

	Yaten and Ashley sat in separate seats at the arcade racing game.  
This was one of her favorite places to come to, the sounds of all the 
different games playing at once had a relaxing effect on her.  At the 
moment, she and Yaten were racing each other in a two player race car game, 
and she was leaveing him in her dust.
	"Jeez, where'd you learn to drive like that?" Yaten said as the screen 
went dark and a Game Over sign came into view.
	"Haruka." Ashley said simply.
	"I should have guessed." Yaten said.  He turned his eyes to the small 
crowd of girls that were stealing glances at them every chance they could.  
The down side to being an Idol, is you can't get even the smallest privacy 
in a public place, he thought.  "Would you like to get somthing to eat 
Ashley?" he asked.
	"Yeah sure, but can we go somewhere that your little fan club isn't?" 
she responded.
	"My thoughts exactly." Said Yaten.
	They left the malls arcade and headed for the parking lot, they made 
their way to where the limo was waiting and climbed inside.  "Where'd you 
like to go to eat?" he asked her.
	"Hmm, I'm kinda in the mood for some seafood." Ashley said as she 
straightened out her orange hair.  Yaten told the driver to take them to the 
nearest Red Lobster.  The limo started up and left the mall parking lot.  
Yaten went over to a small refrigerator and withdrew a can of Sprite.
	"Would you like anything?" he offered Ashley.
	"A Sprite would be fine, thanks." she said.  He reached in and 
withdrew another can and handed it ot her.  Their date so far had been the 
most fun Ashley had had in the last two months, Yaten had taken her shopping 
in the mall and treated her two fifty bucks at the arcade.  She used half of 
that to kick his butt at various fighting games, the rest was used to play a 
number of rounds at the claw machine.  Ashley won six of the prizes while 
Yaten couldn't win one to save his life.  She didn't buy much during the 
little shopping spree he'd given her.  A pair of shoes and a new sweater was 
all she got.  Ashley was a very non-materialistic type girl.  The rest of 
the time she spent talking and laughing with Yaten, she found that she 
enjoyed his company a great deal, it was almost as if he was a part of her.  
When she had trouble thinking of what to say, he would finish the sentence 
for her and vice versa.  You can't doubt it anymore girl, you're in love 
with him, a voice said in the back of her mind.  She absently sipped at her 
soda, looking into his green eyes, Ashley felt as if time had slowed down.  
She read the emotions in his eyes, he to was sorting through a number of 
them, trying to pin down what he felt for her.
	She wanted to help him in that endeavor.  Ashley remembered Yaten 
saying that one of the best ways for him to think things through was when he 
was sparing with someone or just practicing martial arts.  "You know, forget 
diner, let's just go to the park, I still owe you a rematch, remember?" 
Ashley said as they went past a park.
	"You read my mind." Yatensaid as he told the driver to take them into 
the park instead.  Ashley could see the driver mutter something under his 
breath as he maneuvered the limo into the park area.

***

	Yaten walked through the park at sunset with Ashley, his mind raceing 
as he tried to figure out if Ashley felt the same way for him as he did for 
her.  He hoped that she did, no girl he'd ever met had made him feel this 
way, he was nervous, giddy, and excited all at the same time.  After he had 
dropped her off at her home the other day, he couldn't stop thinking about 
her.  About her gray eyes, and how they went strangly well with her orange 
hair.
	Ashley interrupted his thoughts, "Well, you want a free shot, just to 
give you a bit more of a chance against me?" she said.
	Yaten walked to stand a couple of feet from her, "Nah, I think it's me 
who should offer you the free shot." He said.
	"Some one has a short memory." She said as she bowed.
	"Oh I remember." He said as he returned the bow and went into a 
fighting stance.
	They began their duel, both of them pulled their punches and kicks.  
Neither one wanting to hurt the other, this was for sport, not to settle a 
score.  As they fought they both realized that they were equally matched as 
neither of them could solidly land a single attack.  During the duel, 
neither combatant ever took their eyes away from the other fighters eyes.  
They soon fell into a rhythm, Yaten would through a punch, and Ashley would 
block it with ease.  The she would try a kick and he would block without any 
effort.  For a moment, Ashley was forced to turn her eyes away to properly 
block an attack.  When she looked back into Yatens eyes, she saw a 
reflection of her own emotions, he loved her, and he hoped for her to feel 
the same way about him.  The two became locked in an intense gaze, as they 
did so, each could clearly see the others core, in an instant, Yaten and 
Ashley knew practically everything about one another.  (Though the main 
secret that each of them held was still closed off.)  Neither if them was 
embarrassed, quite the oppisite, they both realized how liberateing such a 
connection was, and how much they had both longed for such a relationship.  
They ceased their little sparing match and came close to one another, their 
eyes still locked on each others.  Ashley saw a well of love and compassion 
in Yatens eyes, while Yaten saw a fire in Ashleys eyes that matched his own.
	Yaten reached out and traced his fingers along Ashleys jawline, his 
touch sending a tingling sensation through her entire body.  She closed her 
eyes and sighed as she leaned into his touch.  He stepped closer to her, 
close enough that she could smell the light layer of sweat on his body, 
Yaten touched his forehead to hers, and for a moment, all the pain Ashley 
had ever felt in her life vanished as if it had never existed.  Yaten felt 
all of his uncertainties dissapear as his forehead met hers, he closed his 
eyes and focused on what he was feeling, everything was so clear at that 
moment, he knew everything he could ever want out of life was standing right 
before him.
	"Kiss me." Ashley whispered so lightly that Yaten wondered if he'd 
actually heard her say it.  One way to find out, he thought as he brought 
his lips to meet hers.  He kissed her full on the lips, his heart beginning 
to speed up as he did so.
	Ashleys heart was soaring the moment his lips met hers.  It all felt 
so right to her, the touch of his hand, the kiss of his lips, everything.  
In that instant, Ashley knew that Yaten Kou was the person she was destined 
for.  She deepened the kiss, sliding her tongue between his lips to meet 
with his, he accepted her motion willingly and kissed back with equal 
passion.  They stayed like that for seven minutes before they were forced to 
come up for air.
	"I love you." they both said in unison, then they kissed again.

***

LATER THAT NIGHT

	Ashley stood outside the door to her apartment with Yaten, she was 
hugging him as if she would never let go.  Finally, she pulled away, "Thank 
you for a wonderful evening Yaten." She said with a smile.
	"You're very welcome Ashley." Yaten said, returning her smile.
	"Um Yaten, what are you and your brothers doing on the thirtyth?" 
Ashley asked.
	The silver haired young man thought for a moment, "Nothing, why?" he 
said.
	"Do you think the three of you could play at Duos funeral reception?  
There's something I want to do, but no funeral band will do for the type of 
music I need." Ashley said as she opened the door.
	"What do you mean?" he asked as they stepped inside, no one was in the 
room at the moment.
	"Wait here." Ashley said as she went to her room.  Along the way she 
passed Haruka and Michirus room, the door was open.  Peaking inside, Ashley 
saw Haruka lying on the bed and tied up with duct tape, Michiru sat beside 
her trying to keep her calm.  "Do I wanna ask?" Ashley said quietly.
	"No." Michiru said just as quietly.
	"I thought as much." the orange haired girl said as she continued to 
her room.  She went inside and quickly found what she was looking for.  She 
made it when she was still in the orphanage, it was the only thing that gave 
her hope whenever she read it.  It had never been sung before, and the music 
never played, but she intended to change that at Duos funeral.  He had 
always said that she should sing it at a school talent show, but she never 
had the courage to do so.  She brought the sheets back to Yaten and handed 
them to him.
	"Do you thing the three of you could play this?" she asked him.
	Yaten looked over the sheet music notes, they were seperated by 
instrument.  I'll have a time playing this, he thought as he noticed that 
the keyboard played the biggest role in the piece.  He looked to the title, 
'Say Yes'.  "I don't think it'll be a problem." he said as he looked to 
Ashley.  "Let me run it by my brothers.  If you'll give me your number, then 
I'll call you with an answer." He said.
	"Oh thank you." Ashley said as she picked up a pen and paper from a 
stand next to the couch.  She quickly wrote down her number and handed it to 
Yaten.  "Here, and call me anytime." She said as she kissed him on the 
cheek.
	"I will." he said.  Yaten then shrugged his shoulders, "Well, I guess 
this is good night."
	"Yup." Ashley said as she grabbed his head and kissed him thoroughly, 
"Good night Yaten." She said when she pulled away, a twinkle in her eye.
	"This is going to be an interesting relationship." Yaten said.  He 
then gave her one last hug before he left, Ashley now felt incomplete as he 
entered the elevator and left her line of sight.

***

DUOS FUNERAL

	The people were gathered in a medium sized room.  At one end of the 
room there was a table that was decorated with flowers and a picture of Duo.  
Ashley sat with Yaten, her head leaning against his shoulder, his presence 
here with her helped dampen the pain a great deal.  Haruka and Michiru sat 
behind them quietly, Haruka scowled at the back of Yatens head.  If it 
wasn't for the fact that she didn't want to cause a scene, she would have 
kicked his butt then and there.  Ashley surveyed the other guests, a few 
students from the high school were here, a pair of adults were sitting 
together, not talking at all.  Duos parents, Ashley guessed.  Behind them 
sat a group of seven people, four male, three female.  All of them looked to 
be in their late teens.  One, a young Japanese man with brown hair and blue 
eyes was sitting with a European girl with caramel blonde hair and eyes the 
same shade of blue as the young mans.  Ashley knew this guy was a man, not a 
boy, he had an intenseity in his eyes that showed wisdom far beyond his 
physical years.
	Looking to the rest of the group, Ashley saw a young girl with indigo 
eyes and hair sitting with an Arabian boy with gold blonde hair and babyblue 
eyes.  A young Chinese boy sat alone, he was wearing old style Chinese 
clothes, like the kind seen in many Kung Fu movies.  He had straight black 
hair that came to the base of his neck and was tied in a tight ponytail 
behind his head.  Ashley couldn't see his eye color because he had them 
closed.  Two seat next to him were a pair of people sitting with one 
another, the frist one, a young man of about 17 Ashley guessed, with brown 
hair that was long in the front and combed to cover one of his green eyes 
was with a girl of about the same age who had light brown hair and icy blue 
eyes.  Though these people were sitting seperatly, Ashley could somehow tell 
these people were a tight group.  She looked back to the priest and listened 
as he finished his sermon.

***

	At the reception, Setsuna stood alone while some people danced, Duos 
will had stated "Hey, I may be dead, but if ANY of you spend this day in the 
dumps, then I swear that I'll haunt you forever."  When that part was read, 
there was a round of chuckles from everyone gathered.  She watched as Ashley 
and Yaten swayed to the music on the dance floor, Ashley had her head 
leaning on his shoulder.  Not to far away, Setsuna saw Haruka and Michiru 
also dancing, the blonde was glaring daggers at the silver haired young man.  
The dakr green haired senshi leaned back against the wall and sighed, 
wishing that she had someone to be with.
	"May I have this dance?" some one asked her.
	Setsuna looked to the speaker, it was one of the young men who were 
sitting in the back while the sermon was going on.  He had brown hair and 
absorbing green eyes, she saw something in his eyes, something familiar, but 
she couldn't identify it right off.  He looked to be about seventeen, maybe 
eightteen.  "And I don't even know your name." Setsuna said with a smile.
	He didn't smile back, and she got the impression that this young man 
hadn't truly smiled in years, "I don't have a name, but if you must call me 
something, then call me Trowa Barton." He said holding out his hand, "Now, 
would you care to dance?"
	"Setsuna Meiou," she said, accepting his hand, "and I'd love to."
	The two then walked out onto the dance floor, Trowa placed his hand on 
Setsunas waist and put her hand on his shoulder, they locked their other 
hands together at their sides and began to move with the music.  Setsuna 
could feel that this young man had a very strong aura to him, something some 
one so young shouldn't have.  She looked deeply into his green eyes, and 
became lost in what she saw there.  Lonliness, a lonliness that mirrored her 
own.

***

	Relena and Heero sat together at one of the diner tables, enjoying the 
food that was being catered to the reception.  Central Control sure goes all 
out when one of their own dies, she thought as she ate some of the grilled 
salmon that was at the buffet.  Heero ate in silence, he hadn't said a word 
all day.  "So, when are you going to deliver that package to her?" she 
asked, patting a bulge in his coat.  He hadn't let that small bundle out of 
his sight of an instant since he had gotten it from Duos locker.
	"Later tonight." He said quietly.
	"Heero, are you alright?  You've been quieter than usual today." 
Relena said.
	"I have a lot on my mind, these Sailor Starlights have me worried.  I 
don't like unknown factors in my mission.  C.C. has almost nothing on them, 
they have less on them than they do on your brother." Heero said, his 
forehead creasing in thought.
	Relena lowered her head at the mention of her brother, the time she'd 
spent with him could be measured in hours.  He too, was a wearer of one of 
the strange high-tech, but ancient armors, the Tallgeese.  The other G-Unit 
members had been forced to fight him on several occasions, none of them knew 
what his agenda was.  Sure, he had helped them a few times, but after the 
enemy was beaten, he'd turn and challenge them all over again.  She looked 
over at the senshi, Relena was looking forward to meeting them, but it was 
decided to wait until they had settled things down and taken care of the 
proper cover stories before they approached them.  She looked forward to 
speaking with Ashley the most, so she could learn of what Duo had been since 
the two years she last saw him.  She hoped to be able to make friends with 
all of them, being on the run with Heero, she hadn't had much time for other 
female friendships aside from Hilde and Catharine.

***

	"Are you sure you want to do this?" Yaten asked.  He and his brothers 
had agreed to play at the reception, they had used the time between Yatens 
date and today to practice the music that Ashley had given them.  Seiya had 
said that it was one of the most moving songs he'd ever read.
	Ashley nodded as she stepped up onto the small stage where they had 
set up their instruments, "Yeah, I'm sure." She said.  She then grabbed the 
mic and tapped it a couple of times to get every ones attention, when she 
had it she said, "Duo was my best friend, and he was also the only one with 
whom I had shared my secret of singing with.  After he heard me, he told me 
that I should share my talent with others, but I was afraid.  He told me 
that I shouldn't be and that I could do anything if I really wanted it."  
She gestured to The Three Lights, "Well now I want to share the one song 
I've ever written with all of you, his friends and loved ones, it's called 
Say Yes, and it's about how nothing, nto even death can take away what he's 
given to all of us."
	Yaten began to play the keyboard, it was a soft buy slightly fast 
melody, Taiki played the drums where necessary, as did Seiya with his 
guitar.  When it was time, Ashley began to sing the song she had put so much 
of her time and emotion into writting

"LIKE THE WIND, YOU HAVE COME AND GONE
THIS BROKEN HEART, WILL SOMEHOW CARRY ON
NOT EVEN DEATH COULD TAKE, YOUR LIGHT AWAY."

She kept her voice even with what the song called for, she would not alow 
herself to make a single mistake.

"I STILL RECALL, THE WORDS YOU'VE SAID TO ME
I'LL BE STRONG, WON'T GIVE UP EASILY
BUT THEY'RE JUST WHISPERS ON THE RISING WIND."

"THOUGH I KEEP RUNNING
I ALWAYS FEEL THE WORLD IS FALLING DOWN AROUND ME."
STILL I KEEP RUNNING
WITH EVERY STEP I CAN HEAR YOU CALLING
KEEP ON RUNNING TILL THE STORM IS GONE FOREVER."

"SAY YES!
THE FIRE IS SO MUCH HOTTER THAT YESTERDAY
I'LL KEEP IT RUNNING."

"SAY YES!
HELPLESSLY I'VE KNOWN THE PAIN WHEN I WAS LOST AND LONELY."

"SAY YES!
THERE'S GOT TO BE A SIGN THAT I CAN STAY ON MY WAY."

"HEAR ME SAY
I CAN BE!
I CAN DO!
I CAN SING!
I CAN LIVE!"

"THERE'S A LIGHT
THAT'S SHINNING THROUGH THE PAIN
AND IT CUTS
RIGHT THROUGH THE DRYING RAIN
YOUR WARMTH COMES AND SPLITS
THE DARKNESS."

"AND THIS PLIGHT
WILL NOT CAPTURE ME
'CAUSE YOUR DREAMS
HAVE FINALLY SET ME FREE
I'LL HOLD THEM IN MY HEART
FOREVER."

"WHEN I LOOK UP NOW
IT'S HARD TO SEE THROUGH ALL THE TEARS THAT I'VE BEEN CRYING.
STILL I LOOK UP NOW
KNOWING THAT YOUR LOVE IS WAITING
FOR ME.
STARS UP IN THE NIGHT BRING HOPE TO NEW TOMORROWS."

"SAY YES!
THE FIRE'S BURNING HOTTER THAN YESTERDAY
I'LL KEEP IT RUNNING."

"SAY YES!
HELPLESSLY I'VE KNOWN THE PAIN WHEN I WAS LOST AND LONELY."

"SAY YES!
THERE'S GOT TO BE A SIGN THAT I CAN STAY ON MY WAY."

"HEAR ME SAY
YOU CAN BE!
YOU CAN DO!
YOU CAN SING!
YOU CAN LIVE!"

The Lights went into a music solo that was Seiyas favorite part, it was so 
full of emotion that it didn't need words to go with it.  Ashley let the 
music wash over her and clear away any doubts in her life, she could see the 
path she must take, it wouldn't be easy, but she was strong, she could 
endure, because she had her friends.  Friends that would never let her down 
or leave her, and she now had Yaten, a person she could share herself with, 
someone who truly understood her.  As the music solo came to an end, Ashley 
poured all of her heart and soul into the last verse, this was more than 
just a song now, it was her way of saying good bye to her best friend.

"SAY YES!!!
THE FIRE'S BURNING SO MUCH HOTTER THAN YESTERDAY
I'LL KEEP IT RUNNING."

"SAY YES!!!
HELPLESSLY I'VE KNOWN THE PAIN WHEN I WAS LOST AND LONELY."

"SAY YES!!!
THERE'S GOT TO BE A SIGN THAT I CAN STAY ON MY WAY."

"HEAR ME SAY
I CAN BE!!!
I CAN DO!!!
I CAN SING!!!
I CAN LIVE!!!"

"HEAR ME SAY
YOU CAN BE!!!
YOU CAN DO!!!
YOU CAN SING!!!
YOU CAN LIVE!!!"

"HEAR ME SAY 
I CAN BE!!!
I CAN DO!!!
I CAN SING!!!
I CAN LIVE!!!"

	As the music faded away, Ashley felt as if a great weight had been 
lifted from her, it was the guilt that she had carried sice he died.  A 
guilt that she never needed to carry in the first place, Duos death wasn't 
her fault.  In fact, by sacrificing his life, he had saved her life and the 
lives of everyone in the city.  She realized that now, and she was proud of 
him and how noble he truly was.  She would miss him, but she knew his spirit 
would watch over her and protect her.  Good bye, Duo, she thought.
 a voice said in her mind.  She smiled, 
she felt much better without the weight of guilt on her back.  An applause 
came up from the gathered guests, along with a few cheers from Haruka and a 
purple haired young lady in the back.

***

	Later that evening, Ashley and the other senshi returned to their 
apartment.  Haruka and Michiru retired to the room that they shared.  
Setsuna sat quietly at a sewing machine, making a dress that she had 
designed.  Ashley herself plopped herself in front of the television, Yaten 
and his brothers had to go out of town for a few days right after the 
reception.  He promised to be back as soon as possible, she hoped so.  It 
hadn't been one day and already she missed him terribly.  Jade hopped up on 
the couch and Ashley began to pet the cat idlely.
	"Haruka told me about your little performance, why didn't you ever 
tell us that you liked to sing?" Jade said.
	"You never asked." Ashley responded.  There was a knock at the door.  
"I'll get it." Ashley said.  She walked over to the door, wondering who it 
could be, they didn't know many people in the building and no one had buzzed 
the intercom asking to be let in.  She looked through the peep hole, outside 
was a young man who looked about fifteen, he had dark blue eyes and short 
brown hair.  Ashley recognized him from the funeral, he was one of the 
people with the group sitting in the back.  She unlocked and opened the 
door, "Can we help you?" she asked.
	The young man looked at her, "Ashley Brown?" he asked.  Ashley nodded, 
he reached into his light jacket and with drew a small item that was bound 
in cloth and tied shut with string.  On it there was a small card with her 
name on it, "Duo wanted you to get this in the event of his death." He said 
as he handed it to her.  He then turned to leave.
	"Wait!" Ashley said, stepping out of the apartment to follow him, "You 
knew Duo?" she asked.
	"We've worked together." he responded, still walking toward the 
elevator.
	"Hang on," Ashley said as he stepped into the lift, she ran over and 
stopped the doors from closeing, "At least tell me your name."
	He looked at her, "My name is Heero Yuy, and I'm sure we'll meet 
again." He said as he moved her hand, "But at the moment, there's somewhere 
else I need to be."  The elevator doors closed before Ashley could say 
anything else.  She took another look at the package he'd given to her, she 
unwrapped it, inside was a video tape and a small item that looked like a 
car alarm remote.  The tape was marked WATCH ME WITH SETSUNA AND THE OTHERS.  
Ashley blinked, what are you up to Duo? she thought.
	The orange haired senshi walked back into the apartment and called the 
others.  Michiru and Haruka came into the living room looking as if they had 
gotten dressed in a hurry, Ashley rolled her eyes and put the tape in the 
player and hit the 'play' button.
	There was a few seconds of static, but it soon cleared to show an 
image of Duo sitting behind an expensive looking desk.  "Hey guys, if this 
is being played then it can only mean that I have died.  I can only hope 
that I went out with honor.  Anyway, there are a few things that all of you 
should know about me.  First of all, I am the armored guy called Deathscythe 
that has been helping you from time to time." Duo said.
	"Yeah we know." Haruka said.
	"Hush!" Michiru said harshly.
	The recording continued, "Ashley, another thing I want to tell you is 
how I've felt about you since the day we met, I love you.  I know that you 
only think of me as a friend, but that's how I feel towards you.  It's a 
little unprofessional, given my occupation.  You see, I'm an agent working 
for Central Control, and I've known who all of you are for quite some time.  
My asignment was to keep an eye on all of you and to help you where I saw it 
fit to do so.  An associate of mine has been the one who has been giving you 
information on the evils in the city from time to time."  The image of Duo 
sighed, "I know this is a lot to take in at once, but I have to tell you.  
There are many things you need to know, hmm, I've said that already haven't 
I?  Oh well, here's another kicker, I'm not the only one with the G-unit 
armor, that what Deathscythe is.  There are five others around the world, 
for a time, four of them worked with me, we were a formidable team.  We'd 
fought many battles together, and never once came close to loseing.  Their 
names are Wing, Shen-Long, but he prefers that you call him Nataku, after 
the ancient Chinese warrior, Sandrock, and Heavyarms.  Also, if this is 
being watched, then Ashley, you've already met the wearer of the Wing Armor, 
his name is Heero Yuy, he was part of a ninja clan in Japan, he found his 
suit in a cave from what he told me.  He and the other members of G-Unit, 
that's what C.C. called us, should be here in America by the time you get 
this.  They are now under your command, Sailor Earth."  Duo smiled, "I told 
you I knew who you guys were so don't look so shocked."
	It took a moment for Ashley to realize that there was a shocked look 
on her face, and on the faces of everyone else.  The recording went on, 
"This," Duo said, holding up the same device that was in the package with 
the tape, "is a way for you to call the other members of G-Unit whenever you 
need them, blue means you need to talk with one of them, just press it and 
say the name of which one you need to speak with, it will conect you with 
their corresponding wristcoms.  Green, means you need to meet with all of 
them, but outside of their armor.  Red, well, you can probably guess, but it 
means emergancy, and will call all of them to you in full armor.  The names 
of the other pilots, that's the best way to refer to us, are Heero Yuy, 
Quatre Raberba Winner, Wufei Chang, and Trowa Barton."
	Setsunas eyes went wide and Ashley paused the tape, "What is it?" she 
asked.
	"I've already met Trowa, but let's talk about it later, please 
continue the tape." Setsuna said.  Ashley resumed the tape.
	"All of them are very competent and VERY loyal." Duo said, "They all 
have a strong sense of right and wrong, especially Heero and Wufei."  Duo 
slapped his hands down on the desk, "Well, now that that's out of the way, 
there something very important that you must know.  Ashley, you have a 
brother, his name is Mamoru Chiba, back in The Silver Milllenium he was 
called Endymion, and up until a month ago, he was living in Tokyo, Japan.  
But that was before he was kidnapped by Queen Beryl, all my information 
shows that he has been brainwashed by Beryl, much like the four generals 
were back in The Silver Millenium.  Sailor Moon and the other senshi living 
in Japan are doing what they can to get him back."
	Ashley paused the tape and looked at Setsuna with a gaze that could 
have condensed liquid nitrogen, "You knew, didn't you!?" she said just as 
cold as her gaze, Haruka and Michiru scooched away from her.  "That guy I 
fought with at the warehouse, he was my brother, and you knew it!?"
	"Yes." Setsuna said quietly.
	"AND YOU DIDN'T THINK IT PRUDENT TO TELL ME!?!?!?" Ashley bellowed, 
her face turning red with pure rage.  She had family, real living family, 
and she had almost killed him.
	"I didn't know how you would react, we were in the middle of a battle 
and I couldn't aford to distract you." Setsuna said, tears falling down her 
eyes, "I wanted to tell you, but I knew you would have wanted to go to Tokyo 
at the moment I did, and if you did, then you would have died.  I saw in the 
future that if you ever went to Tokyo, you'd die."
	"I still had a right to know." Ashley said as she started the tape 
again.
	"But I don't know how they will be able to do it." Duo said, he 
sighed, "Haruka, I have something to tell you as well, you're not fooling 
anyone with that stupid act of yours, everyone in school knows you're hot 
for Michiru.  So stop pretending otherwise, and you never fooled me for a 
second with your pertending to be Ashleys lover bit."  Haruka rolled her 
eyes.  "Don't roll your eyes at me." Duo said, Harukas jaw dropped, "Close 
your mouth, it's rude to let it gape like that." The recording went, Michiru 
began to giggle, Haruka stomped her foot and turned her back to the screen.  
"And don't turn your back on me either." Duo went.
	"Stop that!" the blonde yelled at the image of Duo.
	"No." Duo said.  Haruka let out a frustrated scream and went to her 
room before she smashed the screen, "Touchy, isn't she?" Duo said, his eyes 
looking back to them as if he had watched her storm away and was now turning 
back to them.  Michiru burst into laughter, Setsuna and Ashley joined her.  
"Well, I guess this is good bye, it's been an honor working with all of you.  
Michiru, take good care of Haruka, you're the only one who can keep her 
temper in check.  Setsuna, Ashley will reach her proper level in due time, 
so stop holding back so much in battle, your skills will prevent a lot of 
unneeded injuries with the lot of you.  And Ashley, I'm sorry for not 
telling you the truth about me, but I didn't for the same reasons you didn't 
tell me about your alter ego.  I love you, and I always will, good bye." Duo 
said, then the screen went black, than static replaced the blackness.
	"Good bye, Duo." Ashley said.  She then turned to look at Setsuna, her 
gaze had warmed slightly, it now cold only freeze fire, "You said that you 
met Barton?" She asked.
	Setsuna nodded, "He asked me to dance at the reception, he was very 
stoic." She said, and Asley caught the glimmer of emotion in her usually 
unreadable eyes.
	"You like him." It was a statement and not a question.
	"I saw something familiar in his eyes, that's all." Setsuna said 
defensively.
	Ashley decided not to persue the matter any farther, she looked and 
the small device in her hand.  "Michiru," she said in a conversational tone, 
"pick a pilot you'd like to talk to."
	Michiru blinked, "Uh, Quatre?" she said.
	Ashley depressed the blue button and said his name into it, there was 
a soft beep, and a gentle voice came through, "This is Quatre, what is it 
guys?"
	"Hello Quatre, this is Ashley Brown.  How are you this evening?" 
Ashley said into the device.
	"I'm just fine Ms. Brown, how did you get this frequency?" he asked.
	"Duo left me a little gizmo that gives me access to it." Ashley said 
simply.
	"That sounds like something he'd do.  Is there anything you need at 
the moment, I'm rather busy settleing in.  I just arrived here this 
morning." Quatre said.
	"No, I was really just seeing if this thing really worked." She said.
	"Ah, I see, well, I look forward to meeting you all.  I just hope 
we're not fighting for our lives at the time.  Good night." Quatre said.  
There was another beep as he closed the comline down.
	"Well, THAT was informative." Michiru said.
	"I guess we'll just have to wait until we can meet them in person." 
Ashley said.
	"I guess so." Setsuna agreed.

~END~



EPILOGE


	Sailor Earth ducked beneath the youmas attack  and smashed it in the 
face with the heel of her boot.  The creature howled in pain and staggered 
back, dazed.  She put her hands out to her sides, intending to use her 
powers to finish the thing off.  Though she'd never say it aloud, she was 
glad to have a real fighting power now, and a strong one too.  She didn't 
even have to call the others for help in dealing with this youma.  Something 
grabbed her from behind and lifted her into the air.
	"Let go!" she demanded.
	"Not until I have absorbed all of your like energy girl." A second 
youma said.  she didn't know there were two of them, she screamed as it 
began to drain her life force, "Scream all you like girl, it will do you no 
good."
	Earth now wished she had called the others, now she knew she was a 
goner, regrets flooded into her mind, not being able to say good bye to 
Setsuna and the others, not being in Yatens arms one last time.  She 
suddenly kicked wildly, determined not to die here, and not by the hands of 
a lowly youma.
	RATATATATATATATATATATATATAT!!!!
	The ear spliting sound tore through the nights silence, it took Earth 
a moment to realize that it was the sound of a gattling gun firing.  The 
tentacles holding her slackened, then released completely, letting her drop 
the the ground.  Earth was higher in the air than she thought as she found 
her self falling from a rooftop level.  She heard a sound like a jet engine 
firing and someone grabbed her out of the air and carried her safly to the 
ground, she looked at her sudden savior.  It was a man, and he was wearing a 
suit of armor much like Deathscythes.  Only his was in shades of blue and 
red, not black and gray.  The most outstanding difference in the armor 
though, were the two jet wings attached to his back.  They were in the place 
where Deathscythe had worn a jetpack.  Sailor Earth knew she was looking at 
one of the G-Unit, "Which one are you?" she asked.
	"I am called Wing." He replied, he then reached for a red shield that 
was attached to his left forearm, it looked kind of like a birds head.  he 
removed a rather large rifle from it.  "Are you still able to fight?" he 
asked as he flicked off the safety switch.
	Sailor Earth tested her power levels, the youma must have drained more 
than she thought as she couldn't summon any of her powers.  "No, ugly there 
drained me too much." she said looking toward the youma that had grabbed 
her.  She blinked as she saw that all that was left of the creature was a 
stain on the wall, a series of bullet holes marked where he'd missed the 
monster.  "You missed him a couple of times." She said.
	"That isn't my work." Wing said.
	Earth looked at him, "Then who..." she began.
	"I fired at the youma, and I never missed him once, these things are 
just too soft to stop all of my beam bullets, a few went straight through 
it." another voice said.  Earth looked to the source of the voice and saw 
another G-Unit, this one was wearing red and white armor.  The most 
distinctive feature on him was the large gattling gun attached to his left 
arm.  His right arm had a type of knife attached to it that looked to be 
attached to a hinge of sorts, meaning he could flip out that blade at any 
time he choose to do so.  "I am called Heavyarms." He said.
	"We're here as well." Some one else said.  Earth looked to see two 
more G-Unit pilots.  The one who'd spoken looked like he was out of a desert 
noble men movie, he carried two big scimitars in his hands, a shield like a 
cobras head was on his left arm, Earth was noticeing the pattern.  The other 
was in red and blue like the one who had caught her in the air, but his most 
striking feature was a strange guantlet on his right arm.  This one noticed 
her inspection and gave her a demonstration, holding out his right arm, he 
made a fist at the remaining youma.  The large top part of the guantlet 
flipped over, as did the bottom half formung what looked like a dragons 
head, the head shot out like a snake striking its prey and hit the youma in 
it's chest.  Earth saw that now the sleeve of his arm was much longer than 
it had been, the warrior lifted the youma off the ground and toosed it into 
the air.
	"All yours Wing." He said.
	Wing nodded and pointed his rifle at the thing, there was a humming 
sound and motes of energy gathered at the end of the muzzle.  The a huge 
blast of raw energy fired out and hit the airborn youma, disintegrating it 
in an instant.  "Wow." was all Sailor Earth could say.  Wing looked to her.
	"An effective weapon, but it does have it's limitations.  I prefer to 
use my Beam-Saber." He said.  The G-Unit member then lined up in front of 
her.  The one with the big swords stepped forward.
	"Sailor Earth, I am called Sandrock.  This is Nataku," he said, 
gesturing to the dragon armed warrior, "and you've met Heavyarms and Wing." 
He said.  "You are now our leader, let us work together to protect this 
world from all those who wish to do it harm."  Sandrock then dropped to one 
knee before her, the other pilots did the same.
	This is going to be interesting, she thought.

~TO BE CONTINUED~


Standered disclaimers apply.
Well, what do you think of this one?
It's my first Non-Hentai fic, and this is connected to "Second Chance 
Romance", a hentai I made a while back.  It takes place five years before 
that fic and this will be the beginning of a series I am going to make.  It 
is entitled "Sailor Earth and the G-Unit".  It will star many of the 
characters you've seen in this fic.  This fic is kind of a prelude for that 
series.

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