Chapter Three: The Night Before.....




The night before the battle between the senshi was full of activity in the Omega Master's castle and at the center in a large room that could only be described as a temple, all of the clones were assembled in front of a huge alter embossed in the sign of omega. The Priestesses of Omega were dressed in their cloaks, but not their hoods, and stood to the side of the alter. The Dark Prism sat on the alter, slowly spinning and glowing with dark energy. The Prism started to emit a light above it and an image of the Omega Master appeared, standing gallantly and proudly. When the clones saw the image, they dropped to their knees and started to worship it. Even the Priestesses dropped to their knees to do the same, which thoroughly disgusted Dark Shadow Venus as he and Sailor Venus were standing off to the side to watch this little sermon. And as it began, the Omega Master raised his hands up and spoke in a booking voice.

"My loyal servants, the time of victory is upon us. We are on the verge of controlling this miserable planet and all of the creatures on it. Even the mighty Sailor senshi will fall before us and we shall...."

Sailor Venus watched all of the events with a curious blink and then looked over to Shadow Venus, noticing his disgusted look, "What are they doing?"

With a light huff, he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the wall heavily, "The same stupid ritual they do every week. The Omega Master has proclaimed himself a God and, since the clones are his creations, they hang on his every word. It's so stupid, it's almost funny."

"And you don't do everything he says?"

For that little remark, she received a cold stare and a heavy smirk over his smirk, "The only person I follow is Mars. Everyone else can do what they want."

The image slowly stopped talking and looked at the two in the back, an annoyed look on its face. Then it looked to one of the clones and the clone rose up, nodding to its master. In the dead silence, it walked over to Sailor Venus and caused the two senshi to look at it with its strong words, "Worthless senshi! When you're in this temple, you bow before the mighty God!"

Sailor Venus got a sheepish look on her face and stepped back a bit, and the whole thing made Shadow Venus fume. What pushed it over the edge was the clone began to reach out to grab Sailor Venus, and it didn't go well with him. Suddenly he stepped forward and threw his hand through the air, making his forearm strike the clone and send it flying across the room. As it crashed into a table with some candles on it, its body rolled over lifelessly and caused the Prism glow in anger. All of the other clones quickly stood up and started yelling at Shadow Venus, demanding he pay for his actions.

Almost laughing, he stepped in front of Sailor Venus and uncrossed his arms, waiting for one of the, or all of them, to make a move towards them. Taken back at his protective moves, she stared at him for a moment and couldn't help but smile, then looked out over the clones as the Prism roared in anger, "How dare you! You protect the enemy?"

"You can't force her to worship you. We all know you're strong, but you aren't that strong. If you feel like I've been bad, then send some of your clones over here to punish me." The smug grin on his face made the image fume, but not get enough anger to accept that challenge. Laughing a bit at that, Dark Shadow Venus ran his hand through his hair and tilted his head lightly, "Yeah, I didn't think so."

"Go! Leave my temple now! We will discuss this matter later."

"I'm shakin' in my skin. This place is dead anyway." With a bored yawn, he turned around and led Sailor Venus from the temple, who did as he instructed with a happy smile on her face. After the two had left, the Omega Master's image looked down to the Priestesses with a very annoyed look on his face.

"These Dark Shadow senshi are becoming harder and harder to control. We may have to take certain steps to insure they don't become a problem."


As they got into the long hallways, Shadow Venus mumbled a bit and walked in front of Sailor Venus, "Let's go." She quickly followed and just stared at him as they walked, trying to decide whether he was who he said he was or not. His eyes moved to the side and he saw her looking at him, and even guessed what she was thinking, "If you are starting to think I'm going to start being nice to you........don't."

"I wasn't. It's just...."

She stared to say something, then stopped herself and looked away a bit, making him raise an eyebrow, "It's just me protecting you back there made you start to think maybe my previous feelings for you are coming back?" She didn't answer and he suddenly came to a stop, giving her a cold look once more, "Let me make one thing perfectly clear, Sailor Venus, I have no feelings for you. I've already told you not to bug me about this. The person you loved is not the guy who's standing in front of you now and if you even think about trying to convince me otherwise, I will save those clones the trouble of killing, 'cause I'll do it myself. You only have one more night before you go back to Sailor Moon, I suggest you don't force me to break my promise not to hurt you."

With his harsh words, her look of betrayal returned and she nodded lightly, looking to the floor in defeat. Looking at her a moment longer, he felt the point was taken and started to walk again, of which he was quickly followed. They walked along in silence for a while, until she blurted out an important question, "You don't like the Omega Master, do you?"

"Ugh, what a moron. He may be a powerful, but he's too ambitious. He wants everybody to make him their supreme God for this and every dimension. He wants what can't be his, and it'll get him in the end."

"What do you want?"

He didn't answer her until they got to her room, then he turned to her and let out an annoyed sigh, "What we want is our business, and we're only allied with him because we find it convenient."

Wondering if that was exactly true, she furrowed her brow a bit and put a hand to her arm, "Then why do you fight for him?"

"We're fighting with him because we chose to. He's in to destruction and chaos? We're down with that. We'll continue to fight with him until Mars tells us otherwise. Don't think we'll ever come back to your side, because we won't. I suggest you lock the door tonight, the clones are probably not too happy with us, so they may try to do something tonight and your plain Sailor senshi form won't stand much of a chance against even one clone, ya know?"

Without another word, he turned around and started walking back the way they came. She watched him go as her eyes filled with worry and concern, "What about you? What if they try something on you?"

He slowed to a stop and got a deranged smile on his face, though never turned around to face her again, "Yeah baby, you think they will? I haven't had some fun in a while. Well, here's hoping, huh?" Although he sounded much like his usual self, she blinked at his answer and he started walking once more. His momentary return to his usual self made her feel a bit better, but her face still dimmed as he disappeared into the hallway. Taking a last look around, she stepped into her chambers, then shut and locked the door tight.


The two clones escorting Sailor Jupiter took her into a huge dining hall where Dark Shadow Jupiter was sitting at a table full of food, looking at her silently as they all entered. Still forced to smile when she saw him, she stopped and idly brushed her hair behind her ear. Finally, he waved his hand through the air and spoke to the clones, "Beat it." The clones did as he said and left them alone, in the silence of his betrayal. Staring at him could only hold her so long and she soon opened her mouth to say something, of which he quickly interrupted her, "Don't talk, just eat." Letting out a defeated sigh, she walked over to the table and sat down across from him, still looking at him and expecting some kind of explanation. Not even getting one word, the reality of her hunger set in and she started to eat quickly. With an almost amused look in his eyes, he leaned back in his chair and tossed an apple from hand to hand, watching her eat, "You're starting to eat like Sailor Moon."

Something was starting to bother her and she looked up at him, swallowing some food she had in her mouth, "Why do you keep saying Sailor Moon instead of Usa......"

"Don't say that name." He quickly cut her off and startled her, and he tilted his head a bit and tossed the apple around once more, "We have the unique knowledge of Sailor Moon's identity as well as yours. If you value your friend's and Sailor Moon's family, you shouldn't say her name, as well as your own. As long as we have this knowledge, we have a major advantage over the Omega master. It's always good to have a tactical advantage over someone, yeah?"

"Why don't our clones don't know?"

"Enough questions."

They sat in silence for a while, her awkwardly stirring through some food before her and him watching her quietly. Finally, he broke the silence and rolled the apple onto the table, "I've been told you've been walking around in the castle alone when we're not around. If you keep doing that, you may have a little run in with a clone and, needless to say, Sailor senshi are not the most popular people around. You should stay in your chambers unless one of us is around. Getting yourself killed the night before you go back wouldn't be very smart."

His concern made her smile a bit and she looked up to him slowly, "It sounds like you are concerned about me. Maybe you do still care?"

To her surprise, he slammed his hand down on the table loudly and startled her, then stood up slowly, "Don't fool yourself. If it wasn't for Mars promising Sailor Moon that we would keep you safe until tomorrow, I assure you we wouldn't be here having this conversation." Obviously pushing her luck too far, she looked down slowly and put her hands in her lap, wanting so badly to reason with him. Watching her expression, he winced a bit and miffed, then walked past her towards the door, calling over his shoulder, "You'll be taken back to your chambers and you'll stay there until called for."

Before he could leave the room, she closed her eyes and called after him in a quiet voice, "I know you still care about me. I know the Kage I love is in you."

Her little comments made him stop and stare at the door, his eyes narrowing, "Kage is dead. The next time you bring this up, I'll make sure you join him." She didn't even respond and he huffed, then quickly walked out of the room.


Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars found themselves walking down a hallway in a part of the castle they had never been in when they heard something coming from around the corner. Both of them quickly stopped and Sailor Mars clenched her fists, "Do you hear that?"

Suddenly, a hand grabbed her from behind and turned her around quickly. Two female clones were standing in front of her and smiled deviously as one of them set her hand on her hip and spoke, "Well, well, what do we have here? A couple of Sailor senshi, and it looks like there isn't anybody here to help you."

Both of senshi started to back up defensively and Sailor Mars growled, "Back off, you know not to mess with us, or does the many times we beat you not sink into your thick heads."

That didn't set well with either clone and the second stepped forward a bit, the nails on her fingers growing into long spikes, "Bold words. How about we see now who will win?"

"Looks like we may have to fight them off." Sailor Mercury said and got ready to fight an uphill battle. Sailor Mars nodded and started to concentrate for an attack, when all of a sudden Dark Shadow Mars and Dark Shadow Mercury appeared between them and the clones, looking at the two senshi casually.

The two clones jumped back in fear and Shadow Mars titled his head a bit, speaking quietly over his shoulder, "Don't tell me you two were about to disobey me? Didn't I tell you not to harm the Sailor senshi?"

For the first time in a while, Sailor Mars was glad to see him and relaxed a little. The clones stepped back even more and she set her hand on her hip, "Not that we need your help, but they we planning on fighting us."

Closing his dark eyes slowly, he shook his head a bit and his tone dropped a bit, "How upsetting. Do you know how much I hate it when people don't do as I have asked? Then again, you two aren't really people, are you?"

Getting the hint, the clones turned and ran up the hall, disappearing around a corner. Shadow Mars slowly opened his eyes and looked over to his fellow Shadow senshi, who smiled and nodded, "Right."

Shadow Mercury disappeared from his side and Shadow Mars looked back to the Sailor senshi coolly, "I thought I told you not to wander about without an escort." Back down the hallway were the clones ran, loud screams suddenly echoed out and a loud explosion, followed by some dust seeping out from around the corner. The Sailor senshi blinked at him and his eyes moved to his side as Shadow Mercury appeared next to him.

"I doubt they will bother you again." The Sailors couldn't find any words to say as he brushed some dust of his shirt, a completely calm look on his face, "It's rather nice the Omega Master has so many clones. We seem to use a lot."

Still shocked at his calm behavior about it, the Sailor senshi stared at him speechlessly, and Shadow Mars looked to Sailor Mars, "Come with me."

He abruptly turned and started to walk down the hallway, making her uneasy about leaving her friend, "Why? Are we going swimming?"

Her little comment made him stop but not turn around, oddly feeling he may have deserved that one. Still, he started walking once again and didn't answer. Looking to Sailor Mercury a moment, she felt a little comfortable about leaving her with Shadow Mercury, and looked to him slowly, "I'm going to assume there is at least some small part of Kurai left in you, and trust you'll look after her." To her surprise, he nodded once and left her to follow. Giving her friend a last look, she turned and followed after Dark Shadow Mars.

"I have something to show you." Shadow Mercury said and looked to Sailor Mercury with a light smile. It made her feel a bit better and she opened her mouth to ask what, when he placed his hand on her shoulder and they both disappeared. Looking back to check on her friend one last time, Sailor Mars found an empty hallway and stopped, feeling her stomach turn quickly, "Where did they go?"

"They just went to a different part of the castle." The voice called down from the darkness at the end of the hallway, and she looked back to see the shaded form of Shadow Mars waiting for her, "Follow me and I will show you something you may find interesting."


"This is incredible!" Sailor Mercury said as her echo repeated her from all the corners of the room. She and Shadow Mercury were standing in a library that was so large, that it disappeared into the ceiling. Millions of books lined the shelves that were connected by a series of ladders and walkways. She felt so overwhelmed and small in the room that she backed right into him. Stepping away quickly, she turned and looked at him, a tinge of red coming across her face as she looked down a bit, "There are so many. There has to be millions of books here."

"Eight hundred and seventy-two million, six hundred and twenty-nine thousand, four hundred and twelve to be exact." She looked up at him with astonishment and he looked back up among the books with a shrug, "One gets bored around here, so I counted them. I have only read about a fourth though." She continued to stare at him and he blinked, looking back to her, "Don't look so surprised. We may be evil here, but we are not uncivilized. Feel free to look about."

With a light nod, she started to look around, grabbing some books off the shelf, "'The Grounds of Blood, Friends and Enemies Alike?'" Her brow furrowing in confusion, she blinked and looked at him a bit confused, "I have never heard of any of these books."

"Of course not, they are the greatest literary masterpieces of hundreds of different worlds." He pointed out and looked around a bit, but she was still confused and he looked back down to her, "This castle is located outside of time and space. Even though the Omega Master is an egotistical fanatic, he still has the intelligence to collect all of these books. You may stay until I send some clones to take you back to your chambers."

Putting his hands behind his back, he turned and started towards the door, when she called out in a voice that startled him almost as much as it startled herself, "Wait!" Turning his head back to her, he saw a tinge of red go across her face, "Won't you stay and read with me?"

"Read with you? What then? Maybe you and I could sit on the same couch and start to get close? Maybe even relive some old times?" His sadistic tone made her look away and got that dark look across his face once more, "Get with it, Sailor Mercury, those days are gone. Forever lost like the names of the authors of these books." He turned to leave again and she called after him, but didn't look up at him.

"I only wanted to sit and read with you."

"It only takes one to read." He called over his shoulder as he walked out the door and shut it behind him, leaving her alone in the huge room.


"Why would you think I would find this interesting?" Sailor Mars asked as she was lead to a training room where there were dozens of clones learning how to fight and use their powers.

Standing next to her in his usual cold stance, Shadow Mars looked out into the room and spoke in a quiet tone, "You don't think seeing how your enemy learns to fight would be helpful in future battles?"

"Well, I guess so."

The fact that he had implied she would have more battles to fight made her find some hope in getting him back, but she decided to wait until a better time to push that subject. It was then her thoughts were cut off by the clones in the room noticing their presence.

"Get that Sailor senshi out of here!" She looked out into the room as they all gathered in a group, looking at the two senshi, "Before something bad happens to her."

"What could possible happen to her in a room full of flowers like you?" Dark Shadow Mars quipped and made Sailor Mars get a small grin on her face, feeling that was the first time she had seen the real Yamito in such a long time.

They didn't take too kindly to that and started to stir a bit. One of them even called out from the others with a challenge, "Why don't you stand aside and we'll show you."

The rest of the clones started to echo the challenge and he did something that took everyone by surprise, he stepped aside, "Very well." Sailor Mars looked at him in shock before a clone grabbed her and threw her into the middle of the pumped up clones. She quickly hopped to her feet and got ready to defend herself, not without giving Shadow Mars a few dirty looks. They started to attack her physically and she began defending herself as best she could, and did a pretty decent job at it too. She stunned a few of them with her Burning Mandala attack but they soon recovered and attacked again, overwhelming her with sheer numbers. They were starting to really beat on her, but she was still doing relatively well, for the situation. Dark Shadow Mars just watched quietly as a few of the clones got some good shots on her, even enough to start ripping up her fuku.

In the heat of the moment, one of the clones gathered an energy blast in front of it and laugher loudly, "I get to kill a Sailor senshi!" As the other clones leaped out of the way, the excited clone hurled the energy at the weakened Sailor Mars. Sailor Mars suddenly turned around to find an energy blast coming down on her and didn't even have time to yell before it got to her. To her utter surprise, Shadow Mars appeared between in front of her and a powerful aura stopped the energy blast right before him. The clones stepped back a bit and Sailor Mars fell to one knee from exhaustion, breathing heavily.

"You have had your fun, but enough is enough." The clones watched him in terror and he turned to help Sailor Mars to her feet, "You did rather well. I'm impressed as always, Sailor Mars." As she got to her feet, she pulled her arm from his hand and glared at him, then stepped weakly out of the room and out into the hall. Before following, he looked back into the room and almost looked amused, "One Sailor senshi held her own against all of you?" As the clones glared, he almost laughed and stepped out also, coming into the hall with a very angry Sailor senshi.

"Are you insane? They could have killed me in there!"

"Yes, they could have." His simple answer made her fume more but she wavered a bit and held her head, weakened from the onslaught she just survived. He couldn't help but be proud a bit and brushed some of his hair out of his face, "You deserve some rest."

Suddenly they both disappeared and found themselves in her chambers, something that made her look to him curiously, "How is you can do that?"

"A small ability that comes with our heightened powers." With a grimace on her face, she suddenly held her side and felt what that little battle did to her, and it didn't go unnoticed by his dark eyes, "Feeling well?" Before she could say something back, she collapsed onto the floor with a thud, making him let out a slow breath, "I suppose not."

Letting out a belated sigh, he walked over and picked her up in his arms, standing up straight and holding her a moment. That moment made her feel relaxed and she put her arm on his shoulder and leaned into his chest, speaking softly into him, "Yamito."

Her tone made him look down at her and almost smile a bit, but his face turned cold again and looked up, carrying her over to the bed. He set her down onto the soft bed and she rolled over, snuggling into the bed. As he walked out of her room, he stopped in the doorway and looked at her figure on the bed, "Sleep well, my Rei. Tomorrow......you die."


Next Chapter: The fight....