The Fight To The Finish

Queen Beryl was really mad at Jaedite this time. Not only had he failed again, but thanks to Sailor Moon and the three other Sailor Scouts, he had also lost Titus. Things just couldn't get any worse, but then again things usually did. And, as of late, they always seemed to happen to him.

She had left him waiting for her, as she went to decide his fate. He knew it wasn't going to be good, especially since she was furious when she left. When she returned, she was icy calm. That was a very bad sign.

"Jadeite, we are pleased with the energy you have collected from the people of Earth," she began, "but you also have made several mistakes." Jadeite growled to himself and clenched a fist in anger. "Furthermore, you have not yet been able to eliminate the four Sailor Scouts: Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars and Sailor Knight. This disturbs me, Jadeite," she said in an ominous tone.

"But, Queen Beryl...," he began, but Beryl cut him off.

"I will hear no excuses!" she roared fiercely. "Kill the Sailor Scouts!" She grinned wickedly in the pale lighting. "If you fail this time... the punishment is eternal sleep."

In the background, astonished murmuring could be heard easily. Jadeite was merely speechless with worry over his fate. Now, things couldn't get any worse.

"The punishment of eternal sleep condemns you to the most profound darkness... forever. You will be sealed away into the edge of darkness... never to return. Remember that."

It was time for him to take drastic measures.

Rei was just getting dressed after taking a nice long soak in the bathtub. She slipped on her usual red and white robes and headed for her room. Ever since that so-called cruise that she, Ami and Ryoku went on, she had been mulling over the same thing: why Ryoku had apparently given up on dating.

She had come to several different conclusions, but only a few seemed to fit. For one, she knew he was interested in girls, not boys. She had flirted with him a couple times and had even made him blush a few times; though he tried to hide it. Besides, he didn't seem to be the type that would go for that sort of thing.

The one reason she thought was the most likely, was that his last girlfriend must've really broken his heart. That would explain his constant depression and reluctance to date again. She wanted to ask him about what happened, but she knew that he didn't want to talk about it.

From out of nowhere, an ominous, wicked laughter interrupted her musings. She turned to look out her window....

Ami had just finished another chapter in her biology textbook. She yawned and stretched out her arms. She had been sitting on her bed for a long time, so decided to get up and move her legs for a bit before moving on to the next chapter.

She went over to her window and opened it. A gentle breeze flew into her room stirring her short blue hair. She closed her eyes and tilted her head, letting the wind blow across her face. It felt good. Things like this were little reminders to her that there actually was more to life than studying. Then again, she thought with some amusement, with friends like mine, who needs to be reminded?

From out of nowhere, an ominous, wicked laughter interrupted her musings. She looked up into the sky....

Ryoku was up on the roof again, but this time his swords were back in his room. He was sitting on the edge of the roof while letting his feet dangle over the edge. He had brought his guitar up with him and he was now softly strumming a few insignificant chords. He wasn't really trying to play anything; he was just listing to the sound it made.

He was growing very tired of the repeated misunderstandings that seemed to be prevalent in his life as of late. First, there was the incident that landed him at Crossroads in the first place. No big deal; he had all but forgotten it already. Then, there were the rumors that had greeted him upon his arrival at the junior high. Hospitalized, indeed! That couldn't be further from the truth.

Now, there was this misunderstanding he had with Rei. He thought he told her that he was no longer interested in dating. I guess that to her that meant that you're free to flirt, as long as you don't go farther than that. He sighed. Oh well, I never did say that I didn't want to be flirted with, either. So, he endured it. She had even managed to make him blush! Before, only Keiko could've done that....

From out of nowhere, an ominous, wicked laughter interrupted his musings. He looked up from his guitar into the sky....

Usagi was staring up at the stars with Luna. "I love looking up at the constellations. Oh, look, Cygnus," she said, pointing to one constellation after another. "Sagittarius. Libra. Motoki-oniisan." She pointed over to another. "And there, Tuxedo Kamen." She giggled. "What a two-timer I am! I'm in love with two guys at the same time. I'm a very sinful girl."

Luna merely groaned tiredly and yawned. "This is making me sleepy, Usagi-chan. Don't you have anything better to do with your time?" she asked.

Obviously, she did not, since she continued to stare out into the starry night. "It's so hard to be in love. But, what if Motoki-oniisan was Tuxedo Kamen...?"

From out of nowhere, an ominous, wicked laughter interrupted her musings. As she looked up into the sky, she saw lightning flash and clouds swirl around unnaturally. "Huh? What is that?" she asked.

As if answering her question, the clouds converged and formed into an image of Jadeite. Luna arched her back and hissed at him.

"Now hear this, Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars and Sailor Knight!" he challenged. "Come to the F runway of Haneda Airport tomorrow night at one o'clock. If you do not come...." He shot a fireball into the city, igniting it instantly.

Usagi and Luna gasped in shock. "Stop it, you monster!" Luna shouted angrily.

He merely snapped his fingers and the flames vanished. "That was only an illusion, but if you do not come, I will burn all of Tokyo." As suddenly as his image appeared, it disappeared, displaying the serene starlit sky.

"This calls for an emergency meeting," Luna said worriedly. "Come on, Usagi-chan. We need to go to Rei's shrine. Now."

Rei was outside, waiting for the others when they arrived. She noticed the varying degrees of worry on the others' faces, from Ryoku's calm demeanor to Usagi's obvious apprehension. At least she wasn't crying like a baby this time.

"Good, we're all here," Luna said. "Now, we've all seen Jadeite's challenge to us a few minutes ago...."

"Yes," Ryoku said flatly, "either we show up, or he incinerates the whole city."

"Do you really think he'll do it?" Usagi asked apprehensively.

"I'm sure he'd turn Tokyo into an inferno, just as he said," Luna told them.

"Let's go," Rei suggested. "We can't just ignore his challenge."

"But that means we're walking right into his trap!" Ami interjected.

"Actually," Ryoku said thoughtfully, "you both have a point. If we don't answer, Jadeite roasts Tokyo. But, Jadeite wouldn't have challenged us unless he was sure of winning. That means a trap."

Luna nodded and turned to Usagi. "What do you think, Usagi-chan?" she asked.

The other three turned to Usagi, who up until now was lost in thought. "We fight him, right?" Rei asked.

"Think carefully," Ami said.

"Well, Usagi-chan?" Ryoku asked.

Usagi laughed nervously. "Me?" she asked, pointing to herself. "I'm scared I don't wanna go!"

"Okay, so it's settled," Luna said. "We all meet Jadeite tomorrow night."

"Hey!" Usagi interrupted. Everyone else ignored her.

"Right," Ryoku said and left.

"I don't like this, but we don't have any choice," Ami said. "We must meet Jadeite or the city will suffer." She turned and left.

"Come on, Usagi-chan," Luna said. "We'd better be getting home, too."

Usagi noticed that she and Luna were all alone. Rei had already gone back inside and Ryoku and Ami left. "All right. Coming, Luna."

The next day, an announcement on the news stated that due to Jadeite's late-night message to the Scouts, the police were going to station teams of officers all over the airport. The news of the impending battle was currently being discussed throughout the school, especially in Usagi's class.

Usagi was standing next to the window with Luna, while the other students were discussing the nature of the strange message last night. They were even suggesting that they sneak over to the airport to watch the fight.

"We can't have all those people there!" Luna said, concerned. "They could get hurt!"

"Maybe we shouldn't go there, either," Usagi said.

"Usagi!"

"Just kidding."

Just then, Usagi's teacher, Sakurada Haruna, entered the room. "What are you all planning?" she demanded, after overhearing a little bit of the many conversations going on in the room. "Junior high students shouldn't be out that late at night!"

"That's right!" Usagi added. "Don't go!" Everyone suddenly turned to Usagi, looking at her curiously, as if to say, 'Who are you, and what have you done with the real Usagi?'

"How come?" Naru said, surprised at what her best friend had just said.

"Because, it's too dangerous!"

"How come it's dangerous?"

"Do you know something, Usagi-san?" Umino asked.

"No, of course not!" Usagi said indignantly. "Why should I know anything? Anyway, if you all have so much free time, you should stay home and study!"

Everyone's jaws dropped at the same time, even Haruna's. "Tsukino-san... I wonder what made you talk so normal," she said worriedly as she walked over to her. "You don't have a fever, do you?" She put her hand to her forehead, checking her temperature. "Is there something bothering you? Maybe I can be of some help to you."

I can't believe this! Usagi thought as she started to grow angry. They're all acting as if just had a nervous breakdown or something! "Come on!" she shouted indignantly. "What's wrong with me talking normal?!?" Suddenly, tears started to form on her face as she grew more and more upset. "You can't do that!!!" she wailed as she started crying.

"I guess she's back to normal," Haruna muttered.

At the Crown Video Arcade, Usagi was telling Motoki about what happened when she tried to be serious in class. She expected him to understand. What she got was totally unexpected.

He laughed.

"Isn't she cruel?" she said petulantly, while he was still laughing.

Motoki finally managed to get his laughter under control. "Maybe, but I can't help agreeing with your teacher." Usagi awarded him with a hurt, indignant look. "You don't look attractive talking normally," he continued. "I prefer a girl with character."

Usagi's expression brightened at the news. "Really?"

"Really."

She smiled and exited the arcade. As soon as she was outside, she leaped into the air. "Yahoo! Motoki-oniisan said such a nice thing to me!" she sang to herself happily.

As she skipped in time to her singing, she kicked off her right shoe. It sailed through the air and landed on a certain someone's head. "Ow!" Mamoru exclaimed, picking up the shoe that hit him.

"I'm sorry," she said. ''Oh, great! Of all the people my shoe had to land on....''

"Not your shoes again. Were you aiming for me?" he asked irritably.

"You watch were you're going!" she retorted angrily.

"What a snob. Why can't you be more serious, like a normal girl?" he asked tiredly.

"No I can't," she said happily. "There's a guy who told me that he prefers a girl that's not normal."

"That's dumb," he said contemptuously. "He's gotta be stupid."

"He's way better than you!" she snapped.

"Like gathers alike," he said mockingly. "Garbage in a trash can. A Meatball-head deserves somebody just as stupid as her."

Usagi grew really upset with that remark as tears started to form in her eyes. "How could you? I don't care what you say about me, but... to talk like that... about... him...?" she moaned as she began to cry.

Mamoru began to grow embarrassed and nervous as he noticed all the people beginning to stare. "H-hey...."

"You can't do that!"

"Sorry about that. I gotta rush. Here's your shoe back." He tossed the shoe over to Usagi, who had already dropped to her knees, wailing heavily. "Later," he said and ran off. She just picked up the shoe and kept on crying.

Night had fallen hours ago and midnight was just minutes past. Haneda Airport was devoid of passengers waiting for a late night departure or waiting to greet an arrival. Instead, it was crawling with alert, uniformed policemen, watching and waiting for any sign of the oncoming battle between the Sailor Scouts and the one whose face appeared in the sky yesterday night.

Above the policemen, on the airport roof, Jadeite walked over to the edge of the roof and looked down at the foolish humans who thought they could come between him and his only means for redemption.

"We have no need for you," he said impatiently. "Sleep for now." He raised his arms, causing a dark fog to appear. All the policemen promptly fall asleep, some falling on their sides as if tipped over like cows. Jadeite walked through the inside of the airport, examining his handiwork and laughing to himself.

"Now come, Sailor Scouts," he said ominously.

The four Scouts and Luna were, at this moment, running up the stairs of the nearest subway that would take them to the airport.

"Run, Usagi-chan!" Rei shouted back irritably. "I can't believe that your name means 'rabbit'. It that some sort of joke?"

"Shut up!" Usagi muttered.

"We've got no time to be fighting amongst ourselves," Ami said patiently as she tried to stifle their bickering. They all suddenly stopped as they realized that it was too quiet. Nothing was running.

"So, they're not running anymore?" Usagi asked.

"Can we afford a taxi?" Rei asked.

"I think I can," Ryoku said. "Except most of my money is back at home." The whole discussion became moot as the only subway car left at the station opened up by itself.

"What's going on?" Luna exclaimed in surprise.

After their initial surprise was over, Rei was the first to speak. "An invitation from the enemy, huh? Fine with me," she said, and moved to enter.

"Wait!" Ryoku said, holding a sword across the doorway, keeping Rei from entering. "Let me go first." She eyed him curiously for a moment, then nodded, stepping aside.

He pulled out his second sword, from seemingly out of nowhere, and cautiously stepped inside, both swords at the ready. Although there wasn't anybody inside, he moved slowly, watching for any sign of an ambush. He slowly turned completely around eyeing every corner warily. After confirming that the car was safe, so to speak, he waved the girls inside.

"Even though there's no one here, I'm still getting a bad feeling about this," he said, making his swords vanish behind his back. "It's like we're walking into...."

He was cut off as the door suddenly slammed shut and the train began to move. "The door... it's locked!" Ami exclaimed as she tried to open it.

"...a trap," he finished quietly.

"Looks like you two were right," Luna said worriedly. "We're being led straight into a trap."

"All we can do now is wait and enjoy the ride," Ryoku muttered. He was wondering about the irony of this situation. Here he was, willingly heading for an airport - a place either he or his sister would avoid unless absolutely necessary, though each had different ideas about what necessary meant as applied to flying, even though he wasn't there for flying anyway - ready to fight someone who was waiting to ambush them. His opinion of airports was steadily declining each passing minute.

After arriving at Haneda Airport, they ran into the main building. They needed to go through the main building in order to get to the main runway. As they ran up another set of stairs, Ryoku pointed to a wall, indicating that they stop and peek around it. As they looked around the wall, they saw several policemen watching the area.

"So many officers," Usagi commented.

"Everything looks okay so far," Rei added.

"Well," Ryoku said, glancing at his watch, "it's almost one. Jadeite won't wait for very long."

"Still, something's weird about all this," Ami said.

Just as she spoke, some policemen were slowly sneaking up on the group from behind. Their eyes began to glow red as they reached their hands out to grab them.

Rei suddenly sensed the policemen just as Ryoku heard them slide their clubs out of their holsters. As one, they both turned around and shouted, "Look out!"

Usagi and Ami turned around quickly and spotted the policemen. They shouted as a couple of them lunged at the two girls. Rei kicked one in the head, knocking him to the floor as Ryoku pulled out a sword and cut the club in half, spun and elbowed the other in the gut, causing him to double over.

"Why are police officers after us?" Usagi yelled as Ami, Rei, Luna and Ryoku began to run.

"This way! Hurry!" Rei shouted behind her.

"I can't stand this!" Usagi grumbled, ranting as the policemen began to give chase. "I've lost faith in the Japanese government! Hey! Wait up!"

The chase quickly led onto the main runway. The Scouts and Luna managed to keep ahead of the policemen for a while, but they were quickly growing tired.

Finally deciding that they had enough, they all stopped and turned to face the policemen. "Strange.... This doesn't make sense," Ami said, frowning. "Mercury power, make up!" She quickly transformed into Sailor Mercury.

"Fine, then. Me, too!" Rei shouted. "Mars power, make up!" She quickly transformed into Sailor Mars.

"All right, my turn!" Ryoku shouted. "Knight swords power!" He quickly transformed into Sailor Knight.

"I'm the last?" Usagi stammered nervously. "Moon prism power, make up!" She quickly transformed into Sailor Moon.

The four transformed Sailor Scouts faced the group of policemen. Mercury pressed an earring and activated her visor. She studied the readout and learned an interesting fact about their attackers. "What? They aren't humans! They're just clay dolls!"

"Then, there's no need to hesitate," Mars said. "Fire soul!" A huge fireball flew straight for the disguised clay dolls and burnt them completely, leaving nothing but ashes. "Got them," Mars said, as Mercury deactivated her visor.

"They were clay dolls after all," Luna said.

"Sailor Mars, you're awesome!" Sailor Moon exclaimed.

"It's nothing," Mars said smugly.

"I think Jadeite just sent them to flush us out." Knight said as his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"You don't mean...?" Mercury said worriedly.

"Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars and Sailor Knight, now I know your true identities!" Jadeite said smugly from the roof of the airport.

"Yes, he now knows our identities," Knight said quietly. "He watched us transform from there."

"Yikes! He did?" Sailor Moon asked fearfully.

"Flowers only have a short life full of hardship," Jadeite said derisively. "So, you will die tonight."

"There's a saying that pretty women don't live long," Sailor Moon said apprehensively. "So, I'm going to die early."

"What makes you think you're a pretty woman?" Mars asked, annoyed.

"At least, better than you."

"I can't believe this conversation is actually taking place," Knight muttered, as he and Mercury were silently suffering though yet another Usagi/Rei argument. "And, now of all times!"

"Oh, well," Mercury said tiredly. "I guess we've gotta go break them up again."

"Very funny. Monkeys look better than you!"

"Shut up!"

"We've got no time to quarrel!" Mercury shouted as she and Knight stepped between the two feuding Scouts.

"Remember what's happening here! You two can argue later for all we care, but for now, stay focused!" Knight added.

"Sorry," Sailor Moon said apologetically.

"We've got a mission to finish. We can't die," Mars said.

"Prepare to meet your fate!" Jadeite said, bringing his hands together. Dark lightning flew out of his hands and struck a nearby plane. The plane started turning towards the Scouts. They all stared at the plane for a moment in surprise.

"We'll get run over!" Sailor Moon shouted, frightened.

"Run!" Luna shouted. As they all fled from the oncoming plane, a second plane started heading straight for them.

"Here comes another one!" Sailor Moon yelled. "Do something!"

"All right. I'll use a Fire Soul," Mars suggested.

"No!" Luna exclaimed. "Don't you know how much a jet aircraft costs? It'll take more than your entire life to pay for it!"

"That much?" Mars asked, blinking.

"Well, that's out," Knight said. "Any other ideas?"

"There's only one thing I can think of," Mercury stated.

"And that is?" Sailor Moon and Mars asked.

"Run!!!"

Everybody yelled in panic and ran from the two planes. "Getting run over by a car is fine, but I don't wanna get flattened by an airplane!" Sailor Moon muttered. "It's too embarrassing!"

Up ahead, the end of the runway was growing very close. "We're running out of runway!" Sailor Moon yelled as they all stopped.

What a disaster! Luna thought to herself.

As the planes steadily closed the gap between themselves and the Scouts, Jadeite laughed. "Now, you are finished!" he said, watching in anticipation. Suddenly, a rose flew past his face and embedding itself into the roof. In his surprise, he lost control of the planes, which promptly stopped.

"The airplanes stopped?" all the Scouts said in unison.

"Is it enjoyable, picking on girls?" Tuxedo Kamen asked condescendingly.

"We meet again, Tuxedo Kamen," he said, turning to face him. "You will die as well."

"You are a villain who plays tricks on innocent people with your magic," Tuxedo Kamen said. "You will pay for it." A sudden breeze picked up, blowing his cape open.

Knight noticed that the other three Scouts had gone all dreamy-eyed on him. He was still a little upset that both Jadeite and Tuxedo Kamen had referred to the Scouts collectively as girls, though he definitely was not a girl. Although Tuxedo Kamen meant nothing by it, he was sure that Jadeite's remark was an extra insult on his part. He would definitely have to pay him back for that.

Jadeite raised his hands and shot the same dark lightning as before. Tuxedo Kamen leaped into the air, dodging the attack. As he was leaping upward, Jadeite leaped up after him and intercepted him midair. They began to grapple and soon they fell down into the water.

"Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" Sailor Moon shouted worriedly. The four Scouts and Luna rushed to the edge of the runway and peered into the water. Suddenly, a rose floated to the surface. Jadeite rose out of the water afterwards, laughing wickedly. "What happened to him?" she asked concernedly.

"Where's Tuxedo Kamen-sama?" Mars demanded angrily.

Jadeite continued his evil laughter. "Your only hope, Tuxedo Kamen, is dead. Cry and scream. Can you not do anything without a man to help you? What silly girls."

"What did you say?!?" Knight yelled angrily. "Insinuating that I'm a girl is bad enough, but that's going too far!"

"Only a fossil geezer would think that men are better than women now," Mars added sternly.

"The idea of looking down on women is a remnant from the feudal society!" Mercury added.

"We're all equal!" Sailor Moon finished.

"Fools," Jadeite said mockingly. "Taste my power!" He raised his arms again, calling one of the planes that had chased down the Scouts before.

"Not again!" Sailor Moon whined.

"Come on! This way!" Mars shouted as everyone started running away from the plane.

"Don't be distracted by the jets!" Luna shouted. "Our enemy is the one who's moving them!"

Everyone came to a stop. "Hold on! Luna's right!" Mercury said.

"We have to work together!" Knight added.

"It's Jadeite we must defeat!" Sailor Moon stated.

"You got it!" Mars said and pointed to Sailor Moon. "Now, you be the decoy and run."

"Huh?" Sailor Moon said confused. "Hey, why me?"

"Shabon spray!" Mercury shouted, raising a thick mist. As planned, the jet began following Sailor Moon, much to her dismay.

"You can't do that!" Sailor Moon shouted indignantly. "Why is it always me running for my life?" The plane was growing closer. "I can't keep this up forever," she muttered.

Jadeite leaped to the ground and looked around for the Scouts. "Where are the other three?"

Meanwhile, Knight was sneaking up behind Jadeite. When he was close enough, he leaped behind Jadeite and grabbed his arms, pulling them behind his back and pinning them so that he couldn't move. "Gotcha, Jadeite," he said. Now it was up to Mars.

Evil spirit, begone! she thought as she slapped an ofuda on Jadeite's back after Knight leaped away. Now that the ward was on his back, the plane turned toward him.

"What? What's happening?" he shouted after noticing that the planes were now chasing him. He immediately began to run. "Why? Why are they after me?" He came to a stop in front of the four Sailor Scouts.

"Don't you underestimate girls, Jadeite," Sailor Moon said. "Crying isn't the only thing we do."

"Why?" Jadeite demanded. "Why can't I concentrate?"

"Because your mind is evil," Mars told him.

"You are the fool for falling into your own trap," Mercury added.

"You have failed again, Jadeite," Knight said, his arms folded. "And it's not half of what you deserve for calling me a girl!"

"You'll pay for all those deeds you have committed," Sailor Moon said. "On behalf on the Moon, I'll punish you!" She removed her tiara from her forehead. "Moon tiara action!" she shouted, throwing her tiara. It flew at Jadeite, just missing him, but knocking him down nonetheless.

As the plane came within a few feet from crushing Jadeite, he began to scream in fright. The four Scouts turned away, knowing that they had seen the last of him and went back to look for Tuxedo Kamen. What they didn't see was that he had vanished before the plane had totally run him over.

Jadeite reappeared in front of Beryl, wounded but still standing. He knew what he was in for, but he was determined to try to convince her that she should give him just one more chance.

"Queen Beryl, I have important information for you!" he said quickly.

"You fool! How dare you come back here in failure!" Beryl shouted.

"But, Queen Beryl, I have discovered the identities of the Sailor Scouts!"

"Do not disgrace yourself with excuses!" she roared angrily. "Now sleep eternally!" Her eyes began to glow and a sphere of energy struck him from her staff. He screamed as he was encased in crystal.

"Dispose of the body," Beryl said as the crystal containing Jadeite vanished. "You will be in charge of the operation, Nephrite."

Within the darkness, a man stepped forward and bowed. "Jadeite was useless. Let me handle the matter," Nephrite said.

Back at the airport, the three female Scouts were watching the water and waiting. Suddenly, Sailor Knight came up to the surface of the water. Coming onto the asphalt of the runway, he stopped and wiped the water from his face. He looked at each of the girls' worried faces and slowly shook his head. "No sign of him," he said quietly.

"Tuxedo Kamen-sama...," Sailor Moon said sadly.

"It's no use just standing here," Luna said quietly. "We'll just have to give up."

"I don't wanna...," she whispered.

"I thank you for your concern," Tuxedo Kamen said from behind the Scouts. All four Scouts turned around to see him standing there unhurt.

"You were alive?" Sailor Moon said relieved.

"I'm not so easy to get rid of," Tuxedo Kamen said.

"So I see," Knight said.

"Why do you always come to our aid?" Sailor Mercury asked.

"I can tell," Sailor Moon said dreamily. "You love me, don't you?" Mars, Mercury and Knight all groaned in exasperation.

"Who are you?" Mars asked. Knight nodded seriously as he gave him a scrutinizing look.

"I cannot reveal my identity yet," he told her. "Sailor Moon, Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Knight, value your friendship! Farewell!"

As Tuxedo Kamen leaped away into the twilight, the three girls stared at his departing form in awe. For Sailor Knight, he saw a kindred spirit who had assisted him in his battle once again... maybe, even a friend. For now, he would not pursue his identity....