"Neptune... Michiru..." Seiya's voice was heard through the
mist. "I may not be Haruka. I may not be able to take her place in your
heart, but... please give me a chance. I loved Usagi once, but she didn't
love me back. After that, I thought I'd never love again. I was wrong. It IS
possible to love again after you've lost someone. Don't be afraid to love
again."

                               *   *   *

        	"By the power of the Ginzuishou and Mamo-chan, I shall right
wrongs, and triumph over evil! The souls of human beings is a sacred thing.
Without it, our hearts wouldn't be whole, and love wouldn't exist! Not even
hatred would exist! I won't forgive you, Goho! I am Sailormoon!"
        	Instead of replying, Goho ran, hoping to escape with the souls of
the victims and Mamoru. Sailormoon chased him. "Oh no you don't! MOON TIARA
ACTION!!!" The tiara sliced through the humid air, hitting Goho's lower
ears. His bell-like earrings crashed to the ground with a tinkle and a
shatter, freeing the souls of the innocent people, including Yaten, Taiki,
and Mamoru.

                               *   *   *

        	She slid open the door. "Granpa..." And gasped. Her grandfather lay
on the floor unmoving, his fingernails a bluish tint. Someone or something
had cut off his oxygen! No! 
        	Something grabbed a hold of her neck. Its hands were scaly,
fish-like, with claws. Rei tried facing her head upwards to catch her
breath, but the thing only tightened its clawed hand on her. If the thing
didn't let go of her soon, she'd be a goner! Such pain... Rei held her
breath, but it wasn't going to last. `Try. Try!` She ordered herself. She
was already getting dizzy...

================================================================

Burning Heart Souls
Chapter 14: "Gone Too Far, No Turning Back"

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

        	"Rei-chan!!!" Ami, who just came into the room, exclaimed. She
raised her transformation stick in the air, and yelled, "MERCURY CRYSTAL
POWER, MAKE UP!!!" The blue fuku she had worn earlier returned, as
Sailormercury took the place of Ami. 
        	"You let her go!" Mercury demanded to the fish-like monster. 
        	The monster sneered back at her, and continued to hold Rei's neck.
Mercury knew that she had to be careful with using her attacks. One wrong
move, and Rei could get hurt. She touched her earring, and the visor she had
on awhile ago, rematerialized across her face. With her mini computer at
hand, she calculated the distance, the angle, and the direction of the
monster and the blast she was going to do. She found them. 
        	"SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!!!"
        	Just as she thought she'd hit it right on the spot, the monster
leaped from its post, along with Rei. Mercury made a small sound which was
half gasp, half cry. She had missed!
        	The monster laughed. "Too bad your weapon is water. I can sense
water from a mile away." Rei struggled in its arms, her face contorting into
a look of anguish. "And even if you hit me with your pitiful blasts, there
wouldn't be any effect."
        	"Oh, no..." 
        	"Now, it's my turn!" The monster declared, readying its clawed
hand, so that it was aimed towards Mercury.
        	Just as Mercury was beginning to think that there wasn't any other
way to save Rei, Yuuichirou rushed into the room, and knocked the monster
down to the ground, freeing Rei from its grasp. Rei tumbled to the floor,
her hand on her painful neck.
        	Yuuichirou flailed wildly at the monster. Punching it, scratching
it, kicking it, kneeing it... everything to keep it away from Rei. The
monster struggled back. The two rolled on the floor for countless minutes.
Still, Mercury and Rei couldn't make out who the victor was going to be...
until the ugly fish raised its clawed hand at Yuuichirou, slashing his back,
making him cry out.
        	"Yuuichirou!!" Rei exclaimed. 
        	Yuuichirou fell to the floor, unable to move because of his back.
Rei's eyes teared as she saw the red markings on his torn garment. The
monster got up, and prepared to give Yuuichirou another taste of its clawed
hand. Rei saw the blood; heard the cries of anguish; felt his pain. She
couldn't stand it.
        	"You can't do that to Yuuichirou!!!" She bellowed to the
sea-denizen- like creature. "Yurusenai!!!"
        	"Rei-chan..." Mercury said.
        	Rei raised her transformation stick high in the air. With a
confident voice, she yelled, "MARS CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!!!".
        	A wave of electric fire swept over her in a vigorous motion. She
felt her energy returning, and increasing even more. Her priestess outfit
disappeared, and was replaced by a fuku of vivid red. A tiara with a bright
ruby encircled her forehead, and a scarlet choker with a single golden star
on her neck. She placed a gloved hand on her hip, and glared at the monster.
        	Yuuichirou, who was half conscious, stared in awe at the girl whom
he loved and respected. 
        	"Rei-san... Sailormars..." He passed out completely after that.
        	"It's payback time, fish-face! In the name of Mars, I shall punish
you!" Sailormars declared. With a swift movement of her arms, a pair of long
objects emerged from her hands. A flaming bow and arrow!
        	"MARS FLAME SNIPER!!!"
        	The blazing arrow pierced the air, and scored a direct hit. The
monster cried out in agony, but didn't crumple to the ground.
        	"What's wrong?" Mars said to it. "Why don't you just die already??"
        	Mercury punched some keys on her mini computer. "Mars, according to
my computer, the place where your flame sniper had hit wasn't a vital part,
that's why the monster's still standing!"
        	"Nani?" Mars gasped. "Where is its weakness?"
        	The monster laughed, as the fire arrow disintigrated into
nothingness. "Weakness? What weakness? I don't have a weakness!"
        	"Don't listen to it, Mars!" Mercury said, and continued to work on
her miniature data processor. "Its got one somewhere... found it!"
       	 However, the monster had decided to attack them before Mercury had
the chance to figure out where its vital part was. Mars and Mercury gave a
cry, as the monster's sharp claws were about to embed themselves into the
two senshi's bodies!
       	 "REI KEN... GET LONGER!!!"
       	 A sword of powerful spirit energy flashed before Mars and Mercury's
eyes, as it plunged into the ichthy-like monster. They gave a sigh of
relief, as they saw Yusuke, Sailorpluto, Botan, and a weird-looking guy,
step forth from outside. The monster screeched in pain, but was still on its
feet. Yusuke was ready to zap it with his rei gun.
        	"Yusuke-kun, aim for the gills! On its neck!" Mercury said.
        	"Yosh! All right, you're sushi, Meikai scum!" Yusuke aimed a finger
at it. "REI GAAAAaaaN!!!"
        	A powerful blue light emanated from Yusuke's fingertip. The
monster's loud scream filled the air, as the spirit gun did its role, and
finished off the monster.
        	"Yata ze!" Yusuke cheered to himself.
        	Mercury put away her computer and visor. "That'll show that
ichthyology specimen!"
        	"Yusuke-kun, arigatou," Mars thanked Yusuke. Yusuke grinned at her.
        	"Who's this?" Mars pointed to Kuwabara.
        	"A, him? He's just a big-mouthed buddy of mine," Yusuke replied.
        	"What was that?? And who do you think you are?? Mr. Perfect
himself??" Kuwabara countered.
        	"Hey, hey, calm down you two," Botan chided.
        	"What a bunch of noisy teenagers! Can't an old man get some rest
around here?" An old man stepped into the foyer. "Oh, I didn't know there
were that many of you..."
        	Mars' face lit up. She was overjoyed that her grandfather was all
right. However, she couldn't run to him and hug him, because she wasn't Rei
at the moment. She didn't care. Fighting against the Dark Kingdom, Black
Moon, Death Busters, Dark Circus, and Queen Galaxia, was finally over. They
were very powerful enemies. But now they were dealing with a much more
powerful force. What if she never got to see her grandfather again because
of this battle? As if reading her thoughts, Pluto nodded to her. She sucked
in her breath, and walked up to him.
        	"Grandpa," She said, and leaned down to hug him. He stared at her
in bewilderment for quite sometime, before realization sunk into him. With
eyes tearing, he hugged her back.
        	"Rei... is that you?" He asked. 
        	"Hai, Grandpa..."
       	Kuwabara sniffled. "Gee, this is very touching."
        	Botan nodded, wiping her eyes. "Soo."
        	"Ne, what are we going to do about this guy here?" Yusuke pointed
to Yuuichirou.
        	"Ack!" Mars exclaimed, almost forgetting about that. "Yuiichirou!"

================================================================ 

        	Zoom. Bap. Zoink. Gonk. Bop. Ka-boom! 
        	She gave a frustrated cry, as she pulled on her hair. Try again!
Pulling up her sleeves, she cracked her knuckles, and inserted another coin
into the machine, for Aino Minako was not a born loser. 
        	The two, Tenou Haruka and Minako, who had transformed back from
sailor senshi, went to investigate the Crown game center to check if all the
people were safe indoors. Evidently, nobody was there, but had left the
center unlocked and unattended. They had decided to go inside, and take a
break from all that sailor sleuthing.
        	"Yaaaah!!!" Minako yelled, as she punched wildly on the buttons.
        	"We're supposed to be scouting the area, not playing video games!"
Haruka grumbled, folding her arms. She leaned on the arcade machine, and
dully watched the screen where the game, Sailor-V, was taking place.
"Couldn't you have picked car racing?"
        	"Car racing?!" Minako answered disbelievingly. Another `Game Over`
flashed across the screen. "Darn! This game is rigged! You always beat me in
car racing, Haruka-san!"
        	Haruka chuckled. "You wanna give it a try again?"
        	"Car racing? Are you challenging me? Yosh, You're on!" 
        	The two seated themselves down in front of the arcade game, ready
for a cyber race. 
        	"Mou~! Don't pull your starting last, and finishing first
technique, Haruka-san!"
        	"Heh-heh... All right. We start at the same time then."
        	With their hands on the steering wheels, Haruka plopped a coin into
the machine. They revved their motors, and soon, a checkered flag waved on
the screen. They were off! 
        	Vroom. Screech. Zoom. Rurr. 
        	For continuous minutes, their cyber automobiles sped through
various dirt roads, and highways. Minako was getting better, Haruka
observed. She shifted gears, and slowly stepped down on the accelerator. 
        	Minako saw from the corner of her eye what Haruka was doing. She
wasn't going to let Haruka beat her again. The last time she did, Minako
thought she was a guy. Haruka would have been the perfect guy for her, but
turns out, Haruka wasn't a boy at all. It was such a big disappointment.
Everybody among the inner senshi had boyfriends. Usagi had Mamoru. Ami had
Ryo. Rei had Yuiichirou. Mako had... Kurama had plenty of potential. Minako
smiled. Makoto and Kurama... quite a nice ring to it. Minako was so happy
for everyone, but couldn't help feeling a bit envious about it. She had all
the rotten luck in the world when it came to men! Why, she wondered, was it
always that way? She was pretty, witty, vivacious, and cheerful. What more
did guys want? Her heart mended bit by bit from the pain caused by Allan and
her bestfriend Katareena. It did not bother her much now, but then...

^-^***^-^

        	"Allan, I'd like you to meet my friend, Katareena." She introduced
the tall, dark-haired man to the auburn-haired woman, who had her hands
folded behind her.
        	It was the perfect day for a nice ride on the ferris wheel, or the
carousel, or the roller coaster. In other words, an absolutely great day to
be at an amusement park. 13-year-old Aino Minako had invited her two close
friends, Katareena and Allan. London breeze was the finest on a nice October
afternoon, and her birthday was coming up. Oh, she was so excited! It didn't
matter if it was going have just a small party, just as long as Allan and
Katareena were there. She loved Allan; he was very special to her. She had
encountered dozens of men, and none of them were as kind and as caring as
he. He was her brotherly figure, and at the same time, her prince. Allan
knew that, though how it came to be was such an embarassing situation.
        	Katareena was like her sister; an older sister who always listened
to her, and talked things out with her, and had even taught her how to speak
English. Being an only child, Minako had always wished for someone to talk
to now and then. The only company she kept was Artemis, the strange white
cat who appeared out of nowhere. He could talk, yes, but he was always way
too serious, and he was in Tokyo. Only Artemis and Katareena knew of her
secret identity as Sailor-V, the mysterious crimefighter who was wanted by
the Tokyo police. However, she did not travel to London to flee. She had
received word that forces from the Dark Kingdom were extremely powerful in
England. She met Allan there. He had showed her the way around, and had been
the most gallant person she'd ever met. She had also met Katareena, one of
the best police officers in the London district. Because of their
friendship, Katareena and Minako became partners in the field of
crimefighting. Allan and Katareena were the dearest people to her heart, so
she had decided for the two to meet. 
        	After the carousel, Minako cheerfully shouted, "Katareena, Allan,
hurry up you two! Last one on the ferris wheel is a rotten egg!"
        	Allan chuckled. "She's a good kid."
        	The view from the ferris wheel took Minako's breath away. It was
beautiful! She smiled at Katareena and Allan, who were deep in conversation,
then turned back to lean her hands on the glass window of the cable car.
        	Trips to the park, and many other events similar to that took place
whenever Minako was with the two. They had so much fun. She was so glad that
Allan and Katareena had gotten along very well. In fact, they were
inseparable. It was wonderful that Katareena approved of Allan. Minako would
even daydream now and then about walking down the aisle in a glorious
wedding dress, with Katareena as her bridesmaid; and of course, Allan, the
groom, waiting patiently at the altar for his bride to come to him. 
        	Only one day to go before her birthday. Minako was ecstatic. After
several days of enjoying picnics, amusement parks, and sightseeing,
Katareena and Minako suddenly received word about a bombing incident in the
northern district. According to the data, the criminals' hideout was an old
abandoned warehouse. Minako and Katareena nodded to each other. It was time
for the heroine, Sailor-V.
        	They were on to the case. Before midnight, Sailor-V and Katareena
headed towards the warehouse. They silently circled the building. There
wasn't a trace of movement anywhere. Katareena motioned for Sailor-V to
investigate inside. Readying her gun, Katareena said she would wait outside,
her radio ready just in case she had to call for backup.
        	Sailor-V swiftly entered the building, wary of the danger lurking
about inside the dark warehouse. She went deeper into the blackness of the
house, taking quick, silent steps. Her eyes searched the place, and rested
on a figure trying to run away. Before Sailor-V could holler to him to stop,
she heard the sound of metal rolling on the warehouse floor. She dropped her
gaze to a round device, which made her eyes widen in horror. A bomb! She
uttered a gasp, then a scream, as loud BOOM and a blinding light filled the
building. 
        	Katareena was thrown from her post by the strong explosion. She let
go of her gun, and lay on the pavement, dirt and soot on her skin and
uniform. She turned her head towards the warehouse, which was now burned to
ashes by the blazing fire. NO!!! Minako!!!
        	Katareena sobbed, and cried, "MINAKOoo!!!"
        	Trying her best not to cry, Sailor-V, or Minako, limped to a narrow
alley filled with graffiti. She leaned on the brick wall, and sunk to the
ground. It hurt so much. She was sore and bleeding, and her Sailor-V costume
was totally ruined. She smiled despite the pain. It was time to get a brand
new look anyway. She tried gritting her teeth to stop the tears. She held
her head high. Aino Minako does not cry. She repeated that phrase over and
over in her head. How lucky she was to have survived. She could still have
that birthday party she planned. Only a few minutes to go before the big day...
        	She heard a familiar voice outside the alley, with a well-known
figure and dark hair. Allan. Minako was so happy. 'Allan, I'm over here.
Please help me.' She wanted to say. When this case was over, she vowed she
would tell Allan the three special words she felt and meant: `I love you`. 
        	The clicking and clacking of a woman's heels sounded on the
pavement. Katareena. She was crying, and ran to Allan. 'Katareena, it's
okay', Minako thought, 'I'm alive.'. She tried to get up, but found no
strength to do so. What Minako saw after that made her suck in her breath.
Allan embraced Katareena.
        	"Don't cry," Allan crooned, hugging her to his chest, and stroking
her auburn tresses. "I'm here. I'm always here for you."
        	Everything shattered before her eyes. Minako bowed her head, and
sobbed. They had fallen in love; fallen in love without even letting her,
the slightest bit, know. It was a cruel world. She was wrong; Aino Minako
does cry. The tears flowed freely down her cheeks. The pain she felt from
the injuries on her body could not compare to the pain she felt in her
heart. The clock struck twelve. It was her 14th birthday.

^-^***^-^

        	"Oi, oi, Neko-chan," Haruka's voice broke through Minako's train of
thoughts. "It's just a game."
        	Minako gripped tbe steering wheel tighter, and realized what Haruka
was saying when a single tear dropped onto her arm. Minako quickly wiped it
away with her sleeve, and fixed her attention back to the game. Haruka was
in the lead by 5 miles.
        	"Hey, are you all right?" Haruka asked. "You don't look so hot."
        	"I'm fine," Minako snapped, then bit her lower lip because of her
outburst. Haruka had stopped holding on to the steering wheel and the gears,
and shifted her eyes to rest on Minako. Conscious of the pair of green eyes
watching her, Minako let out a cry and a groan, as her cyber-car went flying
out of the road, and fell down with a CRASH. Another `Game Over` flashed
across the screen.
        	"Great," Minako muttered. "Looks like you win again."
        	"Well?" Haruka persisted. "What's up with you?"
        	"Nothing's up!" Minako replied defensively, slamming her palm onto
the arcade machine. She knew she was being childish, but the topic was
making her extremely grouchy. As if Minako's hand had triggered a secret
button, the arcade machine began to shake convulsively. However, Haruka and
Minako were too busy arguing to notice.
        	"You don't have to be so touchy about it!"
        	"Touchy?! And tell me what your idea of touchy is, Miss Know It All!"
        	"You want me to spell it out for you, Miss Schizoprenic??"
        	"Schizoprenic?! At least I don't go around teasing and flirting
with girls, and breaking their hearts, like some people I know who's a girl
herself!"
        	"Well, at least I don't go around donating every last ounce of
blood from my body just so I could prove to everyone I have a pure heart,
and have my heart crystal taken!"
        	"Why you---!!" They bit back in unison. The two exchanged dagger
glares for a long while, until they heard a soft rumble coming from the
arcade machine. Averting their eyes towards the machine, they gasped when
they saw it shaking violently. The two took a step back, as the machine
started to shift shape. The monster of a machine slowly grew hands, then
legs, and suddenly a head. Haruka and Minako stared in horror, as the arcade
machine changed into a monster completely!
        	"Minako, henshin yo!" Haruka ordered.
        	Minako was about to complain on who's the leader, and 'who gives
the orders around here', but there was no time. In times of crises,
dilly-dallying was not a very good trait for a leader. She took her
transformation stick without hesitation, and raised it high above her head.
"VENUS--"
        	Minako was not able to finish the phrase. A strong force, like a
blast of wind and light, pushed her back, sending her flying and crashing
out the game center's window. She screamed, and protected her face from the
broken glass shards.
        	"Minako!!" Haruka cried, and glared at the monster who did the
unforgivable act. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size??"
        	The monster sneered back at Haruka, its body framed with metal, its
eyes glowing like twin lights. It took a step towards her, as it pressed a
button on its hard-framed body, and a futuristic kind of gun appeared in
what used to be its hand, and aimed it at Haruka. "See you in Meikai." It
said, and fired.
        	Haruka's eyes widened in alarm, and she uttered a low cry, as a
zapping beam of electricity, from a Sailor-V game, headed towards her with
lightning speed.
        	"VENUS LOVE ME CHAIN!!!"
        	A chain of golden hearts appeared, wrapping itself around Haruka.
Before Haruka knew what was happening, the chain dragged her off to safety.
The bomb exploded a few feet away from her. Haruka breathed a sigh of
relief, as she looked up at her savior, Sailorvenus. 
        	Venus winked down at Haruka. "Saved your butt twice now."
        	Haruka got to her feet, brushing her pants clean. "Yeah yeah, thanks."
        	"Well, aren't you going to transform, Miss Superiority Complex?"
Venus asked impatiently.
        	"Yes, your highness," Haruka replied sarcastically, and raised her
transformation stick up in the air. "URANUS CRYSTAL POWER... MAKE UP!!!"
        	Haruka became Sailoruranus. The boyish attire now gone, she was now
wearing a dark blue and yellow fuku, and boots. Uranus stepped forward, one
hand on her slender hip. "I am the guardian of the sky, Sailoruranus!"
        	"And I am the senshi of love, Sailorvenus!" Venus provided.
        	Side by side, they stood ready. "You're not going to get away with
this!" They said to the monster.
        	The monster did not flinch or run away. Instead, it clicked on a
small switch on its body. A bazooka-like gun emerged from its hand,
replacing the laser gun. The monster pulled the trigger, and a bullet, which
appeared to be a bomb, popped out of the gun's barrel with a loud 'BANG'. It
headed towards the two senshi with tremendous velocity. 
        	"Venus! Split up!" Uranus commanded.
        	Of all the conceited--! Who did she think she was, ordering her
around like that?? Venus complied, but frowned deeply at Uranus' bossy
statement. Uranus ran left, Venus went right. Their intention was to dodge
the small missile heading their way. That way, the bomb would not be able to
touch them. Unfortunately, and very surprisingly, the bullet-bomb turned
right, and followed Venus!
        	Uranus stopped running, and turned. "Venus!! Behind you!! No, don't
turn around, you idiot!! Keep running!!"
        	Venus hardly felt the floor beneath her. All she heard was the loud
clacking of her orange heels, and Uranus' frantic voice. The bomb was right
behind her! Like a heat-seeking missile, the bullet-bomb trailed her. But
why didn't it come after Uranus? Great dynamite, how long was she going to
keep running away like this? She was already trying her best to catch her
breath.
        	"Venus!" Uranus called. "Think of physical education!"
       	 'That baka!' Venus thought, fuming. However, Uranus did have a
point. Venus thought back to the days when she was the best marathon-runner
in her class. Physical education was her favorite subject. Hooh, boy, she
sure needed recollections of past lessons, and adrenaline at this very moment.
	Uranus faced the monster. "The game's over for you! WORLD--!"
	The monster laughed. "Go ahead. You can kill me, but that won't save your
friend."
	Uranus put her arm down, and cursed. Now what? 'Venus, hold on,' Uranus
thought. 'I'll get you out of this somehow.'
	Venus knew she was tiring. Her breath was coming in short pants, and her
calves were starting to feel numb. Like cat and mouse, she continued to run
around the game center, with the bomb of a bullet chasing her. Her legs grew
weaker with every step she took. Then, as if an imaginary light bulb lit up
in her brain, she smiled. She had a plan. She hoped that it would work; it
always worked in movies. Summoning a tad bit of strength, she swiftly ran
towards the monster. As soon as she was a nose away from it, she jumped and
tumbled over it. Landing gracefully on her low-heeled, orange shoes, she
looked back at the monster, hoping that the bomb got it instead. 
	No such luck.
	Venus screamed, as the bomb went down on her, ending in a loud, explosive
KA-BOOM.
	"VENUS!!!" Uranus screamed.

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