Terrible Things to Waste

Part 7: Confrontation
-----------------------------------------------------------
{Continued from A}


	A new surge of guilt rose within Cindy's chest when the large
metal door slid open, begging with loud creaks and groans for an
end to its suffering.  From her position on the edge of the
platform, the blonde Traveller could see four feminine forms
standing in the crimson light.  Her heart fluttered when she
recognized the twin ponytails wavering gently in the sea breeze.
 

	Serena.   The Moon Princess.  The girl who invested all her
trust in her.  Cindy's heart ached, how she yearned for a second
chance, to amend her sins.   Cindy's spirits lifted, perhaps she
could.  Surely, Serena would show her some mercy.  She would
understand.  She hoped.

	But then she heard it; the low thud of a staff.  The Time
Guardian.  She glanced at the cage holding the child and then at
the procession walking toward her.  No, apologies are too late
in coming.  What she had done was unforgivable.   Not even
Serena could feel for someone as cold-hearted as herself.

	"Sailor Moon?"  The cage rattled softly in tune with Reenie's
voice.   Yet, the voice lacked the usual ring of sweetness,
something Cindy remarked to herself bitterly.    

	At the sound of the child's voice, Serena stopped abruptly and
the other three attentively followed in step.  She stood still
in shock at the sight of Reenie, trembling in a cage.  Why would
Cindy do such a thing?  Serena sensed her faith in Cindy buckle
under doubts, but something reassured her.  Glancing down,
Serena saw her Silver Crystal glimmered softly.  Then she
glanced at Pluto, standing rigidly beside her.  Pluto's lips
pursed threatening to burst forth with outrage, furious at the
sight of the girl she regarded as a daughter being treated in
this vile fashion.  It was ... unforgivable.  She knew this was
a mistake.       

	"Don't worry, Reenie." Serena swallowed the large lump in her. 
"Everything's going to be okay.  Right now, I have to talk to
Cindy, alright?"

	"Yea-yeah."  Reenie studdered in obedient confusion.

	"Okay."  Serena breathed quietly and raised her voice toward
the Traveller.  "Cindy, listen to me.  You don't have to do
this."

	"I didn't mean for any of this to happen."  Cindy cried
defensively before her head and shoulders gradually sink into
herself, breathing.  "I never wanted this to happen."

	  Serena sighed, she desperately wanted to reach to Cindy and
comfort her.  "I understand, Cindy.  Please, just let go of
Reenie and we can fight this battle together."

	"No."  Cindy shouted, turning her head away to hide her tears. 
"I'm. . . I'm unforgivable."

	Serena carefully clasped her hands over her brooch and her
voice resonated with Cindy's wounded spirit.  "I forgive you."

	Cindy's shoulders slowly relaxed once Serena's words
reverberated on her ears.

	"I forgive you."

	'Perhaps. . . Perhaps I still have a chance.  Perhaps I can
redeem myself.  Perhaps I will be able to finally heal. 
Perhaps-' Cindy's guilt gave way to the flutter of excitement
from all the possibilities.

	"Yes."  Her voice now punctuated with determination, Cindy
gingerly walked toward the cage.  "It's the right thing to do."

	Cindy fiddled with the lock feverishly, her confidence soared,
'Now, Halebit, I will finally free myself of your grasp.'  	   

	Reenie smiled at Cindy and Cindy smiled back, the door to the
cage no longer a barrier between the two.  Cindy could see
closure for herself, all the pieces were falling in her
direction.

	Suddenly, a loud crash broke the silence as a figure smashed
through the rear wall, slamming into the concrete floor as Cindy
instinctively wrapped herself around the child.  All around,
glass shattered as the other senshi charged in through every
available window and door.  For a moment they all paused.  Then
the figure stirred.

	Groggily, the figure sat up groaning with the sharp pains
tearing away at its body.  The Sailor Scouts waited, expecting
anything to happen.  Serena held her breath once she saw the
long, dark locks of hair tremble with figure's movements.

	'It's the Timelord.' Serena's senses went wild.  Something was
wrong, definitely wrong.

	Cindy eyed the groaning figure cautiously, who could it be?  It
couldn't be Malance, he never would go into any situation
without his armor.  Halebit?  No, Halebit would never make such
an entrance.  Who could it be?  Nervously, Cindy rubbed her
bracelet.

	Tracer cursed to himself.  He needed to get up, Halebit never
let an opponent have the chance to recover.  Shoots of pain
stabbed his legs and arms as he moved.  He took a quick glimpse
of his surroundings and found himself in company.   He carefully
studied the group just within his field of view and sneered once
he confirmed their identity.  

	'Those Lord-bedamned Sailor Scouts.'  Tracer tensed his right
hand causing the silvery liquid to condense around it.

	'So, if they are here then,' Tracer's head methotically twisted
toward the platform and the razor sharp points of his clawed
hand solidified.  'That must mean the child is with...'    

	Then Cindy saw the locks of greasy black hair-

	Then Tracer saw the dirty blonde ponytail-

	His dark, burning eyes.  

	Her deep, blue eyes.

	The eyes of the one who slaughtered her family.

	The eyes of the one who brought about his downfall.

	Recognition was nearly immediate.

	"YOU!!!!!!"  They both shouted in unison.

	Without hesitation, Cindy yanked her bracelet from her wrist,
snapping it rigid.  The individual diamond shaped ringlets
expanded sliding together harmoniously to form the flat blade. 
Leaping from the platform, Cindy threw both her arms behind her
head and griped the newly assembled sword in her hands.  She
envisioned this moment everytime she trained with her sword, his
smirking face there for her to strike or slice.  With the
strength of her entire body, Cindy hurled her sword down at the
Timelord.  

	*TING!*

	Tracer easily caught the blade with his claw.  It had taken him
years of painful lessons to learn that technique, but pain was
something that came with the territory.  Tracer found Cindy's
reaction rather amusing, her face crumpled with shock, like a
small child finding she's been taken for the fool as he held her
ruby colored weapon in his hands.  He nearly laughed to himself.

	Tracer quickly composed himself and sneered, he'd show that
damn Moon Princess a thing or two.  Tightening his claw on the
blade, he kicked Cindy full force into the protruding ledge of
the platform. 	

	Serena stood in shock at the savagery unfolding before her. 
She had to stop this.  

	"No!"  Serena screamed and lunged forward, but the Time Staff
blocked her path, the red of the Garnet Orb staring her in the
face.

	Serena whisked her head toward the Time Guardian, and whispered
hoarsely.  "Why."

	Sailor Pluto stood motionless, looking straight ahead at the
fighting combatants and noticing the flicker of a cape dashing
toward the platform.  "It's time to make good on our agreement;
'Take whatever means necessary.'"

	Serena's face soured with dismay and watched helplessly as the
battle progressed to its tragic conclusion.  

	Cindy's back howled in distress from the impact, loosing all of
her body except for her grip on the sword.  She had no time to
linger on the pain, choosing instead to dive out of the way just
as Tracer dug his claw into the platform.  Without delay, Cindy
swung her sword in retaliation, but the Timelord had his claw
waiting.  

	Once again, the Timelord held Cindy's sword firm.  Cindy caught
a glimpse of the savage grin on his face before delivering an
open hand blow hard across her face.  The blow jarred the sword
from her hands and her body crashed to the unforgiving concrete
floor.  Tracer focused his fierce gaze, stalking toward his
retreating prey.  A sneer formed on Tracer's face as he threw
down the ruby sword, imbedding it into the floor beside his leg.
 

	'I'll show you Princess,'  Tracer brought his intense stare at
Serena, 'I'll show you how much I desire this woman.'

	Tracer flexed his claw, gliding his metallic thumb across the
sharp tips of his fingers.  

	Chills ran up and down Cindy's aching spine, but she would let
herself go out like this.  Not laying down.  She wasn't going to
die in vain.  Her family would be avenged. 

	"You Counsule lapdog!"  Cindy jeered while spying her sword. 
"The Counsule has to send you to finish the job, huh?  Then you
can wash you hands of them, won't you?!"  If she could distract
him for a few more moments and she could reach-

	Suddenly, Tracer pounced upon Cindy and lifted her by the
throat with his claw recoiled, ready to strike.  His face
ferocious, outraged by her words.  "What the hell are you
talkin' about you Lord-forsaken Society bastard?"	

	"You," Cindy quivered with fear, but she had to be strong.  She
had to be strong for them.  "You killed them,"  She couldn't
give up, "Sam, Mom, and Dad,"  Cindy felt something brush her
desperately wondering hand.  "You killed my family."

	The ferocity drained away.  The scent of the kill went sour at
the realization.  Tracer lowered his claw and loosened his hold.
 His voice lost its grand determination.  "What?"

	"You will pay for them all."  She hissed, taking hold of the
smooth wooden hilt with both hands.  "You'll pay for killing my
family."

	Jerking the sword from Tracer's side, Cindy shoved the weapon
into the Timelords stomach and proceeded upwards into his chest.
 Years of seething anger errupted with that stroke, leaving its
bloody trademark evident all over her hands and face.  Cindy
kept her eyes fixed on the stunned expression frozen on the
beast's face, prompting Cindy to muse if the deathly blow of
defeat surprised him. 

	Silver streaked blood soaked her hand and arm to the elbow as
Tracer's body collapsed.  Cindy let go of the hilt, leaving the
sword still embedded in the Timelord's unmoving body and
regarded her bloody hands.  She looked at Serena, her face
aghast at the gory scene.  Reality began to set in, Cindy had
shown Serena the true monster that lurked below her surface. 
Her saturated hands shook uncontrollably, and her tears burrowed
their way through the blood staining her cheeks.  

	It took her a little while to recognize the clapping of a
single set of hands echoing around in the warehouse.  

	"Congratulations Xendyte."  Cindy snapped her head toward the
platform where the General stood, clapping in adulation.  "You
now have your revenge, so what are you going to do next?"

	Cindy shifted her sights to the small child standing rigidly
beside the General as if something inhibited her movement and
below him lay Tuxedo Mask recovering from a vicious blow.  
Halebit's smile had the cunning of a cat and glowed in the
oppressive red light.  "And I must thank you for all your
efforts to help me retrieve the Silver Crystal.  I am indebted
to you, my faithful soldier."

	The horrifying truth hit her right in the face, she was a tool.
 He used her to the fullest, her rebellions, her anger, her
guilt, everything to fullest.  And she walked blindly into his
tangled weave, thinking she knew the way.  

	Cindy balled her fist and her face contorted with rage.  'No,
no, no, no, no, NO!!!!'

	Running at full speed, Cindy ripped her ruby sword from the
concrete as she passed and charged Halebit.  Never again, she
would never let him do this.  It was going to end, and she was
bringing this to its final conclusion.

	Halebit's smile widened at her charge and nearly laughed when
the blonde Traveller leapt at him.  Immediately, Halebit threw
out his hand, stopping the sharp blade mere inches from his
face.  

	Cindy glared at Halebit while her body remained still,
suspended in midair.  "You son of a bit-"

	At that, Halebit swung his hand, causing Cindy to be flung out
of the way like a piece of rubbish into a dustbin.  Pausing
momentarily to recompose himself, Halebit returned his attention
to his main task;  ransom. 

	"Now, Princess, I humbly request the possession of the Silver
Crystal."  Halebit anounced, his cold, clammy hands tightening
upon the child's shoulder. "Or else I cannot guarantee her
safety."

	The Time Guardian stepped forward.  "I believe you are not in
the position to make such threats, Traveller.  Killing Small
Lady will only expedite your death."

	A knarled smile misshapened Halebit's frozen face.  "So which
one of you want to carry the guilt of this child's death on
their shoulders?  Who wants to be the one who must witness the
birth of the child they killed? For you see, Time Guardian, I
will be dead and happy knowing that one of you will live
miserably with the knowledge that you killed this daughter of
your future."

	Serena stared blankly at the old man upon the platform,
greedily gripping onto her daughter like a leech.  His words had
silenced their excitement and drenched their fury, everything
had consequence and they wanted no responsiblity for it.  Serena
brought down her gaze to the brooch clutching to her chest,
holding within the Silver Crystal, the source of all her power
and all her troubles.  

	"What is it going to be Princess?"  The old man's voice
crackled with eagerness, his sickening grin nearly splitting his
face in half.



---------------------------------------



	The pool of silver laced blood cooled on the floor around
Tracer.  It was his blood that threatened to drown him, so much
blood he had to lift his head to breath.  What was that? 
Moment?  Over by the platform, yes.  What was it?  Cindy? 
Halebit?  Tracer tried to focus.

	With his blood blurred vision, Tracer could make out the
Princess reluctantly handing over the Silver Crystal.  Such the
fool he was.  Her eyes.  He had no idea that their calming blue
depths could hold so much sorrow.  Tracer carefully tugged on
the hilt of his sword still embedded in his chest.  Tracer
clenched his teeth, that bastard Halebit had lied to Cindy in
order to pin her against him.  With one last excruciating tug,
Tracer pull the sword from his body.

	Halebit had used him and Cindy as two aces up his sleeve to
collect his bounty, the Silver Crystal.  He could have prevented
all of this if he hadn't been so intent on revenge.  If he
hadn't let his rage against the Society consume him, he probably
would have seeked out Cindy first, talked to her about her
family.  But no, those were things Halebit had planned on Tracer
second guessing.

	'Bastard.'  Tracer winced as the burning sensation in his fast
healing abdomen intensified, or was it guilt?  'Why did I
sacrifice everything for you?'

	 It all started with her name which led him down a road of lies
and betrayals by everyone he entrusted his life to.  All of this
pain, all because of her.  Now he had nothing left to lose. . .
except her.

	With the pain in his abdomen numbing, Tracer carefully brought
his sword into view and studied it intently.  A soft glow began
to pulsate slowly as he gazed at the sword's clean crystalline
blade.  It was responding to her, crying out for her on his
behalf.  The wonderous feelings he felt when he thought of her
coursed through him so strongly that he could not ignore it.

	Tracer took one last fleeting look back at the platform.  There
he saw Halebit holding the Silver Crystal victoriously, his face
twisting with his madness.  Below him, the despairing mother and
her child.  The Princess's flowing blonde pony tails gently
wrapping themselves around the two as the she held her child. 
It was then, looking at this violation of innocence, Tracer knew
what he had to do.  

	It was time.

	

-------------------------------------------------------



	Cindy's body screamed from the burning pain after sliding to a
stop on the rough warehouse floor.  Her mind went numb with
thoughts of failure, she surrendered to her urge for revenge of
her family, dooming any possiblities for redemption.  Pulsating
rays of light streamed into her view. 

	"What's happening?"  She murmured against the cold floor.  Did
Serena hold fast and defeat Halebit?  Or did Halebit succeed and
he held the power of the Silver Crystal?  

	With a low groan, Cindy slowly shifted herself.  The pain in
her limbs jabbed her mercilessly at every twitch, but she was
determine to see what was happening.   No matter how unpleasant
the sight.  

	Cindy struggled to get the source of the brillant light into
view, hiding its master's identity.  She saw two shadowed hands
enclosing the Silver Crystal, the overflowing radiance streaming
from between the fingers.  Cindy's eyes scanned the group
beholding the incredible spectacle, and her heart sank when she
recognized the unmistakable twin pony tails of Serena.  Halebit
had won.  And she had failed them.

	Thud, thud, thud.  Footsteps, coming closer.  Cindy snapped her
head towards the sound, cringing after the fact.  It was the
Timelord.

	'How did he-'  Cindy gritted her teeth, remembering these
beasts' ferocious healing rate.

	The light formed a strange halo around the Timelord's figure,
her angel of death.  Cindy forced her numb muscles to pull along
the floor as the Timelord methodically stalked toward her.  She
increased her pace once she noticed the sword in his hand.  The
sword she ran him through with. Frantically, Cindy searched for
her own sword.

	'It has to be somewhere.  It has to be!'  Her eyes looking here
and there, with nothing to be found.  

	The Timelord approached, his sword extended at her throat.  His
expression showed indifference at her struggling, Cindy wasn't
going to die like this. She didn't want to die like this.

	"You murderous beast!"  She hissed with her back to the metal
wall.  "You unfeeling machine!"

	The Timelord paused at these words and closed his eyes.  His
face remained stoic, but his sword hovered a few inches from her
throat.  

	Cindy stared down the sharp edge of the translusent blade and
sneered. "Sam, Dad, and Mom meant everything to me and you took
them away.  You caused me nothing but misery.  You ruined my
life!"

	The Timelord remained silent to her words.  Nothing.  Anger
surged through her, anger at the frustration of it all.  The
failures, the broken promises, the pain, and the misfortunes. 
Her life was a tragedy and she played the role of the fool
perfectly, and her hour of fretting and strutting were nearly up.

	"How could a monster like you understand pain and misery when
all you know is how to spread it!"  Tears, not her fist,
conveyed the violence welling within her.  "You'll never
understand!"

	"I understand."  Tracer's voice held a great weight of gravity
that smothered her fury.  They stared transfixed at each other
as the moment turned into an eternity.  Regretfully, Tracer
closed his eyes and glanced back toward the hardly visible
Halebit.  "I understand who our true enemy is."

	All of the sudden, the sword erupted with light.  The tendriles
of light wrapped itself around the blade, rolling off it giving
it the illusion of a flame.  Cindy gazed in awe as the sharp
illuminated edge retreated from her throat, noting that its
intensity increased with each step Tracer took.  It kept
increasing unitl its glow matched that of the Silver Crystal.  

	Swiftly, as the sword reached its greatest intensity, the
Timelord bolted towards the old man and his Fate.



-----------------------------------------------------



	'Ah, such harmony this precious crystal has.'  The General's
eyes twinkled the light radiating from the Silver Crystal. 
'What a calming melody.'

	Halebit marvelled at the great sensation of power that flowed
through his body.  He marvelled at his ingenuity.  He had been a
genius for using the telekinetic power of his red crystal as a
catalyst to ignite the power of the Crystal and then use that
power to make the flame of the Silver Crystal burn brighter.  He
had produced an endless cycle of energy that increased with each
period until he had enough power to create the Rift.	

	Yet, the most pleasant surprise by far was the Crystal's sweet
melody that it played when emitting power.  The melody calmed
his nerves, letting him relax and let go.  But most of all the
melody quieted the inner voice, Nihil.  Halebit smiled at that
thought.

	Abruptly, the hum changed its tune, and Halebit's ears twitched
at the sound.  'Are you trying to tell me something, my precious
stone?'

	Halebit could tell that he had enough power, he could feel its
pulse beating strongly through him.  He could create the Rift
and retrieve his prize, the red crystals, the power.  But why
settle for the telekinetic power of the red crystals when he had
the infinite power of the Silver Crystal.  

	 No, he could not.  Yes, he could, he definitely could. 
Halebit cringed.  The Silver Crystal's power was much too raw. 
So what?  He could learn over time, he had control.  No, giving
into this temptation would be a sign of weakness and the General
was not weak.  Perhaps he was.  No he wasn't, Halebit could do
this and he will do it now.  'It's time.'

	Clasping his hands around the Crystal, Halebit concentrated the
power and with calculated precision pricked the hole.  The Rift
could begin.



------------------------------------------



	"THUNDERCLAP ZAP!!"  	  

	Nothing.

	"WORLD SHAKING!!!"

	Nothing.

	"DEEP SUBMERGE!"

	Still nothing.

	"CELESTIAL FIRE SURROUND!!"

	Nothing was working.

	"DEAD SCREAM!!" 

	Pluto growled.  Nothing at all.  

	"It seems as though he has created a barrier of some sort." 
Mercury busily tapped on the holographic keyboard as her visor
flashed data streaming from her mini-computer.  "And he's
harnessing an amazing amount of energy from the Crystal.  I
personally don't see how he can survive with the Crystal
draining that much energy from him."

	Pluto squinted her eyes to block out the glare from the Silver
Crystal to view the General and felt out the power he emitted. 
So much power, she hardly could believe it.  But why?

	Suddenly, an immense pain stabbed Pluto's abdomen and spread
deeper into her body.  Immediately, she winced and nearly fell
to her knees.

	"Puu!"  Reenie jumped out of Serena's arms and ran over to her
friend in pain.

	"Pluto!"  Serena rushed to the Time Guardian's side.  

	The pain in Pluto's side increased, like someone was tearing
into her, cutting with meticulous care.  Almost like a ... a ...
"A Rift.  He's creating a Rift!"  Pluto groaned.

	"A what?"  Mercury asked ignoring the greater influx of energy
concentrated around the Crystal.

	"He's using the Crystal to tear into space and time."  Pluto
winced once more, the pain making her words more difficult to
speak.  "Stop him.  We must stop him!"

	"With what!?"  Mars screamed, her desperation shortening her
temper significantly.  "Serena here just gave up the Crystal to
that whacko and none of our attacks can touch him!"

	Pluto clenched her teeth, the pain increased further and the
cut went deeper.  Somehow, despair magnified the pain, and then
Pluto realized she could sympathize with her peers around her. 
How many times have they gone into situations such as these and
believe it to be their last?  Not knowing whether they would see
tomorrow, having no comfort in the knowledge when they were
going to die.  God, she hated the unpredictability of Fate.	

	Then she sensed the power move.  No, it didn't move, maybe it
split?  Either way, Pluto sensed the Silver Crystal emanating
strongly from two totally opposite points simultaneously.  

	She had no explanation for it, except-

	"Oh my God."  Jupiter whispered, stunned not by Halebit, but by
something else.

	Pluto raised herself with her staff and searched for what
caught Jupiter's attention.  Her shock almost neutralized the
shearing pain cutting deeper.  The Timelord came running at
them, his sword blazing with pure white light, his face covered
with his blood and his eyes resolved,  focused on his target.  

	'It can't be-'  

	Pluto nearly lost her grip on the staff.

	'What you did was unforgivable, you bastard.'  

	Tracer fixed his eyes upon his teacher.

	'I'm almost there, yes, a little more-'  

	Halebit clutched the Crystal in fervored joy.

	'-where could he of gotten it?'  

	Pluto steadied herself and stumbled forward.

	'I will defeat you for Cindy-'  

	The sword grew brighter in Tracer's hands.

	'-and the red crystals will be mine-'

	Halebit opened the incision further.   

	'It's impossible-'

	Pluto positioned herself in Tracer's path.

	'I will defeat you for the Princess-'

	Tracer narrowed his eyes and let his legs fly.

	'-and I will be in total control-'

	The Rift neared completion.

	'-he can't have the Silver Crystal.'

	Pluto readied herself for a head on blow.

	'-never again will I let you hurt any of them.'

	Using the momentum in his legs, Tracer leapt over the Time
Guardian.

	'-I will be unstoppable.'

	 Halebit greedily wet his lips.  "Yes."

	Pluto watched the Timelord fly towards his Destiny, only a
single word escaped from her constricting throat.  "No."

	Tracer raised his blazing sword and prepared for the final
confrontation, his lungs exulting, "NEVER AGAIN!!"

	*SHRA-TING!*

	Tracer's sword had cut through Halebit's invisible barrier. 
Now the translucent silver blade met the the delicate Silver
Crystal, only the tips of each object touched, gently caressing
each other.  Halebit's eyes widened in terror, they were ... 
they were ... harmonizing.  The blade and the Crystal were
humming the same tune and with that chorus they grew
exponentially stronger.  The power was absolutely maddening!  

	"Let go, you fool!"  Halebit spat out from between his teeth
before another pulse of energy coarsed through him.  "You'll
doom us all!"

	Halebit's warning only fueled Tracer's determination, replying
only with his chanting whispers.  "Never again.  Never again. 
Never again-"

	More energy surged through Halebit's body.  He had to control
this before- another wave hit, and another.  It wouldn't be long
now, Halebit could tell.  "I can't-  I can't control it!  I'M
LOSING CONTROL!!!"

	The last powerful wave hit and an intense light exploded from
the suspended pair.  The shockwave blew everyone off their feet.

	Mercury jumped to her feet, joined by Mars almost immediately,
followed groggily by the others.  

	Mars studied the barren platform.  "What the heck happened to
them?"

	Mercury's visor went silent.  "I don't know.  It's as if they
create so much power that the whole system collapsed upon
itself."

	"Collapsed?"  Jupiter rubbed her sore backside and staggered to
her feet.  "Ya mean like a mini-blackhole, right?"

	Mercury nodded her head.  "Precisely."

	"Waitta minute."  Mars brought her hand to her forehead to
follow that train of thought.  

	Serena was far behind her.  "That means-"

	The Time Guardian wasted no time on rationale and trusted her
instincts.  "Everyone grab onto to something and hang on!"

	Without warning, Mercury's visor came alive with activity with
every reading going off the scale.  "Oh my-"

	The newly formed vortex sucked away the rest of Mercury's
sentence as well as everything else in the vicinity into its
infinitely black abyss.   The roof of the warehouse buckled
under the strain and some of the flooring bent upwards.  Mercury
was the first to fall in.  Then Neptune and Uranus, taking
Saturn along with them.  Next was Jupiter.  Serena held on
tightly to her daughter, but she felt her own hold on a loose
piece of flooring slipping.  One finger, then two and finally
three, Serena was quickly running out of fingers.  Suddenly, a
hand grabbed Serena's.  Snapping her head upwards, Serena found
herself looking the smiling facade of Cindy.

	Serena found herself overjoyed at this sorely welcomed sight. 
Just beyond Cindy, Serena could spy the unmistakable white glove
of Tuxedo Mask.  For the first time that night, Serena breathed
a sigh of relief, though it would only be momentary.  A sudden
jerk, shook the confidence away.  Cindy glanced back at Tuxedo
Mask and when she turned back her comforting smile gradually
transformed into panic expression.  Inevidiably, their anchor
gave way to the massive pulling force of the vortex and all four
disappeared into its black depths.   

	The rest quickly followed, feeling a sense of obligation to
their friends, in the slight chance that death did not meet them
on the other side.  Pluto closed her eyes, she didn't know what
to do.  She had a decision to make, compromise the order of the
timestream and start things anew or fulfill her duty to the
Queen and follow her blindly, possibly to her own death.  The
decision caused much conflict within herself.  Finally, the Time
Guardian came to one conclusion.  

	'Oh hell.'  Loosening her staff from the floor, Pluto let herself 
go and fell into the bottomless black pit of the vortex.

	And she fell.  and  she  fell.    and     she     fell.

-End of Part 7-

Author's Note:
Welp, I hope you liked it, I'm sorry if the drama was thicker
than you ordered.  I also hope that it wasn't too confusing
because in order to explain myself I would be disclosing...

THE METHOD TO MY MADNESS!!!

But I'm not doin' that anytime soon.  <evil grin>

I'd like to thank all my pre-readers, Doug Whiddon, Erin Ellis,
Matt Johnston and his evil twin David, the newcomer Nathan
Baxter, and the ever faithful Lord Talon.

Also thanks are in order for Paul Arezina for some pseudo-scientific
FYI on part 6.  Thanks, bud.

I forgot to beg and plead for C&C earlier, so uh, C&C this....please?

All original characters are owned and copyrighted by Bastion (c)1999. 
And Sailor Moon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi and in America by DIC.

God, don't cliffhangers suck?

Bastion
bastion@ix.netcom.com