Disclaimer: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon belongs to Takeuchi Naoko, Koudansha, TV Asahi, and Toei Douga, and DIC, and I would be a supreme idiot for claiming it or any of its affiliated characters.

Foreword: On Timelines: This story is set directly after the Doomtree story arc, but takes place in the alternate universe of "Assassin's Loyalty", and as a sequel to it.

On Names and Postfixes: In this story I use the Japanese names in the Japanese manner. Thus George Bush would be Bush George, and Usagi Tsukino would be Tsukino Usagi. Also, the postfixes -chan, -san, -dono and others appear attached to names. Don't worry if you don't know what they mean. I use them simply for flavor, and like any flavor can be left out without altering the reading (or edibility) too much.

Warning: This chapter gets into several adult situations. You have been warned.

Chapter Seven: Law of ZEROTH

As the creature reared back to deliver the deathblow, Sailor Moon gazed at it with steel in her eyes. The last of her memories had come too late to her, and now she would pay the price.

She could see the others preparing to launch attacks, or running to help, but knew that they would not be in time. Calling out to the Guardian Senshi would be in vain, for even Pluto needed time to prepare.

"Nevermore!" cried out the daimon, as it began her deadly swing.

Sailor Moon stiffened as she felt a sheen of ice form from her sweat, and saw the clear air condense into mist. The temperature dropped so quickly that the daimon stopped its swing, making the last mistake of its existence.

All eyes turned to the source of the mist, a woman dressed in ice-blue.

Slippers adorned her feet, leaving her legs nigh bare, covered only by a shifting drape of silver-lined cloth tied around her waist. Her midriff was bare, revealing a silver mark next to her navel. Her chest and shoulders were covered by blue-tinted plate armor, over silver cloth reaching up to her neck. Her arms and hands were bare. A silver tiara and earrings bore the same symbol as her stomach.

The Senshi stopped in their tracks, for there was only one person that this could be.

Ice-blue eyes gazed at the daimon, then turned to its master. The witch nervously backed away, not knowing how to deal with this new enemy. She cried out, "Daimon! Kill Sailor Moon!"

Again, the monster swung its arm back to begin its strike. The woman in blue did not take her eyes from the witch, merely raised her hand at the monster.

A single spike of ice blurred through the air, piercing the daimon through its dark heart.

Mimet looked from the dissolving daimon to the woman of ice. "No words?" she rallied. "No speeches from an ally of the Senshi?"

The woman smirked. "You who are blind to the Truth of Life, what is your last wish?"

Mimet snarled, "Who are you, monster? My master will be glad to be rid of you!" She raised her gun threateningly.

Sailor Moon saw the blue-clad woman turn her head and look at her, a question in her eyes. Moon swallowed, and nodded shortly.

Mimet had missed the exchange, but didn't care. The witch pulled the trigger and fired at the other woman, but when the blast reached her, she dodged out of its way, and sprung towards her. The witch swung her weapon, trying to hit her attacker, but the woman moved around it and tackled the witch against a wall.

Mimet felt something incredibly cold against her neck. Cold and wickedly sharp. "Your master will come to know me in time. You, however, make take my name with you to the afterlife." Mimet felt the frozen blade pass through her throat, and gargled on her own blood. "I am Sailor Mercury, and you are going to a cold Hell."

I drop the lifeless corpse and clean my knife with a blast of ice. I haven't yet looked at the others, but I know there must be more questions than ever before. I hear one of them come up behind me. Moon, perhaps, come to reprimand me for my failure.

"Anhara?"

Even worse than Moon. "Yes, Meskira?" I can hear her even breaths moving closer. What happened to her footsteps?

I stiffen in shock as I feel her arms wrap around my back and lock under my breasts. "I want…" she begins.

"I know." I tell her. I turn in her embrace and give her a quick hug. The others have come up behind us and are waiting. I disengage from Meskira and step in front of Sailor Moon. I spread my arms and bow my head. What would be appropriate? "Serenity, tlie quor sen kenr. Ai, Anhara, sevos ne comorant, Serenity."

"Mercury…" Sailor Moon softly whispers. She drew in a breath, "Ai, Serenity, comorant ta koo, Anhara." Her shoulders slumped and she embraced the Ice Senshi tightly. "Don't ever ask for forgiveness again, it hurts you too much!"

I return her embrace and step back. A hand is softly laid on my shoulder, and I turn my head to see Uranus.

"Would you mind an explanation?"

Ten'ou Tenmura had decided that once he returned home he was going to get a beer, prop his feet up, and take the rest of the night off.

Sadly, this was not to be.

Just as he had popped the tab on his beer, his attention was drawn to the modest garden that he kept in his spare time. The sound of several sets of feet landing told him that something was up. What he saw there surprised him.

The sight of his daughter in her uniform wasn't too shocking. Seeing the aqua-haired Senshi that had helped her on that night he was frozen in ice was cause for a raised eyebrow. Observing someone that had to be Mercury with them gave him a nervous feeling and caused him to wonder who dressed her in that outfit. And what she'd done to him in terms of payback.

It was the four other Senshi with them that shocked him speechless.

The one he recognized from the news as Sailor Moon stepped forward. "Ten'ou-san, may we make use of your home?"

Tenmura is obviously shaken by our arrival, but he gives a wavering smile and waves us in.

I sigh as I sit down on the couch. I never did get Suichiro, did I? A subtle change made in my mind, and the garments that clothe me are replaced by my black working clothes. Tenmura twitches slightly, and I realize that my arm is still covered in Mimet's blood. Meskira sits beside me, and with a glance to Tenmura, reverts to her natural form.

The Ten'ou in uniform pats the other one on the shoulder, and detransforms as well. One by one, the others release their magic, and become normal schoolgirls.

Tenmura is twitching. I can tell. "May I ask the reason for your… trust?"

Usagi turned a wan smile at him, "Our usual meeting place has been taken up by a festival, so Haruka suggested your home." She looked at her Senshi. "And as for the other… What kind of trust or hospitality could you show to those who will not even show you their true face?"

Tenmura nodded, and left to the kitchen. I look after him, and whisper under my breath. I stand up and smile at Meskira. "I'll be right back." I walk to the kitchen and find Tenmura stacking glasses onto a tray. I wash my hands in the sink, and then go to the refrigerator.

"What should I give them?" he asks. "I don't have enough of anything…" He trails off as I bring two wine bottles out of the refrigerator. "Do I want to know why I did not see those in there previously?"

I look at him and tell him truthfully, "No, you don't. Could you reach up in that cabinet and pull out a few more? This stuff is going to go rapidly tonight, you know."

I can hear the amusement in his voice as he brings down more of the bottles. "And how do you know that, Lady Mercury?"

A short, bitter laugh escapes my lips. Tenmura turns and looks at me, curious. "Sailor Moon nearly died today. That is how I know." I grab the tray of glasses and take it and the wine out to the others.

Something is missing, thought Meskira as her mind groggily woke up. Looking around and seeing the other Senshi sprawled out around the room reminded her of what had happened last night.

Seeing her future Queen almost killed, while she could do nothing to stop it, had shaken her to the core. The arrival of Sailor Mercury had been the ray of hope for the future.

On the subject of said personage, Meskira knew that she had not gone to sleep with nothing in her arms. Where was Anhara?

She stood shakily and looked around again, trying to spot the blue-haired divinator. She heard soft sounds of metal on metal out in the garden, so she decided to investigate the sunny day.

Anhara was there, sitting on the small porch, with a multitude of metal parts around her. She was taking each individual piece and wiping it down with an oiled rag. Meskira sat down outside the field of parts and decided to enjoy the garden. Shortly she heard signs of others awakening, some not as fortunate as her hangover-free self.

Meskira is a beautiful sight, sitting there, clothes slightly rumpled from sleeping in them, but her eyes are bright and she acts as a part of this small refuge from the city.

I know that I'm falling in love with her.

Or maybe that should be, I have fallen in love with her, and am only now realizing it.

I don't know.

And I think… I think that I like not knowing. For I realize, that not all questions need to be answered instantly. Some are well worth waiting for.

"I love you."

Fin.

Author's notes: Yes, that's the end. Deal with it. I realize that I left many threads still hanging, from the true fate of Black and the Assassin's Guild, to how Mercury attained the status of Senshi without breaking her oaths. Don't be to put off, though. I hope to continue writing vignettes for this universe, and in fact, have one already written. It's been sitting on my hard drive for almost a year now.

As a repeat of an earlier offer, if any would like to write in this universe, with orbits intersecting the Senshi or not, feel free. The only requirement I have is letting me preread.

For those who have written me with reviews and comments, thank you for your time and support, and I hope that you will read some of my other works.

Dro'gan, called NiteFlier

Webmaster: Larry F
Last revision: May 21, 2007