Disclaimer: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon belongs to Takeuchi Naoko, Koudansha, TV Asahi, and Toei Douga, and DIC.

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CHAPTER 4

Noriko stood in the now familiar blasted landscape of Centauri. She felt a presence up in the sky and looked up. A silver light was passing over the ruins, and as it passed, it healed!

She watched in amazement as wrecked structures were restored to their former glory, trees and plants sprung up from the soil and the planet possessed the vibrant life she remembered once again.

The light passed over her and she felt her power increasing, she didn't need to look to know she had changed into Sailor Centauri.

The light continued on, passing over the horizon as it restored her home. Sailor Centauri waited.

Soon, the light returned, and came down from the sky to her. Up close it was nearly blinding, but without a doubt it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. It oscillated slightly, becoming even brighter before it faded completely. In its place stood a woman.

Sailor Centauri gasped. It was like looking into a mirror — only different. The woman standing before her was like an older version of herself. Instead of her usual fuku however, she was wearing an armoured silver fuku, similar to Galaxia's.

"What's going on?" Centauri asked mechanically, not quite sure she understood.

The other Sailor Centauri smiled. "Centauri lives on in you. Only you can avenge your people."

"But how?" Centauri asked, the memory of her battle with Galaxia playing through her mind. "What can I do?"

Her older self stepped forward. "Remember," she said simply as she hugged Sailor Centauri.

Noriko sat bolt upright in her bed, sending Hermes flying off of her with a startled meow and eliciting a gasp from Hotaru, who was watching over her.

"Noriko! You're alright!" Hotaru leapt forward and hugged her tightly.

Noriko took a second to realise where she was before hugging Hotaru back. "Never better," she replied.

"You've been out for hours. We were really worried," Hotaru gushed.

"Hours?" Noriko repeated incredulously, before letting it go with a shrug. Then she looked at Hermes, who had jumped back onto the bed. "I remember, Hermes."

The cat looked puzzled. "Remember what?"

"Everything." She let go of Hotaru and picked Hermes up. "I remember my past life. The Sailor Wars, Galaxia, you, all of it."

"What does this mean?" Hotaru asked.

"It means I'm ready," Noriko replied grimly.

"For what?" Hotaru asked, still not sure what this was all about.

Noriko gave her a look. "Ready to face Galaxia."

"No!" Hermes cried out, "You can't! Please, Noriko. What you're talking about is suicide."

"I have to, Hermes. You don't understand," she tried to reason with her guardian cat.

"What's to understand?! You'll die!!" Hermes was becoming hysterical now. "I can't lose you again…" he sobbed.

She picked the small white cat up and held him to her chest. "It's okay," she soothed. "I know I can win."

Hermes continued crying without reply.

Hotaru considered all that she had heard carefully before speaking up, "I'm going too."

"Hotaru, this isn't your fight," Noriko said calmly, hiding how shocked she was at Hotaru's decision.

Hotaru remained steadfast. "Galaxia threatens us too. I can help. I have to help," she pleaded.

"I won't allow it," Noriko said firmly.

Hotaru looked at her incredulously, then broke out into evil laughter, something Noriko did not enjoy hearing one bit. "You won't allow it?" she repeated. "Well, that's tough. I am the Senshi of Destruction, the Messiah of Silence, and I will allow it," she said dramatically.

"Hotaru, you don't have to risk your life like this," Noriko attempted to convince her.

"Yes, I do. I'm not letting you fight Galaxia alone." Hotaru was starting to lose her patience.

Noriko held Hotaru's shoulders, but before she could say anything, she was flung backwards off the bed. Hotaru was breathing heavily and her eyes were completely black. Energy crackled in the air around her and her hair started to float upwards. "I'm going, and that's final," she said in a voice that made Noriko wonder if she had been possessed again.

Climbing back onto the bed, Noriko relented. "Okay. Fine. But it'll be a while before we make our move; we have to wait for the animamates to attack again."

Hermes just looked at them like they were insane.

Noriko and Hotaru were watching some anime on the TV a few days later when Hotaru's communicator beeped. She had asked to be kept more up to date on animamate attacks by the other Senshi, although she hadn't mentioned what they were planning.

"Haruka, what is it?" Hotaru asked as Sailor Uranus's face appeared on the screen.

"Lead Crow's at the Juuban shopping district. Get here fast," she replied before turning the communicator off.

Noriko looked expectantly at Hotaru. "Juuban shopping district. It's only a few minutes away if we run. Let’s go," Hotaru answered the unspoken question as she leapt from her seat. They both hurried out the door.

"Noriko, wait!" Hermes rushed to the door as Noriko and Hotaru were almost at the gate. They stopped and looked at the cat. "Good luck," he said simply.

Noriko gave him a thumbs-up, then ran off with Hotaru.

"Space Sword Blaster!" Sailor Uranus attacked Lead Crow with her Space Sword, but missed again. They had been fighting toe-to-toe for nearly five minutes, with neither gaining the upper hand. But the other Outer Senshi would arrive soon to help her.

Hotaru and Noriko arrived, and seeing the battle underway, began their transformations.

"Saturn Planet Power, MAKE UP!" Hotaru transformed into Sailor Saturn.

"Centauri Star Power, MAKE UP!" Using her new transformation wand, Noriko transformed into Super Sailor Centauri. It was the first time she used her ultimate transformation in this lifetime, and she was amazed at the incredible power she now possessed.

Saturn saw the new-look Sailor Centauri and whistled. "I'm impressed," she said in admiration.

"Wait till you see what I can do." Centauri grinned at her.

The pair entered the battle against Lead Crow. "For love and honour, the sailor-suited beautiful fighter Sailor Centauri will punish you!" Centauri did a few moves to go along with her speech.

Sailor Lead Crow looked at Super Sailor Centauri and the colour drained from her face. "S-super Sailor Centauri?"

Ignoring her, Centauri did the next part of her speech. "I will right wrongs and triumph over evil. And that means you!"

Thanks to the cheesy speech, Super Sailor Centauri seemed less intimidating and Lead Crow managed to regain her composure. "Eat this!" She fired her bracelet blasts at Centauri and Saturn, but Saturn was more than ready.

"Silence Wall!" Her defence blocked the salvo of fireballs, but maintaining it against the ferocious attack took a lot out of Saturn, and she had to drop it to recover.

Seeing her opportunity, Lead Crow followed up with another attack. "Galactica Tornado!!"

Centauri disdainfully raised a hand and absorbed the full force of the tornado. "Nice try. Now it's my turn."

Sailors Pluto and Neptune had now arrived, and were shocked at Super Sailor Centauri's power.

Concentrating for a second, Centauri unleashed a beam of incandescent light at Lead Crow.

She screamed as it hit her full force. Barely hanging on to consciousness, she summoned the phone booth to escape.

Saturn saw the opportunity they had been waiting for and rushed forward, using her glaive to sweep Lead Crow off her feet before she could escape. She smiled proudly at Centauri as she approached to phone booth.

"I'm sorry, Hotaru," Centauri said sadly looking down at the smaller Senshi.

Saturn frowned. "Sorry? What for?"

Without answering, Centauri karate-chopped Saturn's neck. Catching her before she fell, she gently set the unconscious girl down. "Goodbye, Hotaru. You were a good friend." She stepped into the booth.

By now Pluto understood what was going on. "Noriko, wait!" she yelled after her as the phone booth disappeared.

The Outer Senshi ran to Saturn to see how hurt she was. Which provided a handy distraction for Lead Crow to run off.

Sailor Tin Nyanko sensed the phone booth approaching and wandered over to where it would arrive. "Another stunning failure, Karasume?" she asked sweetly as the door opened.

Super Sailor Centauri stepped out of the booth confidently.

"Y-you're not Lead Crow!" Tin Nyanko exclaimed.

"What are you, the narrator?" Centauri asked sarcastically as she punched Tin Nyanko in the face, knocking her out. She could sense Galaxia's power nearby, and following her instincts, she made her way to Galaxia's throne room.

She strode in without hesitation and looked at Galaxia sitting on her throne. Galaxia got up and stepped down to face Centauri. The two Senshi appraised each other; one in a gold-armoured fuku, the other in silver.

"We meet again. For the last time," Galaxia said coolly.

"This ends today," Centauri responded grimly.

Galaxia nodded slightly. "It does…" she agreed, "…For you!"

A smile played across Galaxia's lips, though it didn't reach her eyes, and she quickly raised her hands and launched streams of black lightning at Super Sailor Centauri.

Centauri responded by firing her own beam of light at her nemesis. The two immense powers battled against each other, vying for supremacy. Pure white light annihilated the dark lightning, before being absorbed into more darkness. Occasionally a blast would be deflected and damage the walls of the throne room.

In spite of the vast amounts of energy being thrown around, both combatants knew this was only a prelude to the real battle. They knew each others strengths almost as well as they knew their own, and they both had a lot more left in reserve.

"Enough!" Galaxia called out, halting her attack, Centauri did likewise. "I had forgotten how powerful you really are. Our battle on Centauri made me underestimate you." She smiled evilly and held a hand out to her side, a golden broadsword appeared in her hand, and she brought it round to hold with both hands. "Let us end this like true Senshi."

"You will lose," Centauri said as she summoned her Astral Axe and held it with both hands.

Galaxia's eyes flared with red light. "We will see."

Both Sailor Senshi charged each other. Centauri swung her axe down at Galaxia, but Galaxia blocked it with her sword and flipped Centauri over her head with it.

Landing gracefully on her feet, Centauri spun her axe around threateningly before swiping low at Galaxia's feet. Galaxia jumped over the attack, but Centauri followed through by bringing her axe around to hit Galaxia's chin with the other end of it.

Galaxia did a backflip and rubbed her chin upon landing. Glaring evilly at Centauri, she stepped forward again and tried to stab Centauri several times with her sword, but each time Centauri managed to evade it. Then she slashed her sword diagonally down, an attack which Centauri again evaded, but she followed up by doing a cartwheel and kicking Centauri's face twice, using both her feet. Upon landing, she faced her foe again.

Centauri executed a series of fast slashes with her axe, but Galaxia grabbed the axe handle just below the blade and held it fast. Centauri tried to tug it free, but Galaxia wouldn't release her grip, even when the blade reached her hand and drew blood. With her free hand, Galaxia thrust her sword out, stabbing Centauri in the gut.

Sailor Centauri staggered backwards, letting go of her axe. She looked down in disbelief at where Galaxia's sword had pierced her armour. Taking her hand away from where she had instinctively covered the wound, she saw the mangled silver and ruptured flesh. Blood oozed out, and she saw her hand was also covered in her blood.

Galaxia threw the Astral Axe aside disdainfully and looked at her own hand, which was had a long cut down her palm from where it had rubbed against the axehead. She raised her ichor-stained sword and prepared to finish off Sailor Centauri. "You should have joined me," she said, almost sadly.

Centauri grunted in pain. "You're evil. The Galaxia I knew would never do what you have done." She raised her right hand and blasted Galaxia in the face, before diving over to pick up her Astral Axe.

Galaxia staggered from Centauri's blast, but recovered quickly to swing her sword down at Centauri. But Centauri had recovered her axe and held it up with both hands to block the swing as she knelt on the floor. Galaxia smiled and kicked Centauri viciously in the stomach.

Centauri buckled at the kick, but stood fast in blocking the sword. Galaxia kicked again, and again.

On her last legs already, the kicking was almost more than Super Sailor Centauri could bear. She spat out a mouthful of blood and rolled to the side, twisting the axe to pull Galaxia's sword to the ground with her. It worked; Galaxia's firm grip on her sword led to her tumbling down with Centauri.

Using her axe for support, the brutalised Sailor Centauri picked herself up. "For Centauri!" she cried out as she swung the Astral Axe down to decapitate Sailor Galaxia. But Galaxia had only fallen; she wasn't injured, and was able to react instantly, her blade flashed out and severed the axe head which flew through the air and imbedded itself in the floor, leaving a stunned Sailor Centauri holding what was now just a fancy stick.

Standing up, she thrust her sword into Sailor Centauri again, and held her shoulder as she twisted the blade around inside of her. Looking into her enemy's eyes as the life drained out of her, she whispered one word: "Die."

Galaxia let go and allowed Super Sailor Centauri to slide off her sword. As she fell to the floor, a flower appeared on her forehead, as its light faded, it unfolded and the star seed floated out. Galaxia reached out and grabbed it. Its light shone brightly at her and she grinned maliciously back at it.

With unseeing eyes, Sailor Centauri stared up at her own star seed and died.

To be continued.

Webmaster: Larry F
Last revision: May 21, 2007