Oceanna, Bunny, and Melody looked at the smashed window. They walked silently to where Pepper was standing and gazed out to the sky. A dim light shone in the distance. "The Planet Academy....." Melody said grimly.

"That's were Mamoru-sama must have been taken," Oceanna finished.

Bunny took Oceanna's hand. Her eyes were bright and serious. "That is our final destination."

Noticing the disturbance at the Planet Academy, Luna and Artemis called the Sailor Soldiers, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Venus, together. They assembled at the Academy in an attempt to discover the source of trouble, but as soon as they reached the edge of the property a battle ensued. Hundreds of possessed students and faculty littered the grass, and began to charge at the four soldiers. In a fashion most fitting the outer soldiers, Pluto and Saturn appeared to help their fellow fighters.

It was already three in the morning when the four girls arrived at the Academy to see it in total chaos. Each held up their hands calling out their transformation phrase.

"Eternal Fire MAKE UP!"

"Eternal Water MAKE UP!"

"Eternal Wind MAKE UP!"

"Eternal Terra MAKE UP!"

The Elemental Soldiers rushed to join the others, who were desperately trying to fight off the possessed student. Before they could make a dent in the battle, yoma swooped down from the air, attacking the four soldiers and taking them into their grasp. The creatures hurried to school building with their new found luggage, leaving the other sailors to fight alone once again.

In the darkness of the boiler room, the four elements found themselves brutally delivered. Despite the darkness they were able to see the figure of a girl. She was bound to a throne-like chair that sizzled as drops of water fell from the ceiling onto its metallic surface. A voice sounded from above, "Can't see too well in the dark, is that it?"

Suddenly, the heat intensified as the darkness began to subside slightly. They were able to make out the girl's identity as well as the source of the voice. "Usagi-san! Kurio-san!" Pepper cried.

Kyoko adorned as Sailor Earth sat on the arm of the chair. "Kurio Kyoko... there is no need for the name anymore since she never really existed."

"Who are you? What are you?" Sailor Wind cried out.

"I am the personification of evil that lives deep within this Earth, within the hearts of the people here. My freedom was gained by the weakness of one man. A protector of this planet. Chiba Mamoru, who is strongly connected to the Earth and it's people, granted me this life."

"What are you planning?" Sailor Water shot out.

"You four pitiful creations, bound to your prince, will die with him. As the sun's light is banished from this planet forever you will fall into a sleep and die miserably with the rest of this planet."

"NO! If you bear the heart of Mamoru-sama, if you are the spirit of a Sailor Soldier, you could not do this!" Water screamed.

"Foolish girl, Sailor Soldiers can do what they please. As representative of this planet I can choose to destroy it if I want."

"A Soldier without a Star Seed can't have a planet of her own!" Fire cried.

"True. My soul was born in Chaos, yet my heart bears no shining star. This planet in Chaos... Earth, it shall be mine as well as the Star Seed it was born from," she returned, licking her lips.

Before the girls could respond, the Sailor Soldier above them sprung into an attack. Colorful rays of light emitted from her hands blinding the Elemental soldiers. As the light faded their eye-sight returned only to find an onslaught of black roses flying towards them. Each was struck in the chest with a single rose. They collapsed on the hot ground, unconscious by the time they hit.

Usagi woke to see the horrible display before her. As a result of the black roses, the girls had changed back to their school uniforms, revealing their identities to Usagi. "Everyone!" She managed to shout.

Sailor Earth turned her head upward, staring at the girl. Usagi dived out of the chair, down to the enemy below. Even the far drop did not scared her as duty to protect her friends took over. She made contact with the dark soldier and they fell to the ground together. The dark soldier lay there with Usagi in her arms, gasping for the wind which had been knocked out of her. "Usa," she managed to whisper.

"Kyoko-san, I won't let you hurt them, or Mamo-chan," Usagi weakly groaned.

Sailor Earth, regaining her composure, stroked the blond girl's head gently. "Don't worry, my princess, you and I will live together on this dark planet together. Just you and I."

She held onto the wounded odango haired girl and disappeared with her.

Two soldiers, wounded and tired, finally made their way to the school. Uranus and Neptune had fought all the way through the city, barely able to save themselves from the hellish nightmare Tokyo was becoming. The students and faculty, along with a legion of yoma had been spreading their darkness over Tokyo, causing a stillness of life which was deafening. Rather than joining the other soldiers in fighting, they went ahead to find the source of the evil.

In the boiler room, the four girls became more infected with the poison from the black roses. Together they slipped into a dream of the past. Back they slid, to a brightly lit place on Earth, the prince's Golden Kingdom. They watched as he secretly met with a silvery haired girl many times over. It was the moon people's princess. The couple would meet at the four corners of the kingdom where they would be safe from prying eyes.

Each corner was protected by spirit guardians who would keep them safe from the invaders that even his knights and generals could not. The spirit guardians represented the four elements of the Earth, Fire, Water, Wind and Terra. Each spirit was encased in stone, except for a single round jewel which rested on their tiaras; fire opal, green emerald, blue topaz, and lavender amethyst. The minds of the four girls looked through the eyes of each statue, knowing now that they were the spirits guarding the Golden Kingdom and its family.

Another scene appeared before they could question what they saw. It was a battle that took place in a different type of atmosphere, yet the scene was definitely still a palace. It was Silver Millennium, the old Moon Kingdom's place of rule. Two bodies floated in the air, Endymion and Serenity, dead after a battle with an evil queen. Before the Moon Queen could send them to a new era the spirits entered the body of the prince, becoming one with him. In doing so, they hoped to protect him in the future.

Outside, the circular stage was lit up brightly. Mamoru lay in the center, strapped down, but unhurt. He watched as his beloved was carried closer to him by a dark woman, a Sailor Soldier. Then, from the corner of the stage he heard two voices call out.

"I am the soldier of the far heavens, Sailor Uranus, acting gorgeously."

"I am the soldier of the deep sea, Sailor Neptune, acting gracefully."

Sailor Earth smirked at them. "You haven't enough power to stop me. You've wasted all your energy on my minions. Be gone."

The two soldiers jumped forward to attack the woman. They stopped in mid lunge and fell to the ground holding their chests. A sharp piercing sensation over their hearts caused the girls to wince. As they looked down they saw a single black rose stuck deep in their breast. Blood trickled down their white uniforms, yet the stunned looks on their faces turned to that of determination. "Is it okay, Haruka?"

"I'll be with you, wherever we might be headed, Michiru."

"Deep Submerge!"

"World Shaking!"

Their attacks flew at the enemy, barely making her flinch. She laughed as the two fell once more, closer to each other this time. Usagi cried loudly, but they could no longer hear her. Neptune struggled to move but her body would not let her. She reached for the other soldier who pulled herself closer. As they lay there, breathing deeply, Uranus pulled the girl closer to her, taking her in a final embrace. Her lips contacted the blue-green haired girl's forehead as she breathed her last. Neptune blinked once, maybe twice, then died in her comrade's arms.

Usagi's loud crying was unbearable so Sailor Earth released her. The odango ran to the two soldiers who were slowly turning to colorful bubbles of light, their bodies fading away.

"Do you think that's bad, Usa? Shall I show you more?"

Earth waved her hand and a screen appeared on the stage's back wall. The other soldiers, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Pluto, were fighting against the demon forces but they were battered badly. A black rose appeared in Earth's hand. She threw it at the screen and the rose seemed to melt into the picture. Inside, it multiplied and stuck each soldier in the manner as it had Neptune and Uranus.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Usagi screamed as she saw her friends collapse to the ground and fade away.

"All that are left now occupy this stage," Earth laughed out.

"That's right Kurio-san!" a voice yelled.

The woman searched around for the source of the voice. By her command, lights were directed at the stage, chasing back any shadows left to hide in. She frowned as she discovered four soldiers standing together with staffs in hand. "Elementals!"

"Play time is over, girls," Earth sneered.

With a raise of her hand, the Earth soldier was encompassed by, what appeared to be, the petals of a large black rose. The petals of the flower slowly began to open and in the center stood the soldier. No longer in uniform, a lengthy black dress adorned her body, the bodice of which was layered in a petal like design. She wore a strange tiara in her hair and looked like that of a dark princess.

On the screen, the picture changed from the school to the east where the sun's light was just peeking over the horizon. The scene then switched to a picture of the sun. Deep in space the glowing orb pulsed with light. "As Mamoru and I join together, the sun's light will forever fade, and the Star Seed of the Earth will be mine!"

"We won't allow you to do this to Mamoru-sama! Starlight BLOSSOM!"

The other girls followed Terra in their attacks. "Chaotic Rain DANCE!"

"Flame HURRICANE!"

"Turbulence STORM!"

The woman merely laughed at them as she brushed their attacks. With a battle cry, a blast of energy flew from her fingertips. Before it could hit, two figures jumped in front of the soldiers, deflecting the energy with their shining swords. The girls blinked in disbelief at the knights before them. "Y-Yukio," Water stuttered.

"Takashi?" Terra mumbled.

Sighing, the dark woman readied a more powerful blast. The group screamed as they were sent flying backwards by her attack. A black glow surround the four element soldiers, forcing them to their feet. They struggled against the energy, but it was useless. Each girl was moved closer to Mamoru, assuming a corner position, not unlike how they once stood so long ago.

From the vacant spot where Uranus and Neptune had died, Usa looked on through tear filled eyes. She watched as the woman walked to the center of the stage. A single name spilled from her lips, "Mamo-chan..."

"Can you hear that Mamoru? Usa is calling for us," the earth princess cooed.

"Kyoko-san, don't do thi--" Mamoru pleaded.

Too late, his words were cut off as a searing pain filled his chest. His mouth opened in a silent wail of agony as the Crystal seed began to rip from his body. After endless moments, a golden crystal appeared before his chest, as easily harvested as that of a precious seed yet to take hold of the ground.

The woman greedily stared at its bright glow, allowing it to enter her body. "Now I am the true soldier of this planet, but don't worry, pathetic Mamoru, I won't let you go. I want you so that Usa will love me as she loves you. Your spirit will enter my body and we will be one."

Mamoru turned from her, eyes glazed over, and stared blankly at Usagi. A small smile formed at the sight of her face, his beloved. Usagi watched horrified as his body began to fade, becoming colorful bubbles of light. Instead of reaching for the sky, they flew inside of the woman standing above him, Kurio Kyoko, now the true Sailor Earth.

A sobbing Usagi, managed only to choke out, "No."

"The path has been set," Earth started, her voice melded with that of Mamoru's. "Earth shall say good-bye to the sun's light forever and will greet its new mother, Darkness, with open arms..."

Tears poured from the captive elemental soldiers' eyes. Pain engulfed them. From each girl's designated place, a point of light unwillingly shot from their bodies up into the sky. On the screen, the four beams struck at the sun, darkening it. Earth looked to Usagi and smiled softly as she approached the pitiful odango.

"Gentle girl," she said, touching a tear-streaked cheek, "you are my beloved, and now you are mine."

As her fingers caressed Usagi's face, the blonde's clothes changed to that of Serenity. "Mamo-chan," she whispered.

"Your Mamo-chan, I am here, accept us as we are now, Usa," Earth said as she pulled the girl to the center of the stage with her. "The eclipse is almost complete. Lend me your power so that I can finish this and live with you forever."

Serenity's face crumbled as she thought of Uranus and Neptune, who had tried to fight this woman. Images of the others, who had always fought alongside her, flooded the girl's mind. All who died trying to stop Kyoko's twisted plans flashed before her one last time, including that of her beloved. This woman had stolen him away from her, had become one with Mamoru. The thought that she could she lose him for this life-time as well sent a jarring stab through her heart. "Mamo-chan!" she cried.

Earth shook her, "Usa stop crying and join with me!"

The dark woman strengthened her grip and pulled the fragile girl closer. Usagi struggled but froze in shock as Earth's lips fell upon hers. She squeezed her eyes shut as more tears formed. The crescent birthmark appeared on her forehead and shone brightly. The screen behind them showed the sun's darkening grow ten-fold, shading its bright light almost completely. Inside the dark Earth woman, Mamoru's consciousness broke through for a moment. "What can I do to protect her?"

Usagi's senses returned to her and she pulled away from Earth. "What can I do to save him?" she thought.

The four elements, still held by the dark soldier's powers, shook their tears away. They eyed each other, sharing a common thought. "What can we do?"

"You wish to save this world, even now? Even after this terrible, unrepairable wave of destruction?" an unfamiliar voice questioned.

"Yes, this world is very precious to us, and the people who have survived deserve to be able to move forward," Usagi whispered. "Please give us the power to save everyone."

End Episode 09.