A Sailor Moon Fanfiction: The Pledge of the Sun.

Chapter 63

"What's the matter, Sailor Mercury?! Get us out of here!" Sailor Jupiter cried urgently.

"I can't! The elevator's not working!" Sailor Mercury cried back.

"Keep trying!" urged Sailor Mars. "Hurry!"

"Come on! Please, move!" begged Sailor Mercury, as she pushed the button even more furiously. "Come on, come on, move!"

But the elevator didn't as the roots got even closer.

"We're not going to make it!" cried Artemis.

Luna then looked up and saw their chance to escape. Just above them, the emergency escape hatch was on the elevator ceiling.

"Above us!" the black cat yelled. "The escape hatch!"

Sailor Jupiter looked up and immediately kicked the door off the hinges, and everyone jumped through the opening of the hatch just as the root barreled right into the elevator.

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Back on the rooftop, Mamoru, Usagi, and Harusuke were still at the mercy of the Makai Tree, which was draining all of their energy. Mamoru, at some point, had passed out, but Usagi and Harusuke were still conscious and were held captive by the Makai Tree's roots.

"Usagi! Just hang in there!" yelled Harusuke.

"I'm trying!" Usagi whimpered as she struggled to get free.

Harusuke then stretched out his hand, trying to reach for his sister. "Give me your hand, Usagi! Come on! I'll try to pull you out!"

Usagi then did so, trying her best to reach for her brother. Their hands reached out inch by inch, bit by bit, until finally, just as they were barely touching fingertips, someone appeared, hovering just above them, kicking their hands away. Usagi and Harusuke looked up to see that Ail had appeared.

"I won't allow you to lay a finger on my Usagi!" Ail spoke coldly to Harusuke.

An then appeared as well. "Ail, don't you dare talk to my Harusuke like that!" she scolded crossly.

Ail then shot a look at An, filled with shock and disbelief. "What?! What did you say?!"

An then clasped her mouth, blushing bright red before composing herself, her aura flaring in anger. "Well, you just called her 'your Usagi,' which means that you love that girl more than you do me, and that makes me so mad!"

"I-It's not what you think!" stammered Ail nervously. "My love you for is different than-"

"I don't want to hear your lame excuses!" interrupted An crossly, as she turned towards the Makai Tree. "Makai Tree, take that girl's energy, now!"

"No, Makai Tree! Take that guy's energy instead!" interjected Ail. "Don't tell me you've forgotten how I've always taken care of you?!"

"I will not stand for you disobeying me!" An insisted. "Now, take her energy right now!"

The Makai Tree's branches and leaves began to glow and did as ordered. However, instead of draining them one at a time, it began to consume both of their energy, making the Tskino siblings cry out in agony. Ail and An were horrified and rushed over to help their respective crushes, trying to free them.

"Hold on, Harusuke! I'll get you out!" cried An, as she desperately pulled. "Stop this, right now, Makai Tree! Don't drain Harusuke's energy out of him!"

"Usagi, hold on! Let her go, you damned tree!" cursed Ail. "You ungrateful creature! Let go of her, right now!"

The Makai Tree seemed to grunt as it glowed, unleashing a powerful wave of energy that sent Ail and An blowing backward. Also, the roots that held the Tsukinos finally lessened, setting the two of them free, but now they were falling straight for the ground below. Luckily, An and Ail saw them falling and quickly teleported to their rescue, both of them catching their respective lovers as they landed on the Tsukinos were dazed and confused, but they were still alive.