When the battle in the Surrounding was done and the chaos had subsided people had begun to disperse this way and that. Some went immediately to the Virgo Outpost to heal themselves. Others immediately headed home for some well needed rest and relaxation. Some even gathered together to celebrate and party over their victory over the forces of Chaos.

Polaris had not been hurt enough to warrant a trip to the mystical infirmary. And she was certainly in no mood to celebrate or make small talk. They'd won.. they'd helped the zodiacs... but at what cost? Had it been worth it? The sacrifice of 59 for the safety of earth and their home stars?

In truth she didn't even want to go home... didn't want to go back home with the thoughts of the people who would never be able to go back haunting her... What in the world was she even going to tell Azzo? He'd stayed behind and left the job to Polaris and the others and now... how could she approach him with the information of her spectacular failure?

From the Surrounding she had arrived on the star Polaris, and she shivered fiercely as wind whipped around her, snow pricking her exposed skin like tiny bits of ice. She didn't have her cloak like she usually did... but she hardly noticed, her mind ignoring the protests of her body against the cold. Maybe she even deserved it? A little suffering.. a little pain.

The 'sun' was hidden behind clouds, making it impossible for her to even guess how long it took her to trek across the snowy fields. But when she finally reached the main city and a familiar building the senshi collapsed into a chair freezing and exhausted, her hands rubbing at her legs softly to try and increase the blood flow. She wanted to feel warmer on the outside then she did on the inside. But as hollow and cold as she felt.. it really wasn't that hard to compare.

59 people. Not senshi.. not the negaverse... not people who had sworn themselves into this war. Just 59 regular and innocent people. Young and old.. men and women. Sisters, brothers... daughters and sons. They hadn't asked for any of what had happened to them.. they all had dreams and plans for the future. Lives to live. She hadn't been able to save any of them.. not even one in the bunch.

Like so many times before another life had been snuffed out and she hadn't been strong enough or fast enough to stop it. Her eyes squeezed shut as the sight of Holiday crumpling in half flashed through her memory. Hot tears burned at the corners of her tightly squeezed eyes as she saw them.. nameless.. but no less important bodies falling over and over..

In the end they'd all given themselves.. their very souls to protect the senshi. Just as the aliens and their tree had done. Polaris and the other senshi had failed to protect them.. and they'd made the ultimate sacrifice in return to protect them.

She couldn't stop the tears from falling, her chest from heaving with the heavy sobs that escaped her. And all alone on the cold and silent star of Polaris.. she felt no reason to try and stop the tears, letting them fall until she was too tired to cry anymore. And even then she remained leaning in her chair, almost falling asleep where she was.

It was likely this wouldn't be the last time she grieved for those lost.. both over the past month and the two years before that. And maybe one day she'd be able to do something better than just cry over them. Something to honor them...

She was shivering visibly from cold and emotion as she fished her phone out of space, her fingers dialing the famliar numbers. She couldn't hide from home forever.