Sailor Moon Season 6
Episode #1: "The Wish For A Bright Future"
Summary: It's Serena's wedding day, but, as she stands by the shore looking out at the ocean and contemplating her future, a time lost menace once again stirs from its resting place in the shadows, bringing with it a very uncertain future.
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Starts off with the intro sequence, then Serena's voice...
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"It all seems so sudden, Luna..." Serena says as she stares out at the ocean from the bench she sits on, seemingly at peace. "Isn't that strange?"
The day is beautiful, graced by a clear sky. A slightly warm breeze carries the quiet murmur of the ocean and the cries of birds.
"Strange?" Luna repeats. Serena had not spoken in some time and Luna had almost drifted off into a catnap in her comfortable perch on a nearby tree limb. The soft voice brings her focus back into crystal clear alertness. "What do you mean, Serena?" she asks thoughtfully, noticing that her friend's gaze is still locked on some far away point in the horizon.
It takes a moment for Serena to respond, and Luna wonders for an instant if her reply had even been heard. "It's just..." she sighs, "...it seems like I've known him forever..." she pauses, and Luna thinks she can almost see the weight on her friends shoulders... She had seen it before of course, but today... today it seems more evident than she could ever remember. "When I was a princess and he was..." Serena continues, "we where going to be married then, and after all that we've been through!" She turns abruptly to face Luna, tears almost falling from her eyes, "He died Luna. I thought I'd lost him, and..." she pushes herself up and turns away, looking up into the sky "...and that felt familiar too..." her words trail off a little, a sad quality settling into her voice. "...and now I have him back, and we've had a year together." She turns back to look at Luna, frustration showing in her eyes. "We've known each other for two life times, and I love him Luna, I love him so much..." she looks away once more, leaving her thought unfinished.
"And it feels sudden, and you think it's strange that it feels like that," Luna provides in her typical understanding manner, thinking she knows where this is going and deciding to let Serena vent a little before offering her counsel.
"Yeah," Serena pouts a little, the pieces coming together in her mind as she speaks. "I mean a big part of me is so happy because this is all I ever wanted Luna. What I've dreamt of..." she pauses for a while; she had not given voice to these thoughts before, yet in this moment, she finds she can't keep them inside any longer "...and another part, it feels like it's happening too fast, that it's sudden." Her eyes gaze out to the ocean. "Everything's going right Luna, finally, so why do I feel like this?"
Luna looks a little surprised, wishing Serena would look at her. "Have you ever felt that way before?" she asks quietly.
"Yeah, a lot recently..." she replies, closing her eyes as a question comes to her mind. "Luna, do you ever wonder about destiny?" Serena looks back over at Luna questioningly.
"Destiny?" Luna appears puzzled, and she sits up, not used to Serena asking her such things.
"Like, do we really have a choice in things? Destiny." Serena looks at Luna, feeling very honest with herself. "Like, am I only in love with him because I'm meant to be? From the very start, I didn't really have much choice about...who I wanted to be, did I Luna?"
"Serena, I..." Luna tries to say.
"No, it's true! Either I beat all the Negascum that never seems to quit coming, or I die, and what? Poor little Rini does it all over again? Or maybe Rini never even gets a chance to live because I mess things up or something and she never happens. I pretty much have to marry Darien, or I'll make that happen Luna. No choice, again I have no choice!" Serena fumes, beginning to pace back and forth as her hands clench into fists.
"Serena..." Luna looks on in dismay, the turmoil in her charge's heart hitting her full force as she struggles to invent the right words needed to comfort her. Then the air around Serena slightly blurs darkly for a split second, and Luna's kitty senses go into high alert as she gets to her feet.
"No I'm all right," Serena smiles over at Luna. "I don't know what came over me." She momentarily loses her train of thought and looks confused. "...Guess I must be nervous or something. We better get back to the others." Glancing at her watch, surprise flashes onto her face. "Oh my gosh! I'm late! I've still gotta get dressed! It's my wedding day, and I'm gonna to be late!" She runs off before Luna has a chance to say anything more.
Luna looks after her, and says to herself, "Something isn't right. I've got to tell the others." She jumps down from the tree to go after Serena, but her charge had already gained far too much distance for Luna to catch up.
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scene switch
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An hour or so later at the wedding, Trista is talking with Darien, Chad, and Michelle.
"It's also not that far from Serena's parents' house, so that makes her family happy. And I'm sure she'll be happy to be able to visit whenever we want. Her parents have actually been great about all of this. I really like them." Darien continues the conversation.
"You were kinda worried about that, weren't you?" asks Michelle.
"Yeah, I guess I was, with the age difference and all..." Darien answers.
"Man, you've got it lucky," Chad chimes in. "Ever since I asked Raye out, her grandpa's been working me like a pack animal..." He puts his hand behind his head and laughs a little at himself. "It's inspired me with my songs though, now that I've got angst."
"Then you'll be picking up your music career again?" Trista asks. "What kind of music do you play?"
"Oh, just your basic rock'n roll I guess, not like I have time to practice though," Chad grumbles good-naturedly.
"Maybe he wants you to be able to help Raye with running the temple?" Darien ventures.
Trista's attention wanders and she notices Hotaru and Amara nearby, Hotaru giggling happily as Amara animatedly tells her one of her favorite racing stories.
Suddenly, something seems wrong to her, she focuses her senses and the feeling grows stronger as her face momentarily flashes worry. However, she quickly hides it.
"Excuse me. I'm needed elsewhere," she bows slightly to be polite and heads off.
She walks off and we hear Chad in the background, "I wonder what that was about?"
"I don't know" Michelle replies with concern.
— scene break —
Trista walks outside toward a nearby koi pond with a little bridge over it. She stands on the bridge and concentrates on this feeling that she can't shake, trying to make sense of what it is. She knows it's bad but something inside her causes her thoughts to drift away to the joyous voices that float to her on the wind. "A family," she says to herself, "That's what they are for each other..." She longs to have that again, to be happy again. Yet she has her duty. It is hers alone, and she knows it means that she would forever be denied the longings of her heart. Looking up to the sky, she says to herself, "Time is infinite, you always said, and all things are possible..."
Shaking her head, she refocuses her thoughts on the problem at hand. She feels herself close to an answer when a voice distracts her...
"Trista?" She was snapped out of her thoughts. Turning, she sees Hotaru, wearing a lovely violet and black dress, watching her. "Trista, what's wrong?" her friend asks.
"Oh... nothing..." replies Trista quietly.
Hotaru walks up to Trista slowly and stands next to her. "If you ever need my help, let me know..." she offers sincerely.
Trista is always amazed by how perceptive Hotaru is. "Yes... I know," she smiles faintly at her. "Hotaru... do you think it's possible that we will ever truly find our time of peace, when we can all... when..." her voice trails off.
"When what? Trista, what is it? What's wrong? Do you... are we in some danger?" she asks, feeling protective of her friend.
"How do you...?" Trista asks, surprised again, but then smiles a little to herself. "I don't know, it's only a feeling," she confesses, "I have to go to see for myself. Watch over the others while I'm gone, alright? There's no need to ruin this day unnecessarily..." And with that, she fades from sight.
"Trista?" Hotaru calls after her, reaching her hand out to her, but feeling nothing there anymore.
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scene switch
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An instant later Sailor Pluto reappears close to the time gate she had been charged to guard for all time.
"This can't be" Trista says to herself quietly. Looking around, she sees the time gate in ruin, the landscape clear of its usual mists, and wild time energy cascading seemingly unchecked all around her. "The alarm, why didn't it..." she gasps, looking around in dismay. "What could have done this?"
"My mere presence here should attest to that, mistress," says a familiar voice from somewhere to the right and behind her.
Trista turns to see who spoke, fearing she already knows the answer all to well. "Banshu." She says the woman's name as she takes a few steps back in hesitation. "So she has-"
"Yes, no thanks to you," Banshu replies coldly, hatred evident in her eyes. "If it where up to me, I'd kill you for what you did. However, I am forbidden to... I am allowed to inflict pain on you however, if you will not come with me willingly." A cold smirk comes to her lips. "I do hope you are not planning on coming with me without a struggle?" she taunts.
Trista looks back at her, determination and a little fear showing in her stance. "No" she says simply, and then launches herself at Banshu, her time staff crackling with energy.
"Splendid." Banshu smiles back at her as she spreads her arms out to her sides, quickly lowering them to be level with her hips as a katana materializes in each hand.
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scene switch
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Back on earth at the wedding, it is just a bit after Trista left.
Serena is standing around by the buffet table as things are being set up. She's happily talking with Amy, Raye, and Lita.
"You did a really amazing job on the food here," Serena gushes, munching on another treat. "This is so good!"
"Aw, well, I didn't actually do most of this you know," Lita says modestly, still very happy at receiving the compliment.
"But you did plan the menu and I'm sure the wedding cake you made will be really great," offers Amy.
"Well... thanks, I'm glad you like it, this is my first time planning for such a big event. I mean, there have been birthday parties, but this is a wedding, your wedding, Serena. I'm just glad it's going so well," Lita replies happily.
"I bet in no time you'll have your own catering company that'll take the city by storm," Raye says with pride.
"Well, I'll have to graduate from chef's school first..." Lita provides. "But that's nothing, not when Amy here's probably gonna end up curing the common cold some day." Her modest streak shows again as she blatantly tries to shift the focus of the conversation.
"Yeah Amy, how've things been going at doctor school lately?" Serena asks cheerfully.
"Oh, well I think I've been doing pretty well so far. The classes have been hard, but I'm actually really enjoying myself," Amy explains.
"Same old Amy" Serena nudges her shoulder. "So, any cute doctor types hanging around?" she asks, slipping easily into match-making mode.
"Oh, um, well..." Amy fumbles, feeling a bit put on the spot.
"Excuse me, Serena?" Serena feels a tap on her shoulder. "Your mom sent us to get you. She wants to have a talk with you before the wedding," she turns and sees Michelle along with Amara.
"Okay, I'll be right... oh no! Tell me my dad isn't giving poor Darien 'a talking to'?" Serena realizes.
"Okay, I won't tell you then," Michelle agrees, a bit of amusement in her voice.
"Oh my gosh!" she exclaims. "Raye, Raye, my good and dear friend, you'll help me won't you?" Serena whines charmingly at her.
"Serena," Raye says in annoyance.
"Please, just go over there, and, and distract him, just a little, com'on, it's my wedding day," she whines further.
"Oh all right, just because it's your wedding... but if grandpa tries this on Chad someday, just remember you owe me one, meatball head," Raye smirks good-naturedly.
"I'll remember. I promise," Serena says. "Now go, go, go off with you!" she shoos Raye on in that mock royalty voice of hers she uses from time to time.
"I'm going, I'm going," Raye says, thinking to herself as she leaves. [voiceover] "Hehe little does she suspect, grandpa's bound to be ten times worse than her matchstick of a dad," she grins to herself in satisfaction.
Off to the side, as Raye passes by her, we see Hotaru looking back at the others, a worried expression on her face. She goes after Raye and catches her by the arm. "Raye?"
"Yeah?" she looks back at Hotaru. "What's up? I gotta get going..." she explains.
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scene switch
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The battle between Trista and her opponent begins in a flash. Banshu slashes at Trista and cuts into her sleeve. Trista quickly halts and looks down at her arm in surprise. There was no blood. Swiftly returning her attention to where it needs to be, she looks up and sees Banshu taking another run at her.
Trista holds her staff up and blocks Banshu's swords, but her opponent just smiles down at her as she blasts her with a wave of crimson-purple energy focused through her twin katanas. Trista is knocked back a few yards.
Laughing merrily, Banshu moves with blurring speed and is on Trista again in seconds. A blast from the katana in her right hand slams into the ground with powerful force. Trista manages to dash out of the way in the nick of time, but the force of the blast refracts from the ground and makes it difficult for her to keep her footing. Despite being slightly dazed though, she stays on her feet.
"Had enough?" Banshu smiles at her, poised to attack again. She is clearly enjoying this fight quite a lot.
Trista doesn't reply, wishing it were not so. But knowing all too well that nothing she could say would matter, she just springs forward and breaks left, shouting out her attack, - "Pluto Deadly Scream!" -
Banshu takes the full force of the attack and staggers back slightly, looking back up at Trista. "Now that's more like it," she grins, launching herself at Trista again with dizzying speed and knocking her off her feet with ease.
"You know you can't beat me," Banshu smirks playfully. "But by all means, keep trying!" she laughs in dark delight.
Frustrated, Trista gets to her feet, charges at Banshu, and attacks - "Pluto Deadly Scream!" - but this time, Banshu winds around her attack with that amazing speed of hers, not allowing the attack to hit its mark while using one of her katana to strike at Trista's time staff. Banshu knocks the staff from her hands and then, in one fluid motion, knocks Trista down.
Trista lands on the ground behind Banshu. Looking around for it, her eyes lock onto her lost weapon lying far away from her in the massive energy of time space. Before she knows it, Banshu's shadow falls over her, one of her katana shining mere inches away from her left eye.
Banshu holds the sword easily in place with practiced skill. Trista stares up along its edge, her eyes unblinking but for once.
"Well now..." Banshu tilts her head to the side in conceit. "As enjoyable as this has been, it wouldn't do if I had to damage you too much. Do yourself a favor and stop resisting me little Setsa," she smirks down at Trista.
Trista bristles at this, and slowly brings her hands up to the sword in her face, knowing that Banshu is forbidden to deliver a deadly blow. Defiance sets into her eyes.
Banshu watches the change in Trista's eyes and suddenly her expression changes to one of apprehension. "You wouldn't dare," she says, a sliver of fear showing in her eyes. "You wouldn't, I... was just playing... you know I... you wouldn't!" Her face turns to cold anger.
But as faint energy ripples around Trista, the fear momentarily returns to Banshu's face, just as Trista's eyes are set again on her opponent and her arms cross at the wrists. "Eternia..." she says reverently, energy exploding out around her in an instant. "TEMPEST!" She breaks her hands apart as they close into fists and she flings her arms back. "I'm sorry" Trista whispers softly, as a devastating tempest of energy explodes out around her, directed at Banshu and out in all directions, leaving Banshu no escape.
Banshu is easily knocked back, energy cracking all around her. She spirals hopelessly through time, helpless to halt her movement or to stabilize herself in any meaningful way. "Little witch! I'll make you regret this...!" Banshu yells at her futilely.
Sitting up on one knee, Trista looks after her. Wistfulness comes to her face for a moment as Banshu's form falls far from her sight. She looks down and closes her eyes, then gets to her feet and goes to retrieve her staff. Taking one last look at the destroyed time gate, a look of regret appears over her face and is gone just as quickly. "I've got to warn them..." she says, turning and disappearing back into time.
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scene switch
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Back at the wedding, a little earlier, things are going along great. The weather is still fantastic. There's a soft breeze blowing and the air is warm with sunshine. Serena is just getting ready to walk down the aisle. Darien stands there looking gorgeous in his tux against the backdrop of the beautifully decorated gazebo. A smile appears on his face as he sees Serena for the first time, standing at the end of the aisle in her beautiful white wedding dress, holding the bouquet of red roses he had given to her. Andrew stands next to the groom as his best man, flanked by Chad and two of Darien's friends from school.
Serena's father is waiting at the end of the aisle, ready to escort her. "Ready dad?" she asks him cheerfully, he smiles back at her sincerely, but does not answer right away.
It's safe to say that her father had been preparing for this day since he had learned that Darien had proposed to his daughter, but seeing her now...in that beautiful white bridal gown...he feels tears forming. He offers his arm to his daughter, which Serena takes gladly. However, he finds that he needs a little time to gather himself. Serena understandingly stands with him for a few moments.
"Ok... I'm ready" he says, still a bit emotional, but able to gather his strength and courage.
The wedding precession begins; Amy, Lita, and Raye [the bridesmaids] start down the aisle. While they wait for their turn, Serena turns to Molly [her maid of honor] and says, "I wish Mina could be here for this."
"Don't worry Serena, I'm sure she'll be here soon, and-" Molly starts to say, but then everyone turns, their attention caught by a loud crash in the trees. They look over and hear another crash as a bolt of energy streams out and hits a tree near some of the wedding guests. All rush to get out of the way while, closest to the scene, Amy, Lita, and Raye (thankful that their bridesmaids dresses allow them the necessary freedom of movement) act quickly to whisk a couple children and an older man who trips from danger just in time.
The sailor scouts then stand ready to confront what is coming their way. As soon as they do so, Luna bursts into view, running towards them at high speed as fast as her poor kitty paws can go. A pair of women - one dressed in black with long dark hair, the other in white with short light hair - races after her, only a split second behind her. Suddenly, one darts in front of Luna. But Luna evades her and keeps going, putting all the energy she's got into her last dash towards safety.
Michelle and Amara nod to one another and switch to sailor scout mode right away - "Uranus Star Power!" - "Neptune Star Power!" - and go on to attack Luna's pursuers, blocking them from getting to Luna. The others, a little slower to reveal their identities in front of their friends, hesitate some. Amara launches a punch at the light one, and knocks her back, though her opponent manages to keep to her balance. Michelle uses the dark one's momentum against her and flips her, sending her to the ground. But the dark woman rolls into a crouched position where she fires a blast of energy at Michelle. Michelle easily dodges, but the blast is not meant for Michelle. It streaks past her and hits Amara who's attention is on her own opponent. The blast catches Amara at unawares. And while she manages at the last second to avoid taking the full force, it nonetheless sends her reeling to the ground. Seeing her opportunity, Amara's opponent moves in to press her own attack. Michelle goes to her aid though, charging at the white-clad woman and tackling her to the ground. This gives Amara time to recover, but also leaves the one in dark free to return her focus to Luna. [all of this having taken place in mere seconds]
Luna shouts to the others, "It's Serena, you've got to-" But the twin who has gotten away from Amara and Michelle fires a blast of black energy at Luna, attempting to stop her from speaking further.
"Luna!" Lita exclaims as looks on in shock.
The blast never hits its mark though, as we turn to see Amy as Mercury holding Luna safely a few yards away from the blast zone. "What?" the one in black says, confused, not knowing where the cat had gone for a second. She looks up as a pair of voices call out - "Mars Star Power!" - "Jupiter Star Power!" - and she sees Mars and Jupiter facing her, ready for a fight.
"Luna, what's wrong? Who are these women?" Amy questions Luna.
"I don't know," she tries to keep her breath after running for so long. "But we've got to get to Serena. Something awful has happened to her. I just know it!" Luna replies worriedly.
"Sister!" shouts Twilight Dark to her twin, who is having a very difficult time holding her own against Amara and Michelle. Twilight Light looks up in understanding, taking a kick from Michelle in the face for her distraction. But in a moment both Twilight Sisters vanish and the merged Sister Twilight appears in the sky before them, light and dark energy shimmering discordantly around her. She shouts out her attack - "Twilight Hex!" - and the four scouts that flank her [Michelle, Amara, Raye, and Lita] are caught in a fluxing energy field of light and dark that holds them helplessly in place.
Sister Twilight strikes out at them, assaulting all of the sailor scouts before her with a fierce bolt of energy. They stagger with pain for a moment, but then a red rose flies into view and strikes the energy between Sister Twilight's hands, breaking the spell.
"I don't know what you're doing here monster," Darien declares in barely contained anger, as we see him standing on a nearby table as Tuxedo Mask. "But you're not going to ruin this day for us, any more than you already have! Isn't that right..." he looks over to Serena, expecting to see her, like always, ready to take down another enemy, but his words catch in his throat.
There at the end of the aisle where the people have already ran away, with the exception of Molly and Serena's family, Serena lays collapsed on the ground. Amy and an exhausted Luna are by her side in the midst of the huddle. Amy is holding Serena in her arms, trying to wake her, and Luna is nudging Serena softly with one paw, while Molly and Serena's family look on in undisguised shock and worry.
"No! It's too soon!" Everyone hears a disembodied voice say. The voice seems to come from around the collapsed form of Serena.
"Serena!" Darien shouts out in concern, echoed by Raye and Lita.
But there is no more time. A wave of dark energy flashes out from Serena's body, knocking those close to her away with ease.
The voice then commands, "Sister Twilight! Attend Me!"
"At once mistress," Twilight says, splitting apart again and reappearing around Serena's unconscious form. A split second later, a time rift forms in front of the mysterious sisters.
Without hesitation, Darien, with Amara, Michelle, Raye, and Lita not far behind, rush to Serena's aid.
Amy, still dazed and out of it from the blast she took, looks about and sees the time rift and the two women trying to abduct Serena in front of her. She knows she must do something but can't seems to get her body to do much of anything.
Then, from beside her, she sees Darien rushing by, his black and red cape whipping behind him. Her fellow sailor scouts, having been farther away and still feeling fatigued from Twilight's Hex attack, are not able to reach Serena as quickly.
Sensing his approach, Twilight Light calls out - "Flare!" - and a wave of light hits Darien, stopping him in his tracks and sending him back on his feet just a little. The attack does not have much of a forceful impact, but it does leave him disoriented and momentarily without sight.
Twilight Dark leans down to pick up Serena's body, but takes the blunt end of a staff in the face and is knocked down. The dark woman looks up to see Hotaru standing between her and Serena, the smaller sailor scout planting her staff on the ground and calling out her attack - "Silent Wall" - and just like that, a wave of Saturn's dark energy springs up and forces the sisters away.
Raye, Lita, Amara, and Michelle arrive moments later, but along with Hotaru, they are knocked back by a second wave of energy issuing forth from Serena's still body.
The Twilight Sisters waste no time in gathering up their prize and are gone. Amy and Darien, nether having been caught in the second blast wave from Serena's body, spring forward to go again to Serena's aid. Amy, still not quite steady on her feet, reaches the rift just in time to see the last of Darien disappear, calling after his love - "Serena!" - only having just been able to dash through at the last second. Amy however, feels nothing but swirling air between her fingers as she reaches out after them. She falls to the ground, having lost her balance in that last-ditch attempt to reach the disappearing rift.
The view expands outward and we see the full scene. The other sailor scouts pick themselves up from the attacks they suffered and look on in disbelief, having lost not only their princess, leader, and long-time friend, but her prince as well.
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End Episode 1
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