- Chapter 1 - A premonition of the end? The mysterious traveling stranger

It was coming.

She wasn't exactly sure what it was, but she could feel it.

A darkness unlike any other they had faced before. A darkness of chaotic nightmares turned reality, devouring everything in its path.

Sailor Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus. They where all there too.

A six fingered man was with them. Who was he?

They where all powerless to stop it.

A butterfly of prismatic colors fluttered past her, getting her attention.

Suddenly, a bright light appeared, a messiah came to save them!

Wait, the light broke itself into three? She reached out to grab them, but they vanished.

She called out to her friends, but it was too late, the darkness had already taken them.

A spine chilling maniacal laughter echoed throughout the dark void.

Rei awoke, sitting up in a cold sweat. Still in a daze, she realized she was in her bedroom, and that her friends where with her. She and the girls have been holding study groups at her place in preparation for their high school entrance exams. At some point after Rei had nodded off, Usagi started reading comics, and had awoken Rei with the sound of her laughter.

Although Usagi didn't notice Rei's abrupt awakening, the other girls did.

"What's wrong Rei?" Ami asked.

"You seemed to be having a nightmare." Makoto said.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Rei told them, "It's just that I had a strange dream."

"A strange dream?" Minako wondered.

Usagi put down the manga she was reading, and joined in on the conversation, an attempt to hide the fact she was reading Rei's manga without her permission again. "I had a strange dream this morning too. I went to the hospital because I ate too much ice cream, and there...Momo-chan was brought in on a stretcher for eating too many mooncakes!..."

Usagi then went on reciting the rest of her own dream, thinking it was funny enough to share. Ami then asked her what score she got on her last exam, but she was met with silence. Typical Usagi as usual. The rest of the group went back to their studies, but Rei just couldn't get that dream she just had off of her mind.

Usagi attempted to return to to studying as well. She thought for sure Rei would have scolded her, yet it never came. Did her distraction work? Occasionally she would stop and look over, and kept seeing Rei stare off into space. She was lost in some thought that appeared to really trouble her. It was rather unusual of her, and Usagi seemed to be the only one who took notice.

Somewhere in a deep dark place beneath the Earth, a lone figure stood before a grand pool of water. She wore a long black dress, had long red hair, and clutched a staff with a black star on it in her hand. This figure had just ended her conversation with someone unknown. She raised her head and got to her feet, then made her way out of the cavern. She traversed down a long pathway lit by emerald green, low ambient lights, into another area with other rooms. She approached a particular door, and opened it. Inside this room there was a laboratory, a man in a white lab coat scribbled notes under a dim lamp while closely examining a test tube. This man was so focused on what he was doing, he didn't realize he had a visitor.

"Professor Tomoe?" the person said.

Without skipping a beat from what he was doing, the man set his test tube down and picked up another to examine.

"Ah Kaolinite, come in." the man said to his visitor, "So what did our Lord say?"

"He was wondering if your Daimons where ready."

"Success of Daimons merging with organic hosts has been very limited, but merging with material objects and plant life from this planet has been very successful. They are ready for further tests in the field."

Kaolnite smiled, "Well, our Lord has given us permission to begin the next phase of the plan when your Daimons where ready."

Tomoe grinned now too, he set the test tube down, then adjusted his glasses. "Excellent. After many years of preparation, traversing across the universe, and setting up this place on this scared ground, the time has finally come. Soon this world will be ours! We must prepare for our Lord's arrival." he grabbed another test tube and held it under a flame.

Kaolinite spoke again, "I still have been unable to locate the bearers of the talismans. Our Lord is unsure as well, as they have been able to avoid his eye."

Tomoe shrugged, he removed the tube from the flame and poured it's contents into a beaker. "No matter. He said the bearers have pure hearts? We will just start our search by seeking those who are pure of heart."

The contents within the beaker began to come fully alive. It swiftly grew, breaking the glass, and formed into an egg the size of a robin's. Tomoe took the new life into his hands and passed it along to Kaolinite. "I entrust this Daimon egg to you." he told her, "Seek out someone who may be a potential barrier."

She took the egg, and nodded. "I will pass this along to my girls. They can handle the search."

At the end of study session, everyone left Rei's place for the evening except Usagi who stayed behind. "Hey Rei," Usagi asked, "I saw you had 'The Cherry Project' in your collection, can I borrow it?"

Rei, who was still somewhat out of it, returned to reality, "Oh, yeah, sure. I like how you are actually asking to borrow my manga for once instead of just grabbing it."

Rei made her way back into her bedroom and Usagi followed. Rei picked up her comics and handed them to Usagi. Usagi beamed with joy, "Yay! I've been wanting to read this for a while, now I can finally read it myself! I'm a big fan of the author!"

Rei picked up another book, and held it up for Usagi to see, "I also have the next copy of 'Yu Yu Hakusho' if you would like to read it."

Usagi grew pale, it was the exact manga she was reading earlier. Apparently Rei didn't see her read it afteral, but she can't let her know that. "Oh, I was able to read it already from someone else at school." she lied.

Rei was a little surprised, "Really?" Rei shrugged then set it back on her bookshelf, not noticing she somehow managed to place it back on the self upside down.

Usagi did notice, between this current moment and earlier, she decided to ask. "Something bothering you Rei?"

Rei paused. A thought of the dream briefly returned. She didn't want Usagi to worry about her, she had enough of her own issues. Besides, it was only a dream. Right?

"Oh, just been thinking of a lot of things today." Rei said dismissively in response, then she paused again before asking, "Hey, Usagi, have you ever thought about the future? And what you would like to do?"

Usagi smiled giddily, "Isn't it obvious, marry Mamo-chan someday of course!" then she remembered their recent trip into the 30th century. With Crystal Tokyo, what happened with the Black Moon, and especially Chibi-usa. It was still rather strange not having her around anymore. "...well, I guess that is the only thing for certain, everything is all mixed up right now."

"Well, whatever you end up doing, I'm there to lend a hand. Although," Rei gave Usagi a look, "you many want to put a little more effort into your grades if you don't want to embarrass Mamoru." Usagi felt really embarrassed from that comment. Rei gave a little chuckle, "But don't worry Usagi, grades aren't everything, just be sure to keep smiling, it's the one thing you're best at."

Usagi decided she needed to get going but before she left, she decided to say one last thing to Rei.

"Rei," she said, "don't forget, we're always here to help too." then Usagi gave her one last big smile for the night, which made Rei smile in return.

The next day came, but Rei was no better off. She didn't get much sleep the previous night as she was up late in the fire reading room again, hoping to find out more the about disturbing vision she had. Unfortunately, still nothing more came to her, same with every other attempt prior. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't shake that vision out of her mind. Did it mean something? Should she be worried? Since he hasn't had any other similar visions since, perhaps it was nothing to worry about? Maybe it was just total nonsense? Afteral, what was the likelihood of actually running into someone with six fingers?

While walking home from school in a daze, she ran into something solid and fell off her feet. As Rei began to readjust to reality, she realized she bumped into a person, they spun around and spoke to her. It was a language she was having difficulty understanding properly, it sounded like English. She noticed this person appeared to be an oddly dressed foreigner, a traveler no doubt. He was an older man with greying hair, wore glasses and a long coat, he appeared to be carrying an equally odd assortment of things with him. He bent down to make sure she was alright, she understood that much English at least. From his looks and accent, he is definitely an American from the States, she concluded.

"I'm fine sir," Rei told him, "I just wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I'm terribly sorry I bumped into you." As she realized she probably should have tried saying something in English, he ended up surprising her when he responded in Japanese this time.

"Oh! You speak Japanese here, that makes things easy for me. It's nice to hear a language I'm familiar with for a change." the man said, "Well, I'm glad you're alright, I'm very sorry if I was in your way miss, I was too caught up in my own thoughts myself. I was just trying to figure out where I was at."

"This is the Juban District."

"and...where? Is that the name of this city?"

Rei blinked, thinking it was a little odd for someone to be asking such a thing. "Er, it's part of Tokyo."

"Tokyo, Japan?"

Rei blinked again, "Yes..."

The man grinned, as he looked around. "Well I'll be, I thought this place looked a little familiar. It's not exactly the same, but there's a number of similarities."

Rei attempted to get to her feet, the man noticed this, "Where are my manners! Let me help you up there Miss." he held out his hand. Rei grabbed hold of it, and after she got to her feet, she realized something felt off about it. Instead of letting go, she took a closer look at it, she grew pale when she saw that this man had a sixth finger.

"Your hand!" Rei said in shock.

The man chuckled, "Yeah, I get that reaction a lot. First time meeting someone with six fingers?"

She let go of his hand, her thoughts where still processing, "Um yes."

The man looked around again, then asked Rei, "So um, I know this may sound strange, but you wouldn't happen to know some place where I can get a bite to eat and some rest, at least the evening? I'm still finding my way around, and I don't have any currency from here."

A crazy thought hit Rei, a thought so crazy and risky, she was willing to take it.

"YOU DID WHAT?!"

All the other girls, aside from Rei, said in unison at their study session for that evening.

"Well, we have the extra room here at the temple, so I figured why not." Rei explained.

"But taking in a strange guy from off the street that you just met?" asked Minako, "What if this guy is a creepy perv or some killer?"

Just then Yuichiro popped up in Rei's open window. A piece of cloth tied to his head like some makeshift mask and a shinai in hand. Everyone but Rei jumped, "Miss Rei, nothing suspicious to report."

Rei nodded, "Thank you Yuichiro." then he vanished, she spoke with the rest of the group again, "'This guy' is Stanford Pines. I already have Yuichiro keeping an eye on him, and...well, I was hoping you would all help me watch him as well."

They where all puzzled, this time Ami spoke. "But if you are this concerned about him, why did you decide to take him into your place to begin with?"

For a moment the vision returned to Rei's mind. Should she tell them what she saw? No, she wants to know more first about the meaning of it, perhaps she should at least share the part about that man?

"Well, it's just that I had a strange vision, and this person was in it. I'm not sure what it meant, but I feel it might be something very important. So until I can better understand it, I figured it was best to keep him in a location where I can observe him."

Makoto crossed her arms, in thought, "A possible new enemy?"

Rei looked out her window into the courtyard of the temple, she could see Ford had struck up a friendly conversation with her Grandfather, "I'm not certain..."

There was a long silence before Usagi jumped up and slammed her hands on the table, "MAKO-CHAN!" Makoto jumped, "We should help fix a nice dinner for Rei-chan's guest!"

"Uh, okay, sure." Makoto said, getting to her own feet now.

"Minako, Ami...you're coming with!" Usagi announced.

Ami and Minako where taken a bit aback, all 4 of them really didn't need to be there, did they? Yet Usagi insisted.

So the four girls headed to a small grocery store near Rei's place to pick up a variety of things to make for dinner. All while they where looking around the store, they discussed Rei's surprise guest. Ami was skimming through a computer magazine while they shopped. This issue featured an exclusive article about the company, StanCo Technologies, and their successful recent expansion into the Japanese market. "You think it's a good idea?" Ami asked, "I mean the logic is sound, but perhaps it's a little reckless?"

"Well, Rei's psychic visions have been pretty spot on in the past, and if this stranger is in it, it might be worth looking into." Minako shrugged.

Usagi then tried to sneak some sweets into the hand-basket Makoto was carrying, Makoto chimed in as she swatted Usagi's advancements away, "Yeah! If this guy is connected with some new enemy, we already have 'em. We'll just lay a trap, and catch him in the act if he tries to pull something."

Ami put her index finger in the air to make a point, "We need to be careful, what if he knows who we really are and it's part of some elaborate trap for us?"

Usagi then added in her two cents, "But...what if his story is like Chibi-usa's? Maybe he's not our enemy at all?" The rest of the group now looked at Usagi, she continued. "If there is something that is going to happen, maybe he is someone who needs our help, or can help us. If he is our enemy, perhaps if we just communicate with him, we can reason with him to get him to stop whatever he may be planning."

Everyone stared at Usagi, surprised at what she just said. "Wow, Usagi," Ami said, impressed, "that is actually a rather mature thing for you to say."

Usagi then tried to sneak some more sweets into the hand basket again, but Makoto pulled the basket out of her reach. Usagi threw a fit like some child, and the others let out a sigh.

While the girls where gone, Rei decided to step out of her room into the courtyard for some fresh air. She looked for the man, but didn't see him. Thoughts of that vision returned yet again, now that this man from her vision has made an appearance, does this mean everything else is going to happen soon? Will she and the rest of the Sailor Senshi be able to stop it? A shiver shot down her spine and the very thought of that apocalyptic vision becoming a reality.

She made her way over to where they keep the Omikuji fortunes they give out to those who visit the shrine. She drew one, then held her breath before reading it. Her heart sank, it wasn't the sort of fortune she wanted to see right now. She looked over to the tree, walked over, then tied her fortune to it. She prayed, "I hope everyone will will happily without anything bad happening..."

At the base of the stairs that lead up to the temple, Luna had just arrived. She happened to look up and saw Artemis was already making his own way up the steps. "Oh! Artemis!" she said, greeting him. He stopped and looked at her, "Hey Luna, you here to join the girls as well?"

They continued their little chat, which turned into a rant from Luna about how Usagi should be acting a little more responsible. They had to pause their conversation as Rei's Grandfather went by the both of them, Yuichiro in tow. Grandpa was rambling on about how upset he was that their new guest never knew about some of the wonderful things Japan had to offer, and decided to go and get them for him. Yuichiro tried to protest, explaining that Rei assigned him a special mission and he didn't want to let her down. Grandpa was having none of it, however. "Non-sense my boy, my granddaughter is perfectly capable of handling herself. You, however, are weak." Upon hearing this, Yuichiro was too taken aback to protest any further and ended up summiting to his sensei's whim.

After when the two humans where gone and it was just the cats, Artemis spoke. "That poor fellow. Some of the things he has to put up with."

Suddenly, they where interrupted by the sound of running footsteps. The two cats stopped talking for a moment, but quickly realized Usagi had come running up to them. "Usagi? I thought you where already here with the girls." Luna asked in surprise.

In between breaths gasping for air from the running, Usagi spoke. "We where, but then we went to get food. The rest of the girls are behind me...you happen to see anything since you got here?"

"Well," Luna said, "we saw Rei's grandfather and Yuichiro leave not too long ago."

Usagi perked up, "Wait, so that means Rei is alone with..."

Suddenly, all three of them heard Rei's screams from atop of the stairs, then dashed up the steps to see what was going on. Was it the strange man? Was he really an enemy and it was some trap like some of the others had suggested? When they reached the top of the stairs, they found Rei had indeed been attacked, but it was not the man. Instead it was a rather strange-looking woman, with a pair of large bells in her hair, and a long red and white rope for a ponytail. This woman pulled her shirt open, revealing her cleavage, a glowing black beam of light shot out from a black star on her chest and hit Rei.

Upon seeing this usual, unusual scene, Usagi quickly jumped behind a tree to hide. "What is that?!" she asked Luna. "I don't know, but you should transform." Luna told her.

Usagi nodded then threw her locket brooch into the air.

The monster, who was completely oblivious to her surroundings, was suddenly interrupted as she heard, "Stop right There!" It stopped, then turned to look, Usagi was now dressed as Sailor Moon, and she did her speech. "For love and justice, I am the pretty soldier in a sailor suit, Sailor Moon! I can't forgive you for harassing my pure-hearted friend! In the name of the moon, I will punish you."

The monster spoke, "Your friend's pure heart is the very reason why she was targeted." it then whipped it's rope hair around, wrapping itself around Usagi's ankles, slamming her into a wall, "Your fortune is...VERY BAD!"

As Usagi took a moment to regain herself, the rest of her friends appeared. They all quickly realized the urgency of the situation, and attempted to transform as well, only for the monster to pin them all against some of the surrounding trees. As Usagi attempted to return to her feet, the monster approached her, but it stopped when a rose appeared, striking it's head. Usagi immediately seized this moment that her ally, Tuxedo Mask, had given her by distracting it. Usagi summoned her Moon Scepter, wherever it usually comes from when she is not using it, and cried out, "Moon Princess Halation!"

A glittery beam of light shot out from her Scepter, but it was no use, it didn't even faze the monster. In its frustration of being unable to complete its task from all of the distractions. It pounced upon Usagi, pinning her to a tree now, and grabbed the broach on her chest with it's teeth. It cracked, and broke, destabilizing its power, thus undoing the transformation. Usagi was shocked and completely helpless as she watched the monster pin down Tuxedo Mask. In a desperate move, Luna and Artemis jumped in and tried to help, but their attempts where in vain. With all of the distractions finally out of it's way, the monster then returned to what it was doing by drawing Rei's pure heart from out of her body. Rei continued to scream in pain until a beautiful crystal appeared, then her body feel limp. The crystal itself emitted a shimmering, brilliant glow or red, flickering like a lone ember from a fire.

Usagi called out to Rei but she didn't respond to her as she was unconscious. Rei's body continued to grow pale with each passing moment, a thought stuck Usagi. Does this mean she is dead? Despite all the times Rei teased her and made fun of her, she knew how much Rei cared about her and the others. They had all been through so much. Tears began to well up in Usagi's eyes, her cries grew more desperate. The monster merely let out a laugh of joyous victory, grabbing the crystal, now intending to return to it's base of operations.

Suddenly something unexpected happened, as laser beam shot out from out of nowhere. The beam sliced off the monster's hand, it let go of the crystal and turned into wood. Before the monster could regrow a new hand, a strange, small electronic device was thrown at it and it attached itself to it's body. The device admitted a flashing red light and gave off a strange noise, the monster attempted to rip it off with it's other hand, but it stayed attached, "It won't come off?!"

A lone figure then stepped out from behind the brush, laser pistol in hand, aimed directly at the monster, it was Stanford. The device continued to beep louder and louder, and the monster desperately struggled to take it off. When it stopped, Ford spoke, like a quip out of some American action film. "Looks like your own good fortune...just ran out!"

The monster screamed, as the electric device sent out a shockwave. The monster's body warped and twisted about, forming back into it's original form of a tree. Once everyone was free from the traps that the monster had ensnared everyone with, they all immediately rushed over to Rei to see if she was alright.

Meanwhile in the shadows, a pair of figures where examining Rei's Heart Crystal very closely. "This isn't a talisman." one of them said. "It appears they picked the wrong target." said the other. The one holding the crystal threw it away, drifting back to Rei's body, like a delicate snowflake gliding though the air, "A trip wasted."

Usagi continued to desperately wake Rei up, but stopped when she saw the crystal had suddenly appeared before Rei's body. It gave off a small burst of twinkling light as it remerged with Rei's body. When the light vanished, Rei finally began to stir. Her eyes fluttered open in a total daze, she wasn't entirely sure what had just happened to her, but one thing was certain, she was alive. Usagi cried some more, but instead of tears of sadness, they where of joy as she gave Rei a huge hug.

Ford put his laser pistol back into his coat and went running over to the girls, "Thank goodness my Quantum Molecule Stabilizer worked on that creature, is she alright?" he asked.

All of the girls stopped and looked at Ford. Makoto stood before him in a fighting stance, ready to throw a swift Judo move at him if she needed too. Usagi held Rei tightly, and Ami and Minako gripped at their own transformation wands. Mamoru joined the rest of them as well, he stood beside Makoto, his cane drawn also ready to strike.

Sensing the tension, Ford threw both his hands up in the air. He immediately understood he was the outsider, and they had every right to suspect him first for what just happened to their friend. "Hold on now, take it easy. I have nothing to do with that thing that just attacked your friend Miss Rei here. I swear!"

"How do we know you are telling the truth?" Makoto asked, still not standing down.

"What where those devices of yours?" Ami asked too, "I've never seen any sort of technology like that."

"I can explain everything to all of you..." he said.

Tensions continued to flare up until Rei spoke, her voice was a little weak, but loud enough to hear. "Wait..." she said, interrupting the stand off for a moment, "I would like to hear what he has to say..."

Back in the secret underground laboratory, Kaolinite had just returned and informed Professor Tomoe of what had happened.

"I see..." he said, rubbing his chin in thought, "so my Daimon was flawless, but someone or something vanquished it? Interesting."

"I will seek out other potential targets, and find out more about those who resist us." Kaolinite held out her hand, her staff with the black star appeared once more. "I will leave you with your work on the Daimons."

"Indeed I shall." Tomoe told her and Kaolinite left to return to her viewing pool to get further insight.

Tomoe removed his hand from his chin. "Well, it appears that taking over this planet won't be as simple as we thought." he casually placed his hands into his pockets, not the slightest bit concerned over the situation. "No matter, in the end it will still be ours." Tomoe turned to look upon the wall on one side of his laboratory, "Isn't that right, my Lord?" On the laboratory wall hung a framed image of a three-sided, one-eyed beast, flames alit in his hands, with an added hat and bow-tie for a touch of class. Tomoe let out a maniacal laughter that echoed throughout the facility.

It was only the beginning towards the end.

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TL ZSVZD ORO TRIO HXLFGS, GIB ZH BLF NZB, BLFI VUULIGH DROO LMOB VMW RMW RM WRHNAB.

Up Next: Chapter 2 – "Beautiful and graceful, the lovely Haruka and Michiru"

Author Ramblings – Weeeeee! I had a lot of fun writing this one. I will be mostly following the 90's anime of Sailor Moon for this, with bits from the manga thrown in. Example being the Death Busters being more like the anime, except for Kaolinite, who will be more like her manga counterpart. I will also be dropping lots of references to 90's technology, as Sailor Moon S (the Infinity Arc) takes place during the year of 1994 afteral. Just a heads up.

I also want to apologize for doing a lot of copy/pasting from established Sailor Moon episodes. I admit I'm only doing this to help get the ball rolling and progress the Sailor Moon side of the narrative faster. Hopefully I managed to present it in an interesting enough way. Once Usagi gets her powers back, I will start bringing in more Gravity Falls characters, and it will start getting into the more unique parts of the narrative, I promise.

As for the Gravity Falls side of the narrative. Obviously this story takes place during Ford's interdementional travels. I might be making occasional references to the published Journal 3 book, but it will not be a required reading for this.

For those of you who have decided to take the time to read this story, thank you. Unfortunately, GF/SM fanfics don't seem to be in demand right now, but hopefully I'm proven wrong. Please let me know your thoughts so far by leaving a review, or if you want to silently follow/fav that will work too. I have loads of fun ideas for later chapters, hopefully you'll stick around.

(PS Don't worry, I kept the codes simple to solve, I just hope I made them right. It's the Atbash cipher in case you are wondering.)

(PSS I'm still used to the days when didn't have cover art for their fanfics, so I completely forgot to make something. Have a random picture of Super Sailor Moon until I get a chance to put something else up.)