Everything was going according to plan. Super Sailor Moon and her followers had been split into two parties by the Dead Moon Circus. The more vulnerable of the two teams had gone ahead toward the inner sanctum. They thought were fighting their way in, when really they were being secretly beckoned inside. The five main Sailor Soldiers walked into the circus tent alone and unsuspecting of the sinister cosmic forces already working against them.
The two commanders of the Dead Moon Circus were waiting in the center of the tent. Zirconia was standing with her staff in hand, glaring at the Sailor team with her jealous wrinkled eyes. The hauntingly beautiful Queen Nehelenia hovered just behind the hag's crooked shoulders, welcoming the heroines with an ambiguous smile.
The Sailor Soldiers didn't hesitate to unleash their most powerful attacks. Zirconia held up her staff and summoned a barrier to deflect the barrage of elementary spells. Nehelenia threw her head back in a fit haughty laughter at the pathetic display.
While the Inner Sailor Soldiers prepared for their next wave of attacks, Zirconia looked them over like an old spinster would sizing up undisciplined maidens she was responsible for grooming.
"I'm glad you could make it this far, Sailor Soldiers," she announced as she reached into her cloak. "You're just in time for the special act we've been preparing just for you."
She held out a set of five polished marbles in the palm of her hand. When she threw them straight into the air, they began to quickly expand like giant balloons. They slowly drifted back down on their own will, coming to a stop just in front of each Sailor Soldier. The one that moved toward Sailor Mercury was blue. The one nearest to Mars was red. The one that stopped beside Jupiter was green. The one in front of Venus was orange. The one that went to Sailor Moon was silver with special royal lining. The decorative patterns gave it the appearance of an enormous Christmas tree ornament, or a round Faberge egg.
Jupiter tried to move the green orb away with an impulsive punch. It didn't go very well.
Her fist dove straight through the orb as if it had turned to liquid. Her entire arm was instantly inside, and she couldn't break free despite all of her pushing and pulling. Something inside of the sphere finished the job by yanking her in head-first. The four remaining Sailor Soldiers could she her legs thrashing around for a few final moments before she was completely engulfed.
And then it was their turn. The other spheres began emitting their own gravitational field that instantly pulled in the closest Sailor Soldier. The vague silhouettes of each Sailor remained visible as they were enveloped in primordial darkness inside their bulbs. One by one, their frothing came to a rest and they slowly curled into fetal positions.
Zirconia cackled at her own trick. She raised her staff to guide the five orbs into the air.
"Prepare yourselves, ladies, for a planetary realignment!"
The orbs floated in a circular formation over the witch's head. Nehelenia levitated higher off the floor so she could be in the center. After weeks of careful planning, they were ready to use their devastating double-team attack.
Zirconia waved her arms in a juggling motion, causing the five orbs to rotate on an invisible vertical axis. As Zirconia's movements became more rapid, Nehelenia unleashed her own dark powers in waves. Anti-matter spiraled through the spheres as they revolved faster and faster around the queen of the Dark Moon. Centrifugal forces reshaped anything that was trapped inside. For a moment, they were so spinning quickly and glowing with so much negative energy they formed a single black ring around Nehelenia. Then Zirconia gradually stopped the Ferris wheel, and each orb returned to its original color.
Zirconia guided the spheres so they would rest on the ground in a straight line. Nehelenia landed in front of the arrangement. It was time for Mother Goose to count her eggs.
She started with the blue one. She knocked on the edge of the glass with her fist, causing the sphere's captive to shyly curl up into a tighter ball.
"Soon," Nehelenia whispered ominously.
She approached the red sphere next. Her hand created tiny ripples on the object's surface as it dipped a few centimeters inward. She withdrew her hand and licked her fingertips.
"Just right."
She stepped over to the orange sphere, where a faint female shape moved as is if it were sinking in slow motion. She spoke quietly as she caressed the hollow amber.
"Relax, my precious. It's almost over."
When Nehelenia touched the green orb, she jumped back with a start. Static electricity surged through her fingers, and she shook her wrist until her feeling returned. The shadow trapped inside the orb made some slight movements before trying to punch through its shell. Nehelenia curiously scratched the glass surface with her index finger.
"Oh dear. This one's being stubborn. She needs some help getting through the Pangaea phase, Zirconia."
She moved on to the silver sphere last. When she brushed her palm across the smooth surface, the encased figure shifted toward her and stretched out its own arm, mirroring her actions from the other side of the glass. Nehelenia nestled her head against the bulb and smirked.
"Chaos isn't so bad once you get used to it. Hmm, Princess?" She ended her question with a light chuckle.
Nehelenia levitated upward, situated herself on top of the globe, and crossed her thighs. From her seat, she watched Zirconia magically lift the green ball back into the air and juggle it once again. Her eyes turned in slow circles as she watched the orb go round and round. Zirconia then used her telekinesis to place the ball back in line with the others. Nehelenia hovered back to the ground, carefully inspected the green orb, and gave a satisfied nod.
And just like that, she had gained control of the inner solar system.
Zirconia stepped forward. She walked along the five spheres, stopping to give each one two stern taps with her staff.
"Show time." The crone twisted her lips into an eager grin.
The room filled with the sounds of breaking glass as each orb was covered in cracks. All five orbs exploded into shards, granting the fully terraformed Sailor Soldiers their freedom.
For the first few seconds, they had nothing but weakened transformation ribbons dangling from their bare bodies. As the magic cloth became charged with Dead Moon energy, it wrapped itself more modestly around each Sailor Soldier and began to take solid form as their new combat attire.
Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus kept their basic colors, but their traditional Sailor suits had been hopelessly mangled into something more fitting of a sideshow act. The only things their new costumes had in common with their previous forms were the striped scarves around their necks and the decorative bows on their front and back. Mercury was wearing a white and blue sleeved leotard with cut out shoulders. Short side skirts were sewn at her hips. Mars wore a frisky little number that resembled swimwear. A red silk sash was tied around her waist, dark purple stockings covered her legs, ruby jewelry adorned her wrists and ankles, and streams of confetti highlighted her long black hair. Jupiter had a short tube top, a small green fighter's vest, and transparent white trousers over a jade-colored bikini. Her ponytail was tied together with a tiny iron dumbbell. Venus was dressed in a white corset, an orange, yellow, and white frilled skirt, and orange slippers. She wore a feathered opera mask over her eyes, and long strands of thin silk wrapped over her arms like curtains.
Sailor Moon had a more unique appearance. Dressed in white with gold trim, her outfit resembled her Princess Serenity gown reduced to negligee form. White and gold tights covered her arms and legs. Around her waist was a belt studded with the remnants of the Legendary Silver Crystal. She wore a short white circus coat over it all. Her hair was still braided in her trademark buns, but now it had turned silver.
While Nehelenia and Zirconia admired their handiwork in silence, the Sailor Soldiers joined together in a chorus of mischievous giggling.
Super Sailor Chibi Moon and the Outer Soldiers entered the dark circus tent. The room was seemingly empty, devoid of both the Dead Moon Circus and the Inner Sailor Soldiers. Just when they thought the fortress had been abandoned, stage lights beamed down from the ceiling and highlighted five dark figures standing in the center ring.
"Representing the closest planets of this solar system," Usagi's voice boomed through the tent in a high-pitched echo. "Debuting in their World Conquest Tour, Queen Nehelenia gives you her latest attraction… the Rusalka Brigade!"
"The Acrobat of Wisdom, Mercedes!" The artist formerly known as Sailor Mercury cried out in glee. She cartwheeled into position, stopping while she was still upside-down. Standing with all of her weight on one hand, she crossed one leg behind the other in a Hanged Man stance.
"The Fire Dancer of Passion, Maria!" The red Undine introduced herself while moving mostly with her hips. The glowing rubies on her wrists and ankles left bright red streaks in the air as she swayed. She turned her back toward the Outer Soldiers, bent forward, and blew a kiss over her shoulder.
"The Strongman of Courage, Juliet!" The green Undine shadowboxed in a flurry of quick punches, threw a high kick, and flexed her arms. Her teeth gleamed in the spotlight as she grinned.
"The Ballerina of Beauty, Venessa!" The orange Undine twirled on her toes before tumbling into a seated pose. She tucked one leg against her chest and extended the other into the air, winking through one side of her mask.
"The Ringmaster of the Moon, Lulu!" The silver Undine posed in the center of the group with outstretched arms.
The Sailor Soldiers stared back at them in awe. Usagi was dressed like a tacky stage magician. Ami and Makoto were acting like demented parodies of themselves. Rei and Minako looked like they belonged in a harem. Was this just some sort twisted illusion created to deceive the rest of the team, or was this what had become of the Inner Soldiers after they had been lured into the tent?
Chibi Moon shook her head in frustration and summoned her pink scepter. Lulu acknowledged her with nothing more than playful snort. The Undine tilted her head, scratching her chin in deep thought. When she focused back on the Sailor Soldier, her expression changed to a loving but eerie grin.
Chibi Moon suddenly collapsed to her knees. She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. Then, she started to change. First, she seemed to age several years in a matter of seconds. Her hair grew out and turned silver, like Lulu's, but with additional copper-colored streaks. Marks appeared on one side of her face in the shape of tiger stripes. When she stood up again, she was wearing a costume that matched Lulu's with extra pink trim. It looked as if she had turned into a more festive version of Black Lady.
Chibi Moon looked down at her hands, studying her changes, before she casually shrugged off the whole ordeal. She parted from the Sailor team and merrily skipped toward Lulu's side.
Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn suddenly winced and held their heads. They each experienced a nauseating migraine as new memories filled their minds and contradicted what they had previously known. Pluto was the only one who seemed to be immune, but all she could do was watch Chibi Moon with a look of wide-eyed horror.
"No, this can't be right. The future is… different."
"Nice to see you, Chichi." Lulu patted the new, more mature Bizarro form of Chibi Moon on her head. "You're a few centuries early, though."
"Chichi" anxiously tugged on "Lulu's" arm. Lulu leaned forward, allowing Chichi to cup her hand and whisper into her ear. When Chichi finished speaking in hushed murmurs, she let her voice return to its normal volume.
"And that's how you can catch Pegasus."
Lulu reached upward. In a puff of white smoke, a conductor's baton appeared and landed in her hand. She used it to draw an invisible rectangle, causing a full-length mirror to materialize out of thin air.
"Thank you for your assistance, Chichi." She motioned toward the mirror. "Now just step through here and you'll be safe and sound in your real home, Carnival Tokyo."
Chichi passed through the mirror in a single hop. One of her arms stuck out of the portal to wave goodbye.
"See ya later, mamma!"
"Try not to pig out on the cotton candy, sweetie!" Lulu called back.
Then she disappeared completely, and the mirror magically shrunk into nothingness.
As the other Outer Soldiers came to their senses, Pluto glanced toward the leader of the Rusalkas.
"Lady Serenity, no… This doesn't make sense. What have you done?" She was still overcoming her shock.
"I haven't done anyone yet, if you want to be technical," Lulu teased. "I was just thinking about how boring Mamoru is compared to those hunky Amazon guys. It's nice to have options."
She twirled her magic cane before pointing directly toward the group of Outer Soldiers.
"Now go get 'em, girls!"
The other Rusalkas followed their cue and charged forward. Mercedes took on Sailor Saturn, closing in with a series of graceful flips and forcing Saturn to block a set of throwing daggers with her glaive. Venessa slid to her knees and arched backwards to duck an attack from Pluto's staff, then knocked the Sailor Soldier off her feet with a sweeping kick. Maria untied the sash from her waist and swirled it around until it was lit ablaze, then lashed the flame whip toward Sailor Neptune. Juliet caught Sailor Uranus's sword with her bare hands as if it were a plastic toy, then challenged Uranus to a fistfight. Lulu stood back and watched as the Rusalka Brigade quickly overpowered each of the Sailor Soldiers.
Once the Sailors were worn down and sprawled helplessly across the circus floor, Lulu reached out with her cane. She began drawing the shape of a crescent moon in the air.
"And, for our final act: The annihilation of the farthest kingdoms!"
The Dead Moon's old witch appeared at her side, catching her by the wrist just before she could finish invoking the symbol of catastrophe.
"Huh? Let me go, Zirconia!" Lulu tried to wiggle free.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, child. Nehelenia instructed me not to let your little performance end after only one showing."
"Ah, come on!" Lulu whined. "You didn't recruit us for this just so you could hold us back! We won't have the advantage anymore if we let them regroup. We can get rid of them right now!"
"And ruin all the fun?" Zirconia gave her a scolding glance. "Wouldn't you like to toy with them for a while? Play with your audience's expectations a bit? Besides, once my magic recharges and I'm able to understand these girls a bit better, I should be able to create another set of Planet Breakers just for them. We always have room for a few more harlequins."
"I guess you're right," Lulu answered in a disappointed sigh. She turned to face her team.
"Rusalkas!" Lulu shouted as she raised her cane again. "That's enough for tonight!"
The five Rusalkas disappeared under a veil of fireworks and party balloons. This was followed by the entire tent fading from existence. The Outer Soldiers were left alone in an empty city street.