After Usagi's defeat of Chaos life seemed to change for the best. She continued on to become Neo Queen Serenity, finally being able to marry King Endymion. Throughout her life she received annual visits from her daughter's future self. Eventually things began to change though. An enemy from the future had managed to slip through the gates of time and made their way into the past with Chibiusa, altering their lives in ways they could never have imagined.
Outside the Crystal Palace an endless war waged on. Sailor Scouts both old and new fell in the midst of it all. What seemed to be the greatest darkness they had ever faced, quickly approached the entrance. Upstairs the queen was in labor, trying to make an escape.
"I-I can't go any further. This baby is coming, now!" She screamed with tears of pain and fear for her child. She held herself against the wall before ultimately collapsing. An exasperated breath escaped her lips before a rather painful contraction got the best of her. "Why did you decide to come now?"
"You must hold on my Queen!" Her lover insisted, but to no avail. He picked her up and carried her to a blocked off hallway. "Please, stay with me!" He ran as fast and as far as he could before it became clear that there was no more stalling. He set her down gently using the little power he had left to protect them and keep them hidden while she prepared herself to give birth.
The queen went into the final hour of her labor, screaming in agony. She gave birth in the hallway, only having a few moments with her new born daughter. The dark forces were approaching fast and she could no longer find the will to move. She handed her new born child over to the king. "I love you both so much." Tears began streaming down her cheeks harder than before as she looked at her daughter in the arms of her husband.
"No! I won't leave you here like this!" He cried out, knowing what would happen to her. Their daughter wailing in his arms he begged her not to give up. "We can make it, I know we can. You're so strong I know-"
She cut him off not wanting to hear it anymore. "Please! You must." She winced in pain. "Go with the others while you can. Save her." She looked at them both lovingly, crying as she did so. Her body was still in pain, but she knew it would be over soon. "Have faith and raise our daughter!" Her eyes pleaded with him, this was hard enough as it was and time was running out.
With one last kiss he stood up. Tears and pains of regret fell heavy on him as he carried their child and ran through secret passage ways down to the others, barely escaping the evil that was after them. When he got to those who remained he collapsed on his knees. He was frozen in the shock.
One of the survivors pushed her way through the rest, her long, light pink hair falling around her. She grabbed the king by his shoulders, holding him tightly. Tears filled her blue eyes. "The Queen... Where is she?" She tried to smile through her tears, hoping for an alternate fate. "Where is Usagi?!" She bit her bottom lip as she waited for his response.
Red eyes looked up to the Princess. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry Ko..." He cried as he held his daughter tightly to his chest. The small child's cries echoed through the small barracks that protected the survivors. "Usagi is dead." It made him sick to say it, but it was true. The queen had fallen and she took with her any hope they had of defeating the enemy.
Sailor Saturn ran in silence through the destruction and decay left over after the terrifying event of four years ago. When she finally came across the ruins of what was once Crystal Tokyo she traveled East towards Chiba where she met up with a young woman with silver hair. "It's been quite a while since I've seen you in this form." Saturn brought her friend into a tight embrace. "How are they doing?"
The woman let go with a sullen face. Using a wand, that had once belonged to Pluto, she opened up a time gate. "I think it would be for the best if you see for yourself..." After making sure Saturn was safely through the gate and that no one was following them she stepped through and closed it from the other side. "This way." She returned Pluto's staff into the form of a necklace as she lead Saturn through a series of tunnels. When they reached an opening she was embraced by an older woman with dark hair and silver highlights. "Mother!"
"Diana, I was so worried!" Pulling away from her daughter she noticed Saturn. "Hotaru! You're back!" She turned her embrace to the purple scout. She squeezed her tightly before making some space between them. She held her firmly by the shoulders. "Look at you, you look like you've seen better days." Luna smiled tiredly.
"Luna, what happened to you?" Saturn pulled away looking her over. Luna had bandages all over and had a slight limp. "What happened while I was gone?" Saturn looked on at them in horror.
Luna would hold herself together in any other situation, but this wasn't like anything they had been through before. Diana bit her lower lip and lead her further down to where the others were. They entered a smaller cavern where the rest of the survivors were in hiding.
Hotaru switched into her regular form, tying her now long hair back and out of the way. Their difference in numbers was far greater than last time she had returned. It didn't take long before she ran into Sailor Vesta. "Vesta! I need a word with you!" She waved her over and they walked to a slightly more secluded spot. "I've noticed our numbers have... declined." Hotaru watched as Vesta seemed to freeze in anger. "Rei... is she..." She couldn't find the words, though Vesta understood what she was trying to ask.
"Two nights ago... I had to leave her in order to..." Tears swelled in her eyes. Taking a deep breath she wiped her already very puffy eyes. "Ceres, Juno and Pallas are with Lady Ko. His Majesty and the Little Princess are safe." She reported as calmly as possible, but there was still worry in her voice.
"Vesta, what are you not telling me?" Hotaru pushed her for more information. After staring her down Vesta cracked.
"His Majesty is... becoming weaker by the day. Soon I fear we will lose him too." Vesta paused, unable to hold Hotaru's pained gaze. "I'm afraid we are going to have no choice, but to send the little Princess away to a safer place... a safer time..."
The two were cut off by the presence of the king. "Sailor Vesta, I thought we talked about this already. It's too risky to open up the gates of time." He furrowed his brows at her, but then softened up as he saw her regret. "Luna needs help, why don't you go see what you can do." He ushered her away then turned his attention to Hotaru. "You look tired." He placed a shaky hand to her cheek and lightly brushed it with his thumb. "Are you alright?"
Nervous at the attention they were getting she stepped away as politely as she could. Hotaru bowed before her king and looked to the few survivors that remained. "I can deal with a little tiredness if it means I'm protecting what they left behind." She looked just beyond the king, seeing shy red eyes and pink pigtails flee around the corner of a wall. "There are far more important things I still need to protect. If it means I die of exhaust, then so be it." She gave one of her rare smiles at the thought of a brighter future for those she cared about.
He frowned at her words. "There has been to much death already. Perhaps you should try to live for those you care for." Without thinking he had taken her hands in his. It had been a whole year since the last time he had seen her and there was just too much he had wanted to say to her. "Hotaru I-" The king was cut off as their hideout began to shake. Evil laughter echoed throughout the tunnels along with the echoing footsteps of soldiers. He tossed her out of the way as a blue shard pierced through his heart. Through the pain he reached out to her. "Save her. Don't let them get to her!"
Hotaru hesitated in fear as her king fell before her. Everyone was running in a panic and attacks were being thrown about as soldiers began to fill the room. "The Princess!" Hotaru ran out calling for the little princess. Transforming once again into Sailor Saturn she blew what enemies she could out of her way. She eventually found her cowering under her bed. "It's okay, I'm here." She picked her up, holding onto her tightly.
"Where's Papa?" The princess cried, her red eyes growing wide with fear at all the chaos around them.
Saturn didn't know what to say, all she knew was that she had to keep running. She met up with Diana and Vesta in the main room. Saturn covered the girl's eyes as she saw the king's lifeless body being trampled upon on the ground. "Diana, get us out of here!" Saturn called and they all ran out of the caves. About twenty soldiers had caught up to them as they continued to run. "Damn it!" Saturn couldn't do anything, she was helpless as she held the only heir left to the Moon family in her arms.
Vesta cried as she knew what had to be done. "I'll hold them off! Get her out of here!" She spun around fast charging at the enemy. It appeared as though she would make it out unscathed until a shadowy figure came from behind her, ripping straight through her chest. Vesta looked over as the others ran on ahead, her vision blurring as she watched her very own heart stop beating before her.
Diana opened up all of the gates for the first time since Pluto's death. She shoved Saturn through one and tried to close them all before their enemy could get through. Seemingly successful, Saturn was left in an endless space of doors. The silence was a calming break that didn't last long as the gate opened back up.
"No!" Saturn looked on in disbelief. Purple eyes seemed to lock on to her and pierce through her very soul. "No!" Saturn ran as far and as long as she could, a cloud of toxic gas making its way to her. It stung at her sides as she ran, her uniform melting at the contact. She was in tatters and if this kept up, they'd both be killed. "I'm sorry, but you have to run. Go!" She tossed the princess, turning around to fight off the fast approaching figure. "It's you! That's not possible!"
A woman's voice spat like poison as she cursed at the still standing Sailor Scout. "I've already won, what's the point in fighting?" She hissed as she looked over Saturn's shoulder at the small child. "She's still just a babe. You think saving her will stop me?" She cackled as she pushed pass the weakened scout. Her hand hovered over the little girl, ready to kill her with one final blow.
"SILENT WALL!" Saturn used the last of her strength to protect the princess. She watched as she was sent flying through a gate scared and all alone. The wicked woman who had caused all this despair walked towards her with anger. "I swear, you won't get away with this!" Saturn's last breath left her as the woman stood before her lifeless body.
"Foolish child. This doesn't change anything. You can't change what will happen. No matter how many times you try to go back. I will always rise above you all." She scoffed as she left the silent space using Pluto's staff. "I will always come out on top."
This is the re-constructed story of Moon Family Problems. I am going through all my work, editing, revising and adding new chapters. Let me know if you are still following/reading and if you like where things are going.