The darkness was consuming everything.
One by one, the Senshi were falling; first went the outers, their barrier with them. And then went the inners. There was no power left within them to fight. In his own arms he held the smallest of soldiers, her eyes closed, breathing shallow. "Chibi Moon!" He called out to her, forcing her eyes to flicker, lids finally rising enough for him to meet her gaze.
No one watched as the blonde Senshi looked upwards, blue eye falling upon the monster in the sky. The monster that threatened to destroy them all. Their power has run out… Everyone has been pushed to the brink… Her legs were trembling beneath her, not from weakness, but from fear. She couldn't allow this to continue. She couldn't let her friends lose this fight. No… It isn't gone yet. Everyone's power… It's within me… Blue eyes closed as hands came up, grasping together at her chest, head bowing as power began to flow through her. I'll fight with all of my strength… Ill show them our true power! Her eyes opened, lids rising to reveal a determined gaze. I'll do it alone, just me and the ginzuishou. Hands rose high above her head, her voice calling out: "Holy Grail, come to my hands!" The power began as the softest of glows, but then its power increased, the golden orb of light manifesting into the shape of a chalice. It came to her hands, its power threatening to spill over. Lend me your power, please… Fill me with the power of the nine Senshi!
The golden light, the sound of her voice… It caught his attention and Tuxedo Kamen turned, surprised to see her. "Usako!" He called out to her, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was as if he already knew something terrible was going to happen. Just what are you planning…? The light was surrounding her, the Holy Grail grasped in her hands; she turned to him then, her face radiant with a beaming smile as she took a single step forwards. And then she turned away, her long legs pushing her forwards as she literally threw herself off the top of the building, the Grail held tightly to her chest. For one single moment, he could not react, but then it hit him and he was yelling her name, casting Chibi Moon aside as her name fell from his lips. "Usako!"
Eight pairs of eyes could only watch as their princess, their friend, their everything flung herself from the roof, taking with them the Grail that symbolized their very unity. She was gone before they could react- though two of the soldiers heavily contemplating jumping after her. I… I will release the power of the ginzuishou and the Holy Grail into our enemies… Her thoughts resonated with them all, filling their minds and hearts, giving an explanation as to her behavior. It was this or let them all die, let the entire earth be swallowed by Pharaoh 90's darkness. And she simply couldn't let that happen. She felt no fear as she descended into the darkness, well aware of what was to come for her next. This was what it meant to be a solider. This was the sacrifice her friends had made time and time again for her. Now, it was her time to save them.
From atop their perch on the building, the three outer Senshi gasped as their talismans began to glow, softly resonating with one another. This had only happened one time before, so long ago… Back then, during the fall of their kingdom. They could not stop themselves from holding the talismans high above their heads, their power gathering together… In a flash of light, she appeared, hovering up from the ground, an orb of light around her. "It can't be…" Uranus muttered, shaking her head, eyes rising up to watch as Sailor Saturn emerged from the light, her Silence Glaive clasped in her hands. The planetary symbol appeared upon her forehead, releasing a reverberating purple light that surrounded her as she began to speak.
"I am the harbinger of death. I am the one who is the guardian of the planet of destruction, Saturn. The solider of silence…. Sailor Saturn." Her voice echoed across all of Tokyo and violet hues gazed around, falling upon each Senshi one by one. She was well aware of the one that was missing and she closed her eyes, feeling the princess' presence from somewhere. But not yet from beyond the grave. Eyes opened once more and fell back upon the Senshi below her. They were frightened, worried, their horrified gazes telling Saturn of their thoughts and concerns. "I was called forth by the activated trigger…" A small sigh escaped as she turned, dark hair falling across her features. "The last time this happened doesn't seem so very long ago…" She recalled the destruction of the Moon Kingdom, the loss of the princess and her mother. Of everyone and everything. "But… I always felt like an uninvited guest." She swung her Glaive upwards as she leapt from her place, falling down towards the darkness below. "I watched as incident after incident happened. As if… As if history was going off its predetermined course." The end of her weapon slammed down upon Pharaoh 90, who groaned in response; then came another attack, and another, then another. "After that incident in the Infinity District, the one whose life I was supposed to be slumbering through, Hotaru, lost her life and then continued on as a cyborg." Another sigh, her head tilted to the side, eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "I was never supposed to awaken within that girl's body. It would prove to be too much of a shock for her to handle. And then her body was revived by 'utilization' and Professor Tomoe, with his twisted mind, summoned these aliens from another planet."
All of the Senshi sat in stunned silence, listening as Saturn spoke, watching her every movement with baited breath. "But there was nothing I could do. We were all drawn here. This land was the chosen place." She turned back to them then, her violet orbs falling upon their pale, worried faces. "An amazing amount of power has gathered here, and from there, everything began to follow down the path towards destruction. All of this was ushered along by fate. And now that I have awakened… I have no choice but to drop my Silence Glaive."
The gasps were audible, as if they had been screams. "Sailor Saturn!" Pluto cried out to her, her intense eyes falling upon her face. Saturn did not look away, she merely held the other's gaze, silent with her Glaive in hand, already prepared to do what had to be done.
"God damnit!" Uranus shouted, her hands thrown up in her frustration. Why… Why would fate lead us down this path? "That's a lie!" She fell to her knees, her sword still clutched tightly in her fist. How could this happen… How could this be their fate? "Stop! Saturn!"
From her place beside Mamoru, Chibi Moon looked on in horror. Does this mean… She could not even bear to think the thought. Her terrified eyes fell upon Saturn, but the soldier was no longer paying any of them any mind. She had twisted around, her Glaive extended. Does this mean there'll be no future? Would she never again see her mother? Her father? Usagi? She couldn't believe it.
"Death Reborn Revolution!" Saturn cried out, her Glaive above her, ribbons of purple light erupting from all around her. At once the ribbons began to penetrate Pharaoh 90, who felt the negative aura began to rip him apart. It was happening so fast- there was nothing he could do to stop it. To prevent it from happening. The negative energy was destroying him. "You abominable invader! I will return you to nothingness! And then I will end the world!" Saturn cried out, her hand outstretched.
Reaching out, Mamoru grasped Chibi Moon's arm, tugging her towards him. Wrapping his arm around her, he hoped to shield her from what he could, his cape obstructing her view of the destruction all around them. It's the end! There's nothing we can do.
Uranus shook her head, blue hues widening as she watched the scene unfold. She's going to lower the Silence Glaive and when she does… the whole world will end! She could nor believe it. Everything that they had worked towards, everything that they had fought for…. Was it truly coming to end end?
Every heart turned to one person and in that moment, they all were thinking the same name: Sailor Moon!
A moment later, Saturn turned her arm, allowing the Glaive to swing downwards, and all at once the destruction began. Turning his back to it, Mamoru wrapped both arms around Chibi Moon, who was shaking, her face buried against his chest. He looked up then, azure eyes widening as he watched the buildings tear away, the concrete ripping away from the earth, everything swirling upwards to the void that Saturn's power had created. Everything… Everyone is disappearing… The world was ending. Chibi Moon slipped from his grasp to kneel beside him, her small hands warm against his skin as they grasped his arm. He fell forwards upon his palms, head hanging, eyes closing as the emotion welled up within him. "Usako…" He murmured, her face flashing before his closed eyes, tears gathering behind his lids. You've saved my life so many times before, but I wasn't able to protect you. "Usako!" The tears slid down his cheeks and he felt Chibi Moon wind her arms around his neck and his arm came up to encircle her waist. She was crying, her little body shaking with her every sob, her quiet voice filling his ears.
"Sailor Moon… Mama…"
"God damnit!" Uranus cried for the second time, half rising from her knees, staring out at the chaos all around her. "Isn't there anything we can do?" But she already knew the answer to her own question. "I just wanted to be able to protect her!" She threw down her sword, hands clenched into fists, tears filling her eyes as she slammed her fists down upon the ground. Her smiling face flashed before her, the memory of her aura warming her entire body.
Chibi Moon tugged away from Mamoru, falling to her knees at the edge of the building, hands clasped into a gesture of prayer. "Sailor Saturn!" She called out, her tears bubbling over, spilling down her battered cheeks. And she swore the soldier of destruction pinned her with her gaze, a soft smile flashing across her features a moment before there came a brilliant flash of light. It lit up the darkness, its soft warmth spreading across all of them, even Saturn could feel it as she turned towards the source of light. "Sailor Moon!" Chibi Moon gasped, her eyes widening, catching everyone's attention. All eyes swiveled from Saturn to the orb of light, which as the light began to dim, they all could see her within it. "Super Sailor Moon!"
There was an explosion of light and Usagi heard the voice calling out to her. Lids swept up, her brilliant blue eyes revealed as the crescent moon upon her tiara began to glow. In the distance, the seven soldiers gasped as their uniforms changed in a flash, leaving them renewed and full of power. From his place beside Chibi Moon, Mamoru's eyes widened as a smile appeared upon his face. There she was, alive and well! She had brought about some type of miracle.
Hands rising up, Usagi could not help but to inspect them, as power flowed through her. So… She was alive. Floating down, she landed upon the ruins of a skyscraper, her head turned upwards towards the sky. Saturn was leaping up, her Glaive in hand, her voice echoing across the land. "Now, it is time! I, Sailor Saturn will lead this world silence and nothingness!"
"Saturn!" Usagi gasped, turning towards the solider, her eyes wide. if this keeps going like this, we'll all be sucked into the vortex! Unbeknownst to her, her Senshi's thoughts were one and the same with her own. She felt their eyes upon her as she looked to Saturn, racking her brains for a way out of this mess. A way to fix things.
"There is no need to feel despair." Saturn's voice called out, her smile true as it fell upon Sailor Moon. "For with death comes hope and rebirth. And you will be the one to bring it forth, Super Sailor Moon!" Their eyes met, blue and violet, one smiling while the other tried to keep it together. "All because you released the power of the ginzuishou and the Holy Grail into this planets core, you can save it. But in order to be reborn, I must bring death and destroy things as they are." She turned away, her voice falling a pitch softer as she spoke on. "Soon this land will become the reborn Silver Millennium. Such sacred power is on your side to help you." Then Saturn turned, her eyes falling upon another. "Sailor Pluto! You must close their portal to the other world!"
Pluto felt her heart skip a beat as she rose up. "Saturn!"
"Hurry!"
Giving a mute nod, Pluto picked her Garnet Orb up off the ground and extended it high into the air. Her voice was strong as she called upon the power of her guardian planet. "Great guardian deity of time and space! My father, Chronos! Lend your power to me! Close the door that violates our laws!" Almost at once a door appeared, one that swung open a moment later, a door that Saturn entered, dragging with her all remnants of darkness and Pharaoh 90. The door then slammed closed and then everything was silent. "Saturn!" Pluto screamed out, her heart full of anguish, hot tears spilling down her cheeks as the door faded from sight.
From her perch atop the shattered building, Usagi fell back onto her knees, tears silently falling from her eyes. Along with death, hope and rebirth begin anew… Her uniform began to shimmer and as the light died away, gone was her Senshi fuku and in its place, a long silken gown of white. Power began to fill her and she raised a hand up as her scepter appeared. Long, slender digits wrapped around the base as she came to stand, the power swirling around her as she raised the scepter high into the air. Not a word was spoken as the light began to expand, covering every inch of the land around her, renewing both the planet and the people. The buildings restored to their previous might, the people once gone from this world waking upon the sidewalk. From the pillar, high above them, Serenity's power lit up the world, her thoughts turning from the world to something else entirely…
The messiah… It was you all along, Serenity… Mamoru kept his eyes upon her, watching in awe as she restored the planet and the people to their rightful states. She reigned from on high, high above them, her warm light filling them all with hope. It was a moment later that they all heard the soft wail of an infant- but it was Neptune who reacted first. She was racing away, towards where the crying was coming from. All of the Senshi then took off after her, arriving a moment later, to watch as she slowly approached a small, crying baby, wrapped in a soft purple blanket.
As the three Outer Senshi gathered around her, the baby broke out into a bright smile, and a symbol began to glow upon her forehead. "It's Hotaru!" Neptune gasped, reaching out to pick the infant up, cradling her to her warm chest.
"She's been reborn." Uranus said, amazed, her eyes wide as she watched her lover cradle the baby, her own heart softening at the sight. The baby was giggling, her little hand wrapped around one of Neptune's fingers, the symbol on her brow fading from sight.
"She's all alone, she has no one. Let's raise her on our own." Neptune murmured, looking up then, aquamarine eyes falling upon her two comrades. "The three of us will be her parents." They knelt on either side of her, Uranus' reaching out a hand to place upon her shoulder, Pluto extending a hand to gently caress the baby's downy hair. They could be a family.
Mamoru approached the base of the building, catching Serenity a moment before she hit the ground. She stumbled into his arms, her gown fading away, leaving behind her fuku once more. She was pale, tired, but well enough it seemed; the moment she had gained her footing, she was pushing past him and her guardians, racing towards the outers. "Uranus! Neptune! Pluto!"
Her voice caused all three Senshi to turn, their eyes finding hers. "Princess!" They called in unison, rising up to stand before her. She approached them tentatively, her knees weak, her eyes widening at the sight of the baby in Neptune's arms.
"That baby…"
"We're going to leave now." Uranus spoke first, her eyes closing, unable to face her princess as the words fell from her lips. "It seems we have a new mission now." She dropped to one knee, the other two following suit, offering reverence to their princess, to their future queen. "You are so precious." Uranus murmured, her words bringing tears to Usagi's eyes as she stood there, longing to reach out for the soldier.
"You're going away?" Chibi Moon asked, stepping up as the three soldiers rose back up, their own eyes full of tears at the prospect of leaving these precious girls. "Where to?"
"Hmm… It could be very far away, or really close by. We don't know."
"Will you come back?" Chibi Moon asked, feeling her little heart breaking at the thought of these three leaving. They had only just become friends, why did they have to go so soon?
"Of course, Chibi Moon," Pluto replied, reaching out to cup the tiny girl's cheeks between her palms. "You are our allies, I'm sure we'll meet again." She drew her hand back, but Chibi Moon reached out, latching onto it, as if she were never going to let her go. But then she was speaking, wiser beyond her years, her words reminding them of someone oh-so special.
"That's right, we're allies. We're soldiers just like you! We'll meet again, I know it!"
"Little princess, we love you." Neptune spoke, extending her free hand, in her grasp her ornate mirror. "We'll definitely come back here again. Here, take this as proof of my promise." She offered the young soldier a smile as she took the mirror into her hands. "You can look into the mirror as you become a more beautiful and an even stronger soldier." She stepped back, as did Pluto, leaving Uranus standing in the center of the three. As they faded from sight, Uranus' voice traveled along the wind…
"Protect our precious princess."
