NEMESIS'S MOON
The moon was high in the heavens, a near full, silver ball that sent glittering light to the blue planet. The girl in the lavish canopy awoke with a start, her lavender blush hair cascading down over the sheets to trample down at the side of the bed.
Her hair mussed from a worried sleep, the blue-eyed teenager shifted as she tried to think of what was wrong. She could feel something different but she couldn't quite pin it down.
She pulled the expensive covering off her lean frame, revealing a pale, transparent nightgown that fluttered with lace around her thighs. With spaghetti straps that trailed off a shoulder, it was a very light outfit. She followed to the wide door, opening the glass door to cross onto the balcony to look up at the moon, the stars scattered across the heavens. She picked out the Orion constellation, following to the left to watch the Gemini constellation.
It hit her with a jolt. "Usagi!" She whispered but she felt nothing but herself. She turned and pulled back at the dark-skinned warrior in front of her. "Pluto!"
Sailor Pluto bowed. "Urame, I cannot find her."
________
Neo Queen Serenity paced. Awoken by Sailor Pluto, she stood with her husband and Urame. She bit her nails. "Where did she go?"
"I don't know. She was sleeping and then she was gone from the timeline." Pluto answered.
"I don't understand. What could sweep in and take her away?" Neo Queen Serenity was distraught.
"Urame, where do you think she is?" King Endymion asked her quietly.
The young girl blinked before she stared at her hands, thinking carefully. She felt herself reach out, searching for Usagi but to no avail. "She's not here but…" She hesitated. "What about the past?"
"We got here as soon as possible!" Sailor Uranus hurried in, followed by Sailor Neptune. She took in a jagged breath.
"Neptune, your Mirror," Neo Queen Serenity pressed her friend worriedly.
"I saw a shadow over the Princess. I think she was taken to the past," Neptune answered automatically. "I thought I saw her with a Time Key."
"Why would she have it?" Neo Queen Serenity shook her head in confusion.
"She wasn't herself. She was different, older. The image was blurry," Neptune confessed.
"Then Urame will have to go," Pluto stated evenly. "She's the only one who can sense her."
"But.." Neo Queen Serenity began.
"Usako," Endymion murmured. "She'll be fine. She's strong and clever. She'll watch out for herself and Usagi," He smiled at Urame who gave a nod and curtsied.
"Don't worry, Papa. I'll find her and bring her home safely."
Pluto handed her a key. "You'll head out in the morning. Pack what you need only."
___________
Usagi flounced on the steps of the Hikawa Shrine, humming to herself as she listened to her radio player. She cracked an eye open as Minako ran up to her with a big grin. "Usagi!" Minako came to a screeching halt, laughing as she looked behind her. "I beat you, Artemis!"
"I have four legs that don't go as far as you," He managed to gasp, dragging himself up the stairs. "And there's so many to climb…" He collapsed near the top, unable to climb further.
Makoto was climbing up behind him, bending down to pick him up to place on her shoulders. "There you go, Artemis."
"Thank you," He wheezed thankfully.
"Another beautiful summer day," Usagi beamed. "It's so nice and warm!" She spread her arms up to feel the strong sunlight.
"It's nice to have a get-together that doesn't involve school," Minako smiled as she spoke gleefully. "I get to tan so nicely too!" She offered a arm several shades darker.
"You have to be careful, you know," Ami finished the long climb, the huge sunhat blocking out the sun's rays from her skin. Luna was on her shoulder, thankful to be out of the sun since she attracted the heat due to her fur's color.
"Rei!" Makoto called out to the raven-haired who finished talking with Yuuichiro. She shooed him away as she turned to walk over to the gathered group. Nearing the group, there was a sudden gust of wind that spun down in between them as Urame fell down on her feet, catching herself on bended legs.
Her hair was tied up into heavy odango, one at each side of the bottom of her head, the thin tails wavy as they danced down to her waist. Strands pulled down at her ears that reached her collarbone fluttered with her movement. Her heart-shaped bangs were a familiar style as the group stared at her.
"Chibiusa?" Minako asked weakly before looking startled as the blue eyes peered up at her. "No, you're not…"
Urame stood up on weak legs. She didn't think traveling would be so bad but it was strangely draining. Though it could've been the worry eating away at her, Urame thought to herself.
She took a step and felt herself collapse on her knees. "Ugh.." She felt different, darker but it was a dull feeling. She realized she was picking up on Chibiusa and yet it was different. She could feel that somehow, something was wrong with Chibiusa but without her in sight, she couldn't tell how wrong it was.
"Are you all right?" Usagi knelt with furrowed brows.
"I'm fine, please. Don't worry." Urame took the offered hand as she pulled herself up. "Phew, that was never described that way to me."
She looked around at the familiar faces that were so youthful, she couldn't stop the smile. "You all look so, so childlike."
Minako bristled. "I am so not a child!"
Makoto asked weakly. "Where did you come from?"
"Um.." Urame pointed upward. "There?"
"That's not an answer.." Minako began before all fell silent as Usagi's phone rang shrilly.
"Hello? Mamo-chan! Oh, what?" She blinked. "When did Chibiusa come..?" She turned to see Urame running off, fleeing down the stairs with great speed. "Uh…"
_______
Chibiusa lay on the bed, breathing heavily. Mamoru had come home to find her in a deep sleep. He could feel something different about her but he decided if she wanted to rest, he'd ask questions later.
The doorbell rang and he opened it to a surprise. He stared at the blue-eyed girl who breezed by him. The relief on her face was palpable as she reached out to touch Chibiusa.
"Usagi?" She asked gently. "Wake up, Usagi."
Chibiusa's eyes snapped open, hollowed out and lifeless. She moved up with cat-like reflection, fingers grasped at Urame's throat. In a moment's time, she had suddenly morphed into a very familiar form.
"Black Lady!" Mamoru gasped, trying to reach Chibiusa but she wove her arm and he was sent back to be run into the bookshelves, splattering the books over his body.
Fingers tightened as Black Lady stared her down coldly. "Give it back," She demanded darkly. "Now!"
Dark energy pulsed at Black Lady's gripped hand as Urame's back arched.
"No!" Usagi managed to enter as the wind picked up in the apartment. The others stood in surprise at the scene. "Everyone!"
"Right!" They all raised their voices in unison.
"Mercury!"
"Mars!"
"Jupiter!"
"Venus!"
"Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"Crisis, Make Up!"
"Chibiusa! Let her go!" Sailor Moon ordered.
"Please, you think I'd let that child be in control?" Black Lady sneered. "Urame, give it to me now or else!"
"I don't…. know what .." Urame tilted her head painfully to manage a bite on the tight hand. Black Lady shrieked as the girl jumped back. "You're talking about but I won't let you use Usagi!"
"And what can you do?" She straightened, her pink hair catching in the upturned winds as her eyes glowed a powerful red. Her aura shimmered in black as the others were lifted off their feet and thrown back.
"Chibiusa!"
"Usagi!" Urame pulled out a brooch from her pocket, it was white, round, with a red rose etched on the front. "Nemesis Power, Make Up!"
Her shadow rippled under her to spread across like bird's wings before filtering upward in black streaks, taking her clothes with each movement upward. She spun as the bodice formed. Her movement caused the black streaks to follow her to become rings as her collar, skirt, gloves, and boots formed. As her brooch rested at her bow, giving off lingering dust of black, her collar and earrings formed as details formed on her gloves and boots.
She finally stood clad in her senshi fuku. Adorned with a gold tiara emblazed with a black, upside down crescent moon, her earrings gold, round studs with dangling gold diamonds, she wore a black collar with a single stripe and a black skirt. Her choker was red with a black, upside down crescent moon and her bodice was full-figured though without shoulder padding. Her elbow length gloves and knee high boots were goldenrod, all straight edged. The gloves were edged in red rose patterns and at the outside of her ankles were three red roses tattooed into the boots. Her front and back bows were gold ribbon ties, the back tails trailing down to her knees. Her waistband was straight across her hips, made of metal, and had a diamond outline with a red diamond on the inside in the front center.
Fingers spun in the air, twirling as a long, slender goldenrod staff formed with a red diamond outlined in the staff's goldenrod metal on the near top glittered. Black wings fluttered out from the diamond as a sharp, gold sword flitted out from the top. She swung it down, the end thumping the ground as she stared down Black Lady.
"Who are you?" Urame demanded.
Black Lady looked furious. "I am Black Lady, Queen of Nemesis!"
"There is no more Nemesis!" Urame hissed.
"No, not anymore," Black Lady looked smug. "But this puny planet will make a new home, don't you think?"
"Give Usagi back!" Urame shouted.
"And what are you going to do about it?" Black Lady snickered. "You cannot possibly tap into the great powers of Nemesis, regardless of whatever link you have," She pulled back.
"Nemesis's Judgment.." Urame began to call out, the gold sword turning a distinctive, brilliant white. But in a blink of an eye, Black Lady had teleported from sight. "Usagi!"
"Chibiusa!" Super Sailor Moon ran to where she had stood only seconds ago. "No.. what happened to her?"
"She's possessed," Urame muttered darkly.
"Who are you?" Urame turned to see the other senshi looking at her suspiciously.
"I am the soldier of Justice, Sailor Nemesis. I am Usagi's guard."
"Just her guard?" Mars asked suspiciously.
Urame's mouth tightened as she remained silent. She straightened as the raven-haired soldier approached with a critical eye. "You're not going to talk?"
"The future must remain in context. I am not at liberty to discuss anything about myself."
"I see," Mars stared her down. "You remind me of someone but I can't pin down who it is."
"I get that a lot," Urame returned to her civilian form.
"What's your name?" Mamoru asked.
"Urame, at your service," She bowed at him and then at Usagi who blinked in surprise.
"So what happened to Chibiusa?" Minako demanded.
"If I knew that, I would be doing something about it," Urame pointed out. "But being up this close, I can tell that she's not there."
"What?" The question hung in the air as the group stared at the smaller girl.
"That was her body but that wasn't her soul in there."
Again, she was met with stares. "There IS a reason why I'm her second hand, I can know where she is. Without her soul, she's nothing more than a husk. All I get is anger and pain and suffering.." She sighed heavily at the pointed stares. "I'm kind of linked in a way to Usagi."
"ESP?" Makoto thumbed Rei. "Like her?"
"Sure, we can go for that," Urame tried a smile as she took a step but her energy deserted her as she fell onto her butt with a wince. "I didn't think I'd feel so tired. I slept so well last night.. Well, half of it.. Actually, technically, I was tossing and turning the whole time." She sat with her knees folded up, her arms resting as she looked up at the group with a sheepish smile. "Mind if I crash here?"