DISCLAIMERS:
All canon characters are (C) 1992 - whatever year it is Naoko Takeuchi and all other related parties. The Shadow senshi are (C) Wild Nature 2006 - 2007. This is a fanfic based upon the anime version and all written work that this consists of is (C) 2006 - 2007 Wild Nature.
Chapter One: Return to the Dead Moon Realm
The wind blew softly as Usagi stood in the doorway of the Hikawa shrine. She thought of the past few months and the most difficult battle she had ever had. Going against Galaxia and losing everyone had renewed her need for them, to protect them. She had little time to deal with the Shadows, having her hands full of knowing that someday she would stand tall and be a queen.
And yet, now as she breathed freely for the moment, she remembered the discuss Eizou had attempted to have with her. But the words were fragmented in her memory and she knew that Eizou wouldn't come to her anymore. After all, after a few times, Eizou gave up trying to get her help and Usagi felt guilty. She was Sailor Moon, the soldier of justice. She had been so lost and now, she still didn't know what to do.
"Usagi, are you going to stand there and pout still or are you going to come in?" Rei asked loudly. She stood behind her, keeping her keen eye on the blond. She could see the weight loss in Usagi and the constant worry she tried desperately to hide.
"Oh," Usagi turned around with a beam although it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm sorry."
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Eizou ran around the track, huffing as she stared forward blindly. She was alone on the field, left to her own devices. She needed to let some steam off so she ran, ran, and ran.
But she never got anywhere. Her mind whirled on the constant worry of the Dead Moon Realm. She finally stopped, panting as she doubled over. "What am I supposed to do? I don't know who this Sailor Sigel is OR where the Solar Cross is!"
She fell on her knees, gasping in air. "I keep moving but I'm frozen." She cupped her face in her hands with a shuddering cry.
"Eizou?" Kakure had stood at the stands bottom, watching her friend run herself ragged. "Here," She pulled out a water bottle from her bag, just recently purchased for Eizou. "You've been coming here for days now. You're not alone, you know."
Eizou smiled weakly as she took the offered drink. "I know.." She stared at the liquid slowly swirling in its capture. "What are we supposed to do? We can't transform, Pomona says we need the help of the Sol senshi and they haven't even so much as blinked at us." Eizou finished off bitterly.
"Have you talked to them?" Kakure didn't look at her. "I was talking with Minako. Eizou, they just went through hell. They said that their powers, no, not just that, their souls, were ripped from them, one by one. And Usagi had to fight all alone and she nearly died as well."
"Then how the hell are they here?" Eizou snapped.
"Because they chose to be here. They chose to live their lives as themselves, as friends, and soldiers rather than give it up."
Eizou's head fell down. "I'm not that brave. I wouldn't have done so."
"I think you would've done so," Kakure said comforting.
"Well, how are they now?" Eizou asked finally.
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Pomona danced around the door, having rung it three times already. "I can't believe Rei would be gone. I told her I would visit."
"You said that weeks ago," Rei said dryly from behind. "Hello, Pomona. Can I help you?"
Rei got a good look at Pomona. The overly pale skin, the wide, worried eyes, and the body a bit thin, she began to become worried. "Pomona?"
"I didn't bother you during your last battles. I couldn't as it would've been awful. I knew that you would pull through, you're all strong and powerful and you guys can do anything!" Pomona was crying by the end. "Oh god, Rei, my people are dying! The Solar Cross, you know that thing that sustained our life, has been gone for the last three months and the crops won't grow, we haven't had sun so we're in darkness all the time. It's like hell! People are fighting, arguing, stealing even! My poor father has his hands full with protecting the Duchess cause they're blaming her and we can't transform!"
"We?"
"The Shadows! Once we performed the sacrifice, we've been cut off! And now, we have a rogue senshi who kills people and she's after the Solar Cross too but we have to ask her if she knows where it could be.."
"Wait a, wait a minute, Pomona," Rei interrupted. "If she's a murderer, why do you have to ask her?"
"Because she thinks it's hers. Jaro said he spotted her entering the system and he knows she's on Earth, looking for it. But we can't sense her because we never knew she was a senshi. We think she's a fake and.."
"Like an Animate?" Rei asked hurriedly.
"No.. what?"
"Someone who stole the powers of a Senshi from another one," Rei explained.
"No, I don't know, maybe?" She shook her head. "Augh, I've been going crazy with this! We need your help!" She fell to her knees, grasping Rei's kimono. "I'm begging you! Please, you have to save us!"
Rei only looked at her with a mixture of confusion, sadness, and pity.
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"And there you go," Eizou finished telling the group. The other Shadows stood behind her, looking at Usagi with tired eyes.
Usagi looked behind her and saw Rei, Makoto, Ami, and Minako. "We're all here to help but it's only going to be us." Usagi finished hesitantly. "Pluto has returned to the time stream, Hotaru to her father, and Michiru and Haruka have gone to America with Mamoru."
"We know you've had Hell and then some," Kakure said quietly. "But I think we're about to face a similar Hell and we don't want to lose. If we lose, so does the Dead Moon Realm."
"I think we should see Duchess Nerthus," Eizou suggested. "Pomona mentioned she was having trouble, we should start with the source."
"I thought it was Sailor Sigel?" Kaiki asked.
"We can find information out from Duchess Nerthus," Eizou said firmly.
"Let's do it then," Usagi nodded. "Let's get in a circle, you girls in the middle."
"Are you sure you can handle this?" Eizou whispered to Usagi. "Don't have to take all of us."
"No," Usagi spoke firmly. "We are a team, all for one or none for all."
The girls called forth their powers, the energy ripping around the group and enclosed girls as they shouted in unison. "Sailor Teleport!"
They landed with a soft thud in a pile of rocks, each of them rising with winces.
"I think I have one in my ass," Haimutsu muttered.
"My spine.." Sora gasped. "Ouchies."
"Halt! Who goes there?" A new voice came out. A slender female appeared, dressed in a black leather leotard and black boots and elbow length black gloves, her white hair piled high on her head, long thin strands falling free. Her bands were messy over her eyebrows but her strange yellow eyes peered out.
"I said.." She stopped, seeing the Sailor Senshi. "Are you here for the Duchess?"
"Yes."
"I am the Second-in-Command of the Royal Guard," She stated evenly. "Njord's been busy with protecting our Duchess. My name is Eos."
"We are.." Eternal Sailor Moon began.
"Please, I know who you are. Eternal Sailors Moon, Mars, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter. It is an honor and a burden to meet you. Our people are still quite wary of your kind but with our Shadows returned, that should go away." Eos nodded slightly.
"And you girls, why are you not in your Shadow forms?"
"That's just one of the reasons why we need to see Duchess Nerthus," Eizou said quietly.
"As you wish. Follow me," she beckoned to them and they followed.
The place had a dusk outlook, a lot of the areas cast in black shadows. There was not a sound that went on.
"It's like a ghost town," Nigori whispered.
"Our people are residing in the castles. We use magically created sunlight but our Magicians cannot keep it up for long. They are often overstrained," Eos spoke sadly. "Duchess Nerthus has been doing research and she feels as guilty as anyone. But I do not blame her. To call the Solar Cross means that the Heir has begun her revival."
"The heir?" Eternal Sailor Mercury asked.
"Duchess Nerthus will explain," she opened the tall door to the throne room where Duchess Nerthus was talking to Njord and Pomona.
"Guys!" Pomona never looked so relieved. "Thank you for coming! I am so sorry to have you guys.."
"Pomona," Duchess Nerthus murmured softly.
"Oh, yes, Your Highness," Pomona curtsied to the older woman, stepping out of her path.
"On behalf of my people and myself," Duchess Nerthus went into a deep bow. "I thank you for coming." She straightened. "To stand and fight so soon after such a horrendous battle, you are all so strong. However, I cannot accept you with a clear conscious. If you feel as if you cannot do this, or you do not want to, I will not force you to do so. You can leave right now and I will give you my blessings for a long and beautiful life. After all, what is this world to yours?"
Eternal Sailor Moon moved forward slowly, her body shimmering as her fuku slowly changed into her princess form. "Right now, my people and your people are separated but our fates are intertwined," her eyes opened slowly, her deep blue eyes shining. "I am the Princess of the Moon, Heir to the throne of the Silver Millennium and I, too, will bear the burden of the title of Queen. Our worlds are the same, we both struggle to survive. I will not stand by and let you or your people turn to dust." She held her head up. "I vow to give you my all. Together, we will find the Solar Cross, and deal with this Sailor Sigel, and bring sunlight to your world."
Duchess Nerthus's lower lip trembled. "It is such.. an honor.." Her voice was awed. "I knew, you had told us, you were who you were but to see you in your beautiful light.." She went onto her knees, Pomona, Njord, and Eos instantly following suit. "Bless you, Daughter of the Silver Millennium. You and your warriors will finally be seen in the glorious truth of your wonders."
Princess Serenity smiled warmly before she reverted back to Eternal Sailor Moon. "What can we do?"
Duchess Nerthus led them to the library. "I have been scourging the books for days and days. I thought I wouldn't come up with anything."
"The Solar Cross is important to us. It is time to explain just why," she waited until they sat down.
"In the times of the Queen Nehellenia, people lived in peace. They, too, were once like the Silver Millennium. But when it fell, the light that sustained the Silver Millennium faded and so the Dead Moon Realm fell into darkness."
"Our Royal Queen, blessed by the powers of salvation, had borne the powers that have revived her in the Triad Moon Pieces. When placed together, it could perform wonderful miracles. And one of those miracles was the creation of the Solar Cross. It's power was based upon the Light that Nehellenia was engulfed in, and it became our lifeline, creating the light of day."
"It's powers have never diminished but remained the same. But since the Shadows awakening, as well as the awakening of the Pillars, it became so powerful that only the Heir of the Dead Moon Realm can use it."
"And we need to find the Heir?" Eternal Sailor Venus asked seriously.
"Jaro has spoken of a Sailor Sigel. To be honest, she is not held in light in our history books and I fear that she is not a true senshi but one who created the illusion of it. She claims to be the true Heir and the holder of the Cross."
"And is she?" Eternal Sailor Mars spoke.
Duchess Nerthus rung her hands. "I must ask of a favor. I need to.. have the Shadows go through a trial."
"What?" Eizou frowned. "What does that.."
"Please, Eizou. You must. Not only may this awaken your now slumbering powers, it may reveal other things. I have only a feeling but I cannot go on that alone. You must.."
Eizou held up her hand. "As you wish. What do we do?"
"You need to return to the Realm of Void," Duchess Nerthus said quietly. "You must divide into pairs..."
"Um, there are only nine of us," Kaki pointed out.
"It is as followed - Shadows Mars and Neptune must go with Sailor Mars."
"Shadows Mercury and Uranus must go with Sailor Mercury."
"Shadows Jupiter and Saturn must go with Sailor Jupiter."
"Shadows Venus and Pluto must go with Sailor Venus."
"And Shadow Moon must go with Sailor Moon."
Eternal Sailor Venus looked worried. "I don't know, can we leave Sailor Moon alone? She will be all right?" she asked hesitantly.
"Yes, she will be. However, you all, I mean to all of you," she stared pointedly at the Sol Senshi. "Can take the test. You may find out something about yourselves in the process as well."
"I'm game!" Haimutsu began. "I like adventures! It will be wonderful with Kakure and Rei with me."
"Are you sure it is all right for me to go?" Pomona began to ask earnestly.
"Yes, you'll be fine," Njord said gruffly. "You've always been strong. You just need the confidence."
Pomona smiled at her father and nodded to Duchess Nerthus. "Do you want us to go now?"
"Now's a good a time as any," Eternal Sailor Jupiter shrugged.
"Follow me," she lead them to the room where the Solar Cross once lay. Now existed inside were eight additional pedestals.
"All but Shadow Moon are around the one in the center. The Sol Senshi should stand with their namesake," Duchess Nerthus instructed.
"And you two take the center," Duchess Nerthus let Eternal Sailor Moon by before reaching out to Eizou.
"I am sorry, for the loss of your love," she smiled sadly. "I only hope that you will let your heart love again as it is what will bring you strength."
Eizou smiled as she grasped Duchess Nerthus's fingers. "Sister, as long as I have my friends and family, I will be strong enough."
Duchess Nerthus's eyes welled up as she watched Eizou walk to where Usagi stood waiting.
She closed her eyes briefly and spoke in a strange tongue. One by one, the pedestals lit up, the last being the center.
"Remember, the decision is all up to you," her voice echoed as the room lit up like a exploding sun. "The path you decide will change you but it may be almost too much. Remember your friends, your allies, and your hearts and what you want..."
