I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING SAILOR MOON-LIKE BUT MY OWN PEOPLE! I just really wanted to mess with the so-called peace :)

Sinerely Smiling,

Jam Jones


"Snow…?" Twilight leaned against the terrace doors of the palace, watching the snowflakes as they rested on the stone ledge outside. "Isn't it summer?"

Teresa, who had been reading comfortably in front of the garden-side windows, looked up as the window that had been giving her just the perfect amount of sunlight was cut off by thick, black clouds that swarmed across the sky. Closing her book, she looked to Twilight. Teresa's younger sister was already hard at work, sprinting down the hallway towards the foyer. Without even a thought, the middle-family daughter had already thought of the two younger girls of the group. Teresa sat up and looked out to Juliet and Dylan, fencing outside, who had yet to even notice the change in the weather.

This is bad, she thought. This can't be happening. Not now.


On the floor in the middle of the foyer, Miki and Tiffany sat playing with their delicate dolls. An uncomfortable shadow then began to cross their view, making them look up in surprise. They watched as the beautiful stain-glass windows that let in a rainbow of light suddenly choked off, leaving the room darker and grim-looking. Both got up off the carpet and sprinted down the hall. Twilight met them halfway, with open arms.

"Hey!" she said. "Don't worry, it's fine. It's going to be fine. Let's go back to the living room, okay?"


Juliet and Dylan, the two oldest of the group, looked up, startled. They lowered their fencing swords in shock as they watched in amazement as their once-fair weathered sky clouded in seconds. Looking to one another, they nodded sternly and ran for the house, still holding their swords.


"This is incredible," Rini said aloud. "A blizzard blew over Crystal Tokyo in a matter of seconds—how is this possible?"

"Should we call your mother?" Helios asked.

Rini threw him a dirty look.

"Right," Helios said. "You're queen now. Your problem."

She smiled. "I'm so glad you see things my way."

Helios sighed and looked back out to the eye of the storm, which was making its way suspiciously through the main part of the city, towards the city. It seemed to have purpose, a mission—not a regular storm.

"What are we going to do?" he asked.

"We aren't going to do anything."

Helios looked up in surprise. "So we are going to call your mother this time?"

"Please," Rini snorted. "We go through a few of these a lifetime. Good triumphs over evil, the whole nine yards—but have you ever seen the parents do the dirty work?" She waited, and his lack of answer seemed to encourage her to go on. "My mother's mother was useless to defend the Moon Kingdom, my mother was useless to defend Crystal Tokyo, and now, I assume the same stupid thing will happen to me."

Helios threw his head back and groaned. "Rini, dear, I'm not sure I'm following."

Walking across the foyer, Rini dusted off his armchair and sat in his lap, curling her arms around his neck. "Honey, these world crisis things are like a coming-of-age ceremony for my family." She leaned in so their lips were mere inches apart. "Which means you and I will get screwed over somewhere along the way."

He looked right into her oddly-colored red eyes. "But you have some sort of way to cheat getting screwed over?"

"Of course I do," she rested her head on his shoulder. "We disappear. Leave them alone. Let them panic. They'll be left to combine forces and save the world, showing the true strength of our blood and powers on Earth."

Helios was silent. He closed his eyes and rested against Rini's cheek, trying to think. Rini was just as batty as her mother with older age, but she had a point. Their family did tend to screw one another over. If they escaped while they had a chance—things might go better in the future.

"Where did you have in mind?"


Juliet threw open the terrace doors. "Is everyone alright?"

The four other girls were seated on the couch, Miki and Tiffany in Teresa's arms, with Twilight on the end of the couch. While the three girls huddled together looked panicked, Twilight looked bored and kind of annoyed.

"Juliet, can I go out and play in the snow?" she asked. "Teresa says we shouldn't go outside, but that's bullshit. There's snow out there! We should be making a gigantic snowman!"

Reaching just far enough out to touch Twilight, Teresa let her hand jerk back and fly against the back of Twilight's head. There was a loud FWAP! and a few more swear words from the middle child.

"I smacked you because you swore!" Teresa scolded. "So you should probably stop!"

"Don't be stupid, Teresa," Twilight said. "I'm old enough to decide whether I want to swear or not. Don't treat me like a baby anymore."

"Who was it that just asked if she could go make a snowman?" Dylan whispered to Juliet.

In Teresa's arms, Miki began to whimper. "Where's Mommy and Daddy? The power went out, and the house is all cold! Why aren't they here?"

Juliet's eyes lit up. Careful not to scare the younger children, she nodded to Dylan. His eyes brightened as an understanding went between the two. Nodding his head, Dylan walked over to pick Miki up out of his twin's arms.

"I'm sure they're fine. Juliet will go up and check on them, while we stay down here and stay warm."

Miki snuggled further down into his arms, but didn't say a word of protest.

However, Twilight wasn't nearly as easy-going.

"Juliet? Why Juliet?" She demanded. "I want to go! Why am I always left out? Let me come!"

Teresa sighed. "Twilight, we should just stay together—"

"No, it's fine," Juliet ruffled Twilight's brown hair, careful not to touch the pink streak that ran through her sister's bangs. "You can come—just…be quiet, okay?"

Twilight huffed. "I'm always quiet, Juliet."

Juliet cocked an eyebrow. "Do you want to come or not?"

Sensing Juliet was serious, Twilight mimicked locking her lips. With a nod, Juliet started up the stairs. Twilight followed. None of the other children made a sound as they wound up the spiral staircase all the way to the top of the palace, where there father's tower-study overlooked the whole kingdom.


As they approached the door to the study, Juliet couldn't help but notice how quiet it was. Chills ran up her arms and back, but she didn't dare say a word. Next to her, Twilight was more then confident—she even looked annoyed at the silence.

"The light's still on," Twilight complained as they got closer. "I'm sure they're just watching it, wondering why it's snowing. Like us. You're overreacting, Juliet."

"Just…be quiet, okay?"

Zipping her lips, Twilight fell behind a few steps. Juliet reached the door first, and, as gently as she could, eased the half-ajar door open a little further.

Sure enough, the light was still on. There was the desk in the center of the room, papers scattered across the surface and all over the floor. The bookcases stood neatly at attention. Nothing looked disturbed. Not even the window, or the two chairs positioned side-by-side behind the desk, overlooking the snowing city of Crystal Tokyo.

The room was empty.

"They're not there." Juliet gasped.

Twilight's eyes went wide. "What?"

"They're not…there."

Twilight pushed past her, into the study. She began to look for the same evidence Juliet had. There was no struggle signs. Nothing was missing.

Nothing but their parents.

"Where do you think they went?" Twilight asked.

There wasn't even a crack to her voice. Juliet felt like her whole world was flipped upside down, and Twilight was as calm as before.

"I…don't know."

Twilight laughed. "That's a first."


Dylan watched as the girls reappeared. Two sets of footsteps, no voices, and no clues to what had been found. His heart sank in his chest.

"You're squeezing me," Miki complained gently.

"Oops," he lightened his grip. "Sorry, Miki."

From the couch, Teresa lightly touched his arm. He looked down at her worried expression and managed a small smile. Tiffany had managed to fall asleep in her arms.

"Are you cold?" he asked Teresa.

"No," Teresa shook her head. She wasn't. She was terrified. Dylan could clearly see it in her eyes. Normally, they wouldn't be as frightened at this—but Dylan felt it, too. A disturbance in the air, as if something completely horrible were about to happen. "What should we do?"

"Mom and Dad must have been called away," Juliet said. "Neither of them are upstairs."

Dylan jerked to look at them, making Miki yelp slightly in his arms. "Both of them?" he asked.

"For the King and the Queen to be called away…is it something so serious?" Teresa wondered aloud.

Miki began to cry. "Mommy and Daddy are gone?"

"Don't be such a baby, Miki," Twilight walked over and flicked her forehead gently. "I'm sure they're taking care of this funky weather. Maybe it's nothing, so they didn't feel the need to tell us."

At that, Miki softened. The three older children sighed in relief, thankful for Twilight's quick at-ease answer.

"So what should we do while they're gone?" Teresa asked.

"We all have our weapons on us, right?" Juliet motioned to her heart-shaped necklace around her neck. The rest of the children nodded. "We'll stay in groups of two, to stay safe, and go inspect the damage outside. Teresa, you stay here with Tiffany."

Teresa nodded. "Okay."

Dylan put Miki down on the floor and she held her spade-shaped pendant in the ball of her fist. "Can you handle an older-kid mission, Meek?" The small girl nodded, wiping at her eyes. Dylan smiled. "Good. You can stay with me."

Juliet looked at Twilight. "You and I can go down Main Street to see if anyone's in any serious trouble."

"Actually," Twilight looked at Teresa. "I was thinking…Teresa's weapon…isn't really a weapon. It's the time key. If she and Tiff were to get into any trouble…how would they defend themselves?"

Juliet silently cursed herself for not thinking of that. Her whole head was in shambles, trying to think straight. Twilight was completely normal, as if this were nothing. Her thinking was clearer, more precise, and better. She was defiantly needed more here then out on Main Street.

"Will you be okay alone?" Twilight asked.

"I…" Juliet looked at Dylan, who shook his head. "I'll go with Dylan and Miki. We'll all go down Main Street. Nobody should be alone."

Twilight nodded. "Good luck."

Her courage startled Juliet. When had loud-mouthed, annoying, pig-headed Twilight grown up? Even now, she was so much more…ready for this then the rest of them. Teresa had to comfort Tiffany, which put her mind in the right place but not ready for action. Dylan had the same worries about Miki, to keep him on the ground. Juliet had all of them…which made her an absolute mess.

Where Twilight's worries any different? She wasn't arranged to any one person—she was still the same smug brat she'd been a few minutes ago when she'd asked about the snowman. She hadn't blinked an eye and accepted they would receive no help from their parents.

How could she be so…calm?

"You too," Juliet said.


Twilight leaned against the glass doors. "It's getting darker," she said quietly. "There's a large, swirling wind above the palace. It's just…moving over us. The sun is just gone."

On the couch, Teresa shivered. "I feel like I'm going to freeze to death. What could Mom and Dad be doing?"

Twilight turned around. "Why do you always depend on Mom and Dad for everything?"

"Well…Mom and Dad have dealt with stuff like this before, right? Mom even went back into the past to get her own mother to help the future. I heard Dad later sought them out to help and be helped. They were a team—that's how they met."

"And, as their children, isn't it our job to learn from them?" Twilight asked. "Someday, it'll be our job to protect Crystal Tokyo in the same way they do. Consider this training. I know it's not formal, but actually doing is the best way to learn pretty much anything."

Teresa's eyes got wide. "Do you…believe that?"

"I…" Twilight stopped. Did she? Why wasn't she as scared as Teresa? She had seen Mom and Dad's empty office with her own eyes. She knew how alone she was, protecting Teresa and Tiffany. Neither of them could throw a punch in a fight. Yet…she invited it. If someone was to threaten them, she'd do anything in her power to protect them. "I think I do."

"You're brave, then," Teresa said sadly. "A lot braver then me…and Dylan…and Juliet. I could see the fear in their eyes."

"I think I am scared," Twilight said quickly. "I'm just not…panicking yet."

"Well, there's no reason to be—"

Cchhhttt-chhttt-tttt.

Wind began to beat against the windows. The snow was no longer a heavy but gently fall, it howled and slammed against the windows and doors. The whole palace rocked. Very little light came in as the darkness became overpowering, making the room almost as black as night.

"Hold onto Tiffany."

"Oh-k-kay," Teresa whimpered.

Twilight watched as the first of the cracks began to spread across the glass. Snapping her star-shaped pendant off her necklace, Twilight felt golden light warm against her finger. The black pendant began to glow with the light, making shadows flicker against the walls as it extended outward, curving into a arch-like blade at one end and then into a long, harder-but-not-as-heavy-as metal rod.

"You're not going to use your scythe, are you?" Teresa squeaked, looking the weapon up and down.

"If I have to, I will." Twilight held the scythe in both hands. Something about it was almost comforting. "Get behind the couch."

"Why?"

"Just do it!" Twilight commanded. "Crouch down!"

CHHHHHHH—CRACK!

Teresa let out a squeak, but got up with Tiffany and settled behind the couch as Twilight asked.

This is bad, Twilight thought. What if I can't protect them both? What if I fail? I'll be treated like I did nothing wrong, but I did. Juliet left me in charge of protecting them!

So protect them, a voice commanded. It's your duty. You're the heir. Lead them, the way you're meant to.

Twilight didn't understand what it meant beside it being her "duty." They were her sisters. If Dylan were here, he'd do the same thing. Juliet wouldn't even give it a second thought. She was the oldest. She always knew what to do.

The glass began to whine. It was a horrible sound, like screaming and screeching at the same time. The crystal exterior outside was taking a beating. Would the whole palace just…shatter?

It didn't.

Instead, a the shadow of a figure appeared on the terrace. As it approached, a purple glow began to fill in the cracks on the glass. It slid back together. Above them, the ceiling began to shift and settle. The wind howled even harder, but nothing seemed to touch the palace.

"Twilight!" a voice called. "Open this door!"

Hotaru. Hotaru?

Twilight ran to unlock the doors, letting a snow-capped Hotaru into the palace. Her long, black hair fell to her shoulders and was unusually white-looking. It covered her violet eyes, making her look a little bit scarier then she was.

"Why is the key still here?" she demanded.

"What?" Twilight asked.

"The key!" Hotaru pointed to the couch. "Why hasn't anyone left to go get us help?"

"I didn't know we were supposed to go," Twilight said.

"What?" Hotaru looked shocked. "I sent a message to your parents! We have something huge out there! What on Earth has Rini been doing?"

Twilight froze. "My parents…are gone."

Now it was Hotaru who stood completely still. The wind whipped angrily at her hair, but she didn't move. She just stared at Twilight as if she hoped she were wrong.

"Rini's…gone?"

Twilight nodded.

"And Helios? What about Helios?"

It hurt her to do so, but Twilight bobbed her head once. They were both gone.

"Where did they go?" Hotaru whispered.

"We…don't know," Teresa got up from behind the house, holding now-awake Tiffany. "They weren't here from the beginning. We thought they were…with you."

Hotaru shook her head. "No. No, they're not."

Twilight felt like she had just received a slap to the face. "So…Juliet, Dylan, and Miki are out there alone, against something my parents couldn't even handle?"

Hotaru looked sick to her stomach. "You let Juliet go outside? With Dylan and Miki, of all people?"

"What's wrong? Is Juliet alright?" Teresa asked.

"She's the Princess! As your mother's first born, it's her duty to inherit Crystal Tokyo when she becomes of age!" Hotaru nearly shouted. "Rini was an only child, but whether her parents had more children or not, the responsibility was still hers!"

Princess.

Inherit.

Did she mean…Juliet was like an "heir" of some sort?

You're the heir.

Twilight clenched her fists. "Are you…sure?"

Hotaru whipped around to face her. "What do you mean, am I sure?" she demanded. "That we aren't missing a king, queen, first-born princess, first-born prince, and second-youngest princess? I think I'm pretty freaking sure!"

"No," Twilight shook head head. "That Juliet's…the heir."

"Well, if she's gone, that responsibility falls to Teresa," Hotaru said.

Both girls turned to look at the fragile-looking girl still standing behind the couch. Her blonde hair fell into her powerful blue eyes, making her look terrified and confused.

"I'm…in charge?" Teresa squeaked.

Hotaru sighed. "Yes, you are," she looked angry, though it wasn't at Teresa. She was mad at herself. "Which means, you'll have to take the trip."

Teresa collapsed. She tried to use the couch to break her fall, but it didn't work. The control she once held fell, and she fell to the floor on her knees. Tears streaked down her cheeks and onto Tiffany's cheeks.

"Why is sissy sad?" Tiffany asked.

Twilight felt her throat go thick. This wasn't happening. Teresa was the calm, well-mannered one. Going on a mission alone…she couldn't do that. She didn't even have a proper weapon. The time key was hers, but only because Mom couldn't bare to give her anything else.

"I'll go," Twilight said.

Hotaru flinched. "You realize this revolves around much bigger stakes then just you, right? We're dealing with the reality of Crystal Tokyo as a whole."

Twilight threw her a glare. "You're supposed to be the Sailor Soldier of Mass Destruction or something, right? Is that what makes you so cold? Teresa's not made for this kind of thing. She's like the glue that fixes things, but she can only fix things. She can't save them from getting broken in the first place."

Hotaru pursed her lips. For someone much older then Twilight's mother, it was an ugly move. "Do you really believe you can accomplish this?" she asked. Twilight nodded. Hotaru looked at Teresa. "Then give her the key."

"I…I couldn't!" Teresa stammered. "She's my baby sister!"

Twilight strutted across the floor and yanked the key from around Teresa's neck. "Stay here, protect Tiffany, and don't stop looking for Juliet and the others," she said. "I'll be back soon." She held out her hand, extending the scythe. It sank back into its original shape, a five-pointed black star. "Hold onto this and use it when you can."

Teresa was baffled. "Won't you need it?"

"I'll be fine." Twilight hugged her shoulders. "Just stay safe!"

Hotaru slapped her on the back. "Time to go!"

"Wait—"

Twilight couldn't even speak as she was swept into a whirlwind of pink. The room vanished, along with her sisters and Hotaru. There was a flash of shadow as if someone were there, but that person waved her on…and when she went through a doorway of golden light, her eyes shut automatically. When she opened them again, she was far, far from home.


"Sub…way?" she read the word in front of her. "What's a…sub-way?"

There was a giggle from above. "You don't know what a subway is?" a childish voice asked. "Well, you're on one."

Twilight looked up. She was in a tunnel-like vehicle with windows, but there was no light except for the ones on the sides. Standing above her was a girl with short, black hair and violet eyes.

"Hotaru?"

The girl looked pleased to hear her name. "You know my name!" she cheered. "Do you know Rini?"

"She's my…mother," Twilight managed.

"Oh, no," a voice from behind Hotaru said.

"Not another one!" another voice complained.

"Why do brats from the future keep showing up everywhere?" asked the first voice.

Twilight's heart sank. "Can…can you help me?"

A woman with sea-colored hair bent down next to Twilight. "Not us," she said softly. "But…I think we know somebody who can."

"W-Who?" Twilight stammered.

"Why, Sailor Moon."


GOSH THIS TOOK FOREVER! I'M SO GLAD IT'S DONE! I really wanted to do Sailor Moon, it being my first anime and all. So...yeah. Hope you liked!

Sincerely Smiling,

Jam Jones