A/N: This chapter later on has some scenes from "Sailor Moon 0-Birth By Sleep" in Queen Serenity's(Spoiler) ending.
I don't own Sailor Moon or Kurai.
Act four: The Beginning of the End.
One month later...
"Mother? Hello? Anybody?"
Kurai had been looking for Queen Serenity after sensing that something was amiss, but her mother wasn't in the throne room or the garden. Even Serena didn't know where she was, so the two sisters searched through the Palace to find her. This was the third place Kurai had ventured into now.
To her disappointment, the Queen wasn't here either. The Princess sighed, intending to turn around and leave when something on the bedside table next to the bed caught her eye. It looked like a couple of pieces of scrolls. While it was strictly forbidden to find things beyond permission, curosity got the better of her. Kurai slowly approached the bedside table and found that they were indeed scrolls.
She picked it up and unrolled it and her eyes widened that...it was and image, almost like the colour crystal windows in the throne room and ball room. Kurai recalled Serenity once telling her and Serena stories of her own younger years and she discovered a world where people call these things 'pictures', almost like reflections that can stay still for many years.
This was a picture of Serenity when she was seventeen herself. Next to her, was a handsome young man close to her age; black hair, dark ruby eyes and a royal clothes and cape. By the way he was standing next to her mother, instantly one question and surprise came into Kurai's mind and blurted it out without realising it. Because unlike Serena who's hair-colour was not like others as every hair colour of princesses change and are not like either of their parents...Kurai now knew where her's came from.
"Is that...my father?"
"Kurai?"
Kurai silently panicked as she could hear her sister coming. She quickly spun around and hid the papers behind her back and pretended that she found nothing while Serena walked in, asking curiously, "What were you staring at?"
"Nothing." Kurai replied, and mentally scolded herself for lying again. She knew that she couldn't keep up with it, but she didn't want to frighten her sister or hurt her feelings. "I was just wondering where mother was. Have you seen her, Serena?"
"I think she may be in the gardens, because she wasn't in the hallways either." Serena replied thoughtfully.
The gardens. Of course. Serenity would've gone there when something was on her mind as well. Kurai nodded and Serena nodded back before she left the room to continue the search, expecting Kurai to not be far behind. The dark-haired Princess, though, now had her attention to the picture of her father; their father, who obviously had died long ago.
Kurai brought the picture behind her back and gazed it more closely this time. There was something more than meets the eye with their deceased father. Or was he still alive? If he was, where is he?
Suddenly, the familiar painful jolt in her chest caused Kurai to gasp in agony, accidently dropping the picture onto the floor and collasped to her knees. The Princess placed her hands to her chest and whimpered and panted and tried to hold it in. But this time it was more powerful and her vision began to darken because the pain was too much, which made her even more horrified as she let out a slight strangled scream.
"Kurai!" Serena's alarmed voice came.
But Kurai was far too into the pain to notice her sister kneeling next to her, as Serena's placed her hands onto her arms, holding her gently, the latter asking, "Are you alright?"
"This...this pain...i-it's getting worse." Kurai panted, having trouble breathing and to stay conscious. She was vaguely aware of Serena calling out her name, but by then, the agony was far too much and Kurai's world darkened before she fell limp into her horrified sister's arms.
"Kurai! Kurai, answer me!" Serena pleaded, her attempts to awaken her unconscious sister was futile.
"Serena, Kurai!" Serenity's voice called out as the Queen raced in, before gasping at the sight before her.
The blonde-haired Princess tearfully glanced up at her mother, pleading, "Mother! Kurai's...!"
"We will get help, I promise." The Queen quickly promised.
Half an hour later found the unconscious Kurai in her bedchambers, thankfully still breathing, but has not awoken since then. Serena sat by her side, while gazing at the picture that was dropped and despite that now their missing father was giving her thoughts, her mind was solely focused on her sister who had some kind of pain in her chest, and she wished she knew what it was causing it, and hoped that there was some way she could do to help cure it.
"Kurai will be fine." Serenity spoke as she approached her conscious daughter. "I'm sure she fainted."
"I hope you are right." Serena muttered, the familiar moisture in her eyes forming and she willed them to not leak free. "I do not know what I will do if we lost Kurai."
As she gazed low, the picture of her mother's youngerself and her father who was either missing or had died long ago, Serena couldn't tell. Why did Kurai lie to her about seeing this? More importantly, why did she like to her about these chest pains? Was to keep Serena herself safe?
"I'm sorry." Queen Serenity spoke, "I should've told you about your father."
Surprised that her mother had noticed, Serena couldn't help but glance up at her. Feeling foolish for getting her mind off of her sister, but she wanted to not cry. Instead, she inquired, "What was our father like?"
"I will tell you when the time is right." Serenity promised to her daughter, "We must let Kurai rest now."
Feeling disappointed and yet wanting to stay by her sister's side, Serena nodded to obey her mother's word, and hesitatedly left the bedchambers, leaving the picture to both her mother and sister. Serenity stayed behind, caressing Kurai's face. As she feared, the darkness was getting worse.
Unaware to her, she and her daughter were being spied on by two figures who glared at the sleeping figure of Princess Kurai.
"...Imposter shadow." One of the figures whispered in pure anger and hatred.
It was a day later that Kurai finally stirred awake. The first thing she saw was the ceiling of her bedchambers. She felt as though her energy was spent or drained away from her body. The Princess slowly sat up, moaning softly. Whatever happened to her was vague. All she could remember was searching for her mother with Serena. Everything else was blank.
"Was that a dream? Why do I not remember?" Kurai muttered to herself, placing a hand to her forehead and realised that she was feeling a little warm, before quickly memories of what happened came flooding back and she shut her eyes, trying hard not to whimper.
Now she remembered; The darkness in her heart causing her to pass out. Kurai also remembered finding a scroll image of both her mother and her father. And Serena was by her side when this happened. The dark-haired Princess lowered her hand and sighed. She could no longer hide the truth from her sister.
Serena had to now.
"So the Princess is awake." A new voice spoke sarcastically.
Startled and standing up quickly, ignoring the wooziness, Kurai was surprised that the voice belonged to Sailor Uranus who stood there with her arms crossed, looking quite angry. With her was an equally angered Sailor Neptune, Uranus's partner.
"Sailor Uranus. Sailor Neptune." Kurai acknowlaged, her brows furrowing slightly in suspicion. "What are you doing here?"
"I believe we are the ones to ask that question...cold heartless imposterous traitor...!" Sailor Uranus said coldly, not showing her respects to the Princess before her and Sailor Neptune at all.
"Traitor...!?" Kurai gasped, wondering what on the Moon was the Sailor Soldier talking about.
"Do not try and pretend you don't know, foul being." Sailor Neptune said, not as cold as her partner, but still cruel enough. "We know of the power of darkness that resides in your heart; one that will destroy us all should we allow you to roam free to use that power to destroy the royal family and the Kingdom."
The Princess gasped louder, taking a few steps back. "How did you-were you both spying on my mother and I when I discovered this curse?"
"Your mother?" Sailor Uranus snorted, "You fooled the Queen into believing that she had two daughters and not just one. You are nothing more than a pure darkness that was born from her heart an given solid form. You used this to your advantage to get close to the royal family until it was almost too late!"
"We knew, the moment you spoke to our Queen about your lies, that you are not a real Princess; you are not a daughter or a sister, or a living soul of this Universe. You are a pure breed of ultimate darkness that should be destroyed." Sailor Neptune added.
So the two of them had been spying on her when she told Queen Serenity and Sailor Pluto of the nightmares where Kurai had learned of the darkness in her heart. Because of this, Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune did not believe in the truth; they came to their own conclusion that Kurai is a liar.
"It is not true!" Kurai protested, "Yes, I do have darkness in my heart, but I refuse to allow such evil control me or hurt my family!"
"You cannot fool us, monster!" Sailor Uranus spat, pointing an accused finger to the shocked and increasingly angered and frightened Princess. "We can't have traitors emerge in our kingdoms! Especially the entire Universe!"
Kurai shook her head, pleading, "Listen to me! I have no intention of betraying anyone! I only wish happiness upon my mother and my sister!"
"Happiness is not important." Sailor Neptune coldly replied, "Only safety for the royal family is."
To Kurai's horror, Sailor Uranus raised her hand and began to power up her own energy of power, causing the Princess to mutter, horrified, "You wouldn't-!"
"Silence!" Sailor Uranus ordered.
"How dare you-!" Kurai yelled, angered that these two were breaking the laws of the Kingdom and all Sailor Soldiers, giving her commands that they had no right to speak of, and were about to commit a crime that is unforgivable in the Kingdom.
"SILENCE!" Sailor Uranus shouted, finally losing her patience and thrusted her hand down, using her powerful Uranus World Shaking power which glowed in a yellow orb that flew and speed towards Kurai who gasped in horror.
They were attacking her!
Kurai did the only thing she could think of; She tried to shield herself with her arms as she screamed out in terror, but was caught in the such powerful attack that it engulfed her entire being, leaving her screaming in agony as the powerful attack knocked her over towards the wall and slammed her against it, her dress being shredded. By the time the attack was done...Kurai felt so weak that she collasped onto the floor, feeling so weak that she began to feel cold, the darkness fading and seeping out from her heart, but not enough to take control of her.
She then realised...in her fading thoughts...she was dying.
"The Princess...darkness is..." She could hear Sailor Uranus say, but the words from her and Sailor Neptune were fading quickly, she couldn't hear all of them and only managed to catch glimpses of them.
"...Too dangerous for...kind or not...must die...will not know..." Sailor Uranus was saying.
Both Sailor Soldiers stood over the dying Princess's body with hatred and were now coldly and silently declared that their work has been done; they had saved the Kingdom from a devastation that would've destroyed them all.
The two of them then heard a horrified gasp behind them and turned to see Queen Serenity who's expression was that of pure horror of what happened. She immediately rushed over and pushed both Uranus and Neptune over, her heart freezing at the sight of Kurai's life fading away, the darkness covering her body.
"Uranus! Neptune! What have you-!?" Serenity cut herself, unable to finish, as devastation was quickly overwhelming her.
"...Mother..." The dying Kurai gazed up weakly, trying to hang on, to at least see both her mother and her beloved sister once more. But she could not. Finally, she had lost the battle, and as the darkness claimed her permamently, her soul being taken away from her body...
'Serena...I'm so sorry...' Were Kurai's final thoughts until she no longer breathed, no longer moved.
Kurai had failed to accomplish her dream to be by her sister's side, all because she was deemed evil and an imposter by two soldiers who beliveved safety and strength was everything, while happiness did not exist.
Disgusted that the 'witch's' spell still effected their Queen and Princess, both Sailor Uranus and Neptune stormed out of the room, silently intending on bringing both of them to their senses to focus on the future of the Moon Kingdom.
Serena, who had also heard her sister's scream, came rushing in just as the two soldiers left the room, not noticing them. But when she saw what has happened, her hands immediately flew over to her mouth, letting out a devastated scream and gasp of horror. The Princess rushed over to her sister just as the darkness faded, but she didn't even pay attention to that.
"Kurai!" Serena cried out, falling to her hands and knees, tears of devastation falling as she pleaded to her sister, "Kurai! Kurai, please! Wake up, Kurai! Please wake up!"
Serenity fell to her knees as well, silently crying as she gazed at the dead body of one of her beloved daughters. It cannot be! Why did she have to not only lose her own mother as well as her husband, but now one of her darling daughters? Why!? She had promised to protect her dear children...
And as the cold truth hit her hard, she had failed.
Days passed since the death of Princess Kurai, but no punishment was held because Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune had cleverly lied that they had nothing to do with it. But Queen Serenity knew better, that they were the ones responsible for her death, but at the same time, she could not punish them for stopping the darkness. But she couldn't forgive them for their actions either. So she had no choice but to demote them to patrol services and to no longer be trained with Sailor Venus, Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter.
The Princess's body was layed in a stone chamber beneath the Kingdom, dressed in a fresh gown and layed there, still and cold as ice.
Serenity stood by her dead daughter's side, gently caressing Kurai's hair lovingly.
"It was not enough. I couldn't save her. My sweet Kurai..." The Queen muttered.
"There was never a 'Kurai', your Majesty."
Startled, Serenity whirled around to find Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune standing there, still angered.
"This body is camaflouged of an image of a second daughter. Really, this is just a manfacution taking image of Princess Serenity." She continued.
Queen Serenity glared at the traitors who killed her daughter. "You're the one who is a camaflouge! Leave, immediately."
Sailor Uranus was about to protest, but was held back to Sailor Neptune who told her wisely, knowing that they could not argue the command from their queen, "Lets go, Uranus. The only thing this fake has clear image off is the colour of the Princess's father's hair."
Even as the two Sailor Soldiers, Queen Serenity protested but then it died from her lips. Serena and Kurai's father's hair?
Many times in the next few weeks, Serena was still mourning and thus, could not focus on her training to become next in line for the throne or the Silver Crystal. She blamed herself for Kurai's death and wanted nothing more than her beloved sister back. Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune continued to try to convince her and Queen Serenity that Kurai was a monster and not a daughter, but neither listened.
Each time, Serenity was nearly overcome by grief, but managed to pull herself together. She once commented to the body of Kurai that...Kurai herself inherited Grimoire's hair. She then realised that the love of Serena and Kurai finally made sense;
Serena's heart was full of light, while Kurai's was full of darkness, but at the same time, it was also kindness. Light and Dark; back to back, depending on each other. The two halves of everything.
Even so, as one month went by, Serenity knew, with great regret, the mourning for Kurai could no longer be held. At the same time, the knowlage of her daughter could no longer be known, as both Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune had also coldly stated that Serena was not ready, and the Serenity herself should never had time travelled into the future all those years ago.
"My sweet Kurai...I'm so sorry. Serena cannot bare your loss...I must...I must erase from our memories." Serenity finally decided with great regret, gently kissing her dead daughter's forehead, before turning to leave the chambers once more, possibly for the final time.
Standing on the balcony, Queen Serenity had once again summoned the Silver Crystal and Cresent Moon Wand, knowing what to do, with tears and heavy heart of regret and guilt. "In grief of my beloved Kurai's death, the only way to move on...is the memory of her to be forgotten, as though she never existed."
Instantly, the Silver Crystal glowed in pink, covering up the Moon entirely, spreading out to the minds of everyone, including Princess Serena...replacing the memories of Princess Kurai with false memories.
Yet, Serenity's memories remained the same, as she didn't want to forget and she had feeling that perhaps someday Serena would meet her sister again and remember her. "Kurai...Serena...I'm sorry."
A while later, Serenity entered the chambers again where Kurai's body layed, her hands onto her chest, lifeless, cold, unmoving. As the Moon Queen approached, she ran her fingers into her daughter's hair, which, while styled just like Serenity's and Serena's, the hair colour was black, just like the late King Grimoire's.
"I know it's hard, but I had no choice. One day...you and Serena will be together again." Serenity whispered to her daughter.
The Ending Past events of "Sailor Moon 0-Birth By Sleep"...Shortly after the Fall...
The Moon Kingdom was devastated. Despite that she had sealed away the evil forces of the Negaverse, many lives were lost and Queen Serenity had no choice but use the Silver Crystal to save the Realm of Light. But not without prices;
Serena, and Prince Darien from Earth whom she had fallen in love with one year earlier since her sixteenth birthday, had been perished by the forces of the Negaverse. All of the Sailor Soldiers that fought had also perished, and Serenity's power to become the false 'Sailor Moon' was lost.
And now there was only one way to save everyone, for all of them to have a new, bright and peaceful future.
'The power of rebirth...it must be done...not just for everyone on the Moon...but...also to those who died before the war split the other worlds into what they are today and in the future.' Serenity thought to herself, thinking of what Grimoire told her years ago in his dying breath. So, holding up the Silver Crystal, mentally wishing it for the final time for her request, told the souls of those within it, "Now, all of you will be reborn with no knowlage of your past lives...I must send you now..."
She uses the Crystal one last time, and it glowed and floated into the air, preparing it's task. Serena would live a new peaceful, normal life on Earth.
'Goodbye, Serena. You are in my heart, always.' Serenity thought as she watched the crystal do it's task.
Once it was high enough, the Silver Crystal then glowed a powerful light, shining across the Moon, creating several of orbs of many who perished in the Moon Kingdom, guiding all of them, including the Sailor Soldiers, Prince Darien and Princess Serena towards Earth to be reborn in 1,000 years time.
Deep within the chamber that hasn't been disturbed, at Serenity's other final wish, the Silver Crystal's light managed to shine through there as well, before an orb of light surrounded Kurai's body, as her spirit was seen only in Serenity's eyes, tears falling freely at the sight of her mother, before her spirit then faded and rejoined her body into deep sleep, her memories of her past also being erased before it floats through the ceiling and into the sky, and floats towards Earth, joining the others to be reborn.
"Be happy..." Serenity spoke weakly, "On behalf of the Moon...you will be free again..."
Then...her life slipped away and Serenity fell limp. She was gone.
'...Perhaps we will meet again...' Were her final living thoughts, as the Cresent Moon Wand slipped out of her lifeless grasp, much to the dismay and devastation of Luna and Artemis.
"Queen Serenity!" Luna and Artemis cried tearfully as the Cresent Moon Wand then glowed as well before it could hit the ground.
It then glowed brightly and shined, and sealed both Luna and Artemis inside capsals where they sleep and are also sent to Earth. A light briefly shines over Queen Serenity, who, as her spirit starts to depart from her body to reach the Afterlife, she spoke, solely to Kurai who would one day see this in a vision, "Kurai...you...deserve a future...as well...the Silver Crystal is more now connected to...to you..and to...Serena... and...her heart...it will connect to the Silver Crystal one day...perhaps...one day...you will meet and be together... again...there's still...hope..."
Above her, an older King Grimoire's spirit descended towards her, reaching out a hand to help guide her to join him and others who remained in the Afterlife. Serenity, seeing her lover again, muttered as she reached out to grasp her husband's hand, '...One day...it will all begin...and only our successors will take our place to protect the Realm of Light.'
Serena and Kurai may not be reborn as birth sisters on Earth, but perhaps one day...one day they will meet again...and perhaps one day, they will remember their true past as true sisters...and they can rebuild their bond together.
A/N: The Epilogue is up next, but I probably won't be posting that until tomorrow. See you then!