In the entrance hall of Dark Moon Castle, Berthier and Sailor Stellar arrived, dishevelled and miserable. Holding her hands to her chest, Stella quickly de-powered into her civilian form before wandering over to one of the armchairs lining the hall. Berthier followed on and, annoyed at their defeat, held her hands to her forehead.
"That power...how was she able to destroy those henges so easily? They should have been so firmly implanted that no magic could be used against them" she grumbled, leaning forward.
"She has the Legendary Silver Crystal, that's how" Hikari replied, almost whispering. Berthier stared at her in utter disbelief. "The Legendary Silver Crystal?! But...how?" She questioned. The most powerful artefact in the universe, the very foundation of Crystal Tokyo itself, the stone that had almost got her killed, was held by Sailor Moon? She almost couldn't believe it.
Hikari observed the woman's confused face, and chuckled. "I'm surprised you haven't figured out the resemblance".
Resemblance? Berthier pondered. The crystal was held by Neo-Queen Serenity in the future, and as far as she knew, only members of the White Moon dynasty could wield it. However, Sailor Moon was in possession of it. Now that she thought about it, the queen and Sailor Moon did look very similar….
Everything suddenly made sense. Berthier's eyes widened and she covered her mouth in shock. "Oh my god...she's Neo-Queen Serenity!". Looking over at Hikari for confirmation, her suspicions were confirmed with a simple nod.
"It all makes sense. This is why we've always been defeated! That girl has had the power of the crystal on her side". Turning to Hikari, she added "You know what this means, right?".
Hikari's face had clouded over, her eyes distant and cold. Slowly, she raised her head to meet Berthier's gaze, revealing her sullen expression. "We need to kill her".
Taken aback by this, Berthier furrowed her brows at the girl and crossed her arms. "No, i was thinking more so seize the Silver Crystal by force. We need her alive, or else the Rabbit and Crystal Tokyo will cease to exist and this will be all for naught" she countered, eyeing her companion suspiciously. "Why are you so sad about that? I thought that's what you were aiming to do all along?".
The events of the past few weeks flashed across Hikari's mind, most prominently of her first meeting with Sailor Moon. "I have a mission and I intend to fulfil it. If you get in the way I will be forced to kill you".
"But we're both Sailor Soldiers! Surely we can understand each other?" Sailor Moon cried.
"You think wrong Moon Princess. We aren't the same". Without warning, she charged forward and swiped her sword, directly aiming for her heart. Sailor Moon realized quickly enough what was happening and managed to dodge. Hikari hung her head in shame. Berthier is right. That very day, when i looked at Moon, all i had was murder on my mind. I thought if i got rid of her, then everything would be immediately fixed...and then maybe Demande-senpai would never realise….
"Maybe. I don't know. I guess i was jealous in a way, of her, and how beloved she is. I don't really want to kill her, but i guess i have no choice" she mumbled, again barely audible. What she said wasn't exactly a lie, she was jealous, but for entirely different reasons. But why would she reveal this weakness and make her look pathetic? It was better to just lie and maintain an image of stoicism in this moment. Shaking her head, she gripped her brooch tightly and raised her head high. "Alright, you know what? Forget the henges. Just get the kid. No matter the cost" Hikari proclaimed.
"I agree. Wiseman says that she'll be the most important key if we're to take Crystal Tokyo" Berthier chimed in, nodding in agreement. She no longer eyed Hikari suspiciously but still had doubts about what she said, believing something else to be the motive behind wanting Sailor Moon gone. She wouldn't know it yet, but she was correct.
"We'll still implant henges, but we'll do it in two separate locations. Throw them off a bit".
"I'll inform Prince Demande of these new developments. What locations were you thinking of?" Berthier asked. To this, Hikari winced slightly. She had put thought into these two locations and had wanted to push them forward for awhile now, but never did for fear of coming off as insensitive. These places did indeed hold extreme amounts of dark energy due to their horrific pasts or infamy. However, one of the places attributed to a part of Hikari's history, a part she'd rather not remember.
Clearing her throat, she announced her ideas. "Aokigahara forest. And a home in Ayase, Tokyo. Both have significant amounts of dark energy attached to it". She paused before continuing. "Are you going to tell him about Neo-Queen Serenity?".
"Yes, why? Is that a problem?".
"No, no. Just wondering" Hikari muttered. Berthier squinted at her before shrugging and leaving.
Sighing, Hikari reached for her phone and pulled up her messages tab. Somehow, she's still able to get credit on another planet. Whatever, she wasn't about to complain. Hikari started a new group message to both Kiyomi and Kukki, hoping they'd both see it and respond soon.
H: I need to see both of you, as soon as possible. Something big is coming up.
Placing her phone in her pocket, she proceeded to walk back to her room and seat herself at her desk. Opening her laptop, she scrolled through her saved playlist trying to find something to listen to. Hikari ended up settling on Blank Space by Taylor Swift. Leaning back in her chair, she tried to decompress from the tough battle she just fought but found herself struggling to keep her eyes open.
After the battle, Usagi made it her first priority to take Makoto to the emergency room. Thankfully the wait wasn't long and a doctor was around to check on her. The rest of the girls were instructed to wait in the foyer, until a nurse came out to let them know of Makoto's condition.
"The cut didn't hit an artery, thankfully, and we'll be able to stitch up your friend in a day" The nurse informed the girls, before asking "How did she get the injury?".
"Evil bitch trying to kill her" Rei mumbled under her breath.
"Broken glass" Ami lied to the nurse, who seemed satisfied with this explanation and left to attend to other patients. The group sat in silence, the atmosphere so thick you could cut it with a knife. Minako was the first to break it, and used the opportunity to address the elephant in the room. "Alright, i'll be the first one to say it. It should pretty much be confirmed now that Sailor Stellar is evil" she said.
Ami nodded. "I agree. She has murder on her mind. Look what she did to Mako-chan".
"This was what i was trying to tell you guys…" Rei said, frustrated. Why were they only now realising the truth when they vetoed any semblance of it before? She looked at Usagi, expecting her to come out yet again and make excuses for the girl but surprisingly saw her with determination and courage in her eyes. She was sad, but there was a sense of seriousness and duty there. It came as a surprise to all of them when she proclaimed loudly that they would need to put an end to Sailor Stellar. No more passes, as she put it, just stop her from achieving world annihilation.
On the other side of Azabu-Juuban, Kiyomi was lounging on a beaten up lounge chair, wrapped in a blanket. Her phone was at only 39% charge but she was still using it, mostly to flick through old photos of her family. She smiled sadly upon seeing one of her and her older sister Momoko sticking out their tongues and laughing. Swiping left, she saw one of her and her mother out eating ice-cream. As much as she wanted to help Hikari, she missed certain things about the Real World. Old friends, classmates, and most of all, family. Remembering what Guardian Cosmos had done to people's memories of Hikari, the realisation dawned on her that the same had probably happened with her. Her dear older sister would have no memory of her, nobody would.
Will i ever be able to return? Kiyomi wondered. After i've helped Hikari and fulfilled my destiny or whatever, i want to go back. I can't stay here forever, away from all i've known and loved.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a buzz from her phone. Looking down, she noticed a message from Hikari had appeared on her screen. Tapping on it, she reads the message and frowns.
"Hakirui-san?".
She glances up to notice her roommate Hayato returning with boxes of food in his arms. He was looking slightly less dishevelled nowadays as he had begun getting assistance from an organisation helping him to find a job, but still had to rely on the bunker for shelter. Kiyomi was grateful of his generosity in letting her stay and true to his word, the place wasn't that bad. It was warm at least.
"Is something wrong?" Hayato asked, setting his inventory aside.
Sighing, Kiyomi responded meekly. "It's not much, Hinata-san, but my friend sent me an ominous sounding text. I'm worried what this might mean".
"How so? Are you two very close?".
"We are, but lately i've been feeling disconnected from her. It's like there's something she's hiding from me. I don't want to believe she's lying to me, but…" she replied.
"Hakirui-san, do you trust her?" Hayato asked.
Kiyomi paused. Did she actually trust Hikari? "...I think so…".
"Is there any reason you have to not trust her?".
Kiyomi leaned further into the chair, trying to figure a way to put what she was thinking into words. Does she trust Hikari? Yes, mostly. But does she trust the clan? Not in a million years. "She's just involved with some people, who i still don't know how to feel about. Hikari-chan assures me it's fine and i have nothing to worry about. I believe her when she says she's doing this for good, i'm just not sure i trust...them".
"If you trust her, you should let her make her own decisions. If she believes these people are alright, then trust her instinct. You have every right to be cautious, and you still can be, but put faith in her judgement of character" Hayato advised, slowly shelving the boxes and their contents into small crevices in the wall.
Streets away, Mamoru was looking for drawers, trying hard to find the box where he kept his mystical stones. It had been awhile since he last communed with his former generals, but this was a time of need, and he realised that he desperately needed guidance. Thankfully, he happened upon them in the drawer under his bed, encased in glass just as he left them. Taking the box out, he walked over to his living room and sat down on his couch, opening the lid of the glass container. Closing his eyes, he dipped down to the core of his powers and called them forth. Four ghostly figures had materialised out of the stones, kneeling before him. "Master Endymion…" Kunzite said.
"Kunzite, Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite...i have a bad premonition. The movements of the enemy are happening quicker, and bigger than we had anticipated. They're attempting to obtain something" he explained, glancing over at the earring sample Luna and Artemis had entrusted him with. "That stone emits such powerful energy, i can tell it's capable of warping space and time. Is that because they came from a different space-time from us?".
"That we cannot answer. However, we sense danger as do you" Zoisite replied.
"Master, we pledge our strength in your support. You must use your powers to protect the princess" Kunzite added, bowing his head in respect.
Mamoru frowned. "She has four guardians to protect her. Compared to them, i'm next to nothing".
"You mustn't falter. Something bad will happen to Princess Serenity if you do" Nephrite cautioned.
"Master, we believe in your power. The fact that you were reborn along with her guardian deities means the Princess has started down a path, to become Queen, and you her King. Please do not forget that. You must stay strong, so she can rely on you at all times" Kunzite affirmed. The generals knelt once again before they vanished back into the gemstones.
Hikari wakes up, feeling dazed. She had no idea how long she'd fallen asleep for, though she doubted it was more than a couple of minutes. Anyway, it didn't matter because she was tired as fuck and needed some proper rest. But it wouldn't be smart to rest, not when she could be gathering evidence to expose Wiseman's treachery.
Groaning, she turns off the music and steps off the chair, before embarking on her mission to find Wiseman and expose him. Finding him this time round was easy - he was in the exact same place she had found him last time. Hiding behind the door, hey eyes widen as she observes Wiseman, surrounded by blue flames and flashing lights.
"O nothingness, o silence. Obey me. Herald me" his voice booms as he grasps the flame above him. Gasping, Hikari quickly grabs out her phone and presses record on her camera, eager to catch his crazed ramblings.
"Swear your allegiance to the all-knowing, almighty Death Phantom. Know that the one who will rule this universe is not Demande, who dreams an ephemeral dream, but Death Phantom, who possesses absolute power. The Rabbit, my herald of darkness she shall become, will assist in bringing about eternal corruption of the universe" he continues, lights dazzling around him. He laughs, his deep, corrupted voice chilling Hikari to her bones. "Ah, foolish Prince Demande. Create a disturbance for the sake of silence and present chaotic nothingness to my hands, to Death Phantom, the supreme ruler of this world. Eradicate the impurity of life in the universe and leave nothing but emptiness in its wake".
Beads of sweat began to form across Hikari's forehead as she squeezed her phone tightly, backing away slightly from the door. Impurity of life...herald of darkness…this is not good. I need to tell somebody about this, quick!
Wiseman suddenly stopped monologuing, casting an eerie silence over the room. Without warning, he turned to where Hikari was standing, eyes glowing fiercely. Thankfully, Hikari had backed away enough so that she was out of sight. "Who's there?" his voice boomed. Hikari held her breath and prayed he wouldn't discover her there. For what felt like forever she froze, scared to move lest he caught her. Once she felt it was safe, Hikari slowly crept away from the door, continuing until she reached a corner before bolting at breakneck speed. There it is: proof of his treachery, and i have evidence on camera. Now, i just need someone to believe me! She looked at her phone and hit the button to stop recording, before slipping it in her pocket. She intended to find Saphir, as from her memory he was the least trusting of Wiseman out of the group.
By the time Hikari had reached his lab, she gasped for air and grasped for a pillar on the world. She pushed open the door, praying that Saphir was there. Luckily, as soon as the door opened, she could see him working on a new droid.
"Saphir! Something's wrong, horribly wrong" she panted, stumbling into the room.
Saphir looked up at the girl, his eyes tired and weary. "Is it really that urgent, or can it wait?".
Hikari thrust the phone at him, open to the video she just recorded. "Wiseman is not what he seems. He's really an entity called Death Phantom, and he's only using Demande for his own gain. He plans to do away with all of you once he converts the Rabbit! If you don't believe me, then watch this. I have proof!" she cried. Saphir raised his eyebrows, but without a single word took the phone from her hands and pressed play. He stared down intensely, his face turning into a visible scowl. The video had soon ended and he handed the phone back, his grip firm.
"I knew it, i knew that he wasn't to be trusted. Demande would never listen to me, always wrote it off as a conspiracy made up by my paranoia" Saphir growled.
"We have to try to tell him! Or else everybody here will die!".
"He's never listened to me in the past, what makes you think he'll listen to you? Demande is drunk on his lust for change and power, and Wiseman's manipulated him so much that he can't see reason" he grumbled, crossing his arms in frustration.
Hikari grabbed at his arms frantically. "But you'll all die if we don't do something!".
Saphir remained silent before stroking his hand through his hair, and sighing. "We can try warn the others, make them aware of this new information. What we'll do about my brother...i'm honestly not sure".
Hikari's face fell. Her eyes were glazed over, her face cold with tears threatening her eyes. "There must be some way to get him away from Wiseman's influence. I could still show him the video, maybe that will…" she mumbled before seeing Saphir shake his head.
"It'll foster doubt, yes, but at this point i fear that Wiseman has such a tight grip on him that he'd find a way to believe you're lying. Then you'll lose your life, falling into Wiseman's plan perfectly".
"I thought you didn't care what happened to me?" Hikari said, raising her eyebrows.
"Look, i was skeptical at first. But i can see you truly do care about this clan and it's success, and your care for my brother. Hikari-san, you're the only reason that the Sailor Soldiers haven't annihilated us already" he admitted, albeit his voice remaining cold and stoic. Hikari smiled weakly in response and whispered "Thank you".
"We should go along with the attack plan as usual today in order to avoid arousing suspicion". Saphir paused before continuing, his face beginning to become clouded with worry."I really don't like what he said about the Rabbit becoming his herald of darkness. That must be why he's so insistent on kidnapping her".
"It's because he plans to transform her into a weapon. No matter what, we must stop that from happening" Hikari asserted confidently. She remembered it all clearly what happened when she read the series, how small sweet little Chibiusa was turned into a weapon of darkness by the nefarious Wiseman. Her transformation always signalled the beginning of the end, and no matter what, she would not let the end come around.
"What about the Silver Crystal then?" Saphir asked, interrupting her thoughts. Hikari simply waved her hand in response and shook her head. "Forget about it. From the start, my priority has been to protect your clan from both Wiseman and the Sailor Soldiers. It's never been about seizing crystal points or implanting dark energy" she confessed.
Saphir was taken aback by this, and looked down at the young girl curiously. This girl cares so much about our survival. Why is she like this? He squinted at her, trying to figure out exactly what she was planning or if she was genuine. Something told him that she was in fact.
There was something else that was bothering him too. For awhile, something had been sitting at the back of his mind, something that Koan had said a while back. She had told him and Demande that Hikari was from an alternate reality, a place she called "the real world". No magic existed in this place, no Sailor Soldiers or Legendary Silver Crystals. Being interested in the existence of alternate universes for a long time, Saphir was flummoxed at the possibility of someone from such a world being here. He was also disturbed that apparently, in this world, they were fictional characters who lived to die. People read about them and rooted against them.
Finally, he spoke up. "Koan mentioned something, awhile ago. She said if things had gone as they were supposed to, we would all be dead and Crystal Tokyo thriving" he mentioned, staring down the girl below her.
Hikari nodded solemnly. "Reading what happened to you, I've always felt that you had all been short changed. People trying to do good, but were swayed by an evil beyond this world and ultimately succumbed to destruction by the Silver Crystal" she explained, before turning to him hopefully. "Before Wiseman appeared, what were the plans for Crystal Tokyo?".
Saphir sighed, before revealing "We wanted to stop the longevity mandated by the Queen. It's unnatural and adverse to our evolution; there's a reason we have mortality. It may hurt once a loved one passes on, but it's how it is. Neo-Queen Serenity disrupted this. She brought the way of life from the ancient Moon Kingdom and forced it on the people of Earth. Suddenly, everyone's life was expanded and the Earth was made vain and lazy by promises of eternal life and paradise".
"Did you oppose the monarchy in general?".
"In a way. I've always preferred a democracy to absolute monarchy. But it wasn't simply about politics, only about ethics. We just wanted Neo-Queen Serenity to see that not everybody was happy with the life they had been forced into, until Wiseman showed up. Now, things have become so twisted that we've destroyed Crystal Tokyo due to vengeance. The Queen would be right to slap the terrorist label on us now". Saphir stopped before groaning in frustration.
"I won't let her. I won't let her do that" she said confidently.
"I appreciate the courage, but it's an almost impossible feat. You should be getting on with today's mission" he said, handing her a vial. "This vial contains a pair of droids i've been working on, pretty much completed at this point. They should prove useful to you".
Hikari thanked Saphir before leaving his lab, grabbing her phone out to quickly text Kiyomi and Kukki, telling them that there might be a battle later and to be prepared. She raised her head, and called out "BERTHIER!" into the hall. Before she knew it, Berthier had materialised in front of her.
"I'm here, you don't have to yell" she scowled.
"I'm ready for the plan. Have you got the henges?" Hikari asked. Berthier proceeded to summon two crystalline henges, a smug look forming on her face.
"Good. Saphir gave me this as well, he says it contains two Droids which could prove useful". Hikari opened the vial and poured it's contents onto the floor, from which two men began to form. The two were almost identical in appearance, save for their skin and hair colour differing. "We're the Boule Brothers, Achiral and Chiral, here to serve you" they announced, bowing low.
"Both of you will accompany us and guard the henges. Hinder the Sailor Soldiers at every turn" she commanded. Both men nodded and muttered as you wish before disappearing.
"There is one more thing i must tell you. Rubeus has insisted on joining us" Berthier added.
Hikari frowned. "Why? Does he not trust me?".
"Not really".
"Well, this is gonna be awkward" Hikari groaned, staring up into the ceiling. "Berthier, there is something i really need to tell you. It's about Wiseman".
"Hmm? What about him?".
Hikari pulled her phone out and opened up her photos. "It's better if i just show it to you" she said, handing over the device to Berthier. She clicked play and watched the video run through, her eyes widening before squinting in fury. "Wiseman...that traitor…" she hissed.
"You can't trust him anymore. He plans to eliminate us all and use the Rabbit as the bringer of darkness. Tell as many people as you can, but please make sure neither Demande nor Wiseman himself find out" Hikari said, taking the phone back.
"Wouldn't you want Prince Demande to know?".
"He's stubborn, and under Wiseman's powerful influence. It would be no use unless we could show him for sure that none of his associates trust the guy" Hikari said, crossing her arms.
"I see what you mean" Berthier replied, staring at the floor. "Rubeus has agreed to meet us at Aokigahara. As soon as i can find the right time, i'll tell him. I'm not sure how he'll take it". She looked at the girl intensely, questions coming to her mind. "What makes you care so much anyway?".
"Compassion, understanding. I get where you're all coming from. I'm against evil, but you guys aren't evil" Hikari replied, before grabbing onto Berthier's hand. She grins at the girl before the both of them teleport away, materialising in the middle of a sea of trees.
Berthier summons one of the henges and pirouettes, smashing it into the foliage below. She then turns to Achiral, who was already waiting beneath one of the trees. "Achiral, go implant this henge in Ayase" she ordered. Achiral nodded in compliance and vanished. Berthier turned towards Hikari. "Are any of your friends showing up?".
"Sailor Galaxy ought to. Sailor Cookie, hopefully" she replied.
"In any case, i hope one of them appears soon. I have a feeling some certain pests are going to arrive in no time at all".
It was late afternoon at Hikawa Shrine,and Rei was busy cleaning the grounds. The last of the days visitors had left, and the shrine was ready to close soon. Most of her chores had already been completed, leaving raking fallen leaves as the last on her list. Ami was curled up under a tree nearby, reading a book intensely. Ami's mind had started to wander off from the book she was reading, and onto other matters. Sailor Stellar, her plans, and what she intended to do. She had already hospitalised Makoto and injured Rei in the past, so who knew what she'd try to do next. She remembered all those times Stellar had struck her sword towards Usagi, bloodlust in her eyes. Would there ever be a time where they wouldn't have their Moon Princess?
"Rei-chan, do you get the feeling that something bad is gonna happen to Usagi-chan?" she piped up. Rei ceased raking and looked at her friend in concern. "I haven't been wanting to say it, but yes, i have felt that way".
"I don't trust what the Black Moon is up to, or what Sailor Stellar is planning. Do you think...they'll…" Ami stammered.
Rei dropped her rake and walked over, placing herself next to Ami. She squeezed the girls hand in solidarity. "Ami-chan, us feeling this way just gives us more spirit to protect Usagi-chan. We laid our lives down for her in the past, and we won't hesitate to do it again. As long as she's safe...then that's all that matters" she affirmed, standing up and offering her hand. "Come on inside, i'll get Grandpa to boil us some tea".
Ami took her hand graciously and both girls walked towards the shrine before the dreaded sound of their communicators went off. Both girls groaned before opening them up. "Ami-chan? Rei-chan? There's trouble. We've received reports of concentrated dark energy being emitted from Aokigahara forest. It must mean the enemy is there!" Luna cried, her voice being marred by static.
"Aokigahara?!".
"That's so far away. We'll have to use the Sailor Teleport in order to get there" Rei said. "Will the others meet us there?".
"Yes, i'll contact them once this call-" Luna replied, her voice being cut out by another presence on the line.
"Luna! There's another henge, this time at a house in Ayase, Adachi" Artemis yelled.
"Another one?!" Luna gasped.
"We'll have to split up" Ami decreed. She waved her hand, signalling Rei to come over to her. "We'll go to the henge in Aokigahara".
Both girls pull out their Star Power Sticks and hold them up high, shouting their respective transformation phrases. A bright flash of dazzling lights covered them, suddenly dispersing to reveal both girls in their Sailor Soldier outfits. Sailor Mercury grabbed onto Sailor Mars' hand and both of them closed their eyes, reaching for their planetary powers. The gems on their tiaras started to glow as they were surrounded by a powerful aura.
"Mercury Star Power!"
"Mars Star Power!"
"Sailor Teleport!" Both of them cried before vanishing, and in an instant both girls had arrived at Aokigahara forest. Opening their eyes, they launched into their trademark catchphrases, ready to fight.
"Stop right there villains!" Mars exclaimed.
"Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars are here to stop-" Mercury announced before realising that nobody was actually there. The henge appeared to be left unguarded.
"There's nobody here?". Mars was utterly perplexed. Why would they just leave the henge unguarded? Something doesn't feel right. She advanced forward cautiously, expecting some sort of trap to spring out of nowhere. To her surprise nothing happened. Turning to Mercury, she indicated it was safe to come forward. "We must remain vigilant. Just because we haven't encountered anyone here, doesn't mean there isn't a trap waiting for us somewhere around the henge" she cautioned.
"How are we going to destroy it without Sailor Moon?" Mercury asked.
"We'll have to put everything we've got into one attack" Mars replied, raising her hand to summon her fire. "Fire-".
Her attack was cut off by a tall man appearing in front of her and striking her, quickly dodging. "So i was right, there was someone here after all" she muttered. Stepping forward, Mars raised her hands in defiance and pointed at the man. "Whoever you are, you'll cower before the fire of Mars!" she yelled, firing a beam of fire at the man. He simply smirked and teleported to the side of the henge in response.
Suddenly, a large echoing voice began to ring through the air. "If you think you'll be able to defeat Achiral that easily, you'd be sorely mistaken" Sailor Stellar laughed.
"Show yourself Stellar! Come out and fight us!" Mercury challenged. Granting her request, Sailor Stellar made herself known, appearing floating mid air along with Rubeus. Stellar continued laughing, an evil smile painted across her face."You know me so well that you can instantly recognise my voice. I'm flattered" she taunted.
"Don't be for too long. The terror of the Black Moon ends here. Shine Snow Illusion!" Sailor Mercury cried out, releasing multiple rays of snowflakes and ice towards her, Stellar summoning her Black Moon Shield in order to be protected from the blast. Lowering her shield, she held her fingers together and yelled "Double Eclipse Ray!", firing a double blast of starlight energy at Mercury. Sailor Mercury was struck by her attack and was pummelled into a nearby log.
"You Sailor Soldiers are so pathetic. The Black Moon Clan will reign supreme, destroying the damage the people of the White Moon have inflicted on Earth" Rubeus cackled, firing a ball of dark energy at Sailor Mars.
Mars dove out of the way and flipped onto the ground. Kneeling down, she aimed her hand towards the henge and looked up at Rubeus with disgust in her eyes."You're delusional. The White Moon family are pure of heart, they would never bring calamity to Earth. You guys on the other hand...Burning Mandala!" she screamed, firing her flames towards the henge. Sailor Stellar notices this and called out for Achiral to protect the henge. Achiral follows, firing dark energy towards Mars. Both attacks collide, releasing large amounts of dark flames. Achiral teleports, leaving Mars to face the full brunt. She screamed as the flames scorched her skin, cutting into her flesh like a dagger. Mercury rushed over and fired her Shine Aqua Illusion attack to extinguish the flames.
Stellar rolled her eyes in annoyance, before twirling and raising one arm in the air. In her hand, a bright star appeared. Stellar continued to twirl while the star disintegrated into bright gold dust, before she held her hands out towards Sailor Mars and shouted "Stardust Shower!".
"Mars!" Sailor Mercury called out, rushing forward and summoning an orb to encase them. "Hyperspatial Sphere Generate!".
They were both protected from Stellar's attack, much to her annoyance. She proceeded to fire multiple beams of light at the shield as Mercury struggled to keep it up.
"It's no use, we can't get to the henge with all three of them in the way. We need Sailor Moon!".
Meanwhile in Ayase, Sailor Venus and Sailor Moon were battling against Chiral and Berthier for access to the henge. Venus fired her Crescent Boomerang at Berthier, which the woman simply dodged and released a wave of dark water towards her. Venus dove backwards, narrowly avoiding the attack but instead hitting herself against the outer gate of the house.
Moon reached for her tiara and glared at the pair of them. "Moon Tiara Boomerang!" she screamed, throwing her tiara at them.
The tiara slashes Chiral across the arm, causing him to shriek out in pain. Berthier stepped forward and fired her Dark Water attack. Venus managed to dodge, but Moon wasn't so lucky as the attack caught her off guard. She was hit it the waist and sent flying onto the balcony.
Sailor Venus stepped forward and summoned a heart in her hands, before sending it speeding towards Chiral and Berthier. "Rolling Heart Vibration!".
Her attack ended up incapacitating Berthier, which is exactly what she was hoping for. Moon dives from the balcony and holds her sceptre forward, preparing to finish this once and for all. "Moon Princess-".
"Stop!".
A pink ray fires out of nowhere, knocking the sceptre out of her hands. Moon gasps and quickly sticks her landing to avoid diving face first into concrete. Looking up, she saw Sailor Cookie standing before them, holding her hands out defensively.
"Sailor Cookie?!" Venus blinked.
"I'm sorry guys, Stellar asked me to do this. I don't know why, but i trust her" she says, her voice faltering. Closing her eyes, she cried "Sugar Pink Vortex!" and fired rays of sparkling pink beams at both girls.
"Sailor Cookie, no!" Venus shouted. She ran forward, grabbing the chain around her waist and releasing it, throwing it forward towards Cookie. "Why side with someone as cold and heartless as Sailor Stellar?" she asked desperately. Cookie used a wave of pink hearts to deflect the chain and protect herself. "She promised me this is for the good of the future, for all of us" Cookie replied, stuttering slightly.
"She's lying! Stellar only wants chaos and anarchy. If you let her continue she'll destroy your home too" Sailor Venus continued, reeling her chain back in and grasping it firmly in her hands.
Sailor Cookie ceased her fire and looked at Venus, doubt beginning to show in her eyes. "My...home?".
Moon stepped forward, her sceptre in hand and her face serious. "Yes, you're home. Your friends, your family. What Stellar is doing could destroy them all!" she proclaimed.
Cookie's eyes widened as she collapsed to the ground, her hands gripped tightly onto her forearms. Suddenly, her head jerked up to face Sailor Venus and Sailor Moon. Doubt clouded her face like a rainy day, confusion crossing her hazel eyes. "Stellar wouldn't do that...she's a good person. Please, i promise!" she pleaded.
Venus shook her head in disappointment. "Cookie, you've been lead on by a psycho. You have a good heart, but you need to be on the right side. Help us fight against the Black Moon".
Silence fell upon the group for a few moments as Sailor Cookie considered what Venus had proposed. Was it true? Was Sailor Stellar a bad person? Would she cause the destruction of her future. Images flashed across her mind, of her family, her old friends at Juuban Junior High, of her idol Sailor Pluto. If what they're saying is true, Stellar will destroy them all. Suddenly, the words Hikari had said to her on their first meeting. "We both have good intentions, but not common goals". What was she to believe?
"I'll...alright, i'll think about it. I don't know what to trust right now" Cookie whispered, finally mustering the courage to deliver her half decent reply.
Sailor Venus' face softened as she walked towards the girl before crouching down to her level and placing a hand gently on her shoulder. Her aura was warm, almost sisterly in a way. "That's ok. You've been pulled into the past, not knowing what to do, with new powers on top of that" she assured. Venus looked up at Moon and dictated to her. "Sailor Moon, use your powers to disintegrate the henge".
"Right! Moon Princess-" Sailor Moon cried, raising her Cutie Moon Rod in the air, but before she knew it, the rod was snatched from her hands and a hand struck across her cheek. She winced in pain, stumbling backwards into Venus.
"Sailor Moon! Are you alright?" Venus fretted, grasping her friend in her arms. Looking up, she saw Chiral a few steps away, rod in hand and his face painted with what could only be described as the devil's grin. Her hair began to stand on end as she stared at him, incensed and in rage. Holding out a single gloved hand, she produced a sphere of light. "Don't. Ever. Touch her. AGAIN!" Sailor Venus screamed, firing towards Chiral. The attack hit him in his stomach, decimating him into ash and dust.
Berthier gasped and glared at the two girls, looking thoroughly enraged. She held her hand out and sent a flurry of ice crystals towards them at full blast. "You annoying little twits!" Berthier hissed, sending another wave of ice towards them. Sailor Moon stepped forward and teleported her sceptre into her hands. She tried using it to block the ice crystals but failed, ending up with both girls being knocked to the ground. Berthier landed on the ground and stepped forward, pressing her heel against Sailor Venus' back. "Just surrender, and accept your fate already. Two henges, taken over arguably the most cursed and darkest places in all of Japan. There is nothing you can do to stop us" she cackled. With a wave of her left hand, she released a strike of ice that froze over Venus' hands and legs, trapping her to the ground.
The unmistakable beep of their communicators began to go off, the lights on the top blinking fast. Sailor Moon opened hers and a voice immediately began to transmit through. "Venus, Moon! There's four of them here. Sailor Galaxy showed up and is kicking our asses big time. I'm standing on my last legs as it is. We need Sailor Moon…" Mercury cried before being abruptly cut off by a large explosion nearby.
Moon looked around at the group, feeling distraught, and defeated. Venus was pressed against the ground, ice growing across her body by the second. Cookie was by the fence line of the property, looking lost and alone.
"So...that's it...there's no hope…" Venus croaked, barely able to keep herself conscious.
"No".
Sailor Moon stood up, grasping her sceptre in her hand and clenching her fist. "There's always hope". Suddenly, she began to rise into the air. Her eyes were glowing white, and her tiara had disappeared to reveal a glimmering crescent moon symbol on her head. She raised her arm high, holding the Cutie Moon Rod above her head. A swirling vortex of energy began to congregate around the top, turning into a large, silvery crescent moon. In a chilling voice, Sailor Moon stared down her opponents, eyes fierce and determined. "I call the spell which has no name, the spell created by my mother with which she reigned, stand before the might of Serenity and cower!" she said, her voice cold and deep. Aiming the sceptre, she released a large crescent shaped beam of energy towards the crystal henge. Instantly, it was shattered, as a large extraordinary power was released, covering the whole of Tokyo in a blinding white light.
Once the light cleared, Achiral was nowhere to be seen, only having a small pile of charred ash on the ground as his remains. Mercury and Mars were teleported from Aokigahara, along with Sailor Stellar, Sailor Galaxy and Rubeus, and were scattered through the rubble of the Ayase home. Moon had collapsed onto the ground, her eyes no longer glowing and her crescent moon mark gone.
"Sailor Moon…." Stellar remarked in awe.
Mars rushed over to her dear friend, instantly trying to wake her up. Moon's eyes fluttered open and she looked around, feeling dazed.
"Sailor Moon...what was that?" Mars asked.
"I don't know…".
"When i looked at you, you looked like a heavenly deity. A regal queen if i must say" Sailor Venus added, no longer trapped in ice.
"Was i channelling Queen Serenity?" Moon inquired.
Sailor Mercury stepped forward and helped Moon get to her feet. "Who knows. You managed to destroy both henges though. Are you alright though? That spell seemed to have taken it out of you".
"I'm fine, just a bit tired...thank god i decided to keep Chibiusa-chan at home. Who knows what would have happened if she had been here".
Instantly, a wave of dark energy swept through the area. Sailor Moon looked up and saw a silver haired man dressed in white, glaring down at them. Right next to him was Chibiusa, unconscious and levitating. "Chibiusa-chan!" Moon cried out in horror.
Demande looked down at the fallen members of the Black Moon Clan in frustration. "I had a feeling none of you would be able to capture her. In fact, i noticed no effort was made in even trying to secure her" he sneered.
Berthier bowed before him, fear being broadcast across her porcelain face."Demande-sama...forgive us...we were preoccupied with the henges that we seemed to have...miscalculated" she stuttered.
"I'll deal with you lot later" Demande shouted, before turning towards the Sailor Soldiers. "I never expected you to defeat the Boule Brothers so easily. They were our best Droids after all". He then laughed, his voice revealing utter insanity in his words. "We could change the future even more than we already have, depending on one thing…" he asserted slyly.
Sailor Moon stared at him in absolute contempt and held clenched her fists. "Black Moon! What is it you people are after?! Trying to destroy our planet, trying to abduct that girl. What is it all for?! Tell us, do you intend to still do more?" she screamed, her eyes sparking with ferocious power. That's when Demande stopped and studied her face. It was so familiar to him, that anger, that absolute hatred and disgust for him. Those eyes...that time when she also looked at me that way. Suddenly, he realised it. He could see the resemblance right there in front of him. The Neo-Queen of Crystal Tokyo, protected by the light of the Illusionary Silver Crystal. Here she was, attainable at last.
Prince Demande closed his eyes and summoned his powers, his mystical third eye appearing on his forehead where his Black Moon symbol was. Suddenly, everybody in the room found themselves feeling weighed down, like a pressure was forcing them into the ground. Moon stared up at him, her vision becoming hazy. I can't move...i can't look away!
"Sailor Moon, don't look into his eyes!" Venus cried out, a moment too late as Moon had already started to descend into the air above, slowly gravitating towards the dark prince.
"NO!" Venus cried, mustering all the strength she had to summon a Crescent Boomerang to fire at Demande. She aims successfully, as Demande loses his concentration and his powers are weakened, causing Chibiusa to be loosened from his grip and plummet to the ground. Sailor Mars dived forward and grabbed the small child in her arms, preventing her from hitting the linoleum floor.
Demande glared at Sailor Venus before snatching Sailor Moon's wrist and dragging her towards him. "I was hoping to kill two birds with one stone, but if i'm to be honest, it's only you i want, Sailor Moon" he said deviously. Instantly, both of them disappeared..
Nobody could respond at first, even members of the Black Moon were frozen in absolute shock at what had just happened. Sailor Venus held her mouth open wide with her eyes small and face pale, the other Soldiers having a similar reaction. Rubeus' face had formed into an evil grin while Berthier sat confused. Cookie looked as if she was about to cry, and Galaxy's face was dark, almost as if all the light in the world was taken from her.
Sailor Stellar just sat there, looking up at where Prince Demande had been. He'd taken her, he'd taken Sailor Moon. It was just as she'd read it. And she knew exactly what he'd do to her.
Demande-senpai….no...please….
