A/n: Gasp! After what...8 months I think? I finally updated! I wrote a note on my profile in regards to this story. You should read it. It's important. Anyways, shutting up now, and I hope you all enjoy the chapter after the long wait. I've recently been re-obsessed with Sailor Moon, so I should be able to get a lot more written soon as well.
Chapter 11: The Moon Kingdom
Diana walked into Shannon's room, where the teenager was packing her last few things into a blue duffel bag. "They're on their way," the gray cat said, sitting inside the doorframe.
Shannon forced the zipper closed on the overstuffed duffel bag, then sat down on the bed beside it. "I guess I should say goodbye to Mom, huh?" she said.
"Don't worry, Shannon," Diana said comfortingly. "I'm sure your mom will be just fine!"
Shannon sighed. "I guess," she replied. She stood up, slinging the duffel bag over her shoulder. "Well, let's go."
"I just contacted Diana," Luna said as she rejoined the three Senshi who were holding the struggling blond princess by the arms to keep her from running away.
"It's not fair! Why do I have to be Sailor Moon?" Selenia cried.
"Because," Saturn said, tightening her grip on the girl's arm. "If you don't, the world will be taken over by monsters and everyone will die."
"But it's not fair! I don't wanna be stupid Sailor Moon! And why do I have to be a princess and wear a dumb dress?" the blond continued to whine at the top of her lungs.
Luna gawked at the supposed "princess". "She's more like her mother than I thought," she muttered.
"Luna! Can you help us out, please?" Pluto asked.
Luna rolled her eyes, then leapt on Selenia, swiping the princess's face with her paw. Selenia stopped struggling. "Hey! What was that for?" she cried, glaring at the black cat.
Luna glared back. "That was for misbehaving, and if you don't compose yourself, I'll do it again, and next time I'll use my claws." She raised her claws threateningly. Selenia looked frightened and tried to back away.
"Now, are you going to behave?" Saturn asked. Selenia nodded dejectedly. "Good," Saturn said. She and the other Senshi released their friend's arms. "Now, we need to go get Jupiter, and then we're going to see Queen Serenity."
Pluto and Mars nodded. The three Senshi formed a circle, pushing a confused Selenia into the middle. Luna stood beside the princess while the girls activated their Sailor Teleport, and the five disappeared in a flash of light.
--
Jupiter stood on the front porch beside Diana, waiting for her companions. Inside, she could still hear her mother sobbing. She sighed. "I'm sorry, Mom," she whispered. "I have to do this, for you, and for everyone."
"I'm sure she understands," Diana told Jupiter. "She just needs a little time."
Jupiter nodded. A moment later, a bright light shot down from the sky, and the other three Senshi, Luna, and Selenia appeared before them. Jupiter stepped off the porch to greet them.
"We have to hurry," Luna said, before any of them could speak. "The more time we waste, the more endangered Earth is. Introductions can wait."
The four Senshi nodded their understanding, and reformed the circle, taking hands with Selenia and the two cats in the center. "Sailor Teleport!" they shouted. The light shone around them once again, and their surroundings disappeared, to be replaced by a beautiful, lush garden in front of a silver palace.
"Lady Serenity! Mamo-sama!" Diana cried, bounding off in the direction of the palace while the five girls took in this new scene.
"Welcome to the Moon Kingdom girls, and you're true home, Princess Selenia," Luna said.
Selenia crossed her arms over her chest, poking her lip out in a pout, and did not reply.
"Come on, Seleni! You have to admit, it's pretty cool!" Pluto said, slapping the princess's back.
"I don't care. I'm from Earth, not some stupid moon," Selenia said.
"And this is our Princess," Saturn muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Now you know how I felt when the Queen was younger," Luna said.
"Hey! Who's the hot guy?" Mars cried, pointing towards the palace.
The girls looked over to where she was pointing, and saw King Mamoru and Queen Serenity walking towards them, followed closely by Diana. Saturn and Pluto gasped, and Saturn jumped behind Mars, clamping a hand over the redhead's mouth. "That's King Mamoru, and he's married! You can't just go around saying he's 'hot'!" she scolded under her breath.
Mars shook Saturn off of her. "Oops," she said. "But he's still hot."
Pluto slapped her forehead, and Jupiter and Saturn exchanged glances of hopelessness.
As the King and Queen neared the five girls, Serenity broke into a run. "Selenia!" she cried, throwing her arms around the orange princess. Selenia stumbled back, almost falling over. Serenity let go, smiling widely at her younger daughter. "I'm so happy to see you!"
Selenia backed up, throwing Serenity's arms off of her. "Go away," she said.
Serenity stared at her, a hurt look covering her face. "Seleni!" Pluto gasped.
"We're sorry, Your Highness!" Saturn cried. "She's still in shock. She doesn't really mean it!"
Serenity shook her head. "It's alright, I understand," she said. She smiled a little sadly at Selenia. "It is a hard destiny to accept. I had hoped to save you from it, but it seems, as my daughter, it's a fate that cannot be avoided."
"You aren't my mother," Selenia said. "My mother wouldn't send me away."
"What is she whining about now?" Pluto muttered.
"I think she's mad because the Queen sent her to Earth instead of letting her stay on the Moon Kingdom," Jupiter said.
"No way," Pluto said. "She wouldn't want to live on the Moon Kingdom. She hates it!"
"I think Jupiter might be right, actually," Saturn said. "And all this time, we thought she was just complaining about being Sailor Moon."
Serenity nodded. "I understand how you feel," she told Selenia. She held up her hand, revealing the Silver Crystal. "But right now, this isn't about you or me. This is about saving Earth, and you are the only one who can do it."
"Why can't your real daughter do it?" Selenia asked.
Serenity shook her head sadly. "Chibi-Usa is fated to be possessed by the consciousness of Black Lady the moment she steps foot on Earth. Already, she has probably been consumed by darkness. If we do not act quickly, planet Earth will cease to exist."
Selenia pursed her lips. "Oh, fine," she said, holding out her hand for the Crystal. "But I'm only doing it for Earth."
Serenity smiled, and passed the Silver Crystal on to her daughter, closing Selenia's fingers gently around it. "I know that you can do this," she said. She turned to the four Senshi. "The four of you must be strong as well." She walked up to Saturn, laying a hand on the girl's chest. "Saturn, you must strengthen your heart and your will, and be on guard always. This evil that has been appearing on Earth seems to draw all the evils of the past to it, and Mistress Nine and Pharaoh 90 were never truly defeated. They may seek your power." She turned to Pluto. "Pluto, I'm sure you know at least some of your power over time." Pluto nodded. "You must beware of using that, and never ever use Time Stop. That power will take your life, and I do not have the power to bring you back."
Pluto swallowed, looking frightened, and nodded. "Okay," she said.
Serenity turned to the other two. "Jupiter, Mars, the two of you must use your strengths to protect your friends. They will be depending on you, especially since all of you are not united." With this, she looked at Luna. "Luna, there is no more time to search for the remaining Senshi. You must rely on Artemis to do the rest for now. You and Diana must take care of these girls." The two cats nodded.
"I will return you to Earth now, so you can conserve your energy for when you really need it," Serenity said. "Be careful, all of you."
"We will," Saturn said.
Queen Serenity held her arms up, and the familiar light surrounded them, and they returned to Earth.
The five girls stared at each other as the light faded. Jupiter set her duffle bag, which she had been carrying the entire time, on the ground and sat down on it. "So, I don't know about you guys, but all of a sudden, I feel like a ton of extra weight just got put on our shoulders," she said.
The other girls nodded, and Luna stepped forward, facing them. "That's because it has," she said. She glanced at Selenia. "Fortunately, we can awaken Sailor Moon now, but I don't know how much good it will do. The danger Earth is in just increased by tenfold because of Chibi-Usa."
"Man, this sucks," Pluto groaned. "Stupid Chibi-Usa."
"More importantly," Saturn said, "can you transform now, Bumu?" She turned to Selenia, who held up the crystal in her hand.
Selenia shrugged. "I don't know."
"Dummy. You have to try," Mars said.
"Just focus on the crystal, and shout the words that come into your mind," Luna explained.
While her companions watched with bated breath, Selenia held up the Mystical Silver Crystal. "Moon Shining Power! Makeup!" she shouted.
The Crystal shimmered briefly, and then a blinding orange light shot out of it, coming down to envelope Selenia in it. Her body glowed with the light, hovering in the air, and a Sailor fuku appeared on her body. The light faded away, leaving the now Sailor Moon to stare in amazement at her new appearance. Orange and blue heart-shaped ornaments decorated the two buns of her hair, and two skirts, one orange, the other light blue, hung from the leotard-like suit.
"Yay! It's Sailor Moon!" Pluto cried, throwing a fist into the air excitedly.
"Well, at least this is one good thing," Luna commented, and Diana nodded her agreement.