Chapter 11: New Years Evil

'You can't be serious,' rasped Ron. His left eye twitched as he gaped at his sister.

Ginny stared defiantly back at him. 'I am,' she retorted. 'I'm not going back to Hogwarts. Not the way it is now.'

'Ginny, please,' began Hermione, her expression disbelieving. 'Don't be daft! How can you stay here? Does that even make sense?'

'Draco Malfoy's here and you're fine with that. Does that make sense?' she spat, her eyes flitting from Ron, Hermione and Sakura. She turned, now looking at Harry. Harry stood speechless, his arms hanging limply at his sides.

'What do you think, Harry?' she asked, now giving him a coaxing stare. 'Do you think I should go?"

Harry looked light-headed and flushed as though feeling the expectant weight of everyone's eyes on him. The words stuck in his throat. 'I, er…well.'

'Who would you rather stay: me or Draco?" she asked.

Hermione looked frantically between them, 'Ginny, that's not even a fair question — you know we haven't a choice—'

'You,' Harry answered.

Ginny gave a satisfied grin and passed an eye over the others. Hermione and Ron looked absolutely bewildered; their mouths agape as they watched her strut away, victorious. 'I think dinner's finished. Wouldn't want it to get cold,' she said coolly as she rounded the corner and disappeared into the kitchen.

Ron and Hermione stared strangely at Harry who seemed himself too surprised to realise what he had just done. Sakura simply stood helpless among them, her eyes shining with the onset of tears.


Unknown to the others, Harry wrestled with his thoughts and emotions. He knew for certain that Ginny's presence complicated matters and that she had to leave at some point. In addition to this, were his feelings for Tomoyo…what were his feelings for her?


The New Year's Eve was fast approaching, and the gang spent less time thinking about celebrating and more about the uncomfortable shadow that loomed over them: Ginny was staying. She was the unwanted visitor. Ron and Hermione remained dumbstruck by the fact that Harry had almost encouraged her, realising perhaps that Meiling had made an accurate observation that had been too quickly dismissed. It was clear to most that Tomoyo was behaving oddly and it had everything to do with that same unwanted guest. Most of the household kept quiet, not willing to engage in gossip about the apparent 'love triangle'. Ginny on the other hand moved about confidently, not paying mind to the tension building up around her. Whether she hadn't noticed the tension or simply chose to overlook it was a question unanswered. She kept close to Harry, musing over memories and theorizing about current events in the Wizarding World.

If there was one thing Ginny did come to know, it was that Tomoyo was fiercely jealous of her.

It was early afternoon, and most of the teens were scattered throughout the large house engaged in their own activities. Harry and Ginny had been sitting on a couch while Tomoyo (under what Ginny assumed to be the pretence of reading a newspaper) sat on another across from them. Ginny noticed, unnervingly, that Tomoyo kept staring at Harry and her a bit too long. She turned to regard the dark-haired host. Tomoyo gave her a dark stare.

That was odd.

Then Ginny thought, perhaps Tomoyo liked Harry. It was not hard to believe, he was tall, kind and quite good looking. It also made mathematical sense, as prior to her arrival, there had been five boys and five girls, and she was certain that the oddly-coloured haired Chibiusa and Trunks were paired off, and bizarrely, she felt a chemistry between Meiling and Malfoy. All that was left was Tomoyo.

'Oh, Harry,' Ginny started, standing to pretend to commandeer a broomstick. 'you should have seen the recent match. We murdered the Ravenclaws with Blurting – you know, where you lock broomsticks – we got them in a gridelock!'

Harry laughed as he stood up and joined her, pretending to join her broomstick barricade. 'I love this move! The trick is to form a defensive line and turn slightly this way...'

Ginny stared at Tomoyo from the corner of her eye to witness her reaction. Tomoyo suddenly stood up and rearranged the folds of her dress, smiling stiffly.

Harry watched her with upturned eyebrows. 'Tomoyo, are you alright?'

'I'm just...,' Tomoyo mumbled softly, but with an obvious edge.

Ginny quirked an eyebrow and moved towards her. 'Oh Tomoyo, were you feeling left out? Hey, come join us. We were just talking about Quidditch!'

Tomoyo moved inaudibly like a puppet as Ginny pulled her arm and plopped her beside Harry on the couch. Harry looked visibly uncomfortable.

'So,' Tomoyo said casually, 'I heard you like to play Quidditch.'

Ginny grinned wickedly. Alright, I'll take the bait. 'Yup! You know about it, then?'

Tomoyo nodded curtly, her smile set prettily like a porcelain doll. 'Oh, just a little ...Harry was a Seeker?'

'Yep! And I'm a Chaser,' Ginny replied, and counted off her fingers as she continued, 'So there's a Seeker, a Chaser, a Keeper, and a Beater.'

'Yes!' Tomoyo said excitedly, clapping her hands together as she tilted her head. 'I am quite fond of the different roles in the sport.'

Ginny smirked. This was just pathetic. 'Really? If you could play, then what would your position be, do you think?'

Tomoyo giggled softly. Her eyes had a hardness to them. 'Oh. Definitely Beater.'

Her soft tone sounded frightening. Ginny stared blankly, having a strange feeling she wasn't talking about Quidditch.


It was late Wednesday night, New Year's Eve. Just moments from midnight, the group sat around the den chatting, watching television and eating mochi, a sticky rice dumpling, as was New Year's tradition. Though everyone seemed to be in a good mood, Sakura was troubled as she watched the others, her body hunched over and knees drawn close to her chest. She noticed as usual everyone was there—except Draco. She wasn't sure what to make of him. He was distant and though she believed in his sincerity she wondered if maybe she was really wrong about him. After all, no one else in the house, save for Trunks who barely knew him, wanted him there. Though Ginny didn't intend to accuse her directly, she felt that the blame rested squarely on her shoulders. It was as Syaoran had said; she was always inviting in others, imposing on their space, irregardless of everyone's feelings. Maybe she really was selfish after all. Now Ginny had chosen to join them, unwittingly entangling herself into this dangerous web along with the rest.

Sakura turned her head.

She watched Tomoyo sit quietly by herself, her hands folded in her lap, her face expressionless. She wasn't taking pictures. She wasn't gushing about new outfits. Something troubled her too. Sakura didn't know what it was, and yet didn't have the courage to ask.

'Hey,' Syaoran's voice cut across her thoughts. She felt his breath on her neck as he pulled her into an embrace, his chest against her back. 'It'll be any minute now.'

Sakura was brought out of her trance as she looked ahead, her attention drawn to the television. The countdown had begun. The others rose from their spots on chairs and the floor to come to an energized pose. They spun around happily, arms raised, exchanging hugs and high-fives. Sakura heard the temple bells in the distance signalling midnight and felt as Syaoran's lips brushed lightly against her cheek. But it was as though her spirit left her body in that moment, as the vision came to her…

The woman with amethyst, purple eyes whirled around, her long hair thrashing in the wind as she came to stare at Sakura, a maddening grin on her face and wand hand outstretched.

'I hope you're prepared to lose it all,' a voice seemed to emanate, not from the woman but from somewhere in the sky above.

And at the woman's side was Draco, his body slumped, weak and frightening. He gaped wretchedly, pleadingly at her. He looked something inhuman but pitiable like a sickly creature. She wanted to speak, but she was too weak to do so. Then everything…everything faded to black…

Sakura blinked. She whirled her head around and saw that Syaoran was staring at her strangely. By now, the others were eating the steaming soba noodles that she and Tomoyo had prepared earlier in the evening. The temple bells were no longer ringing.

'Are you okay?' Syaoran asked, clutching her shoulders. 'You look pale.'

Sakura bobbed her head, offering a reassuring smile. 'Yes, I'm fine. Happy New Year, Syaoran.'

He stared seriously for a moment, but then he smiled as well. 'Happy New Year, Sakura.'


The Sixth Month


The first of January happened to be a clear and bright day, not as frigid as days past, but still cooler than usual for the time of year. The group set out to pay a visit to the Tsukimine shrine, where Sakura and Tomoyo went to gather their fortunes for the New Year. The custom was new to Harry and the others and as such they took pleasure in observing the others, in particular the beautiful kimonos of the many other visitors. Tomoyo seemed to be in a better mood that day as she willingly supplied kimonos for the entire household, including Harry. Although somehow, she 'couldn't find one in Ginny's size'. But with the aid of some magic, Sakura was able to remedy that problem and willingly lent one of her older ones.

'Our old Professor Kaho Mizuki was really the shrine-maiden here?' Hermione asked.

'Yes, and my old math teacher for a short while,' Sakura said. 'She's really an amazing woman.'

Ron rolled his eyes. He had never liked Mizuki as she was quite strict. 'She went to Italy after the last year. I still think Lupin was the best Dark Arts professor we ever had.'

Chibiusa listened on as she walked. She felt at peace, feeling elegant in a red kimono, something she hadn't worn in so long. It all brought her back to her time spent in Tokyo, reminding her of Sailor Mars, known as Rei, who was also a shrine-maiden. She lowered her eyes to a shivering Diana who decidedly came along (once she was aware that Kero was coming too, though he was hidden well in Sakura's purse).

'You're sure it's not too cold for you, Diana?'

'N-Not at all,' Diana mewed between jittering teeth, her paws sinking into a light layer of snow.

Chibiusa shook her head. She felt a rush of wind as Meiling brushed pompously ahead of her, occasionally throwing scathing looks at Draco who—to everyone's surprise— chose to join them. Trunks, perhaps Draco's only friend, was at his side looking bored and distracted. Neither was willing to attempt wearing a kimono, both opting for more casual, though stylish, dress.

'I'd take Mizuki over fake Mad-Eye Moody any day,' muttered Ginny. She walked side-by-side Harry who remained strangely quiet.

Syaoran offered a kind glance at Sakura, her hand in his. 'So did you get a postcard from your father?'

'Yep! And money too,' Sakura said excitedly. 'And Touya and Yukito are still visiting. I wonder if we'll run into them today. What do you think, Tomoyo?' She turned to her right where Tomoyo had been. She noticed that Tomoyo had stopped following them and was at a stall much further back.

'What's Tomoyo doing?' Meiling wondered as the group backtracked.

'It looks like she's gone to get her fortunes,' Chibiusa observed, noting the clearly marked sign in kanji.

Sakura stared vacantly, surprised by her friend's impulsive departure.

'Tomoyo?'


Tomoyo grimaced inwardly as swaths of attractive couples milled about like humming birds to flowers, tittering happily at booths as the embroidery in their kimonos shone like feathers. She suddenly noticed a stall decked out in a cascade of brightly coloured paper. Curious, she stepped forward and took a closer look. The pieces of paper were fortunes, denoting wishes for peace, prosperity and love. Oh, wouldn't the latter be delightful, she thought bitterly.

An old woman stepped from behind the curtain of fortunes, her eyes protruding and milky with near blindness. 'Ah, dear girl.' The woman spoke in a voice of smoke, thin and lilting. 'You look down.'

Tomoyo stepped back. 'No, ma'am. But thank you for your concern.'

'Ah, but I know those eyes,' the woman continued, furrowing thin white eyebrows. She reached forward, clasped Tomoyo's hands and stared meaningfully into her face. 'Child, I too know the pains of unrequited love.' The woman drew her hands away, and Tomoyo realised that a yellow fortune now lay between her clasped hands. 'This will help,' she said and returned behind the booth.

Tomoyo read the broad strokes of Kanji: 'Shinjitsu no koi...True love...'

She suddenly felt a jolt of energy, as though her body pulsed with electricity. All of her senses screamed a need, want, desire to be with Harry. Close to Harry. Only Harry.

'Harry,' Tomoyo murmured, dropping the fortune thoughtlessly to the ground.


Harry turned to Ginny, feeling sick. He had to tell her. 'Ginny,' he started. She turned to him with a bright smile, but as though noticing his own serious expression, her smile turned into a thin line. 'I need to be honest with you. I...I think you should go back to Hogwarts.'

Her mouth fell open, brow furrowed. 'What?! Harry, why?'

He hadn't been prepared for the next part of the conversation. 'Because –'

'Why would you lie?' she cried, irate. 'Does Sakura's friend have anything to do with this?'

He gulped thickly and stammered, 'N-No...'

As though comedic timing were a part of his existence, Tomoyo appeared before them, her eyes shining with determination.

'Well,' Ginny said hotly, 'perfect timing.'

'Harry,' Tomoyo said passionately, smiling prettily at him. He felt the heat rise to his face. 'Could you come with me, please? I need to tell you something.'

'Um, no! We were just talking,' Ginny snapped, moving her arm to block the smaller girl. 'You can wait.'

Tomoyo pushed Ginny back forcibly. 'Get lost!'

Ginny gasped angrily, 'Bitch!'

'Ginny!' Harry snapped, feeling a burst of anger. 'Not okay!'

He heard a soft growl emitting from Tomoyo's throat. He looked at her and stumbled back. Her eyes were narrow and blood red.

'HE'S MINE!' she hissed and lurched towards Ginny.

Ginny shrieked and fell backwards.


Sakura and the others rushed forward, shocked at the scene that had unfolded: Tomoyo hovered several feet in the air, the billow of her kimono sleeves resembling butterfly wings. Her hair was unnaturally long and curled around her face and body like snakes. Her eyes glowed crimson as her mouth resembled an open wound exposing sharp teeth. Beneath her, Harry and Ginny had their wands out, patches of singed earth around their feet. Revellers around them screamed and fled, their flailing kimonos like dashes of paint on a dark canvas.

'Harry!' Sakura cried as she approached them, summoning the Star Wand. 'What happened?'

'Tomoyo's possessed,' he grunted, and she noticed that he was trying hard to hold Ginny back, who bared her teeth at Tomoyo. A stream of bright light flowed from Tomoyo's eyes and zapped them. Harry sent a deflecting spell that protected them briefly. They fell back from the force.

'There's a dark presence nearby!' Kero cried, swooping out of Sakura's purse and staring beadily ahead. Automatically his body glowed and wings expanded as he transformed into Cerberos. He recoiled suddenly, taken off guard by the possessed Tomoyo. 'Whoa!'

Sakura summoned the Shield and cast a translucent yellow shell over the group. The others reluctantly drew out their wands and weapons. Chibiusa transformed into Sailor Chibi Moon and drew out her pink heart wand. 'I recognise this power...quickly everyone, attack now!'

'No! There has to be another way,' Sakura replied, tears welling in her eyes. 'We can't hurt Tomoyo.'

A throaty cackle peeled from Tomoyo as her eyes widened and struck them with a torrent of energy. Cracks began to appear in the Shield, threatening to shatter the magical barrier.

'Sakura, she's right, we have no choice,' Syaoran said, poising his sword. 'She's a danger to everyone around us — Look!'

Still maintaining the Shield, Sakura whipped her head around and stared as people continued to stream around them, screaming, eyes wild with fear. They were right, she needed to fight. She drew out another card just as the Shield shattered. 'SLEEP!' She cast a shimmering cloak of slumber over the crowd. People slowed in their footing and gently descended to the ground, asleep. Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron cast Repelling Charms around Tomoyo and themselves to seal civilians out of the eminent battle.

Sakura called back Sleep before decidedly, though apprehensively, summoning the Woody. A tangle of vines spiraled around Tomoyo to restrain her. Tomoyo's eyes flashed and Woody's vines snapped and its remnants spun towards the ground. It hadn't worked!

'Small Lady!' Diana instructed. 'Use Moon Healing Escalation!'

Chibi Moon faltered slightly. It was her mother's attack. She never tried it before and wasn't sure she possessed the capability.

'You can heal her?' Hermione cried. 'Please, do it now!'

Brushing away the negative thoughts, Chibi Moon nodded and moved her wand in a complicated pattern as her voice echoed, 'Moon Healing Escalation!'

A warm pink light burst from the wand and shot towards Tomoyo and surrounded her in a pale pink mist. Tomoyo winced briefly but then gave a guttural laugh as she dispelled the spell as though it were a fishing net. She shot another torrent of energy at them, sending them flying back and smashing into the ground. The group moaned and struggled to regain their foothold. Ginny, Hermione and Ron threw up shield charms, allowing the others to recover.

'It didn't work?' Chibi Moon screamed as she struggled to her feet, clasping her wand. 'This can't be happening...'

'The battery flat or something?' Meiling said bemusedly, rubbing her head.

'Stop right there!' a voice called from behind them.

Sakura and the others turned and stared at a group of five girls, each wearing a different coloured variation of Chibi Moon's sailor uniform: one with long black hair and a red uniform; one with short blue hair and a blue uniform; a brunette with a high ponytail and a green uniform; one with long blonde hair with a red hair bow and an orange uniform; and a more singular figure who was a carbon copy of Sailor Chibi Moon (save for the girl's blonde hair and round rather than pointed buns). The leader stepped forward in knee-high red boots, pointing a gloved hand at the possessed Tomoyo. 'Queen Beryl, stop right there! I am Sailor Moon! In the name of the Moon, I will punish you!'

Sakura's heart swelled with hope as the five Sailor Senshi ran forward and sent a rainbow of brilliant energy towards Tomoyo, the heat of the magic warming the skin on Sakura's face. Tomoyo weaved chaotically midair, barely avoiding the attacks, her hair writhing like serpents.

'Sailor Moon, you're no match for my Generals,' Tomoyo – Queen Beryl – spat in a throaty voice and cast her palms open. 'Go forth, Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite, Kunzite!'

The Generals materialized before them. They were four lean men dressed in grey suits that were swift-footed like deer as they advanced towards the senshi. The two groups engaged in battle, streams and blasts of energy jittering Sakura's teeth and making her senses burn like fire.


Chibi Moon couldn't believe it. Her mother – the younger, stupider version – was here! But where had they come from? As far as Chibiusa could tell, this Tomoeda was located in a dimension different to her own. The Tokyo of this world was different, a far cry from her home, Crystal Tokyo. Yet the past had come to her in a cataclysm of confusion. Queen Beryl had been an enemy long before Chibiusa was born – dating all the way back to the end of the Silver Millennium, and resurrected a thousand years later to meet a final demise during the youth of her parents. What was she doing here, now?

Chibi Moon watched, dumbfounded as Sailor Moon and the other Senshi collided with Queen Beryl's minions. As she watched them fight, her stomach churned. Even in their early Senshi forms, Sailor Moon, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Venus were powerful – more powerful than she. Even with all her training, she did not begin to compare to them. She was mortified. What use was she, if she could not even perform a simple healing incantation? She glanced at Tomoyo – Queen Beryl – who seemed amused as she watched the fight. She was so rapt in the battle that she seemed to have forgotten Sailor Chibi Moon and the others. Chibi Moon realised then that she could be useful!

'She's distracted,' Chibi Moon said quietly to Hermione, who nodded and flourished her wand with a complicated flick.

Tomoyo's body contorted grossly and her limbs snapped close to her body. She hurtled to the ground and landed heavily, her kimono draped over her lithe form.

'Body-Bind! Brilliant!' Ron breathed.

'Sakura almost had the right idea,' Hermione said dismissively, at which Sakura smiled weakly.

Suddenly a misty being shot out of Tomoyo's unconscious body and materialized into a regal woman with streaming blood red hair, green stone earrings and necklace and a revealing purple dress. Queen Beryl's physical form!

Wind whistled through Chibi Moon's hair as Harry bounded past her and dropped down to crouch over Tomoyo, his wand poised towards Queen Beryl.

'Harry!' Ginny uttered beside Ron, shocked.

'She's exposed!' yelled Sailor Mars.

'Ah! It seems you have exposed me. But no matter!' She raised her palms and an orb of black light flickered between them. 'Do you understand the pain of loving someone and watching that person love someone els – ACK!' Something small and red smacked into her face, and then exploded. Was that a red rose? The telltale petals flitted to the ground like confetti. 'WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?' shrieked Beryl.

'It's going to be one of those battles, isn't it?' Ron asked Syaoran, who knitted his eyebrows together.

'Shh! What did we say about bringing it up again?' Hermione snapped.

Everyone turned in the direction from where the rose had been thrown. There stood a tall young man wearing an impressive top hat, white mask and black tuxedo and cape. Chibi Moon felt her heart leap. Tuxedo Kamen!

'Tuxedo Kamen!' Sailor Moon cried gleefully, as though sharing Chibi Moon's thoughts.

Meiling gaped at the suited man, as though smitten.

Queen Beryl was livid, her hair streaming like fire behind her. 'Are you joking?! What, too cheap for a proper bouquet?!'

'I'm Tuxedo Kamen! Prepare to be vanquished!' he called in a commanding voice that echoed in the vicinity.

Queen Beryl snorted with laughter. 'I can't wait to see what else –'

She was cut off as Tuxedo Kamen struck her in the face with a polished black cane. Queen Beryl jerked back, recovered and blasted him with an energy ball, sending him hurtling back, his cape wavering behind him.

'FATHER!' Chibi Moon heard herself scream.

Sailor Moon and the other Senshi gave her a stupefied glance.

'What? "Father"?' Meiling exclaimed, sounding both confused and disappointed. Syaoran gave her a withering look.

Chibi Moon shook her head furiously. She needed to help! Pegasus could help! She frantically threw her right fist into the air, summoning her bell. She swung the magical item heavily and called, 'Twinkle Yell!'

She waited. Seconds passed. Then another. And another.

No familiar whinny of her dearest friend. No explosion of light and wings and golden horn. Where was Pegasus?


Sakura regarded Chibi Moon with sad eyes, realizing what had happened — her attack failed. She knew the feeling all too well.

'Sakura,' muttered Cerberos giving her a pressing look. 'Aren't you going use your cards?'

Sakura shook her head once, staring ahead with her focus on Chibi Moon. 'Somehow, I think…maybe it's not my place just yet,'

Cerberos was stunned. 'Sakura?'

'You!' Queen Beryl rounded on Chibi Moon. 'I sense…can it be? The Silver Crystal? GIVE IT TO ME!'

Chibi Moon backed away, clasping the bell.

'Hold on, Silver Crystal?' Sailor Moon said quizzically, turning to stare at Chibi Moon. 'You…why do you look like me?'

The rest of the Phoenix Fighters watched with trepidation as the drama unfolded before them, uncertain whether to act or not.

'Oh, so you're their daughter…' Queen Beryl sneered, glancing between Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibi Moon. 'You are the moon spawn…you represent everything I hate. What is love, but weakness? Exactly what you are – you can't even heal! It's pathetic!'


Of all the absurdity, Chibi Moon knew Queen Beryl was right. She felt hopeless. She was completely useless. Her eyes fell to the ground.

'CHIBI MOON, WATCH OUT!' Diana's strangled scream could be heard in the distance, but someone got to the young heroine first.

'STAY AWAY!' Trunks' voice roared.

Chibi Moon looked up and watched as Trunks jumped before her and was hit by a steady beam of Queen Beryl's dark energy. He cried out – her chest tightened – but he maintained his foothold and crossed his arms, cutting the beam down the middle like paper, which carved shallow arks in the earth on either side of them.

Queen Beryl smirked. 'Oh? Protecting the spawn? You'll regret it!'

'Trunks!' Chibi Moon cried as another jet of energy propelled towards him.

Trunks lifted his fists and caught the energy. The veins in his forearms bulged. The energy grew like a snowball rolling downhill, perpetually growing until it shimmered with suppressed energy, anticipating release. He hurtled it back at Queen Beryl, who shrieked and toppled backwards. His breathing ragged, Trunks turned to Chibi Moon and gave her a thumbs-up. She felt tears well in her eyes. The front of his jacket was singed, the shredded remnants falling away to expose his burnt chest and upper arms.

'HA HA HA!'

They turned and saw Queen Beryl had recovered. Now she floated at the centre of a large, wavering dark mass, like a doll dropped into a puddle of ink. 'ENERGY!' a deep voice boomed from an invisible mouth, driving Queen Beryl's body forward. Suddenly the ground quaked as cracks appeared beneath their feet.

Chibi Moon felt muscular arms encase her as the earth split open and darkness devoured them.


'Hey…Princess…wake up.'

Chibi Moon groaned as she forced her eyes open and stared up into Trunks' face, which was covered with grime. He still struggled to breathe, but he lifted her into a sitting position.

'Why?' she whispered, wincing as she stared at the raw skin glowing in patches on his chest. 'You always save me.'

Trunks rolled his eyes and smirked. 'Just call me a knight, sans the armour.'

She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. She quickly suppressed the urge and muttered 'thanks' before looking around. The Phoenix Fighters, Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen were strewn across the ground, disheveled and injured. The four Generals were gone. The new environment that they were in could only be described as an apocalyptic scene. She was briefly reminded of their time lost in the caves, where it was dark and damp. The earth was a dull grey, littered with stones that reflected a dim light that seemed to emanate from nowhere, because when she twisted her head towards the sky, there was a vast nothingness. It was not black, it was a gaping hole into oblivion. And it terrified her. This mission had become extremely dangerous. This was serious.

This was real.

'This can't be…the Dark Kingdom…can it?' she whispered, turning to query Sailor Moon, who kneeled before an unconscious Tuxedo Kamen. The other Senshi, several feet behind her, began to rise to their feet.

Sailor Moon looked at her despairingly. 'I'm afraid so. But …the light of the Silver Crystal is dimmed.'

Chibi Moon looked down at her own locket. It often felt like a warmth against her chest. She felt nothing.

'Small Lady, we need to be prepared,' Diana mewed calmly, appearing beside them. 'This place is designed to absorb strong energy outputs. Your physical training may be needed.'

Chibi Moon gulped and slowly stood on her heeled boots.

Trunks breathed sharply through his teeth as he also stood. 'Hold on – I think I have this.' He clenched his fists and shut his eyes. Great tongues of gold energy lapped his form. His hair stood erect and changed from lavender to white-gold. When he opened his eyes, they glowed like sunlit grass. The air around him seemed to waver like steam. Chibi Moon hitched a breath, in awe. She had seen him like this once before, the day she first landed in Tomoeda. He took a step forward and immediately descended on his knees, yelling in pain as gold energy pulled up into a funnel, as though vacuumed from his body. His hair returned to lavender as he collapsed onto his front.

He didn't move.

'What—?' Chibi Moon panicked, shocked and confused.

Chibi Moon heard a scream from behind. She whipped around and saw that Sakura clasped her Star Wand as her energy was also pulled up in a funnel of pink. She watched with horror as her friends and the Senshi were each pulled by a vacuum, feeling their energies ripped out of them. Terror welled in her as she heard the girls and the boys scream. It felt like ice freezing her insides. She was brought back to the time she had travelled back to 20th Century Tokyo, when she had been a little girl, with no way of helping anyone. It was happening again. She couldn't help them. She shut her eyes tightly and cried out.

She felt the tiara on her forehead burn hot. A searing heat blasted from her forehead, and her tiara shattered as she continued to scream. She opened her eyes and was shocked to see a solid line of light shooting from her forehead. Her crescent moon symbol. She looked into the sky and saw something shift over them. She squinted. A massive, formless dark creature with yellow slit eyes and an 'x' gash, like a cross, glowing between its eyes. Queen Beryl had been absorbed by –

'Queen Metalia!' she gasped.

'THIS ENERGY…GIVE IT TO ME!' Queen Metalia boomed, a harbinger of smoke as she loomed forward to reach for Chibi Moon.

Chibi Moon screamed, and a fresh burst of light shot from her crescent moon symbol and struck the cross symbol on Metalia's face. Metalia withdrew with a deep snarl, and then advanced once more. Chibi Moon pivoted out of the way and threw all her concentration into sending energy out of her crescent moon. Metalia moved sluggishly out of the way, but the corner of the light brushed the cross, making her shriek echo around them. The cross was her weak spot! The key was to target it, but Chibiusa couldn't do it on her own. She turned tensely on the others. They were weakened but together maybe…maybe it would work.

'Sakura! Sailor Moon! Everyone!' Chibi Moon yelled, running over to them, roughly pulling Sailor Moon to her feet. The other Senshi stood up, shaking. 'Concentrate on targeting the 'x' on her face! I think it's the weak spot!'

Chibi Moon looked over at Harry and the others, who stared at her intently. 'Put as much power as you have into attacking the 'x'! It might be the only chance we have.'

She ran over to Sakura, who was being supported by Syaoran. 'Sakura, she's a mass of darkness!'

Sakura gave a weak nod but she knew exactly what to do.

Sakura drew out a card, raising her wand. 'LIGHT!'

Chibi Moon turned back towards Metalia. 'Everyone! NOW!'

Sakura shot a beam of pure white light towards Metalia's head. The Senshi and Sailor Moon focused their respective attacks. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Draco cast a storm of attack spells. Syaoran summoned lightning. All wove together to create a brilliant force of energy that rocketed straight into the centre of Metallia's cross symbol. Metallia's shriek emanated all around them, shaking the earth, quivering in their bones. Her shapeless form began to recede. Chibi Moon once more focused all her will into her crescent moon, at last sending a brilliant pulse of light into the massive energy assault.

Time seemed to pass painfully slow, like mercury crawling up a thermometer. But at last, when Chibi Moon felt she had almost drained her entire life force, Metalia gave a final inhuman wail and dissipated in an explosion of black smoke.


They were returned to the temple grounds. The earth no longer broken but level, and the stalls quiet, free of revelers. They had done it.

Sailor Moon approached Sailor Chibi Moon, and set down on her knees. She looked up to meet her gaze. It all felt surreal. Sailor Moon placed a hand on her shoulder.

'Are you really my daughter?'

Chibi Moon stared, uncertain how to respond.

'I'm not really sure who you are but we possess a similar power.' Sailor Moon lowered her eyes, noticing Diana. 'I believe you can do it.'

Chibi Moon felt a twinge of joy. Her mother still encouraged her in this form. 'Thank you,' she said genuinely, as she wiped the sweat from her forehead and rose up to her full height. She looked around as several of the others lay unconscious on the ground, being supported in the laps of the few still awake, though beaten and bloodied.

She took a deep breath and raised her pink heart wand above her head. 'Moon Healing Escalation!'

The magic seemed to answer more swiftly, more ardently than before as it poured from her form and cloaked the others in a shimmering pink cascade, like glitter. She watched with pure adulation as the others started to groan, regaining consciousness. She stepped quietly over to regard Trunks. The skin on his chest knitted back together to form new, even skin. His eyes slowly opened, and he sat up.

She smiled gently. It was over.

But as she watched the others lift themselves up, cheering and laughing, she couldn't shake the dark ball of discomfort welling in her chest.

Pegasus ...Elios wasn't responding to her anymore.