Chapter Thirteen: The Mysterious Senshi, Walkway of Clouds and Glass

"The mysterious senshi..." SailorMoon whispered softly. Sailormoon and Sailorvenus, still knocking on sections of the floor, quickly jumped to their feet. The senshi moved slightly towards Sailormoon, forming a protective ring around their leader.

"It's okay," Sailorpluto called out, taking a step towards the senshi. "Don't worry. It's just the return of the Gate of Time. The guardian senshi is bringing it back." Before she could say more, the ground began to shake slightly. "Prepare for more disturbance, remember, the Gate is still very unstable and until I get control of it, everything is going to be a little jumpy."

As if she knew what was going to happen next, Sailormars stepped up behind Sailormoon. Sure enough, moments later, the blond fell over from the shaking, directly into Mars' waiting arms. "Dummy!" The raven-haired senshi said with affection, "Be careful!"

"Thanks, Rei-chan." Sailormoon smiled sheepishly, Mars sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes, at the same time carefully making sure Sailormoon was balanced before releasing her. Sailorpluto began to glow was a soft mauve energy, and the area steadied momentarily before shaking more violently.

"It's almost here, not much longer." The senshi braced themselves against the shaking, looking uneasy. Pluto began to glow brighter, and with a flash of white-iridescent light as the Time Gate appeared. Sailorpluto's aura sprang everywhere, illuminating everything with a soft, mauve light. Her eyes shut tightly with concentration, Pluto stuck the Time Key in the floor, clutching it with both hands. Her aura ran up the Time Key and into the Garnet Orb before shining out into the area, calming the vibrations into nonexistence. Her hands shook slightly with the effort of maintaining the room, and SailorMoon took a concerned step towards the older girl. Pluto, sensing Moon's approach, cracked one eye open and said, "It's okay, Usa-chan. Go and join the others. And...good luck."

"Thank you, Sailorpluto." SailorMoon smiled gently and moved to join the others. The Time Gate loomed before them, but the doors remained closed. Sailorjupiter looked over at Sailorpluto uncertainly and murmured, "Now what? I don't think that 'mysterious senshi' of hers even showed up."

Sailorvenus shrugged noncommittally and replied, "I guess we just wait and see."

"Don't be so impatient," Sailorneptune reprimanded.

"Maybe it takes awhile to go from dreams to reality," Sailormercury offered.

"I am here now."

A brilliant light appeared directly in front of the Time Gate, and by squinting into the light they could just make out he form of another senshi. "I will take you through this gate now, and with the help of Sailorpluto," she nodded her head in the direction of the Guardian of Time, "it will open a passageway to your destination. If you are ready..." Sailorpluto nodded her head sharply and gasped, "Ready." The mysterious senshi struck her staff on the ground sharply, allowing a sharp, chiming, echo to ring throughout the chamber.

"By my will, open a bridge between this reality of time and space and that of dreams. Allow passage to those of my choice, and protect their passage from harm."

"Cool," Sailorvenus whispered softly, "I wonder if could learn to do something like that."

The gate shuddered for a moment and then slowly slid open. Instead of the passageway they had seen before, the one leading to the future, the gate held a shimmering mist filled with flashes of lightning, roiling clouds, and rumblings of thunder. Sailormoon gulped and said, "We're not going in there...are we?"

Sailorpluto nodded her head solemnly and replied, "It's the only way. You must hurry. We can only hold the doorway open for so long." Sailormoon's lower lip trembled for a minute, and she looked around at each of the other senshi.

Sailoruranus looked mildly impatient, but at the same time amused. Sailorvenus looked unperturbed, and she kept glancing around the room, curiosity written plainly on her face. Sailorneptune gazed at her with tolerant patience, and Sailorpluto looked mildly anxious, but fairly calm. Sailorsaturn stared at her with an expressionless look on her face. Sailormoon shuddered slightly and quickly looked away. She wondered what had happened to make Sailorsaturn into such a frightening woman when it was obvious Hotaru, although somewhat childlike, was normal. Sailormercury looked at her with an encouraging look, obviously hoping that the blond would get control of herself and face her fears without prodding from the senshi. Sailorjupiter looked at her warmly, an endless source of support and faith. SailorMoon looked as if she privately shared Sailormoon's dread of entering the gate, but smiled encouragingly anyway. Sailormars...

Sailormoon cringed as the raven-haired senshi of fire glared at her wordlessly. Despite her silence, Sailormoon got the message quite clearly: go through the gate now, or I'll push you through with your skirt on fire. Taking a deep breath, Sailormoon nodded with determination and said, "Okay, everyone. Let's go!" Before she could lose her nerve, she ran quickly to the gateway and into the clouds beyond.

0

"This isn't so bad. Why was I worried?" Sailormoon laughed nervously and walked slowly forward.

"Just don't look down," Sailorvenus murmured quietly.

"Huh?" Sailormoon stopped laughing abruptly and promptly looked down. "AIEEE!" She shrieked and grabbed for the nearest person to her, who turned out to be SailorMoon. Between them and the ominous clouds below, seemed to be nothing but empty air.

"SAVE ME! I'M GOING TO FALL!"

"Unbelievable..." Sailormars looked at her leader incredulously, amazement written across her face.

"Usagi-chan," Sailorjupiter murmured, trying to get the blonde's attention before she embarrassed herself further. Meanwhile, SailorMoon tried to fend off her hysterical, future Grandmother and still keep her balance.

"Usa-chan! Don't drop me! I'll fall!"

"Sailormoon! Stop! I'm going to fall over! Stop it!" She frantically pushed at Sailormoon, who was trying to climb up onto her shoulders. Sailormercury, looking embarrassed, said, "Sailormoon! Stop it right now! You are not going to fall!"

Sailoruranus snickered, and Neptune tried to hide a smile behind her hand.

"Usa-chan! Don't drop me!"

"Sailormoon! Stop it! I'm going to fall!"

Sailormars and Venus looked at each other, the two Moons, and burst out laughing. Sailormoon, finally managing to scramble onto SailorMoon's shoulders, clutched the double odango in both hands tightly and struggled to stay balanced. Jupiter laughed quietly and Sailormercury looked at them with a patient "what am I going to do with you" look.

"What? What's so funny?" Sailormoon tried to gather what small amount of dignity she may have possessed, and managed to look indignant even perched on SailorMoon's shoulders.

"Sailormoon," Saturn said softly, "Have you stopped to think about what you're doing? Don't you think we all would have fallen by now if we were going to?"

"Huh?" The blonde looked around with confusion, and SailorMoon grunted slightly under her weight.

"Look," Venus said helpfully. She knelt down and rapped her knuckles on the floor, producing a distinctly solid sound. "It's just like before we came here. Remember the floor we couldn't see? Well, it's the same thing, except now we can see that we can't see it." Sailorvenus laughed sheepishly and added, "Does that make sense?"

Sailormoon nodded, but it was obvious that she didn't understand. Mars rolled her eyes and said, "The floor's invisible. It's perfectly safe to walk on. Case and point, none of us are falling to our deaths."

Sailormoon peered cautiously down, Uranus smirked and SailorMoon grunted again, hands bracing Sailormoon's legs. "Oh yeah. I see. Actually, I guess I don't!" She cackled at her bad joke and the senshi groaned. Sailormoon began to slid one leg off of SailorMoon's shoulders, when she suddenly shrieked and grabbed wildly at the odango again. "I'm slipping, Usa-chan! Stop squirming!"

"STOP! I'm really going to fall!"

The senshi started laughing again, and SailorMoon and Sailormoon toppled over backwards. The laughter was cut short when the two girls disappeared from sight.

"Usagi?" Sailormars ran to where the two had been standing, and felt herself step out into thin air. She yelped, but Jupiter's hand suddenly on her wrist kept her from falling. She gave Mars a grim smile and pulled her back into the walkway.

"Usagi..." Sailormars murmured, dazed.

"I can't find them!" Sailormercury exclaimed, upset. She typed rapidly on her computer, her eyes skimming over the lines of text that appeared on the screen.

"Usagi!" Mars knelt at the edge, and peered down into the void of swirling clouds and lightning.

"Usa-chan!" Neptune knelt down next to the raven-haired girl and struggled to see through the clouds. Uranus hovered over her in the background, pacing anxiously.

"Mercury!" Jupiter exclaimed, "Are you sure there's nothing on your computer?" The blue-haired girl nodded quickly and said, "It's hard to get readings that make sense at all. The gateway is interfering with the programming. It was never designed to analyze areas outside of time and space."

"Venus Love Me Chain!" The other senshi looked over at the blond in shock in time to see Sailorsaturn wrapping a glowing chain of hearts around her waist and stepping over the edge. Sailorvenus cried out slightly at the sudden weight she was forced to support, but she kept her hands firmly on the chain, feeding it out slowly. Sailoruranus stepped up next to her and grabbed the chain, taking most of the weight off of Sailorvenus. Venus smiled gratefully at Uranus, and again at the other senshi, who were forming a human chain behind her. Jupiter grabbed Venus' waist and said, "No one else is going to end up down there!" They held their breath and waited for some kind of signal from Sailorsaturn.

0

It's so quiet. Why is it so quiet? What happened? Usagi-chan? I fell... Usa couldn't feel anything, including her own body. Where am I?

You fell. The voice was distinctly female, and sounded completely serene.

Who are you?

The "mysterious" senshi you all keep referring to. She sounded amused, and Usa got the feeling that she was laughing.

What's your name? Usa felt unbridled curiosity, and hoped she could be the one to tell the others she had discovered the name of the senshi of dreams and reality.

I can't tell you.

Why not? Disappointment tinged her thoughts.

It's forbidden. You aren't even supposed to know that I exist. All of attention is supposed to stay focused on maintaining the boundaries. Outside contact is nothing but a distraction that I'm supposed to avoid at all costs.

Then why did you help us at all?

My domain has been invaded. The power of the ginzuishou is like nothing that has ever touched me before. It distracted Sailorpluto, as you know, and her realm began to collapse. Time spinning out of control would have affected reality drastically, and I didn't want to deal with it if I didn't have to. In order to preserve my own realm I aided Pluto.

Which caused the distraction that allowed Black Lady and her helper to form the room of crystal and shadows, right?

So, her name is Black Lady? The voice mused, I wondered why he always called her "My Lady." It is her actual name. Usa felt a mental "shrug" in her mind, and the senshi added, Yes. I was helping Pluto when the room formed. The two of them have burrowed deeply in where they don't belong. Now, the only way to destroy that room is from the inside.

That's why you're helping us? To get your borders back to normal?

That is correct.

How am I going to get out of here? Speaking of which, where is here?

When you fell off of the walkway, you slipped into the space between dreams and reality. You're sort of...smushed...between the two now.

Well, can I get out? It suddenly occurred to Usa that she had no inclination to spend the rest of her life trapped in nothingness.

Only I can get out. Usa's heart plummeted and she "whispered", So I'm trapped here forever?

NO! I apologize! You misunderstand! I'm the only the one who can find my way out. With a guide, you can leave at anytime. There was an ominous silence for a moment and then, Unfortunately, I can't leave my post, or the walkway the rest of the senshi are on will collapse.

Usa was starting to get frustrated, and she said, What is going to happen to me? I don't have time for all the details! We have to get to the room of crystal and shadows as soon as possible! Every second we wait, Endymion-sama is in more and more danger!

Endymion. Are you sure the man trapped there is named Endymion? I have heard Black Lady call him Mamoru.

They are the same. Endymion was reincarnated as Chiba Mamoru.

Ah, I understand now. Thank you.

You're welcome, but I really need to get back to the senshi. We must continue on our journey!

I will try and send you help. Hold on please.

0

"It's no use," Mercury whispered, "Unless there's a bottom to that pit, they would have fallen out of reach a long time ago."

"We can't give up!" Mars snapped. Sailormercury looked hurt, and she replied, "I wasn't suggesting we give up, just that we try a new tactic. This isn't working."

"She's right," Uranus said, her arms beginning to shake with fatigue. We've been standing here dangling Saturn for a long time, and we have nothing to show for it but tired arms.

"Death Ribbon Revolution!" The shout was barely audible, but moments later a ribbon of purple energy shot by them and into the clouds above.

"I'm guessing that's our signal," Jupiter said, trying to calm everyone's tightly strung nerves.

"On three," Neptune instructed, "Everybody pull."

"One...two...THREE!" The women pulled, and slowly, the golden chain moved up, disappearing as it reached the hands of Sailorvenus. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Sailorsaturn's dark hair came into view. Mercury, at the end of the line, let go of Mars, who was in front of her, and moved to the edge of the walkway, extending a hand down for the senshi of destruction.

"Help me." Saturn left no room for arguments, and straining, she lifted her arms up. Eyes closed, Sailormoon stirred for a second and then snorted. With amazement, Mercury realized that their leader was sleeping!

"Usagi-chan..." She whispered gently, tears shining in her eyes.

"What do you see? What does she have?" Venus, craning her neck trying to see, loosened her grip on the chain. The weight, suddenly almost completely on the already tired Sailoruranus, pulled the blond woman forward and off of her feet.

"NO!" Bracing her feet, Mercury grabbed the chain with both hands and threw all of her weight against it. Uranus struggled back to her, putting her remaining strength into pulling. Sailorjupiter let go of Venus and pounced on the end of the chain. Under her gloved hands, the golden links began to flicker and fade.

"Venus!" Jupiter shrieked, "You have to concentrate! Pick up the chain! Hurry!"

Venus staring at the chain with blank eyes, whispered, "What's wrong with me lately? I've been acting like an idiot! Why can't I do anything right anymore?" She sniffled loudly, and Neptune grabbed the fading chain, saying, "Sailorvenus! You must do your duty now! Usagi-chan is on the end of this chain! If it fades away, she and Sailorsaturn fall again, and we don't have time to try this all over again." Her words didn't seem to have any affect on Venus, and the blond dropped to her knees.

"Minako-chan! Please!" Mercury had the chain wrapped around both of her arms and hands, and was slowly sliding over the edge as the senshi's strength weakened and the chain faded.

"Everyone! Pull! Something is pulling us downward!" Saturn looked down, but with her hands full trying to hold onto the snoring Usagi, there was nothing she could do to defend herself.

The chain slid farther off of the walkway, and Mercury's boot touched the edge.

"Minako-chan!"

0

Your guide is coming.

Thank you.

Thank you. It has been a very long time since I've had time to talk to anyone. I will miss you.

What? Why? What's going to happen?

It doesn't matter. If you lose, you will die. If you win, things will return to how they are supposed to be, and I will return to my post, forbidden to communicate with you.

That's wrong! Usa burst out angrily, It's not fair! Why should you have to be condemned to be lonely forever?

It has always been that way. Don't worry about me Usa-chan. Save your concern for someone who can return your feelings. Your friends of the future, for example.

I...I don't have any friends in the future.

What of your senshi? They must be loyal to you! I can't believe that you haven't formed ties with any of them! She sounded shocked, and more than a little confused.

Senshi? Do you mean Serenity-sama's senshi? The guardians of Crystal Tokyo? I am friends with them I suppose, but they are years and years older than me. I don't have any friends of my own age, and I don't have any senshi...

Oh. She was silent again, and Usa-chan could sense her confusion.

Maybe you're getting me confused with my grandmother. In this time, she's my age, and her senshi are the closest friends anyone could ever have.

That must be it...Your guide is coming. I won't be able to speak with you again, Usa-chan. Good luck.

Thank you.

I will lead you. A new voice, distinctly male, entered Usa-chan's mind.

How? I can't see or move.

I will help.

Something closed around Usa's arm, and for the first time in a long while, she realized she could actually feel her arm. She opened her eyes slowly, and found a falcon made of lavender energy staring back at her. Looking around slowly, she saw that they were standing in a dark corridor.

"What is this?" It felt good to be talking out loud again, and Usa basked in the sound.

The way out.

"Oh."

Transform, Usa-chan. There is danger ahead. Looking down at herself, she realized that she had indeed lost her SailorMoon transformation.

"What happened?"

There is no definition of different forms outside of reality. You are simply yourself.

"So my true form is simple Tsukino Usagi?"

Correct. But you are also SailorMoon and Neo-Princess Serenity. They are all a part of you. Usa-chan is just the form that your mind chooses to take. If you wished, you could be any of your forms outside of reality. They are all you; Tsukino Usagi seems to be the one you are most comfortable as. This could change in time.

"I see." She was quiet for a moment, and then said, "Right. We'd better get moving. Silver Moon Power, Make-UP!"

Super SailorMoon posed briefly, the falcon still on her arm, and then looked to him for guidance.

"Lead the way,-uh, I don't know your name."

I don't have one. I'm just a guide.

"Everyone needs a name! I'll think of one for you as we go."

As you wish.

"Are we almost there? The others might need me!"

Turn right. We are very close now. Enter the light when you see it.

SailorMoon sped up, raced around the corner, and into the light.

0

"Minako-chan! Pick up the chain, now!"

"Huh?" The blond whispered with confusion, turning to look behind her, "Usagi-chan?" Framed by a doorway of light, a senshi with odango commanded her. Sailorvenus shook her head with confusion, but whispered, "I can't let Usagi-chan down!" She grabbed the fading chain and screamed, "Venus Love Me CHAIN!" The golden hearts flared with light, there was an inhuman scream below as the creature pulling the two senshi was vaporized, and Sailorsaturn and her burden shot of the edge and back onto the walkway.

Sailormoon snorted and stirred, finally opening her eyes sleepily.

"Hi everyone. What's happening?"

"Why didn't Usagi-chan lose her transformation when she fell?" SailorMoon glanced at the glowing falcon sitting on her arm.

My mistress caught her on another walkway. She didn't fall nearly as far as you did. She also put her to sleep. She didn't want her to fall off again.

SailorMoon laughed quietly and joined the others to explain to Sailormoon what had happened, and to share what had happened to herself.