Sailor Moon braced herself, ready for the final blow that Emerald would give.
Emerald smiled wickedly, imagining the great reward she would receive from her lord when she delivered the Silver Crystal. But yet... as the sword came down, blood was spilt, but not of the Moon Princess.
Sailor Moon's eyes went wide with horror as she looked up to the one that took the fatal blow. Scarlet meeting scarlet... blending with the darkness of the tall lean figure.
"Rei-Chan!!!" Sailor Moon cried.
Sailor Mars stood her ground firmly, allowing the sword to go deeper into her body, feeling her crystal being dragged out and into Emerald's hand. Her violet eyes were starting to fade, but they flickered with anger towards Emerald, for trying to harm Sailor Moon.
"Usagi..." Sailor Mars gasped out. "You.... you have to move on.... And... save everyone...."
Sailor Mars turned her head toward Sailor Moon. She gave her a small reassuring smile.
"I believe in you.... Usagi- chan.... Please don't let me stay crystal- less for too long... 'kay?"
Sailor Moon's tears rolled down her face, still not believing her best friend was dying right in front of her.
"No Rei... don't do this..." Sailor Moon begged.
"I had enough of this..." Emerald said, pulling the sword out of Sailor Mars, who grunted in pain as she crashed into the ground.
"Rei- Chan!" Sailor Moon cried out.
Sailor Mars body slowly faded away, while Emerald clutched Mars's sailor crystal tight in her hands. She pointed the tip of her sword at Sailor Moon.
"That's one Sailor Senshi down..." Emerald said. "Shall we now narrow the list?"
Sailor Elysion stood up.
"You won't harm Sailor Moon..." Sailor Elysion said, sending cold daggers to Emerald.
Aquarius stood up next and took a spot in front of Sailor Moon.
"I won't allow it!" Aquarius said.
"Neither will I..." Libra said next, standing next to Aquarius.
Monoceros was next to join the blockade.
"No matter what you do, or what Cronus plans to do, the Silver Crystal or Sailor Moon's life will never fall into your hands..."
Emerald glared at them angrily.
"Well... you all are fools... throwing your lives away for one little girl...Haven't any of you learned anything yet?" she spat out, eyes glowing a terrifying red.
'"If there was one thing to learn..." Libra said.
"It's that as long as there are those willing to stand behind you, hope is not lost..." Aquarius said.
Sailor Moon, wiped her tears away, determination in her eyes.
"That's right..." She said, the Cosmos staff appearing in her hands. "I won't give up. My friends are counting on me... and I can't fail them..."
As she spoke, all the memories of her friends, old and new, flashed in her mind, the last image being that of Take.
The staff began to glow a silvery hue.
Emerald took a step back.
Is this... the light of the Silver Crystal!? Emerald thought to herself, blocking the light with her arm.
"Emerald! I won't let you stop me from saving my friends!" Sailor Moon called out.
"Cosmos Star Reaction!"
Emerald screamed as the light pierced her body, shattering her soul. The red Crystal of Mars soared in the sky, heading for the ice palace ahead. Where Emerald once stood, laid an emerald stone and a pile of ash.
"Mars's crystal...!" Libra called out.
"... Is heading to where the other Sailor Crystals are..." Sailor Elysion said.
"We should head out... before more of Cronus's henchmen arrive..." Monoceros said.
"Right..." the others said in agreement, as they continued on their way to the Ice Palace, deeper into Zero Star, where everything began... and hopefully... will soon end.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Pink Lady Freezing Kiss!"
"What?" Sapphire said, dodging the attack, making her lose focus on her current targets.
"Soaring in from the deep future, we will not allow you to ruin the present time here on earth! We will not forgive you!"
"Sailor Ceres!"
"Sailor Vesta!"
"Sailor Juno!"
"Sailor Pallas!"
"Sailor Quartet Arrives!"
"...And I, the soldier of love and justice, sailor suited pretty soldier.... Sailor Chibi Moon, also arrives!"
"Chibi Moon!" Mamoru called out.
"Great... more brats..." Sapphire said sarcastically, her staff glowing destructively. "The last thing I need..."
Before Sapphire did anything, Pegasus flew by, knocking Sapphire's staff out of her hand.
Sapphire grunted as she crashed into the ground.
"Zodiac! Now!" Leo called out to Scorpio, Gemini, Virgo, Taurus, and Aries.
"Zodiac Star Power!"
Sapphire looked up, seeing the attack heading right for her. Her eyes widen. There was no way for her to dodge the attack.
But for some reason, the attack didn't hit her. A barrier formed in front of her.
Sapphire... return to me...
Sapphire, who heard her lord's voice, slowly got up.
"Don't think this is over..." she said, venom dripping from each word. She vanished.
"Damn it! That should have worked!" Leo cried out angrily.
"Cronus interfered..." Taurus said, gripping her staff.
"Something big must have happened if Sapphire had to retreat..." Aries added.
Helios landed and changed back into humanoid form.
"It's a good thing you guys showed up..." Gemini said. "I thought we were goners for sure..."
"But Sailor Moon still needs help..." Chibi Moon said.
"We can't leave her all alone at Zero Star..." Vesta said, stepping forward.
Mamoru nodded.
"It's about time we head over there..."
"Prince Endymion..." Scorpio said.
"If what Sapphire said about the Golden Crystal is true... then it is better that it's in Take's hands... as it is... she is the Earth Princess and is the rightful holder of the Golden Crystal..." Mamoru said.
The Zodiac looked at each other.
"We're ready to follow you... Prince Endymion..." Leo said, smiling.
The others nodded in agreement.
Chibi Moon reached for Mamoru's hand.
"Let's get this over with..." Chibi Moon said.
Mamoru nodded.
"Let's go..."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sapphire appeared in the vast throne room. Opal stood at the other side.
Cronus continued to stare out into space.
"Ruby and Emerald failed..." Cronus said, calmly, though the frustration in his voice was apparent.
Sapphire and Opal shuttered from the tone of his voice.
"My lord..." Sapphire spoke up.
"Be Silent!" Cronus shouted.
Sapphire stepped back.
"You failed to capture the Earth Prince.... And allowed little girls to overpower you..."
"But Lord Cronus...!"
"Silence... I've lost my faith in you Sapphire..."
"Lord Cronus! Please!"
Cronus's eyes glowed red, and Sapphire crashed to her knees, hands clutched to her chest.
"Lord... Cronus..." Sapphire chocked out. "Please... don't do this.... Please give me one more chance.... Please..!"
Opal stood there, dumbstruck. Here, Sapphire was meeting the same fate as their sister Garnet, all those years ago.
Cronus smirked.
"You receive no second chance...."
Sapphire screamed as her heart crushed inside her, her body disintegrating into dust, with only a sapphire stone remaining.
Opal reached for the stone.
"Sapphire..." she whispered, releasing the last bit of sedimental feelings for her sister.
"Opal..." Cronus called out, pulling Opal out of her thoughts.
"Yes, Lord Cronus...?"
Cronus turned towards Opal.
"You are the last one left standing... I want you... to bring Prince Endymion here alive. Kill the other Senshi and the Small Lady. I want that Golden Crystal."
"What of the Silver Crystal my lord?" Opal asked.
Cronus looked back out into space.
"Sailor Moon will deliver the Silver Crystal personally..." He said, staring out into the Galaxy Cauldron.
"No one... not even Princess Serenity... can stop me now...."