Act 6: Crystal Tokyo

"Daddy!" Chibiusa tried to grin, but seemed too afraid to do so. She walked up to the man and held out her arms. She gasped as she nearly walked through him, "Daddy, what happened to you?"

"I'm glad you're safe, Small Lady," he said to her in a voice very similar to Mamoru's, "That was a very dangerous thing you did, traveling to the past. But your judgment was fit for a princess."

Chibiusa's eyes were watering. She was still staring at him, confused at the state of his body.

The man finally smiled at Sailor Moon and her team, and held out an arm, "Welcome to Crystal Tokyo, and our palace. I'm sorry about the state of things. There was a terrible battle. I wouldn't have chosen for you to see the future like this. I would have greeted you the moment you arrived, but..." he looked down at himself, "There are some complications with this body, as you can see. Come," he gestured for them to follow him, and they did. They silently walked through an ornate hall, decorated with flickering candles and mirrors. Usagi gasped as she made an observation.

"You don't have a reflection," she stated as she looked into the mirrors, "Or a shadow on the floor. Just what are you?"

"This form isn't as solid as I thought it would be," the man sighed, "My real body is in another room. This is my spirit, crafted in the same way of Queen Serenity in the Silver Millennium," he smiled at them, "My name is King Endymion."

Mamoru gasped, and took a step back. It had been strange enough have a ghost of his clone talk to them, but it was more bizarre to have the same name as him.

"Don't be surprised, Mamoru," the king nodded at him, "You know who I am."

"You're me," Mamoru stated quietly.

"Yes. I am your future self."

Usagi wrapped her arms around herself, feeling uncomfortable. She hadn't expected this at all. She didn't know how to feel about seeing Mamoru's body in the future. This was what Tuxedo Kamen would look like one day.

"Small Lady," King Endymion looked down at Chibiusa, "You did say your proper introductions to them, correct?"

Chibiusa sighed and rolled her eyes before gingerly holding the hem of her skirt and curtsying, "Ladies and gentleman, I am glad you are present in good health. I am Her Royal Highness Princess Small Lady Serenity Usagi, daughter of Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion of Crystal Tokyo and Earth, first princess of the Silver Millennium. It is a pleasure to meet you all."

Sailor Moon and her team just stared at her.

"Very nice," King Endymion smiled, "Just as we've practiced. A polite introduction is the first step to becoming a queen-like lady."

The kitten at his feet finally spoke up, "I'm glad to see you're safe too, Small Lady."

"You too, Diana!" Chibiusa picked up her cat.

"The king and I have been doing our best to look out for you," Diana said, giving her master a lick on her cheek.

"So," Usagi said in a quivering voice, "If you're Mamo-chan in the future, and Chibiusa is your daughter, is that..." she pointed to the hall behind her, "Is that... me? And that means that Chibiusa is..."

"Correct," King Endymion said, "Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Kamen, this is your daughter."

The two of them stared at Chibiusa. She stared back, looking a little awkward. Usagi looked at Mamoru for some guidance, of what to do or say or think, but he was blushing just as brightly as Usagi was.

"This is so weird," Minako broke the tension, "You're Mamoru, and that's Usagi, and... what is going on?"

Curiosity got the better of Usagi again, and she turned around to rush toward her future self. She pressed her hands and face against the crystal tomb, and stared at her own body. She was looking at her own destiny. She was going to become the Queen of Earth, and reign for hundreds of years. She was going to rule in her very own crystal city. She was going to have a daughter with Mamoru, the King. And then something horrible would happen to change all that. One day she herself would end up in this casket. Her palms were sweating, but she was trembling too much to remove her gloves. All she could do was watch her older self lie there.

"What happened here?" Usagi jumped at Luna's voice, and turned around to see that everyone had followed her. Luna was talking to King Endymion, "Is that Silver Crystal surrounding the queen? What happened to her? Is she alive?"

"I don't know," King Endymion looked down at the ground, "I can't tell if she's alive or dead."

Diana the kitten spoke up, "The Queen was rushing out of the palace in a big hurry. It was right when the attack happened. It was a massive explosion. Everything was destroyed. Since then, the city has been still and quiet."

"I rushed to the Queen's side," King Endymion stated, "And so did her four soldiers. They protected her with their powers. In the blink of an eye they trapped her in an enclosure of silver crystal. But the soldiers and I took a direct hit from the explosion. Our bodies were badly damaged. We were all defeated. With the last of our strength, we laid the queen to rest in her tomb and sealed off the castle, then we collapsed into an unconscious state. We thought the people inside the palace would remain safe, but this poisonous mist appeared, and people began dying. The only two who weren't affected by it were my daughter and her guardian cat."

Chibiusa clenched Diana and shut her eyes, trying to block out some bad memories.

He continued, "She must have remembered her favorite bedtime stories about Sailor Moon, her mother. Every night I would tell Small Lady about the times when the Queen was a legendary soldier. I'm sure that's how she decided to go to the past. Diana stayed behind, however. She didn't want to leave Luna and Artemis behind."

"What's that?" Luna asked worriedly.

Diana jumped out of Chibiusa's arms and bowed her head at the cats, "Luna, Artemis, how do you do? I am your daughter, Diana."

"WHAT?" Luna screeched. While Artemis just stared at his future daughter in shock, Luna continued ,"But... with Artemis? No. Really? We... we will... we will?"

"Meow," Diana grinned.

"Something's not right," Mamoru spoke up, "King, why do we still look alike? If you are my self in a thousand years, why haven't you aged?"

"The Silver Crystal," Endymion said simply, "The people of the Silver Millennium live for a thousand years, usually longer. We stop growing once we reach adulthood. Neo Queen Serenity was twenty-two when she was crowned and gave birth to the princess. Her body, or mine, hasn't changed since. Everyone living here in Crystal Tokyo is now part of the Silver Millennium, but nearly everyone on Earth has a very long lifespan. It was a very peaceful time. Until... our capital became a ghost town. It can be resurrected by the Silver Crystal easily, but only Neo Queen Serenity can use it. She hasn't woken up since that day. There is nothing we can do."

"The Black Moon did this, didn't they?" Sailor Venus asked, "Who are they? Are they still here? Did they put that black stone in the city?"

"There is something I should show you, follow me," said the King.

They walked through hall after hall, crossing through many ornate rooms until they entered a huge command center. It was a larger, more state of the art version of the one in the arcade. The biggest difference were the computer screens. They were the walls of the control center, and they currently displayed the starry sky, making them feel like they were in a planetarium. King Endymion's spirit pushed a button, and the stars zoomed away. They were sailing through space, passing Jupiter and Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, until it arrived at a very dark, glowing planet about the size of the Moon.

"What's that?" Venus asked.

"That is the true final planet in our solar system. It is called Nemesis."

"Nemesis," Usagi whispered, repeating the name.

"Nobody was sure it really existed for a long while. Scientists were struggling to find it, since it's orbit was so irregular. It would literally disappear from the sight of our telescopes and satellites. It was nicknamed the Planet of Darkness, because it was impossible to see. But it was finally discovered about eight hundred years ago, when it was found to emit a very dark energy source that could be tracked. The worst criminals were sent there, and after sending one particularly horrible man there, the Queen ordered that nobody should bother that planet again. Then, just a few years ago, the planet kept popping up on our radar screens, much more frequently than it had in the past. The orbit was becoming regular. After some investigation, we found it had been taken over by the Black Moon."

"Who are they?" Usagi asked.

"Total scumbags," Diana answered, "They're like misfits. They're the children of our nobles who decided to rebel against us. They rejected their own society and made their own on Nemesis. Then they began launching terrorist attacks on Earth."

"They want the Silver Crystal," said King Endymion, "So they can defeat us and take over this planet."

"I get it," Luna spoke up, "That black stone is the same substance as that earring."

"Yes, Black crystal," King Endymion nodded, "How do you know if it? What earring are you talking about?"

"King," said Luna, "Black Moon came to the past. They followed Chibiusa. They're trying to invade our world with their own black crystals, which they wear as earrings. They are tiny, but they do a considerable amount of damage. It's a powerful stone."

"What are they thinking?" King Endymion seemed shocked, "If they attack the past... they will alter time and space. If they have the power over the time warp then they are far more dangerous than I thought."

Usagi suddenly felt very woozy, and stumbled a little.

"Are you alright?" Venus asked her.

"I'm okay, just..." she put a hand on her head, "The room is spinning a little."

"Your legs!" Venus suddenly shrieked. Usagi looked down to see that her boots and thighs were just as transparent as the king's, if not more so. She removed her hand and gasped when she could look right through it.

"What's happening?" Usagi cried.

"You need to go back to your time, quickly!" the king said urgently, "A person can't exist in two places at once. You're creating a distortion in time and space. I shouldn't have kept you here so long."

"But we have to be here!" Usagi said, "We are looking for Mars, Mercury and Jupiter. Black Moon captured them."

"If that's the case, then they're probably on Nemesis. I'm sure we can combine efforts to rescue them. You will come back, won't you?"

"Of course," said Venus, "We will return soon, King."

"Small Lady," the king addressed his daughter, "I wish I could go with you and protect you. You will have to stay brave and strong."

"King," Mamoru stepped up, placing a hand on Chibiusa's shoulder, "I would die before I let any harm come to Small Lady."

Usagi could have sworn her ears began to ring at that statement. He was willing to die for her. Usagi didn't know what to do if Mamoru was killed while defending Chibiusa. She understood being protective of his future daughter, but dying for her...

King Endymion finally appeared a little awkward in front of his past self. He grinned a little, "I must admit... this is weird."

"Tell me about it," Mamoru replied with the exact same tone of voice.

"Do you know those moments where you wish you could talk to your past self, and you would tell them a million things?" the King blushed, "I can't think of anything to say."

"I can relate," Mamoru said, "Since... you are me."

"Come," King Endymion was still grinning as he gestured them out of the control room, "There's a door to time here in the castle."

Sailor Venus walked at his side, "How much do you know about Sailor Pluto? I didn't even know she existed. Is she a sailor soldier like us?"

"Pluto's mission is completely different than yours. You are the leader of the Four Guardian Soldiers, Sailor Venus, and your mission is to protect Princess Serenity," he nodded at Sailor Moon, "Just as she is the daughter of Selene, goddess of the moon, Pluto is the daughter of Chronos, the god of time. Her mission is to protect the underworld and guard the gates of time. Sailor Pluto is the one who enforces time travel."

They had reached the end of a long hallway, where a door identical to the one they had traveled through sat. Endymion opened it casually, and it revealed the world of time. Pluto was standing there, and she gasped when she saw the King, "Oh, Endymion, I mean, King Endymion. If I knew you were coming..."

"Pluto," he interrupted her, "You must understand that I would never ask you this unless it's an emergency. I need a key."

"Of course," she said seriously. She removed a key from her belt and gave it to Endymion. He passed it to Sailor Moon, and told her, "Use this key to make a time warp and return to Sailor Pluto. But do not use it lightly. Sailor Pluto is older than all of us, and she will not hesitate to use her judgment against foolish time travelers. She is as wise as she is beautiful."

Pluto looked a little embarrassed, tucking her long hair behind her ear as she said quietly, "Thank you, King."

Venus smiled at their new ally, "Thanks for helping us, Sailor Pluto," and she shook hands with the guardian of time.

King Endymion turned to walk through the door, and Sailor Pluto knelt as he exited. He called over his shoulder, "Please be careful, all of you."

The key in Usagi's hands began to glow, and a second later they were all back in the park. Unfortunately, they arrived in a dog pile, with Sailor Venus laying on top of all of them.

"Get off, V-chan!" Usagi said as she shoved her friend off her back, "When did you get so heavy?"

"Sorry," Minako blushed, "It's not like it was on purpose"

Mamoru took out his pocket watch, "It seems like no time went by while we were gone. That's useful. We should get home and get some sleep. How are you, Chibiusa?" he knelt down to the little girl.

Usagi's could feel her heart pounding again. Her jealousy started to rise up in her once more, and before she could suggest that she would take Chibiusa home, Mamoru looked at her and said, "I'll take her to my place, Usako. Don't worry."

"But..." Usagi didn't like that idea one bit, "Why can't she stay with me? She has her own room at my house."

Mamoru held Chibiusa tightly, "I made a vow to protect her. I'm going to keep her safe, no matter what."

Usagi felt her hands ball up into fists, "Right. You said you would die for her. Funny, I thought that's how you felt about me, and me alone."

"Usako," he began to reply, but she interrupted him, "She's more important to you than this entire mission. More than rescuing our friends, more than the future... more than me, I'm sure. You care about Chibiusa more than me, don't you? Say it!"

"Usako, you don't get it," he was raising his voice, "This is our daughter."

"Sure she is," Usagi glared at Chibiusa, who just looked back at her resentfully, "I am not a mother, Mamo-chan. I did not give birth to her. I am not living that life right now, I'm living mine. And right now, my life is pretty messed up. My friends have been kidnapped, and I have to go rescue them. I don't want to live that future life right now, I want to live mine. And I'm supposed to live it with you. Not you and her. You are both in your own little happy world and I'm not included in it."

"Usako, please understand!"

"No! You want to protect her more than me. Fine! Do it! Who says I need you anyway?" and with that, she rushed off toward her house. She flung herself on her bed, still in her school uniform, and began to cry into her pillow.

Now the guilt was creeping over her. Of course he would want to protect her, especially now that they knew she was their daughter. But why did it have to be Mamoru that protected her, and not Mamoru and Usagi? Why did this girl have to tear apart their team?

The rest of them didn't get a lot of comfortable sleep that night either. Mamoru tucked Chibiusa into his bed without a word, not even saying good night. She pulled the covers to her chin, remembering when her father would tuck her in, and felt her heart aching for her old life.

Minako brought both cats to her house, and the three of them stared up at the sky.

"Nemesis is somewhere up there," Minako said, "With our friends on it."

"We will get them back," Artemis said assuredly.

"Of course we will," Minako, "Now who is ready for bed? Oh wait, should I leave you two alone?"

Luna and Artemis stared at each other awkwardly.

Minako smirked at the cats, "Have you two been in love this whole time, and never said anything? You guys are sneaky."

"Excuse me!" Luna said, "Artemis and I have never... we..." she looked at Artemis, "Right?"

"You really haven't thought about it until now?" Artemis asked her.

"Well... sometimes... but not seriously."

"We are the only two talking cats from the Silver Millennium, who both live on Earth. You honestly didn't think something would happen between us?"

"Artemis, please. This is embarrassing."

"Oh my darling Luna," Artemis sighed, "Seems that Usagi and Mamoru aren't the only couple having a fight."

"We aren't a couple," Luna said quickly.

"Yet," Artemis answered.

"Keep it up, and you'll sleep on the other side of the bed," Luna replied.

Minako grinned, "It's like you guys have been married for years."

Artemis laughed over Luna's exasperated cried of, "No, it's nothing like that!"

Mamoru woke up with the sun in his face. He didn't mean to fall asleep; he wanted to stay awake to make sure Chibiusa was okay, since he heard her crying in her sleep. He opened his bedroom door and was shocked to find his bed made and empty. Chibiusa was gone.

His first instinct was to go to Usagi's, but he hesitated. After the fight last night, he wasn't sure if Usagi wanted him around. He knew the cats were at Minako's, so he awkwardly made his way to her house.

He was relieved when Minako answered the door instead of Mrs. Aino, "Hey, what's up?"

"Chibiusa is gone."

"Again?" Minako gasped, "Is she at Usagi-chan's?"

"I don't know."

She rolled her eyes, "Let's go, I'll get the cats."

Usagi was a little thrilled when Mamoru appeared at her doorstep, but her heart sank when he asked if she had seen Chibiusa. She couldn't look at him as she answered, "She didn't come back here."

"Then where did she go?" Minako asked, sounding a little frantic.

Mamoru frowned, "She was talking in her sleep a little last night. She was calling out for her Dad. You don't think she went back to Crystal Tokyo, do you?"

"Small Lady?" Sailor Pluto asked as she peered through the mist of time. Indeed, Chibiusa and Luna-P were making their way toward her.

"What's going on, Small Lady? Where are Sailor Moon and Venus? You didn't come here alone, did you? It's so dangerous."

"It's okay," Chibiusa shrugged, "I'm used to being by myself. But... can I hang out with you for a bit? We're still friends, aren't we?"

Sailor Pluto smiled, "Of course we are. You know I love you like you were my own, Small Lady."

"Thanks," Chibiusa grinned a little, "I'm gonna see Diana. Do you think that would be okay?"

"As long as you know you're safe," Pluto nodded, "I know how responsible you are. Go ahead."

Chibiusa went through the door, thinking that she wasn't very responsible at all. She knew she was a bit immature, and bratty, and usually got her way. She just wished that more people understood her.

She dashed into the castle, hoping that there weren't any Black Moon people around to see her. She stood in the middle of the entry hall and called out, "Daddy?"

The spirit of King Endymion didn't appear. Instead, she wandered through the castle. She passed the room where the Four Guardian Soldiers were laid to rest. Across the hall, her father's body lay, dead but not dead. In the room designed especially for the cats, Luna and Artemis were curled up in their forever sleep. Diana was taking a cat nap beside them, purring as she dreamed. Chibiusa gently stroked her cat's fur, "I'm glad I'm not the only one who misses her parents."

Finally she went to see her mother. She went hesitantly, because that was how one approached Neo Queen Serenity. But she was still in her coma, encased in silver crystal.

Chibiusa put her hands on the tomb, "Mommy... Mom, please open your eyes."

Neo Queen Serenity didn't stir.

"Mommy, please. What can I do? How am I gonna wake you up? Help me, Mommy."

Chibiusa knelt before her mother, crying and praying with all her might for help to come. King Endymion watched from a distance, not wanted to interrupt his daughter and also trying not to cry.

Emerald peeked into Prince Diamond's chambers, and sure enough, he was staring at his hologram of Neo Queen Serenity. Emerald rolled her eyes, wondering what that woman had that she didn't. The answer was probably eternal youth and the Silver Crystal. But still, Emerald had always been by Diamond's side since they were children, and his fascination with Neo Queen Serenity hadn't happened until very recently. Just what sparked this sudden lust?

She was suddenly grabbed around her shoulders and yanked backwards. She tried not to scream. Rubeus whispered in her ear, "Spying on Prince Diamond, Emmy? You really are low, you know that? What is this going to accomplish?"

"Stop it, Rube," Emerald hissed, "He's going to hear you."

"Who is?" Diamond said as he stepped out of his room and shut the door.

Rubeus let Emerald go, "I was just about to say to our dear friend that she should step up her game. Her last attack failed miserably."

"Oh, look who's talking," Emerald flicked her hair, "All of your little girls are gone; Sailor Moon wiped them out without breaking a sweat."

"I asked to be alone," Prince Diamond said coolly, "Why are you interrupting my private time?"

"Prince," Emerald smiled at him, "I was going to suggest that we stop sending our fancy droids out there to do our own job. Let me personally try to catch that Rabbit. Besides, I still have a trick up my sleeve."

Prince Diamond rolled his eyes, "That pun again."

Emerald grinned widely as she took off her black gloves, revealing her true hands. They were the color of Wiseman's hands, dark and warped, and they twisted around at impossible angles, "I will personally launch Operation: Relax. I will go to the castle and get Rabbit, Sailor Moon, and the Silver Crystal all in one sweep. I will bring them straight to you."

She immediately teleported to the Crystal Palace, where Chibiusa was sitting on the steps outside, wiping her eyes. She grinned as she hovered in the air, "Well, well, well. Look at poor little Rabbit, alone and defenseless. Did you friends really allow you to come by yourself?"

Emerald's hands twisted down toward Chibiusa, about to grab her around her neck. King Endymion gasped when he watched from the top of the stairs, still in the doorway of the castle. He shut his eyes tight and communicated to Mamoru in the past, "Quickly, come to the castle, Small Lady is in danger!"

Chibiusa was grabbed and hoisted in the air. She tried to scream, but could only gag as her neck was being squeezed.

Emerald held her at a distance, stretching her hands, "So Rabbit. This is your moment. You're a child of the Silver Millennium. Ancient blood runs through your veins. Show me your power."

When Chibiusa did nothing but grab at Emerald's fingers, Emerald generated another hand out of her distorted arms and removed one of her earrings, "I suppose I will just have to kill you then."

"Chibiusa!" called out a voice before her, and before she could react her heard, "Venus Love Me Chain!"

A painful whip lashed against her arms, shrinking them and taking away her power. Chibiusa and the earring fell to the ground. Tuxedo Kamen ran underneath Chibiusa and grabbed her just in time.

King Endymion called from the stairs "Look out!"

When the crystal hit the ground, it detonated like the bomb. Tuxedo Kamen, Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus were knocked to the ground as the heat and pressure burst all around them. The moment she could stand, Usagi held out her Mood Rod and attacked, "Moon Princess Halation!"

Once again, nothing happened. Usagi's heart sank.

Emerald laughed, and stretched three hands toward each soldier, grabbing them by their necks.

King Endymion paced, wanting to do something but was unable to leave the castle. He channeled Mamoru's mind, "Let's attack, we can say it together."

Tuxedo Kamen and King Endymion both called out, "Tuxedo Bomber!"

Emerald's arms snapped off. Armless, she screamed and fled, so she could bleed to death without anyone watching.

Usagi nearly threw the Moon Rod on the ground, "What is going on? Why don't my powers work anymore? Why is it just me?"

"I have a theory," King Endymion said, "The same object can't exist in two places at the same time. With two Silver Crystals so close to each other, they probably null each other out. That could be the reason."

"But..." Usagi was trying not to cry, "If I can't use my crystal here, then how am I supposed to rescue my friends? How do I fight Black Moon?"

"Indeed," came a low, gravelly voice from nearby. Usagi turned and saw they were being watched by two people. One of them was from Black Moon, since he had the mark on his forehead and the earrings. His suit, cloak and hair were all white. Beside him was a hovering, hooded figure without a visible face, who was holding a crystal ball. It seemed to be him that was speaking, "Certainly Emerald is dying, if not dead already, and it wasn't done with any help from the Silver Crystal. It's not nearly as powerful as we thought, Prince."

"Who are you?" Sailor Moon called out.

"Do you like your future, Sailor Moon?" the man in white called out, "Do you like what I've done with the place, Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Venus? It seems that your future has quite a few unexpected surprises."

Usagi glared angrily at him, "Tell us now, what do you want from us? What is your plan? What are you doing with my friends? And this planet? Tell me now!"

Prince Diamond basked in her anger. She was beautiful. The look of hatred, loathing, and complete disgust was exquisite. It was the same look that she had given him that time, during the attack. With a calm, straight face he activated his third eye.

Usagi felt paralyzed. She couldn't move or look away from the eye on his forehead. She did her best to resist and fight, but her body wouldn't move a muscle.

A bright light shone from Diamond's third eye, and glowed like a beacon on Sailor Moon. Now her body felt even more trapped, and she felt herself hovering off the ground. She stared at Mamoru as he disappeared from his vision, calling out to her, "Sailor Moon!"