"My desires?" The woman only smiled and nodded. Mitsuko looked back at the small white stone in her hand. "I don't understand." None of this was making any sense to her. Not at all. "Who are you?"
"I am Queen Eos." She said still smiling. "Do you remember who you are?" Mitsuko's heart jumped as she recognized the name from her newly awakened memories.
"I am Queen Metalia." Mitsuko finally whispered, but Eos shook her head still smiling brightly.
"No." She confided as she came closer to Mitsuko, and she stopped just a foot away from her and the white stone. "Metalia," Eos's smile died on her face and her gaze became more sorrowful as she looked at Mitsuko, "She is a parasite. An echo of Chaos." Mitsuko shook her head.
"But I remember-"
"What you remember is not your memories, but hers." Mitsuko stood there still not understanding, but she thought back to when the memories had come to her. The memories had felt as if they had happened to someone else and not to her, it had been as if she had been watching it happen on a T.V. screen. The woman's gaze left Mitsuko and went back to the stone. "The Star Seed was cursed." She said. "When it came out of The Galaxy Cauldron, the mark of Chaos was imprinted upon it. When Metalia was born from the dark spot on The Sun, she needed either and Star Seed or a body to preserve herself, and there she found the Star Seed already prepared for her to take." Eos shook her head sorrowfully. "I was so young." She said with regret. "Too young to take on the responsibilities as Queen, and I was too young to control the power of our family's Sacred Stone." Mitsuko looked at the stone in her hand.
"This stone?"
"Yes, it is the Star Seed of The Sun's Guardian Senshi; The Amber Jewel." The woman sighed. "I was only a young girl when it happened. When Father, King Apollo, died in the attack against The Night. As a man, he could not access the full power and because of this he faultered and was destroyed along with much of those around us." The woman's voice was hollow now and far away. "The stone passed down to me, and I was utterly overwhelmed by its power and the duty along with it." She looked up from the stone and at Mitsuko finally. "You were so brave and encouraging in all of this." She said with a small shadow of a smile forming on her face. "Always telling me to take courage and giving me strength. Just at the age of three, you were my little ray of sunshine, my little Aurora." Mitsuko stood there wide eyed as she said this, she had no memory of what she was talking about. "Then Metalia came." The smile that had been forming vanished. "I could not defeat her, and my body was destroyed."
"But, you're right here..." Eos nodded.
"I was destroyed, but my last act was to seal my soul within The Jewel and destroy the mark imprinted upon it. I thought if I did so, I would be able to keep Metalia's power in check. Without the mark she would have less control, and less power. Metalia went to take the Amber Jewel, but," She paused. "You would not give up. You were so brave and self denying." Tears were in her eyes, but she was not crying for herself but for Mitsuko. "Aurora, you stepped into the battle. You took The Jewel for yourself, but instead of fighting... you did something that I was not brave enough to do." Her voice trailed off, and Mitsuko felt the stone resonate above her hand as the memory came to her.
"I kept it sealed deep within me, so she could not use its power at all. I forced her to take control of my body instead of The Jewel." Mitsuko felt the memories trying to come forward now. "I let her possess me in order to keep her away from The Jewel." Eos nodded and tears were streaking down her face.
"From within The Jewel I was able to keep you safe from complete take over; to preserve you." Eos was sobbing. "But you locked away your memories in order to keep The Jewel hidden. You let yourself forget how to unlock The Jewel in order to keep Metalia from doing so." Mitsuko nodded.
"I remember... some." Eos' hands touched Mitsuko's and brought them closer around The Jewel and it shone brightly.
"Embrace The Jewel now." Eos demanded. "It is time. You must awaken as the new Sailor Sun. You must protect the ones you love, just like you always have. Awaken your memories!" Mituko looked deep into the woman's tear filled eyes; her sister.
"What will happen to you?" Eos smiled.
"Always worried about me." She laughed softly. "I will be right here." She said motioning to The Jewel. "I will always be with you until the very end. Just listen, and that little annoying voice nagging at you will be your forever bossy sister." Mitsuko laughed, but she was beginning to cry as well. Eos placed her hand on her cheek and pushed the tear that fell away. "No tears now." She said with a weary smile. "Be happy, this is your new life." She stood up straight. "My little Aurora, no," She let out a strangled laugh. "My little Mitsuko-chan." Mitsuko tried to keep the tears back. Eos dried her eyes and stood up straight once more. "Go now." She said, and Mitsuko stared at The Jewel. Then... her hands enclosed around it.
The Jewel shone even brighter, and the milky crust around it shattered violently. As Mitsuko and Eos watched it blazed a vibrant reddish orange. Mitsuko's eyes closed as the warmth of the power flowed over her and filled her with a sense of peace, but also, determination. The memories were coming forward quickly and she could see it as if it were happening before her eyes once more: King Apollo, Eos, The Sun, the happiness and the pain. She remembered it all, and she remembered the single thought that had gone through her as she raced forward to take The Jewel away from Metalia's grasp.
She would not let her succeed.
It explained everything: her sickness, her dreams, her fears. She would rather die then let Metalia succeed, and in order to prevent the memories from coming and to stop Metalia's awakening.
Mitsuko let the power and memories come now. She could not let Metalia hurt those she loved; those who had risked everything to help her.
Mitsuko's eyes opened and Eos stood there with her hands clasped together.
"Amber Star Power!" Mitsuko brought The Jewel to her heart and let the power begin her transformation. "Make Up!"
A bright light filled the darkened dimension, and when it died out, Mitsuko stood there completely transformed and Eos stood there looking her over with a soft smile.
"You look beautiful." Mitsuko's hands went to her face and she removed the purple mask from her face and looked it over. She didn't need a mask. She knew who she was now, and she was not ashamed. Mitsuko's gaze went upwards towards where she knew existed life and she let the mask drop down into the abyss. "Remember, it reacts to your heart's desires." Mitsuko looked back towards Eos one more time.
"Thank you, Onee-chan." Eos's smile widened.
"Mitsuko-chan," Eos said with her voice warm and soft. Mitsuko lifted her head upwards and she let the power flow through her before releasing it and she began to surge up wards quickly towards the light.
Metalia had no right here, she was an outsider, and Mitsuko would not let her go on.
Metalia lay on the ground while the fever racked her body and she tried to press forward. She had to get The Silver Crystal. She had to defeat that pathetic Moon Princess, and... and...
"I will defeat you!" Metalia gasped in horror as she felt the little ant trying to fight back.
"You go back to the little hole you cried into." Metalia growled, but she felt a new power surge through her and Metalia couldn't believe what she was feeling. "No." The fire was raging inside her and she felt her soul being ripped apart. "No!" Her forehead was burning and glowing brightly as she felt her control of the body slipping. The body was not rejecting her, but Mitsuko was.
"This is my body." Metalia's mouth said, but it was not her voice. Mitsuko had somehow broken through. "Now leave." Metalia couldn't. It was her body! She felt herself being expelled, but she hung on tightly.
"No!" Metalia screamed with venom. Mitsuko was not impressed, and she pushed harder.
"Leave!" Brooch on Metalia's chest burst brightly as it transformed and Metalia felt herself loose her grip. Once more she found herself without a body once, and her spirit rested on the ground. Mitsuko stood over her now clothed in a brightly Sailor fuku that had replaced the black and white one of Metalia. Mitsuko lifted her hands up into the air, and Metalia screamed in horror as she felt herself dissolve into thin air.
"Mitsuko-chan!" Chibi Moon collided with her and Mitsuko lost her balance from the force. "Mitsuko-chan..." Chibi Moon was crying as she hugged her, and Mitsuko hugged her back.
"Arigato... Chibiusa-chan." The other girl whispered finally, and Chibi Moon pressed her more tightly.
"I was so afraid... I thought you were gone." Chibi Moon said through her tears, and Mitsuko rubbed her head gently.
"I couldn't let all your hard work be for nothing." Chibi Moon looked up at her with her big red eyes, and Mitsuko was looking down at her happily.
"A-" The others stood to the side looking at the scene before them in a daze. "A Sailor Senshi?" Sailor Venus finally gasped out. The others could only stare at the happy preteens before them in surprise. This was something they had never guessed.
"Metalia was..." Sailor Mercury couldn't even finish her statement. "But how?" No one could answer her except the Senshi before them, but she was not in the position to begin an explanation because as she sat there with Chibi Moon, something in her eyes flashed and she was looking back up at her intended target. Her eyes were hard and angry, and she began to rise to her feet; forcing Chibi Moon to back away from her. "No one shall ever use my power to hurt the ones I love ever again!" She said with venom, and her hard, fiery gaze was fully on Clotho who still rested on her knees surrounded by the ashen ground, and her gaze brought the others to the task at hand. Sailor Sun lifted her staff high and a great, bright, light began to shine from it once more.
"Sunlight Amber Purge!" The energy surged towards Clotho who at the last moment lifted her own staff and created a shield for herself. The energy collided with it and after a moment it crashed through Clotho's defenses and the woman was sent backwards and lay on the ground as she tried to catch her breath through her tears and fear. She had to get out of here or else she would die! But was there a reason to continue the struggle? The newest Sailor Senshi stepped forward and lifted the staff above her head once more and anger flared in her eyes. "I will protect the ones I love!" She declared and Clotho sat up. So would she...
"Life Spinner's Portal!" Clotho's power surged around her and she felt herself being transported back down into the depths of the earth bellow. Sailor Sun's power chased after her and even through the portal its power was hot and painful. Quickly Clotho hurried to turn her staff clockwise and to close the portal, but as she did so, to her horror, she felt the pressure of resistance from the other side. A gasp escaped her lips as she realized someone on the other side, someone more powerful in the art of portals, was keeping it open. Breathing heavily she took her staff and touched the head of the staff to the portal. "Life's Spinner's Portal!" She shouted and with that the portal erupted with light. The portal remained open, but Clotho raced away from the open portal knowing she had bought herself a little more time. She had to get to the chamber where she knew her sister would be waiting and planning the ritual that would awaken The Night, their father. She had to convince her to stop this!
Clotho began to disappear before them in a hasty panic, but Sailor Sun continued her attack, and Sailor Pluto raced to her side with her Talisman held high. The power surged through the portal after Clotho and Sailor Pluto's Talisman glowed brightly as she demanded the portal's full obediance in remaining open. Clotho would not get away so easily this time.
"Hurry!" Pluto shouted over her shoulder at the others and the others nodded in understanding. The group raced to the portal only to see it flash brightly and Pluto let out a gasp of fear as she steadied her control over the portal. Sailor Saturn stood closer to her.
"What is it?"
"I don't know, I thought something might be coming back through the portal from the other end." Pluto said. Sailor Sun began to walk to the portal and Sailor Chibi Moon raced beside her.
"Wait!" Sailor Mercury cried. "The others! We can't leave them to stay unattended to!" She was referring to the others who still lay injured on the ground from their bitter fight with the Keres: Minto, Lettuce, Berry, Mars, Jupiter, and Neptune.
"We have to hurry!" Sailor Sun shouted. The others could hardly recognize her. Was she really the small, shy, Mitsuko they had known. Sailor Sun glanced back at them. "I know some of my way around their dimension. I will lead the way." Sailor Mercury nodded and then took a step back towards the injured.
"I will stay. Tuxedo Kamen?" She eyed him, and after a moment he nodded as he agreed.
"Alright." He turned to Sailor Moon and kissed her passionately. "Stay safe. Please..." He begged. Sailor Moon nodded.
"I promise." He left her side and joined Sailor Mercury. Sailor Moon stepped closer to the portal along with the others. "Lets go!" She said with determination. The large group converged onto the one small portal with Sailor Sun leading the way followed by Sailor Chibi Moon and Saturn. The others followed, but as the last two pressed together in order to squeeze through the shrinking portal, they found it fading.
"No!" The two jumped more quickly only to find themselves falling onto the ground beside each other. "Not again!" Sailor Uranus shouted in bitter anger. Did she have to stay on the side lines forever and see others protect those she loved?! Couldn't she do anything herself?! Sailor Uranus punched the ground in frustration only to hear someone sniffling beside her. Looking over to her left she saw the pink figure sitting there with tears in her eyes. "Ichigo..." The pink Mew Mew burst into sobs and Uranus hugged her close. Ichigo kept crying.
"I hesitated..." Ichigo sobbed. "I couldn't decide if I could go on or if I would just be a constant burden. Now I can't even try!" Ichigo sobbed and Uranus pressed her lips tightly together sorrowfully. Uranus had been worried about her pride, and here was Mew Ichigo, who had lost her most precious person and who had been fighting only for the good of others and left her own pride in the dust behind her.
"It will be okay." Uranus said soothingly. "Maybe its for the best that we are left behind." Ichigo only sobbed more and Uranus held her like she would her own daughter. Like when she had seen Hotaru scrap her knee, so many years ago before her second awakening. Holding her, Hotaru had cried softly until Uranus had comforted her and reminded her of her own healing power. Uranus' stomach turned uneasily all of a sudden and she looked out onto the destroyed bay and past Tuxedo Kamen who was in the process of helping Mercury heal the others. Saturn had healing power just like Tuxedo Kamen's. Uranus' heart beat quickened and now she felt even more fearful about not getting through the portal. Saturn had left the healing to the other two when she could have helped ease the strain on Tuxedo Kamen's body. Uranus didn't want to think about what that meant but she had to.
Sailor Saturn was ready to turn her Silence Glaive upon The Night if she had to.
Hotaru was ready to die... and Uranus was again powerless to stop it.
Notes: Poor Ichigo. Its just not her day!
I've always, always thought of Metalia as Sailor Sun, but she was corrupted by Chaos. Once destroyed by Sailor Moon I figured the Star Seed went to be reborn, and we just didn't go far enough into the series to see its new Senshi; whether it be good or evil. Call it a headcanon, or maybe even pure fanon, but that is what I think. Mitsuko came out of this belief, and I developed it more into a possession kind of thing. A bit like anime Sailor Galaxia.