The sky was full of hundreds of stars tonight. The moon kingdom was ecstatic tonight as they celebrated the end of the Rai War with Jupiter and their victory thanks to the new general of the kingdoms army, Leo. He had just received four stars on his collar and was the highest ranking soldier in the kingdom, but not everyone was celebrating.
Deep within the monastery the king's court jester sat. He wore a mask that depicted him as the devil and wore tight spandex that were black, violet and white. He was well hidden from the eyes of all, just in case anyone needed to talk to the gods tonight. He sat inside the confession booth, where all would confess their darknest secrets begging for forgiveness.
A moment later someone entered the other side of the booth. "Gee the moon kingdom sure has changed," the jester yawned.
"But the peasants are still forgotten." A woman replied.
"What took you so long?" The jester asked.
"I have to be alot more careful...unlike you...I don't live here...and I didn't want to be seen." She replied.
"I'm overwhelmed by your dedication to our plan, Beryll." The jester smiled.
"Well, Gurio...you-"
"THAT IS NOT MY NAME...it's Mesno...understand?!" The jester seethed.
"My," Beryll said coyly, "my...calm down...what makes you not want to be called by that name anymore?"
"Look...my name's Mesno...okay?"
"Understood." Beryll groaned. Wishing he'd get to the point already.
"Good," Mesno nodded. "Now...lets get down to business." Mesno yawned.
Beryll smiled. It was about time. Mesno was the perfect informant for her. He was the last person anyone would expect to be aiding the Negaverse in its plans to crush the Moon and the Earth.
"You'll want to attack in three days...since its the birthday of Princess Serenity...and also General Leo is going to sneak off and elope with the Princess of Pluto."
"How long will it take him to return?" Beryll asked.
"At least a half an hour." Mesno replied. "Besides...we already have the four generals of the Earth that are going to help with the battle."
"Wrong," Beryll spat, "I have the four generals of Earth. Not you...ME. The only reason you're still alive is because you're the snake in the grass of the moon kingdom and have alot of good information. You're tired of being humiliated and made fun of and being the lapdog of the Serenity and Fidel...and as promised I guarantee you a position as my top general after we destroy the moon kingdom."
"No," Mesno shook his head, "I don't think you understand who's running this show...I know where your base is...I can easily let it slip where you are to the general and I...am more than capable of defeating you on my own right now...without Metallia you're nothing."
Beryll bit her tongue. He was right. She was too far away from her fortress to draw any energy to cast any spells to protect herself. Still there was no way she'd let HIM a clown talk to her the way he just had. She had disguised herself as a peasant to sneak into the chapel to talk to Mesno. It was time for her vengeance, neither Serenity nor Endymion would give up their sons to her so she'd destroy both their kingdoms as a warning to any that dared oppose the Negaverse.
"Now," Mesno said triumphantly. "I've given you the time to attack...now the position." Mesno smiled. "Listen up good. You'll have to come from the caves in the south...because of the birthday of the princess all the other families will be there and Fidel's still itchy about Jupiter being there so he'll have all the security he can muster around the party."
Beryll nodded, understanding. "If Fidel wants all the security he can get...why is Leo going to be gone that day. The rumors say that the army didn't even bleed in the final battle against Jupiter, they say that with a single attack Leo wiped out ten thousand soldiers.
"That's not a rumor." Mesno confirmed. "Which is why you need to attack when he's gone...waste all of the small fish so he has no one backing him. Unleash the seven shadows before he makes it...thirty minutes should be plenty for them right."
Beryll smiled.
"Blitz," Mesno elaborated, "If you want to take this kingdom it's gonna have to be all or nothing."
Beryll nodded.
"Just a moment of weakness on your part and they can call the Earth for help and you'll have to fight two armies instead of one."
Beryll nodded. "Is that all?"
"Yup." Mesno said, "See you in three days."
Without another word, Beryll left the booth. Heading off into the night and away from the kingdom.
Mesno entered the ballroom. Dressed in a suit with a bow-tie he and his long hair pulled back into a ponytail he made his way through the sea of people to the center of the dancefloor where General Leo was sharing a dance with his mother Queen Serenity.
Serenity smiled happily in the arms of her son. It had felt like yesterday since the day his space pod had crashed into the surface of the moon. He had grown so strong in such a short time, he was the youngest to ever enlist in the military at the tender age of thirteen and in five years he had grown from just a lowly private to the general of the armies through blood stripes and being sharp on the battlefield as well as off of it.
"I'm so proud of you Leo," Serenity said with a smile. He looked so handsome in his uniform, his medals and ribbons pinned on and his long hair falling to his shoulders despite it being out of regulations.
The military had allowed him to keep it since his single strand of pink continued to grow back regardless of how much it was cut and they would not discharge a soldier of his caliber.
Mesno smiled as the song finally ended. He moved in, ready to pay his respects. "General Leo," He said with a toothy grin, "Congratulations." He said, shaking his hand.
"...Thanks." Leo grunted, glaring at Mesno.
"Leo," Queen Serenity groaned, elbowing her son.
"I appreciate it." Leo said through gritted teeth. There was something in Mesno that made Leo distrust him. Leo could've easily just delved into Mesno's mind, but was forbidden to do so by the queen.
"Well...now that the war is over I say a big thanks to you general." Mesno said, patting Leo on the shoulder. "What would we do without you?"
Leo glared at Mesno. He didn't see where exactly the jester was going with this.
"I mean...who better to improve interplannet relations huh?" Mesno asked, baiting Leo.
All listening shared a laugh, especially the soldiers who took what Mesno said to be a joke but Mesno's intentions were to expose Leo's relationship with the princess of pluto.
The people of the moon were forbade from any relationship with anyone from a foreign planet by law and it seemed royalty was above that law for some unfair reason.
"Who better?" Leo agreed, raising a glass and having a drink before heading off.
"I don't trust him Serenity." Leo vented to his sister on the balcony overlooking the party.
"You worry too much." The young princess said, stretching her arms. She wanted so badly to be back in her room. She was proud of her brother but at the same time she wasn't happy that they were celebrating killing thousands of one of her friends people because of the pride of her father.
"Whatever." Leo said, drinking a little more of the whiskey in his glass.
"What's got you so worked up?" Serenity asked, noticing how crabby her brother was being. "Is it something with...You-know-who?"
"No," Leo scoffed. "I'm not worried about her. It's Gurio...I don't like him."
"What happened this time? You've been telling me for years how much you don't like him."
"He threatened me." Leo grunted. "About...You-know-what."
"Oh," Serenity groaned.
"How does he even know?" Leo asked, refilling his glass.
"Well..bro...I don't know whether you should be flattered or pissed by this but...well," Serenity said, going red suddenly, "You-know-who...when you two are...ya know." She said, trying to give a few hand signals to indicate what she meant. "She gets loud...she's a screamer."
Leo immediately went red with embarassment. Serenity and him had something in common, he didn't know how to feel whether flattered of pissed. At the moment all he felt was embarassed.
"No thank you," Serenity said, declining another dance from a soldier that gathered his courage to ask her with the use of alchohol.
Leo quickly shot the soldier a glare and a moment later he disapeared in the sea of people. He then turned to Serenity, "Happy that you're turning sixteen in a few days?"
"Yup," Serenity smiled happily. "I get a better curfew...can actually start dating people and-"
"Growing up's not all its cracked up to be. The older you get...the more responsible people expect you to be." Leo explained.
"What do you mean?"
"You'll see." Leo said, gazing into the crowd and catching the glimpse of a green and black balloon with the moon across it. Setsuna's signal. "I'll see you later." He said, heading off to meet You-know-who.
Serenity sighed helplessly and made her way back to her room. So what if she got in trouble for leaving early, she was tired of being at a party she didn't want to be at. She kicked her shoes off and climbed up the stairs of the tower and entered her room.
After tossing her shoes in the corner of the room a voice called to her. "Took you long enough."
Serenity spun around, to find Prince Endymion waiting in the dark corner of her room. "I've been up here for hours. I thought you weren't gonna go to the party."
"I had to...," Serenity said with a smile, "You know how it is."
"Yeah," He said, locking the door. He wouldn't make the mistake of being caught by someone again. After the last time when a soldier barged in. Endymion had to kill the soldier to preserve the secret romance between he and Serenity.
"I missed you." Serenity said, kissing his lips.
"I can't stay long." Endymion said.
"Oh...why not?" Serenity asked.
"I've been here for two hours now. Father will notice if I'm not there...with the threats from the Negaverse."
"Beryll still making empty threats?" Serenity asked.
"They're empty now. Thanks to Leo." Endymion smiled. "She's too scared to attack us now. Just bluffing."
"I don't know why our fathers don't just unite and defeat the Negaverse."
"Ego," Endymion groaned. "I just want you to know...before I go...I love you."
Immediately Serenity's heart warmed, she held him tightly and kissed him again. "I love you too."
With another long kiss, Endymion climbed out of the window on his way back to the Earth.
"Security suck here," Serenity smiled laying down in her bed.
Three days later...
Serenity stood in the courtyard of the castle. She was sixteen, but she hadn't grown another inch. She felt the same regardless of what day it was. All of the other princesses were in the garden.
Makoto sat on the other side of the garden. She was being extremely distant today but Serenity didn't blame her. Her father had been killed in the final battle of the Rai War by Serenity's brother and the moon kingdom had only lost one-hundred soldiers to over ten thousand on Jupiter's side.
"So where's Leo?" Minako asked.
"Why?" Serenity asked.
"Just wanted to say congrats on his promotion." Minako said in a shady type of voice, indicating there was alot more to what she wanted than a simple congratulations.
All of the princesses had been crushing on Leo for years but he had never given any of them the time of day, primarily because they were crushing on him and it looked pathetic to him. The only exceptions to this was Amy, Hotaru, Setsuna and Haruka and Michiru.
The only other princess that was being distant on this particular day was Hotaru. She wasn't feeling like herself. Perhaps it was because of the various new weapons her planet had been test firing to prepare for a possible invasion by the Moon.
She was ordered to talk to no one by her parents, especially the princesses in fear that she would leak the test firing information and start a war with the moon.
Hotaru sat in the library, in the darkest corner. She'd hide here all day, away from everyone except the librarian that made rounds every hour.
Mesno smiled happily. Today was the day. All he had to do now was initalize that everything was in order. In the library, Mesno had a special means of communicating with Queen Metallia and Beryll. A specail book in the darkest corner of the library.
The corner wouldn't be disturbed by anyone really since, odd enough as it was, no one really visited the library. Most of the Lunarian's were out partying and enjoying eachothers company and the swinger lifestyle popular among their culture until they turned eighteen and were expected to marry.
Mesno was now twenty-two years old and shunned from the culture primarily because he hadn't married at all throughout his entire life. He saw no reason to. He'd been happy with random sex with most of the Lunarian women but over the past few years he hadn't been able to get that because of his reputation as the one that hadn't married.
Mesno strutted through the library to the dark corner and sitting in a comfortable armchair was the princess of saturn, waiting for the hours to tick by so she could return home. "Hey," Mesno said, "What are you doing in here?"
"Reading?" Hotaru responded.
Mesno gritted his teeth, he could care less what the girl saw. He'd snap her neck if she questions what he was doing. He quickly tore a book titled Untitled from the shelf, flipped it open to the final page and licked the page.
That was the signal.
"What the hell?" Hotaru asked, backing away after watching him lick the book.
Mesno dropped the book. He'd have to do it. She was suspicious, she could spoil the entire plan. He had to kill her. "Foul language is very unbecoming of a princess." Mesno said, masking his intentions as he drew closer to her.
"You just licked a book." Hotaru said, clearly disturbed by what she'd just witnessed.
"Princess," Mesno began, his hands on her shoulders. "Why don't we go somewhere?"
"You want me to go somewhere with you, a guy that licks books?" Hotaru asked.
"I can guarantee you. I'm nothing like anyone you'll ever know. Once in a lifetime opportunity...besides what are you going to do now. Sit in the library and try not to look suspicous so you don't give away the fact that your planets testing weapons to use against us?" Mesno asked.
Hotaru gasped. Did she do something wrong? Hint it in someway?
"Come on," Mesno said, motioning for her to follow him.
Hotaru swallowed hard. If she didn't go with him, he could quickly alert anyone what her country was doing but if she were with him she could possibly protect her people. "Okay." Hotaru said, following him.
Mesno stopped at the end of the courtyard. It was getting late. He had a few hours left to himself before the fall of the moon kingdom began.
"What are we doing here?" Hotaru asked. Noticing they were all alone.
"Whatever I want." Mesno summarized circling Hotaru, his hand inside his pocket on his knife. "Are you scared?"
"No," Hotaru replied. Trying to be brave.
"You're shaking." Mesno pointed out as he drew his knife for her to see. "You scream you die." He quickly informed her.
Hotaru bit her tongue.
"What do I want to do?" Mesno said with a smile as he loosened Hotaru's dress. "Tell me...what do you think I want to do?"
Hotaru didn't respond. She stood there as Mesno undressed her, their activites blocked from view by the large hedges of the courtyard.
"Well?" Mesno asked, looking Hotaru up-and-down. "What do I want to do?" He asked, tossing the knife in the air and catching it.
"...Please?" Hotaru pleaded.
"Please what?" Mesno asked, "Spare you." He said, chuckling. "I would like you to be the first to know...I am no longer in the employ of the moon kingdom. I am now general of the armies of the negaverse." Mesno announced. "Which means that I don't play by this kingdom's rules anymore baby."
Hotaru bit her lip, not screaming as Mesno sucked on her neck.
"Well," Mesno smiled, "How does it feel? Do you feel embarassed, humiliated, well welcome to my life. Riding the coattail of a barbarian and a king that won't fight his own battle."
"I...understand." Hotaru breathed.
"What do you know?" Mesno asked, softly kneading her breasts and ignoring the tears falling from her eyes.
"You're so...cold." Hotaru wept.
Suddenly, Mesno stopped. Her words struck a chord in him, hit a nerve. Cold. Cold. That word it was too familiar. It reminded him of a song she used to play for him before she died.
Slowly, Mesno got to his feet and instinctively began to sing
"A hundred days have made me older since the last time I saw your pretty face
A thousand lives have made me colder and I don't think I can look at this the same
and all the miles that separate
They disappear now when I'm dreaming of your face
I'm here without you baby but you're my on and lonely in my mind
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time
I'm here without you baby but you're still with me in my dreams
And tonight...it's only you and me"
"What?" Hotaru groaned, not understanding.
"Uratoh," Mesno whispered, a single tear falling from his eye.
Hotaru stood silent. Had she done something to upset him? Would get madder and do more horrible things to her?
"Princess...listen...listen...good." Mesno began. "In two hours this kingdom is going to fall. The Negavese is on its way. They're going to kill everyone here. All of you. I want you to get out of here. Go back to Saturn...before its too late."
"What?" Hotaru asked, not understanding.
"Go back home. You have two hours." He said before walking away and leaving her alone. He couldn't do it. He deserved to die for what he'd just done to her. What he'd just done to Uratoh without realizing it. He sighed, picking up his knife and heading for the caves.
She wouldn't leave. He knew she wouldn't. Uratoh wouldn't let thousands die when she could prevent it. Maybe...there was a way to save Uratoh as well as the thousands of people.
Mesno stood in the caves. They were made of pure crystals and outside of them were glaciers that would easily cloak any trooop movements of the Negaverse.
"Well, is everyone ready?" Beryl asked, waiting to see the streak in the sky that indicated Leo's departure.
"YEAH!" The army cheered.
There were at least one hundred thousand youma back Beryll as well as the four generals of the Earth that had defected to the Negaverse, Kunzite, Nephrite, Zoicite and Jadeite.
"Beryll," Mesno said, his head lowered in shame. "You need to turn your army back. For your own good."
"Why?" Beryll smiled. "Today is perfect. I even saw Prince Endymion make his way through this cave. I'll get him as well as the other families all in one attack. And you...wll lead the attack." Beryll said, holding out four gold stars she was ready to pin on Mesno's shirt despite his incompetence earlier Metallia had agreed it was only right that he be made general just as they had agreed.
"I refuse." Mesno said. "Turn back now. I'll lead nothing."
"What?" Beryll gasped. "Are you turning on me? Did you betray me? Tell Leo we were coming?"
"Yes, I did." Mesno smiled. Milking it. "And the moment I give the signal you'll all be killed by him.
The Negaverse gawked, in disbelief many ready to run when suddenly a silver streak passed through the sky.
"Well, is he coming this way?" Beryll joked, watching as Leo left the moon on his way to his wedding. "I dunno maybe he forgot about you Gurio."
"My name is Mesno!" He shouted, drawing his knife and charging at Beryll.
"Zoi!" Zoicite shouted, blasting Mesno.
Mesno felt sharp stings of pain in his ribs but nonetheless rose to his feet.
"What drives you Gurio?" Beryll laughed. "You have no kingdom behind you. No one is with you against us...you can't win."
"Love...and Uratoh." Mesno smiled.
"Kunzite, finish him." Beryll ordered, his empathy making her sick to her stomach.
"With pleasure," Kunzite said, not happy with Mesno's false declaration of treason.
"Not fair," Zoicite interjected, "I want to kill him too."
"How about this my queen," Kunzite suggested, "All four of us will kill him...," He said, pointing to the other generals, "While you lead the army and the shadows into the kingdom."
Beryll thought for a moment. "Make it painful." She said before leading the army to the glacier.
"Let's make this quick," Kunzite said after Beryll had left, "I don't wanna miss the fun."
Mesno stood up, dazed from Zoicites attack. "Uratoh," He groaned as all four generals charged their attacks.
Jadiete throwing a fireball at Mesno.
Nephrite blasting him with energy.
Zoicite using the average zoi attack.
Kunzite throwing blades of energy at Mesno.
All four attacks hit Mesno all at once and the jester of the moon kingdom fell to his knees, burned, electrocuted and impaled all at once. Dying.
"Let's go." Kunzite said, leaving before Mesno drew his last breath.
"Ura...," Mesno gasped before slipping away. Mesno for the first time...had died.
A half an hour later. Mesno opened his eyes. He was unconscious on the ground on of the cave. His wounds gone. Was he dead?
He exited the cave and he could see it. The fall of the silver millenium.
"Hey!" A voice called to him.
Mesno stared at the glacier and struggled to make her way to the cave was Hotaru. Her body covered in dozens of cuts and bruises.
"Oh my god," Mesno gasped, running as fast as he could and catching before she fell. "What happened?"
"..I'm scared." Hotaru confessed. "I don't wanna die."
"Slow down." Mesno said, "What happened?"
"I was...," She began. Her breathing becoming heavy. "Trying to take the portal home and...they found me," She said, grasping his shirt tightly, "I'm...dying...," Hotaru gasped, "And it's all your...fault," She siad, tears spilling from her eyes.
"Uratoh," Mesno said, tears falling from his eyes. Not once but twice he had failed her. "What did the one that did this to you look like?"
"After I escaped the Negaverse I ran into...a girl...with pink hair...she was small and said...I would destroy all...and she attacked me..."
"NO!" Mesno shouted. It was happening again. She was haunting him. No matter what timeline he fled to, Sailor Chibi Chibi followed him and would destroy Uratoh every single time. "Uratoh...I promise you...I'll see you again...I'll find a way for us to be together forever...in life and in death." He said.
Hotaru gasped, gripping his shirt tightly as she drew her last breath in his arms.
Mesno gritted his teeth. "Again...I've failed her." He lamented as the fall of the Silver Millenium began.