Sailor Moon: Redemption
BY Dragonfang33
Chapter XXIV
Visions of the First Sith War Part II: Darth Verus
Location: Tokyo University, Science Building
The white haired scientist sat at his desk, his eyes transfixed on the clock, and a telephone gripped tightly in his hand.
"I know," Professor Tomoe said, with his trade mark laugh "first old DNAmy went crazy, and now Dr. Possible has vanished too," he paused for a few minutes to let the person he was talking too make his statement.
"Indeed, they're giving scientists a bad name," Tomoe replied, the door to his office slid open, a young girl with raven black hair, and dressed in a brown shirted school uniform entered with a bright smile to her face. This was Hotaru Tomoe, his young daughter.
"Listen I've got to go," Tomoe said, he turned to face his daughter, "my 3:30 appointment is here."
"High daddy," Hotaru said, as she jumped into her father's arms.
Down in the lobby a strange man, clad in jet black armor, and his face obscured by a sinister helmet entered the building, and began to make his way toward Professor Tomoe's office. A small circular device was clenched in his hand, and his presence seemed to attract a few stairs.
"I'm in," the man said, over an intercom hidden within his helmet, "take the shot."
Perched high on a building across the street, was another man, dressed similar to the one in the lab, next to him stood a massive machine, clad in steel gray armor, and bristling with weapons not seen on Earth, a Dark Trooper, and the two men were some of the few remaining members of the Order of the Shadow left on the Earth.
"You know what to do," the man said, the Dark Trooper didn't answer, as it raised its' massive hand, and locked onto it's target, and in the space of a few seconds, fired a pair of homing missiles at Professor Tomoe's lab.
"Okay Hotaru," Professor Tomoe said, "we'll head to Dreamland just as soon as," just before he could finish his statement, his office erupted in flame, and soon imploded, showering debris down upon the victims.
Tomoe managed to claw his way out of the debris, but was unable to locate his daughter.
"HOTARU," Tomoe shouted, as a small stream of blood began flowing down his forehead, "HOTARU, WHERE ARE YOU?" he heard a faint moan come from underneath a large beam. He turned, and with a look of horror to his face, saw the lifeless body of his daughter pinned beneath the beam.
"HOTARU," Tomoe shouted, as he raced to his dying daughter's side, "HOTARU SPEAK TO ME." By now he was becoming panic stricken, "SOMEONE HELP ME!" He heard the sound of heavy boots enter the office, turning he found himself face to face with a Shadow Trooper.
"Please you've got to help me," Tomoe pleaded, "my daughter," the dark figure held out his hand, and a hologram appeared. The man in the hologram was human only by name, but beneath that he was a monster pure and simple. He was clad in all black, with a heavy chest plate across his chest, the left side of his face seemed to be obscured by his hood, and his eyes glowed blood red, sending chills up Tomoe's spine.
"I have the power to save your daughter's life," Darth Plaguies said, his chilling voice echoing in the room, "however should I spare your child you must do something for me." Tomoe couldn't figure out how the hologram seemed to be able to communicate with him. But now scientific curiosity didn't matter to him.
"Anything," Tomoe replied, "just name it, please save my daughter."
"In the ally behind this building," Plaguies said, "is the shard of a black crystal, once she is revived, you are to place it in her body."
"What will this crystal do?" Tomoe asked
"The Emperor I serve will explain all," Plaguies replied, "but for now do as I tell you." Tomoe heard Hotaru begin to choke, as if something invisible was constricting around her neck.
"Okay," Tomoe said, "I'll do it, just please save her." Plagueis began guiding the Force that remained in the room into Hotaru's body, rekindling the spark of life with in her.
"One last thing," Plaguies said, "You, like your daughter now belong to the Empire." the Dark Lord held his hand out, and a beam of energy emerged from the hologram, and implanted itself into Professor Tomoe's head, leaving the Imperial insignia inscribed on his forehead.
"Now go," Plaguies ordered
"Yes Master," Tomoe replied.
Location: Outside the local Art Musieum, later that day.
"All I'm saying is this is the way things have been since the Silver Millennium," Luna continued, "and you have no right to change it." Anakin shot Luna a cold stare.
"I said the choice was Lita's alone," Anakin replied, coldly, "at times you remind me of Obi-Wan." Even though Anakin had learned that what had happened on Mustafar was his own doing, he still couldn't forgive Obi-Wan for leaving him in that flaming pit.
"All I'm saying is," Luna replied, "you're a Jedi, a Knight of the Royal Guard for Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, it's time you started acting like it."
"The Jedi broke with Serenity a long time ago," Anakin replied, "the Silver Millennium is over, and besides there was more to it then what you care to believe." Anakin didn't hear Luna's reply to his previous statement, he'd become transfixed on a painting that was hanging in the Museum. It was a painting of two figures, dancing beneath a star lit night.
One was a Knight clad in shining white armor, with a flowing white cape, and a lightsaber, that was strangely similar to the one at Anakin's side, the other was a young girl dressed in a bright green dress, and looking like a sun rise, but what struck Anakin the most was the girl's face, she looked just like Lita.
"Kara," Starkiller's voice said, from Anakin's sword.
"Who?" Anakin asked
"My wife," Starkiller replied, "the Princess of Jupiter, she was killed in the Nega War, leaving me to raise our son alone."
"You're wife?" Anakin asked, with a shocked look to his face.
"We were married in secret," Starkillier continued, "like you and Padme." Anakin froze, he hadn't thought of his wedding for a long time, and in many ways he didn't want to, even now some thirty or forty years later he still couldn't believe his beloved was gone, and worse he still didn't want to believe he was the one who had done it.
"If Lita is the reincarnation of your wife then," Starkiller cut Anakin off.
"That was a long time ago," Starkiller said, "I've learned to accept the fact that she loves you," Starkiller paused for a moment, "it's ironic, the reincarnation of my wife, falls in love with my own reincarnation, the Force truly does work in mysterious ways."
"IT'S STILL FORBIDDEN," Luna snarled
"Luna," Anakin ventured, "as I said before, the Silver Millennium is dead, while you want to believe it was a place of eternal peace and prosperity, it wasn't, and as a very wise man once told me. Not even stars are eternal; sooner or later they too burn out and die." Anakin thought back to the day Obi-Wan had told that to him, and how he didn't want to believe it, and how that one incident set him on a path that would make him a shadow of the man he was.
Luna was about to say something else when she noticed Anakin entering the building.
"Anakin wait," Luna shouted, she barely made it in, before the door slammed on her tail.
"Seems Serena's clumsiness is rubbing off," Anakin said, with a smile to his face.
"Very funny," Luna replied, but Anakin didn't reply, his eyes were fixed on a large mural that was hanging on the wall. The painting was that of a massive battle, one that occurred over 35,000 years before. The image of the painting was one of two huge armies, consisting of both Jedi and Sailor Scouts, with huge war beasts in the background, and a dark fortress burning in the foreground. The flag the main army carried was one of a crescent moon upon a blue background, while flying over the burning fortress was one of a blazing red circle surrounded by flame. High in the sky giant winged Dragons flew over the carnage on the ground, while beams of Force Energy were exchanged by both sides.
Luna looked at the painting, and though she couldn't place it, she felt she knew the event that was portrayed.
"What is it?" Luna asked
"It's an old story well known in the Jedi Order," Anakin replied, "the First Sith War, the beginning of the end for the Silver Millennium."
"What?" Luna asked, "Impossible, I would remember it."
"There's plenty of history about the Silver Millennium you're not ready to know," Anakin answered
"Hello," a familiar voice said from behind, giving both Anakin and Luna a fright.
"SERENA," they both growled.
"Oh come on," Serena replied, "you're not the only ones transfixed by Lonie Lanie's paintings."
"What do you mean by that?" Anakin asked. As Serena explained what the gallery was about, a young woman, dressed in a bright blue dress, with large glasses, and a pink jacket made her way through the gallery, gazing over almost every patron, as if looking for something.
"Oh it's no use," the woman said, "I'll never find the right models." She couldn't help but overhear the conversation going on between Anakin and Serena.
"So you're saying she likes to paint a version of Star Wars that has never been seen?" Luna asked, Serena was about to reply, when she heard Anakin's fist slam into the wall, he was gazing at a painting showing an event he wanted to forget. It was the image of Anakin and Obi-Wan's duel on Mustafar, and by gazing upon that single painting, the memory of that horrible day returned, the memory of Obi-Wan's lightsaber slicing into his flesh, the searing pain of a raging inferno consuming his body, his last words to a man who had once been his friend, "I HATE YOU!"
Time and again he wished things would have been different, at times he wished he'd died in that molten pit, instead of being trapped within that accursed suit.
"Anakin," Serena asked, "are you alright?"
"Yeah," Anakin replied, "I'm fine."
"Well, well," a familiar voice said from behind them, "it seems we've got some gate crashers." the trio turned to find Darth Tyrus standing before them.
"What do you want?" Anakin asked, reaching for his sword.
"If you're inquiring whether I came to pick a fight with you," Tyrus replied, "you're mistaken. Like everyone else, I'm here to simply enjoy the art show."
"Yeah," Anakin said, "I hope they keep the paintings under lock and key, with Palpatine's right hand in the vicinity."
"I suppose I had that coming," Tyrus answered, before taking notice of Serena, his eyes began to burn with hatred, a small, yet sinister smile crept across his face as he reached out with the Force, and once again Serena began to feel her throat tighten, and her breath slow.
"Darien," Serena said, with a tear in her eye, "look at yourself, you've become a shadow of the person you where."
"Because of you," Tyrus replied, "and don't call me Darien again," he whispered under his breath, "Sailor Moon." Anakin began reaching for his sword.
"You know if you draw that," Tyrus replied, "it will create quite a scene, and after that incident with Juggernaut I believe that attention is the last thing you want. However we can settle our score later if you so desire." He suddenly dropped Serena.
"Just name the place traitor," Anakin snarled.
"Oh you'll know where," Tyrus replied, before taking his leave.
Outside of the Art Museum Tyrus began thinking back to what he'd just done, a long time ago he and Serena were inseparable and now he would kill her with out so much as a second thought, yet in a way he felt Serena deserved it for what she'd done to him, he offered her the universe and she sold him out to Skywalker. Tyrus was just about to leave, when he bumped into a young woman emerging from the museum, almost instantly Tyrus felt something strange, as though a second entity existed within her, almost at once Tyrus knew what it was.
"Excellent," Tyrus said, to himself "the next rainbow crystal is within my grasp." The woman instantly grabbed onto Tyrus's arm.
"It's you, it's you," the woman said, as if she just found buried treasure. Though Tyrus knew his mission was important, it didn't stop him from taking the woman's statement with a raised eyebrow.
"Are you some kind of nut?" Tyrus ventured, trying as best he could not to frighten his pray away.
"No," the woman replied, "my name's Peggy Jones, I'm a local artist, please sir, I need you to pose for me." It wasn't long till Anakin had emerged from the museum, to investigate the commotion.
"Picking on defenseless women now," Anakin said, with a grin to his face, "you've really hit rock bottom now Tyrus."
"Shut up Skywalker," Tyrus shouted. Peggy didn't hear the two men continue their argument; instead she grabbed Anakin by the sleeve, and began begging him to pose for her next painting. The two rivals glared at each other for a moment, Anakin too had sensed the presence of the Rainbow Crystal, and there was no way he was going to let Tyrus get his hands on it.
"Very well," Anakin said, with reluctance
"Okay," Tyrus added, with the same reluctance.
Location: Peggy Jones's House, the next day
Peggy Jones's house was not that dissimilar from most of the other houses that dotted the neighborhood, it was a modest two story house with a small garden on either side of the main walkway. The house was painted dark blue, with a red door in the center. While most considered their houses as places of peace and quiet, the two men who stood outside were anything but peaceful, in fact they could barely stand the sight of each other let alone sit in a room.
"Ah," Peggy said, as she answered the door, "Anakin, Darien, come in." Anakin and Tyrus entered, with neither one taking their sights off each other.
Peggy led the two men to a small pink couch in the center of her living room.
"Please," Peggy said, "have a seat, we'll get started soon."
"I'll stand," Tyrus replied, facing Anakin with the coldest gaze possible.
"I agree," Anakin added. Peggy didn't need to guess that her two models absolutely hated each other, but the fact that they did hate each other made them all the more perfect for her painting. Peggy made her way into the kitchen and returned with a blank canvas
"Do you think maybe you could use these?" Peggy asked, handing them both plastic lightsabers that had been painted black and gold.
"Very well," Anakin said, feeling as though he was disgracing himself, by using a toy instead of his own blade, 'what's with this planet, it's as though they make money off the sacrifice of the Jedi?'
"After all," Tyrus replied, "if she wants us to pose with lightsabers, it safer to use plastic imitations instead of the real thing." Peggy gazed at Tyrus, she thought she heard him say real lightsabers, no that would only happen in her dreams, after all Star Wars was just a series of movies.
Peggy requested that the two men assume a fighting stance, with their toy lightsabers extended. Once she was satisfied with their pose, Peggy began her drawing.
It took over an hour for Peggy to finish the preliminary sketch and allow Anakin and Tyrus to relax. As Peggy continued her work, the two warriors gazed at each other, as if they were sizing each other up for their next battle, each one waiting to see if what the other would do.
"I know there's good in you Tyrus," Anakin replied, keeping his hand on his lightsaber, "the Emperor hasn't driven it from you fully."
"Like I care," Tyrus replied, "all I know is you stole the one thing I care about, you turned Sailor Moon against me, and now use her to fight me."
"Learn to let go of your hate Tyrus," Anakin replied, "if you continue on this path, it will lead you to the same place it led me, destruction."
"Like you let go of your hate," Tyrus answered, probing Anakin's mind, "when you tortured your own daughter and stood by idly while her homeworld was destroyed."
Tyrus's statement revived memories in Anakin's mind he wanted nothing more to do with, the memory of using the Force to tear apart the mind of his own daughter, the memory of standing by while a Torture Droid pumped Leia full of truth serum, and worst of all knowing that he could have done something to stop Tarkin from firing on Alderran, and yet he did nothing. He remembered hearing the screams of the people of Alderran through the Force, as their beloved homeworld was reduced to space dust, he remembered the joyous look to Tarkin's face, as Alderran erupted in flames he remembered the guilt of standing by and doing nothing to save the lives of the billions of innocents who perished on that horrible day, yet he also remembered the fear, the fear of what the Emperor would do to him, if he stood up to Tarkin, and spared Alderran form the fire, but more then that he learned to hate himself even more because at that time he didn't want to know the Anakin Skywalker he'd once been.
"Stop it," Anakin snarled
"Yes," Tyrus said, probing deeper into Anakin's mind, "you seek to redeem yourself for your crimes, and yet your feelings for the Sailor Scouts are strong, especially for, yes it was so obvious." Anakin froze; he didn't need the Force to tell him what Tyrus had just found out.
"Jupiter," Tyrus replied, "you love her, yes she is your weakness."
"Leave Lita out of this," Anakin snarled, "your quarrel is with me."
"And the Sailor Scouts," Tyrus replied, "did you hear that master." Palpatine's voice began echoing in Anakin's mind.
"I did indeed Lord Tyrus," Palpatine said, "this information is indeed most enlightening, and will work to our advantage, now is the time strike."
"Sidious if you lay one hand on her head I'll," by now Anakin had become so blinded with rage he could barely see straight. Tyrus though just cracked a sinister smile, and through the Force, ripped a green crystal from Peggy's chest, unleashing the Sith Elite that dwelled within her. The creature that emerged from the shy artist was sold green, with a set of white bird like wings emerging from her back and was clad in a pink dress; a long time ago this creature was one of Darth Chaos's elite bodyguards, Darth Verus, Dark Lady of the Sith Empire.
"DARK," Anakin couldn't finish his statement, before Tyrus Force pushed him into the wall.
"You can't stop me this time," Tyrus replied, "after all I believe you have a date with your girlfriend." Something caught Tyrus's eye, it was the painting Peggy had been working on, it was of two warriors, one clad in blinding white armor, and clenching a golden lightsaber, the other clad in black armor and clenching a black lightsaber with a seemingly living gauntlet attached to his left arm, his face though looked almost exactly like his own, the exception being his eyes glowed blood red. Gazing upon this painting, a memory of a long ago kingdom awoke in Tyrus's mind, and he began to wonder about a dead man, a traitor, who gave up everything in his quest for more power, he began to wonder about the brother he never knew.
"No," Tyrus said, to himself, "I've got more important things to do." Tyrus and Verus leapt out of the room, and disappeared into the night, heading for toward the construction site. Anakin regained his footing, and began to try and sense where the dark duo had gone. Once he had their location, Anakin pulled out the communicator Luna had given him a few weeks before.
"GUYS," Anakin shouted, into his communicator, "SITH ELITE heading toward the construction site." Once he had gotten the alarm out, Anakin placed his communicator back on his belt.
"DARK ACCESS," Anakin shouted, and once again he was encased in the armor of Darth Vader.
Location: Construction Site, near Peggy Jones's House
The construction site was as quiet as a ghost town, when the Dark Lord made his way in, he could feel Tyrus's Dark Side aura, which made him all the more cautious. Vader slowly made his way across the site, toward the skeleton of the building. Suddenly Vader felt a sharp tremor in the Force, and managed to get out of the way, just as a large boulder slammed into the ground beside him.
"What," Vader shouted, as a small feather began drawing a series of large rocks, which began to fall on the Dark Lord. Vader managed to slice a few in half with his lightsaber, yet Darth Verus continued to produce more and more rocks, and Force Threw each of them at the Dark Lord.
High on the building Tyrus watched the battle unfolding below him like a vulture over it's latest kill.
"Excellent," Tyrus said to himself, "soon I'll be rid of him." On the ground Vader was slowly gaining ground. Verus decided it was time to change tactics; she leapt into the air, and produced a crimson bladed lightsaber, which had been clipped to her belt. Verus flew toward the Dark Lord, her blade aimed right at his heart, Vader held his golden sword up, and prepared to try and deflect the attacking Elite.
"MARS FIRE IGNITE," Sailor Mars shouted, Verus's left wing suddenly burst into flames, knocking the Sith Elite out of the sky.
"JUPITER THUNDER CRASH," Jupiter shouted, a bolt of lightning struck Verus's other wing, eliminating her ability to fly.
"About time," Vader said, as the Scouts entered the fray.
"So any ideas on how to," Sailor Moon never got to finish her statement, before Verus launched her next attack.
"Listen," Vader said, "she's not the real enemy," he pointed to Tyrus, who was still watching the battle like a hawk, "he is, and if you guys think you can hold her off for a while I might be able to get the crystal."
"Excuse me," Sailor Moon asked, "why is it always US who end up running for our lives?"
"Because if you don't the Sith will get another crystal," Vader replied. Verus suddenly attacked again, just as she was about to bring her blade down on the group, Jupiter managed to get in front of her, and block the creature's sword with her own lightsaber.
"Hay," Mars said, jealously, "since when does Lita have a lightsaber."
"Since I gave it to her," Vader said,
"No fair," Sailor Moon said, "I was the first Sailor Scout I should have one," Sailor Moon once again began balling like a baby.
"Uh guys," Jupiter added, "I could use a little help here I may have a lightsaber but I don't know how to use it very well." Darth Verus soon broke the stalemate and Force Pushed Jupiter away, before launching yet another attack on the trapped group. Verus produced two feathers, that she had managed to pull lose before her wings were destroyed. One by one she tossed the feathers out, and one by one they produced copies of Darth Verus. The two clones moved in on the trapped group, each drawing a crimson bladed lightsaber, as they prepared to attack, they failed to notice Vader focusing the Force around his hand, and in an instant his hand had burst into flames. As the first clone moved in on Sailor Mercury, Vader hurled the Force Fire Ball at the clone, in the space of a few seconds the clone erupted in flames.
Tyrus looked on with a concern look to his face, no one, not even the Emperor himself was able to create pure fire from the Force, the Dark Lord looked on as Sailors Mars and Moon destroyed the second clone. Tyrus knew that he was beaten, yet he had what he was after, the Green Rainbow Crystal.
Vader could feel Tyrus fade back to the Negaverse, yet Tyrus was the last thing on his mind.
"Sailor Moon," Vader said, "try your wand."
"What?" Sailor Moon asked, confused, "I thought my wand wouldn't work on Sith Elites."
"Listen," Vader replied, "Darth Verus was the weakest of Darth Chaos's guards, her Dark Side aura is weak enough your wand will work." Sailor Moon decided to take the gamble, Vader though would remain on stand by should it not work.
"Moon Healing Activation," Sailor Moon shouted, enveloping Darth Verus in the healing light of the Force, and like the Elites before her Verus became one with the Force, leaving a dazed Peggy Jones in her wake.
Location: Negaverse, a few minutes later.
"You've done well Lord Tyrus," Palpatine said, as Tyrus placed the green crystal at the Emperor's feet.
"Thank you my master," Tyrus replied
"Indeed," the Emperor continued, "and your mind probe of Lord Vader has given us a crucial advantage."
"My Lord," Tyrus asked, "we don't even know that much about Jupiter."
"You don't," Palpatine replied, as he began thinking back to events that had occurred three years previous, "but I do." the look to his face turned serious, "we must move quickly," he waved his hand, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness behind the Emperor, Tyrus burned with hatred, it was Anakin Skywalker, in every way, except there was no trace of Anakin Skywalker in the creature's soul, this clone was 100 Darth Vader, "take this clone to Jupiter's apartment, at 3:00 Monday, we'll catch her off balance, and with luck, we'll lure Skywalker into and then convince Jupiter to do what I trained her to do, kill Anakin Skywalker, if she refuses destroy them both."
"As you wish my Lord," Tyrus said, bowing, "but what about the next Crystal?"
"I'm well aware of that," Palpatine replied, "Once you've accomplished your mission with Jupiter, track down the next crystal." Zoycite, who was standing near by, suddenly spoke up.
"Your Highness," Zoycite added, "let me track down the next crystal. Tyrus has enough to deal with as is." Palpatine shot Zoycite the coldest gaze possible, forcing the Sith Knight to withdraw her statement.
Location: Art Museum, the next day
Anakin had agreed to meet with Peggy to discuss the latest addition to her exhibit, and as usual she was running a little late. Anakin was just about to leave when Peggy came rushing in, a large canvas in her hands.
"Oh Anakin," Peggy said, "you're here," she removed the cover from the painting, "it's finished." Anakin gazed upon the picture, and then looked at the pictures on the wall.
"Why didn't you tell me who you are?" Anakin asked, "Lonie Lania." Peggy froze; she never figured he would guess who she was.
"What gave it away?" Peggy asked
"In a way I always knew," Anakin replied, "I can feel a lot of fear from you," he cracked a smile, "you don't have to be afraid to let people know who you really are. Hiding behind someone else is the path of a coward who's lost all confidence in his or her own ability." Peggy was about to reply, when Anakin added one more thing.
"You don't have to be afraid," Anakin continued, "the opinions of others don't matter, all that matters is your own opinion, all you want is to add beauty to a dark world."
"You know," Peggy said, feeling a surge of confidence, "you're right Anakin, from now on Lonie Lania is finished in the painting business." Anakin smiled as he took his leave, and made his way home in the rising sun.
Stay Tuned for Chapter XXV: Wrath of the Empire PS: Kara was Lita's name during the days of the Moon Kingdom, and for the record the top portion of this chapter is meant to connect it with Kim Possible: Dark Trooper. PSS: The mention of Palpatine knowing Lita is a little something me and my brother came up with tonight to fill in the three years between this story and Dark Trooper, and was also meant to lead up to something very special in the chapter I call Emperor's Wrath.