All Right Reserved.

Sailor Moon is a product of Bandai, Toei, and the illustrious Naoko Takeuchi.

You can take this fic and put it on your page/blog, just shoot me a message and tell me that you did.

Just as long as I receive credit for the story.

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This chapter comes with a bit of a warning. It is dark, and involves some OOCishness. This has been in my collection for years, the actual number I will not admit to. It was inspired by a prompt. Basically "What if Neo-Queen Serenity's rise to power and the formation of Crystal Tokyo was not peaceful and joyous? Like how the majority of fanfictions are written, in regards to Crystal Tokyo." Many good fanfics arose from that prompt, some were a little light-hearted, some were very sinister. I tinkered with mine for quite a while but it never suited me, until now. Mine is definitely on the nefarious side of things, I usually never write out of character, and especially not Usagi; but here it is. This is based upon the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. It will be from Setsuna's POV, which is a little different than what I'm used to writing. I hope you enjoy.

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She was never the same after Chaos. I could sense the change, the metamorphosis. She put on a good façade for the others, but I could see through it. She went into a very dark place, and saved all of humanity; saved it without ever wanting recognition. But the Usagi that went in is not that woman that emerged back out. I felt the loss that she felt, the overwhelming petrified feeling of losing everyone that she had ever cared for. It was a helpless feeling, one that Sailor Cosmos had also endured in her time. Cosmos chose, in her time, to allow the Galaxy Cauldron and thus Chaos to continue to exist. Why? Because she could not live without those that she loved, destroying the Cauldron meant destroying everyone, every single person. Usagi heard these words, and I could tell it shook her to her very core. Allowing the Cauldron to exist also meant a never ending battle with Chaos, peace would never truly exist. Crystal Tokyo was meant to be a beacon of peace, a utopia. No war, no famine not even death. Sailor Cosmos came to our time because she second guessed her decision. Was an endless war truly better than an end to birth? Luckily for us that decision did not have to be made in our time. Why? Because we have a savior who would gladly sacrifice herself in an instant. And she did, throwing herself in the Cauldron, purifying it of Chaos and saving the star seeds. But she was never the same, being subjected to the full onslaught of the darkness of Chaos took its toll on our future Queen. As it would any mere mortal being. She still awakens with nightmares. I can sometimes see the overwhelming darkness fill her eyes; a part of her remained in the Cauldron that day, her innocence.

The others were stunned when she came to them with her plan for the future. Ami immediately balked at the idea. Rei was the first on board, as always. And for the first time I saw hesitation from Minako and Makoto as the glanced at one another, unsure. Haruka, Michiru and Hotaru would do whatever the Princess wished them to do. But it didn't make the plan any less astonishing to any of them.

The negotiations with the other countries throughout the world were not as successful as everyone had hoped that they would be. Usagi, had come forward after the destruction of Chaos, come out in the light to the entire World that she had been their Savior. She had done what their governments, their armies; their countries could not and could never do. Some people immediately flocked to Tokyo; they came from across the globe. She had saved them; she could continue to save them. But most of the world's biggest powers were not interested in a global consortium ran by a solitary monarchy. However, Usagi never pressed the issue. Until now. She was ready, ready for all of this to be over. And she was going to see it done.

The plan was labeled "The Four Horsemen", and she had already worked out what was to be done. And who would carry out each mission. I could only sit back and watch it all unfold. Either the rest of the world would succumb to the power of Ginzuishou, or they would fall. Usagi craved peace and she would do anything to achieve it.

…

Conquest

Usagi brought Ami on her journeys throughout the known world. Ami was intelligent and articulate, Usagi was learning quickly but she still needed a confident mouthpiece to put into words what was about to happen. Ami brought Lunar technology along on their trips, to prove that they were indeed far superior to anything that the current race of humans had produced here on Earth up until now. She explained how there would be no more hunger, thirst, disease or death. It was simple, destroy your armies. Disband your governments. Allow Serenity to cleanse the Earth without a struggle. There would finally be peace, utopia.

She also offered this to the citizens of the world. Safe locations were mapped out across the globe. Go to these safe houses, and you will not suffer. Suffer you say? If they did not conform to these simple rules, Serenity would unleash her Horsemen. Her Senshi. There would be peace. It was up to them how difficult a process it would be.

Many came to these safe places. They were fed, clothed and sheltered; latched onto Serenity as their savior, their future Queen. But others, revolted. The fear of the unknown is a powerful weapon when used by the government. She was called a witch, a heathen, an evil alien being. She wanted to control the world and was slowly doing so. Gradually, the world began to descend into chaos. A word I hate even to utter. Governments were pressured to recognize this new Monarch, or there would be a revolution. And there was. Civil Wars raged in many countries, militia groups calling themselves the White Moon Clan appeared across the globe. They helped to militarize and take over pockets of crumbling bureaucracy, in the name of Serenity and the Moon.

Serenity had started the process of her rise to power.

The time was now.

…

War

It only made sense it would be Mars. Her patron god was the embodiment of War; her fiery personality, passion and strong headedness made her the perfect choice to begin the cleansing of the Earth. Uranus accompanied her. It was ironic at the time, Haruka jested that she was just along to "fan the flames". And indeed they did. They laid waste to the worlds armies, wave after wave came and were met with a Hellstorm the likes the world had never seen. Working in tandem it was quite the sight to behold. Uranus relished in the fight, Mars was more hesitant but would do anything that Serenity asked of her.

They trekked the globe, incinerating the military might of the greatest countries. Without a standing military, Serenity knew the governments would fall. It took little time for the two Senshi to ravage them all. They returned weary. The life in their eyes slightly diminished. But they still pledged their last and dying breath to Serenitys cause, despite the blood on their hands.

One quiet evening afterwards, I found Rei deep in meditation. She looked troubled. When I inquired what was wrong, she answered that she now understood what the American Scientist Oppenheimer was saying when he had said; "I am become death. The destroyer of Worlds." And I had to agree, I suppose we all thought that, one way or another.

Famine

These were the most difficult days. It was driving Minako mad, I could see it. She could no longer stand the suffering. People across the globe were starving, mass famine spread across the now desolate Earth. Serenity continued her plea; join us on our island of hope and you will be spared, you will be safe. It was Minako that volunteered to go out into the wasteland on a mission; to recover as many people as she could. Serenity reiterated that no one was to be brought against their will, but they must pledge their allegiance to her. Michiru went along with her, both of them spoke eloquently and did well under the scrutiny of the public eye.

They reported back often. Michiru stayed rather stoic throughout the process, while Minako was slowly slipping into a deep despair. The longer they stayed away from the healing power of the Ginzuishou, the worse that it became. Venus wanted to save them all; but she could not. It was the first time she had ever failed at anything. People refused to "convert"; they called her a murderer, a tyrant and harbinger of death. Each passing day, she grew more and more hopeless. I was the one who finally intervened, demanding that Neptune return her back to the palace.

The instant they were back, Minako fell at Serenitys feet. She begged for her to end her life, she had seen so much suffering, destruction and death and they were the cause. This was not their mission, this was not what Queen Serenity had wanted, and this was not what she wanted or could live with. I had never seen a grown woman cry like she did. Gut wrenching sobs shook her entire body. Her cry was one of pain and utter agony. Even Michiru was shaken by their travels.

"It is beyond comprehension, Setsuna. I cannot even describe it to you. Is this right? What we are doing?" She had said to me; unknowing that I had spent some time watching their journey. Although I had no answer to her question.

With the power of the Silver Crystal, Serenity cleansed Minako and Michirus' minds. Minako had fought at first, but succumbed eventually. They forgot all of their trials, all of the images that they had seen. But I would never forget, and I knew down deep that they would not completely either.

Death

It was time. The final phase had begun. Of course the final Horsemen; the Pale Horse of Death was Hotaru. Would it have been any other? It was the only time Haruka and Michiru began questioning the almost Queen and her decisions. They had argued vehemently against sending her out. They fought to go with her, but Serenity declined. Makoto was to be her partner, and that was only fitting really. Saturn the symbol of Death and Destruction and Jupiter the giver of Life and embodiment of Nature. Their planets balanced each other, mirror images. As Saturn would obliterate what remained on the tattered Earth, Jupiter would renew it. Makoto would keep her safe, and Hotaru would finish what needed to be done.

As they exited out into the wasteland, Hotaru reached up for Makoto's hand. And hand in hand they finished the work of Serenity. Jupiter gave Saturn strength when she was weak; annihilating what remained of the known world was trying. Mako had no desire to kill, but in the North she had no choice. She summoned an impressive storm; it devastated what remained of a powerful country. It was then, that I questioned who Death really was. Death could be any of us.

It pushed them to their limits and beyond. Reapers of Death they became, searching out any and all who remained outside the protective gaze of Serenity. As Hotaru razed, Makoto created; forests, meadows, flowing streams and serene landscapes, trying to mask the scars of the Earth. Neither of the pair was a stranger to death, and its consequences. Perhaps that's what kept them from falling into madness like their predecessors.

Serenity finally called them home. Hotaru remained distant from Haruka and Michiru for quite some time, as did Makoto from the others.

I came to Makoto, to give her reassurance. And I will never forget what she asked.

"Why does this feel so wrong?" She had said.

I remember becoming uneasy. I assured her it was what had to be done. But, even I wasn't sure. Yes for the first time in my time as the Senshi of Pluto, I was unsure.

Crystal Tokyo was born, rising from the rubble and ash. Endymion and Serenity rose to power, seemingly loved by all. There was peace and true happiness finally. All of the evil of the world was vanquished. As the cleansing rays of the Ginzuishou washed over the Earth, I couldn't help but feel incomplete. As I looked at the now scarred and broken group of Senshi before me, Senshi who continued to pretend that everything was fine, I wondered if this really was wrong. If it really was worth it? Was this really what we had wanted and dreamt of for so many years? Yes, Utopia had finally arrived. But at what cost? For once, I didn't have the answers. I just hoped that like Sailor Cosmos, we would not come to regret our decisions.

…

So? What do you think? Like I said, this is pretty epically dark for Crystal Tokyo, and is definitely considered an alternate universe in my world. It's not what I truly pictured happening. But it's a little different spin on things. I should have another "Reincarnated" story or two this week, as well as 1 or 2 chapters for Lost in Time! As always, thank you for reading!

-Lady D