Sailor Moon Chronicles
The Music of Darkness
The Faceless Phantom Brothers' Orchestra
They all reunited in the courtyard in front of the palace. Just as Midna said, there were two alters for the Sols. As they passed the Shadow Beasts, the light of the Sols cleansed them, turning them back into Twili. Although they were back to normal, all of the freed Twili were far too weak to speak or assist them in any way. When the Sols were returned to their positions, Link found his Master Sword reacting to them. Light filled the sword and it became ablaze with golden light. His sword was like a firefly in midnight, glorious in its twinkle amongst seemingly infinite shadows.
"I don't believe it," Midna said in awe. "The power of the Sols has been transferred to the Master Sword. Now you should be able to repel the shadows Zant has summoned as long as you're in this realm. You can cut through the shadows that are blacking the door to the main wing of the palace."
"We're almost there," said Link. "Zoey, I'll be there soon."
Everyone ran to the palace, except for Sailor Moon.
"What is wrong?" Sailor Mercury asked.
"Do any of you think that is strange that Zant is getting married right after he kidnapped Zoey?" she said, unhappily.
"You don't think…" said Sailor Mars.
They all looked at Link. His fists clutching his sword and shield tightly. There was a passionate rage burning in his eyes. He ran for the shadows blackening the door into the palace. With one angry swing, the shadows were blown to the side like candle flames on birthday candles. He punched the opening mechanism on the door, opening it, and he dashed inside. They were all being watched by the shadows.
"Isn't he the big hero?" Zaccheus mocked.
"He wants to save the lovely maiden held by the evil monster," Tatsuaki said with a chuckle. "Fat chance! We won't let him or any of those Sailor sluts get near Zant or Zoey. We will have a ball."
"That was lame," said Zaccheus.
"I agree," said Malchior. "You can do better."
"It's for the dramatic effect. Now shut your a** up and summon the d*** Heartless!"
The Sailor Soldiers and Tuxedo Mask trailed behind Link. Somehow, darkness was obscuring him and making him appear further and further away. A drum sounded thunderously in the darkness.
"Did you hear that?" said Uranus.
"It was hard not to," said Venus.
The drum sounded again. The entire blackened chamber vibrated with the tremors of the drum. Someone was playing it, for a song was made from the drum's beating.
"Everyone, stop!" Mercury warned. "I'm picked up some strange magic. We've fallen into a trap!"
Everything had turned black: the floor, the walls, the ceiling, the furniture, everything. The drum's beat was rising in tempo.
"What is going on?" screamed Sailor Moon.
"It's the Phantom Brothers," said Mercury. "They're doing this." Suddenly, she yelled out in pain.
"Mercury!" Sailor Moon screeched in concern.
"Serena!" Tuxedo Mask brought her to his chest.
"Get out here, you cowards!" demanded Jupiter of the brothers.
"Dark Thunder!"
Sailor Jupiter screamed out. The screams of Venus and Pluto followed.
"This is cheating!" shouted Mars.
She saw a small flame ignite and cast light onto Jairo's face. Then a blast of fire was created from the tiny flame and went after Mars. The fire didn't even bring light to the chamber. It was just a traveling shape on black board. The drummer was beating the drum faster and louder. The noise was deafening; the vibrations were paralyzing. Sailor Moon looked into the darkness desperately to find her friends. In her scan, she found something she didn't want to find. An enormous fiery eye opened in the darkness. It was huge, bigger than a person. The eye was a blazing vermillion with six dots of yellow. It stared right at her and Tuxedo Mask. The drum was being beaten at a rampant rate. That eye belonged to the drummer. Suddenly, the couple was punched by what seemed like a giant hand. Tuxedo Mask took most of the hit to protect Sailor Moon. When they struck something at the end of their flight, Tuxedo Mask let go of her.
"Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon screamed. She desperately nudged her knocked-out boyfriend.
Suddenly, something constricted her, something like a giant hand. It gripped her as if she were a doll and drew her to the terrifying eye. The hand smelled of rotten flesh. It wasn't just the hand that smelled like that. Slow footsteps were added to the beating drum's performance. The eerie, misty lanterns of Poes lingered menacingly in midair with their holders showing their ghostly bodies to all. They danced to the drum. The ones near the floor shined their lights onto the ReDeads, Gibdos, and Stalfos that arrived at the dance. The ReDeads, a variety of undead, and the Gibdos, mummified ReDeads, sang with their hellish moans and screams. The yellow eyes of Heartless dotted the ground. The Poe on a fiddle let his strings vibrated into a malodorous melody. This concert of the dead in the darkness of evil was… it was hell.
"The dead dance tonight!" Tatsuaki bellowed joyously. "They dance to celebrate the nuptials of the King of Twilight and his bride, the Soldier of Death! Come, Sailor Soldiers, come and dance with the dead to celebrate!"
"Now that is how you do it, Big Brother!" Zaccheus cheered. "F*** those b****** up!"
"We plan to…" said Malchior.
"Let's them see the jubilation!" shouted Tatsuaki.
The darkness left, and the normal, dim lighting came back. The huge hall, a ballroom of regal size, was filled with dancing undead from ground to sky. Sailor Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto were in the crowd of undead, retrained by Shadow Beasts. Each of the Faceless Phantom Brothers stood in the center of the dance floor with a struggling Inner Soldier in his grasped. Zaccheus held Sailor Jupiter; Jairo held Sailor Mars; Malchior held Sailor Mercury; Tatsuaki held Sailor Venus. Above all that, the most frightening feature of all was the drumming maestro and bearer of the huge red eye. A gargantuan, legless, monster handing from the ceiling by his waist fused into the stone was dangling down over a huge drum that was as a big as a house. The body, which was only a torso, was muscular and of putrid black and blue flesh. His hands were severed from his arms at the wrists, but they remained telekinetically connected to the body. And, of course, to top the disgust and horror, was no top at all. There wasn't a head. The neck led to the enormous eye, where banana peal-like flaps of skin would cover the eye if any danger approached it.
"What the heck is that?" shrieked Sailor Moon.
"You girls have impressed us quite a bit," said Tatsuaki. "Your success and adventures have granted you a special prize. This big guy here is our pride and joy, the strongest Pureblood Heartless in our arsenal, Bongo Bongo! Not only is he the master of ceremonies for the reception, his rhythmic beats raise the dead for a really kicka** party."
Meanwhile, Link had wandered off into the darkness in such haste that he didn't even take notice of the Sailor Soldiers' absence. He wondered blankly into blankness. Everything was dark. The monotony of darkness was finally broken when he felt water under his feet. Something probably flooded, that was his explanation, and he thought nothing of it. A misty light broke through the shadow off in the distance. The white mist spread like an inferno. The phantom fog was enveloping him and dissipating the shadows. It was becoming thick. The blackness was replaced by a frozen grayness, stillness. His steps were slow in the shallow water that went up to his ankles. Once more the scenery changed. The fog blew away a bit to reveal a small island in the shallow water that bared only some grass and a leafless, lifeless tree. It was all so surreal. Link stopped by the tree and looked around for any sign of, well, anything. There was what appeared to be sunshine coming from above. Link was just so frustrated with this trap and wondered how it was supposed to ensnare him. In dismal frustration and anger he looked down at the water and saw the reflection of the tree. He looked to see his own reflection… wait… It wasn't where it was supposed to be. Link brought himself close to the shore, but his reflection was still not there. He made a ripple in the water by tapping the surface with his foot, but still nothing appeared. It spooked him.
"Missing something?" a voice said. It was a voice that was remarkably similar to his voice. It was, in fact, identical.
Link turned around, and the hairs on the back of neck stood up. Leaning against the tree, was a copy of himself. However, it was not an exact copy. He was entirely black with the exception of his eyes that were a brighter red than the red of the sun at dusk.
"What are you?" Link demanded angrily.
"Temper, temper," the black copy said with a wag of his finger. "It's that anger that created me."
"What are you talking about?"
"That wonderful rage of yours, the despair you felt towards the monsters that tortured you in the Arbiter's Grounds, the self-hatred you felt after your close friends were carted away by Bulblins, most recently, the hate you have for Zant for stealing the one you love: I was created by it. I am everything you are while being everything you're not."
"What do you want?" Link demanded, taking shimmering sword in hand.
"I just want one thing really." Dark Link pulled out his sword and shield. "I want you dead."
The doppelganger charged as did Link. They're swords met in a thunderous clash. Each time it happened, thunder rumbled and the heavens screamed. The two warriors fought on mercilessly. Unfortunately, the first to slip up was the real Link. When he made a stabbing maneuver, Dark Link jumped up and landed on the tip of his sword. He then counted by slashing into Link's chest. This successfully knocked Link to the ground. Midna came to his side.
"Do you have any advice?" he said quickly to her.
"Conquer yourself…" she said.
"Just how the f*** is that supposed to help me?" Link snapped.
"This is why he is here," said Midna haughtily. "That snappy temper of yours is at fault. You're like a rabid dog."
"A dog?" Link repeated. "That is it!"
He summoned the Shadow Crystal into his hand and transformed into a wolf. Midna took her seat on his back. Wolf Link pounced onto Dark Link and sank his fangs deep into the doppelganger's shoulder. Dark Link fell back and threw Link off of him. Suddenly, Dark Link transformed into a wolf as well. The two mighty wolves lashed at each other with fangs and claws. It was much more brutal to watch than the sword fighting. Shining droplets of pure water flared in mystic fireworks with droplets of opaque blood. Link bashed Dark Link away with a kick from his hind legs. This enraged Dark Link, and he reverted to his Hylian form. Link did the same. Then the clashing of steel started up again.
Meanwhile…
"The wedding will start soon," Malchior said, restraining Mercury tightly. "Since we're not all bad, we'll let you enjoy your friend's wedding, and then we'll kill you. How does that sound?"
"You all are a bunch of sick b*******!" screamed Jupiter.
Tuxedo Mask was still unconscious. Sailor Moon was trying to brake free of Bongo Bongo's grasped, but that was pointless. As he held her with one hand, the other hand beat the drum, and the dance of the dead continued raging.
"I have to do something," Sailor Moon said to herself.
"Conquer yourself," teased Jairo.
"F*** you, pot head!" shrieked Sailor Moon.
"Why can't we just kill them now?" said Tatsuaki. "Does it matter?"
"You know, Big Brother," Malchior said. "You're right. Let's kill them now and end it."
"Phantom Brothers!" Zant's voice echoed in room. Zant was still getting puffed and polished, but a servant held a hand mirror, whose surface served as screen to view the battling. "Do not kill them yet. You must let them hear how happy their friend is with me."
"Yes, King," said Tatsuaki.
"Happy my a**!" snorted Venus.
Zant saw the image of Zoey slumped over the desk in the bedroom, crying. The sound of her tears echoed not only in the ballroom but also wherever Link was. Zant, astonishingly, was surprised by her sadness. All the Sailor Soldiers heard her sorrow bouncing off the walls like balls in lottery machine. The drumming seized as well as the dancing and other instruments. Even Dark Link stopped attacking to let Link hear the crying.
"Please…" Zoey said softly through her tears. "Please…save me…"
"She shouldn't be crying," said Zant, separated from reality. "She is getting married. She shouldn't be crying."
"Please… save me… Save me, Link…"
"Link!" Zant roared, shooting up out of the chain and knocking over the servants.
"Please, Link, come and save me…"
"Why the hell is she asking for the man who broke her heart?" hallowed Zant, flustered beyond belief. "End that crying now!"
The mirror's surface became normal, and the crying stopped being audible to the heroes.
"That was uncomfortable," said Zaccheus. "Well, it's time to die."
"You monsters!" Sailor Moon said through tears and rage in the Bongo Bongo's hand. "I won't let you succeed. I won't let Zoey be stuck with that psycho." She then shouted. "Sailor Soldiers!" she called out to her friends. "Look away from me now!"
"What for?" asked Sailor Mars, shutting her eyes tight.
The crescent moon on Sailor Moon's tiara began to glow. "Moon Twilight Flash!" An intense and blinding flash of lovely, white light was released from the moon on the tiara. All of the Faceless Phantom Brothers, the Shadow Beasts restraining the Outer Soldiers, and Bongo Bongo were transfixed on her when she released the light and were blinded. The Phantom Brothers let go of the girls to put her hands over their throbbing eyes. Even Bongo Bongo was blinded. The skin flaps closed over his eye, and he dropped Sailor Moon and ended the drumming to shield his eye with hands. All of the undead just stood or floated motionlessly
"That Heartless's drum is controlling the undead monsters," said Sailor Pluto. "If he is destroyed, the undead monsters will go away."
"Son of a b****!" roared Tatsuaki, still unable to see. "We'll get you!"
"That won't happen!" said Sailor Venus. She powered up for her best attack. "Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" With the blow of a kiss, Sailor Venus created a blast of golden energy that fired forth and struck Tatsuaki so hard that he was slammed into a wall.
"Feel passion's fire!" said Sailor Mars. "Mars Flame Sniper!" Sailor Mars created a bow and arrow made of fire, and in one swift motion, she released the burning arrow and struck down Jairo.
"You need a lesson in courtship!" said Sailor Jupiter. "Jupiter Oak Evolution!" As she spun around like a ballerina in a music box, swarms of green orbs of energy flew from the antenna on her tiara. Almost every orb nailed Zaccheus.
"Music is meant for joy not pain!" said Sailor Mercury. "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" A lyre made of water appeared in her arms. With each strum of the strings, a blast of water was released. All the blasts hit Malchior and froze him in a block of solid ice.
Sailor Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto destroyed the Shadow Beasts with their talismans. Bongo Bongo recovered from his blindness. His eye opened and targeted Sailor Moon. His hands shot out for her. But before he could touch her, a rose struck him the center of his giant eye, paralyzing him. Tuxedo Mask was conscious again.
"Now, Sailor Moon!" he called.
"Right," she said. She summoned the Cutie Moon Rod. "Moon Princess Halation!" The magnificent golden crescent cleaved through the shadows, illuminating all, and bashed into Bongo Bongo. The Heartless convulsed disgustingly and flung his hands around and around before disintegrated into nothing. All of the undead party guests withered away.
"I did it!" cheered Sailor Moon.
"Those douche bags are gone," said Jupiter. "They ran away after we beat their psychotic a****. I just hope Link isn't in trouble."
Link was silenced by Zoey's tears. The anger was replaced by sorrow. The sorrow mellowed him.
"If you're not going to attack," said Dark Link, "I will!"
Dark Link charged. That sorrow was the last step Link needed to climb. Now he felt the emotion that would win this battle and conquer the pure hatred in front of him. It was his love for Zoey. The memory of the joy she brought to him dispersed all negativity. Dark Link was coming. Right when he stuck, Link struck too, but only the real Link's attack landed. Dark Link fell into the water and faded away. The entire scenery changed. Link had been in a chamber inside the Twilight Palace the entire time. He walked through a door and entered the grand ballroom. The Sailor Soldiers were all there.
"Link!" cheered Sailor Moon. "You're back! You would not believe what we just dealt with in here."
"There is no time for chitchat," said Sailor Uranus. She pointed to the spot were the Heartless Bongo Bongo used to be. There was a staircase that led to a grand door. "That leads to the throne room."
Zant, not even changing clothes or putting on shoes, stormed out of the salon for the bedroom. He was so enraged. The harsh slamming of the door alerted Zoey to his arrival. Her head popped up, and she saw him advancing towards her in the mirror's reflection. Before she completely turned to face him, Zant grabbed her and held her by the shoulders.
"Why do you still love him?" Zant demanded, shaking her after every word. "I showed you how he didn't love you. Why do you still care for him?"
Zoey was heaving and unable to speak out of terror. "He… may not love me… but he is still important to me… I love him!"
Zant, in a fit of rage, pimp slapped her across the face with the back of his left hand. The slap flung her onto the bed, which was thankfully softer than it looked. She moved a hand over the sore spot, but the hand was yanked up by Zant. He held her up.
"He doesn't love you!" Zant heaved, angrily, heatedly seething. "I love you."
"You don't love me!" Zoey shouted through the tears. "If you loved someone, you would care about her happiness above your own!"
That claim cut Zant like dagger. His face grew blank, and he released his hold on her. Then he backed away from Zoey slowly. "Her happiness above you own…" he said it in a whisper. His mind was confused. Zoey thought he had short-circuited. Something dormant in him was coming alive, and the consciousness that was present did not like it. Zant grabbed his head in pain and moaned. "D*** it!" He doubled over onto his knees, squeezing his head and bobbing it up and down.
Zoey's compassion appeared. "Zant, are you all right?" She didn't come near him though.
Zant was silent. Then a giggle escaped his lips. It rolled into hysterical laughter. He whipped his head back, and his mouth was gaping open as he laughed. It was terrifying. Zoey was terrified. As Zant laughed, Shadow Crystals materialized around her.
"If I can't make you happy the natural way," he bellowed through the laughter, "I'll make you love me the easy way!"
Zoey panicked. The Shadow Crystals came closer and closer and then…