Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: Chaos Theory

by Sora Kazeno1

New Sailor Animates appear and in search of the sailor senshi's starseeds while they search for Chaos. Chaos awakens within one of the senshi. How will they manage the aftermath of the battle? Nothing will ever be the same; the future they prepared for is gone. Usagi must chose between Mamoru and Seiya.

32. The Second Mark

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: Chaos Theory

Act 32: The Second Mark

By: Sora Kazeno

---

Sailor Cosmos tried her best to focus in the unfamiliar surroundings. Sailor Pluto stood nearby educating her on the nature of the time streams. But she could hardly pay attention to anything she was told. Her thoughts constantly drifted back to Seiya running off last night.

Sailor Pluto frowned, it was obvious her companion was not paying attention. "Usagi-chan?" She waited for a response.

Several minutes past until Sailor Cosmos realized they stood in silence. She looked up at Sailor Pluto with a guilty expression. The older Senshi was here to help her, yet she had not given Sailor Pluto her full attention. "Sorry…" Sailor Cosmos said with a downward glance. She wanted to say more, but she didn't want to discuss her problems with the Outer Senshi.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind. Are you still thinking of traveling to the future?" Sailor Pluto asked in a rigid tone. She wanted to convince Sailor Cosmos to remain in the present time to make her decision. If she went to the future it could alter this time line once more.

"I…. I don't know…" Sailor Cosmos said slowly. She let out a loud sigh of frustration. "Ever since I had that first premonition… there have been others. It is so confusing."

"You have to be careful. Knowing the future in the present can have dire consequences. I believe that is part of the reason you are questioning your relationship with Fighter so much, you've seen the future. You must follow your instinct and your heart. It will not lead you astray," said Sailor Pluto in a reassuring tone. "I know you will do what is best for you."

"Thanks," Sailor Cosmos responded with a half-smile. "So… umm… I missed a lot of what you said."

Sailor Pluto smirked at her admission. "Well…One of the most important things to remember about the time streams is this; without a time key, a person will easily become lost. I am the only one that can hand out time keys. You seem to possess the ability to send yourself through time, but not any of the others."

"How will I be able to find my way?" Sailor Cosmos asked alarmed. She panicked at the thought of becoming a nomad in time. The image she had disappeared as something did not add up. "A few months ago, how was I able to lead us to Crystal Tokyo when I did not possess a time key?"

Sailor Pluto anticipated this question, "I am assuming it is because of your abilities as Sailor Cosmos and the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou." She turned the topic of discussion to a more serious matter. "There is one thing that you must not do. It is taboo for me and I imagine it will be taboo for you as well. It is an ancient law your mother created." A quick look into Sailor Cosmos' eyes told Sailor Pluto she had Usagi's full attention. "You must never stop time." She lowered her head slightly, "I did this once for a few seconds and it nearly cost me my life. I am unsure on what may happen to you if you do the same."

Sailor Cosmos nodded her head in acknowledgment. "It seems odd though..."

"In what way?" Sailor Pluto questioned her.

"My powers seem limitless… unless it comes to time…" Sailor Cosmos responded with inquisitiveness. Another thought occurred to her, "Having premonitions… isn't it just like seeing the future?"

Sailor Pluto smiled at her question. "It is a rather unique situation," she explained. "Sometimes these events are helpful to know in order to avoid certain …occurrences. Preventing them may be essential to the future."

"How is it different than knowing the future?"

"What you witness are glimpses of the future, but not knowing the set future. From what I understand by speaking with Michiru-chan the visions provide a glimpse without giving away the entire path."

Sailor Cosmos pursed her lips together as dismay filled her. It was not the answered she hoped to hear from Setsuna. She wanted to find a way to justify going to the future to help her make a decision, but Setsuna wasn't giving her an out. She tried again. "But premonitions would affect the current time line? How do we know that what we are doing will result in lasting peace after we stop the Dark Moon?"

Sailor Pluto smirked once more. Sailor Cosmos was baiting her. She had grown a lot from the young girl she met a few years prior and began to display some of the qualities that will serve well in a future queen. "From what I understand," she chose her words carefully, "We will have lasting peace and everything will be fine as long as you believe in the path you have chosen."

"What is the chosen path?" Sailor Cosmos mused. "I can't shake the image of Chibi Usa disappearing in the time streams. It is hard to imagine a future without her… yet…" she stopped herself before she spoke any more. She didn't want to tell Sailor Pluto about the silver haired girl. She was unable to determine if it was dream or something more.

"Oh?" Sailor Pluto inquired hoping Sailor Cosmos would continue. After a few moments of silence it was clear Sailor Cosmos would not elaborate. "In other time lines Small Lady is well," Sailor Pluto finally said in an effort to reassure the Princess.

Sailor Cosmos took comfort in knowing Chibi Usa was safe and happy in another time. "I wonder if everything I've done since the animates reappeared… was the right thing to do." She had a far off look in her eye as she debated her life choices. Her stomach was tight with worry. "But… I can't let my past dictate my future."

"What do you mean?" Sailor Pluto asked. She wanted to make sure she understood what Usagi inferred.

"Before I awakened as Princess Serenity…. I never got along with Mamo-chan," said Sailor Cosmos softly. "When we ran into each other, we would always fight and throw insults at each other. It wasn't until we both learned about our true identifies… that our relationship in this lifetime began." She paused when she realized something. "But… I had feelings for Seiya before I became Sailor Cosmos or knew about the legend." Her heart sank, "Or are the feelings there because of Cosmos?" Her inner turmoil grew the more she voiced her uncertainties. "No." She tried to reassure herself despite how feeble it sounded. "They were there before, I just never acted on them."

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Questioned Sailor Pluto as she took a few steps closer to Sailor Cosmos.

"I…. I think," Sailor Cosmos said with as much self-confidence as she dared. "I don't care what Haruka-san says."

Sailor Pluto smiled at her boldness. "If it is what makes you happy, Haruka-chan will eventually come around."

Sailor Cosmos' forehead began to burn for an unknown reason. She lightly touched her forehead as light emerged from it. The mark on her forehead changed from an eight pointed star to a crescent moon. The light from Sailor Pluto's star brooch caught her attention. "Whaa?"

Sailor Pluto gasped as she looked down at her brooch, bewildered. Golden energy emerged and began to take the shape of a crescent moon. She lightly touched her brooch and could feel the heat from it. "This mark…." She murmured in awe.

"That's the second mark…" Sailor Cosmos said. She stood less than a foot from Sailor Pluto to examine the mark closely.

The mark confirmed Sailor Pluto's suspicions from the night the Princess restored the Silver Millennium. "Do you know what this mark means?"

"Yes," answered Sailor Cosmos without hesitation. "My mother explained its meaning to me yesterday." The look on Sailor Pluto's face conveyed she wanted to hear more. "The other day I was attacked by a gas of some sort. Sailor Star Fighter helped me to the Prayer Room and it restored me. It was similar to how I felt on Kinmoku."

Something didn't add up to Sailor Pluto. "What prompted her to discuss the mark?"

Sailor Cosmos frowned. She knew if she told Sailor Pluto about the mark it would only be a matter of time until Haruka learned about it as well. Though, it might be easier now that Sailor Pluto also bore the same mark. "Sailor Star Fighter received the first mark."

Sailor Pluto's jaw dropped as she processed the significance of the statement. "An outsider…. To receive the royal mark…" Sailor Pluto said, while she pondered the implications. After a moment she responded, "It truly is a new kingdom." She tried her best to remain indifferent, though the news disturbed her greatly.

---

Usagi thought about her conversation with Sailor Pluto while she spoke to Luna. She hadn't seen her feline friend for a significant period of time and it seemed they kept missing each other. They finally had a chance to catch up. Usagi's long hair flowed to the floor while she slowly brushed it out.

Luna was amazed that some of the senshi had already received crescent moon marks. She was astonished when she learned Sailor Star Fighter received the first one. "I'm just not sure how it will work, Usagi-chan," Luna said. "Sailor Star Fighter serves another kingdom and another Princess."

"I guess I didn't tell you then," Usagi said sitting down next to Luna.

"Tell me what?"

"This is the last mission for the Starlights from Kinmoku. Once the Dark Moon is defeated, they plan on remaining on Earth. Permanently."

"Are you sure?" Luna questioned her. She couldn't believe Seiya and the others would remain here. Then she remembered their previous discussion when Usagi revealed some of the details of a recent dream she had where Seiya was the King. It made sense.

"It's true…" Usagi said as her voice began to trail off. "Seiya wants to stay here… but I don't know, Luna."

Alarmed by the melancholy in her voice, Luna asked, "Did something happen Usagi-chan? I thought you would be happy to have Seiya-kun stay here." Her suspicions that something was amiss the other day were correct.

"I kept the kiss between Endymion and me a secret from Seiya for a few days after they nearly fought each other at the shrine. I was afraid of what would happen. Not telling him only made things worse!" Usagi exclaimed. She was angry with herself for her actions.

Luna focused on another question she needed to ask since the other night and when she first learned of Usagi's kiss with Mamoru, "Did you want to kiss Mamoru-san?"

"…." Usagi sighed as her shoulders dropped further down. "I… I'm not sure. It scares me, Luna. I love them both." She slowly turned her head to face Luna. "I know I have to choose, but I'm not sure if I will be able to."

"Usagi-chan, you could lose them both if you don't make a decision soon. Does Seiya-kun know everything that happened?"

"I… I told him yesterday. He couldn't look at me after I told him…" Usagi clenched her fingers together tightly as silent tears flowed down her cheek. "He told me he would call me today, but I haven't heard from him yet. What if he is too upset with me to talk?"

Luna nuzzled Usagi's leg in an attempt to comfort her in her time of need. "The day isn't over yet. I'm sure he will call you, Usagi-chan. Seiya-kun cares for you deeply. He never stopped caring for you, even after he returned to Kinmoku last year."

"What if…. What if I ruined everything?" Usagi asked. "I know I should have chosen between them sooner… but…"

"Would you be happier with Mamoru-san or Seiya-kun?" Luna cut her off.

Before Usagi could answer there was a knock at her door.

"Come in!" Usagi said happy for a distraction from answering Luna's question.

"You have a telephone call!" Ikkuko said brightly, "It's Seiya-kun. When are you going to invite everyone over?"

Usagi didn't hear her mother's second question and quickly grabbed the cordless telephone from her mother's hand.

Ikkuko raised her eyebrow at her daughter's actions but decided to dismiss them. "Ah, young love." She walked out of the room and closed the door to give them some privacy.

Luna headed out to the balcony. Usagi was alone. Her hand shook as she picked up the telephone. She was uneasy waiting for his call and now she didn't want to talk. "Hello?" She said softly. She wasn't sure how he would react to her.

"Hi Odango," his voice sounded tired.

Everything she wanted to say came gushing out. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I was worried you would go and fight him and someone would get hurt." She continued to ramble on for another minute explaining her actions.

There was a long hesitation on the other side of the telephone once Usagi was done. "I understand why you didn't want to tell me… but I'm still… disappointed." Came Seiya's response.

Usagi's shoulders slumped when she heard his remark. "I didn't want things to end up this way."

"I couldn't agree more," Seiya said, his tone slightly more upbeat. "This is something we need to discuss more, but I'd rather talk to you about it tomorrow evening in person. I have a few things I need to take care of in the morning."

"That sounds great," Usagi said as she tried to keep her voice even. What did he want to say to her that he was more comfortable telling her to her face? Was he going to end things? She dismissed the thought. "I'm supposed to see Rei-chan in the early afternoon. She is going to help me understand my premonitions. I'm hoping it will help me understand everything I've seen."

"I think that's great. I can meet you there once you're done."

"Well… the other girls are supposed to meet us when we are done, but I imagine they'll understand if we talk for a bit."

"I can always bring Taiki and Yaten to distract them."

Usagi laughed at his light hearted comment. Things were strained between them but it didn't seem like it was something that couldn't be repaired. She began to relax a little more. "There is something else I need to tell you. Setsuna-san received a crescent moon mark today after she helped me train in the time streams."

"It's a relief that I'm not the only one, but I imagine Haruka-san is still going to be jealous. She takes protecting you very seriously."

"Yeah…"

"There is something else I've wanted to ask you… the dreams that you've had about the future, are those troubling you?"

Usagi was surprised by his question. She wasn't completely sure which dreams he referred to and could only assume it was the ones she recently told him about being together in the Silver Millennium. "Of course not," Usagi said trying to hide her disappointment. "I don't have to worry about it if I have you with me," Usagi said in a reassuring tone. "As long as you are with me I know everything will be okay."

Their conversation continued on for a little while longer. There was still an uncomfortable air between them; one that would take time to dissipate.

---

Usagi stood still while her mother helped wrap her in a kimono. It was pure white with elaborate stitching. Usagi examined the kimono carefully. It was the most beautiful garment she had ever worn with the exception of her royal attire. When she first laid eyes on this kimono she knew it would be the one she would wear on this special day.

The other girls beamed as they watched Ikkuko help Usagi dress. They each wore colorful kimonos.

Ikkuko was fussing over her hair now that she finished tying the obi. "I can't believe the day is finally here. My daughter is getting married."

Usagi smiled at her mother. She looked down at the ring on her ring finger.

---

Usagi blinked her eyes slightly as the room came into focus. "Ugggh!" Usagi groaned as she rolled over in her bed. She wanted to sleep but she kept having more visions. The last thing she wanted was a vision of getting married to someone when she couldn't decide whom her future would be with. Destiny was playing a cruel joke on her.

---

The following day, Usagi ran into Setsuna, Haruka and Michiru on the way to the shrine.

Michiru approached her first, "I'm worried about you, Usagi-chan. I had a vision of you this morning surrounded by mist and it was dangerous."

"You're too late on your prediction, it already happened," Usagi said.

"That's odd," Haruka said. "Michiru has never had a vision about something after it happened." She looked over at Michiru for confirmation.

"It's true. I wonder if it means it will happen again?" Michiru asked thoughtfully. It was rare any of her premonitions were wrong. "Please be careful, Princess."

Ever since yesterday when Haruka learned about the Royal Court, she wanted to confront Usagi. She couldn't believe Fighter received the first mark when they have protected her for years and in her former life. "Why didn't you tell us sooner about the crescent moon mark?" Her tone conveyed she was annoyed. She didn't wait for answer and launched her next question, "How could you choose him to be the first member of the Royal Court?"

Usagi didn't need this at the moment. She was already about to have a difficult conversation with someone else and Haruka's comments increased her frustration. She could have told her she didn't know what the mark meant until days later but Haruka might already know that. She didn't even understand how Sailor Pluto received her mark. Instead of telling her all of this, she decided to lash back. "You have to get used to it. He may be King one day." She spun on her heel and marched off.

Usagi didn't need this right now. Where she was headed was difficult enough but it needed to happen. She had been avoiding seeing him since their kiss.

Haruka's eyebrows arched in anger she was about to retort, but Michiru prevented her. Michiru lightly placed her hand on Haruka's arm. Haruka turned her head to face her partner. Michiru shook her head side to side. Haruka let out a large sigh.

Setsuna spoke for the first time in the past ten minutes, "We must learn to be at peace with her decision, whether we agree with it or not." Haruka shot her a resentful glance. "Even though she hasn't made the final decision yet."

Setsuna's words caused Haruka to relax. There was still hope. It may be a fleeting hope, but it was something.

---

Usagi stood in front of the apartment door. Her heart beat furiously in her chest in anticipation. Her lips parted slightly when she realized what she was experiencing was just like her recent premonition. She panicked. The door opened. It was too late.

Mamoru opened the door excited to see Usagi standing before him. He moved to the side to allow her into the apartment. "I'm happy to see you here," he said with the best smile he could offer.

Usagi nodded her head and continued to stand near the doorway. He looked exactly the same he had in her vision. He even said the same words. This time she decided to keep her shoes on. She was supposed to see Rei in less than an hour. "I can't stay long," she quickly said. She tried to make her intentions clear while her willpower was still strong.

Mamoru nodded his head in acknowledgement, but he doubted her words. He was going to try to have her stay as long as possible.

"Usako… you wanted to talk about something?" Mamoru asked. He skipped polite conversation. He needed to know where they stood after their kisses at the Silver Millennium the other day. He had gone too long without an answer and it was killing him.

"…. The other day… I…." Usagi tried to elaborate, but her words failed her. Her premonition was nearly identical to this moment. How could she talk to him about a kiss that a part of her yearn for right now? He still had that effect on her and she realized he would probably always have that effect on her, "I…" she tried again, but failed.

"I guess it really left an impression on you, Usako. Though I wish you would have returned my messages sooner," he took a few steps closer to her while smiling. He hoped his plan to talk to her as Princess Serenity was affective.

She had to address the elephant in the room, "It was Serenity that kissed you." Her words left her mouth before she could stop herself.

"Really?" Mamoru asked with a raised eyebrow. "But you are Serenity," he responded. "How is that going to work when you become Neo-Queen Serenity?"

Usagi was speechless at his question. It was something she never thought of. Could she be Neo Queen Serenity and Sailor Cosmos at the same time? She was being to awaken as Neo Queen Serenity. The one that loves Endymion. She couldn't look at him. She knew he was right.

Mamoru placed his hands on her shoulders. The gesture caused Usagi to look up at him out of instinct.

"I love you, Usako. Whether you are Tsukino Usagi or Princess Serenity."

"Mamo-chan," she whispered. Her eyes stared at his hands on her shoulders. Usagi swallowed the lump in her throat when she recognized this part was not in her premonition. What else was going to happen?

She took a few steps back from him. She let out a sigh and tried to muster her courage. Things could not continue as they were. It was too painful. "I need…" Usagi stated as her voice quivered. "I need… you and Seiya to be able to get along."

This was not what Mamoru had hoped for, he was crestfallen. He wanted to talk about them. He wanted to discuss the tender moment they shared at the Silver Millennium. He had thought they were finally making progress to repair their relationship. He told her he loved her. His eyes turned cold at the mention of the other man's name.

Usagi gasped when she noticed the change in his demeanor. She turned away from him slightly and forced herself to continue. "I need the two of you to stop acting like this." Her voice became quieter. "It's too painful."

"Too painful…" Mamoru repeated slowly before he continued, "Have you thought about how painful it is for me to see you with someone else?" His voice was full of agony.

Usagi bit her lip. This was more difficult than she thought it would be. If her vision was correct, he was about to try to kiss her any minute. She forced herself to continue knowing the outcome. "You know I can't stand to see people I care about fighting." Her heart hammered in her chest as she continued, "You're both very important to me." She turned her gaze back to him and was surprised to note he stood right next her. "Can you do this for me?"

"I'll do anything for you, Usako," he whispered and with a quick movement wrapped his arms around her.

Usagi opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She was mesmerized by his eyes and couldn't break his gaze. She knew where this was about to lead and she couldn't stop it.

Mamoru leaned down to kiss her.

At the last moment she found her voice. "I just wanted to talk to you…I don't think…" She wanted to say more but that was the only coherent thing her brain could put together.

The apartment door had been half open. Mamoru was in such a hurry to talk to Usagi he never completely closed the door behind them. The door banged against the wall when someone pushed it open. The noise startled Usagi and Mamoru and quickly broke them apart.

Seiya glared at Mamoru.

Mamoru returned the glare with his icy stare.

Usagi felt her heart was about to stop. Why was Seiya here? And at this moment? Things would only end badly. Why didn't her premonition show her this?

"So you're trying to force yourself on her again," Seiya spat as he entered the apartment uninvited. "She was just trying to brush you off once more."

"This doesn't concern you and I don't recall inviting you to my home," Mamoru said in a menacing tone. He stood before Usagi. He wanted to keep Seiya way from her. Once again, he was finally making progress to repair their relationship and Seiya interfered again.

"When it's about my girlfriend, it concerns me," Seiya said boldly. He knew his words would only anger Mamoru more. He didn't care anymore. This had to stop. Mamoru had to leave Usagi alone.

"Your what?" Mamoru was infuriated when he spoke. He walked toward the young man. His hands clenched into fists.

Seiya smirked at Mamoru's reaction. He hit a nerve.

Both of them ignored Usagi. All they could think about was their mutual hate for each other in this confrontation. It was long overdue. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion in front of her. The two men quickly closed the gap between them with fists raised.

Mamoru swung the first punch. Seiya expected it and was able to dodge. Seiya's fist connected with Mamoru's stomach.

Mamoru staggered back for a moment. He didn't think Seiya would be able to dodge so easily.

Having connected with the first punch gave Seiya a sense of false security. He lowered his fists. He made his point.

Mamoru charged back at Seiya and punched in the right eye.

Seiya stumbled with his steps and nearly fell over. There was a cut over his eyebrow. His eye stung. He knew he was going to have a black eye. Seiya frowned. He couldn't remember the last time he had a black eye.

The two men continued to fight each other.

Usagi watched on in horror. This is what she was terrified of witnessing. Everything unraveled in front of her. "Stop this!" She screams at them. They didn't hear her. They continue to exchange blows as if she wasn't there and she was a trophy to be won. Tears flowed down her cheeks. Her fists clenched, they shook uncontrollably.

Energy began to radiate from Usagi's body. She couldn't control it. She was too emotional.

Seiya and Mamoru were in the process of trying to hit each other when an invisible wall blocked them from connecting with each other. They pushed against the wall and realized it wouldn't budge. They exchanged a confused glance at each other and realized neither one of them were responsible for the barrier. There was only one person in the room capable of such a feat. They turn to face Usagi, but Usagi wasn't standing there.

Sailor Cosmos glared at the two men. She was livid with them. Her eyes had the same icy appearance they once had when she was possessed by Chaos. Her eyes expressed the frustration and betrayal she felt towards them.

Mamoru's stomach felt upset with worry. Was she about to lose control of her powers?

Seiya was afraid of what would happen next. Is this what Princess Kakyuu had discussed?

Sailor Cosmos tightened her grip on her staff before she spoke, "I can't handle this anymore." Her voice was eerily low. "I can't keep watching the two of you fight." The orb on the top of staff grew slightly before she continued. "You leave me no choice, but to do the one thing I said I wasn't going to go do to stop this."

Mamoru and Seiya watched Sailor Cosmos closely to understand what she meant.

She turned to Mamoru and said, "It's time I learn if Crystal Tokyo is gone for good…" Her voice trailed off and she turned to Seiya to finish her sentence, "Or if the dreams I had were really premonitions of the future." Sailor Cosmos' body began to shimmer. She disappeared into a mist of pink smoke.

They both knew what it meant. She entered the time streams. She was going to the future to seek answers.

---

Setsuna's eyes widened when she felt the disturbance in the time streams. She didn't speak a word as she placed her teacup lightly on the table. She could try to stop Sailor Cosmos but it would be futile. She was already near her destination and within seconds would pass through the door.

Setsuna frowned and clutched the crystal pendant around her neck. She hoped Sailor Cosmos could not alter anything during her visit but it was beyond her control. Setsuna did not like this feeling. She was powerless over what should be her domain. A thought occurred to her, what if Sailor Cosmos purposely altered the future?

Michiru noticed the change in Setsuna's posture and found it odd. "Are you alright?" She eyed the older woman's actions closely.

Setsuna shook her head slightly to return herself to the present. "I will be fine. Thank you for your concern. There is something I need to take care of." Setsuna said. She stood up and used her pendant to transform. She had to make sure no serious harm was done.

Haruka became alarmed at her actions. "Where are you going?"

"I just need to check on something… or rather someone," Sailor Pluto said. Her expression was serious. She whispered an incantation and the doors of time appeared before her.

The sight of the doors caused Michiru and Haruka to be on edge. "Let us go with you," Haruka said, as she walked over to Sailor Pluto.

"No," Sailor Pluto responded immediately. "This is something I must handle alone… your presence would most likely agitate the Princess." Without another word, she was gone and the doors closed behind her.

Haruka looked over at Michiru. She was angry that she had not been allowed to follow.

Michiru sighed and responded, "You have to play nice, otherwise, you will continue to be excluded."

Haruka grunted and walked off into another room.

---

Sailor Cosmos stood in front of the doors that would lead to the future for a second time. She rested her palm on the door, but did not push it open. She knew once she opened this door, she could not turn back. But she had to know. This turmoil needed to end. She didn't trust herself to make a decision since her decision depended on the form she took. She had to pick between two different paths.

The door she stood in front of will lead her to roughly five years in the future. Crystal Tokyo might already exist… or it could be before Crystal Tokyo was built. The alternative was it never existed. What was behind the door would answer those questions. She had to figure whom her destiny was with.

She inhaled a large breath through her nose and slowly exhaled through her mouth to calm herself. She slowly pushed the doors open and walked through. The door closed behind.

Sailor Pluto arrived just in time to witness the doors closing. She was too late.

---

Sailor Cosmos blinked her eyes a few times to adjust to the bright sunlight of a warm spring day. She had to end the uneasiness she felt. Once her eyes became accustomed, she immediately noticed the state of Tokyo. It looked identical to the one she had just left. She frowned. She hoped she would see something that would immediately answer her question. She would have to spend more time there than she originally intended to.

She examined the city closer for any signs of change. Nothing. She couldn't rule anything out yet. She wasn't sure if she became Neo Queen Serenity during these five years. If she did become Queen during the time gap it was possible her future self wasn't even on Earth.

Sailor Cosmos lightly touched her brooch and reverted back to Usagi. It would be easier for to her to move around the city not dressed as a senshi. Panic set in once she realized she didn't know what she would do if she ran into someone she knew. Other people could still recognize her. What if it was someone she hadn't met yet? She needed to find a way she could roam freely without anyone knowing who she was. Moving in the shadows was not her forte.

Usagi tapped her cheek lightly while she thought. She needed a disguise. Her jaw dropped open when she realized she already had one. She dug around her pockets for a pen she hadn't used in a while. After a few moments of frantic search, she pulled out a pink pen with a ruby crystal. "Moon Power! Turn me into… a tourist!" It was the first thing that came to Usagi's mind. Light surrounded her body and once it was done she looked like an American tourist. She looked down at her outfit and slowly examined it from the bottom up. She wore a pair of brown sandals with a faded pair of blue jeans. She wore a white t-shirt with random color blocking and letters she couldn't quite make out. She had wavy blonde hair that fell to her collarbone. She also wore sunglasses. She smiled. She stepped out of the alley she had hid herself in until she could develop her current plan.

She paused when she passed a store window to glance at her reflection. She smiled. She barely recognized herself. She looked like a completely different person. She wandered down the streets in the Azabu district, one district over from her original goal. She paused. She knew she couldn't return to her parents' house. She would be done with high school. Where could she go?

A few annoyed people pushed past her since she stood in the middle of the sidewalk. They called her a gaijin as they continued on their way. She couldn't go to the Mamoru's or Seiya's apartments. She wasn't even sure if either one of them lived there anymore. She began to walk forward again. She couldn't stand in the middle of the sidewalk.

This was harder than she had anticipated. She continued to walk down the street. Everything looked the same to her. Where could she go for information? She sighed. She needed direction. An idea began to form. Often when she needed guidance she spoke to Rei. Maybe she could go to the shrine and learn something if she overheard people talking. It was the best idea she could come up with.

---

Usagi easily navigated her way to the shrine. She climbed the steps and carefully watched everyone that passed her. She had to make sure she didn't draw the attention of anyone she passed. She paused at the top of the stairs to catch her breath. She moved to the side and observed everyone on the grounds. She inhaled her breath sharply when she recognized a familiar pair of odangos. It was the older version of herself speaking to Rei. Her hair was lighter, it was a blend between blonde and white. Her hair was gradually turning white. Was the future Usagi already Queen, or about to be Queen? Usagi crept closer to spy on their conversation. She studied her future self.

The older Usagi was taller than she was and as skinny as ever. She laughed heartily at something Rei told her. Usagi was finally in range to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Thank you for the tea, Rei-chan," Usagi said with a slight bow for her hospitality. "I need to be going… I'm expecting a guest rather soon." She quickly spun around and stared at Usagi.

Usagi bit her lip. Her older self was expecting her to appear here. Of course, Usagi thought to herself. Why wouldn't her older self know she would appear here? She mentally kicked herself for how flawed her plan was. How could she not have predicted this? She was in too much of hurry to travel to the future for answers, she never considered this a possibility. She only wanted Mamoru and Seiya to stop fighting by making a decision.

"I've been expecting you," the pale haired Usagi said smiling at the American tourist.

Usagi tried to play it off at first and act as if she didn't know her older self. Maybe it would work. "I'm sorry you must have me confused with someone else." Usagi gave her a nervous smile.

The older Usagi laughed at her younger self. "I tried that line too and if it didn't work for me, it will definitely not work for you!"

Busted, Usagi thought to herself. She laughed nervously.

The older Usagi grabbed her younger self by the arm and led her over to another area of the shrine which housed the suzu bell. "I was young once too and I pulled the exact same stunt. Which means you don't know which destiny to pick after they fought each other."

Usagi lowered her eyes to stare at her hands. She felt guilty for traveling to the future to try to solve her problem. Bu she knew she couldn't go on this way.

The older Usagi continued, "When you have a dilemma you cannot rely on running to the future to solve it. I know that you are confused on which man to choose. If you were to make your decision based on what you see here, you will question your decision for the rest of your life." Older Usagi hesitated to force her younger self to look up at her due to the long pause. Once she looked up, the older Usagi continued, "You have to be able to make the decision without knowing the future. The only guidance I can give you is this… it is the same words I was given, who does Tsukino Usagi love? Not Serenity. Not Cosmos. But Usagi. The other versions of you will fall into line once you make a final decision. The inner turmoil you feel will finally be over."

Usagi swallowed, but her action did not alleviate the lump she felt. "But what if I make the wrong choice?" Usagi asked, her voice shook as she spoke.

The older Usagi narrowed her eyes at her younger self's comment. She pushed a few strains of her pale hair to the side. "It is more dangerous to not make a decision since you are hurting the two people you love the most. Your indecision is causing two sides of your soul to battle each other until one will be the victor. It cannot keep going on this way."

Usagi began to feel her temper rise at the older woman's remarks. "It's not that easy to decide!" She argued.

"Of course not. I never said it was easy," the older Usagi said in a soft tone trying to deescalate the anger the other girl felt. "But you must decide soon or you will lose them both."

Usagi opened her mouth to respond but found herself unable to. She knew she received good advice from her older self. She knew she had to make a decision and it was clear who Serenity wanted and who Cosmos wanted. She began to understand her words the more she considered their meaning. It made sense to her. She is Usagi in this lifetime. She had always looked at everything from the perception of Serenity and Cosmos and not Usagi. She realized she would not learn anything else here and it was best if she returned to her own time. "Thank you…" Usagi murmured. She knew she had a lot to think about. "I should probably return back… Rei-chan is waiting to train me. And you know how she is if I'm late."

The older Usagi laughed in amusement. "I would hurry back."

Usagi nodded her head. No one else was around which enabled her to transform into Sailor Cosmos. "Cosmos Crystal Power, Make Up!" Prism colors surrounded her body as her sailor fuku reappeared.

Sailor Cosmos closed her eyes. The top of her staff began to glow. Her body twinkled once it was surrounded by pink smoke. A few seconds later, she was gone.

Older Usagi smiled. She hoped she was able to help her.

"There you are."

Usagi turned around and gasped. She wasn't expecting her husband to be at the shrine. "I'm surprised to see you here."

"Was that Sailor Cosmos?" He asked her in a concerned tone.

"Yes. This is the time and place I traveled to after the two of you fought… before I made my decision. "

"Ah."

"It's a good thing she didn't see you," Usagi said with a wink. "This is a decision she had to make on her own." She latched onto his arm, "Let's go home."

He smiled warmly at the woman who wasn't that much shorter than him anymore, "Sure thing, Usa."

---

Sailor Cosmos walked slowly into the time streams and gasped at the sight of Sailor Pluto. "Setsuna-san!" She exclaimed.

Sailor Pluto smiled slightly at her shocked expression. "You were not expecting me to be here."

"How did you know?"

"Every time a person enters the time streams, I know. Very few have the ability to do so. I wanted to make sure you were alright," Sailor Pluto explained, as she eyed Sailor Cosmos carefully. "Did you find the answers that you seek?"

Sailor Cosmos looked down at her feet. "Yes and no. I know I have to make this decision myself. I can't rely on looking at the future to make my decisions."

Sailor Pluto beamed at Sailor Cosmos. "You understand."

"Yes…" Sailor Cosmos spoke slowly. "I saw my future self… she anticipated my arrival."

Sailor Pluto laughed at the face Sailor Cosmos made. "I guess things do not always turn out how we plan then?"

Sailor Cosmos nodded her head in agreement. "I don't plan on traveling there again anytime soon… unless I'm with you." Sailor Cosmos looked at several of the corridors and realized they were different than the ones she saw before. "This looks different."

"Yes… things change here quickly and it is easy to become lost. I'll walk you back," Sailor Pluto said. She held up her staff and pointed her garnet orb in the direction to the right side of Sailor Cosmos as the way for them to exit.

---

Usagi finished the short walk to the shrine. She hoped Seiya and Mamoru were no longer fighting, but she couldn't face either one of them yet. Not until she made her decision. Tonight, she vowed to herself. After she spoke with Rei and the other girls she was going to head home and sort everything out. She didn't want to talk to the others. She didn't want to be influenced by anyone else. This was something she had to do alone. Her plan put her at ease and allowed her to focus on the training she would receive with Rei.

"Hi Usagi," Rei said. Her facial expression conveyed to Usagi she was worried.

"Hi Rei-chan," Usagi said with a half-smile. "I know what you are going to say and I agree with you. I need to make a decision and I am going to do that very soon, but I don't want to talk about it until I know what I'm going to do."

Rei's jaw dropped slightly at Usagi's resolution. She did not expect Usagi to have such a clear plan. She had been so indecisive as of late and she expected to have to try to convince Usagi the need to make a decision. Rei closed her mouth and nodded her head. "I'm glad you're going to work on sorting this out." A part of her wanted to talk to Usagi, but she knew it would be best if she refrained.

"So…Rei-chan, how do premonitions work?"

"Well, it is different for every person. I tend to see mine in front of the Great Fire. They occur when I am in a state of deep concentration. When you have your premonitions, was there a pattern?"

"No. There was the one I had at the Light's apartment and the one I had the other day in my room," Usagi said as she tapped her finger on her chin. "That doesn't count the past memories I've seen or what I've seen in my dreams."

Rei's shoulders slumped. Usagi was displaying abilities that had taken her years to master. "Okay." Rei realized Usagi's ability was too unpredictable to find a pattern and she wasn't sure if her dreams were also premonitions. "Well… premonitions can happen at random times. They will typically show events that will happen in the future. Some can be very detailed, whereas, others will be very vague." Rei hesitated as she thought about Princess Kakyuu's words about the history of Sailor Cosmos' accuracy of predictions. "Sometimes they are not always right."

Usagi picked up the tea cup she neglected since Rei set it down before her when she first arrived. She decided not to tell Rei her about how accurate her premonition with Mamoru had been. It would lead to more questions. She wasn't ready to discuss the events of this morning with anyone. She took a few sips and waited for Rei to continue. She listened intently.

"Premonitions can sometimes be a fraction of what could actually happen. When the silence began to set in before the awakening of Sailor Saturn, the visions I received were very vague," Rei continued. She had wanted to talk to Usagi for days about this and it was finally her chance. "Explain to me in detail what you can recall regarding the time you saw yourself trapped in the crystal."

Usagi placed her teacup back down. "I've thought a lot about it. I was not dressed as Neo Queen Serenity, but rather as Sailor Cosmos. I was trapped. I tried to break out, but I was unable to. The ring on my finger began to glow and it seemed to free me from the crystal and I returned back to the room with everyone else."

"Hmmm…" Rei said as she adjusted her posture. She leaned over the table to move closer to Usagi. "Your enclosure in the crystal could be temporary. I wonder how big the crystal was."

"I'm not sure," Usagi responded with a frown. "All I could focus on was freeing myself. Everything was black at first and eventually it turned to light. I hit the crystal with my fist, but it didn't work until I noticed my ring."

Rei drank from her tea cup for a few moments before she responded back to Usagi. "I wonder what caused you to be trapped in a crystal. If only you were able to determine how it happened. But premonitions have limitations. It seems what you witnessed was only a fraction of the entire event."

"Seeing the crystal…I immediately saw Crystal Tokyo and Neo Queen Serenity. When she was lying there helpless." Usagi bit down on her lip before she continued, "Is this how it will always be?"

"It will be okay, Usagi," Rei said as she reached across the table to squeeze her hand to reassure her. "We all have to adjust to the changes. It was just like when we learned we were first Sailor Senshi. Or when we discovered you were the Moon Princess and you had fought beside us this entire time." Rei realized she couldn't do much to help her. It wasn't an ability she could teach her to control after all.

Usagi noticed the time on the clock. She didn't realize how long they had talked about her premonitions. The other girls would be arriving soon.

The doors opened behind them and they expected to see the other Inner Senshi. Instead, they were greeted by a different set of senshi.

"Princess," Akari said, as she bowed to Usagi once she walked to the side of the table to face her.

Usagi gasped when she realized all of the Moon Senshi had returned.

"There is much we must discuss," said Akari. It didn't take long for the senshi to fill in what little information they learned to Usagi and Rei.

"I wish we could be of more help," said Rin with a frown. It was their job to learn as much as they could about their adversary. They had very little to report.

"We will keep searching," Akari reassured her. "Have you learned anything about the opponent?"

"They call themselves the Black Moon," Usagi said with a grim expression. "They also made a reference to a lone colony."

"Have you heard of them before?" Rei asked. A part of her was disappointed her time with Usagi was cut short.

Natsuki narrowed her eyes. "A lone colony?" She repeated. She looked over at Akari and Ayane for confirmation. They were both thinking the same thing.

"They may be from Nemesis," Ayane spoke quietly. "Our last mission from the Queen was to return to Nemesis to search for the colony. It is where we were ambushed."

"When we recently awakened, we were trapped in the crystal prisons on Nemesis," clarified Yui. "This is not a coincident."

"What is Nemesis like?" Usagi asked. She wanted to try to understand the anger Haumea felt. She wondered if it was similar Nehelenia's rage at the White Moon for feeling abandoned.

"When I awoke recently…" Hana paused to think about how she wanted to describe what was left of the planet. "It was cold. The sun was too far away to heat the planet. It was barren. If there were any resources on the planet they were long gone. From what I can recall… when we first arrived on Nemesis for our mission, the planet was a lot different. The planet used to have a large colony, but they were forgotten by the Silver Millennium."

"Forgotten?" Rio questioned in a raised tone. It was clear she did not agree with Hana's words. "What I believe Hana-chan meant was… they were abandoned on that planet. There were rumors of experiments conducted in caves. It was one of the reasons we were sent to investigate. We were told to find them and bring them back. We were captured and frozen before we could complete our mission."

None of the Moon Senshi spoke while they reflected on the mission Queen Serenity had given them.

"We have missed a lot while we were enclosed in the crystals," Akari said slowly. She wanted to redirect their conversation to something else. "Since we have missed a lot… we are aware a lot has happened in our absence." Akari paused to look at Nanami and Yui before she continued, "We are more than willing to listen now that everyone has a calmer mindset."

"We want to know what happened to the Silver Millennium and what has led to your awakening as Sailor Cosmos," said Natsuki. They were all tired of not understanding the world around them.

Usagi attempted to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat. During the next hour, the Moon Senshi listened intently as Usagi recalled the destruction of the Silver Millennium, her awakening as Sailor Moon, the battles against all of her six major foes. She covered the main points.

Once Usagi was done, Akari spoke for the group, "I'm sorry you've had to endure all of that. I feel as if you were terribly misjudged to have to overcome all of those difficulties." Akari sat silently for a moment before she finished, "I want to apologize for some of my teammate's past reactions. Some were too quick to judge you—"

"It's okay," Usagi cut off Akari. She understood why they were upset. They did not know all that had happened. "We all need to learn to work together."

Before anyone could respond, the group heard shouts outside the shrine. Everyone stood from their seats and rushed toward the noise. Once outside the shrine they found Ami, Makoto and Minako in defensive stances. Haumea and Quarora stood to right of the group. The sound of more footsteps directed everyone's attention to the staircase. Taiki and Yaten arrived with Seiya close behind. He had a black eye from his fight with Mamoru earlier this morning.

Usagi clasped her crystal pendent to transform. The Moon Senshi followed her cue. It was time they entered the battle.

"Callisto Power, Make Up!" Akari's transformation pen was nearly identical to Minako's original transformation pen. The symbol in the circle was that of Venus resting on a crescent moon. It signified she was a Moon Senshi associated with the royal palace of Venus. Her body was surrounded by orange ribbons, which quickly became her orange fuku. Like the other Moon Senshi, she also had an underskirt of a different color. Hers was pale orange. She also had a yellow-orange bow in the back.

"Phobos Power, Make Up!" Ayane was encompassed by dark red ribbons as she spun in a circle. When the transformation scene ended she appeared almost identical to Sailor Mars' original fuku with the exception of dark purple underskirt. The color of the underskirt was slightly darker than the color of the bow on her bust.

"Ganymede Power, Make Up!" Hana was wrapped around in dark green ribbons that quickly took the form of a green fuku. Her underskirt was dark green.

"Oberon Power, Make Up!" Rio became wrapped in light blue ribbons and transformed into her sailor fuku. Her underskirt was light blue. It was a slightly duller shade than the light blue bows on her fuku.

"Triton Power, Make Up!" Nanami's body was quickly encircled by ribbons from various directions in a deep aqua shade. Her gloves went up halfway up her arm, the same as Sailor Neptune's original fuku. Her underskirt was a deeper shade of aqua.

"Umbriel Power, Make Up!" Rin transformation began with royal blue ribbons covering her body. It did not take long for them to reshape in the form of a sailor fuku. Her underskirt was a navy blue, darker than the rest of her fuku.

"Charon Power, Make Up!"

"Titan Power, Make Up!"

The rest of the senshi followed suit and quickly transformed. They felt confident in their numbers. There were 16 senshi against two adversaries. Their over confidence was misplaced. Things could change quickly.

"You're no match for all us," said Sailor Callisto said with boldness in her voice.

Haumea narrowed her eyes at the Moon Senshi. "Well I guess we know now where the eight of you have been hiding. We stopped you once… why would you think that we wouldn't be able to again? But maybe with a … more permanent solution."

Quarora laughed at Haumea's words. "I find it funny how more than half of you are of lunar descent and you are all standing down wind."

"What do you want?" Sailor Mars asked the duo. She took a direct approach and wished to end this as soon as possible.

"It's quite simple really," responded Haumea. She flicked some of her hair to the side in annoyance. She would feel more at ease after the plan was executed. She turned her head to the side to address Sailor Cosmos as she spoke, "All you have to do is leave with us and no one will get hurt."

---

Mamoru knew he had made a mess of everything earlier. Usagi wasn't at home. His other option was to see Rei since the girls have been spending a lot of time together. He doubted Usagi would be with Seiya after their fight earlier that day.

He couldn't move as quickly as he wished. His stomach was sore from the punch he had received from Seiya. It increased his anger. It never should have come to this. Seiya should have remained on Kinmoku.

"Mamoru-san, are you alright?"

Mamoru turned around at the sound of Michiru's voice. She stood with Haruka and Setsuna. He wasn't sure how much he should tell them. He threw caution to the wind since he knew they would be the most supportive of him and his actions at the moment. "That's debatable. I'm trying to find Usako. She was really upset earlier."

"What happened?" Setsuna asked.

"Seiya-kun and I fought—" Mamoru began to explain.

"And this is a bad thing how?" Haruka cut him off with a smile. Michiru elbowed her arm. "Ow! Michiru!" Haruka looked down at her with a hurt expression.

"In front of Usako and she left." Mamoru concluded.

"I guess that was the moment that made her decide to enter the time streams this afternoon. She did seem rather…. infuriated," Setsuna said with a knowing glance.

"You saw her?" Mamoru asked without hesitation.

"Yes. In the time streams," explained Setsuna.

"We are on our way to check in on kitten since we know she is at Rei-chan's. Perhaps you'd like to join us?" Haruka invited Mamoru with a wink. She wanted to know more about the fight.

Mamoru sighed at the proposition. He wanted to talk to Usagi alone, but they were on their way there and were able to confirm his suspicions on her present location. "Sure."

---

"She's not going anywhere," Sailor Star Fighter said in a menacing tone as she took a few steps forward. She needed to talk to Usagi about this morning events and what happened between the two of them after Usagi divulged the events of the Silver Millennium.

Haumea turned to stare at Sailor Star Fighter with a smile, "It's your funeral."

Eris appeared behind Sailor Star Fighter and grabbed her from behind in a blink of an eye. Sailor Star Healer and Sailor Star Maker turned when they heard a sound but they were too late. Sailor Star Fighter no longer stood there.

Sailor Star Fighter and Eris disappeared without a sound before anyone could react. The two reappeared to the right side of Haumea and Quarora. Eris held a dagger an inch away from Sailor Star Fighter's throat. Sailor Star Fighter's eyes widened as she began to understand the gravity of the situation.

"No…" Sailor Cosmos said quietly as she shook her head in disbelief. "..Seiya!" Sailor Cosmos shouted. She was terrified of what would happen next.

"It's a dirty trick," said Sailor Star Healer with venom in her voice. She couldn't help, but wonder if this was how it was going to be. Was the Black Moon going to constantly target Sailor Star Fighter as a way to hurt Sailor Cosmos?

Sailor Star Fighter struggled to escape, but Eris was stronger than she anticipated. Eris held her closer and rested the dagger on her throat. Sailor Star Fighter took a deep breath and tried to quickly formulate a plan in her head on how she would escape.

"I'm the one in charge here," Eris said loud enough for everyone to hear. "Don't think I won't hesitate to slit your throat and you can die a second time. But this time…" Eris hesitated to emphasize his point, "The Guardian won't have a body to revive."

His words caused everyone to stop in their tracks. They have never come across an opponent that appeared so blood thirsty upon their first encounter.

The commotion caused the Outers and Mamoru to increase their pace and arrived at the step of the staircase to see Eris hold a dagger to Sailor Star Fighter's neck.

"Eris... More have shown up," Haumea said as she turned her head to look at the new arrivals. There were too many senshi here. They could easily become overpowered if Sailor Star Fighter were to break free from Eris' gasp. She tried to reassure herself everything would proceed according to the plan, but she had her doubts.

"I wouldn't advance any further if I were you…" Eris spoke with indifference. "Quarora, introduce them to their new playmates."

Quarora did not verbally respond, but pulled out a container with a black powder. He placed some of it on his hands and blew it into the air. The powder transformed into the shape of tall women made of black crystals. They wore earrings that were identical to the ones the Four Sisters and Rubeus wore. The evening light reflected off their bodies.

Eris returned his attention back to Sailor Cosmos. "I would be willing to make a trade."

Sailor Cosmos slowly swallowed. She was afraid to ask, but she had to ask, "What kind of a trade?"

"You for this Starlight," Eris smiled in amusement.

"Odango, don't—" Sailor Star Fighter tried to instruct her but, was cut off as Eris pushed the dagger closer to her throat. She felt pain when she realized part of the dagger grazed her flesh.

Sailor Cosmos lowered her head as she weighted her options.

Sailor Venus looked at Sailor Cosmos in alarm. She already knew what Sailor Cosmos would choose. She would sacrifice herself for any of the senshi, especially for Sailor Star Fighter or Tuxedo Kamen.

"Usagi-chan, you know you can't do this!" Haruka yelled at her. She had to try to convince her even though it fell on deaf ears.

Sailor Cosmos could feel tears build up behind her eyes at what she was about to. This was the enemies plan all along. "You know I can't risk anything happening to Seiya…" she spoke softly as she looked at Haruka. "You know I would do everything I can to help any of you." She turned to look at Eris, "It is something I have to do." Sailor Cosmos turned to look at the others. "Don't try and stop me."

"Usako…" Mamoru whispered in despair. It was who she was. She will constantly risk her life for anyone she cared about. He knew he couldn't stop her. It would only make things worse if he tried.

"Usagi…." Sailor Mars said softly.

"There has to be another way…" Sailor Jupiter's voice trailed off.

The Moon Senshi looked on helpless. Sailor Cosmos' actions were identical to something her mother would have done. It was in their nature to protect others. Based on Eris' actions and if he acted in the same manner as his ancestors, he would definitely kill Sailor Star Fighter in front of them.

Sailor Cosmos took a few steps forward. Her eyes were focused on Eris and Sailor Star Fighter. She couldn't look at any of the others. She knew they would try to talk her out of it. She was in a no win situation. Before her was another person that would be hurt because of her. Potentially killed because of her. She couldn't stand by and do nothing about it. "I'll go…" she whispered.

Eris smiled with glee. Everything went exactly as he anticipated. "Give your staff to Haumea," he instructed her.

Sailor Cosmos frowned. She would be giving them the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou. She silently prayed they would not realize the crystal was actually inside the staff. Haumea stood less than a foot from her. Her hand outstretched with an impatient gaze.

Sailor Cosmos hesitated as she thought about stopping time to free Sailor Star Fighter. She looked at Setsuna as if to ask her if she should, regardless of the dire circumstances. Setsuna shook her head side to side. It was still a taboo with dangerous repercussions. With a sigh of frustration, Sailor Cosmos handed over her staff.

Haumea quickly walked back over to Eris, her face beaming with pride. They had the Guardian. It would all be over soon.

Quarora waited for a nod of approval before he pulled out the canister.

Sailor Cosmos' eyes narrowed. She immediately recognized it from the last time they used the same gas on her. "It won't be necessary."

"Surely, you can understand why we are taking such precautions. We don't want anyone to…. Try anything stupid and be mortally hurt, do we?" Taunted Eris as, he enjoyed every moment of this.

"Fine," snapped Sailor Cosmos. She wanted this to be over with as soon as possible. She glared at him in anger. Seconds later she began to cough as gas dispersed in the air. It was not as dangerous as the previous batch, but it still caused her to feel uneasy and slightly lightheaded.

The gas began to flow down wind into the path of the Moon Senshi. Each woman began to cough as they inhaled some of the vapors from the gas. They tried to move out of the way, but the gas lingered in the air. The senshi who were in the middle of the gas cloud fell to their knees and continued to cough.

Quarora turned to his head to look at Eris before he moved on to the next step. After he received a nod of approval, Quarora pulled out a large black crystal. It was half a sphere. The bottom section of the crystal was perfectly round while the top part was jagged, as if the top part was broken off. Dark light began to shine from the crystal and wash over Sailor Cosmos' body.

Mamoru clenched his fist tightly cutting off some of the circulation in his hand. He desperately wanted to rush forward to help her, but knew Eris could kill Fighter immediately. She would blame him. All he could do was watch helplessly with the others.

The black energy began to crystallize around Sailor Cosmos' body. Within seconds the energy began to dissipate and she was enclosed in a crystal.

Sailor Mars gasped at the sight before her eyes. This was the premonition Usagi had. She was trapped inside a crystal as Sailor Cosmos. It wasn't related to Crystal Tokyo at all. There was no way any of them could have prevented this outcome. She let out a deep breath in frustration.

"Much better…." Eris said triumphantly. He moved the dagger from Sailor Star Fighter's throat and pushed her away from him.

The sudden movement surprised Sailor Star Fighter and she was unable to keep her balance and fell near the other senshi.

Eris snapped his fingers and a black hole appeared under the crystal. The crystal sank into the black hole and quickly vanished. Sailor Cosmos was gone.

"Usagi-chan!"

"Usako!"

"Princess!"

They were all too late.

Eris snapped his fingers again and dozens more of the black crystal woman appeared. They all had long black hair and wore short black dresses. He seemed to have an army at his disposal.

Sailor Star Fighter slowly rose to her feet and found her voice again, "Where did you take her?"

Eris responded in a mischievous tone, "On a treasure hunt." Eris laughed and disappeared from the battle. Haumea and Quarora followed and also vanished. The black crystal women remained behind to battle the senshi and prevent all of them from following the Black Moon.

"Uranus Crystal Power, Make Up!"

"Neptune Crystal Power, Make Up!"

"Pluto Crystal Power, Make Up!"

While the Outer Senshi transformed, the other senshi began to attack the crystal minions. They offered some resistance but did not stand a chance against so many senshi. The minions were over powered within minutes.

"I can't believe we stood there and did nothing!" Shouted Sailor Uranus to no one in particular. She wanted to run forward and stop Usagi from turning herself over to Eris.

"There was nothing we could have done…" Sailor Venus said timidly. Her feelings mirrored Sailor Uranus, but it would not help their present situation.

"I recognized the crystal they had," Sailor Charon said changing the direction of the conversation from blaming each other to problem solving on how to free Sailor Cosmos.

Sailor Callisto nodded her head in agreement, "I've seen if before too."

The conversation of the two Moon Senshi drew the attention of the others. "What do you know about it?" Sailor Neptune asked, as she walked over to the other Moon Senshi.

Sailor Phobos eyes were tense for a moment before she spoke, "It was the same crystal that was used against us… to imprison us." Sailor Phobos was irritated by the new development. Everything was tied into their last mission they were not able to fulfill.

"We have to determine where they would take her," added Sailor Pluto as she looked at the others for any suggestions.

"Nemesis," responded Sailor Oberon without hesitation. "I can't picture them leaving her on Earth. They have a stronghold on that planet. But it will take them time to move her."

"Then that is where we are going to go to get her back," Sailor Star Fighter said as she looked at her fellow Starlights for affirmation. Sailor Star Healer and Sailor Star Maker nodded their heads in agreement.

"We're not sitting this one out either," Sailor Jupiter declared to the other senshi. She knew she spoke for all of the Inner Senshi.

"You can't expect us to sit here and do nothing," added Sailor Uranus forcefully. "We have to save the Princess."

Sailor Umbriel listened to everyone's intent to go after the Moon Princess, but they seemed to be overlooking a serious flaw with their plan. "We can't all go after her. Some of us will need to remain on Earth to protect this planet." Her words created a hush among the senshi.

"The eight of us should go after her," Sailor Callisto broke the silence. "We have been to Nemesis and we know the terrain of the planet better than anyone here." The other Moon Senshi began to talk strategy amongst themselves.

"You will need more support… your abilities aren't as strong as ours. You will not be able to stop Eris without us," said Sailor Pluto as she evaluated the situation.

"We will provide support," Sailor Star Fighter interrupted. She refused to be left behind in the search for Sailor Cosmos.

"Like hell you will! It is because of you we are in this situation!" Sailor Uranus yelled at Sailor Star Fighter. Her eyes flashing in a dangerous manner. It was debatable if Sailor Star Fighter would be in a second fight with her teammates in the same day.

Sailor Star Fighter turned her gaze to the solider of the wind. "You might not like me going, but I am going to get Odango back. No matter what," she spat back at Sailor Uranus. Words continued to erupt between the two.

'This is getting us nowhere,' thought Tuxedo Kamen to himself. "That's enough!" Shouted Tuxedo Kamen. His voice immediately silenced everyone. It was rare for him to yell and when he did everyone took note. "I agree that we cannot all go to Nemesis to save Usako. Some of us will have to remain on Earth in case of an attack." He glanced at the Moon Senshi before he continued, "I believe sending the Moon Senshi is essential to finding her as soon as possible." He hesitated. He couldn't believe what he was about to say. But it was the best option. "The Inner Senshi and the Starlights should accompany them." He directed his next statement to Sailor Venus, "The seven of you work well together."

"You have got to be kidding me!" Argued Sailor Uranus. She was in disbelief at this proposal. How could he just cast them aside?

"Sailor Pluto made a valid point. The four Outer Senshi are more powerful than the Inner and the Starlights. It means that fewer senshi will have to remain on Earth to protect the planet. The more senshi on Nemesis, the more ground can be covered in a shorter amount of time," Tuxedo Kamen rationalized. He knew Sailor Uranus would understand once he explained his strategy process.

Sailor Uranus unleashed a disapproving sigh. He made a valid point. She hated to admit it. "It's probably better if there is a buffer between Sailor Star Fighter and the rest of us," Sailor Uranus sneered at the Starlight. She would not admit it out loud, but Sailor Uranus knew Sailor Star Fighter would do everything in her power to bring Sailor Cosmos back. She turned her gaze back to Tuxedo Kamen, "Are you going to have a buffer too?" She shot back at him, resentment written on her face.

Tuxedo Kamen visibly scowled Sailor Uranus for her remark. He knew what she was referencing the fight he had this morning with Seiya. She too made a valid point. He clenched his fist tightly and it shook slightly at what he was about to say. "I will also be staying here to protect the Earth. As the Prince of this planet, it is my responsibility."

Sailor Uranus was taken aback as he volunteered to remain on Earth. "I can't believe he isn't going after her…" Sailor Uranus said quietly enough for only Sailor Neptune to hear her.

"It's your fault," Sailor Neptune said to her partner in a low angry tone.

Sailor Uranus shot her a questioning look that told Sailor Neptune she didn't understand.

"You backed him into a corner. Mamoru-san has had a lot of issues with…him," Sailor Neptune said in a hushed tone. She rarely spoke Seiya's name out loud. "You said he needed a buffer as well. You might have been joking… but your tongue has created problems again."

"Damn it…" said Sailor Uranus in a low voice. She couldn't believe the problems she created.

Sailor Pluto watched the events unfold in front of her in awe. For a moment, she pictured him as King Endymion. Tuxedo Kamen used the same rational thinking during a stressful time she had seen King Endymion use countless times in the future.

"Then it's settled," Sailor Callisto spoke up. She sensed the increase in tension. "We should all get some rest and leave at daybreak tomorrow. It will be a long journey and we must be well rested."

Sailor Mercury gasped as a realization came to light. "I think the crystal Quarora had… was the same one the Death Phantom used."

"The dark energy… that is why the Queen was trapped in the future…" Sailor Mars murmured. "We can't let them complete that crystal."

"We're going to get her back. I'm not leaving Nemesis until I have her back," said Sailor Star Fighter with a determined gleam in her eye.

---

A few hours passed since Sailor Cosmos had been taken. Night had fallen on the city. Seiya barely spoke to Taiki and Yaten since they returned to their apartment. His solitude was interrupted when Taiki appeared at his door. "Princess Kakyuu is sending us a message."

Seiya looked up at Taiki for a moment before he nodded his head. He had forgotten the Princess had told them she would contact them again within a few days. He was amazed that much time had already passed. So much had happened.

"Excellent," said Princess Kakyuu once Seiya entered the room and sat down. Her hologram was a miniaturized version of herself. Kinmoku technology made it possible for them to communicate at great distances. She scanned the room and observed their glum faces. It was not the reception she anticipated. "What has happened?"

"They took Odango because of me," Seiya said in an eerily hushed voice.

Princess Kakyuu stared at him, confusion was written across her face. "I do not understand."

"Eris threatened to kill Fighter, but was spared in exchange for Sailor Cosmos," Taiki clarified for Princess Kakyuu.

"Tomorrow we are going to Nemesis with some of the other senshi. Some of the others will have to remain on Earth to prevent future attacks," added Yaten with a sigh.

"Unfortunately, it leaves the Earth vulnerable but you need to rescue Usagi-san," Princess Kakyuu said as she pieced everything together. "I understand the dilemma you are in. If only I would have been able to remain on Earth a little longer. I could have helped you somehow in your time of need." Her eyes grew brighter for a moment as an idea occurred to her. "When are you leaving?"

"At dawn," responded Yaten with a frown. He glanced at a clock on the wall and realized the current time. "We should probably get try to get some sleep soon."

"That means there is still time," Princess Kakyuu said with a reassuring smile. "I will send reinforcements to you and they should arrive on Earth shortly before you leave. If you'll excuse me, I have preparation to make." Her image flickered a few times before it completed disappeared.

"Enforcements? Whom is going to send to help us?" Taiki asked aloud, even though he knew none of the others could answer his question.

---

Taiki and Yaten went to sleep an hour ago. Seiya tried to sleep but was unable to calm his mind. He sat on the roof of the apartment building. When he felt uneasy he took comfort gazing at the stars. The moon was in one of its final phases before the new moon, the waxing crescent. Few stars were visible behind the dark clouds.

He blamed himself for Usagi's capture. They targeted him to get her. The entire time Haumea and Quarora were after the Guardian and they exploited her weakness. He is one of her weaknesses. Yet he was supposed to keep her safe.

Seiya questioned how well he could have protected her. He needed to find a way to grow stronger in order to protect Usagi. He was disgusted with himself. She probably would have been safe if he didn't rush away from her the other day when he was upset. He let out another sigh. He didn't have a chance to talk to her about the other night and now he was unsure when they would be able to talk. He wanted to apologize for leaving so abruptly when he was frustrated. Then there was the fight with Mamoru that he knew was going to be discussed.

A few drops of rain fell from the sky and landed lightly on his head. He shook his head and snickered. "Arrrgh," he grumbled to no one in particular. It was a sign he needed to go back inside to sleep.

---

Another man stared at the crescent moon thinking of the same captive woman. His mind wandered back to previous conversations they had. He kept asking himself what would have happened if Seiya hadn't barged into the apartment.

Seiya. It was a name he was beginning to dislike more every day. It was clear how he felt about Usagi when he first left Earth. Mamoru paused when a thought occurred to him. What would happen when the current crisis was over? Usagi was unable go to Kinmoku. Would that mean Seiya would remain here with Usagi? Was it possible for him to remain on Earth, even though Seiya had his own responsibilities to Kinmoku?

If Seiya had to leave, it would leave Usagi on Earth, by herself. At the rate things were advancing, the best case scenario for Mamoru would be for Seiya to return to Kinmoku. Usagi would be upset, but it would definitely be another chance for the romance to rekindle between them.

Mamoru was at a loss of what he would say to Usagi the next time they spoke. She tried to dismiss the kiss by saying it was between Serenity and Endymion. Yet, when he questioned her, she crumbled. He needed to be able to speak to her uninterrupted and spend more time alone with her.

And now Seiya would be the one to help rescue her while he was stuck on Earth. He shook his head. He was going to go with them tomorrow. He was going to find Usako and bring her back.

Mamoru looked at the moon one last time before he turned around to enter his apartment from the balcony. Feeling a sense of relief over his new plan, it was time to rest.

---

Dawn greeted the city as everyone gathered at Rei's shrine. It was debatable how much anyone was able to sleep. But they were ready to go. The group stood quietly while the last three senshi arrived, Minako, Ami and Makoto.

"I guess… we are ready," Akari said while she exchanged glances with everyone else. The others nodded their heads in agreement.

Mamoru inhaled a deep breath before he spoke, "I'm going with you."

Seiya lowered his eyes to the ground. He expected this, but if it would help find Usagi, the more the merrier.

Akari bit her lip knowing the tension it would cause. But there was something else that would be a problem. "Are you able to travel to Nemesis using your own power?"

Such a simple question Mamoru never considered. His powers were nonexistent compared to other senshi. He just learned how to travel to the moon on his own. Nemesis was much further. "…No…" he finally admitted in defeat.

"I'm sorry…. You cannot come with us. The journey will be taxing enough on us and we can afford to expend extra energy to take you with us. It will slow us down…" Akari tried to let him down gently.

Yui shook her head in disgust. "I don't understand how someone that has protected the Golden Crystal can be so… powerless."

"The Golden Crystal?" Mamoru asked in utter confusion. He had never heard of a Golden Crystal.

"You don't have all of your past memories back…." Ayane said, as the realization dawned on her. Mamoru was not yet aware how powerful he could be. She looked over at Akari. "We don't have time to wait for your abilities to emerge. We should be leaving."

The area was illuminated by a bright light that had hit the ground just a short distance from the group. It appeared as if lighting had struck the ground for a few brief seconds before it dispersed. As the light faded, three sailor senshi stood there. It was unmistakable which star system they were from.

"You have got to be kidding me," Seiya muttered as he realized who Princess Kakyuu sent to assist them.

"Nice to see you too," Sailor Star Destroyer shot back without missing a beat.

"I see you have completed your training now that your fuku's are black rather than silver," Taiki complimented as best as he could in the situation.

"Can someone explain what is going on?" Nanami asked with daggers in her eyes. She was annoyed more senshi from the Kinmoku star system appeared. Three Starlights were enough they did not need to have six Starlights.

"Yes, we've completed all of our training. We're now full-fledged Starlights the same as you," said Sailor Star Destroyer while she looked at the Three Lights. She pulled a few loose strands of her lavender hair behind her ears. She glances at her two comrades, Sailor Star Creator and Sailor Star Protector, before she continued, "Princess Kakyuu informed us you needed assistance and we are here to help protect this planet… though I still don't understand why you are remaining here."

Haruka's blood pressure sky rocketed. He was remaining on Earth? She would have to deal with him pass this crisis on Earth against the Dark Moon. A part of her had hoped he would leave again whenever the danger passed. She should have anticipated this information but it didn't make it easier to hear.

"You're going to protect the Earth?" Akari asked in surprise. She was grateful for any help, regardless if the assistance was from senshi from another star system. They would help protect the Earth in their absence.

The periwinkle haired senshi took a step forward, "Yes. We heard Sailor Cosmos was in trouble and while some of you rescue her, it will… rather could leave this planet vulnerable. We are here to help you in any way that we can," Sailor Star Creator chose her words carefully. She politely introduced herself and her teammates to the others.

The others quickly introduced themselves while several of the senshi began to show signs of restlessness. The longer they remained on Earth, the longer Sailor Cosmos would remain trapped in her crystal prison. The Inner Senshi and some of the Moon Senshi were thankful for their help, though the senshi the new Starlights were about to work with were not as welcoming.

"We need to get going," Yui insisted as soon the last introduction was completed. She looked over at Akari for confirmation to help move the process along.

"It is best for you to leave as soon as possible," said Setsuna in agreement.

"Let's go," Rei said as she clasped the crystal pendent around her neck. The tension in the air was thick and the best way to dispersed it was for the group to leave. She cast one final worried glance at Mamoru. She knew he was desperate to join them, but she knew Akari was correct. They needed to take precautions.

The fifteen senshi that were about to travel to Nemesis raised their respective transformation items into the air. They quickly transformed into the sailor senshi.

"Is everyone ready?" Sailor Callisto asked the others. She waited until each senshi nodded their head in agreement. They were finally ready to go after their Princess. The group did not speak a word. They closed their eyes in deep concentration. Each senshi's body began to shimmer in a different color aura as they turned their focus on the long journey ahead of them. In a flash of bright light, the fifteen senshi were gone.

Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna, Hotaru, Mamoru and the new Starlights watched their energy signatures as they became fainter in the distance. It wasn't until the light was gone before anyone spoke.

"…So now what?" Sailor Star Protector asked the others. This was a new environment for her and her comrades and she was unsure what to do in the meantime.

"We wait for an attack," Michiru said curtly. "We wait for them to return. Hopefully, it will be very soon." Michiru threw caution in the wind on how she addressed the new Starlights once she learned the other three would be remaining on Earth.

There was a different question weighting on Sailor Star Creator's mind. "Where are we staying?"

Setsuna smirked at her innocent comment. She assumed they would have stayed at the Three Light's residence, but now they were gone. That left the three with only one option. "We some extra room at our apartment, if you don't mind sharing."

Haruka turned around to glare at Setsuna. The last thing she wanted was to have three senshi from Kinmoku in her residence. She understood the senshi were here to help protect Earth, but to live under the same roof.

Another idea occurred to Michiru. She could learn a lot about the Three Lights from this new batch of Starlights. Michiru whispered in Haruka's ear, "It will be good for you to learn to get along with them for the Princess' sake." Haruka pouted at her partner's words. "I'll make it worth your while later," Michiru added sweetly.

Haruka blushes lightly at Michiru's suggestive remarks and clears her throat to try to shift her focus to something else. "The day is still young… perhaps we should do something together to get to know each other?" Haruka suggested to the group.

Hotaru pounces on the opportunity. For months, she asked them to take her to Fuji Q Highland, a very popular amusement park near the base of Mt. Fuji. She looked over at Michiru, Haruka and Setsuna with a wide smile. "Can we go to Fuji Q? You've said you'd take me to the amusement park one day."

Before that anybody could respond, Sailor Star Protector asks, "What is an amusement park?"

Hotaru beamed.

Haruka sighed. She looked over at Michiru for support and quickly realized she would not receive any. If she was going to be dragged along she was not going alone. "Did you want to join us, Mamoru-san?"

Mamoru was surprised by Haruka's offer. He wanted to be alone, yet he did need something to take his mind off of the situation. He thought about Haruka's statement to get to know each other. This new group of Starlights had traveled from Kinmoku to help protect the Earth. Another moment of hesitation passed before he finally agreed.

---

For those of you that are wondering, yes the Moon Senshi fuku are practically identical to the new Sera Myu fuku. I thought it was only fitting to use them.

Slightly evil author note: One of the guys changes their nickname for Usagi… eventually… can you guess which one? It can be either or!

I will be taking a break from writing this story until sometime last this summer since I have other things I must tend to in the upcoming months. Fear not, this story will continue! There is a lot planned for our heroines.

The girls travel to Nemesis to try to find Sailor Cosmos while on Earth the other senshi are trying to adjust to their new allies. Act 33: Nemesis

Thank you Kikis87 for all your feedback!