SET IN STONE
Kami and Aquis sat quietly eating breakfast in the small restaurant located above the Crown arcade. Kami was watching her new room mate with amusement as the young woman ate real food for the first time. Her blue eyes twinkled in pleasant astonishment as she bit into her breakfast sausage and took a long drink of orange juice.
"How do you like it?" Kami asked after a while.
"Majesty, this is terrific!" Aquis said. "Who knew mortals could produce such exquisite tastes."
"Aquis," Kami said, "I told you not to call me 'Majesty'. My name is Kami and I am not a queen."
"Sorry, Kami," Aquis said. "I just find it so strange that you and I are equals now. More than equals, we are friends."
Kami's eyes softened. "We have always been friends. You were my favourite among the nobles, the only one with a decent heart."
Aquis said nothing. The waitress came over, a young girl with orange hair and cheerful green eyes. She collected the empty plates as Kami and Aquis fell silent.
"Can I get you anything else?" the waitress asked.
"No, thank you," Kami said.
The waitress stared. "Oh! I know you! You're Deruku Kami, the mystery singer!"
Kami smiled and nodded. Aquis watched the exchange with interest.
"Usagi-chan told me you lived around here," the waitress continued.
"You must be Unazuki," Kami said. "Usagi-chan has told me a lot about you."
Unazuki bowed politely. "Can I ask you something? What really happened on stage when that creature attacked?"
Aquis lowered her head in embarrassment. Kami kept Unazuki's eyes locked with hers so she would not notice Aquis' sudden change of mood.
"It all happened so fast," Kami said. "One minute I was singing, the next that creature had knocked Kaiou Michiru backwards. I tried to help her, but I was frozen. If it hadn't have been for Sailor Moon we would have both died."
Unazuki's eyes lit up. "I wish I could meet Sailor Moon face to face," she said wistfully. "Not when she's about to save my life or anything."
Kami nodded as Usagi and Ami walked through the door of the café. Aquis saw them and turned happily to Unazuki.
"Now is your chance," she said. "Here comes - "
Kami shut her up with a swift kick under the table as Unazuki looked at the other woman in confusion. With a shrug, the waitress collected her tray, said her good byes, and left.
"Majesty, what was that for?" Aquis asked softly, rubbing her sore leg.
"No mortals are to know about the identities of the senshi," Kami whispered. "Only the senshi, their guardian cats, and you know the secret."
Aquis nodded mutely as Usagi and Ami came to join them.
*****
King Cano and Lady Sylphe sat across from each other at a table in the king's bedroom. Cano was lost in thought and Sylphe gazed absently out the window, thinking of Gaius as she always did. He had never known what he had meant to her, and for that Sylphe was full of regrets.
"She will be ours next time," Cano mumbled.
Sylphe looked over at him sharply, wondering what he was thinking. Her king had become preoccupied with thoughts of the former queen and he sought to reclaim her. Sylphe did not know what purpose Olivine would serve under him - she had been immensely powerful and to turn her once more would restore her power. Cano could not possibly think to keep the throne with Olivine among them.
"You have a plan, Majesty?" Sylphe asked.
Cano nodded. "Patience, that is my plan. She will slip eventually and when she does, I will catch her."
"Undoing the healing of the Silver Crystal will be difficult," Sylphe cautioned. "I doubt that your powers will be strong enough."
"That doesn't matter," Cano told her. "All that matters is that she be ours."
Sylphe sighed. Lately her king's plans had become cryptic and unpredictable. She began to wonder if they had made the right choice that night long ago when they had voted for mutiny against their rightful Queen. If Olivine were still in power, the senshi would be without their ally, Aquis would not have turned traitor, and Gaius would still be alive. Cano had become mad and she doubted he still followed their mission. Shadows of doubt began to fog her mind.
"Sylphe," Cano said suddenly, "we will get Olivine through Aquis. They are mortal friends now and if we kidnap Aquis, Olivine will surely come to her rescue."
"As Sailor Sun," Sylphe finished. "how do we capture her when she controls the power of the Sun?"
"Easily," Cano said with a smile. "Without her ring, she cannot transform. Capture the ring and she will be ours again."
*****
Kami and Aquis returned to their small apartment after a pleasant day. They had visited all the sites of Crossroads together with the inner senshi, showing Aquis the joys of being human. They had shopped, walked through the park, swam in the lake, visited the Shrine, and ran among the cherry trees. Now, after their long day, they said good bye to Usagi and the others for a quiet dinner and then to bed.
"How did you enjoy Crossroads?" Kami asked as they ate.
"It was beautiful," Aquis replied, "but one thing still troubles me. How could someone as kind as Usagi-chan possibly be responsible for destroying our planet?"
"I don't know," Kami sighed, "but I believe her when she says she didn't do it. I think we're being tricked, Aquis."
"Tricked?" the former elemental repeated. "How?"
Kami shrugged. "Somehow, this is just one big deception to get us to destroy the senshi. We need to know who is doing this and stop them."
*****
The moon was high and full, casting an eerie glow on the city. Everywhere people slept, blissfully unaware of the outside world for a few hours. In this half darkness, a dark shadow crept. It slinked through the shadows until it reached the balcony of an apartment and slipped inside. The rest of the world went on slumbering as the shadow prepared to work it's mischief.
Inside the apartment all was quiet. The shadow could barely control its laughter as it tiptoed to the first bedroom and sought out its prize. Sneaking quietly to the bedside of its sleeping victim, it quickly retrieved what it had come for and headed back into the hall.
The next bedroom was bathed in the dull glow of a night light. The shadowy figure stepped up next to the sleeping figure in the bed and lightly rested its fingers on her forehead. A second later, they disappeared leaving behind a sheet of paper with a short message scribbled on it.
*****
The sun had barely risen when Usagi was rudely awakened. She opened her eyes in surprise, staring into the urgent faces of Luna and Chibiusa. With a tired yawn, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked at them expectantly.
"What do you want?" she asked irritably.
"Finally," Chibiusa said. "I thought you'd never wake up."
"Get out of bed and get dressed," Luna ordered. "We have to get moving."
"Why?" Usagi asked, throwing back her covers and placing her feet on the floor. "What's going on?"
"I just got a call from Kami-chan," Chibiusa said. "Something happened at her apartment last night. Come on, we have to hurry!"
Usagi needed no more incentive and quickly jumped out of bed.
*****
They arrived a few minutes later to find Kami curled up on the couch, her face streaked with tears and her eyes red and puffy from crying. Ami was sitting next to her with one arm around her shoulder, trying in vain to comfort her. Makoto and Minako were exploring the bedrooms while Rei started a fire in the fireplace to ward off the morning chill. Artemis was prowling along the balcony, following the scent of negative energy.
"What happened?" Usagi asked, her voice full of concern and sleep forgotten.
"Aquis was kidnapped," Minako said.
Kami began to cry again. Chibiusa sat down next to her, exchanging a look of helplessness with Ami.
"Who took her?" Usagi demanded.
"Who do you think?" Rei said irritably. "It was Cano."
"We should be asking why," Luna said.
The black cat went out on the balcony to help her feline friend sniff around for clues.
"That's not all," Kami said sadly. "They took my ring."
Usagi gasped. "But how will you transform?"
"And they left a note," Makoto said, coming out of Aquis' bedroom with a piece of paper in her hand. "It must have slipped under the bed."
Minako and the cats joined the others in the small sitting room while Makoto read the note aloud.
"It says 'If you want to see Aquis again, come to the portal and step through. Come alone'."
Makoto handed the note to Kami who reread it as tears began to stream down her cheeks anew. Usagi leapt to her feet.
"We can't let you go alone and undefended!" Usagi cried.
"I have to, Usagi-chan," Kami said. "They'll kill her if I don't."
Ami took the note from Kami and stared at it, her eyes skimming over the words. The others watched her in silence, knowing she was devising a plan.
"The note says you have to come to the portal alone," Ami said, "but it doesn't say you have to face Cano alone."
"What do you mean, Ami-chan?" Minako asked.
"If you let me get a reading of the portal on my computer before you step through," Ami said, "I could probably figure out where it leads. We could follow you using our Sailor Teleport."
Kami sat up, wiping her tears from her cheeks. "Really?"
Ami nodded. Rei stood up and took charge of the situation immediately.
"Okay, Usagi-chan, go to Haruka-san and Michiru-san and bring them to Kami's old apartment. Chibiusa-chan, go get Mamoru-san. We'll need all the senshi for this battle."
Usagi and Chibiusa nodded and headed for the door. Usagi squeezed Kami's hand encouragingly and Kami smiled in return. They left the apartment knowing they were now preparing for a war.
*****
The sun was setting when the assembled senshi met at Kami's old apartment. She stood nervously in front of the portal, pulling at the finger on which she usually wore her ring. Sailor Moon stood next to her, a comforting hand on her shoulder. The other senshi stood around them, each with a look of worry on their face.
"Remember," Mercury said, "whoever you meet on the other side, keep them distracted until we appear. Don't move from the spot where you end up and I should be able to track you."
Kami nodded dumbly, one hand gently touching the communicator watch they had given her.
"Ready?"
Kami looked around at her friends, thinking that this would be the last time she would ever see them again. Uranus and Neptune smiled encouragingly at her, silently telling her to be brave. A tear slid down Kami's cheek as she nodded to them. Sailor Moon embraced her tightly.
"Good luck," Sailor Moon whispered.
Kami managed a smile and stepped through the portal.
*****
Kami found herself alone in a place of total darkness. She took a deep breath to calm her shaking nerves and waited. Sailor Mercury's warning came to her and she rooted herself to the spot, one hand going to the wrist communicator.
"Welcome," a voice echoed through the darkness.
A piercing white light temporarily blinded her and she raised one arm to block it. The light spread, illuminating the area in which she stood. She immediately recognized where she was.
Tall rows of once clean and majestic pillars lay in tumbled ruins along side a broad park. A long pool, now drained of water, lay abandoned between the rows of columns and destroyed flower beds lined the pool side.
"My courtyard," Kami whispered. "My gardens."
"You remember."
Kami looked toward her former palace and saw Cano standing there, free of his black crown.
"Cano," Kami hissed, suddenly remembering what had brought her here. "Where's Aquis?"
"Do you really want to know?" Cano asked, walking toward her.
Kami resisted the urge to move back. Cano noticed and raised an eyebrow curiously.
"Remember the joy of this place," Cano said, slowly coming closer. "You were happy."
"I'm happy now," Kami told him.
"Are you?" Cano asked, a bemused smile on his face.
He stood so close to her she could smell him. She saw the cold determination in his eyes and a chill passed through her body.
"Out with it, Cano," Kami said, sounding braver than she felt. "What do you want?"
Cano leaned closer to her until his lips softly brushed her ear.
"I want you," he whispered.
*****
Deep in the ruins of the destroyed planet, nine coloured beams of light shot from the sky and struck the ground. When they faded, eight girls and one tuxedo clad man were in their place. The senshi immediately tensed for any surprise attacks and began to look around.
"Kami?" Sailor Moon called.
The devastated city was silent. Buildings were reduced to rubble and broken pillars were scattered here and there. Sailor Mercury turned on her visor and began to survey the area. Neptune, Uranus, and Tuxedo Kamen left the circle to explore their new surroundings. Sailor Moon bit her lip as she carefully stepped over the stones, her eyes taking in the destruction.
"What happened here?" she asked quietly.
"It's creepy," Chibi Moon commented, hugging herself.
"This must be it," Mars remarked, her eyes moving up and down the shattered buildings.
"The planet we supposedly destroyed?" Venus said.
Mars could only nod. "I can still sense the people's fear."
"But this place doesn't exist," Jupiter said. "We all know Kami-chan isn't queen of a planet. She's the Guardian of the Sun."
Mercury touched her earring, making her visor disappear. She stepped over the ruins to where her friends stood.
"This place is real," she told them. "I detected signs of a battle and nothing here is hidden in illusion. There was a war here, long ago."
"So what's going on?" Sailor Moon asked. "Where's Kami-chan?"
Uranus, Neptune, and Tuxedo Kamen returned in time to overhear the last of the conversation. Her face void of emotion, Uranus pointed to a single, untouched building far in the distance.
"There," she said.
*****
They walked for hours, picking their way among the rubble. They progressed slowly but each step brought them closer to the palace looming ahead of them. They could tell early on that it was a place to which they walked. Neptune and Uranus had recognized parts of the ruined world from their first meeting with the dark queen. The walls of the palace, although distant, were still standing and seemed not to have a mark on them from the past war that had devoured the rest of the world. A soft glowing light came from many of the windows, indicating that any life left on this planet was hiding there.
Sailors Neptune and Uranus set the pace of the march and although the terrain forced them to go slowly, the two outer senshi would call back to the others to pick up the pace. Finally driven to the point of exhaustion, Sailor Moon stopped.
"Come on," Uranus cried.
Sailor Moon sank onto a large stone. Chibi Moon climbed up beside her, grateful for the break.
"Get up!" Neptune ordered. "We have to go."
"We need to rest," Mars agreed, sitting next to Sailor Moon.
Neptune and Uranus stared as the inner senshi all sat together. Tuxedo Kamen remained off to one side, silent and motionless.
"We can't rest," Neptune said. "Not if you want your friend back alive."
"It's been hours and the palace isn't any closer," Venus said. "Are you sure this isn't come kind of trick?"
Uranus sighed. "It may be, but I don't think it's worth risking Kami's life."
"What do you care?" Jupiter asked. "You never liked her anyway."
"We may not be friends," Uranus said, "but I respect her and trust her. She is an ally, and shouldn't be thrown away lightly."
"We may already be too late," Neptune said. "She could have turned."
"No," Sailor Moon cried, leaping to her feet. "Kami will never turn! Not again!"
"She might," Chibi Moon remarked quietly.
All eyes turned to her. The small pink senshi was looking down at her hands, twiddling her thumbs nervously. Sailor Moon stared at her and she raised her head. Her red eyes were large and full of tears.
"What do you mean?" Sailor Moon asked gently.
Chibi Moon licked her lips. "Well, it's just that I've never heard of Sailor Sun before I came to past Tokyo."
"You mean she doesn't exist in Crystal Tokyo?" Sailor Mercury asked.
Sadly, Chibi Moon shook her head. Sailor Moon sank to her knees, her legs suddenly unable to support her. Tuxedo Kamen came to her side and knelt beside her.
"That doesn't mean she's turned," he reminded her gently.
"But it does mean something will happen to her between now and the 30th century," Sailor Moon whispered. "Oh, Kami-chan"
Jupiter jumped to her feet. "Maybe we can change the future," she said.
"Yeah," Venus agreed, rising to stand beside her friend. "Nothing is set in stone yet."
"But we still should keep moving," Uranus said.
Sailor Moon nodded as Tuxedo Kamen helped her to her feet. Hurried by a new sense of urgency, the small group of senshi set out again across the wasteland.
*****
"You had me once before, Cano," Kami reminded him, still not moving. "You gave me up."
"And now I see the error of my ways," Cano told her. He smiled sweetly, laying a hand gently on her shoulder. She shrugged it off.
"You're too late," Kami said.
"Remember when I used to read you poetry by this pool?" Cano asked, moving over to the black, dried up pond in the center of the courtyard.
Kami nodded, smiling in spite of herself. "It was dreadful."
Cano laughed. "Yes, I remember you always preferred Gaius' sonnets to mine."
Kami said nothing. Cano moved over to stand beside one of the charred stumps of the pillars. Kami watched him with her eyes, the rest of her still.
"When these were erected," Cano began, "you were still a new queen. You wanted the people to be able to freely use the palace gardens."
Kami turned slightly. Cano smiled to himself knowing she was hooked. Smoothly, he continued.
"The people loved you for it," he said, coming up behind her and whispering through her hair.
He gripped her shoulders and Kami inhaled sharply.
"Return to me, Olivine," Cano said seductively. "Rule by my side as the queen you once were."
Kami felt her mind become clouded with old memories. Among the laughter and joy of her past, a familiar dark shadow settled into the back of her consciousness. Dumbly, she nodded.
Cano moved to stand ahead of her and held out a small, sun-shaped ring. With slow, zombie like movements, Kami reached out for the dull gray jewel.
*****
"This way," Uranus said. "Hurry!"
The senshi had made their way to the palace walls. Cautiously, they circled the perimeter but the palace grounds, like the rest of the planet, were deserted. Uranus lead them through a hole in the wall that might have been a gate at one time, and into the palace itself.
They crept around silently, searching for any signs of Kami. Finally, Sailor Mars stopped them all.
"I hear her," Mars whispered.
She stepped into the lead and the group was off again. Minutes later, the voices could be heard more clearly and the senshi hid behind a giant pillar to watch and learn.
They saw Kami moving trance-like toward Cano, who held something in one outstretched hand. An empty pool separated the senshi from their friend. Sailor Moon gasped when she saw them and tried to move, but was pushed back by Neptune and Uranus.
Sailor Mercury put on her visor to assess the situation while the others watched in silence. Kami had one hand out and was reaching for the object in Cano's hand. Mercury gasped.
"Such negative power!" she said. "It's off the charts!"
"Where?" Tuxedo Kamen demanded, moving next to the blue senshi.
Mercury pointed. "His hand!"
Tuxedo Kamen leapt from the shadows, tossing a rose as he moved through the air. The rose struck Cano's hand and something fell to the ground, tinkling faintly as it struck the stones. Kami froze and Cano looked up angrily to find the cause of the disturbance.
"Stop right there!" Sailor Moon called as she and the senshi stepped out of the shadows to face him.
"You!" Cano hissed. "Don't come any closer."
Cano pointed to a blackened corner of the courtyard. The shadows receded to reveal Aquis, unconscious and chained to the wall. The senshi froze, suddenly helpless.
Cano's eyes rose to where Tuxedo Kamen stood atop a pillar. "You too, cape boy. Go back to your senshi."
Tuxedo Kamen snarled in frustration and rejoined the others. For good measure, Cano flicked a wrist in Aquis' direction. Black lightning snaked up her chains, causing her to cry out. It lasted only a second before Cano turned his attention back to Kami. He smiled at the motionless girl and bent to retrieve what he had dropped. As he rose, Sailor Moon saw what he held.
"The ring!" she gasped. "Oh no!"
"The Dark Scout?" Mars sighed. "Again?"
Cano laughed as Kami began to move again. He turned his head to look at the senshi.
"Yes, the Dark Scout," he said. "Rutile wasted her powers, but I will be different. She will fulfill our mission and destroy the Earth."
"Never!" Uranus spat. "World - "
"No!" Sailor Moon cried, placing herself in front of Uranus. "You'll kill Kami and Aquis too!"
Uranus' eyes softened slightly and she lowered her hand, her unused power abating.
Cano snapped his fingers and Sylphe appeared between Cano and the senshi. She floated in mid-air, her translucent gown moving in the slight breeze. She smiled wickedly at the senshi, knowing that they were about to witness defeat.
"Now," Cano said. "We will complete our task!"
Kami had taken the ring from Cano's hand and placed it on her finger. Sailor Moon moaned as a huge, hungry shadow creature emerged from the ring. It took one look at the senshi and seemed to smile evilly before turning on Kami.
"Chaos," Neptune muttered.
Kami became utterly consumed by the blackness. Cano waited eagerly as the transformation took place and Sylphe stared in amazement. Seconds later, the blackness receded into the ring and only Kami remained. Her skin was pale and her hair black. Her eyes were closed and her arms hung limply at her sides. She wore what she had been wearing before. Cano looked disappointed.
"Awake, Dark Scout and look at your new Master!" Cano commanded.
Kami's mouth twisted into a smirk. Without moving, a dark flame formed and shot toward Sylphe. It struck her in the stomach and her eyes widened in fear and surprise a split second before she disappeared. Kami then opened her eyes and their deep blackness stared into Cano's soul.
"I awaken," she said in a dead voice, "but as Master."
Cano shrank back in fear. "Majesty," he gasped.
Olivine laughed as her old clothing disappeared to form the flowing purple dress. Sailor Moon once again started forward, but Jupiter and Mars dragged her back before Olivine could see them. The senshi retreated to a small enclosure that had been formed by tumbling rock. Crouching behind the stones, they watched Olivine's revenge.
*****
The battle was short. Cano was flung around the courtyard, smashing into pillars and slamming hard into the ground. Olivine directed the whole thing without moving. A dark, flame shaped shadow silhouetted her and her black eyes glowed. Cano struggled to his feet, eyes flashing with anger and fear. He raised his hand and shot a ball of red fire at his queen, but it bounced off her dark shield harmlessly. She raised an eyebrow and Cano fell to the ground and remained still.
"Fool," Olivine laughed. "You thought you could control me?"
Cano raised himself shakily to his knees at the queen's feet, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. He glared up at the person he had tried to possess with venom in his eyes. Olivine stared down at him, her eyes wild and her entire body brimming with dark energy.
Sailor Moon watched in wide eyed horror as the other senshi held her back. She fought them, desperate to reach her friend before it was too late. She couldn't let the darkness consume Kami again.
"We can't save her," Venus said. "There must be a reason no Sailor Sun exists in the future."
"I'm sorry, Sailor Moon," Chibi Moon said with genuine regret. "I shouldn't have told you."
"The future can change," Moon protested, tears streaming down her face. "Please, let me help her!"
Neptune and Uranus exchanged sad looks but did not move from the entrance of the enclosure in which they hid. Neptune nodded ever so slightly and Uranus slipped out the cave. None of the other senshi even noticed she was gone.
"Now," Olivine was saying, "you will die, Cano, like your treacherous minions."
As the black fire consumed him, Cano didn't cry out. He laughed as he realized the irony of the Lord of Fire being burned to death. Soon, the roaring flames overcame the laughter. Olivine watched, careful to make sure her enemy was truly dead. When the fire faded and disappeared, Cano was no more.
Olivine turned to the senshi.
They had stepped just outside their hiding place, watching the events. The empty pool still separated them and it seemed like a chasm had formed between them. The senshi placed themselves in front of Sailor Moon, who was being held tightly by Tuxedo Kamen. Olivine smiled at the ground and purposely turned her back to them. The black shadow around her seemed to grow a face and it's limbs moving with Olivine's.
"What is that?" Jupiter asked.
"It's evil, whatever it is," Mars said.
Neptune stared up at the growing shadow. "That is what has been controlling Kami," she said. "That is Chaos."
Olivine/Chaos moved toward the darkest corner of the courtyard. As they neared, dim light illuminated the chains of Aquis and revealed her limp form.
"Aquis," Sailor Moon gasped.
"We'll handle it," Venus said with a smile and a wink.
The inner senshi leapt over the pool and ran toward Olivine. The black queen paid no attention to them at all, but the shadowy Chaos turned his head to watch them.
"Supreme Thunder!" Jupiter called.
The electricity ricochet off Olivine's back and into the palace wall, crumbling the stone. Chaos turned to face Aquis as Olivine moved to face her new opponents.
"Burning Mandala!" Mars yelled.
"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Mercury called.
"Venus Love-Me Chain!" Venus cried.
The triple power struck Olivine in the chest, but did no damage. The inner senshi stared in shock as their most powerful attacks were shrugged off.
"She's too powerful," Neptune remarked from where she stood with Sailor Moon, Chibi Moon, and Tuxedo Kamen. "We can do nothing while the full force of Chaos is with her."
Olivine slowly raised a hand, palm facing the inner senshi. A wave of sheer blackness engulfed them and they cried out in pain. Tuxedo Kamen's grip on Sailor Moon tightened as she tried to go to her friends. When the wave passed, the senshi were on the ground. The dark queen turned back to Aquis.
"Traitors are punished," Olivine said calmly.
Aquis feebly raised her head and her eyes widened in shock as she saw who stood before her. She tried to escape, her chains rattling against the walls as she pulled but she was held firm. Olivine stopped a few feet away from her and raised her arm.
"Kami," Aquis whispered. "I forgive you."
Aquis screamed with the last of her strength as the same black fire that had consumed Cano engulfed her. Through the flickering flames, Aquis' eyes met Sailor Moon's.
"No!" Sailor Moon yelled, ripping herself free of Tuxedo Kamen.
Olivine turned to face her next enemy as the flames that had destroyed Aquis died away, leaving nothing but singed chains behind. Sailor Moon ran blinded by her tears and driven by her desire to restore Kami to her true self. The shadow of Chaos grinned wolfishly as Sailor Moon skidded to a halt in front of the queen. Olivine stared at her nemesis and raised her hand.
The blackness struck, but Sailor Moon found herself uninjured. Instead, Sailor Neptune lay sprawled on top of her, shaking from the effects of the black lightning. Sailor Moon scrambled to see if Neptune was alive, but could only see the girl's unconscious face as she dodged the next attack. Olivine drove her further from Neptune's side until all hope of reaching her and making sure she was okay was lost.
"Pink Sugar Heart Attack!" Sailor Chibi Moon cried.
Sailor Moon stared in terror as Chibi Moon assaulted Olivine with a barrage of tiny, harmless pink hearts. Olivine turned smoothly and pointed to the pink child. A beam of darkness headed towards the senshi in training and she cried out in fear.
Before it struck, Tuxedo Kamen was there, shielding Chibi Moon from the attack. It was, however, too powerful even for him and they were both thrown to the other side of the courtyard. They struck the wall hard and crumpled together into a heap.
"Tuxedo Kamen-sama," Sailor Moon whispered. "Chibiusa-chan."
Lastly, Olivine turned to face Sailor Moon. The shadow of Chaos still hung above her, controlling her movements like a puppeteer. Sailor Moon back away from the advancing queen only to trip and fall backwards. She sat in front of the Queen Olivine, her mind screaming at her to stand but her body unwilling to move.
"Kami-chan," Sailor Moon said.
"No more," Olivine replied in a deep voice that definitely was not hers. "Deruku Kami is completely gone."
Olivine raised her hand and Sailor Moon tried to shield herself with a hastily upraised arm.
"I don't believe that," Sailor Moon said quickly. "Kami-chan, please remember!"
Olivine paused and the shadow of Chaos looked down in confusion. Sailor Moon saw Olivine's eyes momentarily lose their evil glare and she knew her friend could be saved.
Around them, the senshi were rising unsteadily to their feet, each feeling the release of Chaos' hold on Kami. The shadow opened its mouth and cried out shrilly. Olivine's eyes grew dead once again and she raised her hand to point to Sailor Moon.
Sailor Moon waited, but nothing happened. She looked up and saw Olivine standing, her arm still raised, but her eyes closed and her face masked in concentration.
"I will not be controlled," she muttered, loud enough that only Sailor Moon could hear.
Chaos screamed again and black energy began to form at Olivine's finger tips. Olivine's face furrowed more and the shadow around her seemed to grow dimmer. Finally, it faded all together, retreating back into the ring. Sailor Moon looked up, hoping it was finally over. Kami opened her still black eyes and smiled down at Sailor Moon.
"Usagi-chan," she whispered. "I - "
Her sentence was cut short as her eyes suddenly grew large with surprise. She exhaled sharply and took in a short, staggered breath before toppling forward.
"Kami-chan!" Sailor Moon screamed.
Uranus stood behind the falling queen, a look of deep regret in her eyes. Her shoulders slumped as she watched Olivine fall to her knees, the Sword of Uranus still embedded in her back.
As Olivine fell, the huge, dark shadow reformed above her and tore itself free from her body. With a shrill scream, it circled the courtyard once and disappeared into the sunless sky. The senshi watched it go in amazement.
"So it ends," Neptune said. "But for how long?"
As Chaos fled, Olivine's pale complexion returned to that of Sailor Sun. Her gown melted into the uniform of the sailor senshi and her hair once again turned brown. She dropped forward and Sailor Moon caught her, cradling her in her arms. Tears streamed down her cheek, landing on Sailor Sun's face. Sailor Sun opened her brown eyes and looked up at Sailor Moon.
"I'm free," she said weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.
The other senshi had gathered around her, each one shedding her own tears. Neptune and Uranus stood to one side, neither feeling comfortable enough to be with the group right now.
"The darkness," Sailor Sun continued. "It's finally gone forever. I feel so – "
Her voice trailed off and her eyes closed for the last time. Sailor Moon hugged her friend tightly.
"Don't die," Sailor Moon begged through her tears. "Please, Kami-chan. Don't die!"
The form of Sailor Sun didn't move. Her face was peaceful at last, as if the evil influence of Chaos had not been controlling her all these years.
Sailor Moon looked up at her friends. "I need all of you. Please, give me your strength!"
Wordlessly, the senshi joined hands in a circle around their princess. Neptune and Uranus joined in, but Sailor Moon didn't look at either of them. She took the Imperial Silver Crystal from her broach and held it over her friends' body.
"Mercury Star Power!" Sailor Mercury began, the jewel on her tiara lighting up with her power.
The others followed suit.
"Mars Star Power!"
"Venus Star Power!"
"Jupiter Star Power!"
"Moon Prism Power!"
"Neptune Planet Power!"
"Uranus Planet Power!"
The light of each of the senshi's tiaras formed into a thin beam, each meeting above Sailor Moon. They joined into a single beam that went straight down into the Silver Crystal, making it glow with the combined power of the senshi. Sailor Moon held the Crystal up high and looked down at Sailor Sun's face.
"Moon Healing Escalation!"
Thousands of shimmering lights exploded from the energized Crystal and descended on the dead senshi. They encompassed her until she glowed. They hid themselves in her skin, hair, and clothes and rested on her eyelashes. Sailor Moon held the Crystal until her energy gave out. Around her, the other senshi had already fallen to their knees in exhaustion. Finally, Sailor Moon could do no more and the light of the Silver Crystal faded as the Moon Princess fell backwards. She landed in the lap of Sailor Venus, who was kneeling behind her.
"Did we?" Sailor Moon gasped, struggling to sit up. "Is she?"
Tuxedo Mask knelt next to Sailor Sun's unmoving form and shook his head sadly. Sailor Moon turned to Neptune and Uranus. The two outer senshi revealed no emotion as they watched their weakened princess.
"How could you?" Sailor Moon demanded.
"She was a danger," Uranus replied simply, although the tightness in her voice betrayed her emotion.
"We couldn't let her live," Neptune added, her own voice choking slightly.
"She was healed," Sailor Moon told them. "She was one of us! How could you kill one of us?"
Sailor Moon reached out again and gently brushed her fingers against Sailor Sun's cold skin. Sailor Sun began to disappear, fading into the same thousands of lights that had tried to heal her. The other senshi watched sadly as their friend vanished. Sailor Moon broke down and desperately tried to grab the pieces of Sailor Sun as they floated gently away. Tuxedo Mask moved next to her and enfolded her in his embrace. All that remained was the small, sun-shaped ring which Sailor Moon picked up and held tightly in her hand.
Uranus bent down to retrieve her talisman. Without another word, the two outer senshi left. Mars, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter exchanged sad glances. They knew that all the work they had done to make Uranus and Neptune work with them as a team had just come undone.
*****
Weeks later, the senshi had returned to their usual routine. Mamoru had explained to Aquis and Kami's landlord why they would no longer be renting the apartment and the senshi had quietly cleared away all of Kami's things. Most of it went to good will stores, but Usagi allowed herself to keep one thing - the sun shaped ring. Ami had scanned it with her computer and had concluded that the force of Chaos was completely gone from it. Usagi now wore it in memory of Kami.
The inner senshi no longer spoke to Haruka and Michiru. Usagi found she could not forgive them for murdering Kami when she had been so close to a cure. Rei, Makoto, Ami, Chibiusa, and Minako ignored the two older girls out of loyalty to Usagi.
One bright day exactly three weeks after the death of Sailor Sun, Usagi and her friends were out walking along the streets of downtown Crossroads. They talked and joked and laughed as if nothing had happened, but they each felt the emptiness of their missing companion.
Suddenly an explosion sounded and a large ball of smoke burst out of a store. Terrified screams followed, and a few lucky shoppers managed to flee the store, shouting for help. Usagi and the others ran to the scene and peeked inside the destroyed door.
A large purple monster stood in the center of the store, holding a young man by the throat. The monster was shaped like a woman and had tall feathers sprouting out of her head.
"What is that?" Minako asked.
"Whatever it is," Rei told her, "it's up to us to stop it."
The five inner senshi ducked down a deserted alley and retrieved their transformation pens from their pockets. They smiled grimly at each other and held the pens high in the air.
"Mercury Star Power, Make-Up!"
"Mars Star Power, Make-Up!"
"Jupiter Star Power, Make-Up!"
"Venus Star Power, Make-Up!"
"Moon Cosmic Power, Make-Up!"
*****
The purple monster held the limp body of the man she had grabbed. Standing next to him was a small child, his eyes filled with tears. Tossing the man aside, the purple monster reached for the child, gently picking him up. The boy stared at the creature with wide eyes, his lower lip quivering as he fought not to scream.
"Hold it right there!" Sailor Moon yelled.
The monster looked up in surprise. Standing just inside the blow out door of the store were the five sailor senshi. The boy in the creature's arms smiled and clapped his hands.
"I don't know what you have planned for that boy, but I can't just stand by and let you do it!" Sailor Moon said. "I fight for love and justice and, on be half of the moon, I'll punish you!"
The purple being turned its attention back to the child. Carefully, she touched his forehead until his entire body glowed purple. A shiny, silver silhouette of the child rose out of his body, its eyes closed and its face in an expression of rest.
"What is it doing?" Mars asked.
"Hang on," Mercury replied, drawing her visor across her eyes.
The silver silhouette suddenly vanished and the purple creature tossed the child aside like a rag doll. Sailor Venus ran and dove for the child, catching him before he struck the ground.
"That's it!" Jupiter snarled. "Supreme Thunder!"
The electric shot hit the monster and it desolved with a frustrated growl. The senshi straightened from their fighting poses, surprised at how easy the battle had been won.
"Keep on your toes," Mercury warned. "Something else is here."
"How observant," an unseen voice remarked.
The air where the purple monster had been standing shimmered and a young woman appeared. She was dressed like a sailor senshi, with a black uniform, black hair and tall black boots. Her eyes were also black and lifeless, but the smile on her face was pure evil.
"The Dark Scout?" Mars asked. "Impossible!"
"I am not the Dark Scout," the girl said, "although I take this form for it was the most comfortable. I am Chaos."
The senshi tensed again, ready for battle. Chaos laughed at them.
"You are not yet ready to face me," it said, "and I am not able to face you in this form. Patience, my warrior friends. Soon we will battle."
The Dark Scout smiled at them, but the expression suddenly changed to one of confusion. Frantically, Chaos looked around the room, expecting to see something or someone there. When it saw nothing, it glared one last time at the senshi and vanished.
"Looks like our war is not quite over," Venus remarked.
Sailor Moon sighed, still staring at the place where the Dark Scout had been. Chaos looked so much like Kami, it hurt. Absently, she toyed with the ring on her finger as she followed the senshi out of the store.