Chapter 7
The rain begins to fall over Tokyo during the early morning hours. As the sun begins to rise, the rain continues to fall but progressively gets worse. Kaylee stands on the porch of the temple and stares at the falling rain.
"What's the matter, Sis?"
"Queen Crystalline is getting closer." Kaylee says without turning to look at Kayla. "We will not be able to defeat her. She is even stronger then when we faced her before."
Kayla walks over to her sister and places her arms around her. She pulls Kaylee close and they stand there watching the rain together. They both wait for the attacks to begin.
*****
Mysty hangs up the phone and heads toward the front door. She grabs the papers and brooch from the table before walking out the front door. She looks outside, and sees that the storm is getting worse. "Crystalline." She whispers.
She heads for the hospital with a heavy heart. As she walks down the rain filled streets, she feels as though she is being watched. She ducks down a nearby alley, hoping that she will catch a glimpse of her pursuer.
"You know, you can't hide from me." A familiar female voice yells down the alley. A woman in a heavy cloak walks into the alleyway.
Mysty stands up and looks at the woman. "Setsuna?" She asks.
The woman pushes the hood of her cloak back and looks at Mysty. "Come on, Mysty. There is no time to lose."
Mysty runs up to Setsuna and throws her arms around her. Setsuna pulls her close. "Come on. We are about to break the rules."
Setsuna raises her transformation stick to the sky. Mysty pulls out hers and follows Setsuna's lead. Within moments, Sailor Pluto and Sailor Destiny stand in the alley.
"Follow me." Sailor Pluto says as she creates a portal. They both disappear inside.
*****
Lightning begins to crash down all over the city. The others walk out onto the porch and stand behind Kaylee and Kayla. Kaylee turns her head and buries her face in Kayla shoulder. "It has begun." She whispers as tears fall down her face.
"It is time for us to fight." Kayla whispers to Kaylee.
Kaylee nods her head and pulls away. She looks back at each with a sad look. She knows this will be the last time she sees any of them. She has seen what will happen. She knows she will be the first to fall, followed by Sailor Mercury and Sailor Blaze. Soon after that Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter will fall. Only Sailor Mars, Tuxedo Kamen, and Sailor Nature will be left. Tuxedo Kamen will be the last to fall. After that she doesn't know. Something blocks her vision from it.
"There are multiple creature attacks around the city." Aliegh informs them.
"Let's transform and split up." Kayla yells. Everyone nods and they all raise their transformation sticks toward the sky.
"Mars Power!"
"Mercury Power!"
"Jupiter Power!"
"Venus Power!"
"Nature Power!"
"Air Power!"
"Flame Power!"
As their transformations end they begin to run toward the entrance to the temple yard. "Senshi, what ever you do don't split up!" Aliegh yells after them. "Stay safe." She whispers and she and the cats watch them leave.
"Now, for our mission." Merlin says. "Aliegh keep an eye on the Senshi. We will be back soon."
The four cats run off. "You four stay safe as well." She whispers as she launches herself toward the sky.
*****
Sailor Pluto and Sailor Destiny step from the portal into an open field. In the center of the field is an area that has been gated. Sailor Pluto and Sailor Destiny begin to run across the open field toward that area. When they get near, they can see there is a beautiful garden there.
"This garden looks familiar." Sailor Destiny says.
"It should." Sailor Pluto walks up toward the gate. "The garden from the Silver Millennium was designed after this garden."
"What are we doing here?"
"Trying to save Serenity before it's too late. There are a lot of things regarding the Silver Crystal that have been kept secret. Also, with the destruction of the Silver Millenium, Serenity was never taught everything about the crystal." Sailor Pluto turns and looks at Sailor Destiny. "The Silver Crystal has a way of protecting and living with its owner. Only the royal family of the moon can use and posses the Silver Crystal because of these qualities."
"So, if the Silver Crystal were destroyed, then the possessor would die?"
"Yes." Sailor Pluto looks back toward the gate of the garden.
"Then why hasn't she died."
"I don't know." Sailor Pluto lowers her staff toward the lock on the gate. "That is why we are here." The door springs open. Sailor Pluto glances inside and then walks in. "Come on."
They walk toward the center of the garden. In the middle, sits a beautiful fountain. Sitting beside the fountain is a young woman in a pale blue dress. She wears her hair in a long braid down her back. She looks toward the approaching Senshi.
"You should not be here." She warns.
"I am Sailor Pluto and this is," Sailor Pluto begins, but is cut off.
"I know who you are. I have been here by this fountain watching everything since before the Silver Millennium began. I was the one who helped to start it and I was locked away for my creation."
"Why?" Sailor Destiny asks.
"Come here, Little One. I won't bite. My name is Gem." She pats the seat next to her. Sailor Destiny walks over and sits next to the woman. "I created the Silver Crystal long ago. After its completion, something happened and I was thrown into this place."
"Your sister did this to you." Sailor Pluto informs her. "Crystalline was jealous of your powers of crystal formation. When you created the Silver Crystal for the royal family of the moon, she became jealous."
"She asked the evil Queen Metalia to hide you away, but the Silver Crystal protected you since at the time you were its owner."
"I was attacked as I was presenting the Silver Crystal to Queen Serenity." Gem tells them.
"Will you help us?" Sailor Destiny looks at her with pleading eyes. "Princess Serenity is dying. We think it is because the Silver Crystal has been shattered."
"Do you have any of what remains?"
Sailor Destiny reaches behind her and pulls out the damaged brooch. She hands the brooch to the woman as a tear runs down her cheek. "Here." She whispers.
"This is the work of one of Crystalline's crystal warriors." Sailor Pluto informs her. "Princess Serenity is not fairing very well."
Gem looks at the brooch and the broken Silver Crystal. After a few moments, she lifts her head and looks at Sailor Pluto and Sailor Destiny with a sad look on her face. "I am sorry, but there is nothing I can do about the Silver Crystal."
Sailor Pluto and Sailor Destiny nod and turn to leave the garden. "Thank you for looking. The door will remain unlocked. You can come and go as you please." Sailor Pluto says as they leave the garden.
*****
Dani, Luna, Artemis, and Merlin run down the corridors of Crystalline's palace. They had followed a couple of her minions back through a portal. It had been risky, but they knew it had to be done to find Sailor Storm.
So far, they had been lucky and had not been detected, but how long their luck would last was a totally different question. They reach another fork in the road and stop.
"I feel like we are running around in circles." Dani says.
"Shh." Luna turns around and looks at them. "Do you hear that?"
Everyone gets real quiet. They can hear a faint tapping noise.
"It sounds like code." Artemis says with renewed confidence.
"It is code. It's the code we developed for emergencies." Merlin says as he begins to race down the hallway. The others follow close behind.
*****
Sailor Pluto and Sailor Destiny step from the portal and into a bathroom at the hospital. Sailor Destiny lets her transformation fade.
She stares a Sailor Pluto for a few moments before she says anything. "They will need all the fighters they can get."
"I am going to go help."
"I will be there soon, but there is something I must do first."
Sailor Pluto raises an eyebrow at her before turning and walking into a new portal.
Mysty walks through the halls of the hospital toward Usagi's room.