Chapter 8
"What will you do?" A voice asks Gem as she sits there on the edge of the fountain staring at the powder in her hand that was once the Silver Crystal.
Gem looks down into the fountain and sees the face of a young man in the waters. "I don't know, Gideon." She sighs. "I could make a new crystal, but that young princess's life is intertwined with this crystal."
"You were always the greatest crystal maker, Gem. I am sure that you will figure it out somehow."
Gem stands up and walks a short distance away. Tears fall down her face and land on the powder of the crystal. As she stares at her hand, she begins to give up hope. She raises her hand to her mouth and turns back toward the fountain. "Be free from this crystal, Princess Serenity." She blows the dust from her hand.
"Gem!" The fountain yells. "You will kill her for sure."
Gem watches as the crystal dust falls into the pool. She walks to the edge of the fountain and gazes inside. "Goodbye, Gideon." She whispers. She turns and walks away. "Once I was a Crystal Maker. That was long ago. Now it's time to be a healer for that is now my calling." She closes the gate to the garden as she leaves. "Bye, old friend."
*****
Luna and Merlin finally make it to the room.
"This is not going well." Luna says as they come to a stop. Luna tries to jump for the doorknob.
"It was their choice to give us time, Luna." He turns to look down the corridor they had just ran down. "Time is short."
Luna reaches the knob just in time to hear the guards running down the hall. "Hurry, Merlin." She jumps down beside him.
"No, it is time for us to part again. Tell Destiny I said good-bye and that I love her." He says as he pushes Luna into the doorway. "This is for your own good, Big Sister." Merlin charges down the hallway toward the enemy.
*****
Mysty sits beside Usagi for a long time before she finally raises. She leans down next to Usagi and kisses her cheek. She places her mouth near her ear and begins to whisper softly.
"Princess, I have not seen you in so long and I had hoped that we would have met again. I fear that time will never happen. I must leave you and go fight with the others. An evil force is slowly destroying your home and killing the Senshi.
"I wish you could be there to help, but unfortunately Crystalline got to you first. The day I was given the title Sailor Destiny, I knew that someday it would seem like a cruel joke. That day has come. You would think I would be able to correct a destiny gone wrong."
She stands up and walks toward the door of the room. She looks back and smiles sadly at Usagi's still form. "Be at peace, Princess Serenity."
As Mysty walks out the door, she hears the alarms begin to sound. Her heart sinks, as she knows that Princess Serenity is gone.
*****
"Sailor Storm." Luna says as she walks toward her.
"Luna." She yells as she grabs the cat into her arms. "I never thought I'd see any of you."
Luna feels the chains that wrap around Sailor Storms wrists. Luna wiggles around until she can get a good look at them. "These are no ordinary chains. Put me down, Sailor Storm." Luna is placed on the ground and she begins to concentrate on the chains. She finally remembers what kind of chains they are. She leaps into the air and a key falls to the ground. "Hurry. Use the key to free yourself. We are running out of time."
Sailor Storm grabs the key and quickly undoes the chains. She picks Luna up just as the door bursts open. "Sailor Transport!" She yells as the crystal creature tries to grab her.
Tears fall down Luna's face as she thinks of everyone that she has lost this day. Sailor Storm holds Luna closer as she feels the soft sobs come from Luna.
*****
A portal opens in Usagi's room. The nurse that sits next to her bed begins to stir, but then she falls back to sleep. Gem walks over to the bed. "So, you scared them again. They sure fight to keep you alive. And, they don't even know who you are."
Gem reaches into the folds of her dress and pulls out a rainbow colored crystal. "If they only knew that they were keeping the Savior of the World alive, they would probably try even harder."
She places Usagi's hands on her chest with the palms up. "The Silver Crystal is destroyed, Young Serenity. I wanted to save it, but there was no way." She places the rainbow colored crystal on Usagi's palms. "This crystal is yours. I have not named it. I have left that for you to do. Sailor Moon will no longer be. Sailor Moon drew her powers from the Silver Crystal. I don't know much about this crystal, but you will find all its secrets." Gem turns and walks away. "Good-bye, Serenity. You will always know how to find me."
A rainbow colored glow begins to cover Usagi. Her bright blue eyes flutter open for the first time in weeks. Usagi looks toward the white light that she sees slowly disappearing. "Thank you, Gem." She whispers.
*****
Sailor Storm lands in the yard of the temple. She looks around at all the destruction in the nearby areas of the city. She pulls Luna closer in a comforting hug. "Oh, Luna, this is awful." She whispers.
Luna begins to wiggle out of Sailor Storm's grasp. Sailor Storm takes the hint and places her on the ground. "You must find the others." Luna says in a solemn voice.
Sailor Storm nods and runs off toward the city.
Luna turns and walks into the temple. As she does, a portal opens at the far side of the room. When the portal closes, Luna sees Sailor Destiny standing there.
"Sailor Destiny." Luna whispers.
Sailor Destiny drops down onto her knees before Luna. Tears cascade down her cheeks as she looks toward Luna. "I tried to bring her back." She sobs. "I thought that I could. I thought she was getting well, but she gave up."
"What are you talking about?" Luna asks as she gets more confused.
"Princess Serenity just died, Luna." She whispers.
"That's impossible. Kaylee said she died about a month ago."
"No," Sailor Destiny says as she tries to control her tears and sadness. "The Silver Crystal was destroyed about a month ago."
"Is Kaylee's visions wrong?"
"Sometimes her visions are very good, but other times they are off. It may only be one thing that is off, but that is where destiny comes in to play. Sometimes she is wrong only because she misinterprets the information."
"Do you think we have a chance to win?" Luna asks, hoping she will get the answer she wants.
"Without Princess Serenity and Sailor Storm, no."
"We have Sailor Storm." Luna informs her.
"How? She finally came?" Sailor Destiny asks.
"No." Luna says as she turns her gaze away. "Queen Crystalline had captured her, but Merlin, Artemis, Dani, and I went to rescue her. I am the only one who survived."
"I must join the others." She says as if nothing that Luna said had been heard. She stands and begins to walk toward the door.
"Destiny." Luna calls to her. Sailor Destiny turns and looks at Luna. "He told me to tell you that he loves you."
"I know." She whispers as she turns and runs out the door.
*****
The rainbow colored light continues to grow. As soon as it gets to a blinding point, it disappears. As it does, alarms begin to sound from all of the machines. The nurse that had been staying by the bedside sleeping wakes and begins looking around. There is no one but her left in the room. She looks at the bed and sees that it is completely empty.