"Are you the princess?" Sailor Moon asked Venus once again.
Sailor Venus didn't say a word but instead she let Artimes answer for her as part of their agreed upon plan for what to do until they found the Silver Imperium Crystal.
"She's more than just Sailor V and Sailor Venus. She's Princess Serenity heir to the Moon Kingdom and true guardian of the Earth." Artimes said.
"Sailor Venus is our princess? But why is she fighting against the Dark Kingdom?" Mercury wanted to know.
It was Venus who decided to field the question asked by Mercury.
"When Artimes came to me a little over a year ago I wanted to find all of you right away but he told me not all of you were ready to face what you've been going up against. So until we were certain you had matured enough to step up to the next level Artimes said it was up to me to deal with the Dark Kingdom threat." Venus explained.
"Wow you must be pretty brave to go up against the Dark Kingdom all by yourself." Jupiter commented with awe.
Sailor Moon took in everything Artimes and Venus had told them. It seemed very logical but there were some things that bothered her. Thinking back to the gallery exhibit she and Mamoru had helped out with Sailor Moon remembered the depiction of the Moon Princess as someone who was like her a Demi-Saiyan. And from what she could tell there were no traces of Saiyan Ki connected with Venus. But she couldn't openly question what Artimes had said. Then there was the claim that the Moon Princess was the true guardian of the Earth. What Artimes meant by that was something Sailor Moon was going to have to investigate further.
"Excuse me Artimes but what exactly did you mean when you said the princess was the true guardian of the Earth? The Earth already has a guardian." Sailor Moon wanted to know.
Artimes and Venus looked at each other for a bit wondering how Sailor Moon knew about the Earth's guardian before turning their attention back to Sailor Moon. And with a smile on her face Venus spoke first.
"I'll answer this one Artimes." Venus said, "Sailor Moon what my guardian and advisor Artimes meant by his introduction was that the Moon Kingdom watched over the Earth before it was destroyed. You see in the final year of the Moon Kingdom before the great war with the Dark Kingdom the Queen of the Moon, my mother, created the mantle of Earth's guardian so there would always be someone to watch over this world and protect it from harm.
"The requirements she set for the Earth's guardian dictated that he be a warrior who was noble in spirit and pure of heart free from any evil. And with his companion at his side the guardian would stand watch over the Earth high above the planet like she had done."
"That explains why Kami had to split himself into two separate people." Sailor Moon commented so only those next to her could hear her.
"You speak as though you have met the Earth's Guardian." Venus said to her.
"He's my best friend." Sailor Moon replied cryptically.
With that Venus and Artimes turned their attention to the other Senshi.
"I'm calling a meeting tomorrow to discuss some leads Venus and I have been working on." Artimes said, "Meet us after school lets out at the Crown Came Parlor."
"Until then Senshi." Venus added.
Before leaving Venus shook hands with each of the Senshi. Each time she touched their hand a strange feeling ran through each of the Senshi. When all their hands had been shook the Senshi looked at Venus in an odd manner trying to figure out what had happened to them. Sailor Moon just looked at her knowing what she had suspected was the truth Sailor Venus was not their princess. And if she wasn't then the question remained who was.
"Princess what just happened there?" Mars asked as Venus turned to leave.
"I just wanted you to remember more of your mission and who you were." Venus replied.
With that Sailor Venus and Artimes left the docks leaving four confused Senshi behind.
********
Upon returning to the Dark Kingdom Zoicite and Malachite immediately requested an audience with their queen. The pair of generals needed to know why their queen had ordered the retreat when they were so close to destroying Tuxedo Mask and the Senshi. In fact if it hadn't been for the reappearance of Sailor V they would have succeeded in their mission.
Kneeling before their queen Zoicite and Malachite waited before they were allowed to speak to raise their heads. Beryl sat in her throne for quite some time before she even spoke a word. Delaying the inevitable was a way to get her minions to sweat it out for some time before allowing them a chance to explain their actions. It was a tactic that worked very well.
"You wished to speak with me." Beryl said.
"Yes my queen. I wanted to know why you called me back from battle when victory was so close at hand." Zoicite asked.
"It's simple really. My master wishes we do not kill Tuxedo Mask. Our great leader has plans for him and we need him unharmed in order to pull them off." Beryl told him.
"I see then what should I do?" Zoicite wanted to know.
With that Beryl began to formulate a plan to get the crystals from Tuxedo Mask.
********
Mamoru hobbled back to his apartment building in great pain following his battle against Zoicite. His left shoulder throbbed in pain and was covered in blood that soaked the shirt under his green sport coat. Opening the door to his apartment Mamoru slowly made his way over to his sofa. The pain his shoulder was giving him was making it hard for the formally clad warrior to go over to the medicine cabinet in his bathroom to get his bottle of ibuprofen for the pain. Holding his arm close to his body Mamoru shut his eyes to try and block out the pain. But he was soon brought back to reality when his television suddenly turned on and voice called out to him.
"You know ever since you revealed who you are it's easy to trace you down Tuxedo Mask or should I say Chiba Mamoru." Zoicite said on the screen, "I'm going to save us both a lot of time and wasted energy by issuing a challenge. Meet me tomorrow afternoon at the Starlight Tower at exactly four pm. At that time we will engage in one final battle where the prize will be all seven crystals. Whoever wins the battle will get control of all the crystals. Do you accept the challenge cape boy?"
Mamoru looked at the image of Zoicite on the screen and knew this would be his only chance at getting the crystals from him. If he was ever going to regain his lost memories he had to accept.
"Alright I accept your challenge Zoicite." Mamoru said as he stood up, "Tomorrow at four pm I will be at the Starlight Tower with my crystals ready for battle."
********
Guardians of the Earth
Episode 20: Princess Revealed Part One
********
A new transfer student at Juban Prep during the semester was nothing new. In fact, two new transfer students at Juban Prep in one semester were easily over looked. But five new transfer students at Juban Prep in one semester all in the course of three months were quite unusual. When Usagi showed up no one made a big deal out of it. And when Ami and Ranma came a week later again no one made a big deal out of it but there was talk because they were engaged to one another. By the time Makoto came along people were talking and they did think it was a bit strange that there would be another transfer so soon but the talk centered around why she was transferred in the first place.
Now the students of Juban Prep were beginning to wonder what was going on. Another transfer student had arrived at Juban. And this one made number five that semester. No one knew much about her except for the fact that she had just returned from spending a year in London. The students at Juban were dying to know everything they could about this mysterious new transfer student.
Usagi sat at her desk waiting for Haruna-sensei to begin class. So far the teacher hadn't even come into the classroom yet. Usagi was beginning to wonder if the new transfer everyone was talking about was going to be in her homeroom. As she sat at her desk the female Saiyan overheard the same talk she had heard at breakfast about the new transfer.
"Some people just don't know when to stop gossiping about someone." Umino said.
"You're just saying that because you haven't been able to find out anything about the new student." Naru commented.
"I wonder what this new student will be like?" Ami asked the pair trying to engage a conversation.
"Well one thing's for certain we know her best subject will be English because she's spent the last year in London." Umino said passing around old news.
Ranma took his seat next to Usagi's and rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe everyone was getting so worked up over a transfer student. Sure it was odd that this would make the fifth one in the semester but it was still ridiculous for them to act the way they were over her.
"So we have a new student. It isn't like we haven't had four already this semester." Ranma said to Usagi, "So we on for a practice session after school? You promised to help me work on my Ki."
"Sorry but it looks like I'm going to have to cancel. I have a meeting I have to go to after school with the others. Something big happened yesterday and I have to be there." Usagi said.
"This wouldn't happen to be a girls in short skirts kind of meeting would it?" Ranma asked.
"I'm afraid it is. Look I'll help you with that Ki control tomorrow okay." Usagi replied.
"Okay I guess advancing martial arts isn't as important as the safety of the entire world." Ranma commented with a smile.
It was at that point when Haruna-sensei walked into the classroom with a student in tow. The new student had blue eyes and long blonde hair held in place with a large red bow. She was dressed in the traditional uniform of Juban Prep a long dark blue skirt with a sailor shirt that had a dark blue collar and dark blue cuffs. The new student smiled as she looked over her new homeroom. All in all she seemed like a very pleasant and easy going teenager.
Usagi's head whipped to the front of the room when she felt the new student enter the room. The Ki signature she had felt was exactly the same as Sailor Venus's Ki signature. The girl may not have looked like Sailor Venus but she was definitely Sailor Venus. A person may be able to disguise their looks but they could not disguise their Ki signature. Sure they could hide it but they could not change it. A Ki signature was a lot like a thumbprint it was one of a kind.
"Class I'd like to introduce to you a new student joining us today Aino Minako." Haruna-sensei announced to the class, "Aino-san would you tell the class a bit about yourself."
"As you know my name is Aino Minako. For the last year I've been living in London and I'm a whiz on the volleyball court. People who know me say I'm outgoing and easy to get along with. I don't have any siblings but I do own a cat. And that's pretty much all there is to know about me." Minako said.
"Thank you Aino-san. There's a free desk behind Saotome-san that you can take. Ranma please raise your hand so Aino-san knows where to go." Haruna-sensei instructed.
With that Minako took her seat.
********
When lunch rolled around Minako became quite the popular student. Everyone wanted to talk to her about living in London for the past year. As Usagi walked past where Minako was sitting she noticed the small crowd gathered around her. Dismissing the urge to join in Usagi went to her usual place to eat lunch so she could talk with Luna about the whole princess situation. And as she sat down the black lunar feline climbed down out of the tree.
"Is something bothering you?" Luna asked Usagi when she noticed the mood her charge was in.
"Yeah something is Luna." Usagi replied.
"Care to talk about it Usagi." Luna said.
Usagi let out a soft sigh before telling Luna what was eating away at her.
"It's this whole princess thing Luna. Last night when Venus showed up the others were ready and willing to accept her as our princess. But something in the back of my head keeps screaming doubt into my mind. It's telling me she can't be Serenity because she lacks something very important, Saiyan blood. Don't ask me how I know our princess is part Saiyan but I just do. And if what you said about us being from the Moon Kingdom is true then Venus would have Saiyan blood in her now and I don't detect an ounce of Saiyan Ki on her. Besides it's kind of impossible for her to be a member of the Demi-Saiyan club because my dad and Vegeta are the last two pure Saiyans around." Usagi told her.
"You do make a point there Usagi but Artimes is a trustworthy individual, even if he can be a baka sometimes, and I doubt he would flat out lie to us about Venus." Luna replied.
"Well then we'll just have to confront Venus on this issue at the meeting this afternoon." Usagi said as she watched Minako's little crowd get bigger.
"I have a few things to discuss with Artimes before the meeting so I'll meet you at the Crown instead of the room." Luna said before heading off to find her fellow lunar feline.
Why do I feel as though she's deceiving us, Usagi thought.
********
School had ended for the day and Usagi was in a good mood. The female Saiyan had gone to her dorm room and quickly dropped off her things and changed into her usual training attire before heading for the Crown. Usagi had plenty of time to get to the arcade but she didn't want to be late for the meeting so she ran down the streets of the Azabu-Juban neighborhood. As she zipped along the street Usagi spotted Mamoru leaning up against one of the buildings holding onto his left arm. Slowly and painfully Mamoru began walking down the street with much trouble. A quick check of his Ki told Usagi something was definitely wrong.
Walking over to the struggling Mamoru Usagi decided to get his attention by giving him a good playful whack on the back.
"Hey there Mamoru." Usagi said as she hit his back right on the left shoulder.
The moment Usagi's hand connected with Mamoru's back the older college student winced in great pain. Mamoru looked over at Usagi and saw the happy carefree smile she always had on her face. Struggling to hide his pain Mamoru gave Usagi a weak smile.
"You're always very energetic." Mamoru said to her.
"Humph why do you always have to insult me Chiba?" Usagi wanted to know.
"Stay that way forever. Bye." Mamoru replied before leaving.
Usagi watched Mamoru leave the area and became confused. For the first time since she had met him Mamoru Chiba didn't seem conceited and stuck up. The usual walking ego trip was actually a kind and sweet if somewhat hurt looking person.
Usagi felt something wet on the hand she had whacked Mamoru on the back with and looked down at it. There on her palm was blood but it wasn't her blood. The only other person she could think of where the blood came from was Mamoru. Usagi now knew why he was having a hard time walking and why he was holding onto his left arm. Mamoru was bleeding and bad.
"Somehow Mamoru got injured. He needs help and fast. Man I wish I had some senzu beans right about now." Usagi thought aloud.
Deciding to see what she could do to help Mamoru Usagi went after the injured college student.
Mamoru was having trouble walking down the street again and stopped in a nearby alley to get a much needed break. Usagi hitting him on the back had caused the large wound on his shoulder to begin to bleed even more and Mamoru was feeling quite run down because of it.
Usagi caught up with Mamoru and found him stopped in an alley. The female Saiyan walked over to Mamoru carefully and slowly so she wouldn't startle him.
Mamoru somehow felt someone behind him and quickly turned around swinging at her with his good arm. Using her quick speed Usagi dodged the blow and began to yell at Mamoru.
"What was that for you big baka!" Usagi yelled.
"Listen odango don't follow me!" Mamoru yelled back at her.
Usagi then shoved her blood covered hand in front of Mamoru's eyes and yelled at him again.
"See this it's your own blood on my hand. Maybe you think this is nothing but I think it's pretty darn serious." Usagi yelled, "I'd help you but I just don't have my hands on any beans right now. So if you don't get your butt home and into bed you'll never recover from this."
Mamoru had heard what Usagi had said but he chose not to listen to her. The stubborn college student continued on his way slowly trudging towards the Starlight Tower to meet up with Zoicite. He needed to get the crystals and nothing was going to stop him, not even Usagi. And upon seeing Mamoru walk away from her Usagi became very angry with him.
"You get your big baka butt back here Chiba! I'm not through with you yet!" she yelled at him.
Growling in frustration Usagi followed Mamoru to the tower wondering why he was headed there. And when she caught up with him a strange light came out of the tower and enveloped them both. The light turned into a sphere that carried the pair up into the tower. When the sphere had reached its destination Usagi and Mamoru were greeted by the sight of Zoicite waiting for them.
Great what does he want with me, Usagi thought.
I can't let her get hurt by him, Mamoru thought at the same time.
Fortunately for Mamoru and unfortunately for Usagi the female Demi-Saiyan was somehow drained of her Ki and fainted on the spot.
********
Luna, Ami, Makoto, and Rei were sitting in one of the booths at the Crown waiting for Artimes to arrive with Venus. Luna had gone over to the Crown early like she had told Usagi she would and was left waiting for Artimes to arrive. Now the black lunar feline was angry and wanted to know why Artimes had stood her up. She knew they were supposed to be working together as advisors to the princess but so far Luna believed Artimes didn't think she was right for the position. And as the moments passed by the girls began to not only wonder where their princess was but where Usagi was as well.
"Where can she be?" Luna wondered.
"I called our room and she's not there. And forget about reaching her on the communicators because for some reason all I got was interference." Ami replied.
"It isn't like Usagi to totally blow off a meeting." Makoto commented.
"Give her another ten minutes before it's considered a total blow off." Rei said.
The girls let out a heavy sigh and sat back in the booth waiting for either Usagi or Venus to show up for the meeting. It seemed kind of annoying that the individual who called the meeting wouldn't even bother to show up. Rei began wondering if Venus thought she was too good for them.
"That Venus she probably thinks she's better than us." Rei griped.
The moment Rei had made her remark about their supposed princess the automatic doors to the arcade slid open revealing a blonde haired high school student with a red bow in her hair. Walking into the arcade the blonde went over to the counter to talk to Motoki.
"Hey Motoki I see you're still working here." The girl said.
"Minako when did you get back into town?" Motoki wondered.
"I just returned over the weekend. Sorry I couldn't see you sooner." Minako told him.
"Hey that's okay. So I can assume you brought him with you like always?" Motoki said.
"Yep good old Artimes just can't keep away from this place." Minako said with a smile as a white cat jumped up on her shoulder.
"So I guess now that the two of you are back it means Artimes will be in here again?" Motoki wanted to know.
"Of course it does. Well we've got some people to meet. It was nice seeing you again." Minako said before heading in the direction of the Senshi's booth.
Over in the booth Ami had noticed Minako walk into the arcade and recognized her from school. She thought nothing of the fact that Minako had decided to come to the Crown at first but when she saw Minako heading towards their booth with a cat draped over her shoulder Ami began to try and come up with an explanation for being there herself. But before she could even say something to the blonde Minako addressed Luna and the girls first.
"I see all of you made it here okay." Minako said.
"What are you talking about?" Rei asked her.
"Wait a minute aren't you that new girl at school everyone was talking to at lunch today?" Makoto wanted to know.
"Yes I'm Aino Minako. It's good to see you so soon Ami or should I say Mercury." Minako said.
"How did you know who she really was?" Rei wanted to know.
"Oh I forgot you can't recognize me out of my Senshi guise. It's okay Luna you can come out of hiding now." Minako replied.
Luna slowly and reluctantly came out from under the table and hopped upon it next to her roommate Ami. She knew Minako was Venus from her conversation with Usagi during lunch.
"Where have you been Artimes?" Luna asked the white feline.
"I needed to discuss some things with Minako so I waited for her outside the school." He replied.
"Is that why you and the princess are late to your own meeting?" Luna wanted to know.
"How did you know I was the princess?" Minako asked.
"I recognized you from lunch period at the school. Besides I wouldn't have known anything if Usagi hadn't said anything about your Ki pattern being the same as Venus's." Luna said.
Artimes was surprised to learn Usagi had the ability to read Ki. He wondered how she could tell Venus and Minako were one in the same just by reading her Ki. The white feline thought the magic that shielded the Senshi from the eyes if normal humans worked on their Ki patterns as well.
"But I thought the Senshi magic changed it just like it changes the way she looks." Artimes said.
"That's where you're wrong Artimes. Usagi once told me that a Ki pattern is just like a thumbprint. You can not change it no matter what the person looks like." Luna explained.
Looks like she knows the truth then, Artimes thought.
"Well speaking of Usagi I can now officially say she blew us off." Rei said.
Minako thought for a moment and remembered seeing Usagi following a dark haired college student in the direction of the Starlight Tower.
"Your friend Usagi does she have a unique hairstyle that looks like two buns with long ponytails coming out of them?" Minako asked them.
"Yes she does." Ami replied for the group.
"Well then I saw her following some guy to the Starlight Tower." Minako said.
"Usagi wouldn't do a thing like that." Makoto replied.
"And I know for a fact she isn't with Ranma. She rescheduled their lesson for today so she could come to this meeting." Ami added.
"Something must be wrong. I can feel it." Rei said.
"Well then what are we waiting for?" Artimes asked the girls.
With that the four girls and two felines left the Crown to go find their missing comrade.
********
Mamoru stood before Zoicite trying not to show any signs of pain. The tuxedo wearing warrior wondered why the effeminate general had trapped Usagi along with him inside the energy bubble that had brought them inside the tower. The sight of the female Saiyan lying on the floor of the room had the college student concerned for her safety. Mamoru had yet to learn about Usagi's heritage or the fact that she was Sailor Moon. All he knew was that Usagi was a girl from the woods who knew his best friend and had studied some martial arts. Thinking she was a normal person Mamoru became concerned for her safety and wanted Zoicite to let her go.
"Listen Zoicite the girl has nothing to do with any of this. I want you to send her somewhere where she will be safe." Mamoru demanded.
"Oh I'll return the girl to safety only if you put down your crystals. But to be fair I'll put mine down first. Do we have a deal?" Zoicite said.
"Deal." Mamoru replied.
Zoicite reached into his pocket and pulled out the five crystals he had managed to collect and placed them on the ground halfway between them. Mamoru then followed suit and took the two he had managed to get out of his coat pocket and placed them on the ground next to the others. The two then began to back away from the seven crystals. But the moment they returned to their original positions Malachite appeared and grabbed all seven crystals before vanishing from sight.
"Zoicite you lied to me!" Mamoru yelled at the effeminate general.
Mamoru was furious at the dark general for tricking him into giving up his crystals. Reaching into his coat pocket Mamoru drew out a perfect long stemmed red rose and flung it at Zoicite. The rose grazed Zoicite's face and cut his cheek. Placing a gloved hand up to his cheek Zoicite noticed he was bleeding.
"My face! My perfect beautiful face! You cut my face!" Zoicite yelled.
Usagi began to recover from her fainting spell and looked up to see Mamoru facing off against Zoicite. The female Saiyan began to wonder what was going on as she slowly got to her feet. Upon seeing Usagi had recovered Zoicite began to vanish from the room they were in.
"If you really want me then come to the top floor. I'll be waiting for you." Zoicite said as he vanished into thin air.
Usagi looked over at Mamoru who looked quite angry and wondered what was happening. But before she could voice her question the entire room began to shake and the ceiling started to fall in on them. Usagi knew she had to get out of the room before it fell in on them but she also knew that she didn't have enough energy yet to run at full speed. And before she knew it Mamoru had grabbed Usagi by the wrist with his good arm and began to run to the elevator. The moment they got inside the elevator the floor from the room above them caved in.
"We made it." Usagi said with a sigh of relief.
"We're not out of this yet." Mamoru commented.
It was at that point the doors to the elevator closed and the car began to slowly make its way to the top of the tower.
"What the..." Usagi said.
"It's another trap." Mamoru replied.
********
The Sons and the Briefs families had a tradition of getting together for dinner once a week. It allowed the younger members of the family a chance to play together while Goku and Vegeta would spend their time sparring before dinner with the Son twins watching. Each week the two families would switch off houses they would have dinner at. This week it was Chichi's turn to play hostess. And for the mother of three Demi-Saiyans playing hostess helped to take her mind off the fact that her only daughter was away at private school in Tokyo.
Getting together like they did allowed the two families a chance to have a normal relationship with one another. If it weren't for the opportunity to spar with Goku Vegeta wouldn't agree to have dinner with the Son family. Bulma had hoped some of Goku's parenting techniques would rub off on Vegeta but the Saiyan prince was still his usual arrogant self. But being around Bulma and the others did help quell the urge to blow up everything in sight. Fatherhood had changed the Saiyan prince quite a bit.
"I love it when we get together like this." Bulma said.
"I do too but sometimes I wish Usagi were here." Chichi replied.
"We all miss her Chichi but you did the right thing getting her into that school. I've heard more good things about Juban Prep than any other school in Tokyo." Bulma told her as she set the table.
"Well I just hope my baby is studying and not goofing off." Chichi said with a look in her eye that spelled danger for the person she talked about.
"That's one thing I don't think you have to worry about. She told me in one of her letters her roommate is genius and is one of the best students in the country." Bulma replied.
"Well that's good to know." Chichi commented, "Time to get the boys in for dinner."
Bulma went to the door and stuck her head out to call the small crowd of Saiyans in for dinner while Chichi put the food on the table.
"Dinner's ready and if you don't get your royal butt in here right now Vegeta there'll be no food for you!" Bulma yelled.
With that the five male Saiyans rushed into the house and sat down to dinner. Not too long after sitting down a flurry if hands began reaching for everything in sight.
"Hold it right there you guys. We're going to have a normal dinner for once. So slow down!" Chichi said to the males in the room.
With shocked expressions upon their faces the five Saiyan males complied. It seemed odd for Vegeta to listen to Chichi but after eight years on Earth even the Saiyan prince had learned not to make the matriarch of the Son family angry. She could be as bad as his own wife.
********
High above the Earth at the lookout Dende, Piccolo, and Mr. Popo watched the events unfolding on the planet below them. They had seen their friends gathering for another weekly meal together with the women yelling at the men again. They saw the Senshi meet at the Crown Game Parlor in Tokyo with their guardians and advisors. And they saw Usagi and Mamoru become trapped inside the Starlight Tower. Piccolo and Dende wanted so much to help their friend in her time of need but something was preventing them from interfering.
As the pair or Namekians and their companion watched the ceiling cave in and Usagi and Mamoru run into an open elevator a set of booted footsteps could be heard from behind them. Turning around the trio saw a woman dressed in a black and maroon stylized school uniform with long dark emerald green hair half pulled into a bun and key shaped staff in her hand. The woman walked over to the trio and greeted them with a pleasant smile.
"Greetings Mr. Popo Piccolo young Dende. Mr. Popo it has been a long time since I saw you last you're looking rather well." She said to them.
"Ah yes Pluto it has been a long time. What brings you here?" Mr. Popo replied.
"I am here because I need to make certain you will not interfere with the course of the Senshi's development. I want to make certain that Piccolo will not react hastily to what is about to take place." Pluto explained to the turban wearing Turkish man.
Piccolo gave the green haired woman a good long stare before speaking to her. Having Kami's memories Piccolo knew just who and what Pluto was.
"I'll stay out of the Senshi's business for now but I can't guarantee I won't do anything when this is all over with." Piccolo said.
"If you care about Son Usagi in any way then you'll leave well enough alone." Pluto said.
Piccolo began to wonder just what Pluto meant by her comment as the guardian of time joined the trio in their vigil over the Earth.
********
King Kai was happy living at the Grand Kai's palace. When Goku had asked the Northern Kai where he was going to go shortly before being wished back King Kai had mentioned going to the Grand Kai's place to meet up with some of the souls that had gone on before him. Upon his arrival at the Grand Kai's place King Kai was greeted by the other Kai's in the universe. They had made fun of him and called his jokes corny but King Kai didn't let them bother him too much. He was looking forward to seeing the first female soul he had brought to the Grand Kai five thousand years ago.
Now five years later King Kai watched as one of the few people allowed to live with the Grand Kai kept a vigil over the world she once watched over. It pained him to see her the way she was. She had given up her life so her family and her people could live new lives upon the Earth. Five years ago she was almost reunited with one family member but the new family he had needed him even more.
"The time has come my friend. Soon my kingdom will be returned to its place above the Earth. I just hope Piccolo doesn't overreact and blow it up again." She said.
"Someone is bound to notice the sudden reappearance of the moon. I just hope it doesn't mean the reappearance of the Oozaru as well." King Kai commented.
Turning around to face her friend the once stately monarch of the moon dressed as she was the day she died smiled at the Northern Kai.
"Only one Saiyan will get their tail back my friend and she cannot become an Oozaru." She said.
********
By the time the lunar felines and the girls had arrived at the Starlight Tower Ami, Makoto, Rei, and Minako had transformed into their Senshi guises. Mercury had activated her visor and pulled out her microcomputer to run a scan of the building so she could see if Usagi was indeed inside. With a quick scan of the building Mercury had confirmed three things one Usagi was inside the tower, two she was definitely not alone in there, and three every door leading inside the tower had been locked.
"Usagi is inside there but there's no way to get in. It seems all the doors have been locked." Ami said, "But there is some good news Usagi isn't in there by herself. The computer picked up Tuxedo Mask's energy pattern."
"If all the entrances are locked then we'll just have to create our own entrance." Jupiter replied.
With that said Jupiter crossed her arms and called out to her guardian deity as the lightning rod on her tiara appeared.
"Guardian Jupiter, lend me your strength." Jupiter called out, "Supreme Thunder!"
With that the electric attack blasted a hole where the doors once where.
Taking advantage of the Senshi made entrance the lunar felines and the four Senshi entered the tower to find the main floor a mess and the elevator currently in use.
"What happened in here?" Mars asked not expecting an answer.
"Great the elevator's out of the question." Venus said.
"Well there's only one way we can go from here and that's up. Let's hit the stairs Senshi." Jupiter replied with a great big smile on her face.
"There is no way I'm climbing all those stairs." Venus complained before following the others.
********
Inside said elevator the long ride was beginning to get on Usagi and Mamoru's nerves. The usually arguing pair had been silent for some time and the lack of sound was starting to drive them nuts. There was only so much thinking Usagi and Mamoru could do about not wanting the other to find out about their secret identity. And so after what seemed like ten minutes of silence Usagi finally spoke.
"Mamoru why do you need those crystals?" Usagi asked trying to strike a conversation.
"I need those crystals in order to get the Silver Imperium Crystal. You see when I was six my parents had died in a car accident. I was in the car with them and by some miracle I survived but my head was injured and I lost all my memories from before the accident." Mamoru began, "To this day I still don't know who I am. I don't even know if Chiba Mamoru is my real name. But lately I've been having these reoccurring dreams where a princess with long hair keeps asking me to find the Silver Imperium Crystal. She tells me it would solve all of my problems. Ever since then I've been searching for the crystals. They've become the driving force in my life."
"I know what you mean." Usagi commented.
"What do you mean by that Usagi?" Mamoru wanted to know.
"Like you I need those crystals as well. Somehow they're connected to my heritage. You see I've been studying martial arts with my twin brother ever since we were five. At first it was because we had to but after that we continued with it because we wanted to. We began our training the exact day the moon blew up. I'll never forget that sight." Usagi said, "Then five years ago my brother was able to ascend to the next level in our training but for some reason I was unable to achieve what he had. When I learned about the crystals and what they might be able to do I became obsessed with finding them because I knew they would either help me achieve my goal or bring about something the Earth hasn't seen in eleven years. Whatever the outcome I'm willing to risk it."
Mamoru looked over at Usagi. Her gaze was averted from him and she was looking down at the floor. He could tell she was trying hard not to cry. The college student figured it must have been hard for her to talk about her life. From what he gathered she must have felt as though she failed herself because she had not achieved what her twin had.
"I guess we're both in the same boat." Mamoru commented.
Usagi stopped looking at the floor and turned her attention back to Mamoru. For the briefest of moments the female Saiyan thought she could see a resemblance between Mamoru and Tuxedo Mask but she quickly dismissed that thought. No they can't be the same person. Tuxedo Mask is more like dad than Mamoru, Usagi thought.
********
High above the city on the top of the Tower Malachite stood looking over the city. Night had begun to fall and the lights in Tokyo were beginning to turn on. Malachite prepared to begin the next step in their plan to get the crystal.
"Soon the world will be covered in darkness." Malachite said.
Then with a wave of his hand Malachite extinguished all the lights in Tokyo. At the same time Starlight Tower became bathed in a field of dark energy that transformed the tower into a section of the Dark Kingdom. Everyone inside the tower was now in a whole other dimension.
********
Zoicite floated at the top of the elevator shaft waiting for the shift from normal tower into Dark Kingdom hideout. When the change came Zoicite prepared for his part of the plan and formed a ball of fire in his hand. The effeminate general had planed to use it on Mamoru and Usagi.
"Time to die Chiba Mamoru." Zoicite said as he hurtled the flaming ball down the shaft.
Inside the elevator Usagi felt the fiery energy of the fire ball headed towards them. Turning her attention to the top of the elevator car she could see the large ball of fire coming right at them. Mamoru saw what Usagi had done and followed suit.
"This is just great we're sitting ducks in here." Mamoru said.
Usagi was in a bind. She had promised Gohan she wouldn't show off her Saiyan abilities in the city yet she knew full well she couldn't turn into Sailor Moon either because she promised Luna she wouldn't transform in public. If I become Sailor Moon I'll blow my cover, Usagi thought. But I can't let him know I'm half alien either. Unless I do something we'll both die.
With that Usagi pulled out her henshin broach and prepared to transform into Sailor Moon.
"Moon Prism Power!" Usagi called out.
Mamoru watched as Usagi's body was bathed in pure white light. For the briefest of moments he could have sworn that he saw her clothes melt away leaving her naked for a few short moments. Then pink ribbons of light began to envelop her body creating a stylized Sailor bodysuit with blue trim. The ribbons also became a blue skirt and red boots. The look was completed with a red chocker, red bows, gloves trimmed in red, and a gold tiara on her forehead.
Mamoru couldn't believe what he was seeing. Plan ordinary Usagi who knew some martial arts was in reality Sailor Moon a warrior of great strength and ability. And from what he had seen as Tuxedo Mask Sailor Moon was one of the best fighters he had ever seen.
"You're Sailor Moon?" he asked in complete shock.
With a swift kick Sailor Moon did away with the escape hatch on the elevator car. Then she grabbed Mamoru as carefully as she could and leapt out of the elevator to safety.
On the top floor of the tower Zoicite heard the fireball connect with the elevator car in a thunderous explosion. A victorious smile crept across his face as he thought Mamoru had been killed.
"Whoops looks like poor Mamoru died in an elevator accident." Zoicite said arrogantly.
"That's where you're wrong Zoicite." A familiar voice said.
Zoicite turned around to see Sailor Moon standing in front of what was once a working elevator shaft. The dark general wondered how the Moon Senshi had managed to get inside the tower. Making a quick recovery from his initial shock Zoicite decided to face Tuxedo Mask in their promised battle.
"It looks like you're going to have you battle after all Tuxedo Mask." Zoicite said off the cuff.
"Boy you must be the dumbest general around if you think Tuxedo Mask is here because he isn't." Sailor Moon remarked.
It was at that point when Mamoru stepped forward and pulled a long stemmed red rose out of his coat pocket. Sailor Moon wondered what was going on and if Mamoru had some sort of death wish.
"Actually Sailor Moon he is here." Mamoru said.
With that Mamoru used the rose to transform into Tuxedo Mask. His usual attire faded away and became a tuxedo and cape. A mask and top hat soon appeared on his face and head completing the look. Sailor Moon couldn't believe what she saw. The one person she despised as much as Vegeta was actually the man of her dreams Tuxedo Mask. Sailor Moon remembered all the times Tuxedo Mask had helped her out and began to realize that Mamoru's attitude was all just an act. Chiba Mamoru really was like Goku.
"Leave the rest to me Sailor Moon. Don't worry I won't let anything happen to you." Tuxedo Mask said as he prepared to face Zoicite.
Like all martial artists Sailor Moon knew this was Tuxedo Mask's fight and stepped back not wanting to interfere with his battle against Zoicite.
"Let's settle this once and for all." Zoicite said.
"Okay but leave Sailor Moon out of this." Tuxedo Mask replied.
"Whatever you say." Zoicite remarked with a sinister chuckle.
True to his nature Zoicite went against his word and produced a large crystal sphere and hurled it in Sailor Moon's direction. Thinking that he would finally kill Sailor Moon the effeminate general was shocked by what he saw and heard next.
"Kuso, that baka lied to me." Tuxedo Mask yelled.
Then with every last ounce of strength left in his body the dapper defender placed himself between Sailor Moon and the crystal spear. And in what seemed like slow motion the spear hit Tuxedo Mask right in the gut. As soon the spear made contact with his body it vanished into thin air. When time seemed to return to normal Tuxedo Mask fell to the ground only to be caught by Sailor Moon before he hit.
Sailor Moon cradled Tuxedo Mask's head in her lap. Looking down upon the fallen warrior Sailor Moon's mind began panicking. I shouldn't have gotten close to him, her mind screamed over and over.
"Everyone I know always ends up getting hurt because of me. Why does this have to happen?" Sailor Moon said as she tried to fight the tears from falling.
********
High above the universe King Kai could feel another life slowly coming to an end. But he could feel even stronger forces vying for control of its very existence. One force was one of the purest he had ever felt in a very long time and it reminded him of one Son Goku. The other was full of pure hate and evil driven in quest to control the Earth and eventually the universe. King Kai knew one of these forces would win in the battle for the dying soul and his companion knew it as well.
"She's going to loose him before she ever had him." She said.
"But it will make her stronger won't it." King Kai replied.
"Yes but only when she stops blaming herself for what happened to everyone she ever cared for."
********
The Senshi ran. Luna and Artimes ran. As fast as they could four Senshi and two lunar felines ran. Flight after flight they hoped and prayed their friend and comrade Sailor Moon would be alright. Flight after flight they hoped their ally Tuxedo Mask would be alright. Venus still believing Sailor Moon was not as strong as she really was hoped the Moon Senshi would be able to defend herself if Zoicite tried to attack her. She barely knew the female Saiyan and the Senshi pretending to be a princess didn't want to loose her new friend.
The moment the Senshi and the two lunar felines reached the top of the tower they were greeted by a sight they thought they would never see. Sailor Moon was kneeling on the floor with Tuxedo Mask's head lying gently in her lap. The Moon Senshi was fighting back the tears that threatened to fall as she pleaded with Tuxedo Mask to not die on her.
"Please don't die Tuxedo Mask. Mamo-chan please don't die on me. I can't loose you like I lost everyone else in my life. I can't go through with that again." Sailor Moon pleaded.
The Senshi stood there stunned by what they heard. Chiba Mamoru was Tuxedo Mask and now he was on the verge of dying.
"Mamoru is Tuxedo Mask." Mars said not believing what she was hearing.
It was at that point Sailor Moon gave into the tears. But instead of a never ending flood of tears one single solitary tear fell down Sailor Moon's face.
The crystals were reacting to the love in the heart of their true bearer. Only the true princess of the moon could bring the crystals together to form the Silver Imperium Crystal. And as Malachite watched over the seven rainbow colored crystals on top of the tower they floated off the ground and vanished into thin air right before his eyes.
********
Deep in the Black Forest at a small crowded dinner table the eldest son of Son Goku and his wife Chichi froze. The bond he shared with his sister his twin was going haywire. Gohan could feel a sharp increase in her Ki. And then something, something deep inside him told Gohan to go outside into the night. Getting up from the table without a single word Gohan walked out of the kitchen and into the back yard of the Son family home. The rest of the Son family and their guests stared at the door Gohan had walked out.
In the back yard of the Son family home Son Gohan stared up at a bright light in the night sky.
********
The tear fell off Sailor Moon's face and the moment it did seven flashes of light appeared around the tear. The tear turned into a perfect tear shaped crystal and the seven lights became the seven rainbow crystals. The crystals began to glow with an intense bright light and spun around the crystal tear. Then all at once it happened. The crescent on Venus's forehead began to glow with an intense light at the same time a similar light appeared beneath the tiara on Sailor Moon's own forehead. Then the three lights grew to such an intense brightness it was almost impossible to see what was going on. The crescent on Venus's head shattered revealing the sign for Venus. On Sailor Moon's own head her tiara shattered into a million pieces revealing the crescent moon below.
The crystals had fused into one bright light that made its way to the moon rod that Sailor Moon pulled out of her personal pocket. When the light finally burst the Silver Imperium Crystal sat at the top of the handle on the moon rod at the bottom of the crescent. Then it happened Sailor Moon became washed in a soft glowing light. When the light had faded the rightful princess of the moon had finally appeared.
"Sailor Moon she's our princess?" Mercury said not believing what she saw.
********
High above the Earth Dende, Piccolo, Mr. Popo, and Pluto turned their attention to the night sky as the light in the sky began to increase in intensity. As Pluto watched the light grow she prayed to the goddess above that Piccolo didn't over react when the light died down.
********
Guardians of the Earth turns twenty, twenty episodes that is. Yes I have finally finished twenty episodes. A feat almost achieved by Sailor Moon M, but enough on that story. I want to thank everyone who reviewed my story so far. With some of the features on FF.net down it's hard to know when I actually get reviews from my readers. And so I give you a word about why Ami is the way she is. In a nutshell Ami is a Tendo with a brain. She's a fusion of canon Akane and canon Ami. This is an AU fic so anything can happen even an Ami who's more like Akane then Ami.
So you're probably wondering why I wrote what I wrote in this episode aren't you. Again this is a fusion of the manga and anime worlds of Sailor Moon. That's why Venus is posing as the princess and there was the whole shattering tiara and crescent moon episode near the end. Also, I wanted to set up the people in the Dragon Ball world for a moment that could cause some of them to completely freak. That's why the appearance of Pluto at the lookout and a certain shall remain nameless queen at Grand Kai's place is very important for the second part.
What's up next as GOTE goes beyond twenty? The princess has emerged and something that has been missing for almost a dozen years returns to the night time sky. But wait isn't that a white tail hiding under Sailor Moon's fuku skirt? And it looks like the Senshi will have to say goodbye to a couple people and hello to someone new. It's time for another transition episode that will reveal almost all and end the Sailor Moon encyclopedia dependant episodes. Stay tuned for Guardians of the Earth episode twenty-one Princess Revealed Part Two.
Sailor Venus didn't say a word but instead she let Artimes answer for her as part of their agreed upon plan for what to do until they found the Silver Imperium Crystal.
"She's more than just Sailor V and Sailor Venus. She's Princess Serenity heir to the Moon Kingdom and true guardian of the Earth." Artimes said.
"Sailor Venus is our princess? But why is she fighting against the Dark Kingdom?" Mercury wanted to know.
It was Venus who decided to field the question asked by Mercury.
"When Artimes came to me a little over a year ago I wanted to find all of you right away but he told me not all of you were ready to face what you've been going up against. So until we were certain you had matured enough to step up to the next level Artimes said it was up to me to deal with the Dark Kingdom threat." Venus explained.
"Wow you must be pretty brave to go up against the Dark Kingdom all by yourself." Jupiter commented with awe.
Sailor Moon took in everything Artimes and Venus had told them. It seemed very logical but there were some things that bothered her. Thinking back to the gallery exhibit she and Mamoru had helped out with Sailor Moon remembered the depiction of the Moon Princess as someone who was like her a Demi-Saiyan. And from what she could tell there were no traces of Saiyan Ki connected with Venus. But she couldn't openly question what Artimes had said. Then there was the claim that the Moon Princess was the true guardian of the Earth. What Artimes meant by that was something Sailor Moon was going to have to investigate further.
"Excuse me Artimes but what exactly did you mean when you said the princess was the true guardian of the Earth? The Earth already has a guardian." Sailor Moon wanted to know.
Artimes and Venus looked at each other for a bit wondering how Sailor Moon knew about the Earth's guardian before turning their attention back to Sailor Moon. And with a smile on her face Venus spoke first.
"I'll answer this one Artimes." Venus said, "Sailor Moon what my guardian and advisor Artimes meant by his introduction was that the Moon Kingdom watched over the Earth before it was destroyed. You see in the final year of the Moon Kingdom before the great war with the Dark Kingdom the Queen of the Moon, my mother, created the mantle of Earth's guardian so there would always be someone to watch over this world and protect it from harm.
"The requirements she set for the Earth's guardian dictated that he be a warrior who was noble in spirit and pure of heart free from any evil. And with his companion at his side the guardian would stand watch over the Earth high above the planet like she had done."
"That explains why Kami had to split himself into two separate people." Sailor Moon commented so only those next to her could hear her.
"You speak as though you have met the Earth's Guardian." Venus said to her.
"He's my best friend." Sailor Moon replied cryptically.
With that Venus and Artimes turned their attention to the other Senshi.
"I'm calling a meeting tomorrow to discuss some leads Venus and I have been working on." Artimes said, "Meet us after school lets out at the Crown Came Parlor."
"Until then Senshi." Venus added.
Before leaving Venus shook hands with each of the Senshi. Each time she touched their hand a strange feeling ran through each of the Senshi. When all their hands had been shook the Senshi looked at Venus in an odd manner trying to figure out what had happened to them. Sailor Moon just looked at her knowing what she had suspected was the truth Sailor Venus was not their princess. And if she wasn't then the question remained who was.
"Princess what just happened there?" Mars asked as Venus turned to leave.
"I just wanted you to remember more of your mission and who you were." Venus replied.
With that Sailor Venus and Artimes left the docks leaving four confused Senshi behind.
********
Upon returning to the Dark Kingdom Zoicite and Malachite immediately requested an audience with their queen. The pair of generals needed to know why their queen had ordered the retreat when they were so close to destroying Tuxedo Mask and the Senshi. In fact if it hadn't been for the reappearance of Sailor V they would have succeeded in their mission.
Kneeling before their queen Zoicite and Malachite waited before they were allowed to speak to raise their heads. Beryl sat in her throne for quite some time before she even spoke a word. Delaying the inevitable was a way to get her minions to sweat it out for some time before allowing them a chance to explain their actions. It was a tactic that worked very well.
"You wished to speak with me." Beryl said.
"Yes my queen. I wanted to know why you called me back from battle when victory was so close at hand." Zoicite asked.
"It's simple really. My master wishes we do not kill Tuxedo Mask. Our great leader has plans for him and we need him unharmed in order to pull them off." Beryl told him.
"I see then what should I do?" Zoicite wanted to know.
With that Beryl began to formulate a plan to get the crystals from Tuxedo Mask.
********
Mamoru hobbled back to his apartment building in great pain following his battle against Zoicite. His left shoulder throbbed in pain and was covered in blood that soaked the shirt under his green sport coat. Opening the door to his apartment Mamoru slowly made his way over to his sofa. The pain his shoulder was giving him was making it hard for the formally clad warrior to go over to the medicine cabinet in his bathroom to get his bottle of ibuprofen for the pain. Holding his arm close to his body Mamoru shut his eyes to try and block out the pain. But he was soon brought back to reality when his television suddenly turned on and voice called out to him.
"You know ever since you revealed who you are it's easy to trace you down Tuxedo Mask or should I say Chiba Mamoru." Zoicite said on the screen, "I'm going to save us both a lot of time and wasted energy by issuing a challenge. Meet me tomorrow afternoon at the Starlight Tower at exactly four pm. At that time we will engage in one final battle where the prize will be all seven crystals. Whoever wins the battle will get control of all the crystals. Do you accept the challenge cape boy?"
Mamoru looked at the image of Zoicite on the screen and knew this would be his only chance at getting the crystals from him. If he was ever going to regain his lost memories he had to accept.
"Alright I accept your challenge Zoicite." Mamoru said as he stood up, "Tomorrow at four pm I will be at the Starlight Tower with my crystals ready for battle."
********
Guardians of the Earth
Episode 20: Princess Revealed Part One
********
A new transfer student at Juban Prep during the semester was nothing new. In fact, two new transfer students at Juban Prep in one semester were easily over looked. But five new transfer students at Juban Prep in one semester all in the course of three months were quite unusual. When Usagi showed up no one made a big deal out of it. And when Ami and Ranma came a week later again no one made a big deal out of it but there was talk because they were engaged to one another. By the time Makoto came along people were talking and they did think it was a bit strange that there would be another transfer so soon but the talk centered around why she was transferred in the first place.
Now the students of Juban Prep were beginning to wonder what was going on. Another transfer student had arrived at Juban. And this one made number five that semester. No one knew much about her except for the fact that she had just returned from spending a year in London. The students at Juban were dying to know everything they could about this mysterious new transfer student.
Usagi sat at her desk waiting for Haruna-sensei to begin class. So far the teacher hadn't even come into the classroom yet. Usagi was beginning to wonder if the new transfer everyone was talking about was going to be in her homeroom. As she sat at her desk the female Saiyan overheard the same talk she had heard at breakfast about the new transfer.
"Some people just don't know when to stop gossiping about someone." Umino said.
"You're just saying that because you haven't been able to find out anything about the new student." Naru commented.
"I wonder what this new student will be like?" Ami asked the pair trying to engage a conversation.
"Well one thing's for certain we know her best subject will be English because she's spent the last year in London." Umino said passing around old news.
Ranma took his seat next to Usagi's and rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe everyone was getting so worked up over a transfer student. Sure it was odd that this would make the fifth one in the semester but it was still ridiculous for them to act the way they were over her.
"So we have a new student. It isn't like we haven't had four already this semester." Ranma said to Usagi, "So we on for a practice session after school? You promised to help me work on my Ki."
"Sorry but it looks like I'm going to have to cancel. I have a meeting I have to go to after school with the others. Something big happened yesterday and I have to be there." Usagi said.
"This wouldn't happen to be a girls in short skirts kind of meeting would it?" Ranma asked.
"I'm afraid it is. Look I'll help you with that Ki control tomorrow okay." Usagi replied.
"Okay I guess advancing martial arts isn't as important as the safety of the entire world." Ranma commented with a smile.
It was at that point when Haruna-sensei walked into the classroom with a student in tow. The new student had blue eyes and long blonde hair held in place with a large red bow. She was dressed in the traditional uniform of Juban Prep a long dark blue skirt with a sailor shirt that had a dark blue collar and dark blue cuffs. The new student smiled as she looked over her new homeroom. All in all she seemed like a very pleasant and easy going teenager.
Usagi's head whipped to the front of the room when she felt the new student enter the room. The Ki signature she had felt was exactly the same as Sailor Venus's Ki signature. The girl may not have looked like Sailor Venus but she was definitely Sailor Venus. A person may be able to disguise their looks but they could not disguise their Ki signature. Sure they could hide it but they could not change it. A Ki signature was a lot like a thumbprint it was one of a kind.
"Class I'd like to introduce to you a new student joining us today Aino Minako." Haruna-sensei announced to the class, "Aino-san would you tell the class a bit about yourself."
"As you know my name is Aino Minako. For the last year I've been living in London and I'm a whiz on the volleyball court. People who know me say I'm outgoing and easy to get along with. I don't have any siblings but I do own a cat. And that's pretty much all there is to know about me." Minako said.
"Thank you Aino-san. There's a free desk behind Saotome-san that you can take. Ranma please raise your hand so Aino-san knows where to go." Haruna-sensei instructed.
With that Minako took her seat.
********
When lunch rolled around Minako became quite the popular student. Everyone wanted to talk to her about living in London for the past year. As Usagi walked past where Minako was sitting she noticed the small crowd gathered around her. Dismissing the urge to join in Usagi went to her usual place to eat lunch so she could talk with Luna about the whole princess situation. And as she sat down the black lunar feline climbed down out of the tree.
"Is something bothering you?" Luna asked Usagi when she noticed the mood her charge was in.
"Yeah something is Luna." Usagi replied.
"Care to talk about it Usagi." Luna said.
Usagi let out a soft sigh before telling Luna what was eating away at her.
"It's this whole princess thing Luna. Last night when Venus showed up the others were ready and willing to accept her as our princess. But something in the back of my head keeps screaming doubt into my mind. It's telling me she can't be Serenity because she lacks something very important, Saiyan blood. Don't ask me how I know our princess is part Saiyan but I just do. And if what you said about us being from the Moon Kingdom is true then Venus would have Saiyan blood in her now and I don't detect an ounce of Saiyan Ki on her. Besides it's kind of impossible for her to be a member of the Demi-Saiyan club because my dad and Vegeta are the last two pure Saiyans around." Usagi told her.
"You do make a point there Usagi but Artimes is a trustworthy individual, even if he can be a baka sometimes, and I doubt he would flat out lie to us about Venus." Luna replied.
"Well then we'll just have to confront Venus on this issue at the meeting this afternoon." Usagi said as she watched Minako's little crowd get bigger.
"I have a few things to discuss with Artimes before the meeting so I'll meet you at the Crown instead of the room." Luna said before heading off to find her fellow lunar feline.
Why do I feel as though she's deceiving us, Usagi thought.
********
School had ended for the day and Usagi was in a good mood. The female Saiyan had gone to her dorm room and quickly dropped off her things and changed into her usual training attire before heading for the Crown. Usagi had plenty of time to get to the arcade but she didn't want to be late for the meeting so she ran down the streets of the Azabu-Juban neighborhood. As she zipped along the street Usagi spotted Mamoru leaning up against one of the buildings holding onto his left arm. Slowly and painfully Mamoru began walking down the street with much trouble. A quick check of his Ki told Usagi something was definitely wrong.
Walking over to the struggling Mamoru Usagi decided to get his attention by giving him a good playful whack on the back.
"Hey there Mamoru." Usagi said as she hit his back right on the left shoulder.
The moment Usagi's hand connected with Mamoru's back the older college student winced in great pain. Mamoru looked over at Usagi and saw the happy carefree smile she always had on her face. Struggling to hide his pain Mamoru gave Usagi a weak smile.
"You're always very energetic." Mamoru said to her.
"Humph why do you always have to insult me Chiba?" Usagi wanted to know.
"Stay that way forever. Bye." Mamoru replied before leaving.
Usagi watched Mamoru leave the area and became confused. For the first time since she had met him Mamoru Chiba didn't seem conceited and stuck up. The usual walking ego trip was actually a kind and sweet if somewhat hurt looking person.
Usagi felt something wet on the hand she had whacked Mamoru on the back with and looked down at it. There on her palm was blood but it wasn't her blood. The only other person she could think of where the blood came from was Mamoru. Usagi now knew why he was having a hard time walking and why he was holding onto his left arm. Mamoru was bleeding and bad.
"Somehow Mamoru got injured. He needs help and fast. Man I wish I had some senzu beans right about now." Usagi thought aloud.
Deciding to see what she could do to help Mamoru Usagi went after the injured college student.
Mamoru was having trouble walking down the street again and stopped in a nearby alley to get a much needed break. Usagi hitting him on the back had caused the large wound on his shoulder to begin to bleed even more and Mamoru was feeling quite run down because of it.
Usagi caught up with Mamoru and found him stopped in an alley. The female Saiyan walked over to Mamoru carefully and slowly so she wouldn't startle him.
Mamoru somehow felt someone behind him and quickly turned around swinging at her with his good arm. Using her quick speed Usagi dodged the blow and began to yell at Mamoru.
"What was that for you big baka!" Usagi yelled.
"Listen odango don't follow me!" Mamoru yelled back at her.
Usagi then shoved her blood covered hand in front of Mamoru's eyes and yelled at him again.
"See this it's your own blood on my hand. Maybe you think this is nothing but I think it's pretty darn serious." Usagi yelled, "I'd help you but I just don't have my hands on any beans right now. So if you don't get your butt home and into bed you'll never recover from this."
Mamoru had heard what Usagi had said but he chose not to listen to her. The stubborn college student continued on his way slowly trudging towards the Starlight Tower to meet up with Zoicite. He needed to get the crystals and nothing was going to stop him, not even Usagi. And upon seeing Mamoru walk away from her Usagi became very angry with him.
"You get your big baka butt back here Chiba! I'm not through with you yet!" she yelled at him.
Growling in frustration Usagi followed Mamoru to the tower wondering why he was headed there. And when she caught up with him a strange light came out of the tower and enveloped them both. The light turned into a sphere that carried the pair up into the tower. When the sphere had reached its destination Usagi and Mamoru were greeted by the sight of Zoicite waiting for them.
Great what does he want with me, Usagi thought.
I can't let her get hurt by him, Mamoru thought at the same time.
Fortunately for Mamoru and unfortunately for Usagi the female Demi-Saiyan was somehow drained of her Ki and fainted on the spot.
********
Luna, Ami, Makoto, and Rei were sitting in one of the booths at the Crown waiting for Artimes to arrive with Venus. Luna had gone over to the Crown early like she had told Usagi she would and was left waiting for Artimes to arrive. Now the black lunar feline was angry and wanted to know why Artimes had stood her up. She knew they were supposed to be working together as advisors to the princess but so far Luna believed Artimes didn't think she was right for the position. And as the moments passed by the girls began to not only wonder where their princess was but where Usagi was as well.
"Where can she be?" Luna wondered.
"I called our room and she's not there. And forget about reaching her on the communicators because for some reason all I got was interference." Ami replied.
"It isn't like Usagi to totally blow off a meeting." Makoto commented.
"Give her another ten minutes before it's considered a total blow off." Rei said.
The girls let out a heavy sigh and sat back in the booth waiting for either Usagi or Venus to show up for the meeting. It seemed kind of annoying that the individual who called the meeting wouldn't even bother to show up. Rei began wondering if Venus thought she was too good for them.
"That Venus she probably thinks she's better than us." Rei griped.
The moment Rei had made her remark about their supposed princess the automatic doors to the arcade slid open revealing a blonde haired high school student with a red bow in her hair. Walking into the arcade the blonde went over to the counter to talk to Motoki.
"Hey Motoki I see you're still working here." The girl said.
"Minako when did you get back into town?" Motoki wondered.
"I just returned over the weekend. Sorry I couldn't see you sooner." Minako told him.
"Hey that's okay. So I can assume you brought him with you like always?" Motoki said.
"Yep good old Artimes just can't keep away from this place." Minako said with a smile as a white cat jumped up on her shoulder.
"So I guess now that the two of you are back it means Artimes will be in here again?" Motoki wanted to know.
"Of course it does. Well we've got some people to meet. It was nice seeing you again." Minako said before heading in the direction of the Senshi's booth.
Over in the booth Ami had noticed Minako walk into the arcade and recognized her from school. She thought nothing of the fact that Minako had decided to come to the Crown at first but when she saw Minako heading towards their booth with a cat draped over her shoulder Ami began to try and come up with an explanation for being there herself. But before she could even say something to the blonde Minako addressed Luna and the girls first.
"I see all of you made it here okay." Minako said.
"What are you talking about?" Rei asked her.
"Wait a minute aren't you that new girl at school everyone was talking to at lunch today?" Makoto wanted to know.
"Yes I'm Aino Minako. It's good to see you so soon Ami or should I say Mercury." Minako said.
"How did you know who she really was?" Rei wanted to know.
"Oh I forgot you can't recognize me out of my Senshi guise. It's okay Luna you can come out of hiding now." Minako replied.
Luna slowly and reluctantly came out from under the table and hopped upon it next to her roommate Ami. She knew Minako was Venus from her conversation with Usagi during lunch.
"Where have you been Artimes?" Luna asked the white feline.
"I needed to discuss some things with Minako so I waited for her outside the school." He replied.
"Is that why you and the princess are late to your own meeting?" Luna wanted to know.
"How did you know I was the princess?" Minako asked.
"I recognized you from lunch period at the school. Besides I wouldn't have known anything if Usagi hadn't said anything about your Ki pattern being the same as Venus's." Luna said.
Artimes was surprised to learn Usagi had the ability to read Ki. He wondered how she could tell Venus and Minako were one in the same just by reading her Ki. The white feline thought the magic that shielded the Senshi from the eyes if normal humans worked on their Ki patterns as well.
"But I thought the Senshi magic changed it just like it changes the way she looks." Artimes said.
"That's where you're wrong Artimes. Usagi once told me that a Ki pattern is just like a thumbprint. You can not change it no matter what the person looks like." Luna explained.
Looks like she knows the truth then, Artimes thought.
"Well speaking of Usagi I can now officially say she blew us off." Rei said.
Minako thought for a moment and remembered seeing Usagi following a dark haired college student in the direction of the Starlight Tower.
"Your friend Usagi does she have a unique hairstyle that looks like two buns with long ponytails coming out of them?" Minako asked them.
"Yes she does." Ami replied for the group.
"Well then I saw her following some guy to the Starlight Tower." Minako said.
"Usagi wouldn't do a thing like that." Makoto replied.
"And I know for a fact she isn't with Ranma. She rescheduled their lesson for today so she could come to this meeting." Ami added.
"Something must be wrong. I can feel it." Rei said.
"Well then what are we waiting for?" Artimes asked the girls.
With that the four girls and two felines left the Crown to go find their missing comrade.
********
Mamoru stood before Zoicite trying not to show any signs of pain. The tuxedo wearing warrior wondered why the effeminate general had trapped Usagi along with him inside the energy bubble that had brought them inside the tower. The sight of the female Saiyan lying on the floor of the room had the college student concerned for her safety. Mamoru had yet to learn about Usagi's heritage or the fact that she was Sailor Moon. All he knew was that Usagi was a girl from the woods who knew his best friend and had studied some martial arts. Thinking she was a normal person Mamoru became concerned for her safety and wanted Zoicite to let her go.
"Listen Zoicite the girl has nothing to do with any of this. I want you to send her somewhere where she will be safe." Mamoru demanded.
"Oh I'll return the girl to safety only if you put down your crystals. But to be fair I'll put mine down first. Do we have a deal?" Zoicite said.
"Deal." Mamoru replied.
Zoicite reached into his pocket and pulled out the five crystals he had managed to collect and placed them on the ground halfway between them. Mamoru then followed suit and took the two he had managed to get out of his coat pocket and placed them on the ground next to the others. The two then began to back away from the seven crystals. But the moment they returned to their original positions Malachite appeared and grabbed all seven crystals before vanishing from sight.
"Zoicite you lied to me!" Mamoru yelled at the effeminate general.
Mamoru was furious at the dark general for tricking him into giving up his crystals. Reaching into his coat pocket Mamoru drew out a perfect long stemmed red rose and flung it at Zoicite. The rose grazed Zoicite's face and cut his cheek. Placing a gloved hand up to his cheek Zoicite noticed he was bleeding.
"My face! My perfect beautiful face! You cut my face!" Zoicite yelled.
Usagi began to recover from her fainting spell and looked up to see Mamoru facing off against Zoicite. The female Saiyan began to wonder what was going on as she slowly got to her feet. Upon seeing Usagi had recovered Zoicite began to vanish from the room they were in.
"If you really want me then come to the top floor. I'll be waiting for you." Zoicite said as he vanished into thin air.
Usagi looked over at Mamoru who looked quite angry and wondered what was happening. But before she could voice her question the entire room began to shake and the ceiling started to fall in on them. Usagi knew she had to get out of the room before it fell in on them but she also knew that she didn't have enough energy yet to run at full speed. And before she knew it Mamoru had grabbed Usagi by the wrist with his good arm and began to run to the elevator. The moment they got inside the elevator the floor from the room above them caved in.
"We made it." Usagi said with a sigh of relief.
"We're not out of this yet." Mamoru commented.
It was at that point the doors to the elevator closed and the car began to slowly make its way to the top of the tower.
"What the..." Usagi said.
"It's another trap." Mamoru replied.
********
The Sons and the Briefs families had a tradition of getting together for dinner once a week. It allowed the younger members of the family a chance to play together while Goku and Vegeta would spend their time sparring before dinner with the Son twins watching. Each week the two families would switch off houses they would have dinner at. This week it was Chichi's turn to play hostess. And for the mother of three Demi-Saiyans playing hostess helped to take her mind off the fact that her only daughter was away at private school in Tokyo.
Getting together like they did allowed the two families a chance to have a normal relationship with one another. If it weren't for the opportunity to spar with Goku Vegeta wouldn't agree to have dinner with the Son family. Bulma had hoped some of Goku's parenting techniques would rub off on Vegeta but the Saiyan prince was still his usual arrogant self. But being around Bulma and the others did help quell the urge to blow up everything in sight. Fatherhood had changed the Saiyan prince quite a bit.
"I love it when we get together like this." Bulma said.
"I do too but sometimes I wish Usagi were here." Chichi replied.
"We all miss her Chichi but you did the right thing getting her into that school. I've heard more good things about Juban Prep than any other school in Tokyo." Bulma told her as she set the table.
"Well I just hope my baby is studying and not goofing off." Chichi said with a look in her eye that spelled danger for the person she talked about.
"That's one thing I don't think you have to worry about. She told me in one of her letters her roommate is genius and is one of the best students in the country." Bulma replied.
"Well that's good to know." Chichi commented, "Time to get the boys in for dinner."
Bulma went to the door and stuck her head out to call the small crowd of Saiyans in for dinner while Chichi put the food on the table.
"Dinner's ready and if you don't get your royal butt in here right now Vegeta there'll be no food for you!" Bulma yelled.
With that the five male Saiyans rushed into the house and sat down to dinner. Not too long after sitting down a flurry if hands began reaching for everything in sight.
"Hold it right there you guys. We're going to have a normal dinner for once. So slow down!" Chichi said to the males in the room.
With shocked expressions upon their faces the five Saiyan males complied. It seemed odd for Vegeta to listen to Chichi but after eight years on Earth even the Saiyan prince had learned not to make the matriarch of the Son family angry. She could be as bad as his own wife.
********
High above the Earth at the lookout Dende, Piccolo, and Mr. Popo watched the events unfolding on the planet below them. They had seen their friends gathering for another weekly meal together with the women yelling at the men again. They saw the Senshi meet at the Crown Game Parlor in Tokyo with their guardians and advisors. And they saw Usagi and Mamoru become trapped inside the Starlight Tower. Piccolo and Dende wanted so much to help their friend in her time of need but something was preventing them from interfering.
As the pair or Namekians and their companion watched the ceiling cave in and Usagi and Mamoru run into an open elevator a set of booted footsteps could be heard from behind them. Turning around the trio saw a woman dressed in a black and maroon stylized school uniform with long dark emerald green hair half pulled into a bun and key shaped staff in her hand. The woman walked over to the trio and greeted them with a pleasant smile.
"Greetings Mr. Popo Piccolo young Dende. Mr. Popo it has been a long time since I saw you last you're looking rather well." She said to them.
"Ah yes Pluto it has been a long time. What brings you here?" Mr. Popo replied.
"I am here because I need to make certain you will not interfere with the course of the Senshi's development. I want to make certain that Piccolo will not react hastily to what is about to take place." Pluto explained to the turban wearing Turkish man.
Piccolo gave the green haired woman a good long stare before speaking to her. Having Kami's memories Piccolo knew just who and what Pluto was.
"I'll stay out of the Senshi's business for now but I can't guarantee I won't do anything when this is all over with." Piccolo said.
"If you care about Son Usagi in any way then you'll leave well enough alone." Pluto said.
Piccolo began to wonder just what Pluto meant by her comment as the guardian of time joined the trio in their vigil over the Earth.
********
King Kai was happy living at the Grand Kai's palace. When Goku had asked the Northern Kai where he was going to go shortly before being wished back King Kai had mentioned going to the Grand Kai's place to meet up with some of the souls that had gone on before him. Upon his arrival at the Grand Kai's place King Kai was greeted by the other Kai's in the universe. They had made fun of him and called his jokes corny but King Kai didn't let them bother him too much. He was looking forward to seeing the first female soul he had brought to the Grand Kai five thousand years ago.
Now five years later King Kai watched as one of the few people allowed to live with the Grand Kai kept a vigil over the world she once watched over. It pained him to see her the way she was. She had given up her life so her family and her people could live new lives upon the Earth. Five years ago she was almost reunited with one family member but the new family he had needed him even more.
"The time has come my friend. Soon my kingdom will be returned to its place above the Earth. I just hope Piccolo doesn't overreact and blow it up again." She said.
"Someone is bound to notice the sudden reappearance of the moon. I just hope it doesn't mean the reappearance of the Oozaru as well." King Kai commented.
Turning around to face her friend the once stately monarch of the moon dressed as she was the day she died smiled at the Northern Kai.
"Only one Saiyan will get their tail back my friend and she cannot become an Oozaru." She said.
********
By the time the lunar felines and the girls had arrived at the Starlight Tower Ami, Makoto, Rei, and Minako had transformed into their Senshi guises. Mercury had activated her visor and pulled out her microcomputer to run a scan of the building so she could see if Usagi was indeed inside. With a quick scan of the building Mercury had confirmed three things one Usagi was inside the tower, two she was definitely not alone in there, and three every door leading inside the tower had been locked.
"Usagi is inside there but there's no way to get in. It seems all the doors have been locked." Ami said, "But there is some good news Usagi isn't in there by herself. The computer picked up Tuxedo Mask's energy pattern."
"If all the entrances are locked then we'll just have to create our own entrance." Jupiter replied.
With that said Jupiter crossed her arms and called out to her guardian deity as the lightning rod on her tiara appeared.
"Guardian Jupiter, lend me your strength." Jupiter called out, "Supreme Thunder!"
With that the electric attack blasted a hole where the doors once where.
Taking advantage of the Senshi made entrance the lunar felines and the four Senshi entered the tower to find the main floor a mess and the elevator currently in use.
"What happened in here?" Mars asked not expecting an answer.
"Great the elevator's out of the question." Venus said.
"Well there's only one way we can go from here and that's up. Let's hit the stairs Senshi." Jupiter replied with a great big smile on her face.
"There is no way I'm climbing all those stairs." Venus complained before following the others.
********
Inside said elevator the long ride was beginning to get on Usagi and Mamoru's nerves. The usually arguing pair had been silent for some time and the lack of sound was starting to drive them nuts. There was only so much thinking Usagi and Mamoru could do about not wanting the other to find out about their secret identity. And so after what seemed like ten minutes of silence Usagi finally spoke.
"Mamoru why do you need those crystals?" Usagi asked trying to strike a conversation.
"I need those crystals in order to get the Silver Imperium Crystal. You see when I was six my parents had died in a car accident. I was in the car with them and by some miracle I survived but my head was injured and I lost all my memories from before the accident." Mamoru began, "To this day I still don't know who I am. I don't even know if Chiba Mamoru is my real name. But lately I've been having these reoccurring dreams where a princess with long hair keeps asking me to find the Silver Imperium Crystal. She tells me it would solve all of my problems. Ever since then I've been searching for the crystals. They've become the driving force in my life."
"I know what you mean." Usagi commented.
"What do you mean by that Usagi?" Mamoru wanted to know.
"Like you I need those crystals as well. Somehow they're connected to my heritage. You see I've been studying martial arts with my twin brother ever since we were five. At first it was because we had to but after that we continued with it because we wanted to. We began our training the exact day the moon blew up. I'll never forget that sight." Usagi said, "Then five years ago my brother was able to ascend to the next level in our training but for some reason I was unable to achieve what he had. When I learned about the crystals and what they might be able to do I became obsessed with finding them because I knew they would either help me achieve my goal or bring about something the Earth hasn't seen in eleven years. Whatever the outcome I'm willing to risk it."
Mamoru looked over at Usagi. Her gaze was averted from him and she was looking down at the floor. He could tell she was trying hard not to cry. The college student figured it must have been hard for her to talk about her life. From what he gathered she must have felt as though she failed herself because she had not achieved what her twin had.
"I guess we're both in the same boat." Mamoru commented.
Usagi stopped looking at the floor and turned her attention back to Mamoru. For the briefest of moments the female Saiyan thought she could see a resemblance between Mamoru and Tuxedo Mask but she quickly dismissed that thought. No they can't be the same person. Tuxedo Mask is more like dad than Mamoru, Usagi thought.
********
High above the city on the top of the Tower Malachite stood looking over the city. Night had begun to fall and the lights in Tokyo were beginning to turn on. Malachite prepared to begin the next step in their plan to get the crystal.
"Soon the world will be covered in darkness." Malachite said.
Then with a wave of his hand Malachite extinguished all the lights in Tokyo. At the same time Starlight Tower became bathed in a field of dark energy that transformed the tower into a section of the Dark Kingdom. Everyone inside the tower was now in a whole other dimension.
********
Zoicite floated at the top of the elevator shaft waiting for the shift from normal tower into Dark Kingdom hideout. When the change came Zoicite prepared for his part of the plan and formed a ball of fire in his hand. The effeminate general had planed to use it on Mamoru and Usagi.
"Time to die Chiba Mamoru." Zoicite said as he hurtled the flaming ball down the shaft.
Inside the elevator Usagi felt the fiery energy of the fire ball headed towards them. Turning her attention to the top of the elevator car she could see the large ball of fire coming right at them. Mamoru saw what Usagi had done and followed suit.
"This is just great we're sitting ducks in here." Mamoru said.
Usagi was in a bind. She had promised Gohan she wouldn't show off her Saiyan abilities in the city yet she knew full well she couldn't turn into Sailor Moon either because she promised Luna she wouldn't transform in public. If I become Sailor Moon I'll blow my cover, Usagi thought. But I can't let him know I'm half alien either. Unless I do something we'll both die.
With that Usagi pulled out her henshin broach and prepared to transform into Sailor Moon.
"Moon Prism Power!" Usagi called out.
Mamoru watched as Usagi's body was bathed in pure white light. For the briefest of moments he could have sworn that he saw her clothes melt away leaving her naked for a few short moments. Then pink ribbons of light began to envelop her body creating a stylized Sailor bodysuit with blue trim. The ribbons also became a blue skirt and red boots. The look was completed with a red chocker, red bows, gloves trimmed in red, and a gold tiara on her forehead.
Mamoru couldn't believe what he was seeing. Plan ordinary Usagi who knew some martial arts was in reality Sailor Moon a warrior of great strength and ability. And from what he had seen as Tuxedo Mask Sailor Moon was one of the best fighters he had ever seen.
"You're Sailor Moon?" he asked in complete shock.
With a swift kick Sailor Moon did away with the escape hatch on the elevator car. Then she grabbed Mamoru as carefully as she could and leapt out of the elevator to safety.
On the top floor of the tower Zoicite heard the fireball connect with the elevator car in a thunderous explosion. A victorious smile crept across his face as he thought Mamoru had been killed.
"Whoops looks like poor Mamoru died in an elevator accident." Zoicite said arrogantly.
"That's where you're wrong Zoicite." A familiar voice said.
Zoicite turned around to see Sailor Moon standing in front of what was once a working elevator shaft. The dark general wondered how the Moon Senshi had managed to get inside the tower. Making a quick recovery from his initial shock Zoicite decided to face Tuxedo Mask in their promised battle.
"It looks like you're going to have you battle after all Tuxedo Mask." Zoicite said off the cuff.
"Boy you must be the dumbest general around if you think Tuxedo Mask is here because he isn't." Sailor Moon remarked.
It was at that point when Mamoru stepped forward and pulled a long stemmed red rose out of his coat pocket. Sailor Moon wondered what was going on and if Mamoru had some sort of death wish.
"Actually Sailor Moon he is here." Mamoru said.
With that Mamoru used the rose to transform into Tuxedo Mask. His usual attire faded away and became a tuxedo and cape. A mask and top hat soon appeared on his face and head completing the look. Sailor Moon couldn't believe what she saw. The one person she despised as much as Vegeta was actually the man of her dreams Tuxedo Mask. Sailor Moon remembered all the times Tuxedo Mask had helped her out and began to realize that Mamoru's attitude was all just an act. Chiba Mamoru really was like Goku.
"Leave the rest to me Sailor Moon. Don't worry I won't let anything happen to you." Tuxedo Mask said as he prepared to face Zoicite.
Like all martial artists Sailor Moon knew this was Tuxedo Mask's fight and stepped back not wanting to interfere with his battle against Zoicite.
"Let's settle this once and for all." Zoicite said.
"Okay but leave Sailor Moon out of this." Tuxedo Mask replied.
"Whatever you say." Zoicite remarked with a sinister chuckle.
True to his nature Zoicite went against his word and produced a large crystal sphere and hurled it in Sailor Moon's direction. Thinking that he would finally kill Sailor Moon the effeminate general was shocked by what he saw and heard next.
"Kuso, that baka lied to me." Tuxedo Mask yelled.
Then with every last ounce of strength left in his body the dapper defender placed himself between Sailor Moon and the crystal spear. And in what seemed like slow motion the spear hit Tuxedo Mask right in the gut. As soon the spear made contact with his body it vanished into thin air. When time seemed to return to normal Tuxedo Mask fell to the ground only to be caught by Sailor Moon before he hit.
Sailor Moon cradled Tuxedo Mask's head in her lap. Looking down upon the fallen warrior Sailor Moon's mind began panicking. I shouldn't have gotten close to him, her mind screamed over and over.
"Everyone I know always ends up getting hurt because of me. Why does this have to happen?" Sailor Moon said as she tried to fight the tears from falling.
********
High above the universe King Kai could feel another life slowly coming to an end. But he could feel even stronger forces vying for control of its very existence. One force was one of the purest he had ever felt in a very long time and it reminded him of one Son Goku. The other was full of pure hate and evil driven in quest to control the Earth and eventually the universe. King Kai knew one of these forces would win in the battle for the dying soul and his companion knew it as well.
"She's going to loose him before she ever had him." She said.
"But it will make her stronger won't it." King Kai replied.
"Yes but only when she stops blaming herself for what happened to everyone she ever cared for."
********
The Senshi ran. Luna and Artimes ran. As fast as they could four Senshi and two lunar felines ran. Flight after flight they hoped and prayed their friend and comrade Sailor Moon would be alright. Flight after flight they hoped their ally Tuxedo Mask would be alright. Venus still believing Sailor Moon was not as strong as she really was hoped the Moon Senshi would be able to defend herself if Zoicite tried to attack her. She barely knew the female Saiyan and the Senshi pretending to be a princess didn't want to loose her new friend.
The moment the Senshi and the two lunar felines reached the top of the tower they were greeted by a sight they thought they would never see. Sailor Moon was kneeling on the floor with Tuxedo Mask's head lying gently in her lap. The Moon Senshi was fighting back the tears that threatened to fall as she pleaded with Tuxedo Mask to not die on her.
"Please don't die Tuxedo Mask. Mamo-chan please don't die on me. I can't loose you like I lost everyone else in my life. I can't go through with that again." Sailor Moon pleaded.
The Senshi stood there stunned by what they heard. Chiba Mamoru was Tuxedo Mask and now he was on the verge of dying.
"Mamoru is Tuxedo Mask." Mars said not believing what she was hearing.
It was at that point Sailor Moon gave into the tears. But instead of a never ending flood of tears one single solitary tear fell down Sailor Moon's face.
The crystals were reacting to the love in the heart of their true bearer. Only the true princess of the moon could bring the crystals together to form the Silver Imperium Crystal. And as Malachite watched over the seven rainbow colored crystals on top of the tower they floated off the ground and vanished into thin air right before his eyes.
********
Deep in the Black Forest at a small crowded dinner table the eldest son of Son Goku and his wife Chichi froze. The bond he shared with his sister his twin was going haywire. Gohan could feel a sharp increase in her Ki. And then something, something deep inside him told Gohan to go outside into the night. Getting up from the table without a single word Gohan walked out of the kitchen and into the back yard of the Son family home. The rest of the Son family and their guests stared at the door Gohan had walked out.
In the back yard of the Son family home Son Gohan stared up at a bright light in the night sky.
********
The tear fell off Sailor Moon's face and the moment it did seven flashes of light appeared around the tear. The tear turned into a perfect tear shaped crystal and the seven lights became the seven rainbow crystals. The crystals began to glow with an intense bright light and spun around the crystal tear. Then all at once it happened. The crescent on Venus's forehead began to glow with an intense light at the same time a similar light appeared beneath the tiara on Sailor Moon's own forehead. Then the three lights grew to such an intense brightness it was almost impossible to see what was going on. The crescent on Venus's head shattered revealing the sign for Venus. On Sailor Moon's own head her tiara shattered into a million pieces revealing the crescent moon below.
The crystals had fused into one bright light that made its way to the moon rod that Sailor Moon pulled out of her personal pocket. When the light finally burst the Silver Imperium Crystal sat at the top of the handle on the moon rod at the bottom of the crescent. Then it happened Sailor Moon became washed in a soft glowing light. When the light had faded the rightful princess of the moon had finally appeared.
"Sailor Moon she's our princess?" Mercury said not believing what she saw.
********
High above the Earth Dende, Piccolo, Mr. Popo, and Pluto turned their attention to the night sky as the light in the sky began to increase in intensity. As Pluto watched the light grow she prayed to the goddess above that Piccolo didn't over react when the light died down.
********
Guardians of the Earth turns twenty, twenty episodes that is. Yes I have finally finished twenty episodes. A feat almost achieved by Sailor Moon M, but enough on that story. I want to thank everyone who reviewed my story so far. With some of the features on FF.net down it's hard to know when I actually get reviews from my readers. And so I give you a word about why Ami is the way she is. In a nutshell Ami is a Tendo with a brain. She's a fusion of canon Akane and canon Ami. This is an AU fic so anything can happen even an Ami who's more like Akane then Ami.
So you're probably wondering why I wrote what I wrote in this episode aren't you. Again this is a fusion of the manga and anime worlds of Sailor Moon. That's why Venus is posing as the princess and there was the whole shattering tiara and crescent moon episode near the end. Also, I wanted to set up the people in the Dragon Ball world for a moment that could cause some of them to completely freak. That's why the appearance of Pluto at the lookout and a certain shall remain nameless queen at Grand Kai's place is very important for the second part.
What's up next as GOTE goes beyond twenty? The princess has emerged and something that has been missing for almost a dozen years returns to the night time sky. But wait isn't that a white tail hiding under Sailor Moon's fuku skirt? And it looks like the Senshi will have to say goodbye to a couple people and hello to someone new. It's time for another transition episode that will reveal almost all and end the Sailor Moon encyclopedia dependant episodes. Stay tuned for Guardians of the Earth episode twenty-one Princess Revealed Part Two.
