Hello again! Chapter 6 is here in all its glory! I'm so proud. Don't
forget to e-mail me and tell me what you think!

I would like to take this moment to say that a true friend
is a person who will wake up in the dead of night (we are talking 3 A.M.
people) to answer techinical questions about Sailor Moon. Mary Ann is
just such a friend, and I LOVE her for it. Corie reads all my stuff and
tells me that it's good regardless of whether it is or not, and Skott
tells me it sucks when it does, so they are true friends as well!

Note ~ This chapter is set in the Silver Millenium before, during and
after the battle against Metallia and Queen Beryl. Just thought I'd clear
that up. And Sailor Eclipse/Destiny is a product of my imagination.

Disclaimer: I am in major violation of virtually every copyright law in
existence by writing this fic but hey, I couldn't stop myself. So I shall
attempt to appease the vicious lawyers and copyright fairies by admitting
that I am not the genius who created Sailor Moon.

Rainbow Eclipse
PG13 (language and violence)

Chapter 6
Millenium Legacy


Serena was flying. She was flying through the universe, taking note of everything
around her. She floated through nebula, playing among the brightly colored gases.
She flitted from galaxy to galaxy, absorbing the various shapes and delighting in
the bright colors. Happily she danced among the stars, with no worries and no
responsibilities. Soon, however, she was draw toward a certain spiral galaxy,
with red and white dancing in it. She approached slowly, cautiously. With a
yank, a strange force pulled her into the whirling mass of stars. Faster and
faster she flew, the stars blurring to white lines. Serena pressed her eyes
shut, enjoying this feeling of absolute freedom.

Suddenly, a memory intruded, creating a rift in her peaceful mind. Dark hair,
laughing blue eyes, tender kisses…Darien? Looking around for his familiar face, it
occurred to Serena for the first time that she was alone. Other memories intruded.
Raye, Lita, Amy, Mina, Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru, Setsuna, Rini, Molly, Melvin, Ms.
Haruna, Andrew, Rita, Lizzy, Sammy, Mom and Daddy. One by one the names penetrated
her mind. Serena's eyes took in her surroundings. She was still flying, and she
was rapidly approaching a planet.

The small rock shimmered with light. Drawing closer, Serena could make out houses,
people, and a palace? Serena stared in awe at the breathtaking structure. It was a
series of cubes, each perfectly symmetrical, stacked on top of each other. The
steps were cut marble and pillars rose in the entryway. Serena glanced toward
the highest point in the castle, its center tower. Balanced on top for all to
see was the symbol that appeared on Pluto's forehead whenever she lent her power
to someone else. Shocked, Serena jerked back into outer space. As she flew onward,
Serena became lost in thought.

That was the symbol of Pluto. So that must have been the planet Pluto during
the Silver Millenium. Am I in the past?

One by one the planets flew by. Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars, all
with people and light and laughter, all at peace. Finally, Earth came in view,
and Serena's breath caught in her throat Beyond the Earth lay the Moon, and on
the Moon was the Moon Kingdom, the beautiful center of the Silver Millenium.
* * *

Serena wanted to dawdle when she reached to Moon Kingdom. She wanted to play in
the fields and sit by the bubbling fountains. But a strong sense of purpose drew her
away from the happiness and leisure of these beautiful places. Slowly Serena approached
the Moon Castle. She halted briefly when she saw the guards at the front gate, but
noticed that the gate was wide open. Walking through it, she noticed that the guards
didn't even glance her way. She brushed that aside, but noticed that no one paid any
attention to her, not the guards, not the servants, not even the nobles who strolled
the grounds and meandered through the marble halls of the castle.

I must be invisible. Serena thought. Glancing down, she realized that she
was still wearing her Sailor Scout uniform. Curious about why she was in this outfit
and wondering why she was invisible, Serena continued to follow the silent call that
was drawing her to a specific place. Beautiful marble tile shone on the floors and
graceful arches led to rooms so large they dwarfed any human being. Twisting hallways
and endless corridors provided an environment so impossible to navigate that any
stranger to this amazing palace would have been lost in moments. Floating gently
toward a pre-destined place, Serena filled her eyes with all she could, twisting
her head and body in an attempt to look at everything.

Finally, Serena faced a large door, engraved with rainbows, stars and hearts.
Caught between longing and curiosity, Serena hesitated for several minutes. Finally
curiosity to see what lay on the other side of the door overcame her desire to
explore the ancient castle, and Serena floated nearer to the portal. Pushing
slightly on the engraved surface, Serena watched as her hand went through the
thick material. Surprised and a little concerned, Serena passed through the door,
and walked into a fairyland. Marble pillars supported a vaulted ceiling, and
diaphanous veils in rainbow hues were strung between them. Maps and charts
covered a white marble conference table which stood in the exact center of
the room. Twelve marble chairs carved with rainbow arches and shooting stars
sat around the table. Serena ran her hand over the silk cushions of the chairs,
noting that the cushions were the same color as the Scouts uniforms. Blue, orange,
red, green, purple, navy blue, aquamarine and black. At the head and foot of the
table were two larger chairs, one with a white cushion and the other rainbow hued.
There was also a pink cushion near the white and yellow cushion. Glancing around,
Serena noticed an archway which had gossamer hangings in rainbow colors tied back
from the sides. Passing through it, she entered a gorgeous private bed-chamber.
An enormous marble desk sat to one side, its surface bare in the center. Organized
neatly around the edges were stacks of paper, pens and pencils and cut glass
bottles filled with multicolored inks. Glass balls containing miniatures of all
nine planets, the Moon and the galaxy were placed on a shelf above the desk.

A huge bed was sat opposite the desk. The curtains were tied to the bed-posts, but
were obviously made of a silky gauze, the same material that was tied at the sides
of the archway. All the colors of the rainbow shimmered in those drapes and Serena
could only marvel at the costly beauty of this room. The pillows were large and
fluffy, and the pillowcases were made of the same material as the drapes. A tall white
armoire stood against another wall, opened partly to reveal costly gowns and plain
pants and shirts, not to mention a fine selection of boots and slippers. Serena
then noticed a vanity, where cut glass bottles were filled with sweet perfume and
jewels of every type and cut spilled forth onto to surface of the vanity. Standing
back in awe, the sheer opulence of the Silver Millenium hit her full force.

My room must have looked like this. Wow.

Serena's thoughts were cut short when the chamber door opened. In strode
Sailor Eclipse, her rainbow cape blowing out behind her. Placing her
scepter in a marble stand by the bed, Sailor Eclipse reached up to her
shoulders and released the cape. Tossing it carelessly on the desk chair,
Eclipse walked to her bed and collapsed on it. She remained prone for a
few moments, obviously enjoying the feel of her muscles relaxing. Sighing,
she sat up, pulled off her boots and settled onto the bed once more, rainbow
skirt flaring out around her. Serena watched her, took note of the ebony
hair, which flared out on the pillow and the gold tiara which glittered
prettily. A knock at the door caused Serena to start. Eclipse, however,
just smiled and sat up.

"It's open," Eclipse called.

The door open silently and in walked Queen Serenity. Serena's
heart jumped into her throat, and she forgot to breathe. The queen
moved with an inherent grace, silver hair sweeping the floor. Sighing
in envy, Serena moved into the other room and towards her mother,
reaching up a hand to brush her face. The queen walked by,
as oblivious to Serena's presence as everyone else had been. Moving
slowly, the queen brushed the silky surface of the conference table
with her fingertips. Serenity moved through the arch into the bed
chamber, flowing toward the bed and the figure who lay upon it. Serena
followed, unconsciously mimicking her mother's movements. Eclipse
did not rise; she just sat and waited for her sovereign to join
her.

"You seem distracted." Serenity said, her crystal voice shimmering
in the air.

"I'm not." Eclipse replied. That said, she stood up, padding over to
the desk.

"Oh, really?" the queen teased. "You barely touched your breakfast
this morning. In fact, you've barely eaten all week."

"I'm dieting." Eclipse muttered, riffling through papers on her desk.

"You were completely lost in thought during the Security briefing at noon."
Serenity pointed out.

"The head of security is a dead bore."

"YOU'RE the head of security!"

"Exactly my point. You should have me replaced."

"You let Uranus throw you during combat exercises."

"Maybe she's getting better."

"Not that much better. She can't throw you. None of the Scouts can. You trained
them." Queen Serenity sat down on the edge of the bed. "What is wrong?"

Eclipse turned to look at her queen. They both stared into each other's eyes for
several minutes. Finally, Eclipse ran at the bed. A back handspring got her into the
air. Tucking herself into a ball, Eclipse flipped twice, then extended her body in
enough time to thump onto the bed. Serenity raised a graceful eyebrow.

"Showoff."

"Aren't I? And you are right of course. None of the Scouts can beat me. I'm
just too damn good."

"And modest to a fault."

"That too. If I hadn't been distracted, Uranus couldn't have thrown me. Her
stance is too weak, and she's far too cocky. I must remember to tell her that."

"So you admit you were distracted."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Inquisitive today, aren't we."

"Always. Why were you distracted?"

"You don't give up, do you?"

"Not ever. I'm the Queen, which means that I get to win."

"All right, I give up." Eclipse sighed, rolling her eyes to the ceiling in mock
exasperation.

"A wise decision." Serenity smiled.

"I scanned Earth again today, as you requested. I felt an ominous presence around
the planet, and Sailor Mars mentioned that she sensed an evil presence. So I scanned."

"And what did you find?"

"Nothing. That's what bothers me. Sailor Mars is never wrong in her premonitions,
and my hunches are almost always right on the mark. I scanned Earth five times, and all
five times I came up with nothing."

"You aren't wrong." Serenity said softly. "The crystal is reacting strongly to a
powerful force that is completely unknown to me."

"Good to know. There IS something going on, and I am determined to find out what
it is."

A crystal clock chimed the hour, causing both women to jump. Serena, who had been
enthralled by the conversation, started as well. Breathing a sigh of relief she turned
back to the bed, noting that Queen Serenity had risen.

"I must be going. The entire palace is in an uproar over the banquet tonight. I
should get back to supervising before the whole thing falls apart. Oh, but before I
go, I brought you something."

The queen reached into the folds of her skirt and brought out a small leather pouch.
Untying the drawstring, the queen emptied the contents of the bag into her hand. Serena
gasped. A delicate necklace was revealed. Twelve star shaped stones hung off a delicate
golden chain. Serena took them all in, naming the gems while marveling at their beauty.
A sapphire, a topaz, a ruby, an emerald, an amethyst, an amber, an aquamarine and a
garnet. In the center hung an opal star, flanked by a diamond star and a glittering
pink crystal star. Eclipse and Serena both stared. Serenity smiled, holding it up to
the light.

"Each star represents a Scout. This necklace is a …tracking device if you will.
All you have to do is touch the star to know what the Scout is doing. You can either
watch them, or you can be them, seeing what they see, hearing what they hear. And the
opal star lets you track anyone in the galaxy, providing you can get a lock on them."

"Who are the pink crystal and diamond for?" Eclipse murmured, fingering the
sapphire stone.

"The crystal is for my daughter, and the diamond is for me." Queen Serenity
said.

"Thank you." Eclipse said, reaching for the necklace. She put it on without
hesitation.

"What are best friends for?" Queen Serenity said with a smile. With that, the
beautiful ruler swept from the room, leaving Serena in shock.

Best friends?! Eclipse was Queen Serenity's best friend! Oh god, no wonder she
was so sad. It must have been so hard for her…to lose her kingdom and her best
friend in one blow. Serena was helpless to stop the tears that ran down her face.
She watched as Eclipse moved toward the vanity, admiring her new necklace in the
mirror. Sighing, the Scout rose and moved back to the bed. Sitting down, she
reached for her boots, pulling them on one at a time. She then walked to her cape,
swirling it around her shoulders and fastening the star clips in place. Retrieving
her scepter from its stand, Sailor Eclipse moved back into the conference room,
pened the monstrous door and walked down the hall. Serena floated after her,
desperate to learn more about the solider. Serena reached the door, intending
to pass right through it. Instead, she bumped into it. Shocked, Serena found
that she could not leave this room. Desperate to find Sailor Eclipse, she
hammered on the door, yelling and screaming.

Let me out! Let me out! she thought, growing more and more desperate.
When her hammering went unheeded, Serena collapsed, legs folded under her body,
forehead resting on the cool stone surface of the door. The emotional trauma of
the past twenty-four hours mixed with her desperation and fear. Tears began falling,
slowly at first, then faster. Sobs wracked Serena's body as she sat on the cold
floor, still hammering lightly at the door.

Calm down. came a sudden voice in her head. Look around. Things might not
be as bad as they appear.

What? Who are you? Why am I here?

All shall be revealed in due course. came the cryptic reply. You shall see
what you must in order to understand the enemy that you and your friends face. You
know now how close Sailor Eclipse and Queen Serenity were. Now witness why Prince
Endymion is the focus of her hatred.

Serena lifted her tearstained face from the door, and gaped in shock. The scene
had changed. Only minutes before, the conference room was empty, and the chairs
had been pushed snuggly up against the table. Now, however, the conference table
chairs were full. All the Scouts were seated, with Eclipse at one end and Queen
Serenity on the other. All were staring at a transparent, three-dimensional image
of Earth. A dark aura surrounded the blue and green orb.

"I want you all to be on your guard. Dismissed." Sailor Eclipse stated. The Scouts
nodded and rose as one body, filtering out of the large room until only Uranus,
Neptune, Queen Serenity and Eclipse remained. Eclipse had turned her attention
to the crystal keyboard, typing furiously. Serena watched in awe as the image of
Earth blinked out, to be replaced by air. Sailors Uranus, Neptune and Pluto waited
patiently until Sailor Eclipse had finished. After putting the keyboard away,
Sailor Eclipse stood at the marble table, fingertips balanced on it. She stared
off into space, paying no attention to the others in the room. Shaking her
silver ponytails tolerantly, Queen Serenity cleared her throat.

"Yes, my queen?" Eclipse queried, pulling her mind reluctantly away from her
thoughts and toward the matters at hand. Queen Serenity gestured toward the
remaining Scouts

"Yes, Uranus?" Eclipse questioned, eyebrows raised.

"If this new enemy comes from Earth, shouldn't it be Prince Endymion's
responsibility?" Uranus asked.

"In essence, yes." Queen Serenity replied. "However, the possibility that the Earth
will be unable to stop this attack exists. In the eventuality that this power is
able to pass through the Earth's defensive line, the Moon must be ready for anything."

Uranus nodded curtly and rose to go. Neptune followed her lead.

"Uranus." Eclipse called.

"Yes?" the blond scout said, turning.

"Practice those left side blocks. They are a little weak."

Uranus smiled tightly, and turned back toward her training master. Bowing insolently,
she spun and headed out the door. In a split second, she pushed off the floor,
flipping backward. She twisted mid-air and extended her foot, heading right for
Eclipse's face. Eclipse merely stepped back a foot, allowing Uranus to fly by.
Uranus landed lightly on the floor, and turned to attack again. She threw up her
right leg in a karate chop, and braced for impact. Sailor Eclipse grabbed her
foot and twisted, sending Uranus sprawling. Uranus came back up, only to be met
with a swift knick to her left side. Grinning evilly, Uranus lashed out with her
right foot, covering her left side with her left arm. Eclipse grabbed Uranus's
left arm and twisted slightly, sliding the curve of her hip into Uranus's arm.
With a quick movement, Eclipse brought her leg up sharply. Eclipse's leg landed
on the back of Uranus's knee-caps. Her legs collapsed and Uranus fell to her
knees. In an instant, Eclipse had the scout on her stomach, arms behind her.
Eclipse placed her knee at the small of Uranus's back, effectively preventing
any movement.

Serena gaped. The whole skirmish had taken less than two minutes. Uranus attempted
to throw Eclipse off, but was unable to budge the stubborn sailor. Finally, Eclipse
rose, offering her hand to Uranus. Uranus clasped the offered hand, allowing Eclipse
to help her up. Smiling sheepishly, Uranus dusted herself off.

"Practice your left side blocks," was all Eclipse said.

"I'll make sure she does," Neptune said. Eclipse turned a brilliant smile on the
aqua scout. "Besides, it's good for her to get whipped once and a while. Keeps her
humble."

"I'm humble!" Uranus protested.

Neptune snorted, Queen Serenity shook her head again, and Eclipse laughed out right.

"I am! Just because I a better fighter than all the other Scouts, and all the palace
guards, and the Queen's personal bodyguards does NOT mean that I am conceited. I am
perfectly modest when it comes to my superior fighting skills." Uranus lifted a
gloved hand and mimed polishing her fingernails. "Now, all those palace maids and
visiting dignitaries daughters falling all over me, that is enough to make me… Omph.
Hey, what was that for?"

Neptune withdrew her elbow. "Stop talking before you manage to fit your whole leg in
instead of just your foot."

"I speak only the truth." Uranus said loftily, holding her head high.

"Whatever you say." Neptune drawled, turning her eyes upward. "My queen, we shall
withdraw now. Uranus needs to go pound a few palace guards to salve her wounded pride."

The queen nodded, smiling slightly. Eclipse rolled her eyes toward the ceiling as
Uranus and Neptune withdrew.

"My, my, my. Sailor Uranus is certainly driven." Serenity mentioned, rearranging her
skirts.

"That's one way to put it. You could also say she's hotheaded, impetuous, rash, hasty
or reckless. She is also cocky, stubborn and entirely too intelligent." Eclipse smiled.
"I like that. Reminds me of me."

"Odd. I feel the exact same way." Serenity smiled.

The friends looked at each other, completely at ease in this room. Serena noted that
years of friendship had deepened their relationship to the point where words were not
necessary. Suddenly, Eclipse grinned. A pack of cards materialized.

"Poker?"

"You read my mind. We need a few more people though."

"Not a problem." Eclipse touched her sapphire star. After a moment she moved on to
the ruby, then the emerald and finally the amber and aquamarine.

"Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Neptune and Uranus are on their way." Eclipse said, calmly
taking her seat. She looked up, noticing that Queen Serenity was chuckling. "What?"

"Only you, my dear Sailor Eclipse, would use telepathy instead of sending a messenger."

Eclipse shot her friend a rakish grin "Hey, if you've got it, flaunt it."

Serenity collapsed in gales of helpless laugher. Eclipse continued smiling. This was
how Mercury found them, her queen laughing hysterically and Eclipse watching, a
smile on her face.

"What is going on?" Mercury asked, taking her seat

"No…Noth…" Queen Serenity tried to say.

"Our queen appears to have lost her royal mind. Not that she had much of a mind to lose…"
Eclipse drawled.

This statement sent Serenity into another round of merry laughter, and Mercury caught
the bug. When Mars and Jupiter arrived, the looked around in utter confusion at the
scene before them.

"Did we miss something?" Mars asked. Mercury and Serenity only laughed harder. When
Uranus and Neptune arrived, they looked at Eclipse after taking in the scene.

"Don't ask." Eclipse said.

Serena watched as a game of five-card draw commenced. Neptune took the first hand
with a straight flush Ace through 5 of diamonds. Eclipse took the second with a full
house. They were using small marble and crystal tiles for currency.

"Hit me." Mars said, holding out her hand. Jupiter smacked her upside the head.

"Owww."

"Oh, sorry! Thought you meant it!" Jupiter said, eyes twinkling.

"Why you…" Mars reached for her glass of fruit juice, intent on throwing it in
Jupiter's face. Jupiter saw her reaching and pounced. A brief struggle ensued,
during which Eclipse rescued the tiles and cards and Queen Serenity retrieved
the glass.

"Children! Do I have to separate you?" Eclipse demanded, hands on hips. All
the scouts looked at her, and burst out laughing, falling into chairs and onto the floor.

They look so happy, Serena thought. They're all laughing, playing. Having fun.
This is what Queen Metallia destroyed. This is what her evil brought to ruin. Not
for the first time, Serena was fiercely proud that she had destroyed that evil,
avenging her mother and this peaceful place.

I thank you as well, came the strange voice in Serena's head. Much as I wish that
I had been the one to destroy Metallia and her minions, I thank you for accomplishing
what I was unable to do.

Who are you? Serena asked in her mind.

I am that I am. You should not ask so many questions. Now you know how special the
scouts were to your enemy. Now I shall show you why Prince Endymion was responsible
for the destruction of this happy place.

Serena felt herself being pulled through the door. The halls flew by, blurring to an
endless stream of white stone and colorful tapestries. Closing her eyes, Serena waited
until all motion ceased. Finally, Serena felt solid stone beneath her feet, and opened
her eyes slowly. There was Sailor Eclipse, pacing angrily. Her rainbow cape twitched
every time she turned and her scepter made a sharp click whenever it hit the floor.
Her boots made furious clicking sounds and her face was a thundercloud. Serena looked
beyond the beautiful scout. There were two large doors carved with the different phases
of the waxing and waning moon.

The space-time gate. Serena stated.

Yes. came the quiet reply

"She is sending me away! Away from the moon! And NOW of all times! When we are in the
most danger!" Eclipse matched words for movement, making it plain that she was
furious. "I am needed here. ANYONE could go to Saturn and evaluate the security
of Titan castle. ANYONE! Why me?! They NEED me here!"

"Peace, Sailor Eclipse. Your anger is disturbing the delicate vibrations of time and
space." An elegant Sailor Pluto stepped through the gate, her scepter making no sound.
"The queen wishes to send someone she can trust, that is all. You shall be home soon
enough."

"But I am needed here! The evil power emanating from earth grows stronger by the day!
I cannot leave."

"But you will." Pluto stated, her eyes grave.

"Yes, I will." Eclipse confirmed.

"Do not worry so." Pluto said, noting that worry was the driving force behind Eclipse's
anger. "You have trained the Scouts well. Uranus is the strongest fighter, but each has
their own strengths. And Prince Endymion…"

"Prince Endymion? Bah! He is no fighter. If he cannot control his planet, then the Moon
shall fall. I cannot, nay, will not allow that to happen!"

"Earth shall not fall. Endymion is a good and wise ruler, beloved by his people and
our princess. Trust him."

"Will you fight?"

"What?"

"If the Moon is in danger and I have not yet returned, will you fight?"

"I cannot. You know that."

"But you will."

"Yes."

"Good." Eclipse clasped Pluto's shoulder warmly. "That is what I wanted to hear."

"Go then, and go in peace."

Eclipse nodded, consternation and worry still marring her brow. Nonetheless, she
stepped toward the giant door.

"Cronos, god of Time, guide my feet.
Mark my path straight and true.
Goddesses, mother of all things,
show me the way.
Hold me in your arms until
I return home once again.
Help me complete my mission
and to maintain an honest heart
and clear mind.
So mote it be."

Eclipse whispered, her hand upon the door, praying for the blessings of all
the gods. Serena noted that Pluto had bowed her head in prayer as well.

"So mote it be." Pluto intoned when Eclipse had finished.

Raising her Garnet Rod high in the air, Pluto called forth the key to the
immense door. When it opened, a vortex was revealed. Serena gasped as Eclipse
stepped forward fearlessly, the colors of her rainbow cape dulling with the lack
of light. Serena felt herself being pulled after the scout, and so she followed.
Craning her neck, Serena looked back at the door, where Pluto stood in a stark
silhouette. Pluto raised her scepter, and the time-space door swung shut. Serena
floated quickly after Eclipse.

Now do you see? came the disembodied voice.

See what? Serena asked, totally bewildered.

Do you see why Endymion is the target of this Sailor's wrath?

No.

Then let us go forward yet again. This time we shall jump ahead two weeks.

Bring it on! Serena challenged, not allowing herself to show fear.

Serena felt a hand on the small of her back. Suddenly, the hand shoved and Serena felt
herself falling. She braced herself for impact, but never hit. Instead, she continued
to fall. Opening her eyes, Serena saw a small light far ahead. The light grew bigger
as Serena fell faster and faster. Truly frightened now, Serena threw her arms up to
protect her face and squeezed her eyes shut.

Open your eyes, princess. came the musical voice.

Serena obeyed, and then wished desperately that she had not. Below her was utter
carnage. Granite pillars and great buildings had fallen, children were crying and
screams could be heard everywhere.

Oh, god, this can't be Saturn. No, no.

Covering her mouth with one gloved hand, Serena watching in horrified fascination
as Negaverse monsters ran through the streets. The people cried in fear as the
creatures feasted on their energy. Serena saw a monster advancing on a helpless
child, who was wailing her terror. Serena reached for her tiara.

"Moon Tiara…"

"Sapphire Tornado!"

A mass of swirling blue fire engulfed the monster. Serena whipped her head to the
left. There stood Sailor Eclipse, scepter in hand. The star stone on top had just
begun to return to its normal color. A mother ran towards the child, passing right
through Serena. Crying almost as hard as her child, the young woman scooped her
little girl up and ran. Eclipse looked haggard as she turned to walk back up the
alley. Another scream sprung both Eclipse and Serena into action. Both charged
down the alley toward the noise, passing dead bodies on the way. The monsters
were everywhere, and Serena felt utterly helpless. Eclipse leapt to the top of
a building, and began surveying the damage. Determined, she raised her scepter.

"Opal Rain!" she cried.

Serena tipped her head back. Streaks of fire in multiple colors were falling from
the sky. The bolts hit with sickening force, destroying whatever they touched.
Serena screamed as the fire hit not only monsters, but innocent people too.
Eclipse turned her head from the carnage, closing her eyes and ears to the horror
around her. Suddenly, all was silent. No one screamed, no one cried. The monsters
were gone, but the damage had been done. Eclipse looked around, utter astonishment
written on her features. Disbelieving, she leapt from the building, running swiftly
toward what was left of the great Titan Castle. Serena followed, trying valiantly to
ignore the charred corpses that littered the streets.

When Eclipse reached the palace, she paused briefly, looking around intently. Hearing
nothing, she leapt upward, covering three flights of stairs in one bound. Desperate,
she searched the halls for signs of life. Serena searched with her, always a step
behind. Finally, Eclipse felt for her necklace. Grasping the sapphire star, she
sent out a call. Tears forming, she reached for the topaz. One by one she touched
and released the stars, tears pouring helplessly down her cheeks. Finally she
reached for the diamond star, pinching it tightly between two fingers. In an instant
her eyes widened and a ray of hope pierced her sad eyes.


"Serenity," she whispered, and began running.

Serena matched her pace, trotting down empty halls and past ruined sculpture.
Fountains still bubbled merrily, but neither Serena nor Eclipse paid any attention.
Eclipse finally reached the time-space door. Desperately she pushed, trying to gain
admittance. Finally she stood back, raised her scepter high, and began speaking.

"With strength of will
and purity of heart do
I demand admittance
to the mists of
time and space.
With noble intentions
do I beg admittance.
With prayer and pledge
Was I guaranteed
admittance.
With blood and tears
Do I seal admittance.
Afrendash!"

A bolt of white lightning streaked toward the door, blowing it to smithereens.
Eyes cold, Eclipse strode forward, followed by Serena. Once again, Serena felt
the despairing sensation of falling. Closing her eyes tight, Serena waited for
it to end.

The two Scouts, one visible and one not, landed on top of what had
been the door to the time-space gate. Eclipse's indigo eyes widened
as she gazed around.

The Moon Kingdom was no more. The gardens, fountains and buildings had all been
destroyed. Only marble slabs and bits of the grand columns remained. The Moon was
silent, and the silence was deafening. Serena stared once again at the ruins of
her former home and felt her heart constrict. Eclipse looked on in dismay and
sorrow, crushed to see her home so destroyed. Her eyes flared again suddenly
and she felt for the necklace. Her fingers closed on the diamond star, and she
closed her eyes.

"Serenity," she whispered again, and her eyes sprang open in dread.
Suddenly the rainbow Sailor was off, running toward the ruins of her
home, cape and hair streaming behind her. Serena floated briskly behind her.
It seemed to take ages to reach the palace ruins, but it didn't take long to see that
there were no people. No corpses, no survivors, no monsters. Eclipse
looked about frantically. Finally her eyes fell on a white clad figure
lying prone on the remains of a pillar.

"Serenity!!" Eclipse cried, anguish in her voice.

Eclipse dashed to Serenity, checking her for signs of life,
crystal tears pouring down her cheeks. Suddenly, Serenity's
eyes fluttered.

"Destiny," the fallen queen murmured.

"Serenity! Oh, thank the goddess! What happened?"

"Negaverse…attacked. Queen…Metallia….Beryll…happened so fast…
no time…no time." Serenity's eyes fluttered shut.

"No, no. Please, Serenity. You have to tell me what happened.
There was a battle, I can see that much, but where are the bodies?
Where are the scouts? Where is Serena?"

"Serena. Endymion…couldn't stop Metallia or…her…army. Beryll…
killed Endymion. He wouldn't…go with her. Wouldn't…fight for…
Metallia. Serena…killed herself."

"No! Oh, goddess, no."

"Other scouts…died in…the…battle. I used the crystal."

"No, oh goddess, Serenity! That was stupid! So stupid!"

"Serena…others…all inside the crystal. They…will be…reborn on…Earth in the…
future. Endymion…tried but…he just wasn't strong enough…to…win."

"If only I'd been here. I could have…"

"No. You would have…died too. Couldn't have…stood that." Serenity gasped.
"I'm dying. No need for…both of us…to go."

"Don't talk like that. You'll be fine. I can heal you."

"No. Not this…time. Too late. Promise me…"

"Anything!"

"Find Serena…in the…future. Help her. Help the Scouts. They…need you."

"I need YOU. You are so selfish! Don't run away from a little pain. Stay
with me.

"You're my best friend. I can't make it without you!"

"Yes…you can. You're…stronger than you know. Be brave…Destiny."

"Don't talk like this. You need to save your strength."

"You were my first…friend. I'm glad I…found you. You…understood…me. Better
than…anyone. I always…envied you."

"Envied me? In the moon's name, why?"

"So brave…so strong. Telepathic and …beautiful. A wonderful teacher…and the best
friend in the world. I'll miss you." Serenity tried to lift her hand, but the
effort was to much for her. "I'll be…waiting for you. When…you die…I'll be there…
waiting. Find…Serena. Help her. Help Endymion. Promise."

"I promise." Eclipse said, tears in her eyes. "now let me…"

"Goodbye…Destiny. I love you."

And with those words, Queen Serenity, ruler of the Moon Kingdom and foundation
of the Silver Millenium, died. The moon lost some of it's silvery luster, as
though it were weeping for it's queen. A rainbow figure knelt close to the
body, her eyes closed in a pain beyond imagining.

"Serenity, Serenity, no, no ,no, no, no, no, no, nononononononononono!
Oh goddess, please. You can't leave me alone like this! You can't die,
Serenity. You're the only one I have left."

As Eclipse sobbed, Serena felt another mind touch hers.

Do you understand? the musical voice asked.

I see how much she has suffered, and I feel her pain like it was my own.
But no, I don't understand why she hates Darien so much. It doesn't
make sense.

He failed to defend the Moon Kingdom as he promised he would, and you died,
you and the other Scouts. This would have been bad enough, but due to his
failure to defend, Queen Serenity died. This caused a sorrow beyond
imagining for Sailor Eclipse, and it also fostered anger. She was sent
away because of the Queen's misplaced faith in Endymion's abilities.

Serena shook her head as she continued to watch Sailor Eclipse. Broken sobs
wracked her body, and her tears ran in small rivulets down the marble of the
pillar. Ebony hair flowed behind her as Eclipse mourned her queen, confidant
and best friend. Serena longed to comfort her, but felt the tug on her body
that signaled it was time to move on. Her eyes and ears filled with images
and sounds of Sailor Eclipse's grief, Serena was pulled away from the ruins
of the Moon Kingdom. She focused of the Earth, floating calmly in space,
thinking how odd it was that the planet looked the same as it always did
in spite of the terrible battle that had ravaged the solar system. On
that note, Serena fell into darkness and knew no more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Formatting is pure, unadulterated EVIL!!! Especially when it won't work!!!
Don't you just hate that? I therefore apologize for the horrendous formatting
of this chapter and all the others. My bad.

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would much appriciate it if you (the reader) would leave a small note for
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