Sailor Moon: World Rebirth -Part 3, Hope and Chaos
Episode 24 'Chance Encounters'
"The Queen is ready to see you now," the young man says kindly. Haiku opens
her eyes to see him bow. The Queen? Haiku thinks, I must be in another
time. Am I back home? She quickly glances around the waiting room. She
doesn't recognize it. No, this isn't Crystal Tokyo; I'm here to fix the
past. I must be in the Moon Palace. But when? The servant is just about to
step out the door when she stops him.
"Excuse me, how... how old is the Queen's daughter now, if I may ask?"
The young servant finds it an odd question but says nothing and answers all
the same. "Why, about 15 Earth revolutions now. Why do you ask?"
"No reason, thanks for your help," she responds as he leaves. Okay, she
thinks. Silver Millennium, before the negaverse invasion but after Usagi
and Mamoru have left for the future. Does Usagi's hidden power have
something to do with her past life during the Silver Millennium? I wonder
who I've been mistaken as? She enters the room in front of her to find
Queen Serenity writing at her desk. She doesn't look up. Haiku has never
seen her before in her life but instantly recognizes her. "Your majesty,"
she says as she bows.
"Come on Yuki," Serenity says as she finishes up whatever she is writing.
"You know you don't have to follow these formalities when we're alone....."
She has only now looked up from her work. "Who are you? How did you get in
here?"
Haiku, who is still kneeling on the floor says nothing, but just stares at
her ancient relative. She looks so much like Haiku's mother, and yet so
different at the same time. Serenity says nothing. Haiku stands up and takes
a couple of steps towards Serenity's desk. "Your majesty, I need to know;
will the Princess inherit or awaken any kind of power within herself when
she comes within a certain age or time?"
"How do you know... the status of the princess is of no concern to you! Now
who are you? If you don't answer me I'll call the guards and have them throw
you in the dungeon."
"Your majesty, do you really think your guards could stop a senshi?"
"What?"
Haiku begins to pace back and forth across the room. "How can I explain this
to you and have you trust me but not reveal too much?" Haiku stops pacing.
"She was right, I don't think I can." She begins pacing again. "I know," she
says as she spins around, "I could show you..." she reaches into her pocket
but then decides against it. "No, I can't do that. I'll just get straight to
the point, I don't think you'll tell anyone." Haiku comes over and sits in
the chair in front of Serenity's desk. "I know that you're the only one who
knows this. Two years ago.... No, that's not right. Two years for me, not
for you. I wonder why that is? Anyway, four years ago my mother's time
period was taken over by a beyonder. At this point I returned to the future.
Meanwhile Sailor Pluto sent my parents here while all of the other senshi
were split up." Haiku pauses but Serenity doesn't have anything to say. "A
year and a half later I returned to my mother's time. I gathered all of the
senshi together and then when the time was right we made it possible, for a
brief period in time, for my parents and Sailor Pluto to travel back from
the Silver Millennium to their own time period. Is that enough?"
"I... think so," Serenity takes a minute. "So according to you, you would be
my ...granddaughter?"
Haiku thinks it over. "Well, in a manner of speaking, I suppose it could be
seen that way, or rather could have been seen that way."
"What do you mean? You said it was your mother who came to meet me."
"That may not even be right any more. I'm not sure who I am anymore. Back
when I was Sailor Moon, that was true, but now I'm the Senshi of Time,
Haiku. And that is why I am here."
This is all quite a bit for Queen Serenity to take in, but after meeting the
future reincarnation of her daughter it's not really that much of a
surprise. "And now she is in trouble and needs to activate the powers she
was supposed to inherit but cannot right?"
"Well, it's a tad bit more complicated than that but that's essentially the
situation."
"It's ...quite a tale. I believe you, but do you have something physical you
can show me as well. What you want to know isn't just any bit of knowledge
floating about."
Haiku pauses for a moment. "I guess I can show you this. Maybe I even should
have started with it." Haiku draws her sword where it is on her back
underneath her cloak. She holds it in front of her with the blade facing
upwards, but what draws Queen Serenity's attention, as Haiku wishes it to,
is the ginzuishou placed into the the hilt of the sword. There is no way
that the energy emanating from it can be mistaken for anything else. Haiku
closes her eyes and the symbol of the moon appears on her forehead. There is
no longer any doubt. Haiku puts the sword away.
"It is a wonder," Serenity says. "I have never seen the silver crystal so
full of energy. But, as you may already know, the inherited power of the
moon is even greater than that of the ancient ginzuishou. Although, I sense,
that your power surpasses that of my own."
"Yes, it has something to do with the sword. Now what is the secret to the
power of the moon?"
Serenity sighs. "The knowledge I'm about to give you is known only to the
royal family of the moon. But I guess that since you are of the family it
will be all right to tell you. The secret is this: Each of the moon family
have within themselves the power of the moon. It can be activated at any
time, but can only be controlled after the holder has matured in body to
that of an adult. Although every member holds the power, it can only be
activated by one special talisman. This." Serenity holds up a medallion that
is hanging around her neck. "Normally the power is in a dormant state. This
talisman causes it to become active, leaving it the bearer's responsibility
to control it. It takes many many years to master the power but I feel that
you are not going to have that kind of time."
"May I see the medallion your Majesty?"
Serenity pauses for a moment before unclipping the neckband. "I trust you.
Here." Haiku takes the medallion and places it on the table in front of her.
She then takes the medallion that she received in the caverns of Shmite off
from around her neck, and holds it in one hand, as she takes up Serenity's
and holds it in her other hand, careful to not allow them to touch. She
studies both of them, turning them about in her hands. On both sides of the
medallions, there is the same crescent moon. Haiku holds them both out for
Serenity to see.
"Oh my. I guess I don't have to worry about you taking mine with you after
all. But how is it that the talisman has not already awoken the power within
yourself?" she asks as Haiku returns the medallion to her.
"Actually, I think it has. But the sword and the ginzuishou are controlling
it. The power has allowed me to travel back in time out of necessity, in
order to meet you."
"Then you had what you needed all along, even without having to come to see
me."
"No, it is not that simple. I am here to set events which are your future
and my past, not to learn from things which have already happened. I'm going
to need to ask for your help."
"Oh dear."
"Yes, your majesty. I'm going to have to ask you to teach your daughter how
to control her inherited power before she comes of age."
"But can it not wait until she is old enough? What if she cannot control
it?!"
"Don't worry, she'll be fine. As I said, it is not my mission here to change
my past, but to set it straight. This is something that you and your
daughter are destined to do. It is not the undertaking of this which could
cause harm to your daughter but not doing it instead. Do you understand?"
How easily they had switched roles. To a warrior, her master is the queen.
But to the queen, her master is she who controls time. Strange abnormalities
are born from necessity. "Yes, I understand."
Haiku places her hand upon Serenity's. Now it is time only for formality.
"Don't worry, if anything bad is to happen to your daughter I will be able
to return to set things right again."
"Yes, of course you will." Queen Serenity stands up and Haiku quickly
follows suit. "And you must hurry and be on your way. Good luck to you,
Haiku my granddaughter."
"And to you, grandmother." Haiku closes her eyes and tries to relax as she
draws her sword and is once again ripped from the timestream.
**********
Haiku could feel her essence traveling through time and space at
unimaginable speeds. Unexpectedly, it was interrupted a little early. She
felt panic trying to take over her mind as she was involuntarily ripped from
the timeline before she had reached her final destination.
She opened her eyes to stare at the gray rock beneath her, and all around
her. She sensed that she had returned to the correct time, but to the wrong
place. She raised her head to see the starry void of space and right in the
middle of it, the molded planet that at one time was the earth.
Haiku finally realized that she was standing on the moon. Had it been remade
as well, or did it still circle the earth? But she already knew the answer.
The moon was somewhat the same, but also different. She slowly turned
around, already aware of what she would see.
What was with this guy and cone shaped mountains? Standing in front of her
was a miniature Command Point. It was only a short distance away, so she
began to walk towards it. All of a sudden a light flashed out from the top
of it to run around on the ground and to come to a stop casting a pillar of
light upon herself. Although she was right in the enemy's nest, she just
relaxed and allowed the light to transport her into the Command Point. It
was probably the only way she would be able to get inside.
A second later she was standing inside a room that was completely black. She
couldn't even see her hand when she held it in front of her face. 'Time for
a light show,' she smiled. Now that she was no longer on earth her powers
were no longer affected by its magic field grid. (The magic field was what
made it so that the senshi couldn't use their old powers, and only the new
eternal power. The eternal power was fueled by the strands of magic which
were also known as the magic grid.) "Moon Crisis, make up!"
The cavern was illuminated with light as Haiku transformed. Although the
walls were a void from which no light returned the floor was still
illuminated. Haiku's power was now coming from the ginzuishou, as well as
her moon inherited power which was being focused by the medallion and the
sword. (which were now being kept nice and safe inside the sub-space pocket
where all of the rest of her clothing and equipment disappeared to.
"Beyonder," she shouted, "Show yourself!" She purposely transformed into
Sailor Moon rather than the transformation she had been given before leaving
the future.
Evil laughter. Haiku was suddenly surrounded with evil laughter. As it grew
louder, a dim ambient light appeared that slowly grew lighter. The laughter
died away. As soon as it stopped so did the growing light, (which was
probably about as bright as twilight), and then all of a sudden Haiku found
herself surrounded by a bright light.
"AS YOU WISH." Suddenly everything went black, and then just as quick as it
went dark, it lit back up again the way it had been before. The only
difference now was that the new figure which was also illuminated by a
pillar of bright light. Lying in its area was a gigantic dragon. (Giant
compared to a human but actually normal size for an actual dragon). Its head
alone was about two feet wide. Haiku estimated that at its full height it
would be at least 50 feet tall. Although it was inhabited by her enemy,
Haiku couldn't deny that this silver-scaled beast was magnificent. She
hadn't intended on it but she gave a slight gasp as soon as she saw it.
"YES, IT IS A MAGNIFICENT CREATURE. THE DRAGON, AS YOU CALL IT."
"How are you called?" Haiku asked.
"YOU ARE NOT WORTHY TO CALL ME BY MY TRUE NAME." The dragon opened its eyes
and raised its head. Now instead of the voice coming from everywhere, the
dragon spoke. "BUT YOU MAY WORSHIP ME AS ACHEMYDIES."
"You are not a god." Haiku stated.
"THAT IS A MATTER OF VIEWPOINT." Achemydies fell silent for a moment. "DID
YOU KNOW THAT THIS SYSTEM WAS ORIGINALLY INHABITED BY DRAGONS?"
"Why should I believe anything you say?"
Achemydies ignored her and continued. "MY KIND EXISTED THEN, BUT WE DID NOT
INHABIT THIS RURAL AREA OF THE UNIVERSE. THE DRAGONS WERE BORN FROM SOL, AND
INHABITED THE NINE PLANETS. THE DRAGONS CREATED MAGIC IN THIS SYSTEM, AND
THEY ALSO ENABLED LIFE. IT WAS THEY WHO SPARKED THE EVOLUTION OF YOUR KIND.
IT WAS ALSO THEY WHO GRANTED EACH PLANET A GUARDIAN, AND WHO CREATED A
MULTITUDE OF MAGIC TALISMANS, MOST OF WHICH NO LONGER EXIST."
"So where are the dragons now?"
"THEY LEFT MAN TO CHOOSE HIS OWN DESTINY. THEY MAY EVEN HAVE FORESEEN THE
COLLISION OF UNIVERSES WHICH RESULTED IN THE ELIMINATION OF MAGIC AND LIFE
FROM ALL OF THE NINE PLANETS BUT ONE. NOW, WERE THEY NOT GODS?"
"Perhaps, but you are not of those dragons."
"NO; MY KIND IS GREATER THAN THOSE DRAGONS!"
"That still doesn't give you the right to do what you have done here. Leave
us!"
"I AM A GOD! COWER BEFORE ME!"
"Never. You will not get away with what you have done to the timeline. I'm
pretty soldier Sailor Moon, and in the name of the future moon, I'll punish
you!"
"YOU ARE NO LONGER THE SENSHI OF THE MOON, TIMETRAVELER. DO NOT LIE TO ME; I
KNOW WHAT YOU ARE."
"You do?" Haiku asked. "Maybe you can enlighten me." Haiku raised her hands
and the ginzuishou appeared between them.
"YOU WILL NOT INTERFERE IN MY MAKINGS AGAIN!" Achemydies rose to his full
dragon-height of 50+ feet. As dark energy shot from his mouth the ginzuishou
erected a barrier around Haiku. As the two energies met there was a sudden
explosion of light, but both parties held up their ends as the momentary
flash faded away. The black ceiling changed so that it was now showing the
view outside of the Command Point. Haiku could see the earth a little to the
side of her opponent. "I WILL CRUSH YOU!" The intensity of Achemydies'
attack increased exponentially, but Haiku held on. There was no way that she
could win this battle.
Fortunately she saw the one thing Achemydies had never considered that she
had been searching for -a weakness. All she had to do now was escape.
Achemydies increased his attack again and she fell to her knees. Taking the
ginzuishou in one hand she used used the other to reach into her sub-space
pocket and pull out her sword. She then placed the ginzuishou back into the
hilt of the sword. A violent burst of energy exploded from the sword. The
Command Point shattered, revealing the actual exterior and landscape of the
moon. It also caused the conflicting energies to dissipate. "HOW DARE YOU
DESTROY MY TOWER! I WILL ERASE YOU!" Achemydies was just about to let loose
more dark energy when Haiku swung the sword up above her head.
"You have no right! I will deal with you later!" Haiku cried as she allowed
herself to be sucked into the timestream.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO...."
*****
It has been a few hours since Haiku's departure. Sailor Venus is up and
about once more, and Sailor Mercury is resting more comfortably now that
Sailor Saturn has healed her arm closed rather than leaving it burned shut.
Unfortunately, Saturn cannot replace the arm itself. Now all of the inner
senshi, as well as Saturn are resting on the floor around Usagi. Sailor
Uranus and Neptune are anxious but only Uranus shows it in her constant
observations of the room. Sailor Neptune has tried to calm her down but it
hasn't worked. Sailor Pluto stands against one of the walls. She is used to
waiting. Ever since they arrived she has been watching the ripples in time,
and has watched them gradually worsen. She is the only one who can see them
clearly, but by now they are so bad that the other senshi have begun to see
their effects on the physical world.
Suddenly the intensity of the ripples increases tenfold and it seems to
Sailor Pluto that everything is being ripped apart. To the others it's like
an earthquake. Then, just as suddenly as it started, it stops. Now there are
no ripples at all. It's as if they had never been there in the first place.
Starting as a few sparkles in the air, Haiku slowly fades back into view,
where she had been standing before, now as Sailor Moon. No one speaks, but
Mars and Mercury move away from Usagi as Haiku approaches them. Haiku kneels
next to Usagi, and takes off the medallion. She then carefully slips the
chain around Usagi's neck. She takes a step back and the medallion begins to
glow. Haiku's sailor fuku disappears and is replaced by her cloak and tunic.
The other senshi follow suit. As the glow gets brighter and brighter, its
original shape becomes less and less identifiable. It melts and flows into
Usagi's broken broach and in a flash, it is repaired. The senshi simply know
what to do next. As they did at one time before, they must activate Usagi's
eternal power.
"Mercury Eternal Power,"
"Mars Eternal Power,"
"Jupiter Eternal Power,"
"Venus Eternal Power,"
"Uranus Eternal Planet Power,"
"Neptune Eternal Planet Power,"
"Pluto Eternal Planet Power,"
"Saturn Eternal...."
Each of the senshi's energy flows into the broach, and as the last of it is
absorbed, Usagi transforms into Eternal Sailor Moon. Her eyes slowly open as
she sits up. She smiles. "Thank you everyone." "Would you please direct me
to that good-intentioned old man so I can turn him into moondust?!"
end eps. 24
*****
Episode 24 'Chance Encounters'
"The Queen is ready to see you now," the young man says kindly. Haiku opens
her eyes to see him bow. The Queen? Haiku thinks, I must be in another
time. Am I back home? She quickly glances around the waiting room. She
doesn't recognize it. No, this isn't Crystal Tokyo; I'm here to fix the
past. I must be in the Moon Palace. But when? The servant is just about to
step out the door when she stops him.
"Excuse me, how... how old is the Queen's daughter now, if I may ask?"
The young servant finds it an odd question but says nothing and answers all
the same. "Why, about 15 Earth revolutions now. Why do you ask?"
"No reason, thanks for your help," she responds as he leaves. Okay, she
thinks. Silver Millennium, before the negaverse invasion but after Usagi
and Mamoru have left for the future. Does Usagi's hidden power have
something to do with her past life during the Silver Millennium? I wonder
who I've been mistaken as? She enters the room in front of her to find
Queen Serenity writing at her desk. She doesn't look up. Haiku has never
seen her before in her life but instantly recognizes her. "Your majesty,"
she says as she bows.
"Come on Yuki," Serenity says as she finishes up whatever she is writing.
"You know you don't have to follow these formalities when we're alone....."
She has only now looked up from her work. "Who are you? How did you get in
here?"
Haiku, who is still kneeling on the floor says nothing, but just stares at
her ancient relative. She looks so much like Haiku's mother, and yet so
different at the same time. Serenity says nothing. Haiku stands up and takes
a couple of steps towards Serenity's desk. "Your majesty, I need to know;
will the Princess inherit or awaken any kind of power within herself when
she comes within a certain age or time?"
"How do you know... the status of the princess is of no concern to you! Now
who are you? If you don't answer me I'll call the guards and have them throw
you in the dungeon."
"Your majesty, do you really think your guards could stop a senshi?"
"What?"
Haiku begins to pace back and forth across the room. "How can I explain this
to you and have you trust me but not reveal too much?" Haiku stops pacing.
"She was right, I don't think I can." She begins pacing again. "I know," she
says as she spins around, "I could show you..." she reaches into her pocket
but then decides against it. "No, I can't do that. I'll just get straight to
the point, I don't think you'll tell anyone." Haiku comes over and sits in
the chair in front of Serenity's desk. "I know that you're the only one who
knows this. Two years ago.... No, that's not right. Two years for me, not
for you. I wonder why that is? Anyway, four years ago my mother's time
period was taken over by a beyonder. At this point I returned to the future.
Meanwhile Sailor Pluto sent my parents here while all of the other senshi
were split up." Haiku pauses but Serenity doesn't have anything to say. "A
year and a half later I returned to my mother's time. I gathered all of the
senshi together and then when the time was right we made it possible, for a
brief period in time, for my parents and Sailor Pluto to travel back from
the Silver Millennium to their own time period. Is that enough?"
"I... think so," Serenity takes a minute. "So according to you, you would be
my ...granddaughter?"
Haiku thinks it over. "Well, in a manner of speaking, I suppose it could be
seen that way, or rather could have been seen that way."
"What do you mean? You said it was your mother who came to meet me."
"That may not even be right any more. I'm not sure who I am anymore. Back
when I was Sailor Moon, that was true, but now I'm the Senshi of Time,
Haiku. And that is why I am here."
This is all quite a bit for Queen Serenity to take in, but after meeting the
future reincarnation of her daughter it's not really that much of a
surprise. "And now she is in trouble and needs to activate the powers she
was supposed to inherit but cannot right?"
"Well, it's a tad bit more complicated than that but that's essentially the
situation."
"It's ...quite a tale. I believe you, but do you have something physical you
can show me as well. What you want to know isn't just any bit of knowledge
floating about."
Haiku pauses for a moment. "I guess I can show you this. Maybe I even should
have started with it." Haiku draws her sword where it is on her back
underneath her cloak. She holds it in front of her with the blade facing
upwards, but what draws Queen Serenity's attention, as Haiku wishes it to,
is the ginzuishou placed into the the hilt of the sword. There is no way
that the energy emanating from it can be mistaken for anything else. Haiku
closes her eyes and the symbol of the moon appears on her forehead. There is
no longer any doubt. Haiku puts the sword away.
"It is a wonder," Serenity says. "I have never seen the silver crystal so
full of energy. But, as you may already know, the inherited power of the
moon is even greater than that of the ancient ginzuishou. Although, I sense,
that your power surpasses that of my own."
"Yes, it has something to do with the sword. Now what is the secret to the
power of the moon?"
Serenity sighs. "The knowledge I'm about to give you is known only to the
royal family of the moon. But I guess that since you are of the family it
will be all right to tell you. The secret is this: Each of the moon family
have within themselves the power of the moon. It can be activated at any
time, but can only be controlled after the holder has matured in body to
that of an adult. Although every member holds the power, it can only be
activated by one special talisman. This." Serenity holds up a medallion that
is hanging around her neck. "Normally the power is in a dormant state. This
talisman causes it to become active, leaving it the bearer's responsibility
to control it. It takes many many years to master the power but I feel that
you are not going to have that kind of time."
"May I see the medallion your Majesty?"
Serenity pauses for a moment before unclipping the neckband. "I trust you.
Here." Haiku takes the medallion and places it on the table in front of her.
She then takes the medallion that she received in the caverns of Shmite off
from around her neck, and holds it in one hand, as she takes up Serenity's
and holds it in her other hand, careful to not allow them to touch. She
studies both of them, turning them about in her hands. On both sides of the
medallions, there is the same crescent moon. Haiku holds them both out for
Serenity to see.
"Oh my. I guess I don't have to worry about you taking mine with you after
all. But how is it that the talisman has not already awoken the power within
yourself?" she asks as Haiku returns the medallion to her.
"Actually, I think it has. But the sword and the ginzuishou are controlling
it. The power has allowed me to travel back in time out of necessity, in
order to meet you."
"Then you had what you needed all along, even without having to come to see
me."
"No, it is not that simple. I am here to set events which are your future
and my past, not to learn from things which have already happened. I'm going
to need to ask for your help."
"Oh dear."
"Yes, your majesty. I'm going to have to ask you to teach your daughter how
to control her inherited power before she comes of age."
"But can it not wait until she is old enough? What if she cannot control
it?!"
"Don't worry, she'll be fine. As I said, it is not my mission here to change
my past, but to set it straight. This is something that you and your
daughter are destined to do. It is not the undertaking of this which could
cause harm to your daughter but not doing it instead. Do you understand?"
How easily they had switched roles. To a warrior, her master is the queen.
But to the queen, her master is she who controls time. Strange abnormalities
are born from necessity. "Yes, I understand."
Haiku places her hand upon Serenity's. Now it is time only for formality.
"Don't worry, if anything bad is to happen to your daughter I will be able
to return to set things right again."
"Yes, of course you will." Queen Serenity stands up and Haiku quickly
follows suit. "And you must hurry and be on your way. Good luck to you,
Haiku my granddaughter."
"And to you, grandmother." Haiku closes her eyes and tries to relax as she
draws her sword and is once again ripped from the timestream.
**********
Haiku could feel her essence traveling through time and space at
unimaginable speeds. Unexpectedly, it was interrupted a little early. She
felt panic trying to take over her mind as she was involuntarily ripped from
the timeline before she had reached her final destination.
She opened her eyes to stare at the gray rock beneath her, and all around
her. She sensed that she had returned to the correct time, but to the wrong
place. She raised her head to see the starry void of space and right in the
middle of it, the molded planet that at one time was the earth.
Haiku finally realized that she was standing on the moon. Had it been remade
as well, or did it still circle the earth? But she already knew the answer.
The moon was somewhat the same, but also different. She slowly turned
around, already aware of what she would see.
What was with this guy and cone shaped mountains? Standing in front of her
was a miniature Command Point. It was only a short distance away, so she
began to walk towards it. All of a sudden a light flashed out from the top
of it to run around on the ground and to come to a stop casting a pillar of
light upon herself. Although she was right in the enemy's nest, she just
relaxed and allowed the light to transport her into the Command Point. It
was probably the only way she would be able to get inside.
A second later she was standing inside a room that was completely black. She
couldn't even see her hand when she held it in front of her face. 'Time for
a light show,' she smiled. Now that she was no longer on earth her powers
were no longer affected by its magic field grid. (The magic field was what
made it so that the senshi couldn't use their old powers, and only the new
eternal power. The eternal power was fueled by the strands of magic which
were also known as the magic grid.) "Moon Crisis, make up!"
The cavern was illuminated with light as Haiku transformed. Although the
walls were a void from which no light returned the floor was still
illuminated. Haiku's power was now coming from the ginzuishou, as well as
her moon inherited power which was being focused by the medallion and the
sword. (which were now being kept nice and safe inside the sub-space pocket
where all of the rest of her clothing and equipment disappeared to.
"Beyonder," she shouted, "Show yourself!" She purposely transformed into
Sailor Moon rather than the transformation she had been given before leaving
the future.
Evil laughter. Haiku was suddenly surrounded with evil laughter. As it grew
louder, a dim ambient light appeared that slowly grew lighter. The laughter
died away. As soon as it stopped so did the growing light, (which was
probably about as bright as twilight), and then all of a sudden Haiku found
herself surrounded by a bright light.
"AS YOU WISH." Suddenly everything went black, and then just as quick as it
went dark, it lit back up again the way it had been before. The only
difference now was that the new figure which was also illuminated by a
pillar of bright light. Lying in its area was a gigantic dragon. (Giant
compared to a human but actually normal size for an actual dragon). Its head
alone was about two feet wide. Haiku estimated that at its full height it
would be at least 50 feet tall. Although it was inhabited by her enemy,
Haiku couldn't deny that this silver-scaled beast was magnificent. She
hadn't intended on it but she gave a slight gasp as soon as she saw it.
"YES, IT IS A MAGNIFICENT CREATURE. THE DRAGON, AS YOU CALL IT."
"How are you called?" Haiku asked.
"YOU ARE NOT WORTHY TO CALL ME BY MY TRUE NAME." The dragon opened its eyes
and raised its head. Now instead of the voice coming from everywhere, the
dragon spoke. "BUT YOU MAY WORSHIP ME AS ACHEMYDIES."
"You are not a god." Haiku stated.
"THAT IS A MATTER OF VIEWPOINT." Achemydies fell silent for a moment. "DID
YOU KNOW THAT THIS SYSTEM WAS ORIGINALLY INHABITED BY DRAGONS?"
"Why should I believe anything you say?"
Achemydies ignored her and continued. "MY KIND EXISTED THEN, BUT WE DID NOT
INHABIT THIS RURAL AREA OF THE UNIVERSE. THE DRAGONS WERE BORN FROM SOL, AND
INHABITED THE NINE PLANETS. THE DRAGONS CREATED MAGIC IN THIS SYSTEM, AND
THEY ALSO ENABLED LIFE. IT WAS THEY WHO SPARKED THE EVOLUTION OF YOUR KIND.
IT WAS ALSO THEY WHO GRANTED EACH PLANET A GUARDIAN, AND WHO CREATED A
MULTITUDE OF MAGIC TALISMANS, MOST OF WHICH NO LONGER EXIST."
"So where are the dragons now?"
"THEY LEFT MAN TO CHOOSE HIS OWN DESTINY. THEY MAY EVEN HAVE FORESEEN THE
COLLISION OF UNIVERSES WHICH RESULTED IN THE ELIMINATION OF MAGIC AND LIFE
FROM ALL OF THE NINE PLANETS BUT ONE. NOW, WERE THEY NOT GODS?"
"Perhaps, but you are not of those dragons."
"NO; MY KIND IS GREATER THAN THOSE DRAGONS!"
"That still doesn't give you the right to do what you have done here. Leave
us!"
"I AM A GOD! COWER BEFORE ME!"
"Never. You will not get away with what you have done to the timeline. I'm
pretty soldier Sailor Moon, and in the name of the future moon, I'll punish
you!"
"YOU ARE NO LONGER THE SENSHI OF THE MOON, TIMETRAVELER. DO NOT LIE TO ME; I
KNOW WHAT YOU ARE."
"You do?" Haiku asked. "Maybe you can enlighten me." Haiku raised her hands
and the ginzuishou appeared between them.
"YOU WILL NOT INTERFERE IN MY MAKINGS AGAIN!" Achemydies rose to his full
dragon-height of 50+ feet. As dark energy shot from his mouth the ginzuishou
erected a barrier around Haiku. As the two energies met there was a sudden
explosion of light, but both parties held up their ends as the momentary
flash faded away. The black ceiling changed so that it was now showing the
view outside of the Command Point. Haiku could see the earth a little to the
side of her opponent. "I WILL CRUSH YOU!" The intensity of Achemydies'
attack increased exponentially, but Haiku held on. There was no way that she
could win this battle.
Fortunately she saw the one thing Achemydies had never considered that she
had been searching for -a weakness. All she had to do now was escape.
Achemydies increased his attack again and she fell to her knees. Taking the
ginzuishou in one hand she used used the other to reach into her sub-space
pocket and pull out her sword. She then placed the ginzuishou back into the
hilt of the sword. A violent burst of energy exploded from the sword. The
Command Point shattered, revealing the actual exterior and landscape of the
moon. It also caused the conflicting energies to dissipate. "HOW DARE YOU
DESTROY MY TOWER! I WILL ERASE YOU!" Achemydies was just about to let loose
more dark energy when Haiku swung the sword up above her head.
"You have no right! I will deal with you later!" Haiku cried as she allowed
herself to be sucked into the timestream.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO...."
*****
It has been a few hours since Haiku's departure. Sailor Venus is up and
about once more, and Sailor Mercury is resting more comfortably now that
Sailor Saturn has healed her arm closed rather than leaving it burned shut.
Unfortunately, Saturn cannot replace the arm itself. Now all of the inner
senshi, as well as Saturn are resting on the floor around Usagi. Sailor
Uranus and Neptune are anxious but only Uranus shows it in her constant
observations of the room. Sailor Neptune has tried to calm her down but it
hasn't worked. Sailor Pluto stands against one of the walls. She is used to
waiting. Ever since they arrived she has been watching the ripples in time,
and has watched them gradually worsen. She is the only one who can see them
clearly, but by now they are so bad that the other senshi have begun to see
their effects on the physical world.
Suddenly the intensity of the ripples increases tenfold and it seems to
Sailor Pluto that everything is being ripped apart. To the others it's like
an earthquake. Then, just as suddenly as it started, it stops. Now there are
no ripples at all. It's as if they had never been there in the first place.
Starting as a few sparkles in the air, Haiku slowly fades back into view,
where she had been standing before, now as Sailor Moon. No one speaks, but
Mars and Mercury move away from Usagi as Haiku approaches them. Haiku kneels
next to Usagi, and takes off the medallion. She then carefully slips the
chain around Usagi's neck. She takes a step back and the medallion begins to
glow. Haiku's sailor fuku disappears and is replaced by her cloak and tunic.
The other senshi follow suit. As the glow gets brighter and brighter, its
original shape becomes less and less identifiable. It melts and flows into
Usagi's broken broach and in a flash, it is repaired. The senshi simply know
what to do next. As they did at one time before, they must activate Usagi's
eternal power.
"Mercury Eternal Power,"
"Mars Eternal Power,"
"Jupiter Eternal Power,"
"Venus Eternal Power,"
"Uranus Eternal Planet Power,"
"Neptune Eternal Planet Power,"
"Pluto Eternal Planet Power,"
"Saturn Eternal...."
Each of the senshi's energy flows into the broach, and as the last of it is
absorbed, Usagi transforms into Eternal Sailor Moon. Her eyes slowly open as
she sits up. She smiles. "Thank you everyone." "Would you please direct me
to that good-intentioned old man so I can turn him into moondust?!"
end eps. 24
*****