Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Eternal
Book 5: Chapter 14 'Birthday'
e-mail [kisaki@tds.net]
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The room contained thousands of mirrors. If a person were to glance into one they would see a soul spellbound inside. In each and every one of the bleak mirrors a person had been trapped inside giving off an essence of despair, and each person seemed to cry out in misery. The voices echoed in the room of darkness, pleaded to be released from the agony they experienced every second of being on the other side of their mirror. To them, a soul, the torture was unbearable. They shrieked for someone to help them, begging for mercy and freedom, but to no avail. For this was the room of Lady Sage.
She was the mysterious woman who had trapped them all. Mysterious was one of her better qualities, though. She was timeless, a woman who was born from death at the creation of the universe. Sage was heartless, too. Her look sent a surge of ice through the heart that quickly spread to the tips of the fingers and the edges of the toes.
The room itself was covered in darkness. A pale mist carpeted the floor of the giant room that existed in another dimension. However, no one within the Negafleet knew that such a place existed. No one except the people of the mirrors.
The mirrors had been aligned in a chaotic pattern from the portal outward. Only a small group of mirrors hidden on the side of the room had any sensible pattern to it. These twelve mirrors had been arranged in a circle. In the center of this circle was a waist-high pillar-like altar. A shield wrapped around the odd scarlet crystal pieces inside. Among the twelve, one mirror was larger than the others were. It rippled, showing the city of Tokyo instead of a trapped person's soul inside the other surface of the sinister mirror. The other side was a world of reflections, of dreams and the darkness of anger, despair, and fear.
"You'll never get away with this." The girl in the closest mirror said. She put her hands on the edge of the mirror and glared at her.
Sage chuckled. "I already have."
"Not yet." She growled.
"Oh? I disagree, Sailor Mars." She walked over to the mirror, which Sailor Mars was contained in. "See for yourself." She waved her hand toward the largest mirror and it rippled. A scene appeared on its surface. It showed Usagi in her classroom laying her head on the desk. Her thoughts spoke out loud to them.
[Rei...] An agonized Usagi thought. [The Negafleet is cruel. To take a hostage...]
She looked at her hands and clenched them. [How? How could I have just left Mars there? Why did they take you?]
"No! Usagi!" Mars yelled, but Usagi couldn't hear her.
"She will give up soon enough. And then I will get my chaos, my power." Sage chuckled evilly.
"What do you mean?!"
Sage just grinned and turned around. "I need to go. I have so little time before my last chance of the awakening and so many Senshi to kill."
"NO!!! YOU CAN'T!!!" Mars shrieked.
Sage disappeared before Mars could say anything else.
"No..." She moaned. "It can't be... Usagi-chan... please... be safe..."
* * *
"Yes, Princess, my brother is your husband-to-be and my father is Lord Morpheus. And Sage is the one who actually controls the Negafleet. Father is not truly evil... he is just searching for the Lunar Heart because he believes that the Lunar Heart can revive me. Sage is the one who gave him that urge to kill."
"But... Why didn't you come for help?" Serenity asked.
"I did... But I could not find the light of your hearts. You were hidden from me. I only recognized my brother's light. So I asked him for help." Kaylyn sighed.
"I didn't know..."
"I see..." Kaylyn suddenly clenched her hands. "It took me a long time to find you. Please, everyone will die unless I am freed. I know where the Lunar Heart is. I can use it. But not when I am trapped..."
"Where is the Heart? How do I find it?"
"It... all I can say is that she can't get to it. It mustn't be revealed yet. But... I need your help. I will give you all my power, but please save Father. It's all I ask. Please..."
"I'll help you." Serenity smiled. "Mamoru must have been worried I'd get hurt if I helped you. That's probably why he didn't tell me. But I promise I'll help you."
Kaylyn's eyes filled with tears of joy. "Thank you Princess... Thank you..."
"Please! Call me Usagi-san. All my other friends do." Serenity smiled again.
"Thank you Usagi-san." Suddenly Kaylyn held out her hand. "Please... your hand."
Confused, Serenity held it out. Kaylyn's fingers barely touched Serenity. A silvery glow emitted and an object materialized within the twos touch. "This Crystal Spire will call me if you use it. If you need me I will come on your command." A necklace fell into Serenity's hand. It had a two pointed crystal attached to a thin, gold chain. The crystal was a sparkling white with gold strands intertwined around it in a downward spiral.
"It's beautiful..." She whispered.
"To use the Crystal Spire, say 'Dreamscape Eternity' and I will come."
An idea struck Serenity. "Where are you? Maybe I can free you!"
The world around them faded, as did Serenity's dress. Kaylyn shimmered as she spoke, "For now... it is too dangerous to tell you... Usagi-san... Please keep our meeting a secret... If Sage finds out that... I can free my soul - even if not completely... she will kill us both...
Ohh... Usagi-san... even in our past... you were... so kind to me... always cheerful...' Her body faded and dissolved into the darkness.
"Wait!" Usagi called.
'Thank you, Usagi...'
'Thank you...'
'Usagi...'
'Usagi...'
"Usagi..." Someone was shaking her.
"Usagi... Wake up..." They persisted and Usagi opened her eyes.
"Ami?!" Usagi gasped.
"You fell asleep, silly." Ami giggled. "Let's get going. School's over."
"It is?!" She gasped. "But I thought I was on the Silver Millennium!"
"Oh?" Asked Ami, "What did you dream about?"
"Usagi-san... Please keep our meeting a secret... If Sage finds out that... I can free my soul... she will kill us both..."
"Uh... I can't remember..."
"That's alright. Let's go." Ami assured.
Usagi just nodded.
* * *
"We believe Morpheus has infiltrated the Hikawa academy." Kouhi sighed.
"But we have no proof of it... yet." Michiru added.
Makoto shook her head, confused. Absorbed to her own thoughts, she didn't hear the Senshi's conversation.
"What's the matter, Makoto?" Ami asked.
"Huh?" Makoto jolted.
"I said: What's the matter?" Ami repeated.
"It's Okugi..." She shook her head again. "There's something odd about him."
"What do you mean?" Mamoru asked.
"Well... I don't know... but something bothers me about him... I don't get it." She glanced out the window of the apartment. "A long time ago... before I lived in Juuban, I lived in a place called Akita - it's north of here. I never thought about it until I met him. I was watching the news and... they were talking about these murders that had occurred. A woman and two men had been killed. The first man had been claimed as 'Somebody' Yumeno. His step-wife was the woman. And the last man... his last name was Kanshisha. He was a police officer."
"You don't think... Okugi?!" Minako gasped.
"But that would mean he's dead." Hotaru pointed out.
"I know... that's what's confusing me. But the weird part is that all three were Pure Heart victims. And another thing, the Yumeno's had a daughter. I never caught her name but they said on the news that when the police arrived, she was standing there, holding a gun - like she had killed them."
The silence was broken by a beeping sound coming from Michiru's watch. "I'm sorry." She said sadly. "We'll have to continue this tomorrow... I have a class to teach..."
"See ya around." Haruka waved a hand as she left with Michiru.
The other Senshi didn't get up. Minako rubbed her hands together. "So... Has everyone gotten a present for Michiru's surprise birthday party?"
"Not me..." Usagi sighed. "But I'll get one today. I have a great place to look."
"Then the party can be continued as planed." Makoto said. When Usagi nodded, she continued. "Then while Haruka's taking Michiru around the city, Usagi get the present and meet them, the rest of us will set up the party here. Try not to blow it Usagi, okay?"
"Hey!" Usagi complained. "Have a little more faith!"
Everyone just smiled. Usagi seemed back to normal.
* * *
"Haruka!" Michiru gasped suddenly. "I just realized I don't have to teach today!"
"That's right!" Haruka agreed. "But this will work out pretty well, then. I promised Usagi I'd show her around the Academy." She brought up her arm and punched in the code to contact her.
"But... what about..." Michiru protested.
"Yeah? Oh! Hi, Haruka! What's wrong?" Usagi asked.
"Nothing, really. I just thought that Michiru and I could show you around the Hikawa Academy." Haruka explained, purposefully ignoring Michiru.
"Well... I need to go home to change and pick something up. But I'll come. How about I meet you there?" Usagi said after careful consideration.
"Alright. We'll meet you there. But don't forget to NOT stop at the arcade along the way, this time, Odango."
"I won't..." She consented.
* * *
Usagi raced home as fast as she could. She barged in the door and scrambled into the kitchen to tell her mother that today was Michiru's birthday. But she found not one person but three. They were her mother, a pink-haired girl, and a silver-haired girl. Usagi squeaked. "Chibi-Usa?!"
"Hi, Odango-Atama!" She smiled.
"Who's this?" Usagi asked looking at the silver-haired girl.
"This is Kisaki, my friend from school. We're going on a tour of the city in a little bit. But Ikuko Mama said you have to come with us."
Usagi shook her head. "Today's Michiru's birthday party."
"Really?!" Chibi-Usa gasped. "I didn't know it was TODAY!"
"We can go tomorrow if you wish, Chibi-Usa." Kisaki suggested in her usually quiet voice.
"Thanks Kisaki. I really appreciate it." Chibi-Usa smiled.
"Hey!" Usagi had an idea. "You two can come to her party today, and tomorrow I'll take you. How's that?"
"Great!" Chibi-Usa agreed happily. "If that's alright with you." She added looking a Kisaki.
"Yes. It's fine."
"It's a surprise, so don't tell her." Usagi warned.
"Okay. I'll go and change." Chibi-Usa glanced at her clothing full of flour.
"Me too." Usagi nodded.
"I live far away. Do you think she would mind if I wore this?" She asked and tugged slightly at her uniform.
"No. I doubt it." Usagi smiled.
"But you're around Chibi-Usa's size, aren't you sweetie?" Ikuko Tsukino remarked.
"Hey! You can were one of my dresses if you want!" Chibi-Usa caught on.
"R...really?" Kisaki fidgeted. "If you don't mind..."
"No problem!" Chibi-Usa assured.
* * *
Usagi leaned against the window. [Morpheus... Kaylyn... Sage... Rei... Mamo-chan... It's all too confusing...] She sighed. [Was that dream real?] She glanced at her clothing. [I should get... huh? What's that?] A dent in her skirt pocket looked slightly suspicious. She shuffled in it to find something interesting. It was the Crystal Spire. [It was real...]
"Odango-Atama!" Chibi-Usa's voice called. "Are you ready yet?!"
"Almost!" She called back and scrambled to the closet.
* * *
"My lord, I believe I know how to flush out the Heart." Sage said to Morpheus.
"Oh?" He asked in interest.
"We will make a diversion. I'm positive Sailor Luna knows where a piece of it is. And if that fails, we can always use Sailor Mars to get to Sailor Moon - whom I'm sure will lead us to the Lunar Heart."
"Hmm... sounds interesting. Alright, proceed." He waved a hand.
"Of course, my lord." Her eyes glinted. "Castor! Pollux! Take care of this!" She ordered to the two men behind her.
"Yes, Lady." They obeyed.
* * *
Usagi, Chibi-Usa, and Kisaki wandered the streets with as much speed a possible. "We have to hurry..." Usagi gasped for air.
"We'll never find it..." Moaned Chibi-Usa.
"Look!" Exclaimed Kisaki. She pointed to the window behind them. The sign to the right said: "Antiques".
"So?" Asked Usagi confused.
"You said you were looking for a very old picture, right?" Kisaki pointed out. "Maybe we can look here."
"That's a great idea!" Chibi-Usa cheered.
"Okay... we'll try it." Usagi agreed and the three stepped into the store. The store was littered with ancient pictures, rare jewelry, and other sparkling ornaments.
"Wow!" The trio said in awe.
"Hey! Look, Odango! Isn't it cute?" Chibi-Usa pointed to a matching pair of music boxes. The bigger was a clear circular orb balanced on a gold stand. A pair of white wings was attached folded back along each side. While on the top a golden crown had been set. The other smaller music box had a transparent rose-colored globe with light pink wings.
"Yeah! It's so adorable!" Usagi agreed. She turned to the storekeeper. "How much are the two music boxes?"
"You want to buy them?!" He shook his head in disbelief. "Of course you do!" he added quickly. "There on sale! Each one is 1000 yen!"
"Great!" Usagi cried. She looked to Chibi-Usa. "You want it?"
"You'll get it for me?!"
"Sure! But just this once."
"Yeah! Thanks Usagi-chan!" Chibi-Usa hugged her.
"Kisaki," Usagi added to the smiling girl in the corner. "You can have something, too."
"Really?!" Kisaki breathed. When Usagi nodded, she jumped for joy. "Thank you, Tsukino-san!" She immediately scurried to a small object on the shelf. Then gingerly held it out to the two girls. "See? Isn't it lovely?" A beautiful silver ring adorned in an intricate pattern had been placed in a small ring box.
"Yeah..." the others agreed.
"Okay, you can have it." Usagi agreed. "And you call me Usagi if you want."
"Thank you Usagi-san!" Kisaki hugged Usagi warmly. "And I think I found the picture you were looking for."
"Really? Let go see!" Usagi clapped happily.
* * *
"Where are those two?!" Michiru said exasperatedly.
"Knowing them, there at the Arcade." Haruka sighed.
A figure waved in the distance. "Haruka! Michiru! We're here!" Usagi called.
The three girls met up with the other two. "About time, Usagi." Haruka taped her foot. "What took you so long?"
"Well... Usagi insisted we stop a few places before we got here." Chibi-Usa sighed.
"I thought so..." Haruka glanced down. "Who are you?"
Kisaki bowed politely. "Hello. My name is Yumeno, Kisaki."
"Oh! How cute!" Michiru exclaimed and smiled. "I'm Kaiou, Michiru."
"I'm Tenou, Haruka. Nice to meet you."
* * *
"This is the auditorium." Haruka waved to the locked doors. "It isn't completed yet, but it should be soon."
"Excuse me." A voice said.
The five turned it see a girl waiting patiently. "I'm Kusamura, Irori. I work for the Mugen Construction Company."
"Oh!" Michiru bowed. "Pardon us."
"Do I know you?" Haruka asked. "You look familiar."
"I don't think so." Irori shook her head.
"Oh... never mind."
Irori shrugged and walked through the auditorium door. "No big deal."
Usagi checked her watch then whined. "I'm tired... Let's go to Makoto's for a snack."
"I'll go for that!" Chibi-Usa agreed.
"Okay..." Haruka agreed.
* * *
Makoto hummed to herself as she listened to the headset she wore while she finished the last of the icing on the cake.
But in the living room the chattering and bustling had stopped. Through the silence an evil chuckling could be heard. "This was easy."
"Yeah..." agreed Pollux's brother, Castor.
"Now all we have to do is wait. Sailor Moon will come to us."
* * *
"I sense evil close by." Michiru whispered to Haruka as they neared Makoto's apartment.
"Let's morph and check it out." Haruka turned to Chibi-Usa and Kisaki. "We... uh... left something behind in the car - my jacket. Would you two go get it?"
"Sure." Chibi-Usa and Kisaki nodded and ran back.
"Let's transform. Michiru senses evil nearby."
Usagi nodded. "SILVER MOON CRYSTAL POWER... MAKE UP!!!"
"URANUS CRYSTAL POWER... MAKE UP!!!"
"NEPTUNE CRYSTAL POWER... MAKE UP!!!"
The three raced into the apartment to find all the girls, Mamoru and Kouhi too, unconscious and trapped to a wall or the floor. Only Makoto was missing.
"Guys?!" Wailed Sailor Moon.
"Welcome Sailor Moon, Sailor Uranus, and Sailor Neptune. We've been expecting you..." Pollux grinned.
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Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Eternal
Book 5: Chapter 14 'Birthday'
e-mail [kisaki@tds.net]
Book 5: Chapter 14 'Birthday'
e-mail [kisaki@tds.net]
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The room contained thousands of mirrors. If a person were to glance into one they would see a soul spellbound inside. In each and every one of the bleak mirrors a person had been trapped inside giving off an essence of despair, and each person seemed to cry out in misery. The voices echoed in the room of darkness, pleaded to be released from the agony they experienced every second of being on the other side of their mirror. To them, a soul, the torture was unbearable. They shrieked for someone to help them, begging for mercy and freedom, but to no avail. For this was the room of Lady Sage.
She was the mysterious woman who had trapped them all. Mysterious was one of her better qualities, though. She was timeless, a woman who was born from death at the creation of the universe. Sage was heartless, too. Her look sent a surge of ice through the heart that quickly spread to the tips of the fingers and the edges of the toes.
The room itself was covered in darkness. A pale mist carpeted the floor of the giant room that existed in another dimension. However, no one within the Negafleet knew that such a place existed. No one except the people of the mirrors.
The mirrors had been aligned in a chaotic pattern from the portal outward. Only a small group of mirrors hidden on the side of the room had any sensible pattern to it. These twelve mirrors had been arranged in a circle. In the center of this circle was a waist-high pillar-like altar. A shield wrapped around the odd scarlet crystal pieces inside. Among the twelve, one mirror was larger than the others were. It rippled, showing the city of Tokyo instead of a trapped person's soul inside the other surface of the sinister mirror. The other side was a world of reflections, of dreams and the darkness of anger, despair, and fear.
"You'll never get away with this." The girl in the closest mirror said. She put her hands on the edge of the mirror and glared at her.
Sage chuckled. "I already have."
"Not yet." She growled.
"Oh? I disagree, Sailor Mars." She walked over to the mirror, which Sailor Mars was contained in. "See for yourself." She waved her hand toward the largest mirror and it rippled. A scene appeared on its surface. It showed Usagi in her classroom laying her head on the desk. Her thoughts spoke out loud to them.
[Rei...] An agonized Usagi thought. [The Negafleet is cruel. To take a hostage...]
She looked at her hands and clenched them. [How? How could I have just left Mars there? Why did they take you?]
"No! Usagi!" Mars yelled, but Usagi couldn't hear her.
"She will give up soon enough. And then I will get my chaos, my power." Sage chuckled evilly.
"What do you mean?!"
Sage just grinned and turned around. "I need to go. I have so little time before my last chance of the awakening and so many Senshi to kill."
"NO!!! YOU CAN'T!!!" Mars shrieked.
Sage disappeared before Mars could say anything else.
"No..." She moaned. "It can't be... Usagi-chan... please... be safe..."
* * *
"Yes, Princess, my brother is your husband-to-be and my father is Lord Morpheus. And Sage is the one who actually controls the Negafleet. Father is not truly evil... he is just searching for the Lunar Heart because he believes that the Lunar Heart can revive me. Sage is the one who gave him that urge to kill."
"But... Why didn't you come for help?" Serenity asked.
"I did... But I could not find the light of your hearts. You were hidden from me. I only recognized my brother's light. So I asked him for help." Kaylyn sighed.
"I didn't know..."
"I see..." Kaylyn suddenly clenched her hands. "It took me a long time to find you. Please, everyone will die unless I am freed. I know where the Lunar Heart is. I can use it. But not when I am trapped..."
"Where is the Heart? How do I find it?"
"It... all I can say is that she can't get to it. It mustn't be revealed yet. But... I need your help. I will give you all my power, but please save Father. It's all I ask. Please..."
"I'll help you." Serenity smiled. "Mamoru must have been worried I'd get hurt if I helped you. That's probably why he didn't tell me. But I promise I'll help you."
Kaylyn's eyes filled with tears of joy. "Thank you Princess... Thank you..."
"Please! Call me Usagi-san. All my other friends do." Serenity smiled again.
"Thank you Usagi-san." Suddenly Kaylyn held out her hand. "Please... your hand."
Confused, Serenity held it out. Kaylyn's fingers barely touched Serenity. A silvery glow emitted and an object materialized within the twos touch. "This Crystal Spire will call me if you use it. If you need me I will come on your command." A necklace fell into Serenity's hand. It had a two pointed crystal attached to a thin, gold chain. The crystal was a sparkling white with gold strands intertwined around it in a downward spiral.
"It's beautiful..." She whispered.
"To use the Crystal Spire, say 'Dreamscape Eternity' and I will come."
An idea struck Serenity. "Where are you? Maybe I can free you!"
The world around them faded, as did Serenity's dress. Kaylyn shimmered as she spoke, "For now... it is too dangerous to tell you... Usagi-san... Please keep our meeting a secret... If Sage finds out that... I can free my soul - even if not completely... she will kill us both...
Ohh... Usagi-san... even in our past... you were... so kind to me... always cheerful...' Her body faded and dissolved into the darkness.
"Wait!" Usagi called.
'Thank you, Usagi...'
'Thank you...'
'Usagi...'
'Usagi...'
"Usagi..." Someone was shaking her.
"Usagi... Wake up..." They persisted and Usagi opened her eyes.
"Ami?!" Usagi gasped.
"You fell asleep, silly." Ami giggled. "Let's get going. School's over."
"It is?!" She gasped. "But I thought I was on the Silver Millennium!"
"Oh?" Asked Ami, "What did you dream about?"
"Usagi-san... Please keep our meeting a secret... If Sage finds out that... I can free my soul... she will kill us both..."
"Uh... I can't remember..."
"That's alright. Let's go." Ami assured.
Usagi just nodded.
* * *
"We believe Morpheus has infiltrated the Hikawa academy." Kouhi sighed.
"But we have no proof of it... yet." Michiru added.
Makoto shook her head, confused. Absorbed to her own thoughts, she didn't hear the Senshi's conversation.
"What's the matter, Makoto?" Ami asked.
"Huh?" Makoto jolted.
"I said: What's the matter?" Ami repeated.
"It's Okugi..." She shook her head again. "There's something odd about him."
"What do you mean?" Mamoru asked.
"Well... I don't know... but something bothers me about him... I don't get it." She glanced out the window of the apartment. "A long time ago... before I lived in Juuban, I lived in a place called Akita - it's north of here. I never thought about it until I met him. I was watching the news and... they were talking about these murders that had occurred. A woman and two men had been killed. The first man had been claimed as 'Somebody' Yumeno. His step-wife was the woman. And the last man... his last name was Kanshisha. He was a police officer."
"You don't think... Okugi?!" Minako gasped.
"But that would mean he's dead." Hotaru pointed out.
"I know... that's what's confusing me. But the weird part is that all three were Pure Heart victims. And another thing, the Yumeno's had a daughter. I never caught her name but they said on the news that when the police arrived, she was standing there, holding a gun - like she had killed them."
The silence was broken by a beeping sound coming from Michiru's watch. "I'm sorry." She said sadly. "We'll have to continue this tomorrow... I have a class to teach..."
"See ya around." Haruka waved a hand as she left with Michiru.
The other Senshi didn't get up. Minako rubbed her hands together. "So... Has everyone gotten a present for Michiru's surprise birthday party?"
"Not me..." Usagi sighed. "But I'll get one today. I have a great place to look."
"Then the party can be continued as planed." Makoto said. When Usagi nodded, she continued. "Then while Haruka's taking Michiru around the city, Usagi get the present and meet them, the rest of us will set up the party here. Try not to blow it Usagi, okay?"
"Hey!" Usagi complained. "Have a little more faith!"
Everyone just smiled. Usagi seemed back to normal.
* * *
"Haruka!" Michiru gasped suddenly. "I just realized I don't have to teach today!"
"That's right!" Haruka agreed. "But this will work out pretty well, then. I promised Usagi I'd show her around the Academy." She brought up her arm and punched in the code to contact her.
"But... what about..." Michiru protested.
"Yeah? Oh! Hi, Haruka! What's wrong?" Usagi asked.
"Nothing, really. I just thought that Michiru and I could show you around the Hikawa Academy." Haruka explained, purposefully ignoring Michiru.
"Well... I need to go home to change and pick something up. But I'll come. How about I meet you there?" Usagi said after careful consideration.
"Alright. We'll meet you there. But don't forget to NOT stop at the arcade along the way, this time, Odango."
"I won't..." She consented.
* * *
Usagi raced home as fast as she could. She barged in the door and scrambled into the kitchen to tell her mother that today was Michiru's birthday. But she found not one person but three. They were her mother, a pink-haired girl, and a silver-haired girl. Usagi squeaked. "Chibi-Usa?!"
"Hi, Odango-Atama!" She smiled.
"Who's this?" Usagi asked looking at the silver-haired girl.
"This is Kisaki, my friend from school. We're going on a tour of the city in a little bit. But Ikuko Mama said you have to come with us."
Usagi shook her head. "Today's Michiru's birthday party."
"Really?!" Chibi-Usa gasped. "I didn't know it was TODAY!"
"We can go tomorrow if you wish, Chibi-Usa." Kisaki suggested in her usually quiet voice.
"Thanks Kisaki. I really appreciate it." Chibi-Usa smiled.
"Hey!" Usagi had an idea. "You two can come to her party today, and tomorrow I'll take you. How's that?"
"Great!" Chibi-Usa agreed happily. "If that's alright with you." She added looking a Kisaki.
"Yes. It's fine."
"It's a surprise, so don't tell her." Usagi warned.
"Okay. I'll go and change." Chibi-Usa glanced at her clothing full of flour.
"Me too." Usagi nodded.
"I live far away. Do you think she would mind if I wore this?" She asked and tugged slightly at her uniform.
"No. I doubt it." Usagi smiled.
"But you're around Chibi-Usa's size, aren't you sweetie?" Ikuko Tsukino remarked.
"Hey! You can were one of my dresses if you want!" Chibi-Usa caught on.
"R...really?" Kisaki fidgeted. "If you don't mind..."
"No problem!" Chibi-Usa assured.
* * *
Usagi leaned against the window. [Morpheus... Kaylyn... Sage... Rei... Mamo-chan... It's all too confusing...] She sighed. [Was that dream real?] She glanced at her clothing. [I should get... huh? What's that?] A dent in her skirt pocket looked slightly suspicious. She shuffled in it to find something interesting. It was the Crystal Spire. [It was real...]
"Odango-Atama!" Chibi-Usa's voice called. "Are you ready yet?!"
"Almost!" She called back and scrambled to the closet.
* * *
"My lord, I believe I know how to flush out the Heart." Sage said to Morpheus.
"Oh?" He asked in interest.
"We will make a diversion. I'm positive Sailor Luna knows where a piece of it is. And if that fails, we can always use Sailor Mars to get to Sailor Moon - whom I'm sure will lead us to the Lunar Heart."
"Hmm... sounds interesting. Alright, proceed." He waved a hand.
"Of course, my lord." Her eyes glinted. "Castor! Pollux! Take care of this!" She ordered to the two men behind her.
"Yes, Lady." They obeyed.
* * *
Usagi, Chibi-Usa, and Kisaki wandered the streets with as much speed a possible. "We have to hurry..." Usagi gasped for air.
"We'll never find it..." Moaned Chibi-Usa.
"Look!" Exclaimed Kisaki. She pointed to the window behind them. The sign to the right said: "Antiques".
"So?" Asked Usagi confused.
"You said you were looking for a very old picture, right?" Kisaki pointed out. "Maybe we can look here."
"That's a great idea!" Chibi-Usa cheered.
"Okay... we'll try it." Usagi agreed and the three stepped into the store. The store was littered with ancient pictures, rare jewelry, and other sparkling ornaments.
"Wow!" The trio said in awe.
"Hey! Look, Odango! Isn't it cute?" Chibi-Usa pointed to a matching pair of music boxes. The bigger was a clear circular orb balanced on a gold stand. A pair of white wings was attached folded back along each side. While on the top a golden crown had been set. The other smaller music box had a transparent rose-colored globe with light pink wings.
"Yeah! It's so adorable!" Usagi agreed. She turned to the storekeeper. "How much are the two music boxes?"
"You want to buy them?!" He shook his head in disbelief. "Of course you do!" he added quickly. "There on sale! Each one is 1000 yen!"
"Great!" Usagi cried. She looked to Chibi-Usa. "You want it?"
"You'll get it for me?!"
"Sure! But just this once."
"Yeah! Thanks Usagi-chan!" Chibi-Usa hugged her.
"Kisaki," Usagi added to the smiling girl in the corner. "You can have something, too."
"Really?!" Kisaki breathed. When Usagi nodded, she jumped for joy. "Thank you, Tsukino-san!" She immediately scurried to a small object on the shelf. Then gingerly held it out to the two girls. "See? Isn't it lovely?" A beautiful silver ring adorned in an intricate pattern had been placed in a small ring box.
"Yeah..." the others agreed.
"Okay, you can have it." Usagi agreed. "And you call me Usagi if you want."
"Thank you Usagi-san!" Kisaki hugged Usagi warmly. "And I think I found the picture you were looking for."
"Really? Let go see!" Usagi clapped happily.
* * *
"Where are those two?!" Michiru said exasperatedly.
"Knowing them, there at the Arcade." Haruka sighed.
A figure waved in the distance. "Haruka! Michiru! We're here!" Usagi called.
The three girls met up with the other two. "About time, Usagi." Haruka taped her foot. "What took you so long?"
"Well... Usagi insisted we stop a few places before we got here." Chibi-Usa sighed.
"I thought so..." Haruka glanced down. "Who are you?"
Kisaki bowed politely. "Hello. My name is Yumeno, Kisaki."
"Oh! How cute!" Michiru exclaimed and smiled. "I'm Kaiou, Michiru."
"I'm Tenou, Haruka. Nice to meet you."
* * *
"This is the auditorium." Haruka waved to the locked doors. "It isn't completed yet, but it should be soon."
"Excuse me." A voice said.
The five turned it see a girl waiting patiently. "I'm Kusamura, Irori. I work for the Mugen Construction Company."
"Oh!" Michiru bowed. "Pardon us."
"Do I know you?" Haruka asked. "You look familiar."
"I don't think so." Irori shook her head.
"Oh... never mind."
Irori shrugged and walked through the auditorium door. "No big deal."
Usagi checked her watch then whined. "I'm tired... Let's go to Makoto's for a snack."
"I'll go for that!" Chibi-Usa agreed.
"Okay..." Haruka agreed.
* * *
Makoto hummed to herself as she listened to the headset she wore while she finished the last of the icing on the cake.
But in the living room the chattering and bustling had stopped. Through the silence an evil chuckling could be heard. "This was easy."
"Yeah..." agreed Pollux's brother, Castor.
"Now all we have to do is wait. Sailor Moon will come to us."
* * *
"I sense evil close by." Michiru whispered to Haruka as they neared Makoto's apartment.
"Let's morph and check it out." Haruka turned to Chibi-Usa and Kisaki. "We... uh... left something behind in the car - my jacket. Would you two go get it?"
"Sure." Chibi-Usa and Kisaki nodded and ran back.
"Let's transform. Michiru senses evil nearby."
Usagi nodded. "SILVER MOON CRYSTAL POWER... MAKE UP!!!"
"URANUS CRYSTAL POWER... MAKE UP!!!"
"NEPTUNE CRYSTAL POWER... MAKE UP!!!"
The three raced into the apartment to find all the girls, Mamoru and Kouhi too, unconscious and trapped to a wall or the floor. Only Makoto was missing.
"Guys?!" Wailed Sailor Moon.
"Welcome Sailor Moon, Sailor Uranus, and Sailor Neptune. We've been expecting you..." Pollux grinned.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Eternal
Book 5: Chapter 14 'Birthday'
e-mail [kisaki@tds.net]