"Minuial come forth!"
"Minuial here, mistress." She said in a silken voice, uncommon among the Meliae. "What may I do for you?" She smiled at the young nymph's eagerness to serve.
"The time has come Minuial. Take the rest of the Meliae and go work my will. Go bring the darkness of night, the darkness of chaos to the moon born! Plant the seed of chaos into the heart of light and change the destiny of the Earth!" she commanded and Minuial looked up at her mistress.
"I live but to serve the daughter of chaos, the queen of night. Your will shall be done, mistress Nyx!" She said quietly as her golden eyes sparkled with her inner fire.
"Go then and serve me well. I look to the Meliae for my revenge and my long awaited freedom!"
"Of course, mistress." Minuial said and the fire began to grow around her. In a flash of flame and smoke, Minuial disappeared.
"This is boring! When is any of the fun going to happen?" said a young nymph with golden blond hair as she pulled out grass with her hand.
"You're the one that's boring, Tuure." The pink-haired nymph next to her mumbled.
"What was that!" Tuure growled.
"You heard me well enough." She replied, sticking her tongue out at Tuure.
"Don't you start with me, Delilah! Don't make me pull those little pigtails off your head!" Tuure warned as she stood up shaking with anger and her violet eyes flashing.
"Please don't fight." Begged a raven-haired nymph who was sitting on the tree limb above them.
"Stay out of this Eilian!!" both Tuure and Delilah yelled at once. Eilian's huge green eyes filled with tears, but she did stay quiet. Eilian was a timid girl who was slightly pampered and liked things to be as peaceful as possible.
"Don't you try to boss me around, Tuure! You may be older, but I'm a lot smarter than you!" Delilah yelled.
"That is it!!" Tuure screamed back as she raised her hands high, ready to strike Delilah with her only weapon, the power of lightening.
"Swift Torture." The words were whispered from the shadows and suddenly both nymphs were blown into the air. Their backs crashed harshly against a tree and they slid to the ground. Both of the girls' eyes were glazed and they looked around, dazed to see what had happened.
"Just what is going on in here?" she asked quietly.
"Larkan, just stay out of this." Tuure groaned as she rose to her feet.
"That hurt!" Delilah whined still sitting on the ground.
"It's Delilah's fault anyway." Tuure pointed out and when Larkan gave her a warning look, she flinched.
"I don't care who's fault it is. You need to stop acting like children. If Minuial was here, you two would have be burnt to a crisp by now for such misbehavior." Larkan told them as she sat down on a large rock.
"Oh, I'm not scared of Minuial!" Tuure protested defiantly.
"You really are crazy!" Delilah said.
"Shut up, spore!" Tuure snapped.
"Girls, girls. Are we fighting?" said an echoing voice. Flames grew from the ground and Minuial stepped out of them. The fire burned out, leaving a small circle of burned grass where she had stood.
"I hate it when that happens." Minuial complained to herself.
"How did the meeting with Nyx go?" Larkan asked bluntly as Minuial began floating in mid-air.
"It's finally happened. We have been given our mission and told to go." she told them.
"Finally, action!" Tuure crowed.
"I'm not so sure we should be doing this Minuial." Eilian said in a worried voice.
"Oh, sister dear." Minuial said gently, "Don't worry. I have everything completely under control."
"Why exactly are we doing this?" asked Larkan with a skeptical look on her face.
"It's very simple, Larkan." Minuial sighed, "We are doing this for our freedom and the power we can control."
"Power! Yay!" Tuure said as she began jumping up and down in glee.
"Tuure! Stop!" Minuial snapped but was ignored. "We were born of blood spilled in anger upon the great trees of life." Minuial continued, "Nymphs we are by birth, but empowered with the great strength of our dark aunt, the daughter of chaos. Now we can leave our trees, with the power given to us and help our dark aunt in her revenge. We are the Meliae, the dark nymphs of the ash trees!"
"She was a distraction." Larkan said to no one in particular.
"I can't believe you just did that!" She screamed at Larkan.
"Would you like me to do it again?" Larkan said dryly. Which caused Eilian and Delilah laugh even more.
"You guys are going to get it! Lightening Blast!" Tuure screamed as lightening flew from her fingertips.
"Wall of Fire!" Minuial yelled and a wall of flames leapt into being before Eilian and the lightening bolt bounced back toward Tuure.
"Okay, Tuure." Minuial said as she snapped away her wall of fire. "It's time to go and complete the first part of our mission." Tuure sighed, defeated for the moment, and followed the rest of the Meliae.
"Besides, I'm the leader." Minuial had told her with a shrug before Larkan left. It made Larkan want to strangle her, but all the Meliae knew better than to attack Minuial. They knew they wouldn't survive the battle. Larkan knew that if she messed this up, Minuial would blame her and the consequences would be severe.
"Give me your energy!" Delilah crowed at the young couple she was attacking. Larkan laughed at how well Delilah was unwittingly playing her part.
"Hey you! Who does your hair!?" Said a voice from the shadows.
"What! Who's there?" Delilah demanded turning away from the drained couple.
"I am Eternal Sailor Moon! I fight for love and justice. In the name of the Moon, I will punish you!" She said.
"What was that?" Eternal Sailor Moon exclaimed as she felt the barrier close around her.
"Nothing special." Larkan said as she appeared in between Eternal Sailor Moon and Delilah. "Just something to keep your friends out while I do my job."
"What are you doing here, Larkan?" Delilah demanded, "This is my job!" she whined.
"Shut up, Delilah! This is not a game!" Larkan snapped.
"Starlight Honeymoon--" Eternal Sailor Moon began as she raised her moon rod in front of her. She was going to take advantage of them while they argued.
"No, you're not going to do this to me! I have a job to do and I'll be damned if I let you stop me! Give me your pure heart!" Larkan yelled as she blasted Eternal Sailor Moon.
"Larkan, I'm totally confused." Delilah whined at her from over her shoulder, "What are you doing to her?"
"Never mind and shut up! I'm trying to concentrate!" Larkan growled.
"What in the name of Chaos have you done?!" demanded Delilah. Larkan smiled once more before whispering,
"Swift Torture." Which knocked Delilah to the ground in pain.
"Damn child." Larkan grumbled as she put the now tainted pure heart back. Quickly she went back to her perch in the tree to make sure Delilah played her final role in this little play. Larkan released the barrier she had constructed as Eternal Sailor Moon awoke. She looked slightly dazed but as Delilah rose, she put her moon rod in front of her again.
"Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" Eternal Sailor Moon exclaimed and Delilah cried out for help. Larkan just smiled as Delilah was destroyed in a blast of light.
"Well played, Delilah." Larkan murmured to herself. Suddenly, Eternal Sailor Moon was surrounded by her fellow soldiers. They had shown up just in time to see Eternal Sailor Moon destroy Delilah.
"Are you okay, Sailor Moon?" asked a raven-haired Sailor Mars.
"Yeah, sure. I'm fine." She told them all.
"It looks like we have a new enemy." Sailor Mercury remarked.
"Yes, it sure does." Eternal Sailor Moon said quietly with a strange smirk on her face.
"Wait a minute," Mars said, "I sense another presence here." and she looked over to the tree Larkan was hiding in.
"Oops, time to exit stage left." Larkan whispered and vanished from the tree.
"Oh, come on Mars. There's nothing there. Let's go get some food." Eternal Sailor Moon complained.
"Fine. I guess you're right. I can't feel it anymore." Mars replied cautiously and they all left for the Juuban Crown Center.
"I wonder who our new enemy is Diana?" Chibi-Usa asked as she brushed her hair. She had run into the girls at the Crown Center and had heard about the battle that had taken place.
"I don't know, princess." The little gray cat said as she curled up on a pillow. "But don't worry, the Sailor Soldiers will figure it out."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Chibi-Usa said. "Did you notice anything odd about Usagi today?" She asked. Diana's ears perked up and she said,
"Something strange about Sailor Moon?"
"Yeah, she was quiet and brooding. Completely unlike her. Even Mamo-chan couldn't get her to talk much." She said with concern.
"Oh, it's just you, Usagi." Chibi-Usa sighed with relief. Usagi smiled slightly and shut the door behind her.
"Yep, it's just me." She said and sat down on the bed next to the two of them, "I have a question for you two. Who's in charge of the Crystal Time Key?" Usagi asked.
"Well, right now I am." Chibi-Usa told her, "But Diana knows all the ways through the Time Gate."
"Can't you travel through time under your own power, Diana?" Usagi asked. Diana nodded her head in agreement which caused her little bell to ring. Usagi smiled at them and asked,
"Can I see the Crystal Time Key?"
"Sure, here it is." Chibi-Usa said and she pulled the key out from a drawer.
"Such a sweet child you are." Usagi said as she took the key from Chibi-Usa. She stood up and put the Time Key in her pocket. She then continued to grab Diana and walk towards the door.
"Wait! What are you doing, Usagi?" Chibi-Usa demanded, "Give Diana back to me!" and she ran to grab her kitty from Usagi.
"Stay out of this." Usagi said softly and Chibi-Usa noticed that her voice wasn't the same. It was cold and unfeeling somehow. It made shivers of fear run down her spine. Usagi walked out the door and slammed it shut behind her. Chibi-Usa sat in shock as she listened to Usagi's footsteps walk away from her.
"What is happening to me?" Usagi asked herself as she walked down the street. In a bag, slung over her shoulder, Diana was unconscious with the Time Key next to her. She didn't even know why she had taken the key and Diana. "None of this makes any sense!" Usagi cried as she held her head in her hands.
"Don't cry, lady." A soft voice said from in front of Usagi. Startled, she looked up, expecting to see Luna P, but was met by someone entirely different. It was a young girl, who looked no older than seven years old. Falling to her waist her hair danced like flames in the wind and her wide eyes shone golden. Usagi was afraid for a moment until the child stuck her thumb in her mouth and looked at Usagi with wonder. No enemy would disguise themselves as a child and if they did, they certainly wouldn't have sucked their thumb.
"You all better now, lady?" The girl asked and Usagi managed to smile weakly.
"Yes, thank you." She said to the girl, "But what are you doing out so late? Are you alone?" The girl regarded her carefully before saying,
"You are very pretty, lady." Usagi couldn't help but smile at the compliment.
"No, next to you I look very plain." And Usagi was rewarded by a sudden smile and blush that spread across the girl's face. The child seemed flustered for a moment, then she quickly recovered and an impenetrable mask settled over her face.
"Are you alone?" She asked and Usagi was confused for a moment until the child spoke again, "I like being alone. It's fun."
"Yes, I'm alone too." She replied, "But it's not always fun." The girl's shrug was noncommital.
"It doesn't really matter. I just wanted to make sure you were alone." The girl said, suddenly dropping her childish manner. Usagi's eyes grew wide with fear as she watched flames surround the girl, head to toe.
"Please, don't panic. I need your help." The woman said quickly and Usagi could do little else than listen to her without her brooch.
"Who are you?" Usagi asked cautiously.
"I am Minuial the Fiery-Eyed and you must listen to me." She said with a tone that begged for patience and it almost seemed sincere to Usagi.
"Why did you take my brooch?" asked Usagi.
"I had to keep you from transforming into Sailor Moon. I needed you to listen to me." Minuial told her.
"How do you know that I am Sailor Moon?" asked Usagi
"Where I come from, you are a legend." Minuial stated the fact simply. Usagi looked skeptical and asked,
"Why did you disguise yourself?"
"Please, forgive me."Minuial begged her and now her face was openly worried, "I had to take the risk of tricking you. You're the only one who can save the future!" Usagi was torn for a moment. Although a part of her wasn't sure of trusting her, Usagi's heart begged her to help this woman.
"You come from the future?" Usagi asked in wonder and Minuial nodded earnestly.
"Yes, and we desperately need your help, Sailor Moon. The future has become a place of death and destruction. Where no one is safe to live out their lives without the threat of the Mystical Queen. Even the Soldiers who fought so courageously for a peaceful future have become corrupt and they hold a tyrant's fist over the Earth. It is a horrible place and only you can save us!" The words spilled quickly from Minuial's lips quickly and they shocked Usagi.
"How did this happen?" She asked.
"A few years ago in my time, Neo-Queen Serenity was overthrown by who we now know as the Mystical Queen. She was so powerful that Serenity could do nothing to stop her and she was exiled into cold space with the king." Minuial informed her.
"What about the senshi?" Usagi asked and by the look on Minuial's face, she knew it wasn't going to be good.
"They revolted and betrayed Neo-Queen Serenity. They joined with the Mystical Queen and helped to capture the queen and king. It was the senshi who placed the spell on the royal couple to make them sleep until they were too far from the Earth to be a danger to the Mystical Queen's new reign."
"The royal couple? What about Chibi-Usa? What about my daughter?" Usagi asked with a horrible feeling growing in her stomach. Minuial silent for so long that Usagi thought she wasn't going to answer. Then, Minuial looked her in the eyes and said softly.
"Chibi-Usa, the Princess Small Lady Serenity, no longer exists."
"What happened to her!!" Usagi asked panicked.
"She is known as the Mystical Queen Serenity now and she rules with an iron fist over the entire Earth." Minuial said quietly, carefully watching the expression on Usagi's face.
"What! How is this possible?"
"It was a terrible day when the Small Lady, who was no longer small, with a daughter of her own, came forward in the Court of Crystal Tokyo and accused her mother of destroying the Silver Millennium. Small Lady told all how in her mother's past life as Princess Serenity, she caused the destruction of the Moon Kingdom by refusing to warn Queen Serenity of the threat from Earth because of her own selfish reasons. The Princess said that she refused to let Crystal Tokyo fall into ruin because of her mother's foolishness and she usurped the throne. Without the aid of her senshi, the queen was sent into exile with her king and the new queen now rules over all with no mercy. My own mistress was there on that terrible day and it was she who sent me and my fellow warriors back here to find you. We need you because you have the same power as the Neo-Queen Serenity. Only you can stop your daughter who even now is trying to find our mistress and kill her before she can bring any help." Minuial told her as Usagi listen in absolute horror.
"But its not possible!" Usagi exclaimed and Minuial just shook her head.
"It is and it has happened." She said gently, "We need your help! Will you come with us back to the future?" Minuial begged.
"Of course, but I can't believe that Chibi-Usa would become so evil!"Usagi replied, now completely accepting the woman and her story.
"She became Black Lady once, what makes you think that she couldn't become evil again." Minuial told her and at that Usagi lost the last of her doubt. She now completely believed everything that Minuial was telling her.
"That must be it, she must be under another spell. I have to save her!" Usagi said to herself.
"Whatever makes you feel better." Minuial said even though her disgust at Usagi's denial was obvious in her voice. Usagi let the insult go and a sudden thought sprang to her mind.
"Why don't I get the senshi to help us! They can come and help us save the future too!" And at that Minuial grew a bit stiff and she seemed to be thinking about something. Then, it was gone like it had never been there before and she said,
"You can't bring them! You can't even tell them." And Usagi stared at her in disbelief.
"Why not?"
"They too will become under the influence of the Mystical Queen and would betray us in the end." Which seemed like a good reason to Usagi, but she still didn't like the idea of not telling them where she was going. Minuial seemed to know this because she said,
"If you tell them, you know that they will never let you go."
"I suppose you're right." said Usagi and Minuial smiled, "Well, when should we go?"
"Now." Minuial told her and a portal appeared behind her. Through the portal, they could see a large clearing with beautiful trees around it and a pool. Usagi was amazed at the place and she carefully touched the portal with her finger. It sank right through like it was liquid and she was barely listening when Minuial said,
"This is the home of the Meliae and your home until we can take back the future from the Mystical Queen."
"Can you take this and leave it at my home?" Usagi asked and Minuial smiled slightly.
"Of course." Minuial told her reassuringly. "Now if you would please step on through the portal. We have a long battle before us." And Usagi cautiously walked into the home of the Meliae without one look back. Minuial looked at the paper in her hand for a moment and then she called forth her fire, burning the note to ashes.
"Geez, I almost feel bad about lying to her, but I can't deliver her note and after her visit to Nyx, she won't remember ever writing it.." Minuial said slyly, "Well, okay, I don't feel bad at all." And an evil grin spread across her face as she stepped through the portal.
"Well done, Minuial." Nyx said as she watched Usagi from her black throne.
"Thank you, mistress." replied Minuial who was hovering in the air next to her. The two had watched as Usagi had struggled to get up and they knew she couldn't. Nyx had just poured all of her most potent magic into Usagi and even she couldn't fight that.
"She's going to have a hell of headache when she wakes up." Minuial commented.
"True, but she won't be the same anymore. She will still remember her past, but she will believe any lie that you tell her. Make sure she understands that they all betrayed her and that they will do anything to trick her into believing them." Nyx told the flame-haired girl who was watching Usagi with renewed interest.
"Have no fear, mistress. By the time I am done with her, she won't believe anything except for what I tell her." laughed Minuial.
"Just make sure she knows that I am to be obeyed above all else." Nyx reminded her and Minuial nodded.
"What should I do about the cat?" Minuial asked as she looked to where Diana lay unconscious. Finding the cat unconscious in Usagi's bag had been unexpected.
"Usagi was wise to bring her," Nyx commented, "Now none of the senshi can follow her. Just leave the cat with me. I shall deal with her."
"Of course." Minuial answered obediently.
"Good, now go." instructed Nyx and Minuial left, taking Usagi with her.
"What in chaos is taking her so long!" Tuure complained as she sat playing with the grass by the pool's edge. She had been a lot happier and obedient since Delilah had been killed by Eternal Sailor Moon.
"Don't you ever get tried of pulling out grass?" Eilian asked and Tuure responded with an evil smile.
"Would you rather I pull out some of your hair?" And Eilian squeaked and shook her head.
"I think I should," Tuure continued, "You could use a bit of a hair cut. Just a quick chop, chop here and there. Then all those curls would be gone, gone!" She said as she began to advance toward Eilian who held in her hair in her hands and squealed with each stepped that Tuure took.
"Lay off, Tuure." Larkan said and Tuure smiled sweetly until Larkan turned her back. She then waved her hands at Eilian and laughed. Eilian's normally raven-black hair had suddenly become pink and Eilian was shrieking in horror. Larkan glared at Tuure who, once she could stopping laughing, merely said,
"Just a little illusion." And Larkan rolled her eyes,
"Get rid of it so she'll shut up already." Larkan told her and Tuure shrugged. Once again, she waved her hands at Eilian and the illusion faded. Eilian sighed in relief and glared at Tuure.
"Well? How did it go?" And they all held their breath as they waited for the answer.
"Everything went fine. Better than I had hoped and easier than I expected." began Minuial, "But I would like you to meet the newest member of our little band, Usagi of the Wicked Heart." And a dark shadow appeared at the end of the clearing.
"What is she doing here?" Larkan asked Minuial suspiciously.
"She is going to help us get rid of the Mystical Queen and take revenge on them all for Nyx." Minuial told her.
"But she could destroy us all!" Larkan insisted and Minuial merely shook her head.
"Not without this, she can't." And she held out the brooch of Eternal Sailor Moon for Larkan to see.
"How did you get that?"
"Its not important right now." Minuial informed her, "Let's just say that we need her to win and that Nyx has given her the power."
"But she could betray us all!" warned Larkan. Minuial just sighed and tried to explain,
"Listen, Nyx and I have complete control over her. She will fight with us and the rest of you will just have to live with that."
"What if the senshi come after us to get her back?" Larkan demanded and a wicked grin spread across Minuial's face.
"Don't worry about that, they don't even know she's gone." Larkan just shook her head and gave up. She knew that Minuial would only tell her when she wanted to and not a moment before hand.
"Well, Usagi, are you ready?" Minuial asked as she turned to their new member.
"More than ready." Usagi said with an evil smile. "Let's go destroy that little brat and get back what's rightfully mine.
