"Oh, no! All gone!" She whined and threw the now empty bag away. "I knew I should have bought more." She grumbled to herself as she dragged her feet.
"Cute skirt, Serenity." And Usagi stared at him in shock.
"Why did you call me that?" She asked dumbfounded.
"That is your name, darling." He said as he moved closer toward her. She cautiously backed away from him, still confused.
"That's Eternal Sailor Moon to you." Usagi said as she found her voice. Suddenly, he was only inches away from her. He had moved so fast that she didn't have time to react.
"Don't be so formal with me, Serenity." He said with that sly grin spread across his face. "You never used to be like that with me." And his hand tenderly caressed her cheek as she stood frozen with fear.
"Well, I guess we will have to finish this conversation later." He said and snapped his fingers. Behind him a black portal opened and as he stepped toward it, he looked back at her. "Believe me, I will be seeing you again and soon." Then he was gone and he took the portal with him.
"Well, are you going to tell us, odango? Or are you just going to stare into space!" Mars said with annoyance obvious in her voice. Usagi stuck her tongue out at her and said,
"If you hadn't taken so long in getting here, you would have seen for yourself."
"Come on now. Don't you two start." Venus said, carefully separating the two. "Now what happened, Usa-chan?"
"Do we have a new enemy?" Mercury asked quietly. Usagi nodded solemnly and said,
"Yes, and a very dangerous one I think."
"Usako?"
"Yes, Mamo-chan?" She said as she turned around. He gently pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her.
"Don't worry, Usako." He said softly, "Everything will be just fine."
"Go home and sleep well, Usako."
"I will, Mamo-chan." Usagi whispered and left his apartment.
"Princess Serenity," The girl said in a pleading voice, "Please, help me sister."
"You have to help me. I don't know how much longer I can hold out against him."
"But who are you?? What do you want me to do?" Usagi asked her.
"Please come to the park at midnight tomorrow." She said as she began to fade away, "Help, me sister!" And then she was gone.
"Close the window, Usagi-chan. It's cold." Luna muttered sleepily.
"Oh, sorry Luna." She said and shut the window tight.
"Luna, do I have a sister?" And Luna sat up stiffly.
"What do you mean? You know that you don't Usagi." She said trying to act nonchalantly. Usagi studied Luna carefully and noticed that she couldn't stop fidgeting.
"I mean, did Queen Serenity have a daughter besides me?"
"Why do you ask that?" Luna said cautiously. Usagi turned back to the mirror and continued brushing her hair.
"Because I had a dream with a young girl with a crescent moon and she called me her sister. She begged me for help, Luna."
"I think you should call a meeting of the senshi." Luna said with a serious look on her face.
"If you say so, Luna." Usagi replied as she went to the phone.
"I believe that you have all heard of Usagi's dream?" She asked and they all nodded.
"Okay well, I didn't want you to know this because I feared it would only bring you pain," Luna began, "A year or two after Serenity was born, Queen Serenity gave birth to another daughter and it was the best kept secret on the Moon. In order to protect the new baby and have another heir whose life wouldn't be in danger, Queen Serenity sent her to live on Neptune. There the princess lived and grew in happiness. On her sixteenth birthday, she was told of her heritage, which was also the night of the attack on the Moon Kingdom. As Sailor Saturn lowered her Silence Glaive to end the era of the Silver Millennium, and the Outer senshi gathered around the princess, she disappeared. Before the senshi could even react, the Silver Millennium was destroyed and we were all sent to this new Earth. That is all I know about your sister, Usagi." Luna finished.
"Luna, what was her name?" Rei asked.
"She was named Princess Destiny."
"How do you know this much about her?" Minako asked.
"When Queen Serenity used the last of her powers to send everyone here, she did not find Princess Destiny among the dead souls. Therefore, we determined that she must not have been killed with everyone else and she couldn't be reborn."
"So what should I do?" Usagi wondered and everyone grew quiet.
"Usagi-chan," Rei began, "I know that you won't like this much, but you shouldn't go to meet her." And Usagi jumped to her feet.
"What are you talking about?" Usagi demanded, "She's my sister! She needs my help!" The girls all looked very serious and Usagi stared at them in confusion.
"Usagi-chan," Ami said patiently, "It could be a trap." Usagi crashed her fists on the table in front of her and laid her head down.
"But I have to help her!" She cried softly to herself. Minako laid her hand on Usagi's shoulder and said,
"I know, but we can't risk it. I am sorry."
"You have to promise us that you won't go to the park tonight." Makoto told Usagi.
"I promise." Usagi muttered. But she knew she couldn't keep that promise. She wouldn't abandon her own sister, even if she had never known her. She felt sorry that she had lied to her friends, but she had to go. No matter the cost.
"I told you we would meet again, Serenity." He said and Usagi watched him carefully.
"Why are you here?" She asked and his laugh made her shiver in fear.
"You're here to see Princess Destiny, aren't you?" He replied.
"What do you know about my sister?" She said suspiciously.
"I can take you to her." He told her and the portal opened up next to him, "She's right through there. All you have to do is go in and bring her out. I'm sure the princess would love to see you."
"How can I be sure I can trust you?" Usagi asked hesitantly.
"You can't." Said a voice from behind her and she saw Mamoru making his way across the park toward them.
"Nice to see you again, Asarel." Mamoru said and Asarel frowned at him.
"So you found her in this lifetime too, Endymion." Asarel said with disgust.
"Usako, come away from him. It's just a trap. All he has ever wanted is the Silver Crystal." Mamoru told her and Usagi began to walk away from Asarel.
"That's not exactly true," Asarel began, "I wanted Serenity just as much as I ever wanted the crystal. And this time, I will get them both." And moving again with his lightening speed, Asarel grabbed Usagi by the waist and headed for his portal.
"Mamo-chan!" Usagi screamed and reached out to him.
"Usako!" He cried as he ran after them. But he was too late. In an instant, Asarel disappeared through the portal with Usagi in his grasp. Mamoru reached the portal just as it closed and he looked at the place it had been in. He stood there in shock as the senshi ran up to meet him.
"Damn her!" Mars shouted, "I told you that she would go anyway, Mamoru! Why doesn't she ever listen to sense!"
"How could she, Mars?" Venus commented.
"It was her sister who was in danger." Mercury noted quietly.
"Isn't there anything we can do?" Jupiter demanded in frustration.
"All we can do is wait and pray that she can win this battle." Mamoru said. Everyone grew quiet and silently prayed that Usagi was strong enough to defeat this new enemy and save Princess Destiny.
"Alone at last." Asarel said as he leaned against a crystal wall. Usagi stood with her back on the invisible barrier that kept her from reaching her sister. "Have you missed me, Serenity?"
"I don't know who you are." She said honestly.
"What a shame," He told her, "Shall I remind you? We have plenty of time."
"Why do you have my sister captive?" Usagi asked in an attempt to change the subject.
"Well, you're in luck. That is part of the story." Asarel replied, "Long ago, when the Silver Millennium was in its Golden Age and the Moon Kingdom was the most beautiful place in the universe, I traveled to the moon. I had come from a distant star, looking for a bride and when I first saw you, I knew I had found my wife. It didn't hurt any that by marrying you, I could gain the Silver Crystal and infinite power. Unfortunately, a troublesome prince from Earth alerted the queen to my ambitions."
"Endymion." Usagi whispered and he frowned.
"Yes, your dear Prince Endymion. Because of him I was banished and lost my chance at the Crystal and you. But I struggled on. Instead of returning home, I lurked in your solar system and waited. Finally, my chance came when I learned that a moon princess was on Neptune and I jumped at the opportunity. When the moment was right, I reached out with the last of my energy and stole the princess from right under her soldier's watchful gaze. Then to my eternal dismay, I discovered that it wasn't you, but an entirely different princess that I hadn't known existed. Next I learned that the Silver Millennium had been destroyed and that you along with the crystal were lost to me in that time. So again, I waited. Finally centuries later, I felt the power of the crystal again but this time coming from Earth. I traveled to Earth and found you, knowing that only a moon princess could use the Silver Crystal. I realized that I had another chance to succeed in my dreams. So I allowed the princess to send a message to you that would bring you into my grasp. Now, here we are, together again at last and the Silver Crystal too. Fate has a funny way of working things out."
"Fine then, let's just skip to the crystal. Hand it over!" He shouted at her as he shook with fury.
"Never!" She insisted and she held her hand protectively over her broach.
"Fine, if that is how you wish it!" He snarled and clenched his hands together. Power radiated from it and he smiled cruelly as her sister suddenly screamed out in pain.
"No, stop!" Usagi begged him as she watched her sister torn with pain. Asarel relaxed his fist and Destiny stopped screaming. She sat trying to catch her breath and her shoulders shuddered with sobs. Sadly, Usagi knew what she must do even if it meant giving up her own life.
"Fine, here's the crystal. Just don't hurt my sister anymore." Destiny heard Usagi say and she looked up to see her handing the crystal out to Asarel.
"No! Serenity don't!" Destiny cried out to her and was instantly wrapped in more pain. Again, she screamed and couldn't breath for a moment. Then it subsided and a dull throb was left.
"I'm sorry, but I have to save you Destiny." Usagi whispered and opened her hand to reveal the crystal to Asarel.
"Please mother. If you ever loved me, let me help Serenity! Please give me the strength!"
"Dear Destiny, I have always loved you and it broke my heart to send you away. Do you really want to save your sister?"
"More than anything!" Destiny cried without hesitation.
"Very well then, daughter. I will give you the power to break your bonds, but I'm afraid that is all I can do. The Silver Millennium was a long time ago and my power has faded." Queen Serenity told her sadly.
"That is more than enough. Thank you, mother." She said softly. Queen Serenity faded away and time began to return to normal.
"I love you." Destiny whispered and went ahead to face her fate.
"In the name of the Moon," Destiny shouted as she faced Asarel, "I will protect my sister!"
"What?" Asarel asked confused.
"That was my line!" Usagi muttered.
"Where did that come from?" Destiny asked herself in confusion, "Now, transform into Sailor Moon!"
"Right!" Usagi yelled as she snatched the Silver Crystal away from Asarel's grasp. "Moon Eternal Make-Up!"
"No!" Asarel screamed in rage. As Destiny watched in horror, she realized that he was going to hit Usagi with everything he had before she could finish transforming. It would most likely kill her and that was a tragedy that Destiny could not handle.
"Please, Destiny. Don't leave me! Please!" Usagi cried as she held her sister to her.
"That's one less moon princess to deal with." Asarel said cruelly.
"Now you will pay for ever thinking you could harm my family!" She cried with anger replacing the tears. Light began to flow out from the crystal and with a yell, Serenity directed it at Asarel.
"Oh, Serenity. I'm so glad I got to see you and it was nice to save you." Tears spilled down her face and Serenity held her close.
"I'm so sorry I didn't remember you. Why did you save me?" Serenity asked.
"I had to," Destiny muttered, "I love you." And she took one more breath and Princess Destiny of the Moon Kingdom died.
"I love you too." Serenity said as she cried for the death of the sister she never really knew. "I'm sorry that I can't save you. I just don't have the power. But I can grant you another life. A life where you can be happy and live in peace. But you won't remember any of this or our home. I hope you will be happy." She said and held the Silver Crystal over Destiny's body. A light filled Destiny and she glowed for a moment before vanishing in a shower of small lights.
"Be happy, my sister." Serenity whispered as she watched what was left of her sister disappear.
Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash of light in the sky, and everyone looked up. Surrounded by a bubble, Princess Serenity floated down from the sky and the senshi ran to where she landed.
"Princess Serenity!" Venus shouted, "Are you okay?" Princess Serenity turned and smiled at her as she stood up off the ground. In a burst of light, she became Usagi again and Mamoru rushed over to her and pulled Usagi into his arms.
"Usako, are you okay?" Mamoru asked.
"Yes, I'm fine. Everything is alright." She told him.
"Well, what happened?" Mars demanded.
"It can wait until tomorrow." Venus said to them all and Mars frowned but gave up.
"I just need some sleep." Usagi said softly as sleep began to take over.
"Come on, Usako. I'll take you home." Mamoru said and the girls smiled as the two lovers walked away with their arms around each other.
"Sounds like it was an emotional fight." Ami commented as the girls walked out of the Game Crown Center. Usagi smiled but said nothing.
"At least she didn't screw it up!" Rei said.
"Oh, come on, Rei!" Makoto replied and Usagi stuck her tongue out at Rei.
"It's not like you were there to help!" retorted Usagi.
"I'm so sorry." Usagi apologized serenely.
"Oh, its okay." A musical voice said and Usagi looked up to see a girl with pale pink hair in heart shaped odango staring back at her. Usagi froze as she recognized the girl who used to be her sister.
"Nice hair." The girl said before she continued on her way. The girls were watching Usagi with confused looks on their faces.
"How can you be sure that Princess Destiny is happy?" Minako asked as they continued walking.
"I just know she is." Usagi smiled softly as she watched her sister walk down the street. "I just know."
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon in any way. Destiny and Asarel are my own creations though.
P.S. Look forward to the next part of this story. More on Princess Destiny coming soon!
