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Chapter 7 – Cosmos, Eos, & Serenity
The next day...
We were all standing outside Rei's temple. There were so many questions to be asked, so many mysteries to be solved, but nobody said anything. It was as if we were all frozen in time. Last night Hikari had told us her story, that she was Usagi from the future: a different future than we were all familiar with. Kin had showed up in the morning, and asked us if we all had a good time. He was Mamoru, but again we couldn't call him that because he was also missing in this time.
Hikari broke the silence. "Did you have anything you wanted to ask, you know, within reason?" she asked.
"I do," I said. "Where're the Usagi and Mamoru of this century?"
"They should've been back by now," Hikari replied. "The outer senshi won't return until later but Usagi and Mamoru should be here."
"How were they supposed to return?" I asked.
"I'm not sure. Queen Serenity would know," Hikari began. "Yet I feel her strength here diminishing when it shouldn't be. There is definitely something amiss."
"I propose that we investigate," suggested Ami.
"How will we do that without Luna or Artemis?" asked Mako.
"What? Luna and Artemis aren't here either? Something is definitely different. Perhaps this is the reason that we are failing in the future." Hikari deduced. "I will ask Kin to help you investigate while I train Naru."
All senshi agreed.
"You need one thing before you start." Hikari told us. You need the star seed of the queen. Kin will know what to do with it."
"My mother knows about us." I said. "Tell her it's senshi business and she'll be okay with it. The star seed is in a jewelry case on my nightstand. Be careful with it."
They nodded, and beginning to leave, waved goodbye to me and wished me good luck.
Since I hadn't been in my fuku to fight yet, I didn't know any of my fighting phrases. My first lessons were dodging blasts, which Hikari so generously shot at me. When I had completed that, I began to practice my attack phrases, which were very similar to hers. The most powerful one was the same as Usagi's: "Cosmic Moon Power." It was weaker but effective. Third I learned how to lend my power to someone else, and fourth how to power up. This involves channeling more power into me to make me stronger or give me a new power. Surely, I was exhausted when it reached the late afternoon. Hikari told me that I did exceptional for someone who hadn't fought before and that my rest was well deserved. It meant a lot, coming from Usagi, even if she was from the future.
Just as I sat down, the senshi and Kin returned. They had the jewelry case. It glowed with a brighter white light.
"What did you do to it?" I asked Kin, "It was very weak before."
"I added some of the golden crystal's energy to it," he said. "But it is only temporary. It needs Hikari's light or it will fade again."
Hikari nodded and bowed her head. A crystal emerged and lit up the whole area. Quickly as it emerged, Hikari had channeled her energy directly to the star seed and returned her crystal to its proper place.
The star seed now shone with complete brilliance. A transparent figure again emerged from it. She looked relieved.
"For awhile, I believed myself to never return." Queen Serenity exclaimed. "Whose light restored mine?"
We all looked at Hikari.
Queen Serenity nodded. "I was afraid of this. So you have returned, Sailor Cosmos."
Surprise ran through all of us. We had still thought that she held the title of Eternal Sailor Moon.
Hikari hung her head. Then she spoke. "Yes, I have. My attempt to get the Sailor Moon of the past to destroy the Galaxy Cauldron failed, and thus I have returned. There must be another way to defeat this enemy and again restore the future we know."
"Yes, there is. But you realize your first mistake don't you?" the Queen asked.
"I realize now that the Cauldron was never meant to be destroyed." Hikari answered. "Now I realize that the real problem stemmed from this part of the past. Can you help me? Usagi and Mamoru as well as the guardians, Luna and Artemis, have not yet returned."
"I am aware, and again I am frightened. She is supposed to have found her way of her own will. I am afraid that some evil force may have intercepted her. She and Mamoru are very vulnerable in their current state. For once I am at loss as to what actions to pursue."
"I understand. I will remain here and guide the Sailor Senshi until the problem is fixed." Hikari vowed.
"You realize that if the problem is repaired then you may cease to exist?" the Queen asked her.
"Of course. But it will be worth it should the 30th century be preserved."
"My beloved Usagi, you are always willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. Although you have restored most of my power, I must still rest. I will return to the form of a star seed. Call on me if you need, I will help you."
With that Queen Serenity returned the shape of a star seed in Naru's jewelry case, although this star seed emitted a stronger glow.
I looked at Hikari with positive shock. "You mean that you were Chibi Chibi?" I asked, rhetorically. Queen Serenity hadn't told me about that. I knew about Cosmos, but not her presence as Chibi Chibi, and up until now I hadn't put two and two together.
"Well I guess that answers all of our questions." Ami said.
Hikari nodded. "Please forgive me. I was a coward before, and I ran away from my fight. Hopefully now I can right that wrong and make a difference here."
We nodded. We understood.
After absorbing all of this new information, and adjusting from the shock, we opted to again stay at Rei's temple to have a longer senshi meeting and for Rei to look into the fire to find insight into our new enemy.
Just as I finished calling my mother to tell her that I was staying again, Rei shouted out. We all ran to the room she was in. What we saw, no one could have prepared us for. It was Usagi. She was our new adversary.