THE SECOND MOBIUS
Book Two of Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon CosmicStars
by Nashie (aka ShadowSamurai)
May 2000 – September 2000
Revised - Winter 2001
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and her friends belong to Naoko Takeuchi. The author takes no credit for any of the original storyline. However, all the new characters belong to me and I'd appreciate it if you didn't take any without requesting permission.
Episode 226: Setting the stage! New sailor soldiers and new battles!
"Ugh, this looks awful!" Bunny…Sapphire…commented. She turned away in disgust. "I absolutely will not."
"Oh, stop your complaining," Atlantica giggled. She spun around in the mirror, admiring her new sailor outfit as Sailor Emerald. The skirt and sailor collar were jet black. Both bows were forest green. She had a black ribbon in her hair that held up her bun. Her shoes were black high heels with an ankle strap. "I think it looks marvelous."
"Well, I don't," Sapphire retorted. She stared at her sailor fuku. It had the same black skirt and collar as Emerald's. Her bows were both deep blue. She had black roses in front of each odango. Her boots were also black. Sapphire scowled. "This is getting worse and worse. I'm not even getting those stupid flashbacks."
"Things could be worse," a small voice said. Sapphire turned to the girl in the back of the room who was silently placing the yellow bead bracelets back in hair. Skylar has transformed into Sailor Topaz. She smiled softly to herself. "Quiet now, Bunny-mama. Things could still get better."
"Bunny-mama?" Zephyr, Ruby, echoed, her garnet eyes shimmering. She laughed politely. "That's very cute, Topaz. And I agree with you. Things can only get better."
"Don't call me Bunny," Sapphire retorted. She clinched her teeth. "I can't stand it here. I'm going to the surface of that planet."
"We're not there yet," Emerald reminded her. Her beautiful turquoise eyes glimmered as her mouth curved into a playful grin. "Besides, I want to go with you." Sapphire smiled in response. They weren't sure yet, but there was something between them. Whether it was from just now or from their past, they weren't sure. It wasn't very clear yet and it was more embarrassing then it was deep.
"Well," Ruby said, rising to her feet, "I suppose we had better leave now. I mean, we're close enough to that planet, right?" Sapphire and Emerald nodded eagerly. Topaz slowly rose to her feet, gently touching her braided odangos.
"Yes, we'll find the taboo talisman," she said softly. Her violet eyes shimmered evilly. She picked up the scepter that lay near her feet. "And maybe have some fun in the process. Who's willing to pick on those sailor brats?"
"Let me start the fun," Emerald said sweetly, raising her hand in the air. "Let's try out this new power! Gem youma!" The air glistened above her hand as ten beads of glass shone above her hand. They flew from above her black gloved hand and towards the ground. Slowly, from the beads, snake like monsters grew. Their red eyes glared at Sailor Emerald humbly and evilly. Arms shot out from their sides, wiping violently like vines. Its mouth was full of venomous sticky white teeth.
"Yuck!" Topaz yelped, jumping away in disgust. She wrinkled her nose, shaking a bit. "Emerald! You expect these things to blend in?" Sapphire gave Topaz a silent glare.
"It'll do the job just fine," she assured. "I'm going with them. The taboo talisman is hidden in someone's spirit chalice."
"Spirit chalice?" Ruby asked, pulling her green braid gently. "Yes, yes. I remember something about them. Something…they are supposed to be the marble ball in which someone's soul is encased. If the chosen one is broken, the taboo talisman will appear and the human will go into a deep coma forever until they die." She shook her head. "Murderesses? Lord, forgive us."
"Why?" Sapphire asked, touching her sandy locks softly. Something was wrong. She didn't know what, but something just wasn't right. "Those are our orders Ruby. We follow them…" Sapphire's voice faltered. She couldn't continue. She was questioning her own judgment. What was wrong?
"Something's not right," Topaz murmured, looking at all them sorrowfully. "Either something's missing or something was added or maybe it's both." Emerald shook her head as the snake monsters turned their slimy heads back towards her.
"We can't think about it now," she said, facing the youma. "Gem youma, go and look for the spirit chalice that holds the taboo talisman. I'll join you soon."
"Seegh, gettor," one of the monsters hissed, spitting poison out on the ground. Where the venom touched, the ground sizzled and turned into stone. Emerald shrugged as the ten monsters shimmered and disappeared.
"Oh, so now what?" Sapphire asked, leaning back against her vanity. Her aqua eyes were sharp. "Come on, let's go join the fun."
"Not yet," Ruby said, glaring into her mirror, smiling. Her crimson eyes shown evilly. "Not yet, we can't risk it. Wait until those youma find something."
The four sailor soldiers fell into silence as they waited.
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"Hey, guys!" a high-pitched voice screamed across the street. Hogoshi and the others turned, only to see Usagi and Chibiusa waving them down across the street. Hogoshi waved back, her brown hair bouncing enthusiastically. Rei smiled and waited for the two odango atamas to run across the street to meet them.
"Hey, you went shopping!" Usagi mumbled, noticing the numerous bags the girls were holding. She then noticed the ice cream cones they were each holding. "Ice cream? No fair! I want some!" Minako groaned as Usagi began bawling tears.
"Baka, shhh!" Chibiusa yelled, pointing to a small white bag Usagi was holding. "Remember? You have doughnuts!" Usagi's eyes lit up as she stared at the bag. She began drooling.
"Oh, yeah," she whispered, opening the bag up and popping doughnuts into her mouth. Chibiusa shrieked in disbelief as she grabbed the bag and closed it.
"You can't have all of it!" she screamed.
"Who says I can't?"
"I do, baka!"
"Why, you little…" The girls started staring at each other and stuck out their tongues. The four other girls stared on, embarrassed. Some things never seem to change.
Usagi grabbed the bag away from Chibiusa, but Chibiusa grabbed it right back. Suddenly, they both had a strong grip on the doughnuts. Usagi pulled and Chibiusa pulled. Mako's eyes grew larger.
"Hey, hey, matte!" she yelled, stepping towards them.
Too late.
The bag split open and powdered sugar and mini doughnuts spilled out. The two girls with balls of hair were covered in powdered sugar. They blinked as they both dropped their half of the bag. The doughnuts plopped to the ground. Usagi stared at them, her eyes watering.
"My doughnuts!" she cried, not noticing how silly she looked with powdered sugar covering her nose, cheeks, and eyelashes. Chibiusa, being closer to the ground, had powdered sugar all on top of her hair, her eyelashes, and nose. She sneezed three times, sending little clouds of sugar into the air.
Mako burst out laughing at the sight of them. The ground was covered in powdered sugar and doughnuts with two girls standing over them, one crying and one sneezing clouds of sugar. Rei joined her as well and then, Minako and Hogoshi. Usagi kept crying while Chibiusa tried desperately to hold her sneeze in without success.
"Look at you," Hogoshi cooed softly. She waved her finger. "You're a mess! Now we have to go and get you cleaned up." Chibiusa managed to stop sneezing as she looked up at Hogoshi.
"D-d-dot without by ice creab," she said, her nose clearly stuffed up. "I want sub ice creab since Usagi-baka spilled the doughnuts. You bade a bess!" Usagi stared at her future daughter.
"I did no such thing!" she screeched. Minako tapped Usagi on the head.
"You both did, now stop arguing," she said and before the two could protest, she wiped some of the dust off their heads. "Now, look at you! No ice cream until you get yourself cleaned up." She tapped Usagi's head again, more sugar flying about. Chibiusa moaned about her ice cream.
"Ami-chan!" Usagi suddenly wailed, running from Minako's grasp and towards a blue-haired girl that was coming up behind the group. "They're being mean to me and I can't get any ice cream and Chibiusa spilled the doughnuts and I have powdered sugar all over my hair and…and…" Usagi's bawling was lost as she buried her face in Ami's white jacket.
"Um, that's okay, Usagi-chan," Ami said awkwardly. She looked up at the others. She smiled softly. "I'm not going to ask what happened."
"Okay," Chibiusa piped up, glaring at Usagi. She was being cleaned up by Rei. Her red eyes were blazing. She didn't notice that Rei had stopped wiping her pink hair. "I did not spill the doughnuts, baka."
"You did, you did," Usagi sobbed. Chibiusa shook her head in disgust. Usagi always blamed her for things that she herself screwed up on. She waited patiently for Rei to continue. Chibiusa knew she was still mess. But Rei didn't continue. Chibiusa waited and waited and waited…
"Hey, Rei-chan," she finally asked, gazing up at the raven-haired girl. Her red eyes were curious. She stared at the suddenly alert young woman. "Rei-chan?"
"I've just felt a premonition," Rei whispered, wiping a black wisp of hair from her eyes, which were dark. "The first I've had in a year. Since…" she stopped, taking a quick glance of Hogoshi, "…since a year ago." Hogoshi stared at Rei silently, feeling her throat start to close up. Her eyes suddenly filled with tears and threatened to spill over.
"A premonition," she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "You haven't had those…" Her voice broke. Usagi stopped crying and immediately rushed over to the girl, "…since those two murdered my best friends!" Her voice was lost in sobbing.
"There's a new evil, I can feel it," Rei continued. Her violet eyes widened. "And it's already on Earth! It's attacking now!" She turned to the others, her expression grave. "I know it might take a bit of effort, but we need to transform and find out what's up." Usagi and the others nodded vigorously.
"Yes, let's go beat up some enemy butt!" Mako said, but her once enthusiastic voice was toned down. She felt around her purse and produced a pretty green, pink, and gold henshin pen. She looked around.
"Can't transform here," Chibiusa noted. They turned to a dark alley and began walking to it. Hogoshi didn't follow. Usagi turned around and stared at her oddly.
"Hogoshi-chan?" she asked, walking back towards the tall brunette, worry etched across her face. "Come on." Hogoshi took a deep breath and tried to move her feet. But they remained planted in the ground. Hogoshi stood her ground.
"Hogoshi?" Minako asked, walking up to Usagi's side. Tears were spilling on the brunette's cheeks. "Are you okay?"
"I can't go!" Hogoshi suddenly cried out. "I can't…I might hurt someone. I can't…I won't…" Her voice was lost as she began sobbing hysterically. Usagi ran up to the distraught girl and wrapped both of her arms around Hogoshi's waist, the only part the petite girl could actually reach properly. Hogoshi was unusually tall for a seventeen-year-old.
"You don't have to go, but we need you," Usagi whispered into her chest. Hogoshi tried not to listen to the small, blonde girl, but she found herself doing so.
"If someone gets hurt, I'll never forgive myself," Hogoshi whimpered, her voice barely audible. "It was my fault…my fault…last time…I don't want it to happen again." Usagi gently cupped Hogoshi's hand in her own.
"Maybe this is they way to lose that guilt," Usagi said and felt a stinging pain in her memory. It was her fault too. She was the princess and had the power to stop the tragedy from happening. But, she had been too overconfident in her powers and because of that, she had lost four close friends. She'd never let that happen again…
"Let's go," Hogoshi whispered, taking a deep breath. She dropped Usagi's hand and walked toward the other girls. "I'm ready." The seven walked into the alley quietly.
Usagi pulled out her locket. When was the last time she had actually used that thing? It was right before they left to the Dark Moon. Right before they engaged in that battle. Right before the tragedy. Right before her entire life changed drastically.
She shakily held the locket in her hand. "Moon eternal power…" The others pulled out their henshin pens, except for Hogoshi and Chibiusa who pulled out lockets.
"Destiny cosmos power…"
"Moon crisis power…"
"Mercury crystal power…"
"Mars crystal power…"
"Jupiter crystal power…"
"Venus crystal power…"
"…make UP!" they all shouted in unison. There were seven flashes of light and in a matter of seconds, there stood the familiar soldiers of love and justice.
"Wow, I forgot about that total rush of power," Venus cooed to herself, gently touching the soft golden fabric of her fuku skirt. Eternal Sailor Moon walked up to Sailor Mercury, who was furiously typing in her computer.
"So, where is this monster?" she asked curiously, tossing one of her blonde pigtails over her shoulder. Mercury didn't say anything for a couple of seconds.
"The beach!" Mercury suddenly said. Sailor Moon nodded. It was late summer. Everybody who's anybody would be at the beach.
Chibi Moon looked back towards Sailor Destiny, who was looking rather ill. "Hey, you okay Destiny?" Destiny nodded, touching the silver fabric of her skirt.
"Fine," she said, a shaky smile slowly appearing on her face. "So, what are we waiting for?" Mars nodded eagerly.
"My point exactly! Let's go!"
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Kei looked over the rocks. Waves crashed loudly against the brownish-gray rocks. She was carefully keeping her balance over the slippery surface, trying not to slid off and plunge beneath the waves. She cautiously peeked over the edge of the impossibly large rocks. It was a long way down.
"Hey, Kei-chan, careful!" a voice warned from behind. Yomicha gently grabbed Kei's elbow to keep her from teetering over the edge. Kei gave her a grateful smile. Megumi came tumbling up behind Yomicha and grabbed her leg for support.
"Gee, MichiMichi-chan!" she gasped, her face pink and her tiny chest heaving with every syllable. "You walk too fast!" Yomicha smiled as she patted the little girl on top of the head.
"Why'd you come up here?" Yomicha suddenly asked, turning to Kei. "I mean, this is kind of high." Kei shrugged, looking out at the choppy sea. Her gaze turned to up to the sky and an odd chill passed through her.
"Something's wrong," Kei whispered, goosebumps rising on her arms. She shivered. Yomicha stared at her strangely. "The sea is raging and the sky is hazy."
"I see it, I see it," Yomicha whispered. "It's like a dark aura has spread over them. Strange. I can feel it too. A regular human may not be able to see it with the naked eye. But our senses are enhanced."
"Yeah," Megumi whispered. She tapped her cheek. "It's evil. The evil is here already. What are we going to do?"
"Odd," Yomicha said, her voice dark. The sound was creepy and Kei looked up at her in surprise. "The zodiac senshi were repelled to stay off the earth and the moon unless they found their true leader and returned to their original forms. So they can't be attacking. Hmmph. Must have sent some monsters down."
"What?" Kei suddenly said, her head snapping up. "The monsters are here? Hurry up and transform! We have to go and fight." Yomicha and Megumi stared at Kei strangely.
"We don't fight," Megumi responded, even though her voice sounded a bit strangled. Kei's red eyes widened to their maximum extent.
"What do you mean, 'don't fight?'" she asked incredulously. Her purple curls blew from her face, enhancing her shocked features. "We're sailor senshi, right? We have to go and protect the princess. We can't stand here and let them fight alone." Yomicha's glare cut her off.
"You have no idea what it means!" she snapped, her gray-blue eyes harsh and cold. "If we're hurt or killed in a battle, then what will happen to the fulfillment revelation? We're the only ones who can complete it. If we are seriously injured or even killed, the entire planet goes with us." Kei's anger and frustration rose to boiling point.
"I don't care!" Kei shouted, backing away from the two. "I'm helping them." Yomicha grabbed Kei's wrist and brought her close to her.
"Don't be stupid, Kei-chan," she whispered, her voice as cold as steel. The gray-blue eyes stared at her intensely. "We can watch, okay? But we will not get involve. We will never get involved."
"Why am I getting the feeling that's not the reason you're not fighting?" Kei snapped back. "You're not fighting because you don't want the princess to see you for whatever reasons you have." Yomicha's eyes narrowed.
"What?" she asked. Megumi put her hand on the silver-haired girl's forearm. Yomicha stared down at the red-haired child and nodded slightly. She turned back to Kei. "You have no choice but to listen to us. We aren't going to do anything. You can take that for whatever meaning you like."
Kei's anger froze as well as her heart as she looked into those eyes. "Of course, Yomicha-san." Her voice was a hiss and dripping in sarcasm. "Let's stand by and watch the princess get killed." Megumi glared at the furious girl with spiteful green eyes.
"Be quiet," she muttered. "You do not know the first thing about death."
"If I didn't, I wouldn't be so scared about sacrificing myself!"
"Shut up!" Yomicha growled. Her temper had rose as well. "You don't know how much is at stake here, so just shut up!" Kei fell back, stunned. Her red eyes were mixing with fury and confusion. Yomicha brought her close to her again.
"When there's a time…" she whispered, stroking the girl's soft violet curls. Kei didn't respond. She was lost in her own thoughts.
"Can…can we at least go and see who we're up against?" she asked in a small voice. Yomicha and Megumi looked at each other and shrugged. Why not?
"Okay, we'll go," Yomicha responded, running a hand through her silver locks. She reached into her jacket pocket and brought out a glittering blue and black henshin pen. The handle was black with silver glitter. The base was silver and circular. On top of the base was a blue and silver star that had the sign of Capricorn designed on it.
Kei and Megumi also brought their transformation items. Kei was glad that Selene had gone back home. She wouldn't have approved of this secret mission. Megumi's pen was the same as Yomicha's except for the sign of Scorpio and the trimming in red. The three girls looked at each other and nodded.
"Midnight zodiac power…"
"Capricorn zodiac power…"
"Scorpio zodiac power…"
"…make UP!"
There were three flashes of light as the three girls were bathed in light and transformed. Sailor Midnight finished her henshin and gently stepped to the ground. She shook some sparkling energy from her violet hair as she turned to her other two allies.
Scorpio finished next, her heart-shaped odangos glittering from the black shields. Her ending pose was of her right fist pumping into the air while her other hand was on her hip. The sign of Scorpio, an M shaped design, glowed red behind her.
Finally, Capricorn finished. A glossy energy gently touched her lips as she pulled her body into a pose. Her left leg crossed over her right and she had both hands on her hips.
Midnight stared at Capricorn for a slight second. Her mouth was dropping a bit. This wasn't Yomicha! Well, she knew that the girl had transformed, but she also knew that Yomicha had short silver hair. The soldier standing in front of her had long silver hair that reached to her waist. She had two pigtails pulled away from her face that ended just above her shoulder.
Capricorn noticed the long stares she was getting and smiled. "I'll explain later, Midnight. But for now, let's go and check out what's going on. The other sailor senshi are probably already there." Midnight nodded, dumbfounded.
The three senshi of the revelation walked away from the rocks and the crashing waves, towards the beach.
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The seven senshi ran up to beach eagerly. The people there were just swimming or sunbathing and there were no signs of an attack. Venus sighed uneasily.
"Okay, where's the monster?" she asked, tugging her blonde hair as a grim smile set across her face. "I don't see anything wrong with this scene. Just a whole bunch of cute guys."
"Hmmph, I know I couldn't have been wrong," Mars brooded. She touched her red brooch. "I felt that premonition." Destiny shrugged, happy that there wouldn't have to be any fighting.
"Well, maybe it's a future thing," she said, turning her back. She began walking away. "There's nothing wrong here. I mean, look out ov…" Destiny was interrupted by a blood-curling scream. She spun around and saw a large snake like creature popping up from the water, it's white eyes glaring at anybody and everybody in its way. It opened its mouth, revealing venomous white teeth.
Chibi Moon shrieked and ran behind her future mother. She cautiously peered out, only to see nine more of the creatures pop up from the water. She wasn't at all surprised to see the beach suddenly become denser. People ran past them in fear and confusion.
"Kami-sama, what is that thing?"
"I'm scared!"
"Hey, it's the sailor soldiers!"
"Keep running, you idiot. That thing looks dangerous!"
Sailor Moon struggled to keep her own fear in check. She glared at the monsters, which were surprisingly fast.
Jupiter slammed her fist into her palm. "All right! Let's go and teach them what sailor senshi are made of." She hesitated for a second. "I hope they're not too dangerous."
The ten monsters turned to the sailor senshi suddenly, their eyes searching them deeply. The eyes turned from white to red. Sailor Destiny gasped. They were fast, ugly, and dangerous. And now they were mad too.
Suddenly, a tinkling and elegant laugh filled the air. Sailor Moon froze as she felt an evil presence surround them. Something was vaguely familiar about that laugh. Mercury turned on her visor and looked around them.
"There's someone here!" she announced, the negative readings growing with each passing second. "And I think they're in control of those youma!"
"Correct, Sailor Mercury," a voice said, a laugh on the edge of it. There was a flash of green light. The sailor senshi covered their eyes from the intensity of the light.
"Hello, sailor senshi," the voice continued. Sailor Destiny looked up and saw a girl in a black sailor suit levitating above them. Her skirt and collar was black, but her bows were green. Her brooch was also black with an emerald shimmering in it. Her teal hair was held up in a bun, while some curls gently touched her elegant face. Her turquoise eyes glared down at the sailors. "A pleasure, let me assure you."
Destiny stared at the beautiful girl in amazement. Something about this girl was faintly familiar. She looked like...impossible...no way...
"Let me introduce myself," the teal-haired girl whispered. "My name is Sailor Emerald, soldier of hatred. Now, stand still. Let me take your spirit chalice."
"Our what?" Destiny screeched. There was a glint in Emerald's eyes she didn't like too much. "What is a spirit chalice?"
"Oh, you don't need to worry about that," Emerald snickered as the youma began approaching the sailor senshi. "I'll take it so fast you won't even feel the pain!" A glowing black scepter slowly materialized in her hand. Sailor Moon and Chibi Moon backed away cautiously. Mars and Jupiter ran in front of the two, ready to defend them from any attack.
"Okay, time to use our attacks!" Venus said, her blue eyes snappish. "Venus Love-Me Chain!" She waited for the heart-linked attack to appear and knock the weapon out of the soldier's hands. Nothing happened. Venus shook her head in disbelief. Jupiter grunted.
"Let me try. Supreme Thunder!"
Still, nothing happened. The sailor senshi looked at each other in distress.
"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"
"Fire Soul!" None of the two attacks worked. Sailor Chibi Moon took all this in and decided that maybe a moon child's power might work. She concentrated deeply and the Chibi Moon Kaleidoscope appeared in her hands.
"Now let's see you try to beat this you fake sailor!" Chibi Moon called enthusiastically. She ran between Mars and Jupiter and towards the enemy. Sailor Moon's arms reached out in shock.
"Chibi Moon! No!" she screamed.
"Moon Gorge-" Chibi Moon began to shout, racing her weapon. But Sailor Emerald was much quicker. She raised the Oracle Mace and pointed it threateningly. A black beam shot from the tip and towards the pink-haired soldier.
The next moment passed in a blur for the other sailor senshi. Destiny ran out, towards Sailor Chibi Moon. Sailor Moon stared in horror, but couldn't move out of fear. The black beam hit the smallest soldier in the chest violently. Chibi Moon screamed out in the highest, most agonizing sound that any of the sailor senshi ever heard.
Destiny grabbed Chibi Moon into her arms, but it was too late. The force of the blast sent the two sailor senshi hurtling backwards into the darkness of the trees.
"Aurora Borealis!"
"Heaven Inferno!"
"Twilight Expansion!"
Three attacks combined into one and knocked into Sailor Emerald. Her blue eyes turned to three figures, shadowed by the darkness of the trees. Her fury rose.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice rising. There was silence. She glared at the three sailor senshi and then back at the others who were running towards Chibi Moon and Destiny.
Destiny stared in horror as a baseball-sized, pink marble orb flew from the limp body she held in her hands. Chibi Moon's eyes had become pupiless and her skin pale and clammy. Tears filled her eyes as Sailor Moon ran up. "Chibiusa! Chibiusa! No!"
The pink orb flew to Sailor Emerald, glowing like crazy. Sailor Moon stared at the limp body of her daughter. She collapsed to the ground in the shock while Mars frantically felt for a pulse. There was one...but it was failing.
"I'm sorry, Usagi," Mars whispered, a tear slipping down her cheek. "She's dying. I think she's in a coma."
Sailor Moon stared in disbelief. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be. She took the frail and pliant body from Destiny. She couldn't believe it. Her daughter couldn't be dying. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she began crying hysterically. No, no, NO!
Sailor Emerald studied the spirit chalice intently. She felt a sudden sickness in her stomach. Her hand was shaking. No, it wasn't the taboo talisman. So why did she feel something was so familiar about taking the spirit chalice? Well, not the spirit chalice, but something else.
Emerald slowly descended to the ground and walked over to the grieving sailor senshi. She was ready to give the chalice back now.
Mercury and Venus noticed the approaching figure and rose to their feet.
"We may not be able to fight you with our attacks," Venus hissed, tears spilling profusely down her cheeks. "But I swear, we can still fight physically."
Emerald stared at the tiny body and then at the spirit chalice. "Take it. I don't want it. It's not the talisman." She tossed the chalice towards Destiny. Destiny caught it delicately. Sailor Moon held Chibi Moon's body closely in her arms. Everyone except Sailor Venus turned to Chibi Moon expectantly.
Sailor Venus stared at Emerald wide-eyed. The way she had said, 'it's not the talisman' sounded very familiar. Of course! Uranus and Neptune said the same thing two years ago when they were in search of the three talismans. Emerald sauntered away.
Destiny gently lowered the pink chalice towards Chibi Moon's locket. The locket glowed slightly as Chibi Moon's pink lashes fluttered open. She stared at all of them. "Huh? What happened?"
"Chibiusa!" Sailor Moon shrieked, grabbing the tiny girl in a bear hug. Chibi Moon's eyes snapped open as she struggled to push Sailor Moon away, but to no avail. Venus was still staring at Sailor Emerald. Emerald turned back to her, the curls in her face blowing in the wind.
"Until next time," she said, her voice blowing in the wind. In a flash of green lights, she disappeared. Venus stared after her strangely. That sailor didn't feel like an enemy, despite the fact that she had attacked them. Weird.
"Hey, where did those attacks come from?" Jupiter suddenly wondered aloud. Sailor Moon stopped her crying over Chibi Moon and looked up.
"Yeah, I saw something smacking that sailor in the side," she said, tugging a blonde pigtail nervously. She looked over where the attacks came from and saw three figures with haunting eyes standing in a tree nearby. "Hey! Hey! Who are you?"
The tallest figure looked at her with desolate gray-blue eyes. She turned her back and her silver hair fell softly to her waist. The other two with her stared at the taller one silently.
"I'm Eternal Sailor Moon, princess of the Silver Millennium and future queen of Crystal Tokyo," Sailor Moon called, getting to her feet. She looked at the three figures with honest blue eyes. The first figure spun around, her eyes growing huge.
"Princess?" she mouthed. Sailor Moon nodded and the girl seemed shocked. "Princess Serenity?" She jumped from the tree and landed casually on her feet, still in the shadows. The two other figures followed her lead. "I don't believe it."
"Yeah, I didn't at first either," Chibi Moon piped up, poking her finger at one of Sailor Moon's wings. Sailor Moon popped her on top of the head.
"Who's she?" the smallest of the trio asked. "I've never seen her before."
"That's Sailor Moon's…er…Neo-Queen Serenity's daughter," Mars supplied, rising to her feet. The others stood up too. "So, who are you?"
"For your own safety, we can't tell you that yet," the first figure said, turning her back. Then she looked back, her eyes quizzical. "There seem to be some members of your planetary group missing. Yes, there are. Where are the outer soldiers?"
"Dead," Destiny said flatly. Her green eyes were emotionless as she stared over at Chibi Moon. "They were killed by my 'sisters' a year ago." Then more angrily, she hissed, "Or they killed themselves. Whichever one makes more sense."
"The outers are dead?" the smaller one gasped. Her green eyes were watery. "Pluto…you can't be." Capricorn was also having some trouble groping with this news.
"Saturn can't be dead," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Midnight turned to Capricorn, her red eyes filled with worried. She gently touched her arm. "I would've known. They can't be dead."
Sailor Moon began walking to the three, still unaware who they were. Her blue eyes were trusting.
"Please, tell us who you are. We're all senshi, right? Senshi should stick together."
"Gomen ne, Sailor Moon," the wavy-haired figure said. "It's our duty as the senshi of the revelation not to tell you anything yet. Your information of us will be very limited." Slowly, she began walking away. The taller one stared off after her and then ran towards the retreating figure. The smallest one stayed for a second.
"There's one thing that I can tell you, Serenity," she said, beginning to leave. "We'll always be with and protect you. You may not know, but that's how it is." She then stopped and looked at Chibi Moon. "Be careful next time, Small Lady. Think before you act." She ran off.
Chibi Moon was too stunned to be angry with the diminutive soldier. Her red eyes had widened to the maximum extent. No one called her Small Lady, except for…
…Setsuna.