The Crystal Palace

The upper bridge

Evening

Jupiter sat on the clear, solid guardwall, looking out over Crystal Tokyo. She breathed in the warm air and wished she were relaxing at home.

The gardens of Jupiter would be overflowing with color and greenery... the beauty of the orchids she'd planted... the wonderful fern bed her friends had made would no doubt look perfect.

She sighed and turned around, greeting Venus with a nod. The scout of love smiled.

"Seen anything interesting?"

"No, but the sky is completely orange."

Venus laughed, "It's pretty."

"Yeah..." Jupiter watched the clouds move distractedly, "Hey, Mina..."

"Mmm?"

"Who d'you think it is?"

Venus sat beside her friend, blond hair waving in the breeze.

"I don't know... shouldn't you ask Amy this?"

"I guess, but she isn't here."

"Well... I'm hoping we won't have to deal with Black Moon again... especially for your sake."

Jupiter laughed. When she stopped, she didn't know what else to say.

So they sat in the quiet of the darkening sky.

The Crystal Palace

The royal chambers

Evening

"Why are you so upset?" she demanded.

"I don't like to be second-guessed!"

"She was only trying to help!"

"Well maybe I don't want her help!"

"What is wrong with you!"

Endymion threw his hands into the air and walked to the wall, leaning against it. Serenity stood angrily behind him.

"We don't even know what's coming and you're breaking alliances!"

"I'm not trying to."

Serenity had to accept that response. She didn't want to be fighting with Endymion if they needed to fight together. And she had something else on her mind...

"Endymion, I don't know if I can still... you know. Be Sailor Moon."

He turned to her then, a look of surprise playing on his features, "What are you talking about? You are Sailor Moon."

"I was."

"Serenity!" he quieted himself as she pulled back. He took her in his arms and held her tightly.

"Bunny. You still have your own strength, no matter what has happened in the past."

"Don't you remember fighting all those times... the Circus, Galaxia... Black Moon!"

"Yes."

Serenity looked up at him, "When Black Moon attacked what was then the future... My future self wasn't able to stop it. I failed!"

"Serenity, calm down."

"I got myself encased in glass!"

"Hush! Hush."

He kissed her softly and pushed her hair out of her tired eyes.

They stood there, holding each other, for an eternity of heartbeats.

"We can, Serenity. We can."

The Crystal Palace

The grand stair

nighttime

The five hooded figures stood before the Crystal Palace.

Jupiter and Venus had long since noticed them and called the rest of the scouts. All the inners and outers were standing just inside the giant glass doors.

The opposing forces were staring at each other.

Endymion tried to push his way to the front, but Mars laid a firm hand on his chest.

"King, we're your guardians, remember?"

He stared at her, a retort on his lips. Serenity slipped her hand into his and he remained silent. The scouts readied themselves.

Pluto tapped a small panel with her Garnet Scepter and the great doors swung open.

The figures watched the doors open ever so slowly.

Uranus tightened her grip on her sword.

Pluto held her scepter before her.

Serenity realized far too late that the Imperium Silver Crystal was hanging around her neck.

Thud...

The doors were fully open.

For a moment, only the wind blew, and no one moved.

Then one figure lifted a white-gloved hand and curled it's fingers in a wave... once... twice... Then a male voice echoed.

"Hello, Amy."

Before anyone could react, Sailor Mercury gasped and fell to her knees. She choked on words and sputtered, shaking, ignoring Mars' hand gripping her shoulder.

Jupiter nearly growled at the five people watching her.

Mercury stretched out a hand to the man who had waved, "You... I..."

Mars knelt, "Amy, what is it?"

Mercury fell into Mars' with her arm still outstretched. No one standing outside the Crystal Palace was prepared for what happened next. Mercury opened her mouth.

"ZOISITE!"

And the figures vanished.

Chaos broke out.

The scouts spread out, yelling blind commands to each other. Mars pulled Mercury to her feet. The group managed to form a circle around the royal couple.

Total silence enveloped the room.

The inner scouts were ready to die, then and there. The outers were trying vainly to help them, to stabilize their fragile mentalities. But the voices were still echoing.

"Raye, I've missed you"

Mars shivered angrily at Jadeite's cooing words.

"My, my, Mina. Been quite a long time, hasn't it?"

Venus gripped Pluto's arm. Kunzite barraged her with promises of love.

"Oh, Lita, how you've changed."

Jupiter was eyeing the domed crystal ceiling, trying to find a hint of where Nephrite was. There wasn't even a shadow.

"Amy, Amy, Amy, Amy, hahaha, Amy, why don't you join me, Amy, Amy..."

Mercury was on her knees again, tears streaming down her face. Zoisite's taunting was driving home.

At the center of it, Serenity felt herself shrinking in response to that one hissing whisper...

"Remember me, Moon Girl? Remember how weak I was, how weak you are? I can defeat you now, Sailor Moon, I can defeat you now."

She held Endymion's hands as they stood back-to-back. He was cursing under his breath... something about the impossibility of the situation.

And then... the whispers stopped.

The scouts tensed even more, bracing themselves for an attack.

They were sorely disappointed.

All at once, screaming laughter burst from the air around them. Terrible, shrill calls of madness rang in their ears and drove them back, closer to the king and queen.

"Stop, stop," Mercury was repeating to herself, "stop, stop..."

"Ahahaha! Amy! Amy! Hahaha!"

"Stopstopstopstopstop—"

"ENOUGH!" Serenity screamed, grabbing Mercury by the shoulders and pulling her back. The scout of ice sobbed into the queen's arms.

Beryl's voice cut through supporting words and angry oaths.

"I'll haunt you, Sailor Moon."

There was a distinct sensation of energy leaving the room.

The scouts sighed collectively, relieved. They were gone for now.

Uranus and Neptune stood mute as all others rushed to Mercury. They looked at each other, determining then and there that they would never end up like that.

Mercury was hiccuping and crying into Serenity's dress. Endymion was still standing, tense and en garde. The inner scouts were all a mess. Pluto tried her best to calm Mercury.

Serenity stood, pulling Mercury up with her, "Everyone... get some rest and keep your transformation pens with you."

Uranus stepped forward with a start, "That's it? You'll let them get away!"

"They have no intention of leaving!"

"So we fall asleep and let them kill us?"

"Haruka, at least try to have more faith in the barriers I've set around this palace! We let them in, granted, but I've put defenses up around every room! If you would prefer to sleep outside, I'm sorry, but the doors appear to be locked!"

Uranus looked down, embarassed.

Pluto closed her eyes and concentrated for moment. She couldn't risk this... she shouldn't have come... time was unguarded now.

Serenity surveyed the mentally worn group standing before her.

"Go to your chambers and rest, all of you. Neptune, Pluto, Uranus... there will be guest rooms for you."

They nodded and left as one.

The inner scouts huddled around Mercury and helped her from the room, all walking in a daze.

Serenity and Endymion were left staring at each other.

"This... this was never supposed to happen..." Serenity looked at his wrinkled shirt.

"No, it wasn't. But it did. And now we're going to defeat them again."

"Our past... Our past!" she looked in shock at his face.

"What?"

"If we never destroyed them in the past... we never... I never... I won't know you!"

Endymion could do nothing but hold her close and pray they'd live long enough to correct the past.

Otherwise there would be no future.