My Name... Is Usagi Tsukino... I am twenty three years old, and come from an upper class family.. up until recently I was married to the man of my dreams.. the man I have been destined to live with.. Until she returned from the dead.. the dead and killed him.. But that's not important now.. Whats important is that I remember who I am... Oh god.. I can feel it.. Its begining..to.. take...
-Sailor Moon Apocolypse-Episode 206: Queen for a milenium! Esmerodo's Ambition.
Whorls of Purple and blue spun around her, causing sensations of vertigo and nausea. She could sense her friends presence, but in the distraction of the strobing lights she lost all sight of them. A white hole opened up near the end of the tunnel, warm, and inviting. She closed her eyes, allowing the white light to wash over her, Overwhelming her senses...
Sailor moon Awoke on a rather cushy portion of land, her head throbbing. She blinked, trying to clear her mind of the fog that had decided to move in on her thoughts. She glanced around, her eyes gradually becoming adjusted to the darkness. She could make out the dull round shape of the imperiax portal, and glimpses of a leg here, an arm there which she assumed were her friends. Wobbly she began to stand, forcing her legs to solidify from the jelly they had become. A groan came from her left. Jupiter- at least that's who she thought it was- began to sit up.
"Usagi? Is that you?" Her voice came, a bit groggy but otherwise strong. Usagi nodded, and realizing it was to dark said "Yeah... can you make out the others?"
"No... There's not really enough light to see by in here... But if you and I made it.."
"There is a good chance we all did." Came the cold voice of Sailor Pluto. She pulled the top off of her staff, and held in her hand. The Garnet stone in the center of the heart shape flared to life, illuminating the room in a blood red blaze. Uranus, Pluto, Magellan, and Justin were laying on the ground, but all seemed to be breathing.
"Esmerodo and Vertigo are missing.." Usagi began. Jupiter jumped up, suddenly very sorry she had done so. She sat back down, a little woozy.
"They woke up before us... made their escape..." Her sentence trailed off as she glanced to Pluto. Her face was contorted with effort.
"Pluto.. what's wrong?" Pluto shook her head.
"The time stream.. I can't feel it... I can't see the future.." Sailor moon quirked a brow.
"That's impossible.. its your job..."
"Unless it's not my job anymore..." Pluto began. She glanced to her staff. "Sailor Moon.. This does not bode well.."
Sailor moon Rolled her eyes. Struggling to stand up, the remaining senshi slowly rose to their feet. Usagi shook her head, trying to clear it of the lingering memory of Mamoru's death. Slowly, she reached for the polished knob that jutted out in front of her. She opened the door, her eyes quickly adjusting to the surreal green light that began to filter through.
Setsuna gasped, a look of disgust crossing her face. In front of them, standing on a white marble Dais stood a ten foot figurine of a face they knew all to well. Curve upon voluptuous curve that would drive any mortal man wild with thoughts of sexual frustration looked down on them in all of her haughty glory.
"A tribute to our lady of green." Pluto read aloud. Haruka cleared her throat, and shifted from foot to foot. Michiru shook her head. Usagi thought for a second.
"Well whoever put this here had VERY bad taste.." She began. Magellan walked up, her blue heels clicking on the cold stone surface.
"I have to say I agree." She quipped. Her heel came down on a piece of paper, a crisp rustling noise bore into the air. Bending down, she picked it up, and slowly uncoupled it.
"Well Well.. Looks likes someone's been busy." She said, handing the paper off to Pluto. Pluto took a second and read.
"Apparently.." She showed the paper to Sailor moon, who took a minute to absorb everything.
"A coronation ceremony? But.. The US isn't a monarchy.."
"At least it wasn't when we left it. Sailor Moon.. I think something went horribly wrong when that reactor went out."
Sailor moon shook her head. "You mean..."
Setsuna nodded. "The reason I can't feel the time stream.. is because at this point in time I don't exist.. for that matter.. neither do the rest of you."
Uranus quirked a brow. "How's that possible? We're here.. We're alive and well."
Pluto nodded. "But, we're not support to be. When we vanished from our time line... Oh god.. we never made it back." Pluto sunk to her knees.
"So Esmerodo has the Imperiax." Justin began.
Uranus shook her head. "It still doesn't explain why we still exist.."
"For the same reason Justin and I are able to exist." Magellan began. "We are outside of time. Immune to the changes.. We died that day we vanished... at least that's what the general populace thought.."
"You mean.." Neptune began. Magellan nodded.
"Esmerodo must have killed the remaining senshi.. or imprisoned them.. and now she's taken control of the future.."
Usagi stood up. "Ah, so we're dead- and the senshi are dead, and a mad green haired woman is cremating a princess? What kind of world is this?"
Setsuna shook her head. "The worst kind... one without Sailor soldiers.."
They had all lost the Sailor Uniforms, not finding it prudent to keep them on for risk of attracting attention to themselves. Usagi Tsukino, Sara. Justin, Setsuna Meier, Haruka Ten'ou, Michiru Kaoih, and Makoto Kino all traipsed down a darkened city street. The low hum of mechanized progress seemed to berate all of their ears. The streets were silent, the only sound audible besides the machines were there footsteps. Several times they had passed cards with traditional police colors, and had been questioned as to why they were out so late. Shopping, they had answered rather hesitantly. The sky was a hideous ebony, mixed with just enough smog to make one think of lung cancer. Finally they came to their destination- An extravagant Sky scraper, carved of sickening green Emerald. Setsuna put up a hand.
"I hardly think we're dressed for a coronation ceremony. Usagi, can you whip us up something more suitable?" Usagi nodded, and pulled out a relic of her own past.. one that hadn't been used in ages.
"Disguise power!" She shouted, feeling the old excitement of a new identity creep up on her. "Make us into some greatly dressed party crashers!" Instantly the girls were dressed in extravagant party gowns, Justin in a very formal looking tux.
"Still haven't lost my touch." Usagi giggled to herself. Setsuna nodded. She grasped the invitation and concentrated, melting some of the ink together. "Seven should be enough..." She handed the duplicates to the others. "This should at least get us in."
The seven walked in, and we stopped by a blue haired woman with a strange head dress. She wore a white flowing gown, that reached down to the ground.
"N..Nipasu.." Usagi whispered. Makoto nodded.
"Invitation please." She said flatly. Usagi shyly flattened the piece of paper against the druids hand. The rest followed suit, each followed by the careful eye of Nipasu.
"Enjoy the show." She said flatly. As soon as they were out of earshot, Usagi spun and faced her group.
"We killed her. She shouldn't be.."
"Bow down!" Came another voice from behind them. "The mistress of Tau-ceti has arrived." A bubble gurgled in Haruka's stomach. She turned slowly to see a creature with A pot like belly come down, dressed in a very traditional Japanese gown.
"Chagarma... and the mistress.." The girls sunk to their knees, as a woman slowly walked down the hall, head held high. Her dress was a dark midnight purple, and her hair cascaded well beyond her shoulders, finally pooling around her feet.
"Mistress nine.."
"We killed her too." Michiru whispered. "That means.."
Armor clanked just beyond Mistress nine. An orange haired woman, in bright golden armor walked in with a court of five others.
"Queen Galaxia.. of Zero star Sagitarius." Nipasu turned and smiled coolly, closing the door.
"Ladies.. your seats will be atop among our more important guests.." Nipasu said bowing her head. She gestured up one set of stairs. Galaxia and Mistress 9 looked at eat other and smiled. Mistress 9 put a hand onto Galaxia's plated shoulder.
"It's been such a long time Ormico."
"I know Zyrath. We have much to discuss." The two talked like two school girls as they ascended the stairs. Nipasu turned to the senshi.
"You will have to watch from the floor." She showed the seven in through a golden archway. The room was done in gaudy green, as they would have expected. Statuettes of Esmerodo lined the inside walls.
"How garish.." Setsuna muttered, taking up a spot in the middle.
Usagi pointed to a dais that was high enough so everyone in the room could see. Fifteen droids lined the wall, the sixteenth space being occupied by a red throne. The doors behind the throne flung open- and Vertigo, Esmerodo, and a small green haired woman walked out. The green haired girls hair was done up in two odango style balls.
Everyone around the senshi sunk to their knees, and the senshi followed suite. Esmerodo walked up to the stone pillars that kept her section walled in and smiled at her people.
"Blessed are you, oh green haired one..
You freed us from such evil..
You taught us to fear, what had already begun..
And hath tamed the evil of our universe.." The eerie chant seemed to go on for what seemed to be an eternity.
Usagi shook her head, in shock. "This... is.." She began. Sarah Shook her head.
"Unreal?"
Esmerodo raised her hands and looked directly down at the senshi. "My people.." She began, smiling. She took a step forward.
"I am so glad you could all make it... For tonight is a grand and joyous occasion. It is the day that I shall name my successor..." She raised a gloved hand to the young girl.
"My daughter, Princess Chizzella.. has decided that she will in fact take her mother's place after I pass... but first.. She must prove herself.."
The gates behind the senshi vanished, leaving them boxed in a room with scared peasants.
"For you see.. She must show that she is willing to do anything to rule this kingdom.. and if that means killing to make her point.. then so be it.."
Michiru's stomach began to turn at that thought.
The people around the senshi began to riot, attempting to climb up the marble walls. Pandemonium broke loose- people crawling over other people trying to reach a non existent walls. Someone stepped on Usagi's foot, causing her to yelp.
Setsuna looked directly at Esmerodo. "She's going to slaughter innocence.." Magellan glanced toward Setsuna.
"A blood bind.. She's trying to cement this future.."
Esmerodo continued. "But fear not, the blood you spill will complete her transition and secure our great nation in the pages of history forever.." The little girl smiled and jumped up onto the railing, poising herself for attack. The senshi all reached for their transformation pens.. just as she let loose the first blast of lightning..
Esmerodo's eyes widened as the senshi transformed in front of her.
"You!" She shrieked, as Sailor moon appeared. Quickly she reached for her daughter. "Chizella.. not today.. we shall have to complete this some other time.." Esmerodo snapped her fingers. causing three of her droids to jump down into the Frey.
Nipasu was the first to land, and wasted no time in letting a blast of frigid air loose chilling the senshi to the bone. Ude ring landed and unleashed a three ring energy attack that locked Sailor Neptune and Uranus together at the wrists. Finally Giwak locked the remaining senshi in her gelatinous prisons.
"Sailor soldiers..." Giwax hissed. "Itsss been such a long time."
Nipasu nodded, as she turned to Sailor Jupiter. She inhaled deeply, and blew out frosty air. Jupiter froze, as a shriek sounded from the opposite side of the room. Giwakx had fallen and Justin and Magellan fell gracefully to the floor.
"She's water based.. She shouldn't have messed with me." Justin smiled. Magellan smirked, as she walked over to Nipassu, who was struggling to get up. She smiled to sailor moon.
"We're not in Tokyo anymore my friend.." She whispered. She brought the butt of her staff down hard on Nipassu's face, the sound of bone cracking echoing around the room. Nipassu shrieked, and then fell silent, her nose having been pushed into her metallic brain.
A ring of energy flew at Magellan and Sailor moon. Jupiter countered with a blast of lightning knocking her energy out of the air.
"You still haven't learned.. reborn and all." She clicked her tongue.
Ude ring spun, sending four rings toward the senshi. A tide of water, and a yellow ball of energy knocked Ude ring back against the wall.
"Sailor moon!" Uranus called.
"Finish her off." Neptune chimed in. Sailor moon nodded. She reached out her hand, calling forth the eternal moon tier.
"Starlight honeymoon.." She began.. and then stopped. The tier began to shimmer, a bright gold. "... She doesn't need to be healed.. just returned.." She whispered to herself. Grabbing the eternal moon tier, it began to elongate, into a bright white rod that seemed to illuminate the room.
Her eyes seemed to become hollow, as her outfit began to glow. Her Senshi outfit flared to a bright white that radiated almost brighter then the rod itself.
"Child of darkness... From a time forgotten..
Return now.. from whence you came..." Usagi's voice boomed. Rays of light snaked out toward Ude ring, her eyes terror filled.
"Power of the white moon.. flow through me.." The energy began to engulf udering.
"Neo moonlight flare!" She exclaimed, as her rod burst forth with an intensity that even the most blind of individuals would have been able to see.
Ude ring shrieked for a second, and then was gone.. all that remained of either of the three droids.. was just a shadow placed on the wall. She looked to one of the walls and pointed, a sudden hole appearing.
Sailor moon's outfit began to fade, the light that had illuminated the building extinguished. She fell to her knees, a drop of blood falling from her lips.
"Sailor moon!" The senshi cried, as they ran to her. Magellan and Justin just watched from a distance, stunned.
"She is the one.." Magellan whispered in awe.
"The senshi of legend.." Justin whispered...
Sailor moon looked to her friends, and stood up weakly.
"We need.. to get out of here.." She whispered. Uranus and Neptune, hands now free, helped her to her feet. The senshi walked slowly to the door, uncertain of the world that they had found themselves in...
Esmerodo Fumed as she tossed a jade figurine against the wall. How dare those tarts follow her! And then to intrude on her daughters coronation.
"Mommy.. who were those people?" Asked Chizzella, her green eyes wide with fear.
"Old friends of Mommies dear." She began. "Just old friends." On the horizon the thunder rolled. The Sailor soldiers had returned.. She glanced to the horizon with angry eyes.
"Just old friends.."