Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: Chaos Theory
Act 35: The Missing Piece
By: Sora Kazeno
The four groups of Senshi had been in constant contact with each other while on Nemesis, but none had seen Eris since his last attack against Sailor Mercury, Sailor Oberon and Sailor Star Maker. No one had found any clues about Sailor Cosmos' whereabouts either. It had been a long twenty-hours since their last contact with their enemy. They weren't any closer to finding Usagi. The group had become a bit discouraged, but they refused to give up. They struggled to move forward. They have to remain optimistic.
"We have to be getting close to something… or someone. We haven't seen anyone since we separated from the others days ago. I feel that we've searched so much of this planet…" Sailor Phobos' voice trailed off mid-sentence as she held up her hand to gather the attention of the other senshi.
Her actions caught the attention of the others and they began to be on high alert.
Sailor Phobos gestured with her head to the right ahead of her. The four other senshi walked silently forward.
Sailor Triton gasped at the sight before her. Eris and Ixion walked around in what appeared to be ruins of an old city. Eris appeared frustrated and kept glaring at Sailor Cosmos' staff. The group had the perfect vantage point on their opponents. The city provided them with cover to sneak up on their enemy.
"Finally…" whispered Sailor Star Fighter; anger flashed in her eyes.
"Keep your emotions in check…" Sailor Umbriel warned Sailor Star Fighter. "I understand you want payback… but we must be rational since we may only get one chance."
Sailor Star Fighter scowled at Sailor Umbriel for her remarks talking to her as if she was a child. She took a deep breath which gave her a moment to think and understood the rationalization of the other senshi' warning. Sailor Umbriel was correct, they would only have one chance and she wasn't about to blow it because she wasn't thinking clearly. "Okay…" Sailor Star Fighter whispered back.
"Let me contact the others and see if any of them are close by. The more of us there are, the better chance we have of stopping Eris," stated Sailor Mars while she tapped on her communicator.
Sailor Mercury quickly used her computer to narrow in on their location. "I have some bad news…" Sailor Mercury's static filled voice was heard over the communicator. "We are all further apart from each other than before. But it would probably be a good idea for us to begin to regroup. Sailor Venus… your group is the closest. You can try to teleport some of the distance, but I would suggest at least 25 kilometers out. How much cover would they have?"
"That should be enough," responded Sailor Phobos after glancing behind them. "Set the coordinates…. South from our present location."
"Okay, Minako-chan. I'll contact you separately," Sailor Mercury's voice cut off from the communicator.
"We should probably wait for Sailor Callisto's group." Sailor Triton looked at the others for confirmation.
"We might be too late if we do that," interjected Sailor Mars. "If Eris finds the crystal before they arrive we have to go after him."
Sailor Phobos and Sailor Star Fighter nodded their heads in agreement.
"… In the meantime we should move a little closer and keep a watchful eye over them." Sailor Umbriel suggested.
"Okay, Ami-chan," responded Sailor Venus, as she cut off the connection on her communicator.
Sailor Callisto examined the coordinates and compared them to their present location. "We still have a lot of ground to cover. It would be best if we teleported in short bursts."
Sailor Star Healer was confused by her statement. "What do you mean?"
"We should only teleport to a location we can see. I don't want to blindly rush there and Eris is tipped off by our appearance," justified Sailor Callisto.
Sailor Star Healer understood her reasoning, but the Starlight was becoming impatient. "I'm tired of chasing after them. We have to end this soon."
"Absolutely." Sailor Callisto said, as she prepared the group to teleport to the first location at the edge of the horizon.
"You are the farthest group out," Sailor Mercury explained to Sailor Jupiter's team.
"We should probably regroup as well," said an exhausted Sailor Charon. She was tired of the enemy slipping away. She knew the other senshi were drained from recent events and they would be safer in numbers. The longer the mission dragged out, the less likely they would succeed with stopping Eris.
"We will start heading in your direction…. We'll keep in touch." Sailor Jupiter said, cutting off the connection on her communicator. Radio silence began anew as another group of senshi prepared to battle Eris for the crystal shards.
Time passed slowly while the five senshi intently watched each movement Eris and Ixion made. Some of the senshi began to hope Eris would find a crystal shard so they could attack him. Even though the second group of senshi were a great distance away from their present location.
Ixion was carefully watching the staff in Eris' hands for any reaction like the past five times. This was supposed to be the last crystal shard they needed in order to complete the Black Crystal. Once this piece was found they could finally return to Earth and progress to the next phase of the plan. Ixion periodically looked up to survey his surroundings. He did not see any senshi in their vicinity. They were fortunate not to encounter any of the other senshi when they collected the last two pieces. He found it odd that they ran across two of three Starlights. The one they expected to see most was noticeably absent.
Sailor Cosmos drifted back into consciousness and blinked her eyes several times.
She was no longer surrounded by darkness. She was sitting near a pond surround by a forest on a cloudless night. She looked across from her and was met face to face with Princess Serenity. To the right of Princess Serenity sat Sailor Cosmos. Confused, she looked down at herself and realized she was dressed as Tsukino Usagi. She panicked for a moment believing she was trapped and powerless… but her alter egos sat across from her… at the same time. How was this possible?
"What is going on?" Usagi questioned. She didn't understand how there could be three of her in one location.
"A shift is about to occur." Princess Serenity responded softly. Her tone was calm and reassuring. "It is time the three of us spoke… openly about the future."
Usagi looked at Sailor Cosmos and bit her lip. Sailor Cosmos sat there solemnly staring at her. Usagi shifted nervously and looked back and forward at her two forms. She was pretty sure she knew what they were going to talk about, each was in love with a different man and she was caught in the middle.
"Our powers are growing, rapidly and your indecision is dangerous…. It makes your emotion unstable. You could lash out and attack by mistake. The results would be disastrous," Princess Serenity spoke in a firm tone. "You are aware it is only a matter of time until the title Princess Serenity will be a title of the past… and Neo Queen Serenity's reign will begin… As Queen, you will need a King… and it is unheard of for the King to be an outsider…" Her voice trailed off. She tried to nudge Usagi towards Prince Endymion.
Sailor Cosmos glared at Princess Serenity, "What are you saying?" She didn't wait for a response. "Just because it's unheard doesn't mean it isn't possible. Look at you. It was unheard of for the Moon Princess to be a senshi, but it happened. It is also unheard of for the Queen to be a senshi… but you will still have the ability to be one once you ascend to the throne." Counter Sailor Cosmos. She sat quietly for a moment to wait for Princess Serenity's response.
"I was reborn, so I could protect the Earth."
"And I was reborn to be able to protect the stars… which includes this star system. My abilities were within you, but you never accessed them. It is only natural for those abilities to be reborn again with you."
Sailor Cosmos turned to face Usagi. "I can protect this planet better than Neo Queen Serenity."
Princess Serenity frowned. "Clearly you are underestimating my abilities."
"No… you've been tapping into my powers for years during this life time, you just never knew it. How else could you have come back from the dead so many times?"
"Enough!" Usagi shouted. She couldn't continue to listen to them argue back and forth. "I will make a decision soon… but as Tsukino Usagi. This is my life to lead. I know that whatever I chose, one of you will be unhappy, but you have to be able to make peace with the decision. You are both reincarnations…. But you were reborn in my body". She turned to look at Princess Serenity. "I know I will become Queen soon and before that happens I will make a decision, but if I chose Seiya you'll have to live with him being by my side." She directed her next statement at Sailor Cosmos and shifted her gaze. "Once I am the Queen, there may be times I will need to return to battle as a senshi and if that happens you have to be okay with the possibility of me choosing Endymion." She wanted to emphasize her point. "This is my decision to make."
Princess Serenity and Sailor Cosmos were surprised by Usagi's commanding influence. They had not expected this from the young girl.
Sailor Cosmos wanted to give Usagi one last piece of advice. "Just make sure… when the time comes to bare children… you must stop becoming a senshi while you are expecting. It will have deadly results…" Her voice lowered when she disclosed a part of her past.
Usagi nodded her head in agreement. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "But…I can't make my decision while I am trapped in here! We have to work together." She opened her eyes to learn Princess Serenity and Sailor Cosmos had vanished. She looked down and realized she was back in her Sailor Cosmos fuku. She hoped the conversation the three of them had would appease them for a little while. She vowed that once this was all over with she would make her decision and give her answer to the two men in her life.
Sailor Cosmos eyed her surroundings carefully. There had to be a way to break free from her prison. This was not real after all. She was trapped inside a giant crystal. Ahead of her was a lake and further beyond lied a forest. She paced in loud strides several times while she tried to develop an idea. There must be something she can do. She had to wake herself up. Her mind was awake, but her physical body was unconscious. She wondered if the key to leaving was just beyond the forest. She began to walk in the direction and abruptly froze. She could feel his presence. It was very faint and she did not know from which direction, but she knew she wasn't mistaken. "Seiya…" she whispered. She began to walk towards the forest.
Eris smiled as the staff finally began to react. Once the last shard was found, he could finally return to Earth. He was anxious to see his plan finally come together after years of planning.
In the distance, the five senshi were on high alert at the change in Sailor Cosmos' staff. They knew what would happen next based on the reports they received from the other senshi. The staff's glow would increase until it located the crystal shard. Sailor Venus and her team were nowhere to be seen, which meant they are further away from their location. They didn't have as much time as they originally anticipated.
Sailor Phobos sighed softly stating the obvious, "We are on our own." She looked at the other senshi as if to ask them when they should make their collective move.
The group seemed to reach the same consensus. Silently, they moved forward, closing the gap between themselves and those from the Black Moon. They all knew the plan, as soon as the crystal shard appeared they would strike.
Sailor Star Fighter stared at the staff in Eris' hand. Her anger increased while she continued to stare at Sailor Cosmos' staff. All she could think about was that the staff did not belong to him or anybody else. It belonged to her Odango. The staff needed to be return to its rightful owner. Without the staff, Eris would not be able to find any more crystal fragments. Maybe the other senshi had targeted the wrong object. Time was running out as the light emitting from the staff grew brighter.
The group continued to advance. Some hid on top of what seemed to be remains of structures. The plan was to rush in from two different angles and catch their enemy by surprise.
The staff's glow intensified. Any second now, Eris and Ixion would uncover another crystal shard.
Sailor Star Fighter prepared herself to attack.
Sailor Mars and Sailor Phobos carefully eyed Sailor Star Fighter making sure she would not strike too soon causing them to lose the element of surprise.
The ground began to shake as Ixion started to open a small hole revealing that they had found the object of their desire.
Sailor Star Fighter struggled to keep herself in check. It was almost time to attack. All she needed to see was the crystal to have the green light to proceed.
A large crystal piece rose slowly from the ground.
"Let's go!" Sailor Star Fighter exclaimed while she gathered energy in her hands. She could finally release some of the anger she felt. "Star Serious Laser!" A bright blast of energy erupted from her fingertips as Sailor Mars, Sailor Phobos and herself jumped down from the two-story structure. The battle had begun.
Sailor Star Fighter's attack knocked Sailor Cosmos' staff out of Eris' hands.
Sailor Phobos collected fire in her hands. "Burning Storm!" A large fireball flew through the air knocking the crystal away from Eris and Ixion.
"Mars Snake Fire!" Sailor Mars used her attack to throw Eris and Ixion off balance preventing them from picking up the crystal shard.
Sailor Triton and Sailor Umbriel rushed out from the side of the structure and scooped up the crystal before Eris and Ixion had the chance to obtain it.
As soon as Sailor Star fighter touched Sailor Cosmos' staff, she felt a surge of energy. The crystal at the top of the staff flashed for a few seconds. She slowly picked up the staff off the ground.
Eris stared at Sailor Star Fighter closely. Did she possess the ability to use the staff as well? Eris stood there for a moment contemplating his next move. He needed to get the crystal back.
The star on Sailor Cosmos' forehead flashed momentarily. The sudden influx of light caused Sedena to jump out of her seat. Only moments ago she was beginning to doze off. She cautiously looked at the crystal that contained Sailor Cosmos. She watched her closely for any change. Everything was exactly the same since the last time she had checked. Was she just being paranoid? She was wide awake now. She continued to watch Sailor Cosmos for a few moments longer; nothing happened. She shrugged her shoulders and walked back over to her seat to sit down.
Had Sedena stayed a few moments longer, she would have seen Sailor Cosmos' eyelids slightly twitch. It was her first sign of movement since she arrived on Nemesis.
As soon as she felt his presence, relief washed over her. They found her and were somewhere nearby.
Sailor Cosmos slowly walked forward, away from the pond she had sat by earlier. Her eyed back and forth at the two paths she could take. She could turn around and walk in the opposite direction on a well-kept path lined with flowering trees or she could enter an unkempt forest with overgrown tree branches with no vegetation. Her eyes told her to avoid the second path, but something kept drawing her towards taking it. She took a few steps forward. Something deep within compelled her to choose the second path. She couldn't explain it or put it into words. Her back shimmered as large white wings manifested on her back. It was rare for her wings to appear.
She turned around one more time to look at the other path. It would be easier to journey this way… but her life was never easy. She flapped her wings for a moment and she lifted herself off the ground. She slowly rose above the ground until she was hovering above the trees. Why wonder through the forest when you can fly above it? She smiled at her plan.
Eris needed time to figure out how he could get back the crystal shard and the staff from the group of five senshi. He was surprised that they had not attempted to retreat yet. Perhaps they had something planned, he assumed. He would try to distract them with his words and make them careless. "I don't understand why you are trying so hard to stop us… it is only a matter of time until our new world order will be in place." He carefully watched the actions of the other senshi. "If you concede now, I might be able to find a place for you within the new order."
"You're lying," Sailor Mars snapped. "Even if…" She placed an extra emphasis on the word "if". "...We agreed, you would turn against us. It wouldn't be the first time the Black Moon has tried to turn on us." She thought back to the birth of the Black Lady. Eris would never be alive to see it. It was still the same organization.
"Turned you against each other? Interesting… you speak as if you know us so well… or as if you've seen the future," counter Ixion. Sailor Mars' remarked confused him. The two opposing groups had only recently begun to interact with each other.
Sailor Phobos smirked at Eris. She saw right through their plan. "As long as we have the crystal shard you cannot complete your mission. You're stalling… buying time." She had seen this tactic before over the centuries.
Eris eyes narrowed at Sailor Phobos. "And here I was just trying to come to a peaceful resolution." He knew his words were pointless at this moment and all he could do was begin the battle for the last crystal piece. He had come too far to have everything fall apart before his eyes. Eris fired the first attack.
Sailor Umbriel clashed her two hands by her waist as small blue crystals appeared. She twirled in a circle as the number of shards increased. "Crystal Hurricane!" A strong gust of wind manifested itself and when combined with the crystal shards, the edges of the crystal were sharp like knives.
Sailor Triton followed her comrade's action and got ready to act next. She outstretched her palms upward until a few drops of water appeared in them. She clenched her hands into fists and water rushed outward surrounding her body. "Tidal Wave!" Her attack combined with Sailor Umbriel and hit Eris and Ixion. The attack barely left a mark on them.
"Is that the best you got?" Ixion taunted them back. He quickly pulled out a canister containing a red powder. He could disable the three Moon Senshi within seconds.
Sailor Mars remembered the story Sailor Jupiter shared with them. "Mars Flame Sniper!" She shot a flaming arrow at Ixion aiming for the canister, but with his quick reflex Ixion was able to avoid the attack making Sailor Mars miss by a millimeter. She quickly prepared to attack with another arrow.
Eris had devised a plan for this contingency. He whistled at Ixion.
Ixion nodded his head in acknowledgment. He grabbed an object from his pocket and threw it at the ground near the senshi.
A loud bang was heard followed by a giant explosion. Ixion had thrown a miniature bomb against the ground near the senshi. All five of the senshi were blasted backward onto the ground.
Sailor Callisto gasped at the sound of an explosion in the direction they were traveling. "A battle has begun. What do you say we teleport there directly?" Stealth was no longer necessary.
Sailor Venus and Sailor Star Healer nodded their heads eagerly. "I want another shot at them." Sailor Venus said with resolve in her voice.
The group joined hands and entered a deeper concentration to teleport to their desired destination. Their bodies flashed for a moment before they disappeared.
Eris appeared next to Sailor Phobos semi-conscious form. This was becoming tiresome.
Sailor Phobos felt someone tugging at her hand trying to take the crystal. She tried to hold her grip on the crystal shard and jerk her hand away.
Eris punched her in the face.
The tactic surprised Sailor Phobos and dazed her. Her grip on the crystal shard loosened as she felt weak and couldn't hold onto it any longer.
Eris snatched the crystal from her hand. He then moved over to Sailor Star Fighter. He wanted to retrieve the staff. He was about to bend down and pick it up, but was cut off guard by a familiar shout.
"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"
A bright orange heart flew past him nearly missing his hand. Eris jumped backward and eyed the familiar opponents carefully. Three more senshi had arrived. Eris looked down at the other senshi he had just defeated in battle. They were beginning to stir and it would only be a matter of time before they would all attempt to attack him. It would be Ixion and himself against eight angry sailor senshi. Their power was in their numbers. Eris was certain the other groups of senshi were not far behind and would appear soon. He didn't want to sit around until the other seven senshi appeared. Eris had the last crystal shard in his hands and there was no longer use for Sailor Cosmos' staff. The staff was useless as long as Sailor Cosmos was trapped within the crystal encasement, where she will stay for centuries to come. He was fairly sure the gas might have already killed her within the crystal. He decided to cut his losses. He had what he came here for and it was time to proceed to the next phase. He turned to Ixion, "Our work here is done."
Ixion understood his actions. They were significantly outnumbered and tired. He was surprised that Eris was willing to leave the staff behind, but knew better than to question him. "I'll be glad to leave this place."
Without another word, Eris and Ixion disappeared.
"Not again!" Sailor Callisto shouted in dismay. She had gathered energy between her hands was seconds from using it against Eris before he disappeared. She discharged the gathered energy to the side away from everyone else. Her shoulders slumped as she walked over to Sailor Phobos to help her up.
Sailor Venus helped Sailor Mars into a sitting position. She displayed sympathy to the fiery senshi. She understood the feelings of defeat that Sailor Mars was experiencing.
"I should contact Sailor Mercury and the others… they should know what happened." Sailor Mars was disgusted with herself that she would have to report to the other two groups about their failure. She looked over at the other senshi, as they slowly rose to their feet. Then she noticed Sailor Star Fighter with Sailor Cosmos' staff. She smiled and let out a small sigh of relief. At least they were able to get Usagi's staff back. It was probably best they focused the rest of their energy on finding Usagi. If she was still on this planet.
Sailor Star Healer walked over to Sailor Star Fighter and grinned. "I see you refused to end the battle empty handed?" She tried to make light of the situation given the circumstance.
Sailor Star Fighter smiled slightly. "Yeah." She looked at the staff she clutched in her hand. Her tone and expression turned serious. "We still haven't found her." The longer it took for them to find Sailor Cosmos, the more worried the Starlight became. She wouldn't feel at ease until her Odango was found. Eris' words increased her worry. She hoped they could free her somehow, but in order to do that they have to find her first.
"We'll find her," Sailor Star Healer tried to reassure her. She would not admit it out loud to the others, but Eris was right, without Sailor Cosmos, Earth would be doomed. The senshi had barely been able to hold their ground against the lower ranking members of the Black Moon and had been easily defeat by Eris and Ixion. Stopping Eris completely would be a challenge without Sailor Cosmos.
"I'll scan the surrounding areas for any new information," Sailor Mercury responded over Sailor Mars' communicator. "By now, we should have covered most of this planet… we have to be closing in on something." The communicator went silent for several minutes. "Guys!" Sailor Mercury said with excitement in her voice. Her tone caused everyone to look in Sailor Mars' direction. They needed to hear some good news for a change. "I've found a structure with three heat sources… it's still a good distance from us, but our group is the closest."
"Give us the coordinates, all of us should re-group there," instructed Sailor Callisto, she anxiously sat next to Sailor Mars.
"Same here," chimed in Sailor Jupiter's voice. "Three? But we've only seen Eris and Ixion…." Her voice trailed off alluding to what the others also assumed.
Sailor Callisto frowned in dismay. They were the farthest out. It would take them the longest to reach the destination and everyone was exhausted from the battle. "We will start moving in that direction, but we have to conserve the little energy we have. If you find anything don't try to attack on your own. Contact us via the communicator to determine which group can teleport faster to you. If the need to attack presents itself, we must do it as a team," She looked at the other wary senshi and received several head nods.
At the sound of footsteps, Sedena stood with her hands raised. Her posture relaxed once she realized it was Eris and Ixion. They appeared tired but with satisfaction plastered all over their face. "Based on your expressions, I assume the mission was a success?"
"Marvelous," grinned Eris. "We have obtained all of the crystal shards. Be prepared to return to Earth, immediately. We must begin the next phase."
Sedena stared at Eris and something seemed to be missing. Then she realized his hands were empty. Sailor Cosmos' staff was missing. "The staff…"
"We don't need it anymore," snapped Eris. "Let them have it. None of them can use it and Sailor Cosmos will forever be trapped within the crystal." He turned to Ixion to give his next instruction. "Make sure you have all of the shards."
"They are all accounted for." Something else was bugging Ixion and he had to ask Eris. "What do we do with Sailor Cosmos?"
Eris walked over to the frozen senshi. "Leave her here. There is no point in bring her with us. She will only slow us down. We must head to Earth as soon as possible."
Sedena's jaw dropped at his response. She had spent days babysitting the frozen senshi, and now, he was willing to abandon her so quickly. She wanted to speak up and question his plan, but she bit her tongue. It would only end badly. She felt like she had wasted her time with all this unnecessary surveillance when she could have done something more favorable and productive towards their mission. "There was no movement from her the entire time." She neglected to tell them there might have been a flash light, but she wasn't so sure if she had just imagined it.
"Excellent." Eris walked over to the crystal to gloat at Sailor Cosmos. "It looks like I won, Moon Princess." He knew she couldn't hear him, but he didn't care. This was his moment. "Everything you and your kingdom worked for is about to be erased. We will finally get our revenge in honor of our ancestors. You are no longer a threat to us." He laughed gloating in his moment.
Ixion waited patiently for Eris to finish his tirade. "I wonder how much progress Quarora and Haumea have made with setting up the amplifiers."
"Ah yes…They've already begun phase two of the game plan." Eris smiled wickedly.
Sailor Oberon, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Star Maker were ten minutes into their journey when the heat signatures disappeared. A sinking feeling formed in Sailor Mercury's stomach. "Guys, I'm not reading any life forms up ahead." Her hope was slowly vanishing.
"It doesn't matter," Sailor Star Maker immediately said. "There were people there and we need to know why."
"It might be a good thing. I'm not sure how well we would fare in a fight now as it is. How much further is it?" Asked a tired Sailor Oberon; she was still feeling a little weak from the group's last encounter with Eris. They could not truly rest until the Princess was found and returned safely to Earth.
"We should arrive in less than thirty minutes at our current pace," added Sailor Mercury while reading the numbers off her visor. "Actually, we should soon be able to see the structure ahead."
Sailor Star Maker narrowed her eyes and found the structure. It appeared small because they were so far away and stood in the middle of nowhere.
The group remained silent as they advanced forward. Each one lost within their own thoughts. Their uneasiness and hopefulness increased with each passing step. Each senshi hoped they would find Sailor Cosmos within that structure.
The slowly moved on in silence in deep thought as they approached their intended target. As the structure grew larger, their anxiety increased. If Sailor Cosmos wasn't here… they didn't know where else they could possibility search to find her.
After want seems like hours, they arrived in front of the structure. There was a wide entrance to the structure. They guessed there was once a door there based on the hinges on the side of one of the walls.
Sailor Mercury scanned the area for any signs of danger with her visor, one more time. "Nothing," she reported.
"Let's go," Sailor Oberon said as she entered the structure. Once she was in side, it was apparent the structure was fairly well preserved. The walls seemed to have a few small cracks here and there but it appeared fairly sturdy.
"We should check each room," Sailor Star Maker said a few passing behind the Moon Senshi. "We should start here and then make our way to the end of the hall. I don't want to miss anything."
The first room consisted on several desks with binders. They agreed to examine the books later. The second room was empty minus a few random objects scattered on the floor. The third room door was stuck. They would try that room again later. The fourth room was completely empty.
As they came closer to the end of the hallway, Sailor Oberon stopped them.
"Wait…I've been here before…this is where we were imprisoned in the crystals. That's why everything looks so familiar. This last room is large and rectangular. I think it was once a laboratory. This is where they kept us for countless centuries…or millennia. I'm not sure." She repeated her last statement as images began to flood her mind. She turned around to face the other two senshi behind her, "You don't think they would have her in the same place…" She wondered out loud. She quickly turned around and rushed forward. She had to know what was in the large room.
"Wait for us!" Sailor Mercury exclaimed after her.
Sailor Oberon stood in the doorway of the room and gasped.
Sailor Mercury quickly followed unsure of what she would see. "Usagi-chan!" she shouted and forward to the crystal structure inside the room. Sailor Cosmos appeared to be in the same state as she was when she was captured almost a week ago. She immediately began to run as many tests as she could.
Sailor Star Maker followed behind with a small smile. She knew the difficult phase would begin next, freeing her. She tapped a button on her communicator. She wanted to report the good news to everyone, while Sailor Mercury examined Sailor Cosmos' condition. "Everyone…get to our location as soon as you can. We found her."
Sailor Jupiter's group was next to arrive. Everyone agreed unanimously to wait for the last group to arrive before they tried to free Sailor Cosmos, allowing more time for Sailor Mercury to finish running her analysis.
While they waited, Sailor Charon, Sailor Ganymede and Sailor Titan stood by the door for any signs of their comrades or adversaries. This allowed them a chance to talk freely amongst themselves.
Sailor Charon didn't bother to look around before she began to speak in their Lunar dialect. "I can't believe Setsuna-san gave up so easily!" She did not like to speak ill of the Royal Princess of Pluto, but she could not understand her actions when it came to allowing Princess Serenity, or rather Sailor Cosmos, to alter the timeline. That rule was supposed to be forbidden. "I know she can change it back, but she hasn't told anyone yet."
Sailor Titan looked at her wide eyed, "What do you mean she can change it back? From what I heard it's impossible for Sailor Pluto. Sailor Cosmos set things in motion that cannot be changed."
"Hmph. Things can always be undone, but only she has the ability if she has the —" Sailor Charon stopped mid-sentence as a large group of sailor senshi approached. She narrowed her eyes at the sight of Sailor Star Fighter. She almost wanted to prevent her from passing, but this was not the time to cause further conflict between themselves. She sighed. She would have to continue this conversation with the other Moon Senshi later. She wanted to include Sailor Umbriel and Sailor Triton; however, she didn't want Sailor Callisto to overhear.
Sailor Star Fighter paused briefly near the three Moon Senshi stood to ask where Sailor Cosmos was.
"Down the hallway. It will lead to large room," responded Sailor Ganymede softly.
Sailor Star Fighter sprinted down the hallway. She didn't care how out of breath she was. Her Odango was up ahead. Mustering all her energy she accelerated her speed down the hallway.
The rest of the senshi that were in the group with Sailor Star Fighter followed behind. They were exhausted and did not display the same energy as Sailor Star Fighter. They pushed past their exhaustion and moved forward.
Sailor Callisto gave a half smile at the three Moon Senshi. "Let's head in. We'll probably need everyone to try to free her. We were lucky when we broke free." She clutched Sailor Cosmos' staff. She was given the staff by Sailor Star Fighter earlier to make it easier for her to run into the building.
The group silently entered the hallway. Sailor Star Fighter was too far ahead for them to see.
Sailor Star Fighter felt like her heart would burst, it was rapidly hammering in her chest. She had to slow her pace down a bit. The hallways were longer than she had thought, but she was almost at the end. A few more steps and she was in the large room that Sailor Ganymede had described. Her eyes were drawn to the large crystal object in the room. Sailor Mercury stood in front of it with Sailor Star Maker next to her looking over her shoulder. They seemed frustrated and oblivious to anything else as their eyes were glue to Sailor Mercury's computer screen. By the corner of the room, Sailor Jupiter sat with her arms cross over her chest and her head bent down towards the ground.
"Odango…" Sailor Star Fighter whispered as she walked forward.
Hearing that word, Sailor Jupiter looked up from the ground and felt more relaxed seeing that Sailor Star Fighter had arrived. She was glad to see the Starlight since it meant everyone was finally together again.
As Sailor Star Fighter walked towards the crystal encasement holding Sailor Cosmos, she could feel tears welling up in her eyes at the sight on her beloved. She felt a sense of relief wash over her having finally found Sailor Cosmos. But they still had to free her from her imprisonment. Everyone was very tired, including herself. She was already pushing herself to her limits. She quickly jerked her hands up to rub away a few tears before the others could see. She was a senshi right now and needed to complete their mission. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She turned around to face the others. "What's the plan?"
"Figure out a way to free her and then return back to Earth. We're pretty sure Eris and Ixion are on their way there," said Sailor Star Maker. She felt more at ease when Sailor Star Healer entered the room with the other senshi.
Sailor Callisto stared at the staff in her hands, the sign of their leader and Princess.
"The crystal is very strong…" Sailor Mercury said addressing all fourteen senshi at the same time. "But there are a lot of us here. We have a few ideas that we can try, but they might take a while."
"When do we begin?" Asked Sailor Phobos with any hesitation in her voice.
This task had grown dull for Haumea. She had placed hundreds of crystal amplifiers throughout the city without the other senshi's detection. It seemed so simple. When Eris returned to their base he would complete the Dark Crystal and train the boy. Haumea didn't understand how such a young boy could play such an important role in their plan. She wondered if he was as powerful as everyone said. She was not of high enough rank to ever see him train. She had seen him a handful of times in passing. But everyone believed him to be their savior. Their work was completed for the day and they were about to leave when soft breeze was felt followed by a few floating sakura petals.
Haumea turned around surprised by the petals. Then she saw them. Four Outer Senshi, three Sailor Starlights and a very angry Prince Endymion. She sighed loudly. She wanted to end her assignment on a good note without any complications, but now she would have to battle against these nuisances. She and Quarora were significantly outnumbered. She glanced at him.
Quarora raised his hand and dozens of black crystal minions appeared. "They are different than before. The more you attack them the more they multiply." He told them.
Sailor Uranus didn't want to believe him. What he described sounded like the mirror parodies. They were only able to defeat them after they received upgraded powers from Hotaru as a baby. This time they were on their own.
Prince Endymion drew his sword. He had to protect himself and try to help the others as much as possible.
The minions rushed forward.
"World Shaking!"
"Deep Submerge!"
Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune worked together in perfect sync. Their joint attacks directly hit the black minions and blasted them into a million pieces. Unfortunately, those million pieces materialized into more black minions. It was exactly how Quarora had said.
The Starlights and Prince Endymion had a similar experience with their attacks. Every time a minion was blast, four more reappeared in its place.
The group quickly became surrounded and outnumbered by black minions.
"Anyone have any bright ideas?" Sailor Star Destroyer asked as her eyes darted back and forth between her comrades and the growing number of enemies. Attacking over and over again was pointless.
"Just one," responded Sailor Uranus as she pulled out her talisman.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Shouted Sailor Star Destroyer in response; she couldn't believe Sailor Uranus' actions. "It is only going to make things worse!"
"I agree with her, Haruka…" Sailor Neptune said softly. She was worried her partner was about to do something reckless.
An idea struck Sailor Pluto. "Perhaps your mirror will help?"
Sailor Neptune was open to suggestions, they all were. She gave it a shot. "Submarine Reflection!" Light hit several of the crystal minions and one of the five did not reform. Something within Sailor Neptune's mirror had an effect on the black minion hindering it from multiplying after being annihilated.
Dozens of the black crystal women rushed towards the senshi to attack them at once.
The group's natural instinct was to attack, but they run the risk of increasing the number of the minions.
"Silent Wall!" Sailor Saturn placed a protective barrier around the group giving them a chance to form a strategy. "This will give us some time, but I can't hold them off forever."
Sailor Star Creator was the tactician among the Starlights. "This is what I observed…"
Back on Nemesis, the senshi were in a heated debate on what would be the best method in freeing Sailor Cosmos from her crystal prison. Some wanted to try to break the crystal immediately. Others believed their haste could be dangerous to the Princess.
Sailor Charon grew wryly of the bickering. "When we were enclosed…the same as Sailor Cosmos is right now…we were able to break free because the crystal structure was compromised. We have to do the same to the crystal in front of us and it should allow Sailor Cosmos to break free."
"But remember we were trapped so long… the structure of the crystal eventually weakened. It's different this time…" responded Sailor Ganymede, examining the crystal closely for anything that could be fracture.
Sailor Oberon frowned at the situation. "It's not like we can speed up the aging process of the crystal." She looked at Sailor Charon for any direction.
"That is beyond my abilities," said Sailor Charon in a dejected tone.
"So that means we have to weaken the crystal by force." Sailor Jupiter emphasized her point by hitting her fist into the open palm of her hand.
Sailor Star Maker had reviewed the results of the analysis that Sailor Mercury had conducted and knew using force to weaken the crystal was their best option. But if they underestimated their calculations and amount of force use to break the crystal they could run the risk of hurting Sailor Cosmos. "That is our best option right now." She looked over at Sailor Mercury before she continued, "We ran many scenarios and that seems to be the most plausible solution."
"The crystal is too large for us to take to Earth in our current state. We would have to rest for a while before even trying anything that risky." Sailor Callisto pressed her lips together while she tried to develop any alternatives, but their best option was to use force against the crystal and hope for the best.
"We are definitely too tired to teleport ourselves anywhere beyond this planet. Even if, we were to combine all our energies to transport Sailor Cosmos in her condition there is no guarantee that we could pull it off. We would be over exerting ourselves causing further damage to our bodies. Plus, the longer she remains in there… the more dangerous it can be for her." Sailor Umbriel echoed some of the same concerns the others shared earlier.
Sailor Phobos watched the scene unfold before her. Everyone seemed to come to the same consensus, but no one wanted to make the first move. "Sailor Mercury… if we attack the crystal to try to break it… what would be the best mark to hit? Is any part of the structure slightly weaker?"
Sailor Mercury slowly shook her head to the side to indicate no. "All we can try to do is to repeatedly attack the same spot. We should use attacks that would allow us to pinpoint one location. If would be best if started with a lower intensity and increase it as needed until we are successful."
"You don't sound too confidant," noted Sailor Triton.
"I'm not sure if it is possible…the analysis were too ambiguous to determine a probable outcome." Sailor Mercury neglected to mention the statistical probability her computer displayed was near zero.
Sailor Star Fighter refused to believe to freeing Cosmos might not be possible. She wasn't leaving without her Odango. "Nothing is impossible." The Starlight declared to everyone. "Odango taught us that." Her words echoes through the air and everyone knew she was correct. "We all seem to agree on the same plan, so it's time we get started." She walked over to the crystal and point to a location on the side of the crystal near Sailor Cosmos' chest. "Usually the best part to hit any solid substance, in order to cause any breakage, would be its center."
Ten minutes later the crystal appeared relativity untouched. Exhaustion and frustration set in. The senshi began to use their most powerful attacks and only a few visible scratches were made visible on the crystal.
The group took a break while Sailor Mercury further examined the structure with her visor. Their probability of breaking the crystal improved a small fraction of a percent. It meant it was possible, but they required more energy in order to free Sailor Cosmos. "There is minimal structural damage." She reported to the others.
Sailor Star Fighter walked over to the crystal with venom in her eyes. She was beginning to despise the crystal. She was happy at first when she saw it since it meant they found Sailor Cosmos, but it quickly changed. The more she stared at the crystal, the angrier she became. Whenever she felt this level of rage she punched something. She clenched her right fist tightly at her side. She was trying to remain in control of her emotions, but it proved to be quite difficult. Her face felt warm and she heard a pounding in her ears. She needed to release the tension. "Argh!" She punched the crystal on the same spot it had been hit by everyone's attacks. Nothing. She turned around to walk away from the crystal for a moment.
Sailor Star Healer exchanged a knowing glance with Sailor Star Maker. They were worried their group leader was about to lose it.
A faint cracking sound was heard above the silence.
Sailor Star Fighter turned around in disbelief.
A small crack formed where she had struck the crystal moments ago. The crack was very small, but it was slowly beginning to spread throughout the whole crystal.
A white light emitted from the star on Sailor Cosmos' forehead. After a long, difficult, inner battle she was finally waking up. Her eyelids twitched slightly.
The other senshi followed Sailor Star Fighter and began to gather around the crystal.
As the light grew brighter, the cracks in the crystal became deeper and began to encompass the rest of the crystal. Sailor Cosmos' fingers moved slightly. Her pointer finger on her left hand began to glow.
Sailor Mars gasped. What she witnessed was the premonition Usagi had experienced when her foresight abilities had awakened. Sailor Mars realized they aided in waking her up, but it had been Usagi who had caused the fracture in crystal using her own abilities. She hoped Sailor Cosmos was strong enough at the moment to succeed. She held her breath in anticipation.
The light from her ring flashed brightly as a long cracking sound followed. A few pieces of the crystal crashed to the floor.
"It's working…" Sailor Mercury murmured as she examined the results on her visor.
A deep gash began to appear in the crystal where everyone had struck. The intensity of the light engulfed the crystal and the entire room. Everyone shield their eyes. The light began to dim and large pieces of the crystal gave away, freeing Sailor Cosmos. No longer suspended in crystal, she began to fall forward.
Sailor Star Fighter caught her and slowly lowered her to the ground. He could hear faint breathing but her eyes remained closed.
"Odango…?" Whispered Sailor Star Fighter, examining her closely for any sign of injury.
"Hmm?" Sailor Cosmos murmured, while gradually opening her eyes. She blinked several times to help them focus. Before she could say anything else, Sailor Star Fighter hugged her tightly, nearly knocking the wind out of her lungs. "Sei…. Seiya…" She responded still caught up in a dazed. She didn't quite understand what was happening.
"Usagi, stop scaring us like that!" Sailor Mars chastised ruining the moment for Sailor Star Fighter.
"Rei-chan! I didn't do anything wrong!" Sailor Cosmos shouted sitting up separating herself from Fighter. She no longer seemed so confused. She looked around at everyone staring at her and realized she was in an unknown place. "Wait? Where am I?"
The Inner Senshi began to laugh at Usagi. She was back to normal.
The Moon Senshi and the two remaining Starlights were relieved, but kept their distance. They didn't want to crowd the now-liberated Moon Princess.
"Eris took you to Nemesis and used your staff to find some dark crystal fragments," Sailor Star Fighter explained to her. "We founded him here."
Sailor Cosmos gasped. "You mean we're on Nemesis?" She questioned in disbelief.
"Yes," Sailor Mercury reassured her. "But we believe that Eris has what he came for and is now on his way back to Earth."
"Back to Earth…." Sailor Cosmos repeated as the flood of information began to sink in. Her eyes shifted and became more focused. "We have to return to Earth." She reached over to grab her staff but realized it was not there. She began to panic. "My staff!"
"I have it!" Sailor Callisto spoke up. Several of the Moon Senshi moved to the side to make it easier for her to pass. As she approached Sailor Cosmos, the back of her throat began to tighten. She coughed and struggled to breathe. The staff fell from her hands and was caught by Sailor Venus.
"Are you okay?" Sailor Venus asked alarmed. She didn't understand why the senshi was struggling so much.
Sailor Callisto took a few steps back. "It's the gas…" She coughed more.
The other Moon Senshi took a few steps back.
"There must have been some gas trapped within the crystal…" said Sailor Oberon in alarm. She looked at Sailor Cosmos in confusion. She appeared to be unfazed. "Are you alright, Sailor Cosmos?"
"I feel fine…" She tried to stand up, but her feet were wobbly.
"Let me help you up," Sailor Star Fighter offered. She needed to talk to Usagi later when they were alone. They had a lot to discuss, but it would be wise not to discuss such private matters in front of the others. Regardless, the conversation would have to wait returning to Earth was a higher priority. Sailor Star Fighter stood on her feet and gently helped Sailor Cosmos stand.
Sailor Cosmos felt a sense of light headiness for a few seconds and leaned into Sailor Star Fighter to help steady herself. "I'm okay." She repeated to reassure everyone.
Sailor Venus walked towards Sailor Cosmos with the staff in her hand. She paused to hug Sailor Cosmos. Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Jupiter ran forward and joined the hug. After a few moments the group broke apart.
She smiled warmly at everyone. "We should return to Earth." She instructed.
"We need rest." Sailor Charon responded in an exhausted tone. "We've been on this planet for nearly a week battling and searching for you."
"A week?" Sailor Cosmos repeated in shock. She tried to imagine what they experienced while they tried to rescue her. She looked around the room for the first time and realized all of the Moon Senshi were present along with the other two Starlights. The Outer Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen were noticeably absent. "Is this everyone…?"
"The others are protecting the Earth along with the three new Starlights you met on Kinmoku," explained Sailor Star Maker. She omitted how it was decided who would remain on Earth. "We should rest for a little while before begin the long journey back to Earth." Her voice echoed the feelings of others.
Sailor Cosmos looked at the senshi around her. They were in no condition to travel, however, an unsettling feeling formed in the pit of her stomach as the thoughts of Eris attacking the earth ran through her mind. She wasn't sure how well the Outer Senshi, Tuxedo Kamen and the other Starlights would fare. She needed to find a way to safely get off this desolate planet and quickly return back home.
"Oh…" Sailor Venus laughed when she realized she still held Sailor Cosmos' staff. With a smile she returned it to her.
"Thanks, Minako-chan." As soon as Sailor Cosmos had her staff again, she felt a surge of energy flow through her whole body. The orb flashed for a second and a few sparkles of light flowed down on to Sailor Cosmos's finger on her right hand. The ring flashed and began to glow. It was the first time the ring on her ring finger lit up. "Leave it to me". She said an eerily calm tone.
Sailor Mars was about to protest, but her brooch began to glow. She looked down and inhaled a sharp breath. She now bore a golden crescent moon mark. She looked around at the other senshi in the room. Everyone's brooch, with the exception of Sailor Star Fighter, glowed. The light faded and each brooch now contained golden crescent moon marks. They had been chosen as members of the Royal Court.
A pulse of white light flashed from her ring and washed over all of the senshi. The light felt warm and relaxing. The light grew brighter and everyone's bodies began to twinkle. A few seconds later, everyone within the room vanished.
Sixteen shooting stars soared through the galaxy.
Haumea laughed at the efforts of the senshi before her. Once Sailor Saturn had lowered her shield, the senshi minus Sailor Neptune, had tried to corral the black minions together to make it easier for Sailor Neptune to attack them with her mirror.
The Starlights had tried to stop some of the black minions, but they were unsuccessful at destroying them. Instead in the process, more black minions had multiplied.
Prince Endymion realized there was little any of them could do, but make sure Sailor Neptune could keep using her mirror against them.
Sailor Uranus was impatient and decided to try to using her sword to cut a black minion in half. The minion did not reform. She cursed herself for not trying this sooner. "Pluto!" She shouted out loudly, "Our talismans are the key!"
Sailor Pluto smiled at the revelation. It that was true… the three of them could stop the minions.
Haumea was no longer laughing. If she didn't do anything to stop them, the Outers would eliminate her black minions in no time. She needed them to overpower the senshi. She began to attack the senshi in order to keep them off balance. Quarora quickly joined in. Together the two quickly overpowered the group of them. It would have been impossible for anyone to keep up.
Haumea smirked with glee. "No one on Earth is powerful enough to stop us."
"I'm up for the challenge." A voice rang out in the distance. It was unmistakable.
Prince Endymion felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Hearing her voice again gave him a chill. He was starting to wonder if he would ever hear her voice again.
The Outer Senshi slowly turned their heads. "Princess…." Sailor Neptune found her voice first.
The Starlights didn't quite understand what was happening and whom the voice belonged to.
Sailor Cosmos came into view, with fifteen senshi behind her, the Inner Senshi, the Starlights and the Moon Senshi. They appeared as an army.
The color drained from Haumea's face as her confidence evaporated. She tried not to show it, but she was terrified of Sailor Cosmos after she witnessed Deucalion defeat within seconds. She had to come up with an offensive move within the next few seconds, otherwise, she could be obliterated. Her mind screamed at her to move, but the feeling of fear petrified her body and she could not move.
"Starlight Breaker!"
A burst of energy launched from Sailor Cosmos' staff at Haumea. She was still frozen. She closed her eyes. This was it. A shadow appeared before her. She opened her eyes just in time to be met with Quarora's before he disappeared in the light.
Haumea gasped loudly. She wanted to cry out, but all she could muster was a few noises caught in the back of her throat. She snapped her fingers and the black minions vanished with her. In the blink of an eye, the man she loved was gone. It was all Sailor Cosmos' fault. She would have her revenge, but it would not be today.
The Outers, Starlights and Prince Endymion watched Sailor Cosmos in awe. They were excited, but the shock of her reappearance had not worn off yet.
"Her powers have grown…" whispered Sailor Star Destroyer in awe.
"She was not this powerful on Kinmoku," echoed Sailor Star Creator. During the training sessions she could barely stand. When she had her health, Cosmos' abilities were truly amazing. She began to understand why she was known as the Guardian.
The adrenaline rush Sailor Cosmos felt on Nemesis began to subside. Exhaustion set in. She had just traveled nearly five billion miles within minutes. She closed her eyes and her fuku turned to white ribbons as she reverted back to Usagi.
"Usagi-chan!" Sailor Jupiter exclaimed rushing forward and catching her before her body hit the ground.
Sailor Mercury checked Usagi for a pulse. She easily found one. She was most likely experiencing exhaustion again.
"Is she okay?" Sailor Star Fighter asked as she appeared next to Sailor Jupiter, her eyes carefully inspecting Usagi.
"She should be okay," responded Sailor Mercury. "She's been through a lot."
The Outer Senshi, Prince Endymion and the other group of Starlights crowed around Usagi.
Prince Endymion eyed her carefully. She didn't appear pale. It reminded him of times were she had exhausted herself by using all her energy against their enemies. He wanted nothing more to take her into his arms and hold her close to him.
"She used a new ability to bring us here," added Sailor Mars. "Moments ago we were all on Nemesis."
Sailor Uranus gasped at the information she just received. "But that would normally take hours…" Her voice trailed off when she noticed the golden moon crescent mark on Sailor Jupiter's brooch. Her eyes darted to the brooches of the other Inner senshi, the Moon Senshi and finally the other two Starlights. Each had a golden crescent moon mark. She, along with Neptune and Saturn, were now the only senshi without marks. "What happened?"
"We should probably discuss this in a more private setting," said Sailor Callisto as she noticed the crowd that was forming.
"We should take our leave." Sailor Star Maker looked over at the other group of Starlights. "I'm sure we have much to catch up on. The events here, as well as Kinmoku."
The Starlights all gathered in one location next to Sailor Jupiter. Sailor Star Protector looked at the Outer Senshi to address them. "We're… the three of us are returning to Kinmoku tomorrow. Thank you for welcoming us here. We all enjoyed our time on this planet."
"It was a pleasure." Sailor Pluto responded sweetly. During their stay they were able to create mutual respect for each other. But she was glad to see them go. She wished the other Starlights would leave with them.
Sailor Star Fighter turned to talk to Sailor Jupiter quietly. "I'll take her with us. We'll look after her and let you know if anything changes."
"Oh…" Sailor Jupiter said a little surprised. She gently passed Usagi over to Sailor Star Fighter. She could feel the daggers pointed at her by the looks that certain senshi were giving off. Sailor Jupiter knew Seiya would not let anything happen to Usagi and she didn't want to be placed in the middle of another argument.
Sailor Star Fighter held Usagi close to her in her arms. The Starlights were about to leave when Prince Endymion stopped them. "Wait."
Sailor Star Fighter took a deep breath and turned around. "I already know what you're going to say." She cut him off before he could say anything else. "But we all just went to through hell to get her back and I'm not letting her out of my sight." She lashed back. There was no way she would allow Usagi to go with Prince Endymion. Her eyes soften when she considered his feelings for a moment and Usagi's. "Tomorrow. Talk to her, tomorrow."
Prince Endymion was about to protest, but Sailor Mars cleared her throat. It was his cue to not drag this out. "Fine," he spat. "Tomorrow."
"We'll check in on Usagi tomorrow morning," Sailor Mars offered to try to lightened the tension.
"Sounds good," quipped Sailor Star Healer. She was becoming tired of all the drama related to Usagi, Mamoru and Seiya. She wanted it to be over and Sailor Mars gave them an easy out. "See you then."
The Starlights quickly disappeared.
Sailor Mars looked at the others, "Same place as always? We have a lot to catch up on."
Rei skipped trying to be a proper hostess and gave everyone tea and a random assortment of snacks. The Inner senshi and Moon senshi were famished. They ate and drank while the Outer Senshi filled them in on what had happened on Earth while they were away.
Mamoru was very quiet. His thoughts were focused on Usagi and what he would say to her tomorrow. He was glad to know the girls would be over in the morning to collect her. He needed to talk to her alone without any interruptions, especially from a certain pony-tail male. When the other senshi began to discuss Nemesis he refocused his attention to listen to everything that had happened on Nemesis
Once everybody was up to speed on current events, they began to discuss what they would do next. "I wish I knew what the Black Moon was planning to do next", Makoto said. She looked at the others and received several nods of agreement. "We know it involves combining all of the crystal shreds that they collect to complete the Black Crystal."
"The fraction of the Black Crystal they have is already very powerful," Nanami's eyes displayed annoyance. "Our struggle is just beginning."
While Akari listened to everyone, one thought passed through her mind, "We have to keep a close eye on Fighter."
Haruka snorted. "You're now just figuring that out?"
Yui smirked at Haruka's remarks. She had thought the same for a while. They needed to keep Fighter away from the Princess.
Akari took a deep sigh, it was clear that Haruka did not understand what she meant. "Haruka-san…I say this because we know the Dark Moon will target Sailor Star Fighter in order to try to harm the Princess. They've already done it once."
Silence filled the room. The way Akari spoke made it sound as if Sailor Star Fighter had become a liability.
"Eh…we'll help look after the Starlights", Minako volunteered the other girls. They slowly nodded their heads. Minako secretly grinned since it gave her an excuse to see Yaten more.
"You make it sound as if they need a babysitter." Michiru teased. She tried to make light of the situation. It had become an unspoken rule not to mention the Three Lights after Usagi revelations about her feelings towards Seiya. It was something the Moon Senshi were not aware of. Michiru quickly changed the topic of discussion to focus on something else. "I understand Usagi-chan learned a new ability that allowed her to transport everyone to Earth at a quicker speed? Tell me more about it."
"Sure," Ayane said, trying to dissipate some of the tension. She didn't realize just how much of a divide Seiya and Usagi's relationship had caused. It was clear the Outer Senshi sided with Mamoru. The Inners were doing their best to support Usagi and whatever she decides. Ayane pushed those thoughts to the side to focus her attention towards explaining some of the sensation to them. "It felt as if we were soaring through the galaxy…as if we were the ones that had become shooting stars."
"I think it is incredible how quickly she was able to use a new ability after she was freed from the crystal," Mamoru said in awe. "I wonder just how powerful Sailor Cosmos is."
"It speaks volumes about her raw power to travel in light speed across the galaxy. It took us nearly a day just to travel there taking into consideration that we had to stop a couple times in-between to rest." Rio reminisced.
"When the time comes…she will be a powerful Queen." Rin added causing several of the others to nod their heads in agreement. She noticed the look of hurt on Haruka and Michiru's faces when she discussed Usagi's ascension. "I'm sure you will receive your marks soon."
Sailor Star Fighter placed Usagi on her bed to rest. She collapsed into a chair near the bed and tapped her brooch to revert back to Seiya. He sighed loudly in exhaustion. Now that he was finally back at his apartment he wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. But he knew it would have to wait. The other Starlights were waiting in the main room for a debriefing. It was customary after each mission on Kinmoku, regardless of how tired a person was, for Starlights to gather after a mission and report on it. He wasn't about to skip it since he knew he would be dragged out anyway. He took a deep breath and slowly rose from the chair. His limbs ached. He was about to walk toward the door but he paused to look at a peacefully sleeping Usagi. He walked over to her and pushed a few strains of hair to the side. He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.
Usagi murmured something in her sleep.
Seiya smiled and walked out of the room, softly closing the door behind him. He turned around and found Shiori, Sakura and Yuna sitting on the couch. Yaten and Taiki sat in two armchairs near the couch. He walked over to the kitchen area and grabbed a tall chair to place across from the couch. No one spoke until he sat down.
"You look like hell," Shiori stated quite frankly.
Seiya raised his eyebrow at her. Out of all the things she could say, he was not expecting that. He burst out laughing. The laughter relieved a lot of the tension he experienced on Nemesis. His laughter was contagious and soon everyone joined in.
Once the laughter died down, Taiki, Yaten and Seiya shared their experiences on Nemesis with the girls. They listened intently and asked questions for clarification until it was time for the role to be reversed.
"There is one thing that surprised me about Earth…" Shiori directed her comment at Seiya. "The way you described Haruka-san… you made her sound like a devil woman. She is really nice."
"Huh?" Yaten said as his mouth dropped open. Taiki and Seiya had similar reactions. They couldn't believe Shiori was talking to them about the same person.
"It's true! They are all very nice!" Sakura added in agreement.
"Haruka-san is awesome! She took me racing in a car. It was the best day ever!" Yuna gushed. She began to talk very fast about how awesome was to be in a car moving so fast.
Sakura glared at Shiori, "See what you started?"
"…Are you sure we are talking about the same Tenou Haruka-san? Sailor Uranus? The one that can't stand to be in the same room as me? Not to mention given the chance would take a swing at me," Seiya slowly questioned in disbelief. He couldn't understand how Haruka could be so nice to one group of Starlights and want to kill another group.
"Maybe Haruka liked them better…" Yaten paused to emphasize his next point. "Because no one in the group is trying to steal their Princess away."
"… I didn't steal her away," Seiya said a blush slowly rising from his cheeks. Anytime Usagi was mentioned, the likelihood of Seiya blushing increased.
"It is going to be weird to return to Kinmoku without the three of you," Sakura said changing the subject. "I know Princess Kakyuu misses you all greatly. But she is insistent you are needed more here. After spending time on this planet, I can see why you like it so much. It… is like the old Kinmoku. A couple of cities are now up and running with the necessities. However, it will take a while for those cities to be populated again. But it is progressing. Because of the restorations… Princess Kakyuu still refuses to accept the throne. She set certain milestones she wants to reach first."
"But she is nearing the last milestone…" Yuna added. She noticed the downcast glances of the Starlights at the thought of missing Princess Kakyuu's coronation. "Oh don't worry, we will let know when becomes Queen. There is no way you are missing it!"
"But not everything has been as peaceful as Yuna and Sakura make it sound." Shiori interjected. Her expression became serious.
"Shiori! We agreed not to talk about it!" Yuan chastised her for speaking about the problems Kinmoku was plagued by.
"No! You agreed. They have a right to know." Shiori shot back. She wouldn't tell the others, but this was also her last ditch effort to try to find a way to have their male counterparts return with them. But given recent events they couldn't leave Earth right now. Perhaps after the Black Moon was defeated. She wanted to give them more of a reason to return home.
"Tell us what is going on." Seiya said in a commanding tone.
Taiki and Yaten moved to the edge of their seats, their attention focused on every detail about their home world.
"Well…a lot of progress has been made throughout the planet, but some areas are filled with unrest because they feel they are not getting help as quickly as other areas. Some have claimed the crown has abandoned them and are refusing to accept Princess Kakyuu as their ruler until she helps her people."
"That is ridiculous," spat Taiki. "She has done everything in her power to save the planet and rebuilt as much as she can. For heaven sakes, there's only one of her. She can only do such much at a time."
"I bet it's the Lemurians. In the past, they wanted the crown for themselves," Taiki recalled a part of Kinmoku's history. Centuries ago, Kinmoku was plague by wars over the right to rule. The losing side constantly opposed the royal family and seemed to look for any excuse to make their rulings invalid.
"We have to help you settle the unrest. We can't allow Princess Kakyuu to lose her throne. She has worked too hard to bring harmony and stability to her people and is the rightful ruler of Kinmoku." Yaten declared.
"No!" Exclaimed Sakura. "Princes Kakyuu gave the three of you a mission to protect the Earth and Sailor Cosmos. The three of you must fulfill your duty… as described in the ancient texts of our people. It is your destiny. Ours is to return to Kinmoku and serve as her new Starlights. We have to prove to ourselves and to others that we are capable of the tasks given to us. We cannot rely on your strength forever."
Seiya understood their point of view. "Very well…but it you realize you do need our help never hesitate to ask us. Just because we reside here doesn't mean we have abandoned you or the people of Kinmoku."
"Your mission here is more important. The danger that Sailor Cosmos is destined to face…would be catastrophic for this planet… and if the worse were to happen it would place other galaxies at risk, including Kinmoku," reasoned Yuna. Her thoughts echoed Sakura.
Shiori recognized that the other two girls made valid points, but it didn't help her make her case for the Three Lights to return to Kinmoku. She was beginning to understand, Seiya was starting to view this planet as his new home. If her feelings couldn't be returned, perhaps it was better she was not around him. Realization hit Shiori. The feelings she experience right now were probably similar to how Seiya felt when he left Earth to return to Kinmoku after Sailor Galaxia was freed from Chaos. "We'll leave by mid-afternoon tomorrow. It's probably best if we left without much of a sendoff given the current circumstances between the senshi. We do not want to add to the rift." Shiori laughed as she thought about something to lighten the mood. "There is one thing I wasn't expecting on this planet. To find your faces plaster everywhere and listen to a horde of screaming fangirls."
"…Well that's a downside to being on this planet," Taiki said in a lower tone. Sometimes he hated being an idol because he had less privacy.
"We did have to make money somehow to live on this planet. It makes things easier…" Yaten said flicking his white silver hair. The fans sometimes were too much of a nuisance, but he did enjoy performing on stage. They all did.
"It helped us find Princess Kakyuu, so at that time it was beneficial to masquerade as music idols. We just weren't expecting to have so many avid followers. We sorta blew up and became famous." Seiya began to think of his recent harassment by the media when they follow Usagi and him on their date. "The spotlight can be tedious. They want to know everything you are doing."
"Like when you go on dates with a certain blonde." Yaten ridiculed. He loved to tease Seiya in front the others.
"Hey!" Seiya shouted, his cheek reddening. "Once we start writing music again we won't be able to get the media off our backs. I mean the press will hassle you too and start disrupting your private life. Coming after you trying to snapshot a picture of you and a certain blonde with a red bow," countered Seiya at Yaten.
Yaten paled and his voice grew lower. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"But that is not until the danger has passed on this planet." Taiki placed his hand under his chin. "I wonder what it would be like to be an actual idol, without having to deal with all these enemies. Even being normal high schoolers would suffice."
"Thing will be better for us this time around. We have lots of allies we can trust." Seiya tried his best to keep a yawn at bay.
Yaten grinned. "Minus the other that wants to attack you."
"Shut up."
After a long journey from Nemesis, Eris, Ixion and Sedena arrive to their base on Earth. They were joyful upon returning with the remaining pieces to complete the Black crystal. Eris would begin the tedious task of repairing the crystal tomorrow with Makemake.
After hearing their footsteps, Haumea tried to hide her tears. She was distraught after losing Quarora.
"What is going on?" Eris demanded. He wanted to know why Haumea and Quarora did not celebrate their triumph return.
Haumea took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She needed to keep her emotions in check in front of the others. "Several hours ago… Quarora, myself and an army of minions attacked Tokyo. We had the upper hand and were about to eliminate some of the senshi. But then…she appeared." She couldn't bring herself to saying the senshi's name.
"She…?" Sedena began to feel a sinking feeling in her stomach. Could the light she thought she had seen been real? She hadn't imagined it? Impossible, she told herself.
"Sailor Cosmos appeared with an army of senshi… the Starlights, the Moon Senshi and several others. She …. She defeated Quarora in battle. I was fortunate enough to get away before I met the same fate." She kept her eyes lowered to the floor. She knew Eris would be disappointed with her and it was easier for her to look at the ground while she spoke.
"That's not possible," responded Ixion in disbelief. "She was trapped in a crystal, imprisoned within a cloud of poisonous gas, enough to kill her. She had no means of escaping. She was left there to die."
"But she didn't die. She is back." Haumea whispered. She began to feel angry at Ixion. His assumption that Sailor Cosmos would never be free caused her to lose Quarora forever.
"It doesn't matter," Eris snapped. "We have the remaining pieces of the crystals. Once it is completed, I will train the Master personally on how to harness it's abilities to its fullest extent. With the amplifier crystals you have placed undetected throughout the city, nothing will be able to stop the Master. Not even Sailor Cosmos will be powerful enough to stop him. Her powers are still immature. She is no Queen Serenity."
"Only half of the crystals have been placed in the city. I can only do so many at a time to avoid detection. The rest will be functional by the end of the month." Haumea slowly looked up at Eris, expecting him to scold her.
"As long as the others are unaware of your true purpose, we will still have the element of surprise. Continue the same process than." Eris instructed the lowest ranking person in the room. "How did the black crystal minions fare?" They were something Eris had spent a lot of time personally creating.
"The second group were more beneficial against the senshi. Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus seemed to be the only ones able to stop them." Haumea paused when she remembered another piece of important information. "The masked man dressed in a black tuxedo…it turns out he is also Prince Endymion. On this last encounter, he presented himself in the form of the Prince of Earth."
Eris smiled. "This is any interesting development. One we will defiantly use to our advantage. We know Sailor Cosmos will do anything to protect Sailor Star Fighter and I imagine she would react in the same manner if Prince Endymion's life is threatened." He turned to Sedena to give her instructions. "Sedena, I want you to accompany Haumea to help her with the remaining crystal amplifiers. I do not have to explain to you how critical this task is for our future domination of Earth."
"Yes, my Liege. We will resume tomorrow. It is best it we take this time to regroup. I can also learn Haumea's methods to avoid detection." Sedena suggested. She knew Haumea was still upset after the loss of Quarora and she was exhausted from the long journey from Nemesis. She ignored the fact that now would be probably be the perfect time to attack the Earth since the senshi would be exhausted. She needed some time to herself.
Usagi slowly begun to regain consciousness, however, she did not dare to open her eyes yet. She wanted to continue sleeping, like she always attempted every morning. As she lay there, something seemed off. Her senses began to wake up more. Her pillow was moving. This realization caused her to snap her eyes open. She tried to move, but her waist felt pinned down. Panic set in. Was she still trapped on Nemesis? Had the others coming to her rescue been but a dream?
She smiled and relaxed when she realized her captor was Seiya. He had his left arm around her waist in his sleep and the moving pillow was actually Seiya's chest. She let out a slow deep breath. She looked around the room and realized she was in Seiya's bedroom. A blush slowly rose in her cheeks as realization set in. She was in his room. She didn't quiet remember how she got here. After she had been liberated from the crystal confinement, she remembered returning to Earth with everybody…defeating Quarora… after that everything else was a fuzzy memory. She must have fainted and Seiya must have brought her here to rest. This made things very awkward for her considering what she needed to tell Seiya about what she had decided on while being trapped on Nemesis. She was unsure of how he would react. But it was something she had to do to end this love-triangle between her, Mamoru, and Seiya. She needed to be firm with her decision no matter what the outcome will end up being.
She needed to get up and speak to Mamoru again. She was determined to give them both her decision by sunset tomorrow.
Usagi tried to break free from Seiya's grasp, but soon discovered his hold on her was too tight making it difficult for her to break free. She pouted for a moment and tried to wriggle free.
Seiya murmured in his sleep, "The elephant is in the hot air balloon…"
Usagi stared at him wide eyed before she burst out laughing. Her laugher woke Seiya up. Usagi sat up laughing hysterically.
"Huh? What?" Seiya said sitting up looking extremely confused. His expression changed when he realized it was Usagi. "You're awake." He expressed relief in his voice before it became serious. "You have to stop scaring me like that."
"…Well… I couldn't just stand there and do nothing!" Usagi retorted with her hands on her hips. "If you think I'm just going stand there and do nothing—"
Seiya cut her off by placing a few fingers on her lips to silence her. The action caused a deep blush to form on Usagi's cheeks.
"If the situation was reversed… you know I would do the same," Seiya said softly. "So I can't be mad about that. But you're still going to give me a nervous breakdown or a heart attack."
"Hmph!" Usagi crossed her hands against her chest. "And here I thought as a senshi you had control of your emotions."
"Except when it comes to you."
Usagi gasped. Seiya stared into her eyes and slowly moved closer for a kiss. For a moment, she returned the kiss until she remembered the promise she had made to herself. She pulled away.
"Odango…What's wrong?" He was puzzled by her actions and wasn't sure if he offended her somehow.
Usagi turned her eyes downward. She knew what she had to tell him, but it would hurt. She didn't want to keep secrets from him, but she needed to end this once and for all.
"Before Eris captured me…I went to the future and I encountered my future self. And she told me that I needed to come to a decision with myself, as Tsukino Usagi, and who I truly loved. I mean… I can let Sailor Cosmos' or Serenity's feelings influence my decision and… well you know…" Usage tapped her index fingers together while she explained.
"Okay…" Seiya began to feel a knot in his stomach develop based on the direction of the conversation.
"… When I was trapped within the crystal… I had a conversation with both Serenity and Cosmos… it was really weird…" She wasn't sure how to say this. "I… made the decision to…." She fumbled with her words.
He began to feel unease at what she was about to say. She was going to go back to Mamoru. It was over.
"….Since we've returned from Kinmoku... I've spent most of my time with you. Serenity made valid points… that in order to make a proper decision. I'm going to spend a day with Mamo-chan and then decide…. Who I love most as Usagi." She said it. For a few brief moments she felt relief washed over her, but now she had to deal with the aftermath of how her decision will affect Seiya.
Seiya sat there stunned. He was not expecting her to say this. He was deeply hurt, but as always, tries to play it off. "I… understand, Odango." He tried to keep his voice even, although he felt like he was on the verge of losing it. He wanted to punch Mamoru in the face again, but it would only make things worse for him like it had before. He knew she needed to finally decide and he need to come to terms that if she chose to go back to Mamoru he needed to respect that decision. "Look…the other girls are going to be here sometime this morning to pick you up. They might already be here. You should freshen up."
"…Oh okay." Usagi said. She stood up and stretched. She watched Seiya for a moment and caught the pain in his eyes for a split second before he turned to the side to avoid further eye contact with her. She wanted to reassure him, but how could she when she might choose Mamoru. "I... should probably go. I'll see you soon."
Usagi opened the door and closed it behind her.
"Usagi-chan!" Minako exclaimed as soon as she saw her. Ami, Makoto, and Rei were seated at the couch. They jumped to their feet and rushed over to her.
"Are you okay?" Rei asked noticing how quiet Usagi seemed.
"Hmm? Yeah…" Usagi tried to give her a reassuring smile, but Rei saw right through the ruse. Rei knew it had to do with her indecisiveness of choosing either Mamoru or Seiya. Had she made her decision? "We should get you home…your parents haven't seen you for a while."
Usagi's eyes widened when she thought about what her mother would say. "…Yeah." It also gave her the perfect excuse to leave the Three Light's apartment quickly.
"Leaving so soon?" Yuna asked entering the room. "We never got to say goodbye to you on Kinmoku."
"…Thank you for helping us here on Earth." Usagi responded slowly when she saw Shiori, the one person she wanted to avoid out of the three new Starlights.
"I guess it's our turn to be leaving the world, eh?" Shiori teased trying to lighten the mood.
"I'm sure we'll see each other again soon enough." Yuna added. "And Usagi-chan?"
"Hmm?"
"We really underestimated your abilities on Kinmoku. After witnessing the events from yesterday…there is no doubt in our minds that you truly are the Guardian. I guess the atmosphere on Kinmoku took a lot out of you." Shiori and Sakura nodded their heads in agreement to Yuna's words.
Shiori wanted to say something more, but she bit her tongue. "I'm sure we'll see you again in the future under better circumstances."
"You bet!" Usagi grinned. She had expected a retort from Shiori about Seiya and was pleasantly surprised.
Usagi and her guardians bit their final farewells to the Starlights and departed from the apartment.
Seiya walked out of his room briefly after Usagi and the girls had left. He needed to get himself together and rethink this whole situation between Usagi, Mamoru, and himself. He was hurt. As if he had done something wrong. Maybe he and Mamoru shouldn't have fought…but beyond that, he has done everything he could for her. What else could he do? He feared that she already made her decision and he there was nothing within him that he could use to convince her to stay, to choose him. He needed to come to terms that if she did indeed choose Mamoru over him he would respect her decision and not interfere. It was all that he could do. In the end, as much as he loved Usagi, her happiness was what was important to him. Even if it meant that it wasn't with him.
"You just missed Usagi-chan leaving," Taiki said.
"Yeah."
Taiki exchanged a glance with Yaten.
Yaten frowned. He was going to address the obvious. "What happened with you two?"
Anger flashed in his eyes. "Why do you always assume there's a problem?"
"Because you only act this way…when it involves her," Shiori shot back. She knew Seiya too well. She didn't know what happened, but Seiya always wore his heart on his sleeve when it involved Usagi.
Seiya glared at her. "This has nothing to do with you. Don't you have somewhere to be?"
Shiori lip twitched in irritation. She wanted to say something back to him, but she bit the inside of her cheek. "While you were… sleeping, we discussed returning to Kinmoku after we ate lunch."
"Fine."
Yuna and Sakura shook their heads. This was not how they wanted to ended things before returning to Kinmoku.
Usagi was really quiet on her walk home with the other girls. Everyone picked up on her lack of bubbly personality. They thought she would have been more excited.
"So…Usagi-chan… you've been really quiet. Did something happen?" Asked Minako, trying to pry for information.
"…. I still don't know who to choose…" Usagi muttered.
"You don't know who to choose? But Usagi-chan… we all thought you had chosen Seiya!" Exclaimed Makoto confused.
"Usagi…has been struggling and is working on making a decision soon, she just needs time to sort things out." Rei came to her defense. She knew the other girls would ask her a lot of questions and she wanted to keep things simple for Usagi.
Usagi smiled slightly at Rei for helping her. "I…just want to make sure I'm making the decision based on my own true feelings and not those of Sailor Cosmos' or Serenity's feelings." Usagi explained to them. "But it's really hard! The part of me that is Serenity keeps telling me to choose Endymion… but the Cosmos part of me… is telling me to choose Seiya. I'm in constant turmoil with my past selves."
The other girls' jaws dropped. They never realized the inner battle Usagi had to deal with in making a decision between her two loves.
"Usagi-chan….What are you going to do?" Ami asked. She wanted to figure out a way to help her but didn't know how.
"After we talk to my parents…I'm going to see Mamo-chan. And then tomorrow… I'm going to decide who I love most as Usagi."
"If you need help leaving your house… we'll cover for you," offered Minako. She knew it might be difficult to leave so quickly after returning home.
"Thanks guys," Usagi smiled softly. She paused as she stood outside of her home.
"Oh, one more thing…the Moon Senshi departed this morning. They are resuming their search for the Dark Moon's base of operation. They really do operate in the shadows." Rei explained to the group.
"It's amazing how they seem to keep appearing and disappearing," commented Minako. "But from what I understand… this is how they operated with Queen Serenity."
Usagi sighed before she opened the door. She was sure her mother would have a lot to tell her. She pulled out her key and slowly opened the door. "I'm home!"
Two hours later, around noon, Usagi finally had a moment alone to use the telephone. She dialed a number that she had dialed before countless times. It rang several times. Each ring caused her heart to beat faster and made her more anxious. What if he wasn't there?
"Hello?"
"…Hi…Mamo-chan…"
"Usako!" His voice cheered up considerably at the sound of hearing her voice.
Usagi smiled. "I'm at home right now… but I'm going to try to leave in a little bit… I want to see you… and talk for a while."
"That sounds wonderful. Do you want me to pick you up?"
"…Ah… no. I'm not sure how exactly I'm going to tell my mom that I'm going to head out so soon after I just got home not so long ago. Not to mention that I have been neglecting my school work and school starts up again on Monday."
Mamoru chuckled a little. It was as if they were having a secret meeting. The thought triggered an image in his mind of the times he snuck away from Earth to visit her on the Moon.
"Mamo-chan, are you still there?"
"Yes. Sorry. Did you want to meet me somewhere? I'm sure you're hungry." He figured she hadn't eaten much yet, and it would be a good way to converse over a nice meal. Mamoru knew that anything involving food excited Usagi and made it easier for a conversation to flow.
Usagi gasped loudly in excitement. He had said the magic word.
"Did you want to meet at our usual place?" It was a small cafe not too far from her high school. She would often meet him there whenever their schedules allowed. "How much time do you need?"
Usagi looked down at the clothes she was still wearing. "…An hour… maybe a little more?" She said sheepishly.
"I'll tell you what… I'll be there at… 1:15. Get there when you can."
"Hmm!" Usagi responded cheerfully. When she hung up the telephone she realized she was really excited to see Mamoru. She rushed over to her closet to find something to change into and took out a dress that Mamoru favored her wearing. It was a pink dress with a sweetheart neckline and puffy white sleeves. The back of the dress makes a v shape exposing some of her back. The skirt fell just above her knees. She rushed to the bathroom to wash up before applying just enough make-up that perfectly blended in with her natural looks. She brushed out her long hair and redid her odangos. She caught herself humming a familiar song.
She walked over to her dresser and opened up the drawer to pull out a pair of fresh socks. She abruptly froze when she caught sight of her star locket next to the promise ring she had received from Mamoru years ago. Her eyes opened widely. She reached into the drawer to pull out the ring. She examined it closely in her hand. Should she wear it? She was about to see Mamoru? But… she hadn't made her choice yet… and if she wore the ring it would only cause more confusion. She quickly placed the ring back in the drawer.
She couldn't think like that right now. Today was about spending time with Mamoru. She will decide tomorrow. She wanted to experience a day with him without any complications.
A couple of story plots were dropped in this chapter for future arcs. So much still in store for our characters!
Find out what happens with Usagi spends the day with Mamoru! Act 36: Usagi and Mamoru: One Last Chance
Due to recent job changes it will take me longer to send out new chapters. My free time is non-existent for the next two months and I might have to skip NaNoWriMo which is when I was hoping to finish this arc. But this story will not be abandoned.