AN: Can you believe this fic just passed its 6th anniversary? I know I've been bad at regular updates, but the fact that I still have people reading this, after six years, is honestly amazing and means so much to me. There's still several important things that need to happen, and there will be a handful more chapters, but we're slowly approaching the end of this fic. I'll do my best to get out updates more regularly, I'm trying to form better habits with my writing in 2021. I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe!
A big thanks to Guest, smoon4409, James Birdsong and Jakeros for the reviews. They are so appreciated. I know my updates have been sporadic at best, and I'm sure I've lost some readers along the way because of it, but if you're reading this and enjoy it, please review! It always puts a smile on my face, and the support and enthusiasm of my readers is what keeps me going even when I'm blocked. Now, onto the chapter!
Everyone looked up as Motoki dropped the bottle of cleaning solution, his mouth agape as he stared at them all. "I… what? What?"
"Motoki!" Usagi said, jumping up from her perch on Mamoru's lap and rushing over. "What are you doing here?"
"I… I… I was cleaning the Arcade," Motoki said, his voice and expression dazed. "I was cleaning off the Sailor V game, because kids don't wash their hands before playing the games. And… and then these stairs appeared. But there isn't a basement under the Crown Arcade, so I didn't know what was going on… and… you're Sailor Moon? How is that possible?"
"He must have hit the exact right combination of buttons," Luna mused. The words left her mouth without thinking, and her eyes widened, as if she realized too late that cats don't normally speak. "Uh… meow."
"Ah!" Motoki shrieked, trying to back up, but his wobbly legs gave out and he crashed onto the floor, his legs splayed out in front of it. "Did that cat… talk? This shouldn't be possible. This can't be happening."
Usagi chewed on her lower lip. "It's… complicated. Are you okay? Why don't you sit down on a real chair and maybe we can explain it."
Motoki shook his head. "I'm okay here." He paused. "Are you really Sailor Moon? And Mamoru! That would make you Tuxedo Kamen, wouldn't it? Why didn't you tell me? I thought we were friends."
"We are friends," Mamoru said. "You're my closest friend, Motoki, but I couldn't tell anyone. I haven't told anyone. You have to understand, our enemies are dangerous people, and if they knew who we really were, or who our loved ones were… it could be very bad for both me and you."
"Oh," Motoki said, his voice small. "I guess… I guess that makes sense."
"You won't tell anyone, right?" Usagi asked. "You can't, this has to remain a secret."
"I understand," Motoki said. He chuckled slightly. "Not like anyone would believe me anyways, if I told them Sailor Moon was a teenage girl who loves my chocolate milkshakes."
Usagi smiled at that. Motoki was a dear friend to her, and she knew he was Mamoru's best friend. She'd always felt bad for lying to him, but telling him the truth wasn't an option. Not until now, at least.
"How is…. This possible?" he asked, waving his hand at the general surroundings. "I have the blueprints for the building, I know there's no basement. But the stairs… this shouldn't be possible. How is this here?"
"Technically it's not," Ami said, speaking up for the first time. "We needed a secure location for our base, somewhere that the enemy wouldn't be able to find us. This room exists in a separate sub-space dimension. It's connected to the Crown Arcade as a tether point, but if you were to dig a tunnel out the other side, you wouldn't find yourself in the streets of Tokyo."
Motoki just blinked at her. "I… what? How is that possible?"
Ami smiled gently. "To quote Shakespeare, there are more things in heaven and earth than dreamt of in your philosophies. The science for all this exists, it just hasn't been discovered by any physicists yet."
"But then…?" Motoki trailed off, shaking his head. "Maybe I don't want to know. I knew you were a genius, everyone knows that, but to have discovered technology and science that doesn't exist yet, or that the top physicists don't yet understand… how?"
"It's complicated," Ami said. "And related to my powers as Sailor Mercury. It's too hard to explain, I'm afraid. But you're right that there isn't a basement under the Crown Arcade, you're not going crazy."
"So…" Motoki said. "My best friend is Tuxedo Kamen. My most loyal customer is Sailor Moon. There's such a thing as sub-space dimensions and… that cat did talk earlier, right? Is that a thing now?"
"Not all cats," Usagi said. "Just Luna and Artemis. It's… well, complicated, sorry. But you don't have to worry about your regular housecat being able to speak."
She felt bad for constantly falling back on the excuse of 'complicated,' but what else was she supposed to say? Explaining that Luna and Artemis were from the moon, and technically an alien species that just looked like cats meant explaining that she was also technically from the Moon and oh, was royalty, too.
"You're really Sailor Moon?" Motoki asked after a pause. "This isn't just some sort of elaborate prank?"
Usagi nodded."I'm really Sailor Moon," she said. "I know, not what you would have expected."
"I knew there was something weird," Motoki said, looking up at the ceiling. "All those injuries. Not even you're that clumsy, but I thought… I thought… I don't know what I thought."
Usagi grimaced. She knew her excuses for the injuries were flimsy, but it was hard convincing people of valid reasons why a teenage girl would be frequently so beaten up. "Yeah. It's… a dangerous line of work."
"Thank you," he said, his voice quiet. At Usagi's confused look, he continued. "If you're really Sailor Moon, then that means that you guys are the only things keep Tokyo standing. Maybe even the whole world, who knows. On the news, it always seems so glamorous. Masked superheroes saving the world. But… it's not, is it?"
"It's…. complicated?" Usagi said, offering up a sheepish smile as her statement came out like a question. Motoki deserved more, but what could she tell him? She could tell him that she didn't choose this, that she never wanted this, that there were days when she was exhausted and worn down and cursed the fate that had made her Princess Serenity and Sailor Moon. But that wasn't the whole truth.
She could tell him that seeing evil, right in front of her eyes, had changed her. That losing Mamoru had changed her. That losing the Senshi, one by one, had changed her, that dying herself—for the second time, no less—had changed her. And that while there were days when she wanted a break, wanted to be just ditzy Usagi, she knew she was uniquely equipped to deal with the dark forces that attacked the Earth, and she would never back down. But she didn't want to scare Motoki. He couldn't know the full details, no one could. They couldn't understand.
"It's not always glamorous, no," Usagi said finally. "None of us chose this life, and there are times it's hard and scary. But I think I can speak for all of us when I say that, were we given a choice now, we would choose to be Sailor Senshi in a heartbeat. It's not always easy, but someone has to do it, and we are the only ones qualified for the job."
Motoki just nodded, slowly absorbing the information that Usagi had given him. "I… thank you. For choosing that."
"It's getting late," Usagi said, offering a hand to help Motoki up from the floor. "Why don't you go home and get some sleep?"
Motoki accepted the help and pulled himself to his feet, glancing between Usagi and Mamoru for a moment before shaking his head. "And here I was thinking you two dating was the only secret you were keeping from me."
"I am sorry for not telling you, Motoki," Mamoru said. "But no one can know."
"It's okay," Motoki said. "I… I understand. I think. I guess I can't really ever, but… I know telling people your secret identity is usually a bad idea. I… should probably go and get some sleep. It's late, isn't it?"
"Do you need any help?" Mamoru asked, but Motoki shook his head.
"You know I don't live far from here. But… thank you."
With a slight half-wave and one last glance over his shoulder at the strange array of computers and monitors, Motoki left the base, leaving everyone in silence.
"Well," Usagi said after a moment. "That was… an experience."
"Luna, how was Motoki able to access the base?" Minako asked. "I know there's access through the Sailor V game, but… is the only thing that's preventing our enemies from finding it is not knowing or not lucking into the right combination of buttons to press? What if some kid playing the game presses the right buttons? I thought that due to the… subspace thingymajig that Ami talked about, it meant we were hidden."
"Artemis and I will look into it," Luna said. "There should be additional layers of protection. I'm not sure how Motoki was able to enter, even with pressing the right buttons. But don't worry, if there's a security breach, we'll handle it."
"Good," Usagi said, rubbing her temples. "Having Motoki know our identities… that changes things. Having another person know makes it complicated."
"Did you say 'another'?" Haruka asked, stepping forward with a frown.
Usagi sighed. She'd forgotten that Haruka and Michiru didn't know. "Yeah, I told my parents."
"Do you have any idea how much danger that puts them in?" Haruka said. "What would make you do such a thing?"
"I'm well aware of the dangers, thanks," Usagi said, bristling slightly at Haruka's accusatory tone. "But there's dangers in keeping it secret, too. When we were fighting the Dark Kingdom and Queen Beryl… Jadeite figured out who I was. And he used that information to attack my family. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt, but I kept thinking—what if they were? Being ignorant didn't protect them. Maybe if they knew that I was Sailor Moon, they could have been safer. Maybe they wouldn't have been blindsided by the attack."
Haruka shook her head. "It's still incredibly risky and puts us all in danger."
"What's done is done," Usagi said. "I can't change it, even if I wanted to. You don't have to agree with my decision, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't lecture me. You don't know how hard it is, trying to live a double life and keeping secrets from everyone you love."
Haruka opened her mouth to say something else, but Michiru put a hand on her shoulder to quiet her. "We all gave up aspects of our life when we became Senshi, Usagi. You said it yourself, none of us chose this life, and we have all had to make sacrifices. While Haruka's and mine might have been different from yours, that doesn't mean they have been no less painful."
"I know." Usagi sighed. "I didn't mean to imply that this has been easy for you, I know we have all struggled and sacrificed. Destiny can be a real pain sometimes. All I ask is that you respect my decision, and trust that I did not make it without lots of careful consideration."
"It's been hard for all us," Minako said quietly, and Usagi glanced over at her friend, remembering that Minako had spent quite some time as Sailor V before any of the other Senshi were awakened. She didn't like talking about it much, but Usagi knew it had been hard on her.
"But Usagi was right," Minako continued. "Despite the sacrifices, and despite the fact that none of us chose this life, we would all choose it again in a heartbeat. I know you two had to leave everything behind when you became Sailor Senshi. I have done the same, and I know what it's like. But where that isn't possible, compromises have to be made. Usagi is our leader, and if we trust her with our lives in battle, we have to trust her on this, too."
Haruka sighed. "Very well. You make a good point that I can't argue with. I might not agree with your choices, but I will respect them. I know you wouldn't jeopardize your secret identity without careful consideration."
"Good," Usagi said, relieved the situation had been easily resolved. The last thing she needed right now was a lecture from Haruka and Michiru about how she wasn't being responsible enough. They weren't there when the Dark Kingdom attacked. They didn't know what it had been like, or how many close calls there had been. If there was even a chance that her family knowing about her secret identity could keep them safe, and keep them aware, she would take it.
The conversation lulled, and Usagi stifled a yawn. "Luna, did you want to keep discussing what to do about the Black Moon Clan and Prince Demande?"
"It can wait until tomorrow," Luna said. "You girls need your sleep, and Artemis and I need to figure out if Motoki being able to access the base is a sign of a deeper security breach."
"Sleep does sound good," Usagi admitted.
"Come on, I'll walk you home," Mamoru offered, and Usagi smiled. No matter what the Black Moon Clan threw at them, Usagi had her Senshi behind her and her Tuxedo Kamen at her side. They could handle it.
"Our Prince wants to see you."
Esmeraude looked up from her nails, where she was applying a coat of deep green polish. Wiseman was hovering in the shadows, his cloak billowing.
"Me?" Esmeraude asked, trying to keep her expression neutral. What could Prince Demande want from her? Perhaps to congratulate her on the fact that she nearly had the Senshi beat? Or maybe he finally realized that Esmeraude was perfect for him, and he was going to stop wasting his time on the stupid, vapid Neo-Queen Serenity.
"Well, I suppose I better not keep him waiting," Esmeraude giggled, hastily blowing on her nails to get them to dry faster. She sauntered her way down the hall, headed towards the throne room, her fan artfully arranged in front of her face.
She would play it coy, she decided. A bashful giggle here, a shy blush there. "Oh, me? Defeat the Senshi? Why, it was nothing, my Prince!" she imagined herself saying. How he would smile at her! He and Wiseman and everyone else on the wretched rock would finally realize her worth.
"My Prince?" Esmeraude asked as she enter the throne room, dropping into a curtsy. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes," Prince Demande said, barely looking up. "Why is it, Esmeraude, that although I have entrusted you with the important task of defeating our enemies, you have not delivered? The Senshi have not fallen. Serenity is not mine. Nothing has changed."
"M-my lord?" Esmeraude asked, her smile freezing in place behind her fan. This wasn't how it was supposed to go.
"Did I not make myself clear, Esmeraude?" Demande asked.
"No, no, my Prince!" Esmeraude hastened to say. "Of course, you articulated yourself perfectly. I admit the Senshi are slipperier than I thought, but I nearly had them the other night, my liege. I would have, had it not been for the unexpected outside interference."
"Excused," Demande said with a wave of his hand. "I am not a man of infinite patience, Esmeraude. I expect results, and soon. It would be a shame if you ended up like Rubeus."
"Of… of course, my liege," Esmeraude said, backing away from the throne, as a nervous feeling stirred in her gut. Rubeus had been killed by the Sailor Senshi. Was Prince Demande saying he didn't want the same to happen to her, or was he threatening it if she didn't deliver? He wouldn't threaten her… right?
These thoughts occupied Esmeraude's mind so intently that she didn't see Wiseman waiting up ahead for her until he spoke.
"You're going to fail him," the disembodied voice said, and Esmeraude jumped slightly.
"Wiseman." She scowled. "Your taunts aren't going to work, I already have a plan in place."
"But it won't work," Wiseman said. "You will fail. And Prince Demande will never love you. Unless…"
"I don't need your help!" she snapped, walking away from Wiseman, but after only a few steps she paused and looked back. "Unless what?"
"I can help you," Wiseman promised. "I will give you the crown you deserve."
"Usagi! Look, they're selling balloons!" Chibiusa said, tugging on Usagi's sleeve as they walked through the park. "Can I have one? Pleeeaaase?"
Usagi glanced at the prices on the vendor cart and frowned. "I don't know, Chibiusa, they're pretty expensive."
"Pleeeaaaaase?" the little girl asked, her eyes going wide as she pouted slightly.
"Okay, fine!" Usagi groaned as she gave in. "But just a regular balloon, okay? The balloon animals are too much."
"Yay thank you!" Chibiusa squealed as Usagi handed over the money for a balloon.
"There goes my allowance money," Usagi grumbled. But seeing the glee on Chibiusa's face as she picked out a pink, sparkly balloon and the vendor helped tie it to her wrist made Usagi smile.
Besides, what would she spend her allowance money on anyways? Motoki was always giving her milkshakes on the house, and it's not like she had time for arcade games these days. Life was occupied with fighting the Black Moon Clan, trying to figure out the Black Moon Clan's intentions so they could better fight them, looking after Chibiusa and trying not to fail school.
At least now that her family knew she was Sailor Moon, they'd loosened up with complaints about her grades. A little. Her mom still threatened to swat her with a broom when her report cards were poor, and her dad had said that there would be 'no excuses' for failing grades, but neither of them had the same conviction they used to. It was as if it was just something they had to do, to go through the motions of being a normal family.
They hadn't talked about Usagi being Sailor Moon since she first revealed it. Usagi didn't want to bring it up, didn't want to make her family uncomfortable. It was a lot to process, and she understood that. But some days she just wanted to scream, to yell at them that she was Sailor Moon and they had to deal with it, because it wasn't going to change, and pretending otherwise was helping no one.
While Usagi mulled over her thoughts and Chibiusa admired her new balloon, they sky had slowly begun to darken, and Usagi didn't even notice it until a passing stranger pointed it out.
"Looks like rain, don't you think?" he asked, pointing to the black clouds that had drifted over the horizon. "Looks like it'll be a nasty storm, I don't think you'll want to be caught out in it."
Usagi mumbled her thanks for the heads up as the stranger walked off, and she stared at the sky. Dark clouds had gathered over the horizon, but they didn't look like ordinary storm clouds. And the weather report had predicted clear, sunny skies all day. Not just that, but something felt… wrong. Off, somehow.
"Hey, Chibiusa?" Usagi asked, glancing over at Chibiusa, who was still by the balloon vendor's cart. "Can you come back here?"
The little girl skipped over, and Usagi placed a protective arm around her shoulders. She'd learned not to ignore these gut feelings, but she didn't want to scare Chibiusa. She'd drop the girl off back home, then double back to the park and contact the Senshi if she needed to.
"We should get going back home," Usagi said. "It looks like it's going to rain soon."
"Aw, but I wanted to play!" Chibiusa whined.
"I know," Usagi said. "Some other day, I promise. It won't be much fun in the rain, will it?"
"Fine," Chibiusa grumbled, reluctantly allowing Usagi to steer her back in the direction they'd come from. But only a few steps down the path and two shadowy figures emerged from behind a tree, blocking their way.
The shadow creatures undulated as they moved, forming various shapes that never quite settled into anything cohesive and Usagi gulped as she pushed Chibiusa behind her.
"Who are you? What do you want?" she asked.
"We will fill this area with our energy," one of them hissed. "You will become one with our new Dark Tokyo."
"Fat chance," Usagi muttered under her breath, but inwardly, she was panicking. Civilians had started to flee, but there were still too many people around for her to risk transforming into Sailor Moon.
"Chibiusa, hold on tight to my hand, okay?" Usagi said, as she wrapped her hand around the little girl's. "Don't let go."
She waited for the girl to nod, and then broke into a sprint, Chibiusa running and tripping alongside her. One of the shadow creatures sent out a blast of dark energy and Usagi threw herself at Chibiusa, knocking them both out of the way, just barely missing the blast. They hit the ground hard, and Chibiusa whimpered.
"I'm scared," she said. "I want to go home."
"It's okay," Usagi said, but Chibiusa was starting to cry.
"I want to go home!" she said again, louder this time, and a burst of white light erupted from her, sending Usagi flying backwards several feet and knocking the wind out of her.
"Ungh," Usagi said, rolling over and trying to regain her breath.
A chilling, nauseating giggle pierced the air and Usagi froze. She'd heard that giggle before.
"My, my, what do we have here?" Esmeraude said, emerging from the black shadows caused by her droids. "The Rabbit, at last. Prince Demande will be so happy to hear of your death."
"Get away from her," Usagi said, rasping for breath. The park was mostly empty now, but there were still people around. If Usagi transformed out in public, there was far too high a chance that people would see her. And that would be a disaster. But what else could she do? The Senshi wouldn't get here in time if she tried to hold off Esmeraude and protect Chibiusa as Usagi.
"Hey! Over here, ugly!" a voice called. Usagi looked up to see a blonde man running towards them, waving his arms over his head. Jadeite. Usagi thought she'd never been so grateful to see him in her life.
Esmeraude looked up, her perfectly red lips snarling in disgust. "What did you call me?"
"Ugly," Jadeite said. "I called you ugly. What are you going to do about it?"
"Get rid of him!" Esmeraude said to her droids. "No one dares to insult my perfect face!"
Jadeite dodged the blast of dark energy sent at him, dropping into a roll and making his way over to Chibiusa and Usagi.
"Jadeite!" Usagi said. "Take Chibiusa and get out of here."
"But…" Jadeite faltered. "I can't just leave you alone. Mamoru would kill me if anything happened to you."
"And I'll kill you if you don't do what I say and get Chibiusa out of here!" Usagi said.
"Look out!" Jadeite said as the droids attacked again, throwing himself at Usagi and Chibiusa.
"I'll be fine," Usagi said, picking up the crying, nearly catatonic Chibiusa and handing him to Jadeite. "But we need to keep Chibiusa safe."
Jadeite hesitated for only a moment. "Fine! Come on, Chibiusa, it will be okay."
"Hey, look over here!" Usagi said to the droids, drawing their attention, so Jadeite could escape. "I've got something you want."
"Focus on the Rabbit!" Esmeraude yelled to the droids. "Civilians can wait."
"I'm no civilian," Usagi said, pulling out her brooch. The park was empty enough now. Everyone who hadn't fled was injured or dead, and the darkened skies and shadows from the droids provided some measure of cover. And most importantly, Usagi was out of options.
She would need to finish off Esmeraude, she wouldn't be allowed to go back and report on Sailor Moon's true identity, but if Usagi didn't do anything, Jadeite and Chibiusa would never be able to escape.
"Moon Crystal Power, Make-up!" The transformation washed over her, making her stronger, more powerful, more focused. This was what she was born to do.
Esmeraude gasped. "Sailor Moon! Forget the Rabbit. Kill Sailor Moon at all costs. I'm sure Prince Demande will understand."
"I was hoping you'd say that," Sailor Moon said. She flipped open her communicator. "Emergency in the park. Help needed ASAP."
She didn't wait for a reply, as the shadow droids sent out a burst of dark energy, and she had to dodge to avoid it. It would be a waste to use her scepter or tiara now, she just needed to hold out and dodge until the Senshi could get here.
Esmeraude began to laugh, the sound grating on Usagi's ears as she dodged another blast from the shadow droids.
"My, what a fortunate day this is turning out to be," Esmeraude said, pulling out a crown and holding it high. "Once you are taken care of, I will be Queen of the Black Moon Clan!"
She placed the crown on her head and as she did so, her form began to morph and shift. Her torso stretched out, doubling, tripling in size as wings sprouted from her back, and her face morphed into a serpentine snarl.
Suddenly, Sailor Moon was facing down a dragon and she gulped. Two droids and Esmeraude she could handle on her own for a little while, but two droids and Esmeraude as a dragon? That was significantly harder.
Even as a dragon, Esmeraude cackled. She lunged at Sailor Moon, her fangs snapping perilously close to her head. Sailor Moon threw herself to the side, dodging the attack, but it was close enough that she could feel the heat from Esmeraude's breath.
The missed attack didn't seem to bother Esmeraude, as she inhaled deeply, then exhaled a burst of flame, causing Sailor Moon to hastily roll away. Even then, the fringes of her sailor fuku caught flame, and she furiously stamped out the fires.
"World Shaking!"
The blast hit Esmeraude directly in the side, causing her to screech in pain and Sailor Moon to sigh in relief. The backup was sorely needed.
"Everything okay?" Neptune asked while Uranus dodged an attack from Esmeraude.
Sailor Moon nodded. "The dragon is Esmeraude. And she knows who I am. We can't let her get away."
Neptune nodded. "Understood. Deep Submerge!" Her attack hit one of the shadow droids and as it writhed from the pain, Sailor Moon pulled out her scepter. Esmeraude would take more effort, but it was time to even the odds, and she knew Neptune's attack was powerful.
"Moon Scepter Elimination!" Her calculated risk paid off, as the droid was weakened enough from Neptune's attack that the scepter crumbled it into moon dust.
"One down, two more to go," Sailor Moon muttered to herself. And one of them was Esmeraude.
The remaining shadow droid aimed a blast of dark energy at Neptune, while Esmeraude kept aiming her attacks at Sailor Moon. Most of the droids they fought—and the youmas before them—seemed to indiscriminately attack the Senshi, but Esmeraude kept focusing on Sailor Moon, as if she had some particular grudge against her.
"Just what I need," Sailor Moon grumbled as she rolled away from another blast of fire. "An evil dragon that has it out for me personally."
"Shabon Spray!"
Mercury's mist filled the air, providing cover at the perfect moment, and giving Sailor Moon a chance to get more distance between herself and Esmeraude.
"Supreme Thunder!" Jupiter's lightning flashed through the mist, striking the shadow droid directly.
"What's the situation?" Mercury asked, already pulling out her computer and visor to analyze the enemies on the battlefield.
"The dragon is Esmeraude, and she knows who I am," Sailor Moon said. "The shadow droids should be an easy target, Neptune and I already finished one off."
"Don't worry, we won't let Esmeraude get away," Venus said, emerging from the mist. Kunzite, Nephrite and Zoisite followed close behind. "I was with Kunzite when you called. Jadeite called the Shitennou as well, he explained what was happening. We're in this together."
Sailor Moon exhaled in relief. She'd been trying not to think too much about the fact that Esmeraude knew her identity—she'd had little choice, but it could be catastrophic if Esmeraude could take this information back with her. But with all of the Senshi and the Shitennou, their odds of defeating Esmeraude were looking up.
"And Chibiusa?" Sailor Moon asked.
"Jadeite said he was dropping her off with your parents," Kunzite said. "And that he would return as soon as he was able. Endymion is also on his way."
"Good," Sailor Moon said, looking out over the battlefield. Neptune and Uranus were dodging attacks from Esmeraude and hitting her with their own when they could. Jupiter and Mars were focused on the remaining shadow droid, while Mercury scanned the enemies for weaknesses and any information that could help.
"Let's do this," she said.
"Crescent Beam!"
"Burning Mandala!"
Venus and Mars' attacks combined, powerful enough to finish off the remaining shadow droid without needing Sailor Moon's tiara or scepter. Just Esmeraude left.
Kunzite hit Esmeraude with a blast of light, but she retaliated with a flick of her tail that hit him across the stomach and sent him flying.
"Kunzite!" Venus yelled, hesitating between staying by Sailor Moon's side and rushing over to make Kunzite was okay.
"I'm… fine…" he groaned, picking himself up off the ground.
"Deep Submerge!" Neptune's attack came from behind, but Esmeraude swept up into the air with a beat of her wings, then dove back down, headed straight for Sailor Moon, jaws open wide and fangs glistening with venom.
Sailor Moon threw herself to the ground just in time, the tip of one of Esmeraude's fangs grazing her elbow. Esmeraude prepared to attack again, drawing her head back and inhaling as a prelude to her fire breath. Sailor Moon scrambled back against the ground, but her back hit a tree and she realized she was trapped.
"Sailor Moon!" Mars cried out.
"Venus Love-Me Chain!" Venus wrapped her chain around Esmeraude's torso, but no matter how hard she tugged, Esmeraude wouldn't budge.
Sailor Moon threw her hands up in front of her face instinctively. Esmeraude was blocking her escape in front, and the tree was blocking her escape behind. Was this really how it was going to end?
Before the heat from Esmeraude's fire could burn her, a shadowy figure leapt in front of Sailor Moon, swooping his jacket over his arm as a shield to protect both himself and Sailor Moon. As Esmeraude breathed fire, Tuxedo Kamen's shield held firm, and neither were harmed.
"Tuxedo Kamen!" Sailor Moon said. "Perfect timing."
Before he could say anything, an angry swish of Esmeraude's tail knocked Tuxedo Kamen aside, flinging him across the park.
"Tuxedo Kamen!" Sailor Moon cried out, picking herself up and rushing over towards where he lay, groaning from the impact.
A sudden burst of flame hit Esmeraude in the side, and she screeched in agony, distracting her from the attack she'd been about to make on Sailor Moon.
Jadeite stepped forward, a grin on his face. "Sorry I'm late."
Mars just rolled her eyes. "We didn't even notice you were missing.
"Would it kill you to at least try to be nice?" Jadeite asked.
"Oh, you mean how I was nice to you in the past and let myself be vulnerable and then you killed me?" Mars retorted, making Jadeite wince.
"I know I can never make that up to you, but that was hundreds of years ago! I'm a changed man!"
Mars just scoffed. "I'll believe it when I see it."
The two were so caught up in bickering that they didn't realize Esmeraude had temporarily taken her attention off of Sailor Moon. With a quick flick of her tail and a flap of her wings, she changed direction, beelining towards Mars, her jaw ready to lock on and snap.
"Look out!" Jadeite said, clueing in at the last minute, and shoving Mars aside. Mars hit the ground with a thud, and she was already picking herself up, ready to tear into Jadeite, when he screamed as Esmeraude's fangs pierced his shoulder.
Mars hurried to her feet, facing off against Esmeraude, and Sailor Moon could practically see the anger radiating off of her as she prepped for an attack. "Fire Soul!"
The burst of flame hit one of Esmeraude's wings and she screeched, flying upwards, away from Jadeite, before crashing to the ground, her injured wing clearly unable to support flight any more.
Sailor Moon pulled out her scepter, hoping it would be enough. "Moon Scepter Elimination!"
Unable to fly away, the attack hit Esmeraude directly, but while she screamed in agony, she drew in her breath again, ready to let loose with her flame.
"Why didn't that work?" Sailor Moon asked, her voice higher than usual in her panic. If the scepter wouldn't work, what would?
"I wonder…" Tuxedo Kamen trailed off. He was staring at his hands, and Sailor Moon glanced over at him, her brows knit together in confusion.
"Tuxedo Smoking Bomber!"
The words, unfamiliar to Sailor Moon, spilled out of Tuxedo Kamen, and a burst of white energy erupted from his hands, hitting Esmeraude's exposed underbelly. With one last shriek, she disintegrated, and Sailor Moon collapsed to her hands and knees, relieved and worn out from having used her scepter twice.
"You okay?" Tuxedo Kamen asked, placing a gentle hand on her back, and she nodded.
"Just exhausted. That was… what was that? That was amazing."
Tuxedo Kamen looked back down at his hands. "I… I'm not sure. I just… I heard a voice, telling me what to do."
"A voice?" Sailor Moon asked.
Tuxedo Kamen. "I know, it sounds strange. I didn't think I had any sort of power. But… there was one time, once before, when you and Chibiusa were in danger and something like this just… happened. But I wasn't sure how to control it. I'm still not sure if I do, but I heard a voice telling me to say those words, and… well, you saw what happened."
Their conversation was interrupted by the pained groans of Jadeite, who writhed on the ground, his shoulder bleeding profusely.
"You absolute idiot!" Mars was yelling at him. "What were you thinking, jumping in front of an attack like that?"
"I just… wanted to keep you safe," Jadeite ground out, forcing a smile onto his pained, pale face.
Mars' eyes narrowed. "If you weren't injured, I would hit you right now. Mercury! How bad is it?"
Mercury was running a scan of Jadeite's body, her lips pressed together tight as she looked over the data. "It's not good. There's a potent poison coursing through his body. We need to get him back to the base, I should be able to synthesize a cure there."
"Mars… if I don't…" Jadeite started to say.
Mars smacked him on his leg. "Don't you dare, Jadeite. Save it for when you're better. And I swear to Kami, if you die, I'll bring you back just to murder you again myself. Don't you dare die on me."
"Help me get him up," Mercury said to Zoisite, who slipped an arm under Jadeite's back and helped him to his feet. With Zoisite supported by Mercury and Zoisite on either side of him, they slowly made their way towards the Crown Arcade, but it as Jadeite stumbled and tripped, it was clear he needed more support.
"I'll carry him," Kunzite said, stepping in and sweeping Jadeite up into his arms.
Jadeite was hovering on the edge of consciousness, but he groaned faintly. "This is… so embarrassing. 'M fine."
"Save it, Jadeite," Kunzite said. "You don't have to act so tough all the time."
Jadeite mumbled something else, but he was drifting into unconsciousness, and it wasn't audible.
"He'll be okay," Mercury said, gently squeezing Mars' hand. "It's a bad injury, but we'll get him to the base, and then Zoisite and I can synthesize a cure for the poison and he'll be good as new. You'll see."
"It's fine. Not like I care anyways," Mars said, but the tears she hastily brushed away suggested otherwise.
Mercury just offered a sympathetic smile, knowing better than to push Mars. It had been hard for all of them to reconcile the past and accept the Shitennou back into their lives, but it had been perhaps hardest for Mars. But there was nothing that could be done about it, so the Senshi and the Shitennou hurried back to the base to get Jadeite the cure he desperately needed.
"My Prince, Esmeraude has failed you. She failed to stop the Senshi, and now she is dead at their hands."
"So I heard." Prince Demande sighed, looking up at Wiseman who floated in the shadows next to the throne. "Show me Neo-Queen Serenity."
Wiseman conjured up the image of the Queen in his crystal ball, lying motionless and still in her prison of crystal. Not dead, and yet not really alive. And far beyond his reach regardless.
"Show me Sailor Moon."
Once again, Wiseman complied. The girl in the crystal ball was younger to be sure, her face rounder and more youthful, but there was no denying they were the same person. She had that same glint in her eye, that same stubborn determination that he had seen when facing down Neo-Queen Serenity.
"It seems that my trusted associates, the people who have been like family to me, have failed me," Prince Demande said. He glanced once more at the image in Wiseman's crystal ball. "It's time to take this into my own hands. No more failure. No more excuses. Serenity will be mine."
"Of course, my liege," Wiseman said, backing up from the throne and dipping into a bow.
Prince Demande smirked as he settled back into the throne, already plotting. Serenity would make such a beautiful bride. And with her by his side, they could change the fate of the Black Moon Clan and prevent Crystal Tokyo from ever happening. No, even better—they would create a new Crystal Tokyo with the powers of the black crystal.
And Serenity would finally be his.
AN: Well, that's the end of Esmeraude! Now that Prince Demande has taken control, things are going to heat up quickly. I hope you enjoyed and as always, please review!
