Sailor Moon Aeons.
Book 2: Rebirth.
Act 2: Dark Moon Rising.
Episode 43: Heartless.

By Razor Knight
Last update: April 25, 2013
Last edited: May 31, 2017

"Wiseman!"

The cloaked figure appeared next to the prince. "Did you summon me, Dimando?"

"I want to ask you something. What are you planning to do with the 'dark points' you spoke of? The crystals were destroyed, yet you don't seem to be worried about it."

"That is because the damage to those points is already done. Four of them are corrupted, and the fifth one will soon follow."

Dimando glared at the man. "I will not help you with that."

"Why wouldn't you, if the Senshi are weakened, then your clan will-"

"Saffir's theory is that if something in this era changes, then the future will change too."

"It will change for good, Prince. Trust me."

Dimando started walking away from the man. "I've seen your true colors, Wiseman. I will ask you to leave my castle at once, before I force you out myself."

"I understand. I should have foreseen this, you're a smart young man after all. I will leave your base, but this means our alliance is over. If you interfere with my plans, then I'll treat you as my enemy."

"If you try to disrupt the past, I'll treat you as my enemy."

Wiseman vanished, reappearing in Black Lady's room. "We must leave at once. Dimando has betrayed us."

"I could deal with him."

"I doubt you could, and I need that last point corrupted if I am to reach my full power."

"Then I will corrupt the last point for you."

Wiseman nodded. "If the Senshi try to stop you, kill them. Same goes for any of the Dark Moon fools."

"As you command," Black Lady said, and vanished.

Wiseman smiled. Dimando's threats meant nothing to him, as his goal was close at hand.

"Chie, what the heck are you doing?"

Hakko turned to see the Senshi were back, and Earth seemed quite upset. "As I thought..."

"I asked him to teach me," Chie said. "I want to be able to beat down monsters if they come after me."

"But you're not a Senshi, you-"

"So what? Should I just screech and wait for the mighty Senshi to rescue me? Sorry, but you should know I never played the damsel role right, Karin," Chie snapped. The adrenaline rush from the short (yet tough) training session was now gone, and she fell to her knees. "Crap, I'm too tired for this."

"If civilians could kick those monsters' butts, it would make our job much easier," Dragon Mercury mused. That earned him a glare from Earth.

"So, you think I wouldn't protect you?"

Chie shook her head. "It's not that, it's..."

"She wants to help us, and yet knows she can't."

Chie nodded at Saturn. "That about sums it up."

"For what it's worth, I'll say that she's got the potential to become a very good warrior," Hakko noted.

"Hmph. Okay, whatever, do as you please."

Chie cringed as Earth turned to leave. "Karin, you were always like this. I like that part of you, but it also hurts..."

Earth stopped and turned back. "What do you mean?"

"Always protecting me, always taking the blows for me. Do you think I'm fine with that? Do you think I'm happy to see you get hurt defending me? I want to be able to defend myself, so you don't have to get hurt again."

Earth looked down. "Chie, I never meant to... I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Let's go home."

Earth nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow, guys."

Usagi had decided to stick around even after most of the group left. Terry and Ami were busy with something (she didn't understand quite what they were doing, as usual,) and Mamoru... She could tell he was worried about her.

"This has to be wrong."

She looked at Terry. "What's the matter?"

"Earlier on I felt something strange about the places being attacked," Terry explained, "and apparently, I was right."

"The four points are at the same distance from each other, but the two to the west don't fit that pattern."

The screen was showing a map of Tokyo, with the places where the dark crystals had been clearly marked. Usagi frowned. "That's not quite a square, is it?"

Terry typed a few commands, and a circle appeared, passing through all the points. "It's not a square, because it's missing one last point." As he said that, a new mark appeared in the map. "I heard rumors about that place being cursed, didn't quite believe it," he noted.

Usagi stared at the last mark. "Wait, that's... Your house?"

Terry sighed. "Yeah. Hope we don't have to blow it up."

Mamoru looked at the map and frowned. "Can you calculate the center of that circle?"

Ami looked at the map and understood what Mamoru had guessed almost immediately. "No way..." she typed something, and a mark appeared in the center of the circle. "... The Starlight Tower."

"There could be a sixth attack there?" Usagi asked.

Ami nodded. "It may just be a coincidence."

"But we should stay alert, just in case," Terry noted.

"This place looks bigger than last time I saw it."

Terry sighed. "Seriously, guys, you don't need to-"

"We do," Ami said, "I won't let them destroy this place."

The Senshi had all decided to guard the Zephyr mansion after school, after Ami and Terry told the others about the 'circle.' "Rei said you have robot maids."

Terry looked at Kage, and chuckled. "You could call them that." He pressed a button in the wall, and a small swarm of tiny, wheeled robots came in from small holes in the walls. They searched for a minute, then returned to their 'hives.'

"So, those things clean the whole mansion?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, when they said robot maids, I thought something like, you know..."

Terry smiled at that. "I know. But I just need them to clean the place, I have enough to stare at already."

Ami shook her head at that. "You guys will mature eventually, right?"

"Anyhow, I guess it's good that you're all gathering here. I was going to give you all something."

"And what is-" Mako started, then saw several floating boards around Terry. "Oh, those things."

"Seriously, you have a lot of free time," Karin mused.

"Free time? What free time? Between studying, our 'job' and Ami, I don't have any free time anymore."

"Where are the Hunters?"

Kage shrugged. "Emi said they weren't happy about their own performance in the last few fights, so they asked for some special training."

"Special training?"

"It mostly involves being shot at by one of the Primes."

"But isn't your mother-"

The guy chuckled. "Mom cares about us, and want us to reach our true potential, which is exaclty why she may be the toughest foe Emi has ever fought."

"Flame burrow."

Mira frowned. "Be careful, girls."

Calisto and Circe both sensed danger, and leapt to the side right in time to avoid the worm-like fire construct coming out of the ground right underneath them. "You'll never win this if you just defend. Arc Fire!"

Circe was hit by the flames, but smiled. "You're right, Ares. Time to show you what we can do. Pegasi Flight!"

Ares blocked the charge and knocked Circe away with an energy-charged fist. "That's almost good enough."

Calisto smirked. "Then how about this? Prismatic Flare!"

Ares formed a shield out of thin air, stopping the attack, but it still dragged her back a few meters. "Much better. Why is it that you're here? You're already close to the skill of a Prime."

"But the Senshi and their foes are still stronger than us."

Ares shook her head at that. "Emi, we Demon Hunters can't reach the same levels a Senshi can-"

"What about the Demon Sword?"

"Sure, that attack is strong, but it may cause your death. Also, I've heard legends of Senshi strong enough to withstand the strongest form of that attack without even flinching."

"So, are you telling us to give up? To take care of the weak monsters and leave the real threats to Senshi?"

"No, but no Hunter alive can teach you how to keep up with Senshi. Perhaps the great Merlin could, but he's been dead for centuries."

"So we're stuck as wealkings?"

"Most Demon Hunters only learn what others can teach them, but there's few of us who try going further. It's a risky path and one you have to walk on your own."

"So, you won't help us," Mira said, dejectedly.

"It's not 'won't' but 'can't', Emi. Primes don't have anyone to teach them, we must teach ourselves new tricks."

"Primes? But I'm not a-"

"You don't have the title, and you don't need it. I can teach you how to be as strong as a third level Senshi, but after that, you're on your own."

"I understand," Mira said, "Teach us what you can, mother, I have the feeling we'll need to be much stronger than we are right now, and soon."

"Good, then I hope you're ready for what's next," Ares said as water, wind, fire and electricity started swirling around her.

"Incoming," Ami said. "Black Lady's back, she's out in the back yard."

"Crap, let's get her."

The group dashed out of the mansion, transforming while they run, but as they reached the back yard, most of them gasped in shock. "Whoa, what the heck?" Earth exclaimed.

Dragon Mercury frowned. Black Lady had a dark aura around her, and it seemed to be eating away the sunlight around her. "If I were to guess, I would say that's not good."

Mercury flinched. "Three times stronger than Moon. She must be feeding off the crystal."

Moon could hear shouting and things being broken nearby. "ChibiUsa, you need to stop this."

"Again with that? Foolish kid, I will destroy you all."

Moon shook her head. "No, fight me, leave the others-"

"Hey, what the heck are you trying to do, Usagi?" Mars snapped.

"You can't beat her on your own, Rabbit," Dragon Mercury said.

"None of you can beat me. Not even if you all attack me together."

"We'll never know until we try!" Jupiter snapped. The Senshi all shot their attacks, but Black Lady summoned her Luna-P, turning it into an umbrella again, and spinning as she held it. The attacks all bounced back, causing a rather large explosion which caught most of the Senshi.

"See, I don't even need to attack you to win," Black Lady boasted, but then noticed something. Where was that Moon brat?

"Double Flight!"

The attack came from above, and Black Lady realized what had happened just as the discs knocked her down. Moon had used the explosion's force to jump up high, and attacked at the highest point of her flight. Still, Black Lady smiled as she clutched the chakrams. "That was impressive, moon girl, but I got your pretty weapons now. What will you do?"

"Easy, get them back," Moon said. She called the chakrams back, and they dragged Black Lady along. Moon punched her in the chest, causing her to fall to one knee, and drop the discs. "Give up, I don't want to hurt you."

Black Lady laughed at that. "Good for you. Now die."

Mars' eyes widened as Moon was wrapped by a column of darkness. They could all hear her screams, and they all rushed in to help. "Damn you!"

Black Lady turned to them and smiled. "Come, all of you, I want a challenge."

Dragon Mercury chuckled. "You're a lousy fighter, no matter how strong you are, if you don't make sure your target's down before moving on to a new one."

"What do-"

"Twilight Beam!"

The beam sent Black Lady flying forwards, and she was greeted by a punch straight in the face. "Ow..."

"That's for wrecking my yard," Dragon Mercury snapped.

Black Lady leapt back and glared at him. "You can't defeat me!"

"But perhaps we can."

The Senshi all looked at the newcomers. The Ayakashi? If they were here to fight too, then things could get very tough for them.

Petz looked at the Senshi. "Don't worry, kids, Dimando told us we can't kill you, but since this bitch is working for that Wiseman bastard, then we'll kill her instead."

"No!"

Black Lady looked at Moon. Was she worried about her? Why? No, it didn't matter, it wasn't like those weaklings could defeat her. "Seriously, Dimando is such a coward that he has to send his four lap dogs to face me? Go away before you get hurt."

"Hah! Dark Inferno!"

Black Lady stood through the fire attack, and smirked at Cooan. "This is the part where I scream in pain and die, right?"

Petz frowned. "Sisters, we may have to use that technique."

Beruche smiled. "We were saving it for the Senshi, but since Dimando wants them alive... Let's do it."

Black Lady looked at the Senshi as the Ayakashi concentrated. "Why aren't you kids helping them?"

"You can't sense their power," Mercury said, "but I can. They can defeat you."

"I doubt it."

The four Ayakashi opened their eyes, and the others saw they were pitch black. "We must defeat you, for Dimando's sake, for our world's sake," Petz said.

"You won't defeat anyone, weaklings."

The four women reached out their hands as one, and dark energy swirled around their arms. When they summoned their attack, they also did it at the same time. "Dark Moon Surge."

The wave of dark energy washed over Black Lady, and it also wrecked the area even further. When it ended, the Ayakashi were kneeling on the ground, but Black Lady was also down. "We got her!" Cooan said.

"Damn you..." Black Lady staggered up, her arms dripping blood. "That was a nice try, but not enough!"

"We failed..." Cooan said with a sigh.

Petz looked at Moon. "I know we're enemies, but please, don't let the Wiseman win. Don't-"

Black Lady rushed by, grabbing Petz by the neck and raising her high in the air. "Shut up already."

"The Senshi will... Defeat you."

"Perhaps they will, but that won't save you." Beruche, Cooan and Karaberas all rushed to Black Lady, who smirked. "Foolishly brave to the very end, I can at least respect that. Dark Princess' Flash!"

Darkness covered Black Lady and the Ayakashi, and the Senshi couldn't help but take a step back as they heard the screams. When the attack ended, there was nothing left of the four sisters. "You killed them... Why?"

Black Lady smiled at Moon. "Do you see what you're facing now, kid? You can't defeat me."

Moon was furious. That Wiseman monster, using ChibiUsa to kill those who had once trusted him? No, she couldn't tolerate that, she would get the girl back to normal with her own hands. "Moon Twilight..."

"Again with that?" Black Lady smirked and summoned her umbrella. "It only works if I'm not expecting it."

Moon's chakram were swirling around her now, and she glared at Black Lady. If she could resist this even weakened as she was, then it would really be impossible to defeat her. No, nothing was impossible, as long as you didn't give up. The chakrams stopped in front of her, circling each other and slowly creating a circle of light on their wake. "... Flash!"

Black Lady froze as she saw the light disc shooting at her, unlike Moon's other discs, this one was spinning in its axis, so fast it almost looked like a large ball of light. "No... Way."

Moon flinched as the attack hit, causing an explosion which knocked Black Lady into the mansion's wall. "Damn..."

"She's still alive, but extremely weakened," Mercury explained. "If you want to try bringing her back, now's the time."

Moon nodded before rushing to the pink-haired woman. However, a figure appeared in front of her, and she gasped. "Wiseman... I won't let you get her!"

A blast of darkness knocked Moon back as Wiseman laughed. "Thanks to her, my plans will soon be complete. I only need to borrow her for a little longer. Don't worry, you will all die together in the end."

Moon fell to her knees as Wiseman vanished, taking Black Lady along. "No..."

"What did he mean with 'his plans'?" Venus asked.

Mercury was looking around with her visor, and suddenly looked in the direction the Tokyo Tower should be. "Oh no..."

"What's wrong?"

Mercury summoned her computer and typed rapidly. An image of the tower appeared in its screen, but the whole building was covered by a black crystal. "I think that's part of his plan."

Moon looked at it. "Tell me it just looks like a giant Dark Crystal."

"Unfortunately, no," Mercury said, "that thing is corrupting everyone in the city. If we don't stop it fast, then-"

"You're in no condition to fight right now."

Moon saw Pluto was there, and glared at her. "You could have helped us get ChibiUsa back!"

"It wasn't the right time for that yet."

"I'm still not happy about this. I should have brought her back to us, but..."

"You will have another chance, but first you must rest."

"Rest? We can't rest with that crystal around!"

Pluto looked at Mercury. "Last time I didn't tell you one trait of the time gate and the threads of time. See, if I send you there, I can bring you back a second after you leave... Or a century before you left."

"Oh, I get it," Earth said, "we can rest in there for as long as we need, and time won't pass out there."

"That's a way to explain it," Pluto said. "However, this isn't something you can use all the time, continuously entering and leaving that zone may have an adverse effect in time and space in this universe."

"Got it, it's only for this one time," Moon said. "Bring us there, the sooner we recover, the sooner we can go defeat Wiseman."

"I agree," Mars said, "Whatever he's planning, it won't be good for our world."

Pluto smiled but said nothing as they all vanished.

A/N: Not much left of the Dark Moon arc, but that doesn't mean what's left will be boring.

And yes, the Merlin Ares mentions is that Merlin. No, not the hippie druid from the horrible Arthur movie, the one from the actual legend.