Sailor Moon Aeons.
Book 2: Rebirth.
Act 13: The Return.
Episode 150: The last war.

By Razor Knight
Last update: February 16, 2019

Dragon Saturn was, in a way, happy. True, the long periods of peace were good, but he had missed this, fighting for the sake of the world. It was, after all, what Senshi were meant to do. These enemies were not soft hitters, and they had obviously trained and improved greatly since they were left for dead, but no war of theirs had been easy. At least this time around their foe was not hiding behind 'generals' or sending weak monsters to fight them. He had a feeling this battle would be the first and last they would have against this makeshift alliance.

He was, along with the Dragons and the Guardians, fighting Onara, or as he was calling himself, 'Omega Gigas.' It was surprising, the scientist was now able to keep up with them all. The fusion of magic and technology was a powerful tool, he could admit that much. It was good that they had moved their fight away from the city, as collateral damage would have been an issue even if they were still flying.

Warwitch shot a barrage of elemental blasts at Gigas, but the cyborg blocked it with an energy shield. "Crap, nothing works against this thing."

Phase tried a few blasts as well, to no effect. A dozen of her 'clones' appeared and she nodded. "Let's try something else."

Gigas saw the small army of Phases rushing at him and chuckled. "Fool." A wave of energy shot out, blasting through all the clones. "You are just weaklings. I would not waste my time with you normally, but I must do what I can to help my leader win this battle."

"Likewise," Phase said. "The more of you losers we keep busy, the easier it will be for our best warriors to beat Gale and that bad copy of the younger Usagi."

"It is a shame you will all die fighting me."

"Can we hurry and kick this Iron Man wannabe to pieces?" Dragon Moon said, "I want to go help sis."

Mars looked at her foe and sighed. "It's a bit nostalgic, fighting the last remnant of Beryl's army..."

"Beryl was a fool," Aurite said, "taking her power for granted and not training it for eons. I care little for youma, they were never meant to rule anything but that small, dark, dirty place they call home."

Mercury shook her head. "They've become better than you could ever be. I suppose someone who's always been lusting for power would not understand that."

"Don't worry, Senshi. I'll make sure we kill every last youma in the 'New Dark Kingdom' after we kill you."

Jupiter glared at Aurite, summoning her hammer and running straight at her. "I thought you morons had been watching our battles. Taking victory for granted? That's how you lose."

Black Lady looked at her foes and smirked. "I thought you would be brave enough to face me on your own."

"Last time we fought, you faced me on your own and got beaten up to a pulp," ChibiMoon explained. "Unlike you, I can keep my ego in check."

Saturn frowned. "Less talking, more blasting." A few wraiths shot out of her glaive, but her foe dodged them. It was a bit unnerving, having to fight this one. She was aware this was not Chibi, but a part of her mind was still not eager to shoot at someone who looked almost exactly like her.

"I guess I agree with you," Black Lady said before returning the favor.

Saturn dodged the wraiths. It was an exact copy of her attack, down to its power. "Interesting, you even copy other people's attacks. As unoriginal as expected of you."

"See it as me acknowledging your attacks are worth mimicking," the evil woman said.

Moon had learnt to control her 'special' power much better, so she could see things were looking worse than she had thought. Their enemy had planned for this, she now realized they had probably studied all their powers. And yet, Cygale, the monster of legends, the being that took two Serenities to beat, was far from the threat she had heard about. And her powers let her see why. Aurite's group was siphoning energy from it.

Still, that meant all she had to do to help her friends, was to kill this monster, so it didn't change her plan at all. But she had to hurry, or her friends would waste more energy than needed to win. Problem was, the creature was fighting her evenly, and its power, even while being drained, had been slowly rising. She had a way to - almost certainly - defeat it, but it was too risky. If she failed and it lived, her friends would be in a much worse disadvantage than they currently were.

"I know what you're thinking."

She dodged a blast and tried to counter with one of her own, but the creature dodged. "If you're trying to distract me, it won't work."

Cygale tried to stab her with one of its scythe-like arms, then leapt back to avoid an energy blade. "You think that I'm not aware those foolish beings are draining part of my energy to keep up with your allies. It's not something that comes without a price, and the more energy they use, the sooner they will be consumed. They will be just mindless shells, but will be far stronger than any of you."

Moon knew what it meant. She couldn't waste more time, stalling would not help her friends. "So the longer I take, the worse it will be for my friends. It's fine, that just means I have to stop holding back."

Cygale laughed. This fool... She was a descendant of Serenity, yes, but she was weak. She could not defeat him. "Holding back? Don't bluff, child, I can see your power, and it is nothing compared to-"

"Wasting your last words on empty gloating... Such a silly thing to do.'

Cygale suddenly felt it, a surge of power, coming straight from its foe. "Me, defeated by such a weak creature? Impossible."

Moon smiled coldly as she felt her own power rising. "Haven't you heard? There is no impossibles for us. Eternal Planet Attack!"

The ancient creature saw the small, color-shifting ball of light heading its way. To one who didn't sense magic, it would have looked quite harmless. To someone like it, it meant becoming aware of just how much it had underestimated its foe. Still, it wasn't going to give up, it could not accept being defeated again. Defeated by the same race, in the same world. It shot an energy blast which clashed with its foe's attack. Both warriors struggled for almost one minute, but Cygale suddenly felt something else... The human woman was increasing the attack's power, using her own life energy. It would have called that foolish, if it had not realized such an action had thrown the balance off. It glared at the woman, even as the light ball hit it.

Usagi fell to her knees. Her attack had completely destroyed Cygale, but it had, as she expected, also sealed her magic, like the one time she used it before. She looked up to the sky and sighed. "I hope that was enough help, guys."

Pluto appeared near her. "Usagi, what did you-"

"You can 'see' what could have happened if I let that thing live."

"It would have waited for us to defeat the other enemies and then overpowered us," Pluto said. "Or let them use its power and turned them into its puppets. I saw only a few futures where we won this battle, but this..."

"I can guess you didn't see it."

"No, and the consequences of this..." Pluto stopped herself from saying any more.

"Are you saying I was wrong to kill Cygale?"

"No, but... I see no way to win, and the one who's been always telling fate to screw itself may be out of the fight for months."

"Chibiusa can do it too. She just hasn't figured out how to do it. To be honest, I myself am not sure why I was able to go 'against the script,' the times I apparently did it."

Pluto nodded. "I know. I guess I may have to-"

It was then that Usagi realized her 'magic radar' still worked. And from the look in Pluto's face, she had also sensed it. "How can they-"

"Don't worry, Princess... No, Usagi. I will protect them."

Usagi saw Pluto vanish and growled. "Damn it, I want to... I have to help them." She started running in the direction her senses were telling her to go. She would not let such a small thing as not havig powers stop her from doing what she had to do.

Rubeus was a bit annoyed. His foes were weak, but numbers made things even. "I have to admit I didn't expect a challenge from them."

Boa nodded. The Demon Hunters had appeared, along with the youma, and they had proven to be resourceful. "Still, we just need to wait."

Mira looked at Boa. "Idiot, Moon will kick that monster's rear and-"

Lynx laughed. "I knew the moment we summoned it, that it could lose against your beloved Sailor Moon. But the only way for her to win, is by taking herself out of the fight. And we've planned ahead."

Cuprite sensed something and flinched. "Cygale is gone, but Moon..."

Circe could also sense it. Usagi was alive, but it was Usagi, not Moon, she was sensing. "She trusts her group... No, us all, this much."

"And yet, by killing Cygale, she may have doomed you all."

Aries was the eldest Demon Huntress on the battlefield, and while the three Huntresses closer to the Senshi were now stronger than her, she was no weakling. And yet, the raise in power she had sensed in their three enemies was unsettling. "How-?"

"Black Lady didn't just summon Cygale. She bound its soul to hers. And thanks to a certain artifact we have, that means we all get the spoils of its defeat."

Calisto gasped. "I remember Usagi told me about that. The Zarthask. Right, two of you are ex-Senshi Hunters."

"We are still hunting them, bitch. And thanks to your dear Usagi, we will finally finish the job."

Cuprite frowned. "We will not let you win."

Rubeus smiled wickedly as his hands lit with a red light. "Thanks to the Rabbit and that freak Wiseman, we found our own Serenity to even the odds. Thanks to the older Rabbit and Cygale, we have the power we need to win. In a way, the youma will be destroyed by the Senshi. It's your fate."

Mira glared at him. "I used to believe in fate, destiny, or whatever you want to call it. But Usagi taught me... Taught us that nothing is set in stone. You will not win this, Nemesian."

"Nemesian?" Rubeus laughed. "Foolish human, I am far stronger than Dimando, or even Wiseman. You can't win."

Circe shrugged. "Maybe we can't, but I'm taking you down with me if I fall."

ChibiMoon was shocked. Black Lady copying their attacks was surprising, yes, but she... Was keeping up with them both, blocking or countering every slash, every kick, and using their same fighting styles. The fighting styles and attacks they had trained for years to perfect, this bastard could copy in seconds. Years ago, she would have called it cheating, but she knew it was just magic at work. It was, however, quite annoying. "You... You're just happy to copy others? I can't believe you are a clone of me, then. Even evil, I wouldn't be so lame."

"Says the one happy to be forever a Princess and never a Queen."

"Fair enough, I guess."

Black Lady frowned. Did this idiot not have a boiling point anymore? No, she knew exactly what to say to make her lose her cool. "Oh right, I forgot. You just need to wait a thousand years, for those Senshi Hunters to do their thing, and then you'll finally be a Queen. That's sort of evil... Impressive."

"Shut UP!"

Saturn was sure she never saw Chibi glare at someone like that. Not even at Rex. And she moved way faster than usual. Fast enough to make it hard to follow, and impossible for the clone to dodge. "Chibi?"

ChibiMoon was clutching Black Lady's neck, holding her up as a pink aura surrounded her. "I will change that future, I will stop them from dying. And I've had enough of your bullshit, idiot. Moon Holy Power!"

Saturn looked at Black Lady. Was that fear she was seeing in her eyes? She could understand why. "It's over."

ChibiMoon's suit looked like the one the alternate Mercury and Mars had used, except pink. She tossed Black Lady to the side and smiled. "This is a bit nostalgic, don't you agree?"

"What-" Black Lady's face grew even paler as she understood what that meant. "Damn it."

"This is just like the first time we fought. Except this time, Ginzuishou or not, I'm going to make sure you stay dead. Earth Holy Power!"

Black Lady staggered up, a wicked smile in her face. "Amazing, you surpassed even your mother. I must admit it makes me a bit happy to know you are, besides the Plutos, the first one to get this powerful."

"It will be a very short-lived happiness," ChibiMoon said, coldly. "Die!"

Black Lady saw the pink energy blast heading her way and, for a second, thought about dodging it. But then she felt it, a surge of energy... No, there was no way to describe it. This much darkness, this much power. She let the blast hit, and smirked at her dumbfounded foes."Ah, it seems Moon has won her battle."

ChibiMoon was confused. She could sense her foe's power, but how- "Cygale?"

"If, for even one second, you thought we had planned on relying on a wild card, a monster, like that ancient freak, then you seriously underestimated us. In fact, if your group had not failed on killing those two Hunters, we might have lost this war from the start."

Saturn winced at that. "That parasite of theirs... They still had it in them. But wait, how could that affect Cygale?"

"I didn't just summon it, dear Hotaru. I hate to repeat myself, but I am a Serenity."

ChibiMoon nodded at that. "I get it. You bound its soul to you, so when it was destroyed, its power became yours."

"Mine? Both right and wrong. I don't mind sharing, if it means I get to kill some of you."

Saturn glared at her. "Are you telling me you used Usagi to have your group become powerful enough to beat us?"

"Yes, that was our plan, though it came with an unexpected bonus."

ChibiMoon knew what she meant. She could sense her mother a few kilometers north, but it was Usagi, not Sailor Moon, she was sensing. "I was wondering how she did it this fast. Damn it... She... Mom used her Planet Attack to beat Cygale."

Saturn let out a growl. "You assholes! To force Usagi to go through that again... I will make you pay for it!"

Black Lady was powerful, and had seen plenty of frightening things in her life, but for a moment, seeing the purple wraiths circling around Saturn almost made her run. And the ground itself, the dirt was... Melting? No, it was decaying, rotting away. "You finally want to fight for real, Hotaru?"

"Even if you have her face and her voice, even if you have a Ginzuishou... I can see your soul, your rotten core. I won't stop until you're gone for good. Saturn Holy Power!"

Phase leapt back, dodging an energy blade. "Seriously, I know they're a bunch of recycled enemies, but for them to recycle even that parasite..."

Most of the group fighting Onara was out. No deaths yet, but there were only a few of them still fighting. "Guys, can you keep RoboCreep busy for a bit?"

Phase nodded at Nova. "We'll try."

Dragon Saturn smiled. "Whatever your plan is, you better hurry. I may kill him before you are ready."

Nova smirked. Same old Terry. No, she could feel something. "You may be right, but... Be careful."

"Yeah." He turned to Onara, who was actually humoring their planning, for some reason. Overconfidence? Wouldn't be a first. "I must say your group honestly impressed me. To go as far as risking using that parasite to win, and be able to keep up with several of us... But I'm kind of angry too. You fooled Usagi. Right now she must be blaming herself for your power up. She may have gone to help, even though she knows she's far weaker without her magic."

"Your leader is that foolish?"

Dragon Saturn shrugged. "Her courage is one of her best traits. And since I know she's not running away, I won't run away either."

Onara had spent years working with beings who could have killed him in a blink. Something like the ground freezing around the Dragon, or the air turning a sickly green, wasn't enough to intimidate him. The power he was sensing from him, however, made him respect him, at least a little. "Finally, a challenge. I was worried your group would just-"

"Oh shut the hell up already. Saturn Holy Power. Mercury Holy Power."

Nova was concentrating on her own 'plan,' but couldn't help but watch as the Dragon transformed. "I knew it, he's always so reckless..."

Phase nodded. "It's one of his best traits."

Nova sighed. "Is Yuki okay?"

"She's also reckless, but Onara seems to be playing with us." Warwitch had been knocked out minutes ago, but Phase wasn't going to let that bother her. Yuki was strong. Stronger than her, even. If she was awake, she would be trying to kill that freak.

The Dragon glared at Onara as his transformation was done. "Ready to die?"

Onara laughed. "Just like your so-called daughter, I can't die. You may destroy this body, but-"

"I'll take that as a yes," Dragon Saturn noted. A second later, Onara was encased in ice, which then turned green, and as it melted away, the cyborg's body started crumbling. "Well, that was anti-climactic."

"I agree. Let's try again, shall we?"

The Dragon turned just in time to see a large fist about to hit him. He barely managed to dodge, despite his suprise. "How?"

"You interrupted me when I was about to explain," Onara said. "We studied your group, and while her sentience is a thing I will never believe exists, your dear Aiko intrigued me. It wasn't easy, but I managed to emulate the one thing that makes her immortal, her ability to move her soul to a new body when she 'dies.'"

Phase groaned. "Great, I have a fanbot."

Onara looked at her. "You should know I can't be defeated."

Nova laughed. "I disagree."

Dragon Saturn was about to ask what she meant, but then he noticed two things. One, Onara wasn't moving, and two, Nova had a white aura around her. "Hana..."

"Don't worry, I can handle this." In the past, she had thought what limited her was her control, but after learning that she was also a 'mage,' she had trained to see if she could grow stronger without risk of going berserk. And she was about to show Onara that her training had not been pointless.

Warwitch woke up and noticed some of her friends had powered up. "Wow, Hana's power is..."

"See, I know you are, right now, trying to figure out why you can't teleport away... And why I haven't just made you explode. Here's a fun detail for you, oh genius scientist. Phase's immortality isn't flawless. Even if she split her soul through twenty different bodies, she would still have this flaw. My powers let me do many things to a mind, and you and her have one thing in common. Your mind is human enough for me to play with."

Onara knew she was just trying to scare him. He couldn't die. He would just come back again and again-

"No, you won't." She smiled. "I don't need to read your mind to know you're thinking about coming back. And... My friends may fear me after this, or even hate me, but for you, there won't be a respawn, Onara."

"Hana, what...?"

She looked at Dragon Saturn and smiled. "I... Am not one to easily forgive some things. This asshole brought me back as a tool, a weapon. Fooled me into fighting against the Senshi. I ended up hurting you because of the mess my mind was. It's been many years now, but I always wanted to tell this fool one thing." She looked at Onara as her eyes shone white. "Reviving me was your worst mistake."

Phase saw Onara's body go limp, his eyes lifeless. Nova fell to one knee, but she could see it was juat exhaustion getting to her. But the readings she was getting... "You... What did you do?"

Nova sighed "I... Erased his mind. Not just his memories, those could have been restored."

"You mean he's..."

She nodded. "There is nothing left of his mind. Not even basic functions."

Warwitch walked to the cyborg. "I can see that. This thing is just a corpse."

"I..."

Dragon Moon had been awake for a while, but both fatigue, and the fact he realized his friends had everything under control, had been the reason why he had decided to just watch. However, as he saw Nova look down, he decided to let them know he was awake. "Hana, are you afraid we'll fear you? Don't be. Usagi erased Beryl, turned her into raw mana. I know I wasn't a Senshi then, and I only heard about it much later, but did any of you fear her or hate her for it?"

Dragon Saturn sighed. "That bastard had it coming, anyways. And what you said... Reviving you may have been his mistake, but I think many of us are glad he did that."

Dragon Moon smiled as he walked to Nova. "Yeah. If not for him, I would have never met you."

Nova looked at him. "I guess... In a way, reviving me was also the only good thing he did."

Phase looked around. "Oh, this is fucking awesome."

Warwitch knew by now Aiko wasn't one to use strong language unless things were really bad. "What-"

"The other groups managed to beat some of our foes too, but... Our remaining enemies get stronger with each one we kill. I can see even ChibiMoon is not faring well against them."

Phase looked at Nova. "Could you..."

Nova sighed. "No. This trick drains me badly, and also... I don't want to use it again. I may start liking it."

Dragon Saturn was about to say something, but then shrugged. "It's okay. We can beat those idiots the fun way."

When Usagi reached the area, she saw things looked bad. "This is..." She could see Mars, Mercury and Jupiter fighting Aurite in the distance. She could also 'see' her daughter, Hotaru and Diana in a different area, fighting Black Lady. The group fighting here, however, was not faring any better. "Damn it, I want to help, but..."

She could see dozens of Demon Hunters and Youma around, but most of them were either healing, or unconscious. This was clearly the toughest battle since Galaxia, and she couldn't help her friends. It was really-

'You really want to help them, huh?'

She looked around. No, the voice was... No, not even in her mind. It was like someone, or something, was speaking to her very soul. 'Who are you?'

'I'll explain, but not now. Standing still in a battlefield won't end up well for us.'

"Right." She sighed. Something about the voice felt familiar, and yet she was sure she had never heard it before. 'I'm sorry, I'm not in the mood for mysterious strangers right now.'

'Stranger? That hurts, Usagi. We've been together for years. I even knew you when your name was Nanna, though that life was short, and quite tragic.'

Usagi frowned. Was this voice... She wouldn't say it was impossible, but even then, it was rather unlikely. 'Do you have a name?'

'None that I'm aware of. Maybe you could give me one.'

Usagi grimaced. Impossibles really did happen a lot to her. 'Are you what I think you are?'

'Yes.'

'Then... I guess I could call you Gin.'

'I like that name.'

A/N: This episode took a very long time, and was remade from the ground up three times. I originally intended to make this the last episode, but I decided to go for what happened here, using a different twist than what I originally had on mind. Also, this episode and the next one used to be a single one, but it was growing far too long for my liking, so I decided to split it in two, and I think I chose quite a fun place to do that. Next episode shouldn't take too long. Key word being "shouldn't."