Sailor Moon X: Lunar Eclipse

a Sailor Moon/X-Men crossover

Chapter 29: Winning by Losing

5-31-2018

by Grey-X

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is the creation and property of Naoko Takeuchi and Toei Animation. X-Men is the creation and property of Stan Lee, Marvel Comics and Disney.

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For long moments, nothing moved in that Sentinel chamber. The Sentinel that had fired on Naru was now motionless, and none of the others stirred. Sailor Moon looked from that Sentinel to Naru, not quite believing how the battle suddenly tipped in her favor. Naru couldn't believe it herself. How could Umino do this!? She made sure no one would hurt him, pledged to get him whatever he wanted! Together, they could've done anything! And now, he had thrown it all away, cruelly turning on her when she needed him most!

Sailor Moon sank to one knee, sobbing and shaking her head. The battle had taken a toll on her as well. Now would be the perfect time to strike, but Naru was quite bloody and beaten herself. And of course, it felt like someone had ripped out her heart all over again. Betrayed by Umino, the boy completely obsessed with her, who promised to love her no matter what!? Bad enough how Nephrite was taken from her, but this... This hurt far, far worse.

Naru just sat there, slumped against the wall, the will to fight gone. Not even to defend herself, which suddenly became necessary. Somehow, some of the other Sailor Senshi had found them. Mercury, Venus, Artemis and Tuxedo Kamen sprinted across the chamber toward Sailor Moon. Beast and Lockheed sped toward them soon afterward, as the Senshi closed ranks around Sailor Moon.

"Sailor Moon, are you OK!?" Tuxedo Kamen cried as he knelt beside her. "The Sentinels. Naru's plan... What happened here!? What has she done!?" He glared over at Naru, incensed.

Sailor Moon sobbed, collapsing into Tuxedo Kamen's arms. "I-I-I-It's already over, Tuxedo Kamen. These Sentinels are going nowhere. As for Naru... Let's hope, finally, that something's sobered her up. For good."

She was right, up to a point. All her dreams and aspirations – she and Umino carving out a place in this world with an army of Sentinels at their backs – were dashed forever. Umino just couldn't bring himself to do it. And now, without Umino at her side, Naru had nothing.

"Are you sure, Sailor Moon?" Mercury asked dubiously. She eyed Naru with suspicion and naked contempt. Mercury looked more enraged with her than when she had thought she was Erina Kizachi. And just like then, more than willing to douse her with icy water, to force her to repent. Naru found herself not caring. Her insides were already numb.

"Just... keep an eye on her," said Sailor Moon weakly. "H-H-How'd you figure out where we went?"

"With that Sentinel head torn open back at the Death Busters base, it wasn't too hard to guess," said Artemis. "Once Mercury got their defenses down, Cable used his bodyslide to get us over here. He'll be back with the others, now that he can locate them telepathically."

That meant Cable could be here any second. He couldn't affect her mind, but she had already learned the hard way his telekinesis was another story.

Sailor Moon let out a weak laugh. "Then it looks like we'll be doing something about these Sentinels tonight after all. A-A-And Erina Kizachi is still somewhere in this base. Might as well make it a double play..."

"Someone mention me?" came a cold voice, making Sailor Moon and her fellow Senshi turn their heads. "Speak the name of a demon, and she shall appear."

"Which simplifies matters considerably," said Beast amicably. Right before he roared and lunged to tackle Kizachi, flanked by Lockheed. They wound up going right through Kizachi, as if she had Shadowcat's powers. Her whole body then seemed to flicker.

"I suppose it would, if I was actually here," said Kizachi airily. "Disappointing, really, that the brilliant Dr. McCoy would leap into action without thinking first. Though it's nowhere near as disappointing as Gerio Umino chickening out at the last second. I really thought he would go through with it. Oh well, guess you can't plan for everything..."

This Kizachi was nothing but some holographic projection!? That meant Naru couldn't even look forward to her revenge!

Between that, losing Umino, and the rest of the Sailor Senshi and X-Men about to swarm the place, there was no reason to stay. Finally finding the will to do something, Naru focused, accumulating whatever dark power she still could.

Most of them were distracted by Kizachi's projection, but Artemis turned his head. "Everyone, Naru's trying to teleport away!" he cried out.

"Oh no you don't, Naru! Crescent Beam!" Venus bellowed. But she was too slow. Naru saw her laser blast go right through where her chest once was, the dematerializing effect going up her body, seemingly consumed in black flame.

Over the course of the last week, Naru made a point of 'tagging' several places around the city with her gunk, not just Kizachi's hidden base. Now, there were dozens of spots in Tokyo she could teleport to in the blink of an eye.

She chose to reappear near the very top of Tokyo Tower. It was a relatively cloudless night, with the moon hanging overhead. The sort of night that could help clear one's head while up there. There would be no hope of such clarity tonight. Naru buried her face in her arms, sobbing. After outing herself as a mutant and losing her mother, Naru thought she understood what it meant to lose it all.

But now, Naru knew what it was truly like to lose everything.

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It was a relief to be getting out of those sewer tunnels, but to Storm, it would be like trading one coffin for another. One which housed Sentinels, no less. As the light from Cable's bodyslide faded, and Storm's skin stopped prickling, she looked around. Cable had transported her entire team into the middle of some stairwell. Uranus, Neptune and Wolverine let go of him, and Luna hopped down from his arms. "Brrrr, if the Sailor Teleport is anything like that, I'm glad I'll never need to use it," Luna grumbled.

"The more people bodysliding with me, the rougher the trip can get," said Cable. His expression grew even sterner. Storm could tell he was using his telepathy to read the stray thoughts of those already here. "Things have changed slightly, Storm. Our people are pissed, and for good reason, but there seems to be no immediate danger. Uranus, you and Neptune should get to the other Sailor Senshi on the ground level. But up in the control room... Storm, I think you'd be best to deal with the mess there."

Storm wasn't certain what Cable meant by that, but she trusted his judgment. Storm nodded as Uranus and Neptune fled down the stairs to reach Sailor Moon. When she turned to go up the stairwell, she heard Wolverine follow as Cable bodyslid back for Shadowcat's team. Cable didn't make it sound like danger awaited, yet it wasn't surprising Wolverine wished to have her back, regardless.

When the doors to the base's control room slid open, Storm saw what Cable meant. The bodies of the base's unconscious staff littered the floor. The only person there awake and alert was Umino, slumped down against the main terminal. He looked shellshocked. He might as well have been out cold like the rest.

Wolverine stepped into the room, sniffing the air. Satisfied there were no surprises, he sheathed his claws. "Hey boyo, what happened in here?" Wolverine asked. "Did Naru lay them all out? Where is she now?"

For a moment, Umino said nothing. When he spoke, he didn't even turn his head. "T-T-Teleported out, probably. I... drove her away."

"Drove her away?" Storm repeated dubiously. "What do you mean, Umino?"

"N-N-Naru wanted me to take control of the Sentinels," Umino stammered.

"So Cable's supposition was on the money," said Wolverine. "So, how come I can see 'em all still lined up in a row? It didn't work?"

"Actually, Logan, it did," said Umino uneasily. "I figured out Kizachi's programming language, got them under my command. And the first thing I did? Make one fire a missile near Naru."

Storm blinked in surprise. "Umino, why would you..."

"She wanted to use them, Storm! Turn them against humans, raze government buildings to the ground to send a message!" Umino cried. Storm could see tears dribbling down from behind his glasses.

"Somethin' tells me Kizachi might've wanted the kid to pull it off," Wolverine whispered to Storm. "She manipulated Naru into bustin' up yakuza left and right as retribution for how her nephew was mistreated. Suppose, given how yakuza clans got their claws in a lot o' elected officials, she wanted to trick Naru into doin' more dirty work, and..."

Storm held up a hand to silence Wolverine. "All very plausible, Logan. But as Nathan said, for now, we have another concern." She stepped closer to Umino, arms spread. "Umino, you simply did what you felt was right. There is no shame in that."

"Isn't there?" Umino finally looked up at Storm, tears still flowing. "Did I ever tell you about that night I learned Naru's a mutant? I chased after her, telling here I didn't care. But she kept running, and her anguish must've triggered her powers further. I realized that not all the oil covering her was from the fire truck. The way a tendril smashed a huge tree apart clued me in, plus one of those black lightning bolts toppled another. She fell to her knees and cried some more, giving me a chance to kneel beside her. I promised her right then, I wouldn't be like other humans. That I would never turn my back on her. And what did I just do?"

"Buddy, insensitive as this may sound right now... It wasn't you, it was her," said Wolverine. "You accepted she had mutant powers and went with the flow. You helped train her up, but didn't expect her to use those powers for personal gain. It was a different story with what she wanted with your smarts, Umino."

It was a logical assessment, but there were times even geniuses like Umino found that logic alone wasn't enough. He buried his head in his arms, sobbing.

Storm finally stepped right in front of Umino. "We're not judging you for this, Umino. If there was ever an instance where turning a Sentinel on a mutant was called for, it was this." Umino looked back up to her, and something told Storm he was finally willing to listen. "It takes courage to stand up to a close friend, even when you know what she's doing is wrong. And by doing this, in the long run, you may have saved the soul of the girl you love."

Umino finally stood up, looking confused. "H-H-How would... She must hate me now! I-I-I-I turned on her just like every other human!"

"That's one way to look at it," said Storm. "But perhaps this will serve as a bucket of ice water in her face. Showing Naru that giving in to bitterness comes at a price. If she's still the girl you love, and if she wishes to have you at her side again, Naru will realize this."

Umino said nothing, the tears still flowing. Then, he leaned forward, and Storm held him close, letting him sob in her arms. Sometimes, as leader of the X-Men and teacher to new recruits, little things such as this was all she could do. The goddess grant that, until Naru came to her senses, it would be enough.

She could feel Wolverine's eyes on them. It wasn't envy Storm sensed from him, of course. Rather, she could tell Wolverine was thinking of how they had to make Erina Kizachi pay. As Storm mulled it over, she found her own ire rising. Kizachi had been playing this game of chess with Usagi, her friends and all of Japan long enough. Sailor Moon had put her trust in the X-Men. The time was coming to help the Sailor Senshi end this for good.

"Storm, Wolverine, you might want to get down here," came Cable's telepathic voice. "If you want answers from Erina Kizachi herself, this might be the best chance."

"I'd say it's like Nathan read our minds," said Wolverine. "But, well, you know..."

"Let's see what he's talking about," said Storm, raising a hand. A bolt of lightning smashed through the control room's huge window. Still holding onto Umino, she summoned a wind that swept the two of them out, then gently lowered them to the base's ground level. Wolverine simply jumped out and used his claws to slow his descent.

Cable had already returned with Mars, Jupiter and Shadowcat. Storm soon saw what they were all glaring at. A short woman in a lab coat. Storm fought the urge to summon a blizzard around where she stood.

"Don't get your hopes up, Storm. It's not that I can't read Kizachi's mind, it's that there's nothing really there," said Cable as Storm touched down with Umino. "Just a hologram, Hank said."

Wolverine sniffed again. "Do tell."

The projection slowly turned to gaze upon the new arrivals. "Ah, once again I get to see the esteemed leader of the X-Men. Always a pleasure," said Kizachi amicably, ignoring all the angry stares. "You've made some interesting companions in your time, Ororo Munroe, many of high status. The lord of Latveria, the king of Wakanda, and now the once and future queen of the Moon Kingdom."

"What is it you're after, Kizachi!?" Storm demanded. "You've used children as your pawns, set your country ablaze, caused so much pain and misery... What is your endgame, woman!? Is this all just part of some sick need for revenge!? Do you really place all the blame for what happened to that condo at Sailor Moon's feet!?"

Kizachi tilted her head to the side, as if feigning curiosity and surprise. "So, you've learned the truth, the other connection I have to the Sailor Senshi's antics besides Nephrite. But to answer your question, Storm... No. Collateral damage comes with the territory when superheroes are called forth to do battle. It's not entirely the girl's fault the Makai Tree wrecked the condo from the inside out."

"Then why all this, Kizachi!?" Neptune demanded. "If you admit that Sailor Moon isn't responsible for the death of your daughter, why this need for revenge!?"

Kizachi cast a piercing sideways glance at Neptune. "There's one last thing about Erika's passing that still eludes all of you, then. You'll learn what it is, when the time is right. For now, why not enjoy your victory? My hidden base, these Sentinels... Consider them spoils of war. They are yours to do with as you please."

"WHAT!?" Sailor Moon cried. Tuxedo Kamen had been holding her in his arms. Her cheeks still sparkled from her tears. "I was there for that seminar too, Kizachi! You've been obsessed with perfecting your company's take on artificial intelligence for a long time! Now you're just surrendering years' worth of work!? WHY!?"

Kizachi turned to face Sailor Moon. Despite whatever she said before, there was no mistaking the flash of hatred in Kizachi's grimace. Her bitterness still radiated from that projection even as she feigned an amused grin. Then, Kizachi turned and walked away, the projection flickering away moments later.

Silence lingered among the Sailor Senshi and the X-Men for a moment. "Well, that certainly cleared up a lot," Mars eventually grumbled.

"Confirmin' some stuff, while raisin' new questions at the same time," said Wolverine. "She's got a talent for keepin' people guessing and confused."

"Whatever," Jupiter growled. "Like Kizachi said, we've finally found her Sentinels. If we couldn't get through to Naru tonight, we might as well do something about them while we're here."

"Unless she wishes for us to destroy them," Beast pointed out. "It is quite possible that Umino reprogramming the Sentinels to act on Osaka's behalf may have been Kizachi's most desired outcome. Yet she is crafty enough to engineer things so that any outcome proves favorable to her. Letting us destroy them may aid her in another endeavor."

"Nevertheless, we can't just leave them here!" Luna cried.

"There may not be much danger in that," said Umino suddenly. "After I... sent that missile near Naru, I essentially bricked every single one of them. I-I-I wasn't going to let them hunt any more mutants, either."

"Still, Luna is quite right. We cannot leave these Sentinels intact, even if their destruction is something Kizachi can turn to her advantage later," said Storm. "Sailor Senshi, if you agree, feel free to join in."

With that, Storm summoned up a wind, raising her close to the ceiling. She stared ahead at the row of Sentinels. Umino insisted they were inoperative now. Yet those lifeless, sallow eyes were still a haunting thing to behold. Storm knew all too well what these monstrosities could do if reactivated. Electricity began to arc around her. Looking down, she saw Sailor Moon looking up to her, and she nodded.

"You heard the ladies, people," said Cable. "Anyway, many of the workers here are still treated with whatever helps shield them from telepathy. Logan, I could use your nose to help round them up before this place comes crashing down." He tossed his rifle to Beast, then took off his ammunition belt for the grenade launcher. "Here, do me a favor and blow off a Sentinel head or two in my stead, Hank."

"Umino and I will also help sweep for workers still stuck in here," said Tuxedo Kamen. He looked down at Sailor Moon, still in his arms. "Sailor Moon... Will you be OK?"

Sailor Moon stared at the floor for a moment. "Y-Y-Y-Yeah. Like Storm said, these Sentinels have to go. W-W-We might as well do what we should've been doing tonight."

The resignation in Sailor Moon's voice tore at Storm. Before, there was some hope of getting through to her friend. Now it was dashed because Kizachi wouldn't stop using Naru as her pawn. That indignation fueled Storm's rage, and thus her power.

With a cry of fury, Storm hurled lightning at the Sentinels directly ahead. Kizachi had done her work well. At first, it looked like her lightning had no effect. Unsurprising, after hearing Sailor Jupiter had difficulty as well. After a few moments of pouring on the voltage, Storm noticed their armor turning red-hot, and then white-hot.

Mercury saw that as her cue. "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" she cried. Blasts of freezing water slammed into vulnerable joint areas. Unlike the Sentinel she had helped disable, however, these did not fall apart from being subjected to thermal shock. Kizachi had improved their design in a relatively short time.

Luckily, the other Sailor Senshi were here to pick up the slack. As Storm continued to pound the Sentinels with lightning, Neptune screamed, "Submarine Reflection!" Her pummeling blast swept across their torsos, finally making chinks in their armor. Neptune then focused her attack to go right up into one of their jet turbines. Storm could hear its entire chassis groan in protest from the strain.

Sailor Moon joined in, her eyes still full of tears. But now, rage twisted her face a little as she gazed up at the Sentinels. Ginzuishou-powered repulsor blasts pelted them. One managed to punch through under a Sentinel's head. Storm saw its sallow eyes blow out, smoking under that faceplate.

More and more of the Sailor Senshi joined in. One hit from World Shaking knocked one Sentinel free of its restraints. It toppled forward, taking out part of the crosswalk still standing. Jupiter's lightning as last joined Storm's. The jaws of her Supreme Thunder Dragon wrested another Sentinel from its restraints along the wall.

Mars and Venus walked along part of the crosswalk still intact. The blazing spray from Fire Soul swept over the Sentinels she passed by, followed up by barrages from Cresent Beam Shower. Heedless of all that, Shadowcat ran through the Sentinels' heads, shorting out whatever circuitry was still active.

Beast used his bare feet to walk upside-down, underneath the crosswalk, Cable's rifle at the ready. "To put it in the vernacular... 'Thar she blows!'" he cried. He fired a grenade into the Sentinel's open jet turbine. It seemed to drill deeper into its insides, until it detonated and blew its head off. Chibi-Moon followed along ground level. She had turned Luna-P into a grenade launcher of her own, and did the same.

Their combined might was a sweet symphony of utter destruction. One by one, the Sentinels were decimated and toppled. After years of bearing witness to the misery brought about by these monsters, Storm found it gratifying. For once, the X-Men could destroy them before they could do any more harm. With a little help from their new friends, of course.

The shrill of the base's warning sirens blared over the din of their onslaught. Even with the raging fires and glow from her lightning, the flashing lights drilled into Storm's eyes. But she didn't relent, calling upon more and more lightning. At last, the final Sentinel toppled in a flurry of lightning, fire, shots from Cable's rifle, and a watery blast from Neptune's mirror. It broke apart as it crumpled.

Just as the tremors from the Sentinel's fall faded, another went through the base. The Sailor Senshi and X-Men looked up from their handiwork. They had unleashed so much power to smash these Sentinels, the base was fixing to collapse in on itself.

"Uh, I trust someone had an escape plan?" Artemis asked delicately as the base rumbled again.

"Yeah. I bodyslide my people out. The Inner Senshi use their teleporting trick to get yours out," said Cable, strolling up to them with Wolverine, Umino and Tuxedo Kamen. As usual, he seemed unfazed by things falling apart around him. "All the civilians were evacuated. So let's go, and let what's left of the Sentinels be buried alive."

"So much for never needing the Sailor Teleport," Luna grumbled.

Chibi-Moon looked up as a support beam came loose, crashing down not too far from them. "Yeah, let's do that," she muttered anxiously.

Storm touched down beside Cable, placing a hand on his shoulder. The rest of the X-Men and Lockheed held onto him. Umino, after a nervous glance about, followed suit. Meanwhile, the Inner Senshi formed a ring around Uranus, Chibi-Moon, Tuxedo Kamen, Neptune and the two cats.

"OW! Sailor Moon, don't squeeze so hard with the Iron Man hand!" Mars snarled.

"Sorry," Sailor Moon muttered flatly. No doubt she was more focused on building power for their teleport. But Storm could tell the fiasco with Naru still weighed on her. It only fueled Storm's determination to see Kizachi exposed and brought to justice. Her Sentinels were a memory. Now it was time to close in on Kizachi herself.

"Ready when you are, Sailor Senshi," said Cable.

"Then let's blow before this place does!" Venus cried.

"SAILOR TELEPORT!" the five Inner Senshi cried in unison, just as Umino and the X-Men faded away thanks to Cable's bodyslide.

Before she dematerialized, Storm saw more of the ceiling crumble and flames swirl around with renewed intensity. Kizachi's base was about to collapse upon itself, and it would take her months to salvage whatever was left of her Sentinels. But there was a possibility that Kizachi could make more. And Storm remembered Beast's warning that this could still possibly work in Kizachi's favor.

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To most gathered in the Ryuuzaki family's mansion, Charles Xavier would appear to be little more than an old man confined to some plastic wheelchair. He wondered how those gathered here would react to the truth. After all, they were here answering Sailor Moon's call, not the X-Men's. Xavier wasn't quite sure how he felt about that. He was grateful for how Sailor Moon used her notoriety to reach so many. Thanks to that, many mutants were safe here, and at the new Daidouji corporate headquarters under construction, until they could be moved elsewhere.

Still, it brought many things to light for Xavier. His ultimate goal was to bring about a world where mutants would be accepted. Yet all too often, the X-Men were too busy fighting for their lives than for mutants' rights. And yet the Sailor Senshi, fresh off their months-long conflict with the Dead Moon Circus, had unanimously decided to take up that cause. In a matter of days, Sailor Moon hadchanged everything.

Indignation and jealousy would be unbecoming of Xavier, but it did make him think. How did Sailor Moon succeed in such a short time, while his life's work often seemed so fruitless? He had to admit, upon learning of a possible future where the girl became queen and oversaw the recovery from a global catastrophe... Xavier had a little trouble believing it at first, even though Usagi opened her mind to him. But now, seeing what she could DO... Xavier hadn't lied to Luna about how she gave him hope, even if Usagi still insisted it was the other way around.

Perhaps that's what makes this girl so special, Xavier told himself as he navigated the mansion's halls. She has this way of instilling hope, of bringing out the best in people.

However, at the moment, there seemed to be much discord within the mansion. Xavier caught bits of a heated conversation between some of the 'recruits' Sailor Moon pulled in. He looked toward an open door at his right. A tall, lanky boy and his shorter, spiky-haired companion were arguing with the Ryuuzaki heiress about something.

"So where are these X-Men, anyway? Weren't they seen with the Sailor Senshi before?" the shorter one asked. "Fighting them, teaming up with them... Can't they make up their minds?"

"Yeah, wasn't mutant rights their deal to begin with?" the lanky one added. "Why are they suddenly afraid to poke their heads out? Don't they have a stake in this? And what about other American super-people, like the Fantastic Four?"

The blue-haired girl, at first, could only facepalm and groan. "First off... Wait, the Fantastic Four aren't mutants you IDIOT!"

If only they knew, Xavier thought as his wheeled himself away. The X-Men were lying low at Sailor Moon's insistence, but were now helping her get through to Naru Osaka. Knowing that Sailor Moon could potentially do more to achieve his dream was more of a puzzle than a strike against his life's work. Rather, it was his own failure to live up to Usagi's expectations that stabbed at him now. The X-Men had steered so many off the wrong path before. Yet this time, the X-Men's best efforts had ended in bitter failure.

He continued his trek through the mansion. A tall young man with silvery-grey hair and glasses passed him. Xavier couldn't sense any thought patterns from him, however.

Curious, he probed a little further, and was instantly rebuffed. There was a perplexing duality to his psyche, not unlike what often made it difficult to probe Rogue's mind. Come to think of it, could that be why...

As he pondered that puzzle, Xavier stopped as a toddler waddled by. One with poofy, turquoise hair stuffed under a baseball cap. His ambient thought patterns told Xavier he definitely wasn't human.

Once again curious, he peered a bit further, and realized who the child was. In his part of Tokyo, the boy was a common sight. But while out in public around here, as a precaution, Jariten concealed the horn that marked him as an alien demon.

Another stab at Xavier's heart. The X-Men were entangled in many conflicts in Japan before, but there was always a sense the country was somewhat different from America. At least when it came to mutant relations. But fear of what was different still lurked in the shadows of people's hearts, no matter the country.

For whatever reason, Erina Kizachi sought to tear away that veneer, letting it bubble to the surface. Was it just to strike at Usagi's heart? To make her watch as the country she fought so long to defend ripped itself apart? Or was there more to it?

Answers still eluded Xavier as he wheeled himself into the main dining hall. That girl's mother, the lady of this estate, was handing out trays along with her servants, while other servants wheeled carts to go down to the lower levels. From what Xavier could tell, the Ryuuzakis had needed little convincing from their daughter to throw their support and wealth behind Sailor Moon's movement.

Though at the moment, she wasn't what caught Xavier's eye. At the smallest table in the hall sat Usagi's mother. She wasn't alone, as Usagi's former teacher stood by her, talking. Ikuko was obviously only half-listening, though.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see you here, Mrs. Tsukino. Not if your little girl was at Sailor Moon's initial meeting," said Haruna. "She's passed her entrance exams, she's doing something so selfless... There's more to your daughter than we gave her credit for."

There was no mistaking Ikuko's grimace. "Yes, yes there is," was all Ikuko could get out.

Xavier didn't need his telepathy to see Ikuko's confusion and grief were eating her alive. Here, at least, he could possibly do something for Usagi. Ikuko felt powerless as her world turned upside-down. But Xavier believed no one was ever truly powerless. It was time to help Usagi by making Ikuko realize this.

He wheeled himself up to the two women. "Ms. Sakurada, if you will excuse me, but there is something I wish to discuss with Mrs. Tsukino in private."

Haruna seemed to freeze for a moment, gazing at him. "C-C-Charles Xavier!? Oh, that's right, Dr. McCoy said he wished to enroll Ms. Osaka at his school! Did he mean your school?"

Xavier nodded. "And let's just say I have yet to give up on reaching the girl someday."

"Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised another leading authority on genetics is in the middle of this mess," said Haruna. "But if I may ask, why must you speak with Mrs. Tsukino when her Usagi wasn't considered for enrollment?"

"There are... other things that make Usagi Tsukino special, Ms. Sakurada," said Xavier. "That is... all I'm at liberty to discuss at the moment."

"I see. Well, I'll leave you two alone then." Haruna walked past his wheelchair, but then bent down and whispered, "By the way, any job openings at your school? I wouldn't mind teaching at the same school as that blue-furred hunk..." She even giggled to herself with glee.

She's... certainly a steadfast ally for mutants, in many ways, Xavier mused. "Another time, please," he said quickly, wheeling himself around the table to reach Ikuko. "Let's go somewhere a bit more private," he whispered to her. At first, Xavier feared Ikuko might need a 'nudge' to rouse her from her seat. Thankfully, after a moment, Ikuko rose and shuffled after Xavier as he left the dining hall.

Xavier led Ikuko to one of the balconies at the back of the mansion. Once there, Ikuko spat out, "What's happened, Xavier? Did you get a telepathic message? Did Usagi and your X-Men finally report in?"

"Not yet, I'm afraid," said Xavier. "But when your daughter does return, she will need you, more than you could ever know."

"I thought you said you didn't dig too deep with your powers," Ikuko reminded him dryly.

"For that, I don't need them," said Xavier. "Nor do I need them to see how much Usagi's revelation is still troubling you."

Ikuko stared up into the starry sky, where the moon hung low. "Learning that my daughter was reincarnated after a kingdom up there fell to ruin, that she's been risking her neck every other week while I was completely oblivious... Tell me, Professor Xavier, do you ever worry about your students when they're out on a mission? How did you deal with the fear?"

"Not easily. And I only send them on missions because I know they believe in our cause as strongly as I do," said Xavier. "And your daughter believes in her team's cause of love and justice very much."

"How convenient, then, that the goals of your two teams overlap now," said Ikuko frostily, still staring at the moon.

"You were there when we both learned of Usagi's plan. I was just as surprised as you were," Xavier reminded her. "I told Usagi that I had no easy answers for what's ailing your country, so she did something drastic. It certainly wasn't a course of action I would have recommended, but what's done is done."

For a moment, Ikuko said nothing, still gazing at the moon. "Maybe it is foolish to be worried, when she's got those other Sailor Senshi watching over her. Plus, you ordered your X-Men to back them up. Following orders... It's not like I can give them anymore. I flat-out told Usagi not to go after Naru, and she literally just brushed me aside. Whose bright idea was it to give my daughter part of an Iron Man suit, anyway?"

Xavier chuckled. "Thank Hank and his Avengers connections. But yes, I understand how frustrating it is. Children grow up, and as much as we would like to hold on, there comes a time when things will never be the same."

Ikuko fell silent, still not meeting his gaze. Here was a reminder of why it was often wise to not reveal to his students' parents that their children were mutants. Or at least, not right away if it could be helped. There was still much resentment in this woman, and some of it was justified. Usagi took action because she looked up to him and the X-Men.

As Xavier fumbled for his next words, he heard Nathan's telepathic cry. "Professor! Good news and bad news. Naru won't be coming around tonight, but at least we totaled all of Kizachi's Sentinels in the meantime..."

"The Sentinels!?" Xavier shouted back incredulously. He spun around in his wheelchair, brow furrowing. "I thought we had agreed that the assault on Kizachi's hidden base was days away! What happened!?"

"Magneto happened, Professor." Xavier could easily read Nathan's indignation. "The Brotherhood and Acolytes ambushed all three strike units, just to keep us occupied while separating Sailor Moon from her team. Get her to go on alone, and then Magneto flings Sailor Moon at Naru as she's teleporting away to try and take control of the Sentinels. It was Magneto and Kizachi's plan all along. Engineer another fight between those two, to break Sailor Moon down for good. If Umino hadn't backed out of Naru's plan to seize the Sentinels, it might have happened. As it is, Sailor Moon's already enough of a wreck. ..."

"NOW you've got a telepathic alert, haven't you?" Ikuko demanded suddenly. Xavier whirled back around to see her glaring down at him. "What's happened to my daughter?"

Xavier sighed. "Magneto's forces were lying in wait for them all, and apparently your daughter confronted my old friend herself."

Ikuko's eyes widened in horror. "She... and he... Damnit Xavier, WHAT'S HAPPENED TO MY DAUGHTER!?"

Her shout drew the attention of many just beyond the balcony door. Xavier worked fast, modifying their memories. Once done, he looked back up to Ikuko. "It wasn't Magneto who she wound up fighting, Mrs. Tsukino. He was just there to throw Usagi at Naru as she teleported away. The Sentinel that fought Naru... Kizachi obviously had it lose intentionally, so Naru could make Umino hack its data core and learn the location of the rest. And then force Usagi to fight Naru to stop her from seizing control of them."

"Ultimately, it wasn't Sailor Moon that torpedoed Naru's plans, but her boyfriend," Nathan reminded him. "Maybe that'll finally get the girl to wise up..."

"Nathan, you can finish briefing me later," Xavier replied tersely. "In the meantime, please let me mollify Ikuko Tsukino. If that's even possible." Xavier caught a flash of Nathan's irritation, but then it faded.

"So they fought again!?" Ikuko demanded, sounding more horrified than ever. "Wh-What did... How is my daughter!? How badly is she hurt!?"

"Fron what I could gather from Cable, your daughter will recover," Xavier said quickly. It was then, at last, that he saw the best way to reach Ikuko. "However, it seems this encounter has left Usagi drained, both physically and emotionally. It will take time for her to recover from this, perhaps even days. She's been through many tough battles, but none quite like this. She will need you this time, Mrs. Tsukino. She will need the comfort and support of her mother."

Once again, Ikuko looked away, toward the moon. "I-I-I-I'm not really her mother," she stammered. "The one who actually gave birth to her died up there, eons ago."

"You know that's not true, and it's certainly not what Usagi believes," Xavier reminded her. "Again, she could have let Nathan and I wipe your memory, but decided that the time for keeping secrets was over. She's let you in in a way none of the other Sailor Senshi have dared with those closest to them. Knowing that, will you really keep her at arm's length?"

Ikuko slowly turned back to Xavier, tears in her eyes. "You're the one who knows how to deal with kids with superpowers, not me," said Ikuko. "What do I do?"

"For now, just be a mother who is there for her daughter," said Xavier. "That's all you've ever had to be, Ikuko Tsukino. And that's what your daughter now needs more than ever."

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Ami scrolled through what little data Umino had recovered from that base's databanks, before the Sailor Senshi and X-Men brought it all down on those Sentinels' heads. He had the foresight to download everything he could from Kizachi's databanks as he worked to get those Sentinels under his control.

Unfortunately, Erina Kizachi had been one step ahead of him. There was some sort of program that made the data delete itself if it was pilfered in such a manner. By the time Ami noticed, most of it was irretrievable. Worse, what preserved data Ami had sifted through didn't seem to be of much use.

Hopefully, that won't prove too worrisome. We destroyed all of those Sentinels, didn't we? Ami looked up from Umino's computer, out the window of her apartment. Tokyo was still shrouded in night. It hadn't been too long since they totaled those Sentinels, so Ami returned home. Her mother was expecting her to be here in the morning, and given how unpredictable Kizachi was... Besides, seeing the problems Usagi was having with her mother made Ami even more determined to guard her own secret.

So Ami sat at the dining table, squinting at Umino's computer, promising herself she'd get a little sleep soon. After a night like this, she could sure use it. Even though they wound up destroying the Sentinels, there was no getting around how their actual mission was a total bust. Naru slipped away, but not before going all-out on the one who just wanted her to listen to reason.

Ami still had no idea just what had happened during their fight. Usagi certainly wasn't talking. Whatever Naru put her through had shook Usagi to the core, leaving her an emotional wreck. It would take a little time before Usagi felt ready to open up about it.

Unfortunately, Usagi may not have time, Ami realized. Sailor Moon is the face of our movement. She's the reason these people's hearts were touched, and she can't stop now.

It still sickened Ami to no end. So much hate everywhere. She had gotten a good look at it hours ago. The unadulterated, murderous rage she had seen in Unuscione's eyes... Not even Viluy had come off as that cold and heartless. Where did that sort of hate come from? What kept it going?

Then again, I can't really talk. I was ready to take Naru apart when we got to Kizachi's base, Ami reminded herself. In fact, it still took some effort to keep her own anger in check. Not only for putting Usagi through such hell, but for that ambush back in the gym locker room.

Granted, she developed that chemical weapon the Sailor Senshi used on her, but they had done everything they could to make up for that. No, on top of that, it was like they were trying to keep Japan itself together. Not only a thankless task, but one that made the Sailor Senshi wanted criminals, and for what? Could they really keep Erina Kizachi and Magneto from reaching their goal?

Ami found herself pondering all this more than the data right in front of her face. Normally, she could study all night, but now the computer screen was fading in and out. These last few days had sapped her ability to focus, not just time to sleep.

The next thing Ami knew, the smell of chocolate chip pancakes was wafting up her nostrils. Her eyes fluttered back open, only to wince as sunlight pierced through her corneas. It was daytime already?

"Only a couple weeks or so since the last school year ended, yet you're cramming again already," came the voice of her mother. "You impress me, Ami. I figured it would only take one. Your ability to resist temptation is truly inspiring."

Ami slowly sat up, seeing that Saeko was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. She glanced at the computer screen in horror. Upon seeing that the computer had blanked out during the night, Ami heaved a sigh of relief. If she had to explain studying data on Sentinels...

"I'm afraid I can't stay to eat with you, Ami," Saeko went on. "It took a lot of fandangling to be able to come home with what time I had. And that was cut short by traffic being a nightmare. Another impromptu march by Sailor Moon's supporters, and another ugly clash with counterprotestors... Well, if I wasn't so busy, I'd probably slather my face with motor oil and go join them. What happened with Mayumi Osaka, then her daughter being pushed over the edge..."

"I-I-I-It's OK, Mama," Ami said quickly. The less her mother dwelled on Sailor Moon and Eclipse, the better. Ami had to change the subject, fast. "At least I got to see you for a little bit."

"And at least I can ensure you get one good meal in you," Saeko replied. "Whenever I've seen you these last few days... I don't know, it's like you're working yourself harder than ever before."

Ami's brain was still fuzzy, even after a few hours of much-needed sleep. "Y-Y-Y-You're worrying over nothing, Mama. T-T-There's nothing..."

"If you don't want to clue me in, that's fine," said Saeko quickly, bringing over a plate of pancakes. "We've all got secrets, things we're afraid to share with even those closest to us. Still, that doesn't change how I want to do what I can..." Ami watched her mother dubiously as she reached for her bag. "Even if that means calling in a lot of favors and breaking a slew of medical ethics laws. Things that could get me barred from practicing medicine ever again. But when a mother must stick her neck out for her daughter..."

With that, Saeko reached in and took out a single file. She plopped it down right in front of Ami. Ami stared at it blankly for a moment, then looked back up to Saeko quizzically. Saeko merely smiled, then walked back to the stove. With her bag slung under her shoulder, she took a handful of pancakes in one hand and a bottle of orange juice in the other. Looking back, she said, "Whatever else is going on, I love you, Ami. And I'm so proud of you. Never forget that."

Ami watched Saeko walk out the door, stuffing a pancake in her mouth. It was a while before Ami looked back down to the file, and even longer before she worked up the nerve to pick it up. If this could mean her mother losing her medical license...

But when Ami finally opened it up, so much became clear. "Well, this could explain a lot..."

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Even though Erina Kizachi took care to ensure she could gain something even if Naru Osaka failed to take her Sentinels, it still vexed her to no end. She looked upon the House of Councillors while standing at the podium, waiting to address them once the screen behind her stopped showing footage of the X-Men and Sailor Senshi destroying her Sentinels.

They pretend to be horrified that I had so many ready for deployment, Erina thought to herself. Whether they admit it to themselves or not, they look to my Sentinels as a last resort that must be ready. Such cowardly fools.

Erina remembered how much she had looked forward to seeing her creations tear this building asunder. Despite the falling out with her family at a young age, Erina never considered herself a bitter and cynical person. At least, not until that day she cradled her daughter's lifeless body in her arms, then watched the Sailor Senshi walk away pleased with themselves.

What better way to stab at Sailor Moon's heart yet again than to watch as her old friend struck the match, igniting a war within Japan 'eclipsing' all others in their nation's history? And wipe clean this den of corruption in the bargain? As Erina expected, the seed had been planted when her Sentinel threw its fight with Naru, finding fertile soil within her tortured and poisoned heart.

Unfortunately, Erina miscalculated when it came to her boyfriend. She spent so much time during the last year or so, scrutinizing Naru to best use her against Usagi Tsukino. Yet she took it for granted that Umino would follow her anywhere. Perhaps being spoiled by a clueless husband, who had danced to her every tune for over a year, had skewed her judgment.

Erina looked out into the rows and rows of seats through her dark glasses, eyes settling on Seto for a moment. Thankfully, he had been able to call for this gathering, so his wife could address them all. Erina had hoped to come here under different circumstances. She may have overestimated Gerio Umino's willingness to follow his mutant girlfriend, but he greatly overestimated his own skills. He doubtless believed he had cracked the intricacies of her programming language.

How wrong he would've learned he was. It was difficult, programming those Sentinels in such a way, so that 'vulnerability' didn't look intentional. And once the Sentinels had caused enough destruction here, Erina would have activated her special subroutines, allowing her to resume control and turn them on the girl. Magneto would've had the perfect opportunity to appeal to Naru again, after that. In the meantime, that would've catalyzed fear of Eclipse, and by extension all mutants, all over again, while Kizachi came off as a hero. Then Magneto would surely have his war, for the authorization to unleash Sentinels would've been hers after that.

But this place, unfortunately, is still standing, Erina mused bitterly. So now I must come address all you fearful cretins. You think you can grill me, now that you know I had far more Sentinels completed than I let on? Prepare yourselves. You're about to learn I have many, many more. And with so many still clamoring for a crackdown on mutants, you'll have no choice but to use them.

Erina flashed a small, wicked smile that the Councillors couldn't see. Through her husband, she had played them all like violins for over a year. Now it was finally time to do it personally.

The footage finally stopped playing. Erina took another moment to get a feel for her audience. She was both pleased and disgusted to see most of the Councillors were just fearful enough.

"At least there can be no more doubting the Sailor Senshi are in league with the foreign mutant outlaws known as the X-Men," said Erina. "And you've seen what can happen when they lend their strength to the Sailor Senshi. While you've deliberated on whether or not to deploy my Sentinels en masse, these two groups, who imperiously take matters into their own hands, sought to take that choice from you. And let's not forget how close Eclipse came to seizing them for herself. Think of the carnage Osaka would've unleashed before I regained control. This whole building, an untold number of you, crushed to dust! And if one human willing to betray his country could've brought this about, consider that Sailor Moon has encouraged hundreds of thousands to take part in her little insurrection!"

Mostly silence followed, punctuated by the faint muttering of Councillors amongst themselves. But no immediate rebuttal to her. This was good. They were all feeling the heat, besieged from all sides by fear of mutants, of normal people content to let them roam free, and even of the Sailor Senshi once hailed as heroes. It was always so easy to manipulate people, once you softened up their resolve with a little terror. And they would grasp the easy solution right in front of them, the proverbial fruit of the poisonous tree.

Eventually, one of the Councillors spoke. Unsurprisingly, it was a woman who represented the Juban district, right where this mess went down. "It seems you wish for us to overlook that you were secretly housing these Sentinels. After the Onslaught incident in the United States, followed by the bad press from Operation Zero Tolerance, which our nation shortsightedly approved of at the time, you can understand our hesitancy," she said stonily. Perhaps some were not as easily cowed as others. "So far, our nation has avoided any such ugliness with Sentinels of our own. You were lucky to get authorization just for that one Sentinel to apprehend Eclipse. And even if I was to overlook how you yourself admit those Sentinels were nearly co-opted, what are you proposing? Were all the Sentinels you had ready for deployment not destroyed?"

Erina didn't hesitate. "You don't get to be the head of a multinational corporation, built up from nothing, by putting all your eggs in one basket," she said slyly. "I have more ready for deployment. Dozens and dozens more, and with the software vulnerability Gerio Umino nearly exploited already fixed. I have the ready means to assuage our people's fears with a countermeasure against mutant encroachment, a means to restore order. As you said, this body as a whole was hesitant to use this means before. Now that you've seen that the Sailor Senshi are working with the X-Men, and mean business, can you hesitate any longer?"

Hushed whispering again, still an encouraging sign. It didn't take as long before someone spoke up again, this time a man. "I represent a district in which someone different has become a citizen, and an alien at that. Forgive me if I remain hesitant to condemn Japanese born different by voting to use these Sentinels, when someone not even native to our planet lives peacefully there."

Erina smiled. "Would it interest you to know there is reliable intel pointing to Lum Invader joining Sailor Moon's little coalition? Including being part of a team that broke mutants out of police custody?" That got a lot of astonished gasps. "But let's not get too hung up on one oni. Not when many, many other beings with superhuman abilities we had no idea existed seem to have swelled the ranks of Sailor Moon's resistance. Between all these new superpowered recruits, and the thousands and thousands of ordinary citizens standing with them, this body cannot risk further delay. I have the means to finally put an end to this chaos. You just need courage to take the reins and use it."

How easy it was, making them think they were acting nobly, all while playing on their craven fears. Erina looked over the crowd of Councillors again, and knew, at last, she had them all in the palm of her hand. If she couldn't look on with glee as this building got blasted to bits by her Sentinels, then at least she would have the satisfaction of manipulating them all regardless.

Besides, seeing to it that the National Diet Building was destroyed would've simply been a means to an end. All that truly mattered was seeing Usagi Tsukino's heart crushed beyond repair. Seeing her former best friend take this building down would've gone a long way towards that. As it turned out, she would have to wait until her Sentinels were deployed. But she had waited this long. What was one more day?

The vote would be called well after Erina left, but looking out at the crowd, Erina already knew she'd have her authorization. To think, all those would-be apocalyptic harbingers you fought, Sailor Moon, seeking to spread dark power over this Earth... But I'm about to succeed where they all failed! Erina smiled, knowing victory would soon be hers. That Ginzuishou of yours does a marvelous job of countering the darkness coming from without. Too bad it's useless when it comes to the darkness that lurks in us all. I told you you'd soon see the extent of your failure, Usagi Tsukino. Soon after the vote, the fire will rise!