Author's Note:
Well, I made a total hash job of Act 8, which incidentally led up to Act 9 (really?). Problem? Mamoru's not about to trigger the 'Moon Princess' memories, is he? I thought I'd give you this: the memory Mamoru is trying to remember is from the anime. What season? Do you honestly think I'd tell you that? It took me ages to figure out how to start this chapter…then I got it, and I'm rather fond of it, here we go!
Disclaimer: -insert witty disclaimer stating that I don't own Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon here-
Death. Destruction. Darkness. Chaos. Eternal Sailormoon overlooked the domination of the Milky Way wide eyed and helpless; watching the flickering forms of pure heart crystals, dream mirrors, and sailor crystals waltzing through the air. Thousands of butterflies flew powerlessly into the heavens; graves mounting the rolling earth where blue fire danced over the bodies of the fallen. Every senshi had been awakened prematurely, yet still they lost and were slain, some to their own hand, and even the unfortunate veterans fell to the others. Nothing could be salvaged; the few strongholds left were overrun, a senshi injured was a senshi dead, as the skies turned to the red of the retreating butterflies.
Eternal Sailormoon stared at the lotus shaped Phantom Silver Crystal desperately, every crack formed through the days of battle magnified. It would not answer to her call; it would not yield to her, and did little more than maintain her sailor suit, and even that threatened to fail. She'd become powerless, unable to aid her fellows, the senshi of times past, and the senshi of times to come, and the others, the white spirits slowly taking over the galaxy. Many planets had been slain stealthily, until, among the humans caught unawares, a Sailor War had erupted, befalling not only those with guardians, but those civilians with the capacity to hold another at gunpoint.
Slowly, senshi were falling back, humans were corrupted, others grew in power, and among all was a haze of red rage and black death. Now there were but a handful of soldiers, enough to fit in a small valley, cliff overhanging on one side, mountains blocking all other passes but airways. The others used this to their best advantage, taking flight and slaying more, striking terror into still more hearts. They knew they would lose, as did Eternal Sailormoon, torn sailor fuku, useless crystal feebly lying against one palm; she watched from the overhanging cliff as still more senshi were lost to the Cauldron. Even the stars lying restlessly within the heavens dimmed and faded, and erupted into Supernovas.
"Usagi! Behind you!" All underlying formalities had been lost, identities one of the lesser concerns as of the first day of seamless battle, the enemy's power unleashed. Eternal Sailormoon warily turned her back to the battle to find a sword's tip thrust beneath her chin, slowly forcing her head upward to meet the eyes of an other. She could feel a trickle of blood pool against her collar bone as the sword's tip pushed against her jaw bone, and sank into the violet eyes staring through her formidably. She could see nothing through the light the other sent outward, save the sword and eyes, finding herself holding her breath as she sent her eyes down the blade's hilt. Fear had been lost, death was an accepted term.
It was a thing of unmatched beauty that captured the eye and stole the heart, something so pure it seemed tainted. Silver, long, light, and thin, eight jewels starting the hilt, and a crescent moon to block the welder's hand, crimson's, gold's, jade's, and teal's worked throughout the handle. The sword bore a regal air, an ancient depth to it she could not understand until the other spoke, "I'll grant you the small fantasy of her name, you are sure to recognize it, Moon Princess. She holds within her just as much power as that pretty gem in your hand, for she holds the same and lets it grow over time: Sword of the Phantom Silver Crystal. The Holy Blade."
8 8 8 8 8
"Sere-chan? Are you feeling unwell? You haven't eaten in days, you haven't gone to school, is there something wrong?" Luna approached the door apprehensively, eyes softening as she cast them downward to peer at the light sounding between the door and the floor. It had taken the better part of her day to convince Sere's mother silently that she was no danger, increased only when Sere's brother had attacked her just outside the door with a stick. "You can always rely on us, Sere-chan; just tell me what's wrong. Was it that Sailorcosmos? Was it her stealing away Tuxedo Kamen?"
"Luna, you worry too much. I'm perfectly fine!" There was nothing save the hint of distress edging her tone, not unlike a knife's edge, sharpened to its point. Nonetheless, Luna lowered herself to her haunches, curling her tail around her comfortably, ignoring the physical barrier of the door. "I'm perfectly, perfectly, perfectly fine! Just a – a – a head cold, it'll pass, and then everything will be fine again. Not that it's not okay now, I mean…I'm happy, you're happy, the senshi are happy, there's nothing wrong at all… Oh, Luna! She's going to take everyone away!" A fit of hysterical sobbing ensued, through which there was a great deal of bashing.
Silently, Luna padded at the door with her foremost paws until it creaked enough for her to negotiate her twisting body through. Sere sat in a disheveled heap between her calves awkwardly, face buried into her palms as her body shook convulsively. The golden-red of her hair was spangled across the floor in waves, though now it bore tints of silver that grew even as the moon cat approached. "Who's taking who away?" Luna prodded gently, leaning against Sere confidently, nuzzling her forehead against the other's arm.
"I – I – I'm taking everyone away! I don't understand, I don't remember… What happened? Why is this happening, Luna? How is this happening? I'm taking everyone away from me! There's something, it's ripping, tearing, it's taking everything away! I don't… I don't… It's inside of me, I – I can't control it! It's taking over me – I – I can't remember, but it's taking everyone away! I don't know how, but it's taking without my knowing – without their knowing! I don't understand… Luna! I don't even understand how I know!" She sniffled, and fell plaintively against the frame of her bed crushingly as she hugged herself.
8 8 8 8 8
"Mamo-chan…" Usagi mumbled lightly, feebly fiddling with a pencil between two fingers, chin rested within her opposite palm as she stared at the wall before her. She'd feverishly prayed for the weekend, yet now it came with no reprieve, even as she set aside her homework. She'd figured on some senshi activity she could praise herself on, though even that seemed to shy away – no single incident involving inspection. Nor had she discovered an extent on her new powers, let lone an outlet, release, any sign of replacement to her leverage over the Phantom Silver Crystal. To her guilty happiness, she had not yet forced the presence of Mamoru against herself, though she'd allowed memories to lull her into ecstasy.
Mamoru. Mamoru. Mamoru… Had she no other source of life save his name, his essence? Usagi gulped, dropping the half-chewed pencil, watching impulsively as it fluttered briefly, having landed against the soft pink of eraser. No, she would subtly, intricately, snag Mamoru, long before the memories of 'Serenity' would be released to do as they bid, including the stirring of other's in its wake. The future of Crystal Tokyo, the soul of Chibiusa, the presence of her love, her friendship, she'd save them, thwart the power working over her. She pushed herself to stand determinedly, before her eyes closed and she fell to the floor sprawling and flailing as darkness broke through her vision.
8 8 8 8 8
"…Sailorcosmos? That sailor crystal has been shattered – it may not redeem itself as of yet! It has not made an appearance, save the day Queen Selenity of the Silver Millennium bore her descendent! Not in any form of time thereafter or there before. That power – that Lambda power is not allowed to live alongside Sailorchaos freely as it does! The bearer – she has shattered the taboo, with not a price yet set for such crime! Breached the walls, the Cosmos has endangered its own – this cannot be forgiven!"
8 8 8 8 8
"Mamoru – " Corruption. The voice was flogged, overridden; the serenity feinting so as to disable its opponent's fragility. "I evaded death for you, equivocated temptation; now you shall do the same, my Mamo-chan." Followed by, "Please… please my Mamo-chan… remember me." What was there to remember? Mamoru shoved himself away from the paper-logged desk before him, placing a hand to his temple wearily.
"I can save your memories, for I carry them with your future, something Sailormoon cannot do." Furthermore, how had this senshi known of the relationship since formed between himself and the senshi of the moon? Did this being also demand an irreproachable price as the princess of his dreams? Suddenly, Mamoru's eyes widened, before he fell limp, straining to stay upright, palms plastered against the framework of his desk.
8 8 8 8 8
"What of that strange senshi who appeared last week? She attacked Sere-chan – she must be dangerous. Do you think she works alongside the Dark Kingdom?" Makoto prompted, raising an eyebrow to aid the effectiveness of the inquiry as she shuffled awkwardly about the SailorV game. "I mean, Sere hasn't showed up for school in a few weeks. And that 'Sailorcosmos' prompted ownership over Tuxedo Kamen – that can't be right!" She bit unconsciously into the softness of her lower lip, though not enough to draw blood.
Minako leaned against the game casually, vaguely aware of the controls and avoiding them seamlessly, "But she saved Sere-chan, Mako-chan! How could she be an enemy?" She shaded her eyes with a hand as the dying rays of sun beat through the glass to present an assault against all those fighting with it. Minako pursed her lips momentarily, before, "Besides, there's nothing set in stone for the future of Sere-chan and Tuxedo Kamen." Forced to lower her voice due to the sudden onslaught of civilians, she gracefully let herself fall from the top of the videogame.
"If I may be so rude to interrupt, Mina-chan," Artemis whispered, allowing his eyes leverage to go as they willed and spy on those who may notice his unnatural talent of speech. He slouched low over Ami's shoulder, having an irrational fear of any save the calmest of senshi, "Why is it that you do not ask the late queen herself, Queen Selenity of the Silver Millennium? We need only to visit the Moon Kingdom in its ruins."
8 8 8 8 8
Sailorcosmos awoke dazedly, lying flat across the plains of a dust-like, glowing surface. Above her, blinking gloriously as though in welcome, basking in the sheet of night sky, wrapped as though a new born babe, the stars shone endlessly. That glory, that peace, that silence in itself should have been worth fighting for, yet it did little to warm the frigidness of her heart, did little to calm the rising monsters of nerves – did not to claim her Mamoru as her own. She rose to allow her eyes access to wander over the ruins bade to the land over which she stood.
Distinctly, she could recall the remains of the Roman Empire, and this resembled it to a higher degree. Columns lay scattered and broken over the footing, years had buried the great beauty of architecture, and pieces of building were half-way toward the center of the land. The deep navies of sky allowed little light, though Sailorcosmos found reason to smile inwardly, "The remains of the Silver Millennium, and the fall of an empire. Serenity was not meant to rewrite this frame; this past has remained the same. How will Sailormoon have gained powers, I wonder? This Endymion has remained the same, as well. But the future, that lies in jeopardy, great jeopardy."
There was a stirring of the sands about her, and she turned calmly to find a something making vain attempts to stand. "Sailormoon." Sailorcosmos breathed hesitantly as the senshi shook to stand staring about wide eyed as she clutched at her palms with her gloved fingers. Sailormoon began to shiver instinctively within the excuse of her sailor suit. "Can you walk?" Sailorcosmos prompted breaking the chilling silence as she approached.
The younger senshi whirled about on one heel, wide eyed, tears streaming down either cheek as she held her shoulders. She looked as though collapsing would have been a safer suggestion, though she nodded slowly, waiting patiently as Sailorcosmos approached, calm and tranquil. "A-are you an enemy, or are you the princess?" Sailormoon managed to squeak following the other with little more than a drop of hesitance.
Once more, Sailorcosmos visibly smiled, "At this point in time, I am not your true enemy – but rest your allies elsewhere, for soon I will become one, though you may not know it at the time. At the moment, you may confide in me, though that will probably not be… the same tomorrow." Her image flickered momentarily before she had finished, though she gritted her teeth, concentrated, and reinstated herself once more, "I am in a very small sense the Moon Princess, but in that same very small sense you are the Moon Princess – or so I believe. Does that make sense?"
"No." Sailormoon giggled lightly, but stepped lightly to the side, in what she assumed was stealth, not that it was not noted. An uncanny silence ensued, in which both were overly aware of the lack of moonlight shed over them. "W-where are we anyway, Sailorcosmos?" She prompted slowly, tracing every line of her boot with an eye, making her appearance show conscious of the height the other had against herself.
"We are on the moon, walking in the remains of the Silver Millennium." Sailorcosmos responded coolly as they passed yet another broken ivory arch, "We are currently in the Mare Serenitatis, or the Sea of Serenity. Centuries ago, the Dark Kingdom attacked the moon, and succeeded in defeating it. It will rise again though – on earth, it shall be called Crystal Tokyo. Though I am not sure why we are here, if it is not a meeting with the late Queen Selenity herself. History certainly has a way of twisting itself, no?"
8 8 8 8 8
Stars. A many billion of stars, all twinkling merrily as they had when Usagi had been ripped from her former life and thrown into this strange past – they sent torment to her instead of reprieve. Her breathing became strained as the first ruin of coliseum came to eye: the moon, the Silver Millennium, the Moon Princess, the Phantom Silver Crystal, Endymion. And – footsteps? Usagi glanced over her shoulder to see a figure approaching her slowly, as if with caution, cloaked in… black.
Momentarily, Usagi considered running, though she knew it to be a futile pastime. If hearts could shatter, hers had, as the figure drew closer and it became apparent that it was Tuxedo Kamen. She swallowed, hard, against the bile rising through her throat, as she curled to look as insignificant as possible – though she knew he had seen her prior. "Who are you?" Her chest contracted and she fought bitterly to keep the tears hidden beneath eyelashes. A dagger had twisted itself into her heart, robbing her of thought and sending sudden uproots of emotion through her.
"I – I – I…" She shook her head as her shoulders began to rake her body with silent sobs, and she questioned herself once more: what would denial do? Usagi breathed slowly, squeezing her eyes shut before daring to look Tuxedo Kamen in the face. "I'm Tsukino Usagi; you are Mam – Tuxedo Kamen. We're on the moon right now…" She dragged off, and managed to push herself upward, but could not bring herself to meet the warm blue of his eyes, and instead studied the white sand-like substance now locked within her school shoes.
As to be expected, he didn't seem particularly surprised by the news and instead questioned her, "Have we met before? You seem – overly familiar. And quite a deal more calm about being on the moon than is naturally right." Tuxedo Kamen began to walk, expecting Usagi to follow, and quite right in the assumption, for she almost immediately was at his side, matching his pace with her own. "Being on the moon – and managing to breathe – is something people tend to fear."
"I – well… it's not something particularly new to me. I've been here before – you've been here before." She gulped as the words escaped her lips, and she abruptly turned her head to the side in order to avoid any sight of him. It was dream like – picturesque even – that he had not had any recollection of her, it seemed as though it were not happening. The feeling numbed her slowly, and froze her, until the sound of her feet against the surface of the moon came in wisps, overshadowed, and over dead air. "W – What do you think of Sailormoon?"
Silence was her answer, though she dared not look to the side, satisfied in the steady movement of feet. "Is that really a question to ask a stranger?" Tuxedo Kamen responded, Usagi ringing her wrists feebly as her face flushed, though she bit her lower lip to stop the sob welling through her throat. "Though I think she can be an irrational, immature girl who's allowed power to overcome common sense. There's something strange about her…" She couldn't help but exhale with an air of glee, though she knew if they had been sent to the moon to entertain Queen Selenity the momentary ecstasy would die – hard.
I know a lot happens in succession (this chapter was pretty jumpy), but unless you want this dragged out over approximately 70 chapters, this is how it's going to go. I realized after I posted chapter 4 that I should have said: Sailorcosmos is not exactly Usagi, she is in some sense – so is Sere, in some sense, a totally different sense, but a sense nonetheless. I was going to make the chapter longer, but I ran out of time - two huge projects this week in real life.