Karin, Queen of Earth, had been dead for about fifty years. She died long after she thought her brother and sister-in-law died, when their auras had been cut off by the Silver Crystal encasing them. A new Queen now ruled Earth from the Palace in Crystal Tokyo, and she was fair as well as wise. She was Karin's Daughter, Usami, named for her aunt, Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, originally known as Usagi, Sailor Moon. Queen Usami never learned how to travel to the moon, as Karin had not gone there after she felt her brother's aura vanish. The ruins of the Moon Kingdom stood empty save for Metallia, and three little cats. Sailor Sun summoned the cats to her place of watchfulness, making them appear before her.
"Luna, Artemis, Diana…" she said softly, as her own cat, Apollo, nuzzled each of them in greeting. They looked at her, sorrowful. "I am sorry my dear friends… I was unable to do anything because of my oath to only keep watch and not interfere… But I fear that the time is coming when I must break that oath. The heir to the Moon legacy is coming, and I must be there to help him."
"Him?!" Luna gasped, just as Artemis choked back a yowl of fear. Diana just looked shocked, watching Apollo walk back to his mistress. Sailor Sun nodded solemnly.
"Yes, him. I know the prophecies that surround the male heir, but still, it is his time. And I must be there to help him defeat the woman that destroyed the Moon Kingdom not once, but twice," Sailor Sun said quietly. "I must ask that you three help as well. Without you, I think the prophecies will fulfill their evil portent… I would not have that happen, not if I can help it. My oath is no longer valid. I am going to stop this from playing out in the way the evil beings want." Sailor Sun finally opened her eyes, and while they were pale yellow, they still seemed to blaze with fire. "Luna, Diana, and Artemis. Help me win against the evil that wishes to take the galaxy. We have defeated Chaos many a time before. It will never win." At the end of her mini-speech, she looked at the cats, expecting to be turned down. Luna and Artemis had been there at the very beginning, when the priests of the first Queen Serenity in Silver Millennium had predicted the male heir to the Moon legacy, and what his arrival meant.
"I will help you," Luna said, stepping forward. Diana followed, although Artemis was rather reluctant. "We all will." Glaring at Artemis, Luna got him to step forward as well. "I'm sure that a male heir is nothing to be worried about. We can keep the prophecy from coming true." Sailor Sun gave them a relieved smile as she closed her eyes, and Apollo went over to stand with the cats.
"Thank you," she said softly. "Now… The first thing is that we have to find him." Apollo nodded and started towards Earth through a small portal with Luna, Diana, and Artemis.
It would take many years, but they finally found him. Hajime Tsukino, an orphan who held tightly onto one simple thing: a crystalline rose that looked absolutely useless.