Yes, I managed to update on time, somewhat. Sorry for posting so late. Editing took a little longer than I planned. Anyway, thanks again for all the reviews and feedback. I hope this chapter was worth the week delay.
Now, onward to the chapter.
Chapter 9: What Dreams May Come
She was floating in a void of nothingness. There was no light, no sound, not even an awareness of her body. Usually she would find such isolation lonely or even frightening, but she found her current surrounding whether peaceful. Here she could forget everything. All she wanted to do was sleep. Regardless of her wish, voices began to penetrate the darkness of the void.
"Mercury, is she alright?" a voice asked. Serenity's scattered mind recognized the voice as belonging to Minako. She sounded so scared and worried. It was nothing like the confident woman that she had come to know. "She...she looks dead."
"I...I do not know," Mercury answered unsteadily. It sounded like she was fighting back tears. "I cannot get a reading. The crystal is somehow blocking my scanners."
"I also can't feel her life force," a voice said. Her voice cracked with emotions. Serenity knew it was Rei speaking.
"She can't be dead," someone else said. This voice didn't bother to hide its grief. "After all we've been through, we can't lose her like this."
The pain laced in all her friends' voices caused Serenity to tear up; at least she would had if she was aware of her own body. Shaking herself free of the darkness, she opened her senses to the outside world. Through her mind's eye, she was able to see the shadows of her senshi. They were surrounding her and were looking down as if they were viewing her from an open casket. She could also see Luna and Artemis from the edge of her vision.
"This is my fault," Luna grieved as she cried on Artemis' shoulder. "I should had stopped her from going out there."
Artemis gently licked his mate's tears. "It's not your fault. You know Serenity. Nothing could had stopped her once she felt Small Lady was in trouble."
Luna stopped crying for a moment. "How is Small Lady doing?"
Artemis lowered his head. "She finally cried herself to sleep a couple hours ago. Diane is with her so she should be fine."
"How can she be fine!?" Mars all but yelled. "She spent the last hour crying, begging for her mother to wake up as she banged on this accursed crystal! We don't even know if Serenity is alive! As far as we know, we've just entombed her!"
"We have to have hope," Venus said somberly, attempting to keep order. "Hope that we reached her in time and she's just sleeping."
"We've all seen Serenity sleep," Mars said in a hoarse voice. "Serenity...Usagi is never this still. If she's like this...she…she isn't asleep."
Jupiter walked closer to the crystal prison and gently touched it. "I don't even know how we did this."
Venus shook her head. "Neither do I. When I saw Serenity in danger, something told me to cast my powers at her. I guess our desire to protect Serenity took the form of this crystal shell."
"That we can't even break," Jupiter said humorlessly.
"Given what I currently know, Serenity should be able to break the crystal herself...if she had the Silver Crystal," Mercury said slowly as she put her computer away.
Luna shook her head.
"Dammit, none of this would have happened if the Silver Crystal hadn't disappeared!" Jupiter cussed. "If we had the crystal, those bastards from the Dark Moon would have never hurt Serenity and Endymion."
Serenity's heart froze in fear when she heard those words. What happened to her husband? Was he still alive? She wanted to demand answers from her senshi, but couldn't will her body to move.
There was a somber paused among everyone in the room.
"How is Endymion?" Venus asked as she turned towards Mercury.
"He is in critical condition. He is lucky to be alive after the computer exploded on him," Mercury said. "However, I had to put him in a medically induce coma to keep his vitals steady. It maybe months before he is fully recover."
"We don't have months," Venus said with some heat. "The Black Moon's forces have receded for the time being, but they now control most of the planet. Only the United States, the United Kingdom, and China are able to defend themselves against the Black Moon Clan and it's only a matter of time before they eventually fall. Without our two monarchs, Crystal Tokyo will also soon fall under their power."
The desperation in Venus' voice broke Serenity in half. Hearing the current fate of her world also weighed heavily on her heart and mind.
"What about the Outer Senshi?" Jupiter asked.
"We have heard nothing from them since the Black Moon attacked," Venus said as she closed her eyes. "They could be dead as far as we know."
Mars shook her head. "Don't talk like that."
"We have to think like that," Venus said with an unusual coldness. "For the time being, we are alone. We, the Guardian Senshi, are the last line of defense on the planet."
There was another long paused.
"There might be a way we can at least revive Endymion," Luna spoke up.
"You're thinking of using the hologram equipment, aren't you," Artemis stated.
Luna nodded. "With the hologram, Endymion's conscious can still run the Crystal Palace and our defensives while his body recovers."
"Is that dangerous?" Jupiter asked. "I mean, we're talking about sticking a person's mind in a machine."
"There are some risks, but we don't have too many options," Luna said somberly. "As Venus said, Crystal Tokyo needs a leader and since Serenity is...unable to protect her kingdom at the moment, that duty now falls on Endymion. We can't very well ask Small Lady to take up the burden."
Mercury sighed. "Luna is right. We are out of options." She then turned towards the cat. "I will get the equipment ready."
"Until then, the rest of us will guard the palace," Venus said. "We don't know when the Black Moon will return so we must be ready for any attack."
"Right!" the remaining senshi yelled as they walked out of the room.
Before each of them left, they all took one last look at their queen. When the last senshi left, the two heavy double doors closed behind them.
Serenity was once again left alone as she took in everything that had happened. The senshi had sealed her in a crystal barrier to save her life. It was exactly the way she remembered it. What was different was that everyone was wrong about her condition. Everyone thought she was 'asleep', yet she still had some form of consciousness. She could sense the world around her and even 'see' what was happening outside her prison, but she couldn't move or interact with anything. She was like a fish in a bowl.
As she lay in her tomb, she began to wonder why her memories of the past just now returned. She couldn't tell anyone what she remembered and was unable to help anyone, not even herself. It was like some kind of cosmic joke.
Wariness returned to her and she felt her conscious beginning to sink. She tried to fight it, but the calls of her crystal sleep were too strong. Before she knew it, she once again fell into the void.
She was suddenly awoken again when a malevolence laughed filled her mind. Now that her memories had returned to her, she knew who that laugh belong to.
"Death Phantom," Serenity whispered.
"I'm impress you know my true name, Neo-Queen Serenity," the Death Phantom chuckled as he appeared before her. He was just as Serenity remembered him. He floated cross-legged above her with his blue robes flowing over his body. His hands waved eternally over his crystal ball and he appeared to be glaring down at her. "Then again, I should expect nothing less from one chosen by the Silver Crystal and one who was able to defeat my master, Chaos."
"How did you get here?" Serenity demanded.
The Death Phantom chuckled at her. "We're in your mind, Neo-Queen Serenity. Or, more specially, the void that exist between dreams and consciousness. This is the prison where your foolish guardians placed you when they shielded you from my attack."
"So, it was you," Serenity growled.
"I had no choice. That foolish prince was too affectionate with you to land the killing blow," Death Phantom said. "Even without the Silver Crystal, you are still a threat to my plan."
Another realization hit her. "You knew. You knew that the Silver Crystal would disappear just before the Dark Moon attacked. How could you have known such a thing would happen?"
Although Serenity couldn't see his face, she knew that the Death Phantom was smiling at her. "You're not the only one blessed with powers from a god. Through the power of the Black Poison Crystal, I am able to see ahead into the future. Because of the unpredictable and changing nature of time, I cannot foresee everything. I can, however, see key points within the time stream. The Silver Crystal disappearance was easy to foresee."
Serenity glared at the entity of chaos. "So you and the others on Nemesis were just waiting for that moment."
The Death Phantom's silence was all the confirmation she needed.
"You really are too narrow minded," Death Phantom suddenly said. "Attacking on the day that the Silver Crystal's light faded was just the final chess piece."
The statement confused Serenity.
"My plan to destroy Crystal Tokyo and the Earth was in motion long before the Black Moon Clan came to Nemesis. I have been planning all your demise since the day you freed my master, Chaos, from Sailor Galaxia," Death Phantom stated.
"What!?" Serenity exclaimed in disbelief.
"Are you surprise?" Death Phantom asked mockingly. "You should have known that rereleasing the source of all evil back into the universe would have consequences. By reawakening Chaos, you had also reawakened me. For untold eons my consciousness have been sealed within the Black Poison Crystal on that forgotten planet you call Nemesis. There I slept until Chaos' power washed over me as he escaped from this solar system."
"So you have been plotting against us this entire time? Why?" Serenity questioned.
"It's really simple. I despise the chaos known as life that radiates through your planet," Death Phantom said. "Life is a waste that must be snuff out. I plan to return this system back to a perfect state of silent."
Serenity's eyes narrowed when she heard his motives. It was just as twisted as she remembered.
"I actually should be thanking you," Death Phantom said as he began to chuckled. "It was thanks to your efforts that my plan came to fruition."
"What do you mean?" Serenity demanded.
Death Phantom seemed to be smiling at her again. "It was your kind heart and your sense of justice that gave me the Black Moon Clan."
"I didn't send them to Nemesis!" Serenity exclaimed.
Death Phantom laughed. "Of course you didn't. I was the one who brought them to Nemesis."
Serenity froze when she heard this.
"When that ship filled with rebels approached Nemesis, I saw my chance to finally strike Crystal Tokyo," Death Phantom said. "I intercepted their ship and caused them to crash on the planet."
Serenity could think of nothing to say as she took in the Death Phantom's words.
"You should have seen it as those pitiful humans struggled on that planet. They hid themselves like frightened rabbits and fed on one another during those first years on Nemesis," Death Phantom mocked. "They would have all perished if it wasn't for that one human."
"You mean Triten," Serenity grasped.
"Awe, my precious diamond in the rough," Death Phantom snickered. "Of all the humans, his hatred for the Earth and Crystal Tokyo glowed the brightened. It was his hatred that brought me to him."
"What did you do?" Serenity hissed.
"I did nothing. I only offered him the chance to get back at you and the people of Earth," Death Phantom said. "I told him that if he and his descendants mastered the powers of the Black Poison Crystal that they would gain abilities that would surpassed those of the Silver Crystal. At the very mention of surpassing you, Triten willingly sold his soul along with his fellow rebels and became the founder and king of the Black Moon Clan."
Serenity shook her head. "Triten would never do such a thing. He valued his freedom more than anything. He would have never given himself to a corrupt monster like you."
"Awe Serenity, such fate you have in humanity," the Death Phantom said in a mocked sympathetic voice. "You have forgotten how weak and fragile the human heart is, especially during times of adversity. It was easy for human like Triten to speak self-righteously when he thought he was in control of his surroundings and believed that he would die a hero in his foolish cause. The moment he realized how insignificant he truly was he gave into despair and abandon his own principles."
Serenity glared at the Death Phantom.
"That wasn't even the best part. During his dying days, he realized that he would never see the Earth again or live to carry out his revenge. His rage grew even more when he saw how well the Earth had flourish under your rule and how you were dearly love by your people. He realized that everything he fought for was for nothing and he was looked on in history as a radical monster," Death Phantom said. "He died a pathetic, bitter old man, passing his hatred and anger to all future generations on Nemesis, making them all the perfect pawns for me."
Serenity's eyes lowered in grief. "Triten..."
"It's ironic, isn't it? A man who valued freedom and choice so much that he was willing to be banished from his home because he feared a powerful entity was willing to allowed himself and his followers to be enslaved for the sake of power and revenge. In that sense, he became the very entity that he once feared," Death Phantom said with humor. "Such as the human heart."
Serenity glared at the Death Phantom. "You took advantage of him when he was most vulnerable."
"Awe, but do you believe that ones' true colors is shown when one is faced with the pits of despair?" Death Phantom questioned.
Serenity could think of nothing to counter that.
"You also need to take responsibilities at your own failings," Death Phantom said. "All this could have been avoided if you had simply killed or even cleansed Triten and the other rebels instead of banishing them. You could had also stalled my plan if you had purified the people of Nemesis when you visited the Black Moon."
"I couldn't do that!" Serenity exclaimed. "To force a cleansing is wrong, just as it's wrong to take a life because you disagree with a person. Yes, I could had purify Nemesis, but that would had alienated the people of the Dark Moon even more towards Earth since I doubt they would had known the difference between a cleansing and a purification. I done what I thought was right."
"And those choices have doomed your planet," Death Phantom stated mockingly. "For the sake of your own 'morality' you have help bring ruin upon those you cared about and have allowed me to bring about silences to this solar system. For those reasons I must thank you."
"No," Serenity whispered as she took in the Death Phantom's words.
"I wanted to kill you, but I think this is a far better fate. Watch as your world crumbles around you and know it has happens all because of you. Watch what your precious morality has brought you," Death Phantom taunted as he disappeared in a gust of black wind. His laughter echoed across the void.
"No..." Serenity mourned. "My fault...it's all my fault. All those people...why couldn't I've done things differently!?"
She felt like crying, even though she had no body to shred tears. The Earth, the Black Moon Clan, so many people would die because of her decisions. All of this couldn't have been etched in time. Time could change. So, why couldn't she change anything?
She stood in the darkness for what felt like an eternity, lost in her own grief.
"Mommy...mommy can you hear me? Please wake up..." a gently voice whispered across the void, snapping Serenity out of her grief.
"Small...Small Lady..." Serenity murmured. The void faded and she was once again in her own body.
In her mind's eye, she could see her daughter leaning against her crystal prison. Even from her fuzzy mind, she could feel her daughter's grief.
"Mommy...please open your eyes," Small Lady begged. "Why won't you answer?"
"Small Lady, your mother can't hear you at the moment," someone said.
Serenity was surprise to hear the voice since she could not see or sense any one else in the room. The voice that spoke, however, was undoubtedly the voice of her dear husband.
"Daddy, what's wrong with mommy?" Small Lady asked in a broken voice.
There was a long pause. "Your mother was...hurt during the Dark Moon's attack. In order to protect her, the Sailor Senshi had to freeze her body within the crystal. Your mother is sleeping to regain her strength since the Silver Crystal can't currently heal her," Endymion explained in a calm voice.
Serenity, however, could hear the uncertainty in his words. The words he spoke were full with half-truths to keep their daughter from panicking. After all, who could tell their daughter that their mother may never wake up and you didn't even know if they were still alive.
Small Lady sniffed several times. "If mommy had the Silver Crystal, then she'll wake up?"
"I...I believe so," Endymion said.
Small Lady pressed her face even closer to the crystal. "Then...I'll find the crystal and everything will go back to normal." She whispered those words so softly that Serenity doubted that her husband heard her.
"It's late, you should get to bed," Endymion said.
Small Lady gave a small nod as she walked out of the room.
There was only silence and for a moment, Serenity thought she was alone.
"Serenity, are you even still alive?" Endymion's voice asked.
Serenity's felt her heart skip a beat; at least she thought it did, when she heard Endymion's voice.
"It doesn't look right, love. It doesn't look right for you to be so still," Endymion said. Serenity then heard her husband begin to sob. It was something she didn't expect. Endymion rarely if ever cried, especially in front of her. He was the rock of their relationship. She was the one who was supposed to be an emotional wreck while he comfort and calmed her.
"It's all in ruins, Serenity. Our home, our kingdom has all but been destroyed. The senshi are fighting as hard as they can, but they're not strong enough to stop the Black Moon alone. We've heard nothing from the Outer Senshi and they maybe lost to us," Endymion said in a broken tone that was filled with pain and lost. "We need you, Usako. I need you."
Serenity wanted so badly to hugged her husband. To tell him that she was alright, but her body refused to move. She couldn't even flicker her eyes.
"Life isn't worth living without you. Right now, only Small Lady is keeping me going," Endymion said. "Even then, Small Lady needs her mother. She blames herself for what has happened to you. So, you can't leave us. Please, fight to come back to us. After all, you promise. You promise to never leave anyone alone."
She wanted to shout that she left no one. That she could hear them and everything would be okay again. Yet, the crystal froze her and her mind was once again being pulled away.
"Have faith, Mamo-chan," Serenity whispered in her mind. "Have faith that this storm will end."
Her mind once again went blank.
She wasn't sure how long she was asleep, but she was awoken suddenly by panicking voices.
"She isn't here either!" a person yelled
"Where could she have gone?" someone asked.
"She can't be outside the palace," another voice said.
"But we've searched everywhere!" someone exclaimed.
It took Serenity a moment to recognize the voices as those of her friends.
"I've already checked the computers and Small Lady is nowhere to be found," Endymion's voice said. It was shaking with emotion.
"This is terrible," the voice of Luna said. "We can't have lost both Serenities."
"Small Lady is safe," someone said.
Everyone turned around to look at something, but Serenity wasn't sure what. She did, however, recognized the voice as Pluto.
"Pluto, you know where Small Lady is?" Venus asked.
"Yes, she passed through the Time Gate just a moment ago," Pluto answered. "Small Lady has gone to the world of the past."
"What!?" everyone exclaimed.
"You sent her to the past? Why would you do such a thing?" Jupiter demanded angrily.
"She wanted to find the Silver Crystal to save her mother," Pluto explained calmly. "Since the crystal of this world is lost, the only other option was to travel to the past and bring the Silver Crystal back to our time."
"That's crazy!" Luna exclaimed. "Small Lady will be in grave danger. We already know that the Black Moon somehow has access to the Time Gate. They could follow her to the past."
"Actually, they have already sent agents after her," Pluto said in a neutral voice.
"Then we have to go after her!" Mars yelled.
"I cannot allow that," Pluto said firmly. "Your presence in the past will have grave consequences on the timeline."
"Yes, and sending a four years child doesn't," Jupiter hissed.
"We have a duty to protect the princess," Venus said. She then glanced at Serenity. "Especially since we have already failed our queen."
Pluto's eyes softened in regret. "I can't tell you now, but this is the way things are meant to be."
"You know something," Endymion spoke. He didn't bother to hide his frustration and anger.
It was then that Serenity realized that Pluto knew what was going on the entire time. Her absences over the last few centuries all made sense.
"All I can tell you is that in time Small Lady will return here with your past selves. Including Sailor Moon," Pluto said.
"Sailor Moon?" Mercury repeated. "It does makes sense since Sailor Moon is the legendary Sailor Soldier."
"She must also want to find Sailor Moon because of the old stories I've told her," Endymion said. He paused for a moment. "Does she knows that Sailor Moon holds the Silver Crystal?"
"She knows that a girl named Usagi is the bearer of the Silver Crystal in the past. What she doesn't know, however, is that Usagi is also her future mother and the sailor senshi of the moon," Pluto explained. "When the time comes, she will bring Sailor Moon and the Silver Crystal here to the future. With their help, you will be able to repel the forces of the Dark Moon."
"What a minute, I don't remember ever coming to the future," Venus said.
"Then again, our memories from the twentieth-century has been scattered," Artemis said. "We could had come to future at some point, but we can't remember it."
"Still, I don't like leaving Small Lady alone in the past," Jupiter said in deep concern. "I mean, look what those bastards did to Serenity. If they get their hands on Small Lady..." She didn't have to finish the thought.
"Small Lady will be fine," Endymion suddenly spoke.
"Your Majesty?" Luna questioned.
"If Small Lady is under Sailor Moon's protection then she will be fine," Endymion said without a trace of hesitation or uncertainty. "No matter the time or era, Usako will not allow harm to befall our daughter. She is far safer in the past than she is here."
There was a silence in the room.
"I hate to say it, but he's right," Mars said almost bitterly. "As things stand now, we can't protect Small Lady. We also need the Silver Crystal if we hope to have a chance against the Dark Moon."
"Then, I guess we have to leave it up to Small Lady and our past selves," Venus said. Her voice sounded filled with defeat.
Serenity felt herself fall asleep again as her senshi left the chamber. Unlike them, she knew how this story would end.
The face of evil has been reveal and Small Lady has made her journey to the past. How will this all end?
Jovian Sun, thanks for reviewing again. There is a reason why they can't remember the Dark Moon and I think you saw part of the reason in this chapter. The maids were also based on how Chibi-Usa viewed everyone when she recalled how she lost the Silver Crystal. I also think it would be hard to live as a child in a society that has a long lifespan since childhood would be a blink of an eye to them. I also feel that Chibi-Usa has projection problems given that everyone expect her to be a clone of her mother.
Unknown reader, thanks for your review. If you recall from the prologue, Serenity was not exactly thinking straight when she found Chibi-Usa. Her first priority was to get her daughter to safety and Serenity was on the verge of collapsed. If she had concentrated on Chibi-Usa long enough, she would had sensed the Silver Crystal.
With all that said, until next time.