Diclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or the Twilight Saga. Those belong to the brilliant ladies Noako Taouchi and Stephanie Meyer. Thank you for creating these worlds for us to escape to!
Red Eyed Girl
Chapter 2
The Moon
The moon was not the same as it was during the Silver Millennium. In that time it was a place of splendor and beauty. Now it was a place of danger and coldness. Sailor Neo Moon felt her heart sink when she arrived to the moon and saw her mother's home in rujins. It was the first time she had seen it. Neo Queen Serenity had told her about the ward and what happened, but even with Usagi's vivid imagination, she did not invision it as bad as this. Sailor Neo Moon looked down at the moon's surface.
Pegasus changed back to Helios. He walked up next to Sailor Neo Moon.
"Are you all right?" he asked her.
Sailor Neo Moon cleared her throat and looked at him. "Yes. Let's just get what we came for."
"I agree," echoed Sailor Vesta. "This place is creepy."
Sailor Ceres shot her a look and Sailor Vesta shrugged. Sailor Neo Moon pretended not to let the comment bother her. In truth, the moon looked very creepy.
They walked to the remains of the palace. The door was no longer on its hinges. Sailor Vesta created a flame of fire in her hand so the group had a light source.
"Okay, do you know where your mother's room would be?" asked Sailor Ceres.
"Um, no," Sailor Neo Moon admitted and Vesta glared at her.
"It's in the one of the towers," answered Sailor Pallas. "One with a balcony."
"How do you know this?" Sailor Juno asked.
"Saw it in one of the history books," Sailor Pallas answered. "I like architecture you see." She added hastily to the groups' questionable looks.
"That's right," said Sailor Neo Moon. "Mom said she talked to Dad from her balcony. You think you can show us the way, Sailor Pallas?"
"Sure," said Sailor Pallas, coming up beside Sailor Vesta.
They almost made it to the steps when the floor gave way at Sailor Neo Moon's feet and she went falling. Sailor Juno jumped back just in time to prevent herself from falling with her. Sailor Ceres yelled out and reached for Sailor Neo Moon. Helios changed into Pegasus in an instant and flew down to catch Sailor Neo Moon. The others breathed a sigh of relief when they saw their princess was safe.
"Thanks, Helios," Sailor Neo Moon whispered, once he had transformed back.
"We best tread lightly for now on."
The others nodded in agreement. They weaved through the corridors, climbing over the rubble.
"I'm surprised there're no traps," said Sailor Juno. "Or a band of space pirates operating a base here."
"Nobody's been here since the millennium," explained Sailor Ceres. "Except for the time Queen Serenity's spirit summoned the inner scouts here. Besides, space pirates travel. They never stay in one place."
They walked up the stairs to the third floor and stopped when they found a giant portrait of the royal moon family, dressed in white and gold. The king of the moon had the same blond hair as Princess Serenity, and he had a trimmed beard. In his right hand he held an elegant sword.
"That's…that's my grandfather," Sailor Neo Moon whispered.
They stood there a while to admire the portrait when Sailor Vesta gasped and turned around suddenly, holding her flame higher.
"What's wrong, Sailor Vesta?" said Sailor Juno.
"There's something in here," she replied, eyes darting back and forth. "I think it's watching us. Sounded like an animal."
"Impossible," said Sailor Pallas. "The Negaverse destroyed the crystal dome, where only life could be sustained. There's nothing here except us, and what's allowing us to survive here for the time being are our sailor crystals."
"I know what I heard," Vesta insisted. "Something had survived…"
"Nevertheless, we'd better hurry then," said Helios.
They continued walking, with Sailor Pallas stepping on an unstable step and getting her leg caught. Sailor Juno and Sailor Ceres helped get her foot free. She grinned helplessly at them.
"Thanks…"
"This place is falling apart," muttered Sailor Vesta, leaning against a pillar. It cracked and fell over.
The friends scattered, flinching as the pillar broke. Sailor Neo Moon sighed and they finally made it to Princess Serenity's room. When she tried the door, it wouldn't open.
"No!" she exclaimed, slamming her shoulder into it.
"Let me see if I can pick the lock," suggested Ceres.
"It's not locked," Sailor Neo Moon answered with a grimace. "Something's…blocking the door!"
"I'll bust it down for you," Sailor Juno volunteered.
Sailor Juno planted her feet firmly on the ground, summoning her peacock fan. "Hera's Iridescent Peacock Feathers!"
The electric charged feathers from her fan through the cracks of the door and exploded the object behind the door. Sailor Neo Moon looked at a smashed dresser that had been blocking the door.
"Oops, sorry," said Sailor Juno, "I hope the music box wasn't in there."
Sailor Neo Moon shook her head. "No, I heard Mom say it was under her bed. Beneath the floorboards."
Sailor Juno and Sailor Ceres helped move the bed so Sailor Neo Moon could pry the floorboards away.
"Please, please still be here," Sailor Neo Moon whispered. "Ah, here it is!"
She pulled out a small, round and beautiful music box, made out of silver and pearls. The top had a crescent moon, making it easier to open the box. When she opened it, a peaceful tune began playing and a ballerina dressed in white was twirling around.
"It still works!" cried Sailor Ceres, amazed.
"It was protected all this time," said Helios. "Let's get it home to your mother."
"Mm-hmm," murmured Sailor Neo Moon.
They exited the room and made their way down the stairs. Sailor Neo Moon paused at the portrait of her mother and grandparents.
"Hey, wait," she said. "There may still be some things here that we can return home."
"We really should be on our way, Rini," said Helios.
"It shouldn't be long," Sailor Neo Moon said. "Let's check the armory. Maybe my grandfather's sword is there."
Sailor Ceres and Vesta shook their heads, agreeing with Helios. Sailor Pallas and Juno nodded.
"That's a great idea, Sailor Neo Moon," agreed Sailor Pallas. "I wonder if the library is in good condition."
"Oh yeah, there's got to be something we can bring. We can make a museum of Moon Kingdom artifacts!"
"Okay maybe we should split up," said Sailor Vesta. "We musn't doddle too long though."
"We'll meet back here. " Sailor Neo Moon told them. "Be careful."
Sailor Vesta, Juno and Ceres went one way while Helios, Sailor Neo Moon and Pallas went another. Sailor Neo Moon's group managed to find the library with most it intact. Pallas salvaged some books and maps. Helios found a peculiar looking gem lying on a table. When he touched it, the gem shot out swirling gold lights that formed the solar system.
"Extraordinary," he said.
Sailor Neo Moon found a bust of a sailor scout, but she was unlike a sailor scout that she had ever seen before. Her face was familiar to Sailor Moon's and her hairstyle was nearly the same except that the buns were hearth shaped rather than round.
"Hey, Helios, Sailor Pallas," she called out. "Do you know who this is?"
They came over to observe the bust. Sailor Pallas' eyes narrowed.
"Yeah, I remember her!" she cried. "She appeared to us after the fight with Galaxia and Chaos. She was very powerful; but she didn't tell us who she was."
Helios leaned forward and rubbed the bottom of the bust. "Sailor Cosmos," he whispered. "I've never heard of her before." He placed the small gem inside the music box. "Let's get back to the others."
Sailor Vesta's group managed to locate the armory where the late Moon King's sword was held. Among his sword they recovered a golden bow, shaped much like a crescent moon and mystical armor.
"This will do," said Sailor Neo Moon. "Let's get back home."
When they exited the palace, they had company. About a dozen wolves were waiting for them. Only they weren't normal wolves. Their eyes were swollen shut and their fur had nearly fallen off. They were so thin that their bones were showing through the skin, but they still had some toned muscle. Their lips were curled up in snarls.
"I'll take care of them," said Sailor Juno, pulling out her feathered fan. Before she was able to shout her attack, the wolf nearest to her sensed her approaching and darted by her, biting her on the leg before running off. Sailor Juno fell down, grabbing her wound. The other scouts got in their fighting stances and the wolves advanced on them.
"I don't' get it, these things are blind," said Sailor Ceres. "How can they know where we are?"
"Their other senses have become more acute," answered Sailor Vesta. "Just stay quiet!" She a silent fiery attack at one and the wolf barely got out of the way.
"Okeanos Whirlpool Centripedal Spiral!" cried Sailor Pallas and a strong rope of water swirled around all the wolves, bringing them close together, crushing them. The wolves yelped.
"Wait!" called Helios. "Let them go!"
"But Helios, they're going to kill us," said Juno.
"They didn't attack until you did," said Helios. "I recognize these wolves. They're familiar. They're from the Earth Kingdom…they belonged to Prince Endymion."
"Seriously?" said Sailor Neo Moon.
"I remember your father telling me he gave a pack to Queen Serenity for security," he explained. "The centuries living here without the power of the Moon Crystal has made them savage."
"What can we do?" said Sailor Ceres.
"Maybe I can cure them and turn them back?" Sailor Neo Moon said.
"They're too far gone, I'm afraid," said Helios. "But you can use your power to let them die a more painless death than the others."
"Put them out of their misery, you mean," sighed Sailor Neo Moon, summoning her Rose Rod. "Full Bloom Secret!"
White, Red and Pink roses flew at the wolves and they disappeared.
"Now, let's go home," said Vesta. "Before anything else happens."
When the group returned to Crystal Tokyo, Neo Queen Serenity was waiting for them. She demanded an explanation for their disappearance. Her expression softened when Sailor Neo Moon finished her story.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I didn't mean to upset you. It just sounded like that music box was very important."
"It was," sighed Neo Queen Serenity. "I thank you for retrieving it but you must promise not to run off like this again. You know the proper protocol for things like this, Chibiusa."
"Yes, I do," mumbled Sailor Neo Moon.
"You are all dismissed," said the queen of Crystal Tokyo and they left, except for Chibiusa.
"Was there something else, Chibiusa?" inquired her mother.
"I wanted to ask you about something I found in the library of the moon kingdom," said Sailor Neo Moon.
"Yes?"
"This," she showed her the bust of the mysterious sailor scout. "Do you know who this sailor scout is?"
Neo Queen Serenity looked at the bust closely then shook her head. "No, I have never seen her before. But you know there are many sailor soldiers within the galaxy."
"I know," said Sailor Neo Moon. "But she looks a lot like our group of sailor scouts. In fact, she looks like you, Mom. Or maybe, like your mother. You think it could have been the sailor form of your mother."
"It could be," said Neo Queen Serenity. "But my mother never talked about being a sailor scout. This could be someone else."
"Okay," replied Sailor Neo Moon. "Can we still have a museum of this stuff?"
"Yes, I think it would be good," said Neo Queen Serenity. "I'll make the arrangements."
Sailor Neo Moon walked off, breathing a sigh of relief. She thought she would be grounded for life.
Neo Queen Serenity sat on her throne and opened her beloved music box. Every day, despite her busy schedule, she found the time to listen to its melody.
In several days, there was a wing within the palace devoted to the artifacts of the Moon Kingdom. On the day that the museum opened, Neo Queen Serenity planned to give a speech.
"Today's the day!" Chibiusa said cheerfully at breakfast. "I can't wait for the museum to be opened. Everyone will love it!"
"You were very brave and thoughtful to do that," said King Endymion.
"Thanks Dad."
"But foolish to do it without telling us beforehand," said King Endymion.
Chibiusa groaned. "Thanks Dad."
Chibiusa noticed that her mother looked rather ill. She coughed in her hand before taking a drink of her juice.
"Mom, you don't look well," she said. "Maybe you should go back to bed and rest."
"No, I have to give my speech for the grand opening," answered the Queen.
"I can do that for you," said Chibiusa.
"Thank you, darling," Neo Queen Serenity said with a smile, patting her hand. "But these came from my home. I can explain what they are; give a little history."
Neo Queen Serenity had the assembly set just outside the palace so she could address her people. She walked slowly to the podium and held tightly onto it.
"I remember as a child the beauty and prestige on the Moon," she said. "The history that it held. Much of that was lost when the Negaverse attacked the Moon Kingdom. I would like to thank my daughter and her sailor scouts for bravely going the Moon to salvage whatever was left on the moon."
The Queen paused to cough in her hand. King Endymion stood up, whispered in her ear and she shook her head.
"No, I'm fine," she insisted and she cleared her throat.
"Among these was my most precious treasure," she said and she held up her music box. "This was the last present my father gave me before he died. I would like you all to listen…"
But before she could push open the lid, Neo Queen Serenity collapsed to the ground.
"Mother!" shouted Chibiusa, rushing to her.
Chibiusa and King Endymion knelt down by the queen while others tried to get closer, asking what the matter was. The music box fell from the queen's hands and the lid came open. Everyone was too shocked to pay any attention to it.
"I'll take her inside," King Endymion said to Chibiusa. "You calm down the crowd."
"But how do I do that?" Chibiusa asked.
"You did offer to speak for her, didn't you?" King Endymion reminded her.
"Yeah, but I didn't prepare anything!"
"You'll think of something," he insisted.
"Okay," sighed Chibiusa and King Endymion lifted his wife into her arms and disappeared into the castle. Chibiusa stood behind the podium and motioned to everyone to be quiet.
"Don't worry guys, my mom's going to be fine," said Chibusa, trying to be as convincing as possible. "She's just a little over worked you know. I told her she should have stayed in bed and let me speak instead. Guess she's wishing she had now. Heh-heh." She laughed nervously and no one laughed with her. She cleared her throat and wondered how her mother was able to do this all the time.
TO BE CONTINUED