Hey! So for the longest while I have had a severe writer's block. But I am happy to say that tons of ideas are coming through again and I am going to be writing for frequently. (I swear!) I was more concerned with getting this chapter up and didn't completely look over the chapter. I apologize if the grammar is atrocious. The end is coming up soon so get ready! :)
As usual the palace was cold and empty. But Darien had the feeling it was mainly his fear turning his blood to ice. He failed. Serena won. The boy lived. This would be the last straw. If Darien didn't smooth talk his way out of this one, well, then Ataxia would kill him.
The moon was cold. They years of neglect and solitude left the planet scarce. Frost blanketed everything. The plants were black and wilted. The only thing still resembling the Lunar kingdom during the time of the silver millennium was the pond placed in the middle of the frosty forest.
Where are we going?" Hotaru had never been to the moon before. She had no memories of the glory it stood in centuries ago. Serena remained silent. Every fiber of her being was telling her to leave; to flee the planet before she saw more of its destruction. But the scouts were here to protect Earth. This mission was bigger than her. She refused to turn around.
Serena was no longer the weak spirited woman she was on the balcony. As long as there was something to fight for, Serena would not give up hope. It was inevitable that the moon would have to be restored, but she had hoped it wouldn't be on her own time.
Seiya sat sprawled out on the couch. Yaten's legs rested haphazardly on top of his while Taiki sat by himself on a one-person sofa. The tv spewed out words that no one seemed interested in.
"Are we supposed to be doing something important right now?" Taiki was restless. It was rare that he even had time to waste like right now.
"We are waiting for any trouble to come. And then our job is to fight off the youkai before Serena comes back." Seiya's head rolled back over the armrest of the couch. He was supremely disappointed with the job he accepted. He wanted to kick ass protect Earth; show Serena how powerful he was. But of all days to sleep in Ataxia chose today.
"Well while we are sitting around doing nothing, we might as well talk to you about Serena." Yaten's head rested on the armrest such that his hair fell gracefully over the side of the couch.
"What do you want to know?"
"Were you ever going to introduce us to Natsume, is what Yaten is trying to get at. You know how he can be with children. He'll spoil the child rotten." Taiki's lip started to curve in a smirk. It was like he predicted that something was going to happen.
"Yeah! Maybe Natsume wants to see Auntie Yaten, and Uncle Taiki"
Seiya sat up clearly disturbed. "I think I would want to meet my son before you both did."
"Seiya has Mother Duck Phobia" Taiki gossiped with Yaten.
Yaten barked with laughter, "Mother Duck Phobia?"
"Sure. He wants to initiate his relationship with Natsume before his son builds a closer relationship with us."
"So what if I wanted to have a peaceful day spent with Serena and our son?"
"There is nothing wrong with that, but are you going to buy a ring or a box of condoms. " Yaten sat up his face blank.
"When the battle is over… when Ataxia is dead. I'm going to propose to her."
"You're going to marry mommy?" Natsume stood in the doorway to Serena's bedroom. No one was aware that the boy had woken up.
Picking him up over the sofa Seiya laughed, "Yeah. Hopefully she'll say yes."
"Oh, I know she will. Because you to love each other right?" Natsume plopped next to Seiya.
Seiya's face turned red and the blush raced toward his ears. "Yeah. I love her a lot."
Serena walked toward the crystal pond Goosebumps appeared on her arms. Preparing her for what she was about to do. "If I tell you what I will be doing, none of you will let me go."
"What are you doing?" Ami took a step forward. She has an idea about what Serena was planning.
"I can't say. Just do what you think is best or just follow Ami. If this goes wrong, I will die. No pressure." Serena shot them a shaky smile. "Now," Serena walked forward. "Surround the pond and don't move a muscle."
Everyone stood in a circle around the pond. Serena stood smack dab in the center. The water was thin and ice-cold rising to her mid-calf. "Senshi."
"Cosmos Mercury Power, Make Up!"
"Cosmos Jupiter Power, Make Up!"
"Cosmos Venus Power, Make Up!"
"Cosmos Pluto Power, Make Up!"
"Cosmos Saturn Power, Make Up!"
"Cosmos Neptune Power, Make Up!"
"Cosmos Uranus Power, Make Up!"
"Cosmos Lunar Power! Make Up!"
A little hum hung in the air. Everyone stared at Serena. It was a new transformation.
Serena stood in her Cosmos uniform: her white hair in dumpling like buns wearing a pure white leotard with her streaked skirt. The crystals of each scout rose in unison to the same height and spun towards Cosmos, plunging into her body and Serena burst into white light. Then the light disappeared. The roots of Serena's hair stayed white but as the white locks cascaded to the ground they started turning yellow, getting darker and darker, until the hair touching the water turned into a deep gold. Serena stood bare shouldered in a sleeveless white dress. A gold waistband tightly wrapped her waist and the train had several gold streaks. Two bracelets gripped Serena's upper right arm with symbols of the moon and sun. Serena opened her eyes one was still a startling blue and the other was half green and half yellow.
Serena looked up and it seemed like what little life was on the moon stopped to appreciate her beauty. The ice platform under the water of the pond started to crack. And through the cracks everyone could she the true depth of the pond … bottomless. "Crystal Connection." The words were barely heard by anyone. And as soon as they left Serena's mouth Serena sunk into the pond until she was completely submerged. The pond froze over again. And then all was silent.
"You have failed me." Ataxia sat with her legs crossed on her golden throne. Her face was steely and her skin ashen. It was whiter than normal.
"My failure was due to the interruption of another one of your subordinates." Darien stood tall his eyes meeting Ataxia's black holes.
"You are referring to Rei."
"She is exactly who I am referring to. She could have helped me but she didn't."
"And yet she accomplished what I wanted her to." Ataxia stood and started to meander around the throne.
"What was her goal? All I saw her do was rile up Serena." Darien choked on his last word. He cursed himself silently, the mere thought of the bitch made his skin crawl. But he couldn't lose control. No now, not in front of Ataxia.
"It was to watch. Rei was tracking you." Darien looked up sharply. He was hunched over hugging his stomach. Then a golden dress appeared before him with the wearer smiling down at him. She grabbed his chin and lifted him up till he stood tall. But she never let go. "You failed me. I thought you were stronger… smarter too. But you're just a stupid dog guided by emotions and desires of the body. You're hopeless." Ataxia shoved Darien back, making him fall on his back.
"Pathetic." The woman kicked him across the face. Darien rolled to his side. In attempt to get up he pulled himself to his hand and knees.
"And so, so weak!" With each word Darien received a blow to the stomach. "I should kill right here and now."
"Serena!" Lita was ready to jump in after her princess.
"Stop! Lita don't take a step out of place." Ami's voice was hard and tight. "Serena will be okay, but only if we do this right!"
Lita wanted to cry. Hotaru started to shiver. Setsuna wrapped her arms around her torso to keep warm.
"It' ll be okay. This is Serena's home planet she can't be harmed here."
Hotaru tried her best to hide her doubt.
"Senshi, listen carefully." The voice hung in that air. It was without a doubt Serena's voice.
"A circular pedestal with your planetary color and symbol will appear. Just close your eyes and picture your planet." Ami continues unfazed by these unnatural occurrences.
As promised the pedestals rose from the bod before each scout. The steps were barely above the water nut the pillars supporting them were as strong as could be. A blurry white glow appeared in the center slowly getting bigger.
"Hurry! Serena is coming back up! Stand on the pedestal." Each sailor scouts ran to their station, but one remained empty.
"Ami! Rei isn't here."Pluto was panicking. She saw what would happen if everyone wasn't ready. Serena would fly up and the tremendous power she summoned would overpower her. Different colored lights surrounded the original white one also slowly enlarging.
"Serena gave me this." Ami took out a pouch of blood red shards. She spilled them into her hand and they flew to the Mars stand. Slowly they pieced themselves together and flew into the pond.
"Ready?" Ami screamed the humming sound came back and started to pound in their ears.
"Ready!" Everyone responded in unison.
"Hold both arms outward toward the pond!"
As soon as everyone was in position their crystals leaped out from the pond and flew to their respective owner's hands.
"Hold them up and project your powers toward Serena."
Serena soared out from the depth of the pond. Her hands were outstretched toward the sky. In her hands glowed the flower shaped moon crystal.
"Starting at Lita, say "Astral link of you planet." Ami's commanding voice ricocheted through everyone's head. "Go!"
"Astral Link of Jupiter!" The green crystal Lita had help up, sent a green light to the silver crystal.
"Astral Link of Venus."
"Astral Link of Saturn!"
"Astral Link of Neptune!"
Each planetary crystal connected to Serena's. The pulls of power made the Mars crystal do so as well even without a wielder. And once everyone was attached Serena yelled."
Serena yelled at the top of her lungs "Astral Link of the Crystal System!"
Then the moon crystal shattered.
Darien wasn't sure what pissed him off more his groveling at Ataxia's feet or that he thought of Serena in this final moment. He would never admit to anyone that he still loved her. No one could know. He loved her and treated her like crap, even blamed her for the death of their child…. He would make it up somehow. But that would be impossible because in this very moment he was going to die. And this time he wouldn't come back. Now he knew what drove him crazy, his failure. He grew up in an orphanage only wanting to be loved and he drove away the one person who loved him the most.
Darien started to cry, "Please… please don't kill me. Please…" He was on his knees his hands clasped together in a position of submission. He was reduced to a blubbering mess. Ataxia was right. He was weak, weak of spirit. It was the thought of his imperfection that drove him crazy. Ataxia stared at Darien as if he was a disgusting insect. It was that look. The look of someone who has seen his true self that drove absolutely stark, raving mad. And it was times like this that he should feed on the madness.
Darien started laughing hysterically. Ataxia stood above him, observing him. The woman took joy in laughter. No matter how much happiness she took from a galaxy, laughter always fulfilled her the most. She stared as Darien's voice deepened and his eyes turned black and hollow. She could even see the markings on his skin.
You're right. It was Rei's fault. I won't kill you… yet. You still have some importance." Ataxia's lips smiled but her eyes brought back the serious note.
"Arachnoid, Manta." A spider and mantis youkai appeared by the doors of the throne room. "I want you to put him in the room."
You want us to change him into a youkai?" Manta stared nervously at the laughing Darien."
"But no one has ever survived." Arachnoid licked her lips in excitement.
"You will do well to keep your tongue in your mouth before cut out of your mouth." Arachnoid immediately covered her mouth with her hands and bowed deep. "I want you to put up pictures in the room. I want the pictures to be of Serena and Darien when he looks his worse."
"We will do so, but may I ask why put up this pictures?" Manta hesitantly asked.
"They are triggers. When Darien sees them he will lose control. And when he loses control he will be turn into a youkai. And Manta do not question me ever again."
"Yes Ataxia. How long will we be keeping the man in the room?"
"Till the final battle in 3 days."
"Seiya look!" Yaten was staring at the window in awe.
Eight lights were shooting out of the top of the moon. Each beam was a different color. In the center of the circle they seemed to make was a woman. Her features were blurry but the train of the dress she wore hung down till it touched the moon's surface.
"Serena." The words left Seiya lips like a whisper. The woman rose higher and higher. The colorful beams turned to gold and then Serena fell.
"Don't do anything. Keep holding up the crystals." Setsuna said in the scout's minds. Serena was falling. The moon crystal was broken. The scouts had to do something but Setsuna didn't know what. Then it occurred to her. "Remember Mistress Nine? We made that square to keep our powers connected and focused. Try to do the same thing."
Hotaru could feel the scout's powers merging, becoming one. And once it hit equilibrium, the beams of light turned gold. The golden light encased the broken shards of the moon crystal. The cracked pieces molded together to form an azalea. The gold inched around the crystal giving the silver crystal a golden tint.
Serena's hands held the crystal again drawing in the powers of the scouts until they were powerless. Then she lowered herself till she hovered just barely over the water. The scouts felt drained and weak. It was tiring just holding up their arms.
"Connection complete." Serena lifted her hands higher resending the now linking powers to their owners. A golden sheen embraced the planet.
Everyone in the room spent 10 minutes watching the moon, looking to see if anything else happened. And then the golden light covered the silver moon.
"It's pretty." Natsume walked over to the balcony to look at the cry.
Seiya started toward the kitchen when the television became silent.
It didn't take long for the channel to turn to the news. "This is breaking news! There are monsters attacking the park in by…" Everyone stood in the living room staring at the flat screen. The park the youkai were attacking was a few blocks down from Serena's house.
"Seiya we need to get to the park now!" Yaten was already transformed into to sailor star Healer.
"I can just leave Natsume here by himself!" Seiya was bundling his son in a jacket and scarf.
"Well we can't take him either." Taiki was calm but spoke with insight.
"They know where we live!"
"Any they"ll have Natsume killed if we bring him."
A pink light glowed in the room. Rini appeared 16 years old with her hair in a single pink ponytail with messy bangs. "I can help."
"Who are you?"
"Wow. You intend to marry Serena and yet you don't even know the child she bore." Seiya noticed how Rini tried to avoid addressing Serena as her mother.
"You don't like your mother." Rini flinched. "She tries her best to protect everyone, you know."
"She only protects herself! Where was she when I was dying? Who was she protecting then?"
"Natsume. She protected me as well. She even protected you."
"How? I still died! You're still by yourself and your son will probably die today."
"Without choosing me Natsume wouldn't be here and I would be back on my planet, dead with the rest of my people." Rini rolled her eyes. "And if she choose Darien you would live in an loveless family with a disloyal father and a miserable mother."
"But I'm dead!"
"Then why are you here?" Seiya had enough. The girl was close-minded just like Serena's friend were. She was hill-bent on a future that wouldn't… and hopefully couldn't happen.
"If I can't live anymore then I might as well have fun." Rini's eye glossed over as if she were trying to remember what fun was like."
But you will live" Everyone directed their attention to Natsume.
"You and I can't die. Because I'm not really here and neither are you."
"When this battle is over, we will both disappear."
"Natsume what are you saying?"
"I'm your son. But I'm here in though not body and not spirit just though. Rini is here too. You're just not ready to accept it. " The last part was directed toward Rini.
"Accept what?"
"That you could be happy without Darien and Crystal Tokyo."
"That is because I can't!"
"But you are. You're the best big sister ever."
"Big sister?"
"Yep you are my older sister."
When the gold light dimmed everything had changed. The planet, instead of releasing a silvery aura like in the silver millennium release a golden sheen. It was as if the silvery core was mixing with the gold power the moon would now feed on. Grass had sprung from the frozen soil. Trees towered around in a circle. A path led two ways: one towards the now platinum moon palace and the other into the unknown. Flowers trailed down the path and hugged the base of the trees.
The scouts stood in a circle around a massive lake just under the surface glowed the steps the scouts were standing on. The steps were glowing in the planetary colors creating a rainbow circle. In the circle was a pure white pillar that stood on top of the lake. There were golden cracks through the structure. Animals walked around and a gentle warm breeze graced Serena.
"The other side of the moon would have more regal structures." Serena's voice was soft as she took in the Crystal Garden. But she had to finish the process.
Flashback
She couldn't breathe the water filled her lungs and the light from the top of the lake was getting smaller. Serena closed her eyes and let go of her resistance.
"Serenity."
Serena reopened her eyes, "Mama?" A sprite like white haired woman stood in front of her. There was white everywhere "Mama!"
Serenity flew to her mother and embraced the woman in a hung.
You have done well my daughter." The Queen combed through Serena's blonde hair. "I would never have though to reestablish the oaths of the scouts." Serena glowed. "you have come to make the path. And so you shall through concentrating all the planets' powers in you. And thus sadly, you will bring about a new millennium."
"But Mama isn't a new millennium good?"
"It is. But before you make the decision to make it, know what it shall do. You have changed into Cosmos. He power you draw is no longer from the moon. It is from the sun. The solar power will feed you lunar blood, exponentially multiplying your power. But the moon will feed off your new power. The millennium will change to Platinum. New plants common on Earth nut rare on the moon will grow, the planets will be connected, and the Crystal Garden will be the bed of fertility for the galaxy."
"But all of that is good!"
"I told you before, when my corporal body died you wouldn't see me again. My soul, then, like the rest of the Lunar rulers fused with the Moon's core and this lake was just deep enough to reach me. After this battle, after you recreate the moon, you mustn't visit me again…"
"But Mama!"
"No buts! You will become Queen Serenity of the moon when this all ends. If you come down here the Moon will claim you and you will die. So what will it be?
"Serena! Serena!" She could hear her friends calling for her. Lita.
"But if I chose not too… Everyone will die." Serena looked up.
"I'm sorry mama."
"I understand. Just know I will always be with you in spirit." The duo hugged tightly. " I will help by putting my energy into the crystal. It will propel you back up."
"Goodbye Mother."
"You have grown up well my child." Then Serena looked upward and watched is the bright light got larger.
Serena still in her new Lunar form sighed. Once the air left her lips golden wings appeared on her back and unfurled themselves. Without a word to her soldiers she flew to the top of the pillar. When she landed she summoned her staff. It was white and gold with wings on the top. The moon crystal floated into the middle of the wings not quite touching them. "This is the new Platinum Millennium. Since Beryll's attack the moon has been barren of energy but now the sun will fuel this world. And the moon will fuel the galaxy. This garden will be the Crystal Garden of life and will forevermore make energy as pure as the sun.
Even though talking to Rini more was more intriguing. Taiki reminded Seiya that the youkai were attacking the park. So now Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten stood in their Sailor Start outfits ready to fight. Rini hugged Natsume as they stood by the park fence.
Doesn't something seem odd to you?" Taiki's eyes scanned the surrounding area. The only people here were normal. They carried briefcases and wallets. There were even children running around. "Are you sure this is the place, Yaten?" Seiya was even more disappointed.
"Yes. This was the place."
"Then we should scout around to make sure everything is okay." Taiki started to walk forward. Rinin and Natsume joined the group.
"Nothing is wrong here. I guess we should head back." Yaten was already turned around when the air grew thick. Children stopped playing and the adults stopped walking.
"Shit! It was a trap. I need Natsume and Rini to stand in the middle."
"But we can't die!" Natsume was furious. "I can help!"
"But you can still get hurt and Ataxia can still use you as leverage." Seiya shoved Natsume to the center. Then he looked Rini in the eye, "Protect him."
…
….
….
Seiya only saw darkness. He tried to open his eyes but something was holding him back. He couldn't move his body, he had no control what so ever. But he could feel Serena's tears on his cheeks.
He wanted to fight whatever was holding him back, exorcise the demon. But that wouldn't help. He wanted to hold Serena, tell her everything would be alright. But that wasn't possible. So he drifted back into the darkness. He pushed away the guild he felt for leaving Serena for what he hoped wasn't forever.