Cosmos Sailors' HQ... Time-suspended because of Time-Distortion Alert...

Eli – Last I remember... I was just doing well against her. Now?

Eli stumbled and slid on the floor of the fighting ring on her back to one side of it.

"Ah!" Nozomi was worried sick of Eli. "Ericchi!" She called her friend out...

...but Eli's not shaken from the call and instead ignores Nozomi while coming to. Her eyes focused on Melusine, who briefly hovers and puts her feet on the ground. Then, she struggled getting up. 'Damn it... I made it this far... even after my life ended. I'm not going to...' She stops thinking to focus on getting up. 'I'm not giving up! Not here, not now!'

And Melusine was impressed as she saw Eli finally get up. "Aw..." She giggled evilly. "Ufufu... You simply don't have it, Eli. And yeah... we might just get stuck at this."

"You have a way of calling me as someone stuck."

"Tch. Speak for yourself. I remember you degraded people once. And guess what? We saw all of that from your life's memories too!" Melusine's revelation got Eli to wince. "Surprised there, Ayase? I wouldn't be, since I looked at parts of your life myself!"

Eli never really looked at that possibility herself.

At first, things were simple. Now... it's starting to get personal.

Meanwhile outside the fighting ring, Umi, Honoka and Kotori were seated next to each other on the floor, watching the match take place. Eventually, Umi speaks up.

"Remember when Eli was still hesitant of calling this group something with... importance?"

Kotori noticed the emphasis Umi used on her last word. "Oh! It's not only to her, isn't it? It's for all of us."

"And it included those for Otonokizaka High too," Honoka replied next. "Nozomi told me about the way Eli was trying so hard for herself that she stopped. She was Student Council President then. But when I heard she was doing what she could for the school and not for herself, she's getting hurt for not admitting she just wanted to do something for herself. In this case... she wanted to join μ's, all the while she's a former ballerina even before we knew her."

"Know what I call it?" Umi rhetorically asked. "It's learning something new, seeing from a different angle, and seeing a better way for yourself that makes one an improved person. I think that's what happened then. I saw all those three things happen at once with her when we invited her to be with the group. That... makes an exceptional character for everyone. She endures not only the pain she personally has, but her sadness too. All that, is used to find what she really needs: A solution for herself."

And somehow, Honoka's surprised as something came up in her head. "Hey guys... Don't you think as Cosmos Sailors, something like it could be used as well?"

"Huh?" Umi and Kotori grunted in the sudden question Honoka gave.

Eli eventually throws her Cosmic Baton up in the air before catching it, now having red and yellow star trail patterns on her Extension. "You know, there are certain lines of privacy you shouldn't invade."

"Oh? What's this now? You wanna go against me while you're angry?"

"No. I'll go against you, like it's a pillow fight!" Eli ran and charged towards Melusine, now feeling more confident than ever.

"You don't stop, do you?!" Melusine then hovered and flew straight to Eli. "It's all the same! You're gonna lose!"

And Eli has a trick up her sleeve.

Because before that... I was able to recall memories back then. There wasn't anything special in me except how I endured pieces of pain I had before I even joined the group. That's what truly made me start to change to the person I'm really supposed to be. I was already a star when I was a ballerina, then when I was an idol. Maybe it wasn't different from being a Student Council President, but it was different as an idol.

I was helping myself. Eventually Eli jumped and put the Baton on one hand before crossing arms over the other in front of her to make some sort of shield.

And even with the hurt and damages I feel, one thing is for sure... I outlast what doesn't break me!

Eli screamed out before seeing Melusine swing back her baton.

All the girls gasped at what they saw. Melusine landed on her feet just opposite of Eli and facing against her opponent. But the little blue glow gave the cosmic fairy a little confusion. She turned around to see where the blue glow came from and was shocked to see Eli, standing on her two feet, surrounded by some sort of energy shield as a precise-shape form around her body.

"Whoa..." Melusine muttered it out, before shaking her head to focus. "Tch... Like I'd flinch from it."

"Just give it up, Melusine. I don't like to hurt you." Eli said, not flinching from her own energy shield she made.

"Sure... but you're unaware, aren't you?" Melusine asked, making Eli confused for a little.

The yellow-haired cosmos sailor was a little concerned: A little hue of blue was in her vision, but wasn't disturbing her way of looking around. But as she looked at her body, she was surprised to see the precise-shape energy shield around her. "Whoa... What is this?"

"You don't know? Then I'll tell you, IF YOU BEAT ME WITH IT!" Melusine smirked and suddenly flew and charged at Eli. Her opponent ran but actually jumped up, avoiding the charging cosmic fairy. 'I know that. Won't fool me!' She turned her body around before aiming the baton at her opponent before charging energy from it, and firing some sort of light-projectile at Eli. To her surprise, Eli took the hit like it was a very soft jelly. "What?!" Melusine got on her feet before she saw Eli land the same way and shoots a light-projectile at her. The cosmic fairy blocks it by swinging her baton to cancel the attack. "Think that'll help you?!"

"No." Eli anticipates Melusine as her opponent charges. She just walks while seeing Melusine swinging back her baton. Eli simply takes Melusine's swinging arm with her two arms and suddenly throw her to one side of the fighting ring. Melusine is seen hitting that side upside down before her body is actually brought to the floor thanks to gravity. "I only anticipate what I defend, I guess."

The others were surprised at this. Eli has really done it, thanks to her shield. Melusine was half-conscious when seen moving and shaking her head.

Nozomi was more relieved of Eli handling herself. "Wow... well done."

Eli looked back at Nozomi with a smile. "Thanks." And she looked back at Melusine, now getting back to her feet. "I think that hit was quite enough." She said it as her shield faded naturally from her.

Melusine chuckled as she looked at Eli. "Maybe I shouldn't have underestimated a cosmos sailor after all. That shield... It was your doing?"

"It's a little something related to accessing memories and getting something out of it. I remember what it was like, starting to do something for myself back then. But before that, was the fact I was in hurting. Everything else after I joined the group in the first place felt like the pain was half-suppressed."

"I guess it helps." Melusine said as she approached Eli. "I'm sorry if I gave you a hard time."

"It's natural, Melusine. It's fine. So... a shield?"

"No... It's not just a shield. I bet you'll hurt me on this next bit!" And she suddenly tried a spin-kick, only for her leg to be grabbed in mid-air and thrown to the floor by the same girl. "Ow..."

Eli smirked before letting Melusine go and offering her hand to her. "I think counter-attacking is a good thing too."

"Uhhn..." Melusine took Eli's hand and was helped up. "So it's not just a shielding ability, but a counter-attack ability too. I'm impressed. You're the first one to develop something like this."

"I guess."

"Oh well. This at least brings me to a conclusion: You're the one I'm going to send there!" And Melusine's words surprised the other girls, except Eli.

"I... see."

"Wait... Eli-san?!" Honoka reacted, while seeing Melusine and Eli leave the ring together. "But Eli's..."

"I'll be fine, Kousaka." Eli said as she glared from afar towards the unlikely leader of the group. Eventually a small smile formed before she followed Melusine. "You can count on it. I'm more than capable."

"All of you, follow me!" Melusine spoke up like it was a command, and the girls just followed. "I want you all to come close to the same terminal you were close of, just so you'll pay attention." Eventually, she reached the computer terminal and furiously typed on the keyboard like before.

Eli curiously watched the cosmic fairy do her thing, when...

"Feeling well?" Nozomi spooked Eli a little, but the Russian took this as a concerned act.

"I'm okay, Nozomi. Thanks."

"Nice job there. You kicked butt."

"I did, didn't I?" The two chuckled.

"Tch." Melusine snickered. "I hear conversations related to me, pretty easily. Okay, okay. I admit Eli wins there. Now, could you guys focus a bit?" And after a while, she was finally facing the girls again. "Alright... this Time-Distortion Alert is based on the year 1892 in Ambrogio Universe 12, in the Hyura galactic system. Earth is the name of the planet, like what you guys call yours. Anyway... The situation is this: The specific date is the 17th of July, in a simple town called Islesworth near Cambridge. What I saw there from the actual detection of the Shadow's energy source, is a murder of a sweets shop owner."

Honoka remembered something. 'Sweets... Hmm...' She smiled at that, but quickly got to focus on the details Melusine was giving.

"The name of the shop owner is Dean Grace... an old guy, but a good nonetheless. However, his past was actually related to smuggling forbidden firearms into cities even before he just gave himself cover as a sweets shop owner. We can't really tell who the murderer is, except that he left the shop after visiting Grace for something."

Eli took notice of the motive. "It must have been for picking something up."

"It actually is." Melusine replied. "Eli... since you're the one who's going to do this: Your first objective is to investigate the sweets shop itself. They'll be updated depending on what you find there. Actually... it won't be a short walk at all. I doubt it."

"It's okay. I don't expect things as they are."

"That's great then."

"Thanks. When it comes to tasks, I'm rather organized... unlike some others from before." Eli smirked at a certain unlikely leader before glancing away satisfied, knowing in the background, Honoka was silently being restrained by Umi and Kotori before she'd go out on an all-out attack against Eli and her antics for degrading the group before.

"Eli... Like the other girls in this room except me, you're wearing the standard white Battle Dress Model 6.5. I made six revisions from its prototype, and it's a very big improvement. It took years of perfecting it, and it's ready to go, as you're all wearing them right now."

"You're saying it like you're the one who designed this dress."

"Exactly. You're looking at the designer and maker of the Battle Dress itself." Melusine innocently smiles, while the rest are surprised of the revelation. "To continue... The Battle Dress itself has designed rips from the sides of the leg-lengthened skirts to actually enable you to run. The skirts are designs, along with the long socks you're wearing together from your shoes. Oh, I forgot to mention: You can control the Battle Dress according to your will. After all, I synced the whole thing with your mind, after all."

"Really? That's amazing. What exactly do I control it to do?"

"There are simple functions such as copying a certain attire a person wears, or putting the Battle Dress in Battle Mode, shortening the skirts to a comfortable size to when you'll be making more physical actions, unlike the limited white dress form." Melusine was about to explain something else when she saw a sight of Umi's face is a full blush. "Huh?"

"Umm..." Umi was certainly a little embarrassed in her thoughts, but continued to speak. "Uh... Did I hear right, that one thing about we wear, is that the dress... is shortened to have short skirts?"

"Uh... Yes."

"NOT AGAIN!" Umi shouted out, releasing a big atmosphere of pink-colored embarrassment, extending from her imagination until Honoka and Kotori got her to calm down while she hyperventilates in the situation. 'It's happening again?!'

"Calm yourself, Ms. Sonoda. Your anxieties about short skirts are coming back... again." Melusine glanced at Eli. "So, other things you'd like to know?"

"Nothing for now." Eli replied, before making a fist with her confidence involved. "I'll follow up on the rest while I'm down there."

"Excellent. Then let's get you settled, Eli. Follow me." Melusine said it before walking straight to the platforms with Eli behind her. "Eli, you'll be travelling light on this one, since you'll only be bringing your Extension with you. The Cosmic Baton in your hand right now can be put in a hyper-dimension pocket. Since you're holding the baton right now, just open up your hand, even giving the feeling that you're letting it go. The instance it happens, make it disappear. Try it now."

Eli looked at the baton she's holding before she opened her hand and made no doubts as she mentally commands it to disappear, before the baton is accompanied with a flash of light before it suddenly disappears. "Oh. That's simple."

"See?" Melusine rhetorically asked before they arrived at the platforms.

"Do you understand?" Nozomi was behind Eli the whole time.

"Nozomi?"

"It'll be your first time going out in the world again, Eli. You know it'll be something completely different for you."

"I know that."

"Then you're ready?"

"I am, Nozomi. Thanks for being concerned of me. I... I don't know what I'd do without you after all those years."

"You know... my cards tell me you'll be well when you get there. The rest? You'll have to make your own destiny there. It's the past after all."

"Oh... I see. Thanks for that."

"Ready yet?" Melusine asked in concern. "If you can't do it, let me know."

And Eli faced the cosmic fairy with faith in her. "Shame. You got no faith in me."

"Tch. I never doubted you for a second, Ms. Ayase. Now get on your platform, will ya?" Melusine pointed on where Eli's platform is, and with no doubt got her to finally step on it. "Good luck. I'll be at the terminal to set the coordinates and the time as well. The HQ will coexist along with anyone outside it, to the current time, and its existing timeline."

"That'll mean we won't get any help from anyone in the future of that time, right?"

"Right."

"I'm not afraid." Eli crossed an arm over another and smirked. "You're not trying to catch me off-guard again, are you?"

"Okay, fine. You got me again."

"Good." Eli then saw Melusine turn her back and head for the terminal. Meanwhile, she saw the other girls near Nozomi. "All of you... Thanks. From the time I remembered I needed to help myself, I began my changes. Now... I'm here." Then she looked at Honoka, Umi and Kotori. "You three shouldn't forget your place in this. This group stood up from other school idols before. Let's try to aim we stand out from other peacekeepers that exist now. I'll say that's our goal for now, but we should handle this particular problem first."

Honoka nodded. "Don't worry about us. We'll be supporting you the whole way."

"They will." Melusine said as a little voice in Eli's ear. "The Battle Dress also has the internal communications system. Since your body's attached to the Battle Dress, you'll be quite impressed as to how this is done."

"Mind telling me now?"

"If I tell you, your guts won't take it."

"Tch."

"Another time. I'm setting everything up. Since this is the group's first mission, this will be known as Case One. You're designated 'Sailor' for this mission since we're not sure what number we'll use for you. It'll be used once we decide priorities for everyone in the group."

"And what's your designation?"

"Just designate me HQ."

"Roger." And Eli gasped, a little surprised about her response.

"Oh, and don't worry about your sudden response. It's your instinct talking."

"I... see." Eli then saw the platform under her exhibiting particles of light around her. "What's happening?"

"You'll be going through hyperspeed using a series of photon particles, and it'll cover your body chemistry quite well to prevent you from getting sickness."

"Alright."

"You seem confident in this."

Eli sighed at what Melusine meant. "I think I just want to get through it."

"Roger. Commencing teleportation now. We'll all be travelling back in time together with you, so we'll be in touch with you whenever you reach the ground. Time will be frozen first, so don't worry. T-minus 30 seconds. Good luck." Melusine's last words got Eli to be ready as she clenched her fists tighter.

I'll finally be able to redeem myself, from all those years... as a Cosmos Sailor.

"Ericchi." Nozomi called out to Eli. "Don't think too much. You'll be fine."

Eli looked at Nozomi while she blushed a little. "I know." After her final reply, Nozomi stepped back to the girls who are about to see Eli transported from the platform.

Nico then went beside Nozomi. "Pssst. Think she'll be fine?"

Nozomi glanced towards Nico. "I determined how she'd do on her journey back in time, but as for her present situation... that's... It's undetermined."

"Say what?"

"Know what though? I believe in her, even beyond my cards, Nico. You should too." Nozomi's reply came before glancing back at Eli, now surrounded by more photons in her platform area.

"Wait for me!" Eli shouted out, now about to experience long distance teleportation.

"HQ here. Designation, and status."

"Roger. Designation: Sailor. TELEPORT: COMMENCE!" Eli's shout was accompanied by a furious movement of lights from the platform up until she was surrounded by those lights... before a big spark came from the platform, and she was gone...

Unlike my other adventures, this tops the rest unlike from the past ones I've had. The true test of how I'd handle the outside world has only just begun. Wait for my return... Nozomi.

"Prepping for Case 1 – Chapter 3"

EPILOGUE...

Meanwhile... Outside the Multi-Verse chambers...

Sayuri was walking the hallway with a woman having blue hair extending to her lower back, with yellow eyes. The woman was wearing a blue overall space uniform.

Sayuri then looked at the woman just walking the hallway without a spared glance. "Could you be very silent at this time?"

"I'm not obliged to answer anything, goddess."

"We're fellow goddesses, Aionara. We're supposed to work together."

"Together? Would I want to work with someone's problem landing in MY Multi-Verse then? And even our Elder God can't do a damn thing about it unless we fix this ourselves."

"Don't take it up with the Elder God. There's only so much power they could exhibit. After all, they manage a bigger part of our omniverse..."

"...while we micro-manage. I understand."

"Can't we get along?" After Sayuri asked, Aionara stopped walking, and Sayuri stopped a little later.

"Get along? Do you want to listen to yourself, woman? I just discovered a seed of your so-called 'Shadows' completely overturn and influence ONE of the former council members to go after a certain power source that's so critical to his agenda. If he succeeds at this, he'll continue to get more in my assigned multi-verse BEFORE I'll be able to stop it. And you know the law of the primordial goddess right now: We cannot intervene unless we have an asset, and I simply, don't... have the time. And I cannot intervene by going back to the past either, unless an immediate threat to destroy the multi-verse is discovered. It's the same with you. And you know what calls him clever and me calling myself unable to do anything? BEING HELPLESS."

"Fate doesn't simply let a single man or boy for that matter ever let the multi-verse of yours fall into destruction."

"But we are talking about the fabric of time here! If he messes it up continuously, it will be too late for me to see it, and the multi-verse I call my own will be destroyed. And soon, others will follow thanks to the torn-up fabric of time. We'll all be going to hell... one way, or another." Aionara then turns her head away from Sayuri. "Why am I even talking to you about this? It's not like you could intervene by lending me assistance."

"True. But what about some support... at least little by little."

"You think that will change anything? I won't let up on my own problem, but receiving some asset from you might not change the problem at hand."

"You're wrong. At least one person from my multi-verse could be enough."

"But what do you expect out of that... from me?"

"Nothing... Aionara. You know I'm generous enough to keep trying on helping out."

"And that'll be something reckless if you keep continuing." Aionara smirked, glancing back at Sayuri. "What's your aim?"

"Coordination."

"Absolutely not. You'll be messing up events there, and it will not be the same."

"I told you: One asset, will make a difference, and YOU will simply see the effect of it in a good way. ONE asset... is... enough. Do you hear me, Aionara? Allow me... to try helping. Please." Sayuri made those words clear to Aionara.

But even the troubled goddess is still doubting Sayuri's words for it. 'If I receive her asset, it'll mean I'm being dependent.' "If I do this, you'll need to encourage that asset to try putting him down as well."

"Deal. But it must be put as a delicate situation. Like I said: We need to coordinate with each other for this plan to work."

"How will you start it then?"

"We'll need to put a part of your species together with mine. My specialty is light evolution for people who are high enough a level to transcend to being an evolved human. But for that to work, and for that person to completely be used to your multi-verse, you'll need to give the person a part of the DNA your multi-verse has."

"Light and dark magic?!" Aionara was shocked of this. "Are you kidding?! What would that do to an asset of your own?!"

"Don't you see? The asset can be partly yours too. I'm giving us both the benefit to take on your problem. You allow me to help, and it means we should work together. The result is something of both our creation."

"That'll make..." Aionara paused, knowing this would mean fusing their creations into one. "We'll make an asset together then. Is that it?"

"Yes... and it'll be the first to cross multi-verses on its own."

"It's dangerous, Sayuri."

"But it's the only chance we have, Aionara."

"Alright... I'll consider it." Aionara answers this and Sayuri smiles.

"Thank you. We can't time-skip this time. We'll need to be patient and do this thing to help you."

"Thank you... Sayuri."

"There's nothing I can't do, if nothing's impossible." Sayuri then continued walking the hallway. "Now come on. We got work to do!"

Aionara knew it'll be a long process, as her thoughts played on the possible scenarios that may happen when they start making their creation together. 'I need to make sure the right personality is put in that asset, as long as she agrees.' She thought before walking with Sayuri. "Let's make this well-done, Sayuri."

"Indeed, we'll make it so." Sayuri concluded before they both made sparks at the end of the hallway letting them disappear afterwards.

Next on The Nine Stars: Cosmos Sailors – Case One: Tracking the Culprit

END...

MINA! It's nice to see you all reading and supporting this Love Live fanfict so far.

Just to very much make clear: Aionara is actually a major support character in my universe, which has the stories Sky Dreadnought: Flight Alpha and TF-16 Recon-Assault. Both of these entries are part of the Strike Witches universe I made, and I wish that you check out those stories as well!

Anyway... Eli's gone to UNIVERSE 12! PM me for any ideas on what should be on the next chapter or leave reviews here! For the rest of the time while I'm busy with my bookkeeping side-job... please tune-in to my two mentioned Strike Witches fanficts. I'm making a certain universe tied with two great authors of Strike Witches fanficts, and I'm dedicating it all to them. MUHAHAHA :D :D

Stay safe. Enjoy... and a happy happy happy happy birthday to me. I just turned 23 last January 13! I'm getting TOO OLD! Huhu... :(