"Sankakusu," Luna mused. "So, like a dog that turns and eats his own excrement -"
"Luna!" Usagi yelped.
"What?" Luna asked, looking from Usagi to her husband. "Isn't that an apt analogy?"
Usagi stifled an unseemly giggle while Artemis answered. "It is, but I think Usagi is more surprised at you using it than at it being used." He raised a hand to halt her protest. "But your point is taken. Chaos has chosen to return to one of his past hiding places."
"And unfortunately for us he's chosen a particularly strong one," Usagi said. "It had to be, to keep Pharaoh 90's dimension caged up the way it did."
"What does Rei think?"
Usagi shrugged. "It's weak, but the old barrier is still there. And it's been reinforced." She bit her lip before going on. "Rio said that she can sense Seiya's presence in the strengthened areas. Which is not a great surprise, but still worrying," she concluded with a wan smile.
"So the bottom line is that the powers of all ten of you, plus whatever Mamoru and Helios can contribute, may not be enough to get us inside," Artemis summed up the situation.
"Maybe not, but Rei and Rio aren't finished with probing for weaknesses. And Helios thinks there might be a way by using the connection between the two Crystals. He took Chibiusa to Elysion with him in the hopes of learning more."
Chibiusa had not wanted to leave the others, and she had made Helios aware of that fact in no uncertain terms. But she had been unable to make any headway against his quiet insistence. They needed to know if the connection between the Crystals was strong enough to reach across whatever sort of barrier Chaos had erected, and Elysion was the best place to look for that answer.
Their arrival wasn't exactly uneventful. As soon as Chibiusa's feet touched the ground near the temple white roses began to appear, which was expected. The slight breeze stirred all of the petals on the ground, casting a snowdrift of them against the newcomers. Chibiusa looked down and felt a chill blossom in her stomach. All of the red petals were wilting before her eyes. She stooped to pick one up and held it out to Helios. "What does this mean?" she asked, her voice rough with concern.
Helios' eyes widened at the sight of the wilted red petal. He glanced around them; even the red roses still on the bushes were wilting. "I don't know," he answered Chibiusa's question. "I've never seen anything like it. Not in centuries."
"Is my father -" Chibiusa swallowed convulsively, tears springing to her eyes. "Is my father going to die?"
Helios shook his head. "I don't know," he repeated, putting an arm a round her and holding her close. "Let's get to the temple and find some answers."
Once there Chibiusa dusted white rose petals off of the plinth and placed her transformation brooch in the center. It dissolved before their eyes, leaving the Golden Crystal floating, its glow almost spectral in the dimness. She stayed where she was, not exactly sure what was supposed to happen, when suddenly she felt a tingling sensation spread outward from her heart, covering her entire body. She was transformed into Sailor Earth, even without the Crystal in her hand, and a sixth sense pulled her attention to the wall where previously she had seen the Amazoness Quartet.
Her vision fogged and misted, but instead of the four Guardian Goddesses she was confronted with an image that appeared to be her own future. She looked older, more mature, and was walking along a beach, holding the hands of two young boys. They skipped along beside her, laughing. Then a voice called out something that she couldn't understand, and the boys in her vision released her hands and ran away from her. Not in fear, but with laughter and joy. The ran towards a figure silhouetted against the setting sun, a figure that could not be seen clearly. But it was tall and broad-shouldered; obviously a man.
The, without warning, she could make out the word the two boys were shouting as they ran. Uncle! Uncle! And the man in the vision turned his head and looked directly at her. His eyes were the deepest, indigo blue. Seiya's eyes
Chibiusa gasped and fell to her knees. The vision immediately faded, but that last sight of her brother's eyes stayed with her. If that vision had been of the future it meant they would be successful. They would save Seiya. But how?
"I know you want to believe in what you saw, but you have to remember that it's one of dozens of possible futures," Rio said, not turning from the sacred tree she stood before. Her four friends stood in a loose semi-circle around her, patiently waiting as she tied a prayer talisman to one of the small branches. She was dressed in her robes as a miko, a sight that had surprised all of them.
Rio had shrugged when asked about it. "It's past time, don't you think? I have to grow up and accept what I'm meant to be." The she had grinned. "Plus it seems to give my senses a boost, which is a great help to my mother."
They all understood that. Everything to do with Sankakusu filled their parents with dread. Rei in particular was adversely affected; whenever she went to the site she tired much quicker than normal, felt physically ill, and her spiritual senses seemed dulled. Rio was taking up the slack, and she seemed to be growing stronger as a result.
But they were still no closer to figuring out how to break through Chaos' defenses. Neither had Chaos come out since the night he had taken full control of Seiya. It had only been a couple of days, but the stalemate was wearing on all of them. Which was why Chibiusa was so determined to believe there was a future reality behind the vision she had had in Elysion. An overwhelming instinct told her it was true, and that the Golden Crystal was the key to unlocking everything. If only she could figure out how.
Later that night she sat on the ledge above her window, trying to relax and let her mind drift, hoping that the answer would come to her without conscious thought. She hugged her legs to her chest and rested a cheek against her upraised knees. But she couldn't stop her mind from constantly coming back to where her emotions were anchored; with Seiya. No matter what she couldn't escape the feelings of grief, and especially guilt, that she was carrying.
Usa.
Her head snapped up, expecting to see herself caught in another vision. But there was nothing except the lights of the city spread out before her and the moon hanging above.
Usa.
She got to her feet, one hand pressed to the roof to steady herself. "Seiya!" she called out. "SEIYA!"
Time is running out, Usa. In two days it'll be over, and I'll cease to exist.
"What? What does that mean?"
Two days, Usa.
"WAIT!" His presence disappeared from her mind, leaving her breathless. But he had been there, he had spoken to her. And it had been Seiya, with no trace of Chaos. He was still in control of the part of himself that connected the pair of them. And that meant there was a chance.
But two days? He had said that in two days he would cease to exist. What was happening in two days' time that could possibly have such grave consequences? She quickly climbed back through her bedroom window and raced down the stairs, bursting into the kitchen where her parents were sitting, quietly conversing with Helios.
"Two days!" she panted out, yanking open a drawer and grabbing one of the calendars it contained. "What happens in two days?" She frantically flipped through the pages to the current month.
"Chibiusa. . ." Usagi began, but her daughter waved her to silence. She continued what she was doing until she had flipped through every calendar in the drawer. "Dammit!" she exclaimed, slapping one of the date books on the edge of the counter. "There's nothing!"
Mamoru stood up and took hold of one of his daughter's arms, guiding her to sit in a chair. He stood over her. "What is this all about?" he asked.
The story was quickly told, and a powerful light of hope came into the eyes of both Mamoru and Usagi. "But two days?" Usagi asked, looking worried again. "How can we solve this mystery and win the battle in so short a span of time?"
"We need to know what, of significance, will be happening in two days," Mamoru said. He looked at the myriad of calendars that were scattered on the counter-top. "Are you sure there's nothing? Religious festival, bank holiday, anything?"
Chibiusa shook her head, feeling the tears threatening. "There's nothing," she whispered. "Nothing that would attract Chaos' attention."
"There's one thing." They all turned to Helios, who was standing in front of the large wall calendar. As the three of them came closer they all saw it; the wall calendar had the phases of the moon marked on it. And two days would be the night of the full moon.
Chibiusa looked confused. "But wouldn't the full moon suggest that Seiya's powers would be at their strongest?"
"Yes, it would," Helios answered. "Which would mean all the more power for Chaos to access and absorb." He shook his head. "Seiya doesn't have enough control over any of it to prevent that and if this goes as far as the night of the full moon he'll be the proverbial sitting duck."
Chibiusa swayed where she stood. "He said he'd cease to exist," she whispered, looking stricken. "If Chaos absorbs all of his power. . ."
"To absorb all of the power of a planetary guardian is the same as absorbing his or her soul. A fate many would consider worse than death."
"So, the bottom line is we finish this tomorrow, or there's no point in even trying," Usagi said, her voice again taking on that unnerving, unnaturally calm tone. They all stared at her. "Are we agreed?" she asked.
Everyone nodded. Agreed.
"Anything?"
"If you ask me that again, Usa, I swear I will set your hair on fire," Rio responded, eyes closed in concentration.
Rei and Rio stood together, stopped at a point beyond which their spiritual senses could not penetrate. They were near where the old Ten'ozu condominium building had stood; across the street was the site that had been Mugen Academy. It was now a park with a small pond near the edge that was closest to the bay. In all of the probing and searching that had been done that pond was the only place in all of Sankakusu that was completely clean, Rio had said.
"Rio -"
"I've got plenty of flames for you too, Mizuki."
Mizuki looked pained. "I wasn't going to ask anything. Just a gentle reminder that sunset isn't that far off."
It had been Rei who had insisted that whatever they could do needed to be accomplished before sunset. Every attack in which they had beaten Chaos back had taken place as the day waned. The one time the enemy had been successful had been long after dark. It seemed obvious that their best chance of gaining any ground lay in the presence of sunlight. Moonlight might just work against them, even with Usagi's powers.
Suddenly Rei gasped and fell to the ground. Makoto rushed forward to support her. "I'm all right," Rei managed to gasp out, her breathing ragged. "But it's too much; I can't go any further."
"We can fix that," Minako said, holding aloft her Venus Crystal. The other senior Guardians all took the hint and in a flash the Eternals were together, hands clasped, pouring their extra strength and power into Rei. It worked; Rei was also able to transform and, as Sailor Mars, seemed to gain a second wind. She returned to her daughter's side and as soon as she took her hand Rio also transformed.
Chibiusa flashed her friends a grin. "What are you guys waiting for?" she asked and with bursts of multicolored light they changed, and all ten Guardians stood together. The extra power rippled in the air around them, flattening grass and causing trees to bow and sway. Mamoru, Helios, Luna, and Artemis, who had been positioned a safe distance away, all staggered slightly as the excess washed over them. Now all four approached closer, anxious to contribute whatever strength or presence they could to the effort to punch through Chaos' barriers.
"It's no good," Rio finally spoke, her shoulders slumping. "We can't get through."
Mizuki stepped forward. "Maybe not spiritually," she said. "But I'm not ready to give up just yet. CRESCENT BEAM!"
The others quickly joined in, launching attack after physical attack. Water splashed, fire roared, lighting flashed and sparks flew. Rei was the last to make any attempt. A fiery ofuda appeared in her hand. "AKURYO TAISAN!" The ofuda was stopped as suddenly as it had been launched, but it didn't burn away. It hung in place and ripples spread out from it, distorting the air. "Usagi!" Rei called out, pointing.
"SILVER MOON CRYSTAL POWER KISS!"
That final attempt erupted against the invisible blockade, sending silver sparks flying and further distorting the air around them. It flew and rebounded, striking again, and again. Everyone except Usagi and her daughter dove out of the way as the backlash ripped through where they had been standing.
Then the roar of sound and the rush of air died away. Rio was the first to rise to her feet, walking forward with a hand outstretched. She stopped as suddenly as if walking into a wall and turned a stricken face to the others. She simply shook her head.
"NO!" Chibiusa shouted. "No, that can't be!" She ran to Helios, grabbing his arms so tightly that he winced. "There has to be something. Anything!"
"The sun is going," Ami quietly spoke and they all turned to face the west as the sun slipped lower and burnished the sky. Chibiusa sniffed and started to silently cry, leaning against Helios, who wrapped his arms tightly around her and laid a cheek against her hair.
Usagi felt as if she were paralyzed, unable to even feel. Her last hopes drained away and she dropped to her knees, fists clenched in the soil. Her transformation disappeared as despair overwhelmed her. Mamoru could only kneel at her side, one hand against her back, his own head bowed.
The only person who didn't react as expected was Mariko. No tears, no despair; she moved slightly away from the group, her attention completely focused on the eastern sky. As she watched the nearly full moon became visible, reflected in the pond on the park's edge. She stood still and quiet, head cocked slightly to one side as if listening intently to something, or someone, only she could hear.
"Seiya," she whispered. Everyone's attention snapped to her. "Seiya?" she called out once, questioning, and then broke into a run toward the park. She leapt over the fence and kept running, finally coming to a stop at the pond's edge where she dropped to her knees and plunged her hands into the water, destroying the moon's reflection on its previously placid surface.
"Mariko!" Chibiusa shouted, sprinting after her friend. Mizuki, Rio, Akemi and Helios followed, strung out in a line. Their parents, along with Luna and Artemis, seemed too stunned to react.
"He's here!" Mariko shouted as her friends drew closer. "I can feel it. Through the water."
Chibiusa looked up at Helios from where she had knelt beside Mariko. "Is it possible?" she whispered. "It's the moon's reflection, not the real thing. Can we reach him through it?"
Rio knelt between Chibiusa and Mariko and put her hands into the water, eyes closed. Her face twisted, as if she were in some pain, and then her eyes snapped open. "Everyone, put your hands in the water!" Mizuki and Akemi were quick to obey, but Chibiusa hesitated. She covered her transformation brooch with one hand, willing it to vanish and expose the Golden Crystal. Once she held it she followed suit and they were all pulled towards the water as if they would fall in. Then in a burst of gold and silver light the five girls disappeared, leaving Helios standing alone at the pond's edge, his face a mask of incredulous surprise.
"CHIBIUSA!" Usagi cried out. She ran to the pond with the other girls' mothers and Mamoru. But no matter what they tried they couldn't follow. The girls were on their own.
The plunge into another dimension was the most surreal experience of any of their lives. It seemed to take forever, the water through which they fell swirling around them in a mixture of their signature colors as Guardians. Then, just as quickly as it had started it came to an end and the five of them lay on an uneven stone floor, soaking wet and gasping for breath. Mariko recovered first, getting to her feet and using her powers to absorb all of the water around them, instantly drying everyone. Between Rio's fire and the Golden Crystal they had plenty of light.
"What do we do now?" Mizuki asked, wincing as her voice echoed off of the walls and sounded unnaturally loud.
They all looked around them, trying to figure out what their next move should be. "Can you two douse those lights?" Akemi asked Rio and Chibiusa. The pair instantly complied with her request and they were all able to notice what had caught her eye. A silver gleam was visible at the far end of a narrow tunnel. It was pulsing in time to someone's heartbeat.
"We go that way," Chibiusa said, keeping her hand closed around the Golden Crystal so it's light wasn't visible. She set off down the tunnel, looking much calmer than she felt. The others followed, walking single file in the tight space.
It didn't take very long to traverse the length of that tunnel, and before they knew it they all emerged into a large, open space. The only sound was of their breathing and the constant drip of water. There was a lake of sorts on the chamber's far side, and a figure seated on a rock at the water's edge.
"Seiya!" Mariko called out happily, and started forward. Both Mizuki and Rio stopped her before she could go more than a step, though. "No," Rio said, her voice strained. "That's not Seiya."
"Very observant," the figure said, standing up and starting to walk closer. It was Seiya's voice, but not as any of them had ever heard him speak. It was cold and harsh, dismissive to the point of rudeness. He stopped just a few yards from where the five girls stood, and even from that distance they could all see the orange-gold glow of his eyes. A ghostly, menacing image hung in the air around him, blacker than the darkness that surrounded them all.
Chaos.