Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: Chaos Theory
Act 28: The Legend of the Guardian
By: Sora Kazeno
Mamoru walked out of the shrine in frustration. He needed to speak to Usagi again, yet the girls continue to stay and chat. It quickly became awkward for him to remain there. He decided to cut his losses and leave for the night. He knew he would have another opportunity soon. He quietly exited the shrine and gently closed the door behind him.
"You need to stay away from Odango."
"Funny, I remember telling you the same," Mamoru shot back as he turned to face the younger man. He was surprised to see him still at the shrine. He assumed he left with his comrades ten minutes ago.
Seiya took a step forward out of the shadows to glare at Mamoru. "You need to let her go."
"That is for her to decided, not you," Mamoru's tone was no longer neutral as his began to rise. For days he had wanted to confront Seiya, but he knew nothing positive would come from it. However, at that moment he wasn't going to hold anything back. "You don't understand our relationship."
"I understand enough to know that you pushed her away and hurt her," retorted Seiya as he took a few steps closer to Mamoru. There was only one other time in recent memory he felt this level of anger. It was during the final battle against Sailor Galaxia when Sailor Uranus told Sailor Star Fighter, she couldn't protect her Princess and it was why she was dead.
Mamoru narrowed his eyes at him. "You don't know what you're talking about." It was Mamoru's turn to walk a few steps closer to Seiya. The other man's words infuriated him. Although there was some truth to his words, he didn't need to be reminded of his past mistakes that he was trying to atone with Usagi.
Seiya took Mamoru's movements as a challenge and his stance became more ridged. "I know how much you hurt her. She told me all about it on Kinmoku. For someone that is supposed to love her so much, you've acted like a jerk." Seiya took a few steps forward, closing the distance between himself and Mamoru. They were now only a few feet apart and tempers were rising.
"A jerk?" Mamoru repeated in a confused tone, "I seem to remember her telling you, you were a friend when you left last time. When… I was not myself; you didn't waste any time pursuing her. How it is any different than what you've done?" Mamoru snapped. He wanted to point out to Seiya how hypocritical he acted.
Both men were barely a foot a part. Tension continued to build. Their eyes were locked on each other, they waited for the other person to make the first move.
The sound of an object landing on the floor distracted them. They took a step back from each other, increasing the distance between them. They both turned to the doorway and found a broom on the floor by several pairs of feet. They looked up and witnessed Usagi there wide eyed with her hands covering her mouth. Her eyes told them she couldn't believe how they were acting toward each other and it hurt her. Minako and Makoto stood behind her.
"Stop this!" Usagi yelled at them when she finally found her voice. A few tears escaped her eyes. "It is my choice to make…" Her voice became softer as she began to understand the torment she has created between the two men in her life. "I can't have you fighting like this!" Usagi rushed forward into a sprint and ran between the two of them.
"Don't even think about following her," Luna said. She had exited the shrine during the confusion and stood at the feet of Minako and Makoto. "Either of you…" she added in a condescending tone. "The two of you need to figure this out. It's not helping Usagi-chan," Luna added as she walked forward to glare at the two of them. "I expected more from both of you." Luna sprinted off in the same direction Usagi fled moments ago.
Minako stared at the two with disappointment and Makoto shook her head.
Seiya sighed, "I'm going to head back home…" His voice trailed off as he turned around to face the staircase to the street below. He couldn't look at any of the others. He was embarrassed.
"That's not going to help you win Usagi-chan back," Makoto scolded Mamoru.
It didn't take long for Luna to catch up to Usagi. Usagi stood on a bridge staring at the cars below. She was no longer crying, but her eyes were red and puffy; she looked miserable.
"Usagi-chan?" Luna said softly as she approached her.
"I don't understand Luna… how did it come to this?"
"They both care about you very deeply. It seems like Mamoru-san doesn't want to give you up."
"I know…" Usagi said sadly. "It's so difficult… I've been having these memories from the Silver Millennium… and he has been acting more like Endymion. So caring… and loving…" Usagi said. "If only he acted this way before I started seeing Seiya…" her voice trailed off.
Luna jumped up on the ledge to be closer to eye level with Usagi. "Usagi-chan, what are you saying?"
"I love them both," Usagi finally admitted. "But they are so different from each other…" Usagi tried to find the right words. "One moment I'm sure I'll be with Seiya and then something will happen and I'll think of Mamo-chan… or rather I'll have a past memory about Endymion."
"Usagi-chan… you will have to choose."
"I know. It's like what Chaos said…. Serenity is the soul mate for Endymion but… it seems like Tsukino Usagi has a different soul mate. Is it supposed to be Seiya? I'm trapped in the middle between two different destinies." Usagi looked down at her hands for a moment before she looked over at Luna. "I can't watch them act like this." Usagi said with sadness in her voice.
Luna nuzzled Usagi's arm to try to comfort her. "Usagi-chan, you seem to be having a lot of doubts about what you chose before going to Kinmoku. You need to make a final decision between Mamoru-san and Seiya-kun…" Luna sat up to look at Usagi. "Both of them have special qualities and you have a history with each of them… but you're not being fair to either of them if you continue to be indecisive and doubt your decision."
"I just need to know that I am making the right decision," said Usagi as she looked up at the stars and the moon for guidance.
Usagi barely spoke the rest of the night. Some of the girls called to check on her, but she never returned their telephone calls. The last time she felt this depressed was when Mamoru first left to study in America.
Usagi sat at the kotatsu in her room with a blank sheet of paper in front of her and a pencil in her hand. She was worried how tomorrow would play out. Everyone was supposed to be there to listen to Princess Kakyuu's announcement. She was thankful to finally have one of the mysteries solved and know the identity of the Guardian.
A part of her longed to use her abilities as Sailor Cosmos to stop the organization from harming the Earth; she was limited to what she could do as Sailor Moon. She smiled slightly for the first time. Being Sailor Moon was holding her back. A new question entered her mind, would being Neo Queen Serenity hold her back as well? No, she told herself. Becoming Neo Queen Serenity would finally give her the ability to protect everyone. But was she stronger as Sailor Cosmos or would she be stronger as Neo Queen Serenity?
Princess Serenity laughed in the gardens at the Silver Millennium. She was surrounded by Princess Rei, Princess Makoto, Princess Minako and Princess Ami. It was a rare moment the five were able to relax. Four of the princess' had completed their morning training and had the opportunity to relax for a few hours before they had to attend to different responsibilities. At last, Princess Serenity enjoyed a break from her studies.
Princess Serenity loved to hear stories of the other's training adventures. She had tried on multiple occasions to sneak into the training room, but she was unsuccessful every time. Someone always caught her before she could reach the training grounds.
Princess Ami laughed as she listened to Princess Rei rehash her story. "But in the end they learned not to mess with fire." She concluded with a wink.
The soft crunch of pebbles under a pair of boots caused everyone to look up. It was Prince Endymion.
The Inners exchanged knowing looks at each other.
Princess Serenity jumped to her feet to greet her love. "Endymion!" She exclaimed.
The Inners talked quietly among themselves for a moment before they excused themselves to allow the lovebirds time to themselves.
Princess Serenity barely said anything as the others left. All of her attention was focused on Endymion.
As soon as they were alone, Prince Endymion bent over to kiss his Princess. When their lips parted, Princess Serenity was breathless. She looked up at him and smiled.
A soft breeze rustled her hair. She turned in the direction of the breeze just as it became a large gust. The two were blown apart.
Princess Serenity slowly sat up. Prince Endymion was nowhere to be found. She began to feel extremely nervous when she realized she was no longer in the Silver Millennium. Her eyes frantically searched around to try to determine her location. She recognized some the buildings, but she wasn't sure from where. Her stomach began to feel upset with worry. A noise turned her direction to a group of four in the distance. She gasped when she recognized the outfits they wore.
Princess Serenity stared at the woman dressed in white. She wore a white sailor fuku with a flowing white cape. Her hair was a dark pink, like the shade of Chibi Chibi's hair. It flowed down her back in long curls. On her side stood three Sailor Starlights dressed in black. Princess Serenity squinted her eyes. She determined their hair colors were: midnight blue, aqua green and yellow orange. She was too far away to see any of their faces. She had never seen any of them before. The background began to take shape and she immediately recognized it as the ancient city of Amaryllis. She had gone to the present day city with the Three Lights during her visit on Kinmoku. The voices of the four were carried by the wind.
"Everything will be fine," the yellow orange haired Starlight told Sailor Cosmos. She tried to set Sailor Cosmos' mind at ease. She smiled at Sailor Cosmos and informed her she was leaving with the aqua haired Starlight.
The Starlight with midnight blue hair hugged her tightly. "I won't let anything happen to you." It was clear they were very close.
Sailor Cosmos turned to smile at her. "I know you will try to protect me from everything… but I'm not sure how you can protect me from this."
"Don't underestimate me. You know I will find a way to help you," said the Starlight with midnight blue hair. She pushed a few of Sailor Cosmos' bangs out of her eyes. She whispered something into Cosmos' ear which caused her to giggle.
"You know… it is your fault I'm in this situation…" Sailor Cosmos said with a wink which caused the Starlight to blush a crimson shade. She held the Starlights hands in hers and said loving, "I'm so glad we're married."
The blue haired Starlight leaned forward and kissed her.
"Usagi! Hurry up the other girls are down here waiting for you!" Ikkuko shouted at the base of the stairs.
Usagi dropped her brooch on the ground. She placed her hands over her lips as she tried to process what she just witnessed. She had never seen that Sailor Cosmos before. Who were they? Why were they on Kinmoku? What were they trying to protect her from? The hair on the back of her neck raised, one of the Starlights was married to this Sailor Cosmos.
Usagi shook her head as she tried to clear her thoughts. She couldn't focus on this right now; she had enough to think about after the fight that nearly broke out last night. She was supposed to head to the Three Lights apartment with the other girls and wait for Princess Kakyuu. She slowly bent down to pick up her brooch and placed it in her pocket.
She quickly grabbed the crystal pendant that unlocked her abilities as Cosmos. She felt a spark of electricity when she touched it. She never experienced such a sensation before from the crystal. She closed her eyes to steady her shaking hand. The girl she had seen as Sailor Cosmos was older than her. She struggled with the fact her hair was the same color as Chibi Chibi's. What did it mean?
A knock on her door redirected her attention. "Usagi, are you there?"
It was Rei.
"I'll be out in a minute! I'm almost ready!" Usagi exclaimed with fake cheerfulness. She needed a few moments to collect her thoughts while she attached the pendent around her neck.
Rei frowned on the other side of the door. She saw right through Usagi's act. She knew her too well. She was hiding something.
The door open and Usagi smiled at Rei, "Are you ready?"
"Almost," Usagi responded, as she placed some of her belongings in a purse.
"Usagi, I heard what happened yesterday. Did you want to talk about it?" Rei asked with downcast eyes. She knew her friend was struggling.
"… It's nothing, Rei-chan."
"Usagi."
"… I don't have time right now. We have to get going!" Usagi quickly maneuvered herself around Rei to go down the stairs to the other girls. Usagi felt alleviated she wouldn't have to talk to Rei about it right now.
Rei sighed in defeat, but she knew Usagi would tell her when she was ready. Rei followed her down the staircase. By the time she reached the bottom Usagi, Ami, Makoto and Minako had their shoes on and were ready to leave. Rei sat down without a word on the step to collect her shoes.
"Bye, Mom!" Usagi called behind her, as she opened the front door.
"Usagi, be careful," said Ikkuko. She was uneasy since she was leaving with the other girls. The city was under attack and she assumed the other girls were senshi.
"We will be fine. We're going to visit the Three Lights," said Usagi.
"All of them!? You should have all of them over sometime with Seiya-kun!" Ikkuko said with stars in her eyes.
Usagi and the girls took the moment to sneak out of the house while Ikkuko was distracted.
Minako giggled once they were outside. "And I thought I can be star struck sometimes!"
"Well… we see the Three Lights on a constant basis… so I guess it has become normal to see them?" Makoto asked, as she tried to defend Usagi's mother.
Usagi was silent while the other girls chatted. She was in her own world.
"Usagi-chan, are you okay?" Ami asked, her face full of concern. Usagi was extremely quiet and normally she would be thrilled to see Seiya.
Usagi slowly nodded her head. "Yeah… I'm just wondering what we will learn from Princess Kakyuu." It wasn't a complete lie. Her mind immediately flashed back to the image she had of the other Sailor Cosmos.
"I guess you're going to be late. Too bad you won't have a chance to talk to this Princess you speak of," a voice said from behind the group.
The five girls quickly turned around and saw Varuna. "We meet again. But it will be your last this time."
"What do you want?" Minako demanded, while she placed her hand on her crystal pendant.
"I am tired of these games." The top of his charcoal shirt was open to reveal an amulet. The blood red stone matched the color of his hair. "I've come to the conclusion there are too many different senshi on this planet. If I start to eliminate all of you… the Guardian will surface. I know they will want to save you."
"We're not going anywhere," Makoto said. She clasped the pendent around her neck. The other girls nodded their head in agreement to Makoto's plan. "Jupiter Eternal, Make Up!"
"Mercury Eternal, Make Up!"
"Venus Eternal, Make Up!"
"Mars Eternal, Make Up!"
"Moon Eternal, Make Up!"
Each girl was surrounded by ribbons of various colors as they transformed into their respective sailor fukus. What they did not expect was Varuna ready to attack them as soon as their transformation sequences ended. They were caught off guard.
Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Venus were blasted backward onto the ground. Sailor Mars quickly moved in front of Sailor Moon to protect her as she summoned her own attack. "Mars Snake Fire!"
Varuna extinguished the fire with a water attack. "That's it?" He taunted them.
The other three senshi slowly rose to their feet.
Sailor Moon lightly touched the crystal pendant around her neck. She knew she could not defeat him as Sailor Moon. The Inner Senshi were powerful but not as powerful as the Outer Senshi. She slowly closed her fingers over the crystal as she contemplated transforming into Sailor Cosmos to stop him and protect the others. She had easily defeated the other man with her new abilities while being Sailor Cosmos. She expected the same would happen again.
"Don't, Usagi-san!" A female voice called out to her from a short distance away.
Sailor Moon recognized the voice immediately. She turned to see the face of the Princess of Kinmoku.
Princess Kakyuu quickly closed the gap between them and stood next her. "It's too dangerous right now." She didn't offer a further explanation of what she meant. Instead she held a black transformation wand with a bright red star. It was time for her to fight.
It was clear to Sailor Moon that Princess Kakyuu was about to join the fight to protect her and prevent her from becoming Sailor Cosmos. This realization sent a shiver down her spine. She thought about the other Sailor Cosmos she witnessed a short time ago on Kinmoku. Everything was related somehow.
"Kinmoku Star Power, Make Up!" Her body became surrounded by red fireflies as they took the shape of her sailor fuku.
The Inner Senshi gasped at her transformation. They vaguely recalled Sailor Kakyuu's form when they were under Chaos' control. She held her rod in front of her.
Varuna examined her fuku closely. There was no mistake. "I must be close to the Guardian… there are two senshi from Kinmoku on this planet. You are quite far from home," Varuna taunted with an upper curled lip.
Sailor Kakyuu glared at him wordlessly while she crafted her own response. "… I'm not sure I know what you are talking about." She tried to sound confident in her denial to throw him off track in case he escaped his present situation.
Varuna threw his head back and unleashed a boisterous laugh. "I know that I am close. Senshi from the Kinmoku Star system do not come to Earth just to visit. It is too far of a journey. You were here to stop Chaos after you originally brought Chaos to Earth. You returned to try to stop Chaos the second time. We have watched everything from afar. But now… we have nothing to do with you. You are showing your hand."
His words made Sailor Kakyuu question how much they knew about the Guardian and where they were able to obtain their information. Those that knew about the the Guardian in this solar system were deceased for many centuries. But they seemed to know about her. Sailor Kakyuu smiled slightly that they did not even know that the Guardian was a 'she'. She wanted it remain that way for as long as possible.
Sailor Venus, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Mercury stood next to Sailor Moon.
"We have to stop him," said Sailor Venus. She grew tired of having to defend the Earth from constant evil. "We'll keep him distracted for you, Sailor Kakyuu," Sailor Venus said with a wink. "You girls ready?"
"As always," said Sailor Jupiter cracking her knuckles. An antenna rose from her tiara. Lightening swirled around the golden rod. "Jupiter Coconut Cyclone!""
Varuna's eyes narrowed. They were working together now. This made them more dangerous. He was able to dodge Sailor Jupiter's attack only to be drowning in water.
"Mercury Aqua Mirage!"
Varuna coughed as the water cascaded down his body. He was completely drenched and disorientated from the water.
"Venus Rolling Heart Vibration!" A large orange yellow heart rotated rapidity in the air and hit Varuna squarely on the chest, staggering him ever further.
Sailor Mars clasped her hands together to prepare her own attack, "Mars Snake Fire!"
The flames dried Varuna's clothes and hair but the fire scorched his skin. He stumbled on his feet. He knew there was little he could do. He only needed a few seconds to steady himself to escape.
Sailor Kakyuu raised her rod above her head. She smirked, "Now it is time to show my hand…" her voice trailed off. The orange blossom at the top of the staff grew brightly from the energy it collected while the other senshi attacked him. Red playing cards swirled around her body. "Starlight Royal Straight Flush!"
The cards pierced through the air and into Varuna. He cried out in agony. It was the worst pain he ever experienced in his life. He collapsed to his knees as he felt his life force weakening. He coughed a few times as breathing became more and more difficult. He looked up at the group and snickered. "It will all be over soon." He vanished into the wind.
Sailor Kakyuu turned to face Sailor Moon, "We must talk to the Starlights, immediately. We don't have time to waste."
Seiya immediately stood up when he heard a knock on the door. The clock informed him Usagi and the other girls were thirty minutes late. He opened the door to happily greet Usagi. "I was starting to wonder if you became lost again," he teased while he slowly opened the door. His voice was caught in his throat when he realized the girls were not alone.
"Hello Fighter," Princess Kakyuu smiled sweetly next to Usagi.
"Princess!" Seiya exclaimed in shock.
Taiki and Yaten jumped from their seats and rushed to the door to confirm Seiya's comment. Indeed their Princess stood there. After their shock passed, the three moved to the side to allow the six women to enter their apartment. Taiki and Yaten guided Princess Kakyuu to the couch to sit down.
Usagi turned to Seiya with a tired expression in her eyes, "We were attacked by Varuna on the way here. It is why we are late. Sailor Kakyuu helped defeated him. He's gone," Usagi smiled.
Something was off with Usagi. He didn't know what, but all of his attention now turned to her. "Are you okay, Odango?" He wasn't sure if it was because of the conflict he had with Mamoru or if something else happened.
Usagi nodded her head slowly in response. It wasn't something she wanted to address with him in front of the others. She had to talk to him about his actions the other night, yet she was terrified about what she began to believe was a memory of the previous Sailor Cosmos. She wasn't ready to tell anyone about the other Cosmos. She was anxious to hear what Princess Kakyuu discovered before her long journey here.
Seiya frowned. She was hiding something again. He decided to talk to her later when they were both alone.
"We need to discuss the information I have uncovered," Princess Kakyuu said, as she addressed everyone in the room.
"But shouldn't we wait for the others? We contacted them on the way here," Minako asked. She felt it would be best if they all heard the information at once.
Princess Kakyuu frowned, "I'm not sure it would be the best idea… simply because of … the tension among some of the parties." She referred to the issues between the Starlights and the Outer Senshi. It was no mystery how Haruka felt about Seiya. She had hoped it would have changed by now, but what she learned from previous conversations was that nothing had changed. She was worried about Fighter and how it would affect her developing relationship with Usagi. She was unaware of Seiya's confrontation with Mamoru last night.
"We don't have time to waste on the tension that refuses to be resolved," Usagi said with determination in her eyes. ""I think it would be best if everyone was here to listen. I know it is going to affect all of us."
Haruka glared at the Three Lights when she entered their apartment. She did not want to be around them, but their Princess asked them to attend. She made it clear it was important and Princess Kakyuu would be able to fill in some of the pieces. As much as she did not want to be she was a guest in their home and she needed to play nice.
Michiru and Setsuna were a few steps behind Haruka. They were anxious for answers. Hotaru quietly followed them. She noticed Mamoru in a corner of the room and wondered how long he had been there. She could feel the apprehension in the room increase by their presence.
Mamoru did not say a word as Haruka sat next to him. Haruka was taken aback by the look in his eyes. Something happened. He wasn't as calm and mild mannered that he appeared to be yesterday. He was now trying his best to not to give Seiya a death stare. Haruka smiled slightly. He was still fighting for her.
Once everyone was seated, Princess Kakyuu stood up and walked to the other end of the room. It allowed her to look at everyone while she spoke to them. "Thank you for agreeing to meet here," she began. "Once I first learned of your new adversary, my team and I, conducted a lot of research on the origin of Sailor Cosmos. It took many days to be able to confirm the facts that I am about to present to you. Please understand, some of this may be difficult to hear."
No one spoke. They waited for Princess Kakyuu to continue. "There was a Sailor Cosmos before Usagi-san. She was from the Kinmoku Star system."
A few gasps were heard throughout the room. They all knew Sailor Cosmos was the legendary senshi, but they never learned her entire origin other than Queen Serenity's assumptions about her daughter being the next Sailor Cosmos.
Princess Kakyuu's words confirmed Usagi's suspicions from the vision she had this morning.
"Once the first Sailor Cosmos… disappeared, everyone searched for a sign of whom would become the second Sailor Cosmos. Over the millennia many believed to have found her incarnation, but they proved to be inaccurate. This caused a war on several planets,"" explained Princess Kakyuu. She had everyone's attention. "This fueled the Sailor Wars. Everyone wanted to find Sailor Cosmos. Stopping Chaos was a cover… since it was sealed for a majority of the time."
Seiya, Taiki and Yaten sat in disbelief at what they had just learned from their Princess. They questioned why they were never taught such an important part of their planet's history.
"Very few had privilege to this information," Princess Kakyuu directed this to the Three Lights. "It was decided long ago to treat Sailor Cosmos as a legend rather than as history or wars would continue to be fought. Many died needlessly because some claimed they were the next Cosmos. It scared many. Eventually, things calmed down until the appearance of Sailor Galaxia. Those that knew the truth were sure she would one day awaken as Sailor Cosmos. Her abilities were unlike those witnessed in recent history. Her powers were considered extraordinary. When I left Earth after we believed Chaos was defeated the first time with the Starlights, I had my suspicions. The light emitted by her starseed was unlike anything I've witnessed. But I was unsure if it was possible to have someone from another galaxy inherit her powers. After I conducted research, I realized it was possible that anyone could awaken as Sailor Cosmos in the future. Any individual that possessed a pure heart could inherit the abilities of Sailor Cosmos. It took me a while to accept this truth. I kept this information to myself until after Chaos returned to Earth. I'm sorry."
Mamoru listened to Princess Kakyuu words and something didn't add up. She was here to discuss the Guardian… yet she spoke of Sailor Cosmos. He was too impatient to wait anymore. As soon as there was a long enough paused he asked the question on his mind, "Sailor Cosmos is referred to as the legendary senshi, is she also called the Guardian?"
Princess Kakyuu took a deep breath. She had not anticipated such a direct question from Mamoru. "Yes… they are one in the same. The Guardian is an ancient term once used on Kinmoku. She was believed to be the protector of the stars and all of those that inhabited them."
Usagi slowly shook her head as she digested the new information and title she inherited. Something troubled her about the story Princess Kakyuu told them. "But how did my mother suspect I would be Sailor Cosmos, if this information was kept a secret in the Kinmoku region?" Usagi asked in a confused tone.
"Our kingdoms were once very close… until it was discovered travel was impossible for those of lunar descent," Princess Kakyuu explained to Usagi. "I'm sorry. I was not able to uncover this information prior to your visit."
"This means that the enemies are searching for Sailor Cosmos. They somehow know about the Guardian," Ami said softly. "Usagi-chan is the one they are desperately seeking out." She turned to address Princess Kakyuu. "That is why you transformed into Sailor Kakyuu today… you didn't want Usagi-chan to become Sailor Cosmos in front of them."
Princess Kakyuu nodded her head in agreement. "I do not know of their reason to find Sailor Cosmos. This unknown variable makes it dangerous."
"But I can defeat them as Sailor Cosmos!" Usagi argued with everyone. She was tired of hiding her abilities. She was finally strong enough to protect everyone and she was denied the means. "Enough people have been hurt because of me…"
"That may be true… but I know we are missing something. It would be best to still exercise caution. What if using your abilities as Sailor Cosmos somehow helps them achieve a part of their mission?" Princess Kakyuu gently asked her.
Usagi sat back and pouted with her arms folded across her chest. She thought back to the first time she fought against Queen Beryl when she learned she was the Moon Princess. By learning she was the Moon Princess it put her in greater danger since Beryl feared her powers and waited until she believed she was strong enough to defeat Princess Serenity. "Okay… I can see your point," she grumbled, "But it doesn't mean I have to like it!""
Usagi's comments lightened the mood in the room as it was filled with laugher.
"But if Usagi-san defeats them now before they are able to achieve their objectives…" Hotaru said, as her voice trailed off.
"We don't know everyone in the organization and who is their leader," Usagi said. Her voice became apprehensive when she continued, "The other problem is if I can control my powers…" She hated to admit her weakness after she tried to argue using her Sailor Cosmos abilities. Yet she would never be able to improve her control unless she practiced using them. "I wish I had more time to train when I was on Kinmoku." Everyone was silent. They knew she had a point.
Taiki broke the silence by asking Princess Kakyuu something that had been on his mind, "The other day there was an attack, and a comment was made that the Starlights were never far from Sailor Cosmos. What did they mean by that? I am also curious to know how this organization knows so much about Sailor Cosmos."
"I can answer the first question, Maker," Princess Kakyuu said. "According to our past records… they were the protectors of Sailor Cosmos."
"That doesn't make sense," Haruka snapped at Princess Kakyuu's remark. "Why would Sailor Cosmos need other senshi to protect her?"
Before Princess Kakyuu could respond, Usagi said, "There's more to it." Her eyes were downcast as she thought about the dark haired Sailor Cosmos she saw this morning. Everyone turned to look at her. "There were three Starlights also… it's hazy… but there is more to the story than just… a protector."
Princess Kakyuu looked at her perplexed. She shouldn't know any of this information since it was sealed in the vaults of Kinmoku. Yet, she knew. How did she know? It didn't matter since she had to explain it to the others now. They waited on her to answer. Princess Kakyuu hesitated as she thought how she would word the next piece of information. "… Sailor Cosmos… she… fell in love in one of the Starlights." She did not want to bring up this subject with everyone in the room, but after what Usagi alluded there was no way to avoid the subject.
Collective gasps filled the room from nearly everyone.
Mamoru's eyes narrowed. It was if the love story of Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion was just rewritten for two different people. He didn't need to hear from Princess Kakyuu that it was somehow related to Seiya. Her feelings for Seiya changed when she awoke as Sailor Cosmos… just like how she developed feelings for him when she awoke as Princess Serenity. A numbness washed over him when he recalled a comment Chaos had made when he controlled her as Sailor Cosmos. Princess Serenity was the soul mate for Prince Endymion, but Tsukino Usagi was not Chiba Mamoru's soul mate. Did this mean that Sailor Cosmos also had a soul mate… was it the same as Tsukino Usagi? All of these thoughts ran threw his head. He forced himself to refocus his attention to the conversation.
Everyone knew, without having to ask, which Starlight she fell in love with.
Minako asked the next question, "How… how did Sailor Cosmos die in the past if she was so powerful…?"
Princess Kakyuu bit down on her lip. They asked all of the questions she hoped they wouldn't have. She decided to be direct, "Childbirth."
Usagi zoned out from the rest of the conversation. She was physically there, but mentality she was miles away. Everyone in the room disappeared and she was in a black, dark space. She blinked her eyes several times. She needed to see something other than black. The blackness turned into light. The light began to develop patterns and reflected off each other. She had seen this before. The light created a prism. Crystal. She was trapped inside a large crystal.
She was wide awake. She began to feel claustrophobic. She was trapped. She pushed again the crystal, nothing happened. She began to hit the crystal to try to break it. It was very strong. Nothing worked. Panic set in. Her heart raced. She hit the crystal harder, no response. Her breathing became shallow. She began to feel like she was suffocating and could barely breathe.
Nothing she done could free her from the imprisonment. She placed her right hand on the crystal. The ring on her index finger glowed softly. Within a few seconds the intensity increased. The light washed over her body. She began to feel warm. She closed her eyes. When she opened then again she was back in the Three Light's apartment.
Usagi jumped to her feet as everything returned to normal in the room. Her finger felt warm, she glanced down and recognized a small pearl ring on her index finger. It was the same ring she wore as Sailor Cosmos.
Her actions and the glowing ring attracted the attention of others. An eight pointed star appeared on Usagi's forehead, the mark of Cosmos.
Usagi felt terrified by the experience she just endured. She didn't understand why she saw herself trapped inside a crystal. She grabbed her forehead, as she experienced multiple different emotions at once.
Everyone stood up and watched Usagi closely. They weren't sure how to handle Usagi.
Mamoru took a few steps forward, unsure of how Usagi would react. "Usako…" he murmured.
Seiya attempted to rush over to her to calm her. Princess Kakyuu stood in front of him to block his path. "Princess?" Seiya said in utter confusion. He didn't understand why she would prevent him from trying to help Usagi.
"I'm sorry, but it is not safe," explained Princess Kakyuu. Seiya gave her a quizzical look and she continued, "I believe a new ability of hers is emerging. I am not sure what the ability is or what will happen next. It is for her safety and yours."
Seiya let out a deep sigh and nodded his head.
Princess Kakyuu's words hit everyone. They kept their distance; a few of them moved several steps back.
Princess Kakyuu walked toward Usagi and stood in front of Seiya. She knew if anything happened to him Usagi would never be able to forgive herself. She had seen many senshi awaken in the past and not all of them survived the experience. Some awaken their powers all at once and others over time. Sailor Cosmos was a gradually awakening. It would be too much for one person to handle at once. "Usagi-san… what happened?" Her voice was calm, soothing. "We want to try to help you."
"… I don't think anyone can help me…." Usagi opened her eyes as a few tears began to fall. "I keep have images… memories as Princess Serenity. For days." She raised her head to look at Princes Kakyuu, "And now this morning, memories from the previous Sailor Cosmos."
"That's how you knew… about the past relationship…" Princess Kakyuu said slowly as she began to piece everything together. Her shoulders slumped. She was afraid she would develop some memories from a different past life.
Usagi turned toward Setsuna with fury in her eyes. "I don't understand how this is possible! We went to the future and there was no Crystal Tokyo…and just seconds ago I saw myself trapped inside a crystal?" Tears flowed freely down her face. Too often her anger and confusion was tied into Crystal Tokyo and what may have been.
The Inner Senshi and Mamoru gasped at her statement. They all remembered seeing Neo-Queen Serenity enclosed in a large crystal to protect her from an attack against the Black Moon.
"You never left the room… you were here with us the entire time. You were never enclosed in a crystal," explained Setsuna. She tried to make Usagi understand what she experienced was in her mind.
Rei tried a different approach with Usagi, "What did the crystal look like?" She knew Usagi had dreams lately about her future with Seiya. But anytime she heard discussion of a large crystal she always thought back to their trip to the future years ago.
"I… I don't know…" Usagi said. She began to feel some of the rage subside. She tried to recall everything she could from her recent experience. "It was a large, clear crystal… I was trapped." She turned away from the others. The light from her ring began to diminish. Usagi gradually began to stabilize emotionally. "I need to leave for a little while." She didn't speak another word or make a gesture while her clothes instantly transformed into Sailor Cosmos. The star on her forehead still dimly lit.
"Usagi, you need to stay… we need to figure this out," Rei tried to plead with her.
"Odango, we want to help you in any way that we can," said Seiya as he started to take a few steps to her. He was now next to Princess Kakyuu.
"I know there is an explanation for everything… we just don't understand it, yet," added Setsuna with a firm expression.
"I know we can help you figure this out," added Mamoru, as he took a few steps closer to her. He was now the closest to her, but still several feet away.
Sailor Cosmos sadly shook her head. "I am glad all of you are concerned about my wellbeing, but I need time to myself to sort things out." She closed her eyes for a moment before she added, "Memories of three different lifetimes…." She took a few steps away from the others. She prepared her escape. She repeated herself again, "Three sets of memories from three completely different lifetimes."
Seiya couldn't sit on the sidelines anymore, "Odango… please…" he pleaded with her. He walked past Princess Kakyuu and began to close the gap.
Mamoru was silent while he processed everything in front of him. He finally began to understand the confusion she spoke of. She was essentially three different people now. She tried to balance everything. It was easy when she was Princess Serenity and Tsukino Usagi. But now, the rebirth of Sailor Cosmos changed her completely. Everything thing she thought she knew was turned upside. He knew what he had to do. He had to draw her back to her former self, Princess Serenity, Sailor Moon and Tsukino Usagi. He needed to try to help her cast aside whatever memories or feelings she had since she became Sailor Cosmos. But he would not be able to accomplish this task in front of all the others. He felt a little relief as he felt he finally knew how to win her back.
Sailor Cosmos shook her head at Seiya. "I will be back." The crystal orb on her staff grew brightly for a moment as Sailor Cosmos began to disappear in a twinkle of small stars. As her body faded, a pale pink mist floated above the floor where she stood moments before.
Seiya was too late. By the time he reacted her location she was gone. He turned around to face the others, "We have to follow her. Where did she go?"
Setsuna shook her head and touched the crystal pendant on her neck. "She has gone to a place where you cannot follow."
"A place … we cannot follow?" Mamoru repeated slowly. It dawned on him, the pale pink cloud. "Look after her, Setsuna-san."
Setsuna nodded her head.
The group exchanged looks of bewilderment with each other. They did not understand what Setsuna and Mamoru knew that they did not.
"Pluto Eternal, Make Up!"
Sailor Pluto raised her time staff above and whispered an incantation. Her garnet rod flashed a few times as a pair of large bronze doors appeared before her.
The others understood what she meant, now that they viewed the door of time. It was impossible for them to follow, unless you were Sailor Pluto, the Guardian of Time.
"I guess the better question is when… not where…" Sailor Pluto said thoughtfully. "She shouldn't be too hard to find." Sailor Pluto walked forward. The doors closed behind her and disappeared from sight.
Silence filled the room for the several minutes. The group could not believe what happened. They didn't know what to say as they waited for Sailor Pluto.
Yaten couldn't take the silence anymore, "What is this new ability you referred to?" He directed his question at Princess Kakyuu.
"Premonition," Rei and Michiru answered in unison.
"It sounds as if she is beginning to see images of the future," explained Michiru in a concerned tone.
"Anything she sees must be taken very seriously. Our records show all of her premonitions have come to pass. Some events have happened right after her premonition; other times weeks, months, or years passed," explained a solemn Princess Kakyuu.
Rei thought about her conversations with Usagi. She had images of herself as Neo Queen Serenity multiple times with Seiya. Was this the new future of this planet? Was Crystal Tokyo to be replaced by the Silver Millennium? She bit her lip. She couldn't share this with the others. She needed to talk to Usagi first.
"I don't understand something," Haruka stated, as she eyed the Inner Senshi and Mamoru. "When Usagi-chan mentioned being trapped inside a crystal all of you had a panicked look. Why?"
The girls did not respond right away. They exchanged nervous glances at each other. They weren't sure how Seiya would respond to what they associated with a crystal enclosure.
"A few years ago," Mamoru said, "We traveled to the future to help Chibi Usa when she arrived in this timeline. She needed our help to save her mother. We arrived in the future and discovered her mother, Neo Queen Serenity, was trapped inside a large crystal structure. Crystal Tokyo was under attack and the Inner Senshi of that time period used their abilities to enclose her in a crystal to protect her from a powerful attack by the enemy."
"Is that why you asked her to describe the crystal, Rei-chan? In order to determine if the crystal was the same?" Taiki asked. He placed several of his fingers under his chin. Taiki pondered what it implied of their future.
"I don't know if it's the same crystal…. But it's not the first time she's seen things in the past few days regarding the future," Rei said sadly. "She's been struggling a lot… she's overwhelmed. She doesn't understand what is happening."
Seiya frowned, "She has tried to hide what is bothering her. She had some of her memories return when she was Princess Serenity during the Silver Millennium but I don't know anything about the future. She has been…. very guarded."
"She tends to keep things to herself if she believes it will upset the other person. She doesn't want others to worry about her struggles or her pain," added Mamoru in an effort to shed light on Usagi's behaviors. He was worried about Usagi and for the moment he cast aside his issues with Seiya to help Usagi. "It's not the first time, nor will it be the last."
"Yeah…" Minako echoed. "When she is ready, she will tell us." Minako became worried as she continued. "I can't imagine what it would be like to see images of both the past and the future at the same time."
Sailor Cosmos sighed in frustration. She didn't know what to do anymore. She looked around the Time Streams as her mind continued to race. She thought of herself enclosed in the crystal, walking in the gardens with Endymion, hugging a silver haired girl with Seiya, the dark pink haired Sailor Cosmos. It was too much at once. She allowed herself to cry. She didn't try to hold it back anymore. She tried to be brave in front of the others, but she was frightened. She needed answers, but the number of questions increased.
A sudden noise behind her caused Sailor Cosmos to turn around. She wiped a few tears from her eyes. "I thought you might come here." She recognized the shadow of the person approaching her. Sailor Cosmos chose to come here since she knew the others would try to follow her. If she came here, only one would be able to follow. She knew Setsuna would not bring the others to the Time Streams. It would drain her powers too much and be difficult for her to watch over all of them without a time key.
Sailor Pluto quietly approached her. "I can understand why you are confused," she tried her best to comfort the younger woman. "Everything that you thought will come to be has changed. It is hard to accept that the future everyone had worked so hard for will no longer come to exist." She hesitated before she continued, "But not knowing the future can also be exciting. It gives a person to act freely and feel … unconstrained." She implied Usagi's relationship with Seiya. It was clear to Setsuna the disappearance of Crystal Tokyo played a role whether or not she remained with Mamoru or would try a new relationship with Seiya.
"Why did I have to see myself trapped inside a crystal?" Sailor Cosmos suddenly asked. It was all she could think about. She was horrified at the idea of being trapped inside a crystal like she had in seen Neo Queen Serenity in the future. It was easier for her to walk away from Mamoru because she knew Crystal Tokyo was gone. It caused her to second guess her decision even more.
"When you were inside the crystal… where you dressed as Neo Queen Serenity?" Sailor Pluto asked her. She watched Sailor Cosmos' eyes to gauge her reaction.
Sailor Cosmos looked confused while she thought about the question presented to her. "I'm not sure…" She closed her eyes and tried to think about what she wore. In her vision, she focused on how she felt trapped. "I remember feeling trapped… I didn't have a way out. It was difficult to breathe and then the ring on my index finger began to glow brightly. The next thing I remember, I was back in the room with everyone else again."
"This ring you speak of, was it the same you are wearing right now?"
Sailor Cosmos opened her eyes and stared at the ring on her right index finger. It contained a small white pearl. She gasped when she realized Sailor Pluto was correct. "It… it is the same ring." She rubbed the fingers from her other hand over the pearl. "Does this mean I was trapped… not as Neo Queen Serenity, but rather Sailor Cosmos?"
"It is entirely possible," Sailor Pluto said. She tried to reassure her the best that she could.
"What does my vision mean?"
"It might mean you will be trapped in a crystal in the future… as Sailor Cosmos."
Sailor Cosmos frowned. She didn't like the answer she received from the older senshi. But she knew she was probably correct.
"You mentioned earlier that you had a vision from the life of the previous Sailor Cosmos. Perhaps something from that vision is related?"
Sailor Cosmos tightened the grip on her staff. She felt uncomfortable talking to Setsuna about it since it involved the Starlights. But… Setsuna had been supportive of her compared to Haruka and Michiru. "I'm surprised you have been so supportive… of Seiya and me."
"Well… let's just say… as long as the future is peaceful… that is all I am concerned about," said Sailor Pluto, as she tried to be kind to Sailor Cosmos, but not directly say she was supportive of her choice. It was a delicate balance. She did not approve of her decision, but tried her best not to let it show.
"The vision I had was witnessing the previous Sailor Cosmos talking to three other Starlights. Sailor Cosmos had dark pink hair flowing down her back. Her hair color was the same as Chibi Chibi. The Starlights she was with were different from the Starlights from this time period. They had midnight blue hair, orange, and aqua. One of the Starlights told Cosmos she would protect her. I'm not sure what else they discussed." Sailor Cosmos decided to neglect the comments about the two of them being married. As she spoke to Sailor Pluto, she realized how much she needed to speak to Seiya about everything that has happened to her. She needed to tell him about the future she had seen at the Silver Millennium. She shouldn't hide things from him anymore. She needed to tell him about the vision she had from the previous Sailor Cosmos. Everything seemed to be so much clearer to her when she was Sailor Cosmos. When she was Usagi she seemed to be confused. This realized puzzled her. How did it work? Was it because she was Sailor Cosmos that she was automatically drawn to Seiya?
Sailor Cosmos' expression became serious. "But why have I had a lot of flashbacks as Princess Serenity? Why is this suddenly happening now?"
"It is not surprising. Your powers as Princess Serenity are beginning to mature. As you age, it is expected."
"What do you mean they are maturing?"
"Do you remember the night you restored the Silver Millennium?"
"Vaguely."
"After you restored the palace, you appeared to us as Neo Queen Serenity without a crown."
"No," Sailor Cosmos shook her head in disbelief. "That can't be right."
"It is your destiny."
"But I'm not ready to be Queen."
"It doesn't matter whether you are ready. Regardless of what changes are in store for us, you will become Neo Queen Serenity. The time is drawing closer."
"But I'm not supposed to be Queen for several more years! I still haven't finished high school."
"You were to become Queen at age 22, according to the timeline with Crystal Tokyo. The age you become Queen in this timeline in unknown; however, I know it is drawing nearer since you are receiving more memories from your past and your transformation that we witnessed on the Moon into Neo Queen Serenity."
Sailor Cosmos turned away from Sailor Pluto; she needed to process everything she learned. The original plan was to enter the Time Streams for a little while and then see the future. She needed to make sure she was doing the right thing. She had to know if the dreams that she had seen would be her future. She took a few steps away from Sailor Pluto in the direction which would lead her to the future of her current time line.
"Do you still plan on visiting the future? It was your originally intention of coming here."
Sailor Cosmos paused. "How did you know?" She let out a deep breath before she turned around to face her again.
Sailor Pluto smiled softly at her. "You want to know if the visions you seen are correct. It is only natural. Michiru-chan was the same way."
"Really?" Sailor Cosmos said wide eyed.
"Yes," reassured Sailor Pluto. "Perhaps we should return back to Earth?" She wanted Sailor Cosmos to return with her. "Sometimes knowing the future is a dangerous thing, it could influence your actions. Then you will still ask yourself if you made that decision because you knew the future and how things were supposed to be."
Sailor Cosmos bit her lip. She asked herself that same question countless times about her relationship with Mamoru. "Yes. I will join you on Earth, shortly. I think I want to see the Silver Millennium again before I return," Sailor Cosmos' staff glowed brightly as her body began to twinkle again. She left the Time Streams.
Sailor Pluto stood frozen in the same spot for a few minutes, staring at the spot were Sailor Cosmos had stood. She could follow her to the Silver Millennium. She could tell the others she went to the Silver Millennium, but they would rush over to the kingdom to see her. She didn't want to destroy the confidence Sailor Cosmos placed in her. She tapped her staff on the floor as a large door opened behind her. She turned around and slowly entered the door. Her work here was done.
A man with dark blue hair entered the room. His bangs were parted to the side, revealing the mark of the organization on his forehead. He wore a white shirt with gray slacks. He carried himself differently from the others.
Haumea and Deucalion immediately bowed in his presence. Deucalion wore a crimson colored pant suit. Red represented their position in the organization. They were the third tier from the top. Her blonde hair fell to her shoulders. They were in a deep conversation about their next course of action until he entered the room.
"What do we owe the honor of this visit, Eris?" Haumea asked, as she stood back up from her bow.
"I felt the energy of the Guardian emerge on Earth once more," Eris responded in an icy tone. It was clear he was frustrated no one had found the Guardian. "It was brief. Shortly after it appeared it disappeared. I'm not sure how."
"Where did they appear?" Haumea eagerly asked. She wanted to please Eris by finding the Guardian. She wanted to gain rank in the organization. If she was able to prove herself useful she would have a larger role in the future reshaping the Earth. Whoever found the Guardian would be granted their own kingdom, the size of the kingdom depended on their valued role in the overall process.
"I want you to wait nearby where the energy source was discovered. If they left Earth, there is a strong a chance they will return to the same location," instructed Eris in an indifferent tone. "I do not need to explain to you how important it is for us to learn the identity of the Guardian. As soon as we know who they are, we can move on to the next phase. We must learn of their weaknesses and use it against them." Eris turned his back to them and concluded, "The master is growing stronger, but he is still missing the last key to unlock his true abilities."
"The last key?" Deucalion questioned.
Eris stared at them. "Find the Guardian," he spat.
Sailor Cosmos smiled at the sight of the Silver Millennium. When things became difficult she felt like she could relax here and be left alone. She thought about her most recent memory with Endymion. Before she realized it, she returned to her old bedroom. She opened the door with the expectation to recall another memory. Nothing happened.
The room was barren. She remembered she restored the outer structure of the palace, but not all of the mute detail within. The rooms were empty. She will have to slowly restore them as she could recall each room. She raised her staff a few inches over her head and closed her eyes. She pictured the room she had seen during her memory with Endymion. Energy radiated from her staff and washed over the room. The energy from her staff died down when she lowered her staff so the low the base touch the ground. She gradually opened her eyes and smiled broadly. It was exactly how she remembered it.
She sat down on the bed. She could imagine Luna curled on the bed lecturing her about the kingdom's history. She smirked at the irony that she couldn't remember a lot about the kingdom. She was fortune she remembered the Moon Senshi. How could she become Queen of this kingdom? She didn't know the first thing about ruling a kingdom. She knew it would be something she would have to figure out in the future. Her life was confusing enough right now.
Sailor Cosmos stood up and walked over to the mirror. She gazed at her reflection to examine how it changed. Her hair was no longer a golden color, her odangos were heart shaped and she had an eight pointed star on her forehead. A lot of things changed.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Prince Endymion asked his voice full of concern.
Sailor Cosmos whipped around expecting to see him. He was talking to Princess Serenity. It was another one of her buried memories.
Princess Serenity was nervous. "I just want to be able to spend time with you, uninterrupted!" She argued with him. Her eyes shifted to the closed door, almost as if she anticipated someone entering the room at any moment.
"And what would your mother do if she caught us here?"
"Well... she'd be mad … but nothing happened!"
"But something could happen…" he said in a husky tone as he kissed her fully on the lips.
Princess Serenity eagerly returned the kiss.
Sailor Cosmos couldn't bear to watch anymore of this memory. She knew how it would end…. It was their first time. She ran out of the room.
Usagi inhaled the cool night air on Earth. She tried to push the entire memory out of her mind. She couldn't understand why this continued. She had random memories of herself with Endymion, yet she dreamt of a future with Seiya. "This is so unfair." Usagi said out loud to no one in particular.
"What is unfair is we have yet to find the Guardian. We felt their energy and you are the only one here. I doubt it is a coincidence," said Haumea. She emerged from the shadows and eyed Usagi carefully. "You don't look powerful."
"Ah, you know looks can sometimes be deceiving. It keeps things interesting," added Deucalion, as she appeared behind Usagi. She echoed Haumea's question, ""Where is the Guardian?"
Usagi could feel a lump forming in her throat. She didn't know how she would manage this. She knew they were after her, but she didn't want to flat out reveal herself. She grabbed her heart shaped brooch. It would buy her some time. She needed to contact the others and hope for the best. Hours had passed, she wasn't sure if any of them were close by. She anticipated an attack from the two older women.
"Fine. Your silence indicates you know something. I will have to blast the information out of you!" Haumea smiled deviously. She unleashed massive dark bolts of energy at Usagi.
Usagi wasn't sure how, but she managed to dodge the energy from hitting her. She didn't hesitate anymore. "Moon Eternal, Make Up!" Feathers wrapped themselves around Usagi as the ribbon became a familiar sailor fuku.
"Hmmm…" Deucalion said with narrowed eyes. She stared at the mark on her forehead. "Well… I guess that explains some of the power we felt from you. But I don't remember you as senshi before… not with that mark. Who are you?"
Sailor Moon smiled. "You've disturbed the peace long enough in this city. For love and justice, I am the pretty sailor suited solider, Sailor Moon! In the name of the Moon, I will punish you!" Her arms formed into a familiar pose. She had done this countless times to the point where she didn't have to think about her actions.
"Sailor Moon?" Haumea arched an eyebrow in disbelief. "There was never a Sailor Moon."
"There is now!" Sailor Moon said with more confidence than she felt.
Haumea turned to Deucalion to confirm.
Sailor Moon used the moment to contract the other senshi. She learned the Inner Senshi were still with the Starlights and would arrive shortly. She felt relieved knowing she would not be alone for long. She had to stall. "So… who are you?"
"I guess it is only fair for you know our names before your demise," responded Deucalion. "I am Deucalion."
"I am Haumea, the one that will find the Guardian." Her remark emphasized her ruthlessness.
"I will follow behind you," Princess Kakyuu instructed the three Starlights. "I will make my presence known if it is needed."
"We have to hurry," Sailor Venus said as she turned to run ahead with the other girls.
The Starlights followed behind the other senshi. They ran without a word.
Sailor Star Fighter was anxious to see Usagi again, even if it was in a battle. She wanted to make sure she was okay after her abrupt departure earlier. Sailor Pluto had told them she was fine, but she wanted to be able to witness it for herself. It was the only way to place her mind at ease.
"Mercury Aqua Mirage!"
The sound of Sailor Mercury's attack up ahead caused Sailor Star Fighter to run faster.
"You're not the one we are after," Haumea repeated for the umpteenth time. She was clearly infuriated at her slow progress. She assumed it would be easier than this. The Guardian had recently appeared in this location and the only one they located was Sailor Moon. Haumea gathered a large bolt of lightning and hurled it at Sailor Moon.
Sailor Moon prepared to dodge it to the best of her ability. But she didn't need to.
"Mercury Aqua Mirage!"
A monsoon of water launched itself at Haumea. It was her turn to dodge an attack. She glared at the four newcomers. Four new sailor senshi, but it was not the one she was here to find.
"Everyone!" Sailor Moon exclaimed happily to see her comrades. She knew she needed as much help as possible.
Footsteps followed behind the other senshi. Three more senshi appeared, the Sailor Starlights.
"Oh?" Deucalion said. She eyed the three senshi from the Kinmoku star system. "We heard reports of a Starlight was on Earth… but all three?" Her mind raced as she formed a plan.
"The Guardian must be close…. their protectors are here," sneered Haumea at their attendance. She smiled. They were close.
Sailor Star Fighter began to feel nervous by Haumea's words. She wanted to know how Haumea would know anything about the Starlights being protectors to Sailor Cosmos when they had only recently learned this information from their Princess. She took a few steps forward in front of Sailor Star Maker and Sailor Star Healer.
"Hmm…" Deucalion said with a wicked grin, her hand behind her back, she gather enormous amounts of dark energy. "I have an idea on how to flush out the Guardian." She launched her attack at the Inner Senshi separating them from Sailor Moon. They were all knocked to the ground in surprise; they didn't predict such a bold attack.
The senshi were staggered and slowly sat up. They each had expressions of frustration plastered on their face. They were now several feet away from Sailor Moon and even further away from their adversaries. The Starlights were the closest ones to Sailor Moon to protect her from an attack.
She had everyone right where she wanted them. It was time to put her plan into action. She eyed the three Starlights again. After she examined each of them for a few seconds, her eyes settled on Sailor Star Fighter. "I'm sure the Guardian would appear if you were injured." The energy she built up since the previous attack rushed forward at Sailor Star Fighter.
The Inner Senshi were too stunned from the previous attack to be able to help Sailor Star Fighter.
Sailor Moon witnessed everything in slow motion. There was nothing she could do.
Haumea watched Deucalion with a curious look.
Sailor Star Maker and Sailor Star Healer tried to summon their own attacks to counterattack it, but they knew it was futile. They could not gather the needed energy in time.
The attack hit Sailor Star Fighter and knocked her back several feet. Blood sprayed from a large wound to her lower right side. Deucalion's original target area was the center of her chest. But Sailor Star Fighter managed to move a little out of the way.
"Seiya!" Sailor Moon screamed after seeing the horrific event. Tears cascaded down her eyes. She felt frozen in her spot. She wanted to rush over to her and help her, but her feet would not cooperate.
The Inner Senshi finally managed to stand up again and were in disbelief.
Sailor Star Healer and Sailor Star Maker were able to move first. They were closest to Sailor Star Fighter.
Sailor Star Maker quickly assessed the injury and said grimly, "It's really bad… she needs help immediately."
Sailor Star Maker's words hit Sailor Moon hard. She began to feel rage build up. Another person was injured again because of her. She wasn't frozen in place anymore. Her forehead began to burn.
Act 29: The Guardian
See you then!
Thank you for all your help Kikis87!