Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: Chaos Theory
Act 34: The Quest of the Crystal Shards
By: Sora Kazeno
Feedback is always welcomed and thank you Kikis87 for all your help!
She knew the others would do everything in their power to free her. All she had to do was find a way out as soon as possible. If she could free herself it would make everything easier, but she didn't know what she needed to do in order to achieve her goal.
Sailor Cosmos slowly opened her eyes once more. Darkness. All see could see around her was pitch black. Nothing changed. What did she need to do? She tried to use her powers several times, but nothing happened. Not even a small spark of light.
Sailor Cosmos sighed. She still did not understand why Eris wanted her staff so badly. Could he be after the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou? Panic began to set in when she thought of her mother's warning to never let the crystal fall into the wrong hands. Her stomach turned in knots when she realizes this was the first time since the crystal reformed in this lifetime; it has fallen into the wrong hands. Queen Beryl tried so many times to take the crystal, but was thwarted each time. Did the Black Moon know the crystal was within the staff? Or did they want the staff for another reason? Before she was captured, Eris seemed to be focused on her staff. What didn't she know about her staff?
Sailor Cosmos groaned. She had so many questions, but no answer to any of them. She was alone with her thoughts. It was ironic since she told the others she needed time alone to think about her final decision regarding Mamoru and Seiya. Now, she had nothing, but time on her hands to think about the two men that had captured her heart.
Tension continued to build between Eris and Ixion. The staff continued to increase intensity, but they lacked a way to determine when the crystal found the missing crystal shard. Eris narrowed his eyes in disgust. The crystal was becoming too bright to look at directly making it possible to determine if they were in the right location. He placed the bottom of the staff on the ground for a moment to consider his options.
A small pulse emitted from the staff and for a few seconds, the crystal within stopped shining. Eris kicked the ground beneath his boots for a moment before he raised his head to look at Ixion. "We should dig here."
Ixion nodded his head in agreement without exchanging any words between them. He lifted his hands in the air and created a vortex of wind. The wind quickly began to move several large rocks away from the area. Then the loose dirt began to blow away from beneath Sailor Cosmos' staff. The duo stared at the ground intently waiting for any sign of a crystal shard.
Eris and Ixion were so focused on uncovering a small section of the planet they did not notice Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Ganymede, Sailor Charon and Sailor Titan slowly descending down a hill in their direction. The group had realized they were too far away to stop them if they found a crystal shard. The idea of Eris and Ixion escaping with a crystal piece was unacceptable.
Sailor Oberon, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Star Maker continued to search the ruins within the enormous cave. Each room they entered gave them an opportunity to learn more about the colony. It didn't take long for them to realize most of the caves contain personal effects of inhabitants long gone.
Sailor Mercury was becoming discouraged. She hoped to find something that would help shed light on where the Black Moon had taken Sailor Cosmos.
Sailor Oberon focused her attention on anything that could be related to the dark crystal that was used to imprison her and now the Moon Princess.
Sailor Star Maker walked ahead of the two senshi and came across an interesting find. "The two of you need to see this…." She called out in a loud voice.
Sailor Mercury and Sailor Oberon rushed towards Sailor Star Maker's location.
Sailor Oberon's jaw dropped at the sight of piles of paperwork and books. "There has to be something in here!" She began to flip through the pages in a book.
Sailor Mercury slowly picked up a few loose pieces of paper and attempted to read what was written. She frowned. The language seemed vaguely familiar, but she could not comprehend.
Sailor Star Maker picked up a few sheets of paper from another stack and quickly discovered she was unable to read the manuscript either. She looked over at Sailor Mercury and frowned.
They both turned to Sailor Oberon who seemed to be quickly scanning a book and talking quietly to herself. "It has to be in here somewhere…"
Sailor Venus raised her arms and stretched as a yawn escaped her lips. The group continued to walk through the desert. She was tired of seeing nothing but desert. She wondered how everyone else could keep walking without tiring. Her thoughts drifted to the group observing Eris. "We haven't heard from the others in a while. I'm starting to become worried."
"As am I, but we must maintain radio silence. If we break protocol it could ruin their element of surprise. I would hate to be the reason for Eris to escape," chimed in Sailor Callisto.
Sailor Venus changed the topic of discussion. "How are you able to always remain so positive?"
"After a while, a person becomes used to being on long missions. I've been on some that were a lot worse than this." Sailor Callisto smiles brightly before adding, "Good company helps."
"The first time we came to Earth, we were here for months before you guys knew us. It took us some time to become idols, it didn't happen overnight, "Sailor Star Healer said as she reflected on her first few weeks on Earth.
"So wait…" Sailor Venus said raising her voice, "You were on Earth when we fought Nehelenia?"
"…yes?" Sailor Star Healer slowly responded, she realized the direction the conversation was heading. "Our mission was to find our Princess. It was agreed upon, before we arrived on Earth, that our sole purpose for coming to your planet was to find out princess. We would only intervene if we came across Sailor Galaxia or one of her animates since they were responsible for the destruction of our planet. Once Sailor Iron Mouse appeared, we entered the battle. Sailor Moon just happened to be there."
"So you knew about us for a while… you watched us from the distance."
"…" Sailor Star Healer bit her lip before she continued, "We were a lot different back then and you guys drew attention away from us. It made it easier for us to fulfill our mission."
"We would have done the same thing," Sailor Callisto quickly added coming to the Starlight's defense. "It is what any senshi would do in your position. Fulfill the mission and return home as soon as possible. Without detection is an added bonus."
A dark crystal slowly rose from the ground and was moments from landing in Eris' hands. He smiled. All of his planning was about to come to fruition. The crystal was now less than a foot from his open hands.
A large, sphere shaped like bolt of lightning crackled through the air and hit the dark crystal piece head on causing the fragment to fly through the air.
Eris narrowed his eyes when he saw the Moon Senshi next to Sailor Jupiter. He glared at them. "You are too late to save your Princess." He spoke in an arrogant tone. He wanted them to feel the same anger he felt. His thoughts were on creating a distraction that would allow Ixion to pick up the crystal shard that conveniently landed several feet near him.
Ixion slowly inched his way forward while trying not to draw any attention to himself. The crystal was now next to his boot. In one quick moment, he could pick it up and claim it for the Dark Moon. He looked over at Eris. That glance caused him to miss Sailor Charon swooping in and snatching the crystal out of nowhere.
"You will pay for your actions," Ixion taunted the group. "You know it will be only a matter time until I take the crystal back from you. The four of you don't stand a chance."
Sailor Charon smirked and quickly moved closer to the other senshi to increase the distance between her and Ixion. She had to keep the small crystal shard safe.
"You have the crystal, but we still have Sailor Cosmos' staff," Eris said showing off the staff in his hands.
"That staff does not belong to you," declared Sailor Jupiter in an icy tone.
Eris laughed at Sailor Jupiter's foolish attempt to intimidate him. "The staff belongs to those that can restore order, which is what we will do to the Earth. It will become our new home since our previous homes were destroyed." Eris laughed again. "This staff will become useless against our Master." He waves his hand in air with the staff a few times and the staff vanished. "You won't take long to defeat."
The Senshi were unsure of who Eris was referring to as "our Master". All they could piece together was the knowledge there was someone more powerful than Eris they would have to eliminate to protect the Earth.
Sailor Titan and Sailor Ganymede changed their position to stand in front of Sailor Charon to protect her and the crystal shard. The battle was about to begin.
Eris snickers at the formation they chose to protect Sailor Charon and the crystal. "You've made my job that much easier." He quickly raised his hand and shot a bolt of dark energy at them.
While Eris attacked the Moon Senshi, Ixion used a lightening block to attack Sailor Jupiter. She was hit by the attack, but the energy barely fazed her. Using her own element against her was futile. Ixion abandoned his plan and changed his opponents to the Moon Senshi. The additional attack on the three senshi caused them to abandon their original formation.
Sailor Ganymede inhaled a deep breath and she placed her hands in front of her. Her fingertips began to glow and she summoned energy from within to fire her own attack. With a flick of her wrist she attacked. "Lighting Strike!" Several bolts of lightning hit Ixion but it had little impact against him.
The abilities of Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Ganymede canceled out Ixion's attacks. The three of them would have little impact using elemental attacks on each other. There was very little they could do to help Sailor Titan and Sailor Charon.
"Is that all you can do? I thought you were more of a threat. Perhaps being inside the crystal weakened you after so many centuries," Eris retorted. He raised his hand above his head, a large ball of dark energy formed. He smiled as he launched the attack at Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Ganymede. They assumed the attack would be another lightening based one but instead it was full of dark energy.
Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Ganymede were blasted back, hard. They landed on the ground. They let their guard down and the enemy took advantage of their assumption.
"Are you alright?" Sailor Titan asked alarmed. After receiving groans from her two fallen comrades, it was time for her use her own attack. She lightly touched the crystal shaped broach across her chest. A spark of light appeared from the crystal. The light transformed into the same shape as Sailor Saturn's glaive. "Silence Buster!"
A wave of egg colored energy washed over Eris and Ixion. They quickly covered their ears. The attack fired energy at them, disrupting their sense of hearing. The attack was like nothing they had experienced before. It took a few seconds for the effects of the attack to wear off.
Eris eyed Sailor Titan closely. Alone, the moon senshi would not be difficult to stop individually, but when they combined their abilities together they became formidable adversaries.
Sailor Charon passed the crystal shard to Sailor Ganymede to free her hands in order to attack those from the Dark Moon. She outstretched her left hand. Gray energy formed in the shape of a ball. "Destiny Spinster!" The energy raced toward Eris and Ixion.
Eris and Ixion dodged the energy blast by moving to the side. Eris responded back by attacking the Moon Senshi. The senshi avoided the energy blast.
Eris pressed his lips together in frustration. This battle could take a while and he did not have time to waste. He needed the crystal fragment and to be able to search for the next piece; his impatience rose. He began to grin evilly. He was prepared for any complications and it was time to use it to speed up the conclusion of this encounter. There are three Moon Senshi here. The two of them could easily stop Sailor Jupiter by themselves.
Eris quickly pulled out a canister with a very familiar blood red powder. He grabbed a handful of powder in his right hand. He quickly opened his hand and blew the powder into the air in the direction of the Moon Senshi. Once he discovered how effective the chemical was against those of the White Moon, he had more of it created in various forms.
"Don't breathe it in!" Sailor Charon warned the others, but it was too late. A soft breeze blew the powder in their direction. The three Moon Senshi began to cough. Sailor Jupiter rushed forward to help them, though she was unsure of what she could do to aid them. The mist seemed to surround them as the cloud refused to disperse. It was the same thing that happened the first time Sailor Cosmos was attack by Haumea.
The Moon Senshi continued to cough as they tried to clear their lungs of the toxic substance. They were unsuccessful.
Panic began to set in as Sailor Jupiter watched her comrades' fall to their knees. She racked her brain for a way to help. Ixion was quickly approaching them. She took a deep breath and raised her hands, her pinky and index fingers flexed upward while her thumbs went out to the side. The antenna on her tiara rose. Lighting gathered on the rod preparing for a discharge of lighting. She hoped the attack would create enough of a gust of wind to clear out the mist. There wasn't enough time to remove all of the Moon Senshi from the mist. "Supreme Thunder!" The thunderbolt created enough of a gust of wind to disperse some of the mist lingering around the Moon Senshi.
The Moon Senshi began to breathe better once the air began to clear. Sailor Ganymede rubbed her eyes slightly. Some of the irritation began to subside. She opened the hand she clenched tightly that contained the crystal shard and gasped. There was nothing in her hand. Her stomach began to twist in knots. Her eyes darted across the ground frantically searching for the crystal piece. She couldn't find it. Then she remembered she had seen Ixion move closer to them during the mist. She slowly raised her head afraid of what she would see.
Ixion grinned evilly. He didn't have to say anything, but it was apparent Ixion was able to snatch the crystal during the commotion. It was their plan all along and they fell for it.
"I didn't even need the staff to defeat you. You've become so predictable," Eris taunted the four senshi.
Sailor Jupiter let out an angry growl in her throat. She lowered her right hand as the symbol of Jupiter appeared in her palm. "Jupiter Oak Evolution!" She spun around in a circle aiming to hit both Eris and Ixion in hopes of buying some time for the Moon Senshi to recover.
Eris and Ixion disappeared without another word.
Sailor Jupiter stopped spinning and realized they were gone. They missed their chance and Eris left with a crystal piece. Now, the Black Moon is one piece closer to accomplishing their goal to complete the Dark Crystal. Sailor Jupiter shook her head in disappointment, mainly direct at herself. She felt like she let everyone down. There was nothing she could do at the moment other than check on the Moon Senshi. She slowly helped each one to their feet and moved them always from the mist.
"We need to rest for a little while," croaked Sailor Ganymede. "We need to recover our strength." She glanced at the other two Moon Senshi for confirmation. They nodded their heads in agreement.
"While we rest, I'll contact the others and fill them in on what happened. Eris might have left this location, but he will probably turn up somewhere else." Sailor Jupiter tapped a few buttons on her communicator to open the channel for everyone to hear. She began to fill the others in on what transpire between them and the two Black Moon members. She explained in detail how Eris and Ixion were able to extract the crystal shard from the ground.
"Hold on, Mako-chan," interrupted Sailor Venus. "I think it is our turn to go on radio silence. I can see Eris and Ixion in the distance with Sailor Cosmos' staff. It looks like they are searching for the next crystal piece. We'll keep you posted when it is over."
The group saved time by using their ability to teleport back to Tokyo. Trains were no longer running directly to the city until the crisis passed. Upon arrival, they quickly split into two groups, the Outers and the Starlights. Tuxedo Kamen accompanied the Starlights since he knew his way around the city. The Outers went to the north to confront a woman with long, black wavy hair, who they assumed was Haumea. The Starlights and Tuxedo Kamen journeyed to the west of the city to investigate reports of black creatures. The way the black creatures had been described in the news report gave the Starlights and Tuxedo Kamen the impression they were similar to the black Crystal minions that Eris had summoned right before capturing Sailor Cosmos and disappearing with her.
Tuxedo Kamen used his cane to block an attack from the Crystal minions. A majority transformed their hands into blades, while others attempted hand to hand combat. He threw a rose hoping the sharp edge would penetrate the crystal embodiment, but it barely made a scratch on the minion's body. He realized it was like the other times there was little he could do to help in the battle, and he was not strong enough.
Sailor Star Destroyer easily blocked a punch that was meant for her face. She was thankful for all the time she had invested in hand to hand combat training. But this method of fighting would not hold off their opponents for very long. They needed to switch over to more effective measures in order to eliminate the crystal minions and protect the city. Without any hesitation, Sailor Star Destroyer opened up her palm, waved her hand in a downward slant and a row of stars appeared where her hand once was. "Star…" The stars transformed into a singular star at the fingertips of her right hand. Energy crackled as she closed her fingers and extended her index finger into the shape of a gun, "Sniper Shoot!" A thin, extremely powerful beam of light raced forward into the crystal minions and shattered them into small pieces. The Starlight cautiously watched the pieces on the ground waiting to see if they would regenerate. They did not. Realization came into mind that the Crystal minions could be destroyed by a large energy output. It was like target practice for them.
Sailor Star Protector dodged a few more attempted attacks meant for her. She was corralling the minions into one place for her attack. She closed her hands together in front of her chest, as one would do while praying. She quickly pulled her hands apart, palms first, until her fingertips still touched. "Star…" She pulled her fingertips apart and a star appeared between them. "Storm Raider!" Energy shot out from the star and dispersed in a wide area, destroying several crystal minions. Her attack had a wide arrange and was very affective at mid-range proximity.
A minion lunged forward with a blade at Sailor Star Creator. She smiled and raised her left hand to her chest, palm facing upward. "Star…" A pulse of white light emitted from the star while it collected energy. "Nova Blast!" The energy shattered several of the Crystal minions. A quick glance around confirmed her suspicions. They had reduced the enemy's numbers by half, but they couldn't take a breather until they were all eliminated.
Tuxedo Kamen continued trying to hold off the minions, but he was limited to what he could do to help the Starlights. An idea occurred to him to try a new tactic. Once he placed some distance between himself and the Crystal minions, he closed his eyes to concentrate. When he opened them again, his attire had changed from a tuxedo to knightly attire. He had transformed into Prince Endymion. He pulled his sword from the sheath. If the Crystal minions wanted to attack him with sword-like hands, he was going to return the favor. He swung at the closest minion and was able to strike it with a single slash. A large crack appeared across the Crystal minion's chest where it was struck with the sword. He attacked the minion in the same spot and it shattered. This confirmed his suspicious. He was more powerful in this form than has Tuxedo Kamen giving him the confidence of being an asset to the group. He didn't hesitate anymore.
The Starlights and Prince Endymion worked well as a team and were able to quickly eliminate the remaining minions.
Sailor Star Creator let out a loud sigh of relief when the last one fell. "I'm glad that part is over."
"Not just yet. Why did they choose this place?" Sailor Star Destroyer pondered, trying to make sense of the battle. She wasn't used to meaningless battles. She gave Prince Endymion a quizzical expression. "You changed your wardrobe."
"As I am realizing more and more, I am at my strongest while in this form," explained Prince Endymion while he carefully returned his sword to its sheath. "I guess… this is my true form."
Sailor Star Creator nodded her head. "May I ask what you call this form?"
"Prince Endymion."
"… The Prince of Earth…." Sailor Star Protector's voice trailed off. "Of course!" Everything seemed to be falling into place. "Well, I'm glad you are finding a form that is suiting you better." She wasn't sure what else to say.
"We should probably move on and help the others," Sailor Star Destroyer interjected. They group worked well together, but it was still somewhat awkward because this group of Starlights will always be grouped with their predecessors. They were associated with the Starlights that ruined the fairytale romance between the Princess of the Moon and the Prince of Earth.
"I think we should make a quick sweep of the area to make sure we didn't miss anything," suggested Sailor Star Creator. "I feel like they chose this area for a reason, but I don't know why."
Prince Endymion nodded his head in agreement. He understood their concerns and quickly scanned the area. "Nothing seems out of the ordinary."
The group spent a few more minutes searching to confirm their belief. They found nothing. They moved on to the next location to help the Outer Senshi.
Sailor Star Destroyer hesitated and looked around her surroundings one more time. "I can't help, but feel like we're being watched. But I see no one."
"It's just you," Sailor Star Protector brushing her concerns to the side. Everyone agreed they couldn't waste any more time.
Unnoticed by the Starlights and Prince Endymion, very small black crystal fragments had been strategically placed around the area. To the unseeing eye it would be difficult to spot them unless the person knew they were there.
Quarora watched on from above.
"World Shaking!" Sailor Uranus blasted several Crystal minions into hundreds of pieces. She was conserving her energy for what would come next. Her instinct told her there was more than just the villain's flunkies running around. The army of Crystal minions persisted.
Sailor Neptune narrowed her eyes after observing a few Crystal minions in the corner. She suspected foul play. "Neptune Violin Tide!" Water rushed from the violin she played crashing into the minions. Water eroded their bodies into large round crystals pieces. She walked forward for a sign of why the minions had been so focus in the corner, but found nothing. Her shoulders slumped slightly. Her intuition told her something was amiss.
Sailor Pluto scanned the perimeter for the woman with long wavy hair. The description she received was for Haumea, but she was nowhere to be seen. She glanced over her right side to Sailor Saturn.
Sailor Saturn shook her head in response, signifying she did not see anyone else either. A few minions rushed forward at Sailor Saturn but she easily disposed of them with her glaive.
"You've gotten a lot better," Sailor Uranus complemented the youngest senshi.
Sailor Saturn beamed at the kind words. Her expression became serious, "She isn't here."
"Hmm… I wonder…" Sailor Neptune pulled out her Deep Aqua Mirror. "Submarine Reflection!" Energy from her mirror radiated outward as it glowed softly. She watched everything carefully, waiting for something to change. Everything remained the same. Sailor Neptune gasped; she did not expect these results. It was an image of Sailor Cosmos still enclosed in crystal. The image sent a shiver down her spine. Why did she see such a vision at a time like this? "Nothing seems amiss in my mirror…. But I can't shake this uneasy feeling." Her eyes darted back and worth.
"I agree." Sailor Pluto said her voice full of frustration. "This was too simple. Too easy. It is unlike the Black Moon."
"We know what their end game is… but how are they going to play it out?" Sailor Uranus asked a rhetorical question. The sound of footsteps caused her head to turn sharply in the direction of the sound. The other three senshi quickly resumed a guard stance.
The three Starlights appeared with Prince Endymion. The Outers were surprised by the change in Mamoru's appearance; it had been awhile since they had seen him appeared before them in that form.
"Are they gone?" Sailor Star Destroyer asked the group.
"Yeah. We didn't see Haumea anywhere." Sailor Uranus shot Prince Endymion a quizzical look.
"It is time I start learning what my abilities are as the Prince of this planet," he explained to the Outer Senshi.
Sailor Pluto bit her lip. This was another significant change from the timeline. She remembered hearing the Prince of Earth was powerful in his previous life. This was his way of trying to fight for Serenity. He wanted to gain power in order to be able to protect her. The words of the Moon Senshi stung him deeply that he was not allowed to travel with them since he would not make the journey with his own abilities. He never wanted to feel so powerless again. Had too many things been set into motion that can not be corrected?
"Something isn't right. I refuse to believe they are taking it easy because they captured Sailor Cosmos," said Sailor Star Protector. Her eyes darted around the area for any sign of movement.
"I hope they find Usako soon," Prince Endymion said, his voice full of pain. He was stuck here while having to relying on others to find her. He hated to be in that position.
"I know they will find her." Sailor Star Destroyer's voice was full of reassurance. "There is no way they will return to this planet without her." She didn't have to explain to the others why she felt this way. It was because Seiya would never return without her. For once, Seiya's stubbornness would pay off. Sailor Star Destroyer bit down on her lip to avoid a yawn. She began to realize how exhausted she was from the day's events.
"We should probably rest. They will be back eventually," Sailor Saturn's words echoed everyone's thoughts.
Sailor Mercury closed the book in her hands in frustration. The symbols seemed vaguely familiar to her, but it was in a language she did not understand.
Sailor Star Maker picked up on her mood and tried to comfort her by saying. "I don't understand it either."
"But I've seen this writing before today. I feel like I should be able to understand it." Sailor Mercury's shoulders slumped, "I can't explain it."
Sailor Oberon looked up at Sailor Mercury. "You are frustrated because you used to speak and write this language fluently. What you see before you is the ancient language of the Lunar people."
"Of course…" Sailor Mercury murmured at the cover of the book.
"When this is over, I would love to teach you the language… and the language of Mercury." Sailor Oberon's eyes reflected sorrow. "I think I am the only surviving person that speaks the language of our planet."
Sailor Mercury beamed at the offer she received from Sailor Oberon. There was so much she felt she missed out on due to not having her memories from her previous life. She hoped she would one day remember what her life was like as the Princess of Mercury.
"I am surprised how similar the language of Kinmoku is to some of the languages on Earth. I guess it wasn't a coincidence we ended up in Japan rather than somewhere else," said Sailor Star Maker in a thoughtful tone.
"It isn't surprising," said Sailor Oberon, as she continued to scan the symbols on the page in the book.
Sailor Star Maker was confused by her remark. "What do you mean?"
Sailor Oberon closed the book and looked at Sailor Star Maker. "This book I just reviewed discussed the history of this colony. A small group from the colony was finally able to pull enough resources together to travel back to the Silver Millennium, but they were too late. The kingdom was in shambles." She hesitated while she carefully considered her word choice for the next part of her story. "They found some artifacts that they recognized were common on soldiers from the Golden Kingdom, rather the royal palace of Earth. Once on Earth, they discovered the kingdom was destroyed. They found a few survivors and confirmed their suspicions that the Golden Kingdom was actually responsible for the destruction of the Silver Millennium. The colony wanted revenge against the Silver Millennium for being abandoned and it proved to be impossible. They vowed to one day take control of the Earth as their revenge." She paused for a moment. She was going to neglect a few details in her description of the next series of events. "During the Black Moon's time on Earth, they came across some travelers from Kinmoku… befriended them and used them for information. They learned of the legend of Sailor Cosmos. The Black Moon became concerned since they knew if Sailor Cosmos existed, she would stop them from completing their revenge. They returned to Nemesis and began to develop contingency plans, should she awaken. If she was to appear, they would have to eliminate her shortly after her first appearance, before her powers matured and was able to fully control them. They refused to have anything or anyone stand in their way to conquer the Earth. But before they left… they made sure to eliminate any allies of the Silver Millennium." At the last moment she decided to tell them about the alliance between Kinmoku and the Silver Millennium.
Sailor Mercury and Sailor Star Maker were stunned by the information Sailor Oberon was able to acquire from reading the various books in the room. For Sailor Mercury, this emphasized the need for her to relearn ancient languages. Her mouth opened a little as an idea occurred to her. "I wonder if my computer could scan the text in the books to help us cover the material faster. It is apparent these books contain valuable knowledge about the Black Moon." Sailor Mercury walked over to the table and opened the nearest book. She held her computer over the text and the computer began to analyze the symbols on the pages.
"At least these books have provided us with some understanding of what happened here," said Sailor Oberon as she looked back at the table for the next book to examine. She was desperate for something that would spell out the Black Moon's master plan and how they planned to conquer Earth.
Something bugged Sailor Star Maker. "I never knew until recently that the Scarlett Palace had such a strong alliance with the Silver Millennium. The distance between the star systems is so great and it would have been more difficult to travel at that time."
"I'm sorry, I don't have more information on that. Queen Serenity was always very quiet about the affairs of Kinmoku. It created issues for some of those in the Royal Court. Some felt, she was hiding something. In my opinion, many were too fast to judge and their reactions were blown out of proportion." She conveniently neglected to mention there was discussion of an arranged marriage between the two planets, but Kinmoku lacked a Prince. Once Princess Serenity fell in love with the Prince of Earth, they knew any further discussions would be futile.
"How… unfortunate…" Sailor Star Maker's tone suggested she didn't completely believe Sailor Oberon.
Sailor Oberon turned her attention back to the books. "We know that the Black Moon has planned to attack the Earth for centuries. It was all they thought about. We have to take everything they do seriously; it makes them very dangerous. I think we have underestimated them."
Sailor Mercury's computer beeped. "Well… it looks like my computer can translate the text but it will take a while…."
Sailor Cosmos opened her eyes again. Only to be faced with the darkness once again. She could feel her anger rising knowing that she was still trapped and didn't know how to free herself. What kind of Guardian could she be if she was imprisoned? Coming to her senses, she pushed her negative thoughts to the back of her mind and concentrated instead of getting herself out of her current dilemma.
Her mind quickly drifted back to the conversation she had with her older self at Rei's shrine when she traveled five years into the future. Her future-self had asked her who she loved more? Sailor Cosmos frowned at such a question. The answer should be obvious, but she was still conflicted. She couldn't be with both. She didn't have a clue on how to answer that specific question, so she began to evaluate both her relationships with Mamoru and Seiya from the very beginning. She thought back to her first encounter with each man.
She smirked as she reflected on her first interaction with Mamoru in this lifetime. It was the result of a crumpled up test, which she had embarrassedly scored a 30 percent on, and it just happened to land on Mamoru's head making it the reason for their path's to cross. Every time after that he teased her, some would say he bullied her or made fun of her coming across as cold and uncaring. When in reality, unconsciously he was drawn to Usagi and her to him.
She then thought about the first time she met Seiya. She was trying to sneak into an area where a movie was being filmed and Seiya had caught her. He had told her they met earlier, but she didn't recall the interaction. She had been too upset about Mamoru leaving for America to focus on anything else. Seiya teased and then said he would see her around. Seiya always appeared warm and caring. He always wanted to make sure she was okay.
The two encounters were very different.
She thought about how each relationship changed when each other's identities were revealed.
During the time they were battling Metallica and her Dark Kingdom, she had been caught in the crossfire between Mamoru and Zoisite, after foolishly falling into Zoisite's trap. Caught between a rock and a hard place, she was forced to transform and reveal herself to Mamoru, while being trapped in an elevator, in order to save him and herself. Only to have him reveal his identity as Tuxedo Kamen, so she wouldn't be caught between his battle with Zoisite. Even before they had received their memories from their past lives and remember their love for each other, Tuxedo Kamen always tried to protect her and be my her side.
Her identity revelation with Seiya was a lot different. Recalling back to that moment when she, along with the Inner Senshi and Sailor Starlights, were in their civilian forms and were on aboard an airplane. Soon, that airplane turn into a battlefield were her starseed was almost taken by Sailor Aluminum Siren. Sailor Aluminum was unsuccessful in capturing her starseed after Seiya interfered by transforming, revealing himself to be no other than Sailor Star Fighter, and saved her. Usagi remembered how Sailor Star Fighter promised her that he would always protected her. Seiya wanted to protect her even before he knew she was Sailor Moon. He did everything he could to help. When she was home alone, he wanted to make sure she was okay. When the airplane took off and she was terrified, he did his best to reassure her. Once he knew she was Sailor Moon, he ran in front of Sailor Tin Nyanko's attack without protection to keep Sailor Moon safe. He did everything he could despite the opposition he received from the other Starlights and the Outer senshi. He was willing to go against his teammates, his best friends, for her.
Sailor Cosmos pressed her lips together tightly. Mamoru only cared about her after he knew she was Princess Serenity and he was Prince Endymion. It was something she had always known, just something she never really thought about, since she never had a reason to think about it until recently.
She gasped as another thought entered her might. It was clear her thoughts were leading her towards Seiya. But was she being influenced by her current form as Sailor Cosmos? She didn't dare de-transform due to her current circumstances. There was no guarantee she would be able to transform back into Sailor Cosmos. She needed these abilities to eventually help her break free.
She needed to think things over as Usagi. Not as Sailor Cosmos; nor as Princess Serenity. She also needed to spend more time with Mamoru before she made such an importance decision. For the most part; she avoided him since she returned from Kinmoku. Was she that afraid of what could happen if they were alone again? If that was the case, then she needed to be with him and not Seiya.
Her emotions reeled. A few tears of frustration trickled down her cheeks. Her inner turmoil would be the end of her unless she was able to finally make a decision she would be happy with. But she knew, no matter what she decided, a part of her would always wonder if she made the right decision. In this moment, it became painfully clear what she needed to do. She needed to spend one more day with Mamoru in order for her to come to a final decision. She just hoped they would both understand and she herself had to understand that no matter her decision, someone would be heartbroken because of her. She hoped she could live with the guilt.
She slowly inhaled deeply through her nose and exhaled from her mouth. It was time for her to calm her nerves and focus all of her energy into freeing herself. Drifting in and out of sleep restored some of her energy. She wasn't sure how much time passed. It could have been hours or days. It was time she discovered a way to take matters into her own hands.
Sailor Venus, Sailor Callisto and Sailor Star Healer couldn't believe their luck to come across Eris and Ixion so quickly after their short run in with Sailor Jupiter and the other three Moon Senshi. Spotting them had been easy, given their current surroundings. Unfortunately, they had a great distance between themselves and their enemy with minimal shelter to use in order to conceal themselves. Small boulders were scattered across the terrain, and as tempting as it was, they couldn't push the rocks forward and use as shields without given themselves away. The closer they moved to Eris and Ixion, the less cover they had and they would be spotted by them immediately.
Sailor Callisto was given the point position. She paid close attention to Eris and Ixion and waited for any signs of movement of them finding the next crystal shard. A light was emitting from Sailor Cosmos' staff. Based on what they learned from Sailor Jupiter, the two men were closing in on the next crystal piece that would eventually be used to piece together the Black Crystal sphere.
To their luck, Eris and Ixion gradually walked away towards the opposite direction from where the group of senshi hid. Their backs face the three senshi. Sailor Callisto began to formula a plan. She whispered her plans to the others. "As long as Eris and Ixion have their backs to us, we will be able to gradually move closer. But we have to watch their every move carefully without given ourselves away. If they hear us approaching, and turn around, it's over. We won't have any cover. We will be in plain sight." She frowned. "This is not going to be easy. Honestly, we are stuck in quiet the predicament."
Sailor Venus tear-dropped as she listened to Sailor Callisto's explanation. The way it was presented to her, it sounded next to impossible to achieve. But she knew she could not let them obtain the next crystal piece. They needed to stop the Black Moon. She took a deep breath and let it out quickly. "We can do this." She tried to use a positive self-affirmation to ease her nerves. She hoped it would work for her and the others.
Sailor Star Healer raised her right eyebrow slightly. She wasn't sure how well Sailor Venus would be able to manage the expectation. She wasn't the quietest senshi, rather, she was typically the loudest. But given the seriousness of the mission, Sailor Venus should be able to adjust.
"Are you ready?" Sailor Callisto asked the two senshi beside her. She needed confirmation from each of them before she tried anything. They would have to work together and hope for the odds to be on their side. Sailor Callisto reviewed the hand signals once more time, which would allow them to communication visually. Sailor Callisto would walk first. Sailor Venus and Sailor Star Healer would follow close behind in a pyramid formation.
"Ready," reaffirmed Sailor Venus softly.
Sailor Star Healer did not audibly responded, but nodded her head in agreement. Her eyes focused ahead, staring straight at Eris and Ixion. These adversaries were very different than the last two battles she had encounter with the Earth senshi. They wanted to conquer a world rather than destroy it. The tactics were very different.
"Okay," directed Sailor Callisto. Remember to stay low to the ground and follow my hand signals. Talking ends now." She turned around and began to walk forward. It felt odd for her to work with such a diverse team, but deep down she was thrilled to be able to work with her Princess again. She smiled slightly when she remembered some of the trouble the two created on Venus. She shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts; those were stories for another time.
For five minutes, the group moved forward silently and without any incident. Everything seemed to be moving well. Sailor Callisto suddenly threw her fist in the air.
Sailor Star Healer stopped immediately. The hairs on the back on her neck began to rise with anticipation. Her gut told her they were about to fight.
Sailor Venus fell to the ground and took Sailor Star Healer down with her. She had confused the hand signals already. She had confused the hand signal for "Stop" with the hand signal for "Drop". She was too close to the Starlight and hit her in the back of the head.
Sailor Star Healer had landed face first into the sand and it took all of her self-control not to yell out in anger at Sailor Venus' blunder.
Sailor Venus gasped and turned bright red when she realized her mistake. She meekly sat up and looked at Sailor Star Healer while rubbing the back of her head. This is normally where she would let out a nervous laugh, but she wasn't supposed to talk or make a sound.
The noise caused Sailor Callisto to turn around. Her jaw dropped at the sight before her. She looked at Sailor Venus and shook her head. She turned around to watch Eris and Ixion again. Their prey heard nothing. Luck was still with them.
Sailor Star Healer slowly sat up while wiping sand off her face. Once she was sure all the sand had been wipe off her face, she opened her eyes and turned to glare at Sailor Venus. She shot the senshi of love a dirty look.
Sailor Venus decided to turn on her natural charm. She smiled brightly and waved her hand.
Sailor Star Healer dropped her jaw in confusion. The longer she stared at the sight before her, the more she wanted to laugh. She quickly covered her mouth to avoid any sound and turned away from Sailor Venus. The entire situation was ridiculous, especially how Sailor Venus acted so nonchalantly.
Sailor Venus stood up and brushed some of the sand off her fuku. This gave Sailor Star Healer time to regain control of her emotions. Sailor Venus extended a hand outward to help up Sailor Star Healer. Sailor Star Healer took her hand and with her body strength Sailor Venus helped her back on her feet. If they weren't on a mission, Sailor Star Healer would have pulled her down onto the sand as revenge. But there wasn't time for any of that. There were more important matters at hand.
Sailor Star Healer swallowed her pride and let it pass. When they returned to Earth she would have plenty of opportunities to get back at Minako.
Sailor Callisto turned around to face the two senshi again to see if they were ready to continue forward. Sailor Venus nodded her head. Sailor Star Healer moved a few steps to her left to create more distance between herself and Sailor Venus. She then nodded her head.
Sailor Venus pouted her lips at the Starlight. She was being treated as if she was a curse or a klutz. After all, she wasn't Usagi. She brushed her feelings to the side and redirected her attention to Eris and Ixion. They needed to find the crystal's shards and save Sailor Cosmos.
The group moved forward again for another ten minutes without any issues. Sailor Venus eyed Sailor Callisto's movements carefully and ignored the footing in front of her. She nearly tripped over her own feet, but was saved by Sailor Star Healer.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sailor Star Healer saw Sailor Venus begin to trip over a rock and was about to fall forward. They were closer to Eris and Ixion and any additional sound could draw their attention to them. She reached out and caught Sailor Venus. Once Sailor Venus regained her balance, Sailor Star Healer let her go.
Sailor Venus could feel a blush creeping across her cheeks. She wasn't used to being caught. Her heart began to race at the brief contact. Her feelings toward Yaten were not a secret to her fellow comrade. She refused to look back at Sailor Star Healer until she was sure her cheeks were no longer bright red.
Sailor Callisto heard a sound and turned around to check on the senshi behind her. Sailor Star Healer stood attentive looking forward. Sailor Venus refused to look at anyone with reddened cheeks. Sailor Callisto raised her eyebrows, trying to understand what she had missed. There was something she was not aware of. She shook her head and turned around to face Eris and Ixion again. With a gesture of her hand, the group continued to move forward.
Vigorous shouts were heard coming from Eris and Ixion causing the Senshi to be on high alert. They had found another crystal shard and at any moment it was going to rise from the ground. The senshi knew that once Eris and Ixion had it in their hands they would flee and move on to locating the remaining crystal pieces. They poured energy into the ground to pull out the crystal. The noise they created provided them the perfect cover. The group rushed forward. This was the perfect opportunity. They refused to leave empty handed.
Eris smiled as the sand began to move to the side, slowly revealing the desired item. Any second the crystal would appear. None of the pesky Earth senshi were around. They could quickly move on to their next location.
The three senshi sprinted forward. Time was up, it was now or never.
The black crystal piece was the size of a small stapler, much larger than the previous piece he had acquired.
Sailor Callisto had a clear shot. She had spent countless hours training for a moment like this. To be able to fire an attack seamlessly while running forward. She flicked a few fingers forward from her closed hand. A few bright sparks emerged. "Morning Star!" Bright orange energy rushed from her fingertips directed at the area between Eris and Ixion. Her goal was to blind them using the light from her attack and knock the crystal piece away from them. With enough luck, she would also hit one of the two men. Two out of three were successful.
Eris shouted out in surprised. "No!" He couldn't believe the same turn of events were being repeated. This was the second crystal piece they had located and once again they were taken by surprise by Sailor Senshi here. He silently cursed his luck.
Sailor Callisto charged forward. She was moments away from grabbing the crystal shard during the attack; however, Ixion anticipated her movements. He snatched the crystal up in his hands and clutched it tightly against himself. Based on his last encounter, he knew the senshi wouldn't give up without a fight. He was prepared. "It was a good attempt," he mocked them. "You definitely caught us by surprise I'll give you that, but you weren't fast enough."
Sailor Star Healer's anger rose. She hated it when others talked down to her as if she was nothing. She had to listen to remarks along that nature all of her life. It hit a nerve. She rushed forward. They weren't leaving empty handed. "Star Sensitive Inferno!" Electric energy shot forth from her fingertips. She smirked when the energy burst hit its intended mark.
Ixion moved to the side. He immediately assumed the attack was meant for him since he held the crystal shard. He was mistaken. Sailor Star Healer's true target was Eris. He was ill prepared. The energy felt hot when it hit Eris' hand. Sailor Cosmos' staff fell to the ground.
Eris huffed in annoyance. The staff did not land far from him. It was still closer to him than to the other senshi. The Starlight had misjudged the amount of energy needed to put a significant distance between Eris and the staff. "You're a feisty one." He bent down and retrieved the staff. "It was a good effort…. But I don't have time to play with girls."
"Funny, you're about to be defeat by a bunch of girls," retorted Sailor Venus. She knew of an attack she could use against them that they would not expect. "Venus Love Me Chain!" A heart shaped chain rushed from her fingertips. She grabbed the end of the chain and held it tight. The other end shot forward at Ixion's hand clutching the crystal shard.
The attack caught Ixion by surprise.
With a flick of her wrist, Sailor Venus snapped the chain around the crystal shard and pulled it back to her. She dropped the crystal shard in her opposite hand. She smiled at Eris and Ixion. "I guess us girls don't always get the credit we deserve."
"Stay back," Sailor Callisto instructed her as she walked in front of Sailor Venus to protect her. Sailor Star Healer also took a protective stance in front of Sailor Venus next to Sailor Callisto.
Eris laughed at the gesture. He disappeared.
As soon as Eris disappeared, Sailor Star Healer did a back flip over Sailor Venus. She knew were Eris would appear. It wasn't the first time he was using this tactic
Eris reappeared behind Sailor Venus and was greeted by Sailor Star Healer's fist to his face. Eris didn't anticipate a very angry Starlight to contend with. Eris staggered backward as he tried to regain is balance. Blood trailed down Eris' forehead. He wiped the blood away from his forehead as he curse at Sailor Star Healer. It was rare for Eris to be involved in any hand to hand combat fights. He narrowed his eyes at the group of senshi. "I never realized how protective all of the Starlights are over the senshi of the Silver Millennium. Here I thought Sailor Star Fighter was the only one."
While Eris distracted Sailor Venus and Sailor Star Healer, Ixion prepared to attack.
But Sailor Callisto was faster. "Morning Star!"
Ixion moved to the side and dodged most of the attack. He continued to gather energy the entire time. A part of him wanted to thank Sailor Callisto since the delay in the attack gave him more time to gather energy for a more powerful offense. He normally never had this much time. It allowed him to increase the range of the blast. They weren't paying him attention since they were fighting Eris.
Sailor Callisto tried to yell out a warning to her comrades when she realized Ixion's intentions, but she was too late.
The energy hit Sailor Venus and Sailor Star Healer, knocking them to the ground, hard.
"No!" Sailor Callisto shouted.
Seconds later Eris attacked them again and blasted them several feet back. The force of the second blast cause Sailor Venus to unclench her fist making her lose her hold on the dark crystal piece causing it to fly into the air and land on the ground.
Eris grinned as he bent down to collect what he believed to be rightfully his. "You could have avoided all the pain you are in right now if only you let me have the crystal." He gloated over them with the crystal piece and Sailor Cosmos' staff in his grasp. Gratification plastered all over his face, Eris gave the Senshi a satisfying smirk before he disappeared with Ixion.
The battle was over.
Sailor Callisto rushed to her comrades' side and sat down on the sand next to them. "Are you all right?"
Sailor Venus slowly sat up, clutching her side. Her right side was definitely injured and she was going to feel the pain for a while. She was angry at herself. She had the crystal in her palm on her hand and all she had to do was hold to it. "I'm sorry guys. I lost the crystal." She felt a lump form in her throat. "I should have kept it safe. I failed you."
Sailor Star Healer shook her head. "It's not your fault," she said, as she placed her hand on Sailor Venus' shoulder in an effort to comfort her. "You were able to pry the crystal away from them. We were supposed to protect you since you had the crystal. It was us who failed you."
Sailor Venus' lips parted in surprised by Sailor Star Healer's kind words. She assumed the Starlight was still upset with her for knocking her to ground. Perhaps there was more to this Starlight than she thought.
Sailor Callisto watched their interaction without a word. This confirmed her suspicions. Sailor Cosmos wasn't the only one who had strong feelings for a Starlight. Some just took longer than others to realize it.
Sailor Star Healer removed her hand from Sailor Venus' shoulder. "I don't know about you guys, but the next time we come across these guys we're going to pay them back."
Sailor Venus and Sailor Callisto nodded their heads in complete agreement. "I guess I should contact the others. Are you guys okay with sitting here for a little while?"
Sailor Star Fighter reflected on a conversation she had with Usagi. Usagi had several dreams and she was unsure if they were actually premonitions of her future, or of a possible future. Sailor Star Fighter was frustrated for not having the opportunity to speak to Usagi before she disappeared out of Mamoru's apartment. Sailor Star Fighter subconsciously touched the skin around her eye where Mamoru punched her alter ego. The skin was still bruised and felt a little tender to touch. It was an event she knew would probably happen again given the circumstances until Usagi made a decision.
Her thoughts drifted back to the excitement she felt as Seiya when Usagi discussed the future she witnessed as Queen. Nervousness began to set in about his future roles as King… and a parent? He was nowhere ready for anything like that. But was that the future? Years from now, right? They just began their relationship and it was in turmoil. Would… the relationship last?
Sailor Mars noticed how quickly Sailor Star Fighter had become quiet and the distant look on her face. "Are you alright?" She asked her softly. She didn't hear a response. She waited a moment before she tried again, this time in a louder voice. "Sailor Star Fighter, are you okay?"
Hearing her name brought her back to reality. "Huh? Yeah", replied Sailor Star Fighter while she shook her head for a moment as if to clear out her mind from what was bothering her. "I've just had a lot on my mind lately." She responded honestly. Before she realized her true concern slipped out from her, "I'm just worried about Odango and some of the things we discussed before all this happened." She stopped herself before she said anything more. She was walking with three Moon Senshi that dislike the Starlight and disapproved of her relationship with their Princess. She didn't want to add fuel to the fire.
Sailor Mars didn't skip a beat. "You mean her dreams."
Sailor Star Fighter stared at her wide eyed. She hadn't anticipated the topic to be brought up so casually. "…Yes." She wasn't sure how much Usagi told her. "It's a lot to take in at once."
Sailor Mars nodded her head in agreement. "I could imagine."
"What happened in these dreams?" Sailor Phobos inquired. If it was something that would help them find the Princess she wanted to know.
Sailor Star Fighter didn't respond.
Sailor Mars quickly intervene by stating, "About being the Queen." She neglected to mention whom she would rule with. It was better this way. If the others gradually learned to accept Seiya it would be easier. But then again, if Usagi were to return to Mamoru it wouldn't be an issue for the others.
Sailor Umbriel sensed something was amiss. She decided to do a little digging. "You care about her a lot, don't you?"
Sailor Triton shot Sailor Umbriel a dirty look for asking such a question.
"Yes," responded Sailor Star Fighter with a slight smile when she thought about what Usagi meant to her. "She means everything to me."
"Hmph," Sailor Triton grumbled, unmoved by Sailor Star Fighter's words.
"Wait a minute…" Sailor Phobos said in alarmed when light reflected off of Sailor Star Fighter's brooch. There was a mark there she never noticed before. It was a gold crescent moon. It could only symbolize one thing. She was astonished she never noticed this before. It made her wonder how long Sailor Star Fighter had this mark. "When were you selected as a member of the Royal Court?"
"Impossible!" Sailor Triton barked, as she examined Sailor Star Fighter's brooch in disgust. She gasped when she realized Sailor Phobos was correct.
"…I don't believe it…" Sailor Umbriel added with disbelief in her voice. After several awkward moments of silence she spoke again, "I know the Silver Millennium had a strong friendship with those from Kinmoku, but it is unheard of for anyone from that star system or rather any…. foreign star system to be added to the Inner Court."
"How were you chosen for the Royal Court and we are not?" Sailor Triton huffed at him. She turned her attention to Sailor Mars and noticed she also lacked a crescent moon marking. "Not even her own senshi from the Silver Millennium have been admitted! This is madness!"
"Lower your voice!" Sailor Phobos hissed at the group. She did not want to draw any extra attention to them. "However, Sailor Triton makes a validate claim. How did you receive the mark?" She tried to defuse the situation and gather information at the same time.
Sailor Star Fighter knew there was no way to avoid the topic now. "Not too long ago… there was a battle and I was fatally injured. I'm told I died from the injury, but Sailor Cosmos brought me back to life. Somehow in the process, I received this mark." Sailor Star Fighter explained to the others while she pointed to her brooch. "I have no clue past that. I was technically dead."
Sailor Triton turned to Sailor Mars for confirmation of the Starlight's tale. Sailor Mars nodded her head in agreement.
"So… the Princess has learned how to revive the dead as Sailor Cosmos. It is one of her legendary powers. Her abilities are maturing quickly." Sailor Phobos said in alarm.
"She also used her abilities to restore the Silver Millennium…. And for a few brief seconds she appeared to us as Neo Queen Serenity," Sailor Mars said softly. "It was some time after you arrived on Earth, but before the Black Moon surfaced." She fell silent until she realized Usagi appeared to them twice as the Queen. "She also appeared briefly as the Queen right after she brought Sailor Star Fighter back to life."
Sailor Star Fighter wanted to take some of the attention off of her. "Sailor Pluto was also given the crescent moon mark after she trained Sailor Cosmos on using the time streams."
The Moon Senshi seemed to visibly relax a little when they learned one of their own possessed the same mark.
"The time streams?" Sailor Umbriel repeated…. "Of course… the Guardian of the Time and Space. I'm sure Setsuna-san explained to her the dangers of making any alterations."
"This current timeline is already an alteration. We… Sailor Cosmos was never supposed to awaken," said Sailor Mars, as she studied the reactions of the others.
"How would you know the timeline is altered unless you have been to the future?" Sailor Triton questioned her.
"… Many years ago, the others and I along with Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen traveled to the future," explained Sailor Mars. She wanted to avoid describing the future she had witnessed as Usagi being Queen of Crystal Tokyo. "We were not there very long." It was time for her to change the subject. "But it doesn't matter. We still have plenty of time before Usagi becomes Queen. I'm sure we will all receive marks." She tried to make the conversation more light hearted.
"I wouldn't be so sure," Sailor Umbriel stated, quickly shooting down the carefree remarks Sailor Mars said to lighten the mood. "The very fact that those marks are appearing means her time is quickly approaching."
Something bothered Sailor Star Fighter about the entire conversation involving the golden marks. "What will happen to the marks when she becomes Queen?"
Sailor Triton willingly offered to answer the Starlight's question to the surprise of the others. "The marks will become silver… and those with the marks will be given near eternal lives."
"Near eternal? But Queen Serenity…" Sailor Mars' voice trailed off. Something was not adding up.
Sailor Triton understood Sailor Mars' confusion and repeated herself. "Near eternal… meaning a person will not die from old age or a health issue related with old age. But… you can still die on the battle field."
"Incredible…" murmured Sailor Star Fighter. "I had no idea…her abilities are truly amazing." She began to understand the anger the others felt more by not receiving the marks after fighting alongside Usagi in two different lifetimes.
"Between the Princess' abilities as Sailor Cosmos…. And the ones she will receive as Neo-Queen Serenity, she will become practically invincible once they fully mature and she learns to control them." Sailor Phobos let out a soft sigh at this thought, "The universe will see a reign of tranquility unlike any seen before." She smiled brightly at the thought. "I can't wait for that day."
The other senshi stood in shock at Sailor Phobos' words. It put everything into perspective for them.
Sailor Triton walked over to Sailor Star Fighter to glare at her. "You better make her happy… if she loses control of her powers… because you hurt her, it would catastrophic." She needed to emphasize her point that she still did not accept the Starlight's relationship with the Princess.
"That actually already happened…. Chaos possessed her and awakened her powers as Sailor Cosmos… but we survived," responded Sailor Mars in a somber tone. She wanted to make sure the other Moon Senshi understood they had already experienced the worst case scenario and, if needed, would face it again to save their Princess.
The Moon Senshi were stunned by Sailor Mars revelation. They stood in silence as they reflected on the information they had just learned.
"I won't let it happen again… I'm going to do everything in my power to save her from the Black Moon and bring her happiness…" Sailor Star Fighter vowed. She silently made a vow with herself not to ever allow for Usagi to be captured or be place in any danger. She couldn't keep going through this. It was too painful.
Alone in his apartment, Mamoru sat in his living room couch thinking about the recent events that had transpired. It had been days since the other senshi and Starlights left Earth in search of Sailor Cosmos. No further attacks had befallen upon the city since the night the black creatures had appeared and their enemy had shown no signs of any further attacks. Their inactivity gave Mamoru an uneasy feeling. If there were constant battles against their enemy, they could presume what the enemy was up to and anticipate their next move. However, the Black Moon was different and use other tactics compared to past enemies. Their tactics were more thought out and inconspicuous. He picked up the framed photo of himself and Usagi. His shoulders slumped as he sighed. He had not heard anything from the other group on Nemesis. The longer he went without information, the more worried he became. The Outer Senshi did not have any new information either.
He thought about Usako trapped within the crystal. He sat down on his couch with the photo. He knew what it was like to be trapped inside a crystal prison. It happened to him twice.
His mind wandered back to familiar ground of frustration with himself over his inability to help the woman he loved when she needed him the most. Sitting around angry with himself did not lead to anything productive. He spent the past several days researching anything he could find about ancient kingdoms, civilizations or ruins. He had a few leads. The most promising one seemed to be in America on the Northeastern coast. Ironically, Harvard was less than half a day's travel from the site. He found a brief mention of it in an article written by a young woman. But there was no guarantee it was what he searched for. Nowhere in modern history was anything mentioned about an Earth Kingdom. He shook his head when he realized the kingdom could have been mentioned in history books and he wouldn't know the difference. He didn't know what his former home looked like. Even with his semi-restored memories from his former life with Princess Serenity, he had no recollection about his kingdom, his parents, nor any other family members.
His feelings of powerlessness led him into a dark place. He couldn't protect her anymore. The enemies they faced have become too strong. As Tuxedo Kamen, he felt powerless to help Usagi, or even the other senshi, in their fight against Haumea and the rest of the Black Moon. He had to learn how to develop and master his powers as Prince Endymion. He could not continue to fight as Tuxedo Kamen. Things were becoming too dangerous.
He would never admit this to anyone, but he hated the idea that Seiya could do a better job protecting Usagi than he could for the moment. Having the advantage of being a senshi, Seiya possess powerful abilities to protect Usagi. All of the senshi had them.
Mamoru had always considered himself Usagi's protector but now… she would have to protect him. That was unacceptable to him. He knew he had more to offer, he was capable of more. He just wasn't sure how to go about it.
He leaned his head against the back of his couch. If it wasn't for the other senshi helping Sailor Moon, the Earth could have been destroyed several times over. Yet, he is the Prince, and future King, of this planet. He recognized this line of thinking was not productive and it would only lead to more depression.
His thoughts remained on Usagi. He reflected on the last conversation they have had on the Moon. She sounded as if she had made up her mind, but then at the last minute they kissed each other. He knew she was still in love with him and that kiss was proof of it. He couldn't sit by and do nothing. She had to see they belonged together. He thought of the future he had witnessed with her several years ago the first time they encountered the Black Moon. Learning about Crystal Tokyo and their destiny to rule it side by side as King and Queen is supposed to be their future. He is supposed to be at her side when she ascends to the throne of the new Silver Millennium. How could he convince her? By spending time with her, his mind shot back at him.
He needed to know what to do in order to win Usagi back, but everyone was on Nemesis. He didn't have anyone he could talk about regarding his dilemma. His only options were to talk to the Outer Senshi… or the new Starlights. The second one was definitely not an option even though it was pretty clear Shiori had feelings for Seiya. But this topic was something he could easily bring up with the Outer Senshi.
He cursed the Animates for reappearing on Earth. If they never surfaced, Usagi never would have awakened as Sailor Cosmos and none of this would have happened. Was there anything he could have done to prevent it? He pouted his lips when the simple answer of having his memories crossed his mind. "Arrrgh." He groaned while he rubbed his temples. He always ended up with the same answers to his questions and none of it was productive.
A noise from his balcony snapped his attention back to his surroundings. He cautiously stood up. The tension faded when he found two cats standing outside his balcony, Luna and Artemis.
"We wanted to see how you were doing," Luna said with a half-smile. She already knew what the answer would be, but she couldn't stand there and say nothing.
Artemis was not so tactful and stated, "I'm surprised you didn't go to Nemesis with the others."
"Artemis!" Luna yelled at him.
"No, it's okay. I wanted to go, but the Moon Senshi told me I wouldn't be able to since I could not travel there on my own. They couldn't afford to expend the extra energy to take me with them…" As he responded to Artemis' question he could feel his anger returning. "In a way… it's probably best to have distance between Seiya-kun and myself." He knew there was high chance he would punch the Starlight again.
Luna frowned. "Things have come that bad?"
"It is going to continue to be bad as long as he is here. He doesn't belong here. He doesn't belong with Usako."
"Usagi-chan is in a very difficult situation Mamoru-san. She knows she must make a decision soon, but whatever she decides will break someone's heart. She doesn't want to do that, but that is the only outcome." Luna hesitated trying to decide if she should tell Mamoru some of Usagi's thoughts about the situation. After a few moments she decided to tell him. She hoped it would help ease some of his pain. "She believed if she never awakened as Sailor Cosmos, none of this would have ever happened. But she can't go back and undone what has already been done."
Mamoru looked over at Luna with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He moved forward on the couch. "I was thinking the same exact thing right before you arrived." Relief washed over him to know that Usagi shared some of the same thoughts as him. "But just because she awakened as Sailor Cosmos, it doesn't mean she has to cast everything else to the side."
"Have you told her this?" Luna asked as she jumped up on the couch to sit next to him. Artemis followed her and sat to her right.
"…I've tried. But when we've talked she was adamant things would never be the same and she chose another path," explained Mamoru.
Luna couldn't look Mamoru in the eyes. "She's…. very confused."
"But she has to make a decision!" Artemis jumped in on the conversation.
"She knows this!" Luna shot back. "She just…. doesn't know what to do."
"She should already know," responded Artemis, curtly.
Mamoru smiled slightly after listening to Artemis' comments and what he implied. He chose to try to defuse the rising tempers between the two cats. "Either way, nothing is going to happen until Usako is rescued from Nemesis and has safety returned home." He leaned back on the couch again. "If I could, there are so many things I would go back and change. If only I had the chance… but it's too late. Setsuna-san made it clear this is the new path for this timeline and it can't be further altered. It's just so frustrating. I've tried to talk to her countless times, but was unsuccessful." His thoughts lingered back again to the last kiss he shared with Usagi on the Silver Millennium and the other one they almost had before Seiya barged into his apartment. "I want to see her happy again…" his voice trailed off because he could finish the sentence.
The trio sat quietly for a few moments reflecting on everything that has happened in the past few months. An idea struck Mamoru. "The two of you were Queen Serenity's advisors."
"Yes…" Luna responded slowly uncertain what Mamoru was about to ask her.
"Did she ever talk about something called the Golden Crystal?" Mamoru asked hoping to learn something about his past life.
"Well… it was similar to the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou and it was the crystal you were learning to control. I'm not sure what kind of abilities it possessed, but it was not enough to save the Golden Kingdom from the Dark Kingdom." Luna's eyes drifted upward to right, as she tried to recall everything she could about Prince Endymion's past.
"The … Golden Kingdom…" Mamoru repeated slowly. "I finally know what my home was called."
"Luna remembers more than I do," Artemis said with a frown. "If we knew where the crystal was, we would have helped you find it years ago. But it is a secret only members of the Golden Kingdom know."
"I know," Mamoru said warmly. "I guess it is something I'm going to have to figure out; hopefully sooner than later."
Setsuna was amazed at how quickly Haruka was able to relate with the new group of Starlights. As soon as Yuna learned Haruka was a racecar driver, all they could talk about was racing since the day at the amusement park. Things were quiet. Too quiet. Nothing from the Black Moon. And nothing from the other group of senshi. Setsuna placed her teacup on the counter and cast a glance at the others in the room.
Michiru was surprised by Haruka's change in behavior towards the new Starlights. She was typically very cold toward any outsiders, especially when it involved their Princess. Shiori, Yuna, and Sakura were very different compare to the first Starlight Trio. They were here to help, fulfill their mission and return home. She assumed Seiya, Yaten, and Taiki originally had the same intentions, but that all changed when Seiya fell in love with Usagi.
Michiru pushed a few strands of her aqua hair to the side. It became apparent to everyone that Shiori had feelings for Seiya, which he did not return. If for some turn of events, he did develop feelings for Shiori, he would definitely return to Kinmoku. But Michiru knew it would not be that easy. Shiori's feelings would never be returned… unless Usagi chose Mamoru.
Yuna and Sakura did not have the same anger Shiori possessed. The two were more carefree, but took their duty as Starlights seriously. This group of Starlights wanted to learn as much as they could about the planet Earth since they probably would not return again. After returning to Kinmoku, the Three Lights had told the other Starlights stories about their time on Earth and the trio wanted to witness and experience several things.
Hotaru sat quietly in the corner. Ever since Chibi Usa's disappearance, her composure had changed and she had become more withdrawn. She struggled deeply with the idea of never seeing her best friend again. There had been moments were she would excuse herself to go to the bathroom in order to avoid bursting into tears in front of the others.
Setsuna slowly picked up her teacup and sipped on the green tea. She did not speak, but rather continued to observe the actions of the others in the room. It was unnerving at first to share their living quarters with the three Starlights from Kinmoku. However, after some time and getting used to, it proved to be valuable. It confirmed the plan she was gradually forming. She placed the cup back down and walked over to a large window to look down at the city below. It was the third day without hearing from the Black Moon and it made her feel uneasy.
Sailor Oberon continued to skim the book for any more information. What they discovered so for was helpful, but there was nothing related to the crystal shards that the Black Moon was trying to collect and the magnitude of the power the Dark Crystal could possessed.
Sailor Mercury rubbed her eyes. They began to feel strain from staring at the computer screen for so long. A loud beep emitted from her computer. She tapped a few buttons to pull up the screen. As the group progressed further into the caverns, the computer was programmed to scan the surrounding area periodically for anything that appeared to be out of the ordinary. This was the first time the computer found something. "I think I found something." Sailor Mercury began to walk forward to the other end of the room towards a small table piled high with books.
Sailor Star Maker followed a few steps behind. Since she could not comprehend the language in the books there was little she could do, but offer her opinion and serve as a look out.
Sailor Mercury stared at the wall before her and then down to the computer screen. "There is something there… but I can't pinpoint the location."
Without a word, Sailor Star Maker began to clear off the books on the small table. She put them to side of another stack of books. She made sure not to mix the stack of books that were already examined. She didn't want to ruin their progress.
"…Thank you," Sailor Mercury said, surprised by Sailor Star Maker's actions. She continued to type on her computer in order to narrow down her search.
Sailor Star Maker nodded her head in acknowledgment and silently continued to clear a path. Once the books were cleared, she picked up the table and moved it to the side. The wall was no longer blocked by any object.
Sailor Mercury pressed her lips together when she realized where the object resided. "It is behind the wall." She frantically typed on her computer for a moment to run a different test. A message popped up on her screen, the test was completed. "Hmmm." Sailor Mercury slowly walked forward and touched a section of the wall lightly. She knocked on the wall and was greeted with a hallow sound. "There is definitely something back there. We should try to move the wall carefully."
Sailor Oberon placed the book she read on the table and joined Sailor Mercury and Sailor Star Maker. Everyone's back was facing the entrance focused on the task before them. Sailor Oberon moved forward to touch the wall. "This is a puzzle wall. There were several of them at the Silver Millennium. It was used to conceal secret passages or store sensitive materials. There are typically only a few solutions." Sailor Oberon lightly ran her hand across several stones in the wall. She discovered a small groove. She light pushed inward and a few stone pebbles fell onto the ground. "That's the first piece." She did same thing eight more times before something clicked behind the wall. She smiled at the sound. The puzzle was complete. "Now the really hard part, we have to slide this stone to the side."
They were all exhausted from the past several days, but they couldn't give up now. Sailor Oberon directed them to stand at certain points on the wall to push to the left. The group struggled and grunted as their muscles ached, but they were able to move the stone slab to the side. A small shelf was embedded within another stone wall less than a foot from where the previous wall stood. The shelf contained a chest.
Sailor Star Maker was closest. She walked forward and with great delicacy picked up the chest from the shelf. The chest was large and she needed both of her hands to carry it. She leaned it against her chest making it easier to transport.
Sailor Oberon quickly walked in front of the Starlight to clear a space on the table for the chest. Sailor Star Maker slowly placed the object down. She did not want to disturb the contents within.
Sailor Mercury tapped her earring to bring up her visor. Numbers flashed across the screen, confirming this was the object her computer found. "My visor has identified it's continents as the object it had scanned. Whatever it is; is very small. I'm estimating it would fit in the palm of your hand. I'm reading a very high energy signature source, but it's dormant."
"Only one way to find out what is hidden within," said Sailor Star Maker as she placed her hands around the middle of the chest. She unlatched the metal clasps. She waited to see if there would be any reaction by opening the chest. She looked at the two senshi from Mercury. They nodded their heads for her continue; they stood in a combat stance in case they needed to stop an attack of some sort. Sailor Star Maker slowly raised the lid. She gasped when she saw its contents. It appeared to be a black crystal piece. "I think this is what Eris is after."
"Let me examine it," Sailor Mercury said. She carefully picked up the crystal to hold it closer to her visor. The energy levels came back off the chart. They were so focused on the object, they forgot about their surroundings. Suddenly, a gush of wind ruffled the back of their hair.
Sailor Oberon cried out in pain and collapsed to the floor as black lighting crackled around her.
Sailor Mercury and Sailor Star Maker turned around, their hearts racing.
Eris smiled at them. His eyes focused on the crystal in Sailor Mercury's hand. "I see you've done some of the work for me. I guess I should thank you. How about I show you my gratitude by sparing all your lives. Of course, you would have to hand over the crystal shard first. Otherwise, you'll end up far worse than your comrade." Ixion stood next to him holding Sailor Cosmos' staff.
Sailor Oberon struggled to sit back up. She took the full blast of the attack from behind. She mentally cursed herself for dropping her guard. Eris was given the perfect opportunity and he took full advantage of it. She slowly rose to her feet.
Sailor Star Maker quickly stood in front of Sailor Mercury to put more distance between Eris and the crystal. "You will not receive this crystal." They needed to be on the other side of Eris and Ixion in order to exit the cave.
Eris snickered. "One of your fellow senshi tried to do the same thing… but she wasn't able to protect Sailor Venus. I was still able collected the crystal. The Starlights are glutton for punishment." Eris raised his head to his chest to begin the next battle for the crystal. "And here I thought I made you a fair offer to avoid you from getting harmed."
"Somehow it is hard to believe anything you say," Sailor Star Maker shot back in an icy tone.
Eris laughed. "I can see your point." He collected energy in his hand and without warning launched it at Sailor Star Maker.
Normally Sailor Star Maker would dodge the attack, but she had to stand her ground and unleash a counterattack. "Star Gentle Uterus!" She released her attach by directing it upward to the ceiling. Dozens of rocks began to fall down.
"Shabon Spray Freezing!" The ice collected over the rocks and froze them into large chunks. As the frozen rocks fell to the ground, it created a fog from the change in temperature. This was their chance to rush pass Eris and Ixion and escape out of the cave.
The group was able to move several rooms closer to the exit before Eris and Ixion were able to catch up to them. Eris and Ixion launched attacks at all three of the senshi. The senshi were confined to small quarters and had limited space to dodge their attack. Sailor Oberon and Mercury both tried to dodge in the same direction causing them to almost collide with each other. At the last moment, Sailor Oberon leaped over Sailor Mercury. She ducked her head to avoid hitting it on the ceiling.
Eris shook his head at the display. They were clearly not a well-adjusted team and saw their flaws as an advantage for him. He used his abilities to teleport to the other side of the cavern room; essentially boxing in the senshi between him and Ixion. He exchanged a glance with Ixion signally to prepare to attack without a word. This was the type of teamwork the other senshi lacked. They both attacked at the same exact moment.
The three senshi had nowhere run and were blasted on both sides by their adversaries. They collapsed to the ground; the crystal fell from Sailor Mercury's hand and clanged on the ground. Sailor Mercury was barely able to open her eyes as she watched Eris bend down and pick up the crystal at his feet.
"It would have been less painful for you to just give me the crystal," gloated Eris, "Maybe next time you will listen to reason." He turned to Ixion. "Our work here is done."
"I'm not sure which group of senshi were the easiest to defeat," Ixion said loudly for the others to hear. "Without Sailor Cosmos, they aren't a threat."
Eris taunted them with laugher. "You are weaker than we ever imagined you to be and present no threat to us… rather more of a nuisance. Your planet as you know it is doomed. Our Master will revive soon and there is nothing any of you can do." The men disappeared leaving a lingering laugh.
Sailor Oberon wanted to stop them before they had the chance to disappear, but her body had not cooperated. Now, their enemy had acquired another crystal shard and is one step closer to obtaining their goal. Without knowing where they were headed to next, the senshi were at loss. Sailor Oberon looked over at Sailor Mercury and Sailor Star Maker, who were in the same condition as her.
Sailor Mercury rubbed her forehead and looked at the damage around her. "I'm not sure if we will be able to learn anything more…." She gestured at the torn books and rocks blocking passage to the last room they were in. A large crash was heard behind them.
"That was probably more of the ceiling collapsing. The attack probably destabilized these caverns. We need to move towards the exit to ensure we don't end up trapped in here," suggested Sailor Star Maker. She took a deep breath before mustering her strength to stand up. She helped Sailor Mercury and Sailor Oberon to their feet. "It would probably be best if we rested closer to the entrance and away from here. It will still give us some protection and we would be able to escape an avalanche before it happens."
The group walked in defeat without uttering a word. Each senshi lost in their own thoughts on how they could have handled the battle differently that could have lead to a better outcome. They stopped near the entrance. "I should probably contact the others and let them know of our encounter."
"Agreed," replied a solemn Sailor Oberon. She hated to report failure.
"Fighter's group is the only one who has yet to cross path with Eris. I wonder how many crystal pieces are left on this planet," mused Sailor Star Maker. She knew it would be difficult for Sailor Star Fighter to keep her anger under control once she came face to face with Eris. She looked upward to the small fragment of the sky that she could see in the distance. She hoped the three Starlights on Earth were able to protect the planet in their stead and not have too many complications with the Outer Senshi.
Sedena rolled her neck to the side. She raised her hands over her head and yawned. She slowly lowered her feet back to the ground and stood up. She clutched the side of the chair when she nearly fell over. Her foot had fallen asleep. She shook her foot to recover circulation. While she waited, she stared at the crystallized form of Sailor Cosmos. She couldn't believe such a young girl had created all this fuss and defeated three within their rank. Once she was able to, she walked over to the crystal to stare at her more closely. She sighed. She wasn't sure why Eris wanted her to babysit a senshi enclosed in crystal when it was obvious she had no way of escaping. Her talents would be better served elsewhere, but she was not one to questions his orders.
She frowned again as she walked back to the other side of the room. The longer she remained here the more ridiculous it felt to guard Sailor Cosmos. She wasn't going anywhere! She slowly walked back to the crystal structure to examine her face once more for any signs of movement. She found none. She tapped her chin when she thought about the other Moon Senshi and how they were able to break free from the same crystal. They had been trapped for countless years by her ancestors. How did Eris expect her to break free, especially when she did not have her power source, her staff? Let alone after they used that gas that took advantage of her weakness. The gas alone could kill her. The dose was high enough that it should have killed her. It might have killed her and Sedena had no way of knowing.
Makemake was impressed at the young master's progress. He has worked with him for years and his powers were growing. He knew that the young boy was the chosen one who would defeat the White Moon. Everything was turning out exactly how Eris had predicted. His powers grew, as did his dislike for those on Earth. His head was filled with stories about how those from Earth needed to be punished for their wrongdoings. They were to blame for their present situation. With each passing day, it became more apparent to Makemake that this young boy would be the one to lead them to victory. For many, he would bring their death.
He hoped Eris, Ixion and Sedena would return soon to proceed to the next phase of their plan. Once the crystal shards were collected, they would be combined with the Black Crystal and it will finally be whole once more. The Black Crystal would amplify its owner's natural abilities. Eris would have to be the one to train the young boy on how to properly use the crystal. Eris and Ixion were the only ones capable of using its dark powers. Eris believed firmly in his protégé and the likelihood he would be able to surpass Eris' own abilities.
Makemake wondered how long they would be able to keep Sailor Cosmos captive. As long as Sailor Cosmos was kept under captivity, it would be easy to conquer the Earth. If she were to find a way to break free, all they needed to do was continue to exploit her weaknesses. She could easily be managed.
Haumea and Quarora were gradually placing dark crystals throughout the city to collect energy and eventually amplify the Black Crystal's powers even more when the time came. They were able to do this undetected.
Will the senshi be able to capture any of the crystal shards? What happens when the final group of senshi encounter Eris and Ixion? Will Eris and Ixion return to Earth with all the pieces or empty handed?
Usagi confronts the two sides to her soul while trapped within the crystal, Sailor Cosmos is found, and another showdown!
Stay tuned! Act 35: The Missing Piece