The first thing Mamoru became aware of was the cold, a deep, biting chill that seemed to seep into his very bones. He blinked, his eyes heavy and sluggish, as he tried to focus on his surroundings. The darkness clung to him, and for a moment, he was disoriented, unable to make sense of where he was. Slowly, as his vision cleared, he realized he was lying on a hard, metallic surface, surrounded by a massive, alien-looking machine that encased the bed on which he lay. The machine was unlike anything he had ever seen before—a complex array of glowing tubes, pulsating wires, and rotating discs that hummed with an eerie energy. It loomed over him like some mechanical beast, its purpose a mystery.
Mamoru's heart raced as he tried to sit up, his muscles weak and uncooperative. He managed to pull himself into a sitting position, his mind reeling with confusion. The last thing he remembered was Usagi, her bright smile and tear-filled eyes as she waved him off at the airport, her laughter echoing in his ring. The kiss. And then... nothing. A void, a blank space where the rest of his life should have been.
Panic began to creep in as he scanned the room, searching for any sign of life, any clue that might explain his predicament. But the lab was dead. His thoughts raced back to Usagi, and fear gripped his heart.
Where is she? Is she alright? Was there a battle? A new enemy? Is she safe?
The questions tore through him, making his chest tighten with anxiety. He needed to find her, to know she was alright.
He forced himself to stand, his legs trembling beneath him as he stumbled away from the machine that had held him. The room around him was vast and dimly lit, with only the flickering lights of the machine casting long, shifting shadows on the walls. The air was thick with the scent of metal and something else—something sharp and unfamiliar.
With unsteady steps, Mamoru made his way to the only door in the room, a heavy metal slab that stood slightly ajar. He pushed it open, his breath catching in his throat as a gust of cold air hit him. Beyond the door was a corridor, long and dark, lined with more of the strange, humming machines. The walls were smooth, made of some black material he couldn't identify, and the floor was cold against his bare feet.
Driven by a need to understand, to escape the suffocating confines of the lab, Mamoru began to walk. The only sounds were the soft thud of his bare feet and the ragged rhythm of his labored breathing echoing in the empty hallway.
As he moved forward, the corridor seemed to stretch on endlessly, the darkness pressing in on him from all sides.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Mamoru reached another door. He pushed it open, and was immediately blinded by a flood of light that made him recoil, throwing his arm up to shield his eyes. The sudden brightness was overwhelming, especially after the darkness of the lab. He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the light, but his vision was still blurred, the world around him a kaleidoscope of bright, indistinct colors.
The sounds hit him next—a cacophony of noise that seemed to come from all directions at once. Voices, laughter, screams, a distant rumble—it was all too much, too loud, too chaotic. Mamoru staggered forward, barely able to see where he was going. His senses were overwhelmed, his mind struggling to process the sensory overload.
He stumbled through the crowded streets, his vision still a blur of lights and shadows. He collided with passersby, their forms little more than vague shapes in his disoriented state. Some murmured apologies, others reached out to steady him, their voices concerned, but Mamoru pulled away from them, panic rising in his chest. He couldn't stay here, couldn't let them help him—he had to find Usagi, had to make sense of what had happened.
His breath came in ragged gasps as he pushed through the crowd, his movements frantic and uncoordinated. The city around him was a dizzying array of lights and sounds, the sheer intensity of it all making him feel as though he were drowning. He kept moving, his heart pounding in his chest, until finally, his vision began to clear.
As the blurriness faded, Mamoru came to a halt, his eyes widening as he took in the sight before him.
The city was unlike anything he had ever seen. Towering skyscrapers of glass and crystal reached up to the heavens. The buildings seemed to glow with an inner light, their facades alive with the flow of energy that powered the city.
Above him, the sky was a deep twilight blue, streaked with ribbons of vibrant light that moved like living auroras, casting a surreal glow over everything below. The crystals that made up much of the city's architecture caught the light, refracting it into a thousand colors that painted the streets in shades of blue, purple, red, yellow and green.
The streets themselves were a wonder to behold. Shops lined the avenues, their windows displaying strange and wondrous objects that Mamoru couldn't begin to identify. Some stores had no physical products at all, only holographic displays that floated in mid-air, showcasing items that defied his understanding—jewelry that seemed to shimmer with its own inner light, clothing that changed color and texture at the wearer's command, and gadgets that appeared to manipulate the very fabric of reality.
In one corner of the city, a floating park hovered in the air, suspended by some unseen force. Its greenery was lush and vibrant, filled with trees that bore fruits of colors he had never seen, and flowers that seemed to pulse with life. The park itself was a serene oasis in the midst of the bustling city, a place where people could escape the frenetic energy of the streets below.
As Mamoru continued to walk, he noticed the people around him. Their attire was a bizarre and captivating mix of styles, blending elements from ancient history with futuristic innovations. He saw men and women in long, flowing robes reminiscent of the Roman Empire, but adorned with metallic accents and intricate patterns that glowed softly in the dark. Others wore clothing that seemed inspired by the Victorian era, with high collars and elaborate skirts, but made from materials that shimmered like liquid metal. Some had garments that appeared to be woven from light itself, shifting and changing with every movement, while others wore armor-like outfits that looked as though they had been crafted by artisans from another world.
The air was thick with the scent something sweet, a fragrance that was both familiar and foreign at once. Signs in an unfamiliar language glowed with neon lights, and strange devices, the likes of which he had never seen, adorned every corner. Some of these machines floated above the ground, projecting holographic images of advertisements, items, and other information that Mamoru couldn't decipher. Others seemed to serve as kiosks, where people could interact with them to access information, purchase items, or communicate with others.
This is Crystal Tokyo...
The realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. He had somehow ended up in the 30th century, in the future that Chibi Usa had come from. But as he moved deeper into the city, a gnawing sense of wrongness began to take hold. The people around him, the technology, even the air itself—it all felt off, different from the Crystal Tokyo he had visited before.
He wandered the streets, his heart pounding in his chest, his mind racing with questions. Where were Usagi and Chibi Usa? If this was the 30th century, why hadn't they found him yet? And where was his future self?
His thoughts spiraled into confusion as he tried to make sense of the situation. As he stumbled through the city, he found himself face to face with a man dressed in a sleek uniform. The man looked at him with concern, clearly noticing Mamoru's disorientation.
"Are you alright?" the man asked, his voice calm but laced with worry.
Mamoru grabbed his arm, desperation leaking into his voice. "Where is Neo Queen Serenity? Where are the Sailor Senshi? I need to find them!"
The man's expression shifted to one of confusion. "Sailor Senshi?" he repeated, as if the words were foreign to him. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about."
Mamoru's heart sank, panic rising in his chest. "What about King Endymion? The princess? Where are they?"
The man shook his head, his brow furrowed. "There is no King. Neo Queen Serenity is our only ruler… Are youalrightkid?"
Mamoru's breath hitched as the man's words echoed in his mind. No King Endymion. No Sailor Senshi. No happened?
The ground seemed to shift beneath him, and a cold, crushing realization began to settle in his chest. He felt his heart race, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps as if the very air had turned to lead.
Unable to contain it any longer, Mamoru turned and ran. He didn't know where he was going, didn't care—he just needed to escape.
The city was a blur of colors and lights, the streets twisting and turning in ways that disoriented him even further. He darted past crowds of people, their faces a mix of curiosity and indifference as they glanced at the man who seemed so out of place in their world.
He sprinted through narrow alleyways that were lined with vibrant murals, their colors shifting and changing as he passed, like living paintings that responded to his presence. The ground beneath him was no longer solid but a strange, soft material that absorbed the impact of his steps, making him feel as though he were running on air. Overhead, sleek, silent vehicles zipped by on invisible tracks, their lights streaking across the sky like comets.
The buildings around him grew taller, more imposing, their surfaces covered in reflective panels that seemed to ripple like water. Some of the structures had entire floors that appeared to float in mid-air, connected to the main buildings by translucent bridges. The air was filled with the hum of machinery, the distant sounds of music and laughter, and the occasional burst of conversation in a language he couldn't understand.
Mamoru's heart pounded in his chest as he ran, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. His mind was a chaotic mess of fear, confusion, and desperation. Nothing made sense—this city, this world, it was all too much. He needed to find something, anything, that could ground him, that could help him make sense of the reality he had been thrust into.
Finally, he stumbled into a wide plaza, the open space a stark contrast to the narrow, winding streets he had just fled. He slowed to a halt, his eyes wide as he took in the scene before him.
The plaza was vast, its surface covered in a mosaic of smooth, polished stones that shimmered in the light. At its center stood a massive fountain, its crystalline waters cascading down in intricate patterns that defied gravity, swirling and twisting in mid-air before flowing back into the pool below.
But it wasn't the fountain that held his attention. It was the building that loomed over the plaza, its glassy surface stretching high into the sky. One entire side of the structure was dominated by a gigantic screen, so large that it seemed to dwarf everything around it. Mamoru felt a sense of dread settle over him as he realized that this was no ordinary display—it was a news broadcast, and the image that filled the screen made his blood run cold.
Neo Queen Serenity.
Her image was projected in stunning clarity. She looked every inch the queen, her posture straight, her expression serene yet commanding. Her long, platinum hair flowed around her like liquid moonlight, and her eyes—once a bright clear blue—had deepened into a striking shade of lilac, filled with wisdom and strength. She was breathtaking, a vision of beauty and power, but she was also unrecognizable from the girl he had once known.
Mamoru stood frozen, his breath caught in his throat as he stared up at the screen. The woman before him was no longer Usagi, the girl he had loved, the girl who had given him hope and purpose. Afamily.
She was a queen, a ruler. Her features were sharper, more defined, her expression one of calm authority. She was no longer the sweet, round-faced girl who had waved him off at the airport—she was a goddess, a figure of awe and reverence.
As he watched, the broadcast shifted, the presenter's voice carrying a note of solemnity as she seemed to spoke to him. "Today marks the annual commemoration of the Great Cataclysm," the presenter announced, her tone reverent. "It was on this day, a thousand years ago, that Neo Queen Serenity led our people out of the darkness and into the light of a new era. The world as we knew it had been destroyed by a cosmic disaster, a cataclysmic event that nearly wiped out all life on Earth. But from the ashes of that devastation, Neo Queen Serenity rose, wielding the power of the Silver Crystal to rebuild our world and create the utopia we now call Crystal Tokyo."
The screen flickered, showing images of destruction—scorched earth, crumbling buildings, the remnants of a world that had been torn apart. Mamoru's heart ached as he saw the ruins of the life he had known, the world they had fought so hard to protect. But it was the images that followed that filled him with a sense of profound loss. The presenter spoke of Neo Queen Serenity as a savior, a messiah who had led her people through the darkest of times, forging a new kingdom from the ruins of the old.
"She did it alone," the presenter continued, her voice filled with awe. "Neo Queen Serenity stood as the last hope of humanity. She led us through the Great Cataclysm, and from that tragedy, she built a new world, a new future."
Mamoru felt his knees buckle as the weight of her words crashed down on did it thought was unbearable, a sharp, searing pain that tore through his chest. If Neo Queen Serenity had ruled alone, without the support of King Endymion or the Sailor Senshi, then something terrible must have happened. The realization hit him with the force of a physical blow—he had been gone for a thousand years. A thousand years, and he had just woken up.
The world he had known, the life he had once lived, was gone. Usagi, the girl he had loved with all his heart, had been left to face the end of the world alone, to rebuild from the ashes of a destroyed Earth without him or their friends by her side. The thought was too much to bear, the guilt and sorrow overwhelming him.
Mamoru's vision blurred as tears welled up in his eyes. On the towering screen before him, the image of the Queen loomed vast and majestic, her regal expression unchanging as she presided over the ceremony.
She was no longer Usagi, the innocent, sweet crybaby who had once filled his life with warmth and light. The girl who hated school with a passion, who could coax even the most reluctant heart to open up with her endless compassion, who had welcomed him into her world. Usagi, who had taken hold of his heart with her unwavering kindness, her boundless energy, and never let go—a girl who had given him the love he had never thought he deserved, and who he had loved in return with every fiber of his being.
But now, as he gazed up at the towering image of Neo Queen Serenity, he couldn't help but wonder:Was that girl gone?The carefree, klutzy Usagi who had once cried over the smallest things, who loved magazines and junk food and gave love and compassion to everyone without exception—was she lost forever, replaced by the imposing figure who now ruled this world? The girl he had fallen in love with seemed so far away, her innocent joy and youthful spirit buried beneath the weight of a thousand years.
His legs gave in and he crumpled to the ground, his gaze still locked on the enormous screen above. Her image dominated his world, her eyes unyielding, her presence as distant and unreachable as the moon itself.
And then, everything went black.