Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: Chaos Theory
Act 38: The Fall of the Black Moon
By: Sora Kazeno
The Three Lights were the last ones to arrive at the shrine. They quietly entered from the back of the room and sat down in the closest space available, which happened to be right next to the Outer Senshi, much to Haruka's dismay.
Haruka shifted uncomfortably on the floor cushion as she continued to wonder why they were all called to the shrine so abruptly since the Moon Senshi returned. She wondered what had happened since the attack against Usagi.
Usagi didn't want to waste any more time. "I was attacked twice today by Sedena within a short period of time."
Seiya's eyes narrowed at her comment. He knew about the first attack, but had the second attack occurred shortly after he left? He was annoyed at himself for not being there.
"What happened?" Minako asked. She sat up in a more attentive position after receiving this information.
Usagi briefly discussed the two attacks she experienced, followed by Ayane's discussion of what had been found on Yokoate-Jima. She discussed the plan to attack as soon as possible and asked for feedback from the other senshi.
Before anyone could respond, Yui jumped to her feet, "We can't just sit around here! We have to act before they change locations or do something to hurt our Princess!"
"You're being impulsive," Nanami interrupted, trying to reel Yui back. "I think we should all rest for a few hours and then leave. We will need the energy."
Akari rubbed her forehead while several other senshi began to argue back and forth. After this continued for several minutes, she bolted upright. Her sudden action silenced the room. "Would it better to take it to a vote? Or should the Princess decide?" She turned to Usagi for input.
"Umm…. Maybe a vote…?" Usagi responded with hesitation. Everyone made valid points and she wasn't used to making decisions for the entire team.
A few minutes later it was agreed upon they would all rest until 1am. This would give everyone six hours to rest. The group would prepare to leave the shrine at 2am to begin their attack on Nemesis.
At exactly 2am, a crescent moon hung low in the sky. It was a crystal clear night full of stars. Sailor Cosmos stood silently away from the others looking up at her former home. She smiled. When she was at the Silver Millennium she constantly looked down at the Earth. Now she was on Earth and she constantly found herself looking up at the Moon.
Sailor Star Fighter lightly placed her hand on Sailor Cosmos' shoulder, startling her. "I'm sorry, Odango. I didn't mean to scare you." She apologized. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"I'm fine," Sailor Cosmos tried to reassure the Starlight. She took a step back, away from Sailor Star Fighter. "We should rejoin the others." Her tone was full of disappointment. "I was met with a lot of anger by the Moon Senshi over my choice. I don't want to anger the others any more before the battle."
"They will come around at some point. Maybe, even Haruka-san," Sailor Star Fighter teased.
Sailor Cosmos looked at Sailor Star Fighter wide eyed. "You think so?"
"Ah…" Sailor Star Fighter scrambled for reassuring words and laughed instead. "Stranger things have happened."
Sailor Cosmos smiled. "When this is over, I can't wait to be just a high school student without having to worry about saving the world."
Before Sailor Star Fighter could say anything else, she was interrupted by Sailor Star Healer shouting at them from the distance, "Are you guys coming?"
"Yeah…we can address everyone's anger later. We should focus on stopping Eris," Sailor Cosmos said as she turned away from Sailor Star Fighter and begun walking back towards the others.
Sailor Star Fighter appeared frustrated and did not verbally respond. It was clear to her that Sailor Cosmos was tired of having the others dictate their relationship. She sighed and followed behind Sailor Cosmos. It would take time for everyone to come around and accept their relationship.
As Sailor Star Fighter and Sailor Cosmos approached, Prince Endymion eyed the two of them carefully. He glared at Sailor Star Fighter, but chose not to say anything. A part of him was still in disbelief by Usagi's choice. It didn't seem real, he felt that any moment he would wake up from this nightmare, yet that moment never came.
Once they rejoined the others, Sailor Star Fighter rolled her eyes at Sailor Star Healer's outburst.
"After talking with Sailor Venus and Sailor Callisto, we believe it will be more effective to split up into groups at different points on the island and meet in the underground caverns near the volcano," Sailor Uranus discussed with everyone. She waited for any objection and heard none. "I'll be with Neptune, Pluto and Saturn."
"I will be with Phobos, Ganymede, and Oberon," said Sailor Callisto with a smile. "Sailor Umbriel will lead Charon, Triton, and Titan."
"I'm working with Mars, Jupiter, and Mercury," Sailor Venus said. She hesitated before she said the final name. "Prince Endymion." It was a delicate plan to try to keep certain groups separate in order for their mission to succeed. She wondered if Usagi's decision would split the senshi apart.
"That leaves us with Sailor Cosmos," Sailor Star Maker concluded. She knew it was probably best for the four of them to remain together. If the Starlights were to work with another group, other than the Inner Senshi, they would be meant with ample hostility.
Sailor Charon took a deep breath, clearly disturbed that the Princess was not working alongside the Prince. She was about to protest once more, but was given an icy glare by Sailor Callisto. She bit her tongue for the moment.
"It's almost like being back on Nemesis again." Sailor Triton hoped her comment would help lighten the mood of the other senshi. "I hope we will have a lot less difficulties this time."
"We only have to worry about an island instead of an entire planet this time," Sailor Oberon observed.
"It will be faster this way if we split up. If too many of us are in the same place at the same time, we are bound to trip over each other," Sailor Callisto winked at Sailor Venus.
Sailor Venus blushed and placed an arm behind her head while she laughed nervously.
"We need to get going," Sailor Phobos instructed the others.
The senshi broke up into their respective groups and teleported to different areas of the island. The two groups of Moon Senshi vanished first, followed by the Outer Senshi. Prince Endymion wanted to try to use his powers to teleport himself without the help of the Inner Senshi. After several attempts the group of five was successful.
Sailor Cosmos and the Starlights were the last to leave. Sailor Cosmos was insistent on making sure the other senshi were able to make it to the island without complications, in case she needed to help anyone.
As soon as they landed, Sailor Mercury tapped her visor and pulled out her computer to search for any dangers on the island. They stood underneath one of the few trees that remained on the island.
"You've gotten stronger, Mamoru-san…. err Prince Endymion," Sailor Jupiter complemented. "I hadn't realize how much your powers have increased."
"It is something I've been working on. I've only used it one other time to go to the Moon." Prince Endymion explained as he carefully eyed his surroundings. He didn't want to miss anything. Nor did he want to elaborate on the time he teleported himself to the Moon.
"How have you been?" Sailor Mars asked him. She hadn't spoken to him since Usagi had broken up with him. She was worried of how he was handling everything.
"It's not something I want to talk about right now," Prince Endymion said. He wanted to redirect the conversation to another topic. Usako was the last thing he wanted to discuss right now. The wounds were still too fresh. He was also upset with Rei for telling him about Usako's dreams. "We have to stop Eris first. He has caused too many problems on this planet."
Sailor Mars nodded her head in agreement. "It is time we put an ended to Black Moon's threat."
Sailor Mercury's computer beeped. "I'm seeing several life forms near the volcano. We should head there."
Sailor Venus smiled. "I think we all owe Eris a visit."
The three Starlights argued on what they should do next. Sailor Star Healer insisted they look near a crevice close by. Sailor Star Maker argued they needed to stick to the plan and head to the center of the island. Sailor Star Fighter shook her head and realized it was a lost cause.
Sailor Cosmos stood behind them and examined the rings on her left hand. She rubbed her fingers against the ring on her pinky finger. It was the only one left that she had not activated. She pondered what ability the ring possessed. What would she gain when she learned to harness her last ability? Why was it the last ability to surface? She hopes that it would be what she needed to stop Eris. As long as it gave her the power to defeat Eris everything would be alright.
Sailor Star Fighter picked up on Sailor Cosmos' quietness as her two teammates continued to argue. She walked over to Sailor Cosmos, "Are you okay?"
Sailor Cosmos nodded her head slowly. "I just want this to be over." Sailor Cosmos lowered her left hand, while her right hand shifted the grip on her staff. She took a deep breath with a determined gleam in her eye. She began to walk forward, past Sailor Star Healer and Sailor Star Maker.
Sailor Star Fighter shook her head slightly to the side, impressed by her actions. She then followed Sailor Cosmos.
Once Sailor Star Healer and Sailor Star Maker realized they were being left behind they abruptly dropped their discussion and began to follow Sailor Cosmos and Sailor Star Fighter.
Sailor Charon was relieved she had been grouped with Sailor Triton and Sailor Titan; it gave her a chance to vent. She knew Sailor Umbriel would not repeat any of their conversation either. "I spoke to Setsuna-san the other day. I don't understand why she is not taking the necessary actions to try to fix this. The Princess should not be with that… that… whatever it is!"
"Setsuna-san made it sound like there is nothing that could be done to fix the timeline." Sailor Triton was confused by Sailor Charon's remarks. "If there was a way to fix then by all means she would have done it by now. She is the Guardian of Time!"
"But is it really that simple?" Sailor Titan questioned in an annoyed tone. "What would it involve to 'fix the timeline'?" Before the others could respond she asked, "Better yet, what is this timeline supposed to be?"
"From what I understand, Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion are supposed to become Queen and King of Earth and reign over Crystal Tokyo," Sailor Umbriel spoke up. She paused for any signs of the Black Moon since they were in an exposed area. "After they become Queen and King, her majesty is supposed to give birth to a daughter."
"You're kidding!" Hissed Sailor Titan in displeasure over the new information she learned. "The Princess is supposed to be with the Prince, just like it was during the Silver Millennium."
"Exactly," Sailor Charon agreed. "I know there is an object of some sort that can only be used by the Royal Family of Pluto. I don't know what or where the object is, but I'm sure Setsuna-san knows what it is and where it is."
"How can this object restore things?" Sailor Triton asked with curiosity.
Sailor Charon shook her head sadly. "Only Sailor Pluto would know and I'm not sure if I can convince her to do anything."
"Maybe she was waiting to see what decision the Princess would make between Prince Endymion and Seiya," said Sailor Umbriel, playing devil's advocate. "But we shouldn't worry about this right now; let's focus on protecting the Princess by defeating the Black Moon."
Sailor Charon knew it was her cue to fall silent on the topic. She would have another opportunity to discuss it with the others.
Sailor Saturn looked down at her brooch. She was the only senshi left that had yet to receive a crescent moon mark. She had been distant from the others once she had learned that she would never see Chibi Usa again. She had lost her best friend. A best friend that would now never come to exist. She absent mindedly touched the star brooch on her chest.
Sailor Pluto noticed Sailor Saturn's sadness and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It will be okay," she reassured her with a smile.
Sailor Saturn looked up at the older senshi, confused on how everything would be alright. "What if … I don't receive a mark like everyone else?"
"I'm sure you will receive one soon, Hotaru," Sailor Uranus chimed in. "Sailor Neptune and I just received ours yesterday."
"I wasn't sure if we would receive a mark given Haruka's actions," Sailor Neptune teased her partner.
"Michiru!"
Sailor Neptune smiled turned in a frown. "I guess she has made her decision. I'm not sure how everything will be going forward. I know we are sworn to protect her… but her new abilities…"
"You can't be serious!" Sailor Uranus cut off her partner. "Our mission has always been to protect her." She wanted to glare at Sailor Neptune for even thinking of abandoning their mission as senshi.
"Oh? So you mean you still plan to protect her, even though she did not choose Mamoru-san?" Sailor Neptune asked coyly.
Sailor Uranus shook her head; she fell right into Sailor Neptune's trap. "That was sneaky, Michiru."
"But necessary."
Sailor Pluto's attention drifted after their exchange. She reflected on what she found in the book at Bodleian. She needed to return as soon as possible to continue her research. She did not find any mention of the Crystal Key. She vaguely remembered being told about it as a young girl on Pluto, but everyone claimed it was only a myth. She knew better. She was certain she saw it in her mother's room. When she went back to check again, it was gone. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. She needed to find the Crystal Key and figure out how to harness its powers.
Sailor Pluto was unable to spend more time at her home when she last visited. Her focus was to find the crystal pendant which led her to Chronos' tomb. She doubted the key would also be hidden there. Was it possible for the key to somehow be concealed within the time streams? No, it wasn't possible.
"Setsuna-san, are you okay?" Sailor Saturn asked when she noticed how quiet the Time senshi had become.
"Oh… I'm fine Hotaru," Sailor Pluto said as she redirected her attention to their current mission.
Sailor Oberon surveyed her surroundings. It was similar to when she was on Nemesis, nothingness. The island was mostly barren with a few scattered trees. The main difference was the large volcano looming ahead of them.
"I couldn't believe how Sailor Charon acted in front of the Princess," Sailor Ganymede said. "I understand she may not agree with her choice, but that does not mean she has to be disrespectful to the crown."
"I know there were times we did not agree with Queen Serenity's decisions, but we still respected her role," Sailor Phobos said in frustration. "As warriors, we must protect the kingdom we swore to protect. Like it or not, the Starlights are now a part of that kingdom, given the present circumstances."
"Which means, Sailor Star Fighter is important to the Princess and that makes… her or him… important to us," Sailor Callisto said with some confusion. She wasn't sure what would be the best way to label Seiya.
"Wait," Sailor Umbriel whispered to the others. She pointed at the figures in the distance. The other senshi became more attentive. They waited for any sign of movement or noise.
"I wonder if the Lemurians have calmed down."
Sailor Umbriel's posture relaxed. She recognized the voice, it was Sailor Star Healer. She wanted to laugh at the irony of the situation. "I guess we're all working together now," she called out the other group of senshi.
The Starlights and Sailor Cosmos turned around, surprised by the sudden noise. Sailor Cosmos bit her lip. She wasn't sure how things would turn out working with Sailor Charon given her reaction to Seiya.
"It's not surprising we've crossed paths this island is very small," Sailor Star Maker commented. "Unfortunately, we haven't found anything significant."
"We should look for an opening to the volcano," Sailor Titian remarked. She wanted to try to get everyone to work together, even if it was only temporarily. She knew the other Moon Senshi were frustrated, but they needed to learn to push their feelings to the side and focus on the mission.
Sailor Charon stood toward the back of the group with Sailor Triton. They exchanged glances at each other. After a long pause, Sailor Triton finally spoke, "I'm sure we'll find the Black Moon soon."
Sailor Cosmos took a step forward and froze. Everywhere she looked she saw crystal minions. The other senshi fought against the Black Moon. Sailor Cosmos quickly shook her head. Whatever she saw it lasted only for a moment. Had she just foreseen the begging of the Final Battle? "I think I just had some sort of premonition."
"What did you see?" Sailor Charon asked, she moved closer to the Princess.
"I saw a lot of crystal minions. They were everywhere and everyone was attacking Eris, Ixion, and Sedena," Sailor Cosmos recalled. "Wait… I remember seeing four people… I don't know who the fourth person was in the attack."
"We've never met a fourth person," Sailor Star Healer responded with alarm. "You mean there is someone else we haven't confronted? Do you know who it was? What did they look like?"
Sailor Cosmos closed her eyes, but she could not clearly picture the face of the other person. She couldn't even tell if the person was tall or short, male or female, nothing. Sailor Cosmos shook her head. "I'm sorry… that's all I could make sense of."
"Good enough," Sailor Umbriel said. "We know we have to be on guard. It makes me wonder if there are others beyond what you witnessed in your vision."
"We need to look for a way in." Sailor Star Fighter took a few steps closer to the volcano. She turned around to look at the others, "I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of the Black Moon."
The Inner Senshi and Prince Endymion reached the volcano next. Sailor Mercury typed furiously on her computer. "I know there is an opening somewhere nearby. There is no way the only opening is from above."
"Guys, what if the volcano erupts?" Sailor Venus looked up at the top of the volcano. It reminded her about her home planet, Venus.
"Minako-chan, don't say something like that! Are you trying to jinx us?" Sailor Jupiter chided her with a nervous expression. She looked up at the volcano and felt some uneasiness over Sailor Venus' remark.
Prince Endymion shook his head slightly. It felt strange to work with the other senshi without her. They didn't feel like a full team unless Usako was with them. In the past, the Inner Senshi would have been a team together and he would have been paired up with Usako. He frowned. It was another reminder of how things have drastically changed in the past few months. Things would never be as they were. Even if Usako came back to him… he knew their relationship would be different, not as innocent as it once was.
"I've found something!" Sailor Mercury exclaimed, she raised her head from her computer. "We need to walk one kilometer to the right and there should be an entrance way in that vicinity."
"That's great, Ami-chan!" Sailor Mars said with enthusiasm. She and Sailor Jupiter moved in front of Sailor Mercury to act as lookouts. This freed up Sailor Mercury to focus on her computer. "Once we find it, we will let the others know and mark the entrance."
"Sounds great." Prince Endymion rested his right hand on top of his sword. He was still adjusting to battling in this form.
Sailor Uranus muttered obscenities under her breath. They had been walking around the volcano for an hour looking for a possible entry, but had found nothing. "I should just blast a new hole in this volcano."
"I would advise against it… it would disrupt the volcano," Sailor Pluto stated with a frown. "It is tempting."
Sailor Neptune nearly lost her footing in the dark. She placed her hand against the volcano wall to steady herself. The wall gave in slightly. "Eh?" She took a few steps back to examine the rocks more slowly. "That's odd… I could have sworn a part of the rocks collapsed inward, but nothing seems to be amiss."
"We should move on from this spot in case it was a trap," Sailor Uranus suggested.
"It's a little late for that."
The four women gasped and turned around in the direction of the voice. He was unmistakable. Ixion.
Sailor Cosmos felt a cold breeze against the back of her neck. Something wasn't right. She turned around sharply and came face to face with Sedena, less than a foot from her.
"I'm surprised you let me get that close to you, Guardian." Sedena stood in front of an army of minions once more.
Sailor Cosmos looked at the scene before. It was different than the one she had foreseen. Something was off. "Sedena."
"We meet again," Sailor Star Fighter said with venom in her eyes. This was the woman from before, the one that kept attacking Odango.
Sedena examined the crowd before her. "I don't think I've met most of you. But that doesn't matter. You have my crystal warriors to play with it." She snapped her left fingers and they dispersed. The battle had begun.
"You're losing your touch," Eris sneered. "You couldn't even make it inside the volcano without tipping us off."
"Are you sure it wasn't our plan all along?" Sailor Callisto changed back. "Maybe it was our plan to get in, out in the open." Sailor Callisto tried to sound more confident than she felt going against Eris.
"We'll see about that," Eris didn't believe her bluff. He struck first with an attack of dark energy.
The Moon Senshi scattered to the side. They had trained countless hours together and knew each other's movements. The only question was if they were stronger than Eris when they combined their powers.
"Morning Star!" Sailor Callisto unleashed her attack to hit Eris head on. She anticipated him to dodge to the side as he had in the past.
"Mirage Wave!" Sailor Oberon attacked to the right of Eris.
"Lightning Strike!" Sailor Ganymede's attack was focused to the left of Eris. Whichever way he dodged, one of the attacks would hit him. He was struck by lightning. He staggered back a few steps in surprise.
"I guess you've learned something," Eris responded in a dismissive tone. He was confident he could defeat the Moon Senshi, it would just take time.
"Take this," Makemake gave the young man the completed black crystal. "The crystal shards in Tokyo still need more time for them to be activated. You cannot be captured or defeated until the crystals are ready."
The young man with black haired nodded his head. A few years ago, he was adopted by the Black Moon as a young child. As his powers grew, he began to age rapidly. They taught him everything and referred to him as their savior or their Master. He couldn't let them down. He long forgotten what his birth name was, but he was given the name Orcus. Like the others, he was named after small planets between Pluto and Nemesis.
Orcus nodded his head. He knew what needed to be done. The others were willing to sacrifice themselves to ensure his survival. They believed he was the only one that could use the Black Crystal to defeat the Guardian, the Princess of the White Moon. He would not let them die in vain. He would succeed. He would move to their second base near the heart of Tokyo for the remaining two weeks and stay out of sight. Any survivors would meet him there.
"I won't fail everyone," Orcus assured his teacher.
"I will act as your decoy; the other senshi will assume I am the Master that Eris spoke of. Let the senshi think they have defeated us and won. When the time comes, they will not expect it and you will be able to defeat them," Makemake gave his pupil the final instructions.
Orcus knew this would one day happen. He had prepared his entire life for this moment, but it would be the first time he would be on his own without Makemake. This was Makemake's purpose. Orcus took a deep breath and nodded his head slowly. "I will never forget the lessons you have taught me. I will use them against the Guardian when the time comes. You shall be avenged."
Makemake smiled. "Yes. My time has come to its end." Makemake led Orcus to a side exit of the volcano facing the ocean. "When the time is right you must flee this island. Wait for a large explosion of some sort and use it to cover your escape."
"Of course. It is not time for them to know of me," Orcus smiled evilly. Makemake was the only person he ever showed any sign of kindness.
Makemake looked at Orcus one final time before he joined Eris. "Make me proud." With those parting words, he left to face his death. He slowly climbed the staircase up to the other side of the volcano. His health was beginning to fail him and it was only natural for him to be the sacrifice. He appeared young and healthy on the outside, but a birth defect of one of his internal organs spelled a different story. This disability prevented him from joining the others on the front lines, forcing him to operate in the shadows. His pain would finally be over. He smiled in relief.
"Brilliant Barricade!" Sailor Cosmos quickly used a barrier to stop Sedena's attack. She wasn't sure how to fight Sedena without using an energy based attack. No one could move close enough to her for hand to hand combat. How could she stop Sedena?
"Star Gentle Uterus!" Sailor Star Maker scattered the remaining crystal minions.
Sailor Star Healer and Sailor Star Fighter now stood behind Sailor Star Maker, each glaring at Sedena. They were tired of playing games.
Sailor Charon was surprised with the Starlights' abilities. She was somewhat impressed on how well they work as a team, much like herself and the Outer Moon Senshi. She would never admit this out loud to anyone, but they were senshi she wouldn't mind being on battlefield with again.
"Tidal Wave!" Sailor Triton attacked Sedena. She smiled while she absorbed the energy. Each attack the senshi used against her was converted into energy that Sedena would eventually use against them. They hadn't learned yet.
Sailor Star Fighter sighed, she had to explain it to the others. "Don't use energy attacks against Sedena, she is able to absorb the energy and use it against us." She instructed. She didn't want Sedena to become more powerful while they attempted to defeat her.
"You don't know what you're talking about," Sailor Triton challenged the Starlight. She wasn't about to receive battle tips from a senshi of the Kinmoku star system.
Sailor Umbriel obvious to their dialogue, attacked for a distance, "Hurricane Crystal!"
Sedena absorbed the energy again. She was preparing for an attack. She turned toward Sailor Cosmos. She wanted to see for herself, the limits of the Guardian. Sedena added some of her own energy to the attack and let loss all of her energy.
Sailor Cosmos saw the onslaught approaching her. "Brilliant Barricade!" A shield surrounded her and deflected the attack. But it was different this time. The attack continued to push against the shield. Sailor Cosmos' eyes widened in surprise. She gripped her staff tightly and added more energy to the shield. She should be able to withstand an attack from Sedena. She continued to struggle. She could feel her feet slowly moving backward. She was being pushed back by Sedena. How was this possible? When did Sedena become so powerful?
Sedena smiled. The Guardian was not as strong as they had predicted. In a few short weeks, Earth would belong to the Black Moon. With another wave of energy, she attacked Sailor Cosmos knocking her to ground.
Sailor Cosmos slowly sat up. She was in disbelief how Sedena was able to overpower her so easily. All that time training to use her new abilities seemed useless. The time she spent on Kinmoku and the Silver Millennium, trying to control power she still did not understand. There has to be more to it. But she couldn't remember how to use these new found powers. She was a reincarnation of a previous Sailor Cosmos and she lacked most of those memories. Memories that could help her in current problem. She clenched her left hand into a tight fist in frustration. She looked up at Sedena and glared at her. Her hand began to feel warm.
Sailor Cosmos looked down at her hand and noticed the last ring on her hand glowing. She didn't know why but she felt compelled at that moment to grab her staff that lay inches from her. She reached over and grabbed the staff. A bright white light surrounded her body.
Orcus witnessed the bright flash of energy. He was unsure what caused the energy, but took it as his sign to escape the island. He quickly disappeared into the night sky in the direction of the location he would call home for the next two weeks.
The bright light caused the battle to temporarily halt between the Outer Senshi and Ixion. All five paused to look at the light toward the northern side of the island.
"Odd," Ixion commented. "I wonder what is going on over there."
Sailor Uranus smirked. "You should be more concerned about the battle in front of you."
Ixion laughed. "You sound pretty arrogant thinking you can defeat me." He looked around at the four senshi, "There are only four of you. It will take a lot more than that to stop me."
Sailor Neptune was the one to smile. "I think you're the one that is over his head." She created a violin out of aqua energy. "Neptune Violin Tide!" Sailor Neptune's violin unleashed a wave water at Ixion.
Ixion moved to the side without an issue. He still did not believe the Outer Senshi were a threat. He had observed the Inner Senshi's abilities on Nemesis. He assumed they were on the same level.
"Uranus Space Turbulence!"
"Pluto Chronos Typhoon!"
The two attacks hit Ixion at the same time. He had not expected the other senshi to attack him at such an intensity. He stumbled backward onto the ground. His eyes narrowed. He could not believe he was overpowered so easily. He slowly stood up watching them carefully. Ixion could not afford to underestimate them again. His eyes narrowed in frustration. The Outer Senshi's raw power was leagues ahead of the Inner Senshi.
Ixion attacked the group with lightening.
"Silent Wall!" Sailor Saturn blocked the attack. The lightening harmlessly bounced off the barrier.
"Hmmm…. You are very different than the other senshi," Ixion took a few steps backward. He had no crystal minions to help him. He was on his own against four powerful senshi.
The four Inner Senshi, along with Prince Endymion, stood near the base of the volcano.
All stood on guard, with the exception of Sailor Mercury. She knew there was an entrance to the volcano nearby, she just hadn't found it yet. Sailor Mercury's computer beeped. She was about to try pushing some of the rocks inward in hopes of finding a secret passage.
A loud rumbling sound was heard from the other side of the rock formation within. Startled by the sound, Sailor Mercury jumped back.
Rocks slide to the side, revealing a passageway. Footsteps were heard ascending the steps.
Five pairs of eyes watched the passageway in anticipation.
A bright light behind them distracted the group. They turned around in surprise. The light faded quickly.
Prince Endymion turned back to the passage way first. He no longer heard footsteps. Did whatever or whoever escape while everyone looked away?
Everyone waited and they no longer heard any sounds of movement from within.
"Can you find anything?" Sailor Jupiter quietly asked Sailor Mercury.
"No," Sailor Mercury slowly responded. "I'm not reading any life forms in the nearby area, but I'm not sure what is below."
"Then that is where we need to go," Sailor Venus directed the team. She stepped forward and was the first person to enter the passageway, her heels clicking loudly on the steps.
When the light dimmed, Sailor Cosmos stood facing Sedena, with one drastic difference. Her once silver hair was now dark pink flowing in curls down her back. Her back faced the other senshi.
"I don't understand…." Sailor Umbriel whispered. "What is going on…?" Everyone had similar questions running through their mind but no one could provide an answer.
Sedena approached her new prey cautiously. "You appear as the Guardian…but you are not the Princess of the White Moon."
Sailor Cosmos slowly smiled. "You catch on quickly, Sedena. Your powers are no longer a match for my own." Her voice was cold and uncaring. She raised her staff and with a downward swinging motion, a large blast of white energy hit Sedena.
Like before, Sedena attempted to absorb the energy. The power was too much and she could not contain it. She was the one to be pushed back. Sedena began to attack back. The Sailor Cosmos before her was more dangerous than the one she fought five minutes ago. Sedena was running out of time. She began to realize the hopelessness of her situation. A few seconds later, Sedena was overpowered and knocked backward.
Sedena's heart hammered in her chest. She looked up at Sailor Cosmos, frightened. This Sailor Cosmos seemed to have complete control over her powers. Sedena had to escape now or she would not survive the night. She needed a few moments to gain some of her strength back and have enough energy to escape.
"I know what you are trying to do….." Sailor Cosmos said while she took a few steps forward. She was tired of Sedena and wanted it to end. She attacked Sedena again and she disappeared for good. Sailor Cosmos stared at the ground before her where Sedena had perished. She smiled slightly. One less opponent.
The other senshi didn't understand what they just witnessed. They didn't know who stood before them. What happened to Usagi?
Sailor Cosmos turned around to look at the other Sailor Senshi. Her emerald green eyes stared at them, darting back and forth. All of them were unfamiliar to her. Her eyes finally rested on three Starlights for any sign of recognition. She examined them closely before she spoke. "You're not the same." Too much time had passed.
"What are you talking about? Who are you?" Sailor Star Fighter demanded. She was beginning to feel anxiety build up. Nothing was making sense. Was Odango okay?
"You already know who I am." Sailor Cosmos kept her answer short and direct.
Sailor Star Maker exhaled slowly before she spoke one word, "Karin."
"It's not possible…" Sailor Star Healer whispered at the sound of a name she had read about on Kinmoku during her last visit home.
"Someone needs to explain what is going on," Sailor Triton's tone was low and menacing. The woman that stood before them was not her Princess.
"Karin was the original Sailor Cosmos…." Sailor Star Maker's voice trailed off. "How are you here?"
"What did you do with the Princess?" Sailor Charon demanded.
Sailor Cosmos whipped her head toward Sailor Charon, "You are in no position to make demands of me." Her tone was icy. She turned to Sailor Star Maker to answer her question, "Do not be alarmed. No harm has come to the one you call Usagi. She is simply sleeping within this body. I had to push her aside in order to surface and warn you. Just moments ago, the final ability begun to emerge while she fought Sedena." Sailor Cosmos lowered her eyes in sadness. She knew this would be the last time she would have control of this body. "I have saved my strength to give you this message. It will be the only time you will see me," Sailor Cosmos explained to them carefully.
"What is this message?" Sailor Star Fighter asked stepping forward. She wanted to make sure she heard everything.
"The last ability is the ability to gain the knowledge or rather the history of an object or a person by a simple touch," Sailor Cosmos began to explain to the others.
"That doesn't seem so bad…" Sailor Umbriel commented. The ability to gain knowledge could be invaluable during a battle.
Sailor Cosmos paused to look at Sailor Umbriel while she continued. It was clear the Moon Senshi did not fully comprehend the scope of the power. "This ability… could drive a person mad if they cannot control it. Imagine picking up something as simple as a scroll. Besides the knowledge on the scroll she would know who wrote on the scroll and everyone else that held or read the scroll. This amount of knowledge can be overwhelming all at once."
"… Incredible…" Sailor Charon murmured, she realized the ability would also allow Princess Serenity to remember everything from the Silver Millennium.
"What can we do to help her?" Sailor Star Fighter asked softly. Odango had a lot to cope with this year and she wasn't sure if Usagi could handle something like this right now. The few scattered memories Odango received during the past months were difficult for her and Fighter was unsure how well Odango would be able to cope if she received all them back at once.
"Simple, make sure she learns to control this ability. It took me nearly a decade. She must learn to control her powers… the fate of all that is will depend on it," Sailor Cosmos said, "But it might already be too late…"
"Too late for what?" Sailor Triton asked defensively. She was tired of the run around associated with everything related to anyone from Kinmoku. She wanted her Princess back and Sailor Cosmos to be a thing of the past.
"My time is up…" Sailor Cosmos said sadly. She closed her emerald green eyes and her body was once again enveloped in light. When the light faded, Sailor Cosmos once again had white hair in heart shaped odangos and blue eyes.
Sailor Cosmos stood wide eyed looking at the others. "What just happened?" She blinked several times looked at each senshi staring at her. Their intense stares made her feel uncomfortable.
"We have a lot to talk about," Sailor Star Fighter explained as she walked over to speak to Sailor Cosmos of what they just learned. The way Karin explained the last ability was frightening. She didn't want to think about what it would be like if Odango lost control of her powers as Sailor Cosmos again.
The group explained everything to Sailor Cosmos. Her face became solemn. "Is that why I keep receiving past memories of the Silver Millennium…." Her voice trailed off.
"You will soon become Queen, it is only natural for more of those memories to emerge," Sailor Charon stated. She refused to believe the memories Usagi had were due to Sailor Cosmos' power. She was supposed to be Princess Serenity, rather than the future Queen Serenity of the Silver Millennium. The Princess was not supposed to be Sailor Cosmos. Sailor Charon continued to refuse to believe the current circumstances. The Princess' needed to recall her memories of her past life in order to restore order and return to the Prince.
Sailor Uranus rolled her neck to the side. "One more down," she said happily. Moments ago the group defeated Ixion. It was a simple tactical move in which they surprised him and overpowered him. She looked at her teammates. "We should find out what that light was and head there."
"I agree." Sailor Pluto nodded her head in agreement. She was certain it was somehow related to Sailor Cosmos, but did not want to tell the others until she could confirm it for sure. She followed the others in the group silently while she recalled her memories of the other battle she once observed in the future between Neo Queen Serenity and the Death Phantom.
"How many more are there?" Sailor Saturn asked.
"I'm not sure…" Sailor Uranus tried to recall everyone. "Is it just Eris and Sedena now?"
"But they are the most powerful." Sailor Neptune suddenly stopped talking. "I have a bad feeling about this. Something is off."
Sailor Uranus turned to her in alarm. "We have to find the others right away."
Makemake smiled at his good fortune. He used the disturbance to slip out past the senshi. He needed to locate Eris in order to help their plan. Their base would soon be over flowed with lava from the Earth. There would be nothing left by the time the other senshi were remotely close to where the base once stood.
Eris shook his head in disgust. "You're so weak. It's not surprising you were able to be captured so easily." He wanted to end this battle already. He knew he needed to stall for a while to ensure Orcus had enough time to leave the island. Once he saw Makemake he knew they succeeded.
Eris blasted the senshi again with more dark energy. They scattered to avoid the attack.
"Destiny Spinster!" Sailor Charon's attack missed Eris by inches.
Eris turned in the direction of the attack. He was now against eight Moon Senshi, three Starlights and Sailor Cosmos. He had no escape plan and he was on his own.
From the distance, a blast of red energy headed in the direction of the senshi. Eris recognized the energy source. It was Makemake. Eris smiled. Orcus was safe.
Before the energy could hit the unsuspecting Sailor Senshi, it hit a barrier.
"Silent Wall!"
The energy bounced off barrier.
Eris inhaled sharply. More Sailor Senshi entered the battle. It meant Ixion and Sedena were already defeated. He and Makemake were on their own.
"You don't seem so confident now," Sailor Callisto challenged. She observed the change in Eris' posture at the appearance of her reinforcements.
Eris smirked. "You still don't realize whom you are up against!"
Eris' confidence was alarming. He had a scheme.
The brooch on Sailor Saturn's chest began to feel warm. Her eyes shot downward in alarm. She gasped when she noticed a golden crescent moon mark beginning to take shape. She smiled.
Sailor Ganymede examined Makemake closely. She did not recognize the man before her. "Who are you?"
Makemake smiled. He had to make the senshi believe he was the Master. He would give this final battle everything he had. "The one that will end this world." He took a few steps forward, collecting energy as he went. His powers were on the same level as Eris.
"Let me stop him," Sailor Cosmos said to others. "The rest of you stop Eris. There is something different about him."
The other senshi stared at Sailor Cosmos in amazement.
"Are you sure…?" Sailor Star Fighter asked slowly.
Sailor Cosmos nodded her head while she continued to look at Makemake. "It's time to end this." Her staff glowed slightly. She decided to use an attack that focuses her energy into a focused spot. "Starlight Breaker!"
Makemake deflected the energy to the side with a wave of his hand. He was going to give it all he had. "I was under the impression your attacks were more powerful."
"Just wait," Sailor Cosmos said with a smile. Her staff began to glow as she prepared the next attack.
Sailor Callisto glared at Eris. He was significantly out numbered. All the senshi had to do was overpower him and it would finally be over. The Black Moon would no longer be threat. After all of their struggles, it seemed so simple. Almost too simple. She quickly dismissed the thought. She needed to take advantage of every opportunity she was presented. "Morning Star!"
As expected, Eris dodged the attack with ease. But he never stood a chance against the next three attacks.
"Neptune Violin Tide!"
"Uranus Space Turbulence!"
"Pluto Chronos Typhoon!"
The three attacks hit Eris and knocked him to the ground. Before he could even attempt to get up, he was hit again.
"Mirage Wave!"
"Crystal Hurricane!"
"Burning Storm!"
Eris was defenseless as the attacks hit him. He coughed. "I thought you weren't supposed to hit a person when they were down." He struggled to lift his head. He wanted to fight back, but he could barely lift his arm. He felt as if the energy had left his body. He couldn't believe this was how it would end for him. He smiled slightly as he thought about the master's plan. As long as the Earth and the people of this planet received what was coming to them, his death was insignificant. He gathered up the last of his strength for one final attack. He put everything he could into the attack. The attack was ineffective.
Energy crackled between Sailor Star Fighter's fingertips when she thought about the time Eris attempted to kill her in order to hurt Sailor Cosmos. "Star Serious Laser!"
The energy hit Eris as he closed his eyes. His battle finally ended.
Sailor Cosmos prepared her next attack. "Divine Stardust!"
Beams of bright white energy hit Makemake. He staggered backward. He needed to find a way to try to stop Sailor Cosmos, but he realized it was beyond his abilities. Perhaps if he was in better health he would have stood a chance. He was fulfilling his role. This had always been a suicide mission.
"Cosmos Twilight Flash!" Sailor Cosmos attacked again, knocking Makemake to the ground. She was amazed at how quickly she was able to defeat the person before her. Her powers were growing faster than she had originally anticipated.
Sailor Cosmos attacked a few more times and Makemake was defeated. All of the members of the Black Moon on the island were no longer a threat.
Sunrise. The senshi smiled in relief that everything was finally over. The Black Moon was defeated. The Earth was safe once more. The senshi smiled in relief and congratulated themselves.
"Wait… where is Sailor Venus's group?" Sailor Callisto asked when she noticed a few of the senshi had not rejoined the others.
"Did something happen to them?" Sailor Cosmos asked in alarm. "We have to find them!"
The senshi were about to disperse to find their missing teammates.
"Wait, don't go anywhere yet. Did you try to contact them on their communicators?" Sailor Uranus asked.
The other senshi collectivity tear-dropped when they realized they nearly overlooked the most obvious solution.
"Guys?" Sailor Cosmos said over her communicator. Static was heard over the other end. She waited a few seconds before she tried again. "Is anybody there?" She waited a few more seconds, but did not receive a response. Sailor Cosmos turned to look at the others. Panic was beginning to set in. Was there another enemy they missed?
"Usagi-chan?" It was Sailor Venus' voice.
"Where are you guys? We defeated Eris-"
"No way! You guys already stopped them?" Sailor Venus responded in disbelief.
"We found what we believe to be their base inside the volcano, but by the time we got there it was consumed by lava." Sailor Mercury explained to the group. "We are nearly back at the surface."
"I can't believe they stopped the Black Moon without us…" Sailor Mars' voice trailed off. "It's almost as if … we weren't needed." The higher they climbed, the cooler the air had become.
"You know that's not true, Rei-chan!" Sailor Jupiter shot back. "We were able to find what was left of their base. That was important for us to find. It helps confirm that it's finally over."
"The important thing to remember is that the Earth is safe," Prince Endymion said with relief. "It doesn't matter who was there and who stopped what…it's over."
"You're right," Sailor Mars agreed with a smile. "I'm hoping the reign of peace the Moon Senshi mentioned before has finally happened."
"I'm surprised at how quickly they defeated everyone…" Sailor Venus wondered out loud. "I guess… Usagi-chan has become really powerful… more powerful than we thought in the past few months."
"That kind of power increasing so quickly… worries me," Prince Endymion said while continuing to climb the staircase. "Usako… has changed a lot."
"We've all changed from different life experiences," Sailor Mercury chimed in. "We should be at the surface in another five minutes," she instructed.
"This is different. Ever since she learned… Chibi-Usa disappeared… it's like Usako wanted to change everything that could remind her of Chibi-Usa."
A lump formed in Sailor Mars' throat. Things were beginning to make more sense on why Usagi chose Seiya. It wasn't just over the pain she experienced in the past with Mamoru. Could she not be with Mamoru knowing Chibi-Usa would never exist? She kept these thoughts to herself. It was Usagi's choice. She finally made a decision and she didn't want to ruin her best friend's new found happiness.
The group quickly rejoined near the base of the volcano. They all agreed it was time to head home. A few minutes later they returned to Hikawa shrine, relieved to no longer be in their senshi forms or on the island.
Usagi's stomach growled causing the others to laugh. "We should get something to eat…." Usagi said between yawns.
"…what time is it?" Taiki asked Seiya, a sinking feeling in his stomach. The sun was fully in the sky.
"It is 9:15, why?" Seiya asked confused by Taiki's sudden question about time.
"We have to be at the studio at 11am," Taiki responded in alarm.
Seiya sighed loudly while he rubbed his temples. This was the last thing he wanted to worry about today. "This is going to be bad."
"Really bad," Yaten echoed. "If we leave now we have just enough time to change at the apartment and head out."
"Studio?" Usagi asked confused.
"We have a photo shoot today…" Seiya said glumly.
"Looking like that?" Usagi responded incredulously. "You guys have been up all night!"
"You're not helping…" Seiya retorted back. "We'll be fine." He tried to sound more confident than he felt.
"You wouldn't be the first to have to attend a photo shoot after a long battle," Michiru suddenly spoke up. "It's amazing what make-up artists can do."
"Michiru-san?" Minako said, surprised by how helpful the other woman was acting toward the Three Lights.
Michiru shrugged her shoulders. "I think we should all get some rest."
"We have to get going," Taiki urged the other members of the band.
Seiya turned to say something else to Usagi, but Usagi shook her head side to side. "Go ahead. I'll see you at school on Monday," she responded with a smile.
"See you then," Seiya said with smile. He quickly joined Taiki and Yaten, as the three of them moved as quickly as they could to their apartment.
Usagi's stomach growled again. Everyone laughed.
"I think we need to feed Usagi…" Rei teased.
"You guys go ahead," Akari said. "We're going to stay here and rest." She wanted the others to leave so she could speak with the other Moon Senshi privately.
"Are you sure…?" Makoto asked, surprised they did not want to join them.
"Yes," Ayane said. She had picked up on Akari's tone. Something did not feel right to her as well.
"We're going to head home," Haruka told the others.
Usagi stared at Haruka with sad puppy eyes. She wanted to convince them to eat together after what they had experienced during the past couple of months. She wanted the group dynamic to improve. The tension was still too high.
"Ah…" Haruka tried to tell her no, but once Usagi starting pouting at her she was difficult to resist.
Hotaru laughed at Haruka's facial expression. "We'd love to join you, Usagi-san."
Mamoru was about to leave. He felt out of place.
"You should join us too, Mamo-chan," Usagi said softly. "You helped us stop the Black Moon… and it would be nice to have everyone together… when we're not saving the world."
Mamoru hesitated before he responded. Things would always feel awkward the more he tried to avoid the others.
"I think that is an excellent idea," Setsuna said reassuringly. She wanted to observe Usagi and Mamoru's interactions together. This provided the perfect opportunity. The more she knew, the easier it would be to execute her plan.
Once the other senshi left the grounds, Akari turned the other Moon Senshi. "Something isn't right. That battle was too easy."
"I agree," Rin said. She examined the facial expressions of the other girls. "But what can we do? Their base is destroyed and all the members of the Black Moon were defeated…right?"
"I sure hope so," Nanami said. "But, if someone is out there they will make their move…we'll just have to have our guard up and wait"
"We should keep this from the others," Ayane instructed. "Let them enjoy this moment while we remain in the background."
The Moon Senshi don't miss anything! How will the other senshi react when they learn Oculus is out there waiting to attack them? How will Usagi cope with the last ability that is beginning to emerge as Sailor Cosmos? Act 39: Death Phantom