Sailormoon Zodiac: #14 - Shingetsu // The New Moon By: Janelle Jimenez (miaka@bishounen.org) Official Webpage: http://www.sailormoon-millennia.net/ [http://bishounen.org/smmillennia/] Princess Serenity walked silently down the hall, her white heels clicking on the marble floor. It was exceptionally dark on the Moon Kingdom, the usual rays of light from Earth did not shine through the windows of the palace. Serenity lifted the folds of her white dress as she carefully walked down the steps into even more darkness. She was heading to Lady Juno de Kasei's divination room. It was not a part of the palace she was very familiar with and her fear of darkness mingled with her fear of being caught and reprimanded. Serenity straightened her shoulders and regained her composure. This was no time to be a coward. Her destiny had called to her. * * * * Neo-Queen Serenity gazed out into the night. The radiant white moon was missing from the starry sky tonight making it unusually dark. She sighed heavily and weakly walked to the throne room of the Crystal Palace. Each day she continued to she grow weaker...and she knew exactly why. She remembered what had happened in the past, but never knew she would be affected like this. She was beginning to fade away, to fade from existence. Yesterday was the dreadful day that Neo-Princess Serenity disappeared, she had simply ceased to exist. It was only then did the Queen really begin to realize the seriousness of the situation. The past had to be changed, as the past had to be changed many times before. It was selfish, but for for the sake of her daughter...for the sake of her court, she would do anything. The line must continue. The Queen removed a small key from her pocket and unlocked a crystal case. She gently placed her fingers on the Illusion Silver Crystal expecting it to be cold, as all crystals generally are, and was surprised to find it warm. After all these years, she mused, you would think I would have gotten used to this. She carefully lifted the Crystal off its velvet pillow and carefully closed the case. Serenity left the throne room and walked down a dark hall, her wings lightly brushing against the crystal walls. She lifted the folds of her dress and carefully walked down a stair-well. There was once a time when she was afraid of the darkness. There was no time to be afraid. She had to face her past. * * * * Usagi opened her eyes and sat up straight. Two figures were walking towards her, both dressed in white. They looked like ghosts, like something she read in a manga based on a book by some British person whose name she couldn't remember. They were the spirits of the Past and the Future. "Princess Serenity? Neo-Queen Serenity?" Usagi asked in shock. "What are you doing here?" "Hello, Usagi-chan..." Neo-Queen Serenity smiled, "It's nice to see you again." she replied, her face radiating all the warmth and kindness that the Queen of the World should have. Her face then suddenly took a look of seriousness and she glanced at Princess Serenity who was looking a bit nervous. "She doesn't know, does she?" the younger Serenity whispered to the older. "I don't know what?" Usagi asked innocently. "Usagi-san, turn around please..." Princess Serenity said slowly. Usagi's eyes were full of confusion, but she obediently turned her head and looked behind her. She gasped at the sight. She saw herself lying near-death upon a stack of pillows. The window was open and a breeze ruffled the lace curtains, it was incredibly dark in the room. She frantically glanced to her side and saw Mamoru asleep by the bed, grasping her body's hand. Usagi looked down at her own hand and to her surprise she saw she could see right through it. "So...I'm a ghost too?" she murmured, "The spirit of the Present..." she said with a weak smile as tears welled up in her eyes. "What happened to me?" she asked with glassy eyes. "When you were given your Princess-form, the sensitive bond between you and the Silver Crystal suddenly collapsed. It was due to you not being fully prepared to accept it. You died on the spot, Usagi...well, perhaps a better description is that you were put in a permanent coma. However, doctors saw that you weren't truly dead because your brain was fully active. It's a phenomenon that no one can explain. You would have remained that way forever, but somehow, Sailorsaturn knew a way to awaken your spirit. I don't even know to this day how, but it was very traumatizing for the others to watch. They thought she had hurt you...and she ran away in shame." Neo-Queen Serenity explained, tears filling her eyes as she remembered her own past. "Hotaru-chan..." Usagi murmured. "Usagi, listen. There isn't much time. Something that should have never happened HAS happened. It has to do with the Black Star Galaxy and something called the Golden Key. I've only heard about it from my mother, I don't know exactly what has happened...but something in the continuum of time is terribly wrong. Usagi-san, you must awaken and become Princess Sailormoon and overcome your enemies." Princess Serenity quickly, she gave an odd glance behind her shoulder...as if she were afraid someone was going to catch her. "Yes, we in the Future are feeling this paradox. Chibiusa, she's disappeared and every day I grow weaker and weaker. There is something that must be fixed. The battle will no doubt be difficult, but you are to be the Queen of Crystal Tokyo..." Neo-Queen Serenity replied. "You ascend to the throne in seven years. Usagi-chan, you MUST be prepared. More importantly, you must be alive. But without the Silver Crystal you cannot live, so you must take this." Neo-Queen Serenity said and without fear held out the Silver Crystal of the Future. "No! I can't take this. How will you protect yourself and live without this?" Usagi exclaimed. "Usagi, my present is dead. But you *are* me. Your survival and you healing the wound to the time continuum will allow me and all of Crystal Tokyo to live once again." Neo-Queen Serenity explained gently, "So please, allow this existence to disappear and allow me to live in another." "It is not only the Future which is in jeopardy, but also the Past. If the Past collapses, your Present will cease to exist. Please fight. For your friends, for the ones you love, for us." Princess Serenity urged. "We must go now. Return to your body, Usagi-chan.." Neo-Queen Serenity directed. Usagi nodded and lay down upon the pillows, her spirit fusing with her body, the Silver Crystal still in her hands. As the Crystal touched her real body, a light instantly filled her and began to heal her. "And remember Usagi...the line must go on, it must always go on..." Neo-Queen Serenity whispered as the images of her and Princess Serenity faded out. The light melted away Usagi's bed clothes, and a crescent moon appeared and shined upon her forehead. The blinding light brought Mamoru to open his eyes, he winced at the brilliance and shielded his eyes. "Usako..." he whispered as he forced himself to stare down at her. The white light eminating from her body, the look of peace and tranquility on her face--he didn't think he had ever seen her look so beautiful in his life. The Silver Crystal flickered with color and changed form into a crystal brooch shaped as a crescent moon encircled with a golden crown. The Crystal was set upon a golden backing that was surrounded by the signs of all the Sailor Senshi and Earth. From the brooch, a whirl of white ribbons surrounded Usagi and dressed her in the gown of the Silver Millennium. "Usako..?" he whispered again. Her eyes opened slowly and she smiled gently at Mamoru. His hands and body hung limp in his chair as he stared at her, his blue eyes in a daze. She gracefully got out of bed and stood before him, a shining fingetip gently touching his face. The luminescence transferred from her body to his, filling it with the same healing energy. "Usako...my Princess..." he whispered. He stood up and opened his arms wide, Usagi fell into his embrace. The light and love the couple shared encircled them, Mamoru's clothes melting into a suit which resembled his clothing as Prince Endymion of the Silver Millennium. Upon his face appeared a white jeweled mask. "My Princess..." he said lovingly to her and stroked her long, loose hair from her face. "Mamo-chan..." Usagi whispered as she turned her face up for a kiss, "My Prince, my Tuxedo Knight..." * * * * * Jessica stared at Sailorcancer, or rather, 'Kazeno Hikari' as she called herself nowadays. She felt nothing. Her mind raced back to the night before, Sailorcancer had kissed her, much to her surprise. She didn't know what to think of it for a second, but then shortly after she pulled herself away from Cancer and demanded an explanation. 'Leo, don't you remember me?' Cancer had asked, the look of despair that crossed her face at that point stabbed Leo in the heart...but yet...no, she didn't remember her. Jessica couldn't bear to look at Hikari knowing that at every free moment Hikari was gazing at her. Probably desperately wishing to bring back one of Jessica's memories. Part of Jessica found it pathetic, but yet another part of her was also longing for some sort of memory to come to her. What if she was the person Jessica had been praying would come into her life? "Yes, Mihana-san, I was sent from the future by the great Queen Selestia to bring you a prophecy from our Oracles..." Hikari was explaining. She glanced up towards Jessica and gave her a gentle smile. Jessica felt heat rush to her face, and for the first time in all her life, she found herself unable to give someone direct eye-contact. What's wrong with me? Jessica thought to herself angrily, she's just a girl. Near her, she heard Shikami let out a snort. Jessica didn't have to see her to know that those blood eyes of Shikami's were filled with amusement at her discomfort. It was enough to snap her back to reality momentarily. A new thought suddenly entered Jessica's head, ever the pragmatist, Jessica realized that Shikami remembered the past with clarity. Perhaps at a later time she would question the girl on the matter. But for now... "Hikari-san," Jessica began in a cool, clear voice. "Could you tell us what this prophecy was again?" she asked. "Of course, Le...Jessica. I have it memorized." Hikari said quietly, her eyes lowered. She paused for a moment before repeating it, "'When Nine Stars have risen in the Future, and the Moon disappeared from the Earthen sky, the Invaders will win their First Major Triumph.'" "So, as you can see, the Black Star Galaxy will win a great battle soon." Hikari explained. The girls nodded in agreement, only Tien-Lei looked a bit perplexed. "When the Moon disappears from the Earthen Sky...what if that's tonight? It's a new moon tonight..." Mihana asked. "Then we must prepare before the new moon rises in the night sky. We must use any means necessary to make sure the Black Star Galaxy does not obtain any more pieces of the Seven Stars." Jessica said, eager to take back her role as leader from Shikami and eager to prove to all that this situation with Hikari had left her undaunted. "That's what you've been trying to do, Jessica." Shikami replied coolly, "And as I recall, you weren't doing a very good job of either acquiring OR protecting Star Pieces." "Please, Jessica, don't reply." Hikari said, raising her hand up. "You do not remember your arguments with Scorpio from the past, but I remember them well. There's no point in senseless battle, it only weakens the team." she murmured. Much to her own surprise, and everyone elses, Jessica felt her rage die down and felt herself become much more calm...but only momentarily. When Jessica realized that Hikari had been able to do this, she felt her anger flare up once more. Hikari sighed, "If only you could remember what Libra told you time and again--" "Libra?" Tien-Lei repeated in surprise. She now appeared even more perplexed. "Yes, Sailorlibra, the best swordsmistress in the galaxy, perhaps even in the universe...she's--" "Where is she? Sorry to interrupt again..." Tien-Lei interjected. "Well...I...I don't know...I suppose you haven't found her yet." "You said the prophecy said nine stars would be risen, right?" Tien-Lei asked. Without waiting for an answer she continued, "I'm assuming that we are those stars." Tien-Lei glanced to Hikari who nodded, "I am also assuming that we should count you as one of the stars. Well, even if we do count you... How could that prophecy be fulfilled when there are only eight of us?" * * * * "Usagi!" Rei cried out and threw her arms around Princess Sailormoon's neck. All the Senshi were equally as shocked and elated as Rei was. The message had spread quickly that Sailormoon had awakened and they all quickly rushed to Hikawa-jinja to see her with their own eyes. They were all there, all of them except Tomoe Hotaru. "Mamoru-san...you, you look so dashing!" Ami gushed, a slight blush reddening her cheeks. The joy she felt in her heart was so overwhelming, she felt tears warming her eyes. "How did this happen, Usagi-chan?" Makoto asked. "It was Hotaru...somehow she awakened me...but there's no time to discuss this right now." Sailormoon said seriously, "The time has arrived for us to finally defeat the evil that has encircled Earth..." "Usagi..." Ami gasped, "Your vocabulary! It's so...adult..." she said blushing even more than she had before. "Don't be embarassed, Ami-chan. I'm sure everyone was thinking the same thing. You could say that I've grown up a bit...that I know there is a duty I must fulfill." Usagi explained. For a moment her face looked pained as she remembered Neo-Queen Serenity's words...Chibiusa's demise... "Usagi..." Rei murmured, catching the look of sadness that crossed Usagi's eyes. "Also...please don't worry about Hotaru-chan. I know what my mother said about Sailorsaturn and how she must never be awakened or else the end will come. She's a very important member of the Sailor Team who we shouldn't alienate...I have more faith in her than that..." "Princess, you are well on your way to becoming the Queen of the Crystal Millennium." Setsuna murmured. Sailormoon smiled at her gently, "Well, there will be time for that later. There are many things on our agenda. We must acquire the Golden Key and discover what the Black Star Galaxy has to do with the Golden Millennium...We should also find out who exactly the Zodiac Senshi are. It's been difficult thus far, but something inside tells me that they're not the enemies we think they are..." "The Black Star Galaxy could only be the invaders from the future that destroyed the Golden Millennium..." Setsuna said quietly. "If this is so, then we should be helping the Zodiac Senshi, they are the protectors of the Golden Millennium, afterall." "You guys..." Rei whispered as a look of fear covered her face, "I think we should henshin..." "Rei-chan?" Minako asked, "I feel something....very sinister and evil...." * * * * Arseniru watched the girls from afar. He smirked to himself, "What a clever girl." he said dryly. He thought it rather demeaning that he had to spy on these silly Sailor Senshi. They are weak and useless, he thought. He felt it would have been much more worthwhile to attack the Zodiac Senshi, but unfortunately, Princess Lithia did not feel the same way. "She's losing faith in me." He muttered to himself feeling his anger rising. "I can't continue to fail. Damn that Scorpio...this is all her fault." Arseniru clenched his fists, he wasn't really paying attention to the Sailor Senshi. If he had been, he would have noticed they were alarmed. They had all henshin'd and were calling out for whoever it was to come out. But he didn't notice any of this, and if he had been paying attention, he wouldn't have cared. His mind was fixated on one thing right now: Scorpio. He felt his heart tighten as iciness traveled in his veins. How he would like nothing more than to destroy her. To wipe her disgusting smugness from her face. The idea of seeing her broken and torn brought a tiny smile to his face. How he hated her. Hated her, yet desired her. He wanted to control her...Scorpio, the only woman who never fell for him. Scorpio, that beautiful, haughty woman with the sharp eyes and the sweet smelling hair. Scorpio, that hateful woman who stole Leadan away from him. Soon enough, soon enough. He had it all planned out, and when it was done, he would have won. She would be broken, he would control her, and Leadan would hate her. It was perfect. "I stole you once, Scorpio." he muttered with a smirk, "I will do it again." * * * * "Who's there?" Sailormars demanded as she called into the darkness. "Are you sure there's something here?" Sailoruranus whispered. "I felt it...no, I still feel it. There's something evil around us..." "No, nothing evil." a cold voice muttered, "Just us." From under the torii appeared a group of females: the Zodiac Senshi. "What are you doing here?" Sailoruranus demanded. "We're here to bring you a prophecy, to ask for your assistance." a Zodiac Senshi with long jade colored hair said quietly. There was something about her air which made her seem ethereal and not of this time. "Was she part of the Zodiac Senshi before?" Sailorvenus whispered to Mercury. "What is your prophecy?" Sailormoon asked. "'When Nine Stars have risen in the Future, and the Moon disappeared from the Earthen sky, the Invaders will win their First Major Triumph.'" Sailorcancer recited, "Tonight is a new moon, thus it has disappeared from the Earthen Sky...and it can only be assumed that we are the Nine Stars which have risen in the Future..." "There's only seven of you." Sailormars replied bluntly. "Sorry, we don't work with people who murdered our own and thought nothing about destroying us, without even knowing who we were or asking our motives." Uranus said coolly. "Uranus..." Neptune murmured gently and touched her arm. "You're just as guilty of attacking without questioning. You didn't bother to ask me who I was or what I wanted." Sailorleo shot back, "What you wanted was ridiculous! We weren't about to give our talismen to strangers who were trying to hurt us!" Sailorneptune exclaimed in Uranus' defense. "Stop it!" Cancer cried out, "Stop arguing and stop fighting. We are fighting a common enemy, the Black Star Galaxy. Though it may be for different purposes, we have the same goal. We should work together to help stop them. Obviously you have been unable to defeat them on your own, and we too have been unable to defeat them. Working together would make us stronger." "Yes, I agree. We should work together," Mercury said with a nod to Sailormoon, "You know what they say, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend.'" "I will not work with the murderer of Hotaru-chan." Sailoruranus said narrowing her eyes towards Scorpio. "She killed herself. She was crazy." Scorpio replied with ice on her voice. "How dare you--" Uranus began, her fists clenched. Sailorpluto grabbed her arm and restrained her gently, "Uranus, it was fate..." "I think it's very charming that you Senshi are able to finally work together, just as children should." said an amused male voice. It could only be one person. On cue, a burst of fire appeared a yards away from them. He leaned against a tree, a smirk playing upon his lips. "The only person who could appear in such a cliche manner..." Sailorleo muttered as she rolled her eyes. "Did any of you miss me?" he asked, "I know you did, Niko-chan." he purred towards Gemini. "Arseniru, I'm so glad you're here. I've been wanting so scratch that smile off your face." Scorpio sneered as she flicked her wrist, claws extending. "And you don't know how much I've wanted to kiss yours." he cooed as he licked his lips in a perverse manner. He laughed hysterically at Scorpio's recoil, "You couldn't even touch me if you tried, Scorpio." Arseniru laughed, "And even if you did, you'd have the entire Black Star Army at your throat." "You know as well as I do that the Captains of the Black Star Army are the best fighters, the rest of the army is nothing more than mindless ghouls and death knights used for terror and fear purposes. If I defeat you, there's no one left. Who do you think will stand with you? Methania, the machine created by Leadan? Or even better yet... Leadan, my own lover?" Scorpio scoffed, "Don't be ridiculous, Arseniru. Your death won't even be mourned by your legions of whores..." she smirked. Arseniru's eyes flashed with a burning rage. He raised his arm and a trail of fire leading to her exploded from the ground in violent jets. "I'm tired of using underlings and Spawn, I'll destroy you with my own hands." he said, his voice full of hatred. He smirked as one of the jets of fire caught an unprepared Sailorscorpio. He raised his hands to the sky and a curtain of fire and brimstone rained down upon the Senshi from the heavens. Screams filled the air. "Wind FLASH!" Sailorcancer shouted as she closed her eyes, a large gust of wind swept across the battlefield and knocked Arseniru off balance. Sailorcancer collapsed as soon as he did, the pain of the flames becoming too much to bear. "DEEP..SUBMERGE!" Sailor Neptune shouted and threw the ringed blue ball of energy at Arseniru. "Mercury Aqua..Rhapsody!" Mercury exclaimed, a small blue harp appeared in her hand, then grew. She expertly played the strings and a beautiful music accompanied by streams of ice came flying towards Arseniru, whose face showed obvious frustration. "Try a little harder!" he shouted, and intensified the rain of fire. The screaming grew louder. Sailorleo and Sailormars were on the ground, writhing in pain, it seemed as they were being harmed the most. "He can't do anything to us.." Mercury shouted to Neptune and Gemini, "It seems the fire can't harm anyone protected by the element of water and those with the element of fire seem to be doubly affected." She said, gesturing helplessly to Leo and Mars. "He can't harm us, but our attacks aren't harming him either!" Sailorgemini exclaimed in frustration. "You're all so brilliant! How much longer can you listen to your friends suffer before you decide to give up? Give me the Seven Stars and I'll stop and leave you all alone." Arseniru said in a charismatic voice. Mercury glanced to Neptune and Gemini who gave her blank looks in return, she looked down at her friends: uniforms burned, skin scarred, screams of pain plastered on their faces. What else could they do at this point? Just as Mercury was about to try and negotiate with Arseniru, the bodies of the fallen Senshi began to rise up and float in midair. Suddenly all of them were whisked out of the damaging firestorm. Mercury looked quickly to the others who looked just as perplexed, even Arseniru looked confused. "Now! Combine attacks!" Gemini shouted, "Double Ice Freeze!" "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" Mercury exclaimed, "DEEP..SUBMERGE!" Neptune shouted. Like magic, the attacks came together. The streams of ice wrapped themselves around Neptune's blue glowing ball of energy, which in turn were surrounded by braiding ribbons of ice and water. Arseniru quickly disappeared in an eruption of fire, just barely missing possible annihilation. "I like when you play rough, try harder next time." his voice whispered in the air. Gemini shivered as she felt a whisper of a touch at her neck, like a gentle kiss. Mercury turned around to survey the damage, her mind quickly forgetting about Arseniru and returning to the matter at hand. "How...how did that happen?" she asked as she looked towards the Senshi who had been placed near one of the many decorative fountains in the park. "It was me." a voice called out. Standing behind them, several hundred yards away, a Senshi stood. Her white hair was combed away from her face, blue-rimmed glasses flashing slightly under a streetlamp. "Haato...Tenshi?" Sailorsagittarius whispered, "Yes...well, Sailorvirgo. I was the one who saved Sailorsaturn that one time... and Sailoraquarius." "And now...everyone else." Gemini murmured. "My God...Uranus!" Neptune suddenly cried out and rushed towards the group of Senshi. From a closer perspective they could see just how much damage Arseniru had truly done. "The prophecy..." Sailorcancer gasped as she looked up weakly and noted the prescence of Sailorvirgo. "Please don't talk, Sailorcancer. You're weak and hurt, you must rest..." she whispered gently. "The prophecy..." Sailormercury murmured as she gazed at all the fallen Senshi. "Nine Stars Risen...the Moon not in the night sky...the first major triumph of the Invaders from the Future. It was fulfilled..." Sailorgemini glanced at Sailormercury curiously, a dark look crossed her face. "So...what next?" Sailorcancer sighed heavily, "Our destruction..."