United Love: Chapter Five A tale told by Guardian Angel One Rated-PG pure_angel_i@yahoo.com http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Dreamworld/3042/ Hey everyone! I have been in such a rush the past few weeks, I realize I've been skimpy on the author's notes as well as the story. SIGH. Will my life ever get better? If you want to know why this took so long, here it is. My house has been invaded by ants. Do you know what it's like to wake up one morning and find around a hundred crawling on your keyboard? My teachers also find it fun to load me down with work, even over the holidays. I hosted my first party, as well as had my Dad's birthday (The 22nd- Happy B-day Daddy!) and had holiday shopping and a million other things. But now that is taken care of. Which means I finally finished this part. Standard disclaimer applies to the entire story. I won't mention it in any further parts of this story, but I know you know. All the bad guys are MINE, as well as the story line. Plagiarism is evil. ++ separates scenes o}--+----- tells when and where < > means thought of the current character Chapter Five: "Accidents Will Happen" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- Tokyo, June 2, 1998 AD, Universe 1 rang through her head. She had no clue as to what was going on or why things were happening, and it scared her. She had never had a problem with not knowing what was going on because she always had an idea. But now… things were changed. Serena realized that if she didn't have Molly, she wouldn't know what to do. "Serena, are you all right?" came a gentle voice. Serena smiled sadly and looked up. Ikuko Tsukino stood looking at her daughter. It nearly broke her heart to see her child so sad. She knew that for the past couple years, Serena had been keeping a secret from them. But she and her husband had never pried. They had a secret of their own to tell her and Sammy. And so they had decided to go out with the Baker's, the Umino's, and the Wellington's tonight. It would be then that all secrets would be told. And maybe Serena would tell her's. But right now, she needed to comfort her daughter. "Yeah, mom. I just had a rough day." "Anything you want to tell me before tonight?" Serena looked confused. "What about tonight?" Ikuko smiled, sitting down on the bed. "Tonight, your father and I, as well as Molly's mother, Melvin's parents, and Andrew's parents have something we need to talk to you about. We are all going out to dinner. You see… we have been keeping secrets from you kids. And since we have always been rather close, as well as you four, we thought it would be best if we told you all at once." Serena played around with the idea in her head. Serena finally spoke after a minute of silence. "I suppose I should tell you all my secret too. Maybe. What time is dinner?" "Five thirty. Get dressed really nice, Serena. It will be pretty formal." Ikuko walked over to the closet and Serena giggled slightly. Her mother only called her by her middle name when they were in a silly mood. Serena looked out at the moon as her mother looked through her closet. If she told her parents, they would understand. And now that there weren't any threats, she didn't have to worry about anything. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- Noom, June 2, 1998 AD, Multiserve 1 Damion could feel power cackling around him. He felt like time was speeding up. He was aware that the portal was opening, but it was unstable. They needed more power. Only three-quarters of their army could fit through the portal. "RETHGIFRATS POWER!" "REKAMRATS POWER!" "RELAEHRATS POWER!" Damion's eyes widened. He didn't know how they got there, but he was glad they did. Now, they were whole. "DEFENDERS OF DARKNESS, CALL!" Three new swirling powers supported the portal, stabilizing it. He felt a faint energy signature, and realized his armies were giving some energy into the portal. The portal was now a swirling patch of colors, every dark color imaginable. Awe encompassed them all as they watched a bright light flicker in the center, than stabilize. The portal was opened. Damion stepped through. And found himself in Hell. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- Silver Millennium, June 2, 1 BC, Universe 2 It had taken Damion thirty minutes to track down the Pure Crystal of Light. But finally, finally he had found the object of his desire. He hesitated a moment before transporting to the room of the Moon Palace he felt it in, knowing he would be seen immediately. But he no longer cared. If she had died, as the Moon Queen's mind had shown him, nothing else mattered except finding her crystal. Transporting into the main ballroom, he paid no attention to the gasps of courtiers and officials around him. Closing his eyes briefly to concentrate again, he pinpointed the Crystal's exact location. And silently cursed as he began walking to the throne, which had been set up at the center of the back wall, for prestigious parties the queen held with her friends. King London of the Moon stared at Damion. He had been outraged when the man had made his unannounced appearance in the center of the ballroom. The Sailor and Generals had been going over military strategy throughout the day, since his wife had had the scare of being with the Earth Prince himself. He had been outraged to hear the heir of the Rose Alliance had been able to slip into the palace and into the queen's presence, and then out again without detection. He was also mentally drained from the healing Uranus had required. And now, he was very angry that this man was in his ballroom. London felt Serenity stand beside him. Jupiter and a newly revived Uranus seemed to spring into action, as well as Venus and Pluto. Mercury whipped out their computer and began to analyze the man. Damion couldn't stop the grin from forming on his face. How serious they looked! They seemed to take him as a threat without hesitation. Taking long strides, he briskly walked up to the king and bowed slightly. "Your majesty-" The queen gasped. "It's you! You were in the room, demanding for her…" rang through Damion's head. London drew his sword and put the tip by Damion's neck, keeping him at a distance. "Please excuse me, but I am not who you think I am." Damion began, not even acknowledging the fact that he could die with a small movement made by London. "And how can we believe you? You ATTACKED our queen-" began Queen Ariel of Jupiter. Her eyes narrowed when Damion interrupted her. "I did not attack your queen. I merely asked her a question." "That's not all. What did you do? Are you with-" began King Donal of Uranus, stepping up in front of London, drawing his own sword towards Damion as he once again interrupted. Damion smirked slightly at the thought. "The Rose Alliance? Please, I would never stoop so low as to get into your petty disputes. I am with a neutral faction. And please wait before you ask questions." King Brian of Jupiter stepped up with Queen Brenda of Uranus, each stepping next to their spouses. "Who are you to order us around? We could have you killed with a single gesture." His smirk grinned as he looked at the four surrounding the royal couple. Calling on the power of his crystal mentally, he blasted all twelve royals back into their throne. Quickly, he set a force field around them, and stopped time outside the shield. The Royal couples all seemed shocked, especially Mercury. The two exchanged looks, then passed their computers to Moon. Damion sighed, realizing he was going to really have to use his powers to get them to listen. Mentally, he shut down the computers. Now all eyes were on him, this time with amazement and a little fear. Clearing his throat softly, Damion began. "First of all, I have stopped time for everyone except us, so you won't miss anything important." He eyed the shocked Pluto warily. "Now, about myself. No, I am not Endymion. I doubt Endymion could get here. I have nothing to do with your little war with the Rose Alliance or any other factions you are aware of. I came here in search of Serenity, your daughter. I refuse to accept her death until I see the crystal." An insane glint in his blue eyes appeared at the mention of Serenity. Queen Serenity stared defiantly at him. "And let me say that I never want you to read my mind again. There is no way I will ever reveal the Silver Crystal to you, unless you wish to die. You WILL leave immediately and never return, unless you wish to offer help. Your actions towards me are unforgivable." Damion sighed again. "Serenity-" "She is the Queen to you!" Uranus yelled out together. Damion felt rather than saw their glares as strapped them down with Darkness Energy. "No, she is not. You poor pathetic people, it is sad to think you would raise such a powerful daughter. And I do not wish the Silver Crystal in my sight. I could have taken that at my convenience. No, I am after something bigger. London, stand up." London hardened his face. "No." With the wave of a hand and a little more Darkness Energy, Damion lifted the king into the air, along with the throne, and then the other Royalty. "Fine then." Ignoring their protest and some cries of surprise, Damion strolled up to where the throne of the king had occupied. Tapping the floor slightly and hearing a hollow sound, he slammed his foot down, revealing a secret hollowed out box in the floor. Inside the pocket was a beautiful ivory box littered with all kinds of jewels and symbols of the planets, which he carefully floated towards his open hands and cradled, as if it were a new born baby. Smiling, he teleported so he was floating in the air above the center of the room, and with another flick of his wrist Damion restored time, released the Royalty, and dissolved the force field. "Really, this is all I wanted. It seems to be the only thing of true worth here." And with another flick, he was gone. In a small grove of white moon lilies, Damion reappeared. Tossing a gloating smile in the direction of the palace, he put his full attention into the jeweled box ahead of him. A few short seconds of examination, and Damion noticed an empty bracket where a jewelry box typically had a lock. Smiling, he called the Pure Crystal of Darkness. Carefully he placed his crystal into the bracket. Cocking his head slightly to the side he gazed at the box with curiosity. Damion concentrated some power into the crystal and began to force the box to open. With a loud crack it slowly opened, a beautiful white light, showing pure light energy was inside. Damion winced at the light, then slowly stepped forward and peered inside. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- Crystal Tokyo, June 2, 2022 AD, Universe 3 Damion didn't want to believe it. But he couldn't believe a lie. So he decided to prove it. He had floated a few feet from the ground, a perfect statue of concentration. There was only one way he knew of that would prove whether it was true or not. Which led him to his still form, searching for the Pure Crystal of Light. If he found it, he would find out what had truly happened to her. Now, after an hour of searching Crystal Tokyo and scanning the various energy fields, Damion had finally found it. And groaned as he realized the crystal's location. Before he could hesitate again, Damion teleported. King Endymion was having a meeting with his Generals and Sailors via holograms. The Neo-Sailors along with the Neo-Generals and Helios, along with Endymion's four children were all present. Endymion was agitated with this new threat, particularly because it brought up such pain. He was angry that some one would do this to his daughter, and with flashing eyes, they had begun to create a plan to capture the obvious psycho running around the palace grounds. Damion chose that moment to teleport into the room, directly in front of King Endymion and the Neo-court, with his back to the Sailors and Generals. Insanity gleamed slightly in his eye. "Pardon the interruption, Endymion." Endymion gasped in shock. The man looked just like him? It was amazing! Endymion wondered as he unconsciously straightened his back. He felt the others tense around him, and saw the Sailors and Generals gasp and step forward as if to reach through the connection. "Who are you and what business do you have here?" Evil seemed to completely envelope the man who smiled with the king's statement. "You know," Damion began, still smiling, "you are exactly like her. I can see why Serenity loves you. This and our perfect looks. But enough of the reminiscing. I'm here for one thing, and then I shall leave. Now, if you will all step aside, I really would like to get this over with as soon as possible." "We're not going anywhere," Helios spoke up from the king's right. "How dare you show such disrespect. Answer the king's questions!" Helios glared at this man who seemed to threaten his king. Helios had been in charge of Endymion's well being as far as he could remember and he was not about to have anyone challenge him or the king. "Silence boy. Your loyalty is sweet, but your anger is unnecessary. As for your questions, Endymion, I'm afraid they shall have to go unanswered." "What did you do to me in the park?" Reni asked. Damion turned slightly toward her, eyeing her critically. The Neo-Sailors angrily edged in front of Reni. Damion's eyes softened slightly, some sanity entering his eyes. "You, her daughter… you are so much like her. Endymion, do you realize how lucky you are to have some of Serenity's light around you?" Reni stared, fascinated at the man in front of her. After a few silent seconds, Damion's face hardened, the gleam back in his eyes. "Ahh, but soon I will know the truth. Excuse me." And with this, he began to walk to the king. The Neo soldiers were quick to get in his way. "You'll have to get passed us first!" Neo-Sailor Mars threatened. Damion arched his eyebrow. "Are you trying to get in my way? Because you're new, I will allow this to pass. If it had been your mother… well, there would have been consequences. I suggest you watch who you threaten in the future." "How DARE you order my daughter!" Queen Mars raged from behind him. Damion flicked his wrist. Suddenly, the room was covered in a thick mist. When it cleared, all present in the room were wrapped in chains of Darkness Energy. Damion was now standing in front of the throne. The holographic royalty began shouting at him. "What are you doing?" Queen Uranus and Queen Jupiter demanded at the same time. "Let them go!" yelled Queen Venus. "What do you want?" King Zoicite asked coldly. "Undo what you have done!" barked King Kunzite. Damion, now annoyed at their antics, decided the best course of action would be to show them who they were dealing with. Calling on the powers of his crystal, Damion silently ordered time to stop except for the around him and the throne. Energy slowly began to swirl around him, picking up speed until he felt it- the unmistakable energy signature of his crystal's opposite, namely the Pure Crystal of Light. He smiled at the silence, glancing back at the holograms and the others to see their stiff forms stopped in mid-action. With a thought, the huge throne was knocked to the ground. Lightly tapping his foot on the floor where the throne had stood, he listened to the hollow sound a second before smashing his foot through the floor. Mentally grasping the object inside, Damion floated above the ground slightly as he gazed in wonder at the object he had found. It was a gorgeous ivory jewelry box, completely covered with jewels. And inside, he felt the power that dictated his life inside. His hand itched to pry it open and find out its condition. But that would mean the others would find out about the crystal. He wouldn't do that yet. With another flick of his hand, he released everyone and restored time. He chuckled at their shocked faces. "HOW DID YOU DO THAT?" demanded Queen Pluto. Damion saw her husband holding her back with a hand on her shoulder. Damion grinned gleefully. He loved it here! No wonder Serenity had been so protective of them; they were so much fun to play around with! He almost gave into the urge to laugh when he saw everyone's face pale as the reality of his powers dawned on them. "Well, as priceless as this is, I must be going. I have a duty to fulfill. Until next time." And with that, he was gone, as well as his Darkness. Endymion finally gathered his self together. He sharply turned to the holograms. "You'd better get back here. Now." There was no hesitation as everyone simultaneously broke the connection and called a transport unit. Outside the palace, Damion had transported to the rose gardens built for Neo-Princess Reni's private parties. He then examined the box up close, noticing how light it was despite the blanket of jewels covering it. His eyes lighted as he found the empty bracket where a lock usually was placed. , he thought slowly as he called upon his Pure Crystal once more. Placing it in the bracket, he watched with satisfaction as the bracket seemed to accept and hug the crystal perfectly, yet concern was written all over his face. After waiting for what felt like an eternity, the lid slowly opened, revealing a bright light only pure light energy could create. He apprehensively looked inwards, squinting through the light. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}---+----- Tokyo, June 2, 1998 AD, Universe 1 Irene Tsukino was nervous. No, not just nervous; she was downright afraid. All she could think about is how Serena and Sammy would react to the news they would tell them. She wondered for the millionth time how she and the other adults would begin to tell them about their past. Irene sighed as she brushed her hair. This would probably be one of the hardest things she had ever had to do. At least they were in this with others. And they had always seemed close. Silently she let her mind wander to her life during the past seventeen years. So much had changed. Did she have the power to undo all the mistakes? Yet, if they were mistakes, how come she had so little regret? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ (flashback in Ikuko's mind) A twenty-one-year-old Irene was having the first argument with her parents. It had been three years of sadness and guilt for the girl who had always been happy and perfect- Irene hated it. She hated yelling at her parents. She hated being treated like a child, which is what they seemed to be doing. And most of all, she hated to be told what to do. So when her parents told her she couldn't see the love of her life, Kenji Tsukino, she had put her entire soul into rebelling against them. It was their three-year anniversary. She had wanted to go out with him to celebrate it- in public. But her parents had other plans. "I forbid you to see him Irene. I don't care how much or how long it takes, but I will get you to open your eyes and see how wrong this boy is for you! Ikuko, he isn't well off, he has a small job, and he's eight years your senior! There is no way I will allow you to see him. The case is closed." And with that, he crossed his arms, a sure sign that he wasn't going to budge from his opinion. Irene's eyes tingled with tears. "Fine! I don't care what you think, I'm in married to Kenji, and there is NOTHING you can do to stop us from being together!" Ikuko was near hysterics. She turned and fled out of the room before she could hear a comeback from her father. She ran to the elevator. Her father owned half the city practically, and his main building was the building they usually stayed at, Paradise Estates, which was a rich and famous hotel on one of the most famous beaches in the world. Paradise, California truly was a paradise, with warm weather almost all year and an unusual environment. It had a gorgeous white sandy beach, a sparkling blue Pacific Ocean, a forest of ancient redwoods and oaks, and a small mountain, which housed a ski resort. The city was almost like Thomas Moore's utopia. Irene had lived almost her entire life here. And as she sobbed in the elevator, she realized what she was going to do. She would leave Paradise. It was the only way. When the elevator reached the top floor, the penthouse suite, Irene ran to her room. She sprinted to the phone, shakily dialing the number to Kenji's apartment. After a few rings, she heard him answer, seeming out of breath, "Hello?" "Oh darling, I'm so sorry." Ikuko cried into the cell phone, as she shakily got out her suitcase and began to pack. "My father… he…" "Shhhh, it's all right love. I understand. Everything's going to be all right." He quietly whispered, his voice full of love and compassion. She shook her head, as if he was standing next to her. "No, it's not all right. This is the first time in my life I have argued with them. I have NEVER argued with them. Oh darling, I fear what I have to do. But it must be done. Kenji, I need to go." "Where? Are they sending you off to another country again?" "No. They… they want me- us to divorce. Kenji, I need to run away. And I want us to live in Tokyo." "I'll be right over. Be ready to go in an hour." There was no hesitation. Kenji loved Irene to death, and had only seen his daughter a few times. The tiny girl had immediately claimed his heart- and he needed to be with both of them, to love his wife, to raise their daughter, and start a family together. As Irene put the phone down, a little voice came from the doorway to the adjoining bedroom. "Mama?" Her blonde hair done up in what Kenji called "meatballs", the tiny girl with large blue eyes looked at her mother, a pink furry bunny clutched in front of her stomach. Her grandmother had given it to her when she was a baby, and she had never been seen without it near. Smiling, Irene opened up her arms. The girl and bunny became a ball of color as they launched themselves into Irene's arms. Crystal tears began sliding down her face as she looked up to her mother with a heart-breaking pout. "Granfather's mad. You're crying. I'm scared." Ikuko could make out that much from the her sobs coming from her mouth smashed against Irene's new blouse. "Everything's going to be okay baby. We're going on a trip. On a plane with Daddy." Irene made soothing noises, and Serena stopped crying. "Really? With Daddy?" Serena's eyes widened with renewed vigor. She loved the man her mama told her to call "daddy". She had never had one before, and now that she did, she would never let him go. "Yep. But be quiet- Grandfather and Grandmother can't go. We don't want to make them sad." Serena's brow furrowed. "Why can't we go with Granfather and Granmother? I want them to come." "I'm sorry dear. But don't you want to see Daddy? I've got an idea, why don't you leave them a pretty note? That way they won't be so sad to see you go." She seemed to think about it, tilting her head before giving a bright smile. "OK!" Giving her mother one last hug, she turned and ran out the room to find the right materials. Her deep blue eyes roamed over the room for a second, softening, before she looked over to a determined Serena laboring over a piece of paper through the door and in the study. The sight of her daughter strengthened her resolve. She would not let them take her daughter's father away. She would not let her parents control her marriage, her life. Turning, she went to pack their bags and leave a note. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- end flashback, back in the present She and Kenji had gone back to Japan with Serena and bought a house in a new development. She had never seen her parents again, but often read about them in the paper. Her father had prospered even further, if possible, and her mother was involved in twenty charities at the last count. Eventually she had made friends, the Bakers and the Tigers. They all married and had children. Specifically, Molly, Melvin, Andrew, Lizzie, Serena, and Sammy. Irene hadn't seen her parents in sixteen years. And now, they decided their children had a right to know about everything. Sammy was old enough to understand, and he was the youngest of all of them. Which was the reason for the dinner. Which brought her back to the present. What was she going to do with her hair? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- Tokyo, June 2, 1998 AD, Universe 1 Alex was beginning to get dressed in her tuxedo when the call came. Mira, Sophea, and Ana had had plans to go to a fancy restaurant that had just opened a few days ago. Of course, Sailor business would come up. It typically had an effect on her evenings with Mira. "Outers?" came Raye's voice through the watch. Alex lifter her wrist to her face. "Yeah? Is there something wrong?" "A new threat, particularly aimed at Serena. I need everyone to be there. Including Darien. Could you tell the others? But don't call Serena- she would only panic." Alex blew a sigh of relief inaudibly. The dream he had had of losing Serena at the race course was still fresh in his mind. He couldn't bear to see her anytime soon. "Sure. Uranus out." "Mars out." Alex walked out to the balcony on her room, overlooking a lake and the gorgeous sunset. She felt the wind breeze by her, giving her the adrenaline she loved to feel. The type that told you everything was about to come at you. Lingering to feel the last of the breeze, Alex turned to the bed, where an intercom system was located. She quickly pressed a button and announced, "Dinner's canceled. Something is threatening the Princess. Again." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- same as before "Something is threatening the Princess. Again." Sophea was off in her own world. A world where responsibility and duty were the only duties one lived by. Her post at the Gate of Time was her world. Was. She didn't know what was wrong. She didn't know what would happen next. She couldn't see anything, couldn't feel anything, couldn't manipulate time or transport back to the Gate. It was as if some one had completely blocked her. She stared out the balcony of her room, towards the sun setting in the west, her eyes flashing anger, betrayal, and a hate for who ever was doing this. But underneath all that, there was one other emotion. A feeling Sophea had not felt since she was a child so long ago in the Silver Millennium. Fear. Who in the universe could slip past the Time Guardian, sneak into the Gate, and manage to completely control time and block her out without her knowing until it was too late? She turned and quickly strode out the room. The Sailors would be needed. And Sailor Moon, would she be needed too? Sophea allowed herself a slight flinch at the thought of the Princess. The dream she had had of Serena falling into the Gate of Time to remain lost forever was still fresh in her mind. She hadn't dreamt in decades. She wasn't supposed to dream until the next century, she had seen. The Princess would be needed. But as to how much would it take to defeat this large a threat, that was a different story. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- Downtown Tokyo, same time Kenji Tsukino cleared his throat, unofficially announcing the beginning of the "Night of Truth", as the adults were beginning to call it. He looked at everyone. His beautiful wife, whom he had been forbidden to see sixteen years ago, smiled lovingly at him, though she was obvious nervous. Beside her sat an even more nervous Serena and a casual Sammy. His two beautiful children, who meant the world to him, were like impossible dreams that had become a reality. Next to Sammy was Andrew, Rita, and Lizzie, whose attention focused on him. They were wonderful friends to Serena and Sammy, excellent role models and, in a strange way, the engaged couple seemed like guardians to Serena. Besides Lizzie was Molly, holding onto Melvin's hand and smiling softly. Even though he was disappointed Serena wasn't Melvin's girlfriend, he was happy for Molly. Sitting next to Melvin was Belle Tellus, Kimi Star, and Gwenyth Verse. The three girls were Rita's cousins, who had immediately become best friends with Serena, Molly, and Lizzie a few days ago. Next to Gwenyth, the Tigers, Mrs. Baker, and the Wellington's sat. The five of them seemed just as nervous as Ikuko, the men being slightly calmer. Mr. Wellington, who sat on Kenji's other side, jokingly clinked his knife to the crystal wineglass. Kenji took in a deep breath. "Kids, we believe it is time you learned a little about your past, as well as ours. We, as a group, have hidden a secret from you, and in doing so may have made a grave mistake. But we are willing to explain things to you, now that you have all grown up to a certain level of maturity." Irene pulled Kenji down gently. She looked around at everyone's face and took a deep breath. "Kids, we are not from Tokyo. My parents… we used to live in California. You see…" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+---- Cherry Hill Temple, same time Raye looked up wearily at the fire. She had been sitting in front of it since the vision had come that morning. Her grandfather and Chad had not disturbed her, realizing it was something very important to her. She chuckled inside herself. Her legs ached as they tingled from not being moved in hours. Her hands were red from being near the heat of the fire for so long. Her raven black hair was matted to her back with sweat. She was exhausted mentally from searching for answers. Yet she kept going. She was Mars, the Spirit of the Everlasting Flame, and she would not go out when it concerned her friends. Especially since this concerned her best friend, Princess, and fellow soldier. A brilliant flair of blue fire jumped high into the air. Raye reached out with her mind to calm it. Shakily, she stood and turned to face the door. "Amy, I'm in here." The slightly smaller girl entered, computer in hand. Amy's light blue hair seemed almost violet by the glow. Her hands were snow white, her eyes downcast and sad. She was wearing a sky blue skirt that went down to her ankles, with a matching vest and white long-sleeved blouse with a high color. "What is this about Raye?" Raye pondered her options. Should she tell her? "I sense a disturbing evil, aimed a little at Serena. I think we should discuss it without her, so she doesn't make planning a counter offense impossible." "My computer has been receiving some odd signals from space today. Perhaps we should compare what we know." Raye hadn't told her. Little did Raye know, the others were thinking similarly. Within ten minutes, everyone had assembled into the fire room and were silently kneeling as they awaited for the meeting to be called to order. Raye decided to take charge. "I've spent the day trying to find a new energy source that… came to me in a vision. Amy also said she found something," Raye glanced towads her friend, seeing her nod slightly,"on her computer." "It's a large amount of energy being directed from some unknown origin in space. It is quite massive, rivaling the energy as the Silver Crystal. Because it is so dense, I can't get any specific readouts." Amy added. Her fingers outlined the symbol of Mercury on her computer. "It must be destroyed." Everyone turned to the one who had spoken. Sophea's head was bowed, her knuckles white as she clutched the mini time key around her neck. "Sophea-mama, what's wrong?" Ana asked, her small white hand reaching out to Sophea's shoulder. Sophea head shot up with Ana's touch, her maroon eyes wide with surprise. Everyone in the room gasped, hardly recognizing the face of their solitary friend. Tracks of tears stood out on her elegant tan face, her maroon eyes holding a slightly frightened quality as they glistened with tears. "I… I…" her voice broke. She sat up a little straighter and the fear left her eyes, leaving only a mask of uncertainty. "It must be destroyed. It… it somehow has broken my connection with the Gates of Time. If it can do that, it has a chance of invading the time stream and could then kill us at any given moment. It must be stopped." Mina put a comforting arm around the Guardian of Time. She couldn't imagine what the woman was feeling, but being of the compassionate Venus, she was always first to offer a shoulder to cry on. "Sophea is right." Mina glanced at those around her, determination written all over her face. "This needs to be stopped, and we're the ones to do it!" Amy, keep working. That goes for you too, Raye. Lita call everyone's house and tell them we're spending the night at your place. Mira, use your mirror and help Raye. Alex, transform and you and I can take a look around the city. Might as well make sure everything is quiet and there is nothing here yet. Ana, help Sophea. Try and contact the Gate." "What about me?" came a small voice from the door. "Reni!" Darien called. She promptly ran to him, giving him a bear hug. "Mamo-chan! I missed you! It's not the same without you all in the future!" "Small Lady! Were you at the Gate!" Sophea shouted shooting up from her spot on the floor. "Yeah, why? And why isn't anyone at the gate, Pu? I was really worried when I didn't see you!" "Small Lady, I'm so happy you're all right! I've been blocked from the Gate. Did you see anyone there?" Reni's startled look answered a second before she spoke. "No, I didn't see or feel anyone. What do you mean, they blocked you?" "Hey squirt! Why don't you come with me? I'll explain what's going on. You can also help me bring back snacks!" Lita smiled for the first time that day. "Yeah!" Sophea collapsed back onto the ground. "At least she's all right." "Yeah, but there is nothing that is helpful. C'mon, we've got work to do." Raye said. Everyone, now smiling with the presence of Reni, began the task. All of them wondering how much Reni was like Serena, they pushed thoughts of their leader to the back of their minds. Serena was a touchy subject no one felt like talking about for fear they would say too much. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- Spaceship, just above Earth's atmosphere, same time "Hold on everyone! The entrance into Earth is rather rough!" Starmaker shouted. Everyone reached for something to hold onto. The ship turned into a bright fireball in the sky as they descending to the "living planet". ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- Downtown Tokyo, same time Silence reigned the table where a large group sat. The adults had finished telling their story. There had been some discussion, with some tears. Serena had lightened the mood by showing mock anger for her father's overprotection, when he had hidden this from them. Everyone had eaten the appetizers and main course during the explanation. Dessert passed with questions of what California was like, what their grandparents were like, and how hard it was to keep the past a secret. After dessert, Serena noticed how visibly relaxed everyone was. At least, she was. Serena smiled at her father, who was now watching her and smiling back. Still, Serena had a nagging feeling that something was going on that she didn't know about. She felt her communicator on her left hand, checking to see if it was still there. She stole a glance at it, but didn't see any sign of a call. She glanced around at everyone again. "Mom, Daddy, I have a secret too." Serena said, before she chickened out. Everyone grew quiet and looked to her. Molly smiled. "So do we," Molly added, still smiling. Andrew, Bell, Kimi, Rita, and Gwenyth all smiled. They knew what was coming. Serena looked startled, glancing at her smiling friends. Though she had just met Belle, Gwenyth, and Kimi that night, they had all clicked. They reminded her so much of her friends, and they were so easy to talk to, Serena immediately counted them as part of the "group". Serena scanned her memory for the information she and Melvin had gotten from the three. They were sisters, cousins of Rita's. Belle Tellus was a pediatrician at Johns Hopkins, on holiday. She also loved sports and coached a softball team for teenage girls. She loved traveling, and loved to fly planes. She reminded Serena of Alex and Lita- always on the go. She was tall, with wavy chocolate brown hair and midnight blue eyes. Kimi was very serious with her cool blue eyes seeming to analyze everything and her deep scarlet hair in a small bun behind her head, and not a hair out of place. Kimi was a top geneticist, who worked for NASA. She was very intelligent, but unlike Mira or Amy she could crack jokes along with Belle and Gwenyth and laugh with Serena. She was here to do a project with Tokyo engineers, which, she had winked, was very "hush-hush". Gwenyth was obvious the leader of the group, as the oldest. She was an ambassador and interpreter for the French government and was well known for her diplomacy as well as her beauty. She was very friendly and held a slightly starry look in her eyes, yet amazingly she never revealed much of herself, though she talked more than Belle and Kimi combined. Serena was amazed at how alike she was to Sophea and Mina, though she always thought Venus and Pluto as exact opposites. None of them, they had said, had ever been to Tokyo before. Yet Belle and Molly seemed to act as though they knew each other their whole lives. And the other seemed extremely comfortable with Molly. And Serena felt very included in the little group. It was like when she was with the Sailors, only… different. Which brought her back to reality. What secret? "This isn't the place for what we have to say. Could we possibly go home?" Rita asked. Mrs. Tiger smiled. "Sure, why not? We're finished here." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- Just beyond Tokyo's city limits, same time All was silent through the open rice field. The night animals were quiet, more intent on finding what had landed in their home than making their usual sounds. A small movement revealed a lowered platform into the peculiar vehicle. "I told you I should steer!" came a loud voice from inside. The bugs scattered. "Well if you hadn't been bothering me with your rambling of who-knows- what, this wouldn't have happened!" answered another voice, slightly deeper. Out of the ship and down the walkway, came six figures and a small tree. Two figures with silver and brown hair stomped out, followed by two men with black and light sea-green hair, and then a man and a woman, both with sky blue and bright pink hair, and then a tree almost as large as the man floated behind them. "Hey! Knock it off!" yelled the woman. "Let's just find our way to the city. Starfighter, do they still meet at the Raye's temple?" the blue-hair man asked. He squeezed the woman's shoulders slightly to calm her. The woman looked slightly irritated, rubbing her growing belly. "Where are we?" asked the other with sea-green hair. Starmaker whipped out a small device, similar to Mercury's computer. "Just outside of Tokyo. A good ten minute walk." "Or a five minute run." Starfighter said. He grinned. "C'mon, we gotta get to the others." "WHAT? No way! We walk." Starhealer was adamant. "Fine. Everyone, de-transform," Fiore broke in. He had learned in that little time how much trouble Starhealer could be. With brilliant lights, Fiore changed to a brownish-blonde with dark blue eyes. Alan changed similarly, only his eyes were lighter and his hair a little darker. Ann changed her hair to a dark auburn, her eyes becoming a deep red, almost brown. The Starlights de-transformed, becoming Seth, Timothy, and Yavin Light, also known as the Three Lights. "Do you think whatever… took out Princess is here?" Seth asked quietly. Everyone stared at each other. They all took off running. Even Yavin didn't complain. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- Cherry Hill Temple, same time Mira leaned back from her position on the floor. She, Raye, Amy, and even Darien had put all their energy into finding the new evil. But nothing came. The fire, mirror, and computer screen still showed blank. "Guys, let's take a breather," she heard Raye say quietly. Mira knew the girl had been searching all day and was probably running on empty. She nodded her head. "A good idea. We'll try again in a couple of minutes. Why don't we get a snack?" Mira suggested. Amy smiled. She noticed Amy was the least tired of all of them. "I'll go make us all sandwiches. Mira, will you help?" Mira smiled back. "Sure. We can also see if the others found anything." The two water scouts stood up on shaky legs and walked out. Raye took this opportunity to talk to Darien. "Umm… we need to talk." "Yes?" "About the dreams…" Darien raised his eyes to meet hers. "Raye, I really don't want to think about them-" "I had one." Darien blinked. "What?" "Darien, it was awful, only it was… more suited to me. I mean, I wasn't marrying her or anything." Raye gave a tired smile, and turned to the fire. "What happened? Do you know who sent them?" Raye closed her eyes. She felt the nightmare return. "It was this morning. I felt this force and passed out. In… in the nightmare, Serena and I… she…" Raye paused when she felt the hand on her shoulder. "It's okay Raye. Please, tell me what you know." That was all the encouragement Raye needed. She steeled her mind for the scene that had actually made her cry that morning. "Serena had come over to talk to me. We were laughing, right her by the fire, when she tripped and… the flames just reached out and engulfed her. I could hear her scream for a moment, and then… the voice… it warned me that if I were to go near Serena, she would be killed. Darien, do you think the others have had similar dreams?" Darien hugged her. He knew the torment in her heart, for he had been experiencing greater pain all week. "I don't think so. I haven't heard them mention anything. Why don't we wait and see what happens? If they don't mention anything, we'll tell them. For right now…" "… we stay away from Serena," finished Raye. The two sat in silence until Mira and Amy came back. "Well, Sophea is still a little out of it, but she's busying herself with trying to contact the Gate. Uranus and Venus aren't back yet, but so far everything is quiet. They'll be back soon. Here, Lita and Reni gave us these." Mira said. Amy passed out the small sandwiches. The snack was eaten in silence. When everyone was done, Raye turned to the others. "Ready to begin again?" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- The Umino's residence, same time Serena was standing in front of everyone. Beside her sat Molly, Melvin, Andrew, Rita, Gwenyth, Kimi, and Belle. Serena's head was bowed down as she fiddled with her locket. Finally, she took it off, clasping it between her hands in a prayer position, and lifted her head to face her parents. "Mom, Daddy, I love you. Sammy, you've been the best brother. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for keeping this so long, but it was necessary. I hope you forgive me." Everyone nodded. "A few years ago, I found a kitten on the sidewalk. It had a crescent moon on its forehead. When I got home from school that day. It jumped through my window. And it talked. She told me her name was Luna, and she had been searching for me. She gave me a broach and told me to shout "Moon Prism Power". And that is how I," Serena called on her powers. With a swirl of light, Serena transformed into her super-heroine alter ego, "became Sailor Moon." It was silent for a long time. "Serena told me after she saved me the first time." Molly broke the silence. She stood up by Serena. "But I already knew." Serena stared at her friend, her eyes wide. "We all knew," Andrew stood up, followed by the other four, "because we were given powers too." "The seven of us are Sailor Scouts," supplied Belle. "The FIVE of you are Sailor Scouts," growled Andrew. He smiled to the others. "I'm… a Guardian." "As am I," Melvin said. was all Serena could think before she looked out at their "audience". Serena noticed the glazed look in everyone's eyes. "Mom?" Irene Tigress Tsukino passed out, falling into her husband's arms. "Cool." Was all Sammy could say. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- same place a while later "-and that is the complete story." Gwenyth finished. They had each taken turns filling in what they remembered up to that evening. Serena was surprised, but thrilled that there were others. And the parents, Sammy, and Lizzie had handled it all in a stride. Now everyone was back to joking around. Kimi stood up by Serena. "Umm, we need to talk to you." Serena nodded. "Same here." The eight of them walked out to the patio. "Serena, this is the deal. We have had major problems with a new threat." Belle began. "In fact, we… we gave up our lives." Serena's eyes widened. "Why? What do you mean?" "Before you ask a million questions, Ren," Molly interrupted, "I want you to listen. You know that story we told you in that room? That was only part of the big picture. The truth would take too long to be told, so we have a solution. A memory crystal." "A what?" "A memory crystal," repeated Kimi. "It contains all the information of your life in the Silver Millennium. This in turn will trigger your memories. You will know everything within seconds." "Is it safe?" "Princess," Melvin smiled. He had undergone a transformation in the past ten minutes, changing from a nasal-voiced, four-eyed geek to a deep- voiced, well-built boy without glasses. Serena could hardly believe it. "It is our job to protect you. I assure you, it is perfectly all right. Besides, you know us. Could we ever hurt you?" Serena smiled. "Never." Rita pulled her hand from behind her back. A shiny black crystal was in her hand. "Take it, Serena, and remember." Serena cupped her hands as she accepted the jewel. And just about fainted from the emotions sweeping through her. It took Serena a full minute to understand what was going on. "You guys? I feel… weird… Oh my…" "Serena, do you remember anything?" Molly asked, concern reigning through her voice. "Tristan, Damion, the Pure Crystal, oh my head!" Serena moaned. She collapsed, being caught by Melvin and Andrew. "OH MY GOSH! You guys! I… I remember!" Serena cried, a smile immediately filling her face. "Serena… wait." Kimi said softly. Serena turned to her. "Kat? What… oh the death thing. Is Damion back?" "He should be in a while. He's early Ren. Way early. We weren't expecting him until next year. Serena, do you think this will effect the realities?" Kimi asked. Serena frowned. "I don't know. We'll get to that later. Please, tell me, why did you fake your deaths? What about the Defenders?" Belle stepped up. "It was the only way. Do you really think the Sailors and Defenders will actually allow us to risk our lives without knowing what's going on? It would take time to explain. And time is something we're running out of." Serena hung her head. "Molly, Melvin, Andrew, Rita are you doing the same thing?" They all nodded slowly. "This is for the best Ren." Melvin supplied, putting a hand on her shoulder. Serena nodded. "Then I'll do so to. Besides, they've been acting weird all day-" "We know Ren. We'll explain later. But it was Damion." "Well, this will teach them not to doubt me. Ohhh, I can't believe Damion managed to take them away from me so easily! How dare they defy their Princess!" Serena smiled in mock anger. The familiar glint of life and hope warmed up in her blue eyes. "If we're going to do this, we have to do it now Ren." Rita stepped in. Serena looked up, startled. "Now? Why now?" "Damion could be here any minute. He may already have come." "We came prepared," muttered Gwenyth. She then looked Serena in the eye and spoke in a clearer voice, yet it was obvious to see she didn't want to do this. "Tell your parents there is a monster at the park. We go there and leave behind marks of a battle. We make it look like you died, and leave. They'll never know what really happened." Serena's eyes had grown darker as she realized what she was going to do. She turned to look inside the house, where her brother and parents were talking. a new voice echoed in her head. Serena gasped. "Oops. Sorry Ren." Rita giggled. Serena responded with her mind, causing Rita's jaw to drop. Belle's voice echoed through her head. Serena smiled, then turned to her parents. She frowned, sadness seeping into her eyes. "Let's do this now before I lose my nerve." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- Outside the Cherry Hill Temple, same time Yavin was the last to reach the bottom of the steps. They had regrouped and decided to go in together, as to get the shock of them all there over and done with. "C'mon. They probably are having a meeting." Seth said. Alan nodded. "Let's go." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- Inside "DEAR LORD NO." were the first words the group heard. That had been uttered by Lita, who had been bringing a tray of food to Sophea and Ana when she spotted Fiore. Reni peeked out behind Lita. "What?" Alan came into view next. "Lita? Long time no see!" "OH MY-" "YAVIN!" Mina interrupted a de-transformed Alex, running to embrace her favorite Light. "What are you guys doing back?" "Hey Mina, lower the decimals, your getting to be as bad as Serena!" Ann said, smiling with mock anger. "OH MY-" "ANN? WHAT HAPPENED?" Mina shouted in surprise, effectively cutting off Lita again and releasing a squirming Yavin. "OH MY-" "LITA! Cut it out!" Raye said from the doorway. She was shocked to see their former enemies in her bedroom, but allowed her anger to take control. "What are you doing in MY bedroom without PERMISSION? GET OUT!" "Umm… hehe. Sorry Raye," apologized Seth, who had just walked casually into the room. Lita, who had finally closed her gapping mouth, let it drop again, her eyes growing wide. "OH MY-" "LITA!" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- The Park, same time "So how do we do this?" asked Serena. She hadn't transformed, but the others had. Rita wouldn't allow Serena to transform just yet, for some unknown reason. Sailor Earth looked around. "I'll spread the energy first." Sailor Star nodded, rolling her eyes. "I'll track you. Not to much this time Belle." Earth grinned sheepishly before closing her eyes. The night suddenly became very still. A bronze haze matching her skirt enveloped her body as she maneuvered her arms parallel to the ground, palms down. The ground around her, as well as plant life, began to take on the glow as it spread around the area. Serena watched with curiosity until Andrew caught her attention. She chastised her self, "Ren, we need to explain something else to you. I don't know if you remember, but you were bonded to the Sailors and Darien, in a way that-" "-every time I transform, they know. I remember. So now what? I can't fake my death if they can feel me." Serena finished, a frown forming on her face. General Moon came up and put his arm around Serena. Serena shook herself mentally. Melvin now stood almost as tall as the other General, his hair blonder and brighter, his blue eyes shining and no longer under glasses, his body actually slightly muscular. When she saw his transformation, Melvin had told her the "fake body" was an attempt to keep her from remembering. "We know you like to be "normal" so I thought that if you couldn't recognize me, you'd have a hard time remembering your past. Besides, you're not the only one who wants to lead a normal life," he had winked out. She had given him a hug for that. "Ren, it may be hard, but… you're going to have to break your bond with Darien and the others. It's the only way around it." Moon gave Serena a slight hug as she tensed with the idea. Serena looked down at her locket, suddenly loathing the sight of it. "Break the… no. How can I do that? It would be too painful… please, is there another way?" Sailor Sun moved to the other side of Serena. "No. I wish to Heaven there was, but it's the only way this will work. Star had to do the same thing with the Starlights. I know it'll hurt, but you have to try. Remember, we're here. And we will bond with you as you de-bond with them, easing the pain a little. You’re not alone Ren." Serena nodded numbly. "Okay," was all she could say. Sailor Galaxia said mentally through her link with Rita. "Now this is going to go really quickly," Rita started. She had told Serena to call her Sailor Fate for now. "They will probably pick up on the Nega- energy just spread-" "How did-" Serena interrupted. "The Negaverse is a part of the Four Verses Ren. She rules that Verse." "Oh, yeah." Serena's face flushed with embarrassment, remembering the roles her friends played on the four "Verses". "It's all right Ren. You've had too much to remember in one night anyway. We'll straighten things out later. Now, when they pick up on the energy, they'll come running. Now, I need you to begin to break the link you have to them. In the meantime, I'll open a portal. We have a surprise for you on the other side." "Goodie. What will this do to me now? This surprise is already going to kill me." Serena smiled jokingly. General Moon squeezed her shoulders. "Watch it sis. Gotta set a good example for your younger brother." He grinned lopsidedly. Serena grinned back. "Why couldn't you have stayed as tall as you were a couple days ago? It was fun being taller than you." "Ren, now is the time." Serena looked at the others. The scene was finished in every gory detail. Serena shiver knowing what was coming next. Galaxia walked forward. "Here, I can help a little." Serena nodded as she closed her eyes. She felt Galaxia touch her forehead. She felt herself retreat to the far corners of her mind, then expand. She dimly heard Galaxia shout the power of Pluto, causing her mind to swiftly cross through time and space before leaving her. Her mind reached the Balance and go to the scale meant for the side of the Light. On it were several threads, which represented her bonds with her friends. Silently, she ripped the ones to the Sailors, then to Darien. Her mind screamed at the pain. Fear, loneliness, and pain poured into her soul as she lost contact with her Sailors. Silently, she watched as four bonds formed, and three old ones brightened. Through mental tears she smiled, and returned, only to find tears sliding down her cheeks and slight sniffs being emitted from her body. General Moon instantly was hugging her, making soothing noises. "Ren, it’s all right. You did it. Everything will be okay." Serena looked into his eyes and smiled shakily. "I'll be okay." She turned away slightly to see a bright glow of a portal held open by Sailor Fate's powers. "Let's go." And they stepped through. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- Cherry Hill Temple, same time "We don't know what it was that took her, but you had better watch it. Serena might be in danger. This thing left behind a lot of energy, and if it has that much to spare, it could do some real damage." Seth finished. The Starlights had told their story after everyone had introduced their selves. The Sailors were now listening with concern as they gave their condolences to the Starlights. Raye and Darien felt it at the same time. Serena was gone. Raye had gasped and transformed immediately. Darien was already out the door and transformed by the time she finished transforming. The others felt it hit them too, and likewise did the same. "Serena" muttered Mina as she stepped out. That was all it took for the others to figure out what had happened. It was a race to as the huge group followed Mars and Tuxedo Mask to the park. "No." Mars sunk to her knees. Tuxedo Mask looked around. The place reeked of Nega-energy. He looked around in fear. "Serena?" Mercury whipped her computer out while Neptune used the mirror. Uranus tried to contact her through the communicators. "Serena!" "What happened HERE?" "Was she here?" Venus found it first. The locket she had seen used countless times to create Sailor Moon. And a sword, with a crescent moon on it, blood stained at the tip. "NOOOOOO!" was all she could scream. She fell to her knees. The others gaped at the sight. Tuxedo Mask lost it. "SERENAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- Somewhere in time and space, same time Damion felt the intense heat of the room, the fear around him. Daemon, his master, sat before him on a throne of Darkness. "Fool! You are too early!" "What?" Damion asked, looking up at the pupil-less eyes. "She hasn't remembered it yet! FOOL! You have lost this!" Suddenly, Damion was yanked up. His eyes closed and opened to a different sight. It was the vision he had had earlier. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- The Silver Millennium, June 2, 1 BC, Universe 2 Damion looked through the light. He cupped his hand around the source and pulled them out of the jeweled box. The crystal shards pricked his skin, as if awakening him from a dream, as they silenced their light. And he fell into the nightmare of reality. She was directly connected to the Pure Crystal. The Crystal was broken. She was broken. Her mother was right. Damion screamed. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++0}--+----- The portal Damion watched the vision of the past that he did not remember. He felt a part of his soul rip. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++0}--+----- Crystal Tokyo, June 2, 2022 AD, Universe 3 Damion looked through the light. He cupped his hand around the source and pulled them out of the jeweled box. The crystal shards pricked his skin, as if awakening him from a dream, as they silenced their light. And he fell into the nightmare of reality. She was directly connected to the Pure Crystal. The Crystal was broken. She was broken. Her daughter was right. Damion screamed. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ 0}--+----- The portal Damion felt the magic of the portal become chaotic. He felt the powers reach down to the other Realities. He felt himself desperately trying to control the powers, felt his friends behind try to control their powers, felt the energy swirling around him. A vision filled his head again, of Daemon. The master of Darkness, his master, seemed to look into his very mind, searching him. "Look what you have done! Your impatience has brought chaos! By coming to soon, you have allowed great powers to spread throughout the Realities! Chaos is COMING!" Damion closed his eyes, surprised that they were open. He knew he had to regain the portal to right things. A light glimmered in his mind's eye. The end of the portal and the entrance to the Universe shined with pure Light. Another vision flashed through his head. He saw a very pregnant Moon Queen sitting in her rose gardens. He watched as the Darkness of the chaotic portal seep into that Universe and into that garden. The Darkness forever sought out the Light. The Moon Queen's scream as a defenseless and unborn baby Serenity was taken. Her unborn brother tried his powers to protect her, as was a Guardian's job, but he died with his sister. The vision cleared. Damion was almost to the end. Another vision came. Another Universe was being taken by the chaotic Darkness. This time, Serenity herself was giving birth. He heard shouts of her friends around her. He watched as she felt the Darkness overcome her, unable to do anything except protect her baby. She managed to save "Samuel" before the Darkness took her. Damion reached the other side of the portal. And Hell was brought to the Universe. Darkness had erupted throughout the Verses. And each planet responded. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ DUN DUN DUH! Okay, I wised up and decided to give a little explanation of what just happened. Serena just found out about herself, right? Damion had already stepped through the portal before she found out. Meaning he had brought Darkness when Serena didn't know about the Light. And if she didn't know about the Light, how is she supposed to "balance" the Darkness? Well, she couldn't folks. So, Damion's Darkness is going to seriously affect the Universe and the other Verses. The Darkness then became wild in the portal, to the point Damion couldn't control it. The Darkness entered other Realities, or more specifically the other two Realities, which I've been speaking of and the ones in Damion's visions. Now, remember how I said the realities could be at different times in history? Well when the Darkness came into Universe 2 and 3, Serena was in a weak state; first as an unborn baby, and second as a mother giving birth. She couldn't fight off the Darkness, so it took her. Where? Well, that's for next time. Sorry this is so late. But hey! It's here. I promise you all, this is not going to be one of those stories that begins, gets really good, than stops because the author got tired of it. I promise you all, I will finish this series. I'm serious. Now, here is something I skipped last time. Belle Tellus = Sailor Earth = Beryllian Molly Baker = Sailor Sun = Mahira Kimi Star = Sailor Star = Katarina Gwenyth Verses = Sailor Galaxia = Gabrielle Melvin Tiger = General Moon = Marcus Andrew Wellington = General Galaxia = Angel Rita = Sailor Fate = Destinia Starfighter = Seth Starmaker = Timothy Starhealer = Yavin (yes ladies and gentleman, an actual name I found and liked that begins with a Y) Kudos are definitely in order to- Once again, Princess Serenity, for being a friend. Her "Destiny and more?" series is tops! She also has a cute Christmas fic. Go read it! Also to Small Lady Bensai, who wrote me. She's got some good stuff. My picks of the week? Usako300 (the only U in a Sailor Moon Romance!)- "And throw away the key…" (I hadn't realized she had a slightly similar idea until I reread it this week- I did NOT MEAN TO COPY ANYTHING! THIS WASN'T MADE FROM STOLEN IDEAS!) Scott W. (I'm not spelling that long a last name)- "Tsukino en Requiem" Kathryn's "Birds of Paradise Lost" Moonklutz, who seems to do a pile of fics each week, all of them absolutely wonderful. And Jendra and Tenshi. Both have fabulous stories. More next week!