Ashes to the Earth

Yes, I allow comments and critiques.

This first post is going to be used for names and characters in the story so no one is confused. It'll probably grow every chapter or so.

This story will mainly take place during Queen Serenity's Silver Millennium. Act 0 and Act 1 do have the setting of 21st Century's Crystal Tokyo (Usagi is just crowned Queen).

Current Chapters Up:
Act 0

Names-
Badb- (Rei)Mars’ given name during the Silver Millennium. Irish goddess of war who took the form of a crow.
Juventas- (Makoto)Jupiter’s given name during the Silver Millennium. Roman name of the goddess Hebe.

During the Silver Millennium, when she was a child of barely five, Serenity would be plagued with nightmares. Of gruesome illusions in which she would run far, her pudgy legs moving as fast as they could, while monsters chased her down. Their faces were always twisted between a smiling human and an angry beast, different colored hair mangling with their many bony arms as they reached out and grabbed her tiny form by her silver locks. They’d curse at her in languages she didn’t understand in low raspy voices as they devoured her form in the empty darkness that followed them.

Then she’d wake up with a glass shattering scream and cry until a servant rushed in to see what the matter was, Luna following swiftly behind them.

It went on for weeks and weeks and, regardless the method used, Serenity would have the same dream the next night. The situation made the princess terrified and restless, the silver glow she once had from birth seemingly slipping away. It looked as though there was nothing that could stop the battle that was going on in her mind.

Until the one night when Serenity stopped running away.

‘I don’t want to be eaten!’ Her thoughts yelled; her cheeks were already wet with her fallen tears. ‘Not again! Please! Not again!’

Once again finding herself at the start of her dream, the little girl began to run down the unusually darkened halls of her kingdom at the harsh whisper that triggered the chase every time.

However, as she began to reach the main hall, Serenity suddenly felt a rush of defiance and she stopped moving, her bare feet slapping hard against the hard marble. ‘No...not again…’ Little fists clenched to her chest, Serenity looked up to see her surroundings. She was at the base of the main stairwell, portraits of those dead and gone staring down at her, waiting for their show to begin.

The monster stumbled and shifted behind her.

“Little moon child…why do you stop…?” It hissed out. The voice tonight was not that of a monster, but a woman who spoke with venom dripping off her words.

The princess shivered. “B-Badb wouldn’t r-run…” She whispered. “N-Neither w-would Juventas. They’d never run away from you!” She began to speak louder and louder as she turned around, her teeth chattering. “S-so I won’t run either!”

The monster’s appearance changed as a woman stood in a cloud of darkness, her wavy midnight black hair and dress covering her pale body. She regarded Serenity with golden cat eyes, licking her sharp teeth as she cocked her head and smiled at the child. “Is that so? Your mother isn’t here to protect you this time, princess.”

Serenity balled her hands up as the courage she didn’t even know she had welled up inside her. Her eyes looked squarely at the woman as she screamed, “I don’t need Mama to protect me from you! This is my dream. SO GET OUT!” A burst of silver light exploded from her tiny body and filled the hall with light. The darkness sprung back in what looked like pain. The radiance crept over the walls and statues of the palace until there was nowhere for the creature to hide except for the woman’s small shadow.

The woman hissed in pain, her hands flying to her face as her body arched and recoiled away from the little girl. She removed her hands and glassy pieces of her face fell from her head, smashing against the clean white floor below. Her body began to creak like a broken mirror as her perfect hair fell from the top of her head in chunks. “No!” The woman shrieked. “My face! My beautiful, flawless face!”

Despite the brightness of light illuminating from Serenity, the cloud that engulfed the woman’s legs began to grow and swallowed the woman and the light around her. The child gasped and stepped back as the cloud grew more and more, feeding off the shine she produced.

“Damned moon brat!” The woman’s voice echoed from the cloud, “I won’t be defeated that easily!” Long, sharp hands reached out towards Serenity and wrapped around her small neck. The child gasped as she was lifted into the air, her tiny limbs kicking violently and blindly in an attempt to free herself. The light began to retreat to her the crescent moon marking, allowing the room to once again be eaten by the darkness.

Tears burst from Serenity’s eyes and poured down her cheeks, her mouth moving in silent screams. She ripped and tore at the chalky black hands, which tightened their grip around her neck, stifling the little whimpers that managed to break through.

“What’s that, little girl?” The shadow cackled.

Through blurry eyes, Serenity could see those cat-like eyes peering at her out from the cloud.

“Did a moon cat get your tongue? No more pretty words to say?” The hands squeezed harder, stopping her breath and the frantic movements of her legs that had been kicking the darkness she felt covering her legs away. Serenity blinked her eyes, her vision fading fast. “No more singing from mother’s little star?”

”Ashes to the earth”

The shadow’s eyes widened at what was barely a whisper in the large hall, its hands loosening just a fraction around the child’s neck. It seemed to be afraid as it moved from side to side, looking for the source of the sound.

“Serenity. Is that you?” The shadow called in the woman’s voice again. Its eyes fell upon a wall in the certain of the room where a small golden light shined from somewhere behind it.

”Ashes to the earth and stars to the sky …” a voice sung lightly
”May the children play under flawless golden shine
And sleep in the safety of a peaceful round moon
Where guardians watch and wait
For their dreams to break heaven gates”

Two eyes glared from behind the shadow at the words that filled the room, pondering what they meant. Then a sudden realization hit and the darkness blew itself away from the woman’s body again, her glassy face perfect once more and paralyzed with horror, “N—“

”And set us all free”

With the last lyric spoken, the golden light burst and bathed the hall in a bright, warm golden glow. The woman screamed and threw a still breathing Serenity from her like the child was diseased. The child flew through the air and would’ve—should’ve—smacked into the wall. However, just as her head was inches from hard crystal, two arms wrapped around her and saved her from collision.

Serenity hacked at the new air that filled her lungs, rubbing her sore throat. A hand softly caressed her cheek and then pushed against the reddened skin of her neck.

“Lift your head, Serenity…” A soothing voice said, chuckling softly at her. The child did as she was told, her eyes coming into focus just in time to see her savior’s face. Wide sea-blue eyes stared adoringly down at her as the young man brushed his fingers against her neck. His long golden hair escaped his ponytail in strands that reached down and tickled her nose. He smiled cheerfully at her curious glance and she couldn’t help smiling shyly back. A warm feeling spread across her neck and when the child looked down at the man’s hand, his fingers glowed gold. “There you go. No more pain, right?” He asked, his other hand grasping her legs through her nightgown and pulling her closer.

Serenity nodded with her hand around her neck. Her throat no longer felt bruised as she breathed deeply.

“YOU!”

And that’s when Serenity realized the woman was still there. Her black hair moved around her body as if it was living as her evil eyes blazed at them. Serenity pushed her face deep into the man’s shirt, her hands clenching at the fabric. The man looked calmly at the woman, his blue eyes regarding her coldly.

The woman screamed once more, “You’re dead! I saw it happen!” Her finger pointed accusingly at him, “I saw her crying over your lifeless body! I know you are dead! You CAN NOT be here!”

“And I…” The man replied, smirking “…saw her banish you twice. I suppose we’re both stubborn when it comes to staying away.”

The woman screeched like a wounded animal, her hands outstretched and growing in even larger claws. Her face morphed into a horrendous beast, teeth sharpening and hair swimming around her like a bunch of angry snakes. “DAMN, DREAMER!” She howled and then she bolted towards them, her shadows trailing after her on command.

Serenity shrieked, hands digging into the man’s body. The golden haired man threw his free arm out and yelled, “Enough, Nehellenia! I cast you out of this child’s mind and back to the prison you belong in!” A brilliant light shot out of the jewel on the man’s head. It hit the woman’s forehead and went through to the back of the skull. The woman screamed in pain as her body suddenly began to burn up and the shadows that followed her disappeared.

Suddenly, a wave of wind swirled around them and captured the woman in a tornado. Behind her a mirror appeared and sucked her, and whatever was left of the darkness, in. Fists bashed angrily against the other side of the glass as the mirror disappeared, leaving only the woman’s cursing voice behind as proof that she had been there.

Once silence had overcome the hall, which still shone bright from his light, the man breathed a sigh of relief and let a hand brush through his wavy bangs. Then he glanced down at the child in his arms and his face broke into a wide grin. She did the same and giggled as he lifted her up into the air.

“Well then! I think this might be your most eventful dream yet!” He spun her around a circle, apparently beaming with as much energy as she was now. “Certainly a very terrifying dream to have every night, that’s for sure.” He sighed at that and hugged her back to his chest once more.

Serenity returned the hug wholeheartedly, her short arms lynching around his neck and her cheek squashing against his. “Thank you for saving me!” She cheered, her hold becoming tighter for just a moment when she felt his hand go through her loose locks.

She heard him laugh deep in his throat.

“I think you rather saved yourself, calling me awake, but you’re welcome.” He whispered as his hands squeezed her body “It was nice to see you, Serenity…” As those words reached her ears, Serenity felt a pair of lips kiss her forehead and then her vision became a blur of gold and white.

“Have sweeter dreams than this, Serenity…”

When she finally awoke, the child found that for the first time her cheeks weren’t wet with tears. It was, however, still night and Serenity found herself happy, wide-awake, and that the image of the man was still fresh in her mind. Giggling, she threw her sheets from her body and ran from her room, ready to tell her mother of her amazing dream.

But when she finally stumbled upon the Queen in her room, all Serenity could recall was a monster in a mirror, a golden flash of light, and a song from a land far, far away.

____________________________________________________________________________

Usagi only remembered hearing that song a few select times since then.

Once, when her body lay broken upon rumble and chaos, a sword piercing through her chest as she—her kingdom, her friends, her family—took their last breathes. In a sorrowful tone it sung through the air amongst all the swords clashing and people dying; it was as if the person were crying.

The other times were during this current week, when she woke up five nights in a row out of a dreamless slumber to find herself standing over her month-old daughter’s cradle, the words she barely remembered pouring out of her mouth in a lullaby.

“Ashes to the earth and stars to the sky.
May the children play under flawless golden shine,
And sleep in the safety of a peaceful round moon.
Where guardians watch and wait,
For their dreams to break heaven gates
And set us all free.”

What people tended to forget about the newly crowned Queen of Crystal Tokyo was that she was still very much human and still very much Usagi. And Usagi still had a habit of freaking out when she was unaware of what was going on. And when Usagi was confused, upset, tired, or just plain bored, she would do what she knew worked best for her.

She went on an eating binge.

Closing the door to their bedroom softly as to not wake her slumbering husband, Usagi ran through the moon-lit halls in her bunny-printed pjs—being Queen didn’t mean she couldn’t wear cute stuff to bed; Minako had brought them just for her!—and found her way to Makoto’s private kitchen. The Jupiter princess had started to regret giving the Queen the key to her personal get away, seeing as she would always eat the sweets reserved for the next day’s dessert. But, alas, what could she do?

Rummaging through the desk-sized freezer, Usagi found a newly made batch of cookie-dough ice cream and covered it with chocolate syrup, marshmallows, strawberries, and whipped cream. She grabbed a spoon, locked the kitchen and then marched her way up to the observation deck. She seated herself on the floor in front of a wall-sized window, stuffing her cheeks full of ice cream as she stared out blankly and watched her city sleep.

chomp chomp chomp chomp

…Brain freeze!

“Ehhhhhhhh!” The Queen of Crystal Tokyo winced and bowed her head into her open hands, rocking back and forth. A hand softly patted her, rubbing circles into her shoulders until the pain subsided. “Might I advise eating a little slower, my Queen?” Setsuna chuckled, her legs bending until she sat on the floor next to Usagi.

Usagi looked up from her hands and glared, “I’m not wearing a crown, Setsuna.” There was a strict policy in the Palace; if she wasn’t wearing a crown, she was just plain Usagi. Those who disregarded that rule got the cold shoulder for a week.

“I’m sorry, Usagi. Sometimes I forget.”

“Well, I’ll let you off with a warning then.” She lifted her spoon to the Time Guardian, silently asking if she would like some. As if she had known—and she probably did, considering this was Sailor Pluto—Setsuna pulled her own spoon from her sleeve and dug into the ice cream with the blond.

“Why are you back from Pluto?” Usagi asked between swallows, “Is something wrong?” Pluto was their farthest planet; if something were to go wrong with their shields, she would be the first to know.

Setsuna smiled warmly and said, “Can I not be here simply because I missed my Usagi?”

“Maybe. It depends on which ‘Usagi’ you’re talking about.” She said in a matter-of-fact tone, spoon swinging the air. She smiled despite herself, her mind flying back to her child, who was already full of life and energy. She had grown so attracted to her giggles and smiles, she had asked for her daughter’s cradle to be put by her side in the royal bedroom. Mamoru loved the idea and Chibiusa liked the close contact anyway, falling asleep instantly when she was snuggled between the two of them in bed. She liked to pick her baby up at night and rock her back and forth, singing to the child softly…

Sing…

“Why are you up so late? You’re usually one to get all the sleep you wish, after all.”

Usagi looked up from the spot she had been watching in the city—a new dessert shop? She should ask Rei to get her something there next time she was in town— and blinked, her spoon hanging out of her mouth. “Oh, uh…” She mumbled around the metal utensil, trying to get her mind back on track. “I was singing Chibiusa to sleep and I…”

She felt Setsuna’s hand back on her shoulder through her over sized shirt. “Is this about a dream? If something is haunting you, we could ask Helios to—”

Usagi shook her head, “No. It’s not a dream…” She sighed, her body shrugging. She didn’t know what it was. An enemy? Why would an enemy use a song and make her sing to her child? There were plenty of things she had been put through by the hands of those who disliked her, but a song? A dreamless sleep? That didn’t seem as threatening as just…strange. And if it went as far back as the Silver Millennium, it would have to do something with her past, correct?

The former senshi turned her wandering glance back to her ally, who had been patiently waiting for to get her muddled mind into place. “I’ve been sleep-singing to Chibiusa all week…”

Setsuna raised her left eyebrow up, one corner of her mouth turning upward in amusement. “’Sleep-singing’?”

Usagi nodded, eating another mouthful of ice cream, “But I don’t know the song. I don’t know why I’m singing it.”

“What’s the song?”

The blonde recited the lyrics to the older woman, remembering the words the best she could. When she was done, the time senshi closed her eyes in thought. Her knowledge of the world was endless. Pluto had seen numerous kingdoms rise and fall, though none had ever matter to her as much as her birth kingdom had. If there were something about this song that connected back to her past, Setsuna would remember.

“Hm…” Setsuna pursed her lips and scooped up some ice cream. “It sounds like an old hymn spoken by Elysion priests, but I’ve never heard Helios recite it during pr—“ Usagi swore that her friend’s eyes were going to fall out of her head when they widened like that. The blond heard Setsuna’s teeth chop hard down on the metal spoon in her mouth. Setsuna spit the spoon out and choked on the air and ice cream that had gone down the wrong pipe.

“Setsuna!” The blond smacked the woman’s back as she doubled over on her knees. “Are you okay! Don’t die! Hotaru will hate me if you die!” She whined, hitting her back over and over again in panic.

“I-I’m okay!” Setsuna coughed out, hacking up oxygen. Suddenly she sat up right, almost hitting Usagi in the process, and got to her feet. “There is no way…” The time senshi began to walk in circles around the deck, her dress trailing after her.

“S-Setsuna?”

The woman ignored her and went on with her whispered words. “He might have the power to…but it’s this strong after all these years? I can’t even begin to understand how…” Setsuna kept on talking to herself, pacing back and forth. Usagi watched with intrigue, stuffing more food into her a mouth.

The woman came to a stop, finally, after a minute or two and sat back down on the floor. She pulled the container out of Usagi’s hands and began to eat again. The blond waved a hand hesitantly in front of the woman’s face, “Setsuna?”

Setsuna jumped and gulped all the food in her mouth. “I’m sorry, Usagi.” She apologized, smiling bashfully, “I’m just shocked. Has your mother ever sang that song to you?”

“Eh?” Usagi stopped any thought about for a moment. Her mother? Why would Mama sing that strange song to her? She had always song regular nursery songs to her so why— Usagi stopped. Setsuna wasn't talking about her Mama; she was talking about her mother.

She was talking about Queen Serenity.

“I-I don’t remember…” She blurted out before she could stop herself. “It always sounded like a man was singing it…not a woman…”

She heard Setsuna sigh, “I see…so that’s how it is…” Usagi felt the presence next to her move and when she looked up, Setsuna was standing once more.

“How what is?!” Usagi jumped up and grabbed the older woman’s arm. She tugged on it, “Setsuna, you know something! Tell me!”

Her wine-colored eyes closed, “I can’t.”

The Queen whined, “Why?”

“Because if I have learned anything out of the thousand years I’ve been alive, it is that it is not my place to tell others what they should learn for themselves.” She opened eyes again and turned her body to the young Queen, “If you want to learn what that songs means to you, you must go back to the place where you heard it first.”

“Where?”

She chuckled, “Where do you think?”

The former Silver Millennium; her once-upon time.


-Act 0: End-

O_O MOAR.

^ AGREED. MY CRITICISM IS THAT YOU DO NOT CONTINUE.

MORE MORE MORE!

[Hehe, I get to RP exclusively with this amazing person! <3]

Wait, Bamf, you don't want me to continue? I guess I'll just throw out the new chapter I'm writing XD

DON'T LISTEN TO HER, CONTINUE. D<

I'm sorry I'm horrible with double negatives

Please continue the story! I really like your writing style! Have you written other fanfiction before?

It's okay! I was only joking :'D

Yes, I have. I have a fanfic account but I only have one other Sailor Moon story that's Chibiusa/Helios. I didn't really like how I ended that story thought XD It was 2am in the morning so I kind of rushed it together.

Update? :3

I want to read more of this! ;w;

XD Soon, guys, soon. I'm working on the chapter. I've been very busy this week.

Amazing! I'm dying to know more. ^^

AHH more! lol. My eyes were gluedddd!

Ditto, the first chapter is amazing. Totally makes me want to write. WOOO!

How's the next chapter going? I'm interested in reading more.