Forum: Tokyo City
Type: Advanced

Plot Summary: When Queen Serenity sent everyone to the future to be reincarnated after the decimation of the Silver Millennium, darkness plagued her heart, which was then transferred into the Silver Crystal's power. She felt devastated over the loss of her daughter and her kingdom - her entire life - in one night through one act of senseless violence. Despite her benevolence, the queen felt bitter and harbored a resentment that she might not want to admit towards the Earth people, not realizing they were merely manipulated by Metalia. As such she felt negative emotions toward them - anger, betrayal, hatred - emotions that tainted the Silver Crystal's purity since its power was always tied to the wielder's heart. This darkness in turn also tainted each of the senshi and Serenity's star seed/avatar soul and affected who they became when they were reincarnated on 20th century earth.

They are awakened with bitterness and disappointment due to their memories of what happened in the past as well as the taint on their soul. Their only mission in this era is to punish the earth and everyone in it. Sailor Venus awakened first on her own, remembered everything that happened, and set out to find the Dark Kingdom so that when the rest of the senshi were awakened, they would be ready to attack. The rest of the senshi gradually followed, remembering their past lives when they saw Venus and became aware of what Queen Serenity intended for them to unleash on earth when she sent them here; to punish it. To get revenge. To destroy it the way they had once destroyed the Moon Kingdom.

Ironically enough, during the reboot, the Silver Crystal also quite unintentionally purified the Shitennou, and with Metalia and Beryl being sealed away for good, their darkness no longer corrupted them. They awakened on earth where they belong; by their prince's side.

But now it's the senshi and their princess who are hell-bent on destroying earth.

Can the shitennou return them to what they once were and save their souls, not to mention the world?

Details on any necessary information: This is an alternate universe reverse Dark Kingdom arc with the senshi and the princess being evil while Mamoru and the shitennou are good. The goal will be for the shitennou to try and make the senshi remember that they used to be good and prevent the destruction of earth via the Silver Crystal that Usagi now wields.

Restrictions: Only for Usagi, Mamoru, Inner Senshi and Shitennou

Source: N/A

Jadeite hummed a small tune under his breath as he carried his purchases home. They had run out of several stable foods and having nothing better to do, he had gone to the market to get them. Sometimes it marveled him about how much food they used and how quickly they ran out of certain things. Although if he had to goto the stores one more time this week…his foot would be coming down and he would probably try and wheedle Nephrite into going.
 

Shaking his head, he paused as something from a window display caught his eye. A ceremonial dagger, and a nice one too if Jadeite was any judge. He wondered how well it was crafted or if it was just for show. Now’s not the time to be buying new weaponry he chastised himself. They had better things to buy with their money and the daggers he had were serviceable, but there was no harm seeing if he could perhaps use his abilities to see if he could get a good price? Fifty thousand yen sounded too high to him for a blade that size.

He waited for several moments in the store, browsing while the shop owner dealt with another customer. Keeping an eye on him out of the corner of his eyes, Jadeite concentrated, slowly allowing his abilities loose. He had found while in the Dark Kingdom that by using them a little bit before he spoke to the target, simply done by being in a certain range of them, they became slightly more susceptible to his suggestions. He would amp it up when he got closer of course. The trick was doing it a little at a time so your target didn't think anything was wrong. 

He had no plans to actually buy the knife, but was simply curious to see if he could.

"Hello, how can I help you today?" The owner asked, approaching Jadeite.

Minako was tired of this life. She had a mission, and she was getting nowhere with it. She couldn’t track down the other senshi, or the Dark Kingdom. Where were they hiding? She’d scoured the news every day, looking for strange happenings that would tell her that long buried evil was finally resurfacing. She knew they would… because that was the whole point she was sent here. To eradicate them for good. And finally to purify the Earth as a whole.

But she needed to find the Princess first before she could do the latter. Where was Serenity, she wondered? What kind of family was she living with? Her heart ached with longing to see her alive and well again. The last time she’d seen the princess…

No. The memories hurt too much.

Minako had remembered her past life six months ago, and was able to transform into Venus, awakening the power inside her, at around the same time. Did it not mean it was time to fight their enemies and fulfill their mission?

As she walked through the streets after school today, she wondered how much longer she could pretend to be an ordinary school girl when she was anything but. And that was when she sensed it.

The familiar power used by one of the Shitennou.

Her pulse quickened, and she stood still in the middle of the street. She closed her eyes and let her senses search far and wide to zero in on the source.

There. She saw the store… then she saw the blonde hair. Jadeite.

Adrenaline rushed into her at once, accompanied by bloodlust. He was manipulating a civilian! Of course he was. She slipped into a quiet alley, quickly transformed into Venus, and rushed back outside. She was relieved to see he was still there.

She didn’t even care about all the civilians around. They would disperse in fright anyway in a moment.

“Crescent Beam!” she yelled, aiming the beaming of light straight toward the Shitennou’s back.

As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t kill him yet. She needed him to tell her where his brothers were hiding.

She stared down at the English exam clenched in her hands, barely processing the grade scrawled in red marker across the top of the paper: 30 percent. The blonde schoolgirl hung her head, concealing the threat of tears. She could already imagine the angry tirade from her mother, repeating and berating that she was a terrible student and a worthless daughter. Her cheek stung with the memory of the lash she had received earlier this week, the impassioned woman striking her across the face with a cooking spatula. It was hard enough to be at school, picked on by the teachers and constantly sent to detention, but then to come home to those awful words of her own failure... she just couldn't stand it, not today.

She knew she'd be yelled at for coming home late, but at least she could avoid it for just a bit longer. Maybe her furious mother would have already gone to sleep, and Usagi could sneak in somehow. It made her wish, once again, that Papa didn't have to work so much. Maybe it wasn't just that his work needed him to work long hours to cover the stories that no one else in the newsroom would take, but that he latched on to an excuse to avoid his family. After all, why would he want to come home to see her--an inferior and idiotic daughter? He was probably ashamed of her. Who wouldn't be?

Walking down the streets of the shopping district, she clutched her bookbag. She didn't have any money for snacks or other purchases. Her pitiful allowance was spent days ago. It was unlikely she'd get more with only grades like this to bring home. Blue eyes lingered on the bright neon of the Crown Game Center, longing to drown her sorrows in one of the many video games... but she didn't even have a few coins to spend on that at the moment. Her stomach growled, but she ignored it. She was used to being hungry, anyway--often from forgotten lunch from running late in the morning or missed dinners at home. She always tried to fix that with snacks bought with her spending money, usually just one more thing for her mother to scream at her about and her brother to taunt her with.

Usagi pulled the crumpled exam out of her bag, staring at the dismal score once again, then crumpled it up and threw it over her shoulder. She didn't want to have any reminders.

"Crescent Beam!"

A brilliant golden light sliced through the air, following in the wake of that unfamiliar voice, and then people were screaming and yelling and running. Pandemonium ensued, normal students and business people suddenly turned into frightened cattle rushing to escape a danger they didn't understand. Usagi fell, knocked backwards by someone's shoulder, and rolled out of the way, struggling to avoid being trampled. Her blue eyes searched around, wild and terrified. She didn't understand what had happened? Was it an earthquake? What was that light? Who was that voice?!

He had almost managed to get the shopkeeper down to a reasonable price when he sensed something was wrong. Feeling the familiar power of Venus close by, he threw himself to the side just as she launched her attack, but was not able get away completely, the Crescent Beam hitting his left bicep, slicing into it deeply. 

Why was Venus attacking him? They had been allies before…was this revenge for the attack from Earth? Had she and the others been reincarnated as well? If they had, he was in a whole lotta trouble. He couldn’t take all four of them on at the same time. He needed to get out of here. 

He had to warn the others. 

Perhaps he could try and make her see reason? 

“Venus, stop, we’re on the same side, why are you attacking me?” he called out, finding her standing in front of the door, blocking his exit. 

Well, this got just a little bit harder. Was it just him or did she have a murderous look on her face?

Damn it, he’s fast, she cursed as he avoided her attack, though with some satisfaction she saw that it still hit his arm.

“The same side?” she said incredulously, ignoring all the civilians that were swarming past her out of the shop. The shopkeeper was cowering behind the counter, looking completely terrified, but none of it bothered her. All these worthless Earth people meant nothing to her. “Remember when you and your brothers attacked and killed us? Please explain to me how that’s being on the same side!”

She couldn’t believe he was trying to play dumb. He could at least have the decency to fight back or something. “Venus Love-Me Chain!” she cried, whipping her chain toward him now, intending to catch him on its grip.

“Remember when you and your brothers attacked and killed us? Please explain to me how that’s being on the same side!”
 
The words tumbled around his head, shocking him enough that he didn’t see her Love-Me Chain in time to escape it. Desperately, he tried to shove the thoughts aside, not wanting to spiral into the pit of misery remembering those times caused.
 
“I’m sorry,” he said, voice hoarse with emotion, guilt, and shame swirling in his gut. “We were brain washed…we had no control…please….you have to understand!” They had never wanted to hurt any of them. While their Prince long ago forgiven them for their actions, Jadeite had yet to forgive himself.
 

Images of Mars lying dead on the battlefield flashed through his mind. She had been so full of life…why hadn’t he fought harder against Beryl?

Trying to make sense of the chaos happening around her, Usagi finally caught a glimpse of something. They were the source at the center of this madness and panic. A man with short blonde hair and dark blue eyes, and a woman... a woman with long blonde hair in a strange orange uniform. Blonde hair with a red ribbon. Blonde hair that looked so familiar... Why? Why did it look so familiar? Why did she feel like she knew them...?

The memories hit her, physically knocking her body backwards in shock.

The woman had long silvery-white hair and deep reflective blue eyes, always wearing that long white dress and smiling sweetly at her. "Serenity!" she called, her voice bubbling with mirth and happiness. "My darling daughter..."

She nervously clutched the woman's leg through the white dress, cowering behind the safety of her mother's stately figure. Wide eyes peered nervously at the young uniformed children arrayed before her. They looked like a rainbow--one in red, one in orange, another in green, and another in blue. She liked the big ribbons on their clothing and wanted to say so, but she was so afraid of strangers. The queen nudged her forward. "These are your guardians, Serenity..."

"You need to study, Princess!" chided the one in blue, removing a textbook that she was blissfully napping on. Before she could protest, the others chimed in as well. She smiled up at them, cheered rather than tormented by their comments. These scoldings were proof of how much they really cared about her. They were her dearest friends. She loved them so much...

His eyes. They were as blue as that beautiful planet. She felt drawn into them, falling through the depths of clear and cool water. She wasn't nervous or scared; there was something comforting about his presence and that look in his eyes. She wanted to know him--to be close to him. She wanted him to look at her as though she was the only thing in the universe that mattered. This feeling in her chest was so strong and so unfamiliar...

They didn't approve of her trips to see him, but she couldn't stay away. Her heart yearned for him whenever they were apart; only in the moments where she could rest in his arms did she feel at peace. She hated to defy them--hated to see the looks of disappointment and fear on their faces, but she couldn't listen to reason. She had to follow her heart. Her heart was on that blue planet now, residing in the form of its handsome young prince. They would have to understand that, somehow...

Everything she had known was in ruins around her. The beautiful city in her mother's kingdom crumbled with each explosion, the roar of battle filling the air. He was there, fighting to keep her safe. Her guardians were there as well, with the same purpose. All she could do was cower behind them and hope that they could push back and overcome this evil force. She could barely stand to see the destruction of her cherished home.

Then that blast of powerful evil energy came. He rushed to protect her, throwing his body in front of hers and wrapping her in the rose-scent of his long cape. She looked down and saw the blood on her hands. His blood. His eyes, those blue eyes, they were pained and something was wrong and the light wasn't there and it was then that she knew what had happened...

"ENDYMION!"

Her sorrowful cry echoed across the battlefield as it had so long ago, her eyes filled with the tears of that horrible moment. A strange warmth concentrated on her forehead, illuminating the golden crescent of the Moon Kingdom. Her entire body glowed with the embrace of that golden energy, reminding her of who she was. Reminding her of all that had happened and all that had been locked away.

Yes, she understood now. She was Princess Serenity, the heir to the Silver Millennium.

This world was not her home. Those people was not her family. She was someone else. Someone different. This was never what was meant to be. She was happy, once, long ago, but that had been cruelly taken from her. The emptiness in her life was not merely something she imagined, it was real. She had a loving mother, and dear friends, and a beloved prince. But that planet she adored so deeply was full of fools and idiots, people swayed by the slightest suggestion, afraid of anything different and unknown. When afraid, they reacted with unwarranted aggression and brutality.

She glanced around her at the running masses, viewing them differently now. They seemed like senseless animals, fighting for their own survival with no mind of the expense to others. How carelessly they knocked one another down and trod over their fellow man! Just as they had done to her people. Just as they had done to their own prince.

Her eyes hardened, glowering at them. How could they live this life, so unaware of what they had done? Of the pain they had caused? Of the peace they had ended? This world was primitive compared to what the Moon Kingdom and allied planets had to offer, but those worlds were gone now, destroyed by these bumbling and hateful simpletons. They could have been so much more than this, yet they were content to waste their lives away and think themselves the smartest beings on the planet and in the universe. They counted themselves as "intelligent life"? What a joke.

Ami had just gotten out of class after getting another 100% on another test and walked silently out the door and out of the school since the day had ended. She always tried to avoid the other students and had a route that she had been taking to avoid them. She begun on her way and made it into the shopping district, she was almost home but she needed to pick up something since her Mother again was going to be gone at work for another 2 weeks. As she was walking down the street she heard someone yell "Crescent Beam!" and the crowds around her begun to run around and scatter, she didn't like this. She liked order and neatness, not this, she tried to get out of everyones way only to get knocked over by a overweight man holding a greasy cheeseburger. She then was able to get up and saw a woman dressed in what looked to be a halloween costume and Ami knew it was months till that holiday. She stayed in the alley corner close by and listened to this girl talk to someone and then call out something and it made Ami moved back not wanting the girl to go after her. She tried to get a name so that she could walk away and call the authorities unless they were on their way already.

Then it hit her... the memories of the old Moon Kingdom and Queen Serenity and the other princesses turned Guardians which were fighting with her to protect the Queen and the Kingdom. One of the things she remembered was how the Moon kingdom was destroyed and that everyone was killed trying to protect what they loved. She liked her life back then before the battles but then it was all taken away from her. She then snapped back to what was going on and watched Venus and the people running around her. She then saw the man who knocked her over and looked at him hoping that he would get hurt by her friends anger towards whoever she was yelling at.

Hino Rei grumbled to herself as she made her way to the room with the sacred fire. She was sore from the labor of the day and hadn't slept well the previous night. It was rare that she did not remember her troubled dreams when she had them. They were usually full of vivid images and foretold some kind of impending crisis.

She stretched slightly, before settling down in front of the fire and beginning her daily meditation. At first, it was the same as usual, like returning to an old friend and the peaceful silence only broken by the slight crackling of the embers. But then the fire started dancing in strange, jagged patterns. The image of a young woman in a strange orange uniform sending some kind of energy toward a blonde man in a store. Another young woman with short hair slumping to the ground in an alley with a faraway look in her eyes. Finally a girl with a unique bun hairstyle shrieking in the streets.

These images cycled back in forth in front Rei faster and faster. She began to sweat much more than usual in front of the fire and felt a headache worse than any migraine she had known. Finally the girl with the buns called out "ENDYMION!!!!!" and a golden crescent moon appeared on her forehead. At that Rei cried out in agony and toppled over backward. 

Before she lost consciousness, she thought she heard the clatter of a small object on the floor next to her arm.

Brainwashed? Well, that was convenient. Anyone could claim that to avoid being culpable for their actions. Venus was disgusted that he couldn’t even own up to his mistakes.

“I don’t have to do anything… except kill you,” she said coldly, preparing to do just that when a heart-wrenching scream sounded from nearby. Screaming the name of the one person who was probably most responsible for all this. Endymion.

Venus turned, forgetting about Jadeite momentarily when her gaze zeroed in on the source of the scream. Her heart leapt when she recognized the girl as her own princess, the crescent moon mark on her forehead making it impossible to mistake.

Serenity!

She had awakened. At last.

Venus could see her face change, her innocence being shed away. She saw the darkness slowly took hold—the desire for revenge, the hatred with which she looked at the people around her anew.

“Princess!” she called out, beyond joyful that she got to see her princess alive and well again. “I’ve found you at last!”

The instant she locked eyes with the blonde, she recognized her.

"Venus!" Serenity cried, fresh tears gathering in her eyes.

She felt a leap of happiness in her heart, a sense of recognition and camaraderie that she had never known. Suddenly she realized how empty her other friendships at school were--how little those people knew or cared about her. Staring back at the orange-suited Sailor Venus, her loyal guardian from long ago, she understood just how wonderful her life had been when the Silver Millennium reigned. From the joy in Venus's voice, she still cared for Serenity as she had all those millennia ago. A little bit of the loneliness that defined Usagi's life shimmered, threatened by this reunion.

But then she looked past her friend and saw one of them: Jadeite of the Four Heavenly Kings. Her anger rose thinking of the crimes of those men. Betrayers of their Prince, their kingdom, and their planet. It was they who sold themselves to the witch calling herself "Queen Beryl", puppet of the dark force Metallia. They were directly responsible for slaughtering all that she held dear--her mother, her friends, and her lover.

The incredulous fury awakened something else inside of her: a desire to fight. Waves of sparkling yet somehow also nebulous energy washed over her body, instantly transforming her attire from the Juuban Junior High School uniform to a sailor soldier outfit in the same style as Sailor Venus wore. The colours were different; where Venus sported mostly orange, this new sailor soldier opted for navy blue. The bows at the front and back were crimson. At the moment she wore no tiara, the golden crescent symbol of her heritage glowing on her forehead.

She leapt forward, soaring through the air and crossing an unimaginable distance. The blonde pigtailed woman landed near Sailor Venus, facing the protesting man. She glowered at Jadeite and struck a pose, the bright moon suddenly illuminating behind her although it had not been so dark only moments ago.

"Soldier of retribution and justice, I am Sailor Moon! In the name of the Moon, I'll punish you!"

Just transferred to Juuban Junior High School, Makoto spent the whole day mostly alone, realizing that the people seemed to be shallow, no matter where you were. She snorted. What kind of world did she just live in?
Yes, she was tall and yes, she mastered Karate - so what? Why was everyone thinking she would be thug? Why was everyone spreading the rumor that she loses composure every five minutes?
It wasn't that she couldn't do it - of course, she could. But she never did it, did she? So where was the freaking problem? What was wrong with this society that they did nothing but spreading lies?

This world was just cruel.

Especially if you didn't meet the standards.

Obviously annoyed, she eventually flicked her bag over her shoulder and left the campus once school was over, searching for a supermarket to run her errands.

However, not even here she was save from superficiality. No - everywhere she went she met the eyes. People with an arrogant look in their eyes who checked one's appearance from head to toe. Just to meet your eyes with a more or less disgusted look at the end, of course. Ugh.

It was making her sick. Did she wear a 'Thug' sign around her neck or what was it? Did she maybe spread the aura of an orphan? Why was it that no one could look at her as if she was an ordinary human?

---

"CRESCENT BEAM!"
What was that? Hearing the furious voice from the other side of the street, Makoto came back to reality, wondering what the meaning of all this could be.
A game maybe? Was there someone playing in the Crown Arcade? Or was it maybe just some kids who were playing 'Pretend'?

First not considering it as something serious, she was already about to continue her walk to the supermarket. But then she heard the screams - the yells - coming from the same place the first shout came from. No, this was no game. Something was happening.

First pretty slow, then increasing her pace, Makoto approached the shop, hearing the same voice shouting another three words again and later also a new voice that had seemed to join. Just what was it all about?

"Hey!," she rushed in at last, seeing two girls in a sailor suit in front of her, probably the cause of the turmoil. "What do you think you're doing here?"
First frowning, then raising her brows, Makoto eventually realized who was standing in front of her.

"Venus...Serenity..."

Ami continued to watch what was going on then it hit her even more then before. She watched as another girl.. one from her school changed into an outfit like Venus..'Serenity...she's alive.' Ami then ran out to them and said, "Princess...I mean Sailor Moon..it it great to see you again.." She was cut off first by seeing the man they were yelling was Jadeite..one of the men who betrayed them and helped cause what happened years ago and then by another girl who was yelling at them and then had a confused look on her face. When she saw Jadeite she first yelled at him as well and her outfit changed as well into a blue sailor suit like her friends. "Why have you returned here? Did that Witch send you here..no matter..the 3 of us can take care of you..."

OOC::

Suddenly, as fast as a thunderbolt, Makoto remembered. Remembered Venus and Serenity, remembered what happened back then in the Silver Millenium.

The peace she was living in, the kind people she spent her days with - everything had been destroyed by...

"You!"
Recognizing the blonde short-haired man in front of her, Makoto felt a sudden boost of wrath flowing through her veins.
That man - he and his entourage - he was the reason why everything came to an end. Due to him she needed to spend her life on this pathetic planet, due to him she had suffered from the cruel society of Earth, due to him she lost everything that was dear to her! Her friends, her princess, just everything.


The anger she felt slowly seized hold of her. She didn't notice the things in her surroundings anymore. She didn't see Serenity or Venus. She didn't see that Mercury had been there too. Her whole focus was only on one person...Jadeite.

Not able to control herself anymore, she charged at the blonde man, the fact that she could transform herself completely ignored. She didn't need her powers right now. She didn't need to transform into Sailor Jupiter right now.
She could also kill him with her own hands.

Hauling off, the furious brunette aimed for nothing less than his face. He should suffer before he would die.

Sometimes, when the house was quiet like this, Endymion’s thoughts drifted to her; Serenity, the woman he loved, still loved. He couldn’t help but wonder if she had been reincarnated like he had. Did she have any of her memories, or was she reborn without them? There were times over the years where he would look for her, only to not find a trace. He never gave up hope though, knowing that in his heart that they would eventually be reunited. It would be too cruel of a fate if he had been brought forward in this life with all his memories intact to not have her by his side.
 

As he entered to kitchen to make himself some tea to drink while he continued his studies, when he was suddenly filled with a sense of dread. “Jadeite.” Something was wrong with the younger man. What could have happened? He had simply gone out to get some groceries.

Just what was taking Jadeite so long to pick up five items at the grocery store? Nephrite had the day off from his college studies and internship at the local planetarium, so he was spending his time at home with Endymion, doing nothing in particular. He had killed the better part of the day watching TV and grumbling about the History channel's inaccuracies, too lazy to go with Jadeite when he offered to get more food.

Now he was regretting his decision to let his younger brother go alone.

"What could he possibly be doing that's holding him up?" he asked himself, irritated now. "Did they run out of eggs over there?" Jadeite was probably distracted by something he spotted on the way back, knowing his attention span. Nephrite grunted and stood up from the couch, going over to the kitchen to grab a soda. If you wanted something to yourself in a house with four other guys in it, you had to get crafty with your hiding places. After moving some things around in the back of the fridge, he emerged with an untouched soda can. Nephrite grinned and cracked it open just as he heard Endymion walk in. 

When he heard the name Jadeite slip through his lips, as if he had just realized something terrible, Nephrite almost spat his cola out. Endymion could sense his generals even from a distance, so he trusted his judgement when it came to gut feelings. Was Jadeite in trouble?

"I'm going to go check on him." He left his soda on the counter and teleported out of the apartment, ending up on a sidewalk outside. The store was only a block away, and Nephrite covered the rest of the distance on foot easily, his worry making him run faster. He turned the corner to witness something that made his stomach drop. There was Jadeite, cornered by three very angry senshi and a fourth girl he didn't recognize at the moment. Without thinking, he teleported again, grabbed Jadeite by the collar of his shirt, and moved them both a few feet away from the senshi.

"I can't leave you unsupervised for one moment, can I?" Nephrite said, letting him go. "You mind explaining how this all started?"

Why was Venus acting like this? Jadeite couldn’t recall her being this…cold and malicious before. Sure, she had been dedicated to her duty, but this?
 
Princess? Found you at last? Did that mean Serenity had awoken? Her distraction gave him a slight reprieve, allowing him to escape her Love-Me chain. He watched transfixed as she transformed into a Senshi, just like her guardians, calling herself Sailor Moon. That’s definitely new. His attention drawn to two new voices, one belonging to Mercury, and another sounded so much like Jupiter, although she wasn’t transformed.
 
The feeling of being teleported without being prepared wasn’t one that Jadeite relished, but in his case, he was completely relieved when he felt the sensation, allowing him to miss the woman’s attack.
 
"I can't leave you unsupervised for one moment, can I?" Nephrite said, letting him go. "You mind explaining how this all started?"
 
“I’ll explain later, there’s no time for that now,” Jadeite said, grabbing a hold of Nephrite. “We have to get out of here.” He moved them both closer to home, hoping that they were out of the senshi’s sensing range before porting them both once more into the living room. The implications of what he had seen began to make themselves known.
 
Where was Mars? Did she…did I…was she… So lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice that the wound on his arm was bleeding.

Another sailor soldier. Then a furious teenage girl. And another man--another one of them--she thought she remembered this one as Nephrite. She wanted to rush forward and attack the pair, as the girl with the ponytail clearly intended to do to the first.

In a whirl of their powers, both men were gone.

Those treacherous powers, given to them by Queen Beryl! She had not forgotten about their abilities, but she had seen so little of them until that one awful night. They moved much faster than she was prepared for. Her fists clenched, filled with frustration. How cowardly they were--running away immediately! Traitorous wretches!

She hadn't realized that she was crying, hot tears running down her face.

The newly awakened Sailor Moon collapsed, falling to her knees, sobs shaking her body. The golden crescent on her forehead peeked out between the hands that covered her face. How could they be here, still alive and seemingly well, after all they had done? Was there no chance for righteousness in this universe? She ached for her former people, slaughtered like trapped lambs; she ached for her true mother and the familial love that she would never know again; she ached for her dear friends, torn from her, with their futures ruined by her foolishness. She wept for her love, as well, for that cursed relationship that she had entered into, thinking that she could overcome the whispered rumors forbidding it. She now knew the misery of being wrong.

Jadeite's name on Endymion's lips said in such a way meant troubles, but just what kind of troubles, Zoisite wasn't sure. This life wasn't dangerous. It was boring at best, but they were all together and they were relatively happy. The guilt floating around could get heavier on bad days, but they had their prince back, safe and alive. He glanced once from his book to see Nephrite storming off and examine quickly Endymion's features before returning to the words he couldn't even understand anymore. His index finger tapped slowly against the back of his book, time seemingly stretching itself. Where were they and what had happened for Endymion's instincts to react?

He was about to put down his book when the men teleported back in the living room. He threw a disapproving look at them both and settled the book in the small table.

"What did you do again?"

He asked, the mocking edges of his voice obvious. Who really here would be surprised to see either Nephrite or Jadeite a bit beaten up from one thing or another? Maybe he had fallen in a rosebush, who knew. His features lost their amused expression when he saw blood, suddenly disappearing and reappearing near them with a swirl of petals. He frowned. The wound was cleaner than what he would expect it to be if Jadeite had been mugged or beaten up, but he ignored it.

"Sit."

He asked, almost guiding the other himself towards a couch, still careful not to put blood everywhere then gently pushed him down. A pale glow enveloped his hand, Zoisite leaving to anyone else the task to ask about what happened, himself focusing more on healing his friend.

Rei grunted as she peeled herself off of the shrine floor. She had a pounding headache unlike any before and could barely clear her thoughts. She kneeled for a moment, regaining her bearing and clutching her head until the room came back into focus. Curse that negligent old man! If he was even able to hear me cry out, he doesn't care enough to check that I'm still alive. She then noticed something glinting in the light of the fire on the floor. It looked like a pen but had a strange cap with some kind of symbol.

The symbol of Mars... she felt whisper through her mind. "Mars..." she mused allowed to herself. She suddenly felt the urge to meditate in front of the sacred fire again, this time clasping the strange pen in her hands.

Tears filled Venus’ eyes as she took in the sight of her princess, almost a splitting image of her from thousands of years ago, alive and well before her. Her last memory of Serenity had been her broken body, her eyes closed forever and the smile she always wore replaced by heartbreaking sadness. Venus wanted to embrace her and to never let go again, but it was at that moment that Serenity took notice of Jadeite. Venus realized that she had completely forgotten about him in the midst of this discovery.

She watched the expression on her princess’ face turn from joy to unbridled fury, and then suddenly she was enveloped by a bright light. When the light faded, Venus was shocked to find Serenity transformed. No longer was she a girl in a modern day sailor uniform, but she was also not a princess, either. Instead, she had transformed into a soldier. A senshi, just like Venus.

Sailor… Moon?

Venus didn’t know what to think of this revelation. Serenity had not been a senshi—she never was—so how could she become one now?

Her confusion was interrupted by the appearance of another girl who looked mildly familiar. As old and new memories aligned, Venus squinted at the brown-haired tall girl. “Jupiter…?”

And then suddenly Mercury was there, and so was a second Shitennou. Nephrite. And then they were both gone.

Sailor Moon collapsed and began to sob. Her awakening must have been a shock; Venus remembered being assaulted by her past life’s memories all at once, suddenly realizing that her life was a lie. Remembering all the pain… all the destruction that had been wrecked upon their kingdom. All the people they cared about that they lost.

She knelt in front of her princess, her heart breaking all over again at seeing her in such anguish. Venus embraced her, finally, at a loss for words over the trauma that Serenity had just gone through all over again. None of this was fair… but Queen Serenity had at least given them this chance to the right the wrongs that had been done to them. She had given them the opportunity for revenge and unleash as much pain upon the earth as it had done upon the moon.

“Princess… it’s going to be okay,” she said softly. “We’re all here now. Look, even Mercury and Jupiter are too. We just need to find Mars, and we can finally destroy the Dark Kingdom for good. I promise you, we will wipe this earth of every single life if it’s the last thing we do. I swear this to you as the leader of your loyal guardians.” She tilted Sailor Moon’s face up gently. “Justice will be done, Serenity. Their lives… for ours.”

Mercury watched as Venus attacked the traitor and then Jupiter had ran at him as well. She wanted to add an attack as well but figured her two friends could handle him. Then another man from their past showed up and teleported both men somewhere. Mercury sighed and then watched as Sailor moon dropped to her knees and was crying. It caused her to ball up one of her fists in anger and the fact that the traitors got away but she knew they and the rest of this stupid planet's people would be gone soon enough. She knelt down next to Moon as Venus was speaking to her and added after Venus was done, "Yes that is true...They will all be destroyed once and for all...what she said is the absolute truth..."

The embrace was familiar and warm, enough to distract her momentarily from her sorrows. She blinked up at the other woman through her tears, the blue eyes shining with grief. Just beyond Venus' shoulder stood Mercury, echoing the same words of reassurance. She managed a nod towards the blonde, still sniffling, and did her best to wipe the tears from her cheeks. Her mind still swam with the knowledge of the beautiful past now destroyed, but she was not without hope. In an instant, her present life was now filled with friends and comrades. They were almost all here, except Mars, and she knew in her heart that they would find the final member of their group.

"The Dark Kingdom..." she said, the words metallic and bitter in her mouth. "How did they survive?"

Sailor Moon didn't expect answers, but she wished answers existed. It felt so wrong that such a terrible evil force could eradicate her world and continue to flourish in this future generation. How could a just universe allow such an awful thing to happen? Truly it proved that there was no justice. And yet... how was she here, as well? There were so many things she now understood, but also so many that she did not.

She sought the answers from Venus, having always habitually turned to her as the leader of her guardians in that past era.

"How are we here? I... I don't understand."

Mars felt a strange calm come over her as she resumed her meditation. This time when the pain which caused her to fall over unconscious returned, she did not flinch away from it - instead her mind was flooded with memories.

She saw a beautiful unearthly kingdom, several young women in sailor suits scanning the perimeter of a garden. She looked down into a small pond and caught a glimpse of her own reflection. She was in a red and white sailor suit like the others. Mars - the word came up in her mind again and the memories surged forward. She saw the forces of Earth attaching this beautiful kingdom, led by the four Shittenou. She saw the kingdom being destroyed around her as the battle raged on. Finally she witnessed the death of her Princess and that of the Princess' secret beloved. "SERENITY!!" she cried out, reliving the wrenching pain she felt, as though the light of her existence had gone out.

Suddnely the vision shifted to Tokyo, causing Rei to lose her breath in surprise. There they were. Her friends from her past life as Sailor Mars. They were alive and here on Earth, comforting a girl with a hairstyle that most likely indicated she was Serenity in civlian form! She could not tell what they were saying to each other, but was suddenly overtaken with the drive to find them. Their location was a bit far and she was afraid they would be gone if she tried to venture to their spot.

She decided to try something desperate to see if it would work. Her eyes snapped open, the fire once more burning through her veins. "Mars Power - Make Up!" she cried, triumphantly raising the red pen into the air. She was engulfed in inviting flames and looked down at herself to see the old senshi uniform once more. Then she dashed outside with a satisfactory smirk on her face. Standing in the middle of the clearing in the shrine garden, she shot a large plume of flames into the air, hoping the other senshi would take notice. If nothing else, it felt good to be truly alive once more and finally with the power to make Earth pay.

Sailor Mercury was thinking of something else to either say to Sailor Moon or something to do when all of a sudden something in the distance caught her eyes. 'What the heck..that looked like fire..i didn't hear anything explode..I probably should say something about this' As they waited for Venus to answer, Mercury spoke up, "You guys...did any of you see that stuff in the air away's away? It looked like fire..and that makes me wonder...if we are all here and those traitors are as well...would Mars possibly be reborn as well? It's a long shot but I'm thinking she might be signaling us or something if that was her. that all is just a theory though..i'm not positive."

Hearing all of the commotion from his room, Kunzite entered the living room to find his men-at-arms and Mamoru all with unpleasant expressions on their faces.

Kunzite could only guess what happened this time.

And of course, Jadeite was injured. And by the looks of it, no regular item could have created the gash on his shittenou's arm. Concerned now, Kunzite approached and kneeled down beside Zoisite. "What happened?" he asked, peering at the wound. He looked back at Mamoru, then to Nephrite. A deep feeling in his gut told Kunzite what happened, but he refused to believe it. It was too soon. Their lives had been normal up until now. Why did it have to be taken from them so soon? And in this manner, of all ways.

"Was it...them?"

Nephrite nodded, taking his attention away from Jadeite and Zoisite for the moment. "I found him surrounded by at least three of the senshi. I've got no idea where they came from either, but they weren't in the mood to have a civilized chat..."  His brow furrowed slightly. He knew that he should share as much information as he had, but he knew how tender the past still was for all of them. After hesitating, he spoke again. 

"Venus and Mercury were there, but there was also a senshi I didn't recognize at all, and what looked like a regular girl with them..." Just who were they?

Mercury's comment about fire in the distance focused Sailor Moon's attention. When she saw the plume of flame she felt a surge of warmth in her heart and knew it had to be from their missing comrade.

"It's Mars. It has to be Mars. We should go to her!" she said, glancing at the others for confirmation.

The thought of being together, reunited, overwhelmed the blonde with a joy that temporarily overcame her frustration and anger at the Earth. She could dwell on that later and plan ways to make them pay for what they had done to her loved ones. Right now she wanted more than anything else to have all of her friends by her side, as they had been so many years ago. She hoped the others would agree.

Was it them?...

He tried to stay focused, Kunzite's presence helping a little, but there was no way he could pretend to be deaf. His hands twitched above Jadeite's injury, the healing process slowing down slightly as he blinked. He knew it looked familiar... this kind of gash...

He ignored the shudder passing through him.

Could hesitation be a tangible thing? Could it be felt in the atmosphere? Or did they simply know each other enough for Zoisite to be aware of the small pause in Nephrite's words? Venus and... Mercury, eh? He felt sick but kept going as if it was nothing more than annoyance at Jadeite's injury. The senshi... why now, why here? He glanced subtly at Endymion, worried, then looked down at the other's shoulder. The dry blood would need cleaning, but it was something his friend could do on his own.

"Here..."

His voice was almost down to a murmur as he brought his hands back to his lap, his mind numb, exhausted. The dry retort he had on his lips when the men first arrived had long since died. It was no laughing matter anymore...