Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Sailormoon Dark ❯ Episode 8: Right Under Their Noses. The Lair of Sailordarkcosmos. ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Sailormoon Dark: Episode Eight
"Right Under Their Noses. The Lair of Sailordarkcosmos."

written by Laurel Wilson ( Sailorhathor@aol.com )
Inspired by the Japanese animated show Pretty Soldier Sailormoon.
The ideas for this fanfic were conceived in 1995, but this actual episode was written in November 2000.


"This girl, Sailoralbatross--what is she doing here in the Witches' home? And why don't they know about her? I think she's trying to warn me about something... something I can't quite see."
"There are many things you cannot see, little girl. Like your boyfriend talking over old times with that woman from the library. Do you think he still has feelings for her? That 'Nori?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You will. You will remember."
Pretty Soldier Sailormoon Dark Episode 8: Right Under Their Noses. The Lair of Sailordarkcosmos. The moonlight carries the message of love.

        "I don't understand what's happening. Rei was out in the hall, and she ran in here..." Usagi trailed off as tears came to her eyes.
        "You don't have to worry about Rei now, Princess Serenity. She will be safe here with me. Will you stay for a little bit and tell me how you're doing? It's been so long since I've spoken to you," Sailoralbatross said.
        Usagi was understandably confused by these words. "Since you've spoken to me? Do we know each other?"
        "Of course, you're confused. All I ask is that you trust that I am on your side," Albatross assured.
        "Then why are you avoiding my questions?"
        To this, Sailoralbatross sighed heavily. "I cannot answer some of your questions. It is not allowed. I've lost most of my power, and what is left is locked inside this music box that I hold. My will is held captive by the person who imprisoned my power in the box." She gently held the music box up for Usagi to see better. "I cannot go against their wishes as long as I am their prisoner."
        "Who did that to you?"
        "No one who is supposed to be here. Just someone who misuses their power. I'd like to tell you everything you want to know... and someday I will. But today, please trust me. Please tell me how you are doing," Sailoralbatross begged.
        Finally relenting, Usagi told the mysterious senshi about her plans for college. Albatross listened with a happy but longing expression. " ...Rei was supposed to be my roommate in the dorm, but... you know how that came out."
        Albatross nodded sadly. "Thank you for telling me about your life. I really needed to hear that you are doing okay."
        "Why?" Usagi asked, exasperated.
        "Just curious."
        This brought a frustrated sigh from Usagi. "All you wanted to know is what I have been doing with my life lately?"
        "Yes."
&nb sp;       "Is that why Rei made me follow her in here? So you could ask me how things have been?"
        "Not completely," Sailoralbatross replied. "She wanted me to warn you about things from the past coming back to haunt you. That woman you met today, the one from the library--do you remember her?"
        "You mean the manager? Chochin-san? Yes, I remember her."
        "No, do you remember her? From the very distant past? Because she was there, in the Silver Millenium, and you need to remember what happened with her before things go too far," Albatross warned.
        "I don't remember anything about her from that time. It's like I just met her today."
        "That's alright; it will come to you in time. I have to warn you that it will hurt. But much of that part of your distant past has yielded painful memories, hasn't it? I'm so sorry for that... I wish I could have changed it all..."
        Usagi shook her head. "None of this makes any sense. I need you to tell me how you know me, and how you know about the Silver Millenium. It doesn't matter whose rules you have to break--I'll tell them I forced you to tell me. Just explain it all, please." Her agitation was very apparent now.
        "Princess Serenity, they are your rules."
        She instantly opened her mouth to question what Sailoralbatross meant by that, but Usagi was interrupted by a voice from behind her. "Usagi? What are you doing in here?"
        Turning, Usagi saw Kitaeru and Glen standing in the doorway. "I'm talking to her." She pointed toward the window.
        "Who?"
&nbs p;       "Sailoralbatross. She's standing by the win..." When Usagi looked, she saw that the winged senshi was gone. "...dow." The room was again empty, with its boarded windows and sparse, covered furniture. "Oh isn't that just typical! The girl appears out of nowhere, says a bunch of cryptic things, and then disappears before anyone else can see her. Now you two are going to look at me like I'm crazy."
        Glen glanced at Kitaeru to see her expression; she was definitely not looking at Usagi that way. Instead, she was nodding her head in understanding. So Glen replied, "One out of two aint bad," and then looked at Usagi as if she was crazy.
        Whacking Glen on the arm, Kitaeru protested, "Usagi is not crazy. I can feel lingering vibes in this room. A Talisman was here recently."
        "I'm not crazy!" Usagi happily hugged Kitaeru for her reassurance. "So you believe me that a mysterious senshi was here?"
        "Of course. Since when have encounters with strangers ever been normal for a senshi?"
        Both girls laughed.
        "You guys don't know what you're saying," Glen said, shaking his head. "This is the haunted room. None of us come in here but Sam. If a senshi was in here, it was a dead senshi."
        "What do you mean, the haunted room?"
        "That's why we had to board up the windows. Visitors who came to see the parks were complaining about seeing strange, frightening things in this room as they passed by. Closing the curtains didn't work--someone would just open them. Sam says there are ghosts in here," Glen explained.
        Usagi's eyes widened. "You mean... I was talking to a ghost?"
        "Looks that way."
        Her huge eyes peered all around the room. "Ohhh."
        "How does Samantha know that there are ghosts in here?" Kitaeru asked.
        Glen rubbed the back of his neck. "Er, you'd think I was crazy if I told you. I'll explain some other time."
        "You just don't want me to look at you as if you're crazy," Usagi said with a poke to Glen's chest.
        Before Kitaeru could question Glen further, they were distracted by Ban coming down the hall. He did not say a word, just grabbed Kitaeru, dipped her backward, and planted a long passionate kiss on her mouth. "Hi."
        "Hi," Kitaeru giggled. "Miss me?"
        "That's for not getting hurt during the battle with that Lithiumowl girl."
        "I'll have to not get hurt more often." They kissed again.
        Glen grinned at Usagi. "I wonder what he does everytime she handles a piece of paper and doesn't get a paper cut?"
        At first Usagi nodded, then furrowed her brow. "Maybe he kisses her hand?"
        Glen sweatdropped.
        "Ready to go?"
        "Yes. I think I'm going to ask Setsuna if we can go with her so I can read more of the Itsubun. It could reveal so much more to us," Kitaeru said.
        "Works for me. Let's scram."
        The group walked away from the 'haunted room,' once Glen had taken one more look inside and closed the door. Shadows in the corners melted together, slowly forming the outlines of two women. Sailordarkcosmos stepped from the shadows. "Well, I'm glad you know your place, Albatross. You are playing by my rules."
        The shadows sank back to reveal where Sailoralbatross had hidden. "Princess Serenity, you're not yourself. This isn't you. Please stop before your evil deeds consume you."
        "Blah blah blah." Darkcosmos removed a cover from one of the chairs with a flourish. "One of these days, I've got to get myself a proper throne. Albatross, I found that music box while I was poking around in the ruins of the Moon Kingdom, looking for toys I could use against the Mouseketeers. I trapped what power you had left in it... and I can smash it if I want to."
        Sailoralbatross instantly held the music box tight against her chest, trying to protect it. "Oh no, please, don't do that! It's so beautiful and special to me."
        "Then be QUIET." Crossing her legs, Darkcosmos surveyed the room from her makeshift throne. "Where are my assistants? Sulphur! Arsenic!"
        A girl with black hair emerged from the shadows, carrying a grey marble mortar and pestle. The bowl of the mortar was filled with chattery black spiny creatures, like little sea urchins. Except these little guys had large white eyes with black dots for pupils. "Sailorsulphur , present and accounted for."
        Another girl stepped from the murk of the room's corners, primping at her done-up red hair. Tiny suede satchels hung from all over her uniform. They were filled with her special blend of arsenic powder. "Sailorarsenic , ready to serve, my Queen. Where's Triton?"
        "She had to go home to tend to her injured pet. You know, the one with the tentacles," Darkcosmos smirked. "How are the Elementals working out so far?"
        "The experiment is going well," Sailorsulphur replied. "These Elementals whose souls have been mixed with those of other senshi are very easy to manipulate. It's the imbalance, you know. Two senshi cannot live in one body forever."
        "Yes, Queen Serenity really dropped the ball on that one. When she sent the senshi to our time, to be reincarnated, she accidentally mixed some of the souls together. You two were lucky not to be jumbled into the same body with another soul," Darkcosmos sighed.
        Clutching her music box, Sailoralbatross turned toward the boarded-up window, so she could dream herself out of this room, this trap.
        "Indeed." Arsenic sat upon the arm of one of the other chairs. "We can continue to use these imbalanced senshi for our purposes, no matter how many of them Sailorcosmos straightens out."
        "Sailorcosmos..." Darkcosmos sneered. "Will she ever be surprised when she sees who I've got on my side." She took out the two pouches that held the Dark Soul Shield halves of the future Chibiusa and Luna.
        "You got them?"
        "You expected less?"
        Sailorsulphur immediately went to a table against the wall; out of the shadows appeared a cauldron hanging over a bunsen burner. She lit the bunsen burner to boil the water in the cauldron. "This is one good thing about using Valhalla as a hideout. Plenty of supplies for the use of magic."
        To that, Arsenic began to laugh. "The fools who live here, they have no idea, do they? All they see is an empty room. Meanwhile, we're running our experiments and using their supplies right under their noses. It's really very funny."
        "They have no idea," Sulphur repeated, laughing snobbishly.
        "Your bravado is understandable, Sailorsulphur and Sailorarsenic, but you are wrong," Odin's voice said from the doorway. Sulphur, Arsenic, and Albatross all gasped before turning to look at Sailorodin. Darkcosmos did not flinch, only narrowed her eyes at the now open door. "I am the Unknowable. Sailorodin."
        "I know who you are," said Darkcosmos. "What do you want here?"
        "I come to tell you what you must hear." She carefully circled her hand in the air. A thick book with a leather cover, some cracks in its spine, materialized below her hand. It levitated there as she spoke. "The Itsubun of the Future. I will give it to you. Use it wisely."
        Standing up, Sailordarkcosmos walked to Odin and, after looking her over, took the book. "The Itsubun of the Future?"
        "Yes. It is a magic oracle that foretells the future."
        "Why are you giving it to me?" An eyebrow raised on Darkcosmos' face.
        "Because the Runes told me I should," Odin replied. "It is part of the natural order of destiny."
        "Do any of your little friends in the house know about this?"
        "No. It is not something they should know."
        Sailordarkcosmos ' eyes darted from the book to Odin. Finally, she took the Future Itsubun to her chest. "I accept."
        "The Runes said you would. I hope you trust my oracle." With that, Odin exited the room, closing the door.
        Sailorsulphur immediately began gathering her things. "We've got to get out of here. She's going to tell the others about us!"
        "No, she won't." Darkcosmos took her seat again, running her fingers over the book's cover. "That was Sailorodin. It's like she said, she won't tell them because it's not decreed by destiny for them to know. She lives her life by those fortunetelling stones. Put your things down and continue the experiment. We're going to create my daughter and my guardian. Ones befitting an evil queen."
        Still unsure, Sailorsulphur slowly put her things down, and tended to the cauldron. Arsenic went to help her.
        Darkcosmos opened the Itsubun of the Future and began to read. She quickly noticed that many of the pages were blank. As she turned a page, Darkcosmos saw that words were appearing before her eyes, as if some invisible person was writing in the book as she watched. Sailordarkcosmos used the Dark halves of the Soul Shields to make herself a Dark child, whom she named Baby Baby Love, and a guardian cat called Dark Luna. "Hmmm..." A book like this could provide great insight into how she could have continued success. The possibility brought a smile to her face. Darkcosmos doubted Sailorodin was actually on her side--just an innocent dupe following her senshi duty.
        That brought an even bigger smile to Darkcosmos' face. Still, Sailorsulphur could be right. Perhaps Odin and the book could not be trusted. Best to be on guard.
        Suddenly the Future Itsubun announced one more thing on its pages. The single sentence read The Builder is coming. "What the..." Darkcosmos wondered what that meant, as she had no idea.
        Sailoralbatross tried to ignore what was going on around her, staring at the boarded window. A small cloud of red energy crept into the room and seeped under the cover of the music box. "That's right, your power will be safe with me, Mars. No one has been able to open my box yet. I will protect it with my life until I find the person who can open it and release our powers." Her head raised toward the window again. "The sky is pretty today."


         Sailorhelium waited by the gates of the Underworld for Charon to return, even though it was scary being outside the cottage. Charon's parents floated over to the gate before her. "Are you Hitoria's friend?" the mother asked.
        "Yes," Sailorhelium replied uneasily. She didn't want to talk to these people, not after what they had said to Sailorcharon.
        "You're one of these senshi people too?" the father asked.
        "Yeah..."
&n bsp;       Charon's father paused. "Is there anything you could do to get us across the rivers?" he finally asked.
        "Maybe you could talk to her for us," the mother added.
        Resisting the urge to reach through the bars of the gate and smack them both, Sailorhelium took a deep breath. They were ghosts, and the idea of finding their eternal rest consumed their every thought. Under those circumstances, maybe she could cut them some slack. "Perhaps I could talk to her. But first, I want you to know that I think what you said to your daughter was very mean. She didn't mean for anything bad to happen to you. You have to understand how difficult it is to make the decision to take on your senshi duty. It changes your whole life. I'm sure that Sailorcharon... Hitoria... wanted to save you from those monsters, but she was afraid. You see what her duties entail, what this place is like--would you be so quick to take on such a life? I know that she didn't mean for you to get killed."
        Sailorcharon's mother frowned. "Hitoria hesitated to grab the magic wand, and one of the monsters took advantage of her hesitation--he smacked her across the room. She was only fourteen when it happened."
        "You see there, Hitoria couldn't help what happened, and she was young too. Think of how scared she must've been."
        The mother frowned deeper. "Yes, she must've been very frightened."
        "And you two keep bringing it up and making her feel guilty. She's doing the best she can. So I'll see what I can do regarding the two of you getting to paradise, because I know that's what Charon wants. But you need to think about what your daughter needs, too. Charon is still your child," Sailorhelium reminded them.
        The father nodded, and seemed to smile, although it was hard to tell with his ghostly features. "Thank you for your talk. There are many important things that we have forgotten that we should try to remember now, for Hitoria's sake." The two ghosts floated away, to the banks of the Styx, to wait for their daughter.
        Several other ghosts passed the gates and looked at Sailorhelium, examining the symbol on her bow. Then they floated away, remarking, "You're not Charon." Charon was awfully popular around here... Every one of these phantoms wanted Sailorcharon's help, but there was only so much she could do for them. There has to be something I can do to lessen the burden on her in this awful place. No one should face such a thing alone.
        After awhile, Helium saw the boat coming back across the Styx through the mists that hung over the water. She ran back into the cottage and dove back under the afghan on the couch so Sailorcharon could have some time alone with her parents. But Helium could not resist watching out the window. She saw Charon's parents approach her and talk to her briefly before Charon headed for the house.
        Uh oh. She doesn't look happy.
        Leaving Buster to guard the gates, Sailorcharon charged into the cottage, her anger obviously growing with every step toward Helium.
        "Hey, how'd it g-" She was cut off when Charon shoved the large end of the Key of Styx into her chest and pushed her back against the couch. "Um... did it not go well?"
        Suddenly Sailorhelium realized that Charon was close to tears. "How could you tell my parents that you would talk to me about taking them across the river? Didn't you hear me out there? I can't take them across. You just put false hope into their heads, and it will only make what I have to do that much harder! Don't you understand that?"
        "What I understand is that the person who needs hope the most around here is you. I understand that better than you do," Sailorhelium declared. "Have you ever tried to find a solution to this problem? I mean, what is the deal with these rites that ghosts need to get across? How do they get a coin to pay you with?"
        A lost look coming to her eyes, Sailorcharon put the Key down, releasing Helium. She didn't say a word, simply went into her bedroom and closed the door. This of course perplexed Sailorhelium, but she was undaunted--she followed Charon into her room.
        Charon was lying on her bed, crying, her body curled into a ball. Helium gently sat on the edge of the bed. "Is Hitoria your real name?"
        Sailorcharon, sniffling, replied, "It's Hitoriaruki. I prefer that people call me Ruki, though. The other part of my name... only my parents called me that. It hurts to hear it now." She sobbed quietly.
        Nodding, Helium stroked Charon's hair. Gosh... her hair sure is soft and silky... "You didn't bring me down here just so I could rest. You brought me here because you're lonely, and you're hurting, and you want someone to give you hope that there's more out there for you than just ferrying ghosts across a river."
        Sailorcharon's eyes glanced up at Helium, a bit of surprise in them.
        "See? I'm right. That look told me so. You brought me down here because you hoped I would be able to help you. So let me help. Tell me about the rites people need to get a coin to cross the rivers."
        After a pause to think, Charon said, "You don't necessarily have to be good to get an obolus... I am taking people to Hell, too. Words must be said on behalf of the safe passage of your soul, whether they be religious words or simply good wishes for you after you are dead. Then you will be given a coin to pass. If you have died by your own hand, you cannot pass."
        "Yeah, I saw what happened to those two new suicides..."
        Sailorchar on nodded and continued, "Some people who die suddenly, or violently, they get confused, and spend their time wandering around familiar places on Earth. They might have gotten their obolus for passage, but they get lost, or they choose not to go, or they don't even know they are dead. Some people lose their coin when they get confused like that."
        "Is that what happened to your parents?" Sailorhelium asked.
        "No..." This started another wave of tears. "Some people cannot go over the river to their resting place because someone back on Earth, someone alive, will not let them go. We all feel sad and want a person back when they die, but some of us pine for the dead so much that they cannot gain passage. In essence, we withhold their passage from them. It's all my fault, Heri. I missed my parents so much, and I felt so guilty about their death, that I vowed I would never let them go... that I wouldn't take them across the river ever because if I did, then that would mean they were really dead. My wish was granted. They had no coins when they came to the river to cross."
        "But you were just a kid," Sailorhelium reminded her. "Stop blaming yourself for feelings any child in your position would've had. How are you ever going to let them go if you don't forgive yourself for how they died?"
        With a heavy sob, Sailorcharon threw her arms around Helium's waist and cried into her chest. Helium continued to stroke the girl's hair. "But I can't take it back! I took away their passage. How can I ever fix it?"
        "Why don't we ask Soldierosiris and Sailorisis? They probably know how to get your parents their passage."
        Charon looked up at her. "You really think so?"
        "Sure! They run this place; if they don't know, then we're S-O-L," Helium said with a grin.
        Laughing a little, Sailorcharon replied, "Thank you." Her voice was full of gratitude.
        "No problem. Now, I've got class tomorrow, so you will be taking me home from Hell soon, right?"


         The conversation of earlier that day had 'Nori thinking of the past... the very distant past. I remember everything, she thought. Every minute. Every vivid, shining detail.
        It wasn't hard for her to recognize the only man she ever loved when she saw him, even if it had been many, many years. There he was before her, standing in the park, checking his watch. Could she believe her eyes, after all these centuries?
        "Endymion... " 'Nori whispered. "I've searched for you over an endless ocean of stars... over eons of time... I waited for you. Did you wait for me?"
        As if he heard her, Mamoru looked up, glancing right at her. 'Nori thought her heart had stopped, and she gasped. He was looking right at her! While she was trying to decide if she should smile or wave or something, Mamoru gave her the kind of polite smile one gives a passing stranger. Then he looked away.
        'Nori's face fell into a pout. Oh, so that's how he was going to play it. Same ol' Endymion. Well, two could play that game. 'Nori, smirking, sidled over next to Mamoru and stood there rocking on her heels, waiting to be noticed.
        Mamoru checked his watch again.
        With an impatient sigh, 'Nori said, "Don't be coy."
        Mamoru looked at her. "Excuse me?"
        "I said don't be coy. It's been such a long time." Her voice broke with emotion. "Can't you at least say hello?"
        Obviously confused, Mamoru asked, "Do I know you, ma'am?"
        Tears filled 'Nori's eyes. "Don't torture me. You couldn't have forgotten me, Endymion. You couldn't have!" She suddenly threw her arms around him.
        Mamoru was stunned, too stunned to pry the girl off of him at first. Endymion?! "Forgotten you? Who are you?"
        Gasping, 'Nori's eyes went wide. "Who am I?!" She pushed herself away from him very slowly. "Who am I? How could you..." Then she remembered Usagi's reaction to her on the roof of the university. She had no idea who I was. Princess Serenity... Usagi... didn't remember anything about what happened between us in the past. Could it be that Endymion's memories had been lost too?
        Mamoru noticed that the woman had gone silent. "Why did you call me by that name?"
        "Because it's the name I have always called you," 'Nori replied slyly. "Your memories of when you were him are fragmented, aren't they? Just tell me one thing. Do you remember Bright Eyes?"
        After a moment of thought, all the color drained out of Mamoru's face. His expression hardened. Without saying another word, he turned and walked away from her, as if he simply could not handle the realization of who she was.
        "You do remember!" 'Nori happily exclaimed.
        Mamoru walked by a large tree on his way out of the park. A young girl with a sad expression peeked from behind the tree as he passed. The light reflected off her black hair, causing a rainbow of highlights to dance across her bangs as she stood there in that sliver of sun. The sky directly above her seemed to grey, though the rest of the sky was clear.
        On a nearby bench, two older girls in Mirai Mugen uniforms sat giggling snobbishly. "Kako-chan , did you see him? You were right, Momono. He is here, on this planet."
        "There's no way I could have missed him, Senetsu . He matches the description perfectly. That's the man Tsukino Usagi chose over Seiya! Can you believe it? I mean, really!" They both resumed their snotty giggling.
        The young girl called Momono leaned her head against the tree and mournfully watched the world go by.

"Behold, readers--the birth of my beautiful daughter of evil, Baby Baby Love. And my guardian of really really bad things, Dark Luna. Aren't you terrified?!"
"Terrified? That's nothing. You're forgetting that I live with an amorous sea monster. And when Sun-sama comes by to gush about her little encounter with Endymion, I've got to hide Siggy so she doesn't find out I'm in league with you. Does Siggy make that easy for me? Of course not! He thinks girls are cute."
"What do you mean, you aren't terrified?! I'm Sailordarkcosmos!"
"Huh? Oh, OH! SailorDARKcosmos... Oh, yes, I am so appropriately terrified. Evil daughter, oooh. Bad tour guide, arrrggh."
"That's GUARDIAN!"
Sailormoon Dark Episode 9: Birth of the Dark Daughter. Dolls and Cats and Seamonsters, Oh My! The moonlight carries the message of love.

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