Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Sailormoon Dark ❯ Episode 19: Which Cosmos is Our Cosmos? The Stand of the Mirai Senshi. ( Chapter 19 )

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

Sailormoon Dark: Episode Nineteen
"Which Cosmos is Our Cosmos? The Stand of the Mirai Senshi."

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 October 2001.


"Please, I know we can work this out. There's no reason to resort to violence! I didn't mean to... to..."
"You never stop hurting people, do you? I, the senshi of Uranus, will punish you."
"Um, I'm the senshi of Uranus."
"What a predicament! Looks like we need a deep probe into Uranus."
"I don't believe we need your help in this conversation, Tara."
Pretty Soldier Sailormoon Dark Episode 19: Which Cosmos is Our Cosmos? The Stand of the Mirai Senshi. The moonlight carries the message of love.

        A stroll through the park was just what Aware Bakudan and her boyfriend, Shiro Kinpaku, needed to make their afternoon relaxing. Her grey-white hair was pulled up into two braids on each side and then made into four loops that stuck up from the back of her head, a very unique hairstyle. The state of Aware's finances could plainly be surmised by the full-length silver mink coat she wore, and the impeccable grooming of the pet poodle that accompanied her on a leash.
        As they rounded one side of the park, Shiro slid onto a bench, running a hand through his blue hair. "Let's sit here for awhile."
        "Are you short of breath again, darling?" Aware asked, sitting next to him. The medium-sized poodle promptly sat down at her feet with his head held high, like he always sat, surveying the other dogs in the park with a superior air. "We'll only stop for a minute, Winthrop."
        "I'm a little short of breath. But I'll be fine soon," Shiro assured. "Just need some rest."
        "Shiro-kun, you're worrying me. What did the doctor say on your last visit? I don't think you're being completely honest with me."
        Shiro laughed a little. "I'm not very bright, am I? If I wanted to keep it from you, I shouldn't have asked you to go walking in the park."
        "Shiro..." Aware's face fell into deep concern.
        "Baby, we've known the state of things for quite some time. We knew it was only going to get worse," he sighed quietly.
        "But it's all happening so fast..." Aware protested. "You can't even walk around the park now. The doctors have to do something for you... give you more time..."
        Shaking his head, Shiro replied, "The most they can do is keep looking for a cure. In the meantime, I'm going to have to be hospitalized again."
        "Oh, no..." Aware hugged him, laying her head on his shoulder.
        "I check in in a few days. Aw, I could use the rest anyway." Winking, Shiro held her to him. "I'll be in better shape when they spring me. Promise."
        "You've got to stop making those kinds of promises," Aware whispered.
        Hiding behind a nearby tree, Baby Baby Love eavesdropped as she watched Luna-P react to the couple. "A scene to draw out the Mirai senshi... this little soap opera could be just the thing I need." She prepared to transform Luna-P into the big sucker that had the power to hypnotize, giggling maniacally.


     &n bsp;  A short time later, Shiro and Aware lay unconscious on the floor of Sailordarkcosmos' hideout while Baby Baby Love pondered how she wanted to pull this off. "The Palladium and Hydrogen Shields... I could just do a straight Shield splitting, or I could do something very interesting..."
        "You know, I've thought about these Mirai senshi, and I still can't see any value to drawing them out. Maybe this book is a trick after all." Sailordarkcosmos tossed the Itsubun of the Future to the floor, kicking up a rectangle of dust, then picked up and began to play with a toy she'd swiped from Endora's room.
        "You've got to look at the big picture, Mother Dearest," Baby Baby Love replied. "Some benefit will show itself in the future. Perhaps you are meant to harvest the Talismans and Soul Shields they possess. Can you imagine having the future Silence Glaive for your machine?"
        "That'd be sweet." Darkcosmos shook the toy.
        "Wooooah," it whined in reply.
        This turned Baby Baby Love's head. "What do you have there?"
        "A couple of Furbys. They belong to one of those Witches. It's kinda fun to hold them upsidedown and listen to them get upset." Snickering, Darkcosmos did just that.
        "Ohh, ohhhh. Me scared," the Furby replied.
        A smile spread slowly across Baby Baby Love's face. "You said you have two there?"
        "Yeah. A tuxedo one and a Christmas one. See, this one's black with a white tummy." She held it up. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama! And this one looks like a reindeer, with a belt of jingle bells." Darkcosmos gleefully wagged the felt antlers on its head.
        "Can I borrow those?"
        Sailordarkcosmo s clutched them to her chest. "They're mine!"
        "I just want to borrow them. For our cause," Baby Baby Love explained, gesturing to the Elemental Shields and the unconscious couple.
        Sighing, Darkcosmos handed the Furbys over. "Our cause? How can two Furbys possibly figure into our cause?"
        "They'll help keep things fun. I mean, how interesting is this going to be for me after I've done it a few times if I don't throw some surprises in?"
        The poodle, Winthrop , raised his head from its place by his master's side. "Don't tell me you're actually going to combine those hideous miniature Ewoks with those beautiful Elemental Shields."
        "That's the long and the short of it."
        The poodle sniffed. "I simply can't allow you to combine that ragamuffin toy with my master's Shield. -sniff- I shall bite you if you try."
        "You bite me and I'll turn you into a Furby," Baby Baby Love snapped.
        "Fair enough. I've done all I can, then. You've threatened me with a horror I would never recover from if it were perpetuated upon me," Winthrop said, before lying back down.
        Rolling her eyes, she mumbled, "Don't strain yourself," and set about making her alterations to the Shields.


       ;  "Oh my..." Hikaru swiveled her head around to look back from where they had come. "Oh wow..."
        From the other side of Charon's boat, Sailorhelium grinned and tapped her friend's foot. "Careful. Your head doesn't turn 360 degrees without pain."
        "I simply can't believe this place," Hikaru exclaimed. She watched Sailorcharon row the boat across the last river between the Gates of the Underworld and the Temple of Nowhere. "The Underworld is everything you said it was, Heri. You live here?"
        Charon nodded. "We've arrived." She stepped out of the boat and held it against the shore so the others could exit.
        The Pyramid currently appeared to be uninhabited, save for one young senshi lounging on the steps, reading a book. Sailorcharon called to her as she walked up to the Pyramid. "Hello Ma'at. Where are the others?"
        Without looking up from her book, Sailorma'at replied, "Isis and Osiris have gone to Elysion to get us more food, and Anubis is tending the Necropolis."
        "Okay, first off, Elysion?! Paradise?! That place is Heaven?" Hikaru pointed to Elysion.
        "In essence, yes."
        "Your food comes from Heaven?"
        "The grocery stores in Hell were closed," Sailorcharon joked with a wink. "Yes, it comes from Elysion. If we're going to spend the bulk of our lives here, it only makes sense that there be a food source. Elysion has its own races of people, many of them agriculturalists. You should taste Heaven's peaches; the most delicious things you'll ever eat."
        "I hear you, but I'm having trouble taking it in. It's all real..." Hikaru looked around herself again, paying special attention to the beautiful vision of Elysion beyond the viel.
        From the steps of the Pyramid, Sailorma'at said, "Are you guys going to stand there and gab all afternoon? I'm trying to read."
        Helium stood before the girl, who appeared to be about ten and was dressed in a black and sea green Underworld senshi fuku. "Whatcha readin'?"
        "A Choose Your Own Adventure book. The Curse of the Haunted Mansion." She glanced up at Sailorhelium, her curly dark green hair bouncing in its ponytails. "Why don't you go show your friend the Necropolis?"
        "Ooh, yes, the Necropolis! That sounds totally cool; let's go see it," Hikaru exclaimed with excitement.
        "Sure. Charon, will you lead the way?" As she started to follow Sailorcharon and Hikaru up the stairs of the Pyramid, Helium teasingly called back, "Whatever you do, don't eat the cheese and crackers."
        "I know, you get turned into a mouse." Ma'at paused, then looked up at Sailorhelium's retreating back. "Have you read this one?!"
        Once they arrived at the summit of the truncated pyramid, the girls could see the Necropolis clearly. Hikaru sat down hard. "Wooooow..."
        The Necropolis was a large cemetery full of big, ornate gravestones with lots of space for laying flowers. It lay directly between Elysion and Tartarus, a rolling hill of green on one side and a mountain made of lava rock on the other. But the rows and rows of beautiful gravestones were not the only impressive items there. They were not even the most impressive. At the back of the Necropolis was a wall made of jade, partially encased in the rock of Earth. It was at least 100 feet high and almost as wide, and carved into its surface was a symbol that combined the Soul Shield, the star, the sun, and the crescent moon, each laying atop the other. Some writing had obviously been chiseled under the symbol, but most of it was still covered by rock, though someone had been working on digging it all out. The only clear words that could be read were the poetic label, "The Wheel in the Sky."
        Sailoranubis lazily milled between the headstones, pulling the weeds growing there. "The bowels of the Earth, and still we get weeds," she mumbled to herself. She saw the three girls coming. "Who's the new girl? Didn't you serve us at Yummy Snack the other day?"
        "I'm... Hikaru..." She walked slowly down the other side of the Pyramid. "I'm... Heri's friend." All of her attention was on the Necropolis, not what she was saying. Hikaru had never seen a place like this.
        "So you're bringing all of your friends down here now?" Anubis snapped at Helium. "Who are you bringing next, your Girl Scout troop? I'd like to buy some Thin Mints."
        "Anubis, chill," Charon replied. "She has a right to be here. Hikaru is Sailorneon."
        "But what is she doing in the Underworld? What do you think this is, a theme park?" Anubis crabbily barked.
        Helium stepped off the final step of the Pyramid and stood her ground before Anubis. "Do you ever stop whining, Anubis? The other night while we were looking through the Book of the Dead, all you could do was bitch about every move I made; I was being too noisy. Now you've got a problem with my friend."
        "'We' did not look through the Book of the Dead; Sailorcharon and I looked through the Book. You fell asleep on the couch and drooled all over your pillow."
        Helium raised a threatening fist.
        "That's enough!" Sailorcharon snapped, putting herself between Anubis and Helium. "Hikaru isn't hurting anything by being here. She just wanted a peek at the Underworld. I am responsible for her while she's here, and she won't bother you, okay? You won't hardly hear a peep out of her."
        Hikaru ran her hand over the top of one of the headstones and, seeing the name inscribed there, let out a startled scream.
        Without missing a beat, Sailorcharon pointed at her over her shoulder and said, "That doesn't count..."
        Helium rushed to her friend's side. "What's the matter?!"
        "It says Sailorneon, the headstone says Sailorneon," Hikaru stammered. She pointed to a lovely stained glass portrait on the gravestone.* "She looks like me! This is my grave." Turning to Sailoranubis, she asked, "What does this mean?"
        "Do you have any memories of the Silver Millenium and what the solar system was like during its time?"
        "Yeah; Heri and I were sisters and princesses from the same kingdom. We used to write stories about it-"
        Sailoranubis put up a hand. "I don't need to hear your life story. In your memories of that life, can you see how it all came out?"
        "Metallia attacked with a huge army. There were major casualties all around."
        "Uh huh. So you know that in that life, you died."
        "Yeah..." Hikaru's eyes dropped to the gravestone.
        "This is the grave of the girl who died then. The Sailorneon from your past life," Anubis explained. "That's what the Necropolis is; a memorial cemetery for all of the senshi who died in that battle."
        "Woah," Sailorhelium exclaimed. She looked at the face of the stained glass Princess Neon; it was Hikaru. "You mean our bodies are buried here?"
        "All of them." Sailoranubis leaned on one of the gravemarkers. "Even Princess Serenity."
        Amazed, Helium asked, "How did they get here?"
        "Queen Serenity's last wish before dying was for all of you, the senshi who died, to be reborn on Earth. That all of you would find love, and be happy. The Silver Crystal granted her wish. You were all reincarnated, with new bodies--she sent all of your souls to this time to be reborn. But your old bodies were dead. So they had to be gathered up by myself and the other Underworld senshi," Sailoranubis explained.
        "Why didn't you die in that battle?"
        "Because I wasn't here. Most of the Underworld senshi come from the Re galaxy. We were called in to... clean up after that battle, and most of our galaxy was dead, so we decided to take on the job."
        "How did most of your galaxy get dead?" Sailorhelium asked in a sarcastic tone.
        "They saw your face."
        "Hey, her comebacks are getting better. I told you monkeys could learn things," Helium said to Charon.
        Charon looked at her girlfriend, then Anubis. "You two are not even remotely amusing. This is serious, guys."
        Shrugging, Sailoranubis continued, "I'm not the one who started it. After they saw Helium's face, the people of the Re galaxy started dying of massive epidemics of disease and unprecedented natural disasters. That's just the way things go sometimes, I guess. But we found a new home and a new purpose here."
        Still curious about the Necropolis, Hikaru asked, "You helped bury all the senshi? What a grisly task. Why were you willing to do such a thing?"
        A smile of admiration came to Anubis' face. "I guess I respected them. All of you," she added, her smile turning sheepish. "Even you, Helium. You guys died to protect your solar system. At least there was something you could fight for. You weren't left standing around helplessly watching all of your people die; you could fight for them, and you did. The least I could do was help give you a decent burial."
        In spite of her dislike for Sailoranubis, Helium couldn't help but be touched by her comments, and her desire to save all of her own doomed people. Her feelings showed on her face.
        "Thank you for that." Hikaru paused. "Since you're the ones who buried the bodies, then maybe you know what happened to the magical items owned by each of the senshi... like their transformation wands?"
        "Yeah, I know where those are. We buried them with their owners," Anubis replied.
        Hikaru's shoulders slumped dejectedly. "So my wand is here, in my grave. Heri, you were right. This Underworld is far more mindblowing than I ever could have imagined."
        Sailorhelium took her aside for a moment to talk to her. "You'll get your transformation wand when you're meant to, my friend. Don't worry about it so much. Besides, if you really need it, we can always just dig you up."
        Hikaru laughed, her mouth open in amused shock. "I can't believe you said that. But I guess you're right. You got your wand, and here you lie." She layed her hand on top of a headstone that read, "Sailorhelium."
        While they were talking, Anubis took the time to point something out to Charon. "Did you ever notice what I put on your headstone, Sailorcharon?"
        "Of course; I've read it several times." She stood before her grave, gazing upon the large marker. "'Sailorcharon. The Princess of Charon Castle. She of the most beautiful face I have ever seen, the soldier attempted to help defend Castle Noble after her own castle fell. Charon died heroically in the battle.' There really was no need for so much bravado." Charon suddenly noticed all the fresh flowers on the gravestone. "But thank you."
        Sailoranubis' face was filled with gentle admiration. "I remember when I found you. Your body. Among the bodies of the senshi of Castle Noble. I knew then that there was something between you and Helium; you were in her arms when I found you. But I didn't think it would happen again in this life. I guess what they say about the same souls going around together for eternity is true."
        Charon was struck by how sad she looked when she said that. "Sailoranubis, I'm sorry it didn't work out between us-"
        Putting a finger to her lips, Anubis said, "Please don't. It's over. But I'll never stop loving you, I can't help that. I fell for you as soon as I saw your face. So serene, like you were sleeping... the most beautiful face I'd ever seen. Please don't look so pained."
        "I can't help it either. I wish there was something I could say."
        Sailoranubis shrugged. "When I found you all those thousands of years ago, I had to pry you out of Helium's arms. I'm still doing that, only this time, I don't think I'll be successful."
        Noticing the rather intense conversation going on between the two, Sailorhelium interrupted. "So what's with the jade wall?"
        Anubis tried to shake off all of the feelings she'd brought to the surface during her talk with Charon. "Oh, you mean the Wheel in the Sky." She turned to look at the wall that bordered the far end of the Necropolis. "No one knows exactly what it is, and there's still so much of it embedded in the earth, especially the important part--the written part..." She gestured to the symbolic writing that could be seen emerging from the earth; obviously most of it was still covered. "Perhaps when I uncover the writing, we'll learn what the Wheel in the Sky is, and who carved it. Maybe there will even be some instructions in its use."
        "Use? It's just an engraving in jade. Isn't it?" Hikaru asked.
        "I don't know. I have a feeling there's more to it." Sailoranubis turned back to the others. "Or maybe it's just a humongous work of art. Time will tell."
        Glancing down, Helium realized she was standing on Sailorcharon's grave. Reading the headstone brought several emotions forth that she hadn't expected, and she had to hold back tears. Then Helium noticed that Charon and herself had been buried on the same row, ...but five graves apart. Dare she take bets on whether or not this was done on purpose?
        Two figured approached, stepping magically through the viel between Elysion and the Necropolis. "Sailorhelium, it's so good to see you again," Isis said as she walked toward them, carrying a basket of fruit. Osiris had one too, but his was full of other types of food.
        "Hi! Hikaru, meet the King and Queen of the Underworld."
        Hikaru was instantly in awe. "I'm so honored to meet you. The rulers of the land of the dead..."
        "I could get used to this kind of treatment," Sailorisis chuckled.
        "My Queen, I'm glad you're here," Sailorcharon began. "I need to ask you something very important. We found some spells in the Book of the Dead that will give my parents passage across the Styx. The only problem is we need to give them two freshly minted coins so they will have the payment. Do you know where we... Isis?"
        Isis' face had gone pale. She simply started toward the Pyramid, not answering the question.
        "Sailorisis?" Charon followed her. "Isis, what's the matter?"
        "Hon, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to forget it." Isis pressed on one of the bricks, and a door opened up in the back of the Pyramid.
        If Helium hadn't been so concerned for Charon, she would have been annoyed at having to climb all the way over the Pyramid when they could have just walked through it. "Forget it? What do you mean? This is so important to Sailorcharon."
        "I know. I am totally aware how important it is. But you said you need two freshly minted coins to give your parents, right?" Isis put the basket down inside the door.
        "Yes."
         "Then you have to forget it. You'll never get those coins. It's just impossible," lamented Sailorisis, her face strained and sorrowful for Charon.
        "Why? Where are the coins minted?" Charon pleaded. Her own face reflected the utter defeat she felt, and the inevitable tears.
        Taking a deep breath, Isis replied, "The coins are minted in the deepest pit of Hell."


      & nbsp; "Thank you very much for inviting me to picnic with you this afternoon, Nozomi," Momono said, taking a seat on the blanket that 'Zomi's aunt Jun had spread out on the ground. "What do we have to eat?"
        Nozomi grinned happily as she dutifully listed all the types of food Jun had packed for their picnic. It did Jun's heart good to see her neice take such delight in a simple thing.
        "We've got all that to eat?" Momono exclaimed with real surprise.
        Nozomi giggled.
        Close by, Taru and Sash leaned against a tree, trying not to draw any attention to themselves. "I gotta say, I'm getting a little sick of waving this communicator around, waiting for it to react so we can chase Chibiusa until she disappears just before we arrive," Taru complained. "I mean, it's not like I don't have a life."
        "Did someone turn up your sarcasm meter this morning?" Sash replied, filing at her nails with an emery board.
        "At least you found something to do," said Taru sarcastically. "It's not that I don't want to find Chibiusa or anything. I'm just so sick of this." She waved the communicator around again.
        Sash pointed across the park. "Maybe we should just follow Papa and Mama around if we'd like to find the action."
        Haruka and Michiru were indeed walking through the park, discussing some everyday, mundane thing.
        "I'm glad they don't recognize us in this time."
        "Taru, why don't we just go to them and ask for their help in finding Chibiusa?" Sash suggested. "Our search would probably go faster then."
        "Because it's bad for people to know too much about their own future. And it will probably freak them out so much they'll faint or something. No, we can't go to them," Taru sighed.
        Suddenly the communicator in her hand began to beep, the antennae tip blinking. Artemis-P instantly rose up off the picnic blanket and took off in the direction of the Mirai Mugen college, which was only a block away.
        "Where's Artemis-P going?!" Nozomi jumped up to give chase.
        Jun commanded, "Wait! Let the others handle it."
        "Allright, some action!" Taru took off after Artemis-P, with Sash right behind her.
        Across the park, Haruka squinted and shielded her eyes from the sun. "You're going to think I'm crazy, but I could swear I see a white Luna-P floating out of the park."
        Baby Baby Love sneakily hid behind a tree on the campus of Mirai Mugen. Dark Luna-P floated next to her, suddenly turning in the direction of the park. The light on its antennae blinked.
        "What's up with you?" she asked of the robot ball. "Oh! My plan is working. The bait has caught a fish."
        The front door of the university burst open and several students came frantically running out. "What's the matter with you two? Leave us alone!"
        They were followed by Tuxedopalladium and Sailorhydrogenreindeer, who were undaunted by the students' pleas. Tuxedopalladium wore, as could be expected, a tuxedo and silver mask, but no top hat. The Elemental fuku of Hydrogenreindeer was completely white save for the waistband of her skirt, which was red and lined with jingle bells, just like the belt on the reindeer Furby. The two rogue senshi ran after the students.
        "Hungry..." they said, like the Furbys, and opened their mouths. "Ah-ah, ah-ah..."
        "We don't have any food!" one of the students cried. "Why are you chasing us?"
        Taru and Sash had gotten close enough to the school to see the two senshi going after the students. "What the-"
        "Hungry!" Tuxedopalladium flung several flat sheets of metal. The silvery leaves quickly grew in size as they sailed through the air. Two of them flattened the students against the ground to the point that the metal sheets laid completely against the cement. The students could be heard screaming under the life-size sheets of metal, though nothing showed of their forms.
        Taru and Sash gasped. They barely had time to duck as a palladium leaf careened toward them. Instead, it flattened Artemis-P on his way toward Luna-P.
        Back at the park, Jun looked through a pair of binoculars. She gasped too. "One of the senshi threw some kind of metal sheet at Taru and Sashii, but they dodged it. It flattened Artemis-P instead."
        "Artemis-P?! Flattened?!" Nozomi took off running toward the college.
        Gasping, Momono yelled, "Wait!" and instantly went after her.
        "Girls, no! Come back!" Jun started to go after them, but quickly realized they had too much of a headstart on her. Better to go get the reinforcements; a battle was inevitable. As she began to turn, Jun caught sight of a person coming out of the college's front doors; she looked through her binoculars again.
        Sailorcosmos took in the situation. "You of the Dark senshi, release those students you were chasing! I, Sailorcosmos, the senshi of love, justice, and the universe, will punish you!"
        Taru and Sash ducked behind a mailbox. "Is that her?"
        A satisfied smile crossed Baby Baby Love's face. Her lure brought in Taru, Sash, and Artemis-P; now they would see Sailorcosmos fall for the trap Baby Baby Love had set for her. "I knew they'd be looking for me, and that Artemis-P would lead them here."
        Jun slowly lowered the binoculars. "That's her. She's the one who attacked Chibiusa." She gripped the binocs angrily. "You can disguise yourself any way you want, but I know what you did." Jun ran to get Bikari, Shizukesa, and Setsuna.
        Haruka and Michiru had just arrived on the scene. "Sailorcosmos is here. But where did the white Luna-P go?"
        Sailorhydrogenrein deer ignored Cosmos, reaching through the palladium leaf and pulling out a Soul Shield. The student underneath stopped screaming. She quizzically looked at the regular Shield and frowned; Hydrogenreindeer obviously wanted a senshi Shield. "Hungry."
        Pointing the Winged Pearl Staff at her, Sailorcosmos cried, "Put that back!"
        Hydrogenreindeer simply dropped the Shield; it floated back to its owner. "Hungry." She moved on to the next student.
        Nozomi ran onto the campus. The first person she saw was Sailorcosmos. "Her! She's the one who attacked my mom!"
        "What?!" Momono grabbed the girl's arm. "I thought your mom was kidnapped. Let's get out of here; you'll get hurt!"
        Nozomi then saw Sailorhydrogenreindeer. "Her uniform is white like mine. Did her mom almost die too? Is she sad like me?"
        Tuxedopalladium pulled out another metal sheet. "Ooh, scared." He whimpered and threw the leaf at Sailorcosmos, to get rid of her.
        Thinking quickly, Cosmos batted the metal sheet away with her staff. Unfortunately, the palladium leaf careened through the air and flattened a surprised Nozomi to the ground.
        Taru and Sash gasped in shock. "Did you see that? She's the one. And now she's going after Nozomi!"
        "Let's look for a chance to sneak out of here, so we can transform," Sash growled.
        As Momono pried desperately at the palladium leaf, trying to pull it up, Sailorcosmos put her hand to her mouth and stifled tears. "I didn't mean to... I didn't see the child."
        "Nozomi! Nozomi-chan!" Momono screamed. She could hear the girl yelling and banging on the metal sheet that trapped her.
        Haruka sighed, "Poor Dumpling... she didn't mean to." She looked around for a place to hide, so they could transform and help.
        Shoving Momono aside, Sailorhydrogenreindeer reached into the leaf and pulled out a Soul Shield. "Hungry. Ah-ah, ah-ah..." The Soul Shield glowed with a bright, beautiful gold and silver aura. It bore the symbol of the crescent moon. "Eee-yuuuuuuummmmm..."
         The sight of it made Sailorcosmos cover her mouth in shock, her eyes wide. Who was that little girl? "That's not yours! Put it back!"
        Momono could no longer hear Nozomi screaming to get out. "You're killing her! Put it back, put it back!" she screeched, clawing for the Soul Shield. She began to cry.
        Hydrogenreindeer opened her free hand, creating a yellow orb in her palm. As she flicked it at Momono, it exploded. The girl, screaming, was blown at least 20 feet away.
        Everyone cringed. Before anyone could help Momono, she dragged herself to her feet and ran off, knowing what she had to do to help Nozomi.
        Sailorcosmos raised the Winged Pearl Staff. "You no longer leave me any choice. Cosmic Crystal Blood Embrace!"
        The crystals materialized around her and quickly sped at Tuxedopalladium and Sailorhydrogenreindeer. They said, "Me scared!" just before the crystals struck them, turning them to dust. A few seconds later, the dust clouds turned in a spiral and recreated the two senshi in their original forms. There stood Sailorhydrogen, her entire fuku now white, and Soldierpalladium. The two Furbys that Baby Baby Love had combined with their Soul Shields clattered to the ground.
        "What the heck?! Furbys?!" Haruka exclaimed. "This is someone's idea of a really bad joke."
        The palladium sheets faded away, releasing Nozomi and the others. A second later, Soldierpalladium collapsed.
        "Shiro!" Sailorhydrogen went right to his side.
        Nozomi's Soul Shield now lay on the ground near Hydrogen; the child crawled weakly to it and retrieved it. It floated back into her chest. "Is he okay?" she asked. In her eyes, Sailorhydrogen was still the good guy; she had an all-white fuku, just like Deadearth!
        "I... I don't know, Shiro won't come to..."
        "Did she attack you because there's no color in your fuku?"
        "I don't know..." Hydrogen felt his chest, then began to scream. "Shiro! He's not breathing!" She frantically felt his chest some more. "I can't find a heartbeat! You killed Shiro!"
        Sailorcosmo s began to cry. "I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to kill anyone permanently, just to turn him good again. It worked before..." None of this was going right.
        "He has a weak heart! Shiro has Friedreich's Ataxia! You shouldn't have used such a strong attack on him. You killed Shiro!" Hydrogen sobbed.
        "Friedreich's Ataxia? I don't know what that is; I didn't know he had it! Maybe if we call an ambulance-"
        "You killed Shiro! Hydrogen Bomb Orb!" Another pale yellow orb of energy appeared in her hand. She angrily pegged it at Sailorcosmos. It caused an explosion that shattered all the windows in the front doors of Mirai Mugen; Cosmos cried out in pain as she was thrown into the hail of glass.
        "That's it. Michiru, I don't care who sees us. Let's transform." Haruka reached inside her jacket.
        The blade of the Silence Glaive leveled at her throat. "I wouldn't do that," Sailormiraisaturn threatened. "Let us take care of the murderer."
        Absolutely stunned, Haruka and Michiru stared at the senshi. What was she doing with that weapon? Where had she come from? "Who are you?!"
        "That doesn't matter. Just put your hands up."
        "You're not Sailorsaturn," Michiru spat angrily. "How did you get her Talisman?"
        Their attention was diverted by the emergence of more senshi, one who had the Time Key! "Sailordarkcosmos, you've killed for the last time. We will end your reign of terror for good!" Miraipluto declared.
        "That's not Sailordarkcosmos!" Michiru cried.
        Cosmos carefully tried to get to her feet; she was covered in cuts and bruises. "I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to kill him. If we call the hospital right now, maybe they can save him."
        "A typical diversion. We know you always play for keeps," Miraijupiter growled.
        Sailorelysion helped Nozomi to her feet. "Get out of here now. You're too young to see this."
        The child did as she was told, but she didn't intend to stay away. She planned on helping!
        The two Mirai senshi called their attacks at the same time.
        "Pestilent Howl." Sailormiraipluto performed an attack that was much like her mother's Dead Scream, but because of the Garnet Star, contained two orbs of red energy. They combined and sped at Sailorcosmos like a miniature planet Pluto.
        "Sparkling Cyclonic Storm!" A bit like her mother's Sparkling Wide Pressure, Miraijupiter's attack drew its power from the Great Red Spot on the planet Jupiter, which was actually a monstrously large cyclone. She brought her hands apart, and a spinning oval the color of the many layers of the clouds in the Great Red Spot materialized between them. Sailormiraijupiter reared back with it and hurled it at Sailorcosmos. As it flew, the attack morphed into the shape of the planet Jupiter with all its bands of colors.
        The two attacks combined into one before they hit the weakened Cosmos. She screamed as she was thrown forward down the stairs, where she lay, almost unconscious.
        Still hiding, Baby Baby Love had to hold back her enthusiasm. Everything was turning out perfectly! The Mirai senshi had been drawn out, and they mistook Sailorcosmos for Darkcosmos. Now they would kill her, and Baby Baby Love could take her half of the Cosmos Shield back to Mommy Dearest and make her very happy. "That should shut her up."
        With quick reflexes, Haruka snatched up the shaft of the Silence Glaive. Sailormiraisaturn did not let go, but the blade was no longer at Haruka's throat, as she held it away. The two stared each other down intensely.
        "I don't know who you are, kid, but you're going to have to kill me if you want to keep me from protecting Dumpling." Haruka took out her transformation wand, releasing her hold on the Silence Glaive.
        Miraisaturn paused. Dumpling? Why did she call this evil Cosmos person by her nickname for Neo Queen Serenity?
        Michiru also brought out her henshin wand. They raised them to the sky.
        Taru and Sash jumped out from behind the mailbox.
        As Haruka and Michiru opened their mouths to call their transformation phrases, two voices instead came from behind them. "Uranus Planet Power..."
        "Neptune Planet Power..."
        "Maaaake-UP!"
        In stunned silence, their mouths hanging open like dead fish, Haruka and Michiru slowly turned around to watch their unknown daughters transform.

"Uranus?! Neptune?! What are they talking about? That's us!"
"We must be dealing with a bunch of imposters. Imposters who will be punished for their charade, not to mention what they did to Sailorcosmos!"
"No, it is her who will be punished for all those she has hurt. I will avenge Burrito!"
"And I will protect Dumpling! Wait... Burrito?!"
"Dumpling?!"
"You guys are making me hungry."
Sailormoon Dark Episode 20: The Battle that Spanned 900 Years. Vengeance Clouds the Mind. The moonlight carries the message of love.

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* The idea for the headstones of the Necropolis to have stained glass portraits of the senshi buried there comes from the stained glass fanart effect that my friend Snow Kelleher applied to some of my pictures. ^_^

If you would like to learn more about Friedreich's Ataxia, please visit the Friedreich's Ataxia Fact Sheet. (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/pubs/friedreich_ataxia.htm)


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