Thank you to all of you who wrote me! It’s a great feeling to know people read and like what I do. I had expected flames a mile high- but I’m glad I’m wrong!

Standard disclaimer applies- no matter how many crystal or stars I wish on, Miss Naoko Takeuchi will forever remain the genius of the story. But all the baddies are mine.

+++ Change of scene

o}--+----- States the new scenery

< > the current character’s thoughts

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o}--+----- Tokyo, June 1, 1999 AD, Universe 1

Molly sighed as she watched her best friend staring at the night sky through her bedroom’s bay window. Serena had been happy to spend the night at her house, but she was still down about missing the meeting. More specifically, seeing Darien. Serena had so little time left, and she had just wasted some of it. Molly sighed, glancing out the open balcony. Ryl was supposed to call her on the panel any minute now. Just another thing to feel guilty about. Out of the four princesses, she had spent the most time with Ren. Gab had spent a little time with Ren and Kat had gotten a few days with her. Ryl was the worst off of all of them. She had had no closure after her battle. The Sailors probably still hated her and she pretty much hated herself. But Ryl was made of tough stuff, and would never show it, but as her sister, Molly could see it plainly every time they looked eye to eye.

She knew they all coveted her for the time she had spent with Serena, being her best friend and all. But it was fair this way; Molly had been taken away to fulfill her destiny back in the Silver Millennium.

The four were called her Archangels, her First Court. God had made them soul sisters, though they usually acted as though they really were related physically. When God and Daemon had created them, they had agreed to create Challenges to see if they were worthy enough for the responsibility and power they would be given.

The Challenge was the event when the Archangel would be taken from their world, and forced to physically combine with their Counterpart. They would then wreak havoc until one or both of the Chosen Ones freed them. The Challenges had started with the youngest, herself, and ended with the oldest, Gabrielle. Challenges were also a way to test the strength of the Guardians, Sailors, Generals, and Chosen Ones.

Gabrielle had just been defeated a couple weeks ago as Sailor Galaxia. She had only seen Serena for a little while before she left with Kakyuu and the Sailor Stars.

Katarina had played many roles. She had been Mistress Nine, Neherenia, and Zirconia. She had posed problems, taking over the Silent Messiah, bringing the Outer Sailors, the Amazon factions, and nearly freed Pharaoh 90, not to mention some other things. She was, in truth, only suppose to be Mistress Nine. Some how, she hadn’t been totally freed by Serena and been pushed back into Darkness. God had given her a role on the side of good, to ease the pain of the Darkness she had to endure. She became Kakyuu, princess of the Sailor Stars team. She had been able to spend a couple days with Ren, but mostly it was during a battle.

Before her was Beryllian. She smiled as she thought of her tough older sister. Beryllian had been turned evil back in the Silver Millennium. Beryl, as she called herself, had succeeded in killing the Moon Queen, the Sailors, destroying the kingdom, and had managed to fight with her 1000 years ago. In fact, Ryl had caused so much devastation and destruction that everyone migrated to Earth to combine forces. The leaders of the people decided the best way to deal with the pain was to force everyone to sleep for a day and forget everything. When the leaders awoke everyone, they gave them a new imaginary history and advanced the calendar 1000 years. Ryl could never do anything in a small way.

Molly sighed as she thought of her own Challenge. She hated to think about it. But she couldn’t change the past.

Molly looked at her best friend and smiled, softly and sadly. <The question is, how will you react when you remember? Will you hate me as much as I hate myself?>

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

o}--+----- The Silver Millennium, September 4, 4 BC, Vitaverse 1

Princess Mahira and her best friends were strolling along the beaches of the Sea of Stardust. The five of them had always been close and constantly visited each other. Their training as soldiers started in the next week, and they had spent a week in each girl’s kingdom for a huge celebration. This week they were staying in one of the palaces of the Star Kingdom, ruled by Queen Psyche and King Robert, Princess Katarina’s parents. The king and queen had graciously given the five of the mansion on a less populated planet "for privacy". The girls had smiled, knowing it wasn’t for privacy; they were known to be quite loud and stressful, especially when together.

"So what do you think training will be like?" asked Princess Beryllian of Earth. Mahira rolled her eyes at her sister.

"Oh come on, we have talked about that for over a month now. Let’s talk about something else… how are the parties Ren?" Now Katarina rolled her eyes.

"You know, there is more to life than parties and social functions Ra."

"And weren’t you going to inquire AGAIN on the libraries of the Moon?" Gabrielle teased. Kat looked away as she blushed. "Anyway, I was going to ask what the shopping is like. Are there a lot of cute guys?"

Serenity had stopped walking and was now giggling, a wide grin plastered on her innocent face. "You guys should know, you’ve spent like, a fifth of your life there."

"But not at one time where we could see everything about the Moon Kingdom. I've only seen the Royal library, and you would never let me stay long to inspect it any time I did get in there." Kat looked at her friend with a cat-like smile, knowing she had her friend. Serenity shrugged her smile off with one of her own.

"But anyways- hey, what is THAT?!"

The girls looked to where Serenity was pointing in the sky, above the center of the lake. Mahira didn’t have a very good feeling. "I don’t know, but I think we should go…"

A huge purple and red cloud had appeared over the lake, about five feet in diameter, flashing golden beams randomly. It seemed to hover about twelve feet off the surface. The girls watched, fascinated, as the cloud shot out a gold beam from the center into the lake. The beam widened until it almost reached the rim of the cloud. When the beam hit the water, the water turned golden, then red, then purple, and then golden again.

"What the-" Ra could dimly hear her sister cry out. She was transfixed on that cloud. It was almost as if it was calling to her. She ignored her friends as she walked a little towards it. They seemed to be talking, yelling at each other… they were stuck… a powerful force stilling their movement… there was something special about that cloud…

Suddenly the lake burst into flames. Hot, bright flames of all different colors of fire. She could hear screaming coming behind her, seemingly from a distance. Her friends were back there, trying to break free. But she didn’t care… <NO! This is wrong… something is happening, something terribly evil… DO NOT go near the flames!>. Even as she thought this, she could feel herself moving, straining to get closer to the glow, that beautiful array of color. She saw dark shadows creep around the fire, dancing as if inviting her to join.

Serenity was in a panic. "RA! DON’T! You’ll DIE! PRINCESS MAHIRA OF THE SUN, I DEMAND YOU COME BACK!" She wanted to swear in anger. Why was she doing this? What was happening to her best friend?

Mahira was so close now, only a few feet from the fire, yet she kept going. Where were her friends? Why aren’t they stopping me? I know something terrible is going to happen if I get any closer… I’m so cold… I must get closer… it is destiny…

Serenity tried desperately to break through the force that held her captive. She felt tears begin to sting her eyes as they went down her hot cheeks. The fire was evil- she could feet the vibrations of Dark power all around her, coming from the cloud. And now, Ra was walking toward it, as if to take her own life… NO! "RA!"

Mahira stepped through the flames.

A golden beam leaped out and engulfed her in a flash of white and black. The girls looked away at the intensity of the flash.

When they looked back, Mahira was gone, along with the force that held them down, fire, and the cloud. Everything was as it had been.

But Princess Mahira of the Sun Kingdom was nowhere to be found.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

o)--+----- Silver Millennium, the next day, Universe 1

Serenity was silently sitting in her room. The entire room was platinum, ivory, and white everywhere. Yet in the fading light from the balcony, the room looked almost exactly opposite, showing blackness from lack of any light source inside. A soft knock disturbed the silence, followed by an insistent voice. "Princess? I need to talk to you. Now." Even through the thick wood door, Serenity knew it was her fiancé. The man she loved. And the man she knew could now hate her, giving her heart the crushing blow that might break her completely. After all, it was his sister she had lost.

Serenity clutched her knees tighter. She just wanted them to go away. They wanted answers she couldn’t give. Now, her best friend was gone, all of her friends had left for their own kingdoms for protection, and she was so tired and hungry. Yet she couldn’t sleep or eat without knowing her friend was all right. <Oh Ra, if only you could hear me…> She absently fingered her broach, the one Damion had given her a month ago. Ever since Ra had disappeared, the original warmth had been missing. It ad seemed to always calm her, but this was too great a problem for Serenity to ignore.

A hand caressed her hair. Serenity’s head jolted up to see Prince Endymion sitting on her bed in full armor, staring at her. "They say you wouldn’t eat, but I thought you might be hungry anyway. Are you okay?"

Serenity could only stare at her fiancé. Sadness and more guilt pored over again, with new tears to weep. "How can you be so kind and calm when I lost your youngest sister? Aren’t you angry that I didn’t do anything? Aren’t you going to leave me and never come back? I would understand it if you did." The last statement had come out as a whisper.

Endymion couldn’t believe his ears. He didn’t know whether to be hurt at her distrust in him or to try and physically shake some reason into her. He would never leave her. He understood she could do nothing. How could he ever blame some one as good and special as her? He decided instead to play the passionate husband, a role he rarely showed. "Oh Sere, I could never be blame you for this. You couldn’t do anything. You have to accept that; everyone knows there was nothing you can do, and no one, especially me, would ever blame you. NEVER."

Serenity held onto him tightly, taking in his warmth. "Thank you, my prince." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her broach flash gold, then black. A tear trickled down her cheek at the realization at what had just happened. She had lost her friend forever. Princess Ra of the Sun Kingdom, her soul sister, future sister-in-law, 4^th Archangel, and closest friend was taken to the dark side.

And outside the window, Damion floated over the balcony. Jealousy burst through his veins. His 4^th Archangel was also gone, yet his Soulmate was still to be found. <One day, they will both be mine.>

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

o}--+----- Silver Millennium, June 30, 2 BC, Universe 1

Tristan smiled wickedly, her short auburn-brownish hair waving about around her head. Her teal-black eyes were delighted with wicked mirth. Now was the time. She gracefully called upon the powers of fire and shadows to begin the attack, loving the feel of power in the red and purple energy- lights and darks, bright and drab, mixing in golden flashes.

The Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, heiress to Heaven and the Four Verses, was the key to it all.

It had been a glorious battle. The stupid beings of the Universe still had no clue that there were so many like them, and their princess they protected and hid was their only key to her destruction. A cold laugh filled her. The princess herself had no clue of her capabilities! It was too perfect. And see what their ignorance had cost them! It had been by her hand that she had killed the kings and queens of the Silver Millennium planets, Star Kingdom, and Galaxy kingdom, not to mention a few Sailors here and there. The only royalty left in the Solar System was Queen Serenity. And now it was her turn. <This will be a birthday to remember.>

"ATTACK!"

Thousands of Shadow warriors leapt over the Palace walls, into the Palace, and began to kill as many as they could. The darkness of night veiled them, but not the flash of the armor of the Moon soldiers.

Tristan gazed at the sea of bodies and red. She had always liked red. It reminded her of her hair. Also the hair of another a part of her echoed.

Looking back down on her soldiers, she saw the children of the Silver Millennium, the Sailors of Princess Serenity, fighting with a passion. They were all lined up, according to planetary position, left to right. She also saw the Generals of the Earth and Moon. But that did not interest her. Smiling, she teleported inside where her prize lay.

Princess Serenity was calm. She glanced around the room. Princess Katarina stood on her left, patiently waiting for the attack, then Serenity’s fiancé, Prince Endymion stood to her left. Serenity looked over her right shoulder to glance at her mother, who was preparing to use the Silver Crystal. She saw her twin brother, Prince Marcus, mirror her actions. He was just as concerned as she was about their only parent. Since their father’s death, they had been very protective of each other. On Marcus’ right stood Princess Gabrielle of the Galaxy Kingdom, Serenity’s best friend and oldest soul sister. Beside her stood a rigid Princess Beryllian of Earth. Serenity noticed both she and her brother were nervous. She knew the stress they were going through. They would finally avenge the murderer of their parents. But who would do the killing? And who could kill their beloved Mahira? <No, not Mahira. Mahira died in the cloud. This is Tristan.> But can I give the final blow? <If you must, you must.>

"Fools. Do you really think you can defeat me?" Tristan appeared out of thin air in front of them. The seven of them immediately got in a defensive stance. "Pitiful. Now, who should be the first to die?"

They could only stare at her in horror as she raised her hand. Black red fire, the color of her hair, eyes, and dress, shot out at them. Gabrielle screamed as she was flung back. Katarina was knocked down, but quickly got back out and fired an ice attack.

Tristan simply ducked, firing again. This time, Katarina was knocked a few feet to the side and into a buffet table.

Beryllian charged. <She always goes the physical way, so much like Uranus and Jupiter> Serenity dimly thought as she readied her scepter. She had instinctively moved to her position in front of her mother, Marcus by her side with his saber. They would let family fight first.

Beryllian managed to disarm Tristan and Endymion was preparing for the killing blow, when Tristan flicked her hand, shooting out purple shadows that held Endymion down and simultaneously knocked Beryllian to her feet. With a crack of power, Beryllian was unconscious on the other side of the room.

Serenity could feel tears streaming down her eyes. How long had she been crying. She heard Endymion give a roar of anger and saw him throw his rose attack. Tristan teleported behind Endymion, only to be sliced by Marcus’ saber in the back. Serenity looked shocked. When had Marcus gotten there? She saw the rage in her brother’s eyes. <Remember how much he loved her? You and Endymion, he and Mahira used to always have fun together. All that has changed.> How could so much change in so little time? <It has been two years. Have you still not recovered from the shock?> Serenity felt more than heard the cries the men fighting in front of her. She pulled herself back to reality, to find Endymion and Marcus slumped over each other in a pile. NOOO! The two most important men in her life gone. It can’t end like this! IT CAN’T!

"SERENA! COSMIC MOON POWER!"

Serena’s head shot to her right, where Marcus had stood. She had doubled over. Funny, but she couldn’t remember falling to the ground. She felt no pain, was not bleeding. When had her face gotten wet? Had she gone swimming with Ryl again? She was so confused.

Then she saw her mother, using the Silver Crystal against… Mahira? <No, Tristan. Mahira is gone. Tristan killed Daddy. She has killed your friends. Now she will kill your mother.> Serenity regained control of her mind and body as she watched Tristan strike her mother down. NO! Not again! Not like Daddy! NOOOOO!!!

"NOOOOOOO!!!"

Tristan didn’t even see it coming. As she had been busy watching the Queen of the Silver Millennium fall, the Moon Princess had returned to the land of the living and was now fighting back. About time.

Tristan felt herself fill with power. She felt Darkness surround her. Now was the time. <No! Please, my best friend… she is special… you will not win… not anymore…> She would win! She pushed down that little voice that had always been with her, tormenting her.

Serenity felt Light fire through her veins. An intense wave of energy flowed around her like a blanket. She felt something in her hands. A crystal, similar to her mother’s, only this was pure white. <It looks peaceful.> Was her last coherent thought. She felt her broach open and accept the crystal. She had to do this. She was the Child of Light. It was still Mahira who stood before her. She had been so blind to think evil could change her soul sister. She had been so stupid to think she could do nothing while others died. She had been so naive when she had allowed this trap for Tristan to be executed and believed her mother could use the Silver Crystal to win. The Silver Crystal was very powerful, but not as powerful as the one Serenity had. The Pure Crystal of Light, the most powerful crystal in all Four Realms was the only one that could ultimately defeat. Her family had guarded the Silver Crystal, but she knew where it truly should belong- in the possession of its creator, Princess Katarina.

With the thoughts of her friends, Serenity concentrated all of her powers. She would save Mahira. She would get her friends through their challenges for their position with her. She would return everything to its natural order and keep the balance. She would win.

All this had taken a matter of seconds, which was enough time for Tristan to gather enough energy to fire the killing blow. But it was Serenity as well.

"PURE CRYSTAL ENERGY!"

"DARK SHADOW FIRE!"

Serenity’s Light Shone. Tristan’s Darkness grew.

That was when Serenity felt it. More power was coming from her right. She glanced to the side and nearly lost her concentration at the sight.

Damion was there. He looked at her and smiled handsomely. "It’s my Archangel in there too, you know."

Serenity smiled as she stuck out her hand towards him. He took it and together, they combined their energy.

"PURE CRYSTAL POWER UNITE!"

Tristan’s scream was deafening, and Sere heard it all. She heard the death of the Darkness that had caused so much pain. She heard the life being restored to her best friend. She heard a glowing victory in her eternal battle. And she heard the anguish as her soul sister realization of her effects.

Serenity’s energy was almost completely spent. She physically put the Pure Crystal back in her broach. She turned back and saw Damion had done the same and was now trying to get to his Archangel, a shorter man with golden brown hair and bright blue eyes. <He looks just like Marcus! So Ra and Marcus were made for each other!> Serenity smiled as she pulled herself up next to Ra, but abruptly stopped when she saw the condition her friend was in.

"Did I do that? Did I kill them? Mum, Daddy… everyone?"

"No."

Mahira looked up at Serenity’s denial. "Don’t try and protect me! I did. I did. I… deserve death. Serenity… please… I just want… to…"

Serenity smiled mysteriously, serenely replying, "You could never kill anything good. And I can’t kill anything at all."

Damion brought his Archangel over to them. "I could, but I won’t. It was Tristan that did the killing. You did nothing. It was Destiny that caused this. We know our destiny, just as we know yours."

"Which is why," Serenity held out the broach, half the Pure Crystal sparkling in its setting, "I can’t let you remember. Sleep, my dear friend, sleep and not awaken until you are needed in The Game once more. Touch the broach, Princess Mahira, and obey your Princess."

Damion grunted as he held out his broach. "Prince Adrien of the Nus Kingdom, I command you to take hold of your destiny and wait until you are needed once more."

Mahira and Adrien obediently touched the broach, fascinated by the sparkling twin crystals. And as watched the Pure Crystals of Light and Darkness give off sparks of white and black, they felt the energy, pure energy of Light and Darkness, flow through them, regressing their minds, fading their memories. And right before Mahira blacked out, she saw Serenity and Damion, standing together, using their crystals together to undo all the damage and bring back those killed.

And she smiled. She’d be back. And next time, she’d stay.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

o}--+----- Tokyo, June 2^, 1999, Universe 1

Molly smiled as the memory faded. Serenity had erased the majority of her memories as Tristan, but left enough to convince her she didn’t want to know more. And now here she was, back and kicking. Only this time, she had the knowledge before Serena.

Molly thought about what Ryl had told her. Molly had remembered everything the day Serena had become Sailor Moon, and had proudly watched her soulsister "moon-dust" evil. She knew Ren had never killed anything in either one of her lives; Serenity only had the ability to heal, for that was the point of the Light. Darkness killed, and that was what set the two apart.

When Molly had seen Beryl healed of Metallia and returned to normal, Ryl had told her what had happened. Serenity had placed Molly’s body away in a peaceful temporary sleep, similar to Saturn’s. She had lied when the people had woken up, saying her mother had killed Tristan with the crystal. Serenity’s soulsisters wouldn’t know about the Pure Crystal until after they had gone through their challenges and Serenity had healed them.

In fact, only six people in the Universe knew about the Pure Crystal. Her, Beryllian, Katarina, Gabrielle, Sailor Destiny, and Angel knew about it. Serena had lost all her knowledge of the Balance, the Pure Crystal, everything about the past. She wondered what had happened to cause her to forget.

Molly turned around and mentally shook herself as she saw Serena bound up the stairs to her room. As she smiled, she allowed one question to ring in her head before closing the topic. <But what ever happened to the Pure Crystal?>

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

o}--+----- Noom, same time, Multiserve 1

Damion looked up at the night sky. The black hole looked beautiful tonight, almost as beautiful as the planet Noom revolved around. But nothing compared to the beauty of his Soulmate preparing the soldiers and Sailors for war. Except for the prize he would soon capture. His evil smile widened. "Soon Serena. Soon we will fight, and I will win. I’m smarter than I was before. I know how to get you. And no one, not your General, not your Sailors, not your Sailors, and not even your Soulmate can save you." His laugh echoed through the meeting hall. "I killed them before. Now, I shall kill them again. And you will give me the greatest power in all of Heaven and Hell."

"Where is the Pure Crystal?"

Whipping around at the haunting voices, strikingly similar to his own, Damion glanced up to find two replicas of himself before him.

AH! What did I do? Hehehe… like I’ll tell. Okay, I might get around to putting up some teasers on my web page, but I’m not committing to anything. But did you get my hint in the disclaimer? (Angel…)

This chapter did not go the way I wanted it to. I am soooo sorry for missing the last deadline, but since my dad got a new game for the computer, my brothers have been on it 24-7. I had originally wanted to have Damion arrive on the scene and have Serena remember, but that didn’t happen. But it probably will happen in the next chapter, and then I’ll explain who Angel really is…

PS

If you don’t get the clue, e-mail me and I’ll tell you!