CHAPTER 21

     "Mamoru.." whimpered Eternal Moon slightly as she edged backwards, away from the slavering monster in front of her. She had already destroyed several others, but this one got lucky and knocked her staff away. Now it lay right behind the monster's back.
     "Master be please....Moon crystal in hand..." said the monster, it's long tongue flickering like a live snake. Eternal Moon stared in disgust at its' slimy green skin, which gave off a phosphorent green light.
     Sailor Eternal Moon quickly sidestepped its swishing razor sharp tail. The monster growled in frustration and advanced even more nearer.
     "Go..go away..." Eternal Moon backed into a wall, the past hour of tension already wearing thin her endurance. "Shoo....go..go...away....... WAHHAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
     The monster balked and was simulataneously slammed against the wall as Eternal Moon used her supersonic-enhanced cries. "UGGG...Shutup..." yowled the monster as the earpiercing cries hurt its sensitive ears. Using this moment, Sailor Eternal Moon suddenly stopped crying and quickly picked up her staff.
     "...gee...I must be getting better at this." she murmured. "Eat this you gross, disgusting monster! HONEY MOON THERAPHY KISS!!!" The monster howled as it disintegrated in the bright light.
     The sudden victory made Eternal Moon crumble into a relaxed heap. "Whew...."

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     Meanwhile, Sailor Pluto was busy vaporising several other shadows. She easily used her staff to whack them aside before screaming "Death Scream".
     Finally she reached the outskirts of the forest. With another succesful attack, Sailor Pluto killed the last remaining shadow. She then sat on a large boulder and contemplated her next action.
     "North..South..East...West..." closing her eyes, she caught the faint sense of the other remaining senshis. Strange...one of them seemed different...
     "At least the Endymion and Serenity are safe.." said Pluto in relief. A sudden irritated squeak caught her attention. "Well..hello little one.." smiled Pluto as she scooped up a white mouse. "I'm sorry to have blocked your way."
     The white mouse stared back at her, its nose twitching inquisitively. Its white paws were darken by a dark substance. Suddenly, Sailor Pluto balked as she recognized the stain...blood....
     Dropping the mouse, she sprang up..running until she came apon a...body... Kneeling, she surveyed the last remaining flesh and bone of a senshis.......
     "Uranus...." Sailor Pluto closed her eyes. Poor Uranus. She could almost feel the dark despair that had came over Uranus during her death. A sudden cold and wet touch on her leg made her jump. "What the...oh...it's you."
     Sailor Pluto stared down once again at the white mouse and smiled a cold smile. Without any warning, she raised her staff and brought it squarely down on top of the friendly mouse's head. A 'thud' was heard as its' head was squashed into a bloody pulp. Sailor Pluto then raised her staff and the Garnet Orb began to glow. "DEATH SCREAM!!" The bright purple destruction drove through the forest, destroying everything in its' path.

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     The sudden laughter made Sailor Eternal Moon scramble up from her sleeping position. A beautiful lady with dark hair was approaching, she wore a long dark-coloured medieval clothings with golden trimming. Her face was pale yet secretive and her eyes...it was the same type of eyes that the Shadow King had....
     "Who..who are you?" demanded Eternal Moon as she gripped her rod tightly. The lady only gave her a wintry smile and pointed a slender pale finger towards her.
     "Dark Energy Burst!" a small bolt of energy shot towards Eternal Moon, who easily avoided it. "Always the weakling aren't you? Usagi Tsukino..."
     "Honey Moon Theraphy Kiss!" Eternal Moon quickly retaliated. But the lady only laughed and released a similar amount of energy, thus effectively blocking Eternal Moon's attack.
     "Tsk tsk..." admonished the lady. "Is that how you'd treat a sister?"
     "What sister?" retorted Eternal Moon hotly.
     "ahhh...." smiled the lady. "So you do not know...let me introduce myself, I am known as the Shadow Queen to my subjects, but only recently I too have another name, Endyriana."
     "So? Honey Moon Theraphy KISS!!!" Eternal Moon quickly raised her rod against the Shadow Queen. The Shadow Queen smiled again and fended off her attack again. Eternal Moon quickly retreated a fair distance away.
     "Now, now." admonished the Shadow Queen as she gracefully sat on a marble chair that had appeared out of thin air. "We are sisters now and it would be much easier if you'd just gave me your Crystal-"
     "NEVER!! And I'M NOT YOUR SISTER!!"
     "Unfortunately, you are. Though we do not share the same bloodline, yet Endyriana has becomed your sister...in other words...I have become your sister."
     "What in the world are you talking about?"
     "You are as dumb as said indeed. I tire of explanations, goodbye former sister of mine...Lightning wolves!!" commanded the Shadow Queen as several crackling wolves' shape began to appear. "Play with my pets , Eternal Moon. The last battleground is at the castle, but you'd be long dead before the Cosmo Queen arrives there and your Crystal will be in my hands." The Shadow Queen vanished, her mocking laughter ringing in Sailor Eternal Moon's ears.
     "HEy! Come back here! You-NANI?!" yelled Eternal Moon as one of the wolves pounced on her, she screamed as it's blue fur singed her skin. Whacking it away, she quickly blasted the other approaching wolves, but to no avail. Seeing that she had no choice, Eternal Moon quickly ran.
     The blue wolves loped after her, their eyes mad with blood and hunger.
     Sailor Eternal Moon nearly stumbled as she ran over the rocky terrain, her legs still felt so tired and bruised. Turning her head, she yelped as she saw that the wolves were gaining on her.
     "Kuso!! You stupid wolves! Can't you just leave me alone!" Eternal blasted them but missed. "You..ARRGH!!" Eternal Moon was flunged backwards as one of the wolves pounced on her again. It's electrified fur burned her flesh. Sailor Eternal Moon stuggled inefectually as the electricity rendered her numb. The other wolves came nearer to have their share in the kill.
     Sailor Eternal Moon watched in fear and shock as the sharp fangs of the wolves neared her face. Suddenly, she felt oddly detached from her pain-racked body and the dank smell of the wolves. Unthinkingly, she tried to push them away.
     This all happened in a few seconds. Eternal Moon's right palm suddenly burst into a silver fire and consumed the slavering wolf standing over her. The other wolves howled in surprise as they retreated.
     Sailor Eternal Moon stared uncomprehending at the fire in her hand. It didn't hurt....but her head did....Eternal Moon got up wincing as the pain slowly increased. She felt herself burning....
     The remaining wolves stared at the girl before them, their simple minds afraid of the silver fire that had sprouted out from her hand and now appeared to have sprouted from her fore head...
     "AAAAHHHHHH...!!" Sailor Eternal Moon screamed as she felt something emerging through her forehead.She fell on the ground and trembled. Her chest felt constricted. Suddenly there was a loud tearing sound as two fairy wings sprang out from her back. "Arrgh!"
     Just when she felt she was about to die, her Imperium Crystal appeared hovering above her. Its' warm and gentle glow eased the pain and soothed Eternal Moon's raw nerves. Surprisingly, she was able to get up without feeling any pain or fatigue. Looking down, she was surprised to see her senshi fuku had been replaced by a long white filmy gown.
     "How.." she wondered as the Imperium Crystal came to rest in her outstreched hand. She patted her head...no crown...but....
     The wolves finally grew impatient and sprang forward, their long fangs aimed at the girl's throat. A familiar rod appeared in Serenity's hand, releasing a glow encompassing the wolves. Their anguished howls died off as the glow vanished.
     Serenity stared at the rod in her hand....the dress...everything fit...now she had become Neo Queen Serenity. She gingerly touched her forehead. Nothing had grown out of it, but there was a warm heat on it ...she knew that her Moon symbol had finally burned into her flesh... she could no longer be the human, Usagi Tsukino any longer.....
     Turning her head towards the far horizon, Neo Queen Serenity made out the faint outline of the castle in a distance. She raised her rod as it elongated into a staff. Her fairy wings glowed with a soft glow as she flew towards the dark forbidding castle.


Chapter 22

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