Note: I have nothing to do with Sailor Moon and its characters except to be a fan who enjoys the series and the movies very much. This story is my extrapolation of the storylines as received in North America. I apologize if this story doesn't quite fit into the Japanese series.
Amy fell sideways as Greg plowed into her, flinging her away from an eruption of dirt and sod. As she looked around, she saw Darian and Serena lurching to their feet, Serena screaming in fright at the sudden explosions. Lita had been flung back by an eruption practically right beneath her feet. Jed was holding onto Rei, but it wasn't clear whether he was holding her up or holding her back. Mina seemed to be all right, but both cats had their backs arched, and they were glaring up at something in the sky.
Or more accurately, Amy thought as she looked up herself, several somethings.
Four women with tattered wings, ragged clothing, and bruised and scarred skin floated overhead, small pebbles and dirt still falling away from them as they rose higher.
"Who are they?" Serena screamed, still clinging to Darian.
"It's the Doom and Gloom Girls," Lita growled.
Amy felt a hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right?" Greg asked.
Amy nodded, then returned her gaze towards the sky. "Weren't there five of them?" She jumped as a cluster of sharp and pointed whips blazed down towards Mina and the cats. The three dodged away.
"There were," Mina said grimly. "I destroyed one of them with my Crescent Beam." She dodged again, then leaped to her feet. "I've had it! Sailor Scouts, transform!" She put words to action and held up her power stick.
"Venus Star Power!"
Amy nodded with the other Sailor Scouts and drew out her own power stick.
"Jupiter Star Power!"
"Mars Star Power!"
"Mercury Star Power!"
"Moon Crystal Power!"
In moments the five Sailor Scouts were ready for action. Amy started towards one of their enemies, but that D&G Girl suddenly veered and dove towards Greg. Amy spun around and tackled him, knocking him aside just as the 'Girl passed overhead. She rolled to her feet just in time to see Darian plowing into Jed as another 'Girl dove down.
That 'Girl suddenly soared upward. "Sisters!" she cried. "Look! Two more traitors! Bumboo the Shadow and Queen Beryl's consort!"
"This is a good day, sisters," one of the 'Girls still overhead called out. "Not only will we destroy the Negaverse general who dared to escape his punishment, we'll also destroy the Shadow who dared to resist Queen Beryl's summons and the traitorous human who betrayed our queen's love!"
"Love!" Darian shouted scornfully. He transformed into Tuxedo Mask. "It was never love!"
"Never mind that," Rei snapped impatiently. "Let's show these sleaze-queens what the Sailor Scouts are all about!" She prepared to attack.
"No, Mars!" Amy called. "We have to protect Greg and Jed!" She and Greg dove aside as a D&G Girl dove towards them. Instead of pulling up, the 'Girl plunged into the earth. A moment later Sailor Moon fell backwards as the earth erupted beneath her.
"Mercury!" Serena shouted. "You guard Greg and I'll take care of Jed!"
Darian caught Jed around the waist and jumped towards Amy, barely avoiding another cluster of whips that plowed into the ground behind them. "Get going, Mercury," Darian said. "I'll keep us safe. They're going to need your power."
"But--"
"He's right, Amy," Greg said. "You have to."
Filled with misgivings, Amy nodded. Before she did anything else, however, she shoved Greg into Jedite as another 'Girl attacked with her cluster of whips. Though they missed their target, the whips succeeded in completely shredding her new book on Microbiology.
Amy suddenly saw red. "You're going to pay for that!" she screamed, charging into battle.
* * *
Darian scanned the battleground warily, knowing that the slightest mistake could cost him his life, or worse: the lives of his friends. As uncomfortable as he'd initially been around Greg, they'd had time during lunch to further resolve the issues that remained between them. The younger boy was old beyond his years, no doubt because of his precognitive ability. As a result, they were able to find things in common between them...the least being that they were both in love with a Sailor Scout.
He vaguely wondered if Greg had also once been part of the Moon Kingdom. Maybe he wasn't a member of the court, but his lingering psychic abilities might mean that he--like the rest of them--wasn't entirely human. Well, he, Darian, was, but he'd thrown in his lot with the Moon Kingdom. Not that Greg had to be from the Moon Kingdom. There was no reason why a complete human couldn't also possess psychic abilities, right?
Darian shook his head, relegating the matter to the back of his mind. He had to remain focused on the battle, or it would be their end.
At first it seemed as though the Sailor Scouts were holding back, resorting to the attacks that they'd initially used against the D&G Girls. A short distance away Lita was struggling with one of the 'Girls whose whips had managed to snag her ponytail.
"Jupiter Thunder Crash!"
Electricity rained down, filling the air with the stench of ozone as it struck the lightning rod that had risen from Lita's tiara. The electricity crackled around to the back of her head along the tiara's curve, then arcing to the whips that tangled in her hair. The 'Girl screamed as lightning raced along the whips to her body. Lita tore free and spun around, flinging quick jabs and punches at the 'Girl, who managed to rise above the furious Sailor Scout.
On the other side of the clearing-turned-battleground Mina was dodging from side to side, angling for a clear shot but having to avoid the flailing whips of the 'Girl she was battling.
"I'll make you pay for killing our sister," the 'Girl hissed.
"Oh, yeah?" Mina countered. "I'll decapitate you just like I did her! Venus Crescent Beam Smash!" Her burst of energy sliced through the sky, but the 'Girl darted to the side. Mina continued her attack, alternating between long sustained blasts that swung about like an elongated sword and short spurts of light that peppered the sky.
On another side Rei was wiping out cluster after cluster of whips that headed her way with tongues of flame. Her main problem seemed to be the intensity and constancy of the onslaught. No sooner had her fires incinerated one cluster of whips than another struck from another quarter. She had no opportunity to launch a counter attack of her own.
"Moon Tiara Magic!"
Darian blinked as a disk of light cut through the air, slicing through the next wave of whips before they could reach Rei.
The black-haired girl blinked, then responded to the unexpected assist. "Mars Fire Ignite!"
A tongue of flame erupted from her fingertips, blazing through the air at the 'Girl who'd been attacking her. The 'Girl dodged, but the flame caught her wing. She screamed, then plunged into the ground. She reappeared a moment later, the fire on her wing extinguished and another wave of whips flying towards Rei. The battle was joined again.
Someone screamed. Darian, recognizing the voice, spun around in horror.
The fourth D&G Girl had wrapped her whips around Serena and was dragging her skyward. Darian started forward, but Amy beat him to it.
"Mercury Bubbles Blast!"
Darian blinked as the bubbles, instead of bursting and creating a thick cloud of mist, sliced through the whips as effectively--if not as neatly--as Sailor Moon's tiara. It was easy to underestimate Amy's attacks, but Darian remembered a number of times when her bubbles had proven substantial enough to thwart Negaverse attacks.
He was shaken from his thoughts as two D&G Girls plowed into the earth at the same time.
"Darian!" Mina shouted. "Watch out!"
Darian immediately saw the folly of grouping the three targets--Jed, Greg, and himself--together so closely. He turned and tried to catch hold of his friends to leap out of the way, but the earth exploded beneath them. Jed and Darian tumbled to one side, Greg fell in the other direction.
As Darian struggled to his feet, he saw one of the 'Girls angling around to attack Greg. He charged forward, preparing to launch a shower of roses at her, but another 'Girl swung around, using her whips as a club. It caught Darian in the side and sent him flying into Greg, bringing them both to the ground with Darian half lying across the younger boy's lap.
Darian heard Greg shout and looked up. A cluster of whips plunged through the air towards them. Darian struggled to get to his feet, but Greg shifted at the same time, causing them both to fall back down.
A figure suddenly interposed itself between them and the whips.
Darian's eyes widened. "No!" he screamed. "Don't do it!"
He felt drops of blood sprinkle his face as the points of the whips emerged from the figure's back. He struggled to his feet and caught the figure as the whips withdrew.
"Jed," he whispered. "Why?"
* * *
Serena stared in shock as Jed fell back into Darian's arms. She saw the anguish and grief in Darian's face and closed her eyes against the pain that erupted in her own heart.
* * *
Rei gasped as Jed toppled backwards, a dark patch spreading rapidly across the front of Jed's shirt. She buried the fear and grief she felt, allowing herself to feel nothing but rage and fury. She focused her gaze on the 'Girl who'd successfully stabbed Jed. Her eyes narrowed.
* * *
Amy looked away from the terrible scene that lay before her. There was nothing any of them could do for Jed right now. He needed to get to a hospital, and soon. They had to find a way to end this meaningless battle.
* * *
Lita took a step towards Jed and Darian. She took another. Then she stopped, her fists clenching at her side. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. She opened her eyes and glared skyward at the nearest 'Girl. "You're going to pay for that," she vowed.
* * *
Mina froze where she stood, unable to move. She saw the tears flowing down Darian's face as he held his friend's badly wounded--perhaps mortally wounded--body in his arms.
She whirled around and focused her gaze on the nearest 'Girl, the same one that had sworn to kill her earlier. "Take them out, Scouts!" she screamed. "Do it now!"
* * *
Darian looked up as the battle recommenced. Tears clouded his vision, but he was still able to see the general details.
"Venus Love Chain Encircle!" Mina's own version of a whip slashed through the sky, intercepting a cluster of whips heading her way. The 'Girl's whips exploded as the Love Chain struck them, sending the 'Girl tumbling backwards through the sky.
"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Amy's attack froze the cluster of whips plunging toward her. Forward momentum caused the frozen whips to snap off from the rest, causing the 'Girl behind them to scream in pain.
"Jupiter Thunderclap Zap!" Lita channeled her attack into the ground, catching a D&G Girl just as she plunged into the earth. The 'Girl screamed as she exploded backwards from the hole she'd just entered, electricity crackling around her body.
"Mars Celestial Fire Surround!" Rei's attack sliced through the whips aiming for her with as sharp precision as Serena's tiara, then continued on back until they cut into the 'Girl's clothing and wings as well. The 'Girl plummeted towards the earth but was caught instead by Rei's next attack.
"Mars Firebird Strike!" The fiery bird screamed once as it rose towards its target, then exploded against the 'Girl, engulfing her in intense flames. A charred, smoking form fell to earth.
"Jupiter Thunder Dragon!" The huge beast roared loudly before clamping its jaws around the suddenly cringing 'Girl. There was an explosion of titanic force and blinding light, then the 'Girl tumbled from the sky, her hair and wings steaming.
"Mercury Ice Bubbles Freeze!" Amy's target opened her mouth to scream and managed a split second of it before ice engulfed her and cut her off from the open air.
"Venus Meteor Shower!" Streamers of intense light blazed through the air, striking the reeling body of the last 'Girl and ripping through her wings with violent force. She fell to earth, entirely wingless.
"Sailor Moon!" Luna shouted. "Now!"
"Moon Scepter Activation!"
Three of the four Doom and Gloom Girls managed to scream as Sailor Moon's devastating final attack reduced all of them to nothing but dust.
Darian watched their final dissolution, then looked down. His eyes blurred with new tears as he saw the damage the 'Girl's attack had done to Jed's chest.
Suddenly it wasn't Jed he was holding, but Prince Sapphire, who had died because he, Prince Darian of Earth, wasn't able to save him in time. That poor prince, too, had been slain by a former ally because he--like Jed--had found something else to live for.
Sapphire had been a casualty of the war with the Wiseman, but this battle was meaningless. Beryl and the Negaverse were gone. There was nothing for the Doom and Gloom Girls to go back to, so why attack? It accomplished nothing. It made no sense.
Darian shook his head, and it was Jed in his arms again. "Why, Jed?" he whispered. "Why did you have to go and do that?"
Jed's eyes were filled with pain as he looked up. "You'd have done the same, Darian," he whispered. "You have done the same."
Darian knew it was true, but it didn't make things any easier.
Greg was suddenly at his side, helping to support Jed. "You have to rest," the younger boy said quietly. "We'll get you to a hospital, but you mustn't move around."
Darian looked up as the Sailor Scouts approached. "How is he?" Serena asked quietly, tears streaming down her face.
Darian could only shake his head as he looked down again.
"Prince Darian."
Darian heard the Scouts gasp. He blinked and raised his head.
A figure dressed entirely in white floated before them. She was tall and regal, with an elegant gown that emphasized her slender figure. Her silvery hair trailed behind her in two streams. A crescent moon glowed at her forehad, and gauzy butterfly wings spread out behind her.
Darian recognized her immediately. "Queen Serenity."
The queen floated closer. "Set aside your grief, Prince Darian," she said softly. "Jedite's time here is done."
Darian shook his head. "How can that be?" he whispered. "He's going to be there in the future! He can't die now."
"You must let go of him, Prince Darian," the queen said, "if you want him to live. His wound is grave, and there is no way for you to attain medical attention for him in time. There is a way to save him, but only if you are willing to let him go."
"Queen Serenity," Jed gasped. "Must I leave my friends?"
"It is only for a time, Jedite," the queen promised, "but if you remain with him now, you will soon die and never see them again." She looked up. "You must choose, Prince Darian of Earth. Will you hold your friend to you now and lose him forever, or will you give him up for a time and see him again in the future?"
Darian opened his mouth to speak, but no words emerged. Finally, he looked down at his friend. "I don't want to lose you," he said softly. "Not now, and not ever."
Jed blinked. "I don't want to go," he whispered, "but if I stay, we'll lose each other forever."
"Then there's only one thing to do."
"Yes."
Darian closed his eyes and swallowed. Then he raised his head. "Very well," he said softly. "If losing him now means recovering him in the future, then I accept. Please, Queen Serenity, help my friend." Darian shook his head. "Help my cousin. Please."
The queen nodded then turned. "Princess Serena."
Darian watched as Serena hesitantly stepped forward. "Yes, Your Majesty?"
"The power to saving your friend lies within you."
Serena blinked. "Me?" she stammered.
"You must do for your friend what I did for you a thousand years ago."
Luna's eyes widened. "You mean--"
Serena's eyes had also widened. "Of course!"
"Darian," Greg said softly, "you have to let go now."
Darian nodded, then looked down at Jed. "I'm going to miss you," he said softly. "The apartment's not going to be the same without you."
"I'm going to miss you, too, Darian," Jed whispered. "But I'll be back again before you know it. You'll see."
Darian felt his eyes watering again. "I know," he whispered, his throat tightening. He gazed into his friend's--his cousin's--eyes for a moment longer, then gently lay Jed back on the ground. He stood up and backed away, never breaking eye contact.
"Princess Serena."
Darian knew what was going to happen next. He didn't know if Serena said anything or did anything special with the Imperium Silver Crystal, but he could see the effects of her actions.
Light formed a tight sphere around Jed's prone form. Jed's body gradually curled up along the curve of the sphere as the globe rose up into the air. Then, faintly at first but with increasing detail the facets of a crystal began to form in the air. As Darian watched the sphere of light became a huge glowing crystal not unlike that which Darian had shattered after first rescuing Jed.
"Will he be all right?" he asked quietly after watching Jed's eyes close. "When will I see him again?"
"You'll see him again in the future," the queen said. "But he will only recover if he can be brought to a place where the passage of time is meaningless."
"There's no such--" Darian began, but he broke off abruptly. "If I call for her, will Sailor Pluto appear here?"
"She will not come in response to Tuxedo Mask," the queen said, "nor to Prince Darian alone, for you have not yet ascended to your throne. But if you and Princess Serena call for her together, then she will come."
Darian nodded, then initiated his transformation into Prince Darian of Earth. He saw that Serena, too, had transformed. He reached out and took her hand.
"Sailor Pluto!" he called. "We, Prince Darian of Earth and Princess Serenity of the Moon, summon you. Appear before us in this place and in this time!"
Darian watched anxiously for a sign that the mysterious Sailor Scout of Time was responding. Then, fog engulfed them all, shrouding the entire area in a grayish light. Two huge doors appeared before them, slowly swinging open. In a few moments a tall, shadowy figure strode silently towards them.
"I am Sailor Pluto," the woman said, "Guardian of the Doors of Time. Why have you summoned me here?"
"Sailor Pluto," Serena said, "will you please take this great crystal and guard its inhabitant until he has fully recovered from his wounds?"
The tall Sailor Scout nodded. "It shall be as you wish." She raised her great staff and pointed it at the crystal. It rose from the ground and floated towards her. As Darian and the others watched, the crystal, Sailor Pluto, and the Doors began to fade, leaving only the swirling fog. Soon that, too dissipated.
Darian gazed at the spot where the doors had stood. Then, unable to fight it any longer, he sank to the ground and cried.
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