This story is sort of a crossover between Sailor NA version and Sailor Moon S Movie A Friend's Loyalty ~Part One~ Sailor Mercury: He's too strong for us! Sailor Jupiter: We can beat him if we work together . . . Sailor Moon: What do you want? Malachite: You know what I want, Sailor Moon! The Silver Crystal, Queen Beryl was a fool! Sailor Mars: We won't give it to you! Malachite: Fine with me! I'll just have to take it . . . Luna: Queen Sere . . . Sailor Moon, look out! Malachite (quietly): So Queen Serenity is Sailor Moon. (Yelling): Dark forces of the Negaverse give me the strength to defeat the Scouts! (As Malachite spreads his hands, a ball of black energy starts to form in his hands and he throws it at Sailor Moon. Luna, Artemis and Diana are watching the fight in horror. Just as the ball reaches her, Sailor Moon raises her arm to try and shield herself from the blast . . . but Luna jumps in front of her, taking the blow.) Luna: Sailor Mo--! AARGGHH . . . Artemis: LUNA! Diana: Mother! (As the energy fades, Luna is on the ground in front of Sailor Moon, badly injured.) Luna (weakly): Sailor Moon, use your tiara . . . (She passes out.) Sailor Moon: Right, Luna! Moon Tiara Magic! Malachite: You will never win! (As Sailor Moon cries her attack, the other girls also join in their powers and defeat Malachite. After the fight, the Sailor Scouts, Artemis, and Diana are gathered around Sailor Moon as she holds Luna in her arms.) Diana (nudging Luna's head with hers): Mother! PLEASE don't die! (Tears start to form in her eyes.) Artemis (watching the scene unfold from behind Mina, slowly looks down, but manages to hold back some of the tears as he says quietly): Luna . . . *** (Queen Serenity enters her bed chamber, lights one candle and looks over to where the cats sleep. She sees Diana laying on the bed, crying.) Queen Serenity: "Entry twenty-three. Dear Diary, Yesterday I lost a close, dear friend. She had done an unselfish act and thanks to that act we were able to save the Moon Kingdom. To honor her, I declared a day of mourning and a state funeral also on that day. If she could see it, she would probably be shocked to see how much we all cared for her . . ." (As she writes, there is a small knock at the door.): Come . . . Artemis (enters and bows to Serenity): Your Majesty, have you seen Diana? Serenity: Yes. She is in the bed. (She gestures at a spot in the room.) Artemis (walks over and climbs in beside Diana): Are you ok, sweetie? Diana (stops crying and lifts her head): Why did she have to die, Father? Artemis (unsure how to answer): You'll understand sometime. (He curls up around Diana, who begins crying again. Artemis pulls her closer to him with his tail, and after a while Diana falls asleep beside her father.) *** (Serenity writing in her diary): "Entry twenty seven continued During the ceremony today, everyone had turned out along the route to pay their respects to Luna, And later on in the Main Hall, all of my Court, and the servants who knew her, attended the reception. Everyone, except for Diana, who is still grieving badly and has every right to be mad at me. Though I did not order Luna to protect her Queen, she had committed an unselfish act of loyalty for me, and for that I am truly grateful to her . . . Which I will never forget! P.S.: Luna, wherever you are . . . Thank you. Signed, Queen Serenity." (With that, Serenity takes the letter and folds it in three. Then she takes the candle and pours the wax onto the folded letter. Taking the royal seal and pressing it into the wax before it cools, she places the letter into her diary, and replaces the diary back on her book shelf.) A Friend's Loyalty ~Part Two~ "Diana's Nightmare . . . " Queen Serenity: "Entry twenty-five: Dear Diary, it's been a year since Luna died. About three months after her death, Diana started to have nightmares of Luna dying in my arms. I have become saddened myself seeing her wake up in distress in the middle of the night. Even when her father was in the bed with her, trying as much as possible to comfort her, she couldn't shake the dreams. I can understand why Diana may still be mad at me. Luna had given her life for me and the Moon Kingdom. Once, while walking the garden, I found Diana laying beside her mother's grave, crying . . . I have tried everything in my power to help her forget what happened that day. I wish I could have done some thing to save Luna. Before she died she made me promise to not look back on that day in anger, but to look to the future, upon Diana growing up with Reeny, as I did with her . . . I will try Luna. Signed, Queen Serenity." A Friend's Loyalty ~Part Three~ "Memories Then and Now . . ." Queen Serenity: "Entry twenty-seven: Dear Diary, As you know, it's been a year since Luna died. I still have memories of her and miss the talks we used to have. Diana has grown to be much like Luna, it seems as if she is acting more like her mother each day. Diana is doing well in training Reeny, though I don't think she has gotten over her mother's death. She still has nightmares of that day . . . As for my dear friends, Mina has since moved back to England, but without Artemis since he is one of my advisors, he has stayed behind to help with state matters. Mina and I still write to each other, of course. She says I should try and go to England to visit her. . . Amy has also moved. She had applied for a medical license. They liked her so much at the medical university she attended that they offered her a job, and she accepted it (with some bribing on my part). Raye still lives in the temple, and as you may know we still have our arguments. It seems that each time we fight, we end up laughing at how we use to be in the old days, and how Luna would stop our fight by saying (and I quote), "SHUT UP!" My favorite line was, "Can't you two stop fighting like children and start acting like adults?!" Lita still lives here, and she has a job in the palace as Head Chef, since she likes to cook . . . a lot! I wonder how long it will be before I'm gone, too. But at least I know that Diana will take care of Reeny for me when I'm gone. She has grown up so like her mother that I almost called her Luna! Perhaps one day we will all find each other again, and it will once again be the five Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask, along with our faithful cats Luna and Artemis, going off to new adventures and fighting new perils. Signed, Queen Serenity." A Friend's Loyalty ~Part Four~ "A lot of Questions . . . " (As Queen Serenity approaches her bed chamber, with Artemis in tow, the guards in the hallway come to attention as she passes them and enters her chamber.) Queen Serenity: Diana, are you here? Diana (sobbing): Yes, I am . . . Artemis (as he climbs in beside Diana): We're ready if you have any questions to ask us. Queen Serenity: Please know, Diana, that I miss Luna as much as the other Scouts miss her . . . (After they talk with Diana, she calms down and isn't sobbing as much as before.) Diana: Thank you, Queen Serenity, for talking with me. You, too, Father. Father? (Queen Serenity and Diana look at Artemis who has fallen asleep.) Queen Serenity (laughing): Typical. Diana: How could he fall asleep on us like that? Queen Serenity: Artemis? Easily! You should get some rest too, Diana. You have a busy day tomorrow training Reeny . . . Diana (yawning): I guess you're right. Good night, Your Majesty. (Diana curls up beside her father and falls asleep.) Queen Serenity (while stroking her fur): Good night, Diana. Sleep well . . . (Later on, Serenity is alone in her chamber, and she begins to write): "Entry twenty-seven, continued: "Dear Diary, Artemis and I have had that talk with Diana, and I hope the nightmares that Diana's been having will go away. . . We tried to answer her questions as best we could. Now that Diana should understand better why her mother did what she did, I hope that she is not as mad at me . . . Signed, Queen Serenity." (Peace has returned to the Neo-Moon Kingdom, the Negaverse is no more.) (Serenity requests Artemis to find Reeny and Diana, and to bring them to her chamber. While walking down the hallway alongside Artemis, with Diana on her shoulder, Reeny's curiosity gets the better of her.) Reeny: Artemis, what does my mother want to see us about? Artemis: I'm not sure, she just said to get you two... Diana (yawning): Why me? I was having a nice nap. (She blinks sleepily.) Artemis (smiling): I see you're starting to get my sleeping habits . . . Reeny (giggling): Not you too, Diana? Artemis was bad enough in the past . . . (Arriving at Serenity's room, Diana jumps down off Reeny's shoulder, and stretches the last bit of sleep out of her body.) Queen Serenity (hearing a knock at the door): Enter! The three enter the room and bow. Artemis and Diana: Your Majesty. Reeny: Mother. Queen Serenity: Thank you, Artemis, for getting them. You may leave. Artemis: It was nothing. (He bows. On the way out he nuzzles Diana. As Artemis is sitting outside in the garden by Luna's grave, he notices a light emanating from Serenity's room through the window, He knows what the light is.) Artemis: Farewell, Diana, and good luck! A friend's loyalty ~Part Six~ "A New Beginning . . . " Queen Serenity: Messenger, please summon Artemis, Neptune, Uranus, Pluto to the guest dining room . . . Messenger: Yes, Your Highness. (He bows and leaves.) (Later on that evening . . .) Artemis (hoping onto the table): You wanted to see us, Your Majesty? Queen Serenity: Yes. As Artemis may have told you, I sent Reeny to the future, but she has no one to protect her, or the future Crystal Tokyo. And I have a feeling that Diana will need helpguiding her. That is where you five come in. Pluto: Please excuse me, Serenity, but there are only four of us here . . . Queen Serenity (smiling): Pluto, I have also summoned Peruru to help. (A few minutes later a knock comes on the door.) Guard: Your Majesty, there is someone by the name of Peruru to see you. Queen Serenity: Send him in. Guard: As you wish! Peruru (kneels before Serenity): You wished to see me? Queen Serenity: Stand Peruru, there is no need of formalities here. I will be sending you to the future to help Reeny. Diana is with her, but they have not awoken from their sleep nor do they have their memories back. Artemis, you have served me well, and I am grateful. Your service to me is no longer needed in this time. You will be needed in the future to help your daughter with her duties to Reeny. Also, you will not be in the form you are now, but as a human. Pluto, Neptune and Uranus I will need someone to defend Crystal Tokyo. Peruru, I will need you to guard my daughter in the future. Artemis will be there to give you any help or advice you need. (With that said, Serenity sends them to the future.): Good luck . . . A Friend's Loyalty ~Part Seven~ "Reeny's Diary" Reeny: "Entry three: Dear Diary, it's been about two years since my mother sent Peruru, the Outer Scouts, Artemis, Diana and me to the future. Artemis and Diana still have no memories of Luna, although I remember her a little. I guess I am starting to miss her occasional guidance, like she had once given to my mother. Looking out my window toward the garden, there doesn't seem to be a monument for Luna. As I write, glancing at the foot of my bed, I see Diana laying there, watching me. One thing is for sure, Artemis's sleeping habits are getting to Diana even though Artemis does not sleep in the same room as her. This palace seems empty without Mother. Yesterday I attended my first official state function. At first I thought there would be a little formal stuff. When Artemis and Diana led me to the Main Hall, I expected everyone to give a small bow. But as I passed by, everybody knelt down on one knee. And once I was seated at the throne, Artemis and Diana turned to me and bowed as only they could. They then took their places beside me as the function got under way. Well, Diary, I have to go now. Artemis is waiting for Diana and me." The End Send comments to: artemis_11@hotmail.com