“With the full strength of the Dark Senshi, we
will be able to crush Sailor Moon and her miserable friends like ants!”
Celestite cried.
“Just don’t get overconfident,” Ilmenite warned her. “We should be able
to destroy them, but they are still formidable foes.”
“All the more reason to hit them now, while they’re still recovering from
our last attack,” Meionite declared.
“I agree with Mei-chan,” Amosite nodded. “We must attack before they have
a chance to regroup. That way, we will have the advantage of surprise on
our side.”
“Then it’s settled,” replied Celestite firmly. “We attack now! Here is
our plan.” As she outlined her scheme, the rest of the Dark Senshi leaned
towards her eagerly.
“So what’s this meeting about, Ami-chan?” Minako
asked as Usagi came running up, breathless as usual.
“Late again, baka?” Rei asked crossly. “Honestly, I can’t imagine why you
were made leader of the team.” Usagi promptly burst into tears.
“Whahh! Rei, why do you have to be so MEAN?” She shut up as Rei bopped
her on the head. “Listen up, odango atama. Ami has something she wants
to tell us.”
“Thank you, Rei,” Ami sighed, having become used to this sort of thing.
“Last night, I was making some adjustments on my communicator when I intercepted
a transmission from Princess Celestite to the Dark Moon Kingdom. I know
what they’re here for.”
“What?” all four girls cried, leaning forward.
“They’re after Usagi,” Ami replied reluctantly. Usagi’s eyes rolled back
in her head and she swooned. As Luna and Artemis tried to revive her, and
Rei went to fetch a bucket of water, Makoto looked puzzled.
“They’re after Usagi? Not Sailor Moon?” Ami shook her head.
“No. They specifically mentioned Usagi by name. I’m not sure why they’re
after her, but for some reason, they want to destroy her.”
Rei
dumped the bucket of water that she had carried from the kitchen all over
Usagi, who sat bolt upright, shrieking.
“Wahhhh! Rei, what did you do that for?” Usagi wailed.
“Be quiet, Usagi. Honestly, you are such a crybaby.”
“Wouldn’t you cry, too! These nuts are after me specifically! What am I
going to do?” Usagi was on the verge of seriously freaking out.
“Now stop that!” Luna cried. Amazingly, Usagi did. “You are Sailor Moon!
Together, the five of you can beat anything the Dark Moon can throw at
you. Now, pull yourself together and let’s start thinking about plans!”
That evening, a strange sight appeared in the
sky above Tokyo. In huge letters of fire, a message could be read, spelling
out the words, “Sailor Moon, we want you!” Atop one of the taller buildings,
Celestite and Meionite surveyed their handiwork proudly.
“If this doesn’t bring her running, nothing will,” the Dark Moon princess
chuckled.
“And when she comes, we’ll be waiting,” Meionite finished, an evil grin
on her face.
“That’s dramatic,” remarked Ami, staring at the
message with an amused expression on her face.
“Amateurs,” Rei replied
dismissively, with a wave of her hand. “Way too melodramatic.”
“Regardless
of your opinion of their style, Rei, we need to meet them,” Makoto pointed
out dryly.
“Where?” inquired Minako.
“The plaza, in the middle of town,” Luna answered. “It’s open, very good
for a fight. The odds are, that’s where they’ll be.”
“Well, then, let’s go,” Usagi sighed, startling everyone. Then, sounding
more like herself, “The sooner we get there, the sooner we can go home,
and I’m tired. Moon Crystal Power, Make-up!”
“Mercury Star Power, Make-up!”
“Mars Star Power, Make-up!”
“Jupiter Star Power, Make-up!”
“Venus Star Power, Make-up!” In a flash, the five girls became the Sailor
Senshi, fighters for love and justice.
“Let’s go, Sailors!” Sailor Mars called. They headed downtown, leaving
Luna and Artemis behind looking after them worriedly.
In the center of town, the Senshi found their
Dark counterparts waiting for them, with two new members swelling their
ranks. Sailor Dark Jupiter wore a black bodysuit with a dark green skirt,
dark green accents, and a bow the color of sunburned skin. Dark Venus’s
fuku was black with a bow and a skirt of a dark, malevolent orange. “Well,
everybody’s here,” Sailor Jupiter remarked with a bravado she was far from
feeling. “Last chance to back off.”
“Never!” Sailor Dark Jupiter replied. “We will succeed in our mission,
even if we have to destroy you Senshi to do it!”
“Why do you want to kill Sailor Moon?” Sailor Mercury cried, frustrated.
“What has she ever done to you?”
“Nothing- yet,” Sailor Dark Moon replied. “But in her future, she will
become Neo-Queen Serenity, and destroy the ruling house of the Dark Moon.
This must not happen, and that is why Sailor Moon must die now! Our prophets
have foretold it!”
“The only people dying today will be you, if you don’t leave now!” Sailor
Venus cried.
“I don’t think so,” Sailor Dark Moon shot back coolly, raising her Dark
Moon Scepter. The other Dark Senshi came up behind her and, one by one,
laid their hands on her shoulders. “Dark Moon Princess Halation!” A beam
of dark energy, the strength of the combined powers of the Dark Senshi,
left the scepter and hurtled towards Sailor Moon. Suddenly, a red rose
appeared from nowhere, shattering the Dark Moon Scepter and causing the
beam to dissipate just before it reached Sailor Moon.
“You are warped reflections of the Senshi, using a mockery of their powers
in the service of evil! For this, I cannot forgive you! I am Tuxedo Kamen!”
Leaping from his position on a nearby rooftop, Tuxedo Kamen landed in between
the Senshi and the Dark Senshi.
“Tuxedo Kamen-sama!” Sailor Moon cried happily. If she had been an anime
character, there would have been hearts in her eyes. “Come on, girls, let’s
take these impostors!” he called.
“Not so fast!” a similar voice answered. Ilmenite quickly transformed into
Tuxedo Dark Kamen, leaping to attack his double. The two men fenced back
and forth, quickly lost in their own struggle.
“Right!” Sailor Moon called.
“Let’s end this now!” She pulled out the Moon Scepter and the Senshi one
by one came to lend her their power. “Let’s see what REAL teamwork can
do! Moon Princess Halation!”
"Mercury Star Power!"
"Mars Star Power!"
"Jupiter Star Power!"
"Venus Star Power!"
A beam of blinding white energy shot out of the staff, slamming into the
Dark Senshi. The light grew in intensity, swallowing the five Dark Moon
warriors whole. Then there was one intense flare-up, like the light of
a super-nova, and the light was gone, as were the Dark Senshi. Tuxedo Dark
Kamen, seeing this, promptly dropped his cane, his fight with Tuxedo Kamen
forgotten.
“Celestite!” he screamed, running to where she had been. Dropping to his
knees, he wept. “My princess, I’ve failed you. I can only hope you forgive
me, when I see you again.” Straightening up, he pulled a black rose out
of nowhere. “Celestite, please wait for me. I’m coming to you.” With that
whispered plea, he turned the rose so that its stem pointed towards him
and drove it into his own heart.
Seeing this, Sailor Moon let out a cry,
running to bury her head in Tuxedo Kamen’s chest. “It’s all right, Usako,”
he whispered to her, holding her close. “It’s all over now.” The six of
them stood frozen for a long time, as Ilmenite’s body turned to dust, an
iridescent dust which scattered on the breeze and sparkled in the moonlight.
Only the rose was left, its petals rustling softly in the wind.
Fin.
Back to Chapter Three:
Dark Senshi Strengthened
Back to Sailor Moon
Back to the Castle
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