Chibiusa gazed contemplatively out at the water. Around her, dry, dead leaves fell earthward, making a rustling sound as they fluttered to the ground below. Some of those leaves touched upon the surface of the park’s lake, causing small ripples to form and quietly spread outward, colliding with other ripples, or with the shore.
Her Luna Sphere silently floated beside her as she stared into the lake’s waters, pondering the same scene over and over in her mind.
“It’s not true…,” she whispered to herself in numb disbelief. “It’s not true….”
Before her eyes, she had witnessed the transformations of the six Sailor Scouts: Ami as Sailor Mercury; Rei as Sailor Mars; Makoto as Sailor Jupiter; Minako as Sailor Venus; Ryoku as Sailor Knight; and Usagi as….
“Can it be true?” she asked herself. “Usagi is actually the legendary soldier, Sailor Moon? Can it be true that the others are the Sailor Warriors?”
She continued to stare at the water for another few minutes before turning around and running off the short, little pier that led off into the lake. Another short gust of wind picked up at her departure, stirring more leaves into motion.
Above Tokyo, Rubeus glared out through one of the mirrors to the city below. After the last of the Ayakashi sisters had left, he had started brooding. It was easier when they did all the work; he could concentrate on finding the Silver Crystal and the Rabbit. Not to mention finding crystal points to convert. Now, he had to do everything himself and that was taking longer than he would like.
“This time…,” he said in a dark tone of voice as he folded his arms across his chest. “This time, I’ll take the Rabbit and the Silver Crystal from this world!”
A loud, piercing cackle from behind disrupted his thoughts. As he turned around to see who was making that noise, a blinding green light began to emanate from each of the five mirrors ringed in the middle of the room and converge onto a single point at the center. He quickly threw up an arm in order to shield his eyes from the light. The light subsided, revealing a green-haired woman in a dark green dress, gloves, and knee-high boots, with a fan spread in her left hand. Across her chest, in a triangular pattern, were three oval shaped gems.
“Emerald!” he exclaimed in surprise. He hadn’t expected to see her here.
“Good to see you again, Rubeus,” she said as she waved her fan and laughed softly.
She stepped forward from the ring of mirrors and stood beside Rubeus as she gazed out to the city of Tokyo. “Is this the Juuban district of Tokyo in the twentieth century?” she asked in a conversational tone as she grinned. “Such a small and unsightly city, isn’t it? I wonder if I can get used to it here….”
“What do you mean?” he asked warily.
“Oh, haven’t you heard?” she asked offhandedly as she turned away from the view. “Because of your failures, you are going to be removed from your duties of eliminating the Rabbit and occupying Juuban. Starting tomorrow, I’ll be in charge….”
“Impossible!” he retorted fiercely to her back. “Prince Diamond cannot disregard me so easily!”
“Is that so?” she replied coolly as she fanned herself again. “Don’t you see how incompetent you are?” She gave him a pointed glance over the edge of her fan for a second, then turned away again. “You don’t see such a generous Prince get that angry very often.
“Not only have you lost the four Ayakashi sisters,” she told him as she started back the way she came, “but you also haven’t filled a single crystal point with dark power.” She stopped in the middle of the ring of mirrors and turned back to Rubeus. “In addition, you haven’t found either the Silver Crystal or the Rabbit.”
Rubeus was beginning to quiver in anger at the listing of all his shortcomings. It wasn’t as if he needed to be reminded of them right now….
“What made you feel so comfortable?” Emerald asked. “He told me our glorious family doesn’t need an incompetent person such as you. If you doubt it, then you can ask him directly,” she added, noting the expression on his face, and smirked as she combed a hand through her long, green hair, “…as long as you’re willing to see him without a good explanation.” Rubeus ground his teeth at the smug look on her face.
“Well, I’ll take care of everything tomorrow,” she said as continued to fan herself. “Bye!” With that, the mirrors emanated the same green light as before. In a flash, Emerald was gone.
Rubeus ran over to the spot where she vanished and glared at one of the mirrors. “If I can defeat Sailor Moon and eliminate the Rabbit, then the Prince will calm down,” he muttered fiercely as he stared down at his clenched fists. A thought then crossed his mind as he glanced up at the ceiling.
“I know where the Silver Crystal is….”
“I’m home!” Usagi shouted as she flung open the door to her house and hurried inside.
“Usagi!” Ikuko called out in greeting as she halfway stepped out from the kitchen. “Why are you in such a hurry?” she asked as Usagi quickly took off her shoes and rushed up the stairs.
“Gotta hurry…,” she muttered to herself. “Gotta hurry….”
Chibiusa watched Usagi climb up the stairs from around the corner at the top of the stairs. In that brooch, she thought to herself, must be the Silver Crystal. If I can get it, I can save my mama.…
“I’m home, Chibiusa,” Usagi said as she passed by.
“Welcome back…,” she replied in a subdued voice, but Usagi didn’t notice as she went into her room to change.
“Hurry! Hurry! Gotta hurry or they’ll be angry at me!” she muttered. Moments later, she emerged in her pink dress and blue jacket and rushed for the door. “See you!” she shouted as opened the door.
“Usagi, didn’t you take a test today?” Ikuko called out from the kitchen.
“Later!” she replied with a smile. “I’m in a hurry now!” She then closed the door and took off.
“Usagi!” she called after her, but it was already too late. “Honestly!” she huffed irritably as she turned back towards the kitchen.
Chibiusa stood as the base of the steps and gazed at the door, still contemplating on Usagi, Sailor Moon and the Silver Crystal.
At the shrine, the others had already gathered and were waiting for Usagi to arrive as they discussed recent events over tea and cookies.
“In the past few days, the number of UFO sightings in the city have increased tremendously,” Artemis told them.
“Does it have any relationship to our enemies?” Ami asked.
“I’m not sure,” Luna replied. “Nevertheless, we have to be very careful.”
Ryoku frowned slightly as he crossed his arms. “That goes without saying,” he added dryly.
“Sorry, I’m late!” Usagi shouted as she rushed into the room.
“You should be!” Rei remarked sternly.
“Sorry about that,” she apologized as she sat down on the cushion left for her at the empty end of the square table. “Wow!” she exclaimed as she noticed the huge pile of cookies. “Can I have some?”
“Sure,” Makoto replied. “I made too many in home economics class.”
“Of course, she always does that,” Ryoku replied with a smirk aimed at his sister. “One would think that she’d remember how many servings a recipe would make. Some master chef….”
Makoto playfully elbowed him hard in his right side. “Oops,” she commented as she stretched her arms over her head. “Sorry about that.” Ryoku hardly grunted, but he did rub his side for a second… then half-grinned at her.
“Well then,” Usagi began as she reached for the cookies, “excuse me!” She then proceeded to munch on two cookies at once. “They’re good!” Everyone sweatdropped as they watched her stuff her face, while cookie crumbs tumbled from her mouth.
“Just… don’t choke,” he muttered quietly in chagrin.
“By the way, Usagi-chan,” Rei said, “the enemies are targeting Chibiusa-chan, aren’t they?” Usagi stopped eating and nodded.
“We have to keep a close eye on her in order to keep her safe, right?” Minako added.
“That’s right!” Usagi said firmly. “We absolutely must protect her!”
“And so we shall,” Ryoku agreed as he reached for a cookie and began to munch on it.
Back at Usagi’s house, Chibiusa watched as Ikuko was preparing something to eat. It smelled really good….
“Today, I’m making your favorite snack,” Ikuko told her. “Pancakes!”
“Great!” she shouted gleefully. She looked up at the huge stack of pancakes that had already been cooked. There was no way she could eat that many…. “But, why are you making so many of them?”
“Well,” Ikuko replied as she turned back to the stove, “Shingo and Usagi might want some, too.”
“Wow, it’s really hard on you,” Chibiusa commented.
“Eh?” she said questioningly.
“It’s because you have to take care of a girl like Usagi-oneesan.”
“Maybe so,” Ikuko said as she turned from the stove and knelt down so she could look her in the eye. “You’ll understand, Chibiusa-chan. It’s what mothers are doing all over the world.”
“Mothers… all over the world?”
“Yes. Mothers love their children more than anything else.”
“Do they?” Chibiusa asked, her expression amazed. “That’s impressive.” She then glanced sadly down at the floor as she remembered her own mother.
“However, Chibiusa-chan,” Ikuko said quickly, at seeing her expression change, “I love you more than anyone else in the world, too.” At hearing that, Chibiusa’s spirits perked up and she giggled happily. “The pancakes are done now,” she continued as she flipped the last one on top of the others. “Go have a seat and I’ll serve you some.”
“Okay!” Chibiusa cheered as she hurried over to the table. Ikuko smiled after her and turned to go get a plate for her.
After eating, Chibiusa quietly opened the door to Usagi’s room. It was a complete mess in there. There was stuff laying everywhere: a manga lay open near the bed; socks and other undergarments were laying on the floor; Usagi’s school uniform was lying on top of her unmade bed. And sitting on top of the school uniform….
In that brooch, there must be the legendary Silver Crystal, she thought as she stared uncertainly at the pink brooch. “Such an important thing…!” she exclaimed to herself.
She could remember seeing Usagi transform with it. The phrase “Moon crystal power, make up!” shouted in Usagi’s voice echoed in her mind. That was the same crystal that had healed the four Ayakashi sisters, who were the ones who had originally started chasing her.
And there it was. Abandoned in haste on her bed by a bumbling, klutzy Usagi.
Slowly, she stepped forward, her hand stretching out to take the brooch. Before she could touch it, she hesitated for a second, then covered the brooch with her hand.
“If I take it…,” she told herself, “Mama…. I can save my Mama….”
But, Usagi is Sailor Moon.… She has saved my life many times.… I have to believe in her.
“I’m home!” Usagi called out downstairs.
“Welcome back, Usagi,” her mother said with a smile. “Would you like to have some fresh pancakes?”
“Oh, no thanks,” Usagi declined. “I’m already full with Mako-chan’s homemade cookies.”
Upon hearing that, Chibiusa grew upset. “With all that effort Ikuko-mama put into those pancakes!” She frowned angrily. “She’s not the legendary soldier!” She took the brooch from Usagi’s uniform and held it in her trembling hand. “I will save my mama instead!”
“Honestly, Usagi-chan, you shouldn’t be so careless!” Luna chided as she and Usagi climbed the stairs to her room. “Leaving your brooch like that!”
Usagi hurried up to her room, opened the door… and froze. Everything was still the same except for two things: her left window was now wide open and her transformation brooch was gone.
Usagi knelt down in front of her bed and picked up the uniform, hoping that the brooch was just lying underneath. It wasn’t.
“It’s not here!” she told Luna.
“What?!?” the black cat exclaimed in shock.
“But, I think I know who took it….”
“I hate her!” Chibiusa growled furiously as she ran holding the precious brooch cupped with both hands. “I can’t believe in her!”
She continued to run, heading for the place where she knew she had to go. She had to save her mama, by herself.
From above Tokyo, Rubeus continued his search. The Silver Crystal and the Rabbit; they had to be somewhere in the city.
Behind him, a light began to shine from a spot on the floor. It was him again. “Wiseman?” he asked over his shoulder without turning his head. The view of Tokyo vanished from the mirror and reflected Wiseman as he appeared before Rubeus.
“Now, the time has arrived,” Wiseman stated. “The Silver Crystal is in the hands of the Rabbit.”
“Are you sure?” he asked urgently.
“The Rabbit’s position will soon be revealed,” Wiseman answered. “Rubeus, direct your attention to the northwest!”
“Understood,” he acknowledged with an evil grin.
When Usagi left to retrieve her brooch, the others stayed behind; mostly since they wanted to finish Makoto’s cookies. Now, they were heading down the shrine steps to the street below.
The beeping sound of the communicators rang loudly, catching everyone’s attention. Minako answered hers first, so everyone gathered around her to hear what message Usagi had to convey to them.
“We’ve got a big problem, everyone!” Usagi’s voice said urgently. “Chibiusa has taken my brooch.”
Minako glanced up at the others. “Everyone, let’s go and find her!”
Everyone nodded their agreement as they ran down the rest of the steps and spread out to search for Chibiusa.
Back at the lake, Chibiusa gazed out into the water again. She was here and she had the Silver Crystal. She removed the key from around her neck. It was time to go home.
“Soon Mama…,” she said to the key she held in her hands. “Soon, I’ll be back to the future.” She raised the key to she skies. “Listen, Guardian of Time and Space! Open up the gates and lead me to the future!”
Nothing happened.
“What happened?” she asked the key as she slumped to the ground. “Why did nothing happen? Please send me back to the future!”
She began to cry. Just as before, a light suddenly burst forth from her forehead and shot into the sky. Just as before, a symbol flickered upon her forehead and vanished just as quickly. As she cried, the key slowly began to glow with the light she was emanating. Slowly, the light began to subside as she began to stop crying.
When she opened her eyes, she noticed a shadow looming overhead. When looked up, her eyes widened in shock. It was Rubeus. She jumped backwards and scooted away from him as he laughed in satisfaction at finding her. Her fear increased dramatically when his smug grin turned into a fierce scowl.
“At last, I’ve found you, Rabbit!” he said as he stared down at her with his arms folded. Chibiusa continued to back away, but he wasn’t about to let her get away this time. “Die!” he shouted as he flung his hand toward her.
Before he could fire a shot at her, Sailor Mars, Sailor Venus and Sailor Knight quickly attacked, interrupting him before he could harm Chibiusa. Seeing the triple assault, he leaped away before the attacks could harm him, giving Chibiusa the chance she needed to escape. Instead, the attacks struck the pier, destroying it up to a few feet in front of her.
Sailor Mars and Sailor Knight rushed forward to get Chibiusa. “Sailor Mars! Sailor Knight!” she exclaimed as Mars picked her up and carried her, while Knight watched for any sign of a counterattack.
“Damn!” Rubeus snarled as the smoke cleared from his view. “I won’t let you get away!”
“Sailor Mars! Take Chibiusa-chan to safety!” Mercury shouted urgently.
“I’ll go with her,” Knight added as he and Mars made their escape.
“Shabon spray!”
“Damn…,” Rubeus growled as a thick mist clouded his view.
Sailor Mars ran as fast as she could from the lake while carrying Chibiusa. All her concentration was going toward pumping her legs as hard as she could and making sure she didn’t trip. Sailor Knight kept looking over his shoulder as he watched for any sign that Rubeus was following them. The others would keep him busy, but if he managed to follow, it would be up to him to keep Rubeus away from Mars and Chibiusa.
“Could you put me down, Rei-chan?” Chibiusa asked suddenly.
The shocked look on Mars’ face mirrored the one on Knight’s face. Mars slowly came to a halt and knelt as she carefully put Chibiusa down.
“I know who you really are, Rei-chan,” she said as she looked at Mars, then turned to Knight. “Ryo-oniichan.”
“How?” Mars asked in great surprise.
“They’re coming,” Knight said as the other Scouts ran up to them.
“Rubeus isn’t following us anymore,” Venus said as Mars stood up and Chibiusa turned away from the others.
“That was dangerous, wasn’t it, Chibiusa-chan?” Mercury commented to the young girl.
“I won’t say thank you, because you’re all Usagi’s friends!” Chibiusa said indignantly.
“Eh?” all five Scouts gasped at once.
“Oh, so you won’t mind if we leave you to die at Rubeus’ hands next time, kiddo?” Knight asked chidingly as he folded his arms crossly, adding an extra emphasis at the nickname he had given her.
“Ryo-kun!” Mercury said in surprise, but quieted at the look he gave her and the other Scouts.
Chibiusa winced at not only the thought that she could’ve died if the others haven’t saved her, but at the harsh tone he used when he called her ‘kiddo’. Every time he called her that, his voice was warm and friendly, not severe and reprimanding as it was now. They had saved her life and she did owe them at least a thank you, but still….
“You saved my life because I had Usagi’s brooch, didn’t you?” she retorted stubbornly. “You came here to scold me, just like you’re doing now!”
Knight blinked for a second and sighed patiently. “That’s not true, kiddo, and you know it,” he replied quietly. “We were all very worried about you.”
Chibiusa turned around and stared down at the brooch in her hands. “Usagi shouldn’t be allowed to keep this brooch,” she said softly, but her voice grew more heated as she went on. “She’s selfish, foolish and irresponsible!”
“Chibiusa-chan, please don’t think about Usagi-chan like that,” Mars said as she put her hand on Chibiusa’s shoulder.
“Rei-chan…,” she said as she turned to look at her.
“We all love Usagi-chan very much,” Venus added with a smile.
“I feel very comfortable whenever I’m around her,” Jupiter remarked.
“She’s a very nice girl,” Mercury added.
“That’s right,” Knight added with a small half-smile. “She’s always worrying about you.”
“A lie!” Chibiusa shouted angrily. “It’s absolutely untrue!” She then started to run from them.
“Chibiusa!” Knight shouted sternly. That caused her to stop in her tracks. Not once during the time since she had first arrived in this time had Ryoku ever called her by her name. Not even when he was Sailor Knight did he ever call her by her name.
“Kiddo,” he began in a softer voice, “have I ever once lied to you about anything?”
“I…,” she began without turning around, “…I don’t believe you, Ryo-oniichan.” She began to run away again.
“Wait! Kiddo!” he called out, but she didn’t stop. She continued to run as she dashed through a busy street, just barely managing to not get hit by cars screeching to a sudden halt.
“I’ve got to go somewhere no one else would go,” she said to herself as she ran. “Somewhere where no one else can find me!”
“Rabbit…,” Rubeus laughed as he reappeared in his chamber above Tokyo and gazed out into the city at twilight. “Wherever you hide, I can locate you instantly whenever you try to go back to the future.”
As the search for Chibiusa continued, Usagi met up with Rei and Ami to find out what they had found. Makoto, Minako and Ryoku were still searching. “Have you found her?” Usagi asked worriedly.
“Not at all,” Rei answered.
“If Chibiusa-chan has the brooch, she also has the Silver Crystal, right?” Ami asked worriedly.
“That’s right,” Usagi confirmed.
“Then, this fits with Rubeus’ designs,” she pointed out. “This means that she’s now in even more danger.”
From within the shadows of an alley across the street, Chibiusa watched as the three girls talked amongst themselves. “How stubborn they are!” she exclaimed to herself as she closed her hand around the brooch she had tucked into her shirt. “I will never give up the brooch.” Her expression grew weary. “But, I’m feeling tired….”
She wearily turned away and started to make her way out to the other side of the alleyway.
Makoto, Minako and Ryoku each arrived at the clock tower statue in Shiba Park just as the clock’s gong struck ten chimes.
“It’s ten o’clock,” Minako stated worriedly.
“Children are in their beds already,” Makoto added in an equally worried tone.
Ryoku turned from the clock tower statue and gazed out toward the city lights outside the park. “Kiddo…. Where are you…?”
Mamoru had just turned the corner on the floor of his apartment complex and was heading toward his apartment when he spotted her. Chibiusa was asleep sitting up in front of his door, curled up with her back against the door and resting her head on her Luna Sphere like it was a pillow.
“Chibiusa?” he murmured curiously to himself in surprise.
The explosions were coming closer. There was destruction all around them. Everything she remembered was gone, buried in a mass of rubble, blood, despair and fear. She was being carried in the strong arms of one of her protectors from her home, the male in silver with gray eyes. Those same gray eyes that had always comforted her like an older brother’s would were now narrowed in a look of desperate determination. The same look was shared by her four other female protectors as they each ran alongside of him in a protective box formation. They were taking her to safety, and they were risking their lives to do it.
“The enemy is pressing their attack!” the one in green said warningly.
“We can’t even figure out their numbers,” the one in blue said in frustration.
“We’re almost there!” the one in red shouted encouragingly. “We’ll get Small Lady to safety!”
“If Sailor Moon were here, this wouldn’t have happened,” the one in orange said despairingly.
“Don’t worry,” the male said confidently to her as he tried his best to shelter her with his body. “You’ll be safe in no time.”
Without warning, one of the shots fired from the floating black crystal structure that was chasing them smashed into the ground mere inches from their heels, blasting them off their feet. The male twisted his body in midair to make sure he landed so that his body was shielding hers.
All she could do was shiver in fear.…
Chibiusa’s eyelids moved slightly, but they did not open. “Everyone…,” she murmured worriedly as she fell asleep again.
Mamoru continued to watch protectively over the girl sleeping in his bed with a small smile on his face. He couldn’t help but feel almost like a parent looking over his sleeping child.
“You’re awake?” he asked as he noticed her eyes slowly blinking as she woke up.
“Mamo-chan?” she said as she saw him sitting at the foot of the bed.
As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, a red rose suddenly appeared before her. As she looked up, she saw a small Tuxedo Kamen doll holding the rose and sitting in front of her.
“Don’t cry, lady!” the doll said with Mamoru’s poorly disguised voice. “If you look sad, this rose will droop, too.
“Now, this rose is for you,” the doll said as Mamoru made it hold out the rose to her.
“Thank you,” Chibiusa said with a smile.
“I am Tuxedo Kamen!” the doll announced as Mamoru continued to play the marionette. “Did you have a scary dream?”
“Yes…,” she admitted somberly as she stared down at the bed. She then looked up at the doll. “Tuxedo Kamen….”
“What is it?”
“Is Sailor Moon strong?” she asked.
“Yes,” Mamoru replied himself. “She has no equal.”
“Oh…,” she said as she looked up at Mamoru. As she glanced back at the doll, they both began to laugh at how funny it was having a conversation with a doll.
“Give me a minute,” Mamoru told her. “I’ll cook something for you. Any requests?” he asked as he set the doll down and stood up.
“Pancakes!” she replied instantly.
“Pancakes?” he said thoughtfully, as if trying to remember how to make them. “Okay.” He turned and headed for the kitchen.
Just as Mamoru entered the kitchen, the doorbell rang. “Mamo-chan?” Usagi’s voice called out from outside. Chibiusa’s expression turned to apprehension as she scrambled out of Mamoru’s bed. “Has Chibiusa come here?”
As Mamoru came out of the kitchen to answer the door, Chibiusa had already grabbed her Luna Sphere and was heading toward the window. “Luna Sphere, change!” she shouted as she bounced the ball. In midair, the ball changed into a small kid-sized backpack. She quickly slipped on the pack and leaped out the open window as Mamoru made it to the window in time to see her plummet earthward.
“Chibiusa!” he yelled anxiously.
“Mamo-chan!” Usagi called out as she rushed to the window with Luna and Artemis following her. “Where’s Chibiusa?”
“You’re a bit late, aren’t you?” he asked wryly as he pointed over the balcony. Usagi made it the balcony in time to see Chibiusa gliding to the ground by a kid-sized parachute.
“No way!” she exclaimed in disbelief.
As soon as Chibiusa touched down to the ground, the parachute changed back into the familiar shape of the Luna Sphere. Quickly, she reached into her shirt and pulled out her key again.
“This time, I’ll go back to the future for sure!” she said determinedly as she raised her key into the sky.
This time, a dark lavender light glowed from the key and rose into the air. Above her, the light expanded into a cloud ring, from which a pillar of light rose around her.
“Now…,” she said eagerly, “I can go back to my mama!” She slowly began to ascend skyward, toward the cloud ring above. Midway between the ground and the cloud, the light suddenly dissipated, leaving her stranded in midair.
“What?!?” she exclaimed in disbelief as she began to fall, screaming all the way.
Over the skies of Tokyo, a dark, black, crystal-like structure suddenly appeared in a flash of brilliant white light. Arcs of dark energy pulsated and thrust out from the structure, illuminating the air around it.
“What’s that?” a man exclaimed as he stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and stared skyward.
“No way!” Ami gasped.
“It’s huge!” Minako exclaimed.
“Is that Rubeus’…,” Rei began.
“UFO?” Makoto finished questioningly.
“It looks like he’s finally come out into the open,” Ryoku commented with a hard look on his face. “This does not bode well….”
Overhead, the UFO slowly began to descend.
“Rabbit,” Rubeus said laughingly, as a small light shone over Chibiusa’s prone, motionless form. “Wherever you are, when you try to go back to the future, you bend time and space,” he explained smugly. “This ship can come right to you.”
Chibiusa opened her eyes and got to her feet, then gasped when she saw Rubeus’ ship overhead looming down at her.
“Now, are you ready?” he asked.
“You can’t do that!” Mars shouted as the five Sailor Scouts stepped forward, gathering around Chibiusa. She then knelt down to pick her up. “We won’t let you take our pretty Chibiusa-chan anywhere!”
“Fine!” he retorted. “Then, I’ll kill you all as well!”
“Shut up!” Jupiter shouted as she prepared to attack.
“I’m with you,” Knight said as he stood next to her and prepared to attack as well. Mars and Venus also prepared to attack.
“Sparkling wide pressure!”
“Avalanche barrage!”
“Burning mandala!”
“Venus love-me chain!”
The four attacks each struck Rubeus dead on as he just hovered there smugly without moving one inch. As the smoke cleared from the combined assault, Rubeus remained hovering there, not even showing any sign that he was touched.
“What?” Knight murmured confoundedly.
“Some powerful barrier must be surrounding his spaceship,” Mercury deduced. She was now holding Chibiusa.
“Don’t struggle uselessly,” Rubeus advised with a smug grin as he raised a hand overhead, then brought it down as he fired a powerful blast at the Scouts. Knight quickly dove in front of Mercury, shielding Chibiusa from the attack. He took most of the blow as Mercury turned away from the blast, so as to protect Chibiusa as well. When the blast ceased, Jupiter and Venus were lying sprawled on the ground. Mars and Mercury had been slammed against the building just a few feet in front of Jupiter and Venus with Chibiusa nestled protectively between them. Knight had slammed headfirst into the steel grating of the building while his body followed, smashing upside-down into the building, then slid down, landing on top of Mercury and Mars.
“Everyone!” Chibiusa shouted worriedly.
“That… hurt…,” Knight muttered painfully as he pushed himself up. Mercury and Mars each moved back to check on Chibiusa.
“Now!” Mars shouted urgently. “Hurry, run!”
“You can’t!” Rubeus shouted as he threw his hand into the air. Above him, the spaceship started to glow brighter. A beam of dark grayish-purple light struck the ground and slowly began to advance toward them, collapsing the sidewalk and the street in its wake.
“What’s that?” Chibiusa squeaked fearfully.
“Trouble,” Knight muttered as the light fell upon them.
“What’s this?” Venus exclaimed, feeling as though she were being pushed into the ground. “I feel heavy….” Underneath them, the sidewalk cracked and began to collapse into itself.
“That UFO must be imposing some strong force on us!” Mercury told them as she tried to push herself up.
“It’ll take more than a little gravity altering to keep me down!” Knight growled fiercely as he slowly got to his knees.
“To beat it, we must combine our powers, right?” Mars asked as she got to her knees as well.
“You mean, use the Sailor Planet Power?” Venus asked as she tried to push herself off the ground.
“But, we don’t have enough power!” Mercury exclaimed. “We’re missing Sailor Moon!”
“Whatever it takes…,” Knight said as he tried to push himself to his feet, “we must protect Chibiusa-chan! Rubeus can only have her over my dead body!” he exclaimed as he stood up and glared defiance at Rubeus, followed quickly by the other Scouts getting to their feet.
Each of the four female Scouts stood in a circle and held hands. Sailor Knight took his place in the center with his Star Sword held firmly in hand, ready to direct their combined powers.
“We don’t have any choice,” Jupiter said grimly.
“Then, let us begin,” Knight said gravely with a resolute expression on his face. Chibiusa watched the others apprehensively as they began their collective attack.
“Jupiter star power!”
“Venus star power!”
“Mercury star power!”
“Mars star power!”
“Knight star sword power!”
Chibiusa stared in amazement as each Scout glowed with their own colors: green for Jupiter; orange for Venus; blue for Mercury; red for Mars; and silver for Knight. The power radiating from each Scout caused their hair and their uniforms to flutter skyward, as if a wind was rising from underneath them.
“Sailor planet power!” all five shouted in unison. Immediately, the energies radiating from the five Scouts began to converge into the center of the circle, where Sailor Knight stood. He then thrust his Star Sword heavenward with both hands, causing the combined power to fire from his sword toward the spaceship.
Rubeus glared down at the Scouts as he prepared for another attack. “Fools,” he spat irritably as he thrust his arm overhead.
“Chibiusa-chan…,” Mars warned in a strained voice, “…hurry! Run!” Chibiusa simply stared at Mars, her mind and body frozen in fear. “Idiot!” she snapped in frustration. “Hurry!”
“Leave her to me,” Tuxedo Kamen said as he knelt down to take her into his arms. “The rest of you get clear, as well.”
“Damn!” Rubeus growled as Tuxedo mask leaped away with Chibiusa. “Then….” He raised his other arm into the air, then flung both of them down at the Sailor Scouts. The force of his attack broke the Scouts apart and knocked Knight’s Star Sword from his grasp. Broken pieces of the concrete sidewalk began to rise into the air. Moments later, all five Scouts began to float upward toward the spaceship.
Usagi ran out to the street and stood with the crater in the sidewalk where her friends stood mere seconds ago, and stared helplessly at them as they rose out of her reach. “Everyone!” she cried out desperately as Tuxedo Kamen landed beside her, carrying Chibiusa with him.
“Usagi-chan…,” Mars shouted down to her, “take care of Chibiusa-chan!”
Suddenly, the Star Sword flew up from the ground into the waiting hand of Sailor Knight. “Don’t worry about us, kiddo!” he shouted down confidently, though his eyes betrayed his worry and concern. “You’re safe now. That’s all that matters.”
Tuxedo Kamen, Usagi and Chibiusa all stared as they watched their five friends get drawn into the spaceship through the portal of light on the underside of the ship. Once they were in, the spaceship quieted as it ceased its gravitational beam. The chunks of concrete and asphalt pulled up from the ground now plummeted down to the empty street below.
“Everyone!” Usagi screamed in pure despair. Overhead, Rubeus crowed triumphantly at his capture of almost all of the Sailor Scouts.
“Rei-chan…,” Chibiusa murmured sadly. “Ryo-oniichan….”
“Are you all right, Chibiusa?” Tuxedo Kamen asked as he knelt down to comfort her.
At hearing Chibiusa’s name, Usagi started to quiver in a furious rage. “Chibiusa!!!” she screamed in a severe fury as she drew her right arm back in order to slap the young girl as hard as she could. Chibiusa shut her eyes and drew back defensively as she waited apprehensively for Usagi to hit her. When she didn’t feel anything, she looked up to see that Tuxedo Kamen had grabbed her wrist before she could strike her. Usagi was looking at Tuxedo Kamen with a confused expression on her face. Tuxedo Kamen silently shook his head, but didn’t let go of her wrist.
Usagi then turned to look at Chibiusa. As soon as her gaze set upon the young girl, tears of anger and pain started to flow. “Idiot!” she wailed and screamed at the same time. “This is all your fault!”
Chibiusa could only silently stare down at the ground in guilt and despair. Is this my fault? she asked herself as she glanced up at the floating spaceship, which held her friends captive. If I hadn’t stolen the Silver Crystal, would Rei-chan and Ryo-oniichan and the others still be free?
Rubeus’ haughty cackling continued as they all stared up at the black crystal spaceship looming menacingly overhead….
To Chapter 70: Battle in Space