“Sailor Moon, retreat for the time being,” Tuxedo Kamen told her as he turned toward the towering black spire. “I shall try to find out a bit more about the enemy.”
Sailor Knight stepped forward. “I’ll go with you.”
He shook his head. “No. The enemy could attack again at any time. You should stay with the others.” Knight nodded silently and rejoined the others.
“Tuxedo Kamen-sama…,” Sailor Moon said quietly with concern.
“For the time being, let’s meet again at the Hikawa Shrine tomorrow,” Mars suggested.
“Everyone, keep on your guard, just in case,” Knight added solemnly.
Usagi stopped running, turned around, and stared back at the huge ominous spire easily visible over the trees in Sankaku Park. The events from yesterday came to a close in her mind as she began to worry all over again. The spire still seemed to be growing with each passing minute, even though it had stopped growing over six hours ago.
It’s grown so big.… We’ve got to do something quickly before it’s too late.
“Usagi.”
She glanced toward the voice that called out to her. “Naru-chan!” she exclaimed in surprise as she turned toward her best friend.
“Usagi, did something happen?” Naru asked, concerned for her friend.
“Eh?”
“You’ve been acting strange lately,” she pointed out. “Perhaps it has something to do with that strange thing….” They both glanced toward the black spire.
“You do know what that is, don’t you?” she asked after seeing Usagi’s expression. “If there’s anything I can do, tell me.”
“Naru-chan!” Usagi looked away, not wanting to tell her the truth. That she did know what it was. That she and her friends were the only ones who could do something about it. That she was Sailor Moon and the others were the Sailor Scouts.
Naru was her best friend, but a secret this big wasn’t something that she could tell just anybody.
Not even Naru.
“Come on,” she laughed. “How would I know anything about that?”
Naru looked at her friend for a moment before grinning back at her. “You’re right.” Her grin faded as she looked away. “I guess there are some things that you can’t tell me.”
“What?” Usagi asked, blinking in bewilderment.
Naru took her friend’s hands in hers. “Usagi, I won’t ask you any more.” Her smile returned, although it still held some concern in it. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”
“Thanks,” she said, returning her smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” The wind began to pick up as Usagi turned and started to run again, continuing on her way toward the Hikawa Shrine.
“For sure, tomorrow!” Naru called out after her. She continued to watch her friend as she ran out of her sight.
“Kami-sama, if can hear me, please listen,” she prayed. “Please protect Usagi and the others.”
Naru-chan, I’m sorry. We’ll protect the Earth for you and everyone else.
Usagi’s expression remained resolute the entire time it took her to run to the shrine.
“The time has come,” Wiseman announced as he appeared before Diamond.
The prince turned from his brooding position staring at the Black Crystal’s core and glared at the hooded figure. “Wiseman, how can you appear before me as if nothing had happened?” he asked with a hard edge to his voice. “Why did you kill Saffire before consulting me?”
“We have been working hard to change the history of the Earth,” he explained. “Those who betray our ideals must be destroyed.”
A violet light began to glow around Diamond as his anger and his power began to flare. “You have no authority to make such decisions!”
“Observe,” Wiseman said, lifting his crystal ball toward the prince. “The magnificent Black Crystal.” An image of the huge black spire that was standing in the middle of Juuban appeared in the crystal.
“Black Lady’s powers are growing stronger,” he continued as the imaged changed to show Black Lady. “Now is the time to get our revenge on the Earth and its inhabitants.”
“Our long-awaited revenge….” Diamond’s face hardened. “No. You can’t trick me. Why did you kill Saffire without my consent?”
“Prince, the death of your brother was only a small sacrifice for a great cause.”
Diamond’s fist clenched in anger. “Is that what you truly feel? What are your true intentions?”
“Prince, have you forgotten why our clan came to this cold and dark planet, Nemesis?” Wiseman said. “This is the time when we can at last accomplish our dream of revenge. Are you going to let a small sacrifice bother you now, when we are so close to getting our revenge on the Earth?”
“Our plan has been to take revenge and return to the Earth,” he replied. “Continue the plan for now.” He turned to leave, but stopped. “But, don’t forget, Wiseman, I have not forgiven you. When we have gained revenge on the Earth, I will look into this further. Be sure of it.”
“As you wish, Prince,” he replied as the prince left.
“If you should still be alive by then.”
“The evil energy has grown stronger,” Ami stated as the group gathered before the enormous black spire.
“The crystal may not be growing in size anymore, but it is still growing in power,” Ryoku added grimly.
“We’ve got to do something soon,” Makoto said firmly.
“I’m worried about Tuxedo Kamen,” Luna interjected. “He’s in there.”
“Anyway, all we can do is enter the energy field,” Artemis stated.
“Right,” Luna agreed as the two cats leapt toward the black spire. However, before they could reach the spire, they were repulsed in midair by a strong energy field.
“Luna!” Usagi shouted as everyone rushed toward the cats.
“Artemis!” Minako shouted as she and Usagi knelt down to check on their respective guardian cats.
“Leave it to us!” Rei declared.
“All right, let’s transform and break in!” Makoto shouted.
Ryoku drew his sword and let the blade extend. “Ready when you are, Usagi-chan.”
“Everyone, let’s go!” Usagi said as she stood up. “Moon crystal power–“
“Wait!”
Everyone started and turned toward Ami in surprise.
“Thanks for all the good times. I wish we could’ve gone out for cake at the Crown together once more. I’m sorry, but I wanted to say that just in case something happens.”
“Ami-chan…,” Ryoku said quietly as everyone gave her a concerned look.
“What are you talking about?” Rei exclaimed with a laugh. “We can all go again!”
“Let’s not be stingy and eat all that we want!” Makoto agreed. “Especially since Ryo-chan will be paying!” she added with a mischievous wink.
“Agreed!” Usagi shouted gleefully, raising her arm.
“I’ll what?!?” Ryoku exclaimed and sweatdropped.
“Usagi-chan, you’ll get fat,” Minako said jokingly.
Usagi sweatdropped. “Minako-chan, you’re mean,” she said dryly while the other girls laughed.
Ryoku reached out and took Ami’s hands in his. “You see, Ami-chan. There’s no need to worry. We’re stronger and we have more experience now. This won’t be like the battles we’ve had before. Everything will work out, I promise.
“No one will die,” he stated firmly. “Not while I still breathe and there is life in this body. This I swear, on my honor.”
“Ryo-kun…,” Ami said, smiling.
“All right!” Makoto said as she extended her arm toward the others. “Here’s for protecting peace and eating cake!”
“For the sake of everyone’s future,” Minako said as she placed her hand on Makoto’s.
“For the sake of Chibiusa-chan,” Ami added as she placed her hand on top.
“And for the people of the future city of Crystal Tokyo,” Ryoku added as he placed his hand on top.
“To make our six hearts as one,” Rei added as he placed his hand on top.
“Let’s protect our lovely Earth,” Usagi finished as she placed her hand on top.
“Right!” all six exclaimed as one.
“Everyone, take care!” Luna cautioned them.
“We’re counting on you,” Artemis added.
“All right! Leave it to us!” Usagi declared and raised her brooch overhead. “Moon crystal power–”
“Mercury star power–“
“Mars star power–“
“Jupiter star power–“
“Venus star power–“
“–make up!”
“Knight star sword power!”
“Let’s go!” Sailor Moon exclaimed, and the six transformed Scouts began their charge. As soon as Sailor Moon reached the energy field that had knocked back the cats, the field slammed her on her back as well.
“Sailor Moon!” the other Scouts exclaimed, rushing back to check on their leader.
“Hang on!” Venus said as she knelt down and helped Sailor Moon to sit back up.
“Are you all right, Sailor Moon?” Mars asked.
Sailor Moon stood back up with a determined look on her face. “Hang on, Chibiusa! I’m coming now!”
The other Scouts exchanged a quick glance. “Let’s go,” they all said at once and turned to follow their leader.
Sailor Moon walked up toward the field again, but stopped one step in front of it. She braced herself, gritted her teeth, and stepped forward. The power of the energy field struck her once again, but instead of a quick blast to knock her backward, it was a continuous stream of energy.
“Sailor Moon, be strong!” Mercury shouted encouragingly.
“At the center of this is Chibiusa-chan,” Venus said.
“Black Lady is there for sure,” Jupiter added.
“And so is the enemy that created her, Wiseman,” Knight stated grimly.
“The only one who can save Chibiusa-chan is you, Sailor Moon!” Mars shouted.
“I’ll find Black Lady, turn her back into Chibiusa, and banish this dark energy!” she declared resolutely as she raised her hand into the air. “Everyone, please lend me your strength!”
“Mercury star power!” A blue glow began to surround her as she offered her energy.
“Mars star power!” A red glow also rose up around her as she offered her own energy.
“Jupiter star power!” A green glow surrounded her as her own energy was offered.
“Venus star power!” An orange glow appeared around her as her energy was offered as well.
“Knight star sword power!” A silver glow surrounded him and his sword as he offered his own energy. As he raised his sword heavenward, the other four Scouts raised their hands around his sword as they prepared to channel their combined power through his Star Sword.
“Moon crystal power!” Sailor Moon shouted and raised both her hands in the air as a pink glow surrounded her. As she drew from the Scouts’ combined power through Knight’s Star Sword, a multicolored glow surrounded all of the Sailor Scouts. The light formed into a sphere around them and rose into the air, then plunged through both the energy field and the outside layer of the black spire.
“They’re gone,” Luna said.
“Don’t worry,” Artemis told her. “They’ll come back safely.”
Once inside the black spire, the multicolored sphere faded away, exposing the Sailor Scouts to the interior of the Black Crystal.
“This is the interior of the Black Crystal?” Mars said as everyone glanced around. “It’s like a maze.”
“A labyrinth of mirrors,” Knight noted as he glanced up, seeing his reflection in one of the many reflective crystals that made up the interior. “It might be hard to navigate in here.”
“Anyway, let’s try this way,” Sailor Moon said and started forward.
“Sailor Moon, it’s dangerous to wander around,” Mercury warned.
“Especially since we don’t know if there are any–“ Knight began, but cut off when a trap door opened up underneath Sailor Moon. “–traps,” he finished flatly.
“Waaaaah!!!” Sailor Moon screamed as she fell through the hole.
“Sailor Moon!”
Everyone rushed toward the hole, but reached it only in time to watch Sailor Moon slide out of sight before the trap door closed again.
“Sailor Moon!” Mars said worriedly as everyone continued to stare at where the hole used to be.
“Where did she go?” Venus asked.
“Mercury, can you run a search for her?” Knight asked.
Mercury nodded as she pressed her right earring. “I’ll look for her,” she agreed as her visor slid into place.
A hole appeared in midair, allowing Sailor Moon to slide out and land on her feet, then disappeared once again. “Where is this…?” she wondered as she looked around. Her surroundings were completely different from the place where she entered, darker and without the reflective crystals that she had seen upon entering the Black Crystal.
“Sailor Moon,” a voice called out to her from the shadows. Once she turned toward the source of the voice, the owner of the voice appeared from within the shadows.
“Welcome to the Black Crystal,” Diamond greeted her.
“Diamond,” she gasped.
“I’m delighted to see you again.” He quickly leaped up toward the ceiling and waited for her to glance up at him before closing in. As soon as her gaze fell upon him again, he moved again, appeared before her before she could even move. She only had time to gasp before he grabbed her by her arms, pinning them to her sides. All she could do was stare helplessly.
“So beautiful,” he said greedily as he stared into her eyes. “Today, I will have both you and the Silver Crystal.” He revealed his hypnotic third eye once again and tried to enthrall her once again. “So, Sailor Moon, pledge your loyalty to me, Prince Diamond, with your kiss.”
“Pledge my loyalty to Prince Diamond with my kiss…,” Sailor Moon murmured as she fell under Diamond’s hypnotic gaze.
When he was certain that she was completely under his control, he leaned forward to kiss her. But before he could kiss her, he saw a tear run down her left cheek.
“Mamo-chan…,” Sailor Moon murmured longingly.
Diamond moved back, surprised that his hold was not yet complete and that she was still fighting his control.
“Sailor Moon!” he growled as he shook her. “Do as I say and be mine!”
“Diamond,” she said as she threw off the effects of his hypnotic gaze, “even if you possess me, you’ll never gain my love!”
“Love? I’ll take all the love I want by force!” he declared as he used his third eye’s hypnotic gaze once more.
She quickly shut her eyes and turned away. “I won’t fall for the same trick again!”
“Sailor Moon, look into my eyes!”
“Diamond, you’re wrong,” she said as she turned back and gave him a pleading look. “Love you take by force or with your powers isn’t true love.”
“There is no fake or real love,” he said certainly. “Love is power.
“Sailor Moon, pledge your loyalty and love to me.”
Diamond’s hypnotic gaze began to take effect again as she fell to her knees before him.
“Pledge your loyalty,” he demanded as he extended his hand toward her.
“Pledge my loyalty,” Sailor Moon echoed and reached out to take his hand and kiss it.
Images of faces appeared in her mind – of Chibiusa and the other Sailor Scouts calling her name; of Naru, telling her that she would see her at school tomorrow; of Tuxedo Kamen telling her to be strong.
“Yes,” she said as she raised her head and forcefully threw off the effects of his hypnotic gaze once again.
“Impossible! My hypnosis isn’t working?”
“Foolish Diamond, do you not understand that force is not the answer to your problems?” Sailor Moon asked.
“Unless we exterminate the humans, we have no future,” Diamond retorted.
“Why do you think only of taking? Why can’t you think about living together with us?”
“You are the ones who exiled us,” he replied coldly. “There’s no way that we of the Black Moon can coexist with you.”
“That’s not true! The Ayakashi sisters are now living happily together on Earth.”
“But, Wiseman…,” he began but trailed off. “Has Wiseman deceived us after all?”
Sailor Moon nodded. “I think that Saffire was killed because he wanted to tell you that.”
Diamond stared at her as he thought over everything that had happened since he had learned from Wiseman that Saffire had ‘betrayed’ him.
Brother… Wiseman is.…
“Wiseman…
“I don’t believe it… but…
“There is truth in your eyes, Sailor Moon.”
“Prince Diamond,” Wiseman said as he rose up from beneath the floor.
“Wiseman!”
“Sailor Moon is trying to deceive us in order to disrupt our mission,” he told him. “Destroy her.”
Diamond’s power flared up around him as he faced him. “I do not take orders from you! Stay out of this!”
“I have no use for a fool who is led by a woman,” Wiseman said as he rose higher into the air.
“What?”
“Now that I have Black Lady and the Dark Power is getting stronger, I have no need of you.” Dark energy began to gather into his crystal ball. “Disappear!” he shouted as tendrils of Dark Power began to snake out toward the prince.
Diamond threw his arms up in front of him and blocked Wiseman’s attack. “At last, you reveal your true intentions!
“I am Prince Diamond of the family of the Black Moon! Bring me down if you can!” he roared as he released an energy blast of his own. Wiseman easily dodged. Diamond leapt at him and struck in midair, but Wiseman blocked the attack.
“To destroy the Earth and bring Darkness to the universe,” Wiseman said as he prepared another attack. “That is the goal of the Death Phantom.”
Diamond released his own counterattack, which met Wiseman’s attack in midair. The two energy blasts, one light blue and the other black, continued to clash, neither overpowering the other.
“Death Phantom?” Sailor Moon breathed as she watched the struggle between Diamond and Wiseman escalate.
“Destroy the Earth and bring Darkness to the universe?” Diamond snarled. “I will not let that happen!” He raised his other arm and aimed an energy blast at Wiseman’s crystal. Before he could release the attack, Wiseman moved, turning his attention toward Sailor Moon.
“Sailor Moon! You must die, too!” he declared and released his tendrils of Dark Power.
She gasped in fright as she realized that she didn’t have enough time to move out of the way. She felt herself stumbling backward from the force of impact and heard Wiseman’s wicked laughter echoing in her ears.
But, she wasn’t the one who was struck by the attack.
“Diamond…,” she said in surprise as she stared down at the prince. She could see the black tendrils sticking through him. From where they were located on his body, she could see that they would’ve pierced her heart if he hadn’t placed himself in front of her.
As soon as the tendrils vanished, he stood back up again, but kept one hand where the tendrils had pierced him.
“You still have the strength to stand?” Wiseman asked mockingly. “Then I’ll kill both you and Sailor Moon.”
“Do not… underestimate me!” Diamond yelled as he fired another energy blast to counter Wiseman’s attack. The blast forced back Wiseman’s attack and impacted, shattering Wiseman’s body. His cape fluttered down to the floor as his crystal ball slowly descended. Once the crystal ball touched the floor, the light inside it flickered, then extinguished.
Once Wiseman was gone, Diamond finally succumbed to his injuries and fell to his knees again, his hand still clutching at his bleeding wound.
“Diamond, hang on!” Sailor Moon yelled as she rushed forward, seeing the prince about to collapse. She caught him and gently lowered him to the floor.
“Sailor Moon, it seems I was wrong,” he told her weakly. “It was my wish to bring my people back to Earth. I would have gladly given my life for it. But Wiseman deceived me from the start, and many innocent lives had been sacrificed. I had lost my humanity.”
Wiseman’s crystal ball suddenly started to glow once again….
“But, you saved my life,” Sailor Moon told him.
The crystal ball started to float in the air….
“If you understand your mistake, you can correct it.”
“That’s true…,” he admitted. “But I am….”
“Diamond!”
The shards of Wiseman’s body began to converge and reform beneath his cloak and floating crystal ball….
“The Ayakashi sisters are living happily together…. The way you tried to help Saffire…. Perhaps we could return to the Earth in peace, if we had communicated….”
Wiseman’s cloak began to rise into the air….
“That’s why you’re still needed,” she said, her eyes starting to water.
He raised his hand up to her face. “You are crying for my sake?” His hand lowered. “You are the ones who will build the future.
“Please, bring home the people of the Black Moon from planet Nemesis,” he requested as his hand lowered to his side.
She fought her tears as she nodded her agreement.
“Good.
“Sailor Moon, I love you….”
His eyes closed one last time as his body became limp as all life left it.
“Diamond!” Sailor Moon shouted as she shook his lifeless body. “Prince Diamond!”
A dark sensation approaching from behind her was all the warning she had. She started to turn around but Wiseman grabbed her by the neck before she could make a move. She struggled to keep him from strangling her as he lifted her into the air by her neck.
“Give up your powers and hand over the Silver Crystal!” he demanded as he reached out with his other arm and started choking her.
“Wiseman? Why?” she gasped out in disbelief.
“I am immortal.”
“You’ll have to… kill me first!”
“Give me the Silver Crystal!”
“Tuxedo Kamen-sama…,” she called out faintly as she felt her strength dwindling.
Wiseman chuckled derisively as he set her down. “Observe. See what Tuxedo Kamen is doing presently.” He summoned an image of Mamoru walking with Chibiusa and displayed it before Sailor Moon.
“Tuxedo Kamen, Mamoru Chiba, and Chibiusa, now Black Lady. Their hearts are now one.”
Sailor Moon stared in complete and utter shock.
“You have been rejected. Rejected!”
The image faded away and Sailor Moon fell to her knees in despair. “It’s a lie!” she shouted, her grief disappearing as if it had never been. “Wiseman, I won’t be fooled by your illusions.”
“It is not a lie,” he replied as he waved his hands over his crystal ball. A single wisp of Dark Power snaked out from the crystal ball and began to blanket Sailor Moon, making her more susceptible to his words and illusions. In her mind, an image of Tuxedo Kamen and Black Lady together appeared as clear as if she could see it right in front of her.
“There is nothing that you can trust in this world. Sailor Moon, hate everything!”
She watched in utter despair as Tuxedo Kamen and Black Lady kissed.
“Pour all your hatred into the Silver Crystal. Destroy this world and consign it to the Darkness!”
“No…,” Sailor Moon whispered desperately. “Mamo-chan and Chibiusa betrayed me? That can’t be…. How cruel! How cruel!!!”
Help me, Sailor Moon! Chibiusa’s voice pleaded in her mind. Believe in me!
“Chibiusa,” she said, smiling as the Dark Power faded away from around her and stood up.
“Why?” Wiseman demanded fiercely. “Why isn’t it working?”
“Chibiusa and Mamo-chan are both important to me,” Sailor Moon declared. “I trust both of them.”
“Then die!” he roared as he rose higher into the air and released a huge blast of Dark Power. The blast only traveled half the distance to Sailor Moon before a rose flew through the air and intercepted the blast, dispelling it. Tuxedo Kamen appeared one moment later, landing a short distance from the two.
“You toy with an innocent girl’s heart and mind with your evil illusions,” he declared. “I, Tuxedo Kamen, will not allow it!”
“Tuxedo Kamen-sama!” Sailor Moon shouted happily.
“We’re here, too!”
“Sailor Mars!”
“Sailor Jupiter!”
“Sailor Mercury!”
“Sailor Venus!”
“Sailor Knight!”
“–have arrived!” all five shouted in unison.
Wiseman laughed smugly. “The time has come. Black Lady’s power has now reached its peak. The Black Gate is about to be opened, turning this Earth to ashes!”
“The Black Gate?”
“All shall be dissolved in utter Darkness!” he stated as he disappeared, laughing wickedly.
“I’ve found the center of the Black Gate,” Tuxedo Kamen told them. “Hurry, follow me.” He turned and started to leave.
“Right,” Sailor Moon acknowledged as she started to run after him with the other Scouts following behind her.
Outside, at the pinnacle of the black spire, a tremendous, swirling black cloud spanning what seemed to be kilometers in length sat overhead. Its eye sat directly above them, with numerous crackling bolts of Dark Power that resembled lightning flashing in the sky. The top of the Black Crystal was a flat, circular platform that almost resembled some kind of altar or ceremonial platform. Broken, jagged pillars of crystal surrounded the platform in six spots, each equidistant from each other.
“This is the center of the Black Gate,” Tuxedo Kamen said as they reached the platform.
“Sailor Soldiers,” Black Lady called out as she appeared overhead, hovering directly underneath the exact center of the Black Gate.
“Chibiusa!” Sailor Moon shouted, calling out to her.
“Chibiusa-chan!” the other Scouts shouted as well.
“I am the messenger of the Death Phantom, Black Lady,” she announced with a fervent light in her eyes. “Soon, everything will vanish and fall into a pit of hatred!”
Black Lady’s wicked, fanatical laughter filled the air as time slowly began to run out….