CHAPTER 26
Sailor Pluto fell onto her knees and stared at the scene before her.
Earlier, Serenity and Endymion had died along with the Shadow Queen. Now,
the Shadow King was grovelling in pain on the ground while a bluish form
floated over him. Worse, Hotaru had even appeared before her....Pluto
clutched her head, she felt like she was losing her mind.
"Zakros...is that really you..." said Sailor Cosmo Eos as she reached
out a trembling hand to her former lover.
"It is I, my Queen." Zakros floated down from the suspended air and
tried to embrace Cosmo Eos, only to find his arms going right through her
body. His face tightened in frustration. "I..I'm sorry....I've missed you
so..but I can't hold you..."
"Zakros!" Sailor Cosmo Eos' tears ran down her face as she too
tried to touch him. "it's you..really you..."
"I'm sorry, my Queen...I was a fool to fall prey to his tricks..and
caused so much pain...but now at least..thanks to the senshi, Sailor Saturn,
I can correct my mistakes.."
"Zakros? I don't.."
"Promise me this..you will always live your life to the fullest...
please. And always remember..I love you." Zakros kissed Sailor Cosmo Eos'
bewildered face and vanished.
The Shadow King roared his anger and slashed at the still-stupified
senshi. But his hand only moved halfway before in stopped in midair, then
he too floated up. Helplessly, he screamed as his chest suddenly bursted
opened. Out of the gaping wound emerged a single starseed, glowing with
the symbol of destruction and rebirth.
"Saturn!" gasped Sailor Pluto as the starseed twirled quickly,
causing Sailor Saturn to appear with her Glaive in her hand.
Sailor Saturn bowed towards Sailor Cosmo Eos. "I am the senshi of
destruction, Sailor Saturn."
"Well met, Sailor Saturn." replied Sailor Cosmo Eos calmly. She
knew what she had to do next....She snapped her fingers and two crystals
appeared hovering over Endymion's and Serenity's bodies.
"What!...what are you doing?" exclaimed Sailor Pluto. SUddenly, her
Garnet Orb started to glow and the Mirror and Sword emerged, glowing with
the symbols of uranus and Neptune. Pluto's headband vanished and her symbol
appeared glowing also on her forehead.
"We are the Outer Guardians, the wary watchers of our Kingdom. Now we
call opoun our true strenght of the talismans and the Glaive!" yelled
Sailor Saturn as her fuku started to glow with the Talismans, flowingly
changing into a violet fuku with embroided gold designs on the collar and
belt. Her symbol shifted slightly and arched even more as it slowly thinned.
Soon, it appeared glowing even more brighter than before, seeming more intricate
than what it used to be...
Pluto stared in amazement. Now, even Serenity's crystal was twirling at
an amazing speedand expanding. Slowly, another familiar form appeared.
"Your Majesty!" gaped Pluto as she stared fully into Neo Queen Serenity's
peaceful yet determined face.
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"Shadow King, you've created too much heartbreak...now, you are going to
pay for your evil deeds." proclaimed Serenity as they watched the Shadow King
straighten himself, his left hand pressing against the wound in his chest.
"You must pay...you've brought too many sadness onto many generations."
Sailor Cosmo Eos' fuku also elongated and changed into a pale lavender gown
with a similar pair of wings on her back. In her hand, she remain clutching her
staff. "Now, without the Crystal of the Saturn Princess, your powers aren't
what they used to be.."
"Hmph!" snorted the Shadow King. "Did you think I swallowed the Saturn
Crystal just to increase my powers?! What a fool you are." Crackling black
energy started to crackled around him.
"No...he only wanted to use my crystal to destroy the one called Zakros."
murmured Sailor Saturn. The Cosmo Queen gave a slight start.
"Then..he's dead?"
Sailor Saturn nodded. "Soon, he will be, he can't survive much longer."
"Zakros..." Adelaide sighed as her tears started to fall.
Without warning, Adelaide suddenly released her attack towards the Shadow
King. He quickly retaliated by blasting a stream of black energy back. Adelaide
nearly stumbled as she strained to maintain her power.
"Royal Moon Benediction!" Neo Queen Serenity joined her.
Sailor Saturn motioned Pluto to wait as she too joined her powers with the
two Queens. ""
But yet the Shadow King's output of Black energy showed no signs of abating.
He pressed on, laughing maniacally as the three senshi stumbled back. But he hadn't
noticed Sailor Pluto, who was busy chanting.
"Uranus, Neptune....joined your powers with mine and aid our friends and
Queen. Summon the one called Zakros and battle the Shadow King!" At her command,
a blast of purple energy emitted from her Orb and was reflected by the floating
Mirror. As the symbol of Neptune glowed even more brighter, the energy took the
shape of the man named Zakros. He stood up and outstretched his hand. Then the Sword
landed into his hand, the symbol of Uranus glowing with a renewed vigour. Zakros
tightened his grip as his body began to solidify.
This passed unnoticed by the other battling people. Beads of sweat was apparent
on the saturn, Serenity and Adelaide. The Shadow King meanwhile had shape-shifted
into a scaly demon. His red eyes sprouted fire as he slowly pushed the senshi back.
A sharp pain made the shadow King screamed and stumble forwards. At the sudden
interuption, the other three senshi too stumbled and stared in amazement.
Zakros grimly raised uranus's sword and hacked at the Shadow King, who quickly
scuttled sideways. "it's no use running....that was my body..and it will still obey
me...TO ME!!" commanded Zakros as the Shadow King's body hesistatingly took a few
steps forward.
"EEEEeeeeearrgh!" howled the Shadow King as he blasted Zakros. But Zakros only
deflected it with the Sword. He sprang forward and slashed at the Shadow King's
unprotected neck. A gush of blood sprang forth and Zakros stumbled, pushed by the Shadow
King. The Shadow King clawed at his cut throat, frantically trying to stop the flowing
blood.
"Now!" Adelaide raised her staff and interlocked with Sailor Saturn and Neo Queen
Serenity. Their powers combined and created a huge swirling ball of white energy. It
flashed forward and engulfed the Shadow King, who screamed out in agony. Then it exploded,
bursting into a white light.....
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Adelaide stirred as a familiar touch soothed her face. Opening her eyes, she
gazed into Zakros' blue eyes. Wordlessly, she fell into his embrace and hugged him
tightly.
"Hush...my love, I know.." Zakros wiped away her tears and kissed her dust
streakened face. "but what is done cannot be undone....I must go....but always
remember...I love you." He hugged her tightly one more time and raise his head
towards Sailor Pluto.
"Thank you, Sailor senshi. Now, it's time."
Sailor Pluto nodded as she stopped her tranfuse of energy. The other two
Talismans stopped glowing and clunked to the weathered floor. Zakros began to
shimmered.
"Zakros..." whispered Adelaide as her hand went through his now-transparent
body. "I love you...goodbye..."
He mouthed a silent farewell as he finally vanished into nothingness.
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Sailor Pluto wearily watched Adelaide stare out the window. They had returned
home with only Saturn, Serenity and Endymion. Though the city still bustled outside,
they had lost too many comrades.
"Than..the future has changed...." Pluto gaze at a sleeping Serenity. "At the age
of 22, Usagi Tsukino supposedly ascended her throne, became the Queen of Crystal Tokyo,
surrounded by her loyal Inner guardians. 3 years later, the First moon Princess was born
and given the name Small Lady....it won't happen now..."
Adelaide only shook her head and remain gazing thoughtfully out the window.
Saturn shifted at the long silence and resolutely switched on the radio. The music
blared out, jarring Pluto. She frowned slightly at an engrossed Saturn but did not comment.
It all happened so quickly, one moment they were sitting sedately in the living
room; the next, they had all fallen onto the ground. A huge rumbling roar was heard
as the whole building vibrated.
"EARTHQUAKE!" yelled Pluto as she flung herself over an unprotected Serenity.
Adelaide crawled towards them and quickly erected a force field.Saturn also
scampered in, still clutching at the radio.
They blasted their way out into the open air and stared in shock at the scene
before them. The people were screaming as they tried to escape from the destruction
around them. Floating above the street, Saturn stared in shock at the broken streets
and destructed houses. Then the ground broke apart, yawning to reveal a huge chasm.
Those who were unlucky, fell screaming to their doom.
"We've got to save them!" yelled Pluto.
Just then. "We interrupt to report an emergency. All residents please evacuate
the city. Do not enter any tall buildings.." the radio blared out.
"Repeat...this is an emergency. Mt Fuji had exploded...repeat..emergency!"
Mount Fuji!! Pluto gave a startled gasp.
Rapidly, the sky started to blacken. The dust began to settle everywhere, resembling
snow as they covered everything. The earth still vibrated sending buildings crashing down
on top of cars, peoples and houses.
"Pluto! Stop this...this.." cried Saturn.
But Pluto shook her head bleakly. "This is a natural disaster, Saturn, I can't
interfere." She leaned against the wall of the floating bubble they were in.
"But..but..."
"There's nothing I can do, saturn." said Pluto abruptly.
"Then....Crystal Tokyo will never exist!" Saturn jumped as the ground below gave
another groaning roar. "Look! the whole ground is breaking apart!"
The ground groaned as it fissured apart to reveal another reddish glowing lava.
Fumes sprouted out and an acrid burning smell began to permeate the air. Those on the
ground scurried like frightened mice, screaming and yelling in the chaos and distruction.
"Your Majesty, please wake up." begged Saturn as she shook a still-unconcious
Serenity. She gaze in despair at the now-blackened earth below her.
Adelaide only watched the out of the corners of her eyes. For now, she remained
mesmerized by the hidden fire the broken ground had reveal. It brought back memories
of a similar destruction...her Elites...her people....She had failed them then, but
now she had the key to her power and at least could....
"Not only Tokyo, probably the whole of Japan is affected too..." Adelaide murmured
as another high-rise building crumbled to the ground, crushing the few people who were
sheltered below it. The ground groaned another time as the liquidify lava sprouted out,
burning and melting anything in their part. Those that were slow screamed as they were
scalded to death.
"Adelaide..." Pluto turned away, sickened by the death below her. "Let's...get away
from here..."
Adelaide nodded, a mysterious sad smile gracing her lips as the bubble they were in
floated away from the chaos.
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They had floated for what seemed like eons and had began to feel the sickening feeling
of despair. The ground beneath them grew blacker and more charred, there were no signs of
any survivor. The once blue sky was now greyish as dust particles continued falling onto
the lifeless ground. The sun now appeared a dull red spot in the grey sky. It's rays failing
to bring much light on the destructed land.
"We're here."
The two senshi stirred at Adelaide's calm voice and stared at the ground below them.
"Adelaide! We're..we're..." Saturn stuttered as she stared at the boiling lava below
her. They were in a cauldron-like boiling pit of lava.
"We're inside Mount Fuji." replied Adelaide calmly.
"Adelaide...are you out of your mind?!" exclaimed Sailor Pluto.
"No..I'm not. But there is a chance we might save what else that remain of Tokyo."
"What do you mean?"
"Pluto, for now, I need you to take Serenity and Endymion to a safe dimension."
"Whate-"
"Just do it...Saturn and I are going to do something."
Pluto stared at Adelaide a few seconds before she nodded. She still trusted the
dark-haired girl. "Very well...Time Door!" a silver ornate door appeared and Adelaide
quickly transported Serenity, ENdymion and Pluto on its steps. Pluto gave Saturn a
silent nod as the doors slammed shut. Adelaide turned to the remaining senshi beside her.
"Now, Saturn, I need your help...." (
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