Oh, yeah. Some more useless advice. If you find a lantern, be nice to it. With any luck, you might find a friendly dungeon master inside.

This is a non-profit fanfic! No suing beyond this point! Have a lovely day everybody! And email me if you have a free moment…don’t be a stranger now!

______________________________________________________________________ ________________

"I hate this," whispered Sailor Moon, and Kunzite chuckled quietly to himself. "Hey, bleach boy! What are you laughing at?!" demanded the leader of the Sailor Senshi.

"Myself," he replied, quite truthfully. "I just can’t believe I was killed by such a whiner…"

"Knock it off you two," broke in Nephrite, sounding quite good-natured for his separation from Naru. "Leave the petty bickering to me and Zoi, huh?"

Kunzite lowered his head, and Nephrite regretted ever mentioning him/her/it. "Sorry, Kunzite."

He just continued to look at the ground. "I…it’s okay. I should learn to accept…"

"Shoosh!" snapped Venus and Jadeite, who were at Leucite’s side. He seemed to have elected himself leader in the absence of Celestine, but no one was objecting. He was studying the end of the corridor intently, and he turned to the others, a horribly evil grin on his face, at odds with his beaming eyes.

"Those two are so pathetic," he chortled, looking like he was going to lose control. "The queens have been out of the glass for awhile now, yet they have never really tried to start things again, get the Dark Kingdom into any kind of order."

"So let’s kick ‘em when they’re down!" cried Jupiter, cracking her knuckles.

Leucite abruptly sobered. "If you want to commit suicide, be my guest. As confused and disoriented as Beryl is, Metallia is fine. Just…incarcerated, so to speak."

"In that chamber?" spoke up Kunzite, and the other two kings shuddered at the mental picture his words invoked. They, too, could remember Metallia’s chamber.

"I don’t think so," he said, acting like Mars, putting his hands on the wall and closing his eyes.

"What are you doing?" asked Mercury, looking at her computer, but not actually touching it.

"Don’t bug him," whispered Jadeite, pulling Venus closer to him, she wrapping an arm around his waist. "He’s asking the Dark Kingdom itself what is going on," put in Nephrite, looking lost. There was no Naru for him to cling to, draw small comfort from. It was Jupiter who put an arm around him, and smiled gently, squeezing his shoulder. He looked at her as if she were an apparition, then shook his head. "The stars are similar – you know how I talk to the stars? Well, the Dark Kingdom itself is alive, it listens to everything, and if you know what you’re doing, it might occasionally tell you things. Have you ever heard voices on the wind? Like it was trying to tell you something?"

Sailor Moon looked a little confused. "Yeah…"

"That was the earth trying to communicate with you – but you’re a child of the moon, it can’t have worked. All Leucite is doing right now is asking the Dark Kingdom what has happened within its perimeter. Leucite is not of this place, but is of such a spiritual level that he can speak to the essence of the Dark Kingdom."

"It doesn’t mean it’s going to give me a straight answer, though," replied Leucite, standing up. He suddenly appeared very lethargic, without energy. Without warning, his eyes scrolled backward into his head, and he collapsed.

______________________________________________________________________ ________________

Celestine smiled at the girl as she walked around slowly, as if in a daze. The temple was as she had last seen it, as her father had died at the hands of Queen Beryl. Her mother’s lifeless body had lain at his feet, and her blood had stained his kingly robes…and though his face had been wracked with lines of great sorrow, his eyes had been proud, unyielding in his faith in Breccia. And even as Beryl tore the man to pieces, his aura had been bright…as it moved to his eldest daughter, his eldest child. She had stood alone amongst the youma warriors, not one of Beryl’s Kings at the time, namely Kunzite, Morganite, Nephrite and Jadeite, had been present. They were unnecessary at this battle.

Nemesis had been a peaceful land – of mythology, legend, storytellers, dreamers. They were easily vanquished, though the power lived on in one child who was not killed. But the dreams were shattered…

"Poor little princess," murmured Celestine, touching the girl who knelt before the ground where her father had fallen. Phenakite jumped at the touch, and turned pained eyes to the woman who held the power of her heritage.

"They’re dead…but I can feel them. It’s not like before…I used to come here, after I was a part of Beryl’s court…but it was empty. Not now…"

"When you broke the glass, child, you released them. Breccia has held them away from becoming mortal, for they have no leader to guide them. You must take up that leadership, child."

"How can I?" she whispered, looking at her hands. "I am unclean, unworthy…my parents should be the ones to do it."

"Your parents’ spirits are beyond even the hold of Breccia, child. You know it." She smiled, and said, "Look up there."

She extended her staff towards the silent sky, with the ethereal, peaceful stars.

"No way," said Phenakite, eyes suddenly full to the brim with laughter. "Please, no lions in the sky, declaring that I am the one true king!"

Celestine laughed out loud. "Do I look like a monkey to you? Asante sana, squash banana…"

Phenakite laughed, and looked up. The stars looked down on her, without judgement, without a condemning eye. She fell into a dreaming silence.

"The great kings of the past are up there – it’s true, and I ain’t talking about lions, girl, don’t get me wrong. But your parents were of spirit that doesn’t stay on the mortal plane, doesn’t get reincarnated. Only once do spirits like this descend to this world, then they take their place in the sky. They go home." She took the girl’s hand, and smiled gently. "Just as you will, princess."

The light passed from Celestine to the girl, who began to glow with an ethereal light, her tiny form outlined in golden light. She pulled a hand up to her face, and looked at it in wonder as she twisted it around. "What…what’s happening to me?"

"You were supposed to be the bearer of Angelikarma. Remember, you almost killed Zoisite over it? You wanted it so badly, but you could not have it then. But now that you are willing to let the dark half vanish, I can give it to you."

She held the golden staff between her slender hands, and spoke two words gently, but it was all that was necessary.

"Breccia Quintessence," she murmured, and it exploded into light, and she passed the staff to the shaking girl. Instantly, she was transformed into a fiery mass, and Celestine blocked her eyes.

When she reopened them, only a pile of ashes remained of the former princess of Nemesis.

______________________________________________________________________ ________________

"Leucite?" cried Nepheline, dropping to his side. Only Kunzite appeared unwavered by his collapse, and he explained quickly.

"Puck is a being of tremendous power, at least he was, and he has lost a great deal of this power because he was punished by being stripped of it. Celestine, through her connection with the Omni-zone, has been able to give him some back. Only a fraction – and he forgets this. He uses more power than he has, and dips into his life force to do it. It ’s not going to hurt him, unless he goes overboard with it."

Indeed, the man was slowly sitting up once more, a sly smile on his face. "Kids – don’t try this, whether at home or in another dimension! Oi, that hurts! Would anyone object to me taking a quick nap?"

"I want one too!" cried Sailor Moon, and Leucite smiled.

"Well, now that our Moon princess has made the idea respectable with her agreement, let’s have a slumber party!"

Kunzite rolled his eyes. "It didn’t take you long to get back to normal, Leucite, buddy."

"What can I say, I’m just brilliant."

"Are we going to do anything or not?" asked Nephrite, looking impatient. Jupiter was once again hanging off his arm. Jadeite and Venus added their agreements simultaneously.

"Okay, okay," grumbled Leucite, climbing to his feet, rearranging his white cloak. "Did anyone bring the Drive? I can’t go into battle with an off-white cloak!"

Kunzite rolled his eyes – again. "Leucite…"

A playful twinkle entered the young man’s eyes. "No, I know…could I borrow your bleach, dude?"

Nephrite burst into laughter at the venomous look the eldest king gave the child of Oberon, and he finally saw the funny side and started laughing, too.

"Quit the bickering, what about Beryl?" asked Luna, concerned. Venus looked at them in surprise, she hadn’t realised the cats had joined them.

"Luna, Artemis, this isn’t really your concern, is it? Well, it is, but you’re only two cats. What can you do to help us?"

"I appreciate your honesty," replied Artemis dryly, but he could see her point. Guardians of the Senshi they may have been, but in these forms, they were useless.

"We’ll go back to Mamoru, Naru and Zoisite." Luna’s voice was decisive, but her eyes were worried. She stepped lightly over to Sailor Moon, who knelt to face the cat. "Princess Selene, please…forgive my desertion in your hour of need…but I cannot help you." The cat was almost in tears, if such a thing was possible for a feline.

Sailor Moon pulled the cat into her arms, and held her tightly, before letting her down. On her face were no tears, only a smile. "Luna, it’ ll be okay. Miss H gave me a detention for Monday afternoon, remember? I’ll be there, like I always am. And I have to hear Mamo-chan call me odango atama again…I’ll get through this, I have to. Besides, Queen Serenity is watching over me. I’ll be fine, Luna, my heart. I have to be, don’t I? Things have to work out sometimes…don’t they?"

Luna nodded mutely, to heartsick to speak. Wordlessly, Luna and Artemis left the group, Venus pale and shocked.

"We’ll have to split up," said Leucite, looking up from his quiet conference with Jupiter, Kunzite, Nephrite and Jadeite. "The throne room is filled with youma – all reincarnated – and Beryl will be on her throne, as per usual. As for Metallia…" He shook his head in bewilderment. "I can sense her presence, but I can’t pinpoint it. And don’t even try to use your computer, Mercury. It won’t work."

"Why are we splitting up?" asked Venus, looking worried. "I can’t see why we should have to."

"Two groups are more of a surprise than one – one comes from the left, the other from the right. We’re going through the side, upper entrances. Not the front door, unless of course, you want to tangle with a few thousand youma."

"Count me out!" called Sailor Moon cheerfully, playing with her moon-shaped locket, her connection to the ginzuishou. When they needed it.

"Isn’t all this rather convenient?" asked Mars, suspicion rampant in her words. "A little too easy, if you ask me."

"Don’t hold your breath," said Kunzite dryly, looking at the other two kings. "Those entrances are not exactly easy to get through."

"How are we splitting up?" asked Mercury, intrigued. The kings, Leucite and Jupiter looked at one another uneasily.

"We thought of going as the two groups – the Sailor Senshi, and Breccia’s Trust."

"I’m not leaving Jadeite!" squawked Venus, and the others sighed.

"But there’s that, and one other thing – to get through the entrances, we need a member of the Dark Kingdom on each side. To guide you through, so to speak. So…"

"There are ten of us – five each side, but let’s keep Leucite and Sailor Moon separate, hmm?"

That was Mercury’s input, and Venus wrinkled her brow. "Why?"

"I would say that the both of them are the most powerful amongst us, even though Leucite has lost a good deal of his power. But it’ll be okay."

"Right," said Leucite, taking command. "Kunzite, you can go with Sailor Moon’s lot, because you know the most about the entrances. Jadeite and I will muddle through, I guess. Nephrite should come with me, too. All together, we should be okay. And if Jadeite’s coming with me, I guess Venus is too. One more?"

"Me," said Jupiter, winking at Nephrite. He blushed oh so slightly.

That left Sailor Moon with Kunzite, Nepheline, Mars and Mercury. Kunzite immediately stepped toward the girl, and pulled them into a group. "We’re going to warp," he said quietly, and he looked at Leucite. "Do you really believe this stealth spell of yours will prevent us from being noticed?"

"What, don’t you trust me? I borrowed it from Odin when Éowyn and I popped back home for a visit. If it doesn’t work, please, direct your objections to a brick wall, because I have to go."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," muttered Kunzite, but he didn’t appear overly worried.

The two groups warped – one left, one right.

______________________________________________________________________ ________________

Celestine was frozen as she stared at the cremated ashes, but she wasn ’t afraid, or worried. She knew what had happened. The cleansing flame of retribution had done to her what had been needed.

"The legend of the Phoenix," she said softly, and she watched as in the ashes, a spark stirred into bright life.

Like an angel out of time, the white form of a young woman exploded from the flames, and as they died, she stepped forward, a golden staff in her hand. She was dressed in white, but long, golden wings arched behind her, as she smiled at the Grand Inquisitor, now free of the power of Angelikarma.

"Like the legendary Phoenix, rising from its own ashes," whispered Celestine, and the angel-like girl nodded. She had short, dark blonde hair cut in a shaggy style, and warm, deep chocolate eyes.

"Angelikarma cleansed me, set me free," she said softly, looking at the woman who was now dressed in her usual purple dress and black coat, her own staff in hand. "I think it’s time you went back to your duties, Celestine. You have done all you can, it is out of you hands now."

"That’s the way it should be," she sighed, and stood back, opening the warp back to the Omni-zone. "Do you need a hand, getting back to the Dark Kingdom?"

Princess Phoebe Loxeriam of Nemesis shook her head faintly. "Do I look like the sort of entity that needs a hand with a simple gateway, Celestine?"

She laughed out loud. "Forgive me, majesty." She stepped through the warp, and turned before it closed, waving a hand. "Good luck – don’t let the Beryl-bugs bite."

"I have more to worry about than her," she replied softly, and turned her gaze to her staff. "A lot more."

______________________________________________________________________ ________________

"Uh – I hope YOU know where we are, Kunzite," said Sailor Moon, looking around the cavern in shock. It was completely white, and a silver gate sat up ahead. Beyond that, was darkness.

"I lived here, smart ass," snapped Kunzite, and Mars laughed.

"Right on, brother! You tell her where to stick it!"

"Since when am I your brother?" asked Kunzite, surprised. Mercury laughed.

"Since she decided she wanted to be a sista – but forget that. Is that the side entrance?"

"Oh yes. It was created by the architect of this palace as decoration, really, but paranoia forced Beryl to make it a simple trap."

"What kind of trap?"

"A nightmare trap," he said simply. "It takes your heart in its own, and tries to bend your will to its own. It is a shadow…but no sun ever cast it. All you have to do is walk through the gateway without hatred, without any emotion but pure peace…and it will let you past. As you can guess, it was a trap no member of the Dark Kingdom could have any hope of traversing."

"So then…can you, Kunzite? Nepheline?"

"She’ll be fine – she was our token innocent, remember? She knows of our pasts completely because she never forgot. She is the only one of us who has a definite pass. I…I’ll try, I can’t guarantee a thing, but I doubt Leucite would have suggested it unless he honestly believed we could pass."

"Here we go," said Sailor Moon, taking a deep breath, and opening the gate.

"What, no tears, no whining?" Mars seemed impressed.

Sailor Moon just smiled. "I’ll make up for it ten thousand-fold when we get home."

______________________________________________________________________ ________________

Leucite burst onto the scene first, a huge fiery sword lighting into existence as his eyes blazed with green fire. "Oh Beryl?"

The red headed woman looked up, as if at an apparition. Her scarlet eyes narrowed, as she looked upon someone she hadn’t ever expected to see again.

"You slipped the leash, did you, dear Puck? Daddy can’t be too pleased."

"Oberon can’t do a blessed thing to stop me now," he snapped back, moving in front of the Queen. Surprisingly, not one of her guards moved forward from the ranks of youma – they simply stood and watched. "He has no claim here, not even over me. He disowned me, and this power is not from Avalon – it is from the Gatekeeper, from Priestess Celestine Aurora Athene – Wise Angel of the Dawn."

"She can’t help you now, child," she sneered in return, as Nephrite staggered in from the gateway, quickly followed by Jupiter. Neither noticed – they were too immersed in one another. "She gave up Angelikarma, she gave it to that fool princess. And she is not strong enough to wield the fury of the true Nemesis. I can take her mind and twist it around my little finger. She will pay – as I made Breccia pay."

Horrified understanding blossomed across Leucite’s face, his blade faltering. "…Metallia?"

"Who did you expect? Beryl? That weak little worm…Phenakite killed her long ago. For a moment there, I was only a spirit, in that damned chamber, but when Phenakite killed Beryl, out of anger over some idle words about Kunzite, I took the body, healed it, made it my own. I was allowed to do it because she was such a part of me. Beryl is gone, eternally, thank god. I couldn’t put up with her whining for much longer."

Leucite stared, stunned, unarmed. Metallia shifted comfortably in her throne. "I see you know the rules, and my power, Leucite. You cannot kill me, no matter how you try."

The remaining Senshi on Leucite’s side fell through the gate, pulling Jadeite with her. At approximately the same moment, Sailor Moon tumbled through her side, followed closely by Nepheline Syenite. Mercury leapt through, then Mars. Finally, Kunzite pulled through, looking the worst out of all of them. He almost hadn’t survived the leap of faith – the shadows had pulled his greatest pain and hatred from his mind, and he almost paid for it with his life.

Metallia watched, unperturbed. "Ah, so you bring with you the little princess. Commendable, Leucite, but still ultimately useless. She can’ t hurt me, none of you can."

"You want to bet on that?" cried Mars, fire burning at her fingertips.

Leucite raised his hand, but still keep his steely gaze on the preening queen. "Mars, don’t. We can’t afford to anger her any more than necessary - and she is right, you know. We cannot hurt her. We were here for one purpose only, and that was to destroy Beryl. But she is dead already." His shoulders sagged suddenly, and he appeared very remorseful. "I should have known, I should have been able to tell, but…the Dark Kingdom lied to me."

"Well of course it did," replied Metallia, inspecting the polish on her finger nails, sounding bored. "I am its master, you didn’t honestly think it would lie to me, do you? Oh Puck, you’re such an innocent."

"Metallia," breathed Nephrite, eyes dying in his waxy face. "Metallia is in Beryl…"

"And Beryl is gone," completed Metallia easily, tossing her massive hair over her shoulder. "Pity – she was an almost decent slave, until she fell in love with Endymion…lust, actually. Oh well." She stood, and looked at them with pity. "Oh, foolish children, coming to face big bad Metallia without any real power. Silly, really." She smiled as she looked at the youma, still staring blankly ahead without movement. "They aren’t going to be much help," she sighed, and they disappeared in a cloud of white smoke, the frozen forms shattering as they fell. "Phenakite did that – froze the youma, I mean. She’s a real bitch at heart, and awfully impulsive. When she got it into her head to kill Beryl, she also killed the youma by freezing their little life forces…they simply stopped existing. And now that the glass is broken, they are gone forever, just like Beryl. They are in whatever hell they deserve."

"And what about you?" asked Sailor Moon, wondering why she had spoken up. This woman was obviously very powerful, and very pissed off at the group in general, though she seemed very calm on the exterior. "When we kill you, where will you go?"

"I am already dead, little miss moon princess," said Metallia with a crooked smile. "I cannot leave this plane, and I certainly cannot be forced off it. Thus, you can kill this body, but I will find another. I will rebuild the Dark Kingdom, make new youma by harvesting the human population, and I will have my power back. I don’t want to rule the universe, I’m no megalomaniac. All I want is my kingdom, and my people, and to be rid of him. And that bitchy little princess, Phoebe."

She was pointing at Leucite, and he lowered his head, so very tired of all the fighting. "Where is Celestine, Metallia?"

"At the entrance to the Omni-zone. And Phenakite cannot wield the power she gave her. She is too unpure, too dark for it now. I am victorious." She smiled triumphantly, then said in a voice dripping with sarcasm, "Sorry."

Leucite seemed to reach a snap decision in his mind. "If you only want me, I will stay, and you can do to me what you will. Just let these others go – and don’t ever try to destroy them again. I will come to you if you let them be. They can drink of Lethe’s waters, and they will be no threat to you."

"Leucite? No!" Venus cried out, but Jadeite hushed her, eyes wide.

"Nice try," sighed Metallia, and she looked at him with false sympathy. "But you don’t suit the knight in shining armour model." She stood, and looked down on his from the dais. "I’m going to kill you now," she said, no emotion in her words. "Say ‘hi’ to Beryl for me."

"Take one step closer, and I’ll fry you, bitch," came a steady voice, the profanity at odds with the cultured tones. Metallia looked up, not really surprised to see Princess Selene, holding the ginzuishou in the moon wand that every one had believed was lost for eternity. "You have no right."

"And you have none either, little princess," snapped Metallia, but she ceased building the energy she was about to release on the man who was actually a changeling. She stepped down from the dais, and stood one foot away from the girl, who stood proud, looking her in the eyes. The others automatically stepped away, hating themselves for abandoning the princess, but they could do nothing else.

"Selene, Selene, Selene…it is over, you are nothing in the face of my power. Just go back to your little fallen kingdom, sob among the ruins, be a wandering wraith like your beloved mother. Just get the fuck out of my face, if you want to live."

"Do you want to challenge the ginzuishou? For that is what you are doing, when you challenge me. I am a part of it, and it is a part of me. Do you want to find out what oblivion is, demon?"

Kunzite stepped forward, eyes flashing fire. "We will not let you kill us, Metallia." He put a hand on Selene’s over the ginzuishou…and to the shock of the others, it did not burn him, or harm him. "You see?" he asked sadly. "My purity has returned…I am free of all the evil you distilled in me. And I owe you for all that you and Beryl took from me. I feel kind of sorry for Beryl…she was once a real person, a good person, until you got bored. You made her truly evil, in and out, but we were stronger than her. We will not go quietly – you want to kill us, you’re going to have to sacrifice a lot more than the tidiness of your hair."

The group assembled with Kunzite and Sailor Moon, and each put a hand on the ginzuishou, their young and old faces serious. Leucite looked at her with pained eyes.

"You tried to ruin me, Metallia, and you did succeed – you took her away from me. But these children are right. I will not sacrifice myself. We will unite, and united we shall stand."

"Then united you shall fall," said Metallia, and she pulled up her energy, looking almost regretful. "You would have made excellent members of my new kingdom, but…"

"There are no buts this time, Metallia. No excuses."

The voice made every one look up in shock. An apparition of gold and white strode angrily from a warp hole, the staff in her hand glowing with ethereal strength. Metallia faltered, and fell back, away from the group. She cowered against her throne. "No, Phenakite…you’re dead."

"Yeah – it’s a bitch, huh." She looked similar to the way Celestine had, older, wiser, sweeter. But she was pissed. "Phenakite is dead, and that’s the best news I’ve heard in a long time. But Phoebe Loxeriam is back, and I do believe it’s time for a little payback." She raised her staff, but she lowered it again, closing her eyes. "Anger clouds my judgement…I must…set aside my own hatred. The whole…the people."

Metallia sighed, and looked at her hand, a mirror appearing in her hand. She stared at the reflection – Beryl’s face – and said, "This is all YOUR fault, you know." Then she smashed it on the arm of the chair, and stood up. "I’m not going to leave quietly, you little bitch."

Phoebe sighed, her power growing. "I don’t expect you to."

She reached out a hand, ready to rip Jupiter’s head off with strong fingers. A blast from the ginzuishou caused her to draw back with a cry. The group was protected in the pure glow of the moon crystal.

"It’s over, Metallia. You know in your soul that you have wronged – and you must go back into the clock."

She held out a tiny stopwatch, a gold timepiece on a chain of the same. She opened with a thought, and Metallia could see the time.

It was almost midnight.

"Are you ready?" asked Phoebe, and without waiting for an answer, she erupted into a vision of light, only her staff remaining visible, as the voice of a woman rang out.

"It’s over, Metallia – my daughter of my power, avatar of Angelikarma, has come for you. Time is never time at all – and you were never meant to be, at least not in this dimension. Go back into your clock, Metallia."

The clock struck one.

"Metallia, you have a choice."

Two.

"Stay here…"

Three.

"And be destroyed by the princess…"

Four.

"And her comrades…"

Five.

"Or return."

Six.

"Come home to yourself."

Seven.

"Back where you belong."

Eight.

"You have the choice Metallia."

Nine.

"Face what you have done…"

Ten.

"And be given absolution."

Eleven.

The voice faded, and only the princess remained. She smiled, and looked at the frozen queen in amusement, and the light engulfed her, wrapping around her easily, the power leaving Phoebe’s body, the staff vanishing. The white light trapped her, dissolving the body, leaving only her naked essence. With a sigh, the essence was drawn into the timepiece Phoebe held in her hand. As the clock struck twelve, Phoebe snapped it closed, the light fading. She turned to the group, eyes bright.

Still holding onto the ginzuishou, they stared at her, mouths wide.

Phoebe swung the watch from her finger easily, dressed in a long green dress, wearing a gold circlet around her head.

"Time’s up."

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