She was weightless, floating on a cushion of air in some strange place. Around her, subtle colored lights hovered like familiar stars in the city haze. She could sense them as clearly as she had seen her friends congregated in formulation only seconds ago, and knew they belonged to her sister Senshi. A silver light burned brighter than all the rest, the powerful warmth of her princess filling her soul.
"We have been brought here to make a decision, and I knew I couldn’t make it for you," Usagi announced, her voice echoing all around her. "Open your eyes, my friends, and see what awaits you, Ami-chan..."
With a simple blink of an eye, Ami felt the ground firm beneath her feet once more, but the scenery had indeed changed. The Moon Palace stood tall and erect before her, shining over the white city with love. She hadn’t forgotten the ruined landscape of the moon, but this endless splendor amazed her. What astounded the water Senshi most at this moment however was the figure standing in front of her.
"Hello, Ami." The ancient princess of Mercury she had once been smiled.
"How is this possible?" Ami asked.
"Many things are possible here, you should know that. This is simply a catalyst in time, two eras coming together for a single purpose -- to evolve once more. But we know change does not happen spontaneously. Something usually sets it in motion, and you are the one to do that now. In you are all the answers you seek concerning your past, and the strength to realize your future."
"Strength…? I am not strong," Ami protested, shaking her head.
"Yes, you are, Ami. Let me show you."
+++
"Rei-chan..."
The beautiful fire senshi opened her eyes to find her own fiery orbs staring right back at her. She jumped slightly, overwhelmed by the incredible sight of the Senshi-princess she had once been. "Long ago, we -- you and I – were priestesses of fire, too. The flames of Mars burned strongest than any throughout the system, allowing us alone to tame its glory, its power -- even now it still lies within, waiting for you to accept its gift and become who we were meant to be. The road before you is a long one. Even you know that. But at last, we have the ability to face it together."
As the wind moaned softly, Rei paused. "How…?"
+++
"Mako-chan..."
"Do you want the strength to defend your friends?"
"Who are you?" Makoto opened her eyes and gasped, finding her former self like all the others. "What is this?"
"You have long run away from life, Makoto, striking like lightning, landing randomly wherever you could. Now is the time to stand strong, time to embrace your destiny. I will give you the power you seek."
"How…?" Makoto asked, skeptical. "You were Super Sailor Jupiter, as am I, but you failed to defeat a foe we destroyed in our first evolution."
"You know not of what you speak." The figure opposite shook slightly. "We were stronger than you could ever imagine. Let me show you."
+++
"Minako-chan..."
She felt the wind on her face long before her eyes had adjusted to this silvery world. She wasn't very surprised this was the place where Usagi’s plans would unfold, but the woman facing her was something she hadn't expected. The golden chain of Venus dangled lightly in her doppelganger’s gloved hands, a small smile tugging at shining lips.
"Hello, Minako."
"What am I doing here? Where is Usagi?"
"I always thought it ironic that I was the Senshi of metal, of hardness," her duplicate sighed, the chain in her hand now twirling. "We were unstoppable, however. Our love seeped through, grafting our power to something more, something alive. You are a brave soldier whose put her duty before everything else. I can show you a time when it was not always so. But know, as with our power, the light is mixed with dark."
She looked at herself, the eyes of a powerful warrior filled with something she could not, and wished not, to identify.
+++
"Haruka-san, Michiru-san..."
The sun shown upon the two long forgotten but never far warriors, and at first, Uranus’ eyes focused on the two sets of gloved hands before her. The green backdrop brought out their fine white encasements, the slim fingers entwined beneath hundreds of years of duty. The pair from the past smiled at the confusion etched upon the faces of their bewildered counterparts.
"What's going on?" Haruka asked.
The green-haired Senshi simply returned her gaze and chuckled. "Still so brash."
"Our parents loathed the fact we cared for each other so much. They tried to separate us, but our calling was what had brought us together, kept us together. Queen Serenity made sure we were assigned posts together as well, especially evening ones." Haruka and Michiru blushed slightly at the princess of Uranus’ words.
"We're here to help you evolve one last time. And we're here also to offer you a chance to reclaim a lost part of yourselves. But the choice is yours, as we are purely remnants of what you used to be," Neptune said.
Haruka sighed. "So, if we accept your offer, what will happen to what we are now?"
+++
"Hotaru-chan..."
The presence of Saturn had always been with her, taking hold when the battles seemed hopeless. She was always there in the background, whispering into Hotaru’s growing mind, guiding her fingers around the glaive. She held a frightening power for one so young, after all. Seeing this form, however, was something completely different.
"Saturn." The girl seemed only a few years older, but something very ancient was present in her eyes, betraying her true age.
"You've had a hard life, Hotaru. It was not always so. I have not told you about your previous life yet, simply because you have not allowed me. Something is moving now, an ancient power far older than our existence, and I cannot protect you against it alone. As we had chosen so long ago to grasp this weapon, we must now choose to grab hold of our future. Will you let me show you?"
+++
"Setsuna-san..."
She had watched from afar as one by one the Senshi’s essences flickered away. They left this limbo of light and transported another plane of time and space until only three remained. The prince and princess' lights danced closely together, but she shied away from their presence. She was not of their light; she could never be.
Eventually, she watched as the prince and princess disappeared, leaving her alone in this ancient place. They were going to be reunited with their pasts, their destinies, but it would not be the same with her. Time and life cycled differently for her. She had no destiny to face, no ancient vow to accept, for it had always been inside her.
She remembered everything, for she existed out of time and space. She was the very same Pluto she had been millennia ago, and the same Pluto millennia into the future. She alone held the weight of the truth for this long. A part of her wished they would never know, but she was selfishly thankful the others would hopefully remember soon. She had but to wait just a bit more, wait for their answers, and for the Silver Crystal to set her free…
Soon.
+++
"Mamo-chan..."
As soon as the light disappeared, he stood at the ready, quickly glancing around for the one he was destined to protect and love. The white mask could not hold his surprise at whom he found, however. Their capes danced in the wind like branches on a mighty tree. The man’s armor gleamed into Mamoru’s eyes, but he dared not look away. Something in those blue eyes commanded his attention, even if they were his own.
"Greetings, Mamoru," Prince Endymion said.
"What is this? Where is Usako?"
The prince held up a patient hand. "She is safe. For now."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Mamoru held his cane firmly.
Prince Endymion only smiled and chuckled quietly. "You cannot even trust yourself where she is concerned. I don't blame you, but we are here for her benefit, even if she believes it is for ours," he laughed once more. "She's always wanted the best for us."
"What's going on…?"
"I know what lies within your mind. You are unsure if you will have the strength to protect her. You do, Mamoru. You have many powers lying dormant inside you, just waiting for you to unlock their mysteries. The truth is; you have strength, stronger than those around her."
"Then why did all this happen? Why weren't you able to protect her before?" The prince's eyes faltered and he drew them towards the flowers at their feet. Mamoru followed his gaze, and for a moment, it seemed he could hear the flowers speaking, the whisperings of different voices flowing together in a forgotten song. "The power we discovered was much too great, and we could not control it. But you know more about it than I did, Mamoru. Together we can control it; together we will have the strength to protect what we love most. You will no longer be a helpless shadow. Will you accept your ultimate power, and become the king you were meant to be?"
+++
Eternal Sailor Moon, as if she were molten light, again withdrew from the brilliance. She sighed unconsciously at the beautiful landscape all around her. In this new dawn of frightening possibilities, this place managed to bring peace to her trembling heart. Glancing around, she found herself alone within her kingdom. She saw the flowers at her feet, but she knew they were nothing but an illusion. This world remained silent and kept alive within her mind, like a well cared for painting is stored to accumulate value.
She felt a forceful wind tug at her wings, and a rainbow of colors swarmed around her, pulling at her long hair. They settled on each side of her body in rows, exploding like fireworks as they touched the soft ground. The result was not shadows of smoke, but her beloved friends in the flesh once more.
"Usako," Tuxedo Kamen sighed, relieved.
"Usagi-chan, are you all right?" Venus asked.
"Yes, I'm fine."
"You're Eternal Sailor Moon again," Mercury commented.
"Yes, I'm not sure how, but this is what happened last time , too."
"Did you guys, um-"
"Meet with our past selves? Yes," Mars finished Venus' question.
"So, what's going on, Sailor Moon?" Uranus asked a second time.
"Destiny has brought you all here," a wispy voice answered. The wind picked up again, and before each Senshi their former selves materialized, clothed in long flowing gowns. Sailor Pluto stood alone, however. She stared into the blank space with eyes of stone. Lastly, the forms of Endymion and Serenity re-appeared, their hands clasped. "There are roads ahead that will lead you to many dead ends, if you are not prepared," Serenity continued. "Within us lie some of the answers you seek, the strength you will need to face what is to come. This night is the start of a new journey."
"Crystal Tokyo..." Jupiter breathed.
"Yes," Serenity nodded. "I know this is an enormous decision to face-"
"What happens if we say no…?" Mercury questioned, surprising them all. She turned to the others sheepishly, a blush rising to her cheeks. "Sorry, but I know it's on everyone's mind."
"We possess the powers of your complete and final forms. If you choose not to accept, then you have the choice of continuing with your current abilities, or let them fade. The power will never completely leave you, as your crystals are bonded to your star seeds until the day you pass, but you will never reach your full potential."
"It is essentially this—we are missing pieces to the puzzle ahead, a part of you that should not be forgotten. With us, you have a better chance of facing what is to come," Prince Endymion continued and stared at Tuxedo Kamen. "And to protect those whom you love."
"What does it matter what we say?" Neptune interrupted.
Uranus nodded. "It is destiny."
"No, it is choice. Destiny chose us. Destiny gave us our ancient powers. But it was always up to us to decide what to do with it; it was our choice to continue on the path of a soldier. Now, on the dawn of a new era, Destiny is calling out to us again, and we must make our decision," the mysterious Pluto responded, gently letting her Time Staff rest on the grassy ground.
"Pluto is right. You must choose to accept your ultimate destiny, or choose not to. This is the beginning of your own destiny, not ours. Our time will end and we will become a part of you, the way it should have been long ago," Serenity said.
They fell quiet then, staring into the eyes of their past selves, shifting under the weight of Destiny itself. They could feel the heartbeats of the girls they used to be banging upon their ribcages. They were being given a chance to be normal, as their former queen meant for it to be. They also had a chance to rectify the evils of this world, to face them with their true power and find peace for all.
Slowly, Venus turned to look at her princess. "Have you decided, Usagi-chan?"
"Yes, I have."
"Well then, that's settled," Jupiter said confidently.
"What? No, you cannot decide just because of me-"
"Usagi-chan," Mars smiled. "Where you go, we go."
"And it's not only that," Venus cut in. "This is our chance to find the answers we’ve been looking for. If the key to our future lies with reconciling with our past, that's a chance I’m willing to take. She’s right; we’ve been living their destinies. It’s time we lived ours, whatever the consequences."
"Everyone looks for what their life means, some reason to exist. This is what ours means," Mercury said. “And you’ve never let us down before, Usagi-chan. You brought us all together, and together we can do anything.”
"Yes," the others agreed.
Eternal Sailor Moon smiled brightly, the strangled breath finally releasing itself from her lungs. Gradually, she turned to the Outers.
"We have no ties to you like the others," Neptune said. "Our missions were never the same."
"And a part of us always wanted a release from them. We have long hoped a day like this would come," Uranus continued.
Eternal Sailor Moon smiled sadly. "I understand."
"But things have changed." Saturn tightened her grip on the glaive. "I have a feeling if we do not accept, we will never see Crystal Tokyo. And I want to see Chibi-Usa again, more than anything."
"And we have worked too hard to just give up now," Neptune smirked.
"Besides, I told you. We can't leave you alone for very long Koneko-chan," Uranus winked.
Eternal Sailor Moon beamed at her friends, a smile of relief and happiness spreading to her eyes. "And you, Setsuna-san?" she asked.
"I will always be here," Pluto bowed her head.
"Then it is settled," Princess Serenity smiled.
"Yes-"
"Usako…wait." His hand found hers, and she turned to him, surprised.
"Mamo-chan, what's wrong?" Those strong hands that kept her safe and loved found their way to her shoulders, and his blue eyes burned into hers.
"I just…well -- are you sure about this, Usako? What if we change so much that -- it's not like we're really being given a choice here. Usako, I don't know." She smiled with understanding, and calmly gathered his hands in hers. He followed her gaze to the couple standing before them. Prince Endymion's arm had slipped its way about Serenity's waist, bringing her closer to him. Her small hand rested on his in the same way Usako often did.
The ancient monarchs smiled at their future selves brightly, nodding their encouragement. "We won't be lost, I promise. You will always be my Mamo-chan, and I will forever be your Usako. No amount of history can completely replace who we are now. Those names will always bring us back together. Trust this, trust us."
"You're right, Usako. I'm sorry," he shook his head.
She squeezed his hand one last time, and turned back towards their fate. "Are we ready everyone?"
Their firm nods supported her and with courage she stepped forward. Eternal Sailor Moon and Serenity approached one another, and each held out their pale arms. In -between the two women a light began to glow, and quickly the Silver Crystal emerged. "Make your wish, Usagi. Your memories will return to you slowly over the next few weeks, months perhaps, so you are not overwhelmed. Have patience with your new memories, and your new gifts." Eternal Sailor Moon nodded.
"I wish the past to be re-awoken in us, in all of us, so we can be who we were meant to be."
In seconds the Silver Crystal flashed brilliantly. It blinded them once more, and they could feel its endless power wash over them. Like smoke vapors, their ancient forms were pulled off the ground and each circled the crystal, caressing its radiant beams. Once fulfilled they reached out to the senshi, superimposing themselves upon them like translucent veils. The world swirled and resounded with a series of different visions and voices. They gasped as something ancient entered their bodies, filling their veins with a burning power. It had begun.
+++
Thousands of what seemed like shooting stars fell from the glowing moon, landing sporadically all over the Earth. They didn't crash to the ground in smoldering craters, but seemed to dart around with minds of their own, flying with a bright mission in mind.
One found its way to a small apartment where a man slept soundly. Although the day was beginning to rise on this side of the Earth, he seemed far from it.
"Wake up! We're going to be late for work!" A deep voice echoed from outside his bedroom. Through the open window, the sprite entered, hovering close to the man's face. It rested there for a brief moment, seeming to contemplate something as it vibrated with hesitancy. However, its need to complete its mission would not be distracted, and it could not return. Gently it floated towards his forehead and disappeared beneath his skin. The man's blue hair moved from his face, and like a brilliant beacon, a golden crescent moon appeared between his brows.
As if he were electrified, he shot out of bed, a strangled cry coming from his dry throat. His eyes scanned the room nervously, as if seeing it for the first time. He felt his blood burning inside him as memories and feelings ran rampant through his mind. He grabbed the sides of his head to thwart the pressure, and sat there motionless for a few moments to regain his composure. As reality slowly came back into focus, he heard a large thud outside his room, followed by an ancient curse. The door was wrenched open, and with surprise the two of them stared at the markings blazing upon their foreheads.
"But how…?"
+++
Simultaneously, accidents happened all over the globe as shocked people stopped suddenly in their cars. Important telephone conversations were lost as phones crashed to the ground in surprise, splintering into pieces like their swirling minds. Hundreds of games were frozen as spectators watched in awe as silver lights swarmed through the crowds and over the fields. Cries of amazement issued from startled lovers as white light sparkled within their silent rooms.
In the dark of night in Tokyo, four lights found each other, and together entered the open screen door of an empty apartment. They searched until they came upon a small box hidden beneath the bed. As their essences touched the lid, the room exploded in color, before everything became still once more.
+++
When the luminous display finally died away, her white heeled shoes gently touched down upon the Earth. Her long white dress pooled around her feet in an elegant embrace, and the transparent wings of her dress glistened in the dark. The others followed, their powers flowing off them like waves on the sea. They stared at the woman before them, their eyes burning with an ancient fire. Their uniforms had been altered; long flowing ribbons dancing around their layered skirts, and puffy sleeves clasped around the arms. The tiaras that had followed them through so many battles were now gone, replaced by the burning symbols of their heritage. Their evolution was complete.
The Silver Crystal continued to shine as it hung suspended between her graceful hands, but it had changed as well. Its blooming petals had fallen away, and now it existed as it once had; a simple sphere of immense power. It started to flicker erratically, and all at once disappeared back into its owner's heart. Her chest rose and fell quickly, her darkened eyes glancing around at her powerful guardians. The moon was far above, but it shone brilliantly upon her graceful form, reflecting off the golden crown perched upon her head.
For the first time, the world viewed its future, its queen.
++++
Author’s Notes:
Ah, the ever-repugnant Catch 22s, to become normal again, but to have the constant guilt that you could've done something, or to become evolved, and die to the world you once knew. We all must come to grips with our Catch 22's, even the superheroes among us.
As it was sometimes heatedly debated in the discussion board, in the last part of the Manga, the Senshi already have their 'eternal', as it was, forms. It's sort of up in the air on whether or not this really meant that they had evolved, so I took some liberties. Instead of wings, however, I signified their evolution by losing their tiaras and finally becoming rulers of their planets, not just soldiers. In the end, wings, to me, just belong with Usagi.
