SHATTERED CRYSTAL

Birds twittered merrily as they flitted about in the sun-warmed trees, the gentle breeze was colored pink by drifting sakura, and as far as the small knot of picnickers in the park was concerned, all was right with the world.

"More tea, dear?" Ikuko asked, holding a pitcher of iced tea in one hand and her husband's glass in the other.

"Ah...yes, dear, thank you," Kenji replied, adjusting his glasses as he alternated between bites of his bento and glancing up at the young man across from him in consternation. "So, you're studying to be a doctor, you said."

"Well, more a researcher..."

"Mou...stop interrogating Mamoru-san, dear," Ikuko said, smiling. "Would either of you care for some mochi?"

Both men gratefully accepted the sweet treats, and Ikuko moved on to where the girls were sitting, teasing her younger child mercilessly. Shingo, for his part, looked miserable as his sister and her friends busied themselves meddling in his love life (or lack thereof).

"Everything is really good, Obasama," Minako said as the older woman approached.

"Yes, this is an excellent picnic," Ami added.

Ikuko smiled. "Well, Mako-chan helped a lot. You're very talented in the kitchen, Mako-chan."

Makoto smiled. "Well, I do hope to have a restaurant some day."

Usagi offered Luna and Artemis some takoyaki, then leaned back, palms pressed against the ground, and turned her face to the sky, eyes closed, warming herself under the spring sun. "This is so nice," she said as her mother started cleaning up emptied dishes and laying out desserts and fresh drinks on the picnic blanket. "Peace and quiet, nothing to worry about...everything's perfect."

Thunder boomed, and Usagi jumped. "KYAAAAAAAAA!!"

Everyone laughed at Usagi's outburst of panic. Ikuko glanced up at the sky. "That's odd. I don't remember rain in the forecast..."

Less than two minutes later, the picnic was disrupted as everyone scrambled to the small pavilion in the middle of the park for shelter. Fortunately, their group was the only one in the park; the nine of them and the two cats were somewhat cramped under the small but sturdy roof. Outside, heavy rain saturated the ground, punctuated by low rumbles of thunder.

"This storm certainly brewed in a hurry," Makoto commented.

"Very unusual," Ami said.

"Well, this sort of thing is to be expected in Tokyo," Kenji reasoned.

A stiff fog began to roll in, obscuring their view of anything beyond the immediate vicinity. The skyline of Tokyo was washed away by the thick, pinkish-blue mist.

"There's something unnatural about this," Rei said.

Ikuko huddled closer to her husband, while trying to draw her children nearer. "I'm a little worried," she said.

Her husband adjusted his glasses, wiping a bit of water from the thick lenses with a napkin. "It's just a storm, dear," he said with false bravado.

Mamoru caught himself fingering the rose tucked inside his jacket. Something wasn't right here...the part of his mind that instinctively knew when his love was threatened was screaming at him.

The rain and thunder and fog were permeated by a faint sound, an ethereal hum that faded to whisper volume as soon as it was loud enough to be heard. In its stead, the soft thumping of footsteps spoke of someone approaching the pavilion. A flash of lightning illuminated the park briefly, revealing a cloaked figure carrying a covered burden.

"There's someone coming," Ami said.

Minako moved closer to Usagi, and whispered, "I don't like this. Something isn't right."

Usagi nodded.

Rei unconsciously moved to stand almost directly in front of her best friend and future queen. "What are we going to do if we need to fight? We can't transform here..."

The rain and fog began to diminish slightly, and the figure reached the edge of the pavilion. The entire group tensed slightly in anticipation. The cloak worn by the mysterious person still concealed any clues as to gender or identity, but what could be seen—the caked mud and clotted blood staining the fabric—was most unsettling.

The cloaked person laid the bundle gently on the paved surface, and stood for a moment, unmoving. The breeze stirred the tails of the stained garment, and for a moment, Usagi caught a glimpse of a dusty red boot.

"Who-who are you? What do you want from us?" Ikuko asked, clutching onto her husband with a deathgrip.

The figure looked up, and took a step inside the pavilion. A flash of lightning left the entire group with a momentary glimpse of red eyes beneath the hood of the cloak.

The five teenage girls tensed; Kenji was torn between apprehension, fright, and the desire to protect his family. Mamoru was calmly eyeing the stranger, while Shingo was simply confused and unsure.

A hand, covered in a dirt-smeared white glove, reached out toward Usagi. Rei and Minako moved to block the figure, but Usagi took a step forward, and reached out. The stained glove lighted upon Usagi's palm and opened, placing an object in the odango-haired girl's hand.

The five girls stared in shock and confusion at the object as the stranger withdrew the hand. It was a cracked, blackened hunk of greyish crystal. At one time, it might have been beautiful...in fact, Usagi and her friends knew that at one time, this crystal was beautiful, and shone from within with the most brilliant, silvery moonlight.

The figure then knelt beside the covered bundle and slowly pulled back the cloth. Filthy, matted locks of tangled blond hair spilled free, and pasty, pale skin was revealed. A white dress, once regal but now torn, blood-stained, and little more than tattered rags covered a battered, bruised, burned, scarred body. Only the face, the beautiful, fair face, remained untouched by the ravages which had brought death to the woman. Though her eyes were closed, all present knew they would be a deep, clear, beautiful blue. A yellow crescent moon marked her brow.

Usagi choked, feeling her heart skip several beats. The other four girls paled in horror. Shingo stared at the body openly in confusion. Mamoru went white as a sheet, as did Kenji. Ikuko screamed.

"I..." a raspy voice spoke softly. Usagi and the others glanced up slightly at the figure, as the gloved hands raised to remove the hood of the cloak. "I brought her here because...it's the only place I could bury her that would mean anything anymore."

Pink hair billowed forth and hung limply from her bowed head as the teenaged girl who all present had last seen as a small child collapsed over the still form of her mother, sobbing.

* * * * *

Once the storm passed, the group had quickly made their way to Hikawa Shrine, their destination chosen by agreement among the Senshi. Usagi's family was still shocked, confused, and bewildered. Ikuko had yet to stop screaming, although her screams had diminished in volume since arriving at the shrine. Kenji, for his part, had tried to pry information out of the pink-haired girl, Usagi, the others...but everyone told him to wait until they got to the shrine and did what needed to be done.

The Tsukino patriarch couldn't help but notice the professional demeanor in which the girls, and even Mamoru, conducted themselves. While Usagi was certainly in a state of shock—who wouldn't be at seeing what appeared to be her own corpse?—she was also seemingly in control of the situation. She, like her friends, moved with a grim determination that suggested perhaps this was not their first brush with such a bizarre situation, nor such a horrifying symbol of death. It was almost as if they were all hardened warriors. He shook his head in confusion.

Once the group had arrived at the shrine, Rei had instantly explained to her grandfather that they intended to bury the body on the temple grounds. The old man had raised an eyebrow, but had let the group in, with a muttered word that he expected an explanation later.

* * * * *

By evening, the impromptu funeral had been held, and everyone was gathered around the table in the shrine, drinking tea. The girl known to some as Chibiusa and others as Small Lady had removed her cloak, revealing an unusual and rather battle-damaged uniform consisting of smudged red knee-high boots, silver and white tights, a blue skirt, white gloves, and cracked, charred crystalline armor. A narrow gold circlet ringed her forehead, supported between the odango of her hairstyle, and a golden crescent moon shimmered upon her brow. Her eyes were haunted, sorrowful; nobody dared look deeply into those eyes, fearful of what horrors might lurk there.

"Alright," Kenji spoke up. "It's time someone gave us some answers. What is all this? What's going on?"

"Who was that—that—" Ikuko began, choking out a sob. "She looked just like our Usagi..."

"She was me, Mama," Usagi said softly.

"But how...how's it possible?" Ikuko asked. "You're...she's...I mean..."

Shingo, for his part, was studying the pink-haired girl intently. She had been aware of his gaze, and her blush was intensifying with every passing minute. Finally, she snapped. "Well?"

Shingo started, and blushed himself, scratching the back of his head. "S-sorry. It's just...I think I know you."

Rei blinked. "You don't—? Oh. Right, the Luna-P spell. I forgot."

The armored girl nodded. "Right. They wouldn't remember me right now." She turned to address the Tsukino family, as well as Grandfather Hino and Yuuichirou, who had been more than slightly curious and concerned about the events of the afternoon. "I am Princess Small Lady Tsukino Usagi Serenity. My mother—" she held back a sob. "—was Neo-Queen Serenity, first queen of Crystal Tokyo. Whom you know in this time as Tsukino Usagi, who is sitting right here."

Ikuko, Kenji, and Shingo stared blankly at the pink-haired girl. "A princess?" Shingo asked.

"A...queen?" Kenji asked, glancing at his daughter.

"A...mother?" Ikuko glanced at Usagi, then at Mamoru, then back at the grieving princess. She shook her head. "I don't understand any of this," she said.

Usagi reached across the table and took her mother's hand. "Chib—I mean, Small Lady," she amended at a glance from the pink-haired teenager, "is my daughter, Mama. She's from the future."

Ikuko blinked, looking between the two girls, and let out a somewhat nervous and hysterical laugh. "This is some kind of dream. A crazy dream."

"If it's a dream, I hope we wake up soon," Shingo murmured. "This is getting too weird."

From her perch on the table, Luna sighed. "We're not going to get on to more important matters until this is dealt with." Five pairs of eyes turned to stare at the suddenly vocal feline.

Usagi nodded. "Un. Minna, henshin yo!"

"Henshin?" Kenji looked up, blinking, as Usagi, Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako stood.

"Mercury Crystal Power..."

"Mars Crystal Power..."

"Jupiter Crystal Power..."

"Venus Crystal Power..."

"Moon...Eternal..."

"MAKE-UP!"

And the room exploded in swirling, multicolored lights.

* * * * *

"Masaka...this is incredible..."

"So...my sister is Sailor Moon? That's cool!"

Once everything had been explained, Usagi's parents sat in stunned silence. Even Shingo was rather shocked, despite his outburst of Sailor Senshi fanboyism. Yuuichirou was simply doing his best not to (openly) stare at Sailor Mars' legs, while the elder Hino took it all in stride.

"So, this is what you've been keeping secret all this time, Rei-chan. I suspected something...I can't say I expected it to be this big, but I'm not surprised."

"So...assuming this isn't a dream," Ikuko said, "My daughter is Sailor Moon, and she's also the future queen of the world?"

Sailor Moon nodded. "That's right, Mama. I was just as shocked as you were when I found out. On both counts."

Ikuko looked at Small Lady. "And you're my granddaughter..."

Kenji glanced at Mamoru, who had by this point become Tuxedo Kamen. "And you're this girl's father...and the future king of Earth?"

"That reminds me..." Tuxedo Kamen said, attempting to duck that particular issue for the moment. "Small Lady, what happened to—?"

Small Lady shook her head, tears trickling down her face. Mamoru blanched.

"So..." Ikuko's breath caught in her throat. "So...that woman we buried this afternoon...is...was..."

Sailor Moon nodded.

Ikuko glanced toward the courtyard, and a single tear streaked down her face. Kenji held her tightly.

"Small Lady," Luna began, "I think now you should tell us what happened."

The pink-haired princess nodded, and everyone sat down to listen to her tale.

"The day it started...was the day of my engagement party."

* * * * *

The palace reception hall was full of nobles, courtiers, friends, and well-wishers as the royal family strode down a crystal stairway. Sparkling champagne flowed freely, soft music filled the air, and laughter and good cheer were abundant as the queen and king announced the engagement of Princess Small Lady to Prince Elios of the kingdom of dreams.

* * * * *

"It was the happiest day of my life, yet I felt something was wrong. Elios had been acting strangely, and there had been recent reports of nightmares among residents of the royal palace..."

* * * * *

"In two years, on the princess' eighteenth birthday," Neo-Queen Serenity intoned, smiling, "Our daughter and the dream prince Elios will wed, and the peace and prosperity of Crystal Tokyo will spread into the realm of dreams, bringing shining purity into the dreams of everyone, and shining, pure dreams to the people of this kingdom."

Elios and Small Lady shared a kiss. She looked into his eyes, smiling. He looked into her eyes, smiling...but his eyes reflected sadness instead of joy. "I'm terribly sorry, my love."

And with that, he stabbed her.

* * * * *

"It was the quick actions of my parents that saved my life," Small Lady said. She looked down. "Unfortunately, the same would not be true for Elios..."

* * * * *

The dream prince coughed up blood and sank to the ground. Endymion's sword rested at his throat. Serenity and Mercury attended to Small Lady, who was screaming and crying.

"Answer this before I end your life, traitor," Endymion hissed. "Why?"

Elios coughed. "It...was not my choice. I would not harm Small Lady for...anything. But...my master...commanded..."

"Your master?"

"The one...who usurped the power of my golden crystal..." Elios choked out another gout of blood, drew one last, wheezing breath, and fell still.

* * * * *

"The one who had turned my love against me was a woman named Turquoise. An orphan of the Black Moon Family, she was abandoned on Earth by her mother before the beginning of the Black Moon War. She grew up in the outer realms of the Earth, beyond the influence of Crystal Tokyo. She believed her dreams were beautiful, and her sheer absolute confidence in her beautiful dream allowed her to seize the power of the golden crystal, and thereby control of Elios.

"However, her beautiful dreams were of an Earth beautifully destroyed..."

* * * * *

"MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"

Small Lady wiped her brow as another wave of nightmare demons were dispatched. She wore the mantle of Sailor Moon now, and although she was still a Senshi-in-training, her power was turning the tide against the waves of nightmares unleashed by Turquoise. "There are more of them every day..."

Several loud screams came from the courtyard, and explosions rocked the palace. "What in the—?" Sailor Moon ran outside...and stared in horror.

* * * * *

"The palace itself wasn't damaged badly by the first wave, but much of Crystal Tokyo was lost. Much of the Earth, in fact...Turquoise had unleashed wave after wave of assaults against the planet itself, destroying everything in her wake and transforming the planet into a desolate wasteland far beyond anything it had been before the rise of Crystal Tokyo.

"We finally took the war to Turquoise herself, and after a long, difficult battle, my mother defeated her using the power of the Ginzuishou. But that victory came at a great cost...the sheer power of the golden crystal was so terrible to overcome that the Ginzuishou cracked.

"However, we had won, or so we thought. We began making preparations for the restoration of Crystal Tokyo, and the Senshi held a council on how to go about repairing the rest of the world. What we didn't know is that Turquoise was prepared for her own death, and had planted a series of powerful nuclear explosives across the scorched Earth.

"It was very nearly the end of the world. The sky was polluted with ash, radiation made the surface completely hostile to life, and the Earth itself was damaged so badly it became unstable. We were able to protect most of the people of Crystal Tokyo, since the palace was safe from the effects of the radiation, but..."

* * * * *

"No! Endymion...you can't! You mustn't!"

"Serenity...if I don't, this world will die. All of us will die with it."

"We can use the Ginzuishou...! We can—"

"The Ginzuishou is cracked. It might not be able to revive the Moon and make it habitable. Besides..." Endymion swallowed, then held his wife, staring into her eyes with absolute firmness. "Usako, the Earth is my home. Our home, but mine even more so—and I am its protector. I can't let my world die."

Serenity said nothing for a long moment, but then nodded, tears in her eyes. "Alright...Mamo-chan. I understand. I..." she broke down, sobbing.

"Tell Small Lady goodbye for me," Endymion said. He began to glow golden, drawing all his power...and dissolved, spreading out in a shower of brilliant sparkles.

* * * * *

"My father merged his life force with that of the Earth, and using sheer willpower and determination, he healed the wounds that were killing it. The Sailor Senshi used all their combined might to purify the atmosphere, dispelling as much of the radiation as we could. My mother lent what power she still had to the effort.

"The Earth was saved from destruction, but it was still left barren, scorched, and scarred. My father was dead, having burned away all his life force saving the world so that we could live on. And that's exactly what we tried to do. Until..."

* * * * *

"We're under attack! Alert the Queen!"

"What's going on?" Small Lady asked as she approached the captain of the palace guard.

"The palace is under attack! There are two of them, and they're incredibly powerful!"

Small Lady grimaced, then transformed and joined the Senshi, who were already on their way to the battle.

* * * * *

"We were beaten. Badly. Mercury was struck so hard in the head she lost her memory, Jupiter was crippled, Mars went into a coma, and Venus...

"I retreated to the palace. I'm not sure why I didn't stand and fight, but I felt it was important to stand at my mother's side. It was probably fortunate that I did, because as soon as I got to the throne room, the upper spires of the palace exploded.

"We tried to get everyone out of the palace, but there was nowhere to run. We fought them to the last, until I had nothing more to give...then Mother used the full power of the Ginzuishou."

"And what happened?" Usagi asked.

Small Lady was silent for a moment. "The crystal was weakened from the earlier battle with Turquoise, and shattered. The backlash left my mother weakened, defenseless...and the monsters descended and killed her." She bowed her head, and fresh tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I...I couldn't save her. I couldn't stop them. I didn't have the power. So...I did the only thing I could think to do. I fled...I came here." She looked up. "I had no subjects left to protect, nor a kingdom. I'm the queen now...the queen of nothing.

"It was when I looked into their eyes that I knew we were doomed. Those piercing, cold ice-blue eyes..."

Usagi moved to sit beside her future daughter, and drew her into an embrace. Everyone was silent, lost in their own thoughts, troubled by the young queen's story. As she held her daughter, Usagi glanced down at the crystal shards in her hand, the pieces of the dead Ginzuishou that she had not set aside for a moment since that afternoon.

"Small Lady...is there any way that these monsters might find their way to the past?" Luna asked.

Small Lady gasped. "Oh my God...I never thought about it..." She paled. "Have I...have I endangered everyone here in the past as well?"

"No," Usagi said. Everyone glanced at her.

"No," she repeated, clenching her fist around the crystal shards. "We're going to be ready...and if they do somehow follow you here, we're going to destroy them. Somehow...we're going to destroy them."

* * * * *

"So, the moon brat escaped into the past, did she?"

"Che...let her go. She was boring."

An amused chuckle. "I don't know. I thought she was rather fun..."

A snort. "You're acting like one of them, Carbonite."

A shrug. "So? They amuse me. It's a fun game. You should loosen up a little, Coralite."

The young woman named Coralite turned, pale cornsilk hair swirling about her face. The coral ornaments on her vest clacked and jangled together as she brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "I know how to have fun," she said, her cold blue eyes glinting dangerously.

Carbonite snorted and shook his long black hair out of his face. "Yes, but there's nobody left on this chunk of rock to have your kind of fun with," he said, his sapphire eyes sparkling with merriment.

"Yours either," Coralite pointed out.

"True," Carbonite said with a shrug. "Shall we, then?"

"Our master would want us to whether we liked it or not anyway."

"True," the young man chuckled. "Well then, let's get going."

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Author's Notes

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Since 12/31/12