Part Two: A New Battle

Chapter Seven

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"Your Majesty," Artemis said, performing a feline bow before Serenity's throne.

"Something's troubling you, Artemis," Serenity stated. It was not a question.

The white cat frowned. "Originally, Luna and I planned not to bother you with this, but...I thought it might be best if you were aware..."

"Of what?" Serenity asked.

"Before the wedding, Luna and I noticed a flicker of dark energy coming from the west side of the shopping district." He paused, shifting uncomfortably. "We didn't think anything of it at first, but earlier today we felt a much stronger evil presence."

Serenity's eyes widened. "Could it be a new enemy?" she wondered.

Artemis shrugged. "We're not sure, but we do know one thing, which is the reason I decided to bring it to your attention." He sighed. "The energy signature...I recognized it. So did Luna."

"Recognized it?" Serenity asked.

Artemis nodded. "No mistake. It was a youma."

Serenity gasped. "A youma...are you positive?"

"Hai, Serenity-sama."

"A youma..." Serenity frowned. "Is it very powerful?"

"We couldn't tell. It's powerful enough to detect, but it's disappeared again."

Serenity was quiet for several moments. "Find Ami-chan and Rei-chan, and ask them to come see me."

"At once, Serenity-sama," Artemis said, turning to pad out of the throne room. Before he left, he said, "By the way...Luna's begun selecting candidates for the palace guard. If you want to watch the first qualifying session, they're in the class three training room now."

Serenity smiled. "I believe I will have a look," she said, rising from her throne.

"Whew," Saturn said, wiping her forehead with her gloved hand as she climbed back into her suite. "You sure that's gonna hold, Mimas?"

"Of course, Lady Saturn," Mimas said. "The base of the satellite receiver is safely encased in the outer wall of the palace."

"Sure beats nails and screws," Saturn commented. "And there's no chance of it breaking loose?"

"Not under normal conditions." Mimas paused. "You forgot about the connection cables."

"Oh no," Saturn said, groaning. She leaned outside. "Great, how am I supposed to do this?"

"Just push them against the wall," Mimas said. Saturn did so, and the crystal began pulling the wires through. Within seconds, the ends of the cables poked through the interior wall of Saturn's quarters.

"Sugoi," Saturn said, moving away from the window. It closed behind her, and went opaque. Working quietly for a few minutes, she finished setting everything up. "There, all done. Now I need to find Shingo-kun so I can show him."

"Lord Shingo is currently in the class three training facility on sublevel one," Mimas said after a moment.

Saturn blinked. "Wonder what he's doing there...I'll be back afterwhile, Mimas," she said as she headed out the door.

Shingo grunted as he staggered back a step. The crystal quarterstaff in his hands shuddered under the impact from Pluto's Time Key.

Pluto twirled her staff lazily. "Come at me," she commanded. Shingo shifted his grip on his quarterstaff, and swung it at Pluto. She batted it away easily. He aimed for her head. She dodged, and brought her staff down in an arc, knocking his feet out from under him. He grunted as he hit the floor.

Pluto stood over him, the Garnet Orb hovering inches above his chest. Part of him wanted to stay where he was, to not move, to submit. *If I think that way though, I end up dead,* he told himself. Shifting his weapon to one hand, he reached up and grabbed the haft of Pluto's staff, pushing it away. He rolled to the side to avoid a fast strike, and brought his staff up and forward, catching Pluto in the gut before she had a chance to block. Pluto grunted as Shingo got to his feet.

"Impressive," she said, before coming at him with a flurry of fast strikes.

In the doorway, Serenity and Saturn stood side-by-side, watching. Both had been surprised when they met at the entrance and looked in to see Pluto and Shingo fighting. The bigger surprise came when they realized that Shingo was holding his own. From across the room, Luna had given them a signal to keep quiet, so they watched silently as Shingo took one of Pluto's rapid strikes to the stomach.

"Oof," Shingo grunted, his breath whooshing out. He scrambled backwards as Pluto pressed her attack, barely blocking a few of the strikes. Finally, he dropped to one knee, leaning against his quarterstaff. Pluto twirled the Time Key, raised it over her head, and brought it down...

"SHINGO-KUN!!" Saturn cried out.

...and lightly bopped him with it. She stepped back, leaning against her staff, and smiled. "Not bad for a beginner," she said.

Shingo grinned and pulled himself to his feet. "Thanks," he said. "Although if you'd been going all out, I'd be dead right now."

Serenity strode quickly into the room, attempting to show the decorum and grace she knew was expected of her. Saturn, on the other hand, ran over and flung herself at Shingo.

"Shingo-kun!" she said, throwing her arms around her boyfriend as she crashed into him.

"Oof! Take it easy, Hotaru-chan," Shingo said, catching her before she collided with his abused midsection.

Saturn whirled angrily on Pluto. "What on earth were you doing?"

"Just a test," Pluto said. "We needed to see how well Shingo could fight already before he begins training."

Luna padded over to them. "You did very well," she said to Shingo.

"Training?" Saturn asked, blinking.

"Shingo is going to be one of the palace guards," Luna replied.

"More than that," he said, smiling at Saturn. "Luna's going to let me be your bodyguard."

Saturn blinked. "Bodyguard? Shingo-kun...I don't need..."

"Yes you do," he said. "There's lots of curious and crazy people outside the Palace, that won't realize how dangerous it is to mess with a Sailor Senshi. But they're still just ordinary people. You wouldn't want to use your powers against them, would you?" Saturn paled. "That's why the Senshi need bodyguards," Shingo said. "Especially you, Hotaru-chan."

Saturn sighed, looking down. "I suppose so," she said. "You're right."

Shingo frowned. "Hotaru-chan...gomen..."

Serenity looked puzzled. "What's wrong with Hotaru-chan?" Pluto whispered something to her. After a few moments, Serenity's brow furrowed. "Hmmm..."

As Shingo consoled Saturn, Luna did a backflip, producing a crystal medallion engraved with a silver crescent moon, attached to a short gray ribbon. She dropped it at Shingo's feet. "Here, wear this," she said. Shingo picked it up, carefully pinning it to the breast of his jacket, just below his insignia of rank.

Saturn smiled. "It looks good," she said. She still seemed upset.

"Follow me, please," Luna instructed, padding over to a door at the far end of the room. The group looked at each other, shrugged, and followed the black cat.

The door opened, and Luna stepped to one side. "This is the guards' armory," she said. "Select a weapon you like from inside; it will be your weapon from now on."

Shingo walked into the room, and whistled. Staves, swords, bladed guantlets, and more lined the walls of the armory. *How am I ever going to decide on one?* he wondered.

Then, he saw it. A weapon which seemed to call to him. A naginata, with a crystal haft and a pure silver blade. He picked it up and swung it experimentally. It felt natural in his grip.

He walked out of the armory, holding his naginata proudly. His sister and his girlfriend smiled at him.

"We'll begin your training tomorrow," Luna said. The group began leaving the training room.

As she left, Serenity's mind churned...

//The Japanese government has released an official statement regarding the Nazo no Daizuishou. According to the JSDF, the large crystal structure appears to be inhabited by the famous Tokyo urban legends, the Sailor Senshi. At this time, the government of Japan has decided, based on careful review of all known data on the Sailor Senshi, that the superheroes and their mysterious dwelling pose no threat to the Japanese public.//

*So, that explains it,* Mika thought. *The Sailor Senshi built that crystal monstrosity.* She scowled. *This is bad. I'll need to gather a lot more energy if I'm to have any hopes of destroying them.*

As she walked away from the shop window, she felt the spark of evil energy again. *There!* She walked to the edge of the street, and peered down into the storm drain. *It's in the sewers,* she realized. *Ugh. Oh well, it could be worse.* Making sure nobody was watching, she willed herself intangible, and passed through the storm drain. She slipped beneath street level before she could notice the two Sailor Senshi approaching from a nearby intersection.

"That's odd," Mercury said. "I was sure I picked something up around here."

"Me too," Mars said, "but it's gone now."

The two Senshi walked away, continuing to look for the youma Artemis had warned Serenity about.

Pandemonium reigned on the studio lot.

"What is it?"

"It's got to be some kind of publicity stunt."

"I don't think so..."

The crowd of onlookers continued to murmur, even as the loud thumps drew closer. They gasped as the body of a security guard flew from behind a building, crashing into the guardhouse with a solid thud. The thumps grew closer still.

Some studio workers began running in terror and panic, crashing right through the studio gate. They were screaming incoherently as they scrambled away. "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" one man screamed. "GORO'S OUT OF CONTROL!"

"Goro? The thing from Mortal Kombat?" one of the onlookers asked.

"Told you it was a publicity stunt."

"But it couldn't be—they're not shooting another Mortal Kombat movie...are they?"

"First I've heard of it..."

Just then, all two-and-a-half-plus meters of Goro rounded the corner, walking toward the gate. He dropped the two dead bodies he held, his eyes glowing dark red.

"Shit...I don't think this is publicity!" the first onlooker yelled.

"How very observant of you," Goro rumbled as he approached the panicking crowd. "If you do not resist me, I promise to make your deaths as painless as possible," he continued. "But if you dare to defy me..." The sounds of twelve thick knuckles cracking rang out like gunshots. Half the crowd was already in motion, running for their lives.

"Heh, what a show," the skeptical observer said.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it," Goro said. "Because it'll be the last thing you ever enjoy." He grabbed the hapless man by the collar. "Your life force...give it to me!" he roared, eyes glowing intensely.

The man screamed as his very soul was ripped from his body, collecting into a ball in one of Goro's upraised hands. A final spark of energy drifted out of the corpse, and the powerful beast tossed the empty shell aside.

Three police cars pulled up. "Hold it right there, you!" said an officer as he jumped out of one car, gun aimed at Goro's head.

The youma regarded the new arrivals with curiosity. "And if I should refuse?" he rumbled, advancing.

The cop fired. The bullet tore a chunk of flesh from the beast's shoulder, exposing muscles of metallic fiber.

Goro roared, clutching the wound. "You shall pay dearly for that!" he growled, extending his lower arms. Black energy gathered between his hands, and he unleashed a ball of dark flames at the police officer. The man tried to dodge, but was hit head-on by the blast, and screamed as he burst into flames.

"Your soul is mine," Goro bellowed, stalking towards the cop. The others began firing, but he leapt high into the air. Everyone looked up in confusion.

Goro landed on one of the cars, crushing it. With two quick swipes of his powerful arms he downed the four officers surrounding it. Before the cops from the next car could open fire, he leapt again.

It was over in a matter of seconds. Three police cars destroyed, and ten dead policemen. Goro laughed evilly as he robbed them of their life force.

"Soon, my savior, I will have the power to return to you, to serve you with my full might."

The towering youma stomped down the street, in search of fresh prey.

"You sent for us, Your Majesty?"

"Hai."

Saturn and Shingo knelt before their queen. Serenity gazed intently at Saturn. "Sailor Saturn, it is my understanding that the terrible power you wield weighs heavily upon your mind."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Saturn said.

Serenity sighed. "It is terrible for one so young to be the bearer of such destructive forces. And yet, this is the nature of what you are, and cannot be changed." She turned her gaze upon Shingo. "Shingo," she said. "You have made me, and everyone else, proud of you. You have shown your courage, your loyalty, and most of all, your deep love for Sailor Saturn."

"I'd lay down my life for her," Shingo said.

Serenity smiled. "Yes, you would," she said. "Yet you feel inadequate to the task of protecting her, not only from the world outside, but from herself, and from her destiny."

There was an uncomfortable silence. Finally, Serenity rose from her throne, and approached the two teens. "Please face each other," she directed softly.

Saturn and Shingo turned to look at one another, still kneeling. Both were extremely puzzled.

Serenity touched Saturn on the shoulder. "Give me your hand," she directed. Saturn did so. Serenity then took Shingo's hand, and instructed them to join hands with one another.

Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto entered the throne room at this point, but Pluto motioned the others to stay put as she saw what was going on. *She's not going to...*

Serenity closed her eyes, and the Ginzuishou's soft glow intensified. Saturn's tiara dissolved, replaced by her glowing sigil, and a soft violet aura surrounded her. The aura slowly crept up Serenity's arm, flickering across the Ginzuishou briefly, before traveling down her other arm, passing into Shingo.

"What the..." Uranus whispered.

Shingo gasped as he felt a gentle surge of power flow into his body. The power intensified, coursing through him, surging, changing him somehow.

As the astonished Senshi watched, Shingo's forehead began to glow. Weak and diffuse at first, the soft lavender light slowly intensified, focusing. After a full minute, the same sigil that shone upon Saturn's brow also shone brightly upon Shingo's.

Shingo's uniform began to change, the crisp white becoming a dark purple. The silver trim took on a deep red color, as did the shoulderpads, which elongated, becoming more ornate—as well as more protective than decorative in purpose. His boots adopted the same dark crimson hue, while his cape and gloves developed a lavender tint. The ribbon of the medallion pinned to his jacket turned violet, and the spire-and-moon crest became a brilliant amethyst Saturn crest, backed by a pure silver moon. The collar clasp and epaulets remained unchanged, gleaming even more brilliantly in contrast with the dark elegance of the new uniform.

His naginata, which he had laid on the floor before him, also began to change; the haft darkened like smoked glass and now sported a ring-shaped buttcap at the previously bare end. An ornate crystal mounting, engraved with both the silver moon crest and the insignia of Saturn, grew around the base of the pure silver blade. An additional shorter crescent blade extended from the mounting, ornately etched with a runed pattern; equally beautiful and deadly.

The Ginzuishou resumed its usual soft glow, and Serenity opened her eyes. The glowing sigils on the two teens' foreheads disappeared. Serenity smiled, and turned to face Shingo. "Arise, and accept your new destiny...Lord Titanite."

Mika scowled at the stench as she approached the source of the evil energy she'd been feeling. Her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting of the sewer, and she spotted a gleaming black crystal, lying amid a pile of rotted animal corpses.

The tiny shard of crystal, no larger than her fingertip, radiated death and malice. I am hungry, a voice whispered in her mind. Come to me, feed me your soul, your life force.

Mika narrowed her eyes. *Telepathic suggestion, is it?* Feed me your soul, she projected. I need energy far more than a piece of glass. She bent down and picked up the crystal, studying it. It was trying desparately to absorb her life, to drain the precious energy from her, but she easily resisted its efforts.

You are strong, it said after a while. And I sense a familiar darkness about you.

It is your darkness that drew me here, Mika projected. A soul as black as my own...how did you come to be trapped in a sliver of crystal?

Fragmented images filled her mind, of a vast city of glass, sparkling in the rising sun; of a beautiful, powerful queen who rejected all things dark in the nature of man; of warriors wearing sailor fuku, erecting an impenetrable forcefield; of a young, innocent girl with hair the color of cotton candy, and the same girl all grown up, her nature dark and twisted; of a massive crystal spaceship; of death at the hands of a princess bearing a crescent moon upon her brow. Finally, an image of the loss of identity, of body, of spirit; becoming nothing more than a concentrated essence of evil, existing for no other purpose than to suck the life from everything around it. The last two images struck Mika as painfully familiar.

This great city of crystal, Mika said, it exists in the future of this world, does it not?

Hai.

Would you like to see that the future dominated by the city of crystal never comes to pass?

More than anything else.

Then join with me, Mika said. Together, with our combined knowledge and power, we can crush the future of light, and replace it with one of darkness.

I accept... the voice within the crystal said.

Mika pressed the shard of crystal against her forehead. It began to glow, and her back arched as black sparks coursed across her body. When she withdrew her hand, the crystal was gone, having been absorbed into her body. Her forehead now sported an inverted black crescent moon which seemed to radiate a dark aura all its own.

More memories of her former life emerged, combined with fresh memories from the other entity. The dark being Mika had become merged with the shredded evil soul from the crystal, giving rise to a new, more powerful entity. *I was once Metaria, supreme ruler of the Dark Kingdom,* she realized, *and I was also once Death Phantom, of the Black Moon Family, enemies of Crystal Tokyo.* Narrowing her eyes and scowling, she spoke aloud, "Now, I am she who will crush Serenity and her Sailor Senshi, and destroy their precious Palace. I will take their lives, and I will take their power, and use it to rule this world in darkness. Beware, Serenity...beware the Bringer of Despair, Princess Wraith!"

The newborn evil being threw her head back and laughed maniacally.

The Ayakashi Sisters were practicing in the class two training room. Suddenly, they froze, looks of shock on their faces.

"Did you feel—?" Cooan asked.

"I felt it," Calaveras said.

"So did I," Petz agreed. "We'd better inform Her Majesty."

Shingo picked up his naginata as he stood, and examined it, then himself. "What—?"

"Your Majesty, what did you just do?" Uranus asked as she and the other Senshi approached the throne.

Serenity smiled. "Using the Ginzuishou, I have taken a portion of Sailor Saturn's power, and transferred it to Shingo."

The others gasped. "That is highly irregular," Pluto commented.

"I know this, Pluto, but..." Serenity sighed. "Hotaru needed something to lessen her burden, and Shingo needed the power to defend his love without risking his own life." She paused. "Shingo will fight to protect Hotaru the way Endymion protects me. His love is that strong. Without what I've done, that would likely get him killed should a true foe arise to challenge us."

"But...how much does this weaken Saturn? And what kind of power does Shingo have now?" Uranus wondered.

"The only effect the transfer has had on Saturn is to temper her basic Senshi powers," Serenity said. "Her attacks can now be controlled...she can exert her power without causing immediate death should the need arise."

"But...the Silence..."

"Is a power beyond the capacity of the Ginzuishou to alter, which requires the sacrifice of her own life to use," Serenity said, "and was not affected." She turned to Shingo. "Shingo...from now on, to the outside world and in this court, you will be known by the name Titanite. Your powers are not on par with those of a Sailor Senshi, but are far beyond those of an ordinary human being. You must work hard with the Senshi to learn how to properly use and control these new powers."

Titanite knelt, bowing. "Hai, Neo-Queen Serenity-sama."

Saturn stared first at her boyfriend, then at her queen, and back at the newly-christened Lord Titanite. Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. "Your Majesty...I don't know how to thank you for this..."

Serenity smiled. "You are one of my Senshi, and I care very deeply for all of you. No thanks are neccessary."

"I wonder what side effects this transfer is going to have on them," Pluto wondered.

"Their souls are now bonded together for eternity, as are mine and Endymion's," Serenity said. "Even should both die, they will find each other in the next life. It's a bond of love, of destiny, deeper and stronger than any marriage on Earth." The young queen's eyes twinkled mischeviously. "You might say I've just established the standard practice for Sailor Senshi weddings."

Sailor Saturn and Titanite blushed deeply. The others chuckled. "Congratulations, you two," Uranus said. "Wait a few years to have the honeymoon, you're too young yet."

Neptune elbowed her in the ribs. "Uranus! Be nice."

Pluto recovered from her mirth, and frowned thoughtfully. "I hope this doesn't cause any serious problems," she said.

"If I thought it would, I wouldn't have done it," Serenity said. "Please have faith in me...and in them."

Pluto bowed. "Of course, Your Majesty."

Saturn grabbed the somewhat stunned Shingo by the arm, and dragged him towards the door. "C'mon, I've got something to show you," she said, "and then we can talk about this." She paused to glare at the other Senshi. "No spying, okay?" She summoned the Silence Glaive to back up her point.

This only sent the other three Senshi and Serenity into another fit of laughter. "Don't worry, we'll leave you two newlyweds alone," Uranus teased. Saturn made a frustrated noise, and dragged her shellshocked soulmate out of the throne room.

Mere seconds after the two teens left, the Ayakashi Sisters rushed into the room. "Your Majesty," Petz said, "we may have a problem..."

"Hey! Hey you!"

Princess Wraith turned, and smirked at the burly workman bearing down on her. "You're addressing me?"

"Look, you ain't supposed to be down here in the sewers, kid. C'mon, get back up where you belong," the worker said.

Wraith examined him, frowning. "You'll do nicely," she said.

"Eh?" the workman blinked. Wraith traced a circle in the air with her index finger. A disk of blinding white light appeared, trapping the sewer worker in the middle. "Hey! What the—!?"

Wraith smiled nastily, and made a gesture as though closing a ricepaper door. An inky blackness crept across the disk, eclipsing it. The disk exploded, and where the workman stood before, now stood what appeared to be a partially decayed zombie, wielding a massive pickaxe.

"Go, Ecliptid Tsuruhashi," Wraith said. "Go to the surface, and spread darkness across the souls that dwell in the light. Collect their brightness, and bring it to me."

Tsuruhashi screeched and leapt straight up, smashing a hole in the street above.

Wraith laughed. "Yes...soon, I will have an army of Ecliptids, powerful enough to eclipse the Crystal Palace for all time."

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