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A Rei of Hope:
The Power of Pawns
by Soumitra Choudhury
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The boyishly handsome man strode confidently into the grove of trees, calmly 
setting his white staff upon the verdant land, the two ivory serpents engravened 
into the staff gleaming softly in the incumbent light. "Come out, Dark Maiden. I 
wish to speak to you," he called out in a beautiful voice, rich with appeal. 
"What message do you bring, O Messenger of Olympus, that you must trespass into 
foreign lands?" returned a melodiously silver voice of a female, crystalline 
with beauty, though no being showed herself. 
The male chuckled, twirling his staff about in a light dance. "What lands are 
foreign to a messenger, Lady of the Dark Song? Are we not welcome in all lands, 
foreign or otherwise? We bring news, we messengers, often news that is of 
interest." 
A quiet storm of leaves fell from a grand oak, swirling about one end of the 
grove before they coalesced into the form of a young elfin girl of such 
loveliness as to steal one's breath away. An unfelt breeze flowed with grace 
through cascades of snow white tresses. Practical garb of forest-hued clothing 
all but masked the girl's skin of ebony satin. Her eyes, two pools of silver, 
soaked in the appearance of the Gods' Messenger. "The news you bring is not 
always welcome, Mercury." 
The man bowed deeply, acknowledging her presence. "Ah, my dear Eilistraee, you 
are as wondrous to behold as the eternal forest of Arvandor, with a comeliness 
surpassing all that I have laid eyes upon." 
"Even more than Venus?" the Dark Maiden inquired, a silent smile hinted at 
within her eyes. 
Mercury grimaced. "You know answering such a question would only anger my 
sister." The sparkle of charm returned to him. "On the other hand, your beauty 
DOES surpass-" 
"While your attentions to my form are mildly amusing, I am positive you are here 
on a more important matter. Once again I ask you, why have you tread upon 
Arvandor, the Divine Forest of the Elven Gods, seeking myself?" Perhaps to 
exhibit her impatience, Eilistraee suddenly took on the form of a nine-foot tall 
dark elven amazon, complete with a long bow of yew that topped even her 
presence. 
"You would not shoot a child, would you?" Mercury returned, assuming the form of 
a cherubic toddler no more than three. 
Eilistraee's eyes flashed with anger. "Now you are wasting my time. Go from here 
if there is nothing else you need." She turned her back and began to stride back 
into the forest. 
Sighing magnanimously, the child announced, "The Crone of the Hut has 
relinquished control of the Frost Behemoth's Orb." 
The dark elf goddess stopped, though refused to return her attention to the boy. 
"Why do you tell me this? It means nothing to me. The artifact is a mortal 
concern." 
"Does it not? Perhaps I can refresh your divine memory to a prophecy: 
'When the lands know the touch of cold, 
so will the notes of good darkness be heard; 
One of Ten will slumber deep, 
Five of Ten will freeze, 
Four of Ten will battle through, 
But Three will break the siege 
And Ten Who Are One will be free. 
The Winter's Ring the Crystal must love 
to smite tyranny's hand, 
But alas, magic will return to the Land.'" 
This time the Dark Maiden did turn to face Mercury, confusion masking her 
features. "I know of this prophecy, but I still am unsure what you are hinting 
at." 
The child-god shook his head in mock exasperation. "The Frost Behemoth's Orb is 
now in the hands of the Grelloth Noxus as part of a contract to save Our 
avatars. If the contract is upheld, my father believes that the prophecy will 
begin to fulfill itself upon Earth." 
Eilistraee leaned contemptuously upon her bow. "Your avatars are in trouble. If 
they cannot take care of themselves, I will mourn their loss, for they are 
goodly folk that deserve my sorrow, but I cannot see any reason for sending them 
my aid." 
"You mistake my meaning, Dark Maiden," Mercury cried, clenching a fist for 
emphasis. "Your aid is not sought for rescuing Our avatars. We have become aware 
that one of your followers has the Ring of Winter." 
"The Ring of Winter? You believe that is the relic spoken of within the 
prophecy?" 
"Does it not make sense? Do not answer that question, but consider this: How is 
it so convienent that one of your minions, the same one who has interacted with 
Our avatars in the past, has the Ring? How is it that this same minion, a Singer 
of the Dark Song, as your clergy is occasionally addressed as, is also one of 
your Chosen?" 
The dark elven goddess suddenly looked very unsure of herself. Too many 
coincidences spoke of a fateful destiny, one that very well could have something 
to do with a prophecy no one had seen fulfilled. "My child Xune is unaware that 
she possesses the Ring," she murmured, half to herself. 
"Then perhaps, there is time yet to prepare them," Mercury replied softly. 
A moment passed as the two gods gazed at each other, giving thought to what had 
been said. Finally, Eilistraee spun about, heading back into the forest. "I will 
think on your words, Messenger of the Gods. Please give my regards to the 
Olympians," she tossed back tersely, clearly troubled. The forest swallowed her 
in its midst, unseen even to Mercury's keen divine senses. 
"Do not think to long, fair Maiden of the Dark Song," he whispered back, "for 
the children of Eilistraee must meet Our avatars once again. The Fates have 
decreed this." With that, Mercury vanished from Arvandor. 
*****
In a time where magic held little sway, a time wrought with the fascination of 
technology, humankind survived the calamity of the Silver Crystal Menace, in 
which one, Rei Hino, sacrificed herself to the Dark One known as Rei Hino, 
destroying the entity known as Rei Hino. 
Earth was saved, time fled onwards, and only the Senshi and the Grelloth Noxus 
mourned her passing. In the end, after a time called the thirty-second century, 
the Archmagi were resurrected under the vigilant eye of Neo-Queen Serenity, and 
they were renamed the Fires of Mars, in rememberance for one noble and selfless 
individual, Rei Hino, the One and Eternal Super Sailor Mars. 
But her vigilance was not enough, and the Fires of Mars destroyed all that the 
Neo-Queen held dear, and eventually, herself. 
The streams of time shifted towards another path. 
In a time where magic held little sway, a time wrought with the fascination of 
technology, humankind barely struggled through a time known only as The 
Remaking, in which a being known as the Seraph of the Crystal enslaved the world 
under her tyrannical rule, destroying the only group powerful and willful enough 
to defy her: The Senshi. 
Nations crumbled under her might. Governments were dismantled, and rebellions 
were vanquished, but none knew of the reason. Senseless and hopeless, Earth 
decayed until only the Seraph existed with her right hand, the enslaved Grelloth 
Noxus. 
Hanging above the remnants of the fair city of Tokyo, the crucified Immortal 
Prisoner had watched for centuries, witnessing all the horrors and evils 
committed. Suspended above the city by arcane sorcery for the rest of time, 
having lost her sanity centuries before, the criminal Rei Hino even now floats, 
wailing in terrible madness. 
Her crime: Attempted murder of the Seraph before the tyrant's rise to power. 
The streams of time shifted towards another path. 
In a time where magic held little sway, a time wrought with the fascination of 
technology, the Archmagi Rei Hino and her consort, the Grelloth Noxus, destroyed 
the Dark Spirit Rei Hino. In the ensuing power struggle, the Archmagi took 
control of the future of Earth by enslaving the Senshi to her whim. 
Earth knew a Golden Age, as magic flourished once again, creating such beautiful 
cities as had never before been seen, and knowledge that had not been sought in 
millenia resurfaced to shape the universe. Worlds aligned themselves with the 
stern, but just, rule of the Archmagi, for her armies of youma crushed all 
resistance, and then forced populations to the cause of Her Ladyship. 
Earth was the center of the universe, and Sailor Moon shed her tears alone 
within the confines of the Spirit Wrack for all eternity. 
The streams of time shifted towards yet another path. 
Sailor Moon died in the attempt to stop the Grelloth Noxus from betraying the 
Sailor Mars in their assassination of the Dark Spirit Rei Hino. 
Sailor Mars destroyed Earth in her fury. 
Time shifts towards another path. 
Sailor Mars won the battle against her darker half, but the expenditure of such 
immense magic consumed her in the process. 
Sailor Moon died soon after from grief. 
... shifts towards another path. 
In destroying the Dark Spirit Rei Hino, Sailor Mars was too weak to prevent the 
Grelloth Noxus from taking her over. 
Earth, and the Senshi, perished. 
... another path. 
Sailor Mars... magic... death to all... 
... another path 
Magic... Sailor Mars... death to all... 
... another path... death. 
... another path... death. 
... another path... death. 
Death. Death. Death. Death. 
*****
One gloriously cold night, in the park of the Juuban district, a column of 
violet, temporal energy crashed from the starry sky. Two figures emerged, or 
rather, were tossed out violently, landing in a heap upon the grassy field, 
before the column tore itself apart and vanished. 
Sailor Mars moaned in agony, lying dazedly upon the cloaked form of the Grelloth 
Noxus, her whimpers puncuated by low squeals of pain as she awkwardly rolled 
off. Kami-sama, but her whole being hurt! 
Many moments she lay there, gasping away the pain that assaulted her, staring at 
the moonlit night so hard it nearly drew a headache. Thoughts flit across her 
mind, horrible visions of her friends' deaths, of various acts that she might 
have done to them, of the numerous timelines that they had passed through. 
Finally, she whispered shakely, "Grell?" 
"Yes, fair Rei. I am here." Once again, no emotion, no feeling, but the 
compliment startled her nonetheless. 
She gulped unconsciously. "Are you alright?" 
"I am unhurt." Silence, and then, "Arigato." 
Neither spoke again for a few minutes, both lying prone in the darkness. Sailor 
Mars suddenly became aware of the chirping of crickets, and the hoarse call of 
frogs, mingling with the occasional chatter of the few birds of winter. The 
white plumes of her breath floated lazily away from her mouth. 
Finally, when the pain subsided to a dull ache, she whispered again, "Did... did 
you see...?" She couldn't bring herself to say the words. 
Quietly, the Grell replied, "I saw. I saw the timelines. They were... 
unsettling." 
For some reason, that brough about a spark of anger. "Unsettling? You?" 
The Grell sat up, turning his jeweled gaze to the woman beside him. He seemed to 
loom over her, a blackness much deeper than the night, and yet, Sailor Mars felt 
something different in his manner, something almost gentle. "It is... odd. 
Perhaps it is the spirit of your lost love, but a small part of my collective 
mind fears for you. The paths we have traveled through the temporal shift, the 
events we have witnessed, they..." He seemed to search for proper words. "My 
evil is penultimate, something I take great pride in, but deep within myself, I 
found myself feeling a great sorrow for you as we journeyed, a sorrow I feel 
even now." 
Shock replaced any memory of her agony as the Senshi of Fire stared back at the 
cloaked villain. What's more, she perceived that the being next to her could not 
understand nor believe what he was confessing. The mere notion of care from the 
pillar of evil was preposterous. 
Suddenly, the Grelloth Noxus rose smoothly to his feet. "I must leave you for 
some time." 
"What? Where are you going? What happened to helping?-" 
He forestalled her questions by whirling away, the cloak flapping about him in 
agitation. "I must see which of Pluto's theories have taken place, if either. It 
would do neither of us any good to find another like myself existing at the same 
time. Even I am not foolish enough to allow the existence of another Grelloth 
Noxus, if such has occurred." Then, as an afterthought, he added in puzzlement 
before melding into shadows, "Besides, I must ponder these... feelings... I 
suddenly harbor for you." 
*****
An hour later found Rei Hino standing before a lone newspaper dispenser, 
somewhere along the same street she had strolled with her friends to and from 
the arcade so long ago. At least, that was what it felt like. In reality, or 
whatever truly passed for reality, those moments had occurred some six or seven 
years ago. 
Amazement, mingled with helpless frustration, marred her face as she scanned the 
paper through the glass case. "This can't be," she whispered, though no one was 
there to listen at so late an hour. 
Surely Pluto could not have been that foolish to have landed them at this time, 
but there it was, the date upon the paper, denying her disbelief in boldface 
print. 
December 15. Ten days before Christmas of the same year. 
Five days before the death of the Senshi. 
A flurry of curses spat from her mouth as she took off in a mad sprint, hoping 
beyond hope she wasn't too late. It did not help that her body felt absurdly 
weak. 
She sneezed softly on her way. 
*****
Luna purred contentedly, nestled deep in the down comforter on Usagi's bed. 
Sleep didn't quite embrace her, but she was rather relaxed and comfortable. At 
least, she was comfortable while Usagi didn't toss about haphazardly in her 
sleep, like right about... now. 
The black feline nimbly leaped out of the way just as her owner's arm slapped 
down where the cat had just been lounging. Mumbling something about Mamo-chan, 
Usagi's restlessness settled back to peaceful snores. 
The glare on Luna's face could have melted that arm. After all these years, she 
figured she would have gotten used to the constant shifting and turning, but 
cats were remarkably uppity about there comfort, especially those with enough 
intelligence to advise the Queen of the Moon Kingdom. 
RAP! RAP! RAP! 
Luna leaped four feet in the air, screeched in fright, and landed feet first on 
Usagi's gaping mouth. The latter's eyes shot wide open, and she bolted upright, 
coughing and gasping in the same breath, a sound very close to a whuffling bear 
who had just gotten stung with his hand in a beehive. 
"Cough! Gak! Pah! Luna, you flea-ridden bag of fur! What was that for?!" Usagi 
screeched in a most unladylike manner. "I nearly choked on-" 
RAP! RAP! RAP! And then, a muffled, "Usagi?" It came from outside the window. 
Luna glanced at her ward, and her ward stared back. Why was that voice so 
familiar? Could it be? It had been five years... 
Usagi leaped out of the bed, threw the curtains wide, and gasped between 
surprise and joy. It was Rei, hovering at her windowsill! 
"Rei! You're back! Kami-sama, where have you been? I've been so worried, and I 
had a dream that- What? I can't hear you, Rei. You'll have to speak up. This 
window is muffling you're voice. Huh? Oh." The last came out a bit sheepishly as 
she quickly unlatched the window and opened it to the wintery cold air. "You 
look a little chilled," she added lamely, a foolish grin stretching her lips 
from ear to ear. 
That was quite an understatement, for Rei's face was pinched with the frigid 
cold. Bright spots of color burned on her cheeks, and the tips of her ears were 
glowing cherry red. Her whole body shivered, from the ends of her remarkable 
hair to her barely insulated toes. She was not prepared for the cold at all, it 
seemed, with only a dirt smudged woolen turtleneck and rumpled black jeans. She 
hadn't kept herself well at all. 
For her part, Rei had a cynical comment ready to leap off the tip of her tongue, 
but a long gaze at her queen's childish smile had tears bursting from her eyes. 
She shook herself, frowning. "Nn-no. I pp-promised myself I wouldn't cc-cry. I 
have nn-no more ttt-tears to gg-give." Roughly, Rei wiped away her tears, 
mumbling about weaknesses between chattering teeth, and yet, deep inside, an 
overwhelming rush of relief nearly knocked her off her feet. 
She didn't need relief, though, to topple her, for Usagi tackled her in a 
weeping embrace that dropped them both to the ground, shaming the best of 
football tacklers. The air rushed out of Rei's lungs, and stars flashed across 
her vision, which seemed kind of odd to a small part of her mind, for Usagi had 
not really knocked her down all that hard. 
"Uuu... Uuu..." Rei gasped, looking disconcertingly like a fish out of water. 
She struggled against Usagi's grip, but astonishingly, she couldn't budge them. 
Her shivering calmed slightly, Usagi's body heat radiating warmly, but breathing 
was becoming more and more difficult. 
"Rei, don't you...... and then the dream... ... but Minako-chan said......" 
Usagi's face being buried into Rei's chest didn't allow for much comprehension 
of her words. 
Chuckling to herself, her own tears glistening in her eyes, Luna laid a gentle 
paw on the blonde's cheek. "Uh, Usagi-chan, I don't think Rei can breathe." 
"Oh!" the former exclaimed, rising hurriedly. "Gomen nasai, Rei-chan! Are you 
okay?" 
Breathing in deeply, she replied, "Yeah, I'm... I'm fine." Why won't those spots 
go away. She blinked repeatedly to no avail. The cold seemed to return too. 
Gods, how she hated the cold. And sore throats. She DESPISED sore throats, and 
it felt like she was getting a raging one right now, one that had started as a 
tickle in her throat on her run to Usagi's house. 
Luna stared at Rei for a moment, then reached out with a paw to the forehead. 
She snatched it back instantly, hissing softly. "Usagi, she's burning up! Get 
her under some covers." 
Fearful worry washed over Usagi's face, replaced almost immediately with grim 
determination. Very carefully, she helped Rei draw an arm around her shoulders, 
then lifted her to her feet, all of Rei's weight was on Usagi. Three steps, and 
the dark-haired woman was laid upon the bed. 
"Usagi, please, you have to listen to... stop that... listen to me! Where is... 
leave my shoes alone!" 
"Rei, I'm going to change your clothes," the princess said mildly, ignoring her 
patient's words. 
The latter's eyes widened, then blinked rapidly, trying once again to rid 
herself of the shiny spots in her vision. "You're going to WHAT?!" she shouted, 
followed by an indelicate sneeze and a groan. Someone had just started hammering 
a ten-ton boulder on her brain, and it didn't feel particularly good. 
"You're sick. What possessed you to trample around in the middle of winter is 
beyond me, my friend, but what's done is done. Now you'll have to pay for your 
blunder." She said it rather blandly, but the twinkle of mirth was in Usagi's 
eye. 
"For crying out loud, that isn't import- oh, alright, have it your way," the 
priestess moaned, conceding that perhaps she WAS a little under the weather. Not 
enough to warrant this kind of attention, but it HAD been a rather long day. 
Still, there were some worries that needed addressing NOW. "I need to know 
something. Do you still have the Crystal?" 
That brought a sudden stop to the pampering. "Of course I do. That's a funny 
question to ask." Nonetheless, there was an odd tone to her voice, indicating 
that perhaps it wasn't a funny question at all. Rei groaned inwardly, realizing 
she had just set off all of Usagi's alarms. Well, there was no helping that. 
Homecoming would just have to wait until... 
"Please, Princess, I need to see it." Rei pleaded, swallowing with difficulty 
and grimacing equally at the pain in her throat and the direction of her 
thoughts. "It's vital." 
For a moment, Usagi looked ready to refuse, and she threw Luna a look bordering 
on panic, but the urgency in her friend's voice seemed genuine enough, not at 
all like her. Rei was all bluster and bark, not really the begging type. 
Questions coming from her mouth usually had more command to them than any 
semblance of inquiry. Briefly, she wondered how much Rei had changed over five 
years. 
What's more, this was hardly the welcome she had intended for such a dear 
comrade. A party or something, yes, but not her stumbling in in the middle of 
the night, and sick at that. 
Sighing softly, Usagi pulled out her brooch from the dresser where she had 
always kept it. There was a disconcerting tingle in the back of her neck, 
reminiscent of rising hackles, if she had any. With absolute conviction, she 
knew that something monumentous was going to happen soon, signalled by the 
return of her agitated friend. It wasn't fair, but then again, being the sole 
savior of the human race didn't really fall under the category of fairness. All 
she could really do was buck up and face it head on. 
"There, Rei, see? I have the Crystal," she whispered with a self-satisfied 
smugness, flipping open the brooch case. Inside, the gem gleamed with clarity, 
all its facets catching every bit of light and shining them back with pristine 
purity. "I didn't lose it or anything." 
No smoke. No cracks. 
With a vast sigh of relief, Rei clutched at the blanket, realizing that a little 
rest wouldn't hurt. Hell, a short nap may even do her some good, and perhaps 
deal with this miserable cold that had settled in. 
she wondered sleepily. 
"Rei-chan?" She had closed her eyes, and could not summon the energy to open 
them again. 
"Hmmm?" 
A moment's pause. "I'm glad you're back." 
Rei smiled as warmly as possible, though it looked a bit strained and concerned 
as the sorceress instantly fell asleep. 
"She seems troubled, Usagi-chan," Luna said quietly. "Troubled enough that she 
didn't go home first. I don't like it. And did you see her eyes? There was 
something... Perhaps we should listen to what she has to say now." 
"No," Usagi replied with a tired hitch in her voice. "The danger will have to 
wait. She's exhausted and sick, and I won't have it. It's bad enough that they 
all feel they need to sacrifice themselves for me at a moment's notice." She 
sighed bitterly, and with a motherly grace that belied her normal clumsiness, 
she tucked her friend in as cozily as possible. 
Rei's eyes hadn't escaped her notice. It was nothing truly alarming, like being 
entirely black, or white for that matter. They were almost normal, except... 
they were of a different abstract quality that made it difficult to put her 
finger on. A bit dull, perhaps. She had seen eyes like that before, but she 
couldn't place them. 
"Usagi-" 
The princess waved a hand imperiously, instinctively knowing what her guardian 
was going to say. "Yes Luna, call back the others. I know you won't let me rest 
until they're all notified, and frankly, I'll feel better myself with everyone 
back." She pursed her lips in contemplation, so she didn't notice the silent, 
respectful gaze Luna gave her. Their first problem in over five years, and Usagi 
was taking the initiative AND acting responsibly! It was enough to make Luna 
puff up with pride. 
"Actually, I should be the one to call them, Luna." The princess stood up with a 
weary sigh. "I'll need to apologize to Ami and Minako for pulling them back from 
their trips." 
"They'll understand, Usagi-chan." 
"That's not the point, Luna. I don't like interrupting their lives like this. I 
want them to have as much freedom as they can before... well, before anything 
new happens." 
Perhaps an hour later, after all the Senshi had been notified of the bittersweet 
arrival of Rei, Usagi fell asleep at her desk, the brooch still clutched in her 
hand. Luna curled up in the crook of Rei's arm, content to let the weaving of 
fates lie until the morning. 
*****
Not too many miles away, in an abandoned Shinto temple of rural Tokyo, there was 
a brief flash of shimmering light, followed almost instantly by a high piercing 
shriek of pain. A distinctly female shriek. 
*****
Setsuna stiffened in the process of pouring tea, her face a sudden mask of 
terrible fear. Dropping the cup and the pot with a clatter, she sprinted out of 
the kitchen. 
*****
Deep underground, in a honeycombed maze of tunnels unknown to all except one 
being, the Grelloth Noxus stopped inspecting a storage room and cocked his head, 
as if listening to something afar. After a moment, he melded into the darkness. 
*****
Rei's eyes snapped wide open with deliriously hysterical horror. Throwing off 
the blanket (distantly she wondered why she was so hot), the priestess leaped 
off the bed to grab Usagi from the desk. Luna yowled in surprise at having a 
blanket suddenly dumped over her. 
"The Crystal, Usagi!! Where is it?!" Rei screamed into the princess' face. 
"Huh, wha- Rei?" Inadvertently, Usagi brushed her drowsy eyes with the hand 
holding the brooch, which Rei promptly ripped out of her grasp painfully. 
"Ow! Rei! That hurt!" 
The priestess, sweating feverishly, ripped open the compact, nearly breaking it. 
Within, the Crystal gleamed as before, clear and clean. Almost viciously, Rei 
extended her will to it. 
Impossibly, the Crystal shattered like glass. 
Usagi gasped in absolute shock. "Kami-sama, Rei! What have you done?!" 
Rei raised her arms into the air "Glass!!! GLASS!!!" she shrieked in anguish, 
letting the brooch fall to the floor. 
Then she vanished with an audible 'pop'. 
*****
The shrieking died down to an improvised string of cursing as the woman dropped 
the burning gem, clutching at her right hand. The charred smell of roasting 
flesh wafted about in a crisp breeze, then quickly dissipated away from the 
poorly insulated shrine. The sound of the Crystal falling onto rotten wood rang 
with a disconcertingly loud tone, akin to a mutted gong being struck, but that, 
too, died down in seconds. 
"I spent too much time awaiting this day, and a simple little burn is not going 
to stop me," she hissed, apparently addressing the clear gem on the floor while 
cradling a fearsomely burnt hand. 
The gem deigned not to respond. 
The pain shot through her arm in jolting waves, disrupting anything further she 
might have said as she gasped and hissed. She cut off a rising whimper, and 
closed her eyes in concentration, though it seemed to be a phenomenal effort. 
Slowly at first, tiny motes of sparkles emerged from the air, floating towards 
her until they settled on her ruined flesh, and as each touched onto the wound, 
her flesh bubbled and morphed, regenerating itself with astonishing speed. After 
a few minutes, she was wiggling all five fingers without the slightest pain. 
Satisfied, Dark Rei climbed to her feet, brushing off the years of dust from her 
jeans. Frowning, she noticed some had stained her blazer also. She brushed that 
away too. Afterall, she had just stolen these. It didn't do to have them dirtied 
so soon. 
A rabid grin touched her otherwise beautiful face, for such thoughts would not 
be necessary soon. It was a simple matter to steal the Silver Imperium Crystal 
from that twit's home. Now, all she needed to do was figure out how to tap the 
strength of the Crystal, and all her dreams and pleasures would be fulfilled. 
Then, she would begin the game of revenge on a certain twin across the world. 
Gingerly, Dark Rei scooped up the Crystal once more, exceedingly careful not to 
channel ANY magic for fear of backlashing again. If she could only figure out a 
way to use it's powers, SHE would be the Megami then, not some quarter-brained, 
sniveling little bakemono who didn't deserve the title one whit. 
So intent was she on her musings that she thoroughly missed the entrance of 
another woman. Too, she missed the underhanded swing of the staff until much too 
late. 
CRACK!! 
The shattering of many finger, hand and wristbones exploded through her mind, 
shocking her senses into a moment of agonizingly sharp clarity. The Crystal 
looked to float out of her disintegrating grasp, propelled by the impact of a 
large blood red orb smashing up and THROUGH her hand. She couldn't open her 
mouth fast enough to let in all the breath she would need, for the air had 
suddenly become a thick morass, slowing motion to a snail's pace. 
Her one hope was drifting lazily away, annoyingly sweeping stray beams of 
moonlight as they glinted off its faceted surface. 
And then the blaze of agony began, and Time returned to its normal flow. 
The beginnings of a scream emerged from Dark Rei's throat, only to clamp back 
when the butt end of the Time Staff slammed under her chin, snapping back her 
head, and crunching her teeth together with a disgusting click. 
She would then have fallen on her own, except that the staff swept out once 
again, this time pulling her legs out from underneath her. 
The pain of hitting the floor didn't even register at that point, so fiery were 
her other injuries, and that fire set off her instincts. Her will lashed out at 
her assailant, though she had yet to see her. A dome of concussive force 
detonated about her, and the unexpected yelp of Sailor Pluto was the only sign 
that Dark Rei had succeeded in fending off Death for at least a minute longer. 
The crash of splintered wood echoed from across the room. 
With the experience of years as a Shinto priestess, Dark Rei drew upon a 
meditative technique that inverted her mind into an emotionless void. Suddenly, 
the pain was not really HER pain, but rather some foreign entity just outside 
her psyche's ability to comprehend. 
With eyes flat and devoid of humanity, the sorceress rose to her feet, turning 
towards the ageless defender of Time, who was struggling to her feet as well. 
Another lash of her will, and Sailor Pluto was sent flying through the wall of 
the temple, landing in a jumbled unmoving heap upon the road outside, the Time 
Staff clattering to a stop some feet beyond. 
With an almost negligent wave, Dark Rei healed her injuries, distantly 
recognizing the grinding of her bones within her hand and the tingling sensation 
in her jaw, all the while stalking towards the prone Senshi outside. "You have a 
habit of showing up at the most inopportune times, Guardian of Time," she 
addressed coldly, though even her voice sounded like an echo from far about her. 

Just as she reached the crumbled hole in the wall, she felt the disturbance 
behind her, and instinctively dropped flat to the ground. Mere inches above her, 
twin beams of violet energy obliterated the already weakened wall. 
Reacting instantly, a shimmering field encompassed the sorceress, greatly 
distorting her image within as if she were a mirage. The second set of beams, 
emerging from the darkness across the room clashed with the field, bouncing off 
at odd angles to further dismantle the integrity of the shrine. 
Two glowing gems blazed into life from that darkness, illuminating it with the 
same violet hue. 
"You dare much, Grell, attacking me like this. My quarrel is not with you... 
yet." 
The darkness about the gems seemed to shrug. "Now, later, it means little to me. 
Your plan must be stopped." From nowhere, one of his jeweled wakazashis 
appeared, and he flung it with deadly accuracy. Though it bounced harmlessly off 
the shield, the Grell used the momentary distraction to meld with the shadows 
again. 
Sniffing disdainfully at the cowardly tactic, Dark Rei turned away, then 
stopped, her mind growing cold with despair. Sprinting, she headed back deeper 
into the shrine, searching frantically. 
The Crystal was gone. 
The resulting scream of rage pierced Pluto's pit of unconsciousness, carrying 
her back to reality. She groaned softly at her aches and bruises, carefully 
gathering her limbs back under control, though they didn't seem to be very glad 
about it. "Perks of the job, Setsuna," she mumbled to herself. "Probably why you 
don't have a sense of humor." 
Little did anyone know, Pluto had a quirky habit of talking to herself, 
something developed after spending hundreds of centuries outside of society. 
Grabbing up the Time Staff, she headed back to the shrine, intent once again on 
destroying Rei, or Dark Rei, or whoever she was. She was careful not to consider 
the fact that she had a chance just slimmer than the width of her eyelash of 
surviving. 
*****
"Where did she go? Luna, where did she go?!" 
"Calm down, Usagi," the cat ordered, though her mind was reeling on the verge of 
panic as well. Someone had managed to steal the Silver Imperium Crystal from 
right under their noses, and they hadn't even realized it! Who knew how long the 
Crystal had been gone! 
The princess pulled off her pajama top, rummaging in her closet for a shirt. "I 
need... find her," she said, though clothing muffled her voice. "She must... 
where... Crystal is." 
"Huh? How do you figure that?" 
Usagi stopped, half clothed. "Come on, Luna. You saw the way she got when she 
disappeared. She KNOWS something!" Very quietly, Usagi grumbled to herself. 
Luna's ears perked up. "What was that?" 
"I said, I should have listened to you. I should have made her tell us what was 
wrong immediately." 
"I can tell you what is wrong," the Grell announced flatly, emerging from within 
the shadows of Usagi's wardrobe. 
The blonde backpedaled clumsily, made all the more difficult because her khakis 
she was slipping into were still around her knees. With an attempt to save grace 
AND modesty, Usagi fell, panties and bra showing, pants around her ankles, 
unbuttoned pink shirt, and her face so red it burned. "Aaahhh! Hentai youma!" 
she cried, distinctly acute images of the "Urotsukidoji" OVA whizzing through 
her head. Her addled mind didn't even consider trying to transform. 
Without the Crystal, she would only become Sailor Moon with a flashy healing 
scepter. 
"Very droll and rather flattering, Lady Moon, but I have better things to do 
than to deflower you." The Grell flowed out of the closet, until he towered over 
the downed princess, gazing at her coldly. Without turning his head, he pointed 
at Luna, who had tamped down to leap in a futile attack. "I am not here to harm 
her, Cath Shee, so kindly do not interfere." 
Luna's incumbent bluster deflated in surprise at that word. 
Silently, the two bi-peds stared at each other, one so sinister the air cringed 
in his presence, the other very small, very beautiful, very pure... and feeling 
exceedingly vulnerable in her predicament. After a moment, she asked in a meek 
voice, "Uh, Grell-san, do... do you mind if I get dressed?" 
"As you wish." He took one step back, no longer looming over her. 
Usagi quickly finished dressing herself, trying unsuccessfully to accomplish the 
task with as much dignity as possible. All along, her mind raced with ideas of 
escaping, though all of them seemed to end with her dying rather messily. 
Strangely, she wasn't ALL that frightened. 
"Now," she said, fixing the last button the her shirt, surprised that her voice 
wasn't wavering as much as her stomach was, "For what reason should I listen to 
you." 
"I have no intentions of harming you, as I said." 
Usagi gulped, then tried again. "If you don't mind, I'd rather not trust you. 
You're notoriously... devious. Could you please just tell me what you want and 
then leave? Your presence is a bit... disturbing." THAT was putting it mildly. 
She wasn't sure, but she thought the Grell was amused. Of course, his features 
didn't change. They never changed. Nonetheless, there was something about the 
billowing of his cape that made her think he was amused. 
"You are a very brave young woman, Lady Moon. Very well, here is why I have 
come." He reached into the folds of his cloak, then stretched out his white 
gloved hand, revealing what he had retrieved. 
The Silver Imperium Crystal. 
Usagi could not speak, so complete was her shock, and Luna was making gasping 
sounds, eyes exceedingly round and wide. The Grell turned slightly towards the 
cat. "What is the matter, Cath Shee, cat got your tongue?" 
With a trembling hand, Usagi picked the gem from his hand. She could hardly 
believe it! The Crystal! She hadn't known five minutes that it was stolen, and 
suddenly it was back in her possession! Not only that, but returned to her by 
the single most evil being in her life! "I... don't understand," she whispered 
hesistantly. 
The Grell shrugged, then said in a louder voice, "It is done, crone. The 
contract is fulfilled." He seemed to address the room. 
"Don't be ridiculous, you fool," returned another voice, this one sounding more 
like the stereotype of witches found on television. This one dripped heavily 
with contempt and scorn. "I want the line reestablished. Now, get to it. 
Chop-chop." 
Usagi whirled about, trying vainly to find the speaker. Why was everyone showing 
up unannounced in HER room? 
"Surely the line will be secure now that the Crystal is returned," the Grell 
countered. 
A great sigh of exasperation echoed through the room. "I must be talking to an 
idiot. Which one of you is it, huh Grelly? Typhus? Kain? Vecna? Maybe Orcus. You 
always were too stupid for your own good, Orcus." 
The Grell did not answer, but the room suddenly dropped in temperature, and his 
cloak fluttering angrily. 
Now, it must be noted that Usagi realized she was in WAY over her head here. It 
wasn't every day that two rather magically endowed beings chose your bedroom for 
a bantering discussion, especially when it's obvious that both beings were none 
too friendly with each other. Usagi wisely clamped her mouth shut and resigned 
herself to keeping herself alive. 
The witch's voice continued. "Ah well, it doesn't matter, I suppose. Let's see. 
To explain this in terms even a child can understand. Ummm. Ah! Alright, here 
goes." An image of a withered, warty hand appeared over Usagi's bed. 
It began to wiggle and writhe in complex gestures for a few minutes, and in 
conjunction with these movements, words appeared under the hand, until Usagi 
suddenly realized the hand was conveying sign language with subtitles! 
"Y-o-u p-r-o-b-a-b-l-y s-h-o-u-l-d g-e-t r-i-d o-f t-h-e b-a-s- t-a-r-d 
c-h-i-l-d o-f W-a-r" 
This time the Grell growled. "You ask much, Witch Yaga. Destroying Rei Hino is 
not in the contract!" 
Usagi jumped at that. 
The hand disappeared, replaced with the image of an exceedingly ugly old hag 
face, complete with sickly green wart-covered skin, teeth that resembled slabs 
of iron metal, and white wisps of hair peeking out of a moldering brown hood. 
Only the eyes detracted from the overall hideousness, for they were the most 
beautiful shade of sapphire blue one had ever seen. "I didn't TELL you to 
destroy THE child of War, you debrained, pus-filled, leperous maggot 
dung-heap!"- 
-The princess cringed in disgust- 
-"The line very well isn't going to be secuure if her half-wit power-mongering 
twin is out playing 'Slaughterhouse Rock' with the planet for the rest of time." 
The witch's eyes hardened coldly. "Get rid of her. Snuff her, kill her, eat her, 
I don't care how, just remove her from the planet's course of time." 
The Grell considered the image for a long time, his cloak fluttering in almost 
languid contemplation. "Why do you care what happens to the royal line of the 
Moon Kingdom, Witch Yaga?" he asked finally, passing a momentary glance towards 
Usagi. 
"Sigh," she replied in lofty exasperation, "Are you on THAT topic again? What in 
Hell, or Baator, or whatever they call it nowadays, do you care why I care? I 
don't recall our contract included me confiding in you about my plans. You want 
your bauble, and I want the Sephirothic Line stable." 
They had played this game for countless centuries, and they would go on playing 
perhaps for countless more, and thus, the Grell recognized the apparent slip of 
the tongue for what it was: a volunteered clue that could take him one step 
closer to understanding the mind of the witch. He declined his head slightly in 
acknowledgement. "So THAT is the great crime of Baba Yaga. Interference with an 
aasimon. I am impressed." 
The witch shrugged. "It was a long time ago, and I was much more to look at 
then." Her eyes seemed to glaze over with a very faraway look. "I can't even 
remember his name anymore," she murmured, almost sadly. Despite failing to 
understand anything they were talking about, Usagi felt a twinge of pity for the 
ugly hag. 
"Then the legends are true. Because of a dalliance with one of the Celestial, 
you were forever banned from returning here to your homeworld." The Grell 
snorted disgustedly. "I thought sentimental drivel was below you." 
It was Baba Yaga's turn to growl in smoldering fury, her image immolating in 
flames. Usagi raised her arms to shield herself before she realized that nothing 
else was burning. It was all illusionary. "You go too far, Grelloth Noxus." 
"Yes, so I have been told," he replied insolently. "Still, eloping with an 
aasimon is not grounds for such a punishment. What else happened?" 
The image remained silent, still simmering in rage. 
Finally, he shrugged. "It is of no consequence. The terms of our contract still 
hold, I suppose, but after that, this world WILL be mine. You will not be able 
to stop me, Witch." 
"No, but she can," was the reply with a slight nod towards Usagi. 
Both the witch and the youma turned towards the princess, who took an 
involuntary step back. Her move would have been interpreted as fear, except that 
she tripped over the leg of her chair, fell with a childish cry, and landed 
heavily on her bottom. She looked altogether foolish. 
This time, the Grell did not bother to snort. "You are growing senile in your 
age, Witch. This child is not a threat to me, even with the vaunted Silver 
Imperium Crystal." With a flip of his cloak, the youma turned to leave back 
whence he came. 
Baba Yaga was not ready to admit defeat, however. "Ah, do you dare underestimate 
the progeny of Galaghiel?" 
The Grell stiffened, then whirled in apparent astonishment. "HER?!" 
The image nodded soberly. 
"Surely, you jest," he choked, a note of panic in his endlessly emotionless 
voice. He was staring hard at poor Usagi. 
Baba Yaga smiled coldly. "Come, come, Grelly. You've known me for much too long. 
If you don't believe me, go ahead and touch her. Careful, though. If she IS a 
Celestial child, it might hurt." 
Ignoring the crone, he approached the princess, looming over her once again. She 
shied away, then, grasping a steadily declining reservoir of courage, held her 
ground, jutting her jaw defiantly. Almost gently, the Grell reached out and 
brushed her right cheek. 
Golden-white light flashed from the contact. No harm came to Usagi, however, 
though a surprised gasp escaped her at the reaction. 
The Grell hissed in pain, grabbing his gloved hand in apparent pain. His jeweled 
eyes burned with anger, bathing the bedroom with a fiery violet glow. 
"I told you," the witch said sardonically. 
"THIS?!" he raged back. "YOU are responsible for THIS?!" The object he was 
referring to was Usagi. 
"THIS has a name, Grell," Yaga replied mildly. "Say it with me now. 
Ser-eh-ni-ty." 
Snarling ferociously, the youma stalked back into the closet. Before leaving, he 
glanced over his shoulder towards the the princess. "I shall speak with you 
later." To Yaga, he hissed, "I thought you forgot his name?" 
The witch shrugged. "I lied." 
For a moment he said nothing, the light from his mask immolating the room with 
rage. Finally, he spoke, "The Orb is almost not worth this, Witch. Almost." His 
eyes flashed then subsided. "The contract will be fulfilled, crone," he 
whispered, then stepped through Usagi's closet and disappeared into the shadows. 

"Well," Baba Yaga announced cheerfully, "he seemed remarkably pissed." 
Usagi was not happy, not in the least. She was frightened, really. This had the 
timeless taste of something overwhelmingly profound, something terribly 
important, and for some reason, her mind could not put it together. It felt 
disconcertingly like a wooly gauze being stuffed through her head. 
She stared uncertainly at the image of the despicable-looking hag, and opened 
her mouth to a question, but Yaga stopped her with a shake of her head. "No, 
Serenity. I will not tell you who I am." 
"Why do you keep calling me Serenity? That's my... mother's name." 
"You will take it in time. All of the queens have, ever since..." and here the 
witch clamped her mouth shut, though a moment of anguish crept into her face. 
Again shaking her head, she continued, "... since the beginning." 
This frustrated Usagi to no end. Here was someone who knew about the past, 
apparently from the start of the Silver Millenium. "You have to tell me, 
Yaga-sama," she ordered firmly, standing up with something akin to a regal 
bearing. 
The witch snorted in response. "Oh really, Seren-" 
"Usagi," the princess interrupted 
"-ity, what are you going to do? Stop being foolish and concentrate on your 
current problem." Her blue eyes sparkled slightly in some ethereal light, and 
suddenly Usagi felt very foolish for worrying about this while her friend was 
out there, somewhere, very sick. Without another thought for the witch, she 
grabbed up a coat and shoes, and sprinted out of the room. "And don't use that 
Japanese nomenclature crap on me, young lady!" Yaga yelled out behind her. The 
bang of the front door followed soon after. 
Until now, everyone had forgotten about Luna, perched as she was on Usagi's bed. 
The witch, after watching the princess leave, turned a soft and sober visage 
towards the cat. "You know who I am, don't you Luna." 
"Yes, your Majesty, I believe I do." 
The image barked a short laugh. "Don't 'your Majesty' me, Luna. I wasn't a queen 
or anything. I just started this whole damned mess." 
The cat shrugged. "This 'whole damned mess' is a very powerful institution for 
good in the universe, Lady-" 
"Don't," pleaded the witch in a remarkably pained voice. "I gave up that name 
long ago." 
"My kind has an expansive memory. I doubt they will ever forget the name of 
their savior." Luna bowed low before her. 
"I'm not the same woman the cath shee once revered, Luna, nor do I believe I 
shall ever choose to be." A hint of maliciousness mingled with mild sorrow 
touched her face. "It would probably be to your good health to remember that." 
Once again, Luna shrugged, calmly licking her paw. "If it's all the same to you, 
your Majesty, I'd like to hold on to my faith in you, thank you. I will choose 
not to believe that you would allow harm to come to your descendant, or the 
world you once called Home." 
A quiet moment passed between them, each taking a measure of comfort in the 
other's presence. Then, Baba Yaga spoke once again, somewhat gruffly. "I won't 
let her remember any of this nonsense. She has a great deal of trouble ahead of 
her without having to worry about her great, great, and a thousand times great 
grandmother. I'll trust you to keep your mouth shut." It didn't sound like a 
request, but Luna nodded nonetheless. "Oh, and don't bother telling Artemis 
about me either. He gets rather worked up about these things, and he has his 
hands full taking care of that ditzy harlot Venus." 
Luna ignored the slander. "He'll be sorely disappointed he missed you, your 
Majesty." 
"Yeah, sure, whatever. Just make sure my granddaughter is safe at all times. I 
already know what's going to be in store for her, and it doesn't look pretty, 
especially considering that the Orb I have conceded to the Grell for aiding you 
guys will mark the beginning of some of the biggest conflicts you'll ever have 
encountered." 
"You wouldn't -" 
"No, Luna, I won't tell you what happens. You know damn well that kind of stuff 
isn't allowed. Hasn't Pluto taught you anything?" Yaga huffed in exasperation. 
"Besides, what did I just get through telling Serenity? Your vaunted pyromaniac 
is out there fighting the battle of her life, not to mention the lives of all 
those on this planet. Stop badgering me with inane drivel." 
Luna smiled quietly, for behind the harsh words, she could read the certain 
fondness the witch conveyed. "Yes, your Majesty." 
Baba Yaga shot her a withering glare, them mumbled incoherently as her image 
faded away. The feline thought she could make out some words: 
"Fool cats. Never should have given them speech." 
*****
Had anyone been watching the lonely little shrine atop the hill in that pastoral 
countryside, anyone would have noted that something odd was going on there, what 
with the lightning-strike flashes of light and the detonating rumbles that came 
from that direction. The occasional disintegration of a patch of wall or roofing 
would have raised a few eyebrows also. 
Alas, no one noticed the titanic battle, for it was VERY early in the morning, 
and the nearest dwelling was some 2 miles down the road in either direction. 
Alas, that is, for poor Sailor Pluto. 
She had long since given up trying to keep track of all her injuries, for it 
just didn't seem to matter anymore. Breathing was very difficult, but that was 
probably because one of her ribs was coming dangerously close to puncturing a 
lung. She couldn't swing the Time Staff any more. It was all Pluto could do just 
to lean on it for support, not to mention she couldn't put any wait on her left 
leg. Compound fractures there. Her side hurt something fierce, but she refused 
to remove her hand from the deep burns, even though she felt sick at the feel of 
her own muscle. They were remarkably tough muscles. They felt like silk rope 
actually, but that was probably the blood gushing out that made it so slick. 
And, above all that, there was absolutely nothing left in her to draw on for 
another attack. Her throat was so raw from her attack she couldn't speak 
anymore, and even if she could, the pricks of light engulfing her vision more 
than announced that her exhaustion was nearly complete. She was proverbially 
surprised to still be alive. 
Across the shattered remnants of the main altar room, Dark Rei gasped loudly, 
doubled over with hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath after that last 
flurry of action. While Sailor Pluto was drained by her excessive use of her 
powers compounded with her injuries, the sorceress was fatigued by her excessive 
use of her powers to HEAL all of her injuries. In the madness that had followed 
the loss of the Silver Imperium Crystal, she had been very negligent in the 
ensuing battle with the Senshi of Time. For every wound visited upon herself by 
Pluto, she had returned the attack tenfold, but she had also squandered her 
energies on regenerating from even the merest of scratches, a task much more 
draining than launching bolts of devastating fury. She was being overly 
cautious, and now the price was being payed. She'd have to destroy Pluto quickly 
to recover and regroup. "Have you ever been turned inside out, Senshi of Time?" 
she taunted sadistically. 
Sailor Pluto tried to shift her staff before her, but the effort dropped her to 
the ground. Even downed, her eyes held the fire of defiance. 
The Garnet Orb flickered sedately, giving the only warning to either of them. 
Pluto blinked in surprise. The sorceress foolishly ignored it, raising a fist to 
the air. 
The telekinetic pulse smashed into Dark Rei from the back. Flailing wildly, she 
flew through the air and crashed face first into the wall some ten feet away. 
Just as she was about to slid down, wooden arms sprouted from the wall, grabbing 
and mashing her against the shrine. 
Pluto wondered briefly if she might survive afterall. 
=
Hino Rei materialized from the air, motes of twilight still clinging to her. 
"Where is it?" she hissed in a voice that sent shivers running through Pluto's 
spine. Her eyes were blazing ivory white, illuminating with a pale glow. Her 
teeth were clenched in fury, and she looked fevered, delirious. 
Suddenly, the Senshi of Time felt more in danger than ever before. 
The head of the dazed sorceress pulled back, as if someone had invisibly grabbed 
her hair. Rei stalked right up to her captive's face, bending her backwards even 
more. "WHERE IS IT?!" 
Still, Dark Rei's eyes rolled in her sockets, and an ugly bruise was quickly 
forming on the right side of her face. Growling in raging frustration, the 
invisible force slammed the captive's face into the wall again. 
This time, blood splashed out of her nose. 
"Rei," croaked Pluto in a weak whisper. Rei had never shown this kind of cruelty 
before. 
Too low to be heard, the Guardian of Time was ignored as, yet again, Dark Rei's 
face was pummeled into the wall, this time cracking the wood. Several more 
spatters of blood marred it as well. "Where is the Crystal?" 
Still no answer. 
"Where-" Smash. "Is-" Smash. "The-" Smash. "Crystal?" Smash. 
There was only the sound of blood dripping in rivulets off Dark Rei's chin. 
"Rei," Pluto whispered again, finding a tiny amount of energy to shift her 
staff, hoping to get her attention. Even that little effort very nearly dropped 
her concentrated hold on maintaining her Senshi form. 
The delirious woman actually turned around, squinting at Pluto's fallen form. 
Absently, she let go of her twin's head, which lolled loosely to one side. The 
wooden arms did not relinquish there hold, however. "Setsuna, is that you?" 
Pluto cringed slightly, hearing Rei's voice. It still harboured a grating twitch 
to it, clearly indicating that whatever madness had overcome the Senshi of Fire 
was still searing away at her mind. The green-haired woman nodded as best she 
could. 
Rei looked vaguely confused. "You're young again." She took a step towards the 
Senshi. "You're hair... it's very beautiful again." 
The older woman quirked an eyebrow, staring hard at the approaching priestess. 
She noted how Rei's eyes still burned with the feverish glow of her power, but 
she also noted the slight shivering of her hands, her flushed face, and the 
stumbling quality of her gait. Rei wasn't well, not by a longshot. 
Unconsciously, the Senshi of Time tried to back away. "You're ill, Rei." 
Kami-sama, how it hurt to speak! 
"It doesn't matter, Setsuna. All that matters is the princess." She almost 
stopped and turned back towards her twin. "That's what it all boils down to. 
Why? How did you do it? It's so hard. I'm so selfish. How, Pluto?" Rei was 
kneeling besides her by know, pleading incoherently. "So many years. So many 
centuries. How did you do it?" 
"Painfully," was the hoarse reply. 
Rei nodded. "I'm sorry, Setsuna-sama. " A semblance of calm washed over her 
unstable visage. "I didn't make matters easy for you. I think I understand now. 
Many things, or maybe just a few, but I do." She had taken to stroking the green 
tresses quite lovingly. "I'm tired of running. I'm tired of being alone. I'm 
just so very tired. But I love her. She is my will to live. She IS my life. 
There's just so much I have to worry about." Rei dropped her face into her 
hands. "I can't even begin to ask her forgiveness." 
Pluto tried to speak again, but only a mewling gasp escaped, her face clenching 
at the agony. 
Behind them, Dark Rei opened one very ebon-hued eye. 
Rubbing her face, the priestess lifted her gaze to Sailor Pluto. "I should 
probably get you out of here, first. Then I'll take care of-" 
The explosion literally blew the top off the shrine. 
*****
"He did WHAT?!" Mamoru cried incredulously. 
Usagi sighed. "The Grell gave me the Silver Imperium Crystal. Now, please don't 
interrupt, Muffin. We don't have that kind of time. Rei's evil twin seems to be 
on the prowl again, and I think Rei is trying to handle this on her own again." 
They were gathered at Mamoru's apartment, which he hadn't seen fit to give up 
once he had graduated from college. 'They' consisted of Makoto, Haruka, Michiru, 
Usagi and Mamoru. Makoto also held up her communicator, so that both Ami and 
Minako could listen to the story, even though they were much too far away to 
make a difference. Hotaru and Chibi-Usa were left asleep at the Outer Senshi's 
mansion. Setsuna was nowhere to be found. 
Relating the events which had brought the princess out at 3am didn't take much 
longer, but the frowns were aplenty. Haruka and Makoto looked ready to leap out 
and cause some general havok while pretending nonchalance in the face of the 
other. Michiru looked worried, gnawing at her bottom lip, no doubt wondering 
where Setsuna had disappeared to. Mamoru still seemed doubtful about the Grell's 
apparent act of generosity. "Are you sure it's the true Silver Imperium 
Crystal?" he asked, turning Usagi towards him by the shoulders. 
"Mamo-chan! Rei's in trouble! We have to do something!" she cried back, a hint 
of irritation crawling into her tone. 
"Actually, Usagi-chan, it is a perfectly valid and understandable question," 
Michiru said. "If it ISN'T the Crystal, we could be in very big trouble, Rei or 
no Rei." 
"I'm sorry, Usagi, but I have to agree here," came the electronically tinkling 
voice of Ami through the communicator. "If you don't have the Crystal, that will 
need to be your first concern." Reluctantly, Minako nodded in consent. 
Usagi shot Makoto a look that spoke volumes of concern, a hand reaching for the 
brooch. Strangely, the brunette frowned her concern as well, then nodded in 
agreement. The princess smiled wanely, for she could tell it grated Makoto's 
nerves to be passive like this. She wanted desperately to find Rei also. 
"Moon Crisis Power, make up!" 
After five years of being Usagi, the transformation thrilled her to the core. 
She felt warm and soft, tingling all over. The sense of pure-hearted goodness 
sunk into every pore of her body, making many of her worries more manageable. 
She could do anything if she put her mind to it. 
"Well," Makoto quipped, clinically analyzing Eternal Sailor Moon's angelic 
wings, "since that's done with, isn't it about time we pull Rei's butt out of 
the fire." 
The princess, her wings fluttering slightly, had the decency to look a bit 
sheepish. "Uh, see, that's going to be a problem. I don't know where-" 
"I'm already on it," Ami interrupted distractedly. She looked like she was 
intent on something outside the field of view of the communicator. Faint bleeps 
and bloops drifted to their ears, indicating the use of the pocket-sized 
computer. "Ahhh..." she drawled after a minute, her brows scrunched up in a 
heavy frown. "They're together, Usagi-chan, about 25 miles south of Tokyo. 
You'll have to follow- Wait! They're gone!" 
"Huh? What do you mean they're gone?" Haruka demanded. 
Ami ignored her, focusing her efforts on her computer. She wasn't absolutely 
sure, but she could have sworn one of the blips representing a Rei had faded 
before disappearing, while the other had simply vanished. Clenching her teeth, 
Ami suppressed the dark thought of what that might mean if it was the true Rei. 
"Ami-chan," Usagi pleaded, a bit of hysteria crawling into her throat. "Where is 
she?" 
"I'm working on it, Princess. Please, I need a moment." 
Mamoru wrapped an arm tenderly around Moon's shoulders, offering a bit of 
comfort. She gratefully snuggled in a bit closer, her hands enclosing the 
Crystal. 
For an eternity of a minute, the gathering waited as patiently as could be 
expected, though Minako did mumble something about wishing to be back in Japan. 
Makoto smiled wanly and murmured that the blonde wouldn't enjoy the cold in the 
middle of the park wearing one of her runway sequinced dresses. Minako blew her 
a raspberry, which sounded remarkably funny through her communicator speaker. 
"Well," Ami began, her frown remaining, "I've managed to find one of them, but," 
and here she paused to stare into her com-screen. 
"What?" Usagi blurted. 
"Whoever it is, I... I think she's hurt." Usagi gasped, a hand flying to her 
mouth. 
"Is it the true Rei, Ami?" Michiru asked softly. 
"I can't be sure. There's something... odd about her reading. It's ALMOST Rei, 
but not quite. At least, that's how the computer is reading her." 
Makoto smacked her fist into her palm. "So it might be the evil Rei, is that 
what you're trying to say?" 
Ami shook her head. "No, it's definitely not... the evil Rei. The computer 
already knows how to identify her, and that's who one of the blips was. This one 
is... it might be Rei-chan," she mumbled lamely. 
"How many Rei Hinos are out there?" Mamoru asked, throwing his hands up in 
frustration. "We'll go there and find out for ourselves if it's Rei or not." 
"And how do you propose to do that?" Ami threw back mildly. "They look exactly 
the same. If you guess wrong, you could be in more danger than you're 
expecting." 
Haruka stepped forward. "Oh, come on, Ami. It's still Rei, whether good or bad. 
Surely we can handle anything she can throw at us." 
"Have you fought her before?" 
"No, but-" 
"Then how do you know?" 
"She can't-" 
Makoto positioned herself before Haruka. "We HAVE fought her. She's more than a 
match for all of us, save maybe Sailor Moon, and even then, she's not the most 
reliable defender." The brunette turned to the princess with a sheepish 
expression. "Gomen nasai, Sailor Moon, but she is one of us, and unless you know 
for a fact that Rei wouldn't be in danger, you won't have the heart to defend us 
to your utmost fullest." 
Instead of taking offense, Eternal Sailor Moon nodded in agreement. "She's 
right, Haruka. We fought the evil Rei once before, and it was a chancy thing at 
best. Many things had to go right. I can't risk using the full power of the 
Silver Imperium Crystal unless it is absolutely necessary." 
"Sailor Moon will NOT use the full power of the Silver Imperium Crystal no 
matter what," Minako commanded in a firm voice. "We all know that we cannot 
allow that to occur." 
Ami cleared her throat noisily, catching everyone's attention. "Um, guys, where 
exactly are Chibi-Usa-chan and Hotaru-chan?" 
"They are at our house," replied Michiru. 
"That's what I was afraid of. The Rei I have tracked is at your house too." 
*****
Hotaru blinked a couple of times to clear the sleep from her eyes, all the while 
wondering what that noise was that had woken her up. Beside her, Chibi-Usa 
continued sleeping, oblivious as always in her deep slumber. A tsunami could 
drop onto the house and drown her before she would get up, Hotaru thought wryly. 

Not wishing to disturb her friend's sleep, the dark-haired child carefully 
emerged from the bed, donning a soft robe of lavender, and padded out of her 
bedroom. Shutting the door quietly behind her, she took a moment to listen for 
the sound again. 
Nothing. 
Frowning, Hotaru headed down the hallway, fingering her transformation pen 
absently. She wasn't actually afraid as she neared the grand staircase that led 
downstairs, but her nerves did feel a bit stretched with anxiety. She was 
especially concerned because she knew Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama were not 
home, nor was Setsuna-sama. Hotaru was all alone here to protect Chibi-Usa and 
herself. 
But she wasn't afraid. 
Roughly halfway down the stairs, she heard another muffled bump, followed by a 
sighing groan, obviously coming from the dining room. This time, the child 
reached into her pocket dimension and pulled the Silence Glaive out, readying it 
before her as she continued down. 
For a brief moment, she thought it might be prudent to call the others, or at 
the very least, wake Chibi-Usa, but the moment passed. It wasn't that Hotaru was 
excessively brave, but rather she didn't feel that this needed the others' 
attention. They were busy enough as it was, and Chibi-Usa needed her sleep. 
Of course, while bravery and prudence seemed one and the same to her, Hotaru was 
not immune to shock, and what she saw as she turned the corner into the dining 
room shocked her to the core. 
The dining room table, a beautiful work of cherry mahogany, had been ruined 
beyond repair. The table had been a large piece, some seven by twenty feet in 
dimension. In the exact center, a perfect circle had been sheared through the 
table, so precise that one would never find a single splinter in the cut. 
The cause of this desecration was the sphere of jade-hued energy that, even now, 
floated within the antique furniture, spanning some six feet in diameter itself. 
Whatever it touched simply melted away, including the low hanging chandelier 
above the table and the plush carpet below. 
Feeling prudence had had its say in things, Hotaru reached once again into her 
pocket dimension and withdrew her transformation stick, holding it before like a 
crucifix. 
"Saturn Planet Power, make up!" 
In moments, the Senshi of Silence stood before the sphere, perusing her mind for 
anything that could explain this phenomenon, careful to keep herself a safe 
distance away in case it proved dangerous. Almost tentatively, she began to 
reach out with her Glaive. 
Suddenly, the sphere popped like a bubble, depositing two very crippled 
individuals through the hole and onto the ground beneath. 
"Setsuna-mama!" Saturn cried, dropping her weapon and scurrying atop the table 
to the edge of the hole. Sure enough, there lay Sailor Pluto, wheezing terribly, 
her sailor fuku charred and smoldering. 
Beside her was Rei, her turtleneck and jeans singed and smoking. Her skin had 
the unhealthy flush of someone who had stepped much to close to a roaring flame, 
but she shivered uncontrollably, slowly curling into a fetal position. 
With a strength allowed only through the augmentations of her Senshi form, 
Sailor Saturn dropped off the table and flipped it off to the side, shoving it 
against the opposite wall. With gentle care, she knelt beside Pluto and cradled 
her head. "Kami-sama! What happened?" Though soft-spoken, her voice carried the 
weight of heavy concern, and tears formed in the corner of her eyes. 
"Rei..." came the whispered reply. 
Saturn seemed confused. "No, Setsuna-sama, she couldn't have done this to you. I 
won't believe that. Please, I've never seen you so hurt." 
Pluto grinned wryly. "I'm... not invincible, Hotaru-chan." 
"You are to me." Fumbling one-handed, Saturn pulled out her communicator and set 
the emergency beacon. "I need to get you to a bed. Are you okay to be moved?" 
The Senshi of Time coughed weakly, then shook her head. "I-" She grimaced at the 
effort, then continued. "I don't think so. I think... breathing hurts... leg 
broken... and-" 
"Shhh, don't say anything." The child paid Rei a surreptitious glance, but the 
latter remained oblivious to anything. Her eyes were clenched shut, and she had 
curled up so tightly, her muscles looked taut and stretched. "I'll have to heal 
you here until the others get here." 
Pluto grunted, and seemed ready to protest, but she was as weak as a kitten. 
Wrapping her arms about the older woman, Sailor Saturn lowered her lips to her 
friend's forehead. Immediately, a violet aura shone out from the Senshi of 
Silence, engulfing both herself and Sailor Pluto. 
Setsuna quickly dropped into darkness. 
It was in that position that the others found them some fifteen minutes later. 
Rei had not moved, though she still trembled horribly. Saturn held Pluto in an 
endearing embrace, pouring her healing energy into the Senshi of Time, who lay 
unconscious, but whole. 
"Setsuna!" Haruka and Michiru cried in near unison. 
"Rei!" Usagi screamed a split second later. 
Rei's eyes snapped open at that voice. It seemed so long since she had heard 
that voice, that pure, delightfully innocent voice. "U... Usagi?" 
"Yes, Rei-chan, I'm here," came the answer, and gentle arms wrapped about her 
with more love than Rei could possibly deserve. Her sickness vanished into a far 
corner of her mind at that soothing touch. 
Usagi suddenly found herself engulfed in a frantic embrace, Rei trying to crawl 
right into her, burying her face into the princess' chest. 
Then, there was a sound that surprised every conscious and free- thinking person 
in the room. 
Rei was crying very loudly and unconsciously. Great wracking sobs shook her so 
hard, they threatened to topple Usagi as well. So heart- rending and full of 
loss, the priestess weeped with all of her soul, as if she had kept eons of pain 
locked up tightly for this exact moment, and she had to let go of it all in one 
sorrowful burst. 
All the others could do was watch with very heavy hearts. All Usagi could do was 
soothe her dearest friend, tears streaming down her own face at the sounds. 
There was nothing to do but be there, and it did not feel like even that was 
going to be enough for the young dark- haired woman who had had her life 
shattered so terribly by her own deeds. 
*****
"Mercury, where are you?" 
"I am here, Dark Maiden," the boyish voice intoned, the God stepping out from 
behind a birch. "I trust you have come to a conclusion?" 
Eilistraee leveled him with a lunar glare. "I have." 
"And?" 
The dark elf goddess held her words, musing upon them for a moment. They would 
mean much in the days to come, and she could not blurt them out lightly. 
And yet, she knew what she was about to say had to be correct, for her visions 
had been quite persuasive. The path of her Chosen HAD to cross about the lands 
of this Earth, a place she would have no sway, very little power, and scant in 
the way of protection. 
Still, if there could be a chance, as slight and improbable as it may seem, 
then... perhaps Eilistraee would finally find the Eden she had been searching 
for for her children. 
"Xune will be very vulnerable on Earth," she said faintly. 
Mercury shrugged. "True." 
The Dark Maiden seemed surprised. She was sure the God would try to alleviate 
her concerns. "But-" 
"Do not get me wrong, Daughter of the Demon Queen." Eilistraee flinched, but 
held her tongue. "I cannot offer you what is not in my power to give. The 
mortals test their strengths on their own, falling to their own whims, 
triumphing to their own goals. Earth is not our domain any more, nor has it been 
for quite some time. Our last bastions are our avatars, and they are more mortal 
than the rest." 
"But I thought they-" 
"-are immortal? Yes, they are, because all that we have left is within them. 
Immortality, however, does not guarantee survival. They are just as frail as the 
rest of mankind. They are not driven by our godly prides and egos, our vast 
wisdom and stupidity. They are human in their needs, in their wills, and in 
their souls. They may live for as long as they wish, but it is their hearts that 
will guide them. If you seek reassurance that your Chosen will be safe, then 
that I cannot give you. What I can give you is this, for this is what we have 
learned from watching our avatars: Xune Kilsek will be your greatest child ever 
for having known them." 
The dark elf waited for more, but none was forthcoming. She blinked in 
confusion, and then in frustration. "That is it? That is abstract drivel, far 
beneath you or any of us. I did not come here to listen to wisps and folly." 
The boy smirked. "And yet you are here, having beckoned me into an audience." 
"I thought I was giving you and your brethren support," she growled. 
"No, dear Maiden, you are shaping Destiny. We can only do so much, but the 
forces that keep the multiverse running have an interest in our champions and 
their world. If you wish to remain passive, then that is your right, but I 
suspect you know what that will portend." 
She stared at the Messenger of the Gods, the image of a lifeless ball of ice 
sweeping beneath her conscious. "There is magnificent danger," she murmured 
bleakly. 
Mercury sighed. "There always is." He pursed his lips in thought, then added, 
quite shyly, "I wish to thank you." 
"What for?" 
Shuffling his feet in a manner of embarrassment, he turned his head, trying to 
find a sudden interest in a twittering bird. "I wish to thank you for allowing 
Ami Mizuno back into the mortal realm those years ago." He actually blushed as 
the words came out in a tumbled rush. 
A warm and joyous smile reached Eilistraee's face, silent laughter jumping in 
her eyes. She remembered that time vividly, for she had had a small amount of 
time to consider the mettle of this Sailor Mercury as she guided her back to her 
body. The girl was sweet, very endearing, and remarkably bright for such youth. 
Her features hardened then. She would not allow such a beautiful and gifted 
young woman to die before her potentials could be given a true chance. "You will 
have the aid of the child Xune. I suspect you will have the aid of her consort 
and their adopted daughter as well." 
Mercury clapped his hands together. "Then it is settled. We will not forget 
this, Dark Maiden." He vanished before the dark elf could respond. 
"No, Mercury, you will not forget this, for I have seen what will happen." She 
frowned, running a hand down her long bow. "I hope your Champions are truly 
immortal, for they will need to be more than the sum of anything they have ever 
been." 
The Dark Maiden trudged back into the Elven Forest, her divine heart weeping. 
----------------------
If you choose, send me a line at meech@mindspring.com. 
For the sake of both of us, "A Rei of Hope" should be done in the next part.