"Between the Darkness and the Light" Written by: DQBunny Edited by: Meara Chapter 2 The youngest Sailor Senshi sat alone on a swing in Jyuban Park, absently swinging back and forth. She thought about the events that had taken over the past few months. Soon, she would be going home to Crystal Tokyo, her training complete. Chibi-Usa sighed. She would miss the 20th century terribly. Here she was just an ordinary girl, not a princess. Perched on top of her head, her guardian burrowed her head into the pink hair of her friend. "Small Lady, I?m getting dizzy," Diana said. "Gomen ne, Diana," Chibi-Usa stopped for a moment and placed Diana on the ground. She resumed her swinging a moment later. Diana studied Chibi-Usa for a moment. She looked much older than her ten years of age, but Diana knew that Chibi- Usa had been through a lot in the past few months. Luna had told her of the fight with Pharoah 90, and then Diana had been around for much of the Dead Moon Circus. She?s probably ready to go home, she thought. Even the life of royality must seem easy compared to what she?s gone through. Diana?s gaze wandered from Chibi-Usa and down the path. She blinked as she saw a woman with sandy-blonde hair dressed in sailor fuku stood on the path staring at them for a moment. Suddenly, she disappeared as fast as she had come. Diana?s attention turned back to Chibi-Usa, who was gazing into the setting sun, lost in her own thoughts. "Small Lady?" she asked. "Hmmm....?" "Who was that lady?" "What lady?" "She looked like a Sailor Senshi. She had on a navy blue fuku with a yellowish ribbon in the front." Chibi-Usa immediately slid to a halt. She stared at Diana. Both of them knew of the Outer Senshi in the 30th century, but not even Diana had said if she had seen them since the events which took place to save Hotaru in the 20th century. "Does she have short, blonde hair?" Diana nodded. "Hai!" Chibi-Usa jumped up, then scooped the kitten into her arms in one swift move. She ran down the park path, glancing in the bushes as she did so. Sailor Uranus, she thought. What could she be doing here? ***** Before everyone had time to question Hotaru?s statement, Setsuna spoke up again. "I have the information you?re looking for, even the reason why Elios is reluctant to tell you what is going on, Mamoru-san," Setsuna said. She closed her eyes for a moment and let her transformation go. Both she and Hotaru walked in and took the empty places around the table in Rei?s bedroom. "There is an opposite for everything," Setsuna began. "Elysion is no exception. Whereas it is a place where dreams exsist and keeps the Earth alive, Pandora is a world where the opposite is true. It is a place of nightmareish Hell, much worse than the one depicted in the Christian Bible." "Pandora?" Minako questioned. Setsuna nodded. "It is a name given to this kingdom and is derived from the legend of Pandora?s box, about all the evils of the universe being released when it is opened." "So, the person who would be Elios? opposite would be the high priest of Pandora, right?" Makoto asked. Setsuna nodded. "He is known as Akumun Kuro. He is Elios? brother." Everyone simply stared at Setsuna, trying to absorb the information. "Mamoru-san, the divisions of the two worlds have to do with your birth," Setsuna turned her attention to the prince of the Earth. "At the time of your birth during the Golden Kingdom, both Elysion and Pandora were the interior kingdoms which guarded the Earth. Elysion, where your family lived, was considered to rule the daytime while Pandora was the night kingdom. Elios and Kuro were the respective priests who kept watch over these kingdoms." "At your birth, Kuro declared that you would be the first King of the Earth to reign from Pandora, that you were destined to be a dark king and bring about the end of the Golden Kingdom. He alluded to the end of the Silver Milleniumn in his prediction. Your father, who was king by then, was tired with the increased influence Kuro was having over the people of the Earth. Kuro had been sending harsh nightmares to innocent people and in turn caused them to commit several crimes against the state. His statement about you was the last straw. Your father had him banished with the help of Queen Serenity." "Pandora was extradited from the earth in a great cataclysmic event that formed what is today known as the Grand Canyon. It was flung to the futherest end of the universe known as ?The End of the World.? Nothing is known to exsist out there. It is a bleak, dismal place. But, when the kingdom was flung out there, the velocity it was speeding at caused it to turn inside out." "You mean, it became a black hole?" Ami asked, incrediously. "How could Kuro still be alive?" "It is a black hole, you?re correct, Ami-chan. However, both Kuro and the Pandora kingdom are still alive and thriving. Over the course of the past few hundred years, he has been swallowing up remote universes in the galaxy by getting close enough to their outer orbits to have the black hole suck them in. His goal has always been to get revenge on the Earth for banishing him. In order to accomplish that, he will destroy the entire Milky Way and whatever he can in order to reach this galaxy." "But, what does this have to do with Sailor Neptune?" Rei asked. "And where is Uranus?" "Kuro obviously knows that the Sailor Senshi are the protectors of this solar system. He has kidnapped Michiru and sent her into a thousand-year sleep in an attempt to draw you to Pandora." Everyone remained silent for a moment. "Knowing Haruka-san, she doesn?t want us involved," Makoto commented. Setsuna finally smiled. "You?re right. However, I can?t allow her to take this mission on alone. Currently, she is wandering alone in the Jyuban area looking for any clue to Michiru?s kidnapping. I?m letting her. If she even attempts to go to Pandora on her own, she will die." Usagi and Mamoru gazed at each other, the big question left unsaid. Finally, they focused their attention back on Setsuna. "Setsuna-san, where do I come in with this?" Mamoru asked. Hotaru, who had been silent during Setsuna?s speech, spoke up again. "Because your power is necessary for the senshi to defeat Kuro. Since Michiru-momma has been kidnapped, I have been regaining my memories as a senshi. However, I lack the power to transform still." "The only thing which can wake Michiru is the power of the Holy Grail," Setsuna said. "Even though it was destroyed during the battle with Phaorah 90, it can be reformed when all the powers of the ten senshi, the nine planets plus Sailor Chibi Moon, are combined. But, with Hotaru without her senshi powers and with Michiru kidnapped, we do not have the means of forming the grail." "So what do I do? Throw a rose at Kuro? That?s not going to help," Mamoru muttered, disbelief in his voice. Usagi glanced at him. Usually, he didn't sound so skeptical of situations. "Trust me, there is no way we can get Michiru back without you," Setsuna said. "So," Makoto jumped up. "Let?s get going! We can Sailor Teleport out to Pandora, kick Kuro?s butt, bring Michiru back, and still make it home in time for dinner!" "Geez, you?re as bad as Usagi," Rei rolled her eyes. "I?m not that bad!" Usagi protested. "You can?t use Sailor Teleport alone," Setsuna?s voice cut into their argument. Everyone stared at her again. "I?ll have to take you as far as I can," Setsuna said. "But, even then you may not make it to Pandora." Her garnet-colored eyes focused on everyone sitting in the room. "And realize this too. This decision is in your hands. If you make the trip to Pandora, there is a strong possibility that you are never coming back." ***** Haruka stopped in a small clearing in Jyuban Park and sighed. This search was fruitless, she knew that much. Wherever Michiru was, she was almost certain it was nowhere in Tokyo. For all she knew, the kidnappers may had fled Japan with her by now. She sighed and allowed herself to lean against the trunk of a nearby tree. She ran a hand through her sandy hair and used the privacy to allow the luxury of a few tears to slide down her cheeks. She hated them, hated feeling the emotions. Crying was the worse of it. Haruka thought she could handle anything. After all, she and Michiru had died thanks to Eudial. But, at least then, Michiru had a choice in her destiny. Now, her fate laid in other people?s hands. Alone since she was fourteen years old, Haruka had refused to feel powerful emotions for anyone or anything except racing. She allowed the circumstances she chose to live in condition her to become tough and brush off most of life?s problems. Haruka gazed at the sky and chuckled through the few tears she had allowed. She had become soft over the past year. First Michiru, then Usagi and the inner senshi, then Hotaru and Setsuna. She figured she would have to trade in her racing car in for knitting needles at the rate she was going. "I can?t believe it, the tough Sailor Uranus can actually cry. Will wonders never cease? Does the poor little Sailor Senshi have PMS?" Haruka?s attention immediately shifted to a man standing across the clearing from her. Her eyes narrowed as she took in his appearance. The man had black hair which hung loose past his shoulders. His skin had a deathly pallor to it, and he was clothed in black robes. A black horn protruded from his forehead. He held a staff of gnarled ebony in one hand. The man approached Haruka and slowly began to circle her. "Ah, yes, I know of your tears, Sailor Uranus. I?m the one who caused them." Haruka immedately took an offensive stance, moving into an attack position. "Where?s Michiru?" she growled. "A place where only I can reach her. A true Sleeping Beauty she is, sleeping peacefully until she can be awakened. Too bad you?re not a real prince," the man laughed. "You sonofa....," Haruka bit off the angry curse, then held up her hand. "World Shaking!" The attack spiraled toward the man. He held up his staff, bowed his head, and chanted a prayer over it. Black energy started radiating from the staff, then formed a shield around the man. Haruka?s attack hit the shield, then was reflected back towards Uranus. Before she had a chance to even think, the attack hit her and sent her flying back into the tree. From her hiding place in the bushes, both Chibi-Usa and Diana gasped. "Small Lady, you have to do something!" Diana said. "Hai, I will!" Chibi-Usa stood up. "Moon Crises...Make-UP!" "Huh?" The man turned around to see a young girl with pink oval odango transform. He frowned as he remembered seeing her picture before. Chibi-Usa ran out of the bushes and pointed at the man, her cinnamon eyes narrowed in anger. "How dare you hurt one of my friends! For love and justice, I am the pretty sailor-suited solider..." "Sailor Chibi Moon," the man cut her off. "And in the name of the moon, you?ll punish me...blah, blah, blah." "Huh?" Chibi-Usa, who had taken her traditional stance, looked puzzled. "But, how did you know...?" Haruka looked up at that moment, her senses coming back to her. She swore under her breath when she saw Sailor Chibi Moon facing off the man. Stupid child, she thought. If he can knock me out, he?ll wipe her out in less than a second! Haruka struggled to get to her feet, but dizziness forced her back to the ground. The man pointed his staff at Chibi-Usa. Before the younger girl could react, black rays of energy shot of it. She screamed and jumped out of the way in the nick of time. She scurried near Haruka, then suddenly clasped her hands together in prayer. "Please, Peagasus!" Chibi-Usa cried, going down on one knee as she did so. "Help protect our dreams!" She stood up, produced a bell from the folds of her skirt, and held it up in the air. "Twinkle Yell!" she cried, twirling around in a circle. Suddenly, a white pegasus materialized into the air. By this time, Haruka had managed to get back to her feet. The man spotted the pegasus and gasped. The animal swooped down to the ground and landed in front of Chibi-Usa. But, instead of noticing the senshi, his attention was focused on the man. Elios shifted back into his human form. "Kuro," Elios said. "It?s been awhile." "What do you think you?re doing?" Kuro snapped at Elios. "Chibi-Usa-chan called for me. She usually does when she?s being attacked," Elios narrowed his eyes at the other man. "I didn?t figure it would be you." "Who else could it be?" Kuro said. "Queen Nelehenia didn?t do the job I wished she had completed. If she had, you and Elysion would had been gone by now." Chibi-Usa gasped. Haruka walked over to her side and frowned. "Well, I?ll be damned," she muttered. Chibi-Usa?s gaze shifted to the older senshi. "What is it?" she asked. "They?re brothers." "No way!" Chibi-Usa stared at Elios and Kuro again. She couldn?t deny Haruka?s statement though. Other than the differences in the clothes they wore, their hair, and the horns protruding from their foreheads, the men could easily be twins. "I would figure after all this time, you would still be trying to get rid of Elysion," Elios said to Kuro. "Since the Golden Kingdom was wiped out, taking care of you should be the final step in bringing the Earth under my domination. Well, you and the Sailor Senshi. That shouldn?t be too hard," Kuro laughed. Elios opened his mouth, then shut it again. He doesn?t realize that the last prince of the Golden Kingdom has been reincarnated, he thought. Obviously, Kuro had been keeping an eye on the Earth long enough to monitor the progress of the Dead Moon Circus. Elios simply smiled. Apparently, Kuro had not made the connection that Tuxedo Kamen is Endymion, he realized. Kuro grew angry. It was just like his brother to just stand there and stupidly smile after receiving a death threat, he thought, remembering Elios? same reaction back when Prince Endymion of the Golden Kingdom was born. Kuro lifted his staff and pointed it at Elios. "In fact, why don?t I do that just now? Say hi to King Pelonius and Queen Serenity for me!" Chibi-Usa cried out and ran to defend Elios. Haruka immediately followed her. "You stupid child!" she yelled. "Get out of the way!" "Small Lady, don?t!" Diana cried from near the bushes. Elios, who had bent his head to chant a prayer in defense of the attack, looked up at Diana?s cry. "Chibi- Usa-chan, don?t!" he cried out, taking his attention off Kuro. Using this to his advantage, Kuro launched his attack at Elios. Chibi-Usa threw herself at Elios. The princess crashed into the priest, knocking them both to the ground. Haruka jumped in front of the couple, taking the attack for them. It sent her flying back into the trees again, this time falling to the ground unconscious. Elios managed to get up and helped Chibi-Usa to her feet. "You shouldn?t had done that," he told her, his voice shaking. "I wan?t going to let him hurt you!" Chibi-Usa protested. "He wouldn?t had hurt me," Elios said with a wry smile. "Trust me, I know almost every trick of his in the book." Chibi-Usa looked around. "Where?s Haruka-san? And Kuro?" she asked. Elios looked around as well. The last thing he had heard was Haruka?s cry of pain as she took the attack for them. Now, the park looked like nothing had ever happen except for burn marks on some of the trees nearby. He kept an arm wrapped around Chibi-Usa?s shoulders as he looked around, then frowned. Chibi-Usa blushed. No man had ever held her the way Elios was holding her right now. Still, it wasn?t the time to dwell on this, she realized as a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach grew. She noticed something lying near one of the trees and broke away from Elios? hold. She approached the tree and knelt down, picking up the object off the ground. "What is it?" Elios asked, walking over to her. Chibi-Usa simply stared at the object in her hand before holding it up. Elios stopped when he saw it was a wide yellow ribbon with blood stains on it. Neither of them said a word. They didn?t have to. They knew that Kuro had taken Haruka.