THE UNITY SAGA 
By Sherri-Lee Thornton 
PG 
This is my first attempt at a fanfic. I have only seen the American 
dubbed version so the language and most names and titles will be 
decidedly English, although I do prefer to use the Japanese family 
names for the Scouts themselves. The usual disclaimer applies. All 
characters, merchandise etc. are copyrighted by Naoko Takeuchi, 
Kodansha Ltd., etc and I claim no credit for the creation of Sailor 
Moon, her friends, enemies and various associated lackeys. 
This story, however, is mine and I hope you enjoy it. It picks up the 
storyline during the SMR series, after the defeat of Rubeus. Rennie 
now knows that Serena, Rei, Lita etc are the Sailor Scouts and that 
Darien is Tuxedo Mask. It will run parallel with several episodes (not 
yet aired in my country so please excuse any gross inconsistencies, I 
am using only summaries as a guide). Any resemblance to any other 
fanfiction is purely accidental. 
##### 
Part 1 
'THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS' 

She sat alone on her bed in the dimly lit room, slumped forward, elbows 
resting listlessly on her thighs, continuing to stare as she had for 
the past hour at the cold stone floor. 
Everything about this room seemed cold - the windowless stone 
walls, the spartan metal furniture, the drab grey upholstery. The only 
colour in this lifeless room came from the girl herself, and from the 
picture lying on the floor before her. 
It was at the picture that she stared, having gazed at it so 
often now that she could see its every detail even with eyes closed. 
It was the only thing in the room that she treasured, the only thing 
that remained of her past, her future - her entire life. She reached 
down to pick it up, running a fine-fingered hand over the faces smiling 
out at her, as if the touch could bring them closer. 
A single tear slipped from her eye, tumbling down her porcelain 
white cheek. She brushed it away angrily with the back of a pale hand, 
before it could fall onto the photograph. If her jailers had 
discovered it, they would have destroyed the picture long ago - it 
would not do to wreck it with foolish tears now. 
Long ago ... years. 
Years - had it really been so long? Time had passed in an 
unending, unchanging procession of days, weeks, and months until she 
could no longer be sure of the duration of its passage. She could not 
even judge time by her own body, for here, in this netherworld, she did 
not age. Her only guide had been by counting the meals they brought 
her, but that had eventually grown tedious, pointless and depressing. 
Pushing herself up from the bed, she walked the eleven paces to 
the opposite side of the room. She had made a game of counting her 
steps some time ago, having long grown tired of counting the stone 
blocks that imprisoned her. She now knew the exact dimensions of 
her room, the hall outside and the exercise yard, the only places she 
remembered seeing since her arrival. 
Now, standing before the full-length mirror that decorated this 
side of the room, its black metal frame glinting dully, gazing at the 
girl that occupied it, she hoped she would soon find new halls to pace. 
Her heart quickened a little at the thought. 
The reflection looking back at her from the glassy surface 
appeared to be around 18 years of age. She was tall; she always had 
towered over her friends. Her thick, coppery brown hair hung in soft 
waves to her waist; her fringe was short and curled slightly to frame 
her attractive face. Her skin was the colour of alabaster, not having 
felt the warmth of the sun's rays in years and her deep green eyes were 
framed by long dark lashes that brushed her cheeks gently as she 
blinked. 
She wore a grey, high-necked jacket currently half unbuttoned, 
and revealing the lighter grey shirt beneath, and grey straight-legged 
pants; all standard issue. 
She looked down at the tattered old photograph once more, her 
neck long and graceful, and her right hand came up to trace the outline 
of the person in the picture's centre with her index and middle 
fingers. 
It was a young girl - her fine blond hair tied up in two long 
pigtails that fell past her knees. Her face was lovely and would one 
day have matured to breathtaking beauty, had she but been allowed, the 
woman thought with old bitterness. Her eyes were a vibrant blue; the 
young woman had once heard them described as being bluer than a summer 
sky, but she had never seen a blue sky so she could neither confirm nor 
deny the claim. 
Well, it was time to see if the stories were true. Carefully, 
she folded the picture and tucked it away in an inner jacket pocket, 
fastening the jacket buttons securely. 
She had tried to escape on several occasions, all of which had 
resulted in rather painful punishments. After the first attempt they 
had taken her main power source - a tool she had managed to keep 
hidden. It would take more than imprisonment and the loss of a 
powerstick, however, to keep her from escaping, there was too much to 
be done out there. 
She had relied on her inner energy for the next attempt - her 
powers were her own afterall - not merely the product of a powertool. 
After that attempt they had drained all of her energy and erected a 
dampening field around her room and the exercise yard. 
Renewing her energy had been a long and arduous task, she had 
been forced to learn how to suck small amounts of it from the few 
lackeys she saw, like a lecherous vampire. Stealing energy revolted 
her, but it was the only hope she had. 
Now, it was with a tremulous hand and pounding heart that she 
reached out her right hand, touching her fingertips to the mirror's 
cool glass and hoping that her plans would come to fruition. 
Concentrating, she pushed against the mirror with a small portion 
of energy. The surface rippled outwards from her hand in small waves, 
her reflection wavered and dissolved, and another scene took its place. 
The mirror showed a girl's bedroom, a soft breeze ruffling the 
delicate curtains, blowing gently over the sleeping cat which stirred, 
resettling itself on the star-and-moon patterned doona. Two balls of 
blonde hair peeked out from beneath, tied about with pink ribbon 
bows. 
The young woman watched. She had stumbled across this facet of 
her abilities quite by accident not long after the failure of her last 
bid for freedom. Lashing out in frustration and anger, she had touched 
the mirror and opened a small rift between the two dimensions. 
Instinctively seeking out those closest to her heart, she had 
been able to catch glimpses of the Sailor Scouts as they had battled 
Negaverse forces. 
It still took a lot of concentration and a reasonable amount of 
energy just to observe, so she used it only sparingly, afraid They 
might detect her. 
Through the mirror, however, she had witnessed the death of Queen 
Beryl at the hands of Princess Serena and the Scouts, and then their 
own demise. Though horrific to watch, this event confirmed two things. 
One, that her prison was in a dimension separate from normal 
time, as she had remained unaffected when the Silver Imperial Crystal 
reset time, and two, her captor was not Queen Beryl or even Metallica. 
But then, nor could it be Rubeus who had also met a timely demise, nor 
the Wiseman as he was following a different agenda - focusing on the 
Silver Crystal to destroy a future Tokyo. 
Crystal Tokyo - a city that might have been wonderful to live in, 
but it had never existed in her lifetime and never would if she did not 
succeed now. 
No, some other agent was at work here and she had to get back to 
the Universe to stop it. 
She intensified the focus of her energy, reaching out to the 
sleeping girl. 
"Sailor Moon," she called, "help me." 
##### 
Serena stirred, muttering. She was dreaming about Darien, reaching 
out to him longingly as he turned his back on her and walked away. 
"No, Darien - don't leave me... please." He hesitated, and 
seemed about to look back.... 
"Sailor Moon... help me." 
The voice came from behind her, but she ignored it, intent on 
Darien who turned back to her, smiling. Serena's heart soared, 
hopeful. 
"Sailor Moon - please, you must help me... quickly." 
Serena tried to block out the voice, she couldn't listen, not 
now, not with Darien so close. 
"SAILOR MOON!" 
Serena turned reluctantly. "Not now, Luna," she whined, fully 
expecting to see the petulant face of her furry guardian. Then she saw 
the speaker, who was most definitely not the feline. Instead a tall 
young woman in Negaverse uniform stood before her - about four metres 
away. Serena struck a defensive pose. 
"What the.. ?! Who are you, what do you want, Negascum?" 
The intruder's frown intensified, as if in frustration. 
"I am not from the Negaverse, although that is where I am now 
trapped. I need your help to escape." 
Serena looked back over her shoulder... Darien was gone. 
"Owww - now look what you've done," she wailed. "We would have 
made up, everything would have been perfect." 
"Sailor Moon - wake up!" the girl snapped impatiently. "We 
haven't the time for this." 
Again, Serena stirred in her sleep. The voice was insistent and 
she came slowly to a fuzzy state of consciousness. Groggily, she 
looked around the dark room. 
"What a weird dream," she mused. 
"Sailor Moon, get up and go to the park." 
"Huh?! Who said that?" Serena demanded, sitting bolt upright in 
bed. 
"Hush, you will wake Luna." The voice from her dream was 
speaking quietly in her head, which she shook rapidly. 
"No-way - this is way too weird." Serena began to panic, pulling 
the covers up to her chin, trying to hide. 
"I do not have time to explain now, just get up and go to the 
park near the Hikawa Shrine. I need you there - now." 
"I think I'd better call the others first," Serena stalled, 
scared. 
"NO!! - no time. Go - hurry!. Sailor Mars will just think you 
are being silly anyway - and so will the others." 
"I... I guess so," thought Serena. "Rei _is_ always looking for 
something to use against me." She made up her mind, slipping quietly 
from the bed. If she could find out something to help their mission, 
and do it on her own, she might win back Darien's respect. Besides, 
the voice didn't sound that scary. 
She changed quickly into a white hooded shirt and light-blue 
pinafore dress, tucking her transformation brooch into a pocket, taking 
one last wistful look at Luna sleeping so peacefully at the foot of her 
nice warm, cosy bed. 
"Hurry!" 
"All right, all right, I'm going". Serena muttered, and tiptoed 
from the room. Her communicator lay, forgotten, on the table. 
##### 
Serena ran breathlessly down the deserted streets, pigtails streaming 
behind her like yellow silk ribbons. Stopping to catch her breath, she 
reached out a hand to rest against a low wall, bent over and breathing 
hard. 
"Wait a sec," she thought, "Whoever this person is, they're 
expecting Sailor Moon. I can't show up like this." 
After a quick scan to check for any passersby, Serena took out 
her brooch and held it aloft. 
"Moon... Crystal... POWER!" 
The brooch's top lifted off, the Silver Empyrium Crystal shone 
brightly. 
Sailor Moon continued on, new strength in her step. She passed 
the steps to Rei's temple and entered the park. She hadn't heard the 
voice since leaving the house and began to wonder if maybe she had 
just imagined it all. Her pace slowed to a walk and she peered 
nervously into the deep shadows that hid the park around her, their 
long ebony fingers stretching across her path. 
The night was clear and a fresh breeze whispered through the 
trees, lifting the soft tendrils of hair about her face. Even the 
insects seemed to be holding their breaths in the eerie silence, 
waiting, sensing that something out of the ordinary was taking place. 
She stopped at the tree line surrounding the lake and gazed out 
over calm waters. Hugging herself tightly, she shivered with growing 
fear. 
"Ooowh... what am I doing here? Everyone's really gonna pay out 
on me over this." She turned to leave. 
"Sailor Moon." 
She jumped, giving a small startled yelp. "Who... who are you? 
What do you want?" she asked meekly. 
"Take out the Crystal and hold it towards the lake," the 
disembodied voice ordered. 
"What... what do you mean? I don't have any crystal," she lied, 
unconvincingly, taking a step back. 
"Please, there is no time for games. I know you have the Silver 
Imperial Crystal. Don't worry, I am a friend. But I am trapped in the 
Negaverse and need you to use the Crystal to help me open a portal." 
"What! Are you totally crazed? I can't do that. Even if I 
could, how do I know you're not one of them?" 
There was a pause. Sailor Moon stepped forward, gaining 
confidence, sure she had called a Negamonster's bluff. 
"If I _were_ with the Negaforces I would be able to make my own 
portal," the hollow voice drifted back at her, this time from a spot 
seemingly only a few paces in front of her. "Nor would I know that you 
hold the Crystal, they are all too dense to figure that out." The 
voice was tinged with a hint of droll amusement. 
"I... I guess that makes sense." 
"Of course it does." Impatience crept into the voice. "Please - 
just use the Crystal, before they discover me. They will probably kill 
me this time! You just have to trust me, Sailor Moon." 
She sounded sincere - Sailor Moon assumed that it was the girl 
from her dream - she _had_ looked familiar. "All right." She removed 
her brooch from her Scout uniform, and held it tightly in the palm of 
her hand, still a little scared. Unsure of what to do next, she called 
out. "What now?" 
She thought she heard a sigh of relief, but it could have been 
The wind. 
"You will see a patch of air shimmer in front of you. Hold up 
the Crystal and invoke its power. Focus on that spot. I will do the 
rest." 
Sailor Moon nodded. 
The air a couple of metres away glimmered and began to waver, 
like the rise of air currents off hot summer roads. The light breeze 
picked up. She took a deep breath and stretched her hand out before 
her, having no idea if the Crystal would even work this way. 
"Oh well, only one way to find out. Moon... Crystal... POWER!" 
The Crystal glowed, then flared suddenly. Brilliant white light poured 
forth, bathing the area with its intense purity. It cast back the 
shadows and shone off Sailor Moon's beautiful face. She concentrated 
on the stressed patch of air, calling on the Crystal's power. The 
light gathered into a tight beam that shot towards the distortion... 
and disappeared! 
##### 
Luna stretched and yawned, resettling her dainty head on her soft 
paws. She peeked a look at Serena through one slitted eye. The girl 
was being awfully quiet tonight. 
"Hmm, no wonder," she thought. "She's not even here...-WHAT!" 
Her head snapped up and Luna came fully awake, springing to all fours. 
Her gaze swept the room, resting finally on the squat table. 
Serena's watch communicator still lay there, but more importantly, her 
transformation brooch did not. 
Luna's heartbeat quickened. She searched the room again for 
anything she may have missed, and spotted Serena's pink pyjamas in a 
crumpled pile beside her stack of mangas. Leaping onto the table Luna 
pawed the Mercury call-sign on Serena's communicator. She waited 
several seconds and paged again. 
"Ami - wake up, it's me, Luna!" The seconds ticked by and an 
impatient Luna was about to buzz again when:- 
"Luna? What ever is the matter?" Ami's sleepy voice came over 
the communicator. 
"It's Serena, she's gone." 
"Gone? Are you sure?" 
"Yes, she has changed from her pyjamas and her transformation 
brooch is gone." 
"Oh dear, we must find her immediately, she could be in trouble." 
"Knowing Serena, she is bound to be," Luna replied dryly. 
"But where could she have gone at this hour?" 
They both fell into silence, each going through a mental list of 
places Serena was most likely to go. Luna heard Ami's communicator 
beep; 
"Ami, wake up, it's Rei" 
"I am already awake, Rei. Luna just called and..." 
"Serena's in trouble!" 
"Well... yes. How did you know?" 
"The sacred fire told me. I couldn't sleep and was doing a fire 
reading. That dunderhead has gotten into trouble again. I think she 
is in the park." 
"Alright." Luna took control of the situation. "Rei, get to the 
park as fast as you can. Ami, you call Lita and Mina, and meet us 
there." 
"Gotcha," Rei said. 
"Right, we are on our way." Ami signed off. 
Snatching the communicator in her mouth, Luna sprang onto the 
windowsill and slipped into the night. 
##### 
Darien raced through the night on his motorcycle, speeding down near- 
deserted streets towards Hikawa Shrine. He had been awakened from 
yet another nightmare by the familiar sensation of Sailor Moon's 
transformation. 
She needed him and there was no way on this Earth that he was 
going to fail her. If he could not show his love for her, he could at 
least keep her safe. He gunned the accelerator, and the street lights 
flashed by. 
"I'm coming Serena." 
##### 
The green-eyed girl drew the Crystal's power through the tear, 
channelling it into the mirror. It's surface grew opaque, darkening to 
a cloudy grey. The dimensional rift widened, the fabric between the 
two worlds ripping with an audible sigh as a vacuum formed, sucking in 
the air from her room. The portal stabilised, the mirror's hard 
surface melting away in a vaporous cloud that hung low in the thin air. 
"Sailor Moon - stop now, the portal is complete." Abruptly the 
white stream of energy disappeared. 
The girl tested the portal, pushing her hand into the swirling 
grey - her limb faded from view. A slow smile spread across her lips, 
her eyes danced and she stepped forward, hungry for freedom. At last! 
Sharp footfalls in the hall outside her door brought her head 
snapping around. They had felt the energy! The lock rattled. 
Spinning back to the portal, she took a deep breath and plunged into 
the void. 
##### 
Sailor Moon's eyes widened in astonishment while her energy blast 
continued to be swallowed up by the growing rift hanging a metre 
above the ground. Strong winds whipped about her, tossing her 
ponytails and tearing at her uniform. She brought her other hand up 
to steady that brandishing the Crystal. The portal elongated and 
stabilised. 
"Sailor Moon - stop now, the portal is complete." 
She closed her hand around the Silver Imperial Crystal, 
smothering its light. The Crystal continued to shine momentarily, its 
glare leaking through fingers that had taken on a translucent pink 
glow, then it flickered and died. Sailor Moon stood staring at the 
portal, clutching the brooch to her chest. 
A brief second later, a grey clad figure leapt from the portal, 
landing in a crouch at her feet. It _was_ the girl from her dream. 
Sailor Moon gasped, "Who... ." 
The tall girl interrupted. "No time," she said, standing and 
turning to the portal. "We have to close it before they come through." 
When no response was forthcoming from Sailor Moon, the girl 
glanced back over her shoulder. Sailor Moon was still frozen to the 
spot, still clutching the Crystal, her eyes as big as saucers and her 
mouth a thin, worried line. "Sailor Moon," She admonished, her 
impatience growing, "now would be a good time. Use your Sceptre to 
destroy the portal!" 
"Oh - uh-huh, I'm on it." Sailor Moon straightened, replacing 
the brooch. She summoned her Moon Sceptre, twirling about and powering 
up. Her new companion stepped out of the way, moving to stand beside 
her. 
"Moon... Sceptre... ELIMINATION!" 
Bright energy lanced from the Sceptre's tip, smashing into the 
dimensional portal, wrapping it about with ribbons of arcing light. 
The two energies collided and sparked, their meeting frictional and 
intense. At last the portal flared, drawing in on itself fractionally 
before exploding outward in myriad shards of splintered energy that 
shot into the night to be swept away on the dissipating wind. 
The two girls lowered their arms, having thrown them up in 
defence, and squinted into the smoky haze left by the portal's 
destruction. 
"Well done, Sailor Moon," the mysterious girl congratulated her, 
placing a hand on Sailor Moon's shoulder. 
Sailor Moon could feel her strength in that light touch. "Yeh, 
thanks. I did it." She breathed weekly, her relief evident. "Uh... 
what did I just do?" she queried her grey-clad companion, then turned 
to continue her stream of questions. "Who are you? How did you get 
into my dream?" 
"Why don't we move away from here first - someone may have notice 
our... ah... fireworks," the girl suggested. 
They started for the path, the grey-clad girl leading Sailor Moon 
swiftly forward with a hand on her elbow, but a rumbling growl halted 
their steps. 
"Ha... almost Lena, almost, but you'll have to be a lot better 
than that to escape me." 
The sound wrenched Lena's guts, sending a painful spasm through 
her abdomen. "Taurid!" she gasped, spinning about. Her grip on Sailor 
Moon tightened, and she pulled the girl back roughly, stepping 
protectively in front of her. 
When the haze finally lifted both girls caught site of a huge 
creature standing on the scorched grass. It stood at near ten feet 
tall, twice as thick as a Brahman bull in the chest, with two wickedly 
curved horns protruding from its high forehead. Shaggy brown fur 
covered its body from the waist down, ending at steel-tipped cloven 
hooves. It folded its arms across its massive chest and glared 
viciously at Lena. 
"Nice try, whelp, but you'll not escape the Negaverse so easily." 
Its thin lips pulled back into a hideous grin, revealing two rows of 
pointed teeth framed by razor sharp fangs. Acid dripped from the 
canines, hissing a steady beat on the tender grass that quickly 
withered and died. 
"You really should do something about that drooling problem, 
Taurid," Lena quipped. "You can't be too popular at parties." 
Taurid growled deep within his barrel chest. "You won't be so 
smart when I've finished with you, girl," he snarled. 
"What's going on?" Sailor Moon wailed. "This has got to be some 
weird nightmare. I'm still at home, fast asleep in bed. Luna is 
really gonna have fun with this one, Heh... heh,heh...heh." 
"Get with it, Sailor Moon," Lena hissed. "Use your Sceptre." 
"Oh... Right!" Sailor Moon stepped back to power up, but Taurid 
launched himself at them, head lowered, horns flashing in the 
moonlight. 
The girls scrambled to avoid the cruel points, leaping to either 
side of the charging beast. Lena dove to the ground, rolling smoothly 
and coming gracefully to her feet. Sailor Moon landed in a tangled 
heap, coming awkwardly to hands and knees, but with her Sceptre still 
in hand. 
Taurid ignored the Scout, targeting Lena who had dropped to a 
defensive crouch. He brought up his long tail so Lena had no trouble 
seeing it shimmer - sprouting long metal spikes at its tip. He flicked 
it around in a lethal arch, swinging at Lena's head. 
"Watch out!" Sailor Moon screamed. 
Lena leapt back, barely avoiding the tail as it whistled by. The 
lithe warrior landed unscathed, her brows meeting in a determined 
frown. Collecting herself, she clenched her left fist, bringing it 
back at shoulder level, and ran at the beast while he struggled to free 
his tail from the tree it had slammed into. 
She took a flying leap at him, throwing all of her weight and 
strength into the punch that snapped his head back and forced him to 
stagger - surprised by the power of her blow. 
Taurid recovered quickly, however, and, swinging his arm up and 
back, caught Lena with a vicious blow between the shoulder blades as 
she flew past. Her back arched in pain and she was flung several feet, 
landing hard, face down, at the lake edge where she lay dazed and 
groaning. 
Taurid shook his head, clearing the buzz left by Lena's blow. 
"I've grown tired of this game, brat. Time to finish it." He moved 
towards her, tail raised and glowing with energy. 
"Hey, Ugly, not so fast!" Sailor Moon had gained her feet and 
stood brandishing the Moon Sceptre. "You need to be taught some 
manners and it looks like I'm going to be your teacher. I am Sailor 
Moon, defender of love and justice - and good manners - and you're 
about to get Moon dusted!" 
Once again she twirled, powering up. Taurid turned to sneer 
at her, tail twitching. "A Sailor Scout - how quaint. The Master will 
be pleased to be rid of this one." His tawny tail snapped around. 
"MOON..." 
The air crackled with static as his tail whipped outwards. 
"SCEPTRE..." Sailor Moon brought the Sceptre up in front of her. 
Lena struggled to rise. "Sailor Moon, look out!" she screamed a 
warning. But the tail struck the Scout, snaking about her slim 
shoulders, its tip swinging around to smash into the Sceptre. 
Sailor Moon screamed in agony within the monster's energy blast 
and the Sceptre flew from her numb fingers, falling several metres 
away. Taurid lifted the Scout effortlessly, flinging her into a tree. 
She crashed against it with a sickening thud, sliding limply to the 
ground and he moved in to finish her off. 
"Sailor Moon... NO!" Lena, energized by her anger, sprang to her 
feet. Taurid had tormented and punished her for years, the brutish 
monster had taken great delight in her pain, and she had had enough. 
"It ends now - you animal!" Screaming defiance, she charged the 
beast, throwing herself into the air with graceful abandon. Driven by 
a seething hatred that heated her soul, Lena leapt onto Taurid's back, 
wrapping her long legs about his torso and her right arm around his 
bull-neck. With her left hand, she grabbed her right wrist and 
squeezed with all her strength. 
Taurid bellowed, twisting his body violently, trying to shake her 
loose. But she held on, tightening her strangle hold until her arms 
burned with the effort and blood drummed in her ears. Taurid clawed at 
her arms, attempting to pull her free but Lena persisted with the 
strength and tenacity of a wild thing. 
She had been caged for years, pushed to the limits of sanity and 
now, finally within reach of freedom, she was not going to fail. 
"I am not going back!" she forced the words through clenched 
teeth. "Aargh!" she gritted her teeth, ignoring the pain from the 
gashes Taurid opened on her arms. 
In desperation, rapidly running out of air, the Negamonster 
whipped his tail up, hoping to blast the girl from his back. Lena saw 
the glowing tip hurtle towards her at the periphery of her vision. 
Maintaining the grip of her right arm, she snaked out the left to 
catch the lethal tail, holding it at arm's length. Taurid howled 
in frustration, redoubling his efforts. His tail inched closer, its 
spiked end sizzling with dark energy. Sweat beaded on Lena's forehead 
- her strength was fading. She sought out Sailor Moon's silent form. 
"Sailor Moon...," she called through clenched teeth. "You have 
got to wake up... I need your help." 
Sailor Moon stirred, her eyelids fluttered and she focused her 
blurry vision on her struggling companion, but she could not find the 
energy to rise. 
Sensing victory, Taurid snarled. "Ha... you're precious Sailor 
Moon is useless! Give up, girl, you can never win, you will never beat 
us!" 
"Wrong, Taurid, I already have," Lena hissed in his ear. Seized 
by a sudden flash of inspiration, Lena stopped resisting Taurid's Nega- 
energy and instead absorbed it, siphoning off the power in his tail. 
Her mind reeled, the agony of absorbing so much dark energy 
blinding, but she pushed through the fog - forcing back the threatening 
darkness that closed in on her. Within her, she collected the small 
amount of the Silver Crystal's power that remained from the portal's 
creation and, with a control and skill that amazed her, she released 
both Negaverse and Universe energies simultaneously, blasting Taurid 
and propelling herself from his back. 
The explosive combination of energies engulfed the youma, 
consuming him in a blinding flash of patterned, twisting light. He 
screamed a final defiant challenge before disintegrating to nothing but 
grey ash that drifted away on the cool breeze. 
Lena fell, exhausted, to her knees. She knelt, staring into the 
starry night for several breathless seconds. It was so beautiful; a 
jewel-studded cloth of velvet black, the robe of a queen whose soft 
scents floated to her on the light breeze. Rose, sweet and delicate; 
fresh-cut grass, still moist; the fragrant leaves and earthy bark of 
green-robed trees - smells to awakened dim memories that teased her 
mind with their elusive familiarity. 
She breathed deeply, luxuriating in her freedom for those few 
priceless seconds... before rising unsteadily to her feet and 
punctuating the night's silence with a pain-filled groan. 
The young warrior spotted Sailor Moon's sceptre lying not far 
from her in the grass by the lake's edge and moved to retrieve it. 
Sailor Moon groaned softly and Lena's concern for the Scout intensified 
- she had been out for a while, having caught a full blow from Taurid; 
Lena knew only too well how that felt. Snatching up the Moon Sceptre, 
she hurried back to help Sailor Moon. 
##### 
Tuxedo Mask sped towards Hikawa Shrine, certain that Sailor Moon 
had gone that way. He roared around a sharp corner on the suburban 
streets, leaning into the bend, almost parallel to the road. Suddenly, 
his head exploded in blinding agony. 
Losing balance, and control of his motorcycle, he skidded wildly, 
until coming to a sliding stop on the wrong side of the road. Tuxedo 
Mask pulled himself free of the bike, clutching his pounding head. She 
had been hurt! 
"Aargh... Sailor Moon... hold on... I'm coming." Abandoning his 
bike, Tuxedo Mask sprinted the remaining block to the park, his passing 
a blur of black and red. 
The steps of Hikawa Shrine fell behind and the park loomed dark 
and peaceful before him. She was close, he could sense it. The tree 
canopy closed over him, embracing him in its shadowy stillness, but he 
noticed nothing of its quiet beauty, intent only on reaching Sailor 
Moon, his long strides carrying him swiftly towards the lake. 
Ahead, a brilliant flash streaked through the trees, followed 
closely by a sonic boom that bent tree boughs and sent wildlife 
scurrying and squawking from their homes as it rippled outward from the 
shores of the Lake in concentric waves. Tuxedo Mask's heart raced, 
seized by a fear that had been his nightmare for more nights that he 
cared to remember. 
"Sailor Moon, what have you stumbled into?" 
Nearing the shore, Sailor Moon's protector sprang skyward, 
seeking the advantage of surprise in the treetops. He leapt nimbly from 
tree to tree, alighting finally on a solid limb overlooking the lake 
He took in the scene below hastily. 
His fear turned to dread at the sight of Sailor Moon lying 
crumpled and seemingly lifeless at the base of a blasted tree. His 
palms clammy beneath the white gloves he wore, he was about to jump 
down when movement to the right of her alerted him to another's 
presence. 
The blood turned to ice in his veins, for just beneath him, 
approaching his beloved, was a female Negaverse warrior. Her clothes 
were torn across the arms, her hair wild and tangled, hanging loosely 
across her scraped face. Judging from the physical state of her, Sailor 
Moon must have put up a good fight. 
The woman carried Sailor Moon's sceptre, no doubt wrested from 
her during the confrontation. Now, as the Nega-lackey reached out to 
strike Sailor Moon, unarmed and defenceless, Tuxedo Mask was overcome 
with rage and chest-clamping fear. His hand dove inside his voluminous 
cape, closing about his weapon of choice. Steady fingers withdrew a 
blood-red rose, its bud tightly closed, and drawing back his arm he 
flung the weapon vehemently at the Nega-warrior. 
The rose cut through the air, rotating rapidly on its axis and 
opening in mid-flight. Fully bloomed, its needle-sharp stem struck the 
woman's left hand, cutting across the flesh. 
##### 
Lena cried out, dropping the Sceptre, and cradling her hand against her 
chest. She searched the treetops, her movements fervent and alert, 
seeking the source of this new danger. 
She did not have long to wait. A man, dressed in cape and top- 
hat and wearing a white mask leapt down from a branch high overhead. 
He landed lightly, with the grace of a cat, his left hand clutching the 
folds of his cape, the other held aloft, another rose clasped firmly in 
his gloved fingers. 
Lena took several more backward steps, giving herself room to 
manoeuvre. The newcomer had placed himself between her and Sailor Moon 
and Lena steeled herself, prepared to go through him if necessary to 
reach the fallen Scout. 
"It is unwise to fight a Sailor Scout - she was alone when you 
attacked, but she has many powerful friends and your actions will not 
go unpunished!" The masked man spoke confidently, his tone 
threatening. 
Confused, Lena struggled to make sense of his accusations. Had 
he mistaken _her_ for Negaverse scum? "But,... I did not... It's not 
what you think... I..." 
Another shout pierced the heavy tension. 
"BACK OFF, NEGA-SLEEZE!" 
Lena whirled to face the voice's owner. Sailor Mars ran into the 
clearing, her face fierce, eyes flashing. 
"How dare you hurt one of my friends! I am Sailor Mars and I 
will punish you! You're gonna wish you never set foot in Tokyo!" 
Setting her feet firmly on terra-firma, she clasped her hands 
together, fingers laced, index fingers together and pointed up. 
Lena backed off, hands palm out in front of her, gesturing in 
what she hoped was a non-threatening way. Before she could stumble off 
any form of explanation, Mars attacked. 
"Mars... Celestial... Fire... SURROUND!" Spiritual symbols 
surrounded the raven-haired Scout, gathering momentum until the Shinto 
Priestess released her spinning disks of fire at a confused Lena who 
dove sideways, feeling the heat on her cheek as the blast shot past. 
Tuxedo Mask, knowing that Sailor Mars could handle the fight 
alone, had knelt beside Sailor Moon. She was stirring, groaning 
softly. He slipped an arm around her shoulders, lifting her head from 
the ground, and cradled her gently. 
##### 
Sailor Moon came awake slowly, aware of a throbbing headache that 
pounded at her temples. 
"Sailor Moon," the voice was low and familiar. She kept her eyes 
closed a moment longer, her senses becoming aware of a strong arm 
around her and the steady beat of a heart not her own very close to her 
ear - her own heart raced. 
"Uhhh...uhh... Darien?" Her eyes fluttered open, and the blurry 
lines steadied into the handsome face of her Tuxedo Mask. "Tuxedo Mask 
- you came. I... I thought." 
"I will always be here to help the Sailor Scouts, Sailor Moon, 
you know that." 
"Yes, but.." 
"STAND AND FIGHT, NEGAWITCH!" Sailor Mars' strident challenge 
struck at Sailor Moon's raw nerves and she panicked briefly, afraid of 
another attack. 
"Wait, you do not understand!" That was Lena's voice. What was 
going on? A sudden dreadful thought occurred to Sailor Moon and she 
struggled to gather her wits. 
A new voice joined the challenge. "I am Sailor Mercury and I 
stick by my friends. Give up now, you will not be able to defeat us 
all." 
Sailor Mercury? Who was she talking to? Sailor Moon pushed 
herself up to a sitting position, rubbing at her aching head. Her gaze 
fixed on Lena, crouched defensively, the grass beside her blackened and 
smoking. Who was blasting at her? Sailor Moon's eyes panned around, 
following the line of Lena's desperate glare. Several metres away, 
Sailor Mars squared up for another attack. NO! Not Lena! They had it 
all wrong! 
"Mars... Firebird..." 
"NO-OOO!" Sailor Moon threw up her arm, palm out. "STOP!" She 
vaulted from the ground, leaving a stunned Tuxedo Mask to grasp at 
empty air. 
"STRIKE!" 
Sailor Moon flew through the air, tackling Sailor Mars to the 
ground - too late. Sailor Mars' firebird streaked towards its target, 
who, distracted by Sailor Moon's outburst, did not have time to evade 
it. 
"LENA!" Sailor Moon's heart-rending scream ripped across the 
park as the fiery blast engulfed her new friend. 
##### 
Lena knew she had made a fatal mistake, she had taken her eyes from 
the fire-wielding Sailor Scout and would now pay the price. The 
shrieking bird hurtled towards her. A fraction of a second before it 
struck, Lena manipulated the paltry amount of energy she still 
possessed from her battle and threw up a hasty shield, not sure that it 
would even work. 
The fire struck and Sailor Moon, the Scouts, and the cool, starry 
night disappeared behind a wall of fire. It swept around her, its 
intense heat searing through the thin protective layer of her shield. 
The force of the attack tore at its surface, slamming into her body and 
blasting her backwards through the super-heated air. 
Then came the pain. 
She screamed - a long, tortured cry, torn from her lungs by the 
force of the blast. With agonising effort, Lena forced the last of her 
strength into her shield - holding off the flames, but it was not 
enough. The shield wavered, dissolved. Overwhelmed by the intense 
heat, her mind reeling, Lena went limp, defeated. The shield crumbled 
and she waited for the flames to consume her. 
Cold waters washed over her. In the small part of her brain that 
still functioned, she realised that she had plummeted into the lake. 
Her eyes closed and she sank into its depths and into cool oblivion. 
##### 
"NO-OOO - LENA!" Sailor Moon screamed. 
"Sailor Mo-on - get... OFF... ME!" Rei gritted, her face full of 
grass. "What do ya think you're doing?" 
But Sailor Moon was not listening; she was already on her feet 
and running towards the lake. 
"Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Mask called after her. "What's wrong?" 
"It wasn't her... she's not from the Negaverse!" Sailor Moon was 
frantic, Lena had disappeared beneath the lake's surface, she had to 
save her. 
"Wait! Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Mask ran after her. 
Sailor Moon reached the lake and, to the amazement of her 
friends, she did not slow, but splashed headlong into the shallows. 
She waded a few metres more, then dove beneath the ink-black surface. 
The water was cold and so dark she could barely see more than a 
metre around her. She swam forward; she had never been a strong 
athlete and certainly was not a confident swimmer. 
She searched frantically for Lena, choking down her rising panic. 
She was about to swim up for air when she spotted something white in 
the murky gloom. Kicking forward, she reached out, grasping a pale 
hand. 
Lena appeared lifeless; Sailor Moon's anxiety grew, along with 
her rising panic for air. She pulled Lena's limp body to her, wrapping 
an arm around her slim waist, and kicked towards the surface. 
Above her the moon's glow shimmered on the lake's surface, seemingly 
impossibly distant. Her lungs burning, Sailor Moon struggled upward, 
her head still pounding and bright spots of light dancing across her 
vision. 
Her chest began its first spasms with the need for air. Suddenly 
her load grew lighter and she looked around, puzzled. Tuxedo Mask had 
dived in after her and now took Lena's other arm, his powerful strokes 
bringing them up quickly. 
Sailor Moon burst into the night, sucking in great gulps of air. 
"I made it... uhh... I don't believe it - I made it." 
Tuxedo Mask took Lena from her and struck out for the shore, 
while Sailor Moon splashed along behind him. Finally, she reached the 
shallows, relieved to put her feet down and wade the rest of the way. 
Sailor Mercury stood calf-deep in water at the lake edge waiting to 
assist Tuxedo mask. 
Sailor mars stood on the bank, looking worried and a little 
defensive, Luna sat beside her. Sailor Moon then noticed that Jupiter 
and Venus had arrived, both obviously confused. Jupiter jumped in to 
help Tuxedo Mask carry Lena to the bank, Mercury followed close behind, 
running scans on her computer pad. 
They laid the sodden girl on the soft grass, rolling her onto her 
side. The front of her jacket was scorched and she looked slightly 
singed, but miraculously seem to have suffered no burns. 
"She's not breathing." Mercury announced seriously. 
Sailor Moon had stumbled up the bank, with Venus' help, and fell 
to her knees beside Lena. "Oh, Mercury - do something, we can't let 
her die!" 
"Roll her onto her back," Mercury ordered. She then knelt over 
the girl, tilted back her head, and blew five quick breaths into her 
open mouth. She stopped to watch the chest fall and check for a pulse, 
sighing with relief when she found it, weak but steady. But the girl's 
chest remained still. 
Mercury continued the resuscitation for what seemed an eternity 
to Sailor Moon. She began to shiver from the dampness and the effects 
of the adrenalin that had pumped through her system. 
Jupiter leaned in. "Who is she?" she asked. 
"I don't really know - for sure," Sailor Moon replied. "I think 
her name is Lena. She asked for my help to escape the Negaverse, but a 
monster followed her through and attacked us. She saved my life - I 
know it - and now she's... she's." Sailor Moon's bottom lip began to 
tremble as she stubbornly fought off the tears that filled her eyes. 
She shivered uncontrollably, hugging herself tight. 
"I'm sorry, Sailor Moon. I didn't know, I..." Rei trailed off. 
"That's OK, Mars," Sailor Moon whispered brokenly. "You... 
were...only protecting me," she stammered through her shivering. 
Tuxedo Mask retrieved his cape from the shore where he had 
discarded it and his hat, and draped it around her shoulders. 
"Thanks," she smiled slightly and briefly. 
Lena coughed. Mercury rolled her quickly onto her side where she 
continued to hack, vomiting up water. 
Sailor Moon beamed. "Oh - Mercury - you did it!" she cried, 
overcome with relief. 
Mercury, meanwhile, had sat back on her heels and was tapping at 
her keypad, her fingers flying over the keys. "According to my scan, 
she has serious bruising, several gashes on her arms that will require 
bandaging, probably stitches, and is exhausted. Most of her energy is 
drained, but she has suffered no burns or internal injuries - which is 
truly astonishing." 
"Yeh - it's a wonder ya didn't kill her, Mars," Jupiter teased. 
"Shut-up, Jupiter - I said I was sorry." 
Sailor Moon reached out and brushed back the strands of wet hair 
that clung to Lena's face. 
"Hey - Jupiter, she looks a lot like you," Venus observed. It 
was true, there _was_ a striking resemblance - they could all see it. 
"I would just like to know how she survived that blast," Mercury 
interjected. "It is my guess that she was already very weak from the 
fight with the Negamonster that Sailor Moon spoke of when Mars 
blasted her. It is a miracle that she sustained such minor injuries." 
"It is a little party trick I save for special occasions." 
They all gasped, starring at Lena - who smiled up at them weakly 
- and laughed, masking their relief that she was all right. 
"You'll have to have a few of them - to survive Sailor Mars' 
short temper," Sailor Moon joked. 
"Hey! What're ya talking about. I came to get _your_ butt out 
of trouble, as usual." 
"What! Everything was going just fine until you showed up!" 
"You were unconscious, for crying out loud! You're such a clutz, 
Sailor Moon, you're always getting into trouble. Besides - you 
shouldn't have gone off on your own in the first place!" 
"Huh! I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself - thank you 
very much." Sailor Moon yelled, her face turning red. 
"Yeh - right... whatever ya reckon," Mars dismissed, 
infuriatingly. 
"Uh-hem... Ladies," Tuxedo Mask interrupted politely. "I see you 
have everything under control so I shall take my leave of you." 
"Oh." Sailor Moon came to her feet. She hugged his cloak about 
her briefly before slipping it off, and handing it back. 
He accepted it wordlessly - then looked at her and said 
sincerely, "You were very brave tonight, Sailor Moon." 
"Oh... thank you, Tuxedo Mask, that means a lot to me," she said, 
hands clasped reflexively in front of her. 
But then his eyes hardened suddenly, as did his voice. "But 
Sailor Mars is right, you shouldn't have come on your own - it was 
dangerous and irresponsible. It could have been a trap and the 
Negaverse could have taken the Silver Crystal. You have to grow up, 
Sailor Moon. You can't keep expecting you friends to bail you out." 
He finished fastening his cape, turning his back on her. "Farewell, 
Scouts." 
He vanished into the trees. Sailor Moon stared after him, her 
eyes filling with fresh tears, so pained and heartbroken that she could 
barely breath. Her voice caught in her throat as she whispered. "Oh, 
Darien. Why does he have to be so mean?" 
Sailor Venus moved to her friend's side, slipping a comforting 
arm around her trembling shoulders. "Just ignore him, Sailor Moon - I 
think you did the right thing. You freed Lena and defeated a 
Negamonster without our help." 
"Yes, and you dove straight into that lake without a second 
thought for yourself," Sailor Mercury added. 
"Yeh, Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask is just being a major jerk," 
Jupiter agreed. 
"Thanks, you guys." 
"Hey - enough of the chit-chat," Mars's interrupted. "We'd better get 
this girl to the temple. She's passed out again." 
##### 
Pyrrhotite strode down the gloomy hallway, his staccato footfalls 
ringing loudly along the length of the deserted passage. It remained 
deserted, those thinking to enter from intersecting halls retreated at 
the sound of his approach, desperate to avoid his foul temper. 
He stopped before a pair of large arched doors, and stood there 
for several seconds, preparing himself for the confrontation. Finally, 
he raised his fist to pound at the door. 
"ENTER!" The room's occupant boomed before Pyrrhotite's knuckles 
could even touch the wood. He hated that - but the Master liked to 
give these displays of his power. The doors swung slowly inward and 
Pyrrhotite marched confidently into the room. It was all for show, 
however - inside he was fearful for his life and cursing his own 
brilliance. 
If he had been a less competent soldier, he would not now be the 
commanding officer, responsible for breaking this latest snippet of 
news to their master. 
He approached the dais in the room's centre, the only lighted 
spot in the chamber, illuminated by a glow that had no discernible 
source. The rest of the room receded into unfathomable darkness. The 
high-backed chair that floated a half a metre above the dais was turned 
away from him, and he could see only the Master's hand hanging over the 
armrest. Pyrrhotite halted a couple of metres away and waited in the 
oppressive silence. The seconds stretched by. 
"What have you to report?" 
The low voice startled him, but he covered his surprise, 
maintaining a passive expression. Pyrrhotite knew his master's dislike 
of flowery words and so came straight to the point. 
"The prisoner has escaped, my Lord." He tensed, waiting for the 
blow that would end his life. 
"I see." 
Still the chair did not move and Pyrrhotite began to think that 
maybe he would survive after all. 
"Relax, Commander. You happen to be the least idiotic member of 
my army. I do not intend to kill a man who can at least understand my 
instructions." 
Pyrrhotite stiffened, even his thoughts were not safe from this 
man. He could almost see the smug smile on his master's face, marking 
up another victory in a long succession of mind games. Without 
prompting, Pyrrhotite explained the situation, thinking all the while 
that it was probably pointless anyway. 
"We are not exactly sure how she managed it, but it appears that 
she created a portal to the Universe through her... uh... mirror. I 
was with your forces in the Outer Hold at the time and so am unsure as 
to the exact details, but I have been informed that Taurid pursued 
her." 
"And was he successful?" 
The Master was so calm, so infuriatingly quiet. Pyrrhotite would 
have preferred an outburst. The Master was far more dangerous this 
way. 
"I do not think so, my Lord. He has not returned." Pyrrhotite 
paused, loath to admit to any inadequacy, and a lack of information was 
one of the Master's most hated failings. He continued cautiously. "We 
cannot yet pin-point the exact location of Taurid or the prisoner - 
the portal was destroyed before a fix could be gained, but we believe 
it opened in First Tokyo." 
" 'We', Pyrrhotite? I suggest that you stop associating yourself 
with your underlings and go to First Tokyo personally. Find her and 
kill her." 
For the first time since entering the chamber, Pyrrhotite's 
expression changed - he frowned. "Kill her, my Lord? I thought you 
needed her alive." 
"No longer. She has served her purpose - now dispose of her." 
Pyrrhotite was dismissed with a cursory wave. He bowed his head 
respectfully and turned to leave, his cape swirling about his legs like 
an eager puppy. He dared not question his Master's wishes, even 
knowing that he had not been told everything. 
"And Pyrrhotite..." 
Pyrrhotite froze. "Yes, my Lord?" 
"She is to be dead within the week, I will accept no further 
failure." 
"Yes, my Lord." He almost hurried from the room, an image of the 
row of head-festooned stakes outside the stronghold walls a burning 
reminder of past failures. 
##### 
The Master reclined easily in his chair; he liked to think of it as his 
throne. So - she had escaped. No matter, it had been expected. He 
had been working towards the fruition of his plans for a _very_ long 
time - every possible contingency had been allowed for. 
He rested his elbows on the arms of his chair, steepling his 
hands in front of him. His eyes narrowed and his mouth curled into a 
wicked smile. 
The Wiseman was a fool for allying himself with that simpleton, 
Prince Demand. They would not succeed, he had seen to that. 
A rumbling began deep within the Master's chest, a sinister sound 
that grew until his whole body shook with the force of it. His head 
tilted back and his resonous laugh filled the chamber, echoing 
chillingly down the halls of his stronghold. 
******* 

And so ends Part 1. I hope you enjoyed it, even mildly. Any 
comments can be made by e-mailing me at: 
bubbejthorn@one.net.au