The Crystal Winter

Author: Adins

Rated: PG13

Chapter 3

Serenity, or rather Sailor Moon, was having the time of her life. She had single-handedly won over every old bureaucrat in the Palace with her tales of daring adventure and was beside herself in telling them. Now she sashayed through the many gardens surrounding the Crystal Palace still in her senshi uniform. The stars reeled overhead like a kaleidoscope and helped put the earth Queen at ease.

I wish Mamo-chan came with me...

She sat near one of the fountains and shifted the water around with her gloved hand marveling at how her innate magical powers rendered it completely dry to the touch. Even after so long, so many years dealing with the long lost Lunar magic she held, becoming attuned to the Silver Crystal and listening to Luna and Ami explain volumes of how every nuance reacted she still couldn't scratch the surface of how she was able to do some of the things she could do.

Serenity's eyes wandered to the stars again and for a moment she wondered if the champagne she'd indulged in at the ballroom was having an effect on her. The stars moved and clustered together forming pointed, crystalline structures that descended around her. When her senses finally stopped overloading she realized these weren't stars but ships! Gathering her wits quickly the pigtailed woman turned and began running back towards the Palace.

She hadn't made it ten strides when a bolt of searing light cratered the ground in front of her, sending her flying backwards in the shockwave. Sirens immediately howled to life piercing the night's peaceful slumber. Palace guards began filing into the courtyard from every foreseeable angle rushing to her side. Suddenly a great weight felt like it was descending on Serenity. She clutched her forehead and dropped to a knee feeling a horrible evil energy surrounding her.

The guards slumped to the ground lifeless around her falling completely catatonic. The spell worked as hard as it could to render Sailor Moon unconscious but her magically enhanced defenses managed to ward it off. She looked up weakly and saw a shuttle descending towards her, thrusting her backwards with the firing of its afterburners on touchdown. A sliver of a door opened and two figures emerged. Serenity jumped behind a row of hedges and watched anxiously, fearing for her defenseless guards.

One of the pair was a man with pristine, glisteningly white hair combed neatly about his head and falling to just above his broad shoulders. He wore a white suit of the finest materials adorned with a dark purple tribal design. His piercing violet eyes scanned the courtyard before coming to rest on the fountain where Serenity had been seated moments earlier. The man rushed to the fountain and ... sniffed the air? The monarch stifled a gasp when in the middle of the man's forehead a third eye opened horizontally and cast an eerie glow on the stone.

"She's been here," the man said earnestly, looking about the grounds again.

The woman at his side, a towering beauty with jade tresses and a revealing black dress commented towards the unconscious bodies, "The Wiseman's spell seems to have worked."

Serenity nearly jumped out of her skin and she finally attached a name to the pale face that was so actively seeking her out, "Diamond."

Immediately after she realized the words had left her lips she felt two strong hands around her throat raising her high off the ground. Prince Diamond sneered and cast her to the cold cobblestone walkway and towered above, energy like black lightning coursing across his clenched fists.

"What do we have here?" he asked snidely, "A snooping senshi?"

Emerald walked to his side now brandishing a plush red fan, "Sailor Moon, I believe. A lovely catch, Diamond, darling. Where are the rest of your Sailor friends?"

"Where are the rest of your friends Sailor Moon?" asked Diamond.

Diamond, in spite of himself was enraptured. The piercing blue eyes of this senshi tore into him in a way that one other pair could. Sailor Moon looked every bit as majestic and exquisite as Neo-Queen Serenity, the goddess who ruled over Crystal Tokyo. Before Serenity could even begin to answer his question she felt the sting of Emerald's fan against her face, a powerful blow that knocked her to the ground. She clutched her bruised cheek and looked up at the horrid woman above her.

"Answer the Prince, senshi!" she demanded. Diamond smirked.

Sailor Moon sat speechless trying to figure a way out of her predicament. She was absolutely terrified. Vaguely she could feel tears forming at the base of her eyes. This was not the way she wanted to return to her senshi days, though it was strikingly ironic. Even after all the battles, all the bloodshed she had fought through the queen was still the same frightened, innocent girl who never wanted to raise a hand in violence. She hoped the end to this nightmare would come soon.

"Fine!" screeched Emerald, snapping her fan shut, "She doesn't want to talk then I'll see to it she never opens her mouth again!"

She detached one of her black crystal earrings, strikingly the same shape as the ships that hovered overhead. The chain of the earring lengthened until it was almost at ground level then the crystal itself detached and drove into the grass, splitting apart and cracking audibly. A black smoke rose from the crystal and took on a vaguely human form as a great, terrible scream erupted from the cloud.

The creature stepped out of the column of smoke: it was an abomination of a man, green of skin with spikes protruding from every extremity. Its face was twisted and angled with great tusks for teeth and gigantic, goat-like horns erupting from its temples.

"Droid Jerarudo," Emerald commanded, "Destroy this pathetic senshi!"

The creature roared with a horrible bloodlust and lunged at Sailor Moon, its tusked maw glistening with saliva. She narrowly rolled out of the way, treating it to a mouthful of sod but the droid was unhindered. It leapt again, clawing at the sailor clad heroine and drawing blood when one of its many razor talons slashed her thigh.

Diamond watched the battle from the shadow of his transport. Sailor Moon was far from the fearless warrior he had heard stories about. She had courage in standing up to the droid but she lacked concentration, willpower, and the motivation to fight back. She was simply delaying the inevitable. Still, he could not take his mind off the lingering notion that this girl in some way reminded him of his would-be Queen. Another swipe from Jerarudo's powerful claws nearly set Sailor Moon's head free from its perch atop her craning neck.

"This is pointless," he muttered and the droid perceived his displeasure.

Instantly he threw out his left arm, extending it well beyond the ability of any mortal and wrapped it several times around Sailor Moon. She struggled against it but the creature proved too powerful. He reeled in his arm like a fishing line and brought Sailor Moon face-to-face with his gaping jaws. She closed her eyes tightly, the stench of the creature's awful breath gagging her and waited for her heart to stop beating.

A bolt of light pierced the night like a crimson bullet. The droid shrieked in unholy torture and released Sailor Moon from its grasp. She slumped to the ground dazed and opened her eyes again, immediately seeing the creature clutching its limp arm which was impaled at the elbow by the stem of a red rose.

Over her shoulder her brilliant blue eyes caught sight of a man. He stood proudly atop one of the many crystal columns lining the courtyard, his black cape fluttering like a flag in the soft breeze. It was attached by gilded epaulettes to a luxurious black tuxedo complete with a top hat under which his graying, silky hair was tucked. The man's handsome face was partly obscured by a white domino mask but could not hide the expression of extreme contempt.

Emerald cocked her head at the masked man, "What is that?"

"Tuxedo Mask ..." Serenity sighed and a smile of relief crossed her ragged features.

The newcomer began: "Crystal Tokyo is a beacon of light in a world full of darkness, a place where all mankind can feel free and at peace," He pointed a white gloved hand in the direction of Diamond, "I will not allow you to bring hatred and evil into my home."

"Really?" Diamond raised an eyebrow, his arms crossed across his chest.

Meanwhile the droid had managed to free the magical rose from its wounded arm. Jerarudo crunched the flower in its fist before stuffing it into its mouth and chomping down on it with its oversized mandibles, apparently eating the whole thing petals, thorns, and stem. The lizard-like monster jumped with inhuman speed towards Tuxedo Mask.

The caped hero easily dodged out of the way, jumping off the crystal spire with a graceful flip and landing on the ground near Sailor Moon. Jerarudo smashed headlong into the translucent column, shattering it with an ear-splitting crash. Undaunted the creature turned and began charging on all fours toward Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon. The two leapt from the creature's path, dodging in opposite directions.

Instinctively the creature chose to go right, following Sailor Moon as she seemed to pose the least threat. Before she or Mask could react the creature was bearing down on her with all the speed of a freight train.

Another voice was heard: "Crescent beam!"

A white hot light of pure energy pierced the night and one of the droid's pistoning legs, sending it crashing to the ground with a horribly cry. It tumbled and slid across the courtyard before coming to rest at Diamond's feet whimpering weakly. The Prince narrowed his eyes and set a foot to Jerarudo's head, forcing the wounded droid back into the battle lest it face its master's wrath.

Sailor Venus along with Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter converged around their leader from opposite ends of the courtyard taking a defensive formation around Sailor Moon.

"Just like old times," commented Sailor Mercury with a smile which Serenity timidly returned.

Jupiter stepped to the head of the column and assaulted Diamond, "You're outnumbered and far outgunned, Diamond! Call off your demon and surrender."

"Outgunned, hah!" laughed Emerald defiantly, "Jerarudo, even the odds!"

The droid proceeded to claw at the ground, letting out a sickening cry of pain. Its skin split open and a second, exact copy of the first droid emerged. The reproduction continued a second, third, and fourth time until there were five identical droids eyeing down the senshi grunting and salivating in unison.

"Okay then!" said Venus nonchalantly, placing her hands on her hips, "That makes things a bit more interesting."

Diamond gave a nod and the five beasts attacked, choosing one senshi each and lashing out powerfully at their opponents. Jupiter grabbed her assailant at the wrist and flung it end-over-end into the creature attacking Mercury. The taller of the two senshi then launched herself into the middle of Sailor Mars' melee and tore at the droid's throat with her vice-like fingers.

Sailor Moon watched the battle as Venus attempted to take on two of the creatures alone. She was losing ground quickly and one of the monsters managed to grab her in a stranglehold, bringing her to the ground with a terrible thud. Sailor Moon jumped up, wanting to rush in and help her but she felt a steely hand around her wrist.

"Tuxedo Mask?" she asked hopelessly.

The masked man smiled back at her, "Ready?"

Without warning he began turning his body in a wide circle allowing Sailor Moon no choice but to follow along. Her feet left the ground and her arm tensed, muscles straining and joints popping. The centripetal force accelerated her movement tenfold she sailed through the air with the loss of Mask's grip, tightening her body and extending her leg. Reaching her target at last she delivered a powerful flying kick to the droid suffocating Venus, the heel of her boot leaving an indentation in the beast's skull.

She reached a hand down and pulled her old comrade to her feet, "You okay, Venus?"

"Never better," she said clutching her wounded throat, "Now let's dust these creeps, Sailor Moon."

Mars took several steps away from the rampaging Jupiter and focused her thoughts. There were five forces fighting against the senshi but there was only one mind controlling them all. It was like a snaking plant of many vines borne from one seed. She produced five scrolls from a hidden fold of her sailor suit and turned to Sailor Moon.

"It's like fighting shadows," she explained, "We only need to defeat the source!"

She braced and flung the five wards which instinctively homed in on one of the five droids that were battling in the courtyard. The attached themselves to the creatures magically and awaited the words of power.

"Akuryo Taisan!" Sailor Mars shouted, "Evil spirits, begone!"

Upon hearing the words the mystic scrolls burst into red flames, searing four of the creatures and reducing them to smoldering piles of ash. Only one of the droids remained writhing wildly on the ground and clawing at the small piece of paper attached to its face. Mars stepped back and Sailor Moon took her place at the head of the group.

A silver rod materialized in her hand adorned at its peak with a jeweled red crown in the shape of a heart. The Moon senshi clutched the scepter to her chest and dramatically spun through her fingers like a baton before pointing it directly at the pained creature on the ground.

"Moon Princess Halation!"

The white hot light of the scepter's magic engulfed the droid and shredded it mercilessly leaving little more than its final anguished cry lingering on the wind. A polished rectangular crystal dropped to the ground and faintly a black, inverted crescent moon could be seen before it faded away. Sailor Mars' ward crumpled lifelessly to the charred ground where the creature once stood. Sailor Moon visibly shrank in the pale moonlight, the strain of using the Scepter after so long a time nearly depleting her energy completely.

"Impossible!" shrieked Emerald in ferment.

She snapped open her fan again and waved it at the sextet in front of her, blasting them with a powerful unseen wind. Crossing their arms and sinking to their knees the senshi attempted to defend themelves from the magical gale. Emerald's mocking laughter echoed through the courtyard as she continued battering them with the waves of hateful energy.

Tuxedo Mask stood boldly, the winds tearing the mask from his face and blowing the top hat from his head. He reared back and fired a rose with all his might towards Emerald, knocking the fan out of her grasp and impaling it to the Palace exterior walls by the sharpened stem. He collapsed to his knees from the exertion, leaning on the equally weakened Sailor Moon for support. Diamond's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"King Endymion!"

Diamond thrust out his left arm, a wave of energy knocking sailors Mercury and Mars back and into a crystalline column taking them out of the fight. Similarly he fired a bolt of energy at Venus and Jupiter with his right, sending them hurtling backwards into the palace walls also rendering them powerless. Diamond walked towards the unmasked hero with Emerald lingering near the shuttle.

"Now the pieces fall into place," he continued his stride, now seeing the caped figure for who he truly was. Slowly the magical barrier around Sailor Moon began to fade out of his vision, "And you ..."

The vision was one of pure bliss to Diamond. There she stood in all her beauty and majesty; his obsession, his heart, his love. The queen herself none other than the legendary champion of love and justice Sailor Moon. The pretty soldier in a sailor suit grown up to lead the Crystal Alliance and keep Diamond's brethren banished to coldest most desolate corner of the solar system.

"Sweet Serenity," he sighed.

Before he could reach out to her as he had so many times in his dreams a high pitched voice shouted, "Shabon spray!"

Within moments the whole of the palace gardens were shrouded in a thick, freezing fog. Diamond and Emerald backed towards the shuttle attempting with no success to pierce the magical haze. As soon as it had come the anomaly was gone. Diamond stepped forward but not a senshi, nor the king and queen remained, the fog covering their retreat.

"Those wretched brats!" cursed Emerald, "How dare they mock us?"

Diamond lifted a caressing hand to his chin, "Perhaps these senshi are more formidable than we considered."

Emerald nearly scolded him, "Surely you can't mean that, my Prince. They may be powerful opponents but they're no match for us! Not with the power of the Dark Crystal at our command!"

"You're overconfident, Emerald," Diamond observed as he began walking towards the Crystal Palace, "We were bested here and our prey escaped," He narrowed his eyes at the seemingly destroyed woman, "You would do well to take stock of their abilities for the next time we meet."

Diamond turned fully and willed the doors of the Crystal Palace to sunder before him, the vast expanse of the inner chambers opening like a labyrinth. Emerald stayed at a distance, reaching to the crystalline wall to retrieve her fan from where Tuxedo Mask's enchanted rose held it fast. Finding she could not pull the object free Emerald's rage erupted in a chorus of vulgarity and she incinerated both the accessory and the flower. Seething in outright malevolence she followed her Prince into the darkened hallways of the Palace.

NOTES:

--Jerarudo is how you spell my name (Gerald) in Japanese, or so I'm told.

--This is the requisite action chapter. I'm a big Tuxedo Mask fan so I might've gone a little over the top detail wise on his entrance. I love the whole idea of whacking someone with a rose and being all tought about it. Good stuff.