"My dream is to always protect this planet, with you, Mamo-chan, so that everyone can live in happiness." "My dream is the same as yours." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ ] Act 41 - Dream 8: Dead Moon Dream Originally appeared in Nakayoshi, January and February 1996. Translated by Alex Glover. Version 1.02, 2.97. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Usagi and Mamoru fall to the ground, blood spewing out. "Prince!!" the others call. "Princess!!" Minako runs to Usagi, and lifts up her blood-covered body. Usagi's skin melts away from her body. Minako drops her in horror. "Noooo!!" she screams. "Princess!" yells Ami. "Oh my..." thinks Haruka. "Oh my god..." "This!" yells Rei. "This is a nightmare!!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "A nightmare!?" thinks Usagi. "What happened?" She looks around and sees the dead bodies of all the others. "Everyone!? Mamo-chan!? Chibi-Moon!? Saturn!?" Her rotting body drips blood on her sailor suit. "Oh no... This... is a nightmare...!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Hahaha!" laughs the immense Zirconia, towering over the crystal-covered city. "This planet forever belongs to our Dead Moon. Weak ones, forever become vagabonds, inside the darkness and nightmares of the new moon!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Look!" says Artemis, pointing to the monitor in the command room below Crown Game Center. "Earth is being engulfed in darkness! At this rate, the surface will give way and Elysion's crystal barrier will be broken! The surface will be drawn into that new moon!" "Nobody's responding, Artemis!" says Luna, wearing her headset. "Oh no!" thinks Diana. "Was everyone... By the Dead Moon... Small Lady! I shouldn't have left your side!" Luna stares into the monitor. "Earth is..." "I'm going to the Dead Moon Circus!" Diana says. "Wait! Diana!" calls Luna. Diana stops. "Let's stay on alert here for a while." "Our soldiers won't lose to this!" says Artemis. "We believe in them! The sailor soldiers will surely protect this planet!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Usa!" A hand slaps across Usagi's face, jarring her eyes open. He slaps awake Minako and Rei. "Get a hold of yourselves!" Mamoru says. "These are the enemies' nightmares!" "Mamo-chan!" says Usagi, holding her red cheek. "Prince!?" say the others, seeing the two alive. "Princess!?" "Look!" Mamoru shouts. "Zirconia!!" "Be strong!" Mamoru says. "Do you want to hand this planet over to them!? Defeat them and protect this planet!!" "Prince...!" think the three outer soldiers. "He broke through that nightmare with his own strength...!?" "Mamo-chan...!" thinks Usagi. "Oh... That's right... I just swore to you that I would forever defend the happiness of the people on this planet. And that wasn't a dream. Defending this planet has always been our reality. To nightmares... To our own dreams... We can't give in to such things! We sailor soldiers can't give in!" "Right," thinks Haruka. "Princess, our everything... Our life and our death, our despair and our hope, and our dreams, forever shining, lie with you." She thrusts her hand into the air. "Prince!" she shouts. "Princess!! Whatever happens, we will protect you! Sailor Planet Power! Uranus!" "Neptune!" "Pluto!" "Mercury!" "Mars!" "Jupiter!" "Venus!" "Meditation!!!" The eight join hands as they kneel in a circle, and power shoots into the air. It strikes Zirconia, knocking him from the sky, and he falls to the ground. "G- God damnit...!!" he says. He flies back up, disappearing into the circus big top. The soldiers run to it. "Mars... Flame Sniper!" "Venus... Love and Beauty... Shock!!" A hole blasts open in the tent. "There!" says Ami, looking through her visor. They rush in after Zirconia. Zirconia places his hand against the black mirror, pushing it in. He moves through it. "Into the mirror!?" Usagi follows him, running through the mirror. "Sailor Moon!?" Minako rushes after her, and slams against the hard glass of the mirror. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Usagi sees a black figure sitting among broken glass. The woman has long, long dark hair, falling to the floor. Three joined crescent moons adorn her forehead. "This place!?" Usagi thinks. "That woman!?" "Heh heh heh..." the woman says. "Such power! Allowing you to make it in here. At last, the time has come for the brilliant, unmatched power of that planet to belong to me, Queen Nehalennia. Heh heh heh." "Queen... Nehalennia!?" Usagi looks around. "I feel it... The brilliant power of the planet... The brilliant power of the planet's protection! From where!?" She looks at the ground. "Those four stones... and shards of glass!? Chibi-Moon!! Saturn!!" Chibi-Usa and Hotaru wake up in glass prisons. "Where are we!?" they think. "Chibi-Moon! Saturn! You're in there!?" "Sailor Moon!!" Nehalennia laughs as she shoots glass at Usagi. The glass forms a wall, surrounding Usagi. "Chibi-Moon! Saturn!" She grabs her kaleidoscope rod. "Moon Gorgeous Meditation!!!" The glass around her shatters, and Chibi-Usa and Hotaru are freed. "Chibi-Moon! Saturn!" "Damn you!" shouts Nehalennia. Usagi and Chibi-Usa hold out their kaleidoscope rods. "Moon Gorgeous Meditation!" Glass shatters, leaving a wavering image of Nehalennia. - Minako and Haruka pound on the solid mirror. "Sailor Moon!!" - "Everyone!? I saved Chibi-Moon and Saturn! Break the mirror!" - "Mercury... Aqua Rhapsody!" The glass cracks. "Let me!" says Makoto. She runs forward and throws her fist into the mirror. - Nehalennia's face cracks. Her image wavers and breaks apart. "Ohhh!" says Zirconia. "The beautiful Dead Moon's Queen Nehalennia will not die! She will not die yet!" He flies into the blackness. "Next time we will take everything, and rule space!" - Hotaru kneels on the ground and picks up the four stones, staring at them. "Saturn!?" The room begins to crumble around them. They run and jump at the mirror, breaking through to the other side, rejoining the others. "Sailor Moon!!" The eleven of them stand in the crystal-covered street and stare into the sky, where the winged ship of the Dead Moon spews spirits into space and slowly shrinks. It drops to the ground at Usagi's feet. "Sailor Moon!! Chibi-Moon! Saturn! You're safe!" They look around at the empty street. "Has the Dead Moon Circus... disappeared?" says Michiru. "There's no change in the city or the atmosphere," says Setsuna. "They..." says Haruka. "Where did they disappear to!?" says Ami. "Oh no!" says Usagi. Her eyes meet with Mamoru's. "Elysion!?" "Elysion's in danger!" she says to the others. "We're going to Elysion! Guard the surface!" "We're going too!" "No," Usagi says. "Wait here." "Elios..." says Chibi-Usa. "Has something happened to Elios? I'm going too! To Elysion!" Mamoru holds out his hand. "Let's go. To Elysion!!" They all join hands and descend through the blackness to the decrepit land of Elysion. Across the calm lake stands the old shrine, where two women wait on the steps. "We have been waiting," says one. "We are the maidens who serve this shrine," says the other. "Elios..." says Chibi-Usa. "This way." The women lead them to the back, where the Pegasus lies in a large cage. "Elios!!" "Chibi-Moon!" says Usagi. "Don't touch the cage! It's dangerous." "Elios!" shouts Chibi-Usa. "Elios! Why won't you answer me? Wake up!" "Elios used all of his power," says Mamoru, "to protect the city and its people from the enemies. And then, his power gave out." "Did he die?" Chibi-Usa asks. "It can't be. It can't be! Elios! Answer me! Elios!" The small bell drops to the ground. She picks it up, tears in her eyes. "He's not dead," she says. "Elios isn't dead yet! His power hasn't given out! Because Mamo-chan, and Elysion, and Earth, they're alive!" Rei's head jerks up. "An evil spirit!?" she thinks. "Is somebody, somewhere, watching us!?" "Yes," says Haruka. "The enemies aren't dead yet, either. Our fight isn't over yet!" They hear a scream. Usagi turns and looks into the sky, and sees the ship flying toward them. "The Dead Moon's ship...!" A black mirror appears, and Zirconia's winged eyeball flies toward it. "That mirror!!" The image of the dark woman appears inside it. "Queen Nehalennia...!?" "Heh heh heh..." she says. "I am the queen of the kingdom of the new moon's darkness, Nehalennia. Sailor Moon... No. Brilliant Princess of the White Moon Kingdom, the Silver Millennium. Your mother, too, was thinking, to have you reincarnated on this planet in a new body. Your reborn body, that body, is a carbon copy of your mother's. Hahaha." "The Queen..." says Usagi. "Do you know her?" "I will again be Queen of the Moon Kingdom," says Nehalennia, "and this planet belongs to the Moon Kingdom! So who is the true ruler of this planet? It seems the time to decide has come." "This planet belongs to the people of Earth!" Usagi says. "You have sprinkled it with your evil spirits and nightmares! I am Sailor Moon, and in the name of the moon, I will punish you! Here, together with your nightmares, you will be destroyed!" "You cannot defeat my curse," says Nehalennia. Usagi grabs her chest. "Why!?" "You want to know? Cute Princess... Heh heh." "The mirror!!" Usagi thinks. She grabs her kaleidoscope rod. "Moon Gorgeous... Meditation!!" Power shoots at the mirror holding Nehalennia. "Sailor Moon!!" calls Michiru. The attack bounces off the mirror, and shoots back at them. They find themselves in another world, surrounded by prisms of color. "This..." says Chibi-Usa. "It's just like... we're inside a kaleidoscope...!" "Damn!" thinks Michiru. "It was reflected! Are we inside Sailor Moon's attack!?" "Selenity... Selenity..." Usagi looks around. She sees a woman with a crescent moon on her forehead kissing a baby. "Selenity, my pretty girl. I'm truly glad you were born." "Queen!?" Usagi thinks. "Is this a vision... of my previous life!?" "Now, let us celebrate. Everyone, come in!" Usagi looks around the room, and sees a large mirror on the wall. "Nephrenia's mirror!? Why is it in the Queen's room!?" Four small girls in sailor suits run into the room. "Congratulations, Queen!" "I've been waiting for you," says Queen Selenity. "Mercury! Mars! Jupiter! Venus! The four guardians of Princess Selenity!" They kneel to her. "Queen, we have been eagerly awaiting this time. We shall devote our lives to protecting her! So that someday, she may be Queen." "Soon, she will grow, and catch up to you," says the Queen. "It shall be fun. I wonder what kind of princess she'll become." People come to the Queen, bringing gifts. "Queen, a gift!" "Congratulations!" "Here's a gift!" A dark woman, cloaked in shadow, enters the room. "I, too, have a gift," she says. The four girls run between her and the baby. "For the biggest celebration on the moon," Nehalennia says, "I was the only one not invited." "That's right..." thinks Minako. "There was a single uninvited guest. She came trailing black shadows. That was the very inhabitant of the world of darkness!" "Polluter of the holy palace!" shouts Venus. "Who are you!?" "Well," says Nehalennia. "Even I live on the moon. But I come from the depths of the moon." "You lie!" says Jupiter. "You don't live on the moon!" "That's right!" says Mars. "You crept into this planet in secret, to spread your darkness as an incarnation of bewitching evil!" "I remember," thinks Setsuna. "It was enclosed in my memory. What happened on that horrible day. The white light of the moon wasn't yet darkened by a single cloud. There was only peace and happiness. Where they came from, and since when they had been living deep in the moon, nobody noticed. Nobody knew that the power of light was drawing in darkness." "Uninvited guest," says the Queen. "If you are looking for peace, and want to stay on this planet, we shall welcome you. But, I shall not allow you to bring the darkness of evil to this planet!" "That's funny," says Nehalennia. "You, too, were brought to this planet from far across the galaxy. Are not our origins the same? Queen, the darkness is necessary. If you will simply take my hand... If you will accept the darkness..." "Stranger!" shouts Mercury. "Begone this instant!" "Where there is light, there is darkness. The darkness calls to the light, and the light shall call to the darkness again!!" Nehalennia begins glowing with power. Queen Selenity grasps the crescent moon wand, and holds it out at her. Nehalennia is absorbed into the Mystical Silver Crystal. "I seal you!" the Queen says. "Forever inside the world of darkness!" She points the wand at the large mirror, and Nehalennia is spewed into it, locked inside. "A present in celebration!" Nehalennia says. "That you should receive my beautiful curse! Before long, this kingdom shall perish. The beautiful Princess shall die without inheriting the throne. That is my present! And when my curse is fulfilled, the Silver Millennium shall be destroyed." "By Nehalennia's curse..." Usagi thinks. "The Silver Millennium was destroyed!?" "The destruction of the kingdom and the death of the Princess are not a curse!" says Michiru. "It was destiny! You can't change destiny!" "Yes..." thinks Hotaru. "However many tragedies occurred one after another, like dominos, we followed our destiny of destruction. I thought everything was wiped out and reborn, but here there is one piece left!" "At that time," says Nehalennia, "all the moon's light was lost. The ones of its kingdom, along with the silver crystal, were destroyed. But they can't be defeated that easily. Where has it disappeared to!? I thought I had taken all of this planet! As this planet's ruler, the proof of the true queen of the moon! The planet has hidden the unknown power, that won't yield to the silver crystal! The silver crystal must be shining in that planet!" The brooch on Usagi's chest breaks open, and the Mystical Silver Crystal flies into the air. "Sailor Moon!?" Minako calls. The crystal flies into Nehalennia's grasp. "Hahaha!" Usagi begins coughing up blood. Mamoru runs to her. "Usa!" He starts to hack up blood as well. "Hahahaha!" says Nehalennia. "This is not a dream! You cannot defeat my long, long curse!! The Silver Millennium, and Elysion, will be destroyed now, here! Completely! I finally have it! The proof of the queen of the moon! This planet, and the Mystical Silver Crystal!!" The crystal glows brightly, as Nehalennia grows with its power. "The Mystical Silver Crystal is-!?" gasps Ami. Usagi cries out and falls back, her sailor suit gone. "Usagi!!" "Come on, Mamoru!" Mamoru thinks. "If you don't live, Earth and Elysion won't be saved!" "I have the power!" says Nehalennia. "You are as good as dust! Be destroyed! Now, everything is mine! I have the unbeatable power! Only I am the true ruler of space!!" "No!!" Usagi shouts. She grabs Mamoru's outstretched hand. "Mamo-chan!" "Give me strength, Usa!" They hold each other and kiss deeply. "We can't be destroyed here!" Mamoru says. "Right," says Usagi. "We can't give in to this nightmare!!" A sphere of light glows around the two. The Mystical Silver Crystal disappears from Nehalennia's hand. Usagi's sailor suit reappears on her body, as she kisses Mamoru. "My chest is hot..." Usagi says. Light shines from Usagi and Mamoru's chests. "Power is being born, but... I see." "No, this can't be!!" shouts Nehalennia. "Power isn't taken," says Usagi. "It's born. And power isn't born alone. You can't use it alone! I won't lose to anyone! I will show you our power!!" The golden crescent moon shines on her forehead as she faces Nehalennia. "Queen Selenity!?" Nehalennia says. "No, damnit!!" Usagi reaches her arms to the sky, as the light shines above her. The light spreads all around her. The sailor suits on the other soldiers vanish, replaced by dresses. The three cats disappear from the command center, and appear with the others, all in human form. "Small Lady!!" calls Diana. "D- Diana!?" says Chibi-Usa. Four miniature versions of the inner soldiers appear. "Princess Mercury!" "Princess Mars!" "Princess Jupiter!" "Princess Venus!" They are held in spheres of light, and float into the hands of the soldiers. "Princess!? You...!" Four more small soldiers appear. "Princess Uranus!" "Princess Neptune!" "Princess Pluto!" "Princess Saturn! We are your sailor super guardians. You are the sailor princesses of the solar system!" "Super sailor guardians!? The sailor princesses of the solar system!?" "The time has come for the new change of the soldiers," says Saturn. "Borrow power from the castles of your mother planets," says Uranus. "Give your power to Sailor Moon's holy chalice!" says Venus. In the light above Usagi, a new chalice appears. "Look!" says Chibi-Usa. "The holy chalice...!!" "The sign of our gathering... That we have always been searching for... The holy chalice...!" "Everyone!" Usagi shouts. "Give me your power!" "Mother planet, Mercury, Mariner Castle!" "Mars, Phobos Deimos Castle!" "Jupiter, Io Castle!" "Venus, Magellan Castle!" "My planet, Uranus, Miranda Castle!" "My planet, Neptune, Triton Castle!" "My planet, Pluto, Charon Castle!" "My planet, Saturn, Titan Castle!" "Crystal Palace of the 30th century! Send me power!" "Send our power to the holy chalice!! Our power, all of it, here!!" The golden crescent moon on Usagi's forehead shines brightly as her sailor suit transforms in a burst of feathers. "Eternal Sailor Moon!" Diana calls. Usagi stands in her new suit, the tiara gone. A crescent moon is joined to the heart shape on her chest, fastened to a bow shaped like a pair of wings. "Carrier of the closest power to that of the Queen!" Diana says. "Eternal Sailor Moon!!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Original manga copyright © 1996 Takeuchi Naoko. English translation copyright © 1997 Alex Glover. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sailor Moon Translations | Sailor Moon Volume 15