"We always sing for you... We devote our lives to you... That is us, the Sailor Starlights..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ ] Act 49 - Stars 7 Originally appeared in Nakayoshi, December 1996. Translated by Alex Glover. Version 1.01, 4.97. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Healer!! Maker!! Fighter!!" Kakyuu runs to the three bodies lying on the ground. "Princess Kakyuu!" Usagi calls. She grabs onto her hand. "Let me go! The Starlights! I have to save them! Put out that blue fire! Their bodies are-!" The three bodies turn to ash before them. "Healer! Maker! Fighter!" Kakyuu yells. "Nooooo!" She runs crying to Usagi's arms. "Their bodies...!" "All that is a sailor soldier is inside the sailor crystals," said Yaten. "The crystals of unknown power, the sailor crystals, won't disappear!" "Won't disappear!" "Princess Kakyuu!" Usagi says. "Let's go! We'll get back their sailor crystals! If we can get back their sailor crystals, we'll be able to bring their bodies back to life!" "Sailor Moon...!" Usagi, Kakyuu, and Chibi-Chibi fly alone through space. A light appears in the distance. "That light!?" They see an image through it. "A castle!?" As they turn toward it, it vanishes. "It disappeared!?" Another light appears far behind them. The castle materializes again, then vanishes. "Again!?" It appears again in another direction. They run toward it. "We go toward it, we go toward it, and it disappears. We can't reach it." "Sailor Moon...!" says Kakyuu. "A mirage?" thinks Usagi. "An illusion? No! Galaxia should be looking forward to fighting us as well. We shouldn't be unable to reach it. Where is it...? Where are you watching us, Galaxia!? Where are everyone's sailor crystals!?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Galaxia smiles. "Sailor Moon," she says. "So you've finally made it here, to the Galactica Palace..." The Anima Mates kneel before her. "Galaxia-sama, please forgive us for the failure of Sailors Lethe and Mnemosyne. We have brought their sailor crystals here." They present two sailor crystals, which are absorbed into the giant crystal held above them. "No matter how many times I see it, it's still beautiful. The brilliance of the sailor crystals throughout the galaxy...! Just as if the sailor soldiers could be breathing inside this enormous Garden Crystal. Essentially their destroyed bodies and spirits, which carried nothing but the sailor crystals and some small power. The ability to make use of the great power, and everything, comes from the power of our galaxy's queen's, Galaxia-sama's Sapphire Crystal." "Soon I will have the most powerful sailor crystals in the galaxy," says Galaxia. "When I have both the galaxy's most destructive, the Sapphire Crystal I carry, and the infinite power of rebirth in Sailor Moon's Silver Moon Crystal... I will be undefeatable. All of the galaxy--no, all of space will be mine in the same way!" "Galaxia-sama, we have also brought the Sailor Starlights' crystals here." The Anima Mates raise the three crystals into the Garden Crystal above. "On the next stage, we will obtain the crystals of the remaining ones as well. Leave it to us!" They disappear. "My soul is tingling..." thinks Galaxia. "So the time has finally come." Her Sapphire Crystal glows on her chest, and the golden sailor suit appears on her body. "Sailor Moon, I will be able to meet you at last. At the place where destiny began, the time has come at last to begin a new history of the galaxy." She walks through the silent hall of the palace. "Chaos-sama," she says. "The time we've been waiting for has arrived." The formless energy looks back at her. "Ohh... So the time has come at last. The time of the beginning of the new universe." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A fog surrounds Usagi, Kakyuu, and Chibi-Chibi as they run blindly. "Fog!?" Usagi thinks. "All of a sudden!?" She stops. Rows and rows of crosses and tombstones line the ground before her. "Where are we...!?" They see a winged figure, standing in a swarm of butterflies. "This is the final land to where the remnants of dead stars drift," the woman says. "These butterflies are the last flames of the stars. The funeral procession of the butterflies scatters across the galaxy, with never an interruption." They see the faces of Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten on three of the crosses in the ground. "These graves...!?" Kakyuu drops to her knees. "The Starlights' graves!? It can't be!" "Look there," the woman says, pointing to a new grave being freshly dug. "It seems there are more with flames of life to extinguish here. I wonder what color of butterflies will fly this time." Usagi looks at the three empty graves, and sees crosses with the faces of Kakyuu, herself, and Chibi-Chibi. "Our graves!?" Vines rip into the air behind them, and wrap around their bodies. "What a pity!" the woman says. "The next funeral procession will be for you!" Usagi chokes for air as the vines tighten around her neck. "I am the final soldier of the Sailor Anima Mates!" the woman says. "The soul hunter, Sailor Heavy Metal Papillon! I will give you the most beautiful and saddening funeral procession ever! For the end of the messiah of misfortune, I've decided on incineration! I want you to suffer!" Flames light from her hands, and leap toward the three as they strain in their bonds. They cry out in pain as the flames burn them. A light appears in the sky. Five lights descend from above. Chibi-Usa and her four guardian soldiers appear. "Pink Ladies Freezing Kiss!" The vines break apart, freeing the three. They fall to the ground. "Amazoness Jungle Arrow!!" Papillon's body is torn to shreds. "Sailor Ceres!" "Pallas!" "Juno!" "Vesta!" "The Sailor Quartet!" "And Sailor Chibi-Moon are here!" "Chibi-Moon!!" says Usagi. "Sailor Moon!!" says Chibi-Usa. "Sorry we're late. We are also soldiers of the solar system. We came to help you, Sailor Moon. Everyone has fallen in the 30th century. Their sailor crystals were shining like a signal, and all their bodies faded...!" "By Sailor Galaxia's attack, all their bodies were destroyed as humans," says Usagi. "Their sailor crystals were stolen. Not just us, but the sailor soldiers throughout the galaxy as well... In the 30th century, all their lives have finally..." "Will the future you know, really come?" "It will come! By my own hands, I'll show you our future!" "We don't have a moment to lose," she says. "We will surely get back all their sailor crystals! And then we'll bring all their bodies back to life, as they were! Chibi-Moon, I'm glad you made it here safely..." "I was thinking you might be fighting on Earth, so I went there from the 30th century," says Chibi-Usa. "But I didn't see you anywhere... After Luna, and Artemis, and Diana, too, had already been defeated...!" Usagi gasps. "Luna and the others...!!" "Sailor Moon," says Ceres. "In a moment, we realized you were already in the enemy's territory. A ray of light showed us the way." "We felt your voice, Usagi," says Chibi-Usa. "For an instant. Was it you who led us here, Sailor Moon?" "No," says Usagi. "It wasn't me. I don't have that power... With Princess Kakyuu's help, we used everyone's power to come here..." "It was not my power either," says Kakyuu. "To reach the power of distant Earth, from here in the center of the galaxy, at Zero Star of Sagittarius... I don't have such..." "Then..." says Chibi-Usa. "Who could it be...!?" "What about that small soldier?" says Ceres. They look at Chibi-Chibi. "This kid is Sailor Chibi-Chibi," says Usagi. Chibi-Usa grimaces. "Sailor Chibi-Chibi?" "Yep! Even like this, she's a fine soldier. Sailor Chibi-Chibi... Say, shouldn't you put a moon after that?" Chibi-Chibi looks puzzled. "She came here across time and space just like you, Chibi-Usa," says Usagi. "Isn't she your little sister?" "M- My little sister!?" "Could it be the Queen's second child?" says Ceres. "Now that you mention it, you two look exactly alike." "I heard that from generation to generation, the Millennium's queen only gives birth to one princess," says Vesta. "I also learned that!" says Juno. "Me too!" says Pallas. "She's not my child?" says Usagi. "Then... Could she be Chibi-Usa's child?" "My child!?" says Chibi-Usa. "Anyway, this kid never says anything to us. We don't know who she is, or what she wants. But we do know that she is a fine ally of ours. She's fought together with us until here, and we've been helped by her many times." "My child...?" says Chibi-Usa. "No... She's not." "Small Lady?" says Ceres. "She's not. I know. Could it be... Has she come here to us from a great distance? Reaching the center of the galaxy this easily... Power on par with Sailor Moon's... Who on earth are you...?" Chibi-Chibi hides behind Usagi. They turn. "The fog is clearing!" They see a large palace standing before them, with a huge crystal held at the top. "Is that... Galaxia's castle!?" The Anima Mates appear behind them. "Welcome to our Star Garden!" they say. "We are the Star Gardeners." "Sailor Phi!" "Sailor Chi!" "Where are the Starlights' crystals!?" says Kakyuu. "Return them!" Chi points upwards. "They can't be, inside that crystal!?" "What's this!" says Phi. "Again new sailor crystals have made their way here to Zero Star? We have you in our grasp!" Crystals appear around them. "Our garden's Garden Crystals will take care of you with pleasure!" "Sailor Moon!" says Kakyuu. "I'll fight as well! I am also a sailor soldier! Kinmoku Star Power! Make Up!!" "Princess Kakyuu!?" "I am the guardian soldier of the planet Kinmoku. I am Sailor Kakyuu, your partner! Healer! Maker! Fighter! Give me power!" She thrusts her arm out. "Starlights Royal Straight Flush!!" Cards shoot out, destroying crystals on the ground. Phi and Chi gasp. The remaining crystals vanish. "They're gone!?" thinks Kakyuu. "Where are the Starlights' crystals!?" "Damn you!" says Phi. "Galactica Plants Blizzard!!" "Kinmoku Fusion Tempest!" A storm of flowers swirls around Kakyuu. Usagi clutches her scepter. "Starlight...!" "Sailor Moon!" says Kakyuu. "The center of their power is their bracelets!" "Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!!" Phi is destroyed. "Princess!" calls Chibi-Usa. Chi leaps at Kakyuu from behind, plunging her staff through her back. "Princess Kakyuu!!" says Usagi. Blood spews as Chi yanks out the staff. The Sailor Quartet combine their power, and attack Chi. Kakyuu falls to the ground. Usagi runs to her. "Princess Kakyuu!!" She holds her in her arms. "Kakyuu!!" "Sailor Moon..." says Kakyuu. "When this war ends... I wonder if a new world will begin... Next time... Maybe it will be a world without war... But if the wars continue... it will be all right..." She takes Usagi's hand. "I want to be born together with everyone... again... I wonder... if I will..." "Of course," says Usagi. "We are soldiers with sailor crystals. We can be born again and again." "That's right... The sailor crystals... are our... hope... aren't they..." Her head falls back lifelessly. "Kakyuu!!!" Usagi cries. A staff strikes the ground between Kakyuu's legs. "If you die too," says Chi, "the futile fighting and suffering will end! For our kingdom's ruler of the galaxy--no! For our ruler of the universe, I must sacrifice that infinite power carried in the Silver Moon Crystal to the Shadow Galactica!" "Whatever lives it costs, the war will not end," Usagi thinks. "There can be no victor left from this war!" She stands up. "I won't let you have it. With the power of this Silver Moon Crystal, I will end the war!" "Our hope..." "The sailor crystals aren't for destruction and war! They are for peace and happiness, and rebirth! I believe in that!" She thrusts her scepter out, and Chi is destroyed. Nine lights appear at the palace gates. "Sailor Moon!!" calls Chibi-Usa. She jumps and pushes Usagi away as Kakyuu's body is lifted into the air. Kakyuu's body is torn apart, leaving only a crystal. "Kakyuu!?" The crystal vanishes, and reappears in the hand of a sailor-suited figure. "Your next opponents..." she says. The eight sailor soldiers of the solar system stand at the palace gates, bracelets adorning their wrists. "Are us, Sailor Moon!!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Original manga copyright © 1996 Takeuchi Naoko. English translation copyright © 1997 Alex Glover. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sailor Moon Translations | Sailor Moon Volume 18