Disclaimer: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon belongs to Takeuchi Naoko, Koudansha, TV Asahi, and Toei Douga, and DIC.

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Prologue

Sailor Moon lifted the Ginzuishou high and focused its power on the crystal-encased woman before her; her own future self, Neo Queen Serenity. The light of the Silver Crystal shone brighter and brighter, before Sailor Moon collapsed in an exhausted heap.

Nothing had happened.

"Not even Sailor Moon can help mama!" Chibi-Usa cried out in anguish, before turning away and running from the room.

The other Senshi moved to catch her, but were stopped by Tuxedo Kamen. "She needs to be alone. Besides, she'll be safe inside the palace's shield."

"No," Sailor Moon said forcefully as she picked herself up. "What she needs is her mother." As she started towards the door, she smiled ruefully. "I guess she'll have to make do with me."

But Chibi-Usa had wandered beyond the shield. Walking through the ruins of Crystal Tokyo, before she sat on a lone swing set which was still standing. She just couldn't believe that Sailor Moon and the Ginzuishou couldn't save her mother. This coupled with the recent revelation that it had been her who had accidentally disabled Crystal Tokyo's defences was more than the little girl could bear.

"I'm sorry, mama… I just wanted to be like you," she quietly sobbed.

A low laughter echoed around her. "Now is the time for me to act!" Wiseman appeared.

Chibi-Usa got off the swing and started to run, but found herself frozen in place.

"You were safe inside the palace, little rabbit," Wiseman taunted her. "But out here, there is nothing to protect you from my power."

"Wrong!" a voice shouted. "Moon Princess Halation!!" Waves of pink energy and crescent moons smashed into Wiseman, causing the cloaked figure to stagger.

"Sailor Moon!" Chibi-Usa cried. The control over her was broken, and she ran to hide behind her saviour.

Sailor Moon smiled at her future daughter before glaring at Wiseman. "She has me," she said, her voice dangerously low.

"Yeah! Sailor Moon will beat you up, you big meanie!" Chibi-Usa stuck her tongue out at him.

Keeping one eye still on her opponent, Sailor Moon turned to Chibi-Usa. "Run to the palace, Chibi-Usa, and get the others," she whispered urgently.

"But I wanna—" she tried to protest.

"Hurry!" Sailor Moon urged.

Nodding reluctantly, Chibi-Usa started running as fast as she could back to the palace.

"Where do you think you're going, rabbit?" Wiseman moved to intercept the fleeing girl.

"Moon Tiara Action!" Sailor Moon threw her tiara straight at his head, and the impact caused him to collapse. His empty cloak and crystal ball fell to the ground.

"I know it can't be that easy," Sailor Moon said angrily. "Get back up! I won't forgive you for threatening my daughter!" She did her poses. "In place of the Moon, I'll punish you!!"

Wiseman's crystal ball flashed a skull face and rose into the air. The robes soon followed, and Wiseman pulled himself back together. "Very well, Queen of the White Moon," he said agreeably — before immediately launching a massive blast of dark energy straight at her.

Sailor Moon cried out in pain as the wave of dark energy forced her to her knees. Wiseman continued his assault, until the pain became too much and Sailor Moon slumped unconscious.

Wiseman prepared to make the killing blow, when Demando suddenly teleported before him. "Do not kill my queen!" His eyes flashed angrily.

Wiseman silently cursed Demando's obsession with Serenity. While it made him easier to manipulate, it was still annoying. "Of course, my prince," Wiseman said, knowing that Demando wouldn't catch the sarcasm in his voice.

Cradling the unconscious Sailor Moon in his arms, Demando looked lovingly upon her. "You ran from me once, but you will be my Queen," he murmured before teleporting back to the Black Moon with her. Wiseman followed suit.

A few minutes later, the Sailor Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen, who was carrying Chibi-Usa, arrived on the scene.

"Where is she?" Sailor Mars demanded angrily.

Sailor Mercury activated her mini-supercomputer and scanned the area. "A tremendous amount of dark energy was unleashed on this area," she reported.

Chibi-Usa and Tuxedo Kamen both looked up to the sky.

"Mama…?" Chibi-Usa questioned.

"Usako…" Tuxedo Kamen breathed, sensing his beloved was in great danger.

Usagi moaned as she woke up. "Where am I?" she asked. Sitting up and looking around she saw she was lying on a bed in a large, well-decorated room. Demando stood by the door. "Not again…" she muttered, shaking her head.

"I'm surprised you woke up so quickly," Demando commented "But I really shouldn't be. You recovered fast the last time we met." He walked over to stand over the bed she sat on.

"Are you going to try the same trick you did last time?" Usagi asked wearily.

Demando didn't bother to reply. Instead, his third eye appeared and he tried to hypnotise Usagi.

Her eyes began to glaze over. Demando could feel her submitting to his will, but then there was a flash of light and Usagi regained control of her senses. Her hand lashed out, and she slapped him hard across the face.

Demando touched his cheek in shock. "How did you…?" he got out before she angrily interrupted him.

"Love isn't something you force on someone!" she said, her eyes blazing fury. "It is a gift between two people; you cannot make a love where none exists!"

Before Demando could respond, Wiseman appeared in the room with them. Turning to the uninvited guest, Demando sneered. "I'm busy, Wiseman. What is it?"

Wiseman reined in his impulse to put the arrogant prince in his place. "My apologies, Prince Demando. But I have a better way of turning the Queen to our way of thinking."

Usagi shrank away fearfully.

Usagi floated motionless in the air above Wiseman.

"It will be a challenge to warp someone with so much love in their heart… but I will make you remember a past which will break that heart!" Wiseman gloated.

Inside Usagi's mind was a confusing jumble of shifting images and sounds. To most it would be meaningless, but Usagi was reliving her most painful memories.

"I don't love you anymore!" Mamoru said coldly.

Usagi sat hunched over inside a phone box, crying her eyes out.

"Who is Mamoru? I am Endymion of the Dark Kingdom."

"You're worthless and unfit to be our leader!" Rei snapped.

"I hate you!!" Chibi-Usa cried.

"Mamoru tried to save a weakling like you!" Rei sobbed.

"Sailor Moon… Die!" Endymion threw a black rose at her.

"Why do you hate me?!" Sailor Moon cried out.

"I hate weak girls," Tuxedo Kamen answered sharply.

Sailor Moon cried out in pain as the black rose surrounded her.

Wiseman smiled. Even with all her love, she had much pain. It wouldn't be as hard as he had thought to warp that pain to fill her heart with hate.

Demando watched impassively. This was pretty boring from his perspective, but he wasn't about to leave Serenity alone with Wiseman. He had been becoming more and more insubordinate lately.

As Wiseman worked his magic to change Usagi into a warrior for the Black Moon, a switch turned over in Usagi's mind. She changed into her Princess Serenity form.

Wiseman and Demando both started. Neither knew what was happening, and Demando felt even worse when he noticed Wiseman's confusion.

Then Princess Serenity started to change. Her silver-blonde hair changed into black with the occasional streak of sunflower blonde. Her white princess gown changed into a shimmering black dress which clung to her figure.

She floated down to face the pair and opened her eyes. They were still a crystal blue. The crescent moon on her forehead had been changed into an inverted black crescent moon. Her eyes lifted, and it was almost as if she could see the mark on her forehead. An expression of extreme distaste flickered over her lovely features before the black moon symbol disappeared to be replaced with the golden crescent moon. "I have no allegiance to your pathetic Black Moon," she sneered.

"What… Who are you?" Wiseman asked fearfully.

"I am the Messiah." She smiled evilly. "But you can call me Dark Serenity."

To be continued.

Webmaster: Larry F
Last revision: May 21, 2007