Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon Labyrinth ❯ Pluto's Call, The Stolen Ginzuishou ( Chapter 4 )

Notes: Minna is "everyone" Nani is "what" "sama" is a suffix indicating great respect. As the princess, Usa deserves the honorific.

The jewel stopped glowing, and fell from the air back into Usa's hands. The girls stared at each other in shocked silence, Usa-chan pale and slightly shaky.

"Why-" Mako coughed with discomfort and uncertainty before starting over.

"Why did Sailorpluto send us so much information about the future? Isn't she always saying that too much knowledge of the future is dangerous?" Rei nodded and continued Mako-chan's thought.

"Hai, and yet she sent us specifics about our children."

There was an emphasis on the word 'children', and Rei's eyes shone slightly when she said it.

"What do you think, Ami?" Minako looked troubled. It was obvious that she was bothered by what she had seen of the future.

"Hmmm?" Ami replied absently. Her face was withdrawn, and she seemed to be deep in thought.

"What do you think about this little jewel Setsuna-san set us?" Usagi repeated helpfully.

"I think that..." Ami trailed off for a minute, and she stared at the ground. Finally, she looked up sharply and said, "I think she had no right to send us something like that! What did the things about our children have to do with Usa's mission?!"

All of the girls quickly looked up at Ami's face when they heard her angry, almost accusing words. Usa-chan blushed with shame, she knew that it was her fault, that Ami must be upset because she knew Mizumi would be betrayed by a close friend.

It always ends up being my fault, Usa thought miserably, Look at what I did to the moon kaleido scope.

"There must be a reason," Mamoru said comfortingly, "Sailorpluto hasn't led us astray yet, and I find it hard to believe that she would now."

"Besides," Luna said practically, "she is loyal to Neo-Queen Serenity and Crystal Tokyo. We've seen that from past encounters with her."

"Don't be so quick to judge, Ami." Artemis added.

Ami looked around as her friends disagreed with her. She felt a flush rising to her cheeks, but rather than explain her uncharacteristic outburst she simply nodded.

"Okay. I put my trust in Sailorpluto."

"I still don't understand," Minako complained, "Where does the ginzuishou figure into all of this? And what did Sailorpluto tell you to do, Usa?"

Usa took a deep breath and let it out in a rush.

"I guess Setsuna wanted me to explain this part to you myself..."

The senshi of time stood before her, the Time Key with its Garnet Orb (Pluto's talisman; it sits on the top of the Time Key) held loosely, but confidently, in one hand.

"Sailorpluto?" After Usa's mother had matured, Sailorpluto had stopped appearing almost completely, and in her place, Setsuna occasionally visited.

"Hai. It has been awhile, hasn't it, Neo-Princess Serenity-sama?" Although her visits weren't infrequent, Setsuna had never developed the same closeness with Usa that she had with Chibiusa.

"What are you doing here? Mother and grandfather are out in the city somewhere, but my grandmother is around here somewhere."

When Sailorpluto didn't reply, Usa flushed slightly and offered, "Would you like me to try and find her?"

"Serenity-sama," Pluto said sternly, but not unkindly, "if I had wanted to talk to any of them, don't you think I could have teleported directly to them?"

Usa-chan blushed and murmured, "I guess you could."

"I've come to talk to you about the ginzuishou."

Usa was about to protest that she knew nothing of the ginzuishou, but something made her bite her tongue.

Pluto smiled slightly at the young girl's expression, but her face quickly grew serious again.

"There's a problem."

Usa grew pale and exclaimed, "Nani?!"

"There is a flaw in the ginzuishou. An imperfection. It warps the power that Neo-Queen Serenity-sama uses, and sometimes passes flaws onto her creations or healings. It makes them imperfect or incomplete in some cases. It makes the power she wields a dangerous unknown."

"I don't understand. Why don't you just tell Grandmother and Mother about this? They know more about the ginzuishou than I do, and Grandmother is the one who always uses it."

Pluto shook her head gently, her dark green hair shimmering slightly, laying on her shoulders like a cloak.

"I can't. They won't believe me. Serenity is bonded too closely with the ginzuishou, and I think it may be influencing her somehow."

The beautiful woman sighed with unhappiness and continued.

"I should have seen this coming. She has become too dependent on the ginzuishou. She uses it to solve all of her problems, and is confident that it will always remain the solution."

Usa frowned slightly and jumped to her grandmother's defense.

"The ginzuishou is the solution to all of her serious problems! It has never failed her before, and has saved her life, and the lives of grandfather and the senshi, numerous times! How could she know that something would happen to it? In all the history of the Silver Millennium the ginzuishou has always helped and protected the royal family!"

"Usa-chan," Pluto said soothingly, "I did not come here to pick a fight with you. I'm not blaming the queen for the flaw, or becoming too dependent on the ginzuishou. In fact, it may be because of the flaw that she has become so dependent upon it. As I have said, it's partially my own fault for not seeing this coming. It is also," she paused for a moment, an unidentifiable look on her face, "The fault of the guardians. It is their responsibility to guide and advise the royal family."

Usa was about to defend the guardians as well, but bit her lip suddenly, saying, "Luna and Artemis did retire, and Diana never helps anyone except Mother..."

She didn't mention the fact that Diana was often rude to her when speaking, and never even bothered to address Usa unless Neo-Princess Selenity, Luna, or Artemis was present.

"It may be time to have a word with the guardians...and with the queen, about Diana's performance. She has a responsibility to the Kingdom, not just to your mother."

Usa was about to protest again, but Pluto held up a silencing hand.

"Don't bother, Princess. I've been considering talking to Neo-Queen Serenity-sama about Diana for awhile now, and this may be the time."

"All right." Usa said in a subdued tone, knowing that it was futile to argue with the far older, more experienced woman.

"In the mean time, you have to go and fix the ginzuishou."

"NANI?!" Usa jumped to her feet with shock.

"I don't know the first thing about the ginzuishou! I can't do anything!"

"Neo-Princess Serenity-sama!" Pluto said sharply, "Control yourself."

Usa's mouth snapped shut, automatically obeying a voice of authority higher than her own, and she looked up at Pluto's face imploringly, pleading, "You've got to tell Grandmother about this yourself! I don't know what to do. I don't even know where to start. She will believe you; she trusts you, and Mother trusts you, and Grandfather trusts you. They'll listen, don't worry."

Pluto shook her head firmly and replied, "It must be you. You will know what to do once you have the ginzuishou in your hands. It runs in your bloodline." Her face softened slightly, and she looked down at Usa was kindness, saying, "Try talking to her. As I have said, she may listen to you. If that fails, try to show her the darkness brewing in the Labyrinth. That should be proof enough."

This was the first that Usa had heard of a problem with the Labyrinth, but somehow she wasn't surprised. She had often had nightmares of the brooding maze when she was a child, and she knew that her Grandmother disliked the Labyrinth because it had been the obsession of several of the senshi at one point.

However, that had happened before Usa was born, and the problem had been taken care of. Now, only Sailoruranus ventured into the sprawling maze, and she never came out with more than a few minor scratches and injuries. Usa although sure of her own feelings, needed reassurance.

"The Labyrinth is used to determine who is worthy to enter the service of the royal guard. The ones who make it through become second only to the royal family and the senshi. You know that, Sailorpluto. Why would the Labyrinth be a sign of darkness? Some of our most courageous and trusted warriors have passed through there."

"Do you think they become courageous and trusted by passing through that maze?"

Pluto's response was calm and cool, and Usa was suddenly embaressed at asking a question they both knew she knew the answer to.

"No, of course not. The Labyrinth is just their final test. The end of their training."

She paused for a moment and then quietly asked, "Do you know what that darkness is? I can feel it sometimes when I first wake up, so thick and oppressive it almost seems like I'll choke on it, but when I wake up fully the feeling goes away and I can never be sure if it was a dream or real."

Pluto shook her head solemnly.

"Even I cannot pierce the veil of darkness that hangs over the Labyrinth. It is the power of the ginzuishou, but twisted by some sinister intent. Only someone of your bloodline could see through the darkness, and your grandmother and mother are blind to the problem."

"I must be the light that helps them cut through the shadows."

Usa was surprised at how determined she sounded and felt. It was true. She was the only one who could make things right.

Pluto smiled slightly and said, "You are indeed. Ganbatte(good luck), Princess. You will know what to do if you follow your heart and soul."

With a small parting wave, Pluto turned and vanished back to the Gates of Time.

Usa took deep breaths and smoothed the thick fabric of her dress. She picked at one of the small crystals ornamenting her sleeves. The dress was a replica of the ones both her mother and grandmother had worn when they were her age. However, the gold trim was replaced with silver, and the sleeves were longer, billowy, reaching to the elbow, and made from a thin, gauzy material that had tiny silvery crystal shards sewn into it. There was also tiny crystals hanging at her hips and crystal clips in her hair. Usa felt slightly idiotic being so dressed up in the middle of the day, but decided that she should approach her grandmother looking her best.

She strode quickly down a long corridor and finally reached the queen's office. Sailoruranus was standing guard, leaning casually against the door frame with one leg stretched lazily out in front of her. Usa knew that despite how relaxed the older senshi looked, she could be in a full attack stance in seconds.

"Konnichi wa, Sailoruranus." The princess said politely, trying not to give away how nervous she felt, "Is my grandmother in her office?"

"She is." The girl's husky voice was cool, but there was a note of mischief under it that put Usa instantly on guard. Although Usa looked up to both Haruka and Michiru as older sisters, she had learned to be careful of Haruka's sense of humor. Much to her embarrassment, Usa had discovered that Haruka loved nothing more than to tease her at every opportunity. She never seemed to have the right reply at the right time, and Haruka seemed to thrive on seeing her blush.

"I never realized you looked so attractive in your full, formal, princess ensemble. I don't think I've seen you that dressed up since you were officially named heir."

She chuckled softly and added, "It looks good on you, you should dress up more often."

When Usa didn't respond to her comment with a flippant reply or an embarrassed blush, Sailoruranus stood up straight and moved over towards the nervous princess.

"Koneko-chan? Daijoubu?" (Koneko means "kitten", Haruka called Usagi the same thing when she was younger (she caught Usagi and Minako spying on her ^_^;;) daijoubu means "Are you all right?")

Startled at hearing Haruka's nickname for her when she had been very young, Usa jumped violently, her nerves tightly strung.

"I'm okay, Onee-chan(older sister; a nickname showing that the two are close), I just need to talk to my grandmother. It's very important."

Haruka slipped her arm around the younger girl's shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze before moving to door and opening it, softly saying, "I don't know what you're up to, Koneko-chan, but good luck."

"Arigato, Onee-chan."

Usa took a deep breath and stepped through the doorway.

Both Rei and Ami were in the room with Neo-Queen Serenity. Ami was leaning over the queen's massive desk and trying to sort a huge stack of papers. Rei, dressed as the Shinto priestess she was, was speaking rapidly, her hands moving to emphasis certain points. Neo-Queen Serenity was unsuccessfully trying to stifle a yawn, and she had her head propped on one hand. With Usa quietly slide into the room Rei stopped in mid-sentence and Ami's mouth dropped open. Serenity was so surprised to see Usa dressed in formal attire that her face slipped off of her supporting hand. Her face hit the desk with a thunk, but instead of wailing loudly as she would of when she was younger, Serenity gracefully got to her feet and moved to her granddaughter.

"Neo-Princess Serenity," She said formally, "what brings you to my office at this time of the day?"

"I must speak with you about a matter of great importance," the queen nodded for her to continue, and Usa hesitated, looking at Rei and Ami.

Serenity quietly spoke up.

"If you two don't mind...we were almost finished here anyway..."

"Yes, of course," Ami said graciously, making her way to the door.

Rei hesitated for a moment and looked as though she was going to say something. Finally, she walked slowly towards the door, nodded her head at both of them, and softly said, "Good day, Neo-Queen Serenity-sama, Neo-Princess Serenity-sama."

Both the queen and princess nodded their acknowledgment to the departing priestess, and Usa waited until the raven-haired girl had shut the door before starting to speak.

"I have to talk to you about the ginzuishou."

The queen looked at her granddaughter with surprise, but patiently waited for elaboration without interupting.

"I-" She swallowed hard, "I mean, that is..."

After several moments of uncomfortable silence, she finally burst out, "you have to give me the ginzuishou!"

Serenity firmly took Usa-chan's shoulders and replied, "Are you in some type of trouble? Do you need help? We can help you, don't worry. I doubt the power of the ginzuishou is needed however."

"No! You don't understand! I'm not the one in trouble. You are!"

Usa's eyes were wide with anxiety, and she kept nervously tugging at one of the crystal's attached to her waist.

"I don't understand, Usa-chan. Why am I in trouble?"

To the princess's dismay, she heard not just the gentle kindness that Serenity always seemed to display in both movement and speech but also more than a little doubt.

"You don't believe me."

Usa was frozen for a moment with dismay, feeling as if she had swallowed a freezing boulder that lay heavy in her stomach, but before the queen could respond, the dark-haired girl exclaimed, "You have to listen to me! The ginzuishou is broken or something. It doesn't work right anymore. When you use it, the power isn't pure! Look at the Labyrinth! There's something wrong with that horrible maze, and it's all because of that crystal!"

Serenity looked uneasy for a moment, and Usa leaned forward eagerly.

Her hope was shattered when her grandmother shook her head slightly and said, "The power is pure. The Labyrinth has helped to train some very commendable warriors, and has never shown any signs that it is anything but pure."

With a sudden flash of inspiration, Usa exclaimed, "Ask Rei-san! She can use her priestess powers! She'll be able to sense the imperfection in the Labyrinth, and then she'll tell you that I'm telling the truth!"

Usa fervently hoped that Rei wouldn't fail her, not even sure that the woman's powers worked that way but sure that the priestess was the her last chance to convince her grandmother to give up the ginzuishou.

The queen sighed and walked to the door. She stuck her head out and said, "I need you to find Rei for me. Tell her I must speak to her at once in my office."

Usa heard Haruka's voice, and for a brief instant the woman's face was visible in the doorway. Usa's heart cried out for her to run to the woman for support, but she firmly told herself that the ginzuishou was her own responsibility. She flashed Sailoruranus a weak smile, and the senshi of the heavens was gone.

Neo-Queen Serenity turned back towards Usa and sighed with resignation, saying, "Now all we can do is wait for Rei-chan."

In the light of the fire, Rei's dark hair looked like someone had taken black ink and poured it down around her shoulders and body. It moved around her like liquid, framing her face and causing the fire to cast odd shadows on her serious expression. The violet color of her eyes was only intensified by the contrasting shadows and light, and she looked not quite mortal.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Ami whispered to Serenity, "How doing fire readings can so transform her? She looks as though she could be a spirit of the fire herself."

"If she didn't become a spirit of the shadows first," Serenity agreed.

The queen looked around the shrine and noted the agitation of Neo-Princess Selenity, the worry that the queen herself felt mirrored on the face of King Endymion, and the absence of Setsuna. She frowned slightly and whispered to Ami, "I requested for everyone to join us. If Usa-chan is right, we have a very serious problem on our hands. The Labyrinth could be a potential threat to the city."

Ami shrugged helplessly and replied, "I couldn't even get in contact with Setsuna. She didn't answer when we summoned her."

Neo-Queen Serenity frowned slightly for a few more seconds and replied, "I'll have to talk to her later."

She opened her mouth to add something, but Ami shushed her and whispered, "I think Rei-chan is about to start." There was immediate silence around the room, and everyone stared intently at Rei.

"I'm sorry," Rei said finally, her hair damp with sweat and plastered to her forehead. "I've been trying for nearly two hours, and I can't find anything that would suggest evil or corruption in the Labyrinth."

She looked up at her princess and said more quietly, "I'm sorry, Usa-chan. I really did try."

The black-haired daughter of Selenity burst into tears and ran from the temple. Haruka looked furious and Michiru put a restraining hand on her shoulder. However, the eyes of the normally serene senshi of the ocean flashed with a dangerous fire. Neither of the two women liked to see Usa-chan upset, and they obviously disapproved of how the matter had been handled.

"It was the only way."

The two women looked up with surprise to see Hotaru standing before them. Her lavender eyes shone with knowledge that betrayed her true age. Despite the fact that she looked eighteen, she was much older. Sailorsaturn, as well as Hotaru, was usually very quiet and unobtrusive, and both had forgotten she had attended the reading.

"It was the only way," She repeated softly, stressing the word 'only' slightly to emphasize her point. "If Neo-Princess Serenity-sama had been right, we would be in a state of emergency. Everything you see around us is due to the power of the ginzuishou. If there had been a flaw it could indicate that the whole city is in danger. As senshi, wouldn't you have wanted to see Rei perform the reading, to prove to yourselves that the ginzuishou was truly flawed?"

"I suppose so," Michiru replied thoughtfully. Haruka clenched her fist tightly and snapped, "Maybe. But not at the cost of Usa-chan's happiness. She's brokenhearted at being wrong, and what's worse she has now been embarrassed in front of all of us."

"It was the only way."

Hotaru didn't wait for a reply, she turned and strode out of the temple.

Haruka growled, "I hate the way she acts now. Ever since she reappeared as Sailorsaturn she's been different. She isn't the same girl anymore. She's always acting as though she knows more than we do, and sees more than we see."

"Maybe she does. She is a very powerful woman, Haruka. She is not the young girl she looks like, she is a very powerful, experienced senshi, and her power is mostly likely second only to Neo-Queen Serenity-sama."

Haruka brooded silently and the two slowly sauntered from the temple.

Usa ran through the hallways at top speed, and even though blinded by tears, she ran confidently down corridors she had known all her life.

"I have to get to the ginzuishou," she whispered softly to herself, "Pluto said I would know what to do if I just followed my heart. I can still fix this, whether grandmother wants to help me or not."

After what seemed like an eternity but was probably closer to a few minutes, Usa finally reached the chamber that held the ginzuishou.

A perfect sphere, the magnificent, shimmering crystal floated in the air inches above a white pedestal.

It so beautiful, Usa thought with awe, it's hard to believe that this wonderful thing could be the creator of that terrible Labyrinth.

She stood completely still and gazed at the dazzling gem for a few moments before mentally shaking herself into action.

I've got to hurry. It won't take them long to figure out where I've gone.

She moved quickly up to the pedestal, and before she could loose her nerve, the princess of Crystal Tokyo snatched the ginzuishou from the air.

Usa gasped loudly and whirled around.

She was in an unfamiliar hallway.

Everything around her seemed slightly out of focus and ethereal. She turned slightly and looked over her shoulder. The corridor seemed to stretch endlessly in both directions.

It took Usa a moment to realize that her fist was clenched tightly but when she opened it there was nothing but a handful of sparkling glitter there.

She brushed her hand against her dress to get the dust off, wincing as her finger caught on one of the crystals on her dress. Popping a bleeding finger in her mouth, she slowly crept down the hallway.

Where am I?

The walls seemed to be made out of crystal, and glowed with an inner light.

Is this the ginzuishou? Have I somehow linked with it by touching it?

The walls pulsed softly in reply and Usa-chan slowed to a stop.

Are the walls responding to my thoughts?

Pulse

I don't understand...

Her head was being to feel strange, and she pressed a hand to her forehead.

There was something I had to do...something...

Pulse

Usa began to get dizzy.

I came here for a reason.

You came

here to help

yourself To
save

yourself

A strange voice whispered from the walls.

Yes... She thought groggily, Gran-, no, Neo-Queen Serenity was chasing me. She wanted...wanted...

She passed a shaky hand over her forehead again, amazed at how hot her head felt. Carelessly and unconsciously, Usa used her injured hand and left a streak of blood on her face which crossed over the golden crescent moon emblazoned on her forehead.

She was suddenly surrounded by darkness.

She couldn't breath, couldn't think.

Usa gasped for air, instinctively crossing her arms over herself for protection.

A black sludge oozed around her like paint, and licked at her feet. It rolled towards her like a wave of tar, but throbbed with violent flashes of red and purple light that tar had never possessed. She gasped for air and tried to summon the power of Serenity to her. She felt her power flutter, and the crescent moon on her forehead flickered feebly with a silver light momentarily before growing dim again.

Sobbing with the effort, Usa tried again. The dark ooze climbed up along her dress and wrapped firmly around her waist, tightening and constricting her ribs. She coughed and began to feel weaker.

"Mother, Grandmother, Setsuna, minna, I've failed you. I'm sorry." She began to black out, and shut her eyes as the ooze climbed to her throat and up to her face.

>A soft instrumental (probably piano) Bgm begins to play; sad/sorrowful sounding< P> An image of Mizumi laughing appeared before her closed eyes. Her mother smiled at her with joy as Usa took her first steps. King Endymion and Neo-Queen Serenity smiled at her with quiet pride as she was officially named an heir of Crystal Tokyo. Shinoki stood over her with a protective look on his face, staring over her shoulder at someone. The rose garden in full bloom, her mother rocking her softly after a nightmare. A wide-eyed little girl with double odango staring up at the priestess telling her a ghost story. Michiru laughing softly as Haruka threw a princess into a fountain, a devilish look on her face. Hotaru smiling gently as she healed a sick child with black hair and odango. Setsuna laughing as a little girl with double odango made horrible faces while eating carrots. Minako laughing and swinging Artemis around wildly to cheer up a sobbing little girl with a scraped knee.

A tear gathered on Neo-Princess Serenity's eyelash and slowly slid down her cheek.

Her eyes snapped open, and were filled with the ooze. She was blinded, and gasped. The second her mouth opened, it too was filled with the terrible sludge. It was thick and filled her throat until she gagged. She felt her resolve slipping again, and began to fall back into despair.

No! I will not fail them!

>Bgm swells, becomes more upbeat< p> The crescent moon flared to life on her forehead and a silver light poured from it. She threw her head up and her arms out to either side of her, (like Mercury's shabon spray) and held them still. Silver light shone from her forehead and pushed the ooze away from her. Her arms slowly dropped to her sides and a dome of silver light encased her. The ooze was pushed away from Neo-Princess Serenity in all directions, and she took a deep breath. She slowly raised her arms above her head, palms facing the ceiling, arms straight. However, before she could move further, the floor shook violently and she fell to the ground, her power distracted and broken.

The ooze poured over her, and with her last drop of strength, she pushed with all her power.

There was a shattered noise and Usa-chan lost consciousness.