Zoicite and Kunzite were with Queen Beryl. Zoicite said, "Why did you make us retreat? We could have taken them!" "Or you could have lost and then we'd have NO crystals. Queen Metallia also wants us to capture Tuxedo Kamen...not kill him. He could be very useful in conjunction with our secret weapon." "Secret weapon?" "We found Jadeite's remains...and something else. A very useful something else." Queen Beryl smiled. "Tuxedo Kamen has a strong sense of honor. Exploit it. Challenge him to a duel, and I'm sure he won't be able to resist...Ahh...I have an idea." She began to explain her plan. As is common among minions of evil, they began to laugh in unison. ************************************************************************** Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Mercury # 34 The Moon Princess Revealed! Who'da Thunk? Translated by Jenny "Tex" Borchelt from the BSSM Anime Comic #7 adapted to story format by John Biles ************************************************************************** Ami looked up at the test results posted on the wall. Usagi had moved up fifty slots from her last test. Ami blinked. Am I imagining things? No...she really does seem to have improved...Amazing... ************************************************************************** Mamoru laid back in his nice comfy chair and relaxed, clicking on his TV. Zoicite appeared on the screen. He blinked. "So nice to see you again. Well, while you've been busy playing around with the Sailors, we've been busy too. If you ever want to see your pretty little princess you've been looking for oh so hard, you'll meet us at the Starlight tower tonight at five. Alone. We'll trade you the Princess for your crystals. Don't bring your little sailor friends or we'll have to see how well the Princess can fly..." Mamoru stared. It could be a trap...but I can't risk it! I've been searching for the Princess for so long...But...I don't have the crystals...Not now...Wait...I've got those fakes Crystal made. "And if you try to palm off fake crystals on us again, we'll make sure she doesn't live long enough for you to have time to regret it." Mamoru wondered for a moment if Zoicite was reading his mind... "You really need to learn not to move your lips in time with your thoughts, Tuxedo." Mamoru sweatdropped. **************************************************************************** Urawa and Ami were walking home after school. "It's really great we finally are working with Tuxedo Kamen and not competing with him. I wonder who this new girl he's working with is...Do you think she might be the Princess?" Urawa didn't say anything. Ami blinked. "Are you okay, Urawa-kun?" "Ami...great danger!" he finally said. "What?" "Zoicite and Tuxedo Kamen...they're going to fight today...Somewhere way up in the air...There's a woman...Usagi's caught in the middle of it!" "What?" "We've got to try and find Usagi before it's too late." ************************************************************************** "Usagi went to her tutor's house, Ami." Usagi's mom, Ikuko, said. "She should be home by dinner time, though." "She's getting tutoring?" Ami blinked. "That's why she's been running off after school every day..." "This nice boy Mamoru has been tutoring her ever since Umino's funeral. She's been so shook up that she couldn't study...not that she studied much before. He's really been able to help her. I've been impressed. I'll tell her to call you!" "Thanks, Mrs. Tsukino." Ami and Urawa turned and walked back out to the street. "I thought they hated each other..." Ami said. "She sure didn't like him, anyway." "Well, people do change. You'd better go call the sailors. I'll go find Luna for you." Ami turned to Urawa. "Thanks. You...You've really been a great help to me, Urawa-kun." He smiled. "I know my role...I wish I could fight like you, but I'll do the best I can for you, Ami-chan. Just...be careful." "I'm always careful!" They stood smiling awkwardly at each other. Finally, she reached out, took his hand, and squeezed it. "Don't worry." "I'm not worried. I had a vision of us going to CosmicLand together next week, so I know you'll be okay." She smiled. "That would be great! Well, I'd better go." "See ya later tonight! Just BE careful!" He took off running and so did she. **************************************************************************** Usagi sprinted down the street. She had detention again, and now it was going to be hard to get to everything in time. She reached Mamoru's house, only to see him running off down the street. She sighed. This is no time for you to go jogging, Mamoru-kun! ***************************************************************************** Sailor Venus and Artemis sat under a tree in the park. "Where is everyone? Surely they're not always late like this..." "Not with Luna watching over them." "Maybe we ought to go check out that place that was giving us bad vibes...it looks like no one is gonna show." Artemis nodded, right as Luna ran up to them. "Sorry about this...Urawa had another vision...Usagi's in grave danger...Tuxedo Kamen is about to fight Zoicite...we've got to go help him!" "Who's Usagi?" "I'll explain on the way!" **************************************************************************** As all roads lead to Rome, so all sailor senshi came to the Starlight Tower, a huge building with no apparent purpose other than to be really tall and look kinda pretty. Crystal, Jupiter, Mercury, and Venus assembled in front of the tower, along with Luna and Artemis. Mercury checked her computer again. "Tuxedo Kamen must already be in there...I'm picking up four crystals in the building. Two near the top, two halfway up." Crystal rattled the doors. "They're locked or something." "Right! We blast our way in!" Jupiter smiled. "SUPREME THUNDER!" She blew the doors open. Crystal charged in, followed by the others. They soon found the stairs and sprinted up them. Artemis huffed and puffed. "We should have taken the elevator..." "Shape up or ship out, Artemis," Luna said, pretending she wasn't tired too. Finally, they managed to reach the top of the stairs. They burst out into a large open room. Zoicite and Tuxedo Kamen were glaring at each other, while Usagi lay on the floor nearby. Kunzite stood far across the room watching them, and next to him stood...a female in a long white dress, her hair gathered up in some manner under a veil that covered her face and hair. A crescent moon was sewen in golden thread into the dress she was wearing. "So where are the crystals, Tuxedo Kamen?" Zoicite said. "First you broke the rule not to bring anyone...then you didn't bring the crystals either. I suppose we'll have to dispose of your precious Princess..." The four senshi froze up. "The princess..." Mercury whispered. Usagi stirred and sat up. She stared across the room. "Mam..Tuxedo Kamen, where are we?" Mercury whispered to the others, "We've got to get Usagi and the Princess out of here. Venus, you go get the Princess. Crystal, you get Usagi. I'll make a diversion. Jupiter, stand ready to attack Kunzite or Zoicite to cover people as necessary." She tapped her earring and her visor slid down. The room became a targetting grid. "They've got the Princess, Usagi...they want to trade her to us for the crystals." "We've only got two of them..." Zoicite raised an eyebrow. "We?" Usagi blushed. Maybe I can distract him. She pointed off towards the enterance without looking. "Hey, it's the Sailor Senshi!" Zoicite laughed. "I'm not stupid, girl. The Sailor Senshi are nowhere near here." Kunzite glanced over. "Umm...Zoicite..." It was too late. "Shabon SPRAY!" A bank of fog rolled in across the room. Malachite heard movement nearby and turned, firing an energy blast into the fog. He saw a blur of white. Someone near him had grabbed the woman in white. He smiled. Much better they take her than the crystals. Usagi felt hands grabbing her in the fog. "HEY! PUT ME DOWN! TUXEDO MASK! HELP!" she yelled as she got whisked away. A voice whispered in her ear, "Don't be afraid, Usagi. I'm Senshi Crystal. I won't let those Dark Kingdom creeps hurt you." The voice sounded familar and once she stopped screaming, Usagi could see Crystal's face. She felt like she should know Crystal. "Do I...know you?" Crystal smiled wryly. "You did once...you probably think you still do...I don't know if the old me would even recognize me anymore...You can trust me to protect you. I won't let you get hurt!" Zoicite snarled. Once again, everything was going to pot because of those interfering Sailor Senshi. Well, in the mist, no one will see me kill Tuxedo Kamen...I've had enough of his meddling. Beryl will never know. Then I'll deal with that little Crystal bitch. He leaped forward, a knife in each hand. Tuxedo Kamen blocked the attack with his cane, but was pushed back. "Looks like you won't be getting anything at all, Zoicite," Tuxedo Kamen said. "Heh. We still have one trump card left..." Meanwhile, the four senshi regrouped with their two rescuees. The princess stood quietly, while Usagi said, "Tuxedo Kamen is still trapped in the fog with Zoicite! I have to help him!" "Let us handle this, Usagi. It's too dangerous for you." Mercury said. "Jupiter, stay here and protect them. Crystal, you help Tuxedo Kamen against Zoicite. Venus and I will deal with Kunzite. Princess, are you okay?" The princess nodded, then mumbled, "Throat..hurts. Sore throat." She sounded vaguely familiar to Mercury, but she was distracted when Usagi said, "I CAN HELP! I don't wanna just stand here and be protected! Zoicite killed my friend Umino and I want to help make him pay!" "You're out of your league, Usagi," Mercury said. "We don't want to see you get hurt," Crystal said. "You don't have any powers," Jupiter said. Venus blinked. "Hey, where's Tuxedo Staff?" Usagi pointed. "Hey, there she is!" Everyone looked and Usagi bolted into the fog. She laughed. I'm so clever, she thought. As soon as she was into the fog, she reached into her pocket and pulled out two crystals, one red and one blue. They pulsed in her hands, the power gathering itself. With one crystal in each hand, she spread her arms almost as far apart as she could. The words flowed from her lips as if by some deep inner tape recorder playing in her mind. "Rainbow crystal power!" A black rod formed connecting the crystals. Usagi felt the power rush through her, remaking her, forging her on a crystal anvil. Her hair came undone and fell down in a great golden wave, a top hat appearing on her head. Her clothing unravelled and reformed into her tuxedo and tights. She spun about involuntarily and posed, staff in hand, gazing at Zoicite through the fog. He was distracted by his duel with Tuxedo Kamen. They were both breathing hard. She shouted, "I won't let you harm anyone else, Zoicite! For your crimes against all of humanity and for the death of Umino, I WILL PUNISH YOU!" Meanwhile, Crystal raced into the fog after Usagi, only to find Tuxedo Staff and Kamen facing off with Zoicite and no Usagi in sight. "What have you done with USAGI, you MONSTER?" she shouted, charging straight at Zoicite. "If you've hurt her, I'll..." "You'll die!" Zoicite shouted, "ZOI!" and fired his most powerful blast at Crystal, who flew back out of the fog and fell down hard. However, while he was doing this, Tuxedo Kamen nailed him with a hurled rose in the left breast. He staggered back in pain. Mercury said, "CRYSTAL! Aargh. Venus, Jupiter...go deal with Kunzite. Sooner or later he's going to..." Kunzite stepped out of the fog. "Finish you fools off? Yes." He fired a blast at the trio of Senshi. Venus grabbed the princess and leaped to one side, while Mercury and Jupiter went flying. "You'll never get the Princess, Kunzite!" Venus said. Kunzite laughed. "You'll never defeat me unless you can get all seven crystals and give them to the Princess and that will never happen." Luna and Artemis scampered over to the Princess. Luna frowned. Why was the Princess so silent...something is wrong. Mercury checked her scanner. Kunzite had left the crystals on the table he had been near...surely he couldn't be that stupid. It had to be some kind of trick...but on the other hand... She whispered to Jupiter, "Get to the table. The crystals may be there. I'll distract him." Mercury stood up. "You want the crystals?" She pulled out three fakes. "Come and get them." "Indeed I shall." He turned and blasted at Mercury, who dodged desperately. While she ran and fled his blasts, Jupiter got up and ran for the crystals. Back in the fog, Zoicite backed up as Tuxedo Kamen and Tuxedo Staff closed in on him. "Give it up, Zoicite!" Tuxedo Kamen said. "You can't fight both of us." "I don't have to!" Zoicite teleported behind Tuxedo Staff, grabbed her staff and ran. "HEY!" "Kunzite! I have the staff!" Zoicite shouted. Kunzite smiled. "Princess, do your job!" he shouted. The princess shouted, "DARK FIRE SOUL!" Flames roared from her hands into the surprised Sailor Venus who collapsed. Mercury froze in place and Kunzite teleported over to Venus. "Now if you want your friend to live...give us your crystals. The REAL ones." Jupiter reached for the crystals in the fog and they vanished, teleporting over to Kunzite. He smiled as Zoicite joined him. The last of the fog dissipated. Mercury said,"No...the princess...she...no...she..." "Gullible twits! You think we'd let the princess live if we had her? I'd like you to meet General Mars." The "princess" pulled back her veil. It was Hino Rei, Sailor Mars. Mercury gasped. No one else recognized her. "Hello, Mercury." "Rei...you...you died...or...I mean..." "I'm part of the winning team now. Give us the crystals, Ami, or I'll burn your new friend to slag." Mercury stared. It had to be a trick. Rei wouldn't do this! Never in a million years. It has to be a youma or something. Rei, I didn't want to see something like this happen to you. It can't be real. It can't. "Well, are you going to give me the crystals or not?" Mars took a deep breath. They must have brainwashed her, Mercury thought. I can't give her the crystals...but I can't let Venus die... "Alright. I will." "NO!" shouted Crystal, staggering to her feet. "You can't let them have all of them." Jupiter watched tensely, too far away to do anything. They have my staff, Tuxedo Staff thought. What can I do? Tuxedo Kamen stood and watched, trying to think of something clever to do. Venus simply moaned. Mars watched Mercury approach. Kunzite smiled. Zoicite smiled, visions of the death of the Senshi dancing in his head. Mercury stepped closer, three crystals in her hands. Crystal shouted. "NO!!!!!" Jupiter tensed. She could feel something about to happen. Tuxedo Staff reached up to touch her hat...I've still got one weapon left... Tuxedo Kamen watched tensely. I've been such a fool, he thought. Kunzite smiled. Zoicite smiled. Mars stuck out her hand. "Give me the crystals." "No, don't do it..." Venus said. "I'm not worth it." "No more deaths," Mercury said. "I'm not going to let anyone die." She dropped the crystals into Mars' hands. Zoicite examined them with the Dark Crystal. "This one is real. This one is real. This one is...a fake!" Mercury dropped while they were distracted, grabbed Venus and leaped away. Kunzite cursed and blasted her. They both went flying and the final crystal flew out of Mercury's grasp, through the air and into Tuxedo Staff's hands. "Give us the last crystal, girl, or we'll kill you and your friends," Kunzite said. "I can't let you have it! I can't!" "As you like!" Kunzite, Zoicite and Mars fired blasts of energy at Tuxedo Staff. Jupiter fired a blast of lightning and blocked Mars' fire. Crystal fired a crystal power strike and blocked Zoicite's attack. Tuxedo Kamen hurled a rose and blocked Kunzite's attack, then collapsed, his power largely drained by the effort. "Tuxedo Kamen!" Tuxedo Staff shouted. Jupiter and Mars faced off, as did Zoicite and Crystal. Mercury watched, too hurt to muster the energy to fight. She concentrated, trying to pull herself together. Kunzite closed in on Tuxedo Staff. "Well, it's you versus me. I wonder who will win. Maybe I'll kill you with your own staff." Kunzite smiled. "Or shall I kill Tuxedo Kamen first? Yes..." He stood over Tuxedo Kamen. Tuxedo Staff stared in horror. "No...No! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" She shouted, feeling a mixture of power, fear, and desperation welling inside her. I've got to save him, she thought as Kunzite raised the staff over Tuxedo Kamen's head. Her mind swam with fog. I have to do something. It's my duty...I'm the..the... The word swam right out of reach. Mercury focused her will. Suddenly, a message flashed across her visor. "Moon Princess located. Identity: Tuxedo Staff. Currently under a spell obscuring her memories. Spell origin: Queen Serenity." Tuxedo Staff IS the princess. Mercury shouted, "Tuxedo Staff! Try to remember! YOU are the princess of the moon!" I hope this helps... Suddenly, the fog cleared. I am the Princess! The crystals are mine...I only have to reach out and claim them...."I am the Princess of the Moon, Princess Serenity! Rainbow Crystals, come to ME!" The seven crystals flashed. The one in her hand rose into the air. The four Kunzite was holding flew from his grip and zoomed over to join it. The Rainbow staff jerked out of his hands and flew over to the other crystals. It shimmered and reformed into a pink wand with a golden crescent moon on one end. And in the arc of the moon rested a silver multifaceted crystal. Tuxedo Staff reached out and grasped it. Power washed over her, cleansing her mind, restoring her memories, transforming her once again. Her hair returned to its usual style, while her clothing transformed into a white dress like that Mars was wearing. Upon her forehead shone a yellow crescent moon. The Moon Princess was revealed.