Rising Darkness

By Sillabub

Chapter Three - Rift

*****

“The Earth senshi did so much for us in our time of need that we should be leaping at the chance to return the 
favor. If Sailor Moon and the others are in trouble, it’s only natural to want to help . . .” - Princess Kakyuu

*****

Usagi was trembling. She stood quietly beside her friends, an hour after the attack, and every nerve and 
muscle in her body was so tense that they were quivering. Mamoru had left shortly after Makoto’s recovery, 
needing to go back to work, but the conversation he and Usagi had before he left continued to flit through 
Usagi’s thoughts.

-“Usako,” Mamoru said, turning to her with inquisitive blue eyes. “What was it you wanted to tell me 
earlier?”-

-Usagi opened her mouth to reply, but then she closed it abruptly as the image of claws tearing 
through Sailor Jupiter’s back flashed through her mind. For a long, silent moment, she looked down 
at her feet, fists clenched and eyes glassy, then she raised her head to smile reassuringly at her 
husband.-

-“Nothing,” she said. “It was nothing.”-

She didn’t know what made her lie. She wished more than anything she could tell her husband that they were 
going to have a baby, but for some reason she was instilled with the belief that keeping her pregnancy a secret 
for the time being would be the safest thing. For everyone.

“I can’t believe this happened,” Luna said softly. She and Artemis were sitting at Ami’s feet, looking around at 
the somber-faced group.

“I know,” a pale Ami whispered. “It’s been so long.”

Makoto, who was surprisingly calm and level-headed considering she had almost died an hour ago, smiled 
reluctantly. “But this is our duty,” she said. “We always knew we were in this for the long run. Fighting’s part 
of our lives.”

“No, it’s ALL of it!” Minako suddenly cried, darting up out of her seat on the park bench and whirling to face 
the brunette. Her eyes were large and for some reason, swimming with tears.

Everyone stared at her in stunned silence, then, after taking a moment to look around at them, Minako 
dropped, trembling, back onto the bench and lowered her head into her hands.

“Mina?” said Artemis, starting toward her.

Minako didn’t look up. “I’m sorry. I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” asked Michiru worriedly.

Her shoulders trembled as the blonde nodded. “Yeah. I guess I’m just a little upset.”

Ami, who was sitting next to Minako, put a gentle hand on the shaking woman’s back. “Of course you are,” 
she said quietly. “We all are.”

“Yes,” Hotaru said softly. “An attack this serious coming right out of the blue . . .”

Usagi, who had been silent for quite some time, whispered, “I recognized her.”

The other stopped and turned to look at her. “What?” Minako croaked.

Swallowing hard, Usagi looked around at her friends. “That woman . . . Hecate. I had a dream about her last 
night.”

Rei’s brow furrowed. “Why didn’t you say anything before now?” she asked, her voice shaking with 
suppressed irritation.

Usagi shook her head. “I . . . I don’t know. I was scared.”

Rei let out a strangled, disbelieving sound, but Michiru stepped forward before the black-haired woman could 
say anything else. “Usagi-chan,” she said gently, “what happened in your dream?”

Usagi trembled where she stood for a moment before looking away. “It was on the Moon,” she whispered, 
her voice so soft the others could barely hear her. “Two men were there, astronauts . . . and they were taking 
soil samples from different places on the Moon. I think it was research for some sort of base or something . . . 
I can’t remember.”

Rei and Ami went pale and exchanged significant glances. 

“What happened then?” asked Haruka.

“The machine they were using to drill into the Moon hit something hard,” said Usagi. She was staring out at 
the city with a strange, haunted look on her face. “They decided to dig deeper to see what was down there, 
and they uncovered a fountain . . . they were in some place on the Moon, some ocean or sea . . .”

“Mare Serenitatis,” whispered Ami. “The Sea of Serenity.”

Usagi’s eyes widened a little. “That’s right. . . . And then, all of the sudden, a figure burst out of the fountain 
and . . .” Her voice trailed off, and she shuddered at the memory.

“What?” asked Haruka.

“. . . She killed them,” whispered Usagi, her eyes growing glassy. “She . . . she . . . killed them, both of them, 
right there. It was terrible . . . they didn’t do anything wrong, and . . .”

“Usagi-chan, was it Hecate?” asked Luna.

Usagi paused for a long moment before murmuring, very quietly, “. . . Yes.” The others could only stare at her 
as she continued, “And then . . . and then I woke up, screaming. It was so real. I’ve never had a dream like 
that before.” She stood silently for a moment before looking at Ami. “How did you know . . . ?”

“It was on the news,” Rei said, crossing her arms. Her violet eyes were dark as she stared hard at Usagi. 
“Two astronauts were discovered dead in the middle of the Sea of Serenity.”

Usagi froze. “But that’s . . .”

“. . . Exactly why you should have told us?” Rei finished angrily. “Yeah.”

Usagi’s eyes widened, and she was suddenly overcome with the urge to cry. Fists clenched, she blinked 
rapidly and lowered her head. “I . . . I didn’t think . . .”

“No,” snapped Rei, “you didn’t.”

Usagi could do nothing but stare hard at the ground and will herself not to cry

“Rei-chan, really,” said Makoto softly, intervening. “Don’t be like that. We’re all shaken up by this, but that’s 
no reason to take your confusion out on anyone, least of all Usagi-chan.”

Rei shoulders, which had been tense a moment before, slumped slightly. “I know,” she said. Frowning, she 
turned to Usagi. “Sorry. I’m just worried for you.”

Usagi nodded at her, unable to speak from the lump in her throat. How worried would she be, she wondered, 
if Rei knew the entire truth?

“I’m gonna go,” Minako said suddenly, standing to her feet and looking around at everyone. Her eyes were 
red-rimmed and faintly glassy. “I need to get out of the open and just . . . think about things.”

“Me too,” Makoto said, standing up as well. She turned to everyone and smiled. “We’ll get through this. We 
always do.”

She waved goodbye and followed after Minako, and everyone else watched them disappear down the 
sidewalk. After a few moments, they realized that the best thing to do at that moment was split up and think 
about what had happened. Usagi was not quite ready to go back home, so she decided she would walk 
around for a while and confusedly sort out her jumbled thoughts. She didn’t expect for Setsuna to linger 
behind after everyone had parted, so when the blonde turned around and found herself face-to-face with the 
disappointed-looking Time Guardian, her stomach turned over.

“Setsuna-san . . .”

“When are you going to tell them?” asked Setsuna.

Usagi closed her eyes. “I don’t know.” 

“You were planning on telling them before, though.”

She nodded. “Yeah, I was going to tell them after I found out, but . . .”

“Hecate.”

“Yes. I wasn’t planning on a new enemy showing up after all these years.”

“No one was.”

The two stood in silence for a moment, Usagi shifting her feet uncomfortably as Setsuna stared up at the 
darkening sky. A cold gust of wind began to blow, whipping their hair around and making Usagi shiver.

“Setsuna-san,” she said after a moment, her voice barely above a whisper. She clenched a fist at her side and 
turned to face the Guardian of Time. “Do you think I’m wrong?”

Setsuna lowered her head, looking away. “I don’t approve,” she replied softly.

Usagi bit her lip. “But . . .” her voice trailed off, and she wrung her hands nervously. “Oh, I thought I’d be 
doing the right thing by not telling and keeping it a secret from everyone, but . . . Setsuna-san, you were there, 
Mako-chan almost died! She probably would have if Hotaru-chan hadn’t been there. You guys always risk 
everything for me.”

“Hasn’t it always been that way, Princess?” Setsuna asked quietly, sounding tired.

Blue eyes widened. “Well . . . yes,” Usagi admitted dully. “But it shouldn’t have to be! They have to learn to 
protect themselves, too, not just me. If they had known about it . . . they would have been in more danger, 
wouldn’t they? What would have happened if . . .”

“To know what would have happened, Princess?” Setsuna turned to look at the blonde, magenta eyes 
clouded. “No one can ever know that.”

“Not even you?”

“No one.”

“Oh.” Usagi looked away, frowning. “Setsuna-san, I’m just . . . afraid.” She hugged herself, shaking her head 
gently as the wind toyed with her bangs. “I’m so afraid.”

“Usagi-chan,” Setsuna said softly, her eyebrows furrowed. Usagi looked up; Setsuna never addressed her by 
her first name. “There’s nothing wrong with being afraid.”

Usagi nodded. “I know . . .”

Then Setsuna’s expression turned grim, and she took a step forward. “But to foolishly lie to the people closest 
to you . . .”

“Please, Setsuna-san,” Usagi pleaded, her eyes growing glassy. “I know you don’t approve. But please, 
please don’t say anything to anyone.”

Setsuna opened her mouth, ready to reply, but when she saw the look on Usagi’s face and the desperation in 
her eyes, she let her breath out slowly, nodding. “As you wish.”

Usagi relaxed considerably, then smiled. “Thank you, Setsuna-san.”

The Time Guardian looked at her Princess, her expression grave. “You won’t be able to hide it forever, you 
know,” she said softly.

Usagi blinked, then, trying to hide a smile, she looked down at her flat stomach and patted it gently. “Well, I 
kinda figured that,” she said teasingly, her eyes twinkling.

A small smile curved the corners of Setsuna’s lips. “Of course, I didn’t mean . . .” She stopped as Usagi let 
out a light giggle. “I just want you to be careful.”

Usagi stopped, then smiled. “Of course. I’ll be fine.”

Setsuna nodded. “Alright. Do you want me to walk you home?”

She shook her head. “I think I’m going to stay out for a bit, thanks.”

“Very well. Take care of yourself, Princess.”

“You too.”

Setsuna turned away and watched Usagi for a moment, reluctant to leave her Princess alone. But Usagi 
looked back at her and smiled reassuringly, so the Time Guardian sighed and started to walk away, her brow 
furrowed in concern. 

Usagi watched Setsuna’s retreating figure, her eyes clouded with confusion and worry as she thought back on 
all the times her guardians – her friends – had sacrificed themselves for her sake. Yes, she realized, it was their 
duty to protect her, but they had lives to live for themselves too, not only for her. The truth was . . . she was 
terrified. Too many times she had woken up in the middle of the night from horrible nightmares, dripping with 
cold sweat and trembling as she tried to rid her mind of images of Mamoru . . . Rei . . . Ami . . . all of her 
friends, everyone she had ever cared about, dead.

“Stop it, Usagi,” she whispered to herself. “Nothing’s going to happen. Stop worrying.”

But she couldn’t stop worrying. And she couldn’t shake off the horrible feeling that something terrible was 
going to happen very, very soon. Usagi clenched a fist at her side. If something terrible really was going to 
happen, she was going to do everything she could to make sure everyone she loved was safe, regardless of 
her own safety. No, she decided, putting a hand over her stomach, her own safety was suddenly much more 
important that it had been. But what could she do? Usagi sighed and looked up at the darkening sky. One by 
one, the stars began to appear, tiny sparkles of light against the dark blue, and as the air grew colder Usagi 
shivered involuntarily and bowed her head.

“Help,” she whispered.

*****

Darkness was all around. It was cold, icy, and lonely, as if all of the happiness and life had been 
drained from the universe, leaving behind nothing but hopelessness and sorrow. The air was thick with 
the suffocating, rank smell of death, and a despairing, cold feeling swirled through the air like a ghost.

Then a light suddenly burst through, pure and glowing, penetrating the blackness.

An angel flew out from the darkness, her wings flapping as her hair billowed out in golden streams 
behind her. She was beautiful, smiling, with a glow so warm, so tender, so pure, that the darkness 
seemed to cower and retreat in the presence of something so vibrant and holy. Her arms were 
outstretched as if she was inviting all the hopeless, lost souls of the world into her embrace, and eyes 
were warm, soft, and blue as the clearest skies.

Then, with a sudden, soft, thundering sound, everything grew red as blood, and the angel looked 
around, her beautiful smile fading into a frightened look. From out of nowhere, slithering, black 
tendrils of evil darkness began to clutch at her like hands of damned souls, wrapping around her 
ankles and tightening around her limbs, pulling her down and smothering her as the darkness began to 
grow. Panicking, she flapped her wings in a desperate attempt to escape, but she was slowly being 
overtaken by the black force.

The angel’s scream echoed through the darkness as she was swallowed entirely.

“ODANGO!!!”

Seiya bolted upright in bed, crying out. He was trembling, beads of sweat matting curly black hair to his 
forehead, and he looked around with wide eyes, then relaxed.

It was a dream. Just a dream.

“Seiya!”

He looked up as Taiki dashed into the room, concern creasing his brow.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, brow furrowed. “I heard you yelling . . .”

“It was a dream . . .” Seiya said distantly, shaking his head. “But it’s been so long . . . why would I think of 
her now?”

Taiki frowned. “What are you talking about, Seiya?”

“Odango.”

Violet eyes widened in surprise. “After so long? You don’t suppose she’s in trouble or anything, do you?”

Seiya turned to him, but before he could reply, a soft, barely audible voice suddenly came from the door.

“Something’s wrong.”

Seiya and Taiki looked up to see Yaten standing in the doorway, skin pale, eyes wide. The expression on the 
smallest Light’s face made Seiya’s stomach turn over, and he swallowed hard. 

“On Earth?” he asked.

Yaten nodded, looking quite shaken. “I think so.”

“Are they in danger?” asked Seiya.

“I don’t know,” murmured Yaten, shaking his head briefly as color began to return to his face.

Silence filled the room for a long moment as the three soldiers sat, expressions of confusion and worry etched 
on each of their faces.

Seiya suddenly stood to his feet, flicking his ponytail over his shoulder and looking at his two companions. 
“Well, we’ll have to find out what’s going on.”

They looked incredulously at him, and Yaten ran a hand through his bangs, looking pained. “So what do you 
suggest we do?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “Write a letter? Send a postcard? Telephone?”

Seiya snorted. “Of course not,” he said, then he turned a wide, goofy grin in their direction. “We’re going 
back.”

“What?” Taiki and Yaten asked in unison, eyes wide, and Yaten added, “You’re not serious!”

“I am,” replied Seiya. “If they’re in trouble, we need to help, right?”

“Well, yes,” said Taiki, raising both eyebrows. “But, Seiya . . .”

“Don’t try to make excuses,” Seiya said, cutting him off and looking quite happy. “We’re long overdue for a 
visit anyways, aren’t we?”

“Sure, we are,” Yaten said, looking annoyed. “But we can’t just pick up and leave! The Princess won’t . . .”

“She’ll let us go, you know that,” grinned Seiya. “Kakyuu’s been saying for the past few years that we need 
to go back and visit. She’ll probably be happy to let us go back.”

“But Seiya,” Taiki interjected incredulously, “what you’re suggesting, there’s no way we can . . .”

“Yes, we can,” laughed Seiya, and he winked and sent a mischievous glance in their direction. “There are 
people both of you want to see again, right?”

Taiki and Yaten went silent.

Taking that as a reply, Seiya laughed out loud. “That’s what I thought.” He grinned at them, then turned and 
began walking to the door. “We’re going back,” he said, winking at them over his shoulder as he paused in 
the doorway. “The throne room. Fifteen minutes. Be there.”

He left the room, leaving Taiki and Yaten gaping after him.

“Seiya’s . . . serious about this,” said Taiki after a few moments of stunned silence, “isn’t he?”

Yaten’s eyes were wide as he stared at the door, and, after a minute of remaining motionless, he nodded 
slowly. “This means . . . we’re really going back,” he said softly.

“Back to Earth . . .”

They stared for another moment of shocked silence, then, without saying a word, both soldiers turned on heel 
and strode quickly out of the room.

Seiya, meanwhile, was standing outside Kakyuu’s bedchambers, silently debating whether he should enter her 
room without permission. It wasn’t proper at all, and what if someone saw him go into the Princess’ room at 
night? No, he realized as he looked around, it was much too late for someone to be roaming the halls of the 
palace. But it was still improper. Then again, Kakyuu would be much more upset if he left without waking her 
and telling her goodbye.

Seiya gripped the door handle and turned it, both relieved and annoyed to find it unlocked (the Princess was 
too trusting sometimes), and he slipped cautiously inside the room.

Glowing white light from two of Kinmoku’s moons streamed through the window, falling across the large bed 
against the wall and the slender figure asleep in it. Gulping and feeling slightly nervous, although he didn’t quite 
know why, Seiya quietly approached the Princess’ bed, hardly daring to breathe. As he stood beside her 
sleeping form, a faint blush stained his cheeks, and he watched her sleep for several long moments. She 
wasn’t wearing one of the long, flowing gowns that marked her as a royal, and her hair wasn’t done up in a 
fancy, elaborate style, but to Seiya, that simplicity only made her more beautiful. He watched her sleeping 
peacefully for another moment, reluctant to wake her, but then, as if sensing his presence, the Princess began 
to stir, shifting her body and letting out a sweet sigh. Sitting on the edge of her bed, Seiya swallowed hard and 
reached out to touch her shoulder.

“Kakyuu . . .” he whispered.

Dark eyelashes fluttered once, then slid open, revealing soft, ruby eyes that gazed up at him with obvious 
fondness. “Seiya . . .” she murmured, sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She modestly clutched 
her blankets to her chest, obscuring her nightdress as she looked up at him. “What are you doing in here?”

“I’m sorry to wake you,” Seiya said quietly.

“It’s alright,” yawned the Princess, smiling up at him. “Do you need to see me about something?”

He frowned, still staring at his hands. “Yes.”

Kakyuu, who was watching him closely, noticed his anxiety right off. “There’s something wrong,” she stated 
softly, her expression clouded.

He nodded.

“It’s the Earth, isn’t it?”

He nodded again, absently, then his head suddenly snapped up, and he looked at her in confusion. “Wait, 
how did you know that?”

Now fully awake, the Princess shrugged her shoulders, looking slightly bemused herself. “I . . . I was just 
dreaming about Earth, about Sailor Moon and the others . . .” she replied, then she shook her head, smiling 
slightly. “It’s been so long . . . Isn’t that strange?”

Seiya nodded, remembering his own dream. “You have no idea . . .” Then he raised his head and looked 
somberly at the petite woman. “Listen, there may be a reason for the dreams. Yaten has a feeling that . . . 
well, that the Earth may be in trouble.”

Then Kakyuu, who was suddenly watching him very seriously, said, in a voice that was barely audible, “You 
wish to go back, don’t you?”

His eyes widened. “Princess . . .”

“Don’t you?” she repeated softly, her gentle red eyes closely focused on him.

Seiya’s throat grew tight as he looked at her, then he lowered his head. And nodded.

He heard her let out a soft sigh. “I see . . .”

Seiya looked up, brow furrowed. “Princess, I understand if you don’t approve of . . .”

“Seiya,” Kakyuu interrupted. His eyes widened as she smiled warmly and took his hand. “The Earth senshi 
did so much for us in our time of need that we should be leaping at the chance to return the favor. If Sailor 
Moon and the others are in trouble, it’s only natural to want to help.”

His eyes were wide as he swallowed hard. “Yes, but . . . we don’t know if they’re in trouble or not. What if 
we go to Earth for nothing?”

Kakyuu’s smile widened. “Seiya, I have been telling you for years that you and Yaten and Taiki are long 
overdue for a vacation. Those girls on Earth are your friends, after all.”

A burden seemed to lift from Seiya’s shoulders then, and he smiled hesitantly. “You mean . . . you don’t 
mind?”

Kakyuu’s eyes softened, and she squeezed his hand. “No, I don’t mind,” she replied, her voice gentle. “I will 
miss you, but I understand your need to go back.”

Looking relieved, Seiya leaned forward and pressed a small kiss to the Princess’ forehead. “Thank you, 
Kakyuu.” he said, then he paused, as if considering something. “Come with us.”

Her cheeks colored slightly. “Oh, no, I couldn’t . . .”

“You need a vacation more than we do.”

“Seiya, I would, but . . .”

“Kakyuu,” he said softly, “I want you to come.”

The faint blush on her cheeks intensified, but there was a finality in her tone as she answered, “I wish I could, 
Seiya, but duty requires me to say.”

Black eyebrows furrowed. “You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

Seiya’s shoulders slumped, as if he was disappointed. “Okay.” He stood to his feet, moving away from the 
bed.

Her hand shot out and clutched at one of his, stopping him from leaving. “Just promise me you will be careful. 
Don’t do anything reckless while you’re there.”

He stepped back, looking offended. “Me? Reckless? Bah!”

Kakyuu frowned. “Seiya,” she said reprovingly.

The black-haired Light laughed, giving her hand a small squeeze. “Kidding, kidding,” he said with a grin. “I 
promise I’ll be careful.”

“And you’ll keep Yaten and Taiki in line?”

“Yes, Kakyuu.”

“And you’ll be careful if you have to fight?”

“Yes, Kakyuu.”

“And you’ll . . .”

“Princess!” laughed Seiya, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “Stop worrying. We’ll be fine.”

Kakyuu sighed, looking up at him with reluctance. “Alright, Seiya.”

He grinned at her and winked. “See you later!”

“Goodbye.”

The Princess of Kinmoku watched as her protector and consort exited her room, flashing a smile over his 
shoulder at her as he went out the door. She swallowed hard, expression clouded as she looked down and 
noticed how tightly she was clutching the bed sheets, and she released them with a frown.

Her own words from moments ago echoed through her head.

‘The Earth senshi did so much for us in our time of need that we should be leaping at the chance to 
return the favor. If Sailor Moon and the others are in trouble, it’s only natural to want to help . . .’

There it was, the constant struggle that tended to surface during such situations. Was she to follow her duty or 
her heart? Kakyuu’s pale brow furrowed as her troubled thoughts became more and more jumbled, but the 
harder it became to grasp the thoughts in her mind, the easier it became for her to listen to what her heart was 
telling her.

It took a matter of seconds for Kakyuu to make a decision, throw off her covers, wrap a dressing gown 
around herself, and run out the huge doors Seiya had exited moments before.

“Seiya!” she cried as she spied his retreating form down the corridor.

He turned to face her, eyes wide in surprise. “Kakyuu?”

When she reached his side and he turned fully to stare at her in bewilderment, the petite Princess gabbed his 
hands in hers and stared up at him. The look in her eyes was enough explanation for him, but all the same, he 
waited for Kakyuu to speak.

“I’m coming with you.”

*****

End Chapter Three