Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: Chaos Theory

Act 58: When Darkness Awaits

Usagi jumped to her feet as everything returned to normal in the room. Her finger felt warm, she glanced down and recognized a small pearl ring on her index finger. It was the same ring she wore as Sailor Cosmos.

Her actions and the glowing ring attracted the attention of others. An eight pointed star appeared on Usagi's forehead, the mark of Cosmos.

Usagi felt terrified by the experience she just endured. She didn't understand why she saw herself trapped inside a crystal. She grabbed her forehead, as she experienced multiple different emotions at once.

Everyone stood up and watched Usagi closely. They weren't sure how to handle Usagi.

Mamoru took a few steps forward, unsure of how Usagi would react. "Usako..." he murmured.

Seiya attempted to rush over to her to calm her. Princess Kakyuu stood in front of him to block his path. "Princess?" Seiya said in utter confusion. He didn't understand why she would prevent him from trying to help Usagi.

"I'm sorry, but it is not safe," explained Princess Kakyuu. Seiya gave her a quizzical look and she continued, "I believe a new ability of hers is emerging. I am not sure what the ability is or what will happen next. It is for her safety and yours."

Seiya let out a deep breath and nodded his head.

Princess Kakyuu's words hit everyone. They kept their distance; a few of them moved several steps back.

Princess Kakyuu walked toward Usagi and stood in front of Seiya. She knew if anything happened to him, Usagi would never be able to forgive herself. She had seen many senshi awaken in the past and not all of them survived the experience. Some awaken their powers all at once and others over time. Sailor Cosmos was a thankfully a gradual awakening. It would be too much for one person to handle at once. "Usagi-san... what happened?"" Her voice was calm, soothing. "We want to try to help you."

"... I don't think anyone can help me...." Usagi opened her eyes as a few tears began to fall. "I keep have images... memories as Princess Serenity. For days." She raised her head to look at Princess Kakyuu, "and now this morning, memories from the previous Sailor Cosmos."

"That's how you knew... about the past relationship..." Princess Kakyuu said slowly as she began to piece everything together. Her shoulders slumped. She was afraid she would develop some memories from a different past life.

Usagi turned toward Setsuna with fury in her eyes. "I don't understand how this is possible! We went to the future and there was no Crystal Tokyo.... why was I just trapped inside a crystal a few seconds ago?" Tears flowed freely down her face. Too often her anger and confusion was tied into Crystal Tokyo and what may have been.

The Inner Senshi and Mamoru gasped at her statement. They all remembered seeing Neo-Queen Serenity enclosed in a large crystal to protect her from an attack again the Black Moon.

"You never left the room... you were here with us the entire time. You were never enclosed in a crystal," explained Setsuna. She tried to make Usagi understand what she experienced was in her mind.

Rei tried a different approach with Usagi, "What did the crystal look like?" She knew Usagi had dreams lately about her future with Seiya. But anytime she heard discussion of a large crystal, she always thought back to their trip to the future, years ago.

"I... I don't know..." Usagi said. She began to feel some of the rage subside. She tried to recall everything she could from her recent experience. "It was a large, clear crystal... I was trapped." She turned away from the others. The light from her ring began to diminish. Usagi gradually began to stabilize emotionally. "I need to leave for a little while." She didn't speak another word or make a gesture while her clothes instantly transformed into Sailor Cosmos. The star on her forehead still dimly lit.