Subject: [SM][FanFic] The Geometry of Shattered Souls

                Sailor Moon: The Geometry of Shattered Souls

  Written by Razorclaw X (spiceoflife@hotmail.com)
  http://www.crosswinds.net/anaheim/~slythe/sm/index.html
  Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi.
Proper licenses belong to respective properties and characters. The
manga has precedence over material in the anime.
  This file can be freely distributed so long as it appears in its
complete form and proper credit. No part may be reproduced for
monetary gain without permission from the author. (to which the
answer is probably "no")

  Author's Note: It is recommended that you at least have seen the
end of Sailor Moon's Black Moon story arc (Sailor Moon R in Japan),
otherwise known as the Negamoon story in North America. Knowledge
of the manga story counterpart is a bonus, and more enlightening.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

July 1, 1999

  My name is Kenji Shiromatsu, and I am a second-year graduate
student at the University of Kyoto... or, at least, I was, yesterday.
I am twenty-four years old, wear reading glasses, and am
physically unremarkable. However, and I'm not being vain, I am quite
intelligent, as only the best could get into such a prestigious school
as the University of Kyoto. While in attendance there I was a student
of astronomy, studying the stars and heavens above for... well,
anything that was out there.
  In any case, it was as if my entire life meant nothing overnight.
  Therefore I have set about writing this journal in order to
preserve whatever left of my past as possible, and, perhaps, my
future. Still, if this source were to be of use to future generations
after my allotted life span, so be it; I make no claim to be a great
writer of any sort.
  It all began yesterday... well, no, that's wrong; it began a few
days before that. Anyway, three days prior to yesterday, my fellow
astronomers and I discovered what appeared to be the tenth planet of
our solar system! The planet was completely black, and, if it were
not for the shadow it cast over the stars it passed, we would have
missed it easily. We were quite excited, to say the least.
  I was looking forward to studying the newly discovered planet.
However, as soon as I had gone through my mail after returning home
that day I received a note of utmost urgency: I was to attend the
eighteenth birthday celebration of one of my cousins (a not-quite
close cousin, mind you, but I won't bore you with my family tree).
Needless to say, I was shattered; I was looking forward to going
back to the university, but now I was being called away!
  Packing up light luggage, taking my leave of my colleagues, I
boarded the next train to Tokyo for the celebration. To say that the
trip was longer than usual need not be said; endless possibilities
lost to me continued to circle in my mind the entire ride.
  So, to cut a long story short, I exited at the train station, then,
following the directions on my 'invitation,' I walked to the home of
my distant cousin.
  I wasn't the first to arrive, but I was far from the last. In any
case, I was greeted by my relation, who insisted I call her 'Auntie
Tsukino.' For the life of me I could barely remember her name and
face, but somehow she knew me (I discovered later that my mother had
arrived earlier and had since gone shopping with Cousin Usagi and
the other girls).
  It was a nice, Western-style house, not too large, but not too
small, as compared to my apartment back in Kyoto. Since I had arrived
early, and since there was very little sleeping space for the number
of expected arrivals, I was among the unfortunate (or lucky, depending
on how you look at it) to stay elsewhere. I ended up staying at one
of Usagi's friend's places, a quiet Shinto temple closer to the
business district, since the family wanted to avoid heavy expenses by
lodging the family in hotels for the celebration (of course, those
relations living closer to Tokyo had no such problems).
  Anyway, I shared a meal with my extended family, but it wasn't
until it was time for me to leave for the shrine that the girl of
the evening, Usagi Tsukino, entered the house. In a typical, rushed-
student fashion, arms full of bags filled with who-knows-what, she
ran into me. To say the least I was angry at being run into, as I
am not a short man (compared to my fellows, that is). Well, for the
first time in over fifteen years, I came face-to-face with my
distant cousin (the last time Mother and I were in town, so 'we'
decided to see Auntie Tsukino's young boy, Shingo, who was only a
year old).
  Not surprisingly, she had no idea who I was, but I recognized her
on the spot: her oddball nikuman hairdo was still as odd as it was
so many years ago, and her-- well, hair tails hanging down the sides
of her heads gave her the look of a floppy-eared rabbit (I suppose
some things never change). Of course the first words she mouthed off
were something to the effect of: "Watch where you're going, creep!"
So much for a first meeting.
  Well, whatnot, I wanted to make it across town to the shrine
before the evening got too late, so, making short introduction
and greetings made by my mother (who was not far behind the girl), I
hurried out the door with my bags.
  It wasn't too hard to find the shrine, as it was the only one
sitting in the business district (well, not quite, but you know
what I mean; refer to above). I was introduced to Rei Hino, a
good friend of Usagi's, a shrine girl. Well, if I didn't have a
girlfriend already (by the way, her name is Kaori Takeshima), I
would've tried to pick her up. Then again, there were two things
against her: she WAS a shrine maiden, and second, her grandfather,
a short little troll of a man, wouldn't leave me alone for some
reason or another (I get the feeling he didn't like the idea of
converting his shrine to a hostel). Still, the girl was feisty, and
cute, too.
  I am digressing. The days up to Usagi's eighteenth birthday
were quite uneventful, as I got acquainted with relatives I never
knew I had, and relatives I wish I never knew. The recent discovery
of the tenth planet was bugging me at the back of my head, so I
called Kaori and asked her to check in with the university guys for
me. Not surprisingly, I didn't hear from her since, but I'm getting
ahead of myself.
  So the day came. The gathered extended family came to the
Tsukino house at the appointed time, and the caterers came on time.
There was nothing special going on. I met more of Usagi's many
friends (despite her odd behavior and hairstyle, the girl was
quite popular) that I had not met before then, as well as Usagi's
boyfriend, Mamoru (which meant that she was so popular that even
older guys liked her; Mamoru was a college graduate).
  I was quite indifferent to the whole affair; after all, the place
I wanted to be was Kyoto, not Tokyo, chasing after black planets.
It wasn't until the big family picture shoot something quite odd
happened: Usagi got up and ran off. As well as a group of some of
her friends, including her boyfriend. If I didn't know any better,
I would've thought she was eloping with Mamoru. Well, that was the
first of the troubles.
  The picture, and the celebration party, was cut short. The
gathered extended family of Usagi Tsukino was in an uproar and
general state of confusion-- of what happened to the star girl, of
what was going on, and why their time was being wasted (I shared
the latter's sentiments). I had a word with Usagi's father, who was
ripping the hair off his head in fury and anger (and a number of
observers noted his glasses were steamed-up enough that one could
not see his eyes anymore). I asked him if Usagi was always like
this, and he, who seemed not to hear me, continued his rant and rave
over the situation.
  At that time it was coming to evening, and the wind was blowing a
chilly weather our direction, so the family packed inside the Tsukino
residence. I swear, if I ever go to another party, it will never be
with that many people in such a small building. I wanted to blame
the weather forecaster for predicting a warm day, but that did little
to help, as the news reported a blizzard was coming in (then again,
it WAS summer, so why SHOULD we have expected snow?).
  So you could imagine us, a group of over a hundred people, packed
tight in a (relatively) small house with a blizzard going on outside,
and Usagi and her friends running off (to elope, I kept hearing).
  But, as the hours dragged on, the blizzard got much worse. We
couldn't imagine what was happening outside, but inside we knew one
thing: the heater was about to literally-explode from the garbage
that got stuck in the vents, preventing the heat from flowing (I
believe some of the kids got a little bored, but I never bothered to
ask). Well, needless to say, the heater blew, and before long the
gathered people were dozing-off into sleep from the cold that
overcame the house air. Or so I thought.
  Only a small group of us fought the urge to sleep when we realized
that the heater was in fact working (we had to go to the heater
itself to make sure, but why the heat it was generating was not
circulating, even after we removed the garbage from the vents).
Something fishy was going on, and it was something we could not
explain, as one-by-one we succumbed to sleep. I was soon the last
in the household awake, so I made my way back to the television,
where a news broadcast was cut short by a sleeping reporter.
Curious, I flipped the channels, and all I could see were sleeping
reporters in numerous locales, all the while fighting my heavy
eyelids.
  But, there was one channel that caught my attention in particular.
The camera was on location just outside downtown Tokyo, and the
reporter was nowhere in sight (I guessed he was on the ground
asleep, as well as his crew). But there was something beyond,
something in the horizon, that ripped my eyes wide-open. Something
that should never have happened in Japan.
  A great sheet (or wall, I couldn't tell with the two-dimensional
picture) of ice was heading toward the camera. With speeds that
defied the laws of physics the ice formed, seemingly out of thin
air, all the way up to the camera, and all around it (I assume),
because when the ice passed the camera's position nothing was
happening. But I had a good idea where the ice was going.
  I was certain I was not the only one who stared in horror when
the great glacier engulfed Tokyo. From my vantage point (which was
not terribly high, being from the second story window), I saw that
the ice was heading my direction.
  As soon as I had thought that, I blacked out.

  I have no idea how many days passed since the mysterious ice
storm and the great sleep, but, this being the day of awakening, I
will continue to use the same dating until otherwise.
  Today, the day after Usagi's eighteenth birthday, I was among the
first to awaken. Oddly enough, as I stepped up to look out the window
I had witnessed the ice storm from the night before, I could see
nothing but... well, Tokyo. No sign of the ice storm of the previous
night. The sun was rising in the east as usual, as if nothing had
happened.
  But, looking up into the sky, there WAS something different.
  The many high-rise buildings of downtown Tokyo were encased in
crystal. In the midst of the crystallized buildings, however, was
one building that was not there before: a single, towering citadel
of pure, clear crystal, shining in the sunlight, reaching into the
clouds for as far as the eye could see. Double-checking my eyesight,
I discovered that, unlike the other buildings, this towering citadel
WAS made of crystal.
  If I wasn't mistaken, the crystal citadel was standing right where
the old Imperial Palace was located.
  I was not the only one to stare in wonderment at the crystal
spires; many of those who were indoors from the previous night's
blizzard were now out in the streets. Even some of my relations were
crowding next to me by the window.
  Obviously, something was very wrong, and it wasn't the crystal
citadel that bothered me: what happened to the glacier?
  I left the window, pushing my way past my relations, and made my
way to the front door. Amidst all the stares anyone could make out
Usagi's parents becoming quite frantic over their missing daughter.
Still, that was the least of what I was thinking; my friends back in
Kyoto was ahead in my mind, but far behind my curiosity.
  I had no idea where I was going, but I just had to get out, away
from the family relations I barely (or never) knew, away from the
madness, away from it all. I just had to run.
  But, I didn't have to run far before there was something else
that caught my attention, and the attentions of everyone else in
the city.
  Floating in the sky, seemingly blocking the view of the crystal
citadel, was what appeared to be some angelic seraph-- a being of
white, light, and purity, as in told in some legends, even with
flowing wings. It was definitely female, her dress flowing down
toward the earth for some immeasurable length. Standing by her side
was a man, finely dressed in a black suit and a flowing navy-blue
cape, his face masked behind thick white glasses.
  Standing behind the couple were a group of a number of girls (yes,
I'm sure of it) dressed in sailor suit uniforms, like the ones the
school girls wear around here. I'm not kidding; it looked like an
army of Sailor V's that girls cried over a few years back (I'd like
to add that I'm happy THAT craze is over).
  I rubbed my eyes, checking to be sure that I wasn't seeing things.
Well, I WAS seeing the wings of the seraph; they certainly weren't
there, but were actually long flows of hair, reaching down perhaps
knee-length, dangling about like floppy bunny ears.
  Who does that remind me of?
  Someone behind me identified the Sailor V's: "The Sailor Senshi!"
  Well, obviously they were a local crew, because I never heard of
them.
  I can't remember exactly what was being said, but the seraph was
making an announcement; something about how she was here to usher a
new age of mankind, or somesuch rot, a new era of peace and
cooperation, a time to heal old wounds and look toward a bright and
brilliant future (Admittantly, I wasn't paying a lot of attention
to her words, as I was trying to figure out where I'd seen her
before). Her name was Neo Queen Serenity (Neo? What happened to the
old one?), and where we now were was her capital, Crystal Tokyo (a
fitting name, given the crystal citadel and all).
  Anyway, it seemed that the people had little choice but to allow
this Neo Queen Serenity to bring about her new age; many people
accepted her with open arms, while others adamantly-refused. Those
who flocked to her side were primarily the more religiously-inclined
(that I have observed), while those opposed tended to be the cynics.
Then again, there was yet a third faction, one that didn't know what
to make of the whole thing. Perhaps the shocks of the morning had yet
to settle in.
  Still, something about this 'Queen' bothered me, but I couldn't
figure it out.
  Well, for the rest of the day, I tried my best to ignore the Queen,
and tried to establish contact with my friends back home, but without
success; it appeared the ice storm destroyed the communications
network, but I was assured that it would be fixed by tomorrow evening
at the latest (still, first they've got to figure out what went wrong
with the system in the first place, so I'd give them four days).
For instance, when I dialed on any telephone, the normal tones that
came with the button-pushing never registered-- therefore no calls
could be dialed-out. This also rendered Internet connection useless.
  Nothing much happened of note that I've noticed, but I'm sure much
has happened; I only wonder what the world governments make of Queen
Serenity and her 'new age of mankind.' I made my way back to the
shrine where I was staying, all the while pausing to admire the
sudden... NEWNESS, look of the buildings of the business district. I
mean, there was no dirt, trash, litter, or wear; all the buildings
were in pristine condition and concrete seemingly polished. In
retrospect the rest of the city was like that as well, but I'd been
so preoccupied with my thoughts that I didn't notice until now.
  When I entered the temple Rei's grandfather was there; I inquired
about his granddaughter, but he had no idea where she was-- she never
came back home since departing with Usagi and crew the previous night.
Which was odd.
  So right now I'm lying on my futon, writing this journal in a blank
book the old man gave to me to collect my thoughts. In retrospect, I
think there must be some kind of connection with all this: the
disappearance of Usagi and her friends, the ice storm's sudden
appearance and subsequent disappearance, the crystal citadel, the
appearance of Neo Queen Serenity and her Sailor Senshi (I forgot to
mention that her consort was called King Endymion-- I wonder if there
is more than a mythological reference to that?), the utopia and new
age of mankind, and why the communications system went down (my
reasoning is this: if the buildings are as clean as crystal, with
no dirt or grime of any sort, and if this WAS a utopia, then why
wasn't the communications network working?). And there was something
about Neo Queen Serenity herself that was strangely-familiar.
  Something fishy is going on, and I intend to find out.

July 2, 1999

  Not surprisingly, the communications network did not go back up
this evening as planned. I yearn to learn what happened to my
friends back home, especially Kaori. I miss her in this time of
turmoil. Listening to the radio helped little, for not a sound
peeped out of the speakers. Heck, even listening to CD's was
useless! Why were these devices not producing sound?
  I've also noticed that the neighborhood animals were deserting
their masters. I've yet to find a stray cat, even.
  Nothing much happened today, except some 'utopial procedures,' as
I should call it, which I paid little attention to. Instead, I set
about studying these 'Sailor Senshi,' because they, according to
the locals, appeared about the time Sailor V's popularity declined
(actually, it's more like Sailor V decided to walk-off her role as
a star, I think), supposively fighting crime and saving people from
the occasional terrorist. Still, WHY SAILOR UNIFORMS? Their skirts
were so short you could almost say they WANTED guys to look at them
(sadly, or fortunately for me, depending on how you looked at it, I
already have my share of tea-- and if you go THERE, you did it, not
me).
  There was Sailor Mercury; her white uniform offset by an aqua-blue
shade. From what I gathered she was a mistress of water and ice,
and from her looks and demeanor she seemed arrogant in her own way--
feigning modesty whenever possible while flaunting her abilities in
intellectual pursuits. I, for one, would love to meet her, if only
to discuss topical debates; I could use a fresh challenge.
  Sailor Venus was dressed in orange-- and what a repulsive color it
was. The blonde girl seemed arrogant as well, but not in the same way
as Sailor Mercury; in my research and observation she was not unlike
the Western school's prom queen, if you understand what I mean.
  Sailor Mars (there WAS no Sailor Earth, by the way) dressed in red,
fitting for her flaming temper and mannerisms, and I do mean flaming.
She is reputed to be a wielder of fire, and to have a hot temper.
Something about her reminds me of someone else I've met, but I'll have
to think about that one later.
  Sailor Jupiter dressed in green, and was the wielder of lightning.
Not much information on her that I could find, other than she was
very tall and very strong, and sometimes acted like a guy in terms of
physical feats.
  Sailor Uranus-- well, if Sailor Jupiter seemed guy-ish, then this
one should've been, by all rights, a guy. Reports I've seen sum her
up in one word: tomboy. Well, not much of one, in my opinion, if she
is running around in a sailor suit.
  Sailor Saturn, dressed in dark, purplish colors, seemed quite young
in comparison to the other girls (while most of them appeared no
older than their late teens, this one was more like early teens).
She carried a staff around whose head was shaped in some kind of
warped sickle, like what farmers would use. Well, not much I can say
about her, as she seems to be one of the last ones to show up.
  Sailor Neptune never seems to stray too far from Sailor Uranus;
one could say they were two peas in a pod. Again, not much I can say
about her, either.
  As far as I can tell, the one called Sailor Pluto was the eldest
of the group (as with Saturn, I'm judging by appearance alone). She,
like Sailor Saturn, carried a staff around, only the head was shaped
in a heart pattern. Whether her seniority has any meaning or not has
yet to be seen, but if mythological reference proves true, she is
the mistress of death-- making her the one people should respect.
  There were others as well, but they, unlike the rest of the Sailor
Senshi, did not dress in sailor suits. I could ramble on Sailor Star
Fighter or Ceres, but somehow I feel they're less important in
the grand scheme of things-- perhaps subordinates to the true Sailor
Senshi? Anyway, all I'll say is I don't appreciate the taste of
dress of the three so-called Star Lights.
  Interestingly enough, the leader of the Sailor Senshi, Sailor Moon,
was nowhere to be seen, her role having been taken over by that of
Neo Queen Serenity. The pictures of her on file, however, gave an
uncanny resemblance to that of the Queen-- the same rabbit-ear hair,
and her eyes, matched. Then, if I'm not mistaken, Neo Queen Serenity
IS Sailor Moon, which would not be entirely unreasonable. That would
make a LOT of sense.
  If that were the case, then the only male among them, Tuxedo Kamen,
as he is named, reputedly the lover of Sailor Moon, would be King
Endymion. That would also explain why he was not to be seen as well;
it would also explain why King Endymion wore those stupid white
mask-glasses, as Tuxedo Kamen wore those as well.
  Finally, I discovered today that Neo Queen Serenity and King
Endymion have an heir-- her name was Usagi, and she had the same
weird hairdo as her mother, but her 'rabbit ears' were nowhere near
as long. Judging from her appearance and size, I'd guess she was no
older than eight years old or so, but only the King and Queen could
say for sure, and only when they wished it.
  Still, there was something really odd-- there were at LEAST four
girls in the same city with the same hair style-- it couldn't be a
coincidence. Not to mention that the child of the Queen was named
Usagi, of all names! If anything, this has something to do with one
Usagi Tsukino, for SHE was the first one with the rabbit hair.
Therefore, if I find her, I should find my answers.
  All these astronomical names-- Mercury, Endymion, all of them,
MUST mean something. If I discover the meaning, perhaps I can
discern the course of Earth's future, and perhaps figure out just
why there was no Sailor Earth (I wouldn't expect a Sailor Sun,
however, simply because in mythological tradition the Sun was always
far greater than the other heavenly bodies, and thus wouldn't be
confined to the group of Sailor Senshi). Hmm, I wonder if there is a
Sailor Senshi for the tenth planet we recently discovered?
  (Note to self: go back down to the phone company to help out with
the network. I wonder what is going on outside Crystal Tokyo?)

July 3, 1999

  I volunteered my services to the phone company this morning, and
I believe we isolated the problem: a constant frequency of unknown
origin interferes with the waves formed by radios, telephones (both
normal and cellular), and even television (I hadn't noticed this
was a problem as well until coming in to the phone company). In
fact, the unknown signal frequency was pitched too high for the
human ear to detect, and, since the combined waveform of two
frequencies yielded a third waveform that was the average of the two
frequencies, all the communication signals were thrown off by an
intolerable margin of error.
  Therefore, the reason why the radios and CD players weren't
working was due to the fact that they were playing notes in a
higher frequency than the human ear can hear. Of course, this also
means that animals with a higher frequency range WILL react, which
would explain the sudden disappearance of animals in the city.
  At the moment we could not think of any viable solution to the
problem, but I was assured that the source of the unknown frequency
will be discovered within a few days. I hope so.

July 4, 1999

  For the first time since leaving three days ago I went back to
the Tsukino residence to find out what's been happening since I
left. Primarily, of course, I did this to see Mother, who,
obviously, did not have the means to communicate with me, nor I to
her. I was willing to bet that she was still there, and it would
have paid off, if only I'd put money on it.
  I related all that happened to me to Mother. She did so in turn,
telling me how Usagi never came back, and how Neo Queen Serenity
was walking amidst the people and curing ailments of patients in the
hospital-- of incurable cancers, for that matter. She also went on
to explain how she herself met the queen, relaying a feeling of
comfort and serenity (which is perhaps where the queen got her name
from, I suppose).
  I pressed Mother further, digging into details such as age, place
of origin, anything-- but she did not have the answers. In fact,
some of those questions crossed her mind, but she forgot them the
moment Queen Serenity entered her presence. I must say, then, that
this Neo Queen Serenity, whoever she is, is a person of great power,
the means I've yet to determine.
  In any case, none of Usagi's friends ever turned up, either. The
family of each were worried sick, but they seemed to hide it easily
by gazing upon the wonder of the crystal citadel. Usagi's parents
were always standing by the window, staring at the spires of the
crystal building.
  Shingo, Usagi's younger brother, however, did not hide in his
worry for his elder sister (I was actually quite touched by this, as
I'm sure I couldn't do the same for certain, closer relations of mine
who I will not divulge into details over). I took it upon myself to
relieve him of his stress in the only way I knew-- I took him out on
the town.
  So we went down to the local arcade, but it wasn't until after I'd
played at least three rounds of my favorite game that I noticed that
Shingo was still a bit down.. I soon found the reason why-- this was
the place Usagi always loved to come to, as she was a game junkie
like I was (well, so I'd like to think). Therefore, in his eyes I
must have come off as somewhat insensible; I apologized, and then
suggested getting a bite to eat (this time, I let HIM choose where
to go). I was feeling so generous that I offered to pay for his meal.
  Shingo told me a lot about his sister over a tray of all-you-can-
eat sushi (this was a place that charged by the minute, so the
faster you ate the cheaper your meal-- but since we were having a
conversation, the bill was racking up fast). Well, from what I heard,
there couldn't be anything to like about her-- unreliable, klutzy,
flakey, and a general whiner. Of course, as Shingo liked to point
out, she's been doing less and less of that recently, as if she were
getting older (I had to laugh at this comment).
  I asked him about Sailor Moon and the other Sailor Senshi. Shingo,
being one of the local residents of the city, and a first-hand
eyewitness, could not tell me much, other than hinting that he once
had fantasies about Sailor Moon herself (I didn't need to hear that,
either; damn teenagers). He was telling about how Sailor Moon and
her Senshi first appeared in the public eye, fighting terrorists
that threatened the city.
  For the life of me, I failed to see a connection between the Senshi
Shingo described to the ones ruling over Crystal Tokyo. So I changed
the subject back to his family. Shingo obliged, and he rambled on
with pointless details about his genealogy until I stopped him when
he mentioned Usagi had a cat.
  In the entire time I've spent at the Tsukino residence, I have not
once seen a cat.
  Thereupon Shingo described Luna, a female black cat with a strange
crescent moon 'tattoo' (or scar, he speculated, because it couldn't
be removed) on her forehead. She was described as a friendly,
intelligent cat, for she knew just when she was needed. For a cat.
  The crescent moon tattoo intrigued me; I asked Shingo where he got
the cat. He explained that Usagi brought her home one day, about the
time when Sailor Moon showed up in town. I tried to press him for
further information, but he knew little; I would have to ask Usagi
herself if she ever came back home.
  After finishing our meal I asked to pick up the check. However, I
was confronted by the manager, who stated very bluntly that Neo
Queen Serenity was working to phase-out the use of money, therefore
any money received by businesses was to be destroyed.
  "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," I said.
  The manager shook his head, and insisted I keep my money. I, for
the life of me, realized that no monetary system was part of the
grand idea of a utopia, but to enact such a sudden change so soon
seemed a bit harsh. Besides, money was the motivation of many people
who stayed in business; what would happen if everyone decided to
simply stop working.
  Of course, Shingo pointed out that under those conditions only the
people who truly loved their jobs would continue to work, and
therefore service would continue. I remained skeptical, however, but
Shingo's more rational view had merit, I must admit (this was the
first time I realized how much of a cynic I was).
  I argued that people in general would have a lack of tasks to
perform if they had no jobs. Shingo rebutted my argument, saying that
it was better if people worked for the common good rather than for
themselves. If the community needed something built, or something
fixed, then people, out of the kindness of their hearts, would help
out in the task. I truly wish the world worked that way, and I
pointed out to Shingo that not everybody would like to live under
this system of government. Well, at that point, the kid couldn't
respond to me.
  Nothing else noteworthy happened today.
  So now, tonight, I gather my thoughts. First, there's the unknown
frequency interfering with the communications systems. Second,
Usagi's disappearance from the face of the Earth. Third, that cat
with the crescent moon mark on her forehead. Fourth, where did Neo
Queen Serenity come from, and what is her goal? Is she truly as
benevolent and well-meaning as she appears? Fifth, what happened
with the ice storm? Where did it come from, and what happened to it?
Sixth, what is going on outside of Crystal Tokyo?
  For all the doubts and questions in my mind, I, at least, have
deduced some answers. I am sure, first of all, that Neo Queen
Serenity and Sailor Moon were the same person. Same goes for Tuxedo
Kamen and King Endymion. Second, if the young princess Usagi were
truly the daughter of Queen Serenity and King Endymion, and since
the mother and daughter share the same hair style as Usagi Tsukino,
who was missing, one could reasonably conclude that the missing
girl was in fact Neo Queen Serenity, and King Endymion Mamoru. That,
of course, is just wild conjecture, as there is no proof.. Third,
I'm sure Queen Serenity is behind the unknown frequency's presence,
but why she wished to block communications was beyond me-- unless
she was meaning to wrap her hold on Crystal Tokyo.
  Perhaps a trip down to the television station is in order. I
hadn't thought of it until now, but the television station could
have something very important... something that could prove a
little theory of mine. We'll see.

July 5, 1999

  No luck at the first three television stations I visited; their
security refused my entrance, citing that there were internal
problems that needed no interference from outsiders. Something
tells me that it's more than that, but I'll play their game-- for
now. I've still a few other stations I'd like to check out first,
before I have to resort to unfriendly means.
  If my previous theory held water, then I must be brilliant. I
thought of another way it could work: the shrine girl, Rei Hino,
who also disappeared before the ice storm, could be one of the
Sailor Senshi, if Usagi Tsukino were truly Neo Queen Serenity. If
that is the case, then it isn't unreasonable that all of those who
disappeared are Sailor Senshi. If I had to guess, and I must, I
would say that Rei would most likely be the firebrand, Sailor Mars.
I mean, look at it: Rei's a shrine maiden to a shrine dedicated to
FIRE, and Sailor Mars is the mistress of fire. Not to mention that
her behavior and the described behavior of Sailor Mars match
perfectly.
  If this is the case, then there's something else I'll have to
look into.

July 6, 1999

  Between unsuccessful visits to another batch of television
stations, I returned to the phone company to check on progress. By
then they had recruited several fine engineers to help find a way
around the problem. So far they have been unsuccessful, but I was
assured that the problem will be solved. In the meantime, a small
group was planning on making a road trip out of town to see what was
going on in the rest of the country. I would have gone with them,
but I had my own tasks set before me.
  For the first time I stood in front of the crystal citadel-- it
was as I suspected, a construct of pure crystal. I made my way to
main gate entrance, where I heard from others that people were being
allowed inside. Not only did I wish to meet the Sailor Senshi for
myself, but I wished to learn what happened to the old Imperial
palace.
  I couldn't help but notice the old Imperial security was performing
their task with the citadel.
  Mingling with the other 'tourists,' a guide took us on a tour of
the citadel, pointing out the splendors and sights of the marvelous
building. I could hardly contain my excitement, however, at the
thought of proving my theory-- the only lynch in the plan was
actually MEETING the Senshi.
  I was quite disappointed to learn that the Queen was not holding
audiences today, as she and her Senshi were busy with other matters.
I could only venture to guess.
  Today I had little time to run down to television stations, but I
managed to visit one local radio station. I learned nothing I didn't
already know, however; the anomalous frequency was still interfering
with the airwaves.

July 11, 1999

  This morning I finally got my way into a television station, with
the help of Shingo (one of his friends worked at this particular
station). I discovered the reason why the stations were trying to
keep people out-- there was something in the records they didn't
want anyone to see.
  Akiko (the friend) took me to the editing room, where she showed
me a tape of a familiar sight: the mysterious ice storm of over a
week ago. In the corner, the editor pointed out the date and time,
the means of keeping track of amount of time the segment takes. We
watched for ten minutes before the great glacier appeared to engulf
the camera (fortunately the sound was off, so I didn't have to hear
the panicked screams of the reporters-- again). And, as predicted,
the glacier engulfed the camera, but what I didn't notice before was
that the tape was still running.
  Pointing at the time scale in the corner, Akiko said, "This
goes on for a couple hours, until the tape ran out."
  I pointed out, "But the cold should have stopped the camera's
function long before that."
  "Exactly," replied the editor. She continued, "Therefore, it must
mean that the ice wasn't real."
  "Impossible," I said. "I FELT it myself!"
  "So did I," she agreed. "However, the source of the cold does not
have to come from the ice, does it?"
  I conceded to her point. If the ice wasn't real ice, then what was
it?
  "A co-worker of mine," began Akiko, "was out there in the ice
storm. He got hit by the ice storm long before he fell asleep like
everyone else in the city did. He didn't feel a thing."
  "So the ice storm was just a clever cover for the mass sleep
spell," I concluded. "An illusion?"
  "Perhaps," the editor said.
  In any case, there was something sinister going on, and I wasn't
liking it. The ice not being real wasn't an entirely ludicrous
idea; the morning I awoke there was absolutely no sign of there
being a storm at all. Someone must have wanted everyone to go to
sleep-- perhaps to prevent people from knowing what happened over
the night.
  All the arrows point back at Neo Queen Serenity. She is the key,
and I intend to find out what she's up to.
  (Side note: find out if Akiko is just a 'friend,' just for fun.)

July 12, 1999

  The road trip expedition to out of town I mention a while ago
returned this afternoon, and the news they brought was quite ill
indeed.
  The outside world had also suffered the mass sleep and ice storm,
and I suspect their ice wasn't real, either.
  The outside world had no strange crystal edifices in the middle
of their cities, either-- I wasn't surprised, but that wasn't the
worst of it: THEY did not have a communications problem. In fact,
the United Nations banded together since day one, debating on what
to do about the isolated Crystal Tokyo.
  The expedition crew was taken to the United Nations headquarters
(which was why they took so long in coming back). They presented
their findings to the world leaders. According to the gang, the
United Nations had been trying to establish contact with Crystal
Tokyo's people, but only got responses from one Neo Queen Serenity
(I guess THIS is what the Queen is so busy with). In fact, a couple
days ago the Security Council agreed unanimously that Neo Queen
Serenity must be removed forcibly from Tokyo, and its people
released from her dictatorial rule.
  I assume this means Crystal Tokyo is about to go to war with the
rest of the world. I also assume the United Nations put the blame of
the great sleep and ice storm on the Queen, as well, which wouldn't
be a first for them. And, as usual, the United States was waving the
flag in leadership-- the expedition crew expect the United Nations
to be poised to attack in a few days.
  Everything started to fall in place: Neo Queen Serenity, the
despotic ruler, came to the world overnight and created her capital
in Tokyo. Then, cutting-off all ties to the outside world, she
effectively created her own rulership. Who knows if she would have
stopped there had the United Nations not acted (as usual; I'm
surprised they even did something at all).
  The group also mentioned that conditions outside Crystal Tokyo
were different than expected; it was as if time passed overnight.
Where the landscape should have shown summer it was fall; one
observant man noticed the drift in the alignment of the stars from
where they were two weeks ago (I assume they've been to an astronomy
at least; I asked the man if he'd been to the University of Kyoto,
but he said no). This was very disturbing news indeed; if that is
the case, then the time I've been tracking has no meaning.
  And, for the first time since awakening that morning, I realized
I have never seen a star during each night in Crystal Tokyo. But,
what could that mean? There obviously was no barrier surrounding
Crystal Tokyo, otherwise the expedition would not have made it
past the city limits. Obviously, it must be Neo Queen Serenity's
work, but why?
  More than ever, I want to know what's going on.

July 26, 1999

  I am still keeping track of time as normal until I can figure out
what the actual date is. I have not been writing lately because of
the 'siege' of Crystal Tokyo by the United Nations-- the battle, and
the war, lasted for a mere six hours.
  Bombers appeared in the sky eight days ago, but not alarm was
sounded-- it was hardly necessary. For some strange reason, any and
all the bombs dropped splashed against an invisible dome of force
surrounding the city, leaving the buildings and occupants unharmed
(I surmise this dome is also what keeps the starlight away; must be
a weird side-effect for protection, I suppose).
  The next 'attack' was made by ground units and surface missiles;
all those, too, failed to penetrate the dome. This was seven days
ago.
  Then, five days ago, the United Nations forces finally wised-up to
the situation and sent in troops THROUGH the dome to attack from
within the city limits. THIS, readers, was the single and only battle
of the war against Neo Queen Serenity.
  Soldiers of numerous nationalities and allegiances piled through
the empty streets of Crystal Tokyo (for the populace had long since
gone into hiding when the dome was breached by the army). I and a few
bold souls remained close to the windows, watching the greatest
army of all time surge through the enemy city. For two hours, they
met no resistance at all.
  Of course, when those two hours were up, the Sailor Senshi appeared
in the streets, along with Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion.
  Queen Serenity offered the United Nations soldiers an ultimatum:
lay down their arms and surrender, or she would use force. Not
surprisingly, the soldiers hardly listened to her, and attacked.
  I was quite surprised to see the Sailor Senshi fight the soldiers;
they were not aiming to kill, but rather, to incapacitate. Fire and
lightning, ice and snow, anything that would not kill men outright
was used. And it took the better part of four hours before the
Senshi got them all.
  Emissaries (certain members of the defeated army) were allowed to
leave Crystal Tokyo to inform the United Nations of Neo Queen
Serenity's message (whatever that was). In any case, all I knew
was that she found it her duty to bring peace to the world, and she
needed the cooperation of the world leaders to do so. However,
there was one condition: everyone must submit themselves before
the power of the Silver Crystal, or leave Earth.
  Strange, that; the residents of Crystal Tokyo never had to
submit to any crystal. Either that, or she used it while we were
sleeping. Still, WHAT is this Silver Crystal?
  So the next few days after the war ended I assume the United
Nations was under deliberations; in the meantime, the protective
dome was held in place in case they decided to attack once again.
Neo Queen Serenity promised the dome would be removed once the
crisis was over.
  She also took the time to reveal the truth to the residents of
Crystal Tokyo: a millennia had passed since the great sleep (by then
quite a few people swooned). It was through the power of the Silver
Crystal that she saved the people of Earth from a deadly menace--
Queen Serenity specified not the exact menace, but many assumed it
was the ice storm (I tend to differ, from what I've learned). Neo
Queen Serenity also revealed her plan to unite the world so humanity
could live in peace and harmony-- therefore, the belligerent men of
the outside world must be cleansed of sin, evil, and corruption through
the power of the Silver Crystal before they will be accepted into her
utopia. However, what she did NOT reveal was that those who refused had
to leave the planet; I found this out myself from an expeditionary
group who came to Crystal Tokyo directly from the United Nations
headquarters with the news. That piece of information was kept quiet
among my colleagues, for we assumed that the queen thought that nobody
would deny her request.
  The healing process began yesterday, when Neo Queen Serenity left
the safety of Crystal Tokyo to travel the world. True to her promise,
the protective dome around the city was removed, and once again the
stars were in full view (I personally verified the claim that the
time was now in the Thirtieth Century; the stellar drift matched
perfectly with the calculations). Yet, why did it take ten centuries
before we could awaken from the sleep?
  There is another matter troubling me: why is Neo Queen Serenity so
bent on removing the sin of mankind? I could hardly imagine a crystal
being the only thing that could 'eliminate' sin, evil, corruption,
and the like. If the Silver Crystal worked as the queen said, then
what happened to one who was 'cleansed' of sin? Where did the sin go?
If it remained in the crystal, then a 'pure' device as such would not
be pure for very long. However, since I believe that Queen Serenity
intends to use that one same crystal at all times, that cannot be the
case. Still, where does the sin go?
  For that matter, what is man without sin? What is man without evil?
For that matter, what is good without evil? Does this Neo Queen
Serenity truly have 'good' intentions in mind by 'eliminating' evil?
By removing an element of man (for man is neither totally good nor
totally evil, but a mixture of both-- the union of opposites, if one
wants to think of it as such), would this 'utopia' survive?

October 3, 2904

  I believe this is the correct date; I checked it out with some
other mathematicians in the city, and their calculations agree with
mine.
  As to my previous query: I could not imagine mankind without evil
in it. Evil such as corruption, stealing, murder, rape, and the like,
are part of human nature. Neo Queen Serenity can only be playing
God by removing an 'undesirable' element of man; however, unlike the
true Creator (I'm not Christian) she is being destructive. What is
man when man is but a half of himself?
  At this point I can only guess. There is still much I don't know,
and much I need to know.
  Anyway, with all this 'purity' nonsense, I'm willing to bet all the
religious fundamentalists are having field days. Heck, anyone with
strong religious ties should be flocking to Neo Queen Serenity's
utopia, I think. Next I'll hear someone equating her with Jesus, and
her arrival as the Second Coming. I've noted that Biblical references
and the previous events are far too convenient for each other: a
great catastrophe at the end of the millennium (of course, that might
just be the suicidal cults), the rebirth of Jesus, and all that rot,
with the great ice storm and the appearance of Neo Queen Serenity.

Ocbober 5, 2904

  Unfortunately, I passed by a group of fanatical Christians who were
equating Neo Queen Serenity with Jesus. Go figure.
  (Note to self: try not to predict ridiculous events like this
again. You'll become one of them if you do.)
  Well, it has been seven days since Neo Queen Serenity left Crystal
Tokyo, and when she returned this afternoon she was quiet and weary.
I had a word with her escorts (who were NOT the Sailor Senshi, by
the way), and they mentioned that her worst fear came true: people
of no small numbers elected to leave the planet instead of submit to
her rule.
  I asked them what Serenity did to them, and they described it as
thus: she waved her wand, and the people simply VANISHED. They, nor
anyone else I spoke to, knew where they ended up.
  This thought troubled me greatly; I confided this news with
Shingo, who took it reasonably well, considering he was hearing
the information second-hand. I, for one, was worried about my
friends back in Kyoto-- Shingo had no such problems, for all of his
extended family was here in Crystal Tokyo. Therefore, I resolved to
make a trip to Kyoto, and, surprisingly, Shingo offered to come with
me.
  I secured a vehicle from my colleagues at the phone company, and
promised to return it to them after I came back (Yes, I am coming
back; I don't plan on leaving Crystal Tokyo for good until I figure
out what Neo Queen Serenity is doing and not telling us about).
  To say the least, I am quite eager to see Kaori again.

October 4, 2904

  In hindsight, I should have asked the queen's escort what happened
to the people who were 'purified.' Well, I suppose I could find out
by myself.
  Shingo and I stopped halfway to Kyoto at a local inn in Nagoya;
yes, we were traveling along the southern coast, the scenic route.
And we were taking our time, too; if we were really in a hurry, the
train would have been much faster.
  The two of us took the opportunity to observe the changed world
around us: everything, down to the cement floors and roads, were
free of dirt and grime, as in Crystal Tokyo. It seemed as if anywhere
Neo Queen Serenity went, her influence followed.
  Relaxing at the beach, I finally got the chance to poke ribs into
Shingo about Akiko, the television station editor. Of course, my
friend here was reluctant to make such an admission, but I pointed
out that he knew of MY girlfriend, Kaori. Still, he refused to admit
it, but I can tell he does have feelings toward her.
  The only other odd thing I noticed today was that there were no
young children of the four to eight age range in any of the cities
or towns we passed through. I wonder what that means?

October 5, 2904

  Today I found the answer to my previous question.
  I met Kaori for the first time since the ice storm this morning,
but what I found out shocked me: she married, and gave birth to a
strong young boy. In the span of a month, this could not have
happened!
  The lucky man was none other than Hideyoshi, one of my oldest
friends. He looked older than when I left a month ago; and I
congratulated him sincerely for his happiness with my fist.
  I learned that, in estimation, for every week I spent in Crystal
Tokyo, a year passed in the outside world. The young children grew
up to teenagers, and it was only now that a new generation was
replacing the strange gap. Therefore, there MUST be some sort of
time difference between Crystal Tokyo and the rest of the world,
but how it differs is beyond me; the numerous expedition crews
never reported any differences in time. It must be that the people
of Crystal Tokyo woke up later than everyone else? Or something
else?
  When I confronted Kaori I tried to handle myself well, but I admit
that Shingo had to restrain me from killing Hideyoshi. To their
credit, when I went missing (in their perception) they eventually
decided I was dead, then... this happened. Somehow, I suspect my
old friend Hideyoshi had his eyes on Kaori for a while even when I
was going out with her. Perhaps I should be honored that they named
the child after me.
  I also took the time to take a trip down to the University of
Kyoto; they, too, were surprised I was still alive, and YOUNG, to
boot. To them, I had not aged, but I don't want to write all about
that again.
  Getting straight to the point, I asked the astronomers about the
tenth planet. I was surprised to learn that it turned out to be
some kind of moon in an erratic orbit-- it was not a true planet at
all, and it was heading into our solar system (over the course of
ten centuries it had left and returned). The moon came from another
solar system (unspecified), and traveled between that system and our
own in its erratic orbit. Since the moon was black, all light was
absorbed into it, and no information could be gained about it.
  When Neo Queen Serenity visited Kyoto, she saw the astronomers'
findings, and dubbed the moon 'Nemesis' quite unceremonially. So,
thereafter the black moon will be called Nemesis.
  I wished I could stay to study the new moon, but I promised to
return to Crystal Tokyo; besides, Shingo really ought to see his
Akiko before she runs off with someone else, too.
  It was nigh time to confront Neo Queen Serenity.

October 7, 2904

  I reported my findings to the gang at the phone company (well,
leaving out the details about my escapade with Hideyoshi and Kaori,
of course). Only recently had the gang discovered the mysterious
frequency that was interfering with communications was gone; why
or when it happened, they didn't know, but I think it was the dome
that was doing it; that was the only thing different around here.
  Before leaving it was agreed that we would meet again in three
days time, when the appropriate people could be contacted, then
together we would confront Neo Queen Serenity.

October 10, 2904

  Waiting for the meeting was torturous.
  Those residing in Crystal Tokyo who harbored suspicions against
Neo Queen Serenity were there, from any and all walks of life.
Shingo was there, too; I believe it was because he could not deny
that something was wrong, despite the support he gives the queen.
  Weapons were illegal in Neo Queen Serenity's utopia, but somehow
these men managed to gather some simple firearms-- I myself took a
38 revolver, but Shingo refused to touch the weapons. We weren't
planning on using them, only use them if necessary.
  Plans were made to enter the tour groups at the crystal citadel;
when the time was right, we would storm our way to Neo Queen
Serenity's throne room, whether she wanted to see us or not.
  If we turn out unsuccessful, this may be my last entry for a
while.

October 12, 2904

  This is the first time I've managed to write an entry since my
capture and imprisonment in the crystal citadel. The Senshi had the
decency to allow me to retain this journal; they saw little harm in
my having it.
  Yesterday turned out to be a flip-sided coin; we did get some
answers out of Neo Queen Serenity, but at the cost of our freedoms.
We barged into the throne room as planned, and we held the monarch
hostage at gunpoint. Time was quite limited; even though we sealed
ourselves within the throne room, the Sailor Senshi would get in
eventually.
  When asked about what happened to the people who refused to submit
to her rule, the queen answered that she banished them to Nemesis.
We found that the black moon was indeed inhabitable, and that the
people would indeed survive. However, they were denied the means to
leave the moon, their weapons of destruction, and many other modern
conveniences.
  Next we wanted to know about the time differences. Neo Queen
Serenity admitted that she ordered Sailor Pluto, the Guardian of
Time (not the death maiden as I originally thought), to slow-down
time within the city. However, we had no time to ask why, because
there were more pressing questions, and the Senshi were getting in.
  The last question we got an answer to was this: under her order
the ice storm was created in order to mask the cause of the great
sleep spell.
  By then, the Sailor Senshi broke into the throne room, King
Endymion at the lead. Then chaos broke loose.
  Gunfire went off all around me. I threw myself at Shingo to
escape the erratic gunfire, as the gang I was with was shooting
EVERYWHERE, the fools. We were both down on the ground, heads
covered, hoping fervently that the chaos would end. I would've
personally killed the one with the sub-machinegun.
  It was all over very quick; the Sailor Senshi were still standing,
but many of the gang were not; they were incapacitated, not dead, I
could tell. Then, unceremonially, we were carted off to the prison.
  When we were lead to our cells I noticed that Shingo was lead
away; it was obvious he would not be joining us. Why they did so,
and what they did to him, is beyond me.
  Not long after everyone was locked up, Sailor Mars came down to
the prison alone. She told us, "It was a mistake not to use the
Silver Crystal on you guys. That'll be fixed soon enough."
  I have no idea what that meant, but Neo Queen Serenity never came
down-- no, here she comes.

October 13, 2904

  Well, I wanted to get a good look at Nemesis, and now it looks
like I'll have the closest experience anyone else back at the
University of Kyoto will ever have.
  Last night Neo Queen Serenity gave us the same choice she gave
the rest of the world: submit ourselves to the power of the Silver
Crystal, or be banished to Nemesis. Naturally, none of us
volunteered to submit, therefore we all were banished (except for
Shingo, that is; I never did see him again-- although some believe
he betrayed us, I could find little indication of that being so, as
we never would have gotten as far as we did if he did tip off the
Sailor Senshi).
  Observation from space doesn't begin to describe this desolate
place; sure, there were the normal landmasses such as mountains
and canyons and lakes (albeit dark lakes), but everything was...
black. There was no greenery, no plant life for all the eye could
see, and it was quite possible that plants could never grow on
Nemesis.
  We were unceremonially teleported (for lack of a better term) to
the moon's surface; the sun was a dark blot in the sky, the sky
was black, the ground was black-- everything was black except for
the people (it was a wonder that anyone could see anything). The
moon indeed had breathable air, and it had drinkable water.
  The local ruffians (the ones who were banished to Nemesis before
us) laid down the rules of the land-- every man for himself.
  When I asked where to get some food, the lead ruffian laughed,
saying that there was no need for food, as something in the water
kept away hunger (I really don't want to test that theory). Water
was uncontrolled, and it was everywhere, so there was no need to
regulate it (or, at least, it was futile to try). In fact, from
what I've seen the 'every man for himself' rule doesn't seem to
hold much water (pardon), as cooperation seemed to be the norm to
adjust to the new, strange life.
  None of these people were my friends; therefore, I kept my
distance from them whenever possible, effectively making me a
hermit. The first order of business is to find someplace to stay.

October 14, 2904

  A trek through the mountains revealed several naturally created
caves, many of which were unoccupied. Therefore, searching for a
suitable vacancy, I found the proper home.
  Since I had none of my belongings (except maybe this journal), I
had to find some way to make myself at home.
  I asked around, but the people were unusually bitter; no wonder,
since they were kicked out of their homes. Still, one soul carried
extra linens and rags, and freely gave some to me (where he got
them from is beyond me, but I don't want to dwell on it too much).
  The weather-- there was no weather to speak of. The dark sun was
certainly not our own sun, which meant that Nemesis was in its
other solar system, perhaps its home system. Still no plant life.
The water seemed magical-- it cleaned itself no matter how many
pollutants one put in it (I witnessed this first-hand, and I don't
wish to divulge).
  It's strange, surviving only on the magical water (for a lack of a
better explanation; I've only started believing in magic when Neo
Queen Serenity appeared, but I'm still a skeptic).

October 16, 2904

  Today I've noticed something strange growing on my skin; it had
not appeared on anyone else. It was some sort of black fungus; no
matter how many times I try to scrub it, the growth will not come
off. Therefore, to prevent inciting fear in the masses I've isolated
myself in my cave, away from the people I didn't really want to
know.
  Something tells me that the dark sun's radiation gets trapped in
the absorbing atmosphere of the black moon; that could explain some
of the anomalies, but how?

October 17, 2904

  The growth is spreading. There's nothing I can do about it
except try to conceal it. I realized that there was no use trying
to keep myself hidden in the cave, so I began the habit of throwing
a heavy, concealing robe over myself.
  Somehow I suspect I look quite mysterious with the robe on. Many
people were going out of their ways to give me a wide berth.

October 23, 2904

  I'm not sure why I'm keeping track of the days by the Earth
calendar; the black moon certainly did not follow it.
  It seems strange to me, but I swear that everyone around me was
aging much faster than I was. Most of the members of the Crystal
Tokyo gang got themselves killed in a rash attempt to escape
Nemesis (I hear that many people have tried everything from making
giant slingshots to formulating rockets fueled by the water), so
there is no way to compare myself, them, and the rest of the people
of Nemesis. One of my neighbors seemed to grow old before my eyes.
  At about this time I discovered an artifact: it was a gold
bracelet, which obviously did not belong to anyone banished from
Earth, for the design was too... bizarre, so indescribable.
Therefore, I'll be searching for more artifacts to pass the time.

April 30, 2916

  A marvelous find! Ruins of an ancient civilization!
  After many days of searching and digging (alone), I've found the
find of the century: it appeared to be some sort of library. And,
strangely enough, this culture used books as we did.
  However, opening a random tome, it contained an alphabet that I
could not decipher; it was obviously the language of this ancient
culture, and could take years to decipher. Still, I certainly had
the time.
  Tomorrow I'll be moving out of my cave and into the ruins.

August 7, 2916

  Something strange happened to me today. While poring over a
tome, I got decidedly frustrated over the complexity of the
language. I wished I could read the damn thing, and then, as if by
magic, everything in the text was clear to my mind!
  This was a marvel indeed! Perhaps the radiation of the dark sun
was mutating my genetic structure, and therefore I could warp
reality? Strange theory, but worth looking into.

August 8, 2916

  I truly believe in magic.
  I don't really know how I did it, but I was trying to light a
candle with my finger. I willed it to happen, and it HAPPENED.
  If my theory is correct, then this ancient culture used magic. If
that is so, then there must be some kind of instructionary tome
somewhere in this library. I'll have to find it, and practice, if I
ever want to get anything done.

March 24, 2944

  At last, I've finished reading everything in the library.
  Well, this will be the first time I touched this journal since my
discovery of this magic force. I could go on end how powerful I've
become, but that would be pointless. Especially since, after a
complete, exhaustive study, I've learned something of far greater
value: the existence of an artifact called the Black Crystal.
  The Black Crystal was the most powerful weapon of the Ancients,
using dark energies to fuel it. Anything was possible with the Black
Crystal, but there was one catch-- the artifact was supposively
destroyed at the time the civilization fell (the home planet of the
civilization, the original heavenly body Nemesis orbited, was
destroyed in an undocumented disaster; all that survived was what
meager constructs they built on this black moon).
  However, something in the back of my mind TELLS me that the Black
Crystal still exists, and it was CALLING to me! I must find the
artifact at once!

March 25, 2944

  No luck so far in the search for the Black Crystal.
  For reference, it might be prudent to record what I have learned
from the ancient library: it seems that these people, who I will
term as 'Nemesians' (for they, like humanity, did not name itself),
was a rival 'country' in this galaxy with the twin nation of the
Silver Millennium, a civilization that was based in our very own
solar system. The Millennium's capitol was on the moon orbiting
Earth (again, without a proper name), ruling over all the smaller
communities within the entire solar system, from Mercury to Pluto.
It was a peaceful kingdom ruled by Queen Serenity (this must be the
reason there is a 'Neo' Queen Serenity now), who ruled with the
blessing of the Silver Crystal (the very same artifact, I suppose).
  The Nemesians ruled over their solar system as well, with their
base of operations on the planet Nemesis (which leads me to believe
this moon was not always called 'Nemesis'). Where the Silver
Millennium stood for peace, Nemesis stood for conquest. The King of
Nemesis ruled with the power of the Black Crystal at his beck and
call (which is why I believe that the Black Crystal and the Silver
Crystal are polar opposites of each other), and wished to bring the
Millennium under his power.
  Unfortunately for the Nemesians, the Silver Millennium was far too
powerful (more powerful than they appeared, I suppose). The invaders
became the invaded. Finally, Queen Serenity and her Senshi (they bore
the same names as this time's Senshi) came to Nemesis and ended the
empire-- that is where the documentation trailed off. Needless to
say, the Nemesians never recovered, and eventually died out somehow.
  The Black Crystal was supposed to have been destroyed in the final
battle; however, it seems to be calling to me. If my theory is
correct, then the Black Crystal can no more exist than the Silver
Crystal-- that is, they are two peas in a pod, one existing along
with the other. If both were destroyed, then both would remain
destroyed; however, when one continues to exist, so must the other.
It gives a new definition to the yin and yang, if one looks at it at
a certain angle.
  If the Black Crystal has chosen me to wield its awesome power, then
I could very well be the successor to the Nemesian civilization.

June 23, 2972

  After failing to find the Black Crystal, I decided to return to
the cave that served as my original home.
  Although I tried my best to stay away from these people, they
would not stop badgering me. Just because I wore a robe and was
shrouded in mystery did not mean I could help them out (although
I always did, and quite successfully, too).
  What they didn't know was why I continued to wear the concealing
robe: my body has decayed over the years. The growth I spoke of long
ago ate away at my skin and tissue, and now there is little organic
material left in my body (bones). However, I have magically-animated
my skeletal remains (there was still a good deal of life in me yet),
using a specially-fashioned crystal ball as a focus. All the people
would see was my heavy robes, a pair of shimmering, transparent hands,
and a crystal ball.
  Since people often came to me for advice and help, and since I
seemed to know a lot, I became known as the 'Wiseman.' Not a name I
would have chosen, but it stuck.

June 11, 2994

  I've done it! In-between visits from the local populace, and
many, many divinations into my crystal ball, I've finally found the
Black Crystal!
  It looked quite unimpressive, to say the least. It was a spherical
orb, no larger than a baseball, made up of many spear-like crystal
shards jutting out of the center, yet, since there were so many of
them, the crystal felt perfectly spherical. True to its name, the
artifact was purely black, quite fitting for a black moon.
  Careful study is required before I try anything with this. If this
is what I think it is, the artifact may be the key to eliminating
the creature known as Neo Queen Serenity, and her abominable city of
Crystal Tokyo. Mankind will be put back on its proper course, or be
destroyed by its 'benevolent' ruler.

May 31, 3102

  I've finished my study of the Black Crystal long ago, but there
is something interesting to note.
  As a note, I estimate that about seven generations have passed
since my arrival on Nemesis. By this time magic became borne within
the people of the black moon; magic became a part of life instead of
a wonder or miracle. If someone wanted something, they fashioned it
with their magic. Still, one needed proper training and guidance in
order to perform such feats; over the years I have had many who
sought my teaching, but I refused, as I was too engrossed with the
Black Crystal. However, I did tell them a few pointers, but only
enough to get them to go away.
  Cutting to the chase, I was visited this day by two men: Diamond
and Sapphire. They approached me for the first time, although I knew
who they were; Diamond was the rising leader of the Black Moon Family,
as people were calling themselves these days. In fact, his lineage
could be traced to the same line as Mamoru Chiba, Usagi Tsukino's
fiancee (or, should I say, husband). In fact, since Mamoru was King
Endymion, I informed Diamond that his proper title was 'prince'
(although I can not yet PROVE that Mamoru is Endymion, I feel it
is right, if only to feed the boy's arrogance).
  Sapphire, Diamond's loyal brother, was obviously of Endymion's
line-- if you took away his forehead tattoo (which was shaped as
an upside-down black crescent moon in a cruel mockery of the
tattoo worn by Neo Queen Serenity and her court) and changed his
clothes, he would look EXACTLY like the King of Crystal Tokyo.
  Prince Diamond decided he wished something better for his
people-- not the desolate, barren moon of Nemesis, but Earth,
the Family's true home. I asked what sparked this, and Sapphire
answered that the two found a patch of crabgrass growing in the
wastelands a few days ago (I myself was shocked beyond belief; for
all the time I lived in Nemesis I never saw plant life-- it must be
a sign! Still, grass?).
  What the two came for was not only advice, but my help. They
needed my help to return to Earth and the home they never knew.
  I told them this: the Black Moon Family was banished from Earth
because they would not submit to Neo Queen Serenity's despotic rule.
I told them that the Black Moon Family DESERVED to live on Earth. I
told them the only way to succeed was to give power to the Black
Crystal-- only then could the Family get its revenge against the
despot Neo Queen Serenity.
  I warned Diamond of the Silver Crystal-- Neo Queen Serenity's
most powerful weapon, which could do whatever the queen pleased.
It was the only thing that could possibly stand in the way of the
might of the Black Moon Family and the Black Crystal. Therefore,
it must be destroyed.
  Prince Diamond was angered and impressed; he personally invited
me to come to his court. I reluctantly agreed, as there was a price
to be paid for my freedom-- the Black Crystal must be given energy.
  For the first time in... many years, I left the cave that served
as my home. The barren landscape was no more-- in its place was the
magically-created fortress of Prince Diamond, and an entire city
around it. All created by the magic borne in the Black Moon Family.
  I was introduced to the rest of Prince Diamond's court: Emerald,
the sly, devious woman; Rubeus, Diamond's best friend, and commander
of the droid army (droids are artificial constructs that came about
some time ago that were just as good as any other sentient being in
terms of thinking); and the four Sisters, who obviously needed a
better taste in dress (by this time, fashion had taken a whole new
course of evolution; where men prefer simple, yet effective, plain
clothes, the women often went to extremes-- dressing in revealing
clothes that flaunted physical beauty, while the clothes themselves
were made in some sort of parody of ancient royal court gown).
  I repeated my words to the gathered court, but what I never told
any of them was what I really had in mind. During my study of the
Black Crystal, I realized that its power was still quite limited,
unless there was a great source of energy. The greatest source of
energy available I discovered, however, was pure Death Force energy.
Only with this energy could I eliminate Crystal Tokyo and its
wickedness from the face of the universe; mankind must be purged of
this impurity (ironic, that; Crystal Tokyo is 'supposed' to be the
center of right, goodness, and purity).
  However, unleashing the Death energy requires vast amounts of
energy in itself-- that was where the Black Moon Family came in.
They will gather the energy for me, enough energy until I could open
a gate to the pure Death Force. More energy than anyone could imagine
was lying in wait! With the gathered energy, I would be able to
fashion a special gateway from which to harness the energy. With a
fully-powered Black Crystal, nothing could be undreamed of.
  If the Silver Crystal existed to eliminate evil and sin, the Black
Crystal existed to counter the ever-so subtle evil borne within it.
  The only wrench in the plan, of course, was to keep the Black
Moon Family occupied long enough to perform my duty. As they
were descendants of those banished to Nemesis long ago, they were
quite rude, rowdy, and uncivilized (I continue to live through the
sheer power of my will, although I believe the time-warping magic
of Sailor Pluto had something to do with it-- there's no way to tell,
since I cannot study time travel effects), quite unlike their
ancestors. And, unlike their ancestors, these people were quite
hateful and jealous of each other; the fact that they followed
Diamond at all was a miracle (of course, it could just be simple
charisma); I wouldn't be surprised if they turned on each other at a
critical juncture in the future. In fact, I heard that Emerald got
her position by offing her predecessor-- no one could prove that, of
course, without the body (obviously she was craftier than she
dressed... may be dangerous or useful, depending on how intelligent
she was).
  Prince Diamond ordered a general raising of forces. The war
machine of vengeance had begun.

July 2, 3102

  The volunteer army of the Black Moon (made up of everyone on
Nemesis, of course) consisted of both man and droid; all were given
the forehead tattoo of the black crescent moon and swore allegiance
to Prince Diamond. I, however, took no such vow, and I declined to
wear the tattoo. While Sapphire was angered with this, Diamond
understood a certain significance-- as one of the Family's last
surviving ancestors, I deserved respect and a degree of authority
of my own. However, to help placate Sapphire, I submitted myself
humbly as merely an advisor to Prince Diamond. That was all I needed
to get my task done.
  One member of the Black Moon Family interested me in particular:
a woman of no significance named Apusu. I felt great potential in
this woman, therefore I took it upon myself to take her as an
apprentice under my tutorage.
  The Black Crystal seems to get larger the more energy I give it.
(Incidentally, the energy used is that being given off as residue of
the Black Moon Family's war machine; they had not used so much magic
since the construction of the palace, I hear. Like other sources of
energy, magic apparently produces a waste product; fortunately, it is
quite undetectable to the untrained, and is easily recyclable,
considering the nature of the Black Crystal. However, this is a
meager amount of energy, but it should suffice for now.) Could be a
possible hindrance in terms of portability.
  I have noticed that Emerald seems interested in Prince Diamond.
That could be useful later on. She may not be stupid, but emotions
tend to destroy reason at the wrong times. Of course, unless I had a
hand in it.

July 23, 3112

  Apusu has far-surpassed my expectations! This young woman is
quite apt at magic, at a caliber that could potentially surpass the
power I possessed. Quite dangerous indeed, as Apusu proved to be
quite power-hungry and prone to treachery (as if that were any
surprise, considering she is a member of the Black Moon Family--
that's right, I don't consider myself a part of them, and with good
reason). I will have to test her at a later date.
  This regime of Diamond's might draw parallels to certain other
governments in Earth history where knives were hidden behind smiles.
However, there was very little bribery involved; most schemes
involved outright assassination and 'accidents' made through third-
party connections. The little bribery involved dealt mainly with
concessions and promises, which I suspect, more often than not, were
never kept.
  It's a wonder that the Black Moon Family doesn't destroy itself.

October 1, 3112

  I am quite disappointed. While the war machine continues to
perform admirably, Apusu has failed her test.
  The sorceress knew all about the importance and power of the
Black Crystal; it served as part of the test nicely. I 'accidentally'
left the Black Crystal with Apusu unattended, claiming an emergency
was going to take my attentions for the rest of the day. Apusu, in
her drive for power, tried to remove the Black Crystal from its
pedestal, but what she failed to realize was that I still had the
artifact in my possession; what my student had was a well-designed
replica.
  Apusu then confronted Prince Diamond with the Black Crystal,
wishing to overthrow him from his leadership. Diamond, of course,
took the threat quite seriously, but before Apusu could force her
hand I arrived.
  "I thought you had to take care of an emergency!" she screeched.
  "I did," I replied. "You are it."
  She tried to use the power of the Black Crystal against me, but
nothing happened, to the surprise of both Apusu and Diamond. I
laughed.
  "I am quite disappointed, Apusu," I said. "Your treacherous
nature and your power are far too dangerous for the well being of
the Black Moon Family. Therefore, you are hereby banished from
Nemesis."
  Ironic, it was, that I was banishing someone from the place I was
banished to. With my sorceries I sent Apusu away from Nemesis, to
reside within a drifting comet. I left her with all she needed--
her magic.
  You might wonder why I let her live; if, by some improbable
chance that the Black Moon Family should fail in its quest for
vengeance against Crystal Tokyo, Apusu would remain to finish the
job (most of all, I have a great possibility of failure, therefore
it is prudent to keep a backup, just in case). She deserved at least
as much. And, even if I never need Apusu, I can still eliminate her
with the powers of the Black Crystal behind me.
  In any case, the treacherous witch was out of my way for the
duration of my mission.

June 12, 3134

  The invasion has begun.
  Although I suspect Crystal Tokyo's Earth yet still suffered a
slower timeline than the rest of the universe; to them, only a
quarter as many years passed as happened on Nemesis. I doubt they
remember us.
  The initial attack was a complete success; Neo Queen Serenity,
as reported, was taken out in the initial attack, and she had
no time to use her Silver Crystal! However, four of the Sailor
Senshi, the only ones in the palace, erected a great force field,
preventing the Black Moon's forces from entering.
  Instead of killing the people of Crystal Tokyo outright, Prince
Diamond opted instead to put them to sleep (ironic, isn't it?);
Neo Queen Serenity was also hit by the same spell. Something tells
me that Diamond has some kind of ulterior motive.
  King Endymion was mortally wounded in the attack. The other
Sailor Senshi were nowhere to be found, but it appeared they were
not coming anytime soon.
  I took no direct part in the battle; as is my place as advisor I
remain at Prince Diamond's court only as such, not as a field
commander such as Rubeus or Sapphire. What little advice I gave them
was to make the battle swift; that they accomplished splendidly. Of
course, that was not all I busied myself with; I saw to it that all
the excess energies generated from the battle were channeled to the
Black Crystal directly; in only a span of hours the artifact had
grown by at least a magnitude of twenty, taking up the size of a
small room. It now rests in a specially crafted chamber I previously
suggested Diamond to construct; he was delighted at my foresight.
  However, even though we succeeded in most of our goals, the heir
to the throne, the young princess Usagi (Rubeus and the others
not-so-affectionately call her 'the Rabbit'), escaped! Divination
revealed that she was in possession of the Silver Crystal, and
that she was going back in time!
  Unthinkable! How DARE those wretches of Crystal Tokyo think of
changing the timeline?! The girl could have gone anywhere in time;
it was a wonder that I still existed!
  However, there was no other choice: someone must chase the Small
Lady Usagi through time and retrieve her; she couldn't possibly
have any idea what tampering with the timeline could do! (For that
matter, neither do I.) And, if possible, destroy the Silver Crystal
she carried with her.
  Prince Diamond left the task up to the four Sisters. I sincerely
hope those four ditzes do their job, but I'm not counting on it. If
they fail, I may have to intervene.

  (The journal of Kenji Shiromatsu ends abruptly at this critical
juncture. It was later recovered by an expedition from Crystal
Tokyo, who was there to dismantle the Nemesis war machine for the
future. Given to the hands of Neo Queen Serenity herself, only her
eyes have seen what was written within. The journal currently rests
in her private study, a constant reminder of the price of victory.)

                                        *  *  *  *  *

  The Death Force was just that: pure Death.
  It was pitch-black, but one could make out streams of energy
flowing throughout the... space. Death was everywhere, Death was
supreme.
  Except for the fact that Wiseman was there.
  Once again, Neo Queen Serenity, who was indeed Usagi Tsukino and
Sailor Moon, used the power of the Silver Crystal to eliminate him.
Only this time, she had the help of a SECOND Silver Crystal, one
from the past, and one from the present time. By all rights, the
Black Crystal should have overwhelmed the Silver Crystal! Even with
the infused Death Force the Black Crystal was no match for two
Silver Crystals.
  The fools, thought Wiseman, tampered with the timeline! The fool
Prince Diamond, almost destroyed time itself by smashing both Silver
Crystals together! The fool Sailor Pluto, killed herself in order to
stop him-- by stopping time itself! The Small Lady, formerly my
most powerful agent, changed time to defeat me!
  Of course, by all rights, the Black Crystal, antithesis of the
Silver Crystal, should have been destroyed, and I should have been
destroyed as well. However, there was something that wasn't in the
Ancients' texts, and something that two Silver Crystals could not
do: defeat Death. By all rights, long ago, I should have died along
with the rest of the initial residents of Nemesis, but force of will
alone, and the aid of Death, kept me going. I should have been laid
to rest, if only Sailor Pluto's time-warp had not interfered with my
body. Now, I have no need for a body; I have transcended. I am Death.
  As such, time has no meaning to Death. And, since Death is
the end of all things, it is also the 'afterlife.' It is where the
dead Sailor Pluto merged with the Death energy, where her memories
and thoughts were made available to me. A most interesting subject.
  Time is only a perception; Death has no perception of time. I
could keep track of how long it took to scour through all ten-
thousand-years-worth of memories, but no. I could will it to take
anything from an instant to a millennia, and I would still know the
same things.
  The Black Moon family suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands
of Neo Queen Serenity; instead of making the same mistake twice,
the whole of Nemesis' population was devastated after the war.
  All of them died-- Emerald, Rubeus, Sapphire, Diamond, the four
Sisters, legions of droids and Family. Emerald and the Sisters got
their just reward for their stupidities; Rubeus got what he deserved
for trying to flee Nemesis during a crisis; Sapphire was done in by
his own brother. Those Black Moon children-- how unpredictable they
were! Delicate manipulation was the only way to keep them in line,
but that didn't serve to keep Diamond in line in the end. The madman
deserved his fate. And, I was a fool to believe that I could
manipulate the daughter of Neo Queen Serenity to serve my cause;
her work was my undoing.
  I knew of the death of Apusu, which occurred not long after my own
defeat. As predicted, she arrived at Crystal Tokyo to wreak her
vengeance, but she failed in one respect: she tampered with the
time stream to the point where events, past and present, were in
collision with each other. Pathetic, that Diamond, Sapphire, Beryl,
Rubeus, Professor Tomo, and the rest had to die a second time. And
the Silver Millennium got sacked by Beryl for a second time (unlike
them, I was quite unaffected by Apusu's meddling). Of course, Apusu
was destroyed by her own plans; the Sailor Senshi came to Crystal
Tokyo from the past once again and destroyed her.
  And before Apusu's meddling, there was Sailor Pluto, who paid the
price for meddling with the timeline with her life. That in itself
should have been enough, but her death yielded far more than I could
ever have imagined. It will be her undoing, in more ways than one.
  If she wanted to play with the timeline, I can do it, too. There
was only one viable solution to the problem that Neo Queen Serenity
created, and that was to return where everything ended: June 30,
1999. With the Black Crystal in my possession, and armed with the
knowledge of what is to come, there must be a way to prevent it all.
Kenji Shiromatsu deserved to lead a normal life.
  With new determination, Wiseman's form, along with the Black
Crystal, disappeared from the Death Force space.
  After all, Death has no perception of time.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Author's Rant

  Before you bark about the fates of certain characters, keep in
mind the primary source was the original manga; the anime, as
always, is secondary to my works, then supplementals (such as
video games), then other fanfics (which is least likely to be used).
  This was an idea fermenting in my dark mind for quite some time;
after studying Sailor Moon for quite a while (that being because
certain elements within my familial unit wished to have answers that
simply weren't there), I've only come to like Wiseman as a character.
Now, that in itself is quite odd, for there's nothing to like about
the guy; he's lied and manipulated many people, ranging from the
Sailor Senshi to the Black Moon Family and then some (not to mention
that wiping out the universe isn't an admirable trait). Most people
I've spoken to can't say anything about Wiseman except how evil he
was. However, there's one question most people don't ask, one which
I believe the most important: why?
  Heck, most people didn't know that Wiseman was banished to
Nemesis; if I asked around most people would answer he was just...
there. And therefore, I have embarked upon uncharted territory, where
no other fanfic author dared to tread... into the heart of one 'cruel,
heartless, irredeemable bastard!' If it is true that I am the first
to do this, then I am the king of the world (uh, yeah, and here comes
the guys with the pretty white jacket, too).
  My reasoning behind why Wiseman was so superintelligent before he
became Wiseman: well, you can't GET smart without BEING smart in the
first place. After all, this is the guy who figured out who Sailor
Moon and her cronies were; this is the guy who figured out what
happened to the Silver Crystal; this is the guy who... never mind.
  It's obvious that Wiseman hates Crystal Tokyo and what it stands
for. His true goal was to wipe it off the face of the Earth, which
was something the Black Moon Family didn't want (they wanted to
CONQUER it, not destroy it). I tried my best to show how Wiseman was
wronged enough that destroying Crystal Tokyo was the only way-- he
lost too much to be bearable.
  An ancient Black Moon civilization is not implausible. It and the
Silver Moon civilizations are too intwined-- Black Crystal, Silver
Crystal; Black Moon, Silver Moon; when one falls, the other falls;
when one rises, so does the other. Two peas in a pod, good and evil
alike; one cannot exist without the other.
  A note about Apusu: she was the main villain in the Super Famicom
game, 'Sailor Moon: Another Story' RPG. Apusu came to destroy Crystal
Tokyo by ruining the past; her minions were warped mirror-images of
the five Inner Senshi, and a boy named Angel. Her plan was such that
dead villains returned to life for a second time, and events which
took place in the past were repeating themselves (such as the sack
of the Silver Millennium). Most villains up to the third season
reappeared in this game, with the exception of Ann, Emerald, Wiseman,
Metallia (Negaforce), and Master Pharaoh 90 (note that all three
of the Chaos Children up to that point remained dead; Zirconia had
yet to show up). The storyline follows the manga, but uses anime
visuals and characters. Monsters are made up of Dark Kingdom youma
(including the five D-Girls), cardians (??), Black Moon droids, and
Deathbuster daemons (but you still don't get to see the Daemon King).
Sailor Saturn was made grown-up again just for the span of the game.
Apusu's connection to the Black Moon Family is purely fan-made, but it
isn't inconceivable.

<!-- End File -->