La Reconquista - The Novel

[Memento]

Chapter 6

This chapter relates the events of the next scene, which includes the "Memory Duo" and "Line Up! Five Women of the White Moon" numbers. The chapter is a pretty faithful novelization of the scene as it unfolds in the actual musical, with only a few things worth noting:

1. We're treated to another flashback of the Four Heavenly Kings choosing which Sailor Guardian to attack/abduct. Apparently the others all wanted to abduct Ami, but then the usually silent Zoisite suddenly blurted out that he wanted her, surprising the others. Kunzite teased him, asking if blue girls were his type. Nephrite laughed at him for falling in love with her, as did Jadeite, and Zoisite half-heartedly denies it, but they agree to let him take Ami.

2. When Moon and the other Inners show up to protect Ami, the fight between them and the Four Heavenly Kings goes on a bit longer and is a bit more elaborate than it is in the actual musical, with Ami getting passed around among the Four Heavenly Kings and Jupiter head-butting Kunzite in the face.

3. When Venus shows up late to the fight, Moon and Mars chide her for being late and ask what took her so long. Venus said she was busy writing lyrics to an introduction song for them based on their introduction speeches, which she's entitled "Line Up! Five Women of the White Moon." Novel gets meta!

4. Whereas in the musical Zoisite and Ami just kind of awkwardly disappear between Sailor Moon's "Moon Tiara Flash!" and Kunzite/Nephrite/Jadeite's "Dark Reflection!", in the novel, the girls have more or less rescued Ami from the Four Heavenly Kings, when Ami, wanting to ask Zoisite a bunch of questions about his feelings for her and his motivations, walks up to and willingly goes off with him. Sailor Moon then attacks Kunzite with "Moon Princess Halation!" but she's not powerful enough to effectively use the attack. Kunzite/Nephrite/Jadeite then attack with "Dark Reflection!" Then, as they prepare to attack with "Dark Cyclone!" Tuxedo Mask shows up and stops them with "Tuxedo La Smoking Bomber!"

The chapter ends with Queen Beryl and Lemures Leader Barbar's arrival.

* * *

I loved the meta bit about Venus writing the introduction song, but...at the same time, at this point in the story, they don't know anything about the White Moon Kingdom, so her giving the song that title seems like a plot hole. Same with Sailor Moon using "Moon Princess Halation" before knowing anything about a Moon Princess, let alone that she's that princess. I know that this is just in the novelization and not in the musical itself, but if Japanese sources can make these kinds of mistakes, I think we should all be a bit more lenient about the old English dub occasionally have plot holes/inconsistencies.

* * *

Chapter 7

This chapter continues the scene, finishing with Queen Serenity's "Stairway to the Moon" number and the Inners teleporting to the moon. It's possibly the most faithful portion of the novel so far with really nothing of interest to point out or comment on.

 

[Memento]

Chapter 8

We find ourselves directly above the Arctic Ocean, at Point D. The sea is covered with ice floes, a black mist conceals a series of small islands, and an evil aura keeps people away. Deep underground, beneath one of the islands, is the castle of the Dark Kingdom, a castle with a strange appearance, like that of a huge monster, with a voice saying, "Thou shalt not draw nearer."

Inside this monster, all is dim and still.

[[I *think* the text is just being figurative, but I love the idea of the Dark Kingdom castle literally being a monster. Just imagine the Sailors battling a giant, sentient, evil castle!]]

Candlesticks hang on the wall of a spiral staircase that leads up from the main hall, illuminating the area. Kunzite, Jadeite, and Nephrite climb the staircase and gather in their chambers on the second floor.

Kunzite: "Damn... What is this feeling?"

Jadeite: "Why did Tuxedo Mask say Zoisite's name?"

Nephrite: "Are you saying Zoisite is betraying us? If so, it would be best not to let him and that girl meet..."

Kunzite: "Zoisite must elicit the whereabouts of the Silver Crystal from Ami; he's headed for the stone prison atop the castle now to talk to her on Queen Beryl's orders... What is more mysterious is that Tuxedo Mask completely lost his ability to fight us when we said our names."

Nephrite: "Indeed, that was certainly strange..."

Jadeite: "And just as strange... When Tuxedo Mask called out our names, we also lost the ability to fight for a moment."

Kunzite yelled out in frustration.

"When Tuxedo Mask called out my name, I felt something, like a dull pain in the back of my body resisting against something. Damn him!"

Jadeite: "Hey... Where did we come from...? I never thought about it before, but...I have no memories of the past..."

Kunzite and Nephrite looked at each other. They, too, had no memories of the past.

"Something is missing...... Something important..."

A bead of sweat appeared on Jadeite's forehead.

Shortly before this, Zoisite had reached the landing at the top of the spiral staircase. Ami was trapped there behind a heavy door.
"What kind of face do you want to show her?" he wondered. "This is all my fault. My indecisiveness is the cause of all this. I don't know how much she'll believe me, but I will tell her everything honestly. If I don't, I'd always regret it."
Ami lay on the floor, straining against the ropes that bound her body. Though she had tried over and over, she could not transform, for a spell had been placed on the room that barred her powers. As the door of the stone dungeon slowly opens with loud groan, streaks of light stretch into the dark room. Seeing the silhouette that appears before her, Ami's tension comes unraveled.
"Zoi..."
"Ami..."
Zoisite lacked the courage to face Ami. He crossed over to her and started untying the ropes. And, in a small, unexpectedly timid voice, he muttered, "I'm sorry." Suddenly he raises his head and looks into Ami's face, which was illuminated by a nearby torch. Her face was calm, and she was even smiling.
"Tell me... Did you do this to me?" she asked with no hint of accusation or resentment in her voice, only a clear desire to know the truth. Zoisite felt so happy, he started to cry. Again he realized: I love her.
"I was going to at first...but now it's different... I don't want to fight with you."
"I don't want to fight with you either, Zoi."
"My real name is Zoisite."
"Zoisite..."
Ami was surprised she could be calm in the presence of such a person as this, and that his coming to see her, no matter the purpose, would make her so happy. Ami was convinced: I love this person.
They begin talking about the strange feelings they'd had since first meeting at the game show. Then Ami asks, "Where am I?"

Meanwhile, Tuxedo Mask was waking up. He was in a bed in Queen Beryl's pavilion on the third floor of the Dark Kingdom's Castle. He has consciousness, but his body does not move at all. Unexpectedly, a fog envelops his body and drains his power and memory.
Then, the loud voice of a woman sounds in his ear: "Endymion... Are you awake...?"
When he moves his eyes in the direction of the voice, he finds himself staring at the figure of Queen Beryl, who in turn is admiring his profile. "Endymion..."
"Who is...Endymion?"
Queen Beryl holds his hand, turning his clothes into beautiful, shiny blue armor. She starts whispering an ancient story into his ear, a sad story born from ignorance and jealousy.
"Let's return to that happy day," she says with a mysterious smile.
Even though Tuxedo Mask wanted to ask more questions, no voice came out when he tried to speak. Then, in the next moment, a black aura erupted from Beryl's hands, and once again he lost consciousness. Tuxedo Mask's entire body was enveloped in smoke.
"Oh, this figure is the Prince of the Earth whom I loved, Endymion..." Queen Beryl sighed and rested her cheek against his chest.
And that abominable woman began to use magic to manipulate his memory.
"You are the reincarnation of Endymion, the prince of the ancient Earth... And I... I was the daughter of Earth's royal family. Since you were eight years old, and I was only seven, we would meet a few times a year with the arrangement of our parents. You were always really kind to me. Finally, our parents decided to arrange our marriage. There was a ball to celebrate our betrothal. I always wanted to dance with you, but whenever I saw you, you told me you didn't know how. Still, every day I waited, counting down until the day when I would become your wife... I was nineteen when you left. When you went to see the inhabitants of the Moon... the Queen of the Moon... the Princess of the Moon... Now has come the time for me to take my revenge..."

[[The rest of the chapter follows the end of the scene pretty faithfully, with Jadeite and company confronting Beryl with their questions, Beryl re-brainwashing them, and her conversation with Queen Metallia. The only differences are that, like in the manga, Queen Beryl wears a cape, and Metallia is behind heavy iron double door in the basement (which is as hot as an incinerator), which, when opened, floods the castle with a terrible odor. The novel also draws parallels between the Four Heavenly Kings' sworn loyalty to Beryl and Beryl's sworn loyalty to Metallia.]]

* * *

So yeah, some interesting stuff in this chapter. Ami and Zoisite's burgeoning relationship continues to get a bit more development. The new information about Beryl and Endymion (that she is, indeed, a member of Earth's royal family, the she and Endymion met when they were seven and eight, that their parents arranged their marriage, that she was nineteen at that point - meaning Endymion was twenty, that she always wanted to dance with him but he never wanted to) is super interesting, though it's possible (if not probable?) that Beryl is an unreliable narrator, so who knows how much of that is true.

 

[Neon Genesis]

I think this is probably the most character development we've gotten for Queen Beryl in any version of Sailor Moon, including the manga and PGSM. I wish we could have gotten these scenes included in the musical as I feel like they're actually kind of important and help explain a lot of important aspects of Beryl's character.

 

[Memento]

Chapter 9: Sailor Battle La Reconquista

This chapter recounts the remainder of Act 1: the Sailor Guardians' arrival on the Moon and meeting with Queen Serenity, Queen Beryl's continued manipulation of Endymion in the Dark Kingdom, and the show-stopping "Sailor Battle ~ La Reconquista" number. It's a pretty straightforward and faithful novelization of this part of the musical, so I'll just provide a condensed translation:

Sailor Moon, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus arrive on the moon.
They take in the landscape of Mare Serenitatis, which is full of various ruins.
Led by Jupiter, they approach the Crystal Tower, which stands petrified and mournful, like a grave marker for the wreckage of the Moon Castle.
"This was our home..."
A nostalgia sweeps over the girls, like a warm wind gently stroking their cheeks on the cold, bleak moon. Suddenly, the pedestal of the Crystal Tower starts to shine. They find a petrified sword stuck there.
When Sailor Moon touches the sword, Queen Serenity calls out to her to pull out the holy sword. Sailor Moon tries, but can't. Venus and Mars try to help but not even the three of them together can pull it out. Jupiter steps up and pulls it out with ease. In her hand, the sword becomes beautiful, lightweight, and finely decorated.
She hands the sword to Sailor Moon.
A golden light suddenly rises from the pedestal and Queen Serenity appears as a life-size, three-dimensional hologram. She's so beautiful, she takes everyone's breath away.
She explains to them how her body was destroyed, but she had been able to program the Eternity Main System to generate this hologram of herself using old computer records.
"Sailor Moon, I am your mother from your previous life, Queen Serenity, your predecessor as queen of the Silver Millennium. In your past life, you were Princess Serenity, and your guardian soldiers were always at your side. I, too, have watched over you from here, the Moon Castle."
She helps them remember back when the Moon Castle was beautiful, when they all lived in a dome full of wind and greenery, and Princess Serenity would sneak off to earth because she longed to feel real wind and see naturally growing plants, and how she found love there.

Meanwhile, Queen Beryl continues to tell her story to Tuxedo Mask as he sleeps, cursing the full moon which she sees through a skylight. She angrily questions how he could abandon her, his promised bride whom he'd known since childhood, to go fall in love with the princess of the moon.

Queen Serenity tells the Sailor Guardians they were all born on the moon and enjoyed longevity. Their mission was to watch over the earth, protect it from negative forces, and help it evolve in a positive direction, while also guarding the Silver Crystal.
Then, one day, Queen Beryl and her subordinates wanted the moon's holy stone.
"Why would they want to steal the moon's holy stone?" Jupiter muttered.
"Because the Silver Crystal has infinite power. A hideous demon tried to get that power..."
"A hideous demon? Mars asked.
"Yes, that demon that suddenly appeared during a meteor shower... That deformed creature tried not only to take the beautiful stars and the Earth, but also the sacred stone of the moon, which has infinite and mysterious power. Before that day, the Moon and the Earth peacefully coexisted..."
It was the day Endymion jilted Beryl and she was overcome with despair. Queen Metallia came to Earth during that meteor shower and advised/manipulated Beryl to raise a global army to protect the Earth and destroy the people of the moon. Metallia divided herself up and entered the bodies of the people of Earth. "Metallia is a terrifying demon who latches onto the weakness of one's heart and changes all life into darkness."

Queen Serenity explains that because she used the power of the Silver Crystal with a weak heart, she was unable to completely seal Metallia away. Now Metallia has revived, deep within the Earth, and brought about Beryl's resurrection, and only Princess Serenity can seal her away for good by using the Silver Crystal. Sailor Moon says she just wants to be a normal girl, and she's scared of fighting a monster like Metallia, but she'll do it to protect the universe and her loved ones.
Venus senses Sailor Moon's fears and insecurities about the battle ahead. She shares them, but she also agrees with Sailor Moon's willingness to fight no matter what. She and the others with fight to protect Sailor Moon. When they met her, their lives began to shine. Each was in solitude when they met her, and thanks to her friendship, they found their self worth for the first time.
Queen Serenity tells Sailor Moon she will find the Silver Crystal in her heart when the time comes. Her hologram then fades out and her will transfers to the Holy Sword, giving it an extra weight in Sailor Moon's hands.
Just as Sailor Moon and her friends reiterate their resolution to save the Earth and defeat Metallia, back in the Dark Kingdom, Endymion, now possessed, resolves to destroy them.

"The battle for the sacred Silver Crystal of the origin of the universe was about to begin."

End of Act 1.

 

[Neon Genesis]

It's too bad that even in the novelization of this musical, they always seem to cut out Makoto's pun about Usagi being the rabbit of the moon, which was always a favorite scene of mine in the manga. I find the part about Metalia latching onto people with weak hearts to be the most interesting because it reminds me a lot of the Xenian flower in the R movie.

 

[Memento]

Chapter 10

[[This chapter recounts the opening scene of Act 2, which is the extended past life / fall of Silver Millennium flashback and "Moon and Earth" number. It is the longest chapter in the novel. While it hits many of the same basic plot points of this scene in the musical, it also adds a lot of new things to flesh the story and characters out a bit more. Furthermore, it contains the first significant deviations from the plot of the musical, as you will see below.]]

[[DISCLAIMER: I'd just like to reiterate again that I don't know Japanese. I am attempting this "translation" by using on OCR to imperfectly rip the text from MissDream's scans of the novel, running that rendered text through several translation engines, and doing my best to work out the sometimes garbled result. I don't think my end result is too far off base, but please take this all with a grain of salt as I'm sure there are mistakes. I hope that, if the screenings of "Le Mouvement Final" are a success, we can perhaps persuade Kodansha USA, Viz, or some other company to publish an official translation of this novel. In the meantime, until someone fluent in Japanese offers up a better translation, my feeble attempt will have to do. Without further ado, onto the story...]]

--- It's the night of the ball celebrating the one year anniversary of the signing of the Friendship Treaty between the Moon and the Earth, and all the servants in the Moon Castle are hurrying about getting things ready.
--- Princess Serenity complains about having nothing to wear.
--- Mercury is in charge of Princess Serenity's appearance for the party. Jupiter is in charge of cooking the dinner. Venus is in charge of music selection and the post-banquet dance. Mars is in charge of security.
--- Though it's customary for the Four Guardians to always be in their battle uniforms, for tonight they've been allowed to don white dresses.
--- Queen Serenity shows up and tells the princess she's always shining no matter what she wears and Endymion will always think she looks cute.
--- They tease Mercury about Zoisite.
--- We learn that Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion met a year ago at the ball held the night of the signing ceremony. It was a coup de foudre (love at first sight) and Endymion was Princess Serenity's first love.
--- Prince Endymion was about to be crowned king. His parents (who ruled the West) had arranged for him to marry Queen Beryl, daughter of the royal family of the East, but he respectfully declined.
--- Ever since their first meeting, all Princess Serenity wanted to do was be with Endymion, so, though it was forbidden, she'd sneak off to Earth with Mercury as her escort/bodyguard. (She'd plead with Mercury, who was her closest friend, to go with her.) Venus and Queen Serenity were worried about these secret trips.
--- Endymion and Serenity liked to take walks through the palace gardens on Earth.
--- Mercury and Zoisite would meet during these rendezvous and discuss things like the cultural differences between the Earth and Moon. They found they had much in common with each other and during the third trip, Zoisite had declared his love for Mercury. Since then, they had been an official couple. The remaining Kings and Guardians became friends. Tonight at the ball, the Four Kings would visit the Moon for the first time. Mercury couldn't wait to see Zoisite.
--- Endymion and the Four Kings arrive at the palace. Princess Serenity is still in her underwear, so she panics, but the Queen tells her she has a wonderful dress all picked out for her. Princess Serenity tells her mom she loves her, gives Mercury a big hug, and then rushes off to get dressed.
--- Everyone else goes down to the great hall / ballroom to greet Endymion and the Four Kings, who are all dressed in splendid, navy blue military uniforms. The Four Kings are surprised to see the Sailor Guardians wearing dresses for the first time, instead of their own uniforms.
--- Endymion and Mars push Zoisite and Mercury together. They blush and get all shy and cute.
--- Queen Serenity descends the main staircase and greets Endymion. Then Princess Serenity comes racing down the stairs in her shiny new dress of spun silver. Endymion tells her she's never looked more beautiful. Venus signals the conductor and the orchestra, composed of around ten harpists and flutists, begin playing the beautiful and mysterious tune of that famous lunar masterpiece, "The Moon Waltz." The Queen invites everyone to relax, dance, and help themselves to some moon cocktails until dinner is ready. She goes to the kitchen to check on the food.
--- Princess Serenity takes Endymion's hand and they, along with Mercury & Zoisite, Kunzite & Venus, Jadeite & Mars, and Nephrite & Jupiter begin waltzing. Serenity tells Endymion his warmth makes her feel safe and gives her strength. The orchestra starts playing a new song, "Drop of the Moon," and the Senshi/Shitennou couples go off into the adjacent courtyard and lounge, leaving Serenity and Endymion to continue dancing alone.

--- Since it's their first time visiting the Moon, the Sailor Guardians decide to show the Four Heavenly Kings around. Venus escorts Kunzite to the most scenic and popular spot in the dome, the colonnaded observation deck on the top floor of the castle, from where they can see Earth off in the distance. Kunzite remarks, "It feels strange to look at the Earth from here..." "It's the star of our dreams," Venus responds. "Even if we searched the galaxy, we wouldn't find another star so beautiful. That's why it's the responsibility of us who live on the Moon to always watch over it and make sure nothing bad ever happens to the Earth." Kunzite grimaces, but when Venus asks if something's wrong, he tells her no.

--- Venus starts looking around and sees the Prince and Princess dancing, Mars and Jadeite talking in the lounge, Mercury and Zoisite having fun on the bank of a stream and miniature waterfall, and Nephrite and Jupiter walking through the courtyard, admiring all the beautiful flowers in bloom.
Venus: "Everyone's so well-matched... What about us?"
Kunzite: "Us? We're only together because there was nobody left."
Venus: "How rude! I'll have you know, I only paired up with you because you looked so pitiful all by yourself!"
Kunzite: "More like the other way around."
Venus: "I'm the guardian soldier of the star of beauty! You couldn't keep away from me!"
Kunzite: "I've already told you, noisy, ridiculous girls like you aren't my type."
Venus: "I know, but... Even if I'm not your type, we both know each other and we both happen to be leaders, so, if it's okay with you...let's see if we could make a good match."

--- After a long pause, Kunzite agrees, gentle laughter in his eyes. Venus likes his eyes. Though he'd been rude and brutish from the beginning, and she should have hated him from the bottom of her heart, she just couldn't. Every time they'd meet, they always wound up quarreling, but they enjoyed it. She was worried about what he thought of her at first, but she didn't care anymore.

--- Kunzite was proud of his job as Prince Endymion's vassal and protector, which got in the way of falling in love since he thought being in a relationship with a woman would be irresponsible as love would only serve as a dangerous distraction to his duties. But this self-awareness as a leader and loyalty to his master was what made him so attractive to Venus. He was the first man she'd met whom she could respect so much. Furthermore, she liked how he always looked at his companions with affection. Because of him, she too vowed loyalty to her princess and determined to be a great leader of the Guardian Soldiers. Kunzite, with a gentle look in his eyes, tells her: "You've grown as a leader since the first time we met." This encouragement means more to her than any words of love ever could.

--- Nephrite and Jupiter, meanwhile, are siting on a stone bench beside a flower bed in the courtyard, talking and having fun. Nephrite says the flowers smell wonderful and then he lies down and rests his head on Jupiter's lap. He asks if his head is too heavy and Jupiter smiles and tells him it's fine. Nephrite tells her he fell in love with her at first sight, but he's worried she doesn't feel the same way about him.
((The next bit came out quite garbled in all the translation engines I used, but I *think* the novel goes on to say Nephrite wasn't really Jupiter's type because he always spoke formally to everyone, acted nervously, was clumsy, and came off a bit cold, which made him her total opposite. But after meeting up with him several times, she realized he just acted shy/cautiously around women, and she decided he was kind of cute.))

--- He gives Jupiter a bouquet of sasanqua flowers. It's his first time giving a woman flowers and since he didn't know which kind to pick, he just chose his favorite. Jupiter looks down into Nephrite's embarrassed face and smiles. She's fallen in love with him now because he chose her favorite flower. "It's fate that we like the same flower." This makes Nephrite happy and he gets comfortable and falls asleep. Jupiter realizes that her purpose in life now is to fight for the guy, princess, and friends she loves, and she's not afraid to face any danger to protect them. (Venus had a similar epiphany.)

 

[Memento]

((continued))

--- Meanwhile, Mars and Jadeite are in the lounge bar on the mezzanine, drinking moon cocktails and having a fortune-telling competition. Jadeite excelled at the fortune-telling techniques of Earth's ancient world and was slightly familiar with Western astrology and reading tarot cards, but the last time Mars and the others came to Earth, he witnessed the magnificence of her astrology skills, so now he's trying to impress her by showing off oriental divination techniques.

--- The fortune-telling methods developed by the Shinto of Japan greatly pique Mars's interest, so Jadeite teaches her how to use ofuda scrolls and read someone's future using omikuji. She finds it fascinating and gets really enthusiastic about it.

--- Jadeite asks her to predict the future of the Prince and Princess's love and Mars stops smiling. She says she doesn't want to. Jadeite asks if she's scared to predict their future. He tells her he's tried to divine their future many times and always failed. She finally admits she's tried too, but could never bring herself to turn over the last card. They sit in awkward silence for a while until Jadeite mutters that they're both being superstitious due to God's law that moon-dwellers and earthlings not interact. Mars says that's why she'll support the Prince and Princess with all her heart. She's in awe of her princess's courage in defying old conventions for love. "She's a ground-breaking princess." Jadeite proudly declares the same is true of his prince. "They dare to break taboos and prove to the people of Earth that they're nothing but silly superstitions. They're sure to be happy, and everything will change. I don't have to rely on fortune-telling to know that. If things go well for those two, they'll go well for Zoisite and Mercury, and Nephrite and Jupiter, and our leaders, too. As for us... I don't want to be tied to one person. It's better to be free, right?"

--- Mars looks into Jadeite's eyes and tells him that neither she, Mercury, Jupiter, nor Venus will ever get married to the Four Heavenly Kings. "It's our mission to protect the Princess. We are the princesses of our respective planets, and we were each sent from our planets with this mission, to devote everything to her. That's our reason for living. The happiness of the Princess is our happiness. I'm a warrior before anything else... I want to be in love, but that wish will never be fulfilled. I'm sorry, Jadeite. You're my close friend and confidant, and that's the best relationship we can have. I have a lot of fun being with you. There are some girls who fall in love and get stronger, but I'd probably get weaker. Then I couldn't protect my Princess..." She spots Mercury and Zoisite over by the stream and watches them wistfully. "Mercury... She's gotten stronger by falling in love..."

--- Zoisite tells Mercury about what's been happening on Earth since they last saw each other. When Endymion and Princess Serenity first fell in love, the people of Earth were excited and showed favorable support for their romantic and epic love story, with only a few fearing the consequences of their breaking God's taboo. This was due to the overwhelming beauty of the Moon Princess and the longing for the people of the Moon's longevity, which gave a sort of hope and dream to the people of the Earth. However, the situation had changed completely since the massive meteor shower that had pummeled Earth a few months earlier. This was seen as an ominous warning sign, and rumors spread that an unprecedented catastrophic event would soon occur, so the number of people who opposed the marriage of the Moon Princess and the Earth's Prince greatly increased.

--- Zoisite doesn't know who the mastermind behind it all is yet, but someone is said to be gathering up an army of the opposed to try and attack the moon. They've been spreading rumors that the people of the Moon are trying to conquer the Earth and are using the beautiful Princess to deceive them. He doesn't know any specific details, so it might all just be baseless gossip, and therefore, to avoid causing unnecessary unrest, the Four Heavenly Kings have decided to not say anything to the people of the Moon about it. He wasn't even going to tell Mercury at first, but when he saw her face, he knew she would be able to calmly handle the news and he didn't want to keep anything from her. The news makes Mercury distraught.

--- Zoisite says that some humans are afraid of people who aren't like themselves and don't want to accept different cultures. He gives Mercury a tight embrace and tells her, "But Mercury, the people of the Moon are wonderful, and you're not only from the Moon. I've heard stories from you about Mercury, from Mars about Mars, from Jupiter about Jupiter, and from Venus about Venus... I've heard stories about the other peoples of the Solar System, each with their own cultures and each mutually accepting each other. They don't hate their differences; they feel they are wonderfully beautiful."

--- Mercury asks if Prince Endymion knows about this and he says they haven't told him yet. He tells her not to worry about it. "When we return to Earth, we will definitely convince everyone this has all just been a grave misunderstanding. I just wish I could blame the Earth's natural disasters on something else... But please... Don't come to Earth for a while. Tell the Princess that as well... Yes, for the time being...I can't see you. But it's okay. Even though we'll be apart, I'll think about you every day." He hugs her, she tries to smile, and they gently kiss.

--- A short time later the banquet is in full swing. Everyone's seated around a beautiful round table made of crystal. There's an atmosphere of fun and laughter without a hint of imminent crisis. Mercury tries to enjoy the party but she's too concerned about what Zoisite told her. She tries to talk to Princess Serenity about it, but she can't get her away from Prince Endymion. She decides to go to the Princess's bedroom and tell her about the situation later.

 

[Memento]

((continued))

((SIGNIFICANT PLOT DEVIATION ALERT!!!))

--- When the banquet is over, Kunzite assembles the Four Heavenly Kings in a private chamber. Jadeite and Nephrite ask him what's wrong. He tells them that Queen Beryl is the one instigating the civil unrest on Earth and planning to attack the Moon. "Queen Beryl? The daughter of the royal family? No way. A woman who isn't even 20 years old, the mastermind behind all this...?" They can scarcely believe it. Jadeite says she must have gone amok when the Prince dumped her. Nephrite thinks it's a pity Endymion called off their engagement. Zoisite says she's always been a quiet person, but perhaps something's caused her to change.

--- Kunzite tells them, "There's a possibility the rebel army is already headed towards the Moon... They want to kill the Queen and Princess, destroy the Moon Kingdom, and get the Silver Crystal." Just then, they hear a commotion outside the castle. Kunzite orders Zoisite to go tell the Prince what's happening.

--- The noise gets louder and louder... They learn there are about 100 Earth people outside, far out-numbering themselves, Prince Endymion, and the Four Guardian Soldiers, who, in the all-female society of the Moon, are the only ones who can fight properly. Kunzite bravely tells Nephrite and Jadeite, "I will protect my master, Prince Endymion, even if it costs me my life. That is our mission..."

--- "How brave..." a strange voice echoes from behind them. They turn around and are surprised to see Queen Beryl wearing battle armor. Her appearance has changed from that of the lovely, 19 year old royal daughter to that of a pale, wild-eyed, insane creature. Kunzite, Jadeite, and Nephrite reach for their swords, but Beryl envelops them in a dark aura. They fall to the ground and Beryl cackles. "This is the power Queen Metallia has bestowed upon me... From now on, you will be my faithful servants... Your mission is to protect me..." They slowly rise and salute her.

--- Meanwhile, Endymion and the Inners are race into the main hall. Mercury cries out, "The rebel army from Earth is attacking! Everyone, transform!" They raise their hands in the air and call out their transformation phrases, but nothing happens. Something is interfering with their powers. Mars and Jupiter recall the ancient sword and the four Inners rush off to get it. The Queen and Princess come running down from upstairs. Zoisite tells them what's happening and assures them he and the others will handle things. Endymion tells Princess Serenity not to worry. "I will protect you, even if it costs me my life."

--- Venus runs back in holding the ancient sword, followed by the others, and they surround the Queen and Princess. Other female attendants also take up daggers and gather round to protect them. "Because you don't have to fight, as soon as there's a chance, take Serenity and the Princess and escape to the temple," Mercury orders the servants. Queen Serenity powerfully instructs everyone to calm down. "The Crystal Gate is not so easily stormed." Zoisite adds, "We, the Four Heavenly Kings, shall surely protect you." Endymion asks if Queen Beryl is truly the commander of the rebel army. Zoisite begins to answer when Queen Beryl herself slowly emerges from the shadows of one of the pillars in the hall.

--- "Endymion... The people of the Moon are trying to take over our beautiful planet, Earth. The Moon is a sickly yellow star always watching us... Get the Silver Crystal and destroy it!" She informs them her army is at the castle gate, the situation is futile, and they should just surrender.

--- Kunzite, Jadeite, and Nephrite appear, draw their swords, and point the blades at Endymion. He, Zoisite, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars can't believe their eyes.
"What's wrong with you?" shouts Zoisite.
"Kunzite..." Venus whispers sorrowfully.
"These people are my loyal servants," Beryl tells them.
"What did you do to our friends?" Zoisite shouts, trembling with rage. "Endymion, please give me a sword."
"Only Serenity and the Princess are our enemies," say Jadeite and Nephrite as they step forward.
"Please, step aside. I don't want to hurt you, Endymion, dear..." says Queen Beryl.
"I won't let you lay one finger on them," Endymion says in a dignified voice.
"Endymion," says the Princess.
"Don't worry... I'll protect you, even if it costs me my life," repeats the Prince. He aims the tip of his sword at Beryl.

--- Kunzite jumps forward, raising his sword. Venus jumps forward, too, and blocks his sword with her own. "Please... Wake up, Kunzite!"

--- Nephrite lunges at Jupiter: "I am your opponent!" She stares into his eyes and sees he's been brainwashed. As they scuffle, Jupiter facing off against Nephrite's sword with only her bare hands, she tells him: "Nephrite, stop this... I'll keep fending off your attacks until I can't move anymore. Please, look into my eyes... I don't want to fight with you..."

--- "I'll undo your brainwashing!" Mars shouts at Jadeite. "Akuryo taisan! Akyuryo taisan! Akuryo taisan!" Was it destiny that she now had to use the spell she'd learned from Jadeite against him? "You can't beat me wearing that dress!" Jadeite taunts her. He swipes at her with his sword, slashing her shoulder and staining her dress red with blood.

--- Meanwhile, Mercury is on the stairs, ordering the servants to take Serenity and the Princess to the temple. They try to evacuate them, but Princess Serenity stubbornly refuses to go. "Take my mother; I'm going to stay here!" They follow her orders and bring the Queen upstairs. "Princess!" she shouts, her voice quivering with apprehension.

--- Outside the castle, the sound of the rebellion grows even louder. "The Crystal Gate may have been breached... Zoisite, Mercury, go protect it! Talk to the rebels. Try and stop them from attacking," Endymion commands. Mercury hesitates. "I'll be okay. Go help Zoisite. Hurry!" Princess Serenity tells her. As Mercury and Zoisite rush off, she prays to the Moon for their safety.

--- Princess Serenity says she doesn't want Beryl or anyone else to get hurt / suffer because of her. "Nobody is evil... There are no enemies in this place... Let's protect each other... Stop this fighting, stop this conflict. Everyone! Stop it!" she screams. Her voice reverberates throughout the hall and momentarily stops everyone from moving. As they start to regain their motility, the Princess desperately thinks about what she can do now.

 

[Memento]

((conclusion))

--- Mercury comes staggering back into the hall. Endymion asks what happened to Zoisite. Mercury bites her quivering lip and everyone can tell what happened just by looking at her. Perhaps he had become a human shield to protect Mercury from the rioting mob...

--- Princess Serenity gazes at Mercury. Mercury's first love was... She kneels down before Queen Beryl and pleads: "You've taken away the hopes and dreams of my precious friends... Stop this already! Please... End this battle!"

"It's no use begging for mercy... All you do is cause death!" Queen Beryl cries, swinging her sword at the Princess. At that moment, Endymion races forward and embraces Princess Serenity. Beryl's sword pierces Endymion's back. "Princess..." he murmurs as he collapses, dead. Blood flows from his wound, dyeing the pure white marble floor crimson.

--- Time seems to stop. The Princess cannot believe that what just happened was real. Everyone else is stunned, too. Even Queen Beryl and Kunzite stand still, trembling. The Princess's screams echo in the frozen silence. The Inners stare at the figure of their Princess, who seems completely defeated by sorrow. Princess Serenity slowly moves Endymion's hand and grabs his sword. Then, before anyone can stop her, she plunges the sword through her chest and slowly collapses onto Endymion's dead body. Mercury and the other Guardians pass out from shock. And so the destiny of the Earth and Moon reached an unexpected end...

--- Sailor Moon and the Inners have been watching this all unfold like a movie on their way back to Earth from the Moon. Still trapped in her stone prison, Mercury's memories were also awakening in her sleep.

--- Queen Serenity's voice comes to them like narration: "...I felt that a tragic love had ended, a star-crossed love that would have united the Moon and the Earth, but which was not meant to be... After that, dark clouds suddenly descended and the horrible voice of that demon, Metallia, echoed over us and turned the Moon Castle and our shining kingdom to stone, reducing the Moon to a star of death. I decided then that I must release the power of the Moon's holy stone, the Silver Crystal, and seal that demon away...

"I release the light of the Moon, the sacred power of the Silver Crystal! O Holy Light, seal away the evil one!" A spectacular beam of silver light envelops Metallia, who dies in agony.

"After a fierce battlle, I finally managed to seal away Metallia, but in my sorrow over the loss of my child, the seal was incomplete... I used the last of my power to unleash the souls of the Princess, Prince Endymion, the Four Guardian Soldiers, and the Four Heavenly Kings, and send them to the future. I entrust the future to all of you..."

--- Usagi wakes up in her bed, not knowing exactly how she'd returned to Earth. At the same time, Rei, Makoto, and Minako awake in their own beds, each with distinct recollections of their past life.

--- Ami awakens in her cold stone dungeon. She sees Zoisite, who has been watching over her.
"Ami... I'm glad you're awake."
"Zoisite... I remember now... You and I were lovers long ago..."
Zoisite is surprised by Ami's unexpected words. She sees the incredulous expression on his face. "It may be hard to believe, but...will you listen?"
"Of course."
While holding his hands, Ami slowly starts telling Zoisite about the memory of the past she had just seen...

((end of chapter))

* * * * * * * * * * * *

So yeah. There is a LOT of stuff in this chapter to talk about. I love the little world-building details about the Moon Castle and things like moon cocktails and the "Moon Waltz" being a famous lunar masterpiece. I love that Mercury is Princess Serenity's closest friend. I love that each of the Inners has a specific duty for the banquet/ball. I like how we get more development for Kunzite & Venus and Mars & Jadeite. Nephrite's favorite flower being sasanquas too, and that being what makes Jupiter fall in love with him, is cute, but they're still the least developed pairing. Jadeite teaching Mars about Shinto fortune-telling and "Akuryo taisan" is an interesting choice, but I think some people might not like it. I like that Zoisite and Mercury are more explicitly a couple, and I love the little scene of them that was added at the end of the chapter. I also think the changes to when/how Kunzite, Jadeite, and Nephrite fall under Beryl's thrall, and how Zoisite dies, are a huge improvement from the musical. I also like that we get a bit more context as to why the people of the Earth get so worked up about Endymion and Serenity's relationship (i.e. that they think it's the cause of the devastating meteor shower and other natural disasters). I enjoyed Zoisite's speech about how Earth people have a problem with prejudice, and I loved how this novel gave us probably the most explicit confirmation that there are civilizations on the other planets of the Solar System. I also thought the confirmation that the Moon is an all-female society, while not surprising, was a nice touch.

Overall I feel like this chapter added so much to the story. It's a shame the musical couldn't have followed this version of the plot. Maybe if it gets a revival one day? I also wish the other musicals could get novelizations. Heck, I'd kill for Naoko to team up with this guy and put out a novelization of the manga!

 

[Seira Hazuki]

I think this is the most detail we’ve gotten about the Silver Millennium... ever? I’m not a fan of the SenxShi pairings but at least they feel well developed and better characterized than what we got from Crystal.

I’m surprised this seems to be the franchise’s only foray into the light novel medium. I would love this level of world building with some of the other lore in the series.

 

[Memento]

Chapter 11

This chapter faithfully recounts the brief scene of Rei, Minako, and Makoto's meeting up at the temple and discussing their plan to keep Usagi safe by going off and fighting the enemy without her. Nothing notable to report.

Chapter 12 (Part 1)

In the great hall of the Dark Kingdom, the Empire of Darkness deep below the Arctic Ocean, the wedding ceremony of Queen Beryl and Endymion was about to take place. Or, to be more precise, between Queen Beryl and Tuxedo Mask, whom she had completely brainwashed into becoming Endymion. His face was expressionless, his eyes dull and slowly blinking. Bells began ringing as Queen Beryl, dressed in a black wedding dress, her cheeks flushed, nestled close to Endymion as they stood before a church-like altar. Queen Beryl was happy. Next to her now was the former Prince Endymion and nothing could go wrong.
Those in attendance were the Four Heavenly Kings, the Lemures Barbar, and the other Lemures. Queen Beryl was so happy to see the quiet faces of about twenty guests, she began crying tears of joy. She was so grateful to be with her beloved at long last, conquering time and space and their cruel fate. Today's Queen Beryl was nervous, and her usual aura of darkness and evil had been supplanted by the aura of a maiden in love. At the bride's side, Lemures Barbar was embarrassed and confused about her role as priest. Beryl had planned the whole ceremony without her, and she a bit flustered about the whole thing.
When the bells finished ringing, the bride whispered, embarrassedly, into Barbar's ear:
"Barbar... Am I beautiful?"
Barber responded, "Of course. You are more beautiful than anyone else today." And she wasn't just flattering her; it was the truth. Queen Beryl was glowing, as if she were full of life, and was now at her most beautiful.
"All right... Come now, Barbar; it's time for the vows," Queen Beryl said in a lively voice.
"Prince Endymion, do you take Beryl as your wife, and swear to love her for all your life?"
A moment passed, and then Endymion answered, in a monotone, "I swear."
"And Queen Beryl, do you take Prince Endymion as your husband, and swear to love him for all your life?"
"I swear!"
"Congratulations! Here, take this cup, and let us celebrate the two of you with a toast."

Everyone begins cheering and applauding the happy couple. The Four Heavenly Kings escort the bridge and groom to the grand ballroom, where Kunzite has arranged a celebratory dance party. Gorgeous music begins playing and, while Beryl and Endymion dance with each other, the Four Kings dance with the Lemures. After the music dies down, they all partake in an extravagant banquet. Later on, when Barbar begins singing karaoke, Zoisite quietly slips away to the tower prison, having already planned to help Ami escape during the confusion of the reception. He frees her and tells her how to escape, but he can't go with her yet. He hopes that they will be able to solve the mystery of their past lives, convince the other Kings of the truth, and keep Metalia from getting the Silver Crystal. He and Ami embrace, kiss, and then she hurries down an emergency staircase and out of the castle, to where she can transform and escape, though she can't shake the uneasy feeling she has.

As Zoisite descends the stairs, he runs into the other Kings. Kunzite runs his sword through Zoisite's abdomen, killing him. With his dying breath, Zoisite whispers Ami's name, praying for her safety. Smoke envelops his body, and when it clears away, only an egg-sized chunk of blue-violet zoisite is left. Kunzite picks it up. Jadeite and Nephrite discover Ami has escaped, but, given the extreme cold of the Arctic Ocean, Kunzite isn't worried that she will get far. They return to the great hall where they find Queen Beryl sitting on her throne, drinking and relaxing. Kunzite informs her of Zoisite's betrayal and hands her the gemstone, which she then presents to Endymion. He looks at it silently and then puts it in his breast pocket.

* * *

Outside of the castle, Ami manages to transform. She flies overhead, scanning the area with her goggles, and confirms that her current position is Point D, at 72 degrees north latitude. Suddenly, her goggles' radar detects something coming toward her at breakneck speed from Point C. Through the veil of heavy black mist that envelops the Arctic, she's able to make out three small shadows. It's Mars, Venus, and Jupiter, of course, and the four friends have a warm reunion. There's no time to waste, however, so Mercury quickly shows them the way into the Dark Kingdom...

Meanwhile, the wedding reception is coming to an end as Barbar reads her closing remarks.
"With one kiss, your love will be sealed for eternity."
Endymion slowly lifts Beryl's bridal veil and brings her shyly blushing face closer to his. Just then, they are interrupted by a loud noise, the sound of something getting closer and closer. Kunzite and Barbar sense it's the Sailor Guardians. Endymion is curious to see them in action and leaves to find a good vantage point(?). Beryl shakes with anger but Barbar soothes her, saying, "This might be the best entertainment yet." Kunzite, Jadeite, Nephrite, Barbar, and the Lemures assume their positions. Beryl grabs her staff. They wait with bated breath, ready to do battle, when the Inners come crashing through the skylight!
Kunzite draws his sword and they're all about to start fighting when Sailor Moon herself comes jumping through the broken skylight. She and Ami are happy to see each other and hug. Venus and Mars begin chastizing Sailor Moon for showing up and putting herself in danger, etc. Eventually they relent and decide to fight together. "Let's get this wrapped up quickly so we can go home and eat sweets!" says Venus.

Sailor Moon had hoped to be able to talk with Queen Beryl as equals now that her past life memories had returned. "I didn't come here to fight you... You're Queen Beryl. In ancient times, you were the daughter of the Earth's royal family."
"Oh-ho-ho... So you remember me, do you? Yes, I was the one you robbed of Endymion. The one your mother burned. I am the specter risen from those ashes, Queen Beryl."
"Queen Beryl... You were the daughter of royalty.... Why did you sell your soul to that demon?"
"Because I wanted this Earth. Metallia told me that if I found the Silver Crystal for her, she would let me rule the Earth. Now, give me the Silver Crystal! If you won't hand it over, I'll take it by brute force!"
"You're being used by Metallia! Queen Beryl, I'm not here to fight you! Let's talk..."
"Don't make me laugh! My long-standing grudge against you will only be placated with your life."
Venus cried out to Kunzite: "Wake up, Kunzite! Do you all want to repeat the same mistakes you made before?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Nephrite, we've been together since ancient times," Jupiter cried. "My heart wants to be with you again in the here and now!"
"You're trying to manipulate the people of Earth," Nephrite declared coldly.
"Jadeite, listen to me - your master is Prince Endymion!" Mars yelled.
"Quit making noise. Our master is Queen Beryl!" he returned.
"It seems that we can't get through to them with just our words. I don't want to fight against you, but... We'll make them wake up!" said Venus.
"Zoisite... Where is he?" Mercury asked Kunzite.
"He was a traitor who let you escape. We slew him. As he called your name, he became a stone."
"Zoisite..." Ami began trembling, and tears came to her eyes.
"There's no choice anymore but to fight." The color of Sailor Moon's eyes changed. "Queen Beryl, where is Tuxedo Mask?"
"Oh-ho-ho... Are you getting angry? Well, hand over the Silver Crystal. If you do that, then I'll let you see Tuxedo Mask..." Queen Beryl said triumphantly.
"Even if I had it, I would never give it to you!"

And so the battle begins. Mercury blasts the Lemures with her "Aqua Mirage" maneuver. Jupiter attacks Nephrite with "Jupiter Thunderbolt!" while Mars uses "Burning Mandala!" on Jadeite. They don't really want to hurt them, however. "We have to remind them why they've been reborn!" she says. "And of the fun days we used to have, too!" adds Jupiter.
Meanwhile, Venus and Kunzite engage in some hand-to-hand combat. "You're this close to my face, and you still can't remember me? I don't believe this! Don't you think I'm good-looking?" she screams as she kicks Kunzite. "Receive the divine punishment of my love! Rolling Heart Vibration!"
Sailor Moon tries to keep up with Queen Beryl while kicking off the attacking Lemures. Beryl raises her staff and calls out, "DARK POWER MAGNA!" At the same time, Sailor Moon summons the Holy Sword to her hands and calls out "MOON PRINCESS FLASH!" Queen Beryl hides behind Barbar, who takes the full brunt of the attack and perishes.

* * * * *

((Some interesting little differences here so far, like Moon using the sword instead of the Moon Stick for "Moon Princess Flash". I would have loved to see Mercury flying around and using her goggles in the musical, but I get that that would have been impractical. Same with the Inners crashing through the skylight. That would be EPIC to watch. I do wish they had made that black wedding dress for Beryl, though.))

 

[Memento]

Chapter 12 (Part 2)

--- Sailor Moon and the Inners declare that the battle is over and tell Queen Beryl to return Tuxedo Mask to them. Beryl taunts them, saying the fight's not over yet and that Tuxedo Mask is dead. Sailor Moon doesn't believe her. Beryl goes on to inform them that their great ruler, Queen Metallia, has used her power to revive Endymion as the Dark Kingdom's ultimate warrior. The candlelight illuminating the hall flickers and from the shadows of one of the stone pillars emerges Tuxedo Mask.

--- He attacks the Inners, leaving Sailor Moon stunned. He calls out to her and she begins to approach him. Mercury warns her to be careful. "He's not the Tuxedo Mask we once knew anymore!" But Sailor Moon doesn't heed her warning. She walks up to him and embraces him. Just when she thinks they're about to kiss, Tuxedo Mask grabs her by the throat. His powerful grip tightens as he lifts her off the ground. She drops the Holy Sword. The Inners call out to her but Tuxedo Mask blasts them again. As he continues to strangle Sailor Moon, he demands she give him the Silver Crystal. Beryl cackles triumphantly from the sidelines. "How does it feel to be betrayed by your love! How does it feel to die by his hands!"

--- As she begins losing consciousness, Sailor Moon painfully chokes out the words, "I can't die yet... Not until I get him back... I just want to save the one I love... If it costs me my life to return him to his senses... I won't regret it." A giant teardrop forms in her eye. Then, as it rolls down her cheek, it begins emiting a brilliant silver light. The glare is so painfully intense that Tuxedo Mask lets go of Sailor Moon and races down the stairs away from her.
"What is that light?" ask Queen Beryl and Kunzite.
The Inners look on in surprise. "That light..." Mars says with conviction.
Sailor Moon stares, stunned, at the shining light as she holds it in her hands. There it becomes a jewel-like crystal, about five centimeters in diameter.
"Sailor Moon's tear... It crystallized and is glowing!" observes Mercury.
"No way... It's..." says Jupiter.
"The Silver Crystal," cries Venus.

* * *

--- Sailor Moon looks down at the beautiful, glowing crystal in her hands and realizes that it is indeed the Silver Crystal. Its dazzling light fades and Tuxedo Mask begins approaching her again, asking her to hand over the crystal. Jupiter and Mars urge her not to and Tuxedo Mask blasts them again. Venus cries out, "Hurry! Get the sword, Sailor Moon!" Sailor Moon picks up the sword with trembling hands. "You're another person, aren't you? Do I really have to fight you? I can't... I can't..." "That's right, you can't. You have neither the power nor the courage," Tuxedo Masks says with a cold smile as he draws his own sword. Queen Beryl looks on, excited.

--- Kunzite blasts the Inners with dark energy but they continue to cheer on Sailor Moon. Still, Sailor Moon doesn't want to fight Tuxedo Mask. Holding the Silver Crystal in one hand and the Holy Sword in the other, she narrowly avoids Tuxedo Mask's sword. Ultimately he corners her. "Playtime is over, Sailor Moon." He blasts her with "DARK POWER!" She deflects the attack with the Holy Sword, but the intense evil energy scorches the blade.

--- All Sailor Moon wants to do is save Tuxedo Mask, but she doesn't know how. Suddenly she remembers what Mamoru had told her earlier (during the "Wish" number). Drawing strength from his words, Sailor Moon plunges the Holy Sword into Tuxedo Mask's chest. As he starts to crumple, Sailor Moon catches him, kisses his cheek, and whispers into his ear, "I love you... You're the only one I've ever fallen in love with. If we're reborn, I'll definitely find you. We'll fall in love again..." Tuxedo Mask tries to mumble something, but he collapses/dies before he can get the words out. Usagi then stabs herself with the Holy Sword and her body slumps over Tuxedo Mask's corpse. The Inners are shocked. "Is it fate that we're repeating this tragedy?" asks Mars. "Once again we couldn't protect her!" yells Venus. "Usagi!" Mercury and Jupiter cry out.

--- The Inners had believed the tragedy from the past would not repeat itself. They couldn't help but blame themselves for what had just happened. They were overcome with regret and everything seemed to lose all meaning for them. "The light of hope has disappeared... We cannot complete our mission... Our precious princess..."

--- As they look at Tuxedo Mask's dead body, Jadeite, Nephrite, and Kunzite suddenly recall everything about their past lives in a flash, and they begin crying over the loss of their master, Endymion. Now freed from Beryl's spell and returned to their senses, they remember how Queen Serenity had used the Silver Crystal so they would be reborn in the present, and how Beryl had brainwashed them before their past life memories could be regained. They stand overcome with regret that they have once again lost their prince ("We were reincarnated to protect him. If he dies, what was the point?"), and that they had killed Zoisite. Furthermore, seeing the Inners crying over the loss of their beloved princess, the (Three) Kings wonder, "How can we apologize to the Four Guardian Soldiers who are crying right before our eyes?"

--- Jadeite runs over to Tuxedo Mask's corpse, followed by Nephrite, and they kneel beside it. "Prince Endymion... We're sorry..." Witnessing this display, the Inners appear surprised. "Jadeite... Are you back?" Mars asks. He nods emphatically while crying. "Nephrite...?" Jupiter asks before happily throwing her arms around his shoulders. "Jupiter..." he cries, hugging her back.

--- Venus stares at Kunzite, who's simply standing still. "I'm disqualified from being the leader," he says. "We both are," Venus replies. "We weren't reborn to face such a moment as this..." Then, to Mercury's surprise, Kunzite suddenly apologizes to her, but she can't quite bring herself to respond just yet.

--- Just then, the earth starts to shake. The floor and pillars begin to collapse and crumble, and a strange, black mass appears. A hideous voice calls out from underground: "Queen Beryl... What are you doing..."
"That voice... It's Metallia!" Kunzite cries out.
"Metallia?!" the Inners repeat. A huge, strange, black mass, a deformed life-form, emerges. Everyone starts trembling in the presence of such tremendous evil energy.
"This is...our greatest enemy...!" Venus gasps.

 

[Memento]

Chapter 12 (Part 3)

--- At long last, Queen Beryl speaks. "Queen Metallia..." She had revived her beloved Prince Endymion and had the wedding she'd always dreamed of, but in the blink of an eye her happiness had vanished. "...Again... Again you're leaving me behind... Endymion..." For her, now that he was gone, neither the Earth nor the Silver Crystal had any meaning.

--- She speaks to Metallia as if pleading with God. "Queen Metallia... What shall I do...?" The wicked demon answers, "...As soon as I have the Silver Crystal...I may be able to revive your beloved...After all...I was sealed deep underground...I couldn't even go outside...But after absorbing the light of the Silver Crystal...I've become free...The power to revive...Such power...That light...Steal the Silver Crystal...Let its power be completely released...You and I...will be invincible..."

--- "It's the only way... That's right... I must get it... Where is it, where is it?" Queen Beryl, a look of madness in her eyes, stumbles towards Sailor Moon's corpse. Kunzite restrains her. "Queen Beryl, aren't you satisfied yet? Once again my master and the Princess of the Moon have been kept from each other... What more do you want?"

--- Queen Beryl's heart was weak and all her resistance was gone. As she stares at the two dead bodies lying on top of each other in front of her, she thinks, "I wonder what it would take to put a happy look on my face... No matter how many times I try, I can never separate those two... Why... Why is it that now, even as I look at their faces, I can't even bring myself to feel anger anymore?"

--- Queen Beryl remembers the first time she saw "the princess who came from the moon." Seeing her soothed her heart. "That's right... I was longing for the Princess of the Moon..." Large teardrops come to her eyes and she breaks down. Kunzite, surprised, lets go of her.
"What are you doing...Queen Beryl...?" comes Metallia's fierce voice. "Get me the Silver Crystal..."
"Queen Metallia... I can't do it... I can't do any of this anymore..." Beryl answers through her tears. "Is it my fate that my soul wander the universe...struggling and suffering all over again? I just want to sleep peacefully now... So... No more..." At that moment, a tremendous noise reverberates as dark energy envelops her. For a moment, a scream is heard, and Queen Beryl is fully swallowed up by the darkness. Both Kunzite and Venus, who were staring transfixed as this unfolded, were the last to see Queen Beryl's face, and she seemed to finally be smiling.

--- "Metallia..." Kunzite draws his sword. Nephrite and Jadeite get up. "Do not follow me!" he barks at them.
"Kunzite..." says Venus.
"Venus, at least let me make one sacrifice with this sword for him. Nephrite, Jadeite... You can protect them. I won't let Metallia get any bigger... Prince Endymion, please forgive me. Hereafter, I will always be by your side." With that said, Kunzite leapt into the darkness.

--- However, Metallia continues to grow. She forms two, thick black arms that stretch out towards Sailor Moon's corpse, trying to get at the Silver Crystal. The Inners face off against the giant arms, which attack them furiously until Nephrite and Jadeite jump in front of them and slash at the arms with their swords. "Nephrite!" "Jadeite!" shout Jupiter and Mars.
"We'll go inside of Metallia and attack her from within," Nephrite says. "Jupiter, you have to defend your Princess!"
"Mars, don't give up until the end!"
Nephrite and Jadeite continue swinging their swords at Metallia's arms. They run to the gaping hole in the floor, point their swords down at Metallia, and jump into the abyss. A terrible roar sounds from deep underground and one of the arms begins to shrink. For a moment, the Inners begin to think Metallia will be defeated, but then she begins to cackle.
"Do you think you can beat me... Sailor Guardians... I have no use for insignificant pests like you... I will swallow up everything, including the corpse of your princess... I will release the power of the Silver Crystal in my body..." That said, the floor began to shake and make a loud, eerie groaning sound. The next moment, the entire floor collapsed, and the red and black body of Metallia rose up.
"Let's do it," Jupiter says, standing up. Venus, Mars, and Mercury also stand.

--- Combining their remaining power, the Inners scream "SAILOR PLANET ATTACK!!!" at the top of their longs and try to split Metallia's body in half. However, Metallia simply absorbs their energy and grows even bigger. She attacks the Inners, blowing them away. "Sailor Moon!!" they cry out, but their grief-filled voices are drowned out by Metallia's roar...

[end of chapter 12]

* * * * *

Another chapter filled with interesting tidbits (e.g. the Silver Crystal being five centimeters in diameter) and deviations from the musical (such as the little added Senshi/Shitennou moments). I have to say I am vastly preferring the novel's version of the story to the actual musical, and I'd kill for a feature film version that could do it justice.

Beryl's death is perhaps the largest deviation from the musical in this chapter, and I must say I find it much more tragic and effective. But let's talk about that Beryl/Serenity thing. Now, the novel isn't exactly explicit about it, but is it just me, or does it seem to heavily suggest that Beryl was also in love with Princess Serenity? Now, don't get me wrong. I'm all for Bisexual!Beryl because I hardcore ship her and Pluto but does EVERYONE in this series have to be in love with Serenity/Usagi/Sailor Moon? She's amazing, she's beautiful, she's inspiring, WE GET IT ALREADY.

(The passage in question, in case anyone's interested in translating it for themselves:
クイン・ベリルは思い出した。はじめて月から来たプリンセスを見て、心ときめかせていた自分を……。そうだ……私はこの月のプリンセスに……ずっと憧れていたのだ……)

 

[Memento]

Chapter 13 (Part 1)

Mercury awoke and realized she was in darkness. "Where am I?"
The silence and the darkness... Probably she had been flung into some sub-space by Metallia's tremendous power.
Severe pain shot through her body... "I can't move my body...but at least I'm still alive," she thought.
"Everyone! ...Can you hear me?..." Mercury strained her voice as she prayed for everyone's safety. Then, after a while, a small voice answered.
"Mercury...I hear you..." It was Jupiter's voice.
"Everyone... Are you okay? ...What about Mars?" It was Venus's voice.
"Somehow...I'm alive..." It was Mars's voice.
"Everyone..." Assured of everyone's safety, Mercury's voice trembled.
"What about Sailor Moon?" asked Jupiter.
"...Maybe she was swallowed by Metallia.... Everything's over now..." Mars cried out, her voice trembling.
"Not Sailor Moon..." Jupiter responded to Mars's crying voice.
"It's all right.... Sailor Moon hasn't died yet," Mercury could not help but saying that, even though she had no basis to.
After a while, Venus's voice broke the silence: "...Everyone, listen... Please, don't give up... I think I know what we can do..." The others were encouraged by her determined voice.
"We don't have enough power to contain Metallia, but... If we use our sacred powers, the power of our guardian stars..." Everyone knew that Venus's words meant their death. It was the only way, to release their life energy. And yet, listening to what Venus was saying, Mercury did not feel any fear at all. If there was the slightest hope, she would try her best.
"Venus... You mean...sacrificing our lives... Of course," Mars said once and for all. "Let's do it."
"I'm ready," Mercury and Jupiter responded firmly.
The four Guardian Soldiers stood up, enduring the pain that permeated their bodies. They could not see each other in the dark, but they were all headed for one hope. All of their hearts became one.
"Venus Power!"
"Jupiter Power!"
"Mars Power!"
"Mercury Power!"
Out from their fingertips, the power of their guardian stars flowed forth in waves.
"MAKE UP!!"
At that moment, a sharp pain, unlike any they'd ever before experienced, ran through them. Then their energy was released from their fingertips in the form of beams of light - red, blue, green, and yellow - which merged into one beacon. The beacon roared as it penetrated the darkness, and the four girls hoped it would reach their princess. As they watched the light take off, their transformations came undone. Slowly, they all collapsed.

* * *

Sailor Moon, swallowed up inside of Metallia, was having a dream.
Her first time meeting Ami... Meeting Rei... Meeting Makoto... And meeting Sailor V, who was Minako... And after that, the five of them hanging out every day... At the amusement park...the Game Center...the coffee shop...the cake shop...... School life..... Days off..... After school..... The five of them, always together.....
These nostalgic days of the five of them in their school uniforms, not their battle clothes, ran through her mind... "Even though I'm a stupid, selfish crybaby," Usagi thought, "my dear friends always comfort me..... The four of them are coming toward me with smiles on their faces... Somehow, my body is getting warmer...."
Inside Metallia, Sailor Moon was enveloped by the beacon of four-colored light. And, as soon as the light was absorbed into her body, she woke up.
"Where...? Where am I...? It's so dark here... Am I dreaming? ...I'm alive... I...... I'm still alive..." Sailor Moon slowly got up and touched her chest. "There's no wound... I know I stabbed myself... It wasn't a dream." The evidence was Tuxedo Mask's lifeless body beside her. "Tuxedo Mask... Mamo... I'm the only one who survived... I'm the only one... Everyone, where are you? Ami! Rei! Mako! Minako!" Suddenly full of fear, Sailor Moon cried out everyone's name.
"...Sailor Moon..." she heard a faint voice call out.
"Ami? Where...?"
"Sailor Moon... Good... You revived..." It was Mako.
"Sailor Moon... We sent you all the power of our guardian stars."
"......Jeez...... Minako!" It was Rei's voice. "......Sailor Moon...... You're inside of Metallia now...... Release the power of the Silver Crystal...... Fight......"
"Rei, that's impossible! I can't fight on my own!"
"Believe us...... You can do it...... Because we all live......inside of you......"
"Ami! I can't do it! It's all meaningless if you guys are dead!"
Sailor Moon's eyes brimmed with huge tears.
Rei... "I will continue to encourage you."
Minako... "I will keep watching over you."
Mako... "Do you feel it?"
"Our..." Ami's voice was cut off at the end, like a lullaby gently fading out.
"Ami! Rei! Minako! Mako! Please, don't leave me!!" At that moment, Sailor Moon felt something like a deep cut inside her. "Everyone's life......has disappeared...... AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

 

[Seira Hazuki]

I’ve always liked the idea of Beryl being secretly in love with Princess Serenity. Yes, there’s a lot of people in love with Usagi/Sailor Moon/Princess Serenity (it’s a shoujo trope) but it’s interesting because of how Queen Beryl seems particularly obsessed with the Princess...

I’m not a fan at how abruptly it’s introduced in the novel, but I’m happy an official Sailor Moon media made this somewhat canon.

 

[Memento]

Chapter 13 (Part 2)

Inside Metallia, Sailor Moon's voice cried out in vain. As if in response to her, a hideous voice, sounding almost human, began to seep out from everywhere in the darkness. It was a voice that seemed to embody all of human hatred.
"...I'll curse you... ...I hate you... I hate you... Kill! Kill! Kill!! ......"
Sailor Moon unconsciously blocked her ears from listening to Metalia's malicious, booming voice.
"...Heh-heh-heh...... So, you're still breathing...... Sailor Moon...." said the hideous voice that had been revived from the bottom of the abyss of despair.
Sailor Moon immediately realized it was her ultimate enemy, Metallia, speaking to her.
"You're... Metallia!"
"...Can you hear? ...The voice of humans who are full of hatred... What beautiful, dark hearts..."
"What do you want?"
"Heh-heh-heh... My desire is for this planet to become a whirlpool of death..."
"...Such a horrible wish..."
"Heh-heh-heh... Do you think I can't do it? I will devour all the life energy on Earth...convert it into darkness...and that darkness...will attack humans... Hell... Ghouls... Beasts... Carnage... Jealousy and hatred in the hearts of humans... As long as there are hearts full of desire, I will tap into them... Once I've done that, the human race will go about fighting senselessly... Queen Beryl... What a pathetic woman... To have loved only one man... And in the end, she lost herself to her desires..."
"That's how you manipulated Queen Beryl back in ancient times, and how you drove the Moon to ruin!" Sailor Moon desperately confronted Metallia, trembling with fear in the dark.
"Yes... But this time, in order to get this earth... I have to be more free... Although it has become possible for me to move this far... the seal over me has not yet been completely removed... In order to change all human minds to darkness... I need the power of your Silver Crystal... If... I could absorb that invincible energy... I could transform everything into darkness... In the blink of an eye, the Earth would become a star of death... No... Not only that... I could also control all the stars of the Solar System... Heh-heh-heh... Now... Now release the power of the Silver Crystal inside me!"
The Silver Crystal! Sailor Moon was absolutely dumbfounded when she heard those words. Yes, she certainly remembered that her tears had become the Silver Crystal. However, no matter how much she looked around for it, she couldn't find it anywhere.
"Well... Princess of the Moon... The game is on! ...If you want to defeat me... Release the true power of the Silver Crystal here... There's only one way to seal me again... And I... I will absorb that power... There is no way to escape it... Which one will win... The darkness....or the light...? It's a game... Sailor Moon..."
"But how... How can I release its true power?" Sailor Moon was at a loss. The Silver Crystal had disappeared. "What should I do? ...Mamo... Everyone's gone... Serenity... Lend me power..."
As Sailor Moon dropped to her knees, discouraged, she heard a voice call out:
"...Sailor Moon...."
"Tuxedo Mask!"
Tuxedo Mask was holding his aching chest as he sat up. From his chest pocket, he took out the shards of a shattered gem. They were the shards of the stone Zoisite had turned into. That jewel in his chest pocket had received the blow from Sailor Moon's sword.
"Zoisite......"
A miracle had happened.
"Mamo..."
"Usagi..."
His voice was back to its usual kind and gentle tone.
"You're okay... Mamo... You're okay..."
For Sailor Moon, there was no power needed to change despair into hope. The two embraced each other firmly in the dark.
"Mamo... I'm sorry..."
Tuxedo Mask shook his head, dismissing Sailor Moon's apology. "You did well. You stabbed me without hesitating. You did what you thought was right."
"At that time... I heard your voice...telling me to believe in myself..."
Bursting into tears, she could not speak anymore.
"Where on earth are we...?"
"Inside of Metalia..."
As Sailor Moon said this, the noise became deafening again, and the terrible voice of Metalia echoed forth. "...Hurry up and release the Silver Crystal! ...Which one will win...!"
"Metallia!" Tuxedo Mask muttered.
"...Hurry up...!"
At the sound of Metallia's voice, a beam of terrifying evil energy struck Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask. Sailor Moon seemed about to be blown away, so Tuxedo Mask shielded her with his cloak.
"Don't worry! I'll shield you!"
"Mamo, it's no use! I don't know what to do! I don't know how to release its true power! And the Silver Crystal is gone!"
"Don't give up! The Silver Crystal can't be lost. It's always in you. Believe in yourself. It all depends on your heart!"
"It all depends on my heart..." thought Sailor Moon. "That's what Serenity said, too, but how..."
Crouched down behind his cloak, Tuxedo Mask continued encouraging Sailor Moon.
"Just be your usual cheerful self! I have confidence in you. Our friends are surely cheering you on, too!
"...Everyone... ...their lives for me..."
"In that case, don't let that be in vain! Our friends are watching over you. You have all the power you need! If that's not enough, I'll concentrate my energy, too. I'll protect you with my life!"
That said, Tuxedo Mask tightly embraced Sailor Moon and poured all of his healing power into her. Sailor Moon grew warm and her expression softened.
"When you hold me in your arms, you always comfort me... When you wrap your arms around me, I always find the strength I need... I feel the power of your love..."

 

[Memento]

I’ve always liked the idea of Beryl being secretly in love with Princess Serenity. Yes, there’s a lot of people in love with Usagi/Sailor Moon/Princess Serenity (it’s a shoujo trope) but it’s interesting because of how Queen Beryl seems particularly obsessed with the Princess...

I’m not a fan at how abruptly it’s introduced in the novel, but I’m happy an official Sailor Moon media made this somewhat canon.

I haven't anything against the idea of Beryl/Princess Serenity, but, shoujo trope or not, I'm just sick of everyone and their grandmother being in love with Usagi and/or Mamoru. And, like you said, it's very abruptly introduced. There's zero foreshadowing and we're just told out of nowhere that Beryl suddenly remembers that, oh yeah, she maybe had a crush on her. If we'd gotten an actual flashback scene, I'd be more into it. After the trouble the novel took to flesh out the Moon Kingdom and the Senshi/Shitennou pairings, this detail just felt so lackluster and disappointing.

Anyway, I am intrigued by Metallia's line in the portion of chapter 13 I just posted: "Queen Beryl... What a pathetic woman... To have loved only one man..." Does that mean Metallia has herself had multiple lovers? Who might they have been? Death Phantom? Pharaoh 90?

 

[Memento]

Chapter 13 (Part 3)

"The power is coming! I can't lose!" Sailor Moon thought. "I want to be strong! No, I will be strong! I'll show you!!"
At the top of her lungs, Sailor Moon shouted out, "Be strong, be strong, be strong, be strong!!!! I won't lose!!"
Sailor Moon stood up against her invisible enemy, Metallia. At that moment, as if responding to her strong emotions, the Holy Sword, which lay at her side, began to shine.
"Sailor Moon! The Holy Sword!"
Sailor Moon picked up the brilliantly shining Holy Sword. There was writing on it! She read aloud the words that were emblazoned on the blade of the sword:
"...This sword will shine when the Queen of the Moon, inside of whom the Silver Crystal is hidden, uses her heart. Dedicate your prayers to the Holy Sword and awaken the great power of the moon!"
"Sailor Moon! Believe! Believe in your own power!"
Nodding in agreement with Tuxedo Mask's words, Sailor Moon held the Holy Sword up high.
"Please! My inner power! Wake up!!"
The Holy Sword glowed even more brightly, and the Silver Crystal appeared on its tip.
"My inner power, the Silver Crystal! Release all your power!"
The Silver Crystal, floating atop the sword's tip, opened up like a giant lotus flower, and shone a dazzling light up to the sky.
"Oh... You're releasing it... What a strong light... It's getting stronger... Release all the power! I'll devour it and everything else along with it!" Metallia sounded wild.
"No! Metallia! You 're nothing but dust and darkness! For love and justice, I am the pretty, sailor-suited guardian, Sailor Moon, and with the power of the Silver Crystal, I will seal you away!"
"Try your best! ... I'll swallow up everything!"
"In the name of the Moon, I'll punish you!"
The flood of light from the Silver Crystal collided with Metallia's black aura with a boom. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask barely withstood the intense aftershock. As the battle between light and darkness raged on, darkness gradually surpassed the light. A huge black aura swallowed up the light of the Silver Crystal, gradually weakening it, and the jet black darkness spread out.
"I can't even budge her... It's no use... She's swallowing up the light..."
Sailor Moon was already nearly out of power.
"I've won...!" came Metallia's triumphant voice.
"Sailor Moon, all is not lost! Pray harder!"
Tuxedo Mask was holding up Sailor Moon, who was about to collapse.
"Mamo... I can't do it... I have no power left..."
The light of the shining Silver Crystal was almost lost, and once again they were engulfed in darkness. Sailor Moon's consciousness slowly slipped away.
And then the Moon, which previously had not been visible, shone through the darkness.
The Moon! ...With the power of prayer... The light of the Moon... The light of the Moon!
"...Please!!"
As she prayed with all her might, the brightness of the Moon gradually increased. And in her ears, Sailor Moon heard the voices of her friends.
"Unleash the great power of the Silver Crystal within you."
Mercury...
"There's a greater power deep inside you."
Mars...
"Believe and pray without doubt."
"We'll also pray together with you."
Jupiter... Venus...
Sailor Moon's eyes shone in the dark.
"I will win!"
"Awaken the power of the Great Moon! Let the power of the Great Moon be released!"
Sailor Moon followed her friends' advice and prayed as hard as she could to the Moon which shone in the dark. Then, the Silver Crystal began to shine in the sky again. The powerful rhythm of her prayer penetrated through space and reached the Moon. At that very moment, a miracle happened. The Crystal Tower of the Moon Kingdom, which had until now been a ruin, regained its radiance and became colossal in accordance with this powerful rhythm. The power of Sailor Moon's Silver Crystal reawakened the power of the Moon. The power of the Great Moon was released --- the power of the liberated Moon was amplified and directed back towards the Earth, which was covered with dark mist.
"This white light is..." Tuxedo Mask looked at the Moon, which glowed so much more brightly now. This white light was the true glow of the Moon.
At that moment, the space inside of Metallia was also getting brighter.
Metallia's wild voice sounded:
"Aah! This light! ...This is the true light of the Moon. ...The awesome power I was searching for... I'll swallow everything! ...With this power... I am completely free!!!"
Metallia's noise maximized as the dark power trying to consume the light increased. But instead, the holy light of the Moon easily absorbed the wicked darkness.
"Ugh... I can't reach... What power! ...My body... My body is...being pulled apart... AAAAAHHH!!!" Metallia screamed.
"Now! Sailor Moon!!"
Along with Tuxedo Mask's voice, Sailor Moon soared.
"Go away! With the power of this holy light!!"
The true power of the Moon, released from Sailor Moon's Holy Sword, tore Metallia to shreds.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"
In a terrific halation, the enemy that did not seem to belong to this world fell and dissipated. The evil black mist that had covered Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon vanished, and they returned to the great hall that looked up at the sky full of stars. The strong light vanished and the Moon returned to its usual soft, enveloping light.

 

[Memento]

Chapter 13 (Part 4)

Tuxedo Mask caught the collapsing Sailor Moon, who had used up all her power.

*With this delicate body, you've often fought with courage...*

Embracing her body, Tuxedo Mask softly kissed her. Sailor Moon's eyes slowly opened.

"...Mamo..."

"Usagi..."

"Mamo!!!"

They embraced each other tightly.

"Usagi... I've always wanted to hold you like this."

"Mamo... We were born to be together," Sailor Moon said with a smile.

"Usagi... Well done."

"I have you and the others to thank, Mamo... Everyone's voice..."

Saying that, Sailor Moon was at a loss for words. *My beloved friends are gone...*

"...Yes... Everyone... is..."

Sailor Moon clenched her teeth and fought back her tears. *We've been separated...*

Through her tears, Sailor Moon continued, "Everyone is... in here..." and put her hand over her heart. Tuxedo Mask looked at her. Just then, an unexpected voice came from behind them.

"Unfortunately for you, I'm still here. There isn't enough room in there for us anyway."

Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon turned around in surprise and saw Rei, Ami, Makoto, and Minako standing there, smiling.

"Usagi! ...We were revived with the power of the Silver Crystal!" said Ami. The others nodded.

"...You guys..." Sailor Moon's voice quivered.

"Sailor Moon!!!" The four girls' voices sounded bright.

"You guys!!!" Sailor Moon cried out loudest of all, and she ran at full speed to her friends.

Sailor Moon could no longer fight back her tears, and she burst out crying. Everyone hugged and wept. When she was certain they weren't all just illusions, Sailor Moon said, "I thought I'd never see you again!" and the Four Guardian Soldiers looked at her as they all clung to each other.

*Protecting her is our mission,* they thought, *so we can't die so easily.*

"Let's all go back home now. Together. Back home to where we belong," said Minako, and everyone nodded with a smile.

The light of the Moon gently poured over the Sailor Guardians. And, from the sky, Serenity's voice, as well as beautiful music, was heard:

"...You've done well... Thanks to all of you, the Silver Millennium has been restored... Thank you... And do not forget, Princess, that the Silver Crystal is inside you. And do not forget, Princess, that you are a Sailor Guardian of love and justice. And one more thing... Don't forget that you're a normal girl. You were born here again so that you could be happy. That has always been the wish of your mother, who is here for you..."

[end of chapter 13]

 

[Memento]

EPILOG

"Mamo! Hurry up!"

It was early the next morning, and Usagi and Mamoru were in the park with a ball and glove.

"Don't run so fast. You'll fall! Playing catch in the morning... You'll be late for school!"
"Just for a little bit, please, please, please?!"
"What's up with you?"
"Hey, listen, Mamo..." Mamoru's expression softened at the unprecedented serious tone in Usagi's voice. "I... I somehow feel like I can throw it straight today."

Mamoru understood what Usagi meant and took her hand. Though playing catch and growing as a person shouldn't have had any connection whatsoever, it seemed Usagi was stuck on this metaphor.

"Okay, okay. Just for a little bit, then. And I have a practice test today," Mamoru said, kneeling down and putting on his mitt.
"Let's go, come on!"
"Calm down!"

Usagi took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and calmed herself. Then she slowly opened her eyes, squinted, and threw a fast ball at Mamoru's mitt.
ZOOM!
The ball, unlike the last time they'd played, struck right in the middle. Mamoru's palm was sore. Usagi jumped about joyfully.

"I did it! STRIKE!"
"! ...Usa... Amazing! ..."

Mamoru's stunned face turned into a smile. "Huh... You can do it after all!" ......It seems the connection between playing catch and growing as a person runs deep.


"As usual, I'm fine in the morning."
From the other side of the park, Rei appeared, wearing her school uniform.
"Good morning, Rei!"
"Good morning. Morning, Mamoru."
"Good morning," replied Mamoru.
Behind Rei, Ami, Makoto, and Minako also appeared.
"Good morning, everyone!"
"Good morning, Usagi!"
Everyone greeted each other.
"I'm so tired! School should be closed the day after we have a battle!" Minako complained.
"Hey, guys, look! My ball! I can pitch a fast ball straight and hit Mamo's glove dead center!"
"We don't have time for that," Rei said.
"But it's really awesome! I could only throw misses before, but today I got a strike! Look at how I've grown! Please, you guys?!"
"Is that true, Mamoru?" Makoto asked curiously.
"Yeah, it's true."
"Usagi, please show me!" said Ami.
"Thanks Ami! I'll just throw one ball. Mamo, crouch down."
"Well, come on then!" Mamoru got into position. "Okay! Ready?"
Usagi spun her arm around and around and around before throwing the ball, which flew off in the wrong direction.
"Huh? ...I guess I'm just...as clumsy as before..."
"Jeez... And after all that build up..." Mamoru sighed.
"Mamo!"
"Don't be a brat. Go sit down on the bench there!"
"Aahhh! Everyone, help me! I don't want Mamo to scold to me!"
Usagi quickly hid behind Makoto.
"You're too hard on her, Mamoru," Makoto laughed.
"But I'm jealous she has someone to scold her," Ami said.
"You're right... Oh, I want a boyfriend!" Minako said.
"I wonder if there's someone out there like Mamoru," Rei muttered.
Usagi popped out from behind Makoto, said, "Not anywhere!", and hid again.
Everyone laughed.
"I'm taking off now!" Mamoru, embarrassed, started running.
"I'll come with you!" Usagi waved her hands as she chased after him.

While watching the two of them run off, Ami suddenly thought of Zoisite. Perhaps Minako also thought of Kunzite, Makoto of Nephrite, and Rei of Jadeite. But, if they did, they all kept those thoughts in their hearts, not saying them aloud...
Usagi stopped chasing Mamoru and came running back.
When she saw Usagi's happy smile, Ami felt a strong happiness. *As long as you have that smile, we don't need anything.*

FINIS

* * * * *

And that's it for the novel. It's a really great book and I really enjoyed reading it. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I really hope we get a proper, official translation some day, as well as a film adaptation or a future production of the stage musical that incorporates a lot of the scenes from the novel. It's a shame the other musicals don't have novelizations, and it's a shame that those novelizations of the anime Tokyopop put out back in the day weren't as well-written and detailed as this book was. That epilog scene was really sweet, and even though the Shitennou are still dead, at least it's clear the girls haven't completely forgotten about them. If only the director of the musicals had been put in charge of Crystal...