carminacumulo | But watching you stand alone all of my doubt suddenly goes away

But watching you stand alone all of my doubt suddenly goes away

Every breath, every hour has come to this

(( I apologize again for the delay. Normally I'm quicker and can usually tag a couple times a day or so, but I wanted to do a little canon refresh and had to brainstorm. There's plenty of room to change, subtract, or add things as we go, so feel free to do so. You can also add me on discord at carmina.cumulo any time so we can plot. I'm aiming for something long-term that we can build their romance with, and include them as Princess/Prince, as remaining Sailor Guardians, and/or later move them onto the throne while waiting for Usagi and Mamoru to reincarnate and come of age.

I aimed to make a plot with a big-bad that is a major threat, isn't too much like the other things we've seen, but also isn't cataclysmic--but it could be if we decide the story needs it to be.

I'll also take some liberties with the starter and assume that at this point in time, Helios swaps between Chibiusa, Maiden, or Small Lady depending on the situation. There is a magnetism there, but nothing official yet.

Click to read plot idea.

Just so you have an idea of how to react and what to do, the loose outline is there is a dead planet that, after the destruction of its native solar system, has been traveling through the cosmos towards Earth. However, the planet--and its guardian sailor scout--doesn't realize it perished in the star's collapse, too. It thinks it's the sole survivor, and isn't allowing the civilian crystals to return to the Galactic Cauldron. The Sailor Crystal doesn't realize it is the one stopping the civilian crystals from returning because it's siphoning the energy from them to stay alive. She was a very loyal Guardian, and is basically a zombie/lich Sailor Guardian.

The crystal only thinks it's sick/injured, and the planet's people will die if it doesn't get help. This dead sailor crystal's planet is somehow traveling through space, heading for the Silver Crystal because the Sailor Guardian knew of the miracles it can perform. It wants Usagi to heal itself of whatever is ailing it and the people of the planet. It refuses to die, and is stealing life force from any source it gets near just so it can hold on long enough to make it to Earth.

There is also a final surprise about what's going on outside the palace right now, and I can tell you if you want! It does tie into why Usagi's Guardians are missing, and why Usagi and Helios are so drained, but Chibiusa and the Quartet are not.

))

[ Neptune and Uranus had been the first ones to notice a disturbance, and quietly departed to do as duty dictated. A few years passed before they returned, but only barely so, and shortly before their return, Pluto had been found inside the palace, collapsed by the Door of Space and Time.

It was almost as if their return had heralded the beginning, as where life had been leisurely and time passed unnoticed before, everything began happening all at once. Neptune and Uranus had barely recovered before leaving once more. Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Venus were close at their heels to help, but Luna and Artemis had lost communication with them some weeks ago.

On the edge of the solar system, a dark planet--much like Nemesis--loomed. It hugged the edge of the Kuiper belt, quietly clinging to the Sun's gravitational field.

Then came the black-out. Endymion was the next to collapse, and was placed to recover, encased in crystal, next to Pluto. Helios stayed by his side, ever dutiful in keeping the planet and Endymion alive.

At last came the shockwaves from outside the palace. Violent attempts to break through the Silver Crystal's barrier that shook the foundations. Walls cracked and rubble fell, carving craters in smooth marble and quartz floors. The stone lost its warm luster, and it was hard to tell if the sounds outside were coming from gales and storms, or a singular voice, wailing in desperation. Or a chorus of voices.

People were now banging at the palace gates, clawing at the walls and barrier, and trying to shatter the windows. Every so often, larger blasts of energy would rattle the ground again and sent some of the bodies of civilians flying in every direction. So far, only cracks had been managed by the rabble, but only because Usagi was straining to focus all of her energy into keeping the barrier active with help from Helios.

Helios had closed the gap to yank Chibiusa out of the way as a collapsing pillar fell right for her, pulling her into his chest to hold tightly to. His chin set gently atop her head, perhaps in an affectionate gesture, but the priest was pale and exhausted, himself, and was mostly leaning against her. She was warm and soft, but steadfast in his arms. She smelled so sweetly, even with everything crumbling around them, that he could almost believe he'd fallen into a dream to have her so close.

The Quartet hovered close by, nervous and alert. They wanted to stay near Usagi to help give her strength, but weren't keen on just standing here and waiting to see if whatever it was could actually break into the palace or not. They had breathed a sigh of relief when Helios protected the Princess, but that small reprieve was short-lived with the next shockwave rocking the palace walls again. ]

Chibiusa, Elysion is slowly being consumed. Her Majesty and I cannot hold the barrier forever.

Do you have Pluto's key, still?

[ His words were softly spoken to try and hide the tired tremble of his voice. It would have been so easy to close his eyes and give in to the exhaustion that gnawed at his bones, but here next to Chibiusa, it was a little easier to hold on to what he was fighting for. ]

Edited 2025-03-24 06:33 (UTC)

[Chibiusa had wanted to help her mother, the others, anything she could do behind the palace walls. but suddenly things were starting to get scary, especially when the people of Crystal Tokyo were clamoring at the gates. before she had managed to make it to the Queen, the pillar came crashing down upon her.

and then she was warm. Helios had come to her aid. and, as capable as Small Lady believed she was, she could not help but feel the desire to be babied, from time to time. or rescued. that was romantic, right?

how silly, thinking of thoughts like this when everyone was in danger. she opens her mouth to thank him, first and foremost, but her words are cut off by his question. the... the Time Key? surely Helios wasn't thinking of...!]

I-I... do...

[she hesitates to answer, fearing what Helios wants to do with something like Pluto's key. but they don't have a lot of options right now, and Chibiusa has run out of ideas. the barrier is falling! she looks from Helios to her mother, swallowing thickly, her brows creasing with worry]

[ It was a shared trait between himself and Endymion, that drive to protect and nurture.

He nodded slowly in response, though to what was uncertain.

One of the Quartet chimed in, brows furrowed with surprise and indignation as she protested leaving the Queen unprotected to travel back in time. The other three remained glued in place, poised halfway between helping the Queen or running to the gates. Her protests were pontificated by reminding them that Pluto was still unconscious with the King, leaving the realm more dangerous than it already was. ]

It is dangerous--

[ His brows furrowed, his legs shook underneath him, and his breathing came in labored and heavy pants. Moment by moment, the light of Elysion slipped further and further away into nothing, draining what precious little resources he had to lend.

But it was through Elysion he heard a familiar voice. ]

But.

We can find the missing scouts before this being arrives. Her Majesty needs their help as much as Chibiusa needs ours.

[ As another shockwave shook the palace, Helios' arms tightened around her, better to brace them against the rumbling and shaking. He slumped more weight against her again once it passed, but still managed to at least stay on his own two feet. ]

But we have to hurry..Elysion is being devoured by this being. I can't stop it from slipping away.

[ There was no more sun in the sky; it had long since been eclipsed by whatever had encroached on the planet, leaving Earth shrouded in a dark miasma. Across the planet, more and more humans fell by the moment, draining what precious little resources were left to the Golden Crystal that sustained Endymion and the Priest. ]

Chibiusa..

We must go back in time.

[ The warmth of his cheeks had faded to a labored pallor, his eyelids hung heavy and his head drooped, having precious little left to even hold himself up.

The Quartet looked to the Princess to make the final decision to stay and fight, or to go back in time. ]

Edited (Oh my god html is beating my ass) 2025-03-28 05:54 (UTC)

[it is up to her? well, Chibiusa is not about to let everyone down. she had gone back in time before, and things had worked out. she'd left her mother and father in stasis, and had been able to return to them unharmed. if they stayed here, there was a possible chance that they would fall, too, and not just Endymion and Pluto, and others.

Chibiusa lets out a breath. in the distance, she can see her mother struggling, and Helios doesn't look great, either. after a few seconds to think, she turns to the Quartet. though she is terrified, Chibiusa musters up the courage from somewhere to speak in a commanding tone]

Helios is right! We need to take this fight elsewhere if we want any chance of protecting earth, and the rest of this solar system.

[waiting in the wings, Diana makes her appearance! the tiny kitten runs over to Chibiusa, who is trying to keep Helios standing. Pluto's Time Key is in her mouth, and Chibiusa takes it with a grateful bow of her head]

[ Even he wasn't sure what exactly they would do in the past. He only knew that they needed to go.

He glanced down to Diana, giving the small kitten a soft smile through the heaving breaths as he strained to focus and pour dwindling resources into the Queen. Both of them--her and Chibiusa--were forces of nature, even in moments of crises. They refused to back down. ]

Without Pluto, you understand the danger better than anyone else here.

[ He raised his head, turning to look down the wing towards the forbidden gates. He could stand on his own, so while he let go of her to do so, his posture was hunched, his knees weak and his head still hung. The Quartet hurried over to close ranks around Chibiusa and himself, ready to help him stand. ]

Knowing that, I have faith that only you can lead the way.

[ He straightened up a bit, brows furrowing as he kept his stare down the corridor. He had to go with them. ]

We do not have time to lose. Chibiusa.

[ A glance to her. Helios nodded his head, and the intensity briefly melted from his expression to something more gentle. It was still certain and firm, but quite warm. ]

Lead the way.

[ They would need to hurry to Pluto's gates, but Helios would follow them. That much, he could still manage. The gates would open at her behest, sealing behind them with a heavy scrape of stone and resounding thud once closed. Once they began, though, the navigation was out of their hands, and it would only be a matter of staying together. With their focus combined as they joined hands, the danger of separation was mitigated by the soft warmth of a barrier around them.

That, however, seemed to be that last of Helios' strength for now. While the Priest went limp and collapsed to his knees, he was still breathing and warm, and there was still color to his face. He would only need rest.

Ceres paused to look around while others aides Helios, commenting that it appeared they were still in Crystal Tokyo. ]

[as the Quartet is looking around, Chibiusa is concerned with Helios' state. they needed to get somewhere where he could rest, and soon. but where?]

We're in the past.

[if everything worked correctly]

Just a little before this whole mess started. Now, we have to worry about not getting caught by... ourselves. Meddling in the past can be tricky!

[Juno and Pallas move to help Helios and Chibiusa places a hand on her chest. she still has her Pink Moon Crystal, though she's not entirely sure if it will still work, while there is another Small Lady with the same Crystal nearby. it is Diana who, resting on Chibiusa's head, speaks up next:

"Small Lady! Someone's coming!"]

Ah!

[the Quartet gathers up Helios and the group ducks behind a pillar to see who is there. after they pass, Chibiusa sighs, speaking in a whisper]

We definitely can't stay here. I think the safest place for us would be somewhere where we can still monitor Crystal Tokyo from far away.

[ Pallas whined a bit as they picked up the exhausted priest, and was the first to slump with a breath of relief when Juno and Ceres held his weight. Vesta was looking around, watching the person whom they had narrowly avoided pause a moment before giving up and moving along. ]

'We can't get Helios to the arcade base without being seen.'

[ Ceres' brows knit as she spoke. She glanced at Helios, then back to the girls. Pallas tapped her cheek with a finger, blue hair bouncing as she picked up after her sister. ]

'And we can't get to Elysion without Helios or His Majesty, either.'

[ Ceres shook her head, shifting Helios' weight when she continued after Pallas. ]

'We would be dodging ourselves in both places, anyway. It's too risky.'

[ Silence hung heavy and tense over the quartet as they kept hidden, all wracking their brains for possible tactical places to retreat to. Diana perked up with a little gasp, and hopped up onto Chibiusa's shoulder. ]

'The moon! Mama and Papa talk about it a lot, but I never see Their Majesties leave Earth, and we haven't gone there before!'

[oh, the Moon! Chibiusa moves her hand to stabilize Diana while she's on her shoulder. with a nod, she smiles]

Good thinking. M-maybe we can get there with a Sailor Teleport?

[would Chibi Moon be able to trigger that without Sailor Moon? possibly! Chibiusa hasn't had the opportunity to try it. until now. Pallas seems to be bouncing gleefully at the idea, even if the other seem nervous]

We'll only know if we try.

[Small Lady's crystal seems to glow a bit brighter as Chibiusa makes a quick transformation. then she holds out her hands. one by one, the Quartet join hands with her. the question is now how to deal with poor Helios]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

But watching you stand alone all of my doubt suddenly goes away

Palace under seige

zombie senshi!!!!

Ye!! They made so many good tragic villains so I made an accidental one.

i love it

It just wouldn't be a Sailor Moon au without all the scouts tho, so the quartet comes w them

no subject

Reading ur posts is a treat, it sounds like it's from the show /o/

ohhh i'm glad you think so! \o\