Title: Once Upon a Destiny

Chapter Title: Dream Destiny

Author: Tna-Alysse

Characters/Ships: Helios, Chibiusa, Mamoru, Shitennou, Senshi, Usagi

Rating: T

Word Count: 4,516

Chapter 1 Summary: Helios is asked to set into motion a plan to resurrect the Shitennou and find their mortal forms in the 21st century by a beautiful moon princess. Meanwhile, the Senshi encounter new challenges after Galaxia's defeat.

Warnings: If you haven't read the manga or watched the anime, then your out of luck...

A/N if applicable: Originally written for the Shitennou Ficathon 2012. I intend to combine various parts of the manga, anime, and drama similar to the game Another Story to form my own rendition of the series. So please bear with me and enjoy the ride.

In the indigo sky was a blanket of stars, each twinkling light foretelling a secret of the endless future for those to be reborn anew. Helios clasped his hands in prayer as he raised his head to the vault of heaven. Ribbons of moonlight embraced the Prayer Tower. He realized a revelation yet he couldn't help feeling a vague but strong sense of danger.

Suddenly a strange cold wind glimmered along with a tinkle of laughter. An intruder? Helios stiffened.

The innate urge to protect the sacred land forced his limbs to move on its own accord. Placing his right hand over his heart, he swiftly threw out his left. Blue light encased his form; his arm quickly growing hot as a silver staff materialized in his outstretched hand. A gold vine burst from the base of the staff, wrapping around the middle and eventually reached the forward end sprouting a diamond-shaped crystal. His ears perked at the pendulum the intruder was making with her humming.

"Enough of these games." Helios called as he stood facing the entrance. She, on the other hand, found his defensive posture amusing. Her laughter continued. She was teasing him! He narrowed his eyes. "Reveal yourself!" He heard the shuffling of skirts come from behind one of the granite columns near the flight of the stairs.

An elegant hand waving a white handkerchief was the first to come into view, then slowly crept its owner. Helios took a step closer, tightening his hold on the staff. The woman lifted the veil and let it fall back on her elaborate headdress and floor-length wavy lavender hair. Her eyes gleamed, her cheek dimples prominent. Her white alabaster skin glowed beneath the moonlight. She truly was breathtaking. So familiar…

"I'm sorry," she said covering her mouth to stifle her laughter. Her voice was gentle and pleasant. "It's just strange to see you as you are."

"And why is that?" Helios asked.

"It has been years since—since I have seen you as a boy," she said carefully. "Is it that you don't recognize me?"

"I can't say that I do. Who are you?" At first his voice was apologetic, but quickly turned stern when he realized what was at stake.

"Have I changed that much?" The woman said more to herself, patting her cheeks embarrassingly. His frown didn't help matters. "Well, I can assure you I'm not a threat." She put her hands on her hips, looking more like the current incarnation of the moon princess minus the blonde buns and streamers.

He studied her. She was sincere. This was a first. Chaos never resorted to niceties; it was more direct in its approach to eradicate the kingdom. Still he had his reservations. The woman exuded a powerful energy signature that definitely could not be ignored.

"Then who are you? This realm is reserved for only those of the kingdom's clan."

The smile instantly vanished. Her perfect bow mouth formed a grim line. "I'm from the future, and I need your help," she said, moving forward to grasp his hand.

He pulled away, placing the staff in between them and maintaining a strong grip on it. "What for?"

It hurt to be rejected, but she understood his reasons. What was it again? A year since his prince died by Galaxia's hands? Pluto said Helios might react this way even though the prince's life was restored very recently. Nevertheless he had every reason to be cautious, distrusting, and guarded. To not only witness the constant destruction of his savior, but feel it too… The invasion of darkness does that to its victims. It changes them. Helios was no different.

"I—" She felt terrible that she had to tell him her predicament. There was another attack on the prince. Helios just got him back…and so did the others. Now she was going to ruin it just like they did on her wedding day. She bit her lip worriedly remembering Pluto's warning about revealing too much. Say only what is necessary.

"I'm waiting."

"Endymion is ill, Helios," she confessed.

Helios did not lower his weapon, but allowed confusion to grace his boyish face. He gazed intently into her eyes. "Princess, is that really you?" She nodded, relieved slightly. She took comfort in his surprised expression. He cared, which meant he was on board for whatever she had planned, or rather what his future self had planned. "What can I do?"

"Help revive the Shitennou," she answered resolutely. "Their power is necessary in removing the pathogen and healing him."

He furrowed his brows trying to process the words Shitennou and power. "But they are dead, Princess. Beryl made sure of that. Nothing remained once their bodies were destroyed, both in the Silver Millennium and in the 21st century. There has to be another way."

"It has to be them!" she cried, tears had begun to form. She hiccupped, sounding bitter as she revealed the truth. "The great legendary Silver Crystalhas no effect on him, at least not in the way we expected. Currently, it is serving as life support. According to Mercury," she swallowed, "the pathogen is an archaic Terran contaminant that has festered for centuries escaping immunity induced by the Silver Crystal."

"Old Earth magic?"

"Yes. Very similar to the power you and Endymion harness."

"Princess, aside from myself, the maenads are the only ones left. It is not in our nature—"

"I know. I know." She looked off into the distance. "Your future self suggests it may be sorcery from an old clan member."

"How?" His jaw tightened. "Beryl is dead."

"Unfortunately for us, she managed to leave a parting gift- a curse- I suppose as an insurance policy."

"Evil always has a way of coming back into our lives," he whispered clenching his left fist. "Amazing! Even in death, she managed to best us."

"Not quite." She took a small glance at him and smiled before taking a seat on the top stair step and wiping away the tears he hesitated to remove. "She did not take into account you. She was too invested in her obsession with Endymion to concern herself with the seal on Elysion, in turn, forgetting the knowledge you possess, knowledge about the old ways."

He followed her to the steps. "I will help, but I have to ask: why come to the past?"

With her face cast down, bangs covered her eyes. "If you recall, the energy from the Shitennou functioned much in the same way the planetary power the Senshi offers to Sailor Moon. Your future self gathered that the combined strength of the Shitennou could be what we need. However, the powers they carry are not enough, in the present and in the future. The Shitennou are not whole, in fact, they are currently mere spiritual remnants. Their spirits reside in the stones Beryl gave to Mamoru when he was possessed in the Dark Kingdom."

"Princess, do you realize what you are implying? The Shitennou have…" Is this what my revelation meant? Helios thought as he looked up at the expanse of the sky. Their shoulders brushed each other as he settled beside her. He was too shocked to realize there was a light pressure on his leg. "They have animasomas!"

She put her fingers under his chin and turned his face up to hers. "Helios, Mamoru has the Shitennou," she said. Cheeks tingling, he gasped and shyly turned his head away. Embarrassed, she folded her hands in her lap with her head cast down again. "Well, their kardia avatars at least. Yet not much can be done in the future when the Shitennou's animasomas are long dead. Bodies do not survive age and destruction if not tended to properly. This is our last resort, Helios. You need to find the Shitennou's animasomas and merge them with their respective kardia. The future of Crystal Tokyo and the Golden Kingdom clan depend on it."

"Thank you, Princess," he said as he pushed himself off the step with the staff to stand, "but I must speak with the prince now."

She stood as well, tilting her head in acknowledgement while playing with the pearl embellishments on the front of her gown. "I understand," she said sadly. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to memorize every little detail of his person.

His eyes were set determinedly exhibiting a brilliant glow while fair strands waved with the cold wind. A great contrast to the Helios lying next to King Endymion in a crystallized tomb in her present. Endymion and Helios were connected just as Endymion's body was a reflection of the land. It was only a matter of time for him to fall to the curse too.

When she saw him head toward the center of the Prayer Tower, she turned away and began to descend the staircase in the direction of an open field.

"And, Princess?" Helios called over his shoulder. "Please return without any regrets. I—your Helios would want his light to stay strong for him."

She halted. Recognition. Princess Lady Serenity fingered the time key around her neck and nodded. Her eyes sparkled, tears flowing easily now, as she carried on in her walk. A bright light engulfed her form.

* C * C * C *

Mamoru stepped away from Kunzite's crystallized encasement, the last general to be sealed, and stood next to Helios. A mixed desire and fear for the unknown tickled his skin as white petals enclosed around the crystal forms. It was as though the spirits were in suspended animation, their solemn expressions frozen in time. Vines sprouted from the grassy field and ran intricately across the bodies of the egg-shaped chambers erected on the platform.

"Will this work, Helios?" Mamoru asked.

"The pods are meant to store the kardia or animasoma states of elite clan members when their entire being has been separated due to magical corruption. And since their kardia forms are not at the surface, I would say as long as Elysion is fruitful, they will remain spiritually intact," he answered. "However, their animasomas are a different matter. Seeing that the mortal, powerless forms of the Shitennou reside on the surface, we do not have very much time."

Mamoru ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "They could be anywhere in the world."

Helios quirked in an eyebrow, considering his prince's tentativeness. "Do you not want the Shitennou to return?"

"We already discussed this," he growled. "I want them to come back. In spite of the Shitennou's pleas to reconsider reviving them, I want them to come back!"

"It is unsurprising they doubt your daughter's credibility despite my attempts to vouch for her."

"Why is that?"

"Prince, the Shitennou are afraid of hurting you again," he said calmly, watching Mamoru kick at the grass. "Despite their incompleteness, they still expect to look out for you. They regard all the dangerous possibilities because they do not want to risk susceptibility to darkness again. (This includes a strange ethereal woman requesting power.) To them, remaining stones is what is best for you."

Frustrated, Mamoru threw his arms in the air. "We've been through this already!" he shouted. "My Shitennou redeemed themselves time and time again. Who protected me from Sailor Moon's sword? Who encouraged me to not feel useless in comparison to the Senshi? Who guided me through Galaxia's control while Usagi suffered?"

His outburst shook the peaceful setting of Elysion. A large cloud rolled in, blocking the sun momentarily. A flock of birds scattered from the trees behind them and took to the air. The maenads paused in their weaving to glance at the red faced man. Mamoru waved at them, muttering an apology. They returned to their wreaths.

"I'm no saint either, but if there is anything Usagi taught me, it was to forgive," he whispered to himself. Mamoru took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I am willing to take the risk, even if they are not."

"You and the princess managed to find each other despite everything."Helios rested his hand on Mamoru's shoulder. "You followed your heart then, try using that approach with the Shitennou."

"Thanks," he said with a wisp of a smile. Mamoru covered Helios's hand with his own while putting his other in his pocket. "I guess I'll start with America then."

Although the sunlight was dim in Elysion, it was still there shining.

* C * C * C *

Minako was fated to have a horrible trip. Or so she thought.

As much as she would have loved to be a star of this photo shoot, it just wasn't meant to be even after all she had been through to get the role. Okay, let's be real. It didn't take much. A scout discovered her at the mall one day. She had an exotic look and could speak English fluently to boot. With some convincing to the girls and creative lies to her parents, Minako was on her way to live her dream: the breakthrough of a lifetime.

"All idols have to start somewhere, you know!" she reasoned.

Yet, Minako was a far cry from the model she was supposed to look like in today's shoot. Agitated, she frowned, pulling on the itchy parts of the bikini that clung to her, the small satchel in her hand swinging like a pendulum. The director was certainly not going to like the severe tan lines and the ganguro coloring she began to don when she got back...Well, if she got back.

Who was she kidding? They probably forgot about her. The extra.

It had been 6 hours since they went on break. While the rest of the crew remained at the beach, she spent her time nearby exploring the forest full of marble temple ruins with one of the girls from set. The girl returned a long time ago on account of boredom though.

In hopes of finding the beach again, Minako followed a trail very similar to the one she and that girl took earlier. When the path began to wind dangerously, that is when she grew nervous. Minako lifted her hair to fan the back of her neck at same time tugging on the ribbon that held her hair in a ponytail. It fell to the ground. She sighed and bent down to pick it up, but to her dismay the wind did instead.

A strong gust of wind carried the red silk ribbon in a seductive dance across rugged Turkish terrain eventually smacking into the face of a local historic preservationist. The man peeled off the offensive material with great distaste, spitting out strands of golden blonde hair that managed to get caught in his mouth.

"Unhand my ribbon, you fiend!" he heard a feminine war cry.

"Ooof!" Before he had a chance to look closely at the ribbon owner, he received a good high kick to his gut and fell backwards, making use of his bun-wrapped platinum hair as a cushion.

"That's what you get, jerk!" The young woman's hands were quick to snatch the belonging off the offender and use it to pull her hair into her trademark style.

One arm cradling his abs, the other shot out to grab her ankle and pull her down with him. He let out another "Ooof!" Minako struggled to get to her feet from her sprawled position. She lifted her head and met the man's grey eyes.

Minako licked chapped her lips involuntarily and whispered to herself, "Why hello there, handsome."

* C * C * C *

Rei wiped at the sweat on her brow with her arm briefly taking a break from discarding debris to survey the large gathering that formed around the buffet tables for lunch. Even though a good handful was served without delay, the long line of school girls seemed to be endless. Yet she wouldn't be surprised if some managed to slip back in line as soon as they retrieved their food to get another opportunity at conversing with the charming American youth leader.

He was the head server, first to be seen at the table. From where Rei was at, she could see him perfectly well- his smile, consideration, and attractiveness (if dirty blonde Westerners were your thing, which she would strongly claim this one was not) - as he loaded rice on plates and passed it to the next person in the assembly line. He commanded attention effortlessly, stirring a familiarity among the community upon first arrival. Rei frowned at that. While she shied away from the admiration of her peers, he embraced it with open arms. It hurt to admit that she was slightly jealous of his social aptitude.

Whoosh! A blur of orange and red rushed by her. A ten-year-old boy ran into her side amidst his chase to reach the food table.

"Hey!" she shouted, righting herself.

The boy turned around pulled down his eyelid and stuck out his tongue before cutting to the front of the line. Her eyes widened and nostrils flared at his audacity. "That brat!" When she saw the boy approach the youth leader, she scoffed and resumed her work.

"Gege, I'm hungry."

The youth leader looked at the boy sternly. "That is not how you treat people who are helping you." He gestured to Rei, adding in a low voice, "Especially someone as pretty as her."

The boy shrugged, helping himself to the plate in front of him. "She doesn't seem to like you," he commented.

"I think you are mistaken. I didn't push her out of the way in order to get extra udon." He quirked his eyebrows at him. "Besides, people change their minds all the time."

The boy made a quick glance at Rei before responding, "She looks like the type to be set in her ways."

The youth leader began fixing another plate while the boy grabbed two more bread rolls from the tray nearby. "How about you do me a favor and test that theory by giving this as a peace offering," he said and handed the boy the plate. "Now stay out of trouble, di di. You're holding up the line."

Grumbling to himself, the boy took the plates and slowly trudged in the direction of the debris pile. He cleared his throat as he approached the bent over young woman. "'Msorry," he muttered the words together and shoved the plate in her face.

"Huh?" Her gaze traveled from the plate of rice, noodles, and curry to a small wrist donning a finely crafted jade beaded bracelet up a tunic sleeve to unexpectedly find the owner to be the rascal who ran into her earlier.

* C * C * C *

The cool autumn breeze was a relief from the humidity left by the summer months and made the viewing of the Jindai Botanical Garden all the more welcoming.

"Okay, meet back at the fountains by sundown. Everyone is dismissed," announced the gardening club president.

"Hai!" The club members chorused, then dispersed.

Rather than join most of the group at the café terrace, Makoto opted to admire the highlight of the club's visit: the rose exhibit. She exited the fountain area, instantly greeted by 5,200 rose bushes. At the sight of the colorful collection of roses, Makoto's eyes took on a dreamy quality. She released a breathy sigh, letting her hand lightly graze over the ones bordering the path.

Her senses tingled. Someone was watching her, too close for comfort. Makoto stopped her stroll abruptly, eyes snapping open instantly. Click, click! She discreetly slipped her hand in her vest, henshin wand at the ready.

She looked around at the unsuspecting passersby, consisting mostly of couples and tourists, and fixed her eyes on an extended black barrel aimed in her direction several feet over a rose hedge. Hands now in fists at her sides, Makoto marched around the bushes to approach the man kneeling perpendicular to where she stood.

"Hey, creep, quit it!"

The man stood up easily towering over her, nonetheless, Makoto refused to let his tall, dark, and handsome features- size, Makoto! His size!- intimidate her and demonstrated this by poking him in the chest. He stepped back holding the camera in one hand while rubbing his chest with the other.

"I'm sorry, Miss, did I do something to offend you?" he asked politely.

Her heart fluttered at the sound of his voice- rich and smooth and not at all affecting her. Oh my, why was she here again? Heat rushing to her cheeks, she blinked and forced herself to say something coherent.

"Y-you were watching me," she said finally.

Yeah, that was why.

"Actually, I wasn't," he said, "Not really." Embarrassed, he rubbed the back of his neck. "I was taking photos of the roses," he admitted and showed her the screen on his camera, several spectacular close ups and medium-shots were displayed. "I'm a photojournalist."

"Oh."

"Although I think the last one I unintentionally caught you basking in the perfumes," he confessed, chuckling to himself. "Natural beauty at its finest I suppose."

Her eyes glittered like emeralds. It was too late. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Makoto was entranced.

* C * C * C *

Ami halted and gasped, "Oh my, what a breathtaking view!"

However, that only lasted a moment. For the second thing she saw once she got off the train was concrete. Umino rushed to her side, grabbing her arm to help her to her feet, while the man who flew past her did not take notice. Ami rubbed her nose.

"What a jerk!" he commented. He loudly began to spout out possible revenge scenarios.

Embarrassed, she smiled weakly and moved away slightly. "It's alright, Umino-san. He didn't see me." Her gaze followed the well-dressed form up the walkway.

"The nerve of that guy. And I thought him calling you plain was bad enough."

Ami's eyes widened. "Wait, when did that happen? I've never met him before. At least I don't think so." She tapped her chin thoughtfully, trying to remember the face of the curly haired blonde, but it was all a blur.

Passengers nudged them forward. The two collected their luggage and walked up the path that led into the old town district.

Umino explained casually, "Oh, you know, while you were sleeping on the train? He passed by us and remarked," he removed his glasses, placing it in his breast pocket and posing with his arm folded across his chest and a fist under his chin, "'Some would call you a beauty, but I don't see it.' He was very analytical about it too." He shook his head, then assumed his natural Umino guise. "It was the strangest thing, Mizuno-san. It was like he was trying to convince himself."

"Did I do something to offend him?" she asked herself quietly.

She continued walking in silence as Umino volunteered himself to be her tour guide, giving a detailed account about the medieval feel of the town, why the shutters were a certain color, what the locals put on shingle to prepare for strong winter storms, and anything else she already knew about the town. Of course, Ami researched information on the village and country she would be visiting for about three weeks. She had a thing for being thorough.

They eventually reached the heart of the town, meeting the other students in the leadership workshop at an intersection. The workshop director gathered the group's attention.

"Silence, I am speaking now," the director waited for the proper response before continuing her speech. "Thank you. Welcome, you may address me as Director Tetsuko. I will be the one overseeing you on your journey toward becomes leaders of tomorrow. It will be a difficult one, most of you may not come out alive, however, the strong ones will strive." She circled around the front line crowding around her, eyeing them up and down, mentally listing their appearances and faults. Ami gulped when her inspection lingered on her. The woman smiled at the meek young woman, but it came out more as a frightening grimace. "The workshop will consist of rigorous morning, afternoon, and evening sessions intent on cultivating skills in areas of public speaking, stamina, team building, effective change, and of course successful leadership. This isn't one of your roundabout feel good, creative self-expression camps you Americans righteously shit about. Expect to perform quality work and be judged for it. If you are even second-guessing yourself right now, I highly suggest you remove yourself from the vicinity immediately. The next cogwheel is about to depart."

Ami tightened her grip on her suitcase handle. Ms. Mizuno believed enrolling her daughter in the Future Leaders of Tomorrow Workshop would help shape her into the doctor she hopes her to be. Despite her best interests, Ami could only think, Mother, what have you signed me up for? What have you done?

The curly blond man who knocked her down earlier pushed his way to the front and sauntered to Director Tetsuko's side. Director Tetsuko gestured, "And this is my son, Hansel." He threw the crowd a charming smile, looking nothing at all like his mother, as he placed his hand in his trouser pocket and ran a hand threw his curls. His fair skin and light green eyes were a stark contrast to the tan, black-eyed woman with very dark hair. The brief bios Ami read about the director online never indicated she had a son nor was she married. Were they truly related? Ami wondered. "Think of him as an extension of myself. My eyes and ears. Treat him well."

The crowd voiced, "Yes, ma'am."

"I will be letting Fate decide who will be allocated into teams so as to allow natural selection run its course later on." She produced an opaque blue velvet bag, drawing a glass marble from the pouch. "Divide into teams based on those who draw a certain color. Now get in line. Let's see if the odds are in your favor." She placed the marble back in and waited for the students to form a line. Hansel faced her first, pulling a green marble. He held it up for the group to see, light hitting it as though winking, then walked to a less crowded area of the intersection. The process carried on like that. Yellow. Blue. Purple. Yellow. Purple. Red. Black. When the time came for Ami to draw, the director shook the bag. Ami breathed deeply and gently placed her hand in. She would be lucky to be paired with Umino even though he tends to be overwhelming sometimes. (The Usagi and Naru in her head shout at her, "Sometimes?!") However, Fate seemed to have other plans in store for Ami. Green complemented blue so nicely.