Act 40 - Dream 7: Elysion Dream

Originally appeared in Nakayoshi, December 1995.
Translated by Kurozuki (manga@kurozuki.com). Version 1.03, 2.97.

Do not link directly to this page. Do not redistribute this translation in any form, such as by posting it on another web site.

"Blinding... The light of the sun... It feels so good... Ahh... In Mamo-chan's bed. Always deep in the scent of the sun and nature..."

"Usa-chan... Usa-chan..."

"Uhh..."

The young girl looks up and sees a small boy with short, dark hair.

"Mamo-chan?"

He bends down and kisses her.

"Morning, Usa-chan."

She sits up in bed.

"Now, take a shower and get dressed," he says. "How do you want your eggs? Sunny-side up, boiled, or in an omelet?"

"Omelet..."

"Okay!"

He runs out of the room.

"W- What the-?" Usagi thinks. "I feel like somehow I'm dreaming, but..."

She goes into the kitchen, after getting dressed.

"Good morning, Mamo-chan."

Mamoru is setting the table. "Ah, Usa-chan," he says. "Today we're having French toast. Want jam on yours?"

"I'll have lime marmalade! Wait, I don't have time to be eating carefree like this!"

"It's all right," says Mamoru. "We've still got an hour before the bell."

"A- An hour!?" Usagi cries. "Oh! Oh no! My math homework! I was going to get up early this morning and do it!"

"Usa-chan," says Mamoru. He holds out her book. "I did your homework. And I put all your books in your bag."

They leave the house for school.

"Is... Is this a dream?"

"Man, Usa-chan, you're strange," Mamoru says. "You can't dream while you're walking."

"Oh, I guess not."

"I'm happy," he says. "My dream was to live with you, Usa-chan, and go to school together every morning. I'm so happy my dream has come true."

"What...?" she thinks. "Is that what it is?"

"I want to make all your dreams come true, Usa-chan. You don't have to do anything. You can just take advantage of me."

"Mamo-chan..." she thinks. "He used to be this sweet... The normal Mamo-chan is more cool and grave, and he'd never do my homework."

"Your dream, Mamo-chan," she says. "Wasn't it to become a doctor...?"

"My dream is to marry you," he says.

Her eyes widen in shock.

"What's your dream, Usa-chan?"

"M- Mine!?" she says. "My dream is..."

"Usa... Usa..."

"Uhh..."

Usagi opens her eyes and sees the adult Mamoru looking at her with concern.

"Are you all right?" he asks.

"Mamo-chan?"

She groans. "Damnit! It was a dream, after all!" she thinks. "But Mamo-chan was so cute, and that situation was perfect..."

"Does your body feel well?"

Usagi looks up.

"Helios!"

She looks at herself and Mamoru.

"B- But, our bodies were shrinking..."

"Shh," says Helios. "Make your voice as quiet as possible. It might be useless, but we do not want Nephrenia to notice us. I want to go to the shrine. We have come this far, and the nightmares on the surface have abated somewhat. The remaining purification power of this land has returned you to your original forms."

Usagi looks at the devastated land around her.

"This place..."

"This is Elysion."

"Like the wasteland of the night..." thinks Mamoru.

Usagi sees black flowers on the ground. "Mamo-chan!"

"The black roses are a sign of the curse," says Helios. "Of this once beautiful Elysion becoming a land of nightmares. Let us proceed to the shrine."

They enter the old shrine, and climb the steps to the center, where a large crystal formation stands, holding two people inside. Both have two ponytails hanging from balls of hair.

"Is that... crystal?" Usagi says. "And people inside!?"

"Besides me," says Helios, "there are only two inhabitants of this land. Maidens serving the shrine. They are maenads. The crystal is the one hope of purifying this land. These two are sleeping, protected from the curse."

"This is familiar..." thinks Mamoru. "I feel like I know this building, the smell of this place."

"Prince, your kinsmen have always protected this shrine. And Elysion. This is the place where your dead kingdom, the Golden Kingdom, used to be."

"The Golden Kingdom...!" thinks Mamoru. "Yes... I know this place. The same winds as on the surface blow through the thick green of this sacred land that guards this planet, Elysion. I lived in this land, and I loved this place."

"That's right," says Helios. "From here, you went to the surface and protected this planet. Deep in this shrine, I offered my prayers to protect this planet. We never met each other, but our souls were always one. Our wishes were always one. And with the destined meeting of you two, again, we had the same wish. In your separate places, you couldn't be together. Then, too, the two of you shared the same mission, the same power, the same soul."

"The same mission?" says Mamoru. "The same power...?"

"You protected this planet Earth. The Silver Millennium from without, and the Golden Kingdom from within. And now that mission is carried in the two crystals of your kingdoms. The Mystical Silver Crystal is the holy stone of the Princess of the Silver Millennium. The Golden Crystal is the holy stone of the Prince of the Golden Kingdom. They send out your power."

"The Golden Crystal... is Mamo-chan's crystal!?"

"Here, in the heart of the shrine," says Helios, "is the tower of prayer. This is where I always offered my prayers, and received all sorts of revelations. Those revelations, too, I received at this tower."

"Helios..." the figure says. "The time for the seal to be lifted on the Golden Crystal has come. However, for you and Elysion, that will be the time of your biggest trial." The crescent moon gleams on the figure's forehead. "I can only tell you this now, but the maiden will always be on your side."

"The maiden...?" asks Helios.

"The maiden carries the beautiful dream. She is protected by the light of the moon. She is the princess soldier, and she carries the crystal that can break the seal on the Golden Crystal."

"And you..."

"I am Princess Lady Selenity," says the figure with two pointed balls of hair.

"Princess Lady Selenity..." thinks Usagi.

"That revelation was referring to you," says Helios. "That name and figure. The time has come. The day when you, Princess, with the power of your holy stone, will break the seal on the Golden Crystal."

"Helios," says Usagi. "The Golden Crystal... Where is it now?"

"Where the Golden Crystal is sealed, nobody knows. It could be somewhere here in Elysion, or it may be somewhere else. Princess, if you are the one, if you are the one who had the crystal long ago, you will know where."

"The same as me..." she says. "Sealed away... Mamo-chan's crystal... Could it be... The Golden Crystal is inside Mamo-chan's body...!"

Mamoru gasps. "Inside me?"

"Yes!" says Usagi. "The Golden Crystal has been sealed inside you!"

"Inside me... The Golden Crystal!? There's... There's no way..."

"I know it's there," Usagi says. "You've always filled me with strength. That strength always guided the power of my Mystical Silver Crystal. That strength was the very strength of the Golden Crystal! The time has come for that holy stone's power to be crystallized, and released!"

"In me... The power of the crystal... I was always just dragging you down, while inside me..."

"I just had a dream," says Usagi. "Just before I woke up, you asked me what my dream was. My dream is to protect this planet, so that everyone can live in happiness. To do it with you, Mamo-chan. What's your dream?"

"My dream, too," he says, "is to protect this planet, together with you."

They hold each other.

"I'm glad," says Usagi. "They're the same. Our dreams were always one."

Usagi sees the Pegasus lying on the ground, locked in a cage.

"Helios!? Helios's body was captured over there!?"

She runs to the cage.

"Princess!" Helios the man calls after her.

As Usagi touches the cage, an electrical field around it activates, shocking her. She cries out in pain.

"So the mice have crept in," says Nehalennia. She stands and walks to the black mirror. She passes through it, to stand in the shrine. "The pretty bird in the cage was a lure for the mice. Heh heh heh."

"Nehalennia!?" Usagi says. "Let Helios go!"

Two lights glow on the chests of Usagi and Mamoru.

"Those lights!" says Helios.

"Vulgar mice," says Nehalennia.

The jewel on Helios's forehead shines. "Elysion!" he calls. "Give me strength!"

A sphere of light appears around Usagi and Mamoru, and it carries them into the air.

Nehalennia shoots electricity at Helios, shocking him.

"Helios!"

"Quickly, to the surface!" he says. "Now you will be able to resist the nightmares up there! Protect this planet together!"

Usagi and Mamoru vanish from the sky.

The seven soldiers stare at the ground.

"Prince...! Princess!"

Usagi and Mamoru appear before them.

"Prince! Princess!"

"Everyone!" says Usagi.

She joins hands with Mamoru.

"Moon Crisis! Make Up!"

They transform.

"Sailor Moon! Tuxedo Kamen!!"

"Where's Saturn and Chibi-Moon!?" Usagi says.

"They were following the Amazones Quartet into the forest!"

"Haven't they come back!?"

"I am troubled," says Nehalennia. "But whatever the problem is, it is already too late."

"Nehalennia-sama," says Zirconia. "The guard of Elysion has become weak. We have a chance if we act now! Leave it to your guiding soul, Zirconia."

Usagi looks at the dense foliage and bodies all around her. The dark moon looms in the sky.

"This jungle!! These people of the city!"

"It's hot..." says Ami.

"I.... can't breathe..." says Makoto.

"Everyone!?" Usagi says. "Hold on!"

She and Mamoru start to cough, hacking up blood.

"We can't be defeated..." she says. "We have to save everyone. But... It hurts... I can't... breathe...! Helios...!"

"Prince! Princess!" calls Helios. "You've hidden your holy power. Elysion! Please, send your power of purification to the surface! Grant my final prayer!!"

A light shines on top of the shrine.

On the surface, crystal begins to grow over the jungle.

"The heat's dropped!?" says Ami. "What happened!?"

"Prince!"

"Helios? Is this the purification power of Elysion?"

"It might not hold for long," says Helios. "But this is this limit of myself and Elysion."

"Helios!?"

"Prince... I am happy to have met you..."

"Helios!" said Chibi-Usa, smiling.

His spirit meets with Mamoru's, fading away.

"Helios!!" Mamoru cries.

"And to have met the small maiden..."

"Helios!" says Usagi.

Zirconia appears outside the circus tent. Nehalennia laughs.

"His power has finally given out!" Zirconia says. She rises into the sky, growing huge.

The soldiers look up at her.

"She's become gigantic!?"

Power blasts out from her body into the air.

Two beams pierce Usagi and Mamoru through the chest.

They fall to the ground, blood spewing out.

"Prince!!" the others call. "Princess!!"

Do not link directly to this page. Do not redistribute this translation in any form, such as by posting it on another web site.