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Crow felt strong respect and admiration for Galaxia ever since they first met on Coronis. She was the strongest and most fearsome Sailor Senshi in the whole galaxy. She was everything Crow aspired to be- everything she thought she already was. She was the strongest and most fearsome warrior on Coronis, something she always had been proud of. But it all felt so insignificant now. She was a mere insect compared to Galaxia. Coronis wasn't enough. She wanted to conquer the whole galaxy by Galaxia's side. She craved for the powers Galaxia would give her.
Not that she had many other options. She couldn't vanquish Galaxia. She wasn't a coward like Sailor Chuu (now known as Iron Mouse) who just surrendered so her life would be spared. She simply knew it would be pointless to fight back and that she would die a worthless death. She made the smart decision to swear allegiance to Galaxia, not out of cowardice, but out of ambition.
But also, to protect the one person she truly cared about.
Which Crow started to regret.
“I'm counting on you, Sailor Aluminum Seiren,” Galaxia said from her throne.
Seiren bowed politely. “Yes, Galaxia-sama. I won't disappoint you.”
Crow watched from the side. Ever since Seiren joined Shadow Galactica, Galaxia seemed to favour her. Crow didn’t understand why. Seiren wasn't the strongest amongst the Sailor Animamates. She wasn't even the oldest member, she was the last one to join. And yet, Galaxia seemed to have a specific interest in her that Crow couldn't understand.
This wasn't fair. Crow was the strongest. Galaxia should be counting on her. She should be her second in command, not Seiren.
She needed to crush her rival.
“Crow-san?”
Crow snapped back from her dark thoughts. “What is it, Seiren?”
“Galaxia-sama is sending us on a mission. We have a true starseed to retrieve.”
“Us?”
Seiren nodded. “She asked me to go with someone as backup, so I chose you.”
Crow was fuming inside. Not only Galaxia didn't personally ask her, it was instead her rival who recruited her. She was tempted to yell at her and refused, but she didn't want to get in trouble with Galaxia later.
“Fine. Let's go,” Crow reluctantly agreed.
Things took an unexpected turn. While they were exploring a jungle, Seiren ended up falling down a ravine. Crow immediately flew down to make sure she was alright. Thankfully, Seiren didn't seem seriously injured. But there was no way she could get out of the ravine on her own.
“Crow-san! Could you give me a hand, please?”
Usually, Crow would have helped her without second thoughts. But right now, her mind was filled with dark thoughts.
She wanted to get rid of her rival.
“... No,” Crow said.
Seiren looked confused. “Huh?”
“You heard me. You messed up and got yourself into this situation, now you have to get yourself out of there.”
Crow was overtaken by this dark impulse. She never thought she could do something like this to Seiren before, but it was as if she no longer had a conscience holding her back. Her bracelets were enabling her worse impulses.
“W-wait, Crow-san… I can't…!”
“That is not my problem. I have a starseed to find.”
“Crow-san, wait…! Don't leave me…!”
But Crow didn't listen and simply flew away, leaving Seiren behind.
Crow was the one who retrieved the starseed and brought it back to Galaxia. She did eventually come back for Seiren, who was still stuck in the ravine, but not after making sure she was now the one Galaxia would rely on. She was the strongest Animamate, the number one Animamate, just like she wanted. And yet…
After what happened next, she came to regret it.
“You disappointed me, Sailor Aluminum Seiren,” Galaxia said in a cold voice.
“It wasn't my fault!” Seiren protested.
“And whose fault is it then?”
Seiren stayed quiet for a moment, hesitating to answer. Crow knew she had nothing to worry about. Even if Seiren shifted the blame on her, she was the one who fell down in the first place. Galaxia was unlikely to care about that.
“I… fell,” Seiren simply replied.
Crow was surprised. She expected Seiren to at least try to defend herself and blame her. Did she think it would get her in trouble? How stupid could she be?
“You failed ,” Galaxia corrected. “Did you perhaps think of betraying me?”
“W-what…? No! Never! I would never think such a thing, Galaxia-”
“Silence!”
Galaxia suddenly blasted a ray of energy at her, propelling Seiren a few meters away and hitting the ground.
“Ack!”
“Seiren!?” Crow let out.
“Perhaps making you one of my Animamates was a mistake after all. Your devotion to me and loyalty seem to be lacking.”
Crow knew where this was going. Her jealousy towards Seiren suddenly felt so ridiculous. She was her rival, but she was also someone important to her. She joined Shadow Galactica because of her. She made Seiren join too. And for what? Stabbing her in the back? Over some petty jealousy? All of this would be for nothing if she let this happen, if she let Seiren… die.
“Wait, Galaxia-sama!” Crow suddenly stood in front of her master, in front of Seiren. “Please, give her another chance! It was her first mistake!”
“I do not tolerate failure!” Galaxia thundered.
Crow was worried for an instant that Galaxia would kill both of them. It seemed like Galaxia considered it for a moment before she changed her mind. Could someone like her really show mercy?
“Fine. Since you succeeded in finding the latest starseed, I’ll listen to your request,” Galaxia said. “Sailor Iron Mouse has disappointed me for the last time. Soon she will be gone. I will need another person to continue the important mission she keeps failing miserably.”
Galaxia suddenly smiled- no, she smirked. “Sailor Aluminum Seiren. You will be the one to take her place when the moment comes.”
Seiren sighed. “O-of course! You can count on me, Galaxia-sama…!”
“I will not tolerate any more failure. Consider yourself lucky that I’m willing to give you another chance.”
Crow knew this wasn’t mercy. Whatever mission Iron Mouse was sent to was always meant to end in failure. Galaxia was setting up Seiren for failure on purpose. This was a punishment worse than a simple death- being given hope only to get it crushed.
Seiren didn’t seem to realize that. It was all Crow’s fault. She set up Seiren for failure…! She wished she could blame her bracelets for messing with her mind, but deep down, she knew it only enabled her worse impulses. She only had herself to blame.
“No, I won’t let that happen…! I don’t care how impossible this mission is, I won’t let Seiren fail…! Otherwise… I know I’ll regret it,” Crow thought.
In the end, Crow couldn’t prevent Seiren’s imminent failure and death, and she was left with only regrets.