Serena was frustrated with herself, and she could tell that Dr. Bagley was frustrated with her too. She wasn't sure why she didn't want to be hypnotized, but she still didn't, and since she couldn't explain it, she looked silly.
Well, she didn't care. There was such a thing as woman's intuition, and Serena was listening to it carefully. She was sure Kate would understand, but it wasn't really something she wanted to talk about. She wished Kate didn't have to be there, but she still tended to speak in Japanese when overwrought, so Kate did.
"Hypnotism is the most effective method of breaking through amnesia, Serena. I've exhausted every other avenue. If you're not willing to give it a try, then there's nothing more I can do for you."
Detective Williams-no, she was to call him Ron now. RON was in the office with her, and tried to persuade her as well. "Please, Serena, I'll be here the whole time. If this is your last chance, don't you think you should try it, at least once?"
"No! I don't!" She put as much command into her voice as she could muster, and the force of her tone shook the two men who were trying to persuade her. "There has to be another way, like looking at my old uniform, or something."
Detective-no, Ron-looked surprised. "You mean you haven't tried that already? You haven't seen the stuff you had on you when you were found?"
Dr. Bagley broke in. "We didn't have it, it's still in police custody."
"Well, I'll get it. You wait here for a few minutes, and I'll run down to the station and get your stuff Serena. We still have almost an hour left in your session." He walked out the door. Dr. Bagley, Kate, and Serena fidgeted uncomfortably in the silence for a few seconds.
*****
"I'm back!" Ron dashed into the psychiatrist's office and put down the plastic bag containing Serena's old belongings. She reached out for them, but Dr. Bagley grabbed the bag first, opened it, and pulled out her old school uniform. He held it up for her to examine.
"Does this bring back any memories?" He asked. Serena stared at it intently, but shook her head.
"No."
Dr. Bagley pulled out a golden locket. "How about this?"
"Oh! It's gorgeous! Can I hold it, please?" After a second's hesitation Dr. Bagley nodded and handed it to her. Without a conscious decision, she opened it, to reveal a large crystal set into it. With a gasp she brought a trembling finger into contact with the silvery crystal. A palpable shock ran through her body and she stiffened.
"Serena! What's wrong?" Dr. Bagley shook her, but she sat there without moving, as if she were catatonic. "Serena! Serena!"
*****
Memories crashed into her skull, and left it aching, but she was too busy assimilating all her memories to feel the pain.
******
"But Mommy! I wanna go outside! I'm bored!"
"I've already told you, you can't dear. You're too young, and it's too dangerous!"
She felt herself stick out her chin stubbornly. "I'm three. I'm big now!"
Her mother knelt in front of her with a comforting rustle of satin and silk. She held her face in her hands. "Dear, I understand why you want to go out, and you are a very big girl now, but there are some things you don't understand yet. Princesses don't get to do things that other little girls get to do. You hear your friends talking about the palace grounds, and that makes you want to go, doesn't it?" Princess Serenity sniffed and nodded. "I have enemies who might try to hurt you, because you're the princess. Remember when Daddy went away? My enemies got him, so you have to stay here where it's safe for now. Okay?"
Princess Serenity shook her head vigorously. "No! It's not okay! I wanna go too!"
Queen Serenity sighed and have her an enveloping hug "Will you stay inside? Please? For me?" She looked deep into her daughter's eyes. "If you went out, I'd be so scared for you."
"Scared? But you're Mommy! You can't be scared!"
"I can be, and I will be if you go out alone. Okay?"
Serenity nodded slowly. She hated being scared. She wouldn't want Mommy to be scared because of her. "I love you, Mommy!"
"I love you too, dear."
Was that a chuckle she heard?
*****
Her mother looked stern. That was never a good thing. Serenity stiffened her backbone. Luna had said princesses were brave. She was a princess, so she was brave too.
"Dear, I need to talk to you."
Serenity felt her backbone become limp as a wet noodle. "Yes, Mommy?"
"Some new people are going to come to court. They are going to be YOUR court, and your playmates, and hopefully, your friends and good advisors. I don't care how much you don't get along with them or disagree with them-it will be your job to work things out. Do you understand?"
Mommy sounded serious. That meant it must be bad. With that clue Serenity's eyes teared up. But she nodded.
"I won't disappoint you, Mommy."
"I know you won't. Now, you're going to have to get dressed up to meet them. Luna, get her ready, please."
"Yes Majesty. Come along, your Highness." Serenity fit her small hand into Luna's, and went to freshen up.
*****
"Your Majesty, I am most pleased to present my daughter, Princess Mars."
Serenity saw her mommy wave her hand and chuckle warmly. "Please, Ares! Call me Serenity. This is too momentous a moment for us to be completely informal, but all these titles will get in the way if we can't forget about them. Well, she's quite a little beauty!"
Serenity examined the other little girl curiously. Was this girl going to be part of her court? She seemed awfully combative. Look at how she stuck out that bottom lip so pugnaciously! Serenity resolved to be her friend right then and there. She'd make it so Mars wouldn't have to scowl like that. She had such pretty, long black hair, and purple eyes! And her dress was a bright red. Serenity sighed in momentary jealousy. Mommy only let her wear white dresses. They got dirty so easy! She reminded herself to sit up straight. Luna said she had to.
The royal family of the planet Mars took their seats, and another group stepped forward. Serenity watched with interest.
"Serenity, let me introduce my daughter, Venus."
"Oh, my! She looks so much like my own daughter! Let's hope they get along well."
Serenity looked her over next. Venus did look like her! Except she didn't wear her hair the same way, and she got to wear orange instead of white. Well! Serenity was about to stick her nose up into the air when a thought occurred to her. Maybe, if they traded hairstyles, they could pass for each other! Wouldn't that be fun! Serenity almost clapped her hands in anticipation, but caught herself just in time. Princesses just didn't do that sort of thing. She forced herself to sit still a little longer.
"And I, Serenity, present to you my daughter Mercury."
"We welcome you to the Moon Kingdom, Mercury."
"Thank you, your Majesty." The blue-haired girl curtsied.
"How delightful! Knowing you, Hermes, she's as fast with her tutors as she is when thinking on her feet!"
Serenity was a little jealous then. She still couldn't curtsy quite right, but she saw that Mercury could. And she wore blue! Serenity was sure she would look wonderful in blue-it matched her eyes so well...
"And I have brought my daughter Jupiter here, Serenity, to reside at your magnificent court."
"Why thank you, Juno, for the compliment. Your daughter looks quite fierce in that outfit, for all it's a dress."
"I'm afraid she likes to ruin her clothes playing outside, so we've had to make sure her clothes can take a lot of punishment."
Mommy laughed. Serenity loved her mommy's laugh. It sounded like tinkling bells, or faery wings flapping. "At least your daughter can wear green. I'm afraid little Serenity goes through her clothes much too quickly for my own piece of mind!"
Everyone turned to look at Serenity. She blushed and squirmed uncomfortably in her chair. The green clad man who had brought Jupiter forward looked at her and smiled kindly. He spoke directly to her.
"Well, you are the one who is supposed handle my daughter. I hope you are up to it, young Highness." He looked over at Mommy then. "She's very well behaved for a five-year-old."
"That's because she's been told she must be very good today. Isn't that so, Serenity?"
"Yes, Mommy."
Everyone laughed at that. Serenity looked around in surprise. Had she said something funny?
*****
"Mercury, can you do this for me?"
"No, Serenity. You know Luna and Artemis would get angry if I did that." Serenity pouted. That usually got her what she wanted. It didn't work this time. "Tell you what though. I'll try to help you understand it so you can do it yourself."
"But-I didn't understand it already! You did! Why don't you just do it?"
Mercury got the "teaching look" on her face. Serenity hated that. "But Serenity, if you never learn how to do it, what will you do when I'm not around and you need it?"
Hey! That was a good question! Serenity sighed. It was going to take so much longer this way, but..."You're right Mercury. Will you teach it to me, then?"
"Of course I will, Serenity. We're all here to help you."
Serenity didn't like the sound of that. "But-are you only here to help me, or do you like me?"
Mercury looked startled. "I'm sorry, Serenity. I didn't mean to make it sound like that at all. We're all friends!"
"Good!" Serenity gave Mercury an enthusiastic hug, and knocked them both over.
*****
"Be quiet, Serenity! You can't meditate and make all that noise at the same time!"
Serenity knew that she and Mars were friends, but sometimes...
"Don't boss me around! I'm a princess!"
"Well, I'm a princess too, so that doesn't work!"
"I don't want to meditate. It's boring. And dumb!" Serenity stuck her tongue out, just to get her point across.
"It wouldn't be boring if you did it right. When you meditate the right way, you can control stuff like your heart and breathing, and it helps you get better control of your magic."
"What magic?" Serenity's ears pricked up. This was something new!
"We all have magic! Didn't you know? Mine's fire." Mars closed her eyes, and a little flame flickered on her small palm. "When I was little I'd burn stuff in my room sometimes, because I didn't know how to control it. Now I can keep it small, like this. My mom said when I get big, it'll be very powerful."
"Wow! I don't have one! What do the others do?"
"I don't know. We don't talk about it much. You'll have to ask them. But first, Artemis said you had to meditate."
"Aww, Mars!"
*****
Serenity's hair hung loose down her back. Her mother had said she had to learn to do her own hair and dress herself. Her dress was on all right, and after a few times she'd gotten the buttons done up correctly, but she just couldn't get her hair to look like Mommy's without help. She softly padded to Venus' room. Venus was so good at making herself look pretty. Maybe she'd help Serenity. She knocked on Venus' door.
"Yes? Oh, Serenity!"
"Could you show me how to do my hair like Mommy does hers?"
Venus smiled cheerfully. "I can try, but I don't know exactly how to do it. We can experiment, though!"
"Okay! Thanks!"
"No problem. I love to work with other people's hair. Then I'm not trying to get my arms into weird positions, like when I fool with my own hair. And your hair is so pretty!"
"You think so? But yours is thicker, and lighter. Mine's darker, and curly. I'd rather have it straight like yours!"
"Well, I'd rather have it curly." While Venus fiddled with Serenity's hair, she was thinking. Suddenly her face brightened. "I've had an idea! Let's cut off all my hair, and put it on your head, and cut all yours, and put it on mine!"
"But how do we put it on? It won't just stick!"
Venus shrugged. "We can use glue. Then it'll stay, and you'll have my hair, and I can have yours!"
"All right! I'll go get the scissors, you go get the glue!"
*****
"Well, Serenity, it was your own fault. Don't you think cutting all your hair was a little drastic? You could have just left it down."
"I don't want to talk about it, Jupiter."
Serenity sniffed. It wasn't her fault it hadn't worked. The glue should have been stickier. At least they hadn't cut all their own hair off, or they'd both be bald right now. Now Mommy wouldn't let her do anything. Except the stuff she didn't like, like school and arms practice. With Mercury's help she was finally getting a handle on school, but fighting was hard. She was a little clumsy, and didn't really enjoy fighting. She'd rather eat. Which reminded her, it was almost lunch time. She rolled her sleeves up. It was hot outside.
"Wow! Where'd you get all those bruises?"
Serenity looked down at her arm. She'd gotten hit a lot in today's practice. She just couldn't seem to get it!
"I'm not very good at fighting."
"Well, I'll help you learn. I'm pretty good. I'll be your sparring partner. I won't bruise you all up like that!"
"You will? Oh, I'd really appreciate it!"
"Let's start now. Here, this is how you throw someone..."
Serenity worked hard to learn, and Jupiter was a good teacher. An hour later her stomach growled.
Jupiter laughed. "Was that you? Well, no wonder! Look at the time! I lost track of it while we were sparring. Lunch is already over!" Serenity stifled a groan. Now that she thought about it, she was REALLY hungry. "You must be starving! Let's go to the kitchen. I'll make something for us to eat."
"How? You already said lunch was over!"
Jupiter looked back at her with a smile. "Didn't you know? I cook pretty good for a five-year-old."
Serenity ran to catch up.
*****
"But Mommy! I already know how to walk! Why do I need to take classes on that too! I have a tutor for everything!"
"I know you have a heavy load, dear, but you need to learn deportment. And it won't be just teaching you to walk like a princess, it will be dancing and etiquette and proper speech as well. People will expect certain things of you, just because you're a princess."
Serenity stuck out her chin at the injustice of it all. "Well, it's not fair! It's not fair that they want me to do so much."
Her mother smiled and uttered the phrase that has been the bane of children throughout all the ages. "I know, but life isn't fair, dear."
*****
"I've called you here because you're eight years old now, and you are able to begin to understand more adult things. Also, we are going to have a very important visitor, and I want to tell you about him."
"Yes, Mother."
"It will be your responsibility to keep your court informed, so I only invited you to this audience, Serenity." Serenity nodded, and her mother continued. "I didn't tell you the reason the four princesses from the inner planets came to live here when you were five. You were too young to truly understand if I told you, and it would have frightened you."
"You mean you don't think it'll frighten me now?"
"Oh, my dear, it will frighten you even more now, but now you have to be told, and I think you are old enough to handle the uncertainty. You know we orbit Earth. We are tied to the planet, and mortal life started there. You know that a few immortals went down to Earth and established a kingdom there, many years ago, while the rest of us established our own kingdoms on the planets of this stellar system. Now I will tell you what you don't know.
"While the Queen of Earth and her family are friends of us on the satellites and planets, many of his subjects are mortal, and resent us and our long lives. He can no longer completely control those factions, and the kings of the inner planets are frightened for their welfare. Our kingdom, the Moon Kingdom, is the most powerful stronghold of our kind, so the royal families of Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter sent their children here to be safe. This was a great sacrifice for them, Serenity, because they in effect became vassals to us by sending us their heirs. You must know this Serenity, so you can be careful to never make them feel resentment towards you. Do you understand this so far?"
Serenity forced herself to nod. Her eyes were wide with surprise at all these unexpected revelations. <What about the visitor Mother mentioned?> She wondered.
"The queen of Earth is also frightened, because she know her people are not under her control. So Gaia has requested that her heir, her son Endymion, be allowed an extended visit to our court."
"Will he be part of my court too?" For some reason her mother smiled, and Serenity didn't like it when her mother smirked like that. It meant she was keeping secrets.
"No, he's almost six years older that you."
"Six! He's fourteen?"
"Yes. His visit is not the same as the princesses' visits. His is truly temporary, and they will not become vassals to us at all. But I want you to be kind to this boy. He's had a very rough time at home, and I don't quite know what he's like. I wanted to make sure you would be very nice to him, Serenity." Mother folded her hands across her lap. "That's all. I want you to think about what I've told you, and decide exactly what you are going to tell your friends."
"May I ask a question before I go?"
"Of course."
"Why is it only the four planets closest to the Sun that have sent their princesses? Why didn't Saturn or Neptune?"
"Or Uranus or Pluto? That's a fair question. They don't have much to worry about. Uranus and Neptune are too far away to be reached, and Saturn and Pluto don't have to worry for other reasons."
"What reasons?"
"I can't tell you that yet dear. I don't think you've gotten far enough in your studies to understand if I told you anyway."
"Oh." Serenity couldn't think of anything else to say. Too much information swirled around in her mind, trying to find a resting place. "May I go? I really need to think."
"Of course, dear. And if you have any problems or questions, you can come and ask me anytime."
Serenity leaned forward to give her mother a kiss on the cheek. "I love you Mom."
"I love you too, dear. Go on, now." Her mother waved her away and turned with a sigh to some documents piled on her table.
*****
"I don't like that Endymion." Serenity sulked to her four friends. "He's so stuck up!"
"Remember what your mother said, Serenity. He's had a rough time. Maybe if we leave him alone, his mood will improve." Venus suggested.
"But he thinks we're little kids! I'm going to turn nine soon, and all of you are already nine! We're practically grown up!" Jupiter exclaimed. "It gets me so mad when he looks at me like I'm only three!"
"Well, we are a lot younger that he is," Mercury offered, a voice of reason.
She went unheard. "I think what he needs is proof we're not just little kids," Mars said. "We should play a really good prank on him-show him we can play rough!"
"Get back at him for pulling my pigtails!" Serenity cheered.
"And for putting that bucket of water over my door last week," Venus concurred.
"And for tripping me in arms practice yesterday!" Jupiter exclaimed happily.
Serenity and her three compatriots all turned to Mercury. "Well? Are you with us?"
Mercury thought for a second. "At the very least I'll keep you all out of too much trouble." Mercury sighed. "I'm in. But let's not do something too horrible to him."
"Now for a plan!" Serenity whispered excitedly.
*****
"You said you were going to keep us out of too much trouble, Mercury. Now look at us! We're peeling potatoes, for God's sake!" Serenity grumped. "Ow! Another cut! My fingers are going to be mangled before the week's out!"
"I agreed to put the bleach in his shampoo, but I didn't expect you to put so much in! You should have known better!'
"Well, how was I to know that too much would make his hair fall out in clumps like that?" Mercury just shook her head.
"I don't think this punishment is so bad." Jupiter stated.
"Of course you wouldn't. You're good at cooking! You already know how to peel potatoes and chop vegetables and dice onions. We have to learn the hard way!" Venus wiped tears off her face, and went back to her onions with a sigh.
"That's probably true," Jupiter admitted, "But you have to admit, it was worth it just to see that smug look wiped off of his face."
Serenity laughed a little. "That's true. It WAS funny."
"A little too funny, Serenity. If it hadn't been so funny, maybe you wouldn't have laughed so hard, and your mother wouldn't have figured out we did it!" Mars was chopping carrots with vicious swipes of her knife.
"Careful, there, Mars, or those carrots won't be good for anything but juice! They need to be cut, not mutilated!"
"Yes, oh great and wise master chef!" Mars retorted sarcastically to Jupiter.
"Well, I hope you guys all get along this well the rest of this week!" Endymion strode in haughtily. His hair had all been cut short, and the clumps that had fallen out were growing back again.
"You can tell Endymion I'm not speaking to him." Serenity said with a sniff.
"I'm not telling him, I'm not either!" Rei said.
Venus and Jupiter didn't say anything, just shot him angry glares.
Mercury looked at Endymion with a vindictive glint in her eyes. "Her Highness Princess Serenity wishes me to inform you that she's not speaking to you," she said with a smile.
Endymion smiled right back. "Well, she can listen. I just thought I'd tell you that while you are all serving kitchen duty, there's going to be a royal ball. But as part of your punishments, you're not allowed to go." The smirk on his face widened, then he turned around to leave the room.
Serenity's potato made a satisfying splatting sound against the back of his head.
*****
"The Moon's royal family's greatest strength is in their magic, and in Ginzuishou, Serenity, not in their physical prowess. You needed basic training, but while your court is getting more physical training, you'll be taking more diplomacy and administrative classes." Her mother's words ran through her head as she watched Endymion run though practice drills with his sword. Her mother had just told her that he'd be going back to Earth soon. At first Serenity had been happy at the news, but now she wasn't so sure. She wouldn't yet admit it to her friends, but she thought she had a crush on him. His hair really did look nice <Now that it's grown back!>, and he was a lot nicer now than he had been when he'd first arrived. She'd even seen him smile once or twice.
Endymion stood up, and walked over to the fence she was leaning against to get his towel. He wiped the sweat off his face, and looked at her.
"So," she started a conversation, "you're going to be leaving soon."
"Yes. Mother wrote me, she said things have really calmed down back at home, so I'll be going back tomorrow."
"We'll miss you-especially now that you don't pull pranks on us anymore." Serenity made a funny face at him.
"Well, you have to admit, a lot of them were funny." Endymion smiled. Serenity found herself gazing silently into his beautiful blue eyes. After a few seconds Endymion uncomfortably cleared his throat. "Well...uh...I've got to go get cleaned up for dinner."
Serenity jerked herself awake and blushed. He was six years older than her-sixteen! He wouldn't have anything to do with a kid like her. <Wake up, Serenity! Pull yourself together!> "Yes, I'd better too." she mumbled, and walked as calmly as she could back into the palace.
*****
"Serenity, you've been an absolute terror the last few months! What has gotten in to you!" Serenity winced at the angry tone of her mother's voice. "I don't know what to do with you. Why, even Jupiter is hiding from you, you're so grumpy! If something doesn't change soon, I'll have to confine you to the palace grounds, or make you work in the kitchen again for another week! I have too much to deal with right now without worrying about what trouble you'll get in. And to top it all off, Endymion and his four generals will be coming back here, and I'll have to see to it that everything's set up for them. I can't be patient with you much longer, young lady!"
Serenity had stopped listening a sentence ago. She eagerly leaned forward and asked what was uppermost on her mind. "Endymion's coming back? He's gong to be coming here?"
Her mother gave her a sharp look. Then an expression of understanding came over her face. "So, that's it! No wonder you've been so surly. Dear," She was smiling now. How did she know so much? Could she read minds? Serenity wondered. "is there something you want to tell me?"
Serenity sighed. She could tell Mother already knew, so it was stupid to try to keep it a secret. "I'm in love with him, Mother. I have the biggest crush the world has ever seen. and he doesn't even know I'm alive!"
"Well, I'm sure he knows you're alive. Otherwise that hair incident would never have occurred." Serenity winced. "I suggest you talk to him. Just being nasty to your friends and sighing whenever he walks by isn't going to do any good. He'll be here in a week. I suggest you think about it." Suddenly the queen leaned forward and gave Serenity a big hug.
"Mother!"
"Oh, I know you're twelve, dear, and think you're too big for hugs, but I'm glad to find this out!"
"Why are you so glad?"
"You know, as a princess, you won't be able to marry just anybody. You're husband would have to be chosen for the good of the kingdom."
Serenity felt herself stiffen. It was a thought she often avoided.
"Gaia and I have made tentative overtures toward a marriage proposal, but considering the difficulty you two had those first months, we hesitated. I hope everything works out for you daughter, as it did for me. I want so much for you to be happy in your marriage." She gave her a peck on the cheek and then stood up straight. "Well, what are you waiting for? You'd better get busy and think of what you're going to say to him!"
Serenity blushed. And thought.
*****
"I wonder what these four generals are going to look like?" Venus wondered.
"Generals. They sound old. I don't think I'd want to see them." Jupiter said.
"Well, here they come, you guys. Wow! They're not old at all!"
"Look at him!"
"Who?"
"The one with long white hair. Isn't he dreamy?" Venus gushed.
Mercury was too busy staring at the slight young man with tan hair and a ponytail to answer.
"Oh, he's all right, Venus, but look at the one with curly red hair! He'd be a match for me! That other guy's too colorless."
"You're both wrong, Jupiter and Venus. That man," Mars pointed at the young man with short blond hair, "is the cutest guy I've ever seen in my life!"
Serenity listened to all of this with interest. If she could get her friends together with Endymion's generals, and work up enough nerve to talk to Endymion, everything would be perfect!
*****
Serenity walked up to stand by Endymion. He'd gotten so tall in the last two years! "Welcome back, Endymion! We missed you, here."
"All of you?" he asked with a smile. Serenity's heart flip-flopped. Nobody else was around. She took a deep breath.
"I'm sure everyone did, but I did especially."
Endymion gave her an unreadable look. Then he leaned down. Serenity's breath caught. "I missed you, too, Princess Serenity."
"Are we going to be formal, now, my Prince?" She tried to put an amused chuckle in her voice, like her mother did, but it just sounded nervous to her. He picked up her hands.
"I think I'm hiding behind formality because-" he paused. Serenity wanted to hear him finish his sentence, but she already knew what he was going to say, she could feel it in her heart, and he was so frightened of telling her <Me! What am I, but a little pip-squeak? He's scared of what I'll say!> that she had to help him.
"Because you're frightened of what I'll say? What I'll say when you tell me you love me?"
He looked dismayed. She wanted to reach out and hug him. "Am I that transparent?"
Serenity shook her head gently, but her eyes stayed fixed on Endymion's face. "Only because that exact same thought has been plaguing me ever since you went back to Earth." She wanted to cry when she saw the amazement and pure joy that lit his expression. He loved her! He pulled her close in a fervent embrace. His chin rested on the top of her head. She began to shake a little with laughter. He pulled back.
"What's so funny?" He was so intense, as if he was frightened that this was all a dream, and if he said the wrong thing, she'd disappear in a puff of smoke.
"When did you grow so tall? I was wondering if we didn't feed you enough here."
"Oh." His eyes crinkled as he laughed.
Serenity sighed. "I was so frightened you wouldn't feel the way I did about you. That you'd think of me as nothing but an annoying little girl. You're so much older than me, it was hard for me to imagine you loving me. And now it's all so...so...perfect!"
While she had talked Endymion had acquired a serious look on his face. "What will your mother think? I hadn't really thought of how different our ages are." His expression darkened. "It doesn't matter what your mother thinks. If you want, I'll take you anywhere."
Serenity laughed and placed a hand against his lips to silence him. She thought of placing her lips there too, but, well, she WAS only twelve. "Don't worry about it. Didn't your mother tell you? They'd been hoping since we were young that something like this would happen. When we didn't get along at first, they'd stopped making plans, but both of them will be most pleased to find out that we love each other. Everything's working out for us, darling."
Endymion reached out with a hesitant hand to touch her face. "Everything," he whispered.
*****
"I don't want to go back either, Serenity, but things are difficult at home, and I have to help my mother."
Serenity held Endymion's warm palm to her cheek. "I know. I don't begrudge you your duty. I just wish-" she didn't finish her sentence. There was no reason for her to. They understood each other so well. She let go of his hand and forced a tight laugh through her lips. "My friends are most disappointed in you as well. They will not be happy when your generals return to Earth."
"Well, Kunzyte, Zoisyte, Nephryte, and Jedyte are hardly happy with me either." He leaned in close and planted a light kiss on her forehead, right over the crescent moon. "I'll be back as soon as I can." He handed her a red rose he'd been holding behind her back.
"That's all I ask," she whispered as she clutched it to her chest.
*****
"Endymion! You made it for the ball!"
"I'm sorry, Princess, but we have a problem back on Earth." He looked more than serious, he looked grim. "I'm not even Prince Endymion anymore. I've been deposed. You have heard of Queen Metallia and her minions?"
"Of course, but-you don't mean!"
"My mother is dead, and my generals joined Metallia's cause. They've completely overrun the Earth. I'm sure your mother knows of all this, though she probably just received the news, and didn't have time to inform you. I can't join you at the ball, because I'm a wanted man."
"But, surely you're safe here!"
He shook his head. "Your guards only know I'm from Earth, and Earth is a very real threat to the Moon Kingdom right now. I'm running from them even now."
As if that were their signal, a group of guards ran into the courtyard where Endymion stood. He took of at a run.
<Endymion. What will happen to us?>
*****
"Princess Serenity, may I have the pleasure of this dance?"
Serenity was surprised by the offer of the tall man in the tuxedo. <Endymion?> She reached out to take his hand, and the red rose he offered. His eyes sparkled with amusement.
"My name is Tuxedo Kamen."
She smiled. "I love your disguise. I didn't want to come in a mask, but now I'm glad it's a masquerade party," she whispered. The dance was so beautiful, so perfect, and yet so sad. Serenity felt as if her whole world was falling to rubble around her. Endymion told her of some of the horrible things that were happening, but she tried to block it out as much as she could and only remember the beauty of this dance they had together. She couldn't get rid of the feeling that it would be their last.
"To arms! To arms! The palace is under attack! The forces from Earth are here!"
Serenity turned in surprise to see Luna and Artemis in their cat forms racing through the ballroom, sounding the alarm. Queen Metallia was here? Already? Endymion let her go. "I'll help you fight to defend the Moon Kingdom. Mine is already lost, but maybe we can save some of the beauty this galaxy has to offer!" He strode out of the ballroom. Serenity ran after him. As they stood on a balcony overlooking the palace gardens, she saw Queen Metallia.
"Who's that red haired lady?" Serenity asked, but before he could answer she gasped in horror. Endymion was right, there his generals were, arrayed behind the woman.
"That is Queen Beryl, a minor functionary in my mother's court who was taken in by Metallia. She commands all of Metallia's forces."
Serenity watched in horror as her friends ran out, dressed in battle armor, to defend the kingdom. "It will hurt them so much to see your generals arrayed against them," she worried. Then her worry turned to dismay as she saw her friends killed. "No!" she cried. "This can't be happening!"
"You think not, little princess? You are helpless without someone to protect you! I can't believe Endymion would love a spineless, helpless, worthless little girl like yourself." Queen Beryl turned to Endymion. "You can rule beside me, be my consort, have almost limitless power. Come, join me, and your friends." She gestured toward Endymion's four generals with a smug smile.
"I will not!"
Beryl's face twisted with anger. "Very well, if you won't join me, you'll die instead!" With a gesture she summoned magic to pull the struggling Endymion up into the air.
"No! Endymion! I won't let you go alone! ENDYMION!" She leapt into the air after him, reaching for his hand. Reaching...reaching...reach-
*****
"Iie!" Serena gasped as she came out of the trance, too distraught to speak in English. "She killed me! I died!" Serena looked down at the crystal clutched in her hands. "Ginzuishou! Ginzuishou, how did I get you? How did I get here? Did my mother-did my mother die? Ginzuishou!" Her voice rang out superhumanly loud, clear as a bell. It echoed in the small office, and deafened those sitting in the room with her, but those were peripheral concerns. She had more important things to find out. "Ginzuishou, what happened after I died?"
*****
Ron Williams watched in shock as Serena began giving commands to the crystal she held in her hand. He leaned over toward Kate. "Can you tell what she's saying?"
"It doesn't make much sense. She's calling that jewel in her hands Ginzuishou, Silver Crystal, and she keeps begging it to tell her what happened after she died." Kate shrugged. "I told you, it doesn't make much sense."
*****
The black rider reined in his mount. The inky black dragon snorted. <Now what?>
Something had changed yet again. Now, not only a great power permeated this backwater stellar system, but he could feel something awaken, something with the knowledge of how to use it. The rider considered going back for backup, but that trip would take quite a while, even using the wormhole system, and it would also require that he share whatever glory he found here. No, he would find out what was going on here, and if it was too much for him to handle, then he would go back for reinforcements. That decision made, the pair silently entered into orbit around the bright blue planet, the third from the star.