(SM) A Love They Can't Live Without cont.
Jan. 30th, 2006 05:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tsukinofaeriiWARNING Old Fic ahead. Read with caution.
The Rest of the horror.
A Love they Can't Love Without
Series: SM
Pairings: I don't remember, except that it's het
Summary: No clue, except a vague memory of somehow managing to pair up every single senshi in the space of a single story.
( Part 01 )
Author's POV
"You see," Serenity starts. "My daughter is very hurt right
now. You can't just pop up and say that you're sorry."
"Why not?"
Queen Serenity sighed. 'Are all men this dense? I know Zeus
was, and so is his daughter. Hmm?' "Just believe me, she needs to
remember how much she loves you before she can truly think that
you love her back again. She's too sunk in her pain right now
to..." she trailed off. Endymion had a blank look in his eyes,
much like the one Serena got when Amy explained a physics
equation. "Never mind. Just try and use the memories you keep
merging with to make her love you again, and you'll be fine."
"Oh-kay," Darien replied, still looking a bit lost. "What is
it with those images, anyway?"
"They, and I, are only memories that are being reproduced by
the Moon Kingdom Computer's AI. It's lonely, and uses them to
keeps itself occupied and to make sure the Kingdom continues to
exist."
"So you're not really the spirit of Queen Serenity, are
you?" Darien asked, back in his depth. "You're just something
created by an Artificial Intelligence."
"Don't rub it in!" Serenity snapped, looking hurt. "But,
yes. The real spirit of Queen Serenity is..." she paused, trying
to think. "Busy elsewhere."
"Being dead?" Darien asked impudently.
"Not exactly. But for now, anytmime anytime you have a
question, just walk up to one of the projections and ask it. You
can control the memories if you try." Queen Serenity fluttered up
to his face again.
"Wait a minute!" Darien stopped her from flying away. "Why
are you, the computer, helping me?"
Serenity's voice took a deeper, more metallic tone. "My
first loyalty is to the Lunar Royalty, and this Kingdom. It's in
my best interests to make sure that the time line is not broken
in anyway. If things change, I'll be alone for all eternity, and
I don't want that." The projection vanished.
********************
Serena stepped out of the memory, tears in her eyes.
Somehow, she knew where she'd go next without thinking about it.
She walked towards the teleportation room blindly, letting her
feet guide her.
Serena stepped into the hall before the room and blended
with the image of her former self.
Darien watched the ghost merge with the woman.
"Are you sure this will work?" he asked the transparent
image of Queen Mercury beside him.
She smiled, her blue eyes twinkling as her dark blue hair
bounced in a non-existent wind. "Of course!" she answered
seriously. She reminded him of Amy's mother for some odd reason.
Darien pushed the thought out of his mind and stepped into
his own past. 'I can control it if I want to,' he reminded
himself.
Endymion stepped on the transporation pad, beginning to
press the keys that would take him back to Earth.
"WAIT!" Serenity ran into the room, thanking the Gods that
Endymion was the only other one in it. "Don't go yet!" She threw
herself into his arms, crying softly. "I don't want you to
leave!"
The part of Endymion that was Darien took control, and
pulled Serenity closer.
'This is wrong,' Serenity thought, as Endymion kissed the
top of her head softly. 'It's not supposed to happen like
this...' a brief image of him kissing her cheek and moving her
off the pad before hitting the buttons and vanishing flashed
through her mind, but she pushed it away. 'I like it better like
this...'
Darien lifted her chin, looking into the eyes that he loved
so. Eyes that glittered with tears. "Sere, I have to go. It's
death for me if I don't,' he whispered, gently brushing away her
tears with his thumb. "I'll see you again, somehow. I swear it."
Darien leaned down and gently kissed her lips.
"I love you, and not even death will keep me from your arms
for long," he whispered.
Serenity hugged him closer. "I love you too," she answered
without a thought. Then she released him and stepped back.
Darien stepped out of the image and watched as Endymion
punched the keypad, then vanished into a flash of pink light.
Serenity collapsed into a heap of white gown and gold hair,
weeping.
Darien moved quickly out of the room, rushing to get away
before Serena woke up out of the projection.
Serenity stood and walked out of the room, leaving a weeping
Serena in her place. Darien ached to go hold her, to tell her
that it would all be all right, but Queen Mercury put a hand on
his arm and frowned. So that impulse flew away, not acted upon.
Serena stood and walked away, towards the gardens. She knew
what she was going to do, but Darien didn't. So he followed.
Queen Mercury smiled sadly and vanished. If the Prince needed
help again, he knew how to get it.
********************
Ken was finally untied, after swearing on all he held dear
that he wouldn't harm Darien. The Soldiers still watched him
closely, but he never made a move towards the college student on
the hospital bed.
"Why haven't they told their parents yet?" Ilene asked
Pluto, hands on her hips. Andy sat by Darien's bed, and Lizzy was
talking to Venus.
"That is their decision to make, Mrs. Tsukino. The matter
has no effect on the future, so I do not worry about it," Pluto
answered softly.
"What about YOUR family, Puu?" Ilene dug deeper. She had
found that she related to the Soldier of Time very well, and had
no problems with such a familiar form of address.
Pluto's deep red eyes went sad for a second before her usual
emotionless mask covered the pain. "I am not called the Lone
Warrior for nothing," she laughed harshly. "I don't have a family
to speak of."
Something inside Ilene ached to hear that anyone was
entirely alone. "Why? What happened to them?"
"I am the daughter of Chronus and Gaea, Father Time and
Mother Earth." Pluto stared off into space for a second. "They
are not the most attentive of parents."
Ilene felt her heart go out to this strong woman who'd been
alone for all of eternity. "I'll be your mother," she offered
shyly.
Pluto turned to her, ready to turn the offer down. But
something in Ilene's eyes stopped her.
**FLASH**
"Pluto," Queen Serenity knelt down next to the young Soldier
of Time as she gave her the responsibility of the Time Stream.
"As long as you live, you can always think of me as your mother."
"Thank you, Aunt Sere!" the young girl hugged the woman.
"You'll always be my Mommy! ALWAYS!"
**FLASH**
"Thank you, Ilene," Pluto smiled for the first time in
centuries. "Only one other person has ever done something like
this for me, and it makes sense that you would do as she did."
Ilene opened her mouth to ask what she meant, but closed it
with a snap. 'Never mind.'
"Ilene is right," Mars murmured, looking up from Serenity's
pale face. "I never thought about it, but we should tell our
parents. What if one of us were to die?"
The others looked at her, nodding.
"Besides, I don't think we could come up with a good enough
lie to get out of this one," Venus pointed to the clock. It was
eight at night. "My Mom's gonna kill me. She's probably already
got the police after me."
Jupiter looked at the only two Soldiers with parents to
tell. "I'll watch here, you two go get your families..."
"And Chad, Ken and Greg," Pluto added.
"Why?" Venus asked, a little sad that she didn't have a
boyfriend to tell.
Andrew glanced at her understandingly. 'It's a shame she's
so young,' he thought. 'I'd ask Mina out in a heartbeat! Of
course, age never stopped Darien and Serry...'
"Just do it!" Pluto smiled again. It was amazing what having
someone to talk to could do to the Lone Warrior. "You'll find out
later!"
"Can't you tell us now?" Venus bounced, sky blue eyes
bright. "Please?"
"Just GO!" Puu laughed.
"Fine, we're going..." Mars muttered. "Ames, I'll get Greg
for you." She and Venus hopped out the window, off to get those
closest to them.
MOON KINGDOM ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE'S POV
'It all falls into place,' I "think" to myself. Pluto is
helping my plans nicely. I make a note to send some flowers to
the Time Gate after this is over.
********************
Grandpa (AN: What's his first name? Anyone know?) Hino was
woken roughly as someone landed on his window sill.
"Who's there? Raye?" he asked, frowning at the silhouette in
the moonlight.
"No, Mr. Hino," Venus answered. "Raye needs you and Chad at
Tokyo General Hospital, room 111. Please hurry."
Who are you, and how do you know my granddaughter?" Grandpa
asks the person.
The woman in the window moved slightly, and her features
caught the moonlight. A feeling of deja vu swept over Grandpa,
but he shook it off.
"I'm Sailor Venus, also known as Sailor V and the Goddess of
Love," Venus relpies nearly silently. "Raye is a good friend of
mine, and it is for your own happiness that we ask you to come."
And she was gone.
Grandpa stared at where she had been for a moment before
climbing out of bed and yelling for Chad...
Mina's mother looked sternly at the girl before her, who
wore an outfit much like the one Mina wore while modeling for
Sailor V. Mrs. Aino's startling gold eyes bored into Mars'
purple. Her antique gold hair was drawn back into a simple braid,
and a blue night gown set snugly on her body. Mars thought of her
uncanny resemblance to Queen Venus a thousand years ago.
"I don't know what you and your friends have done to my
daughter," she begins, "but she had better get her butt home
NOW!"
Mars sighed, and tried to keep her temper. Same personality,
too. She'd been listening to this for several minutes now, unable
to get a word in.
"And whatever you idiot kids are up to,' Mrs. Aino starts
again.
Mars snaps. "THAT IS IT! I don't know how Mina puts up with
you! I came here trying to tell you where to go if you want to
know what kind of life your daughter's been living for the past
three years, and you call me everything but 'Child Molester'!"
"Oh, did I leave that out?" Mrs. Aino asks rudely.
"Now you listen lady, I wouldn't be here if Mina wasn't one
of my best friends, and if she hadn't pulled my butt out of so
many scrapes I can't remember them all! But if you're not going
to listen, then I'm outta here!" Mars turned to leave.
"Wait!" Diana (AN: Made up first name!) Aino called. "I'm
sorry, I'm just worried. Please, I'll do what you ask, as long as
it won't hurt Mina."
Mars looked at the desperate woman. Sincerity shown in the
eyes of the distressed mother. "Come to Tokyo General Hospital,
room 111. Mina will be there." And Sailor Mars melted into the
night...
Ken and Greg rested after a long game of basketball. The
stars glittered above them and mixed with the yellow street
light, casting an eerie glow on the scene.
Greg sighed and clutched his head as though he had a
headache.
"Hey, man, you okay?" Ken asked his friend.
"Something's about to happen," Greg whispered. "Everything
is about to change... It's like this feeling of the past coming
back to haunt us, but no in a bad way." He was rocking his head
slightly, like he was trying to shake the feeling away. "It's
hard to explain."
"Things are about to change," a strong woman's voice said
from the shadows. Two sets of high heels clicked against the
pavement.
"And we're sorry we have to be the ones to break your
peace," a second female voice added.
"Who's there?" Ken demanded, standing up and holding the
ball like a weapon.
"Put it down Ken," one of the voices sighed. "We won't hurt
you. Your girlfriends would kill us if we did." They stepped into
the faint street light.
"Ken, it's them," Greg whispered. "The ones who saved me a
few years ago." He, too, stood on slightly shaking knees.
"Yes, you were a Crystal carrier, weren't you Greg?" The
woman in orange asked, looking thoughtful.
"What do you know about Lita and Amy?" Ken asked.
"Tokyo General, room 111, and you'll find out," the one in
red said. "Don't tell your parents, we'll cover for you if need
be." And they ran off down the street...
********************
Serena curled up on a swing in the garden, weeping. The
memories were just a temporary release, and when they left the
pain was worse than ever. What had once been a hole in her heart
was now a burning fire, eating her alive. She couldn't take the
pain anymore, so she gave up. She just waited for death or a
passing memory to catch her, she no longer cared which.
Darien watched her with a hollow heart. How could he EVER
have hurt her so? Suddenly, he found himself wondering how many
times he would have to hit himself in the head before being
knocked out.
Looking around, he spotted a memory of Princess Hotaru of
Saturn (Hotaru of Saturn? Where'd she come from?) walking by. He
tapped her on the shoulder.
"Yes, Prince?" the computer asked him.
"I need a memory to get her moving, please," he whispered.
"Saturn" blinked, and faded out for a moment. When she came
back, she nodded and pointed to the swing. Then she vanished.
"Silent as the dark night sky," a clear, bell like voice
sang. Darien turned to see Serenity sitting on the swing and
looking up at the Earth. She swung back and forth, her bare feet
brushing the moon-roses around her.
"Steady as time flowing by
In his eyes the sun goes dim
And here I wait, just for him.
"Warm as a child's gaze
I'll be full for all my days
My life is a dream come true
I'll wait forever, just for you."
Darien watched as Endymion crept up, having just snuck onto
the Moon to see her. He paused, listening to the sing with a
smile. Darien took that opportunity to merge with the projection.
"Gentle as the spring's soft breeze
Eyes bluer than Earth's seas
That's my love, forever and a day
I'll wait 'til time goes it's way."
Serenity kept swinging and watching the clear Lunar skies.
Darien cleared his throat behind her, and she turned with wide
eyes to see him leaning against a wall, smiling.
"It's a beautiful song," he said.
Serenity squealed and hurled herself at him, almost giving a
new meaning to the term "hour glass figure". "I wrote it just for
you!"
"I missed you too, Sere," he laughed, hugging her back,
though with much less force. Serenity pulled away to look
anxiously at his face.
"Endy, you shouldn't be here," she said, tears forming in
the crystalline depths of her eyes. "I don't want you to die for
me!"
Darien enfolded her in his arms. "Sere, I won't be caught,"
he murmured into her soft hair. "And even if I am, I would die a
thousand deaths just to look into your eyes once more." She
looked up at him, eyes sparkling with tears. Darien leaned down
and kissed her deeply. Serenity kissed back, with all the love
she had in her being.
Darien pulled back reluctantly. This particular memory had a
purpose, and he couldn't let himself get side tracked. No matter
how tempting it might be. "Let's explore the gardens," he
whispered huskily, leading her away from the swing. He had to get
her moving, so he wouldn't have to send flashbacks to her.
Serenity giggled and permitted herself to be guided off the
garden paths. Darien took her to a small clearing, near the
transport pads. She leaned into his kisses eagerly. Darien
pressed her small figure close to him, ravishing her lips.
"Princess?" a deep voice called, and a hand began to part
the concealing flora. Darien groaned and kissed her lips quickly.
"I have to go, Love. I'll see you later." He kissed her one
last time and ran through the garden, separating with the image
as soon as she could no longer see him.
"HEY! YOU! STOP!" the guard that had interrupted them yelled
at the fleeing form of Endymion.
"No, don't go after him!" Serenity ordered.
"But Princess..." the guard hesitated. Serenity drew up to
her full five foot six and looked him in the eye, daring him to
disobey her. She didn't use her power very often, so it was a
rare man who ignored her when she did. "As you wish," he sighed.
"But I must tell the Queen of this," he added apologetically.
"I understand that," Serenity murmured, looking after her
fled Prince. "You can finish your duties now."
"Yes, your Highness!" He stood at attention, then marched
off. Serenity sighed and went to tell her mother before the
Captain of the Guard did first.
Darien watched all of this, confused. "Why hasn't she come
out of it yet?" he whispered. Then another thought struck him.
"And where the hell did that guard come from?"
"I can answer those," Princess Raye said from his elbow.
Darien jumped. "Don't DO that!" he snapped.
"Sorry," the projection answered, not looking the least bit
apologetic. "The Princess isn't coming out of the trance because
she's not ready, and the guards came from another "memory", as
you call them, that I blended with the one you were in."
"Okay, then WHY did you bring the guards in?" Darien asked.
He REALLY hadn't liked being interrupted.
"Raye" raised an eyebrow. "I refuse to let the ENTIRE past
repeat itself," she said mysteriously. Darien blushed a deep red.
"Now, since we don't have days for the Princess to repeat
her past life, what memory would you like me to put her in next?"
the image asked.
Darien thought about it, letting his blush fade. "How
about..."
********************
Mars collapsed against the wall after she and Venus hopped
back in through the window. The two were arguing.
"My mother is NOT a bi-"
"She is too! I should have let you talk to he-"
"NO WAY! She's seen me modeling the Sailor V fuku WAY too
often for her NOT to guess who I a-"
"That is SO not true! The Sailor V get-up is NOTHING like
our-"
"WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP?!" Uranus asked loudly.
"She started it!" Venus and Mars said in unison.
Ilene was holding Serenity, and Lizzy looked up from where
he was curled up asleep, blinking blearily. Ken was still
glaring at Darien, and Pluto was smiling secretly.
Jupiter poked her head in the room (she'd been guarding the
hall from the media). "Has WWIII started already?"
"Leets, I'll relieve you," Neptune offered, stretching.
"Ken'll recogn-" She was cut off by a shout of shock from the
hall.
"LITA?!"
"There goes that idea," Neptune sighed as Lita dragged Ken
and Greg through the door, a hand over both mouths.
"Lita, what the hell are you doing in that... that..." Ken
trailed off, eyes glued to his girlfriends mini-skirt.
"Ken, you're drooling," Venus wiped some spittle off his
chin.
Greg was looking at Mercury with a blank look. "Meh...
Mer... Mer-cu... riii..." he stuttered.
Neptune walked out the door. "Watch the Prince and Princess
for me," she told Uranus and Pluto. "I'll go watch for the
others." And she was out the door. Faintly, the sound of her
maniacal laughter echoed down the hospital halls.
(AN: I know they should be more worried about Darien and
Serena, but Pluto's not upset, so I think that's enough reason
for them to be calm. And there's nothing they can do, so it's
best they get their minds off these things. Just thought you
might want to know.)
********************
Serenity ran through the halls, passing doors and people
without hesitation. Suddenly she slowed to a furtive walk, and
all the people around her vanished as she was placed in a new
memory.
(AN: This is the fic that never ends...)
Princess Serenity crept to the private transport pad that
was reserved for formal occasions. It would be deserted, she knew
that. Not even a guard to stop her...
Darien watched his love as she entered a memory where she
secretly visited him on Earth. 'How is the AI going to pull this
off?' he wondered, following her into the room.
Serenity powered up the machine slowly, as to minimize the
noise it made. Then she stepped on the platform and hit the
buttons for Earth. Pink light flared, blinding Darien for a
moment. When it cleared, an exact replica of the transport pad in
the Earthian Palace met his eyes. Even down to the scuffs on the
tile.
'Must be a hologram,' he thought. 'Damned good one! I wonder
if the rest of Atlantis is this accurate?'
Serenity glided out of the room, pausing at the door to look
for guards. Apparently, there weren't any, because she slid out
the door.
"How does she know where she's going?" Darien asked no one
in particular.
"She memorized the layout of the Palace and city," a pint-
sized image of Queen Serenity said from his shoulder. "She's
going to the training grounds, better beat her there."
"Thanks." Darien was off down the halls so fast that the
fairy on is shoulder lost her balance and had to fly to keep from
falling to the ground.
"Hmph!" she snorted, crossing her arms as she hovered.
Darien barely beat Serenity to the training area of the
Palace, just merging with his own image before she popped her
head around a pillar and hissed at him.
The training area was a clearing behind the palace, with
some marble pillars scattered around it. Ten feet beyond the
pillars, thick forests with well trimmed paths surrounded the
city of Atlantis and the Palace.
"Endymion, what's wrong?" Kunzite asked, noticing his
Prince's distraction. He followed the blue gaze, and saw the hem
of a white dress fluttering behind a pillar. "Oh." He grinned
meaningfully.
"I'll talk to you later, Kunzite." Endymion dropped the
sword he'd been practicing with and walked off... towards the
pillar the woman was behind, his Generals noticed.
Jadeite watched the Prince walk off. "Man, he gets all the
luck! Women just throw themselves at him!"
"And he's never interested!" Zoicite added.
Endymion looked at Serenity, hearing his friends envious
chatter with only a small part of his mind. Serenity blushed and
watched her feet.
"What are you doing here, Sere? It's dangerous!" He tried
not to yell.
"It's more dangerous for you to come to the Moon," she
looked him in the eyes. "I won't be executed for visiting Earth."
She was almost in tears. He looked so cold. Like he didn't want
to see her. "Or is there someone else you don't want me to know
about?" she asked softly.
Endymion was stunned. How could she think that?
"Oh, Sere," he crushed her to him. "There could NEVER be
anyone else! I'm sorry I gave you that impression. I was just
scared," he whispered, stroking her soft hair.
"I'm sorry I didn't trust you," she murmured back, snuggling
in deeper.
"Ten gold pieces says she runs out of there in tears,"
Nephlite whispered none-too softly.
"Fifty says he loses his temper and yells before she runs,"
Jadeite offered back.
"Done!"
"Shall we cause them to lose their bets?" Endymion asked
Serenity, his words barely reaching her ears. She smiled and
nodded against his hard chest.
Endymion slung an arm over her shoulder and led his love
away from their hiding place, guiding her down one of the forest
paths. Serenity made a show of cuddling deeper into his embrace,
hiding her face in the folds of his shirt.
"WHAT THE..." came the shock exclamations behind them.
Serenity smothered her giggles.
They had barely gotten onto the path before an peeved female
voice called out, "HOLD IT, SERE!"
"Darn, they always ruin my fun," Serenity muttered before
turning to face the annoyed Princess of Venus in her Sailor suit.
"What are you doing down here?" Mina demanded, hands on her
hips. Kunzite stared at the exasperated Princess in orange, jaw
nearly touching the ground.
"Mina-" Serenity began.
"Don't even start, Princess!" Mina cut her off. "Your
mother's going to flip her lid after this, and the garden fiasco
a few weeks ago!"
"Princess?" Zoicite asked, looking from one woman to the
next. "What's going on here?"
"Gentlemen," Mina started, ignoring Serenity's violent head
shake. "Thank you for finding Princess Serenity for me. I'll take
her off your hands now."
"Princess SERENITY?!" the four Generals yelled, glaring at
Endymion.
"And YOU," Mina poked Endymion in the chest. "You had better
be glad that guard didn't recognize you in the gardens."
Endymion paled. "You know about that?"
"I AM the Goddess of love," Mina took Serenity by the wrist.
"Know about what?" Jadeite asked, looking from one person to
the other.
"Sere, we're going home," Mina ignored the commotion around
her and began dragging Serenity away.
"ENDY!" Serenity cried, looking at him sadly.
Darien wrenched himself back into control. He grabbed
Serenity and pulled her away from Mina. "Follow me!"
"STOP!" Sailor Venus yelled behind him. Darien kept
propelling Serenity away until they were well and truly lost in
the forest. They paused under a willow tree, gasping for air.
"Why?" Serenity asked him softly, leaning against a tree.
Her face was slightly flushed from the run. Again, she got the
feeling that things didn't happen this way, but she pushed it
aside.
"I love you," he panted. "What other reason do I need?"
Serenity tackled him, pushing Darien into the ground as she
kissed what little breath he had left out of him. After they
separated, she looked him dead in the eyes. "I love you too," she
confided softly. Darien smiled and leaned up to catch her lips
again...
********************
Princess Serenity tossed on the bed, kicking off all
attempts by the Soldiers to hold her still.
"Endymion..." she murmured, swinging her head. "DARIEN!" It
was a painful scream, like something was hurting her deeply.
"No... This can't be happening... a dream..."
Ilene held her daughter close, trying to prevent her from
hurting herself. Everybody gathered in the room, Grandpa Hino,
Chad, Diana Aino and the others, watched closely. Ken Tsukino sat
on the side of the bed, holding his daughters hand.
"PRINCESS!" Mars screamed in terror. Serenity's aura was
fading rapidly, as was Endymion's cerulean.
The Imperium Crystal began to glow gently, like it was
responding to something nearby. Ken screeched and dropped Sailor
Moon's hand. "It bit me!"
"They're dying!" Mercury screamed. "Jupiter! Shock them NOW!
Don't let 'em sink too far away!"
Jupiter delivered a minor jolt of electricity to Sailor Moon
and Tuxedo Mask. The Crystal flashed, encasing it's owner and her
mother in a globe of white light.
"Sailor's!" Pluto snapped. "Use your pens! HELP THE
CRYSTAL!"
"Right!" Each Soldier pulled out a transformation pen.
"MARS STAR POWER!"
"JUPITER STAR POWER!"
"VENUS STAR POWER!"
"MERCURY STAR POWER!"
"NEPTUNE PLANET POWER!"
"URANUS PLANET POWER!"
"PLUTO PLANET POWER!"
'Please, we'll give you our lives,' Venus prayed to the
Crystal. 'Just save them!'
The Silver Imperium Crystal began to glow, and a thin line
of colored light flowed out of each soldier, enveloping Tuxedo
Mask, Sailor Moon and Ilene Tsukino in a ball of energy.
Ilene clutched her daughter close, tears streaming down her
cheeks.
"Please don't die please don't die please don't die..." she
chanted, rocking the once-again Serenity in her arms. "Why can't
I help?.."
'You can help,' a voice whispered inside her mind. 'You know
what to do.' In her mind's eye, Ilene saw a slender woman with
silver-lavender hair up in buns like her daughters. The woman was
smiling sadly, and her dress billowed in the wind.
(AN: And I'll keep on typing it forever just because...)
'Are you Queen Serenity?' Ilene asked her.
'I used to be. Help our Princess!'
'How do I help... what do I do?' Ilene asked desperately,
but Queen Serenity was gone. 'How...' Ilene close her eyes,
searching for a way to save her child. Deep inside her-behind her
eyelids- a ball of silvery light drew her attention. She called
to it, begging it to help. It hesitated, and seemed to ask a
question.
'Are you prepared for what comes back when you free your
power?'
'I don't care! PLEASE!' Ilene begged. The light bobbed, then
flashed brightly...
The onlookers watched as Ilene began glowing with a pure
white light. It fed directly into the Crystal, which accepted it
like an old friend. The Crystal began to glare blindingly, and
the light Ilene was emitting matched it's brilliance.
The stream of energy coming from the Soldiers thickened as
the Crystal used more and more of their power. Each Sailor
morphed into her Princess form, truly becoming her past self and
accepting that it was her. Ilene, too, began to change. The short
summer dress she wore lengthening until it brushed her ankles.
Her hair grew also, turning pale as it developed into two long
pigtails. A golden crescent formed on her brow, adding it's light
to the flow around them.
Outside the globe of energy, Ken and Sammy Tsukino looked at
their wife, daughter and sister helplessly. Ken's brown eyes
sparkled with a green energy, the same color as Jupiter's. Sammy
had a dim white light threading through his fingers, but it was
not nearly as bright as the illumination coming from his mother
and sister. Greg, Ken and Chad watched their girlfriends, each
shimmering with a paler version of their girlfriends color. They
sent their strength into the effort, thought hey didn't have as
much as they needed to make much difference.
Lizzy clutched Andrew's hand for comfort, but drew back when
she looked at his Andy's eyes were riveted to Princess Venus, and
a look of startled recognition was set into his features. He
glittered gold as Mina did, but with less intensity, and slight
ocean blue streaks flowed through his aura. Lizzy looked at her
own hands. They were glowing a light yellow and blue, almost
white. Then she locked her eyes on Prince Endymion. She locked
hands with her brother and sent their energy into the mix.
Anne Mizuno was standing closely behind her daughter. Amy
wavered, and without thought, her mother caught her shoulder,
steadying her. The ice blue light shrouded them, and Anne was
changed as she gave her energy to her daughter.
Grandpa Hino had a. far away look in his eyes as he stepped
up beside Raye. He took his grandchild's hand and whispered a
short prayer. His High Priests robes seemed to melt into a deep
red robe that fluttered around his ankles. His ruby red energy
poured into Princess Raye.
Diana Aino took Mina's hand. Her blue nightgown was now a
deep orange toga-like gown, and topaz teardrops glittered in her
hair where it was piled on her head, tumbling down her back in
cascading curls.
"We'll do this together," she whispered, smiling at her
daughter.
Behind Lita, two figures began to glow green. A tall,
elegant woman in a pink gown and a taller man in dark green robe
smiled. "For you, daughter," they whispered together. "For you
and the Princess." Their green glow joined Jupiter's.
Everyone in the room was now helping the effort to keep the
Prince and Princess alive. Fourteen streams of light flowed into
the ball sustaining Serenity and Endymion. Ilene's flowed into
the Crystal itself. All of them were thinking the same thing.
'Please let this work...'
********************
Around the still-kissing couple, the endless walls of
foliage began to melt, turning into the Lunar Palace. Darien
pulled away from Serena as the projections faded, then vanished.
Serena sat up with passion glazed eyes. It wasn't until she
blinked several times that she realized that the scene had
changed.
"What the..." she wondered, rubbing her eyes. Then she
noticed that Endy was still there. 'Oh-kay, is this another
memory?" "Endy?" she asked weakly.
Darien pushed himself to a sitting position. "Serena, I'm
sorry I broke up with you."
Serena stared at him with tearful eyes. "I'm dreaming..."
she whispered, shaking. "The... the real Darien hates me!" She
scrambled away, backing into a wall. "Oh, dear Gods, don't do
this to me..."
Darien watched her. 'Did I hurt her this much?' He
shudderingly stood, his knees feeling like jello. "Serena... I'm
sorry, please forgive me...', he whispered. His voice was soft,
weak. 'What's wrong with me?'
Serena looked at him, disbelieving. "I'm going crazy..." she
whispered, shaking her head.
"NO! This isn't a dream, or a hallucination... Serena..."
Darien put his hand on a wall, only to have it sink through. I
pulled it back sharply, staring at his hand in horror. It was
beginning to fade at the edges. He looked at Serena, eyes wide
with fear. She was even more translucent, he could see the
outline on the wall behind her. Serena was too distraught to
notice, though her denials were growing weaker by the second.
"Your souls are dissipating!" The pinky-sized Queen Serenity
shrieked from behind his ear. "Hurry, or you're both worse than
dead!"
Darien stumbled over to Serena, taking her hands in his.
"Please, believe me!" he shouted, or tried to. It came out as a
soft whisper of the wind. He could see the floor clearly through
their clasped hands.
"No..." Serena mouthed. She was almost gone, fading out of
existence faster than he was.
"I love you..." Darien kissed her, trying to use the last
bit of energy he had to at least let her know how much he loved
her.
Serena felt his lips hit hers. All his love for her was
transmitted through the simple contact. All his fear, all his
sorrow, all his guilt... All of his love, every drop of it in his
being. And it was all hers, she realized. He'd always been hers,
no matter what he said. No matter what he tried to tell her, or
how he pushed her away, he'd always love her. Serena threw her
arms around Darien's neck and kissed him back, letting her
Eternal True Love know EXACTLY how eternal it was.
Darien and Serena flashed back to solidity, before the Moon
Castle began to fade into black around them.
Serena opened her eyes to plain white hospital walls. The
Princesses and their families groaned and fell to their knees.
The two people behind Jupiter vanished. The Imperium Crystal
flashed happily, blinding everyone in the room. There was a
stomach-churning WRENCH and when the light cleared, a empty room
was all that was left...
********************
Serenity groaned and sat up, head aching. Around her, other
people were moaning and looking around at where hey had landed.
"Oh, man... these sudden teleports are a killer, ain't
they?" Ilene muttered beside Princess Serenity.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't in complete control, and the Crystal
got carried away," a silvery voice said nearby. Everyone turned
their heads to where the voice had come from.
A full sized version of the spirit of Queen Serenity was
standing there, looking sheepish. They all looked around,
noticing for the first time that they were on a large balcony.
"Mother?" Serenity asked blurrily.
"I have a confession to make," the fairy-woman said. "I'm
not Queen Serenity, I'm just a projection created by the Moon
Kingdom Artificial Intelligence." She blushed and dug her toe in
the dirt. "I didn't want to lie, but it was in all of our best
interests for you to think I was your Mother."
"You're not..." Serenity whispered. "Then who?.."
The Silver Crystal bobbed and flashed in response to her
unspoken request.
"I am,"Ilene stepped forward, her former persona of Queen
Serenity hovering over her features.
"When the Queen reincarnated the people of the Moon, she
insured that the Princess would be surrounded by people from her
old Kingdom," the projection explained. "The Soldiers were
reincarnated with their soul-mates," it continued. "And their
families." Ken, Chad, Greg and Andrew all flashed to their former
identities of the fiancees of Princesses Jupiter, Mars, Mercury
and Venus. All the adults around turned into their former selves,
the Kings and Queens (mainly Queens) of the galaxy. Ken Tsukino,
surprisingly, bore the Royal symbol of Jupiter, and Sammy had a
silver crescent moon. "The rest of the Moon's Children are
scattered around Earth."
"I had hoped to let the Silver Millennium lie," Princess
Pluto said. The computer projection glared at her. "But the great
freeze came early, so I had to change my plans."
"What about the other people who were reincarnated?"
Serenity asked.
"Look," Pluto waved her staff over the balcony edge.
Serenity peered over curiously. A great roar sounded from below,
and she ducked back.
"That crowd's HUGE!" she gasped, running to hide behind
Endymion.
"It's supposed to be," Princess Saturn walked onto the
balcony, smiling. (AN: My fic, my rules!)
"Doesn't this mean that they're," Princess Jupiter pointed
at the adults, "the ones who should be Sailor Soldiers?"
"OH NO!" Ilene jumped back. "Call us retired!" The other
adults nodded in agreement.
"Wimps," Jupiter snorted.
"The Earth will be frozen for a thousand years," Pluto
finished her speech. "You'll be here until the Crystal can
release the spell, then Endymion will take his place as King of
Earth. I'm due back at the Gates, bye!" and she vanished.
"She likes doing that too much!" Ilene whined.
"Endy?" Serenity looked up at her boyfriend with big,
luminous eyes and snuggled into his arms.
"Yes Sere?" Endymion asked, rapidly losing his ability to
think straight.
"You owe me some answers mister!" she smiled gloatingly. "So
spill it!"
Endy groaned, then a thought hit him like a bullet train
going full speed. "First things first..." he knelt down before
his beloved. "I don't want you EVER to doubt me again. Princess
Serenity, Serena Tsukino, Sailor Moon... Will you marry me?"
Serenity felt herself melt into the previously mentioned
puddle of Moon Princess, and all thoughts of finding out why
Darien left her flew out the window. "Uh-huh," she answered
eloquently. She dived into Endy's arms and kissed him deeply.
"I'LL KILL HIM!" Ken Tsukino screamed, about to mangle the
Earth prince severely.
Ilene rolled her eyes and hit him over the head with her
purse. Ken was out like a light.
Serenity and Endymion kept kissing, heedless of the similar
scenes happening around them as his friends asked her friends the
same question. Lizzy sniffled as Andy knelt down before Mina,
burring her face in Anne Mizuno's shoulder.
Below, the crowd went wild.
(AN: The epilogue is something of a giant joke, so if you
like the way I ended it, stop here. If you need a laugh, read
on.)
********************
EPILOGUE
1 1/2 years later
In the window, the crystal-looking Earth rose, silently
blessing the wedding taking place below it. Ilene held her tissue
in her left hand as Ken walked his daughter down the aisle in the
Throne Room.
Serena was radiant, but she kept a careful eye on her
father, who was glaring at the groom he was approaching slowly.
Prince Endymion trembled a little, but was soothed by the rattle of
chains. If one looked closely, one could see a manacle running
from Papa Tsukino's left leg, The cast iron chain was long enough
that Ilene could hold it easily, but Mr. Tsukino was forced to
keep a ten foot distance from Endymion.
On the other leg was yet ANOTHER chain, this one held by the
newly married Prince Andrew of Venus, also the Best Man, as
backup precaution.
The Brides-princesses paired up with their new husbands, each
smiling as their Princess neared the alter where Grandpa Hino
(AN: WHAT'S HIS NAME?! *_*;;) waited to wed the happy couple.
Ken Tsukino reached the end of his chain, and watched
wrathfully as his daughter finished the walk without him.
Endymion looked at the woman by his side, once again
wondering what he did to deserve her.
Grandpa smiled and opened the ceremony. "Dearly beloved, we
are gathered here today to wed this beautiful Princess and her
half-wit-" he was cut off by Raye's angry "GRANDPA!".
"Ahem," Grandpa coughed. "As I was saying, this beautiful
Princes and her Prince in holy matrimony. By popular demand,
we'll skip the sermon." There was a muffled cheering from the
audience. "The bride and groom have written their own vows."
Endymion turned to Serenity. "I don't know what I did to
deserve the love of someone as sweet, loving and beautiful as
you, Serenity. I've died twice for you, and if given the
opportunity, I would do so again a thousand times, because I know
that no matter what tries to break us apart, we'll always find
our way back to each other." He swallowed, getting lost in her
adoring gaze. "I love you more than anyone else in this universe
ever could. Serena, Princess Serenity, would you do me the
incomparable honor, and make me the happiest man in Sol, by being
my wife?"
Serenity wiped her eyes with the end of her veil. "Oh,
Darien, of course I do," she sniffed. Every female in the room
was in tears, and even Ken Tsukino was looking a little softer.
Ilene went through ten tissues in as many seconds, and by her
side Lizzy was holding out a new box to anyone that needed it.
"Endymion, you said that you died twice for me, but I can
say the same thing. I followed you into death once, and happily
would again," Serenity whispered, but her words echoed in the
suddenly silent halls. She looked deep into the midnight, ocean
blue depths of Endymion's eyes, noting absently that they were
the exact color of the sea when the sun is sparkling on it on a
summer day. "I killed myself a thousand years ago, just to be
with you. You didn't do anything to deserve me. If anything, I
don't deserve someone as handsome, loving and strong as you. I
love you Endy, and I'll be yours forever and a thousand years
after. Not even death can keep us apart."
In the crowd, the tissues were used up even faster than for
Endymion's speech. Ken was staring at his baby girl and crying
harder than his wife.
"MY BABY GIRL'S GROWN UP!!!" he wailed. A glass vase of
roses three rooms down shattered.
"DAD! KNOCK IT OFFFF!" Sammy whined from his seat,
shattering another vase. (AN: Must run in the family.)
The rings were exchanged, and the tears came heavier.
"Due to the Father of the Bride's umm..." Grandpa Hino
hesitated. "Protective instinct, I will NOT ask for objections to
this union." Ken groaned loudly.
"I pronounce you man and wife," Grandpa announced proudly.
"You may now kiss the bride."
Endymion raised Serenity's veil and kissed his new wife
deeply. Ken screamed in rage and lunged for Endymion's throat.
Both Andrew and Ilene pulled sharply on his chains, stopping him
mid-plunge and the crowd cheered.
CLICK!
The wedding photo showed Serenity and Endymion kissing as
Ken fell to the marble floor and the people in the pews stood and
clapped loudly. The brides maids were crying into their husbands
shoulders, and the Silver Crystal was glowing brightly. Mina was
helping her husband, Andrew, yank on the chain, throwing her
whole body into it. Andrew and Ilene were leaning sharply back on
Ken's leash, yelling "NO KEN!". As a final touch, the "Priest",
Grandpa Hino, was making bunny ears over the newly weds heads and
smiling at the camera.
********************
995 years later
"Daddy," Serenity sank into her husband's trembling arms as
she faced her parents, hands on her stomach. "I'm going to have a
baby!"
Ilene rushed forward to give her daughter a hug. "Oh, I'm so
happy for you..." she trailed off, noticing that her husband
wasn't with her. All eyes in the room turned to Mr. Tsukino.
Ken was clenching his fists, cheek twitching and a large
vein on his forehead pounding dangerously.
"He... he touched... my baby girl..." Ken muttered, looking
at Endymion with murder in his eyes. "I'll... I'LL KILL HIM!" He
dived for Endymion's throat.
Ilene sighed and pulled a rolled up newspaper out of her
dimensional pocket, smaking Ken sharply on the nose. "NO! Bad
boy," she snapped.
Ken rubbed his nose and looked at his daughter's husband
apologetically. "Sorry, old habits die hard," he murmured.
"It's okay..." Endy murmured. "I just remembered that I have
to... uh, mow the lawn!" Endymion was gone faster than Serenity
could eat.
Serenity and Ilene exchanged puzzled looks.
"What lawn?" Serenity asked her mother. The older woman
shrugged.
********************
2 1/2 years later
Queen Serenity stood in the throne room, a small bag packed
and ready to go in her hand. Endymion waddled into the room, five
huge suitcases strapped to him.
"You got all my bags, Muffin?" Serenity asked.
"Yes. Do you have mine?" he asked.
"Right here!" She held up the small duffel bag. "Where are
the Soldiers and my parents? It's almost time to wake up Earth!"
she whined.
"They're taking care of Rini," Endy told her, dropping three
of the bags. "I hope."
A naked pink blur ran by screaming happily, dumping her
loaded diaper on the clean marble floors as she passed. The eight
Soldiers, the child's grandparents and uncle all chased after
her.
"RINI, GET BACK HEEE.. AHHHH!" Mars yelled, shrieking as she
slipped on the soiled diaper. Jupiter and Saturn tripped over
her, and from there on it was a domino effect. Endymion and
Serenity winced as they all ended up rolling in the mess.
"THAT'S IT!" Pluto screamed, looking at her befouled dress.
"TIME, I COMMAND YOU TO STOP!" she held up her time staff.
Everything froze, and she deposited the statue-like child in her
mother's arms. Serenity looked at the Soldier sadly.
"Puu... That attack will kill you!" she said, beginning to
cry as time resumed. Rini blinked, wondering how she got in her
mama's arms.
"I don't care!" Pluto said, breathing heavily as she sat.
"It's better than eternity baby-sitting that pink haired demon
spore!"
"Umm... Puu?" Ilene looked at the Lone Warrior guiltily.
"What is it? I'm busy welcoming death!"
"Ilied,itwon'tkillyou!" Ilene rushed the words.
"NOOO!" Puu wailed. "I don't wanna live!"
Serenity smiled and shifted the baby in her arms. "GREAT!
Now that you're not dying, you can baby-sit tonight!"
"NOOOOO!" Pluto's scream of horror echoed throughout the
palace.
*****************************************************************
This is the fic that never ends! Yes it goes on and on my
friends. I started this thing not knowing what it was, and I'll
keep typing it forever just because... Wait a minute! It's OVER!
I can stop singing! YES! Oh, Thank the Gods, it's done! (Falls
over in euphoria, twitching for five minutes before remembering
the Author's Notes.)
I have some explaining to do,I know. So listen closely, I
ain't saying this twice!:
1) I know I totally forgot the R Season theme, but I meant
to do that anyway. It IS Out of Time Timeline, after all.
2)It took me a good MONTH to do this, and it was 40 pages
TYPED when I last checked. So I hope you read this off line.
3)I had to throw the last few jokes in, to lighten the mood.
I'm incapable of writing COMPLETE doom and gloom. Just NOT ME!
4) The reason Ken Tsukino is a Jovian (of Jupiter) is
because that's the planet of protection. I figured, he's a
very over protective father, so it'd fit!
The Rest of the horror.
A Love they Can't Love Without
Series: SM
Pairings: I don't remember, except that it's het
Summary: No clue, except a vague memory of somehow managing to pair up every single senshi in the space of a single story.
( Part 01 )
Author's POV
"You see," Serenity starts. "My daughter is very hurt right
now. You can't just pop up and say that you're sorry."
"Why not?"
Queen Serenity sighed. 'Are all men this dense? I know Zeus
was, and so is his daughter. Hmm?' "Just believe me, she needs to
remember how much she loves you before she can truly think that
you love her back again. She's too sunk in her pain right now
to..." she trailed off. Endymion had a blank look in his eyes,
much like the one Serena got when Amy explained a physics
equation. "Never mind. Just try and use the memories you keep
merging with to make her love you again, and you'll be fine."
"Oh-kay," Darien replied, still looking a bit lost. "What is
it with those images, anyway?"
"They, and I, are only memories that are being reproduced by
the Moon Kingdom Computer's AI. It's lonely, and uses them to
keeps itself occupied and to make sure the Kingdom continues to
exist."
"So you're not really the spirit of Queen Serenity, are
you?" Darien asked, back in his depth. "You're just something
created by an Artificial Intelligence."
"Don't rub it in!" Serenity snapped, looking hurt. "But,
yes. The real spirit of Queen Serenity is..." she paused, trying
to think. "Busy elsewhere."
"Being dead?" Darien asked impudently.
"Not exactly. But for now, anytmime anytime you have a
question, just walk up to one of the projections and ask it. You
can control the memories if you try." Queen Serenity fluttered up
to his face again.
"Wait a minute!" Darien stopped her from flying away. "Why
are you, the computer, helping me?"
Serenity's voice took a deeper, more metallic tone. "My
first loyalty is to the Lunar Royalty, and this Kingdom. It's in
my best interests to make sure that the time line is not broken
in anyway. If things change, I'll be alone for all eternity, and
I don't want that." The projection vanished.
********************
Serena stepped out of the memory, tears in her eyes.
Somehow, she knew where she'd go next without thinking about it.
She walked towards the teleportation room blindly, letting her
feet guide her.
Serena stepped into the hall before the room and blended
with the image of her former self.
Darien watched the ghost merge with the woman.
"Are you sure this will work?" he asked the transparent
image of Queen Mercury beside him.
She smiled, her blue eyes twinkling as her dark blue hair
bounced in a non-existent wind. "Of course!" she answered
seriously. She reminded him of Amy's mother for some odd reason.
Darien pushed the thought out of his mind and stepped into
his own past. 'I can control it if I want to,' he reminded
himself.
Endymion stepped on the transporation pad, beginning to
press the keys that would take him back to Earth.
"WAIT!" Serenity ran into the room, thanking the Gods that
Endymion was the only other one in it. "Don't go yet!" She threw
herself into his arms, crying softly. "I don't want you to
leave!"
The part of Endymion that was Darien took control, and
pulled Serenity closer.
'This is wrong,' Serenity thought, as Endymion kissed the
top of her head softly. 'It's not supposed to happen like
this...' a brief image of him kissing her cheek and moving her
off the pad before hitting the buttons and vanishing flashed
through her mind, but she pushed it away. 'I like it better like
this...'
Darien lifted her chin, looking into the eyes that he loved
so. Eyes that glittered with tears. "Sere, I have to go. It's
death for me if I don't,' he whispered, gently brushing away her
tears with his thumb. "I'll see you again, somehow. I swear it."
Darien leaned down and gently kissed her lips.
"I love you, and not even death will keep me from your arms
for long," he whispered.
Serenity hugged him closer. "I love you too," she answered
without a thought. Then she released him and stepped back.
Darien stepped out of the image and watched as Endymion
punched the keypad, then vanished into a flash of pink light.
Serenity collapsed into a heap of white gown and gold hair,
weeping.
Darien moved quickly out of the room, rushing to get away
before Serena woke up out of the projection.
Serenity stood and walked out of the room, leaving a weeping
Serena in her place. Darien ached to go hold her, to tell her
that it would all be all right, but Queen Mercury put a hand on
his arm and frowned. So that impulse flew away, not acted upon.
Serena stood and walked away, towards the gardens. She knew
what she was going to do, but Darien didn't. So he followed.
Queen Mercury smiled sadly and vanished. If the Prince needed
help again, he knew how to get it.
********************
Ken was finally untied, after swearing on all he held dear
that he wouldn't harm Darien. The Soldiers still watched him
closely, but he never made a move towards the college student on
the hospital bed.
"Why haven't they told their parents yet?" Ilene asked
Pluto, hands on her hips. Andy sat by Darien's bed, and Lizzy was
talking to Venus.
"That is their decision to make, Mrs. Tsukino. The matter
has no effect on the future, so I do not worry about it," Pluto
answered softly.
"What about YOUR family, Puu?" Ilene dug deeper. She had
found that she related to the Soldier of Time very well, and had
no problems with such a familiar form of address.
Pluto's deep red eyes went sad for a second before her usual
emotionless mask covered the pain. "I am not called the Lone
Warrior for nothing," she laughed harshly. "I don't have a family
to speak of."
Something inside Ilene ached to hear that anyone was
entirely alone. "Why? What happened to them?"
"I am the daughter of Chronus and Gaea, Father Time and
Mother Earth." Pluto stared off into space for a second. "They
are not the most attentive of parents."
Ilene felt her heart go out to this strong woman who'd been
alone for all of eternity. "I'll be your mother," she offered
shyly.
Pluto turned to her, ready to turn the offer down. But
something in Ilene's eyes stopped her.
**FLASH**
"Pluto," Queen Serenity knelt down next to the young Soldier
of Time as she gave her the responsibility of the Time Stream.
"As long as you live, you can always think of me as your mother."
"Thank you, Aunt Sere!" the young girl hugged the woman.
"You'll always be my Mommy! ALWAYS!"
**FLASH**
"Thank you, Ilene," Pluto smiled for the first time in
centuries. "Only one other person has ever done something like
this for me, and it makes sense that you would do as she did."
Ilene opened her mouth to ask what she meant, but closed it
with a snap. 'Never mind.'
"Ilene is right," Mars murmured, looking up from Serenity's
pale face. "I never thought about it, but we should tell our
parents. What if one of us were to die?"
The others looked at her, nodding.
"Besides, I don't think we could come up with a good enough
lie to get out of this one," Venus pointed to the clock. It was
eight at night. "My Mom's gonna kill me. She's probably already
got the police after me."
Jupiter looked at the only two Soldiers with parents to
tell. "I'll watch here, you two go get your families..."
"And Chad, Ken and Greg," Pluto added.
"Why?" Venus asked, a little sad that she didn't have a
boyfriend to tell.
Andrew glanced at her understandingly. 'It's a shame she's
so young,' he thought. 'I'd ask Mina out in a heartbeat! Of
course, age never stopped Darien and Serry...'
"Just do it!" Pluto smiled again. It was amazing what having
someone to talk to could do to the Lone Warrior. "You'll find out
later!"
"Can't you tell us now?" Venus bounced, sky blue eyes
bright. "Please?"
"Just GO!" Puu laughed.
"Fine, we're going..." Mars muttered. "Ames, I'll get Greg
for you." She and Venus hopped out the window, off to get those
closest to them.
MOON KINGDOM ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE'S POV
'It all falls into place,' I "think" to myself. Pluto is
helping my plans nicely. I make a note to send some flowers to
the Time Gate after this is over.
********************
Grandpa (AN: What's his first name? Anyone know?) Hino was
woken roughly as someone landed on his window sill.
"Who's there? Raye?" he asked, frowning at the silhouette in
the moonlight.
"No, Mr. Hino," Venus answered. "Raye needs you and Chad at
Tokyo General Hospital, room 111. Please hurry."
Who are you, and how do you know my granddaughter?" Grandpa
asks the person.
The woman in the window moved slightly, and her features
caught the moonlight. A feeling of deja vu swept over Grandpa,
but he shook it off.
"I'm Sailor Venus, also known as Sailor V and the Goddess of
Love," Venus relpies nearly silently. "Raye is a good friend of
mine, and it is for your own happiness that we ask you to come."
And she was gone.
Grandpa stared at where she had been for a moment before
climbing out of bed and yelling for Chad...
Mina's mother looked sternly at the girl before her, who
wore an outfit much like the one Mina wore while modeling for
Sailor V. Mrs. Aino's startling gold eyes bored into Mars'
purple. Her antique gold hair was drawn back into a simple braid,
and a blue night gown set snugly on her body. Mars thought of her
uncanny resemblance to Queen Venus a thousand years ago.
"I don't know what you and your friends have done to my
daughter," she begins, "but she had better get her butt home
NOW!"
Mars sighed, and tried to keep her temper. Same personality,
too. She'd been listening to this for several minutes now, unable
to get a word in.
"And whatever you idiot kids are up to,' Mrs. Aino starts
again.
Mars snaps. "THAT IS IT! I don't know how Mina puts up with
you! I came here trying to tell you where to go if you want to
know what kind of life your daughter's been living for the past
three years, and you call me everything but 'Child Molester'!"
"Oh, did I leave that out?" Mrs. Aino asks rudely.
"Now you listen lady, I wouldn't be here if Mina wasn't one
of my best friends, and if she hadn't pulled my butt out of so
many scrapes I can't remember them all! But if you're not going
to listen, then I'm outta here!" Mars turned to leave.
"Wait!" Diana (AN: Made up first name!) Aino called. "I'm
sorry, I'm just worried. Please, I'll do what you ask, as long as
it won't hurt Mina."
Mars looked at the desperate woman. Sincerity shown in the
eyes of the distressed mother. "Come to Tokyo General Hospital,
room 111. Mina will be there." And Sailor Mars melted into the
night...
Ken and Greg rested after a long game of basketball. The
stars glittered above them and mixed with the yellow street
light, casting an eerie glow on the scene.
Greg sighed and clutched his head as though he had a
headache.
"Hey, man, you okay?" Ken asked his friend.
"Something's about to happen," Greg whispered. "Everything
is about to change... It's like this feeling of the past coming
back to haunt us, but no in a bad way." He was rocking his head
slightly, like he was trying to shake the feeling away. "It's
hard to explain."
"Things are about to change," a strong woman's voice said
from the shadows. Two sets of high heels clicked against the
pavement.
"And we're sorry we have to be the ones to break your
peace," a second female voice added.
"Who's there?" Ken demanded, standing up and holding the
ball like a weapon.
"Put it down Ken," one of the voices sighed. "We won't hurt
you. Your girlfriends would kill us if we did." They stepped into
the faint street light.
"Ken, it's them," Greg whispered. "The ones who saved me a
few years ago." He, too, stood on slightly shaking knees.
"Yes, you were a Crystal carrier, weren't you Greg?" The
woman in orange asked, looking thoughtful.
"What do you know about Lita and Amy?" Ken asked.
"Tokyo General, room 111, and you'll find out," the one in
red said. "Don't tell your parents, we'll cover for you if need
be." And they ran off down the street...
********************
Serena curled up on a swing in the garden, weeping. The
memories were just a temporary release, and when they left the
pain was worse than ever. What had once been a hole in her heart
was now a burning fire, eating her alive. She couldn't take the
pain anymore, so she gave up. She just waited for death or a
passing memory to catch her, she no longer cared which.
Darien watched her with a hollow heart. How could he EVER
have hurt her so? Suddenly, he found himself wondering how many
times he would have to hit himself in the head before being
knocked out.
Looking around, he spotted a memory of Princess Hotaru of
Saturn (Hotaru of Saturn? Where'd she come from?) walking by. He
tapped her on the shoulder.
"Yes, Prince?" the computer asked him.
"I need a memory to get her moving, please," he whispered.
"Saturn" blinked, and faded out for a moment. When she came
back, she nodded and pointed to the swing. Then she vanished.
"Silent as the dark night sky," a clear, bell like voice
sang. Darien turned to see Serenity sitting on the swing and
looking up at the Earth. She swung back and forth, her bare feet
brushing the moon-roses around her.
"Steady as time flowing by
In his eyes the sun goes dim
And here I wait, just for him.
"Warm as a child's gaze
I'll be full for all my days
My life is a dream come true
I'll wait forever, just for you."
Darien watched as Endymion crept up, having just snuck onto
the Moon to see her. He paused, listening to the sing with a
smile. Darien took that opportunity to merge with the projection.
"Gentle as the spring's soft breeze
Eyes bluer than Earth's seas
That's my love, forever and a day
I'll wait 'til time goes it's way."
Serenity kept swinging and watching the clear Lunar skies.
Darien cleared his throat behind her, and she turned with wide
eyes to see him leaning against a wall, smiling.
"It's a beautiful song," he said.
Serenity squealed and hurled herself at him, almost giving a
new meaning to the term "hour glass figure". "I wrote it just for
you!"
"I missed you too, Sere," he laughed, hugging her back,
though with much less force. Serenity pulled away to look
anxiously at his face.
"Endy, you shouldn't be here," she said, tears forming in
the crystalline depths of her eyes. "I don't want you to die for
me!"
Darien enfolded her in his arms. "Sere, I won't be caught,"
he murmured into her soft hair. "And even if I am, I would die a
thousand deaths just to look into your eyes once more." She
looked up at him, eyes sparkling with tears. Darien leaned down
and kissed her deeply. Serenity kissed back, with all the love
she had in her being.
Darien pulled back reluctantly. This particular memory had a
purpose, and he couldn't let himself get side tracked. No matter
how tempting it might be. "Let's explore the gardens," he
whispered huskily, leading her away from the swing. He had to get
her moving, so he wouldn't have to send flashbacks to her.
Serenity giggled and permitted herself to be guided off the
garden paths. Darien took her to a small clearing, near the
transport pads. She leaned into his kisses eagerly. Darien
pressed her small figure close to him, ravishing her lips.
"Princess?" a deep voice called, and a hand began to part
the concealing flora. Darien groaned and kissed her lips quickly.
"I have to go, Love. I'll see you later." He kissed her one
last time and ran through the garden, separating with the image
as soon as she could no longer see him.
"HEY! YOU! STOP!" the guard that had interrupted them yelled
at the fleeing form of Endymion.
"No, don't go after him!" Serenity ordered.
"But Princess..." the guard hesitated. Serenity drew up to
her full five foot six and looked him in the eye, daring him to
disobey her. She didn't use her power very often, so it was a
rare man who ignored her when she did. "As you wish," he sighed.
"But I must tell the Queen of this," he added apologetically.
"I understand that," Serenity murmured, looking after her
fled Prince. "You can finish your duties now."
"Yes, your Highness!" He stood at attention, then marched
off. Serenity sighed and went to tell her mother before the
Captain of the Guard did first.
Darien watched all of this, confused. "Why hasn't she come
out of it yet?" he whispered. Then another thought struck him.
"And where the hell did that guard come from?"
"I can answer those," Princess Raye said from his elbow.
Darien jumped. "Don't DO that!" he snapped.
"Sorry," the projection answered, not looking the least bit
apologetic. "The Princess isn't coming out of the trance because
she's not ready, and the guards came from another "memory", as
you call them, that I blended with the one you were in."
"Okay, then WHY did you bring the guards in?" Darien asked.
He REALLY hadn't liked being interrupted.
"Raye" raised an eyebrow. "I refuse to let the ENTIRE past
repeat itself," she said mysteriously. Darien blushed a deep red.
"Now, since we don't have days for the Princess to repeat
her past life, what memory would you like me to put her in next?"
the image asked.
Darien thought about it, letting his blush fade. "How
about..."
********************
Mars collapsed against the wall after she and Venus hopped
back in through the window. The two were arguing.
"My mother is NOT a bi-"
"She is too! I should have let you talk to he-"
"NO WAY! She's seen me modeling the Sailor V fuku WAY too
often for her NOT to guess who I a-"
"That is SO not true! The Sailor V get-up is NOTHING like
our-"
"WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP?!" Uranus asked loudly.
"She started it!" Venus and Mars said in unison.
Ilene was holding Serenity, and Lizzy looked up from where
he was curled up asleep, blinking blearily. Ken was still
glaring at Darien, and Pluto was smiling secretly.
Jupiter poked her head in the room (she'd been guarding the
hall from the media). "Has WWIII started already?"
"Leets, I'll relieve you," Neptune offered, stretching.
"Ken'll recogn-" She was cut off by a shout of shock from the
hall.
"LITA?!"
"There goes that idea," Neptune sighed as Lita dragged Ken
and Greg through the door, a hand over both mouths.
"Lita, what the hell are you doing in that... that..." Ken
trailed off, eyes glued to his girlfriends mini-skirt.
"Ken, you're drooling," Venus wiped some spittle off his
chin.
Greg was looking at Mercury with a blank look. "Meh...
Mer... Mer-cu... riii..." he stuttered.
Neptune walked out the door. "Watch the Prince and Princess
for me," she told Uranus and Pluto. "I'll go watch for the
others." And she was out the door. Faintly, the sound of her
maniacal laughter echoed down the hospital halls.
(AN: I know they should be more worried about Darien and
Serena, but Pluto's not upset, so I think that's enough reason
for them to be calm. And there's nothing they can do, so it's
best they get their minds off these things. Just thought you
might want to know.)
********************
Serenity ran through the halls, passing doors and people
without hesitation. Suddenly she slowed to a furtive walk, and
all the people around her vanished as she was placed in a new
memory.
(AN: This is the fic that never ends...)
Princess Serenity crept to the private transport pad that
was reserved for formal occasions. It would be deserted, she knew
that. Not even a guard to stop her...
Darien watched his love as she entered a memory where she
secretly visited him on Earth. 'How is the AI going to pull this
off?' he wondered, following her into the room.
Serenity powered up the machine slowly, as to minimize the
noise it made. Then she stepped on the platform and hit the
buttons for Earth. Pink light flared, blinding Darien for a
moment. When it cleared, an exact replica of the transport pad in
the Earthian Palace met his eyes. Even down to the scuffs on the
tile.
'Must be a hologram,' he thought. 'Damned good one! I wonder
if the rest of Atlantis is this accurate?'
Serenity glided out of the room, pausing at the door to look
for guards. Apparently, there weren't any, because she slid out
the door.
"How does she know where she's going?" Darien asked no one
in particular.
"She memorized the layout of the Palace and city," a pint-
sized image of Queen Serenity said from his shoulder. "She's
going to the training grounds, better beat her there."
"Thanks." Darien was off down the halls so fast that the
fairy on is shoulder lost her balance and had to fly to keep from
falling to the ground.
"Hmph!" she snorted, crossing her arms as she hovered.
Darien barely beat Serenity to the training area of the
Palace, just merging with his own image before she popped her
head around a pillar and hissed at him.
The training area was a clearing behind the palace, with
some marble pillars scattered around it. Ten feet beyond the
pillars, thick forests with well trimmed paths surrounded the
city of Atlantis and the Palace.
"Endymion, what's wrong?" Kunzite asked, noticing his
Prince's distraction. He followed the blue gaze, and saw the hem
of a white dress fluttering behind a pillar. "Oh." He grinned
meaningfully.
"I'll talk to you later, Kunzite." Endymion dropped the
sword he'd been practicing with and walked off... towards the
pillar the woman was behind, his Generals noticed.
Jadeite watched the Prince walk off. "Man, he gets all the
luck! Women just throw themselves at him!"
"And he's never interested!" Zoicite added.
Endymion looked at Serenity, hearing his friends envious
chatter with only a small part of his mind. Serenity blushed and
watched her feet.
"What are you doing here, Sere? It's dangerous!" He tried
not to yell.
"It's more dangerous for you to come to the Moon," she
looked him in the eyes. "I won't be executed for visiting Earth."
She was almost in tears. He looked so cold. Like he didn't want
to see her. "Or is there someone else you don't want me to know
about?" she asked softly.
Endymion was stunned. How could she think that?
"Oh, Sere," he crushed her to him. "There could NEVER be
anyone else! I'm sorry I gave you that impression. I was just
scared," he whispered, stroking her soft hair.
"I'm sorry I didn't trust you," she murmured back, snuggling
in deeper.
"Ten gold pieces says she runs out of there in tears,"
Nephlite whispered none-too softly.
"Fifty says he loses his temper and yells before she runs,"
Jadeite offered back.
"Done!"
"Shall we cause them to lose their bets?" Endymion asked
Serenity, his words barely reaching her ears. She smiled and
nodded against his hard chest.
Endymion slung an arm over her shoulder and led his love
away from their hiding place, guiding her down one of the forest
paths. Serenity made a show of cuddling deeper into his embrace,
hiding her face in the folds of his shirt.
"WHAT THE..." came the shock exclamations behind them.
Serenity smothered her giggles.
They had barely gotten onto the path before an peeved female
voice called out, "HOLD IT, SERE!"
"Darn, they always ruin my fun," Serenity muttered before
turning to face the annoyed Princess of Venus in her Sailor suit.
"What are you doing down here?" Mina demanded, hands on her
hips. Kunzite stared at the exasperated Princess in orange, jaw
nearly touching the ground.
"Mina-" Serenity began.
"Don't even start, Princess!" Mina cut her off. "Your
mother's going to flip her lid after this, and the garden fiasco
a few weeks ago!"
"Princess?" Zoicite asked, looking from one woman to the
next. "What's going on here?"
"Gentlemen," Mina started, ignoring Serenity's violent head
shake. "Thank you for finding Princess Serenity for me. I'll take
her off your hands now."
"Princess SERENITY?!" the four Generals yelled, glaring at
Endymion.
"And YOU," Mina poked Endymion in the chest. "You had better
be glad that guard didn't recognize you in the gardens."
Endymion paled. "You know about that?"
"I AM the Goddess of love," Mina took Serenity by the wrist.
"Know about what?" Jadeite asked, looking from one person to
the other.
"Sere, we're going home," Mina ignored the commotion around
her and began dragging Serenity away.
"ENDY!" Serenity cried, looking at him sadly.
Darien wrenched himself back into control. He grabbed
Serenity and pulled her away from Mina. "Follow me!"
"STOP!" Sailor Venus yelled behind him. Darien kept
propelling Serenity away until they were well and truly lost in
the forest. They paused under a willow tree, gasping for air.
"Why?" Serenity asked him softly, leaning against a tree.
Her face was slightly flushed from the run. Again, she got the
feeling that things didn't happen this way, but she pushed it
aside.
"I love you," he panted. "What other reason do I need?"
Serenity tackled him, pushing Darien into the ground as she
kissed what little breath he had left out of him. After they
separated, she looked him dead in the eyes. "I love you too," she
confided softly. Darien smiled and leaned up to catch her lips
again...
********************
Princess Serenity tossed on the bed, kicking off all
attempts by the Soldiers to hold her still.
"Endymion..." she murmured, swinging her head. "DARIEN!" It
was a painful scream, like something was hurting her deeply.
"No... This can't be happening... a dream..."
Ilene held her daughter close, trying to prevent her from
hurting herself. Everybody gathered in the room, Grandpa Hino,
Chad, Diana Aino and the others, watched closely. Ken Tsukino sat
on the side of the bed, holding his daughters hand.
"PRINCESS!" Mars screamed in terror. Serenity's aura was
fading rapidly, as was Endymion's cerulean.
The Imperium Crystal began to glow gently, like it was
responding to something nearby. Ken screeched and dropped Sailor
Moon's hand. "It bit me!"
"They're dying!" Mercury screamed. "Jupiter! Shock them NOW!
Don't let 'em sink too far away!"
Jupiter delivered a minor jolt of electricity to Sailor Moon
and Tuxedo Mask. The Crystal flashed, encasing it's owner and her
mother in a globe of white light.
"Sailor's!" Pluto snapped. "Use your pens! HELP THE
CRYSTAL!"
"Right!" Each Soldier pulled out a transformation pen.
"MARS STAR POWER!"
"JUPITER STAR POWER!"
"VENUS STAR POWER!"
"MERCURY STAR POWER!"
"NEPTUNE PLANET POWER!"
"URANUS PLANET POWER!"
"PLUTO PLANET POWER!"
'Please, we'll give you our lives,' Venus prayed to the
Crystal. 'Just save them!'
The Silver Imperium Crystal began to glow, and a thin line
of colored light flowed out of each soldier, enveloping Tuxedo
Mask, Sailor Moon and Ilene Tsukino in a ball of energy.
Ilene clutched her daughter close, tears streaming down her
cheeks.
"Please don't die please don't die please don't die..." she
chanted, rocking the once-again Serenity in her arms. "Why can't
I help?.."
'You can help,' a voice whispered inside her mind. 'You know
what to do.' In her mind's eye, Ilene saw a slender woman with
silver-lavender hair up in buns like her daughters. The woman was
smiling sadly, and her dress billowed in the wind.
(AN: And I'll keep on typing it forever just because...)
'Are you Queen Serenity?' Ilene asked her.
'I used to be. Help our Princess!'
'How do I help... what do I do?' Ilene asked desperately,
but Queen Serenity was gone. 'How...' Ilene close her eyes,
searching for a way to save her child. Deep inside her-behind her
eyelids- a ball of silvery light drew her attention. She called
to it, begging it to help. It hesitated, and seemed to ask a
question.
'Are you prepared for what comes back when you free your
power?'
'I don't care! PLEASE!' Ilene begged. The light bobbed, then
flashed brightly...
The onlookers watched as Ilene began glowing with a pure
white light. It fed directly into the Crystal, which accepted it
like an old friend. The Crystal began to glare blindingly, and
the light Ilene was emitting matched it's brilliance.
The stream of energy coming from the Soldiers thickened as
the Crystal used more and more of their power. Each Sailor
morphed into her Princess form, truly becoming her past self and
accepting that it was her. Ilene, too, began to change. The short
summer dress she wore lengthening until it brushed her ankles.
Her hair grew also, turning pale as it developed into two long
pigtails. A golden crescent formed on her brow, adding it's light
to the flow around them.
Outside the globe of energy, Ken and Sammy Tsukino looked at
their wife, daughter and sister helplessly. Ken's brown eyes
sparkled with a green energy, the same color as Jupiter's. Sammy
had a dim white light threading through his fingers, but it was
not nearly as bright as the illumination coming from his mother
and sister. Greg, Ken and Chad watched their girlfriends, each
shimmering with a paler version of their girlfriends color. They
sent their strength into the effort, thought hey didn't have as
much as they needed to make much difference.
Lizzy clutched Andrew's hand for comfort, but drew back when
she looked at his Andy's eyes were riveted to Princess Venus, and
a look of startled recognition was set into his features. He
glittered gold as Mina did, but with less intensity, and slight
ocean blue streaks flowed through his aura. Lizzy looked at her
own hands. They were glowing a light yellow and blue, almost
white. Then she locked her eyes on Prince Endymion. She locked
hands with her brother and sent their energy into the mix.
Anne Mizuno was standing closely behind her daughter. Amy
wavered, and without thought, her mother caught her shoulder,
steadying her. The ice blue light shrouded them, and Anne was
changed as she gave her energy to her daughter.
Grandpa Hino had a. far away look in his eyes as he stepped
up beside Raye. He took his grandchild's hand and whispered a
short prayer. His High Priests robes seemed to melt into a deep
red robe that fluttered around his ankles. His ruby red energy
poured into Princess Raye.
Diana Aino took Mina's hand. Her blue nightgown was now a
deep orange toga-like gown, and topaz teardrops glittered in her
hair where it was piled on her head, tumbling down her back in
cascading curls.
"We'll do this together," she whispered, smiling at her
daughter.
Behind Lita, two figures began to glow green. A tall,
elegant woman in a pink gown and a taller man in dark green robe
smiled. "For you, daughter," they whispered together. "For you
and the Princess." Their green glow joined Jupiter's.
Everyone in the room was now helping the effort to keep the
Prince and Princess alive. Fourteen streams of light flowed into
the ball sustaining Serenity and Endymion. Ilene's flowed into
the Crystal itself. All of them were thinking the same thing.
'Please let this work...'
********************
Around the still-kissing couple, the endless walls of
foliage began to melt, turning into the Lunar Palace. Darien
pulled away from Serena as the projections faded, then vanished.
Serena sat up with passion glazed eyes. It wasn't until she
blinked several times that she realized that the scene had
changed.
"What the..." she wondered, rubbing her eyes. Then she
noticed that Endy was still there. 'Oh-kay, is this another
memory?" "Endy?" she asked weakly.
Darien pushed himself to a sitting position. "Serena, I'm
sorry I broke up with you."
Serena stared at him with tearful eyes. "I'm dreaming..."
she whispered, shaking. "The... the real Darien hates me!" She
scrambled away, backing into a wall. "Oh, dear Gods, don't do
this to me..."
Darien watched her. 'Did I hurt her this much?' He
shudderingly stood, his knees feeling like jello. "Serena... I'm
sorry, please forgive me...', he whispered. His voice was soft,
weak. 'What's wrong with me?'
Serena looked at him, disbelieving. "I'm going crazy..." she
whispered, shaking her head.
"NO! This isn't a dream, or a hallucination... Serena..."
Darien put his hand on a wall, only to have it sink through. I
pulled it back sharply, staring at his hand in horror. It was
beginning to fade at the edges. He looked at Serena, eyes wide
with fear. She was even more translucent, he could see the
outline on the wall behind her. Serena was too distraught to
notice, though her denials were growing weaker by the second.
"Your souls are dissipating!" The pinky-sized Queen Serenity
shrieked from behind his ear. "Hurry, or you're both worse than
dead!"
Darien stumbled over to Serena, taking her hands in his.
"Please, believe me!" he shouted, or tried to. It came out as a
soft whisper of the wind. He could see the floor clearly through
their clasped hands.
"No..." Serena mouthed. She was almost gone, fading out of
existence faster than he was.
"I love you..." Darien kissed her, trying to use the last
bit of energy he had to at least let her know how much he loved
her.
Serena felt his lips hit hers. All his love for her was
transmitted through the simple contact. All his fear, all his
sorrow, all his guilt... All of his love, every drop of it in his
being. And it was all hers, she realized. He'd always been hers,
no matter what he said. No matter what he tried to tell her, or
how he pushed her away, he'd always love her. Serena threw her
arms around Darien's neck and kissed him back, letting her
Eternal True Love know EXACTLY how eternal it was.
Darien and Serena flashed back to solidity, before the Moon
Castle began to fade into black around them.
Serena opened her eyes to plain white hospital walls. The
Princesses and their families groaned and fell to their knees.
The two people behind Jupiter vanished. The Imperium Crystal
flashed happily, blinding everyone in the room. There was a
stomach-churning WRENCH and when the light cleared, a empty room
was all that was left...
********************
Serenity groaned and sat up, head aching. Around her, other
people were moaning and looking around at where hey had landed.
"Oh, man... these sudden teleports are a killer, ain't
they?" Ilene muttered beside Princess Serenity.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't in complete control, and the Crystal
got carried away," a silvery voice said nearby. Everyone turned
their heads to where the voice had come from.
A full sized version of the spirit of Queen Serenity was
standing there, looking sheepish. They all looked around,
noticing for the first time that they were on a large balcony.
"Mother?" Serenity asked blurrily.
"I have a confession to make," the fairy-woman said. "I'm
not Queen Serenity, I'm just a projection created by the Moon
Kingdom Artificial Intelligence." She blushed and dug her toe in
the dirt. "I didn't want to lie, but it was in all of our best
interests for you to think I was your Mother."
"You're not..." Serenity whispered. "Then who?.."
The Silver Crystal bobbed and flashed in response to her
unspoken request.
"I am,"Ilene stepped forward, her former persona of Queen
Serenity hovering over her features.
"When the Queen reincarnated the people of the Moon, she
insured that the Princess would be surrounded by people from her
old Kingdom," the projection explained. "The Soldiers were
reincarnated with their soul-mates," it continued. "And their
families." Ken, Chad, Greg and Andrew all flashed to their former
identities of the fiancees of Princesses Jupiter, Mars, Mercury
and Venus. All the adults around turned into their former selves,
the Kings and Queens (mainly Queens) of the galaxy. Ken Tsukino,
surprisingly, bore the Royal symbol of Jupiter, and Sammy had a
silver crescent moon. "The rest of the Moon's Children are
scattered around Earth."
"I had hoped to let the Silver Millennium lie," Princess
Pluto said. The computer projection glared at her. "But the great
freeze came early, so I had to change my plans."
"What about the other people who were reincarnated?"
Serenity asked.
"Look," Pluto waved her staff over the balcony edge.
Serenity peered over curiously. A great roar sounded from below,
and she ducked back.
"That crowd's HUGE!" she gasped, running to hide behind
Endymion.
"It's supposed to be," Princess Saturn walked onto the
balcony, smiling. (AN: My fic, my rules!)
"Doesn't this mean that they're," Princess Jupiter pointed
at the adults, "the ones who should be Sailor Soldiers?"
"OH NO!" Ilene jumped back. "Call us retired!" The other
adults nodded in agreement.
"Wimps," Jupiter snorted.
"The Earth will be frozen for a thousand years," Pluto
finished her speech. "You'll be here until the Crystal can
release the spell, then Endymion will take his place as King of
Earth. I'm due back at the Gates, bye!" and she vanished.
"She likes doing that too much!" Ilene whined.
"Endy?" Serenity looked up at her boyfriend with big,
luminous eyes and snuggled into his arms.
"Yes Sere?" Endymion asked, rapidly losing his ability to
think straight.
"You owe me some answers mister!" she smiled gloatingly. "So
spill it!"
Endy groaned, then a thought hit him like a bullet train
going full speed. "First things first..." he knelt down before
his beloved. "I don't want you EVER to doubt me again. Princess
Serenity, Serena Tsukino, Sailor Moon... Will you marry me?"
Serenity felt herself melt into the previously mentioned
puddle of Moon Princess, and all thoughts of finding out why
Darien left her flew out the window. "Uh-huh," she answered
eloquently. She dived into Endy's arms and kissed him deeply.
"I'LL KILL HIM!" Ken Tsukino screamed, about to mangle the
Earth prince severely.
Ilene rolled her eyes and hit him over the head with her
purse. Ken was out like a light.
Serenity and Endymion kept kissing, heedless of the similar
scenes happening around them as his friends asked her friends the
same question. Lizzy sniffled as Andy knelt down before Mina,
burring her face in Anne Mizuno's shoulder.
Below, the crowd went wild.
(AN: The epilogue is something of a giant joke, so if you
like the way I ended it, stop here. If you need a laugh, read
on.)
********************
EPILOGUE
1 1/2 years later
In the window, the crystal-looking Earth rose, silently
blessing the wedding taking place below it. Ilene held her tissue
in her left hand as Ken walked his daughter down the aisle in the
Throne Room.
Serena was radiant, but she kept a careful eye on her
father, who was glaring at the groom he was approaching slowly.
Prince Endymion trembled a little, but was soothed by the rattle of
chains. If one looked closely, one could see a manacle running
from Papa Tsukino's left leg, The cast iron chain was long enough
that Ilene could hold it easily, but Mr. Tsukino was forced to
keep a ten foot distance from Endymion.
On the other leg was yet ANOTHER chain, this one held by the
newly married Prince Andrew of Venus, also the Best Man, as
backup precaution.
The Brides-princesses paired up with their new husbands, each
smiling as their Princess neared the alter where Grandpa Hino
(AN: WHAT'S HIS NAME?! *_*;;) waited to wed the happy couple.
Ken Tsukino reached the end of his chain, and watched
wrathfully as his daughter finished the walk without him.
Endymion looked at the woman by his side, once again
wondering what he did to deserve her.
Grandpa smiled and opened the ceremony. "Dearly beloved, we
are gathered here today to wed this beautiful Princess and her
half-wit-" he was cut off by Raye's angry "GRANDPA!".
"Ahem," Grandpa coughed. "As I was saying, this beautiful
Princes and her Prince in holy matrimony. By popular demand,
we'll skip the sermon." There was a muffled cheering from the
audience. "The bride and groom have written their own vows."
Endymion turned to Serenity. "I don't know what I did to
deserve the love of someone as sweet, loving and beautiful as
you, Serenity. I've died twice for you, and if given the
opportunity, I would do so again a thousand times, because I know
that no matter what tries to break us apart, we'll always find
our way back to each other." He swallowed, getting lost in her
adoring gaze. "I love you more than anyone else in this universe
ever could. Serena, Princess Serenity, would you do me the
incomparable honor, and make me the happiest man in Sol, by being
my wife?"
Serenity wiped her eyes with the end of her veil. "Oh,
Darien, of course I do," she sniffed. Every female in the room
was in tears, and even Ken Tsukino was looking a little softer.
Ilene went through ten tissues in as many seconds, and by her
side Lizzy was holding out a new box to anyone that needed it.
"Endymion, you said that you died twice for me, but I can
say the same thing. I followed you into death once, and happily
would again," Serenity whispered, but her words echoed in the
suddenly silent halls. She looked deep into the midnight, ocean
blue depths of Endymion's eyes, noting absently that they were
the exact color of the sea when the sun is sparkling on it on a
summer day. "I killed myself a thousand years ago, just to be
with you. You didn't do anything to deserve me. If anything, I
don't deserve someone as handsome, loving and strong as you. I
love you Endy, and I'll be yours forever and a thousand years
after. Not even death can keep us apart."
In the crowd, the tissues were used up even faster than for
Endymion's speech. Ken was staring at his baby girl and crying
harder than his wife.
"MY BABY GIRL'S GROWN UP!!!" he wailed. A glass vase of
roses three rooms down shattered.
"DAD! KNOCK IT OFFFF!" Sammy whined from his seat,
shattering another vase. (AN: Must run in the family.)
The rings were exchanged, and the tears came heavier.
"Due to the Father of the Bride's umm..." Grandpa Hino
hesitated. "Protective instinct, I will NOT ask for objections to
this union." Ken groaned loudly.
"I pronounce you man and wife," Grandpa announced proudly.
"You may now kiss the bride."
Endymion raised Serenity's veil and kissed his new wife
deeply. Ken screamed in rage and lunged for Endymion's throat.
Both Andrew and Ilene pulled sharply on his chains, stopping him
mid-plunge and the crowd cheered.
CLICK!
The wedding photo showed Serenity and Endymion kissing as
Ken fell to the marble floor and the people in the pews stood and
clapped loudly. The brides maids were crying into their husbands
shoulders, and the Silver Crystal was glowing brightly. Mina was
helping her husband, Andrew, yank on the chain, throwing her
whole body into it. Andrew and Ilene were leaning sharply back on
Ken's leash, yelling "NO KEN!". As a final touch, the "Priest",
Grandpa Hino, was making bunny ears over the newly weds heads and
smiling at the camera.
********************
995 years later
"Daddy," Serenity sank into her husband's trembling arms as
she faced her parents, hands on her stomach. "I'm going to have a
baby!"
Ilene rushed forward to give her daughter a hug. "Oh, I'm so
happy for you..." she trailed off, noticing that her husband
wasn't with her. All eyes in the room turned to Mr. Tsukino.
Ken was clenching his fists, cheek twitching and a large
vein on his forehead pounding dangerously.
"He... he touched... my baby girl..." Ken muttered, looking
at Endymion with murder in his eyes. "I'll... I'LL KILL HIM!" He
dived for Endymion's throat.
Ilene sighed and pulled a rolled up newspaper out of her
dimensional pocket, smaking Ken sharply on the nose. "NO! Bad
boy," she snapped.
Ken rubbed his nose and looked at his daughter's husband
apologetically. "Sorry, old habits die hard," he murmured.
"It's okay..." Endy murmured. "I just remembered that I have
to... uh, mow the lawn!" Endymion was gone faster than Serenity
could eat.
Serenity and Ilene exchanged puzzled looks.
"What lawn?" Serenity asked her mother. The older woman
shrugged.
********************
2 1/2 years later
Queen Serenity stood in the throne room, a small bag packed
and ready to go in her hand. Endymion waddled into the room, five
huge suitcases strapped to him.
"You got all my bags, Muffin?" Serenity asked.
"Yes. Do you have mine?" he asked.
"Right here!" She held up the small duffel bag. "Where are
the Soldiers and my parents? It's almost time to wake up Earth!"
she whined.
"They're taking care of Rini," Endy told her, dropping three
of the bags. "I hope."
A naked pink blur ran by screaming happily, dumping her
loaded diaper on the clean marble floors as she passed. The eight
Soldiers, the child's grandparents and uncle all chased after
her.
"RINI, GET BACK HEEE.. AHHHH!" Mars yelled, shrieking as she
slipped on the soiled diaper. Jupiter and Saturn tripped over
her, and from there on it was a domino effect. Endymion and
Serenity winced as they all ended up rolling in the mess.
"THAT'S IT!" Pluto screamed, looking at her befouled dress.
"TIME, I COMMAND YOU TO STOP!" she held up her time staff.
Everything froze, and she deposited the statue-like child in her
mother's arms. Serenity looked at the Soldier sadly.
"Puu... That attack will kill you!" she said, beginning to
cry as time resumed. Rini blinked, wondering how she got in her
mama's arms.
"I don't care!" Pluto said, breathing heavily as she sat.
"It's better than eternity baby-sitting that pink haired demon
spore!"
"Umm... Puu?" Ilene looked at the Lone Warrior guiltily.
"What is it? I'm busy welcoming death!"
"Ilied,itwon'tkillyou!" Ilene rushed the words.
"NOOO!" Puu wailed. "I don't wanna live!"
Serenity smiled and shifted the baby in her arms. "GREAT!
Now that you're not dying, you can baby-sit tonight!"
"NOOOOO!" Pluto's scream of horror echoed throughout the
palace.
*****************************************************************
This is the fic that never ends! Yes it goes on and on my
friends. I started this thing not knowing what it was, and I'll
keep typing it forever just because... Wait a minute! It's OVER!
I can stop singing! YES! Oh, Thank the Gods, it's done! (Falls
over in euphoria, twitching for five minutes before remembering
the Author's Notes.)
I have some explaining to do,I know. So listen closely, I
ain't saying this twice!:
1) I know I totally forgot the R Season theme, but I meant
to do that anyway. It IS Out of Time Timeline, after all.
2)It took me a good MONTH to do this, and it was 40 pages
TYPED when I last checked. So I hope you read this off line.
3)I had to throw the last few jokes in, to lighten the mood.
I'm incapable of writing COMPLETE doom and gloom. Just NOT ME!
4) The reason Ken Tsukino is a Jovian (of Jupiter) is
because that's the planet of protection. I figured, he's a
very over protective father, so it'd fit!
