Queen Lady Serenity smiled and nodded her head, her voice's echo ringing against the crystalline walls for a moment before it was swept away in exuberant applause. The ballroom was filled with guests dressed in their finest gowns and tuxedos, and the color pink laced around the room elegantly: it peeked out from elaborate fabrics of those gathered, the rose on every man's breast and tucked into every lady's hairstyle, and the handkerchiefs tucked into blouses and sleeves; it colored the tabletops, sloshed in silver cups, frosted the cupcakes and stained the berries. She adored the effect, especially in the reflections on the ceiling and in the floor - it was as though they were dancing in a cotton-candy dream.
It had been a long night, and an excellent party. Her cheeks ached from smiling, her feet pulsed from dancing through so many songs, and, with the applause from her farewell speech still thundering and echoing back on itself through the ballroom, it was time to go. Smoothly she turned and walked across the dais through a large door, Pallas, Ceres, Juno and Vesta following behind her. The girls spoke cheerfully about the night as they walked from the ballroom to the elevator and rose the many stories up to the royal apartments, laughing at jokes and reactions, Queen Lady Serenity laughing just as loud as they, snickering every time she glanced over at Juno and saw her in the frilly pink dress Ceres had chosen for her to wear that night, which, of course, made Juno fume.
They said goodnight when they reached the floor of the Royal apartments, the guardian senshi to their quarters, the Queen of the Solar System and Crystal Millennium breaking off to visit the apartment of her young daughter, Princess Little Lovely Serenity. She crept through the night-lit room to her tiny crib and peered over at the darling baby sleeping soundly within. Her silvery lavender locks, already half as long as she was just after a year of life, spread out around her, her tiny fists tangled in the silky length. She smiled and bent into the crib, kissing her softly on the cheek; the baby fidgeted, her little mouth moving noisily for a second before falling back into a deep slumber. It had been a long and exciting day for the little princess, as first birthdays often were; she had presents and plays, and spent the entire day with both mother and her father for as long as she could stay awake, and those light green eyes tired quickly under such stimulation.
"Happy birthday, Little Lovely," she whispered for the second time that day as the Queen turned and exited the nursery, closing the door softly behind her. When she turned around she jumped and squeaked in a childish manner, surprised to find a figure suddenly before her.
Helios chuckled. "I'm sorry to have startled you, my Queen," he greeted slyly, wrapping his arms around her waist loosely, pulling her in close.
"Oh, my King, you lie so well," she teased, kissing him lightly on the lips, her forearms resting on his shoulders with her hands clasped together behind his neck. "You missed the end of a wonderful party."
"A regretful occurrence," he sighed, looking away from her as though in melancholy.
She giggled and kissed him again, "Watch out, or your nose might start growing like the poor puppet in Little Love's storybook!" Helios had never been one for large celebrations, and so, as usual, found some 'pressing business' in Elysion to attend to just a half hour into the celebrations, taking the Princess up to bed before moving to the realm deep within Earth. She didn't mind, knowing his aversion to large crowds.
"Are you coming to bed?" he asked, resting his forehead on hers.
She smiled, "In a little bit, I wanted to wish my mother a Happy Birthday, first."
He nodded and let her go, opening the wide doors to their room and disappearing into the elegant interior. She turned and continued down the hall, opening a door at the end of the hall and entering, the story and excitement still on her face. "Mother! Oh mother it was such a great day!" she gushed, sitting on a couch beside the pillow, "You should have seen Little Love! She was nothing but smiles and giggles, reaching and eager to touch everything! Oooh," she groaned, "but she's always putting things in her mouth. You wouldn't believe the things she tries to put in there. Sure, food of any shape and size within reach, but also stuffed toys and ceramic unicorns and buttons and handkerchiefs – sometimes it's all that we can do to keep her from choking on something! Oh, one day I'm just so afraid that someone's not watching her and something terrible will happen." She paused, "but then, with everyone watching over her, I'm sure she'll be alright.
"There was a festival in every great city, of course, with schools and businesses shut down to celebrate, but we got celebratory messages from all over wishing for our wellbeing and long lives! I loved everything sent our way, but I think, even against the peacocks and other strange gifts, my favorite presents were the crayon drawings and pictures of the girls from around the world trying their own senshi poses. It's so sweet, Mother, you should see some of them! Each say that they wish they were a senshi so that they could protect us; I'm trying to write a personal reply to each and every one of them, telling them how much the sentiment means to me, but saying hat the best thing they can do is to live happily, and to be true to their hearts…
"Oh, but the party! It was so excellent, Mother! The cake was so delicious and simply everyone wore pink, even Juno! There was so much dancing and singing and I really think everyone had a great time! I just…" she paused, staring into the folded hands in her lap, her voice growing quiet, "I just wish you could have been there."
"I miss you," the admission squeaked through her throat, tears forming in the corners of her eyes, her voice breaking with the desperate emotion, "And it's selfish and it's childish, but I just miss you so much!" she sobbed once, audibly, staring through watery eyes at the silver crystal on its pillowed pedestal. "I wish you could be here with me again. I wish you could come to parties and receive letters and laugh with me again, I wish you could see Love grow up! Mother," she cried, her hand pressing her chest at her heart, attempting to ease the pain she felt, still as fresh now as the day her mother had moved on. "I miss you!"
She cried then, hard tears and sobs that drained her, thinking back on all their fights, all the trouble she caused her while they grew up, all the problems her mother had helped her through, her constant support and encouragement, easing her nerves and bolstering her spirits… they used to talk, so much and for such a long time, playing and teasing each other even when she grew to adulthood, and now… now her mother was gone.
When her tears had run dry and her throat was raw, she finally stood, feeling lighter and more at peace with herself. The silver crystal gleamed with a friendly light, sparkling in the spotlight above it and reflecting a rainbow of hues across the room, shining even on its golden match on the pedestal next to it. She smiled then as she noticed a strong pink hue in the center of the prismic beam, and whispered, "Happy birthday, Mother."
When she left the room she found Helios waiting for her, and, hand in hand, they went to bed.