Disclaimer: Sailor Moon does not belong to me so please DON'T SUE:D
Chapter 1: Leaving Home
"You're sending me away?!"
From the balcony where she stood Queen Serenity looked down over the gardens, her lips tight.
King Endymion at her side studied her face, his blue eyes calm.
"Please mama, papa, you cannot be serious!"
Usagi's own blue eyes were wide as she stood with her parents on the balcony.
"Usagi … you are a princess, heir to the Moon Kingdom throne. At your age I was fighting against evil, learning more of my identity and coming to accept the responsibilities I had been born with. But you? My dear I'm afraid you've led a far too sheltered life …"
"I've fought before, I fought with you in the past, I practice with the Senshi and with Pluto …"
Serenity's eyes hardened as she turned finally to her daughter.
"Dear I'm afraid it is not enough. If your father and I were to -"
Usagi's eyes narrowed.
"Don't you say it mama, it would never happen," she said sternly.
Serenity's eyes softened.
"Usagi you are to go to the Celestial Kingdom. Queen Celestin and her officials are good at what they do. My mother herself was educated there at one time, in fact it was where she met my father. It is there you will learn how to manage a Kingdom, discover and execute your power at its greatest level and you too will learn about raising a family."
Usagi's eyes stung as a cool breeze lifted her pink locks as if attempting to lighten the load she suddenly felt she had to bear.
"What is there that I can't learn simply by staying here?" Usagi demanded.
Serenity approached her daughter, placing her hand firmly on the younger girl's shoulder.
"You need to experience something outside our Kingdom, make friends your own age, discover the universe," Serenity responded softly.
"I won't know anyone," Usagi mumbled as Serenity grimaced.
A silence settled as the trio looked to their kingdom and to the planet earth beyond.
Its beauty was priceless, especially for Usagi.
There was a certain beauty in the Kingdom that she knew so well, in the Crystal Tokyo her parents had forged with their love. She only hoped that the day the Kingdom would become hers she would be worthy enough to bear the responsibility that came with it.
"How long will I be away for?" Usagi whispered, dreading the answer that would come.
"Three years is definite, a fourth ye-"
"Three years!? I don't know if I could last being that long away from home … If I agree to go I refuse to go alone," Usagi reasoned.
Serenity frowned.
"Usagi I don't know, you're asking a lot …"
Usagi's eyes hardened.
"I'm going to the other side of the galaxy mother and I will be alone! Please at least let someone come with me!" Usagi pleaded as she looked to her mother, her ruby coloured eyes large.
"I suppose I could let one of the Inner Senshi come wi-"
"I want Setsuna to accompany me," Usagi said simply, folding her arms across her chest.
Serenity looked to her impossible daughter who stuck her chin out.
"Usagi, Setsuna is the Guardian of the Gate of Time, if she goes who will keep the gate?"
Usagi's eyes lowered as she thought carefully.
"Can't one of the other senshi take care of it?"
Serenity remained silent in thought as she held her daughter's eyes.
"Alright, I'll go if you let Setsuna accompany me for one year. After that year I will stay with Queen Celestin on my own and send her back home mama, please consider it," Usagi whispered.
Serenity remained silent for a moment longer before she released her breath.
"She will go with you for a year but after that she's coming back," Serenity decided a Usagi embraced her mother.
Endymion came closer, his face warm.
"Chibi-Usa I have absolutely no doubt that you will do us proud as well as the Senshi," he comforted.
Usagi loved it when her father comforted her for there was something in his voice that made her feel as though she could do anything. Perhaps it was his absolute belief in her or maybe it was because he loved her so much. Perhaps it was both. Regardless of what it was she knew then that for them she would go.
"I suppose three years isn't much compared to the time that we've ruled peacefully here," she began as her father smiled proudly at her.
"That's my Chibi-Usa," he spoke as he held her frowning face.
"Come on papa I've grown out of that name already!" she growled although her parents' response was to laugh.
Outwardly Usagi rolled her eyes yet inwardly the feeling of being on the other side of the galaxy without the warmth and comfort of her family and Senshi was overwhelming, stifling her like a blanket.
"Usagi you might as well go and get your things ready," Serenity advised calmly.
Usagi's frown disappeared immediately at the sound of the request.
"Why, when do I leave?" she asked fearfully.
"Tomorrow morning someone from the Celestial Kingdom will come and escort you and Setsuna there," Serenity explained as she led her daughter through the throne room of the Palace into the hall that led to her room where Sailor Pluto waited at the door.
"Good, Pluto shall help you pack your things. Luckily for your there is no limit to the amount of things that you are allowed to pack so I suppose you can take everything or anything you would like to," her mother advised before she departed once more for the throne room where Endymion undoubtedly waited.
Usagi looked to Pluto, her large scarlet eyes sombre.
Pluto smiled slightly, a smile that comforted Usagi enough to have her enter the room with the intention of packing.
:X:X:
"Tell me Endymion, am I doing the right thing?"
King Endymion came to stand at his wife's side, the two of them on the balcony once more admiring the celestial divinity that was the universe.
"We are doing the right thing Serenity. Like you said she is not at all prepared for ruling a kingdom. This she must learn through another's eyes to see the importance of her inheritance and her place in the universe."
Serenity nodded meekly, her blue eyes growing hot.
Yet another cool breeze swept around the pair, tossing Serenity's skirts effortlessly, her emotions too tossing endlessly.
"Come on now Serenity I would've thought you would have more confidence in our daughter! She will be fine," he reassured as he pulled his queen into his arms.
Serenity's lips curved upwards as she rested her head on her king's chest, her breathing in synch with his softly beating heart.
She loved their time alone, where for those blissful moments she was no queen and he no king but merely Usagi and Mamoru, two people in love.
"Our Chibi-Usa will do us proud," Endymion concluded, stroking his wife's cheek.
::X:X::
The throne room was still, not a word spoken, not a murmur uttered.
The throne room had traditionally been a place of celebration, a place of happiness and yet today it seemed cold, empty.
Outside the sun was warm, the gardens alive with colour yet it seemed the sun's rays stopped short of the large open doors that led from the balcony into the throne room.
Inside the eight Senshi were present, the seven who were remaining standing on either side of Serenity and Endymion.
Pluto and Usagi stood opposing them, the princess' luggage lined up behind the pair.
"Take care Usa and do all the work they ask of you!" Mercury advised as she stepped forward to embrace her fondly, shattering the tense silence in doing so.
Venus appeared next embracing her also.
"Look after yourself and don't forget to write!"
Mars approached her with a smug smile.
"Don't get into too much mischief okay? And do take care, small lady," she added softly as she hugged her.
Jupiter bear-hugged the Princess, advising her not to hesitate at the chance of teaching anyone that threatened her a lesson.
Saturn embraced her, Uranus patting her head with Neptune holding her cheek.
"Nothing new to offer from us Princess just look after yourself and make us proud," Neptune spoke.
Usagi finally looked to her parents, her mother beaming at her with shining eyes, her father's gaze a soft one upon his daughter.
"The Senshi have said it all Usa-"
Without leaving her mother with the opportunity of finishing her sentence Usagi ran into her arms, her eyes stinging unwillingly.
Endymion embraced the two of them, his lips finding Usagi's forehead.
"Make us proud Chibi-Usa, I know you will," he whispered.
Despite the doors to the throne room opening with an almighty slam that filled the room with icy air, no one within the room moved or took much notice.
"Pardon our intrusion your Majesties. We are here to escort the Princess Usagi to the Celestial Kingdom."
At the sound of the voice Usagi, her mother and father and the Senshi took care to notice ten females entering the room all dressed in identical uniforms.
All the skirts were a creamy yellow, the bows on their chests a green, the button holding the bow a silver. They all wore green heels, the only unique characteristics amongst the females being their hair and eye colours and styles.
The speaker entered confidently to stand at the centre of the ten females, as if she were a centrepiece, the focus of attention.
Her dark brown hair hung in loose, glossy curls that fell to her shoulders, her eyes the lightest of greens regarding them all openly.
Her uniform was different, the top half of her costume completely black without sleeves or straps, her skirt black also. The only splashes of colour were the green sash that lined the top of her dress and the green sash that tied into a great bow that sat on the small of her back. Her heels too were green.
Endymion released his family, his eyes as well s his wife's and daughter's on the female that stood before them.
"Forgive me your highnesses once more for the rude interruption. I am Celestial Sailor Emerald and these ladies accompanying me are the Emerald Elite, ladies under my command. My Guard and I have been accompanying other princesses that come to Queen Celestin's palace for studying all there is to being a princess, particularly crown princesses, and what their role is," she began.
"So we've been told," Mars interrupted coolly.
Emerald smiled widely.
"Then if I may?" she said simply, looking to Usagi.
Serenity clutched Endymion's arm, her knuckles white as Usagi turned to regard her family once more. With shining eyes she reluctantly turned away from them to walk out of the throne room door, Pluto following closely behind, her possessions carried by the Emerald Elite.
In a flash of light that came and went all too quickly, Usagi was gone.
Emerald however remained for a moment, kneeling before the King and Queen.
"My assurance, your Highnesses, your daughter will be and is safe, I swear it upon my grave and upon the name of my great Queen Celestin," she promised.
"You better hope she stays safe," Jupiter hissed as Emerald stood.
"I promise. I am glad to have met the Senshi that have sent ripples of fear through our foes. Many stories of your adventures and bravery have travelled our way. I only hope that you will come to the Celestial Kingdom and tell your stories to us yourselves. Good day your Majesties, Senshi," she bowed deeply before she turned, disappearing in the same light that took Usagi.
Back in the throne room no sound was made, no word uttered.
All that was heard was Serenity's uneven breathing, her shoulders shaking as she nestled herself in her husband's arms.
::X:X::
When Usagi's eyes closed she had been standing on the marble floor of her home, of her castle.
When her eyes opened her feet was on a familiar looking floor, its glassy marble mirroring that of the floor at home.
Her eyes lifted expectantly to find herself within a spacious room where before her large glass doors were flung open to reveal three distant moons shrouded by transparent curtains that flew carelessly in the cool breeze.
Her eyes moved upwards to the white ceiling, the large centrepiece a glorious chandelier that shivered, humming the Princess a gentle greeting.
The space before her was unoccupied but the floor was alight, dancing in the silver rays that graced its impeccable floor. There were several doors to their left and right that remained closed.
The size of the room she stood in alone was the size of her own bedchamber at home.
"Good evening Princess Usagi and welcome to the Eternal Palace," a soft voice greeted.
Turning both Usagi and Pluto were greeted by a bowing female whose short blue curls bounced frivolously as she straightened, her dark brown eyes sombre as she regarded them.
Usagi noted that the female was dressed in a white kimono with a pink under robe. The sash that tied around her waist was too pink, tying into a large bow that sat on her lower back.
"I am Lady Seiko and I shall be looking after you for the duration of your stay here your Highness. I am not only your lady-in-waiting but I am also your private tutor," she greeted as she moved around them, directing their gaze to the large doors before them once more and the moons that lay beyond.
"I must say your Highness I came expecting to be your only servant but it seems you already brought one with you …" she began as she looked Pluto up and down.
"Pluto is not my servant, she is my friend … Seiko," Usagi pointed as she shot Pluto a sidelong glance that she didn't seem to notice.
"Forgive me your Highness but we do not permit friends," Seiko responded coolly.
"I am Sailor Pluto, Guardian of the Gate of Time," Pluto murmured as she moved forward, her garnet orb firmly in hand.
Seiko stepped backwards, her eyes widening.
"Yo-you are not a friend, you are a senshi?" Seiko whispered as she straightened.
"If so then forgive me Sailor Pluto, you have every right to be here if you are here to guard the Princess. Believe it or not Princess but we have heard many stories on our side of the galaxy about your mother and your Crystal Tokyo, I can only say it is an honour to have you both here," Seiko added as she bowed once more.
Opening her arms Seiko looked to the Princess and Pluto.
"Your Highness this is your room. We are standing in your combat room. Here at the Palace our Queen believes in private one on one tutoring. It will be here in this room that you will be taught combat," she began.
"Aside from combat you will be taking etiquette classes with other princes and princesses from other parts of the galaxy. You are expected to attend breakfast, lunch and dinner in the grand hall with your fellow students and with the Queen. For those occasions you are required to change your attire before each meal," she added.
Usagi's eyes widened.
"What … I have to change clothes three times a day to eat?" she yelped.
"But of course your Highness, you are royalty and as a royal you can never be tacky," Seiko responded as she wrinkled her nose in distaste at the mere thought of not changing.
Usagi concluded that her assistant would get along just dandily with Mars.
She felt a pang of sadness at the thought of Mars and home.
"To your left is the door that will lead to your bathroom and other bits and pieces, to your right is your sleeping chamber and study. In your bedroom is another door that will lead to your study. Your wardrobe is connected to your bedroom through a twin pair of doors," Seiko paused, letting the information sink into the bursting Usagi who was already a little lost.
"Each meal is signified by one ringing bell. Your etiquette lessons with your peers is notified by two bel-"
Seiko smiled thinly as a chiming bell cut through her explanation, ringing three times.
Usagi looked to Seiko who glanced at her.
"What do three bells mean?"
"It means a welcoming," she responded simply as she grinned.
Usagi raised a brow.
"Who are we welcoming?"
"We're welcoming you your Highness. You will descend the grand staircase with Sailor Pluto and be officially introduced and welcomed to the palace by Queen Celestin before dinner tonight so I think it's best we hurry," Seiko advised as she looked to Usagi.
"Shall we?" Seiko offered as she bowed once more.
::X:X::
A/N: hello all! Thank you for reading the chapter, please review and tell me your thoughts and any improvements/corrections that could/should be made!
:: Sapphira ::
p.s: I update weekly so expect the next chapter this time next week!