Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon nor Yu-gi-oh! They belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Kazuki Takahashi.
A/N: I never intended to write this fanfic. But I recently read an awesome crossover fanfic featuring the coupling of Princess Serenity and Pharaoh Atem and it sort of inspired me to write my very own romance story. However, I'm going with the English dub of both shows (although I'll be changing some terms). I'll also incorporate Ancient Egyptian, Ancient Roman and Ancient Greek terminology into the story. I will also make my own terminology.
A/N: Since this story is a crossover and takes place in an AU, I had deviated the Dawn of the Duel events at the end. Also, Serena hasn't met Darien yet. And even though I listed Atem and Serena as the main characters, I'd be going into the other characters' heads, too!
A/N: I hope for a review and constructive criticism. I don't tolerate flaming.
Chapter 1: Choices
Laughter. Mindless chattering. Both of them equated to a masquerade ball the Moon Matriarchy was hosting tonight. Parties were held nightly. Life was peaceful and serene in the Silver Millennium, for virtually all of the planets were at peace.
But one Selenite didn't care much for the parties or the peaceable state of the Moon Kingdom and the Silver Alliance. Frankly, she was bored of being inside the Moon Palace and living a safe, secure mundane life of parties, balls, masquerades, dances and royal affairs, so she'd stepped afoot outside on the balcony to catch some fresh air. This Selenite was the Moon Princess herself, Serena.
"Oh, the Earth," Serena said dreamily, curling one hand into a fist, holding it over her heart, as if to safeguard it. Her pools of crystalline cobalt were fixated upon the enormous dark-blue-and-tan jewel woven into the ebony caul suspended over her, flanked by glistening milky dots, Venus, the Sun and a barely discernible Mercury. "It's so beautiful."
"Oh, Serena," sighed an all-too familiar voice.
Serena started, and whirled around, seeing the statuesque masked profile of her mother, Queen Serenity, saunter onto the balcony, her shimmering ivory gown pooling out on the snowy white stone floor beneath her. "Mother," Serena greeted cordially, smiling. "Umm . . . If memory serves me right, you should be entertaining the guests. This is a ball after all!" She longed to stare at the mysterious, gorgeous Blue Planet again.
Queen Serenity came next to her daughter just then, holding a smile on a face that could've been aged twenty or forty. "I could be asking you the same thing," she teased her heiress to the Silver Millennium. "You enjoy these kind of festivities, Serena! The people especially enjoy dancing and having fun with you, which is a very good thing." She darted her eyes toward Serena's, looking concerned. "I don't pry in your business, my daughter. But I feel as if you are becoming a different person with each passing day."
Serena hung her head down, her flaxen odango braids swaying slightly. "Did Amy, Raye, Lita or Mina voice their concerns?" she said bitterly. Serena loved her mother dearly, although she resented the fact that they weren't close due to her mother's queenly duties.
A white hand shot at Serena's shoulder, squeezing it as if to solace her. "Your friends and cousin are not the only ones who can read you," Serenity pointed out. "I can definitely tell something's troubling you."
There was a pregnant pause whilst the Moon Princess focused on the hole in her heart. Her mother, although usually busy with political affairs regarding the Silver Millennium, was a gentle, kind and caring queen, well-loved by her people. In fact, with all the elegance and timeless beauty Queen Serenity possessed, she was considered to be a goddess.
Serena thought about King Mercurius de Mercury and Queen Larunda de Mercury, who were the parents of Crown Princess Amy de Mercury. Even as Sailor Mercury, all Amy did was pressure Serena to study, study, study! And for what? All of that knowledge went to waste when it was finished registering in Serena's brain.
Then, there was the exquisite and clairvoyant Martian Royal Family. Serena felt awful that King Martialis di Mars had passed away, leaving Queen Bellona to act as regent to Crown Prince Martius di Mars. At times, Serena wished Princess Raye di Mars were her cousin, since she seemed to understand Serena better than any of the Sailor Scouts. Even so, Serena longed for Raye to stop being so bossy and nagging like a mother.
The Moon Princess was thinking about the orphaned Jovian Royals, the offspring of King Caelus le Jupiter and Queen Maxime le Jupiter: King Jove le Jupiter and Crown Princess Lita le Jupiter. Serena adored Lita's cooking, but the Jovian Princess could be too protective of Serena at times as Sailor Jupiter, and Serena hated being smothered.
Finally, there were her relatives, Queen Aphrodite la Venus and King Cupid la Venus. They had three children: Crown Prince Eros la Venus, Princess Mina la Venus and Princess Urania la Venus. Eros, Mina and Urania were all paternal cousins of hers, although Mina was charged with the responsibility of being Sailor Venus. Serena thought Mina took her role as the leader of the Sailor Scouts way too seriously, in contrast to her bubbly, happy-go-lucky personality.
Serena absolutely adored the Maurian cats, Luna and Artemis, although she thought Luna was too overprotective and that Artemis worried too much. Actually, Serena adored her mom, Amy, Raye, Lita, Mina and the Moon Cats. She couldn't have asked for a better support system. But there was something missing from her life, hence the hole in her heart.
"I don't know," Serena said honestly, leaning forward to gaze at the Blue Planet once more. "Mother, you should return to the ball. This is your party, after all."
Queen Serenity sighed. "Just promise me one thing before I take my leave, Serena," she said firmly.
Serena wheeled about, staring into the cobalt blue spheres belonging to her mother. "Anything," she said rashly. "It's not every day I get to spend time with you." Her eyes were sparkling with thrill, her alabaster-toned face alit with bliss.
"Please, sweetheart, don't travel to Earth," was all her mother said before twirling about and exiting the balcony. She left a half-irritated, half-befuddled Princess Serena behind in her wake to ponder her words.
The day was dying, for Khepri had completed his daunting task of pushing the buttery disk across the multicolored canvas that was the earthly sky. Judging from the layers of pale pink, goldenrod, royal purple, scarlet and burnt orange, it was dusk. There was seldom a ray of gold emitting from the sun, which was concealed by the rugged mountains and the never-ending rumpled, pale gold sea of sand. The temperature was descending rapidly to a cool degree.
Pharaoh Atem watched the spectacular scenery outside without any interest. It didn't matter whether or not a deity was guiding the sun to the western edge of the sky, where it would enter Duat, the Land of the Dead. As far as his people were concerned, Atem was a living god, an earthly incarnation of Horus, the god of the sky and light. Atem's people both feared and respected him because of that.
Right now, the Pharaoh was involved in a conference with four of his six Sacred Guardians and the Grand Vizier. The subject? A rather uncomfortable, hapless one.
"I can do just fine by myself," Atem protested, shifting in his throne.
Grand Vizier Siamun Muran bowed in front of Atem, who regarded him with his piercing byzantium orbs. "With all due respect, my Pharaoh, you must do this," he begged him. "You cannot keep putting this off!"
"Siamun, my father Aknamkanon - may he rest in peace - raised me on his own after my mother passed on into the afterlife. Therefore, I see no reason to wed any woman or have a harem!" Atem's bronzed hands balled into fists. Although the idea of having a harem was tempting to Atem, he was reluctant to have one considering the Pharaoh before him did just fine without a harem or a Great Royal Wife.
"Well, if worst comes to worst, you could always marry Mana," High Priestess Isis said jokingly. She was unaffected by High Priest Mahad's dangerous glower and deep scowl, made deadlier with his Millennium Eye.
Atem was pokerfaced. True, he'd thought Mana to be rather fair in terms of beauty. But the notion of marrying Mana was repulsive, since the king thought of his childhood friend as a sister. "Isis," Atem returned calmly, "Mana is like the sister I never had. I wish not to take her hand in marriage."
High Priestess Mana - the replacement for the deceased High Priest Aknadin and the new holder of the Millennium Ring - threw daggers at Atem and Isis with her teal eyes. "Can I not have a say in this?" she asked them dangerously, earning a glacial look from High Priest Seto. "My Pharaoh, you've known me since I was young! You know as well as I do that you don't love me -"
Seto scoffed. "Get serious, Mana," he said in a condescending tone. "You know full well there is no such thing as love for nobles!" Clenching his Millennium Rod by the shaft tightly, Seto plowed on, "My Pharaoh, Mana clearly does not desire to be your consort, so -"
Mahad's scowl deepened. "Seto," he said sternly, massaging the Millennium Eye within his eyeball socket, "the Pharaoh has made it clear he does not wish to marry Mana!" It was taking every ounce of his self-control to keep his inner jealousy from crawling into his voice.
Seto rounded on Mahad, his elongated cape flapping aimlessly behind him in the grandiose throne room. "I am merely looking out for the Pharaoh's best interests, Mahad," the brunette said coldly. "It has been a year since the Great War took place. Back then, I accepted the Pharaoh being without a consort or a harem. At the time, love would have distracted His Excellency from defeating our enemies."
Atem uncurled his fists. Snaking his muscular bronzed arms around the glistening golden throne, he gazed at a still-curtsying Siamun. "Grand Vizier," he said awkwardly, "you can stand now." He shifted his byzantium orbs (which were coincidentally the same sheen as Siamun's eyes) toward the bickering Sacred Guardians Mahad and Seto.
In spite of himself, Atem managed a smile. His Sacred Guardians cared immensely for him. There was no doubt about that. However, the Guardian of the Millennium Eye and the Guardian of the Millennium Rod took their devotion toward him to the next level, and had sparked a rivalry over it. Part of him found it absurd whilst part of him found it amusing.
" - my childhood friend," Mahad was saying heatedly. "I would rather see him happily married to a woman he loves, no matter where she comes from!"
"You tell him, Master Mahad!" Mana cheered, glancing disapprovingly at Seto before throwing a frosty look at Isis, who sighed.
"Forgive me, Mana," Isis apologized, "I did not mean to offend you! I assure you those were not my intentions." Instinctively, Isis crossed her hand atop the Eye of Wdjat attached to her Millennium Torque. "I know you believe in true love, but the only monarchs ever known to marry for love were Osiris and Isis, our deities."
Atem shut his eyelids. "They were siblings, though," he pointed out. "As were my parents. I can't marry my cousin, either." His mouth was pulled into a devious smirk.
Seto scowled. "Nor would I expect you to," he shot at the Pharaoh rudely, narrowing his navy spheres. He was torn between appallment and disgust at being considered to be the Pharaoh's "wife". Those emotions turned into annoyance when Seto caught glimpse of the Pharaoh's playful smile.
Mahad's purple eye flashed. "You dare address our Pharaoh in that tone?" he said hotly. "I don't care if you are his cousin, Seto! You still do not have the right to talk to him in that way!"
Seto merely rolled his eyes in response to his fellow Sacred Guardian, and was about to hurl a scathing comment at him when the Pharaoh stood up, fixating his eyes upon both Mahad and he.
"Settle down, you two!" Atem said forcefully. "Mahad, I do not mind Seto talking to me in that way. He's like that with everyone, friend or foe! I know you want me to choose a woman worthy of being a Great Royal Wife, Mahad, because you and Mana want what's best for me. Although I do not mind having a harem," he added in an amused tone, holding his gaze with Mahad's mismatched eyes before focusing his gaze better on a vexed Seto.
Atem's byzantium orbs were dancing with amusement, albeit they still had that sharp look to them. "You too are looking out for what's best for me," Atem admitted, "but in the political sense, Seto. I may not see eye-to-eye with you about some of your plans, because of how coldhearted they are at times -"
Seto knelt down before him. "With all due respect, my king," Seto said to Atem, "you cannot rule the land of Kemet with a gentle, kind heart as the previous Pharaoh did. The people of this land and our neighbors need to acknowledge and respect you, my liege! And the only way to go about this is to rule with an iron fist -"
"Seto!" Siamun cried. "Think of what King Aknamkanon would say if he heard you advise the Pharaoh to go down the road of tyranny!" Through the veil of his headdress, it was clear Siamun was horrorstruck at the younger man's display of ruthlessness.
"You must think clearly about this, Seto," High Priest Shada's voice came from behind the throng, and everybody - save Atem, wheeled around to examine the bald Sacred Guardian leisurely walk into the throne room, holding the Millennium Ankh aloft. When he was within close proximity of the group, he laid eyes on his sovereign and bowed respectfully to him before making eye contact with the rising Sacred Guardian, his dyed chips of navy glacial.
"You know I have," Seto snapped, caressing the shaft of his Millennium Rod with one bronzed finger. "Unless you've forgotten, Shada, I had to prove I was worthy enough to be a Sacred Guardian with ruthlessness! That was the only way I was guaranteed any respect!" Whilst the Pharaoh's cousin said this, he swiped the air with one hand violently.
Mahad folded his arms over his torso. "You have our respect, Seto," he remarked. "But the topic we're discussing is about the lack of a consort, not pursuing power. And frankly, the late Pharaoh would never want his son to rule our beloved land unjustly."
Isis bore her ultramarine eyes into Mahad's mismatched ones. "You need not worry, Mahad," she coaxed the Pharaoh's childhood friend. "Seto will not go down the same path as his father did."
A cruel smirk creased Seto's regally handsome features. "Figures Mahad would worry about that," he said dismissively. "I am nothing like that decrepit traitor Aknadin, Mahad! Sneak a peek into my mind if you do not believe me. You are wearing his Millennium Item."
Mahad clapped his hand to where the Millennium Eye was. He loathed wearing this accursed Millennium Item. "I refuse to use the mind-reading abilities of the Millennium Eye," Mahad shot at Seto.
Seto shrugged his shoulders. "You would still have the Millennium Ring had you not went after the Thief King," he said casually. "To be honest, you were better off as the Dark Magician."
Mana brandished her wand at Seto. "How dare you speak to Master Mahad in that way?" she said heatedly. "He protected the Pharaoh, even as the Dark Magician!" If I hadn't consulted the Millennium Spellbook, she thought, then Master Mahad would still be dead and the Pharaoh would've been locked away within the Millennium Pendant when he defeated Zorc the Dark One!
"Mana," Isis said softly, "the spells you'd used were Dark Heka. I only hope the gods would show you mercy when your time comes."
Shada directed his gaze toward a bored Pharaoh Atem, who was twirling a strand of his golden hair in his sun-baked hand. "It seems that instead of deciding on something, my Pharaoh, you had to listen to Mahad and Seto bicker," he said ruefully.
Atem was silent for a moment before saying in his baritone voice, "What say you, Shada?"
Shada gripped the Millennium Ankh tightly. "I know your family insists on following the tradition of the deities Osiris and Isis," he began carefully, "and for centuries, the dynasties of Kemet have produced heirs and heiresses through familial sexual unions. But you have no sister, my Pharaoh. And your only relative's a male. However, you can choose women from the noble families, or the servant girls parading about the palace, as part of your harem."
Atem extracted a bulky golden coin embossed with a lapis lazuli Eye of Wdjat and Feather of Ma'at from his kilt. "It appears that I must make a decision," he said grimly, flashing the coin at Shada. "How about we play a game, Shada?"
"At this moment?" Shada queried, beads of sweat developing on his forehead. "Your Excellency, no living soul can beat you at a game, Shadow Game or not!" He saw his king's byzantium eyes twinkle with triumph.
Seto stiffened at Shada's statement. "I almost defeated the Pharaoh a fortnight ago," he said bitterly. The confrontation between a possessed Seto and the Pharaoh had given birth to a rivalry between the royals.
Siamun chuckled. "He's the King of Games, Seto," he said merrily. "If you were to defeat him, you would most likely usurp his position as Pharaoh."
Seto frowned, hardly finding any of this to be funny. "I would never overthrow my king," he insisted.
Atem twirled the golden coin in his fingers. "The game is quite simple, Shada," he assured his Sacred Guardian. "The Eye of Wdjat would represent heads, while the Feather of Ma'at will be tails. All you have to do is call out which side, and if it lands on the side you've declared, I'll take a consort."
Shada's heart was thrumming. "As long as it's not a Shadow Game, my king," he croaked.
Atem shook his spiked tri-colored head. "It's anything but a Shadow Game," he said seriously. "All of you wish for me to take a consort, and I plan to let the coin decide that for us."
Shada's face tightened. He had no idea what tricks his king had under his sleeve, but Shada knew that Atem loved making royal decisions with games. "With the flip of a coin," Shada said, "you could have a consort or not."
Atem laughed heartily. I plan to have a woman, he thought in his head. It's just that I can't decide whether to have a Great Royal Wife or not, Shada. And what woman wouldn't want to be with me? I'm a living God! "Remember, the game starts when you call out your decision," Atem said matter-of-factly, slapping the coin atop his balled fist.
"Isn't there a better way to make you come to a decision, Pharaoh?" Mana asked her childhood friend.
"I call tails, Your Majesty," Shada decided, moving his Millennium Ankh into his other hand.
Atem smiled happily. "Game start!" He tossed the coin into the air, seeing it flip several times as it descended to the ground, Atem steadying the back of his hand to halt the coin's free fall.
It made impact with the royal's tanned skin, and Atem positioned his other hand over the coin, not checking to see if Shada made the correct call. He fixed Shada with an intense gaze, seeing his High Priest's forehead was agleam with sweat. After a couple of more seconds, the Pharaoh unveiled the coin, showing his court the verdict.
Shada sighed. "I guess our Pharaoh will not seek out a consort," he announced to the Sacred Guardians.
Atem chortled. "Since when did I ever say I wouldn't?"
Meanwhile, back on the Moon, Serena slipped past the dancing people, noble and commoner alike, on the way downstairs to the Space-Time Door, no doubt guarded by the fabled Crown Princess Trista luc Pluto under the guise of Sailor Pluto. No sign of Mina, Amy, Raye or Lita, Serena thought happily, thrilled to know Tyche was on her side.
As she went below ground, the atmosphere became denser, foggier. The Moon Princess could barely see anything in the gloomy cavern, save for the stalagmites and stalactites spread around the huge cavern. Serena could've sworn she saw a lone humanoid shadow imprinted in the distant horizon, a rectangular shadow looming over the other shadow.
Serena quietly made for the shadows, seeing the murky humanoid figure to be the form of a bronzed woman, with a hauntingly beautiful face that defied time, so she could have been eighteen or ninety. She had luxurious, straight greenish-black hair and sharp carmine eyes, and was clad in a sailor fuku colored black and maroon, with her leotard being as white as snow. In her left hand was an ornate key-shaped staff, topped with a blood-hued orb. The Garnet Rod.
"Princess Serena," spoke the beautiful Sailor Scout. "What brings you down here?" She did not budge from her post. Instead, Sailor Pluto merely traded a smile with the Moon Princess. Serena could detect a lot of knowledge within those omniscient eyes, though a spark of loneliness was blatant in Pluto's irises.
Princess Serena beamed at the Soldier of Revolution. "Sailor Pluto," Princess Serena said cordially, seeing the Outer Sailor Scout inch toward the Space-Time Door. "So you really do exist!"
Sailor Pluto returned the beam, if not brighter, at the Moon Princess. Even though the Crown Princess of Pluto longed to attend the festivities, the Moon Matriarch had given her strict orders, and that was to safeguard the Space-Time Door. I am not as lucky as the other princesses and princes of the Silver Millennium, Sailor Pluto thought miserably, still wearing her soft smile. "Indeed I do, Moon Princess," the greenhead concurred. "It is my sworn duty to protect the Space-Time Door."
The heiress to the Moon Kingdom rushed over to the solitary Sailor Scout. "You could take a day off," the Moon Princess suggested, seeing how exhausted Sailor Pluto was. "You know, maybe you can head upstairs and join the masquerade. I mean, Sailors Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Venus are all up there. I was hoping to see Sailors Uranus and Neptune, but they never come to the events. Only Princess Hotaru of Saturn shows up. Speaking of Saturn, why doesn't it have a Sailor Scout to protect it from invaders?"
Sailor Pluto's face darkened whilst she thought of the diabolical Sailor Saturn and Crown Princess Hotaru van Saturn, knowing they were one and the same, even though Hotaru had a temperance of sweetness, not that of an ominous Sailor Scout foretold to bring about an apocalypse. "Princess Hotaru is a Sailor Scout," Pluto managed to say. "Her powers just haven't awakened yet. Speaking of Sailor Scouts, where are Sailors Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Mercury? They should be protecting you, Princess!"
The flaxen-haired Princess waved one hand dismissively. "You're reminding me of Sailor Mercury, Sailor Pluto," Serena said, scowling. "She worries too much about my safety!"
Sailor Pluto surveyed the Crown Princess of the Moon, seeing how unbelievably long her flaxen hair was, which was divided into two distinct odango braids, brushing the cavern floor. Her white skin was glowing faintly, in contrast to her inverted crescent moon birthmark branded on her forehead, which was shining brilliantly. In fact, her cobalt jewels were glittering almost as much. The aura about the Moon Princess was enthusiastic, childlike and innocent. "She is a true Sailor Scout," Pluto defended Mercury. "Crown Princess Amy has sworn to protect you since your birth, Princess Serena. You should treasure her devotion to you."
Serena sighed. "You haven't answered my question," she reminded the Guardian of the Space-Time Door sharply.
Sailor Pluto frowned. "I cannot leave the Space-Time Door," she informed the young Moon Princess. "Your mother wants me to guard it every day."
Serena gasped. "Don't you get lonely?" she pressed the exotically beautiful Sailor Scout, feeling sympathy for her.
The Guardian of Time's carmine eyes filled with sadness. Absolutely beautiful and terrible sadness. "That's a small price to pay for ensuring the safety of your kingdom, Princess," Pluto assured her, even whilst feeling the bottomless pit of loneliness in her stomach. For some reason, Princess Trista felt exposed when staring into the cobalt pools of the Moon Princess. They reflected back her aloneness tenfold. Unthinkingly, Sailor Pluto brought the Garnet Rod closer to her for solace.
Serena was shocked by the statuesque Outer Sailor Scout's response. How could she put everybody's needs before her own? Serena wondered. Sailor Pluto's Princess Trista! A princess shouldn't be guarding doors and be isolated from society! She should be living the good life!
Sailor Pluto smiled faintly. "It is easy to feel sorry for me, Moon Princess," Pluto said softly to the blonde princess, "but I'd have it no other way. I wouldn't be a Sailor Scout if I didn't have the courage to put my life on the line in order to save the Silver Millennium from destruction! Just as the Inner Sailor Scouts wouldn't be your guardians if they didn't have the courage to die for you, Princess Serena!"
A tear welled up in the youth's cobalt eye. "I don't want anybody to die for me!" Serena retorted.
The green-haired Sailor Scout advanced over to Queen Serenity's daughter, seeing her eyes glistening with tears. Adjusting her grip on the shaft of the Garnet Rod, the ageless woman agreed, "I hope not, Princess. Seeing somebody you care about die in front of your eyes is perhaps the most painful and tragic experience you would have to go through. And I wouldn't wish that fate upon somebody like you. Queen Serenity wouldn't want that for you, either.
"Even though your mother is a kind, just ruler, she can't keep hiding you from pain forever," Pluto resumed. "Pain is a key to growth, Princess -"
Serena's face hardened. Crossing one palm over her beating heart, the Selenite Crown Princess said defiantly, "I'd rather not grow up then, Pluto! If I have to go through pain, then what is the point of growing up?" Her normally soft cobalt spheres were ablaze with an undying ferocious ember. "Then again, I do want to grow up. But without the pain!"
The Crown Princess of Pluto tapped her Garnet Rod thrice upon the bumpy palace floor. "I'm afraid there's no way around it, Your Highness," Pluto said remorsefully. "Life doesn't work that way, especially on the Blue Planet you long to set foot on."
Serena's jaw dropped open. She was thunderstruck as to how Sailor Pluto knew she wanted to venture to Earth, and see what it looked like. For months, Serena envisioned beautiful, lush forests, sparkling, lurid blue seas, cool breezes, rugged mountains and flowers. Of course, there were a plentiful of plants in Selenium and Mare Serenitatis, albeit Serena was convinced that Earth's greenery was authentic compared to the false greenery surrounding the Moon Princess. "What does Earth look like, Sailor Pluto?" Serena said curiously.
The sailor-suited warrior's carmine orbs hardened. "It's a completely different world from the Moon, Princess Serena," Pluto answered coldly. "Queen Serenity refuses to let you go there for so many reasons." Sailor Pluto scowled, recalling the precise instructions Queen Serenity had given her.
Serena appeared unaffected by the woman's change of demeanor. A look of intrigue was on her face, as clear as day. "You made me want to go there even more, Sailor Pluto," Serena admitted, grasping hold of the corners of her elaborate dress.
"You can barely handle the idea of somebody dying, Your Highness," Pluto pointed out. "Earthlings are of a different breed than Selenites. They are born with inner light and inner darkness inside their souls. But the Earthlings prefer to embrace their inner darkness. And with that darkness, they have warred against and conquered other kingdoms."
Serena's head was swimming. What Sailor Pluto was trying to tell her made absolutely no sense whatsoever. "They aren't part of the Silver Millennium for a reason, Your Highness," Pluto was saying. "There may be some good Earthlings, but the ones consumed with lust, hatred, greed and jealousy are more common on Earth. Queen Serenity does not want you consorting with those type of people. You mean too much to her, Your Highness! You mean too much to your people and the Inner Sailor Scouts!"
Serena's eyes locked onto a wiry chain wrapped around Sailor Pluto's tiny waist, loaded with various keys in different shapes and sizes. A shimmering ornate crystal one was swaying back and forth as if calling out to Serena to seize it. "I - I -" Serena was unable to finish her sentence, for the key on the greenhead's wiry belt slipped into her grasp, the Moon Princess feeling the warmth of the crystalline key.
"Your Highness!" Pluto cried. "What have you done?"
Serena saw the key pulsating in her hand, casting a soft glow within the cavern. Before the Moon Princess could respond to the Sailor Scout, the glow extended into an intense wave of pure light. Light that enveloped the heiress to the Moon Kingdom in a cocoon.
Sailor Pluto rushed forward, twirling her Garnet Rod about as if it were a baton. I must save Her Highness, Pluto swore. She would be foolish to venture into the realms of the Earthlings, especially Elysion and Kemet! Knowing she only had seconds, the Soldier of Revolution swatted at the Selenite Royal's hand containing the key. Unfortunately, Sailor Pluto had hit an invisible barrier that sent her flying backward. This power is too strong for brute force! I must save Her Highness from the darkness of Earthing men! As soon as the woman got to her feet, the cocoon containing Serena shimmered into nothingness.
"PRINCESS SERENA!" Pluto yelled out in anguish.
Pharaoh Atem, High Priest Shada and High Priest Seto had rode upon their respective Royal horses Nefertari, Senemut and Kamose into the thriving capital city of Waset. Since it was twilight, there was hardly a commoner out in plain sight. The stands were depleted of their produce, jewelry and goods. In short, the Pharaoh's city was a desolate place, although not of a sinister sort compared to Kul Elna's empty streets.
"Why did Mahad stay behind?" Atem asked his Sacred Guardians, knowing that the wizard would always accompany him on after-dark excursions, despite his protests.
Shada pulled on the reins of Senemut, whose hooves made a clopping sound that seemed to amplify in the early evening air. There was a neigh from the pale gold-hued horse. "Haven't you heard, my Pharaoh?" the noble said softly.
Atem halted his beloved Nefertari in her tracks. "Shada," he said slowly, "you should know I don't listen to the gossip within my palace walls! My father told me that gossip creates a garbled picture, not the true one." Atem grasped the Millennium Pendant around his neck, his last memento of his father. After the disgraceful treatment of his father's sarcophagus by Thief King Bakura, Atem had personally ensured that his father was sealed properly within another tomb in the Valley of the Kings, undisturbed by grave robbers for all of eternity.
"I hardly qualify it as gossip," Seto said hollowly. "My Pharaoh, remember when I told you that Shada would be arriving late to our conference meeting?"
Shada exchanged a swift look with Seto. "You told him?" the Guardian of the Millennium Ankh said disbelievingly.
Seto glanced at Shada. "You act as if you're surprised I am capable of doing good deeds, Shada," Seto said in a tone that was neither harsh nor sarcastic. The Pharaoh's cousin rolled his navy eyes, unable to comprehend why everyone believed he was a heartless, power-hungry Sacred Guardian when he was merely a protector who was merciless when it came to the safety of his Pharaoh, people and kingdom.
Shada was suspicious. "You never do anything for free, Seto," he pointed out. "My Pharaoh, if I recall correctly, the noble family we seek lives to the east of here. It would be bad luck if they lived in the opposite direction," he added as an afterthought.
"Seto, I'm listening," Atem reminded him, impatient and slightly offended his Sacred Guardians had drifted into a side conversation, though unintentional. Still holding his Millennium Pendant, the young king scanned his darkened surroundings with his byzantium eyes. If the light of day shone down right now, Atem would be viewing a bustling city, the streets swarming with commoners, nobles and merchants, perhaps even foreigners.
Shada sighed. "It's fortunate you did not require all of the Sacred Guardians to attend today's conference, Your Majesty," he said in his bass voice. "High Priest Karim has come down with an ailment, and I have been looking after him until Lady Kisara volunteered to take over for me."
Seto made a strange face at Kisara's name. Atem, on the other hand, stroked his chin. "I may as well make Kisara part of my harem," he said slyly, smirking. "She is very beautiful."
Seto extracted his Millennium Rod, pointing it straight at his cousin, still wearing that arrogant smirk. "Kisara is off-limits!" the brunette warned Atem, his face twisted with rage. A cold fury swept through the High Priest's insides. The mere idea of Kisara belonging to Atem was inconceivable and thoroughly nauseating. "After everything Kisara has been through, I refuse to let her be anyone's property!"
"Seto," Shada warned the Sacred Guardian.
Atem gave an enchanting laugh, rich and hearty. "Jealousy's not a good fit for you, dear cousin," he remarked, delighted to see Seto becoming fiery and passionate about something for once instead of always being cool and calculated. "Calm yourself, Seto! I have no interest in Kisara!" he added as an errant afterthought once he had his fun.
Seto was red-faced for several more moments before regaining self-control. Grasping Kamose by the reins, he said stiffly, "With all due respect, Your Excellency, you need to find a new definition of fun."
Before Atem could muster up a comeback, a meteor streaked across the ebony-painted sky. "What is that?" Atem asked, not really caring to know the answer.
"Hesat must've released a shooting star," Shada responded. "It is nothing to worry about, my king. The goddess would not harm you because you are our god."
Atem gripped the leather reins to his beloved horse tightly. "To the people of Waset and Kemet, I am the earthly incarnation of Horus," he agreed. "But to my Sacred Guardians and the Grand Vizier, I am but an unnaturally gifted man of royal blood." He unconsciously released the reins to gaze at his palm, several shades lighter than his overall bronzed skin tone. "My flesh isn't gold like a god's," he plowed on. "I'm dark-skinned like Seto and you." He caught the reins again and dug his heel into Nefertari.
"What's your point, my liege?" Shada questioned the Pharaoh while fishing out the Millennium Ankh from his weathered travelling cloak. It cast a faint golden glow in the darkness.
Atem bowed his head. "Never mind," he said quickly. "Shada, Seto, show me the way to this noble's home -" He paused mid-sentence when Shada slipped off Senemut, plopping his feet atop the dirt street. Doing a pirouette, the bald High Priest faced an exquisite pyramid, connected to a honeycomb of pyramids. "What a formation," Atem said, awed.
Seto swung one leg off Kamose and descended to the ground. He made to help Atem get down as well, although the young king had already leaped off his mare. "You are not an acrobat, Your Majesty," Seto chided Atem. "You could've gotten hurt!"
Atem threw a look of annoyance toward his cousin before marching toward where Shada was. He was rapping on an olden tamarisk door repeatedly. "Do you know these people, Shada?" Atem inquired his faithful High Priest.
"They are close friends of my family," Shada confirmed. "Their youngest daughter Neithhotep's the same age as you, and is considered to be a jewel to their family."
"And your opinion, Shada?" Atem said tentatively. I may be confident, he reminded himself. But besides Kisara, Isis, her mother and Mana, I have had little to almost no contact with women.
Shada scrutinized his king. Though the Pharaoh and he were good friends, their tastes varied in several areas, save Shada had never seen the Pharaoh fall for a woman, noble or commoner. For years, Shada had suspected that the Pharaoh and Mahad both harbored feelings for Mana, save he was proven to be half-right. "That beauty is in the eye of the beholder," Shada said finally.
Seto sauntered over to them, cocking an eyebrow. "It isn't even late," he said slowly. "Why won't the servants answer the door?" He curled his fingers around the shaft of the Millennium Rod, drumming one finger impatiently against the shaft. "It is rude to keep His Majesty waiting!"
Perhaps I should've stayed behind, Atem thought, and let Seto and Shada fetch the most beautiful jewels near the River Iteru. Wait! What am I thinking? The door opened, revealing an elderly man dressed in ripped clothing.
When the man saw Atem, he put his left foot forward before curtsying. "A thousand apologies, my Pharaoh," the elderly man said ruefully. "What would you want with Master Sitamun and Lady Ahhotep?"
"I wish to seek Neithhotep's hand in marriage," Atem said swiftly.
The elderly man's face darkened. His brown eyes were miserable. "An hour ago, you would've been able to take her hand," he said gloomily, "but Lady Neithhotep has taken Death as her husband, my Pharaoh." Tears squeezed from his eyes, falling profusely down his face.
Shada's face was horrified. Their daughter is dead?
"I'm sorry," Atem said, feeling pity for the wizened servant and the grieving family. "Truly I am. Shada, Seto, let us go back to the palace!"
Back at the palace, High Priestess Isis was sitting beside a resting High Priest Karim, his forehead being cooled by a cloth Kisara had dampened. "Are you feeling any better, Karim?" Isis asked her friend.
Kisara glanced at the Sacred Guardians, seeing the blatant chemistry dancing in rhythm between them. It was obvious Isis and Karim had special feelings for each other, yet neither had acted upon those emotions. I am in the same boat as Isis, Kisara thought sadly, thinking about a certain seemingly unfeeling Sacred Guardian with intimidating navy eyes.
Karim let loose a series of coughs. He was feeling lightheaded, enough to arrest a man of his stature. "It's but a fever, Isis," he tried to assure her with a weak smile. "I will recover, for no illness can keep me down."
Kisara turned to Isis. "Don't let him fool you, Isis," she said gravely. "His condition was bad, and if it weren't for Shada and I looking after him -" Her pale face saddened at the grim picture she was painting with her blunt words. "Let's not think about that."
Isis regarded Kisara with her ultramarine gems, her countenance wooden. "I thank you for being at Karim's side," she said gratefully. "I must thank Shada for helping out as well."
Kisara stroked her powder blue hair with her pale fingers. "When I offered to stand in his place at first, Shada refused," she remembered. "The Guardian of the Millennium Ankh is loyal but gets too skeptical easily." A part of Kisara had wondered whether or not Shada was like the prejudiced people she'd come to know through her lifetime, although the blunette knew otherwise.
Karim looked into the gentle, virgin pools of zaffre belonging to Kisara. "That is because Shada is a man of integrity," he said weakly to Kisara, feeling upset at the peasant. "I would not have you speak ill of him, Kisara!"
Kisara frowned, crestfallen that she had been misunderstood by the Sacred Guardians. "I apologize for my bluntness, Karim," she said politely. Turning to Isis, she added kindly, "Think nothing of it, Isis! Seto has taken me in the palace walls, and all of you - including the Pharaoh - have welcomed me warmly inside! I must repay your kindness." I don't trust easily, Kisara thought, dwelling on the memory of Aknadin, but Seto has earned my trust! And if he trusts these people, then I should try to as well. She turned her frown upside down.
Isis smiled, her eyes creasing before her ultramarine orbs became glassy. The Millennium Torque glowed brightly, the metal burning into her skin. The pain was an illusion, for it was merely a herald of a collection of fractured scenes unfolding before her eyes. Isis envisioned a young woman with glittering blonde hair pulled up into strange ponytails, distinct cobalt gems and skin almost as pale as Kisara's standing next to their enthroned king, clad in a billowing snowy white dress. The scene changed to five men sauntering into the throne room, the man in the middle wearing Elysian royal attire.
"Isis!" Karim's voice called out to her.
Isis snapped out of her reverie, seeing a worried Karim and Kisara peering at her. "Did you have a vision?" Karim pressed the High Priestess.
Before Isis could respond, Mahad and Mana had entered the room, Mahad carrying a clay flask with steam floating skyward from the brim. "I hope I did not keep you waiting too long," Mahad said, his tone of voice edgy.
Mana dropped her gaze to the ground. She absently twirled the stagnant air with one finger, embarrassed. She felt awful that she, Mahad's right-hand apprentice, couldn't whip up a concoction to cure Karim of his fever. Not that she hadn't tried. "If only I'd learned how to make remedies sooner," she sighed. But making elixirs, draughts, potions and concoctions isn't heka, Mana thought in her head.
Isis, keeping a mask of sheer calm, held her hands out, eagerly awaiting for the remedy Mahad had conjured. "Thank you," she said, her smile widening, softening her features.
Mahad nodded curtly, staring at Karim before shooting an exasperated look at Mana. "Heka is more than spellcasting, Mana," he said shortly. He had a hunch Mana was speaking her thoughts aloud again, and wasn't surprised to see the girl's face turn scarlet. "You still have a lot to learn about potion making."
Isis relinquished the remedy to Kisara before attempting to pry Karim free from his headrest, but Karim said stubbornly, "I am able to rise, Isis."
"Please do not be so stubborn, Karim!" Isis cried. "You need your rest!" Despite Karim's protests, Isis assisted him in sitting up. It took all of her willpower not to blush at Karim's sculpted torso, which was half-covered by the linen electric blue sheets. The brunette feasted her eyes upon the Millennium Scales, propped against Karim's curved headrest.
"Isis," Kisara said tentatively, causing the hooded High Priestess to flinch. When ultramarine met zaffre, Kisara held the flask outward, inviting Isis to relieve it from her, which the latter did. The noble smiled graciously at her before handing over the concoction to Karim.
Mana brought her teal jewels up to gaze into Mahad's mismatched eyes. "Master Mahad," she said swiftly, "I promise to be a better apprentice to you in the future!" She felt as if she let him down since it was her lighthearted attitude toward potion making that had caused Mana to make the blunder that forced Mahad to stay behind. "I know how much you had wanted to accompany our childhood friend with his search for a bride, and you probably hate me for the mess I have caused."
Mahad considered his top student. "I don't hate you, Mana," he assured her. "But I advise you to practice each and every field of heka seriously, not lightly. W-You were lucky that I hadn't left the palace with His Majesty, Shada and Seto." There will be another time to prove my worth to my king's cousin, Mahad thought, a spark of resentment dancing inside his heart.
Mana nodded, feeling unbelievably blissful that Mahad was here with her, although she swatted the emotion out of her head, berating herself not to be selfish. "I'll have to apologize to the Pharaoh for almost destroying his palace. But knowing the Pharaoh, he would find this amusing in a way."
Karim sipped the concoction, tasting grapes and barley. The taste was disgusting, but the Sacred Guardian felt his fever die, replaced by new-found strength flowing through his body, energizing the High Priest. He handed the ceramic flask back to Isis, smiling a secret smile at her before saying, "Thank you, Mahad, Mana, Kisara."
Kisara bent her head down, her face bright red. I have to learn how to take compliments better, she thought, feeling a large abundance of embarrassment and shyness. When her facial temperature returned to normal, she smiled softly at Karim. "You are most welcome."
"Speaking of His Majesty," Isis cut in sharply, "I had a vision thanks to the power of my Millennium Torque." Placing one hand over her torque, she sighed deeply. The Sacred Guardian was aware everyone was giving her their undivided attention.
"What awaits the Pharaoh?" Mahad said quickly, protectiveness churning inside him.
Isis's mouth formed a straight line. "I saw a woman," she began, "and -"
Grand Vizier Siamun Muran barged into the room just then. "An envoy from Elysion has come to the palace," he announced to the assorted Sacred Guardians.
Princess Serena had entered the Earth's atmosphere. To her amazement and horror, the surface was barren, with hardly any sign of vegetation, although there was a river cutting across the wasteland. Not far to her right, a city towered from the sea of sand, the buildings fashioned of marble. The largest building was a palace, flanked by six small shrines, pyramidal in shape. If royalty lives there, she thought, maybe they can show me around.
She was extremely close to the city. All of a sudden, the light highlighting Serena became evanescent, exposing the Crown Princess of the Moon for all to see. Her cobalt eyes widened with fear, even though she was airborne.
"NOOOO!" Serena howled, suddenly being pushed down by the Earth's gravity. She wanted to wail and cry, although her face was frozen. Helplessly, she tried to wave her arms but she felt moronic for doing so. Despite her efforts, Serena was plummeting toward an unusually-shaped manor, where three minute shadows were in front of, flanked by horses. She was drawing closer to them.
The Selenite Royal closed her eyes, bracing for impact. She could hear the shouting of masculine voices, and then feel her body flare up in throbbing pain, covering her from head to foot. As she opened her eyes, Serena was staring at three men, two of them inching protectively toward the middle one.
"My Pharaoh, get behind Shada," said the man on the right. His face was absurdly handsome, with sharp, intimidating navy eyes and bronzed skin. Serena couldn't see his hair, for it was covered by a headdress matching his regalia. In his hand was a shining golden scepter, pointed at Serena personally.
"Who are you?" the man said gruffly.
Serena was forcing herself to meet this man's eyes. "Who do you think you are, talking to me in that way?" she shot back, appalled by this man's disrespect to a woman.
"My name matters not to you," the man snarled. "Whatever you are, you tried to kill my Pharaoh! And that is unforgivable!" He approached the Moon Princess, looming over her.
Serena was taken aback by the man suddenly jumping to conclusions. "Look," she said heatedly, "I would never kill another person! I'm not that cruel to take another's life!" She was on the verge of tears.
"Seto," the man named Shada said slowly, "she's a woman."
Seto rounded on Shada, his back facing Princess Serena. "She cannot be human," Seto grated, "she came from Nut!" To emphasize his point, Seto gestured toward the evening sky, and Serena followed his gesture.
She saw an orb was glowing brilliantly in the midnight blue sky, surrounded by hundreds - if not millions - of stars sparkling like diamonds. Faintly, Serena wondered if the silvery-white jewel was what the Moon looked like from Earth. It's so beautiful, she thought, despite being frightened and scared.
"But she looks scared and frightened, Seto," Shada observed
Seto brandished the Millennium Rod at Serena. "Let us see if this creature can withstand the awesome powers of my Millennium Rod!" he declared.
Serena closed her eyes, envisioning the barbaric Seto cutting through her skin with his weapon. She was afraid and puzzled at how willing the man was to take her life simply because of a misunderstanding.
"Seto, don't," a silky, baritone voice pleaded. Serena didn't need to be a genius in order to know that it was the Pharaoh who spoke.
"She endangered your life!" Seto spat. "Therefore, she is a rogue criminal that must be tried and punished!"
Serena climbed up to her feet. "I came from far away!" she cried. "I know nothing of your customs, but I swear I did not mean to put your Pharaoh in harm's way!" She couldn't remember what the Pharaoh looked like. Most likely, he was an older man.
"Guilty until proven innocent," Seto drawled.
Atem stepped out of Shada's shadow to gaze at the woman. His breath was taken away by her appearance: The woman was gorgeous, with unnaturally pale skin, long, lush golden hair tied into twin distinct, peculiar braids and pure pools of liquid cobalt for eyes. Branded on her forehead was a glowing inverted crescent moon. She was clothed in an elaborate sweep of snowy white.
Even though his heart was doing a relay race in his chest, and his stomach was lurching, Atem remained composed, even whilst feeling an unfamiliar emotion surge inside his heart and soul. "True," he agreed. "But we shouldn't kill her, Seto."
"Then what shall we do, my Pharaoh?" Shada asked his king while Seto snorted derisively.
Atem smirked. "We'll have her undergo the Millennium Trial," he decided.
A/N: I'm done with Chapter 1! I hope you like it. I really do hope I kept every character in character. Drop a review.