Somewhere Only We Know

by mermaidpearls

Endymion and Haruka refuse to admit the other's profound importance and necessity in Serenity's life. Set in the Silver Millennium, a series of vignettes tells the background story of the love triangle between Serenity, Endymion, and Haruka. This can be considered the background of my other story, Fire to the Third Bar.

AN: Hey y'all. I'm baaaaack. I promise I haven't forgotten Fire to the Third Bar. I'm stuck on where to go with it, but in the meantime, this story can't get out of my head. I decided to put pen to paper and make it happen. I'd love to know what you think of the first chapter, so please let me know with your review skills. Also, the story will probably end up being MA. I'm sorry, I promise there is substance here and it definitely won't be every chapter, but it's just the direction I see the story going, which will be important to the actual plot. It is a love triangle with Haruka, Endymion, and Serenity so lots of angst will be your future, which is of course my favorite thing to write. I think that's it. I can't wait to read your feedback!

Somewhere Only We Know
By: Mermaid Pearls
Chapter 1 Rated: PG/PG-13ish?

The first time Serenity held even a slight memory of meeting the tall Princess Uranus was on the darkest day of her life. She was so young, just seven years old among a sea of older galaxians. She remembered whispers and chatter, but so subdued, almost as if background noise one wasn't meant to hear. She remembered feeling numb, cold, emotionless. This was quite the opposite demeanor that the lunarians had come to expect of the golden child. She remembered staying by her mother, Selenity's ivory silk dress bunched losely in her small fingers. Mostly she remember being blind to it all-trying to absorb had such a terror can occur on a land as angelic and idealist as the moon. Everyone sought out its calming terrain and pure civilization. Her dear Papa, the one who was everything to her-simply gone. She was old enough to understand the reason. Her father, with his magical ability and superior intellect, also made a dazzling warrior. He was king, of course he was meant to commander of the galaxy troops. But no one expected him to fall in battle. It was a great sacrifice-as the outsider enemy experience a great defeat and ultimately lost the war. All of Serenity's kingdom was saved. Except for her.

"Serenity, please." Miraculously she had broken out of her musing and looked up to see the expectant face of her mother, Queen Selenity. She knew her mother was upset with her. Maybe it was because she had become a mute since her Papa's passing, maybe it's because she kept tugging at her blonde pigtails that gather past her shoulders, messing up her hair. Maybe it was because without her Papa, Mama would have to be the sole parent. She knew deep down in her little body Selenity treasured her, but Selenity was too irritated, too impatient to handle her like Papa. And God forbid, if she ever has another episode where her magic became uncontrollable. Selenity may just very well orphan her.
Selenity sighed. "I just don't know what to do with her."

Her mother talking cleared her mind again. She peered up and saw a sailor senshi. A sailor senshi she had never seen before. Was that...a boy? Before her stood a figure much taller than her, but she knew that that each senshi was only five years older than her, no older than twelve years. Each princess of the inner and outer planets in their alliance had a princess born the same year, as the prophecy had demanded. Mercury, Mars, Venus, and Jupiter were the ones who frequented the moon the most, with their parents being active on the council. Serenity couldn't even recall what Pluto, Uranus, Neptune, or Saturn even looked like. If they had visited her home, she was much too young to recall. The senshi before her was tall, much taller than a normal twelve year old, at least much older than her other senshi. Short sandy hair framed her face as the typical princess sailor suit adorned her body, except this was in the color of deep navy and gold. The senate had a wistful smile on her face, almost entertained. Serenity finally took the time to notice her surroundings. They were in a part of the ice palace, but a place she had never visited. The chapel was meant for royal wedding or, as luck would have it today, royal funerals. But as there was no one else around them, she confirmed looking behind her, the mocking smile must have been aimed at her.

"Kon'nichiwa, Princess," the tall blonde spoke offering her hand out in expectation of Serenity giving hers. She offered hers back and Princess Uranus grasped it in her gloved hand to kiss it, never taking her eyes off the Moon Princess.

"Oh, hi-ii," Serenity responded, forgetting about her promise to be a mute for the rest of her life. It amazed her how even the voice of this new senshi sounded masculine. But she was wearing a skirt!

Luckily for Selenity, Serenity could absorb some education the woman tried to ram in her head and knew that modern decorum, did not begin with "Are you a girl? Why are you wearing a skirt?"

While Serenity had the innermost struggle of gender identities, her mother stood in shock completely oblivious to her poor child's sex confusions. "Haruka, this is why I need you here."

Serenity took her time glancing from her mother to this "Haruka" in confusion. But Haruka seemed completed unfazed. "Hai, my Queen. Mother told me that we would be asked to have more of a presence here than before."

"My Serenity." Selenity crouched down to her daughter's level, which required her almost to be kneeling down. She affectionately brushed one of her golden pigtails behind her tiny ear and stared in Serenity's crystal ice eyes, almost the same color of the chapel they were about to step into. "You know how Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Mina are your protectors. And they are always here?"
Serenity nodded in reply.

"Haruka and other planet princesses will now be here more often. They will be your friends too. They will guard you and protect you. Like Papa did."

The child's eyes instantly filled with tears as a reminder.

Sighing, Selenity stood up straight again and spoke with Haruka as if Serenity wasn't even in the room. "Without her father, my husband here-he was the one who was able to harnass magic. That is not my power. She's going to need more eyes than I can give. I fear-"

"Queen Selenity," Haruka interrupted. "I understand. That's what we've been trained for."

Serenity eyes almost jumped off her face she couldn't open them any larger. She interrupted her mother! And Mama was okay with it!

"Arigatou, Haruka-san," Selenity's voice trembled quietly. "I have to meet with the priestess before the ceremony. Can you-?"

"Hai, I'll be with her." Haruka winked at the queen.

Serenity was sure she was going to faint. This senshi had taken more liberties with her mother than she had ever seen and all Selenity would do is smile brightly in return. Maybe this is what happened when your husband died. You completely changed...Serenity herself felt like an empty shell from the news broke in the kingdom.

Almost sensing her thoughts, Haruka flicked one of her ponytails, "Well little Princess, I finally meet the heir to the whole solar system."

Serenity was instantly nervous again. She knew she had no reason to be. Her mama said this was her protector. But she instantly felt butterflies.

Haruka crouched down to her level, similar to the same position her Mama was in, but she didn't have to sink so low to the ground. She may have been tall for her age, but she wasn't as tall as Mama.

"You're a cute little thing," Haruka remarked. "I've heard you were a golden beauty, but I underestimated you."

Butterflies. Again. "Uhh, Arigatou?" she whispered.

Haruka laughed. "So far I've gotten two words. I'll take that as a success. Rei-san told me you've been stubbornly quiet for two weeks. Come, let's find your other senshi," she reached for Serenity's hand. "I know this is hard, Princess. We'll all be right with you."

For some reason, the words were calming. Inside the unused yet crowded chapel, Haruka quickly found her other guardians in front of the altar, ropes signaling to the other citizens the area was reserved. It was truly a pity. The structure was picturesque, with beautiful stain glass adorning its walls and gold ornate decor framing its beams. What a waste of a picture to gather on such a sad day. Haruka turned her attention back to the four senshi. Lady Venus, ignoring her presence, held out her hand immediately to reach for Serenity. "Hey little Princess, want to come sit by me?" It was apparent that these four girls had a sisterly relationship with the small child, which only made sense given their age difference. Even a stranger could see that Serenity was equally attached.

She looked at Haruka, afraid she would be robbed of the strange calmness that the older girl bestowed on her. "How about you sit by Mina-san and I'll sit on your other side?" Serenity was quick to nod her head in agreement.

"What is this?" Makota bit out. "You've been here five seconds and we're already replaced?"

"Oh hush," Mina chided picking Serenity up from under her arms and settling on the pew next to her.

"Just saying," Makoto grumbled. "We've been around twelve years longer than you."

"Already senshi jealousy," sighed Ami.

"Are you really wanting to fight about seating arrangements? She's has seven years of age, I'm sure you'll be her favorite tomorrow." Haruka raised an eyebrow at the scowling brunette. "Besides, I got her to say two words." They couldn't miss the victory grin on her face.

"Nani?" breathed Rei, who was sitting on the other side of Makoto and ignoring the conversation for the most part.

The depressing sounds of an organ began to play, signaling for the entire congregation to stand up. The rest of the senshi stood up, forgetting for a moment about the new senshi in their space and earning the affections of the princess. They too mourned for the irreplaceable and warm Moon King. However, Haruka never lost sight of her purpose, and kept a gentle hand on Serenity's shoulder during the whole tragic affair. 'It will be okay,' she thought, again projecting feelings of calmness and well, serenity, to the princess. 'This too will pass.'

It could only be a special kind of sick irony, or wondrous destiny, depending on your viewpoint, that this would also be also the day that Prince Endymion met Serenity for the first time. One look at the scowl on the young man's face that day and there was no mistake he was here against his wishes. Although fifteen years of age, it was evident he was going to be a carbon copy of his father aesthetically. Midnight hair brushed his cobalt eyes, his shoulders broad and height already reaching almost six feet. It was only fitting really, for the royal terrain family was always meant to be in battle, a warrior, almost similar to now deceased Moon KIng who Endymion saw now escorted out of the chapel via a coffin. He felt emotionless of the whole event. Politically, he knew this was an incredible event for his father and now everyone in the alliance were in excruciating suspense on how Queen Selenity would be the sole ruler of the solar system. This had never been done. There had always been a king. But as a young teenager who wouldn't be sitting on a throne for decades, he literally didn't give a shit.

"Can we go, now?" he turned to his mother, having to look down due to his height over hers. Although she was more than a head shorter, her exasperation and displeasure was more than apparent on her face at his question. She was a firecracker, with black curly hair falling to her shoulders and had no qualms about denying her son of his wants and whims. Spoiled Prince, he was not.

"Endymion," she responded harshly, warning in every syllable that she breathed. "If you think we have traveled this far for an hour ritual only to turn around again, I must tell Kunzite that he is failing sorely at being your educator!"

A hand appeared to rest on his mother's. An identical face of Endymion's, only thirty years older, came into view. "Morena. He was just kidding. You know humor isn't his strong suit." Blue eyes met blue and if his father's could talk, they would say something along the lines of I will end you. The younger Endymion took the hint. Shut up and bear this forsaken event. Since the coffin had passed just a little while ago, the other attendees had began to talk to in hush tones as they were ushered outside. If he remembered correctly, they now would attend a reception of sorts, if receptions could be depressing, where everyone would basically tell the queen and her family how depressing her life now was. Sounded like great fun indeed. The only positive about this trip was Kunzite had accompanied them, but at the moment, was missing. As he scanned the crowd, who were currently all attempting to exit the double french doors at the same time, he was immediately able to find another positive about the trip. Dear gods, the women here were nothing like on Earth. He saw two lunar women pass by. While their skin was nearly the color of pale milk, they also didn't have qualms of modesty like on Earth. This particular dove's hair was longer than the dress she was wearing, and saw no problem dipping low in the front of her of her chest, revealing magnificent twin-

"Ow, dammit!" He immediately felt his ear being yanked, as if the intruder wish to pull it off his flesh. "Stop staring," his mother whispered threateningly. How the hell did she notice everything? "Your teenage self is going to be the death of me. If I catch you with any woman on this moon where we are GUESTS-"

"Oh look, Kunzite!" Endymion interrupted. He sincerely did not want to hear where this was going. It was his mother for God's sake.

The tall silver-haired general seem to appear out of nowhere. While he had been sitting with the royal family for the entire ritual, he had seemed to disappear once it ended. "Where have you been?" he inquired.

"Oh, just someone I knew. Lady Venus, you remember her from warrior training?"

Endymion was instantly disinterested. The sailor senshi of the moon kingdom were basically kids. He also hated to admit that while in training, they almost were as successful at his own guard.

"Where to now, Mother?" He tried to ask innocently. He could not wipe the scowl off though, as much as he tried. Before he could respond, his father intercepted, always attempting to keep the peace between his wife and heir. Not that Morana had any ill feelings towards her son, mind you, but things have gotten increasingly more difficult in their relationship as Endymion progressed through his teenage years. "I believe the reception is in great hall, correct?" The king took the lead pulling his wife smaller hand in the crook of his arm and shot a glance over his shoulder at Endymion and Kunzite imploring them to follow him. At this point, Endymion didn't need to be told twice. The sooner they did their duty, the sooner he would be home.

Serenity stood frozen next to her mother as civilian after royalty greeted them and said how sorry they were for their loss. Although they had traveled from the chapel to the great hall in just a short time, she felt like she had been standing up there for ages. It was a torture that would never end. It's as if everyone wanted to remind her of Papa's death. As if she could forget! Her Papa who was always nearby, always taking care of her when Mama was too frustrated and busy, taking her to their secret spots in the moon kingdom, where no one else knew about them. With his death, was a death of her own heart, of that she was certain. There was huge gaping hole in her chest. She was sure if you could see her insides, that crucial organ had vanished. Moments ago with her senshi, the distraction of the new lady Uranus may have caught her interest, but now, her senshi who were several feet behind her, to give spotlight to her and her mother, could not heal her emotions. She took a huge gulp of air, as if she was underwater straining to get air in her tiny frame. Her mother was once again ignorant as she put brave face after plastic smile, greeting the most important politicians and emphathetic lunarians. Serenity knew if she did not control this, she would have an outburst again. And Selenity would probably never forgive her for causing such a scene at such an important event. She tried to remember what Luna had advised. 'Take deep breathes. Think about anything that calms you.' Beyond her control, her father was brought to mind. Which was an ironic thing since he was the cause of her distress. 'Something else! Think of something else!' She told herself. So instead she thought of the secret waterfall behind the rocks her Papa had taken her. "No one knows of this place," he had told her with mirth in his eyes. "Not even your Mama."

"Oh Selenity!" Serenity was brought out of her musings to see a dark-haired woman embrace her mother, breaking the formal condolences she had just witnessed from the fifty people before her. Her Mama didn't seem to mind.

"Morana," she croaked out. "It's been too long."

"Are you holding up? How's Serenity? I haven't seen her since she was a babe. Oh goodness, she is extraordinarily beautiful!"

This new woman had kind eyes. She was good, she could tell. Mama brought Serenity closer her side, embracing her as she introduced her. "She's the best of both me and Lex."

The nice lady extended her hand. "Hi Serenity, I am Queen Morana from Earth. This is my husband King Endymion. And our son, Prince Endymion."

From behind her, both husband and son came into view. Serenity wanted to gasp, but held it back because Mama said it was un-princesslike. They could have been twins, except one was obvious older and taller. The King looked nice too. The prince-well he didn't have a very welcome look on his face. She offered her hand to both king and prince to shake as her mother instructed her to do with everyone who greeted them today. While the King kissed her hand as tradition demanded. The prince simply grasped it and gave a tight grip to acknowledge their introduction. However, immediately Serenity felt a shock of currently racing through her arm, almost burning her palm. She immediately drew her hand back and stared at the prince in accusal. Had he just tried to hurt her? However, the Prince looked just as confused, but noticed her suspicious glare. He put his hands up as if in surrender. As irritated as he was to be there, any sorts of hurting the heir to the whole solar system would definitely not sit well with his mother. "Sorry, Serenity, I don't know what happened, maybe some Earth gravity shock?"

At this point he was just making things up. Thankfully their mothers were so engrossed in conversation as they haven't seen each other in seven years and did not notice any kind of issues with the prince and princess. The princess herself was a sight to behold. He remembered seeing little girls on Earth having little babies as toys-dolls they were called. They were supposed to imitate the likeness of a real baby, but looked fake as hell. They were angelic looking, with perfect features etched in their plastic bodies and hair that he had never seen on a real human before. That is, before now. The little girl looked like a porcelain doll. He shouldn't have been that surprised, though. After seeing the female population just an hour ago, clearly the lunarian woman had an upper hand in genetics. The only thing strange about the princess before him was her hairstyle. In her defense, her mother doned the exact same one, but it was odd by any means. Two buns were perched on top of their scalp, with two long pigtails running below almost like a stream of water. Scratch odd, it was weird. It vaguely reminded him of dumplings the cooks would serve back home for special dinners.

He couldn't help but comment on it. "Why do you have odangos on your head?"

Serenity just stared at him. "W-what? Odangos?"

"Hai," he replied cockily. "You probably should be addressed as Odango Atama."

He didn't know why he was teasing the child. If he had sense at all, he would remember how he basically needed to charm any royalty in the system, much less the moon heir, but it seemed beyond his control. The little girl's face turned bright red and she seemed otherwise insulted. Thankfully, their mothers were still too involved with their own conversation to noticed the slowly steaming child.

"Don't call me that!" Her little hands instantly flew to her ponytails wrapping the long strands of blonde in her fingers as if protecting it.

'Ahhh,' he thought. 'This is why Kunzite gets such a kick out of teasing his little sister mercilessly.' The act of barely throwing teasing comments and having another being react with such emotion was indeed thrilling. He probably would have made the conversation even worse if it weren't for a tall blonde senshi forcefully pushing him away from Serenity. He knew she was a senshi based on her outfit but had never seen her before in his life. At least, he assumed it was a her?

"Be careful, little Prince. That's the future queen of the moon you are disrespecting."

Where the hell did this girl come from? And how dare she call insult him? He was extremely taller than her and knew for a fact at least three years her senior. "My apologies, I wasn't aware the moon people were devoid of a sense of humor."

"Your anatomy must be extraordinarily small to feel the need of superiority by insulting a small child," she callously replied sweeping her glance over his entire frame, and acting as if she was incredibly unimpressed with his physical appearance. Spoiled he was not, but he know that he incredibly attractive and considered handsome on a plethora of different planets. He never wanted to punch a girl so bad, if that is what she was.

"Speaking of anatomy," he bit out. "Are you a girl? Because you sure as hell don't look like one save for your skirt. Or are you just that ugly?"

While Serenity visibily gasped and looked in complete shocked, a very angry voice cut into their conversation. "Endymion!" With dread, he turned around to see his parents and Queen Selenity staring at them. 'Of course they would pick this exact moment to actually pay attention to him.' He frankly didn't care. He had never experienced such profound dislike of another individual. No. This must be what hate felt like. He hated this girl man.

"Endymion, may I introduce to your Lady Uranus, Haruka?" Selentiy piped in, either oblivious to the torrent of emotions and tension between the two said individuals, or just choosing to ignore it. "In light of current events, she will be frequenting the moon more often as on the other moon's sailor senshi. And Earth too, for that matter for her continued curriculum of combative training."

Endymion could say nothing in return, his agitation growing expontentially, He refused to return Haruka's hand for an official acquaintance, wanting the insult to be public.

Haruka didn't seem to care. She let her hand stay outstreched. "Charmed," she drawled out, another mocking smile. Endymion wanted to punch that smile off her face.

And then suddenly, there were an outburst of giggles, a sweet sound that caused everyone to redirect their attention to Serenity. He begrudgeldy had to admit she made an adorable sight.

"Heavens, Prince," breathed Selentiy. "I haven't heard her laugh in weeks. You must be some entertainer."

He could only gape at her. He had no earthly idea what the princess could be laughing at. He felt his soul lift at the look distaste on Haruka's face.

Shaking her head Serenity grasped one of his larger hands in her smaller ones. "It was pleasing to meet you, Prince Endymion." Again, he felt the sparks in his hand, as she calmly withdrew hers.

"Yes, yes, it certainly was," echoed Selenity. Taking the Earth's king and queen hand in each of hers, she bid them farewell. "It is such sad circumstances that cause us to meet again. Let's not let time get away with us. We must plan another visit with one another before we have grandchildren." Her exaggerated comment was met with affirmatives from the old friends.

"We insist you visit soon," the older Endymion finished with a deep bow. By this point, the receiving line to wish the royals condolences was incredibly long, no doubt causing irritation to those who wished to deliver a line or two in less than a minute.

Little Serenity curtsied to the three royals. "Thank you for traveling to our home. I look forward to visiting yours."

Endymion was sure she had been taught to say that to every guest she met, however, something about her delivery seemed genuine. His last memory of the scene, however, was the navy and gold senshi following the movements of his family with distrusting eyes. While another meeting with Serenity and Selenity wouldn't be the worst thing to happen, he hoped to all the gods and goddesses that he would never have the misfortune of meeting Haruka ever again.