I was born on the Moon. It was a wonderful time, a happy time. Queen Selenity had just gifted my father with land. A lot of land. Just before my birth, he had a grand palace built and dubbed the surrounding area "Gengetsu no Houdo." After me. Isn't that sweet? I remember him taking me on walks, sometimes on horseback, around the kingdom and telling me little things about it; the people, the forest, the surrounding area. "One day, this will all be yours," he would say. And I would laugh and pat his cheek with my little hand, having absolutely no idea what he meant.
But all that changed. One day, we heard a rumor that the princess had fallen in love with an Earthling. By the Goddess, how could she? Didn't she know that contact between people of the Earth and the people of the Moon was forbidden? She had to! Days passed and the palace became a flurry of activity. Messages passed to and fro via horseback and finally my father announced he had to leave us. He picked me up and looked into my eyes. "Now, be brave," he said. "Stay by your mother and don't worry. I'll be back as soon as I can."
I looked up at him through teary eyes and nodded. "I will, Daddy. Be careful."
A small smile broke through the worry on his face as he hugged me and put me back down. "I will." Then he went into the other room to say a private goodbye to my mother who had been crying ever since the messenger had come this morning. I went to my window, which overlooked the stables, and cried as well. Why did the Princess have to fall in love with that Earthling? What could have possessed her to do such a thing? And I wept, as only a seven- year-old child could, unable to comprehend the intricacies and complications of the adult world.
After a few minutes, I saw my father enter the stables and mount his horse. Immediately I jumped up and cried out to him. "Bye Daddy! Be careful! I love you!"
He looked up, smiled, and saluted me. Then he kicked his horse and galloped away leaving me with my hysterical mother and the paranoid servants. "The world is going to end!" They all cried over and over. Why did my father have to leave? Why did he leave me here? These people are just as scared as I am. How are they supposed to protect me? I fled outside to the stables, away from the madness inside. At least the horses were calm. But if something happened, they would be as powerless as the servants I'd just left. I'd probably be safer at the palace...That's it! With that half-formed thought, I jumped onto my favorite horse, a beautiful white mare, and galloped away, the same direction my father had taken.
I rode for hours, not really knowing where I was going or what I was going to do when I got there, but comforted myself with the thought that my father would be there to welcome me when I arrived. I hoped. I assumed that Megami, my horse, knew where we were going. She was born in the Palace, after all. A gift from the Queen to me when I was born, and I figured she knew how to get back there.
I clung onto her for a dear life a stared at the sky above. The sun had almost reached the tops of the trees above me and I knew it would be dark soon. What would I do when it got dark? Surely, Megami would need some rest…I worried and fretted, wishing I was back home. But just as I was about to give up hope, Megami broke out of the forest and headed straight into…
Chaos. That's the only thing I could think of to describe it. The palace, in all its crystalline glory stood before us, its wondrous serenity marred by the battle that raged around it. Megami reared, throwing me off. I hit the ground with a thud and watched her gallop back into the forest. My eyes widened as I surveyed the carnage before me and the one thought in my mind was…Daddy! He was in there somewhere! Maybe he had gotten hurt! He would need me!
I surveyed the battleground again. Most of the fighting was taking place near the palace steps. I squinted to see if I could see my father's familiar crest. Without warning, someone picked me up from behind! I gasped and twisted and saw…the princess? And a man, in armor, his sword out and his eyes flashing. Both of them were on horseback and it was he who had picked me up.
"Hey," he said and gently set me on the saddle in front of him. "You shouldn't be here. Where are your parents?"
"Endymion," she said anxiously. We have to get back there." She threw a frightened glance at the battlefield, then back at him. Her golden hair caught the last rays of the sun and her deep blue eyes were troubled. I never saw anyone so beautiful.
"But what about the child?" The man she called Endymion asked. "We can't just leave her out here."
"I know a way. Into the palace from the south end. We can leave her there."
He nodded and they were off, circling the battlefield towards the palace. It took much longer than I expected since they were staying close to the forest for cover. By the time we reached the palace, night had fallen. Endymion and the princess took me deep inside the palace, into a circular room. A pillar of white rock rose gracefully from the center of it, but otherwise, the room was empty, cold. I shivered and turned my attention back to the princess. I had to find out where my father was. The two were near the doorway, arguing, it seemed. And the princess was crying.
"You must stay here, Serenity. It's much too dangerous for you to be outside." Endymion was saying.
She shook her head and clung onto his arm. "If it is too dangerous for me, then it is for you as well." She sobbed. "I am not letting you go out there without me."
Endymion looked deeply into her eyes and embraced her tightly. "Serenity…"
"Endymion, I…"
Whatever she was planning to say was cut off as Endymion bent his dark head over her golden one and kissed her. I was horrified. This was the Prince? From Earth? Though I hadn't expected Earthlings to have grotesque features or anything, I had thought that they would look, well, different somehow. This Prince Endymion looked just like another member of the royal guard.
I ran out of that room and left them alone. Even though the prince had been nice thus far, I wasn't expecting any more sense from him as I did from her. If they wanted to break the Goddesses rules, that was fine with me. I had a father to find. I located the main entry and looked out a window. The battle had only gotten worse.
Flying arrows cut through the air and there were men fighting everywhere, it seemed. But what surprised me most was the woman who looked like the leader of the Earth's army. She was shouting out orders and fighting, just like her men but her face! Her face was as horrifying as anything I could conjure up in my vivid imagination. Her eyes were huge and black, her lips were twisted into an expression of pure rage, and her fangs…She had fangs! But what was even worse was the shadow that surrounded her and seemingly shielded her from attack. It blended in and out of her fiery hair, seemingly lending her its power.
A clattering on the marble floor behind me signaled the arrival of Endymion and Serenity. He burst out of the door, followed closely by the princess. What did she think she could do? She wasn't even armed!
By now, the wild haired woman had reached the marble steps of the main entrance. She spotted Endymion and sneered at him. "Prince of Earth!" She screamed. "What are you doing consorting with these beings? They are evil! Will you not fight for your planet?"
"Stop this Beryl!" He cried. "This is wrong! These people are Earth's protectors!"
Beryl laughed and pointed to Serenity. "That witch has taken away your senses." She looked back at Endymion and held her hand out to him. "I give you one last chance, Prince of Earth. Will you not defend your world?"
"I am defending it!" He shouted angrily. "It is you who is destroying it!"
"Then you shall die with her!"
With that, Beryl charged forward, straight for Serenity. I closed my eyes and hid my face in shock. No! This couldn't be happening!
Serenity screamed. "Endymion! Noooo!"
I looked up and saw Serenity on the ground, cradling Endymion's body. She was weeping, her white dress reddening with his blood. He weakly lifted his hand to her face murmured something to her softly. Then his hand fell. His body grew limp. Serenity's answering cry tore my heart to pieces. She lifted her tear-stained face to the sky and screamed her anguish to the moon. Finally, she bowed her head and reached for Endymion's sword. Almost gracefully, she positioned the blade over her own heart.
I couldn't stand it anymore. Without another thought I ran outside screaming, "Princess! Don't!"
I was not alone. I skidded to a stop along with four of the Sailor Senshi just as our princess ran herself through her lover's sword. I fell to my knees next to her as the senshi shook her limp form, crying out her name. Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus. They were all there. I wept along with them for the loss of our princess, our kingdom, our whole way of life. For, even if we survived, nothing would ever be the same after this day.
A familiar voice called my name. "Gen-chan! What are you doing here?"
Daddy! I turned blindly towards the voice. He was there! A little blood-stained, his armor dented, but he was alive! "Father!" I cried and ran to him. About halfway there, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I doubled over in shock, staring uncomprehendingly at the arrow shaft sticking out of my chest. My father reached me and pulled me into his lap, the same way the princess had cradled Endymion just before he died. Was that what was happening? Was I dying? I looked up at my father. Tears were streaming openly down his handsome face as he rocked me gently.
I reached up and touched his cheek. "Daddy, why are you crying?" I whispered. "I found you now. Everything's going to be okay, right?"
"Shh." He answered hoarsely and covered my small hand in his own, just as he had always done whenever he would take me on our walks around "my realm." "Everything is going to be all right now, Gengetsu. Everything will be all right."
Reassured, I smiled and closed my eyes. Forever.
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...Owari...
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Notes: *dries her eyes* I originally began this fic as a witty sarcastic piece for my personal profile on my site. How it turned into this, I don't really know. I never thought I'd write anything about the Silver Millenium period, let alone the deaths of two of my favorite characters, but once I started, the story just seemed to write itself.
Please email your comments and feedback as always. I couldn't bear to read this again so I haven't proofread it at all *gomen*. If you find any mistakes, grammatical errors, and such, please let me know. I always love hearing from all of you. You can reach me at moonrealm@crosswinds.net. Arigatou minna.
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi and a lot of other companies. No copyright infringement is intended. The story is mine and I would appreciate it if you would email me for permission before posting it anywhere else. This page is part of a non-profit fan site created for entertainment purposes only.
"The End of a Millenium" Copyright © January 9, 2000 by Moonsong