Chapter 1: Neo Dream
**Neo Silver Millennium: Crystal Tokyo**
_Dear Diary;_
_My mother has officially lost her mind! She had gone crazy, totally off her royal nut! It was bound to happen, with all the pressure and responsibility she was under. Now, I am going to have to step in and take her place as the Queen of Crystal Tokyo. Seriously, things have gotten way out of hand. I need to stop this before she destroys everything. She has come up with more than a few meatball brained ideas in her time but this one is by far the stupidest, craziest, most ill thought out plan of all time!_
_I will not go along with it! I am sixteen years old now, and I will put my foot down...take a stand. It's about time she started to take me seriously. I am not a child anymore!_
_I am not going!_
Princess Serenity slammed her diary shut, she was no longer a little girl. The names Chibi Usa or even Small Lady did not apply to her any longer. She was now an elegant young woman, with long strawberry pink hair, pulled up into two oval buns. Her long tails streaming down over her slender shoulders like delicate ribbons. Dressed in a flowing white gown, the skirts of a sheer almost translucent fabric, that trailed down to her ankles. Her slender feet tucked into pearl white silk slippers. The princess bodice of golden half moon accents hugging her modestly endowed breasts, the floral sleeves of the gown seemed to bloom around her slender arms like true roses.
She was curled up upon a cloud of the soft, pink velvet pillows that cushioned a large bay window that she currently resided in, as she thought about her mother's most recent decisions regarding her future.
The brilliance of the late morning sun, glowing through the crystal window, casting her into a warm golden relief. Her pensive brown eyes gazing out of the glass down towards the lush gardens below. A picture perfect princess, with a heavy heart.
With a deep, aggravated sigh, she tossed the small black leather bound book she had been writing in from her lap and across the alcove where it bounced petulantly against the window frame and landed upside down upon the soft pillows.
Her cute childish face had changed over the years becoming a mirror image of her mother at that age. Just as her mother resembled the ancient queen of the Silver Millennium. If she was to have a daughter in the future, the lunarian genetics would be dominate.
A heritage of timeless beauty was bestowed to her sweet features. Her face was soft and innocent in nature, that will always make her look younger then she truly was. It sometimes made look like a very regal thirteen to fourteen year old. It also led those who did not know her to think she was childish and simple of mind. It was a very similar first impression her mother had received as a teenager herself. One that her mother took in and used to her advantage once she realized the advantages.
Princess Serenity, was also not prone, thankfully, to her silly expressions or abrasive, unsophisticated out bursts. Not once since she turned sixteen would she ever be mistaken for being immature at least not consistently. According to Diana, she still had her moments. But Princess Serenity would deny it. She had set out a long time ago to be the beautiful, refined lady her mother was. Even though meeting her mother in the past, an immature, cry baby with no ambition. It had given her some much needed perspective on that goal. That one did not become a proper lady over night, it took years to mature but she felt that finally she had grown up.
She was a quiet, contained person who thought out every word she spoke before speaking. But like her father there was an aristocratic sophistication in her subtle expressions. That while her father made good use of that as a world leader, next to her mother and a great politician. It ended up making her somewhat off putting to others of the same age. Seeing her as being snotty or elitist. It did however give her the ability to be taken seriously to adults, on more formal gatherings. To express herself eloquently to the generations of her parents.
She still did not make friends easily, she wasn't willing to accept change. Much like she was years ago when she recalled how she wasn't very fond of Usagi's change in the past till she finally found common ground with her. She had generally become rather reclusive and single minded with her studies and training over the years. She was trying to avoid thinking of her lack of friends at this age, of how much fun her mother had with the Senshi. They were always laughing, gossiping, or just hanging out being young women. While she felt so alone, throwing herself into her training and studying helped. But it only allowed her to forget the disappointment she had in her life for a few hours at a time.
She was becoming at least to public eyes, the perfect princess who understood her duties as heir to the throne, and had proven without a doubt she had the intelligence, will power and resilience to become a strong future Queen. The citizens of Crystal Tokyo held her in high regard, their worries about succession long since assuaged by how seriously she had taken her role as princess and how prepared she seemed to lead them.
The secret of her theft of the silver crystal as a child long since hidden away by her parents. They wanted to be sure of her commitment to being a strong, capable leader but at the same time were unsure of how the public would react to the knowledge of their young princess having taken the queen's most powerful weapon right when she would need it the most. The damage done to the city while long ago repaired was still talked about today. Her parents keep it a hidden secret to avoid any scandal their daughter would fall into if it got released.
The news reporters were the most vicious and her mother and father both worked hard to maintain a perfect family setting while keeping the scandal's out of their home life as much as possible. Still wanting to maintain a level of normalcy in the palace. Though admittedly it was hard when you had over a hundred servants and your home was literally a giant crystal palace with an energy field. It brought to mind the phrase...living in a glass house. The Palace secrets were not secrets for long.
But she had to admit her parents found a way to give her as normal of a life as possible…even if a small portion was due to sending her into the past.
Yet behind the closed doors of the Palace, Princess Serenity had been stagnating as a person in whole. She was refusing to broaden herself socially beyond the Palace's inner society of staff and dignitaries which had inadvertently set all of this craziness into motion.
Crystal Tokyo had been peaceful ever since she had returned home from the past. She kept up her Guardian training with the Inner Guardian's, but she hadn't been in a real battle for years. It had gotten to a point in which she had become complacent. Not bothering to even carry her broach everywhere she went. Every day blended into another in a boring, predictable routine that she strangely took comfort in.
But not today...
Today everything was going to change.
"Are ready yet, Usa?" Diana's soft spoken voice called from the short entrance hall to Princess Serenity bed chambers. Since her mother was often still called Usagi by the Senshi behind closed doors, Diana had shorten her name even more. As she out grew the Chibi-Usa nickname, she became just Usa or Usa-chan. Only close family called her by her given name. Diana, Luna, Artemis, the Senshi as a whole and her father's guardian the Shitennou, had long since gone beyond mere friends. To the palace staff and the general public of Crystal Tokyo she was regarded by her title only as Princess Serenity.
"I'm not going!" Usa called back hotly, hiding out in the bay window of her grande bedroom which was one huge, very pristine white washed room.
The walls were carved from the same ethereal white stone as the Moon Palace once was. Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion had spent countless years building the Earth Castle that was a successful merge of both the architecture of the Silver Millennium with that of Elysian. It ended up creating this majestic palace incased in Crystal. The last remaining wonder of the age that had been humanity's salvation nearly a thousand years ago.
An ornate fireplace took up the whole front wall, with an elaborate mantel piece carved from the same white stone. The bay window took up the back wall, with flanking arched windows on either side. The sunlight sparkled within a crystalline glass, giving the magnificent view of the palaces front patios and steps that led to the sprawling gardens beyond.
Above the fireplace hung a silk and velvet tapestry of the Royal family crest. Sewn in painstaking detail. The foreground held a silver crescent moon, with a bold, maroon rose in full bloom nestled inside. The same emblem was embedded on every coat of arms that the Crystal Guard bore when patrolling the Palace grounds. It was a merger just like the earth palace of both the Elysian and Lunarian family crests of her parents.
On the opposite wall sat an ornate cherry wood canopy bed, the bed posts topped with crescent moons. The canopy in bold red velvet, the curtains tied back with thick gold coiled ropes. The bedding a soft pink with a mountain of throw pillows of every shape and size and fabric, along with all manner of stuffed animals that cluttered at least half of the mattress. The far corner had a set of old world crafted oak bookshelves, filled with an eclectic mix of Classic novels and manga's that spoke of the Princess's varied tastes in literature.
With a heavy red crushed velvet arm chair and elegant floral designed floor lamp, and a massive walk in closet that sat at the front of the room next to the double doors that led to the entry hall. The closet doors, pulled open. The floor inside currently a disaster of clothes, half-filled boxes and cluttered odds and ends. That spoke of a stubborn, obstinate young woman who did not want to move.
Usa considered herself a clean and tidy individual both in mind and action. Nothing like her mother's epic dis-organizational skills at this age, to which took her years and learning from her father's meticulous ways, to become the more organized individual she was today. But still her father's blood clearly ran through her to this day on those matters. She did not like chaos in any manner, the fact that her closet now looked sick and ready to vomit all of her belongings into the main room made her anxious. Wanting to dive in and tidy up her mess, so that she could feel at ease again.
But she refused to move from her nest of pink and red satin pillows as Diana opened one of the doors and meekly stepped in to her sanctuary. As the daughter of Luna and Artemis, Diana was a Mau. Able to shape shift from the body of a feline to that of a human teen. She had transformed herself into her human form several weeks back, getting used to acting and moving like a human so she could accompany her Princess to Private School this spring.
Diana was a delicate young woman, lithe in shape and moved with precise, feline grace. With light lavender hair, that look almost silver in certain lights. It was the very same color as her fur. Tied up in twin buns on either side of her head. Her elegant features and warm sapphire blue eyes only a shade darker than her fathers. Dressed in a pair of tight white leggings and a pale blue flowing baby doll blouse that hung off her shoulders, with silk ballet flats adorning her slender feet. She wore a golden collar with a delicate bell around her neck that was a traditional accessory for that of the Mau people.
Her mother and father did not claim many Mau traditions in beliefs or dress, they had been raised Lunarian in the Moon Palace long ago and had no real attachment to their home planet. Diana had become curious when she was a child and then became obsessed over her Mau heritage over the years. She dreamed of one day being able to visit the planet of her bloodline hopefully with her parents too.
The Mau had become Princess Serenity best and only friend, they were inseparable since Chibi Usa returned from the past. She knew going away to school with her would make the Princess's transition more comforting. She had no need for further education then what her father provided, but she saw this as her duty to her Princess. She was to one day be her advisor, much like her mother was to the Queen.
In many ways, Diana saw leaving the safety of the palace walls with the Princess as her first test as a true advisor. Serenity had no Senshi to guard her, no new celestial bodies had been reborn since Neo Queen Serenity's childhood. So she was all princess Serenity had as a personal body guard of sorts.
Diana had pledged to her parents and to the king and queen that she would protect Usa with her life if needs be, but in retrospect that promise was kind of melodramatic and seemed a little over blown for the situation. They were just going to a private school, how dangerous could that possibly be? Diana was thankful now that the adults hadn't laughed out right at her then, as she felt rather foolish now.
"Princess..." She scolded gently, closing the door softly behind her before confronting her stubborn princess with an iron will of her own. "You are being unreasonable." She sighed, folding her hands over her stomach in a very dignified gesture of self-restraint. Diana did not yell or loose her cool, when her princess was acting obstinate or just plain pig headed. She approached the situation with a level head, she acted so much like her mother it was astounding.
Over the years she had learned how to handle the Princess who tended to be rather impassioned over fighting for her own personal liberties. To calm or control her tenancy to lash out at others, placate her more wild adventurous personality with safer pursuits. She took pride in how she could calmly convince the somewhat bull headed Usa to understand the proper course she needed to take which was pretty much what ever Diana had been instructed to have her agree too by her parents or the King, or Queen.
It was important to the Queen that her daughter had a normal high school experience and that she made strong bonds with her peers within the Silver Alliance. It had proven to been an impossible task here in Crystal Tokyo. The divide between the commoner's and the royal family was far to broad. The estrangement her first daughter had to endure in a regular school had been horrible. In which her peers had been frightened to befriend her, or sought to use her for their families benefit. When she was a child it had been heart breaking. The greater need for security to keep her safe from the Paparazzi, or terrorist plots to force the Palace's hand in their favour, was to much for both her parents to take. Neo Queen Serenity had to give up on that dream, while the idea of a regular school life for her daughter had seemed so simple, it had proven not to be prudent.
So Neo Queen Serenity in a way of being understanding had built a Private Academy up on the Moon. Constructed on the hallowed ground of the ancient ruins of the Silver Millennium. The queen had personally selected the students to attend, and along with Ami's aid, had selected the faculty as well. Unfortunately only a few commoners were allowed entry through the process of achieving scholarships for academic excellence.
Ami made sure that any and every hard working, scholastic achiever that couldn't afford the elite school was given a chance for the scholarship. As there were other genius's like her out there waiting for the chance to become something more. But mostly the school was filled with the children of the planetary financial elite, or of the diplomats and the royalty of the planets within the Silver Alliance. They made up 80% of the class rooms.
Usa narrowed her eyes at Diana, crossing her arms over her chest petulantly.
The school would become a micro cosmos of the Silver Alliance and Usa dreaded that as the Crown Princess of the Neo Silver Millennium she would be once more in the spot light and once more under intense scrutiny by her peers. Who would be just waiting to pounce on her at a moment's notice when she screwed up. She was so very grateful that her parents were able to keep the silver crystal fiasco under wraps. Her bad decision then had nearly destroyed the whole future. Leading to Diamond's temporary rule of a dieing earth. That alone would give students plenty of ammo to use on her and to make her life miserable.
She was terrified that this experience with school life would be as lonely and treacherous as the last time. That she would never fit in as just a normal student. She would either be fawned over by groupies looking for prestige by her side or to carry favour for their parents within the Crystal Palace. It was why she couldn't go to a regular school as her mother had. To many fake people looking out for only themselves.
Finding real friends at the Tsukishima Academy seemed an impossible task. So Usa wanted nothing to do with it! She would rather remain the reclusive Princess, seen only at royal functions then be put on display daily at some private school. A lab rat to be watched, scrutinized, perhaps even poked or prodded to see if she would emit power or just to see if the perfect princess had a crack in the foundation of her perfection to infiltrate.
"I am not going!" Usa shouted, refusing to budge from her sitting window. The churning lump of anxiety over leaving her safe, well established box had killed her appetite this morning. She had been holed up in her room, ever since abandoning her parents at the breakfast table, leaving her meal untouched.
Diana merely shrugged, giving the messy closet a brief glance of disapproval. Before turning and wading through the mess to find her luggage. If she had to pack herself, the Princess would be on that transit shuttle to the Moon.
Several minutes later, the exasperated sounds of rummaging was cut short by Diana's sudden scream of alarm. Followed by a very up beat and musically sweet voice.
"I COME TOO!" A preschooler exclaimed from the hidden recesses of Usa's closet.
Usa couldn't help but laugh at Diana's predicament, as the lavender haired Mau stumbled out of the closet with a bouncing dark pink haired child at her heels. Kousagi was the spitting image of Chibi Usa at that age. Her features were a bit rounder and more adorable then Chibi Usa's had been. With the same deep sapphire blue eyes as their mother. Her head covered in a dark shade of strawberry blonde hair, tied up in heart shaped odango's and ringlets that bounced merely upon her shoulders.
Dressed in a cute frilly satin sundress of pale blue, with balloon sleeves and a layered skirt with an apron front that held a huge pocket near bursting with the contents of a stuffed pink polka dotted cat. Kousagi had been making a nuisance of herself for weeks, trying to figure out a way to go the Academy with her big sister. Packing up her own things and pretending to prepare to leave the Palace as well. Hiding in her older sister's room, under her bed just this morning. At the crack of dawn, Chibi Usa had found the four year old under her cover's.
When she had awoken enough to realize she had a little intruder and cast the heavy comforter aside in alarm. To find to her indignation, her little sister still in her pink nighty, in mid trench crawl, headed up towards her pillows. As soon as Kousagi had been found out, she leapt on her sister in an all out attack. Wrapping her tiny arms around her neck and legs around her stomach, in a full body strangle hold. Sending the older teen back to the mattress with a startled cry, her white silk night gown now twisted and bunched around her hips.
"I GO TOO!" She had cried desperately, knowing her time to sneak away with Usa was running out.
Diana deflated on the edge of Usa's bed, already exhausted from dealing with her princess's emo attitude for weeks. If she wasn't complaining to her, with that weak, annoying whine in her voice she had been on an all out tirade. Or just to upset to leave her room, leaving Diana out in the hall fuming. Listening to her princess melodramatic sobs and sniffles. It had been a long and frustrating battle just to bring Princess Serenity this far in accepting the outcome of her future. A future she had no hope to change.
Honestly, at this point Diana felt, as much as she loved Usa and wanted to stand by her as an friend, she had to admit she was a real pain in the ass! Her patience was gone, if she refused to leave the Palace. She was already committed and prepared to knock her majesty out and haul her butt up the moon, bound, gagged and unconscious... if she had too.
"You knew she would be hiding out in there...didn't you." Diana accused in a tired huff.
"I figured as much." Usa finally left her window pillows, giving Diana an amused snicker before picking up her baby sister just under her arms and placing her on her fluffy bed, with a stern no nonsense frown upon her face. Before leaving her to retreat into the disaster of her closet.
Kousagi sighed deeply, her finger's now rubbing the tips of her stuffed cats ears. A nervous, action she had developed since finding out both her older sister and brother were leaving the Palace. The stuffed animal had been her security item for the last two years, the fake fur on its' ears now rubbed away to nothing but scraps of cloth.
"The little demon has been lying in wait for me repeatedly for the last few weeks. I have come to expect her little sneak attacks multiple times." Usa's voice filtered out of the closet, before she reemerged hauling a very large pink tote by the handle. Rolling the giant piece of luggage near the double doors.
"You already packed!" Diana groaned, flopping back onto her princess's bed in defeat. Many nasty, frustrated names she wanted to call her filtered silently through her mind.
"Of, course." Usa smirked in amusement.
"You love to torment me, don't you?" Diana groaned.
"Everyone needs a hobby. Tormenting you on a daily basis the way mama did to Rei – chan as teenagers is our special bond, just as much as it was theirs." Usa shrugged, giving Diana a knowing smile before focusing her attention on her sulking little sister.
"Look, Ko-chan." Usa knelt before her, placing her hands on the little kids knees so she would raise her head to look up at her. The smaller princess pouted knowing the assurances to come and not liking it.
"I will only be gone for a month, then I will back for Golden Week. We will celebrate together…okay." Usa promised, her gentle brown eyes searching her little sister for understanding. She did not want any more attempts to sneak to the Moon. It was dangerous and she didn't want Kousagi to get hurt. The little girl was rash and practically fearless. An apparent trait for the Lunarian line of women. It made the king and senshi's jobs far more difficult sometimes.
"Promise me..." Usa guided her tiny pointed chin up when she refused to look up.
Kousagi huffed and hopped off the bed, ignoring her older sister's plea. Striding from the room angrily, promising nothing.
"You better make sure all the luggage and cargo headed out from the palace today is double checked." Usa advised, Diana. Not putting it past her sister to stuff herself in a crate of cabbages hoping its headed to the Moon. Needing to be one step ahead of her sneaky little sister in order to keep her safe.
Diana left assuring Usa she would talk to the staff to be on the look out for Kousagi. While Usa began to tidy up her closet, then hanging up her discarded clothes. The mess was due to her stubborn tirade last night when she had been forced to pack, under duress mind you. After a long and beseeching conversation with her father had fallen yet again on deaf ears. He had patiently let her vent her feelings, but he had been adamant that she needed to give this school a chance, to try her best to make things work before condemning it as a bad idea.
When he had rephrased the school as a challenge set by her mother to see what kind of leader, what kind of queen she may become one day. A way for her to prove that she was capable of being out on her own, to make lasting friendships and gain the respect and support of her peers. She was quick to respond, then. She accepted the gauntlet her mother had thrown at her feet. The fire of determination to prove herself igniting in her heart.
Knowing deep down how happy it would make her mother. She just wanted her daughter to spread her wings and enjoy her youth to the fullest. Watching as her daughter reverted to the same introverted, anti-social behaviour of her childhood. Becoming a hermit inside the palace, throwing herself into her studies and her training. Not even trying to make friends outside the Palace or seeking any kind of social life beyond the Castle walls. It made the Queen worry, and hurt her heart to witness how sad and unfulfilled her eldest daughter truly was.
To see her eldest child being so lonely, and yet to scared to make friends. Made her take matters into her own hands. Neo Queen Serenity knew a sheltered princess did not make a strong queen. This was her way to force her daughter out of her comfort zone. Pretty much tossing her into the social waters of society...it was sink or swim time.
Usa promised that by the end of this year, she would show her mother her worries were unfounded. That she had raised a strong, resilient and capable daughter. Who would make her proud one day, by becoming an honourable ruler of the Neo Silver Millennium. She would show everyone that she could protect this planet...this whole solar system all on her own! That her mother's legacy was in good hands.
It was no secret amongst close knit friends and family that while she was her father's daughter in many respects she held more of a connection to her mother's silver crystal. The golden crystal of legend had yet to appear, lost long ago during the Silver Millennium. Her father was able to tap into it, to some degree. So the object still existed in some respects, but he had never been able to summon it. Or solve the the mystery as to what happened to it in the past. Her younger brother had no powers to speak of, which was a source of much sibling animosity between them. She hoped that one day he might find a connection to Elysian, or come to accept his limitations. She was the oldest and taking on the mantle of Senshi and Queen was destiny for her. She was happy enough that she had many of her father's personality traits but the power to use the legendary silver crystal was something that she was proud of.
Usa cleaned up her closet and quickly found a casual outfit to travel in. She had no intentions of showing up at the Academy in the gown of state she typically wore around the Palace. She wanted to fit in, or at least fade into the background up there not stand out. The last thing she wanted was to be seen like some elitist, royal brat. If she showed up in her gown of state, she might as well post a sign on her forehead beckoning all the super rich heirs and heiress to flock to her. That was all she needed, was the prissy princess's and pompous princes to surround her looking to improve their image even more. She could care less for that type of superficial crowd. So she was going to the moon incognito.
Striding out of the Palaces heavy oak front doors to the wide grey cobble stone landing, now dressed in a vintage dress. With a flowing navy pinstriped skirt and sleeveless wrap style white shirt and a bright red sash belt that was knotted at the back in a large bow. The outfit gave her a cute yet classic look, with her hair up in its odango and tails. She looked like the picture perfect debutante from a high class family.
The late morning sun was glaring through the crystal barrier in the distance. Fracturing the light to ripple over the outer gardens, immaculate groves of trees, and sprawling hedge maze out beyond the huge stone entrance steps. Creating a tranquil atmosphere as if trapped under the waves of the sea. The crystal edifice that surrounded the royal palace stretched for miles over the dead center of the metropolis. A crystal core that both protected and powered Neo Crystal Tokyo.
"Chibi Usa-chan!" A familiar, long missed voice called out excitedly. The way she shortened her old name, an intimate reminder of the brief childhood they had shared.
Princess Serenity turned to find her oldest and most dear friend jogging up the grand front steps. Beaming at her beloved princess as she closed the distance.
"Hotaru - chan." She grinned in welcome, opening her arms for the demure, raven haired woman. Whom was currently in full Senshi uniform, with her gold tiara gleaming in the sunlight. Her dark hair was longer now, fluttering in the wind near her deep violet skirt.
The juxtaposition of the twenty something woman, in full battle dress, laughing like a giddy school girl was a strange sight to behold, to anyone who wasn't a Senshi herself. Usa laughed just as unrestrained, as they embraced. Her heavy heart lifting with joy, as she basked in the comfort of her old friends arms. Hotaru was a good head or more taller now, pressing the pink haired princess tight against her well-endowed chest. Smothering her for a just a moment before loosening her grip.
"It has been far to long." Princess Serenity gasped, holding Hotaru back at arm's length. Ascertaining just how much the Senshi had changed in that time. Her hair longer, now brushing against her butt, her bangs hanging low over her soulful blue eyes. She looked thinner, more toned then before. She must have been in a few battles while stationed in the outer reaches of the Silver Alliance territories. The fringe of the Civilized Galaxy was a dangerous, lawless frontier. As an ambassador for the Silver Alliance Hotaru had been planet hoping for most of the year.
"A little over a year I think, since I've been back to earth." Hotaru admitted with a smile. "The life of a Senshi is never boring." Yet her eyes held no mirth, instead they looked resigned.
"I wouldn't know, I haven't had to be Senshi in years." Usa laughed somewhat bitterly. She missed those times, back in the past fighting alongside the Inner Senshi with her mother. Though she wouldn't have minded skipping the pain of her heart crystal being ripped from her body. Of course as she did that to save Hotaru, she would do it again if she had to, it was just incredibly painful.
But that sense of belonging, of close friendship, wasn't possible here in the future. The age gap was to great. The Inner and Outer's had far to many responsibilities to just hang out. The Inners's were now married and starting families, they all had children around Kousagi's age. While Haruka and Michiru kept the peace out on the interstellar border's within the Asteroid belt. Hotaru had been charged as her mother's emissary to the new member's of the Silver Alliance beyond the reaches of their solar system.
"Enjoy the peace, Princess." Hotaru wrapped her in a one arm hug, shaking her companionably as they headed down the grand entry steps to the lower gardens and main driveway.
Princess Serenity merely nodded, not wanting to wish for a crisis just to break the tedium, her life had become. But unable to deny how much she missed it. The fights, the youma and daimon activity…though the amount of times she had to be rescued could have been better. So highly competitive with her mother when she was younger and constantly putting her down as a way to retaliate. Against the incredible jealousy she felt, that she would never measure up. Having such an unattainable idol as Sailor Moon, could be a bit daunting for any kid. When you yourself can't do much in battle, always screwing up or klutzing out. Needing to have your butt saved all the time, so that you didn't get seriously hurt. It had been a humbling time for her and she regretted none of it.
As they reached the bottom of the stone staircase, a white limo awaited them. The emblem of the Royal family was emblazoned upon the doors. Its metal body was sleek, built for speed and tight turns. With four squat maneuverings wings where the wheel wells might have been. Hovering over the flag stone of the huge half moon driveway that cut through the immaculate gardens, and abutted against the palace's huge entrance stairs.
A glowing blue cushion of energy, kept the futuristic vehicle aloft, as it buoyed over the driveway like a boat in the calm waters of a river. The limo's narrow tinted windows wrapped around the back, mirrored and dark as midnight. Designed for privacy and security it could withstand both energy and blunt force attacks. Both Ami and Rei had a hand in it's design, needing to incorporate many defensive systems to keep the royal family protected.
"Well, that's our ride to the Narita Space Port." Hotaru nodded, heading across the drive towards their high class ride.
"You're coming with me?" the young light pink hair teen asked, not hiding the hope and pleasure in her eyes at getting to spend extra time with her oldest friend.
"Yeah, off to Nemesis to deal with King Diamond again." Hotaru groaned. "He is placing unfair sanctions on earth's imports from his kingdom." She already sounded tired, dreading the next few days of endless arguing with the lonely king of the Dark Moon. Diamond had never found another woman to love, no other could match what he wanted or needed in a queen other than the beloved Neo Queen herself. The many decades he'd spent pinning over Neo Queen Serenity was legendary. Some of his inner court still profess he was secretly still obsesses over what might have been.
Along with his rivalry with the earth's King Endymion, over her mother's hand in marriage and everything in between. No matter how many times the king had been placated him in the political ring. Diamond continued to push his boundaries, there was just so many concessions King Endymion would allow to keep the peace. He would never be seen as nice to the Lord of Nemesis, merely polite. Sometimes when in a room full of close friends a tad harsher to get his points across.
Yet, King Diamond refused to let go of his love for the Neo Queen and his hatred of her chosen King. So instead of doing something destructible he decided to make things hard for earths other interests.
Anything to throw a wrench in King Endymion's plans for something. Though he never once disrupted any project that the Neo Queen herself had a part in. Unless his own planetary resources were involved and he could use that to his advantage to see her. To which her husband or guardians always accompanied her. Their trust level was not very high when it came to him around their Queen. He couldn't be fully trusted even after all these years. Enough past memories told them what to look out for, what signs to see. That Diamond may be up to his old tricks, attempting to woe her away from Endymion. Neo Queen Serenity never took Diamon seriously, considering it just a game he played with her to get a rile out of Endymion. She would never allow is advances to get to far either.
The teenage princess laughed with Hotaru, enjoying the private joke. Knowing the rivalry between the two men had been going on for near a thousand years. The epic battle of stubborn kings had been growing to absurd degrees over the years. With Diamond putting up blockades around the outer reaches of their solar system, preventing exports from the Sol system to the other solar systems in the Silver Alliance.
Her father retaliating with the army, tearing them down and threatening to dethrone Diamond if he caused any more problems. Diamond was always arguing in the Senate that his planet was treated unfairly just because it was the farthest out.
That since they were the first line of defence from invader's Nemesis should receive cheaper rates for imported good, special economic sanctions for their own exports and be the highest priority for response for humanitarian aid. This attempt to block trade was just another 'man sized-tantrum' attempt to get his way. She wondered if Diamond was naturally this pig headed, or if he just really enjoyed being a pain in the ass to her father. Annoying him out of spite and boredom, waiting for him to implode with rage and do something rash.
The soft sound of footsteps greeted them, as they turned to find two very elegant and regal figures exit the outer gardens. Through an white wooden trellis archway on the far side of the driveway. A handsome dark haired man, unmarked by time in a suit and cape the color of twilight. On his arms was an eternal beauty with golden blonde hair in Odango's and tails. Her gold crown gleamed in the morning light, with her central ruby glowing faintly in the partial shade of the arch. Her pure white dress, flowing down to her heeled feet, sheathing her gorgeous body in folds of the finest, iridescent pearl white silk.
They moved together as graceful as two dancer's, gliding across the floor. Speaking softly as was their way, as they approached the limo. As they drew near, Princess Serenity caught a glimpse of her little brother trailing in their wake. Dressed in his three piece maroon suit of state, with the tight rounded collar pinned closed with a golden bangle in the shape of a rose, the chain trailing to his double breasted suit jackets right shoulder guard. He looked dressed to attend a royal celebration more then to go to school.
As the princess took on the colors and styles of the ancient Lunarian people, her little brother's formal clothes were adapted from the old world of Elysian. He walked humbly behind his parents as a younger carbon copy of his father. With thick, wavy black hair that hung over his dark stormy blue-grey eyes. He was rather handsome, for an eleven year old. Brooding and aloof, with no idea how to deal with most people, especially girls. He was known to run off and hide when having to entertain daughter's of dignitaries during royal balls. More comfortable in the company of books then with people.
None of the royal heirs, except for Kousagi were very extroverted. Thanks to her time in the past as Chibi Usa, she had overcome her anxiety's with making friends. She just choose not to try beyond the Palace. Her brother on the other hand, hadn't even made any friends inside the Palace walls so he might be a basket case for the first few weeks up at the Academy. She promised to keep a close eye on him and try to get him to relax.
His dress shoes were making a clipped, smart sound on the stones as he trailed in the wake of his royal parents. With hands clasped behind his back, looking uninterested and casual, yet his back was straight. His muscles strung tight with a silent tension. He was anxious and dreading the stressful day ahead.
He may be dwelling in the turmoil of his thoughts but he always secretly kept a keen eye on his environment. Observing and accessing everything around him, always distrustful of any situation even something as mundane as a walk in the garden. Nothing dramatic or dangerous ever happened on the Palace grounds, but still he never seemed to relax. Naturally high strung and quick to see the worst, little Endymion was not an easy going sort of boy. Unknowingly mimicking his father at that age when reborn on earth.
"Ohayou, Small lady." Neo Queen Serenity called softly as she approached.
"Please, mother. Stop calling me that. I am not small anymore." The annoyed princess stated, standing rigidly before her mother. At least a head taller now, a tribute to her fathers genetics, she was trying to keep her face impassive and not show how irritating she found that little endearment now.
"I know..." Neo Queen Serenity sighed, drawing her daughter close by clasping both of her hands in hers. "You're all grown up now...I'm having a rather hard time with it." She smiled weakly. Holding back her tears with a sniffle. King Endymion wrapped a comforting arm around his wife and tucked her close to his side.
"It will be a bit of an adjustment with both you and Endy off at school. The palace will be rather quiet and lonely." Neo Queen Serenity glanced down, hiding how upset she was getting. She had promised that she would see her children off with a smile. So far she was barely holding it together, already a couple tears had escaped to draw down her elegant face.
"I doubt that!" Usa scoffed, trying to avoid the 'tear-fest' drama, she saw about to erupt from her mother's wet eyes. "With Kousagi and her court of preschool terrors running wild in the halls. You and dad will have no time to worry about us." She assured her mother, pulling her in for a warm, hard hug. Knowing the queen would never initiate any kind of affection without her daughter's consent. Knowing it made her eldest child uncomfortable and embarrassed her.
A trauma she had unintentionally inflicted upon her, in her youth. Her mother always seemed to be overly affectionate with her at the most inappropriate times. The queen had come to understand her daughter more, and tempered her natural tenancies toward over doing things.
The Academy not with-standing, the pink haired princess already saw this whole coming fiasco as another one of her mother's exaggerated attempts to give her kids a normal childhood. She just hoped this attempt worked out, for both their sakes.
"Speaking of Ko, I haven't seen her since breakfast?" King Endymion mused, glancing around the front courtyard expectantly as if his little girl would just appear from nothing.
"She has been trying to sneak away with me for the last couple weeks. I figure she is hiding out somewhere." Princess Serenity crossed her arms, giving her mother a stern look as if blaming the queen for Kousagi's rash, obsessive behaviour. The little girl always took things to the extremes, or exaggerated her responses way out of proportion. She was Neo Queen Serenity reborn, in both action and thought.
Over exuberant and a bit of a cry baby no one would think she wasn't genetically related, like they did with the elder princess. Since she acted so unlike her mother, rumours of her being a love child had been rather prevalent during her younger years. Neither Neo Queen Serenity or King Endymion had denied it for a long time. Enjoying a bit of royal intrigue to keep them entertained. As the staff gossiped and fluttered about trying to solve the mystery of who her real mother or father might have been.
Eventually the royals put a stop to the rumours and ensured the knowledge that the young Chibi Usa, their Small Lady was in fact their child. They thought Chibi Usa had been blissfully oblivious. But that had been just another notch upon her jaded belt of thinking. To which she had to her shame used as a weapon against her mother in the past.
The queen never even blinked, choosing to ignore or simply not noticing her elder daughter's disapproval over the youngest royal child's behaviour. The king himself had always wanted a large family and thanks to much persuasion, and a lot of new bedroom activity had gotten so far three children from his wife. He was still working on trying to go for a fourth but knew right now they had a few more important things to worry about.
"I am sure she will turn up eventually." Neo Queen Serenity advised, she never took Kousagi's behaviour to seriously. She was just a little kid and believed she couldn't get into to much trouble, at least not the extent that the Palace staff and Guards couldn't handle.
Her father on the other hand never underestimated his youngest child's capacity to get into trouble. He knew their youngest was personally a mirror image of his troublesome wife, from back during her younger years as a school girl. He quietly excused himself. Walking off to a secluded part of the yard beside the stairs, speaking into a communicator imbedded into the cuffs of his suit jacket. Placing the Palace guards on alert and sending out a small army of staff to search the rooms and courtyards for his little girl.
"She will turn up, mother…up at the academy!" Princess Serenity shot back. Sometimes mirroring her mother's outbursts from long ago with both precision and volume. "Then she will be my problem to deal with and I will have to ship her back, kicking and screaming. That should go over well, I will be a total spectacle my first day of school." she finished in a sour tone, casting further verbal stones her mother's way.
Neo Queen Serenity gave her daughter a tight smile. "You always foresee the worst, you and Endy need to lighten up! Learn to enjoy yourself and stop worrying so much." She advised, casting her brooding son a sad smile as he wasn't meeting anyone's eyes, staring down at his feet as if he was being punished.
He was on the same page as his older sister, perfectly happy to stay under the private tutoring of Artemis. The siblings had spent a great deal of time, hiding out in the palace commiserating together over how horrible things up the Academy were going to be. In a strange way it had brought them closer, as a combined front complaining about their mother's crazy plans. Or how weak willed or obtuse they viewed their father at not even trying to stop her.
The fact that he had the audacity to agree with their mother, was appalling. They were stunned when he sternly ended any arguing. about him backing their mother's opinion. So the lines were drawn and the passive aggressive war had begun between them.
"Well, if we want to catch our flight. We better getting going." Hotaru had been giving the royal family some privacy. Standing off near the back hatch of the limo, she was a master at fading into the back ground. Only letting herself be known when it was important.
Sorta like a ninja that way.
"Oh...I am going to miss you!" Neo Queen Serenity exclaimed no longer able to control her need for contact with her eldest daughter. She wrapped her up in a tight embrace, crying openly now as the pink haired princess held her for a few moments, feeling a few tears pricking her eyes as well. Stubbornly she hung onto her emotions refusing to cry in public, more than happy to draw away from her mother when given the chance.
As Neo Queen Serenity bent down to embrace her son, who awkwardly patted her back not wanting to give in and hug her back. He hadn't said a word all morning, his silence a valiant last petition for his parents to concede to his wishes and not ship him off to school.
"This will be good for you, I am sure of it!" Neo Queen Serenity affirmed hopefully.
Endy merely grunted in acceptance.
To his chagrin, his final tactic was failing miserably.
With a scowl he ducked his head down as his mother pulled back with a sad sigh. His father was just finishing his goodbyes with their eldest, cupping her cheeks with his hands and smiling proudly down at her. Before turning to confront his pouting son. Queen Serenity retreated back to her daughter's side knowing her husband wanted a few private manly minutes with their only son Endy.
King Endymion clasped his smaller shoulder's with his large hands, coaxing the boy to look up at him with a mild shake when Endy sought to ignore him.
Endy reluctantly looked up into his father's stern eyes, his serious expression making him hyper aware that he was about to be given a good talking to. Suddenly he felt very embarrassed by how immature he had been acting. His heart was pounding against his chest with sorrow. An painful ache throbbed in his belly. He had wasted his last morning with his parents sulking, instead of enjoying their company. He understood with the growing lump of grief in his throat that it was going to be a long time until they were all together again.
"You have grown so much in these last few years, my son." King Endymion began, with tear's glistening in his eyes. Prince Endy swallowed hard, it was going to be hard not to cry now. With his usually stoic father now being so open and honest with this feelings. "You are turning into a fine young man, strong and confident in your abilities. You carry a wisdom beyond your years that astounds me." he told him.
"But you are not being challenged here. Neither in your studies or in your training as a Knight in the future for this kingdom. You know your duties well, and I have full confidence that you will carry yourself with dignity and honour at the Academy. But you have been sheltered for far to long, it has given you a narrow, contrived opinion of the huge universe that lays beyond this Palace's crystal walls." Little Endy hated to admit it when his father was right. Thinning his lips and taking a quiet breath, he kept his eyes locked with the Kings. Giving him his full attention.
"It is time for you to spread your wings and find your true self Endymion. I want you to meet as many people as you can, with an open mind. Try as many new things as you can, broaden your horizons. I want you to laugh and smile and make friends. You need to start to make your own decisions, your own mistakes and learn and grow from them. Your sister will be with you, to help guide you." King Endymion smiled proudly down at him, his eyes full of tears.
Prince Endy sputtered and scoffed, not wanting to be bossed by his eldest sister. But knowing in their parent's absence, she would undoubtedly take on that maternal role in his life whether he wanted her to or not.
"More like tell me what to do!" He retorted.
King Endymion gave him a tight smile, understanding his frustration but hoping he would come to understand the pink haired girl's domineering ways as a form of love. She truly cared for her little brother, she just didn't know how to deal with his stubbornness sometimes.
"I think you can handle her." King Endymion responded with a wink. "You take care of her up there." He commanded.
Prince Endy drew serious. "I will, Papa."
"Good." King Endymion sighed, standing up and approaching his elder daughter with a proud grin on his handsome face.
She embraced her father tightly. She always had a deeper bond with him then with her mother, something that was more obvious these days. They were in a constant state of being to much alike and most of the time they ended up butted heads more often than not.
Endy loved each of his parents but he had always felt a bit like an outsider in his own family. With his cold, aloof personality making deeper connections was with people was awkward . Unknowing of his own fathers struggles in the same department at that young age. His father had yet to take the time out to explain to him the precious connections he had made to become the man he was today. Though his father didn't believe his young son was ready to hear about rebirth or his time in the past Tokyo.
The loud abrasive sound of extremely heavy luggage thumping down the stone steps alerted everyone to a new arrival to their little farewell. Turning they found Diana hauling a large hot pink tote down the massive entry stairs.
"I found this outside your room. Usa-Chan. I think the staff forgot to pack it in the cargo shuttle this morning." Diana called, rolling the tote up in front of everyone.
"I don't recognize it?" the young princess mused, tapping her chin and crouching down to inspect the curious piece of luggage more thoroughly.
Diana caught sight of Hotaru hanging out around the limo and heaved a great sigh. Knowing that she was going to be totally ignored with the Senshi around. Her friend loved Saturn, her connection to the raven haired woman was deeper and more profound, due their shared past when Super Sailor Moon and the rest of the senshi battled Pharaoh 90's minions. Such a tight, soul bound friendship then Diana could never hope for between her and her princess.
Hotaru wasn't around much, but when she was around, the pink haired princess unintentionally made her feel like the spare best friend. Diana couldn't help but be just a bit jealous of Hotaru but she prided herself at her skill at hiding her animosity towards the Senshi of Ruin. She was well aware of the senshi's feelings of exclusivity. She understood that Hotaru hadn't had any friends herself until the Queen, then Usagi and Chibi Usa had entered her life.
She knew they gave her the strength along with her then father Tomoe to face her final challenge of taking back control of her body from Mistress 9 and awakening her powers as the senshi of Ruin, which ended up aiding in destroying the great evil.
The light lavender haired Mau stood beside Hotaru, observing the royal family now perusing the odd extra piece of luggage she had found.
"What do you think dear?" Neo Queen Serenity questioned her husband with a demure, yet knowing smile.
King Endymion narrowed his eyes curiously then arched an amused brow as the contents of the luggage shifted minutely.
"Well, Usako...I think we should get this piece of luggage in the trunk." He nodded.
As their eldest shot both her parents a shocked and fearful look. They knew damn well, this was one of Kousagi's sneaky attempts to get shipped up the moon. She had already foresaw this, hadn't Diana advise the Palace staff and transport personal to prepare for very same situation. Why in the hell was it still happening? They should have caught the little trouble maker before she stuffed herself in a piece of luggage and hoped for the best!
King Endymion gave his eldest a knowing smile, clasping his wife's hand and approaching the tote carefully. "Traveling in the back of the transport shuttle will be awfully cold, down-right freezing since the cargo compartment isn't protected from the extreme temperatures of space. I sure hope our dear princess didn't pack anything precious because it might just freeze solid." King Endymion cautioned gently, directing his voice straight at the luggage. Testing his youngest daughter's resolve to see this crazy plan through.
He knew his youngest to well. Another hair brained, mischievous, rebellious 'Usagi' in the making and what an early age to start at. He sometimes sighed at the crazy situations she could get into. It was one of the reasons the Queen had for stalling on a fourth child until they could properly get the other three to behave rationally. Of course when they did she'd have no more room for argument and the king's first order of business would be impregnating his wife…again.
Not to mention the news of having a fourth child would make King Diamond seethe wherever he was. But rivalry not withstanding King Endymion was honestly looking forward to having another child. But he had listened to his queen. Get used to the ones you have before trying for another. He waited years with Chibi Usa till she became older then for a week straight halted any meetings or business gatherings stating that he and his wife were both ill.
That was the official press release.
The reality was he and his wife would be hold up together in their royal rooms for the week solid, and unless it was world ending bad news nothing was to disturb them. It's how the moon queen became pregnant with little Endy. Then a little while later when the king was antsy for more, another week off and Kousagi was conceived. While the queen didn't even come close to cutting off or asking him to rein it in when it came to sex, she sure as hell used the crystal as a type of conception.
To many dinners where the king would see his wife and find her the most stunning beauty in the world and have trouble keeping himself together when not in full view of the public. Several times he would have the senshi keep the more higher up dignitaries busy while he would take his wife to another area, make quick work of her dress and anything she had on underneath before making quick work of his own clothes.
He couldn't count how many times he filled her up, over and over again. He couldn't even imagine a better place to be then deep inside of her. And the servants learned long ago that if the king was ushering his wife away to NOT follow. His possessive expression towards her was a tell-tale sign to NOT interfere or interrupt them. The servants saw and walked into a different direction not wanting to over hear or see something that would get them fired.
They had expanded the places, the furniture, and surfaces. They would take their passions into any position they could, whatever whim took their fancy, they would make love on anything in their own privates rooms. Never once in the years that they had been married had they been caught…rooftop not included.
But back to other matters at hand. When all the response they got was more nervous shifting inside the case, Prince Endy smirked and played along. Catching on that this was a setup by his parents to teach Kousagi a lesson about taking things to the extreme.
"Alright then, let's get this thing loaded." The young man grasped the handle and began to roll it towards the limo. The wheels clacked and rattled over the flag stones as Endy guided it towards the waiting limo. He chuckled quietly as he felt his little sister shifting more and more nervously inside.
The eldest pink haired royal held her tongue wanting to chastise her family for tormenting the little preschooler, but it was a lesson for her own good. So she kept her peace, not coming to Kousagi's aid this time.
"We can't find Princess Ko-sama anywhere!" The alarmed voice of Kousagi's nurse maid, Maharishi, Yuki, shouted out over the outer courtyard. Using Kousagi's shortened name as she was very close to her little princess.
Everyone turned to find the stricken maid, dashing down the stairs. She was just bordering on adulthood, dressed in the white and silver maid's uniform of the Palace staff. Twisting her apron in her hands in a strangle hold. Her aristocratic features, now pale and wrinkled into an anxious frown. She had a sharp, elegant beauty once found only in the British Isles. In this far off century everyone who lived upon the earth now was of mixed heritage there were no more country's or ethic backgrounds.
The people of the earth finally melded into one strong united citizenship under the Silver Millennium's banner. Her long dark brunette hair was hanging wildly around her shoulder's in adorable curls, her bright emerald eyes darting around the courtyard in the hopes of finding her lost charge.
Kousagi was more than a hand full, driving off staff with her pranks and fearless behaviour. Just as Chibi Usa had as a child. Yuki so far had lasted the longest as her Nurse maid.
"Oh...my darling is lost!" Neo Queen Serenity crooned, loudly. "What will I do without her?" She wailed. Bursting into a loud, melodramatic sobs.
"We must find her at once!" King Endymion shouted, his voice was deep and full of command.
"Send out the Senshi and all the palace guards to search Crystal Tokyo. We will leave no planet, no city in the Silver Alliance unchecked, they will all be under intense scrutiny and held accountable if she is not found! I want every citizen questioned, bring the royal families of every planet here for interrogation. It may be a plot of kidnapping and ransom, we will go to war!" King Endymion roared, thrusting his fist into the air dramatically.
It was the eldest pink haired princess that rolled her eyes to the heavens. Her parents end of the world tactic was so over the top, but it always worked in the past, when any of them had tried to run away. So once again she just endured the embarrassment silently.
Kousagi knew how much her parents would miss her, how much trouble she was causing by hiding. She couldn't bear to hear her mother crying so heart brokenly and her father proclaiming war so loudly. She needed to fix this before it got even more out of control. Squirming more franticly in the darkness of her fabric cage, she wiggled her arm up and grabbed the double sided zipper and quickly pulled it down.
She had jerry rigged the tote so that she could escape when she wanted to up at the academy, figuring her older sister wouldn't be able to get rid of her if she was already at the school and be forced to keep her in her room, secretly. It had been a fond, overly elaborate fantasy of how her older sister would see the error of leaving her behind. How she would then take care of her and play endlessly with her in some huge extravagant dorm room filled with toys and sweets.
It was all souring now, she needed to get out and calm her mother down and soothe her father's rage.
As the zipper gave way, a shard of soft light fell upon her. She squinted in pain at the sharp intrusion as the top flap fell down. Releasing a rumpled, hot and sweaty four year old. Who tumbled out onto the flag stones in her blue frilly sundress.
"Gomen ni sai!" She wailed, gathering herself up onto all fours. Her face crumbling into frantic sobs, hiccupping as more intense cries escaped her tiny frame. Her anguish and guilt at all the pain and suffering she had caused breaking her resolve to run away.
She was rubbing her fists into her eyes, trying desperately to get her loud cries under control as Neo Queen Serenity dashed to her and gather her up in her arms, holding her close.
"Shhhh, it's ok now, no need to apologize. You revealed your hiding place and came home that is what we wanted most." She soothed her little girl, whispering in her ear as she rubbed her back in small circles.
"I GO TOO!" Kousagi craned her head back and wailed in absolute misery, hugging her mother tight around the neck, as she cried even harder.
King Endymion smiled fondly at the sight of how much compassion Kousagi had inside her little heart, unable to bear anyone else in pain. She loved her family so much, she just couldn't deal with this change. She wanted to be with her older sister so desperately but she also couldn't bear to be apart from her mother. He knew their eldest may have had trouble forming a close bond with her Mother, because their personalities clashed as much as they meshed. But Kousagi idolized her mother, her connection to the queen was deep and unbreakable.
When she was a toddler she was lovingly seen as the queen's shadow, always following her about holding the long train of her flowing white dress. Now that she was older her world had grown a bit more, she had been introduced to the Inner Senshi's daughters who were the same age. They now roamed the Palace grounds as a gang of five, giggling, mischievous band of girls. But now her little world was growing even bigger once again, at having to say goodbye to her older siblings as they left off.
She would have to chart her own course from now on with her own group of friends, to learn to count on herself when things got rough and take responsibility for her own actions. Instead of relying on her big sister to come to her aid and solve all her problems, like before.
Then Usa approached her with a sweet, patient smile playing across her lips.
"Ko-chan...I need you to be a good girl while I'm gone...okay?" She cupped the little girl's wet cheeks, needing her to pay close attention.
Kousagi dried her tears and slapped her pudgy hands over her older sister's cheeks, mimicking her perfectly.
"I be good...you bring presents!" She negotiated, with a weak smile.
"Lots and lots!" she promised, her deep brown eyes now moist with unshed tears. Her little sister was just a sweet, precocious little princess.
"Let's go, Usa or we will miss our flight!" Endy called from the open door of the limo.
"Alright, I'm coming." she called back to her little brother, glancing over her shoulder watching briefly as Hotaru and Diana slipped inside the vehicle.
"Be good!" She commanded sternly, rubbing the tip of her finger ruefully over the tip of her baby sister's nose.
Kousagi nodded with a wet smile.
"I love you." Neo Queen Serenity whispered, breathlessly as her daughter gave her one last big hug before leaving off.
"I love you, too. Momma." She responded, before dashing away into the limo not wanting to drag out this goodbye any longer. She sat stiffly beside Hotaru, staring out the window taking deep breathes. Needing to calm herself before she started to cry. Hotaru and Diana both paid her a knowing smile. The strong front Usa always put on was weakening. She had such trouble with the mushy farewells. One day they hoped she would allow herself to be true to her feelings and stop hiding behind that stone faced facade.
The limo pulled down the long shadowed driveway, flanked by an elaborate hedge maze and towering oak trees. Heading out of the crystal barrier and onto the busy streets of Crystal Tokyo, taking to the overpass to the Expressway. The royal children were off, leaving the security of the Palace behind and heading towards the uncertain future up on the Moon.
All right that's chapter one, see you all in couple weeks. Please read and review!