Celine sat in seclude meadow in a wooded area just off her favorite park in Tokyo, known only to her and Amara, waiting for the older girl to arrive. She allowed her mind to wonder back to her days as Serena and all the times her closest friend found her in this exact meadow, tears rolling down her checks, after a particularly rough teasing session from her other scouts or Darien. This meadow always served as a place of peace for the younger version of herself, a place to calm herself or, once Amara had discovered her there, a place where she received encouragements from her most loyal Scout.
A subtle warm breeze on this otherwise chilly, windless late September day notified the young heiress of the Air Scout's arrival before she saw the young, athletic woman. Celine closed her eyes and allowed the familiar breeze to surround her like a warm hug as Amara stepped into the meadow just behind her.
"You're late, Uranus," Celine stated as she stood from her place on her blanket and turned to face the handsome girl she was set to meet.
"How did you…"
"Fighter asked me to relay a message to you from your princess, but only if you keep it completely to yourself, as you have this meadow, the secret meeting place between you and Princess Serena. Do you accept this condition?"
"I was wondering how you knew of this place," Amara began her reply. "Of course I accept. Anything for my princess."
Celine smiled at her scout's response, grateful she would have her most trusted friend back in her life as she raised her right hand to touch the tanzanite stone of her necklace.
"Moon Crisis, Make Up!" the phrase came easily, the transformation smoothly as she watched her date's reaction. Gone was Lady Celine and in her place stood Sailor Moon, her smile never fading as she gazed up at her friend, scout, and protector.
Amara's shocked expression turned to one of joy and relief as she knelt in front of the powerful heroine.
"Princess," she whispered, unable to make her voice come out any louder. Unable to control herself, the Moon Princess dropped her scout form to her true civilian form of Serena, dropping to her own knees to hug her friend.
"I've missed you, too, Amara," she whispered back to her, tears silently making their way down her checks as she embraced the older girl.
Celine returned to her mansion some hours later, more at ease than she had been in the months since the Starlights return to Earth some months before. Being the first of the four to return from their auction dates, she checked in on Nehelenia, who was with her new tutor, before heading to her room. By passing her bed, she went straight to the hidden elevator leading to the training room. Programing the training projector for her next single challenge, Celine transformed into Sailor Moon for the second time that day and started some music before beginning the new challenge.
By the time the Starlights found her, she'd completed ten challenges and was halfway through an eleventh.
"Close program," Sailor Moon commanded as she returned to her civilian form as Celine and grabbed a towel to pat the sweat off her forehead. "How'd your dates go?" she then asked as she turned to face her protectors.
"As expected," Taiki replied quickly.
"They each asked about both you and how you were connected to us," Yaten continued for him in his normal bored voice.
"And then asked about you as Serena and Sailor Moon; where you were, how your training was progressing, why you would trust us over them, etc.," Seiya concluded, an annoyed tone to his voice. "Really you'd think they'd be less predictable. How'd your date go?"
Celine laughed, truly laughed, a sound none of them had heard since their return to Earth to protect and train her. "How can they not be predictable when I know them each so well? They're so used to almost always knowing where I was at all times and my lack of letting them help me train, not knowing is something entirely new to them. Only Uranus ever knew when I needed emotional support of when I was in danger, she was the one I could always count on and still can. She knows. Who I am, the exact reason I left, all of it. She agreed to the condition, was willing to do anything for me as always. It could not have gone better."
Amara sat, her back against the wall facing to door to the outside of the Scout meeting room at Rei's temple home, listening as the Lita finished recounting her date to the group, having already heard Mina and Michelle recount their dates. Really, she was just pretending to listen. She knew none of the Starlights would betray her princess. They would not fail her, as the others on her team had. She had to fight the smile trying to slip onto her as her mind wonder to the afternoon she had spent with Serena in their wild flower filled meadow. Knowing where her princess was and that she was truly safe and becoming stronger put her worried mind at ease. Finally knowing the changes the bullying Serena faced daily had had on Crystal Tokyo helped her understand why Serena's disappearance was necessary, and she would happily help Small Lady and Pluto keep her safely hidden from the others as long as was necessary. Though Serena's insistence on protecting her aunt still troubled the scout, she had learned to trust her princess and would do whatever was needed of her.
"Amara," Amy's gentle, quiet voice broke through her thoughts. "How'd your date with Celine go?"
"Celine is quiet and shy," Amara replied, choosing her words carefully. "The is a sadness and wisdom in her hazel eyes that could only come from losing her parents so young. Her voice is gentle yet strong. She is nothing like Serena and truly believes Nehelenia to be her sister. She knows nothing about Serena, any of us other than what Trista and Seiya has told her, Crystal Tokyo, or Rini. She's a dead end. Truly just someone entering the Starlights lives around the same time of our princess's disappearance. We should leave her alone for the most part. After all Serena wants her aunt kept safe, so we should at least keep an eye out for their safety." With her story said, her job in keeping Serena's current identity secret, she got up and left, not bothering to make sure Michelle followed.
