Chapter

Luna crept into her ward's bedroom. It was late and about the time a certain bunny would be asleep. She'd come in at this time hoping to catch Serena off-guard in the morning. She had a lot of apologies to make to the meatball head and she was not looking forward to making them. So she'd come in knowing Serena would be asleep, or more correctly dead to the world. After all there were few things the moon senshi prized more than a full night's rest.

It surprised her to note that the bed was made and empty. Where was the odango if she wasn't safe and sound in her bed? She padded onto the floor and came across a kotatsu piled high with heavy books and blond pigtails peeking out at the sides. Now she'd known that Mercury had not, in fact visited the blonde but she couldn't help but wonder. Where had all the books come from if not from the well-meaning bluenette? Serena didn't read, except for her comic books, and certainly not titles like Grey's Anatomy and Holistic Healing! It was completely and utterly out of character for her! Ridiculous! Absurd! The poor cat was so engrossed in her own thoughts she did not even notice the sleepy yawns that signaled one semi-conscious Serena.

"Luna?" She asked blearily, rubbing her eyes. "Why'd you come back?"

"We can address that in the morning. Serena, what's going on?" Luna unexpectedly yowled. Serena looked confused for a moment and then her expression cleared.

"Oh you mean the books! Well you know, I was wondering about people who could heal, without doctor's stuff or anything so I got a bunch of books out on it. But there's practically nothing on it except when you look through the paranormal stuff, on psycho, psychome-"

"Psychometry, Serena." Luna said wondering if she shouldn't check her ward's temperature. Since when had she been interested in something serious? Unless-

"Serena, do you know anything about Terra?"

Serena shook her head. Luna sighed and continued. "You should go to bed. I'll tell you in the morning."

"No, can't you tell me now, Luna?" She asked pleadingly. "Get ready for bed first, story second."Luna said firmly, and reluctantly she changed into a pair of pink pajamas. As she brushed her long hair Luna began her story.

"Now, long ago when the Cordon, birthplace of stars, gave life to the planets, from there also sprang forth the Gods. The Goddess of the Moon, the God of Mars, the God of Jupiter, and yes, the God of Earth. But Earth was a confused and wild young star and early in its birth there were great and terrible wars between the Gods over who held command. You see, Earth was the sole Wanderer with more than one god. Other stars had various incarnations of the same god but Earth had so many trying to overpower the others they decided to each invest a bit of their powers in an agreed upon avatar. They saw other gods give blessings to their champions and they did so, jealous of how great the others had become. So was born the first King of Earth and he ruled justly and died great leaving his son the throne, for in that time Earth's gods were unsure if a woman could handle such power. But time went on and the Gods went on, choosing champions and rulers. Sometimes they chose from a family line or they went to somebody completely different. Nevertheless the rulers they chose were great, powerful and terrible. Charlemagne was one and so was Genghis Khan. King Richard the Lion-Hearted, the Medici family, they were all of them chosen people of the gods. They had guarded their secret most carefully but it was not long before the Gods gave them stronger mystic powers. They were given the gift of hypnosis, and physical power connected with earth. They could walk on water or make a tree grow a thousand feet or build an oasis in the desert. They became psychics and clairvoyants and…" Luna paused. "They became healers, almost as an afterthought. It seems a wasted motion on the people who loved war but all the same the Gods gave it to them, eternally hopeful that it would help the ruler in his mission to bring Earth to same cultural and enlightened level as the other planets but again it failed until the Birth of Terra.

Terra was the chosen Princess of Earth. She loved its people like her own children and she believed with all her heart in the gods' dreams for Earth. She was a fierce warrior but a loving motherly woman and Princess and it was said that her beauty made even fair Aphrodite, or Venus as she is called, insecure. The Gods of Earth loved her and jealously guarded her, even gifting four others with powers to protect her known as Shittenou. Despite all their precautions it was a champion from the moon who sought to claim her, known as Tsuki-Yomi. He tried to capture her but was found by her Shittenou and was brutally murdered. They flung his body a thousand ways and in anger the God of the Moon cursed Terra's heir to come and commanded that he'd suffer for the Shittenou's crime and upon meeting the next champion's heir his fate would be sealed and be eternally damned.

Terra was very upset. She cried so much that she became weak and ill. The God felt pity and changed his curse, but only for her sake for he loved her and her star from afar. Terra's son would meet and love the lunar Champion's heir and his fate would be sealed and eternally damned but his salvation would be in his other half for without her he would be forever lost to a fate worse than hell.

Lo and Behold, Endymion was born as was Serenity and their love caused the destruction of two kingdoms but it was their love that convinced Selenity to sacrifice herself to save them for a new world," Luna finished. "That's the end of the story. Now go to bed Serena,"

Seerena ignored her. "So if Endymion is Terra's heir he has the same powers as she did? The water-walking, and healing and stuff?" She asked. Luna nodded. "Endymion was probably the best with his powers although I don't remember anything else about him. If we find Serenity she'll most likely know exactly what it is Endymion can do." And with that she nuzzled Serena's cheek and promptly went to a corner of the bed and fell asleep. Serena, however, was much too excited to even think of sleep. Somehow, she might have stumbled on Endymion! And to think he could be Darien, the snobby guy who made fun of her hair! He might be Serenity's Prince!

The smile slid off her face at that. It would be so like him to turn out to be someone special. Perfect, smart, sophisticated Darien wouldn't think twice about ruling a planet. He'd probably just pencil it into a planner or something.

All the while she had been running around protecting it.

She needed to leave, to walk around somewhere and just think. The park wouldn't be a bad place would it? She slipped on some sneakers, shorts, and a t-shirt and with practiced ease went out the window.

It was cool and light at night, a perfect night to mull things over. Walking through the gardens always soothed her and she suddenly had an image of herself, long ago, in a garden much like this one, picking flowers and dreaming of…well, she didn't know what. Before she could examine the thought further, she heard a sound like cries of pain.

Youma!

She hurried in the direction of the sound, keeping quiet (Ami would be so proud to know she was being cautious) and staying hidden.

Then she found the source of the disturbance.

Darien Shields was standing over four bodies, eyes startlingly gold as he watched the men squirm on the floor.

Then suddenly they sprang up, yelling absurdities, (that now that she thought about it, identifying each man by his interjection, were undoubtedly true) But it was Jadeite who shocked her,

"I served you faithfully Master!"

There was no if about it. Darien was Endymion. And if he was Endymion, perhaps he could lead her to Serenity. A pain suddenly went through her heart and she was confused. What was it? Wasn't it her duty to find and serve her Princess and make her happy? Why did it feel like she would be making herself unhappy in the process? Confusion was twisting her poor heart to bits and not for the first time she wished someone could make things right.

Even if it was Darien.