Divinity: Fates and the Afterlife

by Nebelflecke

- III - To create a future, you have to make peace with the past and work through it in the present. It is not just a leap of destiny, it is a reason to continue fighting. **Divinity is a long running series and it's rated M.

63. Chapter 63

Divinity: Fates and the Afterlife

Chapter Sixty Three

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Megumi sighed once they stood outside of their apartment building and turned to Serenity when she felt tightening her grip on her hand for a minute before finally taking enough courage to walk inside. She was so frightened, like a lost girl barely recognizing her way back home.

Serenity took a deep breath and walked toward the manager's apartment on the ground floor and pressed his doorbell a couple of times until the man came to view, "Ah, Tsukino-san!" He smiled softly and blinked in recognition, "Or should I call you Chiba-san now that you are a married lady?"

Serenity managed to muster a smile to give the man but she was so exhausted it was hard to sound her usual playful and bubbly self, "Good evening, Takahina-san,"

The manager noticed the bruises and dirt on her beautiful face and frowned, "Tsukino-san? W-What happened to you?! A-Are you alright!?"

Serenity brought a hand to her cheek and let out a soft but very fake chuckle, "Oh, this... yes... I did this 'warrior princess' photoshoot for the magazine and well... some of the models didn't show up at the very last minute so this why I am looking like if I just came straight from hell, it's all stage makeup, Takahina-san, don't worry." She felt her knees shaking as if they were made of gelatin underneath her torn gown; it was taking more energy to keep herself composed to continue her little façade in front of the man and silently thanked her former job gave her enough material to create believable excuses of this caliber since it was not the first time he saw her show up with the weirdest costumes or props for when she had to work on a photo-shoot, giving her the perfect alibi to actually tell the man the truth without sounding like a crazy woman. The manager chuckled, "Ah, I see, I see... you got me scared there for a minute, Tsukino-san!" He turned back and walked over a very fancy wooden cabinet he had at the foyer of his office and opened one of the doors, "Keys?"

Serenity nodded with a tired smile, "Keys..."

"Lost them again, huh?"

"You know me, silly me..."

"It's alright," The man chuckled as he walked back, "Actually, I do have a new set of keys Chiba-san asked me to keep around in case of an emergency some time ago, he knows you well, child."

Serenity felt like it was only a matter of minutes before she would collapse in front of the man at the mention of her husband. "Better than anyone..." she said softly and took the keys from the man with a shaky hand, "Thank you, Takahina-san... I'm sorry for having bothered you at this hour,"

"No problem, Tsukino-san, that is why I am here for," he smiled "Say, I haven't seen Chiba-san around lately, is he doing alright?"

Serenity felt as if she just swallowed a ball of fire and nodded again with a smile on her face. This was pure torture for her. "Yes, yes... he left for this important medical convention out of the country—he had to take some courses, you know he has to keep up to date with everything,"

"Yeah, that's the thing with doctors... they never stop studying, there is always something new to learn and keep up, but, it's thanks to people like him that people like me can live a peaceful and healthy life. I have deep respect for that young man, having a job like that is very selfless and noble despite the amount of sacrifice it requires to be on call 24/7." Takahina's words felt like daggers on Serenity's heart, even him, as a person alien to their real identities could value the effort the prince makes to keep them safe, bringing more sense as to why he became a doctor. It's in his nature, to be protective and to be of service to people without expecting anything in return. Serenity smiled softly, "Thank you, Takahina-san... I truly value your words and I am sure, Mamoru will too. Good evening and again, I am sorry for the inconvenience."

"Don't worry about it. You look tired Tsukino-san, go and have some well-deserved rest." The man smiled and waved his hand at Serenity as she turned on her heel and walked toward the elevator.

O—o—O

The soft bell sound of the elevator as it went up was the only thing preventing silence from creeping into both women's minds. The princess and maiden stood side by side with their stomach feeling the pull effect of the motion of the elevator as it took them to the twenty-fifth floor.

Serenity sighed and leaned her head back on the wall of the fancy elevator, "He has left such big mark in the world with every choice he has made..." she closed her eyes to keep her tears from falling, even though she knew it was a futile attempt, "And I know he doesn't even look at it that way... it has always been a natural thing for him to do,"

Megumi turned to her with the saddest look on her face, "Princess..."

Serenity took a deep breath and furrowed her brows, "I am a scoundrel Megumi... sometimes I hate it—that undying sense of duty he has for everything. Sometimes I curse Ares' name in silence for bringing his memories back. Sometimes I wish he wasn't the Prince of Earth, or me, the Princess of the Moon. Sometimes I hate it because I don't care about those things, because all I want is him—what is underneath that very demanding title, the simple man he really is." She brought a hand up to her forehead, as if she was trying to cover herself from shame and guilt, "I just want to be with him and spend our days cuddled on the sofa or in bed and do nothing. I am a horrible person Megumi, I don't want to share him with anyone... anymore. I just wish I could steal him away and hide him from everyone and everything and it angers me to the very core because I know I can't do such low thing." She opened her eyes and let her tears roll down her cheeks with complete freedom, "Endymion is not a monster or a hybrid—nor a weapon or a disposable tool for the gods to do their damage control when things get out of their hands! He is my husband, goddammit! My husband!" She threw her fist back and punched the wall with force, "He's a person with feelings, not a fucking amusement to all! He's—" Her eyes widened when she felt Megumi wrapping her arms tight around her and looked down, "M-Megumi..."

"That does not make you a scoundrel, Princess, just a woman who madly loves and cares for her husband. It is more than fair to feel this way, to be this angry, because you have every right to be with him." Megumi closed her teary eyes for a moment, "I know what it is like to hate divinity... the gods... the unforgiving laws of nature..." She pulled back and looked into the princess' eyes, "But I know that it is not who you are—you are not a goddess who hate or hold grudges in her heart and I know it is not something my Prince would like for you to do..."

The sound of the elevator doors opening pulled Serenity back from the somber place she was slowly falling into and leaned on Megumi as she guided her to the apartment. Megumi took the keys from the princess' hand to turn the locks on the door and pushed it wide open for Serenity to walk inside first and closed it once both were in and turned to switch the lights on. In an instant flash, both women were welcomed by desolation.

The apartment felt and looked like a field post-war. Serenity turned to look around and saw things were exactly the way they left them. The princess couldn't figure out how long it had been since she left but she could feel the characteristic coldness of a place when it had been vacant for a long period of time. There were dirty plates left on the sink, the coffee machine was left half full; the curtains and windows were left open and there was a neatly folded newspaper on the dining table that left clear Endymion was still sleeping before he rushed out the door to help her and everything else unraveled to catastrophic proportions. Serenity looked down and saw small stains of blood on the hardwood floor coming all the way from the small hallway and remembered about Endymion's wound on his leg while on her way toward the bedroom as she let the kimono slide off her shoulders with disinterest and pushed the bedroom door open only to find more pieces of tragedy manifested in uncharacteristic traits like it is to see their bed undone and clothes scattered all over the floor.

An instant wave of memories suddenly haunted Serenity's mind as she stood frozen by the door, staring into the room that seemed to have been suspended in time. Her eyes began to burn with tears when she confirmed what she had said to Jadeite moments earlier. The fresh and woody notes of his cologne still lingered in the air like if he had just gotten dressed and had left for work that very morning; the clothes he wore to sleep the night before looked like they were carelessly thrown over the lounge cushion chair they had close to the window, next to a table she always liked to keep neatly decorated with her favorite scented candle of the season and a vase with fresh flowers that were now wilted and dry. Serenity felt a strong chill running all over her skin and noticed the room was colder than usual because the curtains and window were left open just like they were in the living room.

Megumi turned to go to the linen closet to get clean sheets for the bed but she was immediately stopped by the anxious tone in the princess' voice "No... don't..."

"Princess?"

"Don't change them... don't..." Serenity shook her head in almost panic, "Please... I just..." she turned to look at her over her shoulder, "I—don't..."

"It is alright Princess, it's alright, I understand. I will not change the sheets..." Megumi nodded and walked to the bathroom to prepare a hot bath to wash away the dirt, the blood, and the feeling of abandon from the princess' body—at least a little.

Almost unwilling, Serenity walked to her husband's side of the bed and looked at Endymion's belongings neatly placed over his nightstand: his sleek phone, his wallet, his keys, the special astronomic wristwatch she gave him for his last birthday and that she clearly remembered he was wearing the day before; the book he just started reading every night before going to sleep and she had heard mutter with annoyance at how boring it was even for him, who loved to read. Some crumbled receipts from the café where they had brunch the previous day and a small box of peppermints—because he constantly said it was important to always have minty-fresh breath especially when having a work like his were he had to talk to people all day. It's because of things like these what made her miss him even more. Endymion was a master of detail and it was what Serenity loved and missed the most. He had a fixation and attention for everything, a quirk she always mocked him for, it was all the little things he did on a daily basis—from the moment he opened his eyes to the moment he always let out that long and characteristic yawn before falling asleep that made him so unique—so him, but what really shook her ground was to see his favorite black mug was left half-full.

Serenity felt a blow in the pit of her stomach and a cringing pain in her chest to take into account how things happened that day since he was not the kind of man that voluntarily would waste a cup of hot coffee—never, ever. As she carefully unwrapped the red sash from her wrist and placed the royal medal next to the rest of his belongings, she kept thinking on how even when she made the blandest batch in the world, he would drink it all without complaint and even dare to ask for more. Serenity secretly knew it was a guilty pleasure of his whenever she made coffee for him no matter how bland or awfully strong it turned out. Just the fact of knowing she thought of him and went through the trouble it is for her to wake up early to put it to brew while he was out for his morning run or taking a shower made him feel adored. It was the sole reason he knew how much she valued her sleep and how hard it was for her to get up at the same time he did because she was by any means a morning person.

She didn't notice how long Megumi had been standing close, but soon after let her guide her to the bathroom and started to lose the laces on her back that kept the remains of her gown in place and helped her get into the bathtub she had prepared with essential oils to soothe her sore muscles and calm her nerves. Megumi sat on the edge of the tub and slowly worked her fingers through her tangled hair and undid the remains of one of the hair buns she still had loosely formed in her head. With much care, she squeezed a large sponge to allow the warm soapy water run down her hair and face and repeated the process several times to get as much grime and dirt off her skin before she proceeded to work a thicker lather with another washcloth. The moment itself felt a little bittersweet for both of them; to see how the tables had turned and it was now Megumi comforting Serenity and helping her feel more at ease and at home. The maiden took the sponge again to wash away the lather on her skin and repeated the process a couple of more times before she continued to gently scrub the remains of dirt and dry stains of blood from her arms and back and then proceeded to gently massage the thick lather of shampoo on her scalp and long hair.

"Smells nice..." Serenity mumbled hazily as she stared at the wall and let Megumi continue washing her long platinum hair. Megumi smiled softly, "I am glad you like it, Princess... it will help you feel better,"

"I believe this is the best I will ever feel..." Serenity closed her eyes and let her tears run down her cheeks and started to sob again, "I know Princess," Megumi said sadly as she cleansed the shampoo off her pearlescent hair, "I know you will not feel better until you see His Highness again but... a little speck of good in this swarm of sadness is better than nothing at all,"

Megumi's words meant more to Serenity than the maid imagined; it was something Endymion would have said if he was there with her. Serenity could see Endymion's influence on Megumi; it was strange because they were nothing alike but the way they thought was very similar. Maybe it was because they both were from the same realm, she grew surrounded by his family's customs and despite having lived for more than two thousand years, she was a still a simple girl from Elysion, and she, just like Endymion, had that peculiar way to see things. That is what caught Serenity's attention when she first stepped foot on Earth, their passion and perspective on life and the way to find light where there was darkness.

They stayed in silence, both grieving the prince's absence in their own way and both giving themselves the comfort they needed and felt nobody else could give them. They knew this, they needed to be alone; Serenity was terrified about coming back to the apartment alone because she knew what she was going to find, she knew it was going to be like getting a punch in the stomach as soon as she walked through the door and let herself being pulled into the swirl of emotions and memories that lurked in every corner but they needed a space to heal and mourn without feeling the pressure of having to answer questions she was still not ready on being asked. She was aware it was something that was going to happen more sooner than later, probably the next day, but right now, they both needed each other's company and nothing more.

She imagined that by this time the girls probably had found out she had fled the temple and were looking all over for her; she felt bad for sneaking out and not tell them anything, she loved them with all her heart and soul but right now, their natural way of showing comfort was not what she needed at this very moment. She didn't want to be protected, she just wanted to be understood.

Megumi helped Serenity step out of the bathtub with great care before wrapping her body with a large sized and fluffy light grey towel and walked out of the bathroom with her. Serenity went to grab some clean clothes and underwear and minutes after walked out of the walk-in closet wearing a plain white long-sleeve cotton shirt and light pink pajama pants with a star-print pattern and went to sit on the bed with a lost stare. Megumi went to sit next to her and started to dry her hair with another towel and proceeded to blow-dry the remains of moisture off her long tresses with the hairdryer; Serenity turned and looked at her with tears in her eyes once done and took a deep breath, "Can you stay with me tonight?"

Megumi dried the princess' tears with the towel and gave her a soft, reassuring smile "Of course, Princess, anything you need," she went to hang the towel to dry inside the bathroom and opened the large window to increase ventilation and then pointed the linen closet once out, "I will go get some blankets to make myself a tent on the floor and—"

"No," Serenity shook her head and went to pull the fluffy duvet and sheets on her side of the bed and turned to the maiden, taking Megumi by surprise, "P-Princess?"

"Here," the princess stared at Megumi with the same panic and patted the mattress on her side, "Sleep with me here,"

"B-But... Princess... I cannot possibly... that is..." Megumi blushed, Serenity blinked and shook her head, "It's just a bed, Megumi, and it's too big for me to sleep alone," she looked down sadly, "Besides, you are family, please... take my side," Megumi felt her eyes burn with tears, "P-Princess..."

"You're my family Megumi, you are that little piece of Endymion I need with me," Serenity looked at her with longing and deep emotion. Megumi felt like if her heart was being wrapped in a warm blanket with her words; it was without a doubt the most loving and emotional statement she was ever given, she thought. Without any point of negotiation, Megumi nodded and followed the princess' wish; she went first to help her lay on Endymion's side of the bed and then went to take what was Serenity's side and let the princess pull the fluffy duvet all the way up to cover them and snuggled next to her while holding her hand to dear life and let themselves being lulled by their warmth and companion.

"I don't know what I would do without you Megumi... thank you, for everything,"

"There is nothing to thank me for, Princess, I am glad to be here with you."

Serenity took a deep breath and looked at the maiden with teary eyes, "He asked me to tell you he's sorry..."

Megumi widened her eyes, "Princess?"

"He asked me to rely on you, and to tell you that he loves you..." Serenity tightened her grip on her hand, "He loves you very much, Megumi."

Megumi felt her cheeks flush and let her tears roll down slowly, she felt a lump in her throat that would not go away. "This is so hard..." Serenity snuggled closer to Megumi and dried her tears with her sleeve, "But, you're not alone Megumi... you have me. I'm not going anywhere—no matter how much effort it costs my heart to keep beating without him here, I am not going anywhere." She wrapped her arm around her and pulled her close, "I can't go anywhere..."

Megumi watched the princess slowly close her eyes and couldn't help but wonder what else must have happened to them in that place to carve such determination in her heart despite being pulled away from her soulmate in such traumatic way. As she slowly felt Serenity's warm grip on her hand started to loosen, Megumi took a deep breath to calm her own fears and tucked a long piece of pearlescent hair behind the princess' ear, "Please, come back to her..."

O—o—o—o—O

Makoto returned to the living room with a distraught look on her face, "She's not anywhere around the shrine..."

"The outers went to look for her in Uranus' car..." Rei sat on the couch with her hands covering her face, "I should have known that she would do something like this—it just never crossed my mind Megumi would agree to help her escape in her unstable condition,"

"She's very weak... she can be walking around the city in her state..." Ami said on the verge of tears, "I can't stay here and do nothing—I am going to look for her too, she can't be too far..."

"What!?"

Makoto, Rei, and Ami turned to a very flustered Minako walk behind Kunzite in the corridor, "Why didn't you told us about this!? What is the matter with you!?"

"Venus..."

"What's going on?" Rei asked Minako; the blonde didn't avert her angry gaze from Kunzite's and shook her head as she walked into the living room, "Usagi went back to her apartment,"

"What? B-But... she can't... how..."

"Exactly, she can't be alone right now," Minako put her hands on her waist and started to roam the room with anger, "I can't believe this..."

"Venus, the Princess is not alone—Megumi is with her, she is not going to leave her side..." Kunzite tried to sound as calm and reasonable as possible, "You need to trust her,"

"The last time she lost him, she killed herself Kunzite!" Minako raised her voice, "She took Prince Endymion's sword and killed herself! And have you already forgotten what happened to her when he was unconscious?! She almost starves to death, she didn't want to eat anything—all she did was sleep!"

Ami felt a sting in her chest at the mention of the princess' condition and covered her face with mortification as she watched her leader and friend storm around the living room.

"Princess Serenity is stronger than you believe, Venus—she is not the same helpless girl from two thousand years ago." Kunzite frowned, "Yes, you are right, she committed such atrocity due to her immense grief but remember she was a girl whose hands were tied by standards imposed by the gods. She could barely throw a punch, she could not defend herself—she had the courage and the determination, yes, but she did not have the strength, she depended on Endymion to look out of her—this time is different. She knows how to fight—she is Sailor Moon. She has fought for this planet many times and she has seen enough madness and malice to last her a lifetime."

Minako frowned, "That doesn't change the facts that she is self-des—"

"—Endymion taught her battle skills," Kunzite nodded, "She asked him to teach her combat techniques like the soldier she is; she prepared for something like this. Venus, this is a woman who knows how to defend herself, she is a force to be reckoned with. Princess Serenity is a warrior and if she was not strong enough, Endymion would have never done what he did. I know my Master—he would have never put the fate of this planet in her hands while he is down there paying for other's sins if she was not strong enough to take charge—why do you think this planet has not crumbled beneath your feet?"

The girls froze in their place with shock; the remaining three shitennou walked into the living room when they heard the conversation between the love senshi and their leader was heating up. "Venus," Kunzite didn't avert his attention from the blonde woman in front of him, "If she was not strong enough she would not have survived a second in that place—she would have died, right there and then. She was in Inferno; just try to imagine the things she must have seen... the things she must have heard... the desolation she must have felt..."

Minako felt like she was close to breaking into tears in front of everyone, Kunzite took a deep breath, "She was in another dimension away from her friends, her family, away from home—from her husband." He narrowed his grey eyes, "It pains me... it angers me just to think the desperation they both must have felt—one for being dragged to hell and the other for wanting to get there as fast as possible but with hundreds of obstacles thrown in his way with the sole purpose of killing him."

Minako couldn't help it anymore and took a seat on the coffee table with her hands covering her crying face; things fell like pieces of a puzzle in her head. She had to give Kunzite the reason on this argument and agree that Princess Serenity was not the same woman anymore—she didn't depend on them for everything, she was not the helpless cry-baby who didn't want to believe that bad people existed and that true evil was real.

The same went for Rei, Makoto, and Ami. Kunzite's words were powerful and full of admiration for their princess. It was unexpected to see the always skeptic and stoic general talk with so much passion and respect about her; settling the question as to why the man earned his place as the prince's right hand.

All four shitennou shared a close relationship, they all blindly trusted each other and were like brothers but Minako could see the level of confidence Kunzite had with Endymion was as deep as the one she had with Serenity and the words that were coming from him were not from the general, but from Endymion's confident. He knew more things about the prince than the rest of the shitennou did, just like Minako knew the deepest secrets Serenity was afraid to tell anyone else. Maybe that is why she felt so helpless and desperate, because she didn't know what was going through the princess' mind, because she wasn't there to keep her grounded, because she's so broken that solitude was better than being with them considering Serenity was not the kind of woman who liked being alone.

"I still... I can't leave her alone..." Minako sobbed, "No matter how strong she is now... she is still broken inside... and one can do terrible things for love,"

Kunzite kneeled in front of the blonde and cupped her face to look into her eyes, "That is absolutely true—one can do terrible things for love... but what those two feel for each other surpasses any logic about love—her love for him is so big that she has a bigger desire to see him alive more than she wants to die."

Minako's eyes widened, "Kunzite..."

"I too was against the idea of her being alone in that apartment but Jadeite is right—her husband just traded his life for hers in the Underworld and she practically is still a newlywed. Right now, that apartment is all she has that can make her feel closer to him." Kunzite pulled her close and tightened his arms around her back, "I know it is you who wished to be there to comfort her, I know how close you are, but she needs time. She is not alone, Megumi is with her and tomorrow we can all go see her... right now, she is not ready to talk and maybe it will be a while before she wants to speak of what happened there. We need to give her some space—what she went through was a traumatic experience that could break anyone."

"It is not about preference... this is not about who she prefers the most, who she loves the most... who is the better confident," Jadeite joined the conversation, "Princess Serenity asked Megumi to take her home because, in some way, Megumi can understand what she went through because she also lost the prince twice. They may care for him in a different way but their grief is the same."

Rei nodded in agreement, completely understanding and accepting Jadeite's words. It was true, none of them didn't know what she must have felt in a place like that—a place, not even the gods could deal on their own. As much as they all loved her, they had to respect her wishes and give her the time to process everything until she feels it is time to come forward and speak. They have come to accept that they no longer could see her as just good old Tsukino Usagi, the girl with the light and bubbly personality, but Serenity, the brave and fearless woman who takes charge of her own emotions and decisions without asking anyone's permission, an heir of a powerful throne and high position in the divine realm. The woman who decided to put her royal status aside to become a soldier for love and justice just so she wouldn't be a damsel in distress anymore and to actually fight alongside her warrior husband without hesitation and showing no fear. Rei accepted this with pride and honor and she knew the other girls did too without feeling like they have lost her best friend.

"I think we need to be very careful as to how we deal with this situation," Zoisite said softly as he sat next to Ami and held her hand, "If we all go in one visit it might be overwhelming for her this time—we should go visit in small groups and take turns to see her."

"And under any means, we should mention what happened between Uranus and Endymion right after she was taken by Asteria..." Makoto muttered dryly, "That is the last thing she needs to know right now," Nephrite nodded and leaned to kiss her temple, "Absolutely. We must very careful with that and they need to know this too."

"I want to go see her first..." Ami said in a low tone, "I want to check on her and make sure that she is taking proper care of herself," Zoisite squeezed her beloved's hand and nodded in understanding of what she was talking about. The white-haired general sighed more relaxed, "Very well, this sounds more like a plan," Kunzite nodded and turned to Minako, "Venus?"

"I will go tomorrow too—I want to see her, I won't ask her anything... I just... I want to see her," the blonde said softly and dried her tears, "You're right, I need to snap out of my frustration and be there for her as her friend and not just her guardian and be strong with her, not just for her—we need to do this first before we can think of a way of how to bring the Prince back."

"That's my girl," Kunzite smiled proudly and kissed her softly on her temple. Rei sighed softly and stood up, "I will call Haruka to let them know what happened so she can tell Hotaru-chan, Michiru, and Setsuna—I will also make great emphasis on how not to pressure her to do things she's not feeling of doing—like answering a round of questions in a quarter of a second."

"That sounds reasonable," Jadeite nodded and turned to his brothers and senshi, "I suppose all we can do now is to try and have some rest... I know it sounds easier than it actually is but we have to if we want to show a good face tomorrow."

"Yes, Jadeite is right..." Nephrite sighed softly, "Asteria has been defeated... and while it does not mean we will lower our guard, at least we can expect some peace tonight knowing that she will not crawl back into this planet," Makoto nodded, "I agree... I think it's safe to go home." She turned to the chestnut-haired man and gave him a soft smile but she didn't need to ask him anything to know he was going back with her.

The same happened with Kunzite and Zoisite as they all decided to leave with the girls to their apartments, being Jadeite the only one left behind and thinking about the choices he had in hand. As Rei ended the call with Haruka, she walked back to the living room and noticed everyone was gone.

"They went home,"

Rei widened her eyes and turned to look at Jadeite standing by the door, ready to leave as well, "Oh," the priestess said softly and blinked curiously, "And they left you?"

"It is alright, it is only natural to be emotional and extra affectionate toward each other in moments like these..." The blonde gave Rei a soft smile and waved his hand, "Good evening, Mars, I will see you tomorrow—try to have some sleep."

"W-Wait!" Rei followed him to the porch with an anxious look on her face; Jadeite turned to look at her over his shoulder and arched a brow, "Yes?"

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

Rei frowned, "Well... where are you going to spend the night?"

Jadeite sighed softly, "Well, I think I will go back to the apartment Uranus' kindly lent us when things were still alright between us... I still have the key and I highly doubt she cares about it right now—that is the last thing on her mind, I am sure." He smiled sadly and waved his hand before continuing his way out of the temple, "Do not look so distressed, Mars... it makes you look like if it is something that truly worried you,"

"But I do!"

"It is time to do your part and make a decision..."

Jadeite froze mid-track but couldn't come up with anything to say in return or to look back at her again; Rei took a deep breath and closed her eyes to gain enough courage, thinking about her grandfather's words:

"Which path do you want to follow? You have a right to choose..."

"I do worry... about you."

"Dance, Rei-chan... dance..."

Jadeite widened his eyes and finally gathered enough courage to turn to look at the priestess. Rei bit her lower lip nervously, "I worry—I do worry about you... very much,"

"Dance,"

Jadeite shook his head, still very touched by her words, "It is nice... to hear such sweet words when dealing with all sorts of pain,"

Rei blushed, "Jadeite..."

"I know, Mars... you do not have to tell me again." Jadeite put up his hands apologetically, "Do not worry, I do not plan to misunderstand your words. I really must go... it is very late; I will see you tomorrow." He waved his hand and turned to leave. Rei felt a rush of chills down her spine pushing her to break free from the shadows of failures and bad decisions she has made in the past.

"Move on,"

"What if it is not a misunderstanding?" Rei took a deep breath and let it out along with her bottled up emotions—finally, "Would it be too late?"

Jadeite stayed with his back toward her, "For what?" His voice didn't hold any recognizable emotion neither his posture and it was putting Rei in a very vulnerable place because she couldn't read the man, "Y-You... to misunderstand my words..."

The blonde frowned and turned his face at her over his shoulder with a very confused look, "What?"

Rei blushed crimson red and looked down with shame, "I am not used to this... I don't know what else to say or do to make you understand what I am trying to say—I am not good at this..."

Jadeite widened his gray-blue eyes with shock, trying to process what he was hearing from the priestess. He learned to suppress his feelings and has been doing it for so long that he didn't realize when did her feelings toward him turned the other way around—the way he wanted them to go since the very beginning. There she was, the majestic goddess of passion—the beautiful daughter of the god of war himself fidgeting nervously and trying to get his attention in the most adorable way possible.

Her vulnerability was incredibly beautiful, it was raw—it was real, and that was enough for him to pull the string to unleash his deepest feelings he has been keeping from her. Words were not needed anymore, none of them could say anything else but the facts were crystal clear. With this realization hanging between them, Jadeite started to walk back toward the porch where she was standing and still trying to avoid any visual contact with him and cupped his hands on her cheeks and leaned down to kiss her without asking her anything else.

Rei felt like she was standing on a cloud, she could feel her heart slowly becoming whole again as she responded to the general's sweet and tender kiss. She put her hands on his neck and let her fingers play with his unruly hair and both let the emotion put into the kiss intensified. Jadeite pulled back after a couple of minutes and smiled, "Was it good enough for the both of us to understand?" Rei blushed and nodded, "Yes..."

"I must say, this is the best misunderstanding I have ever gotten myself into..."

Rei chuckled, "That's the first joke you have made in so long..."

"It is not a joke," Jadeite put his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him, "It is the truth—you will hear nothing but the truth from me. You will not cry any more tears unless it is because you have been laughing too much, you will not feel uncertainty about a thing anymore unless it is because there is a surprise planned for you; there is so much I want to give you Mars—I would give you this world, but... well... you know... it has been taken by someone else. I do not technically own it but I am brother's with who actually does and that should count something."

Rei chuckled heartedly; Jadeite leaned closer to kiss the tears that were rolling down her cheeks and took a deep breath, "But everything else, is yours to have. Just ask and I will give it to you. Friendship, dedication, confidence, companionship, fidelity, loyalty, complicity, passion, trust, and an undying desire to love you for the rest of my life, that, if you accept me." Rei sniffed and combed his hair back with her fingers, "Only if you promise not to leave ever again,"

Jadeite's eyes widened, "I-Is that a yes?" Rei smiled and nodded making Jadeite flash her the widest smile she has ever seen, "Seriously?!"

"Yes, you silly!" Rei chuckled and squealed with delight when she felt him lifting her up in his arms. Jadeite pulled her closer and kissed her again wholeheartedly, "You just gave this man the best reason to stay—I am not going to promise you anything Mars, I will just let you witness my love and devotion to you every day with facts,"

"Is this..." Rei blushed, "Is it even possible? To love so intensely?"

Jadeite smirked, "Oh, my dear... just wait and see," he caressed her cheek with the back of his hand, "When a man truly loves a woman—he gives it all... even his life without thinking it twice. You may see it as something surreal but that is because you have not been with a man that truly makes you his priority."

Rei felt like she was going to be lost in the intensity of his eyes, they were so full of honesty she could not get enough of; her hand caressed his face and took a deep breath thinking how she never felt her heart could burst with so much emotion with Yuiichiro, not even during their good years. This was something else, she just had to let Jadeite dive into her life and she was already seeing what he meant by making her a priority. "You are going to spoil me if you keep saying things like that..."

"Mars... this man only wants to give you everything you deserve," Jadeite kissed her cheek, "And more,"

It was very hard for Rei to keep her tears under control, but just as the general said, they were not tears of sadness but the contrary. She smiled and tousled his already messy hair, "You must return that key—there is no need for you to keep it,"

"Yes, Miladi," Jadeite blew his bangs out of his face and held Rei's hand as they walked back inside the shrine, "Well, after I pack my belongings that is, I will return the key," he stopped and tug her hand to make her turn to look at him, "You are going to see her, right?"

Rei nodded, "Yes, but, I will respect her wishes if she wants some space. I understand it is not because she does not want us there with her, I know she loves us as much as we love her but she needs to heal before anything else—I know she wants to fight for him but she can't do it as she is right now."

"That is the best response I have heard concerning her decision to be away," Jadeite tucked a strand of raven hair behind her ear. Rei bit her lip and tightened her hold on his hand, "And you? How are you?"

"Endymion is my brother... I am beyond mortified. I can't imagine what must be of him in a place I cannot even fathom to how horrible it is in reality," Jadeite sighed with heaviness, "They have him right where they wanted him to be—but..." he shook his head, his brows knitted together in thought, "I have this feeling that makes me think he stayed there for other reasons, almost as if he is working on something... I don't think he just made a deal with the God of Death and condemned himself to die just like that, you know? Not when I know of his deep love for Princess Serenity. It does not make any sense to me... I refuse to believe this is all there is, I refuse to believe he surrendered."

Rei bit her lip in thought of Jadeite's words and came to agree he had a point—the prince would never give up so easily, not when he and the princess had gone such a long way to be together. The prince had shown an admirable capacity to overcome very difficult challenges and obstacles, the princess' rescue being one perfect example, but right now, with things as they currently were all they could do now was to hold on to that thought and pray for his safe return.

O—o—o—o—O

Megumi had woken up in the middle of the night because Serenity has had a bad dream and woke up sobbing again. The maiden went to the kitchen to make her some tea to calm the princess' nerves when a soft knock made Megumi turn from the kitchen and went to open the door; he chocolate brown eyes widened when she saw Ami standing on the hallway with a worried look on her face. "Hi..."

It has been already three days since Serenity's return to the real world but ever since Megumi helped her bathe and lay her on the bed, she has not moved or spoken and it was worrying the girls, especially the young doctor who has been going back to the apartment to try and check on the princess almost every two hours.

"Lady Mercury,"

"Any news?" Ami walked inside and turned to Megumi who was shaking her head slowly as she closed the door. "No... she does not want to eat, she does not want to speak, she has not moved from the bed—she only breaks into desperate sobs at the most random times..."

Ami sighed softly as she put her purse and the duffle bag she carried from the hospital on the sofa, turned to the hallway, and stared at the closed door, "She's been like this for three days..."

"She is not sleeping either... every single time I have gone to check on her, she is with this lost stare... crying..." Megumi took a deep breath, "It is frightening... I do not know what to do... when I brought her here she was responsive but now it is like she has fallen into another dimension... her body is here but her mind is not..."

"She's falling into a catatonic depression," Ami said with a worried tone, "The trauma has been so great for her that her mind is unstable, she can't grasp reality." She sighed and sat in one of the stools at the kitchen bar and rubbed her face nervously, "As a doctor, this worries me greatly... but as her friend, this is breaking my heart..."

Megumi put a cup of simmering tea in front of the bluenette and sat on the stool next to her, her hands were shaky and cold, and her eyes were making the best of efforts to say openly, she was exhausted and beyond mortified, "I do not know if I did the right thing, I do not know if this is something my Prince would have approved—bringing her here..."

"I think it would have been worse if she stayed in a place where she would feel completely disconnected—coming here was a reflex for her and it makes sense but sh—" a hysterical and disconcerting loud cry inside the bedroom caught both Megumi and Ami by surprise and ran quickly to see what was going on. Megumi walked in first and quickly went to Serenity's aid who was shaking, kicking, and screaming at the top of her lungs with horror and pain in her hoarse voice, "Princess!"

"Noooooo!"

"Princess!"

"Noooo! Noooo! Let goooo let goooo!"

Ami widened her eyes and watched her friend shaking without control, "She's having a panic attack!" She went to check on her and looked into her eyes but couldn't make eye contact with her, "Usagi-chan! Usa-chan! Serenity! Serenity! Look at me! It's me! It's Ami! It's Mercury! Look at me! You are home!" Ami tried to wrap her arms around her but the princess was shaking too much for her to keep her steady, "This is a post-traumatic effect of what she went through in that place—she's not entirely conscious," Ami took a deep breath and turned to Megumi, "I need you to hold her as steady as you can, I am going to put her a sedative—she needs to sleep and the only way she can do that is by being completely unconscious."

"Noooooo! Noooo!" Serenity shook her arms and kicked her legs with stress. Her face was red from the strain she was putting on her body and her eyes while teary, they were lost and without focus, "Endymion! Don't leave me! Don't leave me!" Megumi quickly took Ami's place and submit the princess with as much strength she could muster and tried to keep her from hurting herself while Ami ran back to get the sedative from her duffle bag.

"Princess, please wake up! Please!"

"Nooooooo! Endymion! Endymioon! Endymion noooo! Come back! Come back! Help me! Help me! Please help!" Serenity started to choke with her tears as she frantically started to swing her arms, trying to free herself from Megumi's strong grasp. Megumi turned to Ami who was walking inside the bedroom checking the solution inside the syringe she was holding in her hand, "Restrain her down on the bed Megumi—I don't want to hurt her... I need to find a vein first."

Serenity's cries sounded tired—hoarse. She was beyond exhaustion but just like Ami said, she was not entirely conscious of her actions and she was reliving the events in Inferno over and over again. Ami sat on the edge of the bed and put the shot on the princess' vein on her wrist and pressed her thumb over a cotton swab where the needle released the solution as she waited for it to take effect; much to Megumi's surprise, Serenity started to calm down shortly after and slowly but surely fell into a deep sleep, "I-It worked..."

Ami nodded and slowly laid down Serenity's hand on the bed, "Yes, I put her a strong sedative, but it's safe for her—given her condition. She will be out for several hours so that will help her rest. She is emotionally and physically exhausted." She pressed the back of her hand on her cheek and sighed a little more relieved to see her friend finally sleeping, "I think it's best if I spend the night here and keep an eye on her if you don't mind..."

Megumi nodded, "Not at all, Lady Mercury." Ami turned to look over her shoulder, "You should sleep too—it's getting late and you are as tired as she is,"

"I could not..." Megumi shook her head, "Not while you are on watch,"

"This isn't new for me, Megumi..." Ami gave the maiden a soft smile, "I have the craziest schedules at the hospital... I am used to it. It's all part of being a doctor—it's better than I am fully awake... go on, have some sleep."

"B-But what will you do?"

"Ma—" Ami took a deep breath and exhaled softly and smiled, "Endymion has enough books to keep me busy and entertained," Ami smiled, "Don't worry about me,"

"Are you sure?" Megumi gave the bluenette a dubious look, making Ami chuckle softly "Yes, plus, I know my way around the apartment—don't worry about me, go and have some sleep." Megumi nodded, "I will take your word and offer, Miladi. Is there anything you need before I leave?"

"No, Megumi—it's fine. I will stay here with her for a while, then I'll be in the living room—I just want to make sure her blood pressure goes back to normal."

Megumi looked at the sleeping princess then at Ami and she finally noticed that she was equally exhausted but she understood that her desire to be by the princess' side went beyond her position as her close friend but she was taking her stance as her guardian too, just like the other girls. "I-Is she... is she going to be alright?"

Ami sighed softly as she combed Serenity's sweaty fringe to the side and closed her eyes, "I really have hope that she will—I want to believe that this is just another test of endurance, another thing that we will one day remember as another battle scar," she opened her royal blue eyes and looked at her friend, "Right now, we might see things uncertain and dark but I believe in her—I believe in her strength and light... but she needs to believe in it too..." her hand went to hold the princess' and took a deep breath, "She really needs to believe it too..."

O—o—o—o—O

Serenity opened her crystal blue eyes slowly and blinked several times when she saw the sun was shining brighter than usual outside. She rubbed her tired eyes and sat on the bed when she realized she was alone in the room, thinking that maybe she had overslept until the next day and Megumi was in the kitchen, fixing her something to eat. She frowned softly when she felt a cool breeze crashing against her skin and it was then when she came to notice that she was not wearing the same clothes she put on the day before but instead a white simple floor length dress with thin straps, "M-Megumi?" she asked but got no response, thinking if something happened while she was asleep that made Megumi had changed her into these clothes without her noticing; her long platinum hair was down, looking like a cascade of moonbeam as her husband would often say. The princess stood up and went straight to the door to look for the young maiden but her eyes widened when she saw that the apartment she knew by heart was replaced by a wide and long hallway with exquisite design and gold trimmings.

She turned to look back but much to her surprise the bedroom where she had woken up was no longer there, startling her completely. Serenity felt a soft tug in her chest and began walking down the long hallway in silence while admiring the intricate designs on the walls and dome-like ceilings and could not help to feel nostalgic about the place as she felt like she had walked through this private garden before. The soft and elegant smell of fresh flowers indulged her senses, calming her troubled mind. Not sure why, Serenity didn't feel any threat about this place, she didn't feel in danger or lost; the breeze, the way the sun filtered through the stain glass windows, the scent of nature—it was all too familiar.

She reached two large wooden doors and with a trembling hand pulled the handles and opened them wide and walked inside. Serenity widened her eyes when she saw she was standing at a beautiful court that led to a beautiful garden with a pond and a large stone fountain in the middle; she walked in silence toward it and was immediately welcomed by the sweet and elegant scent of roses and went directly to a bush full of pink delicate flowers in full bloom. Her fingers lightly touched their velvety petals and could not help the wave of nostalgia overcoming her as she leaned down to take more of its scent, "Beautiful..." she whispered to herself when she felt the same tug that led her there and looked up; her pale blue eyes widened with surprise at the woman in a rich blue gown standing near the fountain across from her.

Serenity blinked surprised and let go of the delicate flower, she blushed and shook her head, slightly confused and embarrassed for her intrusion. The woman nodded, "That is indeed a beautiful flower... but not even a flower as delicate as a fresh bloomed pink rose can match your beauty and elegance, Serenity."

"H-How..." Serenity widened her eyes twice in size, "Y-You... you know me?"

"My, my... of course," The woman walked around the large fountain until she stood in front of the princess, "I could never forget the beautiful face of my best friend's daughter," she arched a brow with pride, "And the divine woman that captured my son's heart,"

Serenity felt her heart skipped a beat in her chest when she finally realized who the woman before her was. It had been so long since she last saw her it was surreal to see her there alive, "Queen..." she shook her head with disbelief masking her beautiful face, "Queen Gaia..."

Gaia walked closer to the white princess and cupped her cheek in a motherly fashion, "It has been a long time since we last met, Serenity, but I can see you have grown out to be one precious and courageous woman."

"What is this place?" Serenity blushed and looked around at the garden court, partly confused and amazed, "W-Where... where am I?" Gaia smiled softly and let go of Serenity's cheek, "Do not worry, child, nobody can find us here, you are safe." She held Serenity's hand softly and gestured to follow her, "Walk with me?"

Serenity nodded and walked beside the woman in a deep blue gown that moved around her like stardust; she carefully peered at her profile as they walked in silence around the wide court and noticed the previous terran queen looked slightly different than she remembered. Her long hair was almost midnight black and it reached her waist in a long, full braid with crystal pins adorning it. Her body didn't look fragile anymore, instead, there was a strong aura around her and covering her like a sheer veil of light. Their height was almost the same, with the queen being a few inches taller. She remembered her being petite, but her intimidating poise and warm, silky voice remained the same but what truly caught most of Serenity's attention was not the way she looked but the way the queen's eyes changed colors from hazel to green, very similar to the way Endymion's prismatic blue eyes did.

Gaia noticed there was something happening to the princess, her whole aura was weak and she looked paler, sad, and immediately tried to divert her attention from it and lift her mood, even a little. "I always liked to be surrounded by nature... I have always found it soothing. I remember clearly the Moon's precious gardens and its crisp and soothing white light. I could stay there for hours just admiring the view." Gaia smiled softly as they continued walking around the gorgeous garden full of flowers of all kinds and colors. The mention of her previous home was not enough to engage Serenity in the conversation. Gaia turned startled when she felt the princess had let go of her hand "Serenity?"

"Is this a dream?" Serenity looked around, then at the queen and shook her head, still very confused by what was happening, "Am I dreaming?"

Gaia blinked a little taken back by Serenity's uncharacteristic defensive stance and sighed softly, "You are in a suspended state—yes,"

"You are not real then, you are just part of this dream—part of my imagination."

"I am as real as you want me to be, Serenity,"

Serenity frowned, "I do not understand..."

"What you see is in part created by your subconscious..." Gaia turned to the pink roses blooming next to her and suddenly turned crimson red when she touched them lightly with the tips of her fingers. She turned to look at the princess with a knowing look, "But, it is also real because it exists somewhere in a pocket created in the space-time continuum where I am currently living in."

"A space-time pocket?" Serenity shook her head, "How is that possible?"

Gaia nodded and walked back, her hazel eyes never leaving Serenity's icy blue eyes "This place..." Gaia took a deep breath and looked around, "This is where I have been living ever since the fall of Elysion and the Silver Millennium, two thousand years ago." The confession made Serenity feel a chill down her spine and widened her eyes in shock, "W-What? B-But... I heard... you..."

Gaia's lips curved into a melancholic smile, "That I died—yes, I did." She sighed softly and drew back, "My mortal body perished the night Elysion fell to its demise with the help of Beryl and Metallia, but my divine entity was taken by Chronos and hid it in this place to keep me away and avoid any more tragedies." She turned to look around with that same bittersweet smile, "Usually this place would be a shrine but since we are speaking through your subconsciousness... this place is really built by your memories—what you remember of this place; that is why I say it is a dream but at the same time it is not."

"I... I don't understand..." Serenity took a deep, shaky breath and exhaled, "Why am I here?"

Gaia looked at the stone hanging from the princess' neck and pointed at it with an elegant move, "You called for help and that stone reacted to your plea by sending you here..." she tilted her head, "That stone—"

Serenity looked down at it and then at the queen. Despite the politeness and sweetness in the queen's warm voice, there was an intimidating air of authority only the queen could reflect and also nervous strain between them. It was like both had too many questions they both were too scared of their answers. Serenity closed her eyes with sorrow and nodded, "Endymion gave it to me... for my protection."

Gaia felt a tug in her chest at the mention of the prince's name but couldn't find the right words to say. She couldn't say much despite wanting to ask for her son but after everything she now knew it happened with Ares and how he revealed to them the truth about their nature and family it was more than clear that part of that hostility she felt from the princess was a result of the tension caused by the truth. Serenity, on the other hand, felt as if her body could crumble at any time. She was scared, she was worried, and also desperate to communicate to the regal queen of what was happening.

"Queen..." Serenity looked up with tears rolling down her flushed cheeks breaking the awkwardness and Gaia's heart into hundreds of pieces at the same time. She could read the raw emotion and the deep pain and desperation in the princess' crystal blue eyes and immediately pulled her into a protective embrace, "It is alright, breathe..."

"I can't..." Serenity's muffled sobs finally opened the door to her emotions, leaving her fate and the remains of her sanity in the queen's hands. Gaia stroked Serenity's hair in a motherly fashion and closed her eyes, "Come with me, dear," she drew back and dried Serenity's tears with her sleeve and held her hand. She gestured her to walk with her through two tall smithy doors into a large hallway with tall windows that allowed them to look out to the gardens as they walked to another, much more private court. Serenity looked down at the queen's hand gently holding hers and realized that despite being in silence for a long time, it felt comfortable, she felt safe. Her grip on her hand was soothing and protective, very much like Endymion's.

They finally stood behind two large oak doors the queen soon after pulled to open and allowed Serenity to walk in first to take a look around the warm living space. There was something about it that made her feel nostalgic and more at home. She turned to her left and saw a pair of oak doors and felt drawn to go and look what was on the other side of that room; her crystal blue eyes widened when she looked around the large bedchambers and immediately recognized the deep color on the walls and its wooden panels, the thick curtains on the tall windows, the large oak desk in the corner, one that in its time was always full of parchments and maps and a cup of coffee religiously placed next to them. The king-sized bed in the middle and the deep blue color of its covers; Serenity turned to Gaia who was standing by the door with a look of disbelief and nostalgia.

"You recognize this place,"

"These are Endymion's bedchambers... and his personal study..." Serenity nodded as she looked around, still mesmerized to see the place intact, like if time never went by, like if he was there somewhere around the palace and that he would walk past those doors any minute to greet her with that charming smile of his. "This is where I felt most safe and more at..." she widened her eyes, realizing what Gaia was trying to do by taking her there, she wanted to make her feel more at home, like she belonged to that place as well.

"Peace..."

Gaia nodded and walked inside the bedroom and stood by the balcony doors as she looked outside at the nothingness ahead and sighed heavily, finally expressing the sorrow and regret she had been feeling for more than one lifetime. "I know what Ares did... I know he remembers..." she closed her eyes for a minute, "And it frightens me to think what must have crossed his mind when he learned the truth. Why I did not trust him? Why I kept all this a secret for so long? Why? Just why." The queen shook her head and opened her gleaming eyes of jade and gold, "And while I have tried to come up with a good and valid answer to give him—one he deserves—I was always restrained by my own fears because all I cared about was to keep him safe, but I also was afraid that he might think of me like a curse." The regal queen finally turned to face Serenity and shook her head, "I wanted him to live the life I never got the chance to live—for him to have a normal childhood and learn everything about this planet, its people, and its many wonders."

"What is normality for those with a royal heritage, anyway, Your Majesty?" Serenity shook her head and gave the queen a daring glare. Gaia noticed the anger and frustration behind the princess' eyes; it was more than clear to her that she was upset and that she was desperate for some answers, the same answers her son had demanded for years.

"Freedom, Serenity," Gaia looked at the princess with sad eyes, "When divinity is involved, you better than anyone knows things are far more complicated and that it is freedom what we desire the most. The liberty to decide without being frowned upon or restrained by our origins and our title."

"Freedom..." Serenity mumbled the word until it made sense what the terran queen was trying to say. She looked up at her with both wonder and a desperate need to clear Asteria's tainted words. "I-Is it true, then?"

"What is?"

"That you are really Titans, those of ancient blood?"

"Ah... that." Gaia gave her daughter in law a soft sad smile, "I see it is still a latent issue..." she took a deep breath and exhaled as she pushed away from the balcony rail and turned to walk back into the room. Serenity frowned, "Is it?"

Gaia braced herself for the answer she might hear from the moon princess as she leaned her back on the tall window with evident pain marked in her eyes, "Would it be so bad, Serenity?"

Serenity widened her eyes, completely taken by surprise by the queen's quick retaliation. "What?"

"Would your perception of him change if he was one of those with ancient blood running through his veins?"

Serenity shook her head, "No,"

"Would you think of him as a curse?"

"No, of course not!"

"Then I do not understand," Gaia tilted her head and her beautiful eyes with consternation, "Why is it so important to you for us to be what we are?"

"I want to understand why there is so much stigma around it... around you... all of you."

"A titan's nature has been a factor of question for millions of years, but that is the only side gods want to look at—it makes it easier for them whenever they have to deal with the past."

"I don't understand," Serenity frowned, "If you are really a titan, then why were you always referred to as the Goddess of Earth? Why?"

The question and the princess' need to learn the truth was enough to make Gaia lower her guard. She was well aware that things were not as simple as she hoped if she stayed silent. The princess was a part of her now, a part of her family—her son's soulmate, and just as she owed it to him, she owed her as many answers to as many questions she had about herself.

The queen sighed softly, almost defeated, "War, dear—that is why."

Serenity's eyes widened "War..."

"It is no secret that war is part of our lives and what has followed us and marked us for so many years," Gaia took a deep breath, "You most likely know about the great divine war that ended up imprisoning or taking the lives of most of those with titan blood—the rebellion against Atlas that ended up in what everyone knows as the Titanomachy."

"Yes, I know the story," Serenity nodded, "A bloody war that later set the foundation of what we now know as Olympus, the new reign of the gods."

Gaia crossed her arms, "The reason as to why our titles were changed is because when that war came to its end, many were reluctant to the idea of titans still living among them. Not all titans are corrupt and imprisoned; not all fought against the gods. Those who survived and that had agreed to live in peace under the High Gods' new ruling were given a new title as god or goddess in an attempt to neutralize their nature and allow them to coexist with other gods without being judged. My grandfather, Helios, was one of those titans that fought on behalf of the gods, and while he was not entirely comfortable with some of the decisions they made after the war, he wanted his family to live in peace and safety, which is why from that point forward he was referred to as the God of the Sun and why mine was changed from Titaness to Goddess when I took my position as sailor senshi and guardian of Earth. But sadly, and as I mentioned before, war and tragedy have shadowed and defined our family for thousands of years... the reason may not come as surprise to you now, as Ares may have probably told you the truth."

"You were the first and only sailor senshi who has ever earned the title of Polemarchos..." Serenity said with awe; Gaia found endearing how the princess rather chose to ignore the last part of her reasoning to admire a side she never really thought worthy of admiration, "Father Helios was a very skilled polemarchos, so it was natural for us to follow his footsteps. I was chosen to be Earth's guardian from a very young age; at the age of ten, I was already taught combat skills and I mastered a sword by the age of twelve. At fifteen, I was in the line of battle alongside Ares as polemarchos of the Celestial Army." Gaia turned to Serenity with a sad smile on her face, "Your mother... she led a different life than me," she smiled with a sad hint behind her warm chuckle, "We were so different. Serenity was so sweet, so graceful, so poised and educated, and I was... well... a girl who liked weaponry, one who always got her hands blistered and dirty and had cuts and bruises all over her body—unrefined and brusque with words. A mother and regal queen's nightmare." Gaia sighed with melancholy, "My dearest mother, Nut, how much she tried to convert me and turn me into a fine lady. She hated me being a sailor senshi and she always referred her frustrations at Navus."

Serenity widened her eyes, "N-Nut..." her pouty lips parted with awe when she remembered the beautiful queen of heavens, "Nut is your mother... that is why..." she took a quick breath, "The resemblance... that is why I always felt something familiar about her..."

Gaia nodded, "All I knew was to fight and gain power for others... and while I excelled at it, it was not what I wanted for myself..." she sighed softly, "No girl likes to be feared or to be treated like some sort of a prize due to a sacred treasure I vowed to guard and protect with my life."

Serenity felt immediately drawn to the queen's story, it felt so much more different to listen to the story Ares brusquely confessed to them from the one who lived it firsthand. As a woman in love, and a princess that led a life of luxury and constantly feeling like she was encased in a crystal prison, she understood the longing stamped in the queen's voice because she knew well what it was like to wish for more, what it was like to want freedom and to find love. Gaia looked up at the clear blue sky and took a deep breath, "You probably know what I did... how I end up living the life of a mortal being."

Serenity nodded, "Love,"

Gaia leaned her back on the wall with a small smile on her face, "I may have been ill-tempered and unmannered at times, and I may not have been very fond to follow any divine etiquette, but what I loved the most of being a senshi was to be able to live for my planet—away from any divine protocol. I chose not to follow their rules because I never felt like I fitted anyway; I was always an outcast—an open secret in everyone's mouth."

Serenity felt the pain in Gaia's words, the feeling of being misunderstood—she knew the gut-wrenching sense of it. Her crystal blue eyes sparkled with wonder and curiosity to know a side of the queen fewer probably knew, not even Endymion, who always referred to her as an unbreakable woman, who, she really was but who also had to be this way to protect her soft heart. Deep down the intimidation of her warm voice and her intense gaze and poise, Gaia was a woman that believed in the same things Serenity did and who also fought for love and justice. Ever since Ares told them the terran queen once was a fellow sailor senshi, Serenity felt this undying curiosity to know more about her and those years she has kept in the dark and now, it was slowly coming into the light.

"Back then, when you were a senshi, did you live in a palace or were you guardian to anyone, Your Majesty?"

Gaia shook her head, "No, I had other duties. I was the sailor senshi of evolution, blessed with the powers of the mighty Sun. I lent my strength as a polemarchos whenever Ares sent me to step in the line of war. My jurisdiction was different from that of an inner or outer senshi, dear. I was an emissary of chaos—I killed to bring peace in order to cause a transformation. I was given the title of Goddess of Earth because from the very beginning I nurtured and protected until it bloomed into the beauty it is now—with my birth, Earth started to evolve. With this revelation, my grandfather later gave me the task of being its divine guardian and while I served to protect peace and the balance between realms as sailor senshi, I always chose to live for Earth and its inhabitants, although, I voluntarily chose to be your mother's guardian whenever I was on the Moon." She smiled softly at the blushing princess whose eyes went big and round with surprise, "Y-You did?"

"Yes," Gaia nodded with a warm, proud smile "To me, your mother was a precious little flower—she may not have been chosen to be a senshi, but she didn't need to become one to fight for her dreams—she had me for that, and I did it gladly for as long as I could." The terran queen turned on her heel and walked inside the room, "She had strong ideals and beliefs many in the divine realm found too innocent and pointless but I believed in them—I believed in her, and that is why I chose to follow my path of service to the people on Earth, I wanted to share my friend's ideals and make them a reality and create a special bond with it—a strong alliance between worlds."

Serenity looked at the queen with a strong sense of admiration and endearment. It was incredibly amazing that even before Endymion or she existed, the bond was there with them. Queen Gaia had been to Queen Serenity what Endymion was to her—a protector, a confidant, a friend. And while the queens' relationship was one of sisterhood, the same undying support, loyalty, confidence, complicity, and protectiveness was there—intact.

The queen leaned on the wall with her arms crossed and took a deep breath, "I always found myself fascinated by Earth's beauty and the ways terran people lived with so much passion and care into everything they did. To me, it was so real, so vivid, so true, and so different from what I saw in Olympus every day. I loved living on Earth and listen to the people's prayers. I lived in a little, shrine that soon harvested the most beautiful flowers and greenery, all planted in gratitude for my blessings by the people who passed by to share a prayer."

"That is why you love being surrounded by nature..." Serenity said with a sweet tone; Gaia nodded, "I lived there with my dear friend, Obelix, the Holy Priest of the shrine. He was the only one that was allowed to see me on a daily basis due to his divine gift and his connection with us; he worked as a link between both worlds and through him, I spoke to the people whenever I chose not to let my presence known." She smiled softly and looked at the greenery in the distance, "The divine realm has many rules that we, as gods, must follow without fault or question. One of those important rules was to always keep our distance with those with mortality so they would not let themselves be carried away with codependency and false obsession; we are deities, not miracle workers. We serve a bigger purpose, we do not solve people's lives; that is up to them—the choices they make, how they think it is best for them to live. We give them a safe environment to do so, as deities we protect them from afar and fight so they can live in peace. As divine guardian of Earth, I took my duty to serve my people very seriously without breaking that taboo but... one day... without planning it and without me expecting it... I met a man—a mortal man—and... well... love took a whole different meaning to me from then on,"

Serenity imitated Gaia's posture and kept her gaze fixed in the distance as she continued to listen to the queen's story, "Limited by my divinity and his mortality, we did not have much choice but to keep our love affair a secret from both realms, mortal and divine, and with the constant help from your mother I was able to see him every day without being caught."

"What?" Serenity widened her eyes, "Mother did that?"

"She did," Gaia smiled and nodded, "She was the only one I could trust, the only one that knew my secret and the only one that supported me. Serenity never put judgment over me, she did not see me differently... she knew my love for the terran prince was genuine and that it was something that truly made me happy, that made me feel alive."

"I..." Serenity shook her head, "I can't believe this..." she looked at the queen, "She never did anything outrageous... she never broke the laws, she was always so... so..." Serenity blinked with surprise, "Mother always followed the rules imposed by the gods without complaint... almost to an extent of being annoying."

The comment made Gaia chuckle, "Your mother was braver than you imagine, child. She was courageous and in her own way, she fought." She smiled, "But, I suppose this serves as a good example to show how close we were. Your mother and I were like soul sisters; nobody truly understood how such strong bond came to be because of our completely different characters but we were always there for each other, no matter what. I was at her wedding... the dress you wore that night for the winter ball, it was specially made for that day."

Serenity's eyes went wide, "T-The gown... the golden gown..."

"Yes,"

"You knew my father..."

"Yes," Gaia sighed softly, "I met Athan—briefly. I did not stay much longer after they wed. My secret was exposed and well... I was exiled from the heavens and contact between Earth and the Moon became strictly forbidden."

"You never saw each other again..." Serenity said with sadness, "You never had a chance to say goodbye..."

"After I was exiled from the divine realm, Serenity did find a way to come and visit me a few times without being caught. She was present the day I married Eros, and she met Endymion shortly after he was born."

"Oh my goodness..." Serenity felt her heart skip a beat at the mention of her husband as a baby, "She did? R-Really?!"

"Yes, she even carried him in her arms!" Gaia walked to the bed and patted the spot next to her, inviting Serenity to sit next to her, "That is the first time I heard him laugh," the terran queen smiled with melancholy, "That was the last time we met. For the sake of both of our kingdoms, we knew that was our time to bid farewell,"

Serenity felt as if her heart was suddenly hit with an arrow. Never in a million years, she would have imagined the suffering in her mother's heart and it pained her to know how she had dealt with everything in silence. It made her think in so many things she didn't value as much she should have back then and not because she was a spoilt princess but because it was the image her mother portrayed, to her it was a part of her normal life. She tried to put herself in her mother's shoes and tried to imagine her life without the girls—without the sisterhood she has with Venus and it was heart-wrenching. The moon queen dealt many things without the support of her dearest and closest friend and without her husband. For Serenity, it was like losing contact with Venus, or worse, it was how she felt right now without Endymion by her side.

Gaia didn't need words to notice the internal battle the moon princess was having with her thoughts and emotions; her fragile figure and weak aura was enough for her to know things were challenging for her and that she was too confused and clouded with anger to really understand or know what to do to from this point forward.

"Serenity, taking an oath as Queen is not just changing to a higher status and wear a beautiful and shiny crown over your head. It is a title that demands attention, time, guts and dedication. In your mother's case, she had to stay by your father's side and work on the new Alliance—the Silver Alliance. Mine was to make our Kingdom survive the strains of division and war happening on Earth, again, I had to help our planet evolve." Gaia sighed, "You have to make difficult decisions—painful decisions not everyone will understand or approve. Not everyone will agree with you and not everyone will want to support you but you must stay rooted to what your gut tells you and carry on. You must carry on, Serenity."

"Queen..." Serenity blinked with astonishment as words fell into place. Gaia nodded slowly, "Back then, Earth was divided into four realms: North, East, South, and West. All four with much strength but also, in conflict with each other all the time, they never agreed on anything; what one had, the other wanted it, and one lacked, the other had it for heaps and did not want to negotiate. Endymion's father, Eros, was the crowned prince of the Kingdom of the North, and despite our obvious dilemma, we wanted to make a difference and change things for the best. It was not easy but we made it work." Her hazel eyes darkened, "When my affair with the terran prince was exposed to the high gods, I was stripped of my titles and jurisdiction. I was banned from Olympus and the divine realm and I was sentenced to live the rest of my life as a mortal being," Gaia closed her eyes and shrugged her shoulder, "To me, living in exile was not a punishment—I could live with that, after everything they said and did to me and my family, I had no desire to be called a goddess ever again, but my duty as sailor senshi and guardian of Earth came first, so, when I left the divine realm, I took it with me—that stone you now carry on your neck for your protection."

"This stone..." Serenity looked down at the pendant then at the queen with wide eyes, "I-Is this the golden crystal?"

"No, not anymore," Gaia shook her head, "In reality, that stone worked as a vessel for it—its real power resides in the heart of its guardian and it manifests as a crystal when it is summoned by it, that is why it is said that the crystal chooses its next protector—one worthy and strong enough to carry its power but during that time, even when I was no longer one of them... I still had my grandfather's blessing." She exhaled softly, "The golden crystal has been the sacred treasure of my dynasty for thousands of years—millions. And we, as titans, our duty is to keep it safe from darkness due to its savage force. That is his biggest fixation... despite his strength, he was not chosen as its guardian."

Serenity felt like she had gone three shades paler at the mention of Chaos, who for a moment she had completely forgotten was the queen's actual brother. Her mind has been so focused on the prince and everything that happened in the underworld that she had forgotten they were all connected to the same shadow that tormented them eight years ago. Gaia turned to look away and narrowed her hazel eyes, "I asked myself that question one too many times—we all did. Why me instead of him? It was a natural choice, he was stronger, the first born, a male, a respected polemarchos and once Ares' best disciple... why wasn't he chosen as its next guardian? Why it had to be me? The girl in love with flowers and nature?" Her stoic stance didn't change. The more Serenity looked at her the more she could see Endymion within her; the way she spoke and the way she modulates her warm voice, her pose, and her gestures. The vibe and resemblance while not identical it was so obvious and vivid that made Serenity's heart ache with longing for him.

Gaia lowered her gaze with elegance, "One never questioned Father Helios, so we never fully understood his reasons as to why he did not entrust the task to him back then. *Navus was a kind and loving man, but he was very strict and had an unbreakable character when times required it—Mother always felt he was unjust with the life he imposed to us, but, I always felt he was preparing us for something like this... it is like he knew what was going to happen." The regal queen turned to look at Serenity and arched her brow with undeniable pride, "When the high gods learned that I took the stone with me, they made sure I would pay the consequences for my actions and put this planet in danger one too many times, risking my reputation and the trust given to me by many, including my new family and all the progress we had made with the four kingdoms of Earth."

Serenity felt a sting in her chest when recognizing she had lived the consequences of that law, that damn law she knew perfectly well and that kept her apart from her one true love. Gaia looked up as she felt tears started to burn in her eyes but she kept her ground, "There were times where I felt I could not go on, I felt betrayed by my own family... I was heartbroken. But Eros never left my side, and after a long period of many trials and battles, we managed to solidify the four realms and turned them into the Four Cardinal points of Elysion and ascended the throne as the first King and Queen of Earth. If we were not permitted to live among them, we were going to be strong and evolve on our own—the rest is history and a blessing." She smiled softly.

Serenity knew what Gaia meant and felt a hole inside her chest, it was the same blessing she had the bliss of knowing and that later had left her dealing with the scraps of dreams while still trying to deal with so much pain and void in her heart. Gaia sighed softly, noting the tension in the princess' face and leaned closer, "There lies the answer you seek, my dear. Why we are what we are. To them, we may be a curse, but, you now see it very much depends on the perspective from which you want to see the truth. They want culprits, they want something to put judgment on to feel safe, but, do not we all want the same? As a titan, I could pass judgment on them—gods, and say it was all their fault, but, what difference would that make?"

"Yes, they have a fault in this. Up to this day the gods consider Endymion a threat—an abomination." Serenity muttered angrily and closed her eyes, "They have pushed him to the very limits of his patience..." the princess started to shiver with impotence and curled her hands into tight fists, "They have sent their pawns to attack us one time after another... they stole our peace, they invaded our home—they keep trying to pull us apart and I can't take it anymore!"

Gaia watched the princess' fragile body shake with rage as tears pooled from her eyes without control, "I can't take it anymore!" Serenity finally broke the shell that was keeping her emotions at bay, "I want to see him! I need to see him! I need to go to him!"

"Serenity..." Gaia felt her heart breaking into millions of pieces as she saw Serenity fall on her knees and started to pound her fists on the floor with anger, "Why!? What do they want from us!?" Her eyes widened when she felt the queen wrapping her arms around her and pulling her into a protective embrace, taking her completely by surprise, "Q-Queen..."

"My son always has had a strong sense of duty. He is impulsive, stubborn even, but that fire within him is what prompted him to become who he is now. I realized it was impossible to pull him away from his fate because it is the same as mine, he is here to protect Earth and help it evolve. But, they do not see what you do, Serenity." Gaia ran her slender fingers through Serenity's platinum hair and drew back to look into the princess' eyes as she cupped her flushed and wet cheeks with her hands, "Even when I have been light years away from you, I have witnessed every step you have made together. Your mother and I always believed you were meant for each other... and we were not mistaken, you are his perfect match and he is yours. You have looked after each other without fail and despite my son's limitations, you stayed together and faced evil without a speck of fear in your hearts." Gaia smiled sadly and tilted her head, "My dearest Serenity, we are a very complex family and our honor has been stained and strained with the passage of time; the gods believe Endymion is the same malignant force Chaos represents and added to that, he is the product of the union between a titan and a mortal—to divine nature, he is not supposed to exist, and that only ignites their need to call him a monster. To them, he is a sin."

"But he is nothing like they so much want to believe!"

Gaia took a deep breath and dried the princess' tears with the back of her hand, "I was against the idea of him following our steps but I also felt obliged to prepare him to fight back in case they ever attempted on doing something like this. I contradicted myself many times and I confused him in the process. I broke his spirit, I failed him, and that is something I will carry with me for the rest of my existence."

Serenity tightened her arms around the queen; in an instant reflex to appease her growing guilt. She had seen it reflected in Endymion's eyes far too many times, the doubt, the anger, the confusion and desperation to try and be more than he was limited to believe. In this time or during the Silver Millennium, Endymion always felt trapped between two realities, two quiet truths. He knew there was something else, he knew his mother was keeping secrets that later sprouted in bitter claims and remorse that pushed him to believe the worst of himself.

"Deep down, I knew we were never going to be left alone. That we were set to face as many trials and challenges as long as our dynasty existed. That is why I secretly asked Obelix and later Leonidas, Eros' right hand and Endymion's godfather, to train him from a very young age until he decided his own path in the future that resulted in him making the choice to become a man of war." Gaia took a deep breath, "In the end, I failed my promise to keep him hidden and let him follow the same path I did when I was his age. Unwillingly, but very conscious of the consequences, I put him through the same strict regimen and training of a polemarchos; the moment I passed my sword on to him... his fate was sealed. He was officially the next in line to protect Helios' legacy."

Serenity took a deep hasty breath and looked into Gaia's eyes with angst and remorse, "Queen..." she hung to Gaia to dear life and felt like she could not take it any longer and let herself break in heavy sobs charged with desperation, "I don't... I can't..."

"Serenity?" Gaia frowned with worry, "Dear, what is the matter?"

"I need... help... I need..."

"Serenity?"

"He stayed... he stayed there... and I couldn't help him... I couldn't bring him back..."

"Serenity, what do you mean? He stayed where? You couldn't bring him back from where?"

"Queen Gaia... Endymion..."

"What about Endymion?"

"Endymion is in the Underworld,"

Gaia widened her eyes as she listened to Serenity and felt like she had a hole in the pit of her stomach and looked at Serenity with horror; the princess took another hasty breath and closed her eyes allowing her tears fall down without control and hung her head with shame and fright, "I was captured by the Titaness of Fates and Fallen Stars... but even when she was defeated by him... he sent me back... he stayed there and I couldn't... I couldn't bring him back with me..."

"Asteria," Gaia muttered the rebel titaness' name with disgust; "Hades' pawn; I am surprised she was granted such privileges despite her corrupted origins," her hazel eyes slowly turned darker with anger. "But I am truly not surprised that she betrayed who she dared to call Master,"

"W-What?" Serenity's eyes widened; Gaia nodded and narrowed her beautiful eyes, "Hades has been hunting our souls like a hungry beast for a very long time. He has a great desire of bringing us to our demise, even when I was still part of Ares' army. Hades is an unforgiving and merciless god... he is very strong, I will not argue that fact," her eyes turned a shade dark with courage and determination, "But we are stronger."

Serenity widened her eyes when Gaia pulled her back on her feet and looked into her eyes with that same unbreakable determination and put a hand on the princess' chest, "I can feel this heavy pain revolting inside of you..." the regal queen took a deep breath and closed her eyes, feeling there was more than the princess would say with words. Serenity tilted her head low, "I feel my life and dreams are slipping away through my fingers..." she took a deep breath and opened her eyes, "I know I have to keep my ground, I know what I have to do, but without him, I don't know how... he has always been my support—my rock..."

"You are much stronger than you think, Serenity. I have seen it—that power that comes within you is nothing I witnessed in all the years I served as a sailor senshi." Gaia turned to Serenity and tilted her chin up to meet her gaze in the same fashion Endymion did, "I am sure your mother is very proud of you and of every single thing you have accomplished as senshi, and as a princess." Serenity opened her eyes and turned to Gaia, "Q-Queen..."

"Serenity," Gaia quirked a brow proudly, "My time has passed, so has my reign and everything in it. I did what I had to do in my time to live the life I wanted and Earth's inhabitants deserved. I fought for peace in any ways that I could... as a goddess and as a mortal, but now, the time to pass the crown to its new owner has come."

Serenity widened her crystal blue eyes and blushed, "I-I.."

"Serenity, listen to me..." Gaia's sweet expression soon turned serious, "You are important to many people, but to my son, you are his life force... whatever he did, he had reasons to do it, and right now, he is fighting to save the good left in this family and you need to do the same. Yes, things are complicated, I can still feel dense ripples of darkness lurking close but whatever Hades has planned, it can be fought—I am telling you this not as a former Queen but as a fellow Sailor Senshi." Gaia looked down at the pendant and softly tapped it with the tips of her finger, "This precious stone belongs to you now."

Serenity exhaled softly as she felt a warm and cozy energy surrounding her like if a warm and protective blanket was put over her shoulders. She looked at the queen irradiating a soft glow, like the sun in the hours of dawn; different from the princes' that looked more like that of the sun in its golden setting time, "You share the same warmth in your voice, the way you speak and gestures... you are so much alike..."

Gaia let out a soft sigh, "So I have heard... but also, he inherited some of my worst qualities, I will painfully admit. He is stubborn... he does not like to admit defeat and he always wants to do things by himself he is terribly independent."

"Yes!" Serenity blushed, "I mean... I do know what you are talking about,"

"Endymion is a complex man, child," Gaia smiled, "But I never doubted his feelings for you; it is more than clear why he is so in love with you," Serenity blushed, "Q-Queen..."

"You are strong, independent, and courageous—there is a light in you that irradiates like moonglow—so soothing and beautiful. You are a beautiful woman, Serenity, inside and out." Gaia tucked a piece of pearlescent hair behind Serenity's ear, "And your hair—it is like touching silk... like rays of moonbeam." She smiled softly, "You share your mother's beauty and calming aura; so sweet and yet, so loyal to your beliefs. Do not ever lose that charm," Gaia shook her head, "Do not lose yourself to grief. In order to evolve, we must go through a catharsis... you need to stay strong. You are not alone."

"Queen Gaia... please help me..." Serenity leaned her head on the queen's shoulder and started sobbing, "I feel like my heart has been ripped off my chest..."

"I know dear," Gaia closed her eyes, "I know... but you have never left his mind. You never will. He is devoted to you in heart and soul, it has been that way for thousands of years." She took a deep breath and released it. Gaia turned to the balcony doors when she felt a tug in her chest and moved her hand away, startling Serenity by her sudden change, "Est tempus,"

Serenity pulled back, "W-What?"

"Aliquam aperi oculos,"

"Queen?"

"Aliquam redire,"

Gaia gave her daughter in law a gentle smile and cupped her cheek, "Serenity, your mother gave her life to save you and my son and that is something I will always keep carved deep in my heart. I will forever be thankful to her, and now, it is my turn to do the same. I am here for you, you are not alone... my sweet daughter." She leaned close to her and planted a chaste kiss on the princess' forehead, "Open your eyes, child... it is time." Gaia tapped the stone proudly gleaming in the princess' chest. Serenity felt it react to the queen's touch and saw it glow and wrapped her in its warm light.

"Queen!" Serenity felt her body was being pulled away from Gaia's and shook her head with panic, "I don't... no! Queen!" She wasn't given much time to say anything else before she vanished leaving a trail of golden specks in her place. Gaia raised her hand and slowly reached for the gleaming sparkles with the tip of her fingers and closed her eyes, "Non timor, non solum principis... et habentes fiduciam in fretus eo et pro futuro." She opened her eyes and let her tears roll down her cheeks slowly, "Latmius Endymion fili mi, quotienscumque autem fortes estis, iam placet..."

---

The Divinity Series is rated M. Violence, cursing, and intimacy may occur.

I do not own Sailor Moon, just this plot and some of the characters.

*Navus: Grandfather

*Aliquam aperi oculos: It's time to open your eyes.

*Aliquam redire: It's time to go back.

*Non timor, non solum principis... et habentes fiduciam in fretus eo et pro futuro: Fear not Princess, rely on them... rely on him... and fight for the future.

*Latmius Endymion fili mi, quotienscumque autem fortes estis, iam placet: Endymion, my son, whenever you are now... please be strong.