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.

74. Chapter 74

Divinity: Fates and the Afterlife

Chapter Seventy-Four

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Not long after Jadeite left with Zoisite and Mercury to find and bring Motoki, Uranus arrived at the temple with Pluto. Neptune and Saturn turned to saw Megumi walking down the hall with a tray in her hands, "Megumi," the sandy blonde called out to her softly. The maiden turned careful enough not to drop the wooden tray with a hot pot and cups and let out a sigh of relief, "Oh, thank goodness you are back safe and sound." She blinked and turned to Pluto with concern, "Lady Pluto, how are you feeling?"

"Much better, Megumi, thank you." Pluto gave her a soft smile. Neptune turned to look around, "Where is everyone?"

"How's the prince?" Pluto asked with worry in her voice. "Is he alright?"

"The prince was taken to one of the guest rooms after taking a much-needed bath and change of clothes," Megumi motioned her head to the hallway, "But he is injured and is considerably weak. Lady Mercury, General Zoisite, and General Jadeite went to look for the prince's doctor friend,"

"I guess you are talking about Motoki," Neptune smiled and turned to Uranus, who was nodding in agreement, "How long has it been since they left?"

"A little over an hour," Megumi said softly; Saturn stood by Pluto's side and let out a soft sigh, "He's most likely exhausted. I think it will be best if we wait here for everyone to come." Megumi nodded at Saturn and turned to Uranus, her brows furrowed when she saw her sitting on the sofa with a lost stare, almost worried, clearly ashamed "You are not going, Lady Uranus?"

Uranus let out a soft sigh as she leaned her back on the couch's backrest, "I think it is best if I wait here. This is not the best moment to make things uncomfortable, once again."

"His Highness is not a rancorous man," Megumi narrowed her eyes, Uranus turned to look at Megumi with a sad smile, "I know, Megumi. But right now, I am not what he needs to see or with whom he needs to talk. I am just very glad that he's back, I truly am."

Neptune sighed softly, "Haruka is right. Usagi-chan needs to have her time with him, it has been long since they were together." She said in a gentle tone, "Let us not forget he was gone for over a month, and they both went through their own torment."

"We'll be fine," Uranus pointed the tray with a weak smile, "Go. It will get cold,"

Megumi took a deep breath and walked into the living room. She put the tray down on the coffee table and prepared four cups of tea with the skill and grace only a lady who had learned how to assist royalty could achieve. The maiden turned and put each cup of steaming tea in front of the four outer senshi, "It will make you feel better," she smiled, "You need it too."

"Thank you very much, Megumi," Saturn said softly and went to sit by the coffee table and wrapped her hands around one of the porcelain cups to warm up her numb fingers. Uranus widened her eyes and stared at the maiden who silently went back up and walked down the hallway in smiled softly as she leaned on to grab her cup and took a small sip to warm up. Neptune savored the soft hint of ginger in the tea and sighed softly, "You will have to talk to him eventually, Haruka."

"I know," Uranus took another sip and turned to look out the window, "But I don't think this is the most appropriate time, I really don't."

"I am still trying to understand... I was sure I had felt the second key I gave him being used..." Pluto looked down at her steaming cup of tea, "I wonder how did he do it, how did he travel through space and crossed realms without it... I am truly amazed by his level of skill..." her garnet eyes narrowed, "Is this the power Father Chronos told me I could bend to aid my kind?"

"His words make sense," Neptune looked at Pluto, "When the Princess was taken, the Prince opened the portal to get to the fourth dimension without a key and even there, where everything is a pocket in time and space, he managed to find you at the gates."

"Still, it is strange..." Pluto sighed, "While he has the power of a titan, I am the only one who can control the flux of space and time, as a force not entirely as a mechanism for foreshadowing." Uranus frowned, "What do you mean?"

"I do not know or predict the future. That is not what my jurisdiction is about and that is not my power." Pluto looked up, "Yes. I have keys that allow us to move through parallel universes and move through space. The gears of time are in my hands and rely on the power of my talisman, but I do not control fate. Fate is the core to our existence and while it is not as fickle as time, it changes if it needs to change—they're natural forces; fate and time do not stop and if manipulated, it causes grave consequences, but they work differently. They're their own continuum." She sighed, "That is why I assured Crystal Tokyo exists but not as a prediction for the future; it happened on its own, under different circumstances and while the King may have or not awoken the same way the Prince has, they're not entirely the same. He did not rely on the Golden Crystal to fight the Black Moon Clan or to fight on Neo-Queen Serenity's behalf. None of the Senshi evolved in power, jurisdiction, and strength. We were not there. The Shitennou were not there. Circumstances changed. The second the Silver Crystals from the past and the future came together in the same plane, things changed. Like water forced into a dam, fate broke free and steered its course to keep flowing without obstacles, changing time. I do not control the force of fate. Things are not the same because it has been manipulated far too much..."

"This would explain why..." Uranus looked down thoughtful, "Why we were sent here to be reborn. Why Neo-Queen Serenity from that future sent you back to be reborn with us... Saturn, too. As a Queen that never showed up her face again and for a King that chose to hide his identity behind a mask, something must have happened that they thought was worth changing..."

"Small Lady," Pluto closed her teary eyes, "She paid the price for the peaceful reign they built behind the mystery of their identity. While the world had the benefit of longevity... they knew this, their daughter while much loved, she was lonely because they committed to do much more of what they could handle—more than they should have." She opened her garnet colored eyes with realization, "They were aware... it was them, the King and Queen, who granted their previous selves the permission to cross so they could see that future with their own eyes and make a wise decision on what's best for them to do and which path to follow."

"Odango-chan questions everything right now... her words now make so much sense. How she doesn't feel like she is supposed to be that woman—that version of a Queen. She is Serenity but she is also Usagi and she doesn't want to forget about that important fact."

"Neo-Queen Serenity sacrificed the normalcy of their lives for the sake of Earth. She maxed out her power as Sailor Moon and stepped in as a goddess, closing the bridge between mortals and divinity, once again." Neptune mumbled with wonder, Uranus nodded, "Because the King never fully awoke..."

"But things are different now, they're equals. They both are awake, aware, and strong." Pluto took another sip of her tea, "Right now everything is uncertain and we are in the middle of a bloody war that didn't happen in that time frame. Chaos and the Underworld are dangerous threats and if not contained, they will force fate to make its way and change its course once more,"

"This is so unnerving..." Neptune turned to Saturn with worry, "Do you think Hades has something to do with this?"

"I don't know," Saturn shook her head, "I didn't get a chance to see Mamoru-san's wrists... and..." she sighed, "I know there is something else happening there. Maybe he did... maybe he didn't. These random acts of violence and portals from the Underworld still have me thinking... still have me greatly worried."

"What do you mean?" Pluto turned to Saturn, the young senshi sighed, "The prince's return might have to do with the pact he made with Hades... maybe he sent him to take care of this matter but we won't fully know until we talk to him and right now, he needs rest to recover."

Uranus took another sip of her tea, "I'm glad she isn't alone anymore. I hope he can take her out of the dark place she put herself into." She sighed softly, "Right now, that is all I care about. I believe in them—these two strong individuals who have their mind set to build—not a better—but a new future. I believe in them, our Neo-Queen and King."

O—o—O

Megumi walked into the room that was spacious enough to house everyone without feeling crowded. They were discussing and taking account of the recent events and mostly what has happened since the princess was taken hostage and then, what has happened after her return. Endymion was sitting in a large futon on the polished wooden floor with his back resting on the white wall while still keeping light pressure on the wound with a thick gauze in silence, with Serenity, who was also back into her casual indigo-blue dress sitting next to him but trying to maintain the awkward distance between them. After Endymion was taken back to the room to rest, she didn't try any other way to get close to him. That was all she felt she could do for the time being.

The more she tried to keep focused on the matter unfolding and on Nephrite's voice explaining what has been happening and what he has read from the stars before the ambient got to this level of danger; from the strange wave of sickness to the disappearances and possessions. Serenity really wanted to engage herself in the conversation but her mind was completely wrapped around the truth that was left inconclusive before Endymion and she parted ways in the Underworld. A truth she hasn't still processed very well and that had made her feel in complete anguish and guilt for the last several weeks of pure torment.

How many times she has thought about this moment. What she would do, what she would say, but now that it was here and finally happening, she felt completely lost and nervous—she was terrified. The few times she dared to take a quick glance at her husband it was hard for her to interpret the expression on his face; not that she could read his thoughts, either way, the man was a master in concealing emotions. Serenity mentally came to the conclusion that not even in his most neutral and casual state she couldn't tell what went through Endymion's mind. Many things went through hers, and his silence made things more upsetting because right now, she didn't know how to approach him. This was different from the time they had that bitter fight over jealousy. This was a matter with no people meddling in between and something only they could talk it out and solve things if they could be solved, that is. At this mere thought, her hands started to shake. Anxiety was starting to take over her body and she couldn't control it. Serenity closed her eyes silently praying for it to stop, or at least to be able to keep it concealed until she could leave the room but her torturous mind had started to punish her with an overwhelming wave of bitter thoughts and bottled up emotions.

Venus took notice of it right away, and from time to time she would either pat her back gently or held her hand to disguise the shakiness and quietly give her emotional support. Being her the only one besides Mercury that knew the reason behind her sudden episodes. Jupiter sat next to Nephrite while Mars stood with her arms crossed by the window and turned to look outside, "I hope they're okay,"

"I am sure they are, Mars," Artemis said softly and turned to the prince who had been awfully silent the whole time and looked at the tick cloth he was pressing on his side stained with blood, "Endymion..."

Despite having his head low and his face concealed under his long hair, Endymion had been very observant of his wife's odd behavior. He heard her unsteady breathing, the tension on her lips and how she licked them every few seconds. He saw her curling her hands from time to time and how her knuckles turned white from trying her best to keep herself together. The voices in the room became a blur in his mind. Whatever the others were discussing, he wasn't paying much attention and to be honest with himself, he didn't really care at the moment. As selfish and conceited as it was, Endymion didn't care for any portals or any shadows spurring from hell at this very moment, all he cared was her—his wife, and ever since he got back, he has been paying close attention to every single gesture she has done.

"They are alright,"

All eyes were on the prince who still had his head low, "They're coming back,"

Mars blinked, genuinely impressed by the sharpness of his psychic and perceptive skills, clearly proving they had escalated to an extra-sensorial level and that he was in complete control of them. Her amethyst eyes widened when she saw a glimpse of his piercing blue eyes peeking through his dark hair, "He's coming back." The secure tone in his deep voice made Mars realize he had been using his power to track and monitor their location and that he was communicating with Jadeite to tell him which ways were better to take to avoid any inconveniences. A wave of relief washed over the priestess and gave him a small smile of gratitude, one he responded with a polite nod. Kunzite turned to look at him, "About the other points of attack, there have been—"

"Stop,"

Kunzite blinked, "Endymion?"

"I'm sorry, Kunzite... I can't..." Endymion turned slowly to look at the general and shook his head, "I need time... to sort things..." he sighed heavily, "Could you give me a moment alone, please?" He shook his head slowly, "I can't... not now."

His unexpected reaction startled everyone but given the circumstances and the condition in which the prince had returned and everything that was left unspoken and inconclusive, it was more than understandable. The tone of his request was unnegotiable. Kunzite widened his gray eyes and turned to Venus who taking his hand and nodded in complete agreement, "Of course," she answered for the general as she stood up and motioned Kunzite to come with her without reproach or asking any more questions, "We will go wait for Mercury, Jadeite, and Motoki in the living room,"

Endymion nodded and turned to change the gauze for a dry, clean one again and sighed, "Thank you, Venus."

Mars followed Venus and turned to help Jupiter stand up and walked with them out of the room. Without much anything else to say, the rest just complied to the princes' wish and turned to leave the room quietly; Venus squeezed the princess' shoulder gently before getting up as a sign of encouragement. Serenity nodded and turned to Endymion, trying her very best to sound as calm as possible, "Please let us know if you need anything, we'll be close."

She turned to get up from the futon when she felt his hand gently holding her wrist, quietly asking her to stay. The princess widened her eyes and quickly turned over her shoulder at Venus who had noticed the prince's stealthy move and smiled when she understood what he was trying to do with his abrupt interruption. On one side, she was glad to give them their time because they both needed it and on the other, despite seeing the worry in her soul sister's face, she felt relieved that she was finally going to be able to talk things with him. She needed it, they both needed it. It was time.

With a single nod, Venus turned and slid the door closed. She blinked when she saw a very curious Kunzite leaning on the hall with his arms crossed, "What—"

Venus brought a finger to her lips to motion him to lower his voice and let out a soft sigh, "Give them time, Kunzite. All I can say is that they need this... they need to have a moment for themselves regardless of what's going on outside. They need to heal first and to do that, we need to leave them alone." She held his hand and walked down the hall toward the living room; the general frowned with suspicion "You know more to this, am I correct?

"All I can say..." Venus stopped and gave him a sad glance, "All I know... is that right now... they need each other. There are things they need to say to each other so they can move on."

O—o—O

Inside the room, Serenity felt a little hopeless and a little bit scared. A couple of minutes have gone in complete silence and Endymion hadn't said anything despite being sure they were all alone. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out, trying to keep her façade.

"I think it's better if you try to rest until Furu-chan gets here," Serenity looked down at his hand still holding her wrist and felt the burn of fresh tears threatening to fall. She closed her eyes really trying her best to stay strong and let out another long breath, "I will go ask Megumi to bring you some—" her eyes widened when she felt him pulling her closer to him and putting his arms around her. All of her attempts to stay grounded crumbled like dry sand in that very moment, feeling like she was trapped in some other dream.

"Serenity," Endymion held her close in a tight embrace, his lips so close they caressed her ear, his warm breath printing his presence into her mind, "You don't have to do this anymore,"

"I-I don't... I—"

"No one is here but you and me... let it out,"

As if the words were the key to release her from her emotional prison, Serenity started shivering and broke into heavy sobs for what she felt it was like the longest of time. She clung onto him and cried without measure or grace, it was raw anguish pouring out of her, every single moment of dread and pain manifested in a heart-wrenching cry. She wished for this moment to happen for so long that now that it was here, she couldn't tell if it was real or not anymore. Endymion propped his chin on her shoulder and closed his eyes as he rubbed her back up and down and gently rocked her back and forth, paying little to no mind to his level of exhaustion, the wound on his side or the pain trying to claim over his body, "That's it baby, let it all out..." he breathed in her ear, "I'm here..."

"No, no... no!" Serenity shook her head and tightened her grip on the white clean yukata Mars gave him to wear after taking his much-needed bath, "No... you're not... this is a dream... another damn dream where you will be gone as soon as I open my eyes again... and I can't... I don't want to lose sight of you anymore..."

"You won't. My soul is yours, Serenity. I would never leave you... even when you can't see me, I am with you."

Serenity opened her eyes wide when she heard him repeat the same declaration he gave her in her recent dream, making her think they actually met somewhere in time and space. She pulled back and looked into his deep prismatic blue eyes, "W-Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because it's the truth," Endymion inched closer, "No matter where I am... I never give up your memory. I never stop putting my fate in your hands,"

"That dream..." Serenity said between choked sobs, "You said those words to me... was it you... in reality?" Endymion nodded and gently tucked a lock of silver hair behind her ear, "Yes, it was me..."

"It really happened?"

"Yes, it really happened,"

"B-But..." Serenity shook her head, still trying to understand, "H-How...?"

Endymion took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He couldn't stop looking at her, he couldn't stop touching her. His fingers combed her long fringe away from her tear-stained face and cupped her flushed cheek with his hand, finally believing he was there holding her in his arms. Finally feeling alive.

"There was a moment where our souls linked and found each other in another astral plane... we wanted so much to be together you created a safe place with scraps and pieces from your memory and guided me there, the same way you guided me here—you pray, I listen. That is the power you have over me, Serenity. You take me wherever you are. I am yours, completely yours; I surrender my existence to you, that is the meaning of my words. It's my solemn vow to you." He put his hands on each side of her face and looked into her eyes, "You are the bravest and strongest woman I know, Serenity. You are my polemarch."

Serenity closed her eyes and hung her head low. She sniffled, but it wasn't long enough before another wave of sorrow took over her and made her break into sobs again, this time, exposing the root to her suffering, "No..." she shook her head, "No... I'm far from being strong... I'm weak, so weak..."

"Don't say that,"

"It's my fault... it was my fault... I was reckless... I was careless and I have paid the most horrible price for it. I feel that no matter how much I try, I can't be at your own level of strength. I can't stay calm and collected as you do and I hate it... I hate it! I hate it!" Serenity's breathing fastened as she tried to pull back from Endymion while gasping for air, "I hate it! I'm awful... I'm awful!"

Endymion tried to keep her steady when she started showing the signs of going through a strong anxiety episode and had to put a little force and restrain her to keep her from hurting herself, "Serenity,"

"It was my fault!"

"No,"

"It was my fault, it was all my fault!"

"No,"

Serenity tried to pull back but Endymion's restraint was far stronger than the fight she could put against him to move away; her body reminded her of her condition when she started to feel weak and light headed again. At this point, she had started shaking too much to even be able to move on her own. Resigned and mortified, Serenity just let go of any attempts to break free from her husband's hold and crashed her face on his chest and started sobbing with heart-wrenching pain, "I couldn't keep our baby safe..."

There it was, she had finally let it out. Endymion closed his eyes when he felt the burn of his own tears threatening to fall, "That's not true,"

"I couldn't save our baby..."

"No,"

"I lost the most precious gift life could ever bless us with... I lost our baby!"

"Serenity..."

"I lost my most precious blessing and now I am going to lose you too! I am going to lose you too and I can't... I can't live knowing this truth! I can't live knowing I am going to lose you!" Serenity's eyes widened when she felt Endymion pushing her back enough to look at her with the most clouded shade of blue in his eyes she's ever seen; the sorrow was there and impossible to hide, there was also anger and frustration but mostly, it was a deep concern for her.

"Don't ever say that again, do you hear me Serenity?!" His voice quivered despite being low, his tears wouldn't dissipate either, "Don't you even dare! Don't you dare speak this way! Do you hear me?!" Serenity gave him the saddest of glances and shook her head, "It was my fault..."

"It wasn't your fault."

"You're mad at me..."

"Of course not! How could I?!"

"You hate me because—"

"Stop," Endymion frowned and put his hands on each side of her face, "Listen to me, Serenity. Whatever your brain is trying to convince you to believe is not true. This is your anxiety playing cruelly with you, this is your depression forcing you to give up but I'm here and I won't let you succumb to it because I love you with every fiber of my being. I love you too much to let you do this to yourself. I love you more than life itself—let the sky fall to pieces, let the Earth freeze to its very core... if you are not here, it doesn't make sense. I love you and I want you to understand that it wasn't your fault. Don't ever say or even dare to think I hate you because it would be like cursing what we've been fighting relentlessly for the last two thousand and plus years." His thumb caressed her swollen lips with gracious care and shook his head, "It wasn't your fault, you didn't kill our baby—you're not weak."

Serenity tried to speak between choked sobs but Endymion put his thumb on her lips and pulled her close to him and started rocking her back and forth again, "I will keep repeating this as many times necessary until you allow yourself to understand my words. You didn't kill our baby. You didn't lose it because you were careless or weak. It wasn't your fault." He closed his eyes and kept repeating the same thing over and over letting his own emotions take their toll on him as well. It broke his heart to hear his always quirky and always hopeful wife having an emotional breakdown of mortifying caliber. She had locked too much pain and anger inside her it had affected her mental and physical health. This was the first time he heard her cry this loud and with so much strain and unfiltered emotion, the first time he heard her choke between sobs, the first time he heard her scream with raw rage and impotence. Endymion put his own pain aside and wrapped his arms and legs around her to create a safe cocoon for her to cry and let go of all the torment she had felt over her for weeks.

Serenity held onto him to dear life as she kept weeping with desperate measure. Her mind wanted to react, she wanted to speak and break the heavy spell that was keeping her in a state she couldn't even control. It was something else, something deep inside that was purging the guilt and clenching her heart between its sharp claws. The more she heard Endymion's deep and calm voice repeating over and over again the same statement, the more she slowly felt coming to terms with what happened and the more she accepted she needed to hear this from none other than him. She sobbed, wept, screamed, cursed and cried in several intervals until she felt like she couldn't go on any longer; until her chest felt empty and her eyes had no more tears left to cry. Serenity started to feel more grounded and aware of where she was, who she was with and made a pause to finally let his words bring that much-needed sense.

"You didn't kill our baby, you weren't weak, you weren't reckless. You didn't lose the baby because you weren't strong enough or careful enough to keep it safe."

Serenity sniffled and slowly let go of his crumpled and very damp robe and gathered enough courage to look up to him "Then why did it happen?" She whispered, "Why did it happen to us?"

Endymion leaned to kiss her puffy eyes and carefully patted them dry with his sleeve, "As a doctor, I can give you a long list of reasons that could have caused your miscarriage and none of them would be linked to a lack of effort or care on your part. As your husband, I will just bluntly tell you it's nothing you did or didn't do, it simply happened. Yes, it is awfully sad, it's frustrating—it's painful. It makes you want to question and blame everything and everyone around you—it makes you curse your own existence, but, even with our unusual background, we are not exempt of these situations because it's part of being human. As brutal as it sounds... these things just happen and it is no ones' fault."

"It's unfair..."

"It's mortality, Serenity. The one thing deities never fully understood of us. The one thing that made us a point of comparison and a reason to be thought inferior and powerless."

Serenity sniffled, "I feel so guilty... I was so scared of talking about this with you... I tried to tell you... I wanted you to know but I couldn't bring myself to do it..."

"Why?"

"I was afraid I was going to lose you..."

"Serenity..."

"I was afraid you were going to hate me and leave..."

"Never," Endymion shook his head and pinched her nose gently, "Usa, come on. What kind of a person do you think I am? I would never do that to you. I would never, ever hate you. I would never pass the blame on you and leave. I have never thought you are weak but on the contrary. You are very strong for having gone through all this alone while I was dealing with a stupid existential crisis when my priority has always and should always be you. Forgive me for not being by your side to support you when all this happened... how do you think all this makes me feel? I am the one afraid of losing you."

This is when Serenity finally realized she wasn't the only one dealing with the loss and guilt. He had it too and just like it was happening to her, it was happening to him too. It broke his heart and it also made him break into tears, it also made him question everything and everyone, it also made him hate his own existence. Despite being aware and mentalized that it was something that could literally happen to anyone, he was hurting in his own way and with his own set of reasons to blame himself for the cause. The prince leaned down to her ear, "I'm sorry," he whispered between low sobs, his voice breaking with emotion, "I'm so sorry, Usako, I'm so sorry. Please... forgive me... please... forgive me..."

Serenity closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck and took a deep breath. She turned and kissed his neck, "No, no... you would never lose me, baby... never, ever. I'm never letting you go, I'm here and I love you... I love you with all my heart and soul."

"I'm so sorry..."

"I'm sorry too..."

Nervous and ashamed, Serenity finally looked up into his royal-blue eyes and took a deep breath, "How... did you find out?"

Endymion sighed softly as he gently dried his tears that had settled on her neck with his sleeve again. Things truly changed for them since that day, they both lost track of time and reality, they both dealt with madness and the pain of being apart. They both felt they couldn't carry on, they both felt loss and anger, frustration and fear—deep haunting fear.

"The day I woke up from the coma... when I touched your hand. I felt an overcoming sense of fear and loss coming from you. I felt a heart-wrenching pain and I immediately knew something had happened to you, something that went beyond simple anemia. Later I figured out what it meant: your paleness, your lack of enthusiasm, your low defenses... I saw the sadness and fear mirrored in your eyes when you asked me about how would I feel if we had a baby and also, I saw a couple of empty boxes of pregnancy tests poorly hidden underneath the wash towels in our bathroom."

Serenity pursed her lips when she remembered that moment when in a very quick attempt to keep her suspicions hidden, she put the boxes in that drawer and forgot about it later, "Ah... that..."

Endymion caressed her cheek lovingly, "There were all these red flags demanding my attention but also pleading me to keep my distance and to understand." He shook his head, "It wasn't the time—you weren't ready to talk about it because you were still trying to process what happened. That's why I wanted you to stay at home... I knew things were not easy and that the circumstances were not ideal but I wanted to try to give you as much normality as possible to get you back on your feet. You're very damn strong Serenity, stronger than me, but you were exhausted, you needed a break and I wanted to give you that. I wanted to take care of you and help you heal at your own pace and be ready to talk about it but that moment didn't come... until now..."

Serenity rubbed her eyes and sighed, trying not to break into tears again, "I learned all this too late... I—" she trailed off and shook her head, "I thought I could just... I don't know... pretend it didn't happen and focus on the bigger picture,"

"That's the thing, Usa, the bigger picture is you," Endymion tilted her chin up to meet his eyes, "To me, you are that bigger picture."

"But with everything happening, Asteria, Athamas—"

"Oh no, no, no. You can't do this—it's not fair." Endymion shook his head, waving his finger in front of her, "You can't put your own health and sanity behind those two like if they mattered. You come first—always. You matter here, to Megumi, the girls, the shitennou, your family and friends—you matter... you mean everything to me."

"You mean everything to me too but I was too scared... too ashamed..." Serenity sniffled, "I felt like a failure, I still do..."

"Well, I am asking you not to," Endymion leaned closer and dried another tear, "You are not a failure,"

"I can't stop thinking that this could be the same treatment the gods gave your mother when she was expecting you... that all this was some sort of punishment from them..."

"You can't know for certain what happened to my mother when she was expecting me; that's a different chapter—a different story. That was a battle she fought alongside my father and it's something only she could clarify then, things were different for them than how it has been for us."

"They didn't want you to be born, isn't this the same?" Serenity looked at him with hurt, Endymion sighed, "Well, no... and some still don't want me to live, but as set the gods are in their ways, it wasn't them."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because no one knew about it, Serenity. Your pregnancy easily could have been the perfect opportunity to lure me and break me. It would immediately come up when I met with Hades and he would have used it against me. It would have been something Ares have mentioned to me right away considering who we are, but also... divinity doesn't work that way. Gods don't just magically snap their fingers and change the course of things, that's why there are sailor senshi and polemarchos fighting to keep a balance in the universe, that's why they depend on Ares' celestial army... that's why they create alliances and go to war. Just imagine how different things would be if they could? The universe has divine laws, not even them, with all the power they have, can bend and break as they please."

"I can't stop thinking about it, Endymion, what if this baby was her? What if I lost her?"

"Don't do this, please," Endymion cupped her cheek and shook his head, "Don't torture yourself with those thoughts..." Serenity frowned, "Doesn't it worry you?"

"Well, yes, it does. It breaks my heart, actually, but... I really want to believe it wasn't her and also because I know it's not healthy. I can't live thinking about it because it would be miserable for the both of us and it wouldn't be fair for any other baby that might come in the future."

"See..." Serenity sighed tiredly, "That's the thing Mamo-chan..."

"What is the thing?" Endymion frowned; the princess looked at him with sadness, "That day, before I went to see Furu-chan, I stopped by to see Mama and she told me—among other things—how she couldn't get pregnant. I came to understand why I was allowed to reincarnate into this world despite being connected to the Moon. I was literally a wish—granted. My mother, the Queen, granted Ikuko-Mama the wish of having me..." Serenity sighed, "Even Queen Serenity, a Goddess with all this unimaginable power and the blessings of a sacred crystal had problems to conceive, again, I was a wish—granted."

Endymion put his arm around her shoulders for support and pulled her closer, "A granted wish is never a bad thing, Usako. It's a blessing."

"Normally, it wouldn't... but given the circumstances..." Serenity rubbed her swollen eyes, "I'm so scared..."

"I'm here, you're not alone," Endymion kissed her temple "This is never easy. Pregnancy is a coin toss in the air and with it, comes risks. This could happen to even the most fertile people in the world—trust me,"

Serenity blinked the tears that were still trapped in between her long lashes and sniffled, "Did you get to... you know... treat patients that went through this?" Endymion kissed her head again, "Yes. When I was in E.R. I got to deal with cases like these and I also had treated patients dealing with the aftermath of a miscarriage. The pain, the physical decompensation, some with severe cases of anemia or diseases that turned chronic due to the lack of iron in their bodies."

"You read me... like an open book,"

"I'm a doctor, Buns..."

"Yes..." Serenity sighed softly, "And a very good one..."

Endymion cracked a weak chuckle, "Nah... I'm just a nerd,"

"Yeah, that too." Serenity tightened her grip on his arm, "I can't... I can't stop thinking about it. What if she's the baby I lost?"

"What if she wasn't?" Endymion tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, "But, even if you give birth to a child in the future and it turns out not to be her... it won't make that baby any less special or loved, and it doesn't mean she can't come later."

"But... what if I only can have one baby?"

"That won't make any difference of what I feel for you, or that child."

"What if this happens again?"

"I'll be with you in every step of the way and we can always try again, whenever you feel ready."

"What if I can't get pregnant again soon?"

"Nobody is pressuring you to do it,"

"Society does..."

"Screw society,"

"What if I can't give you any children at all?"

"That would still won't make any difference on how I feel about you,"

"Why are you like this?"

"Like what?"

"So good to me..."

"I love you,"

"But—" Serenity's eyes widened when she felt her husband nudging her to stop, "No, no, don't give me buts—there is no room for buts anymore," his voice was calm; Serenity hugged herself and leaned her head on his chest, "Isn't that unfair?"

"Why would it be unfair?" Endymion looked down; Serenity shook her head "You staying with me under such shitty conditions,"

"The only unfair thing for me is that you keep having such shitty thoughts,"

Serenity gasped, "Mamo-chan,"

"You said it first, Usako." Endymion tapped her nose, "Bottom line, I'm not going anywhere, like it or not, you're stuck with me—you signed the papers, there's no turning back." He smiled softly when he felt her arms tightening around his back. Endymion combed his fingers through her long hair and took a deep breath, "Usa, does someone else know about this?"

"Ami-chan figured it out..." Serenity sighed softly, "Not the miscarriage, but she suspected I was pregnant and asked me right after I returned... you know... from there. But it was expected because she's a medical wizard like you. Venus and Furu-chan know this too but I asked them not to say a word to anyone..." she gave her husband a shy glance "I'm so sorry..."

"Why?" Endymion frowned, Serenity took a deep breath and exhaled, "For having told Furu-chan before I told you... he was the first one to know because I needed to be sure and asked him for a consultation and later, discuss my case with an ob-gyn specialist. One he trusted."

"I'm glad you did." Endymion caressed her cheek, "The only way I would have gotten upset about all this was finding out you didn't get any medical attention, you did the right thing, Buns,"

"That is why I went out that day..." Serenity looked at him with shame, "I needed Motoki-oniisan to tell me again about my test results that confirmed that, in fact, I had a miscarriage."

Endymion felt a sting in his chest when he started recollecting everything that happened that fateful day—the stress, the strain for them to stay together and how things eventually spiraled out of their control with horrible results. He pulled her closer to her as he leaned his head and back on the wall to release some of the tension on his lower back and mild some of the pain from his wound. He slowly closed his eyes, finally letting sink in all the information, "How far along was your pregnancy?"

"Six weeks,"

Endymion blinked his eyes open and furrowed his brows in thought when he started making numbers, "Six?"

"Yes,"

"Wait..."

"Yes,"

He looked down at her with a little shock crossing his handsome face, Serenity lay her head on his shoulder and looked up at him, "Our scientific experiment gave us more than just sleep."

Endymion's deep blue eyes widened and felt a flush taking over his cheeks when he started putting the pieces together and remembered the events that happened that night and what led to putting science to the test, "But..."

"I know, I don't know what happened either," Serenity shrugged her shoulders, "We really aren't normal,"

"Huh..."

"It's ironic..." Serenity interrupted his thoughts, "I clearly remember that night,"

Endymion blushed slightly, "Uh, well, it's kind of hard to forget, Usako... you almost die of a caffeine overdose,"

"I did not!" Serenity objected with indignation as she looked up at him wide-eyed. Endymion tapped her nose gently with a grin wide enough to lift the tension off his wife's body, "You couldn't sleep because you had like three cups of black coffee loaded with crazy amounts of sugar!"

Serenity blushed and nibbled her lower lip with her teeth, "Well, in my defense... I needed to stay awake... and I blame your stupid coffee!" She trailed off and pouted her lips, making Endymion chuckle, "Sorry Buns, nothing can justify what you did,"

"I was working!"

"Yeah... no, dear, that's still not a good excuse,"

"No... it's not good enough... it was stupid of me, I admit it. I did feel like I was going to pass out."

"It's because you were about to,"

"I couldn't sleep—it was horrible..."

"I know. You didn't let me sleep either—you kicked me several times out of frustration."

Serenity puffed her cheeks and took in a deep breath, "I remember we were talking about how Papa was a little hesitant that Shingo had started dating someone because well... he was fearful something like this happened."

Endymion caressed her cheek and leaned down to kiss her temple, "You were already pregnant when we got married,"

"Yes,"

"The brusque mood swings..."

"Yes..."

"The dizziness..."

"Yes,"

"The laziness and cravings..."

Serenity felt his arm tighten around her and broke in chuckles when she realized what he was doing to help her get out of her dark cloud—the same way she helped him whenever he was in a gloomy mood, "That's always been a thing with me, Mamo-chan."

"True," Endymion smiled at the lighter, much calmer tone of her voice, "Your father would have murdered me if he knew you got pregnant before getting married," he sighed, "I can totally picture it."

Serenity laughed and stretched her arm to cup his cheek with her hand, "We would have figured something out, we could easily have told him I got pregnant during our honeymoon..."

"Still, he would have at least said something embarrassing like 'couldn't keep it together, eh, son?'"

"A little urgent on the matters of love, aren't you?" Serenity broke in laughter as she mimicked Endymion and did her best impression of her father, "Pants were too tight for you, I suppose," Endymion laughed, "Couldn't you just keep the passion under control for a little longer?"

"You kids!"

"You kids!"

"You just got married!"

"What is the matter with you two?!"

"You're giving me too many grays... I'm getting old sooner than expected!"

"Oh my god... that's so him," Serenity's smile slowly faded, "He would also have gotten so happy after the shock..." she sighed softly; Endymion wrapped his arm around her waist, "He's your father, he would have understood... after putting us on the spot in a family reunion or something, of course,"

"Oh, yeah, totally. Oh, Papa..."

"Yeah, that is your Papa alright,"

"Endymion..."

"Mm?"

"Did you find him?"

"Who?"

"Your father,"

Endymion's eyes widened and looked down at his wife with shock. Serenity drew back and sat again to be face to face with him, "Did you?" Endymion let out a heavy sigh, realizing what it must have happened, "You know..."

"Yes,"

"Kunzite told you,"

"I literally cornered him to tell me the truth, please don't be angry at him. It wasn't easy to crack his loyalty code but I was trying to put the pieces together and try to understand what happened and why you didn't come back with me..." Serenity tilted her head, it was her time to set the record straight and talk to him about their meeting and departure in the underworld, "But also... it was your mother..."

"What?" Endymion widened his eyes with surprise, "My mother?"

"Queen Gaia came to me in a dream, she comforted me and told me that your father was taken away from her in an act of revenge."

"Mater..." Endymion looked down with tear-glossed eyes, "You saw her... you saw my mother?"

Serenity slowly nodded, "Yes,"

"How is she?"

"Beautiful,"

Endymion closed his eyes with a sad smile gracing his lips, "She is one beautiful mystery, yes," he sighed, "I'm glad... I'm glad you could..."

Serenity looked at him with worry, "Mamo-chan, why didn't you tell me?"

The mention of his mother, coming to his beloved wife's aid lifted Endymion's spirit. Not only she had been watching over him from a distance and even went to wake him up from his almost dead state but she was watching over Serenity and keeping her with her feet grounded. He felt his eyes burn with more tears because no matter how close they have been they still haven't seen each other. There is always an invisible curtain keeping them from seeing eye to eye. With a heavy sigh to put his emotions back in order, Endymion looked at her and shook his head, "Because you were dealing with the loss of our baby, Usa. I couldn't bring this up so casually. I wanted you to heal first," he took a breath, "I was going to talk to you but..." he shook his head, showing his anger, "That bitch stood in our way,"

"Asteria,"

"Yes, Asteria."

Serenity bit her lip in thought, "But... when we were there... when you sent me back..." she looked at him with tears shimmering in her eyes, "Why didn't you tell me then?"

Endymion pushed his hair back with slight annoyance for its unusual length and shook his head, "Because you needed to come back to recover. If I told you then, you would have done something to stay and where I was going was not remotely close to what you witnessed or something I wanted you to see."

"Is it true then?" Serenity looked into his deep blue eyes, "You made a pact with Hades?"

Endymion nodded, "Yes, it's true. For me to get to you faster, I made a deal with him that allowed me to find you in Thanatos and send you back with Saturn,"

"And... that deal..." Serenity frowned, "What was the price for that deal?"

Endymion raised his hands to let the long sleeves slid down and expose the marks on his wrists that proved the binding contract between them. Serenity widened her eyes and looked at him with fright and shook her head, "No, no... no... why?! Why did you do that!?"

"I was desperate to find you..."

"But at the cost of your own life?!"

"It was the least of my worries, I had to do it to get to you at any cost and I also needed to find him," Endymion sighed, "Ares informed me the King was thrown in Tartarus like the lowest of demons—he was left there to die in the slowest and cruelest way possible, paying for a crime he never committed. Once I made sure that you could return home safely, I mentalized myself that I had to go all the way down there to find him too. I couldn't leave him behind—I had to do it, but I had to do it alone because I knew Hades would take it as another opportunity to do something else that would put you more at risk and I couldn't allow that, at any cost." He shut his eyes and rested his forehead on hers, "It killed me to see you go—it broke my heart not being able to say all this out loud and be by your side during this hard time but I did it to protect you. My silence was my best bet but even so, I cannot ignore how much pain I have caused you and it's something I've dealt with every passing minute. I don't deserve you, Serenity, I really don't deserve you... none of this is fair to you."

Serenity felt the heaviness in his voice and quickly propped on her knees to be at his height on the futon and wrapped her arms around his neck to draw him closer to her; she clung to him like if her life depended on that moment and shook her head, "No, what it isn't fair is how they have been trying to break us apart." Her fingers curled in his long hair and took a deep breath, "All I wanted was for you to come home... ever since we parted ways, I knew you were trying to tell me something and in so many ways I started getting the clues you left me... I even asked Megumi to teach me Latin,"

Endymion blinked with surprise, "You did?"

"Yes,"

"Really?"

"Yes... I was so blinded by grief that I needed to know at least a little but I couldn't find the answers I needed... but don't get too excited, I couldn't learn much, I'm horrible at it. I butchered the language."

Endymion let out a weak chuckle, "My, my... I thought that was how you brought me back,"

"That... I am sure it was pure magic."

"Hmm..."

"Mamo-chan..." Serenity turned her head and kissed his neck softly, "I don't know if this is it—if this is how Crystal Tokyo comes to be but I don't care about how much I have to give up—" With this, Endymion shook his head and jerked back, interrupting her, "No, stop. Please, don't tell me that,"

"Sacrifice is part of the future—" Serenity blinked, startled. Endymion frowned with displeasure, "No. That is not something I can accept. If I learned something from all the turmoil we've been going through for the last couple of months, is that you don't have to sacrifice your peace of mind to get to a certain stage in your life and be where you want to be—where you feel you need to be. Sacrifice should never be a step in life, sure, it's not easy and one must work really hard... but that's life in general. To be happy, you have to keep being you and you have to keep doing what you feel is right—for you. As selfish as it sounds." He leaned closer to brush his lips on hers and closed his eyes, taking in the intimacy of the moment, "I can't give you a straight answer as to what's going to happen once this is over. If I take my father's place as king, what changes are going to be made. It's my duty, yes, I am part of a dynasty that requires me to stand in the line and protect this planet in any way that I can. I am fine with it, but you don't have to let go of your essence—you are free to decide what you want to do."

Serenity leaned closer and held his hand close to his heart, "I want to be where you are. I want to be your equal and protect this planet together, if you take your place as king, I'll take mine as queen. I too have a throne I must serve and honor but most importantly, I want to create a world where we belong and where we can live free."

"Then, that should be Crystal Tokyo. Our biggest mistake was to think we must model our time to what we saw in the 30th Century. That is the present in another time, a reality that happened in another plane. Maybe that will happen eventually, far into the future if the circumstances require for us to make other decisions, but we can't live with that idea plastered in our minds. This is the present, this is us now." Endymion tightened his grip on her hand and looked at her with confidence, "Be the queen you think it is best for this planet and its inhabitants, but most importantly, be the queen you want to be without sacrificing your own freedom and happiness—don't silence your beautiful voice. Do not bind yourself to the image of the queen you met years ago—do not believe that is who you should become if your ideals and goals have changed. I know that for sure. I do not see you as a woman encased in a crystal palace, it doesn't make sense to me since all you have wanted ever since I met you is to be free, to be of help to people—not an adornment. I see a fearless woman that wants to be involved in every matter, a soldier that steps in and takes my place when I am not around like the true leader she is. Times were different back then, Serenity, so was your age and your ideals, but this is us, now. Things changed for us and we must work things out according to our time and our own experiences. Pluto never said that was a definite future—not even she can tell what is going to happen and what's not."

"Endymion..." Serenity felt like if a hundred sacks of sand were lifted off her shoulders, she knew this but somehow, she needed to hear it from him. The rightful guardian of this planet, the future king and it's polemarch, "Do you think we can do it? Do you think we can be a king and a queen that can still grasp freedom and normalcy? That we can somehow still feel like us?"

"Yes,"

"Do you think I can still be your Usa and you my Mamo-chan?"

"Absolutely, baby. That will never change. That's who we are." Endymion nodded and brought her hand to his lips, "We aren't normal, Usako, that's a given... but that doesn't mean we can't make things work. That doesn't mean we've changed. We will figure something out and live the best of both worlds, as you told me more than once,"

"Do you think we still be able to do the things we like?"

"Yes. And I think we will, Buns. We will find a way. This planet is not just mine anymore, it became yours the moment you chose me as your partner. Remember that what's mine is yours, even the things you can't see but you know that I have, are yours."

"You are more than just my partner, you are my everything." Serenity smiled and let a new batch of tears roll down her cheeks, "I love you so much," Endymion wiped her tears with his thumbs, "I love you madly,"

"I missed you so much..."

"I missed you too, you have no idea..."

Endymion leaned to prove his declaration with a passionate kiss that reminded their selves how much they belong to each other and how much they can work as one to tear down any obstacle that stands in their way. After several minutes of pure bliss and emotion, they parted to gasp for air and looked into their eyes. Her hand cupped his cheek and exhaled, feeling much more relieved and much more like herself, "I was so scared... I thought you didn't love me anymore..."

"What?!" The prince blinked surprised and jerked his head back, "Why would you think such horrendous thing?!" Serenity pouted her lips, "Because when you returned you didn't want me close, you didn't want to touch me and you pushed me away several times,"

Endymion tilted his head and gave his wife a kind smile, "Baby, I came straight from hell's wasteland—literally. I was infested with poison, debris, gore, and all kinds of putrid matter. If I did, you would have gotten infected. That's why I didn't want anyone to come near me and threw all that blessed water from the temizuya over me—I needed to wash all that off. Thank goodness for the soap, toothbrush and razor Mars gave me afterward to clean and feel better—more like myself." He looked at her and cupped her cheek, "I was a sack of infection and disease,"

"And this?" Serenity combed his long hair back, Endymion sighed, "That... I need scissors to take care of it."

"It's not bad—strange, but not bad."

"Hmm..."

"So, you really went there..." Serenity blinked in realization, "You really went to hell,"

"No," Endymion combed her hair back, "I went to the place hell is not even a point of comparison, love. I went to Tartarus—the land of the tortured and corrupt. A pit of pure hatred and insanity," he rubbed his tired eyes, "I went all the way down. Where underneath all that waste, my father had been left imprisoned for two thousand and plus years like the worst of criminals."

"You did find him,"

"Yes,"

Serenity looked down and widened her eyes with panic when she saw the wound still open on his side, "Mamo—" the prince put a finger on her lips and shook his head, "It's okay, I am trying to keep it under control. I can't focus all of my energy on it because that would disbalance other things I am doing to stabilize this planet's lack of energy, but I'm alright."

"It's still bleeding..."

"I'll be alright,"

Serenity looked at him without a single trace of fear, "Who did this to you?" Endymion turned to grab a new dry sterile gauze and threw the other in the bag next to the futon and flinched when he put pressure again, "Athamas,"

Serenity's eyes widened once he confirmed what Ares had told her earlier, "It—it doesn't make sense... he... you..." she took a hasty breath and shook her head in panic, "He died... you ki—"

"—He's possessed, Serenity. He's completely lost under Chaos' control. His tortured mind is valuable energy for him and he's feeding on his hatred and ambition. The Andromedian is a tool, he's always been... even before he met you, he was already under a dark influence." Endymion flinched again and cleared his throat, "Which explains why he's the one who broke Chaos' seal. He used his mind to take control over things and that's who Asteria was working for—she kidnapped you to lure me there and set him free."

Serenity shook her head, still trying to process the information; Endymion took a deep breath, "Tetigit potest frangi sigillum lumine solis—The seal can be broken by one touched by the light of the Sun. The key to breaking the seal put on him was by blood—my blood." He turned to make sure his sword was close, "I had already found my father when Athamas appeared. We were caught up in a fight when he grabbed the dagger from my belt and stabbed me with it,"

"What happened to the King, Mamo-chan?"

"Before going to the Underworld, Pluto gave me two space-time keys. I used one to send you and Saturn back—the other was meant for me to get out of Tartarus with my father, but I was too exhausted... the wound and the poison from that place had maxed out my energy, so, with the remains of it, I used it on him and sent him away instead, relying on the certainty that you would pray for me and bring me back to you. When you took me into this astral dream, you guarded my soul when Chaos was breaking free, you saved me from dying. We stayed together for as long as you slept and when you woke up, my soul returned to my body and entered in some state of unconsciousness, until your prayer woke me up and guided me here."

"My prayer..." Serenity blinked still surprised by the immense power she felt flowing through her the moment she spoke the words in ancient tongue, knowing for sure the power in the golden pendant might have something to do with it. She let out a soft sigh, "Chaos is really free... this is why all this is happening, the portals, the demon leaks..."

"I am certain there are more deities involved in all this, Ares confirmed it." Endymion sighed and put the sword and dagger away, "But his desire to make everyone miserable is latent and he has already begun to make himself noticed. As of now, he's already taken possession of Olympus and it won't be long until he tries to take over and achieve what Galaxia wasn't able to do." He looked down for her hand and laced his fingers with hers and gave her a serious glance, "Serenity... I am going after him. I need to—I have to. It's my duty and something that needs to be done to get rid of this damn curse and stigma once and for all. I have to take Chaos down for the sake of this planet, for our sake, and my family's memory. I need to take their honor away of his cursed shadow because that is not who we are or what we stand for. As Helios' descendants, we are born, chosen, and trained to fight for a reason that should never be linked to evil. Chaos and I are the last ones standing, we are the last ones carrying Helios' blood and legacy running through our veins but we aren't the same. We have different stances and beliefs that will make this a complicated battle. Hybrid or not, I need to fight. He should not be the one last standing. He's beyond demonic nature, Serenity, he is a creator of void and a bearer of dementia. He's powerful, yes, but his shadow has fallen over us for far too long and it has to stop and to do that, Chaos must die."

Serenity saw the determination of his words reflected in the shifting ultramarine undertones in his rich- colored eyes, it was a truth neither of them could ignore and unlike she did when she destroyed the cauldron and threw Galaxia in to restore the balance in the universe and bring peace back. She always knew it was something that would eventually happen again—a dormant presence that was waiting for the slightest opportunity to spur back again. She beat Galaxia like a true soldier but now it was up to Endymion to defeat the physical manifestation of darkness. It was more than clear to Serenity what Endymion was trying to say. What he was pleading her to understand between the lines.

In order to fight Chaos, he had to break all restrains and become as violent and merciless as him. This was a warning, a plead for her to stay strong and to believe he is not like him, that he is not the monster everyone thinks he is but how even so, he had to take drastic measures to get things done. This is the duty of a polemarch. Their fate is to deal with war and bloodshed up front with their mindset for annihilation; different from a soldier born and being chosen by cosmic fate to make use of divine power. They both worked in parallel to keep peace and order in the universe, they both fought for a common good, they both target and eliminate dangerous threats and enemies but their duties, their upbringing, and performance are different. A polemarch is chosen and must be qualified to be strictly trained to kill and perform with sharp merciless skill. A sailor senshi is born divine and with the duty to defend and protect with the blessings of their cosmic home. Sailor senshi are regal soldiers, they serve to guard the beauty and bring much-needed balance to the universe to counteract the havoc and murder polemarchos leave behind after the war. Never meeting but knowing each one exist. Even with such a bitter and brutal fact ringing in the back of her mind, Serenity came to terms with it. She and Endymion were soldiers, both with the same objective set in their minds but with a different approach and she respected it.

Serenity looked down at his hand still holding hers and nodded, fully aware of his mission, "I understand," she looked up and made strong eye contact with him that matched his in intensity and authority, "But I also want you to understand that I will fight by your side. That I won't lose sight of you again and I won't let you lose yourself into the madness he wants you to fall. If things go out of control, I will be there to protect you and bring you back if you lose your ground. Let me be your anchor." Her voice held no room for negotiation, "I will fight the way I know how, the way I learned, and later you taught me. I will fight with everything I have and I will not yield under any circumstance." Her grip became stronger, "Are we clear on that, Polemarchos of Terra?"

Endymion brought her hand to his chest and bowed his head in deep respect, "Yes, Sailor Moon. I hear you, loud and clear."

Serenity blinked, "Mamo-chan?"

"You have always been my anchor. I need your help. I want to fight by your side, Usako." He said lowly. After a minute, he looked up at her and put his fist up, waiting for her to seal the deal. Serenity smiled, she leaned closer and bumped her fist with his, "This is it, we will do this together," Endymion nodded, "We will do this together."

"Whatever it takes,"

"Whatever it takes,"

"No more hidden messages,"

"No more hidden messages,"

"Good, because I'm not very good with that..."

Endymion smiled, "Yes, Princess. I will tell you the codes in Latin,"

"No, no, no... no..." Serenity shook her head, startling Endymion and making him laugh, "What?"

"That's a hidden message! See? You're already breaking the code, Mamo-chan!"

"I need to share some battle words with you that will come in handy for where we are out fighting,"

"Okay, fine, but easy ones..."

"Hey! You said you asked Megumi to teach you Latin!"

"Well, yes, but that doesn't mean I'm fluent! My pronunciation is horrendous!"

"Usa..."

Serenity chuckled, "Come on, Mamo-chan, it's me," Endymion stared at her completely dumbfounded for a minute and finally broke into laughs, like rays of sunshine, the gesture warmed Serenity's heart and leaned closer to squeeze his cheeks with her hands, forcing his lips into a cute pout. She chuckled as she leaned her forehead on his, "I will fight with all I have,"

"I-know-Buns. I-know-you-will." Endymion muttered with his puckered lips and winked an eye at her, spurring her confidence, "You're a badass."

"To the Moon and back—"

"To the world we belong. Let's make it a reality once and for all."

O—o—O

"I think she stopped crying. I don't hear noises coming from their room, anymore." Jupiter said with relief; Mars sighed softly and leaned her head on the Amazon's shoulder, "I can't blame her. This has been a very emotional time, especially for her."

"They need this time," Nephrite said softly as he sat on the large carpet, next to the coffee table, "It is only fair," Jupiter nodded "Maybe they fell asleep,"

"I can't help but notice that even though the prince has returned, the ambient is still very gloomy—it is supposed to be 4 in the afternoon and it looks like it's 10 in the evening." Artemis muttered while looking out the window, "The clouds in the sky are so thick and dark, not a single stream of light can filter in."

"Endymion is probably monitoring Earth's status, but I know for a fact that it takes more than just will to put everything back the way it was." Kunzite said softly, "He's wounded and weak, but we still need to know what comes next—what happened to him during his time in the Underworld." He turned to Saturn and sighed, "And if the Lord of the Dead had something to do with his return,"

"Of course," Saturn nodded, "I understand,"

"Can you sense something, anything, Lady Saturn?" Nephrite turned to the youngest of the soldiers, but Saturn shook her head, "The moment Princess Serenity returned, Hades shut down all connections. I know these portals were from the Underworld but I can't make any contact with him."

"I do not want to make matters worse, but it would be terrible if he joined forces with Chaos." Uranus said from her place on the couch, "That would only complicate things,"

"I will return to the fourth dimension." All eyes were now on Pluto who sat quietly next to Saturn since they returned from battle, "My place is right at the gates of time. If I can prevent more damage filtering into this planet or at least know who is behind this, who is opening those portals, I have to do it,"

"Pluto, that is too dangerous," Neptune turned with worry, "It would put you in great danger—"

"It's suicidal," Uranus joined her lover in the argument, "We can't—"

"It's my duty, Uranus, Neptune," Pluto turned to look at them with a somber glare, "It is what Chronos ordered me to do when he left his post."

"I don't think division is what Serenity needs right now," Venus looked up at Pluto, then turned to Kunzite, "This is the time for Senshi and Shitennou to work in a strategy together. We all have different powers and abilities and the Outer Senshi are our pillars of strength and you are a part of it. We need you here, I, need you here. I am not letting you put yourself in danger."

Pluto widened her garnet eyes, "Venus..."

"This isn't that future where you are to be left alone to guard the gates, Pluto, you are our friend. You are family and family sticks together. You were reborn in this planet for a reason." Venus arched her brow with authority, "This is an order from the first in command. You stay put. You stay with us."

The sound of heated footsteps startled the girls and generals, "They're back," Artemis said with alert when Jadeite made an appearance with Zoisite; Jupiter quickly stood up and frowned with worry, "Did you—"

"I'm here," Motoki walked into the living room with Mercury looking completely distraught, "Where is he?"

---

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.

Side Notes: The word 'Polemarchos' stands for who is a senior commander. A leader of a large army. In many books, and encyclopedias (yes, I have those) it's used as both, polemarchos or polemarch with the first option being more sided to how it's pronounced and its Greek origins.

The scientific experiment Usagi and Mamoru are talking about is a reference you will find in the collection of extra chapters, Divinity: A day in the life, "You can quirkiness in aisle five, next to the cereals."

A/N: I would like to take a moment to thank every single one of you. You, who have joined me on this long, long journey. You who have reviewed, read any story, any chapter. You who have stuck with me on each season. You who enjoy the story-thank you. Thank you so much. Divinity will continue with IV (season title still yet to be revealed as Fates and the Afterlife continues), maybe not at the same pace, but there is still more to come and it would be one hell of an adventure if we stayed together for that ride as well.

I want to wish you the very best on this new year that is upon us. New experiences, challenges, and adventures. I wish for you endless amounts of creativity, love, health, work. A cozy roof above your head, warm food, warm clothes, and a warm bed. I wish for you to enjoy every single minute of your days, every breath you take may be filled with joy. I wish all the good in the world, to you, my reader, follower, and friends. (you know who you are)

Happy new year!

-Nebelflecke,