She received endless praise over her work, and soon she was working on the other planets of the solar system, at big events, marriages, funerals, and such. She relished every moment off of Earth, because it was obvious that Endymion's council of advisors he had expressed a need to have was pressuring him to chose a bride, and though he had resisted any such efforts before, it seemed like his resolve was wearing thin. The thick-headed men on his elite council, according to Minako, with whom Usagi had become fast friends with, again, were unable to comprehend the idea that none of the senshi were likely to die anytime soon, so therefore there was no real need for a wife, and inevitably, a heir.
That reminded Usagi of the reason that the senshi would live as long as they would. From the glimpses of the future that they had been allowed back during the Black Moon attacks, the reason the senshi would live long and still look young was due to the Silver Crystal Usagi still possessed. She also remembered Chibi-Usa's tales of where it had been kept, and she hoped that Endymion hadn't changed the layout of the palace that they knew of.
One night she was sure that the senshi currently at the Palace, as well Endymion and most of the important courtiers, were occupied with one of the many balls and dinners hosted at the Crystal Palace, Usagi left her room stealthily. She knew that if she wanted to, she could simply become invisible to most prying eyes, but she wanted the thrill of a challenge. Her rooms were not really far from Endymion's but by no means close. And she still got lost among the many hallways. Granted, she did remember how it was when the senshis had gone forward in time, but she hadn't visited all of the palace, and when she had visited the King and Queen's rooms she had come from a different direction. It's like a small town in here, Usagi thought after almost ten minutes searching for the right corridor.
Finally finding it, Usagi glanced around for servants or anyone at all, and, seeing and hearing no one, she slipped down the hall, to stop before Endymion's impressive door.
Okay, now that I'm here, I figure out this lock, find the blessed room, and get out of there before any one realizes there's someone in there. Of course, there's probably ultra-high security, as well as guards around here somewhere, even when the bloody King isn't around. Paranoid fools. Her opinion of Endymion had gone down drastically after she had left, even though her heart still longer for him. Goddess damned fate! She cursed in her mind. For all she agreed with Mamoru that she didn't want fate to rule her life, even thinking about him distracted her.
Back to the problem at hand, Usagi. She focused on the lock, sensing that there was only a simple spell that she assumed he had learned when he had become King. The lock would recognize his energy signature, and none other's unless he told it in advance to either stay open or to allow whomever he chose in a head of time. Well, fate's gonna help me here. I didn't spend all those years working as a senshi with him and not pick up anything at all. She placed the feeling that she always associated with Mamoru's magic into the spell, and smiled gleefully when she felt the magical tumblers fall into place, and the door opened smoothly before her.
She entered the opulent parlor type room the opened onto more rooms. She gazed appreciatively at the expensive furniture, blushing slightly at pictures that she recognized as being from the Silver Millennium, most of which had her somewhere in it, or more modern ones that she had taken herself. Exploring some of the rooms off of the parlor, she finally saw the bedroom, and entered, seeing everything as she remembered. So fate isn't so bad after all, my dear Prince, if you've kept to the layout we saw when we came here. She snorted at that thought, somehow deriving much pleasure from the hypocrisy. Spying the door she was looking for, and also sensing the wards placed on the room, it merely reassured her thoughts.
Neatly disabling the wards, so that they would reform themselves after she left, Usagi pushed open the ornate door to see the exact same room from Chibi-Usa's description of it back during the Demando attacks. Right down to the empty holding globe for the Crystal. Usagi's face was suddenly expressionless as she called on her power, bringing forth the Silver Crystal from within her, where she held it for safekeeping. It was not that she didn't think that her space-pocket thing all the senshis had would hold it just as well, it was only that the other senshis could have easily found it there. She hadn't wanted it found until now, when it wouldn't be traced back to her. The Dark Moon attacks were coming, and the senshis would need the Crystal, even if they would never be able to wield it as well as she did.
Gently lifting the glass globe from the pedestal, Usagi placed the gleaming crystal into it's rightful place. The nearly audible click as it rested in the hollow formed in the cushion surprised her, and she almost suspected her mother's hand in the creation of the stand. She replaced the globe, and retreated from the room quickly, feeling the wards fall back into place behind her. You know, I could've been a very good thief, if I had wanted, she thought. The idea amused her. She could picture it: former Sailor Moon, sneaking about, thieving from the very people she had sworn to protect.
However, before she reached the door, she heard voices beyond the outer door. I must've miscalculated how long they would be at the ball. Shitmatta! she cursed. Wincing when she realized she hadn't replaced the lock on the outside doors, she shoved the thought away, focusing on her more immediate problem. Endymion would surely know that someone had been in here...
Spying an open window, she scurried over to it, as she heard the startled exclamations from the King. The outside door opened, and she knew that she had better move or be discovered. She had just escaped out of the two story window when the door to the bedroom had opened, and she prayed that she hadn't been seen. Landing easily, her training helping, she ran off into the night, praying to all Gods and Goddesses listening to get her out of this one.
Evidently someone had heard, as she had no calls on her at all that night, or any the following the days, while the senshis were apparently off on some mission. She heard, of course, about the incident, and the renewed search for Sailor Moon, whom the senshis now were firm in their belief was still alive.
Little do they know that Sailor Moon died the moment her soul-mate said he no longer loved her. Her bitter thoughts reflected on her drawings, her hobby that she kept hidden from everyone. She never told anyone the art that adorned her walls was by her, and glowed only on the inside every time she received compliments. Her drawings often reflected dark days and nights, which reminded her of the day she had left, the way she had been feeling that day. She also often drew the lake that had been near her house, from all different angles, so that she doubted anyone would recognize it as being the same lake over and over.
By the time that the senshis had exhausted their search once again, finding nothing, Usagi was nearly ready to yell at them in frustration, to make them see that they shouldn't be concentrating on her, they should be focusing on the crystal. One of them had to learn to use it, before Crystal Tokyo was besieged by the Dark Moon, as they knew from the past. A thought came to her, one day as she drew alone in her rooms, that maybe, just maybe, the senshis of here and now no longer remembered the past. She'd overheard Setsuna talking to someone about time paradox, and though she hadn't heard all of the conversation, one thing that still stood out in her mind was one of the fundamental rules. If the knowledge that someone gained would change what must happen, in the future or the past, the knowledge would be erased. They would no longer remember, and every time they thought of the subject, their mind would sort of slip past, diverting interest.
Usagi continued to watch them closely, and when Sailor Mercury finally put forth the notion that maybe one of the senshis should learn to wield the crystal, she nearly jumped for joy. Now her conscience could rest in peace, knowing that even her mistakes would not destroy those she loved, if only they were smart enough to do what they must.
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There ya go, everybodies, chapter three! Sorry it took so long, I kinda lost my train of thought for this one... Ah well, and FF.Net was being stupid again. Please R/R??