The Moon Princess and the Earth Prince are in love, and Queen Serenity must decide what to do about it. If only the solution could drop out of the sky. Anime Canon. Written for Queen Serenity's 30th Anniversary.

Rated: T - Family/Hurt/Comfort - Words: 2,029 - Queen Serenity, Chibi Chibi/Sailor Chibi Chibi Moon, Princess Serenity, Prince Endymion

The dawn was still hours away when Queen Serenity peeked through the tiny gap in her drapes. Through the window, she gazed down at the dark, deserted gardens of the Moon Palace, and the hooded figure traversing them.

She sighed with exasperation. Her beloved daughter still had much to learn about being…

Bump!

"Ow, ow, ow."

…inconspicuous…

Queen Serenity picked at her lunch as the councillors around her continued to drone on.

"Sailor Pluto, as always, confirms no activity within the Space/Time Corridor your Majesty," said one councillor with a beard almost as pale as the ruff around his neck.

"We have also detected no stirrings from Sailor Saturn, my Queen" cawed a lone Koronian perched on the man's neck.

"However," began a woman in a regal teal stoga, "the Neptunian astronomers claim to have sighted some kind of astrological body on the very fringes of our Solar System."

"Oh?" said Queen Serenity, raising her eyebrow. "A comet?"

The councillor shrugged. "I am afraid we can't yet confirm anything. Allegedly the body phased beyond detection. For all we know the astronomer was just imagining things."

"Hmmm, keep investigating."

The councillor bowed her head. "As you command, my Queen."

Queen Serenity turned her gaze back to the elder councillor. "Tell me about…her?"

Queen Serenity's mind conjured the visage of a beautiful, yet terrifying, woman with golden eyes and a mane of curly black hair.

"Rest assured, the witch's prison is secure, your Majesty."

Queen Serenity could hardly fail to note the barely concealed annoyance upon the faces of her other councillors. The sight tempted her to confess all. Confess that Elysion had been invaded. How the invader had confronted its high priest. And how she had fixed her predatory stare upon little Serenity. That, more than anything else, had convinced her to seal that nightmarish queen away for good. Against her better judgement, she once again decided to save a full discussion of the witch for another day, the memories of those awful auric orbs still too haunting for her.

"And what of the Earth," she said, in a voice slightly louder than was strictly necessary.

"Our spies have gathered that anti-Lunarian sentiments are still on the rise, your highness," said the white cat sat across from the elder councillor. "Whilst the number of staunch opponents to your rule is still too low to be a threat, we have not yet located the source of the movement itself," concluded Artemis.

"Hmmm, that is most concerning." There was a faint note of anxiety underpinning the last word. A little too quickly, Queen Serenity turned her attention to her last councillor. "Luna?"

The ebony feline next to Artemis needed no further prompting. "Um…the Princess is in good health, your Majesty. And in even better spirits than usual."

Queen Serenity's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. "I have noticed."

Luna's eyes by contrast were wide and clearly nervous. "Yes…well…we, um…we have in fact discovered…discovered why that is."

Queen Serenity sat back in her chair and, whilst maintaining her composure, braced herself to hear what she already knew.

As her daughter clumsily re-entered the palace, Queen Serenity quietly pulled apart the drapes, opened the glass doors, and exited onto the balcony. Taking a seat, she drank in the sight of the massive sapphire amidst the inky black sky. She had gazed upon the Earth countless times, but tonight its beauty seemed to mock her.

In her weaker moments, she felt resentment for the Earthlings' ungratefulness, their sheer audacity and belligerence in spite of all she had done for them. More often however, she wondered if she had in fact made a mistake. Her intention had always been to help and shepherd the Earthlings towards a better future. But could she have in fact been condescending towards them?

Vaguely, she noted a patch of shadow above her.

Perhaps they would prefer to have made their own way, even at the risk of harming themselves. They had their own royal family after all, and plenty of autonomy. But at the end of the day… not complete autonomy. Would giving that to them quell these rising tensions? Or were they simply resentful of all the Moon Kingdom had? Not just their long lives, or even their rule over the rest of the Solar System, but the power of the Silver Crystal itself.

They wouldn't dare try to take it of course. So long as she had the Silver Crystal the Silver Millennium was safe from any human invasion. But of course…there were other ways to wage war.

The shadow grew larger. Queen Serenity hardly noticed, her mind having already drifted back to her daughter. She hadn't really needed to be told of course; a mother simply knew these things.

Serenity and Endymion. The Prince of Earth and the Princess of the Moon. Even years ago, such a pairing would've strained diplomatic relations. Now though, it could ignite a proverbial tinder box.

No. The stakes were simply too high.

Not only were their dalliances potentially endangering both kingdoms, but if Endymion was in truth their enemy, then Serenity might be in immediate danger. Whilst she trusted the Inner Senshi, it would only take one mistake for her daughter to be abducted; or worse. Their relationship, their secret meetings, they simply had to stop.

There was a small rumbling sound from above, like faint thunder off in the distance.

Her daughter could have tonight. One last night to bask in the warm glow of young love, before her heart had to be broken. The prospect threatened to break Queen Serenity's own heart. But such was the nature of monarchy; and motherhood for that matter.

She knew what she had to do.

Were there another way, any other way, she would jump at the chance. Alas, there wasn't, and, for the sake of the kingdom's future, for Serenity's future even, she could not afford to waste any more ti-

A large black ball suddenly dropped from the sky.

"What on-"

Queen Serenity was cut off as the balcony was ignited in a flash of pink light!

Bump!

"Ow, ow, ow."

It took a moment for Queen Serenity's vision to clear. Even when it had, she was utterly baffled by what she saw before her.

"Oh my!" Queen Serenity swiftly rose to her feet and ran over to the little girl. "Are you alright," she knelt down and helped the child to her feet.

"Yes, I think so. I just…huh!?" If Queen Serenity had been confused, it was nothing compared to the expression on the little girl's face.

"What's wrong?" She said, repressing a smile. Reflexively, she'd adopted the same soothing tone she'd used when Serenity was younger and had hurt herself.

"You…You're…"

"Oh, yes of course." The girl was clearly stunned to be in the presence of royalty. "I am indeed-"

"My Grandm-!?" The pink haired girl's eyes widened with shock and her hands flew to her mouth, feebly entrapping the last few syllables.

Queen Serenity stood still, silent, and stunned.

"Your…Your grand…"

"Something must've gone wrong again when you tried to return home, Small Lady." Queen Serenity's gaze returned to the balcony, searching for the new speaker. "An after effect of Nehalennia's magic perhaps?"

"Nehalennia!?"

"Diana!" hissed the little girl, her hands still locked over her mouth.

"Oops!"

Behind the girl's leg, Queen Serenity spotted a tiny grey Mautian kitten. A kitten that looked rather like Luna and Artemis.

"But…But how…How could I be yo-?" It was at that moment Queen Serenity noticed the golden key hanging around the pink-haired child's neck. "Th-That's…"

Like the little girl who so resembled her, Queen Serenity's eyes widened.

"You… You're…You're really…"

Tentatively, she reached out, gently taking a hold of the girl's hands.

The little girl, this 'Small Lady', hesitated for a second before dropping her hands completely.

Her face now unobscured, Queen Serenity drank in every curve and dimple of her granddaughter's face, shakily brushing away soft strands of pink hair. Something had taken a grip in her chest. Something she'd felt long ago. Long ago, when she'd held her daughter for the very first time.

"…Is this a dream…" she whispered.

Small Lady's red eyes wavered for a moment before locking with her grandmother's silver ones. "I'd know if it was. I'm sort of an expert on dreams. My boyfr… oh…"

Small Lady had noticed before Queen Serenity herself had. Instinctively, the Queen wiped away the tears and took her granddaughter's face in her hands.

Small Lady began to tear up herself and moved in slowly, embracing the still kneeling Queen. They remained like that for several minutes before a small voice piped up.

"Small Lady…" said the kitten, "… we cannot stay here. Mistress Serenity and Master Endymion will be upset if they ever found ou-"

"What…What was that…?"

The girl looked almost scared when Queen Serenity broke their embrace.

"She said…she said Mistress Serenity…

Queen Serenity's eyes dashed to the gardens below.

"...and Master…

Her gaze shifted up, falling upon the blue world hanging suspended in space.

"Then…Then your father is…"

Small Lady said nothing. However, her silence was answer enough.

BANG!

BANG!

"Your majesty, is everything alright!?" called out a guard from beyond her bed chamber. Evidently the sound and light of Small Lady's arrival had not gone unnoticed.

"You must go!"

Queen Serenity hastily removed the golden key from Small Lady's neck and placed it into her hand.

"I can't go now!" she protested. "What if I've done something to ruin the future!"

"Listen to me." The soothing tone had returned to Queen Serenity's voice as she pressed her palm to her granddaughter's heart. "You haven't ruined anything." Her own heart buzzed with an unbridled energy, an unbridled joy. She knew what she had to do. "You might just have forged the future for me, for your parents, for everyone. No go!"

Reluctantly, the child raised the key, uttered an enchantment to Chronos and, along with the black sphere and grey kitten, began to disappear.

"Goodbye, Grandmother."

"Goodbye, my sweet Small Lady."

With that, Queen Serenity's granddaughter vanished.

"Good morning Mother," chirped Serenity as she sat down at the breakfast table. "What's wrong? You look a little tired."

Queen Serenity gazed at the young woman for a moment before reaching out and brushing away some soft stray strands of blonde hair from her daughter's face.

"Just thinking about the future. Did you have a pleasant evening?"

"I sure did."

"Good."

The pair tucked into their meals when, after several minutes, Queen Serenity broke the silence.

"Serenity dear…"

"Yes Mother?"

The pair locked eyes and the Queen shot her daughter a small, kind, knowing smile.

"I do so hope…that you have many more pleasant evenings from now on…"

A/N: I've been sitting on this fic for like over a year, unable to finish it up until now. And I must say, I'm rather happy with the results. What better way to celebrate Queen Serenity than letting her meet her granddaughter, and have that meeting both inadvertently doom her kingdom, and also save it in the end.

Also, just to let you know I am involved in a discord called 'Moonlight Legends' which is dedicated to sharing all sorts of Sailor Moon fanworks, including other fanfics. If you would like to join so you can share your own work, get help with your current projects or just connect to other fan creators shoot me a PM and I'll send you an invite. All are welcome!