Title: Somewhere in Time

By: QueenBeryl

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Chapter 4: A Millennium Draws to a Close

"What do you _mean_ 'a change of plans,' Serenity?" Mars spat maliciously.

"Well," Serenity hesitated, "I want to get married before the beautiful Silver

Millennium ends. I want my wedding night to be on that day exactly."

"No. _I_ forbid it." Mars flung her hands up in the air in frustration. Mercury

half-giggled behind her hand and looked at Venus.

"You should stick to the first agreement, Serenity." Jupiter stated casually, as if

all this wedding nonesense meant nothing to her. Truth be told, which it never will, Jupiter

was excited. She thought that getting married so soon was absolutely the perfect scandal to

get everyone's minds off the wars that were brewing all over the universe.

"Have you even talked it over with your mother?" Mercury asked, as if this was the

most important aspect of the whole ordeal.

"Well, not exactly..." Serenity smiled, looking out her bedroom window. She was

sitting on her bed with her guardians spread around the room. Mars was pacing the floor,

wearing a whole in the carpet; Mercury was sitting next to Serenity at the foot of the bed.

Venus was sprawled on the floor, lying on her back and looking upside-down at Serenity.

Jupiter was sitting on a pouf, leaning back against the windowseat of the window the Princess

was looking out of.

"Trust me, honey," Venus smiled up from the warm carpet, "you should wait. It'll be

better that way. The longer you can wait, the more you know you truly love each other. Isn't

that right, Mars?" Venus winked, and Mars paused her pacing and blushed slightly.

"Need I kill you, Venus?" Mars asked, glaring at the blonde. Venus smiled and

managed a peace sign.

"We're getting a tad off topic, don't you think?" Mercury pointed out, interrupting

the beginnings of a bad quarrel. "Serenity, you should really wait until after the Silver

Millennium is over. Perhaps then we'll have an even better millennium... no wars and such."

"You mean like a Golden Millennium?" Serenity's eyes grew big.

"It's a possibility." Jupiter shrugged, sitting forward, her brown hair slipping over

her shoulders.

"Well, erm..." Mercury paused, not really thinking that would happen, but not wanting

Serenity to think otherwise. She decided just not to say a word.

"Okay. I guess you're right. I'll stick with the longer engagement." Serenity sighed

and smiled.

"Aren't we always right?" Mars smiled.

"Queen Serenity..." a wispy voice echoed through the empty room. The mirror in the Queen's

chambers turned black, and the Queen of the Dark Moon could be seen. "It won't be long now,

Serenity. The Silver Millennium is ending, and so is your reign over the White Moon Kingdom."

Laughter could be heard in the background as small, clown-like minions danced around

the dark space. Their smiles were painted on so they would be happy forever. The queen turned

from the mirror and grinned evilly.

"Soon, all the White Moon will be mine. All I have to do is bide my time.... Soon

enough that Beryl girl will attempt to destroy this place with the aide of that retched

Metallia." The woman threw her long dark locks behind her shoulders in disgust at the name.

"Good morning, Queen Serenity." Mercury smiled, walking into the throne room.

"Morning, Mercury. What news?" The queen stiffled a yawn.

"Well, we have approximately four days until the end of the Silver Millennium, and we

still have yet to conjure up a celebration."

"Ah, yes, a celebration for the end of the Silver Millennium. It seems that we are

having parties every night for something or other..."

"Well, Your Majesty, the Silver Millennium is a time all about celebrating and such,

is it not? I mean, there is peace and tranquility that seems everlasting." Mercury grinned.

"Yes, but what about the war with Mars and Neptune?"

"The war is at it's end for the most part," Mercury glanced at the clipboard in her

hands. "They have signed a peace treaty, which is always a good thing."

"It is indeed, Mercury." The queen's voice drifted of as she turned her eyes to the

window.

"Well, I'll be leaving you, Queen Serenity." Mercury slowly exited the room,

realizing that the Queen needed a few moments alone. Mercury closed the door slowly and

silently and then proceeded to walk down the long, brightly-lit corridor. Suddenly, she was

overcome by a feeling of emptiness. Mercury threw her hand in front of her to break her fall,

letting the clipboard slide to the floor. She only saw blackness before her and felt as if she

was suffocating. That's the last thing she remembered.

"What do you mean?" Princess Serenity demanded, crossing her delicate arms in front of her

chest.

"I'm saying, Princess, that these four had a soulmate-connection to their spouses."

The Lunarian doctor explained for the third time.

"I guess I'm just not understanding. What do you mean 'had?' And why did my four

Guardian Goddesses suddenly all faint at about the same time?!" Serenity huffed, her silver

hair swishing as she shook her head dramatically.

"Princess... the four Guardian Gods of Earth, Zoicite, Nephrite, Kunzite, and

Jadeite... they've all disappeared suddenly. It's not like they've died, either... it's

different."

"That's preposterous! People don't just _disappear_! I don't care what planet you're

from, things like that just don't happen!" The princess stamped her foot.

"I'm sorry, Milady, but that's the way it is. Something tragic has happened, and there

is nothing we can do about it." The doctor shook his head sadly.

"Well, can I go in and see them at least?" Serenity demanded after a short pause.

"Of course, Princess." The doctor bowed as Serenity waltzed past him. She threw open

the french doors, accidentally hitting the two guards standing watch. She paused at the end of

Jupiter's bed and looked from left to right. Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, and Mars were all out

cold. So far, Venus had woken up for a moment just after she cried out for 'them to run.'

Serenity had no idea what that meant, but she was certain it wasn't good. With about four

days until the end of the Silver Millennium, she wasn't sure she could take any of this. A

sudden thought popped into her head. She could ask her Endymion what has happened. She ran

out of the room after bidding her sleeping friends farewell and dashed toward the Earth portal.

The air was crisp and clean, like a Autumn day on Earth. Serenity didn't have time

to enjoy it, however, because she was rushing to the spot she had used to many times. The

urgency in her mind surpassed all else. She exited the palace courtyard and stopped in front of

the portal, breating heavily. She took a few steps closer when she had regained some

composure, then gasped. The portal wasn't working. Serenity couldn't even get within three

feet of the control pad. She stamped her foot in frustration.

"A force field? Who puts up a force field at a time like this?!" Serenity shouted to

the darkening sky. The birds chirped in solemn response. Serenity growled and ran to find

her mother. _She_ would know what to do.

"Mother!" Serenity stormed into Queen Serenity's room, and looked around. Her mother

was seated on a pouf next to the mirror. Her long silver hair was draped loosely around her pale body,

not in it's usual Lunarian bun pig-tail combo. Serenity faltered for a moment: she had never seen her

mother like this before. "Mother? Are you... are you alright?"

Queen Serenity looked up slowly from her gaze into the mirror. Her lovely lavanderish eyes

were distant, like Earth. A thin, forced smile crept upon her elegant face. She opened her mouth to

speak, but no sound came out. She tried again.

"I'm fine, my dearest daughter," she managed, lifting a hand toward her offspring. Serenity

came and knelt beside her on the white carpeted floor. "I'm simply tired, that's all."

"Mother, why is the portal to Earth closed?" Serenity inquired, regaining her composure.

Queen Serenity looked dark for a moment. Her eyes darted back to the mirror in front of her then

back to her precious daughter.

"There are certain precautions that I have to take, my dear. I hope that you understand that.

Earth, as of now, is our enemy." She added coldly. Serenity gasped, covering her mouth in surprise.

"Mother, you don't mean...?"

"No more contact with Earth, I'm afraid, dearest." The regal queen sat a bit taller as if to

emphasize the point. The young princess searched her mother's eyes, then realizing she was being

truthful, burst into tears.

"But, but... Endymion!" She stammered, wiping salt liquid from her elegant cheeks. Queen

Serenity nodded slowly.

"I'm terribly sorry, my love. You must not see him for a while."

And with that, Serenity stood up, anger flashing in her sapphire eyes. Her chin quivered

and she fled from the Queen's chambers, running blindly due to tears.

"I really am sorry, dearest." Queen Serenity said in a small voice. She turned her attentions

back to the mirror. "It's because of you, you demon. You broke my daughter's Guardian Goddesses by

stealing their soul mates. Now you attempt to break my daughter as well. I won't have it. I won't let

you take away everything we've worked so hard for! As this Silver Millennium draws to a close, you

will see who is the conqueror!"

"Yes, Serenity. We shall see who is conqueror, and who is dead." The sly woman in the

mirror replied fiendishly.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Okay, so this chapter was a bit short, but I hope you all like it nonetheless! ^^;

The Thank-Yous:

Thank you so much to roswellachick and Ami KittyCat Misuno for giving me good

reviews! I appreciate them! I hope you keep reading!