All standard disclaimers that I have already used so far with any of the various stories that I now have on fanfiction dot net will apply. For your information, all of the characters that you may not actually recognize well enough in this story are original characters of mine, unless otherwise stated, in fact. So please don't steal my original characters from this story or any others, for that matter.
Now without further ado, let's get on with the story once again, if that's all right with you here, readers. And I hope that if you've read the first nine sections of this story here, you've enjoyed what you've read of it so far. More will come as time allows, of course. And I really hope to add all of the remaining chapters for this story at least, by the end of April, at the latest. That's so that all of you people on who've followed the story well enough, and often enough, will be able to eventually read the whole story here, of course. Please read, review, and enjoy, if at all possible, quite naturally enough, for all the obvious reasons, readers!
The Beginning of It All
A The Chrysanthemum Chronicles Series Story
Inside Serena's Chambers In The Crystal Palace
Moon City, Moon Kingdom, Moon
July 25, 986 - July 26, 986
Moments after leaving the main dining hall together, they were in Serena's Crystal Palace chambers. And she'd bolted the door behind them both in it. After she'd done so, she then had him sit down on one of her chairs near her bed. Then she sat down on her bed.
Then she asked, in quite a perturbed manner, "Why did you throw a rose toward us, Darien? You could have hit either or both of us with it. Or were you really not thinking about that here, when you actually threw it?"
"Because I was really glad to see you two. You know it'd been a while since I last saw you. And you should know from me right now that it'd been a while since I'd last seen your mother. While all of you weren't around me, I had to return to Earth for a short time. And I had to do it in order to take care of some quite unavoidable government-related business there for our country on Earth. And I also thought that you might have wanted me to bring you something back from Earth. For you usually like me to do so whenever I can get back here to see all of you here on the Moon."
"So why couldn't you just have handed the rose to me or to Mom directly instead of just throwing it our direction?"
"Because I was practicing my rose-throwing. It seems my parents have recently made me start practicing throwing roses at various targets positioned at different ranges. I don't know why yet. But if at all possible, I eventually intend to find out. I mean, what's the point of possibly wasting roses by throwing them at people or things in a person's own mortal life? I don't understand why they're having me do this yet, if I ever will, Serena, in my own mortal life."
"Could it have anything to do with 'Operation Kaleidoscope' or 'Operation Cocoon', Darien? At least I think you call a certain joint project of our two societies by one of those names or the other. Do you and those involved with it on your side of the project call it by one of those two names?"
"As a matter of fact, we normally call it 'Operation Cocoon.' At least as it relates overall to that project you're speaking of. And 'Operation Kaleidoscope' usually refers to the towers that are being built as part of 'Operation Cocoon' by us, Serena. I can't go into greater detail about our side of that joint project of our two societies. Either as it relates directly or indirectly to my own society's side of that project, at least as of the current time. Someday, Serena, I might be somehow able to. But at the current time, I can't."
"I see. And do you like this, Prince Darien?"
"No. But my parents Emperor Peter and Empress Elaine, as well as your parents Queen Serenity and Prince Daniel, have periodically told me that I can't do so. At least at the times they've previously told me that I can't go into greater detail about our side of that joint project of ours, that is, Moon Princess Serena. Of course, I wish I could do so here. But it's just not possible for me, at least not at the current time, if it'll ever be in our own mortal lives in God's very own Universe."
"Understood. Mom's often told me much the same thing. At least as it relates in any possible way to our side of it, which we often call 'Operation Survival', as well. So I understand what you mean when you say you can't discuss your side of it at greater length than just on a very basic level of discussion of the same. I wish I could discuss 'Operation Survival' at greater length with you. But as I said, Mom doesn't want me to do so. But that still doesn't excuse the fact that you still threw a rose our direction, Prince Darien."
"I know that, Serena. But they've wanted me to practice rose-throwing whenever I get a chance to do so, even though I don't quite understand why yet, if I ever will understand why they're having me do so."
"All right. I'll let you slide this time, Prince Darien. But please try to be more careful where you throw roses in the future, if at all possible, Darien. If you want me to have a rose, then I'd prefer my honey to give it to me directly in person, whenever possible. Not from a distance, for the obvious reasons."
"Thank you, Serena."
"Can you keep a secret, Darien?"
"Maybe. Why?"
"For some reason, in my dreams during my last sleep session, I often saw you throwing roses. It seemed like we were in the future. And not just a possible near future, in these dreams. It seemed that in these dreams, we weren't just on the Moon. But that we were on Earth, if not elsewhere as well. And you were often dressed up in a white mask, a black tuxedo, a red and black cape, and a black hat. That was whenever you weren't in a military uniform of some sort. You often threw roses when you were in a tuxedo. And you often threw roses when you were in a military uniform of some sort. Whenever you were in a tuxedo, you quite often had an expandable cane. While you quite often had a sword whenever you were in a military uniform of some sort."
"I see. Tell me more, if you can, Serena, about these dreams."
"As you may know by now, from talking with Mother here at least a little bit, I'm a Junior Sailor Scout, as are at least six other Moon Kingdom Princesses. But in these dreams, I often saw myself as the Sailor Scout Sailor Moon, and other girls as other Sailor Scouts, of course. I didn't see Destiny or Bethany in them. But I often saw Amy, Raye, Lita, and Mina, at least, in them. And I often saw you as either Tuxedo Mask or Prince Darien, though I don't know just why yet. We were often fighting monsters from strange places, whether they were from this solar system or not. And you were often near me whenever I was fighting against those monsters, Prince Darien. At least occasionally, you even fought against them too."
"Are you sure about that, Serena?"
"Yes, I'm most certainly sure about that. I also often saw us not fighting monsters. And I often saw you call me 'Meatball Head', as you have already done with me in the past, Darien."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes. Sometimes, you were mad at me, and sometimes not. But you were often with me in the dreams, Darien. Whether or not you were calling me 'Meatball Head' in them, you were, Prince Darien."
"And in them, did you ever stop considering me to be your 'honey', as you've quite often called me in the past as well, Serena?"
"No, I don't think so, Darien. Why?"
"Just wondering, that's all."
"All right. You won't necessarily throw roses my direction in the future?"
"I can't guarantee that, Serena. At least not with total assurance that I won't do so. For I don't know entirely what the future holds for either or both of us, Serena. If I ever throw another rose in your direction, please don't ever try to take it personally, Serena. I may not be able to keep myself from doing so, Serena. But I can assure you, I think, that I'll try not to throw them your direction, if I can possibly avoid it. There may come times when I may have to throw at least one more rose your direction, no matter what. But I don't know about that, at least not yet, if I ever will, Serena."
"Understood. If I can possibly do so, then, Darien, I'll try not to take it personally, if you ever throw roses in my direction again, for any reason whatsoever. But I may not be able to do that, for the obvious reasons, of course."
"Agreed. Where are your fellow Princesses now, Serena?" Concern suddenly flashed very quickly across her face as he asked her where her fellow Princesses who she'd most often hang around with in her life, in fact.
"They're all sleeping, Darien. And they aren't to be disturbed by you, at least not until further notice from me, Mom, or Dad. That is, of course, if any or all of them don't give you the necessary notice, Darien. They're sleeping, and they need their beauty sleeps, Darien. Even Destiny and Bethany."
"There are some things that you're not telling me, Serena."
"I know that, Darien. But how do you know that as well?"
"I wasn't born yesterday, Serena. I just saw considerable concern flash across your face when I asked where your fellow Princesses were now. And I happen to know something's up that you're not telling me about. I suppose your mother asked you not to discuss certain things with me that are relating to you and the rest of your fellow Princesses to at least some degree. At least as they pertain to the time ever since I last saw all of you together on your tenth birthday about three or four weeks ago, Serena."
"Yes, Darien, she did," Serena finally admitted, after at least a little thought. "I'm not actually supposed to discuss them, honey."
"I see. We can't have that, can we?"
"Don't get me wrong, Darien, I'd certainly like to discuss them with you. But Mom wants me not to, at least for the time being, if I can possibly avoid it. At least that's what it seems she wants me not to do, at the current time."
"Let me guess, if I may, then, Serena. Sailor Scout-related matters, I suppose."
"Darien!" She looked at him, now obviously quite in shock. For she'd not actually said so, at least not directly, as far as she knew at the current time.
"I'm right, aren't I?"
Serena eventually said, then, "Prince Darien, I can't hide anything from you, can I?"
"Yes, you've hidden things from me before. And I've got no doubt that you'll be able to do so again. But you're apparently not able to do so at the current time. At least as it relates to certain matters that you're obviously quite aware of in your life as a Moon Princess in the Moon Kingdom. Listen, Serena. I know about the Sailor Scouts. I know about the Junior Sailor Scouts. I know about Sentinel Serenity. I often know when one of my friends is concerned about something or someone. Even about some people who are quite close to them. Your face is like an open scroll at the current time, Serena. I know you're quite shocked to hear me say these things, by the way. But I know these things, at least to some degree. I hear things periodically in my life as a Prince from Earth. I hear them here on the Moon, and I hear them back on Earth every so often. There are a lot of loose-tongued people here in your Moon Kingdom, and there are a lot of those kind of people back on Earth. I hear things, Serena. I know the score, at least to some degree, if not totally. Many of your Moon Kingdom people don't like me. They think I'm trying to work against your Moon Kingdom. But in all actuality, I'm not, Serena. I suspect sometime yet in the future, many of them might try to hurt me. And for reasons I'm not yet aware of, if I'll ever be. Maybe even for reasons that I'm already aware of. I know that there have also been a few riots spread out over at least the last few years that have quite strongly opposed our joint project. Both on the Moon and on Earth. Serena, I know you're scared about what might happen to all of us in the future. I'm also scared about such things, at least a little bit. But it's not going to do any of us any good if we don't try to keep our eyes where they belong. Just in case worst comes to worst for those of you from the Moon Kingdom, and your Moon Kingdom is destroyed. Just as your mother and I increasingly seem to think that it'll be, someday yet in the future."
"Darien, I'm worried about what's going to happen to us, if our dear Moon Kingdom is actually destroyed. I'm wondering if we'll all somehow survive, if it is. I'm worried that I won't be able to see you in the future. And that we won't ever get married. And that we won't ever have children of our own after we get married, if we ever do get married to each other. I don't want to lose the girls of my royal Court, if I don't have to, Darien. Even if I have to leave the Moon, I don't want to lose them, if I don't have to, Darien. Is that so wrong?"
"No, of course not, Serena. But how long has your Silver Millennium apparently been going on now?"
"Almost a thousand years, I think. I think we're about 996 or so years into it, from its start, if I'm not mistaken."
"So you think that within about three or four years from now, it'll come to an end?"
"Quite possibly, Darien. And when it does, then what?"
"Anything could happen, Serena. But if worst comes to worst, and if at all possible, I fully intend to be near you and the other Princesses wherever you all are, when that time comes. For I care for you all. And nobody's ever going to be able to change that, I think. At least, I hope nobody ever will be able to change that."
Then the two of them talked for at least another twenty or so minutes with each other, once Serena somehow then managed to change the subject of discussion to at least one more pleasant subject of conversation. They did this for at least a while, until Darien then said, "Serena, when I threw that rose, I was coming into the dining hall, and hoping to get something for me to eat before I retired for the rest of the night here in Moon City. But when you caught me, I was unable to do that."
"I see. And now you want to eat."
"Yes. May I find something to eat now, as I'd been planning to do earlier, Serena?"
"Very well. But it'll still cost you this rose, Darien. Who was it for, anyway?"
"You, as a matter of fact. It was for you, Serena."
"All right. You may go, Darien. But if you throw a rose toward me again, it may cost you any number of roses in the future. Or if I don't want roses then, it might cost you other things instead. Or it might cost you at least one rose and any or all of those other things. It'll likely depend on what I'm feeling, if and when you ever throw a rose or roses toward me again at anytime yet in the future."
"Understood. You may tell your mother Queen Serenity to expect a rose to be delivered to her chambers by sometime tomorrow, if I get permission from Prince Daniel to have one delivered to her then. You may keep the rose that you're still holding, by the way, Serena."
"Thank you, Darien. Though I would've likely gotten it to me another way, if I'd been you, and you me. Please try to keep that in mind whenever you can in the future, honey."
"Of course. Well, when you see the rest of the Princesses again after their 'beauty sleeps', please tell each of them that I said hello, and that I'd really like to see them again in the near future, if you possibly can, before I have to leave the Moon again. I don't know exactly when that'll be the case. But I somehow expect that'll eventually be the case before too much more time passes for us in each of our own mortal lives here in God's very own Universe."
Then the two of them quickly said their good-byes to each other, before she let him out of her own chambers. That done, she then soon went to find her mother. For her mother hadn't yet showed up at Serena's own chambers again, as Serena had asked her to do sometime before the both of them retired for the rest of the night.
I suppose that I'd better stop here now. For this will be where the next part of the story will take up from, in fact, readers. I hope that you have so far enjoyed the story, if you've gotten this far, and that you'll continue to read it, once I put more of it up here on fanfiction dot net. I don't know how long it'll take me to get each story in this series up fully on fanfiction dot net. But it might take a while for each story in this series, just the same, readers. Until later, then, this is "The Universal Storyteller" signing off here. Happy reading, and God bless, and all that, of course, readers! Over and out!