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 thirteen sections of this story here, you've enjoyed what you've read of it so far. And this is actually going to be the last chapter of this first story here, before I'll then start to put up the next story in its related story series, in fact, readers. That's so that all of you people on who've followed the story and its related story series well enough, and often enough, will be able to eventually read the whole related series of stories 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

Main Ballroom In The Crystal Palace

Moon City, Moon Kingdom, Moon

August 3, 986 - August 4, 986

Just over a week later, it was Darien's 25th birthday, as reckoned by the Terran-Lunar calendar currently in use both on Earth and the Moon. And several Princesses were decorating the Crystal Palace's main ballroom for a surprise birthday party. Serena was, of course, among those Princesses decorating it for that party. And she was being helped in doing so by her parents, several of maidservants, and at least six, if not more than six, other Princesses from anywhere in the Moon Kingdom, at the very least. If not any other people as well from anywhere in it. This she and they were all doing, as both Luna and Artemis often watched everyone work on the main ballroom, in fact. Serenity had asked Darien to check on at least a few of her plants in four of the gardens anywhere in the Crystal Palace earlier that very day. This was so that he'd hopefully be out of everyone's way as they secretly prepared the main ballroom for his surprise birthday party.

Little did he yet know that his parents had sent him some things via a cargo shuttle that'd just arrived on the Moon the night before. And that they'd both sent all those things that way just so they'd be on the Moon by the end of his own birthday on it. But he'd eventually learn that, once the proper time arrived for him to learn it.

The Princess who was nearest Serena at the moment was Raye, who'd recovered quite quickly after coming out of her still-recent state of unconsciousness. She'd been cleared by Dr. Matthew to resume her usual routine, in terms of her normal activities whenever she was on the Moon, a few days before. And she'd been quite glad to do so. Even though she was still at least a little bit tired after having been quite unconscious while she'd been Junior Sailor Mars for at least a day or two, for the obvious reasons, of course.

Raye said, "I'm sure glad that I'm out of unconsciousness now, Moon Princess Serena."

"So am I, Raye. And I hope that you don't slip into it again for quite some time, of course."

"So do I, and I'm quite sure that all of you others feel the same way. I do wish, though, that I'd have been able to see you wipe out the rest of the whacked-out robots you had to wipe out earlier, Serena."

Everyone in the Crystal Palace's main ballroom who was now close enough to Raye to hear that soon agreed with her. Even Serena did so, of course. And they all continued to work there on the decorations in it until they were done with them in it, taking short breaks. Or they worked in shifts, as the situation required any and/or all of them to do here, as they prepared the main ballroom for Darien's surprise birthday party at about two or three hours after dusk in Moon City's local area on the Moon. And they eventually finished working on the decorations about five Terran hours before the scheduled start time for Darien's surprise birthday party. But not less than four hours before then, at the very latest, in any case.

Then Serenity soon released everyone from the Crystal Palace's main ballroom for a while. Even herself, so that everyone could get sufficiently ready for Darien's surprise birthday party. Even her daughters, who sometimes took a great deal of time to get ready for a dance or some other formal occasion. Especially Serena. For she usually didn't like dressing up quite as much as her sisters often did in each of their own lives.

Serena brought her sisters to their own chambers, one at a time, of course. First Destiny, then Bethany. And then she went to her own chambers as well. She spent more than an hour getting ready for the surprise birthday party, in fact. For it took her at least a little while to find a good enough dress for her to wear during it, after she'd taken her bath. But eventually, she did actually find such a dress for herself. And she then put it on not very long afterward. After her appearance finally met sufficiently enough with her approval, she soon left her own chambers to meet up again with her twin sisters as soon as possible, of course.

On the way to Destiny's chambers, she encountered Raye, Mina, and Lita. But not Amy, in fact. For Amy had already gone to the Crystal Palace's main ballroom. As they'd all later find out, once they'd gotten there themselves, and had been in it long enough after doing so. Raye was wearing a good-looking floor-length crimson gown with a lot of sequins on it. Lita was wearing a similar dark green gown, but one that didn't have any sequins on it. And Mina was wearing a dress like Lita's, but her dress was mainly peach-colored, instead of dark green, as was Lita's.

"Serena, you don't look too bad in that pink dress with a cardinal red and white sash," Raye finally said, once she'd gotten a good enough look at Serena's dress. "I like it. Do you think I could wear it sometime, Serena?"

"I don't think so. It's too big for you, Raye. Mom would have to alter it in order for you to wear it. And if she did, I couldn't wear it again, most likely, for the obvious reasons."

"I see. Well, can I borrow Darien tonight at least once?"

"If it's all right with him, I guess I could let you do that."

Then Serena and her current companions arrived at Destiny's chambers. Serena knocked on Destiny's door, and Destiny came to it seconds later, after picking up a cord for herself to have tied between one of her wrists and one of the girls outside that door, for the obvious reasons. Serena then offered her left wrist to Destiny, and Destiny felt it. That done, she soon asked Serena, "Are you really sure you want your left wrist connected to my right one, Serena?"

"Sure I am, Destiny. Why not?"

"Because I thought you'd actually want one of the other girls to guide me to the main ballroom for Darien's surprise birthday party instead, Serena."

"Maybe when we get Bethany, they can. But for at least the time being, I'm offering to be your eyes. Raye, please tie my left wrist with the cord to Destiny's right wrist, before I change my mind."

So Raye did so, and Serena then had everyone surround her and Destiny. She did that here so Destiny wouldn't have to worry about accidentally running into a nearby wall, at least while Serena was being her eyes. Then, once Serena was satisfied enough with how the other girls had surrounded her and Destiny, she began heading toward Bethany's chambers with Destiny and the other girls now with her.

It didn't take long at all for everyone to get to Bethany's chambers. After which Serena then had Destiny sit down on a bench just outside them. That done, Serena had Raye untie her end of the cord. That was so Serena could go get Bethany out of her chambers, quite naturally. When Serena knocked on Bethany's door, lights then began flashing inside Bethany's chambers, so that Bethany would know that somebody was at her door, of course. As fast as Serena would knock on her door, those lights would then flash. Serena tapped out a message on Bethany's door. And as she did so, the lights in Bethany's chambers flashed just as rapidly as Serena's knocks on her door had been applied to it.

Bethany soon appeared at the door, almost ready with her preparations. She'd just been drying her hair. And it wasn't quite dry yet, when Serena had begun knocking on her door. So she'd not been entirely ready for that party at that time. However, she was almost done with it. And she signed as much to Serena, once Serena entered her chambers moments later, and Bethany had shut the door behind her and Serena again.

As she finished doing her hair, she and Serena briefly communicated with each other through sign language. And they continued to do so even while Bethany picked up a jacket, a handbag, and a fan, just in case she'd have reason to use any or all of them during the upcoming party. Before they left her chambers again, Bethany then put the jacket and the fan in the handbag. Then she put the strap of her handbag over her right shoulder, in such a manner that her handbag wouldn't accidentally fall off it while it was in her possession. This, of course, was for all the obvious reasons.

Then she and Serena soon left her chambers again, of course. After they did, Bethany signed to Raye, "Raye, please tie the cord to my left wrist, so that I can guide Destiny the rest of the way to the main ballroom." So Raye did, after telling Destiny who'd be tied to her until then, of course.

Then all six of the girls left the area of Bethany's Crystal Palace chambers. And they went to the Crystal Palace's main ballroom. That done, Serenity then had Bethany and Destiny sit down on chairs in it for a while, not long after all six of the girls had entered it to a sufficient enough degree. She also had all the other girls do the same. Except for Serena, who she'd have get Darien, as a matter of fact. Before Serena again left the main ballroom, though, Serenity first handed her a large enough blindfold, and a long enough cord to tie to his wrist, after she'd blindfolded him.

Serena took those things from her mother, and then left the main ballroom again. For about an hour, then, she searched for him elsewhere on the Crystal Palace's grounds. Specifically in all four of the gardens that Serenity had asked him to check at least a few of her plants in. She eventually found him in a black tuxedo, a red and black cape, and a black top hat. He was also wearing a white mask. And in his hand, he held a long expandable cane, as he then sat on a white marble bench near a fountain in the middle of the Crystal Palace's Double Eagle Garden, which was the last of the gardens that she looked for him in on the Crystal Palace's grounds.

She came up behind him. And then, when she was close enough to him, she placed her hands over his eyes, and asked him, "Guess who, Muffin?"

Muffin was one of her newest nicknames for him. And she was normally the only one to use that nickname with him. But not always, for Raye would sometimes call him that whenever she was chasing him, in a manner of speaking. He soon said, "I know that voice, and I know these hands. I bet I know who they belong to."

"Then, please tell me who you think owns this lovely voice and these wonderful hands."

"Only one person that I know of, and that person is Serena Ruth Teresa Hope Rose Moon. You want something again, Serena. I wonder what it is this time."

Serena stepped out in front of him, and showed herself to him. She hid the hand containing the blindfold and cord behind her back, at least momentarily, while she did so. Then she said, "I need for you to close your eyes until I say otherwise. And then I need you to give me one of your wrists, Darien."

"Why?"

"You'll see soon enough. Please trust me, honey. I know what I'm doing. And Mom and the others know what I'm planning to do now with you."

"Oh, all right. I suppose I can close my eyes and give you my wrist, then, Serena. But I wish you'd tell me what's going on here, just the same, Serena."

He closed his eyes, and then he held out his left wrist. Then she quickly blindfolded him and tied the cord to that wrist of his. After doing that, she looped one end of the cord around her right wrist, and then pulled the loop a bit tight, but not too tight, so that she could guide him safely back to the Crystal Palace's main ballroom.

Then she began leading him back there as safely as she could, periodically pulling bell chains outside various other chambers elsewhere in the palace, so that everyone would know they were on their way there, and how quickly they were making their way there. Eventually, they were just outside the Crystal Palace's main ballroom. And they came to a pair of large double doors that normally would open into it. She then knocked on them six to ten times each. As soon as she heard two more bells ring near her and Darien, she pushed one of those doors open, and led him into the Crystal Palace's main ballroom. By the time she did so, the entire ballroom had become completely quiet.

Serena brought him to a large table along one wall of the main ballroom. Then she guided him to a seat at it. She had him sit down in it, and to close his eyes again. Then, with her free hand, she loosened the cord around her tied wrist, so that she could remove the cord from around her right wrist. That done, she then untied the end of the cord around his left wrist. Then she began rubbing both their wrists, just in case the cords had accidentally tightened a little more than she'd planned for them to tighten while she was bringing them both to the Crystal Palace's main ballroom.

"Serena, are you going to remove this blindfold in front of my eyes anytime soon?"

"Are your eyes closed, Darien?"

"Yes, they're closed, Serena."

"Then I will. When I say, then, open your eyes very slowly. For right now, it's quite bright here where I've just brought you somewhere in the Crystal Palace." Serena then began removing his blindfold, as promised, when she was sure that his eyes were completely closed, for the obvious reasons. Seconds later, she removed the blindfold.

Moments later, she let him open his eyes very slowly, for the obvious reasons, of course. As soon as he did so, he read, "Welcome to full adulthood, Prince Darien of Earth!" on a banner about twenty feet or so in front of him in the Crystal Palace's main ballroom.

Then when Serena gave a secret signal, everyone else in the main ballroom shouted, "Surprise, Prince Darien of Earth. Happy 25th birthday, Prince Darien of Earth!" Only supposing, of course, that they could do so here well enough at the current time.

It took a few minutes for it to register in Darien's mind that several of the Princesses had quite secretly been planning this surprise party for him for quite some time. For he'd not expected them all to remember that today actually was his birthday. And that it was now his 25th birthday, as a matter of fact. And that he was now unquestionably old enough to rule his own nation without a shred of dispute about his legitimacy to do so, if something sufficiently bad were to happen. And if that something sufficiently bad would somehow happen to his parents that'd require him to succeed them on his nation's throne. Supposing, of course, that he lived long enough to be able to do so.

He finally asked Serena, "How long were you Princesses planning this surprise party for me, Serena?"

"At least since your last birthday, Darien. That's how long, at the very least, if not longer than that, Darien."

"I never expected you all to do this for me. I thought you'd all forget what today was."

"How could we forget a day like this, Darien? Especially when a comet with your name on it shows up every year at this time."

"I see. And how often have you yourself seen it, Serena?"

"Well, I saw it for the first time a few weeks or so after my birth. And I've seen it at least once in every year of my life. Even while I was just searching for you in four of the gardens here on the Crystal Palace's grounds, Darien, I saw it. I saw it when I was in the Crossed Swords Garden looking for you a while ago. So figure it out."

"So you've seen it at least eleven times, if not more, in your life."

"Actually about ten times that. For it usually appears on July 29 or July 30. And it doesn't normally leave our night skies before August 11 or August 12, Darien."

Then Serenity came up to where he was sitting, and said, "We have some gifts for you now, Darien, if you'd care to open them in front of us."

"Very well, Queen Serenity. Let's get them opened up, please, before everyone starts wondering too much about what they are."

Then Serenity had people start bringing him gifts from behind a large curtain, one or two people at a time. She'd had them draw numbers for themselves while they were working on the main ballroom earlier. Even Serena, and those numbers would determine the order in which each of Darien's gifts would be brought to him. But not his parents, due to the fact that they were back on Earth. For his parents hadn't been able to come to the Moon for the surprise birthday party, mainly for medical reasons. They'd not been on the Moon since shortly after Serena's own birth. And they'd never be on it again, most likely for those reasons, at the very least. If not for any other reason or reasons as well. So Darien was one of their main contacts between them both and the numerous people of the entire Moon Kingdom. If not their main one between themselves and the various people of the Moon Kingdom.

For at least the next ten to fifteen minutes, if not longer than that, then, people brought gifts to him in the order they were supposed to give them to him. Finally, there were only a few more gifts for him that hadn't yet been received by him.

Those gifts were from Serena, Queen Serenity, Prince Daniel, Emperor Peter, and Empress Elaine, in that particular order. Serena then gave him a painting she'd recently done, just before she'd been initiated as a Sailor Scout of the Junior Sailor Scout variety several weeks before. It was a painting that had both of them in it, as well as all the other current members of Serena's own royal Court. Even the ones that were not currently present in the Sol system of the Milky Way Galaxy. Meaning, of course, all the main Princesses of all the planets in it except Earth, and all of the secondary Princesses from the planets of Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Of course, Destiny and Bethany were in that painting too, for all the obvious reasons. Though none of the Princesses that were in that painting were in their respective Sailor Scout states of being. Simply because when Serena had finished it several weeks before, she hadn't yet known that Destiny and Bethany would eventually become at least temporary members of her royal Court, of course.

Darien looked it over quite a bit. And he then asked Serena, "How long did it take for you to do this painting?"

"Several weeks, Darien. Several weeks, meaning at least four or five, if not more."

"Even before your tenth birthday some time ago?"

"Yes, honey. Even before then."

Then Queen Serenity went to a chest elsewhere in the main ballroom. And she soon took out a sword that she'd had in it for a long time, since around the time of Serena's own birth in her own Crystal Palace chambers here. While she held it in one hand, she then shut the chest with the other. This sword would often be the sword that Darien would use in the future at various times in it, most likely. It was in a scabbard just a bit longer than its blade, of course.

Darien knew, as soon as he saw the sword in question here, that Serenity was now carrying the legendary sword named "Loyalty," in a scabbard named "Truth," as she brought it toward him. She then came to him. And she said, "This sword's been on the Moon for many years, Darien. Ever since a very long time ago, it's been here on the Moon. It appeared here many of your years ago. And it's been here ever since. I, and a number of my ancestors, have kept it safe ever since we first discovered it then, until this very day. Now, it's the time that you're to receive this sword back from our own keeping. For you're the one that it's meant for, Darien. You'll be using it quite often in the future, I believe, if my recent visions of it are accurate enough, Darien. And you'll often likely be fighting alongside Serena with it, if they're sufficiently accurate about that, as it relates to the both of you, at the very least."

"Thank you for returning the legendary sword 'Loyalty' and its scabbard 'Truth' to me, Queen Serenity. It's been many years since it's been in the hands of an Earthling, if I'm not too mistaken here, Queen Serenity."

"Yes, it has, Prince Darien. But you're the one that it's been waiting all this time for, ever since we first found it here on the Moon."

Then Serenity stepped back. And she nodded to her husband Prince Daniel that it was his turn to give Prince Darien a birthday gift. So Daniel then went behind the large curtain. And he soon came back out from behind it about a minute later with a military uniform of some sort that he and Serenity had both designed specifically for Darien's use within the last Terran year. This uniform was of a style similar to that of the uniforms of various members of the Moon Kingdom's own armed forces, but not entirely similar to such uniforms. It was just the right size for Darien to wear it easily enough. Then Daniel brought that uniform to Darien, for the obvious reasons.

Darien examined this gift from both Daniel and Serenity. And then he said, "I see you two designed a uniform for me to wear often here on the Moon, in the future, whenever I have to or want to."

"Yes," said Queen Serenity.

"I'll think about it."

Then Queen Serenity had Princess Serena bring a pair of scrolls to her from behind the curtain, one scroll at a time. Both of these scrolls were from Prince Darien's parents. Princess Serena brought the first of those scrolls to her. Then Queen Serenity told Prince Darien that the first scroll was from his father, as she handed it to him.

He took it from her, and then he silently read it to himself. He did this for at least a few minutes. And then he said, after he'd rolled it back up again, "It seems that my father would actually like you to make me, if it's all right with you as well, an honorary citizen of your very own Moon Kingdom, at the very least. That is, if you don't do anything else for me as well, Queen Serenity. And they've also made me our nation's chief ambassador to your Moon Kingdom, it seems."

"I see," said Queen Serenity. "And do you wish to be that to us?"

"I suppose that'd be acceptable to me as well."

"Then let it be as your father has so said in his scroll to you, at least as it relates to your being chosen as your nation's ambassador to our Moon Kingdom, if nothing else as well, here."

"Agreed."

Then Serena brought the other required scroll from behind that curtain, once Serenity told her daughter to do so. And then she handed it to her mother. Serenity looked briefly at the outside of it, and she then said, "This scroll's from your mother, Prince Darien."

She then handed it to him, so that he could read it as well. After a bit more time had passed in the Crystal Palace's main ballroom for everyone in it, Darien finally said, "It seems that my mother Empress Elaine's chosen to have me give each of the Princesses in Serena's royal Court a rose. And she's provided several newly-cut roses for that purpose, which she sent here to the Moon in time for them to reach here by today. I'm supposed to retrieve them from this palace's main courtyard of this palace before it actually becomes local midnight here in Moon City, if I possibly can."

So Serenity asked him, "Are you supposed to retrieve them all by yourself from there?"

"Yes. I'll be back shortly with them, if you'll allow me to go find them there. I have to find them near the statue of your mother in this palace's main courtyard, Queen Serenity. I've seen that statue, Queen Serenity. Empress Elaine sent them in a different message canister to me a while ago. And she told me where she'd send them to on the Crystal Palace's grounds here in Moon City. I shall return momentarily, if you please."

"Very well. I shall let you retrieve them, then. But please hurry back, because we only have about thirty minutes before that time gets here, I believe, Prince Darien."

So Darien hurried out of the main ballroom, for the obvious reasons. Ten minutes later, he was in the Crystal Palace's main courtyard. A few minutes after that, he was near that statue. He searched near that statue for a few minutes more. And then he found the necessary message canister from his mother. He hastily pulled it out of the ground near the statue. And he then hurried back as quickly as he could to the Crystal Palace's main ballroom, of course. He arrived back near Serenity in it about thirty seconds before local midnight. Then he borrowed a pocketknife from Prince Daniel, before he then opened that message canister. A few seconds later, at the very most, he stuck his hands in it. And he began withdrawing roses for all the necessary members of Serena's Court who were currently present in the Crystal Palace's main ballroom. Besides Serena, Lita, Mina, Raye, and Amy, of course, he also gave roses to Destiny and Bethany, for all the obvious reasons. He'd actually have to wait until a later date, though, to be able to do the same for the primary and secondary Princesses from the Moon Kingdom planets of Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, of course.

After he did so, Queen Serenity then said, "Darien, I'm now willing to make you an honorary citizen of our Moon Kingdom, with all the rights and privileges thereof, if you're willing to become one."

"I am. But before you do, I must ask you at least one thing."

"Yes, Prince Darien?"

"Will this require that I make myself subject to the armed forces draft that all other citizens of the Moon Kingdom are normally subject to when they're usually of sufficient age to serve in them?"

"No, it won't. You won't be subject to such a draft, if you choose not to make yourself subject to it."

"Will you force me to serve as a member of your armed forces, Queen Serenity?"

"No, I won't. Partly because I know that Serena and the rest of her royal Court would never stand for it. If you're to become a member of our armed forces, you won't have to do it if you don't want to, due to the nature of your own birth as an Earthling."

"I can join your armed forces voluntarily, if I so choose. Am I understanding you correctly?"

"Yes, you are, Prince Darien. Do you wish to become a member of them, then, right after I make you an honorary citizen of the Moon Kingdom?"

"I don't think so. But that may not always remain the case, for the obvious reasons, Queen Serenity."

"Very well. Anything else you wish to ask me, then, Prince Darien?"

"If I wish to marry any other citizen of your Moon Kingdom at any time in the future, will I legally be able to do so, without any legal obstacles at all?"

"Yes. You'll be able to come to and go from any world anywhere in the Moon Kingdom that you wish to travel to or from, just as freely as you wish to do so. And you're to have that right for at least as long as they remain under Moon Kingdom control, by my order here, Prince Darien of Earth. Whether it's between Earth and the Moon, or between any of the many worlds of our Moon Kingdom, you're to have free passage between them, if you so desire. And you're to have free passage between them for at least as long as they remain under our control here in the Moon Kingdom, if you choose to have it here at any time."

"Then I will accept the status of honorary citizen of your Moon Kingdom from you with no objections to the contrary. I'll still be a citizen of my own nation back on Earth, I suppose."

"Yes. Your primary world of citizenship shall not officially change. But you'll now also be a citizen of our Moon Kingdom for as long as you wish to be. And for as long as our Moon Kingdom still survives somehow in our very own solar system, Prince Darien of Earth. You'll also be able to rule the Moon Kingdom as if you were actually a native of it, instead of you being a non-native of it, if it survives me, and if you marry someone who is also entitled to do the same. If our Moon Kingdom falls, you'll be able to rule a successor government of any kind, if you marry someone who is also entitled to do the same. Supposing, of course, that you two both somehow survive long enough to do so sometime yet in the future, whenever that might ever be the case, Prince Darien."

"Such as Princess Serena, maybe?"

"Perhaps. But only time will eventually tell if you'll ever be able to rule the Moon Kingdom or a successor government to it, of course, Prince Darien."

"Understood. I'm now ready to accept this honor from you that my father requested of you, and that you're willing to bestow on me, any particular time you wish to bestow it on me, Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom."

Then Serenity borrowed Darien's sword for a moment, as she had him kneel down in front of her. She looked at it for a moment. And she then said, as she touched both of his shoulders, "With this sword, I hereby bestow the honor of honorary citizen of the Moon Kingdom on Prince Darien of Earth. He willingly has chosen to accept this honor from me. And therefore, I now proclaim him an honorary citizen of the Moon Kingdom, by the power granted to me to do so by the One True God of the entire Universe. And I welcome him to our Moon Kingdom, as I also wish him all the best for at least as long as he remains a citizen-by-choice of our Moon Kingdom."

Then after she said those words to everyone still with her in the Crystal Palace's main ballroom in Moon City on the Moon, she returned his sword to him again, for the obvious reasons. That done, she then declared that a meal should now begin there, just before a ball would do the same.

For at least the next thirty minutes, then, everyone ate much, if not all, of the currently available food in the main ballroom. And they all did that here just before the aforementioned ball would begin shortly afterward. As everyone ate at least a little bit of food, Darien often found himself in conversation with a number of the Princesses that were currently in it, of course. Mainly, though, those Princesses were currently members of Serena's own royal Court, for all the obvious reasons.

He did this for a while, until Queen Serenity let everyone else in the main ballroom who didn't want to attend the soon-following ball leave it. That soon only left Darien and about a dozen or so other people in the main ballroom. Of course, those people that remained in it with him included Serena, Amy, Raye, Lita, Mina, Destiny, Bethany, Queen Serenity, and Prince Daniel, at the very least, if not any other people as well.

Then, once the main ballroom had cleared out enough, Serena then asked, "Darien, would you dance at least once with me, please?"

"I suppose I can do that. But I hope that you realize that all the other Princesses still here with us will likely want to do the same with me, Princess Serena."

"I know that. That's why I want to dance with you now at least once, so that I can be sure that I get to dance at least once with my honey at this ball in your honor, Darien. And so that they don't get to hog you all the time when it comes to dancing with you here at this ball. Even Raye, of course."

"All right. I'll dance with you at least once now. But I won't guarantee that I'll dance with you all the time at this ball, for the obvious reasons, Serena."

"Agreed." So as soon as the ball began, Darien went out on the floor with Serena for the first dance. Other Princesses with them now also paired up with other people still at the ball, whether they were other Princes or not. Bethany, for instance, danced with Destiny here. For nobody else had asked them to dance with them by the time that the aforementioned ball began in the Crystal Palace's main ballroom.

Raye paired up with a young man about her age. And he was actually from Mars. He'd recently come there with the rest of his family for a while. And she'd not yet met him before in her life. Little did she know that this young man might eventually become her future boyfriend and/or husband. Supposing things worked out well enough to make such a thing the case for her and them, of course, in the future. If and whenever it ever became the case for them both.

Lita also paired up with a young man about her age. And she soon learned he was also from Jupiter. She also soon learned his name was Ken. She was soon lost in a reasonably pleasant conversation with him as she danced at least once with him in the Crystal Palace's main ballroom, if not more than that.

Amy paired up with a boy about her own age, as she eventually learned, who was also from Mercury, just like she was, and who was named Gregory, or Greg for short. She'd not yet met him before, in fact. But she'd likely find many a reason to see him again at least once more in the future, if and when that ever happened to be the case. She learned that he was from Hermes City elsewhere on the Moon, just like her own Mercury Star Crystal had been from the area of Hermes City on Mercury. And they then spent several dances getting at least a little acquainted with each other, for all the obvious reasons, of course.

Mina also found herself with a boy about her own age, and his name was Steven. Little did she yet know that they might later fall in love with each other at least a few years into the future. Or that they might not do just that in their lives, of course. However, while they both danced together here, they also got at least a little acquainted with each other, of course. As a matter of fact, this same boy was also from Venus City on Venus. As she'd eventually learn at a later date. If she didn't learn it at the ball she was currently attending in the Crystal Palace's main ballroom, in fact.

Eventually, Serena did actually stop dancing with Prince Darien after about three or four dances, at the very least. But not more than six or seven, at the very most. When she said that she wanted to take a short break from dancing with him for a while, she then let the other Princesses dance with him if they really wanted to do so. Even Raye, of course.

But only Raye currently took her up on the offer, the first chance she got to do so. And then Darien danced with Raye at least one dance, if not more than one. After Raye danced a while with him, she soon took a short break from dancing as well.

Lita was next to dance with Darien. And she danced a few dances with him, before she too took a short break from dancing. After her came Amy, and then Mina, in turn. Then he danced one dance with Queen Serenity, after Prince Daniel let him do so. Finally, of course, Darien then danced with both of Serena's twin sisters at the same time, before he too decided to stop dancing for a while.

He took a short break, before he chose to dance one last time with Serena. And he told everyone, after this next dance, he'd likely be retiring for the rest of the night shortly thereafter. This, of course, was for all the obvious reasons.

Raye wasn't all that happy to hear that here, quite naturally. But she realized that he still needed his sleep, of course. So she didn't try to change his mind about doing so. And she then accepted what he'd just said about that kind of thing. Even though she'd have preferred to dance at least one more time with him before he likely would do that.

Then he soon danced one last time with Serena, before he left the main ballroom, for the obvious reasons. As he did so, Serena asked, "Are you glad that we threw a surprise birthday party for you, Prince Darien?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I really am glad you did."

"And are you glad to now be an honorary citizen of our Moon Kingdom?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I'm also glad about that. That means, that if things go the way that you'd obviously like them to go for us in each of our lives, you'll be able to marry me, and we'd rule either the Moon Kingdom or a successor government to it someday in the future. God willing, of course, Serena."

"Yes. That's now true, it seems. And no matter what happens to either or both of us, I believe that I'll always care for you very deeply, Darien, in my life, if at all possible."

"Serena, will that likely always be the case? Even if other girls are quite interested in me as well, or other guys are interested in you?"

"Yes, I think so. Sure, we may also look at other guys, or girls, as the case might be. But I still don't think that any other guy could ever compare to you in my life, whether I spend it here on the Moon or elsewhere. And even if worst comes to worst for most, if not all, of us here in the Moon Kingdom, I think that'll still be the case, at least to me."

"So you never intend to give me up, if you can possibly avoid it."

"You got it, honey. You're mine, at least as far as I'm concerned. Even though we've not yet kissed each other, Darien, you're still mine, at least as far as I'm concerned. And if I'm right, and things work out well enough for the both of us, I'll always be yours as well, for as long as I possibly can be."

They discussed a few more things as much as they could while their dance continued to go on, but soon stopped doing so, just before it was about to end. Then, after it ended, Serena said, "Thank you for a wonderful bit of dancing with me here in the Crystal Palace's main ballroom, Darien. I hope we can do it again some other time, if at all possible. Sleep well, then, honey, and may you have many pleasant dreams for the rest of the night, once you retire to your own Crystal Palace chambers here."

Then Serena and Darien both eventually rejoined all the other Princesses elsewhere in the main ballroom briefly. They both did that just before Darien said his good-byes to everyone who was still in the main ballroom, and they did the same thing to them. Then, after that happened, Darien soon left the main ballroom again. But he did this only after he'd first collected all his gifts from where they'd all been placed during his recently-ended surprise birthday party, of course. And from where they'd all been place during the ball that'd begun not long after that for him. He collected them all in a cart narrow enough to fit through one of the doors that he'd entered the main ballroom through, at least once or twice, since Serena had brought him to it quite a while before. Then he left the main ballroom behind with them all, of course. And he was soon alone once again in his own Crystal Palace chambers in Moon City on the Moon.

Within another ten or so minutes, then, he was quite asleep in his own bed there. And he was lost in quite pleasant dreams not long after that happened for him. And he slept generally like a log for at least the next six to ten hours, if not longer than that, before he finally awoke again, fully refreshed and fully rested.

For at least the next few days, if not weeks, he then often prepared for his next trip back to Earth, because he'd periodically need to be on Earth for a certain period of time. And whenever he was doing so, he often wasn't able to spend a lot of time with any or all of the Princesses. Mainly, if not entirely, because of those reasons, of course. He eventually had to return to Earth again. But he was glad that he'd still not have to do it until at least late August, if not until at least late September.

And whenever he wasn't really able to spend a lot of time with them, those particular seven Sailor Scouts who were currently on the Moon often trained themselves on either side of the Moon. Even the side of the Moon that Rainbow Springs was on, after all the destroyed robots had actually been replaced with several others that'd most often been made on the Moon City side of the Moon, they'd at least sometimes train on. At least they'd do so whenever Sentinel Serenity decided that all seven of the aforementioned Junior Sailor Scouts should do so.

And just before Prince Darien was scheduled to leave the Moon again, all the Princesses of Serena's Court who were currently on the Moon at that time, as well as Queen Serenity and Prince Daniel, saw him off at the Moon City Spaceport. Even Moon Princess Serena. And they did so for at least an hour, if not longer. At least until he had to leave the Moon again on a passenger shuttle that often traveled between the Moon and Earth.

And then they all soon watched that shuttle depart from the Moon City Spaceport, at least as long as they were able to do so. After they could no longer do so, they then went back to the Crystal Palace for a while. At least until such time as all of the Junior Sailor Scouts would have to at least once again return to the Rainbow Springs Palace on the other side of the Moon. They'd probably each do that at least once more in their lives. Just so that they could hopefully resume their secret training sessions on the other side of the Moon far enough away from enough people who might unnecessarily mention them. And mention them to people that didn't need to know at all about any or all of the Moon Kingdom's secret training centers in various Moon Kingdom palaces anywhere in it. But most especially about any or all such secret training centers anywhere on the Moon. All of them also tried to live as normally as the average Moon Kingdom citizen was usually able to live in their mortal life, whenever they possibly could do so. Most especially Serena, for all the obvious reasons, of course. And they'd do this at least as long as it took for yet another adventure of some sort to come their ways in each of their own mortal lives in God's very own Universe.

End of Story One

I suppose that I'd better stop here now, people. For this actually will be where the first part of the next story will take up from, in fact, readers. I hope that you all have just enjoyed this particular story, if you've actually gotten this far, and that you'll continue to read its related series of stories. That's once I put the first chapter of its story series up here on fanfiction dot net, of course. I really don't know just how long it'll take me to get each story in this series up fully on fanfiction dot net, though. But it might take a at least a little while for each story in this particular story series to be put up here, 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!