Neo Queen Serenity walked down the corridors of the Crystal Palace.
The end of her crystal cane hit the cold marble floors. Tap. Tap. She
stopped, leaning heavily on her cane. It felt like she'd been walking for
hours. She would have gone back to her rooms, but she had promised Rini
she would visit today, while Hotaru was there with her daughter Arashi.
The doors to Rini's chambers were open just a little, so that the voices drifted through. Usagi thought about knocking, but old habits are hard to break. She leaned against the wall so she could hear better.
"Rini what's wrong?" Hotaru asked.
"I'm really worried about Mama right now." Rini said.
"Has she gotten worse?" Ceres asked.
"Not really, it's just she looks so frail of late."
"It happens when you get older." Ceres said.
"But it shouldn't be happening to her! Take a second to think about it. Mama looks like a woman in her early eighties. But Ami looks like she's in her late 30's. And Mina looks like Hotaru and me. No more than 25. Why has she aged so much? And so quickly? Eight years ago I assumed the Crystal Throne because she couldn't do it any more. Fifteen years ago her hair was still blonde, and she looked youthful."
Setsuna spoke up. "She has grieved much."
"It's not just that." Hotaru whispered.
"No.", Setsuna agreed. "But it might have been the last blow."
"You have a theory, don't you?" Rini asked.
"Yes but I have no proof."
"What Mother?" Hotaru asked.
Setsuna took a deep breath. "Usagi has been an instrument of power for a very long time. My belief is that her aging is due in part to how many times she has used the Silver Imperial Crystal."
"I don't understand." Ceres said.
"The Silver Crystal acts by using the energy of its wielder. So every time you use the crystal, it takes a little bit of your life force. Usagi used the crystal many times. First she used it to defeat Queen Beryl and the Negaverse. She used it to heal Rini, when she was Wicked Lady. She used it to destroy Wiseman when Rini was a little girl. Then she had to use it again against Pharaoh 90 and prevent Hotaru from using Saturn's Silence Glaive. She fought Nepherina to save Helios, and then nearly died defeating Sailor Galaxia. Add to that having to use the crystal to save the earth during the eco disaster that froze the planet. She kept giving her life force time and time again to protect this place."
Rini's voice was thick with emotion. "Not to mention she has been so lonely during her life. Hotaru-chan, Setsuna and I returned to the 30th century when she was in high school. Michiru was kidnaped, plus Haruka went into seclusion after that, just as she graduates. Rei left after her coronation to build the temple at Phoebus Castle. My father's death forty years ago was so devastating for her. Both Rei and Mokoto's weren't long after that. The rest of us have been so busy. Setsuna is with her the most. Ami's busy with the Planetary Defense System. Mina started a training facility for new senshi. I'm bogged down with the running of Crystal Tokyo." Rini broke of and started to cry.
"Don't beat your self down Rini." Hotaru put her arms around her friend. "Usagi isn't mad at you. Your mother is very proud of you. I know she's looking forward to having grandchildren to play with."
Rini blushed.
Hotaru laughed. " Don't forget, she's strong."
Ceres nodded. " But I am worried about what this could mean to Rini in the future."
Arashi began to cry. Usagi could hear the girls walking over to the crib. All of a sudden her legs went out from under her. Could the crystal really be what had caused her to age so much? She wiped tears from her eyes. She was afraid now. If the crystal took energy to work...what would happen when a more powerful enemy appeared. She didn't want Rini's reign to be plagued by battles. Rini was right. She was lonely. But she knew that loneliness would end soon. Then her daughter would need every thing Usagi could teach her.
The doors to Rini's chambers were open just a little, so that the voices drifted through. Usagi thought about knocking, but old habits are hard to break. She leaned against the wall so she could hear better.
"Rini what's wrong?" Hotaru asked.
"I'm really worried about Mama right now." Rini said.
"Has she gotten worse?" Ceres asked.
"Not really, it's just she looks so frail of late."
"It happens when you get older." Ceres said.
"But it shouldn't be happening to her! Take a second to think about it. Mama looks like a woman in her early eighties. But Ami looks like she's in her late 30's. And Mina looks like Hotaru and me. No more than 25. Why has she aged so much? And so quickly? Eight years ago I assumed the Crystal Throne because she couldn't do it any more. Fifteen years ago her hair was still blonde, and she looked youthful."
Setsuna spoke up. "She has grieved much."
"It's not just that." Hotaru whispered.
"No.", Setsuna agreed. "But it might have been the last blow."
"You have a theory, don't you?" Rini asked.
"Yes but I have no proof."
"What Mother?" Hotaru asked.
Setsuna took a deep breath. "Usagi has been an instrument of power for a very long time. My belief is that her aging is due in part to how many times she has used the Silver Imperial Crystal."
"I don't understand." Ceres said.
"The Silver Crystal acts by using the energy of its wielder. So every time you use the crystal, it takes a little bit of your life force. Usagi used the crystal many times. First she used it to defeat Queen Beryl and the Negaverse. She used it to heal Rini, when she was Wicked Lady. She used it to destroy Wiseman when Rini was a little girl. Then she had to use it again against Pharaoh 90 and prevent Hotaru from using Saturn's Silence Glaive. She fought Nepherina to save Helios, and then nearly died defeating Sailor Galaxia. Add to that having to use the crystal to save the earth during the eco disaster that froze the planet. She kept giving her life force time and time again to protect this place."
Rini's voice was thick with emotion. "Not to mention she has been so lonely during her life. Hotaru-chan, Setsuna and I returned to the 30th century when she was in high school. Michiru was kidnaped, plus Haruka went into seclusion after that, just as she graduates. Rei left after her coronation to build the temple at Phoebus Castle. My father's death forty years ago was so devastating for her. Both Rei and Mokoto's weren't long after that. The rest of us have been so busy. Setsuna is with her the most. Ami's busy with the Planetary Defense System. Mina started a training facility for new senshi. I'm bogged down with the running of Crystal Tokyo." Rini broke of and started to cry.
"Don't beat your self down Rini." Hotaru put her arms around her friend. "Usagi isn't mad at you. Your mother is very proud of you. I know she's looking forward to having grandchildren to play with."
Rini blushed.
Hotaru laughed. " Don't forget, she's strong."
Ceres nodded. " But I am worried about what this could mean to Rini in the future."
Arashi began to cry. Usagi could hear the girls walking over to the crib. All of a sudden her legs went out from under her. Could the crystal really be what had caused her to age so much? She wiped tears from her eyes. She was afraid now. If the crystal took energy to work...what would happen when a more powerful enemy appeared. She didn't want Rini's reign to be plagued by battles. Rini was right. She was lonely. But she knew that loneliness would end soon. Then her daughter would need every thing Usagi could teach her.