In the last chapter, Serena made some predictions
about the future while having a conversation with her mother. She
made those predictions while she and her mother conversed over some
food and drink that Queen Serenity had gotten for herself before going
to bed. Queen Serenity was now also carrying five babies inside
her, in fact. And Serena made some predictions about those
babies, as well, in the last chapter that was posted for this
particular story of mine.
In the next chapter, Serena and several other girls will discuss their expectations for the future again. And they all will do so for at least a little while, if not a long while, in Serena's Imperial Palace chambers in Moon City on the Moon.
Other things will be mentioned in other remaining chapter-like sections for this story as needed. But just what those things actually are here, readers, you'll all just have to wait and see, obviously enough.
Now without any further ado, let's get on with the next chapter of this story of mine here, if that's all right with you here, readers. Please do read, review, and enjoy, if at all possible, quite naturally enough, readers!
First Kisses?
A The Chrysanthemum Chronicles Series Story
Inside Serena's Chambers In The Imperial Palace
Moon City, Moon Kingdom, Moon
December 24, 986
A couple of days later, at most, then, Serena and a number of her fellow Princesses were together in her Imperial Palace chambers. Those other Princesses were Amy, Raye, Lita, Mina, Destiny, Bethany, and Sylvia. They were just talking about whatever came to mind for them all in her chambers. Serena was sitting on her bed, and the other Princesses were sitting on chairs or cushions spread out near her in them. It was just after they'd all eaten lunch with each other and several other Princesses in the Imperial Palace's main dining room. And they'd then gone not too long afterward to Serena's chambers in the Imperial Palace.
Raye then asked, "Serena, do you yourself have any major plans for any particular time next year yet?"
"Perhaps get a boyfriend? That is if I can, of course."
"You mean just like Sylvia now has?"
"Well, yeah, Raye."
"But you realize that you'll only be eleven years old next year, Serena, I hope," said Raye.
"Yes, I do. But I've still heard that any number of people younger than the twins have been engaged before on Earth, Raye."
"Really, Serena?"
"Yes, Mars girl. The twins are now about ninety or so months old, Raye. Sylvia's told me that kids as young as five Terran years of age have even been engaged to each other before. Sure, it might not always happen. But it still has been known to happen every once in a while, according to her."
"I don't think that's realistic, Serena."
Sylvia then said, "It's happened before in the Kingdom of Punjab and Kashmir, Raye. And children as young as you, if not younger, have already been married to each other before. Granted, they might not be old enough to have children with each other. But they're still too often married to each other at a very young age, at such times, Raye. I really don't like it, of course, for the obvious reasons. But that's how certain things like that are at least every so often in that country, if not others as well on my world of Earth."
"That's just not right, Sylvia," said Amy.
"I know that, Amy. But it still happens in that country, at least, if not others as well on Earth. You see, I really do think, in my own mortal life, here in God's very own Universe, that kids like us shouldn't be forced to grow up faster than we really want to, Amy. In my country, however, I don't think children can legally get engaged to each other before they are about ten to fifteen of our years old. I could be wrong, of course, but I doubt it. For I've never heard of any person in our country getting engaged before at least nine or ten years of age. And I don't think that children in Rolando's country can get engaged before they're at least nine or ten of our years old either, at least not legally, anyway."
Mina said, "If that's the case, Sylvia, then that's good. That way the children have at least a little bit of time to be kids, and not have to be so adult-like all the time. Sure, kids like us all over this solar system might actually dream of eventually getting engaged or married to other people. But I really think that they don't necessarily need to actually get married at a very young age."
"Mina's right," said Lita. "We all need time to be children in our lives. Some of us more than others, of course. No matter who we are, we children need time to just be kids in our lives whenever we want or need to be kids. Instead of having to be what might essentially be called 'Miniature Adults', if I'm not mistaken about such things in my life."
"Miniature adults, Lita?" asked Destiny.
"Yes, that's what I mean. In essence, I'm suggesting that some people in this solar system might want children in it to be adults in children's bodies. And I don't think that's right."
"Anyone in particular?"
"Those people in it who have their children get engaged before they're old enough to decide whether or not they want to do that, and possibly get married, to the person that they'd be engaged to in their lives."
Lita took a sip of milk from a tall glass near her for a few seconds. And then she added, "Or those people who'd generally arrange marriages for any or all of their children without their consents to permit their parents to do that."
"So you don't believe in arranged marriages, normally?" asked Bethany.
"No, I don't, Bethany. If the children want to have their parents arrange the marriage in question, that's one thing. And I can understand that. But if they don't, then I don't. I think that young people should normally be able to choose who they are to marry in their lives, if they ever live long enough to get married to anyone else at all in them."
"So you're thinking that love should be the primary reason to get married to another person?"
"Yes, Serena, I am. And I'm sure the rest of you girls feel the same way, or much the same way, that I do about things like this in my own mortal life, in each of your own mortal lives. Maybe Serena feels that way most of all of us, but I'm not sure. She may not yet actually be in love with Prince Darien. But I think that if she isn't yet, she'll eventually be in love with him soon enough. Raye may not like this much. But I think that Serena will eventually win Darien's love, and he'll win hers. I also strongly suspect that Chad may eventually fall for Raye, if he hasn't already. And that Raye will also fall for him, if she's not already done so in her life either."
"And what about you and Ken, then, Lita?" asked Amy.
"Amy, I think we may have a definite future with each other, if we somehow both manage to survive the likely end of the Moon Kingdom. I don't know when, and I don't know where. But I think that we may eventually fall for each other, and possibly get married someday in the future. Whether it's in the 20th Century or the 30th Century, I'm not sure. But I think we'll eventually marry each other someday somewhere."
"And what of me and Greg, Lita?"
"Same thing, Amy. You two may take longer than the rest of us to fall in love with each other. But I think that the both of you will eventually do so, someday, and somewhere, in God's very own Universe."
"And me, Lita?" asked Mina.
"I don't really know for sure who you'll end up with yet, if I ever will, Mina. It could be Steven, or it could be someone else entirely. But I think that you'll eventually find love come your way in your life, if you somehow survive the end of our Moon Kingdom. I don't know who, I don't know when, and I don't know where. But somehow I just know that I honestly think that you'll eventually find love coming your way in your life. When it comes, hold onto that love as best as you can for as long as you possibly can, Mina. For I believe that the person you fall most in love with may very well turn out to be the one you'll spend the rest of your life with. I don't know how long you'll be able to be with each other, after you fall in love with each other, I just believe that you might possibly be spending the rest of your life with that person you'll probably fall most in love with in it."
"And what of the twins?"
"I can't see that far ahead yet. For I don't know if they'll survive the Moon Kingdom yet. Nor do I know if Sylvia and/or Rolando will do the same yet, Mina."
"What if we're both on the Earth when the Negaverse finally comes here to the Moon, Lita?"
"I don't think that'll be the case, Sylvia. I have this strange feeling that both you and him, as well as Prince Darien, of course, will be on the Moon when they come here to wipe us out as much as they possibly can, if not entirely. I don't exactly know where you'll both be on the Moon, if that's the case, Sylvia. But I do know that they'll most likely give little or no mercy to those of us they somehow ever meet here on the Moon. And most especially to those who are royals in our Moon Kingdom, of course. Which means, by logical extension, then, that those of us in Serena's Court might be in the most danger of all of our people. Not including our dear Serena, of course, for the obvious reasons. They might really go after Serena and Prince Darien more than after the rest of us, I think. And then if the visions and/or dreams of many of our people over a rather long time are sufficiently accurate in their respective natures, I believe we all know what'll eventually happen next. At least until those of us who've somehow survived the end of the Moon Kingdom begin getting transferred to Earth, if at all possible."
"Darien and I get zapped, sometime, and Mother tries to save as many of us as she can, of course, after we do. I don't know about the rest of you getting killed yet by our Negaverse foes, if I ever will before I get zapped near Darien by Beryl. But I suspect that the rest of you may already be asleep by then, or at least one of you might be. I don't know anything more about the end of the Moon Kingdom yet, other than what I've told you before, girls. When I get zapped with Darien, Mom will not want to see us lose our futures, if at all possible. And she'll then save as many of us as she can. Even if it means her death. I don't know exactly what'll then happen to those of us who somehow survive the end of the Moon Kingdom, and exactly where we'll end up on Earth, if we survive our Moon Kingdom's end somehow, and the transfer process to Earth. But I suspect that at least some, if not all of us, will manage to somehow get safely down to Earth somehow," Serena soon said.
"In at least one zone?" asked Destiny.
"Yes. I don't know how many versions of us there'll be, if any or all of us get copied somehow. But I still do somehow suspect that those of us who survive the transfer process to Earth will often end up in at least two zones, if not more. One for sure, at least, if not others as well, I believe, for all the obvious reasons, of course."
"And do you like the idea of that happening?"
"I don't know yet, Bethany. But I figure that if it does happen that we get sent to at least two zones on Earth, we can protect more of the Earth if we ever get to be Sailor Scouts in those particular zones on Earth. That is, of course, if things go sufficiently according to plan for us and those who we're trying to protect from harm on it, Bethany."
"And if we somehow meet copies of ourselves, then what?" asked Amy.
"Then we cross that bridge when we come to it, of course, Amy."
"I see, Serena."
"Of course, if we end up being copied, the original version or versions of those of us who are each copied might not be as powerful as it or they most likely would be if it or they weren't copied, for all the obvious reasons."
"You mean that if we're copied, then our powers might be split amongst all the versions of us that survive the transfer process that'd bring us eventually to Earth, if we managed to survive at least that long?" asked Mina, after a few more seconds passed for everyone now in Serena's Imperial Palace chambers.
"Yes, Mina, I do mean that, I think. Of course, you know I could also be wrong about such things. Maybe if we're copied, our powers will be multiplied so that each version of us can someday fight with full power and effectiveness, whenever possible, in the future."
"But you don't know for sure, of course, if that's the case, at least not yet, Serena."
"Of course not, Mina. And I won't likely know it unless I meet at least one other version of myself, I'm sure. I also believe that the rest of you won't know for sure if that's the case if you don't meet at least one other version of yourselves as well. Not to mention at least one more version of me, of course."
"Even maybe a fake Sailor Scout who somehow tries to pretend she's you, Serena?"
"Like who, Raye?" asked Serena.
"A certain blonde Negaverser, I think. I saw her in at least one of my dreams and/or visions last night, while I was in my bed back in my Double Earth Palace chambers. She also was going after Tuxedo Mask while four of us were in our Sailor Scout states of being."
"And then what?"
"She stabbed him in the back with something I can't really identify well enough yet, if I'll see that particular dream or vision of mine at least one more time in the future."
"And then what happened?"
"Sailor Venus showed up to save the day, I suppose you could say."
"You mean me, Raye?"
"Yes, I do, it seems, Mina."
"And was Zoisite with Malachite?"
"I believe so, Mina."
"And I suppose they wanted certain crystals from Tuxedo Mask, who didn't show while you were otherwise occupied with Malachite and Zoisite?"
"Yes, but how do you know this?"
"Because I saw a similar vision or dream some time ago, while we were still at the Rainbow Springs Palace shortly after we all became Junior Sailor Scouts, except for Sylvia, of course."
"And you've not told us about it since then, until now?"
"I couldn't, unless someone else told of a similar or exact same vision or dream of their own first. And because you now have, I can tell you that I had such a thing become known to me quite some length of time ago, Raye."
"And at the time that this scene from our dreams or visions takes place, what do we apparently know currently about Tuxedo Mask?"
"Evidently, you girls know of Darien, and you know of Tuxedo Mask. You know that Darien is often ragging on Serena, at least, if not any of you others that I have seen so far in this vision, and that you have seen so far in it, Raye. You know Tuxedo Mask helps the Scouts as often as he can against beings from the Negaverse. But you don't know much of anything else about him or Tuxedo Mask, and how come he can show up so often when you Scouts are in a whole lot of trouble during your battles."
"Is he sort of a free agent at the time supposedly shown in our dreams or visions, Mina?"
"Sort of, I think. He's hunting for crystals, just as the baddies that you're facing are, and just as you are, as of such a time. And he doesn't want the baddies to get them, and he may not want you to get them. I show up just before he's about to trade at least one crystal in his possession for your lives, I think, and keep Zoisite and Malachite from getting them. But eventually the crystals all end up in the same place, and they form something that your mother currently holds, I think, Serena, Destiny, and Bethany."
"No way, Mina!"
"Yes, they do, Serena. It's something that I think you'll become rather familiar with in the very near future, if you're not already familiar with it in your life."
"Something that survives the end of our Moon Kingdom?"
"Yes. Remember your recent visions and dreams about possible futures for us, even before we leave the Moon behind, Serena?"
"You're not saying that we'll see the Imperium Silver Crystal not long after you save the day?"
"As a matter of fact, I believe that I am saying that you'll see it before we wipe Beryl out and avenge our Moon Kingdom's destruction, Serena," answered Mina.
"I and who else?"
"Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and me, at least, I believe, if nobody else as well, Serena."
"Will this be before or after we eventually find out who Tuxedo Mask really is?"
"I believe before. Why?"
"Just wondering, that's all, Mina," replied Serena.
Then the girls conversed with each other quite a bit more, at least until they decided that they'd done so long enough for a while. They did this at least until the middle of the afternoon, if not until a later time than that. After which, Serena soon let all of the Princesses now with her in her own Imperial Palace chambers out of them, if they wanted to leave them at all. That was, of course, just so that they could all do whatever they'd want to do before that night's ball, or before they each had their respective breakfasts the following morning, whatever the case might be for all of her fellow Princesses that'd just visited her for some time in her own Imperial Palace chambers.
Serena watched her fellow Princesses leave her chambers. And then she went to work on a few other items that she'd either bought or made for other people in her life. That was so those items could hopefully be ready to be put under a tree in the Imperial Palace's main ballroom before the end of Christmas Eve, which it now was, either by her or by someone else entirely. She was about done with all of those items, already. But she still had a little work to do on all of them, after she'd already prepared other gifts from her for their time under that same tree over the last few days or weeks, at least, if not longer than that. When she finished her work on each of the items she'd still hadn't finished taking care of before she'd been visited by her sisters and several other Princesses, she then put each of those items on a cart already partly loaded with other items she'd placed on it before she'd been visited by Destiny, Bethany, Amy, Raye, Lita, Mina, and Sylvia earlier that same day.
When that was done well enough to suit her easily enough, she then left her chambers soon afterward, and headed herself off toward the main ballroom, so that she could put each of those items under the tree all by herself, if at all possible. Certain items she'd worked on had needed to be put on it by her with some help from at least one other person, due to their sizes. Of course, any such item that was put on that cart by more than one person wasn't for the person or persons helping her put them on her cart. This, of course, was for all the obvious reasons. Eventually, she arrived in the main ballroom, and began unloading those items from her cart as quickly as she could, and as inconspicuously as she could, just in case anyone was trying to spy on her as she did so. Whenever necessary and possible, she found other people in the main ballroom who were preparing it for that night's ball to help her take certain other items off her cart, and to help her place them under the tree as well. Finally, her cart was completely empty, and she then left the main ballroom again, so that she could get ready for that night's ball, if she'd likely want to attend it at all, of course.
She was soon back in her chambers again with her now-empty cart. Which she then put back in one of the closets in them, in very short order. That done, she then began getting ready for that night's ball as quickly as she could. It didn't take her long to choose a gown for her to wear during that ball. After which she was soon in her bath. She bathed for about an hour or so, in fact. And then she quickly dressed again in that very same gown, which was mostly pink with a sash that had white, crimson, and royal blue stripes on it. And there were also some golden crescent moons often superimposed on the stripes of her sash, on either side of that sash. Her dress wasn't entirely pink, for several bright red roses were spread all over it, at least near her gown's hem, if not elsewhere on the dress as well. And she liked the gown that she'd chosen for that ball, as a matter of fact.
After dressing in that gown, she then did her hair faster than she normally would. For she'd apparently spent more time in the bath than she might have wanted to do when she'd first gotten into it. It took her about half the time for her to do her hair than it normally would after one of her baths, because of that fact. She was out of her chambers, then, about ten to fifteen minutes after getting out of her bath. And she was soon hurrying herself toward the Imperial Palace's main ballroom.
There are three more chapters to this story after the next one. In the next chapter, or what might pass for Chapter 23, Serena will have a rather private discussion about some very important things and people with Raye. This discussion will take place in Raye's chambers, just before they both go to a ball in the Imperial Palace's main ballroom. What she and Raye will say when they do that there, though, you'll all just have to wait and see, until that chapter gets put up as needed on , in fact. This particular story here will have a total of 26 chapter-like sections in it, most likely, readers.
I will brief you all more, as this story's end comes even closer, as needed, in fact. But the rest of this story and its related series will still take at least some time to put up here, just the same, readers. For I have not yet completed the series, even though I've written at least partly into the seventh volume of this series, if not totally into it. Six volumes are complete. The seventh volume in this series is in progress, as of the current time. And the Moon Kingdom hasn't yet fallen at the point that I am now at in its series. When I finish getting the first six volumes of this story series up, I will start to upload the seventh one. And then we can go from there, once you have seen all that I'll have by that time for "The Chrysanthemum Chronicles" story series, readers. I don't expect to be able to start uploading the seventh volume in the series for at least a few weeks or months, though, however. For each volume in this particular story series of mine here is generally of good size, whenever possible, in fact, readers. There are many more things yet to come in this series. But if I say too much more than that right now and right here, you might choose not to continue reading this series, I think. For I might then be spoiling it for you all here, obviously enough, of course. 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!
In the next chapter, Serena and several other girls will discuss their expectations for the future again. And they all will do so for at least a little while, if not a long while, in Serena's Imperial Palace chambers in Moon City on the Moon.
Other things will be mentioned in other remaining chapter-like sections for this story as needed. But just what those things actually are here, readers, you'll all just have to wait and see, obviously enough.
Now without any further ado, let's get on with the next chapter of this story of mine here, if that's all right with you here, readers. Please do read, review, and enjoy, if at all possible, quite naturally enough, readers!
First Kisses?
A The Chrysanthemum Chronicles Series Story
Inside Serena's Chambers In The Imperial Palace
Moon City, Moon Kingdom, Moon
December 24, 986
A couple of days later, at most, then, Serena and a number of her fellow Princesses were together in her Imperial Palace chambers. Those other Princesses were Amy, Raye, Lita, Mina, Destiny, Bethany, and Sylvia. They were just talking about whatever came to mind for them all in her chambers. Serena was sitting on her bed, and the other Princesses were sitting on chairs or cushions spread out near her in them. It was just after they'd all eaten lunch with each other and several other Princesses in the Imperial Palace's main dining room. And they'd then gone not too long afterward to Serena's chambers in the Imperial Palace.
Raye then asked, "Serena, do you yourself have any major plans for any particular time next year yet?"
"Perhaps get a boyfriend? That is if I can, of course."
"You mean just like Sylvia now has?"
"Well, yeah, Raye."
"But you realize that you'll only be eleven years old next year, Serena, I hope," said Raye.
"Yes, I do. But I've still heard that any number of people younger than the twins have been engaged before on Earth, Raye."
"Really, Serena?"
"Yes, Mars girl. The twins are now about ninety or so months old, Raye. Sylvia's told me that kids as young as five Terran years of age have even been engaged to each other before. Sure, it might not always happen. But it still has been known to happen every once in a while, according to her."
"I don't think that's realistic, Serena."
Sylvia then said, "It's happened before in the Kingdom of Punjab and Kashmir, Raye. And children as young as you, if not younger, have already been married to each other before. Granted, they might not be old enough to have children with each other. But they're still too often married to each other at a very young age, at such times, Raye. I really don't like it, of course, for the obvious reasons. But that's how certain things like that are at least every so often in that country, if not others as well on my world of Earth."
"That's just not right, Sylvia," said Amy.
"I know that, Amy. But it still happens in that country, at least, if not others as well on Earth. You see, I really do think, in my own mortal life, here in God's very own Universe, that kids like us shouldn't be forced to grow up faster than we really want to, Amy. In my country, however, I don't think children can legally get engaged to each other before they are about ten to fifteen of our years old. I could be wrong, of course, but I doubt it. For I've never heard of any person in our country getting engaged before at least nine or ten years of age. And I don't think that children in Rolando's country can get engaged before they're at least nine or ten of our years old either, at least not legally, anyway."
Mina said, "If that's the case, Sylvia, then that's good. That way the children have at least a little bit of time to be kids, and not have to be so adult-like all the time. Sure, kids like us all over this solar system might actually dream of eventually getting engaged or married to other people. But I really think that they don't necessarily need to actually get married at a very young age."
"Mina's right," said Lita. "We all need time to be children in our lives. Some of us more than others, of course. No matter who we are, we children need time to just be kids in our lives whenever we want or need to be kids. Instead of having to be what might essentially be called 'Miniature Adults', if I'm not mistaken about such things in my life."
"Miniature adults, Lita?" asked Destiny.
"Yes, that's what I mean. In essence, I'm suggesting that some people in this solar system might want children in it to be adults in children's bodies. And I don't think that's right."
"Anyone in particular?"
"Those people in it who have their children get engaged before they're old enough to decide whether or not they want to do that, and possibly get married, to the person that they'd be engaged to in their lives."
Lita took a sip of milk from a tall glass near her for a few seconds. And then she added, "Or those people who'd generally arrange marriages for any or all of their children without their consents to permit their parents to do that."
"So you don't believe in arranged marriages, normally?" asked Bethany.
"No, I don't, Bethany. If the children want to have their parents arrange the marriage in question, that's one thing. And I can understand that. But if they don't, then I don't. I think that young people should normally be able to choose who they are to marry in their lives, if they ever live long enough to get married to anyone else at all in them."
"So you're thinking that love should be the primary reason to get married to another person?"
"Yes, Serena, I am. And I'm sure the rest of you girls feel the same way, or much the same way, that I do about things like this in my own mortal life, in each of your own mortal lives. Maybe Serena feels that way most of all of us, but I'm not sure. She may not yet actually be in love with Prince Darien. But I think that if she isn't yet, she'll eventually be in love with him soon enough. Raye may not like this much. But I think that Serena will eventually win Darien's love, and he'll win hers. I also strongly suspect that Chad may eventually fall for Raye, if he hasn't already. And that Raye will also fall for him, if she's not already done so in her life either."
"And what about you and Ken, then, Lita?" asked Amy.
"Amy, I think we may have a definite future with each other, if we somehow both manage to survive the likely end of the Moon Kingdom. I don't know when, and I don't know where. But I think that we may eventually fall for each other, and possibly get married someday in the future. Whether it's in the 20th Century or the 30th Century, I'm not sure. But I think we'll eventually marry each other someday somewhere."
"And what of me and Greg, Lita?"
"Same thing, Amy. You two may take longer than the rest of us to fall in love with each other. But I think that the both of you will eventually do so, someday, and somewhere, in God's very own Universe."
"And me, Lita?" asked Mina.
"I don't really know for sure who you'll end up with yet, if I ever will, Mina. It could be Steven, or it could be someone else entirely. But I think that you'll eventually find love come your way in your life, if you somehow survive the end of our Moon Kingdom. I don't know who, I don't know when, and I don't know where. But somehow I just know that I honestly think that you'll eventually find love coming your way in your life. When it comes, hold onto that love as best as you can for as long as you possibly can, Mina. For I believe that the person you fall most in love with may very well turn out to be the one you'll spend the rest of your life with. I don't know how long you'll be able to be with each other, after you fall in love with each other, I just believe that you might possibly be spending the rest of your life with that person you'll probably fall most in love with in it."
"And what of the twins?"
"I can't see that far ahead yet. For I don't know if they'll survive the Moon Kingdom yet. Nor do I know if Sylvia and/or Rolando will do the same yet, Mina."
"What if we're both on the Earth when the Negaverse finally comes here to the Moon, Lita?"
"I don't think that'll be the case, Sylvia. I have this strange feeling that both you and him, as well as Prince Darien, of course, will be on the Moon when they come here to wipe us out as much as they possibly can, if not entirely. I don't exactly know where you'll both be on the Moon, if that's the case, Sylvia. But I do know that they'll most likely give little or no mercy to those of us they somehow ever meet here on the Moon. And most especially to those who are royals in our Moon Kingdom, of course. Which means, by logical extension, then, that those of us in Serena's Court might be in the most danger of all of our people. Not including our dear Serena, of course, for the obvious reasons. They might really go after Serena and Prince Darien more than after the rest of us, I think. And then if the visions and/or dreams of many of our people over a rather long time are sufficiently accurate in their respective natures, I believe we all know what'll eventually happen next. At least until those of us who've somehow survived the end of the Moon Kingdom begin getting transferred to Earth, if at all possible."
"Darien and I get zapped, sometime, and Mother tries to save as many of us as she can, of course, after we do. I don't know about the rest of you getting killed yet by our Negaverse foes, if I ever will before I get zapped near Darien by Beryl. But I suspect that the rest of you may already be asleep by then, or at least one of you might be. I don't know anything more about the end of the Moon Kingdom yet, other than what I've told you before, girls. When I get zapped with Darien, Mom will not want to see us lose our futures, if at all possible. And she'll then save as many of us as she can. Even if it means her death. I don't know exactly what'll then happen to those of us who somehow survive the end of the Moon Kingdom, and exactly where we'll end up on Earth, if we survive our Moon Kingdom's end somehow, and the transfer process to Earth. But I suspect that at least some, if not all of us, will manage to somehow get safely down to Earth somehow," Serena soon said.
"In at least one zone?" asked Destiny.
"Yes. I don't know how many versions of us there'll be, if any or all of us get copied somehow. But I still do somehow suspect that those of us who survive the transfer process to Earth will often end up in at least two zones, if not more. One for sure, at least, if not others as well, I believe, for all the obvious reasons, of course."
"And do you like the idea of that happening?"
"I don't know yet, Bethany. But I figure that if it does happen that we get sent to at least two zones on Earth, we can protect more of the Earth if we ever get to be Sailor Scouts in those particular zones on Earth. That is, of course, if things go sufficiently according to plan for us and those who we're trying to protect from harm on it, Bethany."
"And if we somehow meet copies of ourselves, then what?" asked Amy.
"Then we cross that bridge when we come to it, of course, Amy."
"I see, Serena."
"Of course, if we end up being copied, the original version or versions of those of us who are each copied might not be as powerful as it or they most likely would be if it or they weren't copied, for all the obvious reasons."
"You mean that if we're copied, then our powers might be split amongst all the versions of us that survive the transfer process that'd bring us eventually to Earth, if we managed to survive at least that long?" asked Mina, after a few more seconds passed for everyone now in Serena's Imperial Palace chambers.
"Yes, Mina, I do mean that, I think. Of course, you know I could also be wrong about such things. Maybe if we're copied, our powers will be multiplied so that each version of us can someday fight with full power and effectiveness, whenever possible, in the future."
"But you don't know for sure, of course, if that's the case, at least not yet, Serena."
"Of course not, Mina. And I won't likely know it unless I meet at least one other version of myself, I'm sure. I also believe that the rest of you won't know for sure if that's the case if you don't meet at least one other version of yourselves as well. Not to mention at least one more version of me, of course."
"Even maybe a fake Sailor Scout who somehow tries to pretend she's you, Serena?"
"Like who, Raye?" asked Serena.
"A certain blonde Negaverser, I think. I saw her in at least one of my dreams and/or visions last night, while I was in my bed back in my Double Earth Palace chambers. She also was going after Tuxedo Mask while four of us were in our Sailor Scout states of being."
"And then what?"
"She stabbed him in the back with something I can't really identify well enough yet, if I'll see that particular dream or vision of mine at least one more time in the future."
"And then what happened?"
"Sailor Venus showed up to save the day, I suppose you could say."
"You mean me, Raye?"
"Yes, I do, it seems, Mina."
"And was Zoisite with Malachite?"
"I believe so, Mina."
"And I suppose they wanted certain crystals from Tuxedo Mask, who didn't show while you were otherwise occupied with Malachite and Zoisite?"
"Yes, but how do you know this?"
"Because I saw a similar vision or dream some time ago, while we were still at the Rainbow Springs Palace shortly after we all became Junior Sailor Scouts, except for Sylvia, of course."
"And you've not told us about it since then, until now?"
"I couldn't, unless someone else told of a similar or exact same vision or dream of their own first. And because you now have, I can tell you that I had such a thing become known to me quite some length of time ago, Raye."
"And at the time that this scene from our dreams or visions takes place, what do we apparently know currently about Tuxedo Mask?"
"Evidently, you girls know of Darien, and you know of Tuxedo Mask. You know that Darien is often ragging on Serena, at least, if not any of you others that I have seen so far in this vision, and that you have seen so far in it, Raye. You know Tuxedo Mask helps the Scouts as often as he can against beings from the Negaverse. But you don't know much of anything else about him or Tuxedo Mask, and how come he can show up so often when you Scouts are in a whole lot of trouble during your battles."
"Is he sort of a free agent at the time supposedly shown in our dreams or visions, Mina?"
"Sort of, I think. He's hunting for crystals, just as the baddies that you're facing are, and just as you are, as of such a time. And he doesn't want the baddies to get them, and he may not want you to get them. I show up just before he's about to trade at least one crystal in his possession for your lives, I think, and keep Zoisite and Malachite from getting them. But eventually the crystals all end up in the same place, and they form something that your mother currently holds, I think, Serena, Destiny, and Bethany."
"No way, Mina!"
"Yes, they do, Serena. It's something that I think you'll become rather familiar with in the very near future, if you're not already familiar with it in your life."
"Something that survives the end of our Moon Kingdom?"
"Yes. Remember your recent visions and dreams about possible futures for us, even before we leave the Moon behind, Serena?"
"You're not saying that we'll see the Imperium Silver Crystal not long after you save the day?"
"As a matter of fact, I believe that I am saying that you'll see it before we wipe Beryl out and avenge our Moon Kingdom's destruction, Serena," answered Mina.
"I and who else?"
"Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and me, at least, I believe, if nobody else as well, Serena."
"Will this be before or after we eventually find out who Tuxedo Mask really is?"
"I believe before. Why?"
"Just wondering, that's all, Mina," replied Serena.
Then the girls conversed with each other quite a bit more, at least until they decided that they'd done so long enough for a while. They did this at least until the middle of the afternoon, if not until a later time than that. After which, Serena soon let all of the Princesses now with her in her own Imperial Palace chambers out of them, if they wanted to leave them at all. That was, of course, just so that they could all do whatever they'd want to do before that night's ball, or before they each had their respective breakfasts the following morning, whatever the case might be for all of her fellow Princesses that'd just visited her for some time in her own Imperial Palace chambers.
Serena watched her fellow Princesses leave her chambers. And then she went to work on a few other items that she'd either bought or made for other people in her life. That was so those items could hopefully be ready to be put under a tree in the Imperial Palace's main ballroom before the end of Christmas Eve, which it now was, either by her or by someone else entirely. She was about done with all of those items, already. But she still had a little work to do on all of them, after she'd already prepared other gifts from her for their time under that same tree over the last few days or weeks, at least, if not longer than that. When she finished her work on each of the items she'd still hadn't finished taking care of before she'd been visited by her sisters and several other Princesses, she then put each of those items on a cart already partly loaded with other items she'd placed on it before she'd been visited by Destiny, Bethany, Amy, Raye, Lita, Mina, and Sylvia earlier that same day.
When that was done well enough to suit her easily enough, she then left her chambers soon afterward, and headed herself off toward the main ballroom, so that she could put each of those items under the tree all by herself, if at all possible. Certain items she'd worked on had needed to be put on it by her with some help from at least one other person, due to their sizes. Of course, any such item that was put on that cart by more than one person wasn't for the person or persons helping her put them on her cart. This, of course, was for all the obvious reasons. Eventually, she arrived in the main ballroom, and began unloading those items from her cart as quickly as she could, and as inconspicuously as she could, just in case anyone was trying to spy on her as she did so. Whenever necessary and possible, she found other people in the main ballroom who were preparing it for that night's ball to help her take certain other items off her cart, and to help her place them under the tree as well. Finally, her cart was completely empty, and she then left the main ballroom again, so that she could get ready for that night's ball, if she'd likely want to attend it at all, of course.
She was soon back in her chambers again with her now-empty cart. Which she then put back in one of the closets in them, in very short order. That done, she then began getting ready for that night's ball as quickly as she could. It didn't take her long to choose a gown for her to wear during that ball. After which she was soon in her bath. She bathed for about an hour or so, in fact. And then she quickly dressed again in that very same gown, which was mostly pink with a sash that had white, crimson, and royal blue stripes on it. And there were also some golden crescent moons often superimposed on the stripes of her sash, on either side of that sash. Her dress wasn't entirely pink, for several bright red roses were spread all over it, at least near her gown's hem, if not elsewhere on the dress as well. And she liked the gown that she'd chosen for that ball, as a matter of fact.
After dressing in that gown, she then did her hair faster than she normally would. For she'd apparently spent more time in the bath than she might have wanted to do when she'd first gotten into it. It took her about half the time for her to do her hair than it normally would after one of her baths, because of that fact. She was out of her chambers, then, about ten to fifteen minutes after getting out of her bath. And she was soon hurrying herself toward the Imperial Palace's main ballroom.
There are three more chapters to this story after the next one. In the next chapter, or what might pass for Chapter 23, Serena will have a rather private discussion about some very important things and people with Raye. This discussion will take place in Raye's chambers, just before they both go to a ball in the Imperial Palace's main ballroom. What she and Raye will say when they do that there, though, you'll all just have to wait and see, until that chapter gets put up as needed on , in fact. This particular story here will have a total of 26 chapter-like sections in it, most likely, readers.
I will brief you all more, as this story's end comes even closer, as needed, in fact. But the rest of this story and its related series will still take at least some time to put up here, just the same, readers. For I have not yet completed the series, even though I've written at least partly into the seventh volume of this series, if not totally into it. Six volumes are complete. The seventh volume in this series is in progress, as of the current time. And the Moon Kingdom hasn't yet fallen at the point that I am now at in its series. When I finish getting the first six volumes of this story series up, I will start to upload the seventh one. And then we can go from there, once you have seen all that I'll have by that time for "The Chrysanthemum Chronicles" story series, readers. I don't expect to be able to start uploading the seventh volume in the series for at least a few weeks or months, though, however. For each volume in this particular story series of mine here is generally of good size, whenever possible, in fact, readers. There are many more things yet to come in this series. But if I say too much more than that right now and right here, you might choose not to continue reading this series, I think. For I might then be spoiling it for you all here, obviously enough, of course. 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!