Princess Chapter 6

Gwynhafra- It's a story. Anything can happen.

Sailor-Serenity14- And the action begins!!!!

Liana woke Odette up early the next morning with breakfast as a short, plain lavender dress, which was more like a slip on her shoulder. "Eat quickly and I'll help you step into this dress. The fitters for your wedding dress will be here soon." She said. Odette turned pale. "I don't want to get married!" she exclaimed. "I'm sorry, milady." Liana said sadly, "But you have too!"
Quietly Odette ate her breakfast and slipped into the dress. She understood why it was so small now. It was there to let her not feel revealed, but small enough that the seamstress wouldn't have any problem fitting her. Odette had a few of those dresses at home.
Liana left with her empty breakfast dishes a few minutes later. Almost immediately three seamstresses walked into Odette's room. They carried a magnificent dress. Her sadness was forgotten while she examined it.
The dress top of the dress was an off white satin with spaghetti straps. It was sewn to be tight around her waist and bust, but off white satin that wasn't embroidered, gently fell to the ground below that. "Do you like it?" one of the three seamstresses that had come in asked. "I love it." Odette replied. The seamstresses took a few measurements and then left with the dress.
She was left alone with Samara. Sighing, Odette pulled out a shawl from her wardrobe and walked into the library. She pulled out a random book and started to read it. "You know, you could get out of here now." Samara commented, "You could run into the woods and never be heard from again." "Because wolves ate me." Odette added, "That's a stupid idea. And to top it all off, I'll probably never use my magic again! There's no way I can get out of this one." Samara frowned. "I hate to say it," she told her, "but you're right. I say we're both royally screwed." "Was that supposed to be a joke?" Odette asked her cat. "Maybe." Samara replied. Odette gave her a small smile and returned to her book.

An hour and a half later the seamstresses returned with the dress. Odette slipped into it and looked at herself in a long mirror that the seamstresses had brought with her. The effect was stunning. Odette's hair outlined the dress. The seamstresses, who she was now convinced were more like ladies in waiting, secured small diamonds into her hair. "The wedding takes place in one hour." One of them told her. They left.
Odette sighed and sat down on her bed. The dress ruffled agreeably as she did this action. Odette smiled. She liked the dress. It was pretty. To bad she didn't like the event she was wearing it to. Odette smiled again. Her mother, Neo Queen Serenity frowned upon girls her age wearing something like this.
The door to Odette's room opened and shut quietly. Assuming it was either Liana or one of the ladies in waiting she didn't turn. It was quiet for a few seconds. "Well aren't you going to see who just walked into your room?" A familiar voice demanded. Odette whirled around. "Rini!" she gasped.

There was a knock on the door. Pluto looked up from her embroidery and smiled. Kado had been coming to visit every day for the past week. She opened the door. Kado kissed her on the cheek. "Good morning Pluto." He said cheerfully. "Good morning Kado." She replied, "Though it is nearly noon."

Rini was wearing one of the gray dresses that Liana wore. It was stained with mud as was Rini herself. "You look awful." Odette said frowning. "I wish I could say the same thing for you." Rini retorted, "But right now I just want to know why in the whole universe you didn't use your magic to get out of here. And don't try to tell me you're not capable of it, because I know you've been since you were eight." "I'd love to." Odette said gesturing at her magic suspended in mid air. "Is that your magic?!" Rini exclaimed. "Yeah." Odette told her sister. "Have you tried to break the thing it's in?" Rini asked. "No." Odette admitted, "I didn't think of that."
Rini rolled her eyes. "You're so stupid." She told her. Odette glared at her sister and grabbed the little diary she had only written in once. She threw it at the glass sphere. It shattered and the golden mist inside enveloped Odette and disappeared. "That feels better." She said smiling. "Let's get out of here!" Rini said sternly. "Where do we go?" Odette asked. "I don't know but we have to get out of this castle!" her sister said pulling her out of the room.
"So how'd you find me?" Odette asked Rini as they hurried down the hall. "Your kidnappers left a note pretty much telling where you were." Rini explained, "Your scouts are supposed to be here to save you but I have no clue where they went. And why are you dressed in such a great dress?" "A forced marriage to Beryl's son." Odette explained. "Good thing I got here now." Rini said. "How did you get to me before them?" Odette asked. "I used the Door of Time." Rini told her.
"The door's right there." Odette said pointing to a door they were walking towards. "Then let's hurry!" Rini said, running towards the door. "Not so fast." Long said stepping in front of the door, "The bride shouldn't leave her room before the wedding. The groom might see her." "Long, get out of the way." Odette spat, "I've got my magic back and I could kill you."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Queen Beryl said stepping out of the shadows, "I'd hate to kill my son's bride, especially because my son's bride is my darling Endymion's daughter." "And you can drop dead." Odette snapped, "Wait a second. You're already dead." Beryl laughed. "Not anymore, girl." She replied, "My loyal servant Long brought me back. Even my son wouldn't do that for me." "That's because he was smart." Rini said. "And you must be another one of Serenity the idiot and Endymion's brats." Beryl said eyeing her. "My mother is twice the queen you ever were!" Rini yelled.
Beryl scowled. Odette grabbed Rini's hand and ran back the way they had been going, towards Odette's room. "Where are we going?" Rini demanded. "For back up." Odette explained. "Back up in this place?" Rini questioned. Odette skidded to a stop in front of a door and opened it. Inside, Kuruko was putting on his blazer. "What's wrong Raven? How did you find my room? I never showed it to you." he said puzzled, "And who's she?" Odette dragged Rini in and closed and locked the door.
"Your mom is back from the dead and Long's behind it." Odette explained, "This is my sister Princess Serenity, she came to rescue me and we were making a dash for the door when Long and Queen Beryl stepped in front of the door. I found your door because I got my magic back and I can sense things like that with it." Kuruko stared at them opened mouthed.
"You're going to get mad at me for trying to escape, aren't you?" Odette asked quietly. "I'm not mad at you." Kuruko said, "I would have done the same if I had the chance, but my mother getting out is another matter. I want you to go back to your room and shut the door with your magic. Make sure no one can get in." "But I can help!" Odette insisted. "I don't want to see you get hurt." Kuruko explained. He turned to Rini. "Can you transform into a Senshi?" he asked. Rini nodded. "You can help me. Odette, I want you to go into your room and stay there!" "I'm going to help you." Odette replied stubbornly.
"Princess Serenity, would you please escort your sister to her room?" Kuruko asked. "Sure." Rini said smiling. "You will never move me." Odette said flatly. Rini picked her up and walked out of the room. Kuruko smiled. He set off towards his mother and best friend.

Rini opened the door that led to Odette's room and dumped her in it. "You're staying here." Rini said bluntly, "If you come to help me and what's his name-" "Kuruko." Odette interrupted, "Prince Kuruko." "If you come help me and Prince Kuruko I will push you through the Door of Time into the caveman era." Rini finished. She shut the door in her sister's face.

Kuruko grimaced when he saw his mother in a solid form. Queen Beryl smiled. "I'm back." She told him. "You should be dead." He replied. "That's not a way to greet your mother, best friend." Long told him. "Your not my best friend anymore." Kuruko replied calmly, "You knew how I felt about my mother coming back for a night and you go and pull this prank! I bet it was you who brought her back that night!" "You guessed rightly." Long said smiling, "And it doesn't matter if you don't want to be my best friend anymore. I don't need you any longer." He shot a beam of gray light at Kuruko.
Kuruko dodged it. "I didn't know you had magic!" he exclaimed. "It's not magic." Long said, "It's Dark Power your mother granted me to help her return." He shot another beam of light at Kuruko. Kuruko dodged it and sent his own beam of light at Long. Long dodged it. "This is going to be a long fight." Beryl said sighing.

Rini ran through the halls trying to get to the place where the fight was going on, transforming on the way. She noted that she didn't have her scepter. She sighed. I wish I had some sort of weapon. She said frowning. There was a flash of light and her wish was granted. A golden stick about four feet long dropped out of nowhere. There was a large pink crystal heart on the top about five inches tall. The heart was attached to the pole by a little silver crown, just wide enough to keep the two pieces together. "Not bad." Sailor Mini Moon said picking it up. She continued to run towards the fight.
She got there in a few minutes to see that Kuruko was fighting Long and that Queen Beryl was leaning against a wall and watching occasionally yelling encouragement to either side. "You know you're some mother." Rini yelled, "Telling your son's enemy that's trying to kill him to try harder. Beryl jumped. "Not you again." She said. The fight stopped to watch the conversation.
"I defeated your mother two times! I can defeat you easily." Beryl exclaimed. "Don't give me those lies." Mini Moon said calmly, "The first time my mother defeated herself. The second time she sacrificed herself to save the Earth from you. Aunt Venus killed you both times." Beryl frowned. "Well then what are you going to do to me?" Beryl asked, "I'm stronger than I ever was. I can reflect any attack you throw at me." "I'm strong than I ever was too." Mini Moon challenged, "PINK MOON PRINCESS TEMPEST!"
Millions of tiny pink hearts flew out of Mini Moon's scepter and bombarded Queen Beryl. She screamed in furry and made a sharp gesture. A black cloud surrounded her, driving the hearts off. The hearts disappeared and so did the cloud. Beryl was very scratched up and was bleeding in several places. "I told you I could reflect any attack you threw at me." "That wasn't reflecting, was it?" Mini Moon asked innocently. Beryl's eyes narrowed and she sent a bolt of black energy towards her. Kuruko pushed it away from her with a bolt of his own. "Don't make my mother mad." He warned. Mini Moon nodded in agreement.
There was a twang of a bowstring. Mini Moon and Kuruko's attention caught on a deadly sharp arrow on track towards Queen Beryl. She too saw this and made another gesture with her hands. The arrow fell to the ground. All heads turned towards Odette. "Didn't I tell you to stay in your room?" Kuruko inquired. "Yes." Odette replied shrugging, "But I thought I would be of more use here than there." "You're not supposed to be useful! You're supposed to be safe!" Mini Moon yelled.
"Isn't that sweet." Beryl said chuckling, "Sailor Mini Moon cares for her little sister." "Why shouldn't I?" Mini Moon asked. "Because feelings get in the way of common sense!" Queen Beryl yelled, throwing a bolt of energy towards Mini Moon. Odette motioned and a shield appeared around Mini Moon. Beryl's attack bounced off of it and continued its journey, this time towards Long. He screamed once and fell down dead.
"Thank you, Odette." Mini Moon said gratefully. "No problem, Sailor Mini Moon." Odette replied. "Sailor Mini Moon watch out!" Kuruko yelled. A blast of dark energy ran into Sailor Mini Moon. She fell over, out cold. "SAILOR MINI MOON!" Odette screamed. Queen Beryl laughed. "So now we're even." she said, "We've both lost a warrior." "But I still have one more on my side." Odette retorted, "Right Kuruko?" "Yes." Kuruko agreed, "I'm not on my mother's side."
"Traitor!" Beryl yelled, "How can you abandon your mother of all people?!" "Easy." Kuruko replied, "It doesn't matter who you are to me. All that matters is that you're evil and I know that evil is not the right path for me. "But you're prince of the Dark Kingdom!" Beryl exclaimed. "It doesn't matter." Kuruko said simply.
He took Odette's hand. "We have to combine our magic to even match her power." Kuruko whispered into her ear. Odette nodded. His and her fingers interlaced and began to glow a steady blackish gold. Suddenly the light shot towards Queen Beryl. Although she didn't expect it she pushed it away just in time. The power returned to Odette and Kuruko, slamming into Kuruko. His fingers came undone from Odette's and he flew across the hall.
"So now it's just us two." Beryl said snickering, "You know you can't win." Odette looked into her eyes. All of a sudden she was stuck. She was paralyzed. She couldn't move. "I'm going to finish you off and there's nothing you can do to stop me." Queen Beryl hissed.
"Stop right there NegaTrash!" a voice exclaimed. Though Odette couldn't move she recognized the voice. "Sailor Venus!" Queen Beryl gasped.

Back in the 21st century, Serena smiled at Lita who was pinning up the hem on her wedding dress. Her worries about Rini had been temporarily set aside. "Let me in!" Darien exclaimed, "I just want to see my Meatball Head in her dress." He had been trying to get in the room since Serena had walked into it an hour ago. Ray, Amy, Luna, and Mina were keeping him out. "It's bad luck to see the bride in her dress before the wedding." Mina informed Darien.
"And it's not that interesting at the moment. It's just a white dress. Lita hasn't put any of the decorations on it yet." Ray said. "How do you know that?" Darien asked. "There's a peep hole in the door... oops. I shouldn't have said that." "No you shouldn't have." Mina said. There was a scrambling outside the door. "OUCH!" Darien exclaimed, "What did you do that for, Luna?" "You shouldn't be trying to sneak a look. Mina's right. It's bad luck to see her in her wedding dress before the wedding.
"Can I get something?" Serena asked Lita. Lita stopped pinning. "Sure." She said nodding, "Just be careful not to poke yourself. And don't go outside this room. I swear there's an army out there." "Alright." Serena said. She walked over to a small table and picked up a pad of post it notes. On the way to the door a pin brushed her leg. "OWWIE!" she exclaimed. "Don't even think of using that as an excuse to see her." Luna warned, "I'll bite you again."
Serena continued towards the door. "Ooh! I see her!" Mina exclaimed, "That's a pretty dress!" Serena stuck a post it on the peephole. "Darn it." Mina said, "Serena just put a piece of paper on the hole!" Serena smiled and walked back to Lita. "Please continue." She said.

"I'm not Sailor Venus." Future Sailor Venus said, "I'm her daughter." Beryl's magical grip on Odette disappeared and Odette fell to the floor. "That would make you Future Sailor Venus." Beryl grumbled, "But you two still won't be able to defeat me!" "She's not alone!" Future Sailor Jupiter exclaimed appearing next to Venus. "And I brought back up!" Future Sailor Mars announced appearing next to the other two. Behind them, a large army appeared. "As did I." Future Sailor Mercury said appearing next to Mars. Professor Amory, Professor Isana, and Nicolas stood in front of the army with
"Who are these people?" Queen Beryl demanded. "Back up." Venus replied simply. "You owe us almost one trillion American dollars in interest for the million you borrowed years ago!" the general of the army yelled, "We're here to get it!" "We're here to test out our war robot." Professor Amory said. "Uh, dad?" Nicolas said frowning. "What?" asked the professor. "We didn't bring the war robot with us." Nicolas said. "CHARGE!" the general yelled. The army charged. Future Sailor Venus pulled Odette out of the way. "Are you alright?" she asked. "Fine." Odette replied.
There was a large explosion. The whole army was flew back. "Queen Beryl's powerful enough to defeat an entire army!" Future Mercury exclaimed. "How in the world are we going to beat her?" Jupiter asked. Just then someone pushed Odette's bow into her hands. She turned to see Kuruko. "It's the only way to kill her." He explained. "I don't have anymore arrows." Odette replied sadly. He handed her an arrow unlike another she had ever seen. The tip was made of silver. The shaft was pure gold and there were golden red feathers on the end. "They're griffin feathers." Kuruko explained, "Griffin feathers can break through magical barriers. They have their own magic."
Odette stung the bow and positioned the arrow. Beryl was laughing too insanely to notice. Odette pulled the string back, aiming the arrow. She let go. Beryl noticed the arrow too late. She made a gesture and a gray wall appeared. It did no good. The arrow plunged into her stomach. Beryl screamed and fell over. She turned into dust.
"I'm glad that's over." Kuruko said smiling at Odette. "Me too." Odette agreed. "If it's over can we go home now?" Nicolas complained. Odette smiled. The army, the professors and Nicolas disappeared leaving Odette, the Future Senshi, Mini Moon, and Kuruko alone. "We've gotten rid of Beryl so now we can get rid of her son." Future Sailor Jupiter said cracking her knuckles. "Let me because my mother killed his mother two times." Venus said. "Give someone else a turn then!" Mars exclaimed. "How about we kill him together?" Mercury suggested, "That way Venus can carry on her mother's tradition while we get a kick at it too."
"FUTURE JUPITER LEAF CYCLONE!" Jupiter yelled.
"FUTURE MARS FIRE BLASTER!" Mars yelled.
"FUTURE VENUS HEART BREAK!" Venus yelled.
"FUTURE MERCURY FREEZING ICE ATTACK!" Mercury yelled.
Jupiter's razor sharp leaves connected with Mar's fireballs to make sharp leaves made out of fire. This connected with Venus's to make flaming heart shaped leaves, which connected with Mercury's attack making burning heart shaped leaves incased in ice. The ultimate attack sped towards Kuruko who did nothing to stop it. "NO!" Odette and Rini screamed. A golden light bolt of Odette's magic intercepted the attack and both disappeared.
"What did you do that for?!" Venus exclaimed. "Kuruko's not like his mother!" Odette said gasping for breath from using so much magic. "He's good. He helped us defeat Beryl." Rini pointed out. "I can't believe you just saved your kidnapper's life, Odette!" Mars said scowling. "And you probably used up all your magic." Mercury pointed out frowning. "I did." Odette said smiling. Jupiter sighed. "Remember what happened last time you did that?" she asked, "You tried to use it for extinguishing that fire in your play house but you couldn't and it would have burned to the ground with you in it if Sailor Mercury hadn't been passing by just in time to put it out."
"If Odette sparred his life I think we should bring him to Neo Queen Serenity." Mercury said, "She can decide." Kuruko turned pale. "That's like giving me a death sentence!" he exclaimed, "She hates my mother so she'll hate me and she wasn't here to see what happened!" "Our mother is very fair." Rini said, "She doesn't kill people unless she absolutely has to." Odette nodded. "And I have my magic so I can show my mom memories of this fight." She added. "No you can't." Venus pointed out, "Your magic is sucked dry.
"Do you know what this dirty scoundrel was planning to do with Odette today?!" Michael demanded walking up to the group. "When did you get here?" Mars asked surprised. "I've been following you guys the whole time." He said, "But do you know what this Prince Kuruko was going to do?!" "No, what?" Mercury asked. "He was going to marry her!" he yelled. The Future Sailor Scouts gasped.
"Why you-" Jupiter began. Odette cut her off. "His mother forced him to do it!" she exclaimed, "It wasn't his idea! He didn't think to kidnap me! It was all Queen Beryl's fault!" "That would make sense." Mercury said nodding, "What I've seen today makes me think that Kuruko is a good enough guy to be above evil plots like this. I think Kuruko is innocent." "We'll still bring him to Neo Queen Serenity." Venus said.
"With Michael and Kuruko joining the Sailor Teleport we should be able to leave from here and get to the courtyard of the Crystal Palace in ten minutes." Mercury said typing on her computer, "But having Odette unable to join the circle, in other words having to be in the middle of the circle, would put an extra ten minutes on the trip. But twenty minutes is still really good for a trip this long." "Well then let's do it!" Mars said. The group formed a circle with Odette and Samara in the middle. "Future Sailor Teleport!" the group in the ring yelled.

Just as Future Sailor Mercury had said the group arrived in the courtyard of the Crystal Palace twenty minutes later. There was no one in sight. "Well, we're lucky." Rini said powering down. "No, you're lucky." Odette corrected. "What do you mean?" Rini asked. "Mama told you not to go after me, didn't she?" Odette asked. Rini scowled at her. "I'll take that as a yes." Odette said answering herself.
"We should look for Neo Queen Serenity." Future Sailor Mars said. "She'll probably be in the throne room." Future Venus said, "Let's look there first." The group walked into the palace. "I'm so tired!" Odette exclaimed. "Of course you are." Future Mercury said, "You used up all your magic and it's using your energy to rejuvenate itself. You should probably be in bed." The group continued towards the room.

As they had expected, Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion were on their thrones when they group entered the room. The queen stood up as she saw them walk in. "Did you find her?" she asked hopefully. "I'm right here mama." Odette said making her way to the front. Serenity ran to her youngest daughter and hugged her. I'm so happy." She whispered, "I was afraid I lost you forever." Serenity's eyes caught on Rini.
"And why are you coming back with them?" she demanded. "I saw them on my way back from Puu's room." Rini said thinking of a lie quickly, "I joined up with them on my way here." Serenity sighed. "I'm hoping that's the truth." She said.
She turned to Future Sailor Venus. "And you have defeated the Dark Kingdom?" Serenity inquired. Future Venus looked around nervously. "I'm not sure you could say that..." she said. Serenity raised an eyebrow. "Beryl's dead." Future Mars said quickly. "And so is her latest accomplice." Samara added. "Kuruko?" Serenity asked. "No." Odette said, "His best friend Long." "Kuruko came with us." Mercury said. Future Jupiter pushed Kuruko forward. Serenity looked him over.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" she asked. Kuruko hung his head. "I'm sorry." He told her, "I really didn't mean your daughter any harm. I just wanted to make my mother proud. I didn't realize that Long was scheming to bring her back to life." "But how could you make your mother proud?" Serenity asked, "Unless you wanted to avenge her death? She's dead." "Yes, she was dead." Kuruko agreed, "But she wasn't gone. She was sustained as a hologram."
"Like my mother." Serenity murmured. "What?" Kuruko asked. "Nothing." Serenity said shaking her head, "Please go on." "Well this is the part that gets sort of embarrassing." Kuruko admitted, "My mother wanted me to marry Odette Rhea. She said it was a good as she could get after failing to marry King Endymion herself. At this point I came up with a plan. I haven't even told it to Odette yet. I was going to use the marriage to my advantage. I would destroy the computer that kept my mother's spirit as a hologram. Then I would truly be king of the Dark Kingdom. Then with Odette at my side I would make peace with Earth and apologize for what my mother and Metalia did."
"I can tell that something happened today." Serenity said, "Tell me about it." "Today was the date of the wedding." Kuruko explained, "Odette got out of her room ran towards the exit, I guess in a last try for freedom. Queen Beryl and Long were there. Odette ran and got me. I had her back to her room so that she didn't get hurt in the fight." "And I know that was hard to do." Endymion, who had walked up to the group said. Kuruko smiled at him. "And you must be King Endymion." He said bowing, "Pleased to meet you." "Like wise." Endymion said nodding, "You seem much nicer than you mother." "I'd have to say I am." Kuruko said.
"Could you please return to the story?" Serenity asked. "Of course." He replied, "I have magic like Odette's. It's not Dark Power, just magic, plain and simple. I used that to battle against Long who used Dark Power. That went on for a while. Then Odette returned from her room with her bow and arrows and tried to shoot Beryl, but she saw it and brought the arrow down. Beryl shot a bolt at her but she reflected it and it flew towards Long, hit him, and killed him. Then Odette and I combined our magics to defeat Beryl, but she bounced it back towards us and it hit me. I got knocked out so Odette will have to tell me what happened in that hole of time."
All eyes turned to Odette. "Well Beryl made a comment to me about it just being us and I looked into her eyes." She started, "Then I was paralyzed sort of. I couldn't move away. I guess Beryl was going to finish me of then, but I wished as hard as I could that the Future Sailor Senshi would come and they did. I'm not sure where the other people who came with them came from but there was an army, that Beryl defeated, and three other people. They didn't do much but talk. After Beryl defeated the army she was busy bragging about it to notice that she had lost a grip on me I thought about using my bow and arrows to defeat her, but I was out of arrows. Kuruko can pick it up from here."
All eyes returned to Kuruko. "I was waking up at about that point." Kuruko said, "And I heard Odette saying she was out of arrows. I knew that if they hadn't killed Beryl by then that the only way to kill her would to use an old method. In this case a bow and arrow. I usually carry around a nice arrow as I guess you could call it a 'good luck' charm. It's made out of gold and silver. I handed it to Odette and she killed Beryl with it. Then we used Sailor Teleport to get here."
"We brought him here to see what you wanted to do with him." Future Mars explained. "Well," Serenity started, "it seems like we don't have to cleanse him of anything." Kuruko hung his head again. "You're going to kill me, aren't you?" he asked. "Did Serenity say that?" Endymion asked. Kuruko shook his head. "Then that means she hasn't even thought of it and we don't kill people here anyway." "We most certainly don't." Serenity agreed, "Our worst punishment here is to stick you on Nemesis, but that's destroyed now, so we have to find some other place to stick criminals. But you don't have to worry about that. I believe your story and I'd like it if you'd stay here as a guest of the Royal family." "Really?" Kuruko asked. "Yes." Serenity said happily.
There was a knock on the door. Serenity looked away from the group to see Sailor Pluto holding two things. One was Luna-P and the other was a snapped time staff. "What is it Pluto?" Serenity asked. "Rini left Luna-P at Bunny's." Pluto explained, "I had to go back and get it for her." Serenity smiled. "Thank you Pluto." She said. Pluto walked up to Rini and handed her Luna-P. "You owe me big time." Pluto whispered. "I know." Rini replied.
"Now you children have come just in time to get ready for dinner." Serenity said as Pluto left. The Future Scouts powered down and ran towards their rooms. Odette, Samara, Rini, and Michael followed. "What should I do?" Kuruko asked. "Well, you're already dressed for dinner." Endymion noted, "So you can go down to the dining room. The other scouts should already be there." "Uh, Endymion dear." Serenity said, "I don't think that's a very good idea. Remember that the Senshi are very upset about the kidnapping. And Uranus told me yesterday that she'd like to tear Kuruko in two." Kuruko looked around nervously.

Dinner that night was very quiet. No one spoke a word. Until Haruka slammed her fist down on the table and stood up. "I want to know why I'm eating dinner with the person who kidnapped Odette!" she said seriously. Kuruko sighed and started the story again.
A few minutes later he finished. "Well that just goes to show that the proverb that says that an apple can fly away from the tree is right!" Mina said cheerfully. "Uh, honey, I think you mean the acorn never falls far from the tree." Tadao told his wife, "But I'm not completely sure." "Yes that's what I meant. The proverb is wrong!" Mina corrected. "I think it's great that Beryl's son can be trusted to do the right thing." Amy said smiling, "It does certainly prove that proverb wrong." "He's here as my guest so don't try anything." Neo Queen Serenity warned Haruka. Haruka sighed and sat down again.
"I bet everyone's tired after such a big event that lasted so long." Neo Queen Serenity said, "So why don't we go to our rooms and get some rest?" Dinner had just finished, "And Odette, why don't you show Kuruko to a guest room? He is more of your guest than ours." "Alright." Odette said getting up, "Follow me." Kuruko got up and the two walked out of the room.

They walked down the hall in silence. "My mother likes you." Odette finally blurted out, "It was worth bringing you here." "It was." Kuruko agreed, "I knew that your mother was a fair ruler, but now I know that she isn't just that, she's a great ruler." "My father's like that too." Odette added. "Earth must be a great place to live in." Kuruko commented. "I think it is." Odette said nodding.
"You'll stay here." Odette said stopping at a large door. She opened it to reveal a large bedroom with a large bed, a dresser, and second door leading to another room. The walls were silver. "I think you'll like this room." She said, "We don't have any rooms with black walls, but this is close enough, right?" "Perfect." Kuruko said, "I was getting a little tired of black everything." Odette smiled. "Good." She said.
Odette turned to leave. "You'll make a good ruler like your mother." Kuruko said suddenly. Odette turned to him. "You don't have to flatter me anymore." She said, "You're on good terms with my mother, she's forgiven you." "What if I want to flatter you?" Kuruko asked innocently. Odette rolled her eyes, but she was smiling again as she walked away.

The next morning when Kuruko woke up he found a clean par of breeches and a shirt at the end of his bed. "Good service." He commented, pulling them on. A few minutes later, Kuruko was strolling down the hall of the Crystal Palace. He found his way to a large door and pushed it open to reveal a beautiful garden. Kuruko whistled in awe and walked in.
He could tell there was a group of people in the garden although her couldn't see them. The voices were very familiar. "-glad to have you home." One feminine voice said. "I can't believe your mother made us gallivant all over the universe to find you having a great time and just about to get married to such a hot boy." Another said. "Don't forget I was about to get killed by Beryl when you came." Odette's voice pointed out. "She has a point there." Another voice said.
Kuruko walked into a clearing in the garden to see Odette and her group of princesses. The clearing was stunning. It was circular, outlined with red, white, and pink roses. In the center of the clearing was a magnificent white marble fountain. Odette was lying on the rim of the fountain stomach down, talking with her friends and running her fingers over the water as the princess of Mars braided her hair. She was sitting next to Odette's head. The princess of Mercury was sitting on the grass next to the rim of the fountain around Odette's waist. The princess of Venus was kneeling on the grass next to Mercury and Odette's head. Jupiter was sitting next to Odette's feet.
"Hello ladies." Kuruko said walking up to them. The group giggled and Odette blushed. She sat up and walked over to Kuruko. "I'm glad mother asked you to stay." She commented leaning on him, her head only reaching his chest, "You'd be alone in the Dark Kingdom now, right?" "Yes." Kuruko replied, "But why the sudden change of heart? I believe yesterday you were furious with me and today you're acting like I was your boyfriend." Odette looked up at him innocently. "I changed my mind." She said, "And my friends are behind me so I have to make them jealous and pretend I do have a boyfriend."
The group behind them laughed. "No fair!" Hoshi exclaimed, "I'm the next Goddess of Love! I'm supposed to be the first to have a boyfriend!" "Tough luck." Kaede replied. "Kiss her!" Kimi exclaimed. "Don't mind them." Odette told Kuruko blushing, "I was wondering, mother's throwing a ball tonight, would you like to come?" "Of course my little Raven." Kuruko replied, "I haven't been to a ball in ages."
"Raven?" Kimi asked raising an eyebrow. "Her hair." Kuruko explained, "It reminds me of the color of a raven's wing." The group burst out laughing. "I'll see you later." Kuruko said kissing Odette on the top of her head.
He closed the door to the garden, smiling. Kuruko turned around to see Michael frowning at him, his hands crossed across his waist. "That's my girlfriend you just kissed." He commented slowly. "Maybe she doesn't want you." Kuruko said shrugging, "She didn't resist. Maybe she's found a new object of affection." "You're too old for her." Michael observed, "You're twenty right? She's only ten years old." "I'm fifteen years old. Not twenty." Kuruko replied. "You don't look it." Michael said, "Maybe you are, maybe you aren't. But remember, Princess Odette Rhea is my girlfriend." With that he walked off.

That night at the ball Odette looked around and sighed. She didn't see Kuruko anywhere. "What are you sighing for?" Kimi demanded, "You're the jewel of the ball with that red dress on and all those guys around you tonight who just won't stop starring at you. I'm starting to think it's another terrorist attack! Not to mention you've got those two boys fighting over you."
"Two?" Odette asked surprised. "My brother still has a bad crush on you." Kimi explained, "So why'd you sigh?" "I don't see Kuruko." Odette said sadly. "He'll be here." Nami said, "He promised you, remember?" "I guess you're right." Odette said smiling. "Excuse me while I do some boy hunting." Hoshi said hurrying off into the crowd. "She's trying to hook up with your brother, Kimi." Kaede said elbowing her. "She's too late." Kimi said smiling. The group looked over to see Rini flirting with Michael.
The band struck up the first song of the night. "May I have this dance?" a voice asked behind Odette. She twirled around to see Kuruko smiling at her. "Of course you can." Odette replied, letting him lead her to the dance floor, "Why wouldn't you?" "Because you already have a boyfriend." He pointed out. "Oh sure Michael's cute." she replied, "But he's self centered and used to getting to what he wants without a price. You're a much better match for me."
"You mean you don't hate me for kidnapping you?" Kuruko asked. "No!" Odette exclaimed, "Didn't we go over this before? I forgave you for that because of all those times you saved me back in the Dark Kingdom. I might even love you." "Really?" he asked surprised. "Of course." She replied. "What about the age differences?" Kuruko asked. "Not a problem." Odette replied, "My parents have a four year age difference. We'd be the same." Kuruko smiled.
Odette never did dance with Michael that night. But that was okay. He never danced with anyone but Rini.

Kuruko hurried down the hall that a maid had told him would bring him to Neo Queen Serenity's office. Soon he came to the large double crystal doors as she had described. He knocked. "Come in." Neo Queen Serenity called. Kuruko opened one of the doors and walked up to the queen's desk.
"Good morning, Kuruko." Serenity said pleasantly, "I didn't see you at the ball last night, did you enjoy it?" "Yes, I enjoyed it deeply." Kuruko replied taking one of the seats in front of the desk, "I came here to ask you a question." "Well then by all means ask." She said smiling. "I love your daughter, Odette." He said, "I was wondering, when she came of age if you would permit me to marry her?" "Yes," Serenity answered, "It would be a fine match for you and her to marry. It would connect the Dark Kingdom and the Earth. I'd have to say our kingdoms have probably had one of the worst relationships in the universe. But it really isn't my decision. It's more of Endymion's. Let's take a walk."
The two got up. Kuruko followed Neo Queen Serenity out of her office and into the hall. "You do have to remember that Rini is the heir the Earth." She continued, "If you were hoping to get a grip in the world marrying Odette wouldn't be the key." "That wasn't my goal, even if I was hoping to leave the Dark Kingdom." Kuruko replied shaking his head. "But you'd have to stay in the Dark Kingdom and rule, wouldn't you?" Serenity asked leading him into one of the palace's many gardens it wasn't the one Kuruko had found Odette in the day before.
"I wouldn't have to." Kuruko told her, "There's someone who'd take up the throne if I leave. He was totally loyal to my mother and should be to me. I never really met the guy. He's stuck in an eternal sleep. Mother thought it was a good punishment after he failed to kill you, Sailor Moon." "This man wouldn't be one of your mother's generals, would he?" Serenity asked, "Jadeite?" "Yes." Kuruko replied, "He's the only one left or I'd choose Kunzite. I actually knew him. He'd have made a good ruler."
"So where are you planning to go if you don't rule in the Dark Kingdom?" Serenity asked. "Well I was sort of thinking that you could help me there." Kuruko replied. "Where?" She asked again. "I thought maybe Odette and I could bring back the Moon Kingdom on the Moon. I do feel slightly responsible for the fact that it's not there anymore. The castle is there again, right?" "Yes." Serenity said nodding, "It's there. It came back when I destroyed Queen Metalia. There's no one living on the Moon though so you would have no subjects. And by now the castle will need cleaning and fixing up. It has been over a thousand years since someone's stepped foot in there. You wouldn't have anyone to fix it up for you."
"That could be a solution for over population!" Kuruko exclaimed, "I know that you've been having trouble housing people with out tearing down the rest of the trees on Earth. You could send them to the Moon. The people moving there would then need to get jobs and working in the palace could become a source of income until everything else is settled." Serenity smiled. "It would be good to see the Moon as a dwelling place again." She admitted, "The plan seems fine by me. You should ask Endymion now, and after that, don't forget to ask Odette, herself." "Of course." Kuruko said, "Now if you'd excuse me I'll ask King Endymion."

Kuruko found Endymion in another garden in the palace quite a time later sitting on a bench and writing something. "Hello." Kuruko said sitting down next to him. "Hello." Endymion replied looking up from his writing. "I have a question to ask." Kuruko started...
Kuruko walked out of the second garden for the day. Endymion had been very reasonable. He hadn't asked many questions. "I bet Serenity took an hour asking you questions, so if she says yes I don't have to worry." Endymion had said. The only thing that Endymion had asked Kuruko was, not to ask Odette to marry him until she was sixteen. He had agreed readily to that.

A week later, Kuruko was standing in courtyard of the Crystal Palace, ready to leave Crystal Tokyo and return to the Dark Kingdom. He had a lot to do before returning to Crystal Tokyo again. Kuruko would have to wake Jadeite up and publicly announce that he would be the steward of the country until Kuruko returned in a few years. Neo Queen Serenity was already making plans to get some people of Earth to move to the Moon in six years.
Odette ran out into the courtyard. "Do you have to go?" she asked Kuruko, hugging him. "I'm afraid so, Raven." He replied kissing her on the top of her head, "But I'll be back for good in about a week. Okay?" "I guess so." Odette replied quietly, "I'll be waiting." Kuruko turned to leave. "Wait!" Odette exclaimed. "Yes?" Kuruko asked stopping. "Give this back to Liana for me." She requested, handing him a silver bracelet with a bell attached. "Alright, Raven." Kuruko said smiling. He left through the gates where Sailor Neptune was waiting to assist him to the Dark Kingdom.
"Why'd he have to go?" Odette asked Kimi sadly. She and the other three had walked in while Odette and Kuruko were talking. "Who knows." Nami replied shrugging, "He is the King of the Dark Kingdom now, but he said he was coming back in a week." "Your mother's been awfully busy lately, Odette." Kaede commented, "Maybe it has to do with that." "Maybe." Odette agreed, "But I suppose we'll have to wait till Kuruko returns to find out." The group turned and walked into the palace.

Princess is over... Finally! I hope you liked the story while it lasted.