Falling Away
MarshAngelRated: R
LAST: She had a message for them: surrender their countries and their armies to her, or die. She almost giggled in anticipation. This was all so very exciting.
Nephrite couldn't fight the feeling that they shouldn't be here. But Endymion was determined to stay even after Beryl had departed two days ago, claiming illness. Surprisingly she hadn't seemed overly upset or surprised when Endymion decided to stay for the wedding ceremony. That bothered him but it was the least of their problems.Perhaps Endymion needed the closure, but as far as Nephrite was concerned, no one needed the torture of watching the love of their life get married to someone else. He'd never been in love himself but he was certain he wouldn't ever do something like this.
Endymion dusted off his sleeves for the third time and Jadeite glared at him. One would think he was the one getting married given his anxiousness.
"Why are we doing this again?" Jadeite muttered. "And please don't give me that incredible speech about diplomacy."
"Fine. Because I say so," Endymion replied.
Jadeite opened his mouth to say more but a glare from Nephrite told him that, as usual, his mouth was best left closed.
The last thing they needed was to get Endymion worked up. As things were, Malachite had refused to come at all, angry about the whole situation. He and Endymion simply weren't speaking to each other and any criticism that would remind Endymion that they were acting like children would only worsen situation, particularly coming from Jadeite whose maturity level hardly put him in a position to criticize.
There was more to Nephrite's desire to be home, in familiar surroundings. He couldn't help feeling something terrible was going to happen. He'd long ago learned to tune in to the nagging chill that crept up his spine when danger was near and it was his job to make sure that Endymion was safe from whatever danger was currently sneaking up on them.
Endymion should have felt it too but he was no doubt too distracted to pay it any attention.
"Whatever is coming, it won't matter where we are," Endymion said softly. Nephrite was surprised. So the prince had felt it after all. "I didn't think you'd noticed."
"How can I not? Serenity feels it, the queen feels it, and so do all the senshi. And even if I couldn't sense their fear it's hard not to feel the dread in the air. It's hard to believe there's a wedding happening here. The air is thick with imminent disaster."
"All the more reason we should be on Earth to face it," Jadeite said. "You can go if you like. I intend to stay." "She'll have her husband to protect her at the end of this day," Nephrite reminded.
"Thanks for the reminder," Endymion said stiffly, "But I think I'll stay all the same."
Rei glanced over the bowed heads of the crowd as she headed the procession that followed Serenity and Mael into the ballroom. The fact that the wedding had gone off without a hitch did nothing to calm her nerves. Her stomach was so shaky and her muscles so tight, she was convinced any moment now she'd embarrass herself and vomit right in front of everyone. Fortunately she hadn't eaten anything all day and perhaps that was the only thing keeping her stomach from revolting.
In a few moments dinner would be served and she'd be damned if she ate a single bite.
A whisper from behind her made her glance over her shoulder. "You look like someone shoved a board up your..."
"Lita!" Ami hissed in reproach.
"Well she does," Lita insisted. "If a light breeze blows her way she just might break in two."
Mina giggled and Rei turned to her left with a glare and a frown. "I don't see what's so amusing."
"You wouldn't. You have no sense of humor," Mina replied. "Or did you forget this is supposed to be a wedding not a funeral. I'm surprised you can move with your back so straight. We're supposed to be having fun remember?"
"That may be true but even you couldn't possibly be oblivious to the tension around here?"
"I was quite content to ignore it but you insist on adding to it." Mina sighed.
As they neared the main table where the rest of the royal families had already taken their places, Serenity's voice whispered through their heads.
"Will you all please be quiet! I'm trying to be dignified, and HAPPY." She smiled widely at everyone at the table, and particularly sweetyl at Mael, the very picture of married bliss.
"Sorry," they each muttered contritely but all giggled when Mael glanced at his new wife questioningly.
Serenity sighed. At least someone was smiling today. The day had gone perfectly which had amazed her as well as countless others. It would seem she hadn't been the only one convinced that she was facing disaster on her wedding day.
She wasn't exactly relieved, though she supposed she should be. Some kind of disaster would certainly have saved her from a lifetime of marriage to the man at her side; or at the very least delayed it.
"In honor of the bride and groom, I'd like to begin the festivities with a few words of wisdom..." Mael's father began loudly, rising from his position at the opposite end of the table. For a moment Serenity was quite certain he would topple over and fall face first into his plate. Perhaps he'd been enjoying a little too much wine, and perhaps she hadn't had enough, letting her imagination wander.
As it turned out, Mael's father's wisdom was only about as wise as anyone whose tongue had ever been loosened by good wine. He was effusive in his delight in her and the alliance and so proud...She was quite sure she'd forget the parts she'd actually listened to before the night was over, which was probably for the best. Her stomach clenched tightly at the reminder of the fact that she was facing a night with Mael, worst yet, many night's with Mael.
She glanced over her shoulder to the ballroom through the wide open balcony doors where dozens of people danced happily, some of the tension of the day having dissipated with the aid of copious amounts of Venusian wine and an excellent dinner followed by angelic music. Hers on the other hand seemed only to increase with the passing of time. She'd requested a moment, away from all the celebrations to be alone and catch her breath, and had taken sometime to enjoy the fresh night air outside.
Any moment now they would expect her to leave with Mael while they continued to celebrate the glorious occasion with doubtless many jokes about the pending consummation expected to happen tonight. She wasn't so certain it would however, not after she told Mael about Lili.
She'd only just made the decision. Granted, it probably wasn't fair to him to tell him now that they were married and there was little he could do without causing a great disaster, but all the same he deserved to know.
Of course, it wasn't all for him. It was simply too overwhelming to keep a secret of this magnitude for years to come. Maybe she'd even be able to spend time with her.
She looked out into the distance beyond the buildings of the capital towards the Earth and steeled herself with a fortifying breath, preparing to return to the ballroom and her husband. As she turned she saw something in the corner of her eye. She turned looking out into the sky once again, her eyes widening in shock. There was something in the sky approaching quickly and growing larger and larger as it drew closer. She stumbled backwards, almost tripping over the edge of her gown.
Nothing should be approaching the city at that speed and certainly not today of all days. In the ballroom there was a momentary hush and then cries of alarm. Something was happening.
She ran into the room but no one seemed notice her as they were all loudly, and rather nervously chatting to each other about whatever news had just been delivered. All air of celebration had been abruptly stifled.
Several soldiers had entered the ballroom and were talking to her mother. She rushed over to where her mother and the other royals stood.
She couldn't get a word in to explain what she'd seen but it seemed rather pointless since it was quite obvious they were very much aware that something was happening.
Everyone gathered around as Queen Serenity tried to get their attention. In a few moments only a few whispers could be heard as they all focused their attention on what was about to be said.
Queen Serenity's face was pale and she clasped her hands together simply to prevent them from shaking. Her throat seemed to close up even as she opened her mouth to speak and she cleared it before beginning.
"We just received news. The generators on Titan, Io as well as all the generators on all Neptune and Uranus's moons have been attacked. They were destroyed hours ago. We're currently unable to communicate with Mercury, Mars, and Venus. We assume those generators have been destroyed as well." Even as she said the words she questioned them, unwilling to believe it was happening.
The main source of power for all the moons and planets was in the center of all the cities, powered by countless crystals. They'd been well shielded, protected by magic and technology, but it hadn't mattered. In a matter of hours, all life in those cities would die with nothing to shield them from space or the attacking enemy.
There were horrified sounds from everyone present, followed immediately by the sobs of those who had managed to grasp the true nature of the situation. Those that remained silent were simply unable to wrap their minds around the horror of the millions who didn't die in the attack and would slowly suffocate as the very air they breathed faded away.
The sound of sirens and alarms filled the palace and the city as well as the terrified voices of those in the hallways hurrying to secure what they could.
"We are safe for the moment," Queen Serenity announced. "We are expecting an attack at any moment however."
As if to confirm a loud explosion was heard and cries of alarm rose from the crowd. I suggest you all stay here where you are safe.
"But shouldn't we evacuate?" Someone questioned.
"I'm afraid," Queen Serenity said quietly, "there is nowhere to go."
She nodded to the senshi and they all left quickly to take their posts, organizing the guards. She looked around quickly trying to find her daughter to find her close at hand by her side, Mael not far away.
"Lili. You must get her. Marila should be prepared. I had arranged to have her taken to one of the other planets but..."
Serenity nodded, tears clouding her eyes. They hadn't expected this. It was baffling how any of it could have happened. All the planets couldn't fall all at once. The plan had been dependent on there being another planet or moon to take Lili to should this moon fall to the disaster they'd been expecting.
Endymion came up behind her. He and his guard had been standing apart from everyone, unsurprised and quietly processing all that was happening. The moment the news of attack had been uttered there had been no question as to where it had come from, they'd simply known. The Serene Alliance had no enemies, no one but the people of Earth.
He'd felt guilty for a moment mostly because he was as ignorant as everyone else about the how and why of the attack. He knew, however that the burden of his guilt would have to be put aside to deal with this situation.
Serenity turned to him with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Lili," she whispered. "We have to get Lili somewhere safe."
"What's going on? Who's Lili?" Mael questioned.
"My daughter." Considering the situation, keeping the secret one moment longer seemed pointless.
"Our daughter," Endymion corrected."
Mael looked on the verge of passing out but decided sputtering in shock was a more dignified alternative. They both ignored him. There was more to worry about than her husbands shock.
"All the planets have fallen. There's nowhere safe," Serenity said tersely, more to herself than to anyone.
"Earth. Take her to Earth," Endymion said suddenly as the thought came to him.
Serenity simply stared. He must be out of his mind to suggest taking their daughter into enemy territory in the middle of a war.
"If the attack is coming from Earth we can be certain that they're focusing their attentions on the alliance. It's the safest place right now, more importantly, it's the only place. That cave in the mountains where we..." His voice trailed off as he was reminded of where he was and who stood close by listening and staring.
Serenity nodded, remembering. People lived nearby, simple people who might find her daughter and raise her as their own until she could come back for her. One of them would have to take her but she had a responsibility to her people to stay with them. If she were found on Earth they'd most likely kill her and lily both. Given the situation it was wise to assume Endymion wasn't any more welcome than she. Neither of them was a good choice but they'd have to risk it.
"I'll go," they both said at the same time.
"Marila should be waiting in your room with Lily," Queen Serenity said to both of them. "I told her to be ready in case of an emergency but she must be confused not knowing where to go. Go now."
Serenity turned to her mother and held her close. Just for a moment she needed to be reassured that everything would be OK. Unfortunately there was little assurance and a lot more fear. She had seen how this would end and it seemed foolish to hang on to hope. Everything she'd ever known was falling apart.
When she let go of her mother, Endymion grabbed her hand and they ran out of the ballroom into the hallway racing towards their daughter.
They heard the Lily's crying as they opened the doors and found her fussing in Marila's arms as she paced the floor nervously.
The ground shook as what sounded like a large explosion rocked the ground.
Marila approached them hurriedly, tears in her eyes.
"I didn't know what to do. I tried to leave for Venus but the transporters wouldn't work. I..."
"It's OK Marila," Serenity comforted. "We're here now."
The ground shook once more and a painting fell from the wall crashing loudly to the floor and separating from its frame. They tried to steady themselves. There were men yelling in the hallways and screaming in the distance.
"We have to go now," Endymion said and took Lily in his arms. There was no time to appreciate that he was holding his daughter for the first time.
Serenity grabbed hold of Marila and they all disappeared.
The Present
"What happened to the prince and princess?" Usagi asked, yawning but determined to stay awake to hear the rest of the story. Her grandmother had told her the story before but she always asked about them, unable to fight her childish curiosity.
"Well the prince and princess left their baby with her maid knowing she would be safe here on earth and no one knows what happened to them. I always believed they went back to the moon and defeated the evil witch with their magic powers."
"Then why didn't they come back for Lily?"
Suzuki didn't think this was the right time to explain to her granddaughter that in all likelihood the prince and princess died protecting their daughter's future.
"Maybe they couldn't find their way back. I'm sure they wanted to. They loved their daughter as much as I love you. Thats why they left her this golden pendant. Lily gave it to her daughter and her daughter gave it to her own daughter until finally your mom gave it to you." She took the moon-shaped pendant on a gold cain, Usagi had been holding as she'd been telling her the story and put it on the night stand beside the bed.
"Now it's long past time you should be asleep. Close those eyes."
It was proof of how tired Usagi was that she actually closed her eyes obediently and let her grandmother kiss her forehead. Before the lights were even turned out she was fast asleep.
"That story's a little sad for a five-year old isn't it Mom?" Ikuko questioned from the doorway of her daughter's bedroom.
"But she loves it anyway. You did too"
"Where did that story come from anyway?" Ikuko asked as they closed Usagi's door and headed down to the kitchen.
Suzzuki shrugged. "My mother told it to me and her mother to her. It's been in our family for generations. I loved it when I was a girl even though it always made me cry.
"My mother used to try to convince me it was a true story. But then I grew up and realized there couldn't possibly have been a palace on the moon; it's just too fantastical. Besides, there was just a touch too much Romeo & Juliet , forbidden lovers cliche."
"It would be romantic if it were though don't you think?
"Hmm," Suzuki appeared thoughtful. "It could be true you know. The women in our family were supposed to be powerful witches. Maybe they got their power from Princess Lily."
Ikuko gave her mother a look of disbelief. "I'm way too old to believe in that stuff so don't even try that one on me."
Suzuki grinned. "You have to admit though, it's not exactly your typical fairy tale romance. Think about it. A princess cheating on her fiancee, enrages a jealous sorceress, gets pregnant, forms a conspiracy with her mother to hide the pregnancy and the baby and deceive her husband-to-be, gets married to a man she doesn't love and her kingdom and everyone in it is ultimately destroyed and the only surviving member of the family is her illegitimate daughter?
"I have yet to come across a story exactly like it. My mother told it to me twice, the edited innocent version when I was a kid and when I was older the not so sweet version. It's just like real life, There is no clarity at the end, no happy ending, and no tying up of loose ends. We never even know what happens to the prince and princess or for that matter, their kingdom."
Ikuko thought for a moment. "It's an understood rule of all fairy tales that good is supposed to triumph over evil. What is the point of this story anyway? The prince and princess never really get together and the only reasonable conclusion is that they die fighting the evil witch and we don't even know if she was defeated."
"Makes you wonder doesn't it?" Suzki asked.
"Yeah. It makes me wonder why this story has been passed down through our family? It's not exactly a happy tale for children. You'd think someone would have added to it by now, and given it a nice happy ending where the princess get her true love, beats the evil witch and lives happily ever after."
"True. But it is a compelling story all the same. There's something special about it even now when I'm grown up and I know magic isn't real. Some part of me is still rooting for the prince and the princess to get together."
"Maybe they will," Ikuko said with a smile. In response to her mother's curious expression she said, "reincarnation.
"You were the one who always told me that truly great love always finds a way. And if this princess and her prince were truly in love then they will find each other. Maybe they already did."
"Of course, they'd first have to exist," Suzuki reminded with a twinkle in her eye.
"Well I've decided that they did. If only because it would make me the heir to royal blood." Both women smiled.
They weren't coming back. It had been two days and she was running out of food and water for herself and Lily. She hadn't heard a sound from outside the cave since the prince and Princess had delivered her here.
Given their tearful goodbye, their daughter she shouldn't have expected them to come back but she'd held so much hope. But they had known going back might mean their deaths.
They were gone, she couldn't bring herself to say dead, it was too final. If they hadn't been however, they would have come back. The princess might have given up her baby for her country but she'd watched her in the last few months and the sacrifice had taken its toll. A tear ran down Marila's cheek.
She couldn't quite understand how it could all be over just like that, so quickly. She lifted Lily and kissed the baby's forehead. They were all each other had, and the princess was now her sole responsibility. She would never let her feel like the orphan she was.
Marila left the cave, squinting at the brightness of the sunlight. It seemed unfair with such a tragedy that the day should be so bright, so beautiful. She looked up at the sky, unable to see the moon that had been her home.
Ten Years Later
Usagi sat up in bed, her breathing coming in quick spurts. It was the same nightmare again but this time it was clearer. This time it had come closer to completion. She'd actually felt the pain, the cold, the sadness. Dreams weren't supposed to be devastating and nightmares were supposed to fade away quickly when exposed to the bright light of day.
There was a rational explanation for this. She knew a little something about dreams, emphasis on little. She'd borrowed a book on dreams from the library a while back but she had only skimmed it since the book turned out to be the perfect prop for holding up the broken bench at the foot of her bed.
What she did know however, was that dreams were the subconscious mind's way of sorting through the events of the day. Which was why a few weeks ago she'd dreamed that Naru was kissing Tom Cruise at the opening of The Last Samurai and her mother had walked up to both of them and began doing a rather embarrassing version of the Macarena.
Earlier that day her best friend Naru had been telling her that Yuu Kurosawa had kissed her when they were seven, her first and apparently last kiss, and as far as she could see perhaps, ever. Later she'd gone home and watched an entertainment news report about The Last Samurai on TV and then a music show about the worst songs ever. It all had merged into the rather disturbing dream that had her humming the Macarena all the next day.
By that same reasoning this nightmare was entirely Mamoru's fault. She'd been sitting in a booth at the arcade yesterday telling her friends how she could be the descendant of an ancient magical princess and in walked the jerk, rudely interrupting them and basically telling her she was a fuzz-brained loser for believing in some ridiculous fairy tale.
It wasn't as if she really believed it, but it was a cool story and her grandmother had just recently told her the not so kiddy version that involved sex and pregnancy and illegitimate babies. In other words, the fun version.
Of course, much to her dismay, he'd shown up in her dream playing the character of Prince Charming. Embarrassingly she hadn't protested much when he'd kissed her in the dream and worst yet, even now that she was wide awake her mind still wasn't protesting what should have been the greatest horror to befall any female with standards. Mamoru Chiba ranked on her list of all things gross, slightly above maggots and well below slime.
Furthermore, she would even have been grateful if the dream had been nothing more than a make out session with Mamoru Chiba - correction, Prince... OK she didn't know his name but it sure as hell wasn't Prince Mamoru. The idea of Mamoru Chiba being a Prince was about as palatable as beet juice, which had to be man's worst concoction yet.
The dream had been much more than that though. There had been a war or disaster of some kind and she'd been running through a hallway looking for her baby. Mamoru had been beside her. She could hear her baby crying but she couldn't remember finding her or what happened after that even though she was certain there had been more.
It was, in many ways, like the story her grandmother had told her. Her imagination had filled in the details and now they were coming to life in her dreams.
Even now, when she knew, from what her grandmother had told her, the Prince & Princess in the story had been having an affair that caused so many problems she couldn't help identifying with her. Maybe that was why she had taken on her role in the dream. What she couldn't understand however, is why she had put Mamoru Chiba of all people, in the place of the prince.
She could think of a half dozen guys better suited for the position. OK, really just one, Motoki, Mamoru's best friend and the most gorgeous, perfect, nicest man alive. To be fair, she may have to admit for the sake of having eyes in one's head that Mamoru was the better looking of the two with jet black hair, piercing eyes and a broad chest. But Motoki won out simply because he was nicer.
Mamoru didn't know the meaning of nice. In fact the nicest thing she could recall him ever saying to her was: "Congratulations on not tripping over your own two feet."
She grabbed her pillow and put it over her face and screamed into it. She had not just spent all this time thinking about Mamoru! She really needed to get a life. And he needed to get out of her head and her dreams.
She was determined. Tonight she was definitely not going to have this dream again. She wasn't sure if one could control such a thing but damnit she was going to try anyway.
She forcedly kept her mind off the subject which, as it turned out wasn't particularly difficult. Real life turned out to be far stranger than nightmares.
Today, Mamoru spoke to her. Actually spoke to her. He didn't insult her, didn't call her any creative but insulting names, didn't mock her, didn't even mention the fact that she tripped over her shoes and fell right into him. In fact, he was downright chivalrous, which indicated he must want something.
The idea that he could actually be nice had simply been too much for her brain to handle which is why when he'd righted her after her moment of awkwardness and asked if she was OK, she'd simply stared dumbfounded into his perfect face.
"I need to ask you something," he'd said, his face so serious that she was nearly convinced someone had died. She hadn't noticed before then that she was used to him smiling, teasing, being downright childish with her and it wasn't exactly how he interacted with everyone else. He was actually a pretty serious guy - as if he bore the weight of the world on his shoulders- with everyone else even Motoki.
"You want to ask me something?" Usagi had asked skeptically as if she didn't believe such a thing were possible.
"Yes you. I don't see anyone else, do you?" And there was the trademark sarcasm. He wasn't a pod person after all.
Usagi had glanced around, noting that several dozen people walked around them on the sidewalk. "Actually..."
He'd actually scowled at her. Which did strange things to her. The idea of him being disgruntled made her grin from ear to ear which in turn only made him scowl more.
"You know what I mean," he'd muttered. And without warning he'd grabbed her and pulled her in the direction of an outdoor cafe table with her complaining all the way.
"I can walk all by myself thank you," she'd snapped and sunk into the chair across from him.
"There is very little evidence to support that. If I hadn't been sure I'd get hurt for doing it I'd have picked you up and carried you over here just so I wouldn't have to peel you off the sidewalk."
"How sweet," she'd stated sarcastically at the time. Although, in retrospect the idea did have a certain amount of appeal. She might not enjoy her incredible clumsiness but if it led to being carried around...
"Well, what do you want?"
"Yesterday when you were talking to your friends you said something about a story your grandmother told you about a princess."
"Yes?"
"Where did the story come from?"
"Why?"
"Just answer the question."
"Why?"
"Could you please stop playing the why game. You're not five anymore."
"Why?" Ok, his scowling was really getting to be scary.
Mamoru stood up in frustration, prepared to leave.
"Ok Ok. She used to tell it to me all the time when I was younger. Last week she told me the more detailed version. She says it's been in our family for years and her mother told it to her and her mother told it to her, and her mother told it to her and ..."
"I get it. Thank you," He'd interrupted.
"Now for my question. Why?"
He'd paused as if trying to decide whether to share or not. "I was curious that's all."
"You're a very bad liar, Mamoru Chiba."
Actually he was usually much better. He was slipping. He obviously needed more practice. The truth usually seemed simpler.
"It just sounded familiar that's all. Are you sure she didn't get it from a book or something?"
"I'm pretty sure. Stories like that don't come in collections of fairy tales. I've never read any fairy tales without happy endings. This story doesn't even have an ending.
"I had a dream about it last night. It was pretty scary. I was the princess and I was running down the hall trying to find my baby and ..." Usagi had trailed off realizing she was rambling and Mamoru was probably not interested in her dreams. Furthermore he wasn't exactly the person she wanted to reveal details of her personal life to.
Mamoru had looked a bit pale and stunned. "The baby was crying. And there were loud noises, like explosions..." he'd paused momentarily. "The baby was a little girl with black hair and big blue eyes. I took her from someone and she stopped crying and she was staring up at me. She was beautiful ..."
It was Usagi's turn to look stunned. She hadn't remembered that much until he'd said it and then it all had come rushing back. But that was ridiculous. They didn't have the same dream. Things like that just didn't happen.
"Ok. That's just creepy!" She announced. "Eww I'm sharing dreams with Mamoru Chiba."
"I'm not exactly thrilled about it either. Especially that part where we..." He flushed red. Ok he didn't want to say that aloud. It bothered him and it would undoubtedly send her running.
The fact that he'd spent half his dream kissing - well slightly more than kissing - Usagi was disturbing enough. He didn't need to mention it to her, she was only about thirteen, which would make him almost seven years older than her and it was very wrong.
A part of him reminded him that making fun of a thirteen year old on a daily basis should also have been very wrong, but that part he ignored.
"How old are you anyway?"
"Why?"
He glared at her.
"Sorry. I'm fifteen. Why?"
"Just curious." He'd felt slightly better but not by much. "You look thirteen."
"Usagi had scowled. "I can't believe I made you the prince in my dream. You have all the charm of a snake."
"Just stating a fact. Anyways I have to go."
"Just like that? Don't you think it's a little weird that we're having the same dream?"
"Yes. Bye."
And just like that he'd left as if the conversation hadn't been very important and very very strange.
She was definitely having that dream again. After a day like today how could it be avoided?
She should have been happy that for a change she was right about something in life but when she woke up in the middle of the night clutching her middle and gasping for air she wasn't feeling particularly happy. Although there was a whole lot of relief that she wasn't dead.
She tried to remember it all before it faded. She'd been crying in her dream. She had bent over the little baby and kissed her forehead, touching her soft cheek and enjoying that unique sweet smell babies had.
A very regal Mamoru stood next to her, holding her hand tightly. He'd been crying too. He'd brought out a pendant attached to a long gold chain and told her that he'd intended to give it to her but now he put it around the baby's neck and kissed her.
It had taken every ounce of her will to leave but they'd managed it. They'd stepped away and said goodbye to their daughter leaving her with the maid who'd been taking care of her and hoping for the best.
When they'd reappeared in the palace they'd been stunned. In the time they'd been absent things had taken a definite turn for the worse and they just narrowly missed death by way of a falling slab of ceiling.
The palace was badly damaged and was still being rocked with explosions. The air was hard to breathe. It seemed thin and at the same time, thick with dust and smoke.
They'd once again been running down the hallways and came to a ballroom. To their horror the ball had turned into some kind of massacre. Well-dressed bodies littered the floor. These people had been there for a wedding and now they were all dead.
In the dream she'd recognized the faces of many people who'd meant so much to her. She couldn't recall the names now that she was awake. It was all beginning to fade and she could no longer remember why she had woken up so surprised to find herself alive.
Later that day she ran into Mamoru. Although perhaps, 'ran into' wasn't quite the term since she was waiting for him to walk into the arcade her mother complained she spent way too much time at instead of doing her homework. But Motoki worked there and it was the only opportunity to sit and appreciate the fine view. That Mamoru always ruined the moment with his insults only made forcing him to listen to her seem fair.
She practically assaulted Mamoru when he walked through the glass doors, well that's how he'd have termed it anyway. She was merely returning the favor.
She grabbed his arm, a distinctly firm bicep, and tried to drag him towards a booth.. It wasn't easy without his cooperation - which wasn't forthcoming- he outweighed her by no less than eighty pounds of muscle and was about a foot taller.
Mamoru gave in after a while and she suspected her attempt to move him had amused him. At the very least it stoked his ego.
"What do you want meatball head?" He demanded.
Usagi glared at him as if she were hoping she'd morph into Superman and burn a hole through his thick skull. It didn't work, he was back to his old self, a teasing grin plastered on his face enjoying every moment of her annoyance with the hated nickname.
Usagi took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She refused to be bated. It was not her fault he was behaving like a ten-year old boy.
"Had any dreams lately?" She asked sweetly. She wasn't going to let him pretend that yesterday hadn't happened.
Mamoru's smile faded. "Yesterday was just a fluke, a coincidence. I don't remember having any dreams last night."
He really wasn't very good at this lying thing. "Well, I had a dream do you want to hear about it?"
"Not really Usagi. I have things to do and they don't include chit-chatting with you."
Usagi ignored his protest. "I was kissing a baby and I was crying. You remember her; adorable baby girl, black hair, big blue eyes, looks like me. Well turns out in my dream you gave her gold crescent moon very much like this one here.
Usagi held out her hand and Mamoru, who'd been turning to walk away before Usagi got done describing the dream he already knew all the details of, froze. In Usagi's right hand rested the same pendant he'd placed around the baby's neck in the dream.
He took it from her and examined it, running his fingers over the intricate designs in the gold metal. "It's a locket," he said quietly.
"No it isn't. I've never opened it and I don't think anyone else has either."
"It's a locket," Mamoru repeated.
There didn't appear to be a seam that indicated it could be opened and the crescent moon design was so flat it didn't appear to conceal any hidden parts. His fingers seemed to instinctively know what features in the design allowed the pieces to separate however, and after a minute of fiddling the pendant separated into equal haves that slid apart rather than opened up.
Usagi gasped. Mamoru held out the locket for her to see, equally stunned at what it held inside. It wasn't a painting of a person as he had expected but an intricate and colorful design of the earth and the moon and two locks of hair, one black and one blonde, tied together with a blue ribbon.
"This means it's all true, the story my grandmother told me. They were real, the prince and the princess."
It seemed a logical conclusion but Mamoru refused to accept that and his sarcasm was biting. "And I take it you believe there was a whole kingdom on the moon too?"
Usagi flinched at the harshness of his voice. "Hey! It's possible. It's not like there isn't evidence," she pointed at the locket. "What other explanation can there be for us having the same dream."
"We still don't have an explanation for that. Furthermore this locket could be less than a half a century old. It's not proof of a civilization on the moon or that this story is anything more than a story.
"How do you explain it then?" Usagi demanded. Mamoru's brows furrowed in frustration. "I can't. But that can't be true. It just can't."
"Well as long as you have a good reason then."
So you think this is true? If it's true then why are we the one's having the dreams? Why are you the one with the locket. Do you honestly think that any random two people could share the same dreams, the same memories? Does that make any sense to you?" Mamoru snapped. "What makes us so damn special?"
Usagi thought for a moment. "She's my great great great greater than great grandmother."
"Even if that were a reasonable explanation, what about me?" How do I fit into this? He demanded.
"I don't know, OK. What difference does it make anyway?"
Mamoru sighed and considered for a moment whether he should tell her his theory. He had been quite happy to push this whole thing from his mind and pretend a part of him didn't believe in it. He would have eventually convinced himself none of this was important.
"What?" Usagi asked looking at his face, deep in thought.
"Nothing." It was disturbing how easily she could read him. It was actually very annoying. He took great comfort in being enigmatic.
"Oh come on. Just tell me what you're thinking."
Fine, he'd tell her. Knowing her, she wouldn't quit annoying him until he did. "I think," he began slowly, that we shared a dream because we represent the prince and the princess. I think we are connected to them, that maybe, even though I find it ridiculous but if we're going to consider all possiblities..."
"Will you just get to it already?"
"I think that maybe we are the prince and princess."
Usagi was silent for a minute before she giggled.
"What's so funny."
"You're right it is ridiculous. I mean honestly, talk about egotistical you really think you're a prince? Now there's a stretch.
Mamoru scowled. "And you have a better theory? I have to admit the idea of you being a princess is a bit much. You have all the grace of a drunken moose. Besides it would mean that we..." he flushed, "you know. We had a baby, you take a guess what our relationship was like."
Usagi's face turned red hot. "There is no way, that you and me..." she couldn't finish. It was too much. "And don't you think you going a bit far with the "we".
"I didn't think about it before I said it but it feels right. I feel like, him. In that dream I was him and I was scared and..."
"I feel like I was her too, like I felt everything she felt." She was silent for a moment. "I think they died."
"Of course they died , meatball head. That was ages ago."
"I meant in the dream, you big jerk! When I woke up I felt surprised to find myself alive." She frowned. "I guess that means the story does have an ending after all. It wasn't a happy one."
"I don't know," Mamoru replied, feeling the odd urge to comfort her. "The story wasn't completely without hope. There was Lily, she survived. And it would seem she kept her history alive. It's really quite amazing the story survived this long."
"Um, what about the rest of the story. If you think the part about us as the prince and princess is true then that means you have to believe in a palace on the moon and magic too."
"Yeah, I guess I do," Mamoru responded thoughtfully. He smiled. "If you'd asked me just yesterday I would have said no or come up with a scientific theory about how it's possible we had the same dream and it was all just a coincidence, but today, I guess I believe in magic."
"Just like that?" Usagi questioned skeptically.
"Think about it. It's not just a dream we're sharing, down to the fine details. I felt like I was there. It was more than even a memory. I feel like..." he really couldn't say the rest to her. The way he felt was the very reason he hadn't wanted to talk to her in the first place.
"You feel like?" Usagi pushed.
"Never mind. Can we talk about this some other time. I have to go." He glanced at his watch trying to come with a place he had to be.
"You're such a wimp," Usagi muttered.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. You're a big wimp. It's not like I wasn't there too. I felt it too you know."
"But we're not the same people anymore. It doesn't matter what we felt in a dream. That life is over."
"I'm not stupid, Mamoru, no matter what you think. But I still feel the same."
"They aren't your feelings."
"You're the one who said you believe that we're them. Well if that's true then technically they are my feelings."
"Usagi, don't be deliberately dense. Even if we are reincarnated versions of two people who died so long ago no one even remembers they existed, it doesn't mean we literally are the same people. I didn't grow up in a palace and neither did you. I was born here, in this century. We don't have a relationship or a baby, you aren't married to some Prince. We are not them. I'm sure the feelings they once had will fade, they aren't really ours. Whatever they had has been over for a very long time."
Usagi looked down at her fingers. Why did she feel so disappointed, it's not as if she really wanted him to feel that way about her. She felt as if he was breaking her heart but that was ridiculous and he was right. The feelings were strong and growing stronger it seemed by the minute, but they weren't completely hers.
He felt like an ass. It was completely unreasonable that she was heartbroken and that he felt guilty for doing it.
"Look I don't mean to hurt your feelings but think about it. It's a nice story but all that is over. We can't just pick up where they left off."
"No I guess not. But you're wrong you know. It's not over. If it were over, then why are we here, together now?"
She had him there.
"I think we had that dream for a reason."
"What would that be?" He queried.
"I don't know. But we can't just go back and pretend nothing happened."
"What else are we supposed to do? I'm not going to suddenly start pretending I'm the Prince of all Earth."
Usagi sighed in frustration. "I don't know." She was quiet for a moment. "Maybe it's fate giving us another chance."
She could see the skepticism in his expression.
"Think about it. They never got the chance to be together the way they wanted to. They loved each other so much that somehow after hundreds of years they found a way to meet again through us. That can't be a coincidence. It's huge it's..."
Before she could continue he interrupted. "You think this is an opportunity to start over. It's a bit presumptuous to think that the entire purpose of us being reincarnated is just so we can finish a love affair we started forever and a day ago."
"And let me guess, you think there's a better reason than love?"
"Not better, just more important."
"How can there be anything more important!" she snapped indignantly.
"Because we were selfish and completely self absorbed! I might not remember it all but I heard your story. We risked our lives, our kingdoms, and we lost it all."
"That wasn't our fault!"
"No? Maybe not but what we did was wrong."
"We were in love."
"And that makes it OK? I'm not sure a love like ours is really worth being reincarnated for."
"Then why are we here Endymion?"
"What did you call me?"
"Mamoru."
"No, that's not what you said. You said Endymion. I'm not him Usagi. I don't..."
"But I do. I love you." she replied sincerely. She was looking at him with everything she felt in her eyes and for a moment she looked so grown up, sounded so different just as if she were a princess again and he was everything.
"We may have made a mess of things but as you said things are different now. We have a chance to make it right. We don't live in different worlds with anyone telling us who we can love or marry. You can't ignore this opportunity."
"And I can't just love you because Endymion used to."
Usagi sat back straight as if he'd slapped her. She started sliding out of the booth. He'd already made up his mind about them.
Mamoru grabbed her wrist, forcing her to stay. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm not saying I don't feel anything for you, I just don't know that basing a new relationship on one that wasn't exactly what I'd call healthy is the right thing to do. You're very young and..."
"Mamoru I'm not saying we should get married and have babies right this very instant. I just don't want to pretend I don't feel anything."
"But who do you feel it for? Is it me or Endymion?"
"I don't see why..."
"I know what you're going to say but it's important; it matters. I don't want you to overlook me and think that I'm him. I'm not."
"I know. I know I'm not her either but I don't want us to go back to the way were before we had these dreams. I don't want them not to mean anything. I just want to start over, is that so wrong?"
Mamoru smiled. "No. It's not wrong. I'm still not willing to admit that fate only wanted us to fall in love all over again." Usagi frowned. "But," he continued, "I don't see why we can't start over, maybe this time we can be friends before we jump into the sack." He grinned.
"As if!" Usagi sniffed but couldn't help smiling despite her blushing. "Friends then."
Mamoru smiled.
Queen Serenity touched her daughter's cheek growing colder by the second. They'd won. Beryl and her army were defeated, for the moment anyway. The silver crystal she held in her hand had enabled her, if not to destroy the evil that had destroyed her world, then at least to lock it away for a very long time.
It hardly seemed worth it. There was nothing left to save. Those that hadn't been killed had been taken by Beryl.
Even as she stared down at the body of her only child , only one of thousands littering the lunar landscape, her own time was running out. She'd given every fiber of her being to win the battle but there was nothing left of her world. Her people, her child, all gone. Looking at the destruction around her she doubted her granddaughter had survived.
She despaired. What had been the point? Even locked away Beryl had won. She sat down on the cold marble slab. There had to be something, some small shred of something worth saving.
Not a foot away from her daughter's body, Prince Endymion lay in a pool of his own cold blood. Despite everything that had happened she'd known he'd loved her daughter and she'd appreciated it, envied it. It seemed so wrong that it should all end like this. As long as they'd been alive their love had lasted.
The crystal she held glowed, she looked into it as if trying to see something beyond it's faceted surface and it came to her. It didn't have to end like this. She had the will and she had the power. She rose up and focused her mind and what remained of her strength.
Their love didn't have to end, none of this had to end this way. The souls that lingered here were hers to command. She gathered every one, Serenity, Endymion, Minaxi, Reika, Litalya, Ammyra, every soul she could find. She'd send them to Earth, give them a new future. They'd be able to love again, to live and be happy.
I know it's not perfect and possibly not what some of you were hoping for but I can only hope you're not too disappointed. If you are please leave the tar and feathers and rotten fruit at home and take some pity on my poor diminishing brain.
Thanks for reading.
LAST: She had a message for them: surrender their countries and their armies to her, or die. She almost giggled in anticipation. This was all so very exciting.
Nephrite couldn't fight the feeling that they shouldn't be here. But Endymion was determined to stay even after Beryl had departed two days ago, claiming illness. Surprisingly she hadn't seemed overly upset or surprised when Endymion decided to stay for the wedding ceremony. That bothered him but it was the least of their problems.
Perhaps Endymion needed the closure, but as far as Nephrite was concerned, no one needed the torture of watching the love of their life get married to someone else. He'd never been in love himself but he was certain he wouldn't ever do something like this.
Endymion dusted off his sleeves for the third time and Jadeite glared at him. One would think he was the one getting married given his anxiousness.
"Why are we doing this again?" Jadeite muttered. "And please don't give me that incredible speech about diplomacy."
"Fine. Because I say so," Endymion replied.
Jadeite opened his mouth to say more but a glare from Nephrite told him that, as usual, his mouth was best left closed.
The last thing they needed was to get Endymion worked up. As things were, Malachite had refused to come at all, angry about the whole situation. He and Endymion simply weren't speaking to each other and any criticism that would remind Endymion that they were acting like children would only worsen situation, particularly coming from Jadeite whose maturity level hardly put him in a position to criticize.
There was more to Nephrite's desire to be home, in familiar surroundings. He couldn't help feeling something terrible was going to happen. He'd long ago learned to tune in to the nagging chill that crept up his spine when danger was near and it was his job to make sure that Endymion was safe from whatever danger was currently sneaking up on them.
Endymion should have felt it too but he was no doubt too distracted to pay it any attention.
"Whatever is coming, it won't matter where we are," Endymion said softly. Nephrite was surprised. So the prince had felt it after all. "I didn't think you'd noticed."
"How can I not? Serenity feels it, the queen feels it, and so do all the senshi. And even if I couldn't sense their fear it's hard not to feel the dread in the air. It's hard to believe there's a wedding happening here. The air is thick with imminent disaster."
"All the more reason we should be on Earth to face it," Jadeite said. "You can go if you like. I intend to stay." "She'll have her husband to protect her at the end of this day," Nephrite reminded.
"Thanks for the reminder," Endymion said stiffly, "But I think I'll stay all the same."
Rei glanced over the bowed heads of the crowd as she headed the procession that followed Serenity and Mael into the ballroom. The fact that the wedding had gone off without a hitch did nothing to calm her nerves. Her stomach was so shaky and her muscles so tight, she was convinced any moment now she'd embarrass herself and vomit right in front of everyone. Fortunately she hadn't eaten anything all day and perhaps that was the only thing keeping her stomach from revolting.
In a few moments dinner would be served and she'd be damned if she ate a single bite.
A whisper from behind her made her glance over her shoulder. "You look like someone shoved a board up your..."
"Lita!" Ami hissed in reproach.
"Well she does," Lita insisted. "If a light breeze blows her way she just might break in two."
Mina giggled and Rei turned to her left with a glare and a frown. "I don't see what's so amusing."
"You wouldn't. You have no sense of humor," Mina replied. "Or did you forget this is supposed to be a wedding not a funeral. I'm surprised you can move with your back so straight. We're supposed to be having fun remember?"
"That may be true but even you couldn't possibly be oblivious to the tension around here?"
"I was quite content to ignore it but you insist on adding to it." Mina sighed.
As they neared the main table where the rest of the royal families had already taken their places, Serenity's voice whispered through their heads.
"Will you all please be quiet! I'm trying to be dignified, and HAPPY." She smiled widely at everyone at the table, and particularly sweetyl at Mael, the very picture of married bliss.
"Sorry," they each muttered contritely but all giggled when Mael glanced at his new wife questioningly.
Serenity sighed. At least someone was smiling today. The day had gone perfectly which had amazed her as well as countless others. It would seem she hadn't been the only one convinced that she was facing disaster on her wedding day.
She wasn't exactly relieved, though she supposed she should be. Some kind of disaster would certainly have saved her from a lifetime of marriage to the man at her side; or at the very least delayed it.
"In honor of the bride and groom, I'd like to begin the festivities with a few words of wisdom..." Mael's father began loudly, rising from his position at the opposite end of the table. For a moment Serenity was quite certain he would topple over and fall face first into his plate. Perhaps he'd been enjoying a little too much wine, and perhaps she hadn't had enough, letting her imagination wander.
As it turned out, Mael's father's wisdom was only about as wise as anyone whose tongue had ever been loosened by good wine. He was effusive in his delight in her and the alliance and so proud...She was quite sure she'd forget the parts she'd actually listened to before the night was over, which was probably for the best. Her stomach clenched tightly at the reminder of the fact that she was facing a night with Mael, worst yet, many night's with Mael.
She glanced over her shoulder to the ballroom through the wide open balcony doors where dozens of people danced happily, some of the tension of the day having dissipated with the aid of copious amounts of Venusian wine and an excellent dinner followed by angelic music. Hers on the other hand seemed only to increase with the passing of time. She'd requested a moment, away from all the celebrations to be alone and catch her breath, and had taken sometime to enjoy the fresh night air outside.
Any moment now they would expect her to leave with Mael while they continued to celebrate the glorious occasion with doubtless many jokes about the pending consummation expected to happen tonight. She wasn't so certain it would however, not after she told Mael about Lili.
She'd only just made the decision. Granted, it probably wasn't fair to him to tell him now that they were married and there was little he could do without causing a great disaster, but all the same he deserved to know.
Of course, it wasn't all for him. It was simply too overwhelming to keep a secret of this magnitude for years to come. Maybe she'd even be able to spend time with her.
She looked out into the distance beyond the buildings of the capital towards the Earth and steeled herself with a fortifying breath, preparing to return to the ballroom and her husband. As she turned she saw something in the corner of her eye. She turned looking out into the sky once again, her eyes widening in shock. There was something in the sky approaching quickly and growing larger and larger as it drew closer. She stumbled backwards, almost tripping over the edge of her gown.
Nothing should be approaching the city at that speed and certainly not today of all days. In the ballroom there was a momentary hush and then cries of alarm. Something was happening.
She ran into the room but no one seemed notice her as they were all loudly, and rather nervously chatting to each other about whatever news had just been delivered. All air of celebration had been abruptly stifled.
Several soldiers had entered the ballroom and were talking to her mother. She rushed over to where her mother and the other royals stood.
She couldn't get a word in to explain what she'd seen but it seemed rather pointless since it was quite obvious they were very much aware that something was happening.
Everyone gathered around as Queen Serenity tried to get their attention. In a few moments only a few whispers could be heard as they all focused their attention on what was about to be said.
Queen Serenity's face was pale and she clasped her hands together simply to prevent them from shaking. Her throat seemed to close up even as she opened her mouth to speak and she cleared it before beginning.
"We just received news. The generators on Titan, Io as well as all the generators on all Neptune and Uranus's moons have been attacked. They were destroyed hours ago. We're currently unable to communicate with Mercury, Mars, and Venus. We assume those generators have been destroyed as well." Even as she said the words she questioned them, unwilling to believe it was happening.
The main source of power for all the moons and planets was in the center of all the cities, powered by countless crystals. They'd been well shielded, protected by magic and technology, but it hadn't mattered. In a matter of hours, all life in those cities would die with nothing to shield them from space or the attacking enemy.
There were horrified sounds from everyone present, followed immediately by the sobs of those who had managed to grasp the true nature of the situation. Those that remained silent were simply unable to wrap their minds around the horror of the millions who didn't die in the attack and would slowly suffocate as the very air they breathed faded away.
The sound of sirens and alarms filled the palace and the city as well as the terrified voices of those in the hallways hurrying to secure what they could.
"We are safe for the moment," Queen Serenity announced. "We are expecting an attack at any moment however."
As if to confirm a loud explosion was heard and cries of alarm rose from the crowd. I suggest you all stay here where you are safe.
"But shouldn't we evacuate?" Someone questioned.
"I'm afraid," Queen Serenity said quietly, "there is nowhere to go."
She nodded to the senshi and they all left quickly to take their posts, organizing the guards. She looked around quickly trying to find her daughter to find her close at hand by her side, Mael not far away.
"Lili. You must get her. Marila should be prepared. I had arranged to have her taken to one of the other planets but..."
Serenity nodded, tears clouding her eyes. They hadn't expected this. It was baffling how any of it could have happened. All the planets couldn't fall all at once. The plan had been dependent on there being another planet or moon to take Lili to should this moon fall to the disaster they'd been expecting.
Endymion came up behind her. He and his guard had been standing apart from everyone, unsurprised and quietly processing all that was happening. The moment the news of attack had been uttered there had been no question as to where it had come from, they'd simply known. The Serene Alliance had no enemies, no one but the people of Earth.
He'd felt guilty for a moment mostly because he was as ignorant as everyone else about the how and why of the attack. He knew, however that the burden of his guilt would have to be put aside to deal with this situation.
Serenity turned to him with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Lili," she whispered. "We have to get Lili somewhere safe."
"What's going on? Who's Lili?" Mael questioned.
"My daughter." Considering the situation, keeping the secret one moment longer seemed pointless.
"Our daughter," Endymion corrected."
Mael looked on the verge of passing out but decided sputtering in shock was a more dignified alternative. They both ignored him. There was more to worry about than her husbands shock.
"All the planets have fallen. There's nowhere safe," Serenity said tersely, more to herself than to anyone.
"Earth. Take her to Earth," Endymion said suddenly as the thought came to him.
Serenity simply stared. He must be out of his mind to suggest taking their daughter into enemy territory in the middle of a war.
"If the attack is coming from Earth we can be certain that they're focusing their attentions on the alliance. It's the safest place right now, more importantly, it's the only place. That cave in the mountains where we..." His voice trailed off as he was reminded of where he was and who stood close by listening and staring.
Serenity nodded, remembering. People lived nearby, simple people who might find her daughter and raise her as their own until she could come back for her. One of them would have to take her but she had a responsibility to her people to stay with them. If she were found on Earth they'd most likely kill her and lily both. Given the situation it was wise to assume Endymion wasn't any more welcome than she. Neither of them was a good choice but they'd have to risk it.
"I'll go," they both said at the same time.
"Marila should be waiting in your room with Lily," Queen Serenity said to both of them. "I told her to be ready in case of an emergency but she must be confused not knowing where to go. Go now."
Serenity turned to her mother and held her close. Just for a moment she needed to be reassured that everything would be OK. Unfortunately there was little assurance and a lot more fear. She had seen how this would end and it seemed foolish to hang on to hope. Everything she'd ever known was falling apart.
When she let go of her mother, Endymion grabbed her hand and they ran out of the ballroom into the hallway racing towards their daughter.
They heard the Lily's crying as they opened the doors and found her fussing in Marila's arms as she paced the floor nervously.
The ground shook as what sounded like a large explosion rocked the ground.
Marila approached them hurriedly, tears in her eyes.
"I didn't know what to do. I tried to leave for Venus but the transporters wouldn't work. I..."
"It's OK Marila," Serenity comforted. "We're here now."
The ground shook once more and a painting fell from the wall crashing loudly to the floor and separating from its frame. They tried to steady themselves. There were men yelling in the hallways and screaming in the distance.
"We have to go now," Endymion said and took Lily in his arms. There was no time to appreciate that he was holding his daughter for the first time.
Serenity grabbed hold of Marila and they all disappeared.
The Present
"What happened to the prince and princess?" Usagi asked, yawning but determined to stay awake to hear the rest of the story. Her grandmother had told her the story before but she always asked about them, unable to fight her childish curiosity.
"Well the prince and princess left their baby with her maid knowing she would be safe here on earth and no one knows what happened to them. I always believed they went back to the moon and defeated the evil witch with their magic powers."
"Then why didn't they come back for Lily?"
Suzuki didn't think this was the right time to explain to her granddaughter that in all likelihood the prince and princess died protecting their daughter's future.
"Maybe they couldn't find their way back. I'm sure they wanted to. They loved their daughter as much as I love you. Thats why they left her this golden pendant. Lily gave it to her daughter and her daughter gave it to her own daughter until finally your mom gave it to you." She took the moon-shaped pendant on a gold cain, Usagi had been holding as she'd been telling her the story and put it on the night stand beside the bed.
"Now it's long past time you should be asleep. Close those eyes."
It was proof of how tired Usagi was that she actually closed her eyes obediently and let her grandmother kiss her forehead. Before the lights were even turned out she was fast asleep.
"That story's a little sad for a five-year old isn't it Mom?" Ikuko questioned from the doorway of her daughter's bedroom.
"But she loves it anyway. You did too"
"Where did that story come from anyway?" Ikuko asked as they closed Usagi's door and headed down to the kitchen.
Suzzuki shrugged. "My mother told it to me and her mother to her. It's been in our family for generations. I loved it when I was a girl even though it always made me cry.
"My mother used to try to convince me it was a true story. But then I grew up and realized there couldn't possibly have been a palace on the moon; it's just too fantastical. Besides, there was just a touch too much Romeo & Juliet , forbidden lovers cliche."
"It would be romantic if it were though don't you think?
"Hmm," Suzuki appeared thoughtful. "It could be true you know. The women in our family were supposed to be powerful witches. Maybe they got their power from Princess Lily."
Ikuko gave her mother a look of disbelief. "I'm way too old to believe in that stuff so don't even try that one on me."
Suzuki grinned. "You have to admit though, it's not exactly your typical fairy tale romance. Think about it. A princess cheating on her fiancee, enrages a jealous sorceress, gets pregnant, forms a conspiracy with her mother to hide the pregnancy and the baby and deceive her husband-to-be, gets married to a man she doesn't love and her kingdom and everyone in it is ultimately destroyed and the only surviving member of the family is her illegitimate daughter?
"I have yet to come across a story exactly like it. My mother told it to me twice, the edited innocent version when I was a kid and when I was older the not so sweet version. It's just like real life, There is no clarity at the end, no happy ending, and no tying up of loose ends. We never even know what happens to the prince and princess or for that matter, their kingdom."
Ikuko thought for a moment. "It's an understood rule of all fairy tales that good is supposed to triumph over evil. What is the point of this story anyway? The prince and princess never really get together and the only reasonable conclusion is that they die fighting the evil witch and we don't even know if she was defeated."
"Makes you wonder doesn't it?" Suzki asked.
"Yeah. It makes me wonder why this story has been passed down through our family? It's not exactly a happy tale for children. You'd think someone would have added to it by now, and given it a nice happy ending where the princess get her true love, beats the evil witch and lives happily ever after."
"True. But it is a compelling story all the same. There's something special about it even now when I'm grown up and I know magic isn't real. Some part of me is still rooting for the prince and the princess to get together."
"Maybe they will," Ikuko said with a smile. In response to her mother's curious expression she said, "reincarnation.
"You were the one who always told me that truly great love always finds a way. And if this princess and her prince were truly in love then they will find each other. Maybe they already did."
"Of course, they'd first have to exist," Suzuki reminded with a twinkle in her eye.
"Well I've decided that they did. If only because it would make me the heir to royal blood." Both women smiled.
They weren't coming back. It had been two days and she was running out of food and water for herself and Lily. She hadn't heard a sound from outside the cave since the prince and Princess had delivered her here.
Given their tearful goodbye, their daughter she shouldn't have expected them to come back but she'd held so much hope. But they had known going back might mean their deaths.
They were gone, she couldn't bring herself to say dead, it was too final. If they hadn't been however, they would have come back. The princess might have given up her baby for her country but she'd watched her in the last few months and the sacrifice had taken its toll. A tear ran down Marila's cheek.
She couldn't quite understand how it could all be over just like that, so quickly. She lifted Lily and kissed the baby's forehead. They were all each other had, and the princess was now her sole responsibility. She would never let her feel like the orphan she was.
Marila left the cave, squinting at the brightness of the sunlight. It seemed unfair with such a tragedy that the day should be so bright, so beautiful. She looked up at the sky, unable to see the moon that had been her home.
Ten Years Later
Usagi sat up in bed, her breathing coming in quick spurts. It was the same nightmare again but this time it was clearer. This time it had come closer to completion. She'd actually felt the pain, the cold, the sadness. Dreams weren't supposed to be devastating and nightmares were supposed to fade away quickly when exposed to the bright light of day.
There was a rational explanation for this. She knew a little something about dreams, emphasis on little. She'd borrowed a book on dreams from the library a while back but she had only skimmed it since the book turned out to be the perfect prop for holding up the broken bench at the foot of her bed.
What she did know however, was that dreams were the subconscious mind's way of sorting through the events of the day. Which was why a few weeks ago she'd dreamed that Naru was kissing Tom Cruise at the opening of The Last Samurai and her mother had walked up to both of them and began doing a rather embarrassing version of the Macarena.
Earlier that day her best friend Naru had been telling her that Yuu Kurosawa had kissed her when they were seven, her first and apparently last kiss, and as far as she could see perhaps, ever. Later she'd gone home and watched an entertainment news report about The Last Samurai on TV and then a music show about the worst songs ever. It all had merged into the rather disturbing dream that had her humming the Macarena all the next day.
By that same reasoning this nightmare was entirely Mamoru's fault. She'd been sitting in a booth at the arcade yesterday telling her friends how she could be the descendant of an ancient magical princess and in walked the jerk, rudely interrupting them and basically telling her she was a fuzz-brained loser for believing in some ridiculous fairy tale.
It wasn't as if she really believed it, but it was a cool story and her grandmother had just recently told her the not so kiddy version that involved sex and pregnancy and illegitimate babies. In other words, the fun version.
Of course, much to her dismay, he'd shown up in her dream playing the character of Prince Charming. Embarrassingly she hadn't protested much when he'd kissed her in the dream and worst yet, even now that she was wide awake her mind still wasn't protesting what should have been the greatest horror to befall any female with standards. Mamoru Chiba ranked on her list of all things gross, slightly above maggots and well below slime.
Furthermore, she would even have been grateful if the dream had been nothing more than a make out session with Mamoru Chiba - correction, Prince... OK she didn't know his name but it sure as hell wasn't Prince Mamoru. The idea of Mamoru Chiba being a Prince was about as palatable as beet juice, which had to be man's worst concoction yet.
The dream had been much more than that though. There had been a war or disaster of some kind and she'd been running through a hallway looking for her baby. Mamoru had been beside her. She could hear her baby crying but she couldn't remember finding her or what happened after that even though she was certain there had been more.
It was, in many ways, like the story her grandmother had told her. Her imagination had filled in the details and now they were coming to life in her dreams.
Even now, when she knew, from what her grandmother had told her, the Prince & Princess in the story had been having an affair that caused so many problems she couldn't help identifying with her. Maybe that was why she had taken on her role in the dream. What she couldn't understand however, is why she had put Mamoru Chiba of all people, in the place of the prince.
She could think of a half dozen guys better suited for the position. OK, really just one, Motoki, Mamoru's best friend and the most gorgeous, perfect, nicest man alive. To be fair, she may have to admit for the sake of having eyes in one's head that Mamoru was the better looking of the two with jet black hair, piercing eyes and a broad chest. But Motoki won out simply because he was nicer.
Mamoru didn't know the meaning of nice. In fact the nicest thing she could recall him ever saying to her was: "Congratulations on not tripping over your own two feet."
She grabbed her pillow and put it over her face and screamed into it. She had not just spent all this time thinking about Mamoru! She really needed to get a life. And he needed to get out of her head and her dreams.
She was determined. Tonight she was definitely not going to have this dream again. She wasn't sure if one could control such a thing but damnit she was going to try anyway.
She forcedly kept her mind off the subject which, as it turned out wasn't particularly difficult. Real life turned out to be far stranger than nightmares.
Today, Mamoru spoke to her. Actually spoke to her. He didn't insult her, didn't call her any creative but insulting names, didn't mock her, didn't even mention the fact that she tripped over her shoes and fell right into him. In fact, he was downright chivalrous, which indicated he must want something.
The idea that he could actually be nice had simply been too much for her brain to handle which is why when he'd righted her after her moment of awkwardness and asked if she was OK, she'd simply stared dumbfounded into his perfect face.
"I need to ask you something," he'd said, his face so serious that she was nearly convinced someone had died. She hadn't noticed before then that she was used to him smiling, teasing, being downright childish with her and it wasn't exactly how he interacted with everyone else. He was actually a pretty serious guy - as if he bore the weight of the world on his shoulders- with everyone else even Motoki.
"You want to ask me something?" Usagi had asked skeptically as if she didn't believe such a thing were possible.
"Yes you. I don't see anyone else, do you?" And there was the trademark sarcasm. He wasn't a pod person after all.
Usagi had glanced around, noting that several dozen people walked around them on the sidewalk. "Actually..."
He'd actually scowled at her. Which did strange things to her. The idea of him being disgruntled made her grin from ear to ear which in turn only made him scowl more.
"You know what I mean," he'd muttered. And without warning he'd grabbed her and pulled her in the direction of an outdoor cafe table with her complaining all the way.
"I can walk all by myself thank you," she'd snapped and sunk into the chair across from him.
"There is very little evidence to support that. If I hadn't been sure I'd get hurt for doing it I'd have picked you up and carried you over here just so I wouldn't have to peel you off the sidewalk."
"How sweet," she'd stated sarcastically at the time. Although, in retrospect the idea did have a certain amount of appeal. She might not enjoy her incredible clumsiness but if it led to being carried around...
"Well, what do you want?"
"Yesterday when you were talking to your friends you said something about a story your grandmother told you about a princess."
"Yes?"
"Where did the story come from?"
"Why?"
"Just answer the question."
"Why?"
"Could you please stop playing the why game. You're not five anymore."
"Why?" Ok, his scowling was really getting to be scary.
Mamoru stood up in frustration, prepared to leave.
"Ok Ok. She used to tell it to me all the time when I was younger. Last week she told me the more detailed version. She says it's been in our family for years and her mother told it to her and her mother told it to her, and her mother told it to her and ..."
"I get it. Thank you," He'd interrupted.
"Now for my question. Why?"
He'd paused as if trying to decide whether to share or not. "I was curious that's all."
"You're a very bad liar, Mamoru Chiba."
Actually he was usually much better. He was slipping. He obviously needed more practice. The truth usually seemed simpler.
"It just sounded familiar that's all. Are you sure she didn't get it from a book or something?"
"I'm pretty sure. Stories like that don't come in collections of fairy tales. I've never read any fairy tales without happy endings. This story doesn't even have an ending.
"I had a dream about it last night. It was pretty scary. I was the princess and I was running down the hall trying to find my baby and ..." Usagi had trailed off realizing she was rambling and Mamoru was probably not interested in her dreams. Furthermore he wasn't exactly the person she wanted to reveal details of her personal life to.
Mamoru had looked a bit pale and stunned. "The baby was crying. And there were loud noises, like explosions..." he'd paused momentarily. "The baby was a little girl with black hair and big blue eyes. I took her from someone and she stopped crying and she was staring up at me. She was beautiful ..."
It was Usagi's turn to look stunned. She hadn't remembered that much until he'd said it and then it all had come rushing back. But that was ridiculous. They didn't have the same dream. Things like that just didn't happen.
"Ok. That's just creepy!" She announced. "Eww I'm sharing dreams with Mamoru Chiba."
"I'm not exactly thrilled about it either. Especially that part where we..." He flushed red. Ok he didn't want to say that aloud. It bothered him and it would undoubtedly send her running.
The fact that he'd spent half his dream kissing - well slightly more than kissing - Usagi was disturbing enough. He didn't need to mention it to her, she was only about thirteen, which would make him almost seven years older than her and it was very wrong.
A part of him reminded him that making fun of a thirteen year old on a daily basis should also have been very wrong, but that part he ignored.
"How old are you anyway?"
"Why?"
He glared at her.
"Sorry. I'm fifteen. Why?"
"Just curious." He'd felt slightly better but not by much. "You look thirteen."
"Usagi had scowled. "I can't believe I made you the prince in my dream. You have all the charm of a snake."
"Just stating a fact. Anyways I have to go."
"Just like that? Don't you think it's a little weird that we're having the same dream?"
"Yes. Bye."
And just like that he'd left as if the conversation hadn't been very important and very very strange.
She was definitely having that dream again. After a day like today how could it be avoided?
She should have been happy that for a change she was right about something in life but when she woke up in the middle of the night clutching her middle and gasping for air she wasn't feeling particularly happy. Although there was a whole lot of relief that she wasn't dead.
She tried to remember it all before it faded. She'd been crying in her dream. She had bent over the little baby and kissed her forehead, touching her soft cheek and enjoying that unique sweet smell babies had.
A very regal Mamoru stood next to her, holding her hand tightly. He'd been crying too. He'd brought out a pendant attached to a long gold chain and told her that he'd intended to give it to her but now he put it around the baby's neck and kissed her.
It had taken every ounce of her will to leave but they'd managed it. They'd stepped away and said goodbye to their daughter leaving her with the maid who'd been taking care of her and hoping for the best.
When they'd reappeared in the palace they'd been stunned. In the time they'd been absent things had taken a definite turn for the worse and they just narrowly missed death by way of a falling slab of ceiling.
The palace was badly damaged and was still being rocked with explosions. The air was hard to breathe. It seemed thin and at the same time, thick with dust and smoke.
They'd once again been running down the hallways and came to a ballroom. To their horror the ball had turned into some kind of massacre. Well-dressed bodies littered the floor. These people had been there for a wedding and now they were all dead.
In the dream she'd recognized the faces of many people who'd meant so much to her. She couldn't recall the names now that she was awake. It was all beginning to fade and she could no longer remember why she had woken up so surprised to find herself alive.
Later that day she ran into Mamoru. Although perhaps, 'ran into' wasn't quite the term since she was waiting for him to walk into the arcade her mother complained she spent way too much time at instead of doing her homework. But Motoki worked there and it was the only opportunity to sit and appreciate the fine view. That Mamoru always ruined the moment with his insults only made forcing him to listen to her seem fair.
She practically assaulted Mamoru when he walked through the glass doors, well that's how he'd have termed it anyway. She was merely returning the favor.
She grabbed his arm, a distinctly firm bicep, and tried to drag him towards a booth.. It wasn't easy without his cooperation - which wasn't forthcoming- he outweighed her by no less than eighty pounds of muscle and was about a foot taller.
Mamoru gave in after a while and she suspected her attempt to move him had amused him. At the very least it stoked his ego.
"What do you want meatball head?" He demanded.
Usagi glared at him as if she were hoping she'd morph into Superman and burn a hole through his thick skull. It didn't work, he was back to his old self, a teasing grin plastered on his face enjoying every moment of her annoyance with the hated nickname.
Usagi took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She refused to be bated. It was not her fault he was behaving like a ten-year old boy.
"Had any dreams lately?" She asked sweetly. She wasn't going to let him pretend that yesterday hadn't happened.
Mamoru's smile faded. "Yesterday was just a fluke, a coincidence. I don't remember having any dreams last night."
He really wasn't very good at this lying thing. "Well, I had a dream do you want to hear about it?"
"Not really Usagi. I have things to do and they don't include chit-chatting with you."
Usagi ignored his protest. "I was kissing a baby and I was crying. You remember her; adorable baby girl, black hair, big blue eyes, looks like me. Well turns out in my dream you gave her gold crescent moon very much like this one here.
Usagi held out her hand and Mamoru, who'd been turning to walk away before Usagi got done describing the dream he already knew all the details of, froze. In Usagi's right hand rested the same pendant he'd placed around the baby's neck in the dream.
He took it from her and examined it, running his fingers over the intricate designs in the gold metal. "It's a locket," he said quietly.
"No it isn't. I've never opened it and I don't think anyone else has either."
"It's a locket," Mamoru repeated.
There didn't appear to be a seam that indicated it could be opened and the crescent moon design was so flat it didn't appear to conceal any hidden parts. His fingers seemed to instinctively know what features in the design allowed the pieces to separate however, and after a minute of fiddling the pendant separated into equal haves that slid apart rather than opened up.
Usagi gasped. Mamoru held out the locket for her to see, equally stunned at what it held inside. It wasn't a painting of a person as he had expected but an intricate and colorful design of the earth and the moon and two locks of hair, one black and one blonde, tied together with a blue ribbon.
"This means it's all true, the story my grandmother told me. They were real, the prince and the princess."
It seemed a logical conclusion but Mamoru refused to accept that and his sarcasm was biting. "And I take it you believe there was a whole kingdom on the moon too?"
Usagi flinched at the harshness of his voice. "Hey! It's possible. It's not like there isn't evidence," she pointed at the locket. "What other explanation can there be for us having the same dream."
"We still don't have an explanation for that. Furthermore this locket could be less than a half a century old. It's not proof of a civilization on the moon or that this story is anything more than a story.
"How do you explain it then?" Usagi demanded. Mamoru's brows furrowed in frustration. "I can't. But that can't be true. It just can't."
"Well as long as you have a good reason then."
So you think this is true? If it's true then why are we the one's having the dreams? Why are you the one with the locket. Do you honestly think that any random two people could share the same dreams, the same memories? Does that make any sense to you?" Mamoru snapped. "What makes us so damn special?"
Usagi thought for a moment. "She's my great great great greater than great grandmother."
"Even if that were a reasonable explanation, what about me?" How do I fit into this? He demanded.
"I don't know, OK. What difference does it make anyway?"
Mamoru sighed and considered for a moment whether he should tell her his theory. He had been quite happy to push this whole thing from his mind and pretend a part of him didn't believe in it. He would have eventually convinced himself none of this was important.
"What?" Usagi asked looking at his face, deep in thought.
"Nothing." It was disturbing how easily she could read him. It was actually very annoying. He took great comfort in being enigmatic.
"Oh come on. Just tell me what you're thinking."
Fine, he'd tell her. Knowing her, she wouldn't quit annoying him until he did. "I think," he began slowly, that we shared a dream because we represent the prince and the princess. I think we are connected to them, that maybe, even though I find it ridiculous but if we're going to consider all possiblities..."
"Will you just get to it already?"
"I think that maybe we are the prince and princess."
Usagi was silent for a minute before she giggled.
"What's so funny."
"You're right it is ridiculous. I mean honestly, talk about egotistical you really think you're a prince? Now there's a stretch.
Mamoru scowled. "And you have a better theory? I have to admit the idea of you being a princess is a bit much. You have all the grace of a drunken moose. Besides it would mean that we..." he flushed, "you know. We had a baby, you take a guess what our relationship was like."
Usagi's face turned red hot. "There is no way, that you and me..." she couldn't finish. It was too much. "And don't you think you going a bit far with the "we".
"I didn't think about it before I said it but it feels right. I feel like, him. In that dream I was him and I was scared and..."
"I feel like I was her too, like I felt everything she felt." She was silent for a moment. "I think they died."
"Of course they died , meatball head. That was ages ago."
"I meant in the dream, you big jerk! When I woke up I felt surprised to find myself alive." She frowned. "I guess that means the story does have an ending after all. It wasn't a happy one."
"I don't know," Mamoru replied, feeling the odd urge to comfort her. "The story wasn't completely without hope. There was Lily, she survived. And it would seem she kept her history alive. It's really quite amazing the story survived this long."
"Um, what about the rest of the story. If you think the part about us as the prince and princess is true then that means you have to believe in a palace on the moon and magic too."
"Yeah, I guess I do," Mamoru responded thoughtfully. He smiled. "If you'd asked me just yesterday I would have said no or come up with a scientific theory about how it's possible we had the same dream and it was all just a coincidence, but today, I guess I believe in magic."
"Just like that?" Usagi questioned skeptically.
"Think about it. It's not just a dream we're sharing, down to the fine details. I felt like I was there. It was more than even a memory. I feel like..." he really couldn't say the rest to her. The way he felt was the very reason he hadn't wanted to talk to her in the first place.
"You feel like?" Usagi pushed.
"Never mind. Can we talk about this some other time. I have to go." He glanced at his watch trying to come with a place he had to be.
"You're such a wimp," Usagi muttered.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. You're a big wimp. It's not like I wasn't there too. I felt it too you know."
"But we're not the same people anymore. It doesn't matter what we felt in a dream. That life is over."
"I'm not stupid, Mamoru, no matter what you think. But I still feel the same."
"They aren't your feelings."
"You're the one who said you believe that we're them. Well if that's true then technically they are my feelings."
"Usagi, don't be deliberately dense. Even if we are reincarnated versions of two people who died so long ago no one even remembers they existed, it doesn't mean we literally are the same people. I didn't grow up in a palace and neither did you. I was born here, in this century. We don't have a relationship or a baby, you aren't married to some Prince. We are not them. I'm sure the feelings they once had will fade, they aren't really ours. Whatever they had has been over for a very long time."
Usagi looked down at her fingers. Why did she feel so disappointed, it's not as if she really wanted him to feel that way about her. She felt as if he was breaking her heart but that was ridiculous and he was right. The feelings were strong and growing stronger it seemed by the minute, but they weren't completely hers.
He felt like an ass. It was completely unreasonable that she was heartbroken and that he felt guilty for doing it.
"Look I don't mean to hurt your feelings but think about it. It's a nice story but all that is over. We can't just pick up where they left off."
"No I guess not. But you're wrong you know. It's not over. If it were over, then why are we here, together now?"
She had him there.
"I think we had that dream for a reason."
"What would that be?" He queried.
"I don't know. But we can't just go back and pretend nothing happened."
"What else are we supposed to do? I'm not going to suddenly start pretending I'm the Prince of all Earth."
Usagi sighed in frustration. "I don't know." She was quiet for a moment. "Maybe it's fate giving us another chance."
She could see the skepticism in his expression.
"Think about it. They never got the chance to be together the way they wanted to. They loved each other so much that somehow after hundreds of years they found a way to meet again through us. That can't be a coincidence. It's huge it's..."
Before she could continue he interrupted. "You think this is an opportunity to start over. It's a bit presumptuous to think that the entire purpose of us being reincarnated is just so we can finish a love affair we started forever and a day ago."
"And let me guess, you think there's a better reason than love?"
"Not better, just more important."
"How can there be anything more important!" she snapped indignantly.
"Because we were selfish and completely self absorbed! I might not remember it all but I heard your story. We risked our lives, our kingdoms, and we lost it all."
"That wasn't our fault!"
"No? Maybe not but what we did was wrong."
"We were in love."
"And that makes it OK? I'm not sure a love like ours is really worth being reincarnated for."
"Then why are we here Endymion?"
"What did you call me?"
"Mamoru."
"No, that's not what you said. You said Endymion. I'm not him Usagi. I don't..."
"But I do. I love you." she replied sincerely. She was looking at him with everything she felt in her eyes and for a moment she looked so grown up, sounded so different just as if she were a princess again and he was everything.
"We may have made a mess of things but as you said things are different now. We have a chance to make it right. We don't live in different worlds with anyone telling us who we can love or marry. You can't ignore this opportunity."
"And I can't just love you because Endymion used to."
Usagi sat back straight as if he'd slapped her. She started sliding out of the booth. He'd already made up his mind about them.
Mamoru grabbed her wrist, forcing her to stay. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm not saying I don't feel anything for you, I just don't know that basing a new relationship on one that wasn't exactly what I'd call healthy is the right thing to do. You're very young and..."
"Mamoru I'm not saying we should get married and have babies right this very instant. I just don't want to pretend I don't feel anything."
"But who do you feel it for? Is it me or Endymion?"
"I don't see why..."
"I know what you're going to say but it's important; it matters. I don't want you to overlook me and think that I'm him. I'm not."
"I know. I know I'm not her either but I don't want us to go back to the way were before we had these dreams. I don't want them not to mean anything. I just want to start over, is that so wrong?"
Mamoru smiled. "No. It's not wrong. I'm still not willing to admit that fate only wanted us to fall in love all over again." Usagi frowned. "But," he continued, "I don't see why we can't start over, maybe this time we can be friends before we jump into the sack." He grinned.
"As if!" Usagi sniffed but couldn't help smiling despite her blushing. "Friends then."
Mamoru smiled.
Queen Serenity touched her daughter's cheek growing colder by the second. They'd won. Beryl and her army were defeated, for the moment anyway. The silver crystal she held in her hand had enabled her, if not to destroy the evil that had destroyed her world, then at least to lock it away for a very long time.
It hardly seemed worth it. There was nothing left to save. Those that hadn't been killed had been taken by Beryl.
Even as she stared down at the body of her only child , only one of thousands littering the lunar landscape, her own time was running out. She'd given every fiber of her being to win the battle but there was nothing left of her world. Her people, her child, all gone. Looking at the destruction around her she doubted her granddaughter had survived.
She despaired. What had been the point? Even locked away Beryl had won. She sat down on the cold marble slab. There had to be something, some small shred of something worth saving.
Not a foot away from her daughter's body, Prince Endymion lay in a pool of his own cold blood. Despite everything that had happened she'd known he'd loved her daughter and she'd appreciated it, envied it. It seemed so wrong that it should all end like this. As long as they'd been alive their love had lasted.
The crystal she held glowed, she looked into it as if trying to see something beyond it's faceted surface and it came to her. It didn't have to end like this. She had the will and she had the power. She rose up and focused her mind and what remained of her strength.
Their love didn't have to end, none of this had to end this way. The souls that lingered here were hers to command. She gathered every one, Serenity, Endymion, Minaxi, Reika, Litalya, Ammyra, every soul she could find. She'd send them to Earth, give them a new future. They'd be able to love again, to live and be happy.
I know it's not perfect and possibly not what some of you were hoping for but I can only hope you're not too disappointed. If you are please leave the tar and feathers and rotten fruit at home and take some pity on my poor diminishing brain.
Thanks for reading.
