Chapter 4

Usagi ran through the front door of her house, throwing her bookbag to the ground and thumping quickly up the stairs as she dashed to her room, slamming the door shut behind her.

"Usagi!" Ikuko called, her voice muffled by the girl's closed door. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, mama, everything's fine!" Usagi yelled back as she moved about her room, before finally settling down on a chair in front of her vanity, and for the first time looking at her forehead. Slowly, carefully, she reached up and pulled the bandage away.

And gasped.

There, on her forehead, was a golden crescent moon, where there should have been an angry, red scratch.

Her eyes went wide, and suddenly, she was in a different time and place all together.

…

"Princess!" A voice called. "Serenity, where are you? Your mother, the Queen, has been looking for you everywhere!"

The young blonde looked up, her blue eyes shining merrily as she heard the sound of the head senshi's voice.

"I'm in the rose garden, Minako!" She called, giggling slightly.

Leaning down, she let one of her finger brush the soft, silky petal of one of her precious roses.

'Really,' she mused, 'it shouldn't be possible for something to be so beautiful.'

"There you are, Serenity!" Minako's cornflower blue eyes sparkled with amusement as she looked at the young princess, a fond smile on her face. "Her highness wants to talk to you. Something to do with the ball that's to be held tonight, I believe."

Serenity's face scrunched up, and she let out a very unprincess like snort.

"More balls," she muttered under her breath, twirling around and pacing down the path between the well tended rows of flowers. "That's all it is with her, now, more and more balls. 'You need to find a husband, Serenity,'" she mimicked, straightening her back and looking down her nose in a perfect imitation of her mother. "'After all, you'll be eighteen in a months time, and if you haven't found a husband, I'll be forced to choose for you.' Blah, blah, blah. Who needs it, Minako?" She shot her friend and guardian a pained look.

Minako shook her head, her long blonde hair swishing about her, a rueful smile on her face.

"That's not the way it is, and you know it, Serenity," she scolded gently. "Now come on. I promised your mother I'd find you, and she'll have my hide if I don't deliver you directly to her."

"Hai, Minako," she pouted, and throwing a last, wistful glance at her flowers, headed with the leader to the grand doors of the palace.

…

Usagi shook her head, her eyes wide, and glanced at the golden moon on her head once more, raising a hand to trace it hesitantly.

"Wh-what was that?" she asked aloud.

Suddenly, the moon on her forehead began to glow, and once more she was whisked off once again.

…

It was the evening of the ball, and Serenity let out a breath, the air ruffling her blonde bangs slightly. She walked down the steps of the grand staircase, her face hidden behind a lovely white mask. White lace decorated the mask; small, shining rhinestones near the eyes. A large white feather rose from one corner of the mask, fluttering gently as she walked.

The dress she wore was a masterpiece. Soft silk clung to each curve of her body, the bodice sewn with golden thread in small circles. The dress fell straight to the ground, and from beneath it, her dainty feet poked out, dressed in high heeled white shoes, open toed, with ribbons around the ankles, holding the shoe to her foot. White, elbow length gloves adorned her arms. Twin moon earrings hung from her ears, and around her neck a simple diamond necklace hung. Her blonde hair was pulled on top of her head, held in place with a diamond hair pin, small portions spilling over in soft curls. All in all, she was breath taking.

Her sky blue eyes took in her surroundings, her mouth curving into a small smile as she watched couples dancing around the ballroom, a chandelier hung from the ceiling sending rainbows glancing off the moving bodies. It truly was a magnificent night.

"Princess," a masculine voice spoke from near her elbow, startling her from her reveries. "Might I trouble you for a dance?"

Startled, Serenity spun around, a light gasp escaping her lips.

Dressed in a formal tuxedo, complete with cape and top hat, and a plain white mask, the man was dashing, and Serenity felt weak at the knees as she nodded her head slightly.

Reaching out with a gloved hand, the man took her hand delicately, and led her into the twirling masses of people.

Her heart pounded fiercely in her chest as she danced with the man, held close to his chest. 'A rather nice, firm chest,' she thought to herself, and then blushed in shock.

"Something wrong, Princess?" the man asked her, his eyes shining gently with hidden emotion as he looked down on the girl in his arms.

Serenity shook her head, and let herself be led once more, pushing all thoughts away from her for the moment.

Finally, the dance ended, and the man pulled away, bending into a low bow, her hand still held in his. Lifting her hand up, the man placed a small kiss on the back of it, and smiled a lopsided smile that made Serenity's heart leap into her chest.

"You really are very graceful, Princess. And the tales of your beauty do you an injustice. You are far more beautiful than anyone could put into words. It was an honor to dance with you."

Serenity's gaze lowered to the floor, and for once she was glad of the mask that covered her face, shielding the blush which was currently flaming on her face.

"Thank you," she managed to murmur out, and raised her eyes to glance into the face of the man she had danced with.

With a smile, he tugged her hand, pulling her towards the balcony doors, and out onto the balcony.

Serenity let out a sigh as the cool night air washed over her, and her eyes closed, her head tipped back.

Suddenly, her back stiffened as a warm pair of lips covered her own, and her eyes flew open to look up into the man she had shared a dance with. Yet, somehow, it felt right, and so she didn't pull away, nor did she try to stop it. Instead, she returned the pressure of his lips, her eyes closing once more. Warm sensations fluttered around in her stomach as she wrapped her arms gently around him.

After what seemed like an eternity, but in all actuality couldn't have been more than a few moments, the pressure on her lips eased, and she opened her eyes once more to look up at him. Slowly, she reached her hands up, and took away his mask, and a gasp left her lips.

"I love you, Princess. I always have, and I always will."

…

Usagi sat up with a gasp, her mind spinning back to the present tense. Looking in the mirror, the golden moon remained, and so she sat, her eyes closing again, and waited for more images to come flashing into her mind. When a few minutes had passed, with no more visions, she opened her eyes.

The crescent moon on her forehead remained golden.

Frowning, Usagi rubbed her hand over it.

"Odd," she murmured quietly, when suddenly, a knock came at her door, startling her.

"Usagi?" Ikuko asked, opening the door and sticking her head in. "Are you sure everything's alright?"

"Uh… yeah, mom, everything's fine," Usagi stuttered, searching frantically for something with which to cover her forehead. Her eyes alighted on the bandage, and she picked it up, quickly slapping it over her forehead once more, and turning her face to greet her mother.

"Sorry, I was just a little… uh… busy," she lied, forcing a sunny smile on her face.

"I see," her mother said, a suspicious frown on her face, before her eyes landed on her daughter's forehead. "Oh! Usagi! Are you alright? What happened?"

"I'm fine, mom," Usagi replied. "I just got scratched by a cat, that's all."

"Oh, dear! Let me see; it might be infected." Moving forward, Ikuko reached out to remove the bandage.

Squeaking, Usagi moved out of her mother's reach, shaking her head forcefully. "Ah, no, that's alright. Really, Mamoru-chan was there when it happened, and he cleaned and bandaged it up. He, ah… he said not to take the bandage off until tomorrow morning, when I am to put a fresh one on! So… you can't take it off, or it will get infected, see?" Usagi said, desperation lacing her voice.

Ikuko's eyebrows raised in surprise, but she nodded her head and backed up, slightly perturbed by her daughter's strange behavior.

"Alright, Usa. I just wanted to let you know that dinner will be ready soon."

Usagi nodded her head, a light smile on her face.

"Alright, I'll be down in a bit. I…ah…need to call Naru to talk to her about…ah…doing something tomorrow."

The lie was blatant, and Usagi knew it, and more importantly, she knew her mother knew it. Nonetheless, she watched as her mother backed out the door, shutting it with a soft 'click.'

Letting out a sigh, Usagi let herself relax with a slight moan.

"That was close," she muttered to herself, raising a hand to rub lightly at the mark on her forehead. "I need to call the girls. Maybe they'll know what's going on… and maybe they'll be able to tell me who Serenity is."

…

Well, there it is; the next chapter. I don't know if this is too confusing, or if it doesn't work at all, but I liked it, and I was proud of it, so here it is. I hope you enjoy it!

Lady Tsukino.