A Sailor Moon Christmas

by SetsunaKou

Based on the SM Christmas CD, this is what the Sailor Stars movie would've been if one had been made! It's Christmastime & Serena is longing for Darien. But with the Three Lights/mysterious Sailor Starlights around, along with Outer Scouts to join the Inner Senshi, adventure, danger & fun are never far behind! Especially when Galactic villains show up instead of Santa! COMPLETE!

3. Chapter 3

"Merry Christmas!"

Chapter 3

"Child of Light"

By HarukaKou

"WORLD SHAKING!"

"STAR SERIOUS LASER!"

Two voices call out desperately. Uranus and Fighter's separate energies intend the same purpose---namely, to turn to dust the ceiling wall of the cavern that was about to come crashing down upon them all.

Yellow and red energies burst in a blinding light, nobody sure if they last minute rescue had arrived in time until the smoke cleared a few moments later.

"Princess! Are you all right?" Super Sailor Neptune's first worry was for her fragile princess' safety. That is, she already instinctively knew that Uranus was unharmed, feeling her partner's strong arms encircling her, though scratched and bleeding.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Maker." Sailor Moon smiles up to the tall sailor soldier who was protectively encompassing her and RiRi. Star Maker was gentle, kind and would defend any woman, especially where an innocent child was concerned as well. Maker threw all worry for his own safety to the wind, as she shielded Sailor Moon and RiRi from the falling debris.

"Sailor Moon." Maker nods with a smile, extending a helping hand towards her. Maker once again wished that the three of them could entrust Sailor Moon with their secret, ask her to join in their mission, to collaborate with hers. They all seemed to have the same goal---but there were definite complications. His violet eyes glance up to where that golden haired Sailor Uranus was dusting herself and Neptune off, while they glared at all three Starlights---especially one in particular---with suspicious gazes. For whenever the three were around, ever since they showed up, bad things happened, and that conclusion was one Uranus knew how to deal with.

SLAP!

Uranus slaps Star Maker's helping hand out of the way, giving Maker and the other Starlights a forbidding look.

"We don't need your help. We can handle this enemy—as we always have---by ourselves. Intruders aren't welcome here." Uranus' voice was as cold as the ice and snow surrounding them, and she pulls Sailor Moon up and towards her and Neptune protectively. She pulled her away from the Three Starlights, somehow finding blame for all this in them.

'Fine. Do as you like. We don't require being here." Maker, though a soul of gentility, had her share of ego and the anger that came with it, especially this creature of a woman that stood before her, always questioning their motives. Maker exchanges a look with Healer, then leaps upward and out of the cave through the hole blasted out, with Healer right at her heels, a snide look on her face.

"Fighter." Healer says, merely with a warning look for Fighter to follow, just before she too leaps out. Leaving Fighter to face the soldiers of this solar system alone, Fighter looks up to where her two lifelong partners disappeared and looks back at Sailor Moon. Fighter, for one, always felt a certain…protectiveness….for this winged girl soldier.

How can I just leave her here? Fighter was hesitant to just pick up and abandon Sailor Moon---and RiRi too. She was also concerned for what had happened to Serena. Those two crazies on Meatball's trail… Fighter hadn't seen her since then, and she felt she should go and find her….but….Sailor Moon needs my help too!

"Fighter!" Maker's low-keyed voice had a commanding effect on his companion. Star Fighter looks up to where Maker's voice was bellowing for Fighter to come, and she almost automatically followed the taller Soldier. Yet…she freezes in place, duty and conscience at war with each other.

"What are you waiting for? Get out of here." Sailor Uranus breaks the last straw, Fighter returns the glare to her hard green eyes. It flashes through her mind that she had seen and sparred with these same green eyes before, but Fighter quickly shakes the thought away. With an almost apologetic glance to Sailor Moon, she jumps up after her two colleagues. She didn't like caving in to that damn Uranus, but Maker and Healer were right. They do have---no matter how much Fighter's heart disagreed---only ONE true mission. Fighter's long skinny leathered legs ascend in a single leap, leaving Sailor Moon and her 3 companions alone.

"Sailor Uranus! Why can't we work toget---?" Eternal Sailor Moon's friendly soul wanted to reach out to those three soldiers. Though they were a team together, the three Starlights seemed lost and alone to her, she wanted so much to understand them…..and something in that Sailor Star Fighter's eyes was….almost familiar….

"That's enough." But Uranus was in no mood for delicate arguments on that subject. The suspicion of dangers from those three unknown soldiers from another galaxy posed gave her hard line attitude no room for kindness or flexibility. The fact that they were "Sailor Soldiers" by name gave her no cause to believe any of them. The rest of their string of enemies were also "Sailors"---"Sailor Iron Mouse", "Sailor Aluminum Siren", "Sailor Lead Crow"----so now, no one other than the eight Sailor Soldiers of this Solar System could be trusted. No one. Especially that Sailor Star Fighter. There is something disturbing to me about her eyes----like I could see all the way into her soul almost….

Uranus, too, shakes off the thought, and turns her face up to the cold wind streaking in through the hole in the cavern's ceiling.

"Sailor Moon. There's an enemy out there. We have to stop it and any other threats to this world. We can't be concerned by any outside forces. The only ones we can depend on----are each other. We were brought together by destiny---no one else. Do you understand?" Out loud, Sailor Neptune echoes, in a slightly more gentle tone, Uranus' sentiments, softening her rough way of shutting Serena off, with this thought provoking advice of her own. She places a hand on Serena's shoulder.

"I---" Despite all the respect Serena had for the two of them, the genuine concern in their faces, Sailor Moon still finds herself disagreeing somewhere deep inside. She believed in the three Starlights and held a hope that one day they would all work together as part of one team.

Suddenly, a dark shadow falls over the cave opening they were just about to leap out of. A loud, high-pitched shriek follows it eerily shaking the frosted fir trees around.

"What the hell?" Uranus, with a deep sense of the sky about her, since the planet of the skies was her guardian, felt the quickly darkening air an unnatural occurrence that set her teeth on edge.

"The power that monster has!" Neptune comments in a high toned whimper, and she points to where the black shadow woman was standing, amidst the snow at the edge of the high peak they were on. Her arms were raised to the skies as if she were wearing the darkness in her ear-splitting screeches, almost in the compilation of song. And within her unctuous strains, the black shadows continue to emanate, spreading out in claw-like prongs, crawling towards them hungrily.

"Give me back that child! Such energy! I need it! Sister, return to me the power you have stolen! I've tasted the raw energy again! I require it now! Return what it rightly mine!" Crying out in her desperate strains, Battress' exhausted shadow arm grabs hold of the frightened RiRi, attempting to tear her from Sailor Moon's screaming arms.

"Stop! RiRi!" Serena holds on with all her might, RiRi crying out in the bitter tug-of-war over her tiny body.

"RIRI!" RiRi calls for helps, and Neptune firmly takes hold of her, while Uranus physically grabs the shadowy fingers wrapped around the child and tries to pry them off. But instead, she gives a horrible scream of pain, as, luckily, only her gloves take the brunt of the first contact with the energy draining shadow, melting them off. The shadows continues to steal RiRi's life force, palpitating with raw energy, the new Shadow intends to dissolve Uranus' hands and body as well, in its inverse blackness. But this Soldier of Speed was far too quick, and loses her gloves only. Yet, it was still intent on draining RiRi's mysterious energies---and no one would stand in its way.

"Uranus!" Neptune cries out in fear for her friend and Sailor Uranus is thrown back several hundred meters towards the white forest, by the explosive shadow.

"Ugh!" In her moment of strife over her beloved cousin, Neptune's grip gives out and she collapses to her knees in the snow as a screaming Sailor Moon and RiRi go flying forwards, dragged towards Battress' greedy eyed shadow. It pins Sailor Moon down and Battress begins to feel RiRi's energies coursing through her.

Yes, Sister…perhaps a slow, painful death is more fitting for this century old life of torment you have put me through. Battress justifies her energy drain in her mind, finding the torture of Galaxia's soul far more rewarding. I will dispose of you when my powers are restored once again! She vows as a helpless RiRi, with Sailor Moon still attached to her, dragged towards her.

"ALUMINUM SIREN TSUNAMI!"

A soft spoken voice calls out from out of nowhere, a wave of tingling salt water flowing over Battress, but she was totally immune from its physical threat. Nothing could touch the bloodless lifeless form of the shadow she was---but it was easy enough to blind her for a minute with the resulting swirling, icy mists when the warm water hit the cold ice.

"Sailor Aluminum Siren!" Sailor Moon cries out in shock at her rescuer, the longhaired woman who had dueled with her and her scouts as an enemy in the past. Siren appears beside her and RiRi, trying to undo the shadow bonds around them with some evil enhanced energy of her own, granted to her by Madame Galaxia. Thank you so much Madame Galaxia. I will bring you some of those girl scout mint cookies Crow-san bought me at the hotel.! They are so nice to eat.

"How pretty and long your hair is Sailor Moon!" Siren had an uncanny way of dancing around the subject swimming through her sieve like mind, even in the worst moments of danger.

"Why are you helping us!" Serena could not understand why Siren would want to help them.

"Oh, so afterwards you can give me your------AHHHHH!" In her dawdling supposition of the Star Seed Sailor Moon was going to just gratefully hand over to her after she had been rescued, Siren didn't see an extremely angered Battress last out at her. She had wrapped one shadow tentacle around Siren's body as she now dragged all three victims towards her as well.

"More energy! I can feel such energy from you as well! DIE GALAXIA! Galaxia is that you in this new one's body too? What does it all mean?"

"Sister! Evil darkness! Evil Chaos! Help!"

Her head suddenly spins from the two disparate persona energies of Galaxia emanating from RiRi and Siren. Battress' already depraved mind goes even more mad, as the converging pieces, one good and one evil, of what Galaxia was and what she now is, once again destroyed what control she had forged over the years, tearing her apart.

And the distraction is all Sailor Lead Crow needed, she utilizes her own Galaxia-granted powers to blow this strange creature threatening Siren, off the face of the earth if she could. She had heard the threats against Galaxia as well, puzzled by the Shadow Battress' resemblance to her leader too. Now maybe Galaxia wasn't Crow's most favorite person in the world, her respect for her ruler lessening with each passing day, with fear, rather than loyalty driving her for now. Fear for Siren mostly, fear that her beloved rival's time may soon be up. And for all this, Crow had only one solution.

"LEAD CROW TORNADO!"

She cries out, blasting the tormented Battress with a force of wind of gusting proportions, the sudden tornado catching Battress off guard, as she tumbles off the edge of the steep steep mountainous peak, it sure to be an end to any creature----

But along with Battress, her shadow tentacles fall with her, catapulting a screaming Sailor Moon, RiRi and the attached Siren towards the edge too.

"Siren, let go! Siren! LET GO!" Sailor Lead Crow cries out with her loudest voice, she racing towards the descending group----but it was too late.

"Crow-san! I can't! I----AHHHHHHHH!" Over the edge, the three fall in a bundle, holding tightly onto each other---for there was nothing else to grasp but the thin, cold air as they plummet downwards.

"SIREN!" Crow cries out at the loss of her finest rival and secretly, her dearest friend. The tears of horror spring to her eyes the first second---and in the next, she too plunges off, without a thought, Crow too disappears downward in the mists, following after Siren.

"SAILOR MOON!" Uranus comes racing to the edge despite her two broken ankles. She feels her own pain was nothing compared to the heartbreak of watching someone you love plunge over the side of a cliff.

"PRINCESS!" Neptune echoes, the Battress shadow dissipating around her legs instead enveloping the skies, it unfitting the sky should be bright when all was at sunset---in heart as well. Neptune goes to Uranus and bursts into tears as they look down, seeing nothing but mist and snow in their sights, and not a sign of their dear, lost princess.

But then, there, through teary eyes, Uranus and Neptune's hearts leap at the sight of the group ascending through the mists. Their beautiful Serena was brought back to them, RiRi still in her arms. The enemy, Siren too, all being carried up by Sailor Lead Crow's strained black feathered wings.

"SAILOR MOON!" In unison, Neptune and Uranus call out, joy in their voices as Uranus takes Sailor Moon in her arms, and holds her close. Neptune hugs the little fainted, but all right, RiRi to her grateful chest, and both of them look to Crow with standoffish thankfulness.

"Tell your Sailor Moon to use her own wings next time, okay!" Crow buckles under the slight smile and grateful look on Neptune's face. Then, Uranus' still suspicion one reminds her of her true place, that they were her enemies, and yet….

Siren needed me! That's all I did! They were just…attached! Crow justifies her just now heroic actions, she after all one of Galaxia's minions in search of Star Seeds, so that Galaxia may take over this galaxy and all the others…

"Crow-san, I'm a little dizzy. Crow-san, can we go home now? Crow-san? My head hurts, and I'm hungry." Whimpering little whines, Crow puts on her hard, commanding face, forcing away the pleased smile that her rival was still well enough to whine. But Siren could see it in Crow's eyes.

"Yes, Siren. Let's go home. Our target has disappeared anyway." Crow takes command and she gingerly places Siren inside the appearing telephone booth teleporter they shared.

"You haven't seen the last of us! And next time we'll still be enemies so don't get any dumb ideas!" And with that disheartening threat, Sailor Lead Crow and Sailor Aluminum Siren zap from the mountain scene.

"Are you all right?" Uranus asks the trembling girl in her arms. Sailor Moon nods her head, still unable to speak after that close call. Serena could have sworn she saw the snowy ground just inches from her head before black feathers scooped her up.

"Good. It seems our enemies did away with that shadow creature anyway." Uranus scans the area, the unnatural darkness lifted from the snow-covered landscape.

"URANUS!" The clipped warning is the only thing empathic Sailor Neptune is able to cry out as the split second passes in between when she sensed that evil darkness again and it suddenly rises over them…

The last minute warning between partners was enough for Uranus to dodge the blast of black energy descending upon them, pulling Sailor Moon and RiRi with her. Neptune too, sidesteps a dark bolt of lightning from the skies, as the three Sailor scouts look upon their attacker's cackling screeching.

"Battress cannot be defeated so easily puny ones! I am a shadow creature now…I am!" And with those laughing words, Battress spreads her newly unleashed pair of bat wings wide enough to cast a huge shadow over all those below. She screams a hideous sound as deadly red tipped blades of shadow knives rain down. They were more than mere shadows when they came in contact with flesh, the powers she had managed to drain from RiRi gave her energies a new, deadly edge as the razor tips rip through the cold air towards a helpless Neptune, Uranus, Sailor Moon and RiRi below…

"MERCURY ICE RHAPSODY!"

"JUPITER OAK EVOLUTION!"

The first blast of Super Sailor Mercury's ice music freezes the falling razors to a halt, while the second wave of Super Sailor Jupiter's powerful oak leaves filled with nature's energy explode the frozen blades, clearing the skies with a strange mixture of blue cold and green nature.

"Hey, we don't know who you are, Lady, but if you want trouble, here we are!" Bold Sailor Jupiter had a temperament that would make her Irish ancestors proud.

"Sailor Scouts!" Sailor Moon calls out happy to see them too.

"Nobody messes with our friends, creepazoid." Sailor Mercury, though usually a shy and quiet girl, could stand up and shout when it came to her friends.

"Where'd you get a voice like that anyway, ugly!" Super Sailor Mars, now at Mercury and Jupiter's side, was a terribly honest soul herself and she never held back anything.

"Yeah! Go back to your bat cave, you waste of good Christmas Eve time!" Super Sailor Venus was still smarting that she had had to leave ice-skating and sleigh riding with the Three Lights on this Christmas Eve. Robin even promised to skate with me by myself when they came back! Well…sort of….

Ugly. A waste. These words ring throughout Battress' tattered remains of a soul. She always felt less than her perfect-adored-by-everyone sister and she was forgotten. But not again. Not ever again.

"Battress! Can you hear me?" A small voice whispers inside of her throbbing head, but she shakes it off, instead turning to the Sailor Soldiers with an evil, angry face.

"No one speaks to me like that! No one!" Battress, ferocious with raw pain and anger, lashes out at the new bothers on the scene. She was determined to smite them and their biting words with shadow daggers exploding from her bat wing tips, twice as large and twice as powerful as before.

"MARS FLAME SNIPER!"

"VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!"

Though Mars' and Venus' attacks were just as potent as Mercury and Jupiter's, these shadow tipped blades were more wily, dodging their energy attacks, intent on sliding straight towards their startled faces---

"URANUS SPACE SWORD BLASTER!"

"NEPTUNE SUBMARINE REFLECTION!"

Sword and Mirror merge as they spread across the skies, dissolving the deadly razor blades in the two-pronged, combined attack.

"Fools! Fools! I'll destroy this world until there's no light left to spurn me any longer!" Battress, filled with deep hatred for all things of light and beauty, prepares her shadows to swallow the entire world.

"Join hands! Together we may be able to destroy this monster!" Uranus had this way, despite Venus being the appointed Sailor Scout leader, of taking charge as she orders the rest of the scouts to action. They all scurry together as Battress soars across the skies over them, about to launch her attack on the green planet, her red eyes mad with anger and fury.

"SAILOR PLANET ATTACK!"

The girls all cry out, hands joined as they begin to spin, energy from each palpitating from their bodies, combining into one huge ball of power enough to blow even the most powerful enemies away….

But a power they had not yet dealt with a force they had never encountered seems to glow golden around Battress, a protective shield going up around her. The energy the soldiers had accumulated towards her simply bounces off this golden barrier, and reflects back on the Sailor Scouts, exploding into them and blowing their circle apart.

"AHHHHHH!"

"UGH!"

Cries of pain ensue across the snow fields, as the girls are flung over the mountain plains, weakened and drained from the reversed bombardment of their own powerful attack.

"This light! This energy! Sister! Sister!" Sailor Moon is still able to look up from her fallen spot in the snow to where the Shadow Monster seemed to talk to thin air. There was not another soul around, as she ranted like an insane person. And yet…and yet there was something familiar in her eyes---something Serena knew she saw every time she looked in the mirror these days---the pain of old memories coming back to haunt you---the longing to see someone you love again so desperately…

"No! No! Go away! Go away!" And with this spurt of anger, Battress sends blasts of shadow energy across the skies, breaking through the golden forcefield that surrounded her, decimating the fir tree line to black dust.

"Your sister wouldn't want you to do these things! Please stop!" With all the strength in her, Eternal Sailor Moon stands as she tries to find some way to stop this powerful woman. Serena saw something in her that no one else could. That maybe this shadow could be brought back into the light…

"My sister? No! No! Not! You're siding with her too! They always did! I'm so alone!" Battress looks down to where Sailor Moon was looking up at her with those big blue eyes. Those eyes! You look so much like---

Battress suddenly sees a resemblance in Serena's sweet innocence, a remembrance of a time past, of someone so very special from before.

"Please! I'm not siding with anyone! You're not alone. You still have your sister inside you." Though she didn't know a thing about this shadow's past and though she didn't understand what was going on, Sailor Moon had a heart of gold---a heart to reach out to the needy, to the fallen. She learned the lesson of Christmas and of He who came into the world, learning the truth of selflessness, and love for all life. And with this lesson, Sailor Moon would always extend an olive branch to anyone who could be saved from the darkness, and be called back into the light.

Yes, Galaxia…she is just as you were…..Battress, lost and confused is entranced in Sailor Moon's eyes seeing her as the sister whom once was, peaceful, loving, caring and compassionate to her when no one else was. When no one else understood, that she was different. That she had special powers. She always did, even in the past……

"Battress dear, what are you doing today? Let's both go down to the garden and—" A young, beautiful golden and red haired girl asks her sister with an inviting, pleasant smile, but is cut off suddenly.

"Leave me be, Galaxia. I'm busy." Battress says with a less than kind back glance. She seemed to be totally wrapped up in something absorbing, not to be bothered by her headstrong sibling.

"With what, Battress? Can I be wrapped up in it too?" Galaxia was a fun loving creature then. She did not want to miss a second of any enjoyment she could share with her sister.

"No, Galaxia! This is something I have found for my own! Just because you're the chosen child…just because everyone else likes you better….you can't take everything that's mine!" Battress suddenly jumps up from the shade of the castle wall she was taking refuge in. Her face was now etched with evil intent, her beautiful golden eyes that once mirrored those of Galaxia, for they were identical twins, suddenly burned red. Her golden locks were tightly bundled atop her head, transformed her into a putrid shade of black. Her lips were traced with charcoal colored lipstick, making her look so wicked. Galaxia was shocked and taken aback by the change in her sister.

"What's happening to you, Sister? What can I do to help?" Galaxia, though sweet and innocent, was not easily frightened especially not when it came to her sister. She truly did love her and always thought Battress was the better---the more responsible and sincere of the two. Galaxia had admired her for who her sister was.

"What can you do to help? Ha ha ha!" Suddenly sedate and responsible Battress turned as nasty as she looked. Her now fanged teeth glinted in the last rays of the sun. "DIE, Galaxia! You will not stand in my way any longer!" Battress' hands choke around Galaxia's throat. Galaxia screams in shock, and opens her eyes to see the devil-horned silhouette of a shadow that now surrounded her sister's dark head. In it the utter chaos that Battress had culminated powers inside of herself to release from it's hiding. Though Galaxia was the chosen daughter to be the Sailor of the Galaxies, of the star which was at the center of the universe, Zero Star, at the exact center and nucleus of all the galaxies.

"Battress stop! It's me, your sister! It's me!" Galaxia's choked out words hit the still only half-taken over Battress somewhere deep, and she freezes in her attack, long enough for Galaxia to touch her newly bestowed Sailor Transformation brooch. Galaxia explodes in golden light, her metallic golden sailor uniform glimmers in the fading sunlight.
"You tried to fool me as you always have! I will be the one to control this planet! Every planet! Every galaxy! I will be the true galactic soldier! And I will be the only one! Not you! Chaos has told me so! Evil power of all time is trapped within this planet and I have called that power! I will release it everywhere! Chaos can no longer be contained!" Mad with that chaos running rampant inside of her, Battress cackles evilly. With all her power, she forges a long broadsword and plunges it into the ground. It cracks open as the wicked shadows she has called and brought forth to life to ease her own selfish sufferings and jealousies. They tear the grounds apart, imploding from within and soars out into the far reaches of space, encircling over the skies which were now pitch dark, of their once beautiful world where the sun never set.

"Battress! What have you become! Sister! Sister! What have you done?" Galaxia could feel the evils coursing around her, the ground shaking, thunder rumbling deafeningly. The shadows pull at her long, golden waves. Screams and cries from around the palace and from without as the entire countryside cries out in the horror of what was overtaking their peaceful world.

But Battress could no longer hear Galaxia. She, in releasing Chaos, had had her soul ripped out of her as evil ambition to now destroy the universe plagued through her dark form. Whatever goodness was once in her soul was now absorbed by black evil. She was lost to the world as the glimmer of light she was promised to be, for Galaxia always had believed that her sister was the true shine of the galaxies. But no more. She now was the beginning of the end of it.

"Your light's gone out, now, Battress. But I won't---I can't let you go! But there are so many others now I must help. To protect, Sister. I can hear the cries throughout the galaxy, for a savior from the dark chaos you have just released. Please, Sister, forgive me, but for the sake of the innocents of the universe, I must do this." Sadly, Galaxia, in that moment, transforms from the sweet-faced girl of dreams into a hardened woman. The decision she had to make steals her from what she must do to salvage the universe, now plunged into a Sailor War, for Sailors were the only ones who had any chance of stopping chaos' legendary powers. And she was the Sailor of them all. This was now her responsibility. To end what her sister had begun.

"For the greater good, Sister. Let me take your soul…" And with those last, fateful words the long-caped golden Sailor of the Galaxies grabs hold of her dark sister's broad sword, willing the mystical powers within it to do as she commanded, as she plunges the sword deep into her sister's chest. Battress falls to the ground, as her evil soul is washed away, her body, dying, but the spirit of a shadow was the one thing remaining as what was left of Battress slinks into the ground.

"Someday, Battress, I will return for you." To the dark skies and cold earth. Galaxia vows to return to find a way somehow for her lost sister to come back to the light again, as she herself rushes off into the unknown, to defend the universe from Chaos, for she had no idea what awaited her own soul ahead….

"NO! Don't leave me alone! Don't!" The utter, empty loneliness of the past thousand years spent in shadowed exile had driven Battress insane long ago. Her dark body and depraved mind do as they always had, lashing out at anything and anyone who represented the light she could never again be.

"BATTRESS SHADOW SCREAM!"

The tormented wail from deep inside her broken shadowy form transmutes into pure dark energy, it exploding from every inch of her blackness. Everyone around shrinks back at the horrifying sight, as Battress' jet-black bat wings spread wide as the ear piercing sound drives those scouts just standing, back down to the ground.

"SAILOR MOON!"

"SAILOR MOON!"

"SERENA!"

One by one the Sailor Soldiers realize that their leader---their Princess---was still moving towards that chasm of darkness, ignoring the shadow streams ripping towards her, through her, battering her winged body around.

"Sailor Moon! Don't go near that!" It was Uranus' commanding voice that Eternal Sailor Moon finally pays heed to. She calls out to her Sailor Scouts, that determined, caring look in her blue eyes.

"NO! There's a good person inside of there somewhere! I can feel it! And she's dying! She needs our help! I won't let anyone go towards death without trying to save her first! Lend me all of your courage! I have to try! It's Christmas!" And with that heartfelt speech, the four Inner Scouts and the two Outer Scouts present don't have to think twice to know what their soul---their own Moon Princess—was asking of them. For she was their light, their hope, their Christmas year-round. And from each their celestial symbol glimmers with power on their foreheads, adding to Sailor Moon's heart Tier----it's glowing rainbow colors-blue, red, green orange, yellow, aqua and one more, Serena's rod shimmers fuschia pink. She feels the boost of power growing within her, as the shadow streams hitting against her melt as they hit her shining, shielded form.

"SILVER MOON CRYSTAL POWER….."

Eternal Sailor Moon begins to release her now enhanced power of rejuvenation, of healing, upon one soulless creature. Her heart begged for Battress' spirit to return on this Christmas Eve. She reaches out with all that in her…

"….KISS!"

White rainbow light gleams against the shadow monster before them. Blue breaks the forged ice, red fires a dead soul. Green strikes lightning in a cold shadow while orange lights a beam through a broken heart. Yellow quakes the barriers down as aqua flows a stream of emotions. A titanium blue laser of determination, a lavender sweep of gentility and a lime green inferno of feeling all fly in as white and fuschia combine in a final burst of pure goodness and hope as the white countryside explodes in the light….

"Where am I? Sister, are you here?" Battress' battle worn voice and vicious black appearance were all but faded and gone. She was adrift on a cloudy mist of rainbow colors. Her high pitched voice was now softer, sweeter, more of the girl she once was long before Chaos had entered her life.

"I am, Sister." Echoing from no where and everywhere around her, Battress' smoky eyes begin to glimmer a shine as they look hard at the growing brilliance wrapped in golden veils before her.

"Galaxia! Have you returned for me? I never want to be lonely again." Battress cries out, rushing to her long-absent sister for Sailor Moon's goodness had melted away her despise for the sister who had abandoned her so long ago.

"Battress. You don't need to be alone anymore. Merge the remainder of your soul and powers with mine. We will be one and twice as strong. And I'll never leave you again. It is a promise." With soft strains of a voice Battress both at once despised and loved, more of it love now, as the jealousy which so consumed her never abated the affection and loyalty between sisters.

Battress reaches her hands out to the golden dazzle before her, taking hold of the perfect white palms open of another she knew and trusted so well. "Sister, did you know? Did you always know?" Battress' high voice becomes a whisper, as she realizes all that she was, with the last of her individuality. She lets her true spirit dissipate, her shadow body goes translucent, as she moves into Galaxia, the two separate parts, now fully one.

"Yes, Battress, yes. I always knew." The curtain unveils, this ultimate Sailor of the Galaxies strides across her own Shadow realm she called Sanctuary. Moreover, she deemed it the starting point from which she would soon take hold of the planet Earth---and now, now she is certain it will all be possible.

"You were nothing more than my shadow. By the brilliance of my Star Seed you were given I gave you life. You were the other half of my immense powers split in two, since the moment of my conception. The fates had decided I was not yet ready for the full intensity of power granted me, that any one being with such energy would be enabled to rule the universe…"

"And though I took your soul then, "Sister", I did not gather your spirit in the hopes that I would not require that ultimate power, to give you your own self. But as you have proven, Battress, there could be no you without me any longer. There could be nothing without me any longer! Now this galaxy, every galaxy will be mine! There will be nothing to stop me!" At long last, filled with the two parts which make up the whole, Sailor Galaxia feels the immensity of power surging through her, her shadow now returned to her. Her energy, her strength, her drive now doubled in her ambition of the right to rule over all the galaxies.

"For the greater good, this day has finally come. Now I am whole." And as this Golden Queen of the Galactica takes her golden throne, a tiny piece within her who had glimpsed the Light of Hope that was now but a distant shadow within Galaxia, still cries out unheard. As at the same moment, Chaos laughs at the never-ending cycle of good and evil. Evil and goodness coming full circle until utter chaos would be the one to rule supreme.

Snow-blind. That's what she felt like. Sailor Moon's eyes were blinded by the sheer brilliance of light across the dark mountainside. And when that blindness faded, bewilderment set in. For quickly, she scans the countryside to find that the shadow she had been trying to bring into the light had vanished.

"Where---?" Sailor Moon asks in worry that she, in trying to help, had harmed the woman in need.

"She's received a gift, Sailor Moon. The same gift you've given all of us. Your goodness and love. That's all any of us could ever hope for." Empathic Sailor Mars puts a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder, her purple eyes gleam to Serena in the darkness.

"Yes, Princess, we are nothing without that." Neptune smiles softly as she leans her aqua head to Uranus, hand slipping in hand. Uranus too, nods in agreement of the sentiment.

"You're pure sunshine in a world of shadows, Pretty Kitten. Keep that light going, all right?" And with a tender caress of Sailor Moon's cheek, Uranus and Neptune disappear into the dark night. They were both satisfied that the danger of this night was over.

"Uranus is right! Your shine is beautiful, Sailor Moon." Sailor Jupiter smiles comfortingly at her friend.

"You reached out. That's all you could do. Don't worry. I'm sure you got through to her presence." Sailor Mercury joins in with a sweet look.

"Yeah, you were great, boss-lady!" Venus, a buoyant creature of light herself (especially on Christmas Eve) slaps Sailor Moon on the back with a loud thump of congratulations.

"And since you mentioned presents, Mercury, let's get to our Christmas Eve Party!" Mina was always in search of her next party.

"That's not exactly the "presence" I meant Venus, but.." Mercury gives a soft, lilting giggle at her fellow Sailor Scout's ditziness at times.

"Admit it, Mercury! You've got presents on your mind too!" Venus shoots back, with a righteous air.

"We all know that's all you're interested in Mina! It's all you've been talking about all day! That and your sweetie Santa!" Sailor Mars complains of Venus's excessive babbling.

And as her friends chatter in that comforting way that always reassured her soul, Eternal Sailor Moon's eye catches movement of long black leather legs leaping in the distance against the misty starscape. She gives a small smile, knowing that they, despite strained relations between the two teams, had added their energies to hers when she needed them most. And that maybe there was such a thing as hope to believe in and hold onto.

That's why He came to this world too, wasn't it? To give us all hope when everything seemed lost. How could I ever lose my hope with all of you guys with me.

"You guys are the best friends in the world!" With a zealous cry of gratitude, Sailor Moon links arms with her four companions. Mercury scoops up the happily playing the snow RiRi, as they all then race down the hillside towards the distant light of the ski lodge, their hearts and souls all full of hope.

On the way back, to brighten things up on this cloudy night, our stars Mina and Rei both keep trying to outdo each other in Christmas caroling.

"Rei, 'When You Wish Upon a Star' is NOT a Christmas carol." Mina criticizes Rei's slow ballad.

"You made that "Sweetheart" song thing up, Mina! Don't talk to me about that!" Rei snaps back.

"Well, let's sing something else now. Any suggestions?" Lita interrupts the argument.

"How about a sing off? We'll each sing something to make the trip seem shorter." Amy suggests.

"ALL RIGHT! I'll begin." Rei takes charge, considering herself the singer of the group.

"Here Comes Santa Claus."

"Here Comes Santa Claus"

"Right down Santa Claus Lane"

Mina goes next with a Santa song of her own, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."

"….Santa Claus is Coming to town!"
"He sees you when you're sleeping!"
"He knows when you're awake!"
"He knows if you've been bad or good",

So be good for goodness' sake!"

"Yeah, like you know what that means, Mina! No Christmas presents for you then if you go by that song!" Rei always had a snappy retort on her lips.

"Okay! My turn!" Serena happily sings out in a better mood now than before.

"Oh when the Saints"
"Come marching in"

"Oh when the Saints go marching in!"

"I wanna be in that number!"
"When the Saints go marching in!"

"YAY!"

Finally, the whole group ends the trek home with the infectious "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" as they enter the grounds of the ski lodge hotel.

"We wish you a Merry Christmas!
We wish you a Merry Christmas!
We wish you a Merry Christmas

And a Happy New Year!"

Indeed the ski lodge was decked from top to bottom with every kind of Christmas decoration imaginable. Red streamers, multi-colored lights all around, as, now back in their normal forms, Serena and the girls rush in from their long, cold journey in the snow. Straight to the fireplace they go to warm cold fingers when three more frozen figures come in from the cold just moments later.

"There you are! I was so worried!"

"There you are! I was so worried!" Serena and Sayer call out in unison, neither of them knowing what happened to the other after their ski car was attacked and they separated. The two run to each other (everyone's suspiciously interested faces watching) in the lobby, Serena noticing everyone's prying eyes and stopping short in front of him.

"Where've you been? I've looked all over for you!" Serena demands, her fear for Sayer turning into annoyance now, that she had been worried for him over nothing.

"Where've I been? You're the one who disappeared! Where were you?" Sayer defends his own guilty self. He, after a little "Sailor" outing, had dragged his two annoyed brothers (make that one annoyed, Robin. Terry had been genuinely concerned) back out in search of the missing girls.

"I don't have to tell you where I am all the time." Serena pouts a little, proving her independence from him. Besides, she was not able to answer publicly the full truth of her own whereabouts.

"There's gratitude for you." Robin says, sarcastically annoyed to have been wasting time looking for these nuisance girls. His hands were buried in his jacket pockets, so that Robin looked more like a cute little frozen ice pop with his nose all red and cold as he shivers.

Amy kindly offers him a cup of hot cocoa as she brings in a tray from the lobby.

"Thank you, Miss." Terry was the smoother-talking brother, as he smiles gratitude at a blushing Lita as she hands him a mug as well. For Terry didn't mind, he actually liked these sweet girls.

"The lodge has decided to have the guests staying to help out with the cooking and decorating to give their Christmas Eve a homey feel! You guys want in? Lita, I didn't get much of that cake of yours yesterday." Mina smiles, as she comes back from chatting with that cute guy at the desk. Artemis leaps on her shoulder.

"Sounds good to me!" Lita enjoyed cooking almost as much as others enjoyed eating what she made.

"Yes, it'll be fun I think!" Amy's sweet voice nods in agreement.

"Let's get changed, then! Christmas Eve is flying by!" Rei nudges Serena who was still standing next to Sayer.

"Great!" Serena smiles too, her spirit brightening around her friends.

"Hey, Meatball! Were you really worried about me?" Sayer grabs hold of Serena's arm stopping her as she turns to follow Amy, Rei, Lita and Mina, his eyes begging for an answer.

"Maybe." Serena always avoided giving Sayer a straight answer on her true feelings for him, and this time was no different, as her eyes avoided his. But Sayer was in a festive mood.

"I'm glad." He smiles that smile for Serena, and for once she doesn't avoid that handsome gaze. Rei had to back track and pull her ditzy blonde friend away from the dangerous wolf. As soon as the five girls disappear in the elevator, he claps his hands together, fire in his blue eyes.

"All right! You guys ready to put some rock into these "Jingle Bells"?" Sayer had a way about him, outgoing and exciting, that made his older "brother" Terry chuckle and sulky "brother" Robin sigh.

"Here we go again…" Robin's frown follows Sayer and Terry all the up to their rooms.

"I Saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus"

"Underneath the mistletoe last night."

All around the Love Mountain Resort, Christmas tunes echo. Mina's buoyant voice and Lita's strong one leading the chorus of visitors joining in like a family, all cooking and decorating and baking together. Mina soon pops in the kitchen from her own noisy "fa-la-la-la-ing" and she wriggles off a piece of the roasting turkey in the oven as Lita checks if it is done or not. Mina as as result, burns both her fingers and tongue.

"Hot! Hot! Hot!"

"Okay, I'm ready in here!" Rei's voice calls out from the dining rooms, having lit endless rows of red and green candles on the long tables.

'Turkey's finished! Bread's just about done!" Lita calls back, the delicious scent of delicious hot baked bread and rolls crackling in the oven fills the hotel as everyone works together to set out the dinner.

"Can I help, Lita? Can I?" By now, Serena was full swing into the Christmas spirit as she forgets all her worries, and doing the only thing Rei had deemed her capable enough to do---shredding lettuce for the big salad bowl. Serena had even done that in her own way, with the chopped tomatoes in happy face shapes in the salad bowl, one eye winking on each. "Please, Lita! Let me take that." Serena, in her vivid yellow apron just purchased. I borrowed money for it from Amy, hee hee. It was from the hotel gift shop to wear, just for this occasion, and she donned it so proudly, that Lita can't help but smile, as she too wore a chef's hat and jacket the kind hotel chef had let her borrow. Serena takes hold of the turkey tray.

"All right, Serena. Sure you can handle it? It's heavy…" Lita almost changes her mind at the wisdom of letting her klutzy friend be in charge of carrying the fully dressed Christmas bird out. But Serena looked so eager.

"Uh huh!" Serena doesn't show her uncertainty, as the heavy turkey tray wobbles only slightly while she carries it out into the dining hall.

"All right." Lita smiles as she lifts the fully decorated by many helping hands three layered cake and carries it out to the table Mina, Amy and other women had set out beautifully in sprays of fresh red poinsettias adorning the tablecloths.

"Looks great, gang!" Lita compliments everyone's work in making the place a Christmas wonderland.

"The champagne is perfectly chilled." Amy holds the cold bottle to her cheek.

"Oh my gosh! You let Serena carry the turkey out! Are you nuts, Lita!" Christmas Eve did not dampen Rei's sharp tongue.

"Nyah, Rei. I made it!" Serena sticks her tongue, which was bright purple from eating all the strawberries and blueberries meant for decorating the cakes, as she triumphantly takes her place at the table. See, I am mature now. She proudly thinks, just about to set the bird down into its place of honor.

"Ooh, Lita's cake and roast turkey too! Which one? Which one!" Mina comes pushing in, shoving Lita aside and almost knocking Lita's chef hat right into the salad, decided to swipe another piece of perfectly browned turkey skin from Serena's tray when-----

"HO HO HO! Merry Christmas!" Everyone turns around to where one super skinny Santa Claus was bounding through the door, lighting all the girls eyes as they see the huge bag full of presents and goodies for sure that he was hefting heavily over his red velvet shoulder.

"Santa!" So excited by the sight of the jolly old saint, RiRi gets all tangled up in the tablecloth's decorative ribbons as she goes to run to him. Serena and Mina at the moment were both connected to the turkey, and get knocked off balance by Lita who was trying to hold the cake on the table after RiRi almost pulled the cloth right out from under in her running.

"I think this dinner looks too delicious to end up on the floor, Ladies." Terry's deep voice says as he heroically holds both Serena and Mina from pitching forward with the turkey. Robin takes firm hold of the departing tablecloth and steadies the teetering cake on the other side of the group as Amy hurriedly untangles RiRi from the ribbons.

"Terry, you're wonderful!" Mina, sings happy to be both in Terry Starr's strong arms as she was to see the yummy saved and securely placed on the table.

"Santa!" Though grateful for the rescue, Serena and RiRi were more interested in the crookedly white bearded man still standing in the doorway. Serena drools over the sight of Santa Claus almost as much (no, probably more) than RiRi. "Wait for me!"

Terry, turkey, Santa….Terry, turkey, Santa….oooooooh!

Santa wins out it seems as Mina races from her nice spot in Terry's arms to where Serena and RiRi were with this master elf full of presents.

"I've been a good girl all year and so has RiRi, Santa." Serena states, rattling off her list of who's been naughty and nice for this skinny Santa to hear. "And so has Lita and Mina and Amy, and….I guess even Rei too. So you might as well give her a present too." Serena could feel Rei's stuck-out tongue from somewhere behind her, but to Santa of all people, Serena must be absolutely truthful.

"Have you been a good girl, Meatball?" The voice could not be disguised, nor the deep blue eyes answering at her innocent sweetness. Serena purses her lips as she realizes just who this Santa impersonator was.

"You're not Santa Claus!" Serena says with a pout, hoping still somewhere deep inside her childlike soul that there was a real St. Nick, who would really come on Christmas Eve to all the good girls and boys around the world.

And with those words at Sayer, she rips the beard and wig and jolly old Santa hat from Sayer's dark, youthful head. His black curls falls onto his forehead messily.

"Fooled you for a minute, huh?" He giggles in that boyish way as Mina rips the sack of presents from his back. She for one, was more interested in the present aspect than in the existence of the old elf anyway. She tears it open, expecting all kinds of gifts and presents and yummy treats that she, spying earlier, saw Sayer buy in the gift shop.

And she finds the heavy satchel filled to the brim…with red and green….beans.

"BEANS!" Mina asks in a high-pitched incredulous speech.

"They're not just any beans. They're special! The guy at the store said so." Sayer begins to explain what he thought at the time to be an exciting find and a lot of fun too.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" Mina starts screaming as the bag of beans begin to all move, taking on a life of their own as she throws down the sack, surprised by the buggy movement of the decorated red and green Christmas beans. They spill out onto the floor and begin to dance.

Shake! Rattle! Roll!
These special Christmas colored Mexican jumping beans bounce all over the hardwood floors.

"Hee hee hee hee!" RiRi starts giggling as she watches the happy beans dance all over the floor. She in her velvet dress, join in on their hopping up and down, to the Christmas music just now playing, just happening to be "Feliz Navidad" in the background.

Everyone begins to laugh at the sight of the little girl amongst the red and green beans all dancing, everyone around clapping at her festive display.

"What happened to all those cakes and treats I saw you getting from the gift shop, huh?" Mina, her mouth still watering at what she thought was intended as delicious gifts for her and her friends from the rock stars, looks at the rascal playing games demandingly.

"Oh those? Rob ate most of them. I only had a few." Santa Sayer points the blame of the missing, empty cartons of chocolates and sweets on his smaller "brother." Robin's jaw drops in anger.

"I ate them! You were the one who pigged out, Sayer." A big temper inside that little body, Robin Starr gets right in Sayer's noisy face, his angry lips pursed in shock at how lying Sayer could be to cover his own behind.

"I only had a couple shortcakes, Rob! You ate that entire box of chocolates! Admit it!" Sayer never saw himself as lying, exactly. He only omitted some other parts of the truth like how much he downed right before the dinner.

"Sayer you are a---" Robin was on the verge again. Peacemaker Terry was seeing his "brothers" on the point of no return, as he steps in between Robin and his Santa suited arguing companion.

"Sayer, Robin, please. Remember what this Christmas spirit is all about." Terry, though a foreigner to this world, had taken the time to learn everything he could about it. His genius mind had absorbed every tidbit of information about varied subjects and this particular one called Christmas interested him. His curious soul was intrigued in the many aspects this worldwide holiday represented---of faith in the birth of Someone of goodness, of sacrifice, of infinite sharing and compassion across the lines. Of a hope instilled in so many whom believed and though he himself was having a difficult time with belief and hopes of late, it was still a pleasant thing to see. The least the three of them could do was to get along with each other.

"Yeah. Yeah, Terry's right. Don't you know Santa isn't supposed to be mean?" Serena agrees with Terry, Christmas being her favorite time of year for so many reasons. All the friendly faces and getting along with everyone was so wonderful. She gives the white beard now back on Sayer's face a tug and it's elastic slaps his chin back in the face with a smack.

"You're off the list of "nice" Meatball!" He sticks his tongue out, his eyes laughing as he removes the beard and hat, getting out of the hot Santa outfit.

"Enough fun for now, guys! Dinner's getting cold!" Lita calls, nothing makes her more frustrated than a slaved over meal being ignored.

"Since you boys already ate all those sweets, I suppose you're too full for turkey dinner, huh?" Rei, in a persnickety moon, now that she and Amy had been stuck cleaning both messy RiRi and sweeping up the hundreds of jumping beans someone had carelessly spilled on the floor, asks with a hand on her hip.

"Pass up a turkey dinner? No way! We're growing boys don't you know?" Sayer always loaded (overloaded) with energy, grabs Serena's surprised hand and bounces towards Lita and the beckoning turkey dinner set on the table.

Serena, being dragged along, finds herself giggling like a schoolgirl again, with not a thought in the world other than the fun ahead. Not a care or worry being at Sayer Starr's vivacious side as he amused her endlessly the entire meal with his antics and funny ways. And that thought in itself at the end of the joyous evening begins to creep anxieties into Serena Hart's mind.

As soon as Christmas Eve dinner is over, and an impromptu party begins, one yellow haired girl sneaks away from her friends and festivities to an upstairs meeting room of sorts, it's emptiness and quietness calling to her wanderings.

Tiptoeing to the huge glass window, Serena gazes out, pressing her hands to the cold glass and looking out. Her face reflects back at her, with a slew of mixed emotions.

What's wrong with me? I should be downstairs having fun with the rest of my friends but….

Serena could hear faintly the loud Christmas music being played in the party hall, she could imagine all the fun and excitement that Mina, Lita, Amy and Rei were enjoying. Dancing and karaoke singing being played, she could hear Rei take centerstage, singing two Christmas songs in a row, to the delight of the the lodge audience.

"Last Christmas I gave you my heart"

"But the very next day you gave it away"

"This year to save me from tears"

"I'll give it to someone special."

From that Christmas pop song, Serena could hear Rei begin to emotionally sing another, more classical, traditional song.

"I'm dreaming of a White Christmas"

"Just like the ones I used to know"

"Where the treetops glisten"

"And children listen"

"To hear sleigh bells in the snow"

Her voice was so pure and clear that one's heart could break at the sound of it the way she was feeling, but still Serena didn't feel like she could belong down there with them all---not yet.

The Three Lights were there too, the idol Robin that Mina and Rei were sure to be tagging along with; sweet Terry that Lita and Amy were no doubt in the company of, and Sayer…

"Oh, Darien! I miss you so much!" Serena leans her forehead to the glass, ignoring the cold shooting through her body, trembling with sadness, loneliness and guilt too. Guilt that she was capable of having fun here, without him.

"I shouldn't!" Terrible pangs of guilt that she could actually be enjoying herself without her beloved Darien gnaw at her and she closes her eyes, wishing that there wasn't such a lonely distance between them at this time, so precious to her. She wished that she and Darien could be together again.

"Shouldn't?" Like a little tape recorder, RiRi's tiny voice comes out of nowhere, echoing back Serena's last words, though she did not understand them, with a cock of her fuschia head.

"RiRi, how did you get up here?" Serena kneels down to where the little sprite was looking up at her physically.

"Up here?" RiRi had a way of showing she had approximately 0 brainpower, she never seemed to comprehend many more words than a two-year-old required and was only able to repeat them in questions.

"RiRi, you'd be having more fun downstairs at the Christmas party, than up here with boring old me. I'm sure I'm no fun all alone." Serena smiles softly to her bright-eyed little charge, sighing at her own depressed state on this Christmas Eve.

"Not alone!" RiRi surprises Serena by going right up in her face and shaking her little head so hard with such conviction that her tiny curls swish about, her fuschia eyebrows set and determined to prove something her limited language skills could not to Serena.

"I'm not alone." Serena was always shocked at how easily she could pick up this clear-eyed little angel was trying to tell her. She found this tiny little mite comforting in such sweet wisdom.

"You're right, RiRi. I'm not alone, am I?" Serena whispers, the tears forming in her eyes from before fading away as she hugs RiRi tightly. A smile creeps to Serena's lips, just thinking of Lita's trust in her, of Mina's funny jokes, of Amy's sweet smile and even of Rei's bossiness. You guys really are the best. She thought of Alex's caress to her cheek, Michelle's soft giggles. Dear, dear friends to my heart. Even those who aren't hear. She buries her eyes in RiRi's magenta curls, as fond memories flash through her mind.

Tara's pretty little face, Susan's gentle voice, Dad's kind words, Mom's gentle advice, even Sammy's….well, she couldn't think of something good about Sammy, but she still missed him. And Rini's big mouth and….Darien's warm arms….Darien….

"You hiding from me, Meatball? The party downstairs is dull without you, you know?" A voice enters the silent room with such soft tenderness that Serena is not startled by it. In fact, she is pleased to hear the velvet, compassionate strains.

"No, Sayer. I'm not hiding. Just missing my family, that's all." Serena stands, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes, and look into Sayer's with a smile. But quickly, she turns and gazes out the window, trying to hide the tears that wouldn't stop.

Yes, it was true, she missed her parents and even Sammy on Christmas Eve. They had spent every Christmas together, every year for as far as this sixteen-year-old could remember. But at least she was comforted by the thought that at least she would see them tomorrow. That the call to her grandmother's was so nice to hear, all of their voices wishing her a Merry Christmas Eve and speaking to her as if they were not separated at all. They were such a good family to her. It wasn't the thought of them that brought tears back to her eyes as she looks out the window at the dark night. It was him. Serena's hand slides along the cold glass, praying that somehow the image she saw reflecting through her mind's eye in the window, of a man with deep blue eyes, dark blue hair and a warm smile, could become real. Here and now, to be with her on the Christmas Eve. So she wouldn't feel this guilt of having fun without him, so she wouldn't have to be alone.

"Hey, Meatball. He wouldn't want you to cry on Christmas Eve, would he?" Sayer had no idea who this Darien she eternally spoke of was. He didn't know what kind of man could leave such a special creature to go off and do something so unimportant as studying abroad and it made him angry to see her so sad. But how could anyone want to see those beautiful clear eyes cry?

First, RiRi, and now you, Sayer. Serena turns to the hand on her shoulder to see another man with deep blue eyes, dark hair and a warm smile reaching out to teach her that there was no such thing for a loving soul to be alone. That Darien wouldn't want her to cry or miss out on anything---that he was with her inside her heart, inside her soul, right at this moment, enjoying Christmas Eve with her, just like RiRi and Sayer were saying.

"You're right, Sayer. I just miss him so." Serena found she could tell this boy she had only recently just met about anything, even things she couldn't share with anyone else. Just because…we're friends. Darien would want me to have such a good friend. Serena finds herself smiling to Sayer.

"'Absence makes the heart grow fonder' I have read." Terry Starr's deep voice enters the room with the uplifting quote.

"Terry, you've always got your nose buried in a book. Sayer, are you ready?" Robin Starr lifts his half keyboard, half guitar from the corner of the music room, motioning for the door, for them to perform downstairs at the party, as Sayer offered to before. I don't know why, don't we sing enough on stage? Oh well…

"Never mind that. Let's just jam here instead." Sayer, his eyes never left Serena's, grabs hold of the bright red electric guitar leaning against the wall (matching his pants) and wearing a light red (don't say pink!) ruffled shirt. Terry wore the same, in orange and white, while Robin was light minty green and aqua.

"Here? But…" Robin wasn't one to let Sayer have his way without an argument. "Why?"

"Because I feel like it. And your keyboarding could sure use the practice, Rob." Sayer smirks at his whiny "brother."

"You're so annoying, Sayer." Robin grumbles, taking a seat on the hardwood floor with his keyboard guitar as he leans against the window. Robin knew it was just a waste of breath to argue with Sayer when it came to anything about music and singing. Sayer had the most pig headed way of doing whatever he wanted on the subject.

"I think it is an excellent idea." Terry smiles down in understanding and a bit of almost paternal pride in wild, thoughtless Sayer's compassion towards this sweet girl, as Serena takes RiRi and the two of them sit in the window seat ledge.

"Here you go! You can join in too Meatball, RiRi." Sayer scoops up a triangle from the hotel's montage of musical instruments in this practice room and sticks it in Serena's hand. He agilely hops over Robin's head and takes the open seat left in the window next to Serena. He leans against the side, and snakes one long, wiry leg behind the two girls, propping the other up in a casual position. He exuded such confidence and when it came to music, Sayer Starr had a reason to be so overconfident.

With the first pluck of the electric guitar, Sayer lights excitement in the empty room, he never held anything back, the whole world one big stage for these three young men, whose hearts were full of such beautiful music, someone else's love and their Creator's gift had instilled within them.

Robin's keyboarding, (no practice required really) added class to the fun time Sayer's guitar was handing out. He proved there was music in his soul too, as Terry's tambourine backs them up all the while, keeping perfect time with the two of them. He for one, always let his two "brothers" take the spotlight, just pleased enough to stand in the background behind them, shining his own bright light of contentment.

"Come on, Meatball, you too!" Sayer eggs Serena on as RiRi, eager to get in the spirit with all the loud, happy music around her, grabs hold of the triangle stick, banging and binging at the triangle in Serena's hand. Serena giggles at the silly way her little partner was trying to keep in time with the music the boys were making.

"Me?" What can I---?" Serena points to her own musically uninclined self, wondering what Sayer could even imagine she could do, guitars and keyboards and such completely beyond her.

"Sing!" Sayer laughs at loud, not missing a beat of his own music, so in tune with it, was he.

"Sing? Me!" Serena couldn't believe how such a professional rock star could want to hear her voice sing made up lyrics.

"Sing what you feel inside! It's what we do." Robin finds himself surprised to say. After he speaks, something about glancing over to where Serena was sitting with that child, warms his heart to be kind, at least for one night.

"Yes, I believe you can do it." Terry, standing to one side of her, looks down with an encouraging smile.

"Go on, Meatball! Whatever's in your head right now! Sing it out! It feels good." Sayer adds a last bit of pressure. Serena laughs at their encouragement, and looks out the window, at the dark indigo colored sky.

"Blueberries coloring

The skies we wait for him to come!"

She belts out in her loudest voice, indeed finding that it did 'feel good' to sing with no restraints. She felt not a bit embarrassed amongst these friends as she usually would around boys. Because they were no longer just "boys" to her.

Serena almost laughs at her own words. Visions of a red sleigh and reindeers appearing from those blueberry colored skies made her feel light and happy inside, at the chance to be a young girl again, with not a care in the world and good friends to have fun with.

"Since the beginning stars were twinkling towards each other

Waiting and longing for this Eve!"

Four more friendly voices enter into the happy song. Serena waves to Rei, Lita, Mina and Amy to join in the fun, impromptu sing along on this merry starry Christmas Eve.

"Oh Mr. Moon, don't you look?

Like a super big yummy cake!"

Serena belts out her funny lines, causing everyone to laugh. The girls join in with enthusiasm, laughing the moments of the night as they fly by, filled with music and song, of caroling and fun times. Every single one of them, even grouchy Robin, with Christmas spirit touching his cold heart too, have a grand time together, teasing and singing, playing along with the Three Lights, just as they would any friends. The three foreign boys find Christmas time on this green star to be quite enjoyable, making them feel their mission here might still have hope. And that it was more and more possible that their Princess would choose this bright planet amongst countless others to come and hide within its radiance and light. Each one of their souls filling with promise as the happy night draws to a close.

"I had fun, Meatball," Sayer says putting his electric guitar, which had seen much use tonight, up, as the practice had stretched all night. They never got a chance to perform, but that didn't matter, they all had fun.

"So did I. Thank you, Sayer." Her hands full of RiRi, and she smiles across the way to the dark haired boy.

"For what? You were the life of the party." Sayer gives a wink and a smile back to her winning ways.

"Me? Merry Christmas, Sayer." Serena shakes her chuckling head at the charm he wasted on her. She went off to where the other girls were waiting with her coat to go to Christmas Eve services at the local little chapel Lita had found for a midnight Mass.

"Merry Christmas, Meatball. Keep that light of your shining all year round." Sayer says, unknowing that someone else had said something very similar to her this very day, making Serena smile at the comparison of the two unlikely sources.

"Merry Christmas." A handsome Terry comes up from cleaning up the mess and a slightly smiling (wow) Robin was right behind him, nodding the sentiment with unusual warmth towards Serena.

"Merry Christmas! I will, Sayer." She smiles with a wave goodbye to all three, as Amy relieves her of RiRi, laying the child down for a night of sugar plum fairy visions.

The five girls struggle into their coats and go out once again for a trek down to the village church. They all reveled in the pristine snow and starry moonlit night as they walked arm in arm together to the little chapel.

"Wait a minute." Serena whispers, (you have to whisper on a night like this, in the utter darkness, save for you and the stars).

"What, Serena?" Mina asks with a smile. The five of them stop just before entering the church.

"Serena?" Amy asks, seeing her friend silently gazing up to the moon. But the smile frosting over her sweet lips was answer enough.

Rei and Lita too looked up to the huge celestial body that so ruled over their friend's life, watching over her as it spun around and around in it's own silvery white dress of glass.

"I just want to tell you guys how much you mean to me. You're the best Christmas presents God could have given me. I love you all so much." A few sincere words, a caring smile, a crystal clear look in those eyes---that was all the other four scouts could ever need. Their precious Serena was the truest gift of love to them all.

"Serena!" Lost in a big group hug, Serena's eyes fill with tears of joy to have met these people in her life. To have what she has and feel with so much strength to have found the love of her life---he was no further from her right now than her own heart.

"Thank you, Baby Jesus, for coming to us. Thank you for the hope and peace promised. And the love You've given me to share with so many others. Happy Birthday too."

"Merry Christmas everyone in the world! Merry Christmas?"

And where ever you are, I'm with you….Merry Christmas, Darien…I love you…

Going arm in arm with her companions into the church, Christmas hymns echo through her.

"Ave Maria"

"Waga kimi"

"No no wate ni nag kou"

"Otome ga ii nori bo"

"Awa reto ki ka sa tamae"
"Mimoto ni yasurakeku"

"Iko washimetamae"
"Na yameru kono kokoro"

"Kimi ni negimatsuru"

"Ave Maria"

And with these final thoughts of sweet pure love, of kindness and warmth, of a peace on earth shined on by that Light of the World, Serena's mind glazes over, with her heart, her soul, in the reflection of His goodness and hope for the world.

Merry Christmas!