Seiya laid on his bed, sighing and staring up a card that he was holding in his hands. The quality of paper was very fancy, and on the front there was a picture of two interlocking bells. He opened it, and reread the first lines.
You are cordially invited to attend to wedding of Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, and Prince Endymion of the Earth Kingdom.
Seiya never read any further then that. The dates had long since passed, and moping about the past wasn't going to do him any good.
Seiya attended the ball in his human form, dressed in his familiar red tuxedo. He stood in the back of the church, not sitting with the rest of the party of Kinmokusei.
Before the vows were exchanged, Seiya ducked out of the church and onto the connecting balcony, which not only overlooked a view of Earth, but also contained a large rose garden. The balcony itself was made of the finest marble, and Seiya walked to the railing and leaned against it, sighing.
"Seiya?" A voice asked from behind him.
Seiya turned around, and his breath was taken away by Princess Serenity standing behind him, holding a bouquet of red roses.
"Odango?" He asked quietly.
"You didn't stay for the vows." She took a step closer to him, her wedding dress ruffling.
Seiya turned his head away. "I couldn't . . .gomen."
"I understand, Seiya." She smiled sadly. "But come to the reception with me."
"I don't think I can." Seiya shook his head.
The two were quiet for a moment, and Seiya looked down at the rose garden. He glanced back at Princess Serenity and took another step towards her, touching her bouquet. "The most beautiful roses seem to have the sharpest thorns."
Princess Serenity reached down into her bouquet and took out a flower, and placed it in Seiya's suit pocket.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't remove my thorns for you." She smiled softly. "Don't mope around in this form, anymore, Seiya. Try to enjoy this as much as you can. Be happy for me?"
He looked up at her and noticed the sincerity in her eyes. "I can try to for you, Odango Atama." He felt his heart start to break. "But I'll only do it for you."
Princess Serenity smiled, tears coming to her eyes. "Arigato, Seiya. You don't know how much this means to me."
Seiya transformed into Sailor Star Fighter and threaded his arm through hers. "Come on," He smiled. "We wouldn't want to miss your party."
They slowly walked back into the church, and back into the wedding.
Seiya sighed and looked at the card again, thinking sadly about the wedding. He heard a knock at the door, and quickly stuffed the card under his pillow, jumped to his feet and opening the door.
Sailor Star Healer stood at the door, smiling. "Moping around in this form again, Fighter?" Healer smiled, teasingly.
"Shut up." Seiya sighed. "Any reason you're here besides harassing me?"
"Actually, Kakyuu-hime sent me, she just returned from her trip to the neighboring galaxy. She wants to see you in her chamber right away." Sailor Star Healer eyed Seiya. "And I think that you probably shouldn't be looking like that." She spun on her heel and walked down the hallway.
Seiya glanced back at the bed a moment, and then transformed, hip length boots clacking on the marble floors.
Princess Serenity stood on her balcony looking up at the Earth. This had been the last place she had seen Seiya. She sighed, thinking of her past, and thinking about how her future had worked out. 'Is this right?' She wondered, clasping her hands to her heart. 'Did I do the right thing?'
Suddenly Serenity felt someone clutch her arm, and she whirred around, suddenly on guard.
"It's okay." A voice laughed.
Serenity scowled. "Don't creep up on me like that!" She exclaimed.
"Gomen." Endymion repressed a smile.
Serenity sighed and then smiled. "I didn't mean to snap at you, Endymion."
"I know you didn't." He took a step closer to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
The two stood in silence for a moment, looking up at the Earth hovering above them.
Endymion leaned over and kissed Serenity, gently at first, and then he pulled her into a hug, kissing her more.
Serenity pushed him away gently, and noted the hurt expression on his face.
"Gomen." She turned away. "I'm just not ready."
"If not now then when?" He exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air. "If we never consummate our relationship, then Chibi-Usa will never be born!"
"Oh, Endymion, don't you trust me?" Serenity touched Endymion's shoulder.
He paused a moment, nodding. "Yes, I do trust you, Serenity, it's just so hard to be away from you like this. I just love you so much."
"I know." Serenity smiled, and she kissed him gently.
"I can wait until you're ready, Serenity." He smiled, holding her hands in his. "I don't mean to rush you. You know what's best."
Serenity nodded, smiling.
Sailor Star Fighter walked slowly to Kakyuu's chambers, knocking on the door upon arrival.
"Come in." Kakyuu's voice lingered out to her.
Sailor Star Fighter opened the door and walked inside surprised to see Kakyuu out of her normal clothes. She was wearing a long red dress, and her headdress was sitting on the table next to her bed.
"Kakyuu-hime?" Sailor Star Fighter asked.
"Come in, Fighter." Kakyuu smiled, patting her bed.
Sailor Star Fighter walked in and sat down on the bed next to Kakyuu.
Kakyuu threaded her arm through Fighter's, and snuggled up closely to her. "I missed you when you were gone, Fighter."
"I missed you, too, Kakyuu-hime." Fighter smiled, touching Kakyuu's arm fondly.
"Fighter," Kakyuu reached her arm around Fighter and twirled Fighter's ponytail with one finger, "I have to go to a ball tonight, and I want you to be there to entertain me."
"Entertain you?" Fighter blushed.
Kakyuu sat up and looked at Fighter, eyes shocked. Then she laughed, "Oh Fighter, I didn't mean like that!" She laughed loudly, holding her mouth with her hand. She stopped laughing and cleared her throat, smiling. "No, I wanted you to accompany me to the Ball since I get very bored there. I'd like to have someone I could talk to."
"Okay then." Fighter nodded, smiling.
Kakyuu leaned over and kissed Fighter gently, and Fighter wrapped her arms around his Princess and kissed her back gently.
"Aisteru, Fighter." Kakyuu sighed.
"Aisteru, Kakyuu-hime."
Princess Serenity awoke from her dreams with a start. She quickly sat up and threw her legs over the edge of the bed, looking over at the sleeping Endymion.
She stood up and took her robe, from the chair next to the bed and put it on quickly. The robe was made of the lightest silk, and covered her white flowing nightgown. She walked out of the room and started to walk down the hallway, her long sheer robe streaming out behind her as she walked.
'Something isn't right, and I can feel it . . . something isn't right.' She walked to the Senshi's wing in the palace, and walked down the hallway quietly until she heard voices. She crept closer to Sailor Venus' room and saw that the door was open a crack, and light was coming from the doorway. Princess Serenity sat down next to the door and listened.
"How could this happen?" Sailor Uranus asked loudly.
"I thought that the transition to senshi form would have ruled out this possibility." Sailor Jupiter said.
"It's not impossible, you know how hard it is, though, Serenity-hime will have a hard time." Sailor Mercury said quietly.
Serenity heard Sailor Venus cry quietly, and she leaned over and looked through the keyhole in the door, alarmed.
"It wasn't supposed to be like this!" Sailor Venus cried as she sat on her bed.
"Sh . . ." Sailor Saturn placed a gentle hand onto Sailor Venus. "We know . . ."
"Can't we just get rid of it?" Sailor Jupiter asked.
"No!" Sailor Mercury looked alarmed. The rest of the senshi looked at her. "This child will be royalty."
Princess Serenity flew to her feet, in shock, covering her mouth with her hand. She ran down the hallway as fast as she could; heart burning, and tears coming to her eyes.
'Do you see what this has caused?' Princess Serenity's mind rang out with the voice of Usagi.
'No! It wasn't my fault . . .I . . .I . . .' Serenity gasped.
'I need to go, please Serenity! I let you take me over, but now I need him more than ever . . .please!'
'No . . .you can't, you made your decision,' Serenity doubled over in pain and fell to the ground.
'I need to see him, Serenity!' Usagi's voice rang in Serenity's mind loudly.
'I have a destiny to fulfill!' Serenity's mind screamed.
'LET ME OUT!' Usagi yelled, and Princess Serenity crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
Endymion had felt Serenity leave his side, but he thought nothing of it, until he noticed that fifteen minutes later, she had not returned. He got up out of the bed and started to search the hallways for her, decided that she might have gone to the rose garden, he walked towards it and saw a fallen figure in the middle of the hallway.
"Serenity?" He took a step closer and then gasped. "SERENITY!" He yelled, running to the fallen figure on the floor. He took Serenity in his arms and cradled her gently. "No, Serenity!" He yelled, eyes starting to water as he noticed she didn't move. "Help! Help! Please! Someone help!" He called, fighting against the tears that started to flow.
Sailor Uranus and Neptune heard the Prince first, and quickly bolted out of the room, running down the hallway.
Sailor Uranus had her space sword unsheathed, and Sailor Neptune was holding her mirror, ready to attack any foes that might have invaded the palace.
They saw Endymion crouching over Serenity, and didn't recognize him at first, but recognized Serenity's fallen form.
"KONEKO!" Sailor Uranus ran to her side, falling to her knees on the floor.
"I found her like this," Endymion looked up at Sailor Uranus, his eyes wet with tears.
Sailor Neptune quickly fell to her knees, touching Serenity's hand. "She's cold!"
"She can't be dead . . ." Sailor Uranus didn't know what to do. Serenity's limp body seemed to look paler then life would allow.
Sailor Pluto ran down the hallway after the other senshi, and to the fallen form of Serenity.
"Serenity?" Pluto dropped to her knees, setting her staff aside. "Give her to me," She commanded Endymion, who handed the cold figure over to Pluto.
"Is she dead?" Endymion asked, voice cracking and another sob escaping him.
Sailor Pluto looked over Serenity, and then shook her head slowly. "No . . .she's not dead," She looked up to Endymion. "But the Silver Crystal is gone."
A/N: Ah….so so sorry for not updating. ;; You'll all forgive me, won't you? The angsty-ness is not over yet, and while I'm not going to excuse my long updatedness (for I'm getting ready for college, and that eats up a lot of time) I will try to write more. Okay, tell me what you think!