"Where did you say we were being lead to?" Demande asked Rubeus.
"We're going back to Crystal Tokyo, your highness." he replied.
Demande could only stare gawkingly back to Rubeus.
He closed the window to the carriage and sank back into the seat, rubbing the temples of his forehand while letting out a long sigh.
Rubeus went to sit next to him, beginning to grow increasingly concerned.
"I'm sorry, I should have notified for medical attention right away but, I knew how anxious you were to return home to see the Queen, and besides, with the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou running through your veins, I figured you'd be resilient enough with a simple blow to the head.
Demande looked to him again as if he had just spoken in a different language.
"Did any of this make sense to you just now? I mean, you do know who I am, correct?" Rubeus asked.
"Of course I know who you are. It's just...Crystal Tokyo...that's impossible." Demande replied.
"Tell me, what is the last thing you can remember?" Rubeus asked.
Demande thought as hard as he could but his memory was foggy.
"I honestly don't know. I remember that we had destroyed Crystal Tokyo and after that we tried to infiltrate 20th century Tokyo and then…"
Demande raised head out of from his hands and up to Rubeus with the color draining from his face.
"I think I died."
Rubeus began to touch the air in front of him, conjuring up a holographic map that also held a virtual clock in it's top corner.
"Shit! -er, sorry." he said with a wince as he brought his finger back down, dismissing the hologram.
"I'm afraid we are only five minutes away from arriving at the Palace. Look, I'm going to tell you as much as I can in the time we have left and hopefully it will somehow jog your memory, alright?" Rubeus said clearly beginning to panic.
Demande nodded.
"After you died back then, yourself and Prince Sapphir were revived and woke up on Nemesis in a future time where Nemesis ends up completely destroyed."
"Nemesis is no more?!" Demande asked interrupting Rubeus.
"It will be one day, yes. But luckily yourself and Prince Sapphir were able to transport yourselves back into the Earth of the 20th century where you were able to revive myself and Esmeraude before you eventually come to rule over Earth and become King of Crystal Tokyo. I believe that was approximately 256 years ago."
"I am now Earth's ruler?!" Demande asked dumbfoundedly.
Rubeus nodded, "Yes, and where we were just days ago was our home planet that we have just recently been able to travel to, because, we have made it our mission to provide for the people who inhabit it now {that are technically our ancestors} so that we can ensure that their future will be a better one. Also, Sapphir has begun running tests on the planet itself so that we can prevent it from breaking down which is set to occur in the much distant future. I would say that the trip was a successful one and the people of Nemesis fully embrace you as their new leader and have agreed to form an alliance with the Earth. I knew you would be pleased to hear that."
Demande started to smile, "It's a shame I can't recall any of this. Yes, this does please me very much, I'm glad our people will actually have a promising future."
Just then, the carriage suddenly came to a stop.
The doors started to open on their own and from what he could tell by the noise, there seemed to be a crowd waiting for him outside the carriage.
As Demande rose up to step outside, Rubeus grabbed his arm to stop him.
"Look, I'll find a doctor and we'll have you examined as soon as possible so try not to be too overwhelmed by it all, I'm sure your memories will start to come once you're settled back home so just go along with what I've told you."
"Alright." Demande agreed.
"Also, try not to make me seem too incompetent in front of your wife, she can be quite intimidating and I wouldn't want her mad at me for not bringing you back in one piece." Rubeus chuckled.
"My...wife?"
"You'll find out soon enough." Rubeus chuckled again and gestured for him to exit the carriage.
When Demande stood at the door to the carriage, he was met with large crowd of people clapping and cheering, seemingly overjoyed to see him.
As he took a step forward, a set of stairs formed beneath him and he and Rubeus made their way to ground level, with 2 of the Sailor senshi coming to meet them: Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter.
"Welcome home King Demande." They both said to him.
Demande didn't say anything but was instead mesmerized at how large and grand the crystal palace was as he looked it up and down.
"I'm afraid we encountered some trouble on the way back, so we'll need to send for Mizuno to examine the King immediately." Rubeus informed her.
"Understood." Jupiter replied.
"Mizuno...that name sounds familiar." Demande mumbled aloud.
"See, your memories are returning to you already. Let's get you inside so she can have a good look at you." Rubeus said.
Demande and Rubeus continued down the incredibly long pathway that lead to the entrance.
When a set of guards opened the large front doors a woman ran towards them followed by three more women who appeared to be chasing after her.
"Thank goodness you all have returned safely!" she called out before looking behind and around them, clearly still looking for something or someone.
Demande didn't recognize her at first but as he looked her over, he was astonished.
"I don't believe it." Demande said. "Petz, is that you?"
She had looked completely different than the last time he had seen her. Her hair was worn long and curly with a ribbon holding half of it up topped with a black headband that bore his family's inverted crescent moon symbol. However, her makeup wasn't the dark makeup she usually wore and as he admired the elegant gown she was wearing that bore her usual forest green color, he noticed something else that hadn't been there the last he saw her.
"Petz!" the women called as they caught up to her.
Demande saw that the three women that surrounded her were none other than the rest of the Ayakashi sisters: Koan, Bertier and Calaveras all wearing maiden dresses that matched their usual color choices along with similar headbands that bore his family crest as well..
"You shouldn't be running like that, it's not good for the baby." Bertier said sternly to her.
"I'm sorry I just couldn't wait another minute to see my husband , is he not with you?" Petz looked to Demande.
"I'm sorry..I don't…" Demande started to say.
Rubeus chimed in, "Prince Sapphir had one last thing he had to work out and will unfortunately not be arriving until tomorrow morning."
Petz's expression dropped.
"You're kidding me, we've been helping her get ready for hours!" Koan groaned.
"It can't be helped." Rubeus shrugged. "Now if you'll excuse us, we need to be getting inside now."
As he lead Demande towards the door, Demande stopped when he reached where Petz was standing and approached her.
"How much longer until…?" he gestured to her baby bump.
"Just under a month until 'he' arrives." she said beginning to perk up.
"A nephew..." Demande happily said to himself before looking back to Petz, "I have no doubt that when my dear brother arrives tomorrow, he will be happiest man in the world once he lays eyes on you."
Petz looked to him as if she were at a loss for words.
"Thank you, King Demande." she said with tears building in her eyes.
Rubeus continued to guide Demande inside the palace.
Sailor Venus had come to greet them.
"Mercury is ready to see him now." she told Rubeus.
"In a minute" Rubeus waved her off. "I think our King would like to greet his family first."
'Family?' Demande thought. Aside from Sapphir, he had no living family.
"Ah, here they come now." Rubeus commented.
Two little girls ran full speed ahead toward Demande.
"Papa, you're home!" One called out.
"I missed you Papa!" the other one yelled.
They both latched on to him as Demande stood still without giving any response.
Rubeus nudged his arm.
"Go on, they're yours." he told him.
Demande slowly lowered himself to their level and wrapped his arms awkwardly around them.
"Hello...girls." he told them.
The older of the two appeared to be no more than 5 years old and as he studied her features, there was no doubt that she was Demande's child. She had his violet eyes and straight, white hair that she wore long and loose down her porcelain frame. She wore a white dress generously adorned with purple gems and a headband that had weavings of silver, decorated with tiny amethysts and diamonds through it. He took notice of the shape it made when it came together on her forehead. It was similar to the ones the Ayakashi sisters wore but instead had two colors that represented not just the inverted black crescent moon that was reminiscent of his family's symbol, but a silver crescent moon sitting directly on top of it.
He had never seen such a symbol before and it struck him curious. But before he could dwell on it, his other daughter tugged at his sleeve, taking his mind off of the matter.
She appeared to be a couple of years younger, as she was much smaller with a more peachy complexion and wore her hair in two heart shaped buns that were a pearlish blonde color. She had on a frilly pink dress and wore a similar headband, only it was made of rose-gold with pink gems placed all over, but the symbol was the same as her sister's. It was her eyes, however, that he noticed most of all about her. Those blue eyes that he couldn't mistake anywhere, that only one other person in the world he knew had.
"Améthyste. Small Lady. Give your father some room." said a woman's voice in the distance.
Demande looked to where the voice was coming from and slowly rose back up, looking as if he had seen a ghost.
The goddess that was Neo-Queen Serenity was walking towards him. She looked just as he remembered her, with her form fitting sleeveless, white gown but, she seemed to look more extravagant than usual as she wore an abundance of jewels that were even weaved into her traditional Lunarian hairstyle. She gave him a faint, yet affectionate smile that he could only ever imagine in his wildest dreams.
"Welcome home, husband." she said in the most tenderest voice.
Demande continued to stay frozen, unknowing of what to do or say.
"Mama, Papa is acting funny." silver haired Améthyste told Serenity.
"I've just been informed that your father hit his head on his travels back. How are you feeling, dear?" Serenity asked him as she placed her hand on his cheek.
He then hesitantly placed his hand on hers and once he found that she didn't pull it away, tightened it and felt onto its warmth.
"Better, much better.."
He knelt back down to face his daughters who were perhaps the most beautiful set of little girls that he had ever seen before.
"I hope you can be patient with your Papa girls, I'm afraid he was being silly and bumped his head a little too hard." he told them with a playful imitation that not only made the girls laugh but made Serenity giggle as well.
"Girls, why don't you go find Lady Esmeraude so she can help you both wash up for dinner, you can catch up with your Papa after." Serenity gently said to their daughters.
"I'll see you in a little bit." Demande whispered to them before giving them a big hug, already feeling a loving bond towards them.
Each one pecked him on the cheek before scurrying away.
Serenity took his arm into hers and she lead him out of the foyer with Rubeus still on the other side of him.
"Darling, are you sure you're alright?" she asked him.
"I feel fine, I promise." he told her.
"It really wasn't that serious of an injury, my Queen, the portal gave us a rough landing is all." Rubeus chimed in.
"You know, in the old days, a Queen would have your head for such impudence." Serenity sternly yet playfully said to Rubeus.
"See what I mean." Rubeus muttered to Demande, who gave a nervous chuckle.
They arrived at their destination and walked inside a large white room that resembled a hospital ward.
Sailor Mercury, who Demande instantly recognized, was waiting inside for them.
"Welcome home King Demande, I heard you took a nasty spill on your trip back from Nemesis." Mercury said cheerfully.
"You sound almost happy about that." Serenity said suspiciously to her.
"Well it's not too often I am able to use my medical expertise in this day and age. And with my patient being none other than his royal highness…" Mercury started to say.
"I see you're point." Serenity replied, knowing her all too well.
Mercury placed her finger to her temple, which activated a holographic visor, that Demande could see words and equations being illuminated across it.
Less than a minute later, she placed her finger back to her temple where the visor disappeared.
"Physically, the King appears to be in optimal health, so, whatever physical damage he took from the fall, has already healed, no doubt due to the Silver Crystal's effect on his cells. I do, however, see some minor trauma that is present in the hypothalamus which could lead to some trouble in recalling certain memories."
"Is that true?" Serenity asked in concern to Demande. "Are you having trouble with your memory?"
Demande responded with a nod, "Yes, I'm sorry I didn't say anything earlier, I just didn't want to worry you."
She then gave a look to Rubeus, who turned away pretending to be oblivious to the situation.
"How long will it take until he is better?" Serenity asked Sailor Mercury.
"It's hard to say. It can be as soon as a few hours from now, to days, to maybe weeks." she responded. "The best way to begin treatment is to alleviate any extra stress and get a good night's rest since he's had such a long trip away from home. You should see some improvement in no time." Mercury said.
"I see." Serenity said. "We'd better get to our room so we can have him relax before the big dinner. Thank you, Ami-chan."
"You're welcome and don't worry, the most important thing is to be patient and let his memories return naturally."
"I think you have things handled from here so I'll just go ahead and take my leave." Rubeus added in.
"I won't be letting you off that easy, I hope you know." Serenity said to him vengefully.
"I figured as much." he called back to them as he walked out.
Serenity took Demande by the arm again and lead them towards what he assumed was their living quarters.
His assumption was proven correct once they stepped inside the enormous room complete with a giant canopy bed, a marble topped vanity and more couches and seating than most households would have.
As he stood in front of the vanity, he moved closer towards his reflection as certain details about himself caught him by surprise.
He looked to have aged slightly more than how he remembered himself. There were a few dignified lines in the corners of his eyes but, overall he still retained a youthful appearance for supposedly being almost 300 years old.
Serenity came behind him and removed his cape. She gave him a peck on his cheek and took his arm into hers as she laid her head against his shoulder.
He continued to stare into the reflection at the two of them standing together, the most beautiful, picturesque couple that anyone could ever imagine: a God with his Goddess by his side. It was something he had wanted since the moment he had laid eyes on her in the 30th century and regretted not being able to have any memories of them together.
"I'm so happy that you're finally home." she told him.
"I am too. You have no idea how much." he replied, beginning to smile.
"I hope you didn't forget about me while you were away." she told him.
He then turned from the reflection to her and placed his hands lovingly on her shoulders.
"The only thing I had forgotten is just how beautiful your eyes are when they looked into mine, how soft and delicate your skin is, especially your lips."
He cupped her chin with his hand and brought his lips to her tenderly.
After a few moments, he parted and then both looked into eachothers eyes as her cheeks start to blush.
He grabbed his cape that she still held in her hand and tossed it to the side before embracing her tightly into his arms as he kissed her again more intensely. She returned his kiss and wrapped her arms around him pressing herself further into him.
He ran his hands up and down the curves of body during their passionate embrace and after several minutes, both broke away from each other needing to catch their breaths.
"My goodness, darling, something has certainly gotten into you-eep!" Serenity gasped.
Demande spontaneously swept her off her feet in a bridal fashion and carried her over to the bed they shared where he then placed her gently.
He climbed on top of her and continued to kiss her on her lips and then nibbled on her neck and collarbone beginning to undo the back of her dress.
For so long he had wanted this, and instead pulling away and looking back to him in revulsion, they would make love and officially become one as man and woman.
When he started to bring down her sleeve was when she placed a hand on him to stop him.
'Oh no.' he thought.
She was breathing heavily and looked back to him in pleasant astonishment.
"The addressment dinner in less than 10 minutes, darling, so I'm afraid this will have to wait until later tonight. Besides...don't you want to see the baby?" she asked him.
Demande raised himself off of her.
"Baby?" he asked in confusion.
"Yes. Our son, do you not remember?"
He jumped rose to his feet.
"Show me."
They walked to another side of the Palace where the nursery was located.
When they entered, Esmeraude was sitting in a chair near the crib and quickly jumped to her feet when she saw Demande.
"Sire." she gasped.
Esmeraude, like the Ayakashi sisters, was dressed as a Princess would, wearing a jeweled headband along with a dark, purple gown, that trailed the ground behind her. The head band was black with tiny emeralds all through it but appeared to only have the inverted black crescent moon.
"Tell me, what was it like on Nemesis, was it anything like when we lived there?" she asked.
"Quite similar, yes." he answered without actually knowing. "It's really good to see you, Esmeraude."
"He's anxious to see the baby." Serenity said to her.
"Of course." Esmeraude said girlishly, "Obsidius was quite fussy earlier and seemed to have tired himself out."
Demande widened his eyes in shock to Esmeraude when she said this.
"Did you say...Obsidius?" he asked her.
"Yes." she said with a warm smile. "After your father."
Demande stepped over to the crib and looked inside on to the sleeping baby. It was hard to tell who he resembled more between the two of them as the infant couldn't have been more than a few months old.
"Rubeus told me just now how you're having trouble with your memory, I didn't believe him at first but it must be true since you had forgotten something like that. He's still just as useless as ever I see." she said beginning to laugh her obnoxious laughter.
As her laughter reached the babies ears, he began to open his eyes and looked into Demande's.
"Shh." Serenity signaled by placing her finger in front to her mouth. "We don't want him crying again."
Esmeraude covered her mouth as her cheeks turned pink.
"Sorry." she whispered to them. "I'll leave him to you while I freshen up for the big dinner tonight."
Esmeraude bowed and walked out to leave the three of them alone.
Serenity picked up Obsidius.
"It was shortly after I gave birth to him when you had to go away on your trip to Nemesis, remember? He's gotten so big since then." she commented as she showed the baby to Demande.
"Can..Can I hold him?" he asked with hesitation.
"Of course." she said as she handed the infant over to Demande.
As he peered into the baby's black eyes, he could see why he named him after his father. For that is exactly who his son resembled.
A tear fell down his cheek that caught Serenity's attention.
"He's beautiful, isn't he?" she said.
He nodded, unable to choke out an audible response.
Demande held the baby closer and closed his eyes.
"This can't be real." he said aloud.
"Why can't it be?" she asked while placing her head on his shoulder.
"It's all just too good to be true. I thought... you loved Endymion." he told her.
Serenity tensed when he said his name. She lifted her head from his shoulder and walked a few steps away from them, looking outward.
"There was once a time where I thought I loved him yes, but, it was never meant to be, not as long as you were in the picture. He never truly loved me and I came to love you with all my heart and soul. You are the only one meant for me." she said to him with a genuine smile.
He continued to look to her in disbelief, until he surrendered to this warmth he was feeling and smiled in return.
"Excuse me for the interruption my Queen, but everyone is seated now." Sailor Mars said as she appeared in the doorway.
Another woman was with her who Demande assumed was one of Obsidius's nannies.
"I'll take him now sir, we all wait anxiously for the news of your travels." She said cheerfully as she took Obsidius from him.
Demande had no idea about the special event that any of them were referring to but had no time to question it as Venus lead Serenity and himself out of the nursery to the other end of the palace where the Dining Hall was located.
"I know this must all be overwhelming, so I asked Rubeus to give the update on your trip to Nemesis. I don't want you to feel any stress, just like Ami suggested." Serenity whispered reassuringly.
Demanded nodded thoughtfully as he was still taking everything in minute by minute.
The large doors opened to them revealing an enormous dining hall, filled with a table long enough to fill the entire room.
She was right to warn him about what he was about to walk into, as dozens of eyes suddenly rested on him with the mutters and conversations going completely silent.
As he glanced through all the faces, the only ones he seemed to recognize were Rubeus, Esmeraude and the Ayakashi Sisters. The rest he assumed must be members of the court and other staff.
All of them stood up from their seats as Serenity took his hand and led him to two vacant seats at the head of the table where the were assigned to sit.
The inner senshi stood a distance behind their seats attentively.
As both stood in front of their chairs, Serenity spoke to the rest of the table.
"Thank you for patiently waiting. My Husband, our King Demande of Crystal Tokyo and Commander Rubeus have returned on this day from their journey to our newly recognized 10th planet of the Solar System, Nemesis. Rubeus shall recount their trip and present to you all our plans for this venture. Afterwards, we shall feast and drink in celebration for their safe return and to a new beginning!"
The rest of the room applauded, including the inner senshi.
When both sat down, the rest of the room sat with them.
Rubeus stood up and did his best in retelling the tale that Demande was equally anxious to hear as everyone else was since he had no memory of it at all. He still couldn't believe how his life how turned out this perfectly, yet couldn't recall any second of it.
When Rubeus finished his speech, several maids brought out courses after courses of delicious meats and entress along with glasses of the best red wine he had ever tasted in his entire life.
He quietly savored the taste of the wine he was sipping on as the room began to drown out in echoes as everyone started to converse with one another.
Serenity was talking to Petz who was sitting adjacent to her as her sisters were on the other side of her were chatting with Rubeus and Esmeraude who were sitting across from them.
All the other people seated were talking and laughing as they all took bites of their food and took sips of wine in between conversations.
That is, all except for one man who Demande began to take notice of.
He wasn't speaking with any of the people who sat around him. His food and drink were untouched and he sat staring down without a smile or any type of expression on his face, almost seeming to be bored.
That's when he turned his attention toward Demande and stared at him, unblinking.
Demande couldn't help but notice how closely the man resembled himself. His face had similar features and he also had the same purple eye color as he did. He even wore his hair in a similar length, the only noticeable difference was his hair color was a very dark brown, almost black color.
The man, then, started to smile at him, leaving Demande feeling uneasy in a way he couldn't rationalize to himself.
"Serenity." he whispered to her.
"Yes?" she answered.
"Why don't we have the rest of dinner in our room with the girls? We could have the servants pack this up and set up a table." Demande suggested.
"We can't do that." she giggled in response.
"Why not? We're the King and Queen, we can do whatever we want. Besides it's getting kind of loud in here, I'd rather spend time with you and our daughters, alone." he told her.
"I suppose we can make an acception." she said. "If it will help aleve any stress."
"It would very much." he replied.
As they both stood up, the rest of the dining hall rose with them and then sat again once they took their leave.
As the man who resembled Demande sat back down, and everyone started conversing with one another again, Demande could have sworn he smirked at him before turning back into an aloof expression and looking out into nothing.
He tried to push it out of his mind as he walked with her to their bedroom.
When they opened it's doors, there was already a table, four chairs and an assortment of desserts set across it.
Améthyste and his other daughter who she referred to as, Small Lady, were already waiting for them and their faces brightened when they entered the room.
They were out of the dresses they were wearing earlier and were now in their sleeping gowns, each eating a bowl of ice cream topped with strawberries.
"Mommy, is it your birthday?" Small Lady curiously asked them.
"No, your father wanted us to all eat together for a change since he missed us so much." she cheerfully answered.
"It's true." Demande added. "I thought we could have dessert while my two little Princesses tell me all about what they were up to while I was gone."
"You meant it?!" Small Lady excitedly asked.
"Yes. Now, are there by chance any crepes in this vast selection we have?" he asked them.
"The strawberry one's are over here, Papa." Amethyste said, gesturing to a plate near her.
"Ah, my favorite." he replied.
Demande and Serenity, along with their daughters filled their stomachs on small cake slices, tarts and fruit covered in chocolate causing the girls to become energetic and happy to be in the company of their normally busy parents. As the girls played with each other inside the enormous bedroom, he and Serenity rested on their bed, that was large enough to have an entire family sleep in.
"I couldn't possibly eat another bite." Serenity sighed as she lied back in exhaustion.
"I can imagine, you did finish off the rest of the cart by yourself." he said with a chuckle.
"You know how much of a weakness sweets are for me." she told him with a smile.
Améthyste and Small Lady began to crash from the sugar and each one climbed up on the bed, lying down in between them resting their eyes shut.
"Let's have another one." he told Serenity as he began to stroke Small Lady's head.
Serenity turned to him in surprise as she cradled Améthyste in her arms.
"Another what?" she asked.
"Another baby." he told her.
"You want another child?"
"Yes. I want this room to be filled with our children one day." he said in absolute seriousness.
She started to giggle. "But that's so many."
"Why not. Can't you picture having a bunch of rambunctious sons as well as our daughters who will shine both in beauty and wisdom, just like their mother. With the Silver Crystal, we have only but eternity ahead of us...together." he said as he leaned over and affectionately kissed her shoulder.
It had only been about 12 hours into his new life and yet he had already become completely immersed in it and had fully accepted everything without feeling the need to question any of it.
"If that is what you want, then it is what I want." she said to him.
"Mama, can we sleep with you tonight?" Améthyste interrupted.
"Not tonight, my darling." Serenity answered.
Demande added, "It's getting past your bedtime anyway girls, let's get you to bed."
"Can Papa read us a story?" Small Lady asked.
"I'm sorry girls but Papa is quite tired and besides, your mother and I have a lot..of catching up to do..." Demande started to say.
But as he looked into the little girl's blue eyes that innocently looked back to his, he knew that he was unable to deny either of those girls anything that was within his power.
"Alright, but just one okay?" he said.
"I'll go look in on Obsidius before I get ready for bed." Serenity said before giving Demande a kiss on the cheek.
"You'll have to direct me to where your room is I'm afraid...Small Lady? I'm sorry, why is it we call her that again?" Demande asked, feeling absolutely guilty over not even knowing his own daughter's name.
"She took my Earth name, Usagi, and is known around the palace as Small Lady Serenity or Chibiusa by some of the nannies. It was your idea to name her after me, since you said she carried such a resemblance." Neo Queen Serenity told him.
"I see." he said with an embarrassed chuckle.
"Come on, Papa." Améthyste tugged at his arm.
Demande turned to Serenity as they both pulled him out of the door.
She affectionate smiled back to him and waved.
The girls were finally fast asleep after he read them a story that they informed him was their favorite story he would usually read to them at bedtime. It was a 3 dimensional holographic rendition of a story called, The Rabbit in the Moon. He doesn't remember ever reading such a story but it was entertaining enough.
As he tried to remember the way back to his bedroom, he couldn't help but notice how quiet and dark the palace was now. In fact, there didn't seem to be anyone else that came across his path at all. Not in the halls, or open areas of the palace where the guards normally stood by.
Demande found himself frequently looking over his shoulder every so often and once he finally approached the door to his and Serenity's bedroom, something started to feel...wrong about it all.
As Demande opened the door, he looked inside to find the room empty.
"Serenity?" he called out.
He supposed she could still be putting Obsidius to bed but he was sure he would've have seen her since his nursery was on the way.
Demande took his suit jacket off and plopped on their couch, waiting for her to return.
That was when he happened to look over to the right of him and noticed a large door.
The door hadn't been there before, had it?
No, he was certain it wasn't. .
He stood up and and went towards it, opening the handle cautiously.
When the door opened, the room that was inside was a large, dome of white walls.
It was mostly barren aside from a large glass case that Serenity was facing towards.
She was dressed in a long white satin nightgown, with her hair undone and flowing freely down her back, nearly touching the ground.
She looked over her shoulder to him and as she turned, he noticed she was holding a gem that gave off a powerful energy; the most powerful he had ever felt.
There was no doubt that it was the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou.
However, there was a noticeable difference as he examined it further.
The crystal was not the luminescent silver it always was but rather, a black color. Black like the Jakokusuishou.
"What is this?" he asked.
"This is the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou of course." she answered.
"Why does it look like this?" he asked again.
"It is the unification of the silver crystal of the Silver Millenium and the dark crystal of Nemesis." she said holding it out to him.
He started to walk towards the aura that beckoned to him.
"Using the power of our love, we have created the most powerful source the universe has ever known. Don't you remember?"
She raised the crystal in front of her as it hovered and spun in midair.
"Isn't it beautiful how it glows like this? I could stare at it for hours." she stared greedily.
A sense of deja vu began to overtake Demande and he started to feel uneasy.
"Serenity, why don't you put it away and come to bed, hm?" he said to her.
But she didn't reply and continued to stare into the gem whose sparkles seem to grow brighter by second, before a flash of blinding light shot out of it.
A small trimmer could be felt from him.
He looked all around the room. Nothing changed but the atmosphere in general, had a different feeling to it in that moment as it grew more heavy.
He looked to Serenity who hadn't moved that he could tell in several moments.
"Serenity?" he said.
But she continued to stare into the crystal, ublinking, unmoving, as if time froze. Only, the crystal had any movement as it continued to rotate in midair.
"Something's not right." he said aloud in a panic.
"Help, somebody, help!" he called as he ran out of the room.
He continued out of their bedroom and through the halls but there was no one in sight.
"Rubeus! Esmeraude! Sailor Mercury, Mars, anyone! Come quick something has happened!" he yelled frantically.
He went into any room that was in his path and there was no one. In his daughter's room where he had just come out of only 10 minutes ago showed two untouched beds with no signs of either of them.
Becoming even more panicked now, he ran to the nursery, only to find his son's crib completely empty.
The Palace aside from himself and Serenity was now completely empty of any life.
Demande ran back to the room where his wife stood frozen in time and hoped he could somehow use the Silver Crystal himself to correct what had just occurred.
That was when he saw that they weren't the only people in palace anymore like he had thought.
The man who he had seen at the dinner table that had a resemblance to Demande stood next to Neo Queen Serenity who still remained frozen just as he had left her.
"I demand to know who you are!" he shouted at the man.
The man kept calm and simply stared back him with a condescending smile appearing on his face.
He picked up a piece of Serenity's long hair and brought it to his lips as he kept his eye contact on Demande.
"Keep your hands off of her, vermin!"
"Now, now. Is that any way to speak to family?" he asked Demande.
"Don't say such nonsense, Sapphir is the only blood relative I have!" he said.
"Ah, yes, Sapphir. The ever loyal and obedient servant brother of yours, how I remember him well." he said condescendingly.
"You know neither of us. Now, I command you once again to step away from the Queen or I'll remove you with force." Demande said angrily.
"Go ahead." he calmly told him.
Demande without hesitation charged toward the man but, curiously he let Serenity go, allowing Demande a chance to grab at her arm in hopes he could get her away from him.
However, as soon as he touched her, her arm, along with the rest of her body disintegrated into thin air. Afterwards, the ground he stood on along with rest of their surroundings broke apart leaving only complete darkness around him now.
Only the man and the crystal were visible to him.
"Wha-What's going on?" he asked as he frantically looked all around him.
"Now that the distractions are out of the way, it's time we discuss the matter at hand." the man told Demande.
"I will discuss nothing with you until you bring her back at once!" he yelled.
Demande rose his arm to conjure a blast of energy from the black crystal, but nothing happened.
The man rubbed his temples in aggravation.
"Is this really what my lineage has come down to. A lovesick, librarian Earthling."
"I am not a-!" Demande paused. "A librarian…"
"Yes, it's coming back to you now isn't it. What you witnessed today was nothing more than a projection."
"A projection?" Demande asked dumbfoundedly.
"Yes, of what will happen in the future if the Jakokusuishou is to join with the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou. It will be the only future in which you can acquire everything you desire." the man said.
"Who are you and how do you know all this?" Demande asked impatiently.
"Now is not the time for that to be revealed." the man said.
"Then I don't have to listen to this. I refuse to take orders from someone who won't even tell me their name." Demande said as he turned away from him and faced the endless darkness before him.
"If you want the girl to stop having such unpleasant dreams, you will do as I say." he threatened.
Demande swiftly turned back to him.
"You are the reason she's been having these nightmares?!" Demande yelled.
The man laughed. "Forgive me for finding some amusement in my...predicament."
"But I realized I was wrong for doing this so, from this day forward, the dreams will cease because I realized that it could cause a problem for you and I."
"I wish you would explain to me what it is you're talking about." Demande said with impatience.
"In 24 hours, you will remember what it is you have forgotten. All I ask is that you continue to do what you are doing and this-"
The man snapped his fingers and brought up a projection of Neo-Queen Serenity, their children, Sapphir standing happily with a pregnant Petz as well as the rest of the Black Moon clan looking back at him.
"This can all be yours." the man gestured to them.
"What is it you're wanting me to do exactly?" Demande asked.
"You must unionize the Maboro no ginzuishou with the black crystal once it is restored back to its full potential, because it is the only, and I mean the only way that you will ever have the Queen for yourself."
"What is in it for you, though?" Demande continued to question him.
The man walked around around the fabricated group of people, looking them over and avoiding Demande's question.
"When you least expect it, you will discover something of mine that only you will be meant to find. I believe you will find it most interesting as we both know how much you enjoy a good read. It will answer the questions you have but, besides that, it will enlighten you with a truth that I know you have been searching for your entire life."
Demande had no idea of what 'truth' he was referring to but, he wasn't going to blindly trust someone like this so easily.
"Please Nii-san, it is the only way I'll ever be able to find true happiness." Sappir said as he placed his hand over Petz's pregnant stomach.
"Papa, we want you to read us another bedtime story soon." his daughter's pleaded to him.
"My love, please hurry." Serenity said to him affectionately as she held baby Obsidius.
Just then, all of his fabricated loved ones started to disintegrate again just as Serenity had done earlier.
"Ah, it seems my time is up." the man sighed.
He too started to slowly disintegrate like the others.
"Remember what I told you and continue to grow the power of the Jakoushishou as it is the only way you will be able to rule over Crystal Tokyo and defy fate." he said before completely disappearing.
"Goodbye for now." his voice echoed, leaving Demande alone in the endless void of darkness.
Author's Note: When I first decided to write this story, there were certain key events I had already planned out in my head, with this particular chapter being the most anticipated one and I was so excited to finally bring it to life. Please let me know of what you think and stay tuned!