AN: So, hopefully some questions get answered here. It's gonna be..um..quite a bumpy ride from here on out.

Edit: AN: - Before anyone's confused, I raised the rating. -I completely lacked sleep- Though, probably nothing else may or may not happen. Also, for more references- This world/story is far closer to actual Mythology rather than the Sailor Moon world rules. It's a mix more or less.

It was the second day that Nijiko was still asleep in the hospital wing, but she was steadily getting better. Mamoru only allowed himself to take a few hours at a time to himself since her return. He was just as puzzled as the others were over Nijiko's reappearance and suspected that Venus was right in believing that something was up but no one knew what and as far as anyone could tell there were no dark energies lingering in her either. All in all, rest and food were the only cure for the little girl at the moment.

Mamoru, at the moment, was deciding if he should continue the training he was receiving from the others. A large part of him found he enjoyed exercising this kind of power he's never had before or had full control of. He often wondered if there were other things, other creatures and the like, that could be on earth without the Sailor Senshi's knowledge. He figured it would be possible but there would be no way that he would be able to fight such things off by himself entirely. He simply didn't have that kind of power.
Then his mind went to the subject of his wife and wondering if she'd even believe this or not. He winced inwardly at the thought of trying to explain all this to her.

"I'll handle it when I get to that." He told himself as he entered the library and began to look along the scrolls and books that were there. None really interested him more than the more private and restricted area of the Library. He remembered he had to help Ami with an arm load and had been granted access. Now, he hoped she hadn't revoked it yet. Maybe..?

"I shouldn't." Mamoru walked towards the section hidden behind glass. "But I wonder if it has another way from here without the use of space ships?"

He wrestled with the idea for only a few more moments before opening the door and walking inside. Breathing a sigh of relief that he didn't get zapped or worse by the security system's , he wandered further in, heading to a section that he's never been before. Mamoru had wondered exactly how far back the restricted section went and only remembered a bit of the conversation he had with Ami about it.

"It might be a sub-dimension which is located outside of time and space but not quite." She had told him on the first trip there. "It's hard to say how long it's been like this but it's best not to linger here. There might be other dangers in here."

"Like what?"

"Ghosts, maybe."

Mamoru thought the ghost bit for a bit far fetched but then again, so was the idea of powers, space civilizations and the like. It shouldn't be too far out of the realm of possibility.

Finally, he looked up at one of the shelves then down at the bottom shelf. Most people, he knew, would think that the important things would be on the very top or even middle, but few ever looked down.

"Wonder what's down here?" He stooped down and began pulling out a few books. Some he really couldn't decipher at all, but others he could understand or at least get the notion of what they meant. "Must be eons old- but they can't be from here."

He continued on like that until he found one book that seemed rather out of place here. It looked and read like a children's fairytale book.

"Weird, why would a book like this be here?" He rose to his feet with it before heading out of the restricted area.

Maybe he could read this while sitting with Nijiko.

"Have you seen Raina?" The question came from the most unlikely person in the entire room. The Shitennou had gathered in an open-air lounge situated near the gardens. At the moment, Kunzite was supervising Jadeite and Zoisite's training while Nephrite was reading an old scroll with complicated astrological signs.

"Hm? No. I thought she was in her room?" Nephrite glanced up at him. "Why? You hardly ever talk to her."

"I was concerned because lunch had already passed and dinner is being prepared at the moment." Helios told them keeping his expression vaguely concerned. "I had but wondered if any of you have seen her."

"Hm.. And she's not with any of the Maenards?" Kunzite asked.

Helios merely shook his head. "No." He turned and looked out across the yard, "If she has wandered off into the forest, this may present a problem for us all. Despite what many believe, the boarders of Elysion are treacherous with dangerous creatures lurking there." He closed his eyes, "I fear that she might be in some sort of trouble."

Jadeite looked over at Kunzite, "We should organize a search for her then."

As the Shitennou began to make plans and confer to one another, Helios could only stand in silence as he contemplated the group. Lately, he's begun to doubt them and their commitment to this new world they were promised by the Vision. He knows that at least Nephrite or even Jadeite had doubts about their plans and the future itself.

He also wondered if they had plans themselves for something else entirely? What if they betrayed him and their cause? What should he do then?

Perhaps he should ask the Vision what she thought of the situation but there was no certainty that she would appear. He would, then, have to do it by himself.

Something he was not certain he wanted to do as well.

"Preist Helios?" Kunzite's voice brought him out of his thoughts, "Do you believe that the Maenards will help us with this? They know the forest better than anyone alive."

Helios, appearing thoughtful, nodded, "Of course. You can find them in the baths, if you wish to speak with them."

Jadeite and Nephrite blushed lightly at that but Kunzite nodded, "Very well, and since we will go out and look for her, I would recommend you stay here just in case she returns on her own."

Helios bowed slightly as the men walked by, his heart beating slightly faster, "Of course."

Once out of sight, Jadeite's face became grim, "Do you trust him?"

"No." Kunzite replied as he strode down the white and gold marble floor. "We need a better way to track her. We can't let her wander off without knowing where she is."

"I might be able to help with that- If Zoisite could provide a delicate craft?"

Zoisite preened a little, "Well, it's been a while since I've made any such thing, however I can do it." He frowned a bit to himself, "Can we trust the Maenards? After all, they side with the Priest, don't they?"

Jadeite made a mocking gasp, "Can it be?" He moved up next to the honey blonde man, "That you're concerned about her?"

"Hardly!" Zoisite sniffed, but the frown didn't ease, "I hate secrets being kept from me. It's beyond obvious that Helios isn't telling us something."

"True." Kunzite smiled slightly indulgently at Zoisite, "And that is a good question."

"Unfortunately, not one I know the answer to." Nephrite muttered, "I've never really paid much attention to the workings within the Temple."

"Hmph, that's because your head was in the clouds more than the Prince!" Zoisite teased. "Always about the stars and hardly anything else."

Kunzite stopped at the communal baths, though Nephrite and Jadeite pointedly looked away as the steam cleared and the Maenards' voices were heard signing happily to themselves.

"Maenard Maidens," Kunzite knelt before them, unmoved by their nudity. "We've come to ask for your assistance."

One moved closer, her expression curious, " What is it that you ask of us?"

"Perhaps, Sister, they wish to frolic as we do?" the other chuckled, also moving closer to the side of the pool.

Kunzite didn't comment on the latter but answered the former, "We ask for your help to find Raina. She seems to have gotten lost within the forests." He looked up at them, "Of all that live here, you two know the forests and lands better than any alive. We only wish for you to help us."

The first one looked over to the second, an amused look crossed both their faces. "They do not know, do they sister?" The first asked the second.

"No, it seems not." The Second answered but lifted herself up out of the pool, water cascading down her supple form, "Very well then. We should help them."

"Indeed." The First left the bath and went to gather her clothes, "We shall help you four kings- if only..."

Kunzite resisted the urge to look back, though the others had looked towards each other with equally confused looks.

"What is it that you want in return?" Kunzite asked cautiously. "What would you have of us?"

With their gowns now on, the two women smiled identical secretive smiles that held an edge to it. "There is an Oath you must swear first and afterwards we shall help you."

"How much further?" Raina didn't like this. It felt like they had been walking for hours and it was becoming very dark but oddly it didn't feel scary at all. Maybe she's just uneasy because the creature wasn't speaking? "Hey, are you even going to tell me your name?"

Seeing as she got no answer, she sighed, looking up between the branches of the trees and up at the strange lights that danced across the sky with stars twinkling around them. This world was still strange to her, but she felt almost as if she was becoming accustomed to this place. Still, she missed home, she missed her family and most of all-

"I miss Ru's cooking." She sighed and stopped when the trees gave way to a massive clearing where in the center, sat a tree just as tall and as thick around. Raina thought you could probably live inside of that thing with an entire family.

"What is this place?"

"Mortal woman, you have entered a sacred space." The strange bird creature told her as it's tail pause in the air. "If you desire powers of your own, you must come to the Tree."

Raina bit her lower lip, " As tempting as this sounds- How can I be sure that this isn't a ploy to possess me?" Her dark moss green eyes eyed the creature for a while longer. "I mean, how is this not a trick?"

It blinked once and paced in front of her then stopped and cocked it's head to the side. " You do not know." It didn't even seem offended by her accusation. " It is up to you if you wish for it."

Still, she hesitated to go near it. "Who are you?"

"If you wish to know, I will tell you but you will gain no favor in knowing."

"Does it look like I care about favors here?"

It squawked, but the sound was less something you'd expect from a bird and more from a person or a cat. "Very well, very well. I shall reveal myself to you."

The light quickly surrounded the creature, transforming into a more humanoid figure. When the light died down, it was a young man with light brown skin, black hair wearing only what appeared to be finely made pants tied with a dark colored sash. There was another one that wrapped around his torso once allowing the excess to float behind him.

The thing that caught Raina the most were the black wings upon his back and the eyes- somber dark amber eyes that gave nothing away.

He was very beautiful, adorned with silver pieces of jewelry- such as the necklace with a dark stone hanging from it- and the silver earrings going up the rim of his ears.

"Do I frighten you?" His voice was like a whisper, loud enough that she can hear but still soft enough that she wanted to lean in closer.

"I.." she blinked for a few moments, trying to gather herself, "The opposite, I believe. Who...who are you?"

He smiled, "I am known as an Oneiroi. You may call me Phobetor, though that is not my true name and you would be wise not to ask it or speak of this place."

"Oh...I.." She breathed for a moment getting her bearings, "I thought.. Well, I don't know what I was thinking." She shook her head a little but looks up at the tree again, "Why do you want me to go to that tree? Why did you want me to follow you?"

Phobetor pondered this for a moment before nodding to himself, "Very well, Mortal woman, I will be far more giving in my answers than others have been to you."

"What do you mean?" Raina frowned deeply at this. Her fears, all she had thought while she had been here, suddenly felt justified or maybe he was playing with her too? She didn't know. Then again..he had said he'd be more truthful than the others had been... "What do you mean you'll give me answers?"

"Exactly as I said." Phobetor turned towards the tree, " That before you is the Tree that connects and disconnects Elysian from and to everything." He began, "Or, to put it in something you would understand- this Tree is called Harmonia's Tree." He glanced at her, "Or Eris's Tree. It all, of course, depends on where you stand."

Raina rubbed her temples, "Look, can you just tell me how this all has to do with me? I kinda would like a reader's digest of this and some food. Food would be excellent right now."

Phobetor chuckled, "We shall eat soon, however I shall explain specifically, why you and what it has to do with you." His wings stretched then settled, "To put it plainly, Mortal Woman, the tree before us is of vast magical importance to Elysian in all manner of things. It keeps this land separate physically from Earth but spiritually, it is still bound to it. However, it also keeps Elysian separate from it's true homeland as well." He turned towards her, "You, Mortal woman, enter this because you are of Earth and you carry within you a promise of a future for Earth - and for Elysian as well."

"What?" Raina laughed nervously but found he wasn't sharing in her humor here. "Look, um, you completely have the wrong person for this job. I have a child and a husband I need to find and-"

"Ah, you've already have birthed one. This is far better than we thought." Phobetor muttered to himself, "Where is your child?"

Raina glared at him, feeling her anger starting to surface, "What do you want with my child? Who are 'We'? If you think I'm just going to let you-!"

"Be at peace, Mortal woman, it is not as you think." Phobetor replied calmly, " As I said, you are important not just because the Earth Prince has chosen to marry you and have offspring with you, but because you are of Earth." He gestured towards the tree, "It is only people who are of Earth that can go near that tree and harness the magical potential it has to offer. If successful, you will be able not only to have the power you seek to change your situation but also you will be able to unify Elysian back to where it should be and to the world."

Raina's not sure she could trust him however, it was tempting, "What happens if I fail?" She asked looking at it, "Has anyone else ever done this before? Or tried?"

"Many." He answered without infliction, "There was one that was quite promising- a woman named Beryl. She had such potential and had absorbed much of it."

Raina glanced over at him, "What happened?"

"A force outside of our realm interfered and preyed on her troubled heart. She left it all and thus the process was never complete and her powers returned to the Tree, from whence they came." It was the first time Raina heard anything remotely emotional from Phobetor. Almost...bitter. "I believe, Mortal woman, that you could accomplish what she could not. You have far more at risk to allow yourself to stray from the path."

He turned to her, "And, you carry a future with you that is of the miraculous unknown."

"Really?" Raina had a feeling she knew what he was talking about wasn't an abstract thing. She had suspected but... "But, what happens if I fail?"

"Then a future will come that will destroy the rest of us."

Mamoru came back to the hospital wing, intending to sit with Nijiko until she woke up, however he stopped in his tracks when he heard the voice of the princess, Chibiusa, speaking to Nijiko.

He smiled to himself, peaking in on the girl as she talked excitedly about things they'll do once Nijiko woke up.

"And Mama said we could have our own little party too with the other noble kids around the kingdom!" Chibiusa was saying, "It'll be fun! And Lady Mako said she'll make all our favorites and we can invite whoever we want. Plus, we get to have our own dresses made!"

Chibiusa giggled to herself and swung her legs a little, "But I didn't mind sharing mine with you. It's like we're sisters- Oh! But you better promise to keep it a secret for now, ok? " She waited but nodded as if the silence was an acceptable answer, "I heard my Mama talking to Luna and she says that Mamoru is really my papa! That means we're both sisters for real! Isn't that great?"

She turned her head, hearing some noise from behind her, "Huh? Nijiko, did you hear something?"

While the five year old went back to her conversation, Mamoru's head was spinning with the implications of that. No, he must've heard wrong - or maybe she just misheard? There's no way he could be her father! Or did the Queen have some feelings for him?

He hesitated to think on that even though he had a feeling, he denied it as harshly as he was now.

However much he wanted to not think about this, he couldn't stop. There was no reason for Chibiusa to lie or even think that at all- but he can't be sure about that. Yet he argued with himself that it must be a lie because he would remember-!

As he walked down the hallway, getting further from the hospital wing, he recalled some of his odd moments. Those dreams he had dismissed as fancy. Could it be...?

"Oh, it's you, Mamoru." The Queen smiled up at him as she carried a small vase with some flowers, "I was just going to visit Nijiko. I hope she's not allergic-?" She paused, her brows rose in concern, "Mamoru, is something the matter? You look awful."

Mamoru wasn't even sure what to think of Serenity now, who stood before him. Beautiful, kind woman but... he had to know. It had to be some kind of child's fancy and longing for a father. But those dreams...

"Ah, no." He managed to regain some composure, "She loves flowers. Right now, your daughter's with her. "

Serenity smiled, "She misses her best friend. From everything she's said, she's very close to her."

"Almost like sisters, wouldn't you agree?" Mamoru watched her expression and noticed that her smile wilted slightly, "Oddly enough," He continued, "I overheard her talking. She seems to believe that I'm her father."

There! That split second look of panic. But for what? Could it be?

"She's just longing for a father, I suppose." Serenity said weakly, not looking at his eyes.

"I would've thought so as well," Mamoru agreed but didn't move from where he was, " if it weren't for some odd dreams I had before arriving here. Or rather, one from a very long time ago as well."

"I should be going." She tried to move by but her path was block, "Mamoru? What-?"

His jaw set as he looked down at her,"Am I her father?"

"What? Don't be ridiculous! We just met." She tried again but her path was once again blocked, "You can't just-!"

"Funny, according to your daughter, she overheard you and Luna speaking about it and stating that I am her father." He told her before going on, "Which is crazy considering I only remember clearly fathering one child- so how is your daughter also my child? And please, don't lie to me. It's already bad enough you people tried to hide things the first time."

Serenity bit her lower lip before finally exhaling, "Fine." She said quietly, her knuckles becoming white as she held onto the vase, "It's true. You are her father."

Mamoru rocked back on his heels as if he'd been hit but the confirmation. So...

"How?" He could barely hear himself, not really looking at Serenity. All he could do was try and find when and where this could've happened. He's always been faithful and he's always honored their vows- so when did this happen?

"I don't-"

"Damnit, Usagi, tell me how this happened because I certainly do not know!" Mamoru hadn't meant to, but he couldn't contain his own frustrations and guilt when snapped at her. "How?"

She didn't break down into tears as she thought she would have, but the tears came all the same and Serenity did her best to still her quivering lower lip. It's her fault. All of it. If only..

But there's no sense of hiding and denying the truth any longer.

"It was a long time ago." She began and wiped the tears from her eyes- stupid tears. If only they would stop!- "I ..I had all but given up hope that I would find you again. I.. I wished on the silver crystal to help me find you. I .. I didn't know what it did, I mean it wasn't even time for the full moon then, but I found you." She raised her head a little, even as her vision blurred a bit. She could feel her heart drop with each word, "I saw you sleeping there and I couldn't help myself. I thought.. you were awake..." She trailed off looking away, no longer able to watch him as she told him the truth. "I didn't know you were married then. Afterwards, I saw it- the pictures on your dressers and on the walls."

She let out something of a choked laugh, "You were happy with this woman that wasn't me. I had done something terribly wrong. I.." She took a breath, "I tried to erase the memory of being there and with you. I didn't realize that I was pregnant then." She rubbed her nose, "Who would've thought that just..once..? I didn't mean.. I just.." Taking one more breath to steady herself, she turned back to him as a sob slipped out, "I just wanted to be with you again Endymion. I wanted us to have our happily ever after- just as we promised each other before Beryl and the armies that destroyed this place. I just wanted to be happy.."

Mamoru didn't say anything, it was really too much to process all at once. He shook his head, "I hope you're happy with it now." He said thickly, "Because now, you're just like her. Only worse."

With that, he left her there, resisting the impulse to hold her as she crumbled to the floor with her own quiet sobs shaking her frame.

For this, he couldn't bring himself to face her.