Chapter 7 was a bit of a struggle, its not entirely as good as I think it could be. Its also ALL over the place. I hope it turns out good to my readers though. Also I could not come up with a fitting title for this chapter. Which did, and does, not sit well with me. With out anymore introductions, here is Chapter 7! (Yay!)

Also I do not, nor will I ever, own Sailor Moon. for I am not Naoko Takeuchi.

Chapter 7

"What do you think they will decide to do?" Cere asked.

My four guardians, Rei and Hotaru joined me for breakfast, at my parent's request. An unnecessary precaution, but my mother had insisted, and her guardians agreed. To simply put it, they weren't risking my safety, although no one had told me that. Mom had even called in Haruka and Michiru, and they came hastily at her request. While all the Senshi and my parents discussed the situation and what they planned on revealing to the public, how much to reveal at the time; they decided that it was best that Hotaru stay near me. It was for the best they told us, and she is, after all, the strongest after the original Eternal Sailor Moon. Rei wanted to be near me for extra added protection, if she was needed they would summon her. My friends and Rei were chatting to each other about various topics, but I was not really listening to anyone. I was trying to make sense about last night's events.

After my mom and I came back home, my father had greeted us and mom filled him in on the events that had happened. He openly praised me when she told him about my new attack, but I could still see the concern there in his eyes. Rei and Mako had been almost horrified that mom had been out in the mess. Took them awhile to calm down, after insisting that she had faith in them in the safety and wellbeing in her people, that they were more important than her. Ami had taken Palla to the hospital wing in the palace to have her leg examined, turned out she had been fine but Ami told her that she needed to keep disinfectant spray in it, and that if any bleeding should start to occur to get her immediately. Ami gave Rei, Mako, Cere, and I the clean bill of health and told me I did a good job.

I asked them if they had seen Kaden. No one seemed to know, until my father told me that he was in the palace gardens. I thanked him gratefully and took off in that general direction. After I was out of everyone's sights I took off running. I really wanted to see him, to let him know that I was ok. I did not want him to be worried about me. I wasn't sure of what he would say about everything. A small voice of my subconscious asked me why I really cared what Kaden felt about anything involving me, but I ignored it.

The day had already grown dark by the time mom and I had got home, and the moon had already stated to bathe everything in its white gentle glow. I went straight to the Garden of Serenity, as if I had already known to go there. Relief washed over me when I had found him. He was setting near my Jane Magnolia, with something shiny in his hands, not even really looking at it. His back had been mostly facing me, but I could see his face, and he looked kind of sad, and when I glanced at the object in his hands, I knew what it was. I stayed near the entrance of the garden for a couple of minutes just staring at him.

"Kaden," I called, just above a whisper, I didn't want to startle him.

Kaden had looked at the moon as he spoke to me, his voice quiet. "First, I want to say that I'm sorry, Lady Serenity, for leaving the restaurant earlier. When I heard Palla call in on your communicator and you ran out to help her, my first thought was 'how can I be of any help this time?'" He looked at the item in his hand. "I paid the server for our food and told her to keep the change. I ran as hastily as I could back to the palace to talk to King Endymion. He was surprised to see me. I told him what was going on and he took action, alerting Venus and the other guardians. While Jupiter and Mars left to help you guys, I asked your father if there was any way I could be of assistance." He finally looked at me.

I had walked over to him as he talked and sat in front of him, setting on my knees. When he thought I was comfortable enough he continued. "He said there wasn't, but I told him I wanted to try to use the crystal, his crystal. I thought that if I was able to use the power of the crystal, I could help you Lady Serenity. But you know what?" He then carefully handed me the golden crystal, and looked away from me again, putting his head in one of his hands the other ran through his hair as if in frustration. "It isn't mine to control. I can feel the power from it, but I guess that sense I possess no powers of my own, I can't do anything with it. How can I be your future husband and King Endymion's successor if the crystal of legend will not heed my summons?"

I placed the crystal beside me on the grass and put my fingers on his chin to make him look at me, and he took my hand in his as I did so. "The golden crystal is a more mysterious artifact than even mine. No one even knows what the power is or even why it is even able to be used by certain people," I had paused for a moment thinking about what I had been going to say. "I can't even use the crystal," I then confided to him sadly. "I'm the daughter of the king that it belongs to… So it isn't just you."

"Serenity…" was all he said, looking at me with sadness in his brown eyes, and other unreadable emotions also filled them too. Then he had kissed me. A quick sweet little kiss. Suddenly, he got up and left me setting there with my hands on my lips in astonishment. He had left the crystal with me. I eventually left the garden and returned the crystal to my father. I could not look him in the eye, although he thankfully did not ask me any questions.

"Usagi," Palla's voice cut though my recollection of the previous night's events. "Do you feel feverish? You seem to look slightly red faced," my light blue haired senshi observed.

Everyone turned to look at me. I hadn't realized that I had been blushing, and blushed even harder at the attention I was getting. I looked down at my plate of food, as I mumbled something toward them.

"Lady," Rei warned, "remember, it is rude to mumble incoherently."

I cleared my throat, still not looking at anyone. "I'm tired is all, and maybe a little warm, but no, Palla, I am feeling okay."

"So what about this date that we keep hearing about, Usagi," June finally asked me, I could hear the teasing tone in her voice.

June, is another of the Sailor Quartet and my guardian Sailor Juno. Most of the time she kept her waist length emerald green colored hair in a loose ponytail, like her mother Mako, she wasn't much of a girly girl an never took the time to do anything fancy with her hair, but as a senshi her hair was just as crazy as Palla and Cere's! It was usually worn in braids, with two hanging down her sides and three more that came to a point above her head, and brown circlets on top of her head. Much like Mako, she was the strongest of the Quartet, and tented to show off the most. June is a little taller than the rest of us, Visa is the second tallest, and Palla is the shortest, and Cere and I were the same height. Not one to beat around the bush about anything, she always got strait to the point. She often frowned at Cere who liked to gossip, and was always the first to scold her when she did so. She tended to be quirky when it came to trying something new, especially when it involved sports, her green eyes daring anyone to challenge her. Both her and Cere had a thing for guys though. Something also shared by Minako and Mako.

June was an actual daughter of Mako, although no one really talked about how she became pregnant with June. Although I remember Mako being absent from the palace for a time. Fifteen years ago, she brought a baby to the palace, telling me that she would be my friend in due time. At the time I didn't know who she was or why she was special, but she went to private school somewhere in Crystal Tokyo, so our paths never really crossed except when she came to the palace to visit her mom. I often wondered how June felt about not having a dad, but she never seemed to complain. When I came back from the past, Mako gave her the news that she would stay in the palace with us, and she was the first to move into the palace, Cere moved in about a week later. I was actually happy to finally be able to get to know her, June seemed to be just as eager. When Cere came to live here too we all became quick friends. Soon after they moved in, Cere, June and I were then pretty much home schooled by tutors, although our lessons were at different times to keep us from being distracted.

"There is nothing to tell," I told them. If it hadn't been for the blush that had been clearly painted across my face I think I could have been telling the truth. "Our… friendly date was interrupted by an enemy, remember?"

"Aww look at her blush!" Cere giggled like a little school-girl. "Obviously something happened. Tell us about it, please?"

"Cere, if she doesn't want to tell us don't drag it out of her," Rei told her, trying to sound scornful.

"I agree with Rei," Visa said. "If our Lady Serenity wants to share her secrets then she will when she wants to."

Visa, the last guardian to be discovered, Sailor Vista. For the most part she was considered to be a prim and proper girl with a temper to be matched with Rei. Her having red hair only added to the affect, or so the rest of us thought. When she was in one of her moods it was best to avoid her at all cost, unless you wanted an earful from her. She could be as girly as Cere, but sometimes she could be as much a tom boy as June, much to our surprise, although it was only with certain things. She didn't mind getting outside and getting into nature, as long as she didn't come out extremely filthy, a little dirt did not bother her. Visa was always the most informed with current happenings, but not in the celebrity way, like Cere and Minako. Just like the rest of the quartet she had a bazaar hair as a sailor senshi. Her hair would be pulled into a ponytail atop her head with jeweled bands about every four inches around her hair to the end. Most of the time she let it flow free, it was very wavy that way, and she loved to remark about how well she took care of it. Cere and her could talk about girly things all day of you would let them. She wasn't very into boys though, another common trait shared by her and Rei, and often claimed that she didn't need a guy in her life to get what she wanted in life.

Visa is the only guardian to be found by me, although it was an accident really. Cere and June had been with me at the time. We found her a year ago, after my dealings with the past was over, and it had been a few months after June and Cere had both moved in to stay with us. We bumped into each other at a mall while June and I were trying to find Cere so we could go home. She had been yelling at a boy who had been trying to bully some other little girl who had gotten separated from her mommy. I could almost swear that if the boy had been a dog she would have sent him off running with his tail between his legs. June told me told me that the girl looked familiar to her and I told her that I felt the same. Visa took the little girl to the lost and found center until the little girl's mommy found her.

It wasn't until after the little girl and her mommy had left when went over to the red headed girl and introduce ourselves. She had smiled at us warmly and told us that she knew she would meet us one day, not that she would know when or who exactly it would be but that she would just… know. Visa told us that she was actually from America visiting her grandmother with her father. When we found Cere, the four of us left the mall and walked back to the palace and there she met my mom. She adored the dress that my mom wore, and gained my mom's affections quickly. Meeting Rei had been a different matter entirely. She took to her even more quickly, and seemed to have already have met her before. Rei then explained to her that she had a small bit of psychic ability, much like herself, and that Rei could help her with that power should she wish to learn how to control it. Rei took to her quickly too, mostly because Visa was better with her manners than I could ever seem to be and was almost as quick to point out when I would do something wrong.

She visited us nearly every day until she gave us the grave news that she was leaving to go to America soon. Palla suggested that we go to my mom, as the queen, to see what she could do to make her father stay. Visa agreed to bring her father to the palace and my mom agreed to make time to talk to him. During the meeting of the two, Visa and I were both present, June and Cere were anxiously waiting in the hallway of the throne room, Rei and Ami were also there, in senshi form too. Ami was in blue and light blue, her outfit similar to Mars and Jupiter. Visa, I could tell, was anxious to know the outcome, I however remained calm throughout. My mother explained that Visa was a Sailor Guardian, and was meant to help me protect our world. After listening to my mom, he asked his daughter how she felt about everything. She told him that this is where she knew she was meant to be. In the end her father agreed that she could say, but with certain conditions: She was going to stay with her grandmother, she was to call him at least two times a week, and she had to visit at least at least a week for two to three times a year, mostly for holidays.

After the four of them had been united at last, they all remembered what had happened in the past, and remembered who they were in full. Guilt had taken over for what they had tried to do and all of them talked to the inner senior warriors, seeking solace for their actions. Then in turn, the inner guardians talked to my mother and she called all nine of us to the throne room for a meeting of warriors and senshi a few weeks later after the other four had settled into their regular routines. I remembered the day we all became senshi together, although I had already been one for some time, it felt as if my true senshi duties had only just began. I remembered the moment like it happened yesterday.

Mom was standing by her throne chair with father standing next to her. Venus and Jupiter a few feet apart to her right and Mercury and Mars to her left, sort of in a half circle. She then asked me to stand before her facing my guardians and the other four to finish the half circle across their counterpart senshi, facing me. She then had her senshi give them their transformation amazon stones that she had obtained and kept from many years ago. As soon as each had their stone, they transformed immediately, much to my surprise, and theirs. I was engulfed in a pink golden light and was then in my pink frilly princess gown, with my moon crest shining on my head. The five of us were in awe of my princess form. When she then spoke, she sounded so proud, and the looks in the faces of the inner senshi were of pride too, almost like parents who were witnessing a graduation of their children, even Ami and Rei seemed to be feeling the same.

"What has happened in the past, shall forever be in the past," she had said. "From this day forward, should you accept, you four will be the guardians and senshi of the Crown Princess and my daughter, Princess Usagi Lady Serenity Chiba. Should you take the oath, you will forever bound yourselves to your princess, and protect her as my guardians do for me, and this planet we hold dear." She had paused then, looking at each of my guardians in turn. Then continued. "The life of a senshi is not an easy path and many times you will find yourself facing a near impossible foe, however find strength in each other and your princess. You are senshi and warriors who fight for peace and justice. Never lose sight of what you are fighting for. Have the courage to stand for what is right, the humility to help others below you, passion for what you believe in, love for everyone despite what they do, and least of all dream for a better tomorrow." As my mother said this last line, I had gotten the feeling that she was somehow mentioning about each of our induvial personalities.

When the four of them had agreed to her words she continued. "On your knees and bow." They did as she said. "Princess pull out your broach and bring forth the Pink Moon Crystal." Confused, I pulled out the crystal as she told me to, and it blossomed into its lotus form. I started to hand it to her but she shook her head. "Cere, June, Palla and Visa you are, now, and forever, guardians to the princess. Hold forth your stones to seal the oath to your princess." When they did as instructed, their stones glowed brightly with their respective color, as did my pink moon crystal and my broach, as if resonating with each other. When the glowing stopped, my broach remained its usual crystal-like heart shape, but it had four new star shaped gems; light blue, red, green and light pink; on the top with a dark magenta like heart in the center of the five. I felt as if we were… connected in some way. "You five are now connected by a bond that should never be broken. You may now rise," she told them, as if confirming my thoughts.

"Cere, you will be known as Sailor Ceres," mom had me then stand beside her, as the girl she called hesitantly took a few steps forward to stand directly in front of me and my mom, with a little encouragement from Venus. "You are to be the leader of the Sailor Quartet in Sailor Moon's absence," the queen told her, as Venus came up to her side holding the Moon Sword of legend. "I entrust this sword to you as that leader, in time you will be able to use it with training from Minako." Venus then handed the blade to Sailor Ceres. She then handed her a pink pen with a star on top.

"Sailor Ceres, my daughter, this is my transformation pen from long ago," she explained to the pink haired girl. "We all made some adjustments to it so that it can hold your transformation stone in it," she looked at the other three, "in fact it was Ami's idea to have it done to all of ours, as we don't need them anymore."

"I will do my best, Queen Serenity and mom," Ceres said with a bow, stepping back into place.

"June, you will be known as Sailor Juno." Juno confidently came up to us. "I see that you have strength just like your mother Mako. I expect your mom is proud of you. Be the strength that they may need in hard times." she told her with a smile.

Jupiter then came up to her daughter and gave her a hug, and then handed her a jade green pen with a star on top. "This too was my pen, like Minako's, and will hold your green amazon stone."

"Thank you, your majesty and mom," Juno grinned, her green eyes showing enthusiasm. "I will do my best to hammer any enemy standing in our way!" She boasted, earning a few laughs from both groups of senshi.

"Palla, you will be known as Sailor Pallas," the light blue haired girl shyly, but quickly, came up to us. "Ami tells me that you are a girl who is eager to learn. There were many times that I wish I had listened to her as I was growing up. She is a very smart person and with her as your tutor, I have little doubt that you could possibly surpass her one day."

Mercury came up to the girl, and handed her a little blue computer, with an odd dark blue female like symbol on the top part, except it was a square instead of a circle, and a light blue pen. "This is my old transformation pen too, and this other item is a miniature super computer. I had one too in my earlier days when I first became a guardian. I will be teaching you how to use it soon."

"Thank you, Aunt Ami," the younger girl said with a shy smile, "my mom always told me that if anyone could be a perfect teacher to handle my inquisitive nature of curiosity it would be you."

"Last but not least, Visa, you will be known as Sailor Vista." The red headed girl, gracefully walked up to stand in front of my mom, then she gave a small curtsey. "Rei says that you have some psychic abilities. A remarkable gift to have, and one that many seem to frown upon, but it is what makes you unique never the less. Don't let anyone ever tell you different."

"I won't, your majesty," Vista had replied.

"Just like the other three, this was my pen too," Rei told her as she walked over to the red headed girl, handing her a red. "Another item I have for you is beyond your power at this current time, and I will teach it to you when I feel you are ready. If you ever have any questions about your power, don't hesitate to ask me."

"Thank you, Lady Rei," she replied, taking her place back with her fellow senshi.

"Lady Serenity," I had turned to her surprised that she was addressing me. "You are already a guardian known as Eternal Sailor Chibi Moon," she started. "However, that was back in the past when Sailor Moon was there, in this time, I am no longer that guardian of old. Your father and I have decided that you are now the new Sailor Moon, and will be addressed as such." Father then had given me my mother's red spiral heart moon rod. "My Eternal Tiare was destroyed by Sailor Galaxia but I think this rod will serve you well until you have a new one." As my father handed to me, I could tell that something was off about the object of power. Although I had no clue of what it was at the time.

"Ceremonies aside," mom finally said, addressing us all, as I took the rod from my father. "Mako will be taking over most of the training exercises, although the other inner guardians will sometimes join in. Also each one of you will have separate time with the ones who best know your individual powers or gifts. In time you all will work as a team and try to make up for the other's weaknesses. I and my senshi warriors will be here should you need us, and never be hesitant to ask us anything."

After that we went to a feast that had been prepared for us all, even extended families of my guardian's attended. Each parent or family was proud of their daughter, or granddaughter for some.

"Now she's smiling about something," June loudly whispered to Cere. Breaking me out of my thoughts again.

"Our princess must be sick Rei," Cere said to the older warrior. Hotaru made a small noise that sounded like a small stifled giggle, as Palla sighed.

"Are you ok, Lady?" Rei eventually asked me, concerned.

"I was just remembering the day of our coronation of sorts as senshi warriors a few months ago," I told them, glad for the subject change from the date.

"I thought it was the coolest thing ever," June said. "Mom told me that it was pretty awesome for her when she had hers, although she did admit that the four of us had a late start where's the inner senshi had already knew their powers and such by the time they came to Neo Queen Serenity's thingy when she was a princess."

"It was the celebration of the birth of the new princess," Palla corrected. "They had a ball in her honor. It's not uncommon for royals to have a big celebration for the birth of their heir."

"Palla you are as nerdy as Ami," Cere groaned.

"Cere, it is not polite to talk about someone when they are not present to defend themselves," Rei scolded, giving her a hard stare.

"Well, I have learned a lot from Ami and all the other guardians," Visa said, taking a quiet sip of her tea, Rei had just poured for her. "As for our guardian oath, it was pretty neat. There are some days I am still in disbelief that I am a Sailor Guardian."

"In the time of Queen Selene's rule it was a great honor to be a senshi," Rei said, "A thing that was feared by many in the Golden Kingdom of old. I think they were afraid of people with powers, afraid that we may have overthrown them if we wished. However that was not the intention Selene had, and she had often said that Earth was the planet that should be protected. King Endymion once told me that he thinks that was one of the reasons that the people of his kingdom allowed themselves to be manipulated by Beryl, even the… Shitennou."

"Who, or what, are they," Cere asked, "I don't recall hearing about them in our history lessons."

I was the one who answered. "My father's generals, they were often called The Four Kings of Heaven. They were the four who guarded my father, much like the inner guardians, but they were all males. They were-"

"Enough, no more stories about them," Rei cut me off, a finality tone in her voice. The conversation was over. I knew better than to say anything about them, at least in the presence if the inner guardians, least of all the priestess. Hotaru placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort.

Everyone was quiet for some time. This time it was June who spoke. "You never did answer Cere's question," she said to her.

"What we always do," she eventually sighed. "From what we know, they seemed as if they knew Cere and Palla, and blame Sailor Moon. Although Ami suspects that this may be another enemy in our past, as the Sailor Moon she may be referring to is the Sailor Moon before your time, and when Lady was still Chibi Moon."

"I thought we fought off all of our enemies," Hotaru asked.

Rei laughed sarcastically. "We always find that one that somehow manages to cling to life."

"Could it possibly be…? Queen Nehelenia," Palla asked quietly.

"It's a thought," Rei told her, mostly to herself, as if it was a possibility had not occurred to her.

"I want nothing to do what that accursed woman," June nearly shouted in defiance.

"Especially after what she did to us!" Cere agreed.

"Girls calm down," Hotaru said calmly. "We have nothing to confirm anything just yet."

"I agree with them," I said. "If she ever did find a way to come back, rest assured that I will be ready for her. This time I will not just stand aside and watch my family and friends suffer."

"I am with you one hundred percent, Usagi," Visa said, surprising us. Then held back a sigh. "Just because I disagree with fighting does not mean that I will stand aside. There is a saying in America that says, 'When you want something done, do it yourself.'"

Well that made four of us that seemed to be on the bandwagon. Mom was right in some way, our bond was all telling us the same thing, or seemed to be. Palla had yet to say anything though, but I could tell by the conflicting look in her eyes that she wanted to say something. I guess the others did too. They seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for her input.

"I have to agree," she eventually said. "I refuse to be put under their order again. However, as Hotaru said we have no way of confirming that it is her. Even if it is, we have a long fight ahead of us. We need to be as informed about this as much as possible. The fight technically happened many years ago, so the events that had happened may not be so fresh in everyone's minds."

"Except for our very own Lady Serenity," Hotaru told Palla, looking at me. "Lady was only in the past a couple of years ago."

"I chose not to remember anything in that time…" I lied, looking away from everyone.

"Usagi if you can remember Helios, then you can remember everything that happened," Cere told me teasingly.

"Why would I want to remember that time?" I shot back. "Both Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask were nearly killed by her curse. Helios was nearly killed as well. Then I discovered that I have guardians, and that my guardians were some pawns to a darkened heart like hers, which I do not hold against you. That was a lot to take in." I went quiet, looking at my food, my appetite now gone. "Do you know what the worst part is?" I then asked.

"The worst part was there was nothing I could do. Sure, I helped give my power to Sailor Moon, I even helped heal Helios... but I will never be as powerful as Sailor Moon, all I ever did was just help. I was never of any real use…" I trailed off. The tears that I had been holding back were flowing freely. "I- this conversation is done. Lady Mars, I am done with my meal and I shall be taking my leave." I pushed away from the table and started to leave.

"Hotaru, go after her," I heard Rei say as I ran off.

I ran towards my room. Not really listening to the surprised gasp of the palace workers that I ran past. They didn't understand, no one did. I was Sailor Moon, the new Sailor Moon, but I would never be as strong as her. I was still nothing more than a girl with silly dreams. A mere dreamer, with a weak heart. The crystal was wrong to choose me, and my mother was wrong about me. I have neither courage, humility, maybe a little love, but I was defiantly a dreamer.

"I think you sell yourself too short, Usagi," a voice interrupted me. I hadn't realized that my feet had carried me outside just outside the doors that led to my favorite garden, or noticed that I had been talking aloud. I looked up and my father was standing in front of me. He helped me to my feet.

"I thought you were at the meeting with mom," I asked him, as I tried to hold back sniffles. He took my arm gentleman like and started walking me back into the palace.

"I had a separate meeting I had to attend to, busy trying to prepare for the trip, as well as boring old budgeting of the damage done from the fight yesterday," he explained with a smile. "I could tell you all about it, but I'm sure that you already have lots of things on your mind."

I felt ashamed. "I am no more important than the people that I protect. As a queen it will be expected of me to do that duty one day."

"There is no shame in thinking about yourself sometimes," he told me firmly, but in a kind tone. "If we never took time for ourselves then we could not protect the ones we love and treasure. You are still young, enjoy your time as the princess, when the time is right, your mother and I will start to have you join in on these meetings, be it senshi meetings or even other meetings."

"Father," I said with a sigh, "I think people expect it of me now," I told him, "I am young in appearance, but I am well over nine hundred years old."

"Age is but a number," he told me and then smiled, "but you are young in spirit, and your age never seemed to hamper your spirit. A trait shared by your mother."

"I find it hard to believe that I am anything like her," I scoffed, then laughed. "Perhaps maybe I'm more like her younger Usagi self, like the time when I was in the past. Late to most things, over eating, a complete flake sometimes…" I trailed off.

"Maybe," he said with a chuckle. "But you also have a good heart, and your intentions means well. You will figure things out."

"What if I never figure things out?" I asked him almost muttering.

"Even an acorn can grow into a mighty oak one day, given the right care and love through Mother Nature, sometimes we help that acorn along the road," he said.

"Some days I just feel like a… Twisted gnarled up root that's severely disfigured," I said making gestures with my hands.

My dad laughed. "I did not say that the path would be easy."

I smiled a little. "Maybe not, but that's just how I feel."

"I'm sure you will figure it out, Usagi," he told me with a smile, patting my hand. "In the meantime do what you can while you can, but enjoy what life has to offer, even in the most trying times, find the joy in it too."

"Alright dad," I said trying to smile at him, without it seeming forced. "I will do my best."

"That's my girl!"

#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*

My father and I finally parted ways. He had another meeting to attend to and I had to prepare for vacation, which would just be in a few days. Kaden and his mom would be leaving in just two or three days' time. There wasn't much time left, and I had a ton of things that needed doing, only one thing seemed to be weighing on my mind more than anything; was it wise to go on vacation when there was another threat on Crystal Tokyo? It was a real problem, one that I needed to figure out. There is a new threat, my father is getting weak and is not capable to use his crystal to the best of his ability, and on top of all that, my feelings of self-doubt was not going to help us at all. If my mom's guardians are not able to figure out a solution than I'm pretty sure that it was going have to be up to me to get down to the bottom of these issues.

It might have had something to do with that accursed queen. That would be a start, but I was fairly certain that my mother had defeated her back in the past. He didn't mention his queen or princess by name, perhaps it was another villain from her previous life? That wouldn't explain how he knew Sailor Moon, as there was no Sailor Moon back in my mom's previous life, nor were my guardians. That was another piece of the puzzle that needed solving. They blamed me for killing their queen, although it's possible that it was my mom, and he had called my guardians traitors. Did my guardians have a past that not even they were aware of?

"Gah! These thoughts are getting me nowhere!" I shouted, feeling frustrated. I purposely fell face forward into my bed. "It's only leading to more questions that I cannot answer!"

"Perhaps I can help, Lady."

I snapped up off my bed surprised by the sudden quiet voice. I had not been expecting anyone in my room. I came nearly face to face with Kaden. In fact, he had been so close to my bed that I bumped into him and fell back onto my bed on my butt with an oomph.

"Kaden! I-I was not… uh, expecting you," I nearly stuttered, finding words failing. I was also finding it hard to look him in the eyes, especially after last night.

"I did not mean to startle you, Lady Serenity," he mumbled, as he took a seat in a chair next to my study desk. "In fact, I only came to say good bye."

I looked at him in surprise. "You're leaving? My mom said that you and your mom were going to stay for a week."

Kaden nodded and ran a hand through his sandy blonde hair. "Yeah, later this evening. I just thought… Well you know, that I could go ahead and help out with the newly cultivated planets. I thought it would be kind of fun to do. It would be a change."

I was astounded. "What about the whole, 'I'm hoping for other things to happen before being sent off to an unfamiliar planet.'" I quipped.

He stood up and walked to my door, hand on the frame with his back to me. "Lady Serenity, when I said that I was talking about you. I had hoped to change your mind about me, but when I failed in doing so, my last hope was that the golden crystal would choose me… and when it did not, I knew that I was not the one meant to be by your side."

I shook my head as if to clear it. "That does not mean you have to leave, I- I don't want you to leave just because-."

"Don't make this hard for me Serenity!" He suddenly shouted, almost sounding mad. Before I could have another chance to respond, he hurriedly left my room. I got up as quickly as I could and tried to follow after him, but when I got to my door and looked around and he was gone. I leaned my back against the doorframe, and slid to the floor, then drew my knees to my chest, and buried my face into my knees. For some reason his decision had hurt.

Then I heard purring and felt a little pressure against my legs. "You ok Lady?"

"Oh Diana," I almost wailed. "I feel so lost right now. My heart has never felt so divided, it's left me feeling… I don't think I have the words to describe it. I'm such a mess."

I picked up Diana, and put her on my lap and ran my hands through her soft grey fur, hoping to soothe myself. She had always been there giving me comfort, ever since I was small. Sometimes I didn't know what I would do without her.

"Lady," she said, "Everyone thinks you are doing very well. Even my mom, which is saying a lot for the uptight person that she can be. As for your divided feelings, things will get better in time. Your friends and I will be here to help you, and you have the other guardians too."

I sighed, she was right and I knew that. However, I was still uneasy about everything that had happened since Kaden's first day here. It almost seemed like a coincidence that he should visit, then he admitted his feelings. My visit to Elysion, although brief, was another problem, what had finally allowed me visit? That in itself was a big enigma. Then there was the matter of the golden crystal, his mom asking questions, and then when Kaden had it, he didn't steal it, even though he had had the chance to do so. Last and foremost there was the boy upon the spider, and new threat.

"I just feel like I should know what to do," I muttered.

"And you will, in time," she assured me. "Do you want to talk about what happened a moment ago?"

I sighed again. "You heard Kaden yell at me didn't you?" she nodded her furry grey head. "I don't know what that was all about," I told her. "He was telling me that he was leaving later today, when I tried telling him that I did not want him to leave, and I was about to tell him why when he suddenly snapped at me and left. I got up to chase after him but when I reached the hallway he was already gone."

"I guess that confirms what my mom said too," Diana said half to herself.

"What would that be?"

"Well I overheard my mom talking to Lady Minako," she said nearly whispering. "Luna was making an observation about Kaden's earnest behavior about the crystal yesterday. She said that he was trying his hardest to use the crystal. Minako said that she had seen how hard he had taken it, like a lover losing his beloved, as she had put it. Luna then said that he had told my father that he was leaving, and thought that him not being able to use the crystal had something to do with it."

I nodded, looking away from her. "He said something like that earlier before he had shouted at me."

"Usagi," she said softly. "Did something happen between you and Kaden yesterday after you came back home?"

The question set off a blush to my cheeks, and I found that I didn't want to answer. I could see the seriousness in her eyes, but a genuine curiosity. "Keep it just between you and I ok? I'm not ready to really discuss my relationship with Kaden just yet with the others." When she nodded. I then told her about what happened with Kaden yesterday evening, about our talk, him still having the crystal, his abrupt kiss and then leaving the crystal with me.

"Sounds like that prince has some unrequited love for you lady," she observed with a laugh.

"Perhaps with would be so," I replied, not telling her about how I really felt about the whole ordeal. Although, in all honesty, I was not sure where my feelings lied either.

We heard footsteps in the hall, and looked up to see a relieved Hotaru hurriedly walking over to us. When she reached us, she gave me a very serious look, almost as if she were silently scolding me. "Why aren't you answering your communicator?"

"I turned it off," I answered surprised. "I needed some time to think and I was getting ready to start packing for our vacation. Why do you ask?"

"There has been another attack, this time at the palace gates," she informed me as Diana jumped off my lap.

"Where is the Quartet?" Diana asked her.

"Rei had told me to try to find you earlier, and I had been looking for a while, then when Venus called me she told me to continue to search for you, and told me that the Quartet was going to have to look too. We need to keep you a safe as possible."

I stood up and we started walking in the general direction of the security surveillance room, which was located on the top floor in the most central area of the palace, Diana following from behind us.

"Is it the same boy from yesterday?"

She shook her head. "I am not sure, Venus did not tell me much, and she said that she would tell us when we got there. Although Kaden was with her," she added, with a quick sideways glance at me.

"Why would Kaden be there?" I questioned thoroughly surprised.

"Because he wants to make sure you are safe, Lady," Diana stated, as if it were a fact.

"He does care for you, Usagi," Hotaru agreed.

"He really shouldn't," I whispered, "I- I cannot love him the way he wants me to."

"Who are you trying to convince? Me, him, or yourself?" Hotaru inquired gently.

That was a question that I had no answer to. I shook my head as if to rid myself of the thoughts that came to my head. "Let's just get to the surveillance room," I retorted, angry with her questions. The rest of the walk there was in silence.