Chapter 3
The senshi and Tuxedo Kamen stared at the silver haired royal in shock. They couldn't comprehend what she had said. She said she was their princess and they still had to look for her? Mamoru didn't understand that. One look at Sailor Moon made him realise that she held the same confused and shocked expression. Seeing that neither of the senshis were gonna talk, he spoke up.
"What do you mean?" Tuxedo Kamen asked, looking at her wide blue eyes. The silver haired goddess sighed and kept her gaze on him and Sailor Moon, seeming to ignore the other senshis. She took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak again.
"I am from the future, and right now I am a Queen, Queen Serenity. You still need to find my past self, the one who is the princess. Your version. So your search is definitely not over," she said it with a frown. He didn't understand why she was frowning but then Sailor Mercury spoke up suddenly.
"But-time travel? I-how is that even possible? That's scientifically not probable" Mercury's mind couldn't understand it. Their princess-well Queen, only gave them a sheepish smile. A smile which struck familiarity in Mamoru, but he couldn't place why it was so familiar to him.
"You've seen stranger things since you became a senshi. Trust me when I say nothing is truly impossible. Logic is hard to keep" the purple suited man said it while keeping his arm wrapped around her waist. He saw her turn to look at him wistfully before turning to look back at them. She had an understanding expression on her face.
"Even though it seems rather far-fetched I am telling the truth when I say that I am from the future. Things have become….rather dangerous in the future and not even my senshis, well your future selves, could have kept me safe. So we time travelled here, for safety's sake and to also use my past self's help" her eyes then went swiftly to Sailor Moon's before it averted away.
"Is that even possible? To have such a strong enemy that our future selves cannot handle it? Some protectors we turned out to be" Jupiter muttered, not liking this news of their future failure. They work so hard to find their princess and then they turn out to be useless with her protection. Their still nameless future princess smiled at her sadly. Their silence was interrupted by Mars, whose eyes were full of suspicion.
"I don't buy it" she cut through, glaring at the silver haired royal. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen turned to glare at Mars but she ignored them, "It's ridiculous, besides if you needed your past self's help, why show up now when we don't have her. I say that you're both sent here by the Dark Kingdom and I don't appreciate the attempt" Mars declared it with flame sparks already showing in her hands. Sailor Moon called out Mars name but she didn't listen to her. Before either of them could blink, Mars threw her flame. Tuxedo Kamen didn't even have time to interfere or pull her away.
Though to their relief and amazement, she easily caught flame in the palm of her hand and she closed her fist in it, easily diminishing the fireball. Mars eyes were wide, while the rest of them were in awe at the power she exuded. Her eyes, which had been soft so far was fully hard now, anger in them.
"Whether you choose to believe it or not, I am telling the truth. And your service is to the moon Sailor Mars" she spoke curtly, cold eyes trained directly on the ebony haired senshi "Now unless you want me to strip you of your power, you will control your temper."
Mars's eyes went wide in anger while Sailor Moon and the others gasped at the cold words.
"You can't do that!" she shouted.
"Oh I certainly can. You may think I am not who I say I am, but I am. And in future I have acquired enough power. The point is, if you force me, I will strip away your power from you Senshi of Mars. It may cause a paradox but I will if you force my hand," she tilted her head while staring at her. Mars stiffened, her eyes reflecting fear for the first time. Her defensive stance vanished and she stayed there quietly.
Usagi looked impressed though she was in the awe of their princess's power. With that much power she should be able to easily crush Queen Beryl if-no-when they found her. While the other senshis appeared frightened now, Usagi wasn't. She just didn't feel fear towards her. Instead she felt a connection, a connection she couldn't understand. She wondered if it was because she was the senshi of the moon. For the woman in front of her was the moon princess, maybe they had a connection because of their planet? The tension which Mars had triggered still hadn't left. The purple suited man tugged her closer to his side and she saw her physically relax. She observed the man next to her too. She felt oddly drawn to him too, he looked so familiar but she couldn't place her finger on what it actually was. She felt that it was obvious but she couldn't make the exact connection.
She shook her head and then looked around to notice that all the senshis were still staring at her with fear. Not liking the way they were staring at their princess, Usagi tried to think of a way to break the sudden ice which had overtaken them. Her mind then registered an earlier sentence which she had uttered. She looked at her and then asked.
"Queen Serenity, that's what you called yourself. But you can only become a Queen after marriage isn't it?" Sailor Moon raised the question staring at the pair in front of her. At this, Serenity smiled slightly, seeming amused by her question.
"Yes," she replied. At this the other senshis snapped out of the stupor and stared at her, while Tuxedo Kamen visibly stiffened. He didn't like the insinuation that she was truly taken.
"What!?" all the senshis apart from Sailor Moon screamed.
"You mean you're married? Does that mean we have a Prince or King who we have to protect as well? Wait, who?" Sailor Mercury asked, her eyes wide while trying to process the details.
Serenity did not answer, though her eyes went to the man beside her. As if the connection registered, their eyes went wide and they stared at them, eyes on the man beside her.
"So you're our King, wow didn't see that coming. A princess and a prince…" muttered Jupiter under her breath. Sailor Moon turned to look at Tuxedo Kamen and his face was dark, with anger? But why was he so angry? She didn't get it.
"Umm…so we have two royals to find and protect, as well as deal with Beryl and the new-err future enemy?" Sailor Moon summed up staring at them.
"Yes about the new enemy, we need more information, what are their powers?" Mercury spoke up, her mind running at different miles at the revelation. Suddenly Serenity raised her hands and spoke up.
"I think we need to crash for the night. It's already late and I think you all have had enough surprise for the day. Tomorrow morning we will regroup. I'll call you all and we will convene somewhere. For now I think we need a good night's rest, lord knows I am tired," Serenity said it while laying her head on the unnamed man's shoulder beside her.
"That's a good idea," Sailor Moon said it, while looking at her senshis. They certainly needed the break to think it through. Boy she couldn't wait to inform Luna, she would explode at the revelations of the night.
"Where will you stay?" Mars asked cautiously while staring at the couple.
"I'd offer my place but with two of you, my mother would notice" Mercury said it out-loud.
"And I live with my brother and parents, so they would definitely notice" Sailor Moon said it while thinking.
"They can stay with me," Tuxedo Kamen finally spoke up after several seconds of silence. Immediately the senshis and the couple turned to look at him. Serenity had a thoughtful look in her face and then a smile overtook her face.
"Actually that would work perfectly, considering you live alone and you're offering, so no exposure at all done," Serenity said it out-loud while staring at the man beside her. She didn't notice Tuxedo Kamen stiffening and staring at her in a shocked gaze. The way she spoke, it was as if she knew how he lived and his own apartment. While that surprised him, a part of him was pleased. Then Mars's indignant voice interrupted their conversation.
"You can't stay with him, we don't trust him. He is the enemy," Mars said it while glaring at him. Tuxedo Kamen looked at the ebony senshi with dark eyes. His dislike for her was growing more and more as the time past. He knew she didn't like him, but that didn't mean he tolerated that happily. From the corner of his eyes he saw Sailor Moon sway towards where he was situated and glare at Mars. To have her support appeased him. He didn't care for the other senshis, only one he did was Sailor Moon. She was the reason he even bothered showing up or helping them. He doubted that if Sailor Moon hadn't existed, he would even be helping the others.
"Actually…" Serenity's soft voice interrupted their second stare off, "I wouldn't call my husband my enemy. Especially with me. Frankly, I'd call his place the safest anyway" she said it in a nonchalant voice.
Silence reigned them as everyone registered her words. Then Tuxedo Kamen froze and Sailor Moon's eyes went to the purple tuxedo suited man beside Serenity.
"Oh god" it finally hit Usagi why he seemed to familiar to her, her mind connected the dots as she stared at the oh-so-familiar man in a different colour suit than the one she was used to "You're the future Tuxedo Kamen?!"
