Chibiusa, the queen of Crystal Tokyo, stared out at the massive crowd spread beneath her. As queen she always had the best views and this one of seeing her subjects celebrating her birthday, always took her breath away. This year was different, however, this year she was remembering not just her own birthday, but her mother's as well. Oh, how Chibiusa hated herself at times now. She had fought with her mother over what had seemed oh so important before, but now she realized that the squabbles they had endured over things that couldn't be changed were pointless. Her mother was gone, the Ginzuishou was missing, and Chibiusa was heartbroken every day.

She sighed heavily as she saw images of her mother held aloft in the crowds' hands. Everyone loved the eternally young queen. It had been heartbreaking to the kingdom when it was revealed she was missing. The only protector left was Chibiusa herself, and since she refused all suitors, she was going to be destined to be the last once more. "Puu," she whispered as a tear trailed down her weathered cheek. What she wouldn't have done for one of her best and most trusted friends to be alive.

Unable to take the grieving and the celebration that was erupting from all corners of the kingdom, Chibiusa let the silky curtain fall from her fingertips and turned her back on the scene. What she needed was to forget what day it was, she needed to escape, if even for the length of a short nap. She just wanted to get away from it all, she'd even be willing to follow her mother if it meant she could apologize or have the other woman back. She climbed into her lonely four poster bed and pulled the covers up tight beneath her chin. "I'm sorry, Usagi….no, mama."

ooo

"Small Lady?" the voice was hesitant and as the speaker stepped into view he gasped. "You look… so different. I have not seen you in so many years, and yet I never imagined you would change." He shook his head in confusion, his pale mane fluttering with the movement. A pair of eyes as red as Chibiusa's own was staring at the older woman in pure shock. "Forgive me for being rude, but, what are you doing here?"

She couldn't answer, she had not seen him in so long. "Elios?" his name was the only thing she could force from her lips for a long moment. Feelings that had filled her when she was still a young child came back and hit her full force. Of course, this was the sole reason she had for never marrying, never even considering a suitor. "I can't believe it's really you! I thought…." Her voice trailed off as she realized she wasn't even aware of what she had thought happened to him. It had been so long after all, why was their contact broken?

His Pegasus form dissolved around him as he stepped closer to her. He was a little taller now, more the size of a young man the young boy he had been before. "I felt your pain." He hesitated for the breath of a moment while he struggled with what he was going to relay next. "Chibiusa?" the words sounded so odd even to him. As he got her full attention he took a deep breath and stared her straight in the eye, "I know where your mother is."

Chibiusa felt like the prison she had found herself in, was suddenly shattered and she was free. "Usagi?" she rushed forward and grabbed Elios's hands, she didn't care the young man's cheeks gained a pale pink tint from the contact. "Where is she? Is she alive?"

Elios tore his gaze away from her hopeful one. "I don't know how to explain this, she is not dead, well, not exactly. The Ginzuishou can't kill her." He risked the pause to glance at her eyes and cursed himself as he saw how happy his words had made her. "Wait," he whispered and took a step away so he had no contact from her. "Chibiusa, listen to me, you can never see her again. She is not in our world."

The world as she knew it was torn from under her feet. She collapsed like a doll that had its strings cut and just stared woodenly up at what she had assumed was her savior. "No. There has to be a way!" her arguing voice was loud and echoed in their dream landscape.

Elios winced from the noise. "There is only one way, and you cannot do that to your people, Chibiusa. They would be all alone."

"I don't care anymore!" Chibiusa had gained her feet and towered over him her crimson eyes bright with fervor. "If there is a way to get the only family I have left back, I am going to do it! What is it, Elios? What are you not telling me?"

"She's been reborn into another world. I only know because my power lapses into that world as well. I have seen her dreams, and right now she is stuck inside a dream as she waits for the Ginzuishou to release her."

The decision was made in an instant. No matter the consequences she was going to set things right. "Take me to her, please, Elios."

He could never deny her. So, with the power he possessed, he brought her soul with him across worlds. Unfortunately, this meant that her physical body was abandoned and grew cold as death claimed its due. There would be no going back for Chibiusa of Crystal Tokyo.

ooo

"What is it?" Seiryuu studied the statue closely as he walked around it again and again.

"I'm not sure…" Suzaku was just as puzzled as his brother. The life sized crystalized figure of the young woman had just suddenly appeared in their midst. "Perhaps she is a fellow goddess?" he frowned at those words as soon as he said them. He knew the world was based on four gods, not five.

Seiryuu fairly snorted at his brother's remark. "I would not doubt if this is a trap of some sort… maybe from those others?" he took a step closer and stared at the statue's face. "It looks real, too real."

Suzaku felt he had to agree. He himself stepped closer and gently touched the statue's cheek. She was in such a demure pose, just like a girl with her hands clasped in desperate prayer. "She looks… sad." Seiryuu had stepped aside so his brother could get closer and Suzaku put his face next to the girls. "I think, she's real." He decided as he stared into those endless sapphire eyes behind the crystal glaze.

"Suzaku!" Seiryuu had noticed something peculiar instantly. "The closer you get, the more that thing is starting to glow, be careful!" rivals as they may be, he still cared somewhat for his brother.

"Really?" Suzaku stepped even closer his nose touching the girl's. She reminded him of his miko to be honest. So young and pure and even that silly hairstyle. Being this close he could actually see the glow himself. The entire statue was shining with a reddish hue. "Interesting," he mused. "Seiryuu, come here."

Seiryuu frowned but did as he bade. As his brother motioned closer he signed in disdain and stepped as close as Suzaku was. As soon as he was within range he realized that the crystal now had threads of blue intertwining with the red power that was throbbing throughout. He abruptly took a step backwards and the threads vanished as if they had never been. "Suzaku, I believe this girl might be one of those ancient mikos that was punished for their indulging themselves and leaving their kingdom to suffer, even you said she looks like a miko. We should leave her to her fate."

"No," Suzaku was not to be denied. "She is a goddess, look at her. We should save her, please Seiryuu, step forward again. I think with both of our powers combined we should be able to awaken her. I believe the fact that our powers were awoken when we were near her proves that. She is like us, I'm sure she has a miko of her own."

Seiryuu resisted the urge to roll his eyes. His brother was such a romantic. Still believing that this was a horrible idea, Seiryuu stepped even closer than before and let his hand graze the crystalized figure. He felt like sparks were traveling from him into the limbs of the girl. Blue and red power was seeping from his and his brother's bodies and causing the entire figure to glow and pulse.

Suzaku caught his breath as a giant crack resounded through the area and a moment later deep cracks traveled swiftly over the silent figure. Another loud crack had him wince from the sheer loudness and a bright light stole his vision. A moment later the light died down and a sharp intake of breath caught his attention; the girl inside the crystal had finally awoken.

"Where am I?" the woman stepped out of the shattered remains of her prison and studied her environment as carefully as she could. All too soon her thoughts were snagged by the two men who were glowing and studying her with scrutiny. "Who are you?"

"My name is Suzaku, I am pleased to meet you, Miss…?"

"I think it is Serenity, but I do not know for sure. I do not remember anything about myself or how I was in a crystal or anything, but, Serenity sounds right." She turned her puzzled gaze to the silent stranger studying her with narrowed eyes. "You are…?"

Seiryuu snorted. He didn't trust this woman. She didn't remember her name? A likely story. "Seiryuu, and I do not trust you. Suzaku believes you are one of us a god, but I do not. I will be keeping an eye on you."

"I'm sorry." Serenity did her best to escape the steady gaze of the angry brother. "I did not mean to make you upset, and I promise I will do my best to ensure it does not keep happening." She sighed heavily and was startled by a light touch on her shoulder.

"That's enough, Seiryuu." Suzaku turned his heated gaze on Seiryuu and gently patted Serenity's shoulder. "She has given you no reason to treat her as a criminal just yet. If she is as I believe one of us. That means she has a miko somewhere out there. She will one day be summoned and we should support her and allow her to remain with us until then. I am positive that the reason she appeared in our midst is a vital one." His expression softened and he smiled serenely at the young woman, "Serenity, I promise that no harm will come to you. I will do my best to help you."

"You realize that our own mikos are extremely close to summoning us, correct? How do you propose to protect her and help her if we are all competing against one another? My miko has been gathering her warriors at a steady pace and soon my time to arise will be upon us."

"Um," Serenity cocked her head much like a curious dog hearing a sound for the first time. "You are gods?" for some reason she didn't exactly seem surprised, but the idea was so foreign and strange. The magic that still seemed to crackle in the air had not phased her but the mention of otherworldly beings?

"We are," Seiryuu answered, defiance reverberating through his words. "You are not. We have a miko, a woman who has been summoned from another world. She will meet several warriors that have been born here with the express purpose of summoning us. When that happens we will be summoned to our miko's side and we will give her the power to have three of her wishes granted."

Suzaku was secretly relieved that this mysterious woman was not a miko. He was more certain than ever that he would not want her life risked as was the custom of all of the mikos that had been summoned. Out of the two that had been summoned one had been devoured by her god, and the other had been able to go home but had not had the happy ending she had so desperately deserved. Things were not looking too good for the two current mikos in play either so it would be far better for her to truly be a god.

"So if I am a god, that means I have a miko too? How would I know when she enters the world and how would I even give her powers? I do not feel any power in me."

Seiryuu smirked. "You probably do not have power in you." He ignored Suzaku's glare. "If you even had a miko you would know as soon as she entered the world. While you wouldn't have contact with her, you would feel a very strong rush of power flow through you and your symbol of power would glow brightly." Seiryuu's eyes narrowed as he noticed something quite odd. "Serenity, have you always had that crescent moon on your forehead?" Suzaku's righteous laughter was his only response as he felt the power swirling around the young woman in their midst.