Okay, I know that Sailor Moon and Everyone used in this story are the creations of Naoko Takeuchi. I claim no rights to Sailor Moon, etc at all. The only thing in this story that is my original idea, are the following people: David, Matt, Natasha, Shannon, Kelly, Andrew and Darcy, who are characters based on my friends. Okay, thankx. The Life of the Heir to the Silver Millenium Hello. My name is Serenity. While in my long sleep, that the Black Moon put on me, I was able to recall all the things that happened while I was princess of the past moon. I remember it like a dream, but I can see it clearly. I know that this must not make much sense. Oh well. Here is how it began, happened, and ended. It all started with the dissappearence of my father. I was only a little girl when he left, but I remember him saying that he would miss me when he went away. My mother never told me what happened to him or where he went. Anyhow, after my father disappeared, it was just my mother and I who lived in the Moon Castle. We led a quiet life, considering our ranks. After he left, my mother was made the sole ruler of the Silver Millenium and the Moon. I guess you know what my rank was. I was the crowned princess. I was the heir to the throne, the Silver Millenium, and the future keeper Imperium Silver Crystal. The crystal was very precious to us. It had the power to save or end our kingdom, and if it got into the wrong hands, we would be doomed. I had a few true friends, not many, but a few. They were all princesses, as well. They ruled the planets, and my mother ruled the universe. I will describe them now, so you will be able to picture them better. First there was Ami, Princess of Mercury. She was by far my closest friend, next to Mina. Ami was the sailor scout of ice, which proved very useful when fighting any enemy. She also was the smartest person in the galaxy, next to my mother, of course. Next came Mina, my personal body guard. She was the princess of Venus, and thus had the power to control the forces of love, if she wished. She also looked almost exacly like me. She and I used to switch places, so that I could go see the Prince of the Earth, Darien. *sigh*.......Ahem, um... Then there was princess Mars, Rei. She had a temper like the element she controlled. She was the senshi of fire. You didn't even have to see her in senshi's clothes to know that. She liked to spend her time on her planet reading the sacred fire that the first Mars ruler had lit. Lita, on the other hand, didn't have quite as bad a temper. She was the princess of Jupiter, and was the senshi of thunder and lightning. She was the strongest of us all, by far, but never faught if she didn't have to. The only problem with Lita, was that she never found love. We all did, except her. Anywho, Princess Saturn was an unusual person. Hotaru was the youngest of us all, but she controlled one of the most dangerous elements. She was the senshi of death. She never used her power for evil, but she wasn't afraid to use it in battle. The next princess, is Haruka, princess Uranus. She held the element of Natural Disasters. She was as stubborn as Rei, maybe worse. She also wasn't really a princess. She pretended to be a prince, so she could get close to the princess Neptune. Neptune, or Michiru, was a beautiful princess. She was probably the prettiest of us all. She was the keeper of the element of water. She spent her days in quiet meditation, either swimming, or watching the waves in the streams and ponds of her planet. And last, but certainly not least, was Setsuna, the princess of Pluto. I never really met her, because of her duty. She held the element of time, and so, she was confined forever to the gates of time. She was rarely ever visited by anyone, but mother. I was never allowed to go with mom, so I didn't know her that well. My friends and I saw each other often enough, but still I was often overwhelmed by a sense of loneliness. I was a friendly, happy person, but I was very lonely, because none of my friends lived nearby, and I was often too busy to visit them. Since I was the heir to the throne and the Silver Millenuim, I was always the centre of attention. I know that you must be thinking that that would be nice, but, believe me, it wasn't. People were always fussing over my schooling, my clothes, how I should spend my free time, the fact that I knew nothing of politics, and of course, who I should marry when I am old enough. I was always being told, "A lady acts like..." or "A lady does not...., " and I must not forget, "You are forbidden from.....because you are a princess." That last one I hated the most. It was forbidden for the princess of the Moon to socialize with the people of the Earth. I never really cared much for that rule, until I was 16. Even then, mom was really relaxed about that rule. So relaxed, it scared me. "Mother! The other girls are going down to Earth for a 'camping' trip! May I go!! PLEASE!" I begged, as I ran into my mother's office. She was talking with my teachers and her advisors. She looked up, with a smile. "What is that you ask, honey?" "Mom, the other girls are going down to Earth for a tour of the planet and a 'camping' trip. PLEASE may I go? Please??" I begged again, looking at the pattern on the carpet. I didn't want to look up, for fear that she would be displeased. It was forbidden for my family to go down there. I looked up and saw her smiling. "I suppose you can go, Serena. But, just this once. Tell the girls to come here before you leave. I want to talk to you all before you leave." "Yay!!!!! Thank you mom!" I cried, giving her a big hug. "I'll go get packed!........What should I pack?" "I'll help you, in a minute. Now go on, I'll be along." My mother said, pushing me gently out of the room. I skipped to my room, and sent a message to all of the princesses telling them about my good luck, and my mother's instructions. I waited for a few minutes, and then my mother came in. "Now, Serena. You are taking a tour, and going on a camping trip?" My mother asked, as she walked over to my closet. "Yep!" I said, beaming, "I need to know what to pack." "Well, first you will need a couple pairs of shorts, and a few t-shirts, some socks, a sleeping bag, and one gown." My mother said, pulling things out of my..um..how shall we say, 'cluttered' closet. She found my black, white, orange and blue shorts, my white tank top, red halter, and two green short sleeved blouses. She also pulled out my blue skirt, long plain white dress, and a couple pairs of sandals. Then came the descision of what gown. I chose to bring my normal one, since it was the lightest and easiest to put on. When we had completed packing, we sent word for the others to come over. While we waited, my mother gave me strict instructions. "I want you to be one your best behaviour, Serena. If you should meet anyone, be extremely polite. They are easily offended, but easily befriended also." "Don't worry, mom. I'll be fine." I reassured her. The princesses arrived shortly after that talk, and we walked into the dinning room. My mother sat down, as did we. "Now girls. When you are down there, you will be on your best behaviours, I hope." My mother started. "Yes, Queen Serenity." We answered. "Okay. Have fun. Who are you going to be going on the trip with?" My mother asked. "We are going with the Imperial family of Earth. They invited me, and said I could bring all my friends if I chose." Ami said. "That's good. When do you leave?" "Tomorrow." I said. "Well than, you better get rested. I shall see you all in the morning." My mother said, as she left the room. "This is gonna be so cool!" Mina said suddenly. "I know! This is my first time there!" I said. "You've never been?" Ami asked. "No." I replied. "Wow. I've been twice." Ami said. "Cool." Rei said. "So, is everyone here?" I asked. "Yes, all except Setsuna and Hotaru." Michiru answered. "Okay, let's go to our rooms." I said, leading the way. We all walked to our chambers, and fell asleep. We rose the next morning early, so that we could leave as quickly as possible. Mother met us in the dining room at 7:30. She checked our luggage, and made sure we had everything. "Okay girls. You all have fun..... And don't forget your manners!!!" She reminded. "Ok. Bye mom!" I called, as I walked out to the launching pad. "Bye Queen Serenity!" The girls shouted. We walked to the ship that was to take us down. It was not until after we had taken off, that we all cried out in excitement. "Oh my God!! I'm actually going!! Mom let me!! I am so happy!" I said. "Your mom must have been in a good mood." Haruka smiled. "Yeah." I agreed. "When we get there, we won't be landing at the palace." Ami started. We all looked at her in suprise. "We're gonna have to walk to the palace. It's right next door, so we needn't worry." "Okay." No sooner had she said that, then we were landing. When the ship touched the ground, the hatch opened. The girls got out first, thanking the pilot. I got out last. When I stepped out, my breath was taken away. The beauty of that planet was unreal. The sky was such a soft blue, and the valley's were endless. I could see a brook in the distance, by the mountain, with a waterfall that flowed as serenely as a fountain. We picked up our bags, and headed for the palace. "So, Ami, what is the Royal family like here?" I asked. "They are really nice. When I came earlier last year, they were very polite and kind." She answered. She looked continued, with a slight reddening in her cheeks. "They have a son, named Darien. He is very handsome." "That's nice." Rei said, smirking. When we had reached the palace, Ami knocked on the huge marble door in front of us. We waited a few moments, but no one answered. Lita tried again, and still nobody came. "That's odd." Ami said to no one. I looked through the window beside the door, and saw a young man at the window staring out at......me! I smiled, and blushed, and ran over to Mina. "Mina! There's a guy in there! He was staring at me!" I said. "Was he cute?" She asked, a glimmer in her eye. "Yes! He was very cute!" I found myself saying. "Hmmmm......" Mina smiled. "What do you mean, '"hmmmm?'" I asked. "Nothin'" She said, with a wink. "Ami are you sure it was today?" Lita asked. "I'm sure. I wonder why no one has answered." Ami thought out loud. Then, as if on cue, the door opened. There stood the young man I had seen only moments before. He stood there with a regal look. He looked at us, and smiled. "Ami! How are you!" He rushed to give her a hug. Ami was thrilled to see her friend again. "I'm great! Oh, may I present my friends, princesses Lita, Rei, Haruka, Michiru, Mina, and my very best friend, the moon princess Serena." The others all bobbed curtsies one by one. I, however, just stood there, staring at him. He was so cute. I knew I was blushing, but paid no attention. When his eyes rested on me, and spoke my name, I'm sure I blushed even more. "Princess Serena, " He said, taking my hand and kissing it, "It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Ami is always talking about you." I blushed, and replied, "The pleasure is all mine, sir." The girls all strted to giggle, and I saw Mina smirking behind Haruka. I blushed even redder. It was amazing. I had blushed three different shades of red in a matter of seconds. Anyway, after our meeting, he invited us into the house. Before we went in, however, he offered me his arm, and led me through the palace. I could hear Mina whispering something behind me as I walked along, but couldn't make out what she was saying. We entered a huge room, with a fireplace and marble flooring. It had furniture placed stratigically around a coffee table in the middle of the room. "Please sit down." Darien said to us. I sat on a small couch, now know as the 'loveseat'. To my suprise, Darien sat right beside me. I could see the others were desperately trying to hold back their giggles, which some of them couldn't do...... especially Mina. I shot them a sly smile. That only made Mina giggle even more. "Well girls, looks like you came on a good day. But, we won't be able to leave until tomorrow. So, in the mean time, you can explore the grounds if you like." He motioned for a maid to come over. She smiled brightly at us. "Natasha will show you all your rooms." Natasha curtsied to her master, and nodded for us to follow. We walked into the ballroom, and saw how elegant it was. We then waked out, and climbed a beautifully crafted staircase. We were all marveling at the beauty of this palace. We were about half way up the stairs, when Darien called Natasha back. She hastily excused herself, and ran down the stairs to see what Darien wanted. We all stood there, watching the two of them. While talking, Darien kept looking up at me. The girls couldn't hold back there questions any longer. "Doesn't he have the hugest crush on her!!" Lita said to rei. "Yeah. I must admit, he is pretty cute." Rei commented. "Guys..." I began. "Oh, come on Serena. You know you like him!" Mina accused. "Well...er..maybe." I said, in a small voice. "AHA! You do!" Mina cried, and they all started to giggle.....again. They were laughing so hard, it's a wonder they didn't fall down the stairs. Natasha ran back over to us. "Okay, we're off again." We walked through more hallways, and finally got to the rooms which were to be ours. We each had our own. The girls walked over to the doors, and one by one Natasha opened them. Then when she came to mine, she said "Princess, you are to be put somewhere else." I was startled when she led me to the hallway where the royal family slept! I was shocked. She unlocked a door, and I walked in. The room was huge, a little too big for my liking. It was decorated in shades of pink, and had a private balcony which over looked the gardens and the mountain and the waterfall. I was overwhelmed. Natasha smiled, then left, leaving me all alone in my room. I walked around in it. It actually was a very pretty room. I walked over to the closet, and saw that it was perfect for a princess. I walked over to my bed, and started to unpack. I took out my dress first, and decided to put it on. It was, after all, my favourite piece of clothing. I also slipped on my greek style sandals. After I had unpacked, I walked out into the hallway. It was so long! I couldn't remember which way it was to get back to the girls' hallway. I walked to the room across the hall, and knocked. I heard footsteps walking towards the door. When it opened, I saw a woman who looked at me with curiosity. I knew at once that this must be the queen. I curtsied. "Excuse me, madame. I am quite lost! My friends were placed in a different hallway, and I can't seem to remember where that hallway is." I explained. She smiled warmly, and answered, "Walk down that end of the hallway, and take a right turn. Then walk down that hall and it's the second door on your left." "Thank you." I said, and turned to leave. "May I ask, who are you, child?" "Oh, I am Princess Serena. My friends and I came as guests with Princess Ami." "Oh yes! I remember. My, how you have grown." She commented. "Uh...thank....you..uh...Do I know you?" I asked. "No, but I know you. I was your mother's best friend growing up. The last time I saw you was when you were, about 3." She explained. "Oh. I see. Thank you for your help." I curtised again, and ran down the hall. When I reached the hallway, I saw that all the doors were open. "Ami!! Where is my pink skirt!!" Michiru was asking, while Lita answered, "It's in you red backpack! Remember!" "Oh yeah! Thanks Lita!" I walked over to one of the rooms, and saw Mina arranging her stuffed animals on her bed. "Hi Mina." I said. "Serena! Where did they take you!?" Mina asked, as she put her stuffed elephant on one of her pillows. "I was taken to the royal families' hall. They gave me a room there. It's really too big." I admitted. "Ah! I think that's what Darien told Natasha to do!" Mina exclaimed. "Maybe." I quickly changed the subject. "Anyways, what do you guys want to do today?" "We could go for a walk around." Mina suggested. "Darien told me we could all go to lunch, and put it on the palace's tab!" Ami shouted from across the hall. "Cool! What should we wear?" I asked. "Just our normal dresses. Not our really fancy ones. Like you Serena. You should change into something less dressy." Ami suggested. "Okay!" I ran back to my room, and searched my closet for something to wear. Finally, I settled for my of the shoulder, long white stain dress. It was plain, and didn't puff out, with no designs, pearls, anything. My mother bought it for me so I could wear it on the days when I just wanted to stay in my room. I slipped it on, and pulled on my platform sandals. I dashed back to Mina's room, and saw that the other's were all ready to go. Actually, for once, I wasn't the dressiest person. It was Michiru. She wore a long turquoise blue dress, with a golden design on the skirt which puffed out a little. We walked back down the stairs, and out into the courtyard. There was a gate in the distance, and the men at it seemed very friendly. We smiled, and continued on our way. On our way to the village in the distance, we marveled at the scenery. It was nothing like that of the Moon's, but it certainly was beautiful. We walked for about five minutes before we came into a small village. "This town is called London." Ami said, leading us over to a small shop. We walked inside, and marvelled at all the clothing and jewellery. While the others looked at the necklaces and tiaras, I walked over to the gowns and glanced at them. After searching one rack, I found the perfect gown. It was strappless, like mother's, but didn't have a bow and a moon on it. Instead, it was a long white silk dress that trailed to the floor with a 2 foot train. It had yellow silk cresents along the bust with shimmering pearls under the cresents. It had a pink satin ribbon in the back, and what looked like two pink butterfly wings. The whole gown seemed to shimmer in the light. "Hey guys!" I called. "Come here! Look at this gown." They walked over and looked at the gown as I held it up. "Wow Serena." Ami commented, "That is a beautiful gown." "Yeah. I wonder how much it costs?" I said looking at the tag. "For you, it's free. " A young girl said. I turned and faced her. "Oh no! What is the cost? I can't just take it." She smiled. "I know you are the princess Serena. I would be pleased if you take it." "Oh no. Please. Let me at least give you something." I offered. "I will accept no money from you. Please, take it. I insist." "Are you sure?" I asked. "Yes. Go ahead." "Oh, alright. At least let me send something from the moon." I pleaded. "That would be wonderful." She said. She wrapped the gown for me, and we walked out. "Wow, Serena." Mina said. "I can't believe she just did that." "I know. That was very kind of her." I commented. "Well, who's hungry?" Michiru asked. "I am." We all admitted. We walked to a nearby cafe, and stopped for lunch. We all ordered a sandwich, a caesar salad and a tea. While we waited, we started to talk about what we were going to do the next day. "The prince said that he and his father were going to accompany us. They said that we were going on a tour of the waterfalls in the area and the valleys and the forests. Oh, and we are going horseback riding!" Ami cried. We all squealed with delight. I was especially excited. I had never been horseback riding before. This was going to be fun. Our food arrived, and we started to eat. Mina, though, was straing into the distance. She then shook her head, and returned to her lunch. "Something wrong, Mina?" Michiru asked. "No. I was just thinking." Mina siad. "About what?" I asked. "Oh, nothing." She replied. We finished our lunch, then walked back to the palace. When we had reached their rooms, I told them I'd meet them later, but that I was going to take a nap. I walked back to my room, with some difficulty, and walked in. There, on the bed, was a bouquet of red and white roses. I was overwhelmed. I noticed a note beside it. "Serena," it read, "Please meet with me in the ballroom when you get back. And wear your new dress." "I wonder who wrote this?" I said aloud. I had a good idea who wrote it, but I wasn't sure. I quickly dressed, and walked over to my mirror. The dress looked nice on me, and the 'wings' made me look like an angel or a butterfly. I put on my Greek sandals, and walked over to my dressing table. I grabbed my small golden tiara, and put it on while looking in the mirror. The whole ensemble looked nice. I brushed my hair hastily, and dashed out of my room. I walked down the stairs, and into the ballroom. I had never really noticed how big it was. I looked around, and saw that nobody was there. I walked over to the couch, which was in front of the huge fireplace. I sat down and waited. I noticed a book beside me. Sleeping Beauty. I opened it, and flipped through the pages. I was just reading about her prince, when I heard footsteps. I closed the book, and put it down on the couch. I turned, and saw that nobody was there. "That's odd." I said to myself. No sooner had I said that, then the lights went out, and only the few flickering candles provided light. I was startled for a moment, but regained my composer. "Well, this is great. Now how am I gonna be able to read?" I asked no one. I heard the footsteps again. They were coming towards me, and they stopped right behind the couch. Then, I felt a hand cover my eyes. "This makes it even more difficult to read!" I exclaimed. "Shhh..." The voice said. "When I take my hand away, don't open your eyes, okay?" "Okay?" I responded. The man pulled his hand away, and I heard I fire start. "You can open your eyes, now." I opened them, and saw that I was in a very dark room with Darien!! I blushed again, as he sat down next to me. "Wow. You look beautiful. I hope I didn't scare you." He said, grabbing my hand. "Well, actually, you did." I admitted. "How did you know I got a new dress?" "I saw you walking back here holding a bag with a dress in it." He explained. "Oh." "And this is for you." He said, holding out a box. "Oh no! You really shouldn't have." I said, as I opened it. I was speecless, when I pulled out a golden star locket. I opened it, and it started to play music. The song was Legend of the Moon, a lullabye mom used to sing to me. Inside, it had a pink pearl in the center, and a cresent moon that circled around the pearl, as the music played. To add to the enchantment, the locket lit up, making it glow. It sparkled, and I loved it. I turned back to Darien, and saw him smiling. I smiled too. "I love it." "I thought you would." He told me. "I am so glad my mother let me come." I said, leaning onto him. "Yeah, so am I." He smiled. "I think I'm in love." "You know that this is forbidden love. I wish it weren't." I admitted sadly. "So do I." He said, and he leaned over to kiss me. He didn't get the chance, though. Natasha, and some other servants walked in and turned on the lights. He ended up just giving me a peck on the cheek. "Sir. Would you like us to go?" One guy asked. "No, David. It's okay." He said, dropping my hand. "I should go." I said quickly, and rushed out. Natasha smiled and winked at me as I left. I dashed up the stairs, and into my room. The locket was in my hand, and I opened it again. It was so beautiful. I closed it, and set it down on my nightstand. I walked over to the closet and changed back into my plain gown. I took my tiara off, and walked onto my balcony. The sun was setting, and the sky had turned a pink/purple colour. I was speechless by the beauty of it all. I had never seen such a gorgeous sunset, ever. When the moon started to rise, and the stars began to twinkle, I smiled. It was interesting to see my home from a different veiw. I walked back into my room, and closed the balcony door. I sat on my bed, and looked at my room again. I was looking at my dressing table, when someone knocked on my door. "Hello?" I asked. "Princess? I was sent by my prince to escort you to dinner." Someone said. "Oh! Hold on a minute." I called. I ran over to the mirror and made sure I looked alright. I walked back to the door, and opened it. In front of me was a guy, a couple years older than me, who was probably 6 feet tall. He smiled, and offered me his arm. I smiled back, and took it. He led me down that hall, and when we turned the corner I couldn't stand the silence. "So, what's your name?" I asked, as we walked down the stairs. "Oh. My names Matt. I've been here ever since I was in 8th grade." He said. "Wow. That's a long time. Actually, how long has it been?" I asked. "It's been about 4 or so years." He responded. "Wow, that is cool." I said. "Yeah. I like it here." He smiled. I smiled back, and he then asked me about my relationship with Darien. "I don't mean to intrude!" He said, when I blushed. "I was just curious, and so were the others." "Oh, well. I think that we're just good friends." I responded carefully. It wouldn't do to have a rumour spread around. "Oh. Only friends?" He pushed. "Yes. Just friends." I said again smiling. "That's nice." He said, just as we reached the dining room. We walked in, and I saw the others sitting there, talking quietly amongst themselves. When they saw me, however, they froze, each with a sly looking cold smile on her face. Matt left, and then it was just my gal pals and me. They grilled me. "So, Serena, we hear that you and Darien were found, ALONE in the ballroom today." Rei started. "Yes..." I answered hesitantly. "With the lights off!" Mina stated. "Yes." I said again. "WHAT WERE YOU GUYS DOING!!???" They all asked at the same time. "Nothing!" I cried. "Was it nothing, or are you just saying that?" Haruka asked. "It was nothing! All we did was talk." I said. "Should we believe that?" Lita asked the group. "No." They all answered. "But.....we weren't doing anything!" I persisted. "We don't believe you, Serena." Ami said in a small voice. "I'm leaving!" I cried, and dashed out of the room. I couldn't believe they were being so mean. I ran up to my room, and called Natasha. "Yes, ma'am. You called?" "Yes. Natasha, I'm leaving. I need help packing." I said, throwing all my clothes on my bed. "Okay, but you do know how the prince will be disappointed." She lectured. "I don't care! Well, I do, but...you know what I mean, right?" I asked. "Yes. I understand. I heard what your friends did to you. I'm sorry." She sympathised. "Thank you." I said, stuffing all my shorts into one bag. "Oh, please be careful with that gown." She picked up my new gown, and marvelled at it. "Wow, that is a beauty of a dress." "Yes." I said. I looked around and saw that my locket was missing. "Did you already pack my locket?" "What does it look like?" She asked. "It's a star locket, with a pink pearl inside." I descibed. "No. Go ask David. He might know. He'll be in the next room." She said, as she continued to pack. I walked down the hall to the next room. I knock, and a guy with a dirty blonde mushroom cut and deep blue eyes answered. "Yes?" "Uh, hi. I lost my locket, and I want to know if you have it." I explained. "What does it look like?" I told him what I had told Natahsa. "Hmmmmm. No, I don't have it." "Oh. Thank you." I said, and walked away. I walked back to my room, and saw Natasha there, just putting the last of my things in my bag. She smiled at me as I walked in. "No luck?" "No. Maybe Darien took it." I thought aloud. "He's in the room at the end of the hall." She directed. I walked down to his room, and knocked. He answered and smiled when he saw me. "Hey. I was just going to see you." He said, inviting me in. "Yeah. Have you seen my locket? It's gone." I asked. "Yeah. I found it on your dresser, and remembered something about it that I forgot to tell you." He explained. "Oh? What?" I asked. "It has belonged to all the queens of the Earth. My mother gave it to me to give to you." He said smiling. I smiled back. "That's great........Oh, yeah...... I'm leaving. I can't stay any longer." "Why?" He cried. "My friends are always teasing me, and acussing me of doing things with you that I didn't do." I said. "Please stay. Please?" He said, hugging me. "I can't." I said, breaking into tears. "But......I'll never see you again." He wimpered. "Yes you will. I'll sneek down. And you can sneek up to my Moon." I offered. He looked into my eyes, and must have saw how shook up I was. "Okay. But promise me that you will come see me within a month." "Yes. I promise." He stared into my eyes again, and this time he actually succeded in kissing me. Only problem was the timing. He had just kissed me, when Mina appeared in the doorway. "I knew it!!" She accused. "Wait! Mina!" I said. She ran down the hall. "Girls! You won't believe this!!" That only made me cry harder. "I have to go." I pulled away, and he let me leave. I ran back to my room, locket in hand. Natasha and Matt were there to help me. Matt picked up my luggage and Natasha gave me a hug. "Thank you., Natasha." I said. "My pleasure, princess. Have a safe journey home." She smiled warmly. I walked out of the room, Matt leading the way. When I passed Darien's room, the door was shut, but I could hear muffled sobs coming from inside. "Matt, hang on a minute." I said, walking into Darien's room. He seemed startled to see me. "I thought you were gone, already." "No. I promise to come back, soon." I said, as fresh tears started to fall. "I guess this is goodbye, then." He said softly. I nodded. "Well, at least let me give you a goodbye kiss." He kissed me, and I felt his sadness. "Bye." I dashed back to the hallway, and met up with Matt again. We walked down my so-called, "friends," hallway. I knew that they were watching me as I walked by. They all had there doors open, but weren't saying anything. I made the mistake of looking in Mina's room. She snikered, and proceeded to go close her door. We walked out of the palace, and I looked up and saw hundreds of thousands of stars. When we had reached the gates, I looked back, one last time. I saw the palaces' outline against the black sky. And I noticed Darien's light on, and saw him watching me leave. I waved, then I turned back to face the launch area. I walked onto a ship, and it took me home. I arrived at home around 11:30pm. My mother had by then gone to bed, but when she heard I had returned and was not well, she got up, and ran to my room. She found me in a heap on the floor. I had cried so much that night, that I was too weak to do anything. "Oh, Serena! What happened?" She asked, rushing over to help me up onto my bed. "When I was down there, I fell in love, mom." I said sadly. The thought of Darien only made me want to cry more. "You did?" She asked worriedly. "With who?" "The prince." I admitted. "But, when we spent some time alone, Mina and the others found out, and now they're accusing me of doing stuff I didn't do, and making me feel bad, and......" I said quickly. "Whoa! Slow down, sweetheart. Now, let me get this straight. You fell in love with Darien. The girls found out, and now they are accussing you of stuff you didn't do with him." My mom summarized. "Yes. And I feel so awful. I didn't want to leave him, but I couldn't take what they were doing any longer." I started to cry again. "Oh, honey. Don't cry. It'll be okay." She said. She looked around the room and noticed my half unpacked bag. Then she saw my new gown. "Oh, honey. Where did you get that?" "I bought it from someone on earth....well, actually, they gave it to me for free." I explained. "It's gorgeous, dear." She said. She looked at my clock and gasped. "I think it's time for bed. You should catch some sleep, you'll feel better in the morning." My mother smiled, and left my room. I sank on to my bed, and cried myself to sleep. The next morning, my mother let me sleep in, something I am never allowed to do I might add. I had fallen asleep in my plain gown. I stood up, and walked over to my closet. I pulled out my usual gown and dressed quickly. I ran a brush through my hair and walked down the stairs. I met my mom in the dining room. She was sitting there staring into space. "Mom?" I said as I entered the room. "Oh Serena. How are you feeling honey? Better?" She asked gently. "I feel better, but I miss Darien." I admitted. "I wish I hadn't of left." "It's good you came home." My mother looked at the earth through the window. "You have too many things to do. It's better that you came home." "Yeah, I guess so." I sadly looked out the window. I wanted to be down there, on Earth with my Darien. "Oh, Serena. I walked in your room this morning, and saw a locket. Did Darien give it to you?" My mother smiled slyly. "Yes. It's beautiful. Let me go get it!" I said, and ran to my room. It was on my dresser, where I had left it. I dashed back to the room and handed it to my mom. She studided it, looking very closely at the detail. She smiled, but I could tell she was worried. "What's the matter?" I asked with a concerned expression. "Well, the only people who have ever owned this, were the future queens of the Earth." I saw a frown cross her face. She caught herself and put on a smile. "Well, when are the girls supposed to be back?" "Today or tommorow." I replied sourly. I wasn't in the mood to see them. "Now dear.." My mother started when a maid came up beside her. "Okay Kelly, send him in." "The man asked to see her alone, ma'am." She said quietly. That caught mother off guard. Finally she nodded, "Very well. Is he with someone?" "Yes, his servants David and Matt are with him." She answered. I knew who it was and I could tell my mother knew too, from the way I hastily excused myself. I ran into the parlour, but to my dismay they weren't there, only Darcy, the decorator and cleaner was in there. "Darcy!" I called, and he turned around with a smile. I always liked Darcy, he always had a smile and was willing to listen to all of my problems. "Darcy, have you seen three guests, who have come to see me, around here anywhere?" "No, Serena. I haven't seen anyone." He replied. "Oh, thanks!!" I called as I dashed up the stairs. I ran up the stairs to find Andrew. He was the guard who walked around the palace and always knew who was here and where they were. After I asked, he shook his head. "No, Serena, I haven't seen anyone." I couldn't hide the disappointment in my voice. "Oh. Okay. Thanks Andrew." Maybe Kelly just did that to make me mad, I thought. Or, maybe they came but got caught. I walked quietly to my room. Before I go on, you will notice how I don't mind that my servants all call me Serena. I personally don't like being called ma'am or princess or your highness or stuff like that. I walked to my door, then remembered that I didn't have a book to read in my room. I walked down to the library and looked through all the shelves. Just as always, I had read them all. I sighed. Why didn't we ever get any new books? Oh well. I settled for a book about a princess of the Moon, when I remembered the book I had started at Darien's home. I walked to the back, and looked through the card catolouge. I found it, and walked over to the shelf it was on. I found it and picked it up. A cloud of dust arose when I lifted it up. I opened the cover and saw an inscription. "To who ever reads this, be warned that you too, will fall under a spell of sleep. Not soon after, but soon enough. You have been warned." It was signed by a Princess Serena the 12th. I looked at it and laughed. Now that was funny. Who ever heard of a curse of sleepiness? I wish I had paid more attention to the inscription. Anyhow, I walked back to my room, reading the book, and when I walked in I saw a couple candles burning. That wasn't unusual, I liked burning candles. I just walked over to my bed and flopped down. I had just finished one chapter, when I remembered my locket. I closed the book and ran downstairs. I saw that it wasn't on the table, where I thought I had left it. I ran upstairs, thinking it would be on my nightstand. I walked over and saw it wasn't there. It was gone! "OH NO!!! DARCY!! ANDREW!! COME QUICK!!" I cried. I was shivering when they got to my room. "What's the matter, Serena?" Andrew asked softly. "My locket......golden star...musical...moon..pink pearl...gone..." I stuttered. "Calm down, Serena. What happened." Darcy said as I calmed down. "I have a star shaped golden locket, that plays music and has a pink pearl and a moon inside. I put in on my nightstand and now it is gone!!!" I said, tears rolling down my cheeks. "Don't worry, Serena. We'll find it." Andrew reassured me. "Hey, Serena. What's this?" Darcy said, holding a piece of paper. "Let me see." I read it. It was a letter from the person who stole my locket. "Princess," It started, "If you want your locket, please follow these instructions. At every spot, you will find a new set of instructions or a clue. Follow them, correctly, and you will find your locket." The letter was in unframilliar handwriting and wasn't signed. I took a deep breath, dismissed Darcy and Andrew, and set out to find what was rightfully mine. "If the locket's what you want to see, Go to the north-east balcony." I ran down the different halls of the palace, until I reached that balcony. There, I found no instructions, but a clue. It was a rose. I took it, and ran to the gardens, hoping that was the right place. There, on my favourite bench, I found more instructions. "Though it is not as grand as some mountains, Proceed now to one of your fouintains." I ran for the nearest one. Nothing. I ran to the one at the front of the palace. Still nothing. I ran to the gates and looked at the fountians there. Nothing. "What fountain!!" I cried. I walked to the one at the far side of the palace. There was a note. "Congratulations. You have successfully completed your test. Now, just walk into your palace, through those doors, and your locket will be waiting." "Finally!" I walked into the palace, and suddenly the lights turned off. "Okay! Where is my locket! Don't make me punch you!" I called. Nothing. There was dead silence. "That does it! Moon Prism Power!!" I became Sailor Moon, and used my goggles. I was able to see in the dark, and saw the out line of a person. I was relieved for about 2 seconds, then I remembered that they just saw me transform. "Uh oh." I murmured. "Don't worry. I've got your locket. Oh, and don't worry about your other self. I can keep a secret pretty well." I knew that voice. "Give me my locket." "Power down, first." "Fine." I powered down, and became Princess Serena again. "Now, give me my locket!" The voice stepped out of the shadows. I was a little upset to see Matt, holding my precious locket. He smiled. "Wow, you are stubborn. Here." My locket was returned. "Is Darien here?" "Yep. Come on, I'll take ya to him." He led me through my own palace, to where David and Darien were waiting. When we entered, Darien stood up and smiled. "I see you finally found us." "Yeah." I answered. "I'll have to thank your mom. She helped me plan this." Darien smirked. "My mother, helped you do this!!" I couldn't believe it. "Yeah. When she saw how much you missed me, she arranged this meeting." He came and hugged me. "What about the other girls?" I asked sourly. "Oh, them. Well, Mina has tried to get me to fall in love with her. That's why she wouldn't leave us alone." He replied. "So that's why she was such a jerk!! Oh, I just wanna strangle her!!" I growled. "Now, that's not necessary." Darien looked in my eyes. "C'mon. Let's go talk to your mom." "Okay." I brightened. He gave me his arm, and I led him to the dining room. Mom was there with her advisors, but when she saw me and Darien, she dismissed them. She smiled. "I see you found him Serena. Hi Darien. Oh, if your men want, they can go get some sleep. There's two spare rooms upstairs. Kelly will show them" Mom smiled at David and Matt. "Thanks, Queen Serenity." David smiled, following Kelly and Matt upstairs. She nodded and smiled at them, then motioned for us to sit. "What's up mom? Darien said that we should talk to you." I said. "Well.....we were thinking of something while you were sleeping." Mom started. I thought I knew what she meant, but I didn't get too excited yet. "What?" "We were thinking that if his parents consent......" She smiled. "Mom!!! Do you mean what I think you mean!!!"I cried. She just nodded. "Oh my God!! Really!! Thank you so much!!!" I yelled and gave mom the largest hug ever. "Will your parents consent???" I looked hopefully at Darien. "Yeah, probably. Your mom and mine used to be buds, so I think we're gettin married." He smiled, and hugged me. "Well, why don't you two go back to your home and discuss it with your family, Darien. Then invite them to came back home with Serena after the camping trip." Mom smiled. I was beaming. I smiled even more when he looked at me and said, "See ya soon then, Queen Serenity." "Come help me pack, Darien." I grabbed his hand, and dragged him up the stairs. I walked through the hallways with ease, and made my way to my room. I opened the door, and saw Kelly packing my bag. She smiled, as she put my favourite stuffed animal in. She closed the bag, and gave it to me. "Thank you Kelly." I hugged her. "Have fun Serena." She smiled at Darien, and left the room. I walked over to my balcony, and opened the doors. "C'mon over, Darien. It's a beautiful view." He walked over, and stood behind me, with his arms wrapped around my shoulders. He kissed me on the cheek, "Well. Let's get going." "Okay." I turned, and walked out of my room. He followed. We walked down the hall to where David and Matt were. They were in there, playing cards. They looked up, smiled, and got ready to leave. We all walked to the launching pad, and left the moon. When we arrived on the Earth, we went immediatly to Mina's room. I knocked, and heard Mina giggle. "I know guys. He will be so shocked when he sees this get up!" Mina whispered. I heard footsteps come over to the door. It opened. "Hi Darien!!" I was upset. Mina had gone too far to win him over. She had dressed up exactly like me. Same hair, dress, everything. "MINA!! How could you!!" I cried. She just laughed. "Oh come on Serena! Let me have my fun!" I slapped her. "You will regret this, one day when you never find love." That prophesie caught her off guard. She looked like she would cry. "What do I care. I nearly won over Darien. Now, if you will excuse me, I have important buisiness to attend to." She swished her hair, and walked over to Darien, who pushed her away. "You are cruel. Get out!! Leave my home now!" He cried. "What?!" Mina asked. "OUT!!!" He shouted. "Fine then. I'll leave." She went in, and started to pack her bags. "Oh, and Mina." I called. She looked over with shame. "I would love to see you at Darien 's and my wedding." She started to cry, as we walked down the hall to his moms' room. He knocked on the door, and she came to the door. "Hello Darien. Hi Serena." She smiled warmly. "Hi." I said shyly. "Mom, we need to talk." Darien said. "If it is about what I think it is, go. Have fun. I give you my blessing." She smiled. "Really??!!" he cried. She nodded. "Thank you mom!! Oh thank you!!" He swept her into a hug. "Go have fun." She kissed his forehead. "Thank you mom." He was crying. "Thank you, madame." I siad. "Just call me Shannon." She said. "Okay. Oh, mom wants you to come back to the moon with us. Please?? Come with us??" I begged, giving her the puppy dogs eyes. She laughed. "I remember when you would use that on your mother. Of course I'll come. I'll be ready in about 20 minutes." She smiled. "Thanks, mom." Darien said. "We'll be in the ballroom." We walked down the stairs, and into the ballroom. He turned off the lights, and lit a fire and some candles. "We never finished that date in here." He smirked. I smiled. "I know." I sat down on the couch, and put my head on his shoulder. We sat there for about 5 minutes, holding each others hands and not wanting to move. I was almost falling asleep, when he moved his hand, and started to run his fingers through my long hair. "You have nice hair. Do you ever wear it long?" He asked. "I do now and again. Not often." I replied. "You should. I wanna see you with your hair down." He smiled. "Okay." We changed position, so now I was lying on top off him. He was very comfy. I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew I was at home in bed, with Luna, my cat, on my pillow. "Luna?" I yawned. "Yes Serena?" She said lazily. "How long have I been home?" I asked. "Oh, a little while. It's about 11:00pm now." She yawned. "Oh. Okay. Thank you." I kissed her on the forehead, and walked out of my room. I had only walked two paces, when my eyes were covered. I smiled, knowing whom it was. "Hey Darien." I said, moving his hands. "Hey. You fell asleep on me at home. I had to carry you to the ship, off the ship and into your room." He smiled. "Oh. Is mom still awake?" I yawned and asked. "No. She has gone to bed. You and I are the only two up. Other than that guard over there." He pointed to Andrew, who looked at us with a grin. "Hi Andrew. We're just gonna go down to the ballroom. Ok?" I asked, taking Darien's hand, and leading the way. We walked down to the room, and turned off the lights. I lit a fire this time, and walked over to the couch that was near the wall. I yawned. "You do realise I am going to probably fall asleep on you." "That's fine. I'm tired too." He let me lie down on him again, and in less than two minutes we were both asleep. "Will you look at those two??" "They look so sweet." The voices came through a mist, and I opened me eyes to see what was going on. I saw mom and Shannon looking down at us, asleep on the couch. Darien was sound asleep, and I didn't want to wake him, so I didn't move. I noticed that there was a blanket on us, and pulled it on me more. "Morning Serena." Mom and Shannon whispered. "Hi." I said softly. "Did you sleep well, honey?" Mom asked. "Yep. When did you get up?" I asked, yawning. "About 10 minutes ago. We came down to see if you slept down here." Shannon said. "Oh. How'd ya know----" "Andrew told us." My mom said, cutting me off. "Ah. Okay. Well, I'm gonna get up. I need to go change and run a brush through my hair. Excuse me, please." I managed to move without waking Darien up. I walked up to my room and looked for a good outfit to wear. I took out my long white skirt and a white blouse. I ran a brush through my hair, and decided to wear it down. I brushed it out again, until it shone. I put on my barrettes, and indoor snadals, before walking out to the dining room. I saw that Darien was still in bed, and decided to let him sleep. I smiled, and closed the ballroom door. "Serena!!" My mom called softly. "Coming." I repleid, dashing for the dining room. "Hi honey." Mom kissed my cheek. "Good morning mom. Hi Shannon." I smiled. "Hello." She smiled back. "So, want breakfast?" Mom asked. "Yeah. What's for breakfast today?" I asked. "Well, it's either pancakes or fruit salad. Take your pick." Mom said. "Pancakes. That was a stupid offer, mom. You know that." I smirked. She laughed as did Shannon. "Kelly! Serena's gonna have the usual!" Mom called. Kelly laughed in the background. "I figured as much!!" She came out with a plate of her pancakes. Drenched in syrup, as always. "There you go, princess." "Wow, this looks so good!! Thanks Kelly!" I started to eat. Mom and Shannon were drinking tea, and eating fruit salad. Mom finished her bite and began to speak. "Serena, what do you think of having a celebration ball Friday?? It can be for your birthday and for your engagment." I swallowed my mouthful, and smiled. "That would be great." "Okay. We'll invite everybody....Even Mina." She gave me one of her 'We should honey,' looks. "Okay." I said. "Wonderful. Darien and I are going to go home today, but we'll be back on Friday." Shannon stood up. "I should go get the little prince up." "Okay. Tell him I love him. I would go say goodbye when he's awake, but I need a bath." I said reluctantly. "Okay. Bye Serena." Shannon gave me a hug, and I walked out of the room. I walked by the ballroom, and opened the door. He was still asleep. I walked in, and quietly made my way over to where he was sleeping. 'He looks so peaceful,' I thought. I kissed his forehead, and whispered, "See you soon." I kissed him again, and quickly walked out of the room. I skipped up to my room, and opened the door to my own bathroom. I took out my favourite bubble bath, and started to run the water. I walked out, and grabbed my brush from the dresser, my robe, my pj's and some fluffy towels. I put them on the counter, and brushed out my hair. I took off my clothes and jewellery, and sank into the tub of bubbles. I had only been in for about five minutes, when I heard mom knocking at the door. "Serena!! Are you already in the tub?" "Yeah mom! Why?" I called. "Are there lots of bubbles??" She asked. "Yeah, why? What do ya want?" I asked. "Well, Darien wants to say goodbye. Is it safe for him to go in?" Mom asked. "Give me a minute." I got out, dried off, and put of my robe. "Okay! He can come in!" The door opened, and Darien walked in. "Hi. I just came to say goodbye." "I'm glad you came to say goodbye." I smiled. I sat down on the bench, as did he. He smiled, and kissed me. "I wish you didn't have to leave already." I said, hugging him. "It's okay. I'll see ya in two days. Everything's gonna turn out fine." He said. "I suppose I should leave, before your water gets cold." I laughed. "I don't care. It can go cold. I'll just fill the tub again." "Yeah. Well, in any case, I should go. I told mom I wouldn't take forever." He smiled. "Okay." I stood up with him, and walked him to the door that leads to the hallway. "I'll see ya soon." "Waiting to see you will seem like forever and a day, to me." He grabbed me hands. "I love you. I'll see you on Friday." I kissed him, and he left. I walked back to my (still hot), bath. I sank back in, and washed my hair. I stayed in for another 20 minutes, then got out. I dried off, and slipped into my pj's. I ran a brush through my damp hair, and put it back up. I walked down to mom's office, and was surprised to not see her there. I walked out to the gardens. Not there. I walked to the dining room. Nope. The library. No luck there. Then, I walked down to the command centre, that was in our basement. There, I saw mom, Darcy, Andrew, and our army, all surrounding a map. "She'll be here anytime, so we need to hurry and stay alert." Mom was saying. "Mom? What's going on?" I asked, walking over to her. "Serena!" She was shocked to see me. "I, um...Nothing is going on. We're just taking some precautions for the party." "What do you mean?" I asked. "Queen Beryl has threatened to attack, and overthrow all the planets." Mom responded. "Oh my!!" I gasped. "What can I do?" "Nothing. Just prepare for the party, and keep a look out." She brushed me out of the basement. "Okay." I walked up to my room, to find Kelly looking for someone. "Whats up Kelly?" "I need to see your mom!! Quickly!!" She said desperatly. "Okay. C'mon." I led her to mom, and then she announced the bad news. "Ma'am, I just got word from Shannon. The Earth has been invaded, and brainwashed. The only two left on our side are Darien and Shannon." "So, it begins." Mom said. "So be it." I just stood there, afraid for my love and his mother. 'What will they do to him?' I wanted to asked. 'Is he safe?' I knew mom didn't have the answers. I was crying as I left the room. I ran for my room, and waited for the inevitable war to break out. I saw my locket on my nightstand, and let the music play while I looked at The Earth. The sun was just setting, when mom came up to my room. "Serena, be prepared for the worst. All the other planets have fallen. We are the only planet left. The princesses are coming. They are the sole survivors from their planets. Please show some sympathy. Even for Mina." Mother looked pale and tired as she walked into my room. "Okay." I agreed. "Is the ball still on for tomorrow?" "Yes. And Darien is still safe. His mother was killed, unfortunately." Mom started to cry. "She was my best friend." "It's okay mom. It's okay." I gave her a hug. She sniffled, and walked out of my room. I walked to my bed, and fell asleep. I woke up the next day to sunshine. I opened my windows, and breathed in the fresh air. Maybe all that was just a nightmare? Maybe everything will be fine. I walked down to the dining room, and saw all the others there, waiting for me. It wasn't a dream. The horrible reality showed itself, and I felt terrible. "Hi guys." I said quietly, while taking my seat. "I'm sorry for what I put you through, Serena." Mina said quietly. "I realise how mean that was." "It's okay Mina. I feel so sorry for you all." I sympathised. "We'll be okay." Lita smiled. "Yeah. We're the sailor senshi. We'll be fine." Michiru said. "Yeah. Well, there's a ball planned for tonight. You guys still gonna go?" I asked. "Yep." Rei said. "Of course." Haruka responded. "Is it a formal occasion?" "Yes. That means jacket, suit, and tie, Haruka." I said. "Okay." "Well. Let's go for a walk around." I suggested. We all walked to the library, and spent the afternoon reading. At about 6:30, we walked to our rooms and got ready for the ball. I prayed that Darien would come, but knew that he probably would not. I wore my usual gown, and sandals. I brush my hair, and walked out into the hallway. "I'll be out on the front balcony!" I told the girls. I walked through the hall, and down the stairs to the balcony doors. I opened them, and walked out to look at the Earth. I started to cry, knowing my love had almost certainly died. "Don't cry, my love!!" Came the call. "Where are you?" I turned around, and looked for him. "Down here!!" He called. I looked, and sure enough, there was Darien. Tears of relief came to my eyes. "Can you come up?" I asked hopefully. "No, I can't. I'm an enemy now to your people. I'm sorry. I'll try to get to the ball. AH! Guards. See you later!!" He ran into the gardens. "Thank God he's alright." I sighed to myself. I walked back in, and found the others. "All set, Serena?" Ami asked. "Yep. Let's go." I said, leading the way to the ballroom. We walked in and found most of my mothers friends from the Moon, and the lords and ladies of the Moon mingling around. Nobody, however, was on my couch. The girls all went off to talk with some people, and I walked over to my couch. The blanket was still on it, and I wrapped myself in it. My mother came over, and said that I should try to enjoy myself. I nodded, and went back to my sulking. Then, I saw Darien. He smiled, and walked over to me. I smiled when I saw him. He led me out onto the floor, and we began to dance. After a couple dances, we walked out to the balcony. We walked to a place where we could be relatively alone. "I was so worried for you!!" I cried. "I was worried for you, too." He said. I hugged him. "I swear, this time, I'm not letting go." "I believe you too." He laughed. "I have wanted nothing more than to kiss you for the past two days." I smiled. "Go ahead." He kissed me. "Thank you. I feel much better now." "I have something for you." I reached into the small pocket this dress had. I produced my locket. "You like that, huh?" He smiled. "Yes. When you go off to fight, I want you to where it and think of me." I said, placing it in his hands. "Okay. I promise." He kissed me again. "Sealed with a kiss." I smiled. We were about to walk back inside, when we were attacked. Beryl came and unleashed the Seven Shadows, the strongest warriors in the galaxy. Luna and Artemis, my cats, had almost no time to warn the ball guests, and mom had barely enough time to get her wand and the crystal. Beryl saw me and Darien on the balcony, and immediatly went to attack me. She brushed him out of the way, and prepared to kill me. Thank God Darien was able to come back. He got in her way, refused her offers, and died for me. Beryl swept him into a tornado, and I couldn't just let him die. I jumped up after him. I had just managed to grab his hand, when she jolted him with a thunder bolt. The sailor senshi had fought and were defeated. The last thing I could remember seeing was mom running after me, crying, my palace being destroyed in the background. I wanted to tell mom goodbye, but never got the chance. Then, blackness came. I had died. Epilouge My mom saved the day. She used the crystal to trap everyone. She didn't want us to die, so she sent us all to the future. She died for us. That was the ultimate sacrifice. Now, I have assumed the throne, finally married my Darien, and I have a wonderful daughter, Rini. Life couldn't be happier for us. I must leave now, because it is Rini's birthday, and I want to see my beautiful daughter turn 16. The End. By Ley