Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Alone ❯ Chapter 20: Serenity ( Chapter 20 )

Alone
By Selenity Jade

Chapter 20: Serenity

Rated: PG

Disclaimer: I can't even spell tonight, and I doubt anyone who owns, receives royalties, etc. from Sailor Moon would have that problem. Nor would they be working 8+ hours on their feet. So all characters contained within this story are not mine, however the plot is. No copying!

x

Usagi looked about the devastated moon sadly for a long moment. "Mother?" she called hesitantly, taking a step towards the barely standing palace.

"I'm here, Serenity," the gentle voice she remembered so fondly replied and Usagi turned towards its source.

She smiled slightly. "Hi."

Queen Serenity smiled back. "Hello, daughter. It has been awhile."

Usagi laughed. "Only a few months for me. I was here right before I fought Beryl and won."

The Queen arched an eyebrow. "Time does not affect me. I simply know it was not recently."

Usagi nodded. "Good. I... would hate to have you aware of the thousands of years that have past up here. It would be lonely."

Blinking in surprise, the Queen then smiled softly in pleasure. "You always were such a thoughtful child, Serenity. I am thankful that I do not sense the passage of time. I had always thought that I would be reunited with your father when I passed away."

Usagi was surprised. She didn't think much about her past-self's father, she didn't remember him. At all. "I'm sorry, Mother, that you must be here."

The gentle Queen smiled reassuringly. "Do not be sorry, dear. Someday, I will be able to rest."

"I hope it is soon," the young woman replied softly.

"What brings you here, Serenity?"

"I don't know," the blonde admitted softly. "The King, the future version of Mamoru, Endymion I mean, said that I should."

Cocking her head, the Queen motioned them to a small white bench that looked sturdy enough and was amazingly intact. When the both sat, the Queen finally asked, "What has happened? Your Endymion was here not long ago and went to retrieve you from a planet called Nemesis."

Usagi looked into her lap, tensing. "He... was captured and a few of the Dark Moon family forced me to escape. I... Mamo-chan is in their hands and I couldn't save him."

The Queen watched Usagi sadly. "He is alive, is he not?"

Usagi nodded. "I think so, yeah. I think... No, I would have known if he had been killed."

Queen Serenity nodded. "Then there is always hope. Come with me, daughter, and I will give you the power to save your Endymion."

Usagi blinked as the Queen floated towards the west side of the palace, and followed after her. She didn't know what she was getting into, but she'd do anything - anything - to save Mamoru.

x

King Endymion waited for two days for the young version of his wife to return from the moon. He busied himself with repairs and strategies to combat the Dark Moon family, but the time still crawled by. He was worried about the girl he sent alone to another planet.

He wished he could have gone, but he knew that this was a journey she had to make alone. He didn't know what lay there or why Saturn felt she should go, but it didn't matter. He had learned long ago to trust the younger Senshi's judgment. She was uncannily wise as a child and even more so now that she was over a thousand years old.

A knock on his study door interrupted his musings and he glanced up from the blueprints of the 'new' palace. "Come in," he called.

The door opened and Sailor Star Fighter poked her head in the door. "Saturn says that young Usagi is coming back soon. You might want to be there."

Endymion nodded and stood up. "Thank you, Seiya."

The woman shrugged. "It's always been for her, not for you," she said and left the doorway.

The King sighed ruefully and shook his head. Then he headed down the dim, vacant hallway towards the basement stairs.

He arrived there in short order to see the room very occupied with all of the conscious Senshi. Everyone but the Inner Senshi and his wife were present, even Sailor Pluto. He blinked at her, throwing a questioning glance at her. She smiled that mysterious 'I know all' smile and nodded her head towards the spot where Usagi should appear.

He mock glared at her before sighing. He would just have to be content to wait. He would find out what all the fuss was about soon enough, he supposed.

He glanced down when he felt a presence beside him and smiled at Sailor Saturn. "Do you know what's going on?"

Saturn looked up at him soberly and nodded.

"Can you tell me?"

She shook her head. "You will see, Your Majesty."

He sighed irritably. "Who called everyone here? Only I sent her off and now it's a royal event?"

She smiled. "It is, King Endymion."

He frowned suspiciously at her. "You and Pluto drive me crazy."

The Senshi who still appeared so childlike actually smirked. "We know, Your Majesty." She then paused. "I do hope that Small Lady is alright."

King Endymion flinched inwardly. His daughter... Where was she? Was she safe? He was a horrible father to let her go to the past in the first place and now... He had allowed her to be kidnapped from right under his nose.

How could he face his wife after losing her like that? Their only child...

"She will be fine, Your Majesty," a voice interupted, and he glanced down at the black feline at his feet.

He smiled slightly. "Hi, Luna. Where have you been?"

She sat on her haunches and licked a paw. "Playing kitty cat. Didn't want to be noticed as we snuck around. Luckily most beings do not think 'pets' are intelligent beings."

He nodded. "Anything useful?"

Artemis rubbed against Endymion's leg in greeting before sitting beside his partner and mate. "Later. We'll tell you after this."

"Do you two know what's going on?"

Luna shook her head. "No, Your Majesty."

"Damn it."

The cats chuckled, turning to glance at the teleportation pad. "Soon?" Artemis asked.

Pluto answered. "Any moment."

"Will someone please tell a poor King what is going on?" Endymion demanded irritably. He wasn't used to being left in the dark. It was beginning to drive him crazy.

He opened his mouth to threaten both the Silence and Time Senshi when a flash of light interrupted him.

He covered his eyes with his arm until it faded, and then blinked his eyes a moment to clear the afterimages from them.

When he could see again, he gasped along with each of the Senshi, excluding Pluto and Saturn. There, in the center of the room, stood the young Usagi they had seen a few short days ago. Only she was different.

Her hair was now silver and her forehead was adorned with a crescent moon. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought it was his wife. But the youth in her face and in her cerulean eyes disputed that first assumption. This was the Usagi he had sent to the moon.

She was Serenity now.

x

AN: *FROWNS*

Lovies!