Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Crystal Flaws - Book 2 - Crystal Fears ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Small Lady was lying in bed and she couldn't sleep. She thought about the party her parents, all the Senshi and Terrance had at dinner to celebrate her 16th birthday. Her mother had surprised her by saying she was now ready to assume the duties of Sailor Moon. Small Lady had dreamed of this day. Now she knew she was all grown up and able to stand on her own as a true Senshi. From now on, she would lead the Asteroid Senshi and they would fight with the Planet Senshi in battle. Small Lady laughed quietly to herself, [Battle? We haven't had a real universe threatening reason to battle in years!] She decided she was not going to complain about it though. She was more than satisfied with living the normal life of a Princess. Finally she did settle down and went to sleep.

 

The next day was hectic, and before Small Lady knew it she was standing in front of her mirror and carefully looking herself over. She decided she was ready. This evening was her sixteenth birthday ball. Her name had been officially and publicly declared to be Lady Serenity, Princess of Crystal Tokyo, in honor of her now being old enough to entertain suitors. No one would call her Small Lady anymore. That alone made the day worth it. The ball this evening and the formal presentation of suitors were icing on the cake to her. “Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday, Lady Serenity! Happy Birthday to Me!” She sang quietly.

 

Her Senshi entered the room and they were wearing ball gowns in their respective colors. The five young ladies walked down the hallway together and Lady Serenity looked like a diamond amidst a rainbow of jewels. They entered the ballroom and a hush fell over the crowd. Lady Serenity tried to unobtrusively search the crowd for a certain face with white-blond hair and honey-brown eyes, but didn't see him. She sighed as her court was introduced and she proceeded to the Royal Family dais.

 

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Elios, High Priest of Earth and Elysion, had come to the ball to present himself as one of the many suitors for Lady Serenity. He waited nervously, and after what he felt was forever, his name was called to stand in front of the Royal Family dais.

 

Elios looked up as he walked to the base of the dais then stood still and stared. Lady Serenity sat between her parents in full Princess regalia. Elios couldn't tear his eyes off of her. A simple gold crown adorned her head between the trademark royal hair buns, and her pure white Princess gown flowed around her now womanly form. He also noticed her ponytails had grown since he had last seen her and they pooled around her like a glowing pink cape. Elios looked into her large, rose-colored eyes and all his carefully practiced words vanished with his breath. Distantly Elios knew he needed to do something, but he couldn't think of what it was. Lady Serenity blushed under Elios' gaze as she drank in the features of the man she hadn't seen since forever, but had thought of often.

 

King Endymion couldn't help but notice the way his friend and his daughter were looking at each other. People were starting to murmur among themselves with speculation. The King sighed then cleared his throat, but neither of them noticed. Neo-Queen Serenity clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle at her husband's annoyed expression. He spared a glare at her, then firmly and loudly spoke, “Elios!” Finally the King got a response as both Elios and Lady Serenity startled, blushed crimson and looked away from each other.

 

Elios cleared his throat and tried to gather his thoughts. He finally remembered what he was there to do. Being careful to look only at the King, he finally spoke, “I Elios, High Priest of Earth and Elysion, request permission to court Lady Serenity, Royal Princess of Crystal Tokyo.”

 

The King smiled and responded, “Elios, my friend, permission is granted.”

 

Elios then lifted a small box in his hand and said, “I have a gift for the Princess. May I present it to her?” The King nodded his agreement, and Elios once again turned to the Princess. He held the box out and shyly whispered, “This will match your beautiful eyes, Princess.” Lady Serenity reached for the box and her fingers brushed Elios'. They both slightly startled, and the Princess quickly moved her hand away from his. Her fingers shook as she opened the box. Inside glowed a delicate, fire-rose gold necklace that was mined and crafted in Elysion.

 

“Thank you. It's beautiful and I will treasure it,” she whispered as she looked up at Elios. The King was now very aware of what would happen if he allowed them to stare at each other. He motioned to Sailor Venus and she knew what to do. With a firm grip on Elios' upper arm, Sailor Venus turned him from the dais and led him away.

 

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Four more suitors were presented and then the next name announced was Master-Sergeant Terrance Donovan of the Northern Kingdom. The crowd started to murmur. The Queen and Princess looked surprised, but the King looked more concerned.

 

Terrance purposely strode up to the dais and bowed to the Royal Family. He stood straight and clearly spoke his intention to court Lady Serenity. The King looked at Terrance and hesitated to answer. The room was quiet because everyone wanted to hear what the King would say.

 

King Endymion decided to speak of his reservations honestly. “Terrance, you have served the Royal Family well as a CTEM Palace Guard, and as Lady Serenity's Personal Diplomatic Escort. If you wish to court Lady Serenity, you will need to resign from the Princess's Personal Guard. Do you still intend to continue your suit?”

 

Terrance responded, “I wish to court Lady Serenity. If you allow me this honor, then as of now I willingly resign from the Princess's Personal Guard.” The crowd again murmured at this interesting turn of events.

 

The King looked at his wife and daughter. He silently questioned if they had a reason to deny Terrance's request. Based on their responses, the King answered, “Sergeant Terrance Donovan your request to court Lady Serenity is approved.”

 

Terrance smiled then winked at the Princess. Lady Serenity wasn't quite sure how she felt about Terrance being one of her suitors. He hadn't given her or her parents any indication he had planned to do this. Lady Serenity blushed and looked away.

 

Terrance turned to look at the King and asked if he could give a gift to the Princess. The King agreed, and Terrance offered to her a perfect, single, deep-purple rose. As Lady Serenity took the rose its heady perfume filled her senses. She looked up when Terrance took her hand. He smiled and said, “In the time I've known you, you have shown yourself to be even more unique and beautiful than this rose.” He raised her hand to his lips, gently kissed the back of it then released it. Lady Serenity blushed deeper as she thanked him. Terrance turned to go, and many of the women in the crowd sighed. Some from the sweet romance they just witnessed, and some from wishing they were born as lucky as Lady Serenity and had Terrance vying for them instead.

 

As Elios had watched what was happening, worry started to gnaw at him. The other suitors had been men the Royal Family barely knew, but Sergeant Donovan was one of their closest guards and obviously Lady Serenity's good friend. Elios watched Terrance give the rose to the Princess, and he drew in a sharp, shocked breath. He recognized the purple rose and knew it was a variety that only grew in Elysion. He didn't know how Terrance got his hands on the rose, but he intended to find out.

 

Elios' temper was already on a low simmer from watching Terrance with the Princess. If he had been thinking clearly he would have waited to ask about the rose. Elios was definitely not thinking clearly as he confronted Terrance. He placed his hand on Terrance's arm and said, “Sergeant Donovan, I would like a word with you.”

 

Terrance turned with surprise and couldn't miss the animosity in Elios' face. He roughly shook Elios' hand from his arm and glared as he curtly said, “You have my attention, Cleric.”

 

In spite of the fact that Terrance was both taller and more muscular than Elios, his gaze didn't falter from the soldier's face. “Where did you get the rose?”

 

Terrance scowled at Elios. “I don't know who you think you are, but I'm not going to tell you anything. It would be in your best interest to leave me alone.”

 

Elios glared back at Terrance and stepped closer. He growled, “I am the High Priest of Elysion and I demand to know how you got a rose that only grows in Elysion!”

 

Terrance's eye's flashed dangerously as he spoke with a deadly calm voice. “I don't give a damn who you are. I don't wish to have a fight with you at the Princess's ball, so I'm telling you one last time to leave me alone.”

 

Terrance turned to walk away, and Elios made the mistake of grabbing the soldier's arm to turn him back. The next thing Elios knew his back hurt, his head hurt and he could barely breath. Everyone was staring at him sitting on the floor with his back against a pillar. He also noticed his stomach felt nauseous as if he had been hit with a power wave. Fortunately he didn't seem to have any broken bones or to be bleeding. He shakily tried to stand up. Elios focused his eyes on Terrance and realized he had been thrown across the room. He knew Terrance must have used something more than a punch on him. Elios shook his head as he tried to figure how the soldier could have powers. He didn't get much time to think about it.

 

With a growl Sailor Jupiter grabbed his arms, twisted them behind his back and lifted him up so his feet dangled off the floor. Elios looked at Terrance and saw Sailor Uranus holding her Space Sword to his throat. He perversely decided he had got the better end of the Planet Senshi.

 

The crowd stepped back and the King and Queen, flanked by more of the Planet Senshi, stepped forward. CTEM soldiers stood behind them with weapons ready. Elios inwardly cringed as he thought, [This doesn't look good.] Terrance stood calmly at attention. His cold angry eyes were the only things that gave his emotions away.

 

The Queen was livid. “How dare you fight during Lady Serenity's ball! I will not tolerate such infantile behavior, especially from two men who definitely know better! I don't want to know why, and I don't care why. I want you out of here, and do not return to this party!” She turned away from them. Sailors Jupiter and Uranus joyfully, quickly, and roughly complied with her command. Both men wisely did not resist, and neither of them got to dance with Lady Serenity.

 

Sailor Mercury had been standing apart from the others when the fight had started. When she felt the power wave Sergeant Donovan created when he punched Elios, she had quickly slid her visor over her eyes and pulled out her Mercury computer. She then typed furiously as she also kept her eyes on the dramatic events unfolding in front of her.

 

Once both men were gone from the palace, the ball continued. Sergeant Donovan and Elios were top on the list of subjects of whispered conversation.

 

Sailor Mercury finally put her visor and computer away when the Queen gave her an annoyed look. Mercury had a preoccupied look on her face. She had found something odd, a puzzle piece that didn't seem to fit anywhere. She smiled to herself. She always enjoyed solving mysteries. Now she could look forward to a new challenge.

 

King Endymion had also felt the power surge from Terrance. Later he spoke to Sailors Uranus and Neptune. He asked them to find information on Sergeant Donovan's background. They had found a file full of vague and generic information. Nothing in the file suggested that Terrance would have enhanced abilities. The King now realized there was more to Terrance than any of them knew, and that made him nervous.

 

 

 

 

Continued…

 

This story was edited by Meara, one of the *BEST* editors in the entire world! (I'm *SO LUCKY* to have had her help!! Thank you Meara! ^_^ ) Meara is also one of the greatest Sailor Moon Fanfiction authors around. If you haven't read her stories then do so right away! ^_^

Thank you for reading my story. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did like my story, or if you have any (politely worded) suggestions/comments about my story, please let me know. I truly appreciate feedback. (The notification emails also remind me to post the next chapter ^_^; ) You can email me at ndeblock@att.net .



Bye, Luna Hope



Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all her friends (except for Terrance Donovan - He's mine! ^_^ ) don't belong to me. They belong to Naoko Takeuchi. I just borrowed them for a little bit of fun.