Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Over The Rainbow ❯ Remembrance Day ( Chapter 18 )

Over The Rainbow 18

Remembrance Day

Disclaimer: I do not own the usual characters of Sailor Moon.

Malachite wandered around the Negaverse. He was waiting for Queen Beryl's next order. Now she had her very own dark sailor scout to boss around but she had to be too inexperienced or Queen Beryl had a certain plan in store for her because she had not sent her out to destroy the scouts and get the crystal. He did not want to be the one to do all the dirty work. He was growing tired of Queen Beryl's orders and fast.

The Negaverse was creepier than usual now that Sailor Shadow was created. He felt that he was always being watched. And he was. Sailor Shadow was creeping up behind him and every time he turned around, she slunk into a shadow and disappeared. The moment he continued to walk forward, she transported from shadow to shadow.

"Someone there?" he asked.

Sailor Sgadkiw disappeared behind him and appeared in another shadow in front of him and stepped out.

"Sailor Shadow," he said. "Something I can do for you?"

"What are you doing?" she demanded coldly. "Having a stroll?"

"No."

"Queen Beryl sent me to find you," she said. "If I were you, I'd hurry. I know you haven't been as faithful to her as she would like."

"How--" he began.

"Doesn't matter," she muttered. "You're getting soft. I haven't known you all that long but I've been watching you. You can't hide. You'd better go to Queen Beryl before she punishes you." She grinned and stepped back into another shadow. Her voice echoed. "I'll be watching you."

Malachite reluctantly approached Queen Beryl's throne. "Sailor Shadow gave me your message, majesty."

"'Bout time," Queen Beryl muttered. "Malachite, the scouts are coming soon. They're bound to find a warp hole to the Negaverse and I want you to give them a welcoming party."

Malachite did not want to go through with this. How was he supposed to be such a good host when he never felt welcome to the Negaverse, when Queen Beryl wasn't much of a hostess? He had served her faithfully for over a thousand years. It was getting older by the minute. But though every fiber of his being wanted him to deny the mission, he could not do it. All these years of serving Queen Beryl had turned him into a zombie. It was like he couldn't think for himself anymore. He nodded and bent at the waist. "Yes, my queen."

*****

Lydia and Raye knelt side by side near the empty fireplace. Lydia listened to her intently as she explained how to feel evil spirits and other psychic ability.

"Do psychics run in your family?" Raye asked.

Lydia shook her head, "Dun't think so, lassie. My father and his father and his father before him were farmers. If we had some kind of psychic ability, we never used it." She sighed, "I guess a farm girl could not learn how to be a psychic."

"Anyone can be a psychic," Raye said, "well, except maybe Serena."

Lydia laughed, "Well, I don't think I can be nearly good as yeh."

"Have you been able to feel negative energy when you were nearby those creepy old castles back in Ireland?"

"Aye," Lydia nodded. "And I've heard things. But I can't stop the ghosts."

"I can teach you how to handle that," Raye said and looked at the fire. "Oh…looks like the fire went out again. Chad should be out to get more firewood."

Lydia looked at the fireplace. There was one log in it with a pile of soot. An unexplainable thing happened. A flame appeared in her eyes and then magically, a fire was burning in the once empty fireplace.

"How did that happen?" Raye demanded.

"I-I dun't know, lassie. I just looked at it."

"Weird." Raye mumbled, "Fire's supposed to be my sailor power."

"It still is," Lydia assured, "maybe...I need to go. 'Till next time, lassie."

"But Lydia," Raye said, standing up, "don't you--"

"Bye, Raye," Lydia mumbled and ran away from the temple. 'How did I do that?'

*****

Lydia ran to her house as fast as her legs could go. She slammed the door behind her. Madam Indigo was sweeping when Lydia arrived home. "Madam Indigo, I must speak with yeh!"

The slam and pitch of her voice almost made Madam Indigo drop the broom, "Lydia, what's the matter?"

"Something happened when I was at Raye's temple!" She cried, pacing the floor. "I told her and the other scouts about the haunted houses back in Ireland and Raye offered to help me sense evil spirits and such. She was giving me a lesson today and before we even started, I looked at the empty fire place and--and there was a burning fire!"

Madam Indigo, however, did not seem to be shocked by this. "There is something I must tell you. Sit down."

Lydia raised her eyebrow and sat down. "What?"

"Yeh know about the ancient druids, right?" she asked.

Lydia nodded, "the Celts."

"Well, you're one of them."

"That?"

"Yer ancestors were druids."

"How do yeh know this?"

"Because I am too," she said. "After yer parents' death and I took yeh in, I knew there was something special 'bout yeh. I was going to teach yeh how to use yer gift. Yer ancestors were priests and they had abilities to talk to the Gods, create fires by will, and create mists and other natural abilities. I didn't use my ability more than I had to."

"So…was a druid in my previous life?" Lydia asked.

"Of course," Madam Indigo responded, "but I doubt you used yer abilities often. Yeh were a farm girl back then too."

"I'm a priestess too? Like Raye?"

"Yes. Though Raye's abilities are somewhat different and her sailor power is fire. She can use attacks with fire and all yeh can do is start them."

"Yeh," Lydia nodded. "So why are these abilities working now?"

"Because they will come useful in yer fight with the Negaverse," Madam Indigo replied. "I have something else to tell yeh. There is an eighth rainbow crystal."

"There is?" Lydia gasped. "Who has it?"

"I do."

Lydia jumped from her seat, "no! Then, then…"

"Relax, Lydia dear," Madam Indigo said. "It does not have a shadow warrior inside of it. This crystal is different." She reached into pocket and pulled out a rectangular shaped prism. "It is a magical prism. I've had it since I was a child."

"Wow," Lydia muttered. "Has it brought yeh more than just good luck?"

"Oh yes. It helped me in my Celtic power and defended me from evil and darkness."

"Was there much darkness when yeh were growing up?"

"Let's put it this way," Madam Indigo said, placing the prism in her hand. "We had poltergeists and evil spirits, but no one had to worry about Queen Beryl."

*****

Not that long after, Central Control found a warp hole to the Negaverse. It was now or never.

"So this is the place," Artemis said. "Central Control informed us that we should find a portal to the Negaverse here."

"Sounds good to me," Lucky said.

"And it leads to Queen Beryl's place?" Venus asked.

"Well, it has to lead somewhere, lassie," Sailor Rainbow retorted.

Venus glared. Mars quickly thought up of something to say before they had a fight, though it wasn't very positive.

"No way it's that easy to get in, you guys."

"Guess there's only one way to find out," Sailor Jupiter said flatly.

"Let's do it!" Luna exclaimed.

They all jumped into the hole. It led them into an underground cavern. The three cats immediately set out.

"There's so many tunnels," Artemis said.

"No kidding," Lucky agreed.

"We'd better split up."

"You sure this is a good idea?" Luna asked.

"Relax, Luna," Artemis insisted, "the scouts will be fine."

"Aye, Luna. No worries." Lucky added.

The scouts appeared later and while the cats ran ahead, Sailor Venus indicated a tunnel.

"Let's try this one, okay?" she whispered.

They entered the tunnel and a weird mist appeared in front of them.

"Wait a minute," Sailor Rainbow warned. "Something's not right."

"Yeah," Mars agreed. "I have a bad feeling."

A sudden bright light shone. The scouts shielded their eyes and until the light faded. Malachite stood before them. Sailor Rainbow took a step back. 'Malachite looks so…tired,' she thought.

"Welcome, Sailor Scouts," he said. "So you've finally decided to give up the Silver Imperium crystal, have you? I'd gladly take it off your hands."

"Dream on, surfer boy!" Jupiter shouted. "JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!"

He teleported out of the way. He was becoming impatient in more ways than one. "Hey, Sailor Moon. Let's make a deal. Hand over the crystal and I won't harm your friends."

"No deals with Nega-trash like you!" Sailor Moon said. "Get ready, the Negaverse is dust!"

"Aye," Sailor Rainbow said with a nod.

"Oh, Sailor Rainbow, Sailor Moon," he said, "empty threats. We wasted Queen Serenity and Azure and we'll do the same to you." He truly did not want to do it if he could help it, especially to Sailor Rainbow.

"How do you know about Queen Serenity, huh?" Sailor Moon demanded.

"And Queen Azure?" Sailor Rainbow added, sneering.

"Because I was there on that glorious day when we trashed the moon kingdom," Malachite retorted, "and let me tell you, moon brat, you've got a lot to learn. You're no Queen Serenity."

Sailor Rainbow snarled and stepped forward. He was feeding a lot of trash to Sailor Moon but not to her. Why? "Hey, dun't yeh talk to my best friend like that!"

"Liar!" Sailor Moon snapped. "You're lying! They would NOT have sent crumbs like you into the future. You're lying…"

Malachite began to conjure a spell.

"…AND YOU'RE NOT GETTING MY CRYSTAL!"

"SO FORGET IT!" Sailor Rainbow roared. But then all the scouts are caught in a massive energy blast. The wand was pulled out of Sailor Moon's hands.

"No, the wand!" Sailor Moon gasped.

"The crystal will be mine!" Malachite said. The wand however, resisted his touch and smacked his hand. It fell onto the ground and then something strange began to happen.

"My wand," Sailor Moon said, "What's happening? Where're we going?"

*****

The scouts were taken to a different place. They woke up and wondered where they all were.

"Where are we?" Sailor Moon said. "Weird…I feel like I've been here before."

"Aye, Sailor Moon," Rainbow agreed, "it feels so familiar."

"That's because it is your home, Serena," said a voice, "it's what's left of the Moon Kingdom."

"Huh?" Sailor Moon mumbled.

"Welcome back, Lydia and Serena," said another voice.

"How do you know us?" Sailor Moon and Rainbow asked in unison.

Behind them, two lights were glimmering. They settled in front of them and took the spirits of Queen Serenity and Queen Azure, hand in hand.

"I am Queen Serenity," said the spirit on the left.

"And I am Queen Azure," finished the one on the right.

Queen Serenity looked a lot like Sailor Moon. Her hair was pulled up into pigtails like Sailor Moon's except her hair was a silvery-white. She wore a beautiful white gown with a bow and a golden moon at the front and transparent wings at the back of her dress. She had the royal moon symbol on her forehead.

Queen Azure looked like Sailor Rainbow too, except her hair was not in pigtails. Instead, her red hair fell around her shoulders with a free small braid on the left side of her hair. She wore a sleeveless red to violet dress with a gold bow at the front; a rainbow in the middle and on her forehead was a rainbow and she had transparent wings in the back of her dress too.

"Is this…real?" Sailor Moon asked. "Are you sure this isn't some wongo dream?"

"Need a pinch just to make sure?" Sailor Rainbow asked.

Queen Azure and Queen Serenity giggled.

"It's no dream," Queen Azure assured.

"Oh, you girls haven't changed." Serenity said. "Queen Azure and I have been dear friends when we were your age."

"Queen Serenity was of course a princess on the moon back when the moon kingdom flourished," Queen Azure explained, "however, I was not. I lived as a peasant but I've always wanted to be a princess. Queen Serenity wanted a friend, for she was lonely on the moon. She would look at the Earth for days, longing for a friend. She ran away from the moon one day and ended up at my farm. She was hurt and I took care of her. After she told me who she was and became better, she invited me to come to the moon with her and because of my generosity, she dubbed me a princess."

"A princess of a Rainbow, I reckon," Sailor Rainbow said.

"Correct," Queen Azure said. "I loved rainbows more than anything. I had a prism with me that kept me safe from harm."

Sailor Rainbow gasped and opened her hand to revel the prism Madam Indigo gave her, "uh, did it look like this?"

Queen Azure smiled, "yes. That's the one. It made me a princess. I lived on the moon for a while then became a princess and returned to Earth and fell in love with a farmer. I lived a double life. A queen and a peasant."

"And I was a princess but I lived as a peasant?" Sailor Rainbow asked. "Hey…what about the druid priestess stuff?"

"Yes, you were a priestess too," she said, "Your uncle was a priest while your father was a farmer. Sometimes he would teach you your skills."

"This is a little too much to take in," Sailor Moon mumbled. "What about Prince Darien?"

"Aye," Sailor Rainbow agreed, "the Negaverse has him and they took away his memories. For some reason, the lad remembers me."

"You were his friend for years, Lydia," Queen Azure said. "And though it was forbidden for royalty to marry a peasant, that didn't stop you from being the dear friends you were. You took him away from the stressful events of being a prince. You taught him how to have fun and enjoy life. In return, he taught you how to read and write and manners."

"Hey…I couldn't have been a trouble child back then!"

Queen Azure smiled, "you were just a lively child."

"Darien sounded like a good friend," Sailor Moon said.

"He was." Queen Azure said. "They were there for each other through thick and thin and got in a little trouble at some times."

Sailor Moon and the other sailor scouts looked over at Rainbow. Rainbow blushed and touched her lip.

******

Prince Darien and Lydia walked side by side as they journey through the wilderness. Prince Darien was twelve and she was seven. Lydia pushed him casually and he pushed back, careful not to knock her down to the ground--but not just because he didn't want to hurt her, he didn't want to make her angry with him. She may be younger and smaller than he was, but sure could get upset and hit hard if she really wanted too. They noticed a sign up on the tree with an announcement about an archery tournament.

"Hmm, what does that say?

"Can't you read?" he asked.

"I know how to read!" she shouted. "Just because I ain't ever goes to school dun't mean I dun't know how to read!"

"Ain't is not a word, Lydia," he said, "and you should have said that you've never gone to school. Go try to read that sign."

"All right, I will!" she huffed up. "Ah--at-" she swallowed and moved to the next word, "Um, lords, ladies, com--com--er--com…"

"You can't read," he said finally.

"Sure I can!" she hissed. "Just not…very well…I know the letters of the alphabet and their sounds and a few small words."

He sighed and rolled his eyes

"Don't look at me like that!" she shouted. "All right, well, maybe I can't read as good--"

"As well," he corrected.

"Whatever…but I'm a farm girl and I need to work in the fields every day! I have no time to go to school. And at least I know how to have some fun once in a while."

"Reading can be fun, Lydia," he insisted.

"Oh, I don't believe you."

"Wait for me at our tree," he told her. "I will to go the palace and come back with a book."

"Oh, this is this going to be torture," she groaned and walked to the tree. "Fine…but then we'll have to do something fun. Let's go fishing."

"It is a deal," he said.

Lydia was hanging from the tree branch when he arrived. "Still hanging around, I see."

She laughed and flipped over. "Yeh just jealous 'cause I'm better at it than yeh."

He sat at the trunk of the tree and beckoned her to sit next to him. She sighed and did so. Darien hooked his arm around her and grasped the other end of the book, as to cage her in and prevent her from escaping.

"Do not worry," he told her. "This is a good book. You will like it."

"Oh, really?" she demanded and groaned.

He ran his finger underneath each word and when she had trouble pronouncing a word, he helped her. Pretty soon, she was reading fine on her own.

"Now, how about I teach you arithmetic?" he asked.

"I know how to count," she muttered. "But I don't know how to that fancy stuff."

"Multiplication, division, square roots…"

"Stop! Yer making me head hurt!" She got up and smiled. "Now Darien, yeh promised if yeh taught me how ta read yeh'll go fishing with me."

"Of course," he said. "It's been a long time since I've done that."

She grabbed his hand and two poles that were lying next to the tree. Darien caught three fish and Lydia caught five. She joked about her good luck but he didn't act as if he was embarrassed or anything of that nature.

"Darien?" she said, putting her last fish in a bucket.

"Yes?"

"Thank yeh for teaching me how to read," she said. "My mom taught me before but it wasn't…anyway, thanks."

"You're welcome, Lydia," Darien said. "Everyone needs to learn how to read."

"Yer the best friend I've ever had," she said softly, "the only friend I've ever had." She leaned forward and pecked his cheek lightly before grabbing her pail of fish and running off for home.

Darien looked on after her, red in the face from surprise. He had a hand to the cheek she had kissed and a small grin on his lips. "You're my best friend too, Lydia."

*****

On a hill, Darien and Lydia lay next to each other picking out cloud formations.

"My mother told me about a kingdom on the moon," Lydia said suddenly.

"I heard about it," he said. "Some legend."

"Well, according to my mother," Lydia said, turning over to him. "It's not just a legend. She met a moon princess when she was younger."

"Don't be silly," Darien muttered, "no one can live on the moon."

"It's true, Darien," Lydia insisted, "I would never lie to you."

Darien took a look at her eyes. He found no sense of falsehood. She was telling him the truth.

"Well, if there is," he said, "I'd like to go someday and see for myself. I believe you, Lydia. I'd just like to see if it were real."

"I know," Lydia agreed. "I find it strange too, but my mother wouldn't lie to me."

*****

When Prince Darien became sixteen, he was old enough to attend the balls and dance. However, he found it rather boring. The princesses kept stepping on his feet and he had to listen his parents' drawl about the latest gossip, weather and whatnot. He found a moment to sit down and massage his sore feet after the princesses paraded on them. The other princesses and duchesses and royal girls tried searching for him and he could hear them talking about how handsome he was. He was in luck. Lydia was right out the window.

"Poor Darien," she said. "Looks like I made it just in time." She tapped at the window. "Darien!"

Darien heard the tap and looked at the window. He smiled big and rushed to the window, opened it and poked his head out. "Lydia! Save me! The other girls are looking for me! You must--"

"Shh," she hushed, putting her finger to his lips and reaching for his arm. "Come on. So, you want to go to a real party?"

"Yes! I do not care if we go fishing," he crawled out of the window, "just get me out of here, please!"

Lydia laughed, "all right, let's go." She tugged on his arm and began to leave, just as the crowd of princesses' spotted of them.

"That peasant girl is kidnapping the prince!" on of them cried out.

"Here, we'll take my horse," he went to the stable, saddled his horse, mounted first and reached for Lydia's hand and pulled her up behind him. His horse galloped out of the stable full-speed before the princesses could catch him.

Lydia laughed, "sorry, girls, I'm taking his highness to some real entertainment!"

When they were in the clear, Lydia showed him the trail to get to a party in the woods. When they got there, the peasants were surprised that the prince was there.

"Your highness," some said, "we--"

"Maybe I should've changed first," Darien mumbled. He cleared his throat, "It's all right. I'm here for the fun."

"Tonight, treat Darien like he's one of us," Lydia said. "He didn't have much at the ball tonight."

"Well, you have come to the right place, your highness."

Music filled the air and Lydia made sure Darien enjoyed himself. There was a great campfire and they danced around it. There was great food, better than the fancy, expensive and even bland things that were being served at the ball. There was even ale and wine. Lydia offered him one.

"I really shouldn't," he said.

"You need to drink something," she insisted. "And there is no well here for water."

Darien glared at her and said playfully, "you were the one who chose the location, weren't you?"

"Oh, what makes you think that?" she asked. "Don't worry, Darien. Even princes are entitled for some fun."

"All right," he sighed. "Just one. I don't want my parents to find out."

"There's a good lad!" she exclaimed, giving him the bottle of wine. It was exceedingly good. The best thing that had ever touched his lips and tongue. When he finished it, he wanted another and then another. Darien was having the time of his life and when the night was over, he did not want to go home. He looked over at Lydia and took her hand.

"Lydia."

"Oh, are you ready to go home now?" she asked.

"Just one more dance," he said, trying to pull her up. He was too intoxicated to do so and she stood up on her own.

"All right."

Darien tried to dance in beat with the lively music, but he was becoming sluggish. He nearly fell down on Lydia and she propped him up. She nodded to the musicians to play a slower song and she took Darien's hand and placed it at the small of her back and took the other hand in hers as she put her hand on his shoulder. Lydia could not believe that Darien had more to drink than she did.

"Mmm, you smell goooood," he muttered.

"I smell like ash."

"Lydia, what's that song you used to sing when you drink?"

"Her beautiful eyes were a terrible curse."

"Oh, that's right….her beautiful--hick--eyes were a ter-ick-ible currrrrse."

Lydia chuckled and pushed him back. "You should be getting home now."

"What are you talking about?" He demanded as he turned and walked away to pick up another wine bottle. "I feel fine." His legs failed him and he nearly fell into he campfire. Lydia grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to the horse.

"Oh, really?"

"Hmm, maybe I should be heading back before my parents sent a look out party for me," he sighed. "Thank youuuu, Lydia."

"Good night, Darien."

He mounted and nearly fell off the other side. "Oh, goodnight, Lydia."

"Um, are you sure you remember how to get home?" she asked in concern.

"Of course I do," he retorted groggily, "I live in the shack by the river."

Lydia laughed out loud. "No, Darien, you live in the castle!"

"I knew that," he muttered, "I was just making sure you did."

He made it home all right but the next morning he had a terrible hangover and on top of that, his parents were very angry with him for leaving the ball.

"We heard from the princesses that a peasant girl kidnapped you!" his father grunted.

"No she didn't," he groaned, rolling around in his bed. "She saved me."

"Who is this girl?" his mother demanded.

"Lydia," he said. "She's my only friend in the world."

"Then how come we've never met her? You know it's forbidden that you marry a peasant girl!"

"I never said I was going to marry Lydia!" Darien shouted, sitting up. It made him dizzy and he leaned back into his pillows. "I know I have to marry a princess. It just won't be any of those princesses that were here last night! Lydia is only my friend! The law said nothing about a prince not having a peasant for a friend, did it?"

"You're drunk," his mother muttered, changing the subject.

"Maybe I am," he said. "But I had a lot of fun last tonight and it's not because of the stupid ball!" Raising his voice made him queasy. "Lydia is my friend and I don't care if she's a peasant girl, she can top those princesses any day! She'd make a better wife for me because she is my friend. Those girls kept stepping on my feet! And I--" Darien jumped up, opened the window and hurled.

"What kind of friend gets their friend drunk?" his mother demanded.

"Don't blame Lydia what happened," he groaned. "It's my fault that I kept drinking. But it was just so goood."

The king sighed. "Darien, it is all right that you have a friend, even if she is a peasant. But you can't marry her. You need to be married to a princess."

"I'll find one," he said. "But I don't want any of the princesses that were her last night."

"What do we have to do, go to the moon and find a princess for you?"

"Lydia told me that there was a princess on the moon," Darien said.

"Oh, the legend of the moon princess," the queen groaned.

"Well, maybe it's true." Darien said. "I didn't believe it at first but Lydia told me that her mother knew a princess that lived on the moon."

"You see, Darien? She's lying to you!"

"Lydia will never lie to me," Darien insisted, "I know that for sure."

*****

Darien knew about Lydia's druid powers when she became twelve and her uncle taught her how to use them. As Darien walked down a river, reading a book, a thick mist covered the pages of the book.

"Lydia, do you have to do that now?" he demanded.

"Sorry," she said, climbing down from a tree. "Maybe it will come in handy some day."

"Perhaps."

*****

"Sounds like Darien and I had quite a relationship," Sailor Rainbow said. "But…I don't understand. How did he get to the moon kingdom?"

"It was your doing." Queen Azure said. "You introduced him to Serena."

"Yes," she said nodding. "But what happened?"

Queen Azure frowned and Queen Serenity took it a sign to take over.

"Your father became really sick and died. Your mother was heartbroken over his death, so I invited her over here to the moon."

*****

Darien stood behind Lydia at the cemetery with an umbrella. It was a gloomy, rainy day. He squeezed her shoulder and she had her hand over his. The words the preacher spoke could not reach Lydia's ears. She was still in denial. Any minute, she believed, her father would sit up out of the coffin. She still could not believe her father was dead. They were too poor to afford a doctor to help him. The service was over and Darien pulled her into his arms.

"I am so sorry, Lydia," he whispered in her ear. "Anything I can do?"

"There's nothing that anyone can do," she sniffed. "Even you."

"Lydia, let's get home," her mother said.

"Well, if you need anything," Darien began.

"Thank you, Darien."

Darien nodded, kissed Lydia's temple and walked away. When Lydia and her peasant mother, who was really a queen got home, she told her to have a seat.

"Remember the story about the moon kingdom?" she asked.

"Yes," Lydia nodded. "You say it's not just a legend and that you knew the princess personally."

"Well, Queen Serenity invited us to come. She has a daughter around your age."

"Can Darien come with us?" Lydia asked immediately.

"Perhaps at another time," she said. "It's just the two of us right now."

"But if I leave Darien," Lydia mumbled, "he'll be all alone! He'll hate me for this!"

"I'm sure he won't," she said.

Lydia got up and went to her bed to cry. First the passing of her father and now she had to leave Earth and Darien. It was too much to take all in one day. The next day, Lydia waited for Darien at their tree.

"There you are," Darien said. "Are you all right?"

Lydia looked up at him, tears welling up in her eyes.

Darien knelt down and pulled her in her arms. "Your father was a good man and it's a loss that--"

"That's not why I'm crying," she sniffed, pulling away.

"It's not?"

"I need to leave," she said.

"To where?"

"The moon."

"Lydia, please don't joke."

"I'm not joking, Darien," she stressed, wiping a tear away. "I really am going to the moon. Yeh remember me telling you about the moon princess? And my mother knew her?"

"Yes, I do."

"The princess is a queen now and she invited us to come, because my father is dead now and my mother is lonely," Lydia explained. "But I dun't want to leave yeh behind. If yeh dun't want me to go, just tell me and--"

"You should go," he said quickly.

"What?" she asked, surprised.

"We both said we'd like to go to moon and see if it were real," he said, "and I think it should be you. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

"You're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad?"

Lydia blushed and looked at her feet, "Oh, I don't know."

"Go to the moon," he said. "Have as much fun as possible. And when you get back, I want to hear everything."

Lydia embraced him, "Oh, Darien, you're the best!"

They pulled back and he kissed her forehead and pushed one of her braids back playfully. "Now go on."

"I'll be back soon."

*****

"And when my dear friend Azure returned," Queen Serenity went on, tightening her hand around Azure's, "with you, we made you feel welcome. Serena, you awaited for visitors from Earth since you were a young child. You would stare at Earth and wait and wait until someone came."

*****

"When will they be here?" Princess Serena asked, pacing the throne room floor. "When will they be here? I cannot wait anymore!"

"Should not be long now," Princess Serenity insisted, standing up from her throne. She walked out of the castle and looked down at Earth. There was a glowing sphere of light that was traveling to the moon. It was Azure and Lydia.

They landed on the moon and Lydia looked up at her mother. "That was fun! Can we do it again?"

Azure smiled and walked to grasp hands with Serenity. "Serenity, it's so good to be back."

"I'm so sorry about the passing of your husband, Azure," Serenity said. "Welcome back."

"Thank you. Thank you."

"Oh, is this Princess Lydia?" Queen Serenity asked.

"Princess?" Lydia mumbled.

"I haven't told her yet," Azure explained as her peasant dress changed into a beautiful colorful gown.

"Mother! Your dress!"

"Lydia, my dear," Azure began, "I had to protect our true identities. You have lived a peasant girl's life but you were a princess."

"I'm a princess? Like those stuck up princesses down on Earth?"

"Well, I didn't raise you to be spoiled," Azure said, "so you're not like them. Being a peasant all your life was good for you."

"True," Lydia nodded, "it was a hard life but I got to play more than the princesses down on Earth."

"Then you must meet my Serena," Serenity said with a smile. "I assure you she's nothing like the princesses down on Earth. Oh, Serena, our visitors are here from Earth."

"Visitors!" Serena shouted. "I was waiting for you to come!" She whizzed pass her mother and embraced Lydia tightly, as if she would break her back. "Welcome to the Moon Kingdom! My home is your home! Please make yourself comfortable! Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!"

"N-nice to meet yeh!" Lydia stammered painfully.

"Serena, why don't you take Lydia inside with you for some new clothes?" Her mother suggested.

"Oh, yes of course!" Serena pulled her arms off from around Lydia. Lydia took a deep breath as Serena took her by the hand. Her happy, lively face turned sorrowful for a moment. "I'm very sorry about your father by the way. I know how you feel. I never knew my father."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lydia whispered.

Serena turned happy again, "come along! You must be tired from your journey!" She pulled Lydia across the moon to the castle and pampered her out of her peasant dress and into a nice warm bath. She gave her the works.

"I feel like a princess," Lydia said, feeling the material of her dress.

"That is because you are!" Serena shrieked, taking her hands in hers. "You just never knew it. Oh, Lydia, something tells me that this is a start of a beautiful friendship!"

Lydia smiled and looked into the eyes of her new friend. She couldn't possibly argue. They were going to be the two best friends anyone ever heard of.

*****

Queen Serenity smiled proudly at her daughter and best friend. "And now look at you, a millennium later and you have found each other. You were able to rekindle your old friendship."

"Sure explains why I felt like I knew her when I first saw her," Sailor Moon said, wrapping her arm around Sailor Rainbow and Rainbow did the same. "But what happened after that? The moon kingdom was attacked, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Queen Beryl attacked," Queen Azure said sadly. "No one survived and Queen Beryl left our home in ruins."

Next Chapter: Malachite's Decision