Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Reconciliation ❯ The Best Laid Plans ( Chapter 6 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Reconciliation Part 6: The Best Laid Plans


"Darien…" Lita whispered tentatively.
He looked up at her, desperately trying to hide the pain in his expression, as well as stop the flow of tears. Lita couldn't hide the pained look on her own face at the sight of his raw emotions playing over his features. She immediately knelt down and hugged her friend. 'We have to get them back together.' She thought desperately. 'Now all we have to do is figure out how.'
"It'll be alright, Darien." She whispered, lending him strength. She pulled back and smiled. "Queen Serenity and the others are waiting for us. We'll figure this out, don't worry."
Darien nodded and got to his feet. He was grateful for the support Lita was giving him, but he still had his doubts.



Serena turned the corner to her mother's study just in time to see Lita and Endymion enter, and close the door behind them.
'What is going on? Meeting behind closed doors without me now? Really!' She decided to take the indirect approach to find out what was going on. She carefully closed her mind to her mother, as was natural with sleep, and crept outside the door, mentally listening in on the conversation.
Serena furrowed her brow in disgust. They were all in there. Her mother, the prince, all four princesses whom she considered to be her best and most loyal friends, even Luna and Artemis! They were talking about her. More specifically, about her loss of memory. And… a connection… no… a relationship to… Prince Endymion! NO! He was causing her enough problems as it was already, and she barely knew him!
Her emotions overcame her curiosity and she lost control of her mind for a moment, sending out waves of intense feelings of anger and betrayal. She spun away and stormed off to her room.



Inside Queen Serenity's study, Serenity, Endymion, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Luna and Artemis were discussing how to get Serena's memory back. The cats were comfortably seated on Queen Serenity's desk, high enough to be a part of the conversation.
"Do you know what caused her memory loss?" Mercury asked thoughtfully.
"The Silver Crystal took them from her to ease her pain." Serenity replied sadly. "I have asked the crystal to return them to her, but as long as Serena does not wish to know, it cannot." she sighed.
"Then we have to get her to want to remember." Jupiter concluded.
"She has to remember Endymion and Darien, in her past life as well as the present in order to save the future." Luna added thoughtfully.
Serenity looked over at Endymion. He was sitting in a chair with his head in his hands, once again dressed in his black armour, silent as ever. She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Endymion?" She whispered carefully as the rest continued talking about Serena and Darien. "Do not worry, young Prince. Her heart will prevail, she will return to you."
Endymion only nodded in response. Serenity understood his lack of words. At this moment, his heart was also prevailing. Any words would only cause tears. Serenity sighed and turned to face the rest of the group again when she felt a wave of anger and betrayal emanating from her daughter. She ran to the door and threw it open in time to see Serena storm around the corner. Then the connection was closed again.
Serenity shook her head and returned to her study, closing the door behind her once again. She was met with a roomful of wide eyes and curious looks.
"Serena was listening." She answered them.
"Does she know?" Artemis asked.
"I do not know. She was very angry…" Serenity began, but the brightly glowing light of the Silver Crystal caught her attention.
"What's happening?" Venus asked in a hushed voice. All conversation had ended and all eyes were now focused on the crystal.
"I think…" Mars began slowly, her eyes closed. "I think… it's trying… to tell us something?" She spoke as if she were trying to understand someone speaking a different language.
"Any idea what it is saying Mars?" Serenity asked gently. She too could hear the voice of the crystal, but it made no sense to her.
"Something… about… about Princess Serenity…" Mars paused again. All eyes were now on her, anxiously awaiting any new information. All at once the whispering voices in Raye's mind came together as one and spoke clearly to her. "It's trying to speak to Darien. It's saying that if he truly loves her, he has to prove it to her in order to overcome the painful subconscious memory of him in her heart." Mars paused again. "It says that once he has proven himself to her, she will wish to regain her memories, and it will be able to restore them to her conscious mind."
All at once the crystal faded back to its normal glow and the voice in Raye's mind was silenced. She was left with a splitting headache. Grabbing her temples with both hands, she fell to the floor.
"MARS!" Venus shouted and dove after her friend who was writhing in pain on the floor.
Queen Serenity bent and gently placed her fingertips of her right hand on Mars' forehead. The pain instantly disappeared.
"Do not worry Mars. The pain is natural for those who have never heard the crystal before. If it speaks to you again, you mind will be able to accept it." She spoke gently to the utterly confused priestess-in-training. Mars only nodded in response, not sure she entirely understood.
As Mars and Serenity returned to their previous positions, Jupiter spoke. "So now what are we going to do? How is Darien going to prove that he really loves Serena?"
"It shouldn't be too hard." Venus said with a grin on her face.
Artemis groaned. "Trust the sailor of 'love' to come up with something."
"Do you have a plan Mina?" Mercury asked curiously.
Venus' grin became wider. "I think I do." All eyes were now on Venus, including Endymion.
"Come on Mina! Spit it out already!" Mars prodded, quickly becoming impatient.
"Well… I'm not sure if I have all the pieces yet. Queen Serenity," Venus turned to the Queen, who had been listening intently, "what happened in the first ball? The one you had to welcome Prince Endymion to the Moon. Serena didn't want to have anything to do with him, but by the end, she was head-over-heels for him."
Serenity was about to speak when Endymion answered for her. "We forgave each other for the way we had treated each other when we had first met."
Serenity nodded thoughtfully. Now she was pretty sure where Venus was going.
"Perfect!" Venus cheered gleefully.
"I get it." Jupiter continued.
"If we re-create the situation, when Serena changed her mind about Prince Endymion, she might begin to remember." Mercury finished.
"Darien would have to apologize again." Mars added, sending a burning glare in Endymion's direction, who's only response was to return to the look, full-force.
"Raye! Lay off!" Jupiter shouted at her.
Endymion stood up. "Don't worry about me Raye. I'll do whatever I have to do to get Serena back. You just do your part, and I'll do mine."
"Don't forget the engagement." Venus chimed in a sing-songy voice, breaking the tension in the room.
"Engagement?" Mercury, Mars and Jupiter looked at her in surprise.
"Don't tell me you don't remember." Venus looked back at them, appalled that they didn't remember such a huge thing in their princess's life. "Half the reason for the ball was to announce the engagement between Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion." Realization slowly dawned on each of the Sailor's faces.
"I remember now." Jupiter said, slowly remembering all of it.
"So do I." Mars said. "I also remember how furious she was."
"It will be different this time." Endymion spoke with determination.
"Of course it will be different this time. This is just a set-up to get Serena to remember. The engagement won't be real." Luna added.
"No it won't be, but we can't tell Serena that. It has to be as close to what it was when it actually happened." Mercury continued. "That also means you will have to insult her hair in the garden tomorrow morning Darien."
He nodded thoughtfully.
"You better not mess this up." Mars said again berating him.
He shot a look of death at her. "Just get her there, I'll do the rest. He then turned to Queen Serenity. "Now that we have a plan, I am going to get some sleep. Please excuse me your majesty." He half-bowed to her then stormed out of the room.
"Queen Serenity?" Venus continued after Endymion left the room. "Do you think it will work?"
Until then, she had been thoughtfully listening to the conversation and carefully watching Prince Endymion. Something was off, but she would have to think about that later. Venus' question brought her thoughts back into the room. "Yes, Venus. I do believe it is worth a try." She agreed. "I will make the arrangements for the ball and the announcement of their engagement for tomorrow night. The four of you must make sure the princess is where she needs to be. Now it's late, I suggest you all go rest and remember as much as you can about that day. It must be as close to the events as they took place the first time."
"We can do it, your majesty." Jupiter replied, determined.
"Now as long as Darien does what he's supposed to do, everything should be fine." Mars added another barb, even though he had long since left.
"Do not worry about the prince, Mars. He will do what he must. He truly loves her, that alone tells us all we need to know." Queen Serenity spoke gently, taking any reprimand out of her words, yet forcefully enough to let Mars know that she had just been told to stop speaking doubtedly of him.
"Come on girls. Lets go." Luna said, jumping back onto the floor. Serenity hugged each one of them as they left the room. She was truly glad to see each one of them.
The door closed as the last sailor left, leaving Serenity alone with her thoughts once more. She once again headed out onto her balcony. She leaned on the railing and watched the waves roll in. Watching the ocean helped her think now as it always had before.
'Will this work?' she wondered. 'Will Serenity regain her memories? What will happen if she does, and she returns to Earth? Will the Moon Kingdom cease to exist once more?'
"Oh goddess Selene of my beloved moon. Please guide my daughter along her path." She spoke, sending her prayer out over the ocean. She sighed, then remembered Endymion. 'What was that look?' She wondered, recalling the look that had passed over his face when Luna had said the engagement was to be a ruse. 'Could it be he does not want this to be a game? Does he truly wish to marry her now?' Serenity shook her head. 'Even if he does wish this to be real, neither of them are prepared. It will happen one day, as it should, but that day is not tomorrow.'
"Oh how I wish I could live to see them marry. They both deserve it after all they have been though." Serenity continued aloud. Serenity sighed again, her heart heavy in her breast, uncertain of what the next day would bring. She then realized her fatigue, and left her study for her own chambers to get some much-needed rest.



Princess Serenity awoke feeling rested, yet restless. Something was not was it should be. Then she remembered the secret meeting the night before. 'What did they discuss in there?' The moment she had reached her room, she had regretted allowing her temper get the better of her. Now she did not know what they had truly been discussing.
She heaved a sigh and got up, stretching in the warm morning light that filled her room. She suddenly remembered the previous night, and spun around, half expecting to find Prince Endymion asleep on her bed again. She only found Luna staring back up at her with a curious expression.
"What were you expecting to find?" Luna asked, perplexed.
"Prince Endymion." She replied, flopping back onto the bed next to Luna.
"The Prince? Why would he be here?" Luna asked again, more confused then she was a moment ago.
"I don't know, but he was here when I woke up yesterday morning." She replied, feeling strangely disappointed that he wasn't there.
"Well, he's not here now, but he did come to see you last night." Luna replied, knowing fully why he had been with her the morning before. He had explained it to her before he left last night.
Serena sat bolt upright. "He was here last night?" She felt a surge of excitement. "Why didn't you wake me?"
"I would have," Luna lied, "But he was just leaving when I came in."
"Oh." Serena replied feeling disappointed again. But he had come to see her.
Luna watched as Serena floated into her bathroom and shut the door. She laid her head back down on the soft comforter and let the events of the night before replay in her mind.
She had lied about Darien just leaving when she came in. He was already there, but he wasn't in any hurry to leave either. She had come into the room to find him sitting on her bed, stroking her hair.
"What are you doing here?" Luna asked him in forced whisper once she had jumped up onto the bed and gotten close enough to speak to him without waking Serena.
"Nothing." He replied quietly. After a minute of silence, he said, "I just had to see her again." He paused again. "She's so beautiful." He sighed. "I miss her so much Luna. I'd do anything to get her back."
"You will Darien. The plan will work, Queen Serenity even said so." Luna reassured him.
He nodded. "I hope so."
"Darien…" Serena mumbled in her sleep.
Darien leaned down to her ear and whipered, "I'm here, and I promise I'll never leave you again. I'm so sorry Serena."
Luna was barely able to hear him, but the sorrow in his voice was evident. Luna walked to the end of the bed and lay down, attempting to give him a bit of privacy with his emotions. In the last few seconds, she had seen him more vulnerable then she had ever seen any man. He truly was a man in love, and desperate to get it back.
She watched out of the corner of her eye as he brushed his lips to hers, gently moved away one last lock of hair from her face and stood up.
"I'd better go." He said, turning to leave. "I don't want a repeat of yesterday morning."
"What are you talking about?" Luna asked, confused.
"When I came to see her last night, I ended up falling asleep. When she woke up she started screaming and woke everyone up. I don't want that to happen again." He explained quickly.
"I would think not." Luna replied, snickering.
He shook his head and headed for the door. Just before he left he said something that stuck in Luna's mind. In a quiet, sad, whisper he had said, "It hurt too much." Then the door closed behind him.
Luna's heart went out to him as it had when he had spoken those words. She prayed to Selene that everything would work out the way it was supposed to.



Serena wandered out of her bathroom to find Luna gone. Her bed was made and her usual dress was laid out across the bed. She shook her head at the dress and headed to her closet. She felt like going riding after breakfast, which she never did in her dress. She pulled out a pair of soft tan riding pants and a loose-fitting white shirt which she added a snug black leather vest over. She added a pair of knee-high black boots and looked herself over in her mirror. Her hair was already done up in its usual double-bun style. She sighed and pulled out the buns. She didn't feel like being at all traditional today. She was never usually uncomfortable with her looks, in fact, she usually didn't care how she looked. But to day was different. Today, everything felt off.
She finally settled for a single bun at the base of her neck, letting the rest of her hair trail down her back in a thick braid, which she doubled over to make it shorter. Sighing at her reflection once again, she grabbed her hat, gloves, and riding crop and headed to the dining room for breakfast.
"Good morning everyone." Serena called out as she entered the dining room. Everyone but the Prince was there. They were deep in conversation and abruptly stopped when she called out to them. "By all means, don't stop on my account." She added, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Holding more secret meetings without me?" she continued, not allowing anyone to interrupt her. "I seem to be quite the gossip topic since Prince Endymion arrived."
"Serena, honey, sit down and have something to eat dear." Her mother said to her in a soothing voice. Serena was emanating strong feelings of hurt and betrayal. "Why are you not wearing your dress?" She asked.
"No thank-you mother, I'm going riding this morning. I'll leave you to you secret meetings in peace." Serena glared at everyone, and avoided all eye contact with her mother. She spun on her heel and walked out of the room, so angry she could barely see where she was going, and walked right into something hard in the doorway, falling hard onto her backside.
Serena rubbed her eyes and for a fleeting moment thought she had run into the door. She expected her friends to be laughing at her, but when she realized they weren't, she looked up to find Prince Endymion standing over her, a hand extended to help her up. She glared at him, leapt to her feet and practically ran out the door, not stopping or looking back until she reached the stables.
Saddling her favorite white mare, Twilight, she paused only to slip on her gloves, leaving her hat on a post in the stable, she rode hard, off the grounds of the palace, stopping only when she reached the edge of the restored surface of the moon. She looked over the barren rock and craters of the moon, and something pulled at her memory.
"What happened to my moon?" she asked aloud. Twilight whinnied in response.
Serena shook her head. She had the feeling that she knew, but the coherent memories were just out of reach, just like everything else.
Urging Twilight to a steady pace, she hoped with all her heart that her ridge was untouched. The ridge was the one place she could go without fear of anyone finding her. She went there to think, when her heart was heavy or her thoughts were unsettled, or when she just needed to be alone. Now, she felt all of these things, and smacked Twilight to a full gallop as she neared the place of her ridge. She slowed Twilight as the neared a thicket. She stopped the horse and dismounted, leading it though the dense foliage of the forest. Pushing past the last bush, she stepped out onto the ridge and her breath caught.
There was nothing past the ridge. Where there had once been a beautiful lush green valley with several waterfalls and shimmering silver lake, there was nothing. Where beautiful creatures of the moon once lived happily, playing amongst the plants and trees, only craters and moon dust lay, stretching out forever, halted only by the back vastness of space. Hanging in the black sky was the Earth, and behind it, millions of twinkling stars.
Twilight whinnied and backed into the foliage they had just come though. Serena let the reins slip from her fingers as her heart all but broke at the sight before her. Her valley, her beloved valley was gone. Serena sank to her knees, staring at the bleak, dead planet that once brought her so much comfort. When she could no longer bare the sight of it, she buried her face in her hands and cried. Eventually, after letting her pain out into the bleakness before her, she had fallen into a fitful sleep.



Darien was on his way into the dining hall for breakfast, when no sooner had he stepped into the doorway then Serena crashed into him. He swayed a moment but kept his footing, while the angry Princess fell onto her backside with a resounding thud. He watched as she rubbed her eyes, then stopping abruptly, she looked up at him. The look in her eyes was just short of malicious. If looks could kill, he would most certainly be very dead.
He had his hand out to her to help her off the floor. She surprised him when she leapt to her feet and raced out of the room. He watched after her for a moment, taking note of her direction, intending to follow her after he had something to kill the monster in his stomach.
He took a seat at the table where all four scouts, the cats and the Queen already seated. He looked at them quizzically for a moment.
"Why was she so mad?" he asked them.
"We were discussing tonight's ball when she walked in." Mina offered.
"She was really pissed." Raye added.
"I could see that." Darien said. "She wasn't wearing her usual dress." He commented. "And her hair was different."
"She didn't eat anything." Amy spoke in a small voice from her seat.
Darien looked at her, unbelieving. Serena? Not eat? He couldn't believe that. As he looked at her expression, he realized it was true. Serena was so angry she had left without breakfast. He let his head sag onto the table. 'I've really messed things up.' He thought, groaning aloud.
"Your highness?" a voice called to him meekly, interrupting his thoughts.
Looking up, Darien found a servant standing before him with a tray of food. It looked odd, but it smelled delicious. He sat back and the servant placed the contents of the tray on the table before him. He ate everything, finding it to be even more delicious than it smelled. It had been sometime since he had really eaten any moon-food, but his tastebuds hadn't forgotten.
He was about to leave the table in search of Serena when another servant came to him.
"You have guests waiting for you in the main room, your highness." The servant told him. "If you'll follow me, I will show you the way."
Darien nodded, though he was sure he knew where the main room was, he was too busy thinking about Serena to even wonder who was waiting to see him.
The servant stopped unexpectedly. Darien was following far enough behind that he didn't bump into the servant, but it was enough to bring him back to reality. The man entered the room and announced him as 'Prince Endymion of Earth' to whoever was in the room. Now Darien began to wonder who it was waiting in there.
The man stepped aside to allow him to enter the room. He stepped though the doorway and was completely shocked when he saw the four men standing before him in the room.
Malachite, Zoicite, Nephlite and Jadeite were standing before him, all smiling at him. Darien was too confused for words.
"What the hell?" the words tumbled from him lips before he could stop them. "What are you doing here? I thought you were all dead? How did you get in? What do you want from us?" The questions surged forth as his anger quickly followed.
"My Prince." Malachite spoke, stepping forward. Darien immediately went for his sword.
"Endymion, put that thing away." A voice spoke from behind him.
Darien glanced over his shoulder to find Queen Serenity standing behind him, arm folded across her chest, looking extremely displeased.
"Your generals have come to find you, to help you. Now put your sword away." She continued, in her firm yet ever so gentle voice.
Darien shook his head, extremely confused, but relented when she placed a forceful hand on his arm.
"They mean us no harm." She told him.
Darien sheathed his sword and fell into a chair. This was too much. Serenity answered his questions before he spoke.
"I brought them back last night." She began, sitting down. The generals followed suit. "Jupiter is a good friend to you, but I felt you needed more. Naturally, I thought of your protectors."
Darien opened his mouth to speak, but Queen Serenity shook her head. "No, they are no longer dangerous. When the Princess defeated Beryl, their souls were freed. They are their own persons once again."
A grin spread across Darien's face as he looked over his four closest friends of the past.
Queen Serenity stood and smiled. "I'll leave you to become re-aquatinted with each other. Though I do suggest you do it quickly. I do believe there are four certain princesses who will wish to see you very soon, if they are not already aware of your presence here."
Each of the general's eyes light up simultaneously at the mention of the princesses.
Queen Serenity stifled a giggle and nodded. "I shall instruct Frederick to wait a few minutes, then let them in." She turned and left the room.
Darien could only assume that Frederick was the servant who had shown him to the room.
Each of the five men stood slowly, looking at each other with barely-controlled excitement. Unexpectedly, Malachite bent onto one knee before Darien.
"My prince." He began, bowing his head. "I must apologize to you and the princess for everything we have done and beg your forgiveness." Quickly, the other three followed suite and bent to one knee. "Now that my life is my own again, I wish to swear my allegiance to you once again.
"As do I." Each of his generals said to him, one at a time. Their voices filled with sincerity and regret.
"My friends. I do believe I have you back again. I shall forgive you because you were not acting as yourself, but were being controlled by that witch Beryl. I would be glad to have you in my service once again. However, I cannot speak for the Princess."
Four elated faces turned up to him. "Of course, my Prince." Malachite replied.
They stood and one by one knelt before him and swore themselves to him. 'This time,' Darien thought, 'I will not loose them. Thank-you Queen Serenity.'
The five then stood, and unexpectedly embraced the Prince. They were all glad to be back.
A knock at the door interrupted them.
"Come." Darien called. The servant that had let him to the room cautiously stepped in, and cleared his throat.
"The princesses of Mercury, Mars, Venus and Jupiter wish to join you." He said.
"Let them in." Darien replied, nodding his head.
The door flew open and four formally attired girls ran in, strait into the arms of the generals.
"Malachite, is it really true?" Mina wept in Malachite's arms.
"Yes my love." He replied gently, holding her close, and kissing her gently.
The scene was similar with each couple. Unlike Serena and Darien, none of them had been given the chance to find their loves again. Now, together again, they held onto their loves like lifelines. It was too much for Darien. He shut his eyes and walked out of the room, determined to find Serena.
Minutes later, he was in the stable, clutching her hat in one hand, holding a package of food for Serena in the other. She still hadn't eaten yet, and he was sure that by the time he found her she would be more than eager to eat what he would bring her.
"Your horse is ready, your highness." The stable hand told him, interrupting his thoughts.
"Thank-you." Darien replied. He walked out of the stable and mounted a black stallion named Quasar. He was named for the oddly shaped white-gold mark on his left flank. Darien kicked at the stallion's flanks and pointed him in the direction of Serena's ridge. She had taken him there many times during the silver millennium, and he knew she would be there now.
He realized that from what he had seen while still on Earth of the restored area on the moon, that the ridge itself would indeed be restored, but not the valley below. He knew Serena would be devastated by this. The beauty and peace of the valley was her one place she went to be alone when she really needed it.



Serena was asleep on the soft green grass on the ridge when something stirred her. She had been overwhelmed by everything that had been happening since the arrival of Prince Endymion. Or was it before that? She still couldn't remember. The sensation of pain and loss that she had been unable to shake had since evolved into a constant feeling utter hopelessness and the strange feeling that a part of her soul had been all cut from her very existence. That, combined with the discovery that her valley had been completely destroyed, her one place where she could find that inner peace she so desperately needed, was what loosed her carefully hidden tears. She was now awake, but stayed motionless on the ground, listening.
Darien was taken aback when he found her. Not only was the sight of the valley, now nothing but moon-dust and craters, cut of severely by a black star-filled sky much more horrible then he had imagined, but Serena was laying on the grass, apparently asleep. Both cheeks were tearstained, and her hair was completely loose around her. She looked so beautiful, and yet the expression on her face was one of such pain that it tore at his own heart.
'I did this.' Darien thought. 'Oh god, why?' The sight was too much for him; he had to do something. He bent to her side immediately and lifted her into his arms. She was freezing. He took off his cape and wrapped it tightly around her. On his ride, he noticed that the weather was becoming steadily worse, now it was beginning to rain.
As he picked Serena up, a beautiful white horse stepped out of the trees and onto the ridge. He locked eyes with it, and suddenly recognized it as Twilight, Serena's favorite horse. The mare had a sad, almost begging look in its eyes. Darien nodded, understanding the animal's concern for its master.
Darien carried Serena swiftly back to his own horse, mounted and headed swiftly back towards the palace with Twilight following close behind. Within minutes it was pouring, a harsh, cold rain.
Serena was lying there, motionless in the Prince's arms. She wanted to wake up, and had tried several times, but had realized with a terrifying intensity that she couldn't. She hadn't opened her eyes, yet she knew it was Prince Endymion that had come for her. 'How did he know where to find me?' she wondered, willing her mind to work against the fog that was quickly threatening to send her into unconsciousness again. Before, the dark had been welcome, comforting. Now, it was almost terrifying and cold. She could feel the rain slicing like knives though the Prince's thoroughly soaked cloak and her own equally as wet clothing. She shivered uncontrollably, wanting to pull herself closer into his warm embrace, but unable to make her limbs obey her commands.
"Don't leave me now Serena." She heard a voice say, cutting though the fog.
The exhaustion finally overcame her once again and the cold melted away as she slipped back into the back abyss.
Darien felt Serena shivering hard in front of him as he pushed Quasar harder. All of a sudden, he felt her shivering stop and her body become completely limp. In that second he almost lost his grip on her, but was just barely able to hang on to her. Not stopping his horse, he gripped her harder and urged Quasar faster, now fearing for his loves' very life.
"Serena…" Darien ground out though clenched teeth. "You can't leave me, not when I've come so close to finding you again. Just hang on a little longer."



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