Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Reconciliation ❯ Memories ( Chapter 7 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Reconciliation Part 7: Memories


Serena woke hours later in her bed. Was it hours? How long had it been since she had fallen asleep on the ridge? She slowly opened her eyes to see a dark room. Her curtains were parted slightly and a soft blue glow flowed in from the small opening between them. Her limbs were heavy, but she felt better, good almost. She got out of bed with some effort and walked to the window.
Serena looked up at the Earth, glowing brightly in the sky and sighed. There was always something about that planet. Then she found herself thinking about Prince Endymion. There was something about him too, before, she had hated the sight of him. Every time she looked at him it felt like her heart was breaking, no, more like shattering into a million pieces. Now when she thought of him, it wasn't so bad. He made her feel happy and warm. Something then entered her mind, a vision of Prince Endymion, looking at her with anger in his eyes. It was familiar, and at the same time, it wasn't. She noticed that he was wearing clothing that she didn't recognize. His name wasn't Prince Endymion either, it was something else, something familiar, yet fleeting. The name lived on the edge of her mind, she knew it, but it was ever just out of her grasp. Then she noticed something about his eyes. The anger was just a mask, and not a very good one. Behind the anger she saw a heart-breaking pain. Then her own feelings overwhelmed her and threatened tears.
A noise outside her window caught her attention, blowing the vision away like dust and stilling her tears. She pushed the curtains back and for the first time, noticed many people roaming around outside. She grabbed her robe and stepped out onto her balcony. There were many people, both men a women, roaming the nearer parts of the garden. They were all dressed in formal attire. Cheerful music was coming out of the ballroom, the doors were wide open and Serena could see Princess Raye and a blonde man sitting on a bench together, and intimately so. Serena was taken aback. The Princess of Mars was the last person she expected to be throwing herself at any man. But what was going on? In the distance, there was a black silhouette, shaped like a craft she had never seen before, yet it felt familiar.
Serena marched determinedly back into her room and grabbed her formal white gown. After a quick shower and a light application of make-up, she slipped into her dress, did her hair up in the royal style and headed for the ballroom. She had no more then set foot outside the door when her mother came around the corner.
"Serena!" the Queen said excitedly. "You must be feeling better dear."
Serena nodded. "Yes mother, I am. Please tell me what is going on in the ballroom?"
"A ball of course." Serenity smiled mischievously. Something Serena had seen many times before.
"What are you up to mother?" she asked.
"Why don't you come with me and find out?" Serenity replied cheerfully. Her mother was hiding something, and she had a feeling it had something to do with her.
Serena shrugged and nodded. She followed her mother down the hall, and surprisingly, instead of going to the ballroom, Serenity went instead to her study. Perplexed, Serena followed her mother into the room and Serenity closed the door behind them.
"Serena, dear, there is something I must tell you before we go to the ball." Serenity hesitated. Wondering how her daughter would react this time.
"What is it mother?" Serena asked cautiously, not sure she would like what her mother had to say.
Serenity turned and looked into her daughter's eyes. 'It must be done, for the future.' She thought resolutely. "Tonight at this ball, I must announce your engagement to Prince Endymion of Earth." To her surprise, Serena laughed.
"Oh, Selene! What kind of fool do you think I am mother!" Serena said, laughing.
"I'm serious Serena. The Prince has asked for your hand, and I have consented." Serenity replied, her tone serious. Serena stopped laughing. A perplexed look crossed her face.
"I cannot imagine why. I have not been very kind to him since he arrived." Serena said thoughtfully.
"You're not angry?" Serenity asked, beyond confused. This was not how she expected Serena to react at all.
Serena shook her head. "I will allow this engagement to proceed on one condition."
Serenity was shocked. Something had changed her daughter's feelings towards the Prince, but she wasn't sure what. Endymion had told her that Serena had been unconscious when he found her on the ridge. There was no way Serena could know who had brought her home, and yet, there was something in the princess' eyes that said not everything was as it appeared.
"What would this condition be?" Serenity asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Do not set a date for the wedding. Let me become properly aquatinted with him, under the engagement. If I do not wish to marry him, then I must be allowed to break the engagement." Serena spoke firmly.
Her actions and words gave Queen Serenity the feeling that she was glimpsing her daughter as she would be in the future, as Queen, with Endymion ever by her side. In that moment, she wished more than anything that she would be allowed to see her daughter in the future with her husband and daughter. The granddaughter that she would never see.
To Serena's surprise, her mother smiled and nodded. "Granted." Being the only word her mother spoke, Serena became even more confused, but she had the feeling her mother knew more than she was telling. It would be useless to ask though, Serenity would never tell what she was hiding.
"Now, let us go to the ball." Serenity said, taking her daughter's arm in her own. Together they walked ever-so-gracefully to the ballroom.



Darien was waiting anxiously in to ballroom, waiting for Queen Serenity's return. He hoped Serena would be well enough to attend, but prayed that she was just well enough to live. He couldn't bear to loose her because of his own stupidity. He felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry Darien. This will work." Lita offered her reassurance. Since Lita and the other girls had been reunited with their own loves, the pairs had been virtually inseparable. Nephlite looked at his prince with nothing but loyalty and concern in his eyes.
"Lita's right. She will come back to you." Nephlite said.
Darien nodded and the couple moved on. He looked at the door again, praying for it to open. It was a private entrance that only the royalty was allowed to use. It was the way that himself, Queen Serenity and the princesses had entered the room initially. Darien's generals were not allowed to use the door because they were highly stationed yes, but they were not princes themselves. It was also the way Queen Serenity had left over half and hour ago to find if the princess was well enough to attend to ball.
Much to his surprise, the door opened. His breath caught in his throat as he saw Queen Serenity enter the room. A moment that felt like forever passed, then Princess Serenity emerged from behind the door. She was pale, but looked healthy. He knew Queen Serenity never would have let Serena come unless she was sure she was up to it. He let out a sigh of relief and a before he could stop it, a smile crossed his lips.
The next thing he knew, he was walking towards Serena. He stopped himself before she noticed, and turned to Queen Serenity instead. He waited until Serena's friends pulled her away from her mother before approaching the Queen. He knew Serenity was supposed to tell Serena of the engagement, and he needed to know what had happened. His face unconsciously twisted into scowl as he thought of Luna calling the engagement a fake. All of a sudden he realized that Serena hadn't looked at all upset when she entered the room. 'Is it possible that she doesn't hate me anymore?' The little flame of hope that had been ignited in his the night before now flared into a larger one. He allowed himself to hope that maybe he could get her back after all. 'This time,' Darien thought, 'I will not loose her.'
Queen Serenity watched as Prince Endymion walked across the room with a determined step, his face betraying his thoughts and emotions. He approached her and opened his mouth to speak, but shut it again when she nodded.
"She had agreed." Serenity spoke softy, with careful words as to not attract the attention of those around them, especially the delegates from Earth. They had arrived that afternoon, while Serena and Endymion had been gone. When the four of them, 'astronauts' they had called themselves, arrived at the palace, the looks on each of their faces was that of complete awe. There were three men and a woman. Serenity was quite pleased that they had deemed a woman of their planet worthy enough to come to her kingdom for the first time.
She had personally shown them around her palace and the grounds. She wanted to make sure that this time the two worlds would become and always remain friends. Of course, she knew that was already secured by what she had learned of the future from Pluto. The Princess of the Moon and the Prince of Earth joined forever. She smiled at this thought, prompting a question from the female astronaut, Elizabeth, whom her companions called 'Liz'. Serenity had waved off the question, telling Liz that they would all know the joy that was to come in due time. She had then invited them to the ball that evening, and after settling their protests of lack of clothing by providing them with appropriate attire, they had readily agreed.
As for their Prince whim they did not know even existed, she told them only that they would be in the company of many important people from many worlds, not only that of the moon and earth. She then set a meeting for the next afternoon to discuss any questions they had, knowing they would have many, especially about Prince Endymion and his protectors. She had also told them to feel free to ask questions at the ball of specific persons, but that she would explain all events leading up to this point to then in the meeting. They had agreed again, and then been led away by a few choice servants to help them prepare for the festivities. And now, in a matter of minutes, they would meet their Prince.
Endymion looked at Serenity with a question in his eyes. "But?" He knew there was more.
"She has set a condition which I have agreed to." Serenity continued. "As of now, she still does not remember you, but something in her changed, allowing her mind and heart to win over any anger she would have had but 24 hours ago."
"What is the condition?" Endymion was becoming impatient.
"She has agreed to this under the condition that no date is to be set until she has been allowed the time to become properly aquatinted with you, and then decided whether or not she wishes to proceed. If she decides otherwise, I have agreed to let her break the agreement." Serenity informed him in a firm tone, warning him not to argue.
Darien was furious. 'How could she agree to something like that?' Unlike the Queen, he still wasn't entirely sure that Serena would want him, despite what he had seen in the future. 'The future,' he thought. He remembered the look on the King's face when he thought of his wife and daughter. Then he thought what the Serena of that time had told him, "Never forget, your Serena loves you just as much as you love her. She always has." That thought, added to the look that the Queen was now giving him, made him hold his mouth shut.
Darien bowed respectfully and walked away from her, knowing the discussion was over.



Serena had been dragged from her mother by her friends, who had let go of their generals for a short time. She turned on Raye.
"What do you think you're doing Raye?" she berated the Princess of Mars. "Throwing yourself at that blonde man in that uniform of Earth!"
"You don't remember that either!" Raye shot back, exasperated.
"Remember what? That man you were with? How should I remember him when I have never seen him before this day."
"Never seen…?" Lita trailed off.
"She's remembering less. This isn't good." Amy spoke to the other three as if Serena wasn't there.
"Would you please stop talking about me as if I am not standing before you. I am quickly tiring of my supposed friends telling me that I should be remembering things which I know are quite impossible because they have never occurred before, and holding secret meetings with my mother and that heathen Prince of Earth behind my back! I demand to know what was discussed last night, and what you, Lita," she continued, growing louder as she turned on the Princess of Jupiter, "were doing with him in the garden last night!"
She was met with four rather exasperated groans from the girls she had just berated, and upon looking up, was met with a very strong look of disapproval from her mother across the room. Although Serena had not been loud enough to cause a scene, her mother had heard everything that Serena had said in her mind.
'Stop that this instant! I will not have my daughter causing a scene in the middle of such an important occasion!' Serenity commanded telepathically.
'Yes mother.' Serena replied, 'But I do expect answers. This is becoming too much for me. I need to know what is going on.' Serena pleaded.
Serenity smiled. Though Serena had caused the princesses to believe she remembered less, Serenity could see that in her mind, Serena was coming closer to wanting to remember badly enough that the crystal would be able to return her stolen memories. She hoped that the Prince would be able to bring her the rest of the way. 'You will remember Serena. The answers will be returned to you.'
Despite the reassurance, Serena was taken somewhat aback. Though her mother willed hope though their link, she also felt uncertainty and despair in her mother, which she had never felt in her before. Queen Serenity was always so certain of everything. These emotions unsettled Serena greatly.
'What is wrong mother?' Serena tired to ask, but Serenity had closed the connection. She would just have wait until later to ask.
Serena watched her mother as she walked over to a servant. The servant nodded and pulled a little bell out of his jacket. Serenity walked towards her seat at the head table as the servant shook the little bell, eliciting a beautiful little tinkle. This caused the rest of the servants placed throughout the room and out into the garden to produce their own bells and continue the tinkling until everyone was headed towards their own seats.
As Serena walked to her own seat, next to her mother, she noticed how finely everyone was dressed. Each princess was dressed in exquisite gowns the colours of their own worlds. As she approached her seat, Prince Endymion was there, holding it out for her. He was dressed in an exquisite Midnight Blue tuxedo. He looked amazing, and Serena found it difficult to take her eyes from him once she was seated. Much to her dismay, he took his seat directly on the other side of her mother. 'This is going to be a long night.' She thought, though her mouth curled into a small smile.
A giggle beside her caused Serena to turn her attention to Mina. As the leader of her protectors, the Princess of Venus was seated directly next to herself.
"What has gotten into you Mina?" Serena asked. Next to Mina was seated Lita, Amy, and at the end of the table, Raye. Amy and Raye seemed to be having their own conversation, while Lita was staring past Serena to someone on the other side of the table.
"You and the Prince. You two are quite the pair." Mina giggled. "You call him a heathen, but you can't take your eyes off him." This caused Serena's face to turn a becoming shade of pink, which only caused Mina to giggle more.
Serena turned her face away from Mina, looking back past her mother. For the first time, she noticed the blonde man Raye had been sitting with, now seated at the opposite end of the table. Next to him was a man with long slightly darker blonde hair tied back, and next to him was another man with long, reddish-brown wavy hair hanging loose around his face. Between him and the Prince was a man with long startling white hair. Each was wearing the uniform of Earth. Serena guessed they must be the Prince's protectors, otherwise, they would not be sitting at the head table with the them.
Serena noticed the man with the loose brown hair was looking in her direction, but past her. She spun her head around and noticed Lita looking back. Glancing once again at the man, and again at Lita, she let out a controlled wail.
"Oh Lita! Not you too!" 'Is each of my friends falling for a man of Earth? Oh, Selene! Please let Mina and Amy retain their heads!' Even as she thought this, Mina waved to someone behind her. Serena spun her head around just in time to see the white-haired man wave back. Serena turned on Mina.
"Mina! You too?" Mina looked sheepishly at her and nodded, blushing. "Oh!" She wailed. Then turned her attention to Amy. "Amy, please tell me that you are still immune?" She was even more dismayed when Amy blushed deeply and shook her head. Serena didn't bother to see which man it was, there was only one left save the Prince. Serena dropped her head to the table and sighed. "Selene help me." She murmured.
"You should talk Serena!" She heard Raye shout at her from the end of the table. "Making goo-goo eyes at Darien all the time."
Serena kept her head down and groaned. Though she didn't know who this 'Darien' was, there was something about that name that made her head hurt, and strangely enough, so did her heart, though she could not fathom why. She thought about it for a moment, and a sob escaped her lips. This confused her greatly, something about that name pulled at her, painfully.
"Serena, dear, are you alright?" her mother asked her.
Serena nodded. 'There was something about that name, 'Darien', but I don't know what it was. Something that hurt.' Serena told her mother telepathically, not wanting anyone else to hear.
'It's alight. You'll remember everything soon.' Serenity replied as she hugged her daughter. "Now why don't we get this started?" Serenity released Serena, smiling.
Serena nodded and her mother stood, making her way to the raised podium just behind the table. As Serenity left, Serena caught Prince Endymion's eye. He seemed to be concerned for her, though his face betrayed nothing of his emotions, in his eyes Serena thought she saw sadness and regret. The white-haired man next to him put his hand on the Prince's arm, turning his attention away.
Just as she was about to ask Mina who the men with Prince Endymion were, her mother began to speak.
"Thank-you everyone, for joining my daughter and I tonight on this beautiful evening. Tonight we have much to celebrate. The most important of them being the restoration of the moon kingdom by my daughter, Princess Serenity."
Serena spun around at looked at her mother. 'What on the Moon are you talking about mother?' She asked telepathically. Again, the Queen had closed the connection, leaving Serena to wonder about her mother's words.
"I would like to welcome many to our kingdom tonight. First, let me welcome home my daughter, Princess Serenity, the moon hasn't been the same without you my dearest." Serenity said, looking at Serena, who was becoming more confused with every word.
"To Princess Mina of Venus, Princess Lita of Jupiter, Princess Amy of Mercury, and Princess Raye of Mars. I welcome you back to the moon, you have ever been loyal to my daughter and my kingdom, thank-you for protecting her, even when you did not know who she was."
'What on the moon is she talking about?' Serena wondered. This was becoming more and more confusing. Nothing her mother was saying made any sense. 'I have never left the moon to my knowledge, not for any length of time as she seems to speaking of, and my friends have always known who I am!'
Yet Queen Serenity continued. "To Prince Endymion of Earth…" this title seemed to cause unrest at a near by table at which was seated three men and a woman, whom she did not recognize. Their reaction caused her to worry about the Prince, which only served to confuse her more.
'Why should I be worried about the Prince. I'm sure he is quite capable of taking care of himself.' Serena thought, unconsciously admiring him as he looked over the four strangers at the other table. 'And who are those four?' Serena wondered.
"… Welcome back to the moon. It had been far too long since last we met. You laid down your life to protect my daughter one thousand years ago, and you will always be welcome in my home."
"…laid down his life…" Serena's mind repeated. Intense pain filled her heart and mind, causing her to double over and grasp her head in her hands. 'No, Endymion! Nooooo….' She heard herself scream in her mind, somewhere, long ago, but she would not remember when. Then in a time closer to now, whispered, 'I know you still love me… Darien…' It was that name again. 'Who is Darien?' she thought, bringing her head up as the pain subsided. She found herself looking into a pair of beautiful deep blue eyes.
"Darien?" she whispered, something tugging on her mind.
"Are you alright Serena?" he asked her. His voice pulled her back to reality. Serena realized it was Prince Endymion who was kneeling before her, his eyes she was looking at. She shook her head.
"Oh, Prince Endymion. Yes, thank-you. I am fine now." She replied curtly.
"Are you sure?" he asked again.
"Quite." She told him, then looking up at her mother's concerned face, she said, "I apologize mother. A mere dizzy spell is all. I am quite alight now."
Queen Serenity nodded at her daughter, and Prince Endymion returned to his seat. After another glance at her daughter, Serenity continued.
"Welcome also to the Prince's companions. Rest assured you have been forgiven for your past actions by not only this kingdom, but by those who matter to you the most. You actions were not your own, and we are all glad to have you back again." Serenity spoke to the four men seated next to Prince Endymion.
'Forgiven for their past actions? What did they do?' Serena continued wondering at her mother's words. She noticed that besides the four strangers, she seemed to be the only one that didn't understand what her mother was talking about.
"And last but not least, let me welcome our first visitors from the new Earth. Captain Daniel Taylor of the shuttle 'Discovery', and his crew, Elizabeth Rodgers, Todd Murphy and Brian Lewis. I certainly hope you enjoy your stay in my kingdom and that your visit will mean the beginning of a long friendship between our two planets."
Now that Serena knew who the strangers were, she wondered why they were uneasy at the mention of their Prince. And why her mother called it the 'new Earth', and why she said it was the beginning of a friendship between the Moon and Earth. The two planets had been allies for longer then Queen Serenity herself had even become Queen. Both Serena and her mother loved Earth dearly.
"Now I don't want to keep you from your meals any longer than necessary, so I shall make this last announcement short." A beautiful wide smile crossed Serenity's face as she looked at her daughter, and then to the prince, and back to room. "It gives me great joy to announce to you all the engagement of my daughter, Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom to Prince Endymion of Earth." She wiped away a tear. "It has always been my wish that my kingdom and the planet I love as much as my own become joined, and now I may yet see that happen. But more importantly, the two of you have been though more hardships then most here could imagine. You deserve this happiness and I wish you both the very best in the future. Now, let us enjoy this night as long as it lasts" Serenity finished and stepped down from the podium.
Serena shook her head. She was too confused to even begin asking questions. She glanced over at Prince Endymion, who flashed a handsome grin at her. She felt her cheeks flush and quickly looked down at the plate, which had just been placed before her.
The room filled with conversation again as everyone began their meals. Serena turned to Mina. "Who are those men with the Prince that the four of you seem so enthralled with?" she whispered, not wanting the Prince to hear her.
Mina giggled again. "The one next to Darien is Malachite…" the name again hurt Serena's mind and heart, but she pushed it away as she concentrated on Mina's words "…he's mine." Mina said with a silly grin covering her face. "Next to him is Nephlite, he's Lita's." She continued. "Then Zoicite, he's with Amy, and lastly Jadeite, who's with Raye. They're the Prince's generals and protectors."
For some reason, the names of the men provoked both deep hatred and concern, as well as more pain. The pain this time was directed towards her friends. She both cared about the men and hated them deeply at the same time. Why? 'How can one both love and hate so strongly?' She wondered, her mind throbbing with pain. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples.
"Are you ok Serena?" Mina asked, placing a hand on her princess' shoulder.
Serena looked up at her friend and was appalled by what she saw. Instead of the princess of Venus sitting next to her, she saw Sailor Venus, wounded badly and bleeding profusely. She covered her mouth with her hand. Her eyes went wide as she looked down the table at the rest of the princesses. They too were no longer dressed in their finery, but in their Sailor Fukus, each of them wounded and bleeding. Serena scrambled back out of her chair, nearly falling over it.
"Serena? Are you alright?" Her mother asked her.
Serena looked at her mother. She appeared as white as her dress, looking as though all energy had been drained from her. She looked over at the Prince. He appeared alright, but his generals had the same appearance as her friends. They too were wounded and bleeding. She looked back at the prince, noticing that he was now dressed in his black armour, which was dented and streaked with dried blood. As she watched, she was horrified to see an unknown sharp object was driven though him from behind. Then he too appeared to be bleeding from the wound.
'What is going on? How could they be so badly wounded and yet still be alive? Is this what they have been hiding from me?' Serena thought frantically as she took another step back and looked back at her friends. It was a horrible sight. Everyone, save the four from Earth, were wounded and bleeding. Everyone she loved looked as though they should be dead. The room changed before her eyes, instead of a beautifully decorated room, filled with people eating and talking happily, everyone was dead, the floor was coated in a thick layer of sticky red blood. The walls and pillars were nothing but ruins, the gardens outside were completely destroyed.
Serena took another step back and found herself up against the podium. Everyone at the head table stood, revealing more wounds and even more blood. The stench of death filled her nostrils, making her ill. Her attention turned to Prince Endymion.
"No, not Endy too. Noo.." she sobbed, her heart breaking. She had no idea why she felt this way for a man she barely knew, and yet was now engaged to. As he approached her, the object protruding grotesquely through his chest, she turned her head away and squeezed her eyes shut, pressing herself harder against the podium. It was too painful to look at him in his death. Yet still he stood, as if nothing was wrong.
Serena could feel the tears hot on her cheeks. Her entire body throbbed with grief for her friends, for her mother, for her kingdom, for the Prince's generals, but above all, for Prince Endymion himself. She placed her free hand over her beast, in an attempt to ease the pain that threatened to burst her very heart.
Serena felt something hot and sticky under her hand, she dropped the hand covering her mouth and nose and was shocked to discover a hideous would in her own breast. She raised her blood-covered hand and gasped at the sight of it. It was indeed her own. Looking down again, she noticed that the front of her dress was now soaked in blood, her blood. She bent forward and became aware of an uncomfortable object behind her, other then the podium. Twisting around, she gasped again when she saw that the object was the end of a sword protruding from her back, the back of her dress was also soaked in her blood. She looked again at her chest and now saw a gold handled sword lodged in her wound. She recognized the sword as Endymion's, but didn't know why. She wrapped her hand around the handle and pulled, but it didn't move, the attempt only caused an intense pain to surge though her body. She became completely and painfully aware of the sword's path though her chest.
Serena felt the life draining from her body, and sent one last pleading look to Prince Endymion, before giving in to the blackness.



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