That Special Magic 77

That Special Magic
-by: the Yarnspinner-
the_yarnspinner@yahoo.com
http://strands-of-moonlight.my3gb.com
-or- http://strands-of-moonlight.6te.net
A Sekkushiaru Roman
featuring characters from the anime "Sailor Moon"

> Chapter 77 - In the Past <
       Sailor Pluto arrived with Mamoru and Usagi in a storeroom in the palace of Atlantis. They stood still, listening for any sound of an alarm. From outside the door, there was the tap of boots on the hard floor, but the footfalls went past the room. As they stood there, Mamoru and Usagi could both feel the world around them just surging with a much more intense magic than was the case in their own time. For Usagi, it was proving a blessing, helping to revitalize her after her particularly intense exertions of only a few hours earlier.
       "It seems all is quiet," Endymion said.
       Sensing Serenity's agreement, Usagi nodded.
       "I will remain here," Pluto said quietly. "I cannot be found with you."
       Mamoru and Usagi nodded in understanding.
       He pressed his ear to the door. Hearing nothing, he carefully reached for the latch and opened the door.
       Usagi pulled up her hood and followed him into the hallway.
       Endymion took the lead, adopting a firm, sure stride, although going slower than usual for her sake.
       Likewise, Serenity walked beside him, sure of her place. She was still trying to get used to the feel of actually being pregnant, as well as the still considerable fatigue. The long coat was a bit awkward, but she understood the necessity.
        Farther along the corridor, they saw several other people. The others glanced over in surprise at the sight of a woman in a hooded coat, but their eyes widened as they realized it was Prince Endymion with her. They quickly came to attention, and then bowed as Endymion and Serenity strode past. Endymion nodded and gave a wave of his hand in acknowledgment.
       Serenity and Endymion reached the end of the hall and turned. A group of uniformed officers was filling the corridor. One of them turned, quickly stepping to one side.
       "Attention!" the officer called. "Salute for the prince! Salute for the prince!"
       The others turned in surprise, which only increased as they saw he was correct. Moving to the sides of the corridor, they came to attention, then in crisp unison, saluted.
       Endymion returned the salute; as commander of all Earth forces from the beginning of the invasion, it was only proper that he should. Looking at the men, he could see nearly all were scarred in one way or another. He stepped up to the first officer, who wore a colonel's emblem on his shoulders. Digging into his badly fragmented memory, he couldn't come up with a name for the man. "Colonel."
       "Sebastian, your royal highness," he answered. "15th Guards, sir."
       "Ah, yes. Of course," Endymion replied, nodding.
       "We weren't told to expect you, sir," Sebastian said.
       Endymion shrugged. "Under the circumstances..."
       Sebastian quickly nodded. "I understand, your highness."
       "Are you men all ready?" Endymion asked, walking among them in his standard inspection routine.
       "Yes, sir," they called as one.
       "Good," Endymion replied. "We'll be counting on every one of you."
       "How is it on the Moon, your highness?" a lieutenant asked. "Are they finally going to fight?"
       Endymion looked at him for a moment, his fragmented memories unable to explain the nature of the man's question, nor the slight tone of scorn in the man's voice. "Yes," he said, clearly remembering the intensity of the fighting that would soon take place on the Moon. "They're going to fight."
       "Better late than never," another officer scoffed.
       Endymion wheeled on the man, instantly recognizing that this one had no combat experience. "Keep your own attention on what you will do now and in the days to come! That is all that matters!"
       The officer snapped back to attention. "Yes, your royal highness."
       "I cannot say what the outcome will be here, nor on the Moon," Endymion said, sensing that he needed to buck them up. "But I can assure you, Beryl will not succeed."
       The men cheered and saluted.
       Endymion and Serenity waved and moved on. This part of the corridor was crowded with stacked boxes.
       'What was that about?' Serenity asked, neither she nor Usagi understanding it.
       'I'm not sure,' Endymion replied. 'Something we do not yet remember.'
       More officers and civilian staff were moving along the hallway, reacting in confusion to the cheer. They too began to step back and salute as they realized it was Endymion and Serenity. Many of these officers too showed signs of recent combat wounds.
       Ahead of them, they saw the double doors of the queen's suite, where she had been moved to keep her safer from attack. Endymion and Serenity both acknowledged the salutes.
       Ahead, Endymion saw a colonel with an insignia indicating he commanded the queen's guard detail. Next to him was a middle-aged man in the uniform of the household staff holding a large, leather-bound scheduling book, clearly the past self of the man who had provided the memory scan.
       The colonel saluted. "Your royal highnesses."
       Endymion nodded. "Colonel... Nardo?"
       "Yes, sir," he confirmed.
       "The princess and I have come to see my mother, the queen. We do not have much time," Endymion said.
       "I understand, sir," Nardo replied. "This way, if you please." He gestured to the other man and they hurried to the door. Nardo tapped at the door.
       "Yes?" a woman called from within.
       "Colonel Nardo. Code: avalanche."
       "Authenticator?" the woman challenged.
       "Seven, two, four, six," Nardo answered. He removed his glove and placed his hand on a panel of polished black crystal mounted on the door. The panel glowed beneath his hand, then turned white.
       "Confirmed," the woman called. "One moment." The sound of lock bolts being pulled was heard.
       The door opened.
       "Her royal majesty has visitors," Nardo said.
       Behind the woman at the door, Endymion and Serenity could see Queen Julianna. Her eyes met Endymion's and she smiled in happy surprise, but just as quickly, her smile faded into confusion.
       "Thank you, Eleanor," Endymion said, stepping forward. He could feel the powerful magic shields that protected the queen's suite as he crossed the threshold. "Hello, Mother. We needed to see you... Urgently." At the same time, he opened his mind to her, letting her fully see both himself and Mamoru.
       Sensing what he was doing, Serenity and Usagi did the same.
       Eleanor had closed and bolted the door.
       Julianna looked at her son and the young woman who was supposed to become her daughter-in-law, shocked by what she was seeing in their minds. "Uhm... yes. Yes, my son... Ah, thank you, Eleanor. That will be all for now. I will call you if I need anything."
       "Yes, my lady," Eleanor replied with a curtsy. She turned and left the room.
       "My God," Julianna whispered in shock. She then gestured, leading them into a side room and closing the door. "What... what is this?" Julianna asked. "You are my son... and yet you are not."
       Usagi, finding herself in the lead position again, unfastened her coat and slipped it off, smoothing down the front of her gown.
       Julianna's eyes widened as she saw Serenity unquestionably pregnant. Looking more closely, she also began to notice that, despite her obvious fatigue, Serenity appeared younger than she recalled, while in the young woman's mind she was now sensing more of this other individual.
       Endymion stepped to his mother's side and helped her to sit down.
       "We're very sorry to have given you a shock, your majesty," Usagi said softly, her Atlantean with a clearly different accent than Serenity's.
       Mamoru nodded, now finding himself back in the lead position as well. "Yes." He sat down next to Julianna. "We are the reincarnations of Endymion and Serenity," he said, also with a different accent than Endymion. "Through hypnotic regression, we were able to awaken enough of their personalities and memories that we could reach you without raising an alarm."
       "Reincarnations?" Julianna gasped. She closed her eyes and reached out to them both, suddenly awash in their thoughts and memories. In that instant, she saw their future lives, their paths to discovering their past lives and their love, Usagi becoming pregnant, and their defeat of Beryl and Metallia. She gasped again, her eyes filling with tears. Turning, she embraced Mamoru. "I am so proud of you both," she said softly. "And I am so pleased my dear friend Serenity was able to keep you together." She looked at Usagi, smiling lovingly. "All this, and so young." She moved over and embraced Usagi. "I know you will make my son's future self so very happy."
       Usagi smiled. "That is all I want, your..."
       Julianna held up her hand. "I consider young Serenity to already be my daughter, and I cannot but do the same with her future self. Titles are completely unnecessary, my dear." She kissed Usagi's cheek. "Twins? Really?"
       Usagi nodded, her smile growing still larger. "A boy and a girl."
       "Remarkable," Julianna exclaimed. She turned back to Mamoru. "You will take good care of this exceptional young woman, won't you, my son?"
       "As good as she takes care of me," Mamoru replied.
       Julianna smiled. "Well said." She looked at them both. "So, you do find your happiness. I am so glad to be able to know this." She sat down again. "But I sense this is not the only reason you came... There is something about the silver crystal..."
       "Yes," Usagi said. "Mother had carefully hidden the silver crystal so that only I could recover it. And with it, the other Sailor Soldiers, their soul-mates, Mamoru, and I were able to destroy Beryl and Metallia."
       "That is very good," Julianna said.
       "But very recently, the silver crystal has begun to act very erratically," Usagi said. "It has been pulsing wildly, causing physical damage. Just today... from our perspective, I mean... the crystal destroyed the Earth when I saw Mamoru stabbed while he was protecting me."
       Julianna gasped softly.
       "My own horror at the destruction of the planet was only just barely enough to force the silver crystal to restore the Earth and all its people," Usagi added. "But even then, it was only because I received some help. A group of women appeared, all in silver gowns with crescent moons on their foreheads, who then merged into a single woman."
       "The goddess of the Moon," Julianna exclaimed, her voice barely a whisper.
       "The goddess?" Usagi asked.
       Julianna nodded. "You are her latest incarnation. Princess Serenity was conceived with a portion of her essence, and you still have that within you."
       "So there is truth in that expression," Mamoru said.
       "Yes," Julianna confirmed.
       "This time I was able to save the Earth with her help," Usagi said. "But next time... it might not be enough."
       Julianna embraced her. "And that is why you appear so fatigued, my dear."
       "Yes," Usagi confirmed.
       "You remember Prince Atana?" Mamoru asked.
       "Of course," Julianna said. "I saw him in your memories. I am correct that he and young Rei have found each other?"
       "Yes," Mamoru said. "Atana deduced that the silver crystal needed something to exert a balancing influence. The spirit of Rei's mother..."
       "Akari?" Julianna asked. "That was her I saw?"
       "Yes, it was," Usagi confirmed. "I was able to bring her back as we needed her help with a personal matter concerning Rei. She has chosen to remain so as to be with her family."
       Julianna nodded. "I am so happy for her."
       "It was Akari who told us of the golden crystal," Mamoru continued. "Since it did not directly relate to our efforts against the Dark Kingdom, it would seem Queen Serenity had not planned for us to remember it."
       "Oh, yes. I see," Julianna said.
       "Atana made contact with the surviving wizard authorities in our time," Mamoru said. "One of them is the reincarnation of one of the men out in the hallway right now. He had insisted that he had seen Endymion and Serenity here visiting you, even though our own memories told us that was impossible. The images from his memory scan, however, gave us an indication that 'Princess Serenity' was pregnant, which meant it had to be us, not them."
       Julianna took hold of the large golden gem on the chain at her chest. "So... you came for the golden crystal..."
       "Yes," Mamoru said softly. "We hoped you would be willing to give it to your son's reincarnation. We know it vanished... and it plays no role in any other events up to our time."
       "And the silver crystal has already destroyed the Earth once," Julianna said.
       "Yes. That's correct," Usagi said softly.
       Julianna nodded, placing a hand on her crystal. "I've been using it to bolster our defenses against Beryl's magic attacks... But with Endymion and much of the remaining Earth forces ordered to the Moon, I've been reluctant to do more than that since any major use of the golden crystal would drastically increase the rate at which the Moon becomes unable to support life... And what I see in your memories confirms my suspicion that Queen Serenity has been preparing a contingency plan."
       Usagi found herself embracing Julianna.
       Just then, there was the very soft sound of a door opening. A drape hanging on one wall was pulled back, revealing a dark-haired man who appeared to be a somewhat stockier version of Endymion. His hair was streaked with gray, while his face was lined and showed signs of fatigue. Unlike Endymion, however, his eyes were brown. Seeing him, Julianna, Mamoru, and Usagi rose to their feet.
       High King Darius' eyes lit on the figure of Endymion and he scowled. "What are you doing here?" he demanded. "You're supposed to be on the Moon. We have enough problems with their infernal prejudice! You running home like this will only make things that much more difficult!"
       "Just a moment, sir," Mamoru called, speaking in Japanese at Endymion's suggestion. "If you will give us a moment to explain..."
       Darius looked at Endymion in confusion. "Is that supposed to be Japanese? You speak the language better than that."
       "Please, my dear," Julianna interrupted. "If you will calm down, we can explain everything. Endymion has not left the Moon."
       "What are you talking about?" Darius demanded. "I can see him standing right here."
       Julianna took his hand. "Please look closely at Serenity, my dear."
       Darius sighed, then turned his attention to Serenity, immediately noticing the swelling of her abdomen. As she smoothed out the front of her gown, it was unmistakable that she was pregnant. "What? How is this possible?"
       Julianna opened her mind to her husband. "They are not Endymion and Serenity, but their reincarnations. They have come back in time."
       "Back in time?" Darius asked, even as he began to sense some of what Julianna had already learned.
       Julianna nodded. "This is Mamoru, and this is Usagi. They live in Japan, a thousand years in the future along with the other Sailor Soldiers. They are Queen Serenity's contingency plan."
       "A thousand years? So that explains why the language is different." Darius looked at them as Julianna telepathically recounted their defeat of Beryl and Metallia. "You have done very well. And I take it no one there knows of this nonsense of your relationship being supposedly forbidden."
       "Forbidden?" Usagi asked, confused.
       "Even they don't know of that," Julianna said softly. She gestured and they all sat down.
       "It was an ancient legend," Darius said. "A bedtime story. Nothing more."
       Julianna sighed and shook her head. "It was actually more than that."
       "Well, you know the story better than I do," Darius conceded. "But seeing these two tells me I was right to put no faith in it."
       "What is this legend?" Usagi asked.
       "It has to do with you and your ancestors being incarnations of the goddess of the Moon," Julianna said. "The story goes back many thousands of years. I can see you do not remember this either, but we are in the second era of human civilization here on Earth. The first ended about nine thousand years ago when most of the Earth was laid waste. Much of that era was a time of demons and demi-gods. Some of those gods lived among us, driving away the demons and protecting the developing human civilization. In particular, a handful of them formed their own particular communities and took on the role of guardians. They are the originators of what are now the Sailor Soldiers."
       "Does that include us?" Mamoru asked.
       Julianna shook her head. "No. Our power comes from the Earth spirit. It is entirely native to this world," she said. "But eventually, the old gods decided human civilization was ready to stand on its own. Though the guardians were not anxious to leave, having come to regard Earth as their home, they were overruled. They spent the next several generations training champions who would be able to assume a portion of their power which they would leave behind. At first, each guardian and the elders of their order would choose the next guardian. It was only later that it became hereditary."
       "But these orders eventually became very insular," Darius added. "And when the Earth was devastated, they wrote the rest of us off, fleeing to the other worlds."
       "True," Julianna conceded. "But as concerns you two, there is still one more part of this story. One of the old gods refused to leave with the others. The goddess of the Moon. Like our young Serenity, she had found her soul-mate in a man of Earth, which was absolutely forbidden. To hide from the others, she put herself into mortal form, but retained her power in violation of their laws. After some years, the other gods found her. Since she had taken a mortal form, she could no longer live among the gods, so they had no choice but to leave her here, but they decreed she could not mate nor conceive with a true mortal. They probably meant for her never to reproduce, but she had successfully concealed from them the fact that she had already had a daughter by her husband, just as she had protected him by misleading the other gods into thinking he was already dead. She transferred a part of her essence into her daughter, who became her successor, then allowed herself to grow old as other mortals do. Enough of the gods' ban remained in effect, however, that her daughter could not mate with a mortal. She had fallen in love with a man and had run off to be married, but her husband fell dead within a matter of hours. The goddess, however, found a way around the intended ban on continuing her own lineage, allowing another portion of her essence to form another child in her daughter's womb. With every subsequent generation, another part of her essence forms a new daughter, thus defeating that portion of the intent of the other gods, since each subsequent daughter is a new incarnation of the Moon goddess with no additional mortal blood. But the prohibition on mating and marriage with a true mortal remained, meaning that each subsequent daughter was condemned to be alone."
       "How did you learn of this?" Usagi asked.
       "From your mother," Julianna answered. "She told me the story when we were young. I had asked what had happened to her father, and she told me she didn't have one. At first I assumed she was joking, but when I was given charge of the golden crystal, my own perceptions expanded enough to recognize that it was true. I had also seen that, where I was being pursued by countless eligible young nobles from an early age, Lunar nobles treated your mother as a sacred person, and would not interact with her in anything other than the most formal and reserved fashion."
       "That's so terrible," Usagi exclaimed.
       "But if it was true, does that mean you objected to Endymion's relationship with Princess Serenity?" Mamoru asked.
       Darius shook his head. "I put no faith in legends and prophecies," he said. "While Queen Serenity perhaps puts too much."
       "Too much?" Usagi asked.
       "The prophecy of Earth and Moon being made one," Darius said.
       "But Serenity and Endymion thwarted it," Usagi said, resting a hand on her abdomen. "They were supposed to conceive a child."
       "That explains much," Darius said quietly. "But that would run into difficulties because of our legal and cultural differences."
       "What do you mean?" Mamoru asked.
       "Queens of the Moon do not marry," Darius answered. "Those of us who understand the nature of their background know that the spirit of the Moon goddess provides for reproduction at the appropriate time, but those who don't assume they secretly practice some form of male concubinage. In any case, since the queen of the Moon does not marry, there is no legal concept of illegitimacy regarding the queen's daughter and heir. Here in Atlantis, it is an entirely different matter, but Queen Serenity may not fully appreciate that. Princess Serenity would have been the very first daughter of a queen of the Moon to actually marry and have a child by a mortal husband, so this is completely new to their culture. But if they had a child before marriage, that child would of course be young Serenity's heir, but not Endymion's."
       "And Queen Serenity apparently was trying to drop some hints," Julianna added. "She was suggesting that their wedding be moved up, but Endymion and young Serenity both were determined to wait..."
       "...until the threat was over," Serenity said quietly. "We wanted a child, but not when there might not be enough future even for her to be born."
       "In Japan of our time, having a child when not married isn't a serious issue," Mamoru said. "But nonetheless, Usagi's parents have consented to us getting married in little more than a week, even though she will still be five years short of legal adulthood."
       "I'm so happy for you both," Julianna said, smiling brightly. "As for your past selves, there was also the fact that you two are unquestionably soul-mates. Whatever our various beliefs, it is universally recognized that soul-mates are destined to be two halves of a greater whole. For those who believed in the ancient prohibition, this could only be taken to mean the fates had canceled it, given that none of the Moon goddess' heirs since her daughter had ever had a soul-mate. In fact, Queen Serenity had always insisted that young Serenity would not have to be alone the way she did."
       Usagi nodded slowly. "That woman... The goddess of the Moon... She said something to me... She said 'know that we have defied the gods themselves for those we love, and that you, by conceiving with this man of Earth, have broken the penalty of solitude we bore because of it'."
       "Then that interpretation was correct," Julianna said. "Serenity and Endymion were meant to bring the prohibition to an end. And when they failed, it was the two of you who succeeded."
       "But you said the daughter of the goddess of the Moon lost her husband to this ban," Mamoru said. "Wasn't that a concern for Endymion's relationship?"
       Julianna shook her head. "Some of Darius' council were concerned about that, although by the time they were informed, we already knew that wasn't an issue."
       "What do you mean?" Usagi asked.
       Julianna hesitated. "Well... The ban was supposed to activate when, uhm, the relationship was consummated... and it seems Endymion and Serenity didn't wait very long on that."
       Usagi and Mamoru glanced at each other, clearly remembering how quickly they had done the same.
       "But from what I've since learned, I don't believe Endymion was ever at any risk. Nor would you have been, Mamoru," Julianna continued. "You see, you and I both draw a part of our life energy from the Earth spirit, which was far more than the 'sacrosancta' effect surrounding young Serenity could ever overcome. After Endymion and Serenity had consummated their relationship, some of our senior wizards, as well as several on the Moon, determined that the 'sacrosancta' had been broken for good by that union. That only made sense since you two are undeniably soul-mates. And with Endymion and Serenity having broken the ban, there is no way it could exist in your current forms."
       "I'm just so happy to be together with this wonderful man," Usagi sighed.
       Julianna smiled. "I've heard young Serenity say the very same thing."
       "But the announcement of your engagement still was not well received by Queen Serenity's council," Darius added. "They thought the normal custom was far superior to having the Queen's daughter have a child with a regular mortal, and infinitely superior to her having a child with a prince from Earth."
       "Why?" Usagi asked.
       "Because most of the people on the other worlds see Earth people as ignorant savages," Darius replied.
       "Aren't the current rulers of most of the other worlds former Sailor Soldiers?" Mamoru asked.
       "Yes," Julianna confirmed. "But their opinion is that I am the exception to the rule. Their consideration of me does not extend to other Earth people."
       "Is that what one of the soldiers outside meant when he asked if the people of the Moon were finally going to fight?" Mamoru asked.
       "Yes," Darius said. "I asked for the assistance of the other worlds when Beryl launched her invasion, but they said no." He shook his head. "We weren't even asking for soldiers."
       "Even my mother said no?" Usagi asked.
       Darius nodded. "She had put all her faith in that prophecy," he said. "But our wizards had found another way to defeat Beryl and Metallia. They realized that Beryl was dependent on Metallia for her power and her demon army, but at that point the portal had not opened enough to allow Metallia into our universe."
       "So, you would destroy the portal," Mamoru said.
       "That's correct," Darius confirmed. "The problem was that if we drew on that much magic all at once, we would destroy the magic harmony that allowed life to exist on the other worlds, but if Metallia actually entered our universe, it would have the same result, so either way the other worlds would be doomed. Our solution was to draw magic from the other worlds as well as from Earth, which would equalize the drain sufficiently to preserve the magic harmony, while producing sufficient energy to seal the portal to Metallia's dimension, thus cutting Beryl off from her source of power. The other rulers dismissed the idea pretty much out of hand, considering Metallia to be nothing but a myth, while Queen Serenity was focused on the prophecy concerning her daughter and Endymion."
       "Couldn't you have used the golden crystal to seal the portal?" Mamoru asked.
       "Yes," Julianna replied. "But only at the price of almost instantly rendering the other planets lifeless."
       "Endymion and your mother expressly rejected that idea," Darius said. "Endymion believed he could destroy the portal by the means our wizards had proposed." He sighed.
       "The Roman magic grid?" Mamoru asked.
       Darius looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. Additional collectors were set up all around the world."
       "The other worlds would still have died," Usagi said softly.
       Julianna nodded. "But at least their people would have the time to choose whether to evacuate. Even then, Endymion was trying to hold back to buy them as much time as possible, which was one of the factors in the failure to destroy Beryl's portal."
       "It seems like an impossible choice," Usagi said.
       "The important decisions are seldom easy," Darius said.
       "Like right now," Usagi said.
       Julianna touched the crystal and nodded.
       "What is it?" Darius asked.
       "Usagi's silver crystal has become dangerously unstable because the golden crystal is not present in their time to balance it," Julianna explained.
       "Why not?" Darius asked.
       "We found evidence of Endymion and Serenity visiting Queen Julianna, even though that was impossible," Mamoru explained. "But when we studied the images closely, it became clear it wasn't them, but the two of us."
       "Which indicates you give them the crystal to take back to the future with them," Darius said to Julianna.
       Julianna nodded. "Serenity has laid out a very intricate plan to provide that no one but Usagi can recover the silver crystal... but I have no such arrangements in place for the golden crystal. This is the one way to keep it safe."
       Darius sighed and nodded. "I agree," he finally said. "But of course, the golden crystal is solely your responsibility."
       "Yes... And it is time to surrender my guardianship." The golden crystal flickered slightly as Julianna held it in her hand. She then rose to her feet and turned to face Mamoru. "Rise please, my son."
       With a nod, Mamoru rose to his feet.
       Darius stood as well, taking a step back.
       Julianna held the sides of the ornamental chain. "Mamoru, reincarnation of Endymion, this is your birthright... and your burden. Do you accept the mantle of guardian of Earth, to protect its many peoples, and to bear this burden until it is passed on to your heir?"
       "Uhm, yes. I do," he said.
       Julianna nodded, holding the chain up.
       Mamoru leaned forward, feeling her place the chain over his shoulders.
       "You are my heir," Julianna said, placing one hand on the crystal, feeling it realigning itself to him. "Receive this mantle from my hand, as I received it from the hand of my mother. Preserve the trust. Use your power only to protect others. Honor those who have carried it before you. In all things be an example to those who will come after you. And raise up an heir worthy to succeed you." She embraced him and kissed his cheeks. "Congratulations, my son."
       "Thank you... mother."
       Darius placed his hand on Mamoru's shoulder. "There is nothing of any import that I can offer you, since I have already seen that our titles no longer exist in your time. But there is just one directive I would add for you." He looked over at Usagi. "Be a good husband and father."
       "I intend to be," Mamoru said softly. He could already feel powerful magic flowing through him, very much like what Usagi felt when she tapped into the ginzuishou.
       "In my opinion, he already is," Usagi said, sensing the energy surging through him as well.
       "And you will be a good wife and mother," Julianna said.
       "She already is," Mamoru said.
       Julianna embraced Usagi. "Congratulations, my daughter Usagi. I am so happy for you both," she said. "And I am very pleased you have found the happiness you two so richly deserve."
       "Yes, indeed," Darius agreed. "We could not be happier for you both."
       "We do need to be going," Mamoru said sadly. "Our time is just about up, and Sailor Pluto is waiting for us."
       "I understand," Julianna said.
       "And we need to be going while our Endymion and Serenity personalities are still strong enough for us to walk out of here in character," Mamoru added.
       "Of course," Julianna said. She embraced both of them. "Thank you for coming to see us. You've shown me happiness, and you've given me a measure of peace."
       "Both of us," Darius added.
       Mamoru embraced her, feeling his own emotions welling up, as well as those of Endymion.
       Julianna kissed his cheek. "I am sure your mother in your life would have been just as proud of you as I am, my son."
       "Thank you," he said softly.
       Darius embraced Mamoru. "Perhaps you will find greater happiness now that you are both free of royal burdens."
       "I do hope so," Mamoru said.
       Julianna kissed Usagi. "And I'm very proud of you too, my dear. You are a truly exceptional young woman. At such a young age, you have captured my son's heart twice."
       "He is everything to me," Usagi said, knowing she was speaking for Serenity as well.
       "Yes, I know," Julianna said softly. She moved to a bureau along the wall and opened a drawer, pulling out a box. "I want to give you these." She placed the box into Usagi's hands.
       Usagi opened the box, and she and Mamoru saw two bands of pure gold which seemed to glisten from within. They could both sense the magic running between them. "They... they're beautiful," Usagi gasped.
       Julianna nodded. "They were to be a gift for Endymion and Serenity, but now they are yours. These are very special wedding bands. Darius and I have a pair." She and Darius each held up their left hands, displaying very similar gold bands on their ring fingers. "They can only be worn by the truest of soul-mates, those who are so close as to almost be a single being. And once they have been put on, they can never come off. I will die with mine on my finger, for I knew long before Darius formally proposed that I would live and die as his wife."
       Usagi took Mamoru's hand. "I will live and die as his wife."
       "And I as her husband," Mamoru agreed.
       "That's how it should be," Darius said.
       Sensing the sadness in them, Julianna hugged them again. "Don't grieve for us. I've lived my life. So has Darius. It is you two, and your friends, who have been denied happiness here. Be happy that you have a second chance, and that you are making the most of it."
       "Thank you," Mamoru said softly.
       "Should I look for you when we get back?" Usagi asked.
       Julianna shook her head. "From what I gather from your thoughts and memories, my dear, Akari had unfinished business with her daughter. I don't." She smiled. "My spirit will be where my spirit is meant to be. I am grateful you came to see me, and you go home to your own time with all my love. That will have to be enough."
       "The same is true for me," Darius said. "And with the golden crystal now in your possession, my son, I must prepare for another major battle."
       Mamoru nodded. "You will be alright?"
       "I will conduct myself as expected," Darius said. "And I presume just as Endymion will conduct himself."
       "He was one of the last to fall, protecting Princess Serenity and the Queen," Mamoru said.
       Darius nodded. "The Hibernians have an expression that I will seek to follow. I know Endymion remembers it too."
       Mamoru vaguely knew that Hibernia was a Roman name for Ireland, but did not know the expression.
       "May you be in Heaven a half hour before the devil knows you're dead," Endymion said.
       Darius smiled and nodded. "Protect the world of the future. Both of you."
       Mamoru and Usagi both nodded.
       Darius embraced them both. "I too must be going now." He pulled back the drape, leaving the way he had come.
       Usagi put her coat back on, while Mamoru carefully concealed the golden crystal beneath Endymion's breastplate.
       Julianna opened the door into the central room, finding Eleanor emerging from her room.
       "My lady?"
       "My son and Princess Serenity must be going, Eleanor," Julianna announced.
       "Yes, my lady," Eleanor acknowledged.
       Mamoru and Usagi walked hand in hand. As Eleanor opened the door, they each received an embrace and a kiss from Julianna.
       "Thank you again for coming," Julianna said softly, wiping her eyes even as she smiled at them both.
       "Thank you," Mamoru said.
       Usagi just smiled.
       The door closed and they turned away.
       Usagi grasped Mamoru's arm lovingly and gazed up into his eyes. "Oh, Mamo-chan," she sighed. "You make me so happy."
       He smiled, forgiving the slip, since they both knew that was one of the things that had helped them determine they weren't looking at an image of Endymion and Serenity. Fortunately, no one else had caught it. 'I love you, Usako,' he replied through their link.
       One of the officers approached, saluting. As he did, Endymion's personality returned to the fore.
       "Yes, Captain?" Endymion asked.
       "Your royal highness. Shall I report to the command room you are here?" the officer asked.
       Endymion glared at him. "Absolutely not! Those who need to know already know I'm here," he said. "Right now, I must hurry to be back on the Moon in time for a staff meeting."
       "Yes, your highness," the captain acknowledged.
       With Endymion's guidance, Mamoru and Usagi retraced their steps, soon finding the storeroom. A quick glance confirmed that no one was around, and he opened the door.
       "Pluto?" he called softly in the darkness after closing the door.
       "Right here," she answered. "I take it all went well."
       "Very well," Usagi said. "We got what we came for... and a bit more."
       "Very good," Pluto said.
       "But now it is time to go home," Usagi said softly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

       Mamoru, Usagi, and Sailor Pluto reappeared in Mamoru and Usagi's apartment. From the perspective of the others, they had departed only two minutes earlier.
       "That was fast," Minako exclaimed.
       "Not necessarily," Ryo said. "That Sailor Pluto chose to return here just two minutes after she left doesn't mean they only spent two minutes in the past."
       "Did everything go well?" Luna asked.
       "Yes," Usagi answered, taking the box out from beneath her coat. "We met both Queen Julianna and King Darius."
       "Both of them?" Rei asked, surprised.
       "That's right," Mamoru confirmed. "He arrived after we did, entering her chambers by way of a secret passage. At first, he thought I was Endymion, and he was quite upset that Endymion had left his post on the Moon."
       "But once he understood who we really were, he was very happy for us both," Usagi said. "Both he and Queen Julianna were."
       "So you got the crystal?" Atana asked.
       Mamoru nodded, carefully pulling it out from beneath his breastplate. "She formally commissioned me as guardian of Earth."
       "I thought you already were," Rei said.
       "In a de facto sense," Mamoru replied. "But apparently there is a formal commissioning that is supposed to go with it."
       Usagi nodded, still holding the box.
       "What is in the box, Usagi-chan?" Ami asked.
       Usagi opened the box, allowing them to see the wedding bands.
       "Those are lovely," Minako exclaimed.
       "These were to have been Endymion and Serenity's wedding rings," Usagi said. "Since it was clear their marriage would never happen, Queen Julianna gave them to us. They can only be worn by the truest of soul-mates, she said, and once put on, they can never come off."
       "A couple who are that close would never want them to come off," Atana said.
       Rei smiled and nodded. "Definitely not."
       Geoff gently squeezed Minako's hand. "I couldn't agree more."
       "Neither could I," Ryo said, smiling at Ami.
       Shinozaki looked at Makoto and grinned.
       "Has the ginzuishou stabilized?" Atana asked.
       "I haven't had a chance to check," Usagi replied. "I didn't want to take any chance with it in the past."
       "That was good thinking," Artemis agreed.
       "That would have caused serious difficulties," Pluto said quietly.
       "Thank you for your help, Sailor Pluto," Usagi said, turning to face her.
       Pluto nodded. "My task here is finished, and so I must take my leave." She bowed her head and faded away.
       "Now we really should check on the ginzuishou," Atana said.
       Usagi removed her coat, then concentrated, the ginzuishou appearing just above her chest. As it floated there, the crystal still had a perceptible flicker.
       Mamoru focused his concentration. The golden crystal glowed more brightly, attiring him in black pants with a gold stripe down the legs, a black jacket with gold trim, a matching cloak, and white gloves. The crystal remained on his chest, affixed to the chain draped over his shoulders. A more ornate version of his sword hung at his side, and a golden medallion hung below his throat.
       As Usagi admired his new outfit, she could feel the ginzuishou beginning to respond.
       The energy from the golden crystal grew still stronger. Her crescent moon glowed brightly, and he could sense her fatigue melting away. Mamoru opened their link to her, feeling her do the same.
       The ginzuishou flared in response. Energy surged between them, feeling like a grand symphony that engaged all the senses.
       'Mamo-chan,' she whispered in purest joy.
       'Usako.'
       The others drew back as the glow of the two crystals became still brighter.
       Usagi sighed with delight, realizing the ginzuishou had now been made complete just as Mamoru made her complete. Slipping her arms around him, she pressed her lips to his.
       Mamoru enfolded her in his arms as their power surged freely between the two of them. Their link was going still deeper, letting them each sense the other's feelings and thoughts. He could now tell the ginzuishou was growing still more powerful, while the golden crystal was also swelling with power.
       She loved the feel of being so intimately conjoined with him. Their joint awareness was expanding, allowing them to perceive the world around them in ways they had never imagined. Sensing her friends there, she again recalled that their protective necklaces had been disabled. His thoughts came together with hers, and the two crystals jointly pulsed, their magic reaching out to find the four necklaces and reactivate them.
       He smiled at her inwardly, sharing her concern for their friends. The two crystals were now in perfect synchronization, just as he and the woman he loved were so perfectly joined.
       Atana sensed the flare, even as he found the intensity of it nearly unbearable. Even so, he could sense that it was fully controlled and benign, unlike those they had experienced earlier.
       Usagi felt their two crystals beginning to fade again, now in the perfect harmony they had been crafted to achieve. As the intense glow of magic receded, their link again faded to more normal levels. Their lips came apart and she sighed.
       'Usako,' Mamoru whispered through their link.
       'I love you, Mamo-chan,' she sighed.
       "That... was incredible," Atana exclaimed.
       Ryo nodded, feeling a bit numb, unable to make sense of some of the imagery he had been seeing through his psychic sense.
       Mamoru sighed, gazing lovingly into Usagi's large blue eyes.
       "We did it," she said softly.
       He nodded.
       "The ginzuishou..." Atana said.
       "It's been fully stabilized," Usagi said. "And it is in complete harmony with the golden crystal."
       Mamoru nodded, still holding her in his arms.
       "That means everything is just how it should be," Atana said.
       Usagi smiled up at Mamoru and nodded.
       "I'm getting the feeling these two want to be left alone," Geoff said, even as he glanced over at his own lovely fiancee.
       "Of course," Usagi said happily. "But I don't think we're the only ones." She turned and looked at her friends. "Thank you, Atana-san, for all your help. Thanks to you and Mrs. Magi, the ginzuishou has been restored."
       Atana slipped his arm around Rei. "It was our pleasure, Mrs. Chiba."
       Usagi grinned. "And we restored your necklaces," she added. "Once you put them back on, you will be protected again."
       "Thank you, Usagi-chan. That's great," Makoto said.
       "Does that mean we should go straight home?" Shinozaki asked with a grin.
       "That might not be a bad idea," Makoto replied, also grinning.
       "Well, good night everyone," Mamoru said.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

       After the others had left, Mamoru and Usagi snuggled together on the sofa.
       "How do you feel?" he asked, kissing her cheek.
       "Much better now," she answered, smiling happily. "But being in your arms always feels so good."
       "I know just what you mean," he said.
       Just then, a silver-white glow appeared above the table in front of the sofa, coalescing into the form of Queen Serenity.
       "Mother," Usagi exclaimed.
       "Hello, my dear ones," Queen Serenity said. "My congratulations on obtaining the golden crystal."
       "You knew all about this too?" Mamoru asked.
       "Despite what you may think, I am not all-knowing," Queen Serenity replied. "Sailor Pluto did inform me of your trip back in time, which served as confirmation that the arrangements I was preparing to see you all reborn in the future would work. I assumed you had come back for the golden crystal, and that it was probably because you were having difficulties with the ginzuishou, but I had no way of knowing just how serious the problem would be. And once the problems began to occur, I found I could not reach you to offer you advice. I could only hope that you and your friends would correctly identify the problem."
       "We were very fortunate," Usagi said. "It was Atana and Akari who put the pieces together. And we identified the final piece only because a member of the household staff at the palace in Atlantis has been reincarnated as a wizard working for this era's magic authority. He had a clear memory from his past life of Endymion and Princess Serenity visiting Queen Julianna, even though that was impossible. From the images of his memory scan, we realized it was really the two of us who had visited her."
       Queen Serenity nodded, smiling. "I am very proud of you both," she said. "You and your friends have handled this so very well."
       "I'm just glad that it's over," Usagi said quietly.
       "I understand," Queen Serenity said.
       "But you never told us about the goddess of the Moon, nor that the other worlds left Earth on its own," Usagi said.
       Queen Serenity sighed softly, a sad expression forming on her face. "I know... but the simple answer for both of those issues was that for your struggle with the Dark Kingdom, you did not need to know."
       "Didn't need to know?" Mamoru asked.
       "No," Queen Serenity confirmed. "The task I had no choice but to impose on you was the protection of your present and your future. You did not need to be distracted by the mistakes we made in the past."
       "And being an incarnation of the goddess of the Moon?" Usagi asked.
       Queen Serenity shook her head. "Recall how you felt when Luna first told you that you were Sailor Moon. I am certain that being told you are also an incarnation of the goddess of the Moon would have been entirely too much for you, my dear."
       With a sigh, Usagi nodded.
       "But now that it is over," Mamoru said. "Were the people of the other worlds really prejudiced against those of Earth?"
       "Yes," Queen Serenity said softly. "Yes, they were."
       "King Darius said he had asked for permission to draw magic from the other worlds," Mamoru said.
       "That is true," Queen Serenity replied sadly. "If you ever find yourself thinking of me as all-knowing, please remember this incident. The other rulers were certain his request was merely a prelude to draw them into what they saw as just another conflict between nations of Earth."
       "He said you put too much faith in the prophecy of Earth and Moon becoming one," Mamoru said.
       Queen Serenity nodded. "Yes. And because I was certain I already knew the answer to the threat of Metallia, I failed to take the time to fully understand what he was planning. By the time I did learn the precise nature of his plan, and that it had a very good chance of breaking Metallia's connection to Earth, it was too late. The magic harmony was already breaking down."
       "Queen Julianna said she didn't use the golden crystal against Beryl and Metallia because it would have almost instantly rendered the other planets unable to support life," Usagi said.
       Queen Serenity turned her gaze to Mamoru. "I had strongly considered leaving the Moon to join your campaign... Endymion's I mean... against Beryl. It was my hope that Julianna would have agreed and we could have turned both our crystals against Metallia. The price of doing that, however, would have been to leave all the worlds except Earth lifeless. With the other rulers refusing to evacuate their worlds, like Julianna I was left with an impossible choice. That was what led me to develop my plan to send you all into the future. It was the only option left to me."
       Mamoru nodded, while Usagi sighed, leaning back against him.
    "But do not credit me for your success in this era," Queen Serenity continued. "All I did was set the stage for you. It was your efforts that brought about success. Now you have your future ahead of you, to make of it what you will."
       Mamoru hugged Usagi. "We're very happy for that."
       "But will the Sailor Senshi have further threats to deal with?" Usagi asked.
       "I do not know," Queen Serenity replied. "The situation I arranged was to allow you to complete the destruction of the Dark Kingdom and the threat it posed. You have done that, and you have insured your own future by recovering the golden crystal. Thus, you have completed what I could not do in the past. But now that you have your future ahead of you, you are still the guardians of this world. If new threats do appear, I know you will face them."
       "Does this mean we won't see you again, Mother?" Usagi asked.
       "Not necessarily," Queen Serenity answered. "My existence is bound to a magic reserve on the Moon, beneath the site where the palace used to be. That reserve was recharged when you recovered the ginzuishou, and now that you have stabilized the crystal, my existence is secure. Ultimately, it is not for me to say how long I can remain here, but for the time being at least, I am here if you need me."
       Usagi smiled. "I'm glad."
       "I am happy to offer you advice and guidance where I am able, but ultimately I am part of your past," Queen Serenity said. "Mamoru and your children are your future. They are what you must live for."
       Usagi nodded.
       "We want to thank you for all your help," Mamoru said.
       Queen Serenity nodded. "It was a pleasure for me to see you both, although I wish I did not have to impose these responsibilities on you."
       "But it was Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen that brought us together," Mamoru said. "Otherwise, it would have been harder for us to discover our feelings for each other."
       "I understand," Queen Serenity said. "And I am glad that you all found your soul-mates from this." She gazed lovingly at them.
       Usagi nodded. "I'm so happy for them all."
       "You all deserve your happiness," Queen Serenity said. "You were denied that in your past lives."
       "That was what Queen Julianna said," Usagi commented.
       Mamoru nodded and embraced Usagi.
       "Be good to each other, my dear ones," Queen Serenity said as she faded away.
       Mamoru leaned down and kissed Usagi's cheek.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

       As Usagi and Mamoru slept in their bed, their link deepened and they shared a dream of the past.
       The ballroom of the Atlantis palace was filled with people. Young Princess Serenity of the Moon was making her first state visit. As was custom, she was accompanied by an official chaperone, and he was the only one dancing with her. Wearing gloves, he held her only very delicately by the hands and showed deference in nearly everything he did, unless it came to a perceived breach of protocol, no matter how slight.
       Serenity tried to move with him, but yet again found her feet becoming tangled. Since Lukas, her chaperone, would not dream of touching her other than at the hands, she had to struggle to catch herself.
       "Please, your royal highness," Lukas whispered, sounding both very aggravated and distressed. "You are representing the Moon Kingdom and your most royal mother..."
       "I am well aware of that," Serenity muttered. "That's all I've heard for the last two weeks." She hated the feel of being on display, and she thoroughly detested the custom of sacredness that was supposed to surround her person. Earlier that day she had met a young man who was either completely unaware of the custom, or who simply ignored it. Either way, it had been so wonderful to be treated like a regular girl and not a statue in a temple. The young man had turned out to be the crown prince of Earth's world confederation. She had briefly caught sight of him when the ball first began, but hadn't seen him since. "Lukas!" she gasped as she again tripped. "I thought the man was supposed to lead."
       "Your royal highness!" he exclaimed in shock, keeping his voice low. "You must remember your position!"
       She scowled and shook her head. Just then the piece came to an end. 'Saved... at least for the moment.' She briefly joined the other guests in applauding for the orchestra, then turned for the side of the room.
       "Your royal highness," Lukas whispered, hurrying after her.
       "I require a rest," she declared. Just then, she caught sight of the Lunar ambassador across the room. "Oh, Lukas," she said. "I believe the ambassador is calling for you."
       "For me?" Lukas asked.
       'Well, he did just gesture," Serenity said. "And he would have no reason to do so to me."
       "Oh, certainly not," Lukas agreed. "I must see his excellency at once. By your leave, your royal highness?"
       Serenity waved a hand and nodded, smiling to herself as he hurried away. If only it was for good.
       Nearby, Prince Endymion had just detached himself from yet another female admirer and stood close by Jadeite. The prince in close conversation with one of the ranking generals made it appear to be a conference, and no one else would presume to approach. Out of the corner of his eye, Endymion caught sight of young Princess Serenity. He remembered how very charming she had been earlier, and how from the very first he had experienced much stronger feelings for her than for any other girl he had met.
       Jadeite smirked. "You like to live dangerously, it seems."
       "What are you talking about?" Endymion asked.
       "That's the daughter of Queen Serenity."
       "I know who she is," Endymion replied. "But who is that utter klutz who is vaguely trying to dance with her?"
       "He is her official chaperone," Jadeite answered.
       "Chaperone?"
       Jadeite nodded. "Women of the Lunar royal house do not pursue relations with mortal men because they are held to each be an incarnation of the Moon goddess, herself. It is said that any man who attempted to enter into relations with the princess would be struck dead by the gods."
       Endymion frowned. "So that's why she's being treated like a statue?"
       "Yes."
       "That is ridiculous," Endymion said. "She should be here to have a good time... and as son of the hosts..."
       "That is not a good idea," Jadeite whispered urgently.
       "You may tell my parents I met my fate with honor... and a smile on my face," Endymion said, turning away.
       Jadeite shook his head.
       Serenity sighed as the music resumed. Now she had no one to dance with at all. At least here, the entire ball did not come to an immediate stop simply because she wasn't dancing.
       "Your royal highness," a male voice said softly.
       An ungloved hand appeared in her field of view. Looking up, she found herself face to face with the incredibly handsome Prince Endymion once more. "Hello," she replied softly.
       He nodded as he saw her eyes sparkling brightly and a smile spread across her face. "May I have the honor of this dance?"
       She curtsied gracefully and placed her hand in his. "Why certainly, your royal highness."
       He leaned closer. "I should mention that I would like to place one condition on it."
       "What's that?" she asked.
       "Just between the two of us, let us dispense with all the nonsense and protocol," he said. "May I address you simply as Serenity, and will you feel free to address me simply as Endymion?"
       "Oh, yes," she exclaimed softly. "That would be so wonderful... Endymion."
       He smiled as he lead her out onto the dance floor.
       "But I should warn you, Endymion. I'm not a very good dancer," she said.
       He drew her closer. "Because of your chaperone who is too worried about touching your royal person?"
       She laughed softly. "No. I have had numerous dance instructors, and they have all pronounced me hopeless."
       "Well, I haven't," he replied, sliding an arm around her waist.
       She shivered slightly. Never before had a young man held her like this. He began to move and she felt like she was simply floating. Her smile grew still larger as she gazed into his eyes, aware of virtually nothing but him. For the first time, she was truly dancing. He was holding her close and they were moving as one.
       "You're not hopeless, Serenity," he said softly. "Far from it." He enjoyed the feel of her in his arms, already certain he never wanted to let her go.
       "It must be the wonderful young man I'm dancing with," she said. "I've never danced like this before."
       He smiled. "Then I do believe we need to remedy that."
       "Really?"
       He nodded. "Do you think it would be too much of a breach of etiquette if you shared every remaining dance tonight with me?"
       Serenity grinned and shook her head. "Lukas will certainly object, but I don't care."
       "Neither do I," he said. "I have a very lovely young lady to properly entertain. And in such a situation, a gentleman must show good manners."
       "And as a guest, I must not be seen to be rude to my hosts," she said, trying not to giggle.
       "I'm so glad our etiquettes are not in conflict," he said with a grin.
       She lost her struggle against the giggles, and simply embraced him more tightly. The closer she was to him, the happier she felt. Even though she had only just met him, it already felt as if with him was the only place she truly belonged. For the first time, she felt like she was just a young woman, and it felt so good.
       He smiled as he held her close, growing ever more certain he had found that one special girl.
       The piece came to an end, and they continued to hold each other.
       "Your royal highness!" Lukas exclaimed, having appeared next to them. He bowed his head to Endymion. "With your permission, sir, I do believe I have the next dance with her highness."
       "That decision is up to the young lady," Endymion replied.
       Serenity shook her head. "I'm sorry, Lukas, but you have monopolized my dance card enough tonight. I think it is only proper that I should dance with the crown prince. Protocol, you know."
       Just then, the orchestra began the next piece.
       "Protocol," Endymion repeated, as he and Serenity began to move again, leaving Lukas standing alone.
       She smiled up at him, feeling so incredibly happy as her body again seemed to just float with his. "I like being just Serenity... and I really like being in your arms."
       "I like it too," he agreed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

       Usagi and Mamoru awoke as one. It was still dark. He pressed his lips to hers.
       'A nice dream,' she sighed.
       'Yes,' he agreed. 'And I like dancing with you too.'
       'It is very nice,' she said. 'But I also like being in your arms in other ways.'
       With a grin he nodded. 'Those ways are very nice too. But then again, I have the most wonderful young woman ever.'
       'And I have the most wonderful man,' she said. She kissed him softly.

< To be continued >

* * * * * * * * * * * *
NOTE: More to come.

Hopeless Romantic and I now have a message group to notify our readers when we post new stories/chapters. Those who are interested can sign up at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/strands_of_moonlight/ .

Always remember, good gentles, that a yarnspinner works from and within existing legends and stories. The characters of "Sailor Moon" belong to others. In spinning my yarns, I do not seek to infringe on their rights of ownership, but merely to join with other fans to spread the legend still further. "The moonlight carries a message of love." Enjoy.

-12.22.2012