It was Serenity's 17th birthday. The once playful little girl was gone, replaced by a beautiful young lady with long pink hair held up on her head in two cone-shaped odangos with two pigtails and a pair of clear, beautiful ruby orbs. Her lips were smeared in pink lipstick and she was in an elegant white gown. She looked no different from her mother, besides the fact that she has pink hair, ruby coloured eyes and she was taller than her mother.
She was feeling jubilant that day, as there will be a ball tonight but hopes of meeting her blue-haired friend was thin. She sighed. She knew she felt more for him than just a friend....much more....Everything would be perfect if he was present.
"Is something wrong honey?" Neo-Queen Serernity asked with concern.
"Hmm? No Mum," Serenity replied with a smile.
"Then I'll be attending to the usual matters now. Look for me if you need me, kay?" Neo-Queen Serenity replied, giving Serenity a peck on the forehead.
Serenity smiled. As soon as her mother was out of ear shot, she sighed again then turned and went to her favourite spot, the garden.
She inhaled the fresh fragrance of the blossoming roses. She went to the back of the garden where a lake lay. Elegant white swans swam on the surface, the water shimmered under the warm sunlight. She settled against a cherry blossom tree and recalled the times she had with Helios. She blushed at the memory where Helios gave her a kiss.
She hummed a little tune to herself and watched the petals of the cherry blossoms float to the water, causing tiny ripples. It wasn't unusual as cherry blossoms blossomed everyday in the new millenium. Reaching for a nearby rose bush, she plucked a white rose from it, and arranged it in her hair with the help of her reflection on the calm water surface. Feeling satisfied, she slipped her feet out of her high heels and stepped into the lake.
"Princess! What do you think you're doing in there? Step out of the lake now, before you catch a cold," Venus shouted from behind.
"Aw...come one Venus, a little water won't do any harm."
Serenity stepped out of the lake, picked up her shoes and grinned a Venus.
"I'd better go change now! See ya Venus!" Chibi-usa said as she ran past Venus and into the castle.
"Hmph! That girl!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Serenity was in a white simple spaghetti-striped dress with 2 roses pinned on the side of her dress. A big bow was tied on her waist. She looked gorgeous. Serenity examined herself in the mirror again, feeling satsisfied with what she saw, she went into the ballroom to meet the guests.
As she stepped into the ballroom, all eyes were on her.
"This way birthday girl!" Jupiter whispered excitedly as she escorted Serenity to the front of the ball room, where the guests proposed a toast to her. She was having a time of her life, dancing and chatting. But she soon felt bored and went out for a breath of fresh air. She stood on the balcony, glancing at the beautiful full moon. Suddenly, the tinkle of a bell was heard. She turned around and saw a little bell lying on the floor. She picked it up and whispered,
"Helios?"
