AUTHOR'S NOTES
Just FYI, in this Part there is some *major* foreshadowing.  (Look
hard!)  All of the ramifications of this foreshadowing will not be
covered in this 'fic, but maybe I'll write another one.  Hey, I've
already got an idea.
EEEEK!  I finally got around to reading Zorina Skye's Moon Chronicles,
and her scene in the past and mine when Endymion and Serenity are
little (from Part One) are eeriely similar.  This is what, the third
time this has happened to me?  Why can't I be more original?!  WAAAH!
I'm really depressed now.  Oh well, 'cest la vie.  (No, not Sailor V!)
*I* know that I came up with my ideas, and I'm sure that you do too,
by now, so apologies if I wrote anything similar to ANYONE else out
there.
*Anyways*, let me just thank Jupiter Knight who posted up my 'fic.
Thanks!  (I'll read your 'fics soon, I promise.  Just gotta
find time in my schedule and read Darkstar's first . . . I promised
him too.  *Sigh* ^_^;;;)
This part is dedicated to Renee, who sent me my first (and a very
nice) e-mail on Past Loves.  Thank you!
And thank yous go to Mimin Choy (who wrote me an awesome e-mail) and
Tenshi, who promised that she'd read Past Loves!  (Just as I was about
to send this Part in, Connie Somerville Kotkin, better known as
Neo-Queen Serenity, wrote me!  Thanks to you too!)  A *very* special
arigato goes to Lianne!  Lianne-sama, the *Goddess* of Romance
actually wrote to *me*!  I'm honored!  Aaah!  Wow.  I mean wow, uh
wow . . . I'll shut up now.
P.S. Thanks for believing me about the scene, Lianne!  (She's *so*
cool! Read her stuff! I mean it, now! Um, read this first . . .^_^;;;)
Anime Quote of the Day:". . . Even if we weren't meant to be together,
well, it just *feels* right being together, doesn't it?"ÑSerena to
Darien from Sailor Moon
Okay, now the DISCLAIMER:
Sailor Moon belongs to Takeuchi Naoko, Nakayoshi, Kodansha, Bandai,
Toei Co. Ltd., I know Buena Vista's in here somewhere, D.I.C., The
Program Exchange?, blah, blah, blah, and probably many, many, many
others.  Copyrighted 1992.  I am getting no money out of this, please
don't sue.  Oh yeah, Moonlight Densetsu is copyright somebody 1992.
However, this is an original work by ME, and the original song, "ANGEL
LIGHT" (COPYRIGHT 1997) is MINE, and I will suck out your pure heart
crystal, thereby KILLING you if you use it without my permission and
even scarier SUE you if you do. Mwahaha!  Uh, I'm not joking so please
ask first if you have any manners or decency at all.  Thank you.
Well, good luck on all your endeavors, fellow fans and on to Sailor
Moon Past Loves Part Two: First Love.

Sailor Moon Past Loves
by Fushigi Kismet

   It was supposed to be a simple operation.  Find evil creature from
outer space.  Stop evil creature from outer space from draining
helpless innocents of their energy.  Kill evil creature.  Oh yeah,
(since this one had fire powers) stop evil creature from burning down
downtown Tokyo while they were at it.  What could be simpler?
However, looking back, since when had anything ever really been
simple?
   It had started out innocently enough.  The Sailor Senshi (and
Tuxedo Kamen plus the two guardian cats) had tracked the monster of
the day to a large, empty storehouse.  It was the middle of the night
so no one was around.  The Senshi had felt safe using their powers
without the chance of an innocent (though, remarkably stupid if he/she
was hanging around during a battle ^_^;) bystander from getting hurt.
   The MOTD had been shooting at them with spurts of fire which Sailor
Mars had been returning flame for flame.  That was not a particularly
brilliant move even taking Mars's slightly flawed logic into account.
"And eye for an eye, a fire for a fire."  The flaw in Mars's plan was
obvious; fire plus fire equals FIRE!  (Usuallly, any way.)
   Mercury, intelligent and calm as always, tried pointing this out,
but Mars was too into the heat of the momentÑliterally into the heat
of the momentÑto listen.  The resulting fire quickly got out of
control, even with Mercury dousing it with water and ice.  Er, rather,
she was dousing it with ice that melted into water.  Sailor Jupiter
and Sailor Venus had been attacking the MOTD from the sides,
attempting to get its attention away from Mars long enough for her to
get a breather, but with no success.  Sailor Moon, in the meantime,
had crept up behind the monster, fully intending to turn it into so
much moondust with a wave of her weapon, when the monster unexpectedly
blasted all three of the Senshi attacking it and rounded on Sailor
Moon.
  Of course, brilliantly timing his arrival as usual, Tuxedo Kamen
threw down his rose into the path of the monster and leapt down from
the rafters, carrying Sailor Moon out of harm's way.  The rose didn't
faze the monster for long, but by the time it had gotten its wits
back, the Senshi had rallied and attacked it all at once.  Even Sailor
Mercury had stopped fire-fighting for an instant to add her attack to
the others.  That proved to be a mistake as the warehouse they were in
was rapidly burning to pieces around them.
   Sailor Moon quickly finished off the monster with a magical phrase
and instructed the Senshi to "get out of here before we're all toast!"
She began to run out of the warehouse, the Scouts on her heels when a
huge section of the roof caved in, taking several flaming rafters with
it in a fiery display.  In that brief instant, Sailor Moon turned to
see a flame-covered rafter heading straight towards Tuxedo Kamen's
unprotected back.
   "NOOOOOO!!!!" she screamed above the licking of the flames as
everything around her seemed to slow down.  She couldn't get there
fast enough!  Tuxedo Kamen turned to look at her, a questioning look
on his face, then noticed the rafter headed straight for him.  With
flames surrounding him on all sides, there was no way that he could
avoid it.  His eyes turned to look into Sailor Moon's as she ran
towards him, tears streaming from her eyes.  "Don't!" he mouthed at
her.
   She dove towards him, physically pushing him out of the way of
danger.  At the last instant before the burning support slammed into
her back, and the darkness took over, she thought,   Her burned in
agony and her soul cried out in pain.  Then there was nothing but
darkness.

The beginning of "Moonlight Densetsu" starts playing.

A painting of the Moon Kingdom appears.  The camera pans away from it
and we see Minako, Rei, Makoto, Ami, Usagi, and Mamoru looking at it
in a store window.  Yumeno Yumemi comes out and invites them in.
They walk in and are instantly surrounded by dozens of paintings of
the Moon Kingdom.  Usagi sighs as she sees one of Queen Serenity.
Mamoru puts an arm around her and holds her close.
She leans on his shoulder, looks up at him while he is looking down
at her and they smile.  The screen flashes BISHOUJO SENSHI SAILORMOON
PAST LOVES (in Japanese) and pans away until it is centered and
surrounded by flashing colors.

"Gomen ne sunao ja nakute,"

Fourteen-year old Usagi klutzes out with ice-cream in hand and falls
down.

"Yume no naka nara ieru,"

Fourteen-year old Princess Serenity walks around the gardens of her
palace *quite* gracefully.

"Shikou Kairo wa shotto sunzen,"

Usagi is sitting on the ground wailing when a hand appears in front
of her.  The camera pans back and follows the arm up until we see
Mamoru who is looking at her with a concerned expression.

"Ima sugu aitai yo."

Usagi gets a determined expression on her face and taking his hand,
gets to her feet.  She then notices that the ice-cream is still
intact.  She smiles.

"Nakitaku naru you-na Moonlight,"

Princess Serenity is alone in the palace gardens at night.  She's
weeping, then she turns around and stares at Earth.

"Denwa mo dekinai Midnight."

She begins to glow in the moonlight, then turns around to face the
camera.  She is smiling and her crescent moon glows.  (Mamoru's dream.
^_^;)

"Datte junjou dou shiyou?"

Cut to a scene of Princess Serenity vanishing in a silvery light.

"Haato wa mangekyou."

Cut to a scene of the full moon in the sky.  The view spirals around
it and then to the ground where we see a beautiful silver palace.  It
is *not* the one in Crystal Tokyo.

"Tsuki no hikari ni michibikare,"

Princess Serenity arrives on earth and glows with silvery light.
Prince Endymion, who was walking in the woods, comes across her in a
clearing.  They stare at each other.

"Nandomo meguri-au,"

Princess Serenity runs into Prince Endymion, knocking him over.

"Seiza no mataki kazoe uranau koi yukue."

The stars sparkle in the sky as Princess Serenity looks at them and
sighs.  The moon hangs in front of her.  Prince Endymion comes and
takes her hand, dragging her away.  She smiles.

"Onaji kuni ni umareta no Mirakuru Romansu."

Prince Endymion, around seventeen years old, sits bolt upright in bed
and stares out his window (which is on the left side of the screen)
at the full moon.  The camera shifts to focus on a red rose in a vase
on his table.  The rose glows and sends out a scarlet light which
fills the screen.  It fades to show fourteen-year old Princess
Serenity, sitting bolt upright in bed and staring out *her* window
(which is on the right side of the screen) at Earth.

"Mo ichido futari de Weekend,"

Usagi and Mamoru sit on a blanket spread out in the park and eat a
picnic lunch.  Usagi is holding a pie in her left hand as she bends
to pick up her fork.  Mamoru turns to say something to her as she
straightens up with a happy cry, her fork in her hand.  He gets, you
guessed it, a cream pie in the face.  Usagi and Mamoru look at each
other, (he's just eyes staring out of cream) then start laughing.

"Kami-sama kanaeta Happy-end."

Usagi uses a napkin to tenderly wipe the last bit of pie off of
Mamoru's face and she smiles cutely at him.  He catches her hand and
smiles at her.  They kiss.

"Genzai kako mirai mo,"

Flash images really fast of toddler Princess Serenity in the past,
teenage Usagi in the present, and Neo-Queen Serenity in the future on
the screen.

"Anata ni kubittake."

Flash images really fast of six-year old Prince Endymion in the past,
Mamoru in the present, and King Endymion in the future on the screen.

"Deatta toki no natsukashii,"

Fourteen-year old Princess Serenity and seventeen-year old Prince
Endymion stare into each other's eyes where they are standing under a
big tree.

"Manazashi wasurenai,"

The stars sparkle in the heavens again.  Cut to a split screen of
fourteen-year old Princess Serenity (on the left side of the screen)
and seventeen-year old Prince Endymion (on the right side of the
screen) sitting up in bed and staring out of their windows.  (Since
it's a split screen, there are no windows and it looks like they're
staring at the same spot.)

"Ikusenman no hoshi kara anata o mitsukerareru,"

Fourteen-year old Princess Serenity watches her older Sailor Senshi
while they train on the moon.  Seventeen-year old Prince Endymion
watches his older Guardians while they train on Earth.

"Guuzen mo chansu ni kaeru ikikata ga suki yo."

Mamoru, Usagi, Rei, Minako, Makoto, and Ami walk through the park
together, laughing and talking.  Usagi, who isn't looking because
she's talking to Mamoru, accidentally walks into Rei where she has
stopped to smell some flowers.  Rei gets up, self-righteous and
annoyed and starts to yell at Usagi, who looks like she's about to
cry, but then Minako, who's talking to Makoto and Ami and also isn't
looking, walks into Usagi.  Minako sudden stop causes Makoto and Ami
trip and fall onto her while she's falling on Usagi, who's falling on
Rei.  They all land with a crash on the ground.  Mamoru's the only
one who's left standing and he gets a *huge* sweatdrop.  Everyone
gets to their feet, start to yell, stop, then start laughing.

"Fushigi-na kiseki Kurosu-shite nandomo meguri-au,"

Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion stare out their windows some
more.  Cut to a scene of a rose spiraling in a beam of moonlight.
There is the flap of a black cape at the edge of the pool of
moonlight on the right side of the screen, the rest is hidden in
shadows.  On the left side of the screen a tiara flashes right before
that person turns away into the shadows.

"Seiza no matataki kazoe uranau koi no yukue."

Another scene of the full moon and the earth.  They spiral around
each other, before coming to a stop.  Superimpose a picture of
Princess Serenity over the moon and Prince Endymion over the earth.
They're looking at each other while holding hands and smiling.  Pan
away to show the other planets of the solar system in alignment.

"Onaji juni ni umareta no Mirakuru Romansu."

Queen Serenity smiles at the camera, before fading into the
background with a fully grown Luna and Artemis taking her place.  They
also fade out and shadowy Senshi-like images appear and fade out.

"Shinjite-iru no,"

Queen Serenity appears, smiling.  Fourteen-year old Princess Serenity
appears in front of her, waving at the camera.  Seventeen-year old
Prince Endymion appears next to her and they hold hands.  All of the
other Senshi show up to the side of the trio.  Mina makes a "V" for
victory sign and everyone else just gets into position.

"Mirakura Romansu."

The cats appear and everyone poses for the camera and freezes in
place.

FIRST LOVE

*The Past*

   The Princess sobbed as she ran down the peaceful path in the Royal
Gardens.  She had left Luna perched on the back of a bench, staring
after her in concern.
   It wasn't fair, her mind wailed, they were all so mean, especially
Rei and Luna.  Why did they have to keep on reminding her to be a
princess?  Why couldn't she just be normal like everyone else?  She
wished that she could go to Earth.  On Earth, no one knew her and she
wouldn't be anything but a normal girl.  Princess Serenity had never
understood why visiting Earth was forbidden to her, but she didn't
care.  Earth was her goal, and Earth was in reach.
   Looking around to make sure that no one was watching, she screamed,
"PRINCESS TELEPORT!" and the only thing left that ever marked that she
had been there was the cloud of flower petals that fluttered on the
breeze of her passing.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

   Tuxedo Kamen carried Sailor Moon's body out of the flaming
structure, and fell to his knees when he was far enough from the
building.  He detransformed to Mamoru, Sailor Moon still in his arms.
As the building burned behind him he gazed at her face.  
he prayed.  
   She weakly opened her eyes to look at his worried face, his eyes
full of concern.  She reached up with a shaky left hand and barely
touched his face.  He caught her hand and held it to him.  She smiled
a quiet little smile, then closed her eyes with a little sigh and
became limp in his arms.
   Mamoru stared at her as she reverted back to Usagi.  "Usako.
USAKO!  DON'T DIE!  DON'T LEAVE ME!!!"
   The Inner Senshi, who had been outside when Sailor Moon had pushed
Tuxedo Kamen to one side, ran over to the scene.
   "NOOOOO!!!!!!" Mamoru screamed in agony, as the flames of the
building flickered and roared in the night.
   The Senshi paused, tears in their eyes, then resumed running
towards the terrible tableau.  
   They arrived at Mamoru's side where he was struggling with his
tears.  They all were.  Sailor Mercury quickly took Usagi's pulse.
Her expression brightened.  "Quick everyone, her pulse is very weak,
but she's not dead!"
   Mamoru looked up, hope written across his face.  "She's alive?"
   Mercury nodded.  "Yes, but we've got to get her to a hospital,
fast!"
   A determined expression crossed Mamoru's face.  "Right."  He
transformed into Tuxedo Kamen and seeing that she was still securely
in his arms, he leapt up into the night, heading into the city.  "I'll
get her to the nearest hospital, you meet me there!"
   "Right!"  The Senshi and cats began running.  

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

   Princess Serenity arrived on the Earth in a blazing sphere of
silver light.  It faded away until she was only surrounded by a
glowing silver outline.    She shuddered.  She didn't even want to *think* about Rei-
chan's face if she were to see her on her home planet on an
unauthorized "trip."
   She looked up at the night sky where she could just make out the
moon from behind a cloud.    She heard the noise behind her and
turned, startled.  A young man, whose features she could not make out
in the brilliant dark of the night, stared at her in astonishment.
Serenity brought her hands to her mouth as she stared back at the man.

   She whirled around, her back to him to hide the shining of the
crescent moon on her forehead.  Raising her right arm into the air,
she shouted, "Princess Teleport!" and was gone as her silver aura rose
around her.

   The moon shone down on the man blinking in astonishment.  

   Princess Serenity huddled against the tree, weeping.  She was cold,
hungry, lost, and lonely.  She was scared.  She was also too tired to
attempt a teleport.
   Suddenly, a bright yellow light shone on her and she looked up in
fear.  
   "Well, what do we have here?" a male voice asked.

   The lantern hung on its hook on the wall of the cosy little
farmhouse.  Princess Serenity sat at the table and wolfed down a hunk
of bread and some soup.  Her manners were impeccable, but the speed at
which she devoured her meal was certainly not in the best of taste.
Her two hosts didn't mind, however.
   "Another bowl of soup?" the young woman (around twenty) asked,
smiling.
   Serenity stared up at her without comprehension, but nodded when
the woman gestured to the pot of soup.  The woman refilled her bowl
and Serenity proceeded to drink some more.
   Seated across from her at the rough wooden table, the twenty-five
year old man sipped at his steaming wooden cup of broth.  "So where're
you from?" he asked Serenity.
   She looked up at him, stared at him strangely for an instant, then
resumed eating.
   He sighed, then turned to his wife.  "Dear, she hasn't said a thing
to either of us."
   "That is because she is not from around here and does not speak our
language," she admonished, waving her wooden ladle at him.  "After
she's eaten, I'll see what I can find out."
   The man turned back to his broth with a sigh.  This might take
awhile.

*Several hours later*

     the
man thought, half amused, half aghast.
   The woman turned to look at him and frowned.  <>  She turned back to look at the girl where she was
seated, still at the wooden table, but facing the woman.
   "Now," she said pleasantly, "this is where I find out whether I'm
right or not."  She stared at Serenity, dark brown eyes into bright
blue ones.  Serenity's crescent moon glowed a little and the woman
smiled.  "You are her, aren't you?" she said quietly, and amazingly
enough, Serenity understood her.
   "YouÑyou're speaking in my language?" Serenity asked, astonished.
   "Yes," the woman replied, smiling.  "I speak your language.  The
language of the Planetary Sorceresses."
   "Who *are* you?!" Serenity demanded.
   "I am known as Ikuko, last of the line of the Priestesses of the
Moon."

   Elsewhere, a girl with long auburn hair frowned.    She tightened her grip on the vial of
poison she held.  

   "I-Ikuko?" Serenity asked, staring at the brown-eyed young woman
with her long blue hair.
   "Yes," the woman replied.  "You are a Lunar, are you not?"
   "Yes."
   "Are you Serenity, daughter of Serenity?"
   "H-how did you know?"
   "The hair.  It is a trademark of the Serenity line.  You are well
known to me for a reason. You see, the story of the Planetary
Sorceresses has been handed down in my family for generations.  The
women of my family were always Priestesses of the Moon, and the men
were always warriors, carrying on the line.  However, I am the last of
my line."
   "Why?" Serenity asked.
   Ikuko got a far-off look in her eyes.  "My mother was a farmer's
daughter who believed in the old ways.  My father was a warrior.  My
aunts and sisters were all Priestesses of the Moon.  But I could not
pledge my life to the Order," she said, smiling apologetically at
Serenity.  "I was in love."
   The man stepped forward and put a hand on his wife's shoulder.  "So
was I," he said quietly.
   Ikuko resumed speaking.  "I loved Kenji with all of my heart.  My
family knew that I had made my choice and did not object to my
marriage.  Thus, I was the only daughter who was not a priestess.  So
when the Day of Despair came, I was the only one of the family
spared."
   "Day of Despair?"
   "A decree was issued that everyone who still believed in the old
ways and every Priestess of every Planet, save that of Earth, was to
be killed.  And so they were.  My sisters, and cousins, and aunts, and
their children, and husbands, and parents, and wives.
   "My father was killed right away, defending my mother and my
sisters and I.  My only brother, Shingo, fought bravely against a
whole squadron of men before he was slain, defending us.  He
sacrificed himself to give us a chance to escape, but I was the only
one who made it.  Finally, the soldiers found me, but since I had not
become part of the Order, they spared my husband and I.  And that is
why there are no more Priestesses of the Moon."  She looked at
Serenity, tears forming in her eyes.  "I'm sorry, Princess Serenity.
There was nothing I could do."  She broke into tears and Serenity
wrapped her in an embrace.
   "Shhh, shhh, it's all right.  It's all right.  I'm so sorry about
what happened to your family, Ikuko.  Who-who would do such a thing?"
   "The prince, damn his black heart!" Kenji cried heatedly.  "The
decree came from the palace!"
   "No, Kenji," Ikuko cried, her tears slowing.  "You do the Lord
Prince a great wrong.  He did not have aught to do with this.  I have
seen him, riding mornings, and several times he has paused to exchange
pleasantries with me.  I have looked into his eyes, Kenji, and they
aren't the eyes of a murderer.  They're the eyes of a hurting soul.
His parents are dead and he is alone in the world, but he had naught
to do with this.  He's just a boy."
   "If you say so," Kenji said, calming down a bit.
   "I still think he's a horrible person to let something like this
happen!" Serenity said passionately.
   "No, no," Ikuko said, shaking her head.  "I do not believe that he
ever knew.  Someone went behind his back when they issued the decree.
And I would bet a year's harvest as to who.  It was that Lady Beryl.
She has the look of madness in her eyes and rumor has it that she uses
black magic to influence minds at the Royal Court.  She is a
vindictive, nasty woman and I am sure that she issued the decree."
Ikuko shook her head, clearing her mind.  "I'm sorry, it's quite late.
Would you do us the honor of spending the night in our home?" she
asked.
   Serenity nodded, gratefully.  "Thank you."
   "No, thank you, my princess."
   As Ikuko's bright eyes met hers, Serenity couldn't help but
exclaim, her heart full of compassion, "I'm so sorry that you lost all
of your family because they were of the Planetary Order!  It's my
fault, my family's and I!  I would do anything to make it up to you,
but there's nothing I can do, is there?  I wish it hadn't happened,
but this I swear, on the Moon, Ikuko, if there is ever anything I can
do to help you or yours, I shall not hesitate in my course of action."
   Ikuko turned her gaze down, but then looked up at Serenity with a
weak smile.  "I didn't lose everyone.  I have Kenji, and soon there'll
be another," she said placing a hand on her middle.  "Come now, my
princess.  Get some sleep.  You can tell us why you're here,
tomorrow."

*The next day*

   Serenity stared at the Earth flowers in the garden she had come
across.  
   She had spent the night at Ikuko and Kenji's small farmhouse at the
edge of town.  The had offered her the bed, but she had refused,
taking the cot in their guestroom.  She had been extremely proud of
herself for her compassion.  Even so, that had not helped soften the
hard ground any.  She looked at the rather plain dress she was wearing
and had borrowed from Ikuko and mentally berated herself for running
away in her princess gown.
   She sighed,Ñinhaling the scent of a flower that had been nothing
but a bud before and was now a flower in full bloom, as was everything
else in the gardenÑthis Earth was an odd place.  But it did have
pretty flowers.
   "What're you doing?!" a rough voice demanded.
   Serenity turned, confused.  What had that voice said?  Then she
remembered that she had forgotten to cast a translation spell, as her
mother did every time she had gone to Earth in the past.  Well, she
couldn't very well do it now.  She looked at the young boy who had
addressed her.  "What did you say?  I, um, don't suppose you speak
Lunar?"
   The boy stared at her.  "What're you saying?  I can't understand a
word."  He then saw the garden behind her.  "Hey, those flowers
weren't in bloom a minute ago!  What are you, some kind of witch?"
   Serenity stared at him in confusion.  
   The boy called to someone inside of a house.  Two more boys came
out.  The first boy yelled something at the other two and gestured to
her.  Serenity was only able to catch one word, "witch."  As she was
puzzling out what "witch" meant, the three boys picked up some rocks
and threw them at her.  One came awfully close to hitting her and she
backed away uneasily.  
   They began advancing on her and she turned and fled.  

   Endymion leaned with his back against a tree, his arms behind his
head and one leg propped up against the trunk as he gazed reflectively
up at the blue sky.  
   "Still," he mused to himself, unconsciously fingering the jagged piece of quartz stone that he wore on a gold chain around his neck, "I
wish that person had been real.  The glow . . . must've been a magic
aura or something.  Maybe that person could've helped me with my
power."  He pulled his arms out from behind his head and stared at his
clenched fists.  Power sizzled in them, sweet as summer lightning.

   Endymion had been born different.  He was the only Earth princeÑ
everÑto have the ability to manipulate magic.  The healers, some of
whom had weak latent powers, had all flinched at his birth.  The power
he had, could be felt.  His four Guardian princes also had latent
magical powers, but unlike him, they could not seem to use them at
all.  Though his ability to control the magic was limited, he could
use it to an extent.
   Nephrite had once told him that the pattern of the stars and the
alignment of the planets on the night he had been born, had been quite
cryptic about his destiny.  But he was sure of one thing, they had
predicted great power.
   Endymion rubbed his fingers together, almost sensing his magic,
almost able to control it.  At times his magic had given him visions,
at others he had been able to heal, but those were flukes and he was
incapable of doing either on his own initiative.  He sighed.  Once
there had been people, possessing the knowledge and the magic, who
could have taught him how to harness all of the power that he seemed
to possess, but they were long gone.
   A legend his sensei used to tell him, when he had still been small,
had spoken of the nine sorceresses who had fled the Earth to find
their way among the stars.  To settle on the worlds that gave them
power, and form a vast kingdom known as the Silver Millennium, headed
by the Moon Kingdom.  There had been a sorceress of Earth as well, who
might have helped him, trained him, but she too was long gone.  Now,
his only hope lay with the stars, and he doubted the authenticity of
the legend anyway.  Still . . . he could dream.
   Endymion stopped the motion of his fingers and relaxed, letting the
power drain back into and be absorbed by his body.    He
grimaced.    He pushed himself away from the
tree, surveying the orange-red sunset.  He turned away, ready to head
back to the palace, when he was nearly bowled over.
   Endymion got his bearings with a curse, his head dizzy from the
impact.  
   He looked down to see what had run into him and saw a young girl,
around fourteen years of age, clinging desperately to him and weeping.
   "Um," Endymion said, attempting to extract the girl from his chest.
Then he heard shouting and looked up to see three young boys, ranging
in age from nine to fifteen, running up with jagged-looking rocks in
their hands.
   They came to a stop a few feet away from him.
  "Move aside!" the youngest snarled, hefting the rock into position
to throw.
  "Yeah," the second oldest agreed.  "We're not after you.  It's the
witch we want!"
   "What's the matter with you?!" Endymion demanded.  "She's just an
innocent girl!"
   "What's it to you?" the last boy spat out.
   Gently prying away the girl's fingers from where they had been
clinging onto his shirt, Endymion moved her to one side and said in as
regal a voice as he could muster, "As your Lord Prince, you are
required to answer me."
   "You?  The prince?  They never let him out of the castle!"  With a
nasty curse, the youngest boy threw his rock.
   It flew right into Endymion's raised hand, where his power
manifested itself and he proceeded to crush the rock into powdery gray
dust.  "That wasn't very nice," he said calmly.
   The boys stared at the pile of dust that the wind was already
beginning to blow away and fell to their knees, begging for
forgiveness.  The girl looked on, wide-eyed in wonder.
   "You, what's your name?" Endymion asked the oldest.
   "IÑI'm c-c-called Clinden, m-my Lord Prince."
   "And what were you doing seeking to harm this girl?"
   "She's a witch!  Sire," he added after a minute.
   Endymion raised an eyebrow in amusement.  "Oh?  And what did she
do?"
   "S-she made the f-flowers in the garden bloom."
   "Is there anything wrong with that?"
   "No, but it was creepy.  No normal person could do that!"
   Endymion crouched down and said very softly, "You see what I did to
the rock?  Well, I'm not such a normal person myself, and you wouldn't
dare hurl rocks at me, would you?  So I suggest you leave the girl
alone and realize that even if a person isn't "normal" he or she is
*still* a person."  He stood.  "Now, apologize to the young lady and
go back to your homes."
   The three boys stood and asked the girl for forgiveness.  She
smiled at them and seemed to accept their apologies so they ran off
back to their homes, except for Clinden who paused and looking back,
said, "I'm sorry, Your Highness, but I still remember what happened in
Cathis.  My older brother died there."
   Endymion gave him a sympathetic look and the boy rushed off.  Then
he turned back to the girl.  "Well, I might have let them off a little
easy and I'm sorry for that, but they're just boys and don't know any
better.  Miss, ah, I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."
   She smiled at him, uncomprehending, and said, "Washuu?"
   "Uh, erg, you don't speak my language."  Endymion floundered around
for something to say.  The girl walked up to him and took his hands in
hers.  He felt a warm glow as their hands touched and a sudden sense
of euphoria.  He looked at her and saw what he had missed before.
This girl was beautiful.
   Gazing into her shining blue eyes, he found himself unable to look
away.  "Who are you?" he asked, breathlessly.
   She simply touched the side of his face in a brief caress, but the
touch was electric.  This close together, Endymion could practically
feel the electricity between them.  "IÑI know you," he said, and he
knew that he did.
   Just then a voice called, "Endymion!" and the trance was broken.
He turned to look in the direction of the noise and saw Kunzite
striding over to him.  When he turned back to find the girl, she was
gone.  He cursed long and fluently as he went to meet Kunzite.

   Up in the branches of the tree they had been standing under,
Serenity let out the breath she had been holding, thanking the moon
that she hadn't had a klutz attack and fallen from the tree.   she asked herself.  

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

   The Senshi arrived, breathless, at the hospital and hurriedly
detransformed in an empty alley.  Luna and Artemis were forced to
remain outside.  The four girls ran into the lobby where Mamoru was
arguing with some woman at the desk.
   "And you are?" the woman asked patiently.
   "I'm Chiba Mamoru!  I'm the one who brought her in!" he lowered his
voice.  "Please, can't I just be allowed to see her?"
   The woman glared at him over the rim of her glasses.  "I'm sorry,
the girl is in critical condition.  Only immediate family members are
permitted to see her."
   The Senshi ran up to the desk and Rei quickly interjected, still
panting for breath.  "But *pant* he *pant* is *pant* her immediate
family!  *Pant*, *pant*, *pant*."
   "And who are you?" the woman asked.
   "I'm, um, his sister."
   "So who is he?"
   "He's her husband."
   Makoto stifled the choking sound she was making.
   The woman looked at her skeptically.  "Isn't she a little young to
be married?"
   "Her family's old fashioned.  It was an arranged marriage!" Minako
put in quickly, catching on.
   "And you are?" the woman asked.
   "HerÑ" she was about to add "sister" when Ami pushed ahead of her
and said, "Her friend.  We're all her friends."
   "I see.  Well, give me her name and I will see if I can allow you,"
she looked at Mamoru sternly, "and you," she said looking at Rei,
"admittance."
   "Thank you," Mamoru said softly.  "She's Tsukino Usagi . . ."

   Minako dragged Ami to the other side of the lobby, Makoto and Rei
trailing behind.  "What's the idea, we're all her friends?!" she
demanded.  "If I'd said I was her sister, I could've gotten in to see
her!"
   "No, you couldn't have," Ami said softly.  "As all of her records
show, Usagi only has one sibling, her brother Shingo."
   "Well, how do you plan on tricking them into believing that
Mamoru's her husband?" Makoto asked.
   "Easy," Ami said.  "I'm not."
   "WHAT?!" the three girls cried, a little too loudly.  Everyone in
the lobby turned to look at them, where they stood off to one side.
Sweatdrops appeared and they tried to look inconspicuous.  Gradually,
everyone else's apparent interest faded and they turned away.
   "What do you mean, Ami?" Makoto asked urgently.  "Mamoru has to be
with her."
   "Oh, he's going to get in all right, because he *is* her husband."
   Minako looked at Ami strangely.  "Uh, Ami, are you feeling all
right?  Since when has he been her husband?  I mean apart from the
future and all."  Her expression changed to one of shock.  "Do you
know something that we don't?  Did they secretly go off and get
married without letting us know?"
   Ami looked at Minako in disbelief.  "No."
   "Then why are they going to believe that he's her husband?" Makoto
asked.
   Ami smiled.  "Don't you guys remember?  The motorcycle accident
awhile back?"
   The girls all realized it at the same time.  "OH."
   "Wait, you mean this is the *same* hospital?" Makoto asked.
   Ami nodded.  "It is.  And *their* records show that Tsukino Usagi
and Chiba Mamoru are husband and wife."

   A while back, Mamoru had gotten into a motorcycle accident.  Usagi,
desperate to see him, had used the disguise pen to make herself older
so that she could masquerade as his wife.  After Ami had had tapped
into the hospital's computer system with her mini-computer to show
that Usagi and Mamoru were indeed married, Usagi had been permitted to
see him.

   "Well, how is Rei supposed to get in as his sister?" Minako asked.
   "Simple," Rei said smugly.  She had remembered the motorcycle
accident, but hadn't bothered to interrupt Ami's explanation.  "Even
if the hospital has a complete record on Usagi, I doubt that their
records on Mamoru will be half as complete.  He's an orphan, remember?
So I'm his long-lost sister, or adopted sister, or whatever."
   "So how come *you* get in to see her?  Why can't we all be his
sisters?"
   Rei glared at Makoto, then began counting off points on her
fingers.  "Because 1) I've got the dark hair, so there's some kind of
resemblance between us, 2) I doubt the woman would buy the fact that
we're *all* his sisters, and 3) Ami's mom works at this hospital and
I'm sure she'd recognize you two, but *we*'ve never been properly
introduced."
   "Okay," Makoto said, subdued.  "You'll take care of her for us,
won't you, Rei?"
   "You know I will," she answered softly.
   "Make her pull through, Rei.  Yell at her if you have to, just make
her pull through," Minako said, teary-eyed.
   Rei nodded.
   Ami looked at Rei and said, "Mamoru's headed this way with some ID
tags.  Looks like it's time for you to go."
   Rei turned and met Mamoru.
   "Shouldn't we call her parents?" Mamoru asked.
   "They're out of town," Ami replied.  "Go on, you two.  Go and see
her."
   They nodded, and left.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

   Endymion walked to the tree where he had last seen her.  That had
been yesterday.  He was hoping against hope that he would see her
again.  That girl.  She made him feel  . . . alive.
   Serenity was leaning against the tree waiting for him.  
   Endymion saw her and his step quickened, until he was only a meter
away from her, staring at her.  She was looking at the ground,
avoiding his eyes, but she knew that he was there.  He walked closer.
One step, two . . . and then she looked up.
   He stopped, held by her eyes, by their intense blue.  
   Serenity looked into his eyes.  

   They stood together under the swirl of the oak tree's soft green
leaves, loosened by the gentle breeze.  She raised a hand to his face
and held it there.  His gaze locked to hers, he didn't even notice as
her crescent moon appeared and began glowing.  The wind rose about
them, tousling his hair and sending her long tresses streaming towards
him.   he thought dazedly.  
   She smiled dreamily and said, "How are you?"
   "Fine," he replied automatically.  
   "We can speak now.  I know your language."
   "Who are you, Odango Atama?" he blurted out without thinking.  
   "Don't call me that!" she snapped, suddenly angry.  With a visible
effort she calmed herself down.  "I'm . . . Tsukino Usagi."  
   Endymion grinned.    "I'm Chiba Mamoru."  
   "Are you from around here?" she asked.
   "Yeah, I guess so.  You're not, are you?"
   "No," she admitted, "I'm not.  I live somewhere far away."
   "Well," he said at his most gallant, "how about if I show you
around?"
   She smiled.  "I'd like that."
   He offered her his arm and she took it.  As they walked away from
the tree, she stumbled and nearly fell but he supported her.   he thought in amusement.
    she thought, embarrassed by
falling.
   "Are you all right?" he asked, his dark blue eyes sparkling.
   She smiled.  "I'm fine."

   He showed her around the city that day, glad that he hadn't worn
his royal armor or some other giveaway as to who he was.  Today, he
was just a boy showing a girl the sights.  He bought her sweets and a
pair of white gloves as she had none with her and Endymion had been
taught that *every* lady should have gloves.  They ended up at the
Royal Palace, the one place that Endymion did *not* want to go to, but
she had insisted.  "The gardens must be lovely!"
   She loved flowers, that was one thing that he had ascertained about
her without too much difficulty.  Other things, like where she had
come from, were harder to establish.

   So he showed her around the gardens, watching her smile in delight.
When she wasn't looking, he would look furtively around to make sure
that they weren't being watched.  
   As the walked down the path that was surrounded by roses, he felt
an odd feeling of deja vœ.    A half
forgotten memory struggled to make itself known.  
   Usagi turned to him with a smile but seeing the pain and grief on
his face she walked towards him concerned.  "Mamoru, are you all
right?  Did I do something?"
   "NÑno, it's justÑthis placeÑI've got some bad memories," he
finished lamely.
   "Oh, I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have insisted that we comeÑ"
   "No.  It's all right.  Really."  He smiled at her.  "Really."  He
bowed politely.
   Serenity giggled from behind her gloved hands.  Then she curtsied
gracefully in return.  When she looked up again she saw a red rose in
front of her face.  She took it and looked at it curiously, then up at
Endymion who looked rather embarrassed.  Smiling sweetly she said,
"Thank you very much, gallant sir.  It's quite lovely."
   Endymion put an arm behind his head and stared at her.  "I know
something more lovely."
   Serenity flushed crimson.

   Lady Beryl walked down the path.  She thought she had heard voices.
Maybe it was Endymion, she hadn't seen him that day.  He couldn't
possibly be avoiding her, could he?  No, that was impossible.  She
peered around a pillar that stood along the path and saw Endymion
giving a rose to a girl with a strange hairstyle.  Her eyes narrowed
in suspicion.  Who was this girl?  When she heard him compliment the
girl, the way she had always wanted him to compliment *her*, she
turned away, pressing her back to the pillar, not looking at the two
of them.    Her tightly shut eyes
began to water, and she swiped at them, running away.  

   They returned to the city soon after, Serenity holding her rose.
   "Aren't you going to put it down?" Endymion had asked her, amused.
   "No, never!  I'll dry it and press it, then I'll have it forever."

   Endymion treated her to some dinner by buying her some food at some
of the venders.  She thanked him profusely, eating as if there was no
tomorrow.  
   When she had finished, he offered to take her home, but she refused
quite firmly.  "No, I don't live around here, I'm just visiting some
people."
   "Visiting?" Endymion asked, his heart sinking.  
   "Yes, I must leave soon."
   "How soon?"
   "A week," she whispered, looking at him, her heart aching.  
   Endymion's mind was racing.    "Then we'll have to
make every day count!" he announced.
   "What do you mean?" Serenity asked curiously.
   He smiled.  "You'll see tomorrow.  It'll be a surprise."
   She frowned.  

   She walked back to Ikuko and Kenji's home afterwards and apologized
profusely for allowing them to worry.  They forgave her readily and
Ikuko gave her a nervous smile, "It's just that I didn't want anything
to happen to you."
   Serenity nodded, not meeting Ikuko's eyes.  She felt rotten, just
like she did every time she disobeyed her mother.  
   Ikuko looked at her sympathetically and said, "You never did tell
us why you're here."
   Serenity looked up and met her eyes.  "I'm here for a visit.  Just
a visit."
   Ikuko looked at her doubtfully, then said quietly, "All right,
Princess."
   Serenity turned away and hurried up the stairs of the farmhouse.

   She prepared for bed, changing into a soft white nightgown that
Ikuko had lent her, her hair unbound and tumbling in radiant waves of
gold down her back. She put the rose into a vase of water she had
procured and set it in the corner of the guestroom that she was
staying in.  Staring at it, she stroked a few of its petals lightly
with one hand, then began to hum.  Snatching up a hairbrush, she began
to brush out her hair, still humming.  Serenity couldn't remember the
last time she had been so happy.

   Endymion stared at the little farmhouse at the outskirts of town
where he had followed Serenity.    He stared at the quaint farmhouse
for an instant and recognition flared in him.    As he studied the house, an idea came to
him.  

   Serenity was startled by a rapping outside of her window.  She
nearly dropped her hairbrush.  Putting it down on a nearby tabletop,
her fingers shaking, she rose from the floor where she had been
sitting and hesitantly walked over to the window.  She let out a
breath as she saw that it was locked.  
   She pulled aside the lace curtains that Ikuko took great pride in
having and stared out into the dark night.  She saw nothing.
   Then suddenly a hand appeared and waved madly at the window.
   Serenity stumbled back a step, then drew a deep breath and marched
forward, fumbling open the window latch and swinging the windows wide
open.  She looked out, then downÑ
   Ñand saw Endymion hanging from one hand off her windowsill.
   "Mamoru!" she cried aloud in surprise, then clapped a hand to her
mouth.  "What are you doing here?" she whispered more quietly.
   "What am I doing here?" Endymion repeated incredulously.  "What
does it look like I'm doing here?!  I'm hanging off your windowsill
with one hand!"
   "Do you need some help?" Serenity asked solicitously.
   "No!  If you'd just move back into your room, please?"
   A little miffed, Serenity did so.  A few seconds later, Endymion
vaulted into her room and Serenity decided against asking how he had
accomplished such a feat.  "Why are you here?" she asked instead,
carefully rephrasing her question from "What" in case he replied,
"Standing in your bedroom."
   "I just wanted to visit you," he said, 
   "How did you find me?" she demanded.
   "I followed you home."
     "What do you want?"
   "To make sure that you really are going to come with me tomorrow."
   Serenity frowned.  "I don't know.  Can I trust people who show up
unnanounced, in the middle of the night, and scare me half to death?"
   "Of course you can!  Well, me at least.  I'm really sorry for
scaring you like that."
   "I accept your apology, but I don't know if I can like you as much
when you do things like that."
   "Don't worry!" Endymion said with a wink, as he swung his legs back
over the windowsill.  "I'll make you like me!  Just wait and see,
Usagi.  I promise you'll love the surprise tomorrow.  G'night."  He
leapt down and took off running, thinking to himself, 

   Serenity stared after him, as he ran through the cool, wet grass.
The moonlight shone down on him, bathing him with pale light and
bringing out highlights that were silvery in the night.  A breeze blew
through the open window, lifting the lace curtains and letting them
sway.
   Still gazing after him, Serenity suddenly smiled and hugging
herself whirled around, her nightgown flaring out then clinging about
her legs.  She giggled in girlish excitement.    Her bright, happy laughter filled the room and drifted
down to Endymion.
   
   "Good night, Mamoru," Serenity whispered.

*The next morning*

   Serenity yawned, stretched, then dressed.  Bounding down the
stairs, she found that she was just in time for one of Ikuko's
excellent breakfasts.  After telling Ikuko and Kenji that she would be
going out again today, and promised Ikuko that nothing bad would
happen, she left.  She nearly ran to the tree, their appointed meeting
spot, once she realized that she was late.
   "Mamoru!" she yelled, waving her arm frantically as she saw him.
He turned to look in her direction, and straightened up from where he
had been leaning against the tree.
   Serenity lengthened her strides, then unable to slow herself down,
she nearly ran into him, but he stopped her in time.  "Sorry I'm
late," she gasped, "but I had to convince someone that I wouldn't be
going off anywhere with irresponsible young men who scare girls in the
middle of the night."
   Endymion smiled.  "And you're not.  I won't let any one of those
kinds of creeps get near you."
   "Uh-huh," she said skeptically.  "I'm sure."
   Endymion's countenance turned serious.  "I wouldn't, Usagi.  I
wouldn't let anything happen to you.  You can believe that."
   Looking up at him, Serenity found that she could.
   Quietly taking his hand, she walked off with him.

   The morning was clear and bright, the sun shone brilliantly, and
Princess Serenity sighed in perfect bliss.  "Ahhhhh . . .  It's so
lovely out today.  What did you want to show me, Mamoru?"
   "It's a surprise."
   "I know, I know, but can't you tell me *yet*?"
   "No, sorry.  You'll just have to wait."
   Serenity stuck out her lower lip in a pout.  "But Mamoruuuu . . .!"
   "No buts.  You'll see soon enough."
   "Oh, all right!" she said, brightening up considerably.  "As long
as it's soon!"
   "Don't worry, it will be."

   They walked for several more minutes in companionable silence
before Endymion gently took her by the wrist and halted her.  "Hey
Usagi, stop!"
   "What?" she asked, confused.
   "We're almost to the surprise.  Now close your eyes tight and don't
open them until I tell you to."
   "But I'll fall if I can't see where I'm going!"
   Endymion smiled patiently.  "Don't worry, I'll guide you."
   "Well . . . okay.  But you'd better make sure that I don't fall!
Ikuko would be upset if I got her dress all dirty."
   "Don't worry so much.  How about if I promise?"
   "Promise?" Serenity asked, repeating the word as a memory began to
seep through.  "A-a . . . deal?"
   "Yes, a deal."
   "Double deal," Serenity whispered, the memory almost clear.
   "Triple dealÑ" Endymion began, his eyes clouding over as an old
memory began to make itself know.
   "QuaÑ" But she got no further as a bird flew squawking through the
trees, startling the two of them.  Serenity took a step back in
surprise, and nearly fell over, but Endymion caught her before she
could.
   "See," he whispered to her, "I won't let you fall."
   Her heart pounding, all she could manage was a weak smile, and
"Thanks."

   He led her into the woods, her eyes closed as requested, trusting
completely in he who held her hand.  When they reached a clearing,
Endymion pulled away from her, then turned to face her and said, "You
can open your eyes now."
   She did.
   Endymion anxiously searched her face for any sign of like or
dislike, but could see nothing.  She stood as if frozen to the very
spot.
   Serenity stood, just letting the beauty that she viewed sink in,
but slowly her eyes began to shine with wonder, and Endymion had his
answer.

   They stood at the entrance to a clearing that was encircled all
around by crumbling stone walls of ancient manufacture.  The grass was
lush and green underfoot, and the trees all about them were flowering.
 Serenity thought absently, looking all about her.

   Sparkling pools lay here and there, shaded by more of the cherry
trees.  They were fed by the tiny crystal clear streams that trickled
between the trees at the outskirts of the clearing.  Roses and ivy
twined all about the ancient stone walls, and Serenity gasped in
delight before turning to Endymion.  "Oh!  Oh, it's so lovely."
   Endymion gazed at her silently.  
   She took a step forward into the clearing then turned back to look
at him and noticed the stone archway that they had been standing
under.  It too was adorned by the wild roses that grew manifest.
  She
blushed at the thought.    She looked at Endymion out
of the corner of her eye.   she chided
herself.  
   She paused, staring off into nothing, as vestiges of last night's
dream returned to her.  It had been different somehow, from the one
she always had.  She had been little, in a garden of roses, and a boy
with blue eyes had smiled at her . . .
   "Usagi?  Are you all right?"
   "Huh?  Oh . . . yes?" she asked, snapping back to reality.  "I'm
sorry, I must have just gotten lost in my thoughts."  She smiled up at
him.
   He smiled back.  "Well, how do you like it?"
   "It's wonderful!  What is this place?"
   "I don't really know.  All I know is that it is very, very old."
   "Hmmm," Serenity said to herself, staring at the archway.    Then she spotted it, a small crescent
moon carved at the top of the arch.  "Aha!"
   "What?" Endymion asked, alarmed.
   She turned to him, her eyes shining.  "I know where we are!"
   "Where?"
   "We're at the ruins of a temple of the Moon."
   "How can you tell?"
   "Do you see that crescent moon?" she asked, pointing upwards.
   "Yes."
   "Well, if you'll look to either side of it, you'll see symbols and
writing all the way down."
   "Hey, you're right!  But, no one can read that ancient script."
   "I can!" Serenity announced proudly, squinting at the archway.
"Let's see here . . .  When the sacred Moon reaches its zenith in the
sky . . .  the light of the full moon will, um, invigorate?  No,
that's not the word . . . infuse!  That's it!  When the sacred Moon
reaches its zenith in the sky, the light of the full moon will infuse
she who possesses the blood of Serenity, descendant of the goddess
Selene, with the power of the Sacred, the power to perform a sacred
rite by moonlight, fulfilling her deepest desire at that time.  Always
shall we serve Selene the sacred, and Serenity the chosen protector of
the Peace.  Peace goes with Serenity and so the two are joined.
Forever may the light of the moon bathe us in serenity."
   "That's beautiful," Endymion said, awed.
   Serenity brushed away a tear.  "Ikuko would think so, but I
couldn't tell her, it would make her too sad."
   "Why?" Endymion asked, dismayed because she was upset.
   "Her family's dead because of this, and . . . that prince!"
   Endymion felt stricken.  "What-what do you mean?"
   "Oh, well, maybe the prince isn't to blame.  Ikuko said that he was
innocent.  Let's not talk anymore about this.  I'm depressing us and
spoiling the day, and you tried so hard to make it wonderful too.
Let's just enjoy it."
   "All right," Endymion said, but still a shadow of uneasiness nagged
at him.

   They spent the rest of the day exploring the ruins.  Serenity even
missed lunch without noticing, and was surprised to find how late it
was when her stomach finally began to growl in protest.  Endymion
smiled and took her back to town, buying her a pastry at a vender's as
she assured him that she would return to Ikuko's to eat.
   They parted ways at their tree, even though Endymion protested and
tried to walk her home, but she refused, saying simply that Ikuko and
Kenji might not approve and would forbid her from going out with him
again.  That threat firmly in mind, he reluctantly subsided and let
her proceed without him.

   They went out again to the ruins the next day, and every day
remaining of the week that Serenity had left.  She knew that soon,
soon the Senshi would find her and she would have to return to her
home on the moon, but more and more she wished that she didn't have
to.  She would miss Mamoru terribly.  In fact, she thought that she
was falling in love with him.
   As for Mamoru, he was already there, and had been ever since he had
first set eyes on her.  Something about her set her apart from
everyone else and just made him want to hold her to him and never let
her go.

   On the seventh day of Serenity's week, or Usagi's as "Mamoru" was
wont to call it, Endymion arrived at the tree to find Serenity already
there and crying.  She was holding something in her hand.
   "What's the matter?" he asked, concerned.
   "Oh, Mamoru!" she sobbed.  "It's terrible!"
   "What is?"
   "The roseÑthe rose you gave meÑthe very first one . . . it-it
wilted!!!"  She burst into tears.
    Endymion thought to himself.  
   "C'mon Usagi, it's not supposed to last longer than a week, I don't
think.  You're lucky that it lasted that long.  Don't worry, I'll get
you another one."
   "You don't understand!" she said, glaring at him, angry.  "I
thought that you would, but you just don't!"
   "Huh?"
   "I told you that I was going to dry it and press it and keep it
forever, didn't I?  And I forgot!  I forgot and now it's dead!  It's a
bad omen.  I haven't forgotten anything since . . . well, I forget."
   Endymion looked at her and started to laugh.  He couldn't help
himself.  Serenity glared at him for a second, then the humor of the
situation got through to her and she let out a giggle, then another,
until she was laughing along with him.  "I guess I am being ridiculous
about the whole thing."
   "Yes, you are.  Don't worry, Usagi, I'll give you another rose."
   "And this time, I won't forget!  I'll do it right!" she vowed,
before they fell into another fit of laughter.

   When they had finally sobered enough to go on, they both walked off
hand in hand, Endymion carrying the picnic basket, and Serenity
carrying her sketching pad and pencils as usual.  The uneasiness
between them since this was probably the last day that Serenity would
remain on Earth had evaporated like mist due to their laughter, and
they were both determined to make their last day together special.

   After reaching the clearing, Serenity sat Endymion down amongst the
ruins and began to sketch him as she had been for the last several
days.  She had almost finished the day before and only the lack of
light as the sun set behind the horizon had forced her to stop.  She
soon finished and stared at the sketch with a critical eye.  
   Endymion snuck up behind her and looked over her shoulder at the
sketch.  "Hey, it's me!" he said in surprise.
   She batted at him with the sketch pad.  "Naturally.  What do you
think I've been sketching for the last three days?"
   Endymion smiled.  "That's not what I meant.  I meant, you're really
good."
   "No, I'm not," Serenity replied honestly, "but that's all right,
because I did my best.  If I had more time, I'd try to sketch you
again."
   Endymion's eyes became wistful.  "Must you leave?"
   "If not today, then tomorrow."
   "Then make it tomorrow!" he cried heatedly.  "Please?"
   She smiled tenderly at him.  "As you know, I have no choice in the
matter.  *They* are coming for me."
   "Who are *they*?"
   "Family," she responded, and it was the truth.

*Back on the moon*

   Serenity sat on her throne, eyes red from weeping.    She was alone in her throne
room; everyone else had departed.
   She put a hand to her face and felt the tears trickling down and
remembered the last time she had cried, for her kingdom, for her
husband.  
   A presence made itself known in the shadows.  "I am here at your
request.  What is your desire, my Queen?"
   "You know what I want."
   "I assume, naturally, the princess's safe return?"
   "Bring her back.  Wherever she is, I don't care.  Just bring my
little girl back."  Queen Serenity's voice wavered a little.  "Please,
I know if anyone can find her, it's you."
   The shadowy figure bowed her head to her Queen.  "Your will be
done, my Queen."  Then she rose and left.
   "Please, bring her back," Serenity whispered to the empty room.

*On Earth*

   Endymion tried to sketch Serenity as she nibbled at cookie from the
picnic lunch he had had the foresight to bring, but he just couldn't
get her features down on paper.    Giving up, for once, he
gave the sketch pad back to her.
   "You keep it," she said, staying his hand.  "I want you to have
something to remember me by."
   Endymion took the sketchpad back and held it as though it were
something precious, and to him, it was.  "Hey, Usagi, I almost
forgot."  He reached out and broke off a full blooming red rose, rich
in color, from where it grew around the stone that they sat on.  He
presented it to her, careful to hand it to her so that she would not
prick herself on the sharp thorns, then thinking better of it, took
out the ornamental dagger that he always carried sheathed at his side, 
and cut off the thorns.  He gave it to her, pressing it into her hand,
and she smiled gratefully.  "Thank you, Mamoru."
   "You're welcome, Usagi."  

   After lunch, they walked back into town and wandered the streets,
Endymion pointing out sites of interest that he stubbornly said they
could go to when next she visited.  Serenity smiled, but said nothing
in reply, her heart aching.  Neither of them noticed that they were
being followed.
   "You will be made to pay for going after what I want!" their
follower whispered maliciously, under her breath.  "You will, indeed!"

   The fight came when Serenity stumbled on a rock embedded in the
road, and cried out as she righted herself.
   "What's the matter, Odango Atama?  Did you fall down again?"
Endymion sneered.
   "You're annoying!" she snapped.
   "So're you," he replied with a grin.
   "I thought that you were a nice guy when we first met, Mamoru, but
I see that appearances *can* be deceiving!"
   "Yeah, who would've thought such a sweet looking girl would be such
a shrew!"
   "You take that back!"
   "Make me, Odango!"
   "DON'T CALL ME THAT!!!"
   In the shadows, Lady Beryl smiled at her handiwork as the two
continued to bicker.    On her forehead, the
symbol of the Earth glowed briefly, then faded away.  She slipped away
out of sight.  

   "*I'M* JUST GLAD THAT I'M GOING HOME TODAY SO I DON'T HAVE TO SEE
YOUR FACE ANYMORE!!!"
   "YEAH, WELL WHO WANTS TO BE AROUND A WHINY, GLUTTONOUS, CRYBABY
ODANGO ATAMA ANYWAY?!!!"
   Fed up with Mamoru's behavior, Serenity threw down the rose into
the street and ran off.  Endymion stared after her, stunned.  
He knelt, trailing his hand in the dust as he stared at the rose in
the street, and the sound of her happy voice came back to him.  'I'll
have it forever!'  

   After fleeing from Mamoru, Serenity tripped and went sprawling in
the road.    A
wagon barreled down on her, the driver desperately trying to rein in
his out-of-control horse.  She lifted her head just in time to see the
shining iron-clad hooves inches away from her before she was grabbed
and both she and her savior rolled out of the way just in time.
   She sobbed against his chest.  She had been so frightened.
Endymion looked down at her in his arms.  He raised a hand to stroke
her hair, but stopped himself.  Not now.  Not while she was so
distraught.
   Finally Serenity's sobs ceased.   she asked
herself.  She looked up and saw . . . Mamoru.  He looked down at her
angrily and worriedly.  "Why can't you be more careful, Odango
Atama?!"
   "Don't call me that . . ." she murmured before exhaustion and shock
overtook her and she slid under.   she thought to herself.

   "Usagi!" he cried, shaking her.  "Oh geez . . ."

   She woke up to a feeling of warmth and comfort.  She was lying on
something . . . soft.  Water dripped into her eyes and they weakly
fluttered open.  She put a hand to her forehead and touched the wet
cloth that rested there.
   "So you're finally awake," the voice said, wryly.
   She struggled to sit up and swing her legs over the side of the
rather comfortable bed she was on.  She was in a shack, a peasant's
dwelling no doubt.  She struggled, forcing her eyes to focus.
Mamoru's face swam into view.  She blinked to make sure that she
wasn't seeing things.  "You . . ."
   He arched an eyebrow at her.  "Yes?"
   Memories flooded back to her.  The shining light on the horse's
hooves . . . rolling away in time . . . Mamoru.  "You saved me?"
   "Yes."
   "Why?  You could have been killed!"
   He strode over to where she sat on the bed and roughly placed his
hands on her shoulders.  "You think that matters to me, Odango Atama?"
   "Don't call meÑ"  He held her face in his hand and kissed her
tenderly on the lips.  She eyes widened in surprise.  As he pulled
away from her, she refused to meet his gaze.  Flustered, she put a
hand to her lips, blushing as she did so.
   "You didn't have to do that," she said, finally.
   "No."
   "Then why did you?" She raised her head to look at him with puzzled
eyes.
     "It's not important."
   "It *is* important!" she insisted stubbornly.  "Why do you always
come to my rescue?"
   "I have to," he replied, struggling with his words.
   "Give me a reason."  Her voice softened and she said in a voice
that he could hardly make out, "I have to know, becauseÑ"
   Just then the door slammed open.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

   "Hey Usagi," Rei said as she knelt at her bedside, taking her hand
in hers.  "It's me, Rei," she said, trying to hold back tears.
   "Usako," Mamoru whispered, staring at her pale form stretched out
on the bed.  "Usako!"  He turned away, facing the wall, as his body
racked with sobs.
   Rei looked at his tortured form and felt compassion welling up
inside her.  "Mamoru," she said softly, looking at him.  Then she
turned back to look at Usagi.  "Come back to us, Usagi!" she pleaded.
"Please, he *needs* you, *we* need you, and  . . . I need you too."
Usagi stirred a little, and Rei squeezed her hand a little tighter.
"C'mon Usagi!  Fight!"
    Mamoru thought, knowing that she needed him, and needing
to touch her to know that she was still . . . there.  He walked over
to her and knelt down beside Rei, taking Usagi's other hand in his,
willing his strength into her. 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

   They both turned, startled.  Pluto stood there, tall and
forbidding, radiating anger.  Serenity's eyes widened in fright and
she gulped loudly.  "SÑS-Setsuna," she breathed guiltily.
   "Who is this?" Mamoru demanded angrily.  He turned to face Setsuna.
"What do you mean just barging in here?"
   Pluto narrowed her eyes and looked at him.  "This is not your
concern."
   Mamoru put a hand to his sword.  "I beg to differ, Lady Setsuna."
   Setsuna snorted.  "Beg all you like, just don't interfere."  She
turned to Serenity and gestured.
   Serenity got to her feet and began walking towards Setsuna, her
head held high.  Mamoru got in front of her, ready to draw his sword.
"Leave her alone," he snarled at Pluto.
   Setsuna shot Serenity a look.  <>
   Serenity gazed back calmly.  <>  She lightly placed a hand on Mamoru's where it lay on the
hilt of his sword.  "Don't," she said gently.
   He stiffened and turned to look at her over his shoulder.  "I
promised," he said.  "I promised to protect you."
   Setsuna spoke up.  "She will come to no harm.  I have come to take
her home."
   Mamoru arched an eyebrow at Usagi.  She nodded in response.  "Must
you go?" he asked.
   She brushed her hand along the side of his face, staring at him
intently.  "I wish I didn't have to."  She sought to memorize every
detail of his face, to keep in her heart forever.  "I wish I didn't
have to, but I do."  She pulled her hand back and cradling it to her
she ran from him, past Pluto and out the door, seeking to hide the
tears that fell from her eyes.  "Don't forget me!"
   Pluto looked at him sadly and nodded, closing the door.
   Mamoru stared at the shut door.  "Never," he whispered into the
silence.  "Never."

To be continued . . .

A brief musical intro is played involving a keyboard, xylophone
(maybe), soft drums, guitar, and harp.

A full white moon on a black background fades into existence.

"My heart says to me,"

Mamoru's face in present times is shown as his profile looking left.
It is superimposed by Endymion's face looking left.  The only real
difference is the clothing.

"I love someone so dearly,"

A picture of a blooming red rose with the petals spiraling off of it.
(Like when Tuxedo Kamen throws it)

"That I know,"

Pan away really quickly from the rose so that Endymion can clearly be
seen holding and looking down at it.  Only the back of his head and
his shoulders are visible. 

"There's no one for me,"

He turns to look into the camera with a wistful expression and
suddenly he's Mamoru.

"But you."

Cut to a picture of Princess Serenity standing under a full moon in
some rose gardens.  Usagi is suddenly there in her place dressed in a
white blouse and a short pink skirt.

"I would like you to see,"

Usagi's face in present times is shown as a profile looking right,
then suddenly in is superimposed by Princess Serenity's.  Only the
pearls in her hair and her clothes change. 

"What is wrong and what is true,"

Princess Serenity is holding a rose (the same one as before) in
trembling hands and only the back of her head and her trembling hands
can be seen.  Then suddenly she turns to look up into the camera,
tears glistening in her eyes and she's Usagi.

"I am in love,"

Serenity and Endymion are walking in the rose gardens, arm in arm.

(I am in love)

The four Inner Senshi are walking in the same rose gardens with the
four Guardians.

"I am in loveÑ"

Serenity, dressed in different clothing, and Endymion also dressed in
different clothing (i.e. no royal gown or armor) look at each other,
holding their hands together between them (almost like in prayer).

"With you."

They kiss.

"Angel light,"

A white light explodes outward from them kissing.

"Please bathe me in your love tonight,"

The light fades and we see the same Serenity and Endymion kissing,
only they're in their royal clothing now.

"I am longing for a glimpseÑ"

They are dressed in different clothes again.  Endymion bows to
Serenity, and she giggles behind gloved hands.

"Of your Angel light."

The white light explodes and fades again, more quickly this time.

"I will be forever yours tonight,"

Princess Serenity curtsies and when she looks up, a hand holding out a
rose is right in front of her.  (She is facing the camera this time.
This is Endymion's point of view.)

"Just smile at me,"

She takes the rose, looks at it curiously, then smiles sweetly.

"With that Angel light."

Endymion looks at her, (obviously in love) and she blushes prettily.

"Angel light,"

Princess Serenity says something to the camera.

"You are like an angel in my sight,"

She is outlined in white light, then we see her with wings (for an
instant) like she had in episode #200, *not* her Sailormoon Eternal
wings.

"I have never felt a love as bright,"

A young Lady Beryl in a nice silk gown looks at Princess Serenity and
Prince Endymion as he gives her the rose (earlier) from behind a
pillar, then turns with her back to the pillar and them.

"As your Angel light."

A tear runs down young Lady Beryl's cheek, and the camera pans away to
see her put her left hand up to her eyes and, rubbing at them, run off
screen.

"Angel light,"

Princess Serenity falls into the street, right in front of an out of
control cart.

"You bring love to lift the darkness in my life,"

Endymion dives into the road and rolls with her out of the way.  At
the side of the road, she clings onto him and cries, obviously
frightened.  He holds her, looking scared by what almost happened.

"I am enveloped by your Angel light,"

He looks on at her, where she has her face buried in his chest, and
raises a hand to stroke her hair.

"Please say that it's all right,"

Mamoru, outlined by the burning warehouse, screams at Usako not to die
in his arms.  (Obviously silently)

"That I let you in my life."

Usagi seems to wake up a little, looks at him, barely touches his face
with her left hand, which he catches and holds, then smiles, closes
her eyes and becomes very limp.

"Angel light,"

The white light expands and fades.

"As I hold you in my arms tonight,"

Endymion carries Serenity away from the side of the street.

"I won't let your dreams give you fright,"

Serenity, sitting up in bed, and Endymion look at each from across the
room.

"You don't have to fight,"

The Inner Senshi practice fighting as Princess Serenity watches.

"It'll be all right,"

Princess Serenity runs off, crying, as Luna stares after her.

"My Angel light,"

Cut to a picture of Serenity's unconscious face in young
Endymion's arms.

"My Angel light."

Cut to a picture of Usagi's quiet smile as she lies limp in Mamoru's
arms.

"Angel light,"

Mamoru screams "NO!", while he sobs into Usagi's body, as Sailor
Mars and the other Senshi come running over.

"I am filled by love when I get you in my sight,"

The Inner Senshi see the scene and pause for an instant, obviously
fighting tears, then resume running.

"I just want to forever hold you tight,"

Mamoru is still holding Usagi as Sailor Mercury takes her pulse.  She
looks up, says she's not dead, and Mamoru looks up, full of hope.

"'Cause together just it feels so right,"

Prince Endymion tries to protect Princess Serenity from Sailor Pluto,
but Serenity places a hand on his hand on the hilt of his sword.  Cut
to a scene of her crying and running out the door.

"So just bathe me in yourÑ"

Endymion stares after her and whispers "Never" to himself.

"Angel light,"

The expanding white light makes another appearance.

"I will be forever yours tonight,"

Another scene of Serenity, this time she's dressed like a Princess and
is smiling and laughing at the camera.

"Shining in yourÑ"

The camera pans away to show Serenity is lugging an equally laughing
and happy Endymion after her, (They're holding hands, aw.) while they
run through a field of shining, ethereal, red, yellow, orange, pink,
and a few violet wildflowers.

"Angel light."

They laugh together, looking happy, as rose petals blow across the
screen.

Next, Sailor Moon Past Loves Part Three: Forbidden Love

Will Usagi pull through?  What will happen when Princess Serenity and
Prince Endymion next meet?  I will not forgive those who stand in the
way of love!  In the name of the moon, I will punish you.  The
moonlight carries the message of love.

   I'm sorry if you found this part not up to par, but I tried!  The
*real* action's coming (You know, fights 'n' stuff, villainous
villains, etc.), I promise, but remember this is a romance 'fic, first
and foremost.  No excuse, I know, but not everyone can write as well
as some of the fanfic writers ou there!  (Hi Lianne!^_^;;;)  One more
part of just Serenity and Endymion, then things'll really get rolling
in Part Four.  Wait'll you read Part Five, *that* is my crowning
achievement in this fanfic.
Until next time, ja!
Fushigi Kismet

    Source: geocities.com/tokyo/palace/3649/fanfics