Title: Crescent Mirror Author: aaeris17 Author?s Notes: Enjoy! Thanks to all the readers who took the time to email me and compliment! Keep reading! ******Chapter 15******* ****** ***** One Year Later Apollo?s heart was heavy as he read the latest report from Artemis. Things were not going as quickly as everyone had hoped. The coded letter said that infiltrating the kingdom was harder than they thought and the boys, no young men, were having trouble, a lot of it. Apollo couldn?t meet Lawrence?s eyes. He knew that his best friend could read his face and that the news was not good. Lawrence cleared his throat and left the room rather stiffly. The High Chancellor looked apologetically for having been the bearer of bad news. Apollo dismissed the rest of his advisors as he folded his fingers into a steeple and figure out a way to get what he needed. Zoiscite and Nephrite would be the first to return. Their powers were less offensive than defensive and the Luster men needed to be on the offensive. Apollo?s left arm felt slightly numb as the band in his chest tightened. Apollo choked on his breath and gritted his teeth as another flash of pain overcame him. I cannot succumb to this! He argued against himself. *This body cannot fail now!* He made himself turn towards the window and watched his daughter fight gracefully against her guardians. *How beautiful Sere is, she will grow into her mother?s daughter* ?But she will always be her father?s little girl,? Selenity broke his train of thought, ?I read the invoice,? she explained as she came up and put her arms around him, cleansing his body in the embrace of the pain his heart was causing him, ?We knew this might happen,? she whispered as her breath came out in grasping breaths. Healing using the crystal took so much of her life force. She could never let anyone know what the crystal cost her. She remained silent, to catch her breath and wait for Apollo to respond. ?Zoiscite and Nephrite are returning. They will come here before returning to their own kingdoms to begin planning defensive attacks,? Apollo ran his hand through his thick hair, ?Endy and the others will remain,? ?For how long?? Selenity was afraid to ask this dreaded question. Apollo couldn?t meet the eyes of a mother, ?I cannot say,? that sentence meant more than simply he did not know. He did not want Sere to know that he could not guarantee a timely return. ?I see, ?Selenity replied; her gaze shifted from Apollo to the grounds, ?Her heart will be long broken before the war even touches us,? she whispered. ?I know,? Apollo scrunched his eyes close and hugged his wife close to him. He did not know if even her healing effect could stop the pain that was beginning to weaken his body. His heart had handled too much in his life. Apollo was relieved Serenity would come of age soon. He did not want this position anymore yet he wished he could save his only daughter from the heartache that haunted him daily. ******* One more year later To the great relief of everyone, Zoiscite and Nephrite were the first to return. There was no ball to celebrate their return but Lita and Ami were relieved. They volunteered to return to their kingdoms alongside their knights. It broke my heart slightly to see the group breaking up for now. I wished them goodbye remembering another whom I had wished goodbye to over a year ago. Lita and Ami would return. That was certain. So much time seemed to have past since we had all said goodbye. I found myself heading to my favorite room in the tower. I returned to my wing of the castle. Once inside my chamber I pulled one arm of candelabra on the wall down, revealing a staircase behind my bookshelf. No castle was complete without a dozen or so hidden passages. Climbing the stairwell, I found my and Endy?s quiet space. On the window seat I plopped down checking to see if the candle in the high window was still there. My tall white candle shone brightly. I liked to think that the Goddess herself watched it and made sure no wind gust or rain could blow it out. Endy would see this light and laugh to know that I remembered to help him find his way back. A knock came on my door. I hadn?t even heard Rei come up. She looked heart heavy. ?Rei?? I asked curiously, standing up to meet her. ?I don?t think the rest will return,? was all she said before falling into a swoon. ?REI!!? I screamed clutching her as her body went limp. Concentrating all my energy I managed to teleport us into my room below the tower, ?Luna!! HELP!! Someone help me!? I cried fanning Rei?s face and feeling for a pulse. Oh Goddess! Was this another one of Rei?s visions? My heart was filled with dread. Luna came running in, followed by Mina and Mother. Mother turned pale and quickly helped Luna try to bring Rei back to consciousness. Luna?s lips were white with fear and I saw Mother shake her head and with a swift snap two pages appeared in the room with a litter to carry Rei away with. It was all done wordlessly; I was left alone with Mother before I knew what had happened. ?Mother?? I had never seen Mother look so fearful. Mother clutched my hand and brought me over to my chaise and sat down with me. ?The Kingdom is in trouble, this I am sure you understand,? Mother began slowly, still not looking at me but out my window to the forest and beyond. ?Mama?? I said fearfully, ?What happened?? Mother bit her lip and looked at me, eyes full of tears, ?Young Jadeite has returned home, ? My heart leapt into my throat, ?And Endy!!? Mother released a breath, ?Jadeite is not well, darling. He was found by Rei?s father and is in a deep sleep of unconscious. We can learn nothing from him,? My eyes welled with tears, ?And Kunzite?? Mother turned away. ?We don?t know where he is, oh baby, I don?t know what to tell you darling, there is just so much,? Mother stopped. She got up and went to the window. I couldn?t sit there. I had to turn away from her. I gathered my skirts and ran back upstairs. Fifteen and here I was, alone and losing friends left and right. I knew Rei would be sent to her grandfather to recover. The news of Jadeite must have caused her attack. My heart was hurting. I just sat at my window seat and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep. Oh Goddess, help us. Minako, Princess of Venus I guess everyone must be wondering in a story that doesn?t revolve around me why I am interrupting the flow of Sere?s consciousness. The fact is, she doesn?t have an inkling of what is really going down between us and the Wraith Kingdom. The Outer Kingdoms have begun to have mild skirmishes with their neighboring asteroid kingdoms. No one knows what is causing the disturbances. There is an evil growing that we all know is stemming from the Wraith Kingdom. The problem is we can?t prove that the Wraith Kingdom has violated the treaties by breeding new demons. We are finding evidence but nothing concrete. It seems that Pharaoh 90 has disappeared and left the Wiseman in charge of the Kingdom. Apollo is worried and the stress has begun to cause heart failure. Sir Lawrence seems to be at the end of his wits trying to stay calm with the knowledge that Endy and Kunzite are in over their heads. I fear that he will not last long. I fear that he lives to see Endy return but neither that nor Aunt Gaia?s resurrection will happen. I worry that everyone is trying to shelter Sere from what is really her legacy. Her sixteenth birthday is approaching. At that age, she will begin to sit on her parents? council meetings and start being responsible for small kingdoms. Our group is breaking up, for now. Lita and Ami are both needed by their own kingdoms and Rei must recover. I don?t know how long the girls will be away and I don?t know if the boys will come back. I live in fear of hearing of Kunzite?s death. His goodbye left me little to hope for but enough to live off of for a lifetime. But I digress, this story is not mine but Sere?s and now I return to watching her and being her best friend as we try to grow up together and fulfill our destiny. Serenity?age 15 Luna has filled me in on the situation. I am aghast and I don?t know what to say. I never knew that all our training was in case of a real attack and now I see why Endy warned me of Beryl and her brother. But, they are hardly children, what could they possibly know of what?s going on? Jadeite woke up last week and says he knows nothing of Endy and hasn?t seen him or Artemis for the better part of sixteen months. Sixteen, such an evil number. Sixteen months since my best friend was last confirmed alive and at sixteen I become the true Heiress of Luster. Princess in my own right. Laws will have to be shown to me and explained. I will be made to take part in council meetings?something Mina has done since she was thirteen. I guess Uncle being High Chancellor helps when his daughter wants to sit in. Mina is growing up and I am in apprehension that she grows away from me. Lita, Ami, and Rei are so far away now. Rei puts all her energy in psychic readings and Ami is too busy with research to be around. Lita sends her love and food constantly. Even the Princesses of the Outer Kingdoms have been to Luster more in the past year than my own Guard. Mother sits in closeted sessions with them. Even Father doesn?t sit in with them. Poor Father, these times are hard on him and Sir Lawrence. I know that Father has been talking of a taking a long vacation, to parts unknown. He needs it. I don?t know why Mother would agree to let him go. I don?t want him to go. I am so scared of what the next few months will bring? Sixteen Months Later?. A messenger burst through the door, ?Your Majesties! Message from Captain Artemis!! The boys are returning!!? The page couldn?t have brought better news. The High Chancellor whooped and Sir Lawrence?s face dropped ten years instantly. ?Quick man! Bring us the letter!? Apollo cheerfully called and motioned for the letter to be brought to Selenity. The Queen of Nine Kingdoms gleefully tore upon the news and scanned it, her face dropping slightly. Only Apollo caught the dreadful look that passed across her face. ?Please make sure this man gets his refreshments,? Selenity smiled gently and the advisors left the room with the page. ?Tell me, milady! Tell me when I shall see my boy!? Sir Lawrence couldn?t have been happier if he had seen Endy himself. Selenity braced herself and those darned tears were pooling again. Before she could answer the doors burst open with Serenity in full pant. She skidded to a stop and curtsied quickly and didn?t get up as she tried to recover her breath. She was a goodly sixteen and absolutely beautiful. Her long blonde hair was in the royal buns and tendrils fell almost all the way to the floor. Her ascension to the throne would be official after the New Year. She hadn?t wanted to have a huge ball or anything. Selenity looked at her daughter and she knew that now was the time to be a Queen and not a mother or a friend. ?I know of no other way to say this,? Selenity unfolded the letter and a small pouch fell out, ?Artemis and Kunzite are on their way back to the Venusian kingdom and they send this as a token of information,? Selenity held out her hand and revealed an old silk pouch?she allowed small rounded seeds to fall out, ?Artemis regrets to inform the kingdom of the loss of our dearest son and friend, ? Serenity?s face fell and Sir Lawrence aged as the rest of the moment passed in slow motion, ?Endymion of Terra and Luster is lost, injured, and presumed dead. They have not seen him in over a year?? Selenity stopped for the sobs in her throat couldn?t last any longer. She broke down, crying in front of her King, best friend, and daughter. Serenity let loose a loud scream and pawed at her mother?s hand, grabbing the remaining seeds and she flung them at the wall. ?YOU KILLED HIM!!!? Serenity screamed and fell to her knees crying ,?You killed my oldest friend!! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME??!! YOU KILLED HIM!? She screamed over and over again. Sir Lawrence fell away in a clean faint. Apollo reached out for his daughter, ?Serenity, darling, you know not what you say,? Serenity flashed stormy eyes at her dearest father, ?YES I DO! YOU just HAD to investigate the kingdom! You had to?you had to?? Serenity threw the seeds down and ran out of the chamber room. Apollo looked at his devastated wife and unconscious best friend. His heart hurt and for the first time it wasn?t a failing heart but a deeper feeling of incompetence that came from failing his wife, best friend, and of all people, his daughter and heir. * * * Nothing could console Serenity of this loss or convince her to leave her room. Her sixteenth year passed unpleasantly?celebrations for her ascension on held for mourning for Endymion. The girls quickly returned with the knights of their respective kingdoms to bring comfort to Serenity and Sir Lawrence at this time. Yet, the Serenity that greeted them was an empty shell of the buoyant girl that had once existed. Mina turned her eyes away to hide the tears from her leader. Serenity pushed herself into her training?eventually gaining the title of Super Sailor Moon. Her new transformation meant little to her. She was determined to find a way to bring the Wraith Kingdom down or discover what happened to Endymion. Yet, everyone around her sensed that she was just denying her grief. ?Sere,? Mina approached Sere as she entered her chamber for the night. Sere turned, giving Mina the half smile that seemed to be the only thing that resembled the smile she once had. Mina?s heart broke in two; ?We need to talk,? Sere stiffened and moved to enter her room. ?Please Mina, make no more insights into my soul,? Sere coldly stated and in an old-Sere like gesture, she came forward and gripped my shoulders, ?He lives, Mina, you of all people should know he lives,? Mina?s eyes went down to the Star Locket around her neck that glowed vaguely. Even she couldn?t deny that perchance a love still lived on?but the facts pointed to other conclusions. ?Yes, Sere,? was all Mina could choke out as Sere flashed an almost full smile before entering her room for the night, ?By the Goddess, please return our Serenity to us,? Selenity watched Apollo sleep peacefully. He was finally recovering over the shock of Lawrence?s sudden illness. They had sent Lawrence to the Baths in Venusian to gain some of his old vigor back. Mina cleared her throat before she entered the Queen?s private chambers. Selenity smiled softly at the girl who was more daughter than niece. ?Yes, dearest?? Selenity opened her arms as Mina fell forward on her knees. ?Oh, I don?t know if she?ll ever be the same,? Mina sobbed, very un Mina like. Selenity wrapped her arms around the young woman. Mina, almost eighteen, was this the way their girlhood was going to be? Wracked with sorrow and loss as her own had been? ?She still believes he lives,? Selenity could have broken down right there, ?Oh Mina, perhaps more time?? the statement was more of a plea than a question. Mina returned her aunt?s hug, ?Aye, mum, more time,? she curtsied and left Selenity to Apollo and her own thoughts. As Mina walked towards her chamber, she wondered if Endy was perhaps alive somewhere, somehow. She sighed, that would be the world?s greatest miracle next to Serenity being Super Sailor Moon. She found herself giggling slightly and wondered at the looks Rei and Kunzite would give her. Kunzite brought another large smile to her face. She would eventually win him over?Aunt Selenity was right, only time could tell.