Welcome to my story! Hopefully you have found your way here after reading Alina's GOM series, as this is a take on her version. Consequently, many of the themes, groundwork, and text are hers, and are reproduced only with her permission. A short summary I wrote of Alina's story is available at http://members.xoom.com/sailmoonSol/solitair3.html which is the website for this story, and is full beautiful artwork that I am personally very proud of. :-) Please take a look at it when you get a chance. There may be a few small differences between my version and Alina's, most of which revolve around the time periods and endings because I wrote this story during and before she had finished hers. Then, either enjoy the story here or go to http://members.xoom.com/sailmoonSol/solitair3.html Thanks for your support, Laura. CHAPTER ONE ********************* Crystal Tokyo ********************* The approach of a silver globe of light towards Crystal Tokyo seemed not out of place with the other strange events that had recently happened. Unlike the ship Diamond and Sapphire had used to come to Crystal Tokyo, the strange entity had immediately set off the warning mechanisms of the palace shields. As the globe rapidly approached the city, it became increasingly translucent and revealed the silhouette of a graceful and elegant woman. The generals were immediately informed about the disturbance, each of them hurrying to the central control room. Normally the scouts would be in charge of such potential threats to the palace, but the generals insisted they take some time to rest because they had been protecting the palace so long with their energy during the Dark Moon Attack. "Emerald?" asked Jaedite as he turned to the other generals in utter disbelief of another possible attack on the Palace. The scouts had explained to them the story of the Negamoon, and how Emerald had lived and then died in 30th Century. If Diamond and Sapphire where able to come to Crystal Tokyo, was it possible for Emerald to do so as well? "Perhaps," replied Malachite. "But can we afford to take any more chances?" Malachite's face twisted with the uncertainty he faced in dealing with threats he had neither met nor fought. It would be unwise to fight an enemy that they knew very little about. At the moment, they did not even know who the woman was. "The safety of Crystal Tokyo is paramount. We cannot afford to let an intruder into the kingdom" Neflite replied dramatically, although a tone of insecurity and fear in his voice caused the other two generals to look at him strangely. Why did Neflite seem so unsure of himself? They had never seen him like this. Neflite had been staring at the figure on the monitor. As the globe had been closing in on the palace, the outline of the face seemed to suggest a strange familiarity that was unsettling to the mighty general. "What if they can help us? We can't just destroy someone without finding out their motives..." countered Jaedite. To him the figure reminded him of something, but he could not remember exactly. The figure seemed to be hiding the answers to feelings which he could never place. "It is more likely that they are not here for that." replied Malachite. "The warning would not have gone off if it where someone familiar. We really must protect the King and Queen and the palace." Malachite, too had sensed something in the woman's outline - something he felt, that would endanger the scouts, moreover Venus and Serenity. "Neflite is right. We must trust our instincts." Jaedite realized that in some way Neflite and Malachite had to see something that he didn?t. He could not let temptation get the better of him. "Perhaps a warning shot would be most effective, followed by increased attacks on the sphere itself." "We have no other choice." Prompted Neflite. A burst of energy was deployed in the direction of the sphere that would just miss it, and hopefully set its occupant aware of its intrusion. "Nothing is happening!" said Malachite as he pointed to the monitor. The sphere continued to move closer towards the palace. "Continue firing" ordered Jaedite. Another burst of energy was aimed towards the globe, only to be absorbed into the shell upon contact, momentarily pulsing through the exterior in waves of light, and then dying down once again revealing the translucence of the shell and the outline of the woman inside. The globe was now dangerously close to the Palace. "Nothing!" sounded Neflite in shock as the globe continued in an unchanged course towards them. "We have run out of time. We have to destroy it." By now the other scouts as well as Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion had joined the generals infront of the monitor. A burst of energy much larger than the previous two was released in the direction of the sphere, resonating through the entire palace and resulting in a blinding light from the monitor when it had come into contact with the silver sphere holding the woman. Everyone held their breath, hoping not to see anything on the monitor when the light had subdued. Instead, the sphere remained intact, the energy pulsing around the surface and momentarily lighting the figure inside. It had gotten close enough to the palace to view clearly. "No! Stop it!" cried Jupiter. "It's Queen Serenity!" The figure flashed in the moment of light, revealing hair of a light silvery- blueish-grey, a shade or two darker than Diamond's, arranged in the royal hairstyle of two long strands coiled at the top. Instead of rounded balls, however, the woman's hair resembled Rini's rabbit ears. The beauty of the woman, was nevertheless undeniable, perhaps more beautiful than any other in its uniform appeal and eerie perfection. A silver shimmer surrounded the body. A unanimous gasp erupted from the room, followed by Serenity (I shall use this to refer to Neo-Queen Serenity/Serena's future) running out to the gardens where the woman was expected to land. Retaining Serena's impulsiveness, she had left, thinking to greet her mother, while ignoring the possible dangers this creature could pose. Endymion and the generals ran after her, unable to stay in the room as the sphere grew increasingly clear. "That cannot be Queen Serenity." announced Mercury as she and the others stared at the monitor. She began to manipulate the computer, while the others noticed the distinct resemblance of the face of the woman to Rini when she was Black Lady. Her dress, however, was silvery-white, with two rather inappropriate slits up each side, revealing the perfection of the body beneath it. "You're right." said a determined Mars. "We have to protect Serenity and the others." she announced, sensing that this woman posed a danger not only to Serenity, but to the generals as well. Feeling that time could not be wasted, Mars ran after Serenity and the others who by now had reached the gardens. Another glance at the monitor revealed the woman in her entirety, without the silver shell, evoking a gasp from the remaining scouts. "Is it possible...?!" Venus gasped. Diamond, who was there as well with Pluto, rose, the little color in his face draining at the sight of the woman on the screen. He followed Serenity and the others to the Gardens, Pluto not far behind, and eventually the others in the room went as well. ************************ A few moments earlier, in the gardens *********************** Endymion caught up with Serenity, grabbing her by the arm and forcing her to stop a few yards from the woman floating in once place above the garden. The woman's expression revealed nothing; only the sadness emanated from her eyes, strangely enough mixed with both wisdom and a flicker of hope that complimented the perfection of the exterior wonderfully. Her body tensed, she seemed to be waiting for something. Serena's tears of joy slowly flowed down her cheeks, while in Endymion's clutch, eventually clearing and allowing her to see the levitating woman clearly. The tension in her body to break free from Endymion subsided, and she drew closer into his arms. A faint gasp escaped her lips. The generals shared Serenity's surprise when they were able to get a closer look at the woman in the air. Despite the gathering beneath her, she seemed to ignore the individuals and remained poised and waiting. "Solitaire?!" Neflite directed to her as he took a step closer to the woman - his voice emanated a sound of despair and anguish that grows from repressed memories. The face of the figure turned, elegance mixing with power as the two strands of hair shudderd slightly and the steady gaze was broken. "Neflite?!" uttered the voice of the woman with the same surprise as Neflite had addressed her, but with a sadness that changed to anger and terror by the end of the name. Her expression had twisted in the same way. She glanced to the Queen's look of shock, and noticed how she hung to Endymion. "Solitaire! Solitaire please forgive..." Neflite began to say, only to see the energy building at the woman's hands as she raised them above her head, forming a sphere of energy similar to Mercury's, that pulsed and glowed with a silvery brilliance like that of the silver crystal. Her eyes remained void of emotion a she lowered her hands towards Neflite and released the energy that knocked him back, smashing him into the ground with a silvery blast like a wave crashing onto the seashore. "I wont let you." the woman said calmly as she prepared to form another burst of energy. The hesitation in her eyes revealed that she was holding something back, but it grew increasingly less determined. Jaedite, seeing the woman's attack on Neflite, who lay stunned and almost lifeless on the ground, attacked her with his own energy, seeing the shield she had entered with had disappeared. Instead, the energy was absorbed back into the shield as it flickered again around the woman who was still floating in the air. Suddenly a rose flew threw the air, passing through the shield as if it had not even been there, hitting the woman's shoulder and falling to the ground like an ordinary flower. The woman, energy still flickering at her hands (undaunted by the rose), turned in the direction the flower had come from, intense sadness burning in her eyes, only to see Endymion lunging at her and knocking her unconscious when hitting the crystal ground, the concentration needed for the shield and the attack lost in a memory triggered by a red rose. Serenity ran to Endymion, who held up the woman's head with his hands, almost prompting a look of jealousy from her shocked face. Somehow the embrace seemed unsettling, yet concern and sympathy overshadowed the doubt in her eyes when she approached the lithe body. "Darien could it be?" Serenity asked of Endymion, calling him by the name she had for him during the Moon Kingdom. "It is." He replied quietly as he lifted her body and began to walk towards the palace. He seemed to ignore Serena slightly, lost in the pain of a time long ago that this woman's presence had triggered. The generals ran to Neflite, who had already began to recover through Jupiter's caring caress, faintly uttering the words "I'm sorry,". The scouts meanwhile followed the King and Queen, unable to understand why the woman attacked Neflite or why Endymion was so trusting of her when she could easily attack again. When they had reached the chamber Endymion had already placed the woman in, though, the telltale signs of energy drain were present on her figure, coupled with the blow she had received from Endymion when hitting the ground. Jupiter wondered how someone with such powers could be so relatively weak without them. Eventually everyone had gathered in the chamber, where Endymion, the generals, and Diamond began piecing together the story of Solitaire, Serenity's sister, through memories they had sought to repress and the scouts had long forgotten. **************************** Moon Kingdom - six months before the final ball **************************** The three generals and Prince Endymion stood before Queen Serenity as the customary thank-yous and welcomings were exchanged between Her Highness and the newest representatives from Earth. The men stared at their surroundings, mystified by the beauty of the crystalline walls and decorations, as the Queen explained her reason for once again allowing travel between the kingdoms and her welcoming of the four men. Travel between the kingdoms had been forbidden for almost fifteen years, but finally the queen had decided to let the four men secretly come to the kingdom. Malachite detected an underlying insecurity in the Queen's voice, like that of a child talking to her elders. Perhaps under all that beauty and elegance, Queen Serenity was unsure of her ability to rule without a king. Neflite wondered if Queen Serenity was finally adhering to the advice he had given her less than a year ago. Meanwhile, a woman, of beauty which none of the generals had ever seen on Earth, walked briskly through the gardens surrounding the room where the Queen was speaking to her guests. Her graceful stride did not go unnoticed by Prince Endymion or Jaedite, who glanced at eachother as a smile escaped both of their lips. "My daughter, Solitaire, will escort you through the kingdom. Should you need anything," the Queen motioned to the men as the figure from outside walked decadently across the crystal floor of the room towards them. She smiled politely, then quickly gazed at her mother hoping that she was finished talking so that she could escort the guests to their rooms and return to her work. She was angry for Queen Serenity forcing her to do such a menial task as showing visitors around the palace and to their rooms, but realized how critical it was that relations go well between the representatives from Earth and the Moon Kingdom. Obviously, Serena would be incapable of doing anything properly for more than a couple of minutes, seeing how easily she can be distracted. Serena was, of course, younger than her, and could not be expected to take on delicate roles between two KINGDOMS. The Prince and generals where meanwhile astounded at Solitaire?s beauty and elegance, such that it seemed almost unnatural for such perfection to exist in a living creature. Her beauty was unlike that of any other - each feature was formed in proportion to the others; unlike other girls, who could have lovely eyes or mouths, or perhaps a combination of a few exquisite features (that indeed made them unique and who they are), Solitaire did not seem to have one feature that was better than the other; instead they melted in one form of perfection that almost seemed manufactured, like the consistency of the palace. Serenity noticed the amazement of the generals, reassuring herself that she was putting Serena's best interests in her actions by not introducing her to Endymion. Solitaire would provide the perfect distraction for Endymion, she hoped. Meanwhile it was not that she didn't care about Solitaire's feelings, but war could be avoided as long as she kept Endymion and Serena apart. Serenity's guilt caused her to think more about her elder daughter. She knew Solitaire would never make a good Queen - she was too independent, almost too intelligent to be willing to listen to a king, a quality which she sometimes wished she herself had more of. But beyond that there was another reason Serenity could not let Solitaire eventually take her place. "Thank you your Majesty." the generals repeated to Queen Serenity as she smiled back at them, bowing as the Queen stood up and exited the room. Her smile shimmered in Darien's mind, but was quickly broken by the voice of the woman that stood before them. "If you would follow me," motioned Solitaire, smiling fakely and not trying hard to cover up the fact that her mind was preoccupied with other things. Her silvery hair twirled behind her as she stepped outside into the gardens, searching desperately for someone to hand her chore over to, but realized that she could find no one to take the visitors on their tour. Stopping at the door she looked back to wonder why the generals were being so quiet, she realized she was staring directly into the deep blue eyes of Endymion, catching her off guard and evoking a blush on her cheeks. The Prince simply smiled. *******later that day*********** Solitaire sat *reading* (the sun no longer provided enough light to read) in the garden, hoping the story would drown out the intense emotions she had accumulated that day. She was ashamed for feeling the way she did, knowing that ultimately she was the trading piece not only in Queen Serenity's games, but Endymion's and Jadeite?s as well. She had enjoyed the attention, her arm still feeling warm where Endymion had touched it. She could not allow herself to fall victim anymore to her emotions, knowing that they originated on a false pretense. And yet the idea of losing control to others seemed so strangely inviting. She figured why not enjoy the game if she could? One day she hoped she would no longer have to play along, but be the dealer of her own cards. Rising, she headed towards her room to prepare for the ball in honor of the guests' arrival. Her royal dress, which was similar to Serena's, but less ornate and with a long slit up one side, was exchanged for a gown of similar material, but much more revealing. Only her small earrings and beads in her hair complemented the dress. It was bad enough, she thought, that her mother would force her to keep the royal hairstyle, so in turn she decided to try and look as different from Serenity and Serena as possible, the racy-ness of her royal gown and evening dress testifying to that trend. Speaking of which, she could hear Serena down the hall, laughing as ungracefully as a hyena, and between giggles of excitement. Solitaire rolled her eyes, yet somehow envied Serena's ability to enjoy life. She stood infront of the mirror in her room, staring at a small crystal box on a table. She touched the moon symbol at the top, the box opening and revealing a silver crystal much smaller than Queen Serenity's, but pulsing with an instable energy that indicated fluctuations of power. She looked into the mirror, and seeing the strange man standing in her room, she quickly closed the box and turned to face her visitor. "How long have you been standing there?" Solitaire asked of the same blue eyes that had startled her earlier. Endymion smiled uncontrollably. "I'm sorry." he said, walking towards her and looking at the box she had abruptly closed, then noticing her dress. "I didn't mean to intrude." he lied. She sensed Endymion's insecurity under the ever- present smile. She knew to him it was a game. Solitaire looked at Endymion, wondering how he seemed so much older on the outside than he was acting. Looking away, she walked calmly out of the room and down the hall, leaving Endymion alone and startled in her room. She walked throughout the familiar gardens that shimmered lightly, like her very dress. Solitaire's resemblance to her surroundings was uncanny. The sweet air blended with her own sweet smell, as her strands of hair danced lightly in the breeze. At that moment she remembered how alone she was on this Moon, for there was no one her age who she could talk to, let alone her mother who seemed to have the intelligence of a firefly. It seemed as though the warmth in Queen Serenity's and Serena's hearts had been omitted from hers - replaced by an isolating intelligence that could never let her life a life as blissfully ignorant as Serena's. She sensed something was wrong - something terribly bad would happen in the future, but what she did not yet anticipate. She gazed up at the starts that shimmered like her own dress. "The starts hold the key to the future." a deep voice resonated from behind her. Solitaire turned, noticing the blue eyes behind her, but a voice that was thankfully not Endymion's. "Lord Neflite." she smiled as she said the name, intoxicated by the smell of the air and her feeling of loneliness. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt you." said the man in a tone that Solitaire felt was more honest than that of the young Prince's. She gazed at the outline of the lord - only a couple of years older than Endymion, but somehow so much wiser. She smiled again as she was reminded of a time in the past, with someone else, as she looked at the eyes, that like her own, held so much intelligence. He extended is hand to her with a smile and together they walked towards the palace's ballroom. Solitaire's heart beat once again as she felt herself drifting as she walked next to Neflite along the garden path, unable to concentrate on the discussion she was having on the stars. Arriving at the ball, she quickly looked for her mother, who she did not see. Somehow she was pleased that she was not there because of the feelings that had overwhelmed her before. These were Serena's feelings, not hers, she thought. Back in a place Solitaire was familiar with, unlike the intoxicating outside where the stars shone before, Solitaire's confidence returned as she smiled at Neflite and accepted his hand to a dance. The two figures glided gracefully along the crystal floor, Solitaire's shimmering eyes evoking a look of jealousy both from Endymion and Jaedite, though for different reasons. Solitaire thought of how much Serena would have enjoyed the ball, had Queen Serenity allowed her to come. She wondered why the Queen refused to let her attend; Endymion and her would have blended beautifully. Both of them were so childish. She smiled lightly at the thought, Serena wailing something at Endymion and running around after him. Strangely, Queen Serenity had not even allowed Serena to leave a certain part of the palace. Was this meeting *SO* important that Serena could not be here to ruin it? To her it seemed strange, although the last time the Moon Kingdom had visitors Serena got drunk at the ball held in their honor. Solitaire's attention re-focused on the man standing before her. Smiles were exchanged. ****************************** Crystal Tokyo ****************************** Endymion look down at the still body of Solitaire on the bed. A sense of guilt flushed over him. He felt he shouldn't have pushed her. "There is no internal damage that I can detect" said Amy, still puzzled at the appearance of the strange woman as she stood over her with her computer. "She just needs time." Amy said as she turned to Endymion who remained distant from Solitaire's body. He was still overcome with guilt and confusion. What was he thinking pushing her? What if she never woke up? Seeing Endymion struggle, Serenity placed her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her briefly, really wishing she were not here at the moment. He was unprepared to deal with both of them. He was forced to imagine what would have happened had Solitaire not died during the twentieth century. After all, she was not an ordinary human, but like himself and the scouts. Would Solitaire have become his queen, the queen of Crystal Tokyo? Endymion was now disappointed that Serena had saved her after her reincarnation. He knew Serenity was his destiny, and had grown to love her undeniably. Yet if Solitaire had not died, had he not let her die, Endymion wondered would things have turned out differently. He felt it could be torture for Solitaire to love a heart that no longer loves her back, at least in that way. Endymion was grateful to Solitaire for strengthening the bond between him and Serena - she had given up so much for him, but he knew that he would not give up the same for her happiness. "Maybe we should leave them alone" Venus remarked, seeing the distress in the eyes of Endymion and Serena. Venus wasn't alone in sensing that Solitaire's presence held misery for others than Endymion. She sensed the other generals, except Zoicite, were also disturbed by the presence of the unfamiliar woman, but none so much as Neflite. A look of anxiety and desperation framed his features, much like that on Diamond's, who had not spoken a word since the incident and remained transfixed. A solemn silence remained in the room as the others left , leaving Serenity and Endymion with Solitaire, which was broken by Endymion; "No one wants her here," he announced. "Darien?" Serenity said to Endymion, a tear running down her cheek. Endymion walked over to Serenity, embracing her. "I'm sorry" he said. Serenity smiled briefly, but noticed the worried look on Endymion's face. "You can't help feeling the way you feel. No one can. We must do our best." she whispered in Endymion's ear. It was strange that she was comforting him, and trying to work out the issues with Solitaire. Finally she seemed to take on the role of a Queen. "She didn't come back here for us. She came for Diamond." Serenity said to Endymion, hoping it would make his burden easier. "What?" asked Endymion with the same jealous surprise that Serena experienced earlier when she has seen Endymion holding Solitaire. "She was...?" Serena stood back in shock, expecting any reaction but this from her beloved. She had thought it would have been easier for Endymion to deal with Solitaire's presence if he knew that she too was able to move on after she had been separated from him. Endymion did not know whether or not to rejoice at the news, not only because he had never known Solitaire had found another, but also because Diamond was engaged to Pluto, and once again, any hope of happiness for Solitaire had been crushed by fate. Beyond his mixed emotions, Endymion knew that Solitaire had always given up her happiness for others in the past, and once again another woman stood in her way. He also knew that if Solitaire where still true to her nature, she would never attempt to break up another's love. "In love." Serenity finished calmly, staring at the ground. "With Diamond?!" Endymion roared, turning away from Serenity so that he would not see his anger at the news she had given him. It was bad enough, he thought, that Diamond had nearly destroyed their world, and was now living in Crystal Tokyo, but this? Had Solitaire truly lost her way, after he could no longer love her, that she would fall in love with someone so evil? Once again, pangs of guilt rushed through Endymion, as he thought perhaps this was all directly linked to him. ************************************** Moon Kingdom ************************************** Solitaire walked alongside Neflite in the gardens, just outside the ballroom. Looking up at the stars, she had wondered what Neflite said was true. "Are they really able to tell us about our future?" Solitaire asked of Neflite, wondering if he could sense the same danger she felt was surely to come to the kingdom. Neflite looked at Solitaire, trying to smile and forget the question she had asked. "Everything lies in interpretation." he replied, trying to dismiss the topic. Obviously, Neflite knew that danger was nearly guaranteed for the Moon Kingdom in the future, but neither did he want to talk about it right now, or frighten Solitaire. He wondered if she was able to sense his worries. Solitaire smiled at Neflite, seeing that he did not want to give her an answer just yet. Neflite looked somewhat worried, but his faced quickly blossomed when he saw hers. Solitaire seemed caught in thought, which was often the case with her. Indeed, sometimes he wondered if she even heard what he was saying, her smiles reassured him that she did. Quickly, Solitaire's expression changed to one of worry. Neflite felt that he would have to satisfy her curiosity of the future, because something was obviously bothering her about it. He looked down at her, catching the concern in her eyes that his had so often mimicked when he would read the stars. Could she know, what had been forced to realize less than a year ago? Solitaire took a mouthful of the drink she was holding as she sat down on the ledge overlooking the gardens they had just strolled. Neflite followed her example, meanwhile trying to figure out a way to change the subject so that he could focus on *her*. Solitaire?s mysteriousness was intriguing - she seemed so different from Queen Serenity, yet the resemblance between the two ensured that they really were of the same blood. Unlike the happiness that he sensed in Queen Serenity's motherly gaze, Solitaire always seemed to be saddened for some reason. She seemed to be able to go from being entirely happy to so sad that it would have made even Beryl feel sorry for her. Perhaps he could help her, one way or another. How could he deny anything to such beauty? Solitaire took little notice of Neflite?s frustration and continued to press the topic. "I've always thought," she began to say, turning to face him "that something seemed amiss on this world, and things seem to grow more out of hand every day." She saw Neflite?s expression grow more brooding then before. "I'm sorry. It must sound ridiculous." Neflite let out a great sigh that seemed to release a part of his soul. Solitaire looked surprised, wondering how truly idiotic she must have sounded to make him act so disheartened. He let his hand brush against hers as he explained; "No, not at all." he replied, the caring in his voice reassuring Solitaire. He seemed so genuinely different from Prince Endymion in his agenda. "I have sensed, this same thing, when I look at the stars." Neflite looked at Solitaire's face, sadness burning more intense in her eyes than her eyes than he had ever noticed before. There were points in time, where his predictions for the future had worried him, but he never let them get him *THAT* down. Life was not all pain, and there definitely were good parts between the bad. He wondered how what she saw for the future could affect her so - he had never even been told that Solitaire had visions, like he (if she did, why did Queen Serenity need his help almost a year ago?). Could he be wrong in his own predictions? Could things be worse than he felt they would become? "You have to think of the future, as something that follows a path - much like the water in a stream - and it flows around the rocks in its way. Obstacles can be avoided, and love found even in the darkest of times. As long as you have hope and believe in your own happiness." Neflite said to her, feeling he could assure her (and possibly himself) that things were not as bad as she had seen them. "Hope" Solitaire whispered under her breath, knowing that this word had no meaning for her. She hated feeling so alone, all the time, on the moon. She wondered why Queen Serenity would let her catch glimpses of other worlds, beyond the one she lived on, and then force her to come back to this place where there was no one for her, only the task of cultivating that crystal. How ironic, that the one thing she found satisfaction in doing, was something that not only represented this moon, but came directly from Queen Serenity. Suddenly she noticed Neflite's hand on hers, a rush of blood coursed through her. The feeling had returned, Serena's feelings, always when she sensed she was so alone and lost. She wondered is she should continue fighting it, knowing that it would never last, but it was already too late as her eyes brightened to his touch. Neflite didn't really enjoy trying to figure her out, and was happy that he was able to crack this code. Finally, he thought, he could get off the topic of the future. After all, if he had managed to convince her things would be alright, all the more reason for his predictions to reassure HIM as well. "I'd really like to visit Earth..." Solitaire began, thinking how stupid she was acting. Just like Serena, unable to have any restrsaint or dignity. She decided to blame the drink, trying not to concentrate on HOW she was acting, just to enjoy the responses it was causing. Perhaps there was hope, after all, if things felt so right sitting next to this man. Neflite smiled, reminded of his home. "I suppose, all of this beauty could get boring after a while" he noted, surveying the perfection of his surroundings. How could he appreciate one object, yet not the other, when everything was so immaculate? There was no surprise, like on earth, where the unbroken green of the grass revealed small, multi-colored flowers upon closer examination. Instead, everything melted into one uniform wavelength. Obviously, Solitaire fit into this crystalline world seamlessly, but Neflite knew that he would never be able to forget the changing reflection that her eyes could convey. "It depends. You don't see it as your home." Solitaire smiled back. "Neither do you." Neflite whispered. He sensed this to be the truth. Finally he was getting somewhere; another kind of emotion sparkled in her eyes. Solitaire looked at the ground. How could Neflite know? What had given her away? "But it is." she sighed back, sadness flickering through her words. What had he done! Neflite had wanted to make her forget her worries, but he had only succeeded in bringing them back. How few things, he thought, he could talk about without upsetting her "My Princess, you are always welcome in our kingdom!" Neflite announced, trying to return to the safe subject of his planet. He thought for a moment, then added, "That is, as long as the wars do not reach our borderlands." "Please, no princess, just Solitaire" she said to him, smiling. "I know about the wars in Beryl's kingdom, but I'm sorry to say that Serenity has little intention to choose sides. Perhaps," Solitaire mused, thinking of how she could make the visit to Earth - "I could help you with strategy." she smiled. Perhaps, too, Solitaire would be able to bring the Moon Kingdom and Earth closer together in more ways than one.