A.N: Okay, here you go... I am actually catching up what is posted at ASMR. These are all the parts I?ve written so far. Please enjoy them! And Please, PLEASE e-mail me. I?ll tell you ALL about myself... hee, hee... well, or not, but at least I?ll be extremely grateful. Disclaimer: I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more just to be the person who walked 1000 miles for the rights to Sailormoon... okay, it's not me. ;) "Serenity," he pulled her close again, leaning his head on her shoulder, burying his face into waves of silver hair, "You are the answer to my prayers." The moonlight encircled them, as if claiming allegiance to the side of true love as well. On a Wing and A Prayer Part four: Shinjiru (to believe, accept as true, trust) By Antigone 2000 aisuru: beloved hai: yes oyasumi nasai: good night (said before going to sleep) Shrouded in the darkness, a figure stood, obviously female, hunched slightly with quivering shoulders. Despite the warm night and gentle moonlight, the shadow surrounding the woman was dark and cold. A horrible chill would run down the back of anyone nearby, the potential evil and restrained terror too much for them to witness. Yet even with all the terror she would provoke, perhaps a passerby, if sensitive and gentle enough, would note with sympathy two single tears running down her porcelain cheeks as the reflection of two figures danced in her lovely emerald eyes. But no one felt sympathy, for the night was nearly empty of human life. Behind the thick glass of Endymion's balcony, a tall dark figure embraced a child-like fairy, and neither of them heard the bloodcurdling scream that ripped from Beryl's throat as the evil finally sank into her bones. Neither of them even thought to look down to see the unhidden hatred boil beneath the depths of her eyes as she narrowed them at the girl now sleepily rocked in Endymion's arms. ~~~ Suppressing another yawn, Serenity closed her eyes peacefully, leaning her head against Endymion's chest. Talking had dwindled, although there was still much to say, but for now she was more then content to stay folded in his arms. He was so warm, and with his arms tightly around her, she could forget all her failings and all her fears, lulled by the rhythm of his heart. Endymion's eyes shut blissfully, head falling to brush against Serenity's face, "You are tired," he murmured into her ear, barely saying the words so much as breathing them. Shaking her head, she muttered a disagreement into his shoulder, yet even that small movement caused her exhaustion to take over. Knees buckling, she would have fallen to the floor had her companion not shifted his arms and steadied her again on her feet, her body heavily falling on his for support. Brushing light wisps of hair back from her face, Endymion smiled tenderly at liquid gray eyes struggling to stay open to gaze back at him. "Do angels sleep, little one?" "Hai," she murmured, burrowing again into his arms, spreading warm, slim figures to curl around his collar. "You should return home soon, Tenshi-hime," he said. Despite his words, he could not help brushing his lips gently against her neck. "They will miss you, although I fear I might miss you all the more," he admitted, rocking her slowly in his arms. Smiling a little, she took a deep breath and stepped away from him, lifting ivory hands to rub at her eyes and gracefully cover another deep yawn. Nearly drunk with sheer fatigue, she swayed a little on her feet, and would have fallen again if not for Endymion's hand on her tiny waist. His face a mix of amusement and sympathy, the prince countered, "Perhaps you should leave soon, as I believe if touch you one more time I shall not be able to let you go home, to the rest you surely ne-." Ignoring his words, she cut off his speech and thought process with a soft kiss. The last thing he heard before a sudden, velvety sleep descended over him was a sweet, albeit drowsy, voice whispering, "Oyasumi nasai, aisuru." As Endymion shut his eyes and fell gently on top of his unmade bed, Serenity stood outside, opening her hands and arms to the moonlight, drifting asleep even as the moonlight carried her home. ~~ The book was very, no, too heavy. Serenity was certain the thick volume sitting on her lap was cutting all circulation to her legs, and she did not hesitate to inform Mercury of that fact. However, her only reply from her senshi and friend was a raised blue eyebrow, and slight smile. "Commendable try, ichiban," Mercury patted Serenity's head infuriatingly, "but you must complete your reading, feeling in your legs or no." Sighing piteously, Serenity leaned her head back onto the soft cushioned chair in the sunlit study. Giggling, Mercury turned on mock sympathy, "Oh, truly, Serenity, the life of a princess is never easy, ne?" Although meant as a teasing remark, Mercury's words struck a chord in the princess's chest, one she had been trying unsuccessfully to ignore lately. Running a fingernail along a line of golden print, and squinting her eyes as if pretending to read, Serenity let her mind wander far and away, along the sunlight. She was in love. Okay, but she had always been in love with the prince of Earth, since the first time she saw him... watched him... the sunlight glinting off his eyes... Shaking her head forcefully, Serenity scolded herself and returned to her original train of thought. The fact that he met her, believed in her, loved her in return, (in spite of herself, her heart leaped at that last thought, and her eyes filled up with happy tears for a least the seventh time in the past three days), those facts changed everything. Before, her 'infatuation' as they called it with the heir to the Earth was considered a cute, if sometimes vexing, quirk. Now, however, it was full-blown Treason: prosecutable and punishable. At this thought, Serenity started, biting her lip so hard a drop of blood fell to pat onto the parchment in her hands. Swallowing, she reached to wipe the drop away with the pad of her finger when she stopped, realizing a strange feeling had settled over her. Even without the seductive, dizzying memories: his lips on hers, the gentle warmth of his body, and the pleasure of falling asleep in his arms... she couldn't shake the intuitive, instinctive feeling that this was... somehow... Right. No matter what. Still, the crimson red of the blood as it soaked and leeched through the fibers of the paper made her shiver uncontrollably, even as she put a trembling finger to her aching lower lip. ~~ Tension on the Earth Palace was reaching fever pitch lately. Faces that walked the halls were always etched with worry and fear. Uneasy murmurs seemed to be the only sound that traveled these walkways now, every other sound was muffled or hidden. Noble's children who laughed too loud or shrieked in the halls were hushed harshly by their elders, and soon even the little ones turned solemn and grave. Endymion's only small solace were the memories of Serenity in his arms, eyes shut and trusting him completely. However, even those couldn't shield him from the obvious cracking of his government from under his feet. Nothing had happened yet, but everyone, from the highest ranking general to the least important servant, seemed to be holding their breath. Waiting. Waiting. It would drive him mad. Slamming his fist violently on the table, Endymion scowled in frustration and stalked outside to the garden. Monitors and screens above and surrounding the Communications Room all flickered and focused on turbulent blue eyes, then slowly panned out to all different angles and focuses of the Earth Prince. "He is handsome when he's brooding," Jupiter said dryly to Venus, only to receive a faux glare in return. "Please, I get enough from the Princess." Even as they smiled at each other, Jupiter's voice turned serious, "Are you worried?" The tall, lovely senshi asked of her leader. Turning cornflower eyes back to the monitors, and the tortured expression on Endymion's face, Venus found her throat too dry to answer, although her lips formed the word, 'Yes.' The lunars watched as two strange voices caught Endymion's ear, too low to hear what they were saying, but enough that they were familiar. Eyebrows knitting together for a moment, Endymion turned slowly and warily. With the movements of cat, even in the broad daylight, he stalked slowly to a nearby bush, and pushed it aside gently. The light crackle of the leaves did not disturb Beryl and Kunzite who stood facing each other in a small clearing, one of many in the intricate gardens. Amazed, Endymion watched as Kunzite listened intently to Beryl's words, his eyes as cold as the ice whose color they shared. Beryl seemed different, too, somehow, tight black material clung to her hips and chest, her hair was longer and... darker...then he remembered. Shaking his head, Endymion decided he must be seeing things. The silence was oppressive, something was bearing down on him, closing his throat and clouding his mind. Slowly, as if through water, Beryl turned and pointed one long-nailed finger in Endymion's direction. Venus watched with concern and confusion marring her features as Endymion stood up and walked to his friends. 'Stop being ridiculous,' he told himself fiercely, swallowing his fear, 'this is Kunzite and Beryl. You can't see enemies everywhere, Endymion, or you will become paranoid and useless.' "Good afternoon," Kunzite greeted Endymion, his voice perfectly measured as usual, only his friendly smile missing from his face. Then again, not many people had smiled lately. "Good afternoon, Kunzite, Lady Beryl," he said, or rather, tried to say. The prince's eyes clouded a little, he slowly raised his hand to his forehead in confusion. The low tone of concern echoed in the Communications Room, miles and miles above the occurring events. A slow, terrible smile snaked over Beryl's blood red lips, and she walked slowly to Endymion, in her eyes a dreadful caricature of true sympathy. "Poor little Prince." She ran a bold hand over his shoulder and to his face, letting a tiny pout settle over her mouth as she regarded his wide eyes. "You let *them* get to you, didn't you?" Jupiter put a shocked hand on Venus's shoulder at that comment, both pairs of eyes never leaving the horrible scene playing out before them. Finding he couldn't speak, Endymion just let his mouth open a little, looking desperately to Kunzite for help. But his friend just stared at the two of them blankly, his gaze frozen. Cupping her hand tightly, nearly painfully, on Endymion's face, Beryl brought her mouth to his as if to kiss him, ("Eeeewww," Jupiter groaned under her breath,) but at the last minute she pulled back and slapped him so hard across the face, that the young man stumbled backwards and nearly fell. Spitting on the ground in front of him, Beryl hissed in a voice he never heard before. Sinisterly, almost as if a million poisonous snakes were screaming in acid, she spoke: "This is what I think of her. You are weak minded, Endymion." Yet she stepped closer still, looking deeply into the prince's confused, bewildered eyes. Licking her lips, she sent her eyes across his form, her smile growing. "I like weak-minded." Tossing her head so every individual curl caught the sun, yet seemed to absorb it and darken even the brightest light, Beryl turned to walk away, swiveling her hips. Shaking, Endymion watched her leave, stupefaction written all over his face. He was royalty, and even as a child, he never remembered being slapped before. As he blankly registered the sting, Endymion wondered blearily why Kunzite had not reacted at all. Just then, blinking a little, and breaking from his apparent trance, Kunzite walked over the Endymion. Kunzite's eyes were still cold as they regarded his friend. "This enemy," the deep-voiced general stated, "it is indeed unseen. Beryl seems to know more than she lets on. I think she can help us defeat the evil." Patting Endymion's shoulder twice, Kunzite left without even looking at the prince's eyes. Jupiter shook her head slowly, eyes narrowed in thought. "What was that?" Slightly more purposeful, Venus clapped her hands twice, loudly over the hushed commotion in the room. "Alert the Queen," she commanded. Feeling something warm on his face, Endymion lifted a shaking hand to his mouth and startled when his fingers came back smeared with crimson. Beryl had split his lip. Seeing the drop of blood pool into his fingerprint made Endymion shiver a little, and he pressed his other hand, trembling, to his small wound. ~~ That night the moon was full, and shone directly into Endymion's room, sending comfort and beauty throughout the room. Standing in the beams, Endymion lifted his head to the light, allowing it to send its tranquility through to his very soul. Opening his eyes just enough to meet the eyes of a small girl, miles away, watching quietly in a busy room, Endymion allowed a smile to settle onto his face. "I love you," he whispered. Even with everything, all the chaos the devil himself could think up to throw at him, his heart would still beat for Serenity and only for her. And she was his only sanity. Astounding gray-colored eyes glanced slowly to either side, before a soft pale hand reached out to caress the image on the little monitor in front of it. "I love you, too, Endymion," she whispered. Tears filled her eyes even as she smiled, they slid down her face, winking in the moonlight. "You answered every prayer." Both slept soundly, and with beautiful dreams. Two soft hands spread over the ivory tabletop, tense as the atmosphere in the small, yet decedent, room. Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom and Keeper of the Silver Crystal raised silver eyes from her hands to the two figures who knelt before her. "Is that everything that happened?" The Queen's voice was always perfectly measured, every letter pronounced with the exact dialect of the very noble. Yet there was a slight undertone of anxiety that made Venus's heart sink almost to the very depths of her soul. "Hai, You Majesty," she answered, praying for the strength to keep the tears from her eyes and her voice, "we have given you every detail we remembered." Jupiter nodded tensely, agreeing, her eyes still focused on the floor. Fear kept them from talking directly to the wise woman before them. Not fear of her, they could never fear someone so kind and respected, but fear that once they looked their sovereign in the face both would break down in terrified tears. "Yes, I trust your memory, Venus," she said, a worried hand tracing the insignia on her forehead, "yet I worry that something has been overlooked. Something you did not know to look for." Although the distracted queen did not give the signal as she usually did, Venus took the initiative to rise from the floor, and both senshi stood by their Queen. "'Something?'" Venus asked, eyes concerned. Jupiter lifted her chin confidently. "If you tell us what to look for, we can have double the observation staff in a day, and a senshi for each shift." Serenity gave both girls a grave smile, "I am afraid it is not that simple. I could not explain to even my most trusted advisor what I was looking for, because I do not readily *know*. The slightest sign of darkness..." Green eyes darkening to a deep forest color, Jupiter replied, "Forgive me, highness, but I think there is much more than a *little* evidence of darkness on the Earth." Solemnly, Venus nodded, "It is spreading at such an alarming rate." The Queen gave a knowing little smile, "Ah, but such young warriors as you two would not realize the Earth goes through periods of extreme darkness, and then eras that could seem nearly Utopian. Yet, I worry that perhaps..." Just as quickly as it came, the smile then disappeared, leaving the nearly perfect face of Queen Serenity expressionless except for a slight gnawing at her lower lip. For a split, heartwarming second, the Queen reminded Venus of her beloved Princess, the angel-child who slept unmolested beneath the stars as darkness ravaged her true love's planet. "Your majesty," the leader of the senshi choked out, her quiet voice still loud in the nearly bare room, "what of Endymion?" The silence stretched on for so long, the two girls began to wonder if their Queen would dignify an answer at all. At last she spoke, softly and with intent. "That boy is in grave danger. There have been situations with rulers like this before, yet it is one of the first times we will not... cannot!... help him." "He doesn't believe..." Jupiter trailed off, eyes sad, fingernails nervously digging into her palm. "Even if he did," Serenity shook her head slightly, "he would need much more help than our usual guidance can give from so far away." For a moment no one spoke. Eyes like the Earth sky in springtime shifted to meet Jupiter's, and with her expression, Venus tried to reveal her own concern for Princess Serenity, should anything happen to the raven-haired man who held her heart. Nodding slightly, Jupiter showed she understood. "The darkness must be monitored," the Queen continued, almost to herself, putting a perfectly-formed hand to her pale forehead, "I want the Communications Room fully staffed at all hours of the night, a senshi at nearly every shift possible. Whenever I can, I will be there, too." Nodding professionally, the senshi turned to leave. "Senshi Venus," the Queen called out, suddenly. "Hai?" "How fares my daughter?" The concern and love for the lighthearted Princess of the Moon mirrored between the usually stoic, poised monarch and her trusted leader. For a moment Venus felt her heart thump painfully in chest. "She fares well, Highness." 'Less well if she discovers Endymion is in danger,' Jupiter's expression seemed to say, for she dared not mention Serenity's forbidden feelings for the Prince where the Queen could hear them. Queen Serenity nodded slightly, eyes turning back to stare at the bright, white orb floating on a pedestal in the middle of the room. The Silver Crystal. Putting a hand to her chest for a moment, the woman murmured, "I will visit her later, perhaps. I have been busy, and I love her so much..." The Queen's eyes darkened with foreboding, and she appeared lost in her thoughts. Respectfully, the senshi bowed and left the room. Spinning slowly, the small stone radiated power so strong it was almost terrifying. The light reflected in the gray-blue eyes of the Queen, and seemed to dance in her unshed tears. 'If the time of fate is upon is, there is truly nothing we can do.' Once outside, Venus and Jupiter did not immediately begin talking. Instead, they walked in silence through intricate lace of white-marble hallways weaving through the moon palace. "I will inform minna-san of what is happening," Venus offered, "although if I know Mars and Mercury they will already know." Allowing herself a small smile which she did not feel, Jupiter added, "They probably know more than we do." Sharing a light look, the two avoided the thought still weighing heavily on their minds and hearts. "Venus?" Jupiter asked after a while, the moon glow from the palace itself softening her dark hair to a light wooden shade. "Hai?" "Do you think she loves him? Truly?" There was no question about whom Jupiter was referring to. Looking up through a skylight at the Earth, Venus' eyes grew heavy and sad. "Yes," she said softly, with deep grieving, "I have always thought so. I just now realized it." Swallowing, Jupiter leaned against the wall, nearly in tears as she imagined the heartbreak Serenity must be going through, and the pain it would cause if she knew of the evil so close to the Prince. "What are we going to do?" Venus' gaze grew hard, and she turned with the poise and command of an army general addressing her troops. "We do nothing," she answered, "I cannot even think of what Serenity might feel, or do, if she had any inkling of this danger." Jupiter nodded, and seeing the looking her face, Venus softened her voice a little, "It's not that I want to keep secrets from her, but she is so young and... it hurts her enough that she cannot be near him as it is. The Earth is being more heavily watched, but that is to be expected before any impending event, even a mild one. We do not want to cause panic in the people, or our Princess. A government protects its people... the people protect their leaders, unfortunately, *both* those duties fall upon us." Putting a kind hand on Jupiter's shoulder, Venus comforted her friend. The two Senshi walked down the hallway, leaving the Earth to send its pure blue light through the skylight to dance on the white marble floor like fire. So...whaddya think? Oh, and between part four and five I'm planning an Interlude. Pure romance, no fillers. Don't get too excited though, I'm pretty bad at that, that's why I'm practicing. And awa---ay we go! Thanks for all your emails you will send! (See, since I went and thanked you, you must send me some. Or I'll guilt you.)