Sailormoon Eternity
Prologue
------------------------------
"It can't be true. They must be alive, somewhere. They must be."     
------------------------------


	The morning began brightly on the moon, warming the Moon 
Kingdom with its gentle smiling rays. It was a morning like any other,
carrying the eternal promise of peace and prosperity. Elsewhere in the 
universe, pain existed. Misery. Suffering. Desperation. But not here. 
Here, on the moon, none of those things could exist. This silver orb 
and the array of planets that made up its galactic family were under 
the watchful, motherly eye of none other than Queen Serenity. She would 
live forever, and so also the Silver Millennium. 
	Yet an alert, watchful eye would have detected a hint of unrest.
Rumors were circulating, rumors of an approaching threat. However, the
slight nervous fear that was present in the populace of the moon
withered and faded in the light of an even more powerful emotion:
Faith. Above all, there existed an unwavering belief that Queen
Serenity would protect her people, no matter what the circumstances.

	Dejana woke with the sun, as usual, abruptly sitting up in bed 
as soon as the slightest beam of light touched her face. The brilliant 
star called to her each morning, the light filtering through the
invisible atmosphere dome high above the surface, rousing Dejana from
her sleep in time to see the moon awaken. Instantly wide awake, the
young Lunarian turned to the window to look down on the palace gardens. 
	She watched through deep, dark eyes as the sun awakened the
beautiful flowers in her favorite part of the moon, and she smiled as 
the petals opened, bright bursts of pastel color shining boldly against 
the whiteness of the environment. The very essence of peace rolled 
across the landscape, touching every flower and flowing into Dejana and
through her, warming her body from the inside. 
	Could there be any better time to be alive?
	Despite the joy innate in being a resident of the moon, and a 
member of the Royal court besides, something nagged at Dejana's high
spirits. An approaching danger? The young Lady recalled what she had
heard about Queen Beryl and her Dark Kingdom. Most of the Moon
Kingdom's citizens were unconcerned. Surely Beryl could not overcome
the power of Queen Serenity?
	Dejana climbed out of bed and dressed quickly, slipping her feet
into a pair of soft flat shoes. She would wear practical clothing for
now, a simple, sturdy dress with an apron tied over it. She had to help
the servants in the kitchen this morning before she could join her
friends. Swiftly she tightened the lacings of the apron around her
waist and pushed her usual black headband into her long indigo hair.
Finally Dejana scooped up a violet star-shaped crystal on a silver 
chain, and hung it around her neck as she rushed out of her chambers.

	By the time the midday meal was served, Dejana was worn out from
her morning chores. She had spent hours helping to prepare the feast
for tonight's ball. Fortunately, Dejana was to be allowed to relax this
afternoon. Other hands would decorate the ballroom so the indigo-haired
girl could spend some time with her friends.
	She was late for lunch, and skidded into the private dining room
still in her work clothes. The others were already seated, and as her
dark eyes fell on the group of elegant Princesses in their flowing
white gowns, Dejana felt the heat of shame rise into her cheeks. She
gently closed the door behind her, wishing futilely that she had taken
the time to return to her room to change clothes.
	"Dejana!" Young Princess Serenity, heir to the Moon Kingdom, was
out of her chair in an instant, dashing across the floor to embrace her
tardy friend.
	"Oof," Dejana grunted as she was assaulted by warm arms and an
abundance of light, lacy cloth. Serenity's long streams of hair swirled
around the pair as Dejana returned the embrace. "Princess, I can't
breathe," she gasped playfully.
	Serenity released her friend and held her at arm's length, a
disapproving look on her face. "Dejana, I've told you a hundred times.
No formality." Without waiting for a response, Serenity spun around and
tugged the older girl toward the table. The meal had already been
served, and after greeting the rest of her friends Dejana eagerly
helped herself to some ambrosia.
	"Where have you been all morning?" Princess Setsuna of Pluto
inquired from her seat beside Dejana. "We've missed you."
	"I've been helping in the kitchens," Dejana replied, turning to
meet the smiling gaze of her green-haired friend. "You wouldn't believe 
how much food they're preparing for tonight."
	From across the table, Neptune's Princess Michiru narrowed her
blue-green eyes. "Why does the Queen make you do such things?" she
muttered. "Such manual labor should be left to others."
	Tilting her head idly, Dejana's cerulean-violet eyes became
distant. "Queen Serenity was most generous in taking me as her ward
after my parents died," she reminded Michiru. "I am happy to do my part
to repay the favor. It is enough of a blessing that I've been allowed
to become friends with all of you."
	"Well, once we were introduced to one another, not even the
Silver Crystal could have kept us apart," Princess Minako of Venus
broke in brightly. Setsuna playfully bumped her shoulder against
Dejana's, smiling in agreement.
	"The Queen does have the right to decide what company her
daughter keeps," Dejana muttered. "After all, I'm not a Princess."
	"You are a Lady by birth," Serenity argued. "Besides, I choose my
own friends." She beamed down the table at all of them, her crystal
blue eyes sparkling with happiness.
	Haruka, Princess of Uranus, passed a bowl of bread toward Dejana,
tossing her head to clear her short blonde hair from her eyes. "Do you
have the afternoon free at least?"
	"Yes, you'll have to prepare for the ball with us," Princess Rei
of Mars insisted. "Nobody can braid my hair into that tiara thing like
you do."
	"And I want to try my hand at fixing yours," Setsuna added, her
crimson eyes shining as she beamed at her slightly younger friend. "If 
I have been released from my duty at the Time Gate for this event,
surely you will be allowed the same respite from your chores?"
	"I do have the rest of the day to myself," Dejana assured the
group. "The Queen wanted me to be able to spend it with all of you."
	"Perfect," Haruka replied with a sour grin. "I'll need someone to
distract me from the idiocy of these royal functions."
	"Oh come now, Haruka, it's not that bad," Michiru teased her. "I
always seem to have plenty of fun."
	"Well, lots of people ask you to dance," Haruka muttured grimly.
	"Perhaps they fear you'll break them in half if they miss a
step." Michiru grinned at the tall, athletic Princess, a taunting glint
sparkling in her eyes. "After all, you'll be stronger than nearly all
of the guests."
	"Well, they should spend more time building up strength, then,"
Haruka replied dismissively, accepting the ambrosia Rei was offering
her. "Anyway, I'd rather be training."
	"Training, training, always training!" Minako rolled her eyes,
reaching for a pitcher of water. "Have a little fun sometimes!"
	"Minako, would you kindly keep your hair off my plate?" Jupiter's
Princess Makoto protested, lifting a curl of long blonde hair aside as
the blue-eyed girl leaned forward across the table. "Training is
important, Haruka," Makoto agreed, "but it's also good to relax and let
your - Minako! - hair down."
	"Do you think we'll finally meet the Princess of Saturn
tonight?" Rei inquired.
	"I doubt it," Princess Ami of Mercury replied with a sigh. "She's
still very young, and hasn't yet awakened as a Senshi." The blue-haired 
girl shuddered slightly as she remembered her studies of the powers of 
Saturn. "Personally, I think it might be best if she never awakens."
	"As do we all," Setsuna concurred, "but it would still be nice to
meet Princess Hotaru. I'm sure she'd be a great friend."
	"Has your mother told you anything, Serenity?" Rei inquired.
	There was a pause. Everyone present turned toward the head of the
table. The Princess of the Moon was silent, a distant, dreamy look in
her bright blue eyes. She gazed off into the empty air in front of her,
her meal forgotten, a half-smile curving her rosy lips.
	"Serenity?" Makoto's eyes narrowed. "Are you all right?
Serenity?"
	"What?" The Moon Princess snapped out of her reverie, blinking.
"Did someone say something?"
	Minako glared down at her plate, one of her hands curling into a
fist. "Serenity," she growled disapprovingly, "you've been down to
Earth again, haven't you?"
	"Hmm? Umm...well, I..." A bright red flush tainted the pale skin
of Serenity's face, and she averted her eyes.
	"Oh, Princess!" Rei burst out, a flame alighting within her eyes.
"You said you wouldn't leave the Moon again this week!"
	"Come on, everyone, try to understand!" Serenity protested,
gripping the edge of the table with both hands. "If you could only see
how beautiful and colorful everything is on Earth...and the fresh
breeze, a real breath of air, it's not like what the dome creates for
us..."
	"We have been down to Earth, Serenity," Ami reminded her friend.
"We try to limit our time there responsibly, however."
	A mischievous smile curved Makoto's lips, and her green eyes
sparkled. "Well, we all know Serenity's real reason for going to Earth
so often," she teased. The Moon Princess' blush darkened to a deep red.
	"Serenity! You know that personal relationships between the Moon 
and the Earth are strictly taboo!" Michiru scolded.
	An indignant look banished the flush from Serenity's cheeks, and
she folded her arms across her chest. "None of you understand what it
is to be a young woman in love!" she proclaimed.
	Minako looked as if she were about to disagree, but at that 
moment they were interrupted by the entrance of Queen Serenity herself. 
She swept in through the doors of the dining room, her simple gown of 
the purest white trailing on the crystal floor. In unison, the Princesses
and Dejana rose from their chairs to show respect to the ruler of the
Moon Kingdom. With utmost grace, Princess Serenity glided across the
room and planted a gentle kiss on her mother's pale cheek.
	"The servants are waiting," the Queen informed the assembled
girls. "Have you finished your lunch?" The group murmured assent, and
obediently filed out of the dining room through the door at the Queen's
side. "Dejana." The elegant ruler stopped the indigo-haired Lady as she
was passing the woman that had given her a life in the Palace. "Walk
with me a moment, will you?"

	Her head bowed demurely, Dejana walked slowly beside Queen
Serenity, her hands clasped in front of her. She hardly dared to
breathe, desperate to be the most proper young Lady that she could be.
Serenity was so close, so warm, and yet the power that radiated from
her slender form enticed anyone around her into submission. In silence
they walked through the white, high-ceilinged halls of the Moon Palace,
luminescent in the glow of the sun. At last they stopped on a small
balcony that overlooked the extensive gardens of the Moon.
	Dejana stood nervously at the balcony's edge, not daring to lean
on the railing, trying to act as a mature woman should. For a moment,
there was silence. Standing beside the beautiful Queen Serenity, Dejana
felt smaller and plainer than ever before. She was terribly conscious
of her rough work clothes and apron, and wished bitterly to be anywhere
else at this moment.
	"Dejana," Serenity said finally.
	"Yes, my Queen?"
	"Are you...happy here?"
	Confused, Dejana's head snapped up and she stared at the Queen
incredulously. "Of course, my Queen. I am eternally grateful to you for
giving me a home here."
	Serenity's gentle eyes seemed strange somehow, distant and
clouded. "You and the Solar System Princesses, you get along well, do 
you not?" she asked quietly.
	"Yes, I love every one of them dearly," Dejana replied. A sick
feeling of worry was beginning to settle into her stomach. ~Is she
going to send me away?~ she thought in alarm.
	"And my daughter," the Queen continued. "How do you feel about 
her?"
	"She is more precious to me than any other," Dejana said firmly.
~Why is she asking me these things?~ she wondered.
	Queen Serenity turned toward the edge of the balcony and lifted
her slender hands to rest them upon the railing. A light breeze jostled
a few strands of her shimmering lavender hair, and the sunlight 
glistened across the royal mark on her forehead. She was every bit the 
powerful ruler, and yet to Dejana she suddenly seemed old and tired.
	"Dejana," Serenity said again, "what is your greatest desire?"
	"To faithfully serve and protect the Moon Kingdom, the Royal
Family, and the Princesses of this system," Dejana answered promptly
without a second thought. Her entire heart lay with her friends and the
Kingdom of the Moon.
	The Queen rotated toward the indigo-haired Lady again and gave
her a gentle smile. "As I thought," she said softly. Serenity's hands
trembled slightly at her sides, as if she were restraining herself from
doing something. For a moment they looked into each other's eyes in
silence.
	"Now, go and rejoin your friends," Queen Serenity instructed her.
	"Yes, my Queen."
 
	Dejana was unusually quiet for the rest of the day, thinking
about her strange conversation with the Queen and the odd sense of
danger that continued to plague her subconscious. Her friends were
disturbed by her silence and pestered her to confide in them. Dejana
tried to convince the group that she was fine, but she couldn't shake 
off the troubled feeling that tugged at her soul. This disturbance went 
beyond the fear inspired by rumors. She had a sickening feeling of 
foreboding, as if a great tragedy were looming just beyond the horizon. 
	Although her friends insisted that they would listen and trust
her, Dejana kept her fears to herself. After all, unlike the others,
she was not a Sailor Senshi. She had no special powers to enable her to
sense dangers. Dejana longed to meet with her dearest friend, Setsuna,
but with all the preparations that were needed for the ball, there was
no chance for Dejana to speak with the Time Guardian privately.
	When all of the Princesses had been dressed in their finest and
the party had finally begun, Dejana went alone to her chambers and
stood there for a long time, gazing at the beautiful gown she had
chosen to wear. 
	It was rather simple and yet elegant, with slightly puffed
sleeves that started below her shoulder and stopped at her elbows. It
was white, like the Princess dresses of her friends, and had a thick
collar that matched her indigo hair. The skirt was long and flowing,
and a ribbon of indigo ran from the middle of the gown's chest to the
bottom of the skirt, with a thinner ribbon wrapped around the waist. 
	Dejana slowly dressed herself in the trailing gown and stared at
her own reflection in her mirror for a while. Downstairs at the ball,
each of the Princesses was being grandly introduced by heralds, each of
them with royalty for parents. They were always careful not to make
Dejana feel inferior around them, but sometimes the orphaned Lady could
not ignore the simple facts: Her best friends were Princesses and
Senshi, and she was not. Yet at heart, as a person, Dejana was not much
different from any of them. 
	In the smooth glass Dejana met her own cerulean-violet gaze
beneath the shawl of hair that flowed to her waist. In her own eyes she
had to confront the troubled, turbulent emotions she had tried to
conceal from her friends, both the feeling of inferiority and the sense
of danger. She tried to convince herself that she was merely imagining
things, but she could not shake the feeling that Destiny itself was
creeping up on her. If only she were a Senshi, then she could be
certain whether or not her fears were born of her imagination. 
	With her next thought Dejana scolded herself for her selfish
desires. Queen Serenity had generously taken her in to live in the
Royal household when Dejana had been orphaned, and she had been given
the opportunity to become close to every one of the planets'
Princesses, despite their status as Sailor Senshi. To further wish 
for the power and prestige of a Senshi herself would be pure greed,
unbecoming of a Lady of the Moon Kingdom. Dejana knew that the Queen
would be disappointed in her if she continued these futile wishes.
	Fondly Dejana gazed upon a large portrait that was hanging a wall
of her room. It had been intended to be a portrait of only the Sol
System Princesses, but when the girls had heard this, they unanimously
insisted Dejana be included. The Queen, seated in the middle of the
group as they had been placed for the portrait, warmly agreed, and
Dejana had found herself right in the front center. Her smiling face
was immortalized in paint between that of Princess Setsuna and Princess 
Serenity herself, a healthy flush coloring her cheeks as she absorbed 
the love of her two best friends.
	Queen Serenity had been so moved by the girls' show of affection
for her ward that she had given the portrait to Dejana as a gift,
greatly disappointing the painter, no doubt, but pleasing Dejana
immensely. Since then, she had appeared in every portrait of the entire
group that was commissioned, often in the back row or corner, but
present nonetheless.
	As she studied the image, Dejana noticed something she had not
seen before. The pale hand of the Queen, who had been directly behind
her when the portrait was made, was resting on Dejana's shoulder.
Dejana had been so flustered and excited at being included with her
royal friends, and had been concentrating so hard on remaining
motionless for the artist, that she had not even felt the light touch
of Serenity's fingers.
	~That's strange,~ Dejana thought, her eyes narrowing in
puzzlement. ~Why would she do that?~ Eventually she shrugged, deciding
it was meant as a sign that Serenity, too, counted Dejana as part of
her daughter's circle.
	A soft knock on the door of Dejana's chambers jolted her back to 
reality. "Enter," she called.
	The door swung open, and the tall, graceful form of Princess
Setsuna glided inside, closing the door behind her. Setsuna's dress was
white, as all the Princess' formal gowns were, and it was trimmed with
ribbons of crimson to match the young woman's eyes. A tiara rested atop
the Princess of Pluto's long green hair.
	"I thought you might want to go down to the ballroom together,"
Setsuna suggested warmly, her rosy lips shaping themselves into a
gentle smile.
	Gratitude illuminated Dejana's face for a moment, but after an
instant, she looked away. "I'm...not quite ready," she murmured. "You
should go ahead without me, I don't want you to be late."
	Setsuna's brow furrowed in concern, the smile fading from her
tanned face. She approached her young friend, touching her shoulder
with a slender hand. "Dejana...what's wrong?"
	The Lady bit her lip, considering, and at last she drew a deep
breath. "Setsuna, I...it's strange but...well, I don't quite know how
to ask this." The green-haired Princess waited calmly, her questioning
eyes encouraging her friend to continue.
	"Have you...sensed anything strange?" Dejana said in a rush. "I
mean, you're the Guardian of Time, have you felt any hints of danger,
some kind of crisis approaching?" She was unable to meet Setsuna's
gaze, and blushed as she realized how silly her questions must sound.
	"Actually..." Setsuna began quietly.
	Startled and curious, Dejana raised her violet-sapphire eyes to
Setsuna's deep cinnamon ones, and found the Princess's face to be
uncertain but extremely serious.
	The green-haired woman swallowed, searching carefully for words.
"I have been bothered by those feelings," she admitted after a moment.
"The mists of Time are shifting, as if something is about to happen,
something that will change everything. I've mentioned it to Queen
Serenity, but she seems unconcerned." Abruptly Setsuna's face twisted
into an expression of frustration, and she clenched her fists at her
sides. "If only I were more experienced in my duties," she lamented, "I
could see the future more clearly!"
	Dejana's eyes softened, and she placed both hands gently on her
friend's shoulders. "Don't blame yourself, Setsuna. I know you will
learn better control over your powers soon. If you brought it to the
Queen's attention, I'm sure she will take care of things if it's
anything serious."
	"I hope you're right," Setsuna replied bitterly. Her eyes
narrowed, and she looked at Dejana intently. "What brought this on?
Have you been having visions of danger?"
	A hot blush rose into the Lady's cheeks, and she looked at the
floor. "Not visions, exactly," she murmured shyly. "It's just a
feeling, a sense of something threatening the Moon, I suppose. I'm not
sure when it started, but it's become more intense today." Dejana stole
a glance up at Setsuna, and was horrified to see a shocked expression
of something near to terror on her friend's face. "It's probably
nothing," the indigo-haired Lady said hurriedly. "There are no special
abilities in my line. I'm just paranoid for some reason."
	"No," Setsuna replied firmly. "If we're both sensing something,
it could very well be a serious matter. We should go to the Queen right
away!" Taking Dejana by the hand, the Princess began to head for the
door.
	"Oh, not tonight," Dejana protested. "We shouldn't disturb the
festivities with something that's likely to be merely in my
imagination. If you insist, we'll go see Queen Serenity tomorrow...
Please, Setsuna, not tonight."
	Seeing the Lady's stricken expression, the tanned woman sighed
and gave her friend another gentle smile. "All right," she agreed.
"First thing in the morning, then." Straightening up, Setsuna adjusted
her dress so the folds lay properly arranged. "Shall we head
downstairs?"
	"I don't think I'm ready just yet," Dejana said softly. "There's
so much on my mind, I need some time alone before I'll be in the mood
for dancing. Perhaps a walk in the gardens will help."
	"The guests will miss your presence," the green-haired Princess
remarked. "There are always quite a few handsome young Lords around,
eager for a chance to dance with you," she added with a playful grin.
	"I'll be there," Dejana promised. "I just need a little time to
get my thoughts together. Go on now, I'll find you in the ballroom as
soon as I've had a chance to relax."

	Wandering slowly around the gardens, Dejana could almost feel at
peace. The earthlight shimmered in the waves of indigo hair that rolled
down her back. Starlight reflected off the silver pools of the gardens 
and was engulfed in the deep pools of Dejana's dark eyes, mingling with 
the troubled look that was churning there. 
	The young Lady walked deep into the gardens, wandering in their
embrace for hours. Everything seemed perfect, but she couldn't help
feeling that this was the last time she would walk these paths. The
Earth was high in the sky when she stopped for a while and sat on a
stone bench near a glistening fountain.
	The stars were shining brightly that night. Dejana gazed up into
space, and a chill swept through her. Something was moving. She blinked
several times, and the stars were still again, but she shuddered. There
was an eerie quiet over everything, as if the entire moon was holding
its breath. The calm before the storm. Again Dejana was struck by the
feeling that something was moving, something was watching, something
was approaching. The evil of it seemed to sweep over her, and a cold
wind came up suddenly, chilling her to the core. 
	Dejana leaped up in fear, her senses suddenly building to a
sharp peak. She turned toward the palace, her mind filled with images
of death and destruction, and started running as fast as she could,
fighting the hindrances of her flowing gown and dress shoes. In her
haste, she slipped on the slick stones of the garden path and hit her
head hard on the ground. 

	A while later, Dejana's eyes fluttered open. Her head ached,
her stomach felt sickly cold, and she moaned as she pushed herself up. 
For a moment she was confused, unable to understand why her bed was so
hard, her room so cold and dark and filled with strange sounds that 
disturbed the moon's peace. She looked around with blurred eyes. As her 
vision cleared, Dejana's memories came flooding back and she gasped in 
horror as she surveyed the destruction surrounding her. 
	The Moon Kingdom was in ruins. Pillars and walls had collapsed
and shattered. The once-silver pools of the gardens now leaked black
liquid across torn pathways. Dead flowers littered the ground around her.
	Dejana turned desperately toward her home, toward the window she
had looked out of only this morning, when all of this had been
breathtakingly beautiful. Only the palace still stood, a glowing symbol
of Queen Serenity's power. Some of the sweeping towers had already
started to crumble. The impossible had indeed happened. Queen Beryl and
the Dark Kingdom had attacked, and they were destroying everything.
	Stunned, unable to accept the truth right before her eyes, 
Dejana stared numbly at the ruins of what had been the ultimate haven
of peace. In the distant ruined courtyard she could see Queen Serenity
now, standing near the palace with her consorts, Luna and Artemis.
Dejana did not see the Senshi anywhere, although she seached every
corner with her eyes. Queen Serenity, fighting alone, was losing. The
dark shadows of Beryl's youma were approaching from every direction,
their darkness threatening to envelop the only remaining light.
	She was no Senshi, but Dejana was determined to help in any way
she could. She leapt forward to run to the Queen's side - and was
suddenly consumed by a sharp, stabbing pain that rammed itself through
her stomach and filled her entire body. The ground rolled, and Dejana
collapsed to her knees, barely able to keep herself from falling flat
on the ground. Desperately she kept her eyes locked on the tiny distant
figure of Queen Serenity, silently begging her to succeed, to restore
the moon to its shining brilliance. 
	There was only one way the Queen could seal the rift and close
off the Dark Kingdom again. Dejana watched the Queen raise the Moon
Stick high into the air. The Silver Crystal glittered within the gold
crescent, and a wave of silver magic swept out from the Queen in all
directions. 
	Suddenly Dejana glimpsed all her best friends rising from the
ruined moon, enveloped in Serenity's magic; Ami, Makoto, Haruka,
everyone except Setsuna, who was not present. Her friends were encased
in bubbles and floated high up, away from the shattered kingdom. Dejana
could see the Princess in one, and even Prince Endymion, who had
returned to the palace for one last dance. 
	Part of the wave of magic now rolled towards Dejana, beckoning
her into its embrace as well. Dejana was too overwhelmed by the
situation to wonder why. She staggered to her feet, still reeling from
her injuries but desperate not to be left behind. She wanted to go, to
throw herself into the magic that had taken her friends so she could be
with them, but in the next instant something seized control of her
heart and she was suddenly afraid of the Queen's magic. Dejana's feet
rebelled against her control, and she backed away...
	The ground shook, and a huge rift opened in the moon under
Dejana's feet. Dejana shrieked as she slipped into the bottomless
canyon, and as she fell, her heart began to echo her fear with its own
pain as she sensed Queen Serenity's life, the light of the Silver
Millennium, fading and flickering out. 
	Serenity's final burst of power made one last attempt to retrieve
Dejana and failed, dissipating into the air as its source lost her
life. The Moon Princess, eight members of her court, and the Prince of
Earth floated off to safety. Lady Dejana tumbled to her doom.

	For a long time, there was only darkness. The mind floated,
isolated, wrapped in the soothing cloak of unconsciousness. Here there
was no pain, no memory, no misery. There were no images of destruction
and death. It was quiet, blissfully quiet, free of screams and
deafening explosions. For this mind, the universe was frozen in one
single, peaceful instant. Unable to think, the mind was not even aware
of the events it had just witnessed. For a time it drifted in blessed
ignorance.

	Dejana's eyes opened. She closed them. It was still dark; the
sun wouldn't be waking her up for a few hours. Dejana rolled over on
her side and curled up into a ball. The bed was so soft that she nearly
drifted into sleep, but she felt chilled. Why wasn't she under her
blankets? As she moved her legs, she felt the thick fabric of her 
formal dress against her skin. 
	Puzzled, Dejana sat up, trying to clear her mind. What had
happened last night? She didn't feel well; her very core seemed cold
and clammy, and she shivered violently. Warily she opened her eyes
again.
	The room was dark. No earthlight sprinkled in through the
window. There was no breeze, either, because there were no windows at
all. A realization dawned on Dejana's mind then, and the chill within
her spread throughout her body. 
	She was not in her own room. 
	Fighting the panic that threatened to rise in her throat, she
searched her confused mind, searching for the events of the previous
evening. The ball. There had been a Royal ball. 
	Dejana squeezed her eyes shut, remembering - and then it all came
rushing back. The destruction. The screaming. The darkness as the Silver
Millennium was enveloped by evil. The cold knife that was plunged into
Dejana's heart as Queen Serenity died. The rushing wind howling in her
ears as she tumbled into the abyss.
	"No..." the lost Lady whispered, her voice hoarse and startling
in the strange, silent room. "It's impossible. It can't be." 
	The cold feeling within her deepened and condensed into an icy,
sickening emptiness. She felt hollow inside, devoid of light. The
comforting delusion of denial swept into the emptiness, obscuring her
memories. 
	"It can't be true. They must be alive, somewhere. They must be." 
	Breathing heavily, her heart racing, Dejana climbed off the bed
and stood up, feeling trapped within this strange room. Her eyes were
adjusting to the darkness, and she could now make out a dim sliver of
light at one side of the room, which appeared to be leaking in
underneath a door.
	"Where am I?" she now wondered, still speaking aloud in attempt
to quiet the fear born of isolation. "What is this place? Have I been 
abducted? Yes, that's it, I've been abducted from the Palace, and I've 
just had a nightmare," she murmured numbly, laughing nervously. "Maybe I 
can escape from here on my own, so the Sailor Senshi won't have to come 
rescue me." 
	More nervous, halfhearted giggles escaped her lips as she slowly 
crept toward the door. The room seemed empty, and no objects met her 
outstretched, searching hands. When she reached the door, her fingers 
traced the smooth wood down to the handle. Steadying herself with a 
deep breath, her hand squeezed the handle and she slowly pulled the 
door open a crack.
	Bright light stung Dejana's eyes, and she closed them for a
moment until they adjusted to the change. Carefully, she peered out
into a long, white hallway. It was completely empty. Opening the door
further, she stepped out into the hall.
	The hallway was lined with doors, each one a different color. The
wood of the door beneath her hands was painted a dark blue. Looking
back, Dejana saw a blue room containing only the bed and a large chest
of drawers, also in shades of blue. 
	Turning back to the hallway, Dejana eyed the other doors with
renewed hope. "The others..." she whispered.
	Dejana eagerly rushed up to the nearest door, painted yellow,
and yanked it open. It was empty, save for a yellow bed and chest
identical to that of the room Dejana had awoken in. 
	Holding on to the glimmer of hope, she dashed from one door to
the next, her long dress swirling around her legs. The rooms were all
empty. Her movements became more and more frantic as the cold, empty
feeling within her reasserted itself. 
	"Setsuna... Ami... Princess..." she sobbed as she searched. "I'm
all alone! Where are you?" 
	By the time Dejana reached the last door, which was a swirl of
gold and silver, tears were sliding down her cheeks. This door was
shiny, and she was able to recognize her own reflection in its textured
surface. She was still dressed in her formal gown, but it had been
streaked with dirt, and there was a tear in the skirt and another in one
sleeve. Breathing heavily, the young Lady stared at her own haunted 
eyes as she hesitated at this door. It was larger and heavier than the
others, and it was half open.
	~Come in, Lady Dejana.~
	The words seemed to go directly into her mind without passing
through her ears at all. It was a dark, echoing presence that she felt
more than heard inside her head. Afraid, alone, and upset beyond her
capacity to control, Dejana shoved the door open and ran into the room,
hoping beyond reason that she would see the Queen, the Princess, and
all her friends standing there. 
	No friendly faces were there to greet her.
	"Where are they?!" she cried, almost hysterical. "Where is the
Queen? The Princess... Tell me where they are!"
	The room was circular, with a raised platform on one side. The
wall above the platform contained an inky black disc, painted with a
tableau of stars. The walls, floor, and domed ceiling were all built of
alabaster marble, which seemed to glow from within. At the far side of
the room stood an enormous set of double doors made of precious
crystal. The only occupant of the room stood in its center, where a
strange symbol had been carved into the stone.
	The spectre was tall and completely covered by a void-black
cloak that trailed on the floor. The cloak was topped by a loose hood
that draped low over the mysterious being's head, hiding its face in
shadow. It did not speak, but stood facing the frantic Lady Dejana, the
darkness of the mystery beneath its hood focused intently upon her.
	"Answer me!" Dejana demanded, nearly choking on her emotions.
	~I believe you already know the answers you seek. The echoes of
their presence are no longer within you. Search inside yourself, if you
wish to find the truth.~ 
	Again, the voice pierced directly into her mind. Although the
cloaked figure showed no signs that betrayed its sex, the voice was
definately male. Its words reminded Dejana of the chill emptiness she
felt within herself.
	"No," she whispered. "I won't believe it." 
	The vibrant, smiling faces of her friends swam within her mind,
nearly visible to her eyes. They couldn't be gone. 
	"Why have you abducted me? Let me go. Now, do you hear me? I want
to go home!" Dejana cried. Everything will be all right soon, she
assured herself. I just have to get home.
	~What home?~ The cloaked figure's words struck terror in
Dejana's heart. ~You have no home. Not anymore. This is your home now,
Dejana.~
	Dejana stared at him, tears flooding her dark eyes. 
	"No! That's not true! You're lying to me! Queen Serenity will
punish you for keeping me a prisoner," she added indignantly. "Let me
out of here!" 
	Panic filled her soul. It couldn't be true, it just couldn't.
	~It was Beryl, the one you did not fear. She destroyed the Moon
Kingdom, and your Queen Serenity killed herself getting rid of her. The
Silver Millennium is at an end.~ The being spoke in stoic tones, 
remaining perfectly motionless as he tore Dejana's heart asunder with 
his words. 
	~Beryl is gone now, but not forever. She will be back, and 
Serenity knew it. She sent your friends away to the future, Dejana, to 
fight Queen Beryl when she returns. I pulled you out just in time.~
	"In time? IN TIME FOR WHAT!?" Dejana was screaming now. She
was furious. How dare he? How dare he tear her away from her closest
friends? How dare he steal her from her home, when they needed her?
	~Calm down, Dejana. This is Starlight Palace. It exists between
dimensions. Everywhere and nowhere at the same time. You are here to be
trained,~ the mysterious stranger explained smoothly. ~When the Moon
Princess and her court reappear, you will be their guardian, the
protector of the Sailor Senshi. It is your destiny.~
	"No, I won't! I want to go home right now. I don't believe 
you." However, Dejana's voice grew quieter as the speaker's words began
to resonate with the messages her soul were sending her.
	~You know it is true. You felt it yourself, and you saw the
destruction. What you never knew is that you are a Sailor Senshi, just 
like your friends, with duties of your own. You too have a destiny 
written into the fabric of the cosmos.~
	"A Sailor Senshi..." Dejana could not help feeling a slight 
thrill of excitement at these words. "But... I thought only a Princess 
could become a Senshi. I'm an orphan, I don't carry royal blood."
	~There are many things in this universe that you do not know,
Dejana.~ The cloaked figure still stood motionless, speaking without
words, and without moving an inch. 
	~Not all Senshi come from royal houses. Quite a few Senshi are
chosen for specific duties, based on their inner qualities. Also, you 
guard the...~ 
	Suddenly a hint of uncertainty entered the hollow tones of the
mysterious stranger. 
	~You do have it, don't you? The gift from Queen Serenity? I see
you wear the necklace, you must have the gift with you as well... Come,
tell me you have it...~ 
	The uncertainty was almost bordering on panic, a strange emotion
for a faceless robed telepath.
	"Yes, I have it," Dejana replied, puzzled. She clutched her hand
to her chest, the treasured item taking on an even deeper meaning now
that its giver was forever lost. "I never take it off."
	~See that you don't.~ The voice regained its composure. ~It is
now the only one left in the Universe, and will be of more importance
than you know.~ 
	Now the mysterious being glided closer to Dejana, seeming to
hover in the air although the cloak's edges rested on the marble floor. 
	~Your job is to aid Sailor Pluto in preserving the future, when
the Royal Family will once again come into power.~
	"Sailor Pluto..." Dejana murmured. "Setsuna-chan." 
	Her eyes filled with tears as she remembered her fondest friend.
The two of them had always shared a connection, and although Setsuna
was usually bound to the Time Gate, Dejana had often made time to visit
her in her loneliness. As Dejana thought about Setsuna, she felt a
glimmer of light within the void that had grown inside her. 
	"Where is she? She still lives, I feel it!"
	~Pluto left the moon before Queen Serenity's power could reach
her, as she is bound by her obligation to the time stream. She has the
duty of guarding the Time Gate, which will prevent her from constantly
protecting the other Senshi. You were best friends as inhabitants of
the Moon, and one day you will be partners in responsibility.~
	"Partners? Where is she, then? I want to see her!" Dejana
demanded.
	~You can not be together now. You must wait until the time is
right.~
	"Why?" Dejana demanded suddenly. "Why should I believe you? Who
are you? How can I trust you?" 
	The fears returned, and Dejana remembered that she was in a
strange place, alone except for a mysterious being who would not show
his face. 
	"Who are you?" she cried out again. "Let me go!"
	Frantic and heartbroken, Dejana lunged at the cloaked figure.
Inches from the cloth of his robe, she smashed into an invisible
barrier and crumpled to the ground, stunned and bruised. Rising to her 
knees, Dejana began to beat the barrier with her fists, screaming in
frustration. 
	The figure stood motionless, betraying no emotion, and remaining
silent throughout Dejana's futile attack. 
	Eventually her screams dissolved into tears, and she at last
resigned herself to the truth of his words. She did not speak for a
long time, and lay helpless on the marble floor in her dirty, torn
dress, sobbing endlessly as she mourned the loss of the life she had
loved so well.

	The Lady Dejana lived at Starlight Palace for centuries upon
centuries, powerless to leave its marble embrace. Over time, she grew 
to trust the words and motives of the mysterious cloaked stranger. He 
became her sensei, and he taught her to use the Space Portal, the 
impossibly dark disc set into the wall above the raised platform in the
round room. What Dejana had originally taken for a painting of stars 
was in fact a real view of a portion of the cosmos. The Portal was a 
window into the world, which could be ordered to display any location 
in the Solar System. 
	From her marble prison Dejana was able to see what had become of 
the Moon through the Space Portal. Its atmosphere dome destroyed in the
attack, the Moon had become a desolate wasteland, and its rate of
rotation had changed drastically so that one dead hemisphere continually 
faced the Earth below. Her home destroyed, Dejana helplessly watched the 
Earth grow older. 
	As a native of the vanished Moon Kingdom, Dejana remained
ageless as civilizations of the Earth rose and fell. Her sensei taught
her how to transform into her Senshi form and trained her in the use of
her powers, and she grew to understand her role as the guardian of the
Sailor Senshi, Sailor Infinity. 
	As guardian, she could sense the lives of each of her lost
friends, and it was her fate to assume the duties of any fallen Senshi.
Now that they were lost somewhere in the void, the emptiness inside her
was almost too much to bear, and she also had to withstand the pressure
of their Senshi responsibilities. Fortunately, since the Moon Kingdom
had known peace for such a long time, their duties were not as
demanding as they might have been. Dejana had never noticed she
possessed these extra senses before, as all her friends were alive and
surrounding her with their vibrant souls. At least Dejana had the
living essence of Setsuna to keep her from caving in inside.
	In the Space Portal she was able to see her old friend, the time
guardian, standing alone at the Time Gate year after year. Only Setsuna
carried the same burden as Dejana, the memories of the bliss of the
Moon Kingdom and the pain of its loss. Dejana watched helplessly as 
Setsuna gradually closed off her heart and her emotions, protecting
herself against the pain and madness that could be born of endless 
solitude. Many times Dejana longed to go to her, to comfort her lonely 
friend, but the cloaked figure held her back.
	~No. Not yet.~
	Time passed. Sailor Infinity waited. She saw the rebirth of the
Sailor Senshi. In a sense Dejana gave birth also each time one of her
friends was reborn, as their Senshi essence departed from her core. At
the same time, new fires erupted within her to fill the hollow void. 
	At last, with the birth of the youngest Senshi, Dejana could
enjoy the warmth of being filled again, and was free to focus on her
own duties. She watched and cheered her five closest friends on as they
met and joined together to fight Queen Beryl when she reappeared, but
her sensei still forbade her to go to their aid. 
	Dejana was crushed to discover that the newborn Sailor Senshi
carried no memories of their former lives. They did not even miss
Dejana's presence. Her heart broke when she saw the reborn Moon
Princess, Usagi. She had been reduced from a graceful, gentle goddess
to a clumsy crybaby. The royal fire still burned in Usagi's heart, but
it was buried deep, and would require a strong catalyst to release it. 
	Dejana often cried with grief for her lost friends. Infinity was
a lost soldier, not even a distant dream. 
	She watched from afar as the new Sailor Senshi worked together 
to finally defeat the Dark Kingdom. She saw the appearance of Chibi-Usa, 
and the war against the Black Moon. Still, she was not allowed to rejoin 
them. Dejana watched as the Senshi of the outer planets joined the team, 
Pluto among them, completing the group of her old friends. Even during 
the Senshi's toughest battle ever, when Sailor Galaxia nearly destroyed 
them, Dejana was still forbidden to leave Starlight Palace. She was only 
able to accept and guard the essence of each fallen friend until their
Sailor Crystals were recovered and they could be reincarnated.
	Each time one of the Senshi lost her life in battle, Dejana
performed this strenuous duty without the knowledge of any of her
friends. She had become more anonymous than any other, a truly lost
Senshi. Many tears fell from her gentle eyes during those sad, lonely
years. Her best friends had forgotten she existed.


------------------------------
End of Prologue
------------------------------

Sailormoon: Eternity copyright 2003 by dejanatalis@aol.com
Original version copyright 1997 by dejanatalis@aol.com
Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon and its associated characters and canon 
belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Kodansha. Sailor Infinity/Dejana Talis was
created by dejanatalis@aol.com and is her exclusive property, and may
not be used without permission.  Sailor Moon Says: Don't steal! ^.^