Lunar Prime Chapter 4 by the Hoyden (dulcinea42@yahoo.com) Rated PG Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. AN's: Gomen nasai, minna-san, but it was my first week of college and there was just NO way that I could get anything out. Hello to my friends, Nicole Cherre, Miss J, and Twilight. By the way, I just watched 13 hours of Neon Genesis Evangelion. NO, not all in a row. Actually, I did two intense sessions. But if anybody else reading this loves that anime, email me. I'm just bursting at the seams with wanting to talk to someone about it. Ja ne! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When you came into my garden, When you came to tell me of your love, The one moon in the sky Seemed brighter than the sun And a white light was shining in my heart. "A Song for Arbonne" by Guy Gavriel Kay ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jupiter woke up clutching her bedsheets, breathless with a terror that had haunted her for four nights running. Groaning at the ungodly early hour of the morning, she threw on a thin green wrap and padded out onto the balcony. She paused only to note that Europa had just risen when she reached out to talk to Mars. ^Rei?^ She received faint impressions of the fiery Prime sleepily trying to untwist herself from her blankets. ^This had better be good, Makoto,^ Mars warned her tartly. But underneath her gruff tone, Jupiter could still sense an undercurrent of anxiety and fear. ^Have you had the same dream, Rei-chan?^ A moment of silence passed, and Makoto thought she sensed Mars struggling with something. Finally, Rei heaved a deep sigh, and warned her, ^It isn't a dream. It's a sight into the future. It's the Event. Now, let me sleep, Mako-chan. Pluto says it's all up to Endymion and Serenity now.^ That said, she severed contact. Jupiter hugged herself in the pre-dawn chill, watching Europa turn silver. I need some tea, she thought to herself, though she doubted that tea would help dispel the images of a massive hoard of intelligent insectoids. Their awful rasping, chittering noises echoing in her mind, she retreated to the safety of her bedchamber. Serenity clutched her husband's hand almost unthinkingly. She had never suspected any place could be so cold and dead as the Sol System Fortress that orbited Pluto. Silent centurions surrounded them as they walked down the hallway, their crisp march drumming out an eerie staccato rhythm that echoed in the ill-lit hallway. But the pervading chill of the place was held at bay by the gratifying squeeze Endymion gave her hand. She looked up at him and blushed at the loving little smile he gave her. After a month of being married, his tenderness had not diminished in the least. They stopped in front of a large steel door, and the centurions took their leave. Serenity inspected her dress to make sure everything was in order, then turned to Endymion, who endured her critical gaze for a few moments with considerable amusement. Then he drew her close and kissed her sweetly. "Have you messed up my hair?" she asked him breathlessly. He chuckled and whispered, "I'm sure they'll understand." Serenity blushed again, then straightened and assumed her "official Lunar Prime" face. After one more reassuring glance at Endymion, she touched the chime panel to announce their presence to the inhabitants of the room before them. The heavy doors shushed open to reveal two women on a dais. One was young, cloaked in midnight green hair and the other was in the twilight of her life, hair silvered and eyes full of hard-earned wisdom. "Come in, you two, don't just stand there gawking in the doorway," the old Queen invited. Serenity could feel the not-so-nice retort on the tip of Endymion's tongue, and pathed at him a reminder to be nice. Pluto descended and approached them. "Welcome," she greeted them. On a tight shaft of thought, she pathed to Serenity, ^Does he know?^ ^Not yet, and don't you dare tell him.^ Pluto raised her elegant eyebrows in response. "Well, I'm sure you two are fairly curious as to why your here. If you follow me, I'll show you." She led them to a wall with several display screens, and brought up several images of bizarre-looking ships. Endymion stared at them for a few moments, his deep blue eyes clouded in thought. "It seems like I've seen those before..." he mused. Beside him, Serenity froze in terror. "I have!" she whispered, her fright coiling up in her stomach. Pluto turned around slowly with a wry smile on her face. "You're both absolutely right. Endymion, you saw those ships seven years ago, and you, Serenity, along with the other Primes, have been having premonitions for almost two weeks." Endymion frowned and protested, "What are you talking about? There's no way I could have seen those ships seven years ago! I was..." "In the hospital," the old Queen cut in. "Recovering from severe mind burn. Don't you remember *why*, Endymion? After all these years, can you still not recall everything that happened before?" Endymion helplessly shook his head. The old Queen clucked pityingly and faced him. "You were helping defend our System from these invaders. At the time, you were just a fledgling, training with Romulus, the old Earth Prime. When we were attacked, all with any mind power were called on to help. You were linked with the Romulus, trying to push the invaders away from Pluto. They were almost too much, infiltrating the perimeter and drawing dangerously close," the Queen narrated, her eyes half-closed, her voice growing firmer, younger, as she recounted the past. "Then, spontaneously, you tapped the power of the Earth and sent all the ships hurtling into Alpha Centauri. Unfortunately, you drew too much power from the Earth, and the overload killed Romulus and burned your mind severely. When you awoke and realized what had happened, your reaction was so fierce that you were diagnosed with amnesia. However, you still retained your link with the earth, as well as faint shadows of the past." Endymion stood still. "I still can't remember...but I've always been terrified of using too much of the power, though I wasn't sure why." The Queen turned her penetrating eyes on Serenity. "And you...I've been watching you for a very long time." "Me?" Serenity whispered. "What's so special about me?" The Queen actually laughed. "There wasn't a Prime in this Solar System who didn't realize who you were the day you were born." The Lunar Prime became even more confused, and was still not certain that the old Queen wasn't joking with her, but the old woman held up a hand. "It's not important that you know right now. What is important is that you stop them." "Them?" Serenity and Endymion asked in unison. Pluto pointed towards the alien ships. "The Invaders have returned. And they brought reinforcements with them this time." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Will Serenity and Endymion succeed in defending the Sol System? To be continued in part 5! Email me at dulcinea42@yahoo.com Lunar Prime Chapter 5 and Final by the Hoyden (dulcinea42@yahoo.com) Rated PG Author's Notes: If you're reading this, thank Miss J for delicately telling me to get back to work. Nicole Cherre's "Trusting Heart" is nearly complete and it's just fabulous, Nikki-chan! I think I'm going to write a couple of one parters after this one, folks - I think it would be nice not to be tied down to a series for awhile. Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is the property of Naoko Takeuchi etc. Serenity coughed, trying to rid her lungs of the horrible smoke. On the viewscreen she saw the approaching Invaders, who had already severely damaged the Sol Defense Station. She felt the floor shake under her as the repulsive insectoids fired once again. I have to do something, she screamed inside, furious tears burning their way down her cheeks. Endymion was beside her, lobbing as many of the ships away as he could, but they both knew it was futile. There were simply too many for them to handle. She grasped his hand, desperate to do something, and entwined the power of the Moon about the Earth. Do something, she shrieked at the incandescent power coursing through her blood. For God's sake, help me! The Moon was not deaf to her cries. No indeed, it acted swiftly, savagely, awakening the soul beneath that of the Lunar Prime, Serenity. For the first time in four centuries, the robes of her Eminence, the Moon Priestess, bedecked a living woman. Her power made the air crackle around her, and even Endymion backed away in fear. "Finally," whispered Pluto. "Thank God you're here." The Moon Priestess paid her no heed. She seemed impervious to mere human concerns, and instead fixed her vengeful eye upon the invaders threatening her sacred Moon. She threw her right hand into the air above her head, where a glowing ball of glittering energy appeared. She chanted in the holy words long forgotten by any living being, and the room was filled with a searing light and a psychic sound boom that brought every telepath to their knees in pain. Endymion used every last reserve of strength that he possessed to lift his head. His eyes searched the viewscreen, but he saw none of the invaders' ships. "You did it, Serenity!" he exclaimed softly, a little smile claiming his lips before he succumbed to exhaustion. The Moon Priestess turned to look at him. "Yes," she agreed. "She most certainly did." She began to glow softly, and her robes melted back to the gown of the Lunar Prime. *A week later* The sunlight streamed in through the beautiful sunroom where Serenity was having breakfast with Endymion. Actually, she was currently admiring him while he was moving about the kitchen putting breakfast together. "What are you staring at?" Endymion finally demanded. Serenity giggled. "You're cute and you cook! That's enough for any girl to stare at, don't you think?" she asked sweetly. Endymion blushed and turned his attention back to a sizzling frying pan. "So," he started, looking at her once again, "What do you think the old Queen will do now?" She languidly sipped her tea. "Well, since she very bluntly informed me that she would NOT be returning to duty as the Lunar Prime, I suppose that means I'm stuck with the job." Endymion arched an eyebrow. "I guess she didn't want to compete with the Moon Priestess," he commented as he laid breakfast out on the cozy little table. Then he gave her his most dashing smile and offered her a rose. Serenity blushed. "Why, thank you, Endy!" she said softly. Then she knit her brows together. "Where did you get a rose from? I didn't see earlier." He gave her a saucy little wink. "I'm magic too, Your Eminence." "You stop that!" she scolded him even while she was laughing hysterically. He came around the table and stood behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "You're the priestess," he whispered in her ear. "But you're also my wife and I love you very much..." Suddenly he straightened up and sat down across from her. "And because I love you, I want you to know I'm worried about you." "Why would you be worried, Endy?" she asked, confused. He took her hands in his own. "I'm afraid you're not fully recovered from the battle. The past two weeks you've been nauseous in the morning and I really think you ought to pay Ami a visit. I want to make sure you're in good health before you go back to the Lunar Tower." He looked so serious and concerned as he sat there that she was virtually certain that he wouldn't take it at all well if she started laughing. So she very carefully schooled her expression before explaining that morning sickness was really quite normal for people in her condition. He frowned. "What condition?" he demanded irritably. "Ami said you would be just fine with rest and it's obvious that you're..." he trailed off. She watched with delight at all the emotions flooding his eyes as he put two and two together. His voice was rough and husky as he asked, "When?" Serenity lovingly touched the little spark of life growing within her. "November. The exact date won't be up to me, however." Endymion shook his head. "She'll probably be late. Just like her mother." She rolled her eyes. "I'm not that bad. Besides, you dragged me out of be long before the decent hour of 11. If you hadn't promised me breakfast I might not have come at all. I might even go back to bed if you're not nice to me." "We just got up!" he protested. "I really don't think I can fall back asleep!" She kissed him lovingly and ruffled his silky black hair. "Who said anything about sleeping?" The sun continued to rise without their notice. But all was well once again, and the Moon and the Earth rejoiced. The End.