Lost Love in the Moon Palace

Epilogue

The great, powerful force of the Silver Crystal had enveloped everything in a peaceful, white light and brought time to a standstill. The young queen stood in a radiant room, still clutching the Moon Scepter tightly in her hands, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

She had succeeded in pushing back the followers of the black moon, but at what cost? Her adversary had been right—what was the point of the battle if everyone was gone?

The staff slipped from her trembling fingers, and its dull thud echoed in the silence. Serenity sank to the floor, tears streaming down her face, and she didn't know what would happen next. Why hadn't the Silver Crystal killed her, as it had her mother? With everyone gone, dying seemed so temptingly easy, but it simply wouldn't happen. She should have died back then, and even now, this cursed crystal had decided differently. Her fingertips pressed painfully against the cool, shimmering floor, now wet with her tears.

"This is unfair! This is so damn unfair!" she screamed into the void, and then silence reigned. Only her occasional sobs filled the air. "Serenity... Serenity, stop crying," suddenly came a foreign, yet pleasant female voice. She looked up sharply, but there was nothing, no one in sight. Not even a shadow. Her eyes searched the surroundings intently. "Who... who is there?" she whispered. "Serenity, it's me, the Silver Crystal. You can stop crying, my dear Serenity. You have succeeded in fully unleashing my power, and now everything will turn out well. Just close your eyes, think of the most wonderful thing you can imagine, and leave the rest to me..."

Serenity hesitated for a brief moment, but then she did as she was asked. She immediately felt a warm sensation in her chest, spreading in waves throughout her entire body. Because Luna had preserved a part of each soul in the Silver Crystal, Serenity felt the presence of everyone, and this gave her a comforting sense of peace. She simply trusted the powerful presence that filled her.

On Earth, people observed a meteor shower that evening, as the souls of the brave warriors descended to the planet to be reborn there. The Silver Crystal looked deep into Serenity's heart, seeing that all she wished for was a normal life in peace with the people she loved, and that is what it intended to grant her.

***

Serenity slowly came to. Something heavy was wrapped around her waist. She blinked slowly and looked around. She was lying in a bed, but the room she was in was completely unfamiliar. It was a beautiful, simple bedroom decorated with playful details. Her gaze followed the arm that held her tightly, and then she had to stifle a gasp.

Seiya lay beside her, sleeping peacefully with a slight smile on his lips. Serenity sat up slightly and examined her surroundings more closely. On the wall above the dresser hung several pictures that she studied attentively. In the center was a large picture of her with Seiya—she in a beautiful white dress, and he in a stylish black suit. A wedding picture. She looked at her hand and saw a golden ring with a white pearl embedded in the center. Her heart began to race, and slowly, so as not to wake him, she removed his arm from around her.

Hesitantly, she stepped closer to the wall and examined the other pictures. Without a doubt, she recognized her friends as well as Seiya's brothers. Then her gaze stopped on two other pictures: Seiya's son with a small baby and a family photo showing her, Seiya, Kazuki, and a little girl. She picked up the picture and gently stroked the glass. It wasn't Chibiusa, that was clear to her. But where was her daughter? Panic rose within her, and she searched the pictures again for her Small Lady, but to no avail.

Serenity tried to comprehend what had happened, but her mind was completely blank. The last thing she remembered was the battle and that everyone who mattered to her had fallen. Now she stood here in front of a wall of pictures, where they all looked happy. In the next moment, she realized that Endymion was also not in any of the pictures, nor were his generals.

Instinctively, she pulled open the top drawer of the dresser and paused. Her fingertips slowly ran over the smooth surface. It was unmistakably her Silver Crystal, even though it had changed form. Instead of the once magnificent orb, she now held a lotus brooch between her fingers. She knew exactly that it was him. She carefully took it in her hands and pressed it to her chest. Tears of fear formed in her eyes, and she sank to the floor.

"What has happened here? Where am I?" she asked herself and closed her eyes. "Serenity, stop crying. I promised you that everything would be alright. Now go and enjoy your new life," a voice suddenly spoke in her head. She knew exactly that it was the voice she had heard in the light—the voice of her Silver Crystal—and she pressed it closer to her. "Where... where is Small Lady? What about Endymion and the generals? The children of my friends? The ones we evacuated..." she continued to ask, needing certainty. "Serenity, just let things unfold. I have looked into the hearts of each one and fulfilled their deepest desires. You will now live a completely normal life, all of you. The children are safe, that's all you need to know. But one more thing I want to tell you: Except for you, no one remembers the life on the Moon and the past events... and now go and enjoy your new life, my dear."

Suddenly, Serenity knew whose voice it was, and her heart skipped a beat. It was the voice of her mother that she had heard. She didn't know how long she sat there on the small rug in front of her dresser, still trying to comprehend everything.

Seiya's hand searched through the sheets. Confused, he realized that his wife was no longer beside him. Still slightly groggy, he sat up and saw her on the floor. "Sweetheart? What are you doing on the floor at this hour? Don't you think it's much more comfortable in bed?" he asked, and she jolted out of her trance. She blinked at him, bewildered. A playful grin was on his lips as he extended his hand to her. The young woman hesitated for a moment, but then she clasped the fingers that were both unfamiliar and familiar at the same time. With a slight tug, he pulled her back into bed and leaned over her. A dreamy expression was in his gaze as he brushed a stray strand of hair from her face.

"I think we can still make use of the time before the kids wake up, don't you agree?" he whispered in her ear. A slight, excited shiver ran through Serenity's body as she felt Seiya's hand slowly sliding up her thigh. However, their playful moment was abruptly interrupted when there was a knock at the door, and in the same moment, the door was pushed open.

The little girl with pink hair, whom Serenity recognized from the pictures, came running in and stood by the bed. Seiya let out a brief sigh and rolled off his wife. "Good morning, little princess. So, you're already awake?" he asked the little one and lifted her onto the bed. "Yes, awake," she beamed at him. "Woke up Zuki and now Mama Papa." Seiya scratched his head and got up. "Well, if you've already woken your brother, we all have to get up now. After all, we have an invitation to breakfast at Mamoru and Setsuna's, and I want to shower before the teenager hogs the bathroom," he said and gave Serenity a quick kiss on the lips.

Mamoru, Endymion's second name, sent shivers down the blonde's spine. So, he was now officially with Setsuna, and she was Seiya's wife.

"Mama, dress Chibi?" the little girl tore her from her thoughts. Serenity realized that the girl was still dressed in a pink pajama. She got up and extended her hand to her. "Well, then show me your room," she replied lovingly. She didn't know exactly who this girl was, but her heart told her that she loved her.

In the hallway, Serenity paused again. There were more pictures hanging here, and one of them made her exhale in relief. Small Lady stood next to Endymion and Setsuna; she was fine. In another picture, she was snuggled up close to Kazuki, and Serenity's heart skipped a beat. Her daughter was alive and seemed happy, that was all that mattered.

Then her eyes fell on an envelope addressed to Usagi Kou. So, she was living here under one of her other names. Curiously, she pulled the card from the envelope. It was a wedding invitation that seemed to leave her speechless. "Yaten and Minako, we're getting married," it proclaimed. Venus was living a life with Seiya's brother. Slowly, she slid the card back into the envelope and looked forward to everything this new life had in store for her.

She knew she would need time to understand and accept everything, but the certainty that her loved ones were happy and safe gave her the strength to face the new circumstances.

The End