"Where have you two been?" Prince Darien said as he ran up to them. "My whole class had to drop weapons and look for you two!" Princess Serenity blushed then looked at the ground. Stammering out and apology, Princess Serenity looked Prince Darien of Earth in the eyes and blushed even further. Prince Darien’s whole weapons class surrounded the Moon Princess and the Prince and Tranquillity seemed to have disappeared as only she knew how to do.

"Come on Usagi!" Grabbing her wrist with her hand, Princess Tranquillity pulled her twin out of the circle before anyone noticed. Running along, once out of earshot and hidden in the thickest thicket of bushes, the princesses collapsed into two giggling huddled figures. "I can’t believe! The look on Yola’s face was indescribable!" Princess Serenity said in a hushed voice. "Usagi, tell me truly: have you taken a liking to Prince Darien from Earth?" Princess Tranquillity said when they stopped giggling so hard.

Princess Serenity didn’t answer quite yet but in the greenish light, Princess Tranquillity saw the deep red blush and nodded. "I thought so sister! I even think he returns the attention." "WHAT?!?" "Didn’t you see the way he looked at you? Wonder was in his eyes, I know it!" "I bet when you’re older – older than our very young seven years," Princess Tranquillity said in an imitation of their father, "– I bet he asks you to dance with him at every party!" When she finished, Princess Serenity looked hopefully up at her.

"Do you really think so?" Princess Serenity asked in a quiet voice. "Sister dear, I don’t THINK, I KNOW!" Princess Tranquillity said in a solemn, truthful voice. "Even if he didn’t, I’d drop a love potion in his drink right before he was scheduled to meet with you one day and then he’d be head-over-heels in love with you anyway for the Court to tell the difference." "Oh Tranquillity! You wouldn’t, would you?" At her sister’s glee-filled nod, Princess Serenity started laughing again. "I could see it now, on his way, he’d spy Yola and then – BOOM! – he’d fall for her!" That last thought spoken aloud made both Princesses laugh out loud.

Standing up, Princess Tranquillity spied around until she was sure the coast was clear then both Princesses started to sneak out of the ceremonial garden. "Princess Serenity," Darien said. "RUN!" Princess Tranquillity shouted laughingly to her sister. Picking up their dresses enough to run, Princesses Tranquillity and Serenity ran over the rootiest part of the garden-turned-forest with the Prince and one of the Royal Army about the Prince’s age giving hot pursuit. Having to spilt their concentration, Princess Tranquillity let Serenity gain the lead so she could watch the back.

Looking back she saw that the mysterious Guard had disappeared and only the Prince remained. "Only Darien’s left!" Tranquillity shouted to her sister who let out a whoop of joy when she heard the news. Looking back, Tranquillity almost stopped running. "Sis, what’s wrong?" Serenity called over her shoulder. "Usagi, Darien’s gone, he’s not there!" "Well, come on, they’re probably trying to catch us and we can’t let them!" "Wait sis, I got an idea!" Taking one of the ribbons tied to the base of her hair - which was up in the Moon Kingdom style she thought of as ‘meatballs’ – she cut it in half using the base of a nearby tree to rub it broken. Gathering her skirt and dividing it in half using the natural cut of the riding gown, she tied it off at her ankles, giving her more freedom of movement. Serenity looked it over then repeated the process with Tranquillity’s other hair ribbon.

"Almost glad Mom made me use them now!" Tranquillity called to her sister as they ran through the forest which seemed to go on forever. Running, Tranquillity didn’t see the figure waiting for her until she hit him – literally. After she recovered her wits which had been scattered by the fall, she saw Serenity had run into Darien.

"Lady, let me help you up." A deep, melodic voice which held tones of amusement commanded her. A hand, gloved, reached down and she put her own into it. As he pulled her up, a chuckle made her look up into his eyes. As she looked into the Guard’s eyes Tranquillity thought, in the far recess of her mind that still worked, that she now knew what Serenity saw in Darien’s eyes, something akin to what she thought she saw in the Guard’s.

As he helped her to her feet, a deep crimson blush spread to the tips of her ears and she wished for Serenity’s ease in dealing with people. "Thank you for helping me up." Tranquillity stammered. "No problem." He said with laughter flavoring his voice. "I always like to help pretty young ladies, keeps me humble." "Does it?" Prince Darien asked. "I never noticed any difference!" "DARIEN!" Both Serenity and Tranquillity exclaimed for different reasons. Both the Prince and the Guard laughed – obviously they fought like this almost everyday.

"Princesses," Darien said with a courtly bow, "May I present Prince Jadeite of the Star Kingdom who is Captain of the Millenium Guard for the Moon, Sun, and Star Kingdoms? Prince Jadeite, the Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom and the ‘lady’ you helped up is the Heir to the Sun Kingdom Princess Tranquillity." Jadeite turned a charming crimson to his ears and turned to Tranquillity.

"Forgive me," "Prince Jadeite, it was a chase – purely for fun. You should see Darien some times when he and I team up on Serenity! I think ‘Tickle War’ is the appropriate title for what results." Serenity looked at her sister thoughtfully – she never was this nice to anyone she had just met – than she saw why and hid a grin. Her sister was smitten!

***

"Are you sure you have to leave? You just got back from your last mission!" "Queen Serenity needs me to direct the Star forces at the edge of our border and my father requested me. I’m sorry Princess, I planned to be here for the ball." "Oh Jadeite! I guess it’ll have to wait another year. Return to me safely Prince." "I always come back to you. I wouldn’t change that now." Princess Tranquillity stood facing Jadeite who arrived back at the Moon two days ago and had told her when they were walking up the path through the forest, where they had first met. That he had to leave again – tomorrow. "Oh! I almost forgot!" Reaching into her pockets, she withdrew a locket that resembled a blazing sun. "I got this for you and meant to give it to you at the ball but since you won’t be there…oh silly! Open it up!" Opening the latch, Jadeite watched as the sun lit up and played the simple tune she had composed for him on her flute – ‘Sun & Star’ she called it. As the music played, inside the locket stars sparkled and he exclaimed in wonder as the sun danced around the center with a star at the opposite side giving chase – like the first day they met.

Smiling at the memory, Jadeite closed the locket and pulled his Princess closer to him. They still had a few hours before he had to leave and sunrises are a beautiful thing to watch when they happen.

****

"Prince Jadeite…" At the sound of his name, he whirled. Before him stood a woman with ample curves contained by a purple dress, long red hair held from her face by a black crown, glinting orange eyes, and a black scepter in her hands. "Who are you?" he demanded but in the back of his mind a little voice told him to run but running wasn’t his style so he ignored that little insistent voice. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am called Beryl by my subjects."

Jadeite had heard stories about this ‘Beryl’, stories he never had ever wanted to see if there was any truth in. Backing away, Jadeite edged to the door of his chamber. "How did you get in here? The Palace has wards set over it to keep you out and you’ve never been able to break them before!" I have to tell the King that he needs to reinforce his protections. "Even if the King reinforced his protections I could still get in little Prince."

Realizing he had no privacy for now he asked the one question he wanted to know the answer to. "Why are you here?" Jadeite asked, curious in spite of the fact that this tramp had broken into his room. "I thought you might be interested to hear how your Princess Tranquillity has been doing. Since you don’t…" "What do you know about Princess Tranquillity?" he demanded.

As she started to teleport out of the room, Jadeite grabbed her arm and prevented her from leaving. "What have you done to my Princess?" he demanded in a deadly quiet voice. "Why should I tell you?" she demanded in turn – the question left Jadeite speechless. "I have no reason not to tell you I suppose. You know how friendly Princess Tranquillity and Prince Darien were when you left?" at his nod, her eyes became more lively.

"Recently, rumors have spread – well founded – that Princess Tranquillity and Serenity fight for his affection. I personally saw a fight the two sisters had over him, one saying he was his and the other saying something that sounded like ‘what about Jadeite?’ and the other’s response was ‘I don’t care about him anymore – Darien is the center for my affection’ or something like that." Jadeite turned a lovely shade of white when the words sunk in. Queen Beryl inwardly congratulated Kunzite on his intelligence – Jadeite just might forget to think rationally for once.

When he realized that his love was unfaithful, his own mind thought of worse things that could be happening; to top it all off, Darien had sworn to him that princess Serenity was the object of his hidden affections – not HIS Tranquillity. "BASTARD!" he screamed as he pounded his fists into the wall. If he closed his eyes, he thought he could see Darien’s face instead of the wall and he hit that smirking face in his mind with perfect little punches on that perfect little nose.

Beryl’s eyes gleamed; she put a hand on his arm and stopped him mid-punch. "I see you want revenge little Prince – it’s the only way for you to make your Princess see her fault." As Jadeite’s eyes clouded with fury, Beryl inwardly congratulated Kunzite again on finding Jadeite’s one weakness – his love for the Sun Brat.

Her voice took on the quality of a cat’s purr. "I could give you, little Princeling, your revenge but only if…oh, you would never agree anyway!" In her mind, Beryl imagined herself dangling a toy just out of reach and waiting for Jadeite to grab the bait – Jadeite not only grabbed the bait but Beryl sensed he already knew some of what she would ask him.

"What?" he asked, his eyes showing him to be not-so-sane. "What do you want me to do? Swear allegiance to you?" At her nod, his eyes hardened. "What I want you to do is to extract revenge on that sniveling Prince but first you MUST swear allegiance to me using something very dear." "What?" " Your soul. Your allegiance would have to be complete – you would have to change in your very heart but I think a little revenge on that…" "THAT BASTARD! Tell me how and I will swear allegiance to you right here and now!" Jadeite replied vehemently.

"Very well, if you wish it so, than so be it!" Reaching forward with her hand, Beryl grasped his soul and touched it with her energy. Jadeite screamed as the Nega-energy merged with his soul. When the dark energy was completely absorbed Beryl looked once more at his soul. When she had first entered the room there were no dark spots in the heart of Jadeite’s soul; as she looked now, Beryl smiled. As she looked at the heart of what she thought was Jadeite’s soul she could see no spots of light – the fourth General for her Negaverse had been turned to evil and now there was only one person left to corrupt – the Princess Tranquillity.

"Arise Lord Jadeite, I have a mission for you now – one which I believe you will be successful in."

****

"Princess Tranquillity, you asked me to inform you when the troops arrived back – they have just landed and can be found in the Army’s Barracks." Bowing as he left, the orderly wondered what business the Princess had with someone in the Army. While everyone knew that Princess Serenity was smitten with Prince Darien and he was likewise smitten, the orderly – in all his Court banquets – had never even heard a rumor concerning the Sun Princess and any loves.

"Usagi!" Tranquillity said as she ran to her sister’s rooms. Her sister met her in the hall. "Has the Army returned Lily-chan?" at her sister’s nod she jumped up and down in happiness for her sister. "Come on!" Princess Serenity said as she grabbed her sister’s wrist and ran off down the back hall. The two Princesses ran down the hall, oblivious to the stares the servants gave them as they passed.

"Do you think he’s alright? Why didn’t he see me first thing?" Princess Tranquillity wound herself up, preparing to kill someone if he had another girl. When the Princesses arrived at Prince Jadeite’s Army quarters, the servants were packing things up and removing them. "Maybe he got a promotion…" Princess Tranquillity reasoned. "Excuse me," Tranquillity said to a man wearing the same rank symbols Jadeite had, she asked him, "Where is the Captain Jadeite?" "Princess, I am the Captain now."

"What? How can that be? Did Jadeite die in battle? Where is he?" Looking the new Captain in the eyes, Princess Tranquillity’s own eyes filled with tears. "Princess," the Captain said gently, "…Jadeite…" "What did Jadeite do?" Tranquillity demanded. "Princess Tranquillity, Jadeite disappeared from the Star King’s Palace and we fear the worst now. During our last battle against the forces of the Negaverse who attacked us, Jadeite…" the Captain’s voice quavered between tears and anger, "Jadeite directed them."

Princess Tranquillity took the news like a blow to her heart. Falling on her knees, the Princess cried until – hours later – Serenity made her walk to her quarters where she cried until weariness finally overcame her and she feel asleep while tears continued to stream down her face. When at last Serenity felt sure in the knowledge that Tranquillity was fast asleep, Serenity crept out and searched for Darien.

"Darien?" she said softly when she saw him – alone – in the middle of the forest where they had first met Jadeite. When Darien looked up, his eyes were red and his face puffy from the weeping he had done. "Serenity?" he said in a voice filled with pain. "Darien, I need your advice – it’s about Tranquillity. She won’t stop crying and when she heard! Darien, her eyes turned dead! My sister’s dying inside and I can’t help her! Darien, what can I do?"

Serenity had sat down, crying in frustration. Darien - moved by an inner prompting - cradled her and let her cry herself out. "We – we’ll both find out what’s going on and we’ll both figure out what we need to do." "Oh Darien, you’re going to help me?" Hope filled her eyes and Darien was very glad at the moment that he was going to help her. "Of course I’ll help you! What are friends for? Serenity, I need you to answer this question: did Tranquillity like Jadeite?" "Yep, she told me herself. You know why she’s really broken up right now? Right before he left, she gave him her locket and made him promise to return to her. She thinks, I suppose, that half of why he left was to get away from her." "Jadeite wouldn’t do that, he told me himself that he liked Tranquillity – he even showed me the locket after she gave it to him and he was glowing with pride! I’d never seen him so happy…" another thought struck him. "I never will again!" Standing up, Darien walked to a tree and hit it, his fist digging into the tree. "DAMN YOU JADEITE!!!! WHY???"

****

"Serenity!" Rushing into her sister’s room, Tranquillity’s eyes were wide with fright. The candle Tranquillity carried left globs of wax on the floor but she used it to light the way. "Serenity!" Collapsing onto her sister’s lap, Tranquillity started sobbing uncontrollably. "Oh, Serenity! I had another dream – worse than the last one!" At the word ‘dream’ Serenity froze - this wasn’t the first time Tranquillity had had a nightmare since Jadeite had disappeared but these dreams were different from regular ones.

Their mother, after Serenity told her about the first one and what happened in it, had ordered Serenity to tell her when Tranquillity had another one because she was worried about Tranquillity’s safety – Serenity had solemnly promised to do exactly that and to try to get Tranquillity to open up to others again. Ever since Jadeite had left, Tranquillity stopped going to Court functions, would talk to no one but her closest friends, and spent all her time either crying or walking in the deserted forest.

The dreams had pushed Tranquillity to the point of tears more than once and each time they pushed further – like they were trying to find her breaking point. Their mother said that the dreams were sendings from the evil queen who must have control of Jadeite and was using that to try and get Tranquillity too. No one else in Court knew about the dreams and even their father the Sun King Leo had not been told – their mother thought it best not to torment him with the thought of losing his daughter – he was the only person besides the Scouts she would visit on her own.

"Tranquillity, what happened this time? Was it different or the same – like all the others or not?" "Sister, it was worse! A hundred times worse!" Sensing her sister was about to leave, she asked, "What happened?" knowing the tears would come again as usual. Instead of tears, Tranquillity’s voice grew distant as if she were talking through fog.

"A woman was there…" "How do you know she was a woman?" "…her hair was red and her eyes!" Tranquillity’s own eyes streamed tears as if it pained her to remember – maybe it did. "Usagi-chan, her eyes glowed in the darkness! There was darkness everywhere…" Tranquillity shivered and pulled her arms around herself. "I was the only light, I had a candle with me – the one I lit to keep the dreams away. The woman told me to put my candle out and I refused – she said something like ‘your light keeps my darkness at bay’ and I pulled the candle closer to me. The candle could shine only so far Usagi-chan and beyond the light…" Tranquillity started crying and the candle still in her hand fell to the floor, putting itself out. Realizing the candle had left her hand, Tranquillity picked it up and re-lit it with a thought without really realizing she did so – Serenity did. "Tranquillity, when did you learn to do that?" "Huh?" "You lit the candle with a thought! How did you do that?"

Rubbing her head, Tranquillity looked as if she suddenly had a headache. "I don’t know Usagi-chan! Ever since the dreams…I’ve been able to do that and more since the dreams…it hurts so much after!" Storing the information away to tell their mother, Serenity urged Tranquillity to continue. "What happened next Tranquillity?" "My candle could only light so much space and the candle started dying; she said I was making the darkness come for her – she thanked me! I didn’t know what to do! The candle burned lower and lower, it became a stub, and the light was dying with it." Shivering, Tranquillity’s eyes were as large as mirrors.

"They came closer, the light was so small but I could see them clearly. Someone walked toward me, the light was almost gone and I was so scared; I saw a hand reach toward me and I looked up…Usagi-chan!" Tears streamed from her eyes and Serenity spent the next few minutes of midnight calming her sister. "Who was it Lily-chan? Who was waiting for you?" Looking up, Serenity marveled that her sister was still sane after the horror she saw reflected in her eyes. "Usagi-chan, Jadeite was there. He told me not to be afraid - that darkness left peace in its wake – and he reached toward me. I was scared of my Jadeite! I screamed and light erupted everywhere in a circle around me…the light hurt to look at so I closed my eyes. When I opened them…"

Serenity started to have doubts that these were just dreams – they sounded more like attacks on her sister’s mind. "When you opened your eyes, were you back in your room?" Serenity hazarded the guess. At her sister’s violent shake of her head, she asked, "What happened after you opened your eyes?" "There was a circle of light but that woman was back; a wall of darkness surrounded her and my wall of light could only shine weakly – enough for me though. I still had my candle, it was a thick, tall candle now and I lit it – just like then, with my mind. After I did that, my circle of light grew smaller and that woman’s grew larger. I drew the candle closer to me and the woman laughed at me. She said ‘you’re already using my power for yourself!’ and she laughed again. I had a headache then and my circle started shrinking. Jadeite appeared and stepped into the area my circle held and it broke – my protection broke into bits of light that swirled around me, still protecting me from her."

The candle guttered as the door opened and Tranquillity screamed like a cornered animal with no escape. A man’s hand clamped over her mouth to stop her scream and a voice she couldn’t recognize told her to be quiet – she’d wake the whole Palace. The hand lifted from her mouth and Serenity put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Serenity, what’s got you both up so late? I was going to the gardens because I couldn’t sleep and saw Tranquillity gone – I guess I didn’t think when I came bursting into your room, sorry." Darien, the exact opposite of Jadeite but closely related, squatted down on the floor. "Tranquillity what’s wrong?" he said when he saw her crying. "Darien, she had a…" searching for the right word, Serenity thought of it at last. "Tranquillity had a bad nightmare and I was trying to get her back to sleep. The dream had really shaken her up and she didn’t recognize you at first. Thank you for your concern, I’ll take care of her." Rising and bowing to the Princesses, Prince Darien of Earth left the two girls alone.

"Shh…Darien’s gone now and everyone else’s asleep still. What happened after Jadeite stepped into your circle?" "Usagi-chan, it was horrible! I pulled back, he looked so evil with all the darkness behind him and I started running away, he grabbed my arm and I couldn’t get it out of his grasp. I struggled and struggled but I couldn’t get my arm free and my candle burned out. Jadeite opened a hole in the darkness and tried to pull me toward it and I screamed again and – something – happened, a beam of energy shot from my forehead and I…it hurt Usagi-chan, it hurt to have to hit him with it but I didn’t want to go there…I watched him…I did something, I don’t know what and another circle appeared around me…it was a sun and the light hurt me! That woman just stood there laughing and then…"

Tranquillity started crying softly, silent, heart-wrenching sobs that ate at Serenity too. "Did the dream end there?" at her sister’s headshake that meant ‘no’, she continued yet again. "What happened? Did the woman do anything?" "She reached into my sunlight and…pulled me out of it and then the light hurt me…it hurt me Usagi-chan! That woman pulled me to that portal and I couldn’t get free and…the portal was so dark and…" The fright the dream apparently put her sister through made Serenity get her a healer’s drug that would make Tranquillity go to sleep after she drank it. When she was sure Tranquillity was asleep, Serenity snuck to her mother’s rooms and woke her up.

"Mother…" Serenity said hesitantly. "Tranquillity had another dream tonight – I felt you should hear what happened." Telling her mother everything Tranquillity had told her about the dream, Serenity watched in fear as her mother grew paler and paler with each word. When she finished, their mother’s eyes filled with tears and her voice filled with dread. "Serenity dear, you should go back to sleep – your eyes look bloodshot from lack of sleep. I will have orders sent not to disturb you or Tranquillity for the rest of the day."

After sending her daughter off for the first steady sleep she had had that night, Queen Serenity called a meeting of the Outer Senshi. Years ago, when the Outer Senshi had helped defend her Kingdom from an attack, Sailor Pluto had given her a mirror she said would summon the Outer Senshi if the need were urgent. Queen Serenity had hung the mirror in her private chamber of her quarters and had never felt the need to use it but now she needed help from someone stronger than her heart let her be. "Senshi Pluto, Guardian of Time, I need your help again. Senshi Neptune, Protector of the Oceans, I need you help again. Senshi Uranus, Guardian of Skies and Earth, I need you help again. Outer Senshi, by the power of the Moon, I call upon your help!"

A wind filled the chamber and Queen Serenity wondered if her request would be answered. A Gate, like that which the Outer Senshi had first appeared through many years ago in this very room, opened and Sailor Pluto stepped through, leading the Outer Senshi. Bowing, Sailor Pluto addressed the Queen. "I am glad you have called upon us Queen Serenity, your daughter’s enemy will disrupt the very Flow of Time if she is not stopped."

****

A quiet 11 year-old girl walked the lonely gardens. During winter, very few people ever left the Palace but Tranquillity wished to be alone. Sitting down on one of the many cold marble benches strewn about the gardens, Tranquillity tried to set her mind to rest. As the peace of the garden finally calmed her, a snow-white bunny popped its head out of its burrow. "An usagi…" reaching out her hand, Princess Tranquillity let the bunny sniff her fingers. When the bunny submitted to her caresses, Tranquillity lofted it to her lap. "You’re adorable!" she said to it as she scratched it head between the ears. "You look like my sister with your sky-blue eyes and white fur – the same color my sister’s eyes are and her favorite dress. Are you a Royal Bunny in your world? Maybe you’re a Princess just like me…I know!"

Setting the bunny on her lap, she checked it sex and discovered th e bunny was a she. Picking up a stick of the ground, she said, "Since I believe you’re Royalty, I dub thee," touching the bunny on her shoulders and the top of her head, "Princess Usa-chan, my bunny compatriot and confident – just like my sister!" Usa-chan sneezed and Tranquillity laughed. Picking some small daises, Tranquillity wrapped them and made a small Princess’ crown for Princess Usa-chan and used the short stems to weave her a little necklace which Princess Usa-chan let Tranquillity put around her neck and on her head. Tranquillity set Princess Usa-chan on her shoulder and walked to the Palace with a light step for the first time in years.

****

"King Mars, have you seen anything in the Fire about my daughter Tranquillity?" Queen Serenity knelt by the King’s Great Fire and the King turned to Serenity. "You never want me to tell you what I have seen." Looking the Queen in her eyes, King Mars saw great fear had prompted her to ask him and the fear was not about what he might’ve seen. "King Fireon, our enemy is trying to steal my Lily-chan away from me and I need to know what you see. Please tell me, what do you see concerning Tranquillity?"

The King of Mars wiped his forehead and sat down at the Great Fire. Looking deep into the Great Fire, King Fireon’s voice took on the quality of one in a dream.

"Your daughter will be taken but she will return of her own true violation. At the Final Battle, one she loves and four she hates will strike down your daughter but she will gladly go. Tranquillity’s love will remain in darkness for he now knows nothing but it and her heart will never mend again.

"Evil and good will war for her powers and finally… the fire is unclear as to who will win. Even though dead in heart, she will rise up to defend the future but will be taken again but her light will shine through along with other’s and help to heal all the darkness which she loathes…" Waking up to reality, King Fireon looked questioningly to Queen Serenity – she seemed almost relieved by the Fire Reading.

"Queen Serenity?" King Fireon asked. "King Mars, you have told me what I wished to hear but thought I never would – my daughter will be safe someday. Maybe not now, maybe not here, but somewhere she will find her own tranquillity." Smiling down at the shorter King, Queen Serenity’s eyes clouded with tears but hope still shined through. "Queen Serenity, why do you ask?" King Fireon wanted to know.

"Tranquillity has had ‘nightmares’, as she calls them, ever since Jadeite left our service and they are not created by her own mind, they are more like a reflection of this world in dreams where she is alone. I’ve tried to intervene but that evil woman blocks me out of my own daughter’s nightmares! In my lifetime, I have never been blocked by Beryl but I have been attacked and I wonder if taking my daughter from me is another form of an ‘attack’ by Beryl."

"Maybe my daughter can help Princess Tranquillity block the dream sendings, Princess Rei has powers that deal with Spirits as well as our Element. Does Princess Tranquillity ever attend the Senshi’s training sessions?" At Queen Serenity’s "no" he continued. "Maybe both Princesses could train along with the Senshi and they could all help protect Tranquillity’s dreams. Remember Queen Serenity, the power of friendship is something that Beryl cannot counter, only warp. Tranquillity has become more of a recluse since her father left Court and it is time she met those who protect her sister and her."

Standing up fully, King Fireon bowed to the Great Fire then Queen Serenity and said, "I will arrange for the Princesses to be notified when the training sessions begin with your permission."

"I would also like for them to participate – Tranquillity has shown abilities that need to be controlled before they get out of hand and Serenity could learn more than how to spin Flowers." Queen Serenity remembered what her daughter Serenity had told her that night just a few short months ago and realized that King Fireon was addressing her. "What abilities has Princess Tranquillity shown?"

As Queen Serenity thought hard, she remembered what her own instructor had told her about what distinguishes what magic from what and when she realized exactly what magic Tranquillity had she turned as white as her gown. "…Jigoku…" the Queen said and then she broke down. Her Tranquillity had been under Beryl’s influence for so long her magic had changed - from that of good to that of evil.

King Fireon stood in shock. In all his years which he had served Queen Serenity with, she had never collapsed into tears. As her words sunk in, King Fireon used the Great Fire to alert the Inner Kings and call them to the Moon – the rest of his time was spent pounding the marble floor in frustration and demanding the air to tell him why he had been so stupid not to have noticed before now.

Princess Serenity walked into the room. She had heard the sound of someone crying and her natural curiosity, along with her heart, made her want to find the person. When she saw her own mother on the floor, crying as if the world had ended, Serenity rushed to her. "Mother," Queen Serenity looked up. "What’s wrong?"

"Serenity, where is Tranquillity?" "Umm…" thinking hard, Serenity came up with an answer fast. "I saw her entering her quarters just before I came here. She had the cutest bunny on her shoulder and she smiled! She talked to the bunny, made up its answers and laughed at them! Mother, what’s wrong?" Queen Serenity stood up rather weakly and said, "Probably nothing dear. Why don’t you go have a chat with Tranquillity?" Giving her mother the patented ‘I-don’t-believe-you’ Look, Princess Serenity left the room and headed over to Lily-chan’s quarters for a quiet talk.

"King Fireon, have you called the Kings?" Standing up, King Fireon’s eyes were haunted by shadows. "Yes Queen Serenity. The Kings are all coming and they should be here by night-fall." "King Fireon, tell me truly: is there any hope for Tranquillity with her magic as it is?" Hiding his face, Fireon couldn’t bring himself to tell his protectorate the words and after much thought said, "There actually is a chance but it would require the ginzuishou’s powers and that may kill you. Maybe - with all of the Kings and Senshi here - we will be able to come up with an answer to save the Princess."

****

When all the Kings arrived, the air in the Palace was anything but happy – everyone remembered that the last time all the Kings and Senshi had been on the Moon at one time they had been attacked during a ball and had had to seal Beryl in her own world using the ginzuishou’s powers and the then Princess Serenity had nearly died in the attempt.

The older Senshi, the mothers of the in-training Senshi, took over the training from the Armsmaster and encouraged the Princesses to attend. Serenity learned the basics of using the ginzuishou but the older Senshi had no idea of how to train Tranquillity’s powers – also they were more than reluctant to.

One day, as Serenity tried to call the ginzuishou to herself, Tranquillity stood in the shadows cast by the forest’s trees and watched Princess Mars in her Senshi form call her fire – or attempt to. The Training ground fell silent as three people arrived unexpectedly – Senshi Pluto, Uranus and Neptune. Princess Tranquillity moved further away from them, and waited to be forgotten again – the older Senshi went almost out of their way to not include her in the training. Senshi Pluto spoke a few words to Trainer Moon and after her nod the younger Senshi were started back on their training.

Walking behind a tree and trying not to feel sorry for herself, Tranquillity spun around when she heard more than one person approach. Tranquillity always stayed out of the Senshi’s way by being in the farthest reaches of the forest from where they trained and if anyone made the slightest noise she could hear it with perfect clarity. Most of the time, noise created by the training exercises sounded distant in the darkest park of the forest but anything else seemed – out of place – among the gentle chirps of birds. Spinning around like a cornered animal, Tranquillity was surprised to see Senshi Pluto, Neptune and Uranus instead of Serenity who often incurred the Trainer's wrath by walking away to talk to her.

"Tranquillity," Senshi Pluto said after she saw Tranquillity start, "We have come to train you." "Why?" she demanded suspiciously. Senshi Pluto, Neptune and Uranus realized that not only was Princess Tranquillity’s magic tainted, her essence was slightly tainted – she had lost the ability to trust a person she had never met. Pluto cursed inwardly – if they had known it had gone this far they would’ve come sooner but they hadn’t been told. "Princess," Neptune said, "We are only here to help – see, we have abilities similar while no one else does here. We would’ve come sooner but-" "I know," Tranquillity said bitterly, "You had more important things to do so I just got to wait. Fine with me. If you’ll excuse me, I will go and get refreshments for the younger Senshi, it’s all I seem fit to do around here." Tranquillity started to leave but Uranus surprised everyone by grabbing her arm.

For one fleeting moment, Tranquillity’s eyes were wide with apparent fear and she froze, paralyzed by her fear of something. Tranquillity stopped trying to leave and Pluto and Neptune jumped upon the moment of weakness and surrounded her so she couldn’t leave again – or try to. Tranquillity’s eyes had gone blank and Pluto felt an evil start to surround the Princess. Neptune this time surprised everyone by encircling the Princess in her arms and letting Tranquillity cry on her shoulder. Tranquillity cried for a few moments and Uranus went and also stood protectively around the Princess. Pluto herself later realized that she had gone into a defensive stance and had swung her staff around until she felt the evil leave.

"Princess, what’s bothering you?" Neptune asked. "I just…it felt like in the dream…" turning to Uranus, Tranquillity bowed. "Gomen, I over-reacted earlier, please forgive me." The Senshi were surprised by this sudden change – this was more like the Princess than the recluse girl earlier. "Tranquillity," Pluto said gently, "What do you mean by ‘like in the dream’? Have you been having nightmares?" Princess Tranquillity shook her head in disagreement. "What did you mean then?" Pluto asked.

"Well, the dreams started after Jadeite disappeared but he’s rarely there…there’s always a woman there and she keeps trying to take me through a portal." The Outer Senshi looked at each other; Neptune continued where Pluto had left off. "What does the woman look like?" she asked gently. It took Tranquillity a long time to answer. "She has long red hair…her eyes glow orange…" looking at the Senshi, she saw that they were afraid. "What’s wrong? Do you know who the woman is? Can you make her stop?" "Princess Tranquillity, have you ever heard of a woman named ‘Beryl’?" when Tranquillity said she didn’t know the name, the Outer Senshi explained in turns.

"The woman in your dreams is an evil woman named Beryl – she even wears them around her head and on earrings as a sign of vanity. Beryl is the ruler of a place known as the Dark Kingdom here and she has taken many of the universe’s finest warriors to be her ‘Kings’ as she calls them." Princess Tranquillity interrupted them. "Jadeite’s one of her ‘Kings’ now, isn’t he? That’s why no one would tell me…I miss him." "Princess, the Jadeite you knew is not the same Jadeite who’s serving Beryl now – that Jadeite is deep in his subconscious."

"What does this Beryl want with me?" Tranquillity cried out in frustration. "How long have you had these ‘dreams’ Princess? If we knew that we could help you better." Uranus said. "I’ve had these ‘dreams’ since I was eight. Jadeite didn’t return from a battle and two nights later I had the first dream." "In other words, Beryl’s had access to your mind for two years…" Pluto muttered. They had known the Princess had been having dreams for a while but they thought no longer than half a year! "The damage she can have dealt in two years…" Pluto looked Princess tranquillity in the eye. "Princess, would you let me in your mind? If I could see where she might be getting in I and my fellow Outers might be able to ‘patch’ the hole, so to speak." "What would I have to do?" Tranquillity asked.

"You probably won’t like this but you would need to be in a sleep-trance for us to see." Neptune said. Tranquillity’s eyes grew round with fear. "I couldn’t!" she said. "Every time I sleep she’s there, waiting for me…I sleep as little as possible now so I can escape the dreams." "Tranquillity," Uranus said, "Do you trust us? I know what it’s like to be scared and if you’re afraid we might harm you I can understand-" Tranquillity cut her off, sharply. "It’s not you I trust, it’s the fact she’ll be there. Senshi, I trust you with my life and it’s not you I’m afraid of. I don’t know if I can hold out one more night."

Tranquillity’s voice dropped volume. "Last night I just barely woke up before she pulled me to the portal and I got the feeling that if she did in my dream, I would wake up and discover it was reality…I was so scared I didn’t scream - I was paralyzed with fear that she might win and then…" "Princess Tranquillity, I can offer you this comfort: if you do let us put you in trance we will be there to protect you from Beryl, she might not even show up with Senshi to defend you! See, for us to find the ‘hole’ we have to dream what you dream and we’ll keep her from taking you. We are the oldest Senshi and we have powers that are stronger than hers."

Looking the young Princess in the eyes, Pluto knelt and spoke. "Princess, we will always be there to help you even if you don’t know us; will you stop us from saving you now? You are right – if Beryl pulls you into the portal you will be in her Kingdom – and I get the distinct impression you don’t want to be there."

At the sound of a twig snapping, the Senshi and Princess looked up to see Serenity there. "Princess," Pluto said. Serenity cut her off. "I will not let my sister go away to face this Beryl without me – I heard everything. Tranquillity, if they let me, I’ll be there too." "Usagi, promise?" Serenity nodded her head. "I could face Beryl just with the knowledge you’d be near." Turning to the Outers, Tranquillity pleaded with them. "Will you let Serenity help? Please? I don’t really know you and I trust you but I know Serenity. Please?" The Outer Senshi nodded their acceptance of the bargain. "Serenity, be prepared for some shocks when we are in her mind."

Turning to Tranquillity, Pluto took her Garnet Orb off and held it before her. "Look inside the Orb, see the colors swirl?" at Tranquillity’s nod, she continued. "Sleep Princess, the colors will protect you in your sleep…see how they swirl around you, protectingly? The colors will hid you till we get there." Tranquillity fell asleep instantly and Uranus rushed to catch her. The Outer Senshi joined hands with Princess Serenity and entered Tranquillity’s mind.

Once inside, Serenity looked for her sister but sh e couldn’t find her. "Senshi, where’s my sister?" Pluto pointed to the column of light. "Tranquillity’s protected by the light. Tranquillity?!" The column disappeared and Tranquillity stood – unharmed – in the darkness and smiled when she saw Serenity. "SERENITY!!" Running to her, Tranquillity greeted her sister bright-eyed and happy for the first time in two years. "You made it safely! I thought you weren’t coming, that’s why I hid for so long." Glancing around at a sound made in the dream world, Tranquillity soon turned from happy to hunted.

"Where are you!?" Tranquillity called into the darkness. A woman appeared and smiled but when she saw Tranquillity was not alone she frowned. Then Beryl smiled when she saw Tranquillity was standing in front of Serenity, protecting her from Beryl. "You were not invited dear. You should go before you get hurt." Beryl’s usually hard voice was as sweet as a cat’s purr and lulling. "We think not!" The Outer Senshi said as they appeared behind Beryl, cutting her off from her entryway.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "We are the Outer Senshi!" they said together. "I am Senshi Pluto, Guardian of the Gates of Time!" "I am Senshi Neptune, Guardian of the Oceans!" "I am Senshi Uranus, Guardian of Flight and Earth!" "Together," they all said, "We form the Outer Senshi!" Pluto held her staff in a challenging way and Neptune had taken out her Mirror and Uranus drew her Space Sword and pointed it at Beryl.

"Princess Tranquillity is not one of yours Beryl!" Pluto spoke authoritatively. "You have no right to torment her, leave her alone!" Beryl laughed loudly and her four Kings appeared. "The Sun Brat has been mine for two years! You cannot deny me my citizen unless you want a war – I would GLADLY start one. The Sun Brat has used powers I gave her and in doing so accepted me as her Queen!" Beryl looked at Tranquillity. "Where did you think your abilities came from?" "I inherited them from my-" "Oh no! Your powers came from me, I took your true powers from you two years ago. You are mine Sun Brat – now and forever!" Beryl faced Senshi Pluto. "Look yourself, it is my power which flow in her veins – not those she had! The power of Jigoku can only be wielded by my minions or get, not some meddle-some Sun Brat!"

Beryl laughed as Pluto looked at Tranquillity and saw that Beryl was right – Tranquillity could wield Jigoku but not her Sun Power anymore; Beryl had changed Tranquillity’s mind over the two years and now Beryl could enter her mind no matter what they did.

Tranquillity saw the look on Pluto’s face – one of utter disbelief – and knew what it meant. Sinking to her knees, Tranquillity sank into shock. Reaching forward, Beryl tried to take Tranquillity but was blocked. Senshi Pluto acted on Beryl’s moment of weakness. "Dead Scream!" she whispered. Before the attack hit their Queen, the Kings intervened at stopped the attack. "Senshi, FORM A LINE!" Pluto called out. "Submarine REFLECTION!" Neptune called out. The wave of light hit the Kings and stunned them for a bit.

"Tranquillity! TAKE MY HAND!" Serenity reached out toward Tranquillity but something went wrong – Tranquillity screamed in pain and then fainted dead away. Pluto picked up the Princess and the Outer Senshi and along with Princesses Serenity and Tranquillity, left Tranquillity’s mind and returned to themselves.

Serenity woke later than the Senshi and saw they were talking to themselves rather quietly and that Tranquillity was glowing a sickly black. Serenity rushed up to them. "What’s wrong with Tranquillity? Why is she glowing black?!" Pluto answered her. "Princess Serenity, Beryl was right to an extent – Tranquillity now can wield Jigoku powers and when you reached out to her you also reached with your powers." At the Princess’ blank look, Neptune explained. "Since she had Jigoku, when she touched your power it hurt her – good and evil tend to hurt each other. Jigoku is the kind of evil power which the Dark Kings wield – teleportation, calling fire, illusions and things like that. Moon power or the power of the Planets is good – a person could be attuned to one but not more.

"For someone with Jigoku and any other power to be able to work together, the person with Jigoku has to quiet literally swear on their Queen to do no harm to the person they would work with – the Jigoku wielder’s Queen has to give consent and so does the other power’s Queen. Serenity would gladly but since Tranquillity has no Kingdom – unless she wished to become a member of Beryl’s – you and she can never work together. I’m sorry Princess."

"NO! It can’t be true!" As the truth sank in, Serenity worried for her mother. While Tranquillity and their mother might not have been the most ideal subjects for a study on mother-daughter relationships, Tranquillity loved her and their mother did too. "What will happen to Mother? Who will tell her?"

"Serenity dear, there’s no need to worry about that now – I heard everything and was there…in the dream. To protect my daughter, I have but one choice left now." "What do you mean Queen Serenity? Surely you can’t mean to use the ginzuishou on Tranquillity, can you?" Senshi Uranus stood up but Neptune put a hand on her shoulder. "Queen Serenity, I have to advise against this! The energy that emanates from the ginzuishou alone is hurting her. Look at Tranquillity, your Majesty!" Senshi Pluto stood silently in the dark forest, hoping that Uranus and Neptune could convince the Queen against the ginzuishou.

Though she was clearly unconscious, Tranquillity glowed with that sickly black light again and Queen Serenity put the ginzuishou back in her space pocket and rushed to her daughter. Picking her up, Serenity cried when she saw Tranquillity – even in a dream she received pain from Moon power – flinch when her own mother picked her up and cradled her in her arms.

Senshi Pluto approached along with the rest of the Outer team and Tranquillity’s glow faded. Queen Serenity looked up and saw Pluto’s hand on Tranquillity’s shoulder. "Our powers are now more similar than anyone else’s in the universe…" Pluto said in a half-whisper to herself.

"I’m sorry to interrupt this happy occasion but you have someone here I want." Looking up, the Senshi formed a barrier between Queen Beryl and her Generals and the Princesses and their mother. Beryl laughed and her Generals spread out behind her. "Foolish Senshi! Tranquillity belongs to me!" Queen Serenity stood up and called the ginzuishou to her, the crystal appearing in her hand already on top of the Moon Wand.

"Hmmm," Beryl said. "I will let Tranquillity stay here for two more years but you can't stop me then. If Tranquillity still has my power in her veins she will leave with me then. You have two years Senshi!" Laughing as she left, Beryl and her Generals left the garden and the Moon to the Senshi and the Queen while Serenity sat and cried.

Queen Serenity stood up and put the ginzuishou away. Turning to the Senshi, Queen Serenity’s eyes looked hard and determined. "Senshi, we have two years to help my daughter." Sailor Pluto who had stood in the shadows during the encounter with Beryl suddenly signaled the Outers and they carefully convinced Queen Serenity and Princess Serenity to go back to the Palace as they carried Tranquillity in behind the Queen.

****