Hi!  Thanks so much for everyone who wrote to us!  All your feedback
encouraged us to get part 6 out sooner than we expected!

Destiny Thwarted

Part 6

By Charma & Jana (neomoonies@hotmail.com)

        "What's a woman doing up there?" a man in the crowd jeered loudly.
"She wouldn't be able to walk up the stairs to the gauntlet without
getting tired!"
        This wisecrack was followed by shouts of agreement.
        "Get that gypsy out of there!"
        "Hey girlie, they asked for a competitor to run the gauntlet, not
a hostess for a tea party!"
        Serena felt her face flush with anger, but she kept herself
composed as she confidently strode up the rickety wooden steps to the
entrance of the first gauntlet.
        She looked straight ahead, almost like she wasn't touched by the
comments and jeers coming from the crowd.  But, inside, her blood boiled
and all she could think of was beating the pants off of the man who
stood beside her.  An elderly man leaned toward her, and said, "C'mon,
missy, I'd better suit you up if you're sure that you want to do this."
        Serena stared at him, and then smiled.  "Oh, I'm positive that I
want to do this.  But I don't want to be suited up."
        The man looked at her, shock written all over his face.  "But,
dearie-"
        Serena cut him off by nimbly jumping from the platform they were
on up to the ledge of the gauntlet.  Smiling down at him, she said,
"Thank you for the offer, but I'm sure."
        Serena furrowed her brows as she studied the gauntlet and
concentrated on finding the best way to get through without falling off,
or worse, getting hurt.  She tuned everything out, although her mind
dimly heard her competitor declining the armor as well, and only thought
of the satisfaction she would feel when she showed all those sexist men
that women were worth something.
          C'mon, Serena.  You can do it.  Just concentrate, she thought to
herself.  She took a deep breath, and glanced at her competitor from the
corner of her eye.  All she saw was a tall, lean man whose stance was
cocky and arrogant.  Finally, still in her gypsy skirts, she glanced at
the man who handed out the armor and nodded decisively.  At the shrill
whistle that followed she was off.
        Easily dodging the spears that stuck up through the wooden floor,
Serena thought of how useful all those lessons in ballroom dancing
really could be.  The next obstacle was the swinging axes, but she
didn't stop, and twirled through them too.  The whole gauntlet was
pretty easy for her, and she sidestepped each of the axes with just as
much ease.
        She didn't hear the moan come from the crowd as her competitor
fell off the gauntlet at one of the last obstacles.  She continued and
became a little arrogant, causing her skirt got caught on something.
Serena was right in the path of a slowly swinging, razor sharp pendulum
and she couldn't untangle her skirt.  Her eyes grew wider in fear, until
she came to a conclusion.  She did the only thing possible.  She ripped
her skirt.
        Ducking under the pendulum, she came out on the end of the
gauntlet as the victor.  Looking down, she realized just how short she
had ripped her skirt.  The emerald green skirt was now as short as her
Sailor Moon skirt!  But, instead of blushing, she laughed.
        The crowd was silent, but someone started clapping.  Soon, the
entire crowd was roaring with applause and cheers.  Smiling broadly, she
bowed.
        As she bowed, she saw a hand at the edge of the platform reaching
to help her down.  Taking it, she jumped down, and was face to face with
one of the most handsome men she had ever met.  Staring into his deep
blue eyes, she couldn't even say a decent thank you.
        "Congratulations.  I don't believe that I have ever seen such a
display of courage."  His baritone rumbled from deep within his chest.
        "Thank you, Your Majesty," Serena, finding her voice, bowed her
head in deep respect and gratification.
        "Now, I believe that you have a reward to collect," he said, his
eyes twinkling with mischief.
        "Oh, it's quite all right, Your Majesty.  I didn't do it for the
reward, but for myself."
        "Well, I believe that you deserve a reward, not only for your
courage to face the gauntlet, but your courage to show the people of my
kingdom that women can do whatever they put their mind to.   But, I
don't think that a kiss from my Queen would be appropriate," he said,
laughing a little.  Serena looked up in surprise.
        "Oh, sir, a kiss from the Queen is fine."
        "Well, I know someone who would be more suited to you," the King
of Earth said, a bemused smile tugging at his lips.
        "What do you mean, sir?" Serena asked, cautiously.
        "Well, the reward was for men, and seeing as how you are a young
lady, I think that a kiss from my son would fit the bill."
        "What?!?" Serena asked, her eyes large.  "Oh, I mean, sir, it's
all right.  A reward is completely unnecessary.  Really."
        "Well, I didn't think that my son was so unattractive that you
would be unwilling to receive a kiss from him."  The King's eyebrows
furrowed in confusion.
        "Oh, Your Majesty, it's not that I don't think that your son is
attractive.  It's quite the other way around.  Uhh, it's just that,
well, um, it's just that I, well, um, I'm engaged!" Serena made up her
lie as she went along.  "Yes, um, my parents had me betrothed when I was
born, and I don't think that my intended would be too pleased if I
kissed the Prince."
        "Oh, well, it's just a reward.  Think of it this way.  Won't your
'intended' will be proud that you beat the gauntlet against the Prince
of Earth?"
        Serena gaped at the King.  She didn't know her competitor was the
Prince of Earth.  "You're going to make your son kiss the woman he lost
to?  Sir, if you don't mind me saying, I think that would be a major
blow to his ego."
        "Well, he was getting too arrogant." The King mused for a moment,
and then his eyes lit up.  "All right, if you're so against doing this
as a reward, how about this?  You will be doing a service to the King
and Queen of Earth."
        "What service?" Serena asked, confusion written all over her face.
        "Keeping our boy in line, obviously.  Come on, dear.  Oh, where
have my manners gone?  What did you say your name was?"
        "Serena," she said, awed at the King's persistence.
        "Serena?  Beautiful name," the King said.
        "Thank you.  It's a variation of my-um, of the Moon Queen's name,
Serenity."
        "Yes, the Queen was named rightly," the King said, softly.  "Well,
come on, Serena.  You have a reward-excuse me, a service to perform."
He grinned.  Serena, in utter confusion, could do nothing but comply.
        The King of Earth led her up to the platform where the Queen and
the Price sat in their thrones.  In true faith to her royal upbringing,
Serena followed the King with perfect posture and grace, and she glued
her eyes to the floor with her head bowed in the respective manner she'd
been taught since she could remember.  As soon as Serena and the King
stepped onto the platform, the Prince and Queen of Earth rose from their
seats, he with an unreadable expression came over his handsome face and
she with a look of merriment.
        "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to the new
champion of the gauntlet, Serena!"  the King announced.  A huge roar
swelled from the crowd, making Serena laugh and blush at the same time.
        The crowd grew more rowdy as people started chanting "Kiss, Kiss!"
At this, Serena blushed even more deeply.  She wasn't sure if she wanted
to kiss the prince.  After all, he was a stranger; Serena didn't think
that she'd ever seen him before, and she wasn't going to start looking
now.  Serena was too embarrassed to even look up from the ground to meet
the eye of her future first kiss.
        The crowd grew silent in jovial anticipation as the unhappy pair
were pushed together.  Both Prince and Princess-in-disguise looked
extremely discomfited.  Serena took a deep breath, closed her eyes,
finally lifted her head, and leaned in for the kill, desperately hoping
that she wouldn't miss the target and kiss his nose by accident.  The
kiss was short and soft; just an unremarkable, brief meeting of the
lips.  For the Prince and the Princess, however, the impact was
monstrous.  They each felt as though they were hit by a freight train
and then thrown off a cliff into sheer bliss.  Darien hastily drew away
from Serena, scared of the tidal wave of feelings that suddenly coursed
through his veins with that one insignificant kiss.  Serena stood frozen
in the place with her eyes closed, lost in wonderment for a split second
before she returned to the real world.  She too quickly dropped her gaze
back down to the floor and swiftly moved as far away as she could from
the man who was able to excite unknown, never-before-felt feelings in
her.
        No one noticed the intense exchange between Darien and Serena, and
soon the crowd dispersed, resuming their Market Day activities.  The
King watched the crowd thoughtfully and then spoke to the Queen in low
tones.  He turned back to Serena abruptly said, "You may know that a
ball celebrating my son's coming of age is to be held tonight."
        "Yes I do, Your Highness," Serena answered slowly, in slight fear
of what the King may be leading up to.
        "In light of your incredible feat, Queen Cassandra and I would
like to cordially invite you to the ball, to show our appreciation for
your incredible talents," the King stated formally.
        Serena looked the King straight in the eye with surprise.  "Oh,
but sir!  I cannot possibly accept such a generous invitation!" Serena
protested gently but firmly.  "I would be sorely out of place, as I do
not even have a dress, and I am naught but a simple gypsy who would be
an ugly dumpling among the riches and jewels of the nobility."
        The King raised his eyebrow at this simple gypsy's eloquent
speech, and then tried again.  "Serena, my dear, let us show our
admiration for you by this simple gesture." Upon seeing Serena open her
mouth to reply, he continued.  "And if you are feeling as if you would
be out of place, we can fix that easily."
        "But- how-," Serena stuttered.
        "Simple.  We must have some dresses somewhere in that old castle.
And if they don't fit, we can get a tailor to alter them for you," the
King said matter-of-factly.
        "Uh," Serena stalled, trying to think quickly.  "Well, Your
Majesty, it's not just the clothes that would make me feel out of place.
Uh, just the thought of a whole castle filled with people I don't know
makes me quiver."
        "Oh," the King said thoughtfully.  "Hmm, the Moon Queen and her
daughter will be coming tonight, as well as the Princess's court.  The
girls seem to be about your age, and I believe that you'd like them.
And I'm sure they'd be interested in hearing about your remarkable
athletic prowess, since they are involved in the Sailor Scout training.
I'll be sure to introduce you to them once they get here."
        "Uh... uh..."  For once, Serena was out of ideas.  There was nothing
left for her to do.
        "Well, if you're that nervous about being there, why don't you
invite a friend?" the King said generously.
        "A friend?" Serena asked, a bit dumbfounded.
        "Yes, a friend.  You know, someone that you already know and get
along with fairly well?" the King teased.
        "Um, yes," Serena said, distractedly.  The King's being so
generous that I can't refuse his offer without offending him.
        "Well?"
        "Um, okay," Serena said with an air of defeat.  "Who may I take?"
        "Why, that's entirely up to you.  But, I'd suggest a young lady,
seeing the way my son was looking at you," the King said, his voice
serious.  His eyes twinkled.
        Serena blushed, but thanked him.  Excusing herself, she ran to the
little shop where her friends were waiting for her.
        Coming up to them, the girls surrounded her and cheered.  Becoming
a little impatient after half a minute of the endless attention, Serena
shouted, "I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY!"
        "Huh?" was the surprised response coming from everyone's lips.
        "Um, sisters, dears, can I have a word with you?" Serena asked
sweetly, her smile urgent.  Spinning around, she marched to a corner,
the Sailor Scouts following her.
        "Okay, I am in such trouble!  Omigoddesses, you have no idea,"
Serena said, leaning against the wall, holding her head in her hands.
        "What happened?" Ami asked, concerned.  "You're not hurt, are
you?"
        "No, no, nothing like that," Serena said, becoming impatient
again.  "I'm going to the ball tonight."
        "No duh.  We all are," Mina said.  Jeez, maybe that gauntlet was
too much for her, she thought.
        "Not as Princess Serena of the Moon, but as Serena the gypsy."
Serena watched her friend's faces as she let the bomb drop.
        "WHAT?!?!" they all screeched.
        "OWOWOWOWOW!" Serena said, covering her ears.  "Is that what I
sound like when I wail?"
        Ignoring her question, Lita got right to the point.  "How'd you
manage that?"
        "Well, the King said that he wanted to show his admiration, and I
so tried to get out of it, but he made an offer that I couldn't refuse
without offending him."
        "Oh?  And what was that?  Food?" Rei asked sarcastically.
        "NO!" Serena blew up.  "WOULD YOU LISTEN BEFORE BEING SO
JUDGEMENTAL?!"
        Rei, not used to having Serena be so bold, apologized.
        "Anyway, what happened was that the King said that I could invite
someone, and you know that royalty doesn't do that ever!"
        "Well, who are you taking?  And what are we supposed to tell you
mom?" Anya asked reasonably.
        "Well, I don't know what to tell my mom, but I do know who I'm
taking," Serena said, smiling brightly at her ingenious idea.
        "Who?" Jana demanded.
        "Anna," Serena said, dropping her second bomb in the last two
minutes.
        "That's a great idea!" Charma said.  "That way we can repay the
Wickams' kindness!"
        "As for your mom, we can tell her that you got sick, but that by
the time you teleported home, everyone was gone.  So all you have to do
is teleport back to the Moon after the ball," Ami said thoughtfully.
        "Yeah!  And I know that Mom's staying for a week at the Earth
palace, so I can teleport back here once I teleport to the Moon!"
Serena said, getting excited.
        "Well, let's go inform Anna of this little event," Charma said,
leading the way back to her.
        "I was beginning to think that you guys got lost," Anna joked.
        "Well, Anna, I have something kind of important to ask you,"
Serena said, completely ignoring her joke.
        "Uh, okay," Anna said, confused at her friend's behavior.
        "You might want to sit down for this one," Lita said, patting a
pile of crates.  Anna complied.
        "Well, the King was so impressed with the way that I ran the
gauntlet that he invited me to the ball tonight and said I could invite
someone," Serena said speedily.
        "What...?" Anna asked, not quite believing her ears.
        Sighing, Serena took a deep breath and began again.  "The King was
so impressed-"
        Cutting her off, Anna said, "I know, I know.  But what does this
have to do with me?"
        "Well, I wanted to take you."
        "WHAT?!?!?!" Anna shrieked.
        "Oh, ow." Serena rubbed her ears.
        "What about your sisters?"  Anna asked, still refusing to believe
Serena.
        "I didn't want to choose between one of them, and this is a way
that we can repay your kindness.  Please, please, please, please, please
say you'll come!!" Serena begged.
        "I have nothing to wear!" Anna protested.
        Oh, no you don't, Serena thought.  "It's okay.  Neither do I.  The
King said he'd take care of it all.  Please?"
        "I- I don't-oh, I don't know if my parents will let me," Anna
mumbled, overwhelmed by the surprise.
        "Oh, I'm sure that they'd be okay with it!  Let's go ask them now
so that I can introduce you to the King and Queen," Serena said, her
green eyes lively.
        "I'm going to meet the King and Queen of Earth?" Anna squealed.
"Oh, my brothers are going to be so jealous!"

        "Okay, let's go find the King," Serena said, jumping up and down
in excitement.
        "I don't believe that my parents are letting me do this.  This is
so wild!" Anna said, tingles running through her body.
        "Well, believe it!  Now let's go, before the King and Queen go
back to the castle!" Serena said, smiling at her friend's joy.  Taking
her hand, she pulled Anna along.
        "But what about your sisters?" Anna asked, puzzled.
        "Oh, uh, they're not coming only because I don't want the King and
Queen to feel pressured into inviting all of us," Serena lied.  Giving
herself a mental shake, she thought, Come on, Serena.  You've got to be
on your guard all the time!
        "Well, okay." Anna looked like she was going to protest a little,
but then decided against it.
        "C'mon, you slow poke!  Get a move on!" Serena poked Anna
playfully.
        "Oh, you just wait, girly!  I'm gonna getcha!" Anna yelled,
running after Serena through the crowded market place.


        Slowing down near the Town Square, the girls gasped for breath.
When they had composed themselves, they made their way to the platform
where the Royal Family sat.
        Climbing up the stairs, Serena introduced Anna.
        "Your Majesties, I would like you to meet my good friend, Anna
Wickam.  She will be attending the ball with me tonight," Serena said
formally.
        "How do you do, Anna Wickam?" the King asked cordially.
        "Quite fine, Your Majesty, thank you.  And you?" Anna asked as
formally as Serena, with her head bent down.
        "Quite fine as well.  Anna, I would like you to meet my wife,
Queen Cassandra, and my son, Prince Endymion.  The ball is in honor of
his coming of age, you know."
        "It's a pleasure," Anna said, curtseying to the Queen and Prince.
        "The pleasure is ours, my dear," the Queen said, kindly.
        "Thank you," Anna said, blushing faintly.
        "Um, sir," Serena asked.  "You said something about dresses?" She
spoke quietly, afraid that she was being offensive.
        "Oh, of course.  I think it's time we get home, anyway, don't you,
Cassandra?" the King asked.
        "But, Father, the fair is sponsored by us.  Shouldn't we stay?"
Prince Endymion spoke up for the first time.
        "Ah, my son the diplomat," the King said, proudly.  "Well, then,
Darien, will you show these girls to the castle and have Maggie alter
some dresses for them for the ball?"
        "Um, well, I, uh," the Prince faltered.  "Okay," he agreed
reluctantly.
        "Thank you, son." The Queen smiled gratefully.
        "No problem.  C'mon, let's go," he said shortly to the girls.
        Serena and Anna looked at each other, surprised at the Prince's
seeming lack of manners.  They followed him, anyway.  Struggling to keep
up with his long stride, they jogged.
        "Could you slow down a little?" Serena asked impatiently.
        "You're capable," was the only reply she got.
        What a piece of work! Serena thought angrily.  He acts as if he's
too good for us, when in all reality, he's a pompous kid.
        "Serena might be, but I'm not," Anna said, an edge to her voice.
The Prince's un-prince-like behavior angered her, especially since he
was acting like a sulky child because he lost to a girl.
        Caught off guard, Darien stopped.  "Sorry," he muttered.
        "No, you're not," Anna replied, seeing through his superficial
apology.
        "Who do you think you are, talking to the Prince of Earth that
way?" the Prince asked, shocked into anger at the way Anna, a simple
peasant, had spoken to him.
        "You're certainly not acting like a Prince, so I don't see why I
have to treat you like one," Anna answered.
        Darien flushed with anger.  "Insolent peasant!  How dare you-"
        "How dare we?" Serena shot back furiously.  "How dare you!  How
dare you sulk around us, your guests, treat us like filth, and then have
the audacity to insult us?  Weren't you ever taught manners and how to
behave, or have you just been taking arrogance lessons all your life?"
        "I don't have to take this from you-a mere gypsy!" Darien
exclaimed.
        "I don't see that you have any other choice," Serena returned
smoothly.  "We're guests of your parents, the King and Queen of Earth,
so you must act accordingly, and you know what consequences will face
you if you don't."
        With amusement, Anna observed Darien's mouth open and close
several times before he finally found his choice of words.  "Fine."
        "I'm glad we could come to an agreement on this," Serena said
cheerily, her cloudy mood becoming bright again.  She and Anna chattered
as they followed the brooding prince through the busy Market Fair and
towards the Earth Castle at a moderate pace.


        "Here," Darien said, pulling the heavy wooden door open.  Ushering
the girls inside, he sat them down on a very comfortable couch and then
proceeded to speak quietly to the doorman.
        "Michael, these girls are guests for the ball, but they don't have
any dresses.  Don't ask, it's a long story," Darien replied to his
friend's lifted eyebrow.  "Anyway, Father wants Maggie to alter some old
dresses somewhere or other.  Do you know where she is?"
        "Yes, she's either in the tailoring room, or she's in her room.  I
don't know which one."
        "Thanks.  Once I find her, I'll come back and tell you what
happened," Darien said, sighing.
        "C'mon, girls.  Michael said that Maggie would be upstairs,"
Darien said as he approached the couch where the girls were chatting.
He didn't offer either of them a hand.
        Serena, surprised that such an arrogant price could be so easy-
going with his servants, decided to go out on a limb and ask about it.
"Are you always that amiable with your servants?"
        "They're people, too," was all that Darien trusted himself to say.
        "Yes, they are, aren't they?" Serena mused out loud, thinking of
the similarities between the way the Prince treated the servants in his
castle and the way she treated the servants on the Moon.
        Anna smiled at Serena's preoccupied response.  "Yes, Serena, they
are."

        Knocking loudly on a door, Darien waited in the luxurious hallway
for Maggie to open the door, and the girls waited patiently beside him.
        The door slowly swung open, revealing a petite old lady.  Her
long, thick white hair was wrapped in a tight little bun at the nape of
her neck, which was as white and smooth as if she was twenty instead of
twenty times four.  Her large, dark brown eyes sparkled with life and
mischief.
        "Well, what a surprise, Yer Majesty.  I be a-thinkin' that you had
gone to the Market Fair with yer parents," Maggie said, with a
noticeable accent.  "And who be these two pretty lasses?" she asked,
nudging the Prince and winking.
        Laughing and shaking his head, he replied, "It's not what you
think, Maggie.  I had been at the Market Fair with my parents, but Dad
invited these two ladies to the ball, and they have nothing to wear.  So
Dad wants you to alter some dresses for them in time for the ball
tonight.  Do you think you can?"
        "Why, to be sure I can, young lad," Maggie retorted, a bit
offended.  "But, I thought that only royalty was invited to the ball,"
she added, her eyes plainly showing her confusion.
        Here, Serena stepped in.  "Well, we're not royalty.  I'm a gypsy,
and my friend here," pointing to Anna, "is a peasant.  What happened was
that I had run the gauntlet and won, so the King invited me and a person
of my choice."  To Darien's obvious relief, Serena omitted the fact that
she had won against him.
        "Well, miss, I do say," Maggie said, impressed.  "Well, let's not
be standing in the hallway for the rest of the afternoon, now.  We've
got work to do!"  The old woman pulled the two girls in, and when Darien
tried to enter, she almost shut the door in his face.  "Only ladies, you
rascal.  It isn't decent, you know," she said, smiling and winking.
Then she shut the door in his face.
        Darien stood there, listening to the hearty peals of girlish
laughter fill the air.  He touched his lips with his fingertips,
wondering if he dreamt what he felt when he kissed the wild gypsy girl.
Shaking his dark head, he walked away.

        "I wonder what Serena and Anna are doing," Jana murmured, as the
girls made their way through the Town Square to find the Wickams.  The
sunset painted gold and purple streaks in the darkening sky.
        "They're probably spending time with Prince Endymion," Anya
sighed, a bit envious.  "But we'll see them tonight, so we can talk to
them then."
        "No, we can't." Rei surprised everyone with that blunt comment.
        "Rei!" Mina said, shocked.
        "We're princesses, and we can't talk to Anna and Serena as if
we've known them.  If we do, we'll be giving Serena away.  Do you want
to do that?" she asked logically.
        "No," they muttered in agreement.
        "Well, then," Rei said, a bit self-righteously.  "C'mon, let's go
say goodbye to the Wickhams and get our butts back up to the Moon before
we're late!"

        "Oh, dears, do you really think it's wise to go without your
sister?" Mrs. Wickham asked, concerned.  "I don't think that you
should."
        "We've figured it all out, ma'am.  What's going to happen is that
we'll go home and send a horse for her," Lita said, thinking quickly.
        "A horse?  Well, I don't think that it'll be able to make the long
journey twice, since you do live so far away," Mrs. Wickham protested.
The she seemed to come to a conclusion.  "We can spare a horse," she
said.  "When Serena gets back tonight, we'll wait until morning, and
send her on one of our own horses.  That way, the horse won't be so
tired out."
        "Oh, but are you sure?  You don't have to, really," Ami objected.
Lita nudged her, and whispered, "How else is Serena gonna get a horse?"
        Luckily, Mrs. Wickham didn't hear, and said simply, "Good, then
it's decided.  This is to repay Serena for taking Anna to the ball
tonight."
        "But, Mrs. Wickham, Serena's taking Anna to repay you for taking
us in!" Anya cried out.
        "Well, fine.  We'll give her the horse because... because...," Mrs.
Wickham thought for a minute, and then finished her sentence.  "Because
we like her."
        "Uh... Okay." The girls looked at each other and shrugged.  Jana
looked up at the sky, and watched the sun disappear below the horizon
before it hit her.
        "Whoa, you guys, look at the time!" she exclaimed, pointing at
where the blazing red sun had been.
        "Oh, man!" Lita wailed.  "We've got to go!"  Hugging Mr. and Mrs.
Wickham and the three boys, the girls said their goodbyes sorrowfully
but quickly.
        Heading out on the trail, they waved goodbye, and waited until
they were far enough away from the kind family so that they couldn't be
seen.
"Uh, guys, how do we get out of these costumes?" Charma asked.
"Well, we need the Disguise Pen," Lita said matter-of-factly.
Then, she realized what she had just said.  "OMIGOD!  We need the
Disguise Pen!"
"Yeah, no duh." Rei looked at Lita as if she were a queer.
"SERENA HAS THE DISGUISE PEN!" Lita screamed.  Her eyes held a
wild look.
"Lita, it's okay.  We don't need the Disguise Pen," Ami said.
"All we need to do is transform.  After that, we de-transform, and we're
back to our normal selves."
Lita stopped hyperventilating, and the wild look disappeared from
her eyes.  Soon, she was back to business.  "Well, what are we waiting
for?"
        "MERCURY POWER!"
        "MARS POWER!"
        "JUPITER POWER!"
        "VENUS POWER!"
        "CALLISTO POWER!"
        "EUROPA POWER!"
        "FLOWER POWER!"
        Soon, the Scouts stood where a group of normal gypsies had stood
before.
        "Oh, it feels so good to be myself again," Mercury said, her blue
eyes shining.  She ran a hand through her short hair.
        "No kidding," Sailor Flower said, spinning around in circles.
        "You guys, just because we transformed, time hasn't stopped,"
Europa reminded the others.  "We'd better teleport to the Moon now."
        "Oooh, Europa's taking charge," Callisto teased with a smile.
        "Wait a second.  Didn't we tell Jupiter's mom that we'd teleport
directly to Earth?" Mars asked.
        "Yeah, but we need to go to the Moon to for our dresses.  Everyone
at the palace has probably already teleported here, so no one will
notice us," Sailor Flower reassured.
        "I'm so excited about going to the ball tonight!  And seeing
Serena kiss Prince Endymion today?  That was so exciting!" Venus
squealed.
        "I think we're all pretty excited," Sailor Flower said with a
smile at her step-sister.  "Okay, ready?"
        Like they did a couple of months ago on the Moon, the Scouts,
minus Sailor Moon, held hands in a circle, closed their eyes.  Each girl
called out her power and summoned her energy to their circle.
        Then, they shouted in unison, "TELEPORT!"  And they were gone.  As
the wind blew, the grass in the forest the Scouts left behind whispered
of magic, mystery, and sailors.


        "Serena, this is so amazing!  Have you ever been in a more
wonderful room?" Anna squealed happily as she pranced around in the
guest room she and Serena were shown to.
        Serena smiled at the irony of the situation she was in.  "You're
right, this room is beautiful," she answered, carefully avoiding Anna's
question.
        Serena sat at the window seat, half listening to Anna's excited
talk, and half thinking about Prince Endymion, or rather, Darien.  His
earlier behavior made her so angry, but what made her angrier still was
the fact that the rude beast made her feel wonderful with just a kiss.
What was that kiss anyway?  She'd basically ignored it and its
implications until now, when she finally got a chance to analyze it in
relative solitude.
        "Anna, what do you think about the prince?" Serena asked suddenly.
        "Well, he's gorgeous, you have to admit that, but... Personality-
wise, I'd have to say that he's a bit lacking," Anna said slowly.
"Maybe I'm being too judgemental, basing what I think on first
impressions, you know?"
        "Maybe," Serena said thoughtfully.  She suddenly remembered the
first ball she'd ever been to-the tango with Bart, Lady Beryl, and, most
of all, Prince Endymion.  She couldn't believe she had forgotten about
that.  Nor could she believe that the pompous boy she met today was the
same handsome prince who made her knees weak at the ball on the Moon.
A knock at the door drew Serena out of her reverie.  "Girls!  I've
found the perfect dresses for you two!" Maggie called.
        Anna opened the door and gasped at the layers of pure silk that
were heaped in Maggie's arms.  "Wow," she murmured, fingering the soft
material.  "Look at this fabric, Serena."
          Serena, feigning awe, mumbled her assent.  The dresses were
soft, gorgeous hues of green and yellow.
        "Never mind the fabric dearies!" Maggie sang.  "It's the design of
the dresses that is to die for.  The Queen of Earth had these picked out
especially for you two!  You'll look absolutely marvelous!"  She set the
two dresses down on a bed and then bustled around the room, pulling out
a couple of pairs of shoes and some jewelry.  "Anna, that lovely yellow
dress is for you, and Serena, you get this enchanting green concoction.
I've set out some jewelry and shoes for you, so I think you're all set.
I'll leave so you can have some privacy getting ready.  When you're
done, just come down to the ballroom; I believe Prince Darien showed you
where it is.  If you need any help with anything don't hesitate to
call!"  With those final instructions, Maggie hustled out of the room
and shut the door behind her with a bang.
        Serena looked at Anna, at the dresses on the bed, and then back at
Anna again.  Anna's eyes sparkled with excitement.  "My first ball!" she
explained in glee.  "And my first silk dress!  I can't believe this is
happening to me!"
        Serena smiled at Anna's rapture and started laughing when she saw
Anna trip over a high heeled-shoe as she waltzed around the room.
"Anna, you're crazy!  Why don't we get into these dresses already and
then when we see how royal we look, we can really freak out.  Deal?"
Anna awkwardly got up from the ground and grinned.  "Deal."


        "Wow," Anna sighed as she stared at her reflection in the mirror
in front of her.  "I feel like a princess."
        "You look like a princess!" Serena corrected, admiring the way the
yellow silk dress looked on Anna.  The dress was held up by white lace
spaghetti straps, and it floated down to her feet from an empire waist
in layers of mouthwatering pale yellow silk.  The neckline and the hem
of the dress was edged in white lace.  A simple, thin white ribbon kept
the dress tight around the empire waist.  Anna completed the pretty look
with a delicate diamond necklace worn around her neck, matching earings,
and yellow satin high heels.  Serena had done Anna's blonde hair up in
an elegant chignon, making her seem years older than she actually was.
        "Well, if I look like a princess, you look like a queen," Anna
responded with sincere admiration in her voice.  While Anna's dress was
all pretty with pastels and lace, Serena's dress was very dramatic in a
different way.  It was a deep, dark green, probably picked to match her
eyes.  The material was silk, but it glittered like it was made of the
finest emeralds.  The dress was strapless and clung to her upper body
until it reached her waist, where it fell straight to her feet, with a
long slit up one side.  A sheer green scarf was included in the
ensemble, and it was draped gracefully around her neck.  A diamond
necklace with a bold emerald pendant lay on her chest above the dress's
neckline; the necklace was matched with a pair of exquisite emerald
earrings, which showed up wonderfully near Serena's sparkling deep green
eyes.  Because she wanted something different than the up do she always
wore on the Moon, Serena chose to leave her long black velvety hair
loose.
        Serena found herself staring at herself in the mirror with a
slightly unreal feeling.  She was used to her blonde "meatballs" and
blue eyes, not this black hair and these green eyes.  "Well, this is
certainly different than what I usually wear," she commented truthfully.
She was used to wearing pure white dresses; nothing like this dark and
dangerous number.  Despite the strangeness of it all, though, Serena
found herself eagerly anticipating the ball because her princess title
wouldn't cast a shadow over her like it usually did.
        "So, are we ready to go?" Anna asked with a nervous pitch to her
voice.
        Serena gave Anna a reassuring glance and then nodded her dark head
resolutely.  "Yes, let's go.  I'm feeling in the mood to totally blow
away Earth's nobility, aren't you?" Serena asked teasingly.
        Anna relaxed and smiled.  "Only if it means that I get to dance
with handsome guys all night!"
        Laughing, the two friends linked arms and strolled down the
cavernous halls of the Earth palace to the ballroom, blissfully ignorant
of what fate may hold in store for them that star-studded night.

To be continued...