Note on Planet Names: Ten'ousei=Uranus; Kaiousei=Neptune; Meiousei=Pluto; Dosei=Saturn; Kasei=Mars; Suisei=Mercury; Mokusei=Jupiter; Kinsei=Venus ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Haruka twirled awkwardly, her nose crinkled in disgust. "Do I have to wear this? I like my suits much better." "You're a princess, Haruka, and should dress the part. That means an actual dress." Haruka huffed and dropped onto her bed. "Why do I have to go, anyway? She's the princess of the Moon and I won't ever have anything to do with her." "Sure you will. We of the Outer Kingdoms must protect the Moon Kingdom from threats outside the Solar System, and one day you will carry that burden." "You mean a Sailor Senshi? I'm one of them?" "Yes, just like your mother. I'll show you her sword and henshin stick in a moment. One day you'll wield them, and you need to be familiar with your power." Haruka smiled, forgetting the hated dress in her excitement as she followed her father into the tallest tower of their castle. He opened the only door in the topmost level and stepped inside. Haruka gasped at the treasures hidden inside, but her gaze was drawn to the powerful sword basking in the light from the single tiny window in the room. Beside it, on a shallow shelf on the side of the pedestal, sat a blue and yellow henshin stick, and Haruka knew that it was hers. She reached out her hand, and the stick flew over to her, a part of her from the moment she was born and her mother relinquished her claim. "Mother was Sailor Uranus." "Yes, she was. No touching the sword, daughter. It'll be yours soon enough. Your mother was the daughter of Uranus, princess of Ten'ousei and it was her destiny to fight for our kingdom." "I'm the Princess of Ten'ousei now; is it my destiny to fight?" "Yes, one day. But not now. You'll carry your henshin stick to the princess's party, but the sword is too big for you now. Now, finish getting dressed so you can meet the princesses of the other planets." *~*~*~*~*~*~* Haruka followed her father into the palace, proud of the henshin stick her mother had used, uncomfortable in the huge group of royals and their subjects in the Moon castle. She knew that she was one of them, but she felt so different. She took her place in the throne room as everyone waited for the queen to emerge. Haruka looked around, easily able to recognize the royals of the other kingdoms, and none of their princesses were as old as her. One of them, a slender little girl with soft aqua hair and strong sapphire blue eyes, caught Haruka's attention, and she touched her father's arm. "Who is that girl?" "Oh, that's Kaiou Michiru, Kaiousei's princess, future Sailor Neptune, only daughter of Kaiou Shousha." "She's cute. Where's her father?" "He died. You will meet her and the other girls later, after Queen Serenity arrives." "Tell me who the other ones are, Father." "The tall girl there with brown hair is Princess of Mokusei, future Sailor Jupiter, Kino Makoto. Her parents there are King Meisha and Queen Meika. Beside Jupiter's Royal Family is the family of their closest ally Kingdom, Suisei's, led by King Mizuno Kashin and Queen Amami. Kashin-kun's father died in the same battle that took the previous Neptunian King, Saturn's previous king and queen, and Queen Pluto's two brothers and mother, making her the queen, though she had been Sailor Pluto and the Guardian of the Gate of Time for a while by then. That was the last great battle against Queen Metallia's forces, completing the seal started generations ago. The queen of Pluto has already paid her respects, so she's not here today. She's the one that introduced me to your mother. She has no family left. Those girls will be Sailor Senshi even as you are Sailor Uranus, and one day you two will fight together to defend the Silver Millennium." "I think I've met the little girl with yellow hair. Isn't she Kino Minako, the Princess of Kinsei?" "Yes, Haruka-chan. Her mother, Queen Aino Asakaze, is Sailor Venus, and beside her is King Shinrai, a close friend of the Ten'ou Family. Kinsei's partner is Kasei, and the tall woman with red-black hair is Queen Hino Rikuriko, the current Sailor Mars. Her husband is King Akaneiro and their daughter is little Rei. Like the Royals of the Kaiou Line, Royals of the Hino Line can often see or sense some of the future, though not as strongly or with as much accuracy. Here comes Queen Serenity." With little more warning than that, the tall, smiling, silver-haired queen entered the throne room, her long hair floating behind her. She carried her newborn daughter in her arms, her tall, dark-haired husband following in her wake, his garnet eyes glancing at all of the lesser royals. The kings and queens of the other planets, their young daughters quick to copy their actions, bowed. "Thank you all for coming," Queen Serenity whispered, her voice easily audible to the gathered royals. She placed her tiny heir in the crib beside the thrones and gestured for the royal families to take a look. Haruka followed Koshu, eyes wide at the tiny girl. "She's going to be my queen?" "One day, my child. She's your princess now, and you must always protect her, no matter what and regardless of the sacrifice." Haruka touched baby Serenity's white cheek, one golden curl brushing her finger, and she smiled. "I will. But how will I recognize her in the future?" Queen Serenity gasped, sensing that Ten'ousei's princess was not speaking about her future but her next life. "She'll save the world as Sailor Moon without losing any friends, she'll love everyone without prejudice, she'll save your life even if you try to kill her, and she will reveal her true power if you confront her. When you feel the need to bow to her, you'll know that she's your princess," Haruka's father answered, sure of his response. "I learned that from your mother; she tested Queen Serenity that way once. When the time comes, you'll know." Haruka looked at the henshin stick in her hands, running her finger over the round blue representation of her planet, touching the yellow star on top, and she curled her thin fingers around the stick itself. "I'll protect her, Father. I'll protect your daughter, Your Majesty; I promise." Queen Serenity bowed her head and clasped Haruka's hand briefly. "You have your mother's fire, young Sailor Uranus. I trust you."
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